[
{"content": "BE it known to all Christ's people that Sir John Pyllet, Engrment and his heirs, compelled to fulfill their duty which cannot be done by the said Knight, might be somewhat relieved, and Christ said some 2,000 ducats have been released as often as they do it for fifteen years. Also, my lord Bishop of Rochester has granted forty days of plenary Indulgence for five million five hundred thousand. Also, our sovereign lord King Henry VIII has granted letters patent to Mayors, bailiffs, and constables of every city, borough, and town, within the liberty. God save the king.", "creation_year": 1517, "creation_year_earliest": 1517, "creation_year_latest": 1517, "source_dataset": "EEBO", "source_dataset_detailed": "EEBO_Phase1"},
{"content": "This papal insignia is for all Reverend pastors and caretakers, who with the dictate of their own penance, should recognize it in the presence of Peter's judgment. This brief testimonial, having been made canonical through a confession and absolution, bestows indulgences in the young church of the Augustinians, in the year of Roman computation M.D.XVII.", "creation_year": 1517, "creation_year_earliest": 1517, "creation_year_latest": 1517, "source_dataset": "EEBO", "source_dataset_detailed": "EEBO_Phase1"},
{"content": "Here begins the Rule of St. Benet. Anyone who is bound to keep or observe a thing, and is ignorant of it, cannot or may not be excused. Moreover, the reading of the thing that a person is bound to do and execute, unless he understands it, is not valuable to the doing of it, but only useless labor and wasted time. Therefore, by the permission and suffrage of our Lord God, Bishop of Winchester, I, Richard, reflecting in my mind, declare that certain devout and religious women, within our Diocese and under our pastoral charge and care, have not only professed themselves to the observance of the Rule of the Holy Confessor St. Benet, but also been bound to read, learn, and understand the same before they are novices, and after their profession, they should not only keep, observe, execute, and practice the said Rule in themselves.\nrule but also teach their sisters the same, to such an extent that for the same intent, they daily read and cause some part of the said Rule to be read by one of the said sisters among themselves, both in their chapter house after the reading of the Martyrology, and sometimes in their cloister, in times of refectory and collation. All this reading is always done in Latin, of which they have no knowledge or understanding, but are utterly ignorant of the same. We, the said bishop, knowing and considering these matters, and remembering that we may not, without risk to our own soul, allow the said religious women, whose souls we have the care of, to continue in their said blindness and ignorance of the said Rule, to the knowledge and observance of which they are professed, and especially for the sake of the young novices.\nKnow and understand the aforementioned Rule before professing it, so that none of them may afterward probably claim not to have known what they professed, as we have learned from experience that some have done so in the past. For these reasons, and especially at the urgent request of our right reverend and well-beloved daughters in the Lord, The Abbesses of the monasteries of Rumsay, where we are, St. Mary's within the city of Winchester, and the Prioress of Wintnay: our right religious diocesans, we have translated the aforementioned rule into our mother tongue, plain, round, English, easy, and ready to be understood by the said devout religious women. And because we would not have them lack any books of this aforesaid translation, we have therefore, above and beside certain books thereof, caused it to be printed by our well-beloved Richard Pynson of London, printer. The twenty-second day of the month.\nThe year is 1416. The eighth year of the reign of our dear lord King Henry VIII and the sixteenth year of our translation.\n\nRule of St. Benet.\n\nListen carefully, my children, to the precepts and commands of our father and master. Diligently apply and incline the inward spiritual ears of your hearts, and gladly receive and admit the fruitful admonitions of your good and loving father. Effectually accomplish and fulfill them, so that through the labor and virtue of obedience, you may return and come again to almighty God, from whom you were separated and dispersed through idleness, vice, and disobedience.\n\nTo you all, therefore, my words are now directed and spoken. Whatever you may be: who will forsake and renounce your own wills, sensualities, and pleasures, and take up the mighty and noble spiritual armor of obedience to serve that noble and true king, almighty God Jesus Christ.\n\nAnd first, whatsoever you may be:\nYou shall begin every good purpose or work you undertake, and before you begin it, ask instantly and most humbly request the good Lord to complete and perfect your said purpose or work. He who has vowed to accept us as his chosen children should not be displeased or grieved through our evil offenses and misdeeds. For we ought, for the great goodness he has shown us, to bow and obey him, lest he, as an displeased father, disinherit us as unkind children, and as a fearful Lord and master, punish us as rebellious and unkind servants because we did not diligently follow him to eternal glory. Therefore, now let holy scripture exhort us with these words: \"It is time now that we arise from sleep and open our eyes to the clear light of almighty God.\"\nthat we may perceive and hear with attention what daily is commanded us by the word of God, saying: \"If this day you have heard the word of almighty God, be not hard-hearted or stubborn, nor stop the ears of your heart. And he also says again, 'He that has ears to hear, let him hear what the Holy Spirit says to all Christian people. But what does he say? Come, my children, and hear me; I will teach you to fear God; renounce and be diligent: while the light of life is among you, less the darkness of death catches you. Almighty God, seeing his faithful people and obedient servants and workers among the multitude of his people, not only cries out in the manner said before, but also he says and demands in this way: 'What man is he that will have everlasting life and desires to see good days? And if you, hearing these words, will answer and say, 'I am he,' allmighty God then says again: 'If you want true and everlasting life: draw and keep your tongue from evil.'\"\nall evil and suffer no fraud nor dismay pass through your lips. Turn from all evil and do that which is good. Seek and pursue peace, and follow the same. And whenever you say this, all-mighty God says: then my eyes will be open and fixed upon you, and my ears always ready for your prayers and petitions. I will be present before you call upon me, and I will say, \"Here I am, ready to your desires.\" O dear sisters (says St. Benedict), what thing can be sweeter to us than this voice of our Savior? In the manner aforementioned, calling us to him. Behold, sisters (says St. Benedict), since almighty God, of his own kindness, pity, and mercy, shows us the way of life before we ask for it: let us therefore prepare and exercise ourselves in the faith and in the observance of good works. Let us take upon us the journey of all-mighty God, following the law and leading of his gospel, that we may deserve to see him in his kingdom of heaven, which has thus called us to him.\nIn which kingdom, if we intend to have a resting place, we must diligently enforce and endeavor ourselves to labor in good works. Without these, the said resting place and kingdom cannot be attained. But then, let us ask Almighty God, as the prophet says: \"Good Lord, who shall dwell in Thy heavenly kingdom and place? Or who shall make his resting place in Thy holy mountain of heaven?\" After this interrogation, Saint Benedict says: \"Dear sisters, let us hear our Lord answering and showing us the way to His heavenly mansion.\" He, Almighty God, replies: \"He shall dwell in My heavenly house, he who lives without spot of sin and does righteous works. He who thinks truly in his heart and works no deceit with his tongue, he who has done none evil to his neighbor: nor entered into any slanderous, shameful thing to the hurt of his neighbor. He who despises and puts out of his heart our mortal foe, the cursed one, and has utterly brought him down.\"\nTo nothing, with all his suggestions, temptations, and enticements, and has broken and resisted them at the first mention of them, steadfastly holding his inward thoughts unto Christ. Those who fear God and do not exalt themselves, nor boast of their good religious deeds, but supposing and thinking truly the goodness which is in them not to be of themselves, but of the gift of God: do Lord, and magnify God for his gracious operation in them, saying with the prophet thus, \"Not to us, good Lord, not to us, but to thy holy name give thou praise and glory, as the apostle Paul who did not impute any part of his preaching and teaching to himself, but said, 'By the grace of God and not of myself, I am what I am.' And again he says, 'He that rejoices or delights in any laud or glory, let him rejoice in God and give laud and glory to him.' Whereof our Lord speaks thus in his gospel, 'Whoever hears these my words and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on a rock.'\"\n\"rocket. There came bitter storms both of waters and wind and burst into the house, yet it fell not down, why? Because it was built upon a steady stone. Our Lord, who accomplished and fulfilled all these points and conditions in His own person, looks daily that we make good and by our works satisfy and conform to these His holy monitions. And therefore the days of this present life are prolonged unto us and prorogued as a day of truth, for the amending of our shrewd deeds. The apostle says, \"Can you not tell man, that the longsuffering, patience, and long suffering of almighty God is to induce and excite thee to repentance, penance, and reformation? For our Lord says of His great mercy and pity, 'I will not the death of a sinner, but I desire that he be converted and amended, and live.' Now, dear sisters (says St. Benedict), what we asked our Savior about the dwellers and inhabitants of His holy and heavenly mansion, we heard by and by His precepts.\"\nTo attain it and deserve to dwell in it, and if we do the office of true inhabitants, we shall be inheritors of the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, dear sisters, (says St. Benedict) you must make ready your hearts and your bodies to obey the precepts and commandments of our rule, through obedience. And where, through the frailty of nature and the infirmity of ourselves, we are insufficient and unable to do so, we shall beseech almighty God that His grace may be to us aid and support in that regard. And if we wish to eschew the pains of hell and come to everlasting life, let us then, while we have time and ability, and while we live in this our mortal body, fulfill by the light of this present life all these aforesaid precepts diligently and laboriously. Therefore, (says St. Benedict), we must now establish a school of the service of Almighty God, that is to say, this present rule.\nAccording to St. Benet, we should not be put off by anything difficult, sharp, or grievous in our school and ordinance, which is established for the correction of faults and the cultivation of charity. If anything passes by our said school and ordinance for these reasons, and you find it rigorous or strict, do not be suddenly afraid and flee in fear at a chop and abandon the way of eternal life. Instead, begin with a hard and strict start. In the course of time, and through continued good cultivation, the way of the commandments of Almighty God is easily and joyfully walked by the excellent sweetness of His love. Therefore, this school of St. Benet is intended to ensure that we never depart from Christ's instructions and precepts but always persevere in His doctrine in monasteries until death comes upon us through patience and tribulations. Bear this part of His passion with us, so that finally we may attain eternal life.\nIt is manifest that there are four diverse kinds or sections of monks. The first is of Cenobites, that is, of monasterial persons, serving God in congregation in monasteries, under one rule: and of this sect or kind are monks serving in monasteries under one abbot or one prioress. The second manner or sect is of Anchorites and Eremites, that is, of those who, not as soon as they have taken religion upon them, but by long continuance and proof in monasteries, have learned and had experience through the comfort of others to fight against the suggestions and temptations of the devil. So well are they armed and instructed by the good counsel of others that they may surely take upon them and be able to fight sole and solitarily, through the help of almighty God, without the comfort of others: against the temptations of the flesh.\nagainst all evil thoughts. The third kind or manner or sect is of Sarabites, a detestable sect, which live not under obedience of any superior or rule that is good and approved, but are more like lead, supple and pliable to all vices. Feigning themselves to be religious under the simulated habit, and assuming the guise of religious men, they are in all their deeds: vain, idle, and worldly. These, by two or three together, or else alone, lead their lives: without head or superior, nor in abbeys or monasteries, but where they please, following their own appetites and desires, and taking voluptuousness for their law and rule. For whatever they choose or select after their own minds to be good, that they call holy. And whatever is not agreeable to their appetites, be it never so good in deed, they say it is not lawful. The fourth kind or sect is of those who are vagabonds, who renounce all rule and obedience, and wander about from place to place, living by their own will and pleasure.\nA provincial abbot, moving from province to province, or from cell to cell, should not remain in one place for more than three or four days. Constantly wandering, they give themselves to gluttony and other fleshly desires, behaving worse than the Sarabites. It is better not to speak of their wretched conduct than to meddle with it. Therefore, Saint Benet advises us, omitting and overlooking them, to establish through the help and succor of Almighty God an ordinance and rule for monastic and religious persons, beginning with the Cenobites.\n\nAn abbess, capable and worthy of taking up the rule and governance of a monastery or congregation, must always keep in mind and consider the dignity she is called by. She should strive to ensure her actions align with her name, and in nothing contradict the dignity she is called to assume. She occupies the place of Almighty God:\nmonastery, named after the apostle, says this: you have received the Holy Ghost; by whom you are made the children of God. In whom we all cry out together to almighty God, and call Him Abba, that is, Father, of whom all abbots and abbesses take their names. The abbot is to be a father, and the abbess a mother. Therefore, the abbess shall not order, teach, or command (as she should according to God's commandment) contrary to the commandments of almighty God, whose dwelling and authority she has and occupies. But her commands and doctrines must be arranged and carried out in such a way that they may take effect and work in the minds of her sisters and disciples, like the sworn guardians and saviors of the righteousness of almighty God. The abbess must always have in mind, regarding her doctrine and the obedience of her sisters and disciples, that there shall be a balance between the two: that is, as much concerning her doctrine as concerning their obedience.\n\"straight examination and trial on the fearful day of the last judgment. Thabasse must know also that whatever damage, inconvenience, lack of fruit or utility our lord finds in his sheep, that is to say in the court, it shall be laid and imputed to the charge, blame, and defect of the shepherd, that is to say of Thabasse. Although she may thereof discharge and acquit herself by this means and by none other, that is to say, if she has done her diligence to the troublesome and obstinate flock, and with all her labor she has endeavored to amend their evil deeds: then may she well for her discharge and acquittal. I have shown and declared to them your truth; I have declared your wholesome communions, and they have despised them; have set my words and doctrine at naught. And in conclusion, everlasting death shall be their reward and punishment, worthy and convenient to such an obstinate and disobedient flock: not considering nor regarding their duty as\"\nA woman taking the name of an abbess must rule and govern her disciples through two methods. She must show them good and holy things through her words and doctrine, and more vividly through her actions. For those who have the capacity to understand, she must teach and explain the commandments of Almighty God through words and doctrines. For those who are dull, hard-witted, and simpler in understanding, she must more openly and clearly show and teach the commandments of Almighty God through her own actions. Whatever she forbids her disciples through her words, she must demonstrate through her own actions that they should not be done, lest she be found reproachable herself and lest God punish her for her sins and offenses. She should be asked why she teaches righteousness and why she assumes the role of a teacher.\nYou shall speak the words of my laws and testify them through your mouth. You have hated my doctrine with your deeds and cast far from you my words and commandments. And you Abbess, who have seen a little motes in the eye of your sister, have not seen a great block in your own eye. \u00b6The Abbess shall neither put nor make any difference between person and person in the monastery, nor shall she bear more love to one than to another, except to those whom she finds better in good deeds, in the observance of the Religion, in the service of God, and in lowly obedience. She who comes from a higher or noble lineage or of a free kindred shall not be preferred in standing or to office before another of lower birth or of a bond stock, except there be some other reasonable cause than their birth, as excellence in any manner of virtue and learning requiring it. And if any such cause is reasonable, the abbess, according to their merits and aptitudes, may favor and dispose accordingly.\norder or prefer in standing, or otherwise, as she thinks fit to require, notwithstanding their diversity and condition of birth or any such other thing. For she is bound, be she bond or free, noble or ignoble in blood and lineage; all are one in our Lord Jesus Christ, and under one Lord do they bear an equal burden of service. For God takes no consideration or regard for the person, but for virtuous works and merits. He makes only a distinction between those persons whom he finds more obedient and better in good works. Therefore, the love and favor of the Abbess must be impartial and equal towards all her sisters. And one discipline and correction she must give to them all according to their offenses, deserts, and demerits in her doctrine. She must keep the manner and form of the apostle, where he says, \"rebuke, exhort, and blame,\" that is, whether it be a time for correction or praise and commendation.\nShe must always deal with terrors softened and sharpened, and show the sharp mind and authority of a mistress, as well as the loving affection and tenderness of a mother. That is, she must sharply blame and roughly rebuke willful, unruly, rude, and combative persons, and those who are obedient, meek, patient, and soft, she must exhort and encourage in loving manner to increase daily more and more in their virtues, from good to better. And such as are very negligent, obstinate, and rebellious, we will and command that the abbess not only sharply rebuke them but also effectively punish and correct them.\n\nThe abbess may not dissimulate, conceal, or hide the faults or offenses of those who err. As soon as faults begin to arise, she shall, to the utmost of her power, pull them up by the roots, always keeping in mind the importance of Hely the priest and minister of God in Silo, who for negligent correction was reprimanded.\nA parent whose children die by God's stroke and break their neck? As for those of greater honesty, better capacity, and understanding, she should warn and correct them twice with words. But as for those given to vices, proud, disobedient individuals, she should punish at the first offense, either with a rod or other bodily chastisement, according to her discretion. A fool can never be amended or corrected by words. Punish your son with a rod, and you will deliver his soul from eternal death. The abbess must always remember both her own frail nature and consider the name of a mother that she is called. She must understand that she has undertaken a difficult and laborious task - to govern souls and to have herself comfortably in: that is, to govern souls and to live comfortably.\nShe must cure/address the diversity of manners and conditions of a multitude of persons in various ways. Some she must conquer with fair words, some with rebukes, some with good reasons and exhortations. She must shape and conform herself to them all, and to each one, not only so that she suffers no damage or appearance of harm to her flock committed to her, but so that she may have cause to greatly rejoice in the increase of the number and goodness of her flock. Before all things, she must beware not to dissimulate or little regard the welfare of souls committed to her, setting more of her mind upon temporal and transitory things, as works of a temporal and worldly nature, but she must always remember that she has taken upon herself the governance of Christian souls, for whom she shall give accounts. And so let her remember that she does this by the pretense of poverty and powerlessness.\nThe abbess shall call the entire community to the chapter house or some other convenient place when matters of great importance need to be treated and discussed in the monastery. She must declare the matter to them and listen to the minds and counsel of each sister. After deliberating with herself, she shall decide what is more profitable to be done. For this reason, we have commanded (says St. Benedict) that all be called to deliberate. Young persons often receive revelation from God about what is best to be done. The sisters shall behave themselves in giving counsel with all lowliness and humility, not obstinately and proudly defending their own opinion, but rather letting it go.\nA disciple should obey their abbess and remain under her arbitration and judgment, as she thinks best. But it is fitting for a disciple to obey their mistress, and it is becoming for the mistress to dispose of all things wisely and justly. Therefore, every thing, whether it be the abbess or the convent, ought to follow their rule, which is their very mistress. Neither the abbess nor any other should disobey it lightly or without great consideration or weighty cause, but they should firmly and steadfastly hold to it.\n\nNo one in the monastery should follow their own will, nor should anyone presume to contend with the abbess either within or without the monastery. If anyone presumes to do so, let them be subjected to regular discipline and correction accordingly. And yet the abbess, in all her dealings, judgments, and governances, should have before her the fear of God.\nGod and always regard the observations and statutes of her rule, being well assured and in no way doubting that of all her judgments she shall give an account before the most equal judge, almighty God. But if there are matters concerning a smaller substance, regarding the wealth and profit of the monastery, the abbess shall then counsel only with the head officers, and such seniors: as it is written. Do all things with counsel, and then you shall not afterward repent nor be sorry for your deed.\n\nLikewise, all worldly artisans have material instruments suitable for the accomplishment of their worldly works. In the same way, there are spiritual instruments for the craft of religious living, by which religious persons, both in this present life, may honestly and, according to God's pleasure, be directed, composed, and ordered. And also after the same life, they may reign blessedly with Christ in heaven.\nThe first is to love the Lord God with all your heart, that is, applying all your thoughts only to Him, with all your mind, that is, applying all your studies, wits, and delight only to Him, and with all your might, that is, applying all your body's strength and powers only to His service.\n\nThe second is to love your neighbor as yourself, which means you shall, after God, love yourself and then your neighbor as yourself.\n\nThe third is not to kill any person, that is, neither bodily nor spiritually with hand or tongue. And specifically, you shall not kill your own soul by any deadly sin.\n\nThe fourth is not to break your chastity, that is, doing no manner of adultery, fornication, incontinence, or any other sin or uncleanness of the flesh, and in like wise you shall do no spiritual fornication, that is, you shall worship no false gods nor love inordinately yourself.\nThe five are: you shall not steal from any other earthly creature. The sixth is that you shall not covet or desire any person with whom to commit carnally any sin, nor covet any false gods, nor assent to such desires of the flesh or goods, nor yet inordinately desire authority or honor. The seventh is that you shall not bear false witness or make false or wrongful tales, and break any promise or vow. The eighth is that you shall show reverence to all people from your humility.\nThe ninth is that you shall not do to another what you would not wish done to yourself.\nThe tenth is that you shall deny yourself: that is, your lust, pleasure, will, sensuality, and concupiscence, in order to think, speak, and act according to Christ and serve Him.\nThe eleventh is that you shall chastise your body: that is, with reasonable abstinence, watch, prayer, and discipline.\nThe twelfth is that you should not delight in delicate pleasures: that is, in delicate and pleasant foods, drinks, sights, or any such delightful things of the world, nor should you follow or love them.\nThe thirteenth is that you inwardly love fasting, abstinence, temperance, and sobriety.\nThe fourteenth is that you refresh the needy: that is, you shall comfort them according to your power with clothing, lodging, food, drink, consolation, and visitation.\n\"all being that these and the other charitable works that follow cannot be actually performed in religious persons except by one who has the office of almoner or hospitaller; yet every other religious person may do it in good will, mind, intent, counsel, and comfort, and prepare something for the poor people in advance to enable them to have a larger share; they may also refresh, visit, comfort, bury, and help their own sisters.\n\n\u00b6The fifteenth is to clothe the naked.\n\u00b6The sixteenth is to visit the sick.\n\u00b6The seventeenth is to bury the dead.\n\u00b6The eighteenth is to succor those in tribulation and adversity.\n\u00b6The nineteenth is to comfort those who are full of thought or sorrow.\n\u00b6The twentieth is to meddle not, nor speak, nor communicate in any wordly matters or business, but utterly and entirely refuse and renounce them in all your affections.\"\nThe twenty-first is that in your living you prefer nothing above the love of Christ.\nThe twenty-second is that you are never thoroughly or long angry, and if it happens that you are angry, that then you execute not your wrath or anger, nor do that thing which your wrath moves you to.\nThe twenty-third is that you bear no malice long in your mind, thinking in time to wreak your anger or to avenge yourself.\nThe twenty-fourth is that you think not nor keep any disdain or fraud in your heart.\nThe twenty-fifth is that you use no simulation or dissimulation, nor give a Judas kiss, but when you make any practice or loveday, or else reconcile yourself with any person, that then you do it as well and truly in your heart and deed as in word and outward countenance.\nThe twenty-sixth is that you keep yourself always within the bounds of charity, and never to forsake or be without love and charity.\nThe twenty-seventh is that you swear not at all or in any manner, and that for fear of falling into poverty or into customable habits.\nThe twenty-eighth is that when you speak, you speak the truth at all times, both from the heart and with your mouth.\nThe twenty-ninth is that for one evil turned against you, do not turn another.\nThe thirtieth is that you do no wrong, and if any is done to you, that you suffer and take it patiently.\nThe thirty-first is that you love your enemies; that is to say, that you show humility to your enemies for God's sake, both by your prayers and also by relieving them in their necessities; comforting yourself that Christ both loved you and by His death redeemed you when you were His enemies; and indifferently has prepared everlasting bliss for your enemies as He has for you.\nThe thirty-second is that you curse not, nor say evil of them that curse or say evil of you, but rather bless them and say well of them that curse or say evil of you.\nThe thirty-third is that you suffer and take in worth all adversities, troubles, and persecutions done to you for justice's sake, or for your good living or well doing.\nThe thirty-fourth is that you be not proud.\nNeither in your mind nor heart bear not yourself above another, nor despise none other, nor be not opinionated.\n\nThe thirty-fifth is that you give not much to drinking of wine or ale, nor any other drink.\n\nThe thirty-sixth is that you be not gluttonous nor eat much nor often, hastily nor gladly.\n\nThe thirty-seventh is that you be not sleepy and sluggish, nor much given to sleep.\n\nThe thirty-eighth is that you be not slothful, heavy, or slow to do your office or duty.\n\nThe thirty-ninth is that you be not troublous, busy quarreling, or grumbling.\n\nThe fortieth is that you be no detractor, backbiter, slanderer, nor reviler of any person.\n\nThe forty-first is that you put your full trust and all your hope only in God.\n\nThe forty-second is that whatever goodness or virtue you think to be in you that you acknowledge and know well that it comes only from God and not from yourself, nor from your merits nor deserving.\n\nThe forty-third is that whatever evil is in you, you know for certain that it comes from yourself.\nThe forty-third is that you always fear the day of judgment from God.\nThe forty-fifth is that you dread the pains of hell.\nThe forty-sixth is that you long for everlasting life with all your mind and inward desire.\nThe forty-seventh is that you always suspect death and have it daily in remembrance as if it were present and continually before your eyes.\nThe forty-eighth is that you be ever watchful every hour what deeds you do in this present life, that at no time you fall or offend recklessly or negligently by deed, word, or thought, but that you ever ponder and discuss beforehand what you shall do, say, or intend.\nThe forty-ninth is that you know for certain that Almighty God sees, hears, and observes you, your works, words, and thoughts, in every place and time.\nThe fiftieth is that you put away evil thoughts as soon as they come to your mind by fixing your thoughts and remembrances firmly upon Christ and his Passion.\nThe passions are merit and benefit.\n\nThe first is to disclose your thoughts and encumbrances of your mind to a holy and aged spiritual father.\n\nThe second is to keep and restrain your mouth from all evil and shrewd speech and communication.\n\nThe third is to love not to use many words or much speech.\n\nThe fourth is not to speak or use any words that are useless, vain, trifling, idle, or provoking laughter.\n\nThe fifth is not to love much laughter or loud or sudden laughter.\n\nThe sixth is to hear with a merry heart and glad mind holy doctrines, sermons, exhortations, and scriptures.\n\nThe seventh is to give yourself diligently often and instantly to prayer.\n\nThe eighth is to know and confess daily in your prayer to God all your sins and evil deeds of past time, with weeping tears or at the least with morning sobriety and sorrowing for the doing of them, and from thenceforth to keep yourself from the same sins and evil deeds.\nThe twelve are that you not fulfill the desires and concupiscences of the flesh and that you hate your own will.\nThe twelve are that you obey in all things the commandments of your abbess, however she herself may do otherwise, having in mind these words of almighty God: whatever they command you to do, do it, but not as they do, that is, when they err.\nThe twelve are that you fulfill daily in your works and desires the commandment of God.\nThe twelve are that you fearfully love the virtue of chastity.\nThe twelve are that you hate no person.\nThe twelve are that you have no suspicion, rancor, malice, nor envy in you.\nThe twelve are that you love no strifes nor debates neither in deeds nor words.\nThe twelve are that you eschew pride and boasting and all that may be occasion of them.\nThe twelve are that you have reverence for your seniors and elders.\nThe twelve are that you love your juniors in the love of Christ.\nTo say as a nursing father and mother, in pity, in erudition: by doctrine, in the example of holiness, by fearing them when they are out of the way, and in plentifulness of consolation by comforting them when they are feeble.\n\nThe 20th is that you pray for your enemies, that is, for their reconciliation and salvation.\n\nThe 21st is if any wrath, debate, or variance be among you, that then you be reconciled and return to unity and peace before the sun going down.\n\nThe 22nd is that you never despair of the mercy of almighty God.\n\nLo, dear sisters (says St. Benedict), these are the instructions, rules, and spiritual teachings which, if they be continually fulfilled by you both by day and by night, and offered before God, and recognized by Him in the last day of judgment: you shall be rewarded by almighty God with the reward that He has promised, which never bodily have you seen, nor ever heard the heart of man.\nThe cloister of the monastery and the stablenes of religious conversions in the convent and congregation is the shop, house of office, and working place wherein you shall be with the said Instruments diligently execute and bring to a close all these rules, doctrines, and instructions. The chief and principal degree of humility is obedience without tarrying or delay making. This virtue agrees well and becomes those virgins, to whom nothing is preferred before the love of almighty God, or to whom nothing is so dear as Christ. For either of the holy religions which they have professed, or for fear of the bitter pains of Hell, or else for the joy of everlasting life, as soon as anything is commanded by their superior to be done, they cannot nor may make or suffer any delay in the execution.\nperforming or executing it not delaying and doing it immediately as if commanded by God. Of such obedient persons, God says, \"As soon as she heard me, she obeyed my commandment.\" And again, to those who teach His laws, God says, \"Whoever inherits you: hear this. Therefore, all those who forsake all that they have, renouncing their own wills and giving up their business, leaving the unfinished and incomplete things they had in hand, should follow the commandments of their superior in deeds, both the commandment of the master and the perfect deeds of the disciple, being accomplished together swiftly through the fear of God. For those who have zeal and an inward desire to go to eternal life, this zeal and desire make for them a narrow and straight way.\"\nEverlasting life refers to a state where one does not live according to their own will or desires, but rather under the judgment and power of another. Such individuals desire an abbess or prioress to have precedence and rule over them. All such persons certainly follow the sentence of Almighty God, who says \"I am not come to do my own will, but thine.\" This same obedience will be acceptable to God and pleasing to others when the commanded thing is effectively brought to an end, not fearfully, slowly, or faintly, nor with grutch or denying, nor arguing or reasoning. Obedience shown to superiors in religion is shown to God. He himself says, \"Whoever hears you hears me.\" Furthermore, the disciple must be obedient with a good and free will, for God loves him who gives a thing with a cheerful and merry heart.\nIf a disciple is obedient with an evil will, yet grutters not in words, but grutters inwardly in her heart, notwithstanding it, she fulfills the commandment given to her. Yet it is not acceptable to God, who beholds and considers the heart and mind of the grutter. And for such a thing, though she does it, she purchases no grace or thanks, but rather she runs in danger and pain of such grutters, unless she makes amends therefore.\n\nLet us do as the prophet says: \"I have observed and proposed with my soul to take heed of my ways, that I do not offend with my tongue. I have put a guard and keeping upon my mouth. I have held my peace. I have made myself and have ceased and forborne from time to declare that which has been good.\" Here the prophet shows that a man must sometime cease from good communication to show the virtue of silence and sobriety in words. Much more he ought to cease from them.\n\"Evil communication avoid, for fear of punishment for his offenses. Therefore, to disciples, though they be perfect, we will say, according to St. Benedict, that seldom license be granted to speak, though it be in good, holy, and edifying communication, for love of the gravity and virtue that is in use of few words. For it is written, in many words it is hard to avoid sin. And also in another place it is written, death and life have power in the tongue. For it becomes a master to speak and teach, and a disciple to keep silence and hear. Therefore, if any things be to be inquired, let the inquiry be made of the superior with all meekness of spirit and body and with good reverence. Scoffing and idle words or exciting laughter in all places for ever we forbid and condemn (says St. Benedict), and we will not that a disciple at any season be suffered to open her mouth to such light speech or communication.\"\n\n\"Evil communication to be avoided for fear of punishment for one's offenses. To disciples, even if they are perfect, St. Benedict says that seldom is license granted to speak, even if it is in good, holy, and edifying communication, due to the gravity and virtue in the use of few words. It is written, 'In many words it is hard to avoid sin.' Also, it is written, 'Death and life are in the power of the tongue.' The tongue becomes a master in speaking and teaching, and the disciple must keep silence and hear. Therefore, if there are things to be inquired about, let the inquiry be made by the superior with meekness of spirit and body and good reverence.\"\nEvery person who exalts himself shall be humiliated and brought low. And he who humbles himself shall be exalted and brought up. In this saying, holy scripture shows us that every man's own exaltation or elevation is a kind and spice of pride, of which the prophet warns: \"Lord, my heart is not exalted, nor my countenance lofty, nor proud, nor haughty. I have not rejoiced in anything, nor have I exulted, nor have I desired for any merit to be known to the people. Nor have I sought anything above my ability. But what, Lord, if I have not humbly behaved myself, but have exalted my mind by pride, vain glory, or presumption, then let my punishment be like that of a looking child who is scorned and denied his mother's breast, and then perishes. Therefore, good sisters (says Saint Benedict), if our mind is to attain the perfection of deep humility,\nif we swiftly come to that heavenly exaltation, to which men ascend in this present life through the virtue of humility, that same ladder must be read and lifted up with our ascending deeds. This ladder appeared to Jacob in a vision, and by which angelic beings were shown descending and ascending. All this descending and ascending, without a doubt, is not otherwise to be taken or understood, but that by exalting ourselves, we descend, and by humbling ourselves, we ascend. The ladder to be read is our present life in this world. Through a meek heart, it is lifted up by Almighty God to heaven. The sides of the same ladder we call our body and soul. Between these sides, through the calling of Almighty God, are ordered and set diverse steps and degrees of humility and discipline as follows.\n\nThe first degree or step of humility is that a religious person should always keep before his eyes and never forget the fear of God, and that she should also have in remembrance the remembrance of...\nCommands of all mighty God and how the breakers of his commands for their offenses fall into the bitter pains of Hell, and repent always in her mind the everlasting life. Which is ordained for them that fear God. And so keeping herself every hour from sin and vice, that is to say, of thought, of tongue, of eyes, of hands, of feet and of her own proper will, and also with all speed, keep a way the appetites and desires of the flesh.\n\nLet a man well suppose that he is overlooked every hour from heaven by all mighty God and that his deeds are seen of the godhead in every place. This the prophet declares to us, in that he shows that God is always present to our thoughts, saying thus: God searches what I think and what I delight in. And again he says: God knows the thoughts of man. Also the prophet says: Good Lord, thou hast understood my thoughts afar off. And the thoughts of man.\nAnd to be religiously diligent in resisting evil thoughts, I shall confess and be open to him. In doing so, I will be clean and immaculate before him when I keep myself from sin and iniquity. We are also forbidden to do our own will, as scripture teaches us, \"Be contrary to your own will.\" We make intercessions to God in our prayers that His will be fulfilled in us. Therefore, we are not without reason taught not to do our own will, for certain ways may seem good to man but in reality overthrow him and lead him to the deep pit of hell. Furthermore, we are taught that negligent persons are corrupt and made abominable in their desires and wills, and for the exchange of the appetites of the flesh, let us believe and think that God's will prevails.\nis always so near and present to us, that they are ever open and manifest to him, since the prophet says to all mighty God. Before thee and to thee is known every one of my desires. Therefore let us beware of evil lust or desire, for even right at the entrance into delight, death by deadly sin stands by. Whereupon scripture commands, saying, \"Follow not your carnal desires and desires of the flesh.\" Therefore, since God beholds good and evil and ever overlooks from his heavenly mansion the children of men to see if anyone has understanding and seeks him, and since our deeds are shown daily to our maker by angels deputed to our custody, we must therefore, as Saint Benedict says, beware every hour, as the prophet shows us in the Psalm, that God finds us not at any time giving ourselves to that which is evil, or finding us idle or unprofitable. And let us not provoke him in this present life because he is full of mercy.\nThe second degree of humility is when a religious person does not love her own will nor delights in fulfilling that which she desires. But follows the voice of Almighty God saying, \"I have not come to fulfill my own will, but his that has sent me - that is, God's will is my Father.\" Moreover, scripture says, \"After the will comes pain.\" And after the necessity which comes from obedience comes a reward in the form of a crown.\n\nThe third degree of humility is that a religious person, for the love of God in every point of obedience, submits herself to her superior. Following the steps of Christ, whom the apostle says, \"was obedient to the Father in heaven, even unto death.\"\n\nThe fourth degree of humility is when a religious person, for the virtue of obedience, in things that are hard and contrary to her mind, yes, and in wrongs, takes it.\nThe peace and suffering do not chide or grudge, therefore they do not turn their minds from their good purpose. The scripture of almighty God says, \"Whoever continues to the end, he shall be saved, and again have a strong heart, and suffer for almighty God.\" Furthermore, scripture shows that a faithful person ought to endure contrary things and adversities for God's sake. It says in the person of the patient, \"For the good Lord, we are punished with death all the day long, and none otherwise are we accounted but as sheep.\"\n\nThe five degrees of humility are if a religious person hides not, but by lowly confession shows to the spiritual father all evil thoughts coming to the heart and all sins privately committed. Scripture exhorts us to this thing: Show unto God thy life and thy demeanor, and trust in him. And again he says, \"Make thy confession unto our Lord God in so much as he is good: For his mercy is without end.\"\nThe prophet says, \"I have confessed my faults to thee, O God, and I have not hidden my iniquities. I have said, I will confess my sins against myself to Almighty God, and the good Lord has forgiven me the iniquity of my heart.\n\nThe sixth degree of humility is when a monk is content with every vile work and lowest office, and with the extremity of every low degree, and judges himself unworthy and unprofitable for all things committed to him. He says with the prophet, \"I am brought to naught, and was not aware nor knew it. I am but dust before the good Lord, and yet I am always with Him.\n\nThe seventh degree of humility is, if a monk in every respect shows himself inferior under all others and more vile than any other, not only with his tongue but also inwardly in his heart, submitting himself and saying with the prophet, 'I am a worm, and not a woman; the rebuke of men is a burden to me; I am the outcast of people.'\"\nThe eighth degree of humility is that a monk does nothing except that the common rule of the monastery or the examples of their elders and superiors command or exhort him, according to the holy doctrine and conversation.\n\nThe ninth degree of humility is that a monk refrains his tongue from speaking and keeps silence, putting forth no word unless he is questioned; holy scripture showing that much speaking is hardly avoided, and that a man full of words cannot be well ordered or keep a straight way in this present life.\n\nThe tenth degree of humility is when a monk is not light or prone to laughter, for it is written he is a fool who exalts his vice in laughter.\n\nThe eleventh degree of humility is: if a monk, when he speaks, speaks softly without.\nA wise woman is known in few words.\n\nThe twelfth degree of humility is: if a monk shows meekness and lowliness to them that look upon her, not only in heart, but also in body. That is to say, when she is in her labor, when she is at work, when she is in her oratory, when she is in prayer, when she is in the monastery, in her garden, or wherever she be, sitting, walking, or standing, she bows down her head, her eyes fixed towards the Earth. And supposing, and every hour thinking herself to be guilty of her sins, she thinks that she is presented to the fearful Judgment of all mighty God, saying all ways as the publican of whom is made mention in the Gospels, the which his eyes were fixed into the earth said. Good Lord, I am not worthy to lift up mine eyes toward heaven; and again with the prophet. I am bowed down.\nIn every condition, a monk shall come to that burning love of God, which love is steadfastly established and made perfect in her, driving out all fear by which she shall begin to keep it naturally, without labor and pain, all manner of virtuous things which she kept not before with great pain and labor, not for the fear of the bitter pains of hell, but for the love of Christ and for the same good custom and for the delight of virtue, which almighty God shall then vouchsafe to show in His servant purified and made clean of vices and sins, through the grace of the Holy Ghost.\n\nIn winter, that is to say, from the first day of November until the feast of Easter, monks must rise at the eighth hour after it is night, that is to say, after the sun has set, taking the same hour during that time as aforesaid. First,\nFrom November onward, they are to take rest around midnight and then arise with natural digestion. And when the night is over, they shall spend the remaining time between night's end and matins or laudes by reading, some at the spaulter, some as lecturers, or other divine service, where they have the most need or where they are most unwilling. From Easter until the first day of November, the hour of their waking and rising will be arranged so that a little pause is made after the night is over, during which the monks may attend to necessary business. Matins or laudes will follow immediately.\n\nIn winter, after this verse: God help me; come to my aid speedily. O Lord, open my lips: And my mouth shall proclaim your praise. Three times this psalm follows: God, why have you multiplied my troubles? (Psalm 42:2)\nWith the patriarch and after that come the Inuitatorie with the hymn. Following the hymn are six psalms with their anthems. The versicle ends this, and the abbot shall give the benediction. All the quire sitting in their stalls or seats shall hear it read by three minsters appointed for this. Three lecturers read within the book or lectern between these lessons. Three responses must be sung, of which two responses are without the patriarch, and the third is with it.\n\nWhen the Gloria Patri is begun, all shall rise out of their seats, making obeisance toward the high altar, in the worship and reverence of the Holy Trinity. The lessons they read at the nocturne are from books, both of the Old and New Testaments, and also the expositions of both testaments, which have been made by most famous doctors and best learned in holy scripture, and most Catholic fathers. After these three lessons and their responses,\nFollowing other psalms with alleluia, the chapter must be read by heart with a versicle and kyrie eleison, and the preces. This concludes the nightly service known as matins to the laudes. From Rome, Esters until the first day of November, the quantity of the psalmodie shall be observed as stated above. However, the three lessons which were formerly read from the book will not be read due to the shortness of the night. Instead, one lesson from the Old Testament will be recited from memory, followed by a short response. The remaining shall be observed and done as stated above. It is to be understood that no less than twelve psalms shall be sung at the night service, with the versicle quid multiplicati and venite.\n\nUpon Sundays, the monks must arise earlier for the night service. In this service, the six psalms shall be sung as previously ordered, with the versicle and then all sitting.\nIn order for their seats, there must be read on the book four lessons with their responses. Only after the fourth response shall be sung \"Gloria Patri,\" which begins anon. All must rise with reverence making their obeisance. After which, following in order, there should be sung six psalms with their antiphons, as the six before did. And with a versicle. Again, four lessons must be read, with their responses, in the same order. After which, three canticles of the prophets must be sung, which the abbot shall assign, and they shall be sung with \"alleluya.\" Then the versicle is sung, and the benediction given by the abbot. Four lessons from the New Testament must be read, in the same manner above mentioned, & after the fourth response, the abbot shall begin: \"Te Deum.\" The which ended, she shall read a lesson from the gospel, with deep reverence and fear. All standing upon their feet, they shall answer together \"Amen.\"\nthabbasse must begin the hymn: Te decet laus / and after that the blessing is given / they must begin matins / which we call laudes / The order concerning the nocturne, at all times, both in summer and winter, must be equally kept up. Except that, if fortune (God forbid), the monks rise late and so make their lessons or responses shorter. This must always be taken care of, lest it happen, and if it does, let them therefore do due and fitting satisfaction in the oratory, which we call the quire, by whose negligence and oversight it was done.\n\nIn matins or laudes, which is one on Sundays: first is said this psalm Deus miseriatur / without an antiphon. After which, follows this psalm Miserere mei, Deus, with alleluia / then Confitebor tibi, Domine / Benedicite omnia opera / and Laudate Dominum de caelis / After them, a chapter of the Apocalypse without a book / a hymn / a versicle. Benedicite with an antiphon and an anthem.\nkyrieleison with the following: And so is ended the matins or laudes, which is all one.\n\nUpon ferial days, this wise shall matins or laudes be executed. The first psalm is Deus misericordia with out any antiphon, which psalm shall be sung treatably as upon the Sunday, that all the convent may come to the beginning of Miserere, which must next be sung with an antiphon. After the which psalm, other two psalms must be sung, according to the custom. That is to say, upon the Monday: Verba mea: & Dixit iniustus; upon the Tuesday Iudica me, Deus, and Miserere; the two upon the Wednesday: Exaudi, Deus, orationem meam cum deprecor; and Deus refugium upon the Thursday. Domine, Deus, salutis and dn\u0304e upon the Friday. Notus in Iudea and Bonum est confiteri upon the Saturday. Domine, exaudi orationem mea\u0304 auri\u0304bus percipe. And Audite celi, que loquar, which psalm shall be divided in two: with two gloria patri. For upon other days, every canticle of the prophets that belongs to it.\ndaye shall be sung as the Church of Rome sings it. On Monday, the canticle Confitebor; on Tuesday, Egodixi; on Wednesday, Exultauit; on Thursday, Ca\u0304temus; on Friday, Domine audiui.\n\nAfter this, Laudate dominum de caelis; then a chapter without book from the apostle; an impetus and a verse; be\u2022nedictus with an antem; then Kyrie eleison and the prayers; and so it ends.\n\nBut at the end of every matins or laudes and evensong: a Paterson shall be said aloud by the prioress, so that all the nuns may hear it. For the changing of disputes and debates, malices, griefs, and grudges, which are often wont to spring up, the monks may purge themselves from the same fault. In all other hours of divine service, there shall no more be said aloud of the Paterson, but Et ne nos.\nThat all the query may answer: Sed libera nos.\nDuring saints' days and other solemn festivals, they shall perform all divine service in the night, as we have commanded to be done on Sundays, except that only those psalms, anthems, and lessons shall be sung which belong to the day. But the manner in which it is executed shall be as above said.\nFrom the holy feast of Esther to the feast of Whitsun, Alleluia shall be sung continuously, both with psalms and responses, from Whitsun to Septuagesima. At the night office, it shall be sung nightly with the six last psalms, every Sunday, except the Sundays between Septuagesima and Easter.\nThe prophet says to all mighty God: I have given to Thee praise and prayer seven times in the day.\nWith the holy name of the seven, shall be fulfilled in us, if we pay the duties of our service in the time of matins or laudes, Prime, the third hour, the sixth hour at none, evensong & Compline. For of these hours is it that the prophet says, \"Seven times by the day I have praised and prayed thee, O Lord. For of the divine service, that is to say the nocturne, which is done by night, the same prophet says, \"I rose at midnight to know myself unto thee.\" Therefore, good sisters at those seasons, let us give laud and prayer to our maker for the judgments of his justice, that is to say at matins or laudes: Prime, the third hour, the sixth hour at none, evensong, and Compline. And in the night, let us arise to know his righteousness to confess ourselves unto him.\n\nThus have we declared the order of the psalmody at the nocturne and matins or laudes, and now let us see for the hours that follow. At Prime, there shall be sung three psalms, each of them by him.\nself with his glory be, but the hymn of the same shall be sung after Deus in adiutorium before the psalms begin. After the third psalm: shall be read a chapter, then a versicle and kyrieleyson with the following prayers. In the third, sixth, and hour at none, they shall execute in the same manner: First with Deus in adiutorium, then the hymn belonging to the hour, three psalms, a chapter, a versicle, kyrieleyson with the prayers. And if the company is large, the hours shall be executed with their antems. If the company is small, they shall execute the same hours without antems. Evening song shall be sung with four psalms with their antems, then a chapter, a hymn, a versicle, Magnificat with the antem, kyrieleyson with the prayers, & pater noster, and so depart. Compline shall be executed with three psalms, which shall be sung without antem, After which shall follow the hymn of the same.\nEach hour of the day shall begin with \"Deus in adiutorium\" and \"gloria patri.\" After the hymn belonging to the hour, on Sunday at prime, sing \"Beati immaculati\" to \"Legem pone.\" At other hours, that is, third, sixth, and ninth, sing \"Legem pone: unto Lucerna pedibus meis.\" On Monday at prime, sing three psalms: \"Beatus vir: Quare fremuerunt,\" and \"Domine ne in furore.\" At the hours of third, sixth, and ninth, sing from \"Ad dominum cum tribularer\" to \"Sepe expugnauerunt.\" Repeat daily the aforementioned psalms at the hours. The order is:\n\nOn Tuesday at prime, sing \"Domine deus meus: Domine dominus noster,\" and \"Confitebor\" to \"Exurge.\" At the hours of third, sixth, and ninth, sing from \"Ad dominum cum tribularer\" to \"Sepe expugnauerunt.\"\nhymnes/\nchapters/ and versicles/ shall be daily kept after one manner. On Wednesday at prime, these are the psalms: Exurgente in domino: and Salus me fac. On Thursday at prime: Vos quis dominus: Dixit insipiens: and Quis habitabit. On Friday: Conserve me, domine. Exaudi, domine, and Diligam in te, sanctus eris. On Saturday: Sanctus, sanctus eris. Celi enarrant. Exaudiat te dominus. And thus on the Sunday shall they begin their psalms of prime with Beati immaculati. Evensong shall be sung with four psalms. And on the Sunday these are the psalms: Dixit dominus. Confitebor. Beatus vir. Laudate pueri. The Monday: In exitu. Dilexi. Credidi propter. and Laudate dominum omnes gentes. with Sepe expugnauerunt as one psalm: and under one Gloria patri. The Tuesday: Deprofundis. Domine, non sum dignus. Memento. Ecce quam bonum. The Wednesday: Laudate nomen. Confitemini. Super flumina. and Confitebor. The Thursday: Domine probasti me iniquum. Divide me, domine, in duas.\nGloria patri. Eripe me. And Domine clamaui. On Fridays. Voce mea. Benedictus is two / with twice gloria patri. And Exaltabo unto Confiteantur. And on Saturdays. Confiteantur. Lauda anima mea. Laudate dominum quem bonum psalmum. And lauda Hierusalem.\n\nNow an order set for psalms at Evensong / all other manner of things / that is to say / chapters / responses / hymns / versicles / and canticles shall be continued as above said.\n\nAt Compline, one manner of psalms shall be had throughout the week, that is to say, Cum Inuocarem. Qui habitat. And Ecce nunc. Thus a direction set for the psalmody / which shall be sung in the service of the day time / all the remainder of the psalms of the Psalter / must be equally divided into the nocturns of the seven nights of the week. Dividing always in two / those psalms which are longest among others / And ordering xii psalms to every night / yielding spiritual knowledge / that if fortune any man to be misconstrued with this division of psalms. Let him order them.\notherwise, if he thinks it better, this rule should always be observed: every week, the entire number of 100 Psalms in the Psalter be sung to the end. And on Sundays, at the night office, begin again. For monks show themselves to be very dull and of small devotion, who sing less than the Psalter in a week, with other divine service customary. Since we read that holy fathers have done valiantly and gladly with great courage that thing in one day, which God would have us, with faint courage, bring about in a week.\n\nWe believe that God is everywhere present, that he beholds in every place, both the good and the evil. But especially let us then think and believe, without any manner of doubt, when we are at divine service. Therefore, let us always have in remembrance that the prophet says, \"Do your duty and serve God with fear.\"\nagayne. Syng ye wy\u2223sely and intentyuely. Moreouer he sayth I shall synge vnto the in the face and syght of angelles. Therfore good susters (sayth seynt Benet) let vs well co\u0304syder / howe we must be\u2223haue our selfe in the syght of all myghty god / and of his an\u2223gelles. And whansoeuer we co\u0304me to gydder / to synge the seruice of god / let vs take good hede / that our mynde accor\u2223de to our voice / and that they twayne renne both oon way / and vppon oon thynge.\nIF it so be that we intende to labour / or breke any ma\u2223tier with a noble man / we take nothynge vppon vs / nor nothynge presume / but with humilite and due reuere\u0304\u2223ce / howe moche more then ought we to make our supplica\u2223cion to all myghty god / kynge of all kynges / and lorde of all men / with all maner of mekenes / lawly reuerence / and pu\u2223re deuocion. And knowe we for certeyne / that not in many wordes / but in clennesse of harte / and co\u0304puncion of teres / he wyll gracyousely here vs. Therfore / prayer muste be shorte and pure / except parauenture it be\nIn a prolonged manner, through the love and affection of the Inspiration of God's grace. In congregation, prayer shall be brief, and after a certain sign or token from the prioress, all shall rise and gather.\n\nIf the convent is large, we wish that certain nuns of proven good conduct and holy conversation be chosen and made deans. These deans, once chosen and ordained, shall diligently take charge and oversee, on their deans' behalf, all matters concerning the commandments of God and the precepts of their abbess. These deans, whom we will elect, shall be chosen among those whom the abbess can truly divide and distribute part of her office and charges. The deans shall not be chosen by order but based on the deserts and merits of their lives, and their wise doctrine and good example. If any of them, inflamed by pride, are found reproachable, they shall be corrected once, twice, or thrice.\nEvery one of the nuns shall have her bed by herself alone to rest in, they shall take their bedding according to the manner of their custom, and after the disposition and ordinance of the abbess. And it may be, all shall sleep in one dormitory. If the multitude will not allow it, then ten or twenty or more shall rest and have their bed together with certain seniors who may diligently look after them. A candle shall continually burn in the dormitory until morning, they shall sleep in their clothes, and they shall be girded with thongs or with cords, and they shall have no knife at their side while they sleep, less the misfortune they be hurt sleeping. And this shall Nuns do, that they may always be ready, and that they at certain times.\nwatche or token made / may ryse vp without any tarcynge / and make spede / euery of them to preuent other / to the seruyce of almyghty god / yet not withsto\u0304dynge they shall doo it with all grauite & sobernes. The yonger susters shall not haue their beddes togyther / But meddeled by twyxt the beddes of their elders / they that be furste vp and redy toward the seruyce of god. Shall make soon softe and sobre styrrynge / with the sou\u0304de of their mouthes / or of their ete / or knockynge vppo\u0304 the beddes sydes / to a wake theym that be sluggardes.\nIF any suster be stubbern / inobedient / prowde / or i\u0304 any maner grutchynge of thing{is} / contrary to the holy ru\u2223le or els be espyed and fou\u0304de a dispiser of the preceptes of hir elders / let hir be monished / accordinge to the co\u0304maundeme\u0304t of all myghty god / oons or twyse / secretly of hir seniours. If she do not therby amende / then let hir haue a open rebu\u2223ke / byfore all the couent. And if she wyl not soo ame\u0304de / and knowe what the payne & dau\u0304ger of\nexcommunication is. Let her be excommunicated. But if she is rude and stubborn, without shame or fear of God, let her be subjected to bodily punishment.\n\nThe quantity of the offense must determine the measure of excommunication and discipline. The manner or quantity of the offense depends on the judgment and estimation of the abbess. But if any sisters are found in a light offense, she shall be deprived of the company of her sisters at the table. And of her who is so deprived from the company at meals, this shall be the order: she shall not begin a psalm or antem, nor read any lesson, until she has done penance for her offense. She shall take her repast alone, after her sisters, as follows: if her sisters take repast at the 6th hour of the day, she shall take repast at the 9th hour. And if her sisters at the 9th hour, she at the evening, until she purchases forgiveness with convenient penance.\n\nThat sister who\nThe sister, noted for a more grievous offense, will be suspended both from the table and from the quorum. None of her sisters shall accompany her or speak with her. She shall be alone at all occupation and work that is enjoined upon her, persevering in the way of penance, understanding the fruitful sentence of the apostle, who says such a woman is given to the devil, as far as touches the destruction of her body, that her soul may be saved at the day of judgment of almighty God. She shall eat her food alone. In what measure, and at what hour the abbess will decide, and no sister passing by her shall salute or bless her or her food.\n\nIf any sister presumes, without the commandment of the abbess, to accompany herself with any excommunicated sister in any manner, or to speak with her, or else to direct any message or writing to her, let her be punished with like pain of excommunication.\n\nThe abbess must take heed with all her diligence.\nA sister who officiates should use all ways as a wise and experienced physician, sending aged sisters as secret friends and aid to comfort the sister who is wavering, and stir and provoke her to do satisfaction with humility. Charity may be in her comforted and established, and let all her sisters pray for her. Truly, the abbess is bound greatly to beware, and with all her wisdom and labor to take heed, lest she lose any of her sheep committed to her care. She must well know that she has taken in hand the care of weak souls, and not to be over them as a lady over the whole and strong. Fear the threatening of the prophet, by whom Almighty God says: \"That thing which you saw whole and sound, shall wither away.\"\nthat you took and despised, and that which was sick and weak, you cast out. And the abbot shall also follow the pitiful example of the good shepherd, who leaving eighty and nineteen of his sheep in the hills and wilderness, went to seek his one sheep which was wandering and strayed away. Upon its feebleness and disease, he had such great compassion that he vowed to save, to lay it upon his holy shoulders, and so to bring it back to his flock.\n\nIf any sister was rebuked or corrected for any manner of offense, yes, and even after excommunication, if she does not amend, she must have a sharp correction, that is to say, let her be punished with whipping. And if by this she will not amend, or perhaps (as God defend), she leaves herself in pride, and will also defend her deeds, then the abbess shall act like a wise physician. If she has first laid unto her soothing and nursing medicines, if she has also laid unto her the discipline of fasting.\nIf she has been given the medicines of holy scripture, and at last added to them the corrosive of exhortation or the punishments of beating, and yet she sees that her labor produces nothing, let her add to the said medicines that thing which is more sovereign - that is, her own and all her sisters' prayers, for Almighty God, who can do all things, will deign to minister health to their sick sister. And if by these means she is not healed, then let her use the instrument of incision, as the apostle says: \"Cast out the evil from among you.\" And again he says: \"An unprofitable person, if she goes out, let her go; for one scabby sheep can infect and poison the whole flock.\"\n\nA sister who goes out or is put out of the monastery through her own fault, if she wishes to return, first let her promise fully to amend the fault for which she went out or was put out.\nLet her be received into the lowest degree, so that her humility may be proven. And if she goes out again, let her be received in the same manner the third time. But after that, let her know well that all returning to the monastery will be denied to her.\n\nFor every age and understanding, there must be a very proper and special measure of correction or discipline. Therefore, damsels or children of lesser age, yes, and also those who do not understand how great the pain of excommunication is: all such who offend must be punished with great fasting or else be kept under, with sharp beatings, whereby they may amend.\n\nThe Sister superior of the monastery must be chosen one of the convent, wise, ripe in good manners, sober, not eternal, not proud, not troublous, no rebuker, or reviler, not slow, not prodigal. But fearing God, who must be to the whole convent as a mother. She shall take charge of all manner of things; she shall do nothing without the consent of the convent.\ncommandment of Abbasse, and whatever Abbasse commands: she shall fulfill. Whatever Abbasse commits to her custody, she shall keep. She shall not molest, anger, nor make her sisters unhappy. If her sister asks anything unreasonably, she shall not despisingly anger or worry her. But reasonably, with good mood and meekness, she shall deny her. Let her see well to her own soul, having in mind the words of the apostle: she who does her debt and service well purchases for herself a good estate and degree. She must take upon herself the charge and oversight, with all her diligence, of seeking persons, children, gifts, and poor people: understanding that for all these, at the day of judgment, she must give account. She shall oversee all the vessels and utensils of the monastery and all the substance of the same, and look to them as if they were consecrated.\nThe abbess: She shall not allow vessels to go to waste or be neglected or lost. She shall not give in to greed or be prodigal in expenses or destroy the substance of the monastery. She shall do all things in moderation and according to the commandment of the abbess. Above all, she shall value humility. When she does not have to give the requested thing, she shall give a fair answer. A fair word is more valuable than the greatest gift. All things committed to her by the abbess shall be under her charge, and she shall not presume to do anything the abbess has forbidden. She shall deliver to her sisters their duty of food and drink without simulation, check, or grudge, and without delay, so that they have no reason to offend, remembering the saying of almighty God: \"What is given in faith is given to God.\"\nA person who is worthy to have: that which provides occasion for sin to an innocent and humble person. If the convent is great, she shall have help and comfort from others by whose support she shall fulfill her duty and office committed to her, with a good will, without any grudging. That which is to be given must be given in a timely and comparable manner, so that no person is troubled, vexed, grieved, or made angry: in the house of God.\n\nRegarding the keeping, managing, or ministering of the movable goods of the monastery: such as servants, instruments, looms, vessels, vestments, and all other similar things, the abbess shall provide for such sisters, of whose living and good manners she stands sure. She shall deliver every thing to them to be kept and gathered as she judges to be more profitable. Of these goods, the abbess shall keep an inventory or a bill indented: that when ever sisters succeed one another into the said office.\nThe officer: she should know what she delivers and receives. If any sister handles or treats the monastery's good unjustly or negligently, let her be reprimanded, and if she amends, let her suffer discipline and correction, according to the rule.\n\nPrimarily and before all other vices, this vice of propriety must be rooted out of the monastery: no monk is to presume to give or receive anything without the commandment of the abbess, nor have anything that is properly theirs, that is, no book, no tables, no cell, nor any other thing earthly. For they should not have their own bodies or their own wills in their own power. But they should only trust to have all manner of things necessary from the mother of the monastery. Neither is it allowed for them to have any manner of thing which the abbess has not given to them or of her certain knowledge.\nAnd specifically, they have been allowed to have. And all things must be common to them, as it is written. None of them shall call anything their own, or presume or suppose anything to be theirs. And if any monk is found delighting or having pleasure in this most cursed vice of propriety, let her be monitored once or twice, and if she does not amend, let her be put to correction and regular discipline.\n\nAs it is written, a division was made to each one of the disciples and apostles of Christ, as each had need. Where we do not say (God forbid we should) that respect be had in the accepting of the persons. But consideration be given to their necessities. Therefore, she who needs less: let her give thanks to God and not be envious if another has more. She who needs more: let her submit and humble herself for her infirmity, and not be proud of the pity and compassion shown to her. And so shall all the members be at rest.\nAnd before anything, let it be seen that no spark of grudging appears in any one of them for any cause, in any manner of word or tone. If any monk is found in this fault, let him be subjected to stricter punishment of discipline.\nThe steward shall do service to each other, so that none is excused from the office of the kitchen, except it be so that any is let, either by sickness or by some cause of great profit, for thereby is purchased a great reward for those who are weak and feeble. They shall be ministered help, comfort, and solace, so that they do not their business with an evil will, but all shall have help, comfort, and solace, according to the congregation, and according to the site and setting of the place. If the convent is great, the abbess shall be excused from the kitchen, and such others as have been above said, who are occupied in things of greater profit. But the remainder shall do service to others in love and charity. She who goes out of her.\nAt the end of the week, the officer will make everything clean. She will wash the clothes used by her sisters and their feet. The feet of all the nuns, whether going out of the office or entering it, she will wash. The one going out of the office will show and deliver all the vessels and utensils of her office to the cellress, clean and sound. The cellress, in turn, will show and deliver them to the one entering the office, so that she may know what she is delivering and what she is receiving.\n\nThe weekly servants, called hebdomadaries, one hour before the refectory of the nuns, shall take a morsel of bread and a draught of drink by their duty, to enable them to serve their sisters at meals without grudge or grievous labor. However, on solemn days, the said weekly servants shall take patience and wait until the last mass is done. The said weekly servants.\nseruitours / as well she that entreth / as she that goth out / by and by in the quere when matyns or laudes be ended vppon the sonday / shall prostrate them selfe before all their susters / desyrynge them to pray for theym / They that goo out of their offyce shall say this verse. Benedict{us} es do\u2223mine deus qui adiuuisti me et consolatus es me. whiche is thus moche to say. Blessed art thou lorde god / which haste helped me and conforted me. she whiche thries sayde / she shall receyue a Benediction / and soo departe. And then she that shall entre / shall followe and say / Deus in adiutorium meum intende: domine ad adiuuandum me festina. The which is in englyshe. Gracyous god intende to warde my soucoure / good lorde make spede to helpe me. And that thri\u00a6es shall be repeted of theym all. And after a benediction she muste entre hir offyce.\nTHere muste good hede be taken to the susters that be seke and diseased / byfore and aboue all thynge / and as ye wolde doo your duetie and seruyce vnto christe so shal ye\nTo them, in Christ's name I say: I was in need and you helped me. And whatever you did to one of the least of my servants, you did it to me. But seeking sisters should consider that service is done to them in the worship and honor of God. Let them not weary their sisters who minister and do service to them with importunity or demanding unnecessary things. And yet such seeking persons must be endured patiently, for by reason of them, a more abundant reward is purchased. Therefore, the abbess should especially take heed that they suffer no damage through negligence to the seeking sisters. A certain chamber will be appointed for them, and one to serve them who is both reverent towards God and diligent and quick. The use of baths will be offered to seeking sisters as often as it is expedient, but to those who are healthy, especially young persons, it will seldom be granted. Eating of flesh may be granted altogether.\nSeek those who are weak and feeble, for their more swift recovery. After they are amended, all must abstain from flesh as they were accustomed. The abbess must have singular care and charge that the sick sisters are not neglected by the cellress and servants. For to her charge it belongs whatever fault, offense, or negligence is done by her disciples. Though humanity itself is prone and apt to mercy and compassion, especially for the old and young, we will that the authority of these Rules also provide and care for them, to the end that in no way they lack or are destitute of their necessities. Weeknesses of nature must always be considered in them, and therefore they shall not be bound to the strictness of the Rule as concerning their feeding, but there must be provided for them accordingly.\ngood consideration / and let them prevent the hours / limited by the Rule. At the table of the sisters / while they feed: there may not be a lecture. Whoever catches a book in her hand / shall take upon her to read at all hours / But she who reads the whole week / must enter on Sunday / which entering / after mass and after she has received the blessed sacrament from the altar / must desire all her sisters to pray for her / that God keep her from the spirit of vain glory. And this verse shall be said three times at the table of the convent / so that she who enters / begins it saying: Dominus labia me aperies: et os meum annunciabit laude tuam. Which is to say: Good Lord, open my lips; and my mouth shall show forth your praise and worship. And deep and profound silence shall be kept at the table / so that the whispering or voice of no person be heard / but only of the sister who is reading.\nThe reader. This thing is necessary for those who eat and drink, as the sisters shall readily minister each to other, so that none of them have need to ask or call for anything. And if it is necessary for them, let them ask it rather by some manner of sign or token, rather than by any voice, in order that no one occasion be given for any evil temptation. None of them shall presume to speak anything there, either about the lecture or about anything else, except perhaps the prioress would briefly declare something for the edification of her sisters. She who reads for the week shall take a morsel of bread and a draught of drink before she begins to read, for the greater assurance of the holy communion and less it should be a pain to her to continue fasting so long. Afterward, she shall take refreshment with those who are hebdomadaries in the kitchen and servants in the refectory. The sisters shall not read or sing indiscriminately by order, but only those who can best do so.\nIn all months of the year, two diverse kinds of food are sufficient for daily reflection, one at the sixth hour of the day, that is, at noon on eating days, and at the ninth hour on fasting days. This is for the benefit of various individuals, so that she who perhaps cannot eat one may eat the other. Therefore, two well-prepared and seasoned kinds of food will be sufficient for all the sisters. If one of the said two foods is apples, herbs, or peas, then let them have the third food, which is a pound of bread, to suffice for one of them for a day, whether they take one reflection or dine and sup. And if they sup, the third part of the same pound of bread shall be reserved by the cellress to be delivered to her supper. If the labor of the sisters is great, it shall be in their discretion and power.\nThe abbot: when it is expedient to increase their portion, surfeits should always be avoided, lest a monk never fall into indigestion before being aware. For nothing is more detrimental and contrary to a Christian man or woman than surfeiting or drunkenness, as the Lord says. See that your bodies are not overcomby surfeiting or drunkenness, but for damsels and young children, the quantity above-mentioned should not always be kept and maintained, but less for them than for the elder. The eating of flesh of four-footed beasts must always be forbidden for all monks, except for those who are always weak or sick.\n\nEvery person has a gift from God for himself, one after another, another in another manner. And therefore, the measure of meat and drink for others (says St. Benedict) is set by us with some scrutiny and doubt. Nevertheless, considering the weaknesses of those who are sick, I truly think, that hemmas, which is:\nAround about a measure in Italy, a pint in France, and the English measure (which is nearly the same) is sufficient for every person in wine for one day. But to those to whom God grants the ability, it is known that they shall have their reward accordingly. And if the necessity of the place, or great labor, or else the great heat of summer requires more, let it be according to the will and arbitration of the sovereign, considering among other things that gluttony or drunkenness: under my teeth not before they are aware. Although we read that wine in no way should be the drink of monks, yet since that cannot be persuaded to them in our days, at the least, let us grant and observe this: that we drink not to our full and satiated, but scarcely and soberly. For wine causes, yes, even the wise to err and go out of the way of good living.\nSoberness is to be understood not only of wine, but also of ale, beer, and all other drinks. But where the poverty of the place compels that the aforementioned measure cannot be had, but much less or nothing at all, let them thank God that they dwell and do not grumble about it. From the holy feast of Easter until Whitsuntide, the sisters shall go to dinner at the 6th hour of the day, which is about an hour before midday in English reckoning, and sope in the evening. And from Whitsuntide through the entire summer, if the monks have no labor in the field or are not troubled by excessive heat in summer, they shall fast until the 9th hour of the day, which is about 2 of the clock in the afternoon on Wednesdays and Fridays, and on other days they shall dine at the 6th hour of the day.\nhaue busi\u2223nes in the feelde / or elles the hete of so\u0304mer be feruent / shalbe co\u0304tinued & kept / also the wednesdaye and frydaye / if thab\u2223basse so woll dispose & ordere it. And yet in all dispensacio\u0304s / moderacions / and lycences / the abbasse must haue suche re\u2223garde & {con}sideracio\u0304s that hir sustreses sowles may be saued / and that they shall doo / may be doo without grudge\nor murmure resonable. From the Idus of Septembre / vn\u2223to Shrouetyde / they shall take their refeccion at .ix. of the day / In lent tyll Easter they shall eate at the euyn tyme / and eue\u0304song shall soo be doo\u0304 / that at their meate / they shall nede no lyght of candel / but all shalbe ended by day lyght. Also at all tymes / be it soper or other refeccion / so shall the houre be moderate / that all thinges be doon by daylyght.\nAT all seasons mynchins ought to doo their deuoure to kepe silence / and chefly in the houres of the nyght. And therfore at all tymes / beynge fastynge daye or etynge day / If it be etyng day / anone as they aryse\nFrom Soper: All must gather in one place, and one of them must read collations - that is, a book called Collations or Vitas Patrum, or some other suitable book for edification and good. They shall not read books of the old law or books of kings. For those of weak understanding, it will not be fruitful, nor will it benefit the reader who reads scripture in such a way. At other times, they may be read. If it is a fasting day, they shall come to the lecture of the collation within a little while after evensong is done, and four or five leagues of it should be read, or as much as one hour permits, so that all the company may gather together. If any of them are then occupied in any manner, she must forthwith leave off and come to the company, and when all are gathered together, they shall make an end and execute the coplene. Departing from coplene, it shall:\nNot be allowed to speak any word to any person thereafter. And if any of them are found to have broken this rule of silence, let her be subjected to strict punishment, except in cases of necessity or when the abbess commits something to any of them. This must be done with great gravity, moderation, and with honest and good behavior.\n\nAt the hour of divine service, as soon as the sign is held or the bell rings, all things left behind, whatever they may be, must be carried away with all speed. However, it must be done gravely, so that lewd behavior or lightness are not found among them. Nothing shall be preferred to the service of Almighty God. And if anyone comes to the nocturne in the night after the psalm of Venite, which psalm, as Saint Benedict says, shall be prolonged and sung devoutly always for the same reason, she shall not stand in her place in the choir, but she\nmust stand last of all or else in a place apart which the abbess shall order for such slothful and negligent persons, so that she may be seen by the abbess or all the nuns, until the service of God is ended. Therefore, we have judged her to stand in the lowest place or else apart, to the right, so that while they are seen by all their sisters, for very shame they must amend. For if such a slow person should remain outside the choir, one might take rest or sleep, or sit idle, or give ear to fables. Therefore, let no occasion be given to the devil in her. But let her enter the choir, to the end that she does not lose all, and that she may make amends for the residue. At the hours of the day, she who comes to divine service after Deus in adiutorium and Gloria patri of the first psalm, which is said after Deus in adiutorium,\nAccording to the ordinance above mentioned, let her stand in the last place in the quire; neither shall she presume to sing to the time she does satisfaction, unless perhaps the abbot grants her leave by suffrage; so that yet she, being guilty, does satisfy therefore. At the hour of refectory, she who comes not before grace, that they may all together say grace and pray, and that they all may go to the table together, she who through her own negligence and fault does not so come, let her be reprimanded therefore to the second time. If then she does not amend, let her not be forced to be at the table among them. But sequester and let her be divorced from the company of them all, and let her eat alone; her portion of wine and other drink (except water) taken away from her until she does satisfaction and amends; like punishment shall she suffer who is not present at the grace which is said after meals. And we will that none presume to.\nA person must take food and drink before and after the hour prescribed. If one of them refuses anything offered to her by the superior, the next time she desires anything, she shall take what she first refused, or she shall have nothing until she makes appropriate amends.\n\nA person who is excommunicated from the choir and the table must lie down before the choir door, saying nothing but only being prostrate with her head touching the earth. Upon leaving the choir, she must do this with continuance before the abbess, who has granted her satisfaction. When the abbess commands, she shall come into the chapel house and prostrate herself before the feet of the said abbess, and afterward at the feet of all her sisters, desiring them to pray for her. And then, if the abbess commands, she shall be received.\nIn what order or degree shall the abbess determine and limit me, so that I presume not to begin a psalm, lectern, or any other thing in the query, except the abbess gives a new commandment. And at every hour when the service of God is soon to begin, I shall prostrate myself upon the earth in the place where I stand, and do satisfaction in the query, until the abbess commands me to cease. Those who are excommunicated for light faults only from the table shall do satisfaction in the query until the abbess gives them other commandment. This they shall always do until the abbess gives them absolution and says that it is sufficient.\n\nIf any nun begins a psalm, responds, anthem, or lectern, makes any fault, except by due satisfaction, before all her sisters she submits herself, let her be put to a more severe punishment, because she would not be corrected with meekness. This is because she transgresses through negligence.\nChildren for such a fault must be better. If a nun, while she is engaged in any labor in the kitchen in the cellar, in the execution of a servant's duty in the bakehouse, in the garden, or in any manner of occupation while she is laboring, wherever it may be, commits any mistake, breaks anything, or makes any excess in any manner, if she does not come before the abbess or the convent and of her own free will makes amends and shows her transgression before it is known by someone else, let her be subjected to a greater penance. And if the transgression is only to the harm of her own soul and secret, she shall confess it only to some holy and aged spiritual father, who can cure not only his own offenses and sickness but also others, and never disclose nor publish them.\n\nIt is the duty of the abbess to announce the hour of God's service, both day and night. Either she must do it herself or\nSisters are to commit this charge to some diligent nun, ensuring that all things are concluded in convenient hours. They shall begin psalms or anthems each of them, except the abbess, by order or to whomsoever the commandment is given. None may presume to sing or read anything, but she who can do so well and perform it, so that the hearers may be the better for it. She must do this with humility, gravity, and fear, and by the abbess' commandment or else not. Idleness is an utter and extreme enemy of the soul, and therefore certain times nuns must be occupied in labor of the hand and certain times in reading holy lectures or in good meditations. We think the said times arranged in this way to be well ordered, that is, from Easter until the Kalends of October, in the morning from the first hour of the day until almost the fourth, let them labor about such things as are necessary. And from the fourth hour of the day until almost the sixth.\nThey must dedicate themselves to reading for an hour. After six hours, they should rest a while in their beds with complete silence, or if she wishes to read, let her do so softly by herself without disturbing others. The hour of none should be executed at half an hour before eight in the day. And then again, whatever is best to be done, let them labor at it until evening time. If the necessity of the place or poverty compels them to be occupied, they may not take it lightly nor be troubled by it, for then they are true monks when they live with the labor of their own hands, as did our fathers and the apostles, notwithstanding all things shall be done in measure and with discretion, because of those who are weak in body or spirit. From the Kalends of October to Shrove Sunday, they should dedicate themselves to reading.\nSecond hour of the day is full. And at the second hour of the day, they shall execute the third hour. Then, to the ninth hour of the day, each of them shall work on their business. The first sign of the ninth hour struck, each one of them shall depart from their work, ready when the second sign strikes. After they have dined, they shall give some to reading of lessons and some to reading of psalms. In the days of Lent from morning to the third hour of the day, they must give themselves to reading, and from that time till the tenth hour of the day, they must labor in such an occupation as is committed to them. In the days of Lent, each of them shall have by themselves a book from the library, which book they shall read from beginning to end in order. And the same books must be delivered to them at sunset. Before all things, one or two nuns of the eldest.\nReligion shall be deputed who shall go about the monastery at all such times and seasons as the sisters are at their reading, and less perhaps some sister may be found slothful, who gives herself to idleness and telling of tales, and is not minded toward reading. Such a one, if she (God forbid) is found, let her be rebuked once and the second time if she does not amend, let her be submitted to correction regular, in such a way as others may have cause to be afraid. No sister shall accompany herself with another, but in hours and times convenient. On the Sunday they shall all give themselves to reading, except those who are deputed to various offices. And if any of them is so negligent and slothful that she will not, or else she cannot give herself to meditation or to reading, let some manner of business be joined to her, to the end that she be occupied.\nThe sisters who are feeble or have been delicately brought up shall be committed to such occupations or businesses that they are neither idle nor oppressed with excessive labor. Through this, they should not abandon the monastery, for weakness and tenderness must be considered by the abbess according to her discretion.\n\nThough a nun in her living ought to keep the observance of the rule, yet since the virtue of continuous observance is but few in number, we counsel that they keep their life in the days of Lent.\n\nWith all cleanliness, that is, they should cleanse and wash away all their negligences of other times in those holy days. This is done acceptably, as it should be, when they keep themselves from all manner of vices and give their diligence to prayer with weeping, to reading, to compunction of heart, and to abstinence. Therefore, in those days of Lent, let us increase something.\nOur selves, above and beyond our customary service, which we were wont to do and pray at other times, adding special and private prayers with more abstinence from food and drink. Let each one in those days offer something to God of her own free will, above her customary service or duty, and withdraw from her body something of food, drink, sleep, speaking, joking, and trifling, and with the joy of a spiritual desire, let her long for the feast of Easter. However, whatever she does above her customary duty, she must show it to her abbess. And with her will and prayer, it must be done, for whatever is done without the will and leave of her spiritual mother will be accounted presumption and vain glory, and to no reward. Therefore, all things must be done with the will of the abbess.\n\nSisters who are far from the [abbey/convent]\nSisters residing in a monastery or oratory are not permitted to come to the query unless hours are convenient for the abbot, who must be informed if this is not the case. They should carry out their duties to God in the monastery, with reverence and fear, kneeling before Him. The hours of God's service, customarily appointed, must not be neglected by those sent forth on errands, but they must do their duty as much as possible.\n\nSisters going forth on any kind of message and trusting to return to the monastery the same day should not presume to eat anywhere except in the monastery, unless they have a command from the abbot. If they disobey, they should be excommunicated.\n\nThe oratory, which is in essence and reality the place of prayer, must be free from earthly things.\nThose who do not contribute to the service of God should leave when God's service is completed. When God's service is finished, all the nuns must exit silently and return to God, so that a nun who may wish to pray some private or special prayers of her devotion is not disturbed by another. If another also wishes to pray quietly by herself, let her enter with silence and pray not with a loud voice but with tears and full intention and entireness of heart. Therefore, a nun who does not occupy herself with such business of prayers and meditations may not be allowed, after God's service is done, to linger in the oratory any longer than necessary to prevent another from being hindered.\n\nChapter thirty-three deals only with hospitality and the receiving and charitable entertaining of guests and pilgrims, which for many reasons could arise there, especially because.\nAll gestures and strangers coming to the monastery shall be received in like manner as Christ should be. For He said, \"I was a stranger, and you received me.\" Reverence shall be shown to all people, whether they be chiefly of our own faith or religion, or pilgrims. Therefore, as soon as it is shown that a stranger has come, the superior or someone else shall:\n\nReceive all gestures and strangers in a devout and charitable manner, so that no part of St. Benedict's rule is concealed or hidden from them. We have therefore translated the aforementioned chapter, applying it only to monks, according to the original text, without mentioning or signifying that they cannot conveniently observe it in the way a bull is said to do.\nThe officer of the hospice must go against him with a show and a demonstration of all cheerful and charitable manner. First, they should enter the oratory and pray together. Then, they should greet each other with the kiss of peace, which shall not be offered unless they have first prayed together, for expiation of illusions that come from the devil. In this greeting, humility must be shown.\n\nWhen gestures come and go, Christ, who is received in them, must be worshipped in them with submission of the head, or else with prostration of the entire body upon the earth. The one who receives Christ must be brought to prayer, and afterward, the sovereign may sit with them, or else such a brother whom the sovereign commands. The law of Almighty God shall be read before the same gesture for spiritual edification, and afterward, the gesture may have all the cheer it may. The sovereign shall break his fast for a stranger's sake, except it be a great day of fasting.\nFast that it may not be broken - that is, a fast vowed or commanded by the church. But the remainder of the brethren shall pursue and continue the custom of fasting. Those [who come] shall give water to the hands of strangers. And both the Abbot and all the whole community shall wash the feet of strangers, whom they shall say this verse to: Suscepimus deus misericordia tua in medio templi tui - that is, Lord God, we have received thy mercy in the midst of thy temple.\n\nThe receiving of poor people and pilgrims must be regarded with the utmost diligence, for in them Christ is received more than in others. For the fear and dread of the rich require, by force, honor, and reverence to be done to them.\n\nThe kitchen of the Abbot and of the guests, which is one, shall be separated from the community kitchen, so that the guests coming at uncertain hours - which never fails in a monastery - shall not disturb the brethren of the community.\nWhich brother in the kitchen shall enter for a year, who can and may effectively carry out that duty. To whom, as needed, shall relief and assistance be provided, so they may perform their service without resentment. And again, when they have less to do in the kitchen, let them engage in such business as is commanded of them, not only in the kitchen but also in all other offices of the monastery. This consideration must be taken into account: when they need relief and help, they must have it, and when they have nothing to do in their offices: they must obey their superior in whatever he commands. And also, a brother whose soul yearns for God singularly, must be assigned a house, to receive guests there, in which beds should be made sufficiently, and the house, that is, the house assigned for hospitality, must be wisely managed by wise persons. But no brother, in any way, shall accompany himself or hold:\nCommunication with a gesture is only allowed if one has permission or is commanded. If one encounters gestures or strangers, one should offer a mild greeting and request blessings. It is not permissible for a nun to receive letters, tokens, or any other small gifts from her father, mother, or any other person among themselves without the leave and command of the abbess. If anything is sent to a nun from her father or mother, she shall not take it upon herself to receive it unless it is first shown to the abbess. If the abbess commands that it be received, it will be within the abbess' power to whom she will command the said nun to give or deliver it. The sister to whom the thing was given shall not be present.\nMistakenly, the devil should be kept away from her, and she who presumes otherwise than this will be subject to regular discipline.\nGarments and clothing shall be given to the sisters according to the quality of the place where they dwell or the temperature of the air. In cold regions, more need exists, in hot regions less need, and this consideration rests only with the abbess. As for the color or curves of the cloth and of all other apparel generally, the minions shall not grudge nor complain, but be content with such cloth as can be obtained in the province or country where they dwell and with the coarsest and cheapest cloth. The abbess shall serve as the measure for their garments, so that they are not too short for the wearers but reasonable. Those who take new garments shall always deliver their old ones by and by to be put in the vestry for the poor. It is sufficient for a monk to have two garments of every kind.\nSort out, by cause of nights and for washing of the same, and whatever is above the said two garments that is superfluous and must be taken away. Also, shoes and whatsoever other old things there be, they shall deliver them when they receive new. As for their bedding, a mat, a stem, a coverlet, and a bolster are sufficient. The which beds must be often times searched by the abbot, less the monks take or keep anything that the abbot is not private to. And if anything is found with any of them that she has not received from the abbot, let her be subjected to the most severe discipline. And in order to uproot this vice of possession, all things necessary must be given by the abbot to the monks, as well as garments, books, and instruments for their craft and occupations, so that all excuses of necessity may be taken away. Yet the same abbot must always consider the sentence of acts of the apostles regarding distribution.\nThe abbess should consider the infirmities of those who lack, rather than the ill will of those who are envious. In all her judgments, let her think well of herself, that after her deeds she shall be rewarded by almighty God. Other things in this chapter concern the garments of monks, which we have made no mention of in our translation because they are not suitable or convenient for women.\n\nThe abbess must always have porters and servants at her table. If there are no servants, she may call upon whomshe pleases of her sisters, but she must always ensure that one or two of the eldest in the religion are left with the sick for their discipline.\n\nIf there are any artisans in the monastery, they should do their occupation with humility, provided they have the command or leave of the abbess. If any of them are proud in the exercise of their craft.\nA craftswoman who has beforehand crafted something for a monastery above all others, because she seems to profit the monastery more than others, must be withdrawn and sequestered from that craft and shall not return to it again, unless the abbot commands her to do so after she has made and submitted herself. If there are any goods of the craftsmen's work to be sold: those who shall have the sale must be wise and beware of fraud, neither in the worker nor in the seller, nor any fraud be done to the monastery. And let them all remember Ananias and Sapphira, less perhaps they and all others who commit deceit in the good of the monastery suffer such sudden death in their souls, as Ananias and Sapphira suffered in their bodies. In the prices of all such goods, the sin of covetousness must utterly be excluded, and therefore let it be sold somewhat cheaper than it should be from secular persons, to the end that God may be glorified in all things.\nWhen a person comes newly to conversations regarding religion, her entrance shall not be lightly granted but, as the apostle says, take heed: prove her inward intent and desire to be from God or not. If such a one coming persists in her desire and is perceived to endure injuries inflicted upon her and remains steadfast in her petition, let her be admitted to enter, and then let her be in the guest chamber for a few days, and afterward in the chamber of novices. There, she shall continue in meditation, and there eat and drink. An aged sister shall be deputed to her who is an apt person to win souls. She shall tenderly and diligently take care of her and apply herself to understand if she seeks God sincerely and whether she is diligently giving herself to the service.\n\"all mighty god, obey and endure rebukes. Hard things and sharp things must be declared to her by whom men go to God. If she promises to continue in her steadfastness for two months, let this rule be read to her by order, and say to her: Behold and look, this is the law under which you will continue and serve, if you may keep it: enter. If you may not, go your way, you are free. And if she continues still, then let her be brought into the aforementioned chamber of Novices. Again, let her be proved in all patience. After the space of six months, let the rule be read to her again, so that she may well know to which she enters. And if she stands yet in her purpose by the space of other four months, then after the same four months, let this same rule be read to her again. And if she, taking it upon herself, will promise that she will keep all\"\nA person must adhere to the rules and obey all commanded things by their superior. Once received into the convent, they are to know that, according to the rule's law, they may not leave the monastery or discard the rule from their neck. They must make a promise of stability, conversion of manners, and obedience before God and His saints, in the presence of the entire convent. This promise she must write, to the name of the saint whose relics are there, and to the abbot present.\nShe shall write it with her own hand, or if she is not learned to do so, another shall write it at her desire. She shall sign it and place it upon the altar, and begin this verse: \"Receive me, Lord, according to your word, and grant me to live in your presence, and put me not away from what I look for and trust in. This verse all the sisters must repeat three times, adding \"Gloria patri\" at the end. Then she must prostrate herself before the feet of every sister and ask them to pray for her. From that day forth, she shall be accounted as one of the sisters. If she has any goods, either let her distribute them before her profession to the poor, or else let her solemnly and openly grant them to the monastery, reserving nothing for herself. From that day forth, she must well know that she shall have no power over such things.\nIf a woman is in question: let her be stripped of her own apparel and clothed in the monastery's garments. However, the clothes she is stripped of must be kept in the vestry, in case, through the devil's instigation, she consents to leave the monastery (God forbid). The writing which the abbess received on the altar: she shall not receive it back again, but it must remain in the monastery.\n\nIf a nobleman offers his daughter to God in the monastery if she is of suitable age, her father and mother shall make the aforementioned writing. They shall wrap the said writing and the child's hand in the altar cloth and offer their child in this manner. As for their goods, they shall promise in the same way.\nWriting with another [person], they shall give nothing to their said child, nor give occasion that she shall have anything. Or truly, if they will not do this but will in some way give something to the monastery in alms for their own soul's health, let them grant it to the monastery, reserving to themselves (if they so will) the use and profit thereof during their lives. And every way must be stopped that no suspicion of property remains to the child, by which she might be deceived (as God forbid). Which thing we have learned by experience. And in like manner shall the poor do for offering of their children. But those who have nothing at all, let them make their writing without grant of anything. And let them offer their daughter with their oblation before witnesses.\n\nDespite this 12th chapter or any part thereof not touching or concerning the congregation of [illegible].\nIf a priest desires to be received and taken into the monastery, it shall not be granted lightly at his initial desire. If he continually persists in this desire and supplication, let him know and be assured that he will be bound to observe all the strictnesses of the rule, and that nothing will be released to him from it, according to scripture. Brother or friend, therefore, come thou? Nevertheless, he may be licensed to stand in order after the abbot and to give blessing and sing mass, if the abbot so commands. Otherwise, let him in no way presume anything above another brother. But let him ever remember that he is subject and bound to regular observance, and by reason of his order, let\nIf a monk, a stranger from far country, comes to the monastery and wishes to stay as a guest, and is content with the customs of the place and with his expenses or lack thereof, and does not disturb the monastery, let him be received for as long as he desires. If a monk, not yet a priest, desires to be accepted and associated with the monastery, let him be set in an appropriate place, and first promise observance of the rule and stability in the same.\n\nIf a nun, a stranger from a far country, comes to the monastery and wishes to stay as a guest, and is content with the customs of the place and with her expenses or lack thereof, let her then be received for as long as she desires. If she, with reason, charity, and humility, reproves or finds fault in anything that is amiss in the monastery, let her be received.\nA monastery/Thabbasse must handle and treat the matter wisely. Perhaps, God Almighty has sent the same person there for that purpose. If the monk subsequently stabilizes herself there, her will shall not be refused, especially since her life might have been known during her time as a guest. If she is found wasteful or vicious during her time as a guest, not only will she be barred from joining the monastery's body, but it must also be honestly told to her to depart. Lest her wretchedness worsen others, if she is not such a one as is worthy of being put out, not only will she be received and associated with the convent if she desires it, but also she shall be desired to dwell and continue there. This is because by her virtues, others may take example, or by her good example, others may be instructed better. In every place, we serve one Lord.\nTo an abbess it is fitting for her to raise herself somewhat in status if she perceives that she is a worthy person for it. An abbess must always be careful not to admit into her monastery a nun from another known monastery with her consent, or else her letters of commendation. For it is written that what you do not wish done to yourself, do not do to another.\n\nIf any abbot requires a priest or deacon, let him choose one of his own monks, who may be worthy to take on this office and use that order. The brother, after he is ordained, must beware of all arrogance and pride, and let him not presume to do anything but what is commanded by the abbot. He should be assured that for the dignity of his order, he is more bound to a regular life and conduct. Also, let him be careful not to forget the obedience and discipline of the rule by the occasion of his priesthood, but rather more so.\nAnd he should increase and profit in virtues and good living towards God. But he should always (except when he ministers in the altar) regard and remember the place and rule where he entered the monastery. And if perhaps the abbot and the convent, by one consent for his great virtues and the merits of his life, promote and exalt him above his seniors, he should know and consider that he is never the less bound to keep and observe the rule and precepts ordered and assigned by the deans or superiors. And if he otherwise presumes, let him be judged, estimated, and reputed not as a priest, but as a rebel. And if after many warnings he will not reform himself, let the bishop of the diocese be informed. And if he will not amend by the bishop, then his offenses being manifest and open, let him be ejected and expelled from the monastery, especially if his conduct and rebellion are such that he will not obey or be subject to the rule. This is the 62nd.\nChapiter similarly does not concern the assembly of monks in any way. Yet, like the causes of the previous chapters, we have translated and inserted it among the rules of the same monks.\n\nMonks shall keep and maintain their order and degree in the monastery, according to the time of their conversion and the deserving and merits of their living, and as the abbess will determine and order. However, the abbess must be so discreet and circumspect that she does not disturb the flock committed to her. Nor may she, with her absolute power and free will over her sisters, order or dispose anything unjustly. But she must always remember that of all her judgments and deeds, she must give accounts to Almighty God. Therefore, according to the order that the abbess establishes or else that the sisters have established for themselves by the order of their conversion and profession, they shall come to the peace and receive their Maker to begin a psalm.\nIn the query, and everywhere keep this in order: no regard should be had to age in years, nor should age be prejudicial to the younger being older in conversion or profession. Samuel and Damiel, being but children in age, gave judgment upon those who were their seniors. Therefore, except for those whom a great assembly has preferred or promoted and put back for certain causes, all others, as they come into the religion, shall be in order as follows. A woman who comes into the monastery at 2 of the clock of the day must know that she is junior to her who came at 1, regardless of age or dignity. Young nuns must be kept in discipline and fear of all their sisters. The younger must show reverence to the elder, and the elder must love the younger. In their calling or speaking to one another, it is not permitted for any to name another by her proper name, but the elders call their sisters.\nJuniors shall call elders Dompnas, meaning a name of reverence and submission. Thabasse stood in Christ's stead and was called Madame and abbesse. She did not assume this name of her own presumption and usurpation, but for the honor and love of Christ. She must remember and consider how to behave herself worthy of such honor. Whenever juniors meet, the younger shall ask blessings from the elder. If the elder passes by the younger, the younger shall rise and give her place to sit. The younger shall not presume to sit down unless the elder commands her to do so, that it may be accomplished and fulfilled among them, as written by the apostle. Every one preventing another in showing reverence. Young children and damsels in the choir and at the table must take and keep their places, under fear and dread. They must be kept under tutelage and governance of their seniors elsewhere.\nIn the ordination and making of the abbess, this consideration must always be had: she should be chosen from among those who have reached the age of understanding and discretion. In choosing the abbess, all the nuns in the convent, or at least a majority, should do so, even if it is a small one. She who is to be abbess must be chosen for the merits and virtues of her life, her doctrine, and wisdom, even if she is the least in degree among them. And if all the nuns agree on the vices of one person (God forbid), they should choose a person whom they think will conform and adapt herself to their vices, and so live in a like manner with them. If the bishop, to whose diocese that place belongs, or else the abbesses or other neighbors, become aware of these evil religious persons and their vices, they shall prohibit and prevent the convent of such persons from taking effect.\nand they shall appoint one who is worthy to have the dispensation and administration of the house of God, knowing well that for sitting part of an unworthy person and providing a worthy one, they shall receive a good reward if they do it with pure mind and for the love of God. Contrarily, it is great sin if they are negligent and do not attend to it. But it is to be remembered that this manner of election was made by St. Benedict before the ordinance of the twelve apostles which now is to be observed and preferred to his institution of St. Benedict. The abbesses elected must always remember the charge they have taken upon themselves and to whom they must give accounts of their villication and dispensation. They must also well know that it is their duty to do good and profit more than to have precedence. Therefore, they must be well learned in the laws of God and their religion, and understand and be that person who can shew and teach the laws, rules, and constitutions of the house.\nreligion with such histories of holy scripture and saints' lives as are most expedient for the congregation. She must be chaste, sober, merciful, and meek, and in all her works, let her extol mercy and exalt equity above justice and severity, to the end that she may purchase the same for herself. Let her hate vice and love her sisters, and in her correction she must deal wisely, lest while she corrects others, she rubs away their rust and breaks their vessel. She must always consider her own fragility and remember that a red though it be somewhat bruised is not to be utterly broken and destroyed. But by these sayings, we do not mean or intend that she should suffer vices to grow, but wisely and with charity she shall cut them away as she sees fit for each of her sisters, as we have said, and she must covet and effectively labor more to be loved by her sisters than to be feared. She shall not be full of hastiness, troublousness, nor fearful.\nA woman should have a pleasant countenance; she must not be impudent or intolerable, nor obstinate nor self-willed. She must not be involved in jealousy or overly suspicious. Such a person is never at peace and never takes rest. In her commands, she must be wise, provident, and circumspect. All labor or occupation that she orders for any of her sisters should concern the service of God or the business of the world. She must exercise good discretion and moderation, recalling to mind the discretion of holy Jacob: \"If I cause my flock to overwork themselves, they will all die in one day.\" Taking these witnesses and other examples of discretion and moderation as her guides, she should moderate all things so that strong persons desire to do the said labors and occupations, and weak persons do not refuse them. She must particularly observe this present rule to ensure that.\ngood administration. In the Gospel it is said that the good servant, who distributed corn to his fellows in time, was committed by God for His dispensation in a few things, the oversight of all his goods.\n\nOften truly it happens, through the making of a provost or a prioress, that grave scandals and occasions of inconveniences are raised in monasteries. For while there are some inflated with the cursed spirit of pride, supposing themselves to be second abbesses, taking upon themselves cruel lordship, they nourish slanders and make disputes and debates in the convent, and principally in those places where the prioress is made by the same bishop or the same prelate who made the abbess. Which thing, however far out of reason it is, a man can soon perceive. For even from the beginning of her making and ordering, and the occasion is given to her to be proud, while her own mind makes suggestion.\nShe is freely delivered from her abbess's power because she became prioress of him to whom the abbess belonged. This led to disputes, strife, backbiting, hatred, dissensions, making and marrying, discords, and disorders. As long as the abbess and the prioress hold contrary minds, it necessarily follows that while this discord persists, their souls must remain in turmoil. Furthermore, those under them, who flatter the parties, run into utter peril and damnation. The main harm primarily affects those who were the instigators, aiders, and procurators of the making of the said prioress. Therefore, before our eyes, it is expedient for the preservation of peace and charity within the monastery that the order of all the monastery's officers depends on the will and disposition of the abbess. If possible, let all profits, utilities, charges, and administrations be subject to her control.\nThe monastery's monks should be ordained as stated above, not by a prioress but by deans whom the abbess assigns. When the charge is committed to various persons, one person should not become proud. If the place requires a prioress or the convent desires it reasonably, with humility, and if the abbess deems it expedient, she may choose whom she pleases with the consent of her sisters, fearing God, as her prioress. This prioress shall do all things committed and commanded to her by her abbess, and nothing contrary to her will and ordinance. The more preferred she is above others, the more diligently and busily she must observe the rule's precepts. This prioress, if found vicious, proud, or a breaker or dispenser of this holy rule, should be warned with words three times. If she does not amend, let her be removed.\nAnd then, if she does not amend her behavior as regular discipline requires, she should be corrected. If she does not amend it, let her be removed from the office of the prioress, and let another, who is worthy, serve as her substitute and succeed. If she is not quiet and obedient among the convent, let her be expelled from the monastery, yet never the less to exclude the flame of envy and evil will. Let her, in this process, consider before the prioress that she must give an account to God of all her judgments.\n\nAt the gate or monastery, there should be a wise old sister who can receive and give an answer. She must be of such gravity that, likely, she will not wander. This porter must have a lodging near the gate, so that travelers may find one there always, from whom they will be answered. And as soon as anyone knocks, or else a poor body calls, she shall say \"Deo gratias,\" or else some other good word, and with all meekness and fear of God.\nA nun shall give an answer in due time with generous charity. If she needs help or comfort, a young sister will be with her. The monastery (if possible) should be arranged so that all necessary things - water, a mill, a garden, a bakehouse, and other various occupations - can be exercised within the monastery. This way, the monks have no need to leave the monastery for water, as leaving the monastery in no way benefits their souls. We want this rule to be read frequently among the convent, less any sister excuses herself through ignorance.\n\nMonks who must leave the monastery for any business must come before their brethren or the abbot and pray with them. And at the last moment or ending of the service to Almighty God, there should be a remembrance for those absent. And brothers returning home from their journey, that same day that they come home, at every hour of the day when the service of God is being held, there shall be a remembrance for them.\nGod is said to prostrate themselves before the query and request prayers from their brethren for their excesses committed in their absences. Less severely, they have offended by seeing or hearing any evil things or idle speech. None of them shall presume to tell anything they saw or heard outside the monastery, for this brings destruction. Anyone who presumes to do so should be punished by regular discipline. Similarly, he shall be punished who presumes either to leave the cloister of the monastery or to go anywhere or do anything without the commandment of the abbot. Although the matter of this chapter cannot touch any minim, as they ought not to be expelled from the monastery for any reason, we have therefore translated this.\nA chapter in this manner and form follows. If fortune should commit any grievous or impossible things to any sister, she must accept the command with all meekness and obedience. And if she sees that the weight of that charge far exceeds her power, let her show the reasons why she cannot do it to her sovereign, not proudly, not angrily, and not at an inopportune time, but patiently. And if after she has thus shown her cause to her sovereign, it is thought that the said injunction or command ought yet to be executed, then let that sister well know that it is expedient for her to do it, and trusting in the help of God, let her charitably obey.\nChiefly nuns must beware that one of them presumes not, for any reason or in any manner or way, to defend another in her office in the monastery, not even if they are near kin. This thing in no way may be.\nPresumed actions of presumption are commonly the cause of grievous occasions of slander and disputes and other inconveniences. Anyone who offends in this regard should be more sharply punished. All occasions of presumption must be avoided in the monastery; therefore, we make and ordain (says St. Benet) that it is not permissible for any sister to excuse or rebuke any of her sisters, except to whom power is committed to do so. Those who err must be publicly rebuked before all their sisters, so that others may be deterred by this.\n\nTo children until they are fifteen years old, diligence in discipline, tutelage, and careful keeping must be given by all their sisters, and this should be done with all measure and reason. A sister who presumes to punish or strike any sister of a greater age than fifteen without the command of the abbess, or who is overly harsh or hasty with the children without discretion, must be punished by regular discipline.\nFor it is written: \"That which you do not wish to be done to yourself, do not do to others. The virtue of obedience is not only to be shown and exhibited to the abbess of all the nuns, but also to all sisters. Each sister must show obedience to one another, knowing that by this way of obedience they shall go to God. Therefore, the commands of the abbess or prioress are preferred and set before us. No private commandment shall be preferred after them. Every junior shall obey her senior with charity and diligence. If any sister is found contentious, let her be rebuked. If any sister is rebuked by the abbess or someone superior to her, or if she understands the mind of any of her superiors to be angry or moved against her, however slight, she shall prostrate herself upon the ground before the feet of the same superior, doing this without delay.\"\nsa\u2223tisfaction / vnto the tyme that the same anger or mouynge be heled with a benediction / which thinge if any oon refuse to do / let hir haue bodely punisheme\u0304t / or elles if she be stub\u2223borne / let hir be expelled the monastery.\nAS there is an zele of bitternes / the which desseuerith man from god / and ledith vnto hell / ryght so there is a good zele / whiche disseuerith man from vices / and ledeth man vnto god / and to euerlastynge lyfe. Therfore this zele must mynchins excersyse with most feruent loue / that is to say / that eche preuent other in doinge reuerence. They must suffre moste paciently the infirmities of their susters / be the infirmites of body or of condicions / They must shewe obe\u2223dience / as euery of them wolde be the furste to do obedience and in maner stryue amonges them selfe / who shalbe most obedient. None of them shall pursue the thinge that she iu\u2223geth {pro}fytable for hir selfe / But rather that / that she iugeth to be {pro}fitable to a nother. They that thall shewe charite as\nSisters ought to live with pure and unfeigned love. They must fear God. They must love their abbess in pure and meek cherity. They shall prefer nothing to Christ, who brings us together to everlasting life. Amen.\n\nWe have written and declared this rule (says St. Benet), so that observing it in monastics, we may show ourselves to have something of the honesty of good manners, or at least the beginning of good conversation. But furthermore, those who effectively and quickly pursue the true perfection of good living require the doctrines of holy fathers. The keeping of these doctrines brings a man to the highest degree of perfection. For what book or what sentence of the authority of Almighty God, of the old or of the new testament, is not the strongest rule and direction for the life of man? Or what book of holy Catholic fathers does not declare the straight way, and even correct, by which we may come to our salvation?\nmaker. Also the collections and sermons of fathers, and their lives and ordinances, as well as the rule of our holy father St. Basile: what other things are they? But for the well living and obedient mores, examples and instruments of virtues? But to us that are slothful, evil liviers, and negligent persons, they are shame and confusion. Therefore (says St. Benet), whatever thou art that makest progress towards the heavenly country, perform by the help of Christ this small rule written for the beginning of good life and religious conversion. And in conclusion, through the protection of all mighty God, thou mayst attain to far higher steps of doctrine and virtues, of which we have made mention before.\n\nFinis.\n\nPrinted (by the command of the reverend father in God, Richard Bishop of Winchester) by me Richard Pynson, printer, for the King's noble grace.", "creation_year": 1517, "creation_year_earliest": 1517, "creation_year_latest": 1517, "source_dataset": "EEBO", "source_dataset_detailed": "EEBO_Phase1"},
{"content": "A full devout and spiritual treatise of the Imitation and following the blessed life of our most merciful Savior Christ: compiled in Latin by the right reverend Doctor Master John Gerard; and translated into English. The year of our Lord M.d. ii. By Master William Atkyns, Doctor of Divinity: at the special request and commandment of the full excellent Princess Margaret, mother to our sovereign lord King Henry the VII, and Countess of Richmond and Derby.\n\nWhoever follows me, says Christ our Savior, does not walk in darkness: These are the words of Jesus Christ whereby we are exhorted to follow his law and doctrine if we truly wish to be enlightened and avoid all blindness of ignorance of the mind. Let our entire affection be to have our study and meditation in his doctrine and life, which excels the doctrine of all saints. And whoever may have the eye of their soul sequestered in worldly things in this scripture of our Lord may find spiritual food for the soul. But there are\n\n(Note: The text appears to be incomplete at the end.)\nMany times, people hear the word of God with little sweetness or devotion in their inner affections and desires, being more focused on worldly things than spiritual. To truly and perfectly understand God's words, we must diligently strive to conform our lives to His precepts. What hinders a man from having subtle reasons or arguments regarding the Trinity? Curious and subtle reasons adorned with elegance do not make a man holy; rather, obedience and virtuous life do. It is more expedient to feel the inward compunction of heart than to know the distinction of it. If a man possesses the knowledge of all scripture and the sayings of all philosophers without grace and charity, it avails nothing. For all things in this world are vanity except the love of God and His service, ordered to this end. The most excellent wisdom in any creature is to contemplate this mutable and transitory world to promote oneself to the eternal world. It is vanity to labor.\ninordinately for corruptible cycles: transient honors: false and fleshly delights, or to desire any inordinate pleasure temporal that shall bring a man to perpetual shame. How is it then a thing to desire long life: & little to forsake a good life to give heed to things present and to compose things that are to come. Also to fix our love on that which shortly vanishes away: & to do no diligence to come thither / where are innumerable & perpetual joys. Have in this world neither our eye satisfied with seeing nor our ear with hearing and therefore study we to withdraw our heart from the love of things visible and fleeting & to apply it to the desires of good things invisible & perpetual for those who follow sensual pleasure without restraint of reason they spoil their conscience & lose the grace of God.\n\nEvery man naturally desires knowledge. But what avails science without the fear of God? A poor, homely laboring man fears God is more acceptable in his faith /\nA curious philosopher who labors to know more and considers himself wise knows little delight in the vain praise of the world. If a man knew all things in the world without charity, what would it profit him in the sight of God who judges man according to his deeds? Refrain your appetite for unreasonable desire of curious knowledge of those things that will displease your soul and draw it away from the unity and charity of God, rather than excite it. As many of this kind of learned men desire to be reputed and held wise in multiplying words, if they delight the hearers, they refresh and feed the soul but little. But a good life and pure conscience refresh the mind and induce man to have firm confidence in God. The more knowledge that man has and works not conformably, the more will be his pain at the day of judgment, and therefore exalt yourself in no craft or cunning, but rather fear that you do not displease God.\nIf you know many things and exceed others in knowledge, remember that there are many things you are ignorant of, and many who are wittier and more knowledgeable than you. If you want to profitably know and learn, desire to be unknown, and have a small reputation, this is the most expedient and profitable lesson: the very knowledge and contemplation of your own self. It is a great wisdom and perfection to have little confidence in yourself and estimate others well. If you see any persons openly sin or commit any great crime, you should not judge yourself better than them, for you do not know how long you will persevere in goodness or from the same crime. We are all frail, and you should not judge any man more frail than yourself. That person is happy whom truth diligently informs not by figures or voices deceiving but by inward inspiration. Our opinion and understanding often deceive us, what use is it for us to labor diligently for the latter?\nKnowledge of those things which shall neither help us if we know them nor disadvantage us if we are ignorant at the judgment day. It is folly to despise things profitable and necessary and to labor for those that are curious and damning. Blessed is the person whom God teaches, for in him are all good things that man may will or desire. A good lord: in your gracious presence let other doctors and all other creatures keep silence and you only speak to my soul. The more man is joined to him in inward meekness, the more he receives of spiritual light of grace. The pure, simple, and stable mind is not overcome or weakened, for it refers every labor to the honor of God and forces itself to cease from all other things that are not acceptable in his sight. Who resists and hinders a man more than his own sensual affection? We read of many emperors and conquerors who conquered kingdoms and lands.\nEmpires and yet never overcome or subdued themselves, for that is one of the most victorious conquests. It shall not be laid to our charge what we have read or learned, or how pleasantly we have lived: but what we have done and how religiously we have lived. Where are all the royal poets with their crafty composed poems and elegant orators with their orations garnished with eloquence? The philosophers with their profound reasons and sentences. Divers of these kinds of clerks we have known in our days; now their curiosity is passed, and others occupy their prebends and promotions that they possessed. If they were here again, I suppose they would never labor so busily for curiosity in knowledge or temporal promotions. Now they would rather than all this world that their intent had been according to the holy doctrine of scripture than the study had been happy. Oh, how many in every state perish in this world by vain glory, desiring to please princes and prelates.\nPersons seeking temporal promotions are not truly devoted to serving God for eternal promotions. Instead, they desire greatness in the world through pomp and pride. Those who act as patrons through meekness and charity, however, aim to be in favor with God. Such a person may be named great in grace, one inflamed with charity and obedient in humility, contemptuous of the inordinate desire for preeminence or dignity. The prudent person regards all worldly pleasures and goods as vile dungeons in comparison to the celestial goods we shall possess in the perfect possession of the love of Jesus Christ. A person is truly well thought of who forces himself to forsake his own will and follows God's will.\n\nIt is not expedient or wise to believe every word or inner motion of our mind, but we must consider that it is in accordance with God's scripture and in no way contrary to it. But I\nLament for the light and frail disposition of the infinite people, who are swift to believe, and particularly those things that harm their own souls and hinder their neighbors. But the wise and perfect men, knowing the frailty of man more prone to evil than to good, are not so swift to believe every word they hear. It is great wisdom and prudence to be sober in judgment and not to have overmuch confidence in our previous deeds or to repeat lightly things lightly believed and heard, and ever ready to take counsel of a wise and well-conscience man, and ever gladder to be instructed by another than to follow our own intentions or mind. A good life makes us reputed wise in the sight of God and to have experience in many things. The more meek and obedient a man is to God, the wiser and quieter he will be.\n\nThe principal thing we shall inquire in scripture is charity and not elegance in speech, and we should endeavor ourselves to read.\nscripture with as great fervor as it was received first. Wisdom would we should follow those authors and books where we may have most sweet and profitable feeding for our soul. The fame of subtle philosophers, the knowledge of poets and the like, smokes or fumes away: but the truth of God abides without end. And as our Lord speaks to us without exception, serve us faithfully, and without exception of faithful person or work, study and read those works that we think should please God and be most profitable to us. If you would draw the spiritual water of wisdom from the well of scripture, incline the vessel of your soul with meekness and confidence, without desire of curiosity or name of excellence. Inquire diligently and quietly, receive the holy sentences of saints. Let not the proverbs and holy wise similes of blessed fathers displease you, for they were not spoken without cause. Whenever someone has an inordinate desire for anything than:\nA person makes pride and covetousness inactive in himself, but a meek and poor man in spirit is conserved in great quietness of mind. One who is not perfectly mortified is easily overcome in little and base temptations and is soon inclined to sensual pleasures. And if he withdraws his mind from earthly things, it is with great difficulty. Therefore, they have great heaviness in their hearts and are soon displeased if they are resisted. And if they yield, they are grieved by rumors of conscience in proportion to how much they have followed sensual passions. Pleasures will lead us to perfect rest and inflict great unquietness upon us. There cannot be contained rest in the human heart that gives itself to the execution of carnal desires or is much conversant with outward things, but in the soul that has most delight in God, and in inward Godliness of your soul may be.\nThat person may be called vain who puts his hope in any man or creature. Take it not for any reproach to do service to others or to be reputed poor for the love of Jesus Christ. Have little confidence in yourself but that your whole hope and trust be in God. Do what is in you to please his grace, and God with his gracious assistance shall be with you in your will and direct your works. Have never confidence in your own running or in any worldly subtlety of any living creature, but in the merciful grace of God who never suffers a creature finally to be without comfort, who had full assurance in him, and those who have full confidence or hope in themselves he makes or suffers to fall and so subdues them. Avoid not yourself in the abundance of riches or of great power of your temporal friends, but only in God: in whom is all abundance of riches and power. And he above all things desires to give his own self to those who dispose themselves to him.\nReceive it by grace. Exalt not yourself of any bodily virtue, for all such things are corrupted and vanished away with a little infirmity. Do not inhabit yourself of any natural ability, lest God of nature be displeased with thee. Repute not yourself better than others: desire that thou be found worse in the sight of God, who beholds the only disposition of every soul, and discerns those things that men in this world commend. And therefore if thy works please men more, they displease God. And if there be any goodness or virtue in thee, believe that there is more in others. Ever desire of God that the virtue of meekness may abide in thee. It shall never hurt thee if thou judgest thyself the least and most vile of all others, and in preferring thyself before others thou mayst lightly offend. There is true and sure peace in a meek soul. And in an proud heart, continual envy and indignation.\n\nShow not thy secret counsel to every man, but to him that is wise and fears God.\nInhaunt nat moche the company of yonge {per}\u2223sons and strangers. Vse no adulacyon for to come to any temporall promocion nor for that consydera\u2223cyon exercise nat moche the company of myghty / & greate men yt be contynually besy in worldly thi\u0304ges Be desirous to be accompaned with meke & chary\u2223table men: & with those that be of good maners: and \nfamed. It is necessary to haue charyte with euerye persone: but nat familiarite but with those that mai helpe to promote the to the famyliarite of god / & of his aungels. Somtime we se that som men beinge of great fame: and yet theyr bodyly presence ys nat moche profitable: & there be som that with their bo\u2223dely prese\u0304ce wene to {pro}fit other. whan they by theyr indiscression & euell maners rather discomfort / and hurte those that they wene to helpe & comforte.\nIT is full great merite to stande in obedience & forsake thy {pro}pre wyll & {per}fectly to obeye to the wyll of a nother. It ys moche more sure to stan\u2223de in the way of obedience: than in p\u0304lacy. But there be\nMany who are in subjection out of necessity rather than charity experience hardship and lightly grumble, having no freedom of mind unless they submit themselves for the love of God. Renounce here or there: or wherever you will, but it will be difficult for you to find perfect rest except under the submission of a discreet Prelate. The imagination and fancies of diverse habitations and places have no one with all the knowledge, therefore no one has too much confidence in their own counsel. And if your understanding is good and sufficient, yet if you will not follow it by the example of our savior, it is a sin of pertinacity and pride for any person to importunately offer their counsel, especially where they can little profit.\n\nThat soul which desires the perfection of their mind must especially avoid the tumultuous behavior of worldly people. The business of worldly acts, though they be done with a good intent, yet they hinder and obstruct the mind from its great perfection. Now\nI repent my superfluous language and frequent company, for these two reasons we are often hurt in our conscience. If it is expedient and you are disposed to speak, let it be profitable to God, the edification of your soul, or your neighbor. Also consider that all our good words are written by the angels of God, and our evil words by our enemy, the devil, to our accusation. Therefore, it is much more profitable when good people are assembled of one mind to move towards goodness. As the holes of a colander unite to gather each of them and receive influence from heat, so good souls assembled together for the increase of virtue each one of them receives influence of grace and increase of virtue and goodness from others.\n\nIt is one special means to acquire peace, not to interrupt us from the words and works of those who do not come to us. How may that person be in spiritual quietness who much interrupts himself of those things that he has no care?\nOf or if occasions are external and have but little recourse to inner habitation of his conscience, Blessed be the true simple birds without any discernible mind that in all their life and labors truly intend for they shall come to the rest of mind and conscience. The holy saints, by mortifying and subduing their sensuality to reason, set apart all earthly things they with all their inward delightful desires freely had their whole meditation in our Lord. But we are busier with transitory things and follow our passions so that we may not overcome in manner perfectly one vice. And therefore we are not advanced in the daily profit and devotion, and therefore we remain remiss and void of devotion. The most principal cause why we have no inner delight or desire of heavenly contemplation is: for we are not free or delivered from our sensual passions and concupiscences nor do we force ourselves into the holy way that the blessed fathers have gone before us. When a little adversity.\nIf we truly come together and overcome, ready to return to the consolations of man. Whereas we would mightily stand in battle for the love of our Lord, we would see the goodness of his gracious help sent towards us. His grace is ever ready to guide and help those who have full confidence in him in spiritual battle. And he procures occasions of battle to the end that we should increase the crown of perpetual joy through victory. Then let us cut away our inordinate affections and passions, which are the roots of all iniquity, and we may possess a peaceful mind in God. If we would earnestly endeavor to overcome perfectly one vice each year, we would in a short space come to great perfection. But I fear it is contrary, both in religious and worldly people, that after long continuance in living they perceive that the state going before had been more virtuous and pure than the present state that they are in. The more we increase in age and draw near to our death, the more diligently we should.\nShould labor for the perpetual reward, that is ordained for those who order their lives and labors thereto. The virtuous life painful in the beginning by custom returns to great perfect pleasure. It is hard to leave customs in pleasure. But it is more pain without measure to leave the eternal pleasure that for dawning custom shall be lost. Ever strive against the first motions that incite us to:\n\nIt is expedient for us to endure adversity: whereby man returns him to the consideration of his present state; where he reputes himself as a pilgrim; and therefore he has no affiance in this world. Also it is expedient that we endure contradiction and be confronted by the lovers of the world, whereby we shall be induced to meekness; and avoid vain glory when we perceive our own frailty and are confronted by the world: we are compelled to leave ourselves and the world and holy to return us to God: in whom if we would fervently fix ourselves, it should not be grievous. And more thereof.\nPray to be delivered from this worldly life. For he considers that he shall never have perfect peace before we join him, who by the price of his precious blood has purchased perpetual pleasure for himself and his servants. As we read in scripture and the words of Job, the life of man on earth: is temptation. Therefore, it is expedient that every person carefully gives heed to watch in prayer, believing not the devil that never sleeps but with a thousand snares and subtleties continually assailing us, finally intending to deceive us. There is none so holy in this world but they have temptation: and if it be for a time grievous, yet if it is resisted, it is very profitable: for thereby man is made, purged, and informed by experience. The saints that are now crowned in heaven obtained their victory through tribulation and temptation. And those that were as cowardly in tribulation and temptation finally overcome, are taken perpetually.\nprisoners in hell. And there is no religion or state so perfect, no place so holy in this world, without adversity and temptation. And therefore there is no other place here in this life where man can be fully assured to avoid all peril of temptation, for in this corrupt body of ours we bear the material of inordinate concupiscence and temptation. One temptation or trial departing, another coming to us. Therefore it is expedient that we be always armed with patience and exercised in virtue. There are many intending to avoid temptation: those who fall therein are the more\n\n/ For by bodily fleeing, a man shall not be made sure of safety / A man's soul is first assailed with thoughts only, then with strong imagination, which follows evil delight: and lastly, the enemy enters the mind with deadly consent to sin. And for there was no resistance against him in the beginning, he enters the conclusion. And the more remiss a soul is in resisting, the more.\nThe mighty are made to resist: and the enemy is more strong and cruel. Some in the beginning of their conversion suffered great temptation: some at the end of their life. And some throughout the entirety of their life. And some who in the process of their life have but small temptation. All this comes from the great wisdom and equity of God, which surpasses the state and merits of every soul, and orders all trouble and temptation in this world to the perpetual health of His elect children. Therefore, we should in no way desire when we are tempted but the more meekly return to our Lord with sincere prayer and beseech Him for His paternal mercy and pity to direct and preserve us all in temptation. And let us not be overcome by the might of temptation. Among all the reasons why we may induce our Lord to assist us in our trouble, perfection is a meek spirit, for as David says, He will save and exalt those who are meek in spirit in temptation and tribulation. Man is produced how much he.\nProfiteth and his virtue is more manifest. It is no great marvel if a devout man, without temptation, has fervor of spirit. But those who can apply themselves to have fervor of spirit in times of adversity, it is a sign of stability and grace to come. Some are kept from great temptation: yet, in small and daily temptations, they are often overcome with little temptation. Therefore, in great temptation, they ever fear to be overcome.\n\nGive heed that you consider well your own works and be not ready to judge the deeds of another that concern not yourself; give none account at your death. Man labors in vain often in judging other men and soon offends; but in searching his own defects and considering them, he ever labors fruitfully. And we commonly are ready to judge according to our affection and many times we err from the truth in judgment for our pride and singular love. And good were our intent and desire we should not be so greatly troubled in the resistance of our own.\nBut there is some inner inclination or outward affection that withdraws us from the very affection and desire that we should have. There are many who, in these things, seek their own lucre rather than the pleasure of God or the common profit of many others. And they think their mind is set and patched up if they obtain their purpose. If the contrary fortune befalls them among the people, there are sometimes disputes and debates among friends, citizens, and devout religious people. It is hard to leave a custom of long continuance, and no man is glad to forsake his own understanding and desire. And you are more ready to apply yourself to your own reason and understanding than to the holy doctrine of a servant of Jesus Christ. It will be long before you are spiritually enlightened, for the Lord sends not the great abundance of spiritual light but to those who forsake their own desires and reasons and follow him humbly.\n\nYou should not commit a mortal sin for love and\nFor the favor of any creature: not for any earthly creature or worldly promotion. For thereby thou shalt put thyself out of the love of our Lord and jeopardy of the loss of everlasting promotion. And sometimes it is expedient to leave a good deed for the great necessity of our neighbor or else for a better deed to be done: whereby we are not hindered in virtue but rather promoted. The outward operation be it never so commendable in the sight of the people without charity it avails not in the sight of God. Why which accepts more the faithful intent and fervor of mind: than the manyfold multiplying of great works or of words. Though persons do much that order their life to the honor of God & rather to the profit of the commonweal than to their own singular profit. There be many worldly people that think they do many things of charity but they are rather done of carnality as all those that do their works by the means of carnal affection, hope of promotion, & always have an attachment to.\niye to theyr owne synguler auayle. But charite euer i\u0304cly\u2223neth to do that: that princypally may do honour to god: & obteyne the goodes goostly rather than tem\u2223porall: & in bodely goodes it preserueth the comone wele afore a priuate & synguler wele: & the charita\u2223ble man enuyeth no man for any pryuate ioye or ple\u00a6asure: ne he lyketh nat to magnifie hym selfe but to magnyfie & glorifie god / & in hym to be blessed. He co\u0304maundeth no man by adulacyon but he referreth al co\u0304mendacion honour & goodnes to god finally of whome cometh al grace & in whome al blessed crea\u2223tures resteth perpetuall & in finall felicite O he that had but one sparkle of charite wolde repute al wor\u2223dly plesures & loue but vanyte.\nTHose fautes that we may nat ame\u0304de in our selfe nor in other we must pacie\u0304tly sussre tyll that we se what our lorde wyll worke or order ther\u2223in: & thinke that it is ordeyned of our lorde for to {pro}\u2223ue our pacyence without whiche our merytes be ly\u2223tell to be pondered. And it is expedie\u0304t for vs to pray to owre\nLord, that we, by His grace, may patiently endure our necessary faults. If you admonish your brother or sister, or even one of their faults, and they do not receive your admonition, do not strive with them, but commit it to God: that His will and honor be done in all His servants. There is no evil in this world but He knows how to order it for some good and well-being. Study patiently to endure the faults and infirmities of others, for you have many imperfections in yourself which others suffer. If you cannot make yourself as you would wish in every condition, how should you desire to have another to your pleasure? We would gladly have others perfect, yet we labor not to amend our own offenses. We would that the one who offends should be strictly corrected, and ourselves more culpable for being uncorrected. It displeases us to see others have great liberty and privilege, desiring that they should be restrained by law and statute, and we desire to be at liberty without.\nOur law or statute shows that we seldom praise our neighbor as ourselves, which we should do if we were perfect. Our Lord has ordained that we should learn to bear patiently the burden of another in this world. There is no man without fault, no man without burden, no man sufficient of himself in wisdom or prudence. Therefore, each of us must help bear the burden of another, comfort him, help him, instruct him, and admonish him. And he who is of more virtue is revealed by the occasions of adversity. Adversity makes no person frail but reveals whether he is virtuous or vicious.\n\nIf you want peace and concord with others, you must restrain yourself in many things of your own will. Their souls' health will find nothing but tribulation and sorrow. A person cannot long endure it, relying on the religion of Christ's faith. Through peace and virtuous labor, you may be made fit to reign in joy and rest.\nFor as gold is produced in furnaces, so man, by tribulation which no man may long continue without, makes himself with all his heart, by the example of our savior, the route of all meek ones.\nThou dull soul, behold the quick examples of the holy saints that have been before us, in whom flourished the perfection of religion and feel / and consider now little thou of our Lord, who have served God in great abstinence, hunger, thirst, cold, in poverty, in labor and fatigue, in watching, resting, and holy meditation, persecution, great oppression, and many reproaches. O how great and grievous tribulations suffered the holy apostles, martyrs, confessors, and virgins, and all other holy souls that have followed the steps of our savior. They hated the impediments of the life of grace in this world that they might possess the fruit of everlasting life. O how strict and austere life led the holy fathers in wildernesses. How long and grievous temptations suffered they. And how fiercely have they been be.\nAssailed with the ghostly enemy and how many continued fervent prayers have they offered to our Lord. O to consider the great rigors of abstinence they have taken, what zeal and fervor they had for spiritual profit, how great and continual was their battle against vice, and in all their life and labor how pure and righteous was their intent ever to God. On the day they labored and in the night they rested in prayer, and if they labored bodily in the day yet they prayed devoutly in their minds: and so they spent all their time profitably and had so great pleasure in the service of God that they thought every hour was short and had little or no mind for bodily reflection.\n\nLike a person of honor is more carefully adorned in bodily vestures that appear outwardly, so they should adorn themselves accordingly, exceeding others with virtue in their souls and conscience, where Almighty God looks and delights when it is endued with fair virtues, especially spiritual men and women.\nYou should strive to appear before our Lord pure as angels. Every day, we should strengthen ourselves towards devotion and fear of faith, as if we were newly converted to the law and faith of Jesus Christ. Since we cannot do well of ourselves nor even begin to do so, let us every day with all our inner strength and might beseech our Lord that we may begin the service of Him in a devout manner, thereby continuing to please Him and secure our perpetual salvation. We often intend to do well but are hindered by small occasions. The righteousness of men depends more on the grace and direction of God than in their words, works, and thoughts, in which we commonly offend God. If we find that we have committed a transgression in any offense, we should humbly ask for mercy with all our heart. It is a great injustice or treason to a prince or king who knows the crime. If that man were to sleep in the king's palaces among the true subjects, it would be detrimental to the king's peace and security.\nServants of the king should rest in great jeopardy. Therefore, someone who rests in this world among the servants of God, of whom some are charitably disposed as good angels and virtuous men, yet there are many evil ones and evil people, ready to do harm and evil. Against these we must continually be armed with virtue and meek restraint against gluttony. Overcome all other vices and beware of excessive occultity, but exercise yourself with ready writing, praying, or amending some profitable thing for the common good. Spiritual labors are more surely done in secret places than in common, and let us not be slow in those things that should render to the hour of God and bring common profit, and ready for those things that return to our singular and personal advantage. It is not expedient to continue always in one labor, but in one manner on the holy day and another on the ferial day, at the time of tribulation.\nTeptation another is to be observed during times of peace. And on the festive day we ought to keep it solemnly, that the more high and solemn the festival, the more inner devotion we should have. And when one feast is over, which speaks of our Savior in the Gospel of Luke, \"Blessed is the servant who is found awake at the coming of the Lord.\" I say to you truly, the evangelist says, \"Our Lord will exalt him to the place of eternal felicity, where he will have all pleasure and goodness that any creature may rationally desire. And you will withdraw yourself from curious and superfluous words, from idleness and unprofitable language, and you will find sufficient and fitting time for good meditations, and to remember the great benefits that God has done for you. The most holy men and women who have ever lived have chosen to serve God in secret places. One holy man said, \"I come never among company but I depart with less virtue as it seems to me, as we may see.\"\nby experience it is more difficult to keep silence in company than might lightly be supposed. Therefore, those who intend to come to spiritual perception must, with our Savior's aid, avoid the tumultuous company of people. And there is no religious person who, without doubt, appears to the world but they are glad to be dispensed from worldly occupation. And there is no man sure in a position of power but he who is ready to be subject. And none that truly commands but they who are ready to be obedient. And no man truly rejoices but he who has testimony of a good conscience. None speaks surely but they who are glad in time to keep silence. And ever the fortune of blessed people is full of the fear of God, and ever the more grace and vehement their souls were, the more meek and obedient they were, both to God and man. The fortune of evil people rises from pride and presumption, and in conclusion, it deceives them. And if thou be monk of the chartrehouse anchor or anchors as long as.\nYou live in this life, be ever wary of presumed security. Consider that many who are deemed holier than you in the sight of the world, due to their inner elation and presumption, have perished. Therefore, to avoid this inner vain glory and presumption, it is expedient that we be exercised with temptation. O that soul which would and could contemn all transitory joy and neither would nor be concerned with the world. How pure a conscience it might preserve. O that soul which would put away all worldly business and labor only for godly things and spiritual goods, and place all its confidence in God. And thy cell well inhabited shall become sweet. And if thou dost not inhabit it well, it shall introduce thee to wretchedness and displeasure. If thou wilt, in the beginning of thy conversion, endeavor to bring thyself to a custom to abide in thy cell with remembrance, that for a little time occupying thyself well there, thou shalt thereby come to everlasting liberty and the abiding therein.\nThat which should be fully pleasing to thee. The devout soul in silence and water of contrition and tears, whereby it may wash and cleanse itself from sin. And the more it withdraws itself from all worldly tumultuous business, the more familiar and dear it shall be to God. And though persons who withdraw from their worldly friends and the unprofitable pleasure of worldly sight, see that which by right you may not have. And if you might have it yet you would have little continuance with it, for the world passes with all its pleasant delights. The carnal desires draw and move a religious person to go abroad, but when short reigning or pleasure is past, what remains but remorse of conscience and a glad going out follows a sorrowful returning. And a merry countenance follows a sorrowful morning tide, for all carnal and sensual joy enters with delight but its conclusion it displeases and hurts whatsoever is without thy cloister thou mayest not see within. Behold there heaven and.\nThe element from which all earthly substances are formed, what can you see under the sun that may any space abide? If all worldly pleasures and bodily were present, what would it be but a vain sight lifting up your eyes and praying, \"Lord, have mercy for my sins and negligence.\" Leave these things to those who are vain and attend to those things that the Lord commands. Shut the door of your soul and call upon your Lord Jesus and abide with Him in your cell. For you shall not find such peace in any other place. And you would not go forth nor give attendance to things unprofitable. You should rest more and spiritually preserve yourself and stand rather under obedience than in your own will. Retain all your sensual parts with the bridle of reason and temperance. Have perfect communion of heart and you shall find inward devotion. Communion and sorrow for our sins reveal many things to us that a dissolute behavior hides and lessens. It is.\nAnyone in this world, considering his exile and great jeopardy, can be merry in any worldly thing. The instability of the heart and negligence of our defects cause us not to perceive the sorrow of our soul, and therefore we often laugh vainly at those things we should rather weep. There is no perfect liberty or true joy but in a good conscience and the fear of God. The person is happy who has grace to avoid the impediments of holiness of mind and can assemble all the virtues of their soul in true conjunction and meditation of God. The person is happy who avoids every thing that may offend his conscience. Let those overcome by customary sin strive mightily against their custom. Evil custom may be overcome by good custom. Have your consideration first of yourself, and admonish yourself before all other friends. It is not expedient that man in this life have many consolations worldly, and if we have not divine.\n\"It is because we do not have true compassion in our hearts, or else we do not refuse vain consolations of the world. Rather, we deserve much tribulation. The virtuous soul, whether it considers itself or another, finds matter for compassion and sorrow, for it knows that no one lives in this world without tribulation. The matter of true contrition and compunction is always our sins and vices, by which we are so disposed that we can scarcely hold ourselves perfectly to heavenly things. And you would as soon remember your death as the length of your life, and you should more fearfully apply yourself to amend. And if you would perfectly remember the outrageous pains of hell and purgatory, I suppose you would be glad to suffer tribulation, pain, and labor in this world, rather than avoid those outrageous pains of everlasting damnation.\"\nconsideration: For we apply ourselves for worldly pleasure, therefore we remain remiss and cold for lack of grace and inner devotion. And since the human mind is not constant in virtue, therefore the body is more frail and easily offended. Therefore pray devoutly and meekly to our Lord: that it would please him of his grace to give us the spirit of compunction, and say with the prayer of contrition and what you had in mind for my drink.\nWherever you be or wherever you cover yourself, you are but a wretch without you convert yourself unto Almighty God. Wherefore are you troubled: if anything happens not to your pleasure. What creature in all this world has all its pleasure? See not we that Almighty God suffered many injuries and wrongs. And he who has the most advantage in hope suffers most patiently for the love of our Lord. The worldly people, beholding only outward things, say this: Behold how good a life this man has, how rich.\npossessions: How mighty power how strong and fair a nature. But those goods are of little certainty ever in moving and they are possessed ever with labor and fear. Therefore, behold the heavenly goods that shall be possessed with all pleasure and never fade. The felicity of man stands not in the habundance of worldly goods: but it requires things necessary for this world. Ever the more spiritual a man desires to be, the more bitterness he perceives in this world and more clearly perceives the faults of our corruptible kind. And therefore the prophet David desired of our Lord to be delivered from all such necessary defects that in any way let men come to perfection. But woe to them that know not their misery, and woe to them that have their greatest pleasure in this misery and corruptible life: for such might ever live here they were rendering themselves contemptible in manner the true felicity to come: where every man that comes is most perfectly supplied. O how unhappy and unfaithful creature.\nThat by inordinate desire for transient and earthly things are so blind that thou hast no spiritual taste, but of carnal things how vile and little of reputation were those things in which thou didst place thy unhappy felicity. But the holy saints and the devout lovers of God had not primarily attended to those things that pleased the flesh or those things that had temporarily flourished in this world. But all their hope and intent was in this world to possess eternal goods. All their desire was exalted to the most high and invisible good, lest it should be drawn to earthly things by the means of visible things. O thou dull soul that perseveres in outward tribulation or inward temptation and overcomes both, remember that in times of tribulation or temptation is the most fruitful time of merit. For thou must go through fire and water before thou comest to the place of final consolation and rest. And thou shalt never overcome vice but by virtue. We may not long be.\nWithout sin or tidiousness, as long as we keep this frail body about us: we would be glad to have quietness from all sin and misery. But since we have lost innocence through sin, we are not worthy to have here the place of joy and felicity. Therefore we must endure the mercy of our Lord: until our miserable mortality is perfectly changed into the life perpetual and immortal. O how frail is our human life, ever prone and ready to vice. This day thou art confessed of thy sins: the next day thou returnest unkindly to the same sin. Now thou art determined to cease from thy sin and within the space of an hour thou fallest again into the same: as though thou hadst made no promise or purpose contrary. And therefore we have sufficient occasion of humiliation whereby we may manifestly perceive our own infirmities and instability. And that virtue which we have long labored for and by grace obtained is soon lost through negligence. And we are remiss.\nNegligent now when we are most mighty to labor. What shall we do when we grow dull in wit and feeble in body? O how unfortunate are those who consider themselves certain ceasing to labor against vice as they were in good life. Yet there is no sign of perfection in their life: and those who think themselves perfect, as I have said, were expediently instructed as novices to grow in more perfect virtues.\nProve for yourself while you are here: for you see that this day a man is, and the morrow he appears not. And when he is withdrawn from bodily sight, he is soon forgotten spiritually. O the great dullness and hardness of man's heart that more minds and provides for transitory things present, than eternal things for to come. If you would in every word work, and thought rememb'red as you should soon die, then having a good conscience should not so inordinately fear death. It is more profitable to avoid sin than to flee death. If\nYou shall not be ready this day to die for the same reason you shall not be ready to plow. For tomorrow is an uncertain day, and you do not know whether you shall continue it or not. What avails it to live long and your life to be short, or nothing amended? A long life does not always increase virtue: but diverse times sin and vice. Would that we might be conversant every day in this world without offense. \u00b6There are many who count many years of conversation: but few of fruitful living. O it is fearful to die, but perhaps it is more laborious to live longer. Blessed be those persons who continually have the hour of death before them: and that every day dispose themselves to die. Reflect upon some person whom you have seen depart, and think that likewise you must necessarily depart. When you rise in the morning, doubt whether you shall continue in bodily health until night, and therefore ever dispose yourself to be ready that death never may find the unprepared.\nA sleep and remember how many depart suddenly. And when they least have believed, they have gone. The son of man, God and man, our Judge, shall come at that time when we least expect, as He Himself says. When your last hour comes, then you shall repent most bitterly of your careless and negligent life. How gracious and happy is that soul that now in life strives to be in the state it desires to be found in at death. To despise the world perfectly is a great desire to profit from virtue. The coming of death. Learn now to live so that in the hour of your death you may rather rejoice than fear. Learn now to die from the world that then you may begin to live with Christ. Learn now to despise all worldly things that then you may freely go to Christ without any impediment. The chaste have been deceived, thinking to live long and suddenly have deceased. How often have you heard of those who have departed: how some have been slain with a sword, some drowned, some falling from heights.\n\"this place has been destroyed: some have been strangulated: some with fire: some with iron: some have had their uses destroyed, and so the end of every man in this world is death: and the life of man in this world as a shadow vanishes away. Who will remember or pray for you after your death, you do not know. Therefore, store yourself now with immortal riches that will continue after your death. Always labor for that thing which honors God and helps your soul, and attend to it. Study to make the saints of heaven and the friends of God your friends, and they will receive you into everlasting tabernacles. You religious soul, behave yourself on earth as a pilgrim and a stranger, for it belongs to you to meddle with none of the business of this world. Preserve your heart free and direct it to our Lord, for you have no citizenship here abiding, and therefore direct your daily mourning and prayer upward, that after your spirit departs from your body it may be worthy to be graciously translated into that.\"\ncelestial and perpetual City. In all your labors, consider the end, and how you shall stand before the Judge to whom nothing can be hidden. He that day will not be moved by rewards nor prayer nor any other cause that may be pleaded, but He will judge who is righteous. O thou miserable, unwise sinner, what will you answer that day to that Lord, knowing all that you have done? If you sometimes fear in this world the face of a mortal man whom you have displeased, how much more should you fear the face of your eternal Judge. Why do you not prepare for the day of judgment? When there will be no man accepted or defended by another. But every man shall answer for himself. Now your well-ordered labor is fruitful, your weeping acceptable, your morning worthy to be heard, and your sorrow purgative and satisfying. The patient man who laments more for the malice of sinners than for his own injury has a wholesome purgatory, and likewise those who pray for their enemies.\nIn their hearts, forgive offenses and those who do not ask for forgiveness of others for their own offenses. Be more ready to remit than to be angry. And those who by violence restrain themselves from sin and are always busy making the body obey the soul have a healthy purgatory in this life. It is much more profitable now to purge our sins and cast them away than to endure the purgation of them in Purgatory with the fire of Purgatory. Verily, we deceive ourselves by disordered love that we have for ourselves. What shall the fire consume but your flesh. The more the sensual appetite offends in this, the greater will be the pain afterwards and the more painful the fire. Therefore, look what thing man more grievously offends against and therein will be his greater pain. \u00b6 The flamboyant person will be punished with burning rounds. The glutton who has consumed meats and drinks superfluously to the detriment of their body and the injury of the poor who famish for hunger.\nIn so much as they will famish for hunger that if they would crave but a drop of water to quench that excessive thirst, it shall not be possible for them to obtain it. The lecherous people and the insatiable lovers of their lusts shall be compelled to drink the stinking and abominable inflamed pitch and brimstone. And the envious people shall wait and howl like mad dogs. And so every sin shall have its own proper torment and pain. The obstinate proud and covetous persons shall be filled with all confusion and penury. There will be one hour more painful and grievous than a hundred years in bitter penance. There shall never be consolation or rest for those who are damned or shall be damned: but here the troubled souls have some time relief from their pains and consolation from their friends. Be now sorrowful and penitent for your sin that in the day of judgment you may have certainty with the holy saints who then shall\nStand in great constance against those who have unrighteously vexed you. And look, as they are now judged by others, so shall you be. If you will, by continuance of your sin, order yourself to the fire and make an experiment. Put your hand in the fire: If you cannot endure this little pain, how will you bear to endure your whole body being put in the fire perpetually? If now a little possession makes you so peaceful, what will the intolerable pains of hell do to you? Therefore, if you will afterward reign with Christ in perpetual pleasure, follow him here in this life with penance. If you had lived from the beginning of the world to this day in all honor and pleasure that was possible in this life, they would all be past: as a dream that soon appears and is soon gone.\nIf you should live now as the world requires, and if at the world's end all that remains of these pleasures is nothing, then we may conclude that all worldly pleasure is vanity, and all other things in this world are vanity, save the love of God and His service or a thing ordered to these. The soul that loves God with all its heart neither fears death inordinately nor torments, judgment, nor hell. For persistent love has a sure passage to our Lord. Whoever has a delight in offending it is not surprising if they fear death and their judgment. Yet, if the love of God cannot withdraw you from sin, then it is good and expedient that you cease from sin for the fear of the pains of hell. And he who prefers any worldly love before the love of God cannot long stand in the state of grace: but he shall soon be ensnared by the devil.\n\nLook that you be waking and diligent in the service of God, and you religious soul remember carefully whether you are:\nCome and why have you forsaken the world? Was it not for this reason that you should become a spiritual man or woman, and to love and serve God only? Therefore, incite yourself to have fervor for spiritual profit. For you shall soon receive your reward for all your labors, and in that heavenly inheritance there will be neither sorrow nor fear. Now labor a little, and then you shall find great rest and perpetual gladness, if you will faithfully and fervently abide in virtuous labor. You shall find without doubt that our Lord shall faithfully and abundantly reward you and have hope that you shall come to victory. But it is expedient that you have not too great security: lest you become negligent or exalted thereby in your mind.\n\nThere was a certain person who often pondered between fear and hope in his mind, and on one occasion, being full of anguish and sorrow in a church, he fell prostrate on the ground saying, \"Oh, if I might know whether I shall persevere and overcome this great affliction.\"\ntemptacion that I am in. he herde anone the\nanswere of our lorde shewed to hym in his soule sai\u00a6ynge. What woldeste thou do if thou kneweste that Do nowe that / as thou woldest do than: and ther\u2223by thou mayste haue suerte. And so anone he was reconforted: and commytted hym selfe to the wyll of god / and of his flowynge and vnstedfast mynde was paysed / and wolde nomore by curious inquy\u2223sicy on desyre to knowe what shulde befalle to hym in tyme to come: but rather he studyed to know the wyll of god / he studyed to conferme hys wyll to the wyll of god: as well in the begynnynge as in the en\u00a6dynge of euery dede that he shulde do. The {pro}phet Dauid exortynge euery man to vertue saythe. Do well and hope in god Inhabyte the erthe and thou shalte be fedde with frutes therof. The contynuall gruge and laboure of temptacy on and trybulacion wythdra weth ryghte many frome profyte and fer\u2223uent emendacy on. Verely they that inforce theyre selfe wyth myghty apply cacyon to ouercome those thynges that be greuous and\ncontrary to the inclination of their souls: they profit in exceeding other and man in mortifying of his sensual parts and overcoming of himself in them, specifically he profits and comes to more abundance of grace, but every man has not the ability to overcome or to mortify. A fervent lover of God, if he has more and greater passions or letting shall spiritually profit more than the virtuous person who has less fervor to virtue. There are two things that particularly help a soul to come to virtue: to withdraw itself violently from those things that corrupt nature is inclined to, and you shall find yourself no good disciple or scold, but rather a lord will find in them all things profitable and necessary for it, and will not need to seek any better thing than what is contained in this life. O that soul that might always have the remembrance of Jesus crucified: how soon and sufficiently should it be informed with necessary knowledge! A fervent relenting soul patiently suffers.\nA negligent and remiss religious soul suffers tribulation upon tribulation and endures anguish and tribulation on every side, for it lacks inward consolation and is estranged from outer comfort. A person who lives without discipline is ready to fall into ruin. And a man who seeks greater manners and liberty in his life: shall be always in anguish and trouble, and ever displease himself, either in the life he has begun or else because he has left a better one. Be wary of how many religious people, for the love of God and everlasting joy and liberty, now obediently live under the rule of strict religion. They are withdrawn from the world and desire not to be greatly conversant with the world. They are poorly fed, content with coarse food and gross clothing. They labor much and speak little superfluously. They watch long and rise early: long in prayer and holy reading of fruitful doctrine.\nand yet they may come to everlasting liberty. They keep themselves from the space of this short life under obedience and in prison. Consider the holy orders of religion, both of men and women, such as those of the charterhouse/observers/minors. A fervent and loving soul is ever ready for all things that are expedient for the pleasure of God and the spiritual profit of itself. It is more labor to resist vice and unruly passions than to be occupied in bodily labors. And if you will not give heed to avoid sin, you shall soon be induced to the greater. And when you have brought the day to the eventide in virtuous occupation without any great displeasure to our Lord, then you may be glad and surely take your rest in him. And ever before all other souls, give heed to your own soul, excite and move yourself to virtue, and whatever you do, neglect not those things that are necessary for your soul, look how much you desire to profit, and so apply yourself violently to it.\nThe inner reign of God is in the soul of man. Return to our Lord with all your heart and forsake your inordinate love of the world. Your soul shall find rest. The kingdom of God comes to those who make peace and rejoice in the Holy Ghost, which is not granted to any wicked man. If you wish to prepare a conditioned dwelling place for Christ, He will come and abide there for your inward consolation. All the principal joy and delight that God has in man is in the obedience and virtue of the soul. There He is customarily with marvelous sweetness and great familiarity, comforting it with spiritual speech and doctrine. O faithful soul, prepare your heart for Christ, your spouse, that He may come to it, and by His goodness make there a dwelling place. For He says in the Gospel of John: \"Whoever loves Me will keep My commandments.\"\nmy commandments and my father and I with the Holy Ghost shall come to him and make with him a dwelling by grace until we bring him to the celestial dwelling of glory. Make ready a place in your soul for him who created it, and let nothing have an interest there that may offend him. If he abides with the one who is Lord of all riches, how much more [can you]? Those who are your friends today may be your enemies tomorrow; therefore, put no secure confidence but in God whom you shall love and fear above all things. Here we have no certain dwelling: but wherever we are in this world, we are as pilgrims and strangers and shall never have rest unless we are united to Christ. Fix your eyes of your soul on the present things in this world of the pilgrims who go by the way, which are not detained by the beauty of those things that are in their way, but their minds run most to the end of their journey. So let the eyes of your soul be fixed perfectly in heaven where there are true eyes, and then we shall be less.\nBe wary of becoming overly attached to earthly things. Do not lean so much onto earthly things that your appetite is not detached and you become subject to the great enemy, the world, and spiritually perish. Let your meditation be always of him who is most high and direct your continual prayer to Christ if you cannot occupy your mind in the high contemplation of God. Rest in the possession of our savior and let your contemplation rest in his blessed wounds, there you shall perceive singular comfort in all tribulations, bodily and spiritual. Fear not much the detraction of evil speech of worldly people if you give no cause for it. For we have the example of our master Christ, who was most vilely reputed and forsaken by his friends in his most need, and a quietance. Christ, our leader, would suffer and be despised, and we desire to be magnified and loathe to suffer injury or wrong. Christ had adversaries and detractors, and we would have all be our friends and benefactors.\nHow shall thou suffer no adversity, how shouldst thou be the lover of Christ? If thou wilt reign with him in perpetual pleasure, suffer with him here temporal tribulations. If thy greatest ones perfectly enter into it, it behooves him to the will of God. Look how much more a man loves any worldly thing than it should be loved; his mind is distracted and lets the true ordered love of God. If thy soul were perfectly purged from all inordinate affections, every event and fortune coming to thee would be the augmentation of virtue and grace to thy soul. The cause why many things displease or trouble thee is that thou art not yet perfectly mortified in thyself nor purged from all inordinate love of earthly things. There is nothing that disorders or filths the soul of man as in pure and disordered love of creatures. If thou wouldst seek no worldly consolation outwardly, thou mightest have thy meditation and heavenly consolation in thyself, which exceeds all worldly and.\nThe comfort of the Lord exceeds that of the earth. Whoever is with him or works against him with all his might, and can say with David, \"God is my helper; I shall not fear the enemy of man,\" has the immediate means to God through a good, clean conscience. And whoever God puts forth his hand to help, no adversity can harm him. If you can keep silence and patience, you will certainly perceive the help of God in your need. He knows the time and ways of deliverance, and therefore refrain and commit yourself to him. It pertains to him to help and deliver the faithful and obedient souls from evil and danger. It is expedient for our humiliation and merit that sometimes other people know our defects and sins, so that they may correct and reprove us. When man humbles himself for his own defects, he has more compassion for the frailty of others.\nReconcile yourself to those who have offended you, and contrariwise, you reconcile them to yourself. Almighty God protects and defends the meek man who obeys him. He knows and counsels and inclines himself to him, and sends great abundance of grace to him. His secret counsel is to him. Also, he invites and draws him gently by grace, after his humiliation and depression, and enraptures him with glory. The meek, obedient soul, oppressed by injury and confusion, may find peace. For as it is taken from the world, it is in a manner constrained to flee and rest in God, and never estimate itself as having profit without it reputes itself most vile among all others.\n\nTake first quiet yourself, and then you may pacify others better. A peaceful man is more commendable and profitable than a great lettered one. A peaceful man is troubled by diverse suspicions and does not suffer others to be at peace, nor speaks of things that are not fitting, and omits speaking of those things.\nThings that were expedient to be spoken of. He considers what others are bound to do and is negligent in that which pertains to himself. Have first a zeal and a respect for yourself, and then you may better attend to the deeds of others. You are ready to excuse your own errors and faults, and will not consider the frailty of your neighbor. But it is more appropriate to equity to excuse your neighbor and to accuse yourself: If you wish others to support and suffer you, you must sometimes charitably support and suffer others; how far are you from perfect humanity and charity, by which man should be most wrathful with his own offenses? It is no great matter of patience to be courteously dealt with meek, tractable, or charitable company, for with such persons every body delights naturally to be accompanied: but it is a sign of great virtue and patience to be conversant patiently with froward, wrathful, and ill-mannered people. You are ready to prove your patience with contradictions and wrongs.\nBlessed are those among this people who are patient, for their patience endures the kingdom of heaven. And the person who, by grace, can apply himself more to suffering patiently shall obtain peace and may be called a coachman of himself, and over the world a lord, a friend of Christ, and the inheritor of heaven.\n\nA man is elevated and lifted up from earthly things to spiritual things by faith, and you should see and praise every thing in its due order. A pure and clean labor is then little labor and receives gladly the outward consolation. But when it begins the fitting way, which before were grief, there should be no wicked persons have great confidence in themselves. For many times, through our presumption or temptation, we lack both grace and wisdom of true judgment. The spiritual light that we have is but little, and yet we lose it soon through our negligence. And at various times we are so far overshadowed that we will not or cannot perceive our own bliss. Divers\nTimes we are evil in our deeds and in our defenses or excuses of them we are worse. There are those who estimate and think their deeds are done out of zeal and charity, which they do by immoderate passion and carnality. We are ready to reprove small offenses in our neighbors and to excuse our own great offenses: we are ready to note the injuries done to us, but we consider not what suffers us. If we would consider well our own offenses, we should more patiently suffer and judge the faults of others. The virtuous person, considering how he shall give account of his own offenses, considers but little the offenses of others for whom he shall not answer. Thou shalt never be wholly devout without thou keep silence of other men's works and words, and diligently behold thine own. If thou give thine attendance to God and to thyself only, the outward conversation of others shall affect thee less. If thou consider all.\nother things not considered by you what will it profit thee? Thou shalt profit especially in ghostly living if thou preservest thyself from tumultuous worldly occupations, and a religious soul may not greatly profit spiritually if it much applies itself to secular occupations. Let nothing be so dear to thee as thy Lord God or thing ordered to him: and estimate all delight or pleasure of any creature not ordered to him as vain. A soul that fittingly loves God and reputes all things under God and his saintly world and is the proper solace of the soul and gladness of the heart.\n\nThe consolation of a good soul is in the companionship of a good and clear conscience. Labor ever to have a good conscience, and then thou shalt be continually in gladness: and mighty to bear adversities patiently. For a good conscience is ever glad among adversities, and contrarily an evil conscience is ever fearful, impatient, and restless. Thou mayest rest surely if thy heart being rightly reproved is not. Be not overly glad.\nbut when you do well, the evil people have never true or perfect rest:\nsurely the wrath of God falls upon them, and their subtlety and false way will be made vain. Their thoughts shall perish, and they also. It is not grievous for a perfect lover of God to rejoice in tribulation: for that is none other than to rejoice in the cross of Jesus Christ. The honor or joy given to man by man is but of small quantity, and there follows that joy for the most part, misery. The joy of good people is in the conscience of themselves, and not in the vain commendation of men. And the gladness of them is of God and in Him, and their joy in virtue and of good life. He who desires the true and eternal joy cares little for temporal felicity. That person has tranquility and rest of heart who neither desires worldly commendation nor forces it from temporal commendation. You are not more holy if you are commended nor less virtuous if you are despised. And whenever you are commended or despised, you are as\nthou art, as our lord, the searcher of secret minds, knowest that thou art virtuous or vicious. If thou considerest well what thou art within, thou shalt little force be able to exert over the outward behavior of the people. Man beholds the outward appearance of the body, but God beholds the heart. Man considers the works, but God the intent of every deed. It is a good sign of a meek soul: that ever doteth and yet esteemeth itself to do little or nothing. That soul that inquireth not nor desireth outward testimony for itself: it is a sign that it has committed itself to God. The proof of a virtuous soul stands not in the commendation of themselves but of God. The state of the inwardly virtuous man is principally to order his mind to God through obedience and love, and be at liberty from all outward unreasonable affections and desires.\n\nBlessed is that soul that perfectly knowing Jesus Christ loves him above all things and for his love contemns itself, as it is fitting that a king be most principal in his own.\nReign: So it is that Jesus is ordered as prince in the soul of man, his reign as he himself says in the Gospel of Luke. The kingdom of God is within you: that is, in the soul of a faithful lover of Jesus. The love of a creature is vain and unstable, but the love of Jesus is faithful and persevering. Whoever will rest or be supported by a changeable or rotten staff must necessarily fall with it. And contrarily, a soul, however weak or frail, if it will rest or apply itself with all spiritual strength to Jesus Christ, will be fittingly stabilized and made strong in him. For if all other friends forsake him, he will not leave him nor suffer the finally to perish. And you must sometimes be separated from all your friends of this world, but endeavor yourself to keep this great commandment, and you shall not be separated from him neither living nor dying, and you shall find him so.\nFaithful to the one who fails in all other sources of help and succor, he shall never fail. And if you would abandon all reasonable love of creatures, Jesus will willingly dwell and abide with you. Whatever you do to man or receive from him unordered to Christ is as nothing and lost. Be not attached or put not your confidence in that which is like a hollow stock or a red having no substance to sustain it: every man living in a mortal body says our Lord is like hay. And all his bodily pleasure shall soon fade and fall, as does the flower in the meadow. If you attend and give heed to outward appearance of the world, you will soon be deceived. If you seek quickly for solace and lucre, you will find many times disappointment and harm. If you seek your Lord Jesus in all things, you will truly find him. And likewise, if you seek yourself, you will find yourself to your destruction. For he who labors to have all other things and Jesus as well is more enemy to himself than\nAll his adversaries over all the world, may one who has the gracious presence of Jesus have all things that are good without any difficulties or ready for every virtuous operation. Where Jesus is not present by his grace, every deed of virtue is painful in manner.\n\nThere is no perfect inward and spiritual consolation but when Jesus speaks in the religious soul. Mary Magdalene did not arise soon when Martha showed her that her master, Christ Jesus, was near and called her. That may be called a happy hour when Christ calls a soul from lamentation, and weeping, and especially of mind. O thou soul, how hard and unyielding art thou when Jesus is not with thee, by the assistance of his grace. It is not more daunting to lose his grace, than all the world, what may the world avail without the grace of the giver? It is in manner a pain of hell to be separate from Jesus, & it is a pleasant paradise to be united and knit with him by grace. And there shall none adversity nor enemy.\nOvercome the obstacles as long as Jesus is with you, and he who seeks him and finds him has found the treasure of all treasures. If you lose him, you have more dominion than you should have lost all the world. That person may be called the most poor who has not Jesus, and he is the most rich who has him by grace. It is great wisdom and cunning to be conversant with Jesus, to keep him with you. Labor to have perfect meekness and to be quiet and devout, and he shall abide with you. If you apply your desires inordinately to outward things, you reject the inward grace of Jesus. And then you shall be fully disconnected from true love and friendship, for without his grace and spiritual comfort, you shall never have truly spiritual joy in him above all others. And furthermore, we should rather will to have all the world contrary to us than to offend him. Among all your dearest and special friends, choose Jesus as most dear and special, whom you should love for himself.\nFor him alone does all good and friendship reside. He loves both friends and enemies and prays that they may know God and love Him. Never covet being commended and loved singularly. That rightfully belongs to our Lord, to whom none may be compared. Do not mix your love with any inordinate love of creatures if you want to know how sweet Jesus is. But none may taste His sweetness without being filled with grace, and all other callings set aside, so that you remain alone with Him. When the grace of our Lord comes to a soul, it becomes strong for every thing virtue requires. And when grace departs from the soul, it is weak and frail, unable to do or endure what virtue commands, but only with great difficulty and pain. Yet do not leave those deeds.\n\nIt is no great mastery to despise human consolation when the soul is...\nPrevented with heavenly comfort, but truly he who is solitary and bereft of comfort from God and man, and yet if he can patiently suffer this for the love of our Lord, he deserves to be comforted by Him. What great mystery is it to be merry and devout? When you perceive the grace of God in your soul ready to help you, that soul rides pleasantly whom the grace of our Lord supports and bears up. What marvel is it if that soul is not overwhelmed with tribulation, being supported by Him who is omnipotent, and is conveyed by His infinite wisdom? We are glad to have consolation and support in all our life and labors, and sorry to be without them or to forsake our own proper appetite and pleasure. The holy martyr Saint Laurence was so fervent in the love of our Lord that he gladly forsook not only the world and his special beloved friend and priest Sixtus, but also his mortal life by most terrible and fearful passion he overcame the love of.\nA man, by the love of his maker, made a commutation of transitory consolation and life for everlasting and solaceful life. Here we may learn to conform our will to the will and pleasure of God, when He, of His grace, takes to His mercy any of our friends, however dear and special to us. Likewise, we come into the world by His will and commandment, and must depart from this mortal life and temporal cohabitation. It is no little or short battle for a man to overcome himself and order all his affections to the pleasure of God. The true lover of God and desire of virtue is not easily acquires worldly consolation or sensual pleasures or bodily delights: but rather, glad for the love of God, exercises himself in hard and painful labors when spiritual and divine consolation is granted to him for a time. Repute this not of his goodness and not of thy deserving, but be not overly joyful or presumptuous, but meek and circumspect and timid in all thy actions.\nfor that hour shall pass and temptation and tribulation shall come. And when they come, take not immoderate thought or sorrow, nor in any wise despair, but meekly and patiently abide the divine consolation: for he is of power to grant to thee a more abundant and continual consolation and sweetness than thou hadest before. And marvel not at such altercation in thy mind, for thou art not the first that hath experienced these. For the holy saints prophets, priests, and apostles have had like altercations of mind sometimes consoled by divine consolations and sometimes comforted by the withdrawal of consolation and beset with tribulation and vexation. The prophet David, having been deprived of this grace, he said to the Lord: \"Thou hast withdrawn thy delightful face from thy presence, and I am made desolate and troubled between these two extremes of joy and tribulation.\" Take no defeatism but rather pray with David, saying: \"I shall not cease to cry out to thee, O God of my strength; I shall meekly pray.\"\nTo my lord God: finally he procured fruit and effect of his prayer, as he testifies, saying, \"Our lord has heard me and had mercy on me. Good lord, thou hast turned my sorrow into joy and hast bestowed me with joy.\" If Almighty God has dealt with thee in this manner, we of small reputation may take confidence in God. Though we have at times fervor of spirit and at times lack of devotion and spiritual consolation, for His spirit of holy consolation comes and departs at His pleasure, as the holy man Job says. Thou graciously visited him in his mourning: and shortly afterward Thou didst provide him with peace. Therefore, where shall I trust or in whom shall I have confidence but in the great mercy of God, and hope of the heavenly help. If I might have the assistance of good devout men, the help of holy books, and the royal and noble process of scripture, and be inspired to devotion by the means of sweet.\nmelodious soul. All those things may little avail me/ when I am left to my frailty and poverty without grace. Then there is no better vision of our Lord but it was produced by temptation before or after. For there is none worthy to have the high divine contemplation unless they are first exercised with some tribulation for the love of God. It is produced by the great wisdom of God to the elect souls to have temptations as a sign or token of consolation to come. For to those that are patiently provided with tribulations, the Lord promises heavenly reward and consolation, as it appears by the sentence of the Holy Ghost shown by the mouth of the holy evangelist John, saying, \"He who overcomes temptation by patience and sin by resistance shall be fed with the fruit of the tree of life. He is with the clear divine vision and unspeakable fruition of the blessed Godhead.\" And also the divine consolation is granted to man to make him more strong to suffer adversity. And immediately follows.\nWith this text, it is not necessary to output the entire cleaned text as it is already largely readable. However, I will make some minor corrections for clarity:\n\nwith this text you may not take any elevation of the ghostly consolation. The devil sleeps not neither in the fleshly appetites be not yet more refined, & therefore prepare yourself for battle, for you have enemies on every side, he whom you never see assailing you.\n\nWhy do you seek rest when you are ordained in this life to labor? Apply yourself more to patience than to consolation or pleasure, to the cross of penance rather than to temporal joy, & pleasure. There is none so secular or worldly: but if they could have continuance of spiritual consolation, they would gladly accept it. For the spiritual joys exceed all other worldly consolations and bodily pleasures. All worldly and bodily pleasures are transient and mixed with some degree of uncleanness. But the spiritual pleasures and desires are pure, honest, and joyful proceeding of virtues and graced only to pure and clean minds. But this tranquility of ghostly consolations is often overwhelmed by the outrageous tempests of temptation. The false liberty\nLiving and great confidence in ourselves are two things contrary to heavenly visitation and consolation: Our lord shows his goodness to man, granting to him the grace of spiritual consolation. But man shows his unwise negligence when he withholds thanks and does not put this grace only to our Lord, and therefore we are not worthy to have his merciful grace to abide with us. Grace is ever granted to meek souls that are always ready to yield thanks to God for his merciful benefits. And contrary to grace is withdrawn from the unkind and the proud person. I do not desire that consolation by which the compunction of the heart may be minimized or removed, nor that desire or love which withdraws companionship and incites my frail soul to elation. Every excellence is not holy: nor every desire pure, nor every sweetness good and wholesome. There are diverse things very dear to man which are not acceptable to God; we should gladly accept the grace by which we may be made humble and timid.\nTo God, and more prompt to forsake our own appetites and wills, that soul which is perfectly enformed with the reward of grace and learned with the rod of subtraction,\nitself poor and naked, yield thou to God that is His, and to thyself that is thine: that is to say, thank our Lord for His graces, and thyself for thy sin, for which judge thyself worthy to have pain and subtraction of grace. There may no soul attain this high degree of grace or stand therein without grounding itself in humility and obedience. Though that is most precious and high in God's sight, be most vile and low in their own consideration. And the more precious they are in grace, the more meek they are, full of truth of heavenly glory, not covetous of worldly vanity. Though that is rooted and perfectly fixed in the fear and love of God, may not be obstinate or proud. And though they ascribe all the goods that they receive to Almighty God, they are not desirous of the vain commendation of man but.\nThey rather desire the glory and comediation why it is of God alone, and they labor that God be honored and loved by all His saints, and they refer all their labors to the same end. Be thou kind and yielding in giving thanks to God for the small blessings that thou mayest deserve greater and more profitable graces. Repute the least gifts of God as great and natural disformities and special tokens of love, for they are medicines and means to make ourselves better. If we would consider perfectly the honor and dignity of the Lord who grants us those gifts, we should esteem no gift small or insignificant. How may we judge that thing small in acceptance which is given by the great King Maker and Governor of the world, without whose will and providence there falls to thee not even life? Do not say in thine soul that thou hast deserved the subtraction thereof, and patiently and humbly pray for its recovery. Thou canst not by.\nthy {pro}pre me\u2223rites be restored to the mercy & grace loste by sinne but by the meane of faderly pyte and moste merci\u2223full passion of Iesu criste.\nIHesus the heuenly kynge hath many louers of his heuenly kyngdome: but there be fewe that wyll take his crosse and folow hym. There be many desirers of hys consolacion: nat of his trybu\u2223lacion: he hath many redy to be parteners of his ta\u2223ble & repaste: but none of his abstinence & penaunce All men wolde be glad to haue ioye with hym: but there be nat many that desire peyne / & tribulacion for his loue. Many foloweth hym to be parteners of the fraccyon of his brede: but there be fewe that wyll paciently dri\u0304ke with hym of hys chalice of try\u2223bulacion. And many meruelously commende hym for his great meracles: but many of them be lothe\nto folowe the shame & vilete of his crosse. There be many that folowe hym in prosperite & loue & blesse hym as lo\u0304ge as they receyue of hym prosperite and consolacion. And if he withdrawe hym selfe for a se\u2223ason fro them by shewynge no\nTokens of pleasure or consolation they fall soon to lamentable coping and desperation. Though that love which the Lord is not for prosperity or consolation of mind alone but primarily for Himself they bless Him heartily in teptation and tribulation or any other necessity as they do in their perfect prosperity. And if He should give to them ever in this world adversity: yet they would ever love and thank Him. O how mighty is the pure love of Jesus not permixed with any inordinate favor or affection. Though those who seek God primarily by prayer or any other virtuous pleasure bodily or spiritual may be called rather covetous merchants / than liberal lovers. The reason hereof may be perceived for persons apply their service & love to our Lord for His benefits & they serve & love the benefits before God & they love the benefits and gifts in that they are profitable to themselves / and so suitably they may rightfully be called lovers of themselves rather than of God. It is full hard\nto fi\u0304de any {per}so\u0304 so spirituall yt is {per}fitly fre from all inordinate affec\u2223cions. That {per}sone shulde nat be {pro}fitable or desirer only of those that be nere hym: but of ye farr extremi\u00a6tes of y\u2022 worlde. If a {per}son were so v{er}tuo{us} yt he wold leue all the worldes substaunce & do gret penaunce & had all knowlege: and were feruent in deuocyon\nyet he shulde nat atteyne the most excellent & great {per}feccion in lyuynge to the whiche he may nat apro\u2223che without al other thynges forsaken he vtterly re\u00a6nounce his owne selfe & holy forsake his owne wyll & lyuynge & beinge at liberte & fre frome all priuate & seuerall affeccions & desires. & whan thou hast do\u2223ne all that thou knowest to be done exteme and iuge thy selfe as thou hadest of thy selfe no thynge done & as the auctour of truthe our sauyour saith: whan we haue done that is possible to be done: yet we be of ourselfe vnprofitable seruauntes & nat worthi to be rewarded but of his grace. than we beynge pore & frayle in body & soule voyde of\nall meritorious virtue may conveniently say with the prophet David: I am solitary and poor. There is none more rich, none more free, nor more in power than that soul that knows itself: and will be ready to forsake not all worldly things: but also itself, and reckon and judge itself most vile of all other.\nThere are many who esteem the words of our Savior harsh and painful when he says we cannot be his disciples without denying and renouncing our own will and taking up the cross and following him. But it will be more painful and sorrowful beyond comparison to hear the words of mouth in the extreme and last judgment, when he shall pronounce the words of perpetual damnation, saying to the reprobate creatures: Depart from me, for ever, to be perpetual fire that is ordained for the devil and his angels. Those who now hear the words of God and are glad to follow it shall not be astonished at their own party hearing the words of damnation of the reproved people whom our Lord shall separate.\nCome to me all the world, you who see the cross shall be healed, and so those who are true servants of the Lord who was crucified, having his conscience or sign, that is to say the cross of penance, may have full sure access to him, their master and judge. Why delay you from taking the cross of short penance, by which you may continually come to the perpetual joyful kingdom. In it, there is spiritual health and life protection from our enemy, and infusion of heavenly sweetness. The strength of the mind, the joy of the spirit. There is no health of the soul nor hope of heavenly life, but by the power of the cross, and therefore take the cross of penance and follow Jesus, your leader, into everlasting bliss. He has gone before, bearing the cross, and on account of your love, suffered death. Then take the cross of tribulation, sicknesses, or other diseases, and desire to suffer death for his love, if you will.\nAssemble yourselves to him in patiently suffering trials and death. You shall be the more tenacious of his comforting consolation and perpetual life and joy. Behold what virtue comes from the holy cross, and what fruit of grace by the ardent desire to suffer death for the love of our Lord. There is no other way to come to life and inner peace but by the way of the cross of penance and continual mortification of our rebellious sensual parts. Go wherever you will and inquire whatever you desire: but you shall never escape the enemy above or below a more excellent and sure way than by the way of imitation of the holy cross. Dispose yourself and order every thing according to your proper will and desire, and you shall find that you must ever suffer freely and by your will or violently and against your will, and so you shall not avoid the cross or sicknesses and pains in your body or tribulations in your soul. Sometimes our Lord deals with it as if he would forsake us, and sometimes by his wisdom he allows it.\nSuffer the injuries and be vexed by your neighbor and sometimes by yourself, and there is no remedy or escape but you must patiently suffer until the great physician sends alms and remedy to you. He wills that you learn to endure trials, that thereby you may be made more humble and holy, convert yourself to him. There is none who perceives or follows the glorious passion of Christ as he who for his love or the profit of their souls has had compatible pain. This cross of tribulation is ever ready and abides in every place, therefore you shall not avoid it in any place. For if you were secluded from all the world, yet you would have experience of this cross of tribulation in yourself. Cover yourself to those above you, to those who are beneath you, and about you, and look within. And in all those, you shall find the cross of temptation and tribulation, and therefore it is expedient for you to always arm yourself with patience: if.\nthou wilt endure inly peace and the crown of perpetual triumph and joy. Endeavor yourself to bear this cross of tribulation patiently, and it shall sustain you mightily and lead you to a joyful end where you shall never bear the burden of any kind of tribulation or temptation. If you bear this cross against your will, then you bear a burden that charges you more heavily, and therefore, since you must bear it necessarily, apply yourself that you patiently sustain it. And doubt not if you reject it and put it away: but you shall have another and a heavier and more grievous one to sustain, which you think you might avoid, but no mortal creature yet might have escaped from it. What the saints from the beginning of the world to this day have come to heaven without this cross of tribulation. No, not the Son of God our savior: the which from his first coming into this world to his departing was not the space of one hour alienate from the pain of the cross and tribulation. It was behooveful.\nthat Christ should suffer death and rise again / and so enter into, his glory. How should the sinful creature think that it should go to heaven by any other way than by the plain, right and high king's way, that is to say, the way of the cross? Desire you to come to heaven by pleasure and joy? Now since the leader of life with all his martyrs have passed by the way of tribulation and the cross, whoever intends to come to heaven without the way of tribulation and the cross errs from the right way. For all the way of this mortal life is full of miseries and crosses of tribulation. And ever the more a soul profits in virtue, the more painful crosses and grievous tribulations it shall find, pertinaciously, for the devil assails more fiercely those persons whom he sees increase more in virtue. The second cause is / for the more strongly a soul increases in virtue, the more desire it has to be elevated from the inconveniences of this temporal exile: & to be at liberty in the eternal homeland.\nThe soul, perpetually joyful and content in its country, is comforted when it perceives that for every tribulation it peacefully and by grace overcomes, it will be rewarded with the fruit of eternal life. And the body, punished with pain and tribulation, will receive spiritual strength and consolation. Sometimes the soul is so comforted in adversity and tribulation that it would not be without them, considering that thereby it is made conformable to our Savior Christ. Furthermore, it considers well that the more pain and tribulation it may suffer for his love, the more acceptable it will be in his sight. How can it be that man suffers and desires to endure a painful cross, not by any virtue in man but by the singular grace of Jesus Christ? It is not the natural appetite of man to love and suffer a painful cross to willingly subject the body to the service of the spirit and flee from honors.\nI. Accept and graciously receive reproaches and injuries; despise yourself and desire to be despised. Patiently endure all adversities with shame and reproaches, and desire no prosperity in this world. Keep yourself in good health, and you will surely perceive that if you have these things, you do not possess them of yourself, but if you apply yourself and have confidence in God, He will send you these virtues and also your sensual part will be made subject to them. If you arm yourself with quick faith and the cross of Jesus Christ, you shall not need to fear the subtle envy of the enemy. Prepare yourself as a faithful servant of Jesus Christ to bear his cross constantly, considering how he your Lord bore it painfully and mercifully. Order yourself to endure many adversities, injuries, and wrongs in this miserable life, and so you shall find Him with you wherever you are.\nIf you desire to be dear and a friend to your redeemer and have part of his consolation, desire affectually to drink with him from his chalice of tribulation. Desire no consolation or prosperity but at God's will, and order yourself to suffer tribulations. Regard them as the most special consolations, for they are ready means to come to the heavenly and perpetual consolations. When you come to that degree of peace that tribulation is sweet and pleasing to you for the love of God, then extend yourself in a good state, and know that you have found paradise on earth. And as long as it is grievous to you to suffer and enforces your soul to flee tribulation, so long you are not in the perfect state of patience, and wherever you flee, you shall find tribulation near and following. If you order yourself ever to suffer patiently and to have remembrance of your death, then you shall perceive yourself in a good state and also in quiet and rest. If you were so perfect that you were\n\n(Note: The text appears to be written in Early Modern English, which is a transitional form of English between Middle English and Modern English. It is still largely understandable to modern readers, but there are some spelling differences and archaic words that may require some effort to decipher. The text appears to be a religious or spiritual text, possibly from the Christian tradition, and it emphasizes the importance of patience and suffering in the spiritual journey towards paradise or salvation.)\nRaised spiritually with Paul into the third heaven: you should not be sure thereby to be without adversity. Our Savior's speaking of Paul says: I will show him how many things he shall suffer for my name. Then, if you will serve and love your Lord perpetually, you must now suffer and say to yourself many times: I would gladly be able to suffer for the name of my sweet holy angels. All people in manner commend patience: but few are those who will use it. You who take great labors and suffer much for the love of the world / and worldly things, by great reason you should be glad to suffer a little for the love of the most true lover, Christ. And ever the more you mortify yourself discretely, the more you begin to live in the sight of God. There is no person apt to comprehend heavenly things without submitting themselves to suffer adversity for the love of Christ. There is no thing more profitable for yourself and acceptable to God than to be patient and suffer.\n\"I am glad to suffer for his love. And if prosperity and adversity were in your choice, you would rather choose adversity than desire to be consoled with many comforts: For your adversity you are made conformable to Christ and all his saints. Our merit and perfection of state do not stand in great pleasant and delightful consolations but rather in grievous temptations and tribulations and the penance of life. If there had been any more expedient means to the health of man than to endure pain and tribulation, our Lord Christ would have shown it by words and examples. But he exhorted his disciples and all others who would follow him to heaven to take up the cross as the most immediate means to follow him, saying, 'Whoever will follow me to heaven, they must deny themselves, forsake their own will, and take up the cross of patience and follow me.' O soul that speaks such a faithful heart, I shall attend and hear what our Lord shall speak to me. Blessed is the soul that hears our Lord God speak to it, and that\"\nConceives in his mouth a word of solace.\nBlessed be the ears that hear the styll speaking: or ruling of almighty God, and ponders not the deceitful calling or private moving of the world. Blessed be the ears that rest not in the flattery, or worldly voice outside flowing. But rather henges truth, that speaks and informs man's soul in worldly. Blessed be the eyes that are shut to the delightful sight of outward or worldly things, and give head devoutly to spiritual things. Blessed be they that by grace and by the light of soul perception perceive the true inward intent of scripture: and that may hereafter attain the eternal felicity.\nA devout soul, after it has heard the sweet instilling speaking of its lord God as a man inflamed with love, desires more long speech with our lord, saying with the Prophet Samuel: Speak good lord, for thy servant is ready to hear thee. I am thy servant, give me understanding to know thy commandments and sayings. Bow and make my heart.\nI shall feel and follow your words, instilling your holy teachings and words into my soul as dew drops upon the grass. I do not speak as the children of Israel did to Moses, \"Speak to us and we will listen; let not our Lord speak to us lest we die from fear.\" This shall not be the case with me, good Lord. Rather, I humbly and earnestly beseech you, with the prophet Samuel, that you vouchsafe to speak to me yourself. Let no other prophet, nor Moses, speak to me, good Lord, the inward inspirer of all prophets. You alone, without them, can fitly teach me. They, without your goodness, cannot profit me. They may well offer and utter your words, but they cannot give the spirit of understanding. They proffer fair words and writings, but you alone open their senses. They reveal great mysteries, but you alone open the clear understanding of them.\nThy commandments to be fulfilled: but thou alone helpest us by thy grace to perform them. They show us the way that we should walk, but thou alone comforts us to go there. They work only without forth: but thou only illumines within. They only water outwardly, but thou gavest us the fruit of grace and good works. They cry and speak to us in outward words, but thou givest us understanding of that which we hear. Wherefore I beseech thee, that I may hear thee speak to me, and not Moses' lust I die and be void of the fruit of good living if I am only outwardly instructed and not inwardly inflamed, that not thy word be only heard, and not fulfilled in deed, known, loved, believed, and kept, and so be to me damning. Speak thou good Lord to me, and thy servant shall be ready to hear thee; for thou hast set the words of eternal life in thy mouth. Speak to me I beseech thee, the words of resolution and comfort to my soul and to the amendment of my life, to thy everlasting praise and praising in heaven. Our Lord.\nSpeak to your devoted servant, saying, \"My son, give heed to my words, they are sweet, full of wisdom and knowledge, and the words of philosophers and wise men of this world. My words are spiritual and ghostly life, not peaceful in a man's mind, they are not to be applied or drawn as vain compliments, but to be heard steadfastly in silence and to be taken with all humility and desire of the soul. The devoted servant of God answers his Lord thus, \"Blessed is that man whom Thou dost instruct and teach, O Lord, to understand Thy laws and commandments, that Thou mayest spare him on the day of Thy wrath from Thy indignation, that he not be lost without comfort in the land of damnation. Our Lord says again, \"I have taught prophets from the beginning of the world up to now, and yet I cease not to instruct men. But many there are who are hard and deaf to my words. Many prefer worldly speaking more gladly than godly or spiritual speaking. Many follow.\"\ngladly they fleshily appetites of their body are greater than the pleasure or commandment of God. The world permits and sometimes entices us with temporal things of little value for which we serve it with great desire. But God almighty permits and gives us high things and eternal, yet men are dull and low to His service and to attending such rewards as He permits. Whoever serves and obeys God almighty in observing His commandments: as it is obeyed to worldly princes and masters? Almost none, for a little fee or prebend great journeys and hard labors are taken in hand for such worldly lords and for eternal life scarcely can we endure any labor or hardship. So a vile price is quickly sought, and an excellent reward is put under. For a penny to be gained or won we willingly put our body and soul in jeopardy / but alas for God almighty, that is everlasting goodness and reward of righteous people, / for the.\nVenerable and enjoyable joy in heaven or for the high honor and glory inestimable for reward in heaven, we disdain and are slow to suffer a little fault. Be ashamed, says our Lord God, to slow people and reprove them with their service, for worldly people are found more diligent to their perishable things. But the promise of our Lord God deceives no man, for He is true and faithful in all His words and behests to such people especially who serve Him to the end. I am He, He says, the rewarder of all good people and the provender and helper of all despairing men. Write my words, He says in your heart and think upon them, they shall be to you necessary in time of tribulation. You shall understand in My presence these things that you read and understood not before. I am accustomed to visit, says our Lord, my servants in two.\nperson wise / that is to say, I prove them daily by rebuke their vices and faults, and I comfort them again by exhortation to virtue and the increase of grace. He who hears my words and despises them shall be judged by them in the last day.\n\nThou good Lord art all goodness / I am not worthy to speak to Thy excellence, Thy magnificence is such, I am Thy most poor servant and most abject worm, most poor and contemptible of all others, for I am nothing, having nothing of value, not even a particle of value, Thou alone good Lord art God, righteous and holy, Thou art almighty, Thou fulfillest all things, leaving only the sinful void of grace, have mercy, good Lord, on Thy merits, and fill my heart with Thy grace, for Thy work is never void.\n\nHow may I live without great anguish and perplexity in this wretched life, but if Thy grace and mercy comfort me? Wherefore I beseech Thee that Thou turn not Thy gracious face of help from me, tarry not Thy.\nvysytacio\u0304 from me withdraw not thy sweet consolation from me / that my soul be not arified and made as dry earth without the mostouter of grace / Good lord teach me to know and fulfill thy will teach me to live humbly and worthily in thy pleasure for thou art all wisdom, in which thou knewest me before the world was and before I was brought into this life by natural birth.\n\nSon says our lord walk before me always in truth and simplicity of heart and all doublets avoid from thee in such a way do always seek me / He that walks before me and always in truth / shall be safe from all perils / & Ieo berdyes / & truth shall deliver him from deceivers & from the detraction of evil men / And if truth delivers thee, thou shalt be very free from the vain words of men in this worlde & shall not set by them.\n\nIt is true says a devout soul to God that thou sayest, \"Be it done after thy saying,\" thy truth teach me, keep me and bring me to salvation and good end, and deliver me from all evil affections.\ninordinate love so that I may walk with the good Lord in liberty and freedom of heart / Truth says again to such a soul I shall teach the things that are right and pleasing before me / Remember your sins past with great displeasure and heaviness and regard them as nothing for any good deed that you have done / Think truly you are a sinner, wrapped and bound in many passions and sins, think it of yourself that you are nothing and soon turn to that which is nothing / you are soon overcome by sin / you are soon troubled and often broken by passions of sin, you have nothing of yourself that you may magnify yourself with / but you have many things / therefore you ought to flee from these / for you are more feeble than you know / Therefore let nothing that you do seem great in price / of all things it is that you esteem nothing precious or in valor or reputable / but that thing which is eternal, so that everlasting truth may be pleasing to you.\nBefore anything else, let anyone examine or specifically acknowledge their own sins and foulness, so that nothing is as odious as sin and wickedness, which ought to displease us even more than the damage or loss of any other worldly thing. Some people walk unclear before me, but they are led by pride and curiosity to search and know my secrets and the high things of my godhead. Such persons often fall into temptations and grievous sins, left to themselves for their pride and curiosity, which they follow. Therefore, fear the judgments of God and the Almighty wrath of God. Do not discuss or inquire into the marvelous works of God, but consider well your sins and wickedness, how often and in how many great things you have offended and transgressed against God, and how many good things you have left undone out of recklessness. Some people bear their devotion all in books, some in images.\nin outward tokens and figures, some there be that name me in word but little in heart, and some other there be that have their intelligence or reason clearly illuminated with the light of understanding, and their affection so poured out of earthly things that they always aspire to eternal things, earnestly longing to hear of their coming, taking but scarcely of such things as are necessary for natural life. O Thou celestial Father, the eternal Father of my Lord Jesus Christ, I love Thee and bless Thee, for Thou hast vouchsafed to remember and behold me lovingly with Thy gracious consolation. O Thou Father of mercy and God of consolation, I thank Thee that Thou comfortest me, unworthy as I am to have any consolation. I bless and praise Thee always.\nonly begins some and the holy ghost without end. When thou good Lord, my lover, as thou art of all mankind, shall come into my heart, all my inward parts shall rejoice. Thou art my joy / thou art my hope / and refuge in the time of my tribulation, but since I am imperfect in virtue and weak in love, therefore I have need to be comforted and helped by thee. Wherefore I beseech thy endlessly good nature to visit me often / and instruct me with thy holy disciplines and teachings. Deliver me from passions / and heal my heart from all inordinate desires and affections. Let me inwardly be purged and exalted from worldly affections, and may I be made fit / and able to love the good Lord spiritually: strong in patience to suffer for Him / and stable by persistence in goodness. Love is a great thing / and an excellent virtue / that makes every grueling and hard thing light / sweet / important / easy to bear / and bitter things sweet and savory. The love of Jesus perfectly imprinted in a man's soul makes him\n\n(Note: The text appears to be written in Middle English, and there are some errors in the OCR transcription. I have corrected the errors while maintaining the original meaning as much as possible.)\nA man should do great things and continually exhort him thereafter to desire more and more perfidious things. Spiritual love desires ever to ascend to heavenly goods and pends all earthly things on its necessities. Such spiritual love longs to be free and alienated from all worldly occupations, lest its inward sight of the soul be darkened or hindered; nor let its affection to spiritual and heavenly things be hindered from its liberty by worldly things. Nothing is sweeter than love; no thing is stronger than love; no thing higher, larger, merrier, fuller, or better in heaven or on earth. For love comes from God; it may not finally rest in any creature lower than God. It renews and rejoices a man. It makes a man free in his soul without any retaining of sin. It makes a man set nothing by worldly goods: but to depart with all that he has to relieve the indignities and miseries of others. Also it makes a man content with that little that God sends him: and nothing desire that.\nHe remains above all things in perfect goodness; that is, God almighty, from whom all other goodness flows and proceeds. Such a person beholds not only the gifts given to him, but attends above all things with love and fear to the giver. Love knows no measure; it inflames the lover beyond measure. Love makes a man feel no hardship or other burden laid upon him. It makes any man desire beyond his power and might. It complains of impotency never. For it makes a man think all things possible to him and makes love, therefore, do great things; where the lover does not lie nor delay. It makes a man gladly wake when he is dull and disposed to sleep. When a man is weary, it makes him not account it. When a man is arted or troubled, it chases away all trouble and fear within. For as a quick brand or flame of fire burns.\nIf it be moved or blown it forward, a ghostly lover in troubles is lifted up by the fiery love of God. And so, by the help of God Almighty, he overcomes all such pains and tribulations. He that is a ghostly lover knows that the ardent desire of the human soul is a great cry in the ear of Almighty God. The which cry says inwardly to Almighty God, Thou good Lord art my love, thou art all my desire, and I am thy creature. Delight my heart in thy love that I may learn to taste by the inward mouth of my soul how sweet thou art in love, and what is it to man to be liquefied and melted in love or to swim therein. I am held and bound in love so that I go above myself for great marvel and for the fierce desire of love I beseech thee, good Lord, that I may sing the song of love, and follow my lover by virtuous living ever to ascend to thee in perfection of living, so that my soul may be stretched in praising thy majesty by joyful love of thy goodness. I beseech thee always that I may love.\nthe more than myself and that I may ever love myself and all others who love thee: for love is swift, clear, pitiful, merry, and jocund. It is strong, patient, wise, faithful, long-abiding, manly, and never hid but always ready. Wherever a man seeks himself, there he falls from love, for love is circumspect, very meek and religious, not light nor giving heed to vain things. Love is sober, chaste, stable, quiet, and kept in its bonds. Also, love makes a man subject and obedient to his prelate. It makes a man firm and stable in virtuous life and seems vile and contemptible in his own sight. Also, it makes a man devout to God and kind and always to believe and trust in Him though he has not such savory or approximation to His goodness that perfect people have. For no man here living may be in love without longing and sadness. He who is not always ready to suffer and to apply himself to the will of God Almighty is not in love.\nA lover is not worthy to be called a lover, for it pertains to a lover to suffer gladly all hard and bitter things for his love and not to decline from him for any contrary thing. He who leaves or forsakes love or the virtue he has begun with for a little adversity or trouble, or who in such a time seeks lightly worldly consolation, is not prudent nor strong-hearted lover: for a strong lover stands steadfast in temptation, and gives no heed nor place to the deceitful persuasions of the enemy. He is not broken by impatience, adversities, nor illuded or dismayed by prosperous things. A wise and prudent lover ponders not the gift that is given, but rather the love of the giver. He conceives rather the love of the giver than the gift that is given, and prefers the giver before all things given. A noble and true lover rests not in the gift that Almighty God gives but in God, who is the giver of all goods: that may is not all disordered that sometimes less conceives.\nA man perceives in his soul a good and sweet desire, an effect of grace given to man in this life and a taste and savour of heavenly glory. This desire cannot be fully rested in by confidence or trust of the soul, as it is movable and not permanent. A man who fights or struggles against the evil inclinations of his soul and overcomes the suggestions of the devil is a sign of virtue and great merit. Therefore, whatever you are, keep your purpose and right intention of soul towards God and you shall not fall. Do not think that it is illusion when you are sometimes carried away in ecstasy or excess of mind and then return to the customary lightness of heart. You suffer such contrary disordered or vain thoughts not willingly but struggle against them when they rise up.\nI thy Lord Jesus acknowledge to my lover, the old enemy always has the power to obstruct and hinder your will and desire for goodness and prevent you from all good and virtue. He suggests many idle and evil thoughts to the human soul: to make it loathe and weary with prayer and other virtuous exercises, a low confession displeases him greatly, and if he can, he will let a man of his communion. Set not by him nor believe him; for he lays before you many snares of deceit. When he thinks to entice your soul with evil things or uncleanness, disparagingly say to him, \"Go from me, thou foul, wicked spirit. Thou bringest such foul things to enter me. Be ashamed, for thou art foul of thyself.\"\nGo from you, false deceiver of mankind, you shall have no part in me. For my savior Jesus shall stand with me in my defense as a strong warrior against your confusion. I would rather die and endure all manner of pain than consent to the Hold peas and cease of your temptations: I will no more hear nor give heed to you, though you vex me never so much. For almighty God is my helper whom I fear. He is the defender of my life whom I trust. If the strength of castles withstands me, I shall not fear: For our Lord is my helper and redeemer. Fight and strive against such intemperates as a good knight. If you sometimes are overcome by your weaknesses or frailties, take more comfort and strength of soul than you did before. Trust in that to have the more large grace and comfort of God, and beware of the aftermath of pride and vain glory, for by it many are led into erroneous ways and fall into incurable blindnesses of the soul. Therefore, beware and humble yourself against the presumption of such persons.\n\nSome say the... (truncated)\nIt is more certain and profitable to hide the grace given to thee than to display it outwardly. Announce not the source of it, nor speak of such grace to others, nor magnify thyself through it. But thou shouldst rather despise thyself and fear lest thou be unworthy to have it or soon lose it. A woman should not clue or trust too much to such affection which may soon be turned to the contrary. Consider well when thou hast such grace how wretched and needy thou were before thou hadst grace; nor is the profit or increase of spiritual life only when thou hast the consolation of grace, but when thou humbly suffer the subtraction of the same. Therefore, leave not thy prayer nor other good deeds, but with all thy understanding and diligence do thy best to recover the consolation of grace when thou feelest such subtraction or dullness in thee. Many there be that are very dull and impatient when adversity falls upon them. The life and way of man is never.\nIn his power and election, but all that we have is the goodness of God. This which comforts us when we will, and as much as He wills, and whom He wills, and no more. Some persons have destroyed themselves by an indiscrete desire for God's grace, for they disordered their soul's strength by not pondering their exile and poverty of reason, but rather followed the desire of the heart. Therefore, for as much as they presumed higher things than God's pleasure was that they should attain, they lost their grace beforehand. And so they were made and left needy and vile, those who presumed to enter the secrets of heaven, that they may learn not to presume upon themselves: but always with true humility to trust in God Almighty. Such persons as are beginners and not yet perfect in the way of virtue, in our Lord God, may lightly err and be deceived, but if they follow the counsel of discretion: or such persons as lean to their own wit and so follow it, and refuse:\nPersons who have long practiced virtuous ways eventually reap great convenience. Those who are wise in their own sight seldom submit humbly to others. It is better for a man to have little wisdom or skill with humility than to have great skill with pride and vain glory. It is better for one to have little than much with pride and arrogance: He who lives not discreetly, giving himself to lightness and vain gladness, forgetting himself and fear of God, is not fearing to lose grace. Nor is one wise or virtuous in times of adversity or other hardships, who despairs and does not steadfastly trust in God. He who will live securely in times of peace without fear of all parables will be found fearful and unwilling in times of battle, and a man would always abide humbly and gently on himself, he should not so soon fall into sin and offense of God. Good and wholesome counsel is a man after he has received it.\nA spirit of devotion and charity should make a man consider how he should act and what should fall to him in the absence of such devotion, when such a situation arises. Let a man gather that such grace and light may return to him through the honor of God, which withdraws it from his consolation, a season to show His power and for man's welfare. It is more profitable to man sometimes to be left to himself and to lack such grace and comfort rather than always to have such prosperous things at his will. For a man is not considered more meritorious or virtuous in God's sight if he has many visions or consolations given to him, or if he has clear understanding of scripture, or if he is exalted by great and high promotion, but rather he is of great merit and greatly in God's favor if he is perfect in meekness and filled with charity, always seeking the honor of God in his deeds, with contentment and disdain of himself, both in the sight of others and in his own desiring more in humility than to be honored.\nLord, I speak to thee of my perception, not withstanding that I am but dust and ashes if I regard myself as anything better; thou and thy words have been a gain to me. Also, my sins bear true testimony against me, and I cannot again deny them. And if I willingly despise myself and regard myself as nothing worth, as truth appears in thee, the grace of my Lord God will be merciful to me and his light near me, and my humble action and obedience will be turned after this life into everlasting exaltation and advancement.\n\nGood Lord, thou shalt show me to myself truly what I am, what I was, and whence I came. For I was, I am nothing and do not know it if I am left to myself without thy help, good Lord. I know myself to be nothing and full of infirmity. And if thou, good Lord, wilt behold me with thy grace and consolation, I shall be made strong and fully filled with a new joy and great marvel. It is a wretch that I always fall downwards from myself and may not rise again, by thy grace, so.\nSuddenly arises again and so be near me, lifting up and holding from this, thy charity and grace which prevent and help me in many necessities and keep me busy from grievous perils and many evils. I lost myself in inordinate love of myself and in seeking thee again and in loving thee I have both found thee and myself, and of thy clean, profound, and deep love I am liquefied and truly know myself nothing. For thou, sweet Lord, dost do more to me than my merits and more than all that I could hope to have of thee. Blessed be thou, good Lord, for though I am unworthy of any goods, yet thy infinite goodness ceaseth never in doing good to such persons as are unkind and far from thee. Make us to be holy, converted to thee, that we may be kind, humble, meek, and devout to thee, for thou alone art our health, virtue, and strength. Some say our Lord to us, \"I ought to be thy last and sovereign end, if thou desirest to be blessed, and by this intention shalt thou be purged thy affection which is often times\"\nEvil bows down to itself and to other creatures / If you seek yourself in anything / you fail in yourself and become dry where once I refer all things / for I am he who has given all things / Consider all things as welling and springing forth from the highest and most sovereign God / Therefore they should be reduced to me as to their original beginning / Of me, little and great, poor and rich, draw quick water as from the well of life / But whoever has glory without me, or delight in any private good, / shall never be steadfast in everlasting joy or delighted in heart / but shall be let in many ways and anguished / Therefore you ought to ascribe to yourself no other good / You should not come nor esteem yourself for any goodness that you have / Whoever you are, refer all goodness that you have to the almighty God, from whom we have nothing / God, in his goodness, gives us what we have.\nrequyreth the sa\u2223me to be consydered of vs with thankes to be gyuen agayne vnto hym / This is the very way to exchew\nfrom vs the synne of vaynglorye / if so be that trewe charyte and heuenly grace enter into man / no enuy\u00a6ne dysdayne of any person / nor pryuate of mannes selfe shall haue place i\u0304 hym / For grace and very cha\u00a6ryte ouercometh all suche byces and it dylateth & en\u00a6flameth mannes soule to god & to our neyghbour if we perceyue and vndersta\u0304de well we shuld only ioy & hope in our lorde god and in no wyse in our selfe / for no ma\u0304 is good of hym selfe but god alone which is to be loued and blessyd ouer all.\nNOwe good lorde I shall repete my speche to the and nat cesse / I shall speke in the erys of my lorde god and kynge that is in heue\u0304 / how great is the multytude of thy swetnes whiche thou haste hyd and hydest good lorde for the tyme from them that lyueth here vnder thy drede / and to thy perfyte louers and seruauntes thou shewest the Ineffable co\u0304templatyue swetnes of thy godhede / in this thou\nGood lord, you have shown great charity, for I was not whom you made me. And when I strayed and went out of the way, you brought me back, commanding me to serve and to love the O well of perpetual love. What shall I say of the one who so lovingly remembers me? And where I have perished, you, good Lord, have shown me mercy beyond my hope and rewarded me above my merit. What thanks shall I give to you for this grace given me? It is not given to all men to forsake the world and take upon them a solitary life. It is no great thing for me to serve you, good lord, to whom all your creatures are bound to serve and please. But this is a great thing and marvelous to me, that it pleases your goodness to receive me into your service, and to join me, a poor and unworthy one, to your beloved servants. I can give you nothing but myself and what I have and can do in your service. Therefore, I can give you nothing but myself. Heavens and earth with their contents that you have ordained.\nA man daily fulfills your commandment in the order and form you have ordained. You have also ordered angels to help and comfort mankind. Above all this, you have vouchsafed to serve man, promising to give him your grace and countless blessings. Grant me help and grace to serve the good Lord all the days of my life, and at least that I may one day serve him worthily. You are worthy to have all service, all honor, and eternal laud and praise. You are my very Lord God, and I am your unworthy and poor servant. I am bound to serve you with all my strengths and never grow weary of your service and praising you. I desire and will it should be so. Thou good Lord, fulfill my desire. Great honor and glory is to serve you and to forsake all earthly things for you. Those who willingly and gladly submit themselves to your service shall have great grace, and those who forsake all worldly things for you shall be rewarded.\n\"besides and do choose the hard and strict way for your love: shall be refreshed with the sweet consolation of the Holy Ghost, shall have great liberty of soul. O thou thankful and joyful submission and service to God, whereby man is made free from sin and holy in the sight of God. O thou holy and high state of religion which makes a man equal to angels, pleasant to Almighty God, and dreadful to devils, and honorable to all faithful people. O thou service worthy always to be desired and held, whereby Almighty God is obtained and everlasting joy and gladness are gained. Some says our Lord to his lover, thou must yet learn many things, thou hast not yet well learned, it is to say that thou order thy desire and affection always after my pleasure, so that thou love not thine own desire or profit but I in all things a covetous lover and follower of my will thou hast many desirous rising and moving thee, but consider well whether thou art moved in them for my honor only or more for thine own advantage or profit. If I be the\"\ncause of thy moving thou shalt be well content with whatever I send to thee. And if anything is hidden in thy desire of thine own will or seeking: that thing is it which annoys and grieves thee outwardly and within both, beware thereof that thou lean not to much to thine own desire, nor counsel me the same thing that before pleased thee, displeases thee afterward. Every thing that man desires is not to be followed immediately, nor every contrary affection which man loathes or hates, to be fled at the first. It is expedient sometimes to use a bridle restraining good affections and other businesses, and to follow the distraction or breakage of man's mind, that thou by thine idiscreet behavior be not an occasion or scandal to others. Also that thou be not suddenly troubled or inquiet by other means resistance. It is sometimes behooveful to a man that he use violence and resist his sensual appetite, and not to give in to what it desires and what not: but rather to imagine him that.\nIt is subject to violence to the soul. This sensual appetite is to be subdued by discipline, making it ready to obey in all things, to reason, having learned to be content with few things necessary without any grasping against any inconvenient thing.\n\nThe devout soul says to God, \"as I feel and understand, patience is full necessary to me, for many contrary chances fall in this life: however I order myself for peace to be had, I cannot have it without battle, and my life cannot be without sorrow and trouble. Our Lord says truly, 'I will not that you seek such peace that lacks temptation and trouble or contradiction.' But count the one who is exercised with various troubles and produced with various adversities to have found peace. If you say that you cannot endure such pains, how can you endure the pains of Purgatory, which are the lesser of the two evils? Therefore endure them.\"\nPatiently endure the adversities and evils of this world or life, which thou mayest avoid the pains following thereafter for thy sake. Do you truly believe that worldly men, who are in wealth and worldly business, suffer no adversity? You will not find such a one, you say, if you present the most delightful person you can find: but you say to me again, They have delightful things and pleasures, and they follow their own will, and therefore they do not consider their troubles: But how is it that they have their desire and in riches and worldly pleasures that they occupy themselves with, how long do you think it will last? Truly, such people who abound in worldly goods and pleasures shall soon fail and vanish, just as the smoke of fire. No remembrance left of their joys before had. Which also, when they lived, was not finally without great anxiety, tediousness, and fear, often receiving great troubles and pain of such things as they had great solace and pleasure in before. For right wisdom follows to such.\nPersons who fulfill not without great confusion and pain the delectations and worldly pleasures which they have before sought and followed with great ordinary delight and pleasure, how short, how vile, and false is the worldly glory and pleasures. Surely they are very false and fleeting, and yet they are not perceived, for the blindness of man's soul, so that man, as a beast unreasonable, for a little pleasure or comfort of this transitory life, rushes into everlasting death of the soul. Therefore, soon flee to follow thy own will always and follow not thy pleasure and desire. Put thy delight and fix thy love in God, and he will grant thee thy petition and desire of heart. Flee all worldly inordinate pleasures and delectations, and thou shalt have abundance and heavenly consolation. And the more thou preservest the from the solace of earthly creatures: the more sweet consolations thou shalt find in almighty God. But first thou must come to such spiritual consolations with great heaviness and lamentation, and with great labor and struggle within thyself.\nAgainst your sensual appetites. Your old sinful custom will oppose you in such spiritual labor, but it shall be vanished and overcome with a better one. He who labors to withdraw himself from obedience withdraws himself from grace, and he who seeks to attain private things neglects common graces and gifts. And he who does not obey his superior: it is a sign that his flesh or body is not perfectly subdued to his soul. Therefore, if you will that your body not be a rebel but subdued to your soul, learn to obey gladly your superior. The sooner your outer enemy is overcome if your inward man is not destroyed or overcome. There is no worse nor more grievous enemy to man than his body if it is not agreeing or consenting to his soul. You must utterly despise yourself if you want to prevail against your body. But you love yourself yet inordinately, and therefore you fear to leave yourself and to subject yourself fully to other men's will. What great thing is it to the soul to overcome the body?\nthat are but earth and nothing to subdue me for God's sake. When I, Almighty God who made all things from nothing, subdued and submitted me humbly to man for your sake. I was made humble that you should learn to overcome your pride through my meekness. Learn to ask to obey. Learn to humble yourself and prostrate yourself under every man's foot by true humility, desiring nothing of yourself. Learn to break your own will and apply yourself to other men's will. Rise against yourself and suffer not pride to reign in you, but be so meek that all men may walk upon you and tread upon you as upon clay in the way. What vain man and wretched sinner complains or gainsays me, or vexes me: which has so often offended your Lord God and so often deserved hell by your sinful living: but my merciful eye and sight have spared you for the love I have for your soul: that you might know how well I love you: and that you should be kind and give yourself to true repentance.\nHumbly and subjectively, I implore you for my sake to endure your contempt and disdain.\nThou good Lord saith the devout soul castigates terribly thy judgments upon me, so that with great fear thou alterest all my body and goods to gather, and my soul is troubled with great fear and dread. I stand astonied and amazed that heavens are not clean in thy sight. If thou findest thy angels defective and impure: and therefore thou didst not spare them, what may I presume? Such people as in seeming had works of commendation have fallen low, and such as were fed with the meat of angels I have seen rejoice in swine's meat. Therefore, there is no holiness in man if thou withdrawest thy hand. No wisdom can avail if thou withdrawest thy hand from governance. No sure chastity is if thou defend it not, nor proper custodianship can profit man: if that the help of God be not there. For if we are forsaken by almighty God, we are drowned and perish.\nAnd if we are visited and helped, we are raised up to life. Of ourselves, we are unstable; but by the good Lord, we are confirmed and made steadfast. We are cold of ourselves; but by Him, we are ascended and kindled in goodness. O how meekly and objectively should I consider myself, how simple and little are my good deeds if I have any. How profoundly ought I to submit myself to Thy highness, I have been exalted before. Lo, in vain is worldly glory vanished by the depths of Thy judgment that Thou hast shown upon me. What is clay or earth in Thy sight, good Lord? But clay or earth has any glorification or pride against its Maker? He that has his heart truly rooted in love and humbles himself in God may be extolled by no vain flattery against His pleasure; nor shall he be moved by any flattery that puts all his hope in God. They that use such flattery are nothing and wretched at the last with the sound of words. But Thy truth, our Lord, shall always abide, and also they with Him who clings to it.\nGood lord, every man in petition making if this thing that I ask is to your pleasure, if it be to your honor and if it is expedient and profitable for me, grant me it and use it to your honor. If you, good lord, know it to be harmful and unfavorable to my soul, take from me such desire. Every desire comes not from the Holy Ghost, and though it may seem good and righteous to man: yet it is hard to judge truly in such things whether it is good spirit or evil, or else man's own soul moves him to desire this thing or not. Therefore, we ought to desire every thing that we ask or desire, with fear of God and humility of heart, and that, for man in all works and desires should commit himself wholly to God with resignation of his own will, saying, \"Good lord, you know what thing is most profitable for me, do with me in every thing according to your pleasure and most honor.\"\nGive me what thou wilt and when thou wilt; put me, good Lord, where thou wilt; and do with me things as thou wilt. I am thy creature always in thy hands, and thy servant ready to thy behest. I desire not to live unto myself but to the good Lord my God and life. I beseech thee, that I may live worthily before thee.\n\nO most benign Jesus, grant me, I beseech thee, in thy grace, that it ever be with me and work in me unto my end, and give me grace ever to desire that which is most acceptable to thy will be my will, and my will ever follow thy will and accord with it, and never disagree from it, so that I may ever affirm myself to thy will. Give me grace to die to the world and to all things in the world, and to love to be unknown in the world for thy sake. Grant me above all desires to rest in thee, the very peace and rest of man's heart. For thou, good Lord, art the peace and rest of man's heart, and without thee all things are hard and inquiete. Therefore I beseech thee that I may ever rest in thee.\n\"Whatever thing I may think or desire for my solace and comfort, I look not for it here but hope to have it hereafter. For if I alone had all the goods and solaces of the world and could enjoy all worldly delights and pleasures, I am assured that they may not endure, nor I with them. Therefore, my soul may not fully be comforted or perfectly satisfied, but only in God Almighty, who is the comforter of the poor and the embracer of meek persons. Therefore, thou, my soul, abide the promises of God Almighty by good living and heavenly desire, and thou shalt have the abundance of all goodness in heaven. For if thou dost inordinately desire or love the goods of this present life, thou shalt lose the heavenly things eternal. Temporal things are to us in use, and heavenly things in desire. Thou mayest not be satisfied with temporal things, for thou art not ordained to joy and rest in them finally. If thou hadest in possession all things created on earth.\"\nthou cannot be blessed in them, but only in God Almighty, the maker of all things, stands thy felicity and beatitude. Not such bliss which is seen and comes from the lovers of the world, but such joy and felicity that good Christian people hope and abide in, which all worldly solace and comfort of man is vain and short, but that comfort perceived inwardly in man's soul truly is blessed here in hope. A devout person bears always about with him in mind his comfort, saying to him inwardly, My Lord Jesus, assist and be near me in every place and time. I beseech thee and that I may be content and comforted in the absence and waiting of all men's solace for the joy of thine. And if thy comfort be absent from me for any time, thy will and righteous probation be to me a whole solace. Be thou not always angry with me, I pray thee.\n\nSome say the Lord to his.\nIf you please, allow me to deal with what pleases me. I know what is expedient for you. You think as a man does in many things, after the desire and affection of the mind. Good lord, say the loving soul to God. It is true that you have said. Your business for me is more than all my charge can be for myself. He stands casually and unstably, not casting all his business in my will. It may not be evil that you do or will have done about me. If you will that I be in darkness or blessed with light, your will be done. Blessed be you.\n\nSays the son. If you will walk with me, you must be ready to suffer as well as to rejoice: you must as gladly endure poverty and adversity as prosperity. And to have riches and wealth, the lover of God says, I am ready to take from your hand whatever you send me, and as gladly.\nI shall take you, by your grace, as good or better than sweet things, and heavy things as glad and worthy of your goodness for every chance that you will give me. I beg of you to keep me from all sin, and then I shall neither fear death nor hell. Do not cast me out of the depths of your mercy, nor remove me from the book of life. Nothing shall disturb me, whatever hardships or troubles come to me.\n\nSome say the Lord to his lover, \"I descended from heaven for your health and salvation. I took upon me your miseries, not out of necessity but out of fatherly love and kindness. I did not inflict heavily temporal miseries upon you, nor did I bear them grudgingly. From the hour of my birth until my death on the cross, I never ceased to suffer afflictions, poverty, and lack of temporal things. I heard great complaints made about me, suffered benignly through confusion and reproofs, received unkindness for my benefits, and showed my miracles.\"\nReceived blasphemes for my doctrine. I had reprehensions. Good lord says the devout soul to God: \"As much as you have found patience in all your life, full of virtue with other the commandment of your father, it is worthy that I, an unworthy wretch, be patiently endure all things. I shall bear the burden of this corruptible life as long as you will, for the health of my soul: for though this present life is tedious, yet it is made meritorious and easy by grace. And the more tolerable and dear by your blessed example of holy living and your holy sufferings. Also, this present life is more delightful and comfortable than it was to the fathers of the old law, to whom the gate of heaven was shut so that none might enter, however righteous and wise they were. Unto the suffering of your holy passion and death, whereby you made man free from everlasting death and gave them who served truly here in this mortal life free entrance into the kingdom of heaven. O good lord, what thanks can I render to you?\"\nAnd I am bound to give the which you have shown to me and is to all faithful people the true and righteous way to your everlasting kingdom in heaven. For your holy life that you lead is a way for us to follow, and by holy patience we walk towards the one who is our crown. For if you had not gone before us and shown us the ways of patience and virtue, who would have followed them? Alas, how many would have stood back far from such virtues if they had not seen and beheld your virtuous examples: we are yet slow in resisting and in accepting your great teachings and marvels. And what should we do if such light of example were not?\n\nGod Almighty says (is produced very patient to his servant, tedious and weary of temptation: what do you say, son. Cease of your complaints, consider my (with other saints) grievous passion. You have not yet resisted in suffering of your troubles to the effusion of your blood as we did. You have suffered little in comparison to those who suffered so many.\nyou have experienced some strong trials and tribulations, as well as other hardships that have tested and examined you. Therefore, you must remember the great things others have suffered before you, so that you may bear your small troubles more easily. If your troubles and other hardships seem great, be patient and endure them without any grumbling. The wiser you act and the more easily you endure, the more merit there will be in not complaining. I cannot endure this person; he has caused me great harm and dishonors me with such things. I never thought I could endure such a person, but I can endure other people and other things as I should. Such thoughts and obstacles consider not the virtue of patience nor the reward thereof, but rather the persons and offenses done to him. He is not very patient who will endure nothing unless it is said to him.\nAnd of such as he calls suffering. A very patient person ponders the nature of whom or what kind of person good or evil prelate or fellow he is provoked to suffer any hardship or injury: but whenever adversity or wrong falls to him, a true patient person takes it patiently and with thanks as from the hand of God, and so doing he wins great merit. For nothing is so small that it does not merit suffering for God's sake. Therefore, be ready to suffer adversities and to fight against your impatient proud heart if you want victory. You cannot get well from patience without a fight. If you will not suffer adversities, you refuse to be crowned; therefore, if you want to be crowned, you must fight and strive with yourself strongly and suffer patiently such evils. For without labor, no man may come to rest. Nor without a fight, no man may have victory. Therefore, good Lord, I beseech you by your grace to make it possible for me and in me that.\nI see it as impossible for me by nature. You know that I am ill-tempered and often cast down by little adversity, raised again. I beg you, good lord, that all manner of trouble or adversity you shall send me: may be commendable and desired for your holy name, for to suffer adversities is very healthful and meritorious for my soul. I know my iniquity against me; I am right weak and unsteady. Good lord, you know the thing, I am often discharged and cast down. It is of little value or weight that I purpose to stand firm in doing well. But when a little temptation assails me, I am greatly afflicted. The thing that moves and tempts me grievously is but vile, and when I think myself a little more certain of little rest that I sometimes had, I find myself soon overcome by a little blast of temptation. Therefore, good lord, behold my frailty, know it in all things that I am produced by. Have mercy on me, I beg of you, and deliver me from the filth of sin that I may not be.\nI have great remorse and am often confounded by my inability to master my passions. Though they do not draw me to the consent of sin, their persistence and continual insisting is right grievous and heavy to me. It is right distasteful to live in battle and strife. Wicked and abominable fantasies rise in me sooner than they go or pass, wherefore I beseech the almighty and lover of faithful souls to behold with thy gracious countenance the labor and affliction of me thy servant, and assist me with thy merciful help in all needs, and strengthen me with heavenly strength, that the temptation of my flesh or my wretched body not yet fully subdued to my spirit may not have dominion over my spirit, against whom I must fight continually while I live in this miserable life. Alas, what manner of life is this: where tribulations and miseries abide where all places are full.\nFor when one temptation or trouble ceases, another comes. The first conflict or trouble, which is impending, as well as many others that suddenly arise. How can this life be beloved that has so many bitter experiences and is full of mysteries: how can it be called a life that generates so many deaths and spiritual infections, and yet it is believed in and delighted in with great joy and idleness? The world is often reproved for being deceitful and vain. And yet it is not easily forsaken while the carnal desire of the flesh reigns: some things in the world induce man to love it, and some other things to despise it. The carnal desire of man's flesh, the desire of man's eye, and the pride of his heart, but the pains and mysteries following generate hate and contempt of the world, yet for all such mysteries, the evil delight of the mind given to worldly pleasure overcomes the heavenly desire, and such carnal delight considers felicity to be beneath such sensual pleasure. For\nSuch neither saver nor taste the sweetness of God, nor inward joy of virtue. Those who despise the world and study to live and serve God under holy discipline, they taste the savour of heavenly things promised to such gostly lives. They also see clearly the error and deceit of the world.\n\nO Thou my soul, rest thou above all things in our Lord God, for He is the eternal rest of saints. Give me sweet Jesus, most loving of all other graces, to rest in Thee above all other creatures, above all health and beauty, above all glory, honor, power, and dignity: above all riches, cunning, subtilty or crafts, above all gladness, joy, fame, or laude: above all sweetness, consolation, hope, or promise: above all merit, desire, or gifts: that Thou mayst give to me, body or soul, above all joy or jubilation that man's mind may feel and comprehend. And above all heavenly spirits with all other things visible and invisible that is not Thyself, for Thou, good Lord, among all things art best, highest, most excellent.\nmyghty and most sufficient: thou art most sweet, fairest, most lovable, most noble, and glorious above all others, in whom all other gods are perfectly fitting. And therefore whatever thou givest me (except thyself), it is insufficient: for my heart may not truly rest nor be content but in thee, who surpasses every creature. O my most amiable spouse, Christ Jesus, most pure lover and lord of every creature, grant me, I pray, the wings of utter freedom that I may fly and rest in my fervent love and desire. O what shall it be given to me fully to understand and see how sweet and good my lord God is? When shall I fully gather myself in thee, that for thy love I shall not feel myself but thee alone who exceeds all knowledge and measure? Now I often sorrow and mourn and bear myself in felicity: and lamentably I am in great misery with heavy sorrows. For many evils assail me in this valley of misery, they sorely trouble me and also often blind me, destroy me, and hinder me, that I may not have.\nI have faithfully cleaned the text as per your requirements:\n\n\"I have free access to thee: have not Thou sweet embracing that the blessed spirits have continually with all joy and delight. I pray Thee that my sighs and inward desires with my manyfold desolations may move Thy goodness to incline to my desires. O Jesus, the light and clarity of everlasting glory, the solace and comfort of wandering souls: my soul speaks to Thee with still desire: and my mouth without voice, how long dost Thou tarry, my Lord God, to come to me Thy poor servant, to my consolation and gladness. Send Thy hand and power to deliver me from all anguish. Come good Lord, for what else can I have but unhappy days and hours, Thou art my joy and without Thee my mind and body are void. I am a wretch and as a prisoner fettered without comfort till the time that I may be refreshed with Thy presence and so restored to liberty. Show me therefore Thy favor and gracious presence. Let others seek Thee for what they will, nothing pleases me but Thou, Lord God, Thou art my\"\nI hope and pray for your eternal health. I shall not cease to call upon you until you return to me by your grace and speak to me inwardly, saying, \"Lo, I am here, come to thee for thou didst call me.\" Your tears and the desire of my soul, my humiliation and contrition of heart, have made me inclined and brought me to thee. And I again to my Lord, good Lord, I call upon you and have desired to rejoice in all other things left behind for thee. Thou, Lord, didst first excite me to seek thee; blessed art thou that hast wrought such goodness in thy servant after thy great mercy. What more should thy servant do or say before thee, but to humble himself before thee, mindful of his own frailty and weakness. None is like unto thee, Lord, in all thy marvelous creatures, heaven and earth. All thy works that thou hast wrought are very good, and thy judgments right and true. Praise and glory be to thee who art the wisdom of the heavenly Father. My soul, my mouth, with all my being, may love thee.\nThee and praise Thee with all other creatures without end. Amen.\n\nGod, open my heart in Thy law and in Thy precepts make me to walk. Make me altogether to understand Thy will and pleasure, and diligently to consider with reverence Thy benefits, both in general and in particular, that I may duly thank Thee. I know and confess for truth that I cannot give to Thee due thanks for the least benefit Thou bestowest, and am unworthy thereof, since I consider Thy excellence and nobleness. All things we have in body or soul, within or without, naturally or supernaturally, we have of Thy gift, and all that come to us from whom all goodness comes. Though some perceive of Thy larger mercies or benefits, and some fewer: yet all that we have comes from Thee, and the least gift may not be had without Thee. He who receives more bountifully of Thy graces may not toy with them as if they were his own merits, nor may he exalt himself unworthily.\nabove, other is not more virtuous or the poor, for he who ascribes not to himself nor to his merits but only to the goodness of God is more meek and in giving thanks to God more devout, and he who for such prerogatives reproaches himself most vile and unworthy of others: he is more apt to perceive the hand of almighty God bestowing larger gifts, and he that perceives fewer gifts of God ought not therefore to be heavy, nor wrathful, nor envious against his richer: but he ought rather to take the goodness of God that so freely and so abundantly gives to his creatures without any personal consideration. All this comes from God. Therefore, you are to be greatly revered and praised in all things, you know good Lord what thing is expedient to be given to every man, and why this person receives more from your largesse, and another less: it signifies nothing to us but to you alone to discern the merits of each man. I consider it a great benefit given to me by your goodness.\nyou have not great gifts whereby I should have any vain praise or recognition from the people. So if a man considers well his vileness, poverty, and great indigence, he would not be heavy and troubled in himself, but he would rather take great consolation and soulful gladness from it, for the good Lord chooses and continually chooses the poor and humble, whom the world despises for His service and family, as is shown manifestly by the apostles, singularly chosen by whom You made princes of all the world, who, not withstanding their conversion and living, were without reproach among men of humble and simple disposition without deceit and malice, and who suffered gladly for Your name, reproach and scourging, and grievous pains unto death at the last, which are horrible and despised by worldly people. Therefore, there ought to be nothing so glad to Your lover and knower of Your benefits as Your will to be fulfilled in him, and the pleasure of Your eternal disposition, of which he ought to be so well content and pleased.\nAt the ordiance of God, it is to Him as dear to be the least and lowest, as another desires to be highest and most reputed; and to be content and pleased with the lowest place, as another is with the highest and worldly position. For Thy love and will, good Lord, ought to excel all other things and more to please man than all other benefits given or to be given to man.\n\nA man should rather study to do and follow another man's will than his own. Another chooses to have less of temporal goods or worships rather than more. The third chooses ever the lower seat or place and to be beneath always, not above. The fourth desires that God's will be done in such a person who enters the ends of peace and rest.\n\nLord says the devout soul, Your word said is short and contain great perfection. It is little and short in pronunciation and full in sense and truth. If I could well keep it, I should not be so soon.\nI am troubled and grieved often, yet I find in myself that I frequently stray from this doctrine, O good Lord, that all may love and profit from the increase of Thy grace in me, so that I may apply Thy word to my salvation.\n\nLord God, I beseech Thee not to be long absent from me, but ever give heed to me in helping me. Vain thoughts have risen again in me with many terrors that have troubled me. How shall I pass unharmed? And how shall I break them and escape, but if Thou helpest? Thou sayest to Thy servant, \"I shall go before thee, and I shall humble those who rejoice and trust in earthly glory. I shall open to thee the gates of darkness and I shall show Thee My secrets. Do good, Lord, as Thou promise, dwell in me and chase from me all wicked and evil thoughts. My hope and refuge is to flee to Thee in every tribulation and to call upon Thee inwardly for peaceful abiding and Thy consolation.\n\nO Thou good Thee, clarify me with the clarity of everlasting light.\nchase from my heart all manners of darkness, stabilize the great vacillations of my mind that I suffer, break and destroy the violent temptations that assail me, fight strongly for me and drive away the evil beasts, that is to say my lecherous inclinations, it I am moved and tempted by,\nmay peace be with me by your virtue and might,\nso that the Lord may dwell in the hall of my soul, command the winds and tempests of trouble and temptation to cease, and say to the north wind that it blow not,\nand then there will be great tranquility,\nsend out your light of truth that it may shine upon the earth, for I am as the earth, weak and bare to be illuminated by you,\nsend out your grace from above, anoint my heart with your celestial grace, send in to me the terrors of devotion to moisten and wet my dry soul, that it may bring forth the good fruit and the fruit of God's working,\nraise up my mind, which is oppressed with the burden of sin, and suspect my desire to be holy and heavenly.\nThings that have tasted the sweetness of heavenly felicity, I loathe to think of earthly things. They rouse me from the unsteadfast consolation of all creatures, for no created thing can fully satisfy my appetite. Join me, good Lord, in the unity of inseparable love, for you alone suffice for your lover, and without you all other things are in vain and of no value.\n\nSome say God speaks to his lover: Be not curious to seek vanities or evil questions of other men's behavior in word or deed, follow me in that which pertains to you, or what this man is or that, or else what this man does or says, and what it is, you shall not give account for other men's deeds but for your own self. Therefore, you do wrap yourself in such vain questions. I know every man by his behavior, and I see every thing under the sun I know what each has deserved in word or deed, for he cannot deceive me. Desire not great fame outside, nor great family ties with people, nor any private.\nI love any person for these thin distractions of the mind and great errors and darkness of the heart. I would speak to you gladly with my words and my countenance and secrets, if you would diligently obey from your heart to me. Be provident and wakeful in prayers, humbling yourself in all things.\n\nOnce I said to my disciples, I leave peace with you and give you my peace. I give you my peace not as the world gives peace now, now troubles and war, all people desire peace but not all seek the very things it is. Humble and innocent persons and their peace will be much more peaceful. If you will hear me and follow my word, you shall have much peace in all your works. Take heed what you do or say, not of things that are not pertaining to it, and thus doing, you shall little or seldom be troubled, never to suffer any heaviness or perturbation of body or soul. Longs not this life to this, but to the estate of the life to come, where quietness and peace are.\nnattherwise you have found very peace because you feel no heaviness or grief, nor think that all is well if you have no adversary or suffer contradiction, nor regard it as perfect because all things are done according to your mind and desire, nor regard yourself as beloved or in favor or grace with almighty God if you have any gift of sweetness or devotion. A true lover of virtue is not known in such things, nor does the profit or perfection of man stand in such, but rather in this: that you offer yourself with all your heart to the will of God, not seeking your goods or your own will to be done in little or much, but taking evenly with thanks prosperous things and adversities, weighing all in a like balance. If you are so strong in hope that when you lack consolation in war, you prefer to endure greater things than before, not regarding yourself as righteous or holy: then you walk in.\nthe true and right way of peace is to see my face in everlasting joy, and if you come to the full contempt of yourself, you shall have the habituation of the Lord. This is the work of a perfect man, never to lose his soul from the speculation or sight of heavenly things, and to go among many busynesses as without all busyness, not as an idle man, but by a pure most good and almighty God preserve me from the busy necessities of this life. I am not overly caught by the manifold necessities of my body that I am not caught by the lust of the body. I beseech you from all manner of impediments and enemies to my soul, that I am not cast down and broken by outrageous heavens, not by such vanities as the world desires busily, but by such miseries as the commandment of mankind grievously torments them, they may not have liberty of soul to be joined to it as they would. Good Lord, turn all carnal things away and enter and draw me by false pretenses of goodness from it.\n\"Cooperate and love of everlasting things prevent me from being overcome by fleshly lust. Do not discredit me by the world or its short-lived glory and pomp. Do not let me be supplanted or deceived by the crafts and deceits of the devil. Grant me the strength to resist all evil. Patience to endure adversities and steadfastness of perseverance. For all worldly consolations, grant me the sweet, gracious union of the Holy Ghost, and for all carnal love, let the love of your holy name be in my soul. Provide me with food, drink, clothing, and other necessities for the body. These bodily comforts are painful and burdensome to a fervent spirit. Grant me, good Lord, to use such bodily comforts moderately, so that I am not carried away by outrageous desire for such things. To forsake all such bodily necessities is not lawful for me, for nature must be sustained. But to seek such things in excess or things more delightful than necessary, the holy law forbids it. Otherwise, the flesh of man would rebel against the soul.\"\nAmong all such things, good Lord, I beseech Thee that Thou wouldst grant and govern me ever, that I admit no such things in superfluity. If thou wilt possess God Almighty to dwell in thy soul, thou must eschew and forsake all thy will for Him. So only thou give thy will wholly to His will, for the proper love of thyself is more destructive to thee than any earthly thing after thine affection and love thou incline to every thing more or less, if thy love be pure, simple, and well ordered, thou shalt not be overcome by inordinate desire of such earthly things. Covet not such things as it is unlawful for thee to have. Nor yet have thou not in deed or in desire that thing which shall hinder thee or thy inward liberty of thy soul. I have marvel said God to his lover: \"Man gives not himself to me with all his heart, but with the rest.\" Other things that he has or desires to have, why art thou discontented with superfluous busyness or desire? Why is man wasted by vain heavens? Let go.\nIf he stands to my pleasure and will, and then he shall feel no sorrow or harm, if you seek this or that, or to be here or there for your profit or comfort, you shall never be free from the busyness of your mind. For in everything besides me is some defect of goodness, and no place is empty of adversity. Therefore, set aside transitory and worldly things, riches or worships multiplied in death or desire, they do not help a man's soul but rather the contempt and hate of such things profit in the acceptance against God. For all such things will pass away with the world. The place that a man desires little helps him, if the spirit of charity and grace is not with him, and such peace as man seeks without it shall not last long if it lacks the very foundation of stability, that is, if man does not stand in God Almighty, who is the source of all stability. He may change his place but he shall not be deprived of his soul, for wherever a man flees, he shall find such [place].\nOccasions as he flees.\nConfirm me, good lord, by thy grace, and make me sad in virtue inwardly in soul, make my heart void of all unprofitable business, and not be drawn or led by the unstable desire of anything whatsoever it be, vile or pleasing: but to conceive all this together with myself as transitory, nothing under the sun is stable and permanent but all is vanity and fleeting to man's soul. How wise is he that understands and perceives this? Grant me, good lord, heavenly wisdom, that I may learn to seek and to find the above all other things to conceive and love the above all things, and to understand all other things as they are after the order of thy wisdom. Give me grace to bear prudently the prosperity and pleasure of the world, and patiently to suffer adversity, for it is great wisdom not to be moved by any blast of wind nor to attend to any flattering tale.\n\nSome say our lord to his lover,\nThou shalt not be heavy if a man speaks ill or has an ill opinion of thee.\nI would not gladly remain here, for you ought to judge yourself to be worse and more vile in disposition than others are, if you gather yourself so inwardly. You shall not greatly be affected by flying words. It is not a little argument for proud or wise men to keep silence in times of ill said or done to them, and to convert themselves inwardly to God and not to be inquisitive about men's judgments. Let not your peace be in men's words, whether they speak well of you or ill. Where is true peace and true glory but in God? He who desires neither to please men nor fears to displease them shall finally have great peace. In Thy holy name, good Lord, grant me peace until the tempest has passed, and better fortune follows. God Almighty, thou mayest take from me this temptation, if it is thy pleasure, that I not be overcome thereof as thou hast often done. The harder it seems to me to suffer such temptation, the nearer is thy right.\nHad to change it. Some say our Lord to his lover: I am thy Lord, God: I comfort my servants in the day of trouble; come therefore to me when it is not well with thee; it lets thee have consolation from above: that thou slowly fallest to prayer for a remedy; for before thou prayest to me devoutly for help and consolation, thou seekest many inward consolations for thy refreshment which all avail nothing to thee in wardly matters; that I alone deliver and help in need to those who trust in me; and without me there is no viable or profitable counsel or remedy durable and abiding; but resume thy spirit and be comforted in the light of my mercy, for I am to be ruinous not only to the state that they were in before, but also to their perfection; nothing is to me hard or impossible; I am not like the one who says more than thou dost; for my word and deed is alone. Where is thy faith? Stand firmly and perseveringly in thy faith and my service; be strongly.\n\"abiding in me and you shall have comfort in due time. A little temptation tests you, and a vain fear that terrifies you. Why are you preoccupied with things or chances not yet at hand but for coming, which only increases your heaviness? It is sufficient for the day to bear his wickedness. It is in vain or idle to be troubled or to be glad at the advent of things that may never come. Many codicies are to be discarded by such imaginations. It is a token of an unstable soul, which is so easily led from God by the enemy's suggestion. He can deceive by true suggestions or false ones. He throws down by the blind love of these things present or by fear of things for coming. Do not be afraid or disbelieving in soul. Trust in my mercy when you think yourself far from me. I am often nearer than when you think yourself lost. All this is not lost.\"\nwhat thou feelest contradictory thoughts in thy mind, thou should not judge according to thy selfish feeling nor take every veracity hope never to escape it. Repute not all that I said to you as forsaken. For by such tribulations it has come to the kingdom of heaven. It is more expedient for thee and for my other servants to be produced in adversities than to have each thing according to their will. I know the hidden thoughts of many. It is expedient for thy health and salvation to be left some time to thyself without ghostly savior, that thou be not inflated by pride and lifted up above thyself, thinking to be better than thou art in deed. I may take away what I please that I give to any man, and restore it to them when I will. What I give any gift or grace to any person, it is mine that I give. And when I withdraw it, I take but my own. For all goods and every perfect gift is mine if I send any trouble, bodily or spiritual, distress not thyself therefrom, nor let not thine heart fall thereby into great heaviness. For I\nmay some lift up again and charge your heavens with joy / nevertheless, I am righteous and much in need of being received and loved when I send you such adversity or scourges / if you will understand this, you ought never to be sad for the adversities that I spoke of, but rather to take me and regard it as a singular joy that I spare you in such painful afflictions that I send you / for I said to my disciples, \"I love you as my father loved me / though I said to you into the world not to have joys of the world but great battles / not to have worldly honors but to despise not to be idle but to labor / not to have rest but to gather much fruit of saved people into the barn or church of God like as I was sent to do also /\"\n\nLord God says, a devoted soul to our Lord, I have need to have more grace than I have yet if I should come there where no man or creature shall hinder me / for as long as any creature retains me by looking upon your love, I may not flee to the freely desired place.\nWho shall give me wings as a dove, that I may fly and rest in perfection? What is more quiet and restful than a simple eye? And who flies more freely into the knowledge and love of God than he who desires nothing here on earth? He who will remain in elevation of mind and so behold the good Lord, the maker of all things, must overcome every creature and forsake himself, considering his Lord to have nothing like him, but rather to love all creatures in his love. And if a man is free and detached from worldly love of all creatures, he may not freely lift himself up by contemplation and love of heavenly things. Therefore few people are found contemplative, for few are found who fully sequester themselves from earthly things that are but transitory. Contemplation requires great grace, for by grace a man must rise above himself in the deed of contemplation, and if he is lifted up in spirit above all earthly creatures.\nbe holy and unwilling to God Almighty, whatever he can or has of virtue is of little price before God, he shall be of little virtue and lie long in the earth that reputes or prays for anything except only eternal goods which he had of God Almighty, and whatever thing is not God Almighty or referred to Him is nothing, and to be accounted for nothing. Great difference is between the wisdom of a devout and illuminated person of God, and the learning of a cleric or student. For doctrine is more worthy and better that comes by the influence of God than that which comes by the labor of man's wit. Many desire to come to contemplation but few study for such things as are required therefor, and a great impediment thereto is that we stand in signs and in sensible things and labor not to mortify ourselves from them, nor to despise them perfectly before as we should do. How is it, and with what spirit are we led? I know not that those are reputed spiritual persons, & yet we labor more.\nabout vain and transitory things, we seldom labor or think inwardly about them, suspecting our outward senses. As a result, we do not attend to them, nor do we regret our unworthy and sinful deeds. And when our inward affection is corrupted, the deeds following and proceeding from it are necessarily corrupt. A clean heart produces good deeds and virtuous living. Every man seeks the deed he can do or does, but how virtuous is such a man? That is not so gently or diligently sought after. For example, a rich man, a strong man, a good laborer, a good writer, a good singer, a fair man or woman, or an able person - every man gently and diligently seeks these things. But how meek in soul is such a person? How patient, devout, or well-disposed inwardly is he? No inquiry is made about these qualities. Nature shows the outward goodness of man, but grace...\nforsake yourself to the inward virtues of man/nature is often misunderstood, but the soul trusts in God that it is not deceived. Some say our Lord, you may not have perfect liberty unless you utterly forsake yourself, abandon all proprietaries and lovers of yourself, and are fettered and not free. Covetous, curious, and vainglorious people seek riches, honors, and delectable things and not those that pertain to Jesus Christ. Such people often feign and counterfeit such things as are not stable, but all things shall perish if they are not begun and caused by God. Hold well this short word: forsake all things for God, and you shall find all things. Forsake covetousness and you shall find rest. Diligently cast this thing out of your mind, and you shall understand all things. This is not a one-day work nor a light thing to attain. For all the perfection of religion is corrupted therein. Do not be easily discouraged or cast down by despair, whatever ways you hear.\n\"People should rather be provoked to action and at least intensify their deep desire for it, I would have you come there not because you love yourself carnally but because you would follow my counsel in all things. You would not be as I said, and your entire life should be led with joy and peace. You have many things to forsake and leave behind, which if you truly leave and resign to me, you will not attain what you desire. I counsel you to buy of my bright gold; it is heavenly wisdom that despises earthly things. Lay aside all earthly wisdom and all inordinate pleasure of yourself or any other, and you shall have heavenly wisdom therefore. This wisdom, though it be reputed little worth in the earth and by earthly people, yet it is a precious pearl hidden from many and greatly desired by many.\"\n\nSome say, \"Do not trust too much to your own wit and affection, which is here now there, soon changed from one thing to another.\"\nA man is changeable and subject to mutability as long as you live. Now you will be glad, now heavy, now well pleased and content, and soon discover, now devout and soon undevout, now busy in mind and work, now light and merry, and soon after sad and troubled. But a wise man and one well taught in soul stands stable in all such mutations, not attending to what he feels in himself or of what party the wind of his stability blows, but rather that all the intention of his soul and mind may come and profit to the due and best end. In this way, a man can always remain one abide holy as long as the simple intent of his soul among all such variations is not undermined but directly toward me continually. The more pure and clean the intention of men's souls is, the more steadfastly they go among such storms and troubles. But the pure eye of man's soul is easily made dark. A man lightly beholds a delectable object presented to him.\nAn one the soul is infected by unquenchable fire, for seldom such persons are entirely and unfettered from the venom of their own seeking, as we read by example of the Jews who came to Marcia, Mary, and not to John only, but to see Lazarus. Behold, my lord God, and behold all things, what thing may I more graciously and better to my beatitude desire, O thou savior and sweet wood to thy lovers, my lord God and all things? I say not that he is the world or the transitory goods of the world, which is not to be loved, but God in all things the which word often repeated gives great gladness to the lover of God. When thou art present, good lord, all things are pleasing to man, and if thou art absent from him, things are tedious to him. Thou good lord alone makest a peaceful heart and also great gladness and soleful joy in man's soul. Thou makest a man.\n\"Feel well of all things and love them in all ways, and without your goodness nothing can please man. But if anything is thankful and pleasing to man, your grace must be present and wisdom, good Lord, if your grace pleases any man, what thing will not be delightful to him? And if your goodness does not please me, what may be joyful to me? Truly nothing: but fools fawn in your wisdom, good Lord, and they like those who savor fleshly desires. For in such wisdom and wicked ways are many vanities and spiritual death follows. And they that follow the sweet and blessed Lord by contempt of the world and by mortifying their body or bodily lusts are known to be wise, for they are transformed from vanity to truth and from carnality to spirituality. To such persons does almighty God sweetly savor, and whatsoever goodness or delight they find in any creature they refer all to your laud and praise.\"\nDifference and discord are between the savior and sweetness of almighty God, the maker of all, and the savior of the thing made by him. There is also a difference between eternity and time, and between infinite light create and light illumined by God. O thou light, thy joyful shining purify, clarify, and quicken my spirit with thy powers, to incline and be joined to me from unprofitable excesses. O when shall that blessed hour come most desired, what I shall be satiated and replenished with thy blessed peace, that thou may be to me all pleasures possible to be desired. For as long as that gift is not given to me, my full joy shall not be. It is my old man, that is to say, my body, living in me by its venomous concupiscence, strongly coaxing against my soul, it moves inward battles and suffers not its reign to be at rest but thou good Lord, thou hast had right hold of me, for I have no other hope but thee, who art my Lord.\nSome say our Lord God to his lover thou shalt never be safer or surer in this life than as long as thou livest here. Spurring armor shall be necessary to thee amongst thine enemies, and on every side thou art troubled and vexed. Therefore, if thou usest not on every hand the shield of peace, thou shalt not be long unwounded. More over, if thou puttest not thy heart steadfast in me and to suffer with good and devout will all manner of things for the love of me, thou mayst not suffer this ardor nor come unto the crown and reward of blessed soul. Thou must therefore pass manfully over all such things and use a mighty hand against things contrary to thee. For a conqueror is promised and granted in reward angels' food, and to a sleuthful and an idle man is ordained great misery. If thou seekest here rest, how shalt thou come to everlasting rest but rather to great peace against adversaries continually insisting? Quieta non movere (I hold the peace). They give not here to great rest but rather to great peace against adversaries.\nSeek therefore true peace here on earth, but only in heaven where it is not in man or in other creatures, but in God alone. Thou oughtest, for the love of God, to suffer gladly all labors, sorrows, temptations, and vexations, necessities, infirmities, injuries, and reproaches. These things help to purchase virtues; these things prove the knight of Christ and make him worthy of the celestial crown. I shall say, our Lord God, yield to my servant, he who serves me in such a way as is spoken of everlasting reward for a little and short labor, and glory infinite for a little confusion. Do you say, our Lord, to your servant that he shall have continual consolations at his will? My saints had not such consolations continuous, but many diverse temptations and great persecutions. But with patience they overcame all such troubles, trusting more in me than in themselves in such pains, knowing with the apostle that:\n\"People of this present life are not worthy to receive the glory of heaven. Wouldst thou have that anon which many before have scarcely obtained after many weeping tears and great labor? Abide patiently the gracious coming of our Lord. Labor much in his service the works of right wisdom. Put your comfort in God, not in him. But stand strongly in faith and go not from his service which he has called you to. And I shall be with you all your troubles, and I shall fully reward all that suffer or do for me.\n\n\"Son says our Lord to his lover, cast your heart and love steadfastly upon your Lord God, and fear not what man judges in thee, where your conscience yields the devoted and innocent. It is good and blessed to suffer and to be heavy to a humble person who trusts more in God than in himself. Many people say many things, and therefore little faith is to be given but to satisfy all men. It is impossible, and though St. Paul the apostle\"\nHe labored to please all people in God, making himself meet and apt to all men's conditions for their salvation and profit. Yet he set little by men's displeasure or opposition. He labored diligently for other men's education and salvation, but suffered others to judge or despise him. He could not help it and therefore committed himself and all his labors to Almighty God, who knows all things and what is best for man. He defended himself by patience and humility against all his adversaries and slanderers. He answered sometimes by word and writing against his detractors, lest he be slandered by them. What art thou that dreadest a more tall man, who tomorrow may not appear? Fear God and thou shalt not fear man's terrors, for any man can work evil by words or injuries. He shall rather harm himself than harm. Fear not the judgments of God, whoever he may be. Have God always before thee.\n\"Strive not against such confusing words, and though you seem for a time overcome and confused, contrary to your deservings, do not despair with them. Rather, hold me fast that I may deliver every man from confusion and injury, and reward every man according to his merits and labors. Our Lord God says to his servant, \"Forsake yourself,\" and you shall find me standing with you outside the eleventh. Lord says the disciple to his Lord God. How often and in what things shall I forsake myself? I say to the son, that you shall every hour and in every thing, great and small, forsake and make yourself naked; or, How may you be mine and I thine? But if you forsake your proper will in all things within and without, the sooner you do so, the better it will be with you, the more fully you forsake yourself with all other things, the better you will please me and the more you will win some religious people with others, do not forsake yourself fully.\"\nbut with some exceptions, such trust not to God Almighty, and therefore they endeavor to provide for themselves in something, some offer themselves and all theirs to God, but at the first temptation, they return the grace of my joyful family relationship. But if they make a whole resignation and a daily oblation of themselves and all theirs first, without which the one who longs for my fruition cannot be had, I have often said, forsake yourself and resign perfectly, and you shall enjoy inward peace. Give all for ask, seek nothing again from them whom you have forsaken for me, but stand holy and firmly in me, not doubting anything, and you shall have me. You shall be free in soul. Darkness shall not possess you, nor any spirit of darkness have power over you. Indue yourself with Jesus Christ, your Savior, and\nbe delivered from all manner of property and nakedness of all ambition and possession. Follow naked Jesus Christ.\nthat thou die to thyself and the world, and live to me eternally. Thou shalt abandon all vain fantasies, wicked troubles, and superfluous busynesses. Also thou shalt overcome immoderate fear and love moderately. One says that our Lord speaks to his lover: \"You ought with diligence to give heed, that in every occupation and outward deed you be free within yourself, having power over yourself, so that all things are under you and you not under them. That you be lord and leader of your works, not servant, but as a true Hebrew or Christian going to the sort of children of God, who stand above the present things of the world and behold the eternal gods of heaven. These people are not drawn by worldly goods to inordinate love of them, but rather they draw such temporal goods as God sends them and order them to good deeds, like God Almighty has ordained.\nthe left nothing unsettled in the whole world. If thou art to say if you stood not at the judgment of thy bodily eye or ere, but a none as thou perceivest such a thing, if thou enter with Moses into the tabernacle of thy soul by devout prayer to counsel our Lord, thou shalt here sometime the sweet answer of God Almighty and thou shalt return again to thyself instructed of many things present and to come. Moses ever had a recourse to the tabernacle of God for doubts and questions to be assuaged, and he fled to the subsidy of prayer for perils and the unreasonable Viol- Iosue with the children of Israel was deceived by the Gabonytis because they gave light credence to their sweet words and did not consult with our Lord by oracle as they should have done before they had granted them anything.\n\nOne says that our Lord to his lover: come to me always, and I shall well dispose for the when time becoming shall be, abide my ordinance and thou shalt find profit thereby.\nMy lord God says, \"I gladly commit to your goodness myself and all my desires and necessities, for my pride may little avail. I beseech you, I cannot comprehend much of the events that follow, but I offer myself to your pleasure soon. God says, 'I often pursue the thing I desire and when I come to it, I begin otherwise to feel in it, for man's affections and desires about one thing are not enduring and lasting. But now, set upon this thing and now upon that, the profit of man is to forsake himself and commit himself to God, for such a man is very free and secure. But our enemy and contrary to all goodness ceases not of his temptations, but day and night he makes grievous assaults to catch us unawares by his deceitful snares. Lord, what is man that you have such a mind of him or the son of man who dares to appear before your grace? What merit was or is in him?\"\nman you grant thy grace to what may I comply if thou forsake me or what may I rightfully say against thee if thou grant me not that I ask of thee, set thou grantest all goodness of thine own goodness and liberality and without the deserving of man. Surely this I may think and say of myself that I am nothing of value that I have no goodness of myself but that I am sufficient and frail in all things and go to nothing ever, and but I am held by the good Lord and informed within my soul by the Holy Spirit, I shall be made all disolute. Thou good Lord abidest always one being and every where good, righteous and holy, working all things well righteously and holily, and disposing all thy works in my wisdom, but I, wretch that I am, am always more prone and ready to fail than to profit in virtue and goodness. Am not abiding ever in one state, for the righteous man is troubled seven times in a day by sin. Neither shall it be well with me again if it pleases thy goodness to help me. For thou.\nalone I, a helpless servant, can only rely on the Lord in all necessities and make myself meek and stable, so that I shall not be disturbed here and there or from one thing to another. But my heart may be turned and rest in the only one. And if I would cast away all human consolation, either for devotion to be had or else to seek your comfort and goodness for the needs that are imposed upon me, for no man can help or comfort me as you can, then I might well trust in your grace and rejoice in the gift of your new consolation. I take the Lord, the author and giver of all goodness, as often as any good chance comes towards me. I am but vanity and nothing in your sight, an unstable man and seek, from what, might I then be proud or deem myself profitable, whether not of nothing, which is most vanity? Truly, vain glory is an ineffective and most vain pleasure, for it draws a man away from true glory and removes spiritual grace. While a man has a complacency in himself, he.\nDispleases God, and when He desires men's praise and vain praying, He forgets completely His glory and holy joy towards man. I, God, am not the source of joy for Him, but in the name of the Almighty God. He does not take delight in His own virtue or strength, nor does He find pleasure in any creature except for God. Lord, be praised and blessed, not mine; may Your work be magnified, not mine. No praise or praying be given to me by human mouth for anything I do, but all be for Your pleasure. You are my glory and the inward joy of my heart. By Your grace, I shall always rejoice in You and in nothing that pertains to me but in my infirmities. Let Jews and other worldly lovers seek glory for themselves, and I shall only seek the glory and praise of God. For man's glory and praise is but vanity and folly when accompanied by temporal and worldly height and promotion. O blessed Trinity, my God, my mercy and very truth be lauded.\nHonor and glory for ever. Amen. Some say our Lord to his lover be not confused nor heavy when thou seest others honored and thyself despised and humiliated. Raise up thine heart to me in heaven, and thou shalt not be heavy though despised by man on earth. The Lord says to the disciple, we are here in dark blindness, lacking the very light, and therefore we are soon deceived by vanities as far as I can understand. I have never yet suffered any injury from any creature. Therefore, I cannot rightly complain against it, but for as much as I have often sinned against it. Every creature is worthy armed against me, I punish myself for my sins. Confusion and shame to me is due, to the good Lord be laud, honor, and glory. And but if I prepare my will to be despised and forsake gladly every man and utterly to be reputed nothing, I cannot be steadfastly settled nor spiritually illuminated, nor may I be fully knitted and joined to thee.\nIf you put your peas with someone for your feeling and because they accord with thee, thou shalt be unstable and unhappy. But if thou have recourse to God, who is permanent and everlasting truth, thy friend going away or deceasing from thee shall not make thee inordinately heavy. Thou oughtest to love all thy friends for me, and for me to love every one that thou accountest good and dear to thee in this life. For I am the beginning and the end of all goodness, and without me all freshness is not valuable or durable, nor can any worldly friendship endure where I do not rejoice. Thou oughtest to be humbled by such carnal affections of thy lovers, as much as thou mayest, and shalt desire to be without all human company. For the more a man withdraws himself from all worldly solace, the more he draws near to God Almighty, and the more he ascends in love and spiritual contemplation: the more profoundly and inwardly he descends in humble consideration of himself and himself.\nHe who attributes or gives any goodness to himself, gains the grace of God and lets it enter into him, for the grace of God always requires a humble heart. If a man says that our Lord would perfectly displease himself and empty his heart from all earthly love, I say he is distilled and enters into it with abandon. But the more attachment and affection you have for my creatures, the more consideration and love of your creature is taken from you. Learn to overcome yourself in all things, for the possession of your creature, and then you may come to the knowledge of your Lord God. Whatever thing you love in an ordered way, be it never so little, it defiles your soul and keeps you from the knowledge and love of God. Some say that our Lord speaks to his lover, beware that you are not moved by the fair and subtle words or sayings of men. The reign of God stands not in words but in virtue. Attend my words, for they enlighten.\nThe mind of man is inflamed with the ardor of love, which makes people feel compunction and be sorry for their sins. With this, they bring great consolation to the soul. Give your nature to learning or study, so that you may appear wise before others. But study for the purpose of mortifying your vices and living virtuously, for it will profit you more than the knowledge of many questions. For whatever you have read and known, you must eventually come to one principal and beginning of all other things. I am he who teaches mankind, and I give clearer understanding to humble persons than any man does. Look to whom I speak, he shall be wise and profitable to your soul. Who will be those who seek curious things and little ponder the way they should serve and please me? The time will come when Christ, the master of all masters, and Lord of angels, will appear ready to hear every man's confession. Then shall he.\nIherusalem shall be lighted and enkindled with lanterns and lights, and the hidden work and thoughts of men shall be manifestly opened, and all vain excuses shall be done away and laid aside. I am He says God, who suddenly raises up and enlightens a humble mind, so that it may take and perceive more reasons of eternal truth sooner than he who studies for ten years in the schools. I teach without the sound of words, without the confusion of opinions, without pride of worship, and without the fight of argumentation. I teach to despise earthly things and things present. I make my lovers seek and savor eternal things, to flee honors and patiently to suffer slanders and adversities, not desiring anything without me but putting all their hope in me and loving me ardently above all things. Some in loving me inwardly have divine and godly things and the ability to speak marvelous things. Such has profited me more than all things, for I speak to some common things and to others.\n\"You are particularly sweet in my inner visions and figures to some, and a great mystery to others with profound understanding. There is one voice and one letter in the books that they behold, but that voice or letter does not reveal all things to everyone. I am the inner teacher of truth, the searcher of human hearts, the understanding of human thoughts, the promoter of his dispositions, giving to every man as I deem worthy.\n\nYou must be ignorant and unknowing of many things. You must accept yourself as dead on earth and seek one who is crucified by all the world. You must overcome many things that you will encounter, either from him or from your friend, without a defense or answering to such. But to such, those things are better that bring peace. It is better for a man to turn away his eyes from things of displeasure and let every man think and look as he will. Also, withdraw your ears from unprofitable fables that lead to contentious words. If you will stand and incline to God, and\"\nGently behold his yoke and the meek answers in his reproofs. You should suffer the more easily to be overcome, O Lord God, what are we? Lo, we weep and lament greatly for a little temporal harm or loss. We run against might and labor bodily for a little temporal advantage. But our spiritual losses and detriments, which we suffer, are soon forgotten with us, and scarcely do we return to them again any time after our loss. To that thing which is little or nothing, we give great attention, and that thing which is of great price and most necessary to us, we set not by it. For all mankind in manner reneges towards outward things, and but they soon arise from such disposition, they shall gladly lie and delight ever in outward things.\n\nGood Lord give and grant me help of my trouble that I suffer. For man's help is but vain and unavailable in such necessities. I have often failed of help and succor, where I trusted to have found it, and often have I found faithfulness, where I least expected it.\nFound it/ therefore I say that man labors in vain, for he puts his hope in man, thou good Lord art the very hope and health of man, blessed be thou in all things and for all things that happen to us, we are sick and unstable within ourselves, we are soon changed from goodness and deceived, who is he that can so wisely and carefully keep himself in all things so as not to fall sometimes into a snare of deception or perplexity, but he that trusts in the good Lord and seeks him with a simple heart does not so soon depart from him, and if it happens to him to fall into any tribulation, however he may be enveloped in it, he shall soon be delivered from it by thee, or else soon receive comfort from thy goodness, for thou, good Lord, forsakest not those who truly trust in thee. It is heard to find a faithful and trusty friend who so perseveres in all the tribulations of his friend, thou good Lord art most faithful in all such needs, and none is like unto thee, nor can be found. Full well thou knowest and feelest.\nsoured it in God, who said my mind is grounded and stabilized in my Lord God. If it were so with me, I would not so soon fear man nor be moved by his words. Who can provide all things for them to come or who can escape the perils or evils following? If chances or things before seen often annoy and hurt man, what shall I say of unprovided things but that they more grievously hurt? But why have I not wretchedly provided or pursued better? Why did I so soon give credits to other men's saying? But we are men; yet we are thought and esteemed angels to many people to whom shall I give credits but to the good Lord, for thou art very truth that neither deceit nor may be deceived. And every other man is a liar, soon deceiving most in words, so that under it can or may be believed what he proposes. How prudently hast thou, good Lord, given warning to us to beware of men and how the most familiar friends.\nA man may have enemies towards him, and a man should not believe if a man tells him that Christ is here or there, showing him something that is not Christ, but rather anticipate as has been said and will be said. I have been taught by experience that I have suffered and seen others suffer. And I pray God that I may be taught to be more wary and not to my folly. A man tells me, \"Beware and keep this private to yourself that I say,\" and I ask, \"Why should I keep private what you committed to me? He cannot keep private the thing that he desired me to keep private, but rather betrays and discloses both himself and me, and so goes his way. Good Lord defend me from such tales and untrustworthy men, that I may not fall into their hands, nor take upon myself to do such things. Good Lord grant me steadfastness in word and never to have deceitful companions, but remove all such deceit far from me. I ought in all ways to avoid that thing which I would not suffer myself. Oh, how good and peaceful it is for a man to keep silence among men.\nA man should not lightly believe every man's tale, nor lightly tell such tales. He should briefly and succinctly express the intent of his mind, not led or moved by boasting or flattering words. He should always seek God, the beholder of man's soul, in his deeds, desiring that the intention of his soul, together with his outward deeds, may be directed and conformed to His gracious pleasure. It is certain for the conservation of heavenly grace, a man to flee from the appearance of goodness and not to desire outward flattery or vanity, but rather to follow those things which give and procure the amending of life with the fervor of good living. Known virtue and openly commended has harmed many persons where grace privately used and hid has profited and availed many in this frail life. This, after scripture, is all called temptation and malice.\n\nStand firm and trust me when you are vexed with troubles and malicious words, what are words but wind that flees in.\nif the air does not harm you from any stone, if you are guilty of such words or worthy of them or such reproofs, then think you will gladly amend them. And if not, think yet you will suffer gladly such reproofs for God's sake. It is but a small thing to suffer sharp words sometimes where it is so that you may not suffer harsh flagellations or beatings with a crystal rod for Him. And why is it that such small things are so bitter and odious to you, but because you are yet carnal and not spiritual in your affections, giving more head to man than to God? Because you fear being despised, you will not be reproved for your excesses, but seek for your defense deep and sly excuses. But behold yourself better, and you shall see well that the world and vain glory or man's pleasure lives yet in you, when you refuse to be humbled and confounded for your faults. It is certain that you are not very humble or truly dead to the world, nor have you the spirit of mortification.\nI am the judge and knower of all secrets. I know how every thing is done. I know both him that does the injury and him that suffers it, for by my suffrage such injuries are done. I shall judge both the innocent and him that is guilty? But I have decreed to prove them both by my high court. The testimony and judgment of man often deceives, but my judgment is true. It shall stand stable.\nA right wise man should never be troubled by whatever happens to him from God, yet if any wrong is laid upon him, he will not care and shall not be exalted by vain glory if reasonably excused by others. For such a person considers that I am the very searcher of men's hearts and inner parties, not judging after the face and the outward appearance of man, but after the inward discernment of men's souls. For often I judge and find many things culpable that men deem laudable. Therefore I beseech my Lord God, the true Judge, strong and patient, who knows the frailty of man's malice, be Thou my strength and my refuge in all my needs. For Thou, good Lord, knowest that I know not myself, and therefore I should humble myself in every reply.\nbenigely suffer, but as much as I have not patiently and meekly suffered all such codicies, release and forgave me, good Lord, I beseech Thee and give me more large grace of suffering. Thy plenteous mercy is better to me by which I may obtain pardon for my misbehavior, than the proper opening of my justice for the defense of my hyd conscience. For though I suppose my conscience to be clean and not spotted with any sin, yet I may not justify myself in it. For if Thy mercy be removed from us, no man here living may be righteous in Thy sight. Once thou art not broken by the impatience of thy labors that thou hast taken upon thee for my sake, also see thou be not cast down by despair or unreasonable heaviness in any trouble that shall happen to thee, but be thou comforted and strengthened in every such chance by my promises. For I am sufficient to reward and give to my servants above measure. Thou shalt not labor long here nor always be grieved with heaviness. Abide a short time in patience.\nYou shall soon have an end to your troubles. One hour will come when all your labors and troubles shall cease. All things are measured and pass away with the passage of time, both little and short. Therefore, do as you are able and labor faithfully in my vineyard, that is, in my church, according to your degree. Write, read, sing, repent for your sins, keep your mouth from evil and vain words, pray, and be patient in adversities. Such exercises, along with other virtuous labors, are the very way and merits of everlasting life. Peace will come one day, known to our Lord and hidden from man. That day shall not be like the day or night of this life, but it shall be light and everlasting clarity, steadfast peace, and infinite rest, infallible and sure. You shall not then say with the apostle, \"Who shall deliver me from the perils and the anxieties of my mortal body?\" Nor shall you then cry with the prophet with a desire to be consoled and say, \"Woe is me.\"\nthat my abiding here in this mortal body is prolonged, and why then should death, which before had dominion in man, be overthrown and destroyed? And health of body and soul shall ever be without end. None shall harm man, but a blessed joy and mirth, and a sweet and fair company. Oh, if you saw the perpetual crowns of saints in heaven, and in what manner of glory they live and rejoice now, who were before despised and reputed unworthy to live, truly you would humble yourself in the most lowly way, and you would sooner desire to be subject to every man, to have governance of any man, than you would desire the glad days of this world, but you would rather desire to be in tribulation for God, and you would also desire to be scorned and set at naught among men for Christ and with Christ your savior. Oh, if these things were savory to you and deeply penetrated your heart, you would not complain at such troubles and adversities, and why? For we.\nought eche of vs to suffer all labours / & hardnesse: for the lyfe eternall that is so precyous / it is no lytell thyng to wynne or to lese the kyngedome of heuen / lyft vp thy soule into heuen & beholde me & my sayntes all that hath had and suffred great conflyctes / and ba\u2223tayles with me in this worlde / nowe they ioye with\nme / nowe they be co\u0304forted / nowe they surely rest af\u2223ter theyr labours & shall euerlastynglye abyde and reygne wt me i\u0304 the euerlastyng reygne of my fader.\nTHe mansyon of the hygh cyte of heuen is all full of blysse & ioy infynyte / o thou day eter\u2223nall moost clere y\u2022 which art nat made derke by any nyghte / but it shyneth euer by the hye trouthe of al\u2223myghty god / this day is euer ioyful and moost me\u00a6ry euer sure and stedfast & neuer chau\u0304gynge his sta\u00a6te into co\u0304modyousnes / wolde god that daye shulde shyne to vs / & all te\u0304porall thynges were endyd / this day of eternyte gyueth lyght to the sayntes in heue\u0304 with perpetuall clerte and shynynge / but to trauay\u00a6lers here in erthe it is\nfar and as the citizens of heaven know, that day is joyful; and we, who are the children of Eve and outlaws from heaven, sorrowful for tediousness and bitterly of this our temporal day, the days of this time are shortened, evil, full of sorrows and anguishes. In this time, man is defiled with many sins and is frequently blessed and destroyed by passions. He is contracted and distracted with many fears and with many busynesses is occupied. He is wrapped in many vanities, and with many errors he is entangled and broken with many labors. He is moved with many temptations, he is overcome with delights, and he is cruelly tormented with poverty and need. O when shall all these labors end, and when shall I be delivered from the misery and thralldom of vices? When shall I think of the alone good Lord, and what shall I rejoice in the fullness of? When shall I be without all impediment or hindrance, and in very liberty without all grief of body and mind? What then?\nI shall possess sad peace without trouble, secure peace within and without, on every side. O good Jesus, when shall I stand to behold thee, when shall I have sight of thee and contemplate the eternal glory of thy kingdom? Who shall thou be to me, all in all? O when shall I be with thee in thy kingdom, which thou hast prepared for thy lovers at the beginning? I am left here a poor outlaw in the land of my enemies, where daily battles and fortunes are full great. Comfort me, good Lord, in my exile. My sorrow is mighty, for all that the world offers me for my solace is but a burden to me. I desire inwardly to be knitted and cleaved to the good Lord, but I may not come there. I desire to be covered and attain the heavenly things, but worldly things and possessions un-mortify me. And where in my mind I would and desire to be above all temporal things, I am compelled against my will by my dull body to be under.\nI am an unhappy man, my mind's diligence is met with a multitude of carnal thoughts, which prevent me, good lord, be thou not angry with me by thy grace, nor decline thy wrath from thy servant. Send down the light of thy grace and consume such vain and troublesome thoughts. Send down thy arrows of fear and chase away all the fantasies of the enemy. Gather together all my senses to the one and make me forget all worldly things, and give me grace soon to avoid them and to despise the fantasies or images of sin. Sustain me with eternal truth that nothing moves me. O heavenly sweetness, come and enter into me and chase away all uncleanness. Forgive me, I beseech thee, and mercifully pardon me as often as I consider that it is the thing I love. For where thou truth is, there is thy treasure. If I love heaven, I think gladly on heavenly things. If I love the world, I take joy in it.\nIn the fortunes of the world, and I am heavy to hear of worldly adversities, if I love my body or fleshly desires, then I often imagine and think of them. If I love my soul or spirit, I delight to think spiritually. Whatever I love, I gladly speak of it and form the images of it freely in my mind. Blessed is that man, for God forgets all manner of creatures and violates nature. He crucifies or quenches the foul lusts or concupiscences of the flesh with the fervor of spirit, so that with a clear conscience he may offer his prayers purely to God, and so be worthy of the company of angels. Some who feel that the desire for everlasting beatitude or bliss is infused into them by grace, and with that they desire to depart from their body, may see my clarity everlastingly. Open your heart and receive this holy inspiration with all devotion.\ndesire and give large graces to the high goodness of God, who visibly, graciously, and mightily excites and raises up the one who does not fall to earthly things by one's own nature and burden. One does not receive this grace by one's own thinking or labor, but only by the goodness of heavenly grace and the respect of God for the profit one should gain in virtuous living and humility. One should also prepare against battles and cling to Almighty God with affection and fervor of devotion and steadfast will. The desire often burns fiercely, but the flame does not ascend without fuel or smoke. Similarly, the desire of some men is in heavenly things, but their affections are not free from temptations of the flesh. Therefore, they do not always act purely for God's honor, which they ask for so effectively from God. Such is often the case with your desire, which you said was so.\nimportune/for that desire is not pure and perfect/the which is infected with man's proper commodity/ask therefore not such a thing as is delightful or profitable to thee, but such as is worthy of me/for if you judge rightly, you ought to prefer my or deny it before your desire and all other things to be desired/and to follow my will and ordinance I know your desire and have heard your manyfold sighing and weeping/you would now be in the liberty of the glory of the children of God/it delights you now to be in the eternal house of God, that is to say in the heavenly country where full joy is, but you have not yet come/you must yet have labor and battle against your enemies/& so have the time of probation here before you come to everlasting glory/& rest: you would be filled with that high goodness/but you may not have it yet/I am the essence of all goodness of man/abide with me, says our Lord unto I call you to my kingdom/You must be produced and exercised.\nhere in earth after you come to me, you shall have consolation given to you for a time, but the full plente of saints has in heaven shall you not have while you live here. Be therefore comforted and strengthened both in your doing and in your suffering the contraryness of nature. You must do on the clothing of grace and innocence and be changed into a new man. You must often do that which you would not and that thing which you would do you must leave that which pleases other men shall proceed and come to effect and that thing which you have a pleasure in shall not come to effect perhaps. Also, what other men say shall be heard and what you say is set at naught. Other men shall be commended in men's mouths, and of no man shall speak. Other persons shall have this office or come to them, and you shall be deemed unprofitable. For such things is man often naturally heavy and a great thing it is.\nif thou bear such things with a steadfast mouth and mind in such matters, as man is wont to do, whether he be the true servant of God or not, how can he deny himself and break in adversity scarcely? You shall hardly find anything enjoined or laid upon you for which you must suffer death, as you will find things contrary to your will which you must suffer most. What things displease you and seem less profitable to execute, are commanded to you, and since you are under the dominion and power of others to whom you dare not resist, it is seemly for you to follow always their will, and always to leave your own, but consider this: the end of your labors is not far off. Give heed to the fruit of them, along with the infinite rewards of the same. And you shall have no grief in such labors, but great comfort for your peace. For as for that little pleasure that you willfully forsake now.\nthis life / thou shalt ever have thy will done in heaven / for thou shalt have there all that thou wilt or can desire / thou shalt have there power of all goodness without any fear of losing it / there thy will one ever with me shall covet or desire no strange / private or worldly things / there shall no man resist thee or complain on thee / none shall let thee or withstand thee / but all that thou desirest shall be presented to thee / and they shall fulfill all thy affections or desires to the fullness / there shall be glory given in reward for reproves here suffered patiently / and the palace of laude for heavens and for the lowest or last place that thou hast been content with / thou shalt there receive everlasting reign / there shall appear the fruit of obedience here kept for God / the labor of penance shall be rewarded with joy / & humble submission shall be crowned with glory / bow therefore under every man's hand / & forsooth who commands me to do this thing or that.\nBut study what with great diligence whether it be your prelate, your fellow, or one lower than you, who intends to do anything. Take all such things well and with patience, and fulfill them with a good and devout will. Let this person seek this thing, and he who seeks it, be he glad of it or not, and he who commends it in this or he who commends it in that, may they never be peevish or multiplied. I neither rejoice in this thing nor in that, but only to be humbled or despised, and may it be my pleasure and honor, and above all, I desire that whether you live or die, God always be glorified in you or by you.\n\nLord God, holy Father, blessed are you now and forever. For according to your holy will, so you have done to me, and all that you do is good. I beseech the good Lord that his servant may rejoice in you and not in myself, nor in anything else but in you, or ordered to you. For you alone are true happiness, you are my hope, my crown of reward, you good Lord, are my joy and honor.\nWhat have I, or any of thy servants whom we have not received favors from thee, not through our merit, but all that thou hast given and made? I am but poor and have been in travel from my youth, and often my soul is heavy unto weeping and sometimes it is troubled against itself for the fierce passions arising. I desire, good Lord, the joy of peace. I ask, peace of thy chosen children, who are nourished and fed in the light of thy ward and eternal consolation. If thou, good Lord, grant me peace, if thou grant me in this worldly holy joy, then the soul of thy servant shall be full of loving and devout praying of thy infinite goodness, and if thou withdraw from me, as thou hast often been wont to do, then I may not renounce the way of thy commandments, that is to say, fulfill them. But more than my servant is accustomed, his breast knocks and he kneels for grace and consolation, which he did not have with him yesterday and the day before, when thy lantern of light shone upon him.\nillumined his soul and was defended from inner temptations under the shadow and shield of your right wise Father, ever worthy to be most loved. The hour has come that your servant should be tested in it. It is worthy, Father, that your servant suffers this hour for a little while, though outwardly he should be overcome, yet inwardly he should ever live against it. That he should be mocked, scorned, and despised for a time in the sight of men, by sorrows, pains, and passions, that he may rise again with you in the morning of a new light of grace, and after that be glorified in heaven. For all such humiliations, holy Father, you have so ordained and willed, and by your commandment, let it be fulfilled in me. This is your grace, good Lord, that you show to your friend to suffer troubles in this world for your love, as often as you dispose or suffer it to fall, without your command.\n\"Counsel and profit; and nothing is done here in earth without cause. It is good to me, good lord, that thou hast humbled me, that I may learn righteous judgments, and thereby cast from me all pride and presumption of heart. It is very profitable to me that I have suffered or had such confusion, that I by the education of it should rather seek thy consolation than man's in such adversity. I have learned also thereby to fear thy inscrutable judgments, whereby thou provest and scourgest the righteous man and the wicked, not without equity and righteousness. I take thee, that thou hast not spared my sins but punished me with scourges of love, both within and without with sores and anguishes. No creature under heaven may comfort me in my adversities but thou, good lord, the very and heavenly leech of man's soul that smites and heals again. Thou leadest us into sharp pains of body and suffers us to be led into deadly sin sometimes, and thou bringest us.\"\nvs. I yield to your great grace / Your discipline is upon me / and your scourge shall teach me the ways of virtue and meekness / Father, I am here in your hands / & I submit myself under your rod of correction / strike my back and my neck that I may bow and reform my crookedness to your will / Make me meek and lowly that I may live always at your will / I commit myself to the good Lord with all my sins to be corrected / For it is better to be punished and corrected here than after this life / You know all things and nothing is hidden in a man's soul or consciousness from you / Before any things are made, your wisdom knows them / It is not necessary that any man teach or warn me of anything done on earth / You know what profit or pain is expedient for me and much tribulation comes to purge the filth and rust of my horrible sin and vices / therefore, do as you please with me and despise not my sinful life for you know.\nIt is a blessing from the Lord that I know and love that I ought to love and praise You, who would have me praise, and regard as pleasant in Your sight, and refuse all that is vile before me. Grant me grace, good Lord, not to judge things according to my outward sight or the hearing or the reports of unwise people, but truly to discern between visible and spiritual things, and above all things to inquire and follow Your will and pleasure. Man's judgments are often deceived, and the lovers of the world are often deceived in loving only visible things. What is a man the better who is reputed better than he is in deed? A deceiver deceives another in vain, a blind man leads another, and a sick person another, while he so vainly exalts himself. And yet in truth, he confuses himself more than he exalts himself. Every man is so worthy and commendable in Your sight.\nYou are great and no more. One cannot always stand in fervent desire of virtue nor in the high degree of temptation. It is necessary for the first corruption of mankind to descend to lower things, and to bear the burden of this corruptible life with tediousness and against one's will for as long as one bears one's mortal body, one must often mourn and sorrow over the burden and contradiction of one's body to one's soul, for one cannot continually and without ceasing give heed and attention to spiritual studies and godly conversation. Therefore, it is expedient for you to flee to lowly and outward works, and to take your recreation in the exercise of good deeds, and so to endure patiently my coming and heavenly visitation, and with patience to suffer exile and dryness of mind, until I appear again and deliver you from all tediousness. I shall make you forget all these things.\nsuch an annoyance and labors, and to enjoy in quiet contemplation of the soul, I shall lay before you the consolations of scripture, that with a glad heart you may begin to walk in my commandment, the glory of heaven, which shall be manifested and shown to us after this life.\nLord, I am not worthy to have your consolation or any spiritual visitation, and therefore, you good Lord, do nothing against righteousness.\nIf I might yet be freed from the terrors of contrition to the similitude of the Sea, yet I am not worthy your consolation. I am not worthy but to be scourged and punished. I have so grievously and manifoldly sinned and offended in truth. I am not worthy the least consolation. But you, good Lord, benevolent and merciful, that will not let your works perish, to show the riches of your excellent goodness into the vessel of your mercy, you, without my proper merit, will save to comfort me, your servant, above all human measure. For your consolations are not after human fables, what have I done, my good Lord, that you\n\nCleaned Text: Such an annoyance and labors, and to enjoy in quiet contemplation of the soul, I shall lay before you the consolations of scripture, that with a glad heart you may begin to walk in my commandment, the glory of heaven, which shall be manifested and shown to us after this life. Lord, I am not worthy to have your consolation or any spiritual visitation, and therefore, you good Lord, do nothing against righteousness. If I might yet be freed from the terrors of contrition to the similitude of the sea, yet I am not worthy your consolation. I am not worthy but to be scourged and punished. I have so grievously and manifoldly sinned and offended in truth. I am not worthy the least consolation. But you, good Lord, benevolent and merciful, that will not let your works perish, to show the riches of your excellent goodness into the vessel of your mercy, you, without my proper merit, will save to comfort me, your servant, above all human measure. For your consolations are not after human fables, what have I done, my good Lord, that you?\n\"you should give me any celestial consolation, for I know not that I have done any good, but always prone to vice and slow to amend myself. Truly, it is that I say I cannot say no, if I should any otherway tell you to stand against me, and no man should defend me against, what have I deserved for my sins but hell and eternal fire? In truth, I confess that I am worthy of all derision and contempt. It seems not to dwell among devout persons, and though I hear such things impetuously, yet shall I lay and reprove my sins against me, that I may the sooner obtain your mercy. What can I say that am so wretched and full of all confusion? I have nothing to say but only this word, Lord God, I have evil inclinations and have sinned grievously. Have mercy on me and forgive me, I beseech thee. Suffer me a little that I may sorrow and bewail my sins before I pass on to the country of darkness covered with the darkness of death. And what do you ask most of a wretched sinner?\"\nBut if he be sorrowful and made meek of his sins in contrition and humiliation of mind's heart, it is very hope of forgiveness. A troubled conscience is reconciled to God, and grace lost by sin is repaired, defending man from God's wrath. And there they meet together in holy kissing and halsing of Almighty God and the penitent soul. The contrite heart of sinners is an acceptable sacrifice to the good Lord, giving a sweeter odor to your goodness than incense by fire. It is also the pious and acceptable ointment that you, good Lord, would be ministered to your feast. For you never did or do despise but gladly receive a contrite and humble heart. There is refuge from the face of wrath of the enemy. There is cleansed and amended whatever filth is otherwise done.\n\nOne grace is a precious thing; it will not be mingled with strange things nor earthly consolations. Therefore, you must avoid from:\nthee, in thy esteem, and before all worldly things, prefer thou the honor and meditation of God. For thou mayest delightingly think on me, and with that delight in worldly and transitory things, thou must separate and withdraw thyself from the knowledge and dear friends, and thy mind from all bodily solace. As Saint Peter the Apostle counsels in his epistle, all Christian folk should abstain from such fleshly and worldly things or pleasures. What assured passage and trust will he have in his decease who is not overcome by any worldly affection, but has his heart sadly fixed on Almighty God and lost from all earthly things? A bestial man knows not the freedom of man's soul. Yet if he desires to be spiritual, he must refuse as well his near friends as those who are far from him in consanguinity, and also be most wary of himself. If man perfectly overcomes himself, he shall sooner subdue other enemies to himself. Perfect victory is a man.\nA man who first subjugates himself, obeying sensuality to reason and reason to God in all things, is the very conqueror of himself and lord of the world if one truly desires to reach that degree. To achieve this, one must assertively begin and apply the axe to the root of one's soul, uprooting and destroying the hide and inordinate inclination towards oneself and all worldly goods. Almost all evil in man stems from this love, so if it is overcome, we shall consequently have great peace and tranquility. However, few people labor to die to themselves, that is, to mortify such contrary inclinations within themselves, nor do they go out of themselves through contemplation or exercise of virtue. Therefore, they lie wrapped up in themselves and cannot be lifted above themselves spiritually in soul. But he who\nA person earnestly desires to walk with me. It is necessary that he mortify in himself all evil and inordinate affections, so that he does not incline or cleave to any creature by private love of concupiscences.\n\nGive heed diligently to the movements of nature and grace, for their movements are very subtle and contrary, and scarcely they may be perceived unless a man is carefully enlightened. Every man loves and desires that which is, or seems good, and every man pretends some goodness in his words and sayings. Therefore, many are deceived under the pretense and semblance of goodness. Nature is crafty and therefore it draws, ensnares, and deceives in many ways, and it has itself for its end. But grace walks and makes a man walk simply, without color or deceit. It makes a man to decline and flee from all evil. It presents no snares of deceit, and it makes a man do his works purely for God, in whom also he finally rests. Nature acts against his will; he will not.\ngladly submits or is overcome, he will not gladly be obedient or subdued under others, except through violence. Grace, on the contrary, makes man steadfast in mortifying himself, resists sensuality, and tames it so that it does not rebel. Grace makes a man subject to others, it makes him desire to be overcome, it will not allow man to use his own liberty, it makes man willing to be ever under discipline, it makes man not covet dominion over others but always to live and stand under God, and to humbly show honor to every man. Nature labors and studies ever for its own profit and gives its head what profit and worldly goods it can; it is not averse to sharp and hard words because it has put its treasure and joy in a place where nothing can perish. Nature is covetous and it receives sooner and more gladly than it gives. It loves property and private things, but grace is pitiful and large to the poor and needy, it eschews singularity, it is content with.\nA few things: Nature inclines a man to love creatures as his own body, to vain sights and movings and suchlike things. But grace draws to God and to virtues. It forsakes the world and its creators with all vanities. It has carnal desires and restrains wandering or roaming about. It makes man ashamed to be in open places. Nature provides outward solace where his senses delight. Grace seeks solace in God only. It delights in celestial things above visible things. Nature moves man to do all his deeds and works for proper advantage, it will do nothing freely but trusts for a good deed either as good or better or at the favor or praise of man. Therefore it sets great store by them, whether they are ever so base. But grace seeks no temporal thing nor asks for anything but alone towards it. Nor does it ask for more of temporal things but that he may be the help of.\nThe text is already in a readable format, but I will remove unnecessary characters and format for better readability. I will also correct some errors.\n\nthem. He is born to be glad with mighty men and his peers, but grace makes man to love his enemies. He is not proud of the multitude of friends, nor does it regard nobility of friends or place from which he comes. But if more virtue is there, it favors the poor over the rich. It rejoices ever in truth and not in falsehood. It exhorts good people to increase in virtue and goodness and to be assimilated to the Son of God through praise and great prayer. But grace does not desire to know and perceive new or curious things. For all such vain desires come from the old corruption of sin. Since all outward appearance is nothing, and it gently hides such things as are laudable and marvelous in him, and seeks the laud and honor of God and a profitable fruitfulness of every thing and unity that may have, it will not allow man to come to himself or exalt his virtue. Instead, it wills that God be exalted.\nBlessed in his gifts / the one who gives every thing after his free will and charity, without our deserving / This is a supernatural light and a special gift of God, and it is a proper sign and token of elect and chosen persons, an earnest of everlasting salvation, which lifts up man from earthly things to love things celestial. It makes a spiritual person of a carnal one. The more therefore that nature is overcome, the more grace is yet in man, and daily is the inward man, that is to say, the soul, enlightened and renewed with inward graces and visibility after the image of God.\n\nLord God, who have made me in your image and likeness, grant me your grace, the which as you have before shown, is so great and necessary to my salvation, that I may thereby overcome my right bad nature that draws me to sin and destruction. I feel in my flesh a law of sin that impugns the law of my mind and makes me a slave to sin, and to obey sensuality in many things, nor can I resist the passions or motions thereof.\nbut if your holy grace finds deep roots in my heart, assist me. Your great and overpowering grace is necessary to me, for nature, which is always prone to evil appetite and thought, is corrupted and weakened in me. This corruption arose when nature, which was good and righteous when it was created by the good Lord, descended from our first father Adam and was tainted and defiled by his sin. The pain of this corruption descended to every man, so that the moving of it leaves man drawn to evil and low things, while heavenly things are left behind. For the little virtue and strength that remains of that nature, there is as they say a little spark of fire hidden and smothered in ashes. This is the natural reason why man is shrouded in great darkness, yet having discretion of good and evil, truth and falsehood, he is unable to fulfill all that he approves nor may he use the full light of truth, nor his affections.\nhealthfully, therefore it follows that I delight in your law within my inward knowing your commandment to be good, right, and holy, arguing also, and finding all evil and sin to be excused and fled, and yet in my outward man, that is, my body, I serve the law of sin, for as long as I obey more to sensuality than to reason in its motions. Wherefore I will that which is good, but I am unable to perform it; I purpose it in my mind often times many good deeds or works, but for the grace that waits to help my infirmity and feebleness, therefore I go aside and cease from doing good for a little resistance. Therefore, though I know the way of perfection and how I ought to do, yet I arise not by devotion of soul to such perfections. Your grace, good Lord, is to me then necessary in order to begin goodness and to profit therein and to perfect it, for without it.\nthat grace I cannot do anything / and with its help, I may do all things necessary to me / O thou heavenly grace, without which no man can be of any merit or valor before God / nor any natural gift is profitable, neither crafts nor riches, / neither beauty nor strength, / wit or eloquence are anything worth before the good Lord, and grace wants / For gifts of nature are given indifferently to good and evil people, / But the gift of the elect and good persons is grace and love of charity, by which they are noble and made worthy of everlasting life / That Grace is of such worthiness that without it, / neither the gift of prophecy / nor the working of miracles and signs, nor high speculation or learning avails anything / Also neither faith nor hope, / nor other virtues are acceptable to God without grace and charity / O thou blessed grace that makest him who is poor in soul rich in virtues, / and him who is meek abundant in goods spiritually, / come and descend in me, / replenish me soon with you.\nI beseech the good Lord that my soul may not fail for weariness and dryness of mind. I ask for His grace and mercy in Your sight, for His grace is enough for me if other things are wanting that nature requires. If I am troubled or vexed by many tribulations, I shall fear no evil while His grace is with me. That grace is my strength, for it gives counsel and help to him who has it. It has power over all judgments and wisdom over all wise men. It is the master of truth and the teacher of discernment, the light of the soul, the comfort of pressures, the chaser away of heaviness, the aid of fear, the nourisher of devotion, the bringer forth of tears. What am I without grace but as a dry tree without moisture and an unprofitable stock to spiritual believing? Therefore, I pray the good Lord that His grace may ever suffice me, and make me busily given to good works by the help of Christ Jesus.\n\nAs far as you are able, forsake and love yourself that much more, you shall pass into me.\nLike as the inward peace of a man's soul is to desire nothing without, so a man, forsaking himself inwardly, joins himself to God. I will that thou learn to forsake or deny thyself perfectly in my will with all contradiction or complaint. Follow thou me, for I am the way. I am truth and life. Without me no man may go, and without truth there is no knowledge. And without life no man may live. I am the way that thou oughtest to follow. Truth to whom thou oughtest to give credence, and am life that thou oughtest to hope in to have. I am the way unmeasurable and most right. I am truth infallible and most high. I am life without end, in which stands the very life and bliss of spirits and blessed souls. If thou abide in my way, thou shalt know the very truth, and truth shall deliver thee, and thou shalt finally come to everlasting life. If thou wilt come to that life as it is written, thou must observe my commandments. If thou hast knowledge of truth, trust in me and in me.\nIf thou wilt be my disciple, deny and forsake thyself and follow me. If thou wilt be perfect, sell all that thou hast and give it to the poor people. If thou wilt possess everlasting life, despise this present life. If thou wilt be exalted in heaven, humble thyself in this world. If thou wilt reign with me in heaven, bear thy cross here with me in earth. For only the servants of the cross find truly the way of light and eternal bliss. Lord Jesus, since thy way is the way of straitness and hardness, which is odious to worldly people, therefore I beseech thee to give me the contempt of the world that I may hate it verily as thou didst. It is not becoming that a servant be preferred before his lord, nor a disciple above his master. Thy servant therefore ought to be exercised in thy ways, for therein is health and very holiness. Whatever I read or hear beside it, I am not refreshed, nor do I take full delight in it until thou hast read and known these things.\nthou art happy, and thou shalt be blessed if thou fulfilleth them; it is written, he that hath my commandments in his heart and executeth them, he it is that loveth me, and I shall love him, and shew myself to him, and do him the honor to sit with him in the kingdom of my father. Good lord, as thou hast said and promised, let it be done to me. I have taken the cross from thy hand. I shall bear it by thy help and grace, as thou didst lay it upon me, while I live. For truly, the life of a good man is the cross of penance, which is the very way to paradise. The way we have begun, we must not turn back from it. Have faith, brethren, let us go together on this way. For his love, we take upon us this cross of hardship. Therefore, let us abide in it for his sake. He shall be our helper, our leader. Hold our king, Goth, before us. He shall fight for us. Follow him strongly. Fear no pearls. Be we ready to die.\nWith spirituality I the battle of vices and hardships, let us not flee from such exercise lest we confound ourselves. Some patients and humbly enduring in adversities please me more than much consolation and devotion in prosperity. Why art thou sad at a little word or deed done or said again thee, if more had been said or done to thee, thou oughtest not to have been moved by it. But let it now pass. This thing that thou hast suffered is not the first nor shall it be the last trouble or evil that thou shalt suffer if thou livest. Thou art strong and manful enough where none adversity resists thee, thou dost well counsel and can strengthen others with thy words. But when sudden tribulation comes to thy door, thou failest both in courage and strength. Give heed to thy great fear which thou hast experienced in little things and object against it. And for thy health, whatever such things fall, lift up thy heart to our Lord as thou canst.\nTouch it not, yet let it not throw down nor unveil the/ Suffer such things patiently/ if thou canst not gladly endure them but thou feelest perhaps indignation within thee/ repress the within thyself/ & suffer no inordinate word pass from it/ whereby others should be slandered/ A passion arises in a man shall soon be appeased and inward sorrow shall be made sweet if grace returns to man again/ yet I say, our Lord/ I am ready to help thee and to comfort thee more than I did before/ if thou wilt trust in me and devoutly call upon me/ Be thou more quiet and patient than thou hast been/ It is not for naught that thou art often troubled and tempted grievously/ thou art a man and not God/ thou art a fleshly creature and none an angel/ how mayst thou think always to abide in one state of virtue/ when that was not granted to angels in heaven/ nor to the first man in paradise/ who both fell and stood not long in the state of theirs.\nI am he who creates and sets forth those who sorrow for their sins, or suffer patiently with adversity. I announce those who know their infirmity into my divine presence. Blessed Lord, may your holy word be sweet to me, the honeycomb. What shall I do in many and great tribulations and anguishes? Were it not for your comfort with your holy and sweet words, I would come to the door of health everlasting through patient endurance of adversities. What need is there for me to force what and how great or many tribulations I suffer? Grant me good Lord, I beseech you, the good end and a happy passing from this world. Beware lest you dispute not of high matters or the hidden judgments of God. Why is this man damned or forsaken and he lifts up to such great and high grace? Also why is this man so greatly punished with sickness?\n\"Power and similar things, and this other man greatly advanced in riches and dignity. These things, with such other excuses, are beyond all men's consideration or knowledge. For no man's reason or disputation can search or comprehend the judgments of God. Therefore, when your enemy suffers temptation in any such thing, or if curious persons inquire about such knowledge, answer them with this saying of the prophet: \"You are always blessed, Lord, and your domains are always righteous and righteous. And also this saying of the same prophet: \"The judgments of our Lord are true and justified in themselves. My judgments say that our Lord is to be feared and not to be disputed by human reason, for no human reason can comprehend them. Also, you shall not inquire and dispute about the merits of saints who are here in merits or bliss. Such vain businesses generate debates and strife. They also nourish pride and vanity. Envy also arises from the same.\"\"\nWhile he is a saint and another labors to desire or search for such things is but vanity, and it displeases the saints such openness. For I am not the God of discord but of unity and peace, which peace is found more in true humanly love of man than in his exaltation: Some have more devotion to this saint, and some to other saints, but that is more of devotion of man's affection than of godly or ghostly zeal or love. I am he who made all saints, I gave them grace and have received them to my glory. I have known any man's merits, proving them with my sweet blessings. I have known before my lovers and chosen servants from the beginning, whom I have elected and called by my grace from the reprobate and damnable ways of worldly people. I have chosen them and not they me, and I have drawn them to me by my mercy. I have led them in temptations and safely brought them out of them. I have visited them with many trials.\nI have given them great consolations, I have given them perseverance in goodness, and I have crowned their patience. I know the first and the last, and so of every other thing. I have chosen all my servants with magnificent love. I am to be loved in all my saints and honored and blessed above all in each of them. I have so gloriously magnified and predestined them without any merits going before their party. Therefore, he who despises one of my least saints or elect persons, he does not honor the most, for I made both small and great. And he who blasphemes, detracts from, or despises any saint, detracts from me and all my saints in heaven. They are all one by the bond of charity. They consider and feel one thing. They will one thing. And each of them loves other more than themselves and their own merits, for they are often drawn above themselves and give themselves wholly to my love.\nwhich love they rest by eternal fruition and gladness, nothing may change or depress them. For they are full of eternal truth, and they burn in soul with the ardor of inextinguishable charity. Such people as are carnal cease to speak or tell of the state and glory of saints, for they cannot but love private joy. They do away with and put to as they favor, and not after the pleasure of the high truth of our Lord Jesus Christ. In many people is ignorance, but most in them that have little understanding, and therefore they seldom love any person perfectly or spiritually. Many men are drawn by natural affection and love now this saint or man, now that, and some to this, some to that, and as they behave them in these earthly things here, so they imagine to be of heavenly things. But great difference is between the things that unrefined people imagine or consider, and these things that devout and illumined persons see by heavenly illustration. Therefore beware to treat upon such matters.\nThings that exceed your knowledge; but labor thou rather, and endeavor thyself that thou may be sorted with the least or lowest that is in heaven through the merits of good life. What avails it to know which saint is more worthy in heaven than another, but if he would humble himself more, or give more praise and prayer to God therefore? He pleases God more that thinks humbly with repentance of the greatness and grief of his sins, and of the want of virtue that he lacks whereby he differs from the holiness of saints, than he that disputes their degree in heaven more or less. It is better for a man with devout prayers and weeping to pray to saints, and with a humble soul to acquire and purchase their help, than to inquire by vain inquiry their secrets. They are well contented each one with his joy. If men living were content and would refrain their vain speaking and contention about themselves, they have no glory or exaltation.\nIn their own merits / for they assign no manner of goodness unto themselves, but to God alone, who has given them all things of his infinite grace and charity, they are replenished with so great love of God and with so abundant and following joy thereupon, that no glory nor felicity may decrease or fail them. All the saints in heaven the higher they are in glory, the more humble and lowly they are in their own sight, and the nearer and dearer to me in love. It is written in the Apocalypse that the saints in heaven, the higher they are in glory, the more they submit their crowns before God, and they fell on their faces before the humble Lamb, Christ Jesus, adoring and worshipping Him as their Lord God ever living without end. Many people inquire busily which saint is more preferred in the kingdom of Almighty God, not knowing if they themselves shall be worthy to be accounted with the least saint in that kingdom. It is not a little but a great thing and grace to be in the kingdom of God.\nIn heaven, all who are there are greatly exalted by God. They are called God's children. When the apostles of God questioned them about who among them should be preferred in God's kingdom, they heard the answer of our Lord: \"But if you are converted and made meek, pure, and without malice, as children are, you shall not enter the kingdom of eternal life. And he who humbles himself like this child is more worthy of the kingdom of heaven. Woe to those who disdain to humble themselves with children, for they, for their presumption and pride, shall not be allowed to enter the humble gate of heaven, which admits only humble and meek people. Woe also to the rich people who are puffed up by an inordinate love of their riches. For such rich people have their consolations and joy here, and therefore at the last, the poor people who are humble in heart and content with their poverty shall enter the kingdom of heaven.\"\nEnter into the glory of God for such penance and hardships, for wrongs and other evils that they have suffered here in this valley of misery. Riches people living here in wealth and pleasure will be cast out with great sorrow and lamentation, for they have lost an inestimable joy for a short worldly delight that they had here living. Therefore, humble and poor people, you shall inherit the everlasting joy and king's dominion of God, if you live well here in this mortal life with perseverance.\n\nLord God, what is my trust in this life? And what is my greatest solace and comfort of all things visible? Is it not you? Whose mercy is infinite? Yes, truly. What has it been well with me at any time without you? Or when might any evil happen or come to me, you being present? Truly, never. I would rather be poor with you than rich without you. I would rather be a pilgrim here on earth with your presence than to possess heaven without.\nthee are there is life, and where thou art not, there is death and hell. Thou art all my desire, and therefore I have need to lament, pray, and continually cry after thee. I may trust fully in none but thee, for there may be no help in times of need but in thee, my Lord God. Thou art my hope, my trust, and my most faithful comfort and help in all things.\n\nFor the ordering of human peace and felicity, if thou art absent, they are not worthy, nor do they give any true felicity to any creature. Thou, my Lord God, art the end of all goodness, the high life of all the profound speaking of all eloquence, and the most strong hope and solace of thy servants.\n\nMy intention is to go into the, I trust fully in my Lord God, Father of Mercy. Bless and sanctify my soul with heavenly blessing, that it may be made thy holy tabernacle and dwelling place, and the final country of everlasting peace and clarity. Amen.\n\nHere ends the third book of\nIohannes Gerson, printed in London by Richard Pynson, in Flete Street at the Sign of the George, by the command and instance of the right noble and excellent princess Margaret, mother to our sovereign lord King Henry VII, and countess of Richmond and Derby, in the year of our Lord 1456 and, 17. The seventh day of October.\n\nCome to me, says our merciful Lord, all who toil and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. And the bread that I will give you: shall be my flesh for the life of the world. O my Lord Jesus Christ, eternal truth, these words before said are your words. Although they have not been said in one self time nor written in one self place, yet because they are your words, I ought to believe and understand them faithfully and agreeably. They are your words, and you have offered them. And they are now mine, for you have spoken them for my salvation. I will gladly receive them from your mouth.\nmay be the better if planted in my heart. Thy words of great pity, full of love, sweetness, and dilation greatly excite me: but, Lord, my proper sins fear and draw back my conscience, not pure to receive so great a mystery. The sweetness of thy words initiates and provokes me: but the multitude of my sins charges and sore grieves me. Thou commandest that I shall come unto thee faithfully: if I will have part with thee to the end, I may receive the nourishing of immortality if I desire to open myself to thee. Thou sayest, Lord, come unto me that labor and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you. O how sweet and amiable a word is that in the ear of a sinner: that thou, my Lord and my God, deignest to bid me, who am so poor and have so much need of the holy communion of thy precious body. O good Lord, what am I to presume to desire: that heaven and earth may not contain and thou sayest, come all unto me. Who asks and wills this meek worthiness.\namicable blessing. How shall I dare approach thee, who feel not that I have done any good? How shall I entertain thee into my house, which so often have offended before thy glorious and righteous face? The angels' ark\nIf thou didst not command it. No, that just man labored for a hundred years to make the ark, in order that a few of his people might be saved. How may I prepare myself then, in an hour, to receive thee who art the composer and creator of all this world? Moses, thy great familiar and special friend, made the tabernacle of wood, not corruptible which he covered with right pure gold and put in the tables of the law, & I, a corrupt creature, how shall I now dare receive thee who art the author of the Law and giver of grace and life to all creatures? The wise Salamanking of Israel consecrated a rich Temple to the prayer of thy name by the space of seven years, and by eight days he consecrated the feast of the dedication of the same, he offered a thousand hosts to thee.\npacify your goodness with it and place the ark of Almighty in the prepared place, along with the soul of Clarion and trumpets. How dare I, a wretch among other creatures, receive thee into my house, which neither knows nor understands that I have spent and employed an hour of time, neither to my knowledge nor understanding that I have devoted half an hour. God, how many have come before me who have attempted to do anything that might please thee? Alas, how little I do, although the time is short. Yet, when I suppose myself to receive thy holy communion, I am but poorly gathered together and coldly purged from all distractions of mind. And certainly no unprofitable thoughts should come into the holy presence of thy deity. Also, I ought not to occupy myself with any creature; for I shall not receive an angel but the Lord of angels into the secret of my heart.\n\nFor there is a great difference between the Ark of Almighty and its relics, and\nthe right pure and precious body with its virtues not failing: but ever during, and between the sacred sacrifice of the prefigurative law that was to come and the true host of your precious body, which is the accomplishment of all the old sacrifices.\nTherefore, should I not be more inflamed in your vulnerable presence? And by more solicitude prepare myself to receive the sacred and holy gifts and benefits, and be beneficial to you. In so much, the holy ancient patriarchs and prophets, kings and princes, with all the people, have shown great affection toward your honor and divine service.\nThe right devout king David inclined to the ark of God with all his strength, knowing and remembering the benefits done to his fathers: he organized processions of various kinds, and he composed psalms and instituted that they should be sung, and he himself sang them with gladness, and ten times with the harp of the Holy Ghost. This king, inspired by the grace of God, has taught the people of Israel.\nTo praise God with all their hearts. Blessing, honoring, and preaching His holy name daily. If such great devotion and remembrance were performed in divine service and prayers before the ark of His testament, what great reverence and devotion ought we then to have in the presence of the sacrament and the sumptuous body of our Lord Jesus Christ. Also, all Christian people use to go to various places: to visit the relics of saints, marvel at their miraculous deeds and works, and behold the great edifices or buildings of temples and churches. The sacred bones of saints are enshrined there. No light of sensual or spiritual graces is conferred there, and the virtue lost in the soul is repaid; beauty wasted by sin is recovered. Sometimes this grace, which is often given with the abundance of devotion, is not only granted to the mind but also to the weak body, and its might and strength are increased. Therefore, it behooves us to have sorrow.\nAnd yet, in our sloth, we come to the point where the grace and love of God to man may more appear, and since this holy communion is spread throughout the world. Thanks be to the good shepherd eternal, who has vowed to refresh and feed us poor baptized creatures with your right precious body and blood; and also by your words from your prophetic mouth have desired us to receive this holy mystery, saying, \"Come to me, all who are charged, and I will refresh you.\"\n\nO my God, I come to thee putting my confidence in thy mercy and bounty. I am sick and come to my Savior; I am hungry and thirsty to the fountain of life, poor and needy to the King of heaven: the servant to his Lord, the creature to his maker, a person desolate to his pitiful comforter. But why do I thus come to thee? Who am I that thou wouldst give thyself to? How dare I, a sinner, behold to appear before thee? And how may it please thee to come to such a wretch? Thou knowest.\nyou are my servant and understand that there is nothing good in him. Therefore, you should do this favor to me. I confess my unworthiness and acknowledge your bounty, praise your pity, and give thanks for your great charity. You do this for your own good, Lord, not for my right: so that your bounty may be more known to me. Your charity is more fully verified, and your mercy commended more perfectly, since it pleases you and you have commanded it to be done. This pleases me, and with my will, my wickedness shall not resist. O sweet and benevolent one, by your pleasure and will, may I receive your blessed body, whose worthiness no man is able to declare or express. But what shall I think of this communion when I come before my Lord God, whom I cannot honor duly, and yet I desire to receive it devoutly? What can I think better and more profitable for me than to make myself holy?\nBefore thee, I praise thee, infinite bounty, above all things. I praise thee, Lord God, everlastingly, and despise myself, submitting myself to the depths of my wretchedness.\n\nO my God, thou art saint of all saints, and I, the filth of all sinners; yet thou inclinest thyself unto me, unworthy to behold thee.\n\nAlas, my sweet creature, who so meekly comes to me, and wills to be with me, and desires me to thy dinner, and gives to me the bread of heaven and the meat of angels, which is bread of life: and no less than thyself, who art descended from heaven, and gives life to the world. Let us see here what great yieldings of thanks and love are due to thee, O Lord. O how profitable and healthful was thy counsel when thou instituted and ordained this gracious gift.\n\nO how sweet, and joyous is this feast where thou hast given to us the feeding of thy precious body.\nO good Lord, how marvelous are thy works, and how mighty is thy virtue and thy truth, unable to be told. Thou hast said and all things have been done and all that thou hast commanded have taken effect. It is a marvelous thing to be believed and far above my understanding that thou, Lord God, very God and man, art holy, contained under a little likeness of bread and wine. And thou art wholly received without consuming him who receives thee.\n\nThou, Lord of all, who hast no need of any thing, yet hast willed to inhabit within us by this thy holy sacrament. Lord, keep my heart and my body undefiled to the end: that with a pure and a joyous conscience I may often receive thee to my everlasting health.\n\nThese holy mysteries which are instituted and ordained chiefly for thy honor and perpetual remembrance.\n\nO my soul, rejoice and give thanks to thy God for his noble gift and singular comfort that it pleased him here in this valley of tears to comfort thee.\nFor ten times that you remember this mystery and receive this blessed body of our Lord, you receive the work of your redemption and become a partner in all the mysteries of our Lord Jesus Christ. For His charity is never misused, and the greatness of His mercy is never consumed. Therefore, you ought to dispose yourself with a new reverence of thought and ought to consider this great mystery of your health by attentive raising of your soul.\n\nAnd this work ought to be as new and joyous to you as when thou Lord descended into the womb of the virgin Mary to be made man, or when He suffered death for the health of man on the cross.\n\nLord, I come to Thee to the font of Thy grace, and that wealth may come to me from Thy gift, and that I may rejoice at the holy feast that Thou hast prepared for me, poor wretch, by Thy sweet benignity: in which my Savior is all that I may or ought to desire: for Thou art\nMy health, my redemption, my strength, and honor are all from you, Lord. I am your daily servant, joyous for my Lord Jesus. For my Lord Jesus, I have raised my soul to you, and now I desire to receive you in humility and reverence, to the end that I may deserve, with joy, to be blessed by you and counted among the children of Abraham. My soul desires your body; my heart desires to be united with you. Give yourself to me, good Lord, and then I shall be satisfied: for without you, no consolation or comfort is good, and without your presence, I cannot live. Therefore, it often brings me comfort to come to your high presence to receive you as the remedy for my health, lest I fail in the way of this mortal life if I am denied your spiritual nourishment. My righteous Lord Jesus, when you have preached to the people and healed them of various ailments, you have said, \"I will not leave them fasting,\" and without your reception.\nCertainly, I will do my best to clean the text while staying faithful to the original content. Here is the cleaned version:\n\n\"although they might fail in their way. Do with me, good lord, in that manner: since you have left this holy sacrament for the comfort of faithful people: for you are the sweet refreshment of the souls of those who worthily receive and eat this [bread], and they shall be participants and heirs of eternal joy. It is necessary for me to come often, sin so soon, and at every hour to come to you: so that by continual prayers and confessions, and by receiving your holy body, I may purify and renew the heat of my reception. For perhaps, in abstaining from receiving it for a long time, I may leave, forget, and renounce my good purposes. For the wit of man and woman from their childhood are inclined to evil. And if this divine and godly medicine helps us not, we are incontinent and fall into worse things. This holy communion draws men away from evil and comforts them again in goodness: for I am often negligent and often tempted when I commune.\"\nI. Although I may not worship my god, what should I then do if I do not take that medicine and ask for his grace and help? And although I am not always disposed to receive my creature, I shall put myself to pain to receive these sacred mysteries at a convenient time: so that I may become a partner of such great grace. For indeed, one of the most principal consolations for a faithful soul is that for the time they shall make their pilgrimage in this mortal body, and to the end that we may have the more mind of your benefits. My lord god, I shall more often receive you: my loving Lord, with a devout thought, O marvelous gentleness of your unspeakable pity towards us: that you, Lord God, creator and giver of life to all spirits, have willed to come to this poor soul with the deity and humanity. And my poor, lean and dry soul has desired to be made fat with your grace and your holy unction of your sweet spirit. O happy thought and happy soul that deserves to receive its God devoutly.\nLord and Creature: and in that receiving to be filled with joy and spiritual gladness. O what great Lord receivest thou, O what and how great and host entertainest thou into thy lodging. How joyous a fellow takest thou into thy house, How faithful a friend thou admittest unto thee. O how good, noble, and sweet spouse thou embracest, which ought to be believed and desired above all things. O right sweet beloved Lord, the heaven and earth and all the ornaments of them hold their silence in thy presence. For what praising, honor, and beauty they have is of thy mercy and largesse, and cannot be like unto the honor and beauty of thy holy name: of thy wisdom, whereof there is no number nor end.\n\nFaith is uncertain for it is thy work, not the power of man. It is thy holy ordinance and not by man's device. For there is no man able of himself to conceive and understand these holy mysteries which passeth the subtlety of angels.\n\nThen, how may I, unworthy sinner,\nI am but earth and ashes, I search and conceive so high and holy secrecy, Lord, I come to you in simplicity of heart and in firm faith, and by your commandment, and with meek hope and reverence. And truly I believe that you are present here in this holy sacrament, truly God and man. And you will I shall receive and join myself to you by charity. Therefore I humbly pray and request that it may please you to give me your grace: so that I may be entirely pardoned, and flow in your love in such a way that I shall not desire any other consolation. For this high worthy sacrament is the health of soul and body. It is the medicine of all spiritual diseases: in which my sins are healed, passions are refrained, temptations are overcome, and many sins are forgiven. Greater graces are given and the virtue begun is increased, faith is strengthened, hope is made strong and fortified, charity is burning and spread abroad. O my God, the defender of my soul, and the repayer of the weakness of.\nYou, as the giver of all inner comfort, have given and continue to give to your beloved friends in this holy sacrament, as they devoutly receive it. For you infuse into their souls great comfort against various trials; and from the depths of their own destruction, you raise them up to the hope of your divine help. And with a new grace, you inwardly renew and lighten them in such a way that those who feel themselves heavy, dull, and overwhelmed, and without affection or mystery of devotion before the reception of the Sacrament, become changed into a marvelous joy. Thou doest this to thy chosen people by dispensation of thy pure bounty, so that they may experience openly that they have nothing and can have nothing of themselves, and that all grace or goodness they have comes from you. For of themselves, they are cold and undeserving.\nOf thee who come fervent, joyous and devout. For who is he that comes near to the font of cherubim and seraphim, yet will I enforce myself to devotion and prepare my heart greatly to receive this holy loving sacrament, and shall desire to be embraced with a little flame of that good love. O good Jesus, holy and righteous savior, whatsoever virtue or goodness fails in me: I humbly beseech thee graciously to supply it by thy great mercy. Thou that hast called all faithful creatures unto thee, come ye all unto me that labor and are heavy laden: and I will refresh you. But alas, good Lord, I, a poor sinner, am bathed in the sweetness of thy countenance, and am tormented with sorrow of my heart. I am charged with sins and troubled with teary taciturnity, enticed and oppressed with many evil passions. And Lord, there is none that can deliver me or make me safe. But thou, my only God and savior, to whom I commit me and all my causes: keep me and lead me to the life eternal. Receive me unto thee.\nthe praising of your name that has made ready to me your precious body and blood to eat and drink. My lord God and savior, your great grace towards me through your great bounty: in the receipt of your holy mystery, may the affection and desire of my devotion be increased.\n\nIf you had the purity of angels and the holiness of John the Baptist: you should not be worthy to receive or treat of that holy sacrament; for it is not due to the merits of men that a man should consecrate and treat of the sacrament of this blessed body of Jesus Christ and take in food the bread of angels. O great mystery and the marvelous dignity of priests: to whom is given that which is not granted to the angels. For priests only duly ordained in the church of Christ have the power to do and to consecrate the holy body of Jesus Christ. Certainly the priest is the minister of God: using the word of God by the commandment and ordinance of God. But God is the principal and invisible worker: to whom be all praise.\nSubmitted all creatures to be ordered according to his will, and all to obey his commandment. You ought to believe more in almighty God and in the right excellent sacrament than in your own will or any other's. Therefore, to this holy work you ought to come with great fear and reverence. Take heed and see from whom this mystery is given to you: it is by the putting on of the hands of the bishop that you are admitted to it. Behold, you are made a priest and consecrated to do this holy mystery. Do it faithfully and devoutly, and in due time offer your sacrifice to God, showing yourself irreproachable and without defect. You have not shirked your charge of living: but have bound yourself with a stricter bond of discipline and are held to a greater perfection of holiness. The priest ought to be acknowledged with all virtues and give all their example of good and holy life. His conversation ought not to be with common people.\nThe priest clad with holy vestments; between common men and angels in heaven, or with perfect men on earth. The priest clothes himself with the sign of the cross: to come to the presence of Jesus Christ, to humbly pray for himself and all others. He has before him the sign of the cross: that he may diligently behold the traces and examples of our Lord Jesus Christ and fervently strive to follow them. Behind him is also signed with the cross: that he should bear all adversities, injuries inflicted upon him by others. Before him, he bears the cross to atone for his own sins. And behind him, like a compassionate man, to grieve for the sins of others and to know himself as a man between God and the sinner. He does not depart from the altar nor from the holy oblation until the time he [ends his service].\ndeserve to purchase the grace of God. When the priest says mass, he honors God / he gives joy unto the angels: he edifies the church / he heals the faithful / he gives rest to those who have passed and makes himself partner of all good works.\n\nLord, when I think of your worthiness and of my great unworthiness, I tremble strongly and am confounded in myself. For if I receive the one, I flee from the eternal life, and if I unworthily receive the one, I run into your wrath. What shall I then do, my good Lord, my helper, protector, and righteous counselor in all my infirmities and necessities? Teach me, good Lord, your right way, and propose to me some exercise suitable for the receiving of this holy mystery. For it is necessary for me, and greatly profitable to know how devoutly and reverently I ought to prepare my heart to receive this holy sacrament or to make such a worthy sacrifice.\n\nThe priest, above all things, ought to desire with most solemn reverence and profound humility.\nExamine diligently and make clear and open the conscience through true contrition and humble confession, receiving this worthy sacament. To have displeasure with all sins in general and for excesses and sins, one ought to have sorrow and regret more specifically. And if the time allows, confess to God in secret from the heart the mysteries of all passions: weep and have sorrow that one is still so carnal and worldly, and so evil-mortified from passions full of motions and concupiscences, so ill-composed and disordered in outward wits, so often applied to vain fantasies, so negligent in spiritual things, so ready to laugh and to all dissolution, so hard to weep.\nTo conformity: so ready to follow the lost maur and the pleasures of the flesh: and so slow and dull to the fervor of virtue: so curious to behold and to hear new fair things: so negligent and loath to learn and desire things that are meek and abject: So covetous to receive and possess many goods. & so sparing to give them/ and glad to hold and retain them: so evil-avowed in speaking & so inconvenient to be still: So unordered in manners: so importune in thy deeds: so greedy and so quick in thy mete: so deceitful unto the word of god: so ready to rest so unlusty to labor: so waking to fables: so sleeping to holy vigils: so negligent unto the service of god: so speedy to them thereof: so wavering to take heed: so cold in devotion in the time of the mass: So soon withdrawn, so seldom well gathered unto thyself, so suddenly moved unto wrath, so easily stirred: to the displeasure of others, so hasty to judge, so rough in replying, so joyous in prosperity, so weak in adversity.\nOften promising many good things yet bringing little to good effect. These and other your defects, with sorrow and great displeasure of your fragility, were confessed and sorrowfully wept. Set yourself with full purpose always to amend yourself and to profit from better to better. After offering yourself with plain resignation and eager will to the honor of my name, make a perpetual sacrifice within the altar of your heart. This is to know your soul and body committing faithfully to me, so that you may deserve worthily to come and offer your sacrifice to God and to receive the sacrament of my body healthfully. For no oblation is more worthy, nor any satisfaction can be so great, to deface the sins of man: as to offer oneself to God purely and entirely with the oblation of the holy body of Christ Jesus in the mass and the holy communion. And those who can and have true repentance for their offenses passed: as often as they shall come to me.\nthey shall recover pardon and grace. I am life and will not the death of a sinner: but rather will that he return and live again. And then will I no longer remember his sins & trespasses: but all shall be forgiven & pardoned unto him.\n\nAs I did offer myself and my free will to God my Father, my hands spread on the cross, and my naked body forthwith my sins. In so much that nothing remained in me, but all passed in sacrifice to appease his wrath: in like wise thou oughtest to offer thyself unto me willingly, thy self in pure oblation daily in the mass with all thy affection.\n\nWhat ask I of thee but that thou resign thyself unto me entirely. What thing so ever else thou givest unto me, I have no care. For I demand not thy gifts: but only thy self. As no thing should suffice unto Him without me. Like wise no thing may please me what so ever thou shalt give, thou offer not thyself unto me. Offer thee then give the holy unto me. & that oblation shall be acceptable.\nI offer myself wholly to my father, and give all my body and blood, to the end that I should be entirely thine and thou mine. But if thou restest in thyself and with good will present nothing to me: then there is no perfect oblation between us. For the free oblation of thyself into the hands of Almighty God ought to go before all thy works if thou wilt obtain liberty and grace. And the lack of this is the cause that so few people are enlightened and have inward liberty. For they cannot renounce themselves. My sentence is firm and stable: that none may be my disciple without he renounces all that he has. Therefore, if thou desirest to be my disciple, offer thyself to me with all thy affection.\n\nLord, all things that are in heaven and on earth be thine. And my willing desire is to offer myself to thee perpetually in oblation: so that I may be thine everlastingly. And this day I offer myself to thee perpetually to be thine.\nservant with my heart and soul fully to continue. I beseech you to receive this holy oblation from me, who am unworthy to offer it to your precious body in the presence of angels: may it be for the health of me and all your people. Lord, I also offer to you all my sins which I have committed since the first day that I began to sin up to this present day. And I beseech you to inflame me with the burning fire of charity: and to deface and put away all the conditions of my sins. Cleanse my conscience from all sin and restore it to your grace: that by sin I have lost. And perfectly pardon me for all my offenses: that I may receive perceptibly the sweet kissing of peace. What more can I do for my sin but humbly confess them with sorrowful weeping and incessantly praying for your pity and mercy. I beseech the Lord to exalt me: and be ready for me when I am before you. O my good Lord.\n\"I am deeply sorry for all my sins. And by your grace, I will never begin them again, but I will have sorrow for them as long as I live, and be ready to do penance and make amends with the best of my little power. Therefore, good Lord, pardon me for my great and abominable sins, and for the honor of your holy name, save my soul which you have dearly bought with your most precious blood. I commit myself, good Lord, to your great mercy, and surrender myself wholly to your hands. Do with me, Lord, according to your will and not according to my will or iniquity. Also, I offer to you all my deeds, whether they be few and imperfect, that you may sanctify and amend them as they are agreeable and acceptable to you. And always, good Lord, draw me from better to better, and conduct and lead me, a slow and unworthy sinner, to good and laudable ends. In the same way, I offer to you: the desires of all devout persons, the necessities of all good works of my.\"\n\"For all kinfolk and friends, and all who have done me good or are kind to me, and for those who have asked or required me to make sacrifices for their friends' living or passed away: May they find help, consolation, defense, and preservation from all troubles by your grace, and may they receive deliverance from pains so that they may yield to joy and gladness through magnifying and praising their deliverance. I offer prayers and holy oblations for all those who have caused me heavy sorrow, hurt, or any kind of damage. And likewise for those whom I have troubled, grieved, vexed, or slandered in words or deeds, knowingly or unknowingly, that the Lord may pardon us all of our offenses against one another. And good Lord Jesus, have mercy, blessed Jesus, have mercy: O Lord, have pity.\"\nGrant mercy to all who seek it, and grace to those who have need. Make us worthy to receive that grace, so that we may go to eternal life. Amen.\n\nIt is necessary to frequently turn to the font of grace, mercy, bounty, pity, and purity, that you may be cleansed from your vices and passions, and become stronger, awakening against all temptations and the subtle crafts of the devil. The enemy knows the great fruit and remedy of receiving this holy sacrament, and therefore he endeavors by all means to draw you to him again, and lets the faithful and devout people when they dispose themselves to the reception of this holy communion. The enemy Satan puts the most grievous temptations upon them. It is also written in the history of Job that this wicked spirit comes among the children of God to perturb, perplex, and make them dreadful, diminishing their faith.\naffections and opposing them: therefore, they may abandon their good purpose of that holy body that they were about to receive at that time: but we should not worry nor fear the crafty schemes of that false enemy, who is so foul and terrible: but all such fantasies we should cast against the head of that wicked spirit. It is a poor, mischievous spirit that hinders and mock us. And for any assaults or temptations that he excites, this holy sacrament ought not to be left. Also, often times great solicitude for devotion is required, letting and sometimes urgent need for confession: But do according to the counsel of the wise / and remove this anxiety and struggle: for it hinders the grace of God / and destroys devotion. Leave not the holy receiving of Jesus Christ for little tribulation or deceit. Or, leave not with a poor will. But with good will, go to the confessor / and pardon all others who have offended: and if you have offended anyone, ask for pardon meekly.\nYou shall not delay in confession or the receiving of your blessed Savior. First, purge yourself and cast out the venom, then hasten to take the remedy. You will feel much better than if you had delayed it. For if you live this day with the holy reception due to coldness of devotion and weakness of mind, perhaps you will find yourself more slack, and so linger, making yourself much worse and less able. Instead, take away this weakness of mind and the slowness. For always remaining in anguish and heaviness of sin, passing the time in tribulation and daily obstacles, and striving with difficulties to turn away from these divine mysteries, without turning to the pitiful mercy of our Savior Christ Jesus, helps nothing. But the long delay in receiving your Savior brings harm.\ndaily, some cold and desolate persons gladly seek causes for lingering from confession and from receiving this holy sacrament. But alas for sorrow: those who covet many delays, lest they be bound to give themselves to a stricter manner in the order of their life. Alas, how little charity and how slender devotion have those who easily put away the reception of this holy sacrament. O how happy are they and agreeable to almighty God that lead such a holy life: that they may keep their conscience clean and pure with fear: so that they may daily dispose and make themselves ready, and with great affection desire to receive that holy sacrament, if it were permissible at all times. Nevertheless, sometimes meekness to abstain, or for other lawful causes that may let with reverence, is to be praised. But if sloth or negligence hold him: he ought to endeavor himself as far as in him is, and our Lord shall be present at his desire: which will especially.\nEvery person with perfect devotion may receive this holy sacrament spiritually for their health every day, and in certain times and days established, they ought to receive the body of their savior with effective reverence sacramentally. This is done more for the praise and honor of almighty God than for one's own consolation. As often as one spiritually communicates and is refreshed, one remembers devoutly the mystery of the incarnation of Christ and his painful passion, and is kindled in the love of him. He who does not prepare himself otherwise but at the time of a great feast or else is compelled, will often be unfruitful. Blessed is he who offers himself to almighty God as often as he celebrates mass or receives this honorable sacrament.\nin doing this mystery, not tarrying nor being hasty, but keep the common manner with such as thou lovest among. Thou oughtest not to do that which causes grief or irritation to the hearers, but keep the common way according to the teachings of the holy fathers. And do rather confirm the faith of others than your own devotion or private pleasure.\n\nO Righteous Jesus, how great consolation and sweetness is it to a devout soul to eat with you at your dinner where none other food is given but yourself, who are the only lover and ought to be desired above all desires of human hearts. How sweet a thing would it be in your presence from the depths of the heart to send out tears: to dew and wash your pityous face with the pitiful Maiden. But where is that devotion or the plentiful effusion of holy tears? Certainly in beholding the sight of your holy angels. All my heart ought to burn and weep with joy: for I have truly the presence of you, though you hide yourself under strange likenesses. For my eyes might not see:\n\n(Note: The text appears to be written in Middle English, and there are several errors in the OCR output. Here is a corrected version of the text:\n\nIn doing this mystery, not tarrying nor being hasty, but keep the common manner with such as thou lovest among. Thou oughtest not to do that which causes grief or irritation to the hearers, but keep the common way according to the teachings of the holy fathers. And do rather confirm the faith of others than thine own devotion or private pleasure.\n\nO righteous Jesus, how great consolation and sweetness is it to a devout soul to eat with thee at thy table where none other food is given but thyself, who art the only lover and ought to be desired above all desires of human hearts. How sweet a thing would it be in thy presence from the depths of the heart to send out tears: to dew and wash thy pityous face with the pitiful Maiden. But where is that devotion or the plentiful effusion of holy tears? Certainly in beholding the sight of thy holy angels. All my heart ought to burn and weep with joy: for I have truly the presence of thee, though thou hidest thyself under strange likenesses. For mine eyes might not see:)\nIt is not sufficient to behold you in your proper and godly clearness, nor could the world endure to behold the cleansing of your joy and majesty. Therefore, good Lord, you help my weakness; in that it pleases you to hide yourself under the form of the holy sacrament. I truly worship him whom angels worship in heaven. But in me, it is yet but faith; and the angels worship him in his own likeness without covering. I must be content with true faith and walk until the day comes of eternal cleansing, when the shadow of figures shall fade away. For when that perfect day comes, the use of this holy sacrament shall cease. For those who are blessed in heavenly joy have no need of any sacramental medicine: for they shall rejoice without end in the presence of God, seeing him in his glory face to face, and shall be transformed from cleansing to cleansing with the godhead incomprehensible. They shall taste the son of God made man: as he was from the beginning, and shall be everlastingly.\nThough you bring me remembrance of the great wonders and solace you were to me: it is grievous to me when I remember those wonders. For all things that I hear or see in this world I account as nothing compared to not seeing my Lord God in His glory. Lord God, you are my witness that nothing can give me comfort or rest, but you, my Lord God, whom I desire eternally to behold. But that is a thing not possible for me: while I am in this mortal life. Therefore, it behooves me with great patience to order myself and submit myself meekly to all my desires.\n\nGood Lord, your saints who now rejoice with you in the kingdom of heaven, await the coming of your joy with great faith and patience as long as they lived. I believe the same that they believed, and hope as they hoped; and trust, through your grace, to come there as they are. In the meantime, I shall be comforted by the examples of holy saints. Also, I have full virtuous [sic]\nI feel that two things are necessary for me: without which this miserable life would be intolerable for me, as long as I am held in this present body. I confess that I have a need to know two things: concerning food and light. But you have given me, who am poor and sick, your holy body for the refreshment of my soul and body. Also, you have placed before my faith the light of your holy word. And without these two things, I could not live spiritually. For your word, my Lord and God, is the light of my soul, and the sacrament is the bread of my life. These two necessary things may also be called the tables set on either side in the treasure of the holy church: one table is of the holy altar, bearing this lovely bread, that is, the precious body of Jesus Christ; the other is the law of God which you have ministered.\nI come to you through my servants/prophets/apostles/and other teachers. I give thanks to the creator and redeemer of mankind, who has declared great charity to all the world, and I am the lover of purity and the liberal giver of all holiness. I seek the pure, clean heart, and there I will rest. Prepare your heart for me, and I will be with you: as I was with my disciples. At Easter I shall come and dwell with you if you will: but then it is necessary for you to modify and cleanse the habitation of your heart from all sins: leave all brutish and noisy things of the world with all your vices and enclose and shut yourself in your chamber as does a solitary bird under the wings of a house. Remember all your excesses and all your faults committed: with all your soul and the bitterness of your heart. For a good friend will make ready for his beloved friend a good and pleasant place to dwell in, and in doing so, it is well known with what good affection he receives his said friend. It is true that\nthou oughteste to vnderstande that thou mayste nat satyfye by any meryte or labour of thy selfe: nat and thou dydest labour with the beste of thy power by a hole yere thought thou hadest none other thynge to do. But thou shalt vnderstande that by my only power and gra\u00a6ce: is {per}mytted / & grau\u0304ted vnto the to come vnto my table. & if a pore man were called vnto the table of a ryche lorde: and the pore man had none other thynge to gyue ageyne for ye be\u00a6nefytes of that ryche man / but swetely / & mekely to thanke hym he wolde do it. so oughtest thou to do diligently as mo\u2223che as is in the: & nat by custome / or necestite: But wyth all drede / reuerence / & affeccyon. Thou oughtest to take ye bles\u2223syd body of our lorde god: sythe that it lyste the hym to come vnto the. Certeynly I am he that callethe the: & I haue com\u2223mau\u0304ded it so to be done / & I shall supplye that faylethe in the wherfore come and receyue me. & whan in that doi\u0304ge I giue vnto the the grace of deuoco\u0304n: yeld thou thankes vnto me thi\u0304\u00a6god. Nat\nThough you consider yourself worthy, but I have shown mercy to you. If you lack that grace when you desire it: feel yourself dry and unlustful; yet continue your prayers with sorrowful weeping and strike at my door without ceasing until you may receive some crumb or drop of health-giving grace. And know truly you have much need of me, and I have none of you. You do not come to sanctify me, but I am the one who will sanctify you and make you better, so that you may be united with me to receive new grace and purpose amended. Do not willfully defer my grace, but with all diligence pray your heart to receive within it your loving Lord. Not only prepare yourself before your communion, but also maintain and keep it after the reception of your said holy sacrament, that same devotion as much as you can. For you ought to have no less diligence than you had before for the good and diligent keeping of your soul after.\nReceiving the blessed sacrament is a good preparation to obtain greater grace. Those who do so behave poorly when they show themselves so soon and so generously to the outside world, seeking solace and pleasures. Therefore, keep yourself from great brutality and speaking, and abide in the secret graces and fruits of God. For you have Him who the whole world cannot take away, and I am He to whom you ought to give yourself in such a way that from then on you live no longer in yourself but in me alone.\n\nO Lord, who shall yield to me that I may find the only one, and open my whole heart to You, and rejoice with You as my poor soul desires, and may there be no creature to behold me but You alone, to speak to me, and I to the good Lord as friends speak to one another secretly? Here I desire and pray, Lord Jesus, that I may be utterly united to You and withdraw my heart from all other created things, that I may learn the eternal and heavenly things by Your means sooner.\nOf the reception of this holy sacrament. Alas, my good lord, what shall I be unwitting and wholly absorbed, lost in you, and thus assembled, we dwell together. I pray you truly, thou art my chosen and beloved lord, and it has pleased thy benevolent grace to dwell in my soul all the days of my life. Thou art my peace and true rest: in whom there is sovereign peace and true rest: without thee, there is nothing but labor, sorrow, and infinite misery. Thou, my god, art hidden and concealed in counsel with thy familiar ones: who are not common to the evil folk. But thy familiar speaking is with the meek and simple folk. O lord, how good and sweet is thy spirit, which thou dost show to me, thy son and children, thy sweetness: hast thou vowed to refresh them again and give to them the sweet bread descended from heaven. Certainly, there is no other nation lacking in Christ's faith that has their god so near to them as thou art.\nOur God and Lord to all Thy faithful Christian people: to whom Thou givest Thy blessed body to eat for their daily comfort, and to raise their hearts to high celestial things. O what other people are there so noble as the Christian people? Or what creature is there so strongly loved under heaven as is the devout soul whom God enters and gives feeding with His own glorious flesh and blood. O inestimable and marvelous grace and worthiness, O love without measure, singularly shown to man: But what shall I render to God, and with what shall I repay this so great grace and charity? Truly, there is nothing I may give more agreeable to His mercy than to join my heart perfectly to Him. And when my soul shall be perfectly united with Him: Then shall my inward parts rejoice. And then my Lord will say to me, \"If thou wilt be with Me, I will be with thee.\" And I shall answer Him, \"Blessed Lord, I beseech Thee, dwell with me for all the desire of my heart is to be with Thee, infinite and insatiable.\"\nDeparting. O Lord, how great is the multitude of Your sweetness which You have hidden for those who fear You. When I remember myself of many devout persons who have come to this Your holy sacrament with great fervent affection and devotion, I am often confused. I am ashamed that I go to the altar and table of this holy communion so rudely with cold devotion, and am so dry without affection in my heart. I am abashed that I am not wholly inflamed by Your presence and so strongly drawn and established as many good, devout persons have been. Who, by the great desire of this holy sacrament and sensible love of heart, could not contain themselves nor withhold themselves from weeping. But effectively, with mouth, heart, and body, they came to that good Lord: as to the living fountain of all bounty, and may not attain to fulfill their hunger; but if they take Your holy body, which they so devoutly, affectionately, and spiritually receive. O true and benign faith of them that truly believe.\nYou shall show the beauty of thy presence to them. To them it is truly known when their God breaks bread, which burns and boils so strongly in their hearts with the love of Jesus Christ. Certainly such affection, devotion, and vehement burning love is far superior. Amen.\n\nIt is necessary to seek the grace of divinity and to ask for it incessantly, to endure it patiently, to receive it faithfully and joyfully, and to conserve it meekly. And with that, you should remit to God the time and manner of his most true visitation, until his pleasure is to come to you. Primarily, you ought to make the effort when you feel but little devotion within yourself. And yet, you ought not to let yourself fall or sorrow excessively. For our blessed Lord often gives grace suddenly, which he had previously denied for a long time. Sometimes he gives it at the end of prayers that he had deferred at the beginning of the same. If grace were always given to a person immediately, they might have too much of it.\nWill or wish it not be easily borne of a weak and imperfect soul. And therefore, in good hope and meek patience, the grace of devotion ought to be endured and you ought to impute it to yourself and to your sins when it is not given to you or when it is secretly taken away from you. It is a little thing that may hinder or hide your grace if that may be called little, yet it hinders so great a value. But whether it is little or great, if you take that same away and perfectly overcome it, you shall obtain that which you desire or incite that which with all your heart you have given yourself to God. And therefore seek not this nor it at your pleasure: but put the whole in the hands of God. You shall certainly find yourself unwilling to him / and in great peace of your soul. For there is no thing, you ought to be so savory and pleasurable as is the pleasure and divine will of God. Whoever lifts up his intent unto God with a simple, perfect heart, he empties himself and makes himself naked from all disordered love or pleasure.\nTo any creature in this world, he is most meet to receive the gift of devotion. The Lord gave his blessing where he found the vessels clean and empty. And the more perfectly that any person renounces, mortifies, despises, and contemns himself and all lowly things, the sooner grace will enter and abundantly dwell within him. Then he will feel his heart lift up as if it were set in freedom, and he will see his heart largely abound and marvelously rejoice in himself, for the hand of God will be over him, and he will submit himself perpetually into His holy hands. And so the man will be blessed who seeks God with all his heart, and his soul will be taken in vain works. But such a one certainly, in receiving the holy body of Jesus Christ, merits and deserves the grace of divine unity from God.\n\nFor he beholds not only his own devotion and consolation, but the great honor and glory of God.\n\nOh right sweet and most beloved Lord, whom I now desire to receive. Thou good Lord\nI know the pains and necessities that I endure. In what evils and vices I am afflicted while sleeping. How often troubled, tempted, and disolute. I come to the Lord to have consolation and comfort. I speak to the Lord, for You know all my secret and inward thoughts, which are many and open to You. It is You alone who can perfectly help me, for You know what is necessary for me, and of all goods above all others, I have most desired.\n\n\u00b6 Although I am poor in virtue: alas, yet, merciful Lord, hold me, being here before the poor and naked, begging pitifully Your sweet grace and mercy. And give Your poor beggar who is dying of hunger some of Your heavenly refreshment. Warm my cold heart with the burning flame of Your love. And illumine me, who am blind and cannot see, with the clarity of Your presence.\n\nTake away from my thoughts all earthly and inward things, and turn them into me, and make me think them foul and bitter and all grievous.\nContrary to me are pleasing things, and I, in turn, can take pleasure in them. And all earthly creatures I should hold in obedience, and redirect my heart toward heaven. Let me not waver nor err on earth, but you be my sweetness and consolation, my food and drink, my love and all my joy, so that my will be changed, enflamed, and burn entirely for thee, that I may be made a spirit and inwardly united to thee by grace, and burning love. And do not let blessed Savior depart from me in fasting and dry with hunger and thirst, but have mercy on me as often as you have mercifully done in your holy servants. What wonder is it to me that I am not entirely enflamed in seeing that you are the burning fire always illuminating and lighting up the understanding of your creatures.\n\nO Lord God, sovereign deacon of burning love and all fervent affection of heart, I desire, as many other holy and devout persons have desired, to receive which has been greatly granted.\nPlease be devoted to the holiness of your life with great devotion. O my God and eternal love, and my eternal happiness. I truly desire to receive you as worthy and as reverently as any of your holy servants ever did. Although I am not worthy to have such feelings of devotion: yet I offer to the intentions of my heart sincerely, as if I had all the burning and flaming desires that they had. I also give and offer to the deepest reverence and veneration: all that a good and obedient heart can contain. And I will not nor covet to reserve anything for myself: but offer and make sacrifice to you freely, and I will strive with all my good will. Lord God, my creator and redeemer, this day I desire to receive you with such affection, reverence, praise, honor, worthiness, and love, and such faith, hope, and purity as your right holy mother and glorious virgin Mary conceived you: when she humbly and devoutly answered, \"Be it done unto me according to your word.\" She showed to her the holy angels.\nmystery of the Incarnation of the son of God. Here am I, the handmaid of God; let it be done to me according to your word. And the right excellent forerunner, St. John the Baptist, with great joy sprang in your presence by the inspiration of the creatures of heaven and earth. To thee, Lord, be worthy of praise and perpetual glory from all creatures, who implore thee to receive my prayers and desires of thy infinite blessings and praises without end. This is rightly due to thee, after the great humility and multitude of thy inestimable magnificence. And so my desire is to yield to thee at all hours and all moments of time, and I desire and beseech all the heavenly spirits with all faithful Christian creatures to yield to thee praises. All generations and kinds magnify the holy and sweet name in great joy and burning devotion. And those who celebrate that most high and holy sacrament and receive it in communion.\nPlayne faith and great reverence and devotion: may merit favor towards thee and find grace and mercy. And for me, wretched sinner, I humbly beseech thee, when I shall have a taste of that sweet unity and devotion so highly desired: that I may be filled and nourished so marvelously at that heavenly and holy table: that at my departing from thence, thou good Lord, wilt have me poor sinner in thy pitiful remembrance.\n\nIt behooves thee to keep thee from curious inquisitiveness of the right profound sacrament, if thou wilt not be confused in thy providence and drowned in the depth of opinions. For he who inquires of the high majesty of God shall be immediately oppressed and thrust down from the glory of the same. God may open more than man can understand. The devout and meek inquisitiveness of truth is always ready to be taught. And if thou studiest God by the holy, true, and entire sections of holy fathers: it is not to be reproved, but well praised. And that simplicity is well praised:\nThat which leaves the ways of difficulties and questions, and goes by the plain and firm paths of God's commandments. Many have lost their devotion: in seeking so hastily the high, incomprehensible things. It is enough to demand of the faithful faith. pure and clean life, not the high and subtle profound mysteries of God. For if thou canst not comprehend and understand that which is within, how canst thou then understand things that are above? Submit then meekly unto God and all thy understanding to the faith of the holy church, and the light of true science shall be given unto thee, as shall be to the most necessary and profitable. Some are greatly tempted by the faith of that holy sacrament: but that is not to be reputed unto them: but rather unto that cursed enemy, the devil. And let not thy good will, nor dispute in thy thoughts, nor answer to the doubts that the enemy of hell brings before thee, but firmly trust in the words of God.\nBelieve in saints and holy prophets, and then the cursed enemy will soon launch such assaults. The enemy tempts not the unfaithful creatures and the great sinners whom he holds and possesses, but he tempts, troubles, and torments in various ways the good, faithful, and Christian creatures. Therefore, keep yourself always with meek, true faith, and doubt nothing. But commit it to almighty God, for he will not deceive you. But he will be deceived who trusts too much in himself. God walked with simple people and showed himself openly to them. He gave understanding to those who were poor in spirit. And he hid his grace and secrets from those who were proud, high, and curious. For human reason can easily err and be deceived, but true faith can never deceive or fail. All reason and natural inquiry should follow faith.\nWithout further reasoning. Faith and true love surmount all curious inquiry, particularly in this matter, and marvelously opens to understanding in a secret manner of this holy and right excellent sacrament. O eternal God and without measure of might and bounty, who hast made the infinite, great, and wonderful things in heaven and earth, which none is sufficient to inquire into or understand the secrets of thy marvelous works. And therefore they are called inestimable, for man's reason cannot comprehend nor can grasp thy works. To whom God Lord Almighty be given praise and thanks without end. Amen.\n\nThus ends the fourth book: Iesu Crist & the Contemplation of the World.\n\nThis book was printed at London in Fletestreet at the sign of the George by Richard Pynson Printer, for the King's noble grace.\n\nRichard Pynson\nDeo gratias.", "creation_year": 1517, "creation_year_earliest": 1517, "creation_year_latest": 1517, "source_dataset": "EEBO", "source_dataset_detailed": "EEBO_Phase1"},
{"content": "In the year of our Lord, the first was called Cuentas of Spain, the second Borchard of Flanders, the third John of Florence, and the fourth Ambrose of Genoa. By the consent of the other merchants, Borchard of Flanders went to the host and said, \"Now is the merriest time of the year, and we are four merchants from four different countries, and by fortune we have all met together in one place, and our journey is to Paris. Therefore, while we are thus met, let us make good our time together and order the best meal you can get for money against tomorrow, and also invite some of your dearest friends that we may make merry together or depart from here, and we shall come as soon as we can get there and bring it home.\" And on the morrow, he prepared and made it ready against dinner in the best manner he could.\nAnd when it was dinner, a long marched day with good honesty, all the merchants and their servants had supper for the merchants and asked them if they would go to sleep, and they answered their host yes. And then he took a candle and led the merchants into a fair chamber, where were four richly hung beds that each merchant might lie by himself. And when they were all together in the chamber, then they began to speak of many things, some good, some bad, as it lay in their minds. Then Courant of Spain said, \"Sirs, we have all this day been merry and made good cheer, and each one of us has a fair wife at home: how are they now at home, we cannot tell.\" Bourchard of France replied to the other merchants, \"What do you ask us how they do? We often are away for a long time, and for that reason, we may secretly show a love to another.\"\nIohannes of Florence spoke and said, \"We may all be called fools and cuckolds who trust our wives in this manner as we do. A woman's heart is not made of such hard stone that we can come back. We labor daily in wind and rain and put our lives in danger and adventure on the sea to find them tall and other good fellows and give them a share of the money we earn. Therefore, if you will follow my advice, let each one of us take a fair mistress to pass the time with, as well as our wives do, and they shall know no more of that than we know of them.\" Ambrosius of Jenna replied, \"By God's grace, I shall never do that while I live. For I have at home a good and virtuous woman and a womanly one. I know she will avoid you and I will depart and ride to Jenna and do as I please with your wife.\" Ambrosius then said to Iohannes of Florence, \"I have delivered myself to my host.\"\nIohan of Florence promised to pay a thousand guldens to keep his men there, against it, until your return from Ijen. If by any means you can obtain your pleasure with my wife, you shall have all this money. Then Iohan said. I am content, and he put him in the hands of his host, adding five thousand guldens against Ambrose's money. Then he took:\n\n(Note: The text appears to be incomplete at the end, so it may not be possible to provide a perfectly clean version without additional context.)", "creation_year": 1517, "creation_year_earliest": 1517, "creation_year_latest": 1517, "source_dataset": "EEBO", "source_dataset_detailed": "EEBO_Phase2"},
{"content": "Firstly, all Christian men and women being stations of Rome should hospitalize the poor on Ash Wednesday and the two days immediately following on Shere Thursday, and two days immediately following that, as well as during the festivals of the translation and martyrdom of St. Thomas, and in the evenings of the same festivals, they should lend a helping hand in the maintenance and payment of the debts of the said hospital in either of the above-mentioned festivals. And in every day of Lent and other times of the year when the stations of the said city and the Indulgence of the same are solemnized, they shall obtain and have as great and equal pardon and Indulgence with remission of sins as if they personally visited the Church at Rome named Scala Coeli and all other churches and holy places of Rome within and without the said City of Rome.\nSecondly, all Christian people may obtain the said Indulgence and remissions of sins granted to the master and his deputy sooner, if it is permissible for the master of the said Hospital, during the festivals mentioned above, and even in the same place, to assign and deputize sufficient secular or regular confessors, or both secular and regular. The master, if he is a priest, or these confessors, if he is not, may be deputed and chosen as often as necessary after they have diligently heard the confessions of the devout people in these days, festivals, and vigils every year in the said Hospital, to absolve them of all and every sin, however grave and enormous they may be, even those reserved.\nTo the see of Rome, only those are exempt who are contained in the Bull read annually at Rome on its Thursday. In all other cases, the aforementioned confessors may impose penance upon themselves as often as necessary.\n\nThirdly, the confessors so deputed as aforementioned by the Master of the said Hospital may commute and convert vows and release others, granting plenary remission of all kinds of vows into other acts of charity. The vow to Jerusalem,\nthe vow to St. Peter and Paul of Rome, and the vow to St. James in Compostella, as well as the vows of religion and chastity, are included.\n\nFourthly, the confessors may grant plenary and full remission of all sins to all Christian people who are truly contrite and confessed, upon their sighting the Hospital during the aforementioned time.\n\nFifthly, it shall be lawful for the said Master who is and shall be in office at that time.\nThe Brothers of the said house, and all other Christian people of any kind, who shall join the Brethren:\n\nProvided always that the said master and Brothers do not use to celebrate Mass before daylight customarily, but only at certain times and scarcely for the reverence of the blessed sacrament of the Altar.\n\nThe sixth grant is: If it happens that any Brother or Sister of the said Fraternity or Hospital comes to any Church where Divine service may be said and the sacraments ministered in time by any ordinary authority or power, it shall be lawful for them secretly to open the doors for ministering sacraments and to say and hear Masses and other Divine services by themselves if the said Brothers are priests or by any other sufficient secular or regular priest deputed by them, and also in time of such interdiction to receive and minister the holy sacrament of the altar with other sacraments save on Easter day without prejudice to any other person in their presence.\nOur holy Father, Pope Leo above named, has confirmed and ratified all manner of liberties, immunities, and indulgences granted by him.\n\nFirstly, our holy father Alexander the Fourth, at one time Pope of Rome, graciously released to all Christian people the seventh part of penance. A command to all who help or relieve the said place with their goods or alms, or take fraternity of the same, and annually to the same benefit give or pay, the seventh part of penance enjoined.\n\nOur holy father Benedict the Twelfth, at one time Pope of Rome, commanded all prelates to suffer the curators of the said place to pronounce and freely expound their needs and indulgences in their church to the clergy and common people.\n\nMoreover, if the said curators enter any city, castle, or town entitled to them annually, they have power to:\nOpen the church doors so that divine service can be sung formally. Cursed people by name should put us in the churchyard to be buried, and those who should do this on that day will be released and spared. All brothers and sisters who give certain quantities of their goods and annually pay to the brethren or proctors of the said house are exempt. In their dying, they may bequeath or assign any goods to them. They may choose annually an able and discreet confessor who may grant them full absolution for all sins of which they are truly contrite and have confessed, except for the six reserved only for the court of Rome, which are contained in these two verses. He who is in any of these six cases must go to Rome for absolution. In all other cases, they may be absolved by this.\n[priest's privilege.\n\u00b6 The confessor may dispense with all vows made by those who cannot keep them conveniently or profitably, except the vow of Jerusalem and the holy cross. Also, our holy father Boniface IX, at one time Pope of Rome, granted repentant and shriven ones a seven-year penance and seven-year Lent in every principal feast of the Nativity/Circumcision of our Lord Jesus Christ, Twelfth day, Passion Sunday, Easter, Ascension day, Corpus Christi. Also, a seven-year penance and seven-year Lent in certain Tuesdays. Thomas of Utrasque of Esther and others passed through and translated [these privileges]\n\u00b6 Our holy father [granted] a second time to all those who were in that church and the consul]", "creation_year": 1517, "creation_year_earliest": 1517, "creation_year_latest": 1517, "source_dataset": "EEBO", "source_dataset_detailed": "EEBO_Phase2"},
{"content": "First, a cardinal may have nine dishes at his own table at one meal besides potages, to be served in courses at his pleasure.\nItem, an archbishop and a duke may have eight dishes at their own tables at a meal besides potages, to be served in courses at their pleasure.\nItem, marquesses, earls, and bishops, abbots being lords of the parliament, mayors of the city of London for the time being knights of the garter, to have six dishes at their own tables at a meal besides potages, to be served in courses at their pleasure.\nItem, judges, the chief baron of the Exchequer, the king's counsel, the sheriffs of the said city for the time being, and all other spiritual and temporal who may spend \u00a350 per year and not \u00a3200, may have four dishes at their own tables at a meal besides potages.\nItem all spiritual and temporal persons who may spend \u00a310 a year and \u00a35 a year may have three dishes at their own table besides pottages.\nItem all spiritual and temporal persons having goods to the value of \u00a3200 may have like dishes as he who may spend \u00a3200 a year on lands.\nItem all spiritual and temporal persons having goods to the value of \u00a31000 may have like dishes as he who may spend \u00a3100 a year on lands.\nItem all spiritual and temporal persons having goods to the value of \u00a35000 may have as many dishes as he who may spend \u00a320 a year.\nItem if two meals of one kind are diversely dressed or two meals of diverse kinds are served in a dish, every of the dishes.\nItem crane, swan, bustard, peacock, and all other birds of similar size, but one in a dish.\nItem partridge and all other wildfowl of similar size, but six in a dish for a cardinal only, and four in a dish for all other lords.\nItem: quails/dottrells, snipes, and all other birds of similar sizes, but no more than 8 in a dish.\nItem: feathersands (geese) and all other birds of similar sizes, but no more than 2 in a dish.\nItem: larks and all other birds of similar sizes, but no more than 12 in a dish.\nItem: All aforementioned persons may have fewer dishes at their pleasure, but no more than stated.\nProvided: At the day of marriage of my person, he or she, above the said rate, may have 3 additional dishes at a meal, beyond the limited amount.\nProvided: Brown and other entertainments of beasts and porpoises of beasts and birds, oysters, cockles, mussels, all white meats, not altered out of their kind, shall not be taken for any dish.\nItem: 3 saltfish of any kind to be accounted for one dish, and having any other kind of saltfish, each of them to be accounted for one dish.\nItem: At the reception and feasting of ambassadors and noblemen from external parties, every man is to be at his liberty, the rate previously rated, notwithstanding. In a similar manner, the knight of the garter is to be at their liberties only on St. George's day.\n\nItem: It is ordered that in case any of the Estates or others previously mentioned should dine or sup with any person of a lower degree, it shall be permissible for the person or persons with whom the said Estates or others dine or sup to serve them and each of them according to their degrees, in accordance with the previously established rates.\nIf anyone orders themselves contrary to what is contained in the forementioned rate and provision, and follows their carnal appetite in doing so, they will not only be regarded and taken as a person of ill order, contemptuously disobeying the king's direction, but also sent for correction and punishment at the king's pleasure, as an example to others who may engage in such senseless and carnal appetites in the future.\n\nPrinted by command of our sovereign lord the king and his council. Richard Pynson, printer, for his noble grace.\n\nGod save the king.", "creation_year": 1517, "creation_year_earliest": 1517, "creation_year_latest": 1517, "source_dataset": "EEBO", "source_dataset_detailed": "EEBO_Phase2"}
]