<County: Suffolk>
<Code: L4231>
<MS reference: Oxford, Bodleian Library, Hatton 18>
<Text: Speculum Vitae>


<fol. 3v>For in schort wordys cryst made it alle
A preyer of Profyte it ys ryth
For þorw þat we axe of god almyth
Al þat is nedful for þis lyf here
And for þat odyr þat ys more clere
þys Preyer ys schort in wordys wrouth
Jt is in sentense long in þouth
Jt ys lyth to say Preyande
Jt ys sotel to vndyrstonde
Schort in word ys þis Preyere
For men yt schuld þe schortlyer lere
And thorgh schortnesse of yt be kende
han yt þe soner in mende
Jn sentense it ys long to se
For þe more benecyon~<?> þer-in schul be
For þe naked lettyr þt ys nouth heuy
Men schuld seyn wt mouth only
And all þe sentense of yt
Vndyrstonde and in <exp>knytt</exp> hert knytt
Jt ys also lyth to say
For men schuld yt þe oftenner Pray
Sotel to vndyrstond ys yt
For men schuld more settyn here wytt
On þe sentense of þat namly
T[h]row grett besynesse and stody
þis bede puttyth all euyl a-way
And all þat good ys yt wynnyth vs ay
Jt fastent in vs all good to laste
And makyt owre herte to god stedfaste
Jn þis Preyer Arn askynges seuene
Weche þei arn J schal 3ow nempne
Of weche seuene J fynd be skyl
þre þat don a-way alle ylle
<fol. 4r>J fynde also þre oder askynges
þat all þat good ys to vs brynges
3ett ys þere on as J canne telle
þat fastenyth owr herte in god to dwelle
So þat iche of þo askynges sere
hath dyuerse offyce as 3e may here
ye fyrst þre don a-way all ylle
þat oftyn fallyth lowde or stylle
For all maner of yll we calle
Of þat ys or was or may be-falle
For þe ylle þat we haue done
þus we sey to fordon yt sone
<lat></lat>
Jn þys we aske to clere owr þouth
For-3eue vs þat we an wrouth
For all þat men may aftyr do
þus sey we as fallyth þer-to
<lat></lat>
Jn þys we axe sum sleythe to se
A-3ens all yll þat may be
For þe ylle þat we don euery day
Ne sey þus to puttyth a-way
<lat></lat>
Jn þys we aske ryth abstinence
Of all euyl þat folwt owr consyence
3ett arn þere odere askynges þre
For all kyn good þat be
For all maner good or bodely ys
Or gostly good or good endeles
For bodyly good here to haue
Owr sustenannse þus we craue
<lat></lat>
Jn þys we aske strenthe and myth
<fol. 4v>For to susteyn~ owr lyf ryth
For goosly good here to stere vs
To loue god we sey thus
<lat></lat>
Jn þys we aske nyth and day
Stedfast wyll to serue god ay
For good to haue wyt-owtyn ende
Jn <exp>d</exp> god sey we thus preyande
<lat></lat>
We say thus wer so we wende
<lat></lat>
Jn þys þe blys of heuen we craue
And grace to be werþy yt to haue
For festenyng~ of owr herte to stande
Jn god sey we thus preyande
<lat></lat>
Jn þys we aske wyll stedfast
Wt-owtyn~ faylyng in good to laste
Sweche maner of askynges bene
Jn þys holy preyer sene
But þys preyer begynnyth ryth
Wt foure wordys of gret myth
On weche at þe begynnyg~ hynges
Al þe sped of þe seuene askynges
Thorw foure wordys þt we may fele
3yf we vndyrstonde hem wele
How we schuld reule vs be skylle
To do most þat ys goddys wylle
þer-for fyrst be-houyth us nede
3yf we schal of owr askyng spede
þese foure wordys wel vndyrstonde
And lede owr lyf as þey comaunde
And ellys arn we nouth worthy
To ben herd of god almythty
<fol. 5r>Þese arn þe foure wordys to here
þat arn þe entre of þys preyere
<lat></lat>
Þese arn on englych þus to nempne
Fadyr owr þat art in heuen~
þese foure mechel matyr byndys
As clerkys in holy bokys fyndys
<gap for initial y>e fyrst word ys pater ryth
þat ys a word of gret myth
For yt may make vs sone to spede
Of owr askyng whan we haue nede
As we mown boþe se & fele
3yf we vndyrstond þys word wele
Fyrst seynt bernard seyth þat þys preyere
yat begynnyth ryth on þys manere
Wt þys swete name to neuene
þat ys cald þe fadyr of heuene
3euyth and helpyth to purchase
Al þat we aske here of grace
þys word fadyr to vndyrstond
3et makyth swett al <exp>to</exp> þe remenand
And schewyth vs wat we schul trowe
And wat we schuld don here and owe
Jt schewyth þe lengthe of goddys beyng
þat ys ay wt-owtyn endyng
That ordeynyth hym þat ys ware
To leue wt hym euer mare
3e schuld wele vndyrstand þan
Þat fyrst qwan god schuld make man
Jche man to god ordeynyd he
And wyste wat iche man wold be
Who wold be good who wold be ylle
For qwy he 3af iche man fre wylle
For to chese or for to halde
Good or ylle wedyr þey walde
For he destened no man to blys
<fol. 5v>But only þat woldyn ben hys
þys word Pater steryth vs to knowen euyn~
Þre þynges in god fadyr of heuen
And þre þynges in hys sone to se
þt louyth þe fader wt herte fre
fyrst in god þe fadyr ys myth
an þer-wt wysdam and goodnesse ryth
Jn god þe fader arn all þese þre
For he ys o god in trinite
Myth ys euere in hym only
For he ys god fader almythy
Mayster and lord as clekys kan~ telle
Of heuene of erthe and of helle
God of all þyng maker he ys
And begynnyng of all goodnesse
So men moun~ as J vndyrstonde
knowen~ hys myth þat ys ay-lestande
Jn god þe fader ys wysdam
þat of hym-self only be-com~
Throw weche he hys mene ledys
And gouernyth hym-self wysly and spedys
And namly hys chyldren þt he wroth
þat lowyn~ hym wele in herte and þouth
So may me knowen wele wo so wele
hys wysdam be kende skylle
Jn god þe fader ys bounte
Þat ys þe þredde þyng to se
For god þe fadyr chyldren loues
And fro tyme here he hem proues
And whan he seeth þt þei do wrong
he bedyth and chastyseth ˆ [hem] a-mong
And 3yf þey for-sake hym certeyn~
And sythe wele turne to hym a-geyn~
he hem receyuyt de-bounˆ[r]ely
<fol. 6r>And fayn ys of here cumpany
So men mown knowe þe goodnesse
þat in god þe fader ys
þer-fore schuld hys chyldren alle
Also ofte as þey fader calle
knowen in hym þese þynges þre
Myth wysdam and bounte
3ett in hys chyldren men may knowe
þre þynges to telle here on rowe
þay þey han of þe fader mast
As J wele 3ow schewyn in hast
þe two ben noblesse and rychesse
þe þrydde ys beute as J gesse
Noblesse fyrst ys as J wene
Jn hem þat goddys chyldren bene
For more noblesse may no man se
þan yt ys goddys chyldren to be
That ys so hey an emperour
And kyng of all kynges of honowr
Rychesse also to hem falles
That men goddys chyldren calles
For more rychesse may no man haue
þan god on hys chyldren woucheth saue
For he makyt hem hys eyres ryth
Of the kyndam of heuen bryth
þer all ken rychesse may be-falle
Arn sen and all ken delytes wt all
Bewte in goddys chyudren ys
For god hem made to hys lykenesse
And aftyr hys schap þt ys so fayre
he made here soules of þe ayre
More bewte myth neyere be sene
Þan in hys lyknesse ys as J wene
<fol. 6v>For so gret bewte as ys þer-inne
Þt on herte may þynke ne ymayge
þer-for hys chyldren schuld þynke ay
As oftyn as þey fadyr say
On þese þre þynges þat þey haue
Of þe fadyr þat wouchyth saue
Sweche þynges to 3eue hem þt here be-houe
þer-for they owe wyl here fader to loue
Also þys word þt fader ys <exp>fader</exp> cald
Axeth of vus sexe þynges to hald
That J wele rekene here on rowe
These sex schuld hys chyldren knowe
loue . and drede . and obedyense
Seruyse . honowr . and reuerense
þe fyrst þyng þt god askyth of vus
Js loue þat we lowe hym thus
Wt all oure herte in body wrouth
Wt all oure soule wt all oure þouth
Wyth all oure herte þat ys to say
þat we on no þyng nyth ne day
Settyn oure hertys to louen mare
þan on god how so we fare
For in no þyng þat man may neuen~
han more delyte þan in god of heuene
Wt all oure soule we schuld hym loue
þat ys to say 3yf we wele proue
We schuld sonere þole 3yf we wer wys
Owr lyf to depart fro owre bodys
þan from god departed be
That ys owre fader ful of pete
þt ys we schuld owre deth erst take
Er we schude oure fadyr for-sake
We schuld hym loue wt all oure þouth
þat ys to sey we schulde nouth
<fol. 7r>Owr wytt ne owre vndyrstondyng
Ne owre þouth throw ymagynyng
A-bowtyn no þyng more ocupye
þan in god fader almy3thye
The secunde þyng ys dred also
To haue in herte wer so we go
þat we god drede wt all oure myth
Throw sones drede þan do we ryth
And not throw drede þt men calles
Cherlys drede þt oftyn fallys
For cherlys dreden her~ lordys for awe
And nouth for loue as men may knawe
þe good sones þorgh loue þey drede
T<exp>t</exp>o wrathen here fadyr in word or dede
þys may wyl be sones dred cald
Sweche drede in herte schuˆ[l]d we hald
And dredyn ay more goddys greuannce
þan peyne of helle or vengeannce
For drede of peyne only to se
Js drede wt-owtyn charyte
Al þat men don in sweche a drede
Schal turne hem to lytyl mede
but fyrst throw ferdenesse may drede begynne
Only for vengeaunce of synne
Throw weche men mow begynne to do wel
And aftyr-ward a swete loue to fele
þat þe holy gost wt drede schal knytte
Jn here hertys to stable here wytt
Drede makyt a+man synne for-sake
And loue makyt a+man good vertues to take
Tho yat þese two in herte wyl halde
<fol. 7v>Goddys sonys may ryth be cald
Tho sonys mow calle here baldly
God here fadyr almy3thy
þe þrydde þyng obedyense ys
þat ys to sey buxumnesse
That we be buxu~ to goddys wyll
All hys comaundmens to ful-fylle
For þe sone schuld be obedyent
To do the faderys comaundment
hys comaundmens who so wele loke
May fynd hem aftyr in þys boke
The forthe þyng ys seruyce
For we arn holdyn of offyce
To serue god owr fader to pay
Wt al þe besynesse þt we may
And al oure herte and al oure wyl 3eue
To don þat hym ys most leue
Sweche seruyce may most lye
Jn all þe werkys of mercye
As men may fynd in the bok
Aftyr-ward who so wele look
þe fyfte þyng ys honowr told
þat we schullyn alle 3ong and old
loue god wt good talent
Of alle good he hath vus sentt
Of weche good we schul tak kepe
To spendyn yt to hys worchepe
And in no ryotys ne folyys
For an we do we arn not wys
For vs be-houyth a-<exp>cu</exp>-cowntys to 3eue
Of al þat we don whyle we here leue
And of al þt god wele vus here sende
And schewe whow we han hem spende
<fol. 8r>And of alle þo folyys yat we do
And of yche owre <exp>or</exp> ˆ [and] tyme þer-to
þer-fore we schuld god honowre
Jlke a tyme and ilke an oure
Wodyr in word or dede
Or in þoy þouth hym honour bede
And þanke hym oftyn and loue hym ay
Of þt he doth vs nyth and day
So schuld þe good sones be skylle
honowr þe fadyr þt ys hys wylle
Reuerence ys þe sexte and þe laste
For we schuld wt herte stedfast
Do god al maner of reuer<exp>u</exp>ence
And namly here in hys presence
Jn chyrche and stedys wt-oute
þer hys body ys born a-bowte
We schuld for reuerence knelyn~ down~
Be yt in feld or in toun~
hys presence ys here ouer-all
Þere we may speke to hym or call
But holy chyrche hys hows J hald
þat most stede of preyer ys cald
þere schuld we hym most reuerence do
Wt deuocyon~ þt fallyth þer-to
For whan we speke to god or pray
We schuld don hym reuerence ay
þt ys to seye lowte or knele
wt bare heed þan do we wele
And we nouth knele we schuld stand
3yf we may wele þat were semand
And nouth stond þer wt coueryd heed
<fol. 8v>To speke wt god in holy stede
Ne in chyrche þat fallyth hys hous to be
We schuld not speke of vanyte
For lasse reuerence do we to hyn þan
þan we wold don an erþely man
For <exp>w</exp> 3yf we were as J vndyrstonde
Jn ye kynges chambre of yngelonde
To pray þe kyng of hys grace
how wold we beryn vs in þat place
wold we nouth þere in hys syth
Don hym reuerence wt all oure myth
And kepe vs so þt we no þyng
Schu[l]d say þt schuld mys-plese þe kyng
Mechel more reuerence þan schuld be-falle
To god þat ys kyng of all
For he ys kyng of alle kynges
Of whom all grace and goodnesse sprynges
þer-fore to god <ill>1 char</ill>an we schul prey
We schul do reuerence þat we may
So mow we alle oure askynges haue
3yf yt be skylful þat we craue
sweche reuerence to þe fadyr falles
Of hys chyldryn þat on hym calles
þere-for we schul nyth and day
Wan we þe pater noster sey
As meke chyudryn þan schuld we be
To oure fadyr ful of pete
As we wele he be to vs
A<exp>nd</exp> good fadyr and a gracyous
And 3yf we wele hys good chyldren be
<fol. 9r>Vs be-houyth alle folyys to fle
And loke þat we ben clene wt-yne
Whan we schuld þe pater noster begynne
Jn thys word noster lyth a questyon~
At the begynnyng of þys oryson
why a+man schal oure fader seyn ay
And may as welle my fader say
And who fallyth felawes wt hym to be
Wan he seyth 3eue vs and not 3eue to me
To þys may men ansuere sone
And telle skyl why yt ys done
Throw skyl schal non my fadyr say
But he þat ys goddys sone verray
Throw kende wt-outyn begynnyng
And wt-outen ende faylyng
But throw kende hys sonys arn we nouth
But in-as-mechel as he vs wrouth
To hys lykenesse as ys sene
As boþe jewe and sarasenes ben~
But we ben chyldryn throw grace
And throw chesyng to folwyn hys trace
As men mown fynde in su~ londe
Sweche a lawe as J vndyrstond
þat he þt ys a ryche man knawe
þt hath no chyld of hys awe
May chese a pore mannys chyld þt ys feyre
And maken yt+hys sone and hys eyre
þys grace vs dede god almy3thy
As seyth seynt poule openly
Whan he made vs throw grace come
<fol. 9v>To ryth trouthe and to crysteyndom~
þat were fyrst pore and naked to telle
And chyldryn of wratthe and of helle
Were-fore whan we sey þus
Owre fadyr and sey 3eue vs
We gadre to-gyddre our breþeryn alle
þt to grace of baptem cryst wele calle
þat þe chyldryn of holy chyrche bene
Throw trouthe of baptem þt ys clene
Thys word noster vs scheewt þer-by
þe largesse and þe curtesy
Of god þat sonere y-now 3eues
þan~ lytyl to hem þat here leues
And sonere to many yan to ane
þt here han þe ryth trouthe tane
For seynt gregory spekyt on þys maner
And seyth þat a ryth Preyere
þe more þat men in comoun~ mas
The more yt ys worþy and vertu has
As a candel þt seruyth ys brythere token
þat seruyth to an halle ful of men~
Than þe þat seruyth of lyth
But only to mannys syth
Thys word noster vs byddyth also
loue god our fader were so we go
And wt all our herte þanke hym sone
Of grace þat he hath for vus done
Throw weche we ben hys chyldren fre
And hys eyrys ordeynyd to be
And þat we loue be-forn all odyr
<fol. 10r>Jhesu cryst owr oldest brodyr
That in hys grete grace vouchyth saue
vs hys owen brederyn to haue
þys word noster vs comandyth 3ett
þat we ryth kepe wt all oure wytt
Jn oure hertys þe holy gost
þat ys swettnesse here to vs most
Of þe grace of chesyng of vs
þat may be skel be called thus
As a wedd þt ys most to prays
As seynt poule þe a-postel says
Throw weche we arn seker be ryth
To haue þat to vs erytage þt to vs ys dyth
Of god oure fader yat ys ryth-wys
þt ys þe blys of paradyse
3ett on þys noster hyngys
A-mong alle odyr two þyngys
þat we schuld han in herte ay
As oftyn as we the pater noster say
On hys loue of brodyrhode
An-nodyr seker hope to spede
loue schuld throw þys word fele
þat yche on of vs loue odyr wele
For we Arn alle boþe lowe and hye
Brederyn as iche man schuld knowe
Of o fadyr and o modyr ryth
Oure fadyr ys god most of myth
And oure modyr ys hooly kyrke
Aftyr whom yt be-houyth vs to werke
Jchon schul loue as suster and brodyr
<fol. 10v>And non of vs schul dysplesyn odyr
But ichon odyr schul honoure
And helpe in nede and sokoure
As don þe lemys in þy body
Jchon helpyth odyr ful kendely
lemys of o body arn we all
þat body hooly chyrche we calle
Of weche body god ys þe heed
þer-fore schuld iche odyr rede
And ichon here for odyr pray
As men may here seynt James say
For þt Prayer may to alle avayle
þt doth holy chyrchys counnsayle
For he þat makyth hys preyer comoun~
Wt good herte and deuocyon~
he makt hym felawe of þe comonyng
Of alle holy chyrche in all þyng
and for yche pater noster þt he says
Nyth or day whan he prays
he wynnyd hym as J vndirstonde
Part of A hondred þousande
þys word noster ys my3thy
vs techyt to hate þre synnys namly
On ys a synne þt pryde men calles
A-nodyr ys hatrede þt oftyn falles
The þredde synne ys auaryce
þese schuld we fle 3yf we were wyse
Pryde þat dyspyseth to haue mastri
Puttyth a man out of cumpany