<fol. 7r>in that ne make noon avow . and whan
this 3eer is al fully passid ; þanne prey
euery day the fadir of mercy þt he vouche
sauf to enspire hym what ys best vnto
the helthe of his soule / and finali what
schal moost plese good / and 3if he duel
le and contynue in his desir as he dide
byforn / & þat þe conseil of discreet men
conforme & assente vn-to hym by good
and ripe avys and deliberaconn / þane lat
hym stablissche his wil in this caas . &
knytte vp his purpoos & take þt lyf or
make his avow þerto trustynge in þe grace
& mercy of his god . / oþir-wyse þan þus
or lik to þis / wolde . i . nat conseile þe . lyf
of Recluses to chese or avow / Natheles
aftir a+symple avow is maad or suych
lyf admittid / & taken wt ˆ [owt] necessarie deli
beraconn & avys ; it schal be kept vnto þe
endes of peyne of eterner and euere-lastin
ge dampnaconn ¶ Therfore to alle þo þat
ben professyd in þat lyf ; is it charitable
to putte forth or schewe þe exortaconn of þe
<fol. 7v>apostel / Whet he seyth . i . byseche . J byse
che 3ow þat 3e walke & go worthili in
þe callinge in which 3e ben cleept . Diuers
is þe callynge of sondry folk aftir diuerse 3ef
tes of god / wheþir suich be goodes of þe
body . or goodes of þe soule / or goodes
temperel / or contrarie of hem / which hap
pyth to be goodes by accidence / þo ma
ken folk in diuerse kyndes / stroong or fee
ble / symple or prudent / poore or my3ti ¶ For
some arn callyd to goddys seruise wiþ helþe
and strengþe / some wiþ febilnesse & syk
nesse / some wiþ good & natural complexion
some wt euyl complexionn . some wt many
vertues / some wiþ fewe / some wiþ riches .
some with pouert / some wiþ wrecchidnesses
and infortunes / and some wt al manere of
prosperite / alle þese wt-outen doute 3if they
come fro god and nat of mannys vice schul
len more profite finaly to her possessoures
þan scholde her countries . 3if thei vse hem
wiel ¶ O þe hey3nesse of þe wysdom and
science of god / o þe gracious purueynce of our~
<fol. 8r>craitour . o þe excellent mercy of oure lord god
þat clerly seeþ byforn alle þing þt schul
len folwen and been possible to falle / &
calleþ euery wyght so to helthe / as to estat /
condiconn & oþir circumstaunces / 3if þt thei
hem-self putte noon obstacle ne lettynge
þt þei may sufficiently be sauyd / & eschewe
þe peril of dampnaconn / Jn+so mochel þat
alle maner . harmes þt fallen to goddes
chosen peple schullen profite to ay-lastyng
helþe . ¶ To hem þat loven god / alle þinges
werkyn in-to good or werkyn wiel / and
taken good effect to hem þat aftir hir
purpos bien callid seyntes ¶ Forsoþe aftir
her purpoos þei ben callyd seyntes / þt ben
predestinat to god to euerlastynge lyf Suich
folk ben nat only callyd outward by ensam
ple by holy scripture / or by predicaconn . but
also by enspirynge & grace of perseuerance+fyna
ly in charite / Jn suich wyse ben folk cho
sen in comparisonn of al a+multitude
which is clepid ¶ her~of beryth crist wytnes
he seith many ben callyd & fewe ben chosen
<fol. 8v>Forsoþe tho that god hath predestyned . he
hath callyd hem so . And wham he clepte
in þat manere ; hem 3if þat þa fall he iusti
fieth bi grace of penaunce / and wham
þt he iustifieþ so ; hem he magnifieþ be ha
bundaunce and plente of grace and vertu .
aftir þe sentence of þe apostel þt seith þus /
As many as 3e been þt ben clepid to do
penaunce intestat of perfeccionn of Recluses
beth ioyful and gladiþ in god trustynge
stedefastly on his grace and mercy . þat
3oure names bien wretyn in heuene
wherfor ordeigneth and purueyeth 3ow
euyrmore a faget of alle 3oure offences
and giltes byforn 3oure eyen of 3oure wil
& of 3oure herte ¶ Remembrynge of þe
greet mercy of god & his manyfold grace
doon & schewed doon vn-to 3ow and profred
frely to hem þat been penytent & repen
taunt wtouten ende . and for þe offense
of god & for his excellent mercy medlith
to-gidre sorwe wt ioye & gladnesse wt he
uynesse . Thus ofte þe deuoconn of a perfyt
<fol. 9r>contriconn. tolliþ out & bringiþ out glad
sum teres and wepynge / gladnesse whil
þat þe ende & entent of þe greet desir / co
meþ out & stillith out be þe een swete
dropes of deuoconn / and who so euyr haþ
þis precious licour / Which is helþe of þe syn
ful soule . he wolde nat gladly chaunge
yt for a+gret kynges tresour . For aftir þe
bittir teres of suych contriconn longe exer
cysed & vsyd ; entriþ þe suetnesse of þe loue
of god / which loue ys more þan man
can deeme or gesse ¶ O who schal make
me partyner of suych holy teres / who
schal wassche my felþes wiþ þe watres
of Syloe þat goon wiþ silence & stilnesse
syn . i . am al drye / J preie & biseche 3ow
þerfore þt þoru3 grace drawen watres in ioye
of þe welles of oure saueour / for þe hy mercy
of oure lord god . Whan it is wiel wt 3ow .
remembrith & þenketh+on me . & departiþ with
me charitably of þe leeste droopes þat
fallen fro 3ow of þe abundaunce of 3our~
blysful teres / More-ovir . i . desire þt 3e wacche
<fol. 9v>bisili agayn þe temptaconns of þe feend . þt
noþing . sleuthe or lache ouyr mochil þe
stiburn hardnesse of 3oure lyf / . vndir co
lour of fals necessite / no noþing augmnite
or ecche it ouyr 3our force or my3t / but
aftir þe doom & arbitrement of dicreconn
chastise & nursche 3oure body in diuerse ty
mes / þat it be soget on þt o side to þe com
maundement of 3oure spirites & suffi
saunt on þt oþir part to performe & fulfille
þe labour enioyned to þe body . & þerfor
in 3our greet febilnesse or infirmite . ordey
nyth or purueyth 3ow wysly necessarie
recreaconn & refresschinge to þe body . &
whan it is revigured . þat is to seyn þt
it haþ cau3t agayn his strengþe and is
restored to helþe . þanne my3tyly resumeþ
and takeþ agayn þe armes of spiritu
al kny3thode / þenkynge þat 3e schul
len nat only continue 3oure meritorie
& medful werkes for 3oure-self . but
also for othir soules þat suffren in
purgatorie & for alle cristen peple to
<fol. 10r>to þe Which 3e ben obliged and holden
be þe lawe of charite ¶ O who can deeme
of gesse what turment þo soules suffren þt
ben in purgatorie . Whos peyne ys mochel moor~
greuous þan any peyne þat is in this lyf .
Seynt Gregori hadde hadde leueu chose þe
contynuel feuer~s while he lyued here þan
suffre þre dayes þe peyne of purgatorie ¶ O
ther nys tonge þat can expresse the smert
of þe peynes of helle which ben insuffrable
for þei han noon ende ¶ Therfor ys is ful
holy and hoosum <ill></ill> to preye for hem þat
ben deede þt þey may ben dissoluyd and
vnknet of her synnes . And also for to preie
for þe synful men þat lyuen here þt þey
may preseruyd and kept fro þe peynes of
helle These and oþir þinges lik to þese
impressith and receyuyth in to 3our~ myn
des & lat hem styre and meeue 3ow to
contynue the lyf of perfecconn which 3e haue
taken labourynge & travaylynge in orisons
wakynges / fastynges / and alle oþer obser
uaunces / and thus by þe grace of almy3ty
<fol. 10v>god 3e schul perseuere and contynue vn-to þe
ende in þe clepynge which 3e ben clept vn
to / And in þis wyse by couenable penaunce
seeþ 3oure clepynge and callynge ¶ The
þridde cause or entenconn principal of Reclu
ses may be þe purpos to eschewe oportuni
te or þe occasionn & cause which is wont to
induce to leede a+man in-to deedly synne
The fyve wyttis of þe body as vn-wys mes
sageres of mannes herte ben accustumed
and wont alwey & ouyral to recorde in
hem-self / al þt þei han take and receyuyd
be yt veyn þinges or vnprofitable anoy
inge greuynge or enclynynge vn-to syn
ne Therof happith often sithe / þat þei
þat ben symple and feerful to falle &
to slyppe in-to deedly synne whan þey
byholde & consider~ her freelte & þe perilys
of synnes / þt þei ben likly to fallen ine
which take her bygynnynge of þe fyve
wyttys þat sterten here & þere in þe
world wiþ-outen obstacle or bridel . For
þe moor~ syker eschewynge of alle þese
<fol. 11r>periles of a prudent Ferueˆ[nc]se or of a+feruent
prudence / thei werkyn aftir þe conseyl of
salomon seyinge in this manere ¶ callyd
prudence þi love or þi freend / þt ys to seyn
þe wardeyn & keper~ of þi wyl . / O Which
and how greet prudence ys askyd and re
quyred to þe kepynge of þe wyt of þe sy3te
þat inpressith & enpryntyth in þe herte of
a+persone what þat he byholdeþ & seeþ as
beaute of creatures . preciosite of cloþinge
schap / port and werkynge / Which engen
dryn concupiscence of þe flesch . & nurschen
lustes of ye body þt causen ofte a+man to
do wykkydly ¶ Wheþir þat þe sy3te of
dalyaunce were nat þe cause of þe ruy
ne or fallynge of Sampson þat excedyd
and passyd alle men in strengthe ¶ wheþer
þe sy3te of straunge wommen turnyd nat
and chaungyd þe herte of Salomon þe
Wyse ¶ wheþir þe sy3te of vries wyf ba
þinge her maade dauyd þe holy prophete
to falle in-to cursyd avoutrie & man-slau3tr~
What þing engendred þefte & stelþe or
<fol. 11v>vnlyefful coueytise in Achor / but þe sy3te
of precious þinges / what maade oure mo
dyr Eve to synne / but þe lycourous look
of þe deffendyd or forboden tree / And
what maade þe children of Jsrael mor~
prest or redy to doon ydolatrie / þan þe
sy3te of þe rytes and þe lawes of þe he
then peple / and communycaconn or spe
kynge wyth suych folk þat honureden
and worschipeden feendes ¶ Therfor þe
prophete dauyd preieþ oure lord god & seyth
þus Torne awey myn eyen lest þei seen
or byholde vanyte / Moore-ovyr þe ere sou
keth and receyuyth al þt euyre he heryth
of þe slym & felþe of synne . as songes &
karoles of love / foul & vnclene speches /
streyve / accusaconns / blamynges . wordes
of detracconn / or bacbytynge / wordes of
Envye pride . Auarice glosynges and le
synges / Loo alle suych þinges þorugh
her wykkyd ensample mowe ly3tly dra
we and stirie a+man to synne As seyth
þe prophete dauyd ¶ J am maad he seyth
<fol. 12r>as a vessel þt ys loost / for i . haue herd þe
accusaconn or blamynge of many folk . þt
duellyn in þe circuyt of compas / þt is to
seyn of hem þat duellen aboute me . O
blessyd is þe ere þt ys so prudently disposid
þt he openeþ nat þe 3ates agayn suych
vnleefful noyses & ys schyt & spered agayn
þe voluptuous or lusty melodyes of the
world & ys stoppyd agayn alle þe sonnes
of temptaconns . but in as mochel as ys
possible to hym þat lyueth in þis valeye
of wrecchidnesse & kepith hem . a feer from
alle worldly vanytes as yt schewith by
euydence & tokne of Recluses & naamly
of Anchoresses þat bien more streytly closed
þan oþer religious men & wommen enclosed
enclosyd in her houses be leue of he soue
reyns . And in alle tymes at her souereyns
wyl ¶ Swych Ancres & Ankeresses ben mo
re sekerly conseruyd & kept fro þe peryls of
þe bodyly wyt of touchynge . by þe which
entriþ þe lust of lecherie in sondry wyse
as wiel naturel or kyndely as vnnaturel or
<fol. 12v>vnkyndely . Which wiþ-draweþ a+man
fro vertu . & maketh hym abhomynable
to Angeles / hatful to god & alieneth hym
or maketh hym straunge from al grace
Alle suych spices of lecherie ben fer from
an Ancresse / but 3if it happe per caas þat
of a voluptuous or lusty delettaconn or
delyt of þe herte in vnliefful þou3tes
loonge abydynge ; ben engendringe wt
a+consent to delyte in þat same ; þan wiþ
outen doute yt induceþ a+man in-to deed
ly synne . & 3if he contynue suych delyt
wakynge vn-to þe tyme þt þe voluptuous
polluconn of þe body folwe . þan ys þer doon
amanere of spice of lecherie agayn kynde
which is callyd in latyn of þe apostyl . Mo
licies . Now be yt no displesaunce to 3ow
þat . i . expresse þus vnhonest þinges in my
wrytynge to folk of clene & perfyt lyf . For
where is possibilite of temptaconn <gap> þer
ys a+prudent enformynge of resistence
or wiþstondynge ful necessarie & meed
ful ¶ For þe trewe storie þt seyth þt þer was
<fol. 13r>an hermyte hoolden a+ful holy man Which
custumably vsyd þis sinne . & was vexid
þerwith þis synne of Molicies and chargid
yt nat in his conscience as for synne and
repentyd hym nat be contriconn ne confes
sionn wherfor he was sodeynly raˆ[v]yssched
& taken wiþ a+feend and neuyr apperyd
aftyr which dede as . i . suppose was sche
wyd of god in ensample & to þe doctryne
of oþer folk to make hem euyr wiþstonde
in al her my3tes . suych manere of volup
tuous delyt & neuere 3eue her assent þerto /
and 3if þei falle at any tyme in suych
caas as god kepe hem þerfro ; to be sory
and repentaunt þerof / and so for þe victorie
of a+scharp & greuous spirituel bataylle .
þei may aftir þis lyf be coroned in ioye .
Suych a+corone may cristes knyth deserue
wiþdrawynge hym fro excessyf & outrage
ous lustes of smellynge & tastynge þat
ben engendryd of sauoures & odoures / de
licates in metys & drinkes & in spices aro
matik / in sote sauour of flour~s & fruytes .