<County: Nottinghamshire>
<Code: L0530>
<MS reference: Glasgow University Library, General 1130>
<Text: Mirror of the Life of Christ>
<fol. 4r>partye and ye firste chapitle A deuoute meditacioun of ye
grete conseile in heuene for restorynge of man and his
saluacioun ¶ <lat>Capitulum primum & prima pars</lat>
After ye tyme yat man was exilede oute of ye hye
cite of heuene by ye ry3tewys dome of all-my3ty
god souereyne kynge yer-of for his trespas and his
synne and so wrechedly lay in prison & was haldenn in ye bandes
of yat tirante ye deuell of hell yt none myghte come
a3eyne to yat blessed cite ye space of fyue yowsand~ 3er~
& more alle ye blessid spirites of heuene desirynge ye restorynge
of her companye yt was falle doun wt lucifere hadden
grete compassioun of so longe myschefe of man yt was to her
restorynge and prayden ofte for his restorynge but specialy
& wt more instaunce whenn ye tyme of grace was to men ;
what tyme as we mowen deuoutely ymagine ; alle
ye blessed~ componye of aungels gederede to-gedyr with
one wille and souereyne deuocioun fellen doun prostrate to
fore ye throne of almy3ty god kynge of heuene and Gabriell
to whome as seynte Bernarde seyy was made speciale
reuelacioun of cristes Jncarnacion in her alle name
seyde in yis maner~ . almy3ty lorde it likede to 3our~ hye
maieste of 3our~ endeles godenes to make of no3te yt
noble and resonable creature man for our~ comforte &
our~ godenes yt of hym schulde be made ye restorynge of our
false companye lucifer and his felawes yt fellen doun fro
vs by apostasye so yat he schulde dwelle her~ in yis
blessed~ wt vs longynge & wyrchippynge 3ow wt-outenn
ende . But lo gode lorde nowe alle yai perischen & none
is sauede & in so many yousande 3ere passede ; we sene
none of hem alle here . Our~ enmyes hauen ye victory &
of hem our~ party is not restorede but ye prison of helle
<fol. 4v>continuely fillede wher to lorde be yai borne to so grete
myschefe . For yaw it be done after 3our~ ry3twysnes ; neueryeles
lorde it is now tyme of mercy haue in mynde yt 3e made
hem after 3oure owne liknes and yawe her forenfadres
folily and wrecchedly breken 3our~ maundement ; neueryeles
3our~ mercy is aboue alle yynge wherefore her alle yen ben
sette up-on 3ow as ye seruauntes on ye lordes handes til 3e
haue mercy & helpe hem wyy a ˆ [heleful] spedeful remedy .
<lat>De contencione
inter misericordiam et veritate</lat>
Here-wiy began a maner of altercacion & disputesoun
betwene ye four~ kynges doughtres yt is to say ; mercy
and soyfastnes pees & ryghtwisnes Of ye which
four~ mercy & pees acordynge to ye aungels prayer forseide ; were
fouorable to mannes restorynge But yt oyer two sistres soyfastnes
& ryghtwisnes a3eyne seyden ; As seynte Bernard
by deuoute meditacioun makey here of a processe faire & longe
But forto take yer-of schortely as to our~ purpose at yis tyme;
sumwhat in oyer maner & in oyer wordes we mow ymagine ; sumwhat
in oyer maner & in oyer wordes and yenk yus First mercy and pees
knelynge to-fore her fader kyng of heuene by ye prophetes
wordes dauid saide yus ; lorde schalt yu caste a-wey fro ye
man wtouten ende ; or haste yu fore3eten to do mercy ; And yis
ofte and longe tyme yai reherseden, yan said our~ lorde let
clepe forye 3our~ oyer two sistres ye which 3e seen redy a3eynes
3ow & lett vs see also what yai wole say her~-to And
yai were clepede & comen alle to-gedir ; mercy began and
saide in yis wyse ; my fader of mercy it was 3our~ will euer
wt-outen ende amonge 3our~ oyer doughtres my sistres to
3eue me yt prerogatyue aboue alle oyer werkes yt not onely
y schulde specyaly regne here wt 3ow in heuene but also
yt ye erye schulde be replenyschede & filled~ wt me to so my
<fol. 5r>kel vertue ; þat who so wolde treuly & besily aske my helpe in
any myschefe or nede ; he schulde wtouten faile fynde 3our~
socour & helpe yurg ye meditacioun of me . But now lo my
dere fader wt woryy partye of erye and 3our~ noble creature
man in his grete wrecchednes & myschefe so longe
tyme liggynge criey continuely & askey after my helpe
and now tyme is comen in ye which but 3if 3e helpe &
saue hym ; y perysche & lese my name here a3eynes yt
oyer sister sotfastnes seyde . And 3e knowen wele my fader
soyfast god yat y am ye begynnynge of 3our~ wordes . And
after 3e made man in so grete woryynes yt 3e weddet
me to hym in yt condicion yt what tyme he breke 3oure
heste ; he & alle yt comen of hym schulde lese her blessed
life & be dampnede & done to deye wherefore he forsoke
me & betoke hym to 3oure enmye & myne ye fader of
lesynge ; wytnesse my sister ryghtwisnes y perysche &
lese my name but he haue ye deye yt he haye deseruede .
yan spake ryghtwisnes & seyde Ryghtwys lorde my fader
yu haste ordeynde me gouernour of yi dome lastynge wtouten
ende and my sister treuye techer of yi lawe & al-yough
it so be yt oure sister mercy be stered~ of pitte & a gode 3ele for
mannes sauacioun ; neueryeles in yt sche wolde haue hym yt
hay so gretely forfetede a3eynes 3ow & vs also ; wt-outen
dew satisfaccioun ; she wolde destruye vs boye hir sistren
yat is to say ; treuye & ryghtwisnes & fordo our~ name
herewyy ye ferye sister come forye yt is to sey pees . and
so firste sobirly blamynge hir sistres for her contrariouse
wordes & her strife seide to hem yus knowe 3e not wele
sistres yt oure fader haye ordeynede & made his place
only yer as y am & y may not abide ne welle yer as is strife
an dissencion & yt is not semely but fully a3eynes kynde
<fol. 5v>to be amonge vertues . wherfore but 3e cesen of strife & be
acordet ; y moste forsake 3ow & my fader also lo her~ a grete
controuersy betwene yese foure doughters of our~ lorde &
so grete resouns yt it was not seyn how yt in mannes sauacioun
mercy & soyfastnes pees & ryghtwisnes myghte fully
be kepte & acordet . ¶ yan badde ye fader of heuene yat
for as my kellee as he had comited & gifen alle his dome to
his dere sone souereyne wisedome kyng euerlastynge wt hym
in one godehede ; yat yese four~ doghters schulde go to hym
he to termyne yis questioun & gefe a dome yer-on . And ˆ [yan] ye kyng
souereyne wise-dome wrote ye sentence & ye dome in yis
maner & toke it to his chaunceler Reson to rede it in his
name seynge in yese wordes. yis dou3ter soyefastnes
seiy yt sche perishey & lesey hir name but man haue ye deye
yat he hay deseruede & wt hir acordey hir sister ryghtwisnes
and on yat oyerside mercy seiy yt she perishey & lesey hir name
but man haue mercy & be sauede and wt hir acordey hir ferye
sister pees . Wherfore to acorde alle yese to-gedir and for
a finale dome in yis matier let be made a gode deye of
man so yt one be founden wtouten synne yt may & wole
innocently & for charite suffre deye for man ; & yan haue
yai alle yt yai asken For yan may not deye lengir halde
hym yt is wt oute synne or trespas and so he schal perse
hym makyng in hym a hole & a wey yurgh ye which man
may passe & be sauede . Jn yis sentence & dome alle ye courte
of heuene wondrynge & commendynge ye souereyne wysedome
; assentenden wele here to but foryermore askeden
amonge hemselfe where yt one my3te be founden yt schuld
fulfille & do yis dede of charite . And yan mercy toke wt hir
reson & soughte amonge alle ye ordres of aungels in
heuene to see wheyer any of hem wer able to do yis dede
<fol. 6r>but yer was none . Also soyfastnes sou3te fro heuene to ye
cloudes byneyen weyer yer were any creature yt my3te perfourme
it & yai were all vnable . Rightwisnes wente doun to ye erye
amonge ye hie hilles and in-to ye depe pitte of helle wher~ yer
were any man yt myghte take yis gode & innocente deye but
was none founden clene of synne ; no nor ye childe of one
dayes birye & so she wente a3eyne vp to hir sistres tellyng
yt alle men hade forfetede & weren vnable & yer was none
yt myghte do yt gode dede wherfore yai wer alle ful sory &
heuy yt yai myghte not fynde yt one yt yai desirede . yan
seyde pees wite 3e not wele yt ye prophete yt seyde yer is none founden
yt may do gode Afterwarde he puttey to more & seiy til
it come to one . yis one man may be he yt 3afe ye sentence
forseide of mannes sauacioun . wherfore pray we hym yat
he wille helpe & fulfille it in dede . For to hym spekey ye
prophete in ye same psalme forseide seyng . lorde yu schalte
saue man and bestes after yi mykel mercy . But yan was
a question amonge ye sistres comitede to Reson for to
termyne which person of yre fader & sone & holy goste
one gode schulde be-come man & do yis mercyful dede .
yan seide Reson yt for als mykell as ye person of ye fader
is proprely dredeful & my3ty . ye person of ye sone al wise
& wytty . & ye persoun of ye holy+goste moste benygne &
godely ; ye secounde person semey moste conueniente
as to ye ful acorde of ye forseide sistres to skilful remedy
of man & to ye moste resonable victory of ye
enmy. ffor anentys ye firste ; 3if ye person of ye fader sulde
do yis dede ; for his drede & myghte mercy & pees myghte
sumwhat haue hym suspecte as not fully fauorable to hem .
and so on yt oyerside for ye souereyne benygnite & godenes of
ye holy+goste ; trewye & ryghtwisnes my3te drede of not
<fol. 6v>ful satisfaccioun bot to mykel mercy wherfore a gode mene
euen to boye parties ye person of ye sone is moste conuenient
to performe yis dede yurgh his souereyne witte and wisedome .
¶ Also it semeye moste skilful remedy to man for as mykell
as he forfetede by vnwitte & folye yt satisfaccioun be made
for hym by soyefaste wisdome yt is ye sone so yt as he
felle to deye by ye false worde of ye fende yt he rise a3eynn
to life by ye trewe worde of gode . And as for moste resonable
victory of ye enmye it is skilful yt as he conquerede
man by wikked sleghte & false wisedome so he be ouercomen
& venkischede by gode sleghte & trewe wisedome . And
whenn reson had seide yis verdeit ; ye fader seide it was wille
yt it schulde be so. ye sone 3afe his assente yer-to & ye holi+goste
seide he wolde wirche yer-to also . And yan fallynge doun
alle spirites of heuene & souereynly yan kynge ye holy trinite
. ye foure sistres forseide weren kyssede & made acorde
& so was fulfilled yt ye prophete dauid seide Mercy & soyefastnes
metten louely to-gedir ryghtwisnes & pees hauen kissede .
¶ And yus was terminet & endet ye grete conseile in heuenn
for ye restoryng of man & his sauacion ye which processe
schal be taken as in liknes & only as a maner~ of peroble
and deuoute ymaginacioun stirynge man to loue god souereynly
for his for his grete mercy to man & his endles
godenes . Also to honour & wirchipe ye blessed aungels of
heuene for her gode wille to man & for his sauacion hauynge
continuele bisines & also to loue vertues & hate
synne yt bˆ[r]oughte man to so grete wrecchednes An yus
mykell & in yis maner may be seide & youghte by deuoute
contemplacioun of yt was done aboue in heuene before
ye Jncarnacioun of ihesu . Nowe go we doun to ye erye
and yenke we how it stode wt his blessed moder marie
and what
<fol. 7r><mrg>& what</mrg> hir lyuynge here before ye Jncarnacioun of ihesu yt foloweth
after . Of ye maner of lyuynge of ye blessed virgine mary,
As it is writenn in ye life of oure lady seynt Marie
when she was yre 3ere olde ; she was offrede in
ye temple of hir fadir & modir & yer she abode and
dwelled in-to ye fourtene 3ere . Anˆ[d] what she dide & howe
she lyuede yer-in yt tyme we mowen knawe by ye reuelaciouns
made of hir to a deuoute womman whiche men trowen
was seynte Elizabeth in ye whiche reuelaciouns is contyned
amonge oyer yt oure lady tolde to ye same woman
and saide in yis manere when my fader & my moder
lasten me in ye temple y purposede & sette stably in my herte
to haue god to me fader & oftesyyes wt grete deuocioun y
youghte what y myghte do plesynge to god so yt he wolde
vouchesafe to sende me his grace And herwiy y was taght
& ylernede ye lawe of my lorde gode . Jn ye which of alle ye
hestes & biddynges principaly y kepte yre in my herte . ye
firste is yu schalte loue yi lorde gode wt alle yy herte wt alle
yi soule wt alle yy mynde & wt alle yy mightes . ye secunde
you schalt loue yy neghborh as yy-selfe . And ye yridde is
yu schalte hate yyn enmy . yese y kepte treuly in herte and
anone y conceyuede & toke alle ye vertues yt ben contynede in
hem . For yer may no soule haue vertue but it loue god wt alle
ye herte for of yis loue comey alle plente of grace . And after
it is comen it abidey not in ye soule but it renney oute
as water . but it so be yt he hate his enmyes yt is to sey ; vices
& synnes . wherefore he yt wole haue grace & kepe it ; it behouey
yat he dispose & ordeyne his herte to loue & to hate as it
is seide And so J wole yt you do in maner as y dide y rose vp
algate at mydnyghte & wente before ye autere of ye temple
& yerwt als grete desire & wille & affeccioun as y cowde &
<fol. 7v>myghte y askede grace of alle-myghty god to kepe yo yre hestes &
alle oyer biddynges of ye lawe . And so stondynge byfore ye
auter y made . vij . peticiouns to god ye whiche ben yese . First
y askede grace of god yurgh ye whiche y my3te fulfille ye hest
of loue yt is to sey forto loue hym wt alle my herte . ye
secunde y asked yat y myghte loue my neghborh after his
wille & his lykynge & yt he wolde make me to loue alle yt
he louey . ye yridde yat he wolde make me to hate & to
eschewe alle yynge yt he hatey . ye ferye ; y askede mekenes
pacience benignite & suetnes & alle oyer vertues by ye
which y myghte be graciouse & plesynge to goddes syghte ye
fifte peticioun y made to god yt he wolde lette me see ye tyme
in ye whiche yat blessede mayden schulde be borne yt schuld
conceyue & bere goddes sone and yt he wolde kepe myne
yen yat y myght see hir 3yue Myne eres yt y myghte her~
hir speke My tonge yt y myghte praise hir Myne handes yt
y myghte serue hir wiy my feete yt y myghte go to hir seruice
. And my knees wt which y myghte honoure & wyrschipe
goddes sone in hir barme Jn ye sexte peticioun y asked
grace to be obeschaunte to ye biddynfes & ye ordinaunces of
ye bischope of ye temple . And in ye . vij . y prayede god to kepe
alle ye peple to his seruice . And when ye forseide cristes
seruaunte hade yese wordes . she seide a3eyne A suete lady
were not 3e full of grace & of alle vertues . And ye blessed maydenn
marie ansuerde wite yu wele for certeyne yt y helde myselfe
als gilty moste abiecte & vnworyy ye grace of god ; as
you And more ouer trowest yu doghter yat alle ye grace yt y hade
wt-oute trauayle ; Nay not so but y telle ye & do ye to wite
yt y hade no grace 3ifte ne vertue of god wt-oute grete trauayle
continuele prayer ardent desire profounde deuocioun and wt
many teres & mykell afflictioun spekynge yenkynge and
<fol. 8r>doynge alwey as y couy & my3te yt was plesynge to god yt is
to sey ; outetake ye holy grace yurgh ye which y was halowede
in my moder wombe . And foryer-more our~ lady seide witte yu
wele in certeyne yt yer comey no grace in-to mannes soule but
be prayer & bodely affliccioun . And after yt we haue 3euen to
god yo yynges yt we mowenn yaugh yay ben litel & fewe ;
yan come he in to ye soule bryngynge wt hym so grete &
so hie 3iftes of grace yt it semey to ye soule yt she faile in hirselfe
& lesiey mynde & yenkey yt euer she seide or dide any
yyng plesynge to god & yan she semey in hir own sighte
more foule & more wrecchede yan she was euer before . Alle
yis sentence is contynede in ye forseide reuelaciouns . also
seynte Jerome wrytynge of hir life seiy in yis maner yat ye
blessede maiden Marie ordeyned to hir-selfe yis maner of
reule in lyuynge yt fro ye mornetide in-to ye tierce of þe day ;
she 3afe hir alle to prayers & fro tierce in-to ye none ; she occupide
hir bodily wt weuynge werke . And efte fro none
she wente not fro prayers to ye aungell of god come and
apperede to hir of who hande she toke to ye bodily sustinaunce
and so she profitede algate betterer in ye werke & ye loue of god .