Transcriber’s Note: Biblical references in the sidenotes are not always
possible to make out, due to the quality of the print. Where this is the
case it has been noted with [unclear] or [unreadable], as appropriate.
A Godly Medytacyon of the christen sowle, concerninge a loue towardes God
and hys Christe, compyled in frenche by lady Margarete quene of Nauerre,
and aptely translated into Englysh by the ryght vertuouse lady Elyzabeth
doughter to our late souerayne Kynge Henri the .viij.
[Illustration]
Inclita filia, serenissimi olim Anglorum Regis Henrici octaui Elizabeta,
tam Græcæ quam latine fœliciter in Christo erudita.
To the ryght vertuouse and christenly lerned yonge lady Elizabeth, the
noble doughter of our late souerayne Kynge Henry the .viij. Iohan Bale
wysheth helth with dayly increace of Godly knowledge.
[Sidenote: Nobylyse.]
[Sidenote: Albion.]
Diuerse and many (most gracyouse lady) haue the opynyons bene amonge the
prophane philosophers and christen dyuynes, concernynge ryght Nobylyte,
and no fewar stryues and contencyons for the same. Some autours haue
vaynely boasted it to take orygynall of the olde Goddes of the Gentyles,
as euery lāde hath had hys peculyar Saturne, Iupiter, & Hercules, yea
our Englāde here and all. Some hath fatt it from the foure generall
monarchyes of the Assyrianes, Perseanes, Grekes, and Romanes. Some haue
attrybuted it, to the bolde battayles and bloudshedynges, in Ninus of
Babylon the first inuētour of polycyes in warre, in our great Albion
the Chamesene, whych first in thys regyon suppressed the posterite of
Iaphet, vsurpynge therin the first monarchy, in Brute that more than
six hondred yeares after defaced of hym the tyrannouse yssue, in Ebrāck
and Dunwallo, in Brenne and Belyne, in great Constantyne, Artoure,
Cadwalader, Engist, Egbert, Alphrede wyllyam cōquerour & soch other, for
lyke cōquestes of the Romanes, Grekes, Galles, pyctes, Brytaynes, Saxons,
Danes, Iryshens and Englyshens.
[Sidenote: Brute.]
[Sidenote: Romani.]
[Sidenote: Gwalli.]
[Sidenote: Iaphet.]
[Sidenote: Kyndes of Nobylyte.]
The hawty Romanes set not yet a lyttle by themselues, that they haue rysē
of Aeneas & Romulus, of whom the one most shamefully betrayed hys owne
natyue kyndred and contraye, and the other most vnnaturally slewe hys
owne brother for worldly domynyō. Lyke as our walshemen here in Englande,
aduaūcynge their successyon or progeny aboue the Englysh wyll nedes
come of Sardanus & Bute, a foūdacyō not all vnlyke to the other. These
gloryouse champyons for thys farre fatched groūde of their Nobylyte,
accoūte all other nacyons and peoples, ignoble, profane, and barbarouse,
as is to be seane in the monumētes of their writers. But in the
meaneseason, they are not aware that they wndyscretely prefarre cursed
Cham to blessed Iaphet, by whose posteryte the Iles of the Gentyles
were first sorted out in to speches, kyndredes, and nacyons, Gene. 10.
and not by Chams ofsprynge, of whome the Troianes and Romanes had their
noble begynnynge. That the Chamesenes had in those Iles, was by cruell
vsurpacyon & tyrāny, as testyfyeth Berosus the Caldeane and therfor that
groūde of Nobylyte is not all the best. Ouer and besydes all thys, some
haue applyed it to renomed byrth or successyon of bloude, some to the
habūdaūce of pleasures worldly some to the mayntenaūce of great famylyes,
some to the sūptuousnesse of notable buyldynges, some to the hygh stomake
& stature of persone, some to valeaūtnesse in marcyall feates, some to
semely maners of courtesye, some to lyberalyte of rewardes and gyftes,
some to the auncyentnesse of longe coūtynuaunce, some to wysdome lernynge
& stody for a cōmēwelth with soch lyke. And these are not all to be
dysalowed, for we fynde them in Abraham, & Dauid with other iust fathers.
[Sidenote: Clergy.]
[Sidenote: Stābery.]
[Sidenote: Hunte.]
[Sidenote: Fryres.]
But now foloweth, a monstruouse, or whether ye wyll, a prestygyouse
nobylyte. The Romysh clergye ymagenynge to exalte themselues aboue the
lewde layte (as they shame not yet to call the worldly powers) haue geuen
it in a farre other kynde, to mytars, masses, Cardynall hattes, crosers,
cappes, shauen crownes, oyled thombes, syde gownes, furred amyses, mōkes
cowles, and fryres lowsy coates, becōmynge therby pōtyfycall lordes,
spirytuall sirs, and ghostly fathers. Thys kynde of Nobylyte dygged out
of the dongehyll, haue I seane gorgyously garnyshed with the retoryckes
of Porphyry, Aristotle, Duns, and Raymundus decretals, in the bokes of
Iohan Stanbery byshopp of herforde, De superioritate ecclesiastica, De
discrimine iurisdictionum, and De potestate pōtificia. In the bokes also
of Walter hūte an ordynary reader sūtyme in Oxforde, De precellētia
Petri, & De autoritate ecclesie. Yea, and amōge thēselues they haue moch
contended both by disputacyon & writynges, whych of their seeres myght
other excell in the nobylnesse of christen perfection. The monkes in
publyque scoles, by a dystynccyon of the actyue and contemplatyue lyfe,
haue aduaunced their ydell mōkery aboue the offyce of a byshopp, and the
fryres their scalde crauynge beggery, aboue the degrees of thē Both. As
is largely seane in the brawlynge workes of Rycharde Maydeston, Thomas
walden, Wyllyam Byntre & other whych haue written Contra wicleuistas, &
Pro mēdicatione fratrū.
[Sidenote: Myluerton.]
[Sidenote: 4. orders.]
[Sidenote: Prestes.]
[Sidenote: O Deuils īcarnate.]
In the dayes of kynge Edwarde the fourt, Iohan Myluerton prouyncyall
of the Carmelytes, was full thre yeares, a prysoner in the castell of
Angell at Rome at the sute of the byshoppes of Englande for the same,
and lost so the byshopryck of saynt Dauids, wherunto he was a lyttle
afore elected. Thys matter haue I hearde, vndre the tyttle of Euangelyck
perfeccyon, most depely reasoned in their ordynary dysputacions at their
concourses cōuocacyons, and chapters (as they than called them) yea by
those whome I knewe most corrupt lyuers, Berūto for fournyshynge out
the same, the graye fryres added. S. frances paynted woūdes, the blacke
fryres. S. Domynyckes bolde dysputynge with heretykes, the whyte fryres
our ladyes fraternyte, and the Augustyne fryres the great doctryne of
their patrone. In the vnyuersytees afte moch to and fro, hath it bene
concluded, that the order of a prest haue farre excelled in dygnyte the
order of a byshopp. And thys haue they left behynde them for a most graue
and depe reason therupon. Marke their more than lucyferyne presumpcyon
therin. Soch power hath a prest (saye they) as hath neyther Angell nor
yet Man, be he of neuer so great autoryte, scyēce, or vertu. For a prest
by worde maye make hym agayne, that by worde made heauen & earth. A prest
maye euery daye both byget hym and beare hym, where as hys mother Marye
bygate hym (beare hym they wolde saye) but ones. These are their very
wordes in a boke entytled, De origine Nobilitatis. ca. 5. with moch more
cyrcumstaunce of matter. O blasphemouse bellybeastes, & most ydell wytted
sorcerers. How ydolatrously exalte they themselues aboue the eternall
lyuynge God & hys Christ?
[Sidenote: Nobylyte.]
[Sidenote: Apostles.]
[Sidenote: Faythe.]
Iohan Chrisostome a man taught and brought up in the christen philosophy,
defyneth the true Nobylyte after a farre other sort, than ded the
prophane writers. He calleth it not with Aristotle, a worthynesse of
progeny, neyther yet with Varro ā opulēcy of ryches, but a fameuse
renome obtayned by lōge exercysed vertu. He is pusaunt, hygh, ād valeaunt
(sayth he) and hath Nobylyte in right course, that dysdayneth to geue
place to vyces and abhorreth to be ouercomen of them. Doctryne greatly
adourneth a mā hyghly borne, but a godly endeuoure of christyanyte
bewtyfyeth hym most of all. By nō other wayes haue the Apostles and
Martyrs obtayned a noble report, than by the valeaunt force of pure
doctryne and fayth. A gētyll hart (sayth Seneca) or a stomake that ys
noble, moueth, prouoketh, and sturreth, only to thynges honest. No man
whych hath a noble wytte, delyteth in thynges of small value, moch lesse
in matters of fylthynesse or supperstycyon. Chefely apperteyneth it to
men and women of syncere Nobylyte, to regarde the pure doctryne and
faythe, vnto soch hath God promysed in the scriptures, habundaunce of
tēporall thynges, longe lyfe, fortunate chyldren, a kyngedome durable,
with soch other, Deut. 28.
[Sidenote: Gedeon.]
[Sidenote: Asa rex.]
[Sidenote: Iosaphat.]
[Sidenote: Iehu.]
[Sidenote: Ezechias.]
[Sidenote: Iosias.]
[Sidenote: Prestes.]
[Sidenote: Ecclesia. 49.]
A most worthy conquerour is Gedeon noted in the scriptures, for
destroyenge false relygyō & renuynge the kyngedome of faythe. Iudi.
vj. So is kynge Asa, for remouynge the male stues from the prelates
abhorrynge marryage, & for puttynge downe ydolles whych hys forefathers
maynteyned. 3. Reg. 15. So is kynge Iosaphat, for beynge couragyouse
in the wayes of God, and for puttynge downe the hyll aulters & their
sacrifices. 2. parali 17. So is kynge Iehu, for sleynge the ydolatrouse
Prestes, and for breakynge and burnynge their great God Baal, and for
makynge, a Iakes of their holy churche 4. Reg. 10. So is kynge Ezechias
for clēsynge the house of the lorde from all fylthynesse, afore hys
tyme therin occupyed. 2. Parali. 29. and for breakynge downe the brasen
serpent and ydolatrouse ymages with their aulters and sanctuaryes.
4. Reg. 18. So is kynge Iosias, for suppressynge relygyouse persones
and aulter prestes, for cōsumynge their iewels & ornamētes, & for
ouerthrowynge their buggery chambers in the howse of the lorde 4. Reg.
23. Thys noble kīge also destroyed all theyr carued ymages, he strewed
the dust of thē vpon their graues that had offered to them, and brent
the prestes bones vpō their aulters, restorynge agayne the lawes of the
lorde. 2. parali. 34. Iesus Syrach reporteth of hym fynally, that he
whollye dyrected hys hart to the lorde, & toke awaye all abhomynacyons of
the vngodly. Eccle. 49. Besydes that is spoken of kynge Dauid and kynge
Salomon.
[Sidenote: Edwarde vj. rex.]
[Sidenote: Ignoble.]
Not I only, but many thousandes more whych wyll not from hens fourth
bowe any more to Baal, are in full & perfyght hope, that all these most
hyghly notable and pryncely actes, wyll reuyue & lyuely florysh in your
most noble and worthy brother kynge Edwarde the sixt. Most excellent &
godly are hys begynnynges reported of the very foren nacyōs callynge hym
for hys vertuouse, lerned, and godly prudent youthes sake, the seconde
Iosias. Those hys wonderfull pryncyples in the eyes of the worlde, and
no lesse gloryouse afore God thus beynge to hys honoure, that eternall
lyuynge God contynue and prospere to the ende, that he maye haue of them
as had these vorthy kinges afore rehearced, a ryght noble and famouse
report. Nobylyte sought by wycked enterpryses and obtayned by the same
(as in many afore our dayes, and in some now of late) is not els but
a publyque and notable infamye, and in the ende eternall dāpnacyon.
Nobylyte wonne by the ernest sekynge of Gods hygh honour, is soch a
precyouse crowne of glory as wyll neuer perysh here nor yet in the worlde
to come.
[Sidenote: Tyraūtes.]
[Sidenote: Nobylyte.]
[Sidenote: O Noble Kyndred.]
[Sidenote: Alexāder.]
Cain after a worldly maner, or amōge the vngracyouse sort, is holden
noble for slaynge hys brother Iudas of the prelates (for he receyued
of thē, a noble rewarde) for betrayenge Christ, Herode of the Iewes
for murtherynge the innocētes. And what is there more worthy reproche,
dyshonour, and shame, than are these execrable factes? The nature of true
Nobylyte (as I haue sayd afore) is not to ryse of vyce but of vertu,
though many men there seke it. Of the most excellēt kinde of Nobylyte
is he sure (most vertuouse and lerned lady) whych truly beleueth and
seketh to do the wyll of the eternall father, for therby is he brought
forewarde, and promoted into that heauenly kyndred Ioā. 1. By that
meanes becometh he the deare brother, syster, & mother of Christ Math.
12. a cytizen of heauen with the Apostles and Prophetes, Ephe. 2. yea
the chylde of adopcyon and heyre togyther with Christ in the heauēly
inherytaunce Roma. 8. No soch chyldren left Socrates behynde hym,
neyther yet Demosthenes, Plato, nor Cicero, with all their plesaūt
wysdome and eloquēce. No soch heretage coulde great Alexander the
Macedoneane, byqueth to hys posteryte neyther yet noble Charles, Artoure,
nor Dauid.
[Sidenote: Frutes.]
[Sidenote: .4. tūges.]
[Sidenote: Men lerned.]
[Sidenote: Sētēces.]
Of thys Nobylyte, haue I no doubt (lady most faythfully studyouse) but
that yow are, with many other noble women & maydēs more in thys blessed
age. If questyon were axt me, how I knowe it? my answere wolde be thys.
By your godly frute, as the fertyle tre is non other wyse than therby
knowne, Luce. vj. I receyued your noble boke, ryght frutefully of yow
translated out of the frenche tunge into Englysh. I receyued also your
golden sentences out of the sacred scriptures, with no lesse grace than
lernynge in foure noble lāguages, Latyne, Greke, Frenche, & Italyane,
most ornately, fynely, & purely writtē with your owne hande. Wonderfully
ioyouse were the lerned men of our cytie, Murseus, Buscoducius, Bomelius,
Lithodius & Imānus, as I shewed vnto them the seyd sentences, in
beholdynge (as they than reported) so moch vertu, faythe, scyence, &
experyēce of lāguages & letters, specyally in noble youth & femynyte.
Through whych occasyon there be of thē (I knowe) that can not witholde
their lerned handes frō the publyshynge therof, to the hygh prayse of God
the geuer, neyther yet from wrytynge to your worthy grace for studyouse
contynuaunce in the same. Your seyd sētēces, they saye farre passeth the
Apohthegmes of Plutarchus, the Aphorismes of Theognis, the Stratagemes
of Isocrates, the graue golden coūsels of Cato & the manyfolde morals of
Iohan Goldeston the great allegoryser, with soche other lyke.
[Sidenote: The first clause.]
[Sidenote: Hypocrytes.]
[Sidenote: Hate.]
[Sidenote: Happye.]
[Sidenote: Tuters.]
[Sidenote: Rulers.]
Your first written clauses in .iiij. speches latyne, frenche & Italyane,
out of the xiij. Psalme of noble Dauid, mēcyoneth that the vnfaythfull
reckeneth folyshly in their hartes, there is no God. Wherupō so corrupt
they are in their vayne coniectures, and so abhomynable in their dayly
doynges, that not one of their generacyō is godly. By thys do your grace
vnto vs sygnyfye, that the baren doctryne & good workes without fayth
of the hypocrytes, whych in their vncōmaunded latyne ceremonyes serue
their bellyes & not Christ, in gredyly deuourynge the patrymony of poor
wydowes & orphanes, are both execrable in themselues, and abhomynable
afore God for though those paynted sepulchres haue the name of the lorde
in their mouthes, & greatly boast the good workes of the lawe, yet knowe
they not what belongeth to hys true honoure, but hate in their wycked
hartes both hys gloryouse name and worde. The true doctryne of faythe,
and the feare of God, wyll that wycked sort (whome thys psalme wryngeth)
not heare, but styll tormēt the conscyences of myserable wretched ydyotes
for aduauntage of Masses and momblynges. Happy are they of thys latter
age, that in the Gospell haue receyued the sauynge helth out of Syon (as
your grace hath done) beynge clere from the stynge of those vyperouse
wormes. Blessed be those faythfull tuters & teachers whych by their most
godly instruccyons haue thus fashyoned your tender youth into the ryght
ymage of Christ and not Antichrist. Yea most blessed be those godly
gouernours and magistrates, whych haue traueled and yet laboryously
trauayle with worthy Moses, to brynge Gods people clerely out of their
most wretched captyuyte.
[Sidenote: The latter clause.]
Your latter clause in the Greke, incyteth vs to the ryght worshyppynges
of God in sprete and veryte Ioā. 4. to honouringe of our parētes in the
semely offyces of naturall chyldren. Ephe. vj. and to the reuerent vsynge
of our christen equalles in the due mynystracyons of loue. 1. Pet.
[Sidenote: Monachi.]
[Sidenote: Lōbardus.]
[Sidenote: Robert Kylwarby.]
[Sidenote: A change.]
[Sidenote: The boke.]
2. Neyther Benedyct nor Bruno, Domynyck nor Frances (whych haue of
longe yeares bene boasted for the pryncypall patrones of relygyon) euer
gaue to their superstycyouse bretherne, so pure preceptes of syncere
christyanyte. Neyther yet Peter lombarde in hys .iiij. bokes of sentēces,
with whose smokye dyuynyte, the lowsy locustes monkes, chanons, prestes,
and fryres haue these .iiij. hondred yeares darkened the clere sunne,
whych is the veryte of God, Apoca. 9. If godly wyse men wolde do nomore
but conferre thys lernynge of yours and of other noble women ī these
dayes, with the doctryne of Robert Kylwarby archebyshopp of Canterbury
and Cardynall, whych the vnyuersytees of Oxforde & Parys were sworne to,
for mayntenaunce of that christyanyte in the yeare of our lorde. 1276,
by the consent of all masters regentes & non regentes, I doubt it not but
they shulde fynde iust cause to holde vp both their handes and prayse
their lorde God for changynge that helle into thys heauen. An vnsauery
gust therof shall they fynde, adioyned of the Paryseanes as necessary
dyuynyte, to the foreseyd sentēces of Peter lombarde.
[Sidenote: Elizabeth.]
[Sidenote: An hart.]
[Sidenote: Noble womē lerned.]
[Sidenote: Cōclusio.]
In your forenamed boke, cōposed first of all by the ryght vertuouse lady
Margarete, syster sūtyme to the frenche kynge Frances, and quene of
Nauerre, And by your noble grace most dylygently and exactly translated
into Englysh, fynde I most precyouse treasure concernynge the sowle,
Wherfor I haue added therunto the tytle of a Godly medytacyon of the
sowle, concernynge a loue towardes God and hys Christ. Most lyuely in
these and soch other excellent factes, expresse ye the naturall emphasy
of your noble name Elischabeth in the hebrue, is as moch to saye in the
latyne, as Dei mei requies, in Englysh, the rest of my God. Who can
thynke God not to rest in that harte whych sendeth fourth soch godly
frutes? I thynke nō that hath ryght dyscressyon. Your pēne hath here
plenteouslye vttered the habundaūce of a Godly occupyed harte, lyke
as ded the vyrgynall lyppes of Christes most blessed mother, whan she
sayd with heauenly reioyce, My sowle magnyfyeth the lorde and my sprete
reioyceth in God my sauer, Luce. 1. Many noble women of fresh literature
haue bene afore tyme in thys regyon, whose nomēclature or rehearsall of
names I intende to shewe in the ende of thys boke, but non of thē were
euer yet lyke to those whych are in our age. No, neyther Cambra, Martia,
Constantia, Agasia, Vodicia, Bunduica, Claudia, Helena, vrsula, hilda,
nor soch other lyke. Thys one coppye of yours haue I brought into a
nombre, to thintēt that many hungry sowles by the inestymable treasure
contayned therin, maye be swetely refreshed. The sprete of the eternall
sonne of God Iesus Christ, be alwayes to your excellent grace assystent
that ye maye sende fourth more soch wholsome frutes of sowle, and become
a noryshynge mother to hys dere congregacyon to their confort and hys
hygh glorye Amen.
Your bounde oratour
Iohan Bale
A Godly Medytacyon of the christen sowle, concerninge a loue towardes God
and hys Christe, compyled in frenche by lady Margarete quene of Nauerre,
and aptely translated into Englysh by the ryght vertuouse lady Elyzabeth
doughter to our late souerayne Kynge Henry the .viij.
The preface.
[Sidenote: Math. 5.]
[Sidenote: Hebre. 11.]
[Sidenote: 1. Ioā. 4.]
If thu do throughly reade thys worke (dere frynde in the lorde) marke
rather the matter than the homely speache therof, consyderynge it is the
stodye of a woman, whych hath in her neyther cōnynge nor scyence, but a
feruent desyre that yche one maye se, what the gifte of God the creatour
doth whan it pleaseth hym to iustyfye a hart. For what is the hart of a
Man, concernynge hys owne strēgth, before he hath receyued the gift of
faythe? Therby only hath he knowledge of the goodnesse, wysedome, and
power of God. And as sone as he through that faythe, knoweth pythely
the truthe hys hart is anon full of charyte and loue. So that by the
feruentnesse therof, he excludeth all fleshly feare, & fyrmely trusteth
in God vnfaynedly, for certaynely the gifte, whych God the creatour
geueth frely at the begynnynge, doth neuer cease tyll it hath made hym
godly, whych putteth hys full trust in God.
[Sidenote: Ioan. 6.]
O happy and fortunate gifte, whych causeth a Man to possesse a grace so
desyred. Alas no man coulde thys vnderstande, onles by soch gyfte God
had geuen it hym. And great cause he hath to doubte of it, ōles God had
made hym to feale it in hys harte. Therfor gētyll reader, with a godly
mynde I besyche the pacyently thys worke to peruse, whych is but small in
quantyte, and taste nothynge but the frute therof. Prayenge to God full
of all goodnesse, that in thy harte he wyll plāte the lyuely faythe. Amen.
finit præfatio.
liber incipit
[Sidenote: Iob. 7.]
[Sidenote: Roma. 7.]
[Sidenote: Psal. 94.]
Where is the helle full of trauayle, payne, myschefe, and torment? Where
is the pytte of cursednesse, out of whych doth sprynge all desperacyon?
Is there any helle so profounde, that is suffycyent to ponnysh the tenth
part of my synnes, whych are so many in nombre, that the infynyte swarme
of them so shaddoweth my darkened sences that I can not accompte them
neyther yet wele se them? I am farre entered in amongest them, and (that
moch wors is) I haue not the power to obtayne the true knowledge of the
depe daūgers of them. I perfyghtly fele, that their roote is in me. And
outwardly I se non other effecte but all is eyther braūche leafe, or els
frute that it bryngeth fourth all aboute me. If I thynke to loke for
better, a braūche cometh and closeth myne eyes, and in my mouthe doth
fall whan I wolde speake, the frute so bytter to swalowe downe. If my
sprete be sturred for to harken, than a great multytude of leaues doth
entre in myne eares, and my nose is all stopped with flowers.
[Sidenote: 2. Cor. [unreadable].]
[Sidenote: Iob. 12.]
Now beholde how in paynes cryenge & wepynge, my poore sowle, a slaue and
prysoner, doth lye without lyghte, hauynge her fete bounde through her
concupyscēce & also both her armes through euyll vse. Yet the power to
remedy it, doth not lye in me, neyther haue I power to crye for helpe.
Agayne, so far fourth as I can perceyue, I haue no hope of socour, but
through the grace of God that I can not deserue, whych maye rayse euery
one from deathe. By hys bryghtnesse he geueth lyght to darkenesse. And
hys power examynynge my faulte, doth breake all the vayle of ignoraunce,
and geueth me clere vnderstādynge, not only that thys cometh of me, but
also what thynge abydeth in me. Where I am and wherfor I do laboure. Who
he is whom I haue offended, to whom I ded obeye so seldome. Therfor it is
cōuenyent that my pryde be suppressyd.
[Sidenote: Iob. 14.]
[Sidenote: Sapi. [unreadable].]
And humbly with wepynge harte, I do confesse that I am moch lesse thā
nothynge, before my byrth myer, after a dungehyll, a body prompte to all
euyll not wyllynge other stodye, also subiect to care, sorowe, and payne.
A short lyfe, and thende vncertayne. The whych vndre synne by Adam is
solde, and by the lawe iudged to be damnyd. For I had neuer the power to
obserue one only cōmaundemente of God, I do fele the strength of synne
in me, therfor is my synne no whyt the lesse to be hydden. And the more
he is dyssembled outwardly, so moche the more he encreasyth within the
harte. That whych God wyll, I can not wyll, and what he wolde not, I ofte
tymes desyre to perfourme. Whych thynge doth constrayne me by importable
sorowe, to wyshe thende of thys myserable bodye through desyred death,
bycause of my werye & ragynge life.
[Sidenote: Roma. [unreadable].]
[Sidenote: Gene. [unreadable].]
[Sidenote: Psal. 37.]
Who shall be he than, that shall delyuer and recouer suche good for me?
Alas it can not be a mortall man, for hys power and strength is not
suche, but it shall be the only good grace of the almyghty God whych is
neuer slacke to preuent vs with hys mercye. O what a master is that,
without deseruynge any goodnesse of hym? I serued hym slouthfully,
and without ceasynge offended hym euery daye, yet is he not slacke in
helpynge me. He doth se the euyll that I haue, what and how moche it is,
and that of my selfe I can do nothynge that good is, but with hart and
body so enclyned am I to the contrarye, that I feale no strength in me
onles it be for to do euyll. He doth not tarry tyll I humbly praye hym,
or that (seynge my helle & dāpnacyon) I do crye vpō hym. For with hys
sprete he maketh a waylynge in my harte greatter than I can declare,
whych asketh the gyfte wherof the vertu is vnknowen to my lytele power.
[Sidenote: Luce. 19.]
[Sidenote: Collo. 3.]
And thys the same vnknowne syghte doth brynge me a newe desyre, shewynge
the good that I haue lost by my synne, & gyuē me agayne through hys grace
& boūtye, that whych hath ouercome all synne. O my lorde what grace and
goodnesse is thys, whych doth put out so manye synnes. Now maye we se
that thu art full of all godly loue to make me of a synner, thy seruaūt
& chyelde. Alas my God, I ded not seke the but I fled & rāne awaye frō
the. And here beneth thu camyst to me whych am nothynge but a worme of
the earthe, all naked. What do I saye, worme? I do hym wrōge, that am
so naughtye, & swarme so full of pryde, deceyte, malyce & treason. The
promyse whych my fryndes made whā I was baptysed is such, that I alwayes
through faythe in thy passyō shuld fele the mortyfycacyō of my fleshe &
dwelle alwayes with the ī the crosse where thu wert fast nayled (as I
beleue) and yelded death dead as I also shuld yelde all synne.
[Sidenote: Mar. 16.]
[Sidenote: Ioan. 6.]
Thys haue I often tymes taken downe agayne, vntyed, and set at large, I
haue broken, denyed, and falsyfyed my promyse & through pryde, I haue
lyft vp my wyll in suche a maner, that through slouth, my dewtye towardes
the was forgoten. And that moche more is, as wele the profyte or value
of thy promyse, whych I had of the in the daye of my baptysme, as also
thy sauynge loue and promyses folowynge, I haue all alyke neglected. What
shall I saye more? Albeit that often tymes thu perceyuynge me wretched
and vnhappye hast geuē me so many warnynges in fayth and in sacramētes,
admonyshynge me by preachynges, and confortynge me by the recayuynge of
thy worthye bodye and sacred bloude, promysynge also to put me in the
nombre of them that are now adourned with perfyght innocencye. Yet haue I
all these hygh benefyghtes, throwne into forgetfullnesse.
[Sidenote: Hiere. 7.]
[Sidenote: Psal. 118.]
Often tymes haue I with the broken couenaunte. And partly for that my
poore sowle was to moche fed with euyll breade or dāpnable doctryne of
hypocrytes, I despysed such socoure and ghostly physyck in Gods worde
as wolde haue holpe me. And if I had bene wyllynge to loke for it yet
knewe I at that tyme no teachers cōuenyent. For there is neyther man,
saynte, nor Angell, for whome the harte of a synner without thy sprete
wyll change. Alas good Iesus, thu beholdynge my blyndenesse, and that
at my neade I coulde haue no socour of men, dedyst open the waye of
my saluacyon. O how great is the goodnesse, and how inestymable the
swetnesse whych thu hast shewed therin? Is there any father so naturall
to the daughter or brother to the syster, whych wolde euer haue done
as he hath done? For he came into the helle to socour my sowle, where
agaynst hys wyll she was, intendynge to haue peryshed, because she ded
not loue.
[Sidenote: 1. Ioā. 3.]
[Sidenote: Ioā. 5.]
[Sidenote: Ephe. 3.]
Alas swete lorde thu hast loued her yea, to the very outshedynge of thy
most precyouse bloude. O charyte feruent and incōparable. Not slacke art
thu in loue that so louest euery synner, yea, and also thyne enemyes,
not only in forgeuynge their offences, but also in geuynge thy selfe
for their saluacyon, lybertie, and delyueraunce, to the death, crosse,
trauayle, payne and sufferaunce. Whan I cast in mynde, what shulde be
the occasyō of thy loue towardes me. I can se nothynge els but a loue
wonderfull, whych moueth the to geue me that I can not deserue. Than
my God as farre fourth as I can se, I ought to geue no thākes for my
saluacyon but only vnto the, to whome I owe the prayse ther of, as to
hym whych is my sauyour & creatoure. What a thynge is it that thu hast
done so moche for me? Thu art not only contented to haue forgyuen me my
synnes, but also hast gyuē vnto me the ryght fortunate gifte of grace.
[Sidenote: Roma. [unreadable].]
[Sidenote: Math. 12.]
For it shulde suffyse me, I cōmynge out of suche a daunger, to be lyke a
straunger vsed. But thu dost handle my sowle, (if I durst so saye it) as
a mother, daughter, syster and wyfe. I lorde, I am the trespaser whych
am not worthy to come nere the dore of thy ryght hygh place to aske
breade, where thy dwellynge is. O what grace is thys, that so sodenly thu
vouchesauyst to drawe my sowle in to suche hyghnesse, that she felyth her
selfe ruler of my bodye. She poore, ignoraunte and lame, doth fynde her
selfe wyth the, ryche, wyse, and stronge, because thu hast written in her
harte the roote of thy sprete, & holy worde, geuynge her true fayth for
to receyue it. Whych thynge made her to conceyue thy sonne, in beleuynge
hym to be man, God, sauyour, and also the true remytter of synnes.
Therfor dost thu assure her, that she is mother to thy sonne of whom thu
art the only faither.
[Sidenote: Phil. 2.]
[Sidenote: Gene. 1.]
And farthermore, O my father here is a great loue, for thu art not wery
of wele doynge syth that thy sonne full of dyuynyte hath taken the bodye
of a man, & ded myngle hymselfe with our ashes, whych thynge a man can
not vnderstāde vnlesse he hath a true faythe. It hath pleased the to put
hym so neare vs, that he ded ioyne hymselfe vnto our fleshe. Than we
seynge hym to be called man, we are bolde to call hym syster and brother.
Now the sowle whych maye saye of her selfe, that she is the syster of
God, ought to haue her harte assured. After thys dost thu declare with
greate loue, how her creacyon is only of the good wyll, whych it pleaseth
the alwayes to haue towardes her, geuynge assuraunce that before her
first daye, or tyme of beynge prouyded for her, thu bestowedest thy loue
on her, & how through loue thu hast made her (as alone of power thu
cannyst wele do it) and also how thu dedyst put her within thys body, not
for to sleape with slouth, but that both of them shulde haue non other
exercyse, but only to thynke how to do some seruyce vnto the.
[Sidenote: Tren. 2.]
[Sidenote: Colos. 2.]
Than the truthe maketh her to feale that there is in the, true paternyte.
O what honoure, what swetnesse, and what glory hath the sowle, whych doth
alwayes remēber that she is thy daughter, & in callynge the fayther, she
doth thy commaundement? What is there more? Is that all? No, It doth
please the to gyue her an other name, to call her thy wyfe, & that she
agayne do call the husbande, declarynge how thu hast frely manyfested
the marryage of her. By the baptysme thu hast made a promes, to gyue her
thy goodes and ryches, and thu agayne to take her synnes, for she hath
nothynge els by herytage of her first father Adam. All her treasures,
that she hath of nature, are nothynge els but synnes, whych thu hast tyed
vpon the, and payed all her whole debte with thy goodes and landes.
[Sidenote: Roma. 1[unclear].]
[Sidenote: Ioā. 5.]
[Sidenote: Prouer. 13.]
Thu hast made her so ryche, and with so great a ioynter endued her, that
she knowynge her selfe to be thy woyd wyfe, doth beleue to be quytt of
all that she oweth, estemynge very lytel that she hath here beneth. She
forsaketh her olde father, & all the goodes that he gyueth, for her
husbandes sake. Surely (o my God) my sowle is sore hurte to be fedde with
suche good, and agayne releued in leauynge the pleasure of thys worlde
for that whych is eternall, where peace is without warre. I maruayle that
she, thys remembrynge, doth not lese her witt, coūtenaunce, and speache.
Father, father, alas what ought I to thynke. Shall my sprete be so bolde
as to take vpon hym to call the father? Yea, and also our Father, for so
hast thu taught in the Pater noster. But to call the daughter, hast thu
so sayd? I besyche the, tell me. Alas yea, whan with great swetnesse, thu
saydest daughter, lend me thy harte.
[Sidenote: Apoca. 13.]
[Sidenote: Luce. 11.]
O my God, in stede of lendynge, he is ready to geue hym selfe wholly vnto
the. Receyue hym than, & do not permyt that any creature put hym from
the, so that for euer with faythfull stedefastnesse he maye loue the with
a daughterly loue. Now my lorde if thu be my father, maye I thynke that I
can be thy mother? Indede I can not wele preceyue, how I shulde conceyue
the that createdyst me. But thu dedyst in thys matter satisfye my doubte,
whan in preachynge and in streatchynge fourth thy hādes dedyst saye
Those that shall do the wyll of my father they are my bretherne, also my
syster and mother. I beleue than, that hearynge & readynge the wordes
whych thu hast taught & vttered by thy holy prophetes, the same also
whych through thy true preachers, thu dost dayly declare vnto mē in
beleuynge it and stedefastly desyerynge to fulfyll, I cōceyue the & beare
the by loue.
[Sidenote: Math. 1.]
[Sidenote: 1. Cor. 15.]
Therfor without āye feare, wyll I take vpō me the name of a mother. What
mother of God? O swete vyrgyne Marye, I besyche the, be not angry that
I take vp suche a tytle. I do neyther stele, nor vsurpe any thynge vpon
thy pryuylege. For thu only hast aboue all womē receyued of hym so great
honoure, that nomā can in hymselfe comprehende how he hath bene wyllynge
to take in the our fleshe. For thu arte mother and perfyght vyrgyne
before and after, and in hys holy byrth. In thy blessyd wombe thu dedyst
beare hym and norysh hym. Thu dedyst folowe hym in hys trybulacyons, and
also in hys teachynges. Now breuely to conclude. Thu hast with God founde
suche grace, as the enemye through malyce and deceyte, had caused Adam &
hys posteryte to lose. By Eue and hym we had lost it, & by thy sonne hath
it bene yelded vnto vs agayne.
[Sidenote: Luce. 1.]
[Sidenote: Acto. 12.]
Therfor hast thu bene ryghteously called full of grace. For thu lackedyst
neyther grace nor vertu, sith that he whych is the best amonge them that
be good, also the sprynge of all goodnesse and power whych hath created
in the so pure innocēcye that thu arte the example of all uertues, hath
buylded in the hys dwellynge & temple. He through loue ded conforme
hymselfe with the, and thu arte transfourmed in hym. Therfor if any man
shulde thynke to geue the greatter prayse than God hymselfe hath done,
it were a fule blasphemye. For there is no suche prayse, as is the same
whych commeth from God. Thu also hast had faythe so fyrme and cōstaunt,
that (by grace) she had the power to make the godly. Wherfor I wyll not
take vpon me, to geue the greatter prayse than the honoure whych thy
souerayne lorde hath geuen vnto the. For thu arte hys corporall mother,
and also through fayth hys spyrytuall mother.
[Sidenote: Roma. 8[unclear].]
[Sidenote: Canti. 4.]
And I folowynge thy fayth with humblenesse, am hys spirytuall mother
also. Alas my God the brotherlynesse that thu hast towardes me through
thy humblenesse, in callynge me syster, is great. Dedyst thu euer saye ī
it any thynge afore? Alas yea. For thu hast broken the kyndred of my olde
father, callynge me doughter by adopcyon. Well than, seynge that we haue
both but one father, I wyll not feare to call the my brother. For so hast
thu reported it by Salomon in hys bellet, saynge, My syster and spouse
thu hast wounded my harte with the swete loke of one of thyne eyes, and
with one cheyne of thy necke. Alas my brother, I wyshe for nothynge els,
but that in woūdynge the, I myght fynde my selfe wounded with thy loue.
To that wolde I geue ouer my selfe. And lyke wyse thu dost call me wyfe
in that place, shewynge largely that thu louyst me, saynge by these
wordes amorouse.
[Sidenote: Canti. 2.]
[Sidenote: Luce. 8.]
Aryse my dere doue, and come hytherwarde my dylectable spouse. Therfor
shal I saye with louynge fayth, thu arte myne and I am thyne. Thu dost
call me thy loue & fayre spouse. If it be so, suche hast thu made me.
Alas, doth it please the, to gyue me suche names? They are truly able to
breake a mannys harte, and cause it to burne through loue vnspeakeable,
whan he thynketh vpon the honoure that thu dost vnto hym, whych is moche
greatter than he hath deserued. A mother, a mother? Alas but of what
chylde is it? Truly of suche a sonne, that my harte doth breake for loue.
My God, my sonne? O Iesus what speache thys is, mother, daughter. O happy
kynrede. O what swetnesse doth proceade out of that paternyte. But what
doughterly and reuerent feare ought I to haue towardes hym, my father,
yea & my creatour, my protectour and sauer? To be thy syster, alas here
is a great loue.
[Sidenote: Canti. 8.]
[Sidenote: Acto. 4.]
[Sidenote: Ezech. 33.]
Now dost thu breake my harte ī the myddest to make rowme for the same so
swete a brother. So that no other name be writē in the same, but only my
brother Iesus the sonne of God. Non other man wyll I geue place to, for
all the scourgynge and beatynge, that they cā do vnto me. Reape my harte
then, my brother and frynde, & lete not thy enemy entre into it. O my
father, chylde, brother, and spouse, with handes ioyned, humbly vpon my
knees I yelde the thankes and prayses, that it pleaseth the to turne thy
face towardes me conuertynge my harte, and coueryng me with suche grace,
that thu dost se nomore my euyls & synnes. So wele hast thu hydden them,
that it semeth, thu hast put thē in forgetfulnesse. Yea, & also they
seme to be forgoten of me, whych haue cōmytted them, for fayth and loue
causeth me to forget them, puttynge wholly my trust in the alone.
[Sidenote: Psal. 31.]
[Sidenote: Luce. 15.]
[Sidenote: Ezech. 18.]
Than my father, in whom lyeth vnfayned loue, wherof can I haue feare in
my harte? I confesse that I haue done all the euyll that one creature
can do, and that of my selfe I am nought. Also that I haue offended the
as the prodygall chylde ded, folowynge the folysh trade of the fleshe,
wherewith I haue spente all my substaūce, and the habundaūce of goodes
whych I had receyued of the. For pouerte had wetheryd me awaye euen as
heye and yelded my sprete dead for hunger, seakynge to eate the releafe
of swyne. But I founde very lytle sauoure in suche meates. Than I seynge
my lyfe to be so myserable, I ded returne vnto the my father agayne,
sayenge. Alas I haue synned in heauen and before the. I am not worthy
(I tell it before euerybodye) to be called thy chylde. But O bountyfull
father, do no worse to me, than to one of thy howsholde seruauntes.
[Sidenote: Luce. 15.]
[Sidenote: Esa[unclear]. 27.]
Alas what loue and zele is thys? for thu woldest not tarry my commynge
and prayer but stretchynge out thy hāde receyuedyst me, whan I ded thynke
that thu woldest not loke vpon me. And in stede to haue ponnyshed, thu
dedyst assure me of my saluacyon. Where is he thē that shall ponnysh
me, whan my father shall denye hym my synne? There is no iudge that can
condēpne anye creature, vnlesse God hymselfe wolde dampne hym. I feare
not the want of goodnesse, syth I haue my God for my father. My enemye
shall do me no harme, for my father shall take all hys strength awaye. If
I owe anye thynge, he shall paye it all for me, If I haue deserued death,
he (as a kynge) shall pardō me, & delyuer me frō pryson & hāgynge.
[Sidenote: Roma. 7.]
[Sidenote: 3. Reg. 3.]
But here is the worst. What maner of mother haue I been? For after that
I by fayth, had receyued the name of a true mother, I became very rude
vnto the, by cause that after I had conceyued and brought the fourth, I
left reason. And beynge subiect to my wyll, not takynge heade vnto the,
I fell a slepe and gaue place to my great enemye. The whych ī the nyght
of ignoraunce, I beynge a sleape ded steale the from me craftely, and
in thy place, she ded put her chylde whych was dead. So ded I lese the,
whych is an harde sorowe and remorce for me. Now haue I lost the by myne
owe faulte (my sonne) bycause I toke no hede to kepe the. Sensualyte my
neyghbour (I beynge in my beastly sleape) ded steale the from me, & gaue
me, an other chylde whych had no lyfe in hym, named synne, whom I wyll
not haue, for I do vtterly forsake hym.
[Sidenote: 2. Cor. 6[unclear].]
[Sidenote: 3. Reg. 3.]
She affirmed that he was myne owne but I knewe hym to be hers. For as
sone as I came to the lyght of grace, whych thu haddest gyuē me, thā I
knewe my glory to be changed, whan I sawe the dead chylde not to be myne.
For the same whych was alyue (whom she had taken awaye) was myne owne.
Betwene Iesus & synne is the chaunge so apparant. But here is a straunge
thynge. Thys olde woman causeth me to kepe hym whych is dead, whom she
reporteth to be myne, and so she wyll maynteyne. O Salomō, a full true
iudge, thu hast hearde thys lamentable processe and ordayned to cōtent
the partyes, that the chylde shulde be deuyded in two partes. The false
woman agreyth, it shulde be so. But I remembrynge hym to be myne owne
sonne, was rather contente to lese hym, than to se hys bodye parted in
two peces. For true and perfyght loue is neuer contente with one halfe of
that it doth loue.
[Sidenote: 2[unclear]. Cor. 4.]
[Sidenote: Sapi. 3.]
[Sidenote: Gene. 6.]
I had rather to wepe for my whole losse, than to recouer but one halfe.
My mynde coulde not be satysfyed, if I had recouered one halfe without
lyfe. Alas gyue her rather the chylde whych is alyue. Better it is for
me to dye, than to se Iesus Christ dyuyded. But O my lorde, thu dedyst
loke better to it than I. For thu seynge the anguysh that I ded suffer, &
how I ded rather forsake my ryght, than to beholde suche cruelnesse Thu
saydest, thys is the true mother and so caused them to gyue me my chylde
agayne, for whom my harte was so sorowfull. O swete Iesus, I founde the
after, to haue proued me if I ded loue the. Yea, I whych had lost the yet
dedyst thu returne vnto me. Alas dost thu vouchesaue to come agayne to
her, whych beynge lett with synne coulde not kepe the, my swete chylde,
my sonne, my helper, my norysher, of whome I am a ryght humble creature.
Do not permytt that euer I do leaue the agayne, for I do repent my selfe
of the tyme passed.
[Sidenote: Esa. 32.]
[Sidenote: Psal. 118.]
Now come my sensualyte with synnes of all qualytees, for thu hast no
power to make me receyue the chylde whych is dead. The same that I haue
is stronge ynough for to defende me, & he shall not permyt that thu take
hym awaye from me. He is alredy more stronge than anye man is. Therfor
I maye sleape and take rest neare hym. For all thynges wele consydered,
he shall kepe me moche better than I coulde hym. Then as I thynke I
maye take rest. O swete rest of the mother & the sonne togyther, my
swete chylde. O my God, honoure & prayse be vnto the only, so that euery
creature maye se how it hath pleased the to call me a mother, lesse than
nothynge. The more that the thynge is straunge and harde to be done, the
more ought thy goodnesse to haue prayse for it. And also I fynde my selfe
more bounde vnto the than euer I ded for thys, that it pleaseth the to
haue retayned me for thy syster.
[Sidenote: Nume. 12.]
[Sidenote: Deute. 5.]
I am syster vnto the but so naughty a syster, that better it were for
me, that I were without the name, for I forgate the honoure of adopcyon
in so noble a kyndred, & also thy so good & brotherly behauer towardes
me. I with pryde ded ryse agaynst the and, not remembrynge my faultes,
but goynge astraye from the, ded agree with my brother Aaron, beynge in
wyll to geue iudgment agaynst thy workes. Priuely I grudged agaynst the
also, whych thynge causeth me to haue a great remorce in my conscyence.
Alas ryght bountyfull God, brother and true Moses, whych doist all with
goodnesse and Iustyce. I haue estemed thy workes to be euen synne,
beynge so bolde to speake euyn rashely, saynge, Wherfor hast thu marryed
a straunge woman? Thu gyuest vs a lawe, and ponnyshemente if we do not
fulfyll it. And thu woldest not be bounde to it, forbyddynge vs the
thynge whych thu thy selfe doist.
[Sidenote: Exo. 32.]
[Sidenote: Exo. 34.]
[Sidenote: Ezech. 18.]
[Sidenote: Nume. 12[unclear].]
For thu doist forbyd vs to kylle anye man, and thu doist kylle and
sparist non of thre thousande whych thu causydest to be slayne. Also God
gaue vs in commaundemente by the, that we shulde not marry the doughter
of a straunger. Yet thu tokest thy wyfe amonge them. Alas my dere
brother, with a great meany of soche wordes (whom I knowe to be folyshe)
with Aaron (whych is my owne wytte) I imbrayded the, Wherof I do repente.
For the lyuely voyce of God, rebukyngly toke me vp, before I wente out of
the place. What woldest thu than of my synne? Alas my brother thu woldest
not haue me ponnyshed, but rather woldest my saluacyon and helthe, in
askynge for me, thys great benefyght, that it shulde please God to
mytygate hys iudgemente. The whych thynge thu couldest not obtayne. For I
became a lazar, so that whan any body shulde loke vpō me, they myght wele
se that I had not bene wyse. And so was I put out from the tentes and
tabernacles of the people, bycause that a sycke bodye maye infecte thē
whych be in helthe.
[Sidenote: Ezech. 33.]
[Sidenote: 1. Ioā. 2.]
[Sidenote: Psal. 50.]
Oh, a sowle can not haue a greatter Pōnyshement, than to be bannyshed
out of the cumpanye of them whych are holye and good. But what dedyst
thu seynge my repentaunce? Thu prouydedyst that my penaunce was sone at
an ende, and with true loue dedyst make meanes for me, wherupon I ded
returne. O what a brother wolde, instede to ponnyshe hys folysh syster,
so naturally cleaue vnto her? For iniurye, grudge, & great offēce, thu
geuyst her grace & loue in recōpēce. Alas my brother how excedynge is
thys thy loue? Moch more is it, than brotherhede is bounde to geue to so
poore & wretched a woman as I am. I haue done the euyll, and thu geuyst
me good for it, I am thyne, and thu sayest, thu arte myne. Euē so I
am, and wyll be so for euer. I feare nomore the great folyshenesse of
Aaron, for nomā maye separat me frō the. Now that we are brother & syster
togyther, I care very lytle for all other men. Thy landes are myne owne
inherytaunce.
[Sidenote: Phil. 2.]
[Sidenote: Hester. 14.]
Lete vs than kepe (if it please the) but one howsholde. Syth it haue
pleased the to humble thy selfe so moche, as to ioyne thy hart with myne,
in makynge thy selfe a leuely mā, I do ryght hartely thāke the. And as to
do it as I ought, it lyeth not in my small power. Take my meanynge than,
and excuse my ignoraunce, seynge I am of so great a kyndred as to be thy
syster. O my God, I haue good cause, to loue, to prayse, & to serue the
vnfaynedly and not to feare, nor to desyre any thynge saue the only.
Kepe me wele than, for I aske nō other brother nor frynde. If anye father
haue had anye pytie vpon hys chylde. If anye mother haue take anye care
for her sonne. If anye brother haue hyd the synne of hys syster, it is
thu. I neuer sawe (or els it was kepte wōders secrete) that euer husbande
wolde througly forgyue hys wyfe, after she had hym ones offended, and ded
returne vnto hym.
[Sidenote: Hiere. [unreadable].]
[Sidenote: Deut. 24.]
There haue bene ynough of thē whych for to auēge their wronges, haue
caused the iudges to put them to deathe. Other beholdynge their synnes,
ded not spare their owne hādes, sodenly to kylle them. Other also seynge
their faultes to apere, ded sende thē home agayne to their owne fryndes.
Some perceyuynge their euyll dysposycyons, haue shut them vp faste in a
pryson. Now breuely to conclude vpon their dyuerse complexyons. The ende
of their pretence is ponnyshment, and the least harme that euer I coulde
perceyue in pōnyshynge thē, is thys, that they wolde neuer se thē agayne.
Thu shuldest rather make the skye to turne thā, so to forsake thy wyfe
for her mysdoynge. Wherfor my God, I can fynde nomā to be cōpared vnto
the. For of loue thu arte the perfect example. Now my God, more than
euer I ded, I confesse that I haue broken my othe and promyse.
[Sidenote: Ioan. 15.]
[Sidenote: Luce. 6.]
[Sidenote: Psal. 50.]