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Translator: Elizabeth Tudor

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 or , 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.

Inclita filia, serenissimi olim Anglorum Regis Henrici octaui Elizabeta, tam Graecae quam latine foeliciter 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.

Diuerse and many 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 l?de hath had hys peculyar Saturne, Iupiter, & Hercules, yea our Engl?de 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 inu?tour 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 Ebr?ck and Dunwallo, in Brenne and Belyne, in great Constantyne, Artoure, Cadwalader, Engist, Egbert, Alphrede wyllyam c?querour & soch other, for lyke c?questes of the Romanes, Grekes, Galles, pyctes, Brytaynes, Saxons, Danes, Iryshens and Englyshens.

The hawty Romanes set not yet a lyttle by themselues, that they haue rys? 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 domyny?. Lyke as our walshemen here in Englande, adua?cynge their successyon or progeny aboue the Englysh wyll nedes come of Sardanus & Bute, a fo?dacy? not all vnlyke to the other. These gloryouse champyons for thys farre fatched gro?de of their Nobylyte, acco?te all other nacyons and peoples, ignoble, profane, and barbarouse, as is to be seane in the monum?tes 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 & tyr?ny, as testyfyeth Berosus the Caldeane and therfor that gro?de 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 hab?da?ce of pleasures worldly some to the mayntena?ce of great famylyes, some to the s?ptuousnesse of notable buyldynges, some to the hygh stomake & stature of persone, some to valea?tnesse in marcyall feates, some to semely maners of courtesye, some to lyberalyte of rewardes and gyftes, some to the auncyentnesse of longe co?tynuaunce, some to wysdome lernynge & stody for a c?m?welth with soch lyke. And these are not all to be dysalowed, for we fynde them in Abraham, & Dauid with other iust fathers.

But now foloweth, a monstruouse, or whether ye wyll, a prestygyouse nobylyte. The Romysh clergye ymagenynge to exalte themselues aboue the lewde layte haue geuen it in a farre other kynde, to mytars, masses, Cardynall hattes, crosers, cappes, shauen crownes, oyled thombes, syde gownes, furred amyses, m?kes cowles, and fryres lowsy coates, bec?mynge therby p?tyfycall 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 p?tificia. In the bokes also of Walter h?te an ordynary reader s?tyme in Oxforde, De precell?tia Petri, & De autoritate ecclesie. Yea, and am?ge th?selues 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 m?kery aboue the offyce of a byshopp, and the fryres their scalde crauynge beggery, aboue the degrees of th? Both. As is largely seane in the brawlynge workes of Rycharde Maydeston, Thomas walden, Wyllyam Byntre & other whych haue written Contra wicleuistas, & Pro m?dicatione fratr?.

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 c?uocacyons, and chapters yea by those whome I knewe most corrupt lyuers, Ber?to for fournyshynge out the same, the graye fryres added. S. frances paynted wo?des, 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 as hath neyther Angell nor yet Man, be he of neuer so great autoryte, scy?ce, 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 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?

A most worthy conquerour is Gedeon noted in the scriptures, for destroyenge false relygy? & 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 cl?synge 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 c?sumynge their iewels & ornam?tes, & for ouerthrowynge their buggery chambers in the howse of the lorde 4. Reg. 23. Thys noble k?ge also destroyed all theyr carued ymages, he strewed the dust of th? vpon their graues that had offered to them, and brent the prestes bones vp? 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.

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 nacy?s 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 is not els but a publyque and notable infamye, and in the ende eternall d?pnacyon. 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.

Your latter clause in the Greke, incyteth vs to the ryght worshyppynges of God in sprete and veryte Io?. 4. to honouringe of our par?tes 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.

In your forenamed boke, c?posed first of all by the ryght vertuouse lady Margarete, syster s?tyme 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 n? that hath ryght dyscressyon. Your p?ne hath here plenteouslye vttered the habunda?ce 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 nom?clature or rehearsall of names I intende to shewe in the ende of thys boke, but non of th? 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 thint?t 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.

If thu do throughly reade thys worke marke rather the matter than the homely speache therof, consyderynge it is the stodye of a woman, whych hath in her neyther c?nynge 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 str?gth, 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.

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, ?les God had made hym to feale it in hys harte. Therfor g?tyll 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 pl?te the lyuely faythe. Amen.

finit praefatio.

liber incipit

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 I haue not the power to obtayne the true knowledge of the depe da?gers of them. I perfyghtly fele, that their roote is in me. And outwardly I se non other effecte but all is eyther bra?che leafe, or els frute that it bryngeth fourth all aboute me. If I thynke to loke for better, a bra?che 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.

And humbly with wepynge harte, I do confesse that I am moch lesse th? 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 c?maundemente 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.

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 I do crye vp? 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.

And thys the same vnknowne syghte doth brynge me a newe desyre, shewynge the good that I haue lost by my synne, & gyu? me agayne through hys grace & bo?tye, 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 serua?t & chyelde. Alas my God, I ded not seke the but I fled & r?ne awaye fr? 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 wr?ge, that am so naughtye, & swarme so full of pryde, deceyte, malyce & treason. The promyse whych my fryndes made wh? I was baptysed is such, that I alwayes through faythe in thy passy? shuld fele the mortyfycacy? of my fleshe & dwelle alwayes with the ? the crosse where thu wert fast nayled and yelded death dead as I also shuld yelde all synne.

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 geu? me so many warnynges in fayth and in sacram?tes, 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.

Often tymes haue I with the broken couenaunte. And partly for that my poore sowle was to moche fed with euyll breade or d?pnable 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 c?uenyent. 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.

Alas swete lorde thu hast loued her yea, to the very outshedynge of thy most precyouse bloude. O charyte feruent and inc?parable. 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 occasy? 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 th?kes 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 gyu? vnto me the ryght fortunate gifte of grace.

For it shulde suffyse me, I c?mynge out of suche a daunger, to be lyke a straunger vsed. But thu dost handle my sowle, 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.

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 vnderst?de 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 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.

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 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, co?tenaunce, 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.

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 h?des 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 m? in beleuynge it and stedefastly desyerynge to fulfyll, I c?ceyue the & beare the by loue.

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 innoc?cye 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 c?staunt, that 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.

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 ? 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 wo?dynge 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.

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.

Now dost thu breake my harte ? the myddest to make rowme for the same so swete a brother. So that no other name be writ? 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 c? 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 th? in forgetfulnesse. Yea, & also they seme to be forgoten of me, whych haue c?mytted them, for fayth and loue causeth me to forget them, puttynge wholly my trust in the alone.

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 substa?ce, and the habunda?ce 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 to be called thy chylde. But O bountyfull father, do no worse to me, than to one of thy howsholde seruauntes.

Alas what loue and zele is thys? for thu woldest not tarry my commynge and prayer but stretchynge out thy h?de 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 th? that shall ponnysh me, whan my father shall denye hym my synne? There is no iudge that can cond?pne 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 shall pard? me, & delyuer me fr? pryson & h?gynge.

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 ? 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 bycause I toke no hede to kepe the. Sensualyte my neyghbour 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.

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 gyu? me, th? I knewe my glory to be changed, whan I sawe the dead chylde not to be myne. For the same whych was alyue 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 Salom?, a full true iudge, thu hast hearde thys lamentable processe and ordayned to c?tent 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.

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.

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.

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 with Aaron 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 vp? 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 th? whych be in helthe.

Oh, a sowle can not haue a greatter P?nyshement, 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 off?ce, thu geuyst her grace & loue in rec?p?ce. 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. Eu? so I am, and wyll be so for euer. I feare nomore the great folyshenesse of Aaron, for nom? maye separat me fr? the. Now that we are brother & syster togyther, I care very lytle for all other men. Thy landes are myne owne inherytaunce.

Lete vs than kepe 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 m?, I do ryght hartely th?ke 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 n? 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 that euer husbande wolde througly forgyue hys wyfe, after she had hym ones offended, and ded returne vnto hym.

There haue bene ynough of th? whych for to au?ge their wronges, haue caused the iudges to put them to deathe. Other beholdynge their synnes, ded not spare their owne h?des, sodenly to kylle them. Other also seynge their faultes to apere, ded sende th? 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 p?nyshynge th?, is thys, that they wolde neuer se th? agayne. Thu shuldest rather make the skye to turne th?, so to forsake thy wyfe for her mysdoynge. Wherfor my God, I can fynde nom? to be c?pared 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.

Alas thu haddyst chosen me for thy wyfe, and dedyst set me vp in great state & honoure. For what greatter honoure maye one haue, than to be in the place of thy wyfe, whych swetely taketh her rest so nere the. Of all thy goodes quene, mastres, and lady, and also in suretie both of body and sowle. Of great fauoure is it, that I so vyle a creature, am so ennoblyshed by the. Now to speake it breuely, I haue more, & better than any man mortall can desyre. Wherfor my harte hath cause to sygh alwayes, and with habundaunce of teares, myne eyes to come out of my heade. My mouthe can not make to many exclamacyons. For there is neyther newe nor auncyent writynges, that can shewe so pytiefull a case, as the same is whych I wyll tell now. Shall, or dare I tell it? Maye I pronounce it without shame? Alas yea. For my confusyon is it not to shewe the great loue of my husb?de. Therfor I care not, if for hys worshyp I do declare my faulte.

O my sauer, whych dyed & was crucyfyed on the crosse for my synnes. Thys dede is not suche, as a father to leaue hys sonne, or as a chylde to off?de hys mother or els as a syster to grudge & chyde. Alas thys is worse. For the offence is greatter where more loue & knowledge is. For the more famylyaryte we haue with God & the more benefytes we receyue of hym the greatter is our off?ce whan we with hym dyssemble. Specyally that I shuld so do, whych am called hys spouse, and loued of the as thyne owne sowle. Shall I tell the truthe? Yea. I haue lefte the, forgoten the, & ranne awaye from the. I ded leaue the for to go at my vayne pleasure. I forsoke the and chose other. Yea, I refused the, the welsprynge of all goodnesse and faythfull promyse. I ded leaue the. But whyther went I? Into a place where nothynge was but cursednesse.

I haue lefte the my trusty frynde and louer, worthy to be loued aboue all other. I haue put the asyde, o welsprynge of all helthesomnesse, by myne owne wretched wyll. Yea, I haue forsaken the, full of bewtie, goodnesse, wysdom, and power, & sought to withdrawe me from thy loue. I haue accepted thy great enemyes, that is the deuyll, the worlde, and the fleshe, agaynst wh?e thu faughtest so sore on the crosse, to ouercome for my sake, to set me at lyberte, whych was by th? of l?ge tyme a prysoner slaue. And so bounde, that no man coulde cause me to humble my selfe. And as for the loue & charyte that I shulde haue had towardes the, they ded qu?che it so that the name of Iesus my husb?de, whych before I had founde so swete, was to me tedyouse & hatefull. So that often tymes I ded iest at it. And if any man had sayd vnto me, the preacher sayth wele. I wolde afferme it but the worde went awaye from me, as a fether doth in the wynde.

I went neuer yet to the preachynge, but for maner only. All my dedes were playne hypocresye, for my mynde was in other places. I was anoyed whan I hearde speake of the, for I was more wyllynge to go at my pleasure. Now breuely to conclude, All that thu dedyst forbyd me, I fulfylled & all that thu c?ma?dedyst me to do, I ded eschewe. And thys was the cause I ded not loue the. But yet lorde, for all thys that I ded hate the and forsake the, ranne awaye from the, & betrayed the, shulde I geue thy place to an other? Or hast thu suffered that I shulde be mocked, eyther yet beat? or kylled? Hast thu put me in darke pryson, or bannyshed me for euer, settynge nought by me? Hast thu taken awaye thy gyftes agayne from me, and precyouse iewels, to ponnysh me for my vnfaythfull frutes? Haue I lost my ioynter whych thu promysedyst me, through my off?ce agaynst the? Am I accused by the afore the eternall father, for a naughty woman? Yea, hast thu forbyd me thy pres?ce & that I shulde neuer apere in thy howse?

O most true husb?de, & pure perfyght frynde, the most louynge yet amonge all good louers. Alas thu hast done otherwyse. For thu soughtest for me dylygenly, whan I was goynge into the most depe place of helle, where all the euyls are done. Whan I was fardest from the both in harte and mynde, & clerlye out of the true waye. Than dedyst thu louynglye call me backe, saynge, My dere doughter harken, and se, and bowe thy hearynge towardes me. Forget that straunge nacyon to whom thu dedyst ronne awaye and also the house of thyne olde father, where thu hast dwelled so longe. Than shall the kynge full of all faythfulnesse, desyre thy bewtie. But whan thu sawest that thy swete & gracyouse callynge, ded not profyte me, than begannyst thu to crye lowder. Come vnto me all yow whych are wearyly loaden with laboure, for I am he that shall plenteously refreshe yow and feade yow with my breade of lyfe. Alas vnto all these swete wordes wolde I not harken.

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