Read Ebook: A godly medytacyon of the christen sowle concerninge a loue towardes God and hys Christe by Marguerite Queen Consort Of Henry II King Of Navarre Bale John Editor Elizabeth I Queen Of England Translator

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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.

For I doubted whether it were thu, or els a fabyllouse writynge that so sayde. For I was so folyshe, that without loue I ded reade thy worde. I consydered not wele the comparyson of the vyneyearde whych brought fourth thornes & bryers in stede of good frute, that it sygnyfyed me whych had so done. I knowe it wele ynough, that whan thu dedyst call the baren wyfe, saynge, Returne Sulamyte. All thys dedyst thu speake that I, shulde forsake my synne. And of all these wordes ded I, as though I had vnderstande neuer a whytt. But whan I ded peruse Hieremy the prophete, I confesse that I had in the readynge therof, feare in my harte and bashefulnesse in my face. I wyll tell it, yea with teares in myne eyes, and all for thy honoure, and to suppresse my pryde. Thu hast sayde by that holy prophete, if a woman hath offended her husbande, and is so left of hym for goynge astraye with other. Namely if he therup? refuseth her for euer, is she not to be estemed poluted and of no value?

The lawe doth consente to put her in the h?des of iustyce, or to dryue her awaye & so neuer to se her or to take her agayne. Thu hast made the sepracyon from my bedde & placed foren louers in my roume, commyttynge with them fornycacyon. Yet for all thys thu mayst returne vnto me agayne. For I wyll not alwayes be ?grye agaynst the. Lyfte vp thyne eyes, & loke aboute the on euery syde. Th? shalte thu wele se, into what place thy synne hath led the, & how thou lyest downe in the earthe. O poore sowle, loke where thy synne hath put the. Euen vpon the hygh wayes, where thu dedyst wayte, and tarrye for to begyle th? that came by, euen as a thefe doth whych is hydden in the wyldernesse. Therfor thu in fulfyllynge thy wicked pleasure, hast with fornycacyon infected all the earthe whych was aboute the. Thyne eye, thy foreheade, and thy face haue loste all their honest good maner. For they were suche as an harlot hath, and yet thu haddest no shame of thy synne.

And the surplus that Hieremy sayth, constrayneth me to knowe my wretched lyfe, & to wyshe with sorowfull syghes, the houre, the daye, the moneth, the tyme and the yeare, that I ded leaue it, yeldynge my selfe condempned, and worthy to be for euer in the euerlastynge fyre. The same feare whych doth not of me but of the procede, and exceadeth many of thy other gyftes, put me rather in hope than dyspayre, as often as I ded remembre my synne. For as sone as thu knewest my wyll bowynge vndre thy obedyence, than puttynge in me a lyuely fayth, thu dedyst vse great clemencye. So that after I knewe the to be that lorde, master, and kynge whom I ought to haue feared. Than fo?de I my feare not quenched, but mixed with loue, beleuynge that thu wert so gracyouse, gentyll, and swete, & so pytiefull an husbande, that I whych shulde rather haue hydde me, than to haue shewed my selfe, was not than in feare to go fourth and to loke for the. And in so sekynge I founde the.

But what dedyst thu than? Hast thu refused me? Alas my God, no, but rather hast excused me. Hast thu turned thy face from me? No, for thyne eye so swete ded penetrate my harte, wo?dynge it almost to the deathe, and geuynge me remorse of my synnes. Thu hast not put me backe with thy hande, but with both thy armes and with a swete, and m?ly harte thu dedyst mete with me by the waye, and not ones reprouynge my faultes, enbrasydest me. I coulde not se in beholdynge thy co?tenaunce, that euer thu dedyst ones perceyue myne offence. For thu hast done as moche for me, as though I had bene good and honest. For thu dedyst hyde my faulte from euery body, in geuynge me agayne the parte of thy bedde, and also in shewynge that the multitude of my synnes are so hydd? & ouercome by thy great vyctorye that thu wylte neuer remembre th?. So that now thu seyst nothynge in me, but the graces, gyftes and vertues whych it hath pleased thy fre goodnesse to gyue me.

O charyte most precyouse. I do se wele that thy goodnesse doth consume my lewdenesse, & maketh me a newe godly and bewtyfull creature. The euyll that was myne, thu hast destroyed, and made me so perfyght a creature, that all the good whych a husbande can do vnto hys wyfe thu hast done it to me, in geuynge me, a faythfull Hope in thy promyses. Now haue I through thy good grace recouered the place of thy wyfe. O happye & desyered place, gracyuse bedde, trone ryght honourable, seate of peace, rest from all warre, hygh steppe of honoure, separate from the earthe. Dost thu receyue thys vnworthy creature, geuynge her the scepture and crowne of thy empyre and gloryouse realme? who ded euer heare speake of suche a storye? as to rayse vp one so hygh, whych of her selfe was nothynge & maketh of great value, that of it selfe was naught.

Alas what is thys? for I castynge myne eyes on hygh, ded se thy goodnesse, so vnknowne grace, & loue so incompreh?syble that my syght is wonderfull. Than am I constrayned to loke downe, & in so lokynge downewarde, I do se what I am, and what I was wyllynge to be. Alas I do se in it, the lewdenesse, darkenesse, and extreme depenesse of my euyll. My deathe whych by h?blenesse closeth myne eye. The admyrable goodnesse of the, & the vnspeakeable euyll whych is in me, Thy ryght hyghnes & pure maiestie, my ryght fragyle and mortall nature, Thy gyftes, goodes, & beatytude, my malyce & great vnkyndnesse. O how good thu arte vnto me, and how vnkynde am I to the? Thys that thu wylte, and thys that I pursue. Whych thynges consydered, causeth me to maruele, how it pleasyth the to ioyne thy selfe to me, seynge there is no comparyson betwene vs both.

Thu arte my God, and I am thy worke, thu my creator, and I thy creature. Now to speake breuely, though I can not defyne what it is to be of the, yet knowe I my selfe to be the least thynge that maye be compared vnto the, O loue, thu madyst thys agrement whan thu dedyst ioyne lyfe, and deathe togyther. But the vnyon hath made alyue deathe. Lyfe dyenge, and lyfe without ende, haue made our deathe a lyfe. Deathe hath geuen vnto lyfe a quyckenesse. Through suche deathe I beynge dead, receyued lyfe, and by deathe I am rauyshed with hym whych is alyue. I lyue in the, and as for me, of my selfe I am dead. And as c?cernynge the bodyly deathe, it is nothynge els vnto me, but a c?mynge out of pryson. Deathe is lyfe vnto me. For through deathe, I am alyue. Thys mortall lyfe fylleth me full of care, and sorowe, and deathe yeldeth me content.

O what a goodly thynge it is to dye, whych causeth my sowle to lyue. In delyuerynge her fr? thys mortall deathe, it ex?pteth her fr? the deathe myserable, & matcheth her with a most myghty louer, & vnlesse she thus dyeth, she l?guyssheth alwayes. Is not th? the sowle blameles, whych wolde fayne dye for to haue suche lyfe? Yes trulye, & she ought to call deathe her welbeloued, frynde O swete deathe, plesaunt sorowe, myghty keye delyuerynge from all wyckednesse. Those whych trusted in the and in thy deathe, were mortyfyed, because they ded trust in the, and in thy passyon. For with a swete slepe thu dedyst put them oute of that deathe whych causeth manye to lamente. O how happye is the same slepe vnto hym, whych whan he awaketh, doth fynde through thy deathe, the lyfe euerlastynge. For the deathe is n? other thynge to a christen man, but a lyberte or delyueraunce from hys mortall bande.

And the deathe whych is fearfull to the wycked, is plesaunt and acceptable to them that are good. Than is deathe through thy deathe destroyed. Therfor my God, if I were ryghtly taught, I shulde call the deathe lyfe, and thys lyfe deathe, ende of laboure, and begynnynge of euerlastynge ioye. For I knowe that the l?ge lyfe doth lett me from thy syght. O deathe, come, and breake the same obstacle of lyfe. Or els loue, do a myracle now, syth that I can not yet se my spouse. Transfourme me with hym both bodye & sowle, and than shall I the better tarry for the cummynge of deathe. Lete me dye that I maye lyue with hym. For there is n? that can helpe me, onles it be thu only. O my sauer through. Faythe I am planted, and ioyned with the. O what vnyon is thys, syth that through faythe I am sure of the. And I maye call the, father, brother, sonne, and husbande. O what giftes thu dost gyue, by the goodenesse of those names.

O my father, what paternyte, O my brother what fraternyte, O my chylde, what dylectyon, O my spouse, what coniunctyon is thys? Father full of humylyte, Brother hauynge our symylytude, S?ne engendered through faythe, & loue, Husbande louynge, and releuynge in all extremyte. But whom doist thu loue? Alas it is she whom thu hast withdrawen from the snare, wherin, through malyce she was bounde, and put her in place, name and offyce of a doughter, syster, mother, and wyfe. O my sauer, the same is a great sauoure of swetnesse, ryght plesa?t, and dylectable, whan a man, after the hearynge of thy worde, shall call the without feare, hys father, brother, chylde, & spouse. I in hearynge that worde, do perceyue my selfe to be called there thy mother, syster, doughter, & spouse. Alas the sowle whych doth fynde suche swetnesse, maye consume, and burne for loue.

Is there any loue, onles it be thys, but it hath some euyll condycyon? Is there anye pleasure to be herto estemed? Is there any honoure, but maye be accompted shame, to thys compared? Yea, is there any profyte equall to thys? More ouer to conclude it breuely. Is there any thynge that I coulde more ernestly loue? Alas no. For he that vnfaynedly loueth God, reputeth all these thynges worldly, of lesse value than the d?ge hylle. Pleasure profyte, honoure of thys worlde, are all but vayne tryfles vnto hym whych hath founde God. Suche loue is so profytable, honourable, & abundaunt, that she only suffyseth the harte of a godly man, and yeldeth hym so content, that he neuer desyreth or wolde haue other. For who so euer hath God, as we ought to haue hym, accounteth all other thynges superfluouse or vayne.

Now thanked by the lorde, through faythe haue I got? the same loue, wherfor I ought to be satysfyed and content. Now haue I the my father, for defence of my longe youth from wanton folyshnesse. Now haue I the my brother, for to socoure my sorowes wherin I fynde non ende. Now haue I the my sonne, for my feble age as an only staye. Now haue I the a true, & faythfull husbande, for the satisfyenge of my whole harte. Now syth that I haue the, I do forsake all them that are in the worlde. Syth I holde the, thu shalte escape me nomore. Seynge that I se the, I wyll loke, vpon non other thynge that myght kepe me backe from the beholdynge of thy dyuynyte. Seynge that I do heare the, I wyll heare nothynge that letteth me fr? the fruycy? of thy voyce. Syth that I maye frely talke with the, I wyll c?men with non other. Seynge it pleaseth the to put me so nere the, I wyll rather dye than to touche any other. Seynge that I serue the, I wyll serue non other master.

Seynge that thu hast ioyned thy harte with myne, if he depart from thyne, lete hym be ponnyshed for euer. For the departynge from thy loue is harder than is any dampnacyon. I do not feare the payne of ten thousande helles, so moche as I do feare the ones losynge of the. Alas my God, my father, and creator, do not suffer that the enemy, inuentor of all synne, haue suche power, that he make me to lese thy presence. For who so euer hath once felte the losse of thy loue, he shall saye that he wolde rather be bounde for euer in helle, than to feale the payne that one shall haue by the losse of the same thy loue one momente of tyme. O my sauer, do not permytt that euer I departe from the. But if it please the, put me in suche a place, that my sowle through wantonnesse of synne be, neuer separated from thy loue.

In thys worlde I can not haue perfyghtly thys my dsyre. Whych thynge consydered maketh me feruently & with all my harte, to desyre the departynge from thys bodye of synne, not fearynge the deathe nor yet any of her instrumentes. For what feare ought I to haue of my God, whych through loue offered hymselfe and suffered deathe, not of dett or dewtye, but because he wolde for my only sake vndo the power that mortall deathe had. Now is Iesus dead, in whom we are all dead, and through hys deathe he causeth euery man to lyue agayne. I meane those whych through faythe are partakers of hys Passyon. For euen as the deathe before the great mystery of the crosse, was harde to euery bodye, and there was no m? but was feared therwith, consyderynge the copulacyon of the bodye & the sowle, their order, loue, and agrement, so were their sorowes extreme in the departynge of the one from the other.

But sens it hath pleased the swete lambe to offer hymselfe vpon the crosse, hys great loue hath kyndeled a fyre within the harte so vehement, that euery true beleuer estemeth the passage of deathe but a playe or pastyme, and so preuoketh other constauntly in hys truthe to dye. And eu? as the feare of deathe ded retarde vs, so ought loue to gyue vs a desyre to dye. For if true loue be vnfaynedly within the harte of a man, he can fele non other thynge, because that loue is so stronge of itselfe, that she kepith all the roume, and putteth out all other desyres, not sufferynge any thynge there but God only. For whersoeuer true and perfyght loue is, we do neyther rem?bre feare nor yet sorowe.

If our owne pryde for to attayne honoure, maketh vs to seke deathe so manye straunge wayes. As if for to haue a folysh pleasure, a man putteth hym selfe in ieopardye of lyfe. If a mercha?te to obtayne ryches, doth daunger hymselfe, somtyme for the value of a shyllynge. If the first c?ceyuynge of robery or murther, crueltie or deceyte, doth so blynde a man, that he doubteth nothynge the daunger of deathe, neyther yet mysfortune whan he seketh to au?ge hymselfe or doth any other euyll. If the fury of syckenesse or the rankenesse of Melancholy causeth a creature fearcely to wyshe for deathe, & oft tymes to drowne, h?ge, or kylle th?selues. For suche euyls are somtymes so great that they cause their payned pacyentes to chose deathe for lyberte. If it so be than that these paynes full of euyll, and imperfectyons, causeth them not to feare the hasarde of deathe, but rather to thynke that deathe tarryeth to longe.

O deathe, through thy dede I trust to haue suche honour, as vpon my knees with cryenge and wepynge I do dayly desyre. Therfor come quyckely, and make an ende of my sorowes. O happy doughters, ryght holy sowles ioyned to the cytie hierusalem, open your eyes and with pytie loke vpon my desolacyon. I beseche yow that in my name ye do shewe vnto me bestbeloue, my God, frynde & kynge, how at euerye houre of the daye, I do languysh for hys loue. O swete deathe, through suche loue come vnto me, and with loue brynge me vnto my lorde God. O deathe where is thy stynge and darte? Alas they are bannyshed from myne eyes, for rygour is changed into swetnesse seynge that my frynde ded suffre deathe vpon the crosse for my sake. Hys deathe doth so incourage my harte, that thu wert wonders gentyll to me, if I myght folowe hym.

O deathe, I beseche the come to put the frynde with hys loue. Now syth that deathe is so plesaunt a lyfe, that she pleasith me more than feareth me, than ought I to feare nothynge but the ryght iudgement of God. All my synnes with hys iust bala?ce shall be wayed & shewed op?ly. Thys that I haue done, also my thought and worde shall be better knowne, than if they were written in a rolle. And we maye not thynke that charyte wolde off?de iustyce & truthe. For whoso euer doth lyue vnfaythfully, shall be ponnyshed in euerlastynge payne. God is iust and hys iudgem?t is ryghteouse. All that he doth is perfyght in all thynges. Alas what am I consyderynge my ryghtousnesse, I wretched and poore creature?

I knowe that all the workes of iust m? are so full of imperfectyon, that afore God they are more fylthye than myer or any other vylenesse. What wyll it be than c?cernynge the synnes whych I do c?myt, wherof I feale the burden importable? I can saye nothynge els but that I haue wonne by them dampnacyon. Is thys the ende? Shall dyspayre than be the conforte of my greate ignora?ce? Alas my God no. For the inuysyble faythe causeth me to beleue, that all thynges whych are impossyble to men, are possyble vnto the. So that thu do conuerte my worke, whych is nothynge, into some good worke of thyne in me, whych is specyally faythe. Than my lorde, who shall condempne me, & what iudge wyll d?pne me, syth that he whych is geuen me for a iudge, is my spouse, my father, and refuge? Alas what father? Suche as doth neuer condempne hys chyelde, but alwayes doth excuse and defende hym.

Than I perceyue to haue non other accuser but Iesus Christ, whych is my redemer, whose deathe hath restored vs our lost inherytaunce. For he made hym selfe our man of lawe, shewynge hys so worthye merytes afore God, wherwith my great debte is so habundauntly rec?penced, that in iudgement it is accompted for nothynge. O redemer, here is a great loue? We fynde but fewe suche m? of lawe. Swete Iesus Christ, it is vnto the that I am a detter, yet dost thu both praye, and speake for me. And moreouer whan thu dost se that I am poore, with the ab?da?ce of thy goodes thu dost paye my debte. O incomprehensyble see of all goodnesse. O my father, dost thu vouchesaue to be my iudge, not wyllynge the deathe of a synner? O Iesus Christ, true fysher, and sauer of the sowle, frynde aboue all fryndes. For thu beynge my man of lawe dedyst excuse and speake for me, where thu couldest iustly haue accused me.

I feare nomore to be vndone by any man for the lawe is satisfyed by the for all. My swete spouse hath made the payment so habundaunt, that the lawe can aske nothynge of me but is payed of hym. For as I beleue, he hath taken all my synnes vp? hym, and hath geu? me in place of them, hys owne goodes in habundaunce. O my sauer, presentynge thy vertues, thu dost content the lawe. Whan she wyll reproche me of my synnes, thu dost shewe her how willyngly in thyne owne fleshe, thu hast taken the dyscharge of th?, through the coniunctyon of our marryage. Also vpon the crosse through thy passyon, thu hast made satisfactyon for it. Moreouer thy only charyte hath geu? me thys, that thu hast for me deserued. Therfor seynge thy meryte to be myne, the lawe can aske nothynge of me. Than wyll I feare nomore the iudgement, but with desyre rather than parforce, I do tarry for the tyme that I shall se my iudge, and heare a iust iudgemente of hym.

Yet I knowe that thy iudgem?te is so iust, that there is no faulte therin, & that my infydelyte is worthye to suffer the cruelnesse of helle. For if I do only consydre my deseruynge, I can se nothynge in it that can keape me from the fyre of helle. True it is, that the torment of helle was neuer prepared but for the deuyll, and not for reasonable men. Neuerthelesse if any man haue set in hys mynde to be lyke to the deuyll, than ought he as the deuyll to be payed with a lyke rewarde. But if a man through c?templacyon of the sowle, do holde of the, hys Angell of co?sell, vertue, goodnesse & perfecty?, he is sure to obtayne heauen, whych is a place of thy deseruynge for hym. Than shall the vycyouse be ponnyshed with the same, to whom they ioyned themselues. For sith that they folowed Sathan, they must holde suche place as is for hym and hys angels prepared.

Now I consyderynge the dyuersyte of both the sortes, am lytle conforted in spreet by thys. For I can not denye but I am more lyke the deuyll than the Angell of lyght, wherfor I feare and tremble. For the lyfe of the Angell is so pure & myne so vnpure, that I am nothynge lyke vnto hym, thys do I confesse. But to the other I am so lyke in my doynges, and so accustomed in hys wayes, that of hys payne & tormente I ought to be partaker. For the cruell synne whych hath bounde me in helle, is so great and hys force so stronge, that it leteth nothynge to come from it, neyther feareth it the c?trary assaulte of any man. But he whych is in thys kynde stronge, knoweth not how hys strength goth awaye, whan a stronger than he c?myth. Synne is stronge whych bryngeth vs to helle.

And I coulde neuer yet se, that anye man by meryte or payne takynge, coulde euer yet vanquyshe that helle, saue only he whych ded the great assaulte through hys vnspeakable charyte, whan he humbled hym selfe to the crosse. Wherby he hath ouercomen hys enemye, broken helle and hys power so that it hath no farther strength to keape anye sowle prysoner, that hath put her trust in God. Than beleuynge in the great strength that he hath, I do not set by helle and synne, No not so moche as a strawe. So that synne can neuer haue holde of me, vnlesse it be for to shewe how my God is mercyfull, stronge, myghtie, & a pusa?t vanquysher of all the euyls whych were within my harte. If my synne forgyu?, is the glorye of my most louynge sauer, I ought also to beleue, that my glorye is encreased therwith, seynge that I am planted or engrafted in hym.

Hys honoure only doth honoure all hys, and hys ryches doth replenysh euery one of hys with hys goodes. Than deathe, helle and synne are ouercome by hym. O glottonouse helle, where is thy defence? Thu cruell vyllayne synne, where is thy tyrannouse power? O deathe where is thy stynge & vyctorye, whych are so moche spoken of? In steade of deathe, thu deathe geuyst vs lyfe, and so dost thu contrary to thy wyll. Also thu synne which couetyst to drawe yche creature to d?pnacyon thu geuest vs a ladder to reache therby that goodly cytie Hierusalem. Yet woldest thu of thy cursed nature that our eternall maker shulde lose hys creature. But through hys loue and grace, the sorye rem?braunce of thy vncomelynesse, doth cause her by repentaunce to come agayne, and submyt her selfe vnto God more than euer she dyd. Hys inestymable goodnesse causeth the to lose the whole labour whych thu takest all the weke.

Therfor helle hath not had all the nomber that he did pretende to haue, bicause that the solacyouse shaddowe & power of hys passyon, is suche a myghtye protectyon to the sowle, that she therby nedeth neyther to doubte deathe, synne, nor helle. Is there anye thynge can pull me backe if God be wyllynge through hys gyfte of faythe to drawe me to hym? I meane suche faythe as we must nedes haue to obtayne the hygh graces from aboue, & also suche faythe as through charyte doth ioyne the humble seruaunt to hys maker. I beynge ioyned vnto hym, ought to haue no feare of trauayle, payne, nor sorowe. For who so euer doth wyllyngly suffer anye maner of deathe or sorowe for the truthe, as ded Christ, he doth feale in suche torment great consolacyon for hys sowle, knowynge that as for my selfe, I am weake, and with God I am ryght stronge.

Through hys confort I maye do all thynges. For hys loue is so c?sta?t & perman?t that it varyeth not for anye worldly thynge. Who can th? withdrawe me from hys grace? Surely the great heyth of heauen, nor the deapenesse of helle, nor the breadeth of the whole earthe, neyther deathe nor synne, whych doth warre euery daye agaynst me, can separate me one mynute from the great loue & charyte, that my heauenly father through Iesus Christ hath vnto me. Hys goodnesse is suche, that he loueth me whych haue not at all tymes loued hym. And if I now loue hym, than shall I feale hys loue to increase in me. But bycause that my loue is not worthy to loue hym, I desyre hys loue to be myne the whych I feale suche as though it were myne owne. Hys desyre is to loue, and through hys loue he causith my harte to be inflamyd with loue.

And through suche loue he fyndeth hym selfe so welbeloued, that hys owne dede yeldeth hym wele content, & not my loue or strengthe. Contentynge hys selfe, hys loue doth increase more in me, than I can of hym desyre, O true louer, fountayne, or welsprynge of all charyte, and only purse of the heau?ly treasure. Ought I to thynke, or dare I saye what thu art? Maye I write it, or can anye mortall man comprehende thys goodnesse & loue? And if thu pr?te in anye m?nys harte, c? he expresse it? No surely. For the capacyte of no man can comprehende the vnmesurable goodnesses whych are in the, for naturall reas? doth shewe vs how there is no c?paryson betwyne an eternall & a mortall thynge. But whan through loue the mortall is ioyned with the eternall, the mortall thynge is so fulfylled with the eternall, that it can not fynde the ende therof. For it hath in it more good therby, than it can contayne or holde.

Therfor doth a man thynke, whych hath the loue of God, that he hath all the goodes in the worlde therwith. Euen as we se the s?ne with one only sparcle of hys lyght doth blynde the eye, and yet doth she witholde her great lyghte. But aske the eye what he hath seane, and he wyll saye that he hath beholden the whole bryghtnesse of the sunne. But that is a great lye. For he beynge dymmed with a lytle sparcle, coulde not se the whole cleartye therof. And neuertheles he is so contente, that it semith vnto hym as though he had so moche lyght as the sunne contayneth. Yet if he had more than the seyde sparcle, he were not able to suffer it. Euen so the sowle whych through faythe doth fele one sparcle of the loue of God, doth fynde therwith the heate so great and maruelouse, so swete and delycyouse, that it is impossyble to her to declare what thynge the same loue is.

For a lytle threof that she hath felte doth yelde her mynde satisfyed & desyerynge of more wherof she hath ynough. So doth she lyue languyshynge & syghynge. The harte doth fele wele, that he hath receyued to moche, but he hath c?ceyued suche desyre in thys to moche, that he alwayes desyerith to receyue the thynge whych he can not haue, neyther is he worthye to receyue it. He knowith the good that he hath alredy to be vnspeakeable, and yet wolde he haue more of that wherof he can not stylle. Truly he can not fele or thynke the good whych is in hym. Then lyeth it not in my power, to tell what thynge the loue of God is, sith that I haue no knowlege of the feruentnesse therof. He that thynketh to haue all thys loue withyn hys harte, can not truly declare what thynge it is. Happye is he wych hath suche abunda?ce of thys loue, that he maye saye, My God, I haue ynough of it.

He whych hath thys loue within hym, dare not moche boaste therof, least in moche speakynge he lose it, vnles it be to edyfye hys neybour vnto saluacyon. The impossybylyte than of the declaracyon of thys loue shall make me to holde my peace. For there is no Saynte so perfyght, if he wyll speake of the loue of the hygh God, of hys goodnesse, swetnesse, graces, and of all thynges els whych pertayneth to hym, but lokynge a lowe shall fynde hymselfe vnworthye, and so stoppe hys mouthe. I than a worme of the earthe, lesse than nothynge, ought to cease and not to speake of the incomparable hyghnesse of thys loue. Yet were it to moch vnkyndenesse to be noted in me, if I had writen nothynge, hauynge that done vnto me whych wolde satisfye a moche better wytte than myne is. For he that wolde hyde the goodnesse of God, so good a mastre, shulde commytt a synne worthye to be ponnyshed with the euerlastynge payne.

Therfor come, O happye Paule, whych hast tasted so moche of the same swete honye, beynge blynded for the space of thre dayes, & rapte vp vnto the thirde hau?. Now I besech the, satisfye my ignora?ce & faulte, & tel me what in suche vysyon thu hast seane. Hark? th? what he sayth. O the vnspeakeable hyghnesse of the ab?daunt ryches or treasure both of the wysdome & knowledge of God. How incompreh?syble are hys iudgem?tes & how vnsearchable hys wayes vnto our weake wittes? O holye Paule, thy wordes causeth vs moche to maruayle, that thu hauynge knowledge of so heau?ly secretes, woldest speake no further in them. At the least yet tell vs, what thynge we maye hope to haue one daye through suche godly loue. Geue eare and ponder the wordes that he sayth.

Neyther hath the eye seane, nor yet the eare hearde, neyther yet hath it euer entred into the harte of anye man, what God hath prepared for them that loue hym. And wolde he speake it no farther? No truly. Yet all thys that he sayeth here, is for non other purpose, but to prouoke vs ernestly to loue. He wylleth vs also therin to esteme, that he neyther can declare nor yet name it, & so to geue forth our hartes to pacy?ce & hope of that thynge whych neuer m? yet coulde se, neyther yet dyscerne, what though many through loue for it hath dyed. O excellent gyfte of faythe wherof so moche good c?myth, that it can sith man to possede the thynge whych he can not c?prehende. Faythe ioyned with the truthe, bryngeth fourth hope, wherby perfyght charyte is eng?dered. And charyte is God, as thu knowist. If we haue charyte, th? we haue also God therwith.

Than is God in vs, and we are in hym. And all thys cometh through the benefyte of faythe. For he dwellith in all men whych haue true faythe. Thus haue we a greatter treasure th? we c? tell of, or yet anye man expresse vnto vs. Now to c?clude. Syth that so great an Apostle as saynt Paule is, wyll speake no further of God & hys inestymable loue, accordynge to hys ryghtouse ex?ple and doctryne, I wyll holde my peace & be stylle, folowynge neuerthelesse hys teachynges. Notwithst?dynge yet though herin I acknowledge my selfe but earthe and duste, yet maye I not fayle to yelde thankes vnto my eternall lyuynge God, for suche great graces, and benefytes, as it hath pleased hym to gyue me. Vnto that euerlastynge kynge of heauen immortall, inuysyble, inc?prehensyble, myghty, and wyse only, be all honoure, prayse, glorye, magnyfycence, and loue for euer & euer. Amen.

Textes of the scripture.

These .iiii. clauses of the sacred scripture added my lady Helisabeth vnto the begynnynge and ende of her boke, and therfor I haue here regestred th? in the ende.

Eccle. 25.

There is not a more wycked heade, than the heade of the serpente. And there is no wrathe aboue the wrathe of a wom?.

Eccle. 25.

But he that hath goten a vertuouse woman, hath goten a goodly possessyon. She is vnto hym an helpe and pyller, whervpon he restith.

Eccle. 25.

It were better to dwelle with a lyon and dragon, than to kepe howse with a wycked wyfe.

Eccle. 7.

Yet depart not from a dyscrete and good woman, that is fallen vnto the for thy porcyon in the feare of the lorde, for the gifte of her honestie, is aboue golde.

The Conclusyon.

Certayne, & sure am I that all they whych shall peruse thys godlye boke, shall not therwith be pleased. For amonge feaders are alwayes sondry appetytes, and in great assemblyes of people, dyuerse, and varyaunt iudgementes, As the saynge, is, so many heades, so many wyttes. Neyther fyne paynted speche, wysdome of thys worlde, nor yet relygyouse hypocresye are herin to be loked for, And a reason why, For he that is here famylyarly commoned with, regardeth no curyosyte, but playnesse and truthe. He refuseth no synner, but is wele contented at all tymes to heare hys hombly tale. Hyde not thy selfe from me whan thu hast done amys, but come boldely face to face, and commen the matter with me. If thy synnes be so redde as scarlet, I shall make th? whyter than snowe. And though thy factes be as the purple, yet shall they apere so whyte as the wolle. Esa. 1. For as truly as I lyue no pleasure haue I in the deathe of a synner, but wyll moch rather that he turne and be saued. Eze. 33.

If the hombly speche here do to moche off?de, c?sydre it to be the worke of a woman, as she in the bygynnynge therof, haue most mekely desyered. And yet of n? other woman, than was most godly mynded. Marke Dauid in the psalter, whych was a man both wyse and lerned, and ye shall fynde hys maner in speakynge not all vnlyke to thys. Faythe standeth not in floryshynge eloquence, neyther yet in mannys polytyque wysdome, but in the grace and power of God. 1. Cor. 2. If the ofte repetynge of some one sentence, engendereth a tedyouse werynesse to the reader, lete hym wele peruse the holy workes of S. Iohan the Eu?gelyst, & I doubt it not but he shall fynde there the same maner of writynge. And hys occasyon is the necessary markynge of the preceptes of helthe, or of matter chefely concernynge the sowles saluacyon. For a thynge twyse or thryse spoken, entereth moche more depely into the rem?braunce than that is vttered but ones.

And as touchynge the porcyon that my ladye Helisabeth, the kynges most noble syster hath therin, whych is her tr?slacyon. Chefely haue she done it for her owne exercyse in the frenche tunge, besydes the spirytuall exercyse of her innar sowle with God. As a dylygent & profytable bee, haue she gathered of thys floure swetnesse both wayes, and of thys boke consolacyon in sprete. And thynkynge that other myght do the same, of a most fre christen harte, she maketh it here c?men vnto them, not beynge a nigarde ouer the treasure of God. Math. 25. The first frute is it of her yonge, tender, and innocent labours. For I thynke she was not full oute xiiii. Yeares of age, at the fynyshynge therof. She haue not done herin, as ded the relygyouse and anoynted hypocrytes in monasteryes, cou?tes and colleges, in spearynge their lybraryes from men studyouse, and in reseruynge the treasure contayned in their bokes, to most vyle dust and wormes. But lyke as God hath gracyously geuen it, so do she agayne most frely dystrybute it.

Soch noble begynnynges are neyther to be reckened chyldysh nor babysh, though she were a babe in yeares, that hath here geu? them. Seldome fynde we them that in the closynge vp of their wythered age, do mynystre lyke frutes of vertu. An infynyte swarme beholde we of olde dottynge bawdes and beastes, that with c?scyences loaden with synne taketh euery paynted stocke & stone for their God, besydes the small breades that their lecherouse chaplaynes hath blowen vpon. They shall not be vnwyse, that shall marke herin, what commodyte it is, or what profyght myght growe to a christen c?men welthe if youth were thus brought vp in vertu & good letters. If soch frutes come forewarde in chyldehode, what wyll folowe and apere whan dyscressyon and yeares shall be more rype and auncyent? A most manyfest sygne of Godlynesse is it in the fryndes, where youth is thus instytute, and a token of wonderfully faythfull dylygence, in the studyouse teachers, tuters, and dayly lokers on.

Nobylyte whych she hath got? of bloude in the hyghest degre, hauynge a most vyctoryouse kynge to her father, & a most vertuouse, & lerned kynge agayne to her brother, is not in the earely sprynge dystayned with wanton ignora?ce, neyther yet blemyshed with the commen vyces of dyssolute youth, But most Plenteously adourned with all kyndes of languages, lernynges, and vertues, to holde it styll in ryght course. The translacyon of thys worke, were euydence stronge ynough, if I had not els to laye for the matter. But marke yet an other moch more effectuall and clere, at the whych not a fewe lerned men in Germany haue wondered. In .iiij. noble languages, Latyne, Greke, Frenche, and Italyane, wrote she vnto me these clauses folowynge. Whych I haue added to thys boke, not only in commendacyon of her lerned youth, but also as an example to be folowed of other noble men and women, c?cernynge their chyldren. The written clauses are these, whych she wrote first with her owne hande, moch more fynely than I coulde with anye prentynge letter set th? fourth.

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