The ymage of loue Here foloweth a goostly pamphlete or mater co[m]pendyously extract of holy scrypture, and doctours of ye chyrche, called ye ymage of loue, very necessary for all vertuous persones to loke vpon.

The Ymage of loue

Proemium .

COnsyderynge in my mynde how that dyuers persones in the begynnynge of the newe yere gyue many gyftes & tokens / I wolde fayne haue confyrmyd my selfe vnto them / yf my pouerte wold haue suffered me . My wyl was good my abylyte was lytyl or nothynge / yet be cause I sawe dyuers poore folkes geue small thynges of lytyll valour / & receyued agayne therfore good thynges of moche valoure / I thought with the poore woman of the gospell to be stowe a myte or twayne / mar . xij . vpon some thynge for your pleasure / trustynge to be rewardyd agayne with the woman that made a lytyll lofe of a handefull of mele & a lytyll quantyte of oyle and gaue it vnto the holy prophete Helyas . iij. regum . xvij . And this I be leue without doubte / that he in whose name I do it fore / wyl not se it loste / thoughe it were but a cup of colde water . And as to spirituall persones & my souerayns / math̄ . x. me thought it best to gyue some goodly pyctures & ymages of our sauyour Iesu of our blyssed lady or of some other holy sayntes . And as I was sekynge about for dyuers pyctures / there came to my mynde for to gete an ymage of loue .

¶ Of naturall loue . Capitulum primum .

BUt by cause I wyst not well where to fynde it / I wente vnto dame Nature & she shewed me many goodly ymages which she sayd came from her parentes & forefaders / wherfore she loued them very moche . Neuerthelesse I lyked them not bycause theyr colours faded / & dayly dyde dekaye . They were also comyn to fooles to wyse men to crysten men to hethen men to beestes to fowles & serpentes & lytyll profyte come of them . These ymages be often tymes payntyd vndyscretely & dysceyuably / & doeth moche harme in the chyrche of god . j. And there be many of theym . One that is made amonges kynrede & parentes / whiche yf the holy ghost put not to his hande it is of no valoure but somtyme very noysom / for it maketh men blynde & peruerteth the ryght ordre of Iustyce / & settyth fooles before wyse men / it takyth awaye ryght Iugement contrary to saynt Paulys doctryne & example / for he sayde . Neminem nouimus scdm carnem . ij . cor̄ . v. I knowe no man after kynred or carnall affeccion / j. reg. ij . it caused Hely to be reprouyd of god whan our lorde sayd vnto hym / why hast thou made more of thy chyldren than of me / wherfore as it foloweth in the byble he dyed an euyl deth & his chyldren also / it causeth that Iesu can not be founde / example or fygure we haue in the gospel of Luke whan chryst was sought amonge his kynsfolkes : Luc. ij . he coude not be founde / therfore sayth saynt Barnarde . Lorde I can not fynde the but in the crosse . ij . An other ymage of naturall loue / is made bytwene the soule & the body . Ro. viij . The soule loue so the body that it bydeth woo to be departyd therfro / but whan it is ordered after the holy ghost so that the soule vse the body vnder the lawe of god / for to do penaunce to encrease merytys to profytte other to chose rather to want all erthely pleasure and to dye than to commytte ony synne / than is it a paynted ymage / but yf we loue this lyfe for to Ioy here & to dilyte in this worlde for to abyde longe in lustes & pleasures & for the mainteynynge of them care not for the displeasure of god / than it is a deuylysshe ymage portrayed by the deuyll / whiche is very peryllous & moche myschefe come by it / as it appereth in the epystell of saynt Paule vnto Thimothe as shall be rehersed after . ij . tīo . iij. And as saynt Augustyn sayth by it is bylded the cyte of the deuyl . iij. The thyrde ymage of natural loue is made bytwene the fyue wyttes & theyr obiectes / as bytwene the syght & beautefull thynges of pleasant coloures / bytwene the herynge of swete voyce or sounde of hermony / bytwene the tastynge & sauour in delyciouse metes & drynkes / bytwene smellynge & swete odoures / bytwene the felynge or touchynge & all thynges that be pleasaunt to it . iiij . And an other ymage of naturall loue is made bytwene man & his wyfe . v. The fyfth bytwene contrary men . vj. The syxte bytwene frendes & them that be brought vp togyder frome theyr youth / & all these but yf the holy ghost worke in them it is easy to consyder what yll come of them . The Romayns in olde tyme praised moche an ymage that they had / which ( as I rede ) was portrayed lyke a yonge man standyng bareheed & in his foreheed was wryten . Estas et Hyems . That is wynter & somer / he had on a shorte thynne cote / in whose hemme they wrote . Mors et Uita . Deth & lyfe / his syde was open that his herte myght be seen / his arme was bowed poyntynge with his fynger to his hert / where was wryten by it . Longe et prope . farre & nere / he was peynted lyke a yonge man sygnyfyenge that true loue & frendeshyppe is alway fresshe & newe neuer fadynge ne faylynge / he was bareheed for to shewe him selfe vnto all men & that he was not a ferde to shewe hym selfe a frende at all tymes / his rude & thynne vesture shewed that a very frende wyl not refuse to suffre harde thynges & extreme pouerte for loue of his frende / there was wryten . Uita et mors . for he that loueth truely loueth his frende all his lyfe vnto deth and after . Estas et hyems . That is true frendeshyppe endureth as wel in aduersyte as in prosperite / his herte was open for he wolde hyde nothynge frome his louer / he shewed his herte with his fynger shewynge that his dedes doeth accorde to his herte and his herte to his wordes . There was wryten . Longe et prope . For trewe loue in no tyme can be done awaye ne mynysshed by no distance of place . This semeth a good ymage and a precyous / very necessary to this lyfe / whom Plato Arystotle Cato & many other prayse aboue all thynges that be in nature . Eccli . vj. And the wise man Eccliasticus sayth there is no comparison to a faythfull frende . I coude fynde no faute therin saue it loked alwaye downewarde vpon erthely thynges / & cruelly vpon theyr enymyes / yf it had loked vpwarde hauynge respecte vnto god & to heuenly thynges / I had thought to haue bought it / but saynt Paule for the cause dispysed it sayenge to theym that paynted this ymage though they knewe god they dyd not honour him / Ro. j. loue hym ne thanke hym as they ought for to haue do / but gaue them selfe to vanytees and soo fell to blyndenes of mynde thynkynge them selfe wyse / and were but fooles & fell to Idolatrye & to many grete inconuenyences . Luc. vj. Our sauyour also refused this ymage & suche other / both for this cause and for that it loketh so cruelly vpon theyr enymys saynge / yf ye loue onely them that loueth you for that cause : what rewarde loke ye for to haue / treuly ye shall haue none of me / for ye haue receyued youre rewarde all redy and this caused me to seke farther .

¶ The ymage of worldly loue . Capi. ij .

THe worlde than callede me & shewed me an ymage that frome farre appered very goodly / all burned with gold & syluer with many other ryche thynges set out with fresshe & oryent colours / & offerd it to me for lytyll valour whiche caused me to drawe nerer to it . And in the border therof were portrayd / foules beestes / flyes / serpentes / wormes / & floures of dyuers kyndes / so meruaylouse & so like vnto nature as it had be the selfe liuynge thynges . The foules appered so rauysshynge / the beestes so cruelly deuourynge / the flyes so defylynge erbes & floures & takynge awaye theyr sauoure / the serpentes so styngynge the wormes so gnawynge & freatynge that I am sure ye sholde a fered to put therto your hande / & specyally one lytyl worme frayed me moche / whiche I can beleue none other but it was a very lyuynge thynge called the worme of conscience . And as I stode chepynge of this ymage with a byble in my hande / I cast myn eye vpon my boke in the fyrst epistle of saynt Iohn where was wryten . Nolite diligere mundum neque ea q in mundo sunt . j. Ioh. ij . By not this ymage the loue of this world for yf ye do and loke moche vpon it / it shall bewytche you & make you blynde . And yf ye set your loue vpon the worlde ( sayth saynt Iohn ) the charyte of god our sauyour crist that is the very ymage of loue con not be in you . The prophete Dauyd shewed me that these rauysshynge foules / beestes / & serpentes were lyuynge men / bywytched & transfourmed by reason of this false ymage / & shewed the cause why saynge . Homo cum in honore esset . &c. Man lorde of al creatures hauynge in hym selfe the ymage of god ( wherof he ought to drawe out the very ymage of loue ) to his hyghe honour / knewe not his degre & hye state the god hath made him to / but set his mynde more vpon these vayne outwarde ymages thrugh the whiche he is compared & transformed vnto beestes moost vnresonable & is made lyke vnto them . O false ymage I am sure thy colours be full dysceyuable / thus saint Iohan bad me loke surely vpon it / for the mater that it was made of was very brytell venymous & noughte . Therfore I toke it in my hande & loked warely vpon it / & so I perceyued that saint Iohn sayd treuth where he sayth . j. Ioh. ij . Omne qd est in mundo aut est concupiscencia . &c. All that is in this world other it is the concupiscence of the flesshe or elles the concupiscence of the worlde or elles proude maner of lyuynge . I remembred also that the mooste fayre apples be not alwaye best nor longest endurynge . And saint Paule sayth . j. cor̄ . vij . Preterit figura huius mund. The pycture of this worlde passeth fast awaye In tyme of trybulacyon it melteh awaye / as snowe before the sonne . Est amicus scdm tempus & non permanet in tꝑe tribulatōis . Eccli . vj There is a frend for a tyme & do not endure in tyme of tribulacion it was holowe and empty / as it had be blowen ful of wynde / & so lyght that it wolde be moued with euery wynde / so bretle that it wolde haue broken with the leest fal / it cleued vnto mens handes & defyled them as pytche and sououred very yll / it hath some waye so madde a countenaunce that it wyll make some fools to Ioye & laughe so moche that they laughe them selfe to dethe . Therfore sayth the wyse man . Bisum reputaui errorem . Eccli . ij . &c. I repute this laughter for a grete errour & dysceyte / sayenge vnto them the Ioye in the ymage of this loue / why wyll ye be dysceyued for a thynge of nought . Quasi per risum stultus operatur scelus . ꝓuer . x. Thruhe thy laughter this folysshe ymage worketh moche myschefe / for they that laughe at it may be sure theyr laughter shall be myxed with moche payne and the last endynge of theyr Ioye / ꝓue . xiiij shall be ouerlayed with sorowe & lamentacyon . This ymage taketh awaye the memory of man & maketh hym to forgete god and all that longeth to hym / it is so confedered with the deuyll that it can not do no seruyce vnto god / for cryst sayth . Luc. vj. Nemo potest doubz dnis seruire . No man maye serue two contrary maysters . This is the ymage that couetouse men vse as theyr god puttynge all theyr truste & affeccion in it / and yet it is as trayterous to them as Iudas was to cryst / & sayd to the deuyll as Iudas sayd to them that toke Iesu. mat . xxvj Quem cumque osculatus fuero ipse est tenete cum . &c. who so euer I kysse he is for the / holde him fast & lede hym warely that he scape not thy handes / & at the last for as moche pleasure as he hath taken of this worlde so moche sorowe & turmentry shall the deuyll gyue hym therfore agayne . Thus perceyuynge these & many mo yll propertyes / I sayd with the prophete Naum . naum . iij. Omnes qui viderit te resiliet a te . Euery wyse man that loketh vpon the / wyl be a frayd & lepe swyftly frome the / therfore I ●efte of & wolde none of this ymage .

The ymage of carnall loue . Ca. iij.

THan I sawe the flesshe stande nere by / callynge yonge persones in to her shoppe by flaterynge wordes / sayenge . Come vnto me goodly yonge gentyll men / I haue goodly pyctures & ymages for you / ye shal haue one of me for your loue it shall coste you nought . And thus she brought for the a meruelous pycture me thought passynge nature / whose foreheed hyghe sette vp glystered as glasse / the yelowe here trussed in sylke with a fyne bonet a perle fylette & a frontlet brawdred with sylke & golde set with stones and a goodly broche of golde / the eyes rollynge in the heed / the countenaunce solen & chaungeable / the skyn whyte as lyly / with some lyuely rodenes / the necke and brestes bare the apparell all dysguysed of the new facyon with a longe trayne / where appered out the tayle of a styngynge serpente / but I meruayled moost in the countenaunce and gesture of it / for stondynge in some place it wolde appere to a man with a smylynge and flaterynge countenaunce with the armes redy to halsynge / in some place it appered as it had wepte & with the handes as yf it had called one to her / & in an other place it shewed a lowryng & a dysdaynynge countenaunce pretendynge grete dyspleasure . Thus lyke a foole I loked so longe vpon this ymage / that I was almoost dysceyued but thanked be our lorde I had warnynge be tymes . A certayne wyse man gaue me good counsell and bade me in no wyse I sholde beholde it lest I sholde perysshe and be lost by the false workynge of it . Eccli . xix Dropter spem mulieris multi perierunt . Through the beaute of this ymage many a thousande haue perysshed / and than I consydered the he sayd treuth in all degres / remembrynge stronge Sampson / holy Dauyd / wise Salomon / & many other how they were disceyued . p̄ . c. xviij . Therfore Dauyd axed helpe of our lorde to torne awaye his eyes from the vanytees of this ymage for they were so allectyfe and pleasaunt to the outwarde syght / that he coude not refrayne hym selfe therfro . Than Salomon coude saye that outwarde beaute was a vayne and a dysceyuable grace . Therfore sayth he in his prouerbes beholde not this disceyuable ymage for perauenture thou lokest not well aboute / ꝓu . xxxj . yf thou beholdest onely the outwarde countenaunce thou arte dysceyued . Eauus em̄ distilans labia meritricis . prouer , v. &c. For this harlottes lyppes be as swete as a hony combe and the throte of her shyninge more clerer than oyle / but the last ende of it is very bytter and styngeth more venymously than the tayle of a serpente / he shewed me also that I perceyued not I was so blyndyd with lokynge vpon the ymage onely / and a lytell frome her was there deth & hell mouth gapynge to receyue her and all that were with her . ꝓuer . v. Pedes eiusdescendūt in mortem et ad inferos gressus eius penetrant . Therfore he bad me flee farre of and come not nere the gates of that house where this ymage is / for though it be offered frely / yet at the last it put bothe soule fame and goodes in grete Ieoperdy . Ro. viij . And saint Paule sayth yf ye lyue after flesshly pleasure delytynge in this ymage ye shal dye ghostly a very yll deth therfore sayth he it is not onely good not for to touch it / but it is necessary to fle farre from it and from all that longeth therto / it hathe a foule sanoure to them the hath good tastynge / it gendereth pockes & leprousy bothe in body and soule / and is so infectyfe that many be dayly in grete Ieoperdy to perisshe therby / yf they haue no helpe and socoure onely of god .

The ymage of artyfycers : be not the very ymages of loue / nor but lytyl conducynge to pyete and charyte . Capi. iiij .

THan leauynge these peryllous ymages I wente to the artyfycers that make meruaylous goodly ymages in diuers maters as in metall / stone / tymbre / and cloth dyuers wayes / but the very ymage of loue was not there . Neuertheles there was many goodly ymages whiche I though sholde stere a man to deuocyon and to the loue of god . And bycause it was harde to fynde the very treu ymage / I set my mynde to by one of these and as I was chosynge out of the goodlyest / there came to me a holy deuoute doctour rebukynge me gretely / Iero. de fet̄ & sayd why doest thou cast away thy monye vpon these corruptyble and vayne thynges / thy goodes were not gyuen to the for that entente thou arte moche to blame / seyst not thou the goodly lyuynge ymage of god moost pyetefull fade & decaye euery daye in grete multytude / & yet that wylte bestowe thy mony vpon these / yf thou hauynge worldly substaunce seyste thy broder haue nede / j. Ioh. iij & thou sparest frome hym the treasure of mercy and pyete in thy herte how is the charite of god in the / why syr sayd I may not I spende myn owne good as I wyl / so that I spende it not in synne : & poore people were in extreme necessyte / I sholde synne deedly yf I sholde se them be loste hauynge more than is necessary for me / but I knowe none suche and there be many that wyll & be more able than I to helpe than / nor I am not bounden to seke where suche be that be in extreme necessyte . nota bn̄ . Thus we fel in to a longe dysputacion & at the last he concluded thus / that not onely extreme necessyte doeth bynde vs to gyue almes but also whan we haue more superfluus / that is whan we haue more than is necessary to our state / and he ledged for hym the gospel of cryst . Luc. xj . Ueruntamen quod superest date elemosinam . Gyue almes of that that is superfluus / it is to be thought that there shall be no lytyll company / of the lyfte hande of cryst where he shal gyue sentence of dampnacyon vpon them / rehersynge the lacke of almes doynge / as pryncypall cause in maner ? where the sentence is gyuen / he brought in saynt Ierom in the decrees / saynt Augustyn vpon the psalme . distī . xlij . Lauda Ierusalem dnm . Saynt Thomas scda scde / and saynt Ambrose dysputynge ayenst suche persones that sayth thus / I breke not ne take awaye none other mens goodes but kepe that is myn owne / ayenst whome sayth saynt Ambrose O folysshe man what is thyne / distī . xlvij what broughtest thou in to this worlde / is god vniuste for that he wyl gyue more to one than to another / or is he vnryghtwyse for bycause thou doest habounde / and an other man do lacke / it is rather for to shewe the experience of his gentylnes that thou sholdest haue the greter meryte for the well bestowynge of thy goodes vnto the poore . And for that the poore myght be as well rewarded for his pacience / and thus he dyde conclude . It is the brede and sustenaunce for the hungry that thou reteynest with the / it is the clothynge of naked men u thou sparrest vp in thy presses / it is the redempcyon and relyfe of them that be in thraldom and pryson / the mony that thou hydest in the grounde ( as wel it is synne not to gyue vnto the nedy whan thou hast superfluus ) hec ambro . distī . xlvij as it is to take awaye wrongfully frome them that haue ony thynge / therfore be ware how thou spendest thy goodes / why syr sayd I maye not I spende my goodes none other wayes but in almes . Ryches saythe he / is not to be loued for it selfe / but for an other thynge / that is for the necessyte of this present lyfe . That / that is not necessary nother to the necessary sustenaunce of the body / nor to the honeste and reasonable mayntaynynge of the degree and state of a persone ? can not well be ordred but to an yll ende / excepte it be bestowed vpon poore people / or to the necessytees of crystes chyrche / as to the maynteynynge and defendynge of the fayth / to the magnyfyenge of godes honour and to th encreace of vertue & good lyfe / & this thou thynkest doth make thy purpose / but yet it is not so / for as it is sayd in the lawe these ymages be the bokes of lay people symple and vnlerned that be vnperfyte in ghostly lyfe / & yf they excyte peoples myndes to deuocyon as well that maye be by suche as be of lytyll pryce as by them as be of grete pryce & curiously wrought whiche me thynketh brynge in to the mynde vanyte or euagacyon / rather than deuocyon or contemplacyon / and perauenture some effeccyon or spyce of proprite amonges relygyouse / therfore se thy conuersacion be holy & meke / and thy doctryne holsome / & let that be the thynge that shall stere people to deuocyon . Thus almoost confounded I sayd to hym / be ware syr what ye saye : your opynyon condempne the doynge of many good men the be nowe a dayes / whiche honoure the temples of god with many goodly ymages of grete coste of syluer and of golde set with perle and stone grete plenty of coopes and vestementes of tyssewe and cloth of golde & meruelous riches in plate as crosses / candelstyckes / sensers / chalyces with many other thynges whiche be gretely to the honour of god . A. ha sayth he . nota bum . I se it is but vayne to preche and teche men to lerne and take example of saynt Ambrose / saynt Augustyn / Gregory / Exuperij / Nycholas / Martyn holy bisshoppes / and suche other in whose tyme were but lytyll of suche thynges / they wold haue all thynges that longed to the chyrche / and specyally to the sacramentes / honest pure and clene / but not costly nor curyouse / than were treen chalyces & golden preestes / now be golden chalyces & treen preestes or rather erthen preestes / than were relygyous cladde with heere and sacke / and now they do dysdayne or grudge to were wullen / than were monasteryes hostryes for poore men / & now they be palacyes for lordes and states / than they were apparelled with mekenes pouerte chastite & charyte / Ioh. x. now with sylkes cloth of golde pompe and vanyte / yet yf there were no poore people / I myght yet some what holde with all / but cryste sayth we shall euer haue poore men amonge vs . And also saynt Paule sayth . Templuz dei sanctum est qd estis vos . The temple of god is a holy thynge that is none other but your selfe . The temple of stone is not holy but by reason of the lyuynge temple / therfore that is more holy and nedeth more to be maynteyned and anourned / sholde we than go lay vp or spende our ryches in the stony temple / and suffre the quycke of the temple to perysshe other bodely or ghostly . ¶ We fynde not that cryste commaunded to haue so costly paramentes in his chyrche / but he commaundeth many tymes to norysshe his poore people / and now men leue the commaundementes of god for theyr owne tradycens and ceremones / as the scrybes and pharyseys dyde / why dyde cryst and other holy fathers of relygyon prohybyte dyuersyte and curyosyte of pyctures / and assygne how many vestementes and coopes with other paramentes they sholde haue to the Aulters . But some laye agaynst me / Moyses that made the tabernacle of god / with grete sumptuousnes of syluer and golde and precyous stones / and Salamon lykewyse the temple / but that make not with them / but rather more aynst than / for all suche thynges were but figures & shadowes as saint Paule sayth vnto vs vnder crystes lawe / j. cor̄ . x. that is the very spyrytuall and perfyte lawe / therfore we shold leue the shadowe and folowe the treuth auoydynge that is Imperfyte / & take that that is perfyte . Also in the tyme of moyses it was no nede to gyue almes to the poore peole / for they were fedde with manna in deserte / & theyr clothynge dekayed not of all the tymes that they were there / as it is red in deutronomy . deut. viij . In the tyme of Salamon there was so grete habundance of golde and syluer that syluer was not set by / as we haue in the thyrde boke of kynges . iij. reg. x. But why do I laboure in vayne / what nede me to stere all the worlde agynst me ( specyally preestes & relygiouse ) it is but extreme madnes to laboure in vayne & to gete nothynge but hatred / yet I condempne no man pertycularly / but yf we loke well vpon holy scrypture and vpon the olde lyuynge of good crysten men / yf bokes be trewe / we may se and knowe that we be nowe out of the waye / and full vnlyke vnto the preestes and relygyouse in olde tyme / I praye god that many be not onely vnlyke / but also contrary to theyr lyuynge . But thou good brother I pray that somwhat lene to my counsell / medell with no tryfles ne vanytees / couet not to please the world / ne fere not to dysplease it / yf thou wylte please god . And thou wylte haue this ymage that thou sekest / leueall these other ymages and go to holy scrypture / and there thou shalt fynde it .

Where the treu ymage is founde and what it is . Capi. v.

THan as I stode coniecturynge what I myght do / scripture spake vnto me and sayd . luc. xxiiij O folysshe man why doest thou seke a lyuynge thynge amonge deed thynges / lyght in derkenes / a ghostly thyng amonge erthely thynges / incorruptyble amonge corruptible / it is not there / it is meruaylous goodly & wonderfull to be holde / the ymage that thou sekest it can not be seen of the bodely eyes / but onely with Aungelles eyes and pure with them that be deed frome this worlde leuynge with cryst / and he sayd also all that euer I had was nothynge to the pryce therof . Neuerthelesse I wolde fayne haue had it / sapi. vij . for thoughe I sawe it neuer I remembre that a shadowe I sawe therof in a glasse whiche passed by me sodeynly without ony taryenge and delited me so that euer syns I haue suche a desyre to it that I wold be glade to gyue all that I haue for a lytyll syght of it / but consyderynge myne vnworthynes & inhabylyte to come therby / I stode in a stody whether I myght seke ony more for it in scrypture or not . Than met with me the prophete and shewed that it was vayne for me to gyue corruptyble ymages to suche persones . p̄ . xliiij . Quia omnis gloria eius filie reges abintus . For all the glory & pleasure of a kynges doughter / is inwarde ghostly in the soule / ye be the doughters of the heuenly kynge espoused to his sone Iesu / your father I suppose dyde gyue you this liuely ymage whan he spake to you by grace & sayd . Audi filia et vide . &c. Heere my doughter & se Inclyne thyn eere and be obedyente / forgete thy contrary men / forgete thy fathers howsholde / that is forsake thy naturall loue / thy worldely loue / thy flesshely loue / forsake all vanytees and make the naked of all erthly thynges / by pouerte and chastyte / and than the kynge my sone shall couete the beaute and apparell the with clothes of verteu . j. pet. ij . Thus I doubte not he that hath called you from derkenes / vnto so grete lyght of grace / and hath now taken you vnto his spouses he hathe nowe shewed you this ymage and gyuen it vnto you moche more goodly than I can dyscryue it as it is / for it is infinyte and incomprehensible / yet it pleaseth him to shewe it vnto all meke soules after theyr capacite callynge them his doughters sayenge . Audi filia . Heere my doughter in treu fayth and meke obedyence . Et vide . And se what I haue do & do dayly for you / se what ye do agayn or haue doo for me / se also what I do prepare for you . The beholdyng of these thre thynges I thȳshold leaue some prynte of this ymage in our soules but moche more in you that be his specyall spouses . And of this prynted ymage at the leest I wolde shewe you somwhat in parte to performe myne entent and yet I fere me of presumpcion in enterprisynge for to shewe that I neuer knewe / or that ye knowe better than I / yet a blynde man maye shewe that he can not se yf it be put in to his handes . Saynt Paule put a glasse in to my hande / holy scrypture and bade me come out of derkenes in to lyght / for yf thou wyll se this ymage thou must loke besely vpon this glasse / for it can be shewed none other wyse here but by a glasse in a derke symylytude which do not shewe the thynge expressely as it is / j. cor̄ . xiij . but the tyme shall come I trust that we shal se the very selfe thynge in dede . I loked vpon this glasse & I coude se nothynge but my owne face fouly deformed with many foule spottes / I was bydden for to go wasshe me and make me clene and get me vnto the lyght so I dyde / and yet my eyes were so dymme with duste / and humour of vanyte & carnalite / that I coude not yet perceyue this ymage . I wente to a place of relygyon and toke a ghostly father / shewynge hym myne entente that I came fore to clarifye my syght that I myght at the leest ones se this ymage . There me thought it sholde be / for there were the moost goodly aparyld aulters with tabernacles subtelly caruen and costly gylte / there was the moost swetest armony of songes and organs & goodly deuout obseruaunce that euer I sawe or herde / in so moche that it moued me for a tyme vnto relygyon there / wherin I asked counsell of my ghostly fader / but he perswaded me the contrary / sayenge it is not all golde that sheneth as gold / there is one thynge that dystroyeth moche goodnes the inordynate loue to our selfe / whiche is cause of moche yll as saynt Paule the holy man prophesyed to his dyscyple Thymothy / ij . tīo . iij. sayenge that at the last ende of the worlde / there shall come paryllous seasons men shall haue inordynate loue vnto them selfe that shal cause them to be couetouse / hy mynded / dysoaynouse / proude / blasphemouse / dysobedyent to theyr parentes / cruell and vnkynde without inwarde loue or affeccion / without peace / false accusers / vnchaste / vncurtese / without gentylnes / trecherouse frowarde and sturdy / louers rather of voluptuousnes than of god / hauynge a cloked ymage a symylytude of pyte that is of honour & loue to god / but the very vertue and effecte therof / they renounce and haue it not / be ware of suche sayth saynt Paule & exchewe the company . ¶ Thus I perceyued that charyte myght lacke / nota bn̄ . for all this gay outwarde thynges & obseruaunces for all the gaye syngynge and playenge or multyplyenge of orysons nor yet they be not euident profes of loue and charite / but som time some of them letteth or hyndereth charyte and contemplacyon sterynge the mynde to elacion and vaynglory / but charyte sayth saynt Paule / j. cor̄ . xij . is to edyfy our neyghboure to thynke our selfe membres of one body & so to vse our selfe one to an other / as the membres naturally do in the body and so to vse our selfe one to another consyderynge our selfe as one body in cryste to be as gladde of our neyghbours profyte as of our owne / to helpe them in theyr distresse as they wolde be holpen in theyr owne / louyngely to reforme and correcte them that do a misse to helpe and releue them that be fallen in decaye bodely or ghostly / to conforte the heuy / to helpe the seke / to socoure the nedy . Colo. iij. And as to saye in fewe wordes to referre all our ryches laboure studyes and care to this ende / that we myght profyte and do good vnto many in our sauyour cryste that as he was not borne for his owne profyte nor lyued here for his owne pleasure / nor dyed for his owne greter pleasure / ne for to come the rather to Ioye / but he gaue hym selfe all hole to our vse and profyte / so sholde we applye our selfe to the commodytees and profytes of our euen crysten & not to our synguler profyte onely / the more we profite vnto many / the more is our auayle & meryte / yf it were thus sayd a good relygeouse man to me the lyfe of relygeous sholde be moche more Ioyous pleasaunt and easy than it is / where nowe we se it is contrary / heuy paynfull laborous full of supersticyons obseruaunces and vayne customes leauynge fro them the treu waye of lyfe the folowynge of cryste the olde maner of lyuynge that was vsed taught and shewed by our holy fore fathers . Saynt Augustyn saint Benet saynt Ierome / with many other / so that now there is lytyll defference bytwene lay persons preestes & relygeouse in crymes & worldely lyuynge / to whom it is sayd . Ro. xij . Nolite conformari huic sclo . Be not confyrmable to this worlde / & though theyr outwarde habyte dyffer in coler it is lyke or excedynge in pryce so that yf saynt Augustyn or saynt Benet were agayne a lyue ( whome they take as fathers and auctours of theyr rules & orders of theyr lyuyng ) I thynke they sholde not knowe them / but say there was neuer thynge that they more dysaproued / than suche lyuynge as is nowe in many places / they wyll saye that they ordeyned the maner of lyuyng after the rule of criste and his appostles / not after the superstycyouse maners of the Iewes that made gaye and fayre al thynge without forth / and were within forth ful of rauen venyme synne and malyce . The ymage of loue that saynt Paule drewe / whiche these holy fathers had set forth openly in there monasteryes / warnynge theyr discyples & successors before all thynges to loke therupon vnder gret communycacions and payne of cursynge / is now new portrayed with dyspensacyons dysceyued with vayne customs dysceyuable colours clene altered frome the olde symylytude and nought but as a fayned thynge / and they that do thus sayth saynt Paule do not agree to the holy doctryne of cryst / ij . tīo . vj. but are proude / and can nothynge but multyplyenge of wordes wherof come contencyon blasphemy & many ylles / thynkynge grete honoure to god and a dede of pyte to gather ryches & to encreace temporall patrymony / but the very ryches is to vse dedes of charyte beynge content with mete / drynke / and clothe .

¶ The propertees and effectes of this ymage . Capi. vj.

THis ymage as saynt Paule discryueth it / is very pacyent meke and gentyll of countenaunce / j. cot̄ . xiij . charitable without enuy to ony persone / it doeth no wronge it is not inflate ne blowyn full of pryde / it pretende none ambycyon / ne loke nother for honour ne dygnyte / it requyreth no profyte for it selfe but onely to profyte other / it hath none angry countenaunce so that ye shall thynke it can ymagen none yll / it bereth an heuy chere vnto all that is yll & false / and a Ioyouse vnto treuth and goodnes / it is very stronge for it may bere all trobles & aduersyte / it beleueth all treuth though it be a boue reason / it hath good hope in all thing that god promiseth / it is stedfast & perceuerant berynge pacyently all maner of displeasures without grudgynge tyll better maye be / it neuer fayleth ne fade / but the more longer that it endureth the more oryent & goodly is the colours and the more strength and vertue it is of and the more pleasaunt it is to beholde / it is so goodly that no creature can praise it at the full nor haue the ful knowlege of it in this lyfe to dyscryue it as it is / Grego . it worketh maruelous thynges and grete / wyghty / and substancyall in effecte yf it be the very ymage / yf it be not the treu ymage it hathe but small effecte or none / it hathe this maruelous effecte that what so euer is wrought or done where that is present it is suffycyent and good thoughe some tyme it appereth yll to some persons / j. cor̄ . xiij . & contrary wyse all thynge that is done where that is not present thoughe it semeth neuer so good yet it is but of lytyll valour or nought / it vneth & make many men all one and confeder them so fast togyder that nothynge can sundre them / Colo. iij. it couereth the synne of penytentes & redemeth theyr forfertes & transgressyons / j. pet. iiij . who so euer haue this ymage vpon hym shall not nede to fere ony parell nor no Iugement may go agaynst him ne nothyng can hurte him / j. Ioh. iiij it gyueth lyght in darkenes it causeth Ioy in heuynes myrth in sadnes / in payne it maketh gladde pacyence / there can no wronge be done where it is / it maketh peace and concorde / it setteth all thynge in ordre it swageth hungre and thurst it maketh bonde men free poore men ryche seke men hole / ye and some tymes it reseth the ded to lyfe / Osee. xj . it is so attractyfe that it draweth all good thynges to it selfe & than maketh all comyn / some tyme it hath a sharpe & a rygorous countenaunce vpon synners but neuer malycyous nor enuyous countenance / it morneth with morners it Ioyeth with them that be gladde / it wepeth with wepers it taketh awaye all suspycyous and mysiugynge from the herte of man / it abhorreth all stryfe enuy murmure and contencyon / it hateth all yll and loueth all that is good / there is nothynge that pleaseth god more than this ymage & without it nothynge can please hym / there is nothynge more desyrous to the deuyll than the dystruccyon of it and to that entent he applyeth all his laboure all his caste with moost extreme malyce in forsynge both nyght and daye full besely to dystroye this ymage of loue / that is none other but charyte . But nowe lokynge in the glasse of holy scrpture for this blyssed ymage / and perceyuynge my blyndenes / my ygnoraunce / my vnkyndenes / my vnworthynes / wretchednes / & presumpcyon / I fere me rather to gete shame & reprefe than thankes for myne enterpryce seynge this ymage so excellent so beautefull so full of vertue and grace so farre excedynge the praysynges and commendacyon of all men . And yet I wretch moost symple without lernynge presume to shewe in ony maner thy heuenly ymage : that am moost vnkonnynge to gyue the leest prayse vnto it that can be . Neuertheles as I sayd before a blynde man hold the ymage . D.j. forthe a picture for other to beholde / yf it be put in to his hande thoughe he handle it grosly & shewe it forth rudely / so it is and yet me thynke I presume blynde and ygnoraunt / I take of other holy doctoures this ymage to shewe vnto you whiche I thynke verely ye can shewe more hansomly vnto me and better dyscerne it than I yet though I can shewe no pleasure by reason of myn vnkonnynge and rude handlynge of this ymage / I trust at the leest ye shal be content for to se the symple ymage of myn owne loue towardes you . And thoughe it be rude & of lytyl valoure to consyder my spyrytual entent & good wyll the wolde better yf it coude .

¶ That this ymage is a lyuyng thynge takyng a patrone of the inuysyble ymage of god . ca. vij .

I sayd be fore that this ymage is a liuynge thynge and can not be founde amonge these deed ymages there is one that saynt Paule speketh of . Colo. iij. Qui est imago dei inuisibilis . An ymage of god Inuisible incomprehensible the sone of god by whome he hath made all creatures and man moost syngularly vnto his ymage and symylytude / & bycause he was inuysyble and incomprehensyble / he toke a glasse that is our nature / whiche well may be compared to a brytyl glasse wherin he shewed vs this ymage of loue that is hymselfe / in whome though there appered infynyte power and wysdome / yet charyte passed all as vnto our behofe / for that put awaye the olde ymage of deth in our soule / and reneweth his ymage agayn in vs & made it quycke thrugh his ymage of loue / Colo. iij. without the whiche we are but deed as saynt Iohn sayth . j. Ioh. iij. Qui non diligit manet in morte . He that is not in charyte is deed in his soule thus ye may se in parte an ymage of loue / that is charite which is god hymselve & life of our soules whom we can not wel se but by the glasse of his humanite . A glasse shewe not the ymage so moche as it is / no more we can consyder his loue so moche as it is / a glasse can represent nothynge : but yf somwhat be present vnto it . So in man can be no charyte but yf god be present vnto his soule / for . Deus charitas est et q ● manet in charitate in deo manet . j. Ioh. iiij &c. God is charite sayth saynt Iohan / & he that is in charite is in god / & god is in hym / In whome soeuer god is he doeth no synne / yf he do synne / god is gone frome hym / yf god be gone this ymage is loste & gone frome hym / as in the materiall glasse the persone that was present to it goynge awaye / the ymage in the glasse seaseth and hath no beynge . And forthwith the deuyll is redy to present hymselfe to the glasse / causynge his contageouse ymage therin whiche infecteth so the glasse : that it is harde to purge it & to polisshe it clere / to make it apte & able to receyue againe the ymage of god but yf it be done be tymes / and many tymes it is broken or it can be made clene . hebre . iiij Remember therfore that god is alwaye present in euery place and neuer withdrawe his loue frome man / but many wayes prouoke them ( ye his enymyes ) vnto loue / math̄ . v. and maketh his sone of grace & ryghtwysnes to shyne vpon euery person good & yll . The grace of cryste & his doctryne is the lyght / kepe the glasse towardes the lyght / torne it not a waye towardes darkenes / and this ymage shall euer contynewe in the glasse . Saynt Iohan sayth / Ioh. ij . he that loueth his neyghboure / he dwelleth in lyght / and in hym is no sklaunder ne occasyon of yll / he that hateth his neyghboure is in derkenes / and torneth his glasse frome the lyght walkyng he wote not where / somtyme in the myre of other mens synnes / by suspectynge Iudgynge or talkynge of theyr defautes / somtime amonges the serpentes of sclaunder / detraccyon / and enuy / somtyme amonges the thornes breres and wylde beestes of couetous malyce & Ire / somtyme stummelynge amonges swyne in the foule sleweth and stynkyng gore of gloteny and beestly lustes of the body / with many other parillous wayes wanderynge with grete Ieoperdy into deth of the soule for lacke of lyght / whiche is not in defaute of the lyght of grace ne for the charyte of god is not present / bycause the glasse is turned fro the lyght and than it is so infecte and defyled in derkenes / that it is vnapte to receyue the lyght of grace & the ymage of charite agayn as I sayd before / for it is harde to remoue the foule deedly ymage of sinne / and onely possyble vnto hym that is auctour of lyfe & maker of this glasse . Yf we wyll turne it agayne redressynge our loue towardes hym & towardes our neyghboures / than shal we receyue this ymage of lyfe agayne . And saye with saynt Iohan. Nos scunus qm translati sumus de morte ad vitam : j. Ioh. iij. qm diligunus ir̄es . We knowe that we be translated from deth to lyfe / yf we loue euery persone as our selfe / for yf we can not loue them that we se euery daye with our bodely eye / how shall we loue god that we can not se. j. Ioh. iiij Therfore I may saye the charite is a lyuynge ymage and the spyryte of lyfe that gyueth onely lyfe vnto the body / and as the body hath .v. wyttes & worketh all his workes by them so the soule hath .v. ghostly wyttes wherby it worketh all thynge that is merytoryous & pleasynge vnto god .

¶ This lyuynge ymage hath .v. wyttes and the operacyons of them . capi . viij .

OF these .v. wyttes saynt Barnarde speketh in a sarmon shewynge that there is .v. maner of loues . The fyrst is a reuerent and a kyndly loue of parentes and kynsfolkes . The seconde is the Iocounde and pleasaunt loue of our neyghboures and they that dwell together . The thyrde is ryghtwyse loue that we ought to haue vnto euery reasonable person . The fourthe is vyolent loue of our enymyes . The .v. is holy and deuoute loue of god aboue all . These .v. loues may well be compared vnto .v. bodely wyttes . The loue of kynred accordeth well vnto the sens of touchyng / for this sens perteyneth moost and onely vnto the flesshe and so that loue is shewed to none but that be nere togyther / touchynge carnall consanguynyte . And as the sens of touchinge is in the flesshe and in euery parte of the body / so this loue is in euery thynge that hath lyfe as well the Iewes and pagans loue theyr kynne as crysten men / beestes also & erpētes loue theyr kynne and ofsprynge . The seconde loue of neyghboures agreeth properly vnto the sens of tastynge bycause of the grete swetnes and pleasure that is therin / & bycause it is moost nedefull vnto mannes lyfe for I can not se by reason how a man shold lyue wel other bodely or ghostly in this world but yf he loue those persones that he lyueth amonges & he agayne be loued of them . The generall loue wherby of ryght we muste loue euery man / may be lykened vnto the smellynge in that / that this sens perceyueth thynges somwhat farther of / than doeth the sens of tastyng / and it hath in it selfe not so grete pleasure and delectacyon / but yet it is very pleasaunt and necessary / so this loue extendeth not onely to our neyghboures but to theym that be somwhat farther of / that is to aungelles and all mankynde . The heerynge perceyueth thynges moche farther of than doeth the other inferyor senses / so a monges men in this worlde / there be none farther a sunder than he that loueth one that loueth hym not agayne but hatteh hym / for in other senses there is all waye some delectacyon and some nerenes in workynge vnto the flesshe / but the heerynge in maner goeth out frome the flesshe / as for hauynge ony delectacyon in the flesshe / and therfore it maye well be assembled vnto the vyolent loue that is onely caused by the obedience of goddes commaundement / Luc. vj. that byd vs loue our enymyes whiche obedyence appereth euedently / to pertayn vnto the sens of heeryng / where the grete occasyon & cause of other loues that I haue spoken of / are taken of the flesshe that is of nature and kynde . But the syght aboue all other chalenge to it selfe the symylytude of the deuyne and holy loue of god in that / that is moost excellent of a synguler nature more clere & spyrytual than all other senses / & discerneth thynges moost farre of / and knowe the dyfferences of many thynges / for though the smellynge & heerynge do perceyue thynges somwhat farre of / yet it is more by drawynge to of the ayer that cometh from the obiecte / or thynge that smelleth or soundeth wel or yll . But the syght do not so but rather it semeth to go forth & procede to thynges very farre of / so it is in these maner of louinge . In maner we drawe to vs our neyghboures / whome we loue as our lyfe hauynge profyte & pleasure of them / we drawe to vs also our enymyes whome we loue for this cause that they myght be as we be / that is to say our frendes . But yf we loue god as it is worthy we sholde do / with all our strength / with all our soule & mynde / we go frome our selfe vnto hym / we hye vs fast and moost swiftely ( as the eye to the moost delectable obiecte ) we caste all our loue vnto hym that is onspekably moost hye goodnes aboue vs and all creatures / hauynge no respecte vnto our owne profyte or pleasure no more than the eye can reflecte the syght to se it selfe / but to take it for the moost hye perfeccyon and pleasure onely to beholde and loue hym in whome we maye moost perfytely and pleasauntly beholde our selfe and all creatures . This is perfyte ynoughe and pleasure largely suffysynge / what nede we to loke for other syth there is none but this witnes / cryst himselfe in the gospel of Iohn . Ioh. xvij Hec est vita eterna vt cognoscant te solum deum . &c. This is the very cause and begynnynge of lyfe euerlastynge / to knowe & loue the very god onely and hym that thou haste sent Iesu cryst thy sone / one god with the. And as by the syght is goten moost konnynge and knowlege / so by this loue is goten moost perfite konnynge and sure knowlege of all thynge good & necessary to be knowen / and as ye se in the bodely senses the syght excelleth all other / the heeryng excedeth the other thre / and so one is better in dygnyte and more noble than an other . After the ordre and dysposycion of the organs and membres that they be in / so in lyke maner the loue of god is moost hye / mooste excellent of all loues / & of moost meryte . The loue of our enymye nexte vnto that in rewarde / the Iust loue of euery persone the more it be extended and shewed the more meritoryous it is / the loue of our neyghboures and company / kyn and frendes / be very necessary / as those senses whiche yf they fayled / the lyfe ghostly sholde fayle / and all the other senses of loue sholde dekaye . If a man lacke tastynge and felynge / how can he heere / se / or yet lyue . j. Ioh. iiij If he can not loue his kynne / his neygboures or company that he is amonge . How can he loue god or his enymye or lyue in the state of grace / it can not be . Therfore these two loues be very necessary & excepte they be grounded in a better respecte than of nature they be but lytell merytoryous / and yet lacke of them or hatered contrary to them be more dem●●ytoryous than the contrary of the two other loues nexte aboue / that is the loue of strayngers and enymyes . And bycause that these two the loue of neyghtboures company & kynrede may redely & vnwarely be disordred ( as we se by experyence ) it is harde to ordre dyscretely the tastynge of mete and drynke and appetytes of the flesshe . Therfore it is necessare for to loke discretely that they be not inordynate / carnall ne for profyte nor ambycyon / lest they dymynysh or dystroye the other senses of loue causynge moche synne and percyalyte . gen . xij . Abraham by the commaundement of our lorde forsoke his good / his kyn / and his countre / for that he shold not be dysceyued by this loue / and so dydde many other holy fathers / as we haue examples & doctryne of our sauyour cryste ( as ye knowe in dyuers places of scypture ) Dauyd also stered by the holy ghost sayd . Obliuiscere populum tuum et domum patris tui . p̄ . xliiij . Forgete thy carnall loue thy countree folkes and thy fathers housholde / and the kynge of all kynges shall cast loue vnto the beaute of thy soule . Therfore it is necessary to loue dyscretely / so that I loue euery creature in god & for god after the goodnes of it / not for the profyte and pleasure / for so the catte loueth the mouse / and not to loue more that thynge that is lesse to be loued and lesse that is more to be loued / for charyte is not accepcyon of persones / but it loueth in worde & dede euery persone after theyr vertue and goodnes . j. Ioh. iij.

¶ Of the apparell of this ymage and where it shall be sette Capi. ix .

THus haue I shewed you that this is a lyuynge ymage by reason of the ghostly senses that it hath for as the soule yf it departe from the body / all the senses fayle and dekay / so yf charyte departe fro the soule / all these senses of loue must nedes dekaye and perysshe and than the soule is deed . This is the ymage that all ghostly persones delyte in and haue pleasure to beholde . This is the lyuynge ymage portrayed lyke a quene and is the very quene of all vertues / to whome all crysten people ought to entende & loke vpon . This is the quene that stondeth alway on the ryght hande of god as the prophete Dauyd sayth . p̄ . lxxxiiij In vestitu de aurato circundata varietate . In apparell goodly gylte set aboute with dyuersyte of oryent colours & precious stones of vertues and gyftes of grace with borders & heēmes of golde . In this ymage sholde all swete soules that be the spouses of cryste haue theyr glory & delyte / not in paynted clothes and karued ymages set aboute with dyuersete of byrdes beestes and foules which is but a grosse or a colored deuocyon / let them haue suche that fele no glorye inwarde in theyr soules / ij . cor̄ . j. by testymony of good conscience that haue no zele to perfyte mekenes / and feruent loue of god that can not Ioy but in erthely and traunsytory thynges . But you that be kynges doughters shold haue pryncypally all your glory from withinforth . In fimbreis aureis circūamicta varietatibus . In hemmes and borders of golde that is contynuall perseueraunce in loue and pacyence that is treu golde surely proued in the fyre of trouble and aduersyte / apparelled rounde aboute with coloures of dyuers vertues so conuenyently set in ordre that one setteth forth an other meruclouse goodly so that one encreaseth the beaute of an other . And that whiche of the owne nature is lasse oryent & lytyll shynynge by the settynge forth amonges other appereth moch more goodly and precyous . nota bn̄ . Put dylygence to obedyence & nothynge can be more plesaunt / let mekenes be Ioyned to chastyte and nothynge is more splendent / Ioyne pacyence with pouerte and nothyng can be more delectable . Connynge coupled with lowlynes what is more shynynge / set mercy and Iustice togyther and nothynge can do better / benygnyte set with magnyfycence sadnes or grauyte doeth merueylously wel / & discrecyon myxed amonge all these maketh all the apparell goodly sure and profytable . And aboue all this is the gylte vesture that I spake of goodly wysdome / whiche is not in getynge riches pleasures and honoures / but in dispysyng them & all other erthly thynges . It is in compunccyon of herte and contrycyon for synnes in exercyse of charytable workes / & in medytacyon and contemplacion of ghostly & heuenly thynges . In study of holy scrypture and the lawe of god and worker after the same . The hemme is perseueraunt loue as saynt Paule sayth . j. tīo . j. Finis precpti charitas est de corde puro & constencia bona & fide non ficta . The extreme parte of ghosty wysdome that is in the commaundementes of god is perseueraunt loue comynge frome a pure herte & a good conscyence with fayth vnfayned wherin is set grete plenty of precyous stones / the .xij. artycles of the fayth / with the .vij. gyftes of grace . The whyte kerchef vpon the heed was sure hope made by the workes of clennes and dedes of pyte / whyted with dewe of grace from aboue . Lo here is the apparell of this ymage of loue . Occupye the eyes of your mynde in these varyetes / ye be the very temples of god / set vp therin the aulter of your herte and there make your sacryfyce and your prayers for now is the tyme that cryst spake of to the woman of Samary / sayenge . Ioh. iiij . The houre is come whan the very treu worshyp of god shall worshyp hym inwardely for spyrytuall thynges in treuth vnfaynyngely and not in Ierusalem / that is not onely after the outwarde obseruauntes as the Iewes dyd that kepte the outwarde obseruauntes of theyr lawe in sacryfyces & in prayers with theyr mouth but theyr herte & loue was farre from god . mat . xv . esa . xxix . Therfore he lothyd and dispysed theyr sacryfyce sayng . Quo mihi multitudinem victimarum vr̄arum plenus sum . &c. What shall I do with your dyuerse sacryfyces / I am full of them I requyre them not of you / but a louynge and a couerte herte he neuer dyspyseth / and that is the sacryfyce that he requyreth .

¶ How it sholde be honoured . Capi. x.

OUr lorde consyder the inwarde thynges of man . Non scdm visionem iudicabit neque scdm auditum aurium arguet . &c. And he shall Iudge / not after the outwarde seynge of mans eyes nor after the heerynge of the eeres / but after the very ryght and after the thought and the entent of man . Therfore yf a man take hede and is ware what he do in the syght of man / moche more let hym be ware what he do in the syght of god . The body is cladde in a relygeous vesture it is well / but what auayleth that yf the mynde bere a seculer habyte after the worlde . They kepe scylence without forth moche more take hede that the mynde inwarde be at rest from vayne thoughtes not clateringe with worldely ymagynacions . In the materyall temple we kneele and go lowe to the grounde / what profyte is that yf in the inwarde temple of our soule we stonde sturdely ryght vp aeynst god or our superyoures by dysobeynge theyr commaundementes / some fast and abstayne frome many thinges that do not defyle man as of them selfe / but shall they not rather absteyn them frome suspeccyon / detraccyon / and frome all ylle sayenge of other / whiche polluteth and defyleth bothe other persones conscyence and theyr owne / many do adourne and make gaye the materyall chyrche and hath grete reuerence to it / but what is that where the temple of there soule / esech . viij as Ezechiell sayd is ful of serpentes / Idolles & abomynacyons of egepte that is yll & vnclene thoughtes worthy to be suspended / we syng & pray god with our tonge / let vs se that we do so also with our hert & mynde / we speke fayre and deuoutly with our mouth / let vs meane aswel in our soules / or els it is not well . The body is kepte in within a lytyll cell / let not than the mynde be wanderynge all aboute the worlde . It is very well done oftentymes to accuse our self the ymage . before a preest of our synnes / it is treuth yf it be also afore god / whan do we vtterly accuse our selfe before god / whan we vtterly hate our synnes and forsake them with inwarde contrycyon for the treu loue and feere of god / for an inwarde wounde must haue an inwarde medsyn / yf ye heere the worde of god which is moost necessary for the soule / heere it inwardely lest it be sayd . math̄ . xiij Audientes non audiunt . They heere & heere not / but heere so goddes wordes outwarde that ye may saye with the prophete I shall heere what my lorde speketh in me with feruent desyre to accomplysshe in dede that is shewed in worde / p̄ . lxxxiiij that it maye be sayd to you blyssed be they that heere the worde of god / Luc. xj . that is with the eere of obedience whiche eere Dauyd exhorted the kynges doughter to enclyne she whose beaute is withinforth in golden hemmes as we spake of before . This I haue spoken that we sholde not leene ne trust to moche vnto outwarde obseruaunces & cerymonyes more otherwyse than the treuth doeth assygne sayenge that also they be lytyl acceptable but yf ghostly and inwarde workynge goeth withall we maye not leue of the honourable and deuoute customes and holy ordynaunces of the chyrche . Hec oportet non omittere sz illa necesse est facere . mat . xxiij These it behoueth not to omyt ne to leue of but to obserue them / the other that is the ghostly and inwarde obseruaunce is necessary and must nedes be do yf we wyll haue ony profyte of them . Saynt Iohn therfore sayth in his gospell . Ioh. iiij . Spūs est deus . God is a spyrytuall thynge / therfore sayth he / he must be serued with spyrytuall sacryfyce / remembre he knewe not the folysshe vyrgyns that had lampes of goodly workes outwarde / mat . xv . but they lacked that they sholde haue had withinforth the oyle of grace / wherfore they were excluded from the maryage . Therfore rere vp an aulter in your temples that is your selfe that be the lyuynge temples of god . There set vp lyghtes gete you lernynge bothe by doctryne and grace wherby ye maye worke teche & shewe examples of lihtg / make there your oblacyons of a meke and a contryte herte / there sence our lorde with brennynge cooles of loue and swete ensence of deuocyon / there kneele mekely with reuerent inclinacyons / there make prostracyons with lowly feere and compuccyons / there fyxe vp your ymages of loue / there vse your medytacyons and contemplacions / there beholde these two ymages that I spake of before . That one is a gret ymage increate & incomprehensyble that is god hymsefe . Deus charitas est . j. Ioh. iiij The other is our lytyll ymage our lytyll loue / created and caused by te ymage of god / as a lytyl ymage in a glasse but yet it is very precyouse and good by meanes wherof the soule hath lyfe and the ghostly sences that I spake of . And thoughe it be very lytyll and nothynge in comparyson to the other ymage that is infynyte and without comparison excedynge all thynges create / yet he wyll haue it vnto the lykenes of his loue sayeng . Ioh. xv . Hoc mando vobis vt diligatis inuicem sicut dilexi vos . This I commaunde you that ye loue togyther as I haue loued you . And many tymes he exciteth vs to loue one an other & techeth vs how / sayenge loue me as I haue loued you .

¶ To knowe whan it is the treu ymage . Ca. xj .

ALbert sayth that a delycate soule and gentyl in maner abhorreth to loue god by reason of profyte or reward / but as god gaue him selfe frely vnto mannes soule lokynge for no rewarde but wyllynge frely to make man parteyner of his blysse / so a perfyte louynge soule sholde gyue hymselfe feruently & frely to god in loue withall his streyngth & power / sekynge no profyte nother traunsitory nor euerlastynge / but onely set all his affeccyon and loue vpon god for his hyghe maieste and goodnes power wysdome holynes perfeccyon & blysse that he is of by kynde / he that loueth god onely bycause he is good and profytable vnto him & bycause of that pryncypally that he sholde make hym perteyner of his Ioye and blysse / he maye be conuynced that he hath but naturall loue and vnperfyte charyte . A very profe of charyte cryst putteth hym selfe in the gospell of Iohn sayenge . Ioh. xiiij Qui habet mandata mea & seruet ea : ille est qui diligit me . He that hathe treu knowlege of my commaundementes and obserue and kepe them / he it is that loueth me / wherupon sayth saynt Austyn as sayth the foresayd doctour / he loueth god that kepeth his commaundementes ( not therfore that he is compelled for feere of grete payne or for couetousnes of Ioye ) but bycause the thynge that is commaunded is moost good and honest . The loue of our neyghboure must be lyke maner without ony regarde of profyte or rewarde / yf it be treu charite lyke vnto his that commaundeth vs to loue our neyghbour as he loueth vs . Ioh. xv . There be two euydent sygnes of loue to god in vs / one is whan we Ioye and gladly prayse god in all thynges that pleaseth him what so euer they be / whan so euer / of whome so euer / & where so euer they be do . An other sygne is whan a man is sory in god for all thynges the be dyspleasaunt vnto hym what so euer they be whan so euer of whome or where so euer they be done . An other rule of charyte / our swete sauyour Iesus putteh in the gospell . mat . xxij . Diliges dnm deum tuum ex toto corde tuo / ex tota anima tua / & extota mente tua . &c. Thou shalte loue god with all thy reason with all thy wyll with all thy mynde & memory . ex toto corde . with all thy reason without ony errour subduynge the wyt and vnderstandynge vnto the meke seruyce of cryst applyenge our study towardes him inforcynge with hole desyre to the knowlege and syght of hym . ex tota anima . with all our wyll obedyently that is whan the feere of no traunsitory yll dryueth vs frome his obedyence ne loue of ony thynge traunsytory drawith vs frome seruyce . ex tota mente . with all thy mynde & memore forgetynge & settynge of our mynde frome all thynge that dyspleaseth god and letteth his loue / as be Iniuryes done vnto vs / whiche whan they be called to remembraunce be as yren lefte in a wounde whiche letteth the helynge of the wounde . And some men saye that we must forgete our owne synnes after due confessyon made / yf we wyll gete perfyte loue we must subdewe our reason and vnderstondyng vnder the obedyence of god after his wyll & mynde foure maner wayes . Fyrst in all thynge that pertayneth to the fayth / we must obey god and byleue hym / wherof Hyllarius sayth . Soli deo de se credendum est qui se solus nouit . &c. We must byleue onely god of the thynges that longe to hym selfe / for he onely knoweth hym selfe . The seconde waye is to perceyue Iuge or consyder yll of our selfe and wel of all other . The thyrde is to preferre the mynde and sentence of our superyours before our owne mynde / and that moost specyally is to be done in relygyon . The fourth way is to consydre our selfe our actes and all that longeth to vs / and to torne awaye our eyes frome the consyderacyon of other folkes actes and maners / wherupon sayth saynt Barnarde kepe diligently thy selfe / and that thou mayst so do . nota bn̄ . Tourne away thyne eyes from other men . The rule of charyte towardes our neyghbour is . mat . xxij . mar . xij . Diliges proximum sicut te ipsum . Thou shalt loue thy neyghbour as thy selfe that is after saynt Austyn / thy frende as thy selfe / thy enymye as thy frende / and as euery man loueth that that is good to hymselfe in body and soule goodes and honoure / and exchewe or hate his owne hurte and domage in ony of these foure . So we ought to loue & be gladde of all that is good ony of these wayes in our neyghboure bothe frende and fo / and to hate & be sory of theyr hurte and domage . Notwithstondynge there is an ordre in charyte wherof the spouse of cryst speketh in canticis . Ordinauit in me charitatem . cant . ij . nota bn̄ . Our lorde hath sette in me charite in an ordre whiche saynt Austyn declareth this . Primo diligendum est quod supra nos est . &c. Fyrst we must loue god aboue all / nex our owne soules than our neyghboure that is aungell and man / than our owne bodyes & the bodyes of our neyghboures and as for wordly goodes he speketh not of them / for they sholde not be loued / but vsed as a bytter medycyne . Some men declare that we sholde loue our neyghboure as our selfe . In deo ad deum . ꝓpter deo . In god vnto god for god . In god that is for that he is a specyall creature of god . Unto god that is for he is made to his ymage / wherfore our entente in louynge sholde haue respecte vnto god . For god that is for that he shold come to blysse & helpe vs to the same . Therfore to honoure god without ende in tyme of prosperyte we can not well knowe treu charyte / nor it is not well proued by loue of frendes onely . ¶ To loue other onely bycause they loue vs it belongeth to nature and it is without reward / but to loue them that loue not vs / it cometh of grace / and to drawe our enymyes vnto loue by shewynge pleasures gyftes and benefytes / it longeth to perfeccyon & hath a hye rewarde . I thynke there is no thynge that maketh vs so lyke vnto cryst ( whiche is the very ymage of loue ) as do / to loue our enymyes and to be well contente with them that saye yll of vs and put vnto vs grete dyspleasures & payne . math. v. For this I am sure we sholde gete more grace and glory of theyr persecucyon than of theyr fauoure / yf we coude ordre vs with good manner and vse it well for the loue of god . Thus dyde enymyes & tyrauntes profyte moche more vnto holy marters towardes euerlastynge Ioye and glory than dyde all theyr frendes . The very tokens of loue to our neyghboures be whan we are sory for theyr hurte payne and aduersyte as well of our enymyes / as of our frendes / and be as gladde with all our herte of theyr profyte helthe & prosperyte / whiche be two denty byrdes & are harde to fynde . But contrary the very tokens of hatred / malyce / and enuy / or whan it greueth a man to thynke of his neyghbours / or to speke vnto hym / whan it is paynful for to heere good of hym / and whan he is gladde to let or hynder / that thynge that sholde be to his profyte / pleasure or honeste / & dylygent to promote his dysprofyte and dyshoneste / demynyshynge his good fame / & peruertynge his good werkes . Crisostome sayth that whan malice hath ones goten entresse in to mannes herte / all thyng that be spoken herde or done / be so taken & vnderstonde / that they encrease all waye the more malyce and longer enuyte . If there be sayd ony thynge of the enymye that is good / it is not beleued or elles it shall be peruerted . If ony yll be sayd / that onely is beleued forthwith confyrmed and multyplyed . Thus dyd not cryste vnto Iudas .

¶ The pycture of enuy and malyce . capi . xij .

I had not thought to haue spoken of this deuyllysshe and deedly ymage of enuy and malyce / that is so vggely pale and wan / for it maye stonde in no wyse by this ymage of loue / excepte it be troden vnder the fote as we se the pyctures of the deuyll and of tyrauntes vnder the fete of sayntes to theyr vtter confucyon rebuke and dampnacyon . If I sholde portraye it lyke the deuyll / it is worse than he / for by it the deuyll fel frome heuen horrybly dyfformed and dayly his malyce doeth encrease thrughe the same . If I sholde make it lyke Nero / yet is enuy moche worse / for Nero brent but a parte of Rome / but this enuy hath set all the worlde vpon a fyre that can not well be quenched . Compare it vnto deth / and it is moche worse / for it brought deth in to the worlde / & banysshed man frome paradyse . It slewe abell and hath wrought moche of all the myschefe seth the begynnynge of the worlde / it was the worker of crystes deth & yet it contyneweth dayly in myschefe more & more . It is the cruell beest that was supposed to haue deuoured Ioseph . Ouyde discryued it lyke to an olde trotte with a lene face pale & wan / the teth blacke / a fyry tonge / the mouth full of venyme / the eyes holowe neuer lokynge ryght forth / grymme & cruell of countenaunce / the brest swollen full of poyson / cruell nayles with blody handes & many other yll fetures / but yet he cowde not dyscryue it so yll as it is in dede . And bycause to haue it in dyspyte / I wyll cast it vnder the fete of myne ymage as a monstre made of all yll . The tayle of the serpente Detraccyon backebytynge of sclaunder whiche is a tayle of the serpent that the wyse man speketh of . Eccli . x. Qui mordet in silencio . That styngeth preuely with the prickes of detraccyon sclaunder and backebytynge / It hath the feete and subtelnes of a fox / thrughe Ipocrysy . A fox in the wodde goeth neuer ryght forth / but somtyme of the one hand / & somtyme of the other / & he wyll feyne hymselve deed for to dysceyue byrdes . ezech. xiij Quasi the ymage . Uulpes in desertis prophete tui . These enuyouse Ipocrytes be as foxes in wyldernes / they walke by subtel wayes that they sholde not be espyed / & feyne them selfe holy & religyous to disceyue them that be good / it hath the bely of a dragon whiche is Idelnes full of stynkynge thoughtes and false Imagynacions / the breste of alyon proude & disdaynous / the heed partly lyke deth & partly like the deuyl it hathe holes in stede of the eyes lyke vnto deth / for it hath nother loue nother fere of god / it hath the lyfte eere like Nero / redy to heere all yll / the ryght eere chopped awaye lyke malcus & stopped that it can heere nothynge good / the mouth wyde open lyke a graue open full of karyn / p̄s. v. the tongue sharpe as a swerde and all fyry / wherof the leest sparke is able to set a hole cyte a fyre / Iaco. iij. and all is venyme as a cokatryce . But the prophete wyll that myne ymage shall trede vpon this vggely monster sayenge . Super aspidem & basiliscum ambulabis & conculcabis leonem & draconem . p̄ . lxxxx . Thou shalt go vpon this serpent and cokatryce and trede downe the dragon & the lyon . We rede that moyses . Uerbis suis monstra placauit . eccl. xlv . With his good wordes pacefyed the monsters of egypte . But this monster coude neuer be pacyfyed nor contente . exod. vij . Example of pharo after he was infecte with this monster no maner of thyng nother of loue nor of feere coude pacefy his mynde for to be content with the chyldren of Israell . Be ware of this false monster / and for this intente I haue thus drawen hym / that euery man sholde be ware of hym & vtterly dyspyse hym . j. cor̄ . xl . Notwithstandynge many tymes he wyll traūsforme hymselfe in to an aungel of lyght by flaterynge & dissymulacyon / and therof specyally be ware . But yet he maye be easyly knowen / yf we wyll not hastly gyue credence vnto hym . Thus I haue paynted this vggely pycture / for to set out myne ymage the more goodly . Therfore I praye you accepte this ymage of loue that I vnworthy haue drawen to you vnkonnyngely .

The commendacyon of this ymage after Hugo de sancto Uyctore . Capi. xiij .

NOtwithstandynge I shall shewe you somwhat of the pryce that the holy man Hugo de sancto Uyctore saythe of it . nota bn̄ . O charitas quid dicam de te ? quon laudabote ? si saperem ? appreciarer te . &c O charyte what shall I saye of the / how shall I prayse the / yf I felte the or perceyued the I sholde caste in my mynde somwhat : what thou arte worth / yf I knewe thy valour : I coulde esteme som pryce for the. But perchaunce thou excedest my poore scarsnes / thy price can not be founde with me / it passeth my lytyll power / and yet wyll I gyue all that I haue and all that I can gete for the / all the substaunce of my house I wyll permute for the / all that is in the poore loggynge of my body I wyll gyue for the / all that is in the habytacle of my soule I wyll bestowe for the / and yet whan I shall gyue all / I may repute it as nothynge . All the delectacyous of my flesshe / all the Iocundytes Ioye and pleasure of my herte / I wyll gladly bestowe that I myght haue the onely in possessyon . Thou onely arte to me more dere / thou arte onely to me more profytable / thou arte only to me more swete / more Ioconde / more delectable / than ony creature . Satysfyenge me more plenteously / sauynge me more surely / conseruynge me more prosperously . I wyll shewe to all other men of the. Saye to me . O thou herte of man whiche wylte thou chose : to Ioye alwaye with this worlde / or to be alwaye with god . That thyng that thou louest moost / that thinge doest thou rather chose . Take hede therfore thou faynt herte : that other thou redressest thy loue or els delay not the better eleccion . what maner of goodlynes is there / where the maker of the worlde is / Loue therfore that better that thou mayst chose the better . Chose than charyte / for who so hath charyte hath god / he that hath charite whan he goeth whan he resteth / what so euer he doeth his herte goeth not from god . They that haue charyte in exortynge of other to charyte / they inflame themselfe with loue / & they shewe not onely inwarde but also in dede to euery man how swete the loue of god is . And how sower and bytter is the vnpure and dysceyuable loue of the worlde . Charyte scorneth the glory of this worlde / it dysdayne and reproue the toylynge and besynes therof . And sheweth what folisshnes it is to haue confidence and trust in these thynges that passen awaye so lyghtly / it merueyleth at the blyndenes of men that louen so this erthely thinges / it wondereth why they do not vtterly contempne them . Charyte thynketh that thynge to be swete vnto all men that sauoureth well vnto her selfe / that thynge to please them that she loueth / it thynketh that thyng that she knoweth to be manyfest vnto all . And thus it discouereth it selfe where it is / for it wyll not abyde onely withinforth in the wyll / but it must go withoutforth by shewyng of good workes in outwarde conuersacion . O charyte I haue praysed the as ferre as I can / and yet I caste in my mynde yf there maye be sayd ony more excellente prayse vnto thy laude . I can not saye whether it be more to call the god : or to saye that thou dyddest ouercome god that / that is more yf ony be more / that gladly and boldely wolde I saye of the / thus prayseth Hugo myn ymage . Take it therfore and set it fast vpon the aulter of your herte / alwaye lokynge vpon it / consyder the goodnes of it / remembre the vertue & power of it / se the many folde merueylouse effectes . It caused god to make man / it drewe hym from heuen to erth for to redeme hym agayne frome seruitude of the deuyll / it Ioyned the moost hye and pure nature to the moost lowe and vyle nature wherin it wrought merueylouse thynges / in resynge deed men / helynge lypers / and all maner dyseases . And at the last it wounded cryst full bytterly / and slewe hym full pyteously / for to quycken our soules full mercyfully / and resyd hym agayne full gloryously / vs for to Iustefy / it lyfte hym vp agayn to heuen ful Ioyously / there mankynde to gloryfye / it drewe vp steuen vyctoryously / and crowned hym eternally . It conuerted sodenly saynt Paule and fixed hym so fast vnto Iesu / Ro. viij . that nother trybulacyon ne anguysh persecucyon hunger pouerte to go naked sworde ne other parelles / coude not dysseuer hym frome the loue of cryst / ye and it made Paule so stronge that he sayd more of hymselfe and his folowers . I trust sayth he that nother dethe ne lyfe / nor none of all the aungelles in heuen nor in hell / ne nothynge good nor yll that is present or for to come / no strong violence nor hye power ne depe wytte / nor ony other creature / can seperate vs frome the charyte of god / that is in our lorde Iesu cryste / and after them this loue made innumerable people to loue & cast away al wordly thynges / and to ronne after cryst not sparyng nor ferynge / fyre / sworde / payne / ne no maner of tormentes / but gladly toke them with grete desyre / it was but a smalle thynge to them for to forsake theyr frendes for the loue of Ihesu . And thus not onely in stronge men / but also in women and chyldren weyke and frayle / and in yonge tender vyrgyns that were made by loue more stronge than all tyrauntes that fered nother kynge nor Emperour / and ouercame them both in wysdome and in strength / for to suffre more paynes than theyr tormentoures coude put them to / and vtterly confounded them . O good charyte O dere charyte / yf I vnworthy defyled wretche haue presumed to prayse the and to shewe thyn ymage thus rudely / where so many holy and noble men haue praised and commended the / but yet nothynge as thou arte worthy / as they wytnes themselfe . I cry the mercy and them also besechynge the to come in to my soule for to kyndle it in loue / to lyghten it with grace / to dilate myne hert / to stretche out my desyre / to open the bosome of my mynde / to enlarge & stablysshe thy dwellynge place in my soule . ¶ That it maye receyue the good lorde . Father / sone / and holy ghost / moost hye charyte in to my reason wyll and memory / for a contynuall dweller in me . And lykewyse in you good ladyes perpetually . AMEN

¶ Thus Endeth this lytyll treatyse / called the ymage of Loue .