REmember first of all ( vertuous reder ) that it is highe wisedome and great perfection , thy selfe to know , and then thy selfe to despyse . Thou must knowe that thou haste no thing that good is of thy selfe , but of god : For the gifts of nature , and al other temporal giftes of this world , which ben lawfully and truely obteined , wel considered , ben come to thee by the infinite goodnes and grace of God , & not of thy selfe . But in especial it is necessary for thee to knowe that God of his great grace hath made thee his Image , hauing regarde to thy memory , vnderstanding , and free wil , and that God is thy maker , & thou his wretched creature , & that thou art redeemed of God by the passion of Christ Iesu , and that God is thy helper , thy refuge , and thy deliuerer from all euyl , and to consider and knowe the goodly order which god of his infinite wisedome hath ordeyned thee to be ordered by . As to haue these temporal goodes for the necessitie of thy body : the body and sensual appetites to be ordered by thy soule : thy soule to be ordred by reason and grace : by reason and grace to knowe thy duetie to God and to thy neighbour , & by all common reason if thou kepe this conuenient order to god & his creatures , they shal kepe their order to thee : But if thou breake thine order to them , of likelyhood they shal breake their order to thee . For how should thy wife , children , seruauntes , and other creatures , with the whiche thou hast dooings , doo their dutie , and kepe their order to thee , if thou doest not so to God and to them ? And also thinke thou of a suretie , that if thy sensuall appetite be not ordred by reason & grace , thou art worse ordred than a beast : for then thou liuest out of order , and so doth not a beast , which is a great shame and rebuke to thee a reasonable creature , and without the great mercy of god , it shal be to thine eternal damnation . And therfore think and thanke God , and vtterly despise thy selfe , and thinke thy selfe a great wretch , in that god hath done so muche for thee , and thou hast so oft offended his highnesse , and also done him so little seruice . Surely it is also great wisedome to thinke , that if it had pleased god for to haue giuen to all other men ( aswel beggers as other ) like grace as he hath giuen to thee , that they would haue serued his goodnes better than thy selfe hast done : Wherfore thinke thy selfe a wretch of al wretches , except the mercy of God : And therfore by his infinite mercy and grace , call vnto thy remembraunce the degree or dignitie whiche almightie God of his goodnes hath called thee vnto , and according therevnto yelde thy debt , and doo thy duetie .

¶ First and principally , honour God as thy maker , loue him as thy redeemer , feare him as thy iudge . Secondarily , thy neighbour which is thy superiour , obey : Haue concorde and peace with them which be euen with thee in degree : & haue mercy and pitie on thine inferiours . Thirdly , prouide thee to haue a cleane hart , and a good custodie of thy tong . Pray and take labour , by grace to haue wisedome & cunning to do thy duety to God and to thy neighbour . And in all thy words & dedes haue euer in minde , that god and his angels heareth and seeth euery thing , and that nothing is so priuily done , but it shal be made open . And in especial haue in minde that thou shalt dye shortly , & howe Christ died for thee , the subtiltie and falsenes of this temporal world , the ioyes of heauen , and the paynes of hell . And euery morning , among other thy meditations and prayers , pray vnto thy Lorde God , that the day folowing , thou ( according to the degree which he of his infinite goodnes and mercy hath called thee vnto ) mayst vse this temporall wretched world in thy thoughtes , words , and deedes , that by them and the merite of Christes passion , thou mayst eschewe the paynes of hel , and come to the ioy euerlasting . And in executing thereof kepe truth in wordes and deedes . Defende no man , nor no matter , agaynst the trueth . In all thinges thinke and trust in God , and he shal direct thy wayes . Trust not to thine owne witte , but feare God , and he wyl keepe thee from euyl . If thou trust more in thine owne witte than in the grace of God , thy policie shall be soone subuerted . Be content to heare good counsayle , though it be contrary to thy will : For he is a very foole that will heare nothing gladly , but that is according to his mind . Do thou no man harme , least thou sufferest the same . As thou wouldest be done vnto , so do thou vnto other . Be suche to other , as thou desirest they shoulde be to thee . If thou be religious , remember that the due execution of true religion is not in wearing of the habite , but with a cleane mynde in very deede to execute the rules and ordinances of religion : For so it is , that to weare the habite and not to execute the rule and order of religion , is rather to be deemed hypocrisie , or apostatasie , than otherwise . If thou be lay and vnmaried , keepe thee cleane vnto the time thou be maried . And remember the sore and terrible punishmente of Noes stood , and of the terrible fyre and brimstone and sore punishment of Sodome and Gomor , done to man for misusing of the fleshe . And in especial call to remembrance the marueylous and horrible punishement of that abhominable great pocks daylye appearing to our sightes , growing in and vpon mans fleshe , the which sore punishment ( euery thing wel remembred ) can not be thought , but principally for the inordinate misuse of the fleshe . And if thou intende to mary , or be maried , and hast a good wife , thanke our Lord therefore , for she is of his sending . And remember that three thinges in especiall bene pleasaunt to the spirite of God , that is to say , concord betwene brethren , loue and charitie betwene neighbours , and a man and his wyfe wel agreeing . And if thou haue an euyl wife , take pacience , and thanke God , for all is for the best , well taken : Howbeit thou art bounde to doo and pray for her amendement , least she go to the Deuyl , from whom she came . And haue in remembraunce , that the intent of mariage is not in the beastly appetite or pleasure in the thing , but the intent thereof is , to eschewe the sinne of the fleshe , or els to haue children . And if thou haue children , as muche as thou mayest bring them vp in vertue , to be the seruauntes of God : for it is better for thee and them not to be borne , than to be otherwise . In thine aucthoritie , busie thee rather to be beloued of thine inferiours , than to be dreaded . Let thy subiectes and seruauntes rather serue and obey thee for loue , than for dread or neede : With suche a soueraigne goodnes gouerne thy subiectes , that they may be glad to serue thee both in punishing and in cheryshing . Keepe a manerly meane . Be not to straite . Forgiue not to soone . Keepe a conuenient measure in all thy works . Go not to meate as a beast , but as a reasonable man , say thy grace , and then remember that mo be sicke and dye by superfluities of meates , then otherwise . Wherefore eate with measure , to liue in health ▪ At thy meate haue none other but honest communication , and suche as is according to thy cunning . Backbyte no man . Be mery in honestie : For sorowe and care hath killed many , and no profite therin . In no wise sweare , without compulsion of the lawe : For where as is great swearing , from thence is neuer the plague of God . In no wise braule , ne chyde without an vrgent cause : For Salomon sayth , better is a little with ioye , than a house ful of vitayle with brawling . Also he sayth , An euyl person is euer chyding , and therefore the Angell of God shall be sent agaynst him . Be content at thy dynner , and also at other times , to geue part of that which God hath sent thee : For he that wyl not heare the cry of a poore man , he shal cry to God , and not be heard . After thy meat thank God of that he hath sent thee , or els thou dost not as a reasonable man , but like a beast , which in eating remembreth nothing but his meate . With good prouidence and discretion see the time wher , when , how , why , or wherefore thou speakest , doest , or byddest any thing to be done . When thou demest or iudgest any , be he poore or riche , behold and consider the cause , and not the person . Be as meke in other mens causes and offences , as in thine owne . Sit neuer in dome and iudgement without pitie or mercy . For while thou hast pitie , and art mercyfull to other mens offences , thou hast mercye on thy selfe : For in what measure thou measurest , it shal be measured to thee . Yet thou muste execute iudgment , but it must be with pitie or mercy : For ( of a suretie ) to do mercy and iustice , is more pleasaunt to God , than to pray or to doo sacrifice vnto him . Deeme no man by light suspections . First proue , and then deeme . In doubtes , reserue the sentence to Gods might . That thou knowest not , commit it to God . Haue little or none affection and loue to these earthly and temporall thinges : For blessed is the riche man that trusteth not in his money and treasure . Remember , as a man loueth , so he is : For the louer is in the thing loued more properly , than in him selfe . Wherefore , if a man loue earthly things , he may be called , An earthly man . And if he loue principally heauenly thinges or God , he may be called , An heauenly or a godly man . And therefore loue God and heauenly thinges , for vndoubtedly that is best and most assured loue , for they be , and euer shal be permanent , and all earthly thinges be soone vanished and ended , and so the loue of them is in vayne . Also it is wisedome to feare God : For as he sayeth him selfe , Feare not him that may kill the body , and can not hurt the soule : but feare him that can kill the body and also the soule , and commit them to euerlasting payne , Wherefore , euery euening ere thou go to bed , cal to remembraunce ( as much as thou canst ) thy thoughts , words , and deedes , sayd and done that day . And if any haue bene to thine owne profite and to the pleasure of God , hartily thanke him , for by his grace it was done . And if any haue bene contrary to hys pleasure , aske hartily mercy , and reconcile thy selfe shortly by repentaunce , to eschewe the euerlasting and terrible paynes of hel , For ( as Saint Austine sayth ) there is not a greater madnes , than for a little temporal delectation ( which is sone done ) to lese the eternall ioye , and to be bounde to euerlasting paine : from the which the almightie Father of heauen by his infinite power and mercy , and bytter passion and infinite wisedome of Iesu Christe , and by the infinite goodnes and charitie of the holy Ghost , keepe vs . Amen . Deo gratias .