A Ryght Profytable Treatyse Compendiously Drawen Out Of Many and Dyvers Wrytynges Of Holy MenBetson, Thomas
Religion
A Ryght Profytable Treatyse Compendiously Drawen Out Of Many and Dyvers Wrytynges Of Holy Men
Betson, Thomas
Christian life
dignyte by your spouse Ihesu cryst that neuer shall haue ende /
the poorest of you bryngeth more to the monastery / so that ye
come with a meke herte and in wyll to forsake yf that ye hadde
neuer so moche / than she that bryngeth moche with a proude herte
/ and therwith to other wolde haue it knowen. Beware euer that no
foule worde or stryue be amonge you [that] ben deed folke in this
worlde. But euer thynke [that] the trompe of the last daye of
Iugement soundeth in your eeres / and calleth you sayenge. Ryse
doughters Ryse / & come to your Iugement. Lete euer your mynde
be with your spouse / and with your moder blessyd Marye / & the
sayntes as often as ye synge or rede. Remembrynge [that] god is
there present and seeth what ye do Lete none see you from the
seruyce of god or vnoccupyed. In redynge of prophetes epystles /
gospelles / sayntes lyues / & other dedes of vertue doynge /
hauynge euer bokes in your handes / studyenge or wrytynge / [that]
people seynge you may saye. Beholde here the seruaût of god / &
the lanternes of the worlde. Beware also of glotony whiche is
moder of all vnclennesse & bocheres of chastyte / & kepe your
stomake rather voyd than to take to it superfluyte wherthorugh ye
shall not nede to take medicynes for a digestyon. Vse curtesly to
ete & not gredely nor hastely / for therin may ye synne. It is
wryten in the lyf of saynt Benet [that] a religious woman [with] a
gredenes receyued a wycked spiryte in etynge of letuse in [the]
gardeyn. Also they [that] vse to dr[yn]ke wyne go not [with]out
fyre î theyr bosom. And euer beware of dronkenshyp / remenbrynge
[that] abstynence & fastynge is a sure medycyne for all sekenes.
And by them cometh grete vertue & grace. Not for thy beware of
vndiscrete abstynence / whiche myght cause you to haue payne here
& in tyme to come. Whan tyme is of redyng at your meles & repast
or ony other good doctryne than beware of speche or laughynge /
but take hede to [the] lecture. And knocke pryuely your brestes &
that yf ye may with fallynge of teeres / after your meles reherce
your lectures or some notabilytees of sermons or other holy
thynges [that] ye haue herde or seen afore. And whan ye praye be
sory for the Ignoraûce of the people & theyr synnes / & mynde the
soules that ye be specyally boûde to praye for with all other
crysten soules. And yf ye wyl haue [the] swetenes of contemplacõn
/ clense your herte from all worldly thynges. And be as ye were
deed amonge them & as ye were buryed in your sepulcre the whiche
betokeneth your monastery / to the tyme ye aryse & appere afore
your spouse to haue your rewarde of his glory. Whan ye shal go to
your garden & seen the herber & grene trees smellynge [the]
floures & fruytes with theyr swetnesse / meruaylle the grete power
of god in his creatures / & thenne labour & engendre in your mynde
/ or talkynge of deuocõn & lyfte vp your herte to heuen / & thynke
verely [that] the maker of them that is your spouse in heuen is
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