<County: Norfolk>
<Code: L4648>
<MS reference: Oxford, Bodleian Library, Rawlinson C.57>
<Text: Chastising of God's Children>
<Tranche 1>
<fol. 1v><line 3><mrg>. xij .</mrg> how some of sweche men holde yat to euery ying yat
þei ben stered weþer it accorde to cristis techynge or non al co meth of ye holy gost .
<mrg>. xiij</mrg> what profite cometh to a mans soule be temptaciouns .
& yat tribulaciouns & temptaciouns ben sent to man for fy
ue principal causes .
<mrg>xiiij</mrg> of ye temptacioun of dispeir . and remedies a3ens suche
temptaciouns
<mrg>xv</mrg> of predestinacioun & prescience of god & of remedie for hem
þat ben trauailed with suche manere matiers .
<mrg>xvj</mrg> of wickede spirites and her~ power~ yat yei han be suf
fraunce of god . and how greuous yei wer~ in old tyme to our~
holy faderes .
<mrg>xvij .</mrg> of special ensamples how holy men in old tyme for li3te
defautes to our~ sighte were chastised sodeynly with bodeli
infirmites . and somtyme greuosly trauailed with illucious
of wickede spirites . and qwat remedie longeth to hem yat
ben trauailede with wickede spirites or fully assente to her~
illusiouns .
<mrg>xviij .</mrg> þat manye men and women ben disseyued be reuelacious
and visiouns & yat yere ben yre . principal kendes of visiouns .
<mrg>. xix .</mrg> how yei schal ben examined yt han visiouns & reuelacious
for to knowe wheþer yei come of a good aungel or a wicked
spirite :
<mrg>xx .</mrg> of sefne special tokenes by ye weche a man schulde kno
we visiouns of a good spirite fro illusiouns of ye deuel .
<mrg>. xxj .</mrg> yat visiouns or prophecies deuociouns or oþere gostly confor
tes or werchynge or miracles preue nat a man or a woman
holy . ne perfite . and how a man schal receyue alle suche
special graces þat he be nouth desseyuede .
<mrg>. xxij .</mrg> how slouthe and jdilnesse . gendrer sekenesse & how wer
<fol. 2r>chynge with grace is needful & how þre kendes of men
fallyn be vnstabelnes & yat vnstabelnesse is cause of yo
gostly feueres and cause of alle oþere errourys schowed be-fore
and qwat remedye may ben to hem þt ben falle in-to suche
erroures .
<mrg>. xxiij .</mrg> of affectiouns and specialy of resonable affectioun weche
sometyme by temptacioun is turned & shaunged & what is
ye cause and remedie a3ens yis temptacioun .
<mrg>xxiiij .</mrg> how pacience is a general remedie a3ens alle trauailes
and temptaciouns & of oþere general remedies a3ens alle dred
ful gostly temptaciouns .
<mrg>. xxv .</mrg> of special remedies a3ens alle diuers trauailes and pas
syouns yat comyn of ye sefene principal vices .
<mrg>. xxvj .</mrg> yat satisfaccioun and trauaile with bodely afflicciouns &
gostly be needful to purgacioun of ye soule as longe as
a man or a woman is trauailed with ony manere passiou~ .
<mrg>. xxvij .</mrg> recapitulacioun of alle yese matiers to-fore and of four~
maners of priyers .
<mrg>j</mrg>N dreed of al-my3ti god religious suster a short pistel y .
sende 3ow of ye matier of temptaciouns weche pistel as
me thenketh may resonably ben cleped þe chastisyng of
godys children . Of þis matier 3e han desired for to knowe
in comfort of 3oure soule . but niedful it were to 3ow pa
ciently and gladly for to suffre suche gostly chastisenges
with ful feith and sad hope and vn[a]bide<?> his ordenaunce
til he sende comfort be grace & be mercy . Somtyme it fal
leth þat be ye rithwisnesse and wisdome of god ye more
knowynge yat a man hath . ye strengere ben his tempta
ciouns . And al his connynge is hid a-way & stondeth hym in
to litel comforte as for yat tyme & to yat it plesith god
for his grete pite to comforte hym be grace . so yat in him
is only oure knowynge chastisynge and comfort . // Also
my sust~ . y . drede sore to wryten of suche hey3e matiers
<fol. 2v>for neiþer . j . ne haue felynge ne knowynge openly for to de
clare hem in englisch ne in latyn & namely in englisch
tungge . for it passeth fer my wit for to schewe 3ow in ony
maner vulgar ye termes of diuinite . // Also . j . fele my
self vnworthi for to haue yat gostli science wherby . y .
schulde knowe or haue an inward felynge qwat doctoures
wolde mene in here writynges . // þese causes considred
and manye oyere skilfully . y . may drede to write of yis
chastisynge . But askynge helpe of almy3ti god be his
my3t þe alle hadde speche to ye prophete Salam after your
desir as ferforth as . j . dar or knowe of temptaciouns . j . wele
schewe 3ow in special & in general and to hem remedies wt
oþere matiers yat lit3ly wele falle to purpos . euere more sub
mittynge me fully to holy correccioun of wise men & clerkes
and men of gostly knowynge . þis pistel weche . y . clepe
chastisynge of godys children . y . wele be-gynne with the
same wordes weche our~ lord ihesu crist seide to his aposteles
qwan he bad hem a-wake & preye to-fore yat he wente to
his passioun . yese wordes . y . wele folwe and with hem ma
ken an ende . as god wele 3eue me grace . That holy men
and gode men ben more tempted þan oþere men . & how our~
lord pleith with his children by ensample of ye modur
and here child . and qwat ioye & mirþe is in our~ lordes
presence . // <lat>Capitulum primum</lat> .
<lat>v<guideletter for missing dropped capital>igilate et orate ut non intretis in temptaconem</lat> . wa
keth and preyeth yat 3e falle nout in-to temptacioun .
þese ben ye wordes of oure lord ihesu qweche nede nouth
oþer declaraciou~ þan ye same vnderstondynge of ye selfe
wordes . þerfore . j . leue dyuisiouns of matiers pleynly to
write as god wele 3eue me grace somwhat of tempta
ciouns & remedies a3ens hem to 3oure gostly comfort . Ta
keth yanne good hede of yese holy wordes . Waketh and
preyeth þat 3e falle nout in-to temptacioun . 3e schulde
<fol. 3r>vnderstonde continuely and besy preyer qwan he seith . wa
keth and preyeth . and qwan he seith . yat 3e falle nouth in
to temptacioun . 3e schull y vndirstonde . yat 3e be nouth
ouercome with temptaciou~ . Þus haue 3e yanne be ye te
chynge of oure lord a special remedie a3ens alle temptaciouns
& yat is besy preiere . preieth yanne besily in alle tyme of nede .
<indented paragraph> But now to oure purpos taketh hede what oure lord
seith . he seith nouth preieth þat 3e be nouth tempted . but
he seith preieth yat 3e falle nouth in-to temptacioun . // þat
gode lord knoweth wel by his grace and ordenauns how
profitabele it is to gode men and women for to be meche . y .
tempted and to ben trobeled . yat semeth be his wordes
weche he speketh be ye prophete to a man or a woman yat
is tempted and t[r]obeled . J am with hym in tribulaciou@
. j . schal delyuere hym and . j . schal gloriefie hym . Of
þis we han ensample of oure holy fadres weche greuously
were tempted as 3e schul sen aftur . and a-mong alle of
oure glorious lady weche passede alle oþere in holynes . and
most was trobeled . þerfore he is deseyued þat weueth . he be
holy for he is nouth tempted . for-soth it is . Goode men &
women yat trauailen to ben perfit ben more tempted þan
oþere weche ben recheles of leuyng . and a skele qwy . for ye
hei3ere yat a+mounteyn is ; þere is ye grettere wynd . jn ye sa
me maner . ye heiere yat a mans leuyng is ; ye strengere
is ye temptacioun of his gostly enemy . wherefore men & wo
men of Religioun or of ony perfectioun þat fele nou temptacious
þan haughte þei sorest to drede . for þanne be þei most
tempted qwan yei fele hem nouth tempted . þerfore seit3
seynt Gregori ; Thanne art you most assailed qwan þu
felist ye nouth assailed . also whan oure lord suffreth vs
for to ben tempted in oure begynnynge he pleith wt vs
as ye modur wt þe child qweche somtyme flieth away &
hideth here and suffreth þe child for to wepe & crye . and
<fol. 3v>and besilich to seken here with sobbyngge . but þanne comeþ
þe moder sodeynly with merie cher and laghwynge be
clyppynge here child and halsynge and kissynge & wipeþ
a-way ye teres . // þus fareth oure lord with vs as for a
tyme . he withdraweth his grace and comfort fro vs in
so meche yat in his absence & we ben a cold & drye . swet
nesse haue we non ne sauour in deuocioun . slow we ben to
preyse or to trauaile ye wrecchede soule sodeynly chaunged
and mad ful heuy and ye herte ful of sorwe and care . þan is
ye body sluggy and ye herte ful heuy . and alle our~ spiri
tes so dulle yat þe life of oure body is to vs noyouns . al yat
we here or se yogh it be good . 3et for the tyme it sauourith
nouth . and soth for to seye wery we ben of goodnesse and
likly to falle in-to vices and febele to withstonde tempta
ciouns . Suche heuynes we fynde in absence of oure fadir
and 3it oure fadir loueth vs neuere-the-lesse but heldeth
hym for a tyme and pleith with vs for greet loue . þis
absence and forsakynge for a tyme þe prophete vnderstode
wel qwan he seide . Lord forsake me nouth alway . as
who seide . nouth in eche place : ne in alle tyme : þerfore vp
yese wordes seith seynt gregori ; He knew wel þat he schul
de ben forsake for a while þat askede nouth to be forsake
alway .
<Tranche 2>
<fol. 25r><line 3>Seide also in þe sexte capitele þat some ben sore trauailede
in ymaginaciouns and þoughtes of predestinacioun & of ye presci
ence of god . of ye weche matier . j . drede sore for to write .
for þese crimes han oþere sentencis in latyn þan . y . can schewe <mrg>in englisch . neuere som qwat j . wele schewe</mrg>
3ow shortly . Predestinacioun scheweth euermore to god . þe
prescience of god may ben vnderstonde to euil . and in þis
temptacioun a man is temptede with bothe . for in predestina
ciou@ he douteth wheþer god hath ordeynede hym to be saued .
& in ye ymaginacioun of ye prescience of god he dredeth noth
to be dampnede . Predestinacioun is begunne be þe orde
naunce of god . it is holpe be ye preiere of seyntes & of gode
men . and it is endede be a mans owene werkyng . / Ferst
. j . seie it is begonne of god . þerfore withnesseth þe Apostel
Paule and seith . Oure lord hath for sent or made his pre
destinacioun be-forn þe begynnynge of þe werd . // But
3it þis predestinacioun poteth nouth ne concludeth nouth
a needful good werching to hem þat schul be sauede . Ne
his prescience . þat is to-fore on englisch . his forknowyng po
teth nouth a needful euele werking to hem þat schul ben
dampnede . For god hath 3ouyn a man a fre wil bothe for to
wel do and to performe þat wil in dede . As þus qwan+a
man goth in to feloni . whiles he goth . nedes he muste go
þer . and 3et he goth but of his owene fre wil . þerfore
seith ye Apostele Poule . God hath wrouth in 3ow for to
welen and to parforme for a good will . Doth þerfor alle
þinge with-outen grucchynge & doutes . þat 3e mowe ben
with-outen perile & þat 3e ben simple godis children . Be
þe weche good werkyng and nouth werche for a tyme in aunt~
if þat we leuyn of oure gode werkinge be oure owene foly
we ben acountede by ye prescience of god a-mong hem þat
schul ben put out of þe book of life . For if we leuyn in goode
<fol. 25v>werkes and continue . þanne be þe ordenacioun of god we shul
ben acounted a-mong þe children . of þe weche Poule spekeþ
þus . // Oure lord hath cleped hem weche he hath ordeynede
be predestinacioun & he haþ made rithful hem þat he hath cle
pede . and he haþ magnifiede hem in euere-lestynge life we
che he made here rithful . þus þanne is predestinacioun be
gonne of þe ordenaunce of god . // J . seide also þat prede
stinacioun is holpe be preier of seyntes and of holy men .
Of þis y . rede þat þo yinges yat holy men don . or wher
of þei han grace in werkinge to oþere . þei ben so ordeyned
be-forn ye predestinacioun yat þei han alle suche werkinges
yorgh here preiers from deth to life . of ye weche god seide
of on of his disciples . Suffreth dede men for to berie
dede men folwe me . Vp þese ordes seynt Austyn seith
þat our lord reysede þre men from deth be preier~ of oþere .
and he herde be schewynge of on of his disciples þat
þer was ye ferthe dede man . but for þer were non þere
þat schulde preie for hym . he was nouth reised to yo life .
so þus be preiere of oþere men predestinacioun is holpyn . Also
predestinacioun is ended be a mans owene werkyng . to þis
accordeth seyn poule where he seith . þat we ben þe hel
peris of þe werkinge of god . // For predestinacioun of god
is fulfilled be preieres of seyntes and by a mans desertes .
& for as meceh as we be nouth knowynge weche ben or
deynede of god þat schul ben in þe booke of life & weche
nouth . yfore it is nede þat we don alway wel and besily
werke with þe grace þat he sendeth vs . for þanne mowe
we troste sekirly þat he hath ordeynede vs to ben of the
nounbre þat he hath chosen . / An holy clerk bonauenture
poteth a remedie to þis temtacioun weche accordeth to þese
wordes be-forn as 3e schul sen . Jf 3e ben trauailed wt
ony þouth of þe predestinacioun or of þe prescience of god . þan
mowe 3e ansswere to þe deuil þat poteth in 3ow þt suggestioun
<fol. 26r>and seyn with þe herte and with þe tunge in open speche to
his confusioun for he knoweth nouth oure þoghtes but þe
outward tokenes . and qwan he knoweth þat he is despised
and seet at nouth . he leueth his pursute for shame of his
owene confusioun . þerfore qwo-so-euere be tempted with þis
temptacioun schal speke to him þese manere wordes . How
euere it be of me soth it is þat þou art dampned . & þogh it
be soth be þe prescience of god þat . y . schal nouth haue my
lord after þis life . 3et wele . y . trauaile with alle myne
strengthes þat . y . mowe haue him heere . for here y wele
haue him as meche as . y . may . þat . y . falie nouth . ne
lakke nouth so meche godenes bothen in þis life and
aftir þis life . 3et schal . y . nouth han but wrechede
nesse aftir þis life . y . wele nouth leue ne lese þe litel
tyme þat . y . schal han here . but aftir my powere . y .
wele sette my ioye and al my delite in my lord god . /
A gret wodenesse it were if . y . schulde be tormented wt
euere-lestynge peyne to take me now in-to myn enemies
hondes and so forth ben with hem euere more . þerfore . y . wele
3eue me hollich to my god þat ordeynede for me be his pre
destinacioun þat þer schal be noþinge in me to my power~
herte ne tunge . ne noo membre but alle schul ben occu
piede in my lordes seruice . How euere my lord god haþ
knowynge qwat schal fallyn of me . y . wot wel þt
he may nouth forsaken hym-selfe . þerfore hym . y . wele
be-clippe with alle myne inward wittes and faste y wele
heldyn me hym<?> þat he schal nouth leue me but he 3eue
me his blissynge . // Also . y . schal hide me in þe depe holes
of his woundes and þere . y . wele reste me . for out of þoo
he schal nouth fynde me . he wele nouth compelle me
to gon out . for he seith him-selfe . j . schal nouth caste
hym out þat cometh to me . and þus he schal not damp
ne me . but he wele don a3ens his owene doom . j . wele
<fol. 26v>also falle doun to his moderes fete and seyn to here lowely
þat for senful men sche was made his moder . & here wele
. y . preye þat sche aske for me for3euenes . // þat lady may
nouth pote me a-way . for alle men seye & of here witte
þat sche is welle of pite . þerfore of gret compassioun shal
she lowyn here sone to mercy . so þat in þis y . schal han
trebele helpe and refute . For if my lord hath ordeyned ˆ [men] be
predestinaciou@ to ben on of his chosene children in heuen~ .
from þis tyme forward y . wele leuyn more like to aun
gelis life . þan a mans life . // To hym . y . 3eue me holly
þat hath 3oue him-selue to me . of þis 3ifte . j . holde me
wel apaiede . for hens-forward . j . desire no+more but him .
þerfore qwat-euere schal be don with me . y . wele nouth
faile ne leue þe seruice of my lord . But woo is to ye
and euere more schal be for þou maist don him non seruice .
ne neuere schat þou ioye in his blisful presence . Thus
with besynesses and vertues leuynge & deuout preiere schul
3e wt-stonde and ouercome yis temptacioun and trauailynge
þe ymaginaciouns and þinking of þe predestinacioun & the
prescience of god . þerfore waketh and preieth þat 3e falle noth
into temptaciou@ . <lat>Vigilate et orate & c~</lat> . // Of wickede spi
rites and here power þat þei haue be ye suffrauns of
god and how greuous þei were in old tyme to oure holi fadres . <lat>Capitulum . xvjum .</lat>
a<guideletter for missing dropped capital> Gret difference is þere
be-twixe peynes yat a rithful man suffreth bo
deli outward and temptaciouns weche a gostly man suf
freth inward . and al-þogh yat a spirit be euere besy for
to trauaile and for desese goode men . 3et mighte <exp>þei</exp>
ne powere hath he non . but what he hath ; it is be ye
suffraunce of god . þerfore seith seynt Gregori . <lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat>