YOVR DEVOVT myndes good virgyns doo ofte ty­mes prouoke me, with youre dely­cate and swete p̄ ­sentes, that I shoulde by somme maner of writynge, not onely ce­lebrate and laude your most pre­cyouse treasure, but also extolle and cōmende vnto you, your in­tent and purpose. In the tone ye be ledde by a certayne relygious desyre, sekynge nothynge els but the glorye of god, the whyche in his sayntis is very glorious: In [Page] In the tother I perceyue ye seke for spiritualle gayne, with your pleasaunt and swete gyftes, dely­tynge the mouthe, diligently la­bourynge to opteyne of me those thynges, that fede the sowle: this is a very deuout captation, a ho­ly desyre, a ryght wyse and gayn­full chaunge, and mooste comely and seemely for wyse virgins: yf I were the man that coude bring forthe any thynge oute of the se­crete coffers of holy Scripture, that might in like maner refreshe your myndes, as your giftes and presentes do refresshe my bodye. You erre not in youre affeccyon, but you faylle in youre election: you loue that that is beste, but you chose not him, that can satis­fie your holy desyres. And yet bi­cause you shal not thynke me vt­terly [Page 3] vnkynde, I do not a lyttell reioyce, to see in you (chosen vir­gyns of god) this good mynde, that is, thyrstynge nothynge els but the glory of your spouse. For it is an euident and a sure token of a chast wyfe, to recken her hus­bandes glory her owne. For tru­ly he, vnto whom you are specy­ally spoused, is aboue al the chil­dren of men the moste goodlyest, and in all his actes and dedes he is the moste glorious: Though oone wolde contemplate and be­holde on euery syde the wonder­full frame of this world, yet shall he fynde hym more gloryouse in the redemynge of the worlde, thā in makynge therof. Gen. 1. He made the worlde, and the hole company of aungelles with tournynge of an hande: but with his precyouse [Page] bloudde he redemed that that he made. The same wisedome, whi­che is Christe Iesus, and whiche also is the wonderfull werkman of this worke, to thentēt to make a thynge more meruayllous, by dyuine crafte he edified a howse eternall, and a temple worthy for god, that is the Churche, whiche he as a kynge moste ryche, dydde freshly garnishe and ornate with all maner of spiritual ornamen­tis. For what is golde, syluer, y­uory, what is the smaragde, the Topase, the beryll, or the varia­ble shynynge of precious stones, cōparring them to the rich giftis of the holye ghooste, whiche are prophecy, the gyfte of tongues, the vertue of working myracles, and the curynge of infyrmities, peace, puritie, charitie, and suffe­rance? [Page 4] This holle Edifice, made of lyuely stones, with a wonder­full agrement couched together, ryseth vp to heuen, Act. 4. Christ beinge the very corner stone, knyttethe fast to gyther al the hole frame, y ^t it can neither fall in ruyn nor de­cay. These stones are the dyuers orders of saynctis. Pro. 3. In this Temple he reioyceth to dwell, lyke as he saythe in an other place: My delectacyons are to be with the sonnes of men. He this magny­fycent Salomon glorifieth hym selfe in these rychesses: he is noo where more meruayllous, noo where more glorious, than in his saynctis: to whom he hath vou­chesafed this honoure, to make them his own membres: and ac­ceptynge them as his bretherne, to make theym heires with hym [Page] of the heuenly kyngedome. He dyed for al: but yet his most glo­rye and pleasure is in the bendis of Martyrs, and in the compa­nyes of vyrgyns. These are the most precious Iewels, of which the churche of Christe dothe soo stately auaunce her selfe of, the whiche woteth nat wherof to glorye, but in the onely gyftes of her spowse. For what so euer thynge is glorious in saynctis, the same is the gyfte of Christe. O good virgins, the delectations and or­namentis of your spouse, are dy­uerse and variable. whā he goth forth, he is beset about with son­drye precious vertues, and with innumerable kyndes of flowers: but the rosis of martyrs, and ly­lyes of virgins, do mooste speci­ally please aud delyte hym. And [Page 5] no meruayl, though he loue that that he is hym selfe, ye wherof he is the very fountayne to al other. I am (sayth he) Flos campi, Cant. 2. the flo­wer of the felde, and the lylie of the valeyes. He is the prynce of martyrs, for throughe hym mar­tyrs are myghty and stronge. He is the chiefe capitain of virgins, for by him virgins do subdue the flesshe, and the desyres thereof. After that he descended downe to the erthe, and hadde spredde a­brode the fyre of charitie, wynter passed away, and these freshe flo­wers sprouted vp euery where in our countreye. Howe scarse was virginitie before? But after that Christe had ones consecrate vir­ginitie, howe many thousandes of yong men and women sprang vp sodaynly through out all the [Page] worlde, whiche wyllyngly gaue them selfes to pure chastitie for the kyngdom of god? After that he, suffringe dethe on the crosse, hadde taughte, that they were very happye, that wolde dye for goddis sake, howe many swar­mes of men & women came forth, that wyllyngely yea and gladly suffered deathe for the glorye of Christe? Doutlesse for this cause it is, that your spouse glorieth in the Cantycles, where he saythe thus, Ryse vp, haaste you my svvete loue and my fayre dooue, and come. For novve vvynter is paste, the shoure is goone, oure grounde is couered vvith fresshe floures.

¶Howe barrayne shoulde our erth haue ben, if he the same he­uenly sonne had not kendled our hartis with y ^e hete his Charytie? [Page 6] if he had not watred our mindes with the showre of his grace?

But what flourisheth fayrer then the Euangelicall veer? What is more plentyfulle? what is more louely? The rosis ruddy hewe a­bydeth not longe, the beautie of the lilye fadeth soone, wheron a certayne Pagane writeth thus:

But those fresshe flowers, with which the Churche is plentiful­ly furnyshed, do neuer wyther a­way. For Christe is the immortal lylie, & gyueth immortall grace to his lylyes. He is the Rose im­mortall, whose fresshe and fayre colour dothe neuer fade, and the same perpetuitie he gyueth vnto his. He is called Flos campi, that is the flower of the felde, bycause of [Page] the Iewes. Fieldes be apte and mete for tillage. Amonge the Ie­wes he was dyed with his owne precious bloude, the whiche Ie­wes Moyses and other prophet­tes dydde eare and tylle, yet they coude neuer cause them to bryng forth suche fruites as they loked fore. He was the lylie of the Ual­leis amonge the thorny and vn­tylled gentiles, to whom it is perswaded, that he became man, and was borne of the Uirgin Marie without spotte of synne. Surely he was the euangelicall lilie, that god the father so clothed, as ne­uer Salomon was arrayed in al his great glory. For why, neither Salomon, nor yet none other, was euer borne of a pure virgin, defyled with no spotte of the fyrst parent. Who so euer couple them [Page 7] selfe by feyth to this lilie, bycause they are made one fleshe and one spirite with hym, they are pour­ged from fylthy synnes, they re­ceyue the fayre white garment of innocency, and be also made Ly­lies. For so in the same place fo­lowynge saythe the spowse, Cant. 2. that nameth hym self a lilie: Lyke as the lylie is amonge thornes, so is my loue amonge the doughters. what thyng els is the lily amōge thornes? but a virgyne amonge wyues.

¶Matrymonye is an honeste thynge, but it is besette aboute with briers and thornes. For su­che as be maried, saythe Paule, 1. Cor. 7. shall haue trybulacyons of the fleshe. If any man doubte, whe­ther matrimonye haue thornes, lette hym enquere of maried wo­men, [Page] what greate grefes she en­dureth, that hath to her husbāde a frowarde felowe, a drunkarde, a dycer, an aduoutrer, a waster, what dysplesures growe of kins­folke, and what of wycked chyl­drē, and than (if he thinke it best) lette hym denye a virgyn to be a lylie amonge thornes? A virgyn being free from the cares of this worlde, myndeth those thynges that perteyne to our lorde, howe she maye please hym: She that is maried, as it were hyther and thyther haled and plucked with dyuers and sondry cares, setteth her mynde on many thynges.

Surely all they that haue taken on theym to folowe Christe, are lylies, but specially virgyns. A­monge them he the marueylous spouse fedeth and taketh his de­lyte, [Page 8] whyche is not enterteyned with euery body. Cant. 2. He is my deere derlyng and I his, which fedeth amonge the lilies, vntyll the day breake, and tyll the shadowes be gone. Suche flowers he gathe­reth, that he may make of them a garlande that neuer wythereth away in heuen: lyke as it is said in an nother place: Cant. 2. My loue is goone downe into his gardeyne, vnto the swete smellinge beddes, that he may refresshe him selfe in the gardayns, and gather lilies. Trewely of those lylies speaketh the wyse man sayenge, Eccl. 39. Florisshe you flowers as doth the lilie, and gyue sweete sauour, and spredde out your bowes in grace, singe a songe of prayse, and blesse you oure lorde in his workes. The spouse beynge a vyrgyn, dely­teth [Page] in virgins songes. This is the newe songe, that the Syna­goge knewe not, in the which she was cursed, that brought forthe no children. But there are in the gospell innumerable, that synge a newe songe, whiche were rede­med from the erthe, and called in to the felowshyp of aungels, by­cause that they neyther mary nor defyle theym selfe with women, Apoc. 14. but folowe the lambe, whither so euer he gothe, and are withoute spotte before the throne of god.

There be many withoute spot in the syghte of men, but happy are they that appere suche before the throne of god: happye are they, which to the laude of theyr newe spouse, doo synge a newe songe, inwardly reioysyng, and to them selfe demeanyng great gladnes, [Page 9] that they being pure and chaste, do singe pure and cleane balades in honour of their pure and clene spowse. And ofte tymes your quier to their spouse singeth this melodious songe:

¶O IESV the Crowne of vyr­gins, whom she thy mother con­ceyued, whiche alone a virgyne dyd beare, accept o moste mekest these our vowes.

¶O what greatte purytie is in this virgin, he the prince of vir­gins, and spowse and crowne of virgins, was cōceyued of the he­uenly spirite, and borne of a vyr­gin, the glorious beautie of vyr­gynite not broken. Of wyues the husbonde is the glory, but of virgins Chryste is the glorye: The whiche dothe fede among lilyes, compassed aboute with crownes [Page] of virgyns, hyghtynge and ad­ournynge his spowses with glo­rie, and yeldynge to them rewar­des. Your spowse is a sheparde, which gaue his life for his shepe, and is yet stylle carefulle for his flocke. For daily he saueth them, dayly he calleth theym hoome a­geyne that straye abrode, dayely he cureth, and dayely he feedeth theym. He hathe also his delec­tations, in whiche he taketh ple­sure, he hathe his neere felowes, whome he calleth husbandes, he hath his playfeeres yonge may­dens, whome he calleth wyues.

In spiritual thynges there is no difference of sexes, but they are named and called after theyr age and merites. Christ hath but one spouse, whiche is the churche, she hath many to accompanye her, & [Page 10] euery one of them maye be called a spouse. The spouse selfe is but one, and yet hath he somme, that he derely loueth, to whom he cō ­mytteth his wyues, soo that they also in maner may be called hus­bandes. For if byshoppes mowe rightously be called shepherdes, sythe there is but one shepeherde our lorde Iesus, what shall than lette them to be called husbādes. The wyues of this worlde, are stately and proude of the gyftes and dignitie of their husbandes, they shewe and booste their gaye garmentes and fresshe araye, for such as haue no husbandes seme as persones forsaken and desty­tute. But the spowse Iesus, for the despised ornamentes of this worlde, doth gaily hight and ad­ourne his spowses with dowe­ries [Page] of the sowle: for the glorie of the fleshe, whiche so soone vany­sheth away, he gyueth them im­mortall glorie. Trewely to those spouses, whiche folowynge the example of the high shepeherde, and lyke valyant champyons in defence of his flocke, doo not re­fuse to dye, he gyueth rewardes. what rewardes? not a garlande of oken leaues, or of laurell, not an image, or a title, or some other lyke rewarde, that the worlde for dedes worthily done is wont to gyue in recompence: but a garlande euermore freshe and flou­rysshynge in heuen, and a name wryten in the booke of lyfe, that neuer shall be blotted out by noo age. This delitious and plesant spouse, delyteth most specially in this company, which for all that, [Page 11] lotheth no wel disposed person, be he neuer so poore.

¶There foloweth in the forsaid hymne. Whyther soo euer thou goest, virgins do folowe the, and with laudes syngynge runne styl after the, and with theyr sweete songes make pleasant noyse. Cō ­cernyng the fashion of the world it is an vncomely thinge, to see a virgyn wyllyngely rounne after her spowse. But it were a fowler syght, to see many virgins folow one spouse. In thingis touching the soule, it is otherwise, for there is nothyng more goodly, then to se many many virgins, that nere accompany one spouse Iesu. Nor it is noo meruayle, if they runne after hym, as they were woode, for loue of their spouse. For he al­lurethe theym to hym by secrete [Page] intycementes, whose louelynesse passeth all humayne loue. Psal. 44. He is the feyrest among the children of men, flowynge full of grace are his lyppes, the whose vysage to beholde angels esteme most high felycytie. He breatheth with his swete smellyng sauors on whom he wolle, and they on whome he breatheth say: Cant. 1. Drawe me after the, and we shall renne in the o­dour of thy swete smelling oynt­mentes. They can not renne, ex­cepte they be drawen: they canne not loue, excepte they be fyrste lo­ued: And they that be alredy dra­wen, desyre to be more plentiful­ly drawen: they that rūne, couer to rūne so fast, that they may ap­proche yet more nere to hym that they loue. Trewely they felte and perceyued his lyppes to flowe [Page 12] full of grace, the whiche saye: Ioan. 6. O lorde whither shall we goo? thou haste the wordes of euerlastynge lyfe. Al they that ꝓfesse the name of Christe, folowe theyr sheparde Iesus: but they al onely his vn­seperable feres, do folowe why­ther so euer he woll goo: they fo­low hym euen to the very beatin­ges, they folowe him euen to the very persecution.

¶Our lorde Iesus, what tyme he was in this world, ofte tymes ledde after hym greate and huge multitudes of al sortis of people: but whan he shulde go to Hieru­salem to be slayn, fewe dyd accō ­panye hym, but yet fewer, whan he bearynge his Crosse, went to­warde the Mount of Caluerey. But they which be the very felo­wes of the spouse, whiche be true [Page] virgins, coude not at this poynt be plucked frome theyr spowse. When he hynge vpon the crosse, Peter, whiche was thoughte to haue a wyfe, coulde no where be founde, but the vyrgyns, Mary the mother of Iesu and Iohn̄, a­bode faste by the crosse, the other women stoode afarre of, and be­helde what was doone. They fo­low then, ye and that gladly and wyllyngly: nor they folowe hym not as dumme persons, but syn­gynge balades, and makynge swete melody.

¶They that be mennes wyues haue no leysure to be in the dan­ces, they haue no leysure, no ma­ny tymes they haue noo luste to synge: they muste please theyr husbandes, they must chyde and braule with theyr maides and seruantes, [Page 13] & chastise theyr children. Our virgins, being free from all care and thought of this worlde, do nothynge els, but in spiritual quiers, synge swete hymmes to theyr spouse. For they ascribe no­thynge to them selfe, but gyue al the glory of theyr felicitie to him, to whom onely they owe al thyn­ges. He this louer deliteth in su­che maner songes, he wol, he wol his gyftes to be songe: he hateth the phariseis songis, I fast twise in the Saboth, I gyue the .x. of my goodes to the pore, I am not as other men be. The more chast that a virgin is, the more shame­faste she is. Here the voyce of a very virgin: Luc. 1. Beholde the hand­mayde of our lorde. And he hath sene the humilitie of his hande­mayde. In the cantycles he cal­leth [Page] his spouse a douue. He desi­rethe to beholde her shappe, and coueteth to here her voyce: Cant. 2. Come sayth he, my douue out of the ca­ues of the rockes, out of the ho­les of the walle: O lette me see thy vysage, and here thy voyce, for swete is thy voyce, and fayre is thy face. The soule hath his face. The face is moste specially estemed and iudged by the eies: with the eies we shewe & declare our intēt: also with the eies with out voyce we signifie the inward affections of our myndes. The eie of a vyrgin is symple, she en­uyeth not, she lyeth not in awayt to disceyue, she suspectethe none yuell, she myndeth not yll. The face of suche oone delytethe the spouse, Can. 2. which a lyttell after sayth thus: Howe fayre arte thou my [Page 14] loue, howe fayre art thou? Thou haste douues eies.

¶Here some wyll saye, What swetenes is in the complaynyng and mourning voyce of a douue, to delyte and please a man with? The nyghtyngales voyce shulde rather be called to this parable and similitude. The rare and ve­hemente loue maketh contynu­alle complayntes, but yet plea­sant and moste acceptable to the spouse. Here a lamentyng douue: I desyre to be lowsed, Phil. 1. and to be with Christ. Rom. 7. And ageyne: O wretched man that I am, who shall delyuer me from the body of this deathe? Harken what an other douue saythe, Wo is me, Psal 119. that I dwel so long in this world. Psal. 136. And, By the waters of Babylon we sate downe and wepte, whan we [Page] remembred the Syon.

¶These lamentable voices and ful of sighynges, are most accep­table in the eares of the spouse, in such maner of songes he moch delyteth.

¶And bycause they sayd, O mercyfull lorde accepte our vowes, it is tyme, that they nowe expresse and declare, what they wold op­teyn of theyr spouse: Is it riches­ses, is it honours, is it pleasures, is it a kyngdome, is it long lyfe? For those thinges care haue they none, for y ^e vehemēt loue of their spouse hath vtterly broughte thē to despise those thinges. What is it than? we praye the, encreace our myndes yet more largely, & graunt, that we mowe vtterly be ignorant of all corruption. They aknowlege howe great a tresure [Page 15] vyrgynitie is, that is, A cleane mynde in a bodye vncorrupte. They also aknowlege, that what so euer he hath gyuen theym, he wol vouchsafe to encreace it, and to heape benefyte vpon benefyte. Noo vyrgyn is soo pure, whi­che hath not, wherby she may yet profite. For you shall scasely find any virgin, whiche to thende the body maye be vndefyled, offen­deth not otherwhile in thought. Nor trewe virginitie resteth not only in the gyft of chastitie, but all vyce of the mynde is the cor­ruption of this virginitie. Who soo euer swarueth from the true feyth catholyke, his virginitie is defiled. 2. Cor. 11. Of this purenesse spea­keth Paule, writynge to the Co­rinthees: ‘I haue maried you vnto one man, to bring a chaste vir­gine [Page] vnto Christe: But I feare, leste as the serpente begiled Eue with his wylynesse, euen so your wyttes shulde be corrupted from the simplenes, which is in Christ Iesu.’

¶A vyrgin defyled with enuye, backbityng, arrogancie, is woū ­ded with corruption: Therfore they pray, that theyr most muni­ficent spouse woll vouchesafe to augment the gyftes that he hath gyuen theym, and that he wolle graunte them to be vtterly ig­noraunt of all woundes of cor­ruption. why saye they vtterly? That is nother in mynde nor in body. what is to say of all? what soo euer the humayne affection doth moue and styre vs to. This vowe or request might seme vn­reasonable, ne were it that the [Page 16] spowse is almyghty, and mooste faythfull of his promyse. He wol not that his shal be only lyke vn­to hym, but also he woll them to be the selfe same. But let vs ad­mytte, that no manne in this lyfe can atteine to that, that the quier of vyrgins dothe desyre, yet the request of this moste thankefull quire shall not be made in vayn. For that that they here throughe fauour of their spowse are mind­fulle of, shall in the resurrection chance them fully through theyr spouses augmentynge.

There are degrees in the Chur­che milytant, and soo there be in the churche triumphant. I wote not whether I haue taryed you longer than I shulde haue done in declarynge this hymne: Truly I repent me not, syth it is saynte [Page] Ambroses. For besyde all other argumentis, the word of thre syl­lables in the ende of euery dime­ter, sheweth who is the authour. wherin I suppose that man had not so moche pleasure in the con­cent of the meter, as he delyted in the symbole of of the holye Tri­nitie. The churche the spouse of Christe hath many hymnes, but I wote nat whether there be any that sing with more ioy and gladnes of al persons, than they, whi­che celebrate the spouse in the vi­ctories of Martirs, or triumphes of virgins.

¶But nowe to retourne againe to those two flowers, farre pas­synge all other most fragant, the Rose and the Lilie. Lyke as the deathe of Christe with his swete odour drew many to the contēpt [Page 17] and despysynge of this lyfe: soo the virginitie of Christe allured many a one to the loue of chasti­tie. They that ar drawen of him, beinge nowe theym selues made flowers, haue drawen other.

Christe sayde to Peter: Folowe me. Ioan. 21. Howe manye haue folowed Peter? Who denyeth, but that we be moche bounde to the holy doc­tours, the whiche (euery thynge beynge in peace and reste) haue taught vs the way of our lorde? But how many mo hath the fra­graunt swetenes of the martyrs, drawen to the professyon of the gospell? Yea howe many mo the example of virgins? It is a gret thynge, boldely and connyngely to dispute of the gospelle: But the greattest poynte is, gladly to dye for the gospell. It is a great [Page] thynge, to despise and set nought by the glorye and ryches of this worlde, but it is farre greatter to mortifie and slee the fleshe with the concupiscencis thereof. And the churche knoweth to whome she is bounde. The churche (next Christ) hath had none in more honour, than they, which wyllyng­ly and gladly offred theyr bodies to be cruelly turmented, for the glorie of their spouse, and for sa­uation of the flocke, for the whi­che he hym selfe vouchesafed to dye. They secondarily were had in honour, whiche wyllyngly for the kyngdome of god gaue them selfe holly to lyue chaste. what a great ioye and gladnes was it to all the Churche, whan a martyr constantly suffred dethe for Chri­stis sake? And howe great sorow [Page 18] and lamentation, if any shranke backe. Agayne, Howe greattely dyd the churche reioyce, if a vir­gin, that myght haue bē maried to a man, wold rather put on the holy vaile of chastite, and couple her selfe to her spowse Chryste? And how great sorowe was there made, if any suche dydde caste of her vayle, and wolde be maryed to a man? Undoubted the losse of a thynge, that is most dere, is ve­ry greuous. with what feruente loue dydde christen men in tyme paste runne to the ashes of Mar­tyrs? Howe holy was the memo­rie of them amonge all chrysten men, whan dayly olde men, yong men, honest matrones, and vir­gins, runne thycke and threfolde to the prysones, as it were vnto places consecrate to god: whan [Page] they wold kys the cheynes, with whiche they were bounde: whan the swerde, with which they were martered, was reserued and kept amonge the holy relykes? What memorie is more ioyfull, & more hye and holy to the churche, than of Martyrs? Whan do menne synge with greatter gladnesse, than in their yerely feastis? The whose afflictions and peynes the churche calleth vyctoryes, theyr turmentes triumphes, theyr dea­thes byrthes: nor in theyr cele­bratiōs is no maner mournyng, but all thynges full of ioye, fulle of gratulation, full of preysing, full of myrth and sporte. Nor the eloquence of excellent lerned mē hath ben more shewed or set forth in any argument, than in celebrating the laude and prayse of martyrs [Page 19] and virgins. Herein Prudē ­tius, in the kynd of verses called Liricum carmen, exceded the greate eloquēce of Pindarus, he passed the elegancy of Horace, not possi­syble to be folowed. Herein the trumpe bothe of the grekes and latyns, soundeth out I wote not what farre greatter and more di­uine than verse heroical. In this argumente, Chrysostomus, Cy­prianus, Ambrosius, Hierony­mus, and many mo then can be nombred, excell Ciceros aboun­daunt and flowynge style. What thynge maye we coniecte to be the cause? Truly the magnitude of the martyrs dyd minister abū ­dāce of eloquence, the feruētnes of theyr myndes added strengthe to theyr wordes, and deuotion a­lacritie. Of what matter so euer [Page] they write, theyr style is plentiful and flowyng, But as oft as they take in hande to endyte of mar­tyrs and virgins, now as it were by diuine inspiration, they sowne out, I wote not what thing farre passynge mans capacitie. Those thynges are not doone by mans studye, but they are broughte to passe by inspiration of the holye goste, the whiche woll his sayn­ctes to be so glorified, in the whi­che he desyrously gothe about to be seen most glorious. We wold graunt those thynges to be done by man, ne were it that god (whi­che inspireth the mindes of good men) doth ornate the monumen­tes of martyrs and virgins with so manifold myracles. For where are wycked spirytes more tour­mented? where are moo cured of [Page 02] greuous sycknesses and diseases that no phisitions coude heale?

What emperour, what kynge is he, with settynge vp of any ima­ges, titles, steples, churches, col­legis, commandyng diuine wor­shyppes, dyd opteyne so greatte honour ye in this world? Doubt­lesse thus god dothe honour his martyrs, the whiche semed here poore abiectes and wretched caytyues. Thus he honourethe his vyrgyns, the whiche beynge as deed to the worlde, sette surely al theyr holle hope in theyr spowse Iesu. And they also aknowlege, that what so euer they haue, co­meth all of the lyberall gyfte of theyr spouse. But the glorye of martyrs doth not lyghtly glytter and shyne but after the deathe:

where as virginitie euen in this [Page] lyfe is ful gay and glorious. For who is so barbarous, that wyll not fauour a virgin? In the very myddes of the ruffelynge war­res the fierce and cruell ennemy forbeareth virginitie. And if we beleue histories, the dumme bea­stis, ye the hugest, the wyldest, & most cruell of them all, beare re­uerence vnto vyrgynitie. Howe greatly dydde the Romaynes in olde tyme honour the relygious virgyns, called virgines vestales? what a naturall worshyppe and glorie of virginitie is that, whi­che ydolaters do aknowlege, whiche the barbarous ennemy dothe reuerence, which the dumme bea­stis doo perceyue, and to whiche the wylde beastis obeye? If soo great honour be done to the vyr­gins of this worlde, howe moche [Page 21] more honorable is the virgin of Christe? O good vyrgyne, take on the this holy pride, and repute what so euer pleasures or honors this world braggeth of, to be far vnder thy dignitie. It is a holye thyng to pride in your spowse, & a deuout thyng to glorie in him, to whome you owe all thynges.

It is also a sure thynge, trusting faythfully in hym, to rise and re­belle agaynst the worlde, whiche braggyngly shewethe forthe his delectable pleasures. My mynd is not at this tyme to write, what so euer may be sayde in the laude and praise of martirs or virgins. You haue the bokes of Cyprian, you haue the bokes of Ambrose, of Tertullian and Hierome, of which the two last, were wel nere ouermoch in admiration of vir­ginitie. [Page] For the excellency of vir­ginitie wolde not soo be extolled, that the preyse therof shoulde be an iniurie to chaste matrimonie. I recyte those thinges moste no­ble vyrgins for this intente, that you maye perceyue howe happy and fortunate your College is, the whose chaunce is to possesse bothe those thynges, whiche she the rich spouse of Christ the chur­che holdeth moste speciall in this worlde. For you haue in kepyng those mooste fragrant and swete coses, of the .vii. brethern of the Machabees, and of theyr mo­ther, y ^e whose fecunditie brought forth no children to her husband but to god, she fortunately redoubed y ^e losse of her virginitie, with the martyrdome of so many son­nes vyrgyns. She being a virgin [Page 22] brought forth no frute, for y ^t of al women was giuē but to one, but yet she brought forthe bothe vir­gins and martirs. Of her self she coude gyue none example of vir­ginitie, but she perfourmed and dyd as moch as laye in her to do. She taughte her chyldren to be virgins, she exhorted thē to mar­tyrdome, and wolde haue suffred martyrdome before theym, saue that she feared their constancye, by reason of their tender youthe. And soo the glorie of vyrginitie chanced not to the mother alyke with the chyldern, but touchyng the martyrdome, the laude of the mother is soo moche the more, in that she beholdynge the cruelle turmentes, suffred in eche of her lyttel chyldren, what soo euer the cruell tourmentours coude do to [Page] the bodies of them. This is more stronger, then by turmentyng at ones to be rydde from all peyne. For the parētes are more cruelly tourmented in the persecutynge of their chylderne than in theym selfe. And that knowethe ryghte well the wytty crueltie of tyran­tes, which wreste out by turmen­tyng of the chyldren in theyr pa­rentes sighte, that they coude by no maner of turmentes gette of the parentes. Howe oft sawe she beynge a woman and a mother, her owne fleshe and bowels torrē and rente to pieces? where was nowe the feble freiltie of y ^t kynd? where was the tender loue and pitie that is wont to be more ve­hement in mothers then in men? Surely her deuout affection to godwarde, ouercame al humain [Page 23] pitie, and her feruent feythe ouercame the feblenes of womanhed. All hayle mooste happy virago, whiche haste gyuen exaumple of fortitude to all menne. All hayle moste fayre lyttell floures of the churche, whiche as rype delyca­cyes before your tyme, you haue preuented the springe tyde of the gospell, and haue made a shewe of euangelycal vertue, before the gospell was shewed or knowen to the worlde. For as yet this voyce of hym, which being a virgin, is borne of a virgin, was not harde, Mat. 19. Blessed be they, that haue gyuen them selfe to lyue in cha­stitie for the kyngedome of god, And yet the same prayse you by preuention haue opteyned afore hande. Mar. 16. Nor this was not as yet harde, Mar. 8. who so wil be my disciple, [Page] lette hym take vp his crosse and folowe me, but you as fore run­ners, dydde adumbrate Christis passion. And nowe your sowles in heuen doo folowe the lambe, whither so euer he goeth: But as for your vndefiled bodies (whi­che were partners of your tour­mentes and peynes, so in tyme to come you shall receyue theym to the felowshyp of euerlastyng fe­licitie) there was noo place more comely nor more conueniente to kepe them in, than in a holy col­lege of virgins.

¶Nowe to you good vyrgyns, that be the kepers of this so gret a treasure, my wordes do theym adresse. You haue in these yonge children both an example of cha­stite, which you ought to folow, & a crowne of martyrdome, that [Page 24] you shoulde extolle, gloryfienge your spouse, which stroue in thē, whiche in them gote the victorie, whiche in them dothe triumphe. He hath in one self basket Lylies myngled with roses. The bryght beautie of the tone stryueth with the tother, nor yet the tone is not dusked or defaced of the tother: but y ^e tone by reason the tother is with him, doth y ^e more gaily glit­ter and shyne, lyke as whan yuo­ry (as one sayd) is myngled with purpull, or whan a shynyng pre­cyous stone is set in yolow gold. The stryfe is so doubtefull, whe­ther is more glorious a martir or a virgin, that if the matter shuld be called in contention, I dare not boldly say, whiche of theym shoulde be preferred the tone be­fore the tother. Bothe the tone [Page] and the tother are consecrate in Christ: but yet we ar more boūde to his crosse and passion, than to his virginite. He giueth to them the honorable title of blessednes, whiche for the kyngdome of god gyue them selfe to lyue in chasti­tie: but yet he requirethe the fo­lowynge of the crosse. It semeth a greatter thyng, that whā he re­quireth it not, yet it maketh him blessed, that wyllyngly wyll per­fourme it. And in the tyme of persecution it is a right gret thinge, for the glorye of god to haue the mynde alwey prompte and redy to suffre all kyndes of deathes.

But tymes haue like as the See hath, his tranquillities and qui­ete caumes. And other while one maye lefully escape the persecu­ters handes. But if one be dry­uen [Page 25] to the last extremitie, the deathe of the body is the ende of gre­uous tourmentes, and the beginnynge of felicitie. A virgin hath a longe and a parpetuall stryfe with her housholde ennemie, the whiche she can neyther laufullye slee, nor escape by flyghte. This housholde fooe is the fleshe, the whiche whether we woll or woll not, we muste carie about, nowe and then rebellynge agaynst the spirite. And that it shal not seme easye to any man to subdue this ennemie, we haue redde of those that were ouercome with wan­ton entycementes of the flesshe, the whiche coude not be vanquy­shed with the verye terrour and drede of dethe.

¶Hytherto our collation hathe pondered, whether of those two [Page] shulde be more stronger: but me semeth that virginitie in this, is y ^e happier, that (as I by occasyon sayde afore) the floure of martir­dome, doth not freshely sprede & florishe, but after deathe: where as virginitie hathe her bryghte beautie, her fayre fragrancy, her grace and dignitie in this world. Uirgynytie is the flower of the sowle and mynde, but in the vy­sage, in the eyes, and in all the holle state of the body, there shy­neth a certayne angelicall pure­nesse, and a flourysshynge clere­nesse, not acqueynted with olde age, here as it were myndynge & thynkynge to be, that all we loke fore after this lyfe, whyche lyue deuoutely and godly in Chryste Iesu. The mynde holle and vn­corrupte sparpleth abrode in the [Page 26] bodye her vigour and strengthe, lyke as the mynde infecte with vices sheweth in maner a glime­rynge lighte, or rather maketh a grisely shewe in the selfe shappe of the body. For carnall pleasure is a fowle blemyshe to a mannes owne body. Why doo not the bo­dyes of good blessed menne waxe olde in the resurrection? bycause nowe the soule shall rule theym, which woteth not what olde age meaneth. As deathe commeth of synne, so doth syckenes and age. Take synne away, and age shall seme the lesse: and if age chaunce to come, it shal chaunce more flo­rishinge. And therfore a virgyn receyuethe nowe in this worlde some parte of her felicitie, exhy­bytynge in this mortall bodye a certayne spece or fachion of the [Page] immortalitie to come. The prin­cis of this worlde are noo moore careful for theyr souldiours, than they be for the thynge that they come of, of the which whan nede requireth, they gather yong soul dyours, the whyche thynge if it shulde fayle, howe shoulde they furnysshe an armye? And nowe for a certayne yeres there hathe ben noo suche persecution vnder christen princis, as was vsed in tyme paste vnder Nero, Domi­tian, Iulian, and Maxentius.

But whether the Christen feythe be in better caase vnder these or noo, it lyeth not in me to define, surely by them it was drawen in­to a narrowe poynt. But how so euer it be, if there shulde ageyne chaunce persecution, the whyche wolde require a martyr, where is [Page 27] it more lykely that such a cōpany shulde be gathered, than of them the whiche despisynge al the fals flatering vanities of this world, haue cōsecrate theym selfes holly to Iesu the celestiall spouse, the which wyllyngly haue crucified their fleshe to gether with the vi­cis and concupiscencis thereof, and for the loue of theyr spouse, haue contempned and sette atte noughte that same pleasure, for the fauour of whiche only many mortall menne desiren euermore here to lyue. A true virgyn doth differre very lyttell from a mar­tyr. A martir suffreth the executi­oner to mangle his fleshe: a vir­gin dayly dothe with good wyll mortifie her fleshe, she beinge in maner a turmentour of her selfe. It is somewhat more maystry to [Page] tame an ennemye taken, than to kyl him. A martyr deliuereth his body to be persecuted: A virgin kepethe her body in lowe subiec­tion, and maketh it obedient vn­to the spirite. wherfore shall the virgin of Christ trēble and feare the handlyng of the executioner? Shall she require rychesses, de­lycacies, worldly pompe, world­ly welthe, or worldly pleasures, whiche causen other to be verye lothe to leaue this lyfe? All these thinges she hath now cleane for­saken. Shall nat she, whiche lo­ueth nothing in this world, whi­che is deed to the worlde, whose lyfe is onely Christe, which day­ly maketh her turtyls mournyn­ges, couetynge to be nerer ioy­ned to her dere beloued spouse, & to be imbraced & clypped of hym, [Page 28] wil she not (I say) gladly deꝑt out of this wretched body, in the whiche she woteth wel she trauayleth as a pilgrim farre from her lord? what men haue suffred the tour­mentes of martyrdom more meruailously and strongly than vir­gine Martyrs, Agnes, Cecilia, Agatha, and other theyr felowes innumerable? And therfore whā a virgin is delyuered to the exe­cutioner, she dothe not begynne her martyrdome, but makethe an ende of that that she beganne longe before. If those thynges seeme to any manne ouer harde hyghe and difficile, lette hym re­membre, that the professyon of a virgin is aboue the powers of man, and egall with the dignite of angels. But al they that weare blacke vayles, are not virgins. [Page] For lyke as they (accordynge to saynte Paules doctryne) whiche are true wydowes in dede, 1. Timo. 5. be di­scerned frome those, whiche by a wronge name are called wydo­wes: and as that widowe, whych lyueth in delytes of this worlde, is sayde to be deade: ryght soo a virgin, whiche loueth any other thynge in this worlde thanne her spouse, is not a virgin. There ar in the gospel wyse vyrgins, Mat. 25. whi­che by manifolde workes of mer­cy and pitie, haue so prouided for them selfe, that oyle in theyr lā ­pes shall not fayle: there are in like maner folysshe virgins. And Hieremie bewayleth such vnwise virgins: Tren. 1. for the dignitie of this name is nothing mete and agre­able for her, the which although her body hath not ben touched of [Page 29] man, yet her mynde hath ben de­filed and spotted with filthy and vncleane thoughtes. She that lyueth syngle agaynste her wyll, is maried: and she that wolde be corrupted, if she might lefully, is alredy corrupted. It is a thinge of greattest difficultie, to represse and kepe downe all cogitations and inwarde thynkynges of a wauering mynd: and yet ageinst them assaylynge, there muste be defence made with prayers, re­dynge of holy bokes, fastynges, deuoute and godly occupations: for why to assent to them is very poyson. Eua the fyrste virgin, dyd commune and talke with the serpente, and therof sprange all yuels: her eies were not chast, the which the wanton intycement of the flatterynge apple dyd adulte­rate [Page] and defyle. The gaye costly apparaylle, the peynted face, the pleasant and mery enditynges of yonge men, the propre knackes and gyftes sente to and fro, are playne tokens and sygnes that virginitie dieth. For whose plea­sure doth a virgin ones dedicate to Christ, ornate and trimme her selfe? Why dothe she coueyte the companye of yonge men, the whiche toke on her the veyle of rely­gion bycause the worlde shoulde not se and beholde that that was consecrate to the spouse Christe.

A woman that is maried, dothe decke & trymme her selfe to plese her husbādes eies: but why shuld a virgin that is maried to Christ make her selfe gorgious and gay for any erthely mans pleasure?

Harke what she shuld say by the [Page 03] mouthe of a lerned poete, but a pagane,

If she so did neglect to make her fresh, bicause her husbād was absent: how dare a virgin make her self friske & galtard ī this world, the whose spouse is in heuen? To what intent doth she that is ones betrouthed to Christe, stande lo­kynge in a glasse? Yea she shuld contemplate and behold her selfe in the clere fountayn of holy scri­pture. Why dothe she arraye hir self in those garmētes, with whi­che he is offended? This clenly­nesse in the eies of your spowse ar very dirty spottis, this bright beautie but sluttysshe beggerye, these swete sauours but stinking [Page] smelles. He loueth a pure spirite, a clene soule, and a well peynted mynde. What so euer the worlde hath, it is theirs, that make them selfe gorgeous and gaye for the worlde: the virgin of Christe is more richely arrayed with despi­synge of those thynges, thanne with the aboundance of theym. She is more comely apparayled with her heares clypped of, & her holy veyle, than any bride trym­med in sylkes, gold, precious sto­nes, and purpull. For the dissem­bled beautie, set out with feyned colours, hath euer ben disalowed of the Gentyles. The spowse of Christe hath as many freshe gar­mentes, that make her gay in the syght of god, as she for her spou­ses sake despysed ornamentes of this worlde, for precious stones [Page 31] she is ornated and decked with vertues, in stede of pourpull she hath charitie, for gold, wysdome, for feyned colours symplenes of mynde, for sylkes chastitie and shamefastenes: for broches and iewels, sobrenes and temperance in al her wordes and dedes. The fayre beautie of chastitie can not be defyled with sluttysshe gar­mentes.

¶It dothe appere by olde mo­numentes and wrytynges, howe high and howe laudable a preise it was for virgins, to wasshe the feete of myserable creatures, to washe poore folkes clothes, to attende vpon sycke folke and serue theym lowely, and for the loue of Christ to handel and touch theyr bodyes ful of sores and botches. A virgin slubbred & soylled with [Page] those thynges, is most fayre and beautyfull in the syght of Christ. But for so moche as the institu­tion of holy and deuout virgins, is now otherwise, let them stryue amonge theym selfes in the offy­ces and workes of charitie, and prepare with theyr handes, wherwith they may helpe and succour the pore and nedy. And if it hap­pē a virgin at some tyme to haue cōmunication with secular per­sons, let this be her studye, that they maye go awaye from her a­mended by her talkynge, and she her selfe nothynge appayred. Let the example of the fyrste virgine make you more wary and sly, the which beinge corrupted by spea­kynge with the serpente, threwe her selfe into lamentable mysery. A yonge manne with his slypper [Page 32] countenaunce, with his wanton eies, and with his rebaud tonge, is wors thā any serpent. Se that you folowe the newe virgin, lea­der and princesse of your institu­tion, she talketh not with the ser­pent, but being close shutte with­in her secrete chaumbres, talketh with the angelle, and therof be­gan all our helthe. A virgin that talketh with an vnchaste yonge man, speaketh with a serpente. A virgin whiche with deuoute vo­wes and prayers callethe vppon god, which hath her meditation in holy bokes, speaketh with the angell, or rather with her spouse. Whether of these two is mooste sure? whether is moore honeste? whether is more magnificent?

Wherfore if at any tyme the de­sire of those thynges, the whiche [Page] as right swete & noble the world braggyngely bosteth, shall tikyl your myndes: cal to remembrāce as the trouthe is, that you haue not forgone those thīges, but to your great lucre to haue made a chaunge. And therfore there is nothyng more vnfortunate than those, which letted by carnall lu­stis, can neyther vse the commo­dities of this worlde, which they mooste desyre, nor yet theyr owne pleasures. The worldly virgins haue theyr playe felowes, they haue theyr ornamētes, theyr sportes and pastymes, theyr songes and theyr daunces, but these thinges such as they be, they haue no longer than theyr freshe flourys­shynge and tender youthe endu­reth. But as al these thinges are to the virgins of Chryste trewe [Page 33] and inwarde pleasures, soo they be euerlastynge. These worldely virgyns settynge a syde the gar­lande of virginitie, do take and put vppon theym the mantell of mariage, without dout (as saynt Paule saythe) a playne token of bondage and thraldome. But virgins dedicate to god, be alwaye kepte close for theyr spouse, leste the worlde an aduoutrer shuld se theym. For Iesus is a ielous lo­uer, he can not suffre to haue his dere derlynges sette and shewed forthe to the syght of the worlde. But whether is it more plesante and more welthy to be the hande mayde of a maried manne, Luc. 1. or the hande mayde of Christe? Ecce in­quit, ancilla domini, Beholde (sayth she) the hand mayde of our lord. Who so euer is truely the hande [Page] mayde of our lorde, is lady of the world. O good virgin, interpre­tate what thyng thy veyle betokeneth, it is the sygne of a kynge­dome, and not of bondage. They that are veyled and couered for theyr husbandes pleasures, doo professe a worldly bondage. Nor the commaundement of maryed men, good virgins, is not alway lyghte and easye. Often tymes where you wende to haue hadde husbandes, you chaunce vppon maisters harde to please, vppon suche as are froward and neuer contented, vpon such as be curst and knauishe, vpon dycers, drū ­kerdes, riotttous spenders, vpō suche as be greatly indetted, vpō suche as be scabbed and scuruy, vppon frantycke felowes, and vppon fyghters, besydes many [Page 34] other more greuous and wycked condicions or diseases, whiche I speake not of. More ouer there foloweth care of the householde, care of children, busynes of kyns­folke and frendes, stryfe in the worlde, lacke of children, bury­enge of husbandes. For why the affliction of the flesshe is of noo symple sorte, the whiche sayncte Paule signifieth vnto them, that woll rather chose wedlocke than virginitie. My pourpose is not nowe by reason of this declama­tiō to discriue, what so euer grefe or incommoditie foloweth mari­age. And yet to lerne them by ex­perience is but a wretched wyse­dome: better it were to come by the knowlege of them by redyng the bokes of lerned men. But in case you woll not gyue credence [Page] to lerned mens writynges, than call vnto you good virgyne one of them, the whose chaunce was to be verye welle and welthylye maryed, and desyre her, that she woll vouchesafe to telle and de­clare to you the true story of her mariage: you shal here suche re­kenynges, that you shal nothing repent you of your pourpose.

Nowe lay before your eies, the exaumples of vyrgins, the whose chaunce was mooste vnluckely and vnwelthily to be bestowed & maried, of which there is a huge great company: and thynk thus, that what, soo euer chaunced to them, might chance to you. What so euer yuelles, what so euer ca­lamities and myseries chance to them, that be maried to a mortal man, can in no wise hurt or greue [Page 35] those, the whiche truely, the whi­che with harte and mynde mary them selfe to the immortal spouse Iesu. Beleue me, your spouse Iesus is in nothynge sorowfulle or heuy, but in al thynges pleasant and louely. He semed some tyme to haue neyther fayre shape nor goodly beaute, but he was neuer more louely, than whan for the loue of his spouse he dyd vppon hym that same shape and forme. What mayde is she, that wolde not make farre moch more of her wower, if he being a noble mans sonne, wolde forsake his fathers ryches & tresure, & clothed with a homely husbandes wiede, wolde runne to her cotage, being a pore mayde to the intent to opteyn her to his wyfe? But what yf he re­fuse not to be greuously woūded [Page] in hastynge hym to come to his entierly beloued spouse? Shuld not he, so poorely clothed and all bloudy with his woundes, seme more louely? whithout doubt he shulde so seme to her that loueth hym. Nowe thanne thynke with your selfes, whether your spouse shulde with a stately countenāce be of you disdayned, whiche for your sake lefte his fathers moste royall palaice, descended downe into this world, and cloking and hydynge the maiestie of his dy­uyne nature, toke vppon hym the shappe and fourme of a ser­uant, Phil. 1. humblyng hym selfe to the verye igmony and shame of the crosse. A monasterie to a virgin that louethe her spowse, is not a prison (as some sklaunderously do saye) but it is a paradyse. It [Page 39] is not lefull for you to wāder and walke aboute whither your luste leadeth you: perdye this thynge for virgyns is neyther surenor honeste, and therfore you shulde not desyre it. Excepte peraduen­ture the example of Dina plea­sethe you. Uirgynitie is neyther sorowfulle nor heuy, but a plea­saunt thynge. Uyrgynitie hathe her fayre orchardes to walke in holye Scrypture, in the whiche she may sporte and play amonge that mooste goodlye companye of her spowse. O good lord with what maner companye? With Tecla, with Cecilia, with Aga­tha, with Theodora, with Eu­stochio, and other innumerable. Also virginitie hath her spiritu­al garlādes, made and wrought with fresshe flowers of dyuers [Page] vertues: she hath her swete pom­maunders and sauours, soo that virgins maye say with Sayncte Paule, Bonus odor sumus deo in om­ni loco, That is to saye, We be a good sauoure vnto god in euery place. Also the spowse hathe his delicate and swete spirituall po­manders, of whiche the fragrant swetenesse excellethe all aroma­tike sauours. Whatte is more a­miable than the name of Iesus? His name is a sweete smellynge sauour, that is sparpled abrode. The virgins being drawen with that sauoure, to folowe hym as faste as they can runne, what te­diousnesse canne they haue or fele in this lyfe?

¶A virgin also hath her swete pommaunder, wherwith in lyke maner she pleaseth her spowse.

[Page 37] Dum esset, Cant. 1. inquit, rex in accubitu suo, nat dus mea dedit odorem suum, That is to saye, when the kynge satte at his table, he smelled my sweete nardus. Mar. 14. And in the gospel when that Christe shulde be maryed to his spowse the Churche, the wo­man synner powred sweete smel­lynge oyntmentes vpon hym.

Uyrgyns haue theyr harpes of Dauid, they haue the Psalter, they haue theyr songes and spi­rytuall hymnes, with whyche in theyr hartis they synge contynu­allye to god, gyuynge thankes, lawdynge and besechynge, and sommetyme with dulce and softe syghinges desyringe the presence of theyr spouse, if he at any tyme absent hym selfe for a season: for otherwhyle he declineth and pas­seth forth by, not to the intent he [Page] woll leaue them, but to redinte­grate and renewe his loue with theym. What thynge haue these worldely virgins, be they neuer so fortunate, that may be compa­red to these solaces and plesures? The place canne not seme strayt and narowe to theym, to whom within a shorte space after the vnmeasurablenes of heuen is ope­ned: nor they canne not thynke theym selfe to be sklenderlye ac­compained, to whom within a ly­tel whyle shal chance, to be in the felowshyppe and company of all saynctes. Why shulde I not say within a lyttell whyle? For howe longe I pray you, is all the holle tyme of this present lyfe? in case it happen a man to lyue tyl he be very olde: whiche thynge to how many dothe it chaunce? Wher­fore [Page 38] good virgynes, aknowlege your felicitie and welth, and loke that you haue no spite nor enuye, that the world hath his iugglyn­ges of vayne delytes and plesu­res, aknowlege your dignite, and looke not you for the sluttysshe and fylthye marchandyse of the worlde. He sayth, Cant. 1. Nis ite cognoueris pulcherrima inter foeminas, O mooste feyrest amonge womenne, but if thou knowe thy selfe. The spouse thretteneth his virgins, onelesse they wyll aknowlege theyr bles­sednes. But they aknowledge it not, which repent, that they haue bounde them selfes to liue a holy chaste lyfe, nor they whiche gape and loke after worldly vanities and pleasures. Calle vnto youre remembrance, to whome you be spowsed, and loue and stycke to [Page] hym with al your very hartes, in whom ones you haue al thynges the whiche are ioyfull and mag­nifycent. Let the example of the mooste holy yonge men animate and courage you to be constant, the which shall a great deale the more reioyce & be glad, that their bodies as pledges be reserued & kepte in your Colledge, yf they mowe perceyue, that you be folo­wers of those theyr vertues, with the which they pleased god. They ornate and garnyshe your religi­ous company: soo in lyke maner se that you with integritie of lyfe and moste pure and honeste con­uersations hight them agayne.

They chase rather to suffer ma­ny and dyuers kyndes of tour­mentes and peynes, thenne they wolde ones taaste hoggis fleshe. [Page 39] Loke that you repute & thynke it to be hoggis fleshe, what so euer is displesāt to your spouse. If you wyll be emulaters and folowers of this most goodly conflict, you shall be part takers of theyr glo­ry, by the helpe of your spouse Christ Iesu, whiche with the father and the holy gooste lyueth and reygneth eter­nally.