of thy mynde / thyn eyen / & other vnmanerly behauyour of all thy
body. Also of thy vnhonest & noysom thoughtes / that [thou] sholde
miyghtly resyst not taryenge with them by thy wyll. Serche also yf
[thou] haue grutched for mete or drynke or other necessaryes for
bycause they were not gyue to the after thy pleasyr. Loke also yf
[thou] haue synned in moche takynge of mete & drynke / or ony
other necessaryes more than nede requyred &c.


¶ Saynt Bernarde to a newe begynner in relygyon.

Yf [thou] entende to please god & woldest obteyne grace to fulfyll
the same two thyng[es] ben to the necessary. Fyrst thou must
withdrawe thy mynde from all transytory & erthely thynges as who
saye [thou] carest as lytell for them as there were none suche
thynges. The seconde is [that] [thou] gyue thyself to god / that
[thou] saye nor do ony thynge / but that only that [thou] verely
byleuest sholde please god And in this wyse folowynge [thou] mayst
gete grace for the fyrst. In all thynges counte thyself vyle &
symple / and as nothynge in regarde of vertue / & byleue all other
to be good & better than thyself / & so shalt thou moost please
god. What soeuer [thou] here or see of ony relygyous persone or of
ony other good persones / thynke alwaye that all is done & sayd
for good entent though they seme [the] contrary / for oft man by
suspycyon is begyled. Dysplease no creature / & vtter no langage
to laude of thyself / though it were to thy moost famylyer &
beloued felowe / studye euer more to kepe more preuy thy vertue
than thy vyce / speke neuer euyll of ony man or woman though it be
neuer so true / & open it not without it be in confessyon & [that]
whan [thou] can not elles shewe clerely thyn owne confessyon. Be