Six considerations before communicating.

APPENDIX III.

[Ashm. MS., 1286, fol. 223.]

Here suep a preciouse mater. how a man schal make hym cleer and perfite clene bifore be resseyuynge of þe sacramente of þe auter.

B

Ifore þe resceyuynge of cristis body syxe pingis þer ben to concidere.

The firste is pat a man knowe by vertu of disWhat he receives. cressioun. what he schal resceyue. and what he is pat 8 resseyuep it. ¶ Lo! lo! what schal he resceyue?

What he is.

[* fol. 223 b.]

sopely ihesu crist-sooþfaste god and man, þat made alle ping of nouзtte, And soopfaste man þat dyed for vs on pe crosse-in forme of breed. what is he þat re12 sceyuep it? sopely a man and no beeste, ne feende, perfore alle feendis malice. and alle beestelynesse of synne he owip to caste 'from hym.

He must receive with devotion,

¶ pe secunde is deuocioun of herte; for he schal concidere, þat whom he resseyuep he shal resseyue it in 17 as myche holinesse as he may and loke he þat he here-wip putte awey from hym bittirnesse and blyndenesse of herte, wip compassioun of teeris and porouz besynesse of preyers.

a softened heart and diligent prayer,

with reverence

at drawing near to One so great,

when so unworthy,

¶ pe pridde is wip reuerence of herte. þat suche a vyle creature and a wrecchid synner be aferde to 23 neiz hem suche a lord; For if a man were dipped alle in stynke, vnworpi he were to stonde in presence of þe kyng I preye pee penne-how myche more vnworþi is eny man, as of hym silf, for to resceyue crist in þe preciouse sacramente. For whi alle oure good deedis. ben as vnclennesse in his si3tte, what ben oure synnes 29 penne trewely nou3t. ¶ But not wipstandande alle

his mercy, we

come to him, and

he will enable us

pat, his goodnesse and his pitee is more penne al oure but trusting in wrecchidnesse; and per-fore do we þat is in vs. and in triste of hym wip reuerente drede goo we to hym, For whi his worþinesse schal maken vs worpi to do hym

seruise.

to serve him truly.

5

glad heart,

¶ pe fourpe is loue and desyre of herte. wherfore a With a loving and man owip to be war þat he go not to pis sacramente rechelesly, ne wip heuinesse, ne wip irkynge of herte, but loke he do it deuoutely and gladdely. and wip greet desyre, wherfore it semip myche wondir to me 10 þat euery man in resceyuynge of þis worpi sacramente meltip [not] al in-to loue.

all moved by con

¶ þe conciderynge of cristis passyoun and of his which is most of loue vn-to vs is souereyne meene to steere a mannes sidering Christ's love in dying for affeccioun to deuoute resceyuyng of pis hooly and us. blessydful sacramente.

The fy3fte is a meke deuoute preyere. For whi for þat encheson amonge opur was pe sacramente ordeyned. so þat a man porou3 offrynge and takynge of it schulde aske forzeuenesse of synnes and grace of good lijf.

16

With devout and grace.

prayer for pardon

[* fol. 224]

Considerations if

he be the priest

that has to adsacrament.

minister this

The sixte is þat he be a preste pat schulde mynistre pis sacramente. so þat he do alle his diligence aboute it. in pat, þat in him is. ¶ For sipen a man is besy. to serue an eerþely man. or a lord wip al his diligence abouten hym, miche more schulde he ben besy. for to 25 serue to oure lord god. ¶ And perfore alle maner of men of moste honeste. and of sobrenesse. and of good continuaunce. and here-wip to ben wel avysed. is penne moste nedeful to ministre pis moste worschipeful sacra- He should abstain mente And so pat a preeste may be bettir do þis this world, worpi ocupacioun. I counceyle hym þat he absteyne 31 hym from alle pingis tymely pat my3tte fylen his soule þat is þe wonyinge of crist. þe heuenly kyng. so þat he may bere(1) myche more stiffeloker groundyd in goddis seruise. 3e, 3e, myche more penne eny opur seculer man. 35 (1) Read ben.—Compare ben, l. 25.

from things of

and especially

when going to

mass.

A man must withdraw into him

self,

and namely penne whenne he schal go to masse. þat he hym redily speede.

The seuenpe is þat he wipdrawe his mynde from alle outward þingis. and gadre hym silf al hool in-to 5 hym silf, if he may, so enteerly. pat neiþir he be scatered by bodily witte ne wip veyneglorie. ¶ And þenne ransake his owne concience. and þat þat he fyndep vncleene. loke pat he wasche hem awey wip teeris of conpunccioun. penne bihouep him go to his confessoure. and caste out wip meke schrifte alle venym 11 of synne.

and search and examine his own conscience,

and go to con. fession.

In all humility he
must think of
the meekness of
God

and his own frailty;

lifte

¶ And whenne he hap doon pus. þenne muste hym vp his herte wip alle maner of þe moste humilite. and concidere pe mekenesse of god. and pe wrecchid freyelte of his owne fleische. How myche and how worpi þat god is and how litle and how vnworþi hym 17 silf is and pus schal he of hym silf make nou3tte and magnifye god. þat he may be turned in-to god. so pat he se noon opur þing. ne feele but god ¶ penne if he suffre pus mekely and pacientely. in alle tymes. he may myche pe liztteloker. and pe more suloker penke on pe of the great love greet loue of oure lord ihesu crist. pat wolde of hym silf þat is so worþi zeue his lijf to distroye pe syneful 24 lijf of mankynde penne may he wel penke vp-on þe

[* fol. 224 b.]

of our Lord;

in dying for us, and offering himself to us in this sacrament.

Devotion for a

priest before receiving;

poyntis of cristis passioun. and ouere pat for to wondre. of his wonderful charite. pat not oonly wolde offre hym silf to vs on þe crosse. but he offrip hym silf to vs in þe sacramente of þe auter for to be fully with vs ¶ 3e ze and zit perto ful myche more. for he 3euep hym silf 30 to vs. for to be ful surely groundyd in oure hertis. TA! good and graciouse swete lord. who may suffyse for to penke pe leste sparkele of pi wondirful sweete loue-sopely no man.

¶ perfore byfore be resseyuynge of pis worpi and moste hooly sacramente. a preeste may seye þus ful per36 fitely in his herte I haue a tyme, lord. I knowe

his vileness;

wel þat alle werkis and desertis of men, be þei neuere 1 so hooly, þei ben vnworpi for to resceyue pee, lord. So worpi. So myзtty. So benynge. So mercyful as pou art in alle neede. TA! a sopefast merciful lord. how myche more penne am I vnworpi þat euery day 5 synne. and as a man vncorrigible dwelle per-in stylle ¶A! good lord, whi do I suche dispite to pee. to caste acknowledging pee my lord god so preciouse in-to so foule a pitte of my concience, For sopely my sweete and graciouse souereyne lord. I knoweleche to pe pat per nys no 10 goonge more stynkynge penne my soule is. ТА! lord, lord, þat art so humble. and so meke. what schal I do wip pee, kyndely lord, whi, what schal I leye pee lord in pat foule place, sopely lord I durste not. but pat 14 I hope to pi mercy But souereyne my3tteful lord, I trowe pat pi mercy is eendeles more penne alle myn orible and foule wrecchid synne, perfore I am al trist- Christ, ynge in þi goodnesse, merciful lord. ¶ I aventure me 18 to resceyue pee, swete lord, as a syke man resseyueþ a medcyne. pou art a soopfaste leche, lord, and sopely who is the true I am syke. perfore I take pee. for to be maad hool porous pee. And þe syker þat I am, by so myche I 22 wolde ben maad hool bi pee, my swete lord; and pe more nede þat I haue of pee, pe more ententely and bisili schulde I penke to calle vp-on pee ¶ For whi lord in helynge of my deedly sykenesse schal wel be 26 schewyd and commendyd þe michilheed of pi goodnesse.

[* fol. 225]

but trusting in

the mercy of

physician.

Thoughts after the vanity of the

receiving, as to

world;

¶ And þenne aftir þis whenne he hap resceyued þat my3tteful and blessydful sacramente he may penne þenke pus ¶ I wole not now aftir þis moste worþi mete. fede me wip myche of þe wordely vanite / noupir I wole not aftir suche goostely sauoure delyte me 32 fleischely in eny creature. ¶ Neuerepeles if it be so. þat a man feele not goostely affeccioun. ne zit in deuoute sterynge porous goostely encentynge of herte in tyme of his resseyuynge. it is good þat he penke penne.

or when there has

been an absence

of spiritual affec

tions.

1 pat it is a tokene of greet sykenesse of synne. or ellis of greet deep. or ellis it is suffraunce of god for to meke a man. ¶ But a man schal euere conceyue in his owne his short comings, concience. þat he is continuelly in defaute azen pat

A man should

always recognize

[* fol. 225 b.]

and plead for mercy.

Thus should a

my3tteful lord and perfore schulde he ful mekely. and 6 obeschauntely seye to hym pus. ¶A! lord, lord, now ful mercyful lord, what schal I do. I haue putte fyre in my bosum, and I feele noon heete of it. ¶ Lo! lo! lord euereful mercyful to 'synneful wrecchis. I haue put hony in my mouþ, and I fele no maner swetnesse per-of. A good lord ihesu crist, rue vp-on me, þe moste vnkynde and frowarde wrecche, for I haue re13 sceyued a souereyne medcyne, and 3it I feele neuere þe more heele.

man humble him

and so amend.

¶ pus schal a man lowely and debonerly meke hym self before Christ, silf wip dreede and loue þat he schulde haue, and euere owip to haue, to þat worpi lord in pe sacramente of þe 18 auter in forme of breed, pe whiche is crist ihesu. And penne anoon porou; þis deuoute drede and loue, he schal amende his lijf and turne to bettir. ¶ For alle if a man may not anoon feele swetnesse and gostely 22 sauoure in pis worpi sacramente. he schal not perfore dispeyre. but abyde mekely and pacientely be grace of god. and do pat in hym is for to haue it ¶ For whenne a syke man resceyuep a medcyne he is not anoon hool. but zit he hopip porouz it to ben hool / And perfore he kepip him warly from alle pingis þat is contrarie to his medcyne. and suffrip pacientely dissese. vn-to pe tyme þat þe medcyne haue wrou3tte in hym. and restored 30 hym wel azen. pus schulden we pat ben syke in synne resseyue pe heelful medeyne of pis preciouse.

Where the virtue

of the sacrament

has not been felt,

still its benefits

26

should be patiently waited for.

Where the benefits

have been experi

enced,

sacramente

Neuerþeles if a man þorouz eny goostely feelynge feele hym silf wel, it is good þat he þenke not pat it comep of hym silf, but of pe goodnesse of god. þat 36 fedip of his grace. bope good man and badde / and wel