y^t to the vyle carkas y^t it hangeth vpon / the whiche is but a sachell of dounge brought forth of vnclene seed & fynally shall be wormes mete.

The wordes of saynt Ierom.

Thou moost vylest & worse than ony beest how shamefast sholdest y^e be in thy body yf thou woldest beholde thyself / y^t so in thyn arraye auaûcest thyself. And this blessyd Ierom sayth. I take them for no relygyous wymen y^tben cladde in costlyous araye or in a wanton & pynched habytes but he calleth them in latyn. Pessimas meretrices et storta. Wherfore desyre ye to go in vyle & vnshapely vesture. that wanton & dissolute persones may rather be prouoked to scorne & laughe at you than to thynke euyl or desyre you / for they say not trouthe that do ensure themself with a glorye to kepe chastyte in a costely or ony shapely vesture / ye shal be called ladyes / for bycause that ye shall be spoused to the kyng of all kynges. Beware than & take hede with all mekenesse to your dygnyte / in lesse than your spouse be greued & make a deuorce & to departe from you. Yf that ye wyst & ones had tasted how swete your spouse were. ye sholde haue pleasyr ynough that passeth all worldly pleasyrs. This Ioye & pleasye had saynt Ierom & many other both of men & wymen / kepe the mansyon of your spouse clene / & garnysshe it with floures of vertue / and accompte your self moost vyle & outcaste of this worlde. Remembre also how in your baptysme ye forsoke the worlde / the enuye / and all theyr pryde & glory / the whiche now ye shall cõferme vnder y^e grettest othe that may be / & therwith receyue our lorde god in sacramêt in this your fyrste entrynge in to religyon. Beware also of vayne glory / lyftynge vp your vysage & voyce on hyghe as wymen done in the worlde. Rebukyng other or to speke of your noble blood or kynrede / for in the spousage and seruyce of god / the poorest mannes doughter lyuynge shall be egall & lyke to the gretest kynges doughter lyuynge in erthe. Ye muste forsake all suche worldely pompe & vanyte & take a newe & a more sure noble 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 y^t ben deed folke in this worlde. But euer thynke y^t 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 y^t 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 / y^t 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 y^t a religious woman w^t a gredenes receyued a wycked spiryte in etynge of letuse in y^e gardeyn. Also they y^t vse to dryⁿke wyne go not w^tout fyre î theyr bosom. And euer beware of dronkenshyp / remenbrynge y^t 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 y^e 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 y^t 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 y^e 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 y^e 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 y^t the maker of them that is your spouse in heuen is vnspekable fayre / swete / delectable / and gloryous. But beware touche there nothynge to a vayne vse or nycete of the worlde. After complyne kepe your tonge & take you to prayer & contemplacion. And call to your mynde suche heuenly thynges that ye haue herde or redde afore. See in ony wyse that ye kepe this poynt of goddes lawe & of y^e lawe of nature. Do euer to an other as ye wolde be done vnto

Deo gracias.

Thyse short prayers folowynge taught our lorde saynt Brigytte. Saye ye them ofte in the daye.

Omîe i^hesu c^hriste. ego cognosco me graui^ter peccasse. Et libenter volo emêdare p^er gr^atiam tuã Miserere mei p^ropter amarã passionê tuã. D^omine i^hesu c^hriste. Redemisti nos in sanguîe tuo. Laus sit tibi p^ro amara passione tua.

Pater n^oster. Aue maria.

Also vse for to saye dayly knelynge in remembraûce of the passyon of our lorde & his fyue woûdes / & of the grete compassion of our blessyd lady .v. Pater noster / and .v. Aue maria. & a Credo.

Deus propicius esto michi peccatori. Ihesu fili dei miserere mei et tocius populi cristiani.