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felicity shall be everlasting, therefore he saith. Delectationes in dextra tua usque in
finem
. Delectation & joy shall be on thy right hand for ever: he saith on thy right hand
because that our felicity is fulfilled in the vision and fruition of the humanity of Christ
which sitteth in heaven on the right hand of his father's majesty, after the words of
Saint John. Hæc est tota merces, ut videamus Deum, & quem misisti Jesum Christum.
That is all our reward that we may behold God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent:
to which reward he bring us that sitteth there and prayeth for us. Amen.
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Pico's Twelve Rules
HERE BEGIN XII RULES OF GIOVANNI PICO EARL OF MIRANDOLA
PARTLY EXCITING PARTLY DIRECTING A MAN IN SPIRITUAL
BATTLE.[40]
Whoso to virtue esteemeth the way
Because we must have war continual
Against the world, the flesh, the devil, that aye
Enforce themselves to make us bond & thrall,
Let him remember that choose what way he shall
Even after the world, yet must he need sustain
Sorrow, adversity, labour, grief, and pain.
THE SECOND RULE.
Think in this wretched world's busy woe
The battle more sharp & longer is I wis
With more labour and less fruit also
In which the end of labour labour is:
And when the world hath left us after this
Void of all virtue: the reward when we die
Is nought but fire and pain perpetually.
THE THIRD RULE.
Consider well that folly it is and vain
To look for heaven with pleasure and delight.
Sith Christ our Lord and sovereign captain
Ascended never but by manly fight
And bitter passion, then were it no right
That any servant, ye will yourself record,
Should stand in better condition than his lord.
THE FOURTH RULE.
Think how that we not only should not grudge
But eke be glad and joyful of this sight,
And long therefore although we could not judge
How that thereby redound unto us might
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Any profit, but only for delight
To be conformed and like in some behaviour
To Jesu Christ our blessed Lord & Saviour.
As often as thou dost war and strive,
By the resistance of any sinful motion,
Against any of thy sensual wits five,
Cast in thy mind as oft with good devotion
How thou resemblest Christ: as with sour potion
If thou pain thy taste: remember therewithal
How Christ for thee tasted eysell[41] and gall.
If thou withdraw thine hands and forbear
The raven of any thing: remember then
How his innocent hands nailed were.
If thou be tempt with pride: think how that when
He was in form of God: yet of a bond man
He took the shap and humbled himself for thee
To the most odious and vile death of a tree.
Consider when thou art moved to be wrath
He who that was God, and of all men the best,
Seeing himself scorned, scourged both,
And as a thief between .ii. thieves thrust
With all rebuke and shame: yet from his breast
Came never sign of wrath or of disdain,
But patiently endured all the pain.
Thus every snare and engine of the devil
If thou this wise peruse them by and by:
There can be none so cursed or so evil
But to some virtue thou mayst it apply.
For oft thou shalt: resisting valiantly
The fiend's might and subtle fiery dart:
Our Saviour Christ resemble in some part.
THE FIFTH RULE.
Remember well that we in no wise must
Neither in the foresaid spiritual armour
Nor any other remedy put our trust,
But only in the virtue strength of our Saviour:
For he it is by whose mighty power
The world was vanquished & his prince cast out:
Which reigned before in all the earth about.
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In him let us trust to overcome all evil,
In him let us put our hope and confidence,
To subdue the flesh and master the devil,
To him be all honour and lowly reverence:
Oft should we require with all our diligence
With prayer, with tears, & lamentable plaints
The aid of his grace and of his holy saints.
THE SIXTH RULE.
One sin vanquished look thou not tarry,
But lie in await for another every hour,
For as a wood[42] lion thee send our adversary
Runneth about seeking whom he may devour:
Wherefore continually upon thy tower,
Lest he thee unpurveyed and unready catch,
Thou must with the prophet stand & keep watch.
THE .VII. RULE.
Enforce thyself not only for to stand
Unvanquished against the devil's might,
But over that take valiantly on hand
To vanquish him and put him unto flight:
And that is when of the same deed thought or sight
By which he would have thee with sin contract
Thou takest occasion of some good virtuous act.
Some time he secretly casteth in thy mind
Some laudable deed to steer thee to to pride,
As vain glory maketh many a man blind.
But let humility be thy sure guide,
Thy good work to God let it be applied,
Think it not thine but a gift of his
Of whose grace undoubtedly all goodness is.
THE .VIII. RULE.
The time of battle so put thyself in preace[43]
As though thou shouldest after that victory
Enjoy for ever a perpetual peace:
For God of his goodness and liberal mercy
May grant the gift, & eke thy proud enemy,
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