EXTRACTS from Fletcher's manuscript "Book of Devotions," referred to on p. 38.
Contemplare Dei Natum, legesque benignas; Omnia te Christi vita docere potest.
Appage te mea mens absisque philautia longè, Filius ipse Dei sua nunquam vota secutus. Ut mea vota Deo mactarem, se duce, lætus Sponte sua summo paruit patri inter olivas.
Porcina qui quærit Divina solamina perdit. Ne dapium ventrisque tui mala gaudia quæras; Mens tibi pura nequit saturato ventre vigere. Cibus enim nimius Divinæ particulam auræ Certo affigit humi Coelique afflamine privat.
Ne doleas si pauper habes seu scommata mundi, Seu risus hominum titulos et prædia sola; Pauper cum Christus vilique a plebe jocatus In turpi ligno vitam componat amaram.
Dæmona ne dubita te certo vincere posse, Hunc tunc haud dubio Christo auxiliante fugabis. Ne ruas in vetitum, brevis est et fluxa Libido: Sperne Voluptatem, dirum ponè linquit acumen. Crede mihi, Satanæ minimam ne cedito partem; Fortiter ac subito plagam repelle priorem. Numinis auxilium precibus rogato benignis. In cruce pro culpis morientem cernito Jesum. Coelestes palmas, et Tartara dira memento. Offert judicium cita mors, hilaremque triumphum. Viribus indomitis, rigidisque resistito membris Dæmonis impetibus; Christus hunc _appage_ vicit. Vivida sit fides, te certa corona manebit.
There is no need either to point out, or to apologize for, the shortcomings of Fletcher's Latin verses. They are little more than private memoranda for use in prayer and meditation, written in Latin, perhaps, as a kind of cipher. The following resolutions are interesting:
3 edere die. quod ubi primum violaverim, pauperibus b. asses dandi et venia per horam petenda erit, nullo fulcro utens.
Pueros nunquam ob doctrinam castigare, sub eâdem poenâ.
Precans nunquam jacere, sed stare vel genu flectere."
These things, God helping me, I determine:
To take food three times a day; for a breach of this rule, twopence to be given to the poor, and pardon to be implored for an hour, using no bodily support.
Never to punish the boys for their lessons, under the same penalty.
Never to lie down while engaged in prayer, but stand or kneel.
Heureux qui n'a point de désir, Heureux qui se fait violence, Qui se prive des vains plaisirs, Et se plaît dans la dépendance. Heureux l'homme de bonne foi, Simple, sage, plein d'innocence, Qui, toujours sévère pour soi, Pour son prochain est rempli de clémence.