HOW MEN OUGHT TO SETTE AND PUT THEYR CHILDREN IN THE WYLLE OF GOD.
NOTHER ensample I shalle telle yow of Rachel the second wyf of lacob, whiche was moder to Ioseph, whiche his bretheren sold in egypte. Of her speketh moche the holy scrypture, how meruey!lously she loued her lord, and of the grete obeyssaunce and honour that she bare to hym. This good lady Rachel, as she had made a child, she forthwith rendryd and gaf thankynges of it to god, & made to come to her prestes and clerkes, to thende that she and they to gyder shold thanke god. She made grete dyners to the poure peple whiche prayd for her children; and as soone as she was a lyght out of her child bedde he tooke her child in her armes and wente and offred hym before the aulter, gyuynge thankynges and louynges to god, and humbly prayenge for hym that he wold preferre hym in his loue and grace of the world. And therfor god enhaunced her children, the which came to grete worship and honour. And for certayne al worship and honour cometh of god, for they that louen hym, he enhaunceth toward hym self and toward the world. And al this good cometh by humylyte. For no thyng is so pleasyng to god as is a persone whiche is meke, humble, and charitable. And for certayne he had not come doune fro heuen in to the swete wombe of the blessyd vyrgyne Mary, ne had be that she shewed her humble whan she ansuerd to the Angel gabryel that she was the ancylle or chamberere of god, and that it shold be done as hym pleased. She myght nomore humble ne meke her self than to calle her self chamberere. Wherfore I wold ye wyste thexample of a quene of Cypre, whiche was ouer eaged, so that she myght haue no children. But notwithstondynge al this, for the goodness of her lord, and at his request and prayer, god gaf to them a fayre sone, wherof grete joye was made thrugh oute al the reame.
