The Booke of Thenseygnementes and Techynge that the Knyght of the Towre made to his Doughters/Chapter 5
HOW WE OUGHT TO SAYE OURE HOURES AND PRAYERS.
AYRE doughters, whan ye ryse oute of youre bedde, thenne entre in to the seruyse of the hyhe lord, and begyn ye your matyns. This ought be youre first werk and your firste labour. And when ye shal say them, saye ye them with good herte, thynke ye on none other thyng yf ye may; for ye may not goo two weyes at ones, for ye must goo that one or that other. Thus is it of the seruyce of god, for as the wyseman saith in sapyence, "As moche auayleth it hym that redeth & vnderstōdeth not, as doth to hym that hunteth and taketh not." And therfore he that thynketh on erthely thynges, and seyth his Pater noster or prayers that toucheth heuēly thynges, doth a thyng that is contrary. And it proufyteth not; it is not but for to mocke god. And therfore saith the hooly scripture, that the short prayer perceth heuen; but that is to saye that more auayleth a short prayer and said with good herte and deuoutely, than a grete and longe prayer and to thynke on other thynges. And when more is said deuoutely, than is it more worthe, and more deseruyth he meryte. And yet seith the hooly scripture, that lyke as the swete dewe of Maye and of Aprylle pleseth moche vnto the erthe and attempreth it swetely in makyng to germyne and fructyfye, ryght so ben the heures and prayers deuoutely said playsaunt to fore god. Thenne ye shall fynde in many places and specially in the legēde of hooly confessours, of vyrgyns and of other hooly wymmen whiche made her beddes of hard and roughe thynges, and laye theron for to slepe the lasse & to haue the lasse reste, for to wepe ofte and many tymes to wake for to entre in to prayers and in the seruyce of god, wherin they held hem day and nyght. And for that seruyce and laboure haue they goten, as it is shewed openly to the world, that they ben in the hooly ioye with hym by that that he doth for them euydent myracles. For thus god rewardeth the seruyce that is done to hym an honderd fold double, as I haue seid to fore. And therfore, fayre doughters, saye your heures and prayers deuoutely, and with good herte, without thynkyng on ony other thynge, and beware that ye breke not your faste till that ye haue said youre matyns and heures, for a ful bely shal neuer be humble ne deuoute. Also see wel to that ye here alle the masses that ye maye here, for grete good shall come therof, whereof I shall saye an ensample of this matere.