The Booke of Thenseygnementes and Techynge that the Knyght of the Towre made to his Doughters/Chapter 63
HOW MEN OUGHT BEWAYLLE AND WEPE FOR HIS SYNNES AND MYSDEDES.
NOTHER Ensample I shalle telle yow of Mary Magdalene, whiche dyd wasshe and spurge awey her synnes and mysdedes by the water of her eyen, as she wasshed the feet of oure lord Ihesu Cryste, and wyped them with her here. She wepte for her synnes for the loue of god and drede of her mysdede. And thus at thexample of her we ought to do as she dyd, for we ought to wepe for our synnes and mysdedes, and have pyte and be shamefull of that that we haue done, and humbly goo to Confession, and there to the preeste we ought to telle our synnes as we haue done them, without hydyng or coueryng nothyng therof, for the boldnes that men vndertake to say theyr misdede & synne, also the shame that me haue to telle them, is to them a grete parte of their indulgēces, & god whiche seeth the huylyte & the repentaunce moueth hym self to pyte & eslargyssheth his misericorde, as he did to Mary Magdalene, to whome he pardonned her synnes and mysdedes for the grete contricion and repentaunce that she had. Another reason is wherof the holy magdalene ought to be preysed. It is by cause that she loued and wonderly drad god, and for certayne the grete myracle that she sawe, whiche god made, and that he had reysed her owne broder, the whiche hadde told her tydynges of the other world, and the paynes of hell, and that she sawe wel that she must dye & be punysshed there for her synnes and mysdedes, made her al ferdfull & sore a basshed. And therfore she was thyrtty yere and more in deserte, makyng there her penaunce, sorowynge and sore wepyng for her synnes and mysdedes. And whanne she had ben there long tyme fastynge and withoute mete, our lord beheld her and had on her pyte, and sente her euery day the brede of heuen, wherof she was rassasyed and fylde vnto her ende that god toke her. And therfore is here good ensample how good is to wepe for his synnes and ofte to confesse hym self, and to fast and make abstynences, and also to loue & drede god, as dyd this holy and good Magdaleyne that soo moche loued god that she wepte for her synnes vpon his feet, and after fasted and suffred soo moche euylle and meschyef in the buscage & desertes, where as god comforted her by his aungels, whiche euery day dyd brynge to her the brede of heuen. And in suche wyse shal god doo to alle good wymmen, and to alle them whiche with a contryte and good herte shalle wepe for theire synnes and that shalle loue god and doo abstynences, as he dyd to this good woman.