An exposition upon the song of the blessed virgin Mary, called Magnificat Where unto…An exposicion vpon the songe of the blessed virgine Mary, called Magnificat Where vnto…

A certain honest woman and fearing God did see .iii. virgins sitting by an altar, and at massing time, a goodly boy leapt from the altar unto the first virgin, using her very friendly, clasping her about the neck, and smiling upon her. After that went he to the second, but he did not behave himself so familiarly to her, nevertheless he lift up her veil, and smiled upon her. Unto the third he showed no sign of love at all, but bet her on the face, haled her by the here, trod her with his feet, & used her very uncourteously: and suddenly leapt again upon the altar, & vanished away.

A certayne honest woman and fearyng God dyd se .iii. virgins syttyng by an altare, and at massynge tyme, a goodly boye lepte from the altare vnto ye fyrst virgyne, vsynge her very frendly, claspynge her aboute the necke, and smylynge vpon her. After that wente he to the seconde, but he dyd not behaue hymselfe so familiarly to her, neuerthelesse he lyfte vp hyr vayle, and smyled vpon her. Vnto the thyrde he shewed no sygne of loue at al, but bet her on the face, haled her by the heere, trode her wyth hys fete, & vsed her very vncourteously: and sodenly lepte agayne vpon the altare, & vanyshed awaye.

Then was the interpretation of that sight showed unto the woman. The first virgin signifieth the uncleanly spirits, seeking their own, unto whom God must give many good things, and rather accomplish their mind and will, then his own, which will want nothing, and ever have comfort and pleasure of God, not being sufficed with the goodness of God. The second signifieth those spirits, which ⟨image 17⟩have begun to serve God, and can suffer some scarceness, yet nevertheless are not without love of themselves and their profit. Unto them must he sometime show a smiling countenance, letting them assay his goodness, that thereby they might learn to love his bare goodness, and highly to praise it. The third virgin, poor, wretched and clean forsaken hath nothing but misery & smart, she seeketh no profit she is content therewith that God is good, though she should never assay it (the which nevertheless can not be) the same abideth of one fashion and of both the sides, ether to love or to praise the goodness of God, as well wham it is felt, as wham it is not felt: neither doth she fall upon the goods wham they fall to her, nor falleth from them wham they fail. And this is the true spouse of Christ, which sayeth to him: I will not it that thine is, but thyself: I love the no better while all things go prosperously, than I do hate the while it goeth contrary with me.