Thee?" When thou hast eaten what thou thinkest good, thank thy Lord that
He hath fed thee. After meat, be thou worthy, and keep thee from much
speech and idle games, and hold thy wits inward in fear of GOD. Seemly
it is to man, and pleasing to GOD, that his bearing be more honourable
and temperate after meat than before: that no taking of excess be seen
in him, that the flesh may serve the soul better in reading, praying and
other ghostly works, that may help to good things. Then Even-song say,
with the devotion that GOD sends thee, in Church or Oratory, or
wheresoever thou mayst say it best, away from the noise and throng of
the world. After, if thou needest, go sup: and short be thy supper time:
so in measure take thou meat and drink that it be no burden nor
grievance to thy nature, nor hindrance to serve thy Lord; or in time of
rest reave from thee thy sleep; or the fiend defile thee with foul
temptations in thy sleep, as he often does him who goes to bed with a
full stomach. Every man eat, as S. John says, "according as he is strong
or old, or according as his body is greater or less, or whole or sick;
take what is needful for sustenance of nature, and not as pleasure
asks." After supper, go to the Church or other place, where thou mayst
be most at rest, and say thy Compline, for in this time as S. Ambrose
saith, "birds in their language praise their Lord, and thank Him after
their kind, for the goods He has sent them." Call thou then on thy GOD
and say _Converte nos DEUS salutaris noster_, as if he said, "Lord, I
have been this day hindered by the world, that has greatly hindered me
from serving Thee; through temptation of the fiend and of my flesh oft
this day have I done amiss; therefore, my Lord, turn me now from the
world, and from all that may hinder me from praising Thee with a pure
heart and with all my wits, so that they be intent on Thee to work Thy
will," And then, say forth thy Compline, and after, other prayers with
the devotion that GOD sends thee. And after, before thou goest to bed,
hold a chapter with thine heart, and ask it in what things it is better
than it was. Hast thou shriven thee of that sin that thou didst then and
there? of the words that thou spakest there? of that evil will that was
in thee then? of that wrong that thou didst and saidst there to him? of
that handling? of that blame? of that foul thought? of that thing left
undone that thou should'st have done? art thou willing to leave off