<B CMCLOUD>
<Q M3 IR RELT CLOUD>
<N CLOUD>
<A X>
<C M3>
<O 1350-1420>
<M 1350-1420>
<K CONTEMP>
<D EMO>
<V PROSE>
<T REL TREAT>
<G X>
<F X>
<W WRITTEN>
<X X>
<Y X>
<H X>
<U X>
<E X>
<J X>
<I X>
<Z INSTR REL>
<S SAMPLE X>


[^TEXT:  THE CLOUD OF UNKNOWING.
THE CLOUD OF UNKNOWING AND THE BOOK OF
PRIVY COUNSELLING.
EARLY ENGLISH TEXT SOCIETY, 218.
ED. P. HODGSON.
LONDON, 1958 (1944).
PP. 13.8   - 29.6    (SAMPLE 1)
PP. 71.11  - 90.10   (SAMPLE 2)
PP. 112.22 - 133.7   (SAMPLE 3)^]

<S SAMPLE 1>
<P 13>
[}HERE BIGINNE+T +TE FIRST CHAPITRE.}]

   Goostly freende in God, +tou schalt wel vnderstonde +tat I   #
fynde,
in my boistous beholdyng, foure degrees and fourmes of Cristen
mens leuyng; and ben +teese: Comoun, Special, Singuler, and     #
Parfite.
+Tre of +teese mow be bigonnen and eendid in +tis liif; and +te
fer+te may bi grace be bigonnen here, bot it schal euer laste
wi+t-outen eende in +te blis of heuen. And ri+gt as +tou seest  #
how +tei
ben set here in ordre, ilch one after o+ter, first Comoun, +tan
Special, after Syngulere, and last Parfite: ri+gt so me         #
+tinke+t +tat, in
+te same ordre and in +te same cours, oure Lorde ha+t of his    #
grete
mercy clepid +tee and ledde +tee unto him bi +te desire of      #
+tin herte.
   For first +tou wote wel +tat when +tou were leuyng in +te    #
comoun
degree of Cristen mens leuyng in companie of +ti wordely        #
freendes,
it seme+t to me +tat +te euerlasting loue of his Godheed,       #
+torow +te
whiche he mad +tee and wrou+gt +tee when +tou were nou+gt, and  #
si+ten
<P 14>
bou+gt +tee wi+t +te prise of his precious blood when +tou      #
were loste
in Adam, mi+gt not suffre +tee be so fer fro him in forme and   #
degree
of leuyng. And +terfore he kyndelid +ti desire ful graciously,  #
and fastnid
bi it a lyame of longing, and led +tee bi it in-to a more       #
special state
and forme of leuyng, to be a seruaunt of +te special            #
seruauntes of his;
where +tou mi+gtest lerne to liue more specialy and more        #
goostly in
his seruise +tan +tou dedist, or mi+gtest do, in +te comoun     #
degree of
leuyng bifore. And what more? +Git it seme+t +tat he wolde not  #
leue
+tee +tus li+gtly, for loue of his herte, +te whiche he ha+t    #
euermore
had vnto +tee si+t +tou were ou+gtes. Bot what did he? Seest    #
+tou
nou+gt how lystly and how graciously he ha+t pulled +tee to     #
+te +trid
degre and maner of leuing, +te whiche hi+gt Synguleer? In +te   #
whiche
solitari forme and maner of leuyng +tou maist lerne to lift up  #
+te fote
of +ti loue, and step towardes +tat state and degre of leuyng   #
+tat is
parfite, and +te laste state of alle.

[}HERE BIGINNE+T +THE SECOUND CHAPITRE.}]

   Look up now, weike wreche, and see what +tou arte. What arte
+tou, and what hast +tou deserued, +tus to be clepid of oure    #
Lorde?
What weri wrechid herte and sleping in sleu+te is +tat, +te     #
whiche is
not waknid wi+t +te draw+gt of +tis loue and +te voise of +tis  #
cleping?
Bewar now, wreche, in +tis while wi+t +tin enemye; and holde    #
+tee
neuer +te holier ne +te beter for +te wor+tines of +tis         #
cleping and for 
<P 15>
+te singuler fourme of leuyng +tat +tou arte in; bot +te more   #
wrechid
and [{werid{] , bot +gif +tou do +tat in +tee is goodly, bi     #
grace and bi counsel
to lyue after +ti cleping. And in-so-mochel +tou schuldest be   #
more meek
and louyng to +ti goostly spouse, +tat he, +tat is +te          #
Almi+gty God,
Kyng of kynges and Lorde of lordes, wolde meek hym so lowe vnto
+tee, and, amonges alle +te flok of his scheep, so graciously   #
wolde
chese +tee to be one of his speciales, and si+ten set +tee in   #
+te stede
of pasture, where +tou maist be fed wi+t +te swetnes of his     #
loue, in
erles of +tin heritage, +te kingdome of heuen.
   Do on +tan, I preie +tee, fast. Look now forwardes, and lat  #
be
bacwardes. And see what +tee faile+t, and not what +tou haste:  #
for +tat
is +te rediest getyng and keping of meeknes. Alle +ti liif now  #
behoue+t
algates to stonde in desire, +gif +tou schalt profite in degre  #
of perfeccion.
+Tis desire behoue+t algates be wrou+gt in +ti wille, bi +te
honde of Almi+gti God and +ti consent. Bot oo +ting I telle     #
+tee: he
is a gelous louer and suffre+t no felawschip, and him list not  #
worche in
+ti wille bot +gif he be only wi+t +tee bi hym-self. He aske+t  #
none
helpe, bot only +ti-self. He wil +tou do bot loke on hym and    #
late him
alone. And kepe +tou +te windowes and +te dore for flies and    #
enemies
assailyng. And +gif +tou be willy to do +tis, +tee +tar bot     #
meekly put
apon him wi+t preier, and sone wil he help +tee. Put on +tan:   #
lat see
<P 16>
how +tou berest +tee. He is ful redy, and do+t bot abide+t      #
+tee. Bot
what schalt +tou do, and how schalt +tou put?

[}HERE BIGINNE+T +TE +TRID CHAPITRE.}]

   Lift up +tin herte vnto God wi+t a meek steryng of loue; and
mene him-self, and none of his goodes. And +terto loke +tee     #
lo+te to +tenk
on ou+gt bot on hym-self, so +tat nou+gt worche in +ti witte    #
ne in +ti
wille bot only him-self. & do +tat in +tee is to for+gete alle  #
+te
creat[{u{]res +tat euer God maad & +te werkes of hem, so +tat   #
+ti +tou+gt
ne +ti desire be not directe ne streche to any of hem, nei+ter  #
in
general ne in special. Bot lat hem be, and take no kepe to hem.
   +Tis is +te werk of +te soule +tat moste plesi+t God. Alle   #
seintes and
aungelles han ioie of +tis werk, and hasten hem to helpe it in  #
al here
mi+gt. Alle feendes ben wood whan +tou +tus doste, and prouen   #
for to
felle it in alle +tat +tei kun. Alle men leuyng in er+te ben    #
wonderfuli
holpen of +tis werk, +tou wost not how. +Ge, +te soules in      #
purgatori
ben esed of +teire peine by vertewe of +tis werk. +Ti-self      #
arte clensid
and maad vertewos by no werk so mochel. And +git it is +te      #
li+gtest werk
of alle, when a soule is holpen wi+t grace in sensible liste,   #
and sonnest
done. Bot elles it is hard and wonderful to +tee for to do.
   Lette not +terfore, bot trauayle +ter-in tyl +tou fele       #
lyst. For at
+te first tyme when +tou dost it, +tou fyndest bot a derknes,   #
and as
<P 17>
it were a cloude of vnknowyng, +tou wost neuer what, sauyng     #
+tat
+tou felist in +ti wille a nakid entent vnto God. +Tis derknes  #
and +tis
cloude is, how-so-euer +tou dost, bitwix +tee and +ti God, and  #
lette+t +tee
+tat +tou maist not see him cleerly by li+gt of vnderstonding   #
in +ti
reson, ne fele him in swetnes of loue in +tin affeccion. And    #
+terfore
schap +tee to bide in +tis derknes as longe as +tou maist,      #
euermore
criing after him +tat tou louest; for +gif euer schalt +tou     #
fele him
or see him, as it may be here, it behoue+t alweis be in +tis    #
cloude
& in +tis derknes. And +gif +tou wilte besily trauayle as I     #
bid +tee, I
triste in his mercy +tat +tou schalt come +ter-to.

[}HERE BIGINNE+T +TE FEER+TE CHAPITRE.}]

   But for+ti +tat +tou schalt not erre in +tis worching, and   #
wene +tat
it be o+terwise +ten it is, I schal telle +tee a lityl more     #
+ter-of, as me
+tinke+t.
   +Tis werk aske+t no longe tyme er it be ones treulich done,  #
as
sum men wenen; for it is +te schortest werke of alle +tat man   #
may
ymagyn. It is nei+ter lenger no schorter +ten is an athomus;    #
+te
whiche athomus, by +te diffinicion of trewe philisophres in +te
sciens of astronomye, is +te leest partie of tyme. And it is    #
so litil
+tat, for +te littilnes of it, it is undepartable and           #
nei+ghonde incomprehensible.
+Tis is +tat tyme of +te whiche it is wretyn: Alle
<P 18>
tyme +tat is +gouen to +tee, it schal be askid of +tee how      #
+tou haste
dispendid it. And skilful +ting it is +tat +tou +geue acompte   #
of it; for
it is nei+ter lenger ne schorter, bot euen acording to one only
steryng +tat is wi+t-inne +te principal worching mi+gt of +ti   #
soule, +te
whiche is +ti wille. For euen so many willinges or desiringes   #
- and
no mo ne no fewer - may be and aren in one oure in +ti wille,   #
as aren
athomus in one oure. And +gif +tou were reformid bi grace to    #
+te first
state of mans soule, as it was bifore sinne, +tan +tou          #
schuldest
euer-more, bi help of +tat grace, be lorde of +tat stering or   #
of +too
sterynges; so +tat none +gede forby, bot alle +tei schulde      #
streche
in-to +te souerein desirable and into +te hei+gest wilnable     #
+ting, +te
whiche is God. 
   For he is euen mete to oure soule by mesuring of his         #
Godheed;
and oure soule euen mete unto him bi wor+tines of oure          #
creacion to his
ymage and to his licnes. And he by him-self wi+t-outen moo,     #
and none
bot he, is sufficient at +te fulle, and mochel more, to         #
fulfille +te wille
and +te desire of oure soule. And oure soule, bi vertewe of     #
+tis reformyng
grace, is mad sufficient at +te fulle to comprehende al him by  #
loue,
+te whiche is incomprehensible to alle create knowable mi+gt,   #
as is
aungel and mans soule. (I mene by +teire knowyng and not by     #
+teire
louyng, and +terfore I clepe hem in +tis caas knowable          #
mi+gtes).
   Bot si+t alle resonable creatures, aungel and man, ha+t in   #
hem, ilchone
<P 19>
by hem-self, o principal worching mi+gt, +te whiche is clepid
a knowable mi+gt, and a-no+ter principal worching mi+gt, +te    #
whiche
is clepid a louyng mi+gt: of +te whiche two mi+gtes, to +te     #
first,
+te whiche is a knowyng mi+gt, God, +tat is +te maker of hem,   #
is
euermore incomprehensible; and to +te secound, +te whiche is    #
+te
louyng my+gt, in ilch one diuersly he is al comprehensible at   #
+te fulle,
insomochel +tat o louyng soule only in it-self, by vertewe of   #
loue,
schuld comprehende in it hym +tat is sufficient at +te fulle -  #
and
mochel more, wi+t-oute comparison - to fille alle +te soules    #
and
aungelles +tat euer may be. And +tis is +te eendles merueilous  #
miracle
of loue, +te whiche schal neuer take eende; for euer schal he   #
do it,
and neuer schal he seese for to do it. See, who bi grace see    #
may, for
+te felyng of +tis is eendles blisse; and +te contrary is       #
eendles pyne.
   And +terfore who-so were refourmyd by grace +tus to continow
in keping of +te sterynges of +te wille, schuld neuer be in     #
+tis liif -   
as he may not be wi+t-outen +tees sterynges in kynde -          #
wi+t-outen
som taast of +te eendles swetnes; and in +te blisse of heuen    #
with-outen
+te fulle food. And +terfore haue no wonder +tof I stere +tee   #
to
+tis werk. For +tis is +te werk, as +tou schalt here after, in  #
+te whiche
man schuld haue contynowed +gif he neuer had synned, and to +te
whiche worching man was maad, and alle +ting for man, to help   #
him
and for+ter him +terto, and by +te whiche a man schal be        #
reparailed
<P 20>
a+gein. And for +te defaylyng in +tis worching a man falle+t    #
depper &
depper in synne, and fer+ter & fer+ter fro God. And by kepyng   #
and
contynowel worching in +tis werk only, wi+t-outen mo, a man
euer-more rise+t hier and hier fro synne, and nerer and nerer   #
vnto God.
   And +terfore take good keep into tyme, how +tat +tou         #
dispendist it.
For no+ting is more precious +tan tyme. In oo litel tyme, as    #
litel
as it is, may heuen be wonne and lost. A token it is +tat time  #
is
precious: for God, +tat is +geuer of tyme, +geue+t neuer two    #
tymes
to-geder, bot ich one after o+ter. And +tis he do+t for he wil  #
not reuerse
+te ordre or +te ordinel cours in +te cause of his creacion.    #
For tyme
is maad for man, and not man for tyme. And +terfore God, +tat   #
is +te
rewler of kynde, wil not in +te +geuyng of tyme go before +te   #
steryng
of kynde in a mans soule; +te whiche is euen acordyng to o tyme
only. So +tat man schal haue none excusacion a+gens God in +te
dome and at +te +geuyng of acompte of dispendyng of tyme,       #
seiing:
'+Tou +geuest two tymes at ones, and I haue bot o steryng at    #
ones.'
   Bot soroufuly +tou seist now: 'How schal I do? and si+t      #
+tis is so+t
+tat +tou seist, how schal I +geue acompte of iche [{tyme{]     #
diuersly;
I +tat in-to +tis day, now of foure and twenty +gere age,       #
neuer toke
hede of tyme? +Gif I wolde now amende it, +tou wost wel, bi     #
verrey 
<P 21>
reson of +ti wordes wretyn before, it may not be after +te      #
cours of
kynde ne of comoun grace, +tat I schuld mowe kepe or elles make
asee+t to any mo tymes +tan to +too +tat ben for to come. +Ge,  #
and
more-ouer wel I wote, bi verrey proef, +tat of +too +tat ben    #
to come
I schal on no wise, for habundaunce of freelte & slownes of     #
sperite,
mowe kepe one of an hondred; so +tat I am verrely conclude in
+teese resons. Help me now, for +te loue of Ihesu!'
   Ri+gt wel hast +tou seide 'for +te loue of Ihesu'. For in    #
+te loue of
Ihesu +tere schal be +tin help. Loue is soche a mi+gt +tat it   #
maki+t
alle +ting comoun. Loue +terfore Ihesu, and alle +ting +tat he  #
ha+t it is
+tin. He by his Godheed is maker and +geuer of tyme. He bi his
Manheed is +te verrey keper of tyme. And he, bi his Godheed &   #
his
Manheed to-geders, is +te trewist domesman and +te asker of     #
acompte
of dispending of tyme. Knyt +tee +terfore bi him by loue and    #
by beleue;
and +tan by vertewe of +tat knot +tou schalt be comoun parcener
wi+t him and wi+t alle +tat by loue so ben knittyd vnto him;    #
+tat is
to sey, wi+t oure Lady Seinte Mary, +tat ful was of alle grace  #
in
kepyng of tyme, wi+t alle +te aungelles of heuen +tat neuer     #
may lese
tyme, and with alle +te seintes in heuen and in er+te, +tat by  #
+te grace of
Ihesu kepen tyme ful iustly in vertewe of loue.
   Loo! here li+t counforte; construe +tou cleerly and pike     #
+tee sum
profite. Bot of oo +ting I warne amonges alle o+ter: I cannot
see who may trewliche chalenge comunite +tus wi+t Ihesu and     #
his iust
<P 22>
Moder, his hi+ge aungelles and also wi+t his seyntes, bot +gif  #
it be soche
one +tat do+t +tat in hym is, wi+t helping of grace, in kepyng  #
of
tyme; so +tat he be seen to be a profiter on his partye, so     #
litil as is,
vnto +te comunite, as ich one of hem do+t on his.
   And +terfore take kepe to +tis werk and to +te merueylous    #
maner of it
wi+t-inne in +ti soule. For +gif it be trewlich conceyued, it   #
is bot a
sodeyn steryng, and as it were vnauisid, speedly springing      #
unto God
as sparcle fro +te cole. And it is merueylous to noumbre +te    #
sterynges
+tat may be in one oure wrou+gt in a soule +tat is disposid to  #
+tis
werk. And +git, in o steryng of alle +teese, he may haue        #
sodenly and
parfitely for+geten alle create +ting. Bot fast after iche      #
steryng,
for corupcion of +te flesche, it falle+t doune a+gein to som    #
+tou+gt or to
some done or vndone dede. Bot what +ter-of? For fast after, it
rise+t a+gen as sodenly as it did bifore.
   And here mowe men schortly conceyue +te maner of +tis        #
worching,
and cleerly knowe +tat it is fer fro any fantasie, or any fals  #
ymaginacion, 
or queynte opinion; +te whiche ben brou+gt in, not by soche
a deuoute and a meek blynde stering of loue, bot by a proude,
coryous and an ymaginatiif witte. Soche a proude, corious witte
behoue+t algates be born doun and stifly troden doun vnder      #
fote,
+gif +tis werke schal trewly be conceyuid in purete of spirite.
   For who-so heri+t +tis werke ou+ter be red or spoken, and    #
wene+t +tat
it may or schuld be comen to by trauayle in +teire wittes (and  #
+terfore
+tei sitte and sechin in +teire wittes how +tat it may be, and  #
in +tis
<P 23>
coriouste +tei trauayle +teire ymaginacion parauenture a+gens   #
cours
of kynde, and +tei feyne a maner of worching, +te whiche is     #
nei+ter
bodily ne goostly): trewly +tis man, what-so-euer he be, is     #
perilously
disseyuid; in-so-mochel +tat, bot +gif God of his grete goodnes
schewe his mercyful myracle and make hym sone to leue werk and
meek hym to counsel of prouid worchers, he schal falle ou+ter   #
into
frenesies, or elles into o+ter grete mischeues of goostly       #
sinnes and
deuels disseites; +torow +te whiche he may li+gtly be lorne,    #
bo+te liif
and soule, wi+t-outen any eende. And +terfore for Goddes loue   #
beware
in +tis werk, and trauayle not in +ti wittes ne in +tin         #
ymaginacion on
no wise. For I telle +tee trewly, it may not be comen to by
trauaile in +teim; and +terfore leue +teim & worche not wi+t    #
+teim.
   And wene not, for I clepe it a derknes or a cloude, +tat it  #
be any
cloude congelid of +te humours +tat fleen in +te ayre, ne +git  #
any
derknes soche as is in +tin house on ni+gtes, when +ti candel   #
is oute.
For soche a derkens and soche a cloude maist +tou ymagin wi+t
coriouste of witte, for to bere before +tin i+gen in +te        #
li+gtest day of
somer; and also a+genswarde in +te derkist ni+gt of wynter      #
+tou mayst
ymagin a clere schinyng li+gt. Lat be soche falsheed; I mene    #
not
+tus. For when I sey derknes, I mene a lackyng of knowyng; as
alle +tat +ting +tat +tou knowest not, or elles +tat +tou hast  #
for+getyn,
it is derk to +tee, for +tou seest it not wi+t +ti goostly      #
i+ge. And for +tis
skile it is not clepid a cloude of +te eire, bot a cloude of    #
vnknowyng,
+tat is bitwix +tee and +ti God.

<P 24>
[}HERE BIGINNE+T +TE FIF+TE CHAPITRE.}]

   And +gif euer +tou schalt come to +tis cloude and wone and   #
worche +ter-in
as I bid +tee, +tee byhoue+t, as +tis cloude of vnknowyng is    #
abouen
+tee, bitwix +tee and +ti God, ri+gt so put a cloude of         #
for+getyng bine+t
+tee, bitwix +tee and alle +te cretures +tat euer ben maad.     #
+Tee +tinke+t,
parauenture, +tat +tou arte ful fer fro God, for+ti +tat +tis   #
cloude of
vnknowing is bitwix +tee and +ti God; bot sekirly, and it be    #
wel
conseyued, +tou arte wel fer+ter fro hym when +tou hast no      #
cloude
of for+getyng bitwix +tee and alle +te creatures +tat euer ben  #
maad.
As ofte as I sey 'alle +te creatures +tat euer ben maad', as    #
ofte I
mene, not only +te self creatures, bot also alle +te werkes     #
and +te
condicions of +te same creatures. I oute-take not o creature,
whe+ter +tei ben bodily creatures or goostly, ne +git any       #
condicion
or werk of any creature, whe+ter +tei be good or iuel; bot      #
schortly
to sey, alle schuld be hid vnder +te cloude of for+getyng in    #
+tis caas.
   For +tof al it be ful profitable sumtyme to +tink of         #
certeyne condicions
and dedes of sum certein special creatures, neuer+teles +git
in +tis werke it profite+t lityl or nou+gt. For why mynde or    #
+tinkyng
of any creature +tat euer God maad, or of any of +teire dedes   #
ou+ter,
it is a maner of goostly li+gt; for +te i+ge of +ti soule is    #
openid on it &
euen ficchid +ter-apon, as +te i+ge of a schoter is apon +te    #
prik +tat
he schote+t to. And o +ting I telle +tee, +tat alle +ting +tat  #
+tou +tinkest
<P 25>
apon it is abouen +tee for +te tyme, and bitwix +tee and +ti    #
God. And
in so mochel +tou arte +te fer+ter fro God, +tat ou+gt is in    #
+ti mynde
bot only God.
   +Ge, and +gif it be cortesye and semely to sey, in +tis      #
werk it profite+t
litil or nou+gt to +tink of +te kyndenes or +te wor+tines of    #
God, ne
on oure Lady, ne on +te seintes or aungelles in heuen, ne +git  #
on +te
ioies in heuen: +tat is to say, wi+t a special beholding to     #
hem, as
+tou woldest bi +tat beholding fede and encrees +ti purpos. I   #
trowe
+tat on no wise it schuld be so in +tis caas and in +tis werk.  #
For
+tof al it be good to +tink [{a{]pon +te kindenes of God, and   #
to loue
hym & preise him for hem: +git it is fer betyr to +tink apon    #
+te nakid
beyng of him, and to loue him and preise him for him-self.

[}HERE BIGINNI+T +TE SIX+TE CHAPITRE.}]

   But now +tou askest me and seiest: 'How schal I +tink on     #
him-self,
& what is hee?' And to +tis I cannot answere +tee bot +tus: 'I  #
wote
neuer.'
   For +tou hast brou+gt me wi+t +ti question into +tat same    #
derknes,
and into +tat same cloude of unknowyng +tat I wolde +tou were
in +ti-self. For of alle o+ter creatures and +teire werkes -    #
+ge, and of
+te werkes of God self - may a man +torou grace haue fulheed of
<P 26>
knowing, and wel to kon +tinke on hem; bot of God him-self can
no man +tinke. And +terfore I wole leue al +tat +ting +tat I    #
can
+tink, and chese to my loue +tat +ting +tat I can-not +tink.    #
For whi he
may wel be loued, bot not +tou+gt. By loue may he be getyn and
holden; bot bi +tou+gt nei+ter. And +terfore, +tof al it be     #
good sumtyme
to +tink of +te kyndnes & +te wor+tines of God in special,      #
and +tof al
it be a li+gt and a party of comtemplacion: neuer+teles in      #
+tis werk it
schal be casten down and keuerid wi+t a cloude of for+getyng.   #
And +tou
schalt step abouen it stalwor+tly, bot listely, wi+t a deuoute  #
and a
plesing stering of loue, and fonde for to peerse +tat derknes   #
abouen
+tee. And smyte apon +tat +ticke cloude of vnknowyng wi+t a     #
scharp
darte of longing loue, and go not +tens for +ting +tat          #
befalle+t.

[}HERE BIGINNI+T +TE SEUEN+T CHAPITRE.}]

   And +gif any +tou+gt rise and wil prees algates abouen       #
+tee, bitwix +tee
and +tat derknes, and asche +tee seiing: 'What sekist +tou,     #
and what
woldest +tou haue?' sey +tou +tat it is God +tat +tou woldest   #
haue.
'Him I coueite, him I seche, and no+gt bot him.' and +gif he    #
ascke +tee
what is +tat God, sey +tou +tat it is God +tat maad +tee and    #
bou+gt +tee,
and +tat graciously ha+t clepid +tee to his loue. And in him    #
sei +tou
kanst no skile. And +terfore sey: 'Go +tou down a+gein.' And    #
treed him
<P 27>
fast doun wi+t a steryng of loue +tof he seme to +tee ri+gt     #
holy,
and seme to +tee as he wolde help +tee to seke hym.
   For parauenture he wil bryng to +ti minde diuerse ful        #
feire &
wonderful pointes of his kyndnes, and sey +tat he is ful swete  #
and ful
louyng, ful gracious and ful mercyful. And +gif +tou wilt here  #
him, he
coueite+t no beter; for at +te last he wil +tus jangle euer     #
more and
more til he bring +tee lower to +te mynde of his Passion. And   #
+tere wol
he lat +te see +te wonderful kyndnes of God; and if +tou here   #
him, he
kepe+t no beter. For sone after he wil lat +tee see +tin olde   #
wrechid
leuing; and parauenture, in seing and +tinkyng +ter-of, he wil  #
bryng to
+ti mynde som place +tat +tou hast wonid in before +tis tyme.   #
So
+tat at +te last, we euer wite +tou, +tou schalt be scaterid    #
+tou wost
neuer where. +Te cause of +tis scateryng is +tat +tou herddist  #
him first
wilfuly, answeredist him, resceiuedist him and letest him       #
allone.
   And +git, neuer+teles, +te +ting +tat he seide was bo+te     #
good and holy; +ge,
and so holy, +tat what man or womman +tat weni+t to come to     #
contemplacion
wi+t-outyn many soche swete meditacions of +teire
owne wrechidnes, +te Passion, +te kyndenes and +te grete        #
goodnes and
+te wor+tines of God comyng before, sekirly he schal erre and   #
faile
of his purpos. And +git, neuer+teles, it behoue+t a man or a    #
womman,
+tat ha+t longe tyme ben usid in +teese meditacions, algates    #
leue
hem, & put hem and holde hem fer doun vnder +te cloude of       #
for+getyng, 
<P 28>
+gif euer schal he peerse +te cloude of vnknowyng bitwix
him and his God.
   +Terfore, what tyme +tat +tou purposest +tee to +tis werk,   #
and felest
bi grace +tat +tou arte clepid of God, lift +tan up +tin herte  #
vnto
God wi+t a meek steryng of loue. And mene God +tat maad +tee,   #
and
bou+gt +tee, and +tat graciousli ha+t clepid +tee to +tis       #
werk: and resseiue
none o+ter +tou+gt of God. And +git not alle +teese, bot +tee   #
list; for it
suffise+t inou+g a naked entent directe vnto God, wi+t-outen    #
any
o+ter cause +ten him-self.
   And +gif +tee list haue +tis entent lappid and foulden in o  #
worde, for
+tou schuldest haue betir holde +ter-apon, take +tee bot a      #
litil worde
of o silable; for so it is betir +ten of two, for euer +te      #
schorter it is,
+te betir it acorde+t wi+t +te werk of +te spirite. And soche   #
a worde is
+tis worde GOD or +tis worde LOUE. Cheese +tee whe+ter +tou     #
wilt, or
ano+ter as +te list: whiche +tat +tee like+t best of o          #
silable. And fasten
+tis worde to +tin herte, so +tat it neuer go +tens for +ting   #
+tat bifalle+t.
   +Tis worde schal be +ti scheeld and +ti spere, whe+ter +tou  #
ridest on
pees or on werre. Wi+t +tis worde +tou schalt bete on +tis      #
cloude and
+tis derknes abouen +tee. Wi+t +tis worde +tou schalt smite     #
doun al
maner +tou+gt vnder +te cloude of for+geting; inso-mochel +tat  #
+gif
any +tou+gt prees apon +tee to aske +tee what +tou woldest      #
haue,
<P 29>
answere him wi+t no mo wordes bot wi+t +tis o worde. And +gif   #
he
profre +tee of his grete clergie to expoune +tee +tat worde     #
and to telle
+tee +te condicions of +tat worde, sey him +tat +tou wilt haue  #
it al
hole, and not broken ne vndon. And +gif +tow wilt holde +tee    #
fast on +tis
purpos, sekir be +tou he wil no while abide. And whi? For +tou  #
wilt
not late him fede him on soche swete meditacions touchid        #
before. 

<S SAMPLE 2>
<P 71>
[}HERE BYGINNI+T +TE FIUE AND +TRITTY CHAPITRE.}]

   Neuer+teles menes +ter ben in +te whiche a contemplatiif     #
prentys
schuld be ocupyed, +te whiche ben +teese; Lesson, Meditacion,
and Oryson. Or elles to +tin vnderstondyng +tei mowe be clepid:
Redyng, +Tinkyng and Preiing. Of +teese +tre +tou schalt fynde
wretyn in ano+ter book of ano+ter mans werk moche betyr +ten I
can telle +tee; and +terfore it nede+t not here to telle +tee   #
of +te qualitees
of hem. Bot +tis may I telle +tee: +teese +tre ben so couplid   #
to-gedir,
+tat vnto hem +tat ben biginners & profiters - bot not to hem   #
+tat
be parfite, +ge, as it may be here - +tinkyng may not goodly be
getyn wi+t-outyn reding or heryng comyng before. Alle is one in
maner, redyng and heryng; clerkes redyn on bookes, and lewid    #
men
redyn on clerkes, whan +tei here hem preche +te worde of God.   #
Ne
<P 72>
preier may not goodly be getyn in bigynners & profiters         #
wi+toutyn
+tinkyng comyng bifore. See by +te preof in +tis same
cours.
   Goddes worde, ou+ter wretyn or spokyn, is licnid to a        #
mirour.
Goostly, +te i+ge of +ti soule is +ti reson; +ti concience is   #
+ti visage
goostly. And ri+gt as +tou seest +tat +gif a foule spot be in   #
+ti bodily
visage, +te i+ge of +te same visage may not see +tat spotte,    #
ne wite
wher it is, wi+t-outyn a myrour or a teching of ano+ter +tan    #
it-self:
ri+gt so it is goostly. Wit-outen redyng or heryng of Godes     #
worde,
it is inpossible to mans vnderstondyng +tat a soule +tat is     #
bleendid
in custom of synne schuld see +te foule spot in his concyence.
   And so folowyng, whan a man see+t in a bodily or goostly     #
myrour,
or wote by o+ter mens techyng, wher-aneintes +te foule spot is  #
on
his visage, ou+ter bodily or goostly: +tan at erst, and none    #
er, he
renni+t to +te welle to wasche hym. +Gif +tis spot be any       #
specyal
synne, +tan is +tis welle Holy Chirche, and +tis water          #
confession, with
+te circumstaunces. +Gif it be bot a blynde rote and a steryng  #
of
synne, +tan is +tis welle mercyful God, and +tis water preyer,  #
wi+t +te
circumstaunces.
   And +tus maist +tou se +tat no +tinkyng may goodly be getyn  #
in
byginners and profiters wi+t-outyn redyng or heryng comyng      #
before,
ne preyng wi+t-outen +tinkyng.

[}HERE BYGYNNI+T +TE SIX AND +TRITTY CHAPITRE.}]

   But it is not so wi+t hem +tat contynuely worchen in +te     #
werk of
<P 73>
+tis book. For +teire meditacions ben as +tei were sodein       #
conceites
and blynde felynges of +teire owne wrechidnes, or of +te        #
goodnes of
God, wi+t-outyn any menes of redyng or heryng comyng before,
and wi+t-outyn any specyal beholdyng of any +ting vnder God.    #
+Tees
sodeyn conseytes & +tees blynde felynges ben sonner lernyd of
God +ten of man.
   I maad no force, +tof +tou haddest now-on-dayes none o+ter
meditacions of +tin owne wrechidnes, ne of +te goodnes of God   #
- I
mene +gif +tou fele +tee +tus steryd by grace and by counseyl   #
- bot
soche as +tou mayst haue in +tis worde SYNNE and in +tis worde  #
GOD, or
in soche o+ter, whiche as +te list; not brekyng ne expounyng    #
+tees
wordes with coryouste of witte, in beholdyng after +te          #
qualitees
of +tees wordes, as +tou woldest by +tat beholdyng encrees +ti 
deuocion. I trowe it schuld neuer be so in +tis caas and in     #
+tis werk.
Bot holde hem alle hole +teese wordes; and mene synne a lump,   #
+tou
wost neuer what, none o+ter +ting bot +ti-self. Me +tink +tat   #
in +tis
blynde beholdyng of synne, +tus conielyd in a lumpe (none o+ter
+ting +tan +ti-self) it schuld be no nede to bynde a woder      #
+ting
+ten +tou schuldest be +tis tyme. And +git, parauenture, who-so
lokid apon +tee schuld +tink +tee ful sobirly disposid in       #
body, with-outyn
any chaunging of contenaunce; bot sittyng, or going, or
liggyng, or lenyng, or stondyng, or knelyng, whe+ter +tou were  #
in a
ful sad restfulnes. 

[}HERE BIGINNY+T +TE SEUEN AND +TRITTY CHAPITRE.}]

   And ri+gt as +te meditacions of hem +tat contynouely         #
worchen in
+tis grace & in +tis werk risen sodenly wi+t-outyn any          #
menes, ri+gt
<P 74>
so don +teire preiers. I mene of +teire specyal preiers, not    #
of +too
preiers +tat ben ordeynid of Holy Chirche. For +tei +tat ben    #
trewe
worchers in +tis werk, +tei worschip no preier so moche; and    #
+terfore
+tei do hem in +te fourme and in +te statute +tat +tei ben      #
ordeynd of
holy faders before us. Bot +teire specyal preiers risen         #
euermore
sodenly vnto God, wi+t-outyn any meenes or any premeditacion in
special comyng before, or going +ter-wi+t.
   And +gif +tei ben in wordes, as +tei ben bot seldom, +tan    #
ben +tei bot
in ful fewe wordes; +ge, and in euer +te fewer +te betir. +Ge,  #
and +gif it be
bot a lityl worde of o silable, me +tink it betir +ten of to,   #
and more
acordyng to +te werk of +te spiryte; si+ten it so is +tat a     #
goostly
worcher in +tis werk schulde euermore be in +te hi+gest and +te
souereynest pointe of +te sp[{i{]rit. +Tat +tis be so+t, se by  #
ensaumple
in +te cours of kynde. A man or a womman, affraied wi+t any
sodeyn chaunce of fiir, or of mans dee+t, or what elles +tat    #
it be,
sodenly in +te hei+gt of his speryt he is dreuyn upon hast &    #
upon
nede for to crie or for to prey after help. +Ge, how? Sekirly   #
not in
many woordes, ne +git in o woorde of two silabes. And whi is    #
+tat?
For hym +tinke+t to longe tariing, for to declare +te nede and  #
+te werk
of his spirit. And +terfore he bresti+t up hidously wi+t a      #
grete spirit,
& crye+t bot a litil worde of o silable, as is +tis worde       #
FIIR or +tis
worde OUTE.
   And ri+gt as +tis lityl worde FIIR steri+t ra+ter and        #
peerse+t more hastely
+te eren of +te herers, so do+t a lityl worde of o sylable,     #
whan it is 
<P 75>
not only spoken or +tou+gt, bot priuely ment in +te depnes of   #
spirit,
+te whiche is +te hei+gt (for in goostlynes alle is one,        #
hei+gt and depnes,
leng+te and brede). And ra+ter it peersi+t +te eres of          #
Almy+gty God +tan
do+t any longe sauter vnmyndfuly mumlyd in +te tee+t. And       #
herfore
it is wretyn +tat schort preier peersi+t heuen.

[}HERE BIGINNY+T +TE EI+GT AND +TRITTY CHAPITRE.}]

   And whi peersi+t it heuen, +tis lityl schort preier of o     #
litil silable?
Sikirly for it is preyed wi+t a fulle spirite, in +te hei+gt    #
and in +te
depnes, in +te leng+te & in +te breed of his spirit +tat        #
preie+t it. In
+te hei+gt it is, for it is wi+t al +te my+gt of +te spirit.    #
In +te depnes it
is, for in +tis lityl silable ben contyned alle +te wittis of   #
+te spirit. In
+te leng+te it is, for mi+gt it euer fele as it feli+t, euer    #
wolde it crie
as it crie+t. In +te brede it is, for it wilni+t +te same to    #
alle o+ter +tat
it wilni+t to it-self. In +tis tyme it is +tat a soule ha+t     #
comprehendid,
after +te lesson of Seynte Poule, wi+t alle seyntes - not       #
fully, bot in
maner and in partye, as it is acordyng vnto +tis werk - whiche  #
is
+te leng+te and +te breed, +te hei+gt and +te depnes of         #
Euerlastyng & Allouely,
Almi+gty & Alle-witty God. +Te euerlastyngnes of God is his
leng+te; his loue is his breed; his mi+gt is his hei+gt; and    #
his wisdam
is his depnes. No wonder +tof a soule, +tat is +tus ni+g        #
confourmyd bi
grace to +te ymage & +te licnes of God, his maker, be sone      #
herde of
God. +Ge, +tof it be a ful synful soule - +te whiche is to God  #
as it
were an enmye - and it mi+gt +torow grace com to for to crye    #
soche
<P 76>
a lityl silable in +te hei+gt & +te depnes, +te leng+te and     #
+te breed of
his spirit, +git he scholde for +te hidous noise of +tis crye   #
be alweis
herde and holpen of God.
   Se by ensaumple. He +tat is +ti deedly enmye, and +tou here  #
him
so afraied +tat he crye in +te hei+gt of his spirit +tis lityl  #
worde FIIR, or
+tis worde OUTE: +git, wi+t-outyn any beholdyng to hym for he   #
is +tin
enmye, bot for pure pite in +tin herte stirid and reisid wi+t   #
+te doelfulnes
of +tis crie, +tou risist up - +ge! +tof it be aboute           #
midwintirs
ni+gt - & helpist hym to slecke his fiir, or for to stylle hym  #
and rest
hym in hys disese. A, Lorde! si+ten a man may be maad so        #
mercyful
in grace, to haue so moche mercy & so moche pite of his enmye,
not a+genstonding his enmite, what pite and what mercy schal    #
God
haue +tan of a goostly crye in soule, maad & wrou+gt in +te     #
hei+gt and
+te depnes, +te leng+te and +te breed of his spirit, +te        #
whiche ha+t al by
kynde, +tat man ha+t by grace, and moche more? Sekirly          #
wi+t-outyn
comparison moche more mercy wil he haue; si+ten so is +tat +tat
+ting +tat is so had by kynde is nerer to iche a +ting +ten     #
+tat +te
whiche is had by grace.

[}HERE BIGYNNY+T +TE NINE AND +TRITTY CHAPITRE.}]

   And +terfore it is to preie in +te hei+gt and +te depnes,    #
+te leng+te & +te
brede of oure spirit. And +tat not in many wordes, bot in a     #
lityl
worde of o silable.
   And what schal +tis worde be? Sekyrlyche soche a worde as is
best acordyng vnto +te propirte of preier. And what worde is    #
+tat?
<P 77>
Lat us first see what preier is propirly in it-self, and        #
+ter-after we
mowe cleerlier knowe what worde wil best acorde to +te propirte
of preier.
   Preyer in it-self propirly is not elles bot a deuoute entent
directe vnto God, for getyng of goodes & remowyng of yuelles.
   And +tan, si+ten it so is +tat alle yuelles ben              #
comprehendid in synne,
ou+ter by cause or by beyng, lat us +terfore, whan we wyl       #
ententifly
preie for remowyng of yuelles, ou+ter sey or +tink or mene      #
nou+gt
elles, ne no mo wordes, bot +tis lityl worde SYNNE. And +gif    #
we wil
ententifly preie for getyng of goodes, lat us crie, ou+ter      #
wi+t worde
or wi+t +tou+gt or wi+t desire, nou+gt elles, ne no mo wordes,  #
bot +tis
worde GOD. For whi in God ben alle goodes, bo+te by cause and   #
by
beyng.
   Haue no merueile whi I sette +tees wordes forby alle o+ter.  #
For
and I cou+te any schorter wordes, so fully comprehendyng in hem
alle goodes & alle yuelles, as +tees two wordes don, or +gif I  #
had be
lernyd of God to take any o+ter wordes ou+ter, I wolde +tan     #
haue
taken hem and lefte +tees; and so I rede +tat +tou do. Stody    #
+tou not
for no wordes, for so schuldest +tou neuer come to +ti purpos   #
ne
to +tis werk, for it is neuer getyn by stody, bot al only by    #
grace.
and +terfore take +tou none o+ter wordes to preie in - al-+tof  #
I sette
+tees here - bot soche as +tou arte sterid of God for to take.  #
Neuer+teles,
+gif God stire +tee to take +tees, I rede not +tat +tou leue    #
hem -  
I mene +gif +tou schalt preie in wordes, and elles not; for     #
whi +tei ben
ful schorte wordes.
<P 78>
   Bot al-+tof +te schortnes of preier be greetly comendid      #
here,
neuer+teles +te oftnes of preier is neuer +te ra+ter            #
refreynid. For as
it is seide before, it is preied in +te leng+te of +te          #
spirite; so +tat it
schuld neuer sees tyl +te tyme were +tat it had fully getyn     #
+tat +tat it
longid after. Ensaumple of +tis haue we in a man or a womman
affraied in +te maner before-seide. For we see wel +tat +tei    #
seese
neuer criing on +tis litil worde OUTE, or +tis lityl worde      #
FIIR, er +te
tyme be +tat +tei haue in greet party getyn help of +teire      #
angre.

[}HERE BIGYNNI+T +TE FOURTY CHAPITRE.}]

   Do +tou, on +te same maner, fille +ti spirit wi+t +te        #
goostly bemenyng
of +tis worde SYNNE, and wi+t-outyn any specyal beholdyng vnto
any kynde of synne, whe+ter it be venial or deedly: pryde,      #
wra+t+te
or enuye, couetyse, slew+t, glotenie or lecherye. What +tar     #
reche
in contemplatiues what synne +tat it be, or how mochel a synne  #
+tat
it be? For alle synne hem +tinky+t - I mene for +te tyme of     #
+tis werk
- iliche greet in hem-self, when +te leest synne departe+t hem  #
fro
God, and lette+t hem of here goostly pees.
   And fele synne a lumpe, +tou wost neuer what, bot none       #
o+ter +ting
+tan +ti-self. And crye +tan goostly euer upon one: 'Synne,     #
synne,
synne; oute, oute, oute!' +Tis goostly crie is betyr lernid of  #
God
by +te proef +ten of any man by worde. For it is best whan it   #
is
in pure spirit, wi+t-outyn specyal +tou+gt or any pronounsyng   #
of
worde; bot +gif it be any seeldom tyme, when for habundaunce of
spiryt it bresti+t up into worde, so +tat +te body and +te      #
soule ben bo+te
fillid wi+t sorow and kumbryng of synne.
   On +te same maner schalt +tou do wi+t +tis lityl worde GOD.  #
Fille
<P 79>
+ti spirit wi+t +te goostly bemenyng of it wi+t-outyn any       #
specyal
beholdyng to any of his werkes - whe+ter +tei be good, betir,   #
or
al+ter best, bodily or goostly - or to any vertewe +tat may be
wrou+gt in mans soule by any grace, not lokyng after whe+ter    #
it be
meeknes or charite, pacyence or abstynence, hope, fei+t, or     #
sobirnes,
chastite or wilful pouerte. What +tar reche in contemplatyues?
For alle vertewes +tei fynden and felyn in God; for in hym is   #
alle
+ting, bo+te by cause and by beyng. For hem +tink, & +tei had   #
God,
+tei had alle good; and +terfore +tei coueyte no+ting wi+t      #
specyal beholdyng,
bot only good God. Do +tou on +te same maner, as for+t
as +tou maist by grace; and mene God al, and al God, so +tat    #
nou+gt
worche in +ti witte & in +ti wile, bot only God.
   And for+ti +tat euer +te whiles +tou leuyst in +tis wrechid  #
liif, +tee
behoue+t alweys fele in som partye +tis foule stynkyng lump of
synne, as it were onyd & congelid with +te substaunce of +ti    #
beyng,
+terfore schalt +tou chaungabely mene +tees two wordes - SYNNE  #
and
GOD; wi+t +tis general knowyng: +tat and +tou haddest God, +ten
schuldest +tou lacke synne, and mi+gtest +tou lacke synne, +ten
schuldest +tou haue God.

[}HERE BIGYNNY+T ON AND FOURTY CHAPITRE.}]

   And for+termore, +gif +tou aske me what discrecion +tou      #
schalt haue
in +tis werk, +tan I answere +tee and sey: 'Ry+gt none!' For in #
alle
+tin o+ter doynges +tou schalt haue discrecion, as in etyng &   #
in
drynkyng, & in slepyng, & in kepyng of +ti body fro outrageous
<P 80>
colde or hete, & in longe preiing or redyng, or in comounyng in
speche wi+t +tin euen Crysten. In alle +tees schalt +tou kepe   #
discrecion,
+tat +tei be nou+ter to mochel ne to lityl. Bot in +tis werk
schalt +tou holde no mesure; for I wolde +tat +tou schuldest    #
neuer
seese of +tis werk +te whiles +tou leuyst.
   I sey not +tat +tou schalt mowe euer contynow +ter-in iliche
fresche; for +tat may not be. For sumtyme seeknes and o+ter     #
vnordeind 
disposicions in body and in soule, wi+t many o+ter needfulnes
to kynde, wol let +tee ful mochel, and oft-tymes drawe +tee     #
doun fro
+te hei+gt of +tis worching. Bot I sey +tat +tou schuldest      #
euermore
haue it ou+ter in ernest or in game; +tat is to sey, ou+ter in  #
werk or
in wille. And +terfore for Godes loue beware wi+t seeknes as    #
moche as
+tou maist goodly, so +tat +tou be not +te cause of +ti         #
febilnes, as
for+t as +tou maist. For I telle +tee trewly +tat +tis werk     #
aske+t a
ful greet restfulnes, and a ful hole and a clene disposicion,   #
as wele in
body as in soule.
   And +terfore for Godes loue gouerne +tee discreetly in body  #
& in soule,
& gete +tee +tin hele as mochel as +tou mayst. And +gif seeknes
come a+gens +ti power, haue pacyence & abide meekly Goddes
mercy; and al is +tan good inow+g. For I telle +tee trewly      #
+tat oftymes
pacyence in seeknes, and in o+ter diuerse tribulacions,         #
plesi+t God
moche more +ten any likyng deuocyon +tat +tou mayst haue in     #
+ti hele.

[}HERE BIGINNI+T +TE TWO AND FOURTY CHAPITRE.}]

   But parauenture +tou askest me how +tou schalt gouerne +tee
<P 81>
discreetly in mete, and in slepe, & in alle +tees o+ter. And    #
herto I +tink
to answere +tee ri+gt schortli: 'Gete +tat +tou gete mayst.'    #
Do +tis
werk euermore wi+t-outyn cesyng & wi+t-outyn discrecion, and    #
+tou
schalt wel kun beginne & ceese in alle +tin o+ter werkes        #
wi+t a grete
discrecion. For I may not trowe +tat a soule contynowyng in     #
+tis
werk ni+gt and day wi+t-outyn discrecion schuld mowe erre in    #
any of
+tees outward doinges; and elles me +tink +tat he schuld alweis
erre.
   And +terfore and I mi+gt gete a wakyng and a besi beholdyng  #
to +tis
goostly werk wi+t-inne in my soule, I wolde +tan haue a         #
rechelesnes
in etyng and in drynkyng, in sleping & in spekyng and in alle   #
myn outward
doynges. For sekirly I trowe I schuld ra+ter com to discrecion
in hem by soche a rechelesnes +tan by any besy beholding to     #
+te same
+tinges, as I wolde bi +tat beholdyng set a [{merke{] & a       #
mesure by hem.
Trewly I schuld neuer bryng it so aboute for ou+gt +tat I       #
cou+t do
or sey. Sey what men seye wil, & lat +te preof witnes. And      #
+terfore
lift up +tin hert with a blynde steryng of loue; and mene now   #
synne,
and now God. God woldest +tou haue, and synne woldest +tou      #
lacke.
God wante+t +tee; and synne arte +tou sekir of. Now good God    #
help
+tee, for now hast +tou need!

[}HERE BIGINNI+T +TE +TRE AND FOURTY CHAPITRE.}]

   Look +tat nou+gt worche in +ti wit ne in +ti wil bot only    #
God. And
<P 82>
[{fonde{] for to felle alle wetyng & felyng of ou+gt vnder      #
God, and
treed alle doun ful fer vnder +te cloude of for+getyng. And     #
+tou schalt
vnderstonde +tat +tou schalt not only in +tis werk for+gete     #
alle o+ter
creatures +ten +ti-self, or +teire dedes or +tine, bot also     #
+tou schalt
in +tis werk for+gete bo+te +ti-self and also +ti dedes for     #
God, as wel as
alle o+ter creatures and +teire dedes. For it is +te condicion  #
of a
parfite louer, not only to loue +tat +ting +tat he loue+t more  #
+ten
him-self; bot also in maner for to hate him-self for +tat       #
+ting +tat
he loui+t.
   +Tus schalt +tou do wi+t +ti-self: +tou schalt lo+te and be  #
wery wi+t
alle +tat +ting +tat worche+t in +ti witte & in +ti wil, bot    #
+gif it be
only God. For whi sekirly elles, what-so-euer +tat it be, it is
bitwix +tee and +ti God. And no wonder +tof +tou lo+te and      #
hate for to
+tink on +ti-self, when +tou schalt alweis fele synne a foule   #
stynkyng
lumpe, +tou wost neuer what, bitwix +tee & +ti God: +te whiche
lumpe is none o+ter +ting +tan +ti-self. For +tee schal +tink   #
it onyd
& congelid wi+t +te substaunce of +ti beyng, +ge, as it were    #
wi+t-outyn
departyng.
   And +terfore breek doun alle wetyng & felyng of alle maner   #
of
creatures; bot most besily of +ti-self. For on +te wetyng and   #
+te
felyng of +ti-self hangi+t wetyng and felyng of alle o+ter      #
creatures;
for in rewarde of it, alle o+ter creatures ben li+gtly          #
for+getyn. For,
and +tou wilt besily set +tee to +te preof, +tou schalt fynde,  #
when +tou 
<P 83>
hast for+geten alle o+ter creatures & alle +teire werkes, +ge,  #
and +terto
alle +tin owne werkes, +tat +ter schal leue +git after,         #
bitwix +tee and +ti
God, a nakid weting and a felyng of +tin owne beyng: +te whiche
wetyng and felyng behoui+t alweis be distroied, er +te tyme be  #
+tat
+tou fele so+tfastly +te perfeccyon of +tis werk.

[}HERE BIGINNI+T +TE FOURE AND FOURTY CHAPITRE.}]

   Bot now +tou askist me how +tou maist distroie +tis nakid    #
wetyng
and felyng of +tin owen beyng. For parauenture +tee +tink +tat  #
and it
were distroied, alle o+ter lettynges were distroied: and +gif   #
+tou
+tinkist +tus, +tou +tinkist ri+gt trewly. Bot to +tis I        #
answere +tee,
and I sey +tat wi+t-outyn a ful specyal grace ful frely +gouen  #
of God,
and +terto a ful acordyng abilnes to resseyue +tis grace on     #
+ti partye,
+tis nakid wetyng and felyng of +ti beyng may on no wise be     #
distroyed.
   And +tis abilnes is not elles a bot a stronge and a deep     #
goostly sorow.
Bot in +tis sorow nede+t +tee to haue discrecion on +tis        #
maner: +tou
schalt be ware in +te tyme of +tis sorow +tat +tou nei+ter to   #
rudely
streyne +ti body ne +ti spirit, bot sit sul stylle, as it were  #
in a
slepyng slei+gt, al forsobbid and for-sonken in sorow. +Tis is  #
trewe
sorow; +tis is parfite sorow; and wel were hym +tat mi+gt       #
wynne to
+tis sorow.
   Alle men han mater of sorow, bot most specyaly he feli+t     #
mater
of sorow +tat wote and feli+t +tat he is. Alle o+ter sorowes    #
ben vnto
+tis in comparison bot as it were gamen to ernest. For he may
make sorow ernestly +tat wote & feli+t not onli what he is,     #
bot +tat
<P 84>
he is. And who-so felid neuer +tis sorow, he may make sorow,    #
for
whi he felid +git neuer parfite sorow.
   +Tis sorow, when it is had, clensi+t +te soule, not only of  #
synne,
bot also of peyne +tat he ha+t deseruid for synne. And +terto   #
it maki+t
a soule abil to resseiue +tat ioye, +te whiche reui+t fro a     #
man alle
wetyng and felyng of his beyng. +Tis sorow, +gif it be trewly   #
conseyuid,
is ful of holy desire; and elles mi+gt neuer man in +tis liif
abide it ne bere it. For ne were it +tat a soule were sumwhat   #
fed
with a maner of counforte of his ri+gt worching, elles schuld   #
he
not mow bere +te pyne +tat he ha+t of +te wetyng and felyng of  #
his
beyng. For as ofte as he wolde haue a trewe wetyng and a felyng
of his God in purtee of spirit, as it may be here, and si+ten   #
feli+t +tat
he may not - for he finde+t euermore his wetyng and his felyng  #
as it
were ocupied and fillyd wi+t a foule stinkyng lumpe of          #
him-self, +te
whiche behoue+t alweis be hatid and  be dispisid and forsaken,  #
if he
schal be Goddes parfite dissiple, lernid of hym-self in +te     #
mount of
perfeccion - as ofte he go+t ni wood for sorow; in so mochel,   #
+tat
he wepi+t and weili+t, striui+t, cursi+t and banne+t, and,      #
schortly to sey,
hym +tinki+t +tat he beri+t so heuy a bir+ten of hym-self +tat  #
he rechi+t
neuer what wor+t of hym, so +tat God were plesid. And +git in   #
al +tis
sorow he desire+t not to vnbe, for +tat were deuelles woodnes &
despite vnto God. Bot hym listi+t ri+gt wel be; and he meni+t   #
ful
hertly +tankyng to God, for +te wor+tines and +te +gift of his  #
beyng,
<P 85>
+tof al +tat he desire vnsesingly for to lakke +te wetyng and   #
+te
felyng of his beyng.
   +Tis sorow and +tis desire behoui+t iche a soule haue and    #
fele in it-self,
ou+ter in +tis maner or in ano+ter, as God vouche+t saa[{f{]    #
for to
lerne to his goostly disciples, after his weel wyllyng & +teire
acordyng abylnes in body & in soule, in degre and compleccion,  #
er
+te tyme be +tat +tei mowe parfitely be onid vnto God in        #
parfite
charite - soche as may be had here +gif God vouche+t saaf.

[}HERE BIGINNI+T +TE FIUE AND FOURTY CHAPITRE.}]

   Bot o +ting I telle +tee: +tat in +tis werk may a +gong      #
disciple, +tat
ha+t not +git ben wel vsed & prouid in goostly worching, ful    #
li+gtly
be disceyuid, and, bot he be sone war & haue grace to leue of   #
and
meek hym to counsel, parauenture be distroied in his bodily
mi+gtes, and falle into fantasie in his goostly wittes. And     #
alle +tis is
longe of pride & of fleschlynes and coriouste of witte.
   And on +tis maner may +tis disceite befalle. A +gong man or  #
a
womman, newe set to +te scole of deuocion, here+t +tis sorow    #
and +tis
desire be red & spokyn, how +tat a man schal lift up his herte  #
vnto
God, and vnseesingly desire for to fele +te loue of here God.   #
And as fast
in a curiouste of witte +tei conceyue +tees wordes not goostly, #
as
+tei ben ment, bot fleschly & bodily, and trauaylen +teire      #
fleschly
hertes outrageously in +teire brestes. And what for lackyng of
grace, +tat +tei deseruen, & pride and curiouste in hem-self,   #
+tei
streyne here veynes and here bodily mi+gtes so beestly & so     #
rudely,
<P 86>
+tat with-inne schort tyme +tei fallen ou+ter into werynes and  #
a maner
of vnlisty febilnes in body and in soule, +te whiche maki+t hem
to wende oute of hem-self & seke sum fals & sum veyne fleschly
and bodily counforte wi+t-outyn, as it were for recreacion of   #
body and
of spirite. Or elles, +gif +tei falle not in +tis, elles +tei   #
deserue - for
goostly blyndnes & for fleschly chaufyng of +teire compleccion  #
in
+teire bodily brestis in +te tyme of +tis feinid beestly and    #
not goostly
worchyng - for to haue +teire brestes ou+ter enflaumid wi+t an
vnkyndely hete of compleccion, causid of misrewlyng of +teire
bodies or of +tis feinid worching, or elles +tei conceyue a     #
fals hete
wrou+gt by +te feende, +teire goostly enmye, causid of +teire   #
pride
& of +teire fleschlines & +teire coriouste of wit.
   And +git, parauenture, +tei wene it be +te fiir of loue,     #
getyn and
kyndelid by +te grace & +te goodnes of +te Holy Goost. Treuly   #
of
+tis disceite, and of +te braunces +ter-of, spryngyn many       #
mescheues:
moche ypocrisie, moche heresye, and moche errour. For as fast
after soche a fals felyng come+t a fals knowyng in +te feendes
scole, ri+gt as after a trewe feling come+t a trewe knowing in  #
Gods
scole. For I telle +tee trewly +tat +te deuil ha+t his          #
contemplatyues,
as God ha+t his. +Tis disseite of fals felyng, & of fals        #
knowyng
folowyng +ter-on, ha+t diuerse and wonderful variacions, after  #
+te
dyuerste of states & +te sotyl condicions of hem +tat ben       #
disceyuid;
as ha+t +te trewe felyng and knowyng of hem +tat ben sauid.
   Bot I sette no mo disceites here bot +too wi+t +te whiche I  #
trowe
+tou schalt be assailid, +gif euer +tou purpose +tee to worche  #
in +tis
werk. For what schuld it profite to +tee to wite hou +tees      #
greet
clerkis, & men & wommen of o+ter degrees +ten +tou arte, ben
<P 87>
disceyuid? Sikirly ri+gt nou+gt. And +terfore I telle +tee no   #
mo, bot
+too +tat fallyn unto +tee, +gif +tou trauayle in +tis werk.    #
And for+ti I
telle +tee +tis, +tat +tou schalt bewar +ter-wi+t in +ti        #
worching, +gif +tou
be assailyd +ter-wi+t.

[}HERE BIGINNI+T +TE SIX AND FOURTY CHAPITRE.}]
 
   And +terfore for Goddes loue bewar in +tis werk, and         #
streyne not +tin
hert in +ti brest ouer-rudely, ne oure of mesure; bot wirche    #
more
wi+t a list +ten wi+t any li+ter streng+te. For euer +te more   #
listly, +te
more meekly and goostly; and euer +te more rudely, +te more     #
bodely
& beestly. And +terfore bewar. For sekirly what beestly herte   #
+tat
presumi+t for to touche +te hi+ge mounte of +tis werke, it      #
schalt be
betyn awey wi+t stones. Stones ben harde & drie in her kynde,   #
and
+tei hurte ful sore where +tei hit. And sekirly soche rude      #
streynynges
ben ful harde fastnid in fleschlines of bodely felyng, and ful  #
drie fro
any wetyng of grace; and +tei hurte ful sore +te sely soule,    #
and make
it feestre in fantasie feinid of feendes. And +terfore bewar    #
wi+t +tis
beestly ruednes, & leerne +tee to loue listely wi+t a softe &   #
a demure
contenaunce, as wel in body as in soule. And abide curtesly and
meekly +te wil of oure Lorde, and lache not ouer hastely, as    #
it were
a gredy grehounde, hungre +tee neuer so sore. & gamenly be it
seyde, I rede +tat +tu do +tat in +tee is, refreynyng +te rude  #
and +te
grete steryng of +ti spirite; ry+gt as +tou on no wyse woldest  #
lat
hym wite hou fayne +tou woldest see hym and haue hym or fele
hym.
<P 88>
   +Tis is childly and pleyingly spoken, +tee +tink,            #
parauenture. Bot
I trowe who-so had grace to do and fele as I sey, he schuld     #
fele good
gamesumli pley wi+t hym, as +te fadir do+t wi+t +te childe,     #
kyissyng
and clippyng, +tat weel were him so.

[}HERE BIGYNNI+T +TE SEUEN AND FOURTY CHAPITRE.}]

   Loke +tou haue no wonder whi +tat I speke +tus childly, &    #
as it
were folily and lackyng kyndly discrecion; for I do it for      #
certeyn
skyles, & as me +tinke+t +tat I haue ben sterid many day bo+te  #
to
fele +tus & +tink +tus & sey +tus, as weel to som o+ter of my   #
specyal
freendes in God, as I am now vnto +tee.
   And o skyle is +tis, whi +tat I bid +tee hide it fro God,    #
+te desire of
+tine herte: for I hope it schuld more cleerly com to his       #
knowyng,
to +ti profite & in fulfyllyng of +ti desire, by soche an       #
hidyng, +tan
it scholde by any o+ter maner of schewyng +tat I trowe +tou
coudest +git schewe. And ano+ter skyle is: for I wolde by       #
soche a hid
schewyng bryng +tee oute of +te boistouste of bodely felyng     #
into
+te purete and depnes of goostly felyng; and so for+termore     #
at +te last
to help +tee to knit +te goostly knot of brennyng loue bitwix   #
+tee
and +ti God, in goostly onheed and acordyng of wille.
   +Tou wost wel +tis, +tat God is a spirit; and who-so schuld  #
be onid
vnto hym, it behoui+t to be in so+tfastnes and deepnes of       #
spirit, ful
fer fro any feynid bodely +ting. So+t it is +tat alle +ting is  #
knowen
<P 89>
of God, and no+ting may be hid fro his wetyng, nei+ter bodily   #
+ting
ne goostly. Bot more aperte is +tat +ting knowyn and schewid    #
vnto
him, +te whiche is hid in depnes of spirit, si+t it so is +tat  #
he is a
spirit, +tan is any +ting is medelid wi+t any maner of          #
bodelines.
For alle bodely +ting is fer+ter fro God bi +te cours of kynde  #
+ten
any goostly +ting. By +tis skile it semi+t +tat +te whiles      #
oure desire
is medelid wi+t any maner of bodelines - as it is whan we       #
stresse
and streyne us in spirit & in body to-geders - as longe it is   #
fer+ter
fro God +ten it schuld be, and it were done more deuoutly &     #
more 
listely in sobirnes and in puretee & in depnes of spirite.
   And here maist +tou see sumwhat and in party +te skil whi    #
+tat I bid
+tee so childly hele & hyde +te steryng of +ti desire fro God.  #
And +git
I bid +tee not pleynly hyde it, for +tat were +te biddyng of a  #
fole,
for to bid +tee pleynly do +tat on no wise may be done. Bot I   #
bid
+tee so +tat in +tee is to hide it. And whi bid I +tus?         #
Sekirly for I
wolde +tat +tou castedest it into depnes of spirite, fer fro    #
any rude
medelyng of any bodelines, +te whiche wolde make it lesse       #
goostly,
and fer+ter fro God in as moche; and for I wote wel +tat euer   #
+te more
+tat +ti spirit ha+t of goostlines, +te lesse it ha+t of        #
bodelines and +te
nerer it is God, and +te betyr it plesi+t hym, & +te more       #
cleerly it may
be seen of hym. Not +tat his si+gt may be any tyme, or in any
+ting, more cleer +ten in ano+ter, for it is euermore           #
vnchaungable;
bot for+ti it is more liche vnto hym, when it is in puretee of  #
spirit,
for he is a spirit.
<P 90>
   Ano+ter skyl +ter is whi +tat I bid +tee do +tat in +tee is  #
to late hym
not wite: for +tou & I, and many soche as we ben, we ben so     #
abyl
to conceyue a +ting bodily, +te whiche is seyde goostly, +tat   #
parauenture,
and I had boden +tee schewe vnto God +te steryng of +tin
herte, +tou schuldest haue maad a bodily schewyng vnto hym,
ou+ter in contenaunce, or in voyce, or in worde, or in som      #
o+ter
rude bodely streynyng, as it is when +tou schalt schewe a +ting
+tat is hid in +tin hert to a bodely man; & in as moche +ti     #
werk
schuld haue ben inpure. For on o maner schal a +ting be schewid
to man, & on an-o+ter maner vnto God. 

<S SAMPLE 3>
<P 112>
[}HERE BIGINNI+T +TE ON AND SIXTI CHAPITRE.}]

   Neuer+teles it is needful to lifte up oure i+gen and oure    #
hondes
bodely, as it were vnto +gone bodely heuen, in +te whiche +te
<P 113>
elementes ben fastnid. I mene +gif we ben sterid of +te werk    #
of oure
spirit, and elles nou+gt. For alle bodely +ting is sogette      #
vnto goostly
+ting and is reulid +terafter, and not a+gensward.
   Ensaumple herof may be seen by +te assencion of oure Lorde;
for whan +te tyme statute was icomen +tat him likyd to weende   #
to
his Fader bodely in his Manheed - +te whiche was neuer, ne      #
neuer
may be, absent in his Godheed - +tan mi+gtely, by +te vertewe   #
of
+te Spirit God, +te Manheed wi+t +te body folowed in onheed of
Persone. +Te visibilite of +tis was moste seemly and most       #
acordyng to
be upward.
   +Tis same subieccion of +te body to +te spirit may be in     #
maner
verrely conceiued in +te preof of +tis goostly werk of +tis     #
book by
hem +tat worchen +terin. For what tyme +tat a soule dispose+t   #
him
effectuely to +tis werk, +tan as fast sodenly - vnwetyng        #
him-self
+tat worche+t - +te body, +tat parauenture bifore er he bygan   #
was
sumwhat heeldyng donwardes on o syde or on o+ter for ese of +te
flesche, by vertewe of +te spirit schal set it vpri+gt,         #
folowyng in
maner & in licnes bodely +te werk of +te spirit +tat is maad    #
goostly.
and +tus it is moste semely to be.
   And for +tis seemlines it is +tat a man, +te whiche is +te   #
seemliest
creature in body +tat euer God maad, is not maad crokid to +te
er+tewardes, as ben alle o+ter beestes, bot upri+gte to         #
heuenwardes;
for whi +tat it schulde figure in licnes bodely +te werke of    #
+te soule
goostly, +te whiche falle+t to be upri+gt goostly and not       #
crokid goostly.
Take kepe +tat I sey upri+gt goostly, and not bodely. For how
<P 114>
schulde a soule, +te whiche in his kynde ha+t no maner +ting of
bodelines, be streinid upri+gt bodely? Nay, it may not be.
   And +terfore beware +tat +tou conceyue not bodely +tat +tat  #
is mente
goostly, +tof al it be spokyn in bodely wordes, as ben +tees:   #
UP or
DOUN, IN or OUTE, BEHINDE or BEFORE, ON O SIDE or ON O+TER.
For +tof al +tat a +ting be neuer so goostly in it-self,        #
neuer+teles +git
+gif it schal be spoken of, si+ten it so is +tat speche is a    #
bodely werk
wrou+gt wi+t +te tonge, +te whiche is an instrument of +te      #
body, it
behoue+t alweis be spoken in bodely wordes. Bot what +terof?
Schal it +terfore be taken and conceyuid bodely? Nay, it bot    #
goostly.

[}HERE BIGINNI+T +TE TWO AND SIXTY CHAPITRE.}]

   And for+ti +tat +tou schalt kun betir wite how +tei schul    #
be conceyued
goostly, +tees wordes +tat ben spoken bodely, +terfore I +tink  #
to declare
to +tee +te goostly bemenyng of somme wordes +tat fallyn to
goostly worching; so +tat +tou mayst wite cleerly wi+t-outen    #
errour
when +ti goostly werke is bene+te +tee & wi+t-outyn +tee, &     #
when it is
wi+t-in +tee & euen wi+t +tee, and when it is abouen +tee &     #
vnder +ti God.
   Alle maner of bodely +ting is wi+touten +ti soule &          #
bene+te it in
kynde. +Ge, +te sonne & +te mone and alle +te sterres, +tof al  #
+tei be
abouen +ti body, neuer+teles +git +tei ben bene+te +ti soule.
   Alle aungelles and alle soules, +tof al +tei be conformed    #
& anowrnid
wi+t grace & wi+t vertewes, for +te whiche +tei ben abouen      #
+tee in
clennes, neuer+teles +git +tei ben bot euen +tee in kynde.
   Wi+t-inne in +ti-self in kynde ben +te mi+gtes of +ti        #
soule, +te whiche
<P 115>
ben +tees +tre principal: minde, reson, & wille; and            #
secundary,
ymaginacion and sensualite.
   Abouen +ti-self in kynde is no maner of +ting bot only God.
   Euermore where +tou fyndest wreten +ti-self in goostlines,   #
+tan it
is vnderstonden +ti soule, & not +ti body. And +ten, al after   #
+tat +ting
is on +te whiche +te mi+gtes of +ti soule worchyn, +terafter    #
schal +te
wor+tines and +te condicion of +te werke be demid; whe+ter it   #
be
bine+te +tee, wi+t-inne +tee, or abouen +tee.

[}HERE BIGYNNI+T +TE +TRE AND SIXTY CHAPITRE.}]

   Mynde is soche a mi+gte in it-self, +tat properly to speke   #
and in
maner it worche+t not it-self. Bot reson & wille, +tei ben two  #
worching
mi+gtes, and so is ymaginacion & sensualite also. And alle      #
+tees foure
mi+gtes & +teire werkes mynde contene+t & comprehende+t in      #
it-self.
and on none o+ter wise it is seide +tat +te mynde worche+t,     #
bot +gif
soche a comprehencion be a werke.
   And herfore it is +tat I clepe +te mi+gtes of a soule, som   #
principal,
& som secundary. Not for a soule is departable, for +tat may    #
not
be; bot for alle +too +tinges in +te whiche +tei worchen ben    #
departable,
and somme principal, as ben alle goostly +tinges, and som       #
secundary,
as ben alle bodily +tinges. +Te two principal worching my+gtes,
reson and wille, worchen purely in hem-self in alle goostly     #
+tinges,
wi+t-outen help of +te o+ter two secundary mi+gtes.             #
Ymaginacion & 
sensualite worchin beestly in alle bodely +tinges, whe+ter      #
+tei be
present or absente in +te body, & wi+t +te bodely wittes. Bot   #
by
hem, wi+t-outen helpe of reson & of wille, may a soule neuer    #
come
<P 116>
to for to knowe +te vertewe & +te condicions of bodely          #
creatures, ne
+te cause of +teire beynges and +teire makynges.
   And for +tis skyle is reson and wille clepid principal       #
mi+gtes, for +tei
worchen in pure spirit wi+t-outen any maner of bodelines; and
ymaginacion & sensualite secondary, for +tei worchen in +te     #
body
wi+t bodely instrumentes, +te whiche ben oure fiue wittes.      #
Minde
is clepid a principal my+gte, for it contene+t in it goostly    #
not only
alle +te o+ter mi+gtes, bot +terto alle +to +tinges in +te      #
whiche +tei
worchen. Se by +te profe. 

[}HERE BIGINNI+T +TE FOURE AND SIXTY CHAPITRE.}]

   Reson is a my+gt +torou +te whiche we departe +te iuel fro   #
+te
good, +te iuel fro +te worse, +te good fro +te betir, +te       #
worse fro +te
worste, +te betir fro +te best. Before er man synned, mi+gt     #
reson
haue done al +tis by kynde. Bot now it is so blendid wi+t +te   #
original
synne +tat it may not kon worche +tis werk bot +git it be       #
illuminid
by grace. And bo+te +te self reson, & +te +ting +tat it         #
worche+t in, ben
comprehendid & contened in +te mynde.
   Wille is a my+gt +torou +te whiche we chese good, after      #
+tat it be
determinid wi+t reson; & +torow +te whiche we loue God, we      #
desire
God, and resten us wi+t ful likyng & consent eendli in God.     #
Before
er man synnid, mi+gt not wille be disceyuid in his chesyng, in  #
his
louyng, ne in none of his werkes; for whi it had +tan by kynde  #
to
<P 117>
sauour iche +ting as it was. Bot now it may not do so, bot      #
+gif it be
anointed wi+t grace. For oftymes, bicause of infeccion of +te
original synne, it sauore+t a +ting for good +tat is ful yuel,  #
and +tat ha+t
bot +te licnes of goode. And bo+te +te wille & +te +ting +tat   #
it wilni+t +te
mynde contene+t & comprehendi+t in it.

[}HERE BIGINNI+T +TE FIUE AND SIXTY CHAPITRE.}]

   Imagynacion is a mi+gt +torow +te whiche we portray alle     #
ymages
of absent & present +tinges. And bo+te it, & +te +ting +tat it  #
worche+t in,
ben contened in +te mynde. Byfore er man synned, was            #
ymaginacion
so obedyent vnto +te reson - to +te whiche it is as it were
seruaunt - +tat it mynystrid neuer to it any vnordeynde ymage
of any bodely creature, or any fantasy of any goostly creature.
Bot now it is not so. For bot +gif it be refreynid by +te       #
li+gt of grace
in +te reson, elles it wil neuer sese, sleping or wakyng, for   #
to portray
dyuerse vnordeynd ymages of bodely creatures; or elles sum
fantasye, +te whiche is nou+gt elles bot a bodely conseyte of a
goostly +ting, or elles a goostly conseyte of a bodely +ting.   #
And +tis is
euermore feynid & fals, & aneste vnto errour.
   +Tis inobedyence of +te ymaginacion may clerly be conseyuid  #
in
hem +tat ben newlynges tornid fro +te woreld vnto deuocion in   #
+te
tyme of here preier. For before +te tyme be +tat +te            #
ymaginacion be
in grete partye refreynid by +te li+gt of grace in +te reson -  #
as it is in
<P 118>
contynowel meditacion of goostly +tinges, as ben +teire         #
wrechidnes,
+te Passion & +te kyndenes of oure Lorde God, wi+t many soche 
o+ter - +tei mowe in no wise put awey +te wonderful & +te       #
diuerse
+tou+gtes, fantasies and ymages, +te whiche ben mynystred and
preentid in +teire mynde by +te li+gte and +te corioustee of    #
ymaginacyon. 
and alle +tis inobedyence is +te pyne of +te original synne.

[}HERE BIGINNI+T +TE SIX AND SIXTY CHAPITRE.}]

   Sensualite is a mi+gte of oure soule, rechyng & regnyng in   #
+te
bodely wittes, +torow +te whiche we haue bodely knowyng &       #
felyng
of alle bodely creatures, whe+ter +tei be likyng or gruchyng.   #
And
it ha+t two partyes: one +torow +te whiche it beholde+t to +te  #
needfulnes
of oure body, ano+ter +torou +te whiche it serue+t to +te       #
lustis of
+te bodely wittys. For +tis same mi+gt is it +tat gruchi+t      #
when +te body
lacky+t +te needful +tinges vnto it, and +tat in +te takyng of  #
+te nede
stere+t us to take more +tan nedi+t in fedyng and for+teryng    #
of oure 
lustys. It grochi+t in lackyng of likyng creatures, & lustely   #
is
delited in +teire presence. It grochi+t in presence of          #
mislikyng
creatures, & it is lustely plesid in +teire absence. Bo+te      #
+tis mi+gt
& +te +ting +tat it worche+t in ben contened in +te mynde.
   Before er man synnid was +te sensualite so obedyent vnto +te
wille - vnto +te whiche it is as it were seruaunt - +tat it     #
ministred
neuer vnto it any vnordeinde likyng or groching in any bodely
<P 119>
creature, or any goostly feynyng of likyng or mislikyng maad by
any goostly enmye in +te bodely wittes. Bot now it is not so;   #
for
bot +gif it be reulyd by grace in +te wille, for to suffre      #
meekly &
in mesure +te pyne of +te original synne - +te whiche it        #
feli+t in
absence of needful likyng and in presence of speedful groching  #
- and
+terto also for to streyne it fro luste in presence of needful  #
lykyng,
and fro lusty plesaunce in absence of speedful groching, elles  #
wil it
wrechidly and wantounly weltre, as a swine in +te myre, in +te  #
wel+tes
of +tis woreld & +te foule flessche so mochel, +tat alle oure   #
leuyng
schal be more beestly and fleschly +ten ou+ter manly or         #
goostly.

[}HERE BEGINNI+T +TE SEUEN AND SIXTY CHAPITRE.}]

   Loo, goostly freende! to soche wrechidnes as +tou here mayst
see ben we fallen for synne. And +terfore what wonder is it     #
+tou+g we
be blyndely and li+gtly disseyuid in vnderstondyng of goostly
wordes & of goostly worchyng, and namely +too +te whiche knowyn
not +git +te my+gtes of +teire soules and +te maners of +teire  #
worchyng?
   For euer whan +te mynde is ocupied wi+t any bodely +ting,    #
be it
taken to neuer so good an eende, +git +tou arte bine+te         #
+ti-self in +tis
worching, & with-outen +ti soule. And euer whan +tou felist     #
+ti mynde
ocupied wi+t +te sotil condicions of +te my+gtes of +ti soule   #
& +teire
worchynges in goostly +tinges, as ben vices or vertewes of      #
+ti-self
or of any creature +tat is goostly & euen wi+t +tee in kynde,   #
to +tat
eende +tat +tou mi+gtest by +tis werke lerne to knowe +ti-self  #
in for+tring
<P 120>
of perfeccion: +ten +tou arte wi+t-inne +ti-self and euen wi+t
+ti-self. Bot euer when +tou felist +ti mynde ocupyed wi+t no
maner of +tyng +tat is bodely or goostly, bot only wi+t +te     #
self substaunce
of God, as it is & may be in +te preof of +te werk of +tis
book: +ten +tou arte abouen +ti-self & vnder +ti God.
    Abouen +ti-self +tou arte: for whi +tou atteynest to come   #
+tedir by
grace, whe+ter +tou mayst not come by kynde; +tat is to sey,    #
to be
onyd to God in spirit & in loue and in acordaunce of wille.     #
Byne+te
+ti God +tou arte: for whi +tof al it may be seide in maner     #
+tat in +tis
tyme God & +tou ben not two bot one in spirit - in so moche     #
+tat
+tou or ano+ter for soche onheed +tat fele+t +te perfeccion of  #
+tis werk
may so+tfastly, bi witnes of Scripture, be clepid a God -       #
neuer+teles
+git +tou arte bine+te hym. For whi he is God by kynde          #
wi+t-outen
biginnyng; and +tou +tat sumtyme were nou+gt in substaunce &    #
+terto
after when +tou were by his mi+gt & his loue maad ou+gt,        #
wilfuly
wi+t synne madest +ti-self wors +ten nou+gt: only bi his mercy  #
wi+t-outen
+ti desert arte maad a God in grace, onyd wi+t him in spirit
wi+t-outen departyng, bo+te here and in blis of heuen           #
wi+t-outen any
eende. So +tat, +tou+g +tou be al one wi+t hym in grace, +git   #
+tou arte
ful fer bine+te hym in kynde.
   Loo, goostly freende! herby maist +tou see sumwhat in partye
+tat who-so knowi+t not +te my+gtes of +teire owne soule, and   #
+te maner
of +teire worchyng, may ful li+gtly be disseyued in             #
vnderstondyng
of wordes +tat ben wretyn to goostly entent. And herfore maist  #
+tou
<P 121>
see sumwhat +te cause whi +tat I durst not pleynly bid +tee     #
schewe
+ti desire vnto God; bot I bad +tee childly do +tat in +tee is  #
to hyde it
and hele it. And +tis I do for feerde lest +tou schuldest       #
conseyue bodily
+tat +tat is mente goostly.

[}HERE BIGINNI+T +TE EI+GT AND SIXTY CHAPITRE.}]
  
   And on +te same maner, wher ano+ter man wolde bid +tee gader
+ti mi+gtes & +ti wittes holiche wi+t-inne +ti-self, &          #
worschip God
+tere - +tof al he sey ful wel & ful trewly, +ge! & no man      #
trewlier & he
be wel conseiuid - +git for feerde of disseite & bodely         #
conceyuyng
of his wordes, me list not byd +tee do so. Bot +tus wil I bid   #
+tee.
Loke on no wyse +tat +tou be wi+t-inne +ti-self. And schortly   #
wi+t-outyn
+ti-self wil I not +tat +tou be, ne +git abouen, ne be-hynde,   #
ne on o
side, ne on o+ter.
   'Wher +tan,' seist +tou, 'schal I be? No+gwhere, by +ti      #
tale!' Now
trewly +tou seist wel; for +tere wolde I haue +tee. For whi     #
no+gwhere
bodely is euerywhere goostly. Loke +tan besily +tat +ti goostly
werk be no+gwhere bodely; and +tan wher-so-euer +tat +tat       #
+ting is, on
+te whiche +tou wilfuly worchest in +ti mynde in substaunce,    #
sekerly
+ter art +tou in spirit, as verrely as +ti body is in +tat      #
place +tat +tou
arte bodely. And +tof al +ti bodely wittes kon fynde +ter       #
no+ting to
fede hem on, for hem +tink it nou+gt +tat +tou doste, +ge! do   #
on +tan +tis
nou+gt, elles +tat +tou do it for Goddes loue. And lete         #
nou+gt, +terfore,
<P 122>
bot trauayle besily in +tat nou+gt with a wakyng desire to      #
wilne to
haue God, +tat no man may knowe. For I telle +tee trewly +tat   #
I had
leuer be so nowhere bodely, wrastlyng wi+t +tat blynde nou+gt,  #
+tan
to be so grete a lorde +tat I mi+gt when I wolde be euerywhere
bodely, merily pleiing wi+t al +tis ou+gt as a lorde wi+t his   #
owne.
   Lat be +tis eueriwhere & +tis ou+gt, in comparison of +tis   #
[{no+gwhere
and +tis{] nou+gt. Reche +tee neuer +gif +ti wittys kon no      #
skyle of +tis
nou+gt: for whi I loue it moche +te betir. It is so wor+ti a    #
+ting in
it-self +tat +tei kon no skyle +ter-apon. +Tis nou+gt may       #
betir be felt
+ten seen; for it is ful blynde & ful derk to hem +tat han bot  #
lityl
while lokid +ter-apon. Neuer+teles, +gif I schal so+tlier sey,  #
a soule is
more bleendid in felyng of it for habundaunce of goostly li+gt,
+ten for any derknes or wantyng of bodely li+gtte. What is he   #
+tat
clepi+t it nou+gt? Sekirly it is oure vtter man, and not oure   #
inner.
Oure inner man clepi+t it Al; for of it he is wel lernid to     #
kon skyle
of alle +tinges, bodely or goostly, wi+t-outen any specyal      #
beholdyng
to any o +ting by it-self.

[}HERE BIGINNI+T +TE NINE AND SIXTY CHAPITRE.}]

   Wonderfuly is a mans affeccion varied in goostly felyng of   #
+tis
nou+gt when it is nou+gwhere wrou+gt. For at +te first tyme     #
+tat a
soule loki+t +ter-apon, it schal fynde alle +te specyal dedes   #
of sinne
+tat euer he did si+ten he was borne, bodely or goostly,        #
priuely or
derkly, peyntid +ter-apon. And how-so-euer +tat he torni+t it   #
aboute,
euermore +tei wil apere before his i+gen; vnto +te tyme be      #
+tat wi+t
<P 123>
moche harde trauayle, many sore si+ginges, & many bitter
wepynges he haue in grete party rubbid hem awey.
   Somtyme in +tis trauayle him +tink +tat it is to loke        #
+ter-apon as on
helle; for him +tink +tat he despeiri+t to wynne to perfeccion  #
of
goostly rest oute of +tat pyne. +Tus fer inwardes comyn many;   #
bot
for greetnes of pyne +tat +tei fele and for lackyng of          #
counforte +tei
go bak in beholdyng of bodely +tinges, sekyng fleschly          #
counfortes
wi+t-outen, for lackyng of goostly +tat +tei haue not +git      #
deseruyd,
as +tei schuld +gif +tei had abeden.
   For he +tat abidi+t feli+t somtyme som coumforte, and ha+t   #
som
hope of perfeccion; for he feli+t & see+t +tat many of his      #
fordone
specyal synnes ben in grete partye by help of grace rubbid      #
awey.
Neuer+teles +git eueramonge he feli+t pyne; bot he +tinki+t     #
+tat it
schal haue an ende, for it wexi+t euer les & les. & +terfore he
clepi+t it nou+gt helle bot purgatory. Somtyme he kan fynde no
specyal synne wretyn +ter-apon, bot +git hym +tink +tat it is   #
synne a
lumpe, he wrote neuer what, none o+ter +ting +tan hym-self;     #
and +tan it
may be clepid +te sta+til and +te pyne of +te original synne.   #
Somtyme
hym +tink +tat it is paradis or heuen, for diuerse wonderful    #
swetnes
and counfortes, ioyes & blessid vertewes +tat he fynde+t        #
+ter-in.
Somtyme hym +tink it God, for pees & rest +tat he finde+t       #
+ter-in.
   +Ge! +tink what he +tink wil; for euermore he schal fynde    #
it a
cloude of vnknowyng +tat is bitwix hym and his God.

<P 124>
[}HERE BIGINNY+T +TE SEUENTY CHAPITRE.}]

   And +terfore trauayle fast in +tis nou+gt & +tis             #
nou+gwhere, & leue +tin
outward bodely wittes; for I telle +tee trewly +tat +tis werk   #
may not
be conceyuid by hem.
   For by +tin i+gen +tou maist not conceyue of nay +ting, bot  #
+gif
it be by +te leng+te & +te breed, +te smalnes & +te gretnes,    #
+te roundnes
and +te swarenes, +te fernes & +te neernes, and +te colour of   #
it. And bi
+tin eren, not bot noise or sum maner of soun. By +tin nose,    #
not bot
ei+ter stynche or sauour. And by +ti taast, not bot ei+ter      #
soure or swete,
salt or fresche, bittyr or likyng. And bi +ti feling, not bot   #
ou+ter hote
or colde, hard or tendre, soft or scharpe. And trewly nei+ter   #
ha+t God
ne goostly +tinges none of +tees qualitees ne quantitees. And   #
+terfore
leue +tin outward wittes, & worche not wi+t hem, nei+ter        #
wi+t-inne
ne wi+t-outen. For alle +too +tat setten hem to be goostly      #
worchers
wi+t-inne, & wenen +tat +tei scholen ou+ter here, smel, or      #
see, taast or
fele goostly +tinges, ou+ter wi+t-inne hem or wi+t-outen,       #
sekerly +tei
ben deceyued & worchen wronge a+gens +te cours of kynde. For
kyndely +tei ben ordeynid +tat with hem men schuld haue knowyng
of alle outward bodely +tinges, and on no wise by hem com to    #
+te
knowing of gostely +tinges. I mene bi +teire werkes.
   By +teire failinges we may, as +tus: when we rede or here    #
speke of
sum certeyn +tinges, & +terto conceyue +tat oure outward wittys
<P 125>
kon not telle us bi no qualitee what +too +tinges ben, +tan we  #
mowe
be verely certefied +tat +too +tinges ben goostly +tinges, &    #
not bodely
+tinges.
   On +tis same maner goostly it fari+t in oure goostly         #
wittys, when
we trauailen aboute +te knowyng of God him-self. For haue a man
neuer so moche goostly vnderstondyng in knowyng of alle maad
goostly +tinges, +git may he neuer bi +te werk of his           #
vnderstondyng
com to +te knowyng of an vnmaad goostly +ting, +te whiche is    #
nou+gt
bot God. Bot by +te failyng it may; for whi +tat +ting +tat it  #
faili+t
in is no+ting elles bot only God. And herfore it was +tat       #
Seynte Denis
seyde: '+Te moste goodly knowyng of God is +tat, +te whiche is
knowyn bi vnknowyng.'
   And trewly, who-so wil loke Denis bookes, he schal fynde     #
+tat his
wordes wilen cleerly aferme al +tat I haue seyde or schal sey,  #
fro
+te biginnyng of +tis tretis to +te ende. On none o+terwise     #
+ten +tus
list me not alegge hem, ne none o+ter doctour for me at +tis    #
tyme.
For somtyme men +tou+gt it meeknes to sey nou+gt of +teire owne
hedes, bot +gif +tei afermid it by Scripture & doctours         #
wordes; & 
now it is turnid into corioustee & schewyng of kunnyng. To      #
+tee it
nedi+t not, & +terfore I do it nou+gt. For who-so ha+t eren,    #
lat hem
here, & who-so is sterid for to trowe, lat hem trowe; for elles
scholen +tei not.

[}HERE BIGINNI+T +TE ON AND SEUENTY CHAPITRE.}]

   Somme +tink +tis mater so harde and so feerdful +tat +tei    #
sey it may
<P 126>
not be comen to wi+t-outen moche stronge trauayle comyng
before, ne conceiuid bot seeldom, & +tat in +te tyme of         #
rauisching.
and to +tees men wol I answere as febely as I kan, & sey +tat   #
it
is alle at +te ordynaunce & +te disposicion of God, after       #
+teire
abilnes in soule +tat +tis grace of contemplacion & of goostly
worching is +gouen to.
   For som +ter ben +tat wi+t-outyn moche & longe goostly       #
excersise
mowe not com +terto; & +git it schal be bot ful seeldom, & in   #
special
callyng of oure Lorde, +tat +tei schul fele +te perfeccion of   #
+tis werk:
+te whiche callyng is clepid rauisching. And som +ter ben +tat  #
ben so
sotyl in grace & in spirit, & so homely wi+t God in +tis grace  #
of
contemplacion, +tat +tei mowe haue it when +tei wolen in +te    #
comoun
state of mans soule: as in sittyng, goyng, stondyng, or         #
knelyng.
and +git in +tis tyme +tei haue fulle deliberacion of alle      #
+teire wittis,
bodely or goostly, & mowe vse hem +gif hem list: not wi+t-outen
som lettyng, bot withouten gret lettyng. Ensaumple of +te first #
we
haue by Moises, and of +tis o+ter by Aaron, +te preest of +te   #
temple.
   For whi +tis grace of contemplacion is figurid by +te Arke   #
of
+te Testament in +te Olde Lawe, and +te worchers in +tis grace  #
ben
figurid by hem +tat most medelid hem aboute +tis arke, as +te   #
story
wol witnes. And weel is +tis grace and +tis werk licnid to      #
+tat arke. For
ri+gt as in +tat arke were contenid alle +te juelles & +te      #
relikis of +te
temple, ri+gt so in +tis lityl loue put ben contenid alle +te   #
vertewes of
mans soule, +te whiche is +te goostly temple of God.
   Moyses, er he mi+gt come to se +tis arke, & for to wite how  #
it
schuld be maad, wi+t grete longe trauayle he clombe up to +te   #
top
of +te mounteyne & wonid +tere & wrou+gt in a cloude six daies:
<P 127>
abidyng vnto +te seuen+t day, +tat oure Lorde wolde vouche      #
saaf for
to schewe vnto hem +te maner of +tis arke-makyng. By Moises
longe trauaile and his late schewyng ben vnderstonden +too      #
+tat mowe
not come to +te perfeccion of +tis goostly werk wi+t-outen      #
longe
trauayle comyng before, & +git bot ful seeldom, and when God    #
wil
vouche saaf to schewe it.
   Bot +tat +tat Moises mi+gt not come to se bot seeldom, &     #
+tat
not wi+t-outyn grete longe trauayle, Aaron had in his power,
bicause of his office, for to se it in +te temple with-inne     #
+te veyle as
ofte as him likid for to entre. And bi +tis Aaron ben           #
vnderstonden
alle +too +te whiche I spak of abouen, +te whiche by +teire     #
goostly
slei+gtes, bi help of grace, mowen propre vnto hem +te          #
perfeccion of
+tis werk as oft as hem liki+t.

[}HERE BIGINNI+T +TE TWO AND SEUENTI CHAPITRE.}]

   Lo! herby maist +tou see +tat he +tat may not com to for to  #
see
& fele +te perfeccion of +tis werk, bot wi+t grete trauayle, &  #
+git is it
bot seeldom, & may li+gtly be disceyuid +gif he speke, +tink &  #
deme
o+ter men as he feli+t in him-self: +tat +tei mowe not com to   #
it bot
seeldom, and +tat not wi+t-outen greet trauaile. And on +te     #
same
maner may he be deceyuid +tat may haue it whan he wil, +gif he
deme alle o+ter +ter-after, seiing +tat +tei mowe haue it when  #
+tei wile.
Lat be +tis; nay, sekirly he may not +tink +tus. For            #
parauenture,
whan it liki+t vnto God, +too +tat mowe not at +te first tyme   #
haue it
<P 128>
bot seeldom & +tat not wi+t-outen grete trauayle, si+ten after  #
+tei
schulen haue it whan +tei wile, as ofte as hem liki+t.          #
Ensaumple
of +tis we haue of Moyses, +tat first bot seeldome, & nou+gt    #
wi+t-outen
grete trauayle in +te mounte, mi+gt not see +te maner of +te
arke; and si+ten after, as ofte as hym likid, sawe it in +te    #
vaale.

[}HERE BIGINNI+T +TE +TRE AND SEUENTY CHAPITRE.}]

   +Tre men +ter weren +tat most principaly medelid hem wi+t    #
+tis
arke of +te Olde Testament: Moyses, Be+geleel, Aaron. Moyses
lernid in +te mounte of oure Lorde how it schuld be maad.       #
Be+geleel
wrou+gt it & maad it in +te vaale, after +te ensaumple +tat was
schewid in +te mounteyne. And Aaron had it in kepyng in +te     #
temple,
to fele it & see it as ofte as hym likid.
   At +te licnes of +tees +tre, we profite on +tre maners in    #
+tis grace
of contemplacion. Somtyme we profite only by grace, and +tan we
ben licnid vnto Moises, +tat for alle +te clymbyng & +te        #
trauaile +tat
he had into +te mounte, mi+gt not com to se it bot seeldom;     #
and +git
was +tat si+gt only by +te schewyng of oure Lorde whan hym      #
likid to
schewe it, and not for any deseert of hie trauayle. Somtyme we
profite in +tis grace by oure owne goostly slei+gt, holpyn      #
wi+t grace,
and +tan ben we licnid to Be+geleel, +te whiche mi+gt not se    #
+te arke er
+te tyme +tat he had mad it by his owne trauayle, holpen wi+t   #
+te
ensaumple +tat was schewid vnto Moises in +te mounte. And       #
somtyme
we profite in +tis grace by o+ter mens teching. & +tan
<P 129>
ben we licnid to Aaron, +te whiche had it in keping and in      #
costume
to see & fele +te arke when hym list, +tat Be+geleel had        #
wrou+gt
& maad redy before to his handes.
   Lo! goostly freende, in +tis werk, +tof it be childly &      #
lewdely
spoken, I bere, +tof I be a wreche vnwor+ti to teche any        #
creature,
+te ofice of Be+geleel, makyng & declaryng in maner to +tin     #
handes
+te maner of +tis goostly arke. Bot fer betir and more          #
wor+tely +ten I
do, +tou maist worche +gif +tou wilt be Aaron; +tat is to sey,  #
contynuely
worching +ter-in for +tee & for me. Do +ten so, I prey +tee,
for +te loue of God Almi+gty. And si+ten we ben bo+te clepid    #
of God to
worche in +tis werk, I beseche +tee for Goddes loue fulfille    #
in +ti
partye +tat lacki+t of myne.

[}HERE BIGINNI+T +TE FOURE AND SEUENTI CHAPITRE.}]

   And +gif +tee +tink +tat +tis maner of worching be not       #
acordyng to +ti
disposicion in body & in soule, +tou maist leue it, & take      #
ano+ter
sauely wi+t good goostly counseile wi+t-outyn blame. And +tan I
beseche +tee +tat +tou wilt haue me excusid; for trewly I       #
wolde haue
profitid vnto +tee [{in +tis writyng{] at my simple kunnyng, &  #
+tat was
myn entent. And +terfore rede ouer twyes or +tries; & euer +te  #
ofter
+te betir, & +te more +tou schalt conceyue +ter-of; in so       #
moche,
parauenture, +tat sum clause +tat was ful harde to +tee at +te  #
first or
+te secound redyng, si+ten after +tee schal +tink it ful li+gt.
   +Ge! and it semi+t inpossible to myn vnderstonding +tat any  #
soule
+tat is disposid to +tis werk schuld rede it, or speke it, or   #
elles
here it red or spoken, bot +gif +tat same soule schuld fele     #
for +tat
tyme a verrey acordaunce to +te effecte of +tis werk. And       #
+tan, +gif +tee
<P 130>
+tink it do+t +tee good, +tank God hertly, & for Goddes loue    #
prey for
me. 
   Do +tan so. And I prey +tee for Godes loue +tat +tou late    #
none see
+tis book, bot if it be soche one +tat +tee +tink is liche to   #
+te book;
after +tat +tou fyndest wreten in +te book before, where it     #
telli+t
what men & when +tei schuld worche in +tis werk. And +gif +tou  #
schalt
late any soche men see it, +ten I preie +tee +tat +tou bid hem  #
take
hem tyme to loke it al ouer. For parauenture +ter is som mater
+ter-inne, in +te beginnyng or in +te middes, +te whiche is     #
hanging & 
not fully declarid +tere as it stonde+t. Bot +gif it be not     #
+tere, it is
sone after, or elles in +te eende. And +tus +gif a man sawe o   #
partye and
not ano+ter, parauenture he schuld li+gtly be led into errour.  #
&
+terfore I preye +tee do as I sey +tee.
   And +gif +tee +tenk +tat +ter be any mater +ter-in +tat      #
+tou woldest
haue more openid +tan it is, late me wetyn whiche it is & +ti   #
conceyte
+ter-apon; and at my simple kunnyng it schal be amendid +gif
I kan.
   Fleschly iangelers, glosers & blamers, roukers & rouners, &  #
alle
maner of pynchers, kept I neuer +tat +tei sawe +tis book; for   #
myn
entent was neuer to write soche +ting to hem. & +terfore I      #
wolde
not +tat +tei herde it, nei+ter +tei no none of +tees corious   #
lettrid ne
lewid men, +ge! al-+tof +tei be ful good men in actyue leuyng;  #
for it 
acorde+t not to hem.

[}HERE BIGINNI+T +TE FIUE AND SEUENTY CHAPITRE.}]

   Alle +too +tat redyn or heren +te mater of +tis book be red  #
or
<P 131>
spokin, & in +tis redyng or hering +tink it good & likyng       #
+ting,
ben neuer +te ra+ter clepid of God to worche in +tis werk,      #
only for
+tis likyng steryng +tat +tei fele in +te tyme of +tis redyng.  #
For
parauenture +tis steryng come+t more of a kyndely coriouste of
witte +ten of any clepyng of grace.
   Bot +gif +tei wil proue whens +tis steryng come+t, +tei      #
mowe proue
+tus, +gif hem liky+t. First lat hem loke +gif +tei haue done   #
+tat in hem
is before, ablyng hem +terto in clensyng of +teire concyence,   #
at
+te dome of Holi Chirche, +teire counseil acordyng. +Gif it be  #
+tus, weel
is in as moche. Bot +gif +tei wil wetyn more nere, lat hem      #
loke +gif
it be euermore presing in +teire mynde more costumabely +ten is
any o+ter of goostly excersise. And +gif hem +tink +tat +ter    #
is any
maner of +ting +tat +tei do, bodely or goostly, +tat is         #
sufficiently done
wi+t witnes of +teire concyence, bot +gif +tis priue litil      #
loue put be in
maner goostly +te cheef of alle +teire werk: and +gif +tei      #
+tus fele - +ten
it is a token +tat +tei ben clepid of God to +tis werk. &       #
sekirly elles
not.
   I say not +tat it schal euer laste & dwelle in alle +teire   #
myndes
contynowely +tat ben clepid to worche in +tis werk. Nay, so is  #
it
nou+gt. For from a +gong goostly prentys in +tis werk +te       #
actueel
felyng +ter-of is oft-tymes wi+tdrawen for diuers skyles;       #
somtyme
for he schal not take ouer homely +ter-apon & wene +tat it be   #
in
grete party in his owne power, to haue it when him list & as    #
him
list. & soche a wenyng were pride. And euermore whan +te        #
felyng of
grace is wi+tdrawen, pride is +te cause: not euer pride +tat    #
is, bot
<P 132>
pride +tat schuld be, ne were +tat +tis feling of grace were    #
wi+tdrawen.
and +tus wenyn oft-tymes som +gong foles +tat God is +teire
enemye; when he is +teire ful freende.
   Somtyme it is wi+tdrawen for +teire rechelesnes; and when    #
it is
+tus, +tei fele sone after a ful bitter pyne +tat beti+t hem    #
ful sore.
Somtyme oure Lorde wil delaye it be a cauteel, for he wol bi    #
soche
a delaiing make it growe & be had more in deintee, when it is
newe founden & felt a+gein, +tat longe had be lost. And +tis    #
is one of +te
rediest & souereynist tokin +tat a soule may haue to wite bi,
whe+ter he be clepid or not to worche in +tis werk: +gif he     #
fele after
soche a delaying & a longe lackyng of +tis werk, +tat when it   #
come+t
sodenly as it do+t, vnpurchasid wi+t any mene, +tat he ha+t     #
+tan a
gretter feruour of desire & gretter loue-longing to worche in   #
+tis
werk, +tan euer he had any before, in so mochel, +tat oftymes I
trowe he ha+t more ioie of +te fynding +ter-of, +ten euer he    #
had
sorow of +te lesing. And +gif it be +tus, sekirly it is a       #
tokin verrey wi+t-outyn
errour +tat he is clepid of God to worche in +tis werk,         #
what-so-euer
+tat he be or ha+t ben.
   For not what +tou arte, ne what +tou hast ben, beholde+t     #
God wi+t
his mercyful i+ge; bot +tat +tou woldest be. And Seinte         #
Gregory to
witnes +tat 'alle holy desires growen bi delaies; and +gif      #
+tei wany[{n{]
bi delaies, +ten were +tei neuer holy desires'. For he +tat     #
feli+t euer
les ioye and les in newe fyndinges & sodeyn presentacions of    #
his olde
purposid desires, +tof al +tei mowe be clepid kyndely desires   #
to +te
<P 133>
goode, neuer+teles holy desires weren +tei neuer. Of +tis holy  #
desire
speki+t Seint Austyne and sei+t +tat 'al +te liif of a good     #
Cristen man
is not elles bot holi desire'.
   Farewel, goostly freende, in Goddes blessing & myne! And I
beseche Almi+gti God +tat trewe pees, hole counseil, & goostly
coumforte in God wi+t habundaunce of grace, euirmore be wi+t    #
+tee
and alle Goddes louers in eer+te. Amen. 



