<B CMROLLTR>
<Q M2/4 IR RELT RTREAT>
<N PROSE TREATISES>
<A ROLLE RICHARD>
<C M2/4>
<O 1250-1350>
<M 1420-1500>
<K NON-CONTEMP>
<D NO/EMO>
<V PROSE>
<T REL TREAT>
<G TRANSL>
<F LATIN>
<W WRITTEN>
<X MALE>
<Y X>
<H OTHER>
<U X>
<E X>
<J X>
<I X>
<Z INSTR REL>
<S SAMPLE X>


[^ROLLE, RICHARD.
TEXT: PROSE TREATISES.
ENGLISH PROSE TREATISES OF RICHARD ROLLE
DE HAMPOLE.
EARLY ENGLISH TEXT SOCIETY, O.S. 20.
ED. G. G. PERRY. 
LONDON, 1921 (1866).  
PP. 10.5 - 27.5^]

<P 10>
[}VII}]
[}A NOTABILL TRETYS OFF THE TEN COMANDEMENTYS, DRAWEN
BY RICHERDE, THE HERMYTE OFF HAMPULL.}]

   The fyrste comandement es 'Thy Lorde God +tou sall loute,
and til Hym anely +tou sall serue.' In this comandement
es forboden all mawmetryse, all wychcrafte and charemynge, 
the wylke may do na remedy till any seknes of man, 
woman, or beste, For +tay erre +te snarrys of +te deuelle, by   #
+te
whilke he afforces hym to dyssayue mankynde. Alswa in +tis
commandemente es forbodyn to gyffe trouthe till socerye or till
dyuynynge+g by sternys, or by dremys, or by any swylke thynges.
Astronomyenes by-haldes +te daye and +te houre, and +te poynte
+tat man es borne In, and vndyr whylke syngne he es borne,
and +te poynte +tat he begynnes to be In; and by +tire syngnes
and o+ter, +tay saye +tat +tay say that sall be-fall +te man    #
aftyrwarde;
Bot theyre errowre es reproffede of haly doctours. Haly
crosses men sall lowte, For thay are in syngne of Cryste
crucyfiede. To ymages es +te louynge +tat es till thaym of
whaym +taire are +te ymage+g, For +tat Entent anely +taire are  #
for 
to lowte.
   The tothire comandement es '+tou sall noghte take +te name
of God in vayne.' Here is forboden athe with-owtten cheson.
He +tat neuenes God & sweris fals, dispyse[{s{] God. In thre    #
maners
mane may syn in swerynge; That es, if he swere agayne
his concyence, or if he swere be Cryste wondes or blude,
That es euermare gret syn, +tofe it be sothe +tat he sweris,
For it sounes in irreu[{er{]ence of Ihesu Cryste. Also if he    #
com
agaynes his athe, noght fulfilland +tat he has sworne. The nam
<P 11>
of Gode es takyn in vayne one many maners: with herte, with
mouthe, with werke. With herte, takes false crystyn men it in
vayne, +tat rescheyues +te sacrement with-owtten grace in       #
sawle.
With mouthe es it tane in vayne, with all athes brekynge, of    #
new
prechynge +tat es vanyte and vndevocyone; prayere, when we
honour God with oure lyppys, and oure hertys erre ferre fra     #
Hym.
With werke, ypocrittes takes Goddes nam in vayne, For they
feyne gud dede with-owtten, and +tey erre with-owtten, charyte
and vertue and force of sawle to stand agayne all ill           #
styrrynges.
   The thirde commandement es 'Vmbethynke the +tat thow halowe
+ti halydaye.' This commandement may be takyn in thre
maneres. Firste generally, +tat we sesse of all vyces +tat      #
lettys
deuocyone to God in prayenge and thynkynge. The thyrde es
specyall, als in contemplaytyfe men +tat departis +taym fra all
werldly thynges, swa +tat +tey hally gyfe +taym till God. The
fyrste manere es nedfull vs to do; The tothire we awe to do;
The thirde es perfeccyone. For-thi, one +te halydaye, men awe,
als God byddys, to lefe all syn, and do na werke +tat lettis
thaym to gyffe +taire herte to Godd, thatt +tay halowe +te daye
in ryst, and deuocyone, and dedys of charyte.
   The ferthe comandement es 'Honoure thy fadyre and +ti
modyre.' That es, in twa thynges, +tat es, bodyly and gastely.
Bodyly, in sustenance, +tat +tay be helpede and sustaynede in   #
+taire
elde, and when +tay are vnmyghtty of +taym selfe. Gastely, in
reuerence and bouxomnes, +tat +tay say to +tam na wordes of
myssawe, ne vnhoneste, ne of displesance, vnauyssedly, Bot      #
serue
+tam mekely, and gladly and lawlyly, +tat +tay may wyn +tat
Godde hyghte to swylke barnes +tat es laude of lyghte. And if
+tay be dede, thaym awe to helpe +taire sawles with almous      #
dedes
and prayers.
   The fifte commandement es, +tat 'thow slaa na man, nowthire
with assente, ne with werke, ne with worde or fauour.' And also
here es forboden vn-ryghtewyse hurtynge of any person. Thay
are slaers gastely, +tat will noghte feede +te pouer in nede,   #
and
+tat defames men, and +tat confoundes Innocentys.
<P 12>
   The sexte commandement es, 'Thow sall be na lichoure'; +tat
es, thow sall haue na man or woman Bot +tat +tou has taken in
fourme of Haly Kyrke. Alswa here es forboden all maner of
wilfull pollusyone procurede one any maner agaynes kyndly oys
or o+ter-gates.
   The seuende commandement, es 'Thow sall noghte do na 
thyfte.' In the whylke es forboden all manere of withdraweynge
of o+ter men thynges wrangwysely, agaynes +taire
wyll +tat aghte it, Bot if it ware in tyme of maste nede, when  #
all
thynges erre comone. Also here es forboden gillery of weghte
or of tale, or of mett or of mesure, or thorow okyre, or        #
violence,
or drede, als bedells or foresters duse, and mynystyrs of +te
kynge, or thurghe extorcyone, als lordes duse.
   The aughten commandement es, that 'thow sall noghte bere
false wyttnes agaynes thi neghteboure,' als in assys, or cause  #
of
matremoyne. And also lyenges ere forboden in +tis               #
commandement, 
and forswerrynge. Bot all lyenges are noghte dedly syn,
bot if +tay noye till som man bodyly or gastely.
   The nynde commandement es, 'Thow sall noghte couayte +te
hous or o+ter thynge mobill or in-mobill of +ti neghtbour with
wrange,' ne +tou sall noghte hald o+ter mens gude if +tou may
+gelde thaym, elles +ti penance saues +te noghte.
   The tend commandement es, 'Thow sall noghte couayte +ti
neghtebour wyefe, ne his seruande, ne his mayden, ne mobylls
of his.' He lufes God +tat kepis thire commandementes for lufe.
His neghtebour hym awe to lufe als hym selfe, +tat es, till +te
same gude +tat he lufes hym-selfe to, na thynge till ill; and   #
+tat
he lufe his neghtbour saule mare +tan his body, or any gude+g   #
of
+te worlde, (\& cetera. Explicit.\) 

<P 13>
[}VIII}]
[} (\ITEM, IDEM DE SEPTEM DONIS SPIRITUS SANCTI.\) }]
[}ALSO OF THE GYFTES OF THE HALY GASTE.}]

   +Te seuen gyftes of +te Haly Gaste +tat ere gyfen to men and
wymmen +tat er ordaynede to +te Ioye of heuen, and ledys
thaire lyfe in this worlde reghtwysely: - Thire are thay,
Wysdom, Vndyrstandynge, Counsayle, Strenghe, Connynge,
Pete, The drede of God. Begynn we at Consaile, for
+tare-of es myster at the begynnynge of oure werkes, +tat vs
myslyke noghte aftyrwarde. With thire seuen gyftes +te Haly 
Gaste teches sere men serely. Consaile es doynge awaye of
worldes reches, and of all delytes of all thynge+g +tat mane    #
may
be tagyld with in thoghte or dede, and +tat withdrawynge        #
in-till 
contemplacyone of Gode. Vndyrstandynge es to knawe whate
es to doo and whate es to lefe, and +tat that sall be gyffen,   #
to
gyffe it to thaym +tat has nede, noghte till o+ter +tat has na
myster. Wysedome es forgetynge of erthely thynges, and
thynkynge of heuen, with discrecyone of all men dedys. In +tis 
gyfte schynes contemplacyone, +tat es, Saynt Austyn says,
A gastely dede of fleschely Affeccyones thurghe +te Ioye of
Araysede thoghte. Strenghe es lastynge to fullfill gude         #
purpose, 
+tat it be noghte lefte for wele ne for waa. Pete es, +tat a    #
man
be mylde, and gaynesay noghte haly writte when it smyttes his
synnys, whethire he vndyrstand it or noghte, Bot in all his
myghte purge he +te vilte of syn in hym and o+ter. Connynge
es, +tat makes a man of gude, noghte ruysand hym of his         #
reghtewysnes,
bot sorowand of his synnys, and +tat man gedyrs erthely
gude anely to the honour of God, and prow to o+ter men +tan
hym-selfe. The drede of God es, +tat we turne noghte Agayne
till oure syn thurghe any ill eggyng. And +tat es drede perfite
in vs, and gastely, When we drede to wrethe God in +te leste    #
syn 
+tat we kan knawe, and flese it als venym. (\Explicit.\) 

<P 14>
[}IX}]
[} (\ITEM, IDEM DE DILECTACIONE IN DEO.\) }]
[}ALSO OF +TE SAME,
DELYTE AND +GERNYNG OF GODE.}]
[} (\IHESUS, MARIE FILIUS, SIT MICHI CLEMENS & PROPECIUS!       #
AMEN!\) }]

   Gernyng and delite of Ihesu Criste, +tat has na thyng of 
worldes thoghtes, es wondyrfull pure, haly, and faste;
and when a man felis hym in +tat degre, than es a man
Circumsysede gastely. When all o+ter besynes and affeccyons
and thoghtes are drawen away owte of his saule That he may
hafe ryste in Goddes lufe, with-owtten tagillynge of o+ter      #
thynges.
The delyte es wondirfull. It es sa heghe +tat na thoghte may
reche +tar-to to, bryng it doun. It es pure, when it es noghte
blendid with na thynge +tat es contrayrie thare-to. And it es
faste, when it es clene and stabill, delitande by it-selfe.     #
Thre
thynges makes delite in Gode heghe. Ane es, restreynynge of
fleschely luste in compleccionne. Ano+ter es, restreynynge or
repressynge of ill styrrynge and of temptacione in will. The
thirde es, kepynge or hegheynge of +te herte in lyghtenynge of
+te Halygaste, +tat haldis his herte vpe fra all erthely        #
thoghtes,
+tat he sette nane obstakill at the comynge of Criste in-till   #
hym.
Ilkane +tat couaytes endles hele, Be he besy nyghte and daye to
fulfill +tis lare, or elles to Criste+g lufe he may noghte      #
wynn; For
it es heghe, and all +tat it duellis in, it lyftes abown        #
layery lustes
and vile couaytes, and abown all affeccyouns and thoghtes of
any bodily thynge. Twa thynges makes oure delyte pure.
Ane es, ternynge of sensualite to the skyll. For, when any es
tornede to delite of hys fyve wittes, alsonne vnclennes entyrs  #
in-to
his saule. Ano+ter es, +tat +te skyll mekely be vssede in       #
gastely
thynges, als in medytacyons, and orysouns, and lukynge in haly
bukes. For-thy +te delyte +tat has noghte of vnordaynde
styrrynge, and mekely has styrrynge in Criste, and in whilke
+te sensualyte es tournede to +te skyll, all sette and eysede   #
tyll
God, makys a mans saule in ryste & sekirnes, and ay to duell in
<P 15>
gude hope, & to be payede with all Godis sandes with-owtten
gruchynge or heuynese of thoghte+g, (\& cetera. Explicit.\)

<P 15>
[}X}]
[}THE ANEHEDE OF GODD WITH MANNIS SAULE.}]
[\THE HEADING ON LF. 219 BK.\]
   Dere Frende, wit +tou wele +tat +te ende and +te soueraynte
of perfeccione standes in a verray anehede of Godd
and of manes saule by perfyte charyte. This Ende
+tan es verrayly made, whene +te myghtes of +te saule
er refourmede by grace to +te dignyte and +te state of +te
firste condicione, +tat es, whene +te mynde es stablede
sadely, with-owtten changynge and vagacyone, in Godd and
gastely thynges, and when the resone es cleryde fra all worldly
& fleschely behaldynges and Imagycyones, fygours and fantasyes
of creatures, and es illumenede with grace for to be-halde
Godde and gastely thynges, and when +te will and +te affeccyon
es puryfiede and clensede fra all fleschely lustes, kyndely and
werldly lufe, and es enflawmede with brennande lufe of +te Haly
Gaste. Bot +tis wondirfull anehede may noghte be fulfillede
perfytely, contenually, ne hally in +tis lyfe, for corrupcyon   #
of +te
flesche, Bot anely in +te blysse of heuen. Neuer-+te-lattere,   #
+te
nerre +tat a saule in +tis presente lyfe may come to +tis       #
anehede,
+te mare perfite it es, For [{+te mare{] +tat it es refourmede  #
by grace
till +te ymage and +te lyknes of his creatoure here one +tis    #
manere
wyse, +te more Ioy and blysse sall it hafe in heuen. Oure Lorde
Godd es ane Endles beynge with-owtten chaungynge, All-myghtty
with-owtten faylynge, Souerayne wysdome, lyghte, sofastenes
with-owtten errour or myrknes; Souerayne gudnes, lufe, Pees
<P 16>
and swetnes; +tan, +te mare +tat a saule es Anehede, festened,  #
confourmede
& Ioynede to oure Lorde Godd, +te mare stabill it es 
& myghty, +te mare wysse & clere, Gude, peyseble, luffande,
and mare vertuous; and so it es mare perfite. For a saule +tat
haues, by grace of Ihesu, and lange trauayle of bodyly &        #
gastely
excercyse, ouercommen and dystroyede concupyscensand passiouns,
and vnskillwyse styrrynges with-in it-selfe, and with-owtten 
in +te sensualite, and es clede in vertus, - as in mekenes and
myldnes, in pacyence, in sothefastnes, in gastely strenghe and
ryghtewisenes, in contynence, in wysdom, in trouthe, hope, and
charyte, - +tan es it made perfite als it may be in +tis lyfe.  #
Mekill
comforthe it reschayues of oure Lorde, no+gte anely inwardly    #
in 
his preue substance, be +te vertu of +te anehede to oure        #
Lorde, +tat
lyes in knaweynge and lufynge of Godd, in lyghte of gastely
brynnynge of hym, in transfourmynge of +te saule in +te         #
Godhede,
Bot also in many o+ter comforthes, & Sauours, swettnes, and
wondirfull felynges one sere maners. Aftir oure Lorde vouches
safe to vesete his creatours here in erthe, and eftyre +te      #
saule profytes
and waxes in charyte, Some saule (by vertue of charyte +tat
Godd gyffes it) es so clensede, +tat all creaturs, in all +tat  #
he heris
or sese, or felis by any of his wittes, turnes hym till         #
comforthe
and gladnes; and +te sensualite receyues newe savour and        #
swetnes
in all creaturs. And righte als before, +te lykynges in +te     #
sensualite
ware fleschely, vayne, and vecyous, for +te payne of +te        #
orygynalle
synn, righte so nowe +tay ere made gastely, and clene,          #
with-owtten
bitternes and bytynge of concyence. And +tis es +te gudnes of
oure Lorde, +tat, sen +te saule es puneschede in the            #
sensualite, and
+te flesche es partynere of +te payne, That eftirwarde +te      #
saule be
comforthede in hir sensualite, and +te flesche be felawe of     #
+te Ioye
and comforthe with +te saule, noghte fleschely, bot gastely,    #
als he
was felawe in tribulacione and payne. +tis es +te fredom & +te
lordchipe, dygnyte and +te wyrchipe, +tat a manes saule hase    #
ouer
all creaturs; The whylke dygnyte he may receyue by grace here,
+tat ilk a creature sauoure to hym als it es, and +tat es,      #
when by
grace he sese, or he heres, or he felys anely Godd in all       #
creaturs.
<P 17>
One +tis maner wyse a saule es made gastely in +te sensualite   #
by 
abowndance of charite +tat es in +te substance of the saule.    #
Also 
oure Lorde comforthes a saule by Aungells sange. Bot what +tat
sange es, it may noghte [{be{] dyscryuede be no bodyly lyknes,  #
for it
es gastely, and abown all manere of ymagynacyone and mans
reson. It may be perceyuede and felide in a saule, bot it may
noghte be spoken. Neuer-+te-lattere, I speke +tare-of to +te    #
als 
me thynke. When a saule es puryfyede by +te lufe of Godd,
Illumynede by wysedom, stabled by myghte of Godd, Than es +te 
eghe of +te saule opyned to be-halde gastely thynges, as        #
vertus, 
Aungells, and haly saules, and heuenly thynges. Thane es +te    #
saule
abill, by cause of clennes, to fele +te toucheynge, +te         #
spekynge of 
gude Aungells. This touchyng and spekynge es gastely, noghte 
bodyly: For when +te saule es lyftede and raysede owte of the 
sensualyte, and owte of mynde of any erthely thynges, Than in
gret feruoure of lufe and lyghte of Godd, if oure Lorde         #
vouche-safe,
+te saule may here & fele heuenly sowun, made by +te presence 
of Aungells in louynge of Godd. Noghte +tat +tis sange of 
Aungells es souerayne Ioy of +te saule, Bot a defference +tat   #
es
by-twyxe a manes saule in flesche and ane Aungelle, be-cause of
vnclennes. A saule may noghte here it, bot by rauyschynge in
lufe, and nedis for to be puryfiede full clene, and             #
fullfillide of
mekyll charyte, are it ware abyll for to here heuenly sowun.
For +te souerayne and +te Escencyalle Ioy es in +te lufe of     #
Godd by
hym-selfe and for hym-selfe, and +te secundarye es in comonynge
and byhaldynge of Aungells and gastely creaturs. For, ryghte as
a saule, in vndirstandynge of gastely thynges, es of ofte       #
sythes
touched and kennede thurghe bodyly ymagynacyone, by wyrkynge
of Aungells (as E+gechielle +te profete sawe in bodily          #
ymagynacyonne
+te sothefastnes of Goddes preuates), Righte so, in +te lufe of
Godd, a saule, be +te presence of Aungelles, es raueschede owte
of all mynde of erthely and fleschely thynges in-to a heuenly   #
Ioye,
to here Aungells saunge and heuenly sowun, eftir +tat +te       #
charite 
es mare or lesse. Nowe than, thynke me, +tat +ter may no saule
fele verreyly Aungells sange ne heuenly sown, bot it be in      #
perfite
charite. And noghte for-thi all +tat are in perfite charyte ne
<P 18>
hase noghte felyde it, Bot anely +tat saule +tat es purede in   #
+te
fyre of lufe of Godd, +tat all erthely sauoure es brynte owte   #
of it,
and all menes lettande be-twyx +te saule and +te clennes of     #
Angells
es broken and put awaye fra it. +Tan sothely may he synge a
newe sange, and sothely may he here a blysfull heuenly sown
and Aungells sange, with-owtten dessayte or feynynge. Oure
Lorde wate whare +tat saule es +tat, for abowndance of          #
brynnande
lufe, es worthi to here Aungells sange. Wha-so +tan will here
Aungells sange, and noghte be dyssayuede by feynynge, ne by
ymagynacyone of hym-selfe, ne by illusyone of +te Enemy, hym
behoues hafe perfite charite, and +tat es, when all vayne lufe  #
and
drede, vayne Ioy and sorowe, es casten owte of +te herte, +tat  #
he
lufes na thynge bot Godd, ne dredis na thynge bot Godd, ne
Ioyes ne sorowes na thynge bot in Godd, or of Godd. Who-so
myghte, by +te grace of Godd, go +tis way, he sulde noghte      #
erre.
Neuer-+te-lattere som men ere disceyued by +taire awenn         #
ymagynacyon, 
or by illucyon of +te Enemy in +tis matere. Som man,
when he hase lange trauelde bodily and gastely in dystroynge of
synnes and getynge of vertus, and perauenture hase getyn
by grace a somdele ryste, and a clerete in concyence, onone he
leues prayers, redyngs of haly writte, and medytacions of +te
passione of Criste, and +te mynde of his wrechidnes, and, are
he be callede of Godd, he gedyrs his wittys by violence to seke
and to be-halde heuenly thynges, are his eghe be made gastely
by grace, and ouertrauells by ymagynacionns his wittes, and by
vndiscrete trauellynge turnes +te braynes in his heuede, and    #
forbrekes
+te myghtes and +te wittes of +te saule and of +te body; and 
+tan, for febilnes of +te brayne, hym thynkes +tat he heres     #
woundirfull
sownes and sanges, and +tat es no thynge ells bot a fantasie
caused of trubblyng of +te brayne, as a man +tat es in a        #
frensye,
hym thynkes +tat he herys or sese +tat na no+ter man duse, and  #
all
es bot vanyte and fantasie of +te heued; or elles by wyrkyng of
+te enemy +tat fenys swylke sowune in h[{is her{]ynge. For if   #
a man
hase any presumpcione in his fantasies and in his wirkynge, and
+tare-be falles in-to vndiscrete ymagynacyone, as it ware a     #
frensye,
and es noghte kennede ne rewlede of grace, ne comforthede by
<P 19>
gastely strenghe, +te deuelle entirs +tan by fals               #
illumynacyons, and
fals sownnes and swetnes, and dyssaues a mans saule. And of
+tis false grounde sprynges errours and herysyes, false         #
prophesyes,
presumpcyons and false rusynngs, Blasfemyes, and sclandirynges,
and many o+ter meschefes. And +tare-fore, if +tou se any man
gastely ocupiede Falle in any of +tise synnes, and +tise        #
dissaytes, 
or in frensyes, wit +tou wele +tat he herde neuer ne felide     #
Aungells
sange, ne heuenly sowne. For sothely, he +tat verreyly heres
Aungels sange, he es made so wyse +tat he sall neuer erre by
fantasye, ne by indiscrecyon, ne by no sleghte of +te deuelle.
Also som men felis in theire hertes as it ware a gastely sowne  #
and
swete sanges of dyuerse maners, and +tis es commonly gude, and
somtyme it may turne tyll dissayte. +tis sowne es felide one    #
+tis
wyse. Some man settis +te thoghte of his herte anely in +te
name of Ihesu, and stedfastly haldis it +tare-too; and in       #
schorte 
tym hym thynkes that +tat name turnes hym till gret comforthe
and swetnes, and hym thynkes +tat +te name sowunes in his herte
delitably, as it were a saunge, and +te vertu of +tis likynge   #
es so 
myghty, +tat it drawes in all +te wittes of +te saule           #
+tare-to. Who-so
may fele +tis sownne and +tis swetnes verrayly in his herte,    #
wite
he wiele +tat it es of Godd; and als lange als he es meke, he   #
sall
noghte be dissayuede. Bot +tis es noghte Aungels sange, bot it
es a saunge of +te saule, be vertu of +te name, and by          #
touchynge of
+te gude Aungels. For when a saule offers it to Ihesu trewly
& mekely, puttande all his traiste and his desyre in hym, and
besily kepis in his mynde, Oure Lorde Ihesu, whene he will,
puris +te affeccione of +te saule, and fillis it & fedis it     #
with
swetnes of hym-selfe, and makes his name in +te felynge of +te
saule as hony, and as sange, and as any thynge +tat es          #
delitabill.
So +tat it lykes +te saule euer mare for to cry 'Ihesu,         #
Ihesu'; and
noghte anely he hase comforthe in +tis, bot also in psalmes and
ympnes, and antymms of Haly Kyrke, +tat +te herte synges +tam
swetely, deuotly, and frely, with-owtten any trauelle of +te    #
saule,
or bitternes, in +te same tym, and note+g +tat Haly Kyrke vses.
This es +te gude and of +te gyfte of Godd, For +te substance    #
of +tis
<P 20>
felynge lyes in +te lufe of Ihesu, whilke es fedde and          #
lyghtenede
by swilke maner of sanges. Neuer-+te-lattere, in +tis maner
felynge a saule may be disceyuede by vayne glorye, noghte in
+tat tym +tat +te affeccion synges to Ihesu and loues Ihesu
in swetnes of hym, bot eftyrwarde, whan it cesses, & +te herte
kelis of loue of Ihesu, Than entyrs in vayne glorie. Also sum
man es dessayuede on +tis wyese. He heris wele say +tat it es
gude to haue Ihesu in his mynde, or any o+ter gude worde of
Godd, and +tan he streynes his herte myghtyly to +tat name, and
by acostom he hase it nerehande alway in his mynde. Noghte
for-thi he felis nou+ter +tare-by, in his affeccyonne,          #
swetnes, ne
lighte of knawynge in his resoun, bot anely a nakede mynde of
Godd or of Ihesu, or of Mary, or of any o+ter gude worde. Here
may be disceyte, noghte for it es ill to hafe Ihesu in mynde    #
on +tis
wyse, Bot if he [{think a thinge{] and this mynde, +tat es      #
anely his
awen wyrkynge by custom, halde it a specyalle vesytacyon of
oure Lorde, and thynke it mare +tan it es. For, wite +tou wele,
+tat a nakede mynde or a nakede ymagycion of Ihesu or of any
gastely thynge, with-owtten swetnes of lufe in +te affeccion,   #
or
with-owtten lyghte of knawynge in resoun, es bot a blyndnes,
and a waye to dessayte, if a man halde it it his awen mare +tan
it es. Thare-fore I halde it sekyre +tat he be meke in his awen
felynge, and halde +tis mynde in regarde noghte, till he mowe,  #
be
custom and vsynge of +tis mynde, fele +te fyre of lufe in his   #
affeccion, 
and +te lyghte of knawynge in his reson. Loo! I haue
tolde +te in +tis mater a lyttill as me thynke; noghte          #
affermande
+tat +tis suffisches, ne +tat +tis es +te sothefastnes in +tis  #
mater. Bot
if +te thynke it o+ter-wyse, or elles any o+ter man sauour by   #
grace
+te contrarye here-to, I leue +te saying, and gyfe stede to     #
hym. It
sufficeth to me for to lyffe in trouthe princypally, and        #
noghte in
felynge. 

<P 21>
[}XI}]
[} [\ACTIVE AND CONTEMPLATIVE LIFE.\] }]

   Brethirne and susteryne bodely and goostely, two maner of
states ther bene in holy chirch, be the which cristen soules
plesyn God and gettyn hem the blisse of heven, the one is
bodily, and the other is gostely. Bodely wirkynge longith
principally to worldely men or women, the which haunten         #
leuefully
worldely goodes and wilfully vsen worldely besynessis.
Also itt longith to all yonge begynnynge men, which come newe
oute of worldely synnes to the seruyce of God, forto make
hem able to goostely wyrkynges, and forto breke downe the
vnbuxomnes of the body be skill, And swich bodely wyrkynges
that itt myght be souple and redy, and not moch contrarious 
to the spirite in gostely wyrkynge. For, as seynt Poule seith,
as women was maade for man, and not man for women, Ryght
so bodely wirkyngis was maade for goostely, and not gostely for
bodely. Bodely wirkyngis goth before, and gostely comyth        #
aftir, 
so seith seynt Poule,
   (\Non quod prius spirituale, sed quod prius animale, deinde
spirituale.\)
<P 22>
   Gostely werke comyth not firste; but firste comyth bodely
werke that is doone by the body, and sithen comyth gostely
aftir; and this is the cause why itt behouyth the to be soo,    #
for
we are borne in synne and in corrupcion of the flessh, by the
which we be so blyndet and so ouerlaide, that we haue nethir 
the gostely knowynge of God by light of vndirstondynge, ne
gostely felynge of hym by clene desire of lovynge. And for-thi
we mowe not sodenly stir oute of this mirke pitte of this       #
flesshly
corrupcion into that gostely light. For we may not suffre itt
ne bere itt for sekenes of oure silfe, no more than we may with
oure bodely eene, when +tei be sore, beholde the light of the   #
sonne.
And therfor we muste abide, and wirke be processe of tyme.
   Firste bi bodily werkis besili, vnto we be discharged of     #
this
hevy birthen of synne, +te which lettith vs fro goostely
wirkynge, And till oure soule be somwhat clensid from gret 
outewarde synnes, and abiled to gostely werke. By this bodely
wirkynge that I spake of, may +tou vndirstonde all maner of 
goode werke that thi soule doth by +te wittes and the membres
of thi bodi vnto thi silfe, - as in fastynge, wakeynge, and in 
refreynynge of thi flesshly lustis, be othir pennaunce doynge,  #
- or
to thine even cristen, by fulfillynge of the dedis of mercy     #
bodili
or gostely, or vnto God, by suffrynge of all maner bodely       #
mischeves
for the loue of rightwisnes. And thees werkis doone in trouth
by charite pleysyn God, with-out the which +tei be noght. Than
who-so desirith forto be occupied gostely, hit is sekir and
profitable to hym that he be firste well assaide a longe tyme
in this bodely wirkynge, for thies bodely dedis ar tokyne and 
shewynge of moralle vertues, with-oute which a soule is not
able forto werke gostely. Breke downe firste pride in bodely
berynge, and also with-in thi herte, thynkynge, boostynge, and
prikkynge and preysynge of thi silfe and of thi dedis,          #
presumynge
of thi silfe, and veynlikynge of thi silfe, of eny thynge
that God hath sent the, bodili or gostely. Breke downe also
envy and Ire ayene thyne even cristen, whe+ter he be riche or
pore, goode or badde, that +tou hate hym nott, ne haue
<P 23>
disdeyne of hym wilfully, nethir in worde, ne in dede. All-so
breke doune Couatise or worldely goode, +tat +tou (for holdynge
or getynge or sauynge of itt) offende not thi conscience, ne    #
breke
not charite to God and to thi even cristen, for loue of no
worldely gode, but that +tou getiste to kepe itt and to spened
itt with-oute loue or vaynlikynge of itt, as reson askith, in 
worship of God, and helpe of thyne evyn cristyn. Breke
doune also, as +tou may, flesshely likynges, o+ter in accidie   #
or in
bodili ease, or glotonie, or licherye; and +tan, whan +tou      #
haste be
well trauailed and wele assaide in all swich bodily werkes,
than may +tou bi grace ordeyne the to goostely wirkynges.
Grace and the goodenes of oure lorde Ihesu Criste that he
hath shewed to the, - in with-drawynge of thyne herte fro luste
and from likynges of worldely vanite, and vse of flesshly       #
synnes
and in the turnynge of thi will enterely to his seruyce and his
plesaunce, - bryngith into my herte much mater to loue hym in
his mercy. And also itt sterith me gretly to strength the in    #
thi
goode purpos and thi wirkynge that +tou haste begon, forto
brynge itt to a goode ende, if that I coude, and principally    #
for
God, and sithen for tendir affeccion of loue which +tou haste   #
to
me, Thoffe I be a wrech and vnworthi. I knowe well the
desire of thi herte, that +tou desiriste gretely to serue oure  #
Lorde
by goostely occupacion, and holy, with-oute lettynge or         #
strobillynge
of worldely besynes, +tat +tou myght com by grace to more
knowynge and gostely felynge of God, and of gostely thyngis.
This desire is goode, as I hope, and of God, for itt is sente   #
vnto
hym specially. Nevirtheles itt is to refreyne and rewlen by
discrecion, as even outwarde wirkynge aftir the state that +tou
arte in, for charite vnrewled turnyth som tyme into vice. And
for this is seid in holy write, (\'Ordinauit in me              #
caritatem,'\)
That is to sey, oure Lorde yevynge [^EDITION: yevYnge^] to me   #
cherite, sett itt in ordir,
and in reule, that itt shulde nat be loste by myne discrecion.
Right so this charite and this desire that oure Lorde hattth
yeven, of his mercy, to the, is forto rule and ordeyne how thou
shalte pursewe itt, aftir +ti degre askith, and aftir the       #
lyvynge
that thou haste vsed by-for this tyme, and after the grace of
<P 24>
vertues that +tou now haste. Thow shalt not vttirly folow thi
desire forto leve occupacion and besynes of the worlde which ar
nedefull to vsen, in reulynge of thi silfe and of all othir     #
that,
ar vndir thi kepynge, and yeve the holy to gostely occupacion   #
of
prayers and holy meditacions as itt were a frere or a monke, or
ano+ter man that war not bonden to the worlde by children and
seruantes as +tou arte, for itt fallith not to the. And if      #
+tou doo
soo, thou kepiste not the ordire and charite. Also yf +tou      #
woldiste
leven vttirly gostely occupacion, namely now aftir +te grace    #
that
God hath yeven vnto +te, and sett the holy to the besynes
of the worlde, to the fulfillynge of the werkis of actife liffe
as fully as anothir man that nevir felt deuocion, thou leuyste
the ordir of cherite, for thi state askith forto doo both ilkon
of hem in dyvyrs tymes. Thou shalt medle the werkes of
actife liffe with goostely werkes of live comtemplatyfe, and    #
than
+tou doste wele. For +tou shalt oo tyme with Martha be besy
forto reule and gouerne thi householde, thi children, thi       #
seruantes,
+ti neghboris, and thi tenantes; if +tei do well, comforth
hem there-in and helpe hem; if thei do evill, forto teche
hem, amende hem, and chastise hem. And thou shalt also loke
and knowe wysely thi thyngis and thi worldely goodes, +tat      #
+tei be 
ryghtwysly kepte bi thi seruantes, gouerned and truly spendid,
that +tou myght the more plentivosly fulfill the dedis of mercy
with hem vnto thyne evyn cristen. Also thou shalt, with Maria,
leve besines of the world, and sitt dovne at the fete of oure   #
Lorde
by mekenes in prayers, and in holy thoghtes and in              #
contemplacion
of hym as he yevith the grace; and so shalt +tou goo from
the oone to the othir medefully, and fulfill hem both, and than
kepiste +tou well the ordir of cherite.

[}VNTO WHAT MANER OF MEN LONGITH ACTIFFE LIFFE.}]
   Neuertheles, that +tou haue no wondre of this that I say,    #
+terefore
I shall tell and declare to the a litill of this more
opynly. +tou shalt vnderstonde that +tere is iij maner of       #
livyngis:
One is actife, anothir comtemplatife, the thride is made of     #
both,
and that is medlid. Actyfe liffe alon, that longith to worldely
<P 25>
men and women which ar lerned in knowynge of gostely
occupacion, for +tei fele no sauoure ne deuocion be feruour of  #
loue, 
as othir men doo, ne thei can no skill of itt, and yitt         #
nevirtheles
thei haue drede of God, and of the payne of hell, and           #
+terefore thei
fle synne, and thei haue desire forto please God, and forto com
to heven, and a goode wille hauen to her even cristen. Vnto
these men itt is nedefull and spedefull to vse the werkis of    #
Actife
liffe als besili as +tei may, in the helpe of hem silfe and of  #
hir
even cristen, for thei can nott els doo.

[}VNTO WHICH MEN LONGITH CONTEMPLATIFE LIFF.}]
   Contemplatife liffe alon longith to swyche men and women
that, for the loue of Godd, for-saken all opyn synnes of the 
worlde, and of hir flessh, and all besynes chargis, and         #
grevance
of worldely goodis, and maken hem silfe pore and naked, to the
bare nede of the bodili kynde, and fre fro soueraynte of alle 
othir men, to the seruice of God. Vnto thies men itt longith
forto trauaile and occupy hem inwardly forto gett, thorow the 
grace of our Lorde, clennes in herte, and pes in conscience,    #
bi the
distroynge of synne and receyvynge of vertues, and so forto com
to the comtemplacion; which clennes may not be hadd with-out
gret excersyice of body and continuell trauaile of the spirit,  #
in 
deuoute prayers, feruent desires, and gostely meditacions.

[}VNTO WHICH MEN LONGITH MEDELID LIFFE.}]
   The thride liffe, that is, medlid liffe, itt longith to      #
men of
holi-chirch, as to prelates and to o+ter Curatis, the which
han cure and souerante ouer othir men forto teche and reule     #
hem,
both hir bodies and hir soules, principally in fulfillynge of   #
the
dedis of mercy bodili and gostely. Vnto thes men itt longith
som tyme to vsen werkis of mercy in actife liffe, in helpe and
sustinaunce of hem silfe and of hir sugettis and of othir also,
and som tyme forto leve all maner of besines ovtewarde, and
yeve hem vnto prayers and meditacions, and redynge of holy
writt, and to othir gosteli occupacions, after that thei fele   #
hem
<P 26>
disposed. Also itt longith to som temperall men, the which han
soueraynte with michell haver of worldely goodis, and han also
as itt wer lordisshipe ouer othir men forto gouerne and sustene
hem, as a fader hath ovir his children, a maistre ouer his      #
seruantis,
and a lorde ovir his tenantes, the which men han also 
receyved of oure Lordes yifte grace of deuocion, and in party
sauoure of gostely occupacion, vnto these men also longith      #
medlid
liffe, that is both actife and contemplatife. For if +tese      #
men, 
stondynge the charge and the bonde which thei haue taken, wille
leve vtterly the besynes of the world, the which owe skilfully  #
to 
be vsed in fulfillynge of hir charge, and hooly yeve hem to     #
contemplatife 
liffe, thei doo not well, for thei kepe nott the ordir of
cherite. For charite, as +tou knowiste, lith both in loue of    #
God
and of thyne evyn cristen, and +tere-fore itt is resounable,    #
that 
he that hath cherite, vse both, in wirkynge now to the one and
now to the othir. For he +tat, for the loue of God in           #
contemplacion, 
levith the loue of his evyn cristen, and doth not to hym as
he oght when he is bonden +tere-to, he fulfillith no cherite.   #
Also,
on the contrary wise, who-so hath gret rewarde to wirke actife 
liffe and to besinnes of +te worlde that, for the loue of his   #
evyn
cristen, he levith gostely occupacion vtterly, after +tat God   #
hath
disposed hem there-too, thei fulfill not cherite. This is the   #
seynge
of seynt Gregory. For-thi our Lorde, forto stere som forto vse
this medlid liffe, toke vpon hym silfe the person of swiche
maner of men, both of prelates, and of othir swich as ar        #
disposed
ther-to as I haue seide, and yave hem ensample, by his owen
wirkynge, that thei shulde vse this medlid liffe as he did,     #
that
tyme he comyned with men and medled with men, shewynge to
hem his dedis of mercy. For he taght the vn-couthe and          #
vnkunnynge
by his prechynge, he vesited +te seke, and helid hem of
hir sores, he fedde the hungry, and he conforted the sory. And
an othir tym he lefte +te conuersacion of all worldely men,     #
and of
his disciplis, and went into disserte vpon the hilles, and      #
continued 
all night in prayers alone, as the gospell seith. +Tis
medlid liffe shewith oure Lorde in hym silfe to ensample of all
<P 27>
othir that han taken the charge of +tis medlid liffe, that      #
+tei shuld
oo tyme yeven hem to besynes and worldely thyngis att resonable
nede, and to the werkes of actiffe liffe in profitt of her      #
encresynge, 
which +tei haue cure of. And an othir tyme yive hem holy
to deuocion and to contemplacion, in prayers and in             #
meditacion.  



