|b_Eight_Chapters_on_Perfection
|b_ed._Fumio_Kuriyagawa
|b_(Tokyo:_Privately_Printed_by_F._Kuriyagawa_and_Toshiyuki_Takamiya,
|b_Dept._of_English,_Keio_University,_Mita,_Minatoku,_Tokyo_108_Japan,
|b_1980),_pp._14-32).



|p14


|r(Petyt_Ms._524,_Inner_Temple,_London)
      |r[f.4r] Here bigynnen .viii. chapitres necessarie for men that
      yeven hem to perfeccion, whiche weren founden in
      Maister Lowis de Fontibus booke at Cantebrigge and
      turned into Englissh bi Maister Waultier Hiltoun de
    5 Turbaton.
         Of tokenes and wirkynges of love. .1.
         Of withdrawynge of deuocion hou a man shall doon.
      .2.
         Of periles that aren to eschewe to a goostli man. .3.
   10    Of degrees bi whiche a man passeth forth to contem_placion
      . .4.
         Of periles of goostli love. .5.
         Of parfit love of Crist withouten which al oer love is
      suspect. .6. 
   15    Of transfourmynge of the soule into love of Jesu Crist.
      .7.
         How goostli love is ofte turned into flessheli love. .8.


      Capitulum primum.
      
         Of tokenes and wirkynges of love.
         The first tokene of loue is, that the lover submitte fulli 
   20 his wille to the wille of hym that he loveth. And this
      special loue hath thre wirkynges.
         The first is, if he that is loued be symple and poore,
      meke and in dispite, than he that loveth, |r[f.4v] coveiteth to be
      vile, pore and meke, and to be in reproef, like to hym that
   25 he loueth.
         The seconde, that it maketh a man to leve al maner
      affeccion or frendship that is contrarie to this love, and so



|p15


      it maketh hym forsake fader and alle other affeccions, in
      as moche as thei aren contrarie to the wille of hym that
   30 he loveth.
         The thridde is, that there is no-thynge hid in that toones
      herte, that he ne woll shewe it to that other; and this is a
      special tokene of high love bitwix two persoones, and this
      is the fulfillynge of thise other wirkynges aforeseid.
   35 For-whi thorough this shewynge of privitees, her hertes
      aren opened, so that thei aren togedre moore parfitli
      bounden.


      Capitulum secundum.

         Of withdrawynge of deuocion; how a man shall
   40 doo
         If thou wilt continuelli stien vp to perfeccion and in the
      way of God which thou art entred, ever profite moore
      and moore, and encrece from vertu to vertu. Thou shalt
      neuer preie the lasse, whan grace of deuocion is wi_drawen,
   45 and temptacions and tribulacions comen vpon 
      thee, thanne whan thou hast grace of deuocion withoute
      temptacion.
         But thanne it is moost acceptable and moost queemfull
      to God whanne in withdrawynge of deuocion thou art in
   50 tribulacion and discomfort, and yet neuerthelees thou 
      preiest and wakest and doost alle other good deedes.



|p16


      And so, therfore, doo thou thi-self alle good dedes with_outen
      deucion, the whiche thou didest before with
      deuocion. Wherfore, if ther come somtyme temptacions
   55 and tribulacions the whiche aren ordeyned for to ponys_she
      and for to clense Goddes children, and deuocion be
      withdrawe, strengthe e thanne not the lesse to preie, not
      the lasse to wake ne to faste, and not the lesse in other
      goode werkes for to stonde. So that thorough con_tinuance
   60 in preieres with the teeres of thyn iyen vncesabli
      excercise thee, that thou myght, as it were, constrayne
      God to yeve thee ferour and hete of hooli deuocion.
         Who-so woll |r[f.5r] ben parfite and liven after this chapitre,
      doo as Caton seith: 'Cum recte viuas, non cures verba
   65 malorum'.
         Doo thou that longeth to thee, and thi loued dere
      Iesu Criste shal wel doo that perteyneth to hym. Preier
      that is made with greet enforce, whan the slowe flessh
      wolde be vnlusti, is to God acceptable. For-whi it
   70 driveth the loued Iesu Crist for to yelden and for to eken
      to thee grace and deuocion, and in temptacion greet
      profite.
         Preie thanne continuelli if thou wol purchace thee
      grace of deuocion, and for to profite in the way of Crist.
   75 And for no tribulacion ne for noon temptacion, leve
      neuer preier, nether in worchynge of worldeli werk,
      neither in bed ne out of bed, in companye neither solitarie.
         For if thou be in tribulacion [or in temptacion] and
      preiest lastyngli, grace and deuocion shal ben eked, and
   80 newe comfort shall be yoven to thee of Iesu Crist thi
      loued. And though the feend putte in thyn herte, that it
      is not that thou preiest, despise and defie hym with mouth
      and with herte and ever preie.



|p17


         And the moore that thi tribulacion and thyn affliccion
   85 is, the moore shal be thi comfort whan grace of deuocion 
      is yoven to thee. Preie thanne contynuelli, redynge in
      the boke of lif, that is in the lif of Iesu Crist, the whiche
      was pouertee, mekenesse, sorowe, despite, affliccion and
      sothfast obedience. And whan thou art wel entred in this
   90 waie, thanne many temptacions and tribulacions of the 
      feende, of the world and of the flessh, shal in many wise
      disease the, and hugeli tormente thee and discomforte
      thee. But if thou wolt ouercome all, stifli preie, and
      pacientli abide thi loued Iesu Crist, and he shall sende thee
   95 helpe and comforte vnspecable, that no tunge may telle 
      hou moche it is.
         Whan thou art tormentid with tribulacion or with
      temptacion, vse also often with thi preiere confession, in
      the whiche thou shalt shewen, with al the contricion of
  100 thyn herte, to thi confessour entierli and pleynli, alle the 
      woundes of thyn |r[f.5v] conscience moore and lasse, also
      ferforth as thou woldest shewe hem to thyn owne aungel,
      and that is a souereyne medecyne to putte alle temp_tacions
      and tribulacions away, and for to purchace moche
  105 grace of Goddes comfort. For-whi the feende that is full 
      of pride, may not suffre the mekenesse of pure confession,
      ne the feruour of continuel orison. Thorough whiche
      werkes specialli, oure swete lord Iesu Crist is, as it were,
      thorough violence drawen into a lovinge soule, and so
  110 constreyned for to comforte it. Sette thanne all thi 
      studie and thi besynesse for to make redi a place and
      privei chambre to thi lord Iesu Crist thi spouse in thi soule,
      bi swete meditacion, bi continuell orisons, and bi ofte
      confessions, made eche dai, or elles eche thridde dai if a



|p18


  115 man may haue leiser, so that the leest houre of thi tyme be
      not forgoten in the which thou hast in many thynges
      offended thi worthi lord and loued Iesu Criste. For
      thorough thise thre forseid werkes, meditacion, orison
      and confession, many a man cometh to restful clennesse of
  120 conscience. But be-ware that thou thorough recchelesship
      yeve no place to thyn enemyes, continuelli besegynge
      thee, and that ou doost, whan for vanyte or for idelnesse
      thou leuest thi preieres. Therfore the moore thou art
      tempted and trauailled, the moore stabli dwelle in thi
  125 preiere. And leue it not lightli, but if it be for feblenesse
      of the heed or of thi brayn. For-whi feblenesse of brayn
      wol somtyme falle, of vnmesurable continuaunce in preier,
      or in wakynge, or excesse in fastynge. And than is it
      good to stynte a-while. For-whi Seynt Ierom seith:
  130 'He erres not a litil but moche, that preferreth the lasse
      good to the moore good'; as he doth that setteth moore
      price bi fastynge than bi deedes of charite; and he that
      setteth wakynge bifore holinesse of brayn, of wit and of
      resoun. And he also erres greetli, that bi vnmesurabel
  135 and vndiscrete seiynge or syngynge of psalmes or ympnes,
      falleth into frenesie or into woodnesse, or into bitter
      hevynesse. Therfore it is good thanne for to stynten
      from |r[f.6r] multitude of wordes, and thenke oonli in thyn herte
      as esili as ou maist. And so thorough vertu of continuel



|p19


  140 preiere vsed, what in mouth, what in herte, shalt thou be 
      deliuered and eased of thi temptacions.
         Bi continuaunce in preier, is light of grace yeven to a
      soule, which clereth the conscience, and setteth it groundli
      in deep sothfastnesse of mekenesse. And thorough
  145 contynuel lokyng and redynge in the boke of lif, that is 
      on the blessid persoone Iesu Crist and on his lif, is the
      soule roted and grounded in pacience and in charite.
      For-whi in that lokynge may thou be knowe and en_formed
      of all that the nedeth for to knowe. And
  150 thorough at thou shalt mowe haue suche pacience, that 
      thou shalt wille to resceive gladli all maner of tribulacion
      and disease as for a greet comfort. For-whi thorough
      hem thou shalt fele and se thi-self, somwhat like to thi
      lorde Iesu Criste hym that thou louest. Yee, thou shalt
  155 holde thi-self so vnwise and so vunworthi in Goddes 
      sight, that it is no disease to thee what-so-euere thou may
      suffre. For-whi withouten comparison, he suffred moore
      for thee.
         Neuerthelees, yet shalt thou truste and hoope, that as
  160 thou art felaw with hym in peyne and disease, litil if it 
      be, so shalt thow be felaw with hym in his ioie and in his
      blisse. For as the appostele seith: 'If we be felawes of
      Cristes passions, we shall be felawes of his blissed con_solacions.'
      Wherfore it semeth that there is no moore
  165 dignite ne worthynesse that a man may come to, than for 
      to haue tribulacion for Cristes love. Bi the whiche a man
      is made Cristes felawe heere in this lif, and in the blisse
      of heuene withouten ende. Amen.



|p20


      Capitulum tercium.
      
      Of periles that aren to eschewe to a goostli man.
  170    Be-ware first that thou yeve not thi-self ne thi ful af_feccion 
      ne thi ful homli frenship to no persoone, but if
      thou haue first resceived the yefte and the sperite of dis_crecion.
      Bi the whiche thou mayst knowe from whiche
      thou shalt flee, and whiche ou shalt drawe to. Vnto the
  175 tyme thou come to this, kepe thee ay pleyn |r[f.6v] and comoun,
      to eche man half straunge, savynge euer the bonde of
      charite.
         Also be-war specialli of hem that han swete plesant
      wordes in her spekynge, and haue noon holynesse in
  180 vertu ne swetnesse in herte, but a likenesse of holynesse
      oonli in the tunge, and in the habite: thise that shewen of
      hem-self and avaunten hem-self of visions and [of] reuela_cions, 
      or of queynte maner felynges, or of singuler doynges
      or wittes, or vnderstondynges ouer other men, thorough
  185 whiche thei aren wondred and ouer-moche preised and
      worshipped of hem that ei speken to. For suche maner
      men aren ofte-sithes snares of disceites to hem that aren
      not wise. First a-vise thee of hem, and loke hem and
      brynge hem in thi mynde to the presence of Iesu Crist;
  190 as if thou woldest take a thynge out of a myrke place for
      to knowe what it is; and leie it and loke it in the light.
         Right so Iesu Criste is light; and there is no light of
      grace ne of sothfastnesse, but he and in hym. And
      therfore suche maner of men and alle other, yee, and thi_self 



|p21


  195 with hem, brynge in thi preieres and in thi mynde to 
      Iesu Criste. And there shal thei be seyn what thei aren;
      there shall thei be tried. There shalt thow thorough bi_holdynge 
      of hym and of his lif, se who is like to hym and
      who is vnlike to hym.
  200    But yet be-ware that thou deme not a man fulli what he 
      is after thi sight, but al cometh as a thynge vncerteyn in
      the privete of Goddes doom.
         Neuerthelees thou may bi that sight of Cristes lif, folowe
      and rule thyn owne conscience in this poynt: whom thou
  205 shalt folowe, and whom refuse, and with whom thou 
      mayst be homli, and with whom thou shalt be straunge.
      And that maner demynge is bi-hoofli for thee.
         Also be-ware of fervours, as, if thou feele the sperit of
      feruour gretli fallen vpon thee, thenke first and a-vise
  210 thee well, or thanne ou folowe fulli it in wirkynge, what 
      is the begynnynge of it, and wherof is it caused, and
      thenke vpon the myddes, and also what |r[f.7r] ende wol
      folowe of it. And than folowe it as moche as thou
      maist vnderstande bi grace and counseil, and bi Hooli
  215 Writte, that is, accordynge to sothfast vertu of discrecion,
      and to the lif of Crist, [the which lif of Crist] thou shalt
      make thi mirrour, thi rule and thi sampler, for to doon
      after it. And, for-thi, this lif of Crist shalt thou moore
      rewarden after the innere vertu of Crist, than after the
  220 vttere tokenes of his lernynge. And yet also be-ware of
      hem that seyn hem-self han geten the sperit of fredom,
      and that thei haue so moche grace of loue, that thei may
      liven as hem list. Thei thenken hem so free and so siker,



|p22


      that thei shall not synne. Thei maken hem-self abouen
  225 the lawe of Hooli Chirche, and they seyn thus as Seynt
      Poule [seid]: 'Where the spirit of God is, there is fre_dom.'
      And alle-so thus; 'If ye beladde with the sperite,
      ye aren not vnder lawe.'But thei menen not as Poule
      mente; thei vnderstonden not his wordes. Thise men
  230 aren expresseli ayenst the lif of Criste. For-whi, Crist
      that was made free, made hym-self thrall for vs. And
      whan he was abouen the lawe as maker and yeuer of it,
      yet he made hym buxom vnder the lawe.
         Of thise men speketh Seynt Petre thus: 'Thei beheten
  235 to other men fredom of sperit, and thei hem-silf aren
      thralles in synne and seruauntes of flessheli corrupcion.'
      

      Capitulum quartum.

      Of degrees bi the whiche a soule Passeth forth into
      contemplacion.
         The first degree is in teeres, and in shighynges and in
  240 sorowe for synnes, in compunccion [and compassion]
      of Cristes passion, and in parti-felynge of disease and of
      wrecchidnesse of his evene-cristen, and in stronge
      strivynge ayenst alle maner vices, ayenst alle wikked
      werkes, wikked wordes and wikked willes and also
  245 wickked thoughtes, with moche peyne and soore swynke
      of bodi and soule for to a enstonden hem.
         The seconde degree is, greet feruour and brennynge
      desire, with continuaunce of preiere, for to plese Iesu Crist,
      for to love |r[f.7v] hym with all thyn herte and alle thi myghtes,
  250 and for to feele comfort of his gracious presence. And
      this brennynge desire wol clense the conscience from all
      rust of synne, bothe of that [that] is bifore doon, and of
      that that he eche dai falleth in. And this werke is of
      greet trauaille and with wondreful besynesse, a litil



|p23


  255 tempred with reste amonge. 
         The thridde degre is a staat of wondreful swetnesse, of
      softnesse, and of gladnesse, of reste and of clerenesse.
      For in that cometh the grace of the Hooli Goost doun
      into a soule. And thanne it lightneth and purifieth so
  260 the soule with oile of goostli gladnesse and turneth it all 
      into charite of Crist; so that it thenketh that alle the
      lymes of the bodi and all the makynge of the worlde with
      alle the creatures as a melodie of the harpe. And thanne
      after this, is the soule somwhat able to goostli halsynges
  265 of Iesu Crist, that is her swete spouse. 
         The fourthe degree is in souereyn reste of bodi and
      soule. And that is whan a man is deed and buried to the
      worlde and to the flessh, and resteth in pees of conscience,
      and risith withoute stourbelynge of veyn thoughtes euer
  270 contynuelli in oure lord Iesu Criste. 
         The .v.the degree is whan a man begynneth for to
      take sothfastli the ernest of endelees ioie, and is reisid vp
      to the beholdynge of heuenli thynges. Than feleth and
      parceiveth he a glymmerynge of heuenli blisse. And
  275 than seeth he somwhat of the staat of aungeles and of 
      blissed soules; and how that alle illuminacions and alle
      graces of charite and of goodnesse, descenden out of the
      blissid Trinite vnspecable into Iesu Crist man; and hou
      of that glorious manhede of Criste, stremen out alle
  280 graces of light and of loue into aungeles, and into hooli 
      soules, and from hem comen doun to vs. And than is a
      man made able to reuelacions and contemplacions of
      Iesu Crist.



|p24


      Capitulum quintum.
      
      Of Periles of hooli love.
  285    A man that was holden an high livere, ofte was
      asked for |r[f.8r] to speken of goostli love. And thanne he
      began for to se the falshede, the periles and the disceites,
      that ofte-sithes fallen in goostli love. And he seide:
      'Ther is no thynge in all the worlde, neither man neier
  290 feende, ne noon other thynge, that I haue so moche
      suspect as I haue the affeccion of love; ne that I am so
      soore afeerd of, but if it be wel sette. For-whi, love is so
      passynge a thynge and clevyng, that it sinketh depper in
      a mannes soule than eny other thynge may doo. And
  295 there is no thynge that so fulli occupieth and byndeth and
      ouer-maistrieth a mannes herte as doth love where it is ful
      had, whether it be good loue or badde. And therfore,
      but if a man or womman haue armoure of discrecion, bi
      whiche he may kepe and gouerne his loue, it wol elles
  300 lightli cast down the soule and make it haue a foul falle.
      I speke not of flesshli loue that is openli yuel, the whiche
      oweth to be hated of alle Cristes louers as a thynge moost
      feendli, moost perilous, and moost contrarie to the chastite
      of Cristes loue; but I speke of good, goostli loue that is
  305 and oweth to be bitwix God and man, and man and man,
      [and man] and womman. 'For-whi, that loue that a soule



|p25


      hath conceived thorough grace of Iesu Crist, but if it be
      ordeyned and ruled with greet mekenesse and with greet
      discrecion, and that the feruour be resonabli ordenyd,
  310 sothli, or it lasteth not but soone faileth and vanyssheth 
      away, or elles it maketh a man to begynne som werkes so
      ouerpassyngli that he may not continue in hem, and so is
      he fayn to flee erfro.
         Also the loue that is bitwix man and man, and man and
  315 womman, as atwixe deuoute men and deuoute wymmen, 
      that is in God and sette for God; but if it be right wel
      loked to and ruled with armoures of discrecion, either it
      turneth into flesshli loue and into lecherie, or elles it
      maketh moche of her tyme be lost and wasted thorough
  320 veyn speche and in her common conuersacion, by cheson 
      that her hertes aren vndiscreteli festned to-gidre in loue.
      And ofte-sithes falleth that to persoones, be it men or
      wymmen, |r[f.8v] that louen togedres. But specialli moost
      perilous it is whan man and womman louen togedre with
  325 also good entent as thei can hem-self devisen. And thei 
      louen hertli togedre in good manere and in honest, that hem
      thenken that thei wolde neuer departen. And thei haue
      to-gedres greete affeccions singuler, for the goodnesse
      that eche of hem seeth in other. And that maketh eche
  330 of hem to doo other many seruices and greete esynges. 
      And what eche of hem doth to other, it is al of loue of
      herte. Ye, ouermoche of herte. For hem thenketh that
      thei wolden ay be togedre. And what-so oon liketh,
      the tother liketh; and what-so mysliketh the toon,
  335 mysliketh the tother. This loue is ful perilous and ful 
      moche blameworthi, though it seme good. And so
      moche it is the moore perilous that the peril is not knowe
      therof. For-whi it wol writhe al to flessh, but if it be
      ruled and gouerned wi armours of discrecion.



|p26


      Capitulum sextum
      
  340 Of parfite loue of Crist, withouten whiche al other love
      is suspecte.
         The beste loue and truest is whanne a soule is reised and
      lightned into knowynge of the beynge of God in Crist
      as whanne the soule seeth hou eche creature hath his be_ynge 
  345 of hym that is souereyn beynge, that is, God, and it
      seeth that no-thynge is sothfast beynge but God.
         Of this knowynge the soule resceiveth a wondrefull
      sauour and a greet vnderstandynge that what-so is of that
      souereyn beynge, it is good, and all that he doth is best
  350 doon. This knowynge stireth and reiseth vp a ]oue in
      the soule, answerynge to that goostli beholdynge of the
      beynge of Crist. And this knowynge maketh a man to
      loue al that hath beynge of hym, that is alle creatures,
      resonable and vnresonable, for his loue that yeueth beynge
  355 to alle creatures. And specially it stireth |r[f.9r] the soule
      to loue resonable creatures, and moost hem the which it
      parceiveth moost loued of Crist. For as the soule seeth
      Iesu Crist enclyned to the loue of alle creatures, so it is
      enclyned. And thanne is the soule kenned for to love
  360 creatures moore or lasse, after the mesure and the qualite
      of Cristes loue to hem and of her loue into hym. And
      the grace of Crist kepeth the soule so in that manere that
      it shall not passe mesure. And therfore, til thou fele this
      maner loue sadli groundid in thyn herte e whiche is had
  365 of the goostli knowynge of the beynge of Crist, holde all
      thi loue suspect and be aferd.
         But whan thou mayst come to that poynt, that thou may
      holde the sight of thi soule on this blessid persoone Iesu
      Crist, and on his souereyn beynge stabli, in weele and in
  370 woo, in ease and vnease, withouten greet blenkyng*
      away from hym; thanne that wondrefull loue, that is



|p27


      caused of this knowynge and of this beholdynge, is suf_ficient 
      for to ageynsto[n]de the venemous dartes of alle
      flessheli loues, and for to ageynstode the venemous dartes
  375 of alle flessheli loues, and for to put out her malice from 
      the mynde of the soule.


      Capitulum septimum.
      
      Of transformynge of the soule into the loue of Iesu
      Crist.
  380    There is thre maner transformynge of the soule.
         Oon is, whan the soule is made meke and buxom to the
      wille of God, so that it shapeth hym-self in all that it may
      for to be like to hym, folwynge his werkes, and for to
      transfiguren and turnen and haue it in it-self Cristes pas_sion,
  385 with suffrynge of alle shames and reproves as Crist 
      suffred, so that it hadde levere be like to Crist thorough
      sufferaunce of tribulacion, than for to haue all the mirthe
      of the worlde.
         Another ther is for to be transformed with God, and
  390 that is whan his soule is ooned with Crist and right homli 
      with hym. And the soule hath thanne greet felynge of
      Cristes loue, and often resceiveth [privei] swetnesse of
      his inspiracion, and many greete |r[f.9v] comfortes and delec_tacions.
      But thei aren not so greet but that thei may bi
  395 thought and bi wordes ben shewed. 
         The thridde transfourmynge is whan Iesu Crist and a
      soule aren so parfitli, so vnpartabli, and so acordabli
      ooned and bounden togedre, that Crist is in the soule and
      the soule is in Hym so fulli as if thei bothe were but oon
  400 sperit, as seith Seynt Poule: 'Who-so cleueth to God, he 



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      is oo sperit with hym.'Thanne feleth the soule high
      thynges and privei of Iesu Crist, and of his Fader and of
      the Holi Sperit. And it taketh suche delectacions of Cristes
      charite that thei may not fulli be conceived with thoughtes
  405 of mannys reson, ne declared forth with wordes of mannes
      tunge.
         The firste transfourmynge is not sufficient for to rule
      and gouerne the affeccion of mannys herte, ne the seconde
      neither. For-whi, the feruour of the affeccion, whether it
  410 be sette actuelli in God or in man, is oftesithes myghtier,
      moore egre and moore maisterfull than is the wisdom of
      discrecion of the soule. And therfore whiles it is so, the
      loue may snaper and stomble and erre, either bi ouer_moche 
      or bi ouer-litil.
  415    But bi the thridde is helid and yoten into the soule suche
      a wisdom and suche a deep knowynge, thorough that
      wondrefull medelynge and oonynge of Cristes light light_enynge 
      and of the soule lightned, that the soule is kenned
      bi the spirit of discrecion hou it shall be ruled and
  420 gouerne the loue that it hath in Crist, and hou it shall
      resceive goostli felynges and privei swetnesse and de_lectacions 
      in Crist, and hou it shall ordeyne, rule and
      mesuren the feruours of Cristes loue and the visitacions
      of his gracious presence so wiseli, and so priveli and so
  425 sobirli, that it shall mowe lasten esili and continuelli in the
      feelynges and in the goostly comfortes of Cristes love, not
      discouerynge it-self in sight of oer men, neither be
      laughynge, ne bi sobbynge, ne bi no queynte tokene of
      berynge of the bodi.
  430    Also bi the same sperit of |r[f.10r] discrecion, the soule is
      knowe hou wiseli, hou sobirli, how chastly, how mekeli
      and how loueli it shall haue it-self ayenst his even-Cristen



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      man and womman; and how gladli, benigneli, for to
      condescende whan it seeth tyme, persoun and cheson whi
  435 and whanne it is for to condescende whan it seeth tyme to 
      hem. And whan he seeth that it is not for to condescende
      to hem, than wol he not in no wise condescende to hem,
      but it is wonder stif, streite and stronge, as a thynge that
      myght not be stired ne chaunged, ne bowed on no wise.
  440    And the skille is this: God is in hym-self vnchaun_geable,
      and a soule is chaungeable of it-self. But thanne,
      wan the soule is ooned to Crist bi loue, the moore that it
      is ooned to hym, the moore vnchaungeable it is and the
      lasse it hath of chaungeablete. For-whi, the wisdom
  445 and connynge, the sadnesse and the light of discrecion 
      that the soule hath bi the vertu of this oonhede in loue,
      yeveth the soule loue and myght, that it may with thise
      armoures rulen the affeccion of love to God and to his
      even-Cristen withouten errour or falshede. And therfore,
  450 he that never felid this yefte of discrecion and of wisdom 
      and of grace in his herte, it is spedeful to hym that he
      suffre not his affeccion fulli to be bounden to no creature,
      neither man ne womman, syngulerli ne priveli, ne pas_syngli,
      for periles that lightli may falle therof; but that he
  455 be playn and comon to alle, and not ful homli with noon, 
      til he may thorough this light of discrecion knowe bi ex_perience 
      whos conuersacion and comunynge he shall flee,
      as noious to hym and vnprofiitable, whos conuersacion and
      affeccion he shall coveite as to hym eesi and comfortable.


      Capitulum octavum.

  460 How goostli loue is turned into eshli loue. 
      It falleth often-tyme that a deuoute man [loueth



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      another deuoute man] or a devoute womman in good
      honest love and for god with good entent. And after
      this love encreseth so moche bitwix hem that eche of hem
  465 desireth e presence of other vnmesurabli, so ferforth, if
      thei may not haue presence |r[f.10v] at wille, thei wexen hevi and
      sikeli. And somtyme whan they come togidre, her af_feccion 
      euer wexeth, so that thei are moore sikeli. And
      that byndeth hem togedre into suche an homly aqueyn_taunce 
  470 of hertes that what-so that oon wole, that oer
      woll, and what-so liketh [or mysliketh] that oon, liketh or
      mysliketh that tother, be it good, be it yuell. And this
      is ful perilous bitwix man and womman, whan thei aren
      thus bothe deepli wounded with the affeccion of loue.
  475 For-whi, whan her hertes aren thus homely accordynge
      togidre, nedes hem most shewe outward somtyme bi other
      tokenes that semeth not moche yvel wat the herte meen_eth. 
      And thus bi wordes and bi tokenes, whan eche
      of hem sheweth to other hou wele eche of hem loveth
  480 other, us is the loue moore encresid and moore chaunged
      from goostlynesse into fleshlynesse. But yet thei aren
      besy for to coloure and hide the flesshli affeccion vnder
      clennesse of charite, and of goostly profite and of edi_ficacion 
      of soule. For thus thei seyen, eche of hem to
  485 other, that thei menen not but good. And so, vnder
      sikernesse of that menynge and of that fals wenynge, thei
      coveite eche of hem to handle and fele other, and kisse
      other, as semeth to hem as it were deuocion and good
      loue, but in sothfastnesse it is sleynge of deuocion and
  490 lecherous love, and greet hynderynge and harmynge to
      the soule that wolde and sholde feele Cristes loue.
         Neuerthelees in the begynnynge her reson gruccheth



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      somwhat ayenst it and the conscience ageyn-seith it ofte.
      For-whi, the reson is not yet thorough costomable co_monynge 
  495 slayn ne strangeled all fulli. But whan it is ofte 
      had in custom, suche maner doynge, than is reson blynded
      and strangeled and the conscience falsli eesed. So that
      hem thenketh that thei may vsen suche spekynges and
      suche lokynges, touchynges, handelynges, kissynges, and
  500 suche tokenes of fleshli loue withouten peril. And som_tyme
      thei seien that thei may |r[f.11r] doon thus, and though it
      be a synne, yet it is no greet synne. And thus, ay bi litil
      and litil, goostli loue falleth and dieth and flessheli love
      wexeth and quekeneth. And aftir this, bi processe of
  505 tyme, the feruour of loue wexeth so moche, that it 
      benemeth a-way her tunges and alle the myghtes of her
      soules, so ferforth that neither of hem wole ayenseyn other,
      for displesynge of either other, in eny thynge that either
      of hem wil doo though it were deedli synne. And whan
  510 it is thus ferforth ybrought, thanne may neither wordes, 
      ne touchynges, ne handelynges, ne kissynges, ne bodili
      presence maken a ful seeth to her loue. And thanne ben
      thei stired ful to temptacions of the feende for to consente
      to the deede of lecherie, and fulli to parfourme it if that
  515 thei myght haue leiser. And for as moche as this peril 
      may lightli falle of mysrulynge of loue, therfore it is
      good to the for to haue suspect and drede in thi-self all
      maner loue whan it is priveli and singulerli sette into
      eny oo persoone, man or womman. For though it be
  520 first good and goostli, and bigynneth in God and good_nesse,
      neuerthelees, often it falleth that it is aftirward badde
      and flessheli and endeth in the werkes of the feende.



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      From whiche loue and perilis of loue, the armoures of
      discrecion geten bi the woundes of Crist in the manere
  525 bifore-seid, save vs alle Cristen men. Amen.
