|b{Misyn,_The_Mending_of_Life,_or_The_Rule_of_Living._in}.
|b{Richard_Misyn,_The_Fire_of_Love,_and}
|b{The_Mending_of_Life_or_The_Rule_of_Living,}
|b{of_Richard_Rolle.}
|b{Ed._by_Ralph_Harvey,
|b{EETS_OS_106 (1896).}
|b{pp.105-131.}



|p105


|r[II._THE_MENDING_OF_LIFE,_OR_THE]
|r[RULE_OF_LIVING.]

|r[Englished_From_Hampoles_"De_Emendacione_Vitae"]
|r[By_Richard_Misyn_in_1434.]

|r[MS_in_Univ._Coll.,_Oxford.]

        |r<b> is boke is of mendynge of lyfe, or ellis of e rewl |r[f.XLVa]
        of lyfynge, destinct in-to xij chapiters : The fyrst
 |r8    of conuersyon or holy turnynge. e secunde, of
        e despisynge of is warlde. e irde, of pouerte.
        e fowrte, of e settynge of mans lyfe. e fyft,
        of tribulacionun. e sext, of paciens. e sevynt,
|r12    of prayer. e aght, of meditacioun. e ix, of
        redynge. e x of clerenes of mynde. e xj, of
        e lufe of god. e xij, of godis contemplacionun.
        Of is, als god wil graunt, we salle pursw.

|r16         ffirst, of conuersion. |r[Cap._I.]

     |r<b> Tary ou not to oure lorde to be turnyd, ne put it not fro day
           to day : for oft-tymes cruelte of deed rauischis wrechis, &
     ame at irkis now to be turnyd, bittyrnes of payns sodanly de_vouris.
|r20  Of vs may not be nowmbyrd, how many wardly, wykkyd
     presumpsyone has begilyd. /  Grete synne truly it is, in godis
     mercy to trest, and fro syn not sees, trowyng godis mercy be so
     mikyll, at to synnars, rightwes payn he will not gyff.  "Wirk
|r24 e erfore qwhils it is day : e nyght truly cumys in qwhilk no
     man may wyrk.' Lyght or day, is lyfe he cals, in qwhilk we aw
     neuer of gude wirkynge cees, knawand at deed to vs is sykyr, e
     owre of deed truly vnsikyr. e nyght, deed he cals, in e qwhilk
|r28 membyrs ar bun, wittis ar put by, And any helefull ingis now may



|p106


     we not wyrk, bot after owr warkis, Ioy or turmentry we sal resayfe.
      In a poynt we lyfe, a les en a poynt, for [if] all our lyfe to lyfe
     euerlastynge we wald likkyn, not it is.  erfore oure lyfe how
 |r4 waste we in lufe of vanite not with-oute greuus dampnacyone, & all
     day necligentt, with-out forinkynge, ydill we stand!.  Lorde,
     erfore turne vs & we sall be turnyd ; heyl vs & we sall be helyd.
      Many truly ar not helyd, bot rotis & er wondys festyr, for to_day
 |r8 to god turnyd to-morne fro hym, [ai ar turnand], to-day doand
     penance, to-morne, to er ill turnand. [Of slike it is seid] : we
     haue curyd babilon & it is not helyd, for to criste it is not truly
     turnyd.  Qwhat is turnyng to god bot fro e warld turnyng, &
|r12 fro synne, fro e feynde & fro e flesch?  Qwhat is turnyng fro
     god bot turnynge fro guyde vnchawngabyll to guyde chawngabyll,
     to likynge bewte of creature, to e feyndis warkis, to lust of
     flesche & e warld? not with goynge of feytt to goyd we ar
|r16 turnyd, bot with chawngis of our desyrs & maners.  Turnynge
     also to goyd is doyne, e scharpnes of owr myndys qwhils we in-to
     hym drees, his counseyll & his commamendys euermore we inkis
     |r[f.XLVb] at of vs a be fulfillyd, & qwher-euer we be, sytt we stand we,
|r20 dreyd of god fro our hartis passis nott.  Of dreyd I speyk nott
     at has payn, bot of at at is in charite, with qwhilk we gif
     reuerence to e presence of so grete a maieste, & all-way we dreyd in
     any lityll inge at we offend not. us sothely disposyd, fro e
|r24 warld to god truly [we] ar turnyd [& fro e warld turned].  ffro
     e warld to be turned is not ellis bot all lustis to put bak, &
     bitternes of is warld, for god gladly suffyr, all idyll occupacions to
     forgett & wardly erandis, in so mikyll at owr saule holy to god
|r28 turnyd, to all ingis in e warld to be lofyd or soyght pithily it
     dyis.  To heuynly desyres erfore gyvyn ha gode euermore before
     er eyne as hym vnwerily euer ai suld behalde, als beris witnes e
     holy prophett wher he sayd : Prouidebam dominum in conspectu
|r32 meo semper, at is to say : `In my syght euermore owr lorde I before
     sawe,' not onely e space of a nowre, as do ai at all erthely
     fayre or lufly be-fore e eyne of er harttis settis, e qwhilk a
     behald, I whilk ame likis & to rest be lufe desyris. And eft e
|r36 prophet says : Oculi mei semper ad dominum, quoniam ipse euell_et
     de laqueo pedes meos, / at is : `Myn eyn euermore ar to owr
     lorde, for he fro e snare my feyt sall delyuer' // Be is is schewyd
     at bot in owr inward eyn to crist vnwerily be raisyd, e snaris of
|r40 temptacione we may not scape. And at owre eyn of hart be not



|p107


     fixyd in god, ar many lettyngis, of whilk put we sum.  Abun_dance
     of Riches, flaterynge of wymmen, ffayrnes or bewte of outhe :
     is is e threfold rope at vnnethis may be brokyn, & it it bus be
 |r4 brokynne & despisyd, at criste may e louyd. He truly at desires
     criste truly to luffe, not onely with-oute heuynes bot with a Ioy
     vn-mesurde he kestis bak all inge at hym may lett,  And in is
     case nowdyr fader me modyr ne hym-self he sparis, no mans chere
 |r8 he takis, violence he doys to all his lettars, & all ostakyls he byrstis
     to-gidyr ; qwhat-euer he may do, hym ink it lityll god for to lufe. /
     ffro vices he flees als man braynles, & to wardly solace he lokis nott,
     bot certanly in god holy dressyd nerhand his sensualite he has
|r12 forgettyn.//  All inward he is geddyrd, all in criste he is lyfte ;
     so at qwhen men se he als semys heuy, wondirfully he is glad.
     Bot many er ar at say to god ai will turn, bot itt ai say ai
     may not, for by is occupacions or odyr ai ar haldyn bak ; qwhos
|r16 cold mynd heviyngly we reprefe. ffor with-owten doute, and ai
     wer tochyd with e lest spark of cristis lufe, onone with all besynes
     ai suld seyk qwhilkis way to godis seruis ai myght cum, and in
     sekynge ai suld not sees to a had fun.  Excusacion oft-tymes |r[f.XLVIa]
|r20 a feyn, qwhilk rather accusis ame more. / Riches forsoith many
     with-drawes, flaterynge of wymen begilys, & a at long ha doyne
     well, sum-tyme be aim in e warste dyke ar drownyd. For fayrnes
     soyne is lufyd, & qwhen it felis e self lofyd, lighthy it is chirischyd,
|r24 and chosyn is kest down, & wars he is made after turnynge or
     conuersion en he was before. en his name is blekyd, and he at
     before was wori, of all men now is despisyd & of all hatyd.
      Truly a man I saw of qwhome ai sayd at fyftene ere his body
|r28 [he] chastisyd with meruelus scharpnes and afterward skrithyn in_to
     synne with his seruandis wyfe for hir to his deed myght not be
     partyd. In his diynge truly ai sayd, prestis at to hyme come he
     waryd & sacramentis refusyd to resayffe. Newly turnyd erfore
|r32 aw forto fle occasyon of synnyng, worde, deyd & sight to ill stir_rynge
     with wylle a-woyd. e more vnlawfull a inge is, e more it
     is to be forsakyn. e feynde also strongly vp-braidys agayns ame
     qwhilk he seis fro hym turnyd & to god turnyd, & cessis not
|r36 fleschly & wardly desyr to kyndyll.  Lustis before doyne to
     mynde he bryngis desolacion of e contrit, & vnprofetabyll desires



|p108


     ame-self melys at be-fore wer slokynd.  Emonge is e penitent
     manly hym-self bus vse & gostely armore take, e deuyll & all his
     suggestions gaynstand & fleschly desires sleek & euer desire to godis
 |r4 lufe ; e warldis despisyng fro hym go not, of e qwhilk now we
     sall speyk.
     
     
      Of e warldis despisynge. |r[Cap._ II.]

     |r<b> is warlde to despyse is all temporall ingis & passand, with_outen
 |r8      er lufe is lyffe to passe./ I is no-inge bot god to
     seyk, of all vaynglory & solas not to charge, vnnethis i nescessaris
     takand, & in ai sum tyme wante gudely bere it. is is despisynge
     of is warld. Haue is in mynde if ou wylt not be slayn. us e
|r12 warld is despisyd & not lufd. All sothely at we lufe we worschip ;
     fowle it is also dyrt to worschyp, And at in erthly inge to lufe./
     erfore is riche chynchis in fowlest filthis & stynke byndis am_self
     rall, & Ioys to be cald lordis of men, [of ai be rall to
|r16 vicis]. If a man be lorde of men, not of kynde at is bot of
     fortune ; at man to visse is sogett, is of fraward will. Put away
     erfore i wickyd will, & fro e fend ou sall be fre & fre syn
     made e seruandis of rightwisnes, at techis e erthly ingis not
|r20 lufe.  Couetys of the warld & godis lufe truly ar contrary and in
     one saule to-gidyr restys not ; e place is so straytte e tone fallis
     oute.  e more sothely ou kestis oute couetis, godis lufe more
     |r[f.XLVIb] ou tastis. e more couetys, e lesse charite.  O wrechyd sawle,
|r24 qwhat sekys ou in is warld qwhere ou seys all ingis deseuabyll
     & passand? ai sonnest begylis e at moste flatyrs e. Qwhy
     bisys ou for dedely ingis? qwhy ernis ou with grete desire
     ingis at sall perys? Seys ou not sonnar thai perys en ai ar
|r28 gettyn?  Bot I wote qwhere ou dwell, qwher satanas seet is,
     at i eyn has blyndid & be his falsed e scorned, so at ou sulde
     desire fleand ingis & lufe hatefull ingis and despyse abidynge
     ingis & to vanischynde ingis drawes. & so ow settis i-self on
|r32 a fawte grounde & qwhen ou wenys to stand in fyre ou fallis.
      Dwellars in temporall plente, be fyve inges at a lufe ar
     begilyd : be riches, be dignite, be wyll, be power, & be worschip./
     ies byndis ame in synnes, if defautys strenys ; with is lustis a
     ar ouercomen & neuyr ar lowsyd bot be deed - bot er lowsynge is



|p109


     to late, qwhen er is no more but endeles payne. is lettis ame
     e warld to despise, fro godis lufe, fro knawlegis of ame-self, & fro
     e desire of e heuenly kyngedome.  No man may be sauyd, e
 |r4 warld with all at is erin bot if he cees to lufe.  Sees erfore
     qwhils heet is in e body & it faire age of outhe abidys. Qwhat
     inges sall lyke hyme at hym-self disposys criste to lufe? outhe
     he sall despise, his strenght to god he sall keep, riches he countis
 |r8 for noght ; at fayrnes of is vanite is gras desayuabyll he sall take
     heed. / Qwarto sall I rynne be on & on? All ingis parfitely he
     sall despise at in is warld as schadow passys.  O ffleschly
     lufar, in e flesch what fyndis ou qwhar-for in it ou so delytis?
|r12  e forme or schappe e plesys, or has ou now i Ioy in a skynne,
     qwhat is hyd vndyr e skynne qwhy takes ou not heyd? Or
     knaws ou not at fleschly fayrnes is coueryng of fylth, and
     dreggis of corrupcion, & oft cause of dampnacion?  Enogh er_fore
|r16 be it to e all oer despisyd god to lufe, god to love, with god
     to be, In god to Ioy, fro hym not to part, bot to hym with desyre
     vnslokynd to drawe.  To despise e warld e selfe compellis, at
     is so full of wrechidnes, In qwhilk is males abydand, persecucion
|r20 destruand, bolnand wreth & fretynge luste, fals blamynge of synnes,
     bitternes of sclaundyr ; qwher all inges ar confuse with-owtyn ordyr,
     qwher nower rightwisnes is lovyd ne trewth apreuyd, qwher
     faythefulnes is vnfaithfull, & frenschip cruell, at standis in pros_perite
|r24 & failis in aduersite.  Odyr ingis it er ar at vs suld
     meue to e warldis despisyng : chawngynge of tyme, schortnes of
     is lyfe, sikyr deed, vnsikyr chawnce of deed, stabilnes of euer_lastygnes,
     vanite of ingis present, trewth of Ioys to cum. Cchese
|r28 what ou wyll ; e warld if ou lufe, with it ou sall perysch ; If
     ou luf criste, with hym ou sal rene.


Of pouerte. |r[Cap._ III].

     If ou will be parfite, go sell all at ou has & gif it to pore, & |r[f.XLVIIa]
|r32 cum & fylo [me], crist. In forsakynge of warldly inges & in
     filoynge of cristly inges he schewis er is perfeccion./ Forsoythe
     all felois not criste at er gudys has forsakyn, for many ar wars
     after forsakynge of ars en a before wer. en certan a sarif to
|r36 bakbitynge, & gude fame of er neghburs a drede not to with_draw ;
     I envy en a bolne, I males a gnayste, a self a seet



|p110


     before all oer, er state a praise, al odyr owdyr a disprays or
     dampnis. How trowes ou at e feynd slike has begilyd, at
     nower has e warld ne gode ; qwhom be dyuers wyllis to endles
 |r4 tourmentry he ledys.  ou at vndirstandis at I ha sayd, take i
     pouerte a-noer way. Qwhen at he says go & sell, he markis
     chawnynge of i desire [&] of i oght, als us : he at was
     prowde, now be lawly, at was wrathfull now be meyk, he at was
 |r8 envius now be charitefull, be-fore couetus now large & discrete.
     And if he wer vnclene, not only fro all ill bot fro all liklynes of
     yll now abstene.  And if he before be meet or drynke dyd
     exces, now be fastynge lat hym amend. He sothely at lufyd e
|r12 warlde to mikyll, now all-to-gidyr to cristis lufe gedyr hym-self, all
     e sparpilyngis of his hart fest he in on desyre of ingis euer_lastyng.
     & so no meruayll to hym sall wylfull pouert be frute_full,
     & e noy at he for god suffyrs, a glorius crown. Beati
|r16 pauperes spiritu, quoniam ipsorum est regnum celorum, // at is to
     say : `blissyd be ai at ar poyr in spirytt, for ers is e kyngdome
     of heuen.' Qwhat is pouert of spirit bot mekenes of mynde, be e
     qwhilk a mane knawes his awen infirmite? Seand at he to parfyte
|r20 stabilnes maye not cum bot be e grace of god, all inge at hym
     myght lett fro at grace, he forsakis & onely in ioy of his makar
     he settis his desire.  And als of o rote spryngis many braunches,
     so of wylfull pouert on is wyse takyn procedis vertues & meruilnes
|r24 vntrowed. Not as sum at chawnges er cloes & not er sawlis,
     ryches sothely it semys a forsake & vicis innowmberabill ai cees
     not to gedyr./ Qwhat is wars en a poyr man prowed, qwhat
     more cursed en a envyus beggar?/ If ou truly all inge for god
|r28 forsake, see more qwhat ou despisis en ou forsakes.  Tak
     heed bisily how ou felois cryste in maners. Discite inquit a me
     quia mitis sum humilis corde : `Lerne of me, he says, for I am
     meek & lawe of hart. he says not `lerne of me for I am pore,'
|r32 pouert truly be e self is no vertew bot raer wrechidnes, ne for e
     self praysed bot for it is e instrument of vertew & helps blissydnes
     to geet & makis many eschew many occasyons of synnynge ; &
     erfore it is to bee prasyd & desiryd.  A man [it] lettis to be
|r36 |r[f.XLVIIb] worschipyd of all he be vertuus, bot raer despisyd in makes hyme,
     to be ouerled & cast oute emonge lufars of e warld ; all qwhilk to
     suffyr for criste is hely medefull. erfore criste to owr exsaumpyll
     a poyr lyfe in is way leed, for he knew ame at bolne in riches &



|p111


     likyng of e hard hevyn to entyr.  erfore, at men more gredily
     pouert suld desire, to ame at all inge for hym forsakes hy
     worschip he has behest, & Iustisly power, sayand, Vos qui reli_quistis
 |r4 omnia & secuti estis me, sedebitis super sedes duodecim,
     iudicantes duodecim tribus israel, at is to say : `e at all inge
     has forsakyn & feloyd me, sal syt on xij setis, demand e xij tribis
     of israel.'  ai sothely at has wilfull power & wantis meeknes
 |r8 & lawlynes at criste techis, ar more wrechyd en ai at has
     plente of all riches, nor in e day of dome ai sall not take e place
     of e apostils worines, bot ai sall be cled with e dowblett of
     confusion, at is dampnacyon of body & saul.  ai sothely at in
|r12 mekenes & lawlynes schynys, of ai haue mikell ryches, on e
     right hand it of criste qwhen he dedys ai sall be sett.  Sum
     men sothely say : `all we may [not] leefe, we ar seek, our necessarys
     behouys vs kepe, at we may lyfe, & at is leefull?' Bot ai ar e
|r16 les worth for angwysse, pouert and nedynes for god ai dar not
     suffyr.  it to e heght of vertew ai may cum be grace of god &
     am-self lyft no contemplacionune of heuenly ingis, if a forsake
     seculer occupacions & erandis, & rise vnwerily to inke & pray, And
|r20 e gudys at ai haue not with full lufe to hald, bot aim havynge
     to forsake.  Take heed also, more to seek [an] Inogh it is fowle
     couetys, i necessaris to kepe it is freilte, bot to forsake all inge is
     parfitnes.  erfore qwhils a so hym ingis at ai touche not, of
|r24 smale ingis at ai haue a enpryd not nor presumys, so at to e
     ordenance of mans lufe manerly a may ascend, of e qwhilk now
     felois.

              Of e settynge of mans lyfe. |r[Cap._IV.]

|r28 |r<b> at man to e worschip of god & his awen profett and profet of
           his neghbur rightwisly be dressyd, ffowr ingis ar to be sayde :
     ffyrst, what it is at filis man. And it ar iij synnes or iij kyndis
     of syn, at is to say, of oght, of mouth, of wark.  In oght
|r32 synnes man, qwhen he inkis oght agayn god, if he has hart occupy
     not with lufe & louynge of god, bot suffyrs it with dyuers oghtis
     & e warlde to go voyde. In mouth he synnes qwhen he lys,
     qwhen he forswers, qwhen he weris, qwhen he bakbitis, qwhen he
|r36 defendis a wronge, qwhen he fond spech, fowl spech, vayn or idyll
     bryngis forth.  In deyd he synnes many wyse : be lichery, syn_fully



|p112


     towchinge, kissynne, wilfully hym-self filynge,/ or procuryng
     |r[f.XLVIIIa] or sustenynge occasyons with-outyne grete cause be qwhilk he
     trows he myght be filyd ; in robbynge, stelynge, begilynge, smyt_ynge
 |r4 and odyr.  e secund, qwhilk a ar at clensys man? And
     iij a ar agayn iij before sayd,/ at is to say : contricion of oght
     & pullynge owt of desyrs at longe not to lovynge or worschip of
     god.  Confessyon of mowth, at aw to be tymely, bare, & hole.
 |r8 Satisfaccion of deyd, at has iij partis, at is to say : fastynge, for
     he has synd agayns hym-self ; prayer, for he has synd agayns god ;
     Almus, for he has synd agayns his neghbur.  it say I not he suld
     do almus of odyr mens gude, bot he sall restore, for syn is not for_gifyn
|r12 bot if it be restoryd at is withdrawen.  e ird, qwhilk
     kepys clennes of hart ; & it ar iij : qwhikk thoyth of gode, at no
     tyme be in qwylk of gode ou inkes not except sleep at to all
     is comone.  Besy kepyng / of i vtward wittis, at tastyn[g]
|r16 sauerynge, herynge & seynge vndyr e bridyll of gouermans wysely
     be strenyd.  Thre ingis also at ar a savis clennes of mouth :
     Avisines of spech, mikell speche to eschw, And lyinge to hate.
      Alsso thre ingis clennes of wirkynge kepys : Mesure of mettis,
|r20 yll cumpany fleyng, & oft mynde of deed.  The fowrt, qwhilk
     ar a at chirysch vs, to conforme vs to godis will? & er ar iij :
     ffyrst ensaumpil of creatures, at is had be behaldynge ;  godis
     gudelynes, at is getyn be meditacion & prayer ;  & myrth of e
|r24 heuynly kyngdome, at i[n] maner is felt be contemplacion.  On
     is wyse to lyfe [e] man of god sete sal be as a tre at is sett be the
     rynynge watyrs & flowynge of gras, at al-way sal be greyn in vertu
     & neuer dry be synne,/ at sal gyfe fruyt in tyme, at is gude
|r28 warkis in exaumpyll, & gude wordis to e worschyp of god, & is
     sal not seell for vaynglory. He says in tyme, agayns ame at gyfis
     ensaumpyll of fastynge in tyme of ettynge, & reuerse way also.
      And agayns couetus men at lyf er fruyte qwhen it is rotyn, or
|r32 ellis a gyf not to a dy.  erfor he prayd [wisely] at sayd :
      Bonitatem & disciplinam & scienciam doce me, // at is to say :
     `guydlynes, disciphyn, and conynge tech me.' qwhat is disciphyne bot
     settyng of maners or correctynge?  ffirst erfor be disciphyne we ar
|r36 taght rightwysnes, & of ill correctyd ; & after at wee knaw qwat we
     suld do & what we suld eschew.  At e last sauer we no fleschly



|p113


     bot ingis euerlastyng, bot heuenly & godly.  And qwen a man with
     all bisines to e wyll of hys makar hym-self has dressyd & growen
     in verteu, & oer parauntyr at went before in stedfastnes of
 |r4 lyuynge & desire of criste he hafe passyd, he aw not er-of to Ioy |r[f.XLVIIIb]
     no to hym-self gif no praisyng, ne no trow hym-self better en oder
     of ai be law, bot rather hold hym-self foulyst & moste wrechid.
     No man bot hym-selff he sal deem & all odyr sett beffore hym-selffe ;
 |r8 he sall desire not to be cald holy of men, bot wori to be despisyd.
     Qwhen he emongis men comys, he suld procure to be last in noumbyr
     & leste in opinione./ ffor e gretter ou art, more meek i-self in all
     ingis.  ffor godis myght is grete & of meek worschypd ; of
|r12 prowd erfore it is despisyd, for a er awn Ioy sekis, not godis
     worschip.  If ou truly in fauer of e pepull [pridis & wor_schip]
     for fame in i lyfe at takis with gladnes, knaw it weel ou
     hase resaued i meed.  And if ou some meruelus of penance &
|r16 chastite, qwhils ou ioys more in mans Ioy en aungellis, in tyme
     to cum noght [bot] turmentry to e sall be.  e aw truly i-self
     parfitely despise & all Ioy of is warld playnly forsake, no-inge bot
     in e sight of godis lufe to inke or do, at all i life inward &
|r20 vtwarde e praysynge of god may cry.  In meet & drynke be
     ow scars & wisse.  Qwhils ou ettis or drynkis, mynde of i god
     at e fedis fro i mynde pass not, bot prais, blys & glorify hym in
     ilka morsel, so at i hart be more in goddis louynge en in i meet,
|r24 at i saule fro god be not partyd be any howr. us doand, be_fore
     criste Ihesu ou sall be wori a crown, & e feyndis temptacions
     at in metis & drynkis men moste waytis ame begilis, ou salt
     eschew.  Owdyr sothely be vnmanerly takynge of noyde fro e
|r28 heth of vertew a down cast, or be to mikyll abstinens in at
     vertew a breek. Many truly er ar at in etyng allway flowe, so
     at ouer lityll or owr mekyll alway ai take, & e forme of lyfynge
     ai kepe neuer, qwhyls now is now at ai trow be better. Vnwyss
|r32 & vntaght, e qwhilk e swetnes of criste lufe neuer feltte, trowes
     at vnwyse abstinence be holynes, & ai trow ai may not be of
     greet meed Anens god bott if ai be knawen singuler of all men be
     scars & vnrigwys abstinens. Bot truly, abstynens be e selff is not
|r36 holynes, bot, if it be discreet, it helpis to be holy.  If it be indis_crete,



|p114



     it lettis to be holy, ffor so it distroys disciplyne with-out qwom
     vertues ar turnyd to wisse.  If a man will take syngulere abstyn_ence,
     sight of men & er praysyng he aw to eschw, at he be not
 |r4 prowd fro noght & so lois all.  Men truly weyn ai be holiest
     at a see most abstinent, qwhen in trewth oft-tymes ai ar e
     warste. He certan at truly has tastyd swetnes of endles lufe, neuer
     [in] abstynence he sal deme to pass any man, bot e lawer a-nens
 |r8 hym-self he sall be supposyd in als mikyll as a-nens men he is
     haldyn meruelus in abstynence. e best is & to god plesand, as
     |r[f.XLIXa] I suppos, to conforme e in mete & drynke for e tyme & e
     plase & honeste to ame with qwhome ou art, so at ou seme
|r12 not to wilfull nor fenar of religion.  Knaw it truly with_oute
     dowt, if one or two thynke well, it odyr an ypocrite or a
     fenyd man will call hym.  Bot sum er ar couetus of vaynglory
     at on no wise will be haldyn comon men, for owter so lityll ai
|r16 eett at alway spech of men to ame a draw, or oer maner of
     metis a procure to be seyn diuers fro oer--qwhos madnes and
     obstinacion be far fro me. Truly holsum counsel is at ai at
     lityll faste, prefer ame of grettar abstinence, & sen ai mai not do
|r20 so grete abstinence, in mynde be sory ; And ai at ar of grete
     abstisens, suld trow odyr hear in verteu, qwhos verteu in qwhilk
     ai passe to men is hyd, Qwhils er verteu, at is to say abstinence,
     of many is praysid ; bot if it be dyght with meekenes & charite,
|r24 be for criste it is noght.  e verteu truly of odyr is e more in
     at it is not of men seeke qwho may knaw how mikyll lufe man
     has anens god, how grete compassion anens his neghbur? And
     doutles, e vertew of charite al fastyng or abstinence, and all oer
|r28 warkis at may be seyn, with-outyn comparison passis. And oft it
     happyns, at befor men is seyn leste faster with-in be-for criste in lufe
     is moste feruent.  It behoues hym truly be strong at manfully
     wil vse e lufe of god.// e flesch truly febyld with grete disese, a
|r32 man oft-tymes may not pray & en mikil more hym-self he may not
     lyft to he ingis with hote desire.  I wald raer erfore a man failyd
     for e gretnes of lufe en for to mikyll fastynge, as e spouse sayd
     of hir self :  Nunciate dilecto quia amore langueo, at is : `schew
|r36 to my lufe for I longe for lufe' / Be ou erfore stedfast in all i
     ways, & dres i lyfe after e reule to e schewyd./ And if ou
     maye not get in e begynnynge at ou desires, mys-trist not, bot
     a-byde, for be longe vse & tyme sal ou cum to parfeccion.  If
|r40 ou a pilgrym [be] & be e way restis, qwhat-euyr ou dose in is



|p115


     way, to god hafe euer a nee ; lat not i oght go fro hym, ink at
     tyme lost in qwhilk of god ou inkis not./ In e nyght lufe hyme
     & his lufe desyre, at on no oer wyse occupyde en prayand or of
 |r4 god inkand sleep fynd e noght.  Se at ou flow nott with
     vayn oghtis, ne gyf e not to many chargis, bot study is, sted_fastnes
     of mynde to geet & hald, at e wrechidnes erof ou drede
     not nor e gudys erof vnmanerly desire not. He at dredis aduersite
 |r8 to sofyr he knawes not it how it behoves is warld to despise, And
     he at ioyes in erthly ingis is far fro euerlastynge inges.  To |r[f.XLIXb]
     e vertu of strenght truly longis all aduersites & prosperites & also
     deed for endles lyfe to despise ; and charite is onely heuynly to
|r12 desire. fforsoth a parfite lufar Ioyes to dy & mekely he suffyrs
     lyfe.  To qwhilk parfeccion if ou ascende he cristis gift, it sall
     ou not be with-out tribulacion and temptacion, e qwhilk to schew
     our wordis sall turne.


|r16                Of tribulacion. [Cap V.]

     |r<b> Qwhen e feynd seis o mane of thowsandis, to god parfitely
           turnyd, cristis steppis felow, is present warld despise, ingis
     vnseyn only to lufe and seeke / parfite penance to take, fro all filth
|r20 of mynde & body hym-self powrg : a thowsand begilyngis of noiyng,
     a Ml craftis of feyghtyng he reparells to kest hym from e luf of
     god to e lufe of e warld, and eft wyth filth of syn to fyll hym,
     at at e leste with lycherus oghtis he suld be hatyd of god. He
|r24 rayses agayn hym persecucion, tribulacion, schawndyr, blame of fals
     synnes, kyndis of hatred, at so paynis may flay & byrst hym at
     prosperite myght not begyll.  Now scharp, now chirischynge, he
     putis ; ymagis of bodily ingis he bryngis to mynde ; fantasy of syn
|r28 he gedyrs to-gidyr/ of old schrewdnes & likynge of luf past he
     gayncals ; hart & flesh with licherus fyre he enflaumys. With leste
     he begynnes, bot [to] e grettist flaume of wickidnes he cums. And
     with more besynes agayn vs all kyndes of temptacion, turmentry &
|r32 tribulacion, he studys to blawe, at we be e mercy of god fro his
     chekis he sorus vs scapyd. No ing he gettis, bot at he myght
     depart vs fro vnbodily halsynge moste chaste & swettist of lufe
     euerlastynge, & eft defile vs in e pitt of wrechidnes : at to vs wer
|r36 more wrechydd en I can tell. Qwho may ink his wodnes, at
     fro delitis of kyngis to swyne-mete wald cum downe? And it is he
     more wode, at delicius metis of wysdome vnwroghte forsakes, &
     hym-self puttis vndyr e fylth of flesch.  Is not glotony & lichery



|p116


     swynely filth, And a at dose ame fedis feyndis? erfor, how it
     is to do agayns e tribulacion & temptacion of owr enmys & to
     gaynstand, paciens sal tech vs, of whilk now we wyll speeke.


 |r4 Of Paciens. |r[Cap._ VI.]                        
     |r<b> Goddis childyr disdene to cum to meet of bestis vnresonabill,
           bot truly a despise all lustis vnlefull & warldly solace for
     lufe of criste. He truly at with e brede is fed at come fro
 |r8 heuyn, his desire enclines not to o at of e deuyll ar meuyd./
     Qwhen temptacions rise or tribulacion, gostly armour is to be takyn
     & tyme to go to batell.  Temptacions truly with stedfastnes of
     fayth & lufe ar ouercomyn, / tribulacion truly with paciens.//
|r12 Qwhat is paciens bot gudely suffirynge & wilfull of aduersite? he
     |r[f.La] erfor at is pacient, in no greyf groches, bot rather with e profet
     in all tyme god louys./ e more pacient a man is in his noys, e
     more glorius in heuyn he sal be.  Gladly erfore tribulacions ar
|r16 to be suffyrd in aduersite, noys & bittyrnes, paynis & sekenes &
     irste, for be is & slike oer owr synnes ar clensyd & medis
     encressyd.  Truly awder behoues vs in is lyfe with fyre of
     purgatory or hell bitterliest be crucifyd & ponyschid.  Cheis er_fore,
|r20 e tone we sall not scape. Here truly with litill payne, a &
     with Ioy to god if we drawe, All payn to cum we may eschew.
     erfore tribulacions to vs ar sent, fro e lufe of e warld to call vs,
     at in oer lyfe more greuusly we be not ponischyd ; with soro
|r24 truly bus be clensyd at in lust we dyd ill. If synnars beeld opon
     owr bak, a noy vs not, if we suffyr it paciently, bot ame-self ; for
     if a put to vs a lityll payne, to vs a crown to am-self turmentry
     ai wyrk / Synfull truly ar suffyrd is lyfe to pas with-outen grete
|r28 tribulacion, for in tyme to cum no Ioy to ame is kept. erfore
     holy men lufys tribulacion, for be ame a wote endles lyfe to wynn.
      Contrarily repreuyd in aduersite alway groch & fleis all at a
     may ; for qwhils a to seyn ingis ar gifyn to mikyll, hope of ingis
|r32 euerlastynge a ar depriuyd. In vtward ingis onely solas a fynde,
     for sauour of heuynly fully a ha lost.  er is no resonabyll saull
     here abidynge bot owdyr it lovis creaturis or makar of creaturis. If
     it lufe creatures, it leses god, & with e gude louyd to deed it goys.
|r36  Slike lufe truly in e begynnyng is labyr & fondnes, / In e



|p117


     myddis langore & wrechidnes, & in e ende hatred & payne. He
     sothely his makar at louys / omnia que / at is in e warld he
     forsakes, and of hym & with hym to speek he inkis full sweitt, on
 |r4 hym to ink is his refreschynge. His vtward wittis he sparis at
     deed ascend not be e wyndowes ; [&] at in Vanite it be not vn_profetabilly
     be occupyde.  And sum-tyne ar raysyd despisyngis,
     repreuys, scornis & sclaundyr a-gayn hyme, & erfore nedefull it is
 |r8 e schelde of paciens to take / & be he redyar wrongis to forget en
     to knawe ; pray for are turnynge at hym hatis & down castis, &
     care not men plese, bot dreyd god to offend. In e flesch if ou be
     tempyd, make [it] sugett, at e spiryt be not vndirlowt. Tempta_cioune
|r12 truly at we consent not to, is mater of vertew vsynge.
     Truly no man wotis qwhedyr he be wayk or strange, to tyme he be
     assayd. On lyke wise In pesse no man is cald pacient bot qwhen he
     is pullyd with wronge, if he haue paciens he sall see.  Many
|r16 semys pacient qwhen ai ar not prickyd, bot qwhen a soft blast (I
     say not of wronge, bot of correccion) tuches ame, onone er mynde
     to bitternes turnys & wrayth ; and o worde agayne er will if a
     hede, two more vngudely ai gif agayne : in qwhose counsayle my
|r20 sawle comys not. //  erfore e dartis of owr enmy ar to be slokend |r[f.Lb]
     with mekenes & swetnes of cristis lufe, / nor it is not to gyfe steed
     to temptacione, ofe it be greuus ; for e grettar batell e woriar
     victory & hear crowne, as says e psalm : Beatus vir qui suffert temp_tacionem,
|r24 quoniam cum probatus fuerit accipiet coronam vite, &c., /
     at is to say : `blyst be e man at suffyrs temptacion, for qwhen he
     is proued, a crowne of lyfe he sall take, at god behestyd to his
     lufars', / Dout not in parfite lyfe ou art if dispisynge be to e as
|r28 praysinge, pouert as ryches, hongyr as meet, so at ou suffyr am
     with evyn sawle if ou fall noght fro heght of mynde.  ffle &
     hate as mikyll as ou may mans praysynge, for it is moste wori
     louyng to be wori prasynge, & of men not to be praysed.  Tungis
|r32 of flaterers many begilis, and also e tungis of bakbitars many
     destroys. Despyse ou erfore fauyr, worschip & all vaynglory ;
     wrethis, hatredis, detraccions mekely suffyr ; & so be sclaundyr &
     gude fame, be tribulacione & angyr, to heuynly kyngedoms cese not
|r36 to go.  Oft-tyme we fall at, be many casys taghtt, strenglyar we
     suld stand. e stronge dredys not, nor e pacient in aduersite is
     heuy, as it is writyne : Non tristabit iustum quicquid ei acciderit,
     `qwhat-euer happyns e rightwys man, it sall not heuy hyme.'
|r40 us disposyd, no meruayll all temptacion ou sall ouercum, & all



|p118


     malesse slek ; i noysurs wrechidar ou sal se, & with all i mynde
     to criste ou salt draw.


                Of prayar. [Cap VII.]

 |r4 |r<b> Iff ou in temptacion or tribulacion be sett, to prayer o-none ryn./
           Truly if ou clerely pray, ou sall haue help. Sparpillynge sum_tyme
     comys & wauyrynge of hart, & oghtis rauischys e hart to
     dyuers, & suffyrs not e harte to stand in praysing of god./ en
 |r8 paraunter wer gude & qwhyle to inke of holynes, to e mynde wer
     more stabyll, & so his prayers fulfyll.  Truly if any all wardly
     occupacions for luf of god ha left & all-way to holy meditacion &
     holy prayer be givyn, / I trow be goddis grace with-in schort spase
|r12 er hartis stabyld a sall fynde & to luf & pray ; not now in-to is
     now in-to at ai suld wauyr, bot raer in rest & endles pese abyde.
      fful mikyl it coumforthis stabilnes of hart to geet, if prayers vsyd
     to be besy and psalmis deuoutely to synge. With besy prayers truly
|r16 fendys we ouercum, are waytyngis & stiryngis we lawse. / ai ar
     enfebuld & as wer with-outen strenght qwhils we byde strange and
     not ouercomyn in praynge.  In os men truly at has it in custum
     with longe exercise to pray, sum-tyme more swetnes & more feruent
|r20 desyre of prayinge fyndes erfore qwhils at swetnes & heet
     lastis, gude is fro prayers not to cese.  Qwhen a cese -- at oft
     happyns for e flesch corruptibyll -- a may turn holye scriptures to
     reed or sum odyr profetabil inge do, so at a suffer not er oght
|r24  |r[f.LIa] wauyr fro god, so at qwen a rise to pray, a be qwhickar en ai
     before were.  Truly en pray we weill qwhen we ink of no
     oder, bot all our mynde is dressyd to heuyn & our saule with fyre
     of e holy gost is enflaumyd.  us in vs truly a meruelus plente
|r28 of godis gudenes is ful, for of e inhirliest mergh of our hartis sall
     rise e lufe of god, And all our prayer with desire and effect sal be,
     so at we ouer-rynne not e wordis, bot nerehand all sillabyls with
     grete cry & desire we sal offyr to owr lorde.  Our hartte with hote
|r32 fyre kyndlyd, our prayer also is kyndlyd, & in e sauour of swetnes
     of our mouth in e sight of god is offerd, so at grete ioy it is to
     pray.  ffor qwhils in prayer a meruellus swetnes is givyn to e
     prayand, e prayer is chaunged to songe. Here sum are repreuyd
|r36 at raer to meditacion takes heed en to prayer, vnknawand at
     godis spech is fyryd, with qwhilk fylth of synnes is clensyd &
     myndis of prayer with lufe ar enflawmyd. a say ai wyll fyrst



|p119


     inke and so stabyll er hartis ; bot e latter ar a stabyll at a to
     prayer ar not cowmforthid. o all we may not gedir our hartis
     to-gidyr as we wold, it may we not leef, bot sokandly stody we to
 |r4 grawe, at at e last Ihesu criste may stabil vs. To e qwhilk
     meditacion helpis, if it pas not mesure and maner.


                    Of Meditacion. |r[Cap._ VIII.]

     |r<b> It is gude meditacion of cristis passion & his deed, & oft to recorde
 |r8      qwhatt payns & wrechidnes frely he toke for our hede in goynge
     & prechynge, hongyr, irst, cold, heet, repreuys & cursyngs, suffyr_yngis,
     so at it be not greuus to an [vn]profetabyll seruand to felo his
     lorde & emprour. He truly at says he dwels in criste aw to go als
|r12 he dyd./ Criste truly says be Ieremy : `ha mynde of my pouerte &
     of my passage, of wormwod & gall, at is to say of sorow & bitternes,
     be e qwhilk fro e warld to e fadyr I went.'  is mynde truly
     & meditacion e fend ouercoms & his gwnnys destroys, ffleschly
|r16 temptacions it slokyns & e sawle to cristis lufe kyndillis, e mynde
     it raisys and clensis & also purgis. I trow is oght of all oer is
     moste profetabyll to ame at nwly ar turnyd to criste. erfore
     truly is schewyd e manhede of Ihesu criste, if e qwhilk emong
|r20 man sure be glad, in qwhilk he has mater of Ioy & also mournyng.
     Ioy for sikyrnes of owr gaynbiyng, heuynes for filth of owr synyng,
     for e qwhilk it is to hold at so wori a offirynge is offyrd. For e
     boystus fleschly sawle in-to behaldyng of e godhede is not rauischyd
|r24 bot if it be gostely, all fleschly lettyngis vastyd.  Truly qwhen it
     begyns a clene hart to haue & no ymage of bodily inge may begyle
     it, en sikirly it is to he ingis admytte, at in e lufe of god
     wondyrfully it may be glad.  Sum treuly ink of e ioy of blissyd
|r28 aungellis & holy saulys with criste ioyand, & is oght longis to
     contemplacion.  Sum inkis of wrechidnes of mans condicion &
     fylth of hym & in er oghtis ai dispoyte of mans foly, for vanites |r[f.LIb]
     of is lufe at forgetis e Ioys vnsene.  Odyr er oghtis us dis_pose
|r32 at no-inge ai wyll bott lofyng & desir of er makar, at a
     lufe hym as is possibil to men in is lyfe.  To is meditacion no
     man comys bot he at in ies inges before rehersyd is mikil
     vsyd.// Truly er is a maner more excellent & makes a man moste
|r36 contemplatyfe. erfor as er ar diuers warkis & vse of sayntis, so
     of ame ar diuers oghtis.  it all, for ai cum of o sprynge, to o



|p120


     ende ai go & to o bliss ai cum or led, bot dyuers ways, be o
     charite at is more in on en in a-nodyr. erfor e psalme says :
     Deduxit me super semitas iusticie, / at is `he has led me a-pon e
 |r4 pathis of rightwysnes,' as so say : er is o rightwisnes, & many
     pathis be e qwhilk, we ar led to Ioy of lufe euerlastynge ; / for
     qwhils all in one beand ar of diuers nedis, in o ryghtwisnes be
     dyuers pathis to god ar led ; sum gois be a lawe path, sum be a
 |r8 mene, & sum be a hee.  To hym truly is givin e hyar path at
     to lufe criste more endlesly is ordand, not for he wyrkis more en
     odyr / or gifis more or suffyrs more, bot for he lufis more. e
     qwhilk lufe is heet & swetnes, & in all men sekis rest. No man
|r12 may sett hym-self in any of is pathis, bot at he takes to e qwhilk
     god chase hym./ Sum-tyme a at semys in e hyar ar in e lawar,
     & reuers ; for at is onely inward in saule be-for god, not in any
     inge at may be done of man vtward.  After e disposicion &
|r16 desire of er meditacion a ar dressyd to is path or to at./ No
     man be vtward warkis may he knawen qwho is more or less befor
     god./ Foly erfore it is too deme of chosyn & say : he passis hym,
     or his meritis ar far fro medis of is, qwhen playnly ai knaw not
|r20 er myndis ; e qwhilk if a knewe, lefully a myght deme.
      Truly erfore to all creatures god will it be counsayll, at a
     despyse not sum to mikyll or sum worschip to mikyll ; for doutles
     if a saw mens hartis, many at a worschip, as stynkand & fowll
|r24 a wald despyse, & odyr at ai sett not by, no it desires to see,
     all moste lufely & haly aungell ai wald worschyp.  Gude oghtis
     also & meditacions of godis chosyn, & slike be his grace to ilkone
     he schedis as to er astayte & condicion beste acordis.  erfor my
|r28 meditacion I may say e, bot qwhilk is moste effectuus I can-not
     opyn, for er in-ward desire I see not. I trow truly at o medita_cions
     in e plesys god moste and profetis e at god be his mercy
     schedis in e.// Neuer-e-lesse begynnyng ou may hay of oer
|r32 mens wordis, at I knaw well in my-self.  Truly in ou despise
     techynge of doctours, & trow i-selfe better may fynde, en a tech
     e in er writynge, knaw itt forsoith, cristis lufe ou sall not taste.
     ffond sayinge truly it is : god taght ame, qwhy erfore sal he not
|r36 |r[f.LIIa] tech me? I answere e, for ou art not slike as a were. / ou art
     prowd & sturdy, & a wer lawly & meek, & a presumand of god
     askyd no-ing, bot ame-self vndyr all mekand toke conynge of
     sayntis.  erfor he taght ame at we in er bokes suld be taght.
|r40  Truly if i meditacions cristis lufe now desire, or sownd in his



|p121


     louynge, as me semis ou art wele disposyd./ Bot e oghtis in
     qwhilk more swetnes ou felis in god, profetis e more./ To ink
     wel with-oute swetnes profetis e lityll, bot in at case in qwhilk
 |r4 for need swetnes is not felt.


                      Of Redynge. |r[Cap._ IX.]

     |r<b> If ou desyre to cum to lufe of god, & in desire be kyndyld of
           heuynly Ioys, & be broght to despisynge of eerly ingis, be
 |r8 noght necligent in inkynge & redynge holy scripture, moste in o
     placis qwher it techis maners & desaytis of e feynd to eschew,
     qwher it spekys of godis lufe & of lyfe contemplatyfe.  Hard
     sentens to disputars & witty men be longe tyme vsyd in holy
|r12 doctryne be left. It helpis vs truly mikyll to profett in goyd. In
     is we knaw our defautis & gude dedys ; in qwhilk we synne, in
     qwhilk not ; qwhat we sal do & qwhat forbere ; & moste sotell
     desaytis of our enmys to vs ar opynd./ a kyndil to lufe &
|r16 prikkis to wepynge. a ordan vs a likand borde if we in ame
     haue delyte, as wer in all riches./ Bot lat no couetys of worschip,
     fauyr or mens praysynge sett vs to conynge of scripture, / bot onely
     entent to plese god, at we may knaw how we suld lufe hym, &
|r20 teche our neghbur e same ; not to be haldyn connyng a-nens e
     pepull, bot raer vs aw to hyde our conynge en schew it to prays_ynge,
     as it is sayd : In corde meo abscondi eloquia tua vt non
     peccem tibi, at is : `In my hart I hyd i wordis, at I syn not to
|r24 e,' in voyd or vayn schewynge. / e cause erfore of our spekynge
     be onely e louyng of god & edificacion of our neghbur, at it may
     be fulfillyd of vs :  Semper laus eius in ore meo, `Alway his
     louynge be in my mowth,' & at is qwhen we seek not owr awen
|r28 worschyp, & agayns his louynge we speke not.


                   Of Clennes of mynde. |r[Cap._ X.]

     |r<b> Be is ix degrese before tochyd cums mane to clennes of mynde,
           qwher god is seyn. Clennes I say at in is lyfe may be
|r32 had - how may parfite clennes be gettyn hede, qwher so oftt man
     with venial synnys at e leste is filyd? / Sayntis feet ar to be
     waschyd for ai draw duste of e erth.  Qwo may truly say `I
     am cleyn of synne'? truly none in is lyfe. ffor as says Ioob :
|r36  Si lotus fuero aquis niuis & effulserint velut mundicie manus mee,
     tamen sordibus intinges me & abhominabuntur me vestimenta mea,/



|p122


     at is to say : `If I be waschyd with snaw watyr, at is to meyne
     trew penance, & if my handis schyne as clennes, for warkis of
     Innocens, it sall ou toche me with fylth, for venial synnes at
 |r4 may not be esschwyd, & my cloes sall vg me,' at is to say my
     flesch makis me vg of my-self, & sensualite, at is so freell, sliper
     |r[f.LIIb] and redy to lufe likand bewte of is warld, oft-tymes makes me
     synne. / erfor says e appostyll : Non regnet peccatum in nostro
 |r8 mortali corpore, / `Rene not syn in owr dedely body,' as qwo say :
     syn in vs may vnrede, bot it may not vnbe. Qwat clennes erfor
     may man haue in is lyfe? Truly wori & grete, if he hym-self
     rythgwisely vse in stody of redynge, prayer & meditacion, as it
|r12 before is notyd. Truly of he sum-tyme synne venially, it some,
     for hys hole mynde dressyd to gode, it is destruyd.  e hete
     truly of charite in hym all rust of synne in hym wastis, as wer a
     droipe of watyr put in-to a grete fyre. Verteu erfor of a clensyd
|r16 saule is e mynde to haue bisy to god, for in is degre all e oght
     in-to criste is dressyd, all e mynde in hym is spred, of all it
     seme he speke to odyr. Truly in clene consciens is no-inge bittyr,
     scharp or hard, bot all sweyt & louely. Of clennes of hart risis
|r20 songe of Ioy, swete ditty & ioyfull myrth. en ful oft a wondyr_full    Ioy of god is givyn & hevinly songe is in-sched.  I is
     astate a man may knaw, at he is in charite, at hee sall neuer lose ;
     with-oute greet drede he lyfis not, not for suffiryng turmentry, bot
|r24 at his lular he offend not. I spare to say more hede, for me
     semys my-self a full greet wrech : for oft my flesch is noyd &
     assayd. fforsoth of all in is ingis beforsayd is godis lufe & life
     contemplatife continude, it sum-qwhatt of ame more specially to
|r28 our neyd & profett is to be sayde.


              Of e lufe of god. |r[Cap._ XI.]

     |r<b> O sweit light & delectabyll, at is my makar vn-made : lit e
           face & scharpnes of my Inward eyn with clernes vn-made, &
|r32 my mynde, at pithily clensid fro vnclennes & meruelus made with
     giftis, swyftly [it] me flee Into e he myrth of lufe, kyndyll with
     in savyr, at I may sytt And rest, if e, Ihesu, Ioyand, And goand
     as wer rauischid in heuenly swetnes, & stabyld in behaldynge of
|r36 inges vnsene neuer bot godly I sall be glad. O lufe euer-lastand,
     enflaum my saule to lufe god, at no inge byrne in me bot his
     halsynges.  O gude Ihesu, qwho sall graunte me to feill e at



|p123


     now nowdyr may be felt ne seyne? / Sched i-self in-to e entrel
     of my saull ; cum in-to my hart and fyll it with i clerist swetnes.
      Moyst my mynde with hote wyne of i sweet lufe, at all yllis &
 |r4 all scornfull visions & ymaginacions forgetill &, e onely hauand, I
     may be glad, & Ioy in Ihesu my god.  Heynforward, swettist
     lorde, go not fro me, bisily with me bidynge in i swetnes, for only
     i presens to me is solas & onely i absence levis me heuy.  O
 |r8 holy gost, at gifis grace qwher ou will, cum in-to me & rauisch
     me to e ; e kynde at [ou] made, with honily gyftis chaunge,
     at my sawl, in i likand ioy fulfyld, all inge in is warld despise |r[f.LIIIa]
     & kast a-way,  gostely gyftis, e gyfand, it myght take & goand
|r12 be soundly ioy in-to light vndiscrivyd in holy lufe be it all meltyd.//
     Byrn my renys with i fyre, & my hart at in in awter sal byrn
     endlesly.  O sweet & trw Ioy, I pray e cum! Cum, sweit &
     most desiryd! cum, my lufe, at art all my comforthe : Scrith in-to
|r16 a longynge sawle for e & to e with sweit heet. Kyndyll with i
     heet holnes of my hart ; with i light lightynand myn Inner
     partys, with honily songe of lufe feed me as I may take be power
     of body & sawl. In is & slike oer meditacions be ou glad, at
|r20 so ou may cum to e pith of lufe / Lufe truly suffyrs not a
     lufand saule byd in it-self, bot rauischis it owt to e lufar, at e
     saul is more er qwher it lufis / en wher e body is at lyfis &
     felis it. Thre degrese sothely er er of cristis lufe in qwhilk fro on
|r24 to a-nodyr profetis he at is chosyn to lufe : The fyrst is cald vn_abyll
     to be ouercomen, / e secund vnabyll to be partyd, / e ird
     is cald singuler./ Truly en is luf vnouercomyn qwhen with no
     nodyr desyr it may be ouercomyn, when for it all lettyngis he
|r28 castis a-way, / all temptacions & fleschly desyrs he slokyns, / And
     when he suffyrs paciently all greuis for criste & with no flaterynge,
     no likynge is ouercommyn./ All labyr is lyght to a lufar, no
     bettyr may no man ouercum labur en be lufe.  Luf truly is
|r32 indepartyd qwhen with grete lufe e mynde is kyndlyd and to
     criste with oght vndepartyd draws, forsoth a minwt it suffyrs hym
     not pas fro mynde, bot als he were bun in hart hym it inkis, to
     hym it syghis, it cryes with his lufe to be haldyn, to lawes e
|r36 fettyr of dedelynes & to hym at he onely to se desires may leed.
     And moste is name Ihesu in so mikyll he worschyps & lufis at in
     his mynde bisily it restis.  Qwhen e lufe erfore of criste in
     hart of godis lufar & e warldis despisar in so mikyll is seet at of



|p124


     odyr desire of lufe itt may not be ouercomyn, it is cald he ; bot
     when he to criste hald vndepartyd, criste euer inkand, be non
     occasion hym forgettand, euerlastyng and vndepartyd it is callyd./
 |r4 And qwhat lufe may be hear or more, if is be he & euerlastynge?
      itt er is e ird degre at is cald singulere./ A-nodyr it is to
     be he, & be allone, Als it is dyuers euer to be present & a-noer to
     ha no fela. /We may truly haue many felaws & it hafe a place
 |r8 befor all. / If ou truly any coumforth seyk or resaue en of i god
     & if ou parauentour lufe, / it not syngulere, erfore ou seis
     qwhatt gretnes of worines is to eneres qwhen ou art hee, allon
     at ou may be./ To singulere degre erfor luf ascendis qwhen all
|r12 comforth it excludys bot on at is in Ihesu, qwen no-inge bot
     Ihesu to hym may suffys./ In is degre e sawle sett, hym on it
     lufys, onely criste it ernis, criste desires, Onely in his desire it
     bidis, to hym it sighis, in hym it byrnis, in hym warme it restis.
|r16 No-inge to it is sweyt, no-inge it sauyrs, bot in Ihesu it be made
     |r[f.LIIIb] sweit, qwhos mynde als songe of musyk in feyst of wyen.  Qwhat
     euir the self to it offyr or cum to mynde, soyne is cast bak, sodanly
     despisyd if it saryf not his desire or to his will acorde not all
|r20 custum at to cristis lufe he seis sarifis not, he oppressis. Qwat_euer
     he do, inprofetabyll & intollerabyll it semys, e end of his
     desyre in-to criste bot if it rynne & leed.  Qwhen he may lufe
     criste, all inge at he will haue he trowes he has, & with-outyn
|r24 hym all inge hym vggis & waxis fowle. Bot for he trowes to lufe
     hym endlesly, stedfastly he bidys in body & werus not in hart, bot
     lufis perseuerantly, & all inge suffyrs gladly. & e more us in
     hym it lifis, e more in lufe it is kyndyld & to hym it is lykkar.
|r28  Slike onelynes no meruayll acordis at grauntis ne fela emangis
     men.  e more it is rauischyd inward to Ioys, in vtward ingis
     e les it is occupyde or with heuynes or charges of is lyffe it is not
     lett. And now it is in sawle als wer vnabyll to suffyr payn, at,
|r32 non angwysche lettand, in god euer he Ioys. O my saule, fro lufe
     of is warld sees, & melt in cristis lufe, at all-way to e it be
     sweytt of hym to speek, reyd, wryte & inke, hym to pray, hym
     euer to prayse.  O god, my sawll to e deuoute, desyres e to se,
|r36 fro fare to e it criis, in e it byrns, in i lufe it longis. O lufe at
     failis not, ou ouercomen has me.  O euer-lastynge swetnes &
     fayrnes, my hart ou has woundyd, & now ouercomyn & woundyd
     I fall, vnneis for Ioy I life & nehand I dy, for I may nott suffyr



|p125


     swetnes of so grete a maieste in flesch at wyll royte.  All my
     hert truly festynd in desire of Ihesu, is turnyd in-to heet of lufe, &
     it is swaloyd In-to a-noer Ioy and a-nodir form. erfore, o goyd
 |r4 Ihesu, haue mercy of a wrech, schew e to me at longis, gyfe
     medcyne to me hurt. Seek I feyl me not, bot longynge in i lufe./
     He at lufis e not, losis all to-gidyr ; he at felois e not is wode.
     Emong erfor be ou my Ioy, lufe & desire, to I may so e in syon,
 |r8 god of goddis.  Charite truly is nobilest of vertews, moste
     excellent & swettyst, at Ioynis e lulyd to e lufar & crist with
     chosen sawle euerlastyngly cuppils. I vs it reformys e ymage of
     e he Trinite & makis e creatur likkeste e makar./ O gift of
|r12 lufe, qwhat [is] it wor before all odyr at chalangis he degree with
     aungellis! e more truly of lufe a man takis in is lyfe, the more
     & e hyar in heuyn he sall be.  O singulere ioy of lufe euer_lastyng
     at rauischis all his to hevyns a-bown all warldis, ame
|r16 byndand with bandis of vertew.  O dere charite, in erth at has
     e not is not wroght, qwhat-euer he haue./ He truly in e at is
     bisy, to Ioy Aboyn erthly he is soyne lyft. ou entyrs boldly e
     bed-chaumbyr of e kynge euerlastynge, ou onely art not a-schamyd
|r20 criste to take. He it is at ou has soght & luffyd ; criste is in :
     halde hym, for he may not bot take e, to qwhome onely ou
     desired to obey. ffor with-owtyn e playnly no wark hym plesis ; |r[f.LIVa]
     ou makis all inge sauery ; ou art a heuenly seet, Awngelis
|r24 felischyp, a meruelus holines, a blistfull syght, & lyfe at lastis
     endlesly.  O haly charite, howe sweit art ow & comfortabyll,
     at makis [kepe] at was brokyn, fale ou restoris, bond ou
     delyuers, man to aungelis ou makes euyn, sittand & restand ou
|r28 raisys, & raisyd ou makis sweet. In is degre or state of lufe is
     lufe chaste, holy, wilfull, / lufand at is lufyd for e selfe, not for
     e godis, all-to-gider festynand e self in at at is lufyd, no-inge
     vtward sekand, of itt plesyd, bolnand, swete smelland, & harty,
|r32 e self it byndand, meruelusly passand maner ;  Te (!) e luffyd
     Ioyand, hym with-owt forgettynge inkand, ascendand in desire,
     falland in e lufe, goand in halsyng, ouercomyn in kyssynge, all
     multyn in fyre of lufe.  Truly so cristis lufar in lufynge kepis
|r36 non ordyr, ne couetis no degre, for in is lyfe, how feruent & Ioyand
     it be in godis lufe, it more & more it inkis god to lufe, a of he
     myght lyfe hede euermore, it suld it not trow to stand any tyme



|p126


     & not profett in lufe, bot rather e lenger at he suld lyfe e more
     in luffe he suld byrne.  God truly is infinit of gretnes, better en
     we may inke, of swetnes vn-nowmbyrde, of all wroght kyndes
 |r4 vnconsauyd, of vs may neuer be comprehendyd als he is in hym_self
     euer-lastynge. Bot qwhen e mynde now begynnis to byrne in
     desire of his makar, it is made abill to resaue light vnwroght ; & so
     enspiryd & with gyftis of e holy goste fulfyld, as leful is to
 |r8 dedely, heuynly Ioy it has / & in heght of mynde all seyn ingis
     [passand] to swetnes of lyfe euerlastynge it is raisyd. / And
     qwhils e saule with swetnes of e godhede & warmnes of Makand
     lyght is spred, offyrd in sacrifice to e kynge euerlastyng & accept,
|r12 it is all byrnyd./ O mery lufe, stronge, rauischand, byrnand,
     wilfull, stronge, vnslokynd, at all my saull brynge to i seruis, &
     suffyrs no inge to inke bot e :  To e ou chalangis all at we
     lyfe, all at we sauyr, all at we ar.  Criste us erfor [be]
|r16 begynnynge of owr lufe, qwhome for hym-self we lufe, & so we
     lufe ordinatly qwhat-euer is to be lufyd for hym, at is well of luf,
     & to qwhome all at we lufe & ar lufyd we put/. Here sothely is
     schewyd parfite lufe qwhen all e entent of mynde, e priuay
|r20 warke of all e hart in-to godis lufe is lyft, so at e myght of trw
     lufe & myrth be so mikyll at no wardly [ioy] ne fleschly mer_chandis
     be lefull ne likand.  O lufe indepartyd, o lufe singulere,
     of all er wer no turmentis of wyckyd, no meed suld be trowed in
|r24 hevyn, fro i lufe ou suld neuer e sonnar lawse. More tollerabyll
     it wer to e a vntrowyd greife to suffyr en ons syn deedly. er_fore
     truly lufys ou god for hym-self & for no nodyr inge, nor
     i-self bot for god, & er-of it felois at in e no-inge bot god is
|r28 |r[f.LIVb] lufyd.  Els how suld god be all in ilk inge, if er be any luf of
     man in a man? / O clere charite, cum in-to me & take me in-to e
     & so present me before my makar./ ou art savir well tastand,
     swetnes well smelland, & plesand odur, a heit clensand, a comforth
|r32 endlesly lastand. ou makes men contemplatyfe, hevyn-ate ou
     opyns, mowthise of accusars ou spars, gode ou makis be seyn, &
     multitude of synnes ou hydes.  We loif e, we prech e, be e
     whilk e warld we ouercume, be qwhome we Ioy & e heuenly
|r36 leddyr we ascend. In i swetnes scryth in-to me, me & myne I
     commend e with-outen ende.




|p127


                Of Contemplacion. |r[Cap._ XII.]

     |r<b> Contemplatyfe lyfe or contemplacion has thre partys : Redyng,
           Prayer, & Meditacion. In redynge, god spekis to vs ; In
 |r4 prayer, we speke to god ; In meditacion, awngels to vs cum down
     & techis vs, at we erre nott. In prayer a go vp & offyrs owr
     prayers to go, Ioyand of owr profett, at ar messyngers be-twix
     god & vs.  Prayer certan is a meyk desire of mynde dressyd in
 |r8 god, of e qwhilk he is plesid qwhen it cums to hym.  Medita_cion
     in god & godly ingis, aftyr prayer and redynge is to be takyn,
     qwher is e halsynge of rachell.  To redynge, longis reson &
     inquisicion of treuyth, at is a gudely lightte markyd apon vs.
|r12  To prayer, longis louynge sange, passynge in behaldynge and
     meruayll : and so in prayer standis contemplatyfe lyfe or con_templacion.
      To meditacione, longis inspiracion of godd, vndir_standynge,
     wysdome & syghynge.  If it be asked qwhat is
|r16 contemplacion : it is hard to defyne. Sum says, contemplatyfe lyf
     is not ellis bot knawlegis of ingis to cum & hyde, or to be voyde
     fro all wardly occupacion, or study of godis lettyrs. Odyr says at
     contemplacion is free sight in e spectakyls of wysdom, with a full
|r20 he meruayll.  Odyr says at contemplacion is a boke, & wys
     behaldynge of e saule, spred all abowt to behald his myghtis.
     Odyr says, & well, at contemplacion is Ioy of heuenly ingis.
      Odyr says, & best, at contemplacion is deed of fleschly desires be
|r24 Ioye of e mynde raisyd.  To me it semys at contemplacion is
     Ioyfull soge of godis lufe takyn in mynde, with swetnes of aungell
     louynge. is is Iubilacion, at is end of parfit prayer & of he
     deuocion in is lyfe./ is is e myrth in mynde had gostely for
|r28 e lufar euerlastynge, with grete voys oowt brekand./ is is e
     endly dede & parfittist of all deidis in is lyfe. e psalme erfore
     [says]  Beatus vir qui scit Iubilacionem, at is to say : `blyste
     be at man at knawes Iubilacion,' in contemplacion of god. Truly,
|r32 er may non Aliene to god Ioy in Ihesu, ne taste e swetnes of his
     lufe ; / bot if he euyr desire with fyre to be kyndyld of lufe euer_lastynge,
     with pacience, mekenes & maner, wyth all clennes of body
     & saule to be made fayre, with gostly oyntmentis be dight, in-to
|r36 contemplacion he is lyfte, / helefull vertew lat hym seeke vncessand, |r[f.LVa]
     be e whilk in is lyfe fro wrechidnes of synne we ar clensyd & in
     anodyr lyfe fre fro all payn in blissyd lyfe endles it is Ioyd. us



|p128


     it in is exile he sal be wori to feil Ioyfull myrth of godis lufe.
      erfor be not slaw i-self to chastys with prayer & wakynge, &
     vse holy meditacions, for doutles, with is gostely labyrs with
 |r4 heuynes & wepynge of inward forinkynge in e is kyndyld cristis
     lufe, & all vertews with giftis of e holy gost in-to i hart ar sched.
      Begyn erfore be wilful pouert, so at qwhils ou desires noght
     in is warld, befor god & man lyfe sobyrly, chastly & mekely. /
 |r8 No-ing to hafe is sum-tyme of need, bot not to may will haue is
     of grete vertew. We may haue mikyll desirs.  Truly e moste
     parfite is necessaris behoues to take, ellis wer he nott parfyte if he
     refusyd to take qwher-of he suld lyfe.  is maner is to keep in
|r12 parfite men, all wardly for god to despyse, & it of e same mete &
     cloth to take ; & if is want any tyme, not to groch, bot [god] to
     loyf, & superfluite als mikyll as a may to refuse.  e warmar a
     man waxis with heet of lyght euerlastynge, e mekar in all ad_uersites
|r16 he sal be. / He at truly is meek not fenyd at hymself
     haldis wori despisynge & nower for harme nor reprefe to wreth is
     prouokyd. Qwharfore hym-self lawand to bisy meditacion, to rise
     to hym is givyn to behaldynge of heuenly ingis, & e scharpnes of
|r20 his mynde clensyd, as suffyrs seeknes of e flesch, to hym is gyfyn
     sweitly with inward ioys, byrnyngly to synge. / And trewly when
     he gois to seyk any vtward inge, not with a prowed fote he gois,
     bot in he delitis only Ioyand onon with swetnes of godis lufe as
|r24 wer rauischyd in trans, meruelusly rauischid is glad.  Slike
     forsoyth is lyfe contemplatyfe, in dw maner if it be takyn : / be
     longe vse of gostely warkis to contemplacion of ingis euerlastyng
     we cum./ Myendly sight truly is takyn vp heuenly to behald be
|r28 schadoly syght it & meroly, not clere and opyn ; qwhils we go be
     faith, be mero as wer & schado we see.  Truly if our gostely ee
     be bisy to at spirituall light, [to behald] at light in it-self as it is
     it may not se, & itt it felys it at it is ere, qwhils it haldis with
|r32 it favyr & heet of att light vnknawen, qwher-of in psalm is sayd :
     Sicut tenebre eius ita & lumen eius, at is : `& as e dyrknes
     erof so e light erof.'  of all truly e dyrknes of syn fro a
     holy saule be gone, myrk inges be passed & vnclene, e mynde be
|r36 purgyd & lightynd, it qwhyls it bidys in is flesch deedly at



|p129


     wondyrfull ioy parfitely is not seyn. Forsoith holy & contemplatif
     men with clere face god behaldis, at is owdyr ar witt opynd at
     is more [at] as qwo say all lettyngis be-twyx er mynde & god put
 |r4 bak, e hartis er purgyd, / heuenly citesens ai behalde. Sum |r[f.LVb]
     truly both is has takyn. / Als we in dyrknes standand seys no_inge,
     so in contemplacion at vnsemly lightis e saule, noo seyn
     light we see. Criste also putis hys restyng dirknes & it to vs he
 |r8 spekis in a pilar of a clowed, bot it is full delectabyll at is felt.
     In is truly is parfyte lufe qwhen man goand in flesch can-not be
     gladd bot in god [&] no-inge will or desir bot god & for god.
     Hereby it is schewd at holynes is not in criynge of e hart or
|r12 teris or vtward warkis, bot in swetnes of parfite charite & heuenly
     contemplacion. / Many truly ar multyn in teris & aftirwarde has
     turnyd to yll, bot no man filys hym-self with wardly bisynes
     after at he truly has ioyd in lufe euerlastyng.  To greet & soro
|r16 longis to nw-conuertyd begynnars & profetand, bott ioyfully to
     synge & to go in contemplasyon longis bot to parfite.  a erfore
     at longe tyme dois penance, qwhils he felis it his conscience
     prikand of defaute, dow[t]les knaw he at he dyd not it parfite
|r20 penance. Emange erfore teris to hym be as breed day & nyght,
     for bot if he ponysch hym-self fyrst with wepyng & sighynge, to
     e swetes of contemplasion he may not cum. Contemplatyfe
     swetnes not bot with full grete labour is getyn, & with Ioy vntold
|r24 it is possessyd.  fforsoith it is not mans merit bot gods gyft : &
     it fro the begynynge to is day neuer man myght be rauischyd in
     contemplacion of lufe euerlastynge, bot if he before parfitely all
     e warldis vanite hadd forsakyn.  More-owr with heilful medita_cione
|r28 & deuoute prayer he aght be vsyd or he truly cum to
     contemplacion of heuenly ioys.  Contemplacion is labyr sweit &
     desirefull ; e labyrar it gladis, & hurtis not ; no man is has bot
     Ioyand ; nott qwhen it cums, bot qwhen it goys, he is wery.  O
|r32 gude labyr to e whilk deidly dress ame. / O nobyll & meruelus
     wyrkynge at sittars dois moste parfitely. / It behouys truly at
     he take grete reste of body and mynde qwhome e fyre of e holy
     goste truly enflaumys. Many truly at can [not] in mynde rest ne
|r36 it woyde oghtis & vnprofetabyll put owtt, at in psalme is bidyn
     may not fulfyll :  Vacate & videte quoniam ego sum deus, / at is to
     say : `be voyde fro wardly vanite & se for I am god.'  In body



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     truly voyde & wauerand in hart ar not wori to taste & see
     how sweit our lorde is, how sweit e heght of contemplacion.
      Truly ilk man contemplatyfe lufes solitarines, at more feruent
 |r4 & oftar at he of no man is lettyd in his desires may be vsyd.
      Qwen it is knawn erfor at lyfe contemplatyfe is woriar &
     meedfular en actife lyfe, & all contemplatyfe be godis meuynge
     solitary lyfe lufand & for swetnes of contemplacion ar feruent,
 |r8 namly in lufe : It semys at solitary men, with gyft of contempla_cion
     raisyd, ar he & tochis e heest parfeccion, bot if it happyn
     [sum] be in slike state at a haue evyn e heght of contemplatyfe
     lyfe & it a cees not e prechur office to fulfyll :/ is odyr solitary
|r12 |r[f.LVIa] in contemplacion hiest, onely givyn to godly ingis, not to nede of
     er neghburs, In is a passe in like degreis at for prechynge [ai]
     ar wori a crowne. Truly a man verray contemplatyfe with so
     greet desire is set in-to e light vnsene, at oft-tymes as a foyll or
|r16 vnwys of en he is demyd - & at is for his mynde in cristis lufe
     seet inflawmyd, his bodily berynge playnly chaungis & his body
     also departand fro all erthly warkis godis chylde it makis als man
     owt of mynde.  us truly qwhils e saule in endles myrth of lufe
|r20 gedyrs all e selff, with-haldand e self inward, it flowes not
     forward to seike bodily likynge. And for it is fed with likand
     inward luste, it is no meruell of it say syghand ://.  `Qwho sall
     gif me e, my broer, at I maye fynde e forth & kysse e?' at
|r24 is to say, lawsyd fro e flesch I may be wori to fynde e, & seand
     e face to face with-outen end with e be Ioynyd, and now man
     me despyse.//  A deuoute saule gyfyn to lyfe contemplatyfe, ful_fyld
     with lufe euerlastinge, all vaynglory of is warld despisys &
|r28 onely in ihesu Ioyand couets to be lowsyd ;/  ffor qwhy of is at
     sauers & lufis is warld, not heuyn, it is despisyd, & greuusly
     longis in lufe & gretely desyres with e lufly companys of aungels
     to be givyn to Ioys at e wardly aduersite may not noy./  No_inge
|r32 more profetabill, no-inge meriar en grace of contemplacione,
     at lyftis vs fro is lawe & to god offyrs.  Qwhat is grace [of
     contemplacion] bot begynnynge of Ioy? qwhat is parfitenes of Ioy
     bot grace confermyd? In qwhilk to vs is kept a Ioyfull hap &
|r36 happy ioy, a glorius endlesnes & euerlastynge ioy, with sayntis to
     lyfe & dwell with aungels, / And at at is abowne all inge, god
     truly to knaw, parfitely to lufe, in schynynge of his maieste to se, &
     with wondirfull Ioyfull songe & melody hym endlesly to loyfe,



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     to qwhome be wyrschip & ioy, with dedys of ankynge, in warld of
     warldys. Amen.

          Thus endys e xij chapetyrs of Richarde Hampole, in-to englys
 |r4    translate be ffrere Richard Misyn, to informacion~ of Cristyn
         sauls. A=o= do=i= Millimo cccc=mo= xxxiiij.

     |r[Here_follows_in_a_17th_century_hand_:]
     |r{11_lines_in_Latin}
