|b{Richard_Rolle_of_Hampole,_an_English_Father_of_the_Church,}
|b{and_His_Followers,}
|b{ed._C._Horstman._New_York:_Macmillan,_1895,}
|b{pp._3-182_(with_interruptions).}
|b_Note:_For_some_reasons_(e.g._anonymous_authorship,_parallel_text_versions)
|b_only_some_of_the_texts_of_this_edition_have_been_selected,_namely


|p1-
|p2-


|p1._e_forme_of_liuyng._____________MS._Rawl._C_285_f._40___pp._3-49.

|r2._Ego_dormio_et_cor_meum_vigilat._MS_Rawl_A_389,_fol_77,_pp._50-58.
                                    |rMS_Vernon,_pp._59-60.
                                    |rRawl._cont.'d,_pp._60-61.

|r3._e_commawndement_&c.____________MS_Rawl._A_389,_fol_81._pp._61-71.

|r4._[Points_best_pleasing_to_God]___MS_Vernon
                                    |rMS_Harley_______________pp._110-112

|r5._[Meditation_on_the_Passion;_and_of_three_arrows_on_doomsday]
|r___________________________________MS_Arundel_507,_fol._48.pp._112-121.

|r6._De_Sancta_Maria_________________MS_Bodl._938_fol._202___pp.158-159.

|r7._Of_Angels'_Song_________________MS_Thorton_fol._2196.___pp._175-182.



|p3


|rEpistels_&c._in_Ms._Cambr._Dd._V._64.
|r{selected_by_ICAMET:_Ms._Rawl._C._285_f._40.}]


|r1._e_forme_of_liuyng.
|r[Ms._Rawl._C_285_f.40]


IN Ilke a synful man or womman
at es bunden in deedly synne, er thre
wrytchednes, e whylk brynges aim to
e deed of helle.  e first es, defaut of
gaastly strengthe: at ai er so wayke



|p4


wyth-In in air hert, at ai may nou_ther 
stand agayn fandyngs of e fynd,
ne ay may lift aire wille to yherne e
lufe of gode and folwe are-tille.  e
tothir es, vs of flesshely desyres: -- for
ay hafe na wille ne myght to stand,
ay fall in lustes and lykyngs of is
werld; and for aim thynke aim swete,
ay dwelle in aim stille, many til aire
lifs end: ande swa ai com to e thrid
wrytchednes.  e thride wrytchednes
es schangeyng of lastand gode for a
passand delyte; als wha say ai gife
Ioi endles for a litil Ioi of is life.
 If ai will turne aim and ryse til
penaunce, god wil ordaynge aim
wonynge with angels and haly men.
Bot for ai chese e wyle synne of
is werld, and has mare delyte in e
filth of aire flesshe an in e fayrhede
of heeun, ai loose bath e werld and
heeuen: for he at has nogth Ihesu
Cryst, he tynes al at he has, and al
at he es, and al at he mygth gete;
he ne es nogth worthi e life, ne to be
fede wyth swynes meet. Alle creatures
sal be sterde in his wengeaounce in e
day of dome.  ir wrytchednes at I
hafe of tald, er nogth anely in werldisshe
men and womene at vses glotory or
lytchery and other appert synnes, bot
ai er alswa in som at semes in
penaunce and in gud life. For e



|p5


deeuel at es enemy to al man kynd,
whene he sese a man or a woman
amange a thousand turne aim haaly
vnto god and forsake all vanytese and
rytchesce at men at lufs is werld
couaytes, and seke e Ioi lastand,"
thousant wyles he has on what maner
he may deceyf aim. And when he
tnay nogth bryng aim in til swylk
synnes e whylk mygth ger all men
wonder on aim, he bygiles many so
pryuely, at ai can nogth oft-sythes
fele e trap at has taken aim. Som
he takes wyth errour at he puttes
aim In. Som wyth synguler witte,
when he gers aim wen at e thyng
at ai thynk or do es best; and for.[i]
ai wyl na counsayl haue of other at
er better and conander an ai -- and
is es a foul stynkand pryde: for he
wald nogth ells sette his witte bifore
all other. Som e deeael deceyfs thurgth
vayne glory, at es Idel Ioy; when
any has pryd and delite in amself of
e penance at ai suffre, of gud dedis
at ai do, of any vertu at ai haue;
er glad when men loues aim, sary
when men lakkes aim, has envye to
aim at er spoken mare gud of an
of aim; ai hald aim-self so gloryous
and so fer passand e lif at other
men ledis, at aim thynk at na man
suld reprehend aim in na thyng at



|p6


ay do or say, and dyspyses synfall
men & othir e whilk wil nogth do als
ai bid aim. How may ou fynd a
synfuller wreche an swylke ane? and
so mekell es be e wers at he wat
nogth at he es ille, and es halden
and bonourd of men als wys and haly.
Som er deceyfd with ouer.mykell lust
and lykyng in meet and drynke, when
ai passe mesur and com in til ontrage,
and has delyte ar.Inne, and wenes at
ai synne nogth ... and so ai distroy
vertus of sawle. Som er bigylled with
ouermykel abstynence of meet and drynk
and slep. at es of temptacyon of e
deeoel, for to ger aim fall in myddes
air werk, swa at ai bryng it til
nane enddynge, als ai suld haue don
If ai bad knawen skyl and halden
discrecyoun, and swa ai tyne aire
meryte for aire frawardenes, is gilder
lays oure enemy to tak vs with whene
we bygyue to hat wyckednes and turne
vs til god, an many bygynuys e
thynge at ay may neuermare bryng
til end; an ai wen at ai may do
what so aire hert es set opon. Bot
oft ai fall ar ai com In-myddys e
gate, and at thyng at ai wene es
for aim, es lettyng til aim. For we
haue a lange way til heeaene, and als
many gud dedis als we do, als many



|p7


prayers als we make, and als many
gud thoghtes als we thynk in trouth
and hoop and charyte, als many paases
ga we til heeuen-ward, an If we make
vs so wayke & so feble at we may
nothire wirk ne pray als we suld do,
ne thynk, er we nogth gretely at blame,
at faylles when we had mast nede to
be stalward? And wele I wat at it
es nogth goddis wille at we so do:
For e prophete says: "Lord. I sal
kype my strength til e": swa at he
mygth sustayne goddis seruyse til his
deed.day; Nogth in a litel and in a
schort tyme waast it and sithene ligge
wanand and granand by e wagthe,
And it es mykell mare peril an men
wenes: For saynt Ierome says at he
makes of Rauyne offerand at ontrage_onsly 
tourmentis his body in ouerlitel
meet or slep. And saynt Bernard says:
"Fastyng ne wakyng lettis nogth gaastly
goddes, bot helpis, if ai be don with
discrecyoun; wytlt.owten at, er ai
vices." For-i it es nogth gud to pyne
vs so mykele and sithen haue vnthanke
for oure dede. are has ben many,
and er, at wenes at it es nogth all
at [ai]  do hot if ai be in so mykell
abstyttence and fastyng at ay make
all men at spek of aim at knawes
aim. Bot oft-sithes it byfalles at ay 



|p8


e mare Ioy and wonderyng at ai
haue with-owtene of e loouynge of
men, ay e lesse Ioy ai haue with_Inne 
of e luf of gode. At my dom~,
ay suld pay Ihesu Crist mykel mare
if ai tok for his luf and in thankyng
and louuynge of hym, for to sostayne
aire bodys in his seruyse and to hald
aim fra mykele speche of men, what
so god sent aim for e tyme and e
steed, and gayfe aim sithen entierly
and parfytely til e luf & e louuynge
of our lourd Ihesu Cryst, at wile
stalwardly be lufd, and lastandly be
serued; swa at aire halynes war mare
sene in goddis eghe an in mannes
eghe. For ay e better at ou ert
and e lesse speche ou has of men,
e mare es i Ioy bifor god. Ha, what
it es mykell to be worthy lounynge and
be nogth loued! And what wrytchednes
it es to baf e name & e habyte of
halynes, & be nogth swa, bot turne to 
pryd. Ire and envye vnder e clathes
of Crystes bamhed!A foul lytchery it
es to haue likyng and delite in mens
wordes, at can no mare deme whate
we er in oar saul an ai wate what
we thynke. For oft-sithes ai say at
he or scho es in heghere degre, at es
in e lagher; and at ay say es in
e laghere, es in e heghere. For-i
I hald it bot wodnes to be gladder or



|p9


saryer, whether ai say gud or ille. If
we be oboutward to hid vs fra speche
and lounynge of e werld, god wil
schewe vs til his lounyng, and our Ioy.
For at es his Ioy when we ar strenth_full 
for to stand agayne e pryoe and
e appert fandyngs of e deeaele, and
sekes na thyng bot e louuynge and
e honoure of hym, and at [we] mogth
entierly lufe hym. And at agth to
be our desire, our prayer and our
entent, nygth and day, at e fyre of
luf kyndell in our hert, and e swetenes
of his grace be our comfort and our
solace, in wele and in wa. ou has
herd now a party how e fend deceyfs
with his sutell castes vn-quaynt men
and wommen: and if ou wil do gud
counsaylle and folow haly lare, als I
hop at ou wil, ou sal distroy his
trappis, and brynn in e fyre of lufe.
Alle e bandes at he wil bynd e
with, and alle his malice sal turne e
til Ioy, and hym to mare sorow. God
suffirs hym for to tempe gud men for
aire profyte, at ai may be e hegher
coround when ai haf thurgth his help~e
ouer-comen so cruel ane enemy, at
oft-sithes bath in body and in saul
confoundes many a man.  In thre
maners e deeuel has power to be in
a man: On a maner, hortand e
gudes at ai haue of kynd, als in dom



|p10


men, and in other, blemyssand aire
thogth.  On a nother maner, reeffaad
e gudys e whilk ai haue of grace:
and swa es sene in synfall men whaim
be has deceyfd thurgth delyte of e
werld and of air flesshe, and led with
hym til helle.  On e thred maner,
tourmentand a mans body, als we red
at he was in Iob. Bot wyte ou
wele: If he bygile e nogth with-Inne,
e thar nogth dred what he may do
e with-owtene. For he may do no
mare an god gifs hym leue to do.
 Bot for ou has forsakene e solace
and e Ioy of is werld and taan e vnto
solitary life, for goddis lufe to suffire
tribulacioun and anguys here and sithen
to com to e rest and endlesse Ioy in
heeuene. I trowe stedfastly at e
comfort of Ihesu Cryst and swetenes of
his luf, with e fyre of e haly gast
at purges all synne, sal be in e
and with e, ledand e and lerand e
how ou sal thynk, how ou sal pray,
what ou sal wyrke; swa at in faa
yheris ou sal haue mare delyte to be
by ine ane and spek til i luf and
i spouse Ihesu Cryst, an If ou war
leeuedy of a thousant werldis. Men
wenes at we er in pyne and in
penance: bot we haue mare Ioy and



|p11


mare verray delyte in a day an ay
haf in e werld all aire life. ai se
our body, bot ai se nogth our hert
whare oure solace es. If ai sagth
at, many of aim wald forsake all at
ai haf, forto folwe vs. For-i be
comforted and stalward, and drede na
noy ne anguys, bot fest all ine entent
in Ihesu, at i lif be gode to queme;
and at are be na thyng in e at
suld be mys-payand til hym at ne
ou son amend it, e stat at ou
ert Ine, at es solitnde, es mast able
of all other til reuelacyoun of e haly
gast. For when saynt Iohn was in e
Ile of Pathmos, an god schewed hym
his preuetese, e gudnes of god it es
at he comfortes aim wondirfully at
has na comfort of e werld. If ai
gif air hertis entierly til hym and
couaytes and nogth sekes bot hym: an
he gifs hym-self to aim in swetnes
and delite, in brynnyng of luf, and in
Ioy and melody, and dwellis ay with
aim in aire saule, swa at e com_fort
of hym departis neuer fra aim.
If ai bygyue ogth to here thurgth
ignoraunce or freyllyte, son he schewes
aim erygth way; and all at ai
haue ned of, he leris aim. Na man
comes til swylke reuelacion and grace
on e first day, bot thurgth lang
trauaylle & besynes to lufe Ihesu Crist,



|p12


als ou sal here afterward. Nogth-for_i
an he suffirs aim to be temped
on sere maners, bath slepand and
wakand. For ay e ma temptacions
and e greuouser at ay stand agayne
and ouer-comes, e mare sal aire
Ioy be in his luf when ai er passed.
Wakand ai er vmwhil temped with
foul thoghtis, vile lustes, wikked delites;
with pryd, Ire, Envye, Despayre, Pre_sumpcyon,
and other many. Bot aire
remedy sal be prayer, gretyng, fastyng,
wakyng. ir thynges, if ai may be
don with discrecioun, ai putte away
synne & filthe fra e saul, and makis
it clene for to resayfe e luf of Ihesu
Cryst, at may nogth be lufd bot in
clennes.  Alswa vmwhil e fend tempis
men and wommen at er solitary by
aim ane, on a quaynt maner and a
sutelle he transfigures hym in lickenes
of ane aungell of ligth, and apperis til
aim and says at he es ane of god
aungells commen to comfort aim, and
swa he deceyfs foles. Bot aim at er
wis and wil nogth tyde trowe til all
spirytes, bot askes counsayl of conand
men, he may nogth bygile aim. Als
I fynd wrytene of a recluse, at was a
gud woman, til whaim e ille aungelle
oft-sithes appered in e fourme of a
gud aungell, and sayd at he was co_men



|p13


to bryng hir til heeuen. Wharfor
scho was rygth glade and Ioyfull. Bote
neeuer-e-latter scho taald it til hir
schrythfader: and he, als wys man and
quaynt, gayf hir is counsayl: "When
he comes", he sayd, "bid hym at he
schew e our lauedy saynt Mary. When
he has don swa, say Aue maria". Scho
did swa. e feend sayd: "ou has na
ned to se hir: Mi presence suffice vnto
e". And [scho] sayd, on all maner
scho suld se hir. He sagth at hym
behoued outhir do hir wil or scho wald
dispyse hym: als tite he brogth forth
e fayrest body of woman at mygth
be als to hir sygth, and schewed it til
hir. And scho sete hir on hir knese
and sayd Aue maria: And als tite al
waynysht away, and for schame neeuer
sithen com he at hir. is say I nogth
for I hoppe at he sal haue leue to
tempe e on is maner; bot for I wil
at ou be war, if any swylke temp_taciouns
bifalle e slepand or wakand,
at ou trow nogth ouer-tite til ou
knaw e sogth.  Mare pryuely he
transfigures hym in e fourme of aun_gell
of ligth -- at commonly all men
er tempid with: when he hidis ille
vndire e lickenes of gud; and at es
in twa maners.  Ane es when he egges
vs til ouer-mykel eese and rest of body,



|p14


and softnes til our flesshe vndirneethen,
to sustayne our kynd. For swylke
thoghtes he puttis in vs: bot if we eet
wele and drynk wele and slepe wele
and ligge soft and site warme, we may
nogth serue god ne last in e trauaylle
at we haf bygune. Bot he thynkis to
bryng vs til ouer-mykel lust.  A nother
es when he hidis ille vndir lickenes of
gastely gud: he entyces vs til asper and
ouere-mykel penaunce, forto distroy our
self, and says os: " ou wat wele at
he at suffirs maast penaunce for goddis
luf, he sal haue maast mede. For-i eet
litell and feble meet, and drynk lesse,
e thynnest drynke es gud Inogthe til e.
Recke nogth of slep. Weer e hayer, e
haubergeoun. All thyng at es afflic_tyoun
til i flesshe, do it; swa at are
be nane at may passe e in penaunce",
He at says e us, he es aboute to
sla e with ouer-mykele penaunce &
abstynence. als he at sayd e tother,
to sla e with ouer-lytele. For-i, if
we wil be rygth dispoosed, vs bihoues
to sete vs in a gud meyne, and at
we may distroy our vyces and hald our
flesshe vndir, and neeuer-e-latter at
it be stalward in e seruyse of Ihesu
Cryst.  Alswa our enemy wil nogth
suffir vs to be in rest when we slep:
bot an he [es] aboute to bygyle vs in



|p15


many maners: vmwhyle with vgly
Images, forto make vs rad and ger vs
lath with our state; vmwhile with fayre
Images, fayre syghtes, and at at semes
comfortable, forto make vs glad in
vayne, and ger vs wene at we er
better an we ere; vmwhile telle vs at
we er haly and gud, for to bryng vs
in to pryde; vmwhyle say at we er
wycked and synfull, for to ger vs falle
in to despayre. Bot he at es ordayner
of all thyng, suffirs nogth at oure
slepe be with-owtene mede til vs, if
we adresce our life til his wille,
 And wite ou wele, ou synnes
nogth sleppand, if ou be euer-mare
wakand with-owtene outrage of mete and
drynke, and with-outene ille thoghtes.
Bot many has e deeuelle deceyfd
thurgth dreemes, when he has gert
aym sette air hert on aim: For
be has schewed aim som~ sogth and
sithen bigiled aim with ane at was
fals. For-i says e wys man at many
bysenes folowes dreemes, and ai fel
at hoped in aim. Whare-foor, at ou
be noth bigyled with aim. I wile at
[ou] witte at it er sex maners of
dremes. Twa er at na man haly ne
other ntay etchape, at es: if air
wambes be ouer-tom or ouer-full, an



|p16


many vanytese in sere maners byfalles
aim slepand e thryd es of illu_syons
of our enemy. e fierth es of
thogth byfoor and illusyon folwand. e
fyft thurgth reuelacyone of e haly gast,
at es don on many maners. e sext
es of thoghtes byfoor at falles to Cryst
or haly kyrke, reuelacion command
efter. In us many maners toaches e
Images of dreemes men when ai slep.
Bot swa mekyle we sal e latlyer gyf
fayth til any dreeme at we may nogth
sone wit whylke es soth, whylke es
fals; whilke es of our enemy, whylke
es of e haly gast. For whar so many
dreemes er, ar er many vanytese, and
many ai may make to erre: For ai
hegth vnquaynt men and swa deceyfs
aim.  [I] Knaw at i lif semes gyfuen
til e seruyce of god: an es it schame
til e bot if ou be als gud or better
with-Ine i saule als ou ert semand
at e sigth of men.  Turne for-i i
thoghtes parfytely til god, als it semes
als ou has don i body. For I wil
nogth at ou wene at all er haly
at has e habyte of halynes and er
nogth occupied with e werld, ne at
all er ille at melles aim with erthely
bisenes; bot ay er anly haly, what
staate or degre so ai be Inne, e
whilke despises all erthely thyng, at
es at say, lufs it nogth, and brynnes in



|p17


e luf of Ihesu Cryst, and all aire
desyres er sette til e Ioyes of heeuene,
and haates all synne, and ceeses nogth
of gud werkes, and feles a swetenes in
aire hert of life with-outene end; and
neuere-e-latter ai thynke aim-self
vylest of all, and haldes aim-self
wrytchedest, last and laghest. is es
halynese of lyfe. Folow it and be haly !
and if ou wil be in mede with appo_stells,
thynke nogth what ou forsakes
bot what ou despises. For als mykell
ai forsake at folowes Ihesu Cryst in
wilfull poueert, and in mekenes, and
in charyte, and in pacyence, als ay
may couayte at folwes hym nogth. And
thynke with how mekyle and how gud
wile ou presentes i wowes byfor hym
-- ffor til at he has his egthe. And if
ou with grete desyre offre i prayers
and with grete feruoure couayte to se
hym, and sekes na erthly comfort bot e
saoeour of heenene, and in eontempla_cyon
aire-of haue i delyte. Wondir_fully
Ihesu wirkis in his lufers, e whilke
he reeues fra e lust of flesshe and blod
thurgth tendir lufe; he makis aim to
haf wil to na erthly thyng, and dose
aim ryse in to solace of hym, and to
for-gete vanytese and flesshely luf of e
werld, and to dreede na sorow at may



|p18


fall, to laghte with ouere-mykele bodily
eese. To suffre for his luf, aim thynke
it ioy; and to be solutary ay haue
grete comfort, at ai be nogth letted
in aire deuocyone. Now may ou se
at many er werre an ay seme, and
many er better an ai seme; and
naamly amang aa at has e habyte
of halynes. For-i afforce e in all
at ou may at ou be nogth were
an ou semes: and if ou wil do als
I lere e in is schort fourme of lyfyng,
I hop thurgth e grace of god at if
men hald e gude, ou sale be wele better.

   AT e bigynnyng turn e en_tierly
to i louerd Ihesu Crist.at
turnyng til Ihesu es nogth ells bot
turnnyng fra all e couaytese and e
lykyng and occupacyons and e byse_nese
of e werld and of flesshely lust
and vayne luf; swa at i thogth at
was ay dounward moldand in e erth
whiles ou was in e werld, now be
ay vpward als fyre, sekand e heghest
place in heeuene, rygth til i spouse are
he sittes in his blisse- Til hym ou ert
turned when his grace illumyns i hert,
so at it forsakes al vices and confourmes
it til vertus and god thewys and til all
maner of debonerte and mekenes. And
at ou may last and wax in gudnesse
at ou has bygune, with-outene slaw_nes



|p19


aud sarynes and irkynge of i lif:
[ Four thyngs sal ou haue in i thogth
til ou be in parfite luf -- For when ou
ert comen ar-til, i Ioy and i desyre
wil ay be brynnand in Cryst.  Ane es:
mesure of i life here, at so schort
es at vnneethes es it ogth. For we
life bot in a poynt, at es e lest
thyng at may be, and sothely, our
life es lese an a poynt if we lickyn
it to e lif at lastes ay.  Another
es: Vncertaynte of our endyng. For
we whate neuere when we sal dye ne
how we sal dye, ne whare, ne whidir
we sall ga when we er deed; and at
god wil at is be [vn]certayne til vs,
for he wil at we be ay redy to dye.
 e thrid es: at we sal answere
by-for e rygthwys Iuge of all e
tyme at we haue here, how we haf
lifde, what our occupacyons haf bene
and why, and what gud we mygth
haf done when we haf ben Idele.
For-i sayd e prophete: "He has
called e tyme agayne me" -- at es
ylke day at he has lent vs here for
to dispend in gud vse and in penance
and in goddis seruyce. If we waast
it in erthly luf and vanytese, ful grief_ously
mon we be demed and punyst.
For-i at es ane of e maast sorowe
at may be, Bot if we afforce vs manly
in e luf of god and do gud til al
at we may to-whyles our schort
tyme lastes. And ylk a tyme at we
thynke nogth on god we may account it
als e thyng at we haue tynt.  e



|p20


fierth es at we thynke how mykel e
Ioy es at ai haue e whilk lastis
in goddis luf til air endyng: for
ai sal be brethire and felaghs with
aungels and haly men, lufand and
hafand, loounand and seand e kyng
of Ioy in e fayrehed and schynyng
of his maieste; e whilke sygth sal
be mast mede and delyte at any
creatur may thynke, and mare an
any man may telle, til al his lufers
withouten end. It es mykell lyghter
to com to at blysse an to telle
it. Alswa thynke what sorow and
what payne and toarment ay sal
haue e whi[l]k lufs nogth god ouer all
other thynges at man sees in is
werld, bot files aire saules in lust
and lycchery of is lif, In pryd and
couaytes and other synnes: ai salle
brynne in e fyre of helle with e
deeuele wham ai haue serued, als
lang als god es in heeuen with his
sergeantis, at es eeuer-mare.  I
wil ou be ay clymband til Ihesu_ward
and ekand i luf and i seruyse
in hym: Nogth als foles dose at
bygynnes at e heghest degre and
comes doun til e lagthest. I say
nogth for I wil if at ou haue by_gune
vnskylwys abstynence, at ou
hald it, bot for many at war bryn_nande
at e bygynnyng and able to
e luf of Ihesu Cryst, ffor oner-mykele
penance ai haue alledgede aim-self,
and made aim so feble at ai mygth
nogth luf god als ai suld. In whilk
luf at ou wax ay mare and mare es
my couatyng and myne amonestyng.



|p21


 I hald e neeuer of e lesse meryte if
ou be nogth in so mykele abstynence;
Bot if ou sette al i thogth how ou
may luf i spouse Ihesu Cryst mare
an ou has donne, an dar I say at
i mede es waxand and nogth wanande.


Wharefor, at ou be rygth despoosed
bath for i saul and i body, ou sal
vndirstand four thyngs.  e first es,
what thyng files a man.  e tother,
what thynge makis hym clene.  e
third, what haldis hym in clennes. e
fierth, what thyng drawes [him] for to
ordayne his wile al at goddis wile.
 For e first, wite ou at we synne
in [thre] thynges at makis vs foul, at es
with hert, with mouth, and dede.  e
synnes of e hert er ir: Ille thogth.
Ille delyte. Assent til synne. Desire
of ille. Wikked wile. Ille suspeccyoun.
Vndeuocyoun. If ou lat i hert any
tyme be Idell, with-outen occupacioune
of e luf and e loouyng of god. Ile
drede, Ite luf. Errour. Flesshly affec_cioun
til frendis or til other at ou
lufs. Ioy of any mans Ille-fare, whethir
ai be enemyse or nane, Despite of
poure or of synfull men. To honoure
Ryche men for air rychesse. Vnconable
Ioy of any wordis of vanyte. Sorow
of other mens wele-fare. Vnthool_modenes.
Perplexite, at es doute
whate es at do, what nogth -- For ilke
a man agth for [to] be sekir what he
sal do and what he sal leeue. Obsty_nacyon 



|p22


in ille. Noy to do gud. Angre
to serue god. Sorow at he did na
mare ille, or at he did nogth at lust
or at wile of his flesshe e whilke he
mygth haue don, Vnstablenesse of
thogth. Pyne of penance. Ipocrysy.
Luf to pleese men. Drede to despleese
aim. Schame of gud dede. Ioy of ille
dede. Syngnlar wite. Couaytice of
honoure or of dignyte, or to be hal_dene
better an other, or rycher or
fayrer, or to be mare drede, Vayne
glorye of any guddis of kynde, or
of happ, or grace. Schame of pouer
freyndis, Pryde of ryche kyne or of
gentil -- for all we er ilyke fre byfor
goddis face, bot if our dedis make any
better or wers an other. Dispite of
gude counsayll and of gude teechynge.
 e synnes of e mouthe er ir: To
sweer oft-sythes. Forsweeryng. Sklaun_deryng
of Cryst or of any of his halwes.
To neeuen his name with-outene re_uerence.
Gaynesayng and Stryf agayne
Suthfastnes. Grucchyng agaynes god
for any angwys or noy or trybulacyoun
at may bifale in erth. To say goddis
seruyse vndeuoutely and with-outene
reuerence. Backbytyng. Flateryng.
Leghyng. Myssayng. Werying. De_ffamyng.
Flytyng. Manasyng. Sawyng
of Discorde Treeson. Fals wittenese.
Ille Counsayll. Heethyng. Vnbonx_somnes.
With word to turne gud dede
to ille, ffor to ger aim be haldene Ile
at duse aim -- Vs agth to lapp our
negthbur dedis in e best, nogth in e
werst. Excytyng of any man til Ire.
To reprehend in a nother at he dose



|p23


hym-self. Vayne speche, Mikel speche,
fole spe[ch]e. To spe[k]e Idele wordis
or wordes at er na nede Rosyng.
Polysyng of worddes. Defendyng of
synne. Crying in Laghter. Mow mak_yng
on any mane. To syng seculer
sanges and luf aim. To prayse ille
dedis. To syng mare to loouyng of
men an of god.  e synnes of dede
er ir: Glotony. Litchery. Drunken_hed.
Symony. Wytchecraft. Breekyng
of e haly days. Sacrilege. To receyfe
goddis body in dedly synne. Breekyng
of wowes. Apostasy. Dissolucyon in
goddis seruyse. To gif ensampile of
ile dedes. To hurt any man in his body,
or in his guddis, or in his fame. Theft.
Rauyne. Vsure. Deceyte. Sellyng of
rygthwysenes. To herken ille. To gif
to herlotis. To withhald necessaryse
fra i body, or to gif it outrage. To
bygyne n thyng at es abovene our
mygth. Coustom to syn. Fallyng oft
in synne. Fenyng of mare gud ane we
haue, ffor to seme halier, or conander,
or wyser an we er. To hald e office
at we suffice nogth tille, or at may
nogth be haldene with-outene syne. To
lede Carols. To bryng vp new gyses.
To he Rebelle to his soueraynes. To
defoule aim at er lesse. To synne
in sygth, In heryng, In smellyng, In
touchyng, In handdellyng, In schewyng;
In giftis, in ways, signes, bydynges,
wrytynges. To Receyf e Circumstance,
at er Tyme, Stede, Maner, Nombre,
Persone, Dwellyng, Conyng, Eld: ir



|p24


makis e synne mare or lesse. To
couayte to syne ar he be temped. To
constreyne hym to synne.  Other
many synnes er ar of omyssyoun, at
es of leeuyng of gud vndone: When
men leeues e gud at ai suld do;
nogth thynkand on gode, ne dredand,
ne lufande hym, ne thankand hym of
his benefyces. To do nogth al at he
dose for goddis luf. To sorow nogth
for his synne als he suld do. To dispose
hym nogth to receyf grace. And if he
haf taken grace, to vse it nogth als hym
agth, ne to kype it nogth. To turne
nogth at e Inspiracioun of gode. To con_forme
nogth his wile to goddis wile. To
gif nogth entent til his prayers, bot rable
on and reke neuer bot at ai be sayd.
To do necligently at he es halden til
thurgth a vowe or comandement, or es
enioynt in penance. To drawe on
lenth at es at do son. Hafand na
ioy of his neighbur profyte als of
his awene. Sorowand nogth for his ille_fare.
Standand nogth agayne tempta_cions.
Forgifand nogth aim at haf
don hym harme. Kepand nogth trouth
to his negthbur as he wald he dede to
hym, and yheldand hym nogth a gud
deide for another if he may. Amendand
nogth aim at synnes bi-for his eghen.
Peesand nogth strifes. Lerand nogth
aim at er vnconand. Confortand
nogth aim at er in sorow, or in
sekenes, or in pouert, or in penance, or
in pryson. ir synnes, and many other,
makes men foule. --  e thynges at



|p25


clenses vs of at fi[l]th er thre. Agaynes
ase thre maners of synnes.  e first
es Sorow of hert, agayne e syne of
thogth; and at be-houes be so parfite
at ou be in ful wile neuer to syne
mare; and at ou haf sorow of alle i
synnes; and at al ioy and solace, bot
of god and in god, be pute out of i
hert.  e tother es Schrift of mouth,
agayne e synne of mouthe; and at
sal be hasty with-outene delayinge,
nakede with-outene excusyng, and en_tier
with-outen partyng: als for to tell
a synne til a prest and another til
another. Say all at ou wat til ane
or al es nogth worth.  e thride es
Satisfaccyoun; at has thre partis: Fast_yng,
prayer, and Almus-dede. Nogth
anly to gif poueer meo mete and drynke,
bot for to forgif aim at dose e
wrange, and praye for aim, and en_fourme
aim how ai suld do at er
in poynt to perisse. --  For e thrid
thynge, ou sal witte at clennes bi_houes
be kepide In hert, and in mouth,
and in werke. Clennes of hert thre
thynges kepis: Ane es waker thogth
and stable of gode. Another es bisenes
to kipe e fyue wites, swa at all e
wicked stirynge be closede out of i
flesshe. e thrid es honest occupanyoun
and profitable.  Also clennes of mouth
kepis thre thynges: Ane es at ou
vmthynke e bifour ar ou speke. An_other,
at ou be nogth of mykele
speche bot of litele, and namly ay til
i hert be stabled in e luf of Ihesu,



|p26


swa at e thynk at ou lokes ay on
hym whether ou speke or nogth. Bot
swylke a grace may ou nogth haue on e
first day, bot with lang trauayl and grete
bisynes to luf and with costome, swa at
e eghe of i hert be ay vpward: an
sal ou come ar-til. e thrid, at ou
for na thyng ne for na mekenes legthe on
any mane -- for ilke a leghe es synne and
ille and nogth at goddis wile. e thar
nogth telle al e south ay bot if ou wil;
bot al leghes bate. If ou say athyng
of i self at semes i loouyng, and
ou say it to e loouyng of god and
belp of oer, ou duse nogth vnwysely,
for ou spekes southfastnes. Bot if ou
wil haue any preue loouyng, tele it til
nane bot swilk ane at ou be sekir
at it sal nogth be schewed bot anely
to e loouynge of gode of wham es all
gudnese, and at makes sum better an
other, and gifs aim special graces,
nogth anely for aim-self bot alswa
for aim at wile do wele, till aire en_sampil.
 Clennes of werk thre thynges
kepis: Ane es assiduele thogth of i dede
-- for e wyseman says: "Vmbethynke
e of i last endynge and ou sal noth
syn". Another: fle fra ille felischipe
at gifs mare ensampile to luf e werld
an god, e erth an heeuene, filthe of
bodye an clennes of saul.  e thrid es
temperance and discrecion in mette and
dry ake, at it be nother till outrage, ne by_neethen
skylwys sustynance of e body.
For bath comes til ane endyng: outrage
and ouer-mykele fastyng -- For nother
es goddis wile; and at wil many nogth



|p27


wene, ffor nogth at man may say. If
ou take sustynance of swylke gud als
god sendes for e tyme and e day, what
it be, I out-tak [na] maner of mete at
crystend men vses -- with discrecyon and
mesure, ou duse wele; ffor so did Cryst
hym-self and his Apostels. If ou leeue
many metes at men has; nogth dispisand
e met at god has mad til mans help,
bot for e thynke at ou has na nede
arof, ou duse wele, If ou se at ou
ert stalward to serue god and at it bree_kes
nogth i stomake. For if ou have
broken at with ouer-mykel abstynence,
e es reft appityte of mete, and oft sal
ou be in qwaythes, als ou war redy
to gif e gaste. And wite ou wele
ou synned in at dede. And ou
may nogth wite son whether i ab_stynence
he agayne or with e. For_i,
to-while ou ert yhung, I red at
thou ete and drynke better and ware als
it comes, at ou be noght bygyled.
And afward, when ou has proued many
thynges and ouer-comen many tempta_cyons
and knawys i-self and god better
an ou dose now: an, if ou se at
it be at do, ou may take e til mare
abstynence. And whils ou may do
pryue penance, at all men thar noght
wite. Rygthwy[s]nes es nother in Fast_yng
ne in eetynge: Bot ou ert rygth_wys
lf al he-like be to e Dispite and
Loouyng, Poeuert and Rychesse, Hunger
and ede als delites and dayntes. If
ou tak ir with a loouyng of god. I
hald e blyssed and hegh byfor Ihesu.
Men at comes til e, ai luf e for
ai se i grete abstynence and for ai



|p28


se e enclosed: bot I may nogth louue
e so ligthly, for ogth at I se e do
with-outene, bot if i wile be con_fourmed
entierly to goddis wile. And set
nogth by air loouyng ne aire lackyng,
And gif ou neeuer tale if ai spek
lesse gud of e an ai dide: Bot at
ou e brynnander in goddis luf an
ou was. For of a thyng I warne e:
I hop at god has na parfyte seruaunt
in erth with-outene enemys of sum men --
For anely wrycchedenes has nane enemy.
 For to draw vs at we confourme
our wile til goddis wile, ar er thre
thyngs:  Ane es ensampil of haly men
and haly women, e whilk war ententife
nygth and day to serue gode and drede
hym and luf hym; and if we folow
aim in erth, we moun be with aim
in heeuene.  Anoer es e gudnes of
our lord at despises nane, bot gladly
receyfs all at come til his mercy, and
es hamelier to aim an broer or
sister or any frende at ai maast luf
or maast traystes on.  e thrid es:
e woundirfull ioy of e kyngdome of
heeuene, at es mare an tung may
telle or hert may thynke or eghe may
se or eer may heer. It es so mykell
at, als in hell mygth na thyng lyue
for mykel pyne bot at e mygth of
god suffirs aim nogth to dye, swa e
Ioy in e sygth of Ihesu in his gud_hede
es so mykell at ai mond die
for Ioy, If it ne war his gudnes at
wile at his lufars be lifand ay in blysse,
als his rygthwysnes wile at all at
lufe hym nogth, be ay lifand in fyre,
at es horrible til any man at thynke,



|p29


Lok an what [it] es to feele! Bot ai at
wile nogth thynk it and drede it Now,
ai sal suffre it, eeuermare.  Now has
ou herd how ou may dispoose i
life and rewle it to goddis wile. Bot
I wate wele at ou desires to here
sum speciale poynt of e luf of Ihesu
Cryst, and of Contemplatif lif e whilke
ou has takene e til at mens sigth.
Als I haue grace and conyng I wile
lere e.

AMORE LANGUEO. ir twa wordis
er wrytene in e bok of luf, or e
sange of sanges -- For he at mykel lufs,
hym list oft syng of his luf, ffor ioy
at he or scho has when ai thynke
on at at ai luf, namely if aire lufer
be trewe and lufand. And es til e Inglis_she
of is twa wordis: I languysshe
for luf. Sere men in erth has sere giftis
and graces of god: Bot e special gift
of ase at ledis solitary life, es forto
luf Ihesu Cryst. ou says me: "All
men lufs hym at haldes his comaunde_mentis
." South it es; bot all at kepis
his bedyng, kipis nogth als his coun_sayll
; and all at dos his counsayll, es
nogth als ful-filled of e swetenes of
his lufe ne files nogth e fire of bryn_nand
luf of hert. For-i e diuersite
of luf makes e diuersyte of halynes
and of mede in heeuen. e Angels
at er brynnandest in luf, er nerrest
gode. Alswa men or women at maast
haf of goddis luf, whethir ai do pen_aunce
or nane, ai sal be in e hegthest
degre in heeuene; ai at lufs hym
lesse, In e laghter order. If ou luf



|p30


hym mykell, mykel Ioy and swetnes
ou felis in his luf at es i comfort
and i strength bath nygth and day;
If i luf be nogth brynnand in hym,
litele es i delite. For hym may na
man fele in Ioy and swetnes but If he
be clenne and fillid with his luf. And
ar-til saltow come with gret trauayll
in prayer and thankyng, hafand swylke
meditaciouns at er all in e luf and
e loouyng of god. And when ou ert
at i meet, looue ay god in i thogth
at ylke a morsell, and say us in i
hert: "Looued e ou kyng, and
thanked be ou kyng, and blyssed be
ou kyng, Ihesu all my ioying, of
all i giftis gude, at for me spylt i
blode, and dyede on e rode. ou gif
me grace to syng e sang of i loou_yng."
And thynk it nogth anely whils
ou eettis, bot bath bifoor and after,
ay bot when ou prayes or spekes; or
if ou haue other thoghtes at ou has
mare swetnes and deuocyon In an in
ase at I lere e, ou may thynk
aim. For I hop at god wile do
swylke thoghtes in i hert als he es
payed of, and als ou ert ordaynede.
For when ou prays, loke nogth how
mykell ou says, bot how wele; at e
luf of i hert be ay vpward and i
thogth on at ou says als mykel als
ou may. If ou be in prayers and
meditacyons al e day. I wate wele at
ou mon wax gretly in e luf of Ihesu



|p31


Cryst and mykel fele of delite, and
with-Ine schort tyme.  Thre degrees
of luf I sal telle e: For I wil at ou
mygth wynne to e hegthest.  e fyrst
degre es called Insuperable.  e secund
Inseparable.  e third Singuler.  i
luf es insuperable when na thyng at
es contrary til goddis luf ouer-comes it,
bot es stalward agayne all fandyngs,
and stable, whether ou be in eese or
in anguys, or in heele or in sekenes;
swa at e thynke at ou wald nogth
for all e werld, to haue it with-outene
ende, wreth god ane tyme, and e war
leeuer, if other suld be. to suffre al e
pyne and e wa at mygth come til
any creature, or ou wald do e thyng
at suld mys-pay hym. On is maner
sal i luf be Insuperable, at na thyng
may doun bryng bot springand on hegth.
Blyssed es he or scho at es in is
degree! Bot yhete war ay blysseder
at mygth hald is degre and wynne
in til e tothyr, at es Inseparable.
 Inseparable es i luf whenn all i
hert and i thogth and i mygth es so
haly, so entierly and so parfytely fest_end,
sete and stablede in lhesu Crist,
at i thogth comes neeuer of hym,
neeuer departyd fra hym, out-taken
slepynge: And als son als ou wakkenes,
i hert es on hym, sayand Aue Maria",
or Gloria tibi domin~e, or Pater
noster, or Miserere mei deus If ou



|p32


haue bene temped in i slepe, or thynk_and
his luf and his loouyng als ou
did wakand. When ou may na tyme
forgete hym, what so ou duse or
says, an es i luf Inseparable. Ful
mykele grace haue ay at er in is
degre of luf! And me thynk at ou
at has nogth ells at do [but] forto luf
god, may come ar-til, if any may it
gete.  e thred degre es hegthest, and
maast ferly to wynne: at es Called
singuler, ffor at bas na pier. Singuler
luf es when all Comforth and solace
es closed out of e hert bot of Ihesu
Cryst anely. Other delyte ne other
Ioy list it nogth. For e swetnes of
hym in is degre es swa comfortand
and lastand in his luf, swa brynnand
and gladand, at he or seho at es in
is degre, may als wele fele e fyre
of luf brynnand in air saule, als ou
may feile i fynger brynne if ou pute
it in e fyre. Bot at fyre, if it be
bate, es so delytable and wondirfull
at I can nogth telle it. an e saul es
Ihesu lufand Ihesu thynkand, Ihesu desy_rand,
anely in couaytes ofhym hangand, til
hym sygthand, of hym brennand, in hym
restand. an e sang of loouyng and
of luf es comen. an i thogth turnys
in to sang and melody, an e bi_houes
syng e psalmes at ou byfore
sayd. an ou mon be lang about fa
psalmes. an e wil thynke e deide
swetter an hony, ffor an ou ert
ful sekyr to se hym at ou lufs. an
may ou hardyly say: "I langnysshe
for luf." an may ou say: "I slep and my



|p33


hert wakes" In e fyrst degre men may
say "I languysshe for luf" or "me
langes for luf", and in e tother degre
alswa: for languyssyng es, when men
falles for sekenes, and a at er in
is twa degrees, falles fra all couaytese
of is werld and fra lust and lyk_yng
of synfull lif, and settis air en_tent
and air hert til e luf of god;
for-i may ay say: "Ilanguysshe for
luf" -- and mykel mare at er in e
secund degre [an] in e fyrst.  Bot
e saul at es in e thred degre, es
als brynnand fyre, and als e nygthgale
at lufs sang and melody and falles
for mykele luf. Swa at e saul es
anely comforted in loouyng and lufyng
of god, and til e dede come, es syn_gand
gaastly til Ihesu, and in Ihesu,
and Ihesu, nogth bodyly cryand with
e mouth -- of at maner of syngyng
speke I nogth, ffor at sang has bath
gud and ille; and is maner of sang bas
nane bot if ai be in is thred degre
of luf: til e whilke degre it es In_possible
to cum bot in a gret multitude
of luf. For-i, if ou wil wite what_kyns
ioy at sang has, I say e at
na man wate bote he or scho at felis
it, at has it, and at looues god syn_gand
ar-with. Ane thyng telle I e:
It es of heeuene, and god gifs it til
whame he wille, bot nogth with-outene
gret graces comand bifore. Wha so has
it, hym thynk all e sang and e myn_stralcy
of erth nogth bot sorow and
waa ar-til. In souerayne rest sal
ai be at mon get it. Gangrels and
Ianglers and kepers of comers and



|p34


gangers arely and lat, nygth and day,
or any at taglede es with any synne
wylfully and wetandly, or at has delite
in any erthly thyng: ay er als fer
ar-fra als es fra heeuen til erth.  In
e fyrst degre er many; In e toer
degre er ful faa: bot in e thred degre
vnnethes er any -- for ay e mare at e
perfeccyone es, e fouer folowers it
has. In e fyrst degre er men lykened
til e sternes; In e tothir degre til e
mon: and in e thred degre til e
sonne. For-i says sayne Paul: "Othir
es of e sonne. Othir of e mone,
othir of e sternes." Swa es it of e
lufers of god. In is thred degre, if
ou may wynne are-til, ou sal wite
of mare Ioy an I haf taled e yhete.
And amang othir affeccyons and sanges
ou may in i langyng syng is in i
hert til i louerd Ihesu, whene ou
couaytes his comyng and i gangynge:
 "When wil ou come to comfort me
and bryng me out of care. And gif
me e at I may se, hafand eeuermare?
i luf es ay swetest of all at euer
ware- My hert whene sal it brest? for
laf an languyst I no mare. For luf my
thogth has fest, and I am fayne to fare. I
stand in stil mournyng of ane, e luflyest of
lare; es luflangyng. It drawes me til my day,
e band of swete brynnyng. For it haldes
me ay fra place and fra playn~g. Til at I
gete may e sygth of my swettyng, at
wendys neeuer away. In welth beese our
wakynge, with-outen noy or nygth. My luf
es in lastyng. And langes vnto at sigth."



|p35


 If ou wil be wele with god and haf
grace to rewel i lif and com til e ioy of
luf, is name of Ihesu fest it so fast in i
hert at it come neeuer out of i thogth.
And when ou spekis til hym and says
Ihesu thurgth coustome, it sal be in
ine eer Ioy, in i mouth hony, and
in i hert melody: For e sal thynk
Ioy to heer at name be neeuend, Swe_tenes
to spek it, Mirth and sang to
thynke it. If ou thynk on Ihesu
contynuelly and haldes it stabilly,
it purges i synne, and kyndels
i hert. It claryfies i saul. It
remoues anger, and duse away slawnes.
lt woundes in luf. Fulfilles of char_yte.
It chaces e deeuel. It puttes out
drede. It opens heeuene and makis a
Contemplatif man. Haf in memor Ihesu:
for all vices and fantoms it puttes fra
e lufer. And hayls oft Marye, bath
day and nygth! Mikel luf aud ioy sal
ou fele If ou wil do after is lare.
e thar nogth couayte gretely many
bokes: hald luf in hert and in werk,
and ou sal haue all at we may say
or wryte: for fulnes of e lagthe es
charyte; In at hynges all.  Bot now
may ou aske me and say: "ou spekis
so mykel of luf: Telle me what luf
es, and whar it es, and how I sal lufe
god veraly, and how I may knawe at
I luf hym, and In what state I may
maast luf hym." ir er hard qwestyons
to lere to a feble man and a flesshly
als I am. Bot neeuer-e-latter are_foore



|p36


sal I nogth leue at I ne sal
schew my witte and als me thynke at
it may be: For I hop in e help of
Ihesu, at es welle of luf and pees of
swetenes.  E fyrst askyng es: What
es luf? And I answer: luf es brennand
yhernyng In god with a woundirful
delite and sikyrnes. God es lygth and
brynnyng. Ligth clarifies our skylle,
and brynnyng kyndeles oure couaytese,
at we desire nogth bot hym. Luf es
a lif coupland to-gider e lufand and
e lufed: For mekenes makys vs swet
to god, Purete Ioynes vs til god, luf makes
vs ane with god. Luf es fayrest of all ver_tus.
Luf es thynge thurgth e whilke god
lufs vs, and we god; and ylk ane of vs
other. Luf es desire of e hert, ay thynk_and
til at it lufs; and when it has at it
lufs, an it Ioyese, and na thyng may mak
it sary. Luf es yhernyng Imelle twa,
with lastandnes of thoghtes. Luf es a
stiryng of e saul for to luf god for
hym-self, and all other thyng for god;
e whylk luf when it es ordayned in
god, it dose away all vnordayned luf
in any thyng at es nogth gud. Bot
all dedeIy [syn] es vnordayned luf in
a thyng at es nogth: an luf puttes
out all dedly synne. Luf es a vertu,
at es e rygth affeccyoun of a mans
saul. Trouthe nogth |r[!] may be with-outen
luf, bot it may help with-outen it.
Luf es perfeccyoun~ of letters, vertue of
prophetye, fruyte of trouthe, heel of
sacramentis, stablyng of wite and co_nyng,
Rychesce of pouer men, Lif of
diand men.  Se how god luf es! If we



|p37


suffre to be slayne; If we gif all at
we haf, til begger stafe; If we can als
mykel als men may cun in erth; til all
is with-outene lufe, es nogth bot so_row
ordayned and tourment.  If ou
wil ask howe gud he es or scho, ask
how mykel lufs he or scho: and at
can na man telle -- Fori I hald it bot
foly to deme of a mans hert, at nane
knawys bot god. Luf es a rygthwys
turnyng fra all erthly thynges, and es
Ioynt til god, with-outene departyng,
and kyndeled with e fier of e haly
gast; fer fra filyng, fer fra Corupcyoun,
obliged til na vice of is lif, Hegth
aboun all flesshely lustes. Ay redy
and gredy til Contemplacyoun of god.
In all thynges vnouercommene. e soun
of all gud affeccyons. Heel of gud ma_ners.
End of e comandementis of
god. Dede of synnes. Lif of vertus.
Vertu whils fightyng lastes. Coroun of
ouercomers. Armes til haly thoghtes.
With-outene at, na man may pay god;
with at, na man synnes -- For if we
luf god in all our hert, ar es na
thyng in vs thurgth e whilke we
serue to synne. Verray luf clenses e
saul, and delyuers it fra e payne of
hell, and of e foule seruyse of synne,
and of e vgly felishipe of deeuels;
and of e fendes sone makis goddis
sone, and partyner of e herytage of
heeuen. We sal afforce vs to cleeth vs
in luf als e Iren or e cool dose in
e fyer, Als e ayre duse in e son,
Als e wolle duse in e hewe. e
cool swa cleethes it in e fyre at all
es fyre. e ayre swa cleethes it in e



|p38


sone at all es ligth. And e wolle so
substauncyaly takes e hewe at it es
like it. In is maner sal a trew lufer
of Ihesu Cryst do: his hert sal so brene
in lufe at it sal be turnyd in til fyer
of luf and be als it war all fyre; and
sall swa schyne in vertus at in na part
of hym he be myrke in vices. --  e
tother askynge es: Whar es luf? And
I answer: luf es in e hert and in e
wile of a man, nogth in his hand ne
in his mouth, at es at say: nogth in
his werke, bot in his saul. For many
spekes gud and duse gud, and lufs
nogth god: Als Ipocrytes, e whilk
suffres grete penance and semes haly
to mens sygth: Bot for ay seke
loouyng and honour of men and fa_uour,
ai haf lost air mede and in e
sygth of god er e deeuels sons and
Rauyschand wolfes. Bot if a man gif
almus-dede and takys hym til poouert
and duse penance, it es a syng at he
lufs god, bot are-foure lufs he hym
nogth. Bot when he forsakis e werld
anely for goddis luf and settis all his
thogth on god and lufs all men als
hym-self, and all e gud dedes at he
may do, he dose aim in entent for to
pay Ihesu Crist and to come til e
rest of heeuen: an he lufs god, and
at luf es in his saul, and swa his de_dis
schewes with-outen. If ou spek
e gud and do e gud, men supposes
at ou lufs god: Fori lok wele
at i thogth be in god, or ells ou
dampnes i-self and deceyfs e men.
Na thyng at I do with-outen prooues



|p39


at I luf god: For a wykked man
mygth do als mykel penance in body,
als mykel wak and fast als I do. How
may I ane wene at I luf, or hald
me better, ffor at at ylk a man may
do? Ceertis, my hert, whethir I luf my
god or nogth, wate na mane bot god,
for nogth at ai may se me do.
Whaar-foor luf es in wile verrayly,
nogth in werke, bot als synge of luf.
For he at says he lufs god and wil
nogth do in dede at in hym es to
schew luf, say hym he leghes! Luf
wil nogth be Idele: It es wirkand some
gud eeuer-mare. If it cees of wirkyng,
wite ou wele it kelis and wytes away. --
 Ethird askyng es:"How sal I ver_rayly
luf god?" I answer: verray luf es,
to lufe hym in all i mygth stalwardly;
In all i hert wysely; In all i saul
deuoutely and swetly.  Stalwardly may
na man luf hym bot If he be stalward.
He es stalward at es meke: For all gast_ely
strenth comes of mekenes -- on whame
restis e haly gast? in a meke saul. Mekenes
gouernes vs and kepis vs in all our tempt_acyons,
swa at ai ouer-come vs nogth.
Bot e deeuel deceyfs many at er meke
thurgth tribulacyons and reproefs and
backbytynges. Bot if ou be wrathe for
any anguys of is werld, or for any
word at men says of e, or for ogth
at men says til e, ou ne ert nogth
meke, ne ou ne may nogth so luf god
stalwardly. For luf es stalward als e
dede, at slaas al lifand thyng in erth;



|p40


and hard als hell, at spares nogth to
aim at er dede. arefoor he at
lufs god parfytely, he ne griefs hym
nogth, what schame or anguys so he
suffirs, bot he has delyte and couaytes
at he war worthy for to suffre tour_ment
and payne for Cristis lufe, and he
has Ioy at men reproues hym and
speke ille of hym. Als a dede man,
what so men dose or says, answers
nogth: swa wha so lufs god parfytely,
ai er nogth stirid for na word at man
may say. For he or scho can nogth
luf at may nogth suffre payne and
angre for aire frendys luf: For wha so
lufs, ai haf na pyne. Proud man or
woman lufs nogth stalwardly: For ai
er so wayke at ai fal at ylke stir_ynge
of e wynd, at es temptacyoun.
ai seke hegther stede an Cryst: For
ai wile haf aire wile done whethir it
be with rygth or with wrange, and
Cryst wil na thyng be done bote wele
and with-outene harme of othir men.
Bot wha so es verrayly meke, ai wile
nogth haue aire wile in is werld,
at ai may haf it in e tothir plenerly.
In na thyng may men soner ouer-come
e deeuel an in meknes, at he mykele
haatis: For he may waak and fast and
suffre pyne, mare an any other crea_ture
may, bot mekenes and luf may he
nogth haue.  Alswa e bihoues luf
god wysely. And at may ou nogth
do, bot if ou be wys. ou ert wys,
when ou ert pouer, with-outen couay_tese
of is werld, and despyses i-self



|p41


for e luf of lhesu Crist, and dispendys
all i wite aud i mygth in his seruyse.
For some at semes wysest er maast
foles, ffor all aire wysdom ai spyll
in couaytese and bysenes about e werld.
 If ou sagth a man haue precyous
stanes at he mygth by a kyngdome
with; If he gaf aim for ane appyl als
a barne wil do, rygthly mot ou say
at he war nogth wys, bot a grete fole.
Whar-foor, if we wile, we haf precyous
stanes: pouert, and penance, and gastly
trauayle, with e whilk we may bye
e kyngdom of heeuen. For if at
ou luf pouert and despise rychesce
and delyces of is werld and haldis i_self
vyle and pouer and thynkes at
ou has nogth of i self bot synne:
ffor is pouert ou sal haf rychesce
with-outen ende. And if ou haf sorow
for i synnes and for ou ert so lang
in exile out of i cuntre, and forsakes
e solace of is lif, ou sal haf for
is sorow e Ioy of heeuen. And if
[ou] be in trauayl and punysches i
body skylwysly and wysely in wakynges
and fastynges and in prayers and
meditacyons, and suffirs hete and cald,
hunger and threst, Mysays and angwys,
for e luf of Ihesu Cryst, for is
trauayle ou sal come til e rest at
lastes ay, and sitte in a setill of ioy
with aungels. Bot some er at lufs
nogth wysely, lyke til barnes at
lufs mare ane appyl an a castel; swa
dose many: ai gif e Ioy of heeuen
for a litil delite of aire flesshe, at es
nogth worth a ploune.  Now may ou



|p42


se at wha so wil luf wysely, hym
bihoues luf lastand thyng lastandly,
Passand thynge passandly; swa at his
hert be sette and festend in na thyng
bot in god.  And if ou wil luf Ihesu
verrayly, ou sal nogth anely luf hym
stalwardly and wysely, bot alswa de_noutely
and swetly.  Swete luf es,
when i body es chast and i thogth
clenne.  Deuoute luf es, when ou
offers i prayers and i thoghtes til
god with gastly Ioy and brynnand
hert in e hete of e haly gast, swa
at e thynk at i saul es als it war
drunken for delyte and solace of e
swetnes of Ihesu, and i hert conceyfs
so mykel of goddis help at e thynke
ou may neeuer be fra hym departyde;
and ou comes in til swylke rest and
pees in saul and quyete, with-outen
thoghtes of vanytesce or of vyces, als
ou war in silence and slepe, and sette
in Noe schipe, at na thyng may lette [e]
of deuocyoun and brynnyng of swet luf.
Fra ou haf getyn is luf, al i lif, til
dede come, es Ioy and confort als verray
Chryst lufer, and he restis in e whase
steed es maked in pees.-  E fierth
askyng was: How ou mot knaw
at ou war in luf and charyte. I
answer at na man whate in erth at
ai er in charyte, bot if it be thurgth
any priuelage of speciale grace at god
has gifen til any man or woman, at
all othir may nogth take ensampyl bye.
Haly men and women troues at ai
haf trouth and hop and charite, and
in at duse als wele als ai may, and



|p43


hoopes certaynly at ai sal be saaf;
ai wate it nogth als tyte: ffor if ai
wyste, aire meryte war e lesse. And
Salamon says at it er rygthwys men
and wys men, and aire werkis er in
goddis hand. And nogth-for-i a man
wat nogth whethire [he] be worthy
hatred or luf: Bot al es reseerued
vncertayne til anothir werld. Neeuer_e
-latter if any had grace at he mygth
wynne til e thred degre of luf, at I
called Singulere, he suld knawe at he
war in luf. Bot in at maner his
knawyng es at he mygth neeuer beer
hym e hegther ne be in e lesse bisynes
to luf god, bot swa mykel e mare at
he es sekir of luf, wald he be bisy to
luf hym and drede hym at has mad
swylke bisynes (!), and done at gudnes.
And knawe at he es so hegthe, he
wald nogth hald hym-self worthyer an
e synfullest man at gas on erthe.
 Alswa seeuene experymentis eer at a
man be in charyte. e first es, when
all couaytese of erthly thyng es sleckend
in hym. For whar so couaytyse es,
are es na luf of Cryst. an if he haf
na couaytyse, sygne es at he has
luf. e secund es, brynnand yhernyng
of heeuene. For when men has felid
ogth of at sauour, e mare ai haf
e mare ai couayte, and he at nogth
has felid nogth he desyres. For-i when
any es so mykel gifen til e luf arof
at he can fynd na Ioy in is lif, Taken
he has at he es in Charyte. e thred
es: If his tung be chaunged, at was
wone to speke of e erth, and now



|p44


spekes of god and of e lif at lastes
ay. e fierth es, excercyse of gaastIy
profyte, als if any man or woman gifs
aim entierly til goddis seruyse and
entirmetis aim of nane erthly bisynes.
e fift es, when e thinges at er hard
in aim-self, semes ligth forto do. at
luf makes. For als Calcidor says:
Lufreden es e thyng at brynges
nerehand inpossible til possible mygth
appeertly. e sext es, hardynes of
thogth to suffre all angwysses and noyse
at comes-with-outene is, all e tothir
ne suffyces nogth. For it sal nogth
make a rygthwys man sary what so
bifalles hym. For he at es Rygthwys,
he haatis nogth bot synne, he lufs nogth
bot god, he dredis nogth bot to wrethe
god. e seuent es, delytablete in saul;
when he es in tribulacyoun and makis
loouyng to god in ylk ane angre
at he suffres. And is schewys wele
at he lufs god when na waa may bryng
hym doun. For many looues god whiles
ai er in eese, and in aduersyte ai
grucche and in til so mykel sarynes ai
falle at vnnethes may any man comfort
aim, and swa sk[l]aunder ai god, flitand
and figthtand agaynes hys domes. And
at es a caytif loouyng at any welth
of e werld makes! Bot at loouyng
es of mykel prys at na vyolence of
sorowe may do a-way. -- E fift askyng
was: In what state men may maast luf
god. I answer: In whilke state so it
be at men er in maast rest of body



|p45


and saul, and leest occupyed with any
nedis or bisynes of is werld. For e
thogth of e luf of Ihesu Cryst and of e
day at lastis ay, sekis rest with-outen,
at it be nogth lettid with comers and
gangers and oconpacyon of werldisshe
thynges; and it sekis with-Inne gret
silence fra e noyse of couaytise and
of vanytese and erthly thoghtes. And
namely all at luf contemplatife lif, ai
seke rest in body and in saul. For a
gret doctor says at ai er goddis throne
at dwellis stille in a stede and er nogth
about rennand, bot in swettenes of
Crystis luf er stablede.  And I haf
lufd forto sytte, for na penance, ne for
na fantasy at I wald men spake of
me, ne for na swilke thyng, bot anely
for I knewe at I lufd god mare and
lengar lasted with me comfort of lufe,
an gangand or standand or kneland.
For sittand am I in mast rest, and my
hert mast vpward. Bot arfor parauenture
it es nogth e best til anothir to sitte
als I haf done and wil do to my dede,
bot if he war disposed als I was in his
saul.



|p46


   |r<b>Twa lifs er at cristen men lifs:
Ane es called actife lif: for it es [in]
mare werke bodely. Anothir Contemplatif
lif: for it es in mare swetnes gastly.
 Actif lif es mykel outward, and in
mare trauaylle and in mare perille,



|p47


for temptacyons at er in e werld.
 Contemplatif lif es mykel inward,
and for-[i] it es lastander and sikerer,
restfuler, delitabler, luflyer and mare
medfull. For it has Ioy in goddis
luf, and sauour in e lif at lastes ay,
in is present tyme if it be rygth ledde.
And at felyng of Ioy in e luf of Ihesu
passes all othir merytes in erthe. For
it es so hard to cum tille, ffor e freyllte
of our flesshe and e many temptacyons
at we er vmsette with, at lettis vs
nygth and day: All othir thynges er
ligth at come to in reward areof. For
at may na man deserue: Bot anely it
er gifen of goddis gudnes til aim at ver_rayly
gifs aim til Contemplacyone and til
qnyete for Cristis luf. Til men or women
at takis aim til actif lif, Twa thynges
falles: Ane, forto onlayne aire menyhe
in drede and in luf of god and fynd
aim aire necessaryes, and aim-self
kepe entierly e comaundementis of god,
doand with aire neigthbor als ai
wil at ai do til aim.  Anothir es
at ai do at aire power e seuene
werkys of mercy; e whilke es: to fede e
hungry, To gif e thresty a drynke,
To cleth e naaked, To herber hym
at has na housyng, To vysete e seke,
To comfort aim at er in preson, and
to graue dede men. All a at may,
and has cost, ai may nogth be quyte
with ane or twa of ir, bot aim
bihoues to do aim all, If ai wil haf
e beneson on domes-day at Ihesu



|p48


Crist sal til all gif at duse aim. Or
elles may ai dred e malysoune at
I mon haue at wil nogth do aim
when ai had guddes to do aim with.
 Contemplatyf lif has twa partys, a
lagther and " hegther. e lagher partye
es medytacyone of haly wrytyng -- at
es godis wordis -- and in othir gude
thoghtes and swete at men has of e
grace of god obont e luf of Ihesu Cryst;
and alswa in louoyng of god in
psalmes and ympnes, or in prayers.
 e hegther party of Contemplacyoune
es bihaldyng and yhernyng of e thynges
of heeuene, and Ioy in e haly gast;
at men has of grace, and if it be
swa at ai be nogth prayand with e
mouthe bot anely thynkand on god
and of e fayrehed of angells and haly
sauls. an may I say at Contemplacyone
es a woundirfull Ioy of goddis luf, e
whilke Ioy es loouyng of gode at may
nogth be tald, and at woundirful
loouyng es in e saul. And for aboun_daunce
of ioy and swetnes it ascendis
in til e mouthe, swa at e hert and
e tung accord in ane, and body and
saul Ioyse in god lifand.  A man or
woman at es ordand til Countemplatif
life, fyrst god enspires aim to forsake
is werld and all e vanyte and e
couaytise and e vyle lust are-of.
Sithen he leddis aim by aire ane and
spekis til aire hert: and als e prophete
says, he gifs aim at souke e swetnes
of e bygynnyng of luf; and an he
settis aim in wille to gif aim haally
to prayers and meditacyons and teeris.
Sithen when ai haf suffred many



|p49


temptacyons, and e foul noys of
thoghtes at er Idell, and of vanytyse,
e whilke wile combre aim at can
nogth distroye aim, es passand away,
he gers aim gader til aim aire hertis
and fest aim haally in hym: and opens
til e egth of aire saul e yhates of
heeuen, swa at at ylke egthe lukes
in til heeuen. And an e stye of luf
verrayly ligges in aire hert and brynnes
are-Inne, and makis it clenne of erthly
fylth; and sithen-forthward ai er
Contemplatife men and rauyshed in luf.
For Contemplacyoune es a sygth: ai
se in til heeuen with aire gastly egthe.
Bot ou sal wyte at na man. has parfite
sigth of heeuen whils ai er lifand bodyly
here; bot als sone als ai dye, ai er
brogth byfore god and seese hym face
til face and eghe til eghe, and wonnes
with hym with-outen end. For hym
ai sogth and hym ai couayted and
hym ai lufd in all aire mygth.
   Lo, Cecil, I haf schortly sayd [e]
e fourme of lufyng, and how ou may
come til perfeccyoune and to luf hym
at ou has taken e til. If it do e
gud and profyte, thanke god, and pray
for me. e grace of Ihesu Cryst be
with e and kepe e. Amen.



|p50


|r2._Ego_dormio_et_cor_meum_vigilat.

|r[MS._Rawl.A_389,_f.77.,_pp._59-60_MS._Vernon]

   Ego dormio & cor meum vigilat.
e at lyste luf, held ine ere and here
of luf. In e sang of luf I fynde it
writen at I haue sett at e begynnynge
of my wrytynge: "I slepe and my hert
wakes." Mykell luf he shewes at neoere
is irke to luf, bot ay, standande, sittande,
gangande or any other dede doande es
ay his luf thynkand, and oft-sithe er_of
dremand. For-i at I luf e, I wogh
e, at I myght haue e as I wilde,
noght tille me bot till my lard. I wille
be comer and messager to bryng e
till his bed at has made e and boght
e, Criste e kynges son of heuen;
for he will wed e if ou wille laf hym;
he askes e na mare bot i luf. And
my wille ou dose, if ou luf hym.
Crist couaytes i fairehede in saule,
at ou gyf hym halely i hert: and I
preche noght ellys bot at ou do his
will, and afforce e day & nyght to lefe
alle fleschely luf and al likyng at lettus
e to luf Ihesu Crist verrayly; for I_whils
i hert is heldande to luf of any
bodyly thyng, ou may not parfitly be
cupilde wit god.  In heuen er IX.
ordirs of aungels, at are conte[n]yd in
thre Ierarchies: e lagheste Ierarchy
contenys aungels, archangels, vertu. e
myddes Ierarchi contenys: Potestates,
principatus, Dominaciones. e heghest
Ierarchi, at next is til god, contenys:
Tronys, Cherubyn, and Saraphyn. e
laghest ordir is Aungels, e heghest
Seraphyn. And at ordir at lest is
bryght, is seuen sa bryght as is is
son. And as ou sees e son bryghter
an e candel, e candel bryghter an
e mone, e mone bryghter an e
sternys, alswa are e orders of aungels



|p51


in heuen ilkane brighter an other, fra
aungels tille Seraphyn. is I say to
kyndel i hert to couayte e felaw_schype
of aungels: for alle at are
gode and haly, when ei passe of is
werld, salle be takyn in till ire orders,
som til e lawest: at has lufed god
mykel; som to e myddes: at has
loued god mare; other til e heghest:
at mast lufes god and brennandest er
in is lufe. / Seraphyn is at saye "bryn_nande":
tille whilke ordir ai er re_ceyfede
at leste couaytes in is werld,
and mast swetnes felys in god, and
brennand[est] hertis han in lufe.  Tille
e I wryte is specialy, for I hope in
e mare gudnes an in any other, [&]
at ou wille gyf i thoght to ful_fille
in dede at ou sees is profitable
to i saule, and at lyf gyf e tille in
e whilke ou may halelyeste offer i
hert tille Ihesu Cryst and leste be in
bysynes of is werld. For if ou wille
stabilly luf god & brennandly whiles
ou lyfes here, with-outen doute i
setyll es ordaned for e ful hegh and
ioyfull before e face of god ymanges
haly aungels. For in e self degres are
proude deuyls felle downe er meke men
and wymmen, Cristes doufys, sett in, to
haf rest and ioye with-outen ende, for
a littul schort penaunce & trauaile at
ei hafe suffrede for goddes luf.  e
thynke now perauenture harde to gyf i
hert fra alle erthly thynge, fra ydil speche,
fra al fleschely luf, and ga by ine ane
to wake & pray and inke e ioye of
heuen, & to haue compassion of e
passion of Ihesu Crist, and to ymagyn
e pyne of helle at is ordeyned for
synfulmen. Bot witterly, fra at ou
be vsed erin, e wil inke it lighter
& swetter en euer e did any erthly
solace. / Also sone as i hert is toched
wit e swetnes of heuen, e wil litel



|p52


liste e myrth of is werlde; and when
ou felys ioye in Cristes luf, e wil
lathe wit e ioye & e comford of
erthly gammyn. For alle e melodye,
alle e ryches, alle e delites at alle
e men in is world kan ordeyne or
thynke, semes & es bot noy & angyre
til a mannys herte at verrayly is brennand
in e luf of god, for he has myrth &
melodie of aungel sange, as ou may
wel wyit. lf ou lefe alle thynge at
e liste fleschely, & haue na thowght
of i syb frendys, bot for-sake alle for
goddes luf, and anely gyf i herte to
couayte goddes luf and to paye him,
mare ioye ou schal fynde in hym an
I kan thynke -- howe myght I an wryte
hit? I wat neuer if many men be in
swilke luf; for ay e hegher at e lyfe
es, e faer folowers it has here, for
many thynges drawes men fra goddes
luf, at ou may here & see; [and] god
comfortes his lufers mare an ei wene
at lufes hym noght. For of we seme
in penance wit-outen, we salle haue ful
mykel ioye within, if we ordeyne vs
wysely to goddes seruys and set in hym
alle oure thoghtes & forsake vanite.
 Gyf alle ine entente to vnderstonde
is wrytyng: [&] if ou haue set i desire
to luf god, here ere thre degres of
luf, swa at ou may ryse fra ane til
a nother, tille ou be at e hegheste;
for I ne wil not hil fra e at I hope
ma torne e tille halynes.  e first
degre of luf es when a man haldes e
ten commaundementes, and kepes him
fra e seuen dedly synnes, and is stabul
in e trouthe of haly kirke; and when
a man wille noght for any erthly thynge
wreth god, bot trewly standes in his
seruice and lastes are-in tille his lyfes



|p53


ende.  is degree of lufe by-houes ilke
man haue at wille be safe; for na man
maye come tille heuen bot if he luf god
and his neghbur with-outen pryde, ire
and any bakbytyng, and with-outen alle
other wennymouse synnes as slawnes,
glotery, and lichery, and couaytys: for
ere vices slaes e saule & makes hit
to depart fra god at es lyfe of e
saule; and when a wreched man or
wommon es departed fra god, we saye
he is ded, for he is slayne fra god with_outen
wham na creature may lyf. Als
a man poysunde in a swete morsell takes
venym at slas his body, swa dos a
synful wreche in likyng and lust,
destroyes his saule and brynges hit tille
dede with-outen ende. Men inke hit
swete to synne, bot aire hire at is
ordayned for aim, es bitterer & galle,
sowrer an atter, wers an alle e
wa at man caa thynk in erthe.
 Alle perisches & passes at we with
eghe see. Hit wanys in till wrechedhede
e wele of is worlde. Robys & riches
rotes in e dyche. Pryde & payntynge
slake salle in sorowe. Delytes and
drorys stynke sall ful sone. aire gold
& aire tresoure drawes aim til dede;
Alle e wykked of is werlde dryues
til a dale, at ai may see aire
sorowynge are wa es alle e rabel.
Bot he may synge of solas at lufed
Ihesu Cryst, When alle e wreches fra
wele falles in tille helle. --  Bot when
ou has wel lyfed in e commaundementes
of god and styffely keped e fra alle
dedly synnes, and payde tille Criste in
at degre: vmthynke e at ou wil
mare luf god, & do better with i saule,
and bycome parfite: & an enters ou
in tille e tother degre of luf, at es:
to forsake alle e worlde and i fader
and i moder & alle i kyn & folowe



|p54


Crist in pouerte.  In is degree ou
schalle stody howe clene ou may be in
herte, and howe chaste in body, and gyf
e tille mekenes, suffryng & bosumnes,
and loke how faire ou may make i
saule in vertuese, and hate alle vices:
swa at i lyfe be gastely, noght fleschely;
neuer-mare spekand ille of ine neghbur,
ny gyf ane ille word for a nother, bot
alle at men says, ille or gode, suffir
hit debonerly in i hert, with-outen
stirryng of wreth: and an schal ou
be in reste within, and lightly come in
to gastely lyfe, at ou salle fynde
swetter an any erthely thyng.  Parfite
lyfe and gastely es, to despise e erth,
couayte e ioye of heuen, and destroye
thurgh goddes grace alle wikked desires
of e flesche. And forgete e solace and
likyng of i kynredyne, and luf aim
noght bot in god; whethire a dye or
lyf, be pore or ryche, be hale or seke,
in wa or in wele, thank ou ay god,
and bles hym in alle his werkes: for
his domes are so priue, at na creature
may comprehende aim; and oftsith
sum men has aire likyng and aire
wele in is world, and hell in e
tother: and sum men es in pyne &
persecucioun & anguys in is lyfe, and
has heuen til aire mede. For-thy, if
i frendes be ay in es and hele & in
welth of is werlde, ou & ai bathe
maye e mare drede, at [ai] lose
noght e ioie with-outen ende. If ai
be in penaunce, in sekenes, or if ei
lyf ryghtwysly, ai may trayste in god
to come to his blisse. For-i in is
degree of luf ou salle sa by filde in
grace of e haly gast at ou sal
noght haue sorowe ne gratyng bot for
gastely thynge, and for i synnes and
other mennys, and aftir e luf of Ihesu
Crist, and in thynkyng of his passioun --
and at I wille at ou hafe mykel



|p55


mynde of, for hit will kyndel i hert
to set at noght alle e gudes of is
werlde and alle e ioye, & to desire
brennandly e light of heuen with
aungels and haloghys.  And when i
hert is ordayned halely to e seruice
of god, & alle werldes thoght is putt
oute: an wille e liste stele be i
nane, to thynk of Crist and to be in
mykel prayng; for thorow gode thoghtes
and haly prayers i hert salle be made
brennande in e luf of Ihesu Crist, and
an salle ou fele swetnes and gastely
ioye bathe in prayinge and in thynkyng.
And when ou arte be i nane, gyf e
mikel to say e psalmes of e sawter,
and Pater noster and aues; and take
not tent at ou say many, bot at ou
say hom wele, and in alle e deuocioun
at ou may, lyftande vp thy thoght
til heuen. Bettir hit is to say seuen
psalmes in desyre of Cristes luf, hafand
i hert on i praying, an seuen
hundred, suffrande i thoght to pas in
vanitees of bodily thynge. What gode
hopes ou may com erof if ou lat
i tonge blabir on e boke, and i hert
ryn aboute in sere stedes in e werld,
whare hit will? For-thy set i thoght
in Crist and he salle refe it tille hym
and halde hit fra e venym of werldes
bysynes. And I pray e, as ou couaytes
to be goddes lufer, at ou lufe is
name Ihesu, and thynk hit in i herte,
swa at ou forgete hit neuer, wharsom~
ou be: and witterly I hete e ou
salle fynde mykelle ioye & comfort erin,
and for e luf at ou lufes lhesu sa
tendirly and sa specialy, ou salle be
filde full of grace in erth, and be Cristes
dere mayden & spouse in heuen. For
na thynge sa mekill pays god as verray
luf of his name Ihesu. If ou lufe hit
ryght and lastandly, & neuer let for na
thynge at men may saye or do, ou
salle be raysed in tille a hegher lyfe



|p56


an ou can couayte. His godenes es
sa mekill at are we inwardly aske
hym of ane, he wille gyf vs thre: sa
wele payed he es when we set alle oure
hert to luf hym.  In is degre of luf
ou salle ouercom i thre enmys: e
werld, e deuel, and i flesche; -- bot
neuer-e-latter ou schal hafe ay fightyng
whils ou lyfes, and ay til ou dye by_houes
e be bysy to stande & to falle
noght in ille delyte ne in ille thoght or
in ille worde or in ille werkis: for-i
grete augh i gernynge to be at ou
luf Crist verraily. i flesche salle ou
ouer-com thurgh haldyng of i mayden_hede
for goddes luf anely, or, if ou
be na maydun, thurgh chast lyfynge
in thoght and in dede, and thurgh
discrete abstinence and resonable seruyse.
e werld salle ou ouer-com orow
couaytyng of Cristes luf, & thynkynge
of his swete name, and desire til heuen;
for als son as ou feles sauowr in Ihesu,
e wille thynke alle e werlde noght
bot vanite and noye for mennys saules.
ou wil noght couayte an to be ryche,
to haue many mantils and faire, many
kirtils, many dreurise, bot alle ou wil
set at noght and despise alle, and take
na mare an e nedes. e wille thynke
twa mantils or ane Inogh, at nowe
has fyfe or sex; for-i gyf som til
Crist at gas naked and pore, and hald
noght til e alle: at wate noght i
lyfe tille ay be halfe gane. / e deuyl
is ouercommen when ou standis stabilly
agayns alle his fandynges, in sothfaste
charite ande mekenes. And thynke on
me at I be noght forgeten in i prayeres,
at is aboute-warde at ou were dere
with Criste, whas mercy me nedys. I
wille at ou be neuer Idel, [bot] be
ay other spekand of god, or wirkand
some notabul warke, or thynkand in
hym and principally, at i thoght be



|p57


ay hafand hym in mynde. And thynk
oft is of his passioun:
      (Meditacio de passione.)
    My kynge e watur grett, and
e blod he swett; sithen full sare
him bett, so at his blode hym wett,
when aire scourges mett. Ful faste
ai gun hym dynge, and at e piler
swynge, his faire face fouled with
spittyng. e thorne coronys e kynge,
fulle sare es at prykkyng. allas my
ioye and my swetyng, es demed for to
hynge! Nayled was his hende and
nayled was his fete, & thirled es his
syde sa semely & sa swete. Naked his
white brest, and red his blody syde;
wan was his faire hewe, his woundes depe
& wyde. In fyfe stedys of his flesche e
blode gan downe glyde, as e streme
dos of e strande, is pyne es noght
to hyde. To thynke es gret pite, how
demed es tille e dede, and nayled on
e tre, e bryght aungels brede. Dryuen
he is til dole at is oure gastly gode, and
fouled as a fole, in heuen e haloghys
fode. A wondir hit is to se, wha-som
vndurstode, how god of mageste was
dyande on e rode. Bot sothe an is
[it] saide at luf ledes e rynge; at
him sa laughe has laide, bot luf hit
was no thynge. Ihesu, resayue my
hert, and til i luf me brynge: alle my
desir ou art, I couaite i comynge.
ou make me clene of synne, and lat
vs neuer twyn, kyndel me fyre with_inne,
at I i luf may wynne, and se
i face Ihesu in blys at neuer may
blynne. Ihesu, my saule ou mende,
i luf in to me

|r[Here_a_leaf_is_wanting_in_the_Ms.;_I_supply]
|r[the_gap_from]
|r[Ms._Vernon_(=_2nd_text_in_Rawl.)]
|r{Ms._Vernon_from_p._58_to_p._60}


[sende, at I may wi e lende, in
ioye wi-outen ende. In loue ou
wende my out and lyfte myn herte



|p58


to e; e soule at ou hast bout,
bi-fore e make hit be. bute i coueite
e, is world for e i fle; ou art
at i haue sout, i face whon mit
i se? // ou make my soule clere:
i loue chaunge my chere; how longe
schal i ben here? whon mai i neihe
e nere, i melodye to here, Ofte to
here e song, at is lastyng so long?
wolt ou beo my louyng, at I i
loue mai syng. --  --  if ou wolt
enke is eueri dai, ou schalt fynde
erin gret swetnesses, at schal drawen
in herte vp and make e falle in to
weping, and gret louing haue to Ihesu;
and i out schal be raft from alle
eorliche inges, and aboue e sky
and e sterres, so at e ee of in
herte may loke in to heuene. And
enne entrest ou in to e ridde
degre of loue.  In e wuche ou
schalt beo in gret delyte and cumfort,
if ou mait gete grace to come erto.
For i sei not at ou or eny our
schal don hit al, for at is in godes
wille, at schewe to don at her is
seid, or our ing of our manere, as
he iue mon grace to heore hele.
For diuerse men take diuerse iftes of
vr lord Ihesu Crist, and al schal be
set in e ioye of heuene at ende in
charite. Whose is in is degre, wisdam
he ha and discrecion to louen at
godes wille.  is degre of loue is
called Contemplatyf loue, at loue to
ben onlich, from ryngyng and dune,
syngyng and crying. At e bigynnyng,
whon ou comest erto, i gostli ee
is taken vp in to e blisse of heuene,
and is ilumyned wi grace and cundlet
wi e fuir of Cristes loue, so at ou
schalt haue verreiliche e brennynge
of loue in in herte euermore lastyng,
and i out euermore vpward to god,
felyng e loue of ioye, and so muche



|p59


swetnes at no seknesse, ne schame,
ne anguissche, ne penaunce at schal
greue e: Bote al i loue schal turne
to ioye. And enne for hihnesse
of in herte i preyers schal turne
in to ioyfol song, and i outes in to
melodie.  enne Ihesu schal beo al
i desyre, al i delyte, al i ioye, al
i solace, al i cumfort, so at of
him wol ben euermore i song, and
in him al i rest.  enne mait ou
seye: "I slepe and myn herte wake.
 Ho schal to my lemmon say at for
his loue me longe ay?"  Alle at
louen vanytes and specials of is world
and setten heore hertes on eny our
ing en on god, in to is degre
mowe ei not comen, Ne in to at
our degre of loue at bi-fore is
nempned.  And erfore alle worldes
solace hem bihoue forsake, at heor
herte beo not bouwynde to no loue
of eny creature, ne to no bisynesse of
eore:  at ei mowe euere be in
silence, stablich and stalworelich wi
herte and moue loue god.  Vre
lord eue not to men and wymmen
feirnesse, richesse and dilytes forte
sette heore hertes holliche on hem, &
dispende hem in synne, bute for ei
scholde knowe him & loue him & onke
him of alle his iftes. And erfore e
more is heore schome, if ei wraen
him at ha iiuen hem mony iftes in
bodi or in soule.  For-i, if we
coueyten to fleo e peyne of helle,
purgatori, vs bihoue reste vs parfyt_liche
in parfyt loue from e lustus &
e lykynges & from e vuel dilytes &
e wikked drede of is world; and
at worldes serwe be not in vs, but
at we holde euere vr herte faste on
Ihesu Crist & stonde monlich aeinus
temptaciuns.



|p60


[Ms. Vernon.]

  |r<b>Nou i write a song of loue, at
ou schalt delyte in whon ou
art louyng Ihesu Crist.  My song is
in syngyng, Mi lyf is in
longing, to e i seo my
derlyng so feir in his schyning, So feir
in his feirhede: in to i lit ou
me lede, And wi i loue ou me fede,
In loue mak me to spede, And ou
beo euere my mede. // Whonne wolt
ou come, Ihesu my ioye, & keuere me
of sore, And eue me e at i may se
& haue for euer-more? Al my coueit_ing
were comen, if i mite to e
fare; I wol no ing but only e, at
al my weolnes ware. Ihesu
my saueour, Ihesu my cumfortour, Of
alle feirhede e flour, Myn help and
my socour: Whon may i se e in i
tour?  Whon wolt ou me calle? Me
longe to in halle, To seo e & hem
alle: i loue let hit not falle...  Now
wax I pale & won, For loue of my lem_mon.
Ihesu boe god and mon, i
loue ou lered me on, Whon
i faste to e ron: For-i non loue i
con.  I sitte and synge of loue-long_ynge,
at in myn herte is bred. Ihesu,
Ihesu, Ihesu, whi neore i to e led?
For wel I wot ou seost my stat, in
loue my out is sted; Whon i seo e,
and dwelle wi e,]

     |r[Ms._Rawl._continues:]

an am I filde and fed. Ihesu i luf es
feste, and me to luf thynke beste: my
hert when may hit brest, til com to e
my reste? Ihesu, Ihesu, Ihesu, tille e es
at I mourne; For-i, my life and my
lyfynge, why ne may I hythen tourne?
Ihesu my dere and my drewry, delite art
ou to synge; Ihesu my myrth my melodie,
when wille ou com my kynge? Ihesu my
hele and my hony, my whert, my com_fortynge:



|p61


Ihesu. I couaite for to dye,
when it is i payinge. Langynge es in
me lente, at my luf has me sent; alle
wa fra me es went, sen at my hert es
brent.  In Cristes luf sa swete, at
neuer I wille lete, bot euer to luf I
hete: for luf my bale may bete / and
til my blys me brynge, and gyf me my
ernynge, Ihesu my luf swetyng. Lang_ynge
es in me light, at byndes me
day & nyght, til I hit hafe in sight,
his face so fayre an bryght. Ihesu my
hope & hele, my Ioie euer-ilka dele,
i luf lat it noght kele, at I i lufe
may fele, and won wit e in wele.
Ihesu with e I bygge and belde, leuer
me ware to dye, an al is worlde to
welde and hafe it in maystry. When
wil ou rewe on me, Ihesu at I
myght with e be, to luf and loke on
e?my setill ordayne for me, and sett
ou me are-in: for an we neuer
twynne, and I i luf salle synge,
thurgh syght in i schynyng, In heuen
wit-outen endyng. amen.


|r3._e_commawndement_&c.
|r[Ms._Rawl._A_389,_f._81]
|rpp._61-71 


    Richard hermit,

   e commaundement of god is at
we lufe oure lord in al oure hert, in
al oure sowle, in al oure thoght. In



|p62


al oure hert, at is in al oure vndir_stondyng
with-outen erryng. In al oure
sowle, at is in al oure wille with-outen
eynsaiyng. In al oure thoght, at is, at
we thynk on hym with-outen forgetyng.
In is manere is verray luf & trewe,
at is werke of monnes wille. For luf
is a wilful stiryng of oure thoght in to
god: so at it receyue no thyng at is
aeyns e luf of Ihesu Crist, and are_with
at it be lastyng in swetnes of
deuocion: and is is e perfeccion
of is lif. To e whiche al dedly
synne is contrary & enemy, bot not
venial synne: for venial synne doth
not awey charite, bot onli letteth e
ois and e brennyng are-of. are_fore
alle at wil luf god parfitly,
aim behouith not onli fle alle dedly
synnes, bot also, als michel als ai
may, al veniale synne, in thoght, and
word, and dede; and namely to be
of littul speche -- and at silence be
in occupacion of gode thoghtes, It
helpes gretly to goddes luf. For ianglers
and bakbiters at apeireth othir mennes
lif with wicked wordes, and alle at
louen aire owene state by-foren alle
othere, or at despiseth any state in e
whiche a man may be sauf: thai haue
no more sight of e luf of god in aire
sowle en e egh of a backe hath of
e sonne. For veyn speche and ille
wordes arne signe of a veyne hert &
ille at is with-outen e grace of god.
And he at speketh ay e gode, and
holdes iche mon better en him-self:
he schewith wele at he is stable in
godnesse in his hert, & ful of charite
to god and his neghbur.  And at
ou may come to e swetnesse of goddes
luf, I sette here thre degrees of luf, in
e whiche ou be waxing.  e first
degre is cleped Insuperable, e tother



|p63


Inseparable, e thridde Singuler. Thi
luf is insuperable, when no thing may
ouer-com it, at is, nouther wele ne
wo, ese ne anguys, luf of flesch ne
likyng of is world; bot ay it lasteth
in god, ogh it were tempted gretly,
and hit hateth al synne, so at no
thyng may slakne at luf.  Thi luf
is inseparable, when alle thi thoghtes
and alle thi willes are gaderd to-gedir
& festned holly in Ihesu Crist, so at
ou may notyme forete hym, bot ay
ou thynkest on hym; and erfore it
is cleped inseparable, for it may not be
departed fro thoght of Ihesu Crist.
 That luf is singuler, when al e delit
is in Ihesu Crist, and in non other thing
fynde ioye or comfort. In is degre is
luf stalworthe als ded, and hard als
helle: for als ded slees al lyuyng
thing in is world, so parfit luf sleth
in a monnes sowle alle fleschely desires
and erthly couaytise. And als helle
spareth not to ded menne, bot tormenteth
alle at cometh erto, so a mon at
is in is degre of luf, not only he for_sakith
e wreched solace of is lif, bot
also coueiteth to suffre pynes for godes
luf. are-fore if e list luf any thing,
luf Ihesu Crist, at is fairest, richest &
wisest, whos luf lasteth in ioye endeles;
for al erthly luf is passing and witeth
sone a-wey; noht at falleth erto is
dwellyng, bot pyne at it deserued. If
ou be coueitous aftur gude: luf him
and ou hast al gude; desire hym trewly
& e schal wonte no thyng. If delites
like the: lufe him, for he eueth delites
to his lufers at neuer may perisch: bot
alle e delices of is world are feynt
and fals and failyng in most nede; /
thai bygynne in swetnesse and air
endyng is bitterer en galle. If ou
kan not lyfe with-outen felashipe: lift
i thoght to heuen, at ou may fele



|p64


comfort with aungels and halewes, e
whiche wil helpe e to god, & not lette e
als i fleschely frendes doth. / Restreyne
i wille a while fro al lust and likyng
of synne and ou schalt haue afterward
al thi wille: for hit shal be clensed &
made so fre, at e wil lust to do no
thyng bot at is paiyng to god. If e
lust speke: for-bere it at e bygynnyng
for goddes luf: for when i hert feleth
delit in Crist, the wil not lust speke ne
iangle bot of Crist. If ou may not
dreghe to sitte bi thyn one: oise the
stalworthly in his luf and he shal
so stabli sette e, at al e solace
of is worlde shal not mowe remewe
e, for the wil not luste are-of. /
When ou art bi thi-self, be ay,
to slep come, outhir in prayer or in
gode meditacioun. / And ordeyne i
wakyng and i praying and i fasting,
at it be in discrecioun, not ouer_mychel
ne ouer-litel: bot thynke ay
at of alle thinges most quemeth god
luf of monnys hert. / And are-fore
seche more to luf hym en to do any
penance; for vnskilful penance is litul
worth or noght, bot luf is ay e best,
whether ou do penance mychel or
litel.  Be aboutewarde in al i myght
at ou were so inwardly euen to e
luf of Ihesu Crist at for gostli ioye of
i sowle nouht at men may say or do
made e sory, so at i thoght withinne
be fed only in e swetnesse of Cristes
luf, not in delit of erthly ease, ne in
louyng of men, if ai be-gan to speke
gude of the, ne in idel ioye. / Trust
in god, at he wil eue to the thingis
at ou prayes hym skillefully. Skylful
prayer is to cristen mennes sowle to
seche and aske nyght and day e luf
of Ihesu Crist, at it may luf him verrali,
feling comfort & delit in him, oute_kasting
worldes thoghtes and Iuel



|p65


bisines. / And siker be ou, if ou
coueite his luf trewli & lastyngli, so at
no lust of i flesche, ne angrynge of
e world, ne speche ne hatereden of
men, drawe aeyn & cast e not in
bisinesse of bodili thynges: ou shalt
haue his luf, and fynde and fele at
hit is delitabler in an oure an alle e
welthe at we here see, may be to
domes-day. And if ou faille and falle
for temptacions, or for angres, or
for ouer-myche luf of i frendes: it es
no wonder if he holde fro e thing at
ou coueitest not trewly. He sayth at
he lufes thaim at lufes him; and, ei
at erIy waketh to him schal fynde
him. ou art erely wakyng oftesyth,
whi an fyndes ou him not? Certes
if ou seche hym ryght, ou schalt
fynde him; bot whiles ou sechest
ertheli ioye, ogh ou wake neuer so
erli, Crist may ou not fynde: for he
is not founden in aire londe at lifes
in flescheli lustes.  His moder, when
he was willed fro hire, soght wepyng
erely & late amonge his kynreden and
hires: Bot sche fonde him not for alle
her schetyng and her sorowyng, to at
e laste sche come in to e temple,
and ere sche fonde hym sittyng among
e maistres, heryng and onsweryng.
So behoueth e do, if ou wilt fynde
hym: seche inwardly, in trouthe & hope
and charite of holichirche, castyng oute
al synne and hathing it in al i herte:
for at holdeth hym fro e, and letteth
e at ou may not fynde hym.  e
herdemen at soght, fonde him liggyng
in a crybbe, bi-twene two bestes; at
ou knowe, if ou seche hym verraly,
e be-houeth go in e way of pouert,
and not of richesse.  e sterre led e
thre kynges in to Bethleem: ere ei



|p66


fonde Crist in swethil-cloutes simpli,
as a poure childe. arby vnderstonde
at whiles ou art in pryde and vanite,
ou fyndest him not. How may ou
for schame, at art bot seruant, with
mony clothes & riche folewe i spouse
and i lord, at went in on kirtil: &
ou trailest as myche bihynde e, as
al at he had on? are-fore I rede
at ou part with hym er ou & he
mete, at he reproue e not of outrage;
for he wil at ou haue at ou hast
myster of, and nomore. He said to his
disciples at ei schulde not haue als
mony clothes als two moght be susteined
with -- for to trauaile are-aboute, is
outrageous besenesse, at he forbedeth.
 The luf of Ihesu Crist is ful dere
tresor, ful delitable ioy, and ful siker
to trust men on. are-fore he wil not
eue hit to foles, at can not holde hit
and kepen it tenderly: bot to thaim he
efeth it e whiche nouther for wele
ne for wo wil let it passe fro thaim, bot
ei wil die er ei wolde wrathe Ihesu
Crist. / And no wysmon dos precious
licour in a stynkyng vessell, bot in a
clene. Also Crist dos not his luf in a
foule hert(e) in synne, and bonden in
vil lust of flesshe: bot in an herte at
is faire and clene in vertues. Neuer_e-latter
a foule vessel may be maked
so clene, at ful dere thyng sauely may
be don ere-in. And Ihesu Crist ofte_sithes
purgeth mony synful monnes
soule, & maketh it able thurgh his grace
to resceyue e delitable swetnesse of
his luf, and to be his wonyngstede in
holynesse; and ay e clenner it waxeth,
e more ioy & solace of heuen(e) Crist
setteth are-in. arefore at e first
tyme when a mon is turned to god, he
may not fele at swete licour til he
haue ben wel oised in goddes seruice
and his herte be purged thurgh prayers



|p67


& penance & gode thoghtes in god;
for he at is slowe in goddes seruice,
may not be brennyng in luf, bot if he
do al his myght and trauaile nyght and
day to fulfille goddes wille. And when
at blissed luf is in a monnes herte, it
wil not suffre hym to be idel, bot ay
it stireth hym to do som gode at myght
be likyng to god, as in praying, or in
worching profitable thinge, or in spekyng
ofIhesu Crist; and principally in thoght,
at e mynde of Ihesu Crist passe not
fro his thoght. For if ou lufe hym
trewly, ou wil(t) glade e in him and
not in other thyng, / and ou wilt
thynk on him, castyng awey alle othir
thoghtes. / Bot if ou be fals & take
othir en him and delite e in erthely
thyng aeins his wille: witte ou
wele he wil forsake e as ou hast
don hym, & dampne (e) for i
synne. / Wharfore, at ou may luf
hym treweli, vndirstonde at his luf is
proued in thre thynges: In thynkyng,
in spekyng, in worchyng. / Change
i thoght fro e world and cast
hit holli on hym, and he schal
norisshe e. / Change i mouth fro
vnprofitable & wordli speche (& speke)
of hym, and he schal comfort the. /
Change ine honden fro werkis of
vanites and lift aim in his nome and
worche only for his luf, and he schal
resceyue e. Do us and ou Iufes
him trewly and ou gost in e wey of
parfitenesse. Delite e so in hym at i
hert resceyue nouther worldes ioy ne
worldes sorowe; and drede not anguyse
or noy at may be-falle bodili on the
or on any of i frendes, bot betake al
in to goddes will, and thanke him ay
of all his sondes: so at ou haue rest
and sauour in his luf; for if i herte
outher be led with worledes drede, or
worldes solace, ou art ful far fro e



|p68


swetnesse of Crist luf. And loke wele
at ou sente not on withouten and be
an other withinne, as ypocrites doth,
e whiche are like to a sepulcre at is
peynted richely with-outen, and with_inne
roteth stynkyng bones. If ou
haue delit in e [name of religion,
loke at ou haue more delyte in
e] dede at falleth to religion. in
habit saith at ou hast forsaken e
world, at ou art efen to goddes
seruice, at ou delites e not in erthely
thyng: loke enne at it be in i
hert(e) as hit semeth in mennes sight -- for
nothing may make e religious bot
vertues and clennesse of soule in charite.
If thi bodi be clothed with-outen as
in order wil, loke at i soule be not
naked withinne -- at in order forbedeth:
bot naked be thi soule fro alle vices,
and warme happed in luf & mekenes,
Drede e domes of god, so at ou
wretthe him not; stabil i thoght in his
luf, and held oute of e alle synnes;
cast awey slowenesse, oise e monli in
godenes, / be deboner ande meke to
alle men, lete no thing brynge e to
ire or enuy(e); dight thi soule faire,
make are-inne a trone of luf to goddes
son, and make i wille be coueitous to
receyue hym as gladli as ou woldest
be at e comyng of a thyng at ou
lufed most of alle thyng. Wasshe i
thoght clene with luf-teres and brennyng
desiryng, at he fynde no thyng foul
in e: for his ioy is at ou be faire
& lufesom in his eghen. / Fairehede of
i soule at he coueiteth, is at ou
be chast & meke, mylde & suffrynge,
neuer irk to do his will, ay hatyng alle
wrychednesse. In al at ou dost think
ai to come to e sight of his fairehed,
& sette alle in entent are-inne at
ou may come are-to at thin endyng --



|p69


for at oweth to be ende of al oure
trauail at we euermore, while we life
here, desire at sight in alle oure hert,
and at vs ay thynk longe ar-to.
 Also festne in thin herte e mynde
of his passione & of is woundes: gret
delit and swetnes schal ou fele, if
ou holde i thoght in mynde of e
pyne at Crist suffred for e.  If
ou trauaill ryght in his luf, and
desire him brennyngli: alle temptacions
& dredes of euel ou salt ouercome
and defoule vnder i fete thurghe his
grace; for alle at he seeth in gode
wille to luf him, he helpeth thaim
aeins alle thaire enemys, and reiseth
air thoght abouen erthely thynge,
so at thei may haue sauour of e
swetnesse of heuen. Purchace the e
welle of wepyng, and cese not til at
ow haue hym: for in e hert where
teres spryngen, er wil e fire of
e holigost be kyndelet: and sithen
e fire of luf, at schal brenne in
i herte, wil brynge to noght aI e
rust of synne, and purge i soule
of al filthe, als clene as e gold at
is proued in e fourneys.  I wote
no thinge at so inwardly schal
take i herte to coueit goddes luf /
and to desire e ioy and to despise e
vanites of is world, as stedfast thynkyng
of e mysese & greuous woundes and
of e deth of Ihesu Crist; it wil reise
i thoght abouen ertheli likyng / and
make thin herte brennyng in Cristes
Iuf, and purchace in to i soule delitablete
and sauour of heuene. / Bot peraunter
ou wilt say: "I may not despise e
worlde, I may not fynde it in my hert
to punysshe my bodi, and me behoueth
luf my flessheli frendes, and take ease
when it comes." If ou be tempted
with suche thoghtes, I pray at ou be_thynk
e, fro e bigynnyng of is



|p70


worlde, where e worldes luferes are
now, / and where e lufers are of god.
Certes, ai were men and wemen as we
are, & ete and dronk and loghe: / and
e wrecches at lufed is world toke
ese to air body, and lifed as aim
luste in likyng of aire wicked wille,
and ledde air daies in lust and delices:
and in a pointe ai felle to helle. Now
may ou see at ai were foles aad
foule glotons, at in a fewe eres wasted
endles ioye at was ordeynt for tham if
ai wold han don penance for thaire
synnes. // ou seest at al e riches
and delite of is worlde vanisseth awey
and cometh to noght. Sothli, so doth
alle aire lufers: for no thyng may
stonde stabli on a fals gronde. air
bodies are euen to wormes in erthe,
and aire soules to e deuelles in helle. /
Bot alle at forsoke e pompe and e
vanite of is lif, and stode stalworthly
aeins alle temptaciones, / and ended
in e luf of god: ai are now in ioye
and haue e heritage of heuen, ere to
won with-outen ende, restyng in e
delices of goddes sight; for here ei
soght no more rest ne ese to air body
en thai had nede of. // O thynge l
rede the: at ou forete not is nome
Ihesu, bot thenk hit in i hert nyght
and day, as i special and as i dere
tresour. Luf hit more an i lif, rote
it in i mynde. Luf Ihesu, for he made
e, and boght e ful dere. ef i hert
to hym: for it is his dette. erfore set
i luf on his nome Ihesu, at is hele. //
ere may non euel thing haue duelling
in at hert(e) er Ihesu is trewly holden
in mynde: for it chaceth deuelles, it
destruyeth temptacions, it putteth awey
wicked dredes and vices, and clenseth
e thoght. Who so loueth hit verraily,
is ful of goddes grace and vertues, in
gostli comfort in is lif, and when ai



|p71


die, ai are taken vp in to e ordre
of aungels, to se him in endles ioye
at ai haue lufed. Deo gracias.



|p110


|r4.[9.]_[Points_best_pleasing_to_God].
|r{Vernon_and_Harley_MSS_up_to_page_112}
|rpp._110-112.
|r[Ms._Vernon.]

   <b>Hit was an holi mon and bi-soute
god sende him grace such vertues for
to vse at weore best to lyf and to
soule. enne apeered vr lord Ihesus
godes sone to him and seide: // "if in
herte to me and in almus to e pore
mon for e loue of me: and hit schal
lyke me betere en auh ou iue al
e gold of is world aftur i day. //
Weop a ter wi in eie, enk on my
passion: and hit schal lyke me bettere
en ow weope as muche watur as is
in e s for anger and for teone of
los of worldes catel. // Forbere a wikked
word of in euen-cristen: and hit schal
lyke me bettere en ou beote i-self
wi as mony roddes as grouwe on an
acre of londe. //Keep e out of dedly
synne wi al i mit: and hit schal
lyke me bettre en ou founde Niene
knihtes werryng vppon Saraynes, euer_more
liggyng aboute my sepulcre. //
Haue reue and pite of in euencristne:
and hit schal lyke me bettre en ou
faste fourti wynter reo dayes in e
wike to bred and to watur. // Visyte
e pore and e seke, spekyng alle
goodnes: and hit schal lyke me bettre
en ou go bare-foot to e wei rennyng
blod on i feete. //Do no wrong to
no mon, nouur harm ne schome: and
hit schal lyke me bettre en ow eueri
day maade a newe churche. // Tel to
me al i wille, and leeue at I am al_mihti
al goodnesse to fulfille: and hit
schal lyke me bettere en ou preyed
my moder and al e halewes of heuene



|p111


to preye for e. // Loue me wi al
in herte, to haue my blisse: and hit
schal lyke me bettere en ou made a
piler rechyng vp to heuene, stikyng ful
of rasours al i bodi to renden on."

|r(Follows:_Vnkuinde_mon_if_kep_to_me_&c.,
|rsee_p._71).



|p{110-111}

|r[Harl._1704]
   <b>It was an holy man besought god
to send hym grace to teche soch vertues
for to vse that were best to lyf and to
soule. /"Yef thyn hert to me and a
peny to the pore for the loue of me:
and it shall like me better an ou
yeue all the good of is world after
thy day. / Veppe a tere with thyn eye
enkyng on my passione: & it shall like
me better an ou wepte also moch
water as is in the see for anger or for
tene of los of worldis Catell. / For-bere
a wicked word fro thyn euen-Cristen:
& it shall like me better an ou bete
thy-self with all-so monye Roddis as
growen in an acre londe. Kepe the
oute of synne with all thi myght: and
it shall like me better an ou fynd IX
knyghtes werryng vppon the Sareens,
euer-more lying aboute my sepulcre:
an ou for to lie in synne. / Haue
rewth and pite on thy euen-Cristene: &
it shal like me better an ou fastid
XIti wynter III dayes in the woke bred
and water. / Visite the pore and the
sike, spekyng all goodnesse: and it shall
like me better an ou goo barefote
that e waye renne blod after thy feet. /
Do no wrong to no mane, nether harme
ne shame: and it shal like me better
en ou eueryday make a newe Chyrch.
Tell to me all thy will, and beleue wele
that I am al-myghti god and all good_nesse
to fulfill: and it shal like me
better en my moder & all alowene



|p111


praydene for the. / Loue me for me: and
it shall like me better an ou make a
piler Rechyng vp to heven, stiking full
of Rasoures all i body to Rendyn
vppone."

|r[Ms._Harl._continues_in_the_same_strain:]

   Flee perile and doute of deth, take
e better for hope of mede: the blisse
of heven shalt ou not misse, so ou
wilt kepe the commaundementis of Crist. /
Thou most forsake pride and all wickid
willis, yef ou wilt kepe e commaunde_mentis
of Crist. // I besech the, leue
brother, take to e loue & Charite, yef
thou wilt to heven flee. // Here ou
might lere the commaundementis X; ne
be ou neuer so gret Clerke, ou hast
gret nede for to lerne hem. // Haue god
in worship. Take not his name in Idel_ship.
/ Hold wele i Holidaye. Fader
and moder worship aye. / Loke that ou
nought stele, Ne no fals wetenesse thou
ne bere. / Loke ou ne sle non mane.
Do no foli by no womane. / Desire not
thy neygbours wyff, Ne nothing that
erto light. / He that will kepe these
commaundementis he shal neuer die. //
Leue frende, I beseche the, the VII.
dedely synnes that ou flee, / yf ou wilt
in heven be. / Who so is taken erin /
in hell shalbe his wonnyng. // Pride /
Wrath / Envye, / Slouth / Glotenye, /
Lecherie / Couetise. / He that is taken
erin, sore may hym agrise. // Man, take
Comfort to the, beholde and se the
vertues seuyne, that will bring the to
heuyne: // Mekenesse, Pacience, Charite /
Besinesse, Mesure, Chastite / Largesse
to hem that haue nede to the. / He that
will kepe these vertuesse seuen: in heven
shal be his dwellyng, with oure lord
heven kyng. AmeN.



|p112


|r5[10]._[Meditation_on_the_Passion;_and_of_three_arrows
       |ron_doomsday.]
|r[Ms._Arundel_507,_f._48]
|rpp._112-121.


   <b>Oppyn i hert with sighings sare til
ink on e pynes at Ihesus Crist suffred,
& sette aim in i saule: bi ordere /
as he aim tholid: How ai his hali
face with spittynge filid, How ai buffet_tid
e fairest face of al mankynde; How
ai with cordis bande his faire handes,
so at oute of alle his fyngres e blode
oute brast; How ai betid him with
knottid scourgis; How alle with a voice
cried "do him on croice, / at he die
als schameful dead: as eauer any deied",
How he was strekid on e croice at



|p113


was laid on e erth, / & drawyn oute
with rapis: til make handes & fete
acorde til e holes / at ware made
in e tree. So straite he was dra(w)en
oute on e croice: at men might telle
alle his banes; & to at croice was he
festenid with irnen nailes. Thinke after
how is bodi was liftid vp with e croice /
& smyten oft in e erth: als men dose
a stake of tree til make it fast til stand:
with at swete bodi lifand at hinged
eron. At is smytynge in e erth:
alle his vaynes brast, at oute of alle
his swete lymes: e blode oute stremid.
is greuid him sarest of alle oer paynes:
oute-take oure vnkyndenesse, at ilk
daie newes his pyne. Thynk after
how knightis to him knelid: & said to
him in scorne: "Haile, kynge of Iues!
ou at mani helpis: ou nedes now
helpe e selfe; come downe fra e
croice / ou art nailid to: & we sal
trow at ou art goddis sone of heuen".
Think on e scharpe corone of thornis,
at made his loueli face: til streme al
on blode; & of e bitter aysill myngid
with galle, ai gafe him to drink / when
he pleynid him of thrist / als he at
mikil had bledde. Bot witte ou wele,
him thristis noght after pyment ne wyne /
ne after oer liquore: bot aneli after
e lufe of man / at he so dere boght.
think en / when ou dose ani thinge
agayn his wille: ou dose as e Iues
did / birles him galle to drinke, as a
vnkinde wreche. Thinke on his careful
moder, & on sayn Iohan his dere cosyn,
at stode bi him & sagh al at he
tholid; na tonge mai telle: how sari
ai ware at tyme. Thinke on e wordes
he spake til his moder hangand on e



|p114


rode: "woman: lo here i sone"; til
sayn Iohan his cosyn: "lo here i moder
dere: ou serue hire with al i might". /
What sighinges come til hire hert / when
sche herd is wordes: when mannes
sone for goddis sone / e disciple for
e maister / e seruant for e lorde:
was gifen hire to eme. Thinke on at
blissid bodi nakid & pale hinged on e
rode / so ryuen with scourges: at
noght left hale. And itte so pouerli
was he stad in at stoure: at he had
noght to rest his heuid on; & als nakid
as he was borne-bot his moder couer_chiefe
was knit aboute his lymes. Thinke
how ful he was of merc(i) it whil he
hinged on rode / at forgafe e theefe
his synnes at hinged biside him: at
missaid him a while bifore; & hight him
he suld at daie be with him in para_dise.
When ou art vmbithought of
alle |r(f.47) (e) pynes at Ihesus suffred
for e: thinke in i saule / at ou
standis bi (him) in at place & sees
what ai him do; speke en to i lorde
e wor(des) of sayn Bernarde: "God mi
lorde, swete Ihesu, / what haues ou
(do)ne: at ou so blodi hinges on rode /
at neauer did iuel: bot eauer did gode? /
Sakles ai do e til deade, wa is me
erfore / for i am gilti of i deade;
& agayn lawe & reson it is: til sla him
at neauer did misse, & lat him passe
free: at did e harme. For-i, e
wreches (!) Iues, (ta)kes me, for i am e
synful at yuel has done & folowid e
fendis rede. I prai ow / latis is
Inocent passe: & dose me til deade,
for i haue trespassid". Tinke alswa
inwardli / how he said on e rode
bifore he elde e gaste-for it mai
stere e til haue sorugh of i synnes
& rue on his deade at was so pynid
for e, & swa wreke his deade on e
selfe; / at us on e rode cried: Con_summatum
est: at is: "al is fulfillid",



|p115


as if he said: "I am fulfillid of sorugh:
bathe in bodi & saule". In bodi: for
al was pynid / fra e croune of e
heuid til e sole of e fote. In saule:
thorugh oure vnkyndnesse, at kithis
him na thanke for his gode dede: bot
dose at in vs is: euer til (n)ew his
payne; & at ouerpassis alle his paynes
at he bifore tholid, for-i he said at
his ende: "I am fulfillid of sorugh". &
at is worde: he loutid downe his heuid
/ & said til his fader: "In til i handes:
mi saule i elde". Think en on e
wondres at en felle: how creatures
at na witte had: rued on his deade.
e sone withdrow his brightnesse &
bicome al mirke, & schewid so: at it
rued Cristes deade; e harde roche rafe;
e erth qwoqe; e grafes openid / &
e deade men at ware in aim / rase
to life, & wittenesid at he was sothe_fast
god: at e Iues did til deade, /
with sighings & teres. Als i rede ou
ink on e stingand sorughs of his
moder, at was with him ai til e
deade / & bihild al at ai did with
hire child. Neauer tholid martir so
mikil as sche tholid! for martirs ware
pynid in bodi, & goddis modir: in saule,
at mai noght deie; for alle e pynes
at hire sonne tholid: thorugh-stikid
hire saule, & sche ernid for sorugh til
deie: & na sorugh might hire sla. en
was fyfillid e worde of Simeon: Tuam
ipsius animam pertransibit gladius, at
is: "e swerd of sorugh sal thorugh_stike
i saule". Think als inwardli
what he is at us tholid, & how vn_worthi
ai ware to lufe / for whaim he



|p116


deied; ffor if ou haue oft in mynde
is steryngs: ai hald i hert in lufe &
makis e to flee synne. Thinke after
with what deuocion he was taken downe
of e rode; how e .III. Maries dight
him with oignementis & faldid his bodi
in white clathe & laid him in toumbe
of stane. Thinke after of his wendynge
til helle; / what comforte ai had: at
abade so lange his (co)mynge are in
so mirke stede; what sorugh & drede /
sighing & gn(as)tinge e wode fendes of
helle had at tyme; how he bande
Sathan so at he might neauer harme
ne fande e folke after / as bifore. After
of (his) vprisyng: / how bright / how
faire he rase in bodi: at e Iues so
laitheli di(ght) in at entente / for
til haue fordone e mynde of him for
eauer; & now he lifes al-mighti god
& kyng coronid in heuen, & sal deme
aim at (his) wille. Thinke what ioie
alle his disciples had: when ai saw
him risyn / & haue e maistri of deade;
bifore: ai deniid him & sa(id) ai
knew him noght; bot en aim for_thought
at ai had missaide, & luffied
him as aire lorde; & ware so fyfillid
of his Iufe: at ai ware redi til die for
him / & qwite him deade for deade.
Til telle what ioie his (mo)der had / when
sche sagh him risen til life: na man mai
telle. Thinke af(ter) how he steie til
heuen with oure manhede, & sette it on
e right hand of al-mighti god his
fader; & swa festenid oure kynd in him:
at ai sal neu(er) twyn; & thorugh is
alliaunce / if we kepe vs fra synne / or
forth(inke) & schryue vs of at we haue
misdone / & turne na mare agayn: we
m(ay) chalange as haires / til dwelle in
his blisse. Thinke at he sal come &
deme al mankynde / & gife ilk man
after he has wroght; & als gl(ad)ful as
is come is to e gode: als auful &



|p117


grisly sal it be to e ille. For god thretis
e yuel with .III. arowes / & sais:
Congregabo super eos mala & sag .III. com.
in eis, at is: "I sal hepe on aim al_kyns
yuel & wa, & mi .III. sharpe
arowes sal i in aim feste: at sal
wounde e s(in)ful / at he sal neuer
couer". e first arow is: when he sal
bidde (aim) rise & come til aire
dome / with is wordes: Surgite mortui:
venite ad iudicium, at is: "rise e at
are deade, & comes til oure dome".
Thorugh might of ir wordes: alle at
ware deade sal quikyn. is is (e) arowe
at sayn Ierome said by: Siue comedam
siue bibam, semper vi(detur) michi quod
illa vox terribilis insonet auribus meis
"Surgite mortui, venite ad iudicium",
at is: "Wheer i ete or drynke / or
what ellis i do: euer me thinke is
dredeful wordes rynges in mine eres:
Rise e at are deade, & comes til oure
dome". Sen is hali man dredid is
wordes: nede is a synful man til drede
aim, so at he falle in na synne. For
Salomon sais: Sicut fremitus leonis: ita
ira eius; at is: "e wreke of e domes_man
at his comynge: is as romiinge of
a lion". / e liones kynd is til f(ere)
alle bestes with his romiinge, & itte
dar ai noght flee; & ofe is noice
be dredeful til alle bestes: itte com_fortis
it his awen whelpis & quykins
aim til life. Swa sal Ihesu Crist at e
straite dome do til alle bestli men at
has liuid in synne & wold |r[f.44] make na
endynge of aire ille; at is callinge
ai sal be so f(erid) & so vnmighti,
at on na halfe sal ai flee, bot ai sal
dwelle (&) take as ai haue seruid. & as
he sal be wrathful to e wreches, so
sal he be loueli til his aune childre at
has wroght his wille here: for ai sal



|p118


wakyn with ioie at his callinge / & wend
with him til dwelle in blisse. Bot e
synful wreches sal seke til hide aim
at ai see noght his dredeful face /
at flais aim oute of aire wi(tte); as
Ysaie sais: Introibunt in cauernas petra_rum
& voragines terre / a facie (for)mi_dinis
domini: cum surrexerit percutere
terram, at is: "e weried synful sal
crepe in to e creuys of e stane: &
in holis in e erth, for to hide aim
fra e wrekeful face of god / when he
risis til smyte e erth", at is, when
he sal come to deme erthli men. Of
is comynge spekis sa(yn) Anselme &
sais: "On a halfe sal oure synnes bitterli
bicalle vs of e slaghter of oure saule.
On an oer halfe sal stand rightwisenesse,
at na pitee is with. Abouen vs / e
wrekeful domesman / at als soft as he
is here: als wrathful he is are; mild
here: storne are; & he is bathe domes_man,
& wittenesse, at wate alle oure
giltis". // at oer aro(w) is: when god
sal aim areyn of al at ai haue mis_done,
sethen ai ware borne; & e
domesman sal schew his woundis til alle
men / at ai mai see sotheli at he
vngiltli tholid for aire synnes, & with
is word(es) he sal aim areyne: "Of e
erth i e toke / & with mi handes e
made, In paradise at loueli stede with_oute
kare til haue duellid / if ou had
bien buxom to me & kepid mi comand_mente
; bot sone ou brake it, & left
me: for mine enemy; for-i rightwise_nesse
dampnid e til helle, are to be
n sorugh & waa. When i sagh after
ine iuel fare: i had pite on e / of
ou nane deseruid; I lightid til erth &
toke e kyn of e; whare i was sare



|p119


pinid & despisid, & toke for e mikil
vil(a)nie in dede & worde. And after
Iudas had salde me: e Iues toke me,
& buffet me & spittid in mi face; with
sharpe thornis ai coronid me, with
knottid scourgis ai dang me; so laitheli
ai dight me: at i was like a mesell
til loke on. Al is aght haue gart e
haue pite on me / if ou had bien
kynde. In mi thrist ai gaf me to
drinke aysill myngid with bitter galle;
ai thirlid mi fete & handes: & nailid
me to e rode, & hopenid mi side with
a spere: & made mi hert til blede. I
forgate me selfe: for on e was al mi
thoght; & itte ou as an vnkind: settis
al at noght. Now ou vnkyndman
vnderstand & loke to me, & bihald mi
side / fete & handes / how waful i
am made for e, & to hele i wondes;
& for-i ou suld haue louid me e
mare; (for i) ne wate what i might
haue done for e: mare en i haue
do(ne). For-i nedli bihoues e til
schew: what ou haues done or tho(li)d
for me; ffor now mi rightwisnes wil:
at i schape til ilk man his mede /
to dwelle in pyne or in ioie for eauer /
after he has seruid". How sal en e
waried synful fare / when he is us
reyned of e wrathful domesman / &
alle his synnes schewid til alle men?
for noght mai are be hid: bot at was
fordone here with schrifte; for hali Iob
sais: Reuelabunt celi iniquitatem eius, &
terra consurget aduersus eum, at is:
"heuen sal schew e wikednesse of e
synful, & erth sal rise & stand agayn
him & bere witnes of his werkis". And
itte e apostle sais: Testimonium
reddet illis: consciencia eorum, at is:
"aire inwitte sal bere witnes agayn
e synful", fra e whilke man mai noght



|p120


hide. And itte his iuel werkes sal
stand bi him at e dredful dome, &
bitterli flite with him & sai: "We are
e werkis at ou wreche has wroght
in despite of i gode lorde; for ou
wroght vs agayn his wille: at schad
his hert-blode for e. Now forthinkis
e at eauer ou synnid: bot, sari
wreche, / al to late; & erfore sal we
dwel with e with-outen ende: for til
eke i pyne". / e .III. arow sal he
schote: when he sais is wordes: Ite
maledicti in ignem eternum, at is: "ga
e waried, in til endeles fire". e hali
man sais: "e inee of a at are in
at fire & smoke: sal grete ma teres /
en water is in e brade see". is fire,
as saynt Austin sais, brennis so wodeli
& eauer ilike / & so stalword is in his
kynd: at of alle is werldis waters it
al ouerflowid: it might noght is fire
slokyn nor kele it a litil. is fire makis
ai smoke, at makis e wreches til
wepe; & aire teres strynthis e fire
are: as oil wold if it ware castin in
is fire here. e hali man had mynd
of is teres, at said til his disciples /
when ai had lange cried on him til
sai aim some gode worde: "Mi dere
childre, he saide, wepe we here: so at
oure teres seche vs noght in helle".
When e waried heris & wate at ai
are dampnid, & wate er is na gayn_chare
ne merci to fynd: en he sais e
wordes of Iob: "e dai mote peris at
i was borne inne / & e night at i
was conceyuid inne! When had i
bien dead in mi moders wambe? allas
at sari while at eauer i was horne!
Wharto sette mi moder me on hire kne,
& wesch me, & rokkid me, & fed me on
hire breste? allas e while, so mikil
trauail sche lost / at norist me a brande
til smore in helle-fire". When is waful
worde Ite maledicti &c. is said, e



|p121


latheli deuels sal geder e iuel fra e
gode, & as wode lions: draw aim til
helle / eauer are to be in al e pynes
at mai be on thoght. For e fendes
at sal aim pyne: sal neauer be weri,
bot eauer ilik fresche, til wirke aim waa;
& ir sari wreches / na pyne mai sla
aim. Neddres / snakis & tades & oer
venemouse bestes sal life in at hate
fire / as fish in water: til pyne a
wreches; & for |r[f.45] thrist at ai
haue: [ai] sal souke e venym oute of
e neddres heuid(es. are) sal noght be
herd / bot ellinge & gretyng & gnaistinge
of tethe. (Light) is are nane for smoke,
bot so mikel merknesse: at men mai
it g(rape). / Bot goddis awen childre at
haues done here his wille: sal be ledde
w(ith) angels til e blisse of heuen /
are til be in ioie / eauer with-outen
ende- S(o) grete is at ioie, as e
apostle tellis: at na hert mai it thinke /
ne iee it (se). If man might be in at
ioie / halfe an houre & felid at heuenli
likynge / & ware broght agayn til is
middel erth: so strange payne it ware
t(il) him til life hereinne, / at, of al
e welth of is werld ware at his wille,
he wold his bodi ware dalte in a thou_sand
pecis / til wynne at ioie a(gayn)
at he come fra. // Thinke, ou was with
Ihesu Crist in alle his paynes, & at
ou stode so nere him in al his passion_tyme
& al e hardnes at was done til
him: & be awondird at so grete a lord
wold thole swilke hardnesse: & falle
(on) doune to e erth, as gilti of his
deade, & thank him of e woundes at
he for e tholid / & haue him eauer in
mynde. Thinke noght of alle is to_geder
at ane tyme / as ai stand in
ordre, for kolynge of deuocion: bot
n(ow) on ane / now on ane oer / as
ou felis at god e steris / thorugh
his dere g(race). // us mani woundes
suffird god for man kynde: ffyue thou_sa(nd)
& foure hundreth & sexti & fiftene.
And if ou sai ilk dai of e ()ere
fiftene: ou sal sai als many pater nostres
in e hale ere.



|p158


|r[Treatises_of_MS._Harl._1022]

|r6.[2.]_De_Sancta_Maria
|r[Ms._Bodl._938_f.202]
|rpp._158-159.


     Here bigynne e reule of e lijf of oure lady.
   <b>Aboute e glorious maiden of whom oure lord Ihesu Crist toke fleisch and
blood, we may bienke vs of hir lif. / Of whiche ou schalt wite at when sche
was re eer olde, sche was offrid in to e temple of hir fadir & hir modir, /
& ere sche duellid in at degre in to e fourtene eer. / And what sche did
ere we may wite bi reuelacions at sche schewid to a deuoute seruante of hirs,
and men trowi it was seynt Eliabeth, of whom we synge of a solempnely. / In
whiche reuelacions among oere aren contenyd ees at folwen.  Sche seide:
"When my fadir & my modir leften me in e temple, i sette in myne herte to
haue god to my fadir, & ou it deuoutly, and ofte-tyme y out (!) what y myt
do to goddis liking, so at he wolde vouche-saaf to gif me his grace; / and i
made to teche me e lawe of my god. / And of alle e comaundementis of
goddis lawe, re y kepid namely in myne herte / at is: ou schalt loue i lord
god wi al ine herte, & wi al i soule, wi al i ont, & wi alle i
strengis. / And, ou schalt loue i neibore as i-silf. / And, ou schalt hate
in enemy, at is synne. / ees, sche seide, y kepid in my soule, and I sette
me forto gedir alle e vertues at are contenyd in hem; and so I wol teche
ee. / Forsoe at soule ha no parfit vertu: at loui not god wi al his
herte. / And of is loue come al fulnes of grace; / and after at is fulnes is
comen, it duelli not stille in e soule, but flowi as watir, where |r(!) it hati hise
enemys, at are vices & synnes. / erfor he at wol haue grace lastingli in his
possessione, him bihoui to ordeyne his herte to loue, & to haterede. / erfor I
wol at ou do as I did. / I ros alle tymes at mydnyt, and wente bifor e
auter of e temple, / and wi as myche desire, as myche wille & as grete
affeccione as I koue & myt I askid grace of god almity to kepe e re co_maundement,
& alle oere comaundement of e lawe: / & so stonding befor
e auter. I made seuen preieris to oure lord god, whiche are ees:  First I
askid grace at I myt fulfille e comaundement of louynge, at is, to loue him
in al myne herte &c. as it is seid before. /  In e secound preier I askid grace
at I myt loue my neibore after e wille & plesaunce of him, and at he wolde
make me to loue alle inges at he louid.  In e ridde preier I askid at he
wolde make me to hate alle inges at he batid.  In e foure preier I askid
him mekenes, pacience, debonertee, & alle oere vertues bi whiche I schulde be
maad glorious before his sit.  In e fiue preier I askid at he wolde make me
se at tyme in e whiche e holy virgyne schulde be born at schulde bere
goddis sone; / and I askid at he wolde kepe myne ien at I myt se hir, my
tunge at I myt preise hir, my handis at I myt serue hir, my feet at I myt
go to hir seruise, my knees at I myt worschip hir & goddis sone in hir barme.



|p159


In e sixte I askid grace to be obedient to e comaundement  & to e
ordenaunce of e byschope of e temple.  In e seueni preier I askid at he
wolde kepe e temple & al his peple to his seruice". & en seynt Eliabeth, when
sche hade herde ees wordis, seide: / "A, swete lady, ne were [e] not ful of
grace & of vertues?" / en e blessid virgyne answerid: / "Wite ou forsoe at
I helde me gilty & most vile & vnwori, oru e grace of god, as ou doist i_self;
and erfor I askid of him grace & vertues". And ouer at: "ou trowist at
al e grace at I had, at I hade it wi-outen trauel: but it is not so. / For l
sey ee soli at i had no grace ne ifte ne vertu of god: wiouten grete trauel
& contynuel preiyng, brennyng desire, depe deuocione, many colde teeris, mekil
affectione, euermore enkand & seiand & worchand inges at weren plesinge to
him as i koue & myt; outaken e grace of halwing, at I was halwid in my
modirs wombe". / And ouer at sche seide: "Wite ou forsoe at no grace come
in to a soule, but bi grete preiynge & punysching of body; / and after at we
haue iuen to god al at we may ou it be but litel: he wol come in to oure
soulis, bringyng wi him so hee iftis at it seme e soule to faile in him-self
& lese his mynde, and ha foreten what he did or seide any ing before plesing
to god; / and also he semi to his owne sit more vile and more wori dispit,
en euere he was." / Hiderto lasti e reuelacione.
    And seynt Ierom writi of hir lif on is wise & sei; / "at blessid virgyn
ordenyd to hir is reule, at fro e mornyng to vndern sche af hir to preiers, /
and fro vndern to none sche ocupied hir in weving werke, and fro none after_ward
sche went not fro preier to e angel apperid to hir of whos hand sche was
wont to take hir [mete]. / And so sche preued better & better in preiynge &
worchinge & in e loue of god; & in alle vigilies & holy wakingis, sche schulde
be founden e firste, / In e wisdom of e lawe of god best lerid, In mekenes
most meke, In psalmes of Daui moost likande, / In charite moost gracious, In
clennes moost clene, & in alle vertues moost parfit. / Sche was stidfast & vnmou_able,
when sche profitid in to better & better. / Noman herd hir neuere wro. /
Euery word of hir was so ful of oure lord, at god was knowen in hir speche. /
Sche duellid euer in preier and lernyng of e lawe of god. / And sche was besy
aboute hir felawis, at noon schulde be proude ne mysberynge aens oere.
Wiouten ceessing sche blessid god; / and for sche schulde not be taken away
fro e louynge of god in hailsinge of hir: what man at hailsid hir, sche af
anking to god for at hailsing. / And of hir come it first at holy men when
ei ben hailsid: ei iuen louynge to god. / And of e mete at sche toke of
e angels hand sche was fedde; / and euery day an angel was seen speke to hir,
& was buxom to hir as [to] his derlynge." Hiderto Ierom.
    In e fourteni eer at blessid virgyn was weddid to Ioseph by reuelacione
of god, & went aen in to Naareth; / and in what maner it was don, men may
fynde in e legende of hir Natiuitee. Salue regina. Deo gracias.



|p175


|r[Treatises_of_MS._Cambr._Dd._V._55.]

|r7.[2.]_[Of_Angels'_Song.]
|r[Ms._Thornton_fol._219b.]
|rpp._175-182.


   |r<b>Dere ffrende, wit ou wele at e ende and e soueraynte of perfeccione
standes in a verray anehede of godde and of manes saule by perfyte charyte. is
Ende an es verrayly made whene e myghtes of e saule er refourmede by grace
to e dignyte and e state of e firste condicione, at es whene e mynde es stab_lede
sadely with-owttene chaungynge and vagacyone in godde and gastely thynges,
and when the resone es cleryde fra all worldly & fleschely behaldynges and Ima_gy[na]cyones,
fygurs and fantasyes of creatures and es illumenede with grace for to



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be-halde godde and gastely thynges, and whene e will and e affeccyone es pury_fiede
and clensede fra all fleschely lustes, kyndely and werldly lufe and es en_flawmede
with brennande lufe of e haly gaste. Bot is wondirfull anebede may
noghte be fulfillede perfytely, contenually, ne hally in is lyfe for corrupcyone of
e flesche, bot anely in e blysse of heuene. Neuer-e-lattere e nerre at a
saule in is presente lyfe may come to is anehede, e mare perfite it es, ffor
at it es refourmede by grace till e ymage and e lyknes of his creatoure here,
one is manere-wyse e more ioy and blysse sall it hafe in heuene. Oure lorde
godd es ane Endles beynge with-owttene chaungynge, all-myghtty with-owttene fayl_ynge,
souerayne wysdome, lyghte, so[th]fastenes with-owttene errour or myrknes,
souerayne gudnes, lufe, pees and swetnes: an e mare at a saule es anehede,
festened, confourmede & ioynede to oure lorde godd, e mare stabill it es &
myghty, e mare wysse & clere, gude, peyseble, luffande, and mare vertuous, and
so it es mare perfite. For a saule at haues by grace of Ihesu and lange tra_uayle
of bodyly & gastely excercyse ouercommene and dystroyede concupyscens and
passiouns and vnskyllwyse styrrynges with-in it-selfe and with-owttene in e sen_sualite,
and es clede in vertus as in mekenes and myldnes, in pacyence, in
sothefastnes, in gastely strenghe, and ryghtewisenes, in contynence, in wysdome,
in trouthe, hope, and charyte, an es it made perfite als it may be in is lyfe.
Mekill comforthe it reschayues of oure lorde, note anely inwardly in his preue
substance, be e vertu of e anehede to oure lorde at lyes in knaweynge and
and lufynge of godde, in lyghte of gastely brynnynge of hyme, in transfourmynge



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of e saule in e godhede, bot also in many oer comforthes, & sauours,
swettnes, and wondirfull felynges one sere maners, aftir oure lorde vouches-safe
to vesete his creatours here in erthe, and eftyre e saule profytes and waxes in
charyte. Some saule by vertue of charyte at godde gyffes it es so clensede, at
all creaturs in all at he heris, or sese, or felis by any of his wittes turnes hyme
till comforthe and gladnes, and e sensualite receyues newe sauour and swetnes
in all creaturs, and righte als before e lykynges in e sensualite ware fleschely,
vayne, and vecyous for e payne of e orygynalle synne, righte so nowe ay ere
made gastely, and clene, with-owttene bitternes and bytynge of concyence. And
is es e gudnes of oure lorde, at sen e saule es puneschede in the sensualite,
and e flesche es pertynere of e payne, that eftirwarde e saule be comforthede
in hir sensualite, and e flesche be felawe of e ioye and comforthe with e
saule, noghte fleschely, bot gastely, als he was felawe in tribulacione and payne.
is es e fredome & e lordchipe, dygnyte and e wyrchipe at a manes saule
hase ouer all creaturs, the whilke dygnyte he may receyue by grace here, at
ilk a creature sauoure to hyme als it es, and at es when by grace he sese, or he
heres, or he felys anely godde in all creaturs. One is maner-wyse [a] saule es
made gastely in e sensualite by abowndance of charite at es in e substance
of the saule. Also oure lorde comforthes a saule by aungells sange. Bot what at
sange es it may noghte [be] dyscryuede be no bodyly lyknes, for it es gastely and
abowne all manere of ymagynacyone and mans resone. It may be perceyuede and
felide in a saule, bot it may noghte be spokene. Neuer-e-lattere I speke are-of



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to e als me thynke. / When a saule es puryfyede by e lufe of godde. Illumynede
by wysedome, stabled by myghte of godde, than es e eghe of e saule opyned
to be-halde gastely thynges, as vertus, aungells and haly saules, and heuenly
thynges. Thane es e saule abill by cause of clennes to fele e toucheynge, e
spekynge of gude aungells. This touchyng and spekynge es gastely, noghte bodyly:
ffor whene e saule es lyftede and raysede owte of the sensualyte, and owte of
mynde of any erthely thynges, thane in gret feruoure of lufe and lyghte of godd,
if oure lorde vouche-safe, e saule may here & fele heuenly sownne, made by
e presence of aungells in louynge of godde. Noghte at is sange of aungells es
souerayne ioy of e saule, bot [for e] defference at es by-twyxe a manes saule
in flesche and ane aungelle be-cause of vnclennes, a saule may noghte here it bot
by rauyschynge in lufe, and nedis for to be puryfiede full clene, and fulfillide
of mekyll charyte, are it ware abyll for to here heuenly sownne. For e souerayne
and e Escencyalle ioy es in e lufe of godde by hyme-selfe and for hyme-selfe,
and e secundarye es in comonynge and byhaldynge of aungells and gastely crea_turs.
For ryghte  as a saule in vndirstandynge of gastely thynges es ofte-sythes
touched and kennede thurghe bodyly ymagynacyone, by wyrkynge of aungells -- as
Eechielle e profete sawe in bodily ymagynacyoune e sothefastnes of goddes
preuates -- righte so, in e lufe of godde, a saule be e presence of aungelles es
raueschede owte of all mynde of erthely and fleschely thynges in to a heuenly
ioye to here aungells sannge and heuenly sownne eftir at e charite es mare or
lesse. Nowe thane, thynke me, at er may no saule fele verreyly aungells sange
ne heuenly sowne bot it be in perfite charite. And noghte for-thi all at are in



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perfite charyte ne hase noghte felyde it, bot anely at saule at es [so] purede in e
fyre of lufe of godde, at all erthely sauoure es brynte owte of it, and all e menes
lettande be-twyx e saule and e clennes of angells es brokene and put awaye
fra it. an sothely may he synge a newe sange and sothely may he here a blysfull
heuenly sowne and aungells sange with-owttene dessayte or feynynge. Oure lorde
wate whare at saule es at for abowndance of brynnande lufe es worthi to here
aungells sange. Wha-so an will here aungells sange, and noghte be dyssayuede
by feynynge ne by ymagynacyone of hym-selfe, ne by illusyone of e Enemy, hym
behoues hafe perfite charite, and at es when all vayne lufe and drede, vayne ioy
and sorowe, es castene owte of e herte, at he lufes na thynge bot godde, ne
dredis na thynge bot godde, ne ioyes ne sorowes na thynge bot in godde, or of
godde. Whoso myghte by e grace of godde go is way, he sulde noghte erre.
Neuer-e lattere some mene ere disceyued by aire awenne ymagynacyone, or by
illucyone of e Enemy in is matere. Some mane whene he hase lange trauelde
bodyly and gastely in dystroynge of synnes and getynge of vertus, and perauenture
hase getyne by grace a somdele ryste and a clerete in concyence, onone he leues
prayers, redyngs of haly writte, and medytacions of e passione of Cryste, and e
mynde of his wrechidnes, and, are he be callede of godde, he gedyrs his wittys
by violence to seke and to be-halde heuenly thynges, are his eghe be made
gastely by grace, and ouertrauells by ymagynaciouns his wittes, and by vndiscrete
trauellynge turnes e braynes in his heuede, and forbrekes e myghtes and e
wittes of e saule and of e body; and ane, for febilnes of e brayne, hym
thynkes at he heres woundirfull sownes and sanges: and at es no thynge ells bot



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a fantasie caused of trubblyng of e brayne, as a mane at es in a frensye hyme
thynkes at he herys or sese at na noer mane duse, and all es bot vanyte and
fantasie of e heued. Or elles by wyrkyng of e enemy at fenys swylke sownne
in h(is her)ynge. For if a mane hase any presumpcione in his fantasies and in his
wirchynge, and are-be falles in to vndiscrete ymagynacyone, as it ware a frensye,
and es noghte kennede ne rewlede of grace ne comforthede by gastely strenghe,
e deuelle entirs an by fals illumynacyons and fals sownnes and swetnes, and
dyssayues a mans saule. And of is false grounde sprynges errours and herysyes,
talse prophesyes, presumpcyons and false rusyngs, blasfemyes and sclandirynges, and
many oer myschefes. And are-fore if ou se any mane gastely ocupiede ffalle
in any of ise synnes and ise dissaytes, or in frensyes, wit ou wele at he herde
neuer ne felide aungells sange ne heuenly sowne. For sothely he at verreyly heres
aungels sange, he es made so wyse at he sall neuer erre by fantasye ne by in_discrecyone,
ne by no sleghte of e deuelle. Also some men felis in theire hertes
as it ware a gastely sowne and swete sanges of dyuerse maners and is es com_monly
gude, and somtyme it may turne tyll dissayte. is sowne es felide one
is wyse. Some mane settis e thoghte of his herte anely in e name of Ihesu
and stedefastly haldis it are-too, and in schorte tyme hym thynkes that at name
turnes hyme till gret comforthe and swetnes, and hyme thynkes at e name sownnes
in his herte delitabely as it were a sannge, and e vertu of is lykynge es so
myghty at it drawes in all e wittes of e saule are-to. Who-so may fele is
sownne and is swetnes verrayly in his herte, wite he wiele at it es of godde, and



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als lange als he es meke he sall noghte be dissayuede. Bot is es noghte aungels
sange, bot it es a sannge of e saule be vertu of e name, and by touchynge of
e gude aungelle. For when a saule offirs it to Ihesu trewly & mekely, puttande all
his traiste and his desyre in hym, and besily kepis [hym] in his mynde, oure lorde
Ihesu, whene he will, puris e affeccioune of e saule, & fillis it & fedis it with
swetnes of hym-selfe, and makes his name in e felynge of e saule as hony,
and as sange, and as any thynge at es delitabill: so at it lykes e saule euer_mare
for to cry Ihesu Ihesu; and noghte anely he hase comforthe in this, bot also
in spalmes and ympnes and antyms of haly kyrke, at e herte synges ame swetely,
deuotly and frely, with-owttene any trauelle of e saule, or bitternes, in e same
tyme and note at haly kyrke vses. This es gude and of e gyfte of godde,
ffor e substance of is felynge lyes in e lufe of Ihesu whilke es fedde and
lyghtenede by swilke maner of sanges. Neuer-e-lattere in is-maner felynge a
saule may be disceyuede by vayne glorye, noghte in at tyme at e affeccione
synges to Ihesu and loues Ihesu in swetnes of hym, bot eftyrwarde, whan it cesses,
& e herte kelis of loue of Ihesu, thane entyrs in vayne glorie. Also sum mane
es dessayuede on is wyese: He heris wele say at it es gude to haue Ihesu in
his mynde, or any oer gude worde of godde, and ane he streynes his herte myghtyly
to at name and by a costome he hase it nerehande alway in his mynde. Noghte
ffor-thi he felis nouer are-by in his affeccyoune swetnes, ne lighte of knawynge
in his resoune, bot anely a nakede mynde of godde, or of Ihesu, or of Mary, or of any
oer gude worde. Here may be disceyte, noghte for it es ill to hafe Ihesu in mynde



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one is wyse, bot if he this [felynge] and this mynde, at es anely his awene wyrkynge
by custome, halde it a specyalle vesytacyone of oure lorde and thynke it mare ane
it es. For wite ou wele at a nakede mynde or a nakede ymagy[na]cione of Ihesu
or of any gastely thynge, with-owttene swetnes of lufe in e affeccione, or with_owttene
lyghte of knawynge in resoune, es bot a blyndnes, and a waye to dessayte,
if a mane halde it in his awene [syght] mare ane it es. Thare-fore I halde it sekyre
at he be meke in his awene felynge, and halde is mynde in regarde noghte till
he mowe be custome and vsynge of is mynde fele e fyre of lufe in his affeccione
and e lyghte of knawynge in his resone. Loo, I haue tolde e in is mater a
lyttill as me thynke; noghte affermande at is suffisches, ne at is es e sothe_fastnes
in is mater. Bot if e thynke it oer-wyse, or elles any oer mane sauour
by grace e contrarye here-to, I leue e saying and gyfe stede to hym. It suf_ficith
to me for to lyffe in trouthe principally and noghte in felynge.


|r{End_of_ICAMET_text;_the_remaining_texts_in_this_edition_are_anonymous.}
