|b_Eight_Chapters_on_Perfection |b_ed._Fumio_Kuriyagawa |b_(Tokyo:_Privately_Printed_by_F._Kuriyagawa_and_Toshiyuki_Takamiya, |b_Dept._of_English,_Keio_University,_Mita,_Minatoku,_Tokyo_108_Japan, |b_1980),_pp._14-32). |p14 |r(Petyt_Ms._524,_Inner_Temple,_London) |r[f.4r] Here bigynnen .viii. chapitres necessarie for men that yeven hem to perfeccion, whiche weren founden in Maister Lowis de Fontibus booke at Cantebrigge and turned into Englissh bi Maister Waultier Hiltoun de 5 Turbaton. Of tokenes and wirkynges of love. .1. Of withdrawynge of deuocion hou a man shall doon. .2. Of periles that aren to eschewe to a goostli man. .3. 10 Of degrees bi whiche a man passeth forth to contem_placion . .4. Of periles of goostli love. .5. Of parfit love of Crist withouten which al očer love is suspect. .6. 15 Of transfourmynge of the soule into love of Jesu Crist. .7. How goostli love is ofte turned into flessheli love. .8. Capitulum primum. Of tokenes and wirkynges of love. The first tokene of loue is, that the lover submitte fulli 20 his wille to the wille of hym that he loveth. And this special loue hath thre wirkynges. The first is, if he that is loued be symple and poore, meke and in dispite, than he that loveth, |r[f.4v] coveiteth to be vile, pore and meke, and to be in reproef, like to hym that 25 he loueth. The seconde, that it maketh a man to leve al maner affeccion or frendship that is contrarie to this love, and so |p15 it maketh hym forsake fader and alle other affeccions, in as moche as thei aren contrarie to the wille of hym that 30 he loveth. The thridde is, that there is no-thynge hid in that toones herte, that he ne woll shewe it to that other; and this is a special tokene of high love bitwix two persoones, and this is the fulfillynge of thise other wirkynges aforeseid. 35 For-whi thorough this shewynge of privitees, her hertes aren opened, so that thei aren togedre moore parfitli bounden. Capitulum secundum. Of withdrawynge of deuocion; how a man shall 40 doo If thou wilt continuelli stien vp to perfeccion and in the way of God which thou art entred, ever profite moore and moore, and encrece from vertu to vertu. Thou shalt neuer preie the lasse, whan grace of deuocion is wič_drawen, 45 and temptacions and tribulacions comen vpon thee, thanne whan thou hast grace of deuocion withoute temptacion. But thanne it is moost acceptable and moost queemfull to God whanne in withdrawynge of deuocion thou art in 50 tribulacion and discomfort, and yet neuerthelees thou preiest and wakest and doost alle other good deedes. |p16 And so, therfore, doo thou thi-self alle good dedes with_outen deucion, the whiche thou didest before with deuocion. Wherfore, if ther come somtyme temptacions 55 and tribulacions the whiche aren ordeyned for to ponys_she and for to clense Goddes children, and deuocion be withdrawe, strengthe če thanne not the lesse to preie, not the lasse to wake ne to faste, and not the lesse in other goode werkes for to stonde. So that thorough con_tinuance 60 in preieres with the teeres of thyn iyen vncesabli excercise thee, that thou myght, as it were, constrayne God to yeve thee ferour and hete of hooli deuocion. Who-so woll |r[f.5r] ben parfite and liven after this chapitre, doo as Caton seith: 'Cum recte viuas, non cures verba 65 malorum'. Doo thou that longeth to thee, and thi loued dere Iesu Criste shal wel doo that perteyneth to hym. Preier that is made with greet enforce, whan the slowe flessh wolde be vnlusti, is to God acceptable. For-whi it 70 driveth the loued Iesu Crist for to yelden and for to eken to thee grace and deuocion, and in temptacion greet profite. Preie thanne continuelli if thou wol purchace thee grace of deuocion, and for to profite in the way of Crist. 75 And for no tribulacion ne for noon temptacion, leve neuer preier, nether in worchynge of worldeli werk, neither in bed ne out of bed, in companye neither solitarie. For if thou be in tribulacion [or in temptacion] and preiest lastyngli, grace and deuocion shal ben eked, and 80 newe comfort shall be yoven to thee of Iesu Crist thi loued. And though the feend putte in thyn herte, that it is not that thou preiest, despise and defie hym with mouth and with herte and ever preie. |p17 And the moore that thi tribulacion and thyn affliccion 85 is, the moore shal be thi comfort whan grace of deuocion is yoven to thee. Preie thanne contynuelli, redynge in the boke of lif, that is in the lif of Iesu Crist, the whiche was pouertee, mekenesse, sorowe, despite, affliccion and sothfast obedience. And whan thou art wel entred in this 90 waie, thanne many temptacions and tribulacions of the feende, of the world and of the flessh, shal in many wise disease the, and hugeli tormente thee and discomforte thee. But if thou wolt ouercome all, stifli preie, and pacientli abide thi loued Iesu Crist, and he shall sende thee 95 helpe and comforte vnspecable, that no tunge may telle hou moche it is. Whan thou art tormentid with tribulacion or with temptacion, vse also often with thi preiere confession, in the whiche thou shalt shewen, with al the contricion of 100 thyn herte, to thi confessour entierli and pleynli, alle the woundes of thyn |r[f.5v] conscience moore and lasse, also ferforth as thou woldest shewe hem to thyn owne aungel, and that is a souereyne medecyne to putte alle temp_tacions and tribulacions away, and for to purchace moche 105 grace of Goddes comfort. For-whi the feende that is full of pride, may not suffre the mekenesse of pure confession, ne the feruour of continuel orison. Thorough whiche werkes specialli, oure swete lord Iesu Crist is, as it were, thorough violence drawen into a lovinge soule, and so 110 constreyned for to comforte it. Sette thanne all thi studie and thi besynesse for to make redi a place and privei chambre to thi lord Iesu Crist thi spouse in thi soule, bi swete meditacion, bi continuell orisons, and bi ofte confessions, made eche dai, or elles eche thridde dai if a |p18 115 man may haue leiser, so that the leest houre of thi tyme be not forgoten in the which thou hast in many thynges offended thi worthi lord and loued Iesu Criste. For thorough thise thre forseid werkes, meditacion, orison and confession, many a man cometh to restful clennesse of 120 conscience. But be-ware that thou thorough recchelesship yeve no place to thyn enemyes, continuelli besegynge thee, and that čou doost, whan for vanyte or for idelnesse thou leuest thi preieres. Therfore the moore thou art tempted and trauailled, the moore stabli dwelle in thi 125 preiere. And leue it not lightli, but if it be for feblenesse of the heed or of thi brayn. For-whi feblenesse of brayn wol somtyme falle, of vnmesurable continuaunce in preier, or in wakynge, or excesse in fastynge. And than is it good to stynte a-while. For-whi Seynt Ierom seith: 130 'He erres not a litil but moche, that preferreth the lasse good to the moore good'; as he doth that setteth moore price bi fastynge than bi deedes of charite; and he that setteth wakynge bifore holinesse of brayn, of wit and of resoun. And he also erres greetli, that bi vnmesurabel 135 and vndiscrete seiynge or syngynge of psalmes or ympnes, falleth into frenesie or into woodnesse, or into bitter hevynesse. Therfore it is good thanne for to stynten from |r[f.6r] multitude of wordes, and thenke oonli in thyn herte as esili as čou maist. And so thorough vertu of continuel |p19 140 preiere vsed, what in mouth, what in herte, shalt thou be deliuered and eased of thi temptacions. Bi continuaunce in preier, is light of grace yeven to a soule, which clereth the conscience, and setteth it groundli in deep sothfastnesse of mekenesse. And thorough 145 contynuel lokyng and redynge in the boke of lif, that is on the blessid persoone Iesu Crist and on his lif, is the soule roted and grounded in pacience and in charite. For-whi in that lokynge may thou be knowe and en_formed of all that the nedeth for to knowe. And 150 thorough čat thou shalt mowe haue suche pacience, that thou shalt wille to resceive gladli all maner of tribulacion and disease as for a greet comfort. For-whi thorough hem thou shalt fele and se thi-self, somwhat like to thi lorde Iesu Criste hym that thou louest. Yee, thou shalt 155 holde thi-self so vnwise and so vunworthi in Goddes sight, that it is no disease to thee what-so-euere thou may suffre. For-whi withouten comparison, he suffred moore for thee. Neuerthelees, yet shalt thou truste and hoope, that as 160 thou art felaw with hym in peyne and disease, litil if it be, so shalt thow be felaw with hym in his ioie and in his blisse. For as the appostele seith: 'If we be felawes of Cristes passions, we shall be felawes of his blissed con_solacions.' Wherfore it semeth that there is no moore 165 dignite ne worthynesse that a man may come to, than for to haue tribulacion for Cristes love. Bi the whiche a man is made Cristes felawe heere in this lif, and in the blisse of heuene withouten ende. Amen. |p20 Capitulum tercium. Of periles that aren to eschewe to a goostli man. 170 Be-ware first that thou yeve not thi-self ne thi ful af_feccion ne thi ful homli frenship to no persoone, but if thou haue first resceived the yefte and the sperite of dis_crecion. Bi the whiche thou mayst knowe from whiche thou shalt flee, and whiche čou shalt drawe to. Vnto the 175 tyme thou come to this, kepe thee ay pleyn |r[f.6v] and comoun, to eche man half straunge, savynge euer the bonde of charite. Also be-war specialli of hem that han swete plesant wordes in her spekynge, and haue noon holynesse in 180 vertu ne swetnesse in herte, but a likenesse of holynesse oonli in the tunge, and in the habite: thise that shewen of hem-self and avaunten hem-self of visions and [of] reuela_cions, or of queynte maner felynges, or of singuler doynges or wittes, or vnderstondynges ouer other men, thorough 185 whiche thei aren wondred and ouer-moche preised and worshipped of hem that čei speken to. For suche maner men aren ofte-sithes snares of disceites to hem that aren not wise. First a-vise thee of hem, and loke hem and brynge hem in thi mynde to the presence of Iesu Crist; 190 as if thou woldest take a thynge out of a myrke place for to knowe what it is; and leie it and loke it in the light. Right so Iesu Criste is light; and there is no light of grace ne of sothfastnesse, but he and in hym. And therfore suche maner of men and alle other, yee, and thi_self |p21 195 with hem, brynge in thi preieres and in thi mynde to Iesu Criste. And there shal thei be seyn what thei aren; there shall thei be tried. There shalt thow thorough bi_holdynge of hym and of his lif, se who is like to hym and who is vnlike to hym. 200 But yet be-ware that thou deme not a man fulli what he is after thi sight, but al cometh as a thynge vncerteyn in the privete of Goddes doom. Neuerthelees thou may bi that sight of Cristes lif, folowe and rule thyn owne conscience in this poynt: whom thou 205 shalt folowe, and whom refuse, and with whom thou mayst be homli, and with whom thou shalt be straunge. And that maner demynge is bi-hoofli for thee. Also be-ware of fervours, as, if thou feele the sperit of feruour gretli fallen vpon thee, thenke first and a-vise 210 thee well, or thanne čou folowe fulli it in wirkynge, what is the begynnynge of it, and wherof is it caused, and thenke vpon the myddes, and also what |r[f.7r] ende wol folowe of it. And than folowe it as moche as thou maist vnderstande bi grace and counseil, and bi Hooli 215 Writte, that is, accordynge to sothfast vertu of discrecion, and to the lif of Crist, [the which lif of Crist] thou shalt make thi mirrour, thi rule and thi sampler, for to doon after it. And, for-thi, this lif of Crist shalt thou moore rewarden after the innere vertu of Crist, than after the 220 vttere tokenes of his lernynge. And yet also be-ware of hem that seyn hem-self han geten the sperit of fredom, and that thei haue so moche grace of loue, that thei may liven as hem list. Thei thenken hem so free and so siker, |p22 that thei shall not synne. Thei maken hem-self abouen 225 the lawe of Hooli Chirche, and they seyn thus as Seynt Poule [seid]: 'Where the spirit of God is, there is fre_dom.' And alle-so thus; 'If ye beladde with the sperite, ye aren not vnder lawe.'But thei menen not as Poule mente; thei vnderstonden not his wordes. Thise men 230 aren expresseli ayenst the lif of Criste. For-whi, Crist that was made free, made hym-self thrall for vs. And whan he was abouen the lawe as maker and yeuer of it, yet he made hym buxom vnder the lawe. Of thise men speketh Seynt Petre thus: 'Thei beheten 235 to other men fredom of sperit, and thei hem-silf aren thralles in synne and seruauntes of flessheli corrupcion.' Capitulum quartum. Of degrees bi the whiche a soule Passeth forth into contemplacion. The first degree is in teeres, and in shighynges and in 240 sorowe for synnes, in compunccion [and compassion] of Cristes passion, and in parti-felynge of disease and of wrecchidnesse of his evene-cristen, and in stronge strivynge ayenst alle maner vices, ayenst alle wikked werkes, wikked wordes and wikked willes and also 245 wickked thoughtes, with moche peyne and soore swynke of bodi and soule for to a enstonden hem. The seconde degree is, greet feruour and brennynge desire, with continuaunce of preiere, for to plese Iesu Crist, for to love |r[f.7v] hym with all thyn herte and alle thi myghtes, 250 and for to feele comfort of his gracious presence. And this brennynge desire wol clense the conscience from all rust of synne, bothe of that [that] is bifore doon, and of that that he eche dai falleth in. And this werke is of greet trauaille and with wondreful besynesse, a litil |p23 255 tempred with reste amonge. The thridde degre is a staat of wondreful swetnesse, of softnesse, and of gladnesse, of reste and of clerenesse. For in that cometh the grace of the Hooli Goost doun into a soule. And thanne it lightneth and purifieth so 260 the soule with oile of goostli gladnesse and turneth it all into charite of Crist; so that it thenketh that alle the lymes of the bodi and all the makynge of the worlde with alle the creatures as a melodie of the harpe. And thanne after this, is the soule somwhat able to goostli halsynges 265 of Iesu Crist, that is her swete spouse. The fourthe degree is in souereyn reste of bodi and soule. And that is whan a man is deed and buried to the worlde and to the flessh, and resteth in pees of conscience, and risith withoute stourbelynge of veyn thoughtes euer 270 contynuelli in oure lord Iesu Criste. The .v.the degree is whan a man begynneth for to take sothfastli the ernest of endelees ioie, and is reisid vp to the beholdynge of heuenli thynges. Than feleth and parceiveth he a glymmerynge of heuenli blisse. And 275 than seeth he somwhat of the staat of aungeles and of blissed soules; and how that alle illuminacions and alle graces of charite and of goodnesse, descenden out of the blissid Trinite vnspecable into Iesu Crist man; and hou of that glorious manhede of Criste, stremen out alle 280 graces of light and of loue into aungeles, and into hooli soules, and from hem comen doun to vs. And than is a man made able to reuelacions and contemplacions of Iesu Crist. |p24 Capitulum quintum. Of Periles of hooli love. 285 A man that was holden an high livere, ofte was asked for |r[f.8r] to speken of goostli love. And thanne he began for to se the falshede, the periles and the disceites, that ofte-sithes fallen in goostli love. And he seide: 'Ther is no thynge in all the worlde, neither man neičer 290 feende, ne noon other thynge, that I haue so moche suspect as I haue the affeccion of love; ne that I am so soore afeerd of, but if it be wel sette. For-whi, love is so passynge a thynge and clevyng, that it sinketh depper in a mannes soule than eny other thynge may doo. And 295 there is no thynge that so fulli occupieth and byndeth and ouer-maistrieth a mannes herte as doth love where it is ful had, whether it be good loue or badde. And therfore, but if a man or womman haue armoure of discrecion, bi whiche he may kepe and gouerne his loue, it wol elles 300 lightli cast down the soule and make it haue a foul falle. I speke not of flesshli loue that is openli yuel, the whiche oweth to be hated of alle Cristes louers as a thynge moost feendli, moost perilous, and moost contrarie to the chastite of Cristes loue; but I speke of good, goostli loue that is 305 and oweth to be bitwix God and man, and man and man, [and man] and womman. 'For-whi, that loue that a soule |p25 hath conceived thorough grace of Iesu Crist, but if it be ordeyned and ruled with greet mekenesse and with greet discrecion, and that the feruour be resonabli ordenyd, 310 sothli, or it lasteth not but soone faileth and vanyssheth away, or elles it maketh a man to begynne som werkes so ouerpassyngli that he may not continue in hem, and so is he fayn to flee čerfro. Also the loue that is bitwix man and man, and man and 315 womman, as atwixe deuoute men and deuoute wymmen, that is in God and sette for God; but if it be right wel loked to and ruled with armoures of discrecion, either it turneth into flesshli loue and into lecherie, or elles it maketh moche of her tyme be lost and wasted thorough 320 veyn speche and in her common conuersacion, by cheson that her hertes aren vndiscreteli festned to-gidre in loue. And ofte-sithes falleth that to persoones, be it men or wymmen, |r[f.8v] that louen togedres. But specialli moost perilous it is whan man and womman louen togedre with 325 also good entent as thei can hem-self devisen. And thei louen hertli togedre in good manere and in honest, that hem thenken that thei wolde neuer departen. And thei haue to-gedres greete affeccions singuler, for the goodnesse that eche of hem seeth in other. And that maketh eche 330 of hem to doo other many seruices and greete esynges. And what eche of hem doth to other, it is al of loue of herte. Ye, ouermoche of herte. For hem thenketh that thei wolden ay be togedre. And what-so oon liketh, the tother liketh; and what-so mysliketh the toon, 335 mysliketh the tother. This loue is ful perilous and ful moche blameworthi, though it seme good. And so moche it is the moore perilous that the peril is not knowe therof. For-whi it wol writhe al to flessh, but if it be ruled and gouerned wič armours of discrecion. |p26 Capitulum sextum 340 Of parfite loue of Crist, withouten whiche al other love is suspecte. The beste loue and truest is whanne a soule is reised and lightned into knowynge of the beynge of God in Crist as whanne the soule seeth hou eche creature hath his be_ynge 345 of hym that is souereyn beynge, that is, God, and it seeth that no-thynge is sothfast beynge but God. Of this knowynge the soule resceiveth a wondrefull sauour and a greet vnderstandynge that what-so is of that souereyn beynge, it is good, and all that he doth is best 350 doon. This knowynge stireth and reiseth vp a ]oue in the soule, answerynge to that goostli beholdynge of the beynge of Crist. And this knowynge maketh a man to loue al that hath beynge of hym, that is alle creatures, resonable and vnresonable, for his loue that yeueth beynge 355 to alle creatures. And specially it stireth |r[f.9r] the soule to loue resonable creatures, and moost hem the which it parceiveth moost loued of Crist. For as the soule seeth Iesu Crist enclyned to the loue of alle creatures, so it is enclyned. And thanne is the soule kenned for to love 360 creatures moore or lasse, after the mesure and the qualite of Cristes loue to hem and of her loue into hym. And the grace of Crist kepeth the soule so in that manere that it shall not passe mesure. And therfore, til thou fele this maner loue sadli groundid in thyn herte če whiche is had 365 of the goostli knowynge of the beynge of Crist, holde all thi loue suspect and be aferd. But whan thou mayst come to that poynt, that thou may holde the sight of thi soule on this blessid persoone Iesu Crist, and on his souereyn beynge stabli, in weele and in 370 woo, in ease and vnease, withouten greet blenkyng* away from hym; thanne that wondrefull loue, that is |p27 caused of this knowynge and of this beholdynge, is suf_ficient for to ageynsto[n]de the venemous dartes of alle flessheli loues, and for to ageynstode the venemous dartes 375 of alle flessheli loues, and for to put out her malice from the mynde of the soule. Capitulum septimum. Of transformynge of the soule into the loue of Iesu Crist. 380 There is thre maner transformynge of the soule. Oon is, whan the soule is made meke and buxom to the wille of God, so that it shapeth hym-self in all that it may for to be like to hym, folwynge his werkes, and for to transfiguren and turnen and haue it in it-self Cristes pas_sion, 385 with suffrynge of alle shames and reproves as Crist suffred, so that it hadde levere be like to Crist thorough sufferaunce of tribulacion, than for to haue all the mirthe of the worlde. Another ther is for to be transformed with God, and 390 that is whan his soule is ooned with Crist and right homli with hym. And the soule hath thanne greet felynge of Cristes loue, and often resceiveth [privei] swetnesse of his inspiracion, and many greete |r[f.9v] comfortes and delec_tacions. But thei aren not so greet but that thei may bi 395 thought and bi wordes ben shewed. The thridde transfourmynge is whan Iesu Crist and a soule aren so parfitli, so vnpartabli, and so acordabli ooned and bounden togedre, that Crist is in the soule and the soule is in Hym so fulli as if thei bothe were but oon 400 sperit, as seith Seynt Poule: 'Who-so cleueth to God, he |p28 is oo sperit with hym.'Thanne feleth the soule high thynges and privei of Iesu Crist, and of his Fader and of the Holi Sperit. And it taketh suche delectacions of Cristes charite that thei may not fulli be conceived with thoughtes 405 of mannys reson, ne declared forth with wordes of mannes tunge. The firste transfourmynge is not sufficient for to rule and gouerne the affeccion of mannys herte, ne the seconde neither. For-whi, the feruour of the affeccion, whether it 410 be sette actuelli in God or in man, is oftesithes myghtier, moore egre and moore maisterfull than is the wisdom of discrecion of the soule. And therfore whiles it is so, the loue may snaper and stomble and erre, either bi ouer_moche or bi ouer-litil. 415 But bi the thridde is helid and yoten into the soule suche a wisdom and suche a deep knowynge, thorough that wondrefull medelynge and oonynge of Cristes light light_enynge and of the soule lightned, that the soule is kenned bi the spirit of discrecion hou it shall be ruled and 420 gouerne the loue that it hath in Crist, and hou it shall resceive goostli felynges and privei swetnesse and de_lectacions in Crist, and hou it shall ordeyne, rule and mesuren the feruours of Cristes loue and the visitacions of his gracious presence so wiseli, and so priveli and so 425 sobirli, that it shall mowe lasten esili and continuelli in the feelynges and in the goostly comfortes of Cristes love, not discouerynge it-self in sight of očer men, neither be laughynge, ne bi sobbynge, ne bi no queynte tokene of berynge of the bodi. 430 Also bi the same sperit of |r[f.10r] discrecion, the soule is knowe hou wiseli, hou sobirli, how chastly, how mekeli and how loueli it shall haue it-self ayenst his even-Cristen |p29 man and womman; and how gladli, benigneli, for to condescende whan it seeth tyme, persoun and cheson whi 435 and whanne it is for to condescende whan it seeth tyme to hem. And whan he seeth that it is not for to condescende to hem, than wol he not in no wise condescende to hem, but it is wonder stif, streite and stronge, as a thynge that myght not be stired ne chaunged, ne bowed on no wise. 440 And the skille is this: God is in hym-self vnchaun_geable, and a soule is chaungeable of it-self. But thanne, wan the soule is ooned to Crist bi loue, the moore that it is ooned to hym, the moore vnchaungeable it is and the lasse it hath of chaungeablete. For-whi, the wisdom 445 and connynge, the sadnesse and the light of discrecion that the soule hath bi the vertu of this oonhede in loue, yeveth the soule loue and myght, that it may with thise armoures rulen the affeccion of love to God and to his even-Cristen withouten errour or falshede. And therfore, 450 he that never felid this yefte of discrecion and of wisdom and of grace in his herte, it is spedeful to hym that he suffre not his affeccion fulli to be bounden to no creature, neither man ne womman, syngulerli ne priveli, ne pas_syngli, for periles that lightli may falle therof; but that he 455 be playn and comon to alle, and not ful homli with noon, til he may thorough this light of discrecion knowe bi ex_perience whos conuersacion and comunynge he shall flee, as noious to hym and vnprofiitable, whos conuersacion and affeccion he shall coveite as to hym eesi and comfortable. Capitulum octavum. 460 How goostli loue is turned into eshli loue. It falleth often-tyme that a deuoute man [loueth |p30 another deuoute man] or a devoute womman in good honest love and for god with good entent. And after this love encreseth so moche bitwix hem that eche of hem 465 desireth če presence of other vnmesurabli, so ferforth, if thei may not haue presence |r[f.10v] at wille, thei wexen hevi and sikeli. And somtyme whan they come togidre, her af_feccion euer wexeth, so that thei are moore sikeli. And that byndeth hem togedre into suche an homly aqueyn_taunce 470 of hertes that what-so that oon wole, that očer woll, and what-so liketh [or mysliketh] that oon, liketh or mysliketh that tother, be it good, be it yuell. And this is ful perilous bitwix man and womman, whan thei aren thus bothe deepli wounded with the affeccion of loue. 475 For-whi, whan her hertes aren thus homely accordynge togidre, nedes hem most shewe outward somtyme bi other tokenes that semeth not moche yvel wat the herte meen_eth. And thus bi wordes and bi tokenes, whan eche of hem sheweth to other hou wele eche of hem loveth 480 other, čus is the loue moore encresid and moore chaunged from goostlynesse into fleshlynesse. But yet thei aren besy for to coloure and hide the flesshli affeccion vnder clennesse of charite, and of goostly profite and of edi_ficacion of soule. For thus thei seyen, eche of hem to 485 other, that thei menen not but good. And so, vnder sikernesse of that menynge and of that fals wenynge, thei coveite eche of hem to handle and fele other, and kisse other, as semeth to hem as it were deuocion and good loue, but in sothfastnesse it is sleynge of deuocion and 490 lecherous love, and greet hynderynge and harmynge to the soule that wolde and sholde feele Cristes loue. Neuerthelees in the begynnynge her reson gruccheth |p31 somwhat ayenst it and the conscience ageyn-seith it ofte. For-whi, the reson is not yet thorough costomable co_monynge 495 slayn ne strangeled all fulli. But whan it is ofte had in custom, suche maner doynge, than is reson blynded and strangeled and the conscience falsli eesed. So that hem thenketh that thei may vsen suche spekynges and suche lokynges, touchynges, handelynges, kissynges, and 500 suche tokenes of fleshli loue withouten peril. And som_tyme thei seien that thei may |r[f.11r] doon thus, and though it be a synne, yet it is no greet synne. And thus, ay bi litil and litil, goostli loue falleth and dieth and flessheli love wexeth and quekeneth. And aftir this, bi processe of 505 tyme, the feruour of loue wexeth so moche, that it benemeth a-way her tunges and alle the myghtes of her soules, so ferforth that neither of hem wole ayenseyn other, for displesynge of either other, in eny thynge that either of hem wil doo though it were deedli synne. And whan 510 it is thus ferforth ybrought, thanne may neither wordes, ne touchynges, ne handelynges, ne kissynges, ne bodili presence maken a ful seeth to her loue. And thanne ben thei stired ful to temptacions of the feende for to consente to the deede of lecherie, and fulli to parfourme it if that 515 thei myght haue leiser. And for as moche as this peril may lightli falle of mysrulynge of loue, therfore it is good to the for to haue suspect and drede in thi-self all maner loue whan it is priveli and singulerli sette into eny oo persoone, man or womman. For though it be 520 first good and goostli, and bigynneth in God and good_nesse, neuerthelees, often it falleth that it is aftirward badde and flessheli and endeth in the werkes of the feende. |p32 From whiche loue and perilis of loue, the armoures of discrecion geten bi the woundes of Crist in the manere 525 bifore-seid, save vs alle Cristen men. Amen.