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



|p105


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

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

|r[MS_in_Univ._Coll.,_Oxford.]

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

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

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



|p106


     we not wyrk, bot after owr warkis, Ioy or turmentry we sal resayfe.
      In a poynt we lyfe, ¨a les čen a poynt, for [if] all our lyfe to lyfe
     euerlastynge we wald likkyn, no¨t it is.  éerfore oure lyfe how
 |r4 waste we in lufe of vanite not with-oute greuus dampnacyone, & all
     day necligentt, with-out forčinkynge, ydill we stand!.  Lorde,
     čerfore turne vs & we sall be turnyd ; heyl vs & we sall be helyd.
      Many truly ar not helyd, bot rotis & čer wondys festyr, for to_day
 |r8 to god turnyd to-morne fro hym, [čai ar turnand], to-day doand
     penance, to-morne, to čer ill turnand. [Of slike it is seid] : we
     haue curyd babilon & it is not helyd, for to criste it is not truly
     turnyd.  Qwhat is turnyng to god bot fro če warld turnyng, &
|r12 fro synne, fro če feynde & fro če flesch?  Qwhat is turnyng fro
     god bot turnynge fro guyde vnchawngabyll to guyde chawngabyll,
     to likynge bewte of creature, to če feyndis warkis, to lust of
     flesche & če warld? not with goynge of feytt to goyd we ar
|r16 turnyd, bot with chawngis of our desyrs & maners.  Turnynge
     also to goyd is doyne, če scharpnes of owr myndys qwhils we in-to
     hym drees, his counseyll & his commamendys euermore we činkis
     |r[f.XLVb] čat of vs ča be fulfillyd, & qwher-euer we be, sytt we stand we,
|r20 dreyd of god fro our hartis passis nott.  Of dreyd I speyk nott
     čat has payn, bot of čat čat is in charite, with qwhilk we gif
     reuerence to če presence of so grete a maieste, & all-way we dreyd in
     any lityll činge čat we offend not. éus sothely disposyd, fro če
|r24 warld to god truly [we] ar turnyd [& fro če warld turned].  ffro
     če warld to be turned is not ellis bot all lustis to put bak, &
     bitternes of čis warld, for god gladly suffyr, all idyll occupacions to
     forgett & wardly erandis, in so mikyll čat owr saule holy to god
|r28 turnyd, to all čingis in če warld to be lofyd or soyght pithily it
     dyis.  To heuynly desyres čerfore gyvyn ha gode euermore before
     čer eyne as hym vnwerily euer čai suld behalde, als beris witnes če
     holy prophett wher he sayd : Prouidebam dominum in conspectu
|r32 meo semper, čat is to say : `In my syght euermore owr lorde I before
     sawe,' not onely če space of a nowre, as do čai čat all erthely
     fayre or lufly be-fore če eyne of čer harttis settis, če qwhilk ča
     behald, I whilk čame likis & to rest be lufe desyris. And eft če
|r36 prophet says : Oculi mei semper ad dominum, quoniam ipse euell_et
     de laqueo pedes meos, / čat is : `Myn eyn euermore ar to owr
     lorde, for he fro če snare my feyt sall delyuer' // Be čis is schewyd
     čat bot in owr inward eyn to crist vnwerily be raisyd, če snaris of
|r40 temptacione we may not scape. And čat owre eyn of hart be not



|p107


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



|p108


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

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



|p109


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


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

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



|p110


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



|p111


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

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

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



|p112


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



|p113


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



|p114



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



|p115


     way, to god hafe euer a nee ; lat not či čoght go fro hym, čink čat
     tyme lost in qwhilk of god čou činkis not./ In če nyght lufe hyme
     & his lufe desyre, čat on no očer wyse occupyde čen prayand or of
 |r4 god činkand sleep fynd če noght.  Se čat čou flow nott with
     vayn čoghtis, ne gyf če not to many chargis, bot study čis, sted_fastnes
     of mynde to geet & hald, čat če wrechidnes čerof čou drede
     not nor če gudys čerof vnmanerly desire not. He čat dredis aduersite
 |r8 to sofyr he knawes not ¨it how it behoves čis warld to despise, And
     he čat ioyes in erthly čingis is far fro euerlastynge činges.  To |r[f.XLIXb]
     če vertu of strenght truly longis all aduersites & prosperites & also
     deed for endles lyfe to despise ; and charite is onely heuynly to
|r12 desire. fforsoth a parfite lufar Ioyes to dy & mekely he suffyrs
     lyfe.  To qwhilk parfeccion if čou ascende he cristis gift, ¨it sall
     čou not be with-out tribulacion and temptacion, če qwhilk to schew
     our wordis sall turne.


|r16                Of tribulacion. [Cap V.]

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



|p116


     swynely filth, And ča čat dose čame fedis feyndis? éerfor, how it
     is to do agayns če tribulacion & temptacion of owr enmys & to
     gaynstand, paciens sal tech vs, of whilk now we wyll speeke.


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



|p117


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



|p118


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


                Of prayar. [Cap VII.]

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



|p119


     činke and so stabyll čer hartis ; bot če latter ar ča stabyll čat ča to
     prayer ar not cowmforthid. éo all we may not gedir our hartis
     to-gidyr as we wold, ¨it may we not leef, bot sokandly stody we to
 |r4 grawe, čat at če last Ihesu criste may stabil vs. To če qwhilk
     meditacion helpis, if it pas not mesure and maner.


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

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



|p120


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



|p121


     louynge, as me semis čou art wele disposyd./ Bot če čoghtis in
     qwhilk more swetnes čou felis in god, profetis če more./ To čink
     wel with-oute swetnes profetis če lityll, bot in čat case in qwhilk
 |r4 for need swetnes is not felt.


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

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


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

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



|p122


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


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

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



|p123


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



|p124


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



|p125


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



|p126


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




|p127


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

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



|p128


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



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



|p130


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



|p131


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

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

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