(I)N ilk a synful man or woman, þat es bunden in dedly syn, er thre wrechednes: þe wylk brynges þam· to þe dede of hell. // Þe first es: defaute of gastly strenght: Þat þai er sa wayke· with-in þair hert, þat þai may nouther stand· agaynes þe fandynges of þe fende, ne þai may lyft þair will· to ȝerne þe lofe of god, and folow þar-till. // Þe secund es: use of fleschly desyres:—for þai haue na will ne myght to stand, þai fall in lustes· & likynges of þis worlde; and for þai thynk þam swete, þai dwell in þam still, many tyll þaire lyues ende: & sa þai com¯ to þe thrid wrechednes. // Þe thred wrechednes es: chaungyng of lastand gode· for a passande delite. Als swa say, þai gif ioy endles· for a litell ioy of þis lyfe. If þai will torn þam, & ryse till penance, god will ordeyne þair wonyng· with awngels· & with haly men. Bot for þai chese þe vile syn of þis world, & hase mare delite· in þe fylth of þaire flesch, þan in þe fairhede of heuen, þai lose bath þe worlde & heuen. For he þat hase noght Ihesu Criste, he tynes all þat he has, & all þat he es, & all þat he myght gete. He ne es worthy þe lyfe, ne to be fedde· with swynes mete. All creaturs sal be styrde in his vengaunce· at þe day of dome. // Þiere wrechednes þat I haue of talde, er noght anely in worldly men or women, þat vses gluttry or litcheri, & oþer apert synnes: bot þai er alswa· in other þat semes in penance· & in gode lyfe. For þe deuyll, þat es enmy till all man kynde, when he sees a man or a woman, ymang a thousand, turne haly to god, and forsake all þe vanytees & ryches þat men þat lufes þis worlde couaytise, & sekes þe Ioy lastand: a thousand wiles he has· on what maner he may desayue þam. And when he may noght bryng þam in till swylk synnes· þe whylk myght gar all men wonder on þam· þat knew þam, he begyles many swa priuely, þat þai kan noght oft-syth fele þe trap þat has taken þaime.

Somme he takes with errour, þat he puttes þam yn. // Som wyth singulere witt: when he gars þaime wene· þat þe thyng þat þai sai or do es best; and for-þi þai wyll na counsell haue· of oþer þat es better & conander þen þai: & þis es a foule stynkand pryde, for he wolde sett his witt· before all oþer. // Some þe deuell deceyues thurgh vayne glory, þat es ydil ioy: When any has pryde· & delyte in þam-self, of þe penance þat þai suffer, of gode dedes þat þai do, of any vertu þat þai haue; es glad when men loues þam, sari when men lackes þam; haues envy to þam þat es spokyn mare gode of· þan of þam. Þai halde þair self so gloriouse, & swa fer passand þe lyf· þat oþer men ledes, þat þai thynk þat nane suld reprehend þam, in any thyng þat þai do or say; an dispises synfull men & oþer þe whilk will not do als þai byd þam. How may þow fynd a synfuller wretche þan swilk ane? And sa mykell es he þe wer, þat he wate noght þat he es yll, & es halden & honord of men als wyse & hali. // Some er deceyued with ouer-mykell lust & likyng in mete & drynk: When þai passe mesure & com in till outrage, & has delyte þarein; and wenes þat þai syn¯ noght, and forþi þai amend þam noght; and swa þai destruye vertues of saule. // Some er begylde with oure-mikell abstinens of mete & drynk & slepe. Þat es of þe temptacion of þe deuell, for to gar þam fall in myddes þair werk, swa þat þai bryng it till nane endyng, als þai suld haue done if þai had knawne skyll & halden discrecion: & swa þai tyne þaire merit for þaire frawerdnes. // Þis gylder layes oure enmy to take vs with, when we begyn to hate wyckednes, & turne vs till god. Þen many begynnes þe thyng þat þai may neuer-mare bryng till ende; þen þai wene þat þai may do what so þair hert es sett on. Bot oft þai fall or þai come ymyd gate; and þat thyng þat þai wend war for þam, es lettyng till þam. For we haue a lange way till heuen, and als many gode dedys [als] we do, als many prayers als we make, & als many gode thoghtes als we thynk, in trouth & hope & charite: als many paces ga we till heuen-ward. Þan if we make vs sa wayke & so febyll, þat we may nouther wyrk ne pray als we suld do, ne thynk: Er we noght gretly at blame, þat fayles when we had maste nede to be stal-worth? And wele I wate, it es noght goddys will þat we sa do. For þe prophete says: «Lorde, I sall kepe my strengh to þe»: so þat he myght susten goddys seruys till his dede-day, and noght in a litill & in a schort tyme waste it & þan lygge wanand & granand be þe wall. And it es mykel mare peryll þan men wenes. For saynt Ierome says, þat he makys of rauyn offerand þat outragely tourmentis his body in oure-lytel mete or slepe. And saynt Bernarde sais: «Fastyng & wakyng lettes noght gastly godes, bot helpes, if þai be done with discrecion; with-outen þat, þai er vices». For-þi, it es noght gode to pyne vs so mykell, & sithen haue vnthank for oure dede. // Þare hase bene many, & er, þat wenes þat it es noght all þat þai do, bot if þai be in sa mikell abstinence & fastyng þat all men speke of þam þat knawes þam. Bot oft-sythes it befalles þat ay þe mare ioy & wonduryng þai haue with-outen of þe louyng of men, ay þe les ioy þai haue with-in, of þe luf of god. At my dome, þai sulde pay Ihesu Criste mikell mare if þai toke for his loue, in thankyng & louyng of hym, forto sustan þar body in his seruyse, and to halde þam fra mikell speche of men, what so god send for þe tyme and þe stede, & gaf þam sithen enterely & perfitely to þe luf & þe louyng of þat lorde Ihesu Criste, þat will stalworthly be lufed, & lastandly be serued; so þat þaire halynes war mare sene in goddes egh, þen in mans. For ay þe better þou ert & þe les speche þou has of men, þe mare es þi ioy before god. // Ha, what it es mykell, to be worthi louyng, and be noght loued! And what wrechednes it es, to haue þe name & þe habet of halynes, & be noght so, bot couer pride, Ire, or enuy, vnder þe clathes of Criste barnhede! A foule thyng it es to hafe lykyng & delite in mens wordes, þat can na mare deme what we er in oure saule, þen þai wate what we thynk. For oft-sithe þai say þat he or scho es in þe hegher degre, þat es in þe lawer; and þat þai say es in þe lawer, es in þe hegher. For-þi, I halde it bot wodnes to be gladder or sarier, wheþir þai say gude or ill. If we be aboutewarde to hyde vs fra speche and louyng of þis worlde, god wyll schew vs till hys louyng, & oure Ioy. For þat es his ioy when we er strenghfull to stande agaynes þe pryue & þe aperte fandyng of þe deuell, & sekes na thyng bot þe honoure & þe louyng of hym, and þat we myght enterely loue hym. And þat aght to be oure desyre, oure prayer & oure entent, nyght & day, þat þe fyre of hys lufe kyndell oure hert, & þe swetnes of hys grace be oure comforth & oure solace, in wele and wo. // Þow hase now herd a party, how þe fende deceyues, wyth hys sotell craftes & whaynt, men & women. And if þou will do be gode cownsel, & folow haly lare, als I hope þat þou will: þou sall destroy his trappes, & bryn in þe fyre of luf all þe bandes þat he walde bynd þe with, & all his malys sall turne þe til ioy, & hym till mare sorow. / God suffers hym to tempe gode men for þaire profete, þat þai may be þe hegher crownde, when þai thurgh his helpe hase ouercomne sa cruell an enmy, þat oft-sythes both in body & in saule confowndes many men. // In thre maners þe deuell has power to be in a man. On a maner: hurtande þe godes þat þai haue of kynde, als in dom¯ men, & in other, blemysand þair thoght. On a nother maner: revande þe godes whilk þai haue of grace; and so he es in synfull men þe whilk he hase deceyued thurgh delyte of þe worlde & of þair flesche, and ledes þam with hym till hell. On þe third maner, he tourmentes a mans body, als we rede þat he has done Iob. Bot wytt þou wele: if he begyle þe noght with-in, þe thar noght drede what he may do þe with-outen; for he may do na mare, þan god gyfs hym leue for to do.

(F)Or þat þou has forsakyn þe solace & þe ioy of þis world, & taken þe to solitary lyf, for gods luf to suffer tribulacion & anguys here, & sithen com to þat blys þat neuer-mare blynnes: I trowe treuly þat þe comforth of Ihesu Criste, & þe swetnes of his loue, with þe fire of þe haly gast, þat purges all syn, sall be in þe, & with þe, ledand þe, & lerand þe / how þou sall thynk, how þou sall pray, what þou sall wyrk; so þat in a few ȝers þou sall haue mare delyte, to be by þi nane, & speke till þi luf & to þi spows Ihesu Crist, þat hegh es in heuen, þan if þou war lady here of a thowsand worldes. Men wenes þat we er in pyne, & in penance grete: bot we haue mare ioy & mare verray delyte in a day,| þan þai haue in þe worlde all þar lyue. / Þai se oure body, bot þai se noght oure hert, whare oure solace es. If þai saw þat, many of þam wold forsake all þat þai haue, forto folow vs. For-þi be comford, & stalworth, and drede na noye ne angwysch: bot fest all thyne entent in Ihesu, þat þi lyf be gode & wheme; and loke þat þere be na thyng in þe þat suld be mys-payand till hym, þat þou ne sone amend itt. / Þe state þat þou ert in, þat es solitude, es maste abyll of all othyr til reuelacion of þe haly gaste. For when saynt Ione was in þe yle of Pathmos, þan god schewed hym his pryuytees. / Þe godenes of god it es, þat he comfortes þam wondyrfully þat has na comforth of þe worlde, if þai gyf þair hert enterly till hym, and couayts noght ne sekes bot hym: þen he gyues hym-self till þaime, in swetnes & delyte, in byrnyng of luf, & in ioy & melody, & dwelles ay with þam, in thaire saule, sa þat þe comforth of hym departes neuer fra þam. / And if þai any tym begyn till erre, thurgh ignorance or freelte: sone he wysses þam þe right way; & all þat þai haue nede of, he leres þam. // Naman till swylk reuelacion & grace on þe first day may kom: bot thurgh lang trauell & bysines to loue Ihesu Criste, als þou sall here afterward. / Noght-for-þi, þan he suffers þam to be temped on sere maners, both wakand & slepand. For ay þe ma temptacions, & þe greuoser, þai stande agayne, & ouer-comes: þe mare sall þai ioy in his luf, when þai er passed. // Wakand þai er vmwhile tempyd wyth foule thoghtys, vile lustes, wicked delites; with pryde, Ire, enuy, despaire, presumpcion, & oþer many. Bot þaire remedy sall be: Prayer, Gretyng, Fastyng, Wakyng. // Þire thynges, if þai be done with discrecion, þai put a-way syn & filth fra þe saule, & makes it clene, to receyue þe luf of Ihesu Criste, þat may noght be loued, bot in clennes. // Also, vmwhile þe fende tempes men & women, þat er solitary by þam ane, on a qwaynt maner & a sotell: He transfigurs hym in þe lyknes of an awngel of lyght, & apers till þam, and sayes þat he es ane of goddes awngels, comen to comforth þam; & swa he deceyues foles. Bot þai þat er wys, & wil not tyte trow till all spirites, bot askes cownsel of conand men: he may not begyle þam. Als I fynd writen of a reclues, þat was a gude woman; til þe whilk þe ill awngell oft-sythes aperde in þe forme of a gode awngel, and sayd þat he was comen to bryng hir to heuen. Wharfore scho was right glad & ioyful. Bot neuer-þe-latter, scho talde it til hir schryft-fader; and he, als wyse man and war, gaf hir þis counsell: / «When he comes, he sayde, byd hym þat he schew þe oure lady saynt Mary. When he has done swa: say Aue maria». Scho dyd sa. Þe fende sayde: / «Þou has na nede to se hyr; my presence suffyse to þe». And scho sayde, on all maner scho suld se hyr. He saw þat hym behoued outher do hir wyll, or scho walde despyse hym: Als tyte he broght forth þe fayrest woman þat myght be, als to hyr syght, & schewed til hyr. And scho sett hir on hir knees & sayde: Aue maria. And als tyte all vanyst away; & for scham neuer sithen come he at hir. / Þis I say not, for I hope þat he sal haue leue to tempe þe on þis maner; bot for I will þat þou be war, if any wyk temptacions befall þe, slepand or wakand, þat þou trow not oure-tyte, til þou knaw þe soth. // Mare priuilyer he transfigurs hym in þe forme of an awngel of lyght—þat comonli al men ar temped with: when he hydes ill vnder þe liknes of gode. And þat es in twa maneres: / Ane es, when he egges vs til oure-mykel ees & rest of body, and softnes til oure flesche, vndir ne[d]e to susteyne oure kynde. For swilk thoghtes he puttes in vs: bot if we ete wele, & drynk wele, & slepe wele, & lygge soft & sytt warme: we may not serue god, ne last in þe trauell þat we haue begonn. Bot he thynkes to bryng vs till ouer-mykel lust. // Another es, when vnder þe lyknes of gastly gode he entices vs til scharp & oure-mikel penance, forto destroye oure self; and says þus: «Þou wate wele þat he þat suffers mast penance for goddes lufe, he sall haue maste mede. Forþi ete litell, and febyl mete, & drynk lesse, þe thynnest drynk es gode ynogh till þe. Recke noght of slepe; were þe hayre, & þe habirion. All thyng þat es affliccion for þi flesche, do it: so þat þare be nane, þat may passe þe in penance». / He þat says þe þus, es aboute to sla þe with oure-mykel abstinence, als he þat sayde þe toþer, to sla þe with oure-lytell. Forþi, if we will be right disposed, vs behoues sett vs in a gude mene, & þat we may destroy oure vices, & halde oure flesche vnder, / and neuer-þe-latter þat it be stalworth in þe seruyse of Ihesu Criste. // Als-swa, oure enmy will noght suffer vs to be in rest when we slepe: bot þan he es aboute to begyle vs in many maners. // Vmwhile, with vggly ymages: forto make vs radde, & make vs lathe with oure state; Vmwhile, with faire ymages, fayre syghtes & þat semes confortabell: forto make vs glad in vayne, and gar vs wene þat we er better þan we er. Vmwhile, tels vs þat we er haly & gode: forto bryng vs in till pryde; [Vmwhile, sais þat we er wicked & synful: for to ger vs falle in to dispaire]. Bot he þat es ordiner of all thyng, suffers noght þat oure slepe be with-owten mede til vs, if we dresse oure lyfe till his will. And wyt þow wele, þou syns noght slepand: if þou be euermare wakande with-outen outrage of mete & drynk, & with-outen ill thoghtes. // Bot many ane þe deuel hase deceyued thurgh dremes, when he haues gart þam sett þair hert on þam. / For he hase schewed þam som¯ sothe, & sethyn begylt þam with ane þat was fals. For-þi says þe wyse man þat many besynes folowes dremes; an þai fell þat hoped in þam. // Whar-fore, þat þou be not begylde with þam, I will þat þou witt þat þer er sex maners of dremes. Twa er þat na man, haly ne oþer, may eschape; þai er: // If þair wambe be oure-tome, or oure-full; þan many vanitees in seer maners befalles þam slepande. // Þe thryd es, of illusyons of oure enmy. // Þe ferth es, of thoght before, and illusion folouand. / And þe fyft, thorow þe reuelacion of þe hali gast, þat es done on many a maner. / Þe sext es, of thoghtes before þat falles to Criste or hali kyrk, reuelacion comand after. / In þus many maners touches þe ymage of dremes men when þai slepe. Bot sa mykell we sall latlyer gyf fayth till any dreme, þat we may not sone wyt whilk es soth, whilk es fals; whilk es of oure enmy, whilk es of þe hali gaste. / For whare many dremes er, þare er many vanitees. And many þai may make to erre: for þai hegh vnwhaynt men, & swa deceyues þam.

(I) Knawe þat þi lyfe es gyuen to þe seruyce of god. Þan es it schame til þe, bot if þou be als gode, or better, with-in in þi sawle, als þou ert semand at þe syght of men. Turne for-þi þi thoghtes perfitely till god, als it semes þat þou hase done þi body. For I will not þat þou wene þat all er hali þat hase þe abet of halynes, & er noght ocupyed with þe worlde; / Ne þat all er ill þat melles þam with erthly bysines. // Bot þai er anly hali, what state or degre þai be in, þe whilk despises all erthly thyng, þat es at say, lufs it noght, & byrnes in þe luf of Ihesu Criste, & al þair desires er sett til þe ioy of heuen, & hates al synn, & ceses noght of gode werkys, and feles a swetnes in þaire hert of þe lufe with-outen ende: / and neuer-þe-latter þai thynk þam-self vylest of all, & haldes þam wretchedest, leste, & lawest. / Þis es hali mens lyf: folow it, & be haly. / And if þou will be in mede with apostels, thynk noght what þou for-soke, bot what þou despyses. / For als mykell þai forsake þat foloues Ihesu Criste, in wilfull pouert, & in mekenes, & in charite, & in paciens, als þai may couayte þat folows hym noght. And thynk with how mykel, & how gude will þou presentes þi vowes be-fore hym: for till þat he hase hys egh; / and if þou with gret desyre offer þi praiers, with grete feruoure couayte to se hym, and seke na erthly comforth, bot þe sauoure of heuen, & in contemplacion þerof haue þi delyte. // Wondurfulli Ihesu wirkes in hys louers: þe whilk he reues fra þe lust of flesch & of blode, thorow tender lufe. He makes þam to will na erthly thyng, & dose þam ryse in to þe solace of hym, & to forgete vanytees & fleschely lufe of þe worlde, & to drede na sorow þat may fall; / To lathe with ouer- mykel bodili ees. To suffer for his luf, þam thynk it ioy; and to be solitary þai haue grete comforth: þat þai be noght lettyd of þat deuocyon. // Now may þou se þat many er war þan þai seme, & many er better þan þai seme, & namely amang þase þat hase þe habett of halynes. / For-þi afforce þe, in all þat þow may, þat þou be noght wer þan þou semes. / And if þou will do als I lere þe in þis schort forme of lyuyng, I hope, thorou þe grace of god, þat if men halde þe gude, þou sall be wele better.

(A)T þe begynnyng, turne þe enterely to þi lorde Ihesu Criste. / Þat turnyng till Ihesu es noght els, bot turnyng fra all þe couaytyse & þe likyng & þe occupacions & bisynes of worldly thynges & of fleschly lust and vayne luf: swa þat þi thoght, þat was ay donward, modeland in þe erth, whils þou was in þe worlde, now be ay vpwarde als fire, sekand þe heghest place in heuen, right til þi spows, þare he syttes in hys blys. Til hym þou ert turned, when his grace illumyns þi hert; & forsakes all vices, & conformes il til vertues & gude thewes, & til all maner of debonerte & mekenes. / And þat þou may last & wax in gudenes þat þou hase begon, with-owten slawnes & sarynes & irkyng of þi lyf: / Fowre thyngs sall þou haue in þi thoght, til þou be in perfyte lufe—For when þou ert commen þar-till, þi ioy & desyre will ay be byrnand in Criste. Ane es: þe mesur of þi lyf here, þat sa schort es þat vnnethis es it oght. / For we lyue bot in a poynt—þat es þe leste thyng þat may be. / And, sothely, oure lyfe es les þan a poynt, if we liken it to þe lyfe þat lastes ay. // Another es: vncertente of owre endyng. For we wate neuer when we sal dye, ne whare we sal dye, ne how we sal dye, ne whider we sal ga when we er dede. & þat god wil þat þis be vncertayn til vs: for he will þat we be ay redy to dye. // Þe thyrd es: þat we sall answer before þe ryghtwys Iuge of all þe tyme þat we haue bene here, how we haue lyued, what oure occupacioun hase bene and why, & what gude we myght haue done when we haue bene ydel. For-þi sayde þe prophete: «He hase calde þe tyme agayn me», þat ilk day he hase lent vs here forto despende in gude vse, and in penance, & in gods seruys. / If we waste it in erthly lufe & in vanitees, ful greuosly mon we be demed & punyst—ffor þat es ane of þe maste sorow þat may be: bot we afforce vs manly in þe lufe of god, & do gude til all þat we may, whil oure schort tyme lastes. And ilk tyme þat we thynk not on god, we may cownt it als þe thyng þat we haue tynt. The ferth es: þat we thynk how mykell þe ioy es þat þai haue þe whilk lastes in goddes lufe til þair endyng. For þai sal be brether & felaws with awngels & haly men, lufand & thankand, louand & seand, þe kyng of ioy, in þe fayrhede & in þe schynyng of his maieste. Þe whilk syght sall be mede & mete, & al delytes þat any creature may thynk, & mare þan any may tell, till all hys louers, with-outen ende. / It es mikel lightar to com¯ to þat blys, þan for to tell it. / Als-swa thynk what pyne & what sorow and tormentyng þai sall haue þe whilk lufs noght god ouer all other thynges þat man sees in þis world, bot files þare bodi & þair sawle in lust & letchery of þis lyfe, In pryde & couayties, & oþer synnes: þai sall byrne in þe fyre of hell, with þe deuell wham þai serued, als lang as god es in heuen with his seruandes: þat es euer-mare.

(I) Wyll þat þou be ay clymbande till Ihesu-warde, & ekand þi luf & þi seruys in hym: noght als foles doos: þai begyn in þe heyest degre, & coms downe till þe lawest. I say noght, for I will þat if þou haue begune vnskylfull abstinence, þat þou halde it: bot for many þat was byrnand at þe begynnyng & abyll til þe luf of Ihesu Criste, for owre-mykel penans þai haue lettyd þam-self, & made þam sa febel þat þai may noght lufe god as þai sulde. In þe whilk luf þat þow wax ay mare & mare, es my couaytyng & amonestyng. I halde þe neuer of þe lesse meryt yf þou be noght in swa mykel abstinence; bot if þou sett al þi thoght how þou may luf þi spouse Ihesu Criste, mare þan þou has done, þan dar I say þat þi mede es waxand, & noght wanande.

(W)Harfore, þat þou be ryght disposed, bath for þi saule & þi body, þou sall vnderstande fowre thynges: / Þe fyrst thyng es: what thyng fyles a man. / Þe toþer thyng: what makys hym clene. / Þe thyrd: what haldes hym in clennes. / Þe ferth: what thyng drawes hym for to ordayne his will all at goddes will. // For þe fyrst: wyt þou þat we synne in thre thynges, þat makes vs folowe: þat es wyth hert, and mouth, & dede. // Þe synnes of þe hert, er þir: Ill thoght. ill delyte. assent till synne. desyre of ill. wikked will. Ill suspecion. vndeuocion. If þou lat þi hert any tyme be ydell, with-outen occupacion of þe lufe, of þe louyng of god. Ill drede. ill lufe. errour. fleschely affeccioun till þi frendes or till other þat þou lufes. Ioy in any mens ill-fare, whethir þai be enmy or nane. despyte of pure / or of synfull men. to honor ryche men for þaire rytches. / vnconabyll ioy of any worldes vanite. / sorow of þe worlde. / vntholmodnes. perplexite, / þat es dowt what es to do / & what noght— / for ilk a man aght for to be syker what he sall do & what he sall leue. / obstinacion in ill. / noy to do gude. / anger to serue god. / sorow þat he dyd na mare ill, / or þat he dyd noght þat luste / or þat will of his flesche / þe whilk he myght haue done. / vnstabylnes of thoght. / pyne of penance. / ypocrisy. / lufe to plees to men, / drede to dysplees þam. / schame of gude dede, / ioy of ill dede. / Synguler witt. couaytyse of honoure, or of dignite, or to be halden better þan other, or rycher, or fayrer, or to be mare dred. vayne glory of any godes of kynde, or of happe, or of grace. Schame with pore frendes, pryde of þi riche kynne, or of gentyl—for all we er ilike fre be-for gods face, bot if owre dedes make any better or wers þan other. despyte of gude counsell, & of gude techynge. // Þe synnes of þe mowthe, er thir: To swere oft-syth. / forsweryng. sclaunder of Criste / or of any of his halows. / To neven his name with-outen reuerence. agayn-saiyng, and strife, agayne sothfastnes. / grotchyng agayns god, / for any angwys, or noy, or tribulacioun / þat may befall in erth. / to say goddes seruys vndeuowtly / & with-outen reuerence. / Bakbityng. / flateryng. / lesyng. / missaiyng. / wariyng. / defamyng. / flytyng. / manasyng. / sawyng of discorde. / treson. / fals wytnes. / ill cownsell. / hethyng. / vnboxumnes with worde. / to turne gude dedes to ill, / for to gar þam be halden ill þat dose þam— / We aght to lappe oure neghboure dedes in þe beste, noght in þe warst. / excityng of any man till ire. / to reprehende in a nother / þat he dose hym-self. / vayne speche. / mykel speche. / fowle speche. / to speke ydell wordes / or wordes þat er na nede. / rusyng. / polysyng of wordes. / defendyng of synne. / criyng of laghter. / mowe makyng on any man. / to syng seculere sanges & lufe þam. / to prayse ill dedes. / to syng mare for louyng of men þan of god. // Þe synnes of dede, er þir: Glotony. / letchery. / drunkynhede. / symony. / wytchecraft. / brekyn[g] of þe haly dayes. / sacrileghe. / to receyue goddes body in dedely synn. / brekyng of vowes. / apostasy. / dissolucioun in goddes seruys. / to gyf ensawmpyl of il dede. to hurt any man in his body / or in his godes / or in hys fame. / theft. / rauyn. / vsur. / desayte. / sellyng of ryghtwysnes. / to herken ill. / to gyf to herlotes. / to withhalde necessaries fra þi body, / or to gyf it to owtrage. / to begyn a thyng þat es abowen oure myght. / custom to syn. / fallyng oft to syn. / fenyng of mare gude þan we haue, / for to seme halyer / or conander / or wiser / þan we er. / to halde þe office þat we suffice noght till, or þat þat may noght be halden with-outen syn. / to lede karols. / to bryng vp new gyse. / to be rebell agayne hys souerayns. / to defoule þam þat er lesse. / To syn in syght, / in heryng, / in smellyng, / in towchyng, / in handelyng, / In swellyng; / In gyftes, / In wayes, / sygnes, / bydynges, writynges. / To receyue þe circumstance, þat er: Tyme, / stede, / maner, / nowmber, / person, / dwellyng, / conyng, / elde: / þir makes þe syn mare or lesse. to couayte to syn or he be temped. to constreyne hym till syn. // Other many syns þar er of omission, þat es, of leuyng of gude vndone: when men leues þe gude þat þai suld do: Noght thynkand on god, / ne dredand, / ne louand hym, / ne thankand hym of his benefices. / to do noght all þat he doos for goddes lufe. / to sorow noght for hys syn as he sulde do. / to dispoos hym noght to receyue grace. / And if he haue taken grace, to vse it noght als hym aght, / ne to kepe it noght. / to turne noght at þe inspiracion of god. / to conforme noght his will to gods will. to gyf noght entent till his prayers, / bot rabill on, / & rek neuer bot þai be sayde. / to do necligently þat he es bownden till, thorow a vowe, / or comawnded, / or es enioynde in penance. / to draw on lengh þat es at do sone. / hauand na ioy of his neghbur prophet als of his awne; noght sorowand for his ill fare. / standand noght agayne temptacions. / forgifand noght þam þat hase done hym harme. / kepand noght trouth to his neghbur, als he walde þat he dyd till hym; / and yheldand hym noght a gude dede for a nother, if he may. / Amendand noght þam þat synnes be-fore his ene. / peesand noght stryues. / lerand noght þam þat er noght conand. / comfortand noght þam þat er in sorow / or in sekenes / or in pouert / or in penance / or in pryson. / Þir synnes, & many other, makes men foule.— // Þe thynges þat clenses vs of þat filth, er thre, agaynes þase thre maners of synnes. // Þe fyrst es: sorow of hert: agayne þe syn of thoght. Ant it behoues be perfite: þat þou will neuer syn mare. And þat þou haue sorow of all þi synnes. And þat all ioy & solace, bot of god & in god, be put out of þi hert. / Þe toþer es: schryft of mouth: agayn þe syn of mouth. And þat salle be hasty, with-outen delaying. Naked, with-outen excusyng. Hale, with-owten partyng: Als forto tell a syn till a preste, & a nother till a nother. Say all þat þow wate till ane: or els þi schryft es noght worth. // Þe third es: satisfaccion: Þat has thre partyes: Fastyng, Prayer, & Almos-dede. Noght anly to gif pore men mete & drynk: bot for to forgyf þam þat dose þe wrange, & prai for þam; / and enforme þam how þai sall do þat er in poynt to perisch.— // For þe thyrd thyng, þou sall wyt þat clennes behoues be keped in hert, & in mouth, & in werk. / Clennes of hert, thre thynges kepes: Ane es, waker thoght & stabel of god. A nother es, bisynes to kepe þi fyue wittes; sa þat all þe wyked styryngs of þam be closed out of þe flesche. / Þe third, honest occupacion and prophetabyll. // Alswa, clennes of mouth, kepes thre thynges: Ane es, þat þow vmthynk þe before, or þou speke. A nother es, þat þou be not of mikel speche, but of litel; & namly ay til þi hert be stabeld in þe luf of Ihesu Cryst: swa þat þe thynk þat þou lokes ay on hym, whether þou speke or noght. Bot swilk a grace may þou noght haue in þe fyrst day; bot with lang trauell, & grete bysines to lof hym with custom, so þat þe egh of þi hert be ay vpwarde, sall þou |com þar-till. / Þe thyrd:þat þou for nathyng, ne for na mekenes, lye on any man. For ilk a lee es syn, & il, & noght goddes will. The thar noght tell all þe soth ay, bot if þow will. Bot al lees hate. Yf þou say a thyng of þi self þat semes þi louyng: & þou say it to þe louyng of god and help of other, þou dos noght vnwisely, for þou spekes sothfastnes. Bot if þou will haue oght pryue: tel it til nane bot swylk ane, þat þou be syker þat it sulde noght be schewed bot anly til þe louyng of god, of wham es all gudenes, & þat makes som¯ better þan oþer, and gifes þam special grace, noght anely for þam-self, bot alswa for þam þat wil do wele after þaire ensawmpell. // Clennes of werk, thre thynges keps: Ane es, a bysi thoght of dede—For þe wyse man says: «Vmbethynk þe of þi last endyng: and þou sall noght syn.» Another: fle fra ill felyschypp, þat gyfs mare ensawmpel to luf þe worlde þan god, erth þan heuen, filth of body þan clennes of saule. // Þe third es: temperance & discrecion in mete & drynk: þat it be nowther til owtrage, ne beneth skilwys sustinance for þi body. For both comes til an ende: owtrage, & ouer-mykel fastyng: for nowther es gods will—& þat many wil noght wene, for noght þat man may say. / Yf þou take sustenance of swilk gude als god sendys for þe tyme & þe day, what it be, I owt-take na maner of mete þat cristen men vses, with discrecion & mesur: þou dose wele, for sa dyd Criste hymself, & hys apostels. / Yf þou leue many metes þat men has; noght dispysand þe mete þat god has made til mannes helpe, bot for þe thynk þat þou hase na nede þarof; þou dose wele, If þou se þat þow ert stalworth to serue god, & þat it brekes noght þi stomake. For if þou haue broken it with oure-mikel abstynence, the es reft appetyte of mete; and oft sal þou be in qwathes, als þou war redy to gyf þe gast. And wit þou wele, þou synned in þat dede. // And þou may not witt some whethir þi abstinence be agayne þe, or with þe. For þe tyme þou ert ȝong, I rede þat þou ete & drynk, better & war, als it comes, þat þou be noght be-gylt. And after-warde, when þou has proued many thynges, & ouer-commen many temptacions, & knawes better þi-self & god þan þou dyd: þan, if þou se þat it be at do, þou mai take til mare abstinence. And whils þou may do pryue penance, þat al men thar noght wyt. Ryghtwysnes es noght al in fastyng, ne in etyng: Bot þou ert ryghtwys, if all ilyke be to þe despyte & louyng, pouert & rytches, hunger & nede, als delytes & dayntes. If þou take þir with a lowyng of god: I halde þe blyssed, & hee before Ihesu. Men þat comes til þe, þai luf þe for þai se þi grete abstinens, & for þai se þe enclosed: Bot I may not loue þe so lyghtly, for oght þat I se þe do withowten: bot if þi wil be conformed enterely to goddes will. And sett noght by þar louyng ne þar lackyng, and gyf þou neuer tale if þai speke lesse gode of þe þan þai dyd: bot þat þou be byrnander in goddes luf þan þou was. For a thyng warne I þe: I hope þat god has na perfyte seruand in erth with-outen ennemyes of som men—For anely wretchednes has na enmy. // Forto draw vs þat we conforme oure will till goddes will: er thre thynges. Ane es, ensawmpel of haly men & haly wymen, þe whilk war ententife, nyght & day, to serue god & drede hym, and luf hym. And we folow þam in erth, we mon¯ be with þam in heuen. Another es, þe godenes of oure lorde, þat despises nane, bot gladly receyues all þat comes till hys mercy; & he es hamlyer to þam þan brother or syster, or any frende þat þai maste luf, or maste treystes on. /Þe thyrd es: þe wonderfull ioy of þe kyngdom of heuen, þat es mare þan tong may tell, or hert mai thynk, or egh may se, or ere may here. It es swa mykel, þat, als in hel myght na thyng lyue for mykel pyne, bot at þe myght of god suffers þam noght to dye: swa þe ioy in þe syght of Ihesu in his godhede es swa mykel, þat þai mond dye for ioy, if it ne war his godenes, þat will þat his louers be lyuand ay in blys: als his ryghtwysnes wil þat al þat lufed hym noght, be ay lyuand in fyre, þat es horribel till any man at thynk, loke þen what it es to fele. Bot þai þat will not thynk it & drede it now, þai sal suffer it euermare. Now hase þow herd how þou may dispose þi lyfe, and rewle it to goddes will. Bot I vate wele þat þou desyres to here some special poynt of þe luf of Ihesu Criste, & of contemplatyf lyfe, þe whilk þou hase taken þe till at mens syght. Als I haue grace & konnyng, I will lere þe.

(A)More langueo. / Þir twa wordes er wryten in þe boke of lufe, þat es kalled þe sang of lufe, or þe sang of sanges. / For he þat mykel lufes, hym lyst oft syng of his luf, for Ioy þat he or scho hase when þai thynk on þat þat þai lufe, namely if þair louer be trew & lufand. / And þis es þe Inglisch of thies twa wordes: «I languysch for lufe». // Sere men in erth has sere gyftes & graces of god: bot þe special gift of þas þat ledes solitary lyf, es for to lufe Ihesu Criste. / Þow says me: «all men lufes hym þat haldes his comawndementes.» Soth it es. Bot all men þat kepes hys byddyngs, kepes noght also hys cownsayle. And all þat dos his cownsell, er noght also fulfyld of þe swetnes of his lufe, ne feles noght þe fyre of byrnand luf of hert. / Forþi, þe diuersite of lufe, makes þe diuersite of halynes & of mede. / In heuen, þe awngels þat er byrnandest in lufe, er nerrest god. / Also men & women þat maste has of goddes lufe, whether þai do penance or nane: þai sall be in þe heghest degre in heuen; þai þat lufes hym lesse, in þe lawer order. If þou lufe hym mykel: mykel ioy & swetnes & byrnyng þou feles in his lufe, þat es þi comforth & strengh, nyght & day. / If þi lufe be not byrnand in hym: litel es þi delyte. For hym may naman fele in ioy & swetnes, bot if þai be clene, & fylled with his lufe: and þartill sal þou com with grete trauayle in praier & thynkyng: hauand swilk meditacions þat er al in þe lufe & in þe louyng of god. // And when þou ert at þi mete: loue ay god in þi thoght, at ilk a morsel, & say þus in þi hert: Loued be þou keyng, & thanked be þou keyng, & blyssed be þou keyng, Ihesu all my ioyng, of all þi giftes gude: þat for me spylt þi blude, & died on þe rude; þou gyf me grace to syng, þe sang of þi louyng. / And thynk it noght anely whils þou etes: bot bath before & after, ay bot when þou prayes or spekes. Or if þou haue other thoghtes þat þou has mare swetnes in & deuocion, þan in þase þat I lere þe: þou may thynk [þam]. For I hope þat god will do swilk thoghtes in þi hert, als he es payde of, & als þou ert ordaynde for. / When þou prayes, loke noght how mykel þou says, bot how wele: þat þe lofe of þi hert be ay vpwarde, & thy thoght on þat þou sayes, als mykel als þow may. / If þou be in prayers & meditacions al þe day: I wate wele þat þou mon wax gretely in þe lufe of Ihesu Cryste, & mikel fele of delyte, and within schort tyme.

(T)Hre degrees of lufe I sal tell þe: for I walde þat þou moght wyn to þe heest. The fyrst degre es called insuperabel. / Þe secund, Inseparabel. / Þe thyrd es, syngulere. Þi luf es Insuperabel: when na thyng þat es contrary til gods lufe, ouer-comes it: bot es stalworth, agayns al fandyngs; and stabel, whether þou be in ese or in angwys, or in hele or in sekenes; swa þat þe thynk þat þow walde noght, for all þe worlde to haue it with-owten ende, wreth god any tyme; / and þe war leuer, if outher sulde be, to suffer al þe pyne & waa þat myght com til any creature, or þou wald do þe thyng þat suld mys- pay hym. / On þis maner sal þi lufe be Insuperabel, þat na thyng may downe bryng bot spryngand on heght. / Blyssed es he or scho þat es in þis degre: bot ȝitt er þai blyssedar þat myght halde þis degre, & wyn in til þe toþer, þat es Inseparabel. // Inseparabel es þi lufe: when al þi hert, & þi thoght, & þi myght, es swa haly, swa enterely, and swa perfytely festend, sett, & stabeld in Ihesu Cryste: þat þi thoght comes neuer of hym, neuer departyd fra hym, outaken slepyng; / and als sone als þou wackens, þi hert es on hym, sayand: Aue maria, or Gloria tibi domine, or Pater noster, or Mise- rere mei deus if þou haue bene temped in þi slepe; or thynkand on his lufe, & his louyng, als þou dyd wakand. When þou may na tyme forgete hym, what sa þou dose or says: þan es þi lufe Inseparabel. / Ful mykel grace haue þai þat es in þis degre of lufe. / And me thynk, þou þat hase noght els at do bot forto lufe god, may com þartill if any may gete it.

// Þe thyrd degre es heest, & maste ferly to wyn: Þat es calde Synguler, for it hase na pere. / Singuler lufe es: when all comforth & solace es closed owt of þi hert, bot of Ihesu Cryste al-ane. Other ioy lyst it noght. / For þe swetnes of hym in þis degre es swa comfortand, & lastand in his lufe, sa byrnand & gladand, þat he or scho þat es in þis degre, mai als wele fele þe fyre of lufe byrnand in þaire saule, als þou may fele þi fynger byrn, if þou putt it in þe fyre. Bot þat fire, if it be hate, es swa delitabell & wondyrful, þat I kan noght tell it. Þan þi sawle es Ihesu lufand, / Ihesu thynkand, / Ihesu desirand, anly in þe couayties of hym anedande, / til hym syngand, / of hym byrnand, / in hym restand. Þan þe sange of louyng & of lufe es commen. / Þan þi thoght turnes in til sang & in til melody. // Þan þe behoues syng þe psalmes, þat þou before sayde. Þan þou mon be lang abowte few psalmes. / Þan þe wil thynk þe deed swettar þan hony, for þan þou ert ful syker, to se hym þat þou lufes. [Þan may þou hardyly say: «I languysch for lufe.»] Þan may þou say: «I slepe: & my hert wakes.» // In þe first degre men may say «I languysch for lufe» or «me langes in lufe,» & in þe toþer degre alswa, / ffor languysyng es, when men fayles for sekenes, and þai þat er in þire twa degrees, fayles fra al þe couayties of þis worlde & fra lust & lykyng of synful lyfe, & settes þair entent & þair hert to þe lufe of god — for-þi þai may say: «I languysch for lufe;» and mykel mare þat er in þe secund degre, þan in þe fyrst. Bot þe sawle þat es in þe thyrd degre, es als byrnand fyre, and as þe nyghttyngale, þat lufes sang & melody, & fayles for mykel lufe; swa þat þe saule es [anely] comforted in louyng & lufyng of god, and til þe dede com, es syngand gastly til Ihesu, and in Ihesu, and Ihesu, noght (bodyly) cryand wyth mouth —of þat maner of syn(gyng sp)eke I noght, for þat sang hase bath g(ude &) ill; and þis maner of sang hase nane bot if þai be in þis thyrd degre of lufe: til þe whilk degre is es impossibel to com bot in a grete multitude of lufe. / For-þi, if þou will wytt whatkyn ioy þat sang has, I say þe, þat naman wate bot he or scho þat feles it, þat has it, & þat loues god, syngand þarwyth. A thyng tel I þe: it es of heuen, & god gyfes it til wham he wil: bot noght with-outen grete grace comand be-fore. Wha hase it, hym thynk al þe sang & al þe mynstralcy of erth noght bot sorow & wa, þartil. / In souerayne rest sal þai be þat may gete it. Gangrels, and Iangelers, & Kepers of comers and gangars arely & late, nyght & day, or any þat es takked with any syn wilfully & wittandly, or þat has delyte in any erthly thyng: þai er als far þar-fra als es fra heuen to erth. / In þe fyrst degre er many; in þe toþer degre er ful faa: bot in þe thyrde degre vnnethes er any: for ay þe mare þat þe perfeccion es, þe faer folowers it has. In þe fyrst degre, er men lickend to þe sternes; In þe toþer: till þe mone; In þe thyrd: til þe sonne. For-þi says saynt Paule: «Other of þe sonne, other of þe mone, other of þe sternes;» / swa it es of þe lufers of god. / In þis third degre, if þou may wyn þar-till, þou sall witt of mare ioy þan I haue talde þe (ȝi)tt. // And ymang other affeccions & sanges, þou (may in þi) langyng syng þis in þi hert / til þi lorde Ihesu, (when) þou couaytes hys comyng, & þi gangyng: When will þow com to comforth me, and bryng me owt of care, / & gyf me þe þat I may se, hauand euer-mare? / Þi lufe es ay swettest, of al þat euer war: / My hert when sal it brest? for lufe þan languyst I namare. / For lufe my thoght has fest, & I am fayne to fare. // I stand in still mowrnyng of al lufelyest of lare;.. es lufe langyng, // It drawes me til my day: Þe band of swete byrnyng, for it haldes me ay Fra place & fra plaiyng, til þat I get may Þe syght of my swetyng, þat wendes neuer away, In welth bees oure wakyng, wyth-owten noy or nyght: My lufe es in lastyng, & langes to þat syght.

(B)Ot now may þou ask me & say: «Þou spekes sa mykel of lufe: tel me / What es lufe, An [d] whar es lufe, / And how I sal lufe god verrayly, / And how þat I may knaw þat I lufe hym, / And in what state I may maste lufe hym.» / Þir er hard questyons to lere, til a febyll man & a fleschly als I am. Bot neuer-þe-latter þar-fore I sal noght lette þat I ne sall schew my wytt, & als me thynk þat it may be. For I hope in þe helpe of Ihesu, þat es wel of lufe, & pees, and swetnes. / Þe Fyrst askyng es: What es lufe? And I answer: Luf es a byrnand ȝernyng in god, with a wonderfull delyte & sykernes. God es lyght, & byrnyng. Lyght clarifies oure skyll, byrnyng kyndels oure couayties, þat we desyre noght bot hym. Lufe es a lyf, copuland to-gedyr þe lufand & þe lufed: / For mekenes makes vs swete to god, Purete ioynes vs tyll god, Lufe mase vs ane with god; luf es fayrhede of al vertues. Luf es thyng thurgh þe whilk god lufes vs, & we god, & ilk ane of vs other. Lufe es desyre of þe hert, ay thynkand til þat þat it lufes; and when it hase þat it lufes, þan it ioyes & na thyng may make it sary. [Luf es ȝernyng Imelle twa, with lastandnes of thoghtes]. Lufe es a st[i]ryng of þe saule for to luf god for hym-self, & all other thyng for god; þe whilk lufe, when it es ordaynde in god, it dose away all inordinate lufe in any thyng þat es noght gude. Bot al dedely syn es inordynate lufe in a thyng þat es noght: þan lufe puttes out al dedely syn. Luf es a vertu, þat es rightest affection of man saule. Trowth may be with-outen lufe: bot it may noght helpe with-outen it. Lufe es perfection of letters, vertu of prophecy, frute of trowth, help of sacramentes, stablyng of witt and conyng; Rytches of pure men, lyfe of dyand men. Se how gude lufe es. If we suffer to be slayne; If we gyf al þat we haue, til beggar staf; If we kan als mykel als al men kan in erth: til al þis with-outen lufe es noght bot sorow ordande & torment. / If þou will aske how gode es he or scho: ask how mykel lufes he or scho: & þat kan na man tel — / For I hald it bot foly to deme a mans hert, þat nane knawes bot god. Lufe es a ryghtwis turnyng fra al ert[h]ly thynges, & es ioynd til god, with-outen departyng, and kyndelde with þe fire of þe haly gaste; fer fra fylyng, fer fra corrupcion, oblyst till na vice of þis lyfe. Hegh aboven all fleschely lustes, ay redy & gredy til contemplacion of god. In all thynges noght ouercomen. / Þe sowme of al gude affectyons. Hele of gude maners, ende of comawndementes of god; dede of synnes, lyf of vertues. Vertu, whils feghtyng lastes; crowne of ouercomers. Mirynes til haly thoghtes. With-outen þat, na man may pay god; with þat, na man synnes: For if we luf god in al oure hert, þar es na thyng in vs, thurgh þe whilk we serue to syn. Verray luf clenses þe saule, & delyuers it fra þe pyne of hell, & of þe foule seruys of syn, & of þe vgly felyschip of þe deuels; and of þe fendes son¯ makes god son¯, & parcener of þe heritage of heuen. / We sall afforce [vs] at cleth vs in lufe als þe yren or þe cole dose in þe fyre; als þe ayer dose in þe son¯; als þe woll dose in þe hewe. / Þe cole swa clethes it in þe fyre, þat al es fyre. [Þe ayre swa clethes it in þe son þat al es light]. And þe woll swa substancialy takes þe hewe, þat it es lik it. / In þis maner sall a trewe lufar of Ihesu Criste do: his hert sal swa byrne in lufe, þat it sal be turned in til fyre of lufe, & be als it war al fire; and he sal sa schyne in vertues, þat in na parte of hym he be myrke in vices. // Þe tother askyng es: Whare es lufe? And I answer: lufe es in þe hert, & in þe will of mane; noght in hys hand, ne in his mouth, þat es at say, noght in hys wark: bot in his sawle. / For many spekes gode & dose gode, & lufes noght god: als ypocrites, þe whilk suffers grete penance & semes haly at mens syght: Bot for þai seke louyng & honoure of men, & fauoure, þai haue lost þar mede, & in þe syght of god er þe deuel sons, & rauysand wlues. Bot if a man gyf almose-dede, & take hym til pouert, & do penance, it es a signe þat he lufes god: bot þarfore lufes he hym noght, bot when he forsakes þe worlde anly for goddes lufe, & settes al his thoght on god, & lufes al men als hym-self; and al þe gude dedes þat he may do, he dose þam in entent forto pay Ihesu Criste, & to cum til þe rest of heuen. / Þan he lufes god: & þat luf es in his saule, and sa his dedes schewes with-outen. If þou speke þe gude & do þe gude, men supposes þat þou lufes god: forthi loke wele þat þi thoght be in god, or elles þou dampnes þi-selfe, & deceyues þe men. / Na thyng þat I do with-owten, proues þat I lufe god. / For a wicked man myght do als mykel penance in body, als mykel wake and faste, als I do. How may I þan wene þat I lufe, or halde me better, for þat þat ilk a man may do? Certes, mi hert, whethir it lufe my god or noght, wate na man bot god, for noght þat þai may se me do. Wharfore luf es in will verraily, noght in warke bot in a signe of lufe. For he þat says he lufes god, & wil noght do in dede þat in hym es to schew lufe: say hym þat he lyghes. Lufe wil noght be ydel: it es wirkand som gude euer-mare. If it sesse of wirkyng: wit þou þat it keles & wytes away. // Þe thirde askyng es: «How sal I verrayli lufe god?» I answer: / Verray lufe es: to lufe hym in al þi myght, stalwortly; In al þi hert, wysely; In al þi sawle, deuowtely & swetely. / Stalwortly may na man lufe hym, bot he be stalworth. He es stalworth þat es meke, for al gastly strengh comes of mekenes;—on whame restes þe haly gaste? in a meke sawle. Mekenes gouernes vs & kepes vs in al oure temptacions, swa þat þai ouercom¯ vs noght. Bot þe deuel deceyues many þat er meke thorow tribulacions, & reproues, & bakebitynges. Bot if þou be wrath for any anguys of þis worlde, or for any worde þat men says of þe, or for oght þat men says til þe: þou ert noght meke, ne þou may swa lufe god stalwortly. For luf es stalworth als þe dede, þat slaes al lyuand thyng in erth; and hard als hell, þat spares noght till þam þat er dede. And he þat lufes god perfitely, he greues hym noght, what schame or angwys þat he suffers, bot he hase delyte, & couaytes þat he war worthy forto suffer torment & payne for Crystes lufe; and he hase ioy þat men reproues hym & spekes ill of hym. Als a dede man, what-sa men dos or sayes, he answers noght: Ryght swa, wha sa lufes god perfitely, þai er not stirred for any worde þat man may say. For he or scho kan noght lufe þat may noght suffer payne & anger for þair frendes lufe. For wha sa lufes, þai haue na [pyne]. Prowde men or women lufes noght stalworthly: for þai er swa wayke, þat þai fall at ilk a styryng of þe wynde, þat es temptacion. / Þai seke heghar stede þan Cryste: for þai wil haue þair wil done, whethir it be with right or with wrang: and Cryst will nathyng be done bot wele, & with-outen harme of othir men. / Bot wha sa es verrayly meke, þai wil noght haue þair wil in þis worlde, bot þat þai may haue it in þe toþer plenarly. In na thyng may men sonar ouercom þe deuel, þan in Mekenes, þat he mykel hates. / For he may wake & faste, & suffer pyne, mare þan any other creature may: Bot mekenes & lufe may he noght haue. // Alswa þe behoues luf god wysely: and þat may þou noght do bot if þou be wyse. / Þou ert wyse: when þou ert pore, with-owten couaytyse of þis world, & dispyses þi-selfe, for þe lufe of Ihesu Cryste; / and dispendes al þi witte & al þi myght in hys seruys. // For sum þat semes wysest, er maste foles, for al þar wysdom þai spyll in couayties, & bisynes abowte þe world. / If þou saw a man haue preciouse stanes, þat he myght by a kyngdom wyth; if he gaf þam for an appyl, als a barne wil do: ryghtwysly moght þou say þat he war noght wyse, bot a grete fole. / Als swa, if we wyl: we haue preciouse stanes: Pouert, & penance, and gastly trauayle: with þe whilk we may by þe kyngdom¯ of heuen. / For if þou lufe pouert, & dispyse riches, & delytes of þis worlde, & halde þi-self vyle & pure, & thynk þat þou hase noght of þi self bot syn: for þis pouert þou sall haue rytches with-outen ende. / And if þou haue sorowe for þi synnes, & for þou ert swa lang in exile, owte of þi contre, & forsakes þe solace of þis lyfe: þou sal haue for þis sorow, þe ioy of heuen. And if þou be in trauayle, & punysche þi body, skilwisly & wisely, in wakyns, fastyngs, & in prayers, & meditacions, & suffer hete, & calde, hunger & thyrst, mys-es & anguys, for þe lufe of Ihesu Cryste: for þis trauel þou sal com till reste þat lastes ay, & syt in a setel of ioy, with aungels. But som er þat lufes noght wysely, like til barnes, þat lufes mare an appel þan a castel. Swa dose many; þai gyf þe ioy of heuen for a litel delyte of þar flesche, þat es noght worth a plowme. Now may þow se þat wha sa will lufe wysely, hym behoues lufe lastand thyng lastandly; & passand thyng, passandly: swa þat his hert be sette & festend in nathyng bot in god. // And if þou will luf Ihesu verraly, þow sal noght anly lufe hym stalwortly & wysely: bot also deuowtly & swetely. Swete lufe es: when þi body es chaste, & þi thoght clene. Deuowte luf es: when þou offers þi prayers & þi thoghtes til god with gastly ioy, & byrnand hert in þe hete of þe haly gaste, swa þat þe thynk þat þi saule es als it war drunken for delyte & solace of þe swetnes of Ihesu, / and þi hert conceyues sa mykel of goddes helpe, þat þe thynk þat þow may neuer be fra hym departyd; and þan þou comes in til swilk rest & pees in sawle, & quiete, with-owten thoghtes of vanitese [or] of vices, als þou war in sylence & slepe, & sette in Noe schyppe, þat na thyng may lette þe of deuocion & byrnyng of swete lufe. / Fra þou haue getyn þis lufe: all þi lyf, til dede come, es ioy & comforth, and verrayli Cristes lufer, and he restes in þe, whas stede es maked in pees. / Þe ferth askyng was: how þou moght knaw þat þou war in lufe & charite. / I answer: þat na man wate in erth þat þai er in charite: bot if it be thorow any priuelege or special grace þat god hase gifen til any man or woman; þat al other may noght take ensawmpel by. Haly men & women trowes þat þai haue trowth, & hope, & charite: & in þat dose als wele als þai may, & hopes certaynly þat þai sal be safe;—þai wate it not als tyte: for if þai wiste, þair merit war þe lesse. And Salomon says þat it er rightwys men & wyse men, and þair warkes er in goddes hand. And noght-for-þi [a] man wate noght whethir he be worthi hateredyn or lufe, bot al es reserued vncertayne til a nother worlde. Neuer-þe-latter, if any had grace þat he moght wyn til þe thirde degre of lufe, þat es called syngulere: he sulde knaw þat he war in lufe. Bot in þat maner his knawyng es, þat he moght neuer bere hym þe hegher, ne be in þe lesse bisynes to lufe god; bot sa mykel þe mare, þat he es siker of lufe, wil he be bisy to lufe hym and drede hym, þat hase made hym swilk & done þat godenes til hym; and he þat es swa hee, he wil noght halde hym-self worthier, þan þe synfullest man þat gaas on erth. // Als-swa, Seuen experimentes er þat a man be in charite. / Þe fyrst es: when al couatise of ertly thyng es slokkend in hym. / For whare sa couaityse es: þare es na lufe of Cryste. / Þan, if he haue na couaytyse: signe es þat he hase lufe. // Þe secunde es, byrnand þhernyng of heuen. For when men hase feled oght of þat sauoure, þe mare þai haue, þe mare þai couayte; & he þat noght hase feled: noght he desires. For-þi, when any es swa mykel gyfen til þe luf þar-of, þat he kan fynd na ioy in þis lyfe: taken he hase þat he es in charite. // Þe thyrd es: if his tung be chawngyd, þat was [wone] to speke of þe erth: now spekes of god, & of þe lyf þat lastes ay. // Þe feerth es: exercise of gastly profet. Als, if any man or woman gyf þam enterely to goddes seruyes, & entermetes þam of nane erthly bisynes. // Þe fift es: when þe thyng þat es hard in it-selfe, semes lyght forto do; þe whilk luf makes. For als Austyne says: «Lufreden es þat bryngs þe thyng þat es fare, nerehande, and impossibel til possibel apertly.» // Þe sext es: hardynes of thoght to suffer all anguyses and noyes þat comes—with-owten þis, al þe oþer suffices noght. / For it sal noght make a ryghtwys man sary: what sa falles hym. For he þat es ryghtwys, he hates noght bot syn, he lufes noght bot god, for god, he dredes noght bot to wreth god. // Þe seuent es: delitabilite in sawle, when he es in tribulacion, and makes louyng to god in ilk anger þat he suffers. And þis schewes wele þat he lufes god: when na sorow may bryng hym downe. / For many lufes god whils þai er in ese: and in aduersite þai grotche, & falles in swa mykel sarynes, þat vnneth may any man comforth þam; and swa sclawnder þai god, flytand & feghtand agayne his domes. And þat es a caytif louyng þat any welth of þe worlde makes; bot þat louyng es of mykel pryce, þat na violence of sorow may do a-way. // Þe fifte askyng was: In what state men may maste lufe god. I answer: In wilk state sa it be þat men er in maste rest, of body & sawle, & leest occupied with any nedes or bisynes of þis worlde. For þe thoght of þe lufe of Ihesu Criste, & of þe ioy þat lastes ay, sekes rest wyth-owten, þat it be noght lettyd with comers & gangers, and occupacion of worldely thynges; and it sekes with-in grete sylence fra þe noyes of couayties, & of vanitees, & of ertly thoghtes. And namely al þat lufes contemplatyfe lyf, þai seke rest in body & in saule. For a grete doctor says þat þai er goddes trone þat dwelles still in a stede, and er noght abowte rennand: bot in swetnes of Cristes lufe er stabyld. And I haue lufed for to sytt: for na penance, ne for na fantasy, þat I wild men spak of me, ne for na swylk thyng: bot anly for I knew þat I loued god mare, & langar lasted with-in þe comforth of lufe: þan gangand, or standand, or kneleand. / For sittand am I in maste rest, & my hert maste vpwarde. Bot þar-fore perauenture es it noght þe best til a nother at sitte, als I did & wil do til my dede: bot if he war disposed als I was, in his sawle.

(S)Euen gyftes of þe hali gaste er in men & wymen þat er ordaynd til þe ioy of heuen and ledes þaire. life in þis worlde rightwisly. þies þai er: / Wysdom¯, / Vnderstandyng, / Cownsayle, / Strengh, / Connyng, / Pyte, / & þe Drede of god. / Begynne we at Cownsel, for þarof es maste nede at þe begynnyng of owre werkes, þat vs myslike noght afterwarde. With þier seuen gyftes þe haly gaste towches sere men serely. Cownsel es, doyng away of worldes rytches, & of delytes, & of al thynges þat man may be ta[gild] with in thoght or dede; / and þpar-with be drawne inwardely til contemplacion of god. / Vnderstandyng es, to knaw what es forto do, & what for to leue; and þat þat sal be gifen, to gif it til þam þat hase nede, noght til other þat hase na myster. / Wysdom es, forgetyng of ertly thynges, & thynkyng of heuen, with discrecion in al mens dedes. In þis gyft schynes contemplacion, þat es, a[ls] saynt Austyn says, A gastely dede of fleschly affections, thorow þe ioy of a raysed thoght. / Strengh es, lastyng to fulfill gude purpose, þat it be noght left, for wele ne for wa. / Pyte es, þat a man be mylde; & agayne-say noght haly writte, when it smytes his synnes, whethir he vnderstand it or noght; Bot in al his myght purge he þe vilete of syn, in hym & in other. / Connyng es þat makes a man in gude hope noght rusand hym of his rightwisnes, bot sorowand of his syn; and þat man geder erthly godes anely to þe honoure of god, and prow til other men, mare þan til his self. / Þe drede of god es, þat we turne noght agayne til oure syn thorou any il eggyng. & þan es drede perfyte in vs, & haly: when we drede to wreth god in þe leste syn þat we may knaw, and flees it as venym.

(T)Wa lyues þar er þat cristen men lyfes. Ane es called Actyue lyfe: for it es in mare bodili warke. Another, contemplatyue lyfe: for it es in mare swetnes gastely. Actife lyfe es mykel owteward, & in mare trauel & in mare peryle, for þe temptacions þat er in þe worlde. Contemplatyfe lyfe es mykel inwarde, and for-þi it es lastandar, & sykerar, restfuller, delitabiler, luflyer, & mare medeful. For it hase ioy in goddes lufe, & sauowre in þe lyf þat lastes ay, in þis present tyme, if it be right ledde. And þat felyng of ioy in þe lufe of Ihesu, passes al other merites in erth. For it es swa harde to com to, for þe freelte of oure flesch, and þe many temptacions þat we er vmsett with, þat lettes vs nyght & day: al other thynges er lyght at com¯ to, in regarde þarof; for þat may na man deserue, bot anely it es gifen of goddes godenes, til þam þat verrayli gifes þam to contemplacion & til quiete for Cristes luf. // Til men or wymen þat takes þam til actife lyfe, twa thynges falles. Ane: for to ordayne þair meyne in drede & in þe lufe of god and fynd þam þaire necessaries, and þam-self kepe enterely þe comandementes of god, Doand til þar neghbur als þai wil þat þai do til þam. Another es, þat þai do at þar power þe seuen werkes of mercy, / Þe whilk es: to fede þe hungry. To gyf þe thristi a drynk. To cleth þe naked. To herbar hym þat hase na howsyng. To viset þe seke. To comforth þam þat er in Prysoun. And to graue dede men. Al þat mai & hase) cost, þai may noght be qwyt with ane or twa of þir, bot þam behoues do þam al, if þai wil haue þe benyson on domes-day, þat Ihesu sal til al gyf þat dose þam. Or els may þai drede þe malysoun þat al mon haue þat wil noght do þam, when þai had godes, to do þam wyth. // Contemplatife lyf hase twa partyes: A lower & a heer. Þe lower party es meditacion, of haly wrytyng, þat es goddes wordes, and in other gude thoghtes & swete þat men hase of þe grace of god, abowt þe lufe of Ihesu Criste; and also in louyng of god in psalmes & ympnes, or in prayers. // Þe hegher party of contemplacion es behaldyng, & ȝernyng, of þe thynges of heuen, & ioy in þe haly gaste; þat men hase oft, and if it be swa þat þai be noght prayand with þe mowth, bot anely thynkand of god, & of þe fairehede of aungels, & haly sawles. Þan may I say þat contemplacion es a wonderful ioy of goddes luf, þe whilk ioy es louyng of god, þat may noght be talde, & þat wonderful louyng es in þe saule; / and for abundance of ioy & swettenes it ascendes in til þe mouth: swa þat þe hert & þe tonge acordes in ane, and body & sawle ioyes in god lyuand. // A man or woman þat es ordaynd til contemplatife lyfe, first god enspires þam to forsake þis worlde, and al þe vanite & þe couayties and þe vile luste þarof. Sythen he ledes þam by þar ane, & spekes til ȝar hert: and als þe prophete says, He gifes þam at sowke þe swetnes of þe begynnyng of lufe; and þan he settes þam in will to gyf þam haly to prayers & meditacions & teres. Sithen, when þai haue sufferd many temptacions, & [þe] foule noyes of thoghtes þat er ydel, & of vanitees þe whilk wil comber þam þat can noght destroy þam, er passand a-way: he gars þam geder til þam þair hert & fest anely in hym: and opens til þe egh of þair sawls þe ȝates of heuen: swa þat þe ilk egh lokes in til heuen; and þan þe fire of lufe verrali ligges in þair hert, & byrnes þarin, & makes [it] clene of al erthly filth: & sithen forward þai er contemplatife men, & rauyst in lufe. For contemplacion es a syght: & þai se in til heuen with þar gastly egh. Bot þou sal witt þat naman hase perfite syght of heuen whils þai er lifand bodili here. Bot als sone als þai dye: þai er broght before god and sese hym face til face, & egh til egh: and wones with hym with-outen ende. For hym þai soght, & hym þai couayted, and hym þai lufed, in al þar myght. //

Loo, Margarete, I haue schortly sayde þe þe forme of lyuyng: and how þou may com¯ til perfection, and to lufe hym þat þou hase taken þe til. If it do þe gude, and profit til þe: thank god, & pray for me. Þe grace of Ihesu Criste be with þe, & kepe þe. Amen.