I counseyll the in herte and in wyll that thou flee all suche vanytees For though thou be lorde or lady husbonde man or wyfe thou mayst haue as stable an herte wyll as some relygyous that sytte in the cloystres But so the it is that the moost sykerest waye is to fle as relygyous do but for all may not be men or women of relygyon therfore of euery degre in the worlde god hath chosen his seruauntes What euer than thou be that wyt come to the loue of god begynne fyrst to do good dedes with a good wyll and a contynuell desyre After that desyre fulfyl thy wyll in dede with dyscrecyon that thou mayst contynue to thy lyues ende Whā thou hast begonne thynke in thyn herte that god hath gyue the suche grace to begynne that thynge to his worshyp thou mayst well do it yf thou wylt performe it in dede with the helpe of god After this poynte stande stably in wyll aske grace of perseueraunce and performe it in dede with a feruent spyryte And whan thou hast begonne dyscretly though it be trauaylous in the begynnynge all that trauayle be it in fastynges wakynges prayers or ony other ghoostly trauayle all shall be lyght to the shall torne the in so grete myrthe and ghoostly conforte that thou shalt sette lytell by the passynge Ioye and the vanytees of the worlde Stande than stably in wyll and in dede and god almyghty that hath begonne good werkes in the wyll norysshe the forth in all vertues defende the from thyn enemyes teche the to loue hym and kepe the in to his loue to thy lyues ende after this deth thou shalt not drede for thou shalt euer abyde in his kyngdome where that is no care ne drede but all Ioye conforte for euermore lastynge ¶ Now I haue shewed to the foure degrees of loue declared here fyue specyall vertues whiche as me thynketh be moost nedeful euery man for to haue that wyl trauayle in ghoostly werkes to al other maner men and women they be full spedefull to knowe whether they be relygyous or seculer And for as moche as many in the begynnynge haue full lytell sauour in deuoute prayers or in holy medytacōns some perauenture for tender age some for vnconnynge therfore to suche symple folke I wyll shewe a maner forme how by medytacyon they may be styred to deuocyon and what maner prayer shall be to theym nede full AB ¶ By what prayer or thought thou mayst be styred to deuocyon THan thou ordeynest the to praye or haue ony deuocyon founde to haue a preuy place from all maner noyse tyme of reste wtout ony lettynge Syt there or knele there as is moost to thyn ease Than be thou lorde or lady thynke wel thou hast a god that made the of nought whiche hath gyue to the thy ryght wyttes ryght lȳmes other worldely ease more than to some other as thou mayst se aldaye that lyue in grete dysease moche bodely myschyef Thynke also how synful thou art were not the kepynge of that good god thou sholdest fall in to all maner of synne by thȳ owne wretchednes than thou mayst thynke sothly as of thy self that there is none so synful as thou art Also yf thou haue ony vertue or grace of good lyuynge thynke it cometh of goddes sendynge nothynge of thy selfe Thynke also how longe how often god hath suffred the in synne he wolde not take the in to dampnacyon whan thou haddest deserued it but goodly hath abyden the tyll thou woldest leue synne torne to goodnes for loth hȳ were to forsake that he bought so dere with bytter paynes Also thou mayst thynke for he wolde not lese the he became man was borne of a mayde in pouerte trybulacyons all his lyfe he lyued after for thy loue deth he wolde suffre to saue the by his mercy ¶ In suche maner thou mayst thynke of his grete benefytes and for the more grace to gete to the compūccyon beholde with thy ghoostly eye his pyteous passyon ¶ A short medytacōn of the passyon of our lorde Ihesu cryste THou mayst here ymagyne in thy herte as yf thou sawe thy lorde take of his enemyes with many repreues despytes brought before a Iuge falsely there accused of many wycked men he answered ryght nought but mekely suffred theyr wordes They wolde nedes haue hȳ deed but fyrst to suffre paynes Beholde thā that good lorde cheuerynge quakynge all his body naked bounde to a pyler about hym standynge wicked men wtout ony reason sore scorgynge that blessyd body without ony pyte Se how they cesse not from theyr angry strokes tyll they se hym stande in his blood vp to his ancles from the toppe of his heed to the sole of his foot hole skynne they lefte none his flesshe they rased to the bones for werynes of them selfe they lefte hym almoost dede Loke than asyde vp on his blessyd moder se what sorow she made for her dere sone haue compassyon of her payne that laye there aswowne Torne agayne to thy lorde se howe they vnbynde hym how hastly they drawe hym forth to do hȳ more dysease A garlonde of thornes they put vpon his heed tyll the blood ran downe in to his eyen nose mouth eeres Than they kneled downe with scornes arose vp with repreue spette in his face See than how the blessyd lady beteth her breste draweth her clothes wryngeth her hondes I trowe thou wylt wepe for that pyteful syght ¶ Loke yet agayn to thy lorde se how they hurle hym forth to an hyghe hylle there to nayle hym hande foot vpon the rode tree Se than fyrst how fyersly they drawe of his clothes how mekely that he than wente to the crosse he spredeth his armes abrode but strayter with cordes they drewe forth his armes tyl the synewes the Ioyntes be all to broke than with full grete nayles they nayled his precyous hondes to the crosse In the same maner thou mayst se how greuously they drawe his dere worthy legges and nayled his feet downe to the tree Se than how they profered hym for to drynke bytter galle eysyll and kneled agayn before hym with many despytes Than herken to that good lorde how mekely he taketh leue of his gracyous moder and of his dere apostles betaketh them eyther to other as dere moder and sone Than with a grete voyce he cōmended his spyryte to his father in heuen and hanged downe that blessyd heed ryght forth vpon his brest Se also how soone after they perced his herte thrugh with a spere with full grete anger and ranne downe by his body medled blood water Than mayst thou haue full grete pyte beholdynge that good lady how for sorowe she synketh downe in her systers armes Take hede to the chere of his apostle saynt Iohan to the teres of Marye magdalene and of his other
to his worshyp proufyte to the reder C ¶ What is drede and how a man sholde drede god I Rede that the drede of god is begynnynge of wysedom ¶ Drede as clerkes haue wryten before this tyme is in many maners But I suppose thre kȳdes of drede bē moost nedefull for to knowe The fyrst is drede of man or drede of the worlde The seconde is called drede of seruage The thyrde is called a chasted drede or a frendely drede .i. ¶ The fyrst whiche is drede of man or of the worlde is whan a man or woman dredeth more the punysshynge of the worlde as betynge the body or prysonynge than the punysshynge of the soule Also whan a man dredeth more to lese his temporall goodes in this passynge worlde than to lese the blysse without ende this drede is coūted for nought for god almyghty forbad this drede whan he sayd thus Dredeth hym not that may slee the body but rather drede hym that may sende the body soule in to euerlastynge fyre .ii. ¶ And the seconde drede whiche is the drede of seruage is whā a man withdraweth hym or absteyneth hȳ fro synne more for drede of the payne of helle thā for loue that he sholde haue to god Euery suche mā what goodnes he doth it is not for drede to lese euerlastȳge blysse whiche he desyred not but for drede onely of suffrynge of grete paynes whiche he dreded sore this drede suffyseth not as thou shalt see afterwarde but yet it may be good proufytable .iii. ¶ The thyrde drede whiche is called a chaste or a frendely drede is whan a man dredeth the longe abydynge here for grete desyre that he hath to be with god Also whan he dredeth that god wyll go fro hym as peraduenture he withdraweth his grace fro hym Also whan he dredeth to dysplease god for the grete loue desyre that he hath for to please god suche drede cometh of loue that pleaseth moche god Take than hede how here be reherced thre maner degrees of drede fle the fyrst for it is not proufytable The seconde may be proufytable for some men there be whiche drede god by cause they sholde not be sente into hell to brenne there with the deuyls in euerlastynge fyre This drede may be good for by this waye they may come in to the loue of our lorde god as by this waye that I shall shewe All be it that thou drede our lorde god onely for payne yet louest thou not god whome thou dredest thou desyrest not yet goodnes of vertues but thou withstandest that wyckednes of vyces whā thou withstandest the wyckednes thou begynnest to desyre goodnes Whā thou desyrest goodenes vertues than cometh in to the the thyrde maner of drede whiche is called as I sayd a chast or a frendely drede For than thou dredest to lese the goodnes grace that god hath put in the thou dredest thā also to lese the blysse that is ordeyned for the so by this thou shalt drede god that he forsake not the whan thou dredest god in this maner thenne hast thou hym sykerly with the so for his loue thou shalt desyre to be with hym Thus mayst thou well knowe how drede of god may brynge the in to the loue of god yf thou loue god than thou hast wysedom so thus the drede of god is the begynnynge of wysedom Take hede than and drede god in the maner as I haue reherced for yf thou drede wel god thou shalt not be slowe in his seruyce He that dredeth well god leueth no goodnes vndo whiche he may do to the pleasure of god Yf thou drede god thou wilt kepe his commaundementes and the drede that thou hast to god shall brynge the in to euerlastynge sykernes where thou shalt neuer drede Of the drede of god wexeth a grete deuocyon and a maner sorowe with full contrycōn for synnes thrugh that deuocōn and contrycon thou forsakest thy synnes and perauenture somwhat of thy worldely goodes By that forsakynge thou lowest the to thy god comest in to mekenes thorugh mekenes thy flesshely lustes ben destroyed by the destruccōn all vyces be put out vanysshed awaye by puttynge out of vyces than vertues begyn to wexe and sprynge Of the shynynge of vertues the clennes of the herte is purchased By clennesse of thy herte thou shalte come to full possessyon of the holy loue of Cryst By these wordes thou mayst knowe howe thou shalte drede for loue how thou mayst come to loue thrugh drede of god But the more loue encreaceth in the the more drede gooth from the so that yf thou haue grace to come to a feruent loue thou shalt but lytell thynke on drede for the swetnesse that thou shalt haue in the loue of god but yet be thou neuer so parfyte it is nedefull that thou drede discretely as longe as thou art in this worlde for as moche as I sayd thou mayst come to loue yf thou drede god see now furthermore what is charyte loue to god How in what maner thou shalt loue hym why thou shalt loue hym How thou shalt knowe whan god of his mercy graūteth the that grace to conne loue hym D ¶ What is charyte and how why thou shalt loue thy god ¶ Of foure degrees of loue in the fyrst ben fyue poyntes ¶ Ordeyned loue CHaryte as I rede is a loue that we sholde haue to god for as moche as he is almyghty god also charyte is a loue wherby we sholde loue our neyghbour as ourselfe for god And these be two prȳcypall cōmaūdemētes of god The fyrst longeth to the loue of god whiche is the gretest cōmaundement of the lawe of god The seconde longeth to the loue of thy neyghbour and this is lyke to the fyrst thus thou hast what is charyte and loue See now how thou shalt loue god thou shalt loue god with all thy herte all thy soule with all vertue as thus Whan thou puttest away from the or withstandest with all thy power all thynge that is pleasynge or lykynge to thy flesshe for the loue of the blessyd flesshe of cryste than thou louest hym with al thy herte al thy soule Of this mater thou shalt her more afterwarde but se now ferthermore how thou shalt loue hȳ ¶ The causes why thou shalt loue god ben without nombre hauȳge rewarde to his benefaytes but two causes we haue pryncypally aboue other One is for he loueth vs fyrst with all his herte and al his soule swetely strongely Swetely whan he toke flesshe blood became mā for oure loue Strongly whan he suffred deth for loue of man The seconde cause is for ther is no thynge that may be loued more ryghtfully ne more proufytable More ryghtfull is there none than the loue of hym that made man and deyed for man More proufytable thynge is there none that may be loued than almyghty god for yf we loue hym as we be
¶ Rycharde Rolle hermyte of Hampull in his contemplacyons of the drede and loue of god with other dyuerse tytles as it sheweth in his table ¶ Opus Ricardi Rolle heremyte de Hampull q i obiit Anno christi M.CCC.xlix THis shorte epystle that foloweth is dyuyded in sondry maters eche mater by hymselfe in sondry tytles as this kalender sheweth And that thou mayst sone fynde what mater the pleaseth these tytles ben here in the Epystle marked with dyuerse lettres in maner of a table A ¶ How eche man sholde desyre to loue god B ¶ How men somtyme loued god how holy men somtyme were vysyted with swetnesse in the loue of almyghty god C ¶ What is drede how a man shold drede god D ¶ What is charyte how why thou shalt loue thy go ¶ Of foure degrees of loue in the fyrste ben fyue poyntes ¶ Ordeyned loue E ¶ The fyrst is that thou shalt loue thy flesshe onely that it be susteyned F ¶ The .ii. is thou shalt loue the worlde to no suê‘fluyte G ¶ The .iii. is thou shalt loue thy neyghbour for god H ¶ The fourth is thou shalt loue thy frende for his good lyuynge I ¶ The fyfth is thou shalt loue thyn enemye for the more drede ¶ In the seconde degre of loue ben thre poyntes ¶ Clene loue K ¶ The fyrst poynt is thou shalt loue no vyce with vertue L ¶ The seconde is thou shalt hate all euyll customes M ¶ The thyrde is thou shalt not sette lyght by synne be it neuer so lytell ¶ In the thyrde degree of loue be fyue poyntes ¶ Stedfast loue N ¶ The fyrst is thou shalt loue god with all thy desyre O ¶ The seconde is thou shalt in the begynnynge of thy werkes thynke on the worshyp drede of god P ¶ The thyrde is thou shalt do no synÌ„e vpon trust of other good dedes Q ¶ The fourth is thou shalt rule the discretly that thou fayle not for none feruent wyll R ¶ The fyfth is thou shalt not leue thy good lyuyÌ„ge for feynte herte ne for temptacyon ¶ In the fourth degre of loue ben .viii. poyntes ¶ Parfyte loue S ¶ How by encreace of vertues thou mayst come to perfeccyon T ¶ How good wyll is may be in dyuerse maners U ¶ What parfyte is in prayer and in what maner thou shalt praye X ¶ How thou mayst beware knowe of temptacyons wakynge or slepynge howe thou shalt with stande theym Y ¶ How thou shalt be pacyent what tyme pacyence is moost nedefull Z ¶ How perseueraunce is nedefull how thou mayst be perseueraunt AB ¶ By what prayer or thought thou mayst be styred to deuocyon ¶ Explicit tabula IN the begynnynge and endynge of all good werkes worshyp thankynge be to almyghty god maker byer of all maÌ„kynde begynner and ender of all goodnes without whose gyfte helpe no maner vertue is ne may be whether it be in thought wyll or dede than what euer we synfull creatures thynke or do speke or wryte that may tourne in to proufyte of mannes soule to god onely be the worshyp that sente al grace to vs no praysynge for of vs without hym cometh no thynge but fylthe synne Now than good god of his endeles myght plenteuous goodnes grauÌ„te me grace to thynke somwhat of his dere loue how he sholde be loued of that same loue some wordes to wryte whiche may to hym be worshyp to the wryter mede and proufytable to the reder Amen A ¶ How eche man sholde desyre to loue god AMonge all creatures that euer god of his endeles myght made was there none that he so loued as he dyd mankynde whom he made euerlastynge blysse in stede of auÌ„gels whiche dyd fal from blysse downe in to helle But that good god loued so man that for as moche as man had forfeyted that blysse thorugh synne of Adam he of his plenteuous charyte became man to bye body and soule that was lost In what maner he bought vs euery crysten maÌ„ knoweth or sholde knowe that no lasse pryce but suffred his owne precyous body to be all to rente with bytter paynes of scorgyÌ„ge He suffred also a garlonde of sharpe thornes pressyd to his heed whiched percyd so the veynes that the blood ran doune in to his eyen nose mouth eeres Afterwarde vpon the crosse his bones were drawe out of Ioynte the veynes the senewes were borsten for strayte drawynge to the crosse he was nayled honde foot and so fayled the blood of kynd with bytter paynes of deth He betoke his spyryte to the fader of heueÌ„ and than suffred at the last his gloryous herte to be thorugh percyd with a shapre spere for to gyue his herte blood to bye man body and soule into Ioye without ende ¶ Yf god of his grete goodnes loued thus maÌ„ gyuynge hym ouer this wytte and reason and all other thynge that hym nedeth kyndely a man sholde nyght and daye with all his wyttes loue hym and feruentely desyre to conne loue suche a good god that all thynge made all thyÌ„ge gyueth and susteyneth Of this desyre there ben many men and women whiche haue full grete lykynge to speke of the loue of god and all daye askynge how they sholde loue god in what maner they sholde loue to his pleasaunce for his endeles goodnes To suche men women of that good wyll and that holy desyre I wyll shewe fyrste of holy men before this tyme how feruent some were in the loue of god Also in how hyghe a degree of loue some were vysyted in the swetenes of cryst But it may be so that it is full harde for the more partye of men women to come to so hyghe a degree of loue therfore after the shewynge of suche hyghe degrees of loue somwhat I wyll wryte to other of symple knowynge how they sholde loue god as that gracyous god wyll gyue me grace B ¶ How men somtyme loued god how holy men somtyme were vysyted with swetenes in the loue of almyghty god I Fynde rede of oure holy faders in olde tyme that for the loue of god they forsoke the worlde and all worldely thynges and lyued in wyldernes by grasse by rotes suche men were feruent in the loue of god But I trowe there ben but fewe or elles none that folowen them now for we fynde not by goddes lawe or heste that we sholde loue so For all be it they were kepte susteyned so it was moost by the myght and grace of god as no goodnes may be without hyÌ„ yet I trowe they lyued so moche by the strength of kynde that was in man tho dayes I wyll not couÌ„seyll the to lyue as they dyde for thou mayst by other maner lyuynge come to the loue of god as thou shalt se afterwarde ¶ I fynde also furthermore of other ful holy men of ryght late tyme whiche lyueden a ful holy lyfe
and toke theyr lyuelode as feblenesse of man asketh now in our dayes Some of these men as I haue herde and redde were vysyted by the grace of god with a passynge swetenes of the loue of cryste whiche swetenes for an exāple they shewed afterwarde by theyr wrytynge to other men folowynge yf ony wolde trauayle to haue that hyghe desyre or degree of loue This loue whiche they haue wryten to other is departed in thre degrees of loue whiche thre degrees they hadden one after an other standynge stablysshed in theyr desyre and suffrynge pacyently for the loue of god many trybulacyons temptacyons tyll they come by holy contemplacyon to the hyghest degre of loue of tho thre By this I suppose he that hath grace to come to the fyrst may by goddes helpe come to the seconde so with a feruent desyre good perseueraunce he may come to the thyrde Shortely I wyll shewe here these degrees of loue for by cause all men and women that sholde rede this haue not knowynge of theym ne neuer herde speke of suche degrees of loue before tyme. ¶ Degrees of hyghe loue .i. ¶ The fyrste loue is so feruent that no thynge whiche is contrary to goddes wyll may ouercome that loue welth ne wo helthe ne sykenes Also he that hath this loue wyl not make god ones angry for all the worlde withoute ende but rather suffre all the payne that myght come to ony creature than ones wylfully dysplease his god in thought or dede .ii. ¶ The seconde loue is more feruent for y◠is so stronge that what man loueth in that degre all his thought herte myght is so entyerly so besely so perfyghtly stablysshed in Ihesu cryste that his thought cometh neuer from hym but whan he slepeth .iii. ¶ The thyrde degre of loue is hyghest and moost wonderfull for what man cometh to that loue all comforte and all solace is closed oute of his herte but onely the Ioye of Ihesu cryste Other Ioye may his herte not receyue for swetnesse that he hath of the Ioye euermore lastynge This loue is so brennynge so gladynge that who so hath that loue may as well fele the fyer of brēnynge loue in his soule as an other man may fele his fynger brenne in erthely fyre This loue may well be called a brennynge loue And yf men had suche swetnesse in the loue of god of so late tyme I suppose wel that the same we may haue now by the gyfte of god yf we were as feruent in loue as they were But these degrees of loue ben set vpon so hyghe loue to god that what man sholde haue the fyrst of these thre behoued that he were a sad contemplatyf man or womā And by cause mankynde is now euermore the lenger the febler or perauēture more vnstable therfore vnethes sholde we fynde now a sad contemplatyfe man or woman Men of relygyon haue taken dyuerse habytes of contemplatyf lyfe Men womē also that ben enclosed as it semeth lyuen a cōtemplatyfe lyfe so with goddes grace they do so for the more partye But for to speke of hyghe contemplatyfe lyfe as holy men lyued before this tyme it semeth there ben ryght fewe Therfore I trowe that I may sykerly say that fewe there ben now that wyl or may trauayle now to haue suche hyghe degrees of loue as I haue reherced before Neuertheles what so euer thou be that redest or herest this be neuer to slower to trauayll For yf thy desyre be sette feruently louyngly holdynge the vnworthy to haue so hyghe a ghoostly gyfte before an other man puttest thy desyre to goddes dysposycyon trustyngly he wyll dyspose that is best for the whether thou haste thy desyre or haue it not But it is fyrst nedefull to the that thou haue other thre degrees of loue that the same holy men wrote in theyr treatyse whiche be not of so hyghe a degree as tho that be reherced before .i. ¶ The fyrst degree of these is whā a man or a womā holdeth the commaundementes of god kepeth hym selfe out of dedely synne is stable in the fayth of holy chyrche Also whan a mā wolde not for none erthely thynge dysplease god but truly standeth in his degree whether he be religyous or seculer In this maner euery man behoueth to loue his god that wyll be saued therfore I counseyll the to haue kepe this loue or thou clymbe to ony hyer degree .ii. ¶ The seconde degree is whan a man forsaketh all the worlde for the loue of god that is for to saye his fader his moder all his kynred foloweth cryst impouerte Also standeth nyght daye how clene he may be in herte howe chaste in body how meke buxom howe clene in all vertues hate all vyces so o that all his lyfe be ghoostly none thynge flesshely iii. ¶ The thyrde degree is hyghest for that is a ful contemplatyfe lyfe as whan a mā or a womā loueth for to be alone from all maner noyse And whan that he is saddely sette in this lyfe and in this loue with his ghoostly eyen than may he se in to the blysse of heuen And than his eyen be soo enlumyned and so clere lyghted with grace of ghoostly loue and also thrugh kyndeled with the gracyous fyre of crystes loue that he shall haue a maner of brennynge loue in his herte euermore lastynge and his thought euermore vpwarde to god ¶ Thus as I haue reherced god hath vysyted his seruauntes gyuynge theym a specyall sauour lo toue hym by theyr holy lyuynge Many other men and women there be whiche please god full well standynge truely in theyr degree as men women of the worlde both lordes ladyes other husbonde men women wyues For al be it they may not come to suche hye contēplatyfe lyfe it suffyseth them to haue the fyrst degree of these thre whiche I reherced last for that euery man is bounde to kepe ¶ Yf thou desyre to haue an hygher degre of loue in to the worshyp of god trauayle as other men dyde aske helpe and grace with good perseueraūce yf it please god to performe thy wyll brynge the to thy purpose But for as moche as there be many that haue not a sadde grounde ne but lytell felynge how they sholde loue and drede god whiche is spedefull nedefull for all men to knowe Therfore to suche as be not knowynge I wyll shewe fyrste in what maner they sholde loue drede god that they may be the more stable in the loue of god After that I shall shewe by the grace of god foure degrees of loue whiche euery crysten man relygyous seculer sholde holde and kepe may performe for the more partye yf his wyll be feruently set to the loue of god ¶ Now than as I sayd I shall in the begynnynge with the helpe of god wryte shewe somwhat of the drede of god that shal be
bounde he wyll gyue vs Ioye and blysse without ende where no thynge lacketh but all thynge is plenteuous and euerlastȳge Se now how thou shalt knowe whā god putteth grace in the for to knowe loue Whan the trauayle whiche thou hast for the loue of god is lyght lykynge to the than thou begynnest to haue sauour in the loue of god For ther is no maner trauayle greuous ne trauaylous to hym the loueth god feruently trauayleth wylfully for the loue of god ¶ Also stedfast loue feleth no bytternesse but all swetenesse for ryght as bytternesse is syster to the vyce of hatred right so swetnesse is syster to the vertue of loue so that in loue is all swetnesse ¶ Also the trauayle of louers may be in no maner trauaylous negreuous For ryght as hawkers hunters whateuer trauayle they haue it greueth them not for the loue lykynge that they haue in theyr game ryghth so what thynge it be that a man loueth taketh vpon hym a trauayle for that thynge that he loueth or elles it is no trauayle and yf it be trauaylous it lyketh hym to haue trauayle for that thynge whiche he loueth Take than good hede of these wordes for yf thou loue god thou wylt gladly trauayle suffre for the loue of god yf thy trauayle semeth than lyght to the or ellys yf thou louest or desyrest gladly to haue trauayle for the loue of god thou mayst wel knowe that god of his grace hath put in the a begynnynge to come to loue Whan thou hast suche a gracyous begynnynge withdrawe not the loue from hym for no maner dysease that may fall to the. For many men women there be that whyle they be in prosperyte that is to say whyle they be in welth in rest gladly they wyll shewe loue to god suche as they can But yf god sendeth hym ony dysease or ony maner of chastysynge anone her loue swageth that is no sadde loue For who so loueth trustyngly sadly he loueth as well in his aduersyte as in prosperyte for what god sendeth to vs it is for our proufyte therfore be it helth be it wo that he sendeth we sholde hertely thanke hym not withdrawe our loue from hym for no nede that he hath to our loue but for grete profyte that we sholde haue to loue hym for his grete goodnes that he wyll chastyse vs here all for our better Thus than haue I shewed in fewe wordes what is charyte loue to thy god howe thou shalt loue hym why thou shalt loue hym and how thou shalt knowe whan thou hast grace to conne loue hym Lerne than thus to loue se now ferther more what proufyte and grace cometh of loue ¶ In the loue of god ben fyue gracyous thynges Fyre lyght hony wyne sonne 1. ¶ The fyrst is fyre clensynge the soule of all maner vyces thrugh holy medytacyons .ii. ¶ The seconde is lyght shynynge in the soule with clerenes of vertues thorugh holy prayers .iii. ¶ The thyrde is hony makynge swete the soule whan he hath in mynde the benefaytes the grete gyftes of god almyghty yeldynge to hym thankynges .iiii. ¶ The fourth is wyne fulfyllynge the soule with a grete gladnes thorough a swete contemplacyon .v. ¶ The fyfth is a sonne makynge the soule clere with a shynynge lyght in myrthe withouten ende gladynge the soule with an easy herte in Ioye blysse euermore lastȳge Thus thou mayst see what proufyte he shall haue that can well loue God than of his grete grace graunte vs hȳ so to loue as it is moost to hym pleasynge Amen ¶ Now ferthermore I wyll shewe to the as I sayd before foure degrees of loue whiche thou mayst kepe easely come to one after an other yf thou haue good wyll HOure degrees of loue there be the fyrst is called an ordeyned loue or els ordynat loue that is to saye a loue ordeyned to be knowē and kept of all maner men women of euery degree in the worlde To this degree of loue longen .v. poyntes to be kepte The fyrst is thou shalt loue thy flesshe onely that it be susteyned The .ii. is that thou loue the worlde to no superfluyte The .iii. is that thou loue thy neyghbour for god The .iiii. is that thou loue thy frende for his good lyuynge The .v. is to loue thyn enemye for the more mede of god E ¶ The fyrst is that thou shalt loue thy flesshe onely that it be susteyned THe fyrste poynte is as I sayd thou shalt loue thy flesshe onely that it be susteyned as thus Thou shalt take mete drynke clothȳge and al other thynge that is nedefull to thy body in resonable maner to kepe thy body in his estate in comforte of thy soule to trauayle contynue in the seruyce of god not for to nourysshe thy flesshe in lust lykynge with dyuerse delycate metes drynkes for ther of cometh foule stynkynge synne many bodyly sykenes namely whan ther is to moche excesse This wytnesseth an holy clerke sayth they that delyted them in lustes of the flesshe they haue ful often many dyseases in theyr flesshe ¶ Also as I rede a soule that is wonte to delytes of the flesshe gadreth togyder many fylthes and wyckednes Thou mayst also do no exces for yf thou vse the to excesse thou fallest in to the vyce of glotonye whiche thou knowest well is dedely synne Of the synne I rede thus where the vyce of glotony reygneth in ony man he leseth the ghoostly strength yf he had ony before And but yf the wombe of glotonye be swaged all his vtues ben cast downe therfore loue thy flesshe to sustentacyon not to delytes to excesse for here thou mayst well knowe se that it is good nedefull to flee delycacyes But thou shalt vnderstande here that I counseylle the not to forbere ony mete or drynke in specyall for the vyce of delycacye is not in the mete but in the lust that thou hast in mete therfore sayth an holy clerke Often we take deynte metes without blame somtyme other metes and comyn to euery man not without gylte of cōscyence So thus it semeth wel whan we take ony mete for delyte more than for sustenaūce we offende god therfore flee delytes lustes of mete drynke and loue thy flesshe onely that it be susteyned than thou hast the fyrst poynte of this degree of loue F ¶ The seconde is thou shalt loue the worlde to no superfluyte THe seconde poynte is thou shalt loue the worlde to no superfluyte As thus yf thou loue god thou shalt not desyre ne loue vanytees of the worlde ne worldely goodes more than the nedeth Yf god hath ordeyned the to an hyghe degree in the worlde as for to be a lorde or a lady or for to haue ony soueraynte ghoostly or worldely by reason reuerence must be done to the more than to an other man or woman For
to wynne his frendes soule This loue is the gretest loue in this worlde many there be I trowe thrugh the gyfte of god that haue this parfyte loue but yf it thynke the harde to come to suche an hyghe loue be therfore not agast For other parfyte loue there is wherin thou mayst loue parfytly thy god as I fynde by the techynge of an holy clerke where he couÌ„seylleth in this wyse ¶ Yelde we vs to god of whome we be made and suffre we not theym to haue the maystrye ouer vs whiche ben not of so grete value as we be but rather haue we the maystrye ouer theym As thus lete reason haue the maystrye ouer vyces lete the body be subgect to the soule and lete the soule be subgect to god than is all the parfeccyon of man fulfylled Thus we sholde lyue by reason as the same clerke sheweth by ensample For as we put lyuely thyÌ„ges before them the be not lyuely Also as we put wytty thyÌ„ges before them that haue no wyttene reason Also ryght as we putte tho that ben not dedely before theym that ben deedly ryght so yf we wyl lyue parfytly we must putte proufytable thynges before theym that ben lusty and lykynge Also put them that ben honest before theym that ben proufytable Also putte theym that ben holy before them that ben honest And put all thynges that ben parfyte before them that ben holy Take hede thaÌ„ of this for yf thou wylt lyue after this techynge thaÌ„ thou mayst lyue parfytely yf thou lyue parfytely thou shat loue parfytely lyue than thus thou shalt come to parfyte loue But for as moche as it is full harde to come so sodaynly to suche a parfyte loue therfore take hede to tho thre degrees of loue whiche ben reherced before begynne to lyue sadly in the fyrste than from the fyrst clymbe vp to the seconde fro the seconde to the thyrde yf thou be sadly stabled vpon the thyrde thou shalt lyghtely come to the fourth where is all perfeccyon yf thou haue perfeccyon thou shalt lyue perfytely Begyn thaÌ„ at the fyrst degree of loue so encrease in loue vertues yf thou wylt come to this degree of parfyte loue ¶ I rede that some men begyÌ„ne to be vertuous som encreace in vertues and some be parfyte in vertues Ryght so it fareth by the loue of god as soone as thou art in wyll begyÌ„nest to loue god that loue is not yet parfyte but thou must stande fast nourysshe that wyll yf it be well nourysshed it wyll wexe stronge yf it hath full strength than it is parfyte ¶ To this purpose I rede also that no maÌ„ may be sodaynly in so hyghe a degree but euery man that lyueth in good coÌ„uersacion whiche may not be without loue they must begyÌ„ne at the lowest degree yf they wyll come to an hyghe parfeccyon Thus thaÌ„ good brother or syster whether thou be withstaÌ„de all vyces and gadre to the vertues for the loue of god and encreace in them tyll they ben parfytely stabled in the. And amonge all vertues loke that thou haue a feruent wyll to be besye deuout in prayers stande strongely ayenst temptacyons be pacyent in trybulacyons stable in perseuerauÌ„t that thou lyue parfytely so come to parfyte loue Take none hede of them that set lytell by parfeccyon as of them that saye that they kepe not to be parfyte it suffyseth to them to be lest in heuen or come within the yates of heuen these be many mennes wordes they be peryllous wordes For I warne the forsothe what man hath not parfyte loue here he shall be purged with paynes of purgatorye or ellys with dedes of mercy performed for hym in this worlde and so be made parfyte or he come to heuen blysse for thyder may noman come but he be ê‘fyte Beware therfore of suche lyght foly wordes trust more to thyn owne good dedes whyle thou art in this worlde than to thy frendes whan thou art deed thynke also this lyfe is but short the payne of purgatory passe all the paynes of the world the paynes of hell is euerlastynge the Ioye blysse of sayntes is euermore durynge Thynke also ryght as god is full of mercy pyte ryght so he is ryghtfull in his domes Yf thou wylt thynke on these wordes ofte I trust to the mercy of god thou shalt waxe stronge in vertues withstande so vyces yâ— within a short tyme thou shalt come to a parfyte loue whaÌ„ god hath so vysyted the that thou can loue hyÌ„ parfytely than shal all thy wyll all thy desyre be for to come to the loue whiche is moost parfyte that is to saye euermore to se almyghty god in his gloryous godhede euermore with hym to dwelle But for as moche as we may not come to our desyre but we begynne somwhat to loue hym here in this lyfe Therfore almyghty god mercyfull thorugh the besechynge of his blessyd moder Marye grauÌ„te vs grace so to loue hym here that we may come to the Ioyfull euerlastynge lyfe where is moost parfyte loue blysse without ende AmeÌ„ ¶ Here is reherced shortly how by encreace of vertues thou mayst come to parfeccyon what vertues thou shalt loue IN this fourth degree of loue whiche is called a parfyte loue thou art taught and couÌ„seylled to begynne at a lowe degree yf thou desyre to haue an hygh degree as thus Yf thou wylt haue this fourth degree of loue thou must begynne at the fyrst so encreace in vertues tyll thou come to parfeccyon But amonge all vertues al other poyntes whiche ben reherced before fyue poyntes there be as me thynketh spedefull nedefull euery man to haue kepe that ony good dede shall begynne brynge to good ende The fyrste is that thou haue a feruent wyll The seconde is that thou be besy in deuoute prayers The thyrde is that thou fyght strongely ayenst all temptacyons The fourth is that thou be pacyent in trybulacyons The fyfth is that thou thou be perseuerauÌ„t in good dedes Of these poyntes I spake before in the fourth degree of loue but for as moche as they be not there fully declared my wyll is by the helpe of god to wryte more opeÌ„ly of eche of them one after another fyrst to wryte of good wyll for that must be begynnynge endynge of all good dedes T ¶ How good wyll is and may be in dyuerse maners WYll may be in dyuerse maners is good and euyll besy feruent grete stronge but for as moche as reasoÌ„ whiche god hath gyue onely to maÌ„kynde techeth sheweth in euery maÌ„nes conscyence full knowyÌ„ge of euyll wyll by cause that good wyll may be in dyuerse kyndes therfore I leue at this tyme to speke of euyl wyl purpose me fully thrugh the techyÌ„ge of almyghty god to declare somwhat opeÌ„ly the vertue of good wyll I