chapyters of the thyrde parte Ca. i. ALso of the profyte of temptacyons / and how eche soule in his laste ende of this lyfe seeth tasteth or feleth his place or he be departed fro the body that is to saye he shall knowe the peyne or ioye whiche he shall haue here after ¶ How the fende catcheth euer soules vnder colour of some goodnesse / and how they that be sette in the floode and they that go not by the brydge be dysceyued / for they thynke to ascape fro peynes and yet they fal therin ¶ Here is also made mencyon of a fayre vysyon whiche this soule hadde / whiche vysyon apered to her syghte as it had be a tree ¶ Also how the worlde for synne broughte forthe thornes and breres / yet some ther be that be not ynoyed with them / how be it no maÌ„ maye come to euer lastynge lyfe / wtout that he haue suffered and borne peynes and trybulacyons before that he come thyder ¶ Also the euyll that cometh of the ghostly eye or syghte ¶ Also how good dedes that be not in the state of grace / auayle not to euerlastynge lyfe ¶ Ca. ij THe secunde chapyter telleth how the preceptes may not be kepte / but that a man sholde of parfeccyon kepe the couÌ„seyles / and howe in euery state the whiche a maÌ„ choseth so that he haue an holy and a good wyll that state is pleasynge to god ¶ Also how worldely men with all theyr substaunce goodes may not be fulfylled / and of the peyne the whiche they deserue by theyr wycked wâ—lles as well in this lyfe as after how a drede whiche is bouÌ„de suffyseth not to optayne the euerlastynge lyfe in heuen / and how with excercyse of this drede / a man maye come to the loue of vertues ¶ Ca. iij. ALso how this soule fell in to a mornyge for that blyndenesse of them the whiche were drenched in the foresayde floode ¶ And also how thre grees be fygured in that foresayde brydge that is to saye in the sone of god Ihesu cryste / bytwene the thre myghtes of the soule / and how these thre myghtes of the soule yf that they be oned togyder / there maye no parseueraunce be hadde without the whiche parseueraunce no man maye come to the ende of parseccyon ¶ Also in this chapyter is an exposycyon of the worde of Ihesu cryst / whaÌ„ he sayd thus Siquis sitit c. That is to saye / who that thrusteth / come to me and drynke ¶ And also how that euery reasonable creature generally maye kepe a maner gouernauÌ„ce / so that he maye passe out fro the see of this worlde / and go by the foresayde holy brydge ¶ And also here shall be rehersed a repetycyon of some wordes sayde before ¶ Ca. iiij THe fourthe chapyter telleth whaÌ„ oure lorde wolde shewe so this deuoute soule / that the thre grees of the brydge be fygured by the thre states of the soule / than he bad her lyfte vp her selfe aboue herselfe to beholde this sothefastnesse ¶ Also how that this deuoute soule beholdynge in the myrcoure of god / sawe dyuers creatures go iÌ„ dyuers wayes ¶ And how the drede of seruage wtout loue of vertues / is not suffycyent to euer lastynge lyfe / and how the lawe of drede and the lawe of loue be oned togyder ¶ And also how that a man that hathe the drede of seruage or thraldome drede / the whiche is the state of imparfeccyoÌ„ / by the whiche state is vnderstonde the fyrste gre of the foresayde holy brydge / he maye come soone to the secunde gre / whiche is the state of parfeccyon ¶ Also of the imparfeccyon of them that loueÌ„ and serue god for theyr owne profyte and loue / or for theyr owne comforte Ca. v. ALso how that god sheweth hyÌ„selfe sometyme to a soule that loueth hym ¶ Also why cryste sayde not O go manifestabo I shall shewe my fader / but he sayd I shall shewe my selfe what maner of gouernaunce a soule shall kepe / that he maye come vp to the secuÌ„de gre of the holy brydge ¶ How he that loueth god vnparfytely / loueth vnparfytely his neyghbour / and also of the very tokeÌ„s of this vnparfyte loue ¶ The chapyters of the fourth parte Ca. i. THe fyrste chapyter of the fourthe parte speketh of prayer / fyrste iÌ„ what maner a soule shall gouerne hym / that he maye come to pure loue and lyberall ¶ And moche of this thyrde parte speketh of prayer and of teeres / but fyrst god sheweth here a doctryne of the holy sacrament of crystes body on the auter that is to saye the holy sacrament of crystes body how that a soule shall come fro vocall prayer to mentall prayer ¶ And here is shewed a vysyoÌ„ whiche this deuoute soule hadde on a tyme. ¶ Also of a dysceyte that creatures haue somtyme / whiche louen god and serue hym for theyr owne conforte and theyr delectacyon ¶ Also of the dysceyte that they haue / whiche sette all they affeccyon in confortes and ghostly vysyons / and how that suche that delyte them in suche coÌ„fortes vysyoÌ„s may be dysceyued receyue a wycked spyryte vnder the coloure of a god spyryte / of tokeÌ„s how it may be knowe whaÌ„ it cometh of god / and whaÌ„ of the deuyll Ca. ij ALso of theÌ„ that wyll not helpe or coÌ„forte theyr neyghbours in theyr nede / bycause they wolde not be lette nor leue theyr owne conforte and peas and reste ¶ Also of the dysceyte whiche goddes seruauÌ„uauntes haue / and locien god with suche vnparfyte loue before sayde ¶ How a soule that knoweth her selfe wysely iÌ„ sothefastenesse / kepeth her frome all these dysceytes ¶ Also by what maner a soule cometh fro imparfyte loue cometh to ê‘fyte loue ¶ Ca. iij. THe thyrde chapyter is of tokens wherby it is knowe that a soule is come to the parfyte loue ¶ Also how vnê‘fyte meÌ„ wyll onely folowe me that fader / but ê‘fyte meÌ„ folowe the sone Also god sheweth a vycyon / whiche this deuoute mayde had / in the whiche vysyon is shewed of diuers baptyms / of other fayre thyÌ„ges and profytable ¶ How that a soule whan that it is come to the thyrde gree of the brydge that is to saye after the tyme it is come to the mouthe / anone it taketh the doore of the mouthe / and whaÌ„ the proper wyll of a man is deed / it is a very token that it is come thyder ¶ Also of the workyÌ„ges of the soule / after tyme that it is ascended to the thyrde holy gree ¶ Also of the states of them that be departed fro the thyrde / and of workynges of the soule whiche is come to this state / and how god goeth neuer awaye fro the soule by coÌ„tynuall felynge ¶ Also how god goeth not awaye fro the foresayde parfyte meÌ„ by felynge nor by grace / bycause of the vnyon bytwyxe
/ that they dyd to theyr neyghbour / other dedes that they dyd in theyr wycked lyuynge for they wolde not leue theyr synne al shal be put in reprefe to theÌ„ than ¶ Also they shold be repreued of the crueltes / that they dyd to theyr neyghbours / of that synÌ„e of pryde / with loue of vncleÌ„nes / theyr auarice ¶ And whan they so that grete mercy whiche they myght haue had of me / theyr vndernymyÌ„ge shal be moche harder thaÌ„ the soule had in tyme of dethe ¶ For at that general dome that soule that body of suche shall be tourmented bothe togyder / for asmoche as the body was felowe with the souls / instrumeÌ„t to worke bothe good and yll / at theyr owne wyl ¶ Euery workyÌ„ge good or yl / is wrought by some maner of a maÌ„nes neyghbour ¶ Therfore doughter goodnes glory wtout ende is gyueÌ„ ryghtfully to my choseÌ„ soules / with theyr bodyes gloryfyed / gracyously they be rewarded for theyr labours / the whiche they had togyder body soule in my name ¶ In that same maner euerlastynge peyne shall be gyue to wycked men with body soule ¶ Bycause that body was instrument of euyll / therfore that peyne shall be made newe encreased in that syght of my sone / whan the soule the body shal come togyder / thaÌ„ shall the wretched sensualyte be repreued with his vncleÌ„nes / beholdyÌ„ge that humanyte of cryst / ioyned with that iyâ—e of cleÌ„nes of my godheed / and whaÌ„ they beholde your nature of Adaâ— / enhauÌ„sed aboue that courte of angels ¶ Also they shal se theÌ„selfe put downe in to the depenes of hell / beholdynge that largenes that mercy gyuen to them that be blyssed ¶ And whaÌ„ the blyssed soules receyue the fruyte of my sones blode / whiche sone is called the laÌ„be of god ¶ Also that blyssed soules do se all that peynes whiche they suffre in that worlde / ordeyned for that or nameÌ„tes of the bodyes / as a raye of golde is put vpoÌ„ a clothe / that is not by that vertu of that body / but onely by that pleÌ„tuous blys of that soule / whiche representeth to his body that fruyte of his trauayles / bycause that that body was assocyate to the soule to the excersyces of vertues ¶ Also that body shall be knowe outewardely / ryght as a myrrour representeth and sheweth the face of a man / ryghte so the fruyte of his labours shal be presented shewed in his hyghe body as it is sayde before ¶ And whaÌ„ al these other soules full of mysery derkenes beholde somoche dygnyte iÌ„ blyssed soules / of the whiche dygnite they be pryued and excluded / than theyr peyne coÌ„fusyon encreaseth / for the token of theyr wyckednesse synnes whiche they dyd / shall be shewed in theyr bodyes / with peynes tourmentours to theyr tourmeÌ„t ¶ Wherfore in that dredefull worde whiche they shal here / go ye to that fyre euerlastyÌ„ge thaÌ„ shal theyr bodyes with the soules go downe euer to abyde with that fendes wtoute ony remedy of hope ¶ There they shall sorowe togyder in theyr peynes / to the encrese of theyr peynes / theyr wretchydnes with al theyr fylthes / euery maÌ„ by hymselfe in dyuers wyses / after that theyr euyll werkes were dyuers in erthe ¶ A couetous maÌ„ with that fylthe of his auaryce / breÌ„nynge ther in that fyre with worldely substauÌ„ce / mhiche wyckedly falsely he purchased / loued in that worlde ¶ The cruell maÌ„ shall be tourmenteb with his cruelte / that vnclene maÌ„ with his vncleÌ„nes with his wretched coÌ„cupyssence ¶ An vnryghtful man with his vntruthe vnryghtfulnes ¶ The enuyous maÌ„ with his enuy ¶ An hatered maÌ„ with that hatered of his neyghbour ¶ And forthermore there shall be bâ—endeâ— vnordynate loue oâ—â—maÌ„nes loue / of the whiche â—alâ—e 〈◊〉 cometh all euyll ¶ And the 〈…〉 a passyâ—ge peyne intollerable / for asmoche â—s that synne was begynnyÌ„ge of all euyll moder to pryde / whiche is moder of all synÌ„es ¶ Wherfore euery soule body togyder / shall be punysshed togyder ¶ And thê° myserably they go to theyr ende / which go by that lower way of the flode / wyl not tourne to knowlege theyr owne defautes / aske mercy as I sayd before ¶ But so they gone to the gates of hell / for they haue folowed the techynge of that fende ¶ And he is theyr gate / and theyr entrynge to hell / as it is sayde before ¶ And in that coÌ„trary wyse my chosen chyldren whiche go vpon that brydge aboue / those go by that way of sothefastnes / that sothefastnes is to theÌ„ that gate of entryÌ„ge ¶ Therfore my sone whiche is my sothefastnes fayde / 〈◊〉 mâ—mdy come to my sader but by me ¶ He is that gate that waye by the whiche they passe ouâ—t that they may â—â—ntre to me / whiche am that peaseble see ¶ And so in that coÌ„trary / they that went by that way of pardycyon / whiche waye gyueth to them a deed water / so be peryshed loste ¶ To that perel that fende calleth â—tyrreth suche blynde soules fooles / by full peryllous teÌ„ptacyoÌ„s / false suggestyons whiche for blyndenes and lacke of grace do not parceyue / nor they take no hede / how they haue lost that lyght of very feythe / folowe that wyll the wordes of the fende as thoughe he spake to them and sayde ¶ Who so hathe thrust and desyreth water of dethe / let hem come to me / I shall gyue it to hym ¶ And here now moder and systren endeth the seconde parte of this orcharde / in the whiche we be taughte the waye to he uen ¶ And how we be ordeyned to labour in this worlde / euery man in his owne vyneyerde ¶ And of thre ladders whiche helpe a soule to the loue of god ¶ In this party also oure lorde speketh ful comfortably of his grete mercy / and of dyuersyte of synnes ¶ And how soules shall be repreued at the day of Iudgement ¶ And of the pryncypall tourmentes in hell / and of the ioyes of heuen ¶ Our lorde than graunt â—â— so feruently to labour / euery man in his owne vyneyerde / that bâ— the prayer of his blyssed moder / and by his grete mercy / that we maye gracyously scape that drefull daye of Iudgement / 〈◊〉 with his chosen chyldren / to entre in to the gates of blysse / the gloryous syght of hym euer to reioyce Ame◠¶ The .iii. boke Tertia ¶ The fyrste chapytre of the .iii. party / sheweth of that profyte of temptacyons / and how euery soule in that last ende of his lyfe shall tast and fele by knowynge â—â— he fully pas / what peyne or ioye he shall haue after he is passed ¶ Also how the fende catcheth soules budet the coloure of
and wor shyp to god / whyther they wyll or wyll not ¶ ANd in somothe theyr syght is parfyte that not onely they se my worshyppe and ioye pmonge heunly creatures that dwell in blysse without ende but also ymoÌ„ge deed ly creatures / for the worlde wyll he or not / he yeldeth praysynge and louynge to the name of god / and yet in sothe they yelde me no suche louynge and preysynge as a trewe louer dothe / that loueth me aboue all thynges / but I wyll put oute and drawe oute fro them ioye and pray syÌ„ge to my name / and that is for asmoche as my ioy shyneth in them / and also the abundaunce of my charyte / by the whiche I grasite thern to haue tyme leÌ„gthe oflyfe / com maunde the erthe that he swalowe them not for theyr defautes / but I abyde them mercyfully / and bydde the erthe to gyue them of his fruyte and the sone to warme them gyue theÌ„ lyghte and here / and the fyrmament that he moue and styrre / and all other creatures whiche I made for theÌ„ / by my greate mercy and chary te I make theÌ„ vse theÌ„ / not hynge of them withdrawynge for theyr wyekednesse / but I graunte it them as well to theÌ„ as to theryghtwyse lyuers / and ofte tymes more to synners than to ryght wyse men ¶ Of ten tymes I withdrawe fro them abuÌ„dauÌ„ce of goodes / the whiche can suffre / and be able to suffre that I myght gyue them more abundasitly the endeles goodnesse of heuen for theyr pasyence / thus my mercy charyte shyneth vpon worldely meÌ„ ¶ Otherwhyle also in parsecueyoÌ„s that seruauntes of the worlde do to my seruauntes / for suche parsecucy ons they be preued in pasyence and in charyte / the whiche they offre to me with meke contynuall prayer in theyr parsecucyons / and so worshyp and praysynge is yelde to my name ¶ In this maner the worlde wyll he or not he yeldeth praysynge glory to my name / thoughe his entent be not therfore / but rather for to do to mereprefe and shame ¶ How that the fendes do yelde worshyp to god agaynst theyr wyl ALl those that dwell in the worlde to the encrese of vertues in my seruauntes by the ctuell parsecucyoÌ„s / in maner they lyue and stonde in hell as fendes do / for they be as the fendes tourmentoures / fulfyllynge the wyll of fendes whiche be theyr may sters vpon my seruauntes / and so they enerese the mede meryte of them / that be my seruauntes ledynge them agaynste theyr wyll to the ryghte waye of heuen ¶ They encrese exercyse theÌ„ in vertues / with many greuous temp tacyons heuynesses in many maners ¶ Somryme they make one to do an other wroÌ„ge / and somtyme to styrre hym for to take awaye his goodes and not onely for the good but for to make them to lose charyte wenynge that my seruaunte wyl be out of charpte / for losse of worldely goodes ¶ And in that that they wene for to make them for to lose charyte / wenynge that my seruaunte wyl be out of charyte / for losse of worldely goodes / in the that they wene for to make them lose charyte / they be the more strengthed in charyte / and preued in vertu of pasyence / strengthe / and parseueraunce ¶ In this wyse they yelde worshyp and praysynge to my name / and so in theÌ„ is fulfylled my truthe that I made them / for that worshy p an praysynge of me / that they shold take ê‘te of my fayrenesse ¶ But whan the fende rebelled to me by his pryde / he fell adowne was departed delyuered fro my syghte ¶ And therfore nowe bycause they maye not yelde to me praysynge by by loue of hery charyte in themselfe ¶ Cherfore I sende them as instru mentes of vertu to my seruauntes / for to excercyse them to vertu / also for to punesshe all suche endelesly / that for theyr dedly trespases be daÌ„pned I haue made them to them as Iuâ— tyces / and also for to purge them that gone adowne to purgatory ¶ And thus thou maye knowe and se it is fothe that my truthe is fulfylled in them / that is that they yelde to me loye and wo / shyp / not as cytysyns of endelesse ioye / fro the whiche loye for theyr owne defautes / they be tul ly vtrerly departed / but as instrumentos for vertues to my speeyall seruauÌ„tes as my Iustyces bothe to dampnable soules / also to those soules that gone to paynes oâ—purgato ry / to shew to theÌ„ my ryght wysnes ¶ How a ê‘fyte soule that is passed fro this worlde / seeth fully the glory the laude of the name of god ieuery creature ¶ And how in the soule is ended the peyne of desyre / and not the delyre ¶ Also howe seynt Paule after tyme that he was take to se the glory of them that be in blysse / he coueted to be vnbouÌ„de and vn losed frome the body / and so done they whiche come to the thyrde the fourthe foresayd state / and of other maters as it is shewed before in the kalender Ca. iiii A what is he that seeth and tasteth veryly / bow that all creatures reasonable and vnreasonable also iÌ„ fendes is seen the presynge louyÌ„ge of my name / truly a soule that is departed fro the body and is cme to me his endelesse ioye Suche a soule seeth purely and knoweth the truthe in her syghte / for by the syghte that she hathe in me euerlastynge fader / she soueth / by loue she is fulfylled / by fulfyllynge she knoweth the truthe / by knowynge of truthe she is made stydfast iÌ„ her wyll / stablyshed knytte to that mynde in suche awyse that she maâ—e in no wyse fussre peyne / for she hathe that the whiche she desyred to haue before onely for to seme and the ioy presynge of my name / the whiche ioye praysynge she seeth in my seyntes veryly fully in other holy spyrytes / in all other creatures in fendes / as I haue sayde to the before ¶ And thoughe it so be that suche a soule se offeÌ„ce trespas done to me / wherof before she was doleful forowful / thaÌ„ whaÌ„ she is in ioye than maye she haue no sorowe therfore / but onely compassyon without peyne / louyÌ„ge prayenge for them that do trespas to me that I sholde shewe them mercy by affeccyon of charyte ¶ For all be it that peyne is ended in suche a soule / charyte is encresed ¶ Ryght as my onely sothefaste sone I hesu ended peyne of his peynful desyre in his peynfull dethe vpoÌ„ the cros / whiche peynful desyre he vare fro the begyÌ„nyÌ„ge that I sende hyÌ„ in the worlde for your helthe vnto the ende of his bodyly lyfe / yet was not ended the desyre of
them ¶ Also how worldely men yeldeÌ„ glory worshyp to god / whyder they wyll or not ¶ Also how the fendes do yelde worshyp to god agaynste theyr wylles ¶ Ca. iiij ALso how a parfyte soule that is passed out of this worlde / seâ—th fully the glory and laude of the name of god in euery creature / and how iÌ„ the soule is a peyne of desyre / no desyre ¶ Also how seynt Paule after tyme he was take to se the glory of them that be in blysse / he coueted to be vnbounde and vnlosed fro the body / and so do they the whiche be come to the thyrde fourthe state / for whiche causes a soule desyreth to be losed fro the body / and thoughe it be not as he coueteth / it contraryeth not the wyll of god / but moche rather it gyueth and yeldeth worshyppes and thankes to almyghty god in that peyne / and iÌ„ euery other peyne for the worshyp of god ¶ How they the whiche be come to the foresayde state of vnyon / be lyghtned in the eye of intelleccyon by grace with a lyghte aboue nature ¶ And how it is better to go to haue counseyle for the soules helthe to a meke man with an holy conscyence / than to a proude lettered man ¶ Also here is a profytable repetycyoÌ„ of many thyÌ„ges / whiche of many thynges be sayde / and how that god induceth this deuoute soule to praye for euery creature / and in generall for all holy chyrche ¶ Ca. v. THe fyfte chapyter of this ê‘te is moche of the state of holy teeres / and fyrste how that this holy soule desyred to knowe of the states and the fruytes of holy teeres ¶ And of the dyfference of the foresayde teeres / aod how that there be fyue maner of teeres ¶ Also a short repetycyon of the mater before / and how that the wycked spyryte fleeth awaye fro them / the whiche come to the fyfte teeres ¶ And how the angers of the fende by a trewe way to come to this state of teeres ¶ Also how that they that desyre to haue teeres of eyen / and maye not haue them / all suche haue teeres of fere ¶ And also for what cause god with draweth bodyly teeres ¶ And how the .iiij. states of the .v. states of teeres gyuen dyuersyte of teeres ¶ And how god wyll be serued with thyÌ„ge that hathe none ende / and not onely with that thynge the whiche hathe an ende ¶ And lso of the fruytes of teeres of worldely men / and how that suche worldely wepers be smytte with foure wyndes ¶ Also how the fruyte of the secunde and the thyrde state of teeres / and of the fruyte of the fourthe the fyfte state of teeres ¶ Also how that this deuoute soule whan that she gaue thankynges to god for the foresayde states of teeres / made thre petycyons to god ¶ Also how the lyght of reason is necessary to a soule that wyll serue god iÌ„ sothfastenesse and truly with the lyghte of grace ¶ The chapytets of the fyfte parte Ca. i. ALso of theÌ„ that put theyr desyre more to suffer bodyly peyne / than in mortyfycacyoÌ„ or in dystryeÌ„ge of theyr owne wylles / whiche is one parfyte lyghte / or a lyghte of parfeccyon / more than that generall lyghte / and it is the secunde lyghte of parfeccyon ¶ Also of the thyrde most parfyte lyghte of reason / and of the workes that a soule dothe whan it is come to that state ¶ Also there is shewed a fayre vysyon whiche this soule hadde / in the whiche vysyoÌ„ is shewed fully of the maner of comyÌ„ge of parfyte purete of the soule ¶ Also by what maner they receyne the ernest of sykernesse of euer lastynge lyfe / in this lyfe suche as abyde in the thyrde lyghte / whiche is the moost ê‘fyte and pure lyghte ¶ Also how oure neyghboure shall be vndernome / that he fall not in to no false domes nor Iudgementes ¶ Also yf a man praye for a parsone / god sheweth in the soule of hym that prayeth / that same soule is full of derkenesse for whom he prayeth / yet this soule shal not be demed nor Iudged amys ¶ Also how bodyly penauÌ„ce shall not be take for a pryncypal fundament / nor for a pryncypall desyre / but desyre and loue of vertues shall be take for a pryncypal fundament ¶ And of a shorte repetycyon of wordes sayde before / with an addycyon of vndernymynge of oure neyghboure ¶ Ca. ij THe secunde chapyter is tokens to knowe whan vysytacyons or ghostly vysyons / come of god oure maker / or of the wycked fende oure enemy ¶ Also how that god is the fulfyller of deuoute and holy desyres of his seruauntes / and how that it pleaseth god moche whan that a man asketh with parseuctauÌ„ce / and that he knocke at the gate or the porte of his sothefastnesse ¶ And how that this deuoute soule meketh her and yeldeth meke thankynges to almyghty god the fader of heueÌ„ / how she prayeth for al the worlde / specyally for holy chyrche / and for her ghostly dyscyples / for her two ghostli faders / afeer this she asketh to here the dedes of the mynysters of holy chyrche ¶ Also how god beholdeth that besynesse of this soule aboute prayer / answereth to some of her petycyoÌ„s ¶ Ca. iij. ALso here god speketh to this soule of the dygnyte of prestes of the sacrament of his holy body / of theÌ„ that receyue the sacrameÌ„t worthyly vnworthyly ¶ Also how all the bodyly wyttes or felyÌ„ges be dysceyued in the foresayd sacrameÌ„t / but not the felynges of the soule / therfore with that felynges or wyttes of the soule / that holy sacrameÌ„t shall be seen / tasted / feled ¶ And here is of a vysyoÌ„ which this deuoute soule had of this same mater ¶ Also of the excellence in the whiche a soule stondeth / that receyueth this sacrament in grace ¶ How the wordes that be sayde of the excelleÌ„ce of that sacrament / be sayde that the dygnyte of prcestes sholde be the better knowe / how god asketh more purete clennesse of body soule / thaÌ„ in other of his creatures ¶ Also how the sacrameÌ„tes sholde nother be boughte nor solde / they that receyue the sacrameÌ„tes sholde helpe the mynysters with theyr teÌ„porall goodes / whiche goodes the mynysters sholde dyspose ordeyne in to thre partes ¶ Ca. iiij THe iiij chapyter speketh in the begynnynge of the dygnyte of precstes / how that vertues of sacrameÌ„tes be not lessed throwe the synnes of them that mynyster / nor throwe the synÌ„es of the receyuer ¶ And how god wyll not that secusers correcke his mynysters ¶ Also how god arecteth the psecucyon that is done to holy chyrche or to that mynysters / as it were done to hymselfe ¶ And how the synne is more greuous / thaÌ„ ony other
or dothe satysfaccyon by a feruent desyre of the soule that is to saye with a veraye contrycyon / a dyspysynge of synne ¶ For veraye contrycyon / maketh satysfaccyoÌ„ to the synne / and to the payne for synne / not for the payne the the soule suffreth for the tyme / whiche tyme hathe ende / but for the desyre that the soule hathe / whiche hathe no ende / and that is for god / whiche is without ende Aske you sorowe in herte for synne without ende / loue god contynually wtout ende ¶ Sorowe it asketh without ende that is to saye without ceasynge in this worlde / and that is in two maners ¶ One is that a man haue veraye coÌ„trycyon for his owne offence that he hathe done agaynst his god / and his owne maker ¶ The seconde is that a maÌ„ haue sorowe for the offence that he seeth or knoweth done to god of his neyghbour ¶ Of suche men / for asmoche as they haue suche contrycyoÌ„ iÌ„ bothe maners ¶ Also for they haue suche a desyre that hathe none ende / for they beÌ„ coupled to me with a desyre of loue / therfore they sorowen whan they offende themselfe / or whaÌ„ they se / or knowe ony creature offende god / for that contynuall sorowe for themselfe / and for other / for desyre of loue / all the payne of suche men that they suffren bodyly or ghostly / of what euer parte it cometh / that payne deserueth / or shal haue merytes the whiche haue none ende / and dothe satysfaccyon for the synne / whiche synÌ„e worthely asketh and dyscerneth a payne that sholde haue no ende Not withstondynge the dede of synne had an ende / and it was done suche a tyme that it hadde and ende / and the cause is thus / for that synne parauenture was done with some vertues / with desyre of loue / with contrycyon and with dyspleasaunce of all fautes that were done Therfore the payne of the trespasse that sholde haue no ende was modyfyed and shall haue an ende / and make full satysfaccyon for that synne ¶ Thus sheweth the apostle whan he sayde yf I shall speke with the tongues of men / and of aungels and yf I haue prophecy / and yf that I deale all my goodes in to poore mennes meet / and yf I take or put my body to the fyre / and it to brunne / yet all this profyteth me not / yf I haue not charyte ¶ Seynt Paule also sheweth / that all suche werkes / bodyly or ghostly / the whiche haue an ende in this worlde / ben not suffycyent to punesshe the wretchednesse of synne / nor to gyue rewarde / with out salte or fatnesse / and swete sauour of the desyre of the holy charyte ¶ How desyre contrycyon of herte maketh satysfaccyon for synne / and payne for synne / and somtyme it maketh satysfaccyoÌ„ for synne / and not for payne Now doughter I haue shewed the how synne in this tyme that shall passe / is not punyssed onely with suche penauÌ„ce that is done here / but it is punysshed with penauÌ„ce inwardely / that is suffred by desyre and with loue oned to god / and by contrycyon of mennes hertes / not by vertu of payne oneli / but throwe the vertu of a feruent dysyre of soules / and as holy desyres and other desyres of vertues haue lyfe / or be acceptable and merytory whaÌ„ they ben taken and vsed / for the loue of my sone crucyfyed ¶ For asmoche as the soule taketh loue of hym / and foloweth his steppes with vertues / fastynges / and prayers ¶ In suche maner suche penaunces done they profyte the and in none other so they make satysfaccyon to the payne for synne / and that is by the vnyon / or knyttynge togyder of that holy loue the whiche is goten and purchased in the knowynge of my amyable goodnesse / and in the bytternesse and sorowe of the herte / and iÌ„ knowynge and knowlegynge of his owne defautes / whiche knowynge bryÌ„geth forthe an hatered of his owne vnworthynesse mysery / and a greate dyspleasaunce of synnes ¶ Wherfore he demeth hymselfe vnworthy ony grace / and holdeth hym worthy to haue tourment and payne And thus the holy sothefastnes spake of all other / whiche suffred all thynges with pacyeÌ„ce / and demed them selfe with mekenesse in all thynges / vnworthy to receyue the gracyous gyftes of god / and worthy to haue punysshemeÌ„t throwe loue of herte with the ferueÌ„t bruÌ„nynge of pasyence and of mekenesse ¶ After this informacyon / forthewith god spake to her and sayde Take hede than intentytly in thy inwarde wytte / in what maner it is sayde to the / how that satysfaccyoÌ„ is made for synne ¶ Thou does aske paynes of me / the whiche myght make satysfaccyon / for the offences done to me of my creatures ¶ Also thou dyde aske of me whiche am the lyfe of all thynges / to knowe / to loue ê‘fytely ¶ This is the waye / thou shall be in wyll to ascende to the heyght of ê‘fyte knowynge / thou shall be in wyll to taste me / the whiche am euer lastynge sothefastnesse / so that thou neuer go oute of the way of knowynge of thy selfe ¶ And whan thou arte caste downe iÌ„ to the vallaye of mekenesse / than knowe me in the / of whome thou shall haue all thynges that ben to the necessary / or behourable ¶ There may no vertu stoÌ„de / nor abyde / but it come of charyte / or that it be grounded in charyte / and mekenes dothe nouresshe most and best / the vertu of charyte ¶ ThaÌ„ thou shall be made meke in knowynge of thy selfe / yf thou consyder the that thou hase no beynge of thy selfe / but thou shall knowe thy beynge of me / the whiche loued the you all / or euer that ye were borne / of my greate loue whiche maye not be meiured / my wyll was to reforme you agayne to grace / and in my reformynge you agayne / with the brennynge of so greate a loue / the which I had to you / I wasshed you with the blode of my sone / the whiche was shedde for you ¶ The shedynge of that blode / maketh a man to knowe the sothefastnes / the whiche hathe put awaye the cloude of his propre loue / by knowynge of hyÌ„ selfe / the whiche sothfastnes he myght not elles knowe And thaÌ„ in the knowynge of me / the soule is closed with suche a feruent loue / that for that brennynge loue / the soule is in contynuall payne / but not in payne whiche greueth the soule / nor maketh it to tall / but rather that payne maketh the soule more vertuous / and refressheth it / and comforteth more the soule / for he suffreth payne / bycause he knoweth my sothefastnes / and his owne synnes and vnkyndenesse / and the greate blyÌ„denesse of crysteÌ„ people And for the greate loue that the soule
thy humanite / by the whiche I gaue agayne to the / that grace that was lost ¶ And so ye beynge in my ymage / I toke your lykenesse whaÌ„ I toke maÌ„nes nature ¶ Also I am one with you / but â—f that soule go fro me by deedly synne ¶ But he that loueth me / dwelleth iÌ„ me / I in hyÌ„ Therfore the worlde parsueth hym for that worlde hathe no conformynge with me / therfore he parsueth myne onely sone to that most cruel dethe of that crosse And so he parsueth you to the dethe / for he loueth not me / for yf that worlde hadde loued me / he sholde haue loued you But be ye ioyfull / for your ioyes shall be fulfylled iÌ„ heuen ¶ Also I tell the that that more that sclaunders / and try bulacyons encreasen in the ghostly body of that moder of holy chyrche / that more shall he haue of swetenesse / of coÌ„forte afterwarde ¶ This softenesse of swetenesse / the swetenesse of softenesse / shall be the reformacyon of curates and good heddes of holy chyrche / whiche ben the floures of glory / for in yeldynge to my name glory and laude / they shewe oute the sauour of swetenesse of vertues / whiche beÌ„ fouÌ„ded in sothefastnesse ¶ And this is the sothefastnesse and softenesse of swete ftoures That is to say / the recormacyon of my mynysters / and curates ¶ Not for that fruyte of this spouse that is to say of the chyrche nedeth to be reformed / for the fruyte is not dystryed / and it is neuerthelesse / by the defautes of the mynystres ¶ Thus thou / and thy ghostly fader / and my other seruauntes shall coye in aduersyte and bytternesse For I that am euerlastynge sothefastnesse / haue promysed to gyue to you refresshynge And after suche sharp'enesse and bytternesse / I shall comforte you in the reformacyon of holy chyrche / by'cause ye suffreÌ„ many contrarytes for my loue ¶ The .iiii. chapytre is how that the workynge of the blyssed soule of this mayde by that answere of oure lorde / bothe encreased and fayled in that bytternesse of her soule / and how that she made her prayer for his holy chyrche / and for his people / and of other maters iÌ„ the same chapyter / as it is rehersed to you before in the kalender Ca. iii. After this holy techynge of our lorde / the soule of this mayde was kyndeled and sore styred by a greate desyre in to the loue of god / takynge hede / and knowynge his plentuous charyte / whiche charyte with greate coÌ„forte swetenesse / ordeyned to make an answere to her petycyon / gyuynge a trust hope of remedy to her / whiche she desyred / whiche was to the bytternesse of her soule / whiche she had receyued for offences done to her maker / and for harme done to holy chyrche and for her owne mysery whiche she conceyued throwe knowledge of her selfe ¶ Whiche hope of remedy swaged that inwarde bytternesse / whiche she had conceyued ¶ And thaÌ„ was shewed to her by that euerlastynge fader / that was so offended / what waye of parfeccyoÌ„ they sholde vse / and do satysiaccyoÌ„ for theyr owne offences for theyr neyghbours / as shall be more clerly shewed after ¶ Ryght parfyte is the knowledge whiche a soule hathe of herselfe / by the whiche she knoweth her god the better / tyght well felynge the goodnesse of god in her / in the holy amyable myrtour / or beholdynge of god / she knoweth her owne vnworthynes / the hyghe worthynesse of her god whiche formed her and made her of noughâ—e / seynge well herselfe the ymage of god / not of dewte / but onely of specy all grace ¶ Also the beholdynge in the myrrour of the hyghe dyuyne goodnes / this soule knews her owne vnworthynesse / in to whiche vnworthynesse she fell / throwe her owne defaute and synne ¶ For ryght as a spotte / or fylthe in a maÌ„nes vysage / maye lyghtly be parceyued in a myrrour / so a soule whiche with a very knowyÌ„ge of herselfe she lyfted vp her entent and affeccyon by a feruent desyre / to beholde inwardly / with the eye of her ghostly intelleccyon / to se herselfe in the holy myrrour of god / by the whiche suparuysyon / she parceyued more thaÌ„ euer she dyd the foule spottes of her soule / throwe the greate purenesse / or clerenesse / whiche she had in the syght and knowynge of god ¶ And in asmoche as this coÌ„fortable knowynge and desyre / with an inwarde bytternesse / for offence to god / was greately knytte togyder within the foresayde soule / yet throwe the hope the whiche our lorde had put in her / the bytternesse and the mournynge was lassed decresed in her ¶ And ryght as a fyre encreseth whaÌ„ fuell is added therto / so the fyre of loue the whiche was oned to god / waxcd so greately iÌ„ her soule / that it had not ben possyble her lyfe to remayne with her body / but that the soule must passe fro the body / but that she was preserued with strengthe aboue nature / onely of hym of whome cometh all strengthe / or els she myght neuer haue scaped with the lyâ— hy possâ—byly te ¶ Therfore whaÌ„ this soule was thus puryfyed / with thefyre of the dyuyne charyte / whiche she founde in the knowynge of herselfe / and of ger god / and whan that holy desyre / with hope of mannes faluacyon / hope of resormacyon of holp chyrche was thus encresed in her / anâ—ne she lyfte vp her herte with a geete loue before the fader in heuen / whiche had shewed her the mysery of that worlde / and that foule iÌ„ fyrmyte of holy chyrche moche lyke to that worde of Moyses she spake to our lorde sayde thus ¶ My lorde tourne thy mercyfull eyes to thy people / and to the ghostly body of holy chyrche / for iÌ„ sparynge so manye creatures / in gyuynge theÌ„ the lyght of knowynge / moche that more thy name shall be gloryfyed of all thy creatures / the whiche sholden gyue presynges to the / parceyuyÌ„ge beholdyÌ„ge / how by thy endelesse goodnesse / they haue scapen frome the boÌ„des of deedly synnes / frome parpetuall paÌ„pnacyon ¶ And whaÌ„ they knowen what grace thou hase done to me a wretche the whiche so greatly haue offended thy maieste / and I knowledge me the most cause of al meÌ„nes synÌ„es ¶ Therfore lorde I praye thy dyuyne charyte / that thou take no grefe with me / spare thy peple / I shal neuer go fro the presence tyll I se that haue merey on thy peple ¶ What were it to me to haue â—yte to se thy peple haue deth / or that derkenesse sholde aryse â—â— thy spouse holy chyrche / whiche is the pryncypall lyght / for my defautes / for other defautes of thy creatures ¶ Therfore lorde my
¶ Holy god bowe downe thâ— mercy / to thy ghostly flocke of shepe / as a good a very crewe shepeherde ¶ Lorde hye the fast to helpe all the worlde / tary not to gyue them mercy / for now they latken grace ¶ O gracyous lorde the sothefastnesse withouten ende / it semeth that man is pryued of thy charyte that is to saye of the loue the whiche sholde be grounded in the charytably louynge themselfe togyder / and the aboue all ¶ How that god made a compleynt on his reasonable creatures / and specyally for theyr owne ê“pre loue / whiche reygneth in them / where he styrreth the soule to prayers / and teeres THaÌ„ our lorde was fore styrred to mercy and for oure hèlthe / he ordeyned in this soule / how her loue and sorowe myght be encreased to helpe mannes soule / shewynge her with how greate loue he had mad the worlde as it is sayde before and sayde to her thus Thou sees howe the euery man offendeth me / I of my goodnesse made them of nought / with the flamme of greate loue / and how I haue endowed theÌ„ with the gyfte of plentuous graces / and gyftes with out noÌ„bre / onely of my specyal grace of no dewte ¶ Beholde doughter how that they gone agaynst me / with dyuerse / many / and vnnumerable synnes / and dayly done offende me / and namely with theyr owne wret chydnesse / synfull lyuynge of theÌ„selfe / of the whiche wycked loue / cometh out all synne and wyckednesse ¶ With this this wycked loue / all the worlde they haue venymed ¶ For ryght as my loue the is onede to theyr loue / with the loue of theyr neyghbour / holdeth and kepeth all sothefastnesse iÌ„ them as it is shewed before ryght so the sencyble loue holdeth in them / all euyl and vntruthe that loue cometh of pryde ¶ So in the contrary wyse / as my loue cometh of charyte / so that fals loue coÌ„teyneth in theÌ„ all euyll ¶ And this euyll they do by the mene of some creature / that is not in very charyte of his neyghbour / for they louen not me / and they loue not theyr neyghbour ¶ For those two loues muste be knytte togyder ¶ Thus I sayde to the before / the euery good thynge and euery euyll thynge / is done by some mene of his neyghbour ¶ In many other wyses I maye make my compleynt on man / for he receyued nothynge of me but good / and he yeldeth to me agayne hatered dothe all euyll ¶ Therfore I sayde to the / the I sholde aswage my wrothe / by the shedynge of my seruaun tes terres / and so I saye to the now agayne ¶ Therfore ye that ben my seruauÌ„tes / tourneÌ„ my dyuyne dome with youre deuoute prayers / greate desyres / and with sharpe with byt ter sorowes / for offenses done to me and to theyr harmes and so my wrothe shal asswage ¶ How no maÌ„ maye scape the handes of god / but he must abyde his ryghtwysnesse / or his mercy DOughter knowe it for a truthe / that no man may scape my handes / for I am he the am euerlastynge beynge / ye beÌ„ not nor haue no beyÌ„ge of your selfe / but asmoche as ye haue beynge of me / the whiam maker former of all thynges the haueÌ„ beynge / out take synne that is nought ¶ Bycause it is not made of me / therfore in no maner it is byloued Therfore a creature that is blynded he offendeth / for he loueth that whiche he shold not that is to saye synne / and hathe me in hate / whome he is bounde to loue ¶ I am all good / and I gaue to man be ynge / with a feruent loue / he may not scape frome me / for of my ryght wysenesse / he shall abyde here in my handes and power for his synnes / or here by my mercy pyte ¶ Ther fore open thyne eyen of intelleccyon and beholde my power / and thou shall se / that it is trewe that I sayde to the ¶ Than she lyfte vp her gostly eye / to obeye to the fader in heuen / she sawe iÌ„ his honde all the worlde closed ¶ Than oure lorde spake to her and sayde Go doughter and se that no man maye be take fro me for as I sayde al those that abyden here / abydeÌ„ of my ryghtwysenesse / or els of my mercy ¶ For al they beÌ„ myne al of me they haue brought forthe and I loue them more than may be spoken ¶ Therfore not wtstondyÌ„ge theyr wyckednesse / with the helpe good menes of my seruauntes / I shall gyue them mercy ¶ And for thy greate loue / also for thy greate sorowe / I shall fulfyll thy peryeyon ¶ How this soule whan she swette water for a brennynge desyre / in the tyme of prayer / desyred that she myght swete blode THis soule than for greate enerese of hely desyre / was made blyssed / and fulfylled with an holy sorowe ¶ Blyssed she was / for the oneheed she made iÌ„ gody tastyÌ„ge and sauourynge his goodnesse / all fulfyled woith Ioye in his mercy ¶ She was also fulfylled with sorowe whan she knewe the hyghe maieste of god / so greately offended ¶ And than she gaue thaÌ„kynges to the good nesse of god / and knowynge the same goodnesse / and the manyfolde defautes of maÌ„kynde / she rose quyckly as it had ben fro dethe / throwe a greate desyre ¶ And after this whan she knewe in herselfe / the selynge of her soule / so woÌ„derfully renued in that euer beyngt godheed / that her holy loue / and delectable brennyÌ„ge was somoche eÌ„cresed / the she swette water throwe the myght and vyolence / the whiche the soule dyd to the body ¶ For the oncheed whiche the soule made in god / was more parfyte than is the bonde of the oneheed / bytwyxe the soule and the body ¶ Therfore of the streynghe of loue / she had that swetynge hete / but she dyspysed the swerynge / for the affeccyoÌ„ that she had / was with greare desyre to haue swe tynge to come oute of her body all of blode ¶ And in that desyre she spaketo her selfe / and sayde Alas my soule that thou hase lost thus the tyme of this wretched lyfe / and for the losse of thy tyme / many harmes wyckednesses out of nombre haue sall in all the worlde / bothe partycu lâ—tly / and in comyn / and specyally iÌ„ all holy chyrche ¶ Wherfore I wyll and desyre / that thou remedy ouer all these harmes / with the sroetyÌ„ge of blode ¶ Beholde systren and se / how swetely that soule hathe kepte in my ndâ— / the noble doctryne / e whiche euer beynge sothefastnesse had raughte her / and betake her that is to saye in knowynge herselfe and the goodnesse of god in her / and spedefull remedyes for reparacyon of all
forthe fruyte of good workes / shal be cutte awaye frome the vyne / shall waxe drye ¶ For whaÌ„ he is departed fro that vyne / thaÌ„ he leseth the vyne of all graces / and is sende forthe in to the euer lastyÌ„ ge fyre / as a braunche that bryngeth forthe no fruyte is cutte of the vyne and caste in to the fyre / for it is not good for none other thyÌ„ge ¶ Ther fore the ryghtwysenesse of god sendeth them that ben so cutte of / in to the fyre euer lastynge / for theyr owne defautes deynge in decdly synnes / for asmoche as they ben not good in theyrselfe ¶ They done not labour nor they tyllen not theyr vyneyerde but moche soner they done dystroye theyr vyneyerde / and other meÌ„nes also ¶ And not onely that / they plaÌ„ten no good plantes in theyr vyneyerde / but rather they takeÌ„ frome the vyneyetde the sede of grace / the whische they vyden receyue in the lyght of holy baptym / and token the holy ê‘tycypacyoÌ„ of my holy sones blode / whiche treuly was the wyne that this sothfast vyne my sone brought forthe to you / but they haue drawen vp this noble lede / and haue taken it to be eten of dyuerse beestes / that is to saye they haue cast it vnder the fete of an vnordynate affeccyon / by many and dyuerse by â—des of synnes / by the whiche they haue offended me / and put themselfe to damâ—nacyon / and ther neyghbours also ¶ My seruauntes done not so / but folowe you the fayre / and swete pathes of my holy seruauÌ„tes that is to saye ye shall be oned and ioyned togyder / iÌ„ this sothefast and very vyne / and than ye shall be parte takers of moche fruyte ¶ For than ye shall take of the oncheed of the very vyne / and as longe as ye abyde in the oneheed of my sone / so longe ye dwellen with me / for I and he ben all one ¶ And as longe as ye stonden in hym / so longe ye done folowe his doctryne / and in that that ye done folowe his doctryne / ye shal haue parte of the greate substauÌ„ce of my sone that is to saye ye shall be parte takers of the euer benge godheed / oned and oned in the man heed / and he shall haue a maner of dyuyne loue ¶ In the whiche / a soule is made fer frome herselfe / puttyÌ„ge in oblyuyon all vayne delectacyons and for that cause I sayde ye sholden be parte takers of the substauÌ„ce of the foresayde vyne ¶ In what maner god bereth the braunches / the whiche ben oned with the vyne / and how that the vyneyerde of eche mÌ„a is oned / or ioyned with the vyneyerde of his neyghboure B Nowe ye not what maner of workynge ye haue hadde / after the tyme that my seruauntes ben oned to my sone / that they may folowe his doctryne ¶ I purge them / and cutte them / that they may bryÌ„ge forth moche fruyte that theyr fruyte maye abyde / and that it be not become bareyne ¶ As a good braunche ioyned to the vyne / whiche the tyller purgeth cleÌ„seth / bycause it sholde brynge forthe better fruyte / more in quantyte / but he cutteth of the braunche that bryÌ„geth forthe no fruyte / and casteth it in to the fyre ¶ So do I / whiche am the euer beynge tyller / I purge clense my secuauntes whiche abydeÌ„ in me / with many and dyuers trybulacyÌ„os / that they may brynge forthe better more fruyte / that vertu maye be preued in them ¶ Other seruauÌ„tes whiche bryngeÌ„ forthe no fruyte / ben caste frome the vyne / putte to the fyre / as it is sayde before ¶ My seruauntes doubtelesse ben good tyllers / whiche tylleÌ„ well for theyr soules / puttynge away fro the soule all theyr owne soue / tournen al theyr affeccyons in to me / therby they norysshen / and encresen the sede of grace / the whiche they dyd receyue iÌ„ the holy baptym ¶ And so wel they done laboure in theyr owne vyneyerde / that they tylleÌ„ the vyneyerde of theyr neyghbour / for the one maye not be tylled / wtout the other ¶ And yf thou remembre the well I sayde to the before that all good or euyll that a man dothe / it is done by some mene of his neyghboure ¶ Also ye ben my tyllers comen fro me / whiche am the chefe / and euet beynge tyller / I haue sette you in the vyne by the oneheed whiche I made iÌ„ you ¶ Thynke wel and haue in mynde that all reasonable creatures haue theyr owne vyneyerde by themselfe the whiche is oned to theyr neyghbour / without ony other mene that it to saye one so ioyned with an other / that no man maye do good to hymselfe / nor harme / but that he muste yelde the same to his neyghboure ¶ Of you all that is to saye of all the hole crysten relygyon / a general vyneyerde is gadered togydet / the whiche all ye beÌ„ knytte togyder / in the dyneyerde of the ghostly body of youre moder the holy chyrche / of the whiche ye taken lyfe ¶ This sothefast vyne / is the precyous body / parsone of my sone / in whome ye ought to be knytte and fastned with parfyte loue of herte / and charyte in thy neyghboure ¶ For whan ye ben not set parfytely in hym / anone ye rebell greately agaynste the holy chyrche / and ye ben the membres cutte of as rotten membres fro the body of the chyrche ¶ Now whyle ye haue tyme / ye maye aryse frome the corrupcyoÌ„ of synnes with very dysplesaunce of them / and fle to my seruauntes for helpe as to the tyllers whiche kepen the keye of the vyneyerde that is to say of the blode whiche came out of the vyne / whiche is of so greate vertu and parfeccyon / that the fruyte of this very precyous blode / may not be takeÌ„ you / by the defaute of my mynysters ¶ The bonde of charyte is that / the whiche byndeth them with very mekenesse / in the sothefaste knowynge of themselfe and of me whiche wnowynge they haue soughte ¶ And yet thou maye parceyue / that I haue set you as tyllers ¶ And now I cal you agayne to labour / for now the worlde fayleth / the thornes ben somoche multy plyed / that they haue almost ouer growen the sayde in somoche that they wyll gyue no fruyte ¶ I wyll therfore that ye be trewe tyllers that is to helpe besyly soules to trauayle iÌ„ the ghosty body of your moder the holy chyrche ¶ To that I chose you / for I wyll gyue mercy to the worlde / for the whiche thou hase prayed me feruently / and full mekely ¶ How this soule whan she had gyuen thaÌ„kynges to our lorde / the prayed hym to shewe her / whiche wentn by the brydge / and whiche wenteÌ„ not by the brydge
theyr chyldren / or of theyr other frendes they charge them not / but rather they beholden they in as my enemyes ¶ And whan they se them tourmeÌ„ted / they dyscorde iÌ„ not hyÌ„ge fro my wyll / for theyr desyres be fullfylled / the desyre of soules in blysse is to se and beholde my worshyp fullfylled in you / that yet be walkers in the way / the whiche be strauÌ„gers pylgrymes / goynge fast to the ende of dethe ¶ All your soules helthe / they that be in blysse done couer / for the desyre that they haue to my worshyp ¶ Therfore they pray alway for you whose desyre is fulfylled of my party / so that ye wtstoÌ„de not my mercy / for tomoche ignoraunce blyndenesse ¶ Forthermore those soules that be in blys / desyre to take agayne theyr bodyes for encrese of blys / that they sholde haue / whaÌ„ that soule the body come togyder / but that desyre noyeth the not / though they haue not theyr desyre / iÌ„ acte or in dede ¶ But they ioye with a ghostly desyre of knowynge / they fele tast ioyenge of that sykernes / whiche they haue of theyr desyre / that shall be fulfylled ¶ Therfore thoughe they haue not theyr desyre in acte / it noyeth theym not / for thoughe they haue it not / theyr blys faylâ—â— not / therfore the lacke of theyr 〈◊〉 / causeth theÌ„ no peyne ¶ And â—â—â—nke you not that the body gyueth 〈◊〉 blys to the soule after the resurâ—â—â—â—on ¶ It is not so / for yf it were â—o / â—â—dâ—s 〈◊〉 wolde folowe / that in to yeâ—yme they had agayne theyr bodyâ—â—â— they sholde haue in partyte blys 〈…〉 may not be / for they lacke no â—â—yon ¶ Wherfore there is no 〈…〉 man that bryngeth blys to his 〈◊〉 / but the soule shall gyue blys to 〈…〉 y. ¶ ThaÌ„ shall the soule gyue 〈◊〉 yeweher habuÌ„daunce of newe 〈◊〉 in the daye of IudgemeÌ„t so 〈◊〉 â—â—othynge of her owne flesshe 〈…〉 iefte / whan the soule deâ—â—â—â—◠〈◊〉 â—ody by dethe ¶ Ryght 〈…〉 is made vndeedly / and al 〈…〉 in engthed in me / so shall 〈…〉 be made in the same vnyon 〈◊〉 â—oly ¶ And all the heuynesse â—â—rosyte of the body shal awaye and shall be made sotell and lyghte ¶ Wherfore thou shall vnderstonde that euery body gloryfyed / maye passe throwe the stonen walles ¶ Nother fyre nor water maye noye them / that is not by the vertu of the body / but by that vertu of thou soule ¶ Whiche soule is properly myne / gyueÌ„ to the body by grace / by loue / throwe the whiche grace loue / I formed theÌ„ / made theÌ„ to my ymage lykenes ¶ The eye of thy intelleccyon suffyseth not to se / nor thy ere 's to here / nor toÌ„gue to tell / nor maÌ„nes herte to thyÌ„ke / the grete goodnes other blys / whiche is inestimable ¶ O doughter what grete ioy haue they / whiche euer beholde me that am all good ¶ O how moche solace they shall haue / whan they shal be gloryfyed in theyr bodyes ¶ Whiche solace al be it they sholden not haue in to the daye of dome yet sholde the soules haue no peyne for that lacke of theyr bodyes / for that blyssed heed of the soule fayleth not / for she is euer full of blys in herselfe / to the whiche blys / she shall come with the body / as I haue sayde before ¶ I tolde the of the goodnes that maye not be thought / the whiche a body gloryfyed shal haue in the humanyte gloryfyed of my dere sone / whiche humanyte gyueth to you clerely a sykernes of your resurreccyoÌ„ ¶ Ther they ioy make theÌ„ glad in his wouÌ„des / whiche wouÌ„des cese not to cry euery day mercy for you to me that am the fader ¶ All blyssed soules be coÌ„forted with hym in ioye and gladnes / eye with eye / and with honde / and with all that hole body of my onely sone ¶ All ye sholde be confyrmed in me a bydynge / so ye sholde dwell in hym / for he is all one with me ¶ The eye of your body as I sayde / shall haue gladnes iÌ„ the humanyte gloryfyed of my sone ¶ And this is the cause / for theyr lyues ended in the loue of my charyte ¶ And therfore with that charyte they ben parseuer auÌ„te / abydâ— euerlastyÌ„gely ¶ Not so that they may do ony good / but they Ioye in that loue whiche they had that is to say for they maye not haue ony merytory dede in excersyce ¶ For here in this lyfe onely / meÌ„ synne do merytory dedes as theÌ„ lyke at theyr owne wyâ— with theyr fre choyse ¶ They that abyde iÌ„ blys / abyde not the dyuyne dome with drede / but with ioye ¶ The face of my sone shall not be seen drede full to theÌ„ nor ful of hate / for asmoche as theyr lyfe ended in my loue / in the benyuoleÌ„ce of theyr neyghbours ¶ Thou shall also vnderstonde / that there shall no chauÌ„gyÌ„ge of face be iÌ„ hyÌ„ to theyr syght / wha he cometh to Iudge in my maieste / but in theÌ„ that shall be â—udged of hyÌ„ / to theÌ„ ther shall be dredefull chauÌ„gynge of lokyÌ„ge ¶ He shal appere to that soules that shall be dapned with ryghtwysenes hatered / to theÌ„ that shall be saued / with mercy loue ¶ ThaÌ„ after the generall IudgemeÌ„t the peyne of dampned soules shall encrese DOughter I haue tolde that of the dygnyte of ryghtfull men / by the whiche thou maye know that more lyghtly / the mysery of theÌ„ that be dampned ¶ This is an other peyne to theyr myseryes / for to beholde somoche blys of ryghtful meÌ„ / whiche beholdynge is to theÌ„ encrese of peynes / as it is to ryghtfull meÌ„ the daÌ„pnacyon of them that be dampned / an addycyon of gladnes of my goodnes / for lyghte is better knowe for derkenes / and derkenes for lyghte ¶ Therfore the syght of seyntes shall be to them peyne / and with peyne they adyde the laste daye of Iudgement / for they se well therby grete encrese of peyne to them / so it shal be ¶ For whaÌ„ it shall be sayde to theÌ„ with an hortyble voyce / Aryse ye that be deed come to the Iudgement / than shall the soule go agayne to the body ¶ And in ryghtfull meÌ„ the body shall be gloryfyed / of theÌ„ that shal be daÌ„pned the body shall be tourmented wtout ende ¶ And grete stryues shall be ymonge them / and repreues in beholdynge of my sothefastnes / and of blyssed seyntes ¶ And thaÌ„ the worme of conscyence freteth that marowz of that tree that is the soule / and the vtter rynde of the tree that is the body / the holy blode that was shed for theym they shold vndernyme ¶ Also theyr dedes of mercy teÌ„poral spyrytual / they sholde repreue
some goodnes / also this boke maketh mencyon of a vysyoÌ„ that this blyssed vyrgyn had with dyuers and many maters / as it is rehersed before iÌ„ the kalender Caâ— i THe fende a mynystre ordeyned of my ryghtwysenesse to tourment soules / whiche greuously offende me ¶ And I ordeyned theym in this lyfe / that they sholde tempte and do greate greuaunce to my creatures ¶ Not for my creatures sholden be ouercome / but forthey sholden ouercome the fende / and that they sholde receyue of me the glory of vyctory / throwe the vertu that is pryued in them ¶ And therfore no maÌ„ shall drede the temptacyons of the fende / for ony batayle that shall befall hyÌ„ ¶ For I haue ordeyned meÌ„ to be stronge / and I haue gyueÌ„ theÌ„ the strengthe of a wyll / the whiche is made myghty in the blode of my sone / whiche wyll no fende nor creature maye remoue / for youre wyl is toyned to you of me with a fre chose therfore ye maye kepe that wyll at your owne choyse as you lyke and releshe it yf ye wyll ¶ That wyll is an armure / whiche ye put in the hoÌ„de of youre aduersary ¶ And but that ye take hede / it is a swerde wherwith he smyteth you / and sometyme sleeth you ¶ Neuerthelesse yf a man take not this sharpe swerde of his wyll in to the hondes of the fende that is to saye that he assente not to his temptacyons and greuaunces / he shall neuer be hurte with deedly synne throwe ony temptacyoÌ„s / but rather those teÌ„ptacyoÌ„s shall strengthe hyÌ„ so that he opeÌ„ his eye of intelleccyon to beholde my charyte / whiche charyte suffreth you to be tempted onely / that ye sholde come to the rewarde that is ordeyned for vertu ¶ No man may attayne to vertues / but throw the knowynge of me / and of hymselfe / whiche knowynge is most parfytely had in the tyme of temptacyons ¶ For than a man knoweth hymselfe / that he is nought of hym selfe whan he maye not remoue and put awaye the peynes and greuaunces the whiche he desyred to voyde ¶ And than he knoweth me also in his propre wyll / for his wyl is made stronge of my goodnes / for asmohce as he coÌ„senteth not to suche wycked thoughtes ¶ More ouer the eye of his intelleccyon seeth that my charyte suffreth those thoughtes / for that fende is feble of hymselfe / he maye do nought / but iÌ„ asmoche as I suffre and withdrawe my honde ¶ I suffre hym not for hatered that I haue to you / but for grete loue / not for ye sholde be ouercome of hyÌ„ / but that ye sholde ouercome hym / that ye maye therby come to the parfyte knowlege of me / and of youreselfe ¶ Also that vertu maye haue experyence therby / for vertu hathe no experyence / but by his contraryte ¶ Therfore beholde well and se that the fendes be but my mynystres / other to tourment the that be dapned in hell / other to tourmente men in this worlde for excersyce in vertues / and experyence in the soule ¶ And yet theyr entent is for no excersyce in vertues / nor for experyence / for they haue not somoche charyte / but to that entent / that they wolde take awaye frome them vertues / and that maye they not / but ye wyll ¶ Sees thou not doughter how moche is the foly of deedly men whiche make them so feble / so that I haue fulfylled them with so grete strengthe / they put themselfe iÌ„ to the hondes power of fendes ¶ And therfore I wyl that thou knowe / that at the ende of theyr dethe / for asmoche as they made themselfe soget to the power of the fende / without constrenynge / for the fende maye not compel them / but wylfully they put theÌ„selfe in to the power of the fende / therfore at the last ende whaÌ„ they come to deth / they abyde not other iudgement / but with that wycked domynacyoÌ„ / they deme themselfe by wyckednesse of theyr conseyence ¶ And so without ony hope they pas forth to euerlastynge peynes of hell / and hell is streyned of theÌ„ with hatered and or euer that they come to hell / here they haue take it for theyr hyre and rewarde / this thou maye se by ensamble of a ryghtfull man ¶ As ryghtfull men whiche lyued in charyte / and dye in loue whan the ende or dethe cometh / yâ— they haue lyued partyâ—â—ly in this lyfe in vertu / and be made lyght and bryght with the lyght of feythe with crylte shewth the cye of parfyte hope / the good and that profyte of the blode of the holy lambe my sone whiche I haue ordeyned to them / than that goodnesse they coll and clyppe with armes of loue / and â—â—reyne me to them in the laste ende â—theyr lyues / with hausynges of loue / whiche am the most souerayne euerlastynge loue ¶ Than in this maner suche men taste the euerlastynge lyfe / or they leue the heuy but then of theyr body that is to saye or the soule be departed fro the body ¶ Other ther be the lyued in comune charyte / that were not in so grete parfeccyon / and whan they came to the tyme of dethe / they dyd trust to my mercy with the lyght of feyth hope / whiche lyght the parfyte soules had as I haue sayde before ¶ But yet they haue not the lyght of teythe nor hope so parfytely / as parfyte soules haue / but they haue lyght and hope vnparfyte ¶ And all be it they be vnparfyte / yet they haue my mercy whan they knowe and knowlege that my mercy is more and larger than theyr synnes ¶ But wycked men worke in the coÌ„trary / they se and beholde theyr abydyÌ„ge place of peyne without ony hope / that they take wtoute my charyte / as I sayde before ¶ Wherfore nother of these twayne abyde other Iudgement / but whaÌ„ they sholde pas / eueryone knoweth the place and abydynge whyder they sholde go / or they be departed fro the body that is to saye they the sholde be daÌ„pned knowe theyr place with peyne without charyte with hatered and dyspyracyon ¶ They also that ben partyte and shal go to blys knowe theyr abydyÌ„ge in blys with the lyght of feythe / and with loue / and with truste of the vertu of the holy blode shedynge / of the holy meke lambe of my sone ¶ And other that be vnparfyte with truste on mercy and with the lyght of feythe / passe forthe to the place of purgatory / wher they shall be purged and made parfyte / and so to obtayne the blysse of heueÌ„ ¶ How that the fende alwaye catcheth soules vnder the coloure of some goodnesse / and how they that gone by the grete floode and not by the brydge be dysceyued and go to losse TAke thou hede nowehowe I haue tolde the / howe the
tast fele here in this lyfe tokens of hell peynes / as my seruaūtes in the contrary do begynne here to sele and sauour the tokyns and sykernes of euerlastȳ lyfe ¶ Knowes thou not doughter that it is a ful synguler and a greate good and rewarde / whiche the blyssed company in heuē haue ¶ It is theyr ful wyll to haue his wyll / whom they desyre loue / they couet me / and for that they couet me / they haue me / and sauour me without ony rebellyon or withstondynge / for they haue lefte of and forsaken the heuynesse of the body / whiche was a wycked lawe of the flesshe / whiche stryued agaynst the spyryte ¶ The body was a meane to man / whiche body wolde not suffre hym to knowe the sothefastnes and that they myght not se me face to face / that myght not be / for the body dyd let them fro that syght ¶ After that that the soule hathe forsake the greuous heuynesse of the body / than is his wyl fulfylled ¶ For whā he desyreth me / he seeth me / ī whose syght abydeth al your blys ¶ Whā the soule seeth he knoweth / whan he knoweth he loueth ¶ Whan he loueth me most souerayne and euer lastynge goodnesse / than he tasteth and sauoureth me ¶ Whan he tasteth / he fulfylleth his wyl that is to saye his desyre that he hathe to knowe and beholde me / and ī the desyre he hathe me / and whan he hathe me / he desyreth me ¶ And as I sayd before / peyne is fer fro that desyre / werynes is fer fro replecyon ¶ Also thou sees that my seruauntes pryncypally sholde receyue theyr blysse in knowynge of me / and ī the syght of me / whiche syght and knowynge of of them / fulfylleth the wyll of them in all thynges ¶ And what the wyl desyreth / it hathe / and so it is pleynly fulfylled / therfore I sayde to the / that syngulerly to tast and sauoure euerlastynge lyfe / was that whiche the wyll desyreth to haue ¶ But yet thou shall knowe / that whā that soule seeth me and knoweth me / it is fulfylled ¶ And in this lyfe as I sayd he receyueth as for a rewarde a sykernesse of euerlastynge lyfe / begynnynge here ī a maner to sauour and tast / that they sholde haue after in full replecyō without ende ¶ But here thou askes how a soule maye fele a sykernesse in this lyfe / I tell the it is in the syght of my goodnesse in hym / and in the knowlegynge and knowynge of my sothefastnes / whiche knowȳge the bryght clere intelleccyon he hathe in me / whiche intelleccyō is that eye of the soule ¶ This eye hathe a lytle blacke in the eye / whiche gyueth syght of holy feythe / whiche lyght of the feythe / maketh a soule to knowe to folowe the waye the doctryne of my sothefastnesse / that is of my sone incarnate / wtout this clere syght of feythe / that waye and doctryne is not seen / but as a man seeth that hathe onely the forme of an eye / not the syght / a cloude couereth that lytle blacke whiche gyueth lyghte to the eye ¶ For that lytle blacke of of the intellectual eye / whiche gyueth clere syght / is the holy feythe whiche blacke whā a cloude of vntruthe or of mysbyleue is cast ther vpon / it seeth ryght nought / whiche cloude of mysbyleue cometh of a mannes owne propre loue / and sothe it is / it seeth not / for it hathe a lykenes and forme of an eye / but it hath no lyght ¶ For throwe his owne propre loue he hathe take fro hȳselfe / his owne propre lyght ¶ Thou sees also that in the syght of the intellectuall eye / they haue knowynge / whan they knowe / they loue / and whan they loue / they leue and forsake theyr propre wyll ¶ And whā they put theyr owne wyll / than they take my wyl / whiche desyre not but your satysfaccyon ¶ Suche that forsake theyr owne wyll / they gone away myghtly / fro the party of the lower waye / and begynne to ascende vp by the brydge / gone vpō thornes ¶ And for theyr feet that is to say theyr affeccyons ben accordynge with my wyll / therfore the thornes do them no harme ¶ Therfore I tolde the that they dyd suffre peyne bodyly / but no peyne to theyr soule / for theyr sencyble wyll is deed / whiche bryngeth causeth the peyne / and tourmenteth the soule of a creature ¶ And whan that sencyble wyll is voyded / thā is that peyne auoyded ¶ And more ouer they bere all thynges and do suffre with grete reuerēce / take it to a grete grace / for my name to be troubled / and they desyre nothynge / but that I wyll ¶ Yf I suffre them to haue ony peyne throwe temptacyon of the fende to preue vertu in them / as I sayd before / they make resystens with a good wyll / whiche wyll they haue made stronge and myghty in me / haue meked loued thēselfe ¶ And with pease rest of soule / they thȳke thēselfe vnworthy ony grace or rest demynge themselfe worthy to haue manyfolde peynes / and so withoute ony peyne / or dysease / they passe out of this worlde / with a full knowynge of themselfe / and with an inwarde ghostly ioye ¶ And this shall be / wheder they be troubled of the fende / or wheder sekenesse tourment them or pouerte / or ony promocyō of state in the worlde / or dethe of chyldren / or of frēdes / whiche bē al ful sharpe thornes / the whiche the erthe brought forthe for synne ¶ And al these thornes they do suffre ryght pacyently and full benyngely / with the clere lyght of reason / and lyght of the holy feythe / beholdynge me most soue rayne goodnesse ¶ For I maye nothynge desyre but all good / yf passyons penes I sende to thē it is not for hatered / but for a faderly loue ¶ After tyme they haue knowen a parfyte loue ī me / anone they come agayne to thēselfe / knowynge theyr owne defautes ¶ And than they seen with the lyghte of feythe / that al goodnesse shall be rewarded / synne shal be punysshed / and a lytle synne contynued / shall haue an infynyte peyne / for it was done agaynst me / the whiche am infynyte goodnesse ¶ Also by the lyght of this feythe / they take it for a specyall grace / that I wyll amēde thē punesshe thē here in this lyfe / and in this tyme that shall haue ende ¶ So they reken theyr synnes togyder / as they purchase meryte / with contrycyon of herte / or with parfyte pasyence / they ben rewarded with good without ende for theyr laboures ¶ And yet they knowe well / that all the trauayle of this shorte lyfe is full lytle ¶ The tyme onely
that they cut awaye the venym of theyr propre sensualyte / whiche bryngeth in the peyne dethe euer endurynge ¶ And sothely venym it is / for ryght as venym bryngeth peyne to the body / and at the laste dethe / but he caste it out that soner fro hym / or take some medycyne / ryght so it is of this cursed scorpyon and venȳ of worldely loue ¶ I saye not that they sholde cast awaye temporall goodes fro themselfe / for temporall goodes in themselfe ben good / for of me they ben made and ordeyned that am moost souerayne good ¶ And therfore a man maye vse them as he wyll / with holy loue and very trewe drede ¶ But I say of the wycked wyll of a man / the whiche poysoneth the soule bryngynge in dethe / but it be cast out hastely with all maner desyres of the herte by deuoute confessyon / the whiche confessyon / is the most souerayne medycyne / that delyuereth a man fro suche venȳ / thoughe it seme ryght bytter in the sensualyte ¶ Sees thou not how now all suche bē dysceyued that myghte and they wolde haue me / and also haue comforte ghostly gladnesse and put awaye fro thē heuynesse ¶ And yet rather they coueyten euyll vnder coloure of good thynge / euer with all maner besynesse and vnordynate loue to gader togyder gredyly golde ¶ Neuerthelesse bycause they ben blynded with moche mystrustynge of infydelyte / they knowen not this venȳ ¶ And they knowē well that they bē poysoned and venymed / and yet they wyl not receyue no medicyne ¶ Suche people done bere the fendes crosse / and tasten without ony doubte the ernest of hell ¶ How worldely men with all theyr rychesse and goodes / can not holde them contented / and of the peyne that they deserue for theyr wycked wylles / aswell in this lyfe / as after theyr dethe I Sayde before to the / that wyll alone is cause why man is punysshed and peyned all with my seruaūtes in asmoche as they lacke theyr owne wyll / and bē gouerned after my wyl / therfore they fele no peyne that greueth thē but they bē fulfylled in theyr soules felȳge me īwardeli by grace ¶ And all suche that haue not me / maye in no wyse be fulfylled / yf they had all the worlde ¶ For all thynges that ben made / ben lesse of dygnyte than man / for they ben made for man / not man for them / and therfore he maye not be fulfylled with thē ¶ I alone maye fulfyll hym / none but I. ¶ Therfore all suche worldely wretches / ben so clypped with that derke cloude of blyndenesse ¶ Euer they ben besy / and labour in vayne / alwaye desyrynge to haue suche as they shal neuer haue / so they may neuer be fylled ¶ For of me the maye fulfyll thē / they wyll no thynge aske ¶ I tell the how it stondeth with thē in peynes / thou knowes well that loue causeth peyne / whan that thynge the is lost / to the whiche al worldely mē ben holy conformed ¶ Worldely mē conformen them in al maner wyses by vnordynate loue to erthely thynges / and ther by they ben made all erthe ¶ For they haue a maner of ghostly impressyon of lykenes with ryches ¶ Who is that / what euer state he stondes in / that wolde for ony seruyce done to creatures / haue the losse of me ¶ Or who is that the whiche maketh of his owne body by vnclennesse of lyuynge / an vnreasonable beest ¶ All suche feden them of the erthe / by desyrynge of dyuers worldely states ¶ And they woldē that they sholden euerlast / but it wyll not be / for they passen awaye as the wynde / other by meane of dethe / or els I by ryghtwyse ordynaūce depryue them / fro suche thynges that they so loue vnordynately / and than is theyr peyne intollerable / for by asmoche as they had suche good in possessyō by an vnordynate loue / by somoche they lese thē with sharper peyne ¶ Neuerthelesse yf they haddē kepte them as goodes lente / and not as theyr propre goodes / doubtelesse they sholdē haue forsake them wtout peyne ¶ And therfore theyr peyne is the more / bycause they haue not that they desyre ¶ For as I sayde the worlde maye not fulfyll thē / and than they haue a grete peyne / what ben the paynes of his conscyence / and what peynes he suffreth that wyll be venged for worldely good / I shall tell the. ¶ Contynually he freteth hymselfe / and fyrste he sleeth his owne soule / soner thā his ghostly enemy ¶ He is fyrste deed / for he hath sleyne hymselfe / with the swerde of hate ¶ O what peyne suche a couetous worldely man the is enuyous suffreth in his conscyence / euer so fretynge hymselfe / and wyll not suffre hymselfe to haue no delyte of his neyghbours prosperyte ¶ By this thou maye knowe what peyne a worldly couetous mā suffreth of that thurste of his auaryce / the whiche wyll neuer fulfyll his owne nede / nor the necessyte of other ¶ Thus than of all suche thynges that a man loueth in the sensualyte of his flesshe / he draweth to hym by many vnordinate dredes / and moche peyne of cōscyence ¶ They take vpon them wylfully for to bere the deuylles peynefull cros in tastynge here of the ernest of hell ¶ And the seke people lyuen in this worlde / in many maner dyuers wyses of ghostly peynes at the last but yf they amende them / for to receyue dethe euerlastynge ¶ All suche ben in the waye of sothefastnes / that in this worlde ben hurte by thornes of many trybulacyons / tourmentȳge thēselfe by theyr owne vnordynate mysruled wyll ¶ All suche haue tourmente of body and of soule / for with peynes and tourmentes the body and the soule ben torne in peces / in asmoche as they gate golde / and wanne ryches of the worlde / with an vnordynate myse ruled loue ¶ And so they bē depryued of the lyfe of grace and affeccyon of charyte / and they ben made trees of dethe / and therfore all theyr werkes ben deed / for they lyuen in grete peynes / walowynge in the floode that ledeth to the water of dethe / passynge forthe with hate by the fendes gate / and so they receyue endelesse dāpnacyō ¶ Now thou knowes how they that maken them wylfully the deuyls martyrs dysceyuē themselfe / and with what peynes they dyscende gone downe to hell ¶ What is that trowes thou that blyndeth them ¶ Nothynge elles / but a cloude trewely of theyr owne mysruled dysordynate loue layde ouer the clere syghte of the holy feythe ¶ Thou knowes also how worldely trybulacyons / ī what maner they come ¶ They hurten onely bodyly my specyall seruauntes / bycause they bē cast out of the worlde but yet they ben not hurte spyrytually that is in
stondeth in the well / it is neuer ydle nor voyde / but euer ful ¶ Ryght so loue of neyghbours / bothe spyrytuall temporall / wyll be drunke in me wtout beholdynge and rewarde of ony creatures ¶ I aske not that of you that ye loue me with the same loue that I loued you / for that maye ye not do / bycause I loued you / whan I was not loued of you ¶ All maner of loue that ye haue to me / 〈◊〉 it to me of dewte / not of grace / bycause ye sholde do it / but I loue you of grace / and not of dewte ¶ Therfore that loue whiche I aske of you ye maye not yelde it to me / and for that cause I haue put a meane bytwyxe you and me that is to saye youre neyghboure that ye do to hym / that ye maye not do to me / and that is that yÌ„e loue hym of grace / without ony beholdynge / and without ony abydynge ¶ For I holde it done to me that is done to hym for thy loue / this shewed well my sothefast sone to seynt Paule whan be parsued me sayenge thus ¶ Saule Saule why parsues thou me ¶ This he sayde holdyÌ„ge me parsued / in that he parsued my trewe seruauntes ¶ And therfore suche loue wolde be pure / for lyke with the same loue that ye sholde loue me / ye sholde loue them ¶ Yf thou wyll knowe the tokeÌ„s of vnê“fyte loue / I shall declare them to ye. ¶ Yf a man loue an other ghostly fele payne that tourmenteth hym / in asmoche as the creature that he loueth is not sene to hym for to satysfy to his loue / iÌ„ louyÌ„ge hym agayne as he loueth hym / his louyÌ„ge is vnparfyte ¶ Also yf he se his conuersacyon be withdrawe or pryued / or desolate fro ghostly comforte / or yf he se an other beloued more than he hymselfe ¶ All these be takens and many mo / that his loue bothe in me in his neyghbour is vnparfyte / and this is for to drynke of the vessell wtout the well ¶ All be it he toke the lycoure of loue of me / yet his loue was not abydnge parfytely in me / as in the well of loue ¶ Therfore it sheweth tokens of imparfeccyon in by / whom he loueth ghostly ¶ And all this maye be the cause / for the rote of his owne propre loue / was neuer yet pulled vp wel ¶ Therfore I suffre loue ofte tymes to be had / that he maye knowe his owne imparfeccyon / by my wtdrawynge of felynge fro hym / that he maye shutte hym vp and enclose hymselfe in the house of his owne knowlege ¶ In the whiche knowlege / he shall get al maner of parfeccyon ¶ And thaÌ„ shall I entre with a greate lyght / with very knowlege of my truthe insomoche that he shall holde it for a synguler grace / to mortyfy or sle for my loue his propre wyl ¶ And he shall cease neuer to cutte awaye the superfluytes of his vyne / to pull vp the thornes of his thoughtes / and buylde edyfy very myghty stones of vertu / grouÌ„ded set in that blode of my sones passyon / the whiche be founde by goynge vpon the brydge of my onely sone crucyfyed before sayde / grounded vpon the doctryne of my truthe in the vertu of his blode ¶ For by vertues ye lyuen in the strengthe of his passyon ✚ And here nowe mdder systren thus endeth the seconde parte of this orcharde / in the whiche all we be shewed the very way to heuen / and in that same boke we be shewed how to cut of the supfluytes of our vynes / and how we shall pull vp the pryckynge thornes of oure thoughtes / with dyuers maters / as it is rehersed in the kalender before ¶ The fourthe boke ¶ The fyrste chapytre of the .iiii. party / speketh of prayer / fyrste in what maner a soule shall gouerne her / that she maye come to pure loue and lyberall / and moche of this .iiii. partel speketh of prayers and of teres ¶ But fyrste god sheweth here a doctryne of the holy sacrameÌ„t of crystes body And how a soule shal come fro vocall prayer / to mentall prayer with other maters as it is rehersed to you in the kalender before Ca. i. AFter tyme a soule hath entred and gone by the doctryne of cristes passyon / crucyfyed with very loue of vertu / and hate of vyces / it stondeth with parfyte parseueraunce / namely suche a soule that is parfytely come to the house of his owne knowlege / abydynge myghtely and coÌ„tynually in holy watche prayer / drpted fully fro the coÌ„uersacyoÌ„ of the worlde ¶ Wherfore hath suche a soule closed her in the house of her owne knowlege ¶ In certayne for drede / knowynge her owne imparfeccyon / and also for desyre that it hathe / for to come to a pure and a lyberal loue / and also bycause it seeth well that it may come in no otherwyse therto ¶ Therfore with quycke feythe she abideth the comyÌ„ge of me / by encrease of grace iÌ„ herselfe ¶ But wherby shall a man knowe quycke feythe ¶ Truly by parseueraunce of vertu / and not goynge abacke for nothynge that falleth / nor for to cease nor leue iÌ„ dewe tyme fro holy prayers / but yf it be for charyte / or for obedyence or els not for ofte tymes by vnordynate tyme of prayer / that fende cometh by many heuynesses and batayles / more than she were founde without prayer / that he dothe for to dysceyue her / for to make her to leue holy prayers ofte tymes sayenge to her after this maner ¶ This prayer profyteth that not / for thou sholde take hede to no thynge elles / nor thynke nothynge elles but to that and of that thou sees / thus he saythe to make thy prayer to be heuy to the / and for bycause thou sholde cease of the excercyse of holy prayers / the whiche is an armure by the whiche a soule is defended and kepte frome all her aduersytes with stretchynge forthe of the honde of loue / and with the arme of fre choyse / defendyÌ„ge her selfe with the same armure / and with the lyghte of very feythe ¶ God sheweth here a doctryne / of the holy sacrament of the auter that is to saye of the holy sacrament of crystes body / and how a soule shall come fro vocall prayer / to mentall prayer / and here is shewed a vysyon / whiche this deuoute soule had on a tyme. THou knowes well dere doughter / that in meke contynuall prayer and feythfull with parseueraunce / a soule wynneth all vertu / and therfore she sholde parseuer and neuer leue it / nother for yllusyoÌ„ of the fende / nor for theyr owne freylte that is by thoughte or mouyÌ„ge that cometh iÌ„ theyr owne flesshe / nother by spekynge of no creature / for ofte tymes
that peyne the whiche ye haue receyued of me / is infynyte / and that is in the vertu of my dyuyne nature that is ifynyte / and oned with the nature of man / the whiche was fynyte and hadde an ende / the whiche nature of man suffred peyne / arayed clothed in your manhode / therfore my workynge maye well be sayde and called infynyte / not for cause the peyne is infynyte / nother the actuall peyne that I suffred in my body / nor also the peyne of my desyre the whiche I had for to fulfyll complete youre raunsome / for that I fynyshed and ended in my cros / whan the soule went out of that body / but the fruyte the came out fro the peyne / and of the desyre the whiche I suffred for your helthe is infynyte / and therfore infynytely ye sholde receyue the fruyte therof ¶ For but yfthat fruyte were not infynyte / all man kynde sholde neuer be restored / nother they that be now present / nor they that be passed / nor they that be to come ¶ Nor also a man that hathe offended / he sholde neuer haue myghte nor power for to aryse / yf this moste blessyd blode were not gyuen to you infynytely ¶ This shewed I well to you mopenyge of my syde / where that I shewed to you the priuites of my herte makynge so to be knowen to you / that I loue you more than I can shewe you with this fynyte peyne ¶ Also I shewe to the infynyte loue / with what thynge trowes thourtruly with haptym of blode oned medled with the fere of my charyte / the whiche blode was gotē out by loue / in generall baptym also the whiche is gyuen to crysten men / and to whome that that wyll receyue it is water medled with blode fere where a soule tourneth her wyndeth her in my blode / and that was the cause why I wolde the blode water sholde rēne out of my syde ¶ Now haue I answered to the that thynge / that thou dyd aske me before ¶ How a soule whan it is come vp to that thyrde gree of that brydge that is to saye after the tyme it is come to the mouthe / anone it taketh that dore of that mouthe / whan the propre wyll of a man is deed / it is a very tokē that it come thyder ALso thou knowes well all that I haue tolde the now / my sothefast sone hathe colde the before / yet neuerthelesse I haue rehersed the same to the agayne / spekȳgem his persone / that thou myght the better knowe the worthy excellence in the whiche a soule is set in / that hathe ascended this seconde gree / wher she knoweth seketh somoche fere of loue / by the whiche she cometh to the thyrde gre that is to the mouthe where is well shewed that she is come to the stare of parfeccyon / comynge thyder by the myddes of the herte / that is in hauȳge mynde of the blode in the whiche she is baptysed / leuȳge vnparfyte loue / by the knowlege that she drewe oute of the hertely loue seynge and tastynge and felynge by experyence the brēnynge fyre of my charyte / all suche be come to the very mouthe / and therfore they excersyce and shewe openly the offyce of the mouthe ¶ For ryght as the mouthe speketh with the tongue that is in the mouthe / and the taste tasteth / the mouthe receyueth yeldeth that is receyued to that stomake / that tethe chewe breke that is receyued / for it may not elles be swalowed ¶ Ryght so a soule speketh with the tongue of his holy contynuall prayer / suche a tōgue yeldeth to me bothe actually mētally / for belth of soules ryght swete ghostly desyres mery ¶ Actually it speketh in shewynge / admonyshynge / coūseylȳge / knowlegȳge the doctryne of my very truthe / wtout ony fere of peyne / what peyne that euer the worlde gyueth / but boldely hardyly before euery creature she knowlegeth the truthe before all creatures / to euery creature after his estate ī dyuers wyses maners ¶ Suche a soule eteth the meet of the helthe of soules / takynge that same meet vpon the ryghte blessyd table of the cros / for otherwyse / nor vpon no other table she maye in no wyse parfytely ete it ī truthe / but it be vp on the table of the cros ¶ Also I saye that suche a soule eteth it breketh it with her tethe / for elles she maye neuer chewe that same ghostli meet / that is with holy hate and loue / the whiche two be two orders of tethe in that mouthe of holy desyre / the whiche receyueth ghostly meet / brekynge etynge it with hate of herselfe with loue of vertu / dystryenge brekynge bothe in herselfe in her neyghbour almaner of miuryes wronges / that is derysyons / repreues / refrenynges / with many other parsecucyōs / suffrynge hongre thruste / colde and hete / heuynesse and waylynges / defyres / wepynges and werynesse for helthe of soules ¶ All these she breketh and dystroyeth for the loue of me / supportynge and susteynynge her neyghbour charytably ¶ And after tyme the meet is thus broke and the taste hathe tasted it / that is that it haue sauoure in suche ghostly laboute and loue of suche meet of soules / tastynge it in the fere of my brennynge charyte / and in the loue of her neyghbour / so that this meet that cometh in to the stomake / the whiche stomake is dysposed for to receyue suche meet of desyre helthe that it hadde to soules / the whiche stomake is nothynge elles / but an hertely wyll for to receyue delectacy on loue of charyte with her neyghbour / desyrynge chewynge hym in herselfe by habundaunte charytable loue ¶ Suche a soule gyueth no force of the tendernesse of the bodyly lyfe / but rather set her with her myght for to ete that meet before sayde receyued and taken vpon the table of the cros of doctryne of my onely sothefaste sone Ihesucryst ¶ Thā is suche a soule made fat in very ryall vertues / and somoche made fat of the abundaunce of that meet / that the araye and clothȳge of her owne sensualyte that is of her body breketh of as the sencyble appetyte / and yf it breketh it / it dyeth / for what that euer it breketh dyeth / and thā with that dyeth the sencyble wyl / that is bycause the ordynate and well ruled wyll of the soule leueth arayed and couered in me with a parfyte and a very blessyd endelesse wyll ¶ And therefore the sencyble wyll is deed / and al this dothe the parfyte soule that is come in truthe very sothefastenesse to the thyrde gree of the m̄outhe ¶ And the token that it is come is this that she fyndeth her owne sencyble wyl mortyfyed / whā she tasteth the
mynystred by the herdes of holy chyrche / for to be strenghe to them that wyll be maÌ„ly knyghtes / and fyghte agaynste the fende and the worlde / and agaynste theyr owne sensualyte and freylte of flesshe / with the swerde of hate of theyr ghostly enemyes / and with loue of vertues / the whiche loue is armure by whom they be defended and kepte fro strokes ¶ For the enemyes maye not hurte none of my knyghtes / but whan they delyuer vnto theyr hondes theyr swerdes armure / tourne theyr backes frely with the haÌ„de of fre choyse ¶ My knyghtes wyll not do so / but rather they dure and parseuer myghtely to yÌ„ dethe / for they be ghosty druÌ„ke with the precyous blode before sayd / by the whiche parseuerauÌ„ce / al theyr ghostly enemyes be ouercome ¶ O gloryous vertu of pasyeÌ„ce / how plesaunt and lykynge arte thou to me / for in the worlde thou puttes awaye ygnoraunce / gyues clere syghte to derke eyen / the whiche may not but algates they must take parte of the lyght of my seruauÌ„tes ¶ The meke nesse that my seruauntes haue / shy neth to the soules helthe of them / in hate of theyr synnes agaynste the enuy of them / the wydenesse and the brede of theyrgrere charyte shyneth agaynst theyr cruelte / for they ben cruell agaynste them / and my seruauÌ„tes do shewe pyte agayneward agaynste theyr wronges shyneth that quene of pasycÌ„ce / the whiche hathe domynacyon and holdeth the pryncypall ladyshyp of all vertues / for it is the pythe and the marow of charyte / she it is that sheweth and kepeth vertues in the soule maketh to be knowe whether those vertues be grounded in me or not ¶ She it is that ouercometh / and is neuer ouercome / she it is as I haue fayde that is in felyshyppe with ghostly strengthe and parseueraunce / she it is that cometh home with vyctory / that is after tyme she is gone out of that felde of batayle / she cometh home to me the euerlastynge fader / there warder of all her laboure / of whome she shall receyue and take a crowne of endelesse loye ¶ Of the state that is departed from the thyrde / and of workynges of the soule whiche is come to this state / and how god goeth neuer awaye fro that soule by coÌ„ tynuall felynge Hyderto I haue tolde the how they shewe that they be come to parfyte frendely louely louynge loue ¶ Nowe wyll I tell the in howmoche loue my seruauÌ„tes that yet abyde iÌ„ the deedly body tast me / for after tyme they ben come to the thyrde state in the same state as I sayde they wynne the fourthe state ¶ Not for it is depted fro the thyrde / but they be togyder all one / for that one may not be without that other / lyke as my charyte and charyte of neyghbourheed maye not be departed / as I sayde to the before ¶ But there is a maner of fruyte that cometh out of this thyrde gre / of a cer tayne parfyte vnyoÌ„ / whiche the soule hathe in me / where she receyueth streÌ„gthe aboue streÌ„gthe / in somoche that not onely she bereth wronges with pasyence / but also she desyreth with a longynge desyre for to haue strengthe to suffre iniury and peyne for the laude and Ioye of my name / with that longynge pasyent desyre / she receyueth iÌ„ wardely ghostly loye in the repreues and wronges done to them for my sone Ihesu / as my gloryous precher seynt Paule sayd Libenter gloriabor c. That is to saye / gladly ioyfully I shall be mery in my infyrmytes / that the vertu of chryst maye dwell iÌ„ me / for I bere in my body the woundes of my lorde Ihesu cryste ¶ In this maner all suche be so ful of loue and fro themselfe for the worshyp and ho noure of my name / and so hongry vpon the meet of soules helth / that they renne to the meer table of my sones crosse / and there desyrynge to suffre moche greuous peyne therby for to wynne and purchase vertues to edyfycacyon and profyte of theyr neyghbours berynge contynually the blessyd pryuytes of the wouÌ„des of my sone Ihesu cryste in theyr bodyes / that is the inwardely loue that they haue for helthe of theyr neyghbours soules crucyfyeÌ„ge them so in theyr bodyes / and shewpnge by shy nynge to other / in somoche that they set ryght noughte by theyr owne bo dyes / but rather desyre with greate delyte for to suffre repreues / heuynes and peynes / reckynge neuer in what wyse they be gyuâ— to theym / for helthe of theyr neyghbours soules ¶ To all suche dere chyldren / peyne is luste and delyte / all other lust and delyte or comforte that the worlde maye gyue to theÌ„ / is no ioye to theÌ„ / for thoughe the worlde wolde fauoure them that is thoughe seruauntes of the worlde be coarte by dyspensacyon and ordynauÌ„ce of my endelesse goodnesse for to haue them in reuerence / and for to helpe them and releue them in theyr nedes / yet they haue no ioye therin / but onely in me ¶ Nor they set not theyr herte to receyue no maner of comforte nother bodyly nor ghostly / but me alone / whicheâ—am endeles comforte that neuer maye fayle ¶ This cometh of the vertu of very mekenes / purchased and goten of holy hate / the whiche mekenesse is norysher of charyte / purchased goten of the knowlege of herselfe of me ¶ Thus thou maye se vertu shyne iÌ„ the gryuytes of crystes woundes / bothe in the bodyes and in the soules / of suche chosen parfyte seruauntes ¶ To all suche it is profered by grace me neuer to be departed from them by selynge / as I was and am fro other / of the whiche I tolde the before / fro whome I went and came not / goynge fro theÌ„ withdrawpnge grace ghostly felyÌ„ge ¶ I do not so to these that be my most parfyte chyldre t / the whiche be come to greate parfeccyon / mortyfyed in all thynges to theyr owne wylles / but coÌ„tynually bothe by grace felynge I rest iÌ„ theyr soules that is whaÌ„ that euer they wyl haue theÌ„selfe in me by affeccyon of loue they maye / thaÌ„ theyr desyre is come to suche an vnyon by affeccyon of loue / that in no wyse it maye be departed fro theÌ„ / but euery place is to theÌ„ a place / euery tyme is to theÌ„ a tyme of prayer / for theyr coÌ„uersacyon is lyfted vp aboue the erthe and araysed vp to heueÌ„ that is to saye bycause they haue wtdra we putte awaye fro theÌ„ all maner erthly affeccyon / also theyr owne propre sency ble delectacyoÌ„ / they be rysen aboue themselfe in to the heyght of heueÌ„ by the ladder of vertu / after tyme they haue ascended the grees / the whiche grees I lykened to the / by the body of my
onely lathefast sonâ— Ihesu cryst ¶ In that fyrst gree they haue spoyled the fore of affeccyon fro delectacyon of vyces ¶ In the seconde gree they haue tasted the secrete affeccyon of herte / wherby they haue conceyued delyte in vertu ¶ In the thyrde gree / that is iâ—eas traÌ„quyllyte of soule / they haue experyence in theÌ„selfe of ê‘fyte vertu / so they be arysen fro vnparfyte loue / be come to ryghte greate parfeccyoÌ„ / by the whiche they fynde rest in the doctryne of my sothefastnes / so that therby they fynde better thou meet table and the meet / and also a seruaunte for to serue them / whiche meet they tast with that mene and medyacyon of my onely sothefaste sone Ihesu cryste crucyfyed ¶ I am to them bothe place meet table / this swere delectable worde my owne sothefast sone is to them meet / for in that gloryous Ihesu / they taste meet whiche is helthe of soules / the whiche meet is grauÌ„ted of me to you / bothe flesshe and blode all hole very god and very maÌ„ / the whiche in sothe ye receyue in the sacrament of the auter / graunted to you and gyuen by my endeles goodnes / as longe as ye be wayegoers / or pylgrymes in the worlde / leste ye do fayle and feynt in the waye for fe blenesse or wekenesse / leste ye forgete the benefytes of that precyous blode shed out for you with somoche feruent breÌ„nynge fyre of loue that alwaye ye maye be made stronge and myghty therby / and be comforted and haue Ioye in youre iournaye ¶ The holy ghost is seruytour to luche and serueth them at the meet of that blessyd body / that is the affeccyoÌ„ of my charyte serueth them / the whiche charyte mynystreth to them bothe gyftes and goodly graces ¶ This ryghte swete and well byloued seruytoure / bereth / bryngeth / and offreth to me bothe theyr peynefull / swete / also delectable desyres / than fro me he bryngeth to theÌ„ for theyr labour trauayle the fruyte of my dyuyne charyte / tastynge and noryshynge it in theyr soules by the very swetenesse of my loue ¶ Thus thou maye se and knowe that to them I am a meet table / my sone is to them meet / the holp ghost is to them a seruytoure / the whiche cometh bothe fro me the fader / and also my sone ¶ Thou knowes also that euer they taste me by felynge iÌ„ theyr soules / and the more that they dyspyse delectacyon and do coueyte peyne / the more they lose peyne and wynne delectacyoÌ„ ¶ Why is that ¶ In sothe bycause they be breÌ„ned and scorged in the here of my charyte / where is wasted vp coÌ„sumpte the propre wylles of them / and therfore the fende dredeth greately the state of theyr charyte / and that is the cause that he goeth ferfro them and dare not touche theÌ„ ¶ The worlde onely smyteth them vpon the barke of the body / wenynge therby for to hurte them / he hymselfe is hurte / for the arowe yf that it fynde no place wher it may entre / than it tourneth agayne to the shoter ¶ Ryghte so the worlde shoteth arowes of iniuryes parsecucyons and grutchynges to my seruauÌ„tes / they fynde no place to them of entre / for the gardayne of theyr soule is close / and therfore the arowe tourneth agayne to the worlde that thre we it by shotynge enuenymed with the venym of sysse ¶ Sees thou not how in no wyse suche a seruauÌ„te maye haue harme ¶ Why is that ¶ Truly yf that he hurte the body / he maye in no wyse hurte the soule / for it stoÌ„deth euer blessyd and dolefull / it stondeth dolefull for the offence of her neyghboure / it ston deth blessyd by affeccyon and vnyoÌ„ of charyte the whiche it hathe recey ued iÌ„ herselfe / these it be that do folowe the vndesouled lambe my onely soth faste sone Ihesu / the whiche beynge vpon the crosse bothe blessyd dolefull berynge the tourment of the body in suffrynge of peyne / and also in be tynge of the cros of desyre that he myght satysfy make a seet or place aboue for the trespas of mankynde He was also blessyd of dyuyne nature / the whiche so knytte with maÌ„kynde myghte in no wyse suffre peyne / therfore be was bothe blessyd dole full ¶ In the same wyse / these that be my dere and well byloued chyldred / after tyme that they be come to the thyrde and fourthe state before sayde they be dolefull berynge the crosse of crystes passyon bothe actually and mentally in suffrynge of peynes in theyr bodyes / after the suffraunce of me ¶ And also mentally tourmented by the cros of desyre / for the offence that is done to me harme to theyr neyohbours ¶ Also I saye that they be blessyd for the loue of charyte that maketh them blessyd / maye not be take fro them / by the whiche charite they take receyue bothe ghoostly gladnesse and blessydnes ¶ Therfore this sorowe and dolefulnesse is not called sorowe that tourmenteth the soule / the whiche sorowe shal somtyme passe and defayle / but suche sorowe fatteth the o soule in affeccyon of charyte / for suche peynes encreseÌ„ vertues maketh it stroÌ„ge / by the whiche peyne vertu is preued / therfore peyne is the whiche maketh fat / and not tourmeÌ„teth / for nother peyne nor sorowe may drawe suche a soule out of the fyre of charyte / bycause they be all brenned in the furneyse of my charyte ¶ Wherefore there maye none take them our fro me / for they be made one with me / and I with them ¶ I neuer withdrawe me fro them by felynge / but that theyr soules sele me euery daye in themselfe by specyal sencyble gra ces / fro other before I wente and rame ¶ I went fro theÌ„ by felynge / and not by grace / and that was bycause I wolde they sholde attayne to ê‘feccyon ¶ And after tyme they be full come to parfeccyoÌ„ as it maye be hadde in this worlde / I withdrawe fro them the game of loue in goynge and comynge / the whiche maye well be called that game of loue / for by loue I go fro them / by lone I come agayne to them not proper ly I for I am youre lorde whiche is vumoueable / that am neuer moued fro place to place / but the felynge which my charyte gyueth to a soule whiche goeth and cometh ¶ Dow god goeth not away o fro the forelayd partyre meÌ„ by felynge / nor by grace â—â—â—ause of vuyon bytwyxe theym ¶ Cell the that to suche parfyte folke it is grauÌ„ted neuer for to lose me by â—â—lynge / but yet in some wyse I go fro them / for the soule whiche is clo led in the body / is not suffycyent for to receyue sne ¶ I withdrawe me not as fro
but onely by fyre of brennynge loue ¶ Thus it semeth that the gloryous apostle seynt Paule ment whan he sayde thus Ipse enim spiritus orat pro nobis gemitibê° in ennarrabilibê° Â¶ That is to saye / the same holy ghost endeles god prayeth for vs with teres waylynges that be vnspekeable ¶ By this therefore it semeth that teres of fyre be as fruytefull as teres of water / yet ofte tymes more / after the quaÌ„tyre mesure of loue / and therfore suche a soule sholde in no wyse be astonyed / nor she sholde not thyÌ„ke that she is depryued fro me / though she haue not suche teres as she wolde / but she sholde desyre theÌ„ with a wyll / accordyÌ„ge with my wyll ¶ For other whyle I wyll not grauÌ„t her bodyly teres / bycause I wolde that she coÌ„tynued in lowenes before me / tastynge me often tymes with contynuall prayer / holy desyre ¶ For yf she sholde receyue the of me that she desyreth / it shold be lytle profyte to her / in asmoche as she shall seme that her desyre is alway rewarded / by the whiche she hathe her askyÌ„ge / so she sholde holde her apayde with that she hathe desyre no more ¶ Therfore I onely that she shold encrese iÌ„ vertu / withdrawe fro her actuall teres of the eyes / for the whiche teres / I gyue to her mentall teres full of fyre of dyuyne charyte / not able to be spoken ¶ And so in euery state and at all tymes suche mentall teres sholde be lykynge and plesynge to me / so that the eye of intelleccyon with the lyght of syghte / be not shutte nor closed fro the rebouÌ„dyÌ„ge of my endelesse truthe with affeccyoÌ„ of loue / for I am a leche / and you be seke folke / and therfore I gyue to euery soule as it is nedefull or spedefull to theyr helthe / so that parfeccyon may be encresed in your soules ¶ This is that very sothefastnesse and declaracyon of the slates of teres declared beforesayde of me endelesse truthe / to the my ryghte swete doughter ¶ Forsake therfore parfytely thyselfe in the blode of my onely sothefaste sone Ihesu encresynge contynually in vertu / that the fyre of my dyuyne charyte maye be noryshed in the. ¶ How the foure states of the fyue states of teres gyue dyuersytes of teres / and how that god wyll be serued with thynge the hathe no ende / and not onely with thynge that hathe ende THese fyue foresayde states be as fyue water pottes pryncypall of the whiche foure of them do gyue infynyte dyuersytes of teres / al those do gyue lyfe / yf they be excercysed in vertu as it is beforefore sayd but howe be they infynyte I say not that ye sholde be infynytely in suche welynge teres / but I call them infynyte teres / for the infynyte and endelesse desyre of those that haue suche teres ¶ And thus euery tere cometh oute of the herte / and the herte gyueth it to the eye / the whiche fyrste is gadered togyder with a feruent brennynge desyre / that as a grene tree layde in the fyre casteth out water for the hete of the fyre / bycause it is grene / for it were drye it wolde not auoyde water / as it dothe whan it is grene ¶ In the same wyse an herte that flory sheth by renuynge of grace / sweteth oute teres of loue / lyenge in the chymnaye of dyuyne loue / and so fyre of loue teres of loue be made all one by brennyÌ„ge desyre ¶ And also bycause desyre is neuer ended and fulfylled in this lyfe / for the more it loueth / the lesse it semeth that it loueth / and so it excercyseth holy desyre / the whiche is grounded in charyte / with the whiche desyre the eye wepeth ¶ And all thoughe suche a soule were departed fro the body and come to me fynaly that am her ende yet she for saketh not therfore her desyre / euer for to desyre me the charyte of her neyghboure / for charyte it entred with in her / as a lady bryngyÌ„ge in with her the fruyte of al other vertu ¶ Neuerthelesse yet as than her payne is ended as I haue sayd here before for she maye not than desyre with peyne / but without peyne / for than in her desyre she hathe me in sothe without peyne / may not loue me with seruyle drede / that so longe tyme hath desyred me ¶ And thus iÌ„ this wyse ghostly hongre is noryshed in a soule / that is thoughe they haue ghostly hongre of the desyre of me / yet they be fulfylled / and thoughe they be fylled / yet they be hongry / yet is there no peyne in that hoÌ„gre / for there maye neuer lacke parfeccyon ¶ And in this wyse youre desyre is infynyte and endelesse / for elles it were ryghte noughte / nor vertu were nothyÌ„ge quycke / yf I were serued onely with thynge that hadde ende / than bycause I am god endelesse / I wyll be serued of you with thynge infynyte and endelesse / and ye haue no other thyÌ„ge that is endelesse / but onely youre affeccyon and youre desyre of soules / so I sayde the dyuersyte of teres were infynyte ¶ Ryght so in the same wyse it maye be sayde of infynyte and endelesse desyre / the whiche is knytte and oned with infynyte teres / whan a soule is departed fro the body / the teres be lefte without / but the affeccyon of charyte draweth to hym the fruyte of teres / consumynge outewarde teres / ryghte as the soule is coÌ„sumed in the fourneys of loue / not for the soule is out of the furneys of loue / but bycause the feruent hete of that fourneys of loue hathe soken her vp and drawen her to it ¶ In the same wyse a soule after tyme it is come to cast the fyre of my dyuyne charyte / after tyme it is passed out of this worlde with affeccyon of my charyte and loue of her neyghbour / and with loue of oneheed / by the whiche she shed teres of loue / she ceseth neuer for to offre to me her ryghte blessyd and wepynge desyres without ony maner peyne / not with wepynge of the eye / for that is dryed vp as I haue sayde before but with wepynge of fyre of the holy ghost ¶ This ryghte dere doughter thou hase seen and herde howe teres be infynyte / for in this worldly lyfe / there is no tongue can tel how many dyuers waylynges and wepynges there be in these fore sayde wepynges and state of teres ¶ Of the fruytes of teres of worldly men NOw shall I tell the of the fenytes of teres gyuen there that it is shedde out with desyre / and what it worketh in a soule ¶ Fyrst I shal begynne of the fyfthe / of the whiche I made meÌ„cyon in the begyÌ„nynge / that is
of suche as lyue wretchydly in the worlde / makynge to theÌ„ theyr god of creatures / and of theyr owne propre sensualyte / of the whiche procedeth all maner harme / the cometh bothe to the body and to the soule ¶ I tolde the yf thou remembre the / that all maner of teres came oute of the herte and sothe it is for an herte of a louynge soule soroweth / in somoche as it loueth worldely men / al suche soules do wayle â—epe / whaÌ„ they fele sorowe in herte / that is whaÌ„ they be depryued fro that thynge that they loued / yet neuerthelesse theyr wepynges waylynges be moche dyuers fro wepynges of worldely men ¶ Wyl thou know how moche ¶ Certayne somoche as the loue is dyuers / and bycause the roote of her owne seÌ„cyble loue is corrupte / what euer spryngeth therof muste nedes be corrupte / for that loue is as a maner of a tree bryÌ„gynge nothynge els fourthe / but fruyte of dethe / stynkynge floures / spotty leues / brauÌ„ches al ybroke and bowed downe to the grouÌ„de by dyuers wyÌ„des / ryght so fareth the tree of the soule yf soules be well dysposed / than they be trees of loue / for wtoute loue they can not lyue / in asmoche as they be made of me by loue / suche a soule the lyueth so vertuously setteth the roote of her tree in the valaye of mekenesse / but al those that do lyue wretchydly / set theyr tree in the mouthe of pryde / bycause it is euyll planted and set / it may not brynge forthe fruyte of lyfe / but deedly ¶ The fruytes be the werkes of them / the whiche be venymed poysoned with synnes / thoughe it so be that they do ony good dede / in asmoche as the roote is corrupte / therfore al the fruyte that sueth therof is corrupte that is for as suche a soule is in deedly synne / euery good dede that it dothe maye not protyte to lyfe euerlastyÌ„ge / bycause it is not done in grace ¶ Neuerthelesse yet good dedes must be done at all tymes / for there is no euyll vnpunyshed / nor good dede vnrewarded ¶ Euery good dede done out of grace / is not suffyeyent / nor profyteth in no wyse to euerlastynge lyfe / as I haue sayd / but my dyuyne bouÌ„â—le and ryghtwysenesse yeldeth therfore an vnparfyte rewarde / as the worke in it selfe is vnparfyte ¶ Otherwyse I rewarde suche one in teÌ„porall goodes for suche good dedes / otherwhyle I gyue hym tyme and space for to amede hyÌ„ of his lyuyÌ„ge / and other whyle I do hyÌ„ this mercy / that is whaÌ„ I gyue hym lyfe of grace by some maner meane of my seruauntes / the whiche be to me acceptable and plesaunte / as I dyd to my gloryous doctour seynt Paule the whiche by the prayers of seynt Steuen rose fro his mysse byleue parsecucyons that he dyd shewed to trewe crysten folke ¶ So thaÌ„ by this thou maye well knowe that in what state a creature stoÌ„deth in / he sholde not cese to do well ¶ I sayde also that suche a foule is lykened to a tree bryÌ„geth forthe stynkynge floures / and sothe it is / the thoughtes of the herte of suche a soule be stynkyÌ„ge floures that lyke me neuer adele / all the thoughtes of suche a soule be nothynge els but hate and dysplesaunce of her neyghbour / hauynge the condycyoÌ„ of a thefe that robbeth worshyppe and honour fro me that am his maker / and yeldeth and kepeth it to hymselfe ¶ This floure bryngeth forthe the fylthe of ryghte wretchyd and fals Iudgement / the whiche Iudgement is in two wyses / one Iudgement is aneÌ„des me / demynge and foriudgynge my pryuy Iudgementes / all that I grauÌ„te to hym for lyfe / and by my mysteryall pryuytes he tourneth all in to hate mysse demynge me wyckedly / after his seke syght and vnderstondyÌ„ge / bycause he hathe made blyÌ„de the eye of his intelleccyoÌ„ by his owne sencyble loue / and couered the clere seynge perle of his most holiest feyth the whiche suffreth not hym to se knowe the truth ¶ The other Iudgement the last is aneÌ„des his neyghbour / of the whiche ofte tymes cometh moche euyll / for asmoche as a wretched maÌ„ knoweth not yet hymselfe / and take vpon hyÌ„ for to knowe the herte and the affeccyon of an other maÌ„ or womaÌ„ / by one dede that he seeth or by worde / or wordes that he hereth or saythe of them / and so demethe affeccyon of thyr hertes ¶ All my seruauntes deme the best / for they be grounded in me that am moste souerayne good / but all other euer deme euyll / bycause they ben grounded wretchydly in euyl ¶ Of the whiche Iudgementes ofte tymes aryseth and spryngeth euyll hate / manslaughter / dysplesaunce anendes neyghbourheed / and with drawynge fer fro the vertues of my parfyte seruauntes ¶ I sayde also that suche a soule is lykened to a tre that bryngeth forthe spotty leues / the whiche be wordes goynge oute of the mouthe / in the whiche vnworshypp of me / and of the blode of my onely sothefaste sone Ihesu cryste / and harme of neyghbours / they fere neuer for to saye euyll of an other / and for to blaspheme and condempne my workes / and for to saye enyll of euery reasonable creature / as it falleth iÌ„ to theyr mysse Iudgementes / and they thynke not suche wretched folke / that the tongue is made for to yelde to me honour and worshyppe / for to knowlege theyr owne defautes / and for to worke by loue of vertues / for helthe of neyghbourheed ¶ Thus suche wretches wyll not occupy thyr tongues / but rather by myspekyÌ„ge bryÌ„ge fourth spotty leues of wretchyd synne / for the herte that they come fro is not clene and pure / but moche defouled with doublenesse and moche wretchydnesse ¶ Lo how moche perell falleth of suche myscheuoê° spekyÌ„ge and bryngeth in harme wtout ghostly harme of pryuacyoÌ„ of grace whiche it dothe in the soule / for bycause of wordes / ye haue seen and herde many chaungynges of states / desolacyons of cytees / and moche manslaughter / ynd many other euylles for a wretchyd worde entreth in to the myndes of the herte of them that it is sayde to / where a swerde sholde not entre ¶ I saye also that this tre hathe seuen wretchyd braunches the be bowed to the grouÌ„de / of the whiche bothe floures and leues gone out / as it is rehersed before ¶ Thes seuen braunches be the seuen deedly synnes / the whiche be full of many dyuers synnes knytte in the roote fro the stocke of the loue of hymselfe and of his owne pryde / the whiche maketh fyrste wretched and myserable braunches / and floures of many wycked thoughtes ¶ After that cometh forthe spotty leues of wordes / and fruyte of euyll workes ¶ These brauÌ„ches do stoÌ„de bowed to
the temptacyoÌ„s of the fendes / and agaynste the wretched worlde ¶ And thus thou maye se that ther remayneth alwaye a prynte or an ymage of grace / after tyme that ghostly mater of the sacrament of the auter is receyued ghostly consumed ¶ This ghostly mater thus receyued and ghostly consumed / thaÌ„ this very sonne tourneth agayne to his whele and roundell / not that it was departed fro the same whele / but that it was and is euer oned and knytte with me togyder in one ¶ But the depenesse of my dyuyne charyte for your helthe / hathe gyueÌ„ to you meet in this lyfe / in the whiche lyfe ye be pylgrymes and strauÌ„gers / for to receyue you / and for ye sholde not lose the myÌ„de of my benefites of my sones precyous blode ¶ Also therfore it is gyueÌ„ to you in to your ghostly meet by my dyuyne dyspensacyon / for helpynge of youre necessytes or nedes ¶ Thus than beholde howmoche ye be bounde to me / for to yelde me loue agayne / for so greate loue that I haue shewed to you / and also for bycause that I am endelesse most souerayne sothefastenesse / worthy to be loued of you ¶ How the wordes that be sayde of the excellence of the sacrament / ben sayde of the dygnyte of preestes that sholde better knowe / and how god asketh more purete clennesse of body soule of theÌ„ / than of other of his creatures ALl this haue I tolde the dere doughter that thou maye the better knowe the dygnyte in the whiche I haue sette my mynysters ¶ And also that thou haue that more compassyon of theyr wretchydnes / for yf they themselfe beholde theyr owne dygnyte / they wolde neuer dwell in the derkenes of deedly synnes / nor they wolde neuer defoule the faces of theyr soules with that spottes of deedly synnes / and not onely that they sholde ascape withoute offence of me and theyr owne dygnyte / for thoughe y they betake theyr bodyes to the fyre it sholde be ryghte lytell satysfaccyon of the trespas / to so grete grace / so greate a benefyte as they haue receyued / for in this worlde they myght neuer come to so grete a dygnyte ¶ They be onely my anoyÌ„ted people for I call them my crystes / and to them haue I betake myselfe for to be mynystred to you / and also I haue sende them in to the mysteryall body of holy chyrche / as ryght swete smellyÌ„ge floures ¶ This dygnyte hathe not an angel / but I haue gyuen it to meÌ„ / to suche as I haue chosen for my mynysters / whome I haue ordeyned iÌ„ erthe as angels / and they sholde be called angels of erthe in this lyfe / for as angels they sholde be ¶ In euery soule I requyre purete and charyte / by the whiche he sholde loue me pryncypally his neyghboure / also for to helpe hym in that he can and maye / other by temporall good / or by mynystracyon of prayer / and so for to dwell togyder in the loue of charyte / as I haue vpon this same mater tolde that iÌ„ an other place ¶ Moche more therfore I requyre purete and loue iÌ„ my mynystres / bothe anendes me and also anendes theyr neyghbours / mynystrynge bothe to themselfe and to theyr neyghbours / the body and the blode in the sacrament of the auter / of my onely sothefaste sone Ihesu / with the fyre of charyte / and hongre of helthe of soules / for the glory and laude of my name ¶ For ryghte as my mynysters wyll haue clene chalyces for to put in that blessyd sacrament / so I requyre in them the purete of herte / and clennesse of soule in them ¶ I wyl also that the body of them the whiche is an instrumeÌ„t of the soule be kepte in parfyte purete and clennesse / and I wyll not that they noryshe it in the fylthe of vncleÌ„nes / nor that they be proude nor hyghe of herte / sekynge grete prelaces / nor that they be cruell anendes theÌ„selfe theyr neyghbours / for they maye not vse theyr owne cruelte without harmynge of theyr neyghbours / â—or yf they be to themselfe cruell / they be cruell in receyuyÌ„ge of synne / and so they be of the soules of theyr neyghbours / bycause they gyue to theym no ensample of lyfe ¶ Nor all suche haue no fere â—or to pull â—ute soules out of the fendes hondes / nor for to mynystre to them the body and the blode of my onely sothefast sone Ihesu / also me very lyghte as I haue sayde nor also none other sacrameÌ„t of holy chyrche ¶ And thus all the whyle they be to theÌ„ thê° cruell / they be in the same wyse to other so cruell ¶ How that sacramentes sholde neuer be soulde nor boughte / they that receyue the sacramentes sholde helpe the mynystres with theyr temporall goodes / whiche goodes the mynysters sholde dyspose ordeyne for to be dysposed in to thre partes ¶ I wyl that they be large and not scarse / that is nother for couetyse nor auaryce / they sell the grace of the holy ghost / so shold they not do / nother I wyll that they do so / but rather of the gracyous gyfte and the wydenes of charyte that they haue receyued of my endelesse goodnes / for to gyue it frely of large herte by affeccyon of loue for the worshyp of me and helthe of soules / to euery reasonable creature the whiche asketh it mekely / they sholde nothynge take therfore / in asmoche as they boughte it neuer / but they dyd receyue it of me by grace / for to mynystre it to you ¶ Also they maye and sholde well by the waye of almes receyue / so sholde the subiecte do that receyueth the sacramente / for on his syde he sholde gyue that he myghte for almes som what gyue / for in asmoche as they sholde be ghostly fedde of them / therfore they sholde helpe them at theyr nedes of temporal goodes ¶ I wyl that ye were that without ony comparyson / they gyue to you more thaÌ„ ye gyue to them / for there maye be sette no comparyson bytwyxe thynges that haue none ende / as transytory thynges of the whiche ye helpeÌ„ them to me endelesse god that am infynyteâ— whome by prouydence and dyuyne charyte I haue ordeyned for to mynystre to you ghostly thynges and graces / that is the sacrameÌ„t of holy chyrche / and not onely of suche mynysters / but also of other ghostly graces prayers / and of other ghostly thynges / of what preest that euer it be that it be gyuen to you / for that ghostly good maye not be lykened to no maner of temporall good / the ye gyuen to theÌ„ ¶ Also now shal I tell the how they sholde departe that teÌ„porall good that they receyue of you / I saye that they sholde departe the substaunce of those temporall goodes
sende Gyezy with his staffe / sayēge to hym thus / that he sholde laye the staffe aboue the chyldes backe ¶ Gyezy wente forthe and dyde as Elyse badde hȳ / but the yonge chylde arose not ¶ Than Elyse sawe that the chylde rose not / he wente thyder hymselfe parsonally / and conformed hym in all thynges to the chylde / with all his lymmes / and he brethed vpon the chylde seuen tymes / in token that he sholde aryse ¶ This also was fygured by Moyses / whom with the staffe of the lawe I sende vpon the deed lyues of mankynde / by that lawe it myghte receyue no lyfe ¶ I sende than my sonr whiche is fygured by Elyse that conformed hym to that deed chylde by vnyon of dyuyne nature of manheed / so that with all maner of lymmes of mākȳde this dyuyne nature oned hym and knytte hym / that is with the myghte of me / with the wysedome of my sone / and with the mylde mekenesse of the holy ghost / and so all the depenes of my godheed in trynyte was conformed and oned with youre nature of manheed ¶ After this vnyon / my onely sone Ihesu and well byloued sothefastenesse made another vnyon that is to saye he ranne as he hadde be rauyshed in loue to the moste reprouable dethe of the crosse / where he pressed hymselfe downe / by the whiche pressyon he graūted to this deed chylde that is mankynde by inspyracyon of holy brethynge / the seuen gyftes of the holy ghost / brennynge in the mouthe of holy desyre of the soule / takynge awaye fro hym dethe by holy baptym ¶ He bretheth in token that he hathe lyfe / throwynge out of mankynde the seuen deedly synnes / and thus is this orcharde made with swete fruyte ¶ Neuerthelesse the Gardyner of this orcharde whiche is fre chose may make this orcharde wylde yf he wyl / for yf he sowe therin venym of his owne proper loue / for the whiche all the seuen deedly synnes do sprynge and many other synnes whiche come out of these ¶ He putteth than awaye therby the gyftes of the holy ghoste / and so depryueth hȳ fro al vertu / there is no strēgthe for he is made all feble / there is also nother temporaunce nor prudence / for he hathe loste the lyghte wherw t he vsed reason / ther is nother feythe nor hope nor ryghtwysenesse / for he is made vnryghtwyse / he hopeth in hymselfe / and byleueth with deed frythe to hymselfe / he trusteth in creatures / trusteth not in me his maker / there is nother charyte nor pyte / for by hymselfe with the loue of his owne freylte is made to hym cruell / wherfore he maye nother be pyteous to his neyghbour nor to hymselfe / he is depryued fro all good / he is fall in to an euyll / howe maye suche one haue lyfe ¶ Certayne of this Elyse / that is of my onely incarnate sothefaste sone Ihesu ¶ How ¶ That the Gardyner of mākynde sholde dystrye the thornes of synne with his hate / for yf he had neuer synne in hate / he myghte neuer drawe thē out of his orcharde / and than with loue he muste renne / and with loue for to conforme hym with the doctryne of my truthe / medlȳge the same doctryne with the blode / whiche is layde vpon his heed of my mynyster whā he goeth to confessyon / with hertely contrycyon / dysplesaunce of synne / and with satysfaccyon and purpose neuer to offende / and in this wyse he maye renewe this orcharde of the soule whyle he lyueth / for after the tyme that he is passeth oute of this worlde / he maye gette no remedy / as I haue tolde the in many places before ¶ How god prouydeth for vs that we haue trybulacyons for the helthe of oure soules / and of the mysery of them that haue truste in thēselfe / not in the prouydence of god THus thou knowes that with my prudence / the seconde worlde whiche is called man I haue made hym able to the endelesse worlde / fyrste he broughte forthe thornes of many trybulacyons / and so in all thynges he fonde rebellyon ¶ This was neuer done withoute my prouydence / but with my greate prouydence and for youre profyte / that the hope of the worlde sholde be take awaye fro hȳ / and thā for to renu and set his pace for to come to me / whiche am his ende ¶ And so at the laste by suche inportunyte of greuaunce for to remoue his herte and affeccyon fro it ¶ And neuerthelesse a mā is so vncunnynge / that he can not knowe this truthe / and so frayle for to sprede hȳ abrode in the worlde / that not withstondynge suche labours thornes by the whiche he was prycked in the worlde / it semeth that he wyll not auoyde fro theym / nor he taketh no thoughte thoughe he come not to his owne cūtre the blysse of heuen ¶ What trowes thou doughter he wolde do thā yf he foūde in the worlde euer delectacyō rest wtoute peyne ¶ Lo all this I fuffer them for to do by my prouydence / and I graunte that the worlde burgyne to thē many trybulacyōs / that vertues may be proued ymonges them / and for the peyne and vyolence that they do to thēselfe / I haue cause for to rewarde them ¶ Thus in all thynges / my greate prouydence with wysdome hathe prouyded ordeyned for thē / I haue gyuē them that they haue / for as I sayde I am ryche / and I maye gyue them ¶ My ryches be infynyte / for al thynges be made of me / withoute me maye nothynge be / for yf he wyll haue fayrenesse / I am fayrenesse / benygnyte / pyteous / ryghtewyse / and mercyable god / I am large and no nygarde / I am he that graunte to the asker his reasonable askynge / and open veryly to the knocker / and I answere to hym that calleth me ¶ I am not vnkynde / but full of kyndenesse / ¶ I rewarde hym that laboureth for me / that is for glory laude of my name ¶ I am he that is iorunde and mery / the whiche kepe a soule in ghostly gladnesse / that arayeth herselfe with my wyll ¶ I am that hyghe prouydence that neuer fayleth my seruaūtes / the whiche hope in me / nother body nor soule ¶ Why wyl not a man byleue in me / the seeth how I fede that worme in the drye tree / brute beestes in the felde / fysshes in the see / and al other beestes bothe of the erthe and of the ayre vpon the plātes of the worlde / I sende reyne sonne for to make that erth fatte / and he byleueth not that I noryshe it / whiche is my creature ¶ Sythen it is so that all this is done for the seruyce of man of my endelesse goodnesse / for on what syde he turneth hym be he spyrytual or temporall he fyndeth
none other thyÌ„ge than fyre of my endelesse charyte / the greate depenesse of my very swete prouydence he seeth not this for fro hyÌ„selfe he hathe take awaye lyghte / so taketh no thought to be blynde / wherfore he sclaundereth hymselfe / refrenyÌ„ge charyte aneÌ„des his neyghbours / and so with Auaryce and nygardeshyp he thynketh how he shallyue on the morowe / whiche is forbydde hyÌ„ of my sothefaste sone Ihesu / where he saythe thus ¶ ThyÌ„ke not on the morowe on nygardenesse and Auaryce / for the malyce and the besynesse of the daye / is suffycyent and ynoughe for hyÌ„selfe ¶ Of this here he repreueth you of youre infydelyte / shewynge to you my prouydence and shortenesse of tyme / sayenge thus ¶ Thynke not on that morowe as thoughe my sothefast sone sayde thus thynke not on that thynge wherof you be not syker / and he techeth you fyrst the kyngedome of heuen / that is good and holy lyuyÌ„ge / for I knowe well of these small thyÌ„ges ye haue nede / therfore I haue bydde and commaunded the erthe to gyue you of his fruyees ¶ This wretche whiche that of his mysse trust hathe restreyned his herte and his hoÌ„des fro charite of his neyghbour / hathe not redde this doctryne that my sone hathe gyue hym / bycause he foloweth not his steppes / he is intollerable to hymselfe / oute of this truste in hymselfe / and mysse truste in me / cometh all maner euyll ¶ Also they make themselfe Iudges of other mennes wylles / they se not that I shal Iudge them not they / my wyll they vnderstonde not nor Iudge it goodly ¶ But whan ony prosperyte or delectacyoÌ„ or plesauÌ„ce of the worlde falleth to them / what that fayleth to them in whiche al theyr affeccyon and hope was sette / than they can nother sauoure nor fele nor receyue my ê“uydeÌ„ce nor none other maner goodes / but theÌ„ semeth they be depryâ—ed fro all maner of good / bycause that they be blyÌ„ded of theyr owne proper passyon / they knowe not the rychesse whiche is within my prouydence / nor the very fruyte of pasyeÌ„ce / but rather therby they tast dethe / and the ernesse or sykernesse of hell in this lyfe / and yet not wtstondyÌ„ge this I cees not / but that I prouyde for them / for I bydde the erthe that he gyue to a synÌ„er of his fruyte / as he gyueth to a ryghtwyse man / and so to his feeldes I sende sonne reyne / as I do to a ryghtewyse maÌ„nes feelde / and oftentymes a synâ—er hathe more than a ryghtwyse man ¶ This do the my goodnesse / for I wyll that the soule of a ryghtewyse man be fulfylled more with ghostly rychesse / than with temporall rychesse / in asmoche as for my loue he hathe spoyled hyÌ„selfe fro teÌ„porall goodes / forsakynge the worlde with all his delyces / also his owne wyll ¶ These be those that make theyr soules fat / in spredynge themselfe abrode in the depenesse of my charyte / and they forgote the charge of themselfe / for not onely of the delyces of the worlde they sholde no charge haue / but also no charge haue of themselfe ¶ ThaÌ„ to suche I am veryly made theyr gouernaunce / bothe bodyly and ghostly / and I vse in them one specyall prouydeÌ„ce aboue other general prouydences / for my mylde mekenesse of the holy ghoste puruayeth for suche as serue hym ¶ This thou knowes well yf thou remeÌ„ber the by redynge of lyues of holy faders as vitas patrum and suche other / for whan a certayne solytary man was seke / in asmoche as he veryly forsoke hymselfe hooly for ioye and praysynge of my name / my mylde mekenesse prouyded for hym / and I sende an angell for to gouerne hym / and for to putuaye for his necessyte / his body was so releued in his nede / and his soule was fulfylled with meruaylous ioye and swetenesse of the angels conuersacyon ¶ The holy ghost to suche one is a moder noryshynge hyÌ„ at the breste of my dyuyne charyte / he hathe made hym fre as a lorde / by puttynge fro hym the bondage thraldome of his owne propre loue ¶ For where the charyte of my fyre is / there maye be no water of that loue whiche quencheth this swete fyre in the soule ¶ This mynyster that is the holy ghoste / whome I haue gyuen to them by my prouydence / arayeth them / norysheth them / and maketh them ghostly drunke with my swetenesse / gyuyÌ„ge to theÌ„ grete rychesse / for iÌ„ that he hathe lefte all / he fyndeth all ¶ And for bycause also he hathe all spoyled hymselfe of hymselfe / he fonde hymselfe all aray ed with me / he hathe made hymselfe a seruauÌ„te of mekenesse / and therfore he is made a lorde to the worlde and to his owne sensualyte / and for he hathe all blynded hyÌ„selfe iÌ„ his owne syghte / he dwelleth in parfyte lyght mystrustynge hymselfe / and with quycke feythe he is corowned / and with parfyte and ful hope he tasteth euerlastyÌ„ge lyfe / de parted fro peyne and bytternesse that myghte turment hym ¶ All thyÌ„ges he Iudgeth for the beste / for in all thynges he Iudgeth my wyll asmoche as he maye se by the lyghte of feythe / and I desyre nor wyll nothynge elles of hym but holynesse / therfore he is made pascyente ¶ O how blessyd is suche a soule / that yet dwellyÌ„ge in that deedly body tasteth vndeedly good / all thynge suche a soule hathe in reuereÌ„ce / his lyfte hoÌ„de weyeth asmoche and as truly as his ryghte honde / asmoche he chargeth trybulacyoÌ„ as he dothe comforte / asmoche honger as he dothe thyrst / asmoche meet as he dothe drynke / asmoche colde as he dothe hete / asmoche scarsyte of clothes as he dothe pleynte pf clothes / asmoche lyfe as he dothe deeth / asmoche worshyp as he dothe shame / and asmoche turmente as he dothe romforte and solace ¶ In all thynges he is stydfast and stable / for he is grouÌ„ded vpon a quycke stone / he knoweth well and seeth with lyght of feythe and stydfast hope / that I gyue al thynges with one maner loue and one maner be holdynge that is for youre helthe / and in all thynges I prouyde / for in greate laboure I gyue greate strengthe / and I gyue a maÌ„ nomore for to bere thaÌ„ he may bere / so that he wyl bere it for my loue ¶ In the blode of my sone it is well knowen to you / that I wyll not the dethe of a synner / but I wyl that he he turne to hym and lyue / for his lyfe I gyue hym that is nedefull for hym ¶ Suche a soule so dysposed fro herselfe / ioyeth in all suche thynges that she feleth or seeth of me in her selfe or iÌ„ ony other / she doubteth not that smal thynges shal fayle to her / for with the
in delyces / rychesse / states of that worlde / but my owne loue coÌ„strayneth me / for I loued you or that ye loued me / I loued you meruaylously / that it is whiche coÌ„strayneth me / also the prayers of my seâ—uauÌ„tes / by the mylde mekenes of that holy ghost / that mynystreth to theÌ„ the worshyp of me loue of theyr neyghbours / by the whiche they serche helth of theyr soules with meruaylous charyte / besyenge theÌ„ to please me / and to bynde my hoÌ„des of dyuyne ryghtewysenesse whiche a wycked maÌ„ deserued to haue / thus I am coÌ„strayned with meke waylynge coÌ„tynuall prayer ¶ Who maketh theÌ„ so for to crye ¶ My prouydeÌ„ce / for I prouyded to the nede of this deed creature / iÌ„ asmoche as it is sayde of me thus Nolo morteÌ„ c. I wyll not the the dethe of a synner / but I wyl that he be tourned lyue ¶ In thy soule also dere doughter thou sees my prouydeÌ„ce / yf thou opeÌ„ the eye of thy soule / that wycked meÌ„ whiche ly iÌ„ so greate mysery / that be made stynkynge fylthe of dethe / derke by wantynge of lyght of grace / for they go syÌ„gyÌ„ge laughynge speÌ„dynge theyÌ„r tyme with vanytes / in delyces / in greate vnhonestes / waÌ„tayne in all thynges / greate glotoÌ„s / eters dryÌ„kers so ferforth that of theyr wombes they make theyr god / with hate / raÌ„coure / pryde / they go also with all wretchednesse as I haue tolde the in another place they do not knowe theyr owne astate / for they walke in suche awaye that wyll brynge theÌ„ to the dethe euerlastynge / but yf they ameÌ„de them in theyr lyuynge go more warely ¶ It were a greate foly for a maÌ„ that were coÌ„deÌ„pned to the dethe to go syngynge dauÌ„syng as he gothe by the way towarde his dethe / shold it not as thou thynkes yes certayne ¶ In suche foly ben suche wretches / in somoche the more wtout ony coÌ„paryson that they receyue more harme thaÌ„ they that is peyne of the dethe of soule whiche is more thaÌ„ the peyne of the body / suche lose that lyfe of grace / they but lyfe of body / such receyue endeles peyne / they but peyne that is fynyte / thus they dye in state of daÌ„pnacyoÌ„ / they go thyder syngynge / blynde / fooles / fooles aboue all other fooles / my seruauÌ„tes be in the state of waylynge wepiÌ„ge / in afflyccyon tourmeÌ„t of body iÌ„ holy wakynges / in coÌ„tynuall prayer with syghynges sobbyÌ„ges / makyÌ„ge theyr bodyes lene for the helthe of theyr soules ¶ But suche syngers as be rehersed before / they scorne all suche and theyr owne scornes fal on theyr proper heeddes / whan they be in peyne / to them that labour for the loue of me / shall be gyueÌ„ fruyte of theyr labour in the blysse of heueÌ„ / whiche my owne endeles goodnes haue made hyÌ„ for to dyscerne / for I god the fader am ryghtwyse / that yelde to eche after his labour / but sothely my seruauÌ„tes cesse not / nother for ê‘secucyoÌ„s / scornes / nor vnkyndenes of theÌ„ / but rather they encrese in more desyre ghostly excercyse ¶ Who maketh this that they knocke with so greate hoÌ„ger at the gate of my mercy ¶ My ê“uydeÌ„ce that maketh me prouyde to that helthe of these wretches / to encrese vertu the fruyte of loue charyte in seruauntes ¶ These maners of my prouydences be infynyte whiche I vse in the soule of a synner / that I myghte therby drawe hym out fro that trespas of deedly synÌ„e ¶ Now shall I speke to the of suche that be rysen fro synne / what my prouydeÌ„ce dothe in theÌ„ / yet be vnparfyte / I shall not declare that agayne by repetycyon the state of the soule / for therof I haue told the by order / but shortli somwhat shall I saye yt. ¶ Of the prouydeÌ„ce whiche god vseth ordeyneth / for theÌ„ that be vnparfyte in loue Wyll thou knowe dere doughter what maner I vse for to arayse an vnê‘fyte soule fro her imê‘feccyoÌ„ / other whyle I ê“uyde to her of many dyuers thoughtes / brynge hre somtyme in to baraynes of soule / oftetymes it semeth to suche that be forsake of me vtterly / for they fele nothyÌ„ge ghostly / they thynke they be not in the worlde / outtake that they fele this / that his wyll wyll not offeÌ„de me / this gate of wyll whiche is fre / I wyll not suffer ghostly enemyes to vndo it / but yet I gyue theÌ„ leue bothe fendes other enemyes / that they maye smyte at al other gates / but not at this the whiche is the pryncypall gate / whiche kepeth the cytee of the soule / neuerthelesse the soule hathe a keper that is fre chose whiche dwelleth at that gate / for this cause I haue made fre chose keper of that gate / the after hyÌ„ the gate be opened / as he wyll so be it done or not done ¶ There be many gates loÌ„gynge to that cytee / but princypally there be .iij. of whome there is one whiche euer holdeth hyÌ„ closed shyt yf he wyl / is the keper of all the other gates / these iij. gates be these / myÌ„de / intelleccyon / wyl / but that specyal gate whiche I speke of is wyll / for yf wyll coÌ„sent thaÌ„ by that gate entreth the enemy of ê‘pre loue / other enemyes that folowe hyÌ„ / thaÌ„ intelleccyoÌ„ receyueth dethenesse / whiche is the enemy of lyght / the myÌ„de receyueth hate kepeth it / thyÌ„kynge vpon that iniuryes wroÌ„ges / whiche gate is the enemy of loue of charite of neyghbourheed ¶ It receyueth also kepeth delectacyoÌ„s of that worlde in dyuers maners / after dyuersyte of synnes / whiche be contrary to vertu ¶ After tyme that these gates be thus opened / the smal dores of the bodyly wyrtes be opened / whiche be instrumeÌ„tes answerynge to the soule / for thou knowes well the that mysruled affeccyoÌ„ of maÌ„ that hathe his gates open / answereth with these instrumeÌ„tes / whose workes be desyled / the eye of suche an vnordynate affeccyoÌ„ bryÌ„geth none other thyÌ„ge thaÌ„ dethe / for it seeth nothyÌ„ge els but deed thyÌ„ges vnordynately / where he sholde not ¶ Suche vanyte of herte lyghtenes with other vnhonestes / is cause of ghostly dethe / bothe to hyÌ„ to other ¶ O wretched man the eye whiche I I haue gyueÌ„ the for to beholde heueÌ„ other fayrenes of creatures for me so to se behold my mynysters / thou be holdes rather fylthe in wretchednes of lyuyÌ„ge / so wynnes dethe / in the same wyse the ere delyteth in dyshonest thynges / other to here the dedes of thy neyghbours by false domes / where I wolde thou herde me / the necessite of thy neyghbour
the body / colde / hete / nor yet no greate boystyous metes ¶ WheÌ„se cometh all this trowes thou ¶ Certayne fro my prouydence that I haue ê“uided for hyÌ„ / take the charge of hyÌ„ vpon me / iÌ„ asmoche as he hath fully forsake hyÌ„selfe / thê° dere doughter thou maye se in howmoche delyces my poore seruauÌ„tes enhabyte ¶ A shorte repecycyon of the foresayde dyuyne prouydence NOwe haue I tolde that the lest ê‘ty of my prouydeÌ„ce in euery creature / in all maner of people / shewynge that the fro the begynnyÌ„ge whaÌ„ I made that worlde also creatures / gyuyÌ„ge theÌ„ beyÌ„ge to the ymage lykenesse of me / vnto the laste daye I vse and haue do do what that euer I do with prudence / so to ordeyne prouyde for youre helthe / for I desyre nothyÌ„ge of you / but youre holynes / al thyÌ„ge that is gyueÌ„ to you whiche is of my substauce beynge / is gyueÌ„ to you onely for the same ende / that I myght vse in you my prouydeÌ„ce / this is not knoweÌ„ with wycked worldely meÌ„ / whiche haue put fro them the lyghte / by the whiche they sholde se this / also I haue tolde that bycause they knowe it not / they be sclauÌ„dred in me / neuerthelesse with pacyence I suffer theÌ„ / abydynge euer vnto the laste euer prouidyÌ„ge to theÌ„ for theyr nedes / as well to syÌ„ners as to ryght wyse meÌ„ / bothe in spyrytuall teÌ„porall thyÌ„ges ¶ Also I tolde that of the imparfeccyon of ryches / that in what wretchednesse they be broughte in / whiche haue ryches in possessyoÌ„ by vnordynate loue / also I tolde the of the excelleÌ„ce of pouerte of ryches / that the quene of pouerte gyueth to a soule which hath choseÌ„ her for her spouse / felyshypped with that suster of vylyte / of the which vylyte with obedieÌ„ce togyder / I shall tell the afterwarde ¶ Also there I shewed to the / howmoche pourte pleaseth me / how dere it is to me / how that I ê“uyde to it meruaylously with my ê“uydeÌ„ce ¶ Al this haue I tolde that for the coÌ„meÌ„dacyon of this vertu of pouerte / also for the coÌ„meÌ„dacyon of ê‘fyte feythe / with the whiche feythe a soule cometh to this the most ê‘fyte most excelleÌ„t state of pouerte / that she myght encrese in feythe hope / that also she myght sorowfully knocke at the gate of my mercy ¶ Therfore dere doughter thynke this in thy soule with quycke feythe / that I shall vtterly fulfyll thy desyre / also the desyre of my seruauntes / thoughe they suffer moche vnto the laste ende of theyr dethe ¶ But be not dysconforted / be glad ioyful in me that am thy defender coÌ„forter / lo doughter now haue I satysfyed thy desyre of my prouydeÌ„ce / of the whiche thou prayed me that I sholde prouyde for that necessites of my creatures / thus thou knowes hase well sene / that I am no dyspyser of very holy desyres ¶ How this soule whaÌ„ she gaue worshyp thankynge to go / she prayed that he wolde speke to her of the vertu of obedyence THaÌ„ that soule had suche delyte in that very holy pouerte / rapte by loue as a druÌ„keÌ„ soule in the endelesse magnyfycence and transformed in the depenesse of his meruaylous prouydeÌ„ce so ferforth that she beyÌ„ge in the vessell of the body / wened that she hadde be without the body / by rauyshynge of the fyre of his charyte made iÌ„ her / she behelde stydfastly with the eye of her intelleccyon iÌ„ his dyuyne maieste / sayenge thus to the endelesse fader ¶ O endelesse fader / o blessed fayrenes / o endelesse wysdome / o endeles goodnes / o endeles myldenes / o worthy hope / o refute and refressher of synners / o meruaylous largenesse / o endeles infynyte good / o all wounded in loue / me semeth that thou hase nede of vs wretched creatures / for thy speche sheweth as thou couthe not lyue without vs / not withstoÌ„dinge thou arte endelesse lyfe of whome all thyÌ„ges taken lyfe / without whom may no thynge lyue / why arte thou so wounded in the loue of thy reasonable creatures / they forsake the and thou serches them / they fle fro the / and thou comes nyghte to theym / more nerer thou myghe neuer come / than for to seÌ„de thy onely sothefast sone Ihesu to take oure flesshe vpon hym ¶ O good lorde what shall I saye what shall I speke / all my spekynge is to the no spekynge / therfore I shal say thus as a chylde dothe / a / a / a / for I can none other speke / the tongue of my body is suche that it shall haue ende / and therfore it can not expresse the affeccyon of the soule / whiche desyreth iÌ„fynytely / me semeth that I may saye as the blessed apostell seynt Paule sayde that was thus ¶ The eye may not se / the ere maye not here / nor in to the herte maye nor ascende suche thyÌ„ges / as I haue sene ¶ And what hase thou sene wretched soule ¶ I haue sene the pryuytes of god / whiche is vnsefull a man to speke ¶ What shall I than saye ¶ Certayne I maye nothyÌ„ge saye worthyly / thus abydynge iÌ„ my bodyly wyttes / butone thyÌ„ge I saye to the soule thou hase tasted sene the depenesse of the endelesse prouydence of god / therfore blessed fader withou ende I thaÌ„ke the of thy greate goodnesse shewed to me most wretche vnworthy grace / bycause I coÌ„syder wei that thou arte a fulfyller of holy desyres / I desyre the that yet a lytell thou vouche safe to speke to me of the vertu of obedyence / and of his greate excellence / as thou endeles fader behyght me / that I maye also be rapte in loue with that vertu / and that I maye neuer be departed nor pass awaye fro thy obedyence / therfore endeless fader I beseche the for thy infynyte goodnesse tell me som what of the parfeccyon of vertues / and where I may fynde it / and what is the cause why it is taken awaye fro me / and what thynge it is that gyueth it to me / a token that I maye knowe whyder that I haue it or not And here now moder and sustren endeth your .vi. booke / in the whiche you may fynde ghostly fruytes and herbes ryght many with grete vertues and odyferous smelles / ryghte plesaunte and profytable for the infyrmytes sekenesse of that soule / also dyuers maters and ensamples of good and holy lyuyÌ„ge / with the parfyte maner of fysshyÌ„ge of soules / with other mo Septima ¶ The seuenth boke ¶ The fyrste chapyter of the seueÌ„th party / and the chapyters of this party speke of the vertu of obedyence / fyrste how odedyence is had / and what is that thynge / whiche putteth obedyence fro
they fle not the places wayes whiche brynge them in to suche corrupte thoughtes / but they serche after suche occasyons / that they myght come to the fulfyllynge of the synne ¶ This is the fruyte the sleeth hyÌ„ bynemeth hym lyfe of grace / gyueth hym endelesse dethe ¶ But what stynke casteth out this fruyte brought forthe with the floure of the tree ¶ Certayne it casteth out styÌ„ke of inobedyeÌ„ce / by the whiche he wyll with the thoughte of his herte enquyre deme in euyll the wyll of his souerayne / he casteth out also vnclennes with many wycked conuersacyons / de lytynge hymselfe wretchedly with his name of a deuoute maÌ„ ¶ O wretch thou coÌ„syders not that vnder colour of thy deuocyon shall folowe to the many myscheues / as chyldren of inobedyence / for thou hase not receyued nor take to the chyldren of vertu / as a very obedyeÌ„cer dothe / suche one sercheth for to dysceyue his souerayne / vsynge to hym leues of state rynge wordes / spekynge vnreuereÌ„tly with greate repreuynge / suche one supporteth not his broder / nor he maye not the leest worde saye anendes hym whan he is vndernymed for his defautes / but anone he casteth out venemous fruyte of vnpacyence and Ire and hate agaynst his broder / demynge in euyll / the he dyd to hym for good / thus suche a soule so sclauÌ„dred liueth iÌ„ peyne both wtin wtout ¶ Why is suche one dyspleased with his broder ¶ Certayne for he dyspleaseth hyÌ„selfe sencybly / such one fleeth his Cell / as he wolde fle venyÌ„ the cause is for he is gone out of his owne proper Cell of knowlege / wherby he is fall in to inobedyence / therfore he maye not abyde in his materyall Cell / he wyll not also come to the fraytur / but as he wold go to his enemy / as loÌ„ge as he hath ony thynge to speÌ„de / whaÌ„ he hathe no more / thaÌ„ nede dryueth hym thyder ¶ Therfore trewe obedyeÌ„cers done wel whiche kepe so wel the vowe of pouerte / that they wyl nothyÌ„ge haue for to speÌ„de / bycause they wolde euer be fed at the swete table of the fraytur / where a very obedyencer norysheth both his body soule in peas quyetnes / he wyl neuer thyÌ„ke nor make ordynauÌ„ce for sweter not better lyue lode thaÌ„ he fyndeth there ¶ The coÌ„trary dothe an inobedyeÌ„cer / he wyll be the laste comyÌ„ge iÌ„ to the quere / the fyrste that shall go out / with his lyppes he draweth nygh to me / but his herte is fer fro me / he fleeth also for drede of penaunce that chapyter ¶ What is cause of all this ¶ Certayne inobedyence / suche one also neuer waketh nor prayeth / yet ofte tymes whan he sholde say his dyuyne seruyce / to the whiche he is bounde / and it is vnsayde / he hathe no fraternall charyte wtin hyÌ„ / for he loueth none but hyÌ„selfe / and yet not with reasonable loue / but with beestly loue ¶ Thus many euylles ther be the falleÌ„ vpoÌ„ the heed of an vnobedyeÌ„t maÌ„ / thus many sorowfull fruytes he bryÌ„geth forthe / many mo whiche no erthly toÌ„gue caÌ„tell ¶ O inobedyeÌ„ce whiche depryues the soule fro lyght of obedyence ¶ O inobedyeÌ„ce whiche depryues the soule fro all vertu / arayes it with all vyces / thou takes awaye fro hyÌ„ peas gyues hyÌ„ warre / thou takes fro hym lyfe gyues hyÌ„ dethe / thou drawes hyÌ„ out of the shyp of his order drenches hym iÌ„ the see of this wretched worlde / so straÌ„gles hyÌ„ in synne / makynge hym to swymme with his owne armes / ther he sholde swymme with the armes of his order / thou arayes hym with all maner wretchednesse / thou makes hym dye for hoÌ„ger / takynge awaye fro hym the meet of that meryte of obedyence / thou gyues hym coÌ„tynuall bytternesse / fro all delectacyoÌ„ of swetenesse thou depryues hym and fro all good / makes hym to stonde in all maner of euyll ¶ In this lyfe thou makes hyÌ„ bere the ernest of endelesse turmeÌ„t / yf he ameÌ„de hyÌ„ not or thaÌ„ he passe out of this worlde / thou ledes that same inobedyent soule to endelesse daÌ„pnacyoÌ„ / euer to be turmented with the fendes yeâ—ll out of heuen for â—â—â—yr inobedyeÌ„ce / by the whiche they were rebell to me / now be in the armes of hell / ryght so thou inobedyence by cause thou was rebell to obedyence / dyd throwe a waye fro the this keye of obedyeÌ„ce with whiche thou sholde haue opened the wyket in the gate of heueÌ„ / thou dyd take iÌ„ thy hoÌ„de thou keye of inobedyeÌ„ce / wherwith thou hase opened the gate of heueÌ„ ¶ Of the imparfeccyoÌ„ of theÌ„ whiche be slowe vnlusty iÌ„ relygyoÌ„ / all be it that they kepe them fro deedly synnes / of the remedy how that they may come out of that vnlustynes O Dere doughter howe many be there nowe of the wretched inobedyen cers / whiche in these dayes be fedde noryshed in the shyp of relygyon / ryght fewe there be that be very obedyencers neuertheles sothe it is that bytwene these ê‘fyte obedyencers these wretched obedyencers be many / whiche lyue comunely in the order / for nother they be ê‘fyte as they shold be / nor they be moche wycked / bycause they kepe clene theyr coÌ„scyeÌ„ce fro deedly synÌ„e / but yet they stoÌ„de in dulnesse neclygeÌ„ce of herte / yf suche excercysed not theyr lyuynge in kepynge somwhat of theyr obseruauÌ„ces of the order / they sholde fall to greate perell / therfore they haue nede to be ryght besy and slepe not iÌ„ derkenesse / but that they aryse fro dulnesse slothe / for yf they abyâ—e loÌ„ge therin / they be able for to fall ryght lore / yet though they fall not / they sholde slode vnder maÌ„nes praysyÌ„ge a plesauÌ„ce / colored with the colour of relygyoÌ„ / besyeÌ„ge theÌ„ rather in kepyÌ„ge of some outwarde cerymonyes in the syght of maÌ„ / thaÌ„ for to kepe properly the pure religyoÌ„ / oftetymes suche with lytellyghte that they haue be able to fal to domes demynges of them that kepe the order more straytely thaÌ„ they in lesse ê‘feccyon of ceremonyes / of whom they make theÌ„selfe specyal kekers ¶ To all suche it semeth to theÌ„ ryght noyus for to dwell in comune obedyeÌ„ce / in asmoche as they neclygently ouerpasse trewe obedyeÌ„ce / with moche peyne labour with a colde herte they bere that obseruauÌ„ces of the order ¶ Thus they offende ê‘feccyon / by the whiche they entred / and thoughe they do lytell harme as I haue sayd to other yet neuertheles they do full euyll / the is bycause they come not clereli out of the world / wher they shold haue lyued kepte the keye of generall obedyeÌ„ce / and than for to come to
/ but that they were euer redy for to obeye to me redyly whan that they were caste in to the hote brennynge fyre / it noyed them not / lyke as thou fyndes of thre chyldren that were caste in that breÌ„nyÌ„ge oueÌ„ / of many other / whiche were to longe to tell ¶ Also in the same wyse of the water / for that obeyed to this vertu whiche was wel knowe by Maure / for whaÌ„ he was sende for to take out that dyscyple whiche was sonke in the water / he ranne vpon the water as he wolde vpon the erthe brought out that dyscyple / he thoughte not one hymselfe / but with the lyghte of feythe he purposed for to fulfyll the obedyeÌ„ce of his souerayne / in all thyÌ„ges yf thou open the eye of thy intelleccyon / thou shall well fynde that the excellence of this vertu is specyally shewed / so that all thynges that a relygyous man dothe sholde be lefte for obedyence / for thoughe a relygyous man were in somoche araysed by contemplacyon and vnyon of his soule in me / that his body were ther with lyfte vp fro the erthe / to hym were commaunded a certayne obedyeÌ„ce of his souerayne / that is spekyÌ„ge byddyÌ„ge to hyÌ„ generally not partyculerly / whiche generall spekyÌ„ge setteth no lawe of tulfyllynge yf he myght / he sholde enforce hym for to leue his hyghe contemplacyoÌ„ for to fulfyll his obedyeÌ„ce / in the same wyse a relygyous maÌ„ sholde leue his taxed specyall prayers for nede / for charyte / and for obedyence ¶ All this commendacyon I tell the of obedyence / for I wolde that thou knewe how lykynge it is to me how pleasauÌ„te / and also that I wolde it were ryght prompte and redy in my seruauntes / for what that euer a very obedyencer dothe / it turneth to hym for meryte mede / yf he ete he eteth for obedyence / yf he slepe he slepeth for obedyence / yf he go / stonde / faste / wake / al this he dothe for obedyeÌ„ce / also yf he do seruyce to his broder or to his euencrysteÌ„ / he dothe it for obedyence / yf he be in the quere or in the fraytur or in his Cell ¶ Who ledeth hym or maketh hym stonde in these places ¶ Certayne obedyence with the lyghte of very feythe / with the whiche lyght / he hathe mortyfyed hymselfe to al his owne proper wyl / and lowed hymselfe with holy hate of hymselfe in the armes of his order / and in the hondes of his souerayne / with this obedyence he resteth in the shyp of relygyon / he roweth in the same shyp throwout all this tempestyous see of this wretched lyfe / with greate ghostly prosperyte / with a clere shynynge soule and tranquyllyte of herte / for obedyeÌ„ce with feythe hath put awaye all derkenes / he is ryght stronge and syker / for obedyeÌ„ce hath put awaye fro hyÌ„ feblenesse drede / by auoydyÌ„ge of his owne wyl ¶ Of whom cometh suche feblenesse vnordynate drede / and what eteth this spouse obedyence ¶ Certayne her meet is the knowlege of herselfe and me / for a relygyoê° maÌ„ sholde knowe hymselfe full of defautes and ryght nought without ony beynge of hym selfe / and me that am he that am / in whome he tasteth eteth my sothefaste truthe / whiche he knoweth in the sothefastnesse of my onely incarnate sone Ihesu ¶ And what drynketh this spouse obedyence ¶ The drynke that she drynketh in my sones bloode in the whiche bloode my sone sheweth to a religyous maÌ„ my truth and meruaylous loue that I haue to mankynde / in that blode he shewed his obedyeÌ„ce / that was put to hyÌ„ of me endelesse fader for you / ther fore a very obedyencer maketh hym very drunke ghostly in that blode / after tyme he is so druÌ„ke with that blessyd bloode / he hathe all loste and hyd hymselfe in obedy ce / al his coÌ„ceytes and felynges and by grace he hathe me full / tastynge me by affeccyon of loue / with lyghte of feythe in obedyence / all the lyfe of suche an obedyencer cryeth peas / and in his dethe whan he is departed fro this lyfe / he receyueth the thynge the was promysed hym of his souerayne in my name / that is euer lastyÌ„ge lyfe / syghte of peas and of endelesse tran quyllyte and reste / whiche is a good vnestymable / that none lyuynge in ecthe maye thynke nor coÌ„prehende in his wyttes howmoche it is / for it is infynyte / in asmoche as it maye not be coÌ„preheÌ„ded of a lesse thynge / for euery lesse thyÌ„ge is so it as a vessell put in the see / but onely the same quantyte whiche it hathe receyued / the see is that whiche comprehendeth / and not the vessell put in to the seeâ— tyght so I that am that peaseable see / am he alone that comprehende myselfe and compas myselfe / and of my owne comprehencyon and estymacyon I ioye in my selfe / whiche ioye and good that I haue in myselfe / I parte it with you / to eche of you after his mesure / for I fyll his mesure / and neuer holde it to be voyde / gyuynge to hym ê‘fyte blessednesse / and he comprehendeth knoweth of my goodnesse / asmoche as I wyl that he knowe / thus is a very obedyencer with the lyghte of feythe in my truthe / all brenned in the furneys of my endelesse charyte / noynted with mekenesse / drunke with my sones blode / he is also proued with pacyence the suster of obedyence / and he dyspyseth hymselfe by vylyte abieccyon / and with strengthe he abydeth in longe parseuerauÌ„ce / byclypped al aboute with many other vertues / and with the fruyte of them / he receyueth his ende and rewarde of me that am his maker ¶ The fyfte chapyter of this laste party is of a repetycyon of all the hole boke / and how this deuoute soule yeldynge worshyp and thankynges to god / made a prayer for all holy chyrche for al the worlde / and here is commended the vertu of feythe / so is the ende fulfylled of this boke Ca. v. NOwe ryght swete dere doughter I haue satysfyed thy desyre / fro the begynnynge therof vnto the laste of obedyence / thou knowes well at the begynnyge thou prayed to me with loue and longynge desyres / by the whiche desyres / I made the to aske of me / that is that I sholde encrese in thy soule the fyre of my brennynge charyte / and than thou dyde aske of me foure petycyons ¶ One was for thy selfe / whome I satysfyed pllumynyÌ„ge me by my endelesse truthe / there shewynge the how thou myght knowe my sothefast truthe / whiche thou desyred to knowe / and there I tolde the that with knowlege of thyselfe and of me by the lyght of feythe thou myghte come to the knowlege of my truthe ¶ The secuÌ„de petycyon that thou made
was the I sholde shewe mercy to the worde ¶ The thyrde was that thou prayed to me for my mystery al body of holy chyrche / the I wolde auoyde thens derkenesse and parsecucyons / desyrynge thyselfe the I sholde punysshe the wyckednesse of them vpon the / and there I declared to the that no peyne / whiche is gyuen in a tyme that hathe ende / maye satasfy the synne done agaynst me that am endelesse good namely the pure peyne alone but it satysfyeth thus / yf the peyne be oned with desyre of soule / coÌ„trycyon of herte and the maner how / there I declared the / and also I answered the ther that I wolde she we mercy to the worlde / and there I tolde the / that mercy is enpropryed to me / for by mercy and by meruaylous loue that I haue to mankynde / I sende my onely sothefaste sone / whome I put to the in thou lykenes of a brydge that recheth fro heuen to erthe / by vnyon of my dyuyne nature oned to youre nature / this I shewe the for to yllumyne the the more in my truthe / and there also I tolde the how a man maye ascende vp by that brydge by thre grees / that is by thre myghtes of the soule / to these thre grees how thou sholde ascende vpon the brydge of my sone there I tolde the / that fyrst thou muste ascende vpon the grees of his feet / and than vpon the syde / and so at the laste vpon the grees of his mouthe / in the whiche grees I put thre states of the soule / that is vnê‘fyte state / parfyte state / moste parfyte state / in the whiche moost parfyte state / a soule is come to the excellence of vnytyue loue / in eche of them I shewed the clerely ther that thynge whiche dothe awaye fro that soule imparfeccyon / and maketh it to come to parfeccyon / and of the dysceytes of fendes / and of proper spyrytuall loue / and also there I tolde the in these states of thre vndernymynges that my myldenesse dothe to a soule / one I tolde the I do in this lyfe / another in the dethe in suche that with hope dye in deedly synne of whome I tolde the that all suche dyd go vnder the brydge by the fendes waye / of whose wretchednesse there I tolde the / and the thyrde of the laste generall dome / of the peynes of dampned soules / and of the ioye of blessed soules / whaÌ„ eche soule shal be arayed with the dowerys of his body / also there I behyghte the / yet I promyse the that with many passyons of my seruauÌ„tes I shall reforme my spouse holy chyrche styrryÌ„ge you to suffer dysease for it and for to sorowe for the wyckednes of theÌ„ that do parfeccyoÌ„ to it / there also I shewed the the greate excellence of my mynysters / and also of the reuerence whiche I requyre of seculers / for to be gyue to theÌ„ iÌ„ my name / for the defaute of theÌ„ shall not mynesshe theyr reuerence whiche sholde be do to them iÌ„ my name / and howmoche the coÌ„trary of this dyspleaseth me / and of the vertu of theÌ„ that mynyster to me as angels / where I touched to the of the greate worthy excellence of the blessed sacrament / also there I tolde the of the states of teeres whense they came / where I tolde the the all teeres come fro the well of the herte so by rowe ther I tolde the of .iiii. states of teeres / and of the fylthe whiche bryngeth in dethe ¶ I answered the also to the fourthe petycyon of that whiche thou prayed me the to partyculer fallynge I sholde prouyde / and so I prouyded as thou knowes moreouer I declared to the bothe in generall and in specyall my prouydence / fro the begynnynge of the worlde vnto the laste ende / how that all thynges that I haue do / I do with my dyuyne prouydence / bothe in trybulacyons comfortes bodyly and ghostly / all is done for youre beste after my dyuyne prouydence / that you maye be in me holy / and the in you my sothefaste truthe maye be fulfylled / for my sothefaste truthe was to make you of noughte / for to gyue you lyfe euerlastynge / whiche ryghtwysenes was shewed and is gyuen to you / with the precyous bloode of my onely sothefaste sone Ihesu / forthermore at the laste I satysfyed thy desyre / in that that thou desyred to here of parfeccyon of obedyence / and of the imparfeccyon of inobedyence / and whense obedyeÌ„ce cometh / and what thynge draweth it fro you / I put it to the as for agener all keye so it is I tolde the ther also of partyculer obedyeÌ„ce / of theÌ„ that be parfyte and vnparfyte / bothe of suche that be iÌ„ order and of suche as be out of order / dnd of eche of theÌ„ by rowe / of peas also whiche very obedyence gyueth / and howmoche an inobedyencer is dysceyued / tellynge the ther that dethe entrede in to this worlde / by the inobedyeÌ„ce of Adam / therfore now I endelesse fader moost souerayne and endelesse truthe conclude to the / that in the obedyence of my sone all ye receyued lyfe / for ryghte as in the inobedyeÌ„ce of the fyrste olde man all ye receyued dethe / so all those that wyll bere the keye of obedyeÌ„ce maye receyue lyfe of that newe maÌ„ Ihesu cryst / of whom to you I made a brydge / for the strete of heuen was broke / therfore yf ye wyll go by this ryght swete waye with the keye of obedyeÌ„ce / ye maye lyghtly ouer passe all maner derkenesse of the worlde and not offende / and so at the laste with the same keye for to open heuen ¶ Now dere doughter I styrre the for to wayle and wepe / my other seruauntes / for by waylynge and wepynge and by meke coÌ„tynuall prayer / I wyll shewe mercy to the worlde / renne therfore now by this strete of truthe all mortyfyed / lest that thou be vndernome in thy slowe goynge / and therfore I wyll that thou renne / for I shall now requyre more of the than I dyd fyrst / bycause I haue shewed my selfe openly ynoughe to the in my sothfastnes / be ware nowe that thou neuer go out of thy Cell of knowlege / but there in that Cell kepe the / spende the tresoure whiche is gyueÌ„ to the / that is the doctryne of truthe grounded vpon a quycke stone cryste Ihesu arayed with lyghte / whiche forsaketh derkenesse iÌ„ this lyghte / dere and well beloued swete doughter / araye the theri ¶ How this deuoute soule yeldynge worshyp and thankynges to god / made a prayer for al holy chyrche and for all the worlde / here is commeÌ„ded the vertu of feythe / so is the ende fulfylled in this booke THan that soule whan it had thus seen and beholde with
well / with the water of holsome doctryne Fede you here with the swete meet of ghostly counsayll that cometh fro heuen He that lacketh this ghostly syght / here maye receyue lyght He that is in sorowe or heuynesse / here maye haue comforte and consolacyoÌ„ He that is wery / here maye take reste He that is dull slowe / shall be quyckened made dylygent He that is weyke / here maye receyue strengthe He that is rude vnlerned / maye gette here lernyÌ„ge holy maners And more ouer he that hath good syght in lernyÌ„ge / a quyet myÌ„de / and is stroÌ„ge / coÌ„stant / vertuous / yf he dryÌ„ke of this wel / it shal not helpe onely to enorme hyÌ„ preserue hyÌ„ therin / but also it shal enlarge encrease hyÌ„ in all goodnesse I ony maÌ„ thynke that I saye or promyse other wyse than it is in dede / let hyÌ„ loke wel vpon this worke / and compare my sayenges vnto it / and yf he fynde not that I haue sayde moche lesse for the mater than I ought to do let hyÌ„ take me for a babbeler / and poynt me with his fynger / as a man of no fydelyte Let no man dysdayne it or set lesse by it / by reason of the rude style / or of the symple translacyon / for he that translated it / intended more the eloquence of maners thaÌ„ of wordes ¶ The eloquence of good lyfe oughte not to be contempned nor hated for lacke of eloquent speche This booke is not ordeyned for to delyte please the eeres the outwarde senses / but to instructe the soule / and to comforte the inwarde senses It conteyneth no preceptes of eloquence / but it is ful of heuenly speche and of vertuous doctryne Therfore let not the lytell bytternesse of the outwarde huske / kepe you fro the plesaunt tastynge of the swete kernell within that is let not the symplenesse of the style / nor laboure of redynge kepe you fro the swete doctryne ghostly comforte that ye maye haue in this booke / whiche promyseth truthe sheweth it clerely It she with heueÌ„ly thynges bryngeth theÌ„ forthe habuÌ„dantly It grauÌ„teth eternall Ioye / to all theÌ„ that wyll worke after it parseuerantly whiche our lorde graunte vs to do In whome all ye reders / fare ye well ¶ Another prologue RElygyous moder and deuoute sustren / called chosen besâ—â—y to labour at the house of Syon / in the blessed vyneyerde of our holy sauyoure / his parfyte rule whiche hymselfe endyted / to kepe coÌ„tynually vnto oure lyues ende / vnder the gouernaunce of oure blessed lady / her seruyce onely to rede to synge / as her specyall seruauÌ„tes and doughtren ¶ And she youre moste souerayne lady chese Abbes of her holy couent / I synfull vnworthy to bere ony name to the worshyp of that holy saueoure / and at the reuerence of his gloryous moder / to youre ghostly recreacyon / with helpe of youre prayes compelled by charyte for ghostly affeceycyon / purpose to wryte to you after my symple selynge / the relelacyons of oure lorde to his chosen mayde Katheryne of Sene / this boke of reuelacyons as for youre ghostly comforte to you I call it a fructyferous orcharde ¶ This orcharde by goddes grace / my wyll is to deupde in to seueÌ„ partes / and eche parte in to fyue chapyters / as ye maye se and rede in the kalender folowynge ¶ In this orcharde whan ye wyll be conforted / ye maye walke and se bothe fruytes and herbes / and all be it that some fruytes or herbes seme to some sharpe / harde or bytter / yet to purgynge of yeâ—oule they be ful spedefull and profytable / whan they be dyscretely take and receyued by counseyle ¶ Therfore relygyous sustren / in this ghostly orcharde at reasonable tyme ordeyned / I wyll that you dysporte you and walke aboute where you wyll with youre mynde and reason / in what alaye you lyke / and namely there ye fauouren best / as ye be dysposed ¶ You may chose of .xxxv. aleys in whiche you wyll walke that is to saye of .xxxv. chapyters / one tyme iÌ„ one / another tyme in another / but fyrste my counsayle is / clerely to assaye and serche the hole orcharde / and taste of suche fruyte and herbes reasonable after your affeccyon and what you lyketh beest / afterwarde chewe it well and ete therof for helthe of youre soule ¶ And now sustren I ceaseÌ„ of this prologue / and in the maner of a kalender here I wyll shewe vnto you / the ordynauÌ„ce of this orcharde / in tyme comynge by goddes grace / as it pleaseth hyÌ„ of his mercy to graunte me bodyly hele and tyme of lyfe / to plate it and set it with suche fruytes and herbes / as oure lorde shewed to the foresayde mayde in her contemplacyon / whan her body was rauyshed fro all bodyly felynge / as wytnesseth her clerkes and all her dyscyples ¶ And for as moche as I sayde before that this booke sholde be deâ—pded in to .vii. partes / and eche parte in to .v. chapyters ¶ Here therfore I begyÌ„nne the kalender / and commeÌ„de me to youre prayers ¶ The chapyters of the fyrste parte Capitulum primum THe fyrst chapyter of this fyrste parte / sheweth how the soule of this mayde is oneâ— to god / how whan that soule was lytte vp in to coÌ„templacyon made foure petycyons to oure lorde ¶ Also how the desyre of this soule encreased / whyle the necessyte of the worlde was shewed to her of oure lorde ¶ Also how the workes of a man in the worlde suffyse not to punysshe his synne iÌ„ purgatory / nor to be rewarded in blysse / without contynuall affeccyon of charyte ¶ Also how desyre and contrycyon of a mannes herte maketh satysfaccyon for his synne and for the peyne of his synne / whan he trauayleth for his owne soule and for all other mennes soules / sometyme it maketh satysfaccyon for the synne / and not for the peyne Ca. ij THe secunde chapyter is how eche vertu and defaute is by some maner or meane of a mannes neyghbour ¶ Also how vertues be wroughte in man by some meane of his neyghboure ¶ Also why there is somoche dyffereÌ„ce in vertues the whiche be put in creatures ¶ Also how vertues be proued streÌ„gthed of theyr contraryes ¶ Ca. iij. THe thyrde chapyter treateth of the vertu of dyscrecyon / fyrste how a soule shall not put his affeccyoÌ„ nor effectuall workynge in penaunce pryncypally / but in vertues / and how dyscrecyon cometh of mekenesse / and how dyscrecyon yeldeth to eche creature that loÌ„geth to hym ¶ Also oure lorde god sheweth here a symplytude / how that charyte / mekenesse / and dyscrecyon be oned togyder / to the whiche lykenes a soule conformeth her asmoche as she maye ¶ Also how the bodyly penaunce and other bodyly excercysesholde be take for an
instrument to come to vertues / and not for pryncypall affeccyon ¶ Also of the lyghte of dyscrecyon that is to saye in dyuers maners and in dyuers workynges ¶ Also here he sheweth a repetycyon of some wordes sayde before / and how that god the fader promyseth to his seruauÌ„tes refresshyÌ„ge and ghostly comforte / and to holy chyrche reformacyon / by the meane or medyacyon of fufferynge peynes and trybulacyons para Ca. iiij THe fourthe chapyter is how the workynge of the soule of this mayde by the answere of oure lorde / bothe encreased and fayled in the bytternesse of her soule / and how she made her prayer for his spouse holy chyrche / for his people ¶ Also how god made his moone of his crysten people / and specyally of his mynysters ¶ Also here he toucheth somwhat of the sacrament of his holy body / and of the benefyte of his incarnacyon Ca. v. ALso how synne is more greuously punyshed after cryites passyon than before / end how the god promyseth to do mercy to the worlde and to holy chyrche / with intersescyons of prayers sufferauÌ„ce of penaunce dyseases ¶ Also this soule hauynge knowlege somoche of the goodnesse of god / prayed not all onely for crysten people and for holy chyrche / but she prayed also for all the worlde in generall ¶ And also how that god made his coÌ„playnt of his reasonable creature / and specyally for theyr owne proper loue the whiche reygneth in them / where he conforteth this soule to prayers and to teeres ¶ Also how that no man maye ascape the handes of god / but that he muste abyde / other of his ryghtwysenes or of his greate mercy ¶ And also how this deuoute soule vpon a tyme whaÌ„ that she dyd swete water / for an holy ghostly breÌ„nynge hete / in tyme of prayer she desyred that her swetynge sholde haue be bloode rather than water / how that she repreued herselfe / that she had not swette bloode ¶ And iÌ„ this repreuyÌ„ge she made a specyall prayer for her ghostly fader ¶ Also how a man maye not please god / but he bere trybulacyons and anguyshes with pacyence ¶ The chapyters of the secuÌ„de parte Ca. i. THe fyrste chapyter of the secunde parte maketh mencyon of a brydge / and how the fader of heuen made a brydge of his sone / whan the waye of goynge to heuen was broke by the mâ—hedyeÌ„ce of the fyrste man Adam / by the whiche all trewe crysten men maye ouer passe ¶ How god induceth styrreth this soule to beholde the greatenesse of this brydge that is to saye how that it recheth fro the erthe to heueÌ„ ¶ And also how that all we be laborers / and how that we be sende fro god to labour in the vyneyerde of oure moder holy chyrche / how that euery man woman haue a vyneyerde of them selfe / and how that we the whiche be the cyons or the braunches whiche be oned in the very vyne of the sone of god oure sauyoure Ihesu cryste / the very lambe of mekenesse ¶ And also by what maner cryste bereth the braunches with the soresayde vyne / and that is to saye his seruauntes ¶ Also how that the vyneyerde of euery man is oned with the vyneyerde of his neyghboure in somoche that no man maye sette or norysshe or tyll or dystrye his owne vyneyerde / but he set or tyl or dystrye his neyghbours vyneyerde ¶ Also how that this foresayde soule whan that she hadde gyuen praysynges to god / she prayed to hym that he wolde shewe to her them that were goyÌ„ge by the brydge / and them that were not goynge by that brydge ¶ Ca. ij ALso how the blessed brydge goddes sone hathe thre grees / by the whiche be betokened thre states of a soule / how this brydge whaÌ„ it is araysed vp iÌ„ to the heyghte / yet is it not departed fro the erthe ¶ Also how these wordes shal be vnderstonde Si exaltatus fuero a terra omÌ„ia traham ad me ¶ Also how this brydge is walled with stones / and how that they betoken ryall and very vertues / and vpon this brydge there is a house / or a place ordeyned where meet shal be gyuen to the wayegoers / who that goeth by that brydge gothe to eternall and euerlastynge lyfe / and who that goeth vnder the brydge by the floode / gothe to pardycyon and to the dethe of euerlastynge peyne ¶ How that men go with trauayle in these two wayes whyder he go that one or that other and of the delyte the whiche a soule hathe / that goeth to the brydge ¶ Ca. iij. THe thyrde chapyter maketh mencyon / yet of this same brydge goddes sone Ihesu cryste / it telleth whaÌ„ our lorde Ihesu cryst was ascended vp in to heuen in the daye of his ascencyon / he departed hym not fro the erthe ¶ Also how that this soule as she wondred on the mercy of god / she noumbred in her soule the multytude of the gyftes of god / and the greate graces whiche came to mankynde of that same dyuyne mercy ¶ Also of the vnworthynesse of them the whiche wente by the floode / vnder the foresayde brydge ¶ And how that god calleth that soule that gothe vnder the tree of dethe / whiche hathe his roote pryÌ„cypally in foure vyces ¶ Ca. iiij ALso how the fruyte of this tree is moche dyuers / as is the dyuersyte of synnes / and here he sheweth fyrste of the voluptuosyte of carnal delectacyoÌ„ or lechery ¶ Also how that the truyte of of some teeres is auaryce / and of the euyll that cometh of synne / and how vnryghtfulnesse is the fruyte of some mennes teeres / whiche haue the state of domynacyon ¶ Also throwe his vnryghtwysenesse and throwe other defautes / a man cometh in to false demynge ¶ And also of the vnworthynesse in to the whiche a man falleth throwe these defautes ¶ Here also god speketh vpon that worde whiche cryst sayde O go mittam paraclitum c. Cryste sayde / I shall sende the holy ghoste / whiche shall repreue the worlde of vnryghtwysenesse of false domes or Iudge meÌ„tes / and here he saythe that one of these repreues be contynuall and without ende ¶ Ca. v. THe fyfte chapyter is of the secunde vndernymynge or blamynge / wherin vnrygthwysenesse and false domes be repreued / bothe in generall and in ê‘tyculer ¶ Also of foure pryÌ„cypall turmentes of theÌ„ that be dampned / whiche all other turmentes do folowe / and specyally and syngulerly of the foule syghte of of the fende ¶ Also of the thyrde reprefe and blamynge that shall be in the daye of Iudgement / how they that be dampned maye not desyre ony goodnesse / and of the Ioye of theym that be blessed ¶ Also that after the generall Iudgement / the peyne of them that shall be dampned shall be encreaced with peynes not able to be thoughte ¶ The
synne ¶ Here also god speketh agaynste theÌ„ that do ê‘secucyon to holy chyrche / of that mynysters of holy chyrche in dyuers maners ¶ And a shorte repetycyon of that that is sayde before of holy chyrche / of that mynysters ¶ Of the excellence of vertues / and of the holy workes of vertues holy mynysters / how they haue the coÌ„dycyoÌ„ of the sonÌ„e of the correccyoÌ„s to theyr subiectes ¶ A repetycyon of wordes before ¶ And of the reuerÌ„ece that shall be done to preestes / whyder they be good or bad ¶ And of the dedes wycked lyfe of euyll preestes euyll mynysters ¶ Also how vnryghtwysenes reygneth in bad mynysters / in theÌ„ that correcke not theyr subiectes ¶ Of many other defautes of the foresayde mynysters / specyally of goynge to tauernes / of theyr vayne playes / of holdynge of theyr concubynes ¶ Also how the synne agaynst kynde reygneth in some of the foresayde mynysters / of a fayre vysyon whiche this soule had ¶ Also how subiectes whiche be in the fore sayde defautes ameÌ„de theÌ„ not / of defautes of relygyous ê‘sones / whiche correcke not the foresayde defautes ¶ Also how the synÌ„e of lechery reygneth in euyl mynysters of holy chyrche / also the auaryce reygneth in wycked mynysters in lendynge for vsure / specyally in byenge sellynge benefyces prelaces / of moche euyl that hathe come in holy chyrche for his couetyse ¶ Also how pryde reygneth in the foresayd mynysters / by the whiche pryde the felynge in god is loste / and whan that felynge is a waye / than fall they in to this defaute that is to say suche men faynen them to make consecracyon / and they make none ¶ Also of many other defautes / whiche be in wycked mynysters ¶ And of many other defautes / the whiche come of pryde / and of mannes owne proper loue ¶ Ca. v. OF the dyfference of the dethe of ryghtfull men / and the dethe of greate synfull men / fyrste of the dethe of ryghtfull men ¶ Of the dethe of greate synners / and of of theyr peynes in the ende or poynt of dethe ¶ And a repetycyoÌ„ of moch that is sayd before ¶ And how god forbyddeth that preestes sholde not be touched by the hondes of seculer men ¶ And how god styrreth this soule to praye and to wepe / by compassyoÌ„ of suche myslyuynge prestes ¶ And how this deuoute soule yeldeth thankynges to god and praysynges / and prayeth specyally for al holy chyrche ¶ The chapyters of the syxte parte Ca. i. THe chapyters of the syxte parte treateth moche of the prouydence of god / fyrst of his prouydence generally that is to saye how god prouyded man to be man / and how he formed hym of noughte to his ymage lykenes / and how god prouyded maÌ„ to his saluacyon / with the incarnacyon of his sone / whaÌ„ the gate of paradyse was shutte / for the synne of the fyrste man Adam ¶ And how he prouyded hymselfe / gyuynge hyÌ„selfe contynually to vs / in to meet in the auter ¶ Also how god prouyded to gyue hope in his creatures / and how he that moost parfytely hopeth / moost tasteth the prouydence of god ¶ Also how god in the olde testament prouyded the lawe and the prophecyes / afterwarde he sende his worde by the apostels / martyrs / and by other holy men / and how no thyÌ„ge falleth to creatures / but that it is the ê“uydeÌ„ce of god ¶ Also what that euer god suffereth to be done to vs / it is onely for our good / and for the helthe of oure soules / and they be blynde and dysceyued that deme the contrary ¶ Ca. ij THe secuÌ„de chapyter sheweth how that god prouydeth in some specyall case to that soule that falleth ¶ Also the secunde chapyter of this ê‘te / telleth how god sheweth his prouydeÌ„ce anendes his creatures by dyuers maners how 's he maketh his complaynte of the vntruthe of his creatures / and how he expowneth a fygure of the olde testament / and of a ryght profytable doctryne ¶ How god prouydeth for vs / that we maye haue trybulacyons for the helthe of oure soules / for the mystery of theÌ„ that truste in theÌ„selfe / not in that prouâ—dence of god ¶ And of the extelleÌ„t grace of them that trusten in the ê“uydeÌ„ce of god ¶ How god hathe prouyded for euery soule / gyuynge them the sacramentes for theyr helthe ¶ And how he prouydeth for his seruauntes / the whiche be full hongry and ryght desyrous / whan he ordeyneth them to be fedde with his sones body Ihesu cryste / where he telleth that ofte sythes he prouyded crystes body by a wonder full maner to a soule that was full hongry ¶ Ca. iij. THe thyrde chapyter is of the prouydence of god / anendes them that be abydynge iÌ„ deedly synne / of the prouydence whiche god vseth and ordeyneth for theÌ„ that be in vnparfyte loue / and for them that be in parfyte loue charyte ¶ And a shorte repetycyon of the foresayde wordes ¶ And howe god speketh afterwarde of that worde / whiche cryste sayde to Peter Mitte rethe ad dexteraÌ„ ê‘teÌ„ nauis et iÌ„uemetê That is to saye / caste ye the nette on the ryght syde of the shyp / ye shall fynde ¶ And how somemaÌ„ casteth his nette more parfytely than another / wherefore he catcheth more fysshe than another ¶ Ind of the excellence of suche parfyte meÌ„ ¶ Ca. iiij THe fourthe chapyter is of the prouydence of god in generall / that he vseth in his creatures in this lyfe and that other ¶ Also of the prouydeÌ„ce of god for his pore seruauntes / helpynge them with temporall goodes ¶ And of the euyls that come in kepynge and desyrynge temporall goodes vnordynately ¶ Ca. v. THe fyfte chapyter is of the excelleÌ„ce of theÌ„ that be poore iÌ„ spyryte / and how cryste taughte vs of this pouerte / not onely by worde / but by ensample ¶ Also of the prouydence of god / for them that take this pouerte ¶ And a shorte repetycyon of the foresayde dyuyne prouydeÌ„ce ¶ And how this soule whaÌ„ she gaue worshyppes and thaÌ„kynges to god / she prayed that he wolde speke to her of the vertu of obedyence ¶ The chapyters of the seueth party Ca. i. THe fyrst chapyter of this seueth party / and al the chapyters of this party / speke of the vertu of obedyence ¶ And fyrste how obedyeÌ„ce is had / and what is that thyÌ„ge whiche putteth awaye obedyeÌ„ce fro vs. ¶ And what is the token of obedyence / that a maÌ„ hathe it â—r hathe it not ¶ And who is the felowe of obedyence / and of whome it is noryshed ¶ How obedyence hathe a keye / wherwith heuen is opened / how the keye muste haue a thoÌ„ge and be borne by a gyrdell ¶ Here also he speketh of the
mystery of them that be not obedyent / and of the excellent grace of them that be obedyent ¶ Ca. ij THe secuÌ„de chapyter is of theÌ„ that set somoche loue to obedyence / that it suffyseth not to them to obeye to the generall obedyence / as to the commaundymeÌ„tes of god / but yf they take be bounde to some specyall obedyeÌ„ce ¶ Also how a maÌ„ cometh and by what maner fro the generall obedyence to the specyall / and of the excellence of the relygyoÌ„ ¶ Also of the excellence of them that be vnder obedyence and be obedyent / and of the mysery of them that be inobedyent / whiche be in the state of relygyon ¶ How they that be very obedyent receyue an hundreth for one / and euer lastynge lyfe ¶ And what is vnderstonde by that one / what by that hundreth ¶ Ca. iij. THe thyrde chapyter is of the paruersyte / mysere / and labours of hym that is not obedyent / and of the myserable fruytes that come of inobedyeÌ„ce ¶ Of the Imparfeccyon of theÌ„ that be slowe or vnlusty in relygyon / all be it they kepe them fro deedly synne / and of the remedy how they maye come out of that vnlustynesse ¶ Of the excellence of obedyence / and of the goodes that obedyence gyueth to hyÌ„ that taketh it in sothefastnesse ¶ Ca. iiij THe fourthe chapyter is of dystynccyon of two maners of obedyence that is to saye of obedyence of relygyous folke / and of obedyence that is done to a certayne parsone out of relygyon for god ¶ How god rewardeth not after the trauayle of obedyence / nor after the lengthe of the ryme / but after the magnytude of charyte ¶ Also of the redynesse quyckenesse of them that be very obedyencers ¶ And of the myracles the whiche god sheweth of this vertu and of dyscrecyon in obedyence / and of the workes and rewarde of hym that is very obedyent ¶ Ca. v. THe fyfte chapyter of this last party is a repetycyoÌ„ of all the hole boke / how this deuoute soule yeldynge worshyppes and thankynges to god / made a prayer for all holy chyrche / for all the worlde ¶ And here is coÌ„mended the vertu of feythe / so is fulfylled yeâ—ude of this boke ¶ Here foloweth a prologue TO sustren I haue shewed you what ympes trees I haue founde and gadered to plante and to set in your ghostly orcharde ¶ The aleys of youre ghostly orcharde be full longe and brodâ— / wherin be many walkynge pathes / whiche shall lede you truly to what maner fruyte you lyste to fede you / in what party they be sette or plaÌ„ted ¶ But sustren lyke it to you to knowe that in gaderynge delectable fruyte / I fouÌ„de full bytter wedes / bytter and soure they be to taste / but profytable to knowe ¶ Suche wedes I purpose to set ymonge good fruyte not for fedyÌ„ge but to youre knowynge ¶ Taste you of them and knowe them / that ye maye beware yfony ghostly enemy profer you ony suche wedes ¶ Sauour you theÌ„ not for full fedynge / for than peryously they worke / and full ofte to dethe / but by grace the soner it maye be remedyed ¶ But sustren thoughe my fruyte be gadered / yet a tyme I muste haue of settynge and of plantynge / ymoÌ„ge recreacyons to the parfeccyoÌ„ of my spyryte ¶ Greate laborer was I neuer bodyly nor ghostly / I had neuer greate strengthe myghtely to labour with spade nor with shouell ¶ Therfore nowe deuoute sustren helpe me with prayers / for I lacke cunnynge / agaynste my greate feblenesse / strengthe me with youre pyte ¶ Also haue me recommended in your ghostly excercyse to our blessyd lady / and salute her in my name with deuoute aues / hauyÌ„ge myÌ„de somtyme on her fyue ioyes / and sometyme on her fyue sorowes / whiche she had in erthe ¶ With this labour I charge you not / but as youre charyte styrreth you / with that vertu helpe me forthe / for hastely I go to labour / in purpose to parforme this fruytefull ghostly orcharde / as it shall be plesyÌ„ge to almyghty god to gyue lyghte to my soule / with trewe felyÌ„ge clere syghte ¶ Whiche Ihesu cryste for his moderly loue / graunte onely to his worshyp and to our ghostly lernynge / and conforte all to creacyon AmeÌ„ ¶ And here shal folowe the reuelayoÌ„s of the haÌ„demayde of cryste obedience In obedience ¶ Here begynneth the boke of dyuyne doctryne That is to saye of goddes techynge Gyuen by the persone of god the fader / to the intelleccyon of the gloryous vyrgyn seynt Katheryn of Seene / of the ordre of seynt Domynycke whiche was wryteÌ„ as she endyted iÌ„ her moder tongue / whaÌ„ she was in coÌ„teÌ„placyoÌ„ / rapt of spyryte / she herynge actualy And iÌ„ the same tyme / she tolde before many what our lorde god spake iÌ„ her ¶ And here foloweth the fyrst chapytre of this boke which is how the soule of this mayde was oned to god how that she made .iiii. petycyons to oure lorde in that tyme of contemplacyon / and of the answere of god / and of moche other doctryne / as it is specyfyed in the kalender before Capi. i. A Soule that is reysed vp with heuenly and ghostly desyres / affeccyoÌ„s to the worshyp of god / to the helthe of mantles soule / and with a greate desyre langoreth vertuously / inhabyted by the space of a longe tyme / full besyly laboreth in ghostly exercyse / and mekely abydeth in her inwarde beholdynge / to knowe herselfe / to that entent onely / that she myght better knowe in her selfe / the goodnes of god ¶ For as she well feleth by grace / after that knowynge the loue that loueth is knytte / ioyned with a loue / to that that is loued / and forceth and besyeth her to loue / and folowe that knowynge / and with contynual excercyse inhabyteth her / with the sothefastnes ¶ And for asmoche as a soule in no maner tasteth nor sauoureth somoche / it is iÌ„ no maner somoche lyghtned with knowynge of that sothefastnes / as it is by the meane of a meke coÌ„tynuall / of a deuoute prayer / founded and grounded in the knowynge of god / and or it selfe ¶ Therfore suche a prayer / oneth such a soule to god / sorowynge the sleppes of â—â—yite in his passyon / so by desyre / 〈◊〉 you / vnyon oâ—â—oue / the soule 〈…〉 an other than she 〈…〉 this semeth well of crystes wordes / whan he sayde Si â—s diligit me sermoneÌ„ meaÌ„ seruauit That is to say Who that loueth me shal kepe my worde ¶ Also he sayth in another place Qui diligit me diligetÌ„ a patrimed / ego diligaÌ„ eu / manifestabo illi meipsum / erit vnum mecum / et ego cumillo That is to saye He that loueth me / shall
beloued of my fader / I shall loue hym / shall shewe myselfe to hym / and he shall be one with me / and I with hym ¶ And in manye places of scrypture / we fynde wordes lyke to the same purpose / by the whiche we openly knowe that a soule is alterate / and made hymselfe another than he was / in the sothefastnes of loue and desyre / and that we may se this more clerely / I remembre me that I haue red of an holy mayde / seruaunte of god Katheryne of Seene that whan she gaue her selfe ententyfly to prayer / with enhaunsynge vp her mynde to god / to beholde heuenly thynges in maner of contemplacyon Thā the holy god hyd not his loue the whiche may not be mesured / whiche he had to his seruaūtes with the gyfte of intelleccyon by the ghostly eye ¶ But specyally amonge other wordes / our lorde god spake to her / and sayde ¶ Open the eye of thy intelleccyon / or of ghostly vnderstondynge / and beholde in me / you shall se the dygnyte / the fayrenes of my reasonable creature / and the fayrenesse whiche I haue gyuē to thy soule / makynge it of nought / to my ymage lykenesse ¶ Beholde them that ben arayed with the precyous clothȳge of ghostly weddȳge That is to saye / vertuously arayed with charyte / with many dyuers vertues / contynually they ben ioyned to me by loue ¶ Therfore yf that shoulde aske me whiche ben they I shoulde answere the agayne They that be clene purged frome synne / they haue my lykenes ¶ For suche haue lost and mortyfyed theyr owne propre wyll / and ben conformed to my wyll / in all thynges with my wyll they ben clothed / and precyously arayed ¶ Therfore it is full sothe / that suche a soule oneth it selfe to god / with desyre and affeccyon of loue ¶ Also this soule / yet moreouer wyllynge to knowe the holy sothefastnes of knowȳge / and to folowe it by excercyse Consydered fyrst as for her selfe with an hyghe desyre / that a soule maye by no waye of doctryne / nor of ensample / nor of prayer / profyte to his neyghbour / but it profyte fyrste to his selfe / that is to saye ī purchasynge hauynge in possessyon the perfeccyō of vertues ī it selfe Therfore in that holy desyre of sothefast knowynge / mekely she asked .iiij. petycyons / of the euer beynge fader in heuen ¶ The fyrste petycyon was for her selfe ¶ The seconde for reformacyon of holy chyrche The thyrde in generall / for the helthe of all the worlde / and specyally for the helthe of crystē people / whiche with grete presumpcyon greate persecucyon / is rebell to holy chyrche ¶ The .iiij. petycyon was / that the prouydence of god shoulde puruaye for eche derke case or doubte / or nede in generall / and ī specyall ¶ How the desyre of this soule encreased / whan she knewe the necessyte that was in the worlde This desyre was in her ful greate and abydynge contynually / whiche desyre encreased in her the more feruently / whan the greate wretchednes of this worlde was shewed to her of almyghty god the maker of all the worlde ¶ And whā that she sawe so greate trouble in the worlde and somoche offēce done to god in the worlde ¶ Also in this tyme of this holy desyre / she had vnderstādynge by a wrytȳge whiche she had of her ghosty fader In the whiche wrytynge / he shewed her the grete payne and sharpnes of intollerable sorowe ordeyned for syn̄e And for the offence done to god / of the cause of losynge of soules / and for the persecucyon that is done to holy chyrche / whiche wordes haue kyndled in her a fyre of a desyre / with a louynge / a bytternes / for the offence done to god ¶ And thā she with a gladnes / and ioy of a trusty hope / mekely abode the mekenesse of god / the whiche mercyfully wolde puruaye for all the euylles and perelles ¶ And for asmoche / that in receyuynge of the holy sacrament / a soule more swetely / more feruētly cleueth to god / and better knoweth his sothefastnes Bycause that thā a soule is in god / and god in the soule Ryght as the fysshes abyden in the see / and the see in the fysshes Therfore vpon the nexte morowe folowynge / she had a full feruent a brūnynge desyre to here masse whiche daye was on a feest of oure lady goddes moder And whā she had herde masse / at a certayne houre / with a ful grete desyre / to haue an inwarde knowȳge of herselfe / of her owne iperfeccyō / it semed to her a greate shamfastes / that she was pryncypall cause of all the euylles / or dyseases done ī the worlde / cōceyued ī herself a synguler hate / dyspleasaunce of herselfe ¶ And than with a desyre of an holy ryghtwysnesse puryfy suche fylthes of synne the whiche she sawe in the worlde ī her owne soule she lyste vp her herte to the fader of heuen and sayde ¶ Euerlastynge fader in heuen / to the I make my cōplaynt of myselfe / to that I playne accuse my selfe / to the entente that ī this lyfe you punesshe my synnes / And for asmoche as I the pryncypal cause of the paynes throwe my synnes whiche chrystē people shoulde suffre Therfore mekely I beseche you to put those paynes vpon me ¶ How the werkes good or euyll in this worlde onely suffysen not to be punysshed ī purgatory / nor to be rewarded in blysse / without contynual desyre of charyte Than that sothefastnesse of the godheed toke this desyre / and feruētly drewe it to hym / and dyd lyke as it was in the olde testament ¶ For than whan the sacryfyces were accepted to god / fyre came downe from heuen drewe suche a sacryfyce to hym ¶ In the same maner that holy sothefastnes dyd to that soule / for that sothefastnes / the fader of heuen sende the fyre of the holy ghost / and toke the sacry fyce of her greate desyre / whiche sacryfyce she made of herselfe to god ¶ And whā our lorde had resygned this sacryfyce of her / he spake to her and sayde ¶ Doughter knowes thou not that all the paynes that mē suffren / or ony creature maye suffre in this worlde / ben not worthy at the full / nor euen worthy penauce / nor suffycyēt to punesshe the lest synne And the cause is / for the offence that is done to me / whiche am god / and goodnes that hathe none ende / asketh a blame wtout ende ¶ Therfore I wyll that you knowe / that all the paynes that ben gyuen / or sende of god in to this worlde ben not for penaūce / but for correccyon / to amede and correcke the chylde whā he trespaseth ¶ And yet forthermore it is sothe / that a man maketh
benefytes whiche benefytes she brygeth / gadereth them ofte in her mynde with thaÌ„kynges / tyll she haue sauour / and parfyte knowlege of the plentuous goodnes of god in herselfe ¶ Ryght as a best ofteÌ„tymes cheweth his meet to haue sauour therin So the soule gadereth to his mynde my benefytes / and the knowynge of hym selfe ¶ And whan this knowynge is fouÌ„de by a spyryte of mekenes / he yeldeth al to me / knowynge that with a synguler grace I haue lad hym out of derkenes / and called hyÌ„ agayne to the lyght of very knowlege ¶ And whan my goodnes is knowen / the soule loueth it / bothe with meane / without meane That is to saye wtout meane of it selfe / or of his propre profyte / and with meane of vertu / whiche he conceyued of my loue / for he seeth well But he haue synne in hate / vertu in loue / he shoulde not be accepted of me / in none otherwyse ¶ But yf he hate synne / loue vertu / he shoulde not be to me louynge and kynde ¶ After tyme he hathe conceyued this knowynge of my goodnes / by affeccyon of my loue / anone he sheweth it to his neyghbour / or elles that he hath coÌ„ceyued / were no vertu But for asmoche as he loueth me iÌ„ sothefastnes / so he profyteth his neyghbour / or elles he shoulde not proryte his neyghbour For my loue / and the loue of thy neyghbour / ben all one ¶ And the more that a soule loueth me / somoche more he loueth his neyghbour For he hathe suche loue to his neyghbour / as cometh fro me And that is that I haue put to you a meane / that you haue experyence of vertues togyders / and preue vertues iÌ„ you For you shoulde do profyte to your neyghbour / whaÌ„ ye maye not do to me that ê“fyte And that sheweth well / that you haue me in your soule by grace / bryngynge fruyte in your neyghbour / your excercyse iÌ„ many holy prayers / and in holy and amyable desyres / onely sekynge my worshyp / and helthe of soules ¶ A soule that is enflammed with my sothefastnes whiche sothefastnes / sholde beloued of all creatures in generall And in specyall more or lesse / sholde neuer cease to profyte al creatures / after eche mannes dysposycyoÌ„ / as he that prayÌ„eth / asketh of me by a breÌ„nyÌ„ge desyre / as it is expressed before / where it is declared that bodyly payne onely / it is not suffycyent to punesshe synne / without a greate desyre ¶ Than afterwarde that he hathe ê“fyted to eche creature / after eche mannes dysposycyon / for the vnyon of loue / whiche he hathe made in me / gyuynge helpe comforte to the helthe of all the worlde / with his affeccyon desyre / whiche he hathe spredde so brode Than he forseth hyÌ„ fyrst to beholde his owne necessytes ghostly / that is whaÌ„ he profyteth fyrst to hymselfe / by coÌ„ceyuyÌ„ge of vertues / by whiche vertues he hathe drawen to hym grace to se to put his eye partyculerly to the necessytes / or nedes of his neyghbours ¶ Therfore whaÌ„ he hathe done thus generally / to eche creature / by the desyre of charyte / than at the laste he helpeth theÌ„ that ben nyghe to hym / to encrease them in vertues / after the nombre of dyuers graces / whiche I haue gyuen to hym / ordeyned to hyÌ„ to departe ¶ For to some maÌ„ I grauÌ„te the vertu of doctryne / to gyue counsayle to his neyghboure / by reason of worde / wtout ony other mannes techynge ¶ To some man I grauÌ„te gyue example of good lyuynge Eche maÌ„ oweth to gyue edyfycacyoÌ„ of good honest lyuynge to his neyghbour ¶ These ben the vertues and many mo / whiche thou caÌ„ not nombre / whiche comen of mannes loue to his neyghboure / and I haue put them so dyuersly in man / for I haue not gyuen all vertues to one man alone / I gyue some man one vertu / to some an other / to an other partyculerly Not withstondynge that a man maye not haue one parfytely / but he haue all other vertues / for all vertues ben knyte togyder / but I gyue many vertues specyally / as for the chefe and heed of all other vertues / that is to saye Pryncypally I graunte the vertu of charyte to some maÌ„ Also to some the vertu of ryghtwysnesse / to some maÌ„ mekenes / to some maÌ„ ful saythe and to other dyuersly the vertu of prudence / teÌ„poraunce / pasyence / to some the gyfte of streynghe These vertues I shall gyue to many creatures / dyffcreÌ„tly in a maÌ„nes soule / all be it that these vertues ben put for a pryncypalyte of vertues in a soule / more dysposed or better to the pryncypall conuersacyon with the vertu / than with other vertues / of this / by desyre of that vertu / he draweth to hyÌ„ other vertues For as it is sayde before / throwe the desyre of charyte / al vertues beÌ„ knytte togyder ¶ And so many gyftes graces of vertues ben dyuersly departed / bothe bodyly and ghostly I saye bodyly / for necessary thynges bodyly / whiche a maÌ„ nedeth in this lyfe I haue gyueÌ„ all thynges so dyfferently / or so dyuersly / for I gaue not all vertues to one man / that by compulsyon ye sholde haue cause to vse charyte / eche to other I myght well haue endowed men after the body the soule / with all thyÌ„ges that to theÌ„ beloÌ„ge / but I wolde that one sholde haue nede of an other / and that they sholden be my dyspensers and seruauntes / to gyue to deale forthe the gyftes the graces whiche they haue receyued by my goodnes For a man wyll he or not / he maye not auoyde nor eschewe / but that he shal vse the dede of charyte with his neyghboure Neuerthelesse sothe it is / yf suche a dede that semeth in charyte be not done in me / nor for me / it profyteth not hym that dothe it / as to the encrease of grace ¶ Also doughter beholde and se / that I haue ordeyned meÌ„ my mynystres / to that entent that the vertues of charyte sholden be vsed togyders amonge them / I haue set theÌ„ in dyuers states degrees / the scrypture sheweth you well / where I sayd In domo mea maÌ„siones multe sunt That is to saye In my house there beÌ„ many dwellyÌ„ge places / I wyll no other thyÌ„ge but loue For in the loue of me / the loue of thy neyghbour is fulfylled ended / whaÌ„ the loue of a mannes neyghbour is fulfylled / the lawe of god is ended Wherfore he that is ioyned / or knytte / or oned iÌ„ loue to god / he worketh / or dothe that he maye to that profyte of his neyghbour / after his degre state ¶ How vertues ben preued / streÌ„ghed of
myght I do to do penauÌ„ce for the. And thaÌ„ in thy soule / in thy myÌ„de / I answered the and sayde I am he the whidelyte me in fewe wordes / and iÌ„ many good workes / and that I sholde shewe more largely / and more clerely / that he was not moche acceptable to me / the whiche onely called me with the sowne of wordes / and sayde thus Lorde / lorde / I wolde do somwhat for the. Also nother he that coueteth to greue his body for me with manye penauÌ„ces / without that he forsake his owne wyll But I dyd couet manye workes / in suffrynge manly and meghtly all thyÌ„ges with pasyence / and in other vertues / dyuers and many of the soule inwardly / the whiche I haue tolde and rebersed to the before / and how that all suche inwardly workynges worken bryngen fourthe fruytes of grace ¶ All other workes done in any other maner than is sayde before / I holde them not worthy to be called / but onely the sowne of wordes / for suche workes haue an ende ¶ I that haue no ende / I aske workyÌ„ges whiche haue no ende ¶ My wyll is that the dedes of penaunce / of dyuerse other excercyses the whiche ben bodyly / be take and vsed for an instrument of vertu / but not for the pryncypall desyre nor entent to that / for yf the pryncypall effecte of loue were set ther / than sholde be yelded to me the thynge that hathe ende And that shold be sene therby for as a worde that cometh fro the mouthe / that whan it is passed forthe vndyscretely / it is nought But yf that worde were sayde with effecte of the soule / whiche effecte conceyueth bryÌ„geth forthe vertues in sothefastnes ¶ For yf a worke that hathe ende / whiche I call a worde / were oned to me with vertu of charyte / thaÌ„ were it pleasynge to me / acceptable / for than it sholde not be alone / but coupled with the selyshyp of very dyscrecyon ¶ Reason wolde that ther were a hed / and a begynnynge onely in penaunce / and in ethe other bodyly workyÌ„ge For as it is sayde before / they ben dedes that haue ende ¶ An ende they haue / for whaÌ„ they den done in tyme / or for a tyme that nathe ende / what for a maÌ„ that must sometyme leue theÌ„ / for somtyme he leueth them of necessyte / bycause he mayemot parforme that was begonne for accydentall or casuall Thynges or causes whiche comen in that tyme / as parauenture by obedyence / bycause his prelate wyl not suffre hyÌ„ / for yf he vred suche penauÌ„ce agayÌ„st his prelates wyll or suffraunce / he sholde not onely haue no meryte for vettu / but soner rather he sholde do synne / and offende me Therfore thou mayeses that all suche workes haue an ende ¶ A man sholde take them as for to vse them iÌ„ tyme / but not for pryncypall begynnynge / for yf it were takeÌ„ so / as for a pryÌ„cypall begynnynge / than of necessyte / he must sometyme leue it And whan it were forsaken leste of / thaÌ„ sholde the soule stonde alone / and voyde as of ony meryte ¶ This sheweth wel seynt Paule whaÌ„ he sayd thus / mortyfy ye youre bodyly lyÌ„mes whiche ben on the erthe / fornycacyon / vnclennesse / lechery / euyll concupyssence that is to say mortyfy ye so your lymmes / that ye maye refrayne youre body whaÌ„ it wyl stryue agaynst the spyryte ¶ That wyll of the flesshe must be all deed / soget vtterly to my propre wyll / suche a wyll of a creature is mortyfyed iÌ„ a dewe maner as it is sayde before the whiche dewe maner / that vertu of dyscrecyon gaue to the soule that is to say dyscrecyon gaue hate dyspleasaunce of that offenses of his owne sensualyte / the whiche hatered he purchased fyrst by knowyÌ„ge of hyÌ„selfe ¶ This is that sharpe swerde that cutteth and sleeth eche maÌ„nes porpre loue / that is grouÌ„ded iÌ„ his owne ê“pre wyll ¶ Suche meÌ„ that thus sleen theyr propre loue / yeldeÌ„ to me contynually not onely wordes but many good werkes in the whiche I haue delyte am pleased ¶ Therfore I sayde to the that I loued fewe wordes / many werkes ¶ WhaÌ„ a maÌ„ sayeth many wordes / I noÌ„vre theÌ„ not For that loue / desyre of that soule / whiche gyueth lyfe to all other vertues / shall haue that thynge the whiche hathe none ende ¶ And yet I dyspyse not wordes vtterly Neuertheles I sayd I wolde that had fewe wordes shewyÌ„nge to the that all penauÌ„ce whiche hathe ende / was an actuall doyÌ„ge / therfore I called suche penauÌ„ce / fewe wordes ¶ Neuerthelesse they pleasen me / so they be take or vsed as for an instrumeÌ„t of vertu / and not for the pryncypall vertu ¶ Therfore a maÌ„ sholde not deame an other man in hyer degre of parfeccyon / whiche greueth his body with many penauÌ„ces / nor an other man in lesse degre of parfeccyon / whiche dothe lesse penaunce or none ¶ For as I haue sayde / it is not theyr vertu nor meryte ¶ For yl it were than to them / that for reasonable causes beÌ„ let / done not suche actuall penauÌ„ce ¶ But the meryte abydeth onely in the vertu of charyte / whiche is made fayre with the lyghte of dyscrecyon / or els it sholde not profyte ¶ Dyscrecyon yeldeth to me this loue without ende / and without maner that is to saye nother in this maner / nor in that / but without maner ¶ For in asmoche as I am that souerayne euerlastynge goodnesse / dyscrecyon putteth no lawe / nor terme / nor maner to that loue / with the whiche he loueth me ¶ Neuertheles as agayÌ„ste hig neyghbour / dyscrecyon putteth an ornate loue charyte / for the lyght of dyscrecyoÌ„ whiche cometh out of charyte / gyueth an ornate loue to his neyghbour / that is gyuyÌ„ge suche a charyte to other / that he gyue hym no cause of synne / but kepeth hym fro synne to his power / that he map ê“fyte to his neyghbour ¶ For yf a man dyd onely one sytie / so that by that trespas al that worlde sholde scape fro that payne of hell / or els so that some greate vertu sholde come therof / than were not theyr charyte ordeyned with dyscrecyon / but rather it were vndyscrete ¶ For it is not lawfull to do ony vertu / nor vertuous thyÌ„ge to thy neyghbour / with ony medlynge of synne / but holy dyscrecyon is ordeyned in this maner ¶ WhaÌ„ a soule that is besy / and ordeyned myghtly in all his myÌ„ghte streynghe me to serue / louynge his neyghbour with good affeccyon of loue / dyspyseth his bodyly lyfe for helthe of soules / or to suffre paynes or turmeÌ„tes a thousande tymes yf it were nede possyble / so that by that his neyghbour myght
receyue the lyght of grace ¶ And forthermore he putteth his substaÌ„cy all teÌ„porall good / to do profyte to the bodyes of his neyghbours / all this worketh the lyght of holy dyscrecyon / the whiche lyght cometh out of charyte ¶ Also thou may well se / that dyscretely eche soule whiche desyreth grace whiche is infynyte that is to saye that hathe no ende / shal the elde to me a loue without ony meane that is to saye he shall yelde me a loue / whithe onely shall come of specyal grace and onely for god ¶ He shall loue also his neyghboure with a loue oned to my loue / the whiche hathe no ende ¶ But that loue shall be with a maner / and with a meane / as with the ordre of charyte comynge towarde hyÌ„selfe / for that profyte of an other wtout ony synne ¶ And of this seynt Paule taught you to begynne fyrst charite at yourselfe / or els it were to no parlyte profyte ¶ For whanne there is no parfeccyon in the soule / althynges ben vnparfyte / bothe he that worketh in hymselfe / and in other ¶ It were not coÌ„uenyeÌ„t that I sholde be offeÌ„ded of my creatures / whiche am the goodnesse of all thyÌ„ges / the whiche haue none ende / and than my creatures with suche offens sholde be saued / whiche haue ende / and beÌ„ made and formed onely of my goodnesse ¶ Se thaÌ„ well that thou shall in no maner waye do ony syfte / this knoweth well very charyte / for charyte bereth with hym the lyght of holy dyscrecyon / she is the very lyght that lyghtneth all derknesse / doth away ygnorauÌ„ce ¶ Also it maketh all vertu / eche actuall instrument of vertues is made of her ¶ She hathe also a maner prudence / whiche may not be dysceyued / she hathe a streynghe that may not be ouercome ¶ She hathe also a parseueraunce in that ende / whiche draweth fro heueÌ„ in to drye erthe that is to saye fro the knowynge of me / to a man to knowe hymselfe ¶ Also fro my charyte / in to the charyte of his neyghbour ¶ It gothe aboute with very mekenesse / and throwe her prudeÌ„ce she ouerpasseth that grynnes of feÌ„des / of other creatures that is to say with suffrynge of wronges and aduersytes ¶ Also with this gloryous lyght / a man shall ouercome the flesshe and the fende / for by that he knoweth his owne freylte For whaÌ„ that is knoweÌ„ / he gyueth hate to hyÌ„selfe / refrenynge dyspysyâ—ge hymselfe / holdynge hyÌ„ vnder the fote / so dothe coÌ„tpnu in dyspysynge of hyÌ„selfe / than is he made lorde of all that is to saye he hathe vyctory of al / as of the flesshe / of the fende ¶ Here is a repetycyon of wordes spokeÌ„ of before / how god promysed to his seruauÌ„tes refresshynge and coÌ„forte of reformacyon to holy chyrche / with medyacyon of penaunce / and pasyence iÌ„ aduersyte ¶ Now doughter thou maye se / that I whiche am the hyghe sothefastnes / haue shewed to that a truthe a doctryne / wherby thou shall go to the most hyest parfeccyon / yf you kepe my techynge ¶ Also I haue declared to that before how that satysfaccyoÌ„ for synne and for payne / maye be fulfylled bothe â— that / and in thy neyghbour And there I shewed the / that no penaunce whis the a deedly body maye suffre that is to saye that payne onely is not suffycyent to make satysfaccyon for synne / but it be oned and ioyned with desyre / or with the affeccyon of charyte / and with very trewe contrycy on / and greate dyspleasaunce of synnes ¶ Whyle that penaunce is knytte to charyte / than that penaunce maketh satysfaccyon / not by the vertu onely of actual payne / whiche a maÌ„suffreth / but for sorowe that a man hathe for synne / and for the meryte of his charyte / the whiche charyte a soule hathe purchased with a lyght herte / with a lyberall / fre lyght of intelleccyoÌ„ / beholdyÌ„ge in me whâ—the am that charyte ¶ All this I ordeyned to be shewed to the / for mekely and feruently thou vyde aske a wyll to suffre penauÌ„ce bodyly for thyselfe for all other ¶ Therfore I haue shewed to the / that thou and my other seruauntes sholde knowe how and in what maner ye shall make sacryfyce of yourselfe ¶ For that sacryfyce must be actuall / and oned togyder by myght Ryght as a vessell is oned to the water / the whiche shall be presented to a lorde ¶ For that water may not be presented without a vessell ¶ Also yf that vessell be presented to a lorde wtout water / it is not acceptable to the lorde ¶ Ryght so I saye to you / that ye shall offre vp to me / a vessell ful of actual labours in suche maner as I wyll graunte you that ye shall offre / not in suche maner as you wyll youre selfe / but by suche maner as I wyll put it to you / ye not chosyÌ„ge place / nor tyme nor labours / this vessel shall be ful / for all men shall be supported of you with very pasyence / affeccyoÌ„ of loue / suffrynge supportynge defautes on your neyghbours / with hate dyspleasaunce of synne ¶ Than maye these be take for labours / called labours / whiche I purposed to the. For a vessell full of the water of my grete grace / shal gyuelyfe to soules ¶ And than I take to me this presente of my amyable spouses that is to saye of eche soule whiche saythefully dothe me seruyce ¶ I receyue of theÌ„ theyr ferueÌ„t desyres / theyr teeres / theyr syghyÌ„ges / theyr meke coÌ„tynuall deuoute prayers / whiche beÌ„ in a maner that meane waye bytwyxe theÌ„ me ¶ For throwe that loue the whiche I haue to theÌ„ / they maken theÌ„ wrothefull vpon myne enemyes that is to saye vpon wycked men / whiche euery day full greuously offeÌ„deÌ„ me ¶ Therfore shode ye stydefastly / suffte myghtly vnto the dethe / and that shall be a tokeÌ„ that ye shall loue me in all trouthe sothefastnes ¶ Ye shall not tourne the heed behodynge the ploughe backwarde / for no drede of ony creature / or of ony aduersyte / but ye shal rather Iope in trybulacyoÌ„s ¶ The worlde maketh ioye iÌ„ moche wroÌ„ge that is done to me / but ye that ben yet in the worlde / shall be sory of the wronges / and of the offences done to me / throwe the whiche ye all offâ—den me And they that ben wycked men offendeÌ„ you Your offence done to me / whiche is myne offence / for I am made one with you ¶ Thou maye well parceyue in thy wytte / that whan my ymage / symylytude / or lykenesse was gyueÌ„ to the / whaÌ„ grace was lost by dute for synne / whyle I lyued in that / with that / I hydde my nature iÌ„
moche other thynges / than satysfaccyoÌ„ for theyr synnes .. ¶ And I saye to the / yet it shall be moche harder with theÌ„ / for asmoche as they sholden be worthy greter paynes ¶ And so now after the tyme / that they haue taken the redempcyoÌ„ / by the blode of my sone they sholden be punysshed the more sharply / than before redempcyon ¶ That is to saye / the before Adams 〈◊〉 shold be wasshed away / it was worthy and ryghtfull / that he that moche receyued / sholde yelde moche agayne / and more sholde be bouÌ„de to byÌ„ / of whom he receyued somoche ¶ A man was moche bounde to me of his beynge / that I gaue hyÌ„ suche a gyfte to make hym to my ymage and to my lykenesse / he was therefore bounde and beholden / to yelde agayne thaÌ„kynges to me ¶ But he taketh fro me the thankynges / and holdeth it to hymselfe / wherfore he trespaseth agaynste the obedyence whiche was takeÌ„ to hym in charge / and in that he is nowe made myne enemy ¶ And I by the vertu of mekenesse haue dystroyed his pryde For by mekenesse / I haue loued dyuyne nature / takynge youre humanyte And so I haue delyuered you / and drawen you frome the captynyte of the fende ¶ And not onely that fredome sholde be gyuen to you of me / but yf you beholde ryght well / man is made as god / god is maÌ„ throwe the couplynge of one heed of dyuyne nature / in the nature of youre humanyte ¶ O dette that they tokeÌ„ / and for whiche they owen to yelde thaÌ„kyÌ„ges / is the tresure of my sones blode / wherby they beÌ„ reformed to grace ¶ Se also how moche they ben bounde to yelde me thankyÌ„ges after theyr redempcyon / more than before ¶ Now for theyr redempcyon / they ben bounde to yelde to me laude and thankynges / folowynge the steppes of my sone / whiche was incarnate / than they gaue me my dette for themselfe / and for the loue of theyr neyghboure / with trewe pryte vertues / as it is sayde before ¶ So that they that done it not / for asmoche as they ben moche bounde to loue me / they fallen in to the more greuous offenses ¶ Therfore of the dyuyne ryghtwysenesse / they fallen in to more greuous paynes / and I yelde to them euerlastynge payne ¶ Wherfore a false crysten man shal be punysshed more greuously than a paynym / by the ryghtwysenesse of god ¶ The paynefull flame of fyre brenneth them withouten wastyÌ„ge and so they fele afflyccyoÌ„ turmeÌ„t / throwe full cruell fretynges bytynges of theyr owne conscyence / yet the fyre wasteth them not ¶ For they that ben dampned / losen not theyr beynge / for ony turment that they haue ¶ So that synne is punysshed / moche more after redempcyon / than before / bycause man had receyued more of grace / it is not sene that they take ony hede thereof / nor besy them therfore to abstayne them / nor to withdrawe them fro theyr wyckednesse ¶ Therfore suche ben made myne enemyes / for as moche as I recounseyled theÌ„ with the blode of my sone / they rewardeÌ„ it not ¶ But yet one remedither is / whiche I haue ordeyned to pease swage my wrothe that is to say by the mene and helpe of my seruautes ¶ They knoweÌ„ well how I am constrayned with theyr charytable besynesse / and with theyr teeres / how they bynde me with theyr ferueÌ„t desyres ¶ And thou doughter knowes well / that thou hase bouÌ„de me with that chayne / whiche I gaue to the / whan thou dyd desyre me to gyue so grete a mercy to the worlde ¶ And therfore to my worshyp for helthe of soules / I gaue to my seruauntes a greate ghostly hongre / and a feruent desyre / that whan I am constrayned with theyr teeres / I maye aswage the freylnesse of my ryghtwysenes ¶ Bere therfore easly / and suffre thy teeres / thy swerynge labours / and drawe theÌ„ out / thou and my other seruauntes / and with the plentuous see of my dyuyne charyte / wasshe the and all theym therwith / before the face of my holy and amyable spouse / the whiche I call the chyrche For I say to the sothely / that theyr bewte shall be restored agayne to theÌ„ / onely by this mene / the whiche I haue shewed to the. ¶ But they sholden not haue that same bewte agayne / nother in the drede of swered / nor in greate warres / nor crueltes / but in a greate desyre of the goodnesse of pease / contynuall prayers / in meke deuoute excercyses / in shedyÌ„ge of holy teeres and in the feruent desyre of my seruauntes ¶ And so with pasyence / and with the suffrynge of many dyuers trauayles / and coÌ„trarytes / I shall fulfyll theyr greate desyre / yf it so be that youre pasyence shyne out bryght / as lyght in the derkenesse of wycked and deedly men ¶ Therfore drede you no thynge / thoughe the worlde parsu you al daye / for I shall alwaye be with you / in tyme of nede / my prudence shall not fayle you ¶ How this soule knoweth somoche of the goodnesse of god / prayed not onely for crysten people / and holy chyrche / but prayed also for all the worlde AFter this techynge / that soule arose with better knowlege than she had before / and with a full greate gladnesse ioye / stode for the before the diuine maieste / what for the hope whiche was gyueÌ„ to her of the mercy of god / what for loue the whiche she had / beholdyÌ„ge and consyderynge / that throwe holy desyre and loue / the goodnesse of god hathe done merey / and ordeyned it to man / not with stondynge / the man was become enemy to hym ¶ And iÌ„ tokeÌ„ that he wolde do mercy / he shewed a maner waye to his seruauntes by the whiche waye / they myghten refrayne and make soft his wrothe whiche he had to man ¶ She was thanne toyfull in all worldly parsecucyoÌ„s / voydynge alwaye all drede myghtly toke to her the streynghes of holy desyre / to pray for al the world in somoche that she was not full rested with that she sholde haue mercy onely for all crysten people / and for all holy chyrche / but euer with a greate hope trust / mekely she asked mercy for all the worlde ¶ And not with stondynge / that her seconde petycyoÌ„ conteyned the profyte / bothe of vntrewe people out of the faythe / and of all crysten / in the reformacyoÌ„ of the chyrche Yet neuer the later she was so desyrous of the faluacyon of all / that her holy prayer and charyre thanne stretchyd abâ—ode to all the worlde / as god hymselfe made her to aske the same petycyon / whiche petycyon myghtly she asked with a loude voyce / and sayde
the worlde / that were in perell of perysshynge / so that the Iugement of god myght be peased / and his wrothe aswaged that is to say with holy / contynuall / meke / and deuoute prayers ¶ Aster all this / the soule was compelled to ryse more feruent ly throwe an holy desyre / behelde her selfe in wardly iÌ„ the Dyuyne charyte / with the eye of intelleccyon ¶ In the whiche charyte / she sauoured tasted / how moche we beÌ„ bounde to loue / and seke / and to purchase the glory / and the preysynge of the name of god / for the helthe of all mennes soules ¶ And to the entent / she sawe thou seruauÌ„tes of god called and ordeyned and specyally to that the good lorde euer beynge sothefastnes / had chosen her a ghostly sader / whome she presented before the dyuyne goodnesse / prayenge god inwardly / the he shold veryly folowe the sothefastnes / and the he wolde shewe hym a lyghte of a specyall grace ¶ How a man maye not plese god / but he bere tryvulacyons / with the vertu of pasyence THan oure lorde god answerynge to the thyrde petycyon that is to saye to the perycyon / or desyre the whiche ryght mekely she asked of god for the helthe of soules / sayde to her thus ¶ My doughter I wyl that thy ghostly fader / the whiche thou hase nowe / parsue to my goodnesse / in ferueÌ„t desyre / and grete besynesse / for the helthe of all soules ¶ But he maye not haue that / nor thou / nor none other / but with pasyence in many parsecucyons ¶ Also but as I wyll grauÌ„t you / as I sayd to the before ¶ For ryght as ye des syre to se my worshyp iÌ„ holy chyrche so ye sholdeÌ„ desyre to loue 〈◊〉 suffre parsecucyons / with very greate pasyence ¶ By that I shall parceyue that â—e 〈◊〉 and my othe◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and desyren my 〈◊〉 in sothefastnesse / than be shall be to me a dere beloued sone / and he and suthe other shall rest them full merely vpon the brest of my onely begoten sone / of the whiche sone I haue made a brydge / the whiche shall receyue hym and althose that haue ta 〈…〉 loue / and they shal come 〈◊〉 to thâ—â— graâ—â— merry whiche they 〈…〉 and the one neyghbour to 〈◊〉 we other â—â— hymâ—â—â— be you sure and stedfaste in 〈◊〉 / and than drede you not / but ye shall ascende vpon this brydgs / euer after that to lyue in ioye / with all the holy company of heuen ¶ Here now moder and systreÌ„ eâ—deth the fyrste parte of your ghosty orcharde / the whiche treteth 〈◊〉 of mekenesse / dysccecyon / lone / charyte / holt desyres and of palyeÌ„ce ¶ These vertues feruently for them to la bour / for his moders loue he graunt vs all his dere blessynge Amen ¶ The seconde boke ¶ The fyrste chapytre of the seconde partye / maketh mencyon of a brydge how god made a brydge of his loue whan the waye of goynge to 〈◊〉 was broke by inobedyence of 〈◊〉 by the whiche brydge 〈…〉 people maye suer / passe ¶ Also how god iduced and 〈◊〉 this soule to beholde the greatenes of this brydge / that is to say / how it recheth fro the erthe to heueÌ„ And here after shat folo we of the same mater / as it is shewed in the kalender before Ca. i. DOughter bycause I dyd saye to the that I had made a brydge of my sone I wyl that it be vn knowen to you / the the waye of my be loued sone is broken / by the inobedyence trespas of Adam / in somoche the no maÌ„ myght come to euerlastyÌ„ge lyfe ¶ And to me they gaueÌ„ no thaÌ„kynges / as they sholden haue done / and had no parte of the greate goodnesse / for the whiche recoysynge of blysse / I made theÌ„ and formed theÌ„ to my ymage and lykenesse ¶ And for they hsd not the goodnes / whiche I ordeyned for them / my sothefastnes was not fulfylled / whiche sothefastesse is this / that I made that same man / for he sholde haue euer lastynge lyfe with me ¶ And for he sholde sauour thst my euer be yÌ„ge goodnesse sweternesse / hethrowe his offence dyd trespas agaynst my coÌ„mauÌ„dymeÌ„t / and so that sothefastnesse was not fulfylled ¶ And this myschefe befel / bycause the foresayde synne had shutte vp heuen / and closed the gate of my mercy ¶ This same synne hathe gendren / and but gyned full pryckynge thornes / full many trybulacyons / with mfynyte grefes ¶ This creature founde anone a rebellyon agaynste hymselfe and was made contrary to me / his flesshe made a batayle agaynste the spyryte / and there he lost the noble state of innosency / and became as an vnreasonable best ¶ Eche other creature was to hym rebell / where before that / they sholden haue obeyed to hym / yshe had kepte that innosency in hym / in the whiche I had made hym ¶ But sythen he kepte hym not styll in that state / but trespased agaynste my obedyence / therfore he deserued euer lastynge dethe in soule and in body ¶ Also of trespasse and synne / same forthe an vny uetsall flode / the whiche smote hym alwaye with his waters / and multyplyed many greuaunces ¶ Also the peple bare many grete labours on themselfe of the worlde / of the deuyl in dyuers and many maners withouten noÌ„bre / for the whiche they wereÌ„ perysshed ¶ For no man myghte asceÌ„de to the euer beyÌ„gelyfe / though he had be the most ryghfullest lyuer at that tyme. ¶ Wherfore I desyred to ordeyne a remedy agaynste your suylles / and now I haue gyueÌ„ you a brydge of my owne sone / the whan you wyll passe ouer that ftode / ye sholden not perysthe / whiche flode is a meruaplous feruent see of this wretched lyfe ¶ Doughter sees thou not / how moche my creature is beholden to me / and how moche he is blynded with the vnstedfastnesse of hymselfe / in wyll to slee his soule / not in wyll to take the remedy that is ordeyned and gyueÌ„ to hym of me How god induced and styrred this deuoute soule / to beholde the grete nesse of this holy brydge that is to saye how it recheth fro erthe to heuen OPen noowe the eyes of thy ghostly intelleccyon / and thou shall se deedly men by dyuers maners made blyÌ„de with ygnorauÌ„ce ¶ Thou shall se imparfyte men / and parfyte men / the whiche folowen me in sothefastnesse / that thou may sorowe for the dampnacyon of wretches / and for theyr ygneraunce / and that thou maye ioye for the parfeccyon of my well beloued chyldren ¶ And thou shall se moreouer the dyuers maners whiche some meÌ„ holdeÌ„ / what way they kepeÌ„ that gone in lyghte / the maners of them that gone in derkenes ¶ But fyrste I wyll that thou loke the
brydge of my sone / that thou beholde in the inwardely the gretenes of that brydge / whiche recheth fro the heyghte of heuē / downe to the erthe that is to saye that the erthe of your humanyte / is oned to the gretenesse of the godheed ¶ And therefore I sayde / the that brydge recheth fro the hyeheuen / to the lowe erthe ¶ And that is of the oueheed whiche I haue made in mā / the was nedeful as I haue sayde before to reforme the waye the was brokē / the ye myghten come agayne to lyfe / passe ouer the bytternesse / wretchednesse of this worlde ¶ He myghte not haue ben onely of the erthe / yf he sholde be suffycyent to passe ouer the ftoode / and take euerlastȳge lyfe ¶ For the erthe of nature of mā onely / was not suffyeyent to make a mendes for synne the was done / nor do away the synne of Adam / whiche dyshoneste wyckeduesse / broughte mankynde in to thraldome myschefe / bytternesse / and drewe out therof / moche foule / rotē / stynkynge fylthe / as I haue deelared before ¶ Therfore it behoueth nedes to bedned to the heyghnes of my nature / the euer beynge godheed / that it myght be able to make satystaccyon to all mankynde / so the the kynde of mā sholde suffre peyne and that the dyuyne nature / oned to the nature of mā sholde so accepte to me the sacryfyces of my sone offred for you / that it sholde put frome you dethe / and gyue to you the euer lastȳgelyfe ¶ Also the heyghte of the godheed / mekely dydde dyscēde to the erthe the vallaye of mysery and than of his greate loue / he loyned his godheed / with the heed of oure humanyte / and for the bytter penes that he suffred ī this vallaye or place of mysery as crucyfyed / deed / and buryed for the trespas of Adā / for by those penes with many mo the brydge is mercyfully made / and the way that was broken / gracyonsly edyfyed / and made newe agayne ¶ And why made he hymselfe to be the waye But the ye sholdē come to sothefastnes / and loye euer lastȳgely / with the nature of angelles ¶ And yet were it not suffycyēt for you to have the lyfe all be it my sone be the brydge but it were so / the ye dy den passe by hym ¶ How we ben al labourers / ben sende fro god to labour in the vyneyerde of holy chyrche and how euery man hathe a vyneyerde of hymselfe IN this party the euer beynge sothefastnes shewed that he made you withoute you / but he shall not saue you withoute you ¶ He wyl gyue to you a fre wyl with a fre choyse / to spende youre tyme in excersyce of vertues / or after the voluptuosyte of youre owne mynde ¶ Therfore he added therto sayde It behoueth you al to passe by that brydge / to seke the laude and the glory of my name / for helthe of soules / in suffrynge with greate pene many grete labours / and so folowe the steppes of my sone / fuffre and bere you penes for his loue / the whiche hathe shewed you so greate loue / for ye maye not passe by none other waye ¶ Ye ben my londe tyllers and labourers the whiche I haue hyred / for ye sholden labour / or besy you in the vyneyerde of youre moder the holy chyrche ¶ Nowe ye done labour and trauaylem the body of rely gyon hyred of me by a syn guler grace with the lyghte of the holy baptym gyuen to you whiche baptym ye token in the ghostly body of holy chyrche / throwe the handes of the mynysters of your moder the holy chyrche ¶ They plante in you a synguler grace / draweynge you oute of the pryckynge thornes of deedly synnes ¶ They ben my labourers and tyllers / in the vyneyerde of youre soules / fastned in the vyneyerd of the moder holy chyrche ¶ All maner of creatures that haue reason in thēselfe / they haue a vyne yerde of themselfe that is to saye a vyneyerde of theyr soules / whose wylles with a fre choyse / shall be theyr tyller for the space of theyr syfe for after this transytory lyfe / they shall not haue operacyōs / or workes / no ther good nor euyll ¶ Whyle a man lyueth / he maye tyll and laboure in his vyneyerde / to the whiche I haue broughte hym ¶ And the tyller of the soule hathe taken here so greate a myght / that nother the fende / nor no creature lyuȳge / may take away frome hym that strengthe / but he wyl hymselfe ¶ For whā he taketh the holy baptym / he becometh very stronge / and than is gyuen to hym a swerde sharpe on bothe the sydes that is to say loue of vertues / and hate of synnes / the whiche loue and hate / he founde in holy blode ¶ For the very greate loue of vertues / and for the greate dysplesaunce of vyces my sone suffred dethe on the crosse onely for youre redempcyon / and the tyme he redemed you with his precyous dlode / by the whiche ye ben brought out of the captyuyte of the deuyll / by the vertu of the holy sacrament baptym ¶ Also ye haue a sharpe swerde / with the which swerde whyle ye haue tyme / ye sholden vse withall your dylygence / to dystroye thesechornes / and plucke them vp by the rootes / and plante for them the hyghnes of vertues / for otherwyse / yeshal not rereyue the fruyte of the blode / of chrystes tyllers / whiche I haue setle ordeyned in holy chyrche / of the whiche tyllers I haue sayde to the before / that they voydē away deedly synues / frome the vyne yerdes of youre soules ¶ And whā they dydē mynystre to you the holy blode of the sacrament ordeyued us holy chyrche / they gaue you thanne grace ¶ It behoueth you therfore that ye aryse fyrste by a meke cōtry cyon of the herte / and by an hyghe dyspleasaunce of synnes / by lous of vertues / than ye shall reccyue the fruyte of that holy blode / or els ye may not teceyue that holy fruyte as by youre parte for ye dysposed you not as in the braunches oned to the vyne of my onely begotē sone the whiche sayde I am the vyne / ye ben the braunches / and my fader is the lande tyller ¶ I saye to the that treuthe it is / for I am a tyller / for al thȳge the cometh frome / hathe beynge ¶ My myght is inestymable / euery man is gouerned by my myghte / and by my greate vertu / ther is nothynge done without me ¶ Also I am that tyller / the whiche haue pl̄ated a very vyne of my sone in the grounde of youre humanyte that ye whiche ben the braunches ioyned with the vyne / maye brynge forthe fruyte ¶ And therfore he the bryngeth not
O HaÌ„ this soule fulfylled with loue began to speke to oure lorde / sayde ¶ O lorde vnestymable loue of charyte / who is he that dothe not brenne with somoche loue / that for that loue may so defende hym / that fyrst the herte fayle not Thou lorde the very depenes of charyte / thou semes to haue greate deyntes of thy creatures / as thoughe thou myght not lyue without them / yet thou hase no nede of vs whiche arte our lorde god ¶ And for asmoche as thou arte vnnumerable / there is nothynge added to the / throwe olâ—re goodnesse ¶ And for asmoche as thou arte the hyghe euer brynge goodnesse / oure euyll enpereth the not ¶ O good lorde who is he that styrreth the to somuche mercy lorde it is loue that styrreth the / and no nede that thou hase to vs / for we beÌ„ to the ryght euyll detters ¶ O euer beynge goodnes / yf I beholde well aboute / I am myselfe a brybour a these / lorde thy sone was crucyfyed on a tree / for me a wretched synner / and I beholde thy sone nayled on the crosse / of the whiche sone thou made a brydge to me / as it is shewed of thy goodnesse to me / whiche am thy creature and seruaunte ¶ Wherfore if it be acceptable to thy goodnesse / I desyre that thy benygnyte wolde shewe me / whiche ben those that passen by the brydge / and whiche not ¶ The seconde chapytre is how that blissed brydge goddes sone hathe thre grees / by the whiche ben betokened thre states of a soule ¶ And how this brydge whaÌ„ it is reysed vp in to the erthe / it is not departed fro the erthe ¶ Also how this reason shall be vnderstoÌ„de ¶ Siego exaltatê° fuero a terra omnia traham ad me ¶ And forthermore of the same mater / as it is rehersed before to you in the kalendre Ca. ii THe euer beynge almyghty god / thanne to styrre this soule moche more / and to herte her more seruently in labour aboute the helthe of maÌ„nes soule answered to her and sayd ¶ Or that I shewe to the / the whiche I wyll shewe to the / and of that whiche thou does aske of me / fyrste I wyll put the in a certayne knowlege how it is of the brydge ¶ I sayd to the before / that the brydge recheth frome heuen to erthe that is to say by the vnyon whiche I haue made in maÌ„ / whom I formed of slyme / or erthe ¶ This brydge my onely begoten sone hathe thre ladders in hyÌ„ selfe / of the whiche thre ladders .ii. were made in the tree of the holy crosse ¶ The thyrde he felde in full greate peyne of bytternesse / whan the iewes gaue hym to drynke both aysell gall ¶ In these threladders / thou shall knowe the thre states of the soule / whiche I shall declare to the here after ¶ The fyrste ladder is at the fete / and it betokeneth the affeccyon and the desyre of the soule ¶ For as the fete beren vp the body / so the desyres and affeccyons bereÌ„ vp the soule ¶ The fete nayled / beÌ„ madeladers to the / that thou maye attayne / or reche vp to the wounde of the syde / whiche wounde sheweth the pryuytes of the herte ¶ For after tyme thou hase ascended vp / by the fete of desyre anone the soule begynneth to tast the loue of the herte / fastnynge the eye of intelleccyon / in the herte of my dere sone / where the soule shall fynde the ended parfyte loue I saye the ended loue for he loueth not you for his owne profyte / for ye maye do to hym no profyte / for he is al one with me ¶ Than this soule sawe how the she was byloued of god / and than she was replete with loue a thousande tymes more / than she was before ¶ Forthermore whan the soule hathe ascended by the seconde ladder / she recheth vp to the thyrde ladder that is to saye to the company of heuen / where she fyndeth the pease that she desyred / out of the warre / or batayle that she hadde before / throwe her synne ¶ For in the fyrste ladder of affeccyon and of desyre / whaÌ„ she reysed vp the fete fro the erthe / thaÌ„ she voydeth her frome the derkenesse of vyces ¶ In the seconde ladder / she fulfylleth herselfe with vertuous loue ¶ And in the thyrde ladder / she tasteth a full swete pease ¶ And thus the foresayde brydge hathe thre ladders / that whan ye passe the fyrste and the secoÌ„de ladder / ye maye blyssedly come to the thyrde / that is the last ¶ This brydge is reysed vp on heyght / whiche shall not be hurte of the rennynge water / for in hym is no venemous spottes of synnes ¶ This brydge is reysed vp / yet it is not parted fro the erthe ¶ Thou knowes well whaÌ„ he had reysed hyÌ„selfe vp as whan he was tourmented on the crosse yet the dyuyne nature voyded hyÌ„ not fro the lownesse of youre humanyte ¶ Therfore I sayde to the / that whan he was lyft vp on heyghte / he was not departed fro the erthe as by that for with the humanyte he was knytte veryly and coupled ¶ And the tyme that he was so areysed / there was no maÌ„ that myght go on that brydge ¶ Therfore he sayde hyÌ„selfe / yf I be exalted frome the erthe / I shall drawe all thyÌ„ges to me ¶ And I beholdynge of my goodnesse / that ye myghten none other wyse be draweÌ„ / I sende hym to be arrysed vp to the tree of the holy crosse ¶ Therfore I made a ghostly Anduelde / wheron the sone of mankynde sholde be forged / so that man sholde be walshed and clensed fro euer lastynge dethe / and that he sholde be clothed with the durable lyfe / by a synguler grace ¶ And therfore my sone draweth to hym all thyÌ„ges / m the maner as it is sayd before the he sholde she me his greate loue / whiche may not be spoke / whiche loue he had to man / for that herte of meÌ„ is draweÌ„ by loue ¶ He myght shewe you no more loue / thaÌ„ so put his lyfe for you ¶ Therfore by the strengthe of loue man is drawen but he make resystence in hymselfe / and wyll not suffre hym to be drawen ¶ I sayde therfore / that whan my sone was lyfte vp frome the erthe that he sholde drawe all thynges to hym / and that is sothe / but that is vnderstoÌ„den two maner of wayes ¶ The one is / that a mannes herte he drawen by desyre of loue / with al the myghtes of the soule that is to saye with mynde / intelleccyoÌ„ / and wyll ¶ Whan these thre myghtes ben accorded / and gadered togyder in my name / all other werkes / actu all / and mentall / whiche he dothe / ben drawen in me peaseably /
of pardycyon / and they ben the chyldren of the fader of losse that it to saye the chyldren of the fende ¶ And for asmoche as they gone by the gate of pardycyoÌ„ / they ben punysshed with euer lastynge dampnacyon ¶ And now thou maye well parceyue / that I haue shewed the bothe of the way of sothefastnes and the waye of pardycyon that is to say I haue shewed the my way whiche is the hyghe sothefastnes / the waye of the fende / whiche is the very waye of pardycyon / or dampnacyoÌ„ ¶ How meÌ„ gone with grete trauayle these two wayes / whyder they gone by the brydge / or by the stode and of the delyte that a soule hathe / the whiche gothe by the brydge O Hese ben the two wayes / whyther way a man gothe / he passeth with grete dyffyculte ¶ Beholde therfore and se what ignoraunce and blyÌ„denesse is in man / that whan ther is made to hym a sure waye / and also shewed how he sholde go that waye / and yet he wyll holde hym by the bryÌ„ke of the water ¶ The waye the is made and shewed / is so delectable to them that gone therby / that all theyr byrternesse is tourned into greate ioye and swetenes / and eurry heuy bur then / is made to them full lyghte ¶ And they that beÌ„ in bodyly derkenesse / fynden here a greate lyghte ¶ Also they that lyueÌ„ deedly in this worlde / they shall fynde a lyfe / the whiche shall be styll in payne and neuer dye ¶ And all those that sauouren the lyfe of the holy faythe by the desyre of loue I fynde here the sothefastnes euer beyÌ„ge ¶ Whiche sothefastnesse / promyseth hym that trauayleth for me / coÌ„forte and refresshynge of me / whiche am lyberal and knowyÌ„ge who dothe for me ¶ And also I am ryghtful / yeldynge to euery maÌ„ after his werkes ryghtfully ¶ Wherfore it is sayde / there is no euyll vnpunysshed / no good dede vnrewarded ¶ Thy tongue suffyseth not to tell the myrthe and gladnesse that he hathe whiche gothe by this waye / nor it maye not be herde nor sene ¶ For iÌ„ this lyfe partely he tasteth / and as he hathe parte of the taste / so he sauoureth partely that same gladnesse / whiche is ordeyned and made redy to hymselfe / in the lyfe that lasteth euer ¶ Than he maye well be called a foole / that voydeth suche a goodnesse / and taketh hym rather in his lyfe to taste the bytternes of hel / goynge by a lower waye with infynyte labour / and without ony comforte or refresshynge ¶ For by theyr owne defautes / they beÌ„ vtterly pryued of me / whiche am the hyghest and euer beynge goodnesse ¶ Therfore I wyll that thou / and my other seruauntes / abyde in contynuall bytternesse and sorowe / for wronges done to me ¶ Also that ye haue compassyon of the harme and ygnoraunce / with the whiche yâ—no rance / they offendeÌ„ me greuoufly ¶ And now thou maye compreheÌ„de in the / how it is of this brydge / that it maye be opened in the / after thy desyres / and bytter wepynges / as I haue sayde to the before ¶ The thyrde chapitre sheweth how oure lorde whan he ascended vp to heuen / he departed hym not fro the erthe ¶ Also hold this soule as she woÌ„dered on the mercy of god / she besyed her to thynke on the multytude of his gyftes and graces / whiche came of that mercy Ca. iii. AFter that my sone came agayne to me / the fourty day after his resurreccyon / thaÌ„ was this brydge lyfted fro the erthe that is to saye fro the conuersacyon of deedly meÌ„ / and by my dyuyne nature / he ascen ded iÌ„ to heueÌ„ / syttyÌ„ge on the ryghte syde of me / that am his fader / as the angell sayde to his dyseyples / in the daye of his ascencyon / whan they stoden as deed men and amased / by cause theyr hertes wereÌ„ rauysshed vp in to heuen ¶ At the wordes of this angell / whan he sayde / throwe the wysdome of my sone / he wylleth not to abyde here longer / for he sytteth on the ryght hande of his fader ¶ And whan he was reysed vp on heyghte / and came agayne to me that am his fader / thaÌ„ I sende a mayster that is to saye the holy ghost / whiche came with my myght / and with the wysedome of my sone / and with the mercy of that same holy ghoste / for he is one with me that am the fader and with my sone ¶ Therfore that holy ghost hathe strenghed the waye of doctryne / whiche my sothefastnesse lefte in the worlde ¶ Wherfore all be it the doctryne wente away that is to saye his presence went awaye ¶ Neuerthelesse that doctryne whiche is the waye of parfeccyon / wente not fro you / the whiche way this gloryous and amyable brydge made to you ¶ For fyrste he made and wroughte the waye with his vertuous werkes / she wynge to you doctryne more by ensample than by worde ¶ For fyrst he began rather to do / than to teche ¶ The mercy of the holy gost certyfyed and made sure this true doctryne / streÌ„gthed the hertes and the soules of his dyscyples / to trust on this sothefastnes and to shewe this waye ¶ That is to saye / the doctryne of cryst my sone crucyfyed / repreuynge the worlde of vnryghtwysenesse / and of false iudgemeÌ„tes ¶ Of the whiche vnryghtwysenesse and false iudgemeÌ„tes / I shall tell the afterwarde more dyffusely ¶ This haue I sayde to the / that ther sholde be no derkenes in theyr soules that heren this / as thus ¶ Yf there be ony that wolde saye / we se wel that there is made a brydge / of this body of cry st / for the the oneheed of byuyne nature / with oure nature of maÌ„heed ¶ This we se well is true / but this brydge whaÌ„ he ascended in to heuen / he went fro oure presence ¶ He was to vs the waye of sothefastnesse / and taught vs with his vertuous werkes and examples ¶ What is lefte to vs nowe / and were shall we fynde the way I speke now to the / as thoughe I spake to them / whiche ben thus blynded ¶ Ye haue the way of this parfyte doctryne confyrmed of the apostles / and declared in the blode of matyrees / lyghtned with the clere lyght of doctours / and knowleged of the confessours ¶ And of that waye wereÌ„ made open instrumeÌ„tes / by the holy euangelystes / the whiche abyden as wytenessers / to make a sothefastnesse in the ghostly body of holy chyrche / they ben as a lanterne breÌ„nynge / and set vpon a caÌ„dlestycke / that they sholden deme the waye of sothefastnesse / whiche ledeth to the waye of lyfe / by the parfyte lyghte of clerenes ¶ Also these wytnessers hadden knowynge by experyence / for they hadden
assayed that waye theyrselfe ¶ Also eche resonable creature is lyghtned by knowynge of a sothefastnesse / yf he wyll hymselfe that is to saye that no man be not in wyl to lose the lyght of reason / for his owne loue and profyte ¶ Ther fore it is truely sayde / my sones doctryne is treue / whiche abode as a boot / to draweout soules of the tempest of the grete see / to lede them to the hauen of helthe ¶ And thus I sayd / I haue made an actual brydge of my sone / with his conuersauÌ„t beynge fyrste with men ¶ But whaÌ„ the actual brydge of the parfyte doctryne was taken fro you / thaÌ„ abode the brydge / and my doctryne with my myght / that am the fader / and the same doctryne ioyned and knytte with the wysoome of my sone / and with the mercy pyte of the holy ghost / this myght gyueth strengthe to theÌ„ that done folowe this waye / the weysdome of my sone gyueth to maÌ„ lyght that he maye knowe that sothefastnes in the waye / the holy ghost gyueth to hym loue / whiche loue putteth awaye / and dystroyeth the venym of his propre wyll / and maketh the loue of vertus onely to abyde ¶ Also he is the waye of sothefastnesse and lyfe actually or by doctryne / the whiche waye is the brydge / ledynge bryngynge you to the heyght of heuen ¶ Therfore it was sothely sayde / whan my sone sayd / I came downe fro my fader / and came downe in to the worlde / I leue that worlde agayne and I go to my fader that is to saye my fader sende me to you / ordeyned and made me youre brydge / that ye myght ascape ouer the floode / come to the lyfe that is euer durable ¶ He sayde also / and I shall come a gayne to you / I shall not leue you faderlesse chyldren / but I shall sende you comforte that is to say the holy ghost / as thoughe my sothefaste sone incarnate had sayne thus ¶ I shall go to my fader / shortly after come agayne to you / whaÌ„ the holy ghost cometh / whiche is the spyryte of comforte ¶ Whiche spyryte of coÌ„forte shall shewe you more clerely all thynge / coÌ„fyrme the way of sothefastnesse / that is the most parfyte doceryne that I haue gyuen you ¶ He sayde also / I shall come agayne to you / and so he dyd ¶ For the holy ghoste cometh not alone / for he cometh with the myghte of the fader / with the wysedome of the sone / and and with that mercy of the holy ghost ¶ Therfore thou may se that he came agayne not actually / but in vertu strengthynge the waye of doctryne whiche way maye neuer fayle / nor be taken fro them / that ben in wyll to folowe that doctryne ¶ For it is stroÌ„ge stable / for asmoche as it came fro me / the whiche am not chaungeable ¶ Therfore ye sholden myghtly folowe that waye of doctryne / withoute ony cloude / with the lyghte of very faythe / whiche is gyuen to you for a pryncypall vesture / in the sacrament of holy baptym ¶ Now doughter I haue declared shewed to that pleynly the actuall brydge and his doctryne / whiche is all one / the same with the brydge ¶ I haue sayde also that there were apostles / euangelystes / martyrs / coÌ„fessours / holy doctours / ordeyned set / as laÌ„terns in holy chyrche ¶ I haue shewed that also how my sone / after tyme the he came to me / that he came agayne to you / not by his bodyly presence / but in vertu that is to saye whan that the holy ghoste came vpon the apostles ¶ For in that bodyly presence he shal not come to you agayne / but in that laste daye of Iudgement / whaÌ„ he shall come with my maâ—â—ste / and with my dyuyne myght / to Iudge the quycke and the deed / and to yelde rewardes to the good / to rewarde them with greate gyftesin soule body for theyr labours / he shall yeldefull bytter penes / to all theym that wyckedly haue ledde theyr lyfe here iÌ„ this worlde ¶ Now doughter forthermore I wyll say to that / the I sothefastnesse made promyse to she we all to the / that is to shewe the theÌ„ that gone in that waye vnparfytely / and them also that gone parfytely / and them the gone in the most parfyte waye and how they go ¶ I haue shewed the also the wycked men / whiche with theyr wyckednesse drownen themselfe in the floode / and gone to euer lastynge derkenesse ¶ And now I speke to you that ben my dere chyldreÌ„ / that ye go by the brydge besely and not vnder the brydge / for that is not the waye of ryghtwysenesse / but rather it is the waye of pardycy on and vntruthe / and by that waye wycked men go / of the whiche men I shal speke here after ¶ Those beÌ„ synners / of the whiche / I praye you that ye praye to me besyly / and for the halthe and the faluacyon of theÌ„ ¶ I aske of you teeres and labours / that they may haue of me my grete mercy ¶ Than this soule was so fulfyl sed with all ghestly swetenesse / that she myght not refreyne herselfe / but as she slode in oure lordes prefence / she beganne to speke / sayde ¶ How this soule as she wondered on the greate mercy of oure lorde / she remembred her on the multytude of his grete benefytes O Mercy without ende / and euer beynge goodnesse / the whiche dydhyde the greate wyckednes of thy creatures ¶ Dere lorde I wolde not wondre yf thou dyd saye I shall not remeÌ„bre me of theyr wyckednes / whiche cometh oute of deedly synnes / and at the laste tournen to the agayne ¶ O thou inestymable mercy / I wyll ueuer wonder / yf thou saye the worde to them that comen out of synne / sythen thou dyd saye to vs / I wyll the ye praye to me for them / that dysplesen me with theyr syntul lyuyÌ„ge / that I maye gyue to theym mercy ¶ O most pleÌ„tuous mercy / whiche cometh of eteruyte euer beynge of the almyghty fader / whiche gouerneth the worlde w e his euerlastynge myghte ¶ Also we weren made formed in thy mercy / and we ben reformed by thy mercy / in the blode of thy sone / for thy amyable mercy kepeth vs. ¶ Lorde thy mercy made thy sone to sprede his armes on the cros / ther played dethe with lyfe / lyfe with dethe ¶ Than he sende vtterly the lyfe / whiche was the dethe of oure synnes / that dethe of oure synne / toke awaye the bodely lyfe / fro the meke lambe / that is thy dere sone ¶ O lorde who was ouercomen Lorde dethe was ouercomeÌ„ Lorde who was the cause Thy grete mercy was the cause ¶
herselfe to the greate floode / no regarde takynge / nor hede / how slyper how swyfte the water is / and how it abydeth no creature ¶ The .iiii. chapytre is how the fruyte of this tree is asmoche dyuers / as is the dyuersyte of synnes ¶ And here he sheweth fyrste of the fiesshly synne / and the fruyte of some trees is auaryce ¶ And of some comen vnryghtwysenesse / and specyally of suche meÌ„ that haue the state of domynacyon / and so forthe of other synnes / as is made meÌ„cyon before to you in the kalendre Ca. iiii OVre lorde here speketh to this mayde / and saythe thus ¶ Without doubte there ben as dyuers euyl fruytes of this tree / whiche bryngen dethe / as be dyuers kyndes of synnes ¶ Thou may se some kynde of vnreasenable beestes / and those ben lykened to suche men that lyuen vncleÌ„ly / whiche done with theyr body and soule / as a sowe that waloweth in a stynkynge myre / and that is whan suche wretches defoulen theÌ„ selfe / in the fylthe of flesshly synne ¶ O wretched / foule / and full of synnes / where hase thou lefte thy dygnyte thou became a dere beloued syster of angels / thou arte made as an vnreasonable beest / in somoche in so many myseres that not onely thou shall not be suffred of me in that fylthe / the whiche am al pure clene ¶ But also those fendes / to whome thou arte become as a frende / bounde / maye not se nor suffre somoche vnclenesse be done in theyr syght ¶ Ther is no synne so abhomynable / nor no syune that someche taketh fro the soule the lyght of intelleccyoÌ„ / or of ghostly vnderstoÌ„dyÌ„ge / as this wretched synne of flesshly lust ¶ Phuosophers haddeÌ„ knowlege of this / but not throwe the lyght of grace / for they hadden not the grace / but onely nature gaue them that lyght / the suche synne blynded and stopped theyr eyen of intelleccyon ¶ And therfore to the entent / that they myghten the more lyghtly gyue them to theyr study / many of them were nyght wel content / and dyden abstayne theÌ„ fro that synne ¶ They toke on theÌ„ abstyneÌ„ce / and they vyden dyspyse ryches / that the besynesse aboute ryches sholde not let them fro theyr study ¶ Thus done not the wycked crysten men / nor he that loseth grace throwe his synÌ„es ¶ How the fruyte of some trees is auaryce / of the euyll that cometh of that synne THe fruyte of some other men / ben erthely fâ—uytes / and those ben couetous men / mysse kepers of theyr good / whiche done as a molle / whiche is alwaye nourysshed in the erthe tyl she dye ¶ And whaÌ„ the cruell dethe cometh / thaÌ„ is ther no remedy ¶ They with theyr greate desyre of erthely goodes / dythysen my goodnes / sellen them to the worlde ¶ They beÌ„ vsurers to theyr neyghbours / for they haue suche myÌ„de on theyr goodes / y they forgoten me theyr neyghbours ¶ For they dydeÌ„ loue me / they sholdeÌ„ not be so cruell to themselfe ¶ But they sholden haue pyte mercy / and worke vertuously to theÌ„selfe / and serue theyr neyghbour charytably ¶ O what wyckednesse and euyll cometh oute of this wycked synÌ„e / how many maÌ„ slaughters / theues / rauyners / with many vnlawfull lucres and crueltes of dethe / that comen out of this synne ¶ Also the vnryghtwysenes of theÌ„ sleeth the soule of theyr neyghbour / and makeÌ„ the soule not lady / but seruaunte of rychesse that is to saye she putteth behynde / the kepynge of my preceptes ¶ Suche a soule loueth not other thynges / but onely his propre profyte / that vyce cometh of pryde / and that vyce noryssheth pryde / that one cometh of the other / for this vyce bereth euermore with hym / a mannes extollynge / his owne reputacyon / and anone it falleth in to an other vyce / and so he falleth fro euyll in to more euyll / by that wretched pryde / whiche is full of euyll wyll / and it is a greate fyre / smytynge out a smoke of vayne glory / and vahyte of the herte / and reioyseth hym of good that is not his ¶ It is also a rote that hathe many braunches / of the whiche a mannes owne excellence / is the pryncypall braunche ¶ And that is whaÌ„ a maÌ„ holdeth hymselfe more worthy / more cunnynge than he is ¶ Of suche reputacyon / cometh vnordynate desyre that is to saye desyre to be more worthy and at more reputacyon thaÌ„ his neyghbour / shewynge forthe an herâ—e fened / not trewe nor fre / but double ¶ For he feneth the one in the monye / and hathe an other in the herte / hydeth the trewethe maketh lyes / for his owne profyte ¶ Also of this rote of pryde / cometh a wycked braunche of enuy / and the is a worme / whiche is alwaye fyghtynge and fretyÌ„ge / suffreth them neuer to holde them plesed / nor to be gladde for theyr owne profyte / nor for the profyte of theyr neyghbours ¶ How shall this wycked kynde of suche synners / the ben set in so greate mysery / do ony sacryfyce to poore men / with the substauÌ„ce of theyr good whan they taken awaye other mennes goodes ¶ Howe shall a man bryÌ„ge forthe a clene soule fro ynclennesse / whan they putten the soule in vnclennesse / for sometyme they ben become so beestly / that they dreden not to take theyr owne doughters / or other of theyr kynne / but with theÌ„ they falleÌ„ in to moche wretchednesse and fylthe / neuerthelesse my mercy abydeth and supporteth theym ¶ And I bydde not that the erthe sholde swalowe them / but I abyde and suffre them to amende theyr lyues ¶ How shall they be able than to put theyr lyues for helthe of soules / whan they done not the substauÌ„ce of theyr owne helthe ¶ O wycked vyces full of mysery / whiche draweth downe the heuen of the soule ¶ I call the soule heuen / for I made the soule an heuen / in the whiche I ordeyned me to abyde by grace / reue rende me in her ¶ And for loue I made me a bydynge place in her / nowe she is gone fro me / as a voutrer louynge herselfe / and other creatures more than me and not onely that but more ouer she maketh a god of herselfe / and parsueth me with dyuers synnes ¶ And all this she dothe / for she bethynketh her not / of that greate benefyte that I dyd for her / whan I shedde my bloode for mankynde / by my endeles charyte ¶ How vnryghtfulnes is the fruyte of some mennes teeres / the whiche stonden in the state of dampnacyon OTher there ben whiche bereÌ„ theÌ„selfe full hyghe by theyr lordeshyp / in the whiche hyghenesse / they vsen moche vnryghtwysenesse agaynste me / agaynst
receyue foure tourmeÌ„tes afterwarde pryncypally in hell / whiche ben these ¶ The fyrste is / that they se well how they ben pryued of my syghte / for the gyueth to theÌ„ so greate apeyne / the yf it were possyble / they wolden rather chose the fyre / and al other tourmentes se me / thaÌ„ to be out of tourmentes / and not to se me ¶ This peyne encreaseth the secoÌ„de peyne / that is of the worme of consyence / whiche freteth alwaye / beholdyÌ„ge how I haue worthely pryued them of my syght / and of the coÌ„uersasyon of angels / seynge well themselfe / that for theyr synnes / they beÌ„ made worthy / to haue the conuersacyon of fendes / and to haue the horryble syghte of theÌ„ ¶ Whiche syght of the fende / that is the thyrde peyne doubleth to theÌ„ al labour / al sorowe / and all peyne ¶ For ryght as in the syghte of me / all seyntes haue gladnesse / with Ioy of the fruyte of theyr labours / the whiche they broughteÌ„ for my name / with the plentuousnesse of my loue / and greate dysplesauÌ„ce of themselfe ¶ Ryght so in the coÌ„trarywyse / these synful wretches ben encreased in tourmentes / by that horryble syghte of fendes ¶ For in suche a syghte they knowen themselfe / more fully than they dydeÌ„ / for there they se that throwe theyr owne defautes / they ben worthy to haue those tourmeÌ„tes ¶ And in this maner theyr worme freteth them more myghtly / and the fyre of this conscyence ceseth neuer of breÌ„nynge ¶ Also it is to suche wretches as beÌ„ daÌ„pned more peyne / to se and to beholde the fende / as he is in his propre fygure / whiche beholdynge and syght is so horryble / that no maÌ„nes herte maye thynke it ¶ And thou boughter yf thou remembre the well / thou knowes iÌ„ what forme he was shew ed to that / as in that mynute of an houre ¶ And at the laste whan thy spyrytes weren comen agayne togyder / an thy owne choyse / thy wyll was rather to go in a waye brennynge as to hell thy lyfe durynge / vnto the daye of Iudgement / than to se that syghte ony more ¶ And yet not wtstondynge thou sawe it in suche a forme / yet thou knowes not how horryble it is ¶ For by the power of my dyuyne ryghtwysenesse / the fende sheweth hyÌ„ more horryble in a wycked soule / whiche hathe pryued herselfe of me / and more or lesse / after the greuaunce of her synnes ¶ The fourthe tourment is fyre / this fyre ceseth neuer of brennynge / and yet he wasteth not ¶ For the beynge of the soule maye not be wasted / nor that fuell of the fyre may not be wasted / for it is not bodyly ¶ Neuerthelesse I suffre theÌ„ to be brente of that fyre by my dyuyne ryghtwysenesse / as by waye of tourment / whiche fyre tourmenteth them / wasteth not / and tourmenteth and brenneth theÌ„ with grete penes / by many dyuers wayes / after the dyuersyte multytude of synÌ„es ¶ Besyde these foure pryncypall tourmentes be other / of these tourmentes comeÌ„ all other with colde / here / and gnastynge of tethe / after they gone wretchely to that euerlastynge fyre that is dethe after the tyme they ben Iudged / at the daye of IudgemeÌ„t / of theyr vnryghtfull lyuyÌ„ge in theyr lyte / and they that done not amende them before dethe / in the fyrst vndermynyÌ„ge ¶ Also yf they dye in the seconde vn dermynynge that is to saye yf at the poynt of dethe they wyll not haue hope nor trust in my mercy / nor sorowe for offenses done to me pryÌ„cypally / but rather sorowe for theyr owne penes whiche they sholdeÌ„ suffre / after they haue receyued the euer lastynge dethe ¶ Of the thyrde vndermynynge / whiche shall be at the daye of Iudgement NOwe thou shal here of that thyrde vndermynyÌ„ge that is to saye of the laste daye of Iudgement / that thou maye se how moche a soule dysceyueth herselfe ¶ Fyrste I shall tell the of the generall IudgemeÌ„t / in the whiche Iudgement / the peyne of a wretched soule shal be encreased throwe that oneheed whiche the soule shall make with the body / with an intollerable vndermynge / the whiche shal brynge her in to confusyon and shame ¶ Thou shall knowe it forsothe / that in the laste daye of the Iudgement / whaÌ„ my sone shall come with his ryghtwysenesse / to Iudge the worlde with that dyuyne myghte ¶ For thaÌ„ he shall not come as a lytle poore chylde / as whan he was borne of a maydens wombe / in a stable with beestes / afterwarde he dyed with grete dyspyte / hangynge on the crosse bytwene .ij. theues ¶ And that tyme I hyd my myght in hym / and I suffred hym to haue peyne tourment vntolletable / as a very maÌ„ ¶ Not in that wyse that the dyuyne nature / as for that was departed fro hym / but I suffred hym to bere that passyon as a man / that he sholde make satysfaccyon for youre synÌ„es ¶ But doughter he shall not come so downe in the laste ende of the worlde / for he shall come than with a full grete myghte with his owne propre ê‘sone / to make correccyoÌ„ ¶ And ther shall no creature be thaÌ„ / but that he shal haue grete drede / and he shall yelde to euery creature after his werkes ¶ To soules that shall be dampned / he shall gyue many tourmentes / and the beholdynge on hym shall be so dredful that a tongue suffyseth not to tell / he shall gyue to ryghtfull soules in his beholdynge / a drede of reuereÌ„ce / with full greate ioye and gladnesse ¶ Not in that wyse that he shall be chauÌ„ged in face / for he is vnchauÌ„geable / for he is all one with me / with my dyuyne nature / after nature of man / so that his face is not chaungeable / after his gloryous resurreccyon ¶ He shall shewe hym dredfull to that eye of theÌ„ that shall be daÌ„pned / for they shall se hym with the dredefull and derke eyes whiche they haue in themselfe / as an eye that is hurts may not comprehende but derkenesse in a sayre shynynge sonne ¶ An hole eye beholdeth lyghte / that is not throwe the defaute of that lyghte / whiche shall gyue more rather alteracyon to a blynde maÌ„ / thaÌ„ to hym that hathe syghte / but it is throwe that defaute of that sore eye ¶ So shal they that shall be daÌ„pned / beholde my sone with a dredefull syght / and vntollerable in greate confusyon and hatered ¶ Not throwe defaute of my diuine maieste / in the whiche maieste / he shall come to Iudge all the worlde / but they sholden se hym so dredefully by theyr owne defautes ¶ Howe a soule dampned / may not desyre no goodnesse THe hatered of dampned soules / that they haue in them
fende calleth and styrreth men to the water of dethe that is to saye to the water that blȳdeth them with worldly delyces and hyghe states / catcheth them with a false hoke of delectacyon vnder colour of good / for otherwyse he maye not haue them / for they wolden not suffre themselfe to be takē nor dysceyued / yf they dydynot fele no goodnesse in thēselfe ¶ For a soule of his owne nature / euer desyreth goodnes / but yet sothe it is that a soule sometyme is blynded throwe his owne loue / and thā he knoweth not the venym / nor the dysceyte of the fende / and no dyscrecyon he hathe to knowe that very goodnesse / nor what is profytable to the soule nor to the body ¶ Therfore the fende whan he seeth a man so blynded throwe his owne propre loue / he putteth to hym dyuers states vnder dyuers colours of some profyte or of some vertu or goodnes ¶ And that he putteth to euery man after his state / and after the pryncypall vyces / in the whiche he knoweth euery man after his dysposycyon more redy to fall ¶ Some false suggesty on s he putteh to a relygyous mā / an other thyngehe putteth to prelates / an other to seculers / an other to lordes / and an other to seruauntes / to euery man after the degre of dyuers states ¶ This I haue rehersed and tolde the of them / the whiche drownen themselfe in the floode of the water of dethe / hauynge no rewarde but onely to themselfe that is to saye louyge themselfe / taken no hede of offences done to me / and of suche men I haue tolde the theyrende ¶ And now forthermore I wyl she we the / how they dysceyuen thēselfe ¶ The cause in general is / for whan wylfully they wolden fle fro peynes / they fallen in to peynes ¶ For it semeth to thē / that it a full greate labour to folowe me that is to saye to go by the waye of the brydge of my sone / therfore they drawen abacke for drede of the thorne / that is for drede of sharpenesse / and that is for they ben vtterly blynded / by the whiche they seen not / nor knowen not the waye of my sothefastnesse / as thou dyd knowe / whan I shewed it the in the begynnȳge of thy lyfe / whan thou dyd praye to me / that I sholde gyue mercy to all the worlde and to drawe them fro derkenesse of deedly syn̄es ¶ Thou knowes wel that at that tyme / I shewed me to the in a fygure of a tree / of the whiche tree thou sauoured begynnȳge nor endȳge / but onely thou dyd parceyue that the roote of that tree was ioyned with the erthe / and that was the dyuyne nature was knyt with the nature of youre hamanyte ¶ In the fote of the tree yf thou haue good mynde / there was a thorne / fro the whiche thorne / all that dyden loue theyr owne sensualyte / dydē drawe themselfe fer awaye fro the thorne / and stedden in hast to an hyll / ther was a pot / in the whiche hyll I shewed the by a fygure / all the delyces vanytes of the worlde ¶ In the pot it semed as ther had be where / but there was none / therfore thou sawe well that many soules dyden perysshe therin for hongre ¶ Some that knowen the perelles of the worlde / dyden retourne agayne to the tree / wenten myghtly by the thorne that is to saye some tokē a purpose of good wyll / to take a waye of sharpenesse / whiche purpose of sharpenesse / or it be parformed / is suche a thorne whiche semeth to a man sholde be folowed / to go in to the waye of sothefastnesse ¶ And yet on the one party the conscyence grutcheth / on the other party that sensualyte grutcheth ¶ Neuerthelesse anone as a man with hatered and dysplesaunce of hymselfe / taketh a purpose myghtely / sayth thus in his herte / I wyl folowe my lorde crucyfyed / than sodeynly that purpose breketh the throwe that is to saye the good wyll dothe awaye the sharpenesse / and than shall he fyude a wonderfull swetenesse / as I haue declared to the before / some man more / and some man lesse / after the dysposycyon and besynes of dyuers men ¶ Thou knowes at that tyme howe I sayde to the / that youre lorde was vnmouable / sothe it is / for I am not chaunged ¶ I withdrawe me fro no creature that wyll come to me / I haue shewed the sothefastnesse to all / and I haue shewed me to them and made me vysyble / where I was and am inuysyble ¶ What is it to loue ony thynge wtoute me / they knowen not me / nor themselfe / bycause they were made blyde / throwe a cloude of vnordynate loue and of desyre ¶ Sees yu. not how moche they ben dysceyued / for they had moche rather to be perysched in the greate see / than to passe throwe a lytle sharpenesse ¶ And there maye none passe oute of this lyfe without the cros / saue they that gone by the hyghest waye / and yet they passen not wtout some peyne / but that peyne is to them a refresshynge ¶ And for asmoche as the worlde for syn̄e bryngeth you forthe thornes breres / as I tolde the before / and renneth throwe a stoode the is a see wtout rest / therfore I haue ordeyned / and gyuen to you a sure brydge / wherby ye maye passe fro that worlde you wyll ¶ To this tyme I haue shewed the / how that suche men dysceyuē themselfe with an vnordynate drede / how I am poure lorde god / whiche am not chaūged ¶ And that I take no hede to the parsones / but to the holy desyres of the parsones / and this I haue shewed the in a fygure of a tree ¶ How the world for syn̄es brought forthe thornes and breres / yet some there ben that ben not noyed with them / all be it the no man maye come to blysse / wtoute some peyne here suffred or he passe NOw I am purposed to shewe the whiche they ben that be harmed of the thornes and breres / and whiche not ¶ And for asmoche as to this tyme I haue shewed to the dampnacyō of suche men and my goodnesse and I tolde the how they ben dysceyued of theyr owne propre sensualyte ¶ Nowe therfore I wyll shewe to the / how they ben hurte of thornes onely ¶ Soth it is / no mā that is comen in to this lyfe lyueth forthe with bodyly labour or ghostly ¶ My seruauntes bere grete bodyly labours / theyr soules be ful fre fro that trauayle / for they fele no trauayle / that is for theyr wyll holy accordeth with my wyll ¶ And the wyl it is / that maketh mē haue peyne / they beren bothe bodyly peyne and ghostly as I sayde before whiche begynne to
the soule in asmoche as with a very trewe wyll / they ben conformed and made lyke to me / therfore it is to them greate coÌ„forte ioye / to suffre peyne for me ¶ The seruauntes of the worlde ben tourmented / bothe within and without and specyally within / for the greate drede they haue to lose theyr temporall goodes / and also for loue / desyrynge that they maye not haue ¶ Other maner vexacyons that they haue besyde these / ben two pryÌ„cypall causes / that is drede of losynge / loue of wynnyÌ„ge / whiche thy tongue is not suffycyent / nor yet able to tell ¶ Sees thou not now therfore the in this lyfe ryghtwysemen beÌ„ at more ease in soule thaÌ„ synners me thyÌ„ke thou sholde for thou hase nowe seen the lyuynge and the endynge of bothe ¶ How a drede that is bouÌ„den / or a seruyle drede ben not suffycyent to obtayne euerlastyÌ„ge lyfe / and how with excercyse of this drede a man may come to the excercyse of vertues NNw I haue sayde to the and declared / that there be some the whiche felen them tourmented of worldely try bulacyons / and I wyll that it be so / that a soule maye knowe her imparfeccyoÌ„ and ende / also to knowe that this wretched lyfe / that worldely vanyce is vnparfyte and traÌ„sytory ¶ This a soule maye knowe by this token / whan she desyreth inwardely me / that am her ende by suche inwardely desyre / a soule begynneth fyrst to put awaye the cloude that hathe longe blynded her fro the clere syghte of vertu ¶ And than by seruyle drede of trybulacyons / she begynneth to come out of the floode that she had loÌ„ge be dreÌ„ched in / castyÌ„ge out fro her the venym / with the hate that she was poysoned with / the whiche was cast out of the scorpyon in the lykenesse of golde / and so was receyued vnmanerly / and nothynge manerly / wherfore it was tourned to them that dyd receyue it / in to venyÌ„ ¶ They knowyÌ„ge this begyÌ„nynge gracyously to aryse / towarde the hauen begyn to set theyr pases / cleâ—ynge fyrste to the same brydge / of the whiche I spake of before ¶ Neuerthelesse it is not ynoughe onely for to go to this brydge with seruyle drede / for that drede dothe nothyÌ„ge ellys but purgeth a soule fro deedly synÌ„es / but it fulfylleth not her with vertues grouÌ„ded iÌ„ loue ¶ And therfore it is not ynoughe onely in seruyle dride to wynue euerlastynge lyfe / but yf the fete be sette vpon the tyrste steppe of the brydge / that is desyre and affeccyon / the whiche be e the fete of the soule / bryngyÌ„ge her in to affeccyon of my very sothefastnesse / of the whiche as I sayde before / I haue made a brydge ¶ This is the ladder / vpon the whiche I wolde ye sholde step vp / for my very sone hath made ladders to step vpon ¶ Neuerthelesse sothe it is / that this is a generall rysynge / whiche comynly worldely men do vse / that is for to ryse fyrste for drede of peyne ¶ And also bycause that ofte tymes aduersytes of this worlde bryngeth them in to greate heuynesse / and therfore a man begynneth to be dyspysed with them ¶ And yf they vse this drede with lyght of trewe feythe / doubte not but they shall come to the loue of vertu ¶ There ben some that gone out so dull so slugyshly out of this depe floode of worldely loue / that ofte tymes they fallen therin agayne ¶ For after tyme they come to the haueÌ„ of that stoode / by comynge agaynst them of contrary wyndes / the ben ouertyrued agayne by the reawes of the see / vnto the cloudy vallaye of derkenesse of the wretchydnesse of this lyfe ¶ And thoughe ther come a happy wynde / they wyll not in no wyse quyckely step vpon the fyrste degre / that is affeccyon and loue of vertu to ghostly delyces / but as meÌ„ the were made dull / slugyshly they gone forthe / I doubte not but that with suche a myse ruled plesaunce / they shal tourne backewarde ¶ Also yf the wynde or tempest blowe by vnpasyence / they wyll tourne theyr backes / bycause they hate not verely synne / onely for the offence done to me / but onely fro drede of peyne / the whiche peyne foloweth them / as them semeth ¶ This is no parfyte rysynge / for all vertues rysynge go forthe with parseuerauÌ„ce / without whome / no man maye come to the effecte and spede of his desyre / that is to that ende for whome he brgan / to the whiche he shal neuer come with out parseueraunce / and therfore that his desyre maye be fulfylled / parseuerauÌ„ce is ryght nedeful ¶ I sayd also to the that suche tournen them after dyuers styrrynges / that fall to theÌ„ / other by impugnynge of theyr owne sensualyte within themselfe agaynst the spyryte / or els by tournynge of theyr affeccyons / by vnordynate loue to all creatures without me / or els by vnpasyence of wroÌ„ges that ghey do suffre / other offendes / or of dyuers outwarde batayles / and other whyle by styrrynge chastysynge or vexynge of ghostly enemyes / that they myght brynge them the soner in to shame and confusyoÌ„ / sayenge thus to theÌ„ ¶ The good thynge the whiche thou hase begonne / shall be to the no profyte / for thy synnes and defautes be more than those ¶ This the enemy dothe / for he sholde leue of / cees of suche vertues and desyres / that he hathe begonne ¶ Otherwyse also he teÌ„pteth hym with to moche delyte and delectacyon of his good dedes / that is with the hope that he receyueth of my mercy / sayenge thus to hym ¶ Why wyll thou laboure and vexe thyselfe / be glad and ioyfull in this lyfe / thynkynge that at the last thou shall haue mercy ¶ In this wyse and in many other sotell dyuers maners of temptacyons wretchydly they gone abacke / and in no wyse they ben parseuerauÌ„t and stydfast ¶ And the cause of al this is nothyÌ„ge elles / but that the roote of her owne propre loue is not fully put awaye ¶ And therfore they ben not stable and abydyÌ„ge / but with ryght grete presumpcyon they receyuen mercy by the hope that theyr enemy hathe put them in ¶ Not for they sholde worthely receyue my mercy / but that vncuÌ„nyngly as presumptuous people they shold trust therin / the whiche mercy is euery day offended by theÌ„ ¶ I gyue not my mercy to theÌ„ / they for to offende it by presumpcyoÌ„ / but bycause they sholden defende them therby fro wycked desyres of fendes fro the mysruled and dysordynate confusyon / and shame of the soule ¶ But they done the contrary / for with the arme of my mercy / they offenden me / and that is bycause they vse not / nor haue not in excersyce / theyr fyrst
nothynge elles fulfylled / but with suche thynge that the mysse ruled affeccyon hathe gyuen vnto her ¶ This most wretched loue hathe so blynded the eye of intelleccyon / that it can nother deserne nor take more clere lyght / than it hathe receyued ¶ For that is to hyÌ„ as hym semeth ryght clere it is vyce colored by the coloure of his owne propre good / and the soule so offended ¶ But bycause the eye of vnderstondynge seeth not herselfe for her owne blyndenesse / she maye in no wyse knowe the truthe / and therfore the erreth and goeth out of the waye / serchynge other delyces and other goodes than 〈◊〉 me 〈◊〉 In an other place I sayd so the the all worldely delytes be not 〈◊〉 without me / but rather they be 〈◊〉 / gethornes thaÌ„ delyces ¶ In the same wyse intelleccyoÌ„ or vnderstandynge is dyseeyued in her owne â—â—ght and wyll in her owne loue louynge suche thynges as she sholde not loue ¶ And in the same wyse mynde in her kepynge and retencyons / vnderstondynge foloweth the maners of a thefe / the reueth an other fro his good ¶ In the same wyse mynde coÌ„tynually remembreth of suche thyÌ„ges that be vtterly wtout me ¶ And of suche thynges / the soule wylfully depryueth her from grace ¶ These thre myghtes of the soule be so myghtely knytte togyder / the I maye not be offended of the one / but the I be offended of all thre / for one taketh of an other good or yll / as it is declared before ¶ What that euer lyketh or pleaseth the fre choyse / that same pleaseth the affeccyon ¶ And therfore as the affeccyoÌ„ lyketh / so she styrreth and moueth fre choyse / or with out lyght of reason ¶ Neuertheles ye haue the vse of reasou knytte in me so that fre choyse fall not in you by vnordynate loue ¶ Ye haue also a contrary lawe of the flesshe repugnyÌ„ge contynually agaynste the spyryte ¶ Two partyes therfore ye haue in youreselfe / that is sensualyte and reason ¶ Sensualy is a seruaunte the whiche is ordeyned to serue the soule / that ye maye haue experyeÌ„ce of vertu by the instrumente of the body ¶ The soule is fre fro synne / delyuered by the blòde of my sone / and therfore she maye in no wyse be brought in bondage / but yf she consente by her owne wyll / the whiche is bouÌ„de knytte by fre choyse / for fre choyse is made one with wyll accordynge with her ¶ The whiche fre choyse is knytte to the same wyll / in the myddes of sensualyte and reason / that to which of bothe she wyltourne she maye ¶ Forthermore sothe it is / that whan that euer the soule wyll gadre togyder her myghtes in my name / by the honde of fre choyse / as I haue declared to the before / that what that she dothe / or yet all that she gadereth be spyrytuall thyÌ„nges ¶ And so fre choyse with sensualyte is losed knytte to reason / thaÌ„ with truthe / I rest in the myddes of theÌ„ ¶ This it is that my sothefastnes spake of sayenge thus whan two or thre ben gadered togyder in my name / I am in the myddes of theÌ„ ¶ Also I sayde to the that no man maye come to me / but by my onely sone / that is the waye of sothefastnes ¶ And therfore I haue made a brydge of hym / with thre grees / the whiche grees be fygured by the thre states of the soule / as I shal tell the afterwarde ¶ How thes thre myghtes of the soule / yf they be not oned togyder / ther may no parseuerauÌ„ce be hadde / without the whiche parseueraunce / no man maye come to the ende of parfeccyon THe fygure of these thre grees iÌ„ general I haue declared to the / be the thre myghtes of the soule / the whiche by maner of symylytude be thre ladders ¶ And he that wyl passe forthe by the brydge and doctryne of my truthe / he maye not ascende vp by that one ladder / but yf he ascende also by the other ¶ Ryght so a soule may haue no parseuerauÌ„ce of vertu / but yf she knytte and Ioyne togyder these thre myghtes / of the whiche parseueraune I tolde the before / whan thou dyd aske of me the maner / the whiche those that comen out of the floode sholde holde for to be delyuered out of the perell of the same floode ¶ And there also I sayde to the / that I wolde declare to the more openly those thre degrees ¶ And than I sayde that without parseueraunce / there maye no man come nother to the ende of parfeccyon / nor of vyces / for vertues also vyces do aske parseueraunce ¶ Yf thou do couet to come to lyfe / thou must contynu and parseuer in vertu / and he the desyreth to go forthe to endelesse dethe / he must parseuer in vyces ¶ So than a man maye come to me that am lyfe of all thynges / with parseuerauÌ„ce of vertu / and also with parseuerauÌ„ce of vyce he may come for to tast the deed water of fendes ¶ An exposycyoÌ„ of the worde of cryst / where he sayde Si quis sitit c. That is to saye / yf ony man haue thruste let hym come to me and dryÌ„ke ALl ye be byd generally / and specyally of my sone the lambe of truthe the whiche dyde cry in the temple with a greate desyre / seynge thus to you Si quis sitit veniat ad me et bibat yf ony man haue thrust / let hym come to me and drgnke / for I am a wel of water of lyfe / he sayde not go to my fader and drynke / but he sayd come to me ¶ Why / ¶ For in me that am the fader / myght neuer peyne fall / but it was than in my sone ¶ And therfore whyle ye be pylgrymes passyngers in this worlde ye maye in no maner wyse passe withoute peyne ¶ For of synne as it is sayde before / the erthe hathe brought forthe thornes breres ¶ And why sayde he so / come to me and drynke ¶ By cause all that dyd sue his doctryne / or suche that dyd drawe nyghe to hym / otherby kepynge of his commaundymentes with the couÌ„seyles mentally / or by his preceptes / with the counseyles actually ¶ That is in goynge by the waye of parfyte charyte / or by the waye of comune charyte / as I haue tolde the before / by what maner of wyse in these wayes ye come to hym by shewynge of his doctryne / ye fynde anone what ye sholde drynke / that is the fruyte of his precyous blode ¶ And also by tastyÌ„ge of his dyuyne nature knytte and oned in mankynde / and than ye so abydynge in hym / shal also fynde yourselfe in me / that am the peaseable see / for I am one with hym / and he one with me ¶ In this maner ye be byd for
owne profyte / with the same imê‘fyte lour / they loue theyr neyghbours ¶ And but yf they dyd know theyr owne imparfeccyon by grete desyre of parfeccyon / they must nedes go backe ¶ Therfore it is ryght nedefull for them / yf they wyl haue that durable lastynge loue / for to loue without beholdynge of ony maner rewarde ¶ It is not ynoughe for to fle synÌ„e for drede of peyne / nor for to lyue vertuously onely for his synguler auauÌ„tage and profyte ¶ For these be no grete thyÌ„ges for to wynÌ„e therby heuen blysse / but it is spedefull for to eschewe synnes onely for they dysplesen me / and onely for my loue for to loue vertues get them ¶ Neuerthelesse the fyâ—ste callynge of euety creature is that for fyrste a soule is vnparfyte / rather thaÌ„ parfyte / and fro imparfeccyon it sholde come to parfeccyoÌ„ ¶ Whyther euery vertuous soule lyuynge in this lyfe hathe alwaye loued me onely with out beholdyÌ„ge of ony other thynge / or yf that it haue in the houre of departynge fro the body in this lyfe desyred / yf it hadde be tyme or space to serue me better than euer she dyd / withoute beholdynge of ony other thynge than of me alone / knowynge than her owne vnparfytenes or imê‘feccyon ¶ Suche soules I trowe there be many / so lyuynge in vnparfyte loue ¶ Of the whiche Peter was one / that loued my onely sothefaste sone Ihesu cryst for his blessyd bodyly conuersacyon in this lyfe / but whan tyme of trybulacyoÌ„ came he sayled in his loue / and he fell in to suche an inconuenyente / that for very drede of peyne he denyed hym sayd that he knewe hym neuer ¶ And therfore a soule that ascendeth vpoÌ„ these grees onely with seruyle drede hyred loue / she falleth in to greate incomodytes and inconuenyence ¶ All they sholde therfore aryse as very trewe chyldren / seruynge me wtoute ony bâ—holdyÌ„ge of theyr owne profyte / for I am the rewarder of euery laboure / and yelde to euery man after his estate excersyce ¶ And therefore yf they leue not the excersyce of good and holy prayers and of other good werkes / but moche rather encreasen in vertues with parseueraunce / than they showe come worthely to the very loue of my sothefaste sone Ihesu ¶ And I shall thaÌ„ loue theÌ„ with suche loue / as I loue my owne very dere chyldren / for with suche lour as I am loued / I shall loue agayne ¶ Yf I be loued with suche loue / as a seruaunt loueth his lorde / I as a lorde as he hathe deserued / shall rewarde hym his dewte ¶ But I shall not make myselfe open to hym by my specyal graces / for to a trewe frende and a trewe louer / my pryue secretes be made opeÌ„ and shewed / the whiche is made one with me that am his frende ¶ Neuerthelesse a seruaunte maye encrees with the vertues and loue that he bereth to his lorde / in somocbe that he may be made a ryght dere freÌ„de ¶ Ryghte so it happeth of suche that loue me as hyred seruauntes done to thyr lordes / to suche I make me not open ¶ But yf suche pull vp by the roote with a maner of hate theyr owne ghostly loue fro themselfe / asceÌ„de vp aboue the sete of theyr owne coÌ„scyence / not leuynge this seruyle drede hyred loue vnchastysed and vncorrecked with the lyghte of very deuoute feythe / than maye they be to me tyghte kynde and come to my very frendely loue ¶ And so shal I than shewe me gracyously to them / as my owne sothefaste sone Ihesu sayde whan he was conuersaunt iÌ„ this worlde / he that loueth me he say the shall kepe my worde / my fader shal loue hym / and we shal come to hym / and make a dwellyÌ„ge place in hyÌ„ ¶ Also he saythe in an other place thus / he that loueth me / shall be loued of my fader / I shall loue hym / and shewe hym myselfe gracyously ¶ This is the very knowlege of dere louers / for in theym loue is transformed in the louer / by affeccy on loue / so ther be two bodyes one soule / yf two haue but one soule it maye not be hyd fro that one / but it is knowe also to that other ¶ And therfore my sothefaste sone Ihesu sayde thus / we sholde come make togyder one dwellynge place ¶ Of the imparfeccyon of them that loueÌ„ and seruen god for theyr owne profyte and loue / or for theyr comforte DOughter wyl thou knowe how I shal make myselfe open in a soule that in truthe loueth me / shewynge the techyÌ„ge and the doctryne of my sothefaste sone Ihesu cryste / here nowe in many maner wyses ¶ I shewe my vertu in suche a soule / after the desyre the suche a soule hathe ¶ Neuertheles thre pryÌ„cypal shewynges / I made to be had in a dere louynge soule ¶ The fyrste is / that I shewe the affeccyon of my charyte / by medyacyon and meane of the roorde of my ryghte well byloued sone Ihesu cryste / the whiche affeccyon is made open in the blode of hym shed oute by the feruent fere of brennynge charyte ¶ In two maner wyses this charyte is shewed / one is generall comune to all / dwellynge and abydynge in comune charyte ¶ To suche it is shewed the whiche do se and haue experyence of my charyte / for many dyuers benefytes that they haue receyued of me / and in dyuers maners ¶ The other maner of shewynge is partyculer to theym specyally that be made truly and feythefully my frendes ¶ The shewyÌ„ge of this comune charyte that they do taste / they knowe they haue experyence / and they fele it parfytely in theyr soules ¶ The seconde shewynge of charyte is at the tyme that I do make me open to them by affeccyoÌ„ of loue not for I am a specyall rewarder of one more than of an other / but makynge me frely open in theyr soules / onely by holy desyre / in the same parfeccyon that they seke ¶ Other whyle I make me open to them by another maner of wyse / and this is the maner of the other shewynge / gyuynge to them spyryte of prophecye / for to knowe thynges that be to come / and that is in manye wyses and dyuers maners / after the indygence and nede that I aspy in suche a soule / and other creatures ¶ Other whyle also in the thyrde wyse / formynge in theyr soules / the presence of my truthe / that is the sothefastnes of my onely sothefaste sone Ihesu in dyuers wyses and many maners / as a soule desyreth the whiche hathe grete thruste or drynes ¶ Other whyle they seke me in holy prayers / desyrynge for to knowe my myghte / and than I do suffre theym to taste the very vertu of my myght / other whyle I am sought in the wysdome of my sone
/ and than also I fulfyll theyr desyre shewynge openly to the syghte of the eye of theyr vnderstondynge / my sone Ihesu ¶ Otherwhyle they do serche me in the mekenesse of the holy ghost / thaÌ„ my endelesse goodnesse maketh them to taste the breÌ„nynge fyre of my dyuyne charyte / and also maketh them to conceyue very ryall vertues / grouÌ„ded iÌ„ the pure charyte of neyghbourhode ¶ The fyfte chapyter telleth how god sheweth hymselfe somtyme to a soule that loueth hym ¶ Also why cryste sayde not Ego manifestabo c. I shall shewe my fader / but he sayde / I shall shewe myselfe what maner of gouernaunce a soule shall kepe / that she maye come vp to the seconde gree of the holy brydge ¶ And of other maters / as it is rehersed before in the kaleÌ„der Ca. v. IN this wyse than maye the clerely comprehende and parceyue the truthe / after the sayenge of my sothefast sone Ihesu / wher he saythe thê° / he that loueth me / he shall be one with me ¶ For al the shewe his doctryne / be made one with hym / by the affeccyoÌ„ of loue ¶ And lyke as ye be one in hym / so be ye one iÌ„ me / for he and I be but one togyder in substauÌ„ce / and so shewe I me to you / for we be all one ¶ Neuerthelesse yf my sothefaste sone had sayde to you thus / I shal shewe you me the fader / he had sayd sothe / for yf he shewe hymselfe he sheweth me / and yf he shewe me he sheweth hyÌ„selfe ¶ But why sayd he not / I shall shewe you my fader onely ¶ Truly for thre maner causes ¶ One is this / bycause he wolde it were knowe that I am not departed fro hym / nor he fro me / and therfore it was that he sayde to seynt Phylyp / that asked of hym thus ¶ Lorde shewe vs thy fader / it is ynoughe to vs ¶ Phylyp he sayde / he that seeth me / seeth my fader / this was truly sayde / for he was one with me / that he had he had onely of me / and not I of hym ¶ And that was the cause that he sayde to the Iewes thus ¶ My doctryne is not my doctryne / but his doctryne that sende me in to this worlde / that is my fader ¶ Thê° by this cause my ryght swete onely sothefast sone cometh fro me / not I fro hym ¶ And he he sayeth also we be all one / therfore it was that he sayde not / I shal not shewe you my fader / but he sayde / I shall shewe you me / that is bycause I am one / and the same with my fader ¶ The seconde cause was / in asmoche as he shewed you hymselfe / he shewed to you no other / than he had of me his fader as thoughe he sayde thus my fader hathe shewed me hymselfe / bycause we be one ¶ Therfore I shall shewe you my fader and me / by medyacyon of myselfe ¶ The thyrde cause was / for I that am inuysyble / may not be seen of you that ben vysyble / but whan ye be departed oute fro youre deedly bodyes / thaÌ„ all ye shall se me face to face / and my sothefast sone Ihesu cryst intellectually / vnto that tyme of the generall resurreccyon ¶ Therfore now as I am / ye may not se me for this cause I haue hyd couered my dyuyne nature / by the veyle of your humanyte / that ye myght so se that is inuysyble as vysyble ¶ As thoughe I gyue you dwellynge amonge you my sothefaste sone Ihesu / couered in the vayle of youre maÌ„hode ¶ And soo he sheweth me to you / therfore he sayde not / I shall shew you my fader / but he sayde I shall shewe you me ¶ As thoughe he meÌ„t thus / lyke as my fader hathe gyuen it to me / so shall I shewe me to you ¶ Thus thou maye knowe that in this sheweynge of me / he shewed hymselfe ¶ Aud thus thou hase lerned why he sayd not / I shal shewe you my fader that is thus bycause it is vnpossyble to you for you to se me in this deedly body as it is sayde before / and also bycause he is one with me ¶ And here after shall be shewed what maner of gouernaunce a soule shall kepe / how she shall ascende vp to the seconde gre of the holy brydge NOw thou knowes in what maner of excellence he dwelleth / that cometh to the degre of the loue of a frende / suche one goeth vpon his fete of affeccyon / and so cometh to the pryue secretes of the herte / that is fro the fyrste grees / to the seconde be fygured in the body of my onely sothefaste sone Ihesu ¶ I tolde the that those thre grees were betokened or marked in that thre myghtes of the soule / betokenynge pryncypally / the thre states of the soule ¶ Now therfore or that he come to the thyrde gree / I shall shewe the how he shal come to be a dere freÌ„de ¶ And after tyme he is comeÌ„ to be a dere freÌ„de to me / anone he is made a chylde of my loue that he hathe to me / and I to hym / as to my owne dere chylde ¶ But fyrste how that he worketh whaÌ„ he is made a freÌ„de / I shall tell it to the. ¶ At the begynnyÌ„ge he was vnparfyte / by seruyle drede / and by the parseuerauÌ„te vse of the same drede / he came to the loue of ghostly delectacyon / fyndynge in me comforte and auauntage of his owne profyte ¶ In sothe this is the waye / and this waye he muste geâ— that wyll come parfytely to parfyte loue of a dere chylde and of a frende ¶ Why is that loue parfyte ¶ Truly for he receyueth my herytage / in the loue of my sothefast sone Ihesu ¶ And bycause the loue of adere sone is not wtout the loue of adere freÌ„de / and therfore I sayde to the / that of a dere freÌ„de / cometh a dere chylde ¶ But what maner of gouernauÌ„ce muste he holde / that shall come to this parfeccyon / I shall tell the ¶ Euery parfeccyon and euery vertu / cometh oute of charyte / and charyte is nouryshed of mekenes / mekenesse cometh out of knowlege and of holy hate of hymselfe / that is of his owne sensualyte and his very propre wyll ¶ And for to come to this a man muste abyde parseuerauÌ„tly / and dwelle in the Cell of his owne knowlege ¶ In the whiche knowlege of hymselfe / he shall fynde my mercy in the blode of my sothefaste sone Ihesu drawynge to hym by holy desyre my dyuyne charyte / and also by excersysynge hymselfe in dystroyeÌ„ge al maner of wycked wylles bothe spyrytuall and temporall / hydynge hymselfe iÌ„ his owne house / as Peter and other dyscyples dyd / the whiche Peter after
forth vertu for to encrese in her neyghbours / by the whiche vertu she receyueth an other / that is the last state of parfyte vnycyon oneheed in me / the whiche two states be knytte togyder / for that one maye not be wtout that other ¶ For ryghte as my charyte maye not be wtoute charyte of neyghbourheed / nor charyte of neyghbourheed maye not be without my charyte / the one maye not be departed fro that other ¶ In the same maner it fareth of these two states / the one maye not be without that other / lykewyse as I shall shewe the nowe suyngly ¶ How imparfyte wyl onely folowe the fader / but parfyte men folowe the sone HEre I told that how they haue gone out / the whiche goȳge I sayd is a token that they be rysen fro imparfeccyon / come to parfeccyon ¶ Open than the eye of thy vnderstondynge / and se them how they renne by the brydge of the doctryne of my onely sothefaste sone Ihesu cryste crucyfyed / the whiche was the very waye / rule / and doctryne / before the eye of her intelleccyon / for they put nothȳge elles before theyr eyen / thā my onely sothefast sone Ihesu cryst crucyfyed / they put not me the fader before theyr eyen / as he dothe that abydeth and dwelleth in vnparfyte loue / the whiche wyll suffre no peyne / and bycause there maye no peyne fall in me / therfore suche one wyll lyue with ghostly delectacyon that he fyndeth in me without ony peyne / suynge me rather than my sothefast sone Ihesu / for suche cause it is that he sueth me / yet not me / but ghostly delectacyon that he fyndeth in me ¶ They that do loue parfytely do not so / but as ghostly drūken men they be gadered togyder / and ascende vpon the thre grees or ladders the whiche I fygured to the by thre myghtes of the soule / and also vpon the thre actuall grees / the whiche I fygured to the actually in the body of my onely sothefast sone Ihesu cryste crucyfyed ¶ After the tyme they be thus ascended with the fete of affeccyon of the soule / they come to the greate hole of the syde of my sone / where they synde the pryue for cretes of the herte / and knowe there the water of baptym / the whiche hathe vertu in the bloode of my sones passyon / in the whiche blode a foule syndeth grace by holy baptym / where that the vessell of the soule is dysposed / made redy for to receyue grace / also where she is oned in the blessyd blode of the lābe receyuynge so holy baptym of that bloode vertuously ¶ In the whiche state she knoweth veryly tasteth the brennynge syre of dyuyne charyte / so shewed well my sothefaste sone Ihesu to the / yf thou haue mynde whan he was asked of the in this wyse ¶ O swete and vndefouled lambe / whā thou was deed and thy syde was opened / why wolde thou be smyt / and why wholde thou suffre thy herte to be cutte ¶ He answered and sayde / yf thou remembre that many causes there were why / but one pryncypall cause shall I tell the he sayde / for my desyre as to mākynde was infynyte and endelesse / and the actuall workȳge for to suffre peyne and tourment / was fynyte and had an ende ¶ And therfore bycause my desyre and loue to mankynde was infynyte / I wolde that my pryuytes of my herte were sene to mankynde / openynge to you for the same cause my syde / that ye myghte loke theron and vnderstonde therby that I loued mākynde moche more thā I couthe or myght shewe you of my peyne fynyte / shedynge bothe blode and water ¶ And also ther I shewed in two maner of wyses baptym of bloode ¶ One was as I sayde in them that be baptysed in blode shed by martyrdome for me / the whiche baptym hathe vertu of my bloode namely for thē that may not be baptysed in the holy baptym of water ¶ Some also I sayde were and be baptysed in fyre / desyrȳge baptym of water with all the affeccyon of the soule and maye not haue it / al suche be baptysed in fyre / and yet is it not this taptym of fyre / without blode / for blode is medled with fyre of dyuyne charyte / bycause it was shed out for loue ¶ In an otherwyse also a soule receyueth this baptym before sayde / the whiche dyuyne prouydēce charytably hathe ordeyned / for the infyrmyte freylte is knowen to hym / by the whiche freylte mā offēdeth / not bycause he is cōstrayned for to offende by freylte / but bycause as a frayle man he falleth in to the trespas of deedly synne wylfully / wherby he hathe loste grace that he had wonne in that baptȳ of blode by vertu ¶ And therfore it was ryght necessary that my dyuyne charyte sholde puruaye a remedy for to put awaye suche greuous synnes / the whiche is cōtynall baptym of blode / that a soule wynneth by cōtynuall contrycyon of herte and with holy confessyon / whan it maye be had of my mynysters / the whiche holden the keye of that blode / and that blode they poure downe vpon the face of the soule in gyuynge of absolucyon ¶ And yf confessyon maye not be had / cōtrycyon of herte suffyseth / for than that honde of myldnesse and mekenesse / largely gyueth to you the fruyte of that blode ¶ Yf that ye maye haue confessyon / I wyl that ye haue it and vse it / for yf there be ony that maye haue it wyll not / he shall be depryued fro that fruyte of that blode ¶ Neuerthelesse syth it is ī the laste ende of a mānes dethe yf he wyll be confessed maye not / yet than my goodnesse shal also receyue hym ¶ Yet sholde not a mā be suche a foole / that wyll therfore vnder suche hope delaye his confessyon / and abyde vnto the laste ende of his lyfe / for he is not syker whether to go for his obstynacy / I with my dyuyne ryghtewysenesse wyll saye to hym thus ¶ Thou dyd not thynke on me in the tyme of thy lyfe whā thou myght / therfore I shall not haue mynde of the now in that ende of thy dethe ¶ And thus for this cause / ther sholde none dyfferre and delaye his confessyon / and yf he delaye it by his owne defaute / yet sholde he not cease and abyde in to the last daye / for to baptyse hȳselfe by hope in the blode of hertely contynuall cōtrycyon before sayde ¶ Therfore it is called a cōtynual baptyme / wherin a soule maye baptyse herselfe euer and at all tymes whan she wyll vnto the laste daye of departynge fro the body / as I haue sayde before ¶ Also thou knowes therfore ī this baptym that my workynge by passyon of my sones crosse was fynyte / but the fruyte of
affeccyoÌ„ of my charyte / and therefore she fyndeth in the mouthe of her soule peas / and suche peas that there maye none trouble her / bycause she hathe forsaken her owne seÌ„cyble wyl ¶ Al suche bryÌ„ge forthe vertues withoute peyne vpon theyr neyghbours / not for the peyne that they suffre is no peyne to other / but to a wyll mortyfyed it is no peyne / for wylfully and frely in my name and for my name she suffreth peyne / suche people do renne without neclygence / by the techynge and doctryne of my onely sothefastesone Thesu cryste crucyfyed / and let not theyr sournaye for no wronges that be done to them / nor for no parsecucyon / nor for no delectacyon that the worlde myghte gyue them / but all these they shold lyghtly ouerpas by ghostly strengthe and very parseueraunce / bycause theyr affeccyon is veryly â—â—me out of the affeccyon of charyâ—e / taslyÌ„ge that meet of helthe of soules / with very parfyte pasyence ¶ The whiche pasyence is a to ten that a soule loueth most parfytely and withoute lokynge of ony rewarde / for ys she loued me and her neyghboare for onye profyte or rewarde / she were vnpacyent / and she sholde ware slowe and dull in her iournaye / but that they loue me for me / bycause I am the moste souerayne good and worthy to beloued / and also they loue themselfe for me / and theyr neyghboure for me / that they sholden yelde laude and preÌ„synge to my name / and therfore they be pacyent and stroÌ„ge / and also parseueraunte for to suffre ¶ And now I shal declare to the of the workynge of the soule / after tyme it is asceÌ„ded the thyrde gre of that holy brydge THese ben the gloryous vertues grouÌ„ded iÌ„ very tharyte the whiche be abydyÌ„ge in the heyghte of the tree of that same charyte before sayd / that is pacyence / streÌ„gthe / and parseueraunce / whiche be crowned with the lyghte of blessyd feythe / with the whiche lyght they renne without derkenesse by the waye of truthe / and also be enhaunsed by holy desyre ¶ And therfore there maye no man hurtâ— that soule / nor the fende with allâ—is temptacyons / for he dredeth suche a soule that is brent in the furneys of charyte / nor also backebyters nor wronges and miuryes of men / and yet thoughe the worlde parsu her / he is aferde of suche a soule ¶ Thus by my endelesse goodnesse / suche a soule is made stronge and magnyfyed in the worlde before me / bycause of mekenesse in her owne syght / she is made lytle ¶ This is wel knowe in my seyntes whiche for my loue made them lytle by mekenesse iÌ„ this worlde / therfore I haue made theÌ„ grete iÌ„ my endeles lyf aboue ¶ And also iÌ„ my mysteryal body of that moder of holy chyrche / wher of theÌ„ is made coÌ„tynuall memory ¶ For iÌ„ me whiche am the boke of lyfe / theyr names be wryteÌ„ / also the worlde hathe theÌ„ in reuereÌ„ce / bycause they dyspysen the worlde ¶ All that lyuen yet in erthe of such coÌ„dicioÌ„ hyde not vertu for dredt but for mekenesse / yf theyr neyghbours haue nede of theyr seruyse / they hyde not theyr mynystracyon for drede of peyne / nor for that drede of losse of theyr owne ghostly comfort ¶ For in what maner of wyse they excercyse theyr lyfe and theyr tyme for my worshyp / they be glad ioyful and fynde peas and rest of soule ¶ Whiche is that ¶ In sothe bycause they chosen not for to serue after theyr owne maner / but after my maner / and therfore they charge asmoche the tyme of ghostly comfort / as they do the tyme of trybulacyons and of prosperyte / as they do of aduersyte / asmoche greueth theÌ„ that one as that other / for euer in all thyÌ„ges they fynde my wyll / they do besy them with all theyr desyre for to comforte them in all thynges / ouer all bothe in thoughte dede to seke worke after my wyl ¶ They se well aspy in the pryuyte of my dyuyne prouydence / that without me is made nought / that is to saye synne / and therfore they hate synne / wherfore they be so stedfaste stronge in ghostly strengthe iÌ„ theyr owne wyl / the they go myghtely by the waye in the way of truthe waxe not wery / but feythfully truly they seruen mynystreÌ„ to theyr neyghbours / takynge no hede to the ygnorauÌ„ce vnkyndenes of theyr neyghbours / nor thoughe a vycyous man saye to theÌ„ other whyle wroÌ„ge / repreue theyr good dedes / but moche rather they crye ghostly in my syghte / by holy prayer prayenge for them / hauyÌ„ge more pyte ruthe for the offence that is done to me / for that harme of theyr soules / th aÌ„ for theyr owne imuryes and wronges / al suche do saye with my chosen seruaunte seynt Paule Daledicimus et benedicimus c. we be cursed of men and sayde euyl of / but we blesse agayne / we suffre psecucyoÌ„s / but we bere it pasyently / we be blasphemed / we beseche praye / for we be made as or fayle of all this worlde / the whiche is cast out therof ¶ Sees thou not dere doughter and consyders thou not these swete tokeÌ„s / specyally aboue al to kens / the synguler vertu of pacyence in the whiche a soule sheweth well in sothefastnes / that she is rysen tro vn parfyte loue come in to ê‘fyte loue / folowynge suynge the swere vnde fouled laÌ„be my onely sothefast sone Ihesu / the whiche haÌ„gynge vpoÌ„ the cros fast helde with nayles of loue come not done fro that cros for all the cryenge of the Iewes / that dyd crye to hyÌ„ thus Descendae nunc de cruce ¶ c. Come he downe now fro the cros we shal byleue in hyÌ„ ¶ Nor also he wtdrewe hyÌ„ not nor came not downe fro the cros for no maner vnkyndenesse whiche was shewed of you / but abode vnder my ovedyeÌ„ce with suche pasyence / that his crye was not herde / by no maner grutchyÌ„ ge ¶ In the same wyse these welbyloued chyldreÌ„ / my deuoute seruauÌ„teâ— / se then folowen the doctryne ensample of my sothfast sone Ihesu And thoughe the worlde wold withdrawe theÌ„ for to loke backe warde / they wyl not / but onely loke forwarde in the myrroure of my very sothefastnes ¶ suche wyll not go out of the felde of batayle for the coote that is lefte at home / that is for theyr owne coote of plesaunce to creatures / and them dredynge rather than me / but with loue and delyte in me they dwel styl abydynge full ghostly drunke with the blode of my blessyd sone Ihesu in the felde of batayle / whiche blode my endeles charyte hathe reserued put it before you to be your shelde in batayle / whiche is
felynge / nor yet grace fro them / but my vnycyoÌ„and oneheed / and that is the cause why oft tymes soules with longynge desyres / teÌ„ne with vertues by the brydge of my onely sothefast sone Ihesu cryst cru cyfyed that is by his passyou / and after tyme they haue so longe ruÌ„ne / they t be come to the grete brode gate of the passyon / where they drynke tast abuÌ„dauÌ„tly the precyous blode of my onely sone Ihesu / tyll they be very ghostly drunke ¶ And after tyme they be so ghostly druÌ„ke with that blessyd blode / and be brenned iÌ„ the fyre of my loue / anone they talt in me the endelesse godhecd / the whi che is to them as a peaseable see in the whiche see that soule hathe caughte suche an vnyon and oneheed / that suche a soule hathe no maner mouynge / but in me ¶ And thoughe a man in suche a state of vnycyon be deedly / yet he tasteth than the endclesse good of innrortalyte vndeedlynesse ¶ Wherby they receyue agy lyte and swetenes of body / not with stondynge the ponderosyte of the body ¶ By the whiche parfyre vnyon often tymes the body is lysted fro the erthe / and so the greuous and ponderous body is made lyght ¶ This is the vnyon by the whiche the soule in me is more parfyte / than is the vnyon whiche is bytwene the body and the soule ¶ Neuertheles yer is not therfore the ponderosyte of the body withdrawe / thoughe it other whyle by suche vnycyon be lysted / but it is the strengthe of the spyryte / the whis the is oned in me that lyfteth vp that ponderosyte of the body / and so the body is all brente by affeccyoÌ„ of the soule in somoche that it were possyble for to lyue / yf my goodnesse byclypped it not with a newe strengthe ¶ And therfore I wyll that thon knowe that it is more myracle for to se / that a soule gothe not out of the body in this vnyon and oneheed / than for to se many bodyes aryse fro dethe to lyfe ¶ For this cause it is that I withdrawe sometyme that vny on fro a soule / makynge it tourne agayne to the body / the whiche was alyened by affeccpoÌ„ of that same soule ¶ For I wyll not that a soule sholde so departe fro the body / but onely by medyacyon of bodyly dethe ¶ Neuexthelesse ur suche rapt / the myghtes of the soule and the affeccyon of the soule oned in me passen oute fro the body / for the mynde of the soule is not full but with me and the intelleccyon on of the soule is lyfte vp / be holdynge the truthe of my very sothefastnesse ¶ The affeccyon that foloweth intelleccyon loueth oneth herselfe in that thynge the whiche that eye of intelleccyon sayeth ¶ Whan all these myghtes of they soule be gadered togyder / oned and drenched by loue in me / the body loseth his felynge in me / for the eye seynge seeth not / the ere herynge hereth not / the tongue spekyÌ„ge speketh not / but as I suffre it sometyme to speke / after the abundaunce of the herte of suche thynges that it feleth / for glory and laude of my name / so thoughe that it speke it speketh not / the hande also felynge feleth not / nor the fote also goynge goeth not ¶ All these lymmes and felynges of the body / ben bounde and occupyed by the in warde sencyble felynge and bonde of loue / by the whiche bonde of loue they be so bounde and subiecte to reason with affrccyon of the soule / that all they crye with one voyce to me / endelesse fader in wyll for to be departed that body fro the soule / and the soule fro the body / the whiche is in maner agaynst kynde ¶ And suche a maÌ„ so yllumy ned by suche specyall onynge / cryeth with seynt Paule that gloryous apostle / wher he sayde thus Oinfelix ego sum c. That is to saye ¶ O wretched man that I am / who shal departe me fro the deedly body that I bere aboute / I se an other lawe in my outewarde wyttes of the body / the whiche repugneth the iwatde lawe of my soule ¶ Paule sayde not this onely of the impugancyon the whiche the sencyble felynges dyd agaynst the spyryte / for he was in ma ner certyfyed of my onely sothefast sone Ihesu / and made syker therof whan he sayde to hym thus Paule sufficit tibi grÌ„a mea That is Paule holde that well apaye / for my grace is suffycyeÌ„t for to kepe that / but wherfore sayde he so than Truly for the eye was bounde and myght not se me endâ— lesse trynyte / by the syghte and vysyon of blyssed and vn deedly spyrytes / the whiche euer yelden to my name ioye and laude / and for bycause he fouÌ„de hyÌ„selfe amoÌ„ge deedly creatures that euer and con tynually offenden me / departed fro my syght / that is not seynge me veryly in my propre essencyal beynge / therfore he sayde so / for cuery vysyon and syght that a soule receyueth as derke in rewarde of that syghte the whiche a soule hathe whan it is drpatted fro the body / and so it semed to seynt Paule / that the felynge of the bodyly syghte impugneth the vysyon and the lyght of the soule that is that mannts felynge / or the ponderosyte of the body letteth the eye of mtelleceyon / the whiche suffreth not it to se me face to face ¶ It semed that his wyl was bounde / that it myght not loue asmoche as it desyred to loue / for cuery loue in this lyfe is vnparfyte / vnto the tyme that it come to the parfeccyon that it loueth ¶ I saye not this for the loue of seynt Paule / and the loue of other of my dere seruauntes that they were vnparfyte to grace / and to receyue the parfeccyoÌ„ of charyte / for so they were parfyte / but thy were vnpar fyte / bycause theyrloue was not coÌ„plete / and therfore in maner theyr loue was peyneful / bycause it was not full / for yf theyr desyre hadde be fulsylled as they dyd loue it sholde haue hadde no peyne / but whan that soule is departed fro the body / than theyr desyre is fulfylled / and than it loueth withoute pâ—yne ¶ Neuerthelesseâ—et than it hathe hoÌ„gre and desyre for to loue more / but peyne is there none in that hoÌ„gre and desyre and all bycause it is departed fro the peynfull body ¶ Than is the besfell full in me stabled made stroÌ„ge in me in truthe / that it maye no thynge desyre but yf it haue it ¶ She desy reth for to se me / she seeth me face to face / she delyreth for to seloy and praysynge or louynge of my name in my seyntes / she seeth one wyse in the nature of angelles / and an other wyse in that nature of maÌ„ ¶ How worldely men yelden glory
your helth ¶ Ryght so a blessyd soule by departynge fro the body endeth peyne / but the charpta ble desyre of soule helth endeth neuer ¶ For yf that my affeccyon of charyte / the whiche I shewed to you by meane of hym / had thā be ended agaynste you ye sholde neuer be in asmoche as ye be made of loue / yf the loue were withdrawe fro me that I sholde not loue ye sholde neuer be / but my loue hathe made you / my loue hathe kepte you cōserued you ¶ And so my onely sothefaste sone ended ī his passyon peyne of desyre / but neuer loue of desyre ¶ Thus loserth a soule in blysse / that euery seynt euery soule that is in blysse / is there without peyne of desyre of helthe of soules / for the peyne ended in her departynge fro the body / but she is not there without affeccyon of charyte ¶ For whā suche a soule departeth fro the body / she passeth out ghostly drunke in the blode of my onely sothefast sone that vndefowled lambe / and so bathed in his blode / and arayed with the cote of chary te of neygh bourheed / entreth ī me that am the pease able se ¶ And than for euer suche a soule is departed fro mpatfeccyon / that is fro vnfulfyllyngenesse / and come to parfeccyon fullylled with al good / the whiche good she vseth ende lesly ¶ And here it shall be shewed how that seynt Paule after tyme he was assumpte and take to the gloty of them that be in blysse / he coueted to be vnbounde and vnlosed fro the body / and so do they the whiche be come to the thyrde and the fourthe state before sayd O Hat lame good Paule sauoured and tasted / whan I rauyshed hym to the thyrde heuē that is to the heyghte of the trynyte by the whiche tastynge he knewe the sothefastnesse therof / where he receyued fully my spyryte / and lerned verely and truly the doctryne of my onely sothefalt sone IIhesu cryst crucyfyed / and the soule of hym was oned by ryghte that tyme to me the fader by selynge / and arayed with the shynynge clerenesse or the blessyd endeles lyfe / saue that his soule was not departed fro the vody / but onely by felynge and vnycyon ¶ It plesed and lyked me tyght well / for to take vp and rauysshe suche a chosen vessel / bycause he sholde beholde and se in to the depenesse of my ende lesse trynyte / there for to lerne to suffre for my name by inspeccyō of my onely fothefaste sone Thesu cryste crucysyed / the whiche suffred ryght sharpe flagellacyōs with many byt ter peynes for the saluacyon of man kynde / by the whiche bytter passyon he was lerned and taught for to say as he sayde / whan the he sayde thus ¶ Lorde what wyll thou that I shall do / tell me what I shal do / and that tyght gladly wyll I do ¶ Than I taughte hym whan I putte before the eye of his intelleccyon / the passy on of my sothefast sone Ihesu cryst / endowynge hym with the doctryne of my truthe and yllumynynge hȳ with the lyghte of very knowlege / by the whiche very knowlege / he amended hym of his lyuynge / and so grounded in very charyte / aryde hym with the very doctryne of my sones passyon / and that doctryne of the passyō he kepte so truly / that as he sayde hymselfe it went neuer fro his backe / nother by temptacyon of fendes / nor by pryckynge of his flesshe / the whiche oft tymes ipugned hym / the whthe I suffred hym to haue for my goodnesse / that he sholde encrese in grace / in mede / and also in mekenesse ¶ This clothe of crystes passyon after the tyme that Paule hadde tasted the very depenenesse of the holy trynyte / myght neuer be take frome hym / nother by temptacyons nor trybuiacyōs / but he kepteit so streyte to hym / that he dydde lose his bodyly lyfe therfore ¶ In this wyse the holy doctoure seynt Paule knewe the experyence what it was for to taste me without greuaunce of the body / not by separacyon fro the body / but by felynge of oncheed ¶ Therfore whā he was come to hymselfe so arayed with the clothe of crystes passyō / hym semed that his loue was inparfyte / consyderynge the inparfeccyon of loue / the whiche he tasted in me aboue lyght the whiche loue seyntes departed fro the body / dyd tast euerlastȳgely ¶ Wherfore hȳ semed that the ponderosyte of the body rebelled agaynst hym / and letted the greate parfeccyon of endelesse plentuous desyre or loue / the whiche after departynge fro the body a chosen soule feleth tasteth ¶ His mynde also was as hym thoughte vnparfyte and feble the whiche inparfeecyon and feble the whiche inparfeccyon and feblenesse letted hym for to haue fresshe remembraunce of that he hadde tasted before in truthe with parfeccyon / as seyntes receyuen of me in heuen ¶ So that al thynges as hym semed as longe as he abode in the body / were to hym a contrary lawe / the whiche inpugned and rebelled agaynste the lpyryte ¶ Not onely by inpugnacyon of sytme / for as I haue sayde to the / I made hym syket that he sholde not fall / excepte the he wolde wylfully worke agaynste grace / for I sayd to hȳ thus / Paule my grace is suffycyent to the / for to kepe the frome fallynge yf thou wyll bucdy suche inpugnacyon / that is lettynge parfeccyon of the spyryte to se me / in my owne effencyall beynge / the whiche syghte was lette by greuous ponderosyte and contrary lawe of the body / and therfore he gemented / with greate wemytacyon he cryed thus Infelix ego homo c. That is to say ¶ O wretched man that I am / who shal departe me fro this deedly body / the whiche I bere aboute ¶ I se an other lawe in the outewarde felynge of my body / the whiche repugneth the inwarde lawe of my soule / and ledeth me in to the lawe of synne / the whiche lawe is belefte in my bodyly sencyble wyttes ¶ And thus in sothe it is / that the mynde is inpugnynge of the inparfeccyon of the body ¶ The intelleccyon is also letted and bounde of the greuous pōderosyte of the body / bycause it may not se me ī my effncyall bynge as I am ¶ And the wyll is also bounde / bycause it maye attayne not for to tast me endelesse good with the greuous heuynesse of the body / but with greate peyne / as I haue tolde the before ¶ And so seynt Paule sayde truthe / whan he sayde thus / Ileus my bodyly lymmes a straūge lawe repugnynge the inwarde telynge of the soule ¶ Thus in the same wyse all my specyall seruauntes the whiche be come to the thyrde and to the fourthe state or gree of parfyte vnyon / all they do saye as seynt Paule sayde /
and desyre for to be departed fro the body ¶ And here after it shall be shewed to you / for what causes that a soule desyreth to be losed fro the body / and thoughe it be not as he desyreth / it cōtraryeth not the wyll of god / but rather it gyueth worshyp / and laudes / with presynges to god ALl suche do gyue no charge to be departed fro the body / for they desyren it ¶ And with parfyte hate they haue made warre with al theyr bodyes / ī asmoche as they haue forsake that tendernesse whiche naturally is bytwyxe the soule the body ¶ This kyndely loue is throwe awaye fro them / by holy hate of the bodyly lyfe / for my loue they desyredethe / and thus they saye with seynt Paule O upio dissolui c. the is to saye / I desyre to be departed fro the body and be with cryst / and also they be lyke to seynt Paule and saye as he sayde thus Dors in desiderio c. That is to saye / dethe is to me in desyre / and lyfe in pasyēce / for the soule lyfte vp in this parfyte vnyon desyreth to se me / and also to se ioye and praysynge to be yelden to me / that is after tyme it hathe ones belyft vp is come downe agayne to the cloude of the body in felynge of bodyly wyttes / the whiche sencybylyte was rapte by affeccyō of loue to me / all the bodyly felynges were drawe out by strengthe of affeccyon of the soules vnyte / annexed parfytely to me / by suche vnycyō as is bytwene a well dysposed body and soule / the whiche vnycyon bycause the body is not suffycyēt for to bere it / therfore I drawe it out of the body by affeccyō of loue to me ¶ And therfore it is that oft tymes I with drawe me fro suche vnyō that is in the body and soule / not by grace but by felynge / as I haue made mency on in the thyrde in the fourthe state or gree before ¶ But yet neuertheles I come agayne to the soules helthe with encrese of more greter graces more parfyte vnyon with more depenesse and knowlege of my very truthe shewynge myselfe more opēly to them ¶ And whan that I go as I sayde before / by the whiche goynge the soule is come to the bodyly felynge / she waxeth vnpacyente for to lyue ī erthe ¶ In asmoche as she consydereth that she is come fro the conuersacyon of vndeedly soules in blysse and comen downe to cōuersacyon of deedly creatures / by whome she seeth I am ryght wretchedly offended ¶ This tourmenteth her desyre / for this cause she desyreth to be with me / and se me with our cesȳge ¶ Neuertheles bycause her wyll whiche is not her wyl but onely my wyll made by loue one with me / maye nothynge wyl nor desyre / but that that I wyll / therfore thoughe they couer for to come / they holde thē apayde for to abyde yf I wyl that they abyde thoughe it be to theyur peyne / for more ioye presynge of my name / and also for more encrese of meryte and mede of theyr soules ¶ And therfore thoughe they haue not theyr desyres / yet they leue neuer rennynge with lōgynge desyre / holdynge them faste by that brydge of my sones passyon / and so be gladde ioyful of repreues iniuryes done to them for my name ¶ The more peyne they suffre / the more they ioye / the mooste refresshynge that they haue / is theyr desyre to be departed fro the body ¶ For ryghte often tymes for desyre wyll to fuffre peynes / the payne is mynyshed made lesse that they haue / for to be delyurred fro the body ¶ These onely do not suffre with pasyence as it is reherse before in the thyrde state but they be gladde and ioyfull to suffre many trybulacyons for my name in theyr suffraunce they be gladde yf they suffre not they be fory full of peyne dredynge that I wyll rewarde theyr good dedes in this lyfe or that the sacryfyce of theyr desyre lyketh me not / and yf it so be that they suffre ony peyne they be ryght ioyfull glad / bycause they be arayed and clothed with the clothynge and araymēt of my onely sothfast sones passyon / without whiche passyon / or other maner of labours or veracyons yf it were possyble for them by grace for to wynne veriues / they wolde not haue them / but yf it come by labour / yf they myght chose with out dysplesaunce of me ¶ For they hadde leuer wynne heuen blysse by delectacyon in peynes of crystes passyon / or by other maner vexacyons gyuen to them by the suffraunce of me than other wyse ¶ Why is that ¶ Certayne for they be drenched in the blode of my sones passyon / wher in they synde my brennynge charyte / the whiche charyte is fyre comȳge out fro me / that rauysheth bothe theyr myndes and theyr hertes / by the whiche charyte I accepte and take the holy sacryfyce of theyr desyres / by the whiche charyte also they lyften vp the eye of theyr vnderstondynge seynge and beholdynge in my good heed / where theyr affeccyon is nory shed / the whiche affeccyō oneth hym selfe to the same charyte foloweth vnderstondynge ¶ This is one of the vysyōs and syghtes the whiche I make in suche a soule by infusyō of grace / the whiche loueth me veryly and serueth me ¶ How they the whiche be come to that foresayde state of vnyō be yllumyned and lyghtned in theyr eye of Intelleccyō by grace with a lyght aboue nature / how it is better to go for to haue counseyle for the soules helthe to a meke man with an holy conscyence / than to a proude lettered mā By this same lyght whiche is put in the eye of intelleccyon of suche a soule / that euer slepynge and wakȳge desyreth me / is purchased and get of very vnderstondynge of moche cūnynge ¶ Seynt Auslyn / seynt Ierom / other doctours and seyntes illumyned lyghtned of my very sothefastnes / tokē hede knewe veryly my truthe that is of holy wrytte / the whiche semed derke / bycause it was not vnderstonde / that was not for defaute of scrypture / but of the vnderstōders the whiche vnderstōde it not ¶ And therfore I sende these laūternes before sayde / for to yllumyne thē that were blynde by vnderstondynge / for to open theyr eyes to knowe in derkenesse the truthe ¶ For I the receyuer of theyr sacryfyce / rauyshed them and gaue them lyght not of nature / but aboue all nature / and so in derkenesse they dyd receyue lyghte / in suche awyse knowynge the truthe ¶ Wherfore those thynges that dyd seme somtyme derke / it apperetd sheweth to rude and boystous folke of what condycyō they be / eueryone for to receyue after the he dysposeth hym to knowe
me / whiche dysposycyons I refuse not ¶ Thus thou may se that the eye of intelleccyon receyueth lyghte in felynge by grace aboue nature / in the whiche lyghte doctours and other seyntes dyd knowe lyght in derkenesse / and of derkenes they dyd make lyght by the same grace ¶ For intelleccyoÌ„ was rather made than scrypture / wherfore cunnynge cometh of intelleccyon ¶ In this wyse holy faders propheres dyd knowe and had vnderstondynge / the whiche dyd prophecy bothe of the comynge and also of the dethe of my onely sothefast sone Ihesu ¶ And in the same wyse the apostles dyd / after the comynge of the holy ghost by the same lyght aboue nature / were yllumyned the euangelystes / martyrs / confessours / and vyrgynes / all these were illumyned of this parfyte lyght ¶ And eche of them had in dyuers maners after the nede of theyr helthe / and after the nede of creatures ¶ Some dyd declare holy wrytte by the same lyght aboue nature as docters dyd some preched as the apostles dyd / some dyd expouÌ„de the gospels of the euangelystes / and some dyd shede blode for declaracyon of the truthe as martyrs some dyd declare the truthe by purete and affeccyon of charyte / as vyrgyns dyd ¶ Some declared the truthe ofobedyence of my onely sothefast sone Ihesu / in that that they do obey in theyr relygyoÌ„ shewynge in theyr lyuynge parfeccyon of obedyence / the whiche appered shynyngely in my sone Ihesu cryst / whan by vertu of that obedyence whiche I put to hym / he ranne myghtely to the cruell dethe of the crosse ¶ All this was done / is by this lyghte aboue nature in the newe lawe / and that maye thou well knowe by the exposycyons and prechynges of the gospell / how in dyuers wyses it is declared to chrysten men ¶ In the olde lawe also how holy faders and prophetes dyd prophecy by the same lyght aboue nature ¶ And therfore bycause the newe lawe is expouned and declared / and the olde lawe prophecyed by a lyght / the newe lawe breketh not nor loseth not the olde lawe / but bothe be knytte togyder ¶ And the newe lawe hathe take awaye fro the imparfeccyon of the olde lawe / for that lawe was is grounded in drede ¶ But whan my onely sothefast sone Ihesu came in to the worlde with the lawe of loue / he fulfylled it gyuynge to it loue / remouynge awaye drede of peyne / and leuynge it full with holy drede ¶ Therfore it was that my onely sone sayde to his dyscyples thus NoÌ„ venisoluerelegem c. I come not for to breke the lawe / but for to fulfyll the lawe / as thoughe he sayde to them thus ¶ The lawe is no we inê‘fyte / but with my blode I shall make it parfyte / and so I shall fulfyll in it the fayleth / with drawynge and remouynge drede of peyne / grouÌ„dynge it in loue holy drede ¶ Thus than after the fulfyllynge of the lawe by loue and holy drede / al the truthe that cometh oute of holy wrytte / cometh by this lyghte aboue nature before sayde ¶ And therfore vncunnynge proude clerkes / be blynded in that lyghte for pryde / and the cloude of theyr owne loue couereth taketh awaye that lyghte fro theÌ„ ¶ Wherfore they vnderstonde rather holy wrytte after the letter / or after theyr owne felynge / than after the very vnderstondynge / so by tastynge onely of the lettre / they make many bokes / but they taste not the pythe / and that mary of that same lettre ¶ For they lacke the lyght that I spake of by the whiche is declared all holy wrytte ¶ Wherfore they wondre fall in grutchynge for to se so many rude folke ydyotes of holy wrytte as themsemen ¶ And yet neuerthe lisse they be so yllumyned and lyght ned by the lyght aboue nature iÌ„ know lege of the truthe / as yf they hadde studyed longe tyme therm ¶ This is no wondre / for they haue the pryn cypall cause of the same lyghee / the whiche is mekenes / by the whiche cometh all maner of â—uÌ„nyÌ„ge ¶ But bycause they haue loste that lyghte â— the cause of the wynnynge therof / they se not nor knowe not my endelesse goodnesse in that lyghte / whiche is gracyously tecte oute or cast oute vpon my scruauntes ¶ And therfore I saye to the / better it is for the to aske couÌ„sayle of soule helthe to one that is meke hathe an holy ryght coÌ„syeÌ„ce / thaÌ„ a proude lettered clerke the whiche hathe longe studyed in holy wryte / for he gyueth nothynge elles but suche as he hathe within hym / the whiche ofte tymes gyuen derke couÌ„sayle / after theyr derkelyuynge ¶ The contrary is hadde in manye seruauntes / for the lyghte that they haue within theym / they gyue it with desyre of helthe to maÌ„nes loule ¶ Lo ryghte swete doughter all this haue I tolde the / that thou myght knowe that parfeccyoÌ„ of that state of vnyon / where the eye of intelleccyon is rapte by that fyre of my endelesse charyte / in the whiche charyte is receyued lyghte aboue nature / with whiche lyghte I am loued / for loue renÌ„eth after vnderstoÌ„dynge ¶ And the more a soule knoweth / the more it loueth / and the more it loueth the more it knoweth / that one norysheth that other ¶ With that lyghte / soules come to the endelesse gloryfyed syghte of me / where they se me and in truthe taste me ¶ Whan they be departed fro the bodyes / as I tolde the whaÌ„ I declared to the of the blessydnesse that a soule receyueth iÌ„ me ¶ This is that excellente state the whiche yet a deedly man lyuynge ymonge deedly creatures maye taste / by the which oft tymes he cometh to suche vnyon / that vnneth he knoweth whether he be in his body or oute of his body / and so he tasteth the ernest of euerlastynge lyfe ¶ That myghte he not do / but yf his wyll were morty fyed and sleyne before / by the whiche ghostly dethe / he is made one with me / for elles myghthe parfytely fele that blessyd ernest / but yf he were depryued frome his propre wyll / the whiche wyll dothe let hym for to receyue suche a blessyd and holy ernest ¶ Here is a profytable reperycyon of many thynges whiche be sayde / and how god induceth this deuoute soule to praye for euery creature / for all holy chyrche NOw hase thou seen with the eyes of thy intelleccyon / and herde with thy sencyble ere of me endelesse truthe how thou maye behaue the for to do bothe profyte to the and to thy neyghbour / by the doctryne and very knowlege of my sothefastnes as I haue tolde the in the begynnynge wher I sayde to the that thou maye come to the knowlege of of my truthe / by knowlege of thyselfe oned and medled with the knowlege
of me / where thou maye fynde mekenesse / holy hate / dysplesaunce of thy selfe / and feruent fere of my endelesse charyte / by the whiche thou oughte to come to the loue of thy neyghbour / shewynge to hȳ bothe profyte by bodyly mynystracyon / and also profyte of doctryne holy lyuynge ¶ I shewed the also a brydge as it stondeth / and also I shewed the the grees generall put for thre myghtes of the soule / how ther may none haue lyght of grace / but yf he ascende vpon all thre grees ¶ That is that they be gadered togyder in my name ¶ And also I declared to the the same thre grees partyculerly / for the states of the soule fygured in the body of my onely sothefast sone Ihesu chryst / which hathe made ladders for to ascende vpon / shewynge in his fete that were nay led a ladder to ascende vp by the openynge of his syde / the whiche is the seconde ladder for to ascende vp by to his mouthe / wher a soule tasteth peas rest in a maner beforesayde ¶ I shewed the also inparfeccyō of seruyle drede / īparfeccyō of suche louers that loue me vnparfytely / for swetenes that they fynde in that loue ¶ And also parfeccyon of the thyrde state of them the whiche become to peas and rest of the mouthe / by the rennynge vpon the brydge of my sones passyon with longynge desyre / fyrste ascendynge vp vpon the thre generall grees / that is to gader all the thre myghtes of the soule / wher they gader togyder all theyr vertues workynge in my name / and also of other thre grees partyculers the whiche they ascede after tyme they be passed out of the inparsyte state / and thus in sothe thou hase seen thē renne / and also I haue made the to taste parfeccyon of soule with araymētes of vertu ¶ And also to know dysceytes / the whiche a soule fyrste tasteth or that it come to parfeccyon ¶ I haue also declared to the that wretchydnes of them that gone and drenchen them in the floode / not kepynge thē by the brydge of my sothefastnes / whiche I put bycause they sholde not peryshe ¶ Yet as fooles they had leuer be drenched in wretchydnes and fylthe of this worlde ¶ Also this I haue declared to the that the fyre of holy desyre myghte encrese in the / and compassyon and sorowe of dāpnacyō of soules / that bothe sorowe loue shold cōstrayne the to come to me with welȳge wepynge teres ¶ With teres namely of meke and contynuall prayer offred to me with the fere of most brēnȳge desyre / and not onely to wepe for the / but also for many other creatures / and my seruauntes that heten all this / be they that sholde be cōstrayned by charyte for to wepe as thou does so that thou and they togyder sholde praye / and in maner constrayne me for to shewe mercy to all the worlde / and to the mystery all body of holy chyrche / for whome thou prayes to me somoche / yf thou haue mynde that I sholde fulfyll theyr desyre / and gyue thē refresshynge to theyr laboure ¶ Therfore for to satysty to your peynes full desyres / I graūt reformȳge of holy chyrche by good and holy curates ¶ Not for to reform holy chyrche by warre or by cruelte / so for to dystroye the enemyes of holy chyrche / but by pease and reste / and by waylynge and wepynge of my seruauntes whom I haue sende as labourers for wynnynge of soules in the mysteryall body of holy chyrche / and for to labour to increse vertues ymonge neyghbours / offerynge to me contynuall mayer for them and for all my creatures for ymonge them is grete defaute of vertuous lyuynge ¶ And therfore I wyll that they and ye laboure and shewe profyte to neyghbours / and in suche wyse ye maye yelde to me the fruyte of your vyne ¶ Yet shold ye not cese to gyue to me encense of youre wyll / smellynges / tyghte swete prayers / for helthe of soules / for I wyll do mercy to that worlde / and to holy chyrche ¶ For now late I shewed the how her face is all foule as a leper / and that was the defaute of her mynystres / and all crysten relygyon / the whiche do noryshe thē at the brest of this spouse of whose defautes I shall tell the in another place ¶ The fyfte chapyter of this party sheweth of the state of holy teres ¶ And fyrst how this holy soule desyreth for to knowe of the states the fruytes of holy teres ¶ Also of the dyfference of the foresayde teres / and how ther be fyue maners of teres ¶ Also a shorte repetycyon of the menes before / and of other maters / as it is shewed in the kalender before Ca. v. THan that soule with a grete louȳge desyre dyd ryse vp as a drūken soule / as wel by the vnyon that she had in god / as by that she herde and tasted of his ryght swete sothefastnes ¶ And also she had grete heuynesse of the ygnoraūce of creatures / the whiche knewe not theyr maker gracyous benefactour / the whiche tasted not affeccyō of his dyuyne charyte ¶ And yet she had a maner of gladnesse hope / of the promyse whiche god shewed to her / techynge to her a maner of forme / that she all his seruaūtes owe to kepe / for to styrre hȳ to gyue mercy to the worlde ¶ And with that she lyfte vp the eye of intelleccyon to the ryght wel byloued sothefastnes wherin she was knytte / desyrynge somwhat for to knowe of the sayde states of the soule / of the whiche god tolde here / by the whiche she consydered that a soule cometh to that state with teres / wherfore she desyred to knowe of god the dyfferēce of teres / and what they ben frome whense they came / and of the fruyte that foloweth after wepynge teres / how many kyndes ther be of teres ¶ Bycause the truthe of sothefastnes maye not be knowe / but by endelesse sothefastnes / therfore she asked the endelesse sothefastnesse ¶ And bycause also nothȳge may be veryly knowe / but it be seen with the eye of intelleccyon / wherfore she desyreth of sothefastnes to haue clere syghte of very trewe feythe / in the clere syghte of her intelleccyon ¶ Thā after tyme she knewe of god that he wolde gyue her clere lyghte / knowynge thereof she lyfte vp herselfe aboue herselfe / with a greate longynge desyre oute of the corse of the bodyly felynge / with the lyghte of lyfely feythe / she opened her eye of intelleccyon in the endelesse sothefastnesse / in whome she sawe and knewe the truthe / of the thynge that she asked ¶ For god shewed to her hymselfe / that is her endelesse benygnyte / and oned it with her brennynge desyre / so fulfylled
teres / be as a maner of swete oyÌ„ntment / the whiche casteth out a ryght grete smell of swetenes ¶ O my ryght swete doughter how gloryous is suche a soule / that so ryally can passe out of this troublous see of the worlde / and come to me that am the greate peaseable see / and fyll the vessell of the herte in the see of my euerlastynge souerayne godheed ¶ What that euer the soule be that can do so / her eye the whiche is the cundyte of the herte / is aboute to sasatysfy the herte by shedynge out of teres This is that last state / in the whiche a soule stondeth bothe blessyd doleful / she stondeth blessyd by vnyoÌ„ / that she feleth in me hy tastyÌ„ge of my dyuyne charyte ¶ She stondeth also dolefull of offence that is done to me / bothe of herselfe and of her neyghbours ¶ This state of vnyon is not therfore let / the whiche shedeth teres of loue / for the knowlege of herselfe of her neyghbour / of whome she fyndeth coÌ„palsyoÌ„ / for to wepe with wepers / for to ioye with ioyers / but rather encreaseth glory ioye to my name ¶ Thus the fyrste wepynge the thyrde let not the last / but eche of theÌ„ medleth with other / for yf the last wepynge / iÌ„ the whiche a soule fyndeth so greate vnyon / toke nothynge of the fyrst of the seconde state of charite of neyghbourheed / it were no profyte ¶ Therfore it were full necessary that one were medled with an other / els it sholde tourne to presuÌ„pcyon / by the whiche sholde entre a sotyll wynde of elacyon / and of her owne reputacyon / and so it sholde fall frome heyghte / to the infyrmytâ— of the fyrst vanyte ¶ For this cause it is ryght necessary for to kepe coÌ„tynually with very knowledge of theyr self charite of neyghbourheed ¶ In this wyse she sholde sende out to me the feruent fyre of very charyte / for the charyte of neyghbourheed is raken of my charyte / that is of the charyte by the whiche a soule knoweth herselfe my goodnes iÌ„ herselfe / wherby also she consydereth wel / that she is loued of me meruaylously / therfore with the same loue / she loueth al maner reasonable creatures / and this is the cause why she extendeth herfelf as soone as she knoweth me for to loue her neyghbour / by the whiche she knoweth wel that the most prolyte the whiche she maye do to me is for to yelde to me pure loue / by the whiche she feleth that she is loued of me / therfore she dysposeth her to yelde to me suche loue by mene and medyacyon of neyghboureheed / the whiche is that same mene to whom suche a soule sholde shewe charytable mynystracyoÌ„ as I haue sayde to the before the whiche sholde be loued with suche pure loue / as I loue you / for lyke as I haue loued you loue you without ony maner beholdyÌ„ge of merytes / therto my owne increate loue without ony mene styrred me to make you of nought to my ymage symylytude / the which loue ye may not yelde to me wtout mene ¶ Therfore ye muste yelde the same loue to resonable creatures / louyÌ„ge theÌ„ without ony rewarde of louyÌ„ge agayne / and also without ony beholdynge of theyr owne profyte ghostly or bodyly / but onely for to loue theÌ„ for the glory of my name / bycause they be loued of me ¶ And so shold ye fulfyl the byddynge the precepte of the holy lawe / wher it is wryteÌ„ that ye sholde loue me as aboue all thynges / and your neyghbour as your selfe ¶ It semeth well thaÌ„ that a soule maye not come to the hyghe ê‘fyte loue with teres wtout knyttyÌ„ge togyder of the secoÌ„de and the thyrde state before ¶ And yet though she be come therto / she may not kepe it / yf she go fro the affeccyon therof / by the whiche affeccyon she cometh to the secoÌ„de kyÌ„de of teres before sayde ¶ So that without the same affeccyoÌ„ to neyghbourheed / the lawe of me that am endeles god may not be fulfylled ¶ For there be two fete of affeccyoÌ„ / by the whiche bothe the preceptes the couÌ„seyles be obserued kept as I haue tolde the before ¶ Ryghte so these two states of the whiche two states is made one by loue / norysheÌ„ the soule iÌ„ vertues / encresyÌ„ge the same vertu in parfeccyoÌ„ by the state of vnyon / so that it encreseth ryches of grace by newe dyuers gyftes meruaylous lystynges vp of the soule / with a maner knowlege of veri sothfastnes as a deedly creature may haue in this lyfe / for the felynge of one sensualyte / and also his wyll is mortyfyed by suche vnyon that he hathe fouÌ„de in me ¶ O how swete is suche oneheed and vnyon to a tastynge soule / for that soule that tasteth seeth my secretes and pryuytes / by the whiche secretes / ryghte often tymes she receyueth a spyryte of prophecy for to knowe thynges that be yet to come ¶ All this is done by my endelesse goodnesse / and thoughe it so be that a meke soule sholde alway eschewe / not the gyfte of affeccyon of my dyuyne charyte / but the appetyte and desyre of theyr owne ghosty comfortes / yet she sholde deme herselfe vnworthy for to haue suche rest peas of soule / by the whiche meke Iudgement / she may noryshe inwarde vertues / and encrese therin / for there is none so parfyte a soule in this lyfe / but that it may encrese to more parfeccyon / that is to parfeccyoÌ„ of loue ¶ My ryghte swete and onely sone Ihesu cryst was and is youre heed / to whome maye encrese no parfeccyon / for he was and is one with me / and I with hym / his soule was and is blessyd by vnyon of dyuyne nature ¶ But ye that be pylgrymes his membres / be able euermore for to encrese in to greater parfeccyon ¶ I do not saye that ye maye encrese to an other state after tyme ye be come to the laste / but I saye that ye may encrese in the same last estate with suche parfeccyon as it is lykynge plesynge to me for to gyue to you / by meane medyacyoÌ„ of my grace ¶ A shorte repetycyon of the mater before / and how the wycked spyryte fleeth a waye fro them / the whiche become to the fyfthe teres / and how the angers of the fende be trewe wayes for to come to this holy state of teres NOw hase thou seen the states of teres and the dyfference of them / as it lyketh my goodnesse for to do satysfaccyon to thy desyre ¶ Fyrste I tolde the of the teres of them / that do lyue in deedly synÌ„e / wher I sayd that the teres of them come out of the herte / as al maner of teres done / for the greuauÌ„ce of
the grouÌ„d that is for to saye that the braunches of deedly synnes do not tourne to none other thynges / but to the erthe of euery frayle vnordynate substaunce of the worlde / and they do not loke after none other thynge / but in what wyse they maye be noryshed vnsacyably of the erthe / for they ben neuer fulfylled ¶ They be vnsacyable / and vntollerable to theÌ„ selfe / and therfore it is requysyte ryghte coÌ„uenyent / that euer they be vnquyet and vnrestfull / sythen they desyre suche a thynge that neuer maye fulfyll theÌ„ / as I haue sayde ¶ This is the cause whiche maye not be fulfylled / for they desyre euer a thynge that hathe ende / and yet they themselfe be endeles as to theyr beynge for theyr beynge hathe neuer ende / thoughe they ende anendes grace / by the cause of deedly synnes ¶ And for bycause a maÌ„ is set put aboue all create thyÌ„ges / and not vntreate thynges be aboue hym / therfore he maye not be fulfylled nor stonde in quyetnesse / but in a thynge that is greater than hymselfe / and that is no other / but I god euerlastynge ¶ And therfore I alone may fulfyll them / for bycause he is depryued frome me for his synÌ„e that he hathe done he stoÌ„deth coÌ„tynually in peyne and tourmeÌ„t / after the whiche peyne foloweth wepynges and welynges ¶ How suche worldely wepers ben smyten with foure maner wyndes ANd whan that the wyndes come they smyte the tree of the propre sensualyte / where he made all his begyÌ„nynge ¶ Of these foure wyndes other it is a wynde of prosperyte / or a wynde of aduersyte / or of drede / or of conscyence / these be the foure wyndes ¶ The wynde of prosperyte norysheth pryde / with grete presumpcyon / with magnyfyenge of hyÌ„selfe and lytle regarde on his neyghbour ¶ Yf he be a lorde / the wynde of prosperyte norysheth this pryde with moche vnryghtwysenesse and vanyte of herte / and with vncleÌ„nes of body and of soule / with his propre reputacyon / and with many other defautes whiche do folowe after them whiche thy tongue myghte not tell ¶ Whether this wyÌ„de of prosperyte is not corrupte in hymselfe no / nor this wynde nor that other / but the pryncypall rote of the tree is corrupted / where throwe that rote maketh all thyÌ„ges corrupte whiche cometh fro that rote ¶ For I that sende all thynges by my gyfte with abuÌ„daunce am all souerayne god / what euer it be in this wyÌ„de of prosperyte / wherfore waylyÌ„ge foloweth / for his herte is not fulfylled / for he desyreth that he maye not haue / and so whan he maye not haue that he wolde / than he hathe peyne / and that peyne he wayleth ¶ Now I haue sayde to the that the eye wyll make a saute to the herte ¶ After this there cometh a wyÌ„de of seruage drede / in the whiche wynde a man maketh hym afrayde with his owne shadowe or derkenes dredynge to lose that that he loueth / or he dredeth to lose his owne lyfe / or of his chyldren / or the lyfe of other creatures / or he dredeth to lose his owne state / or the state of his freÌ„des and all for his owne loue / or for worshyppe / or for ryches ¶ Here this drede hathe not his delyte in pease / for he hathe not that that he wolde redy ordeyned after my wyll / therfore that drede of seruage foloweth hym / and is made tymorate and the seruaunte of the wretchydful synne / and bycause he maye beholde as is the thynge that he serueth and that is synne whiche is nought / therfore he is come to nought / after the wyÌ„de of drede hathe smyten hym ¶ And after this anone thaÌ„ cometh the wyÌ„de of trybulacyon and of aduersyte of that same that he dredde / taketh fro hym pryueth hym of that he had / sometyme in a partyculer thynge / sometyme iÌ„ a generall thyÌ„ge ¶ Generally is whaÌ„ he is pryued of the lyfe for by the streÌ„gthe of the dethe he is pryued of all thyÌ„ges ¶ Sometyme also the wynde of aduersyte is partyculer / whiche somtyme taketh fro hym one thynge / and sometyme an other thynge / sometyme it taketh a waye of his helthe / or of his chyldreÌ„ or of his ryches / or of states or of worshyppes / after that I se that it be nedefull for youre helthe whiche am a softe leche / therfore I gaue theÌ„ to you ¶ And for asmoche as youre freyite it vtterly corrupte and with out ony knowynge / it dystroyeth the fruyte of pasyence / and therfore inpasyence dothe bryÌ„ge fourthe sclauÌ„ders and grutchynges / hateredes / and dysplesauÌ„ces / agaynst me and my curates / they haue receyued in to dethe that I haue gyue them in to lyfe / after the mesure that they had of loue ¶ Now it is come to the waylynge of inpasyence that tourmenteth / and the whiche dryeth vp the soule and sleeth it / and taketh awaye the grace of lyfe / and dryeth vp and consumeth the body / and maketh hym blynde bodyly and ghostly / and pryueth hym of all delytes / and taketh awaye all hope / for he is pryued of that thynge / wherin he had delyte / wherin he set his affeccyon / hope / feythe / so that euer he soroweth and wayleth ¶ And not onely his teres make to hym so many inconuenyentes / but his vnordynate desyre and the sorowe of his herte / for if his herte were ordynate had the lyfe of grace / than were his teres ordynate / and sholde constrayne me euerlastynge god / to do hym mercy ¶ But why sayde I that this was and is the tere of dethe For to the messanger whiche sheweth you the dethe or the lyfe that sholde be in the soule ¶ Forthermore I sayde that there came the wynde of conscyence / and that maketh the goodnes of my godheed / for whaÌ„ I haue ê“ued theÌ„ with ê“speryte / to that entent that I sholde withdrawe the fro theyr propre loue / throwe my loue ¶ Also whan I ê“ued theÌ„ with drede / that throwe iÌ„portunyte they sholde sette theyr loue to loue me with vertu ¶ Also after tyme I haue preued them with trybulacyoÌ„ that they sholde knowe theyr freylte / and the lytle stablenesse of the worlde to some / there al this ê“fyteth not / I gyue a prycke or a remors of conscyencè / for I loue more thaÌ„ can be spoken / and that remors I gyue them / for they sholde aryse for to open theyr mouthe / and caste out the rotten fylthe of theyr synnes by holy coÌ„fessyoÌ„ ¶ But they as obstynate ryghtfully renreued of me throwe theyr owne wyckednesse whiche wolde iÌ„ no wyse receyue my grace / fle fro that prycke remors of conscyence and lede it all aboute with wretchydfull delectacyoÌ„s and with dysplesauÌ„ce of me and of theyr neyghbours / and
in the ryght plesaunt fruyte of very mekenes with a maner pacyence / the whiche auoydeth al maner sclaundre / and depryueth the soules fro al peynes / for bycause the propre wyll is sleen with the swerde of holy hate / in the whiche wyll dwelled and is belefte all peynes / for onely sencyble wyll is sclaundred by Iniuryes / orelles by temporall or spyrytuall comfortes as I haue sayde to the before so a soule cometh to īpacyēce ¶ But bycause wyll is mortyfyed with ryghte swete wepȳges desyres / therfore the soule begynneth to taste the fruyte of teres / as of ryghte swete pacyence ¶ O fruyte of ryghte greate swetenesse / o how swete presaunt arte thou to them that tasten the / and to me lykynge / for they that dwell in bytternesse tasten thy very swetenesse / and all those that tasten that fruyte in tyme of wronges / they receyue pacyence ¶ And in that tyme that the soule of a man is possed vp and downe in the greate stormes or tempestes of the see of this worlde / by greate wawes of pereylous wyndes / than is suche a soule ryght pacyent and peaseable without ony euyl couered and clypped with my ryght swete endeles dyuyne wyll / where she receyueth a clothe of very brennynge charyte / in the whiche vesture or clothe / maye neuer water entre ¶ O ryght well byloued doughter / this pacyence is a quenesette in the toure of strēgthe / and suche a quene it is that euer ouercometh / and neuer is ouercome / and yet she is not alone / but she is felyshypped with parseueraūce ¶ Suche pacyēce is called the ryght pythe or marowz of charyte / the whiche sheweth the vesture and the clothe of charyte openly / so to be knowen whether it be a weddȳge clothe or not ¶ Yf that vesture or clothe be strayte in parfeccyō / thā it is shewed by some maner of conrrary thynge of īparfeccyon ¶ Vertues maye otherwhyle be hyd / shewynge themselfe parfyte / whan they be vnparfyte outaken to the they may not be hyd ¶ For yf this ryght swete pacyēt be in thy soule / it sheweth all vertues vertuously / bothe quycke and parfyte / and yf it be not in thy soule / it sheweth all vertues vnparfyte / the whiche vertues ben not yet come to the meettable of the passyon of my onely sothefaste sone Ihesu cryst crucyfyed vpon the cros / where that same pacyence is cōceyued by very knowlege of thyselfe / by the swete knowlege of my endelesse goodnesse in thyselfe / spronge and broughte fourthe by an holy hate / anoynted by very mekenesse ¶ To this pacyence shall not be denyed / nother the meet of my worshyppe and honoure / nor desyre of helthe of soules / but she it is that receyueth and eteth contynually the very same meet / and that is sothe ¶ Beholde se therfore ryght dere doughter / how gloryous martyres by suffraunce of martyrdome / dyd ete this meet / that is desyre of helthe of soules / theyr deth gaue lyfe / theyr deth areysed soules fro deth to lyfe / and auoyded fro them derkenesse of deedly synnes ¶ The worlde with al his excellences and worthynesse / and tyrauntes / with all his powers / myght neuer defēde thē fro thē / for the myght and strengthe of this pacyent quene was myghtyly workynge in them ¶ This vertu of pacyēce stondeth stydfastly / as a lyght on hyghe vpon a candlestycke / this is that gloryous very lyghte fcuyte / the whiche teres hathe shewed after tyme it is come parfytely to charyte of neyghbourheed / etynge and receyuynge ghostly that blessyd charyte / with my onely sothefast sone Ihesu cryst / that very vndefouled vnuenymed lambe in longynge desyre / with an vntollerable peyne / dredynge the offence of me that am his endeles maker / I saye not that suche pacyence is peyned with peyne / that tourmenteth in her langynge desyre after charyte of neyghboureheed / for loue with suche very pacyence sleeth al suche dredes propre loues that do shewe peyne / but I saye it is peyne with peyne cōfortable / foūded onely in my charyte / dredynge the offence of me hurtynge of neyghbours / the whiche peyne maketh a soule set in grace / ioyful in herselfe / for that is a token that sheweth me to be in a soule by a synguler grace ¶ Of the fruyte of the fourth and the fyfth state of teres I Haue tolde the of the fruyte of the thyrde teres / therfore nowe shall I tell the of the fourth and the last state of teres of one heed or of vnyon / the whiche is not departed fro the thyrde state of teres as I haue sayde but they be oned and knytte togyder / as charyte of me charyte of neyghbours be coupled togyder / that one maketh the other sauory / but that profyte of it encreaseth so greately to the fourth state of teres / that a soule vsynge suche teres / suffreth not onely pacyently suche wrōges as it dyd in the thyrde state of teres before / but desyreth trybulacyons gladly in so moche that it setteth ryght noughte by ony maner of recreacyons / what wyse that euer they come / so that onely it maye be confyrmed at all tymes to crystes passyon ¶ This thynge receyueth a fruyte of rest and quyetnesse one parfyte vnyō by felynge / in my ryght swete dyuyne nature / where it tasteth mylke of a chylde that is peased resteth at his moders brest and takethe her mylke by the mene of the flesshe / in the same wyse a soule after tyme that it is come to this last state / it resteth at the brest of my dyuyne charyte / holdȳge ī her mouthe of holy desyre / the flesshe of cryst crucyfyed that is to saye that she foloweth his steppes and doctryne / for she knewe well in the thyrde state / that by me the fader / she myghte not go so / for in me endeles fader myghte neuer peyne fal ¶ But she knewe wel that she myghte go so / by my ryght well by loued or amyable and ryght swete sone / the whiche suffred peyne ¶ Without peyne ī no wyse ye maye folowe hym / by the whiche peyntull folowynge / ye sholde come to vertues / that be well proued by pacyence ¶ And therfore she hathe well sette her at the breste of my onely sone Ihesu cryst crucyfyed / the whiche is my endelesse sothefastnes / by the whiche breste she draweth to her mylke of vertu / in the whiche vertu is conteyned lyfe of grace / that maketh her to taste my dyuyne nature / the whiche gyueth swetenesse to vertues / and sothe it is ¶ For vertues in themselfe be nothynge swete / but for bycause they be holy and oned in me that am that dyuyne charyte / therfore they be swete ¶ For a soule ī that plyght set vpon vertu / hathe no
maner beholdynge to her owne profyte / but onely to the honour and worshyp of me / and helthe of soules ¶ Beholde therfore ryght swete doughter how swete this state is how gloryous / in the whiche state a soule hath made suche an vnyon / and oned at the brest of charyte / for ryghte as a mouthe that souketh is neuer founde without the brest / nor the breste without mylke / in the same wyse that holy desyre of suche a soule is neuer founde without cryst crucyfyed / nor without me endeles fader / the whiche soule fyndeth in me by tastyÌ„ge / souereyne and endeles godheed ¶ O I wolde a man myghte se how the myghtes of the soule be fulfylled / the mynde is fulfylled with contynuall remeÌ„brauÌ„ce of me / drawynge by loue to her my benefytes / not onely the dede of my benefytes / but the affeccyon of my charyte / the whiche I haue gyuen to her / and namely the synguler benefyce of a creature / seynge herselfe made to the ymage of me and lykenesse / in the whiche benefyte rehersed in the fyrst state before sayde / she knoweth in herselfe the peyne of vnkyndenesse / the whiche folowed her ¶ And therfore by the benefytes of the blode of Ihesu cryst / she arose fro wretchednes / in the whiche blode I haue reformed her agayne to grace / wasshynge the faces of youre soules fro lepre of synne by the same blode / wherin a soule fyndeth herselfe in the secunde state / tastynge ther one maner of swetenesse of loue / the whiche mysse lyketh all synne / in the whiche swetenesse / she seeth well how synne dyspleaseth me somoche / that I punyshe it vpon the body of my onely sone Ihesu vpon the cros ¶ After this she fyndeth that coÌ„forte of the holy ghost that hathe declared and clereth a soule in very sothefastnesse ¶ But whan receyueth a soule this truthe ¶ In sothe after tyme it knoweth in herselfe my benefytes / by the fyrste secunde state ¶ Than it receyueth a parfyte lyght of me / that am endeles fader / knowynge my very truthe ryghtwysenes sothefastnes that I haue made here by loue / for to gyue her endeles lyfe / this is that sothe and truthe / whiche truthe I shewed you with the blode of my onely sone Ihesu cryste crucyfyed ¶ After tyme she knoweth this she loueth / by loue she sheweth it / louyÌ„ge that I loue / hatynge that I hate ¶ Thus she fyndeth herselfe in the thyrde gre of charytable neyghboureheed / so that the mynde at this brest is fulfylled with parfeccyon / for it hathe my benefytes in mynde ¶ The intelleccyon also receyueth this lyghte / and for inwardely beholdynge in mynde / it knoweth the truthe / leuynge the blyÌ„denes of her propre loue / it dwelleth remayneth stydfastly iÌ„ the clere syghte of eryst crucyfyed / where it knoweth bothe god maÌ„ / the whiche knowlege cometh not of kynde as I haue sayde nother by workynge of her owne ê“pre vertu / but of grace gyuen of my most swetest sothefastnesse / the whiche very sothefastnes / dyspyseth neuer loue nor longynge desyre / nor labours / nor trauayles / that in suche loue loÌ„gynge is offred to me ¶ Wyll also and affeccyon that foloweth after intelleccyon / cometh and coupleth hym with parfeccyoÌ„ / most brennynge loue ¶ Yf it were than asked / whan the myghtes of the soule be thus fulfylled / whether this be a soule It myght be sayde yes / thoughe it be alterate by vnyon of loue ¶ What toÌ„gue were that / that myghte tell the excelleÌ„ce of this last vnytyue state / also of these dyuers fruytes that such a soule receyueth whan the myghtes ben fulfylled so by the techynge of my endelesse god heed ¶ This it that swete coÌ„gregacyon of the whiche I made mencyoÌ„ to the in the thre generall grees before / declarynge by the worde of my sothefastnesse / the whiche no toÌ„gue is fuffycyent for to tell ¶ But holy doctours illumyned by this gloryous lyghte / do shewe well that it is sothe / the whiche doctours declared holy wrytte by the same lyght / lyke as it is founde of the gloryous doctoure seynt Thomas Alquyn / the whiche had the cunnynge and scyence of all holy wryte / rather by contynuaunce excersyce of holy and deuoute prayers / and by lyftyÌ„ge vp of the soule / lyght of vnderstoÌ„dyÌ„ge / than by ony study and besynesse of man ¶ He was a lyghte whiche I sende in to the mysteryall body of the moder of holy chyrche / for to queÌ„che the derkenesse of erroures ¶ And yf thou wyll tourne the to the gloryous euangelyst seynt Iohan / thou maye se what lyght of grace he gate vpon that precyous brest of my onely sothefast sone Ihesu cryste / with the whiche lyghte by suche grace goten / he preched aboute / as longe as he dwelled in erthe ¶ And so this gracious lyght ran aboute that it came to all the apostles doctours of holy chyrche / so that all they dyd shewe the same truthe of crystes doctryne by the same lyghte / one one wyse / and an other an other wyse ¶ Neuertheles the inwarde felynge that they had by that gracyous lyghte and vnspekeable swetenesse / also ê‘fyte vnyoÌ„ couthe nor can no tongue tel / for it was is a thynge that is infynyte / so it semed to seynt Paule whaÌ„ he sayde thus no eye may se / nor no ere may here / nor in to mannes herte maye ascede the sencyble swetenes and parfyte vnyon that god hathe ordeyned to them that ben parfyte louers ¶ O how swete is that swere mansyon / and that parfyte vnyon aboue all swetenesse that suche a soule hathe in me / for iÌ„ herselfe hathe she no wyl but her wyll was in me and she is one with me / suche a soule cryeth euer with the voyce of holy desyre / not with the voyce of a man in the syghte of my dyuyne maieste after heithe of soule ¶ These be the vnytyue fruytes that a soule receyueth and eteth in this lyfe in the last state of teres / goten with moche labour / wepynges / and syghyÌ„ges / and so it passeth parfytely forthe with very parseueraunce fro lyfe of grace that is fro this vnyon the whiche is vnparfyte as longe as it is bouÌ„de in the body / for in this lyfe it maye not be fulfylled / of that thyÌ„ge that it desyreth ¶ And therfore bycause it is yet bounde with a contrary us lawe / the whiche lawe thoughe it be a slepe by affeccyon of vertu / it is not yet deed / wherfore it may yet be waked / yf the instrumeÌ„t of vertu be put asyde / the whiche maketh it slepe ¶ Neuertheles yet this inparfyte vnyoÌ„ ledeth the soule for to receyue euerlastyÌ„ge durable parfeccyon / that in no wyse it maye be take awaye fro her / wher
thou sees theÌ„ do or saye / whether it be agaynst the or agayÌ„st other / after the wyll of ony man / but after my wyll / bothe in them and in the. ¶ And thus yf thou se a synne or a defaute in theÌ„ / drawe out of the thornela roofe / that is that thou offre that defaute before me with holy compassyon / of the wroÌ„ges whiche be done to the / Iudge that my wyll dothe fuffre them to be done in the / that vertu maye be proued in the and in other of my seruauntes / demynge that he that dothe this to the or to them / is as an instrument sende of me / seynge rather iÌ„ them a good entent thaÌ„ an yll entent ¶ For ther is none cau Iudge truly the pryuyte of mannes herte / and that thynge that thou sees not expresly euyl and openly deedly synne / thou shall not iudge it in thy soule / but onely iudge that my wyll suffreth many thynges in them ¶ And yf thou se ony open expresse synne in them / yet as I haue sayd / Iudge them not / but offre it before me with holy compassyon ¶ In this wyse thou maye come to parfyte purete / for yf thou do so / thy soule shall not be sclaundred / nother in me nor in thy neyghboure ¶ For all the indygnacyon that falleth ymonges neyghbours / is bycause of Iudgementes / the whiche indygnacyoÌ„ sclauÌ„der departeth a soule fro me letteth parfeccyon / in some thyÌ„ges they wtdrawe grace more or lesse after the gretenes of indygnacyon / hathe conceyued it in the neyghbour of suche IudgemeÌ„tes ¶ The coÌ„trari receyueth a soule that demeth euer after my wyll as I haue sayde before the whiche wyll wyll nothynge elles but youre good and profyte / and what that euer I suffre or gyue / I do it for the ende that ye sholde euer set youre entent to that ende that it is made to / for aslonge as it stondeth in the loue of neyghbourheed / solonge it stondeth in my loue / and so abydynge in that that abydeth in me and is oned to me ¶ And therfore it is full nedefull to the / that desyres for to come to that purete whiche thou does aske of me for to do these thre pryncypall thynges ¶ One is that thou gyue the to me by affeccyon of loue / for the meruaylous loue that I haue to the / to all creatures ¶ Another is that thou Iudge not in the wyll of another man / my wyll ¶ And the thyrde is that thou gyue no Iudgementes of thy owne wytte / that my wyll sholde be thy wyll / for I am the Iudge / not thou ¶ And yf thou kepe these pryncypall thynges / all parfeccyon shall fall to the. ¶ This was the same doctryne yf thou remembre that that was taughte to the of my onely sothefaste sone Ihesu cryst ¶ Now therfore dere doughter I saye to the that all suche as it is rehersed before the whiche haue lerned this holsome doctryne excercysed it / they taste ernest of endelesse blysse in this lyfe ¶ And therfore yf thou kepe well this doctryne in thy soule / thou shal not fall in to temptacyon of the fende / though thou be tempted with hym ¶ Neuerthelesse yet for to satysfy more clerely thy desyre / I shall tell the declare to the more openly / that ther sholde no Iudgement of suche parfyte soules be vsed / wtout maner but holy coÌ„passyon ¶ By what maner wyse they receyue the ernest of sykernesse of euerlastynge lyfe / suche as abyde iÌ„ the thyrde lyght / whiche is most parfyte lyghte ANd why sayde I to the / that al suche receyue the ernest or sykernes of euerlastyÌ„ge lyfe / I shall saye to the. ¶ They receyue sykernesse / but no deê‘tyÌ„ge fro the body / for they receyue it iÌ„ abydyÌ„ge in the body of me that am lyfe euerlastynge / in suche a place where lyfe is wtout dethe / fulnesse wtout nede / hongre wtout peyne / for peyne there is fer fro hongre / bycause they haue that they desyre / ther also is nede fer fro fulnesse / for I am to them meet of lyfe wtout defaute ¶ Neuertheles yet iÌ„ this lyfe it is so that they receyue sykernesse the ernest of blysse / and they taste it in this wyse / that is the soule begyÌ„neth to hoÌ„gre / the worshyp of me endeles good / and also the meet of helthe of soules ¶ And lyke as the soule hongreth / so it is fedde / that is ryghte as a soule is noryshed by charyte of neyghbourheed / of whome it hathe desyre and hongre the whiche is to hyÌ„ a meet of the whiche it is noryshed / neuer fulfylled bycause it is vnsacyable / therfore his hoÌ„gre is coÌ„tynuall / ryghte as the ernest is a begyÌ„nynge of sykernes that is gyue to maÌ„ / of the whiche it desyreth to haue deê‘tyÌ„ge fro the body / not that I say that / that ernest is ê‘fyte iÌ„ it selfe / but it gyueth sykernes by feythe to come to the fulnesse therof / to receyue departyÌ„ge of the body / but suche a soule so rapt in loue / and arayed with the doctryne of my sothefaste sone Ihesu cryste / the whiche soule hathe receyued ernest in her lyfe of my charyte / and of charite of neyghbourheed is not yet parfyte in herselfe / for she abydeth parfeccyon of lyfe that is endelesse ¶ Therfore it is that I sayde / that this ernest or sykernesse is not yet parfyte / for the soule that tasteth it / hathe yet no parfeccyon / but alway it feleth peynes / bothe in herselfe iÌ„ other ¶ In herselfe she feleth peynes / of the trespaces that she dothe to me by the contrary lawe / that is within her bownde in her body / for it wyll euer impungne and fyghte agaynste the spyryte / in erthe she feleth peynes of trespaces done to me by her neyghbours ¶ Neuertheles yet they haue parfeccyon to grace / all be it they haue not yet parfeccyon of my seyntes / the whiche become to me that am endelesse lyfe ¶ For as it is sayd before / theyr desyres be with peynes ¶ And therfore these that ben my seruauÌ„tes the whiche do noryshe themselfe at the table of holy desyre / they be bothe holy / blessyd / sorowful / as my onely sothefast sone Ihesu cryste stode vpon the crosse / for his flesshe was so sorowfull whiche suffred tourment / but his soule was blessyd and holy / by the vnyon of diuine nature ¶ In the same wyse all suche be blessyd / by vnyon of holy desyre of them in me / arayed with my ryghte holy wyll ¶ And they ben sorowfull by compassyon of neyghbourheed / and also they be sorowfull and peynful in tourmeÌ„tyÌ„ge of theyr owne propre sensualyte / the whiche maye not be done wtout peyne / in with drawynge of delytes
felynge of swetenesse the whiche he had of me ¶ I wyll also yf thou sholde be of wyll / bothe thou and all my other seruauntes / that ye knowe ê‘fytely yourselfe / by the whiche knowe lege ye maye come parfytely to my endeles goodnes / reserueth to me bothe this other maner of Iudgementes / for to me it longeth / and for saketh the Iudgement that loÌ„geth to me / and take vpon you compassyon with hoÌ„gre of the honour of me / and helthe of soules / and with loue longynge desyre / sheweth telleth vertu / and repreueth vyces in you and in them / in the maner that it is sayde before ¶ In suche maner thou maye in sothe come to me / so shall thou wel shewe that thou hase kepte in thy soule the doctryne that was gyuen to the of my sothefast sone Ihesu cryst that is for to Iudge my wyll / and not the wyll of men ¶ Thus sholde thou do / yf thou wyll haue purely vertu / and stonde in the last / most gloryous / and most parfyte lyghte / fedynge thyselfe at the table of holy desyre / with the meet of heâ—the of soules / to the glory and praysynge of my holy name ¶ How bodyly penauÌ„ce shall not be take for a pryÌ„cypall fouÌ„dament nor for a pryncypall desyre / but the desyre loue of vertues shall betake for a pryÌ„cypall fouÌ„dameÌ„t I Haue sayd to the dere dougeter of two thynges that thou sholde vse / now shal I tell the of the thyrde / to the whiche I wyll that thou take ryghte good heed / and repreue and withdrawe thyselfe therfro ¶ Yf otherwhyle the feÌ„de / or thy owne coÌ„ceyte haue enuy at the somoche / that they wolde styrre the for to aspy / se where all my seruauntes to go by the same waye that thou goes iÌ„ or wolde go in / thou myght well knowe that it were a dysceyte / for it is agaynste the doctryne whiche is gyuen to the by my sothefastnesse ¶ For ofte tymes it happeth the thou sholde se many creatures walke by the waye of ryght greate penauÌ„ce / and to some it were ryghte heuy for to se them walke that waye / for as they seme they do not well ¶ Sees thou not how al suche be dysceyued / wyl thou se howmoche ¶ Certayne it is sometyme that suche one so lyuyÌ„ge in greate penauÌ„ce / dothe better thaÌ„ he that semeth he dothe amysse / for he dothe more penaunce and also is more vertuous / than he that grutcheth of hym / and therfore I sayde to the before / that they the whiche feden them at the table of penaunce / yf they do it with very mekenesse that they sette not suche peynfull lyuynge in penaunce for theye pryncypall affeccyon / but for an instrumeÌ„t of vertu / ofte tymes suche grutchynge turneth them in to greate parfeccyon / and therfore they sholde not be vncuÌ„nynge / but knowe wysely that parfeccyon stondeth not onely in mortyfycacyoÌ„ of the body / but in destroyenge and mortyfyenge of the propre wycked wyll ¶ This is the doctryne of lyghte comynge and procedynge of that gloryous lyghte wherin a soule renneth in rapte in loue / and is arayed with my truthe ¶ I dyspyse not therfore penaunce / for penaunce is good to mortyfy the body / the whiche wyll stryue agaynst the spyryte ¶ But I wyll therfore dere doughter that thou knowe this for a generall rule / that some in doynge of penaunce / be more myghtyer of kynde than some / and therfore they may suffre the more and please god ryghte vertuously / yf it be done as it is sayde before and also some it happeth that penaunce whiche is begonÌ„e must somtyme beleft for many causes that may betyde / orelles the foundament whiche is set in that and in other of my seruauÌ„tes sholde defayle / for suche penaunce excercysed / and so sholde the foundameÌ„t be vnparfyte / and you bothe ghostly comforte sholde defayle / also vertu of the soule ¶ And where that ye be so depryued of suche thynge that ye loue by suche synguler affeccyoÌ„s by doynge of penauÌ„ce / it sholde seme to you that ye were depryued fro me and so sholde ye come to greate heuynesse and bytternesse and confusyon ¶ And also in suche a wyse ye sholde lose the excercyses of deuocyon and feruent prayer / the whiche ye were wont to haue / to some that haue longe vsed this penaunce ¶ This sodeyne chaungynge sholde tourne them to greate heuynesse / so for to leue that they haue so longe vsed / why it is that trowes thou ¶ Certeynly for the grounde worke or fundacyon was sette in affeccyon for to do penaunce / and not in loue loÌ„gynge desyre ¶ Therfore wher penauÌ„ce is vsed / as it is to me plesaunte that it be vsed / it muste be sette on a good grounde ¶ Thus thou may se that there sholde be no grutchynge agaynst none of my seruauntes that done penaunce / thoughe it semeth to you they gone not in the same waye that ye gone in ¶ For I wyll be serued of infynyte goodes / that am endelesse infynyte good / and ymonge al other mortyfycacyoÌ„ it is good to dystroye euermore and mortyfy the propre wyl and than with that wyll so made subiecte to my wyll / ye sholde yelde to me swete hongre infynyte desyre / sekynge the worshyp and honour of me / and helthe of soules / so sholde ye noryshe and fede youreselfe at the table of desyre / the whiche desyre is neuer sclaundred / nother iÌ„ hymselfe that hathe it / nor in his neyghbour / but it is ioyfull of all states / and it draweth out fruyte of euery dyuers maners of lyuynge that I gyue to dyuers soules ¶ Thus wretches done not / the whiche do not folowe this swete doctryne / and the ryghte waye gyuen of my onely sothefaste sone Ihesu cryste / but they do the coÌ„trary / deme after theyr owne blyÌ„de couetyse / and therfor they do walke as wode men / and depryuen themselfe fro the good of charyte of heueÌ„ly vertues and as I haue sayde before they taste in this lyfe the ernest of hell ¶ A shorte repetycyoÌ„ of wordes that be sayd before / with an addycyoÌ„ of the loue of oure neyghboure LO dere doughter thus haue I satysfyed to thy desyre / I haue declared to the of the thynge that thou dyd aske of me / that is how thou sholde loue thy neyghboure that thou be not dysceyued of the feÌ„de / nor of thy owne conceyte ¶ And there I sayde to the that thou sholde loue hym generally not specyally / where that thou had it by specyall shewynge of me in thy soule of his synnes / and than I tolde the that with mekenesse and in the maner as I tolde the / thou sholde repreue iÌ„ loue bothe thy neyghbour and thyselfe ¶ Also I sayde and yet I saye that in nowyse
thou Iudge ony creature / nother generally nor specyally / nor the soules of my seruauntes / whether thou fynde them dysposed or not / and there I tolde the the cause why thou sholde not Iudge / for yf thou dyd gyue Iudgement / thou sholde be dysceyued in thy owne conceyte ¶ But thou sholde haue compassyon bothe thou and al my other seruauntes / and commyt Iudgementes to me ¶ I taughte the also a doctryne / as for a pryncypall fouÌ„dament how thou sholde behaue the to them that do come to that for to aske counseyle / of suche namely that were in purpose for to haue gone out of the waye of derkenesse of deedly synne / and folowe the waye of vertu ¶ That is that thou gyue to them in the waye of couÌ„sayle the pryncypall foundament / that they sette theyr affeccyon and loue in vertu in knowlege of themselfe and of my goodnes in them / and that they flee and forsake fully theyr owne propre wylles / that in no wyse that they be rebell to me ¶ And counseyle them to do penaunce / and that they take it as for an instrument / and not for a pryncypall affeccyon as it is rehersed before not to eche lyke / but as they be able for to bere and after theyr myght and state / to some lesse and to some moche as they maye ¶ And bycause I sayde to the / that vndertakyÌ„ge was not lefull to the for to vse it but in generall after the maner as I haue tolde the yet I wolde not that thou shold suppose / that yf thou sawe hym synne deedly / that thou myghte not correcke hym charytably bytwene the and hym / suppose not that / for so thou maye not do / also yf he were obstynate / wolde not correcke and amende hym / thou maye than tell his synne that thou hase seen to two or thre / and yf that profyte nor / thou maye tell it to the mystery all body of youre moder holy chyrche ¶ But I tolde the that it was not fefull to the after thy felyÌ„ge within thy soule / nor after thy outwarde felynge / lyghtly to styrre thyself to vndertake hyÌ„ / but yf thou knowe veryly the truthe / orelles that thou haue in thy soule by expresse reuelacyon / that thou shold vndertake hyÌ„ vnder suche a fourme as I haue tolde ye. ¶ For that I tolde the is the surer party / in the whiche the wycked fende maye not dysceyue the vnder the mantell of the parfyte charyte of thy neyghboure ¶ The secuÌ„de chapyter is of tokens to knowe vysytacyons or ghostly vysyons / whether they come of god or of the fende ¶ Also how god is the fulfyller of holi desyres of his seruauntes ¶ And howe it pleaseth god moche whan a maÌ„ axeth and prayeth with parseuerauÌ„ce / and knocketh at the gate of his sothefastnes / and of other maters / as it is shewed before in the kalender Ca. ii I Haue fulfylled here dere doughter to the now declared that that is spedefull to coÌ„serue and encrese parfeccyon iÌ„ thy soule ¶ Now therfore I shall declare that that thou askes of me by what tokeÌ„ thou sholde knowe whan a soule receyueth my vysytacyon / whether it were of vysyons / or of other ghostly comfortes / wher I shewed the tokens / how thou sholde knowe whether it were of me or not ¶ And it was this token / gladnes that be lefte after vysyons in a soule / and hongre of vertu / and namely whan it were oned with the very vertu of mekenesse / and also brenned with the fyre of charyte ¶ But bycause thou askes me whether in suche gladnes maye be receyued ony dysceyte of the feÌ„de / for yf thou kewe it / thou wolde cleue to the surer party ¶ Therfore I shall tell the the dysceyte that maye be receyued in suche gladnes / and how thou shall knowe whan gladnes is very trewe / whan it is not trewe ¶ Dysceyte may be receyued in this wyse / I wyll thou thou knowe that what maner thynge a reasonable creature loueth or desyreth to haue / after tyme he hathe it / he hathe it iÌ„ hate ¶ And the more he loueth that he hathe / the lesse he seeth therin / and the more vncunnynge he is for to knowe with prudence whens it cometh that he hathe / and that is for the loue that he hathe in that coÌ„forte / for the ioye in the receyuynge of that thynge that he loueth wyll not suffre hym for to se it / nor he repenteth not though he neuer se it ¶ In the same wyse / they that delyte theÌ„ moche and loue mentall comforte / they seke after vysyons / and they set more theyr pryncypall affeccyon in delyte of comforte / thaÌ„ pryncypally in me / as I haue sayd to the before ¶ And of all suche namely that be yet in the state of imparfeccyon the whiche rather beholden to the gyfte of comfortes that I gyue them thaÌ„ to affeccyon of my charyte / whiche I gyue them more specyally ¶ In this they maye receyue dysceytes / how they be dysceyued I shall tell the. ¶ After tyme suche haue coÌ„ceyued a grete loue iÌ„ receyuyÌ„ge of ghostly coÌ„fortes or vysyons / iÌ„ what wyse that euer they come they fele a ioye / for they haue the thynge whiche they loue and desyre / and this maye come of the fende / for thoughe it come with gladnes / yet it endeth with peyne pryckynge of coÌ„scyence / and voyde fro the desyre of vertu ¶ For yf suche gladnesse be founde without seruet desyre of vertu and very mekenesse / brenned in the ouen of my dyuyne charyte / that vysytacyoÌ„ / comforte / and vysyon / that suche a soule receyueth is of the fende not of me / thoughe she fele a token of gladnes / but bycause gladnes is not oned with affeccyon of loue as it is sayde thou maye openly knowe that suche gladnesse is of her owne propre delectacyon / and that is the cause of her ioye / bycause that â—he hathe that she desyreth / for the condycyon of loue is this / for to loue that ioye that it feleth ¶ Therfore thou maye not truste iÌ„ ioy alone / though it seme the ynoughe in receyuynge of suche ghostly comfortes / for an vncunnynge loue in suche ioye maye lyghtly be dysceyued of the fende / yf it haue none other prudeÌ„ce ¶ And yf it be wtyse / it shall se a token withoute dysceyte of the fende / that is yf it walke with affeccyoÌ„ of vertu / or not ¶ This is a very shewynge tokeÌ„ for to knowe whaÌ„ it is dysceyte / and whan not ¶ In the same wyse it is of the gladnesse that thou receyues in thy soule of me / and of that gladnesse whiche thou receyues in the soule of thy owne propre spyrytuall delectacyon ¶ For the gladnesse the whiche is of me / is oned to affeccyon of vertu
/ and that gladnesse the whiche dothe come of the fende / is but gladnesse alone wtout folowynge of ony vertu / for asmoche vertu he feleth whaÌ„ it is gone as he dyd at the begynnynge ¶ An suche gladnesse cometh of the loue that they haue in the ghostly comforte / as it is rehersed before ¶ I wyll also that thou knowe that al be not dyseeyued by suche gladnesse / but onely suche vnê‘fyte folke / that set all theyr ioye more in the gyfte of comforte and delyte of vysytacyon / than in me that am the gyuer ¶ And all suche that with ony beholdynge of other thynge than of me / beholdeÌ„ feruently rather to affeccyon of me that am the gyuer / thaÌ„ to the gyfte / and so they loue the gyfte for me / not for theyr owne coÌ„forte maye neuer be dysceyued of theyr gladnesse / in tyme of vysyoÌ„s or vysytacyons ¶ And therfore they knowe ryghte well whan the fende cometh in forme of lyghte / for to dysceyue by suche maner of gladnes / as soone as they aspy it is he / anone they knowe theÌ„selfe with theyr owne very knowlege / and dyspyse suche comforte / grypynge and clypped the doctryne of my charyte ¶ And for shame the fende gothe fro them / but all suche that loue theyr ghostly comforte do the coÌ„trary ¶ For they may knowe yf they wyll his dysceytes as I haue sayde that is fyndyÌ„ge in theyr owne soules ioye withoute vertu / not goynge oute of the same pathe of mekenesse / and very charyte / and hongre of my worshyp endeles god / and also of helthe of soules / lyke as my parfyte and trewe louers done ¶ Lo doughter my endelesse goodnesse hathe prouyded thus / for parfyte and vnparfyte / in what state that they stonde / for to knowe dysceytes of the fende / in tyme of vysyons and vysytacyons / that they be not dysceyued / yf they wyll kepe the lyghte of intelleccyon / the whiche I haue gyuen to you / with the clere syghte of ryghte holy feythe / the whiche lyghte letteth the fende for to shadowe vpon you his dysceytes / and therfore neuer auoyde this lyghte of grace awaye fro you / for yf ye neuer auoyde it awaye fro you / there is none that maye take it awaye fro you ¶ How that god is the fulfyller of holy desyres of his seruauntes / how it pleaseth god moche whan a man dothe aske with parseuerauÌ„ce / and knocketh at the gate of his sothefastnesse NOw dere doughter I haue fully declared to the and yllumyned the eye of thy intelleccyon / agaynste the dysceytes that the fende maye do to the / and so I haue satysfyed thy desyre of that thynge thou dyd aske me / for I am not a dyspyser of the desyres of my seruauntes / but I gyue to the the asker / styrre the for to aske / he dyspleaseth me ryghte moche that knocketh not veryly at the gate of my sothefastnesse that is Ihesu suynge the doctryne of my onely sothefaste sone Ihesu cryst / shewyÌ„ge his doctryne / whiche is nothynge elles / but a maner knockynge and cryenge to me endelesse fader / by the voyce of holy desyre / with meke and contynuall prayers ¶ I am that fader that gyueth to you breed of grace / by medyacyon of the gate that is of my sone Ihesu / and other whyle sor to proue your desyres and ê‘seuerauÌ„ce / I feyne me as thoughe I vnderstode you not in youre askynge / and yet I vnderstonde you well ynoughe / and yet in the mene whyle / that that is spedefull for you I gyue you ¶ For I gyue you bothe hongre and wyll / by the whiche ye cryen to me ¶ And thaÌ„ I seynge your stydfastnes and parseuerauÌ„ce / in that that they be ordynately dyrecte to me I fulfyll ¶ To this callynge my onely sothefaste sone Ihesu hathe styrred you / where he saythe thus / knocke and it shall be opened to you / aske and you shall haue / serche and you shall fynde ¶ So I wyl that thou do / that thy desyre neuer cease iÌ„ askynge of my helpe / nor bowe not awaye thy voyce fro me endelesse fader / that I maye shewe and do mercy to the worlde ¶ Nor cese not for to knocke at the gate of my onely sothefaste sone Ihesu / in suyÌ„ge of his steppes ¶ Delyte therfore iÌ„ his passyon / erynge with hym vpon the table of the crosse the meet of helthe of soules / for ioy / presynge / and honour of my name / and wayle there hertefully the bethe of mankyÌ„de / whome thou sees fall in grete wretchednes ¶ For ther is no toÌ„gue in erthe suffycyent / to tell the wretchednesse that is vsed iÌ„ this worlde / therfore by suche waylynge / wepynge / and cryenge / I wyll shewe mercy to the worlde ¶ This thyÌ„ge it is that I desyre and requyre of my seruauntes / and that is a tokeÌ„ that they loue me veryly and therfore as Isayd I shal neuer dyspyse nor sette lytell by theyr deuoute desyres ¶ Howe this deuoute soule dothe meke her and yeldeth thaÌ„kynges to god / and how that she prayeth for all the worlde / and specyal for holy chyrche / and also specyally for her ghostly dyscyples / and for her two ghostly faders / and after this she asketh to her of the dedes of mynystres to holy chyrche T'Han that deuoute soule was veryly drunke by vnyon of loue / by the whiche she was alyened and rapte fro herselfe / and her bodyly felynges / and araysed herselfe aboue herselfe / beholdynge with the eye of intelleccyon in the endeles truthe of god / and sayde thus ¶ O souerayne endeles goodnesse of god what wrecthe am I / that it shall please the my swete souerayne endeles fader to shewe to me thy sothefastnes / and also the pryue subtyltes of the fende / and dysceytes of my owne sensualyte / the whiche dysceytes bothe I and other myghte receyue in this wepynge worde / and knowe them not / but yf we hadde be enformed before ¶ Good lorde who styrred the here to ¶ Certayne thy owne loue / for thou dyd loue me / or than I loued the. ¶ O fyre of loue / thankynge be to that endelesse fader / I vnparlyte and full of derkenesse / and thou parfyte and full of lyghte hase shewed me parfeccyon / and a clere shynynge waye of doctryne / of thy onely sothefast sone Ihesu ¶ I was deed / and thou hase yraysed me / I was seke and thou hase gyueÌ„ me medycynes / and not onely the medycyne of the blode that thou gaue to maÌ„kynde by medyacyoÌ„ of thy sones passyoÌ„ / but thou hase gyueÌ„ me an other specyal medycyne agaynst my pryuy sekenesse / the whiche I neuer knewe before / by that doctryne that thou hase gyuen me / that in no wyse I shold Iudge ony maner reasonable creatures and specyally thy seruauntes / of whome
oftētymes as a blynde wretche / and lan gorynge in this sekenes / vnder colour of the honour worshyp of thy name and helthe of soules / I haue gyue Iudgementes ¶ Wherfore I thanke the endeles infynyte goodnesse / for thou hase made me knowe by manyfestacyō or shewynge of thy sothefastnesse / bothe dysccyte of the fende / and also the infyrmyte of my owne passyō / wherfore of synguler grace and mercy I beseche the / that fro this dare forewarde I go neuer oute fro thy doctryne / that thy endelesse goodnesse hathe taughte me / also for all those that wyll folowe the same doctryne ¶ For withoute the is nothynge done / to the therfore I fle the endelesse fader / and I maye not praye for me to the endelesse fader / but for all the worlde / and specyally for the mysteryall body our moder holy chyrche / that this truthe of doctryne shyne in the mynystres of holy chyrche / yet specyally I praye the for them all / that thou hase take for to loue in specyall loue / whome thou hase made one with me / for they sholde be my refresshȳge cōforte / whan I se them renne by this doctryne vndefouled / and mortyfyed to all theyr owne wylles ¶ And without ony demynge or / sclaūdrynge / or grutchynge of theyr neyghbours to the worshyp honour of thy holy name ¶ I praye the therfore infynyte loue / that none of thē be withdrawe fro thy hondes by the fende of hell / but that they maye come to the / that arte the ende of all theyr laboure ¶ Also I praye that for two pyllers / the whiche be my two ghostly faders / whome thou hase lēde to me for my kepynge and doctryne of me most wretched and seke fro the begynnȳge of my lyuȳge vnto this tyme / that thou make thē bothe one of two bodyes one soule / that none of thē take hede to none other thynge pryncypally / than for to fulfyll the mynystery of theyr offyces the whiche thou hase put in to theyr hondes for helthe of soules to the worshyp of thy holy name ¶ And I vnworthy moste wretched seruaunte and not a doughter may tēderly kepe theyr doctryne with du reuerence and holy drede / and that also I maye drede them reuerently for thy loue / that it be to the worshyp / and to thē pease and quyetnesse and edyfycacyon of theyr neyghboure ¶ I am ryghte certayne endelesse truthe / that thou shall not dyspyse my desyre / nor my askynges that I haue asked of the / for I knowe well by the shewynge that thou hase shewed to me / and moche more by experyēce that thou art accepter taker of holy desyres ¶ Therfore I thy vnworthy seruaūt shall besy me after the grace that thou hase gyuen me for to kepe thy doctryne byddȳge ¶ O endeles fader I haue mȳde of thy worde that thou told me / whā thou tolde me certayne thynges of thy ministers of our moder holi chyrche thou sayde that thou wolde tell me more playnly ī an other place of theyr wyckednesse that they vse these dayes / wherfore yf it be lykȳge to thy goodnes / I desyre that thou tell me some what therof / that I maye haue mater therof for to encrese in sorowe compassyon and lōgynge desyre for the helthe of theyr soules ¶ For as I remembre me nowe / thou sayde that to all those that haue compassyon / peyne / wepynges / sorowes / swetynges / and prayers for synners / thou wolde gracyously refresshe them by reformynge of holy chyrche / with good and holy pastoures or shepeherdes ¶ Therfore bycause al these sholde encrese in me / I aske the and praye the of this thȳge ¶ How that god beholdeth the besynes of this soule aboute prayer / and answereth to some of her petycyons ¶ Than endelesse god tournynge to her the eye of his mercy / not dyspysynge her desyre / but rather receyuynge and alowynge her askynge / wyllȳge for to satysfy to the laste petycon that she made of his behestes / sayde thus ¶ O ryghteswete and dere doughter ī that that thou hase asked of me / I shall satysfy thy desyre / so that thou be not vpon thy syde ygnoraunte neclygente / for it were more greuous to the and worthy more reprefe / suche ygnoraunce and neclygence now than fyrste / for thou knowes now more of my truthe / than thou knewe than ¶ Besy the therfore for to pray for al reasonable creatures / for the mysteryall body of holy chyrche / and for them whome I haue cōmytted to the / that thou loue them specyally / that thou be not neclygent for to praye for thē / bothe by ensample of lyuynge spekynge by worde / repreuynge vycys / cōmendynge vertu after thy power ¶ Of those pyllers whome I haue lēde to the / of whome thou hase tolde me / and sothe it is that they be pyllers ¶ Do so that thou be a mene for to yelde to eche of thē after the ablenes of them / as I thy maker shall make open to the / for with out me / thou may nothȳge do Thā I shall fulfyll thy desyres / therfore loke thou fayle not / nor they neuer in my hope / for in you shal not lacke my prouydence / and eche of thē shal receyue that thynge / the whiche he is able for to receyue ¶ And in the same wyse euery mynystre shall receyue that thȳge that I shall gyue hȳ for to mynystre / after his maner as he receyueth taketh of my goodnes ¶ In this thyrde chapyter god sheweth to this soule of the dygnyte of preestes / of the sacrament of his holy body / of them that do receyue that sacrament worthyly ¶ Also how all the bodyly wyttes or felynges be dysceyued ī that foresayd sacramēt / but not the felȳunges of the soule ¶ Therfore with that felynges or wyttes of the soule that holy sacrament shall be seen / rasted / feled / and of other maters / as it is rehersed before in the kalender Ca. iii. I Shall answere to the of that thou askes me of the mynysters of holy chyrche / that thou may veryly knowe the truthe / open the eye of thy intelleccyon / and beholde the excellence of them in how greate dygnyte I haue sette theym ¶ But bycause a contrary is lyghtly knowe by his contraryte / I wyll shewe the fyrste the dygnyte of them that haue vertuously onely excercysed the tresour that I haue betake to theyr hondes and so by that thou shall the better knowe theyr wretchydnes / that these dayes fede them at the brest of this spouse holy chyrche ¶ Than this deuoute soule for to obeye to his byddynge / dyd beholde cōtemplatyfely in the sothefastnesse of hym / in the whiche sothefastnesse she sawe vertues shyne / in very tasters
¶ Thā endeles almyghty god sayde to this deuoute soule / dere doughter fyrste I wyll tell the the dygnyte of them in the whiche dygnyte I of my goodnesse haue sette them and ordeyned them / and shewed them loue aboue the generall loue / that I haue to all other creatures / makynge thē fyrst as I haue made all other reasonable creatures / to that ymage lykenes of me ¶ And also in the reformynge of thē / as I haue reformed all other reasonable creatures / ī the precyous blode of my swete sone Ihesu ¶ Also aboue all this I haue sette you in suche excellēce by vnyon of my godhed / that I haue to them in mākynde / that they haue more excellence dygnyte thā an angell / for youre kynde I haue take vpon me / not that kȳde of an angell for as I haue sayde to the I god was made man / man was made god / as by vnyon of my dyuyne nature / in youre nature ¶ These thȳges in generall I haue gyuē to euery reasonable creature / but ymōges these creatures I haue chosē my specyal mynystres for your helthe / that by thē maye be mynystred to you the blode of my onely meke and vndefouled lambe Ihesu cryst ¶ To suche I haue gyue the sone for to be mynystred / gyuynge also ther with to them the lyghte of cunnȳge and the fyre of my dyuyne charyte and also oned with lyght of hete / that is with the blode and the body of my sone / the whiche is one sonne / for it is the same with me / that am very sonne ¶ And in somoche it is oned to me / that the one of vs maye not be departed fro that other / no more than maye the hete of the sonne fro the lyghte / nor the lyghte fro the hete ¶ That sonne is neuer deuyded / yet to all the worlde / and to ony creature that wyll be made warme by hym / it gyueth lyghte / this sonne is neuer defouled / for none vnclennes ¶ In the same wyse my onely sone that is flesshe and blode / is one sonne / all god / and all man / for it is one the same with me / and I with hym / my myghte is neuer departed fro his wysedome / nor the heer of the fyre of the holy ghost is neuer departed fro me the fader / nor fro my sone / for he is one with vs / for the holy ghost goth out fro me the fader / my sone / and not fro the trynyte / and we be one the same sonne ¶ I am the same sonne endeles god / of whome gothe out bothe the sone and the holy ghost also ¶ To the holy ghost fyre is appropryate / to the sone wysedome / in the whiche wysedome my mynystres do receyue a lyght of grace / for that same lyghte is mynystred with lyght / and with kyndenes of benefytes receyued of me endelesse fader / shewynge the doctryne of this wysedome that is of my onely sothefaste sone Ihesu ¶ This is the same lyghte / that hathe ī hym the colour of youre manheed / the one is knytte with the other / so the lyghte of my godheed was the same onely lyghte with the colour of youre manheed / the whiche colour was man shynynge / whā he was impassyble by vertu of the god heed in dyuyne nature / and that by mene medyacyon of this my onely sothefast sone incarnate / cōmyxte and medled with the lyghte of my goodheed in dyuyne nature / and with fyre and hete of the holy ghost / ye receyuen lyghte ¶ To whome haue I gyuen that lyghte to be mynystred ¶ Certeynly to my mynysters mynystrȳge in the mysteryal body of holy chyrche / that ye may veryly haue euerlastynge lyfe / I make them for to gyue to you that blessyd body in sacrament of the auter vnto youre ghostly meet / and that blessyd blode in to ghostly drynke ¶ I sayde also to the / that that body maye not begyue without blode / nor blode and body withoute the soule of my onely sothefast sone Ihesu / nor soule and body withoute godheed of me endelesse god / for there maye none of all these be departed fro other / for byuyne nature ones knyte to mankynde / maye neuer be departed fro it / nother by dethe nor by yet no other thynge / and so ye receyue all the sencyble beynge of god in that swete sacrament / vnder the whytenesse of breed ¶ And ryghte as the sonne maye not be departed / ryghte so all god and all mā in this whytenesse of the blessyd sacrament maye not be departed / thoughe the hoste were deuyded in to a thousande partes / ī euery party I am all god and al man / ryghte as a myrrour that is dyuyded / in euery dyuysyō is seen the ymage of a man / and yet the ymage is not deuyded / ryght so this host dyuyded / and yet it is not dyuyded all god and all man / but it is in euery party of it hole and al / nor it is not therfore lessed in it selfe ¶ For ryghte as the lyghte of a candell / to the whiche thoughe all the worlde come for to fetche parte of his lyght / his lyghte is neuerthelesse / and yet eche that fetcheth therof haue al lyght ¶ Neuerthelesse thou maye parceyue that all take not lyght egally / for some take more some lesse / after the mater that the fetcher brȳgeth with hȳ / that thou may the better vnderstōde m◠/ I shal shewe the an ensāple ¶ Yf ther were many that bare cādels or tapers / some of an oūce / some the weyghte of two oūces / some of a poūde or more / al sholde go fetche lyghte with theyr tapers / thou wolde saye thou sawe theym all bere lyght / hete / and colour / and yet neuerthelesse thou wolde deme that he bate lesse lyght in his taper of an ounce / than he that bare the canof a poude ¶ In the same wyse it happeth of thē that do receyue this sacrament and bere theyr candeles / that is theyr holy desyre / by the whiche holy desyre this sacrament is receyued / the whiche cādell of holy desyre is quenched in it selfe / and by receyuynge of this holy sacramente / it is extyncte and quenched as I se it in it selfe for of youre selfe you be noughte ¶ Neuerthelesse I gyue you mater / by the whiche ye maye receyue and noryshe in yourselfe this lyghte ¶ This mater is nothynge elles / but loue / for pure of loue I haue made you / and therfore without loue ye maye not lyue ¶ This essencyall beynge gyuen to you by loue receyueth dysposycyon in the holy baptym / the whiche baptym / ye dyd receyue in that vertu of the blessyd sacrament of my onely sothefast sone for in none other wyse ye maye take parte of that lyghte that is reherced
toucheth thy hondes / and the taste sauoreth nothynge elles / but the sauour of breed / so the grete bodyly wyttes be dysceyued ¶ The felynge the wyttes of the soule maye not be dysceyued therin but yf they wyll that is in withdrawynge the lyghte of feythe / by medyacyon of feythefulnesse ¶ Who is he that tasteth / seeth / and toucheth / this blessyd sacramente ¶ Certayne the felynge of the soule ¶ With what eye seeth the soule that blessyd sacramente ¶ With the eye of intelleccyon / yf in that eye be the perle / or clere syghte of very feythe ¶ This eye than seeth in that whytenes all god and all man / dyuyne nature oned with the nature of man / body / soule / blode / of cryst / the soule oned in the body / and the body and soule oned with my dyuyne nature / neuer fro me dyscordynge as I tolde the yf thou haue mynde in the begynnynge of thy coÌ„uersyon ¶ And not onely with the eye of intelleccyon / but also with the bodyly eye / and thoughe it so were that thy bodyly eye had lost a greate parte of his syghte / yet the eye of intelleccyon hathe euer clere syghte ¶ I shewed the ones for a declaracyon of the same sacrament / agaynste the batayle that the fende put to the of the same sacrament / and that I dyd to the for to make the encrese in loue / and in the lyghte of holy feythe ¶ Also thou knowes well that thou wente to the chyrche very erly in a morowe for to here masse / and before that thou was sore vexed of the fende / and ther thou stode before an auter of the crucyfyxe / where as a preest came and sayde masse / and al that masse tyme thou dyd consydre thy defautes / and thou was aferde for to offende me / for all the temptacyons that the fende dyd to the. ¶ And than thou beganne for to consydre the greate affeccyon of my endelesse charyte / the whiche hathe made the ryghte worthy for to here masse / although thou demes thyselfe vnworthy for to entre iÌ„ to my holy teÌ„ple ¶ ThaÌ„ after tyme the preest came to the tyme of consecracyon / thou dyd beholde tyght besyly the preest / and whaÌ„ he sayd wordes of coÌ„secracyoÌ„ / I made me open to the / and so thou sawe comynge out of my brest / a lyghte as it hadde by a sonne beme comynge out fro the whele of the sonne / and not departynge fro the same whele or rundel of the sonne / in the whiche lyghte came a culuer and flykered or dyd smyte his wynges togyder aboute the hoste of shewynge ioy and gladnesse / for vertu of those wordes that the preest sayde in tyme of coÌ„secracyon ¶ And so thy bodyly eye was not suffycyent for to suffre to se suche a lyghte / but thy syghte onely belefte in the eye of intelleccyon / there thou sawe and tasted the depenesse of the trynyte / all god all maÌ„ hyd and couered vnder whytenesse of breed ¶ And nother the greate lyghte that thou haddest of me / nor the worthy presence of me that thou dyd fele in the intellectually / toke not awaye nor mynsshed the wytenesse of breed / for that one was no lettynge to that other / that is for to se me intellectually very god very man in that lykenesse of breed / nor also that lykenesse of breed was not yet yletted by me / for fro that lykenesse of breed / was neuer with drawt whytenesse / nor touchynge / nor sauour ¶ This reuelacyon and vysyon was shewed to the of my ende lesse goodnesse / the whiche endelesse goodnes gaue to the eye of thy intelleccyon / a clere syght with holy feythe ¶ Therfore the eye of intelleccyon sholde be thy pryÌ„cypall syghte / and with that syghte ye sholde beholde the sacrament of the auter ¶ But who toucheth that sacrament ¶ Certayne the honde of loue / for that sacrament the whiche is seen knowen with the eye of intelleccyon / is touched with that honde of loue / of feythe it is touched / with the hoÌ„de of loue / as thoughe he certyfyed hymselfe of that thynge that he seeth by feythe / and knewe by intelleccyon ¶ But now what thyÌ„ge tasteth that sacrament ¶ The taste of holy desyre / the taste of the body tasteth nothynge elles but sauour of breed / but that taste of the soule that is holy desyre tasteth bothe god and man in that holy sacrameÌ„t / vnder forme of breed ¶ Sees thou not now how thy bodyly felynges be dysceyued / and not the wyttes of the soule / for they be claryfyed and cerfyfyed in the sothe / in asmoche as the eye of intelleccyoÌ„ sawe it with the perle of very clere feythe ¶ The taste also of the soule / tasteth it with feruent desyre of my brennyÌ„ge charyte / by the whiche brennynge charyte / I made the soule worthy for to receyue that worthy sacramente / and also the grace of the sacrament ¶ Thus thou maye thaÌ„ se / â—hat not onely withoute the bodyly wyttes / ye shold se and receyue that blessyd sacrament / but also with ghostly felynges / dysposynge the wyttes of youre soule with affeccyon of loue / for to se / receyue / taste as I haue sayde that moste blessyd sacrameÌ„t of the auter / the body of my blessyd sone Ihesu ¶ Of the excellence in the whiche a soule stondeth / that receyueth this sacrameÌ„t iÌ„ grace BEholde now dere doughter iÌ„ what excellence dwelleth a soule that receyueth this blessyd sacrament / the whiche is called quycke breed or breed of lyfe / angels fode ¶ WhaÌ„ suche a worthy soule receyueth that blessyd sacrament / he dwelleth in me I in hym / as a fysshe dwelleth in the see / and the see in that fysshe ¶ In the same myse suche a soule dwelleth in me that am the peaseable see / and I the pease able see dwell in suche a soule ¶ In suche a soule also dwelleth grace / for whaÌ„ suche one receyueth this breed of lyfe / grace dwelleth in grace after the consumpcyon of that musteryal quycke breed / and so I leue in you / the ymage of my grace ¶ Ryght as a seyle put vpon hote waxe / after the tyme that it lyfte vp takeÌ„ awaye / the prynte of the ymage dothe remayne ¶ In the same wyse the vertu of this sacrament remayneth in the soule / for to you remayneth the hete of charyte / the mekenesse of the holy ghost / and the lyghte of wysedome of my onely sothefast sone Ihesu / by Illumynynge of the eye of intellecleccyon / in the same wysedome for to knowe and se iÌ„ hym the doctryne of my charyte ¶ In that same wyse a soule is stronge / of my strengthe rakyÌ„ge parte of my heueÌ„ly myght / so I make suche a soule stronge agaynste his owne sencyble passyon / agaynst
vnreuerence myne for as I sayde ye gyuen them no reuerence to themselfe for theyrselfe / but for the auctoryte that I haue gyuen to theÌ„ / and therfore they sholde not be offeÌ„ded / for whaÌ„ they offende them / they offende me and them ¶ I haue forbyd them for to touche my crystes / the is my anoynted people / with handes of vyolence ¶ There oughte no temporall man to excuse hym and saye I do theÌ„ no wronge nor I am not enuyous to oure moder the holy chyrche / thoughe I punyshe the defautes of euyll curates ¶ Here suche one lyeth saythe not sothe / for he maye not se / he is so blyÌ„ded in his owne loue yet though he se he feyneth hymselfe blynde / for to couer the prycke of his conscyence ¶ For whaÌ„ that euer they parsu them / they parsu me / and so they do me wroÌ„ge / for ryghte as the reuerence is myne / so is al that harme myne / bothe scornes / repreues / harmes / shames also blames ¶ Al those I arecte to me that be done to them / for I haue forbyd theÌ„ warned theÌ„ / not for to touche iÌ„ vyolence by worde nor dede my mynysters / I sholde punyshe them whan they offeÌ„de / not they ¶ Thus thaÌ„ what that euer they be in lyuynge / the reuerence of them sholde neuer be mynyshed / for whaÌ„ they mynesh it / they offende me / therfore this synne is more greuous than ony other synne ¶ And thoughe they be wycked in lyuyÌ„ge done many wyckednesses / of whose wyckednes it shal be sayde in an other place / yet yf to them be done reuerence onely for me / it is arected to me not to theÌ„ ¶ But now thre pryncypall causes ther be / why that synne of vnreuerence is more greuous synne than ony other ¶ One is / for that reuerence whiche is done to them is done to me ¶ Another is / for they breke my byddynge / in that I forbade theÌ„ not for to touche theÌ„ vyoleÌ„tly / by the whiche vnreuerent touchyÌ„ge / they dyspyse my blode / whiche they haue take of holy baptym / for they dysobeye / doynge that thynge that is forbyd theym ¶ And therfore they be rebell to this blode / for they haue sette reuerence asyde / be rysen with greate parsecucyon / so they be stynkynge membres / cut awaye fro that mysteryall body of holy chyrche / as longe as they dwell obstynate in that rebellyon with that vnreuerence / withoute ony doubte they renne to endelesse dampnacyoÌ„ ¶ Neuerthelesse yf they meke theÌ„ lowe theÌ„ and knowlege theyr defautes / they shall receyue mercy and forgyuenesse ¶ Another cause is why that theyr synnes be more greuous thaÌ„ other / for it is a synne that is done of theyr owne malyce with a vysement / for to knowe wel that with good coÌ„scyence / they must not do as they done / and therfore in theyr doynge they offende greuously / whiche offence is a maner of cursed pryde / wtout bodyly delectacyoÌ„ / for it wasleth bothe body soule / the soule is consumed / for it is pryued fro grace / often tymes the worme of conscyence freteth suche folke ¶ Also the bodyly substauÌ„ce is coÌ„sumed in the seruyce of the fende / theyr bodyes be as deed beestes / thus this synne is properly aneÌ„des me / for it is done without ony coloure of his owne profyte / and with malyce and the smoke of pryde / whiche pryde spryngeth out of sencyble loue / of that wyeked drede that Pylate hadde / that for drede of losynge of his lordeshyppe / he dyd slee my onely sothefaste sone Ihesu / so done all suche ¶ All other synnes that they done be done of ygnorauÌ„ce or symplynes / but this cursed synne is done by malyce / for he knoweth the euyll that he dothe / it is all done of vnordynate dylectacyon and plesaunce that they haue to that synne / orelles of some maner of profyte that they fynde iÌ„ that synne / and so the offender / dampneth / and hurteth / his owne soule / me / and his neyghboure ¶ Me he hurteth offeÌ„deth / for he yeldeth no thaÌ„kes to me his maker ¶ His neyghbour he offendeth and hurteth / for he yeldeth not to hyÌ„ loue of charyte ¶ Also he offendeth hurteth hymselfe / thoughe he do it not by actuall smytynge / the whiche offence dyspleaseth me / for that harme that I se iÌ„ hyÌ„ ¶ And thus as I haue sayde without ony mene / this offence is onely done to me ¶ All other synnes haue some coloure / for they be done with some coloure with a mene / for I haue sayd in another place that euery synne euery vertu was done by medyacyon mene of neyghbourheed / for synne is the cause of the pryuacyon of the loue of god of thy neyghboure ¶ Therfore they that offeÌ„de theyr neyghbours offende me by mene of them ¶ But ymonge al my creatures that haue reson wtin theÌ„ / I haue chosen my mynysters as I haue told the whiche be called my anoynted people for to mynystre the body and blode of my onely sothefaste sone Ihesu / that is knytte oned to the flesshe of youre maÌ„heed with my dyuyne nature ¶ And so suche mynystres whan they consecrate that blessyd body blode / stonden in the parsone of my onely sone Ihesu ¶ Thus thou maye se and knowe the offence whiche is done to my mynysters / is done to my sothefaste sone Ihesu / yf it be done to hyÌ„ / it muste be done to me / for he I be oned togyder ¶ All suche wretches that parsu my mynysters / they parsu that precyous blode / pryue theÌ„selfe fro that tresour and fruyte of that precyous blode / wherby thou maye knowe that the offence so done to me is more greuous than ony other synne ¶ For yf all the synnes that euer they dyd stode vp on that one syde of them / this synne alone vpon that other syde / this synne sholde more greue me than all other synnes ¶ Thus than for to gyue the cause to sorowe and haue compassyon of my offence / and of dampnacyon of suche myserable wretches / I haue declared the how and in what wyse I am offended / that throwe the sorowe and bytternesse bothe of thyselfe and also of other of my seruauntes by my goodnesse mercy / suche wretches maye be knowen in theyr owne derkenesse / so put out fro the body of holy chyrche / orelles the soner maye be recounseyled to grace / for I fynde no maner persone that soroweth veryly of the parsecucyon whiche is done to my precyoê° blode / I fynde ynowe that contynually do smyte me with arowes of vnordynate loue and seruyle drede / with theyr owne propre reputacyon / as thoughe they were blyÌ„defelde / dyd arecte to theyr owne
sorowe of derkenes of these wretched subiectes with the holy lyuynge of my mynystres / of whome I sayde to the they haue the condycyon of the sonne / for with the odour of theyr holy vertu / the stynkynge fylthe of theyr wretchyd lyuynge is swaged / and the derkenesse of them is swaged with theyr lyghte ¶ Open therfore the eye of thy intelleccyon / and beholde in me the lyghte or the sonne of ryghtewysenesse / and thou shal se my gloryous mynysters how they mynystre by mynystracyon of the sonne that they mynystre / they take vpon them the condycyon of the sonne as Peter the prynce of all the apostles that receyuen the keyes of heuen ¶ And ryght so of other that in the holy orcherde of holy chyrche mynystred lyghte / that is the body and the blode of my onely sone Ihesu / and also the sacramentes of holy chyrche whiche auaylen greately / gyuen lyfe in vertu of that precyous blode / eche of them be sette and put in dyuers degrees after the state of theyr callynge / for to mynystre the grace of the holy ghost ¶ Wherwith haue they mynystred ¶ Certayne with the lyght of grace whiche they haue take oute of this very lyghte / is that lyghte alone ¶ Naye ¶ For the lyghte of grace may not be alone / nor it maye not be departed / but it muste nedes other be hole or not he that is in deedly synne / is depryued fro that lyghte of grace / and he that hathe grace / hathe the eye of intelleccyon illumyned / in knowynge me that haue bothe gyuē hym grace and vertu / the whiche vertu conserueth and kepeth that grace / and in the lyghte he knoweth wretchednes of synnes and causes of them that is the propre sencyble loue therfore he hateth it / and so by hatȳge / he receyueth also the het◠of dyuyne charyte in his affeccyon / whiche affeccyon renued after intelleccyon / he receyueth also the hete of this gloryous lyghte / she wynge the doctryne of my onely sothefaste sone Ihesu / Wherby his mynde is reformed to remembre hym of the benefytes of his precyous blode of my sone Ihesu / and he may not haue one power of the soule fulfylled in receyuynge of me very sonne / but yf he haue all thre / wherby that they be sette in ordre / gadered togyder in my name ¶ For as soone as the eye of intelleccyon aryseth hym with the lyghte of feythe for to se sencyble hymselfe beholdynge in me / anone affeccyon rēueth after / louynge the thynge whiche the eye of intelleccyon seeth and knoweth / and also the mynde is fulfylled with the same thynge that affeccyon loueth ¶ And than anone whan they be dysposed / they taken parte of me endelesse sonne / and so they be illumyned in my power / and in the wysedome of my onely sothefast sone Ihesu / and in the myldenes of of the fyre of the holy ghoste ¶ And thus thou maye knowe that they haue take vpon them the condycyō of the sonne that is to saye they be arayed with me that am that very sonne / they do as the sonne ¶ The sonne heteth and yllumyneth with his hete / it maketh the erthe for to brȳge forthe fruyte ¶ In the same wyse my deuoute ministers chosē / anoynted / and sende in to the mysteryal body of holy chyrche by me / do mynystre me that am very sonne / that is the body and blode of my onely sothefast sone Ihesu with other sacramētes / whiche receyue lyfe of this sacramēt ¶ They do mynystre that sacramēt of the auter actually / for they gyuē lyghte in the mysteryall body of holy chyrche / whiche is lyghte aboue naturall cūnynge / that is called cūnynge aboue kynde / with honest lyuynge and holy shewynge of the doctryne of my sothefaste sone / and so they do mynystre heet of brēnynge charyte / with the whiche brennȳge charyte / they make barayne soules to burgyon floures of vertu / yllumynynge them with the lyghte of vertu and cūnynge / and wich theyr holy ordynate and well ruled lyuynge / they put away derkenesse of deedly syn̄es and moche infydelyte ¶ And also they sette in rule the lyfe of thē that lyue vnruly / that also lyue in derkenesse of synnes / and in dulnes of pryuacyon of charyte ¶ Thus thou maye knowe that they be the sonne / for they haue take vpon thē the cōdycyō of the sonne / of me that am very sonne / and by affeccyon of loue they be one with me and I with them / as I haue tolde the in another place ¶ Eche of them after theyr state and lyuȳge as I haue chosen them do gyue lyghte ī holy chyrche ¶ Peter gaue lyghte with his techynge and prechyng◠and at the laste by shedȳge of his blode ¶ Gregory with his cūnynge declaracyon of holy wryte / and also with the myrrour of holy lyuynge ¶ Syluester gaue lyghte in holy chyrche whan he dysputed agaynst the paynyms / so bryngynge in by dysputacyon / and lyghte / and prefe of holy feythe amonges them / the whiche he shewed to the bothe by his wordes by his dedes ¶ Yf thou tourne that to Austyn and to gloryous Thomas / or to Ierome / or to other doctours / thou shall se how moche lyght they haue sende ī to my spouse holy chyrche dystroynge errours as lanternes sette on hyghe vpon a cādelstycke / with very parfyte mekenes ¶ And as they that hongre my worshyp and honoure also helthe of soules / that very meet with grete delyte they ete vpon the table of the blessyd crosse ¶ Martyrs also with theyr blode shedynge / whiche blode in my syght gaue ryght swete smell and broughte in lyghte with vertu ī to my spouse holy chyrche ¶ They spredde abrode the feythe / and they that were in derkenesse came to the lyghte of feythe / in thē the lyghte of feythe dyd shyne ¶ Prelates also sette in the state of prelacy by my onely sothefaste sone Ihesu cryste / he beynge ī erthe yelded to me with holy honest lyuynge the sacryfyce of ryghtewysenesse / the ghostly precyous stone of Margaryte / that is called the Margaryte of ryghtewysenesse / the ghostly precyous stone shyned in them and in theyr subiectes with very mekenesse / brēnynge charyte / and lyghte of dyscrecyon in thē pryncypally ryghte wysely they yeldē to me my de we dewte / that is glory and laude to my name ¶ To thē they yelde hate and dysplesaunce of theyr owne propre sensualyte / dyspysynge vyces and takynge vertu with the charyte of me and of theyr neyghboure / with mekenesse they dyspyse pryde / and as angels they wente to the auter with purete bothe of herte and of body / and so with grete clennes of soule they sayd theyr masses / ryghte feruently brennynge in the ouen of charyte / bycause they dyd ryghtwysenesse of thēselfe /
therfore afterwarde all they dyd in the same wyse ryghtewysenesse to theyr subiertes / for to make theÌ„ to lyue vertuously ¶ They dyd blame them without seruyle drede / whan they were blame worthy / for they behold nothynge to themselfe / but onely to my worshyp and helthe of soules / as good curates suers of my sothefaste sone Ihesu / that is the hyghe souerayne curate whome I haue gyue to you for to gouerne you the be beestes / he gaue his lyfe for you ¶ All suche curates do folowe the steppes of hym / wherfore they do correcke wyll not suffre stynkyÌ„ge meÌ„dres to growe in holy chyrche without correccyon / but charytably with that oyntmente of benygnyte / and with sharpnesse of fyre curtynge the wouÌ„des of theyr defautes awaye / by vndernymynge and penaunce moche or lytell after the greatenesse of the synne ¶ And for suche correccyon so truly and feythe fully done for that loue of me / they dyd not fere for to dye ¶ These were very gardyners / that with grete besynesse and holy drede pulled vp the thornes of deedly synnes / and they dyd plante the plaÌ„tes of swete vertu / wherby the subietes dyd lyue in very holy drede / they dyd encrese vertuously / as by smellynge of floures in the mysteryal body of holy chyrche ¶ And bycause there was in theyr curates no venyÌ„ of deedly synne / therfore they dyd kepe holy ryghtewysenesse / withoute ony seruyle drede / they vndertoke theyr syntull subiecces myghtely ¶ This was and is the very Margaryte / the whiche gaue bothe pease and lyghte in to the soules of reasonable creatures / and made them to stonde stydfastly in holy drede / theyr hertes were one in me / and eche of them togyder in very charyte / wherfore I wyll that thou knowe that ther was neuer nothynge that brought in somoche derkenesse and dyuysyoÌ„ in to the worlde bytwene seculers relygyous clerkes curates of holy chyrche / as hathe the derkenesse of vnryghtful lyuynge / by the whiche the lyghte of ryghtewysenesse defayleth ¶ There may no state be kepte nother in temporall lawe / nor in dyuyne lawe / wtoute holy ryght wysenesse ¶ For he that is not blamed / nor vndernome fro his trespas of his curate / he begyÌ„neth â—or to waxe a stynkynge meÌ„bre of the body of holy chyrche / vpoÌ„ the whiche meÌ„bre yf a leche the is a curate of holy chyrche laye on oyntement of softe and easy spekynge / and dothe not serche fyrst the wounde by represe and vndernymyÌ„ge / the wouÌ„de waxeth corrupte by encrese of his deedly synne / and so roteth al the body of holy chyrche / but it be the soner cutte a waye deê‘ted therfro ¶ And yf he be a trewe and a good curate of soules / as other gloryous curates of soules haue be before / he wyll not laye an oyntmeÌ„t of softe and easy spekynge / without the fyre of blamynge / yf the membre were all obstynate iÌ„ his euyl worke / than he wyll cutte hyÌ„ awaye fro the coÌ„gregacyon of holy chyrche / lest he enfecte other with the stynke of deedly synÌ„es ¶ Curates as these dayes done not so / but they feyne and wyll not se defautes of theyr subiectes ¶ Knowes thou not why ¶ Certayne for the roote of theyr owne propre loue leueth in theÌ„ / for the whiche they haue take a wycked cowherdes drede / for by tere of losynge of theyr state or teÌ„porall goodes or prelacy / they wyll not correcke defautes or dare not but they to as blynde men do / therfore how theyr state sholde be kepte they knowe not for yf they wyste how it sholde be kepte with holy ryght wysenes / they wolde kepe it to the vttermost ¶ But for bycause they be depryued fro lyghte / therfore they do knowe not howe they sholde kepe it / they be dysceyued of theyr owne propre sencyble passâ—â—n / of desyre of domynacyoÌ„ of prelacy / also they correcke not defautes of other / for they theÌ„selfe be gylty iÌ„ the same or greter / therfore they lose bothe sykernes boldenes / be bouÌ„de iÌ„ the boÌ„de of seruyle drede / by the whiche they myll not se whaÌ„ they may se / but suffre theÌ„â—o teÌ„ne forthe in theyr synÌ„es ¶ In theÌ„ is coÌ„plete the wordes of my sothefast sone Ihesu / wher he saythe in the gospel ¶ Suche curates be blyÌ„de leders of blyÌ„de folke / yf the blyÌ„de lede that blynde / bothe fall in to the dyche ¶ Thus they dyd not that somtyme were curates suche as I haue rehersed before nor yet done some the lyue nowe / suche as be my very trew mynysters / for they haue the very properte of the sonne / for in theÌ„ is no derkenesse of deedly synne nor of ygnoraunce / in asmoche as they do folowe the doctryne of my onely sothefaste sone Ihesu ¶ Nor they be not dull / for they be all breÌ„ned in the oueÌ„ of my charyte / be dyspysers of states domynacyoÌ„s in theÌ„selfe / other delices of the worlde ¶ They fere not for to vndernyme whan / the tyme is / for he that desyreth no benefyce nor prelacy / is neuer aferde for to lose it / but myghtyly vndernymeth ¶ He the feleth not hymselfe in his conscyence repreued by synne fereth not and therfore this derke Margaryte was not / nor is not in my very trewe mynysters / but iÌ„ theÌ„ it is shynynge / the whiche maketh theym to desyre pouerte wylfully / whan they make serche with very mekenesse / and therfore they do not fere stormes / repreues / detraccyons of men / Iniuryes / peynes / and turmentes / they were cursed of men wrongefully / and of suche as hadde no auctoryte for to curse them / and they blessyd agayne / and they dyd suffre theyr wrongefull cursynge / and with very pasyence as heuenly angels and more than angels not in kynde but by the mystery and greate grace gyuen to them aboue kynde / for to mynystre the body and the blode of my onely sothefast sone Ihesu cryste crucyfyed on the cros / in sothe they be very angelles / for as an angell whiche I gyue to kepe you / he mynystreth holy and good vertues / ryghte so my mynysters be angels / and therfore contynually they set theyr eye vpon theyr subiectes as very gardyners / brethyÌ„ge in the hertes of theyr subiectes good werkes and holy / offrynge for theÌ„ swere desyres and mery iÌ„ my syghte by coÌ„tynuall prayer with the doctryne of my onely sothefast sone Ihesu / and with ensaÌ„ple of good lyuynge ¶ Thus may thou se that they be angels set of my breÌ„nyÌ„ge charyte / as lanterns in the mysteryall body of holy chyrche for youre kepynge and helthe / that ye blynde maye haue a leder the may lede you in to the waye of truthe / brethynge to you vertuous lyuynge ¶ They drede
neuer / that nother to theÌ„ nor to theyr subiectes shall fayle temporall substauÌ„ce / in asmoche as they do lyue ymonge them / with very mekenesse / hope / feythe / therfore with largenesse they do departe to the poore men / the temporall substauÌ„ce of holi chyrche ¶ And so they dyd kepe to the full / that y they sholde kepe do / for asmoche as they dyd departe the temporall substauÌ„ce of holy chyrche to the nede and necessyte of pore meÌ„ iÌ„ holy chyrche ¶ They dyd not kepe no tresour of temporal goodes / for to departe to poore men after theyr dysceyses ¶ But there were many of them that for largenesse that they dyd to poore meÌ„ / lefte theyr chyrches in dette / and that was for the greate charyte and hope that they had in my prouydeÌ„ce ¶ They auoyded fro them all seruyle drede / and therfore they were aferde of no lackynge / nother spyrytual nor temporall ¶ This is a very token that my creature hopeth in me and not in hyÌ„selfe / in asmoche as he dredeth not by seruyle drede / but all suche that hopeÌ„ in themselfe / dredeÌ„ theyr owne shadowe / and euer they thynke that heuen and erthe wyll fayle theym ¶ With that drede and that wycked hope that they put in theyr lytel felynge / they take so grete wretched besynes vpon them in gettynge of remporal goodes and in kepynge therof / that they put behynde them as it semed all ghostly goodes / vnneth is ther ony fouÌ„de that chargeth those goodes ¶ But suche proude vnfeythful wretches / thynke not alone that I am he that prouyde and ordeyne for all in dewe tymes bothe for bodyes soules / though it so be that with the same mesure y they hope wtin me / with the same shall be yelde to you my prouydence godly ordynaunce ¶ All suche presumptuous wretches beholde not veryly / that I am he that am / they be they that be not / here beynge they receyue of my endelesse goodnesse / and they receyue therto grace aboue their beyÌ„ge ¶ And therfore he laboreth in vayne that kepeth his Cyteâ— / but it were kepe with me for me / all his labour is in vayne / yf he thynke by his laboure or desynes for to defende hyÌ„selfe withoute me / for I am he alone that kepeth hyÌ„ sothe it is that the beynge and the grace that is set aboue the beynge of you / I wyll that in tyme ye excercyce it in vertu / vsynge fre choyse that I haue gyueÌ„ you with lyghte of reason / for I haue made you without you / but without you I maye not saue you ¶ I loued you or that ye were / and that my well beloued mynynsters do knowe saye ryght well ¶ Wherfore woÌ„derly of the loue that they had with so greate largenesse they dyd hope in me / and they had no drede in nothynge ¶ Syluester dredde not whaÌ„ he stode before the emperoure Constantyne / dysputynge with the twelue Iewes before a greate company / but by feythe he byleued as longe as I was with hym / ther myght none be agaynst hym / all my other mynysters dyd after the same maner ¶ They were neuer alone / but they hadde the felyshyp of me / in asmoche as they dyd stonde and dwell in me by loue of charyte / and of me they soughte the lyght of wysdome / that is of my onely sothefast sone Ihesu ¶ Of me in sothe they dyd take myghte / and beynge stroÌ„ge myghty agaynste prynees and tyrauntes of the worlde / also of me they had the fyre of the holy ghost ¶ This loue in them was and is felyshypped to hâ—m that wyll parte with other / with lyght of feythe / with hope / streÌ„gthe / with very pease / with loÌ„ge ê‘seuerauÌ„ce / in to the last ende of that dethe ¶ Thus thou may knowe that they be not alone but they be felyshypped and therfore they be not aferde ¶ Onely he that feleth hymselfe without me hopynge in hymselfe and depryued fro the loue of charyte dredeth / and euery lytel thyÌ„ge maketh hym aferde / in asmoche as he is depryued fro me / whiche gyue grete sykernes to suÌ„the a soule namely that hathe me by affeccyon of loue ¶ They proue this wel that be my wel beloued chyldreÌ„ / there maye nothyÌ„ge noye theyr soules / but they themsefe noye fendes / and ofteÌ„ tymes they be lefte bouÌ„de / may not complete the malyce / for the vertu and streÌ„gthe that I haue gyuen to them / to worke vpoÌ„ suche fendes ¶ Thy tongue is not suffycyent to tel the vertues of them / nor the eye of thy intelleccyon for to beholde the fruyte that they receyue in euer lastyÌ„ge lyfe ¶ They be as precious stones / and so they dwell in my syghte / for I haue receyued theyr labour / and the lyghte that they haue sende in with odour of vertu in to the mysteryall body of my spouse holy chyrche / and therfore I haue set theÌ„ in endelesse lyfe the neuer shall fayle / and in greate dygnyte ymonge the ordres of angels ¶ And they also receyue blessydnes and ioy in my meruaylous syght / for they gaue ensample of honest lyuynge / and with lyghte they dyd mynystre the lyghte of my onely sothefaste sones body blode / and also other sacramentes ¶ And therfore syngulerly they be moche loued of me / not onely bycause they haue mynystred my tresoure with mekenesse all other vertues whiche I haue put iÌ„ theyr hondes / but bycause they dyd cease neuer to reduce and brynge in beestes that were loste to the felde of holy chyrche / as good shepeherdes or curates sholde do ¶ For they dyd dyspose them for hoÌ„gre and helthe of soules / by affeccyon of loue to dye for soules / that they myght therby pull out soules out of the fendes daunger ¶ They were seke with seke men / that they sholde not fall to dyspayre / they dyd wepe also with wepers / ioyed with ioyers ¶ And so swetely they do couet to gyue to eche soule meet of his helth by coÌ„passyon ioyfulnesse / conseruynge them that were good by ioyenge of theyr vertuous lyuynge / confortynge them therin / they freted not themselfe not with enuy for theyr owne good lyuynge / but they were large in charyte to me and to all theyr subiectes / and they that were enfected / they drewe out charytably of theyr defautes / makynge theÌ„selfe vertuously ful of fautes / seke with theÌ„ as I haue sayd before so with holy and very coÌ„passyon / with charytable correccyon and penaunce for theyr defautes / they bare penaunce with them / that is for the loue that they had to theyr soules / they bare more peyne on themselfe by compassyon than they dyd receyue of them / and somtyme ther were some of theÌ„ that wolde bere the same
they trespas so of malyce more greuously thaÌ„ I do other but yf they amende them for they haue receyued of my goodnesse more thaÌ„ other / therfore whaÌ„ they trespas maliciously / they be worthy more peyne thaÌ„ another ¶ Thus thou may knowe se that suche wycked mynysters be deuylles / as I haue shewed that / / lyke as my chosen mynysters be angelles in erthe / doynge the offyces of angels ¶ How vnryghtwysenes reyneth iÌ„ yll mynysters / in theÌ„ specyally that correcke not theyr subiectes I Sayde to the that in my chosen mynysters shyneth a ghostely Margaryte stone of ryghtwysenes / ryghte so these wretched mynysters bere in theyr brestes vnryghtewysenesse / whiche vnryghtwysenesse cometh out of theyr owne propre loue / for by that propre loue they do vnryghtwysenes bot he agaynste theyr owne soules also agaynst me with de rknes of vndyscrecioÌ„ ¶ They yelde me no thaÌ„kes / to theÌ„ they yelde no honeste / good lyuyÌ„ge / nor desyre of helthe of soules / nor hongre of vertu / ther fore they trespas iÌ„ vnryghtwysenes agaynst theyr subtectes and neyghbours / they directe no defaute / but they be as blynde folke that wyl not knowe theyr defautes for vnordynate drede y they haue / for bycause they wolde dysplease creatures / in suche wyse they suffre them for to slepe and ly styll in theyr owne sekenesse ¶ They consydre not that all those whiche wyll please creatures in suche wyse / they dysplease bothe themsefe and me that am theyr maker ¶ And other whyle they do correcke the lesse defaute / bycause they wolde couer themselfe with a mantell of excusacyoÌ„ for doynge of suche lytell ryghtwysenesse / but they wyll not correcke the more defaute in greter ê‘sones / for drede that they haue in losyÌ„ge of theyr state / or therselfe / or theyr benefyce ¶ All other lesse ê‘sones that maye not noye them / nor dysease them / nor withdrawe theyr benefyce or state fro them / they do correcte ¶ This vnryghtwysenes is done with theyr owne ê“pre wretched loue / for a mannes propre loue enuenymeth all the worse / and the mysteryall body of all holy chyrche / and hathe made the orcharde of this spouse wylde / and hathe arayed it with stynkynge floures / the whiche orcharde was renued / whan my very trewe tyllers that is my mynysters that be holy were therin with many swete floures / for the lyfe of subiectes were not enuenymed than by the wretched lyuynge of curates / for ofte tyme it happeth that of wycked curates / subiectes be also wycked ¶ But nowe this spouse holy chyrche is full of dyuers thornes that is of all maner synnes not for it maye receyue in hâ—r the stynke of synnes / for the vertu of the holy sacrameÌ„tes maye receyue no hurte / but all those wretches that feden theÌ„selfe at the brest of this spouse / receyue in theyr soule the stynkyÌ„ge fylthe of synne / puttynge awaye fro them the worthy dygnyte that I set them in ¶ Not for the dygnyte of theÌ„ shold decrese / but for theyr wretched defautes / the blode of my sone is set lytell by / that is seculer men put awaye dewe reuereÌ„ce / thoughe they sholde not do so / that they sholde do to them for reuerence of that blode / and yet yf they do to them no dewe reuereÌ„ce as they ought for to do not withstondynge theyr wretchyd lyuynge theyr synne is the more / neuerthelesse these wretches be to theÌ„ a myrroure of wretchednesse / there they sholde be a myrroure of vertu ¶ Of many other defautes of that foresayde mynystres / specyally of goynge to tauerns / and of theyr vayne playes / and of holdynge of theyr concubynes AS thou thynkes wherby receyueth the soules of suche wretchyd mynisters suche fylthe of synÌ„e ¶ Certayne of theyr owne ê“pre sensualyte / for they haue made theyr owne sensualyte a lady with theyr owne ê“pre loue / theyr owne soule they haue made a tapster ¶ Notwithstondynge that / fyrste I made this soule fre / with the precyous blode of my onely sothefast sone Ihesu at the generall delyueraunce / whaÌ„ all mankynde was delyuered oute of the deuylles bondage and of his domynacyon ¶ This grace receyued euery reasonable creature / but all those that I haue anoynted to my specyal mynysters / I haue delyuered oute of worldely bondage / and put them onely for to serue me endelesse god / for to mynystre the sacramentes of holy chyrche / and I haue made theÌ„ so fre / that I wyll not that no temporall lorde Iudge theÌ„ ¶ And now thou sees dere doughter how they yelde me agayne for the good deed that I haue do to theÌ„ / the rewarde that they gyue me agayn is this / that euery daye they parsu me in ryghte many and dyuers cursed synnes / that thy tonge can not tell them / and yf thou herde them thou myghte not suffre them ¶ Neuerthelesse somewhat shall I tell the of theyr defautes / aboue that I haue tolde the / that thou maye haue the more cause of coÌ„passyon and waylynge ¶ They sholde stonde at the table of my holy crosse / ther for to be fedde with holy desyre / and to be noryshed with the meet of soules for my loue / and thoughe all creatures that haue reason sholde do the same / yet moche more my mynysters whome I haue chosen for to mynystre to you the body the blode of my onely sothefaste sone Ihesu / that also they gyue to you ensamsample of holy lyuynge ¶ And so by shewynge the doctryne of my sothefast sone Ihesu with holy desyre / they sholde receyue hongre of the helthe of youre soules / but they do no we the contrary / fro the table of the crosse / they entre to the table of tauernes / there they swere and forswere them openly / and done many other defautes / beynge so blynded wtout lyghte of reason ¶ They be also in deed lyghte and desolate fro there / and what theyr offyce is they knowe it not and yf ony tyme they sholde say theyr seruyce / it is is sayde rather with the mouthe than with the herte / for the herte is fer fro thense ¶ They be also trecherers and venyable rybaudes / and reuelers / after tyme they haue thus played with theyr soules in cursed lyuynge / and so put it to the fendes hondes / thaÌ„ they playe the temporall goodes and substauÌ„ce of holy chyrche / by the whiche poore folke sholde be releued / and to is holy chyrche begyled / and poore men defrauded / and it is no wondre / for bycause they themselfe be made the deuylles temples / therfore they fere nothynge my temple / but that same arayment that they sholde do in my temple / and in chyrche for the reuerence of my sones blode / they doâ—u in theyr houses where they do dwell ¶
And the worste of all is / that they with the goodes of holy chyrche araye theyr concubynes / as an husbande wolde aray his wyfe / so these incarnate deuylles of holy chyrche goodes aray theyr deuylles / that is theyr coÌ„cubynes / with whome they lyue vnclenly wyckedly / and wtout shame they make them go stonde come iÌ„ to that chyrche / whyles they be at the auter ¶ They take no thought thoughe theyr wretched deuylles do come to theyr hondes with other chyldren of holy chyrche / for to offre as other folke done ¶ O ye fendes / and yet more than fendes / ye sholde at the ofâ—e hyde youre synnes in the syghte of youre subiectes / for yf ye hyde it / that offeÌ„ce is to me alone / the harme to yourselfe ¶ But nowe ye do euyl to your neyghbours for to gyue theÌ„ suche ensamples of cursed lyuyÌ„ge / throwe youre ensample / they fall in to the same synnes or greter ¶ This also is another wyckednesse that they vse / they aryse erly by the morowe / with a defouled soule and a corrupte body that hathe layen all nyghte in deedly synÌ„e / they go and saye masse ¶ O deuylles tabernacle / where is the watche of the nyghte that sholde be waked with deuocyon dyuyne seruyce / where is contynual prayer and deuoute in the whiche thou sholde dyspose the aneÌ„des tyme / for the mystery that thou sholde do on the morowe / with knowlege of thyselfe to knowe thyselfe vnworthy to that offyce / also with knowlege of me / for of my goodnesse I haue made the a mynyster / not by thy deseruynge and merytes / but for my goodnesse I haue ordeyned the a mynyster for to mynystre to my creatures the sacrameÌ„tes of holy chyrche ¶ How the synÌ„e agaynst kynde reyneth in some of the foresayde mynysters / and of a fayre vysyon whiche the soule hadde vpon this mater DEre doughter I make the knowe that I requyre so greate purete of you and of them in this blessyd sacrament / as maye be hadde to man in this lyfe / and therfore asmoche as you maye on youre syde and on theyr syde / eche of you sholde contynually with all youre myghte wynne suche purete / and thynke yf it were possyble an anâ—els kynde to be puryfyed to that mystery it were ryghte necessary / but it is not possyble / they nede not to be puryfyed / for in them maye neuer fall the venym of synne ¶ This I saye the that thou maye knowe what cleÌ„nesse and purere I requyre bothe of you and of them in this worshypful sacrament / and namely of them that be my mynysters / but they do the contrary / for al they be vnclene / and no onely of vnclennes and freylte to the whiche ye be prone and redy of youre owne freyle nature ¶ But they wretches be so vnclene / that they do the wycked synÌ„e agaynst kynde / and as blynde fooles of theyr intelleccyon they knowe not the fylthe stynkynge wretchednesse that they be in ¶ And it dyspleaseth not onely me that am endelesse purete / the whiche synne is so abhomynable to me / that for the synne by my Iudgement fyue Cetees were ouer tourned / for I myghte not suffre the vyle stynke of that cursed synne nâ— longer / it dysplesed me somoche not onely me as I sayde but it dyspleseth deuylles not bycause the euyll dothe dysplease theÌ„ / that god sholde please them but bycause theyr nature was somtyme angels nature / and therfore that nature escheweth to se that actuall cursed synne / thoughe it so were that the fende thre we fyrst an arowe to them enuenymed with the venym of concupyssence ¶ But whan they come to the dort of that cursed synne / than he gothe his way for the cause that I haue tolde the / for yf thou remembre the I towe the how that cursed synne somtyme before the incarnacyon myslyked me / for all the worlde was corrupte thaÌ„ therof ¶ And thaÌ„ thou lyfted vp thy selfe aboue thy selfe with holy desyre where I shewed the all the worlde / and iÌ„ that syghte thou sawe that almoste euery parsone was corrupte with that wretched synne / and thou knowes well that it was so greate a peyne to the for to se it / for to smell the stynke of that synne in thy soule / that the semed it shold be thy dethe / for thou dyd se no place wher thou other of my seruauÌ„tes myght stoÌ„de for corrupcyoÌ„ / that this lepre sholde not defoule you / nor to enfecte you ¶ Thou dyd se no place where thou myghte stoÌ„de nother ymonge small nor greate / yonge nor olde / clerkes nor relygyous / prelates nor subiectes / lordes nor seruauntes / but all these were defouled bothe body and soule of this cursed synne ¶ This I shewed the thaÌ„ in generall / I tell the not what they be in specyall / for whose vnryghtwysenesse / I withholde yet my ryghtwysenesse / for I coÌ„mauÌ„de not stones to oppresse theÌ„ / nor the erthe to deuoure them / nor beestes to dystroy them / nor fendes for to bere them awaye bothe body and soule ¶ But I fynde wayes for to shewe theÌ„ mercy yf they wyll amende theÌ„ and for intercessoures bytwene me and them / I sende my seruauÌ„tes suche as be vndefouled in that cursed synne / and in all other deedly synnes / for to praye for them to me / otherwhyle I shall shewe them suche wretched synnes for to make them more besy aboute theyr soule he le / with the more coÌ„passyon for to offre theÌ„ to me by prayer / for it is a ryght cursed synÌ„e ¶ I shewed the but one sparcle of the styÌ„ke of that synne / thou was broughte to suche a plyte / that thou myght no loÌ„ger suffre to bere it / therfore thou sayde thus to me ¶ O endeles fader haue mercy vpon me on thy creatures / orelles take my soule out of my body / for I maye nomore / therfore refresshe me endeles fader / and shewe me in what place I thy seruauÌ„tes maye rest vs / that this lepre noye vs not / nor take away fro vs purete bothe of body of soule ¶ I answered the thus tourned to the the eye of my pyte and sayde and yet saye ¶ Doughter youre reste is in gyuynge to my holy name ioye and praysynge / and besy you in that ye can and maye for to throwe encens to me of contynuall prayer / for these wretches that haue put themselfe in somoche wretchednesse makynge theÌ„selfe vnworthy to be my mynysters / 〈◊〉 that cursed synne ¶ The place there ye sholde stonde / is cryste crucyfyed my onely sothefast sone Ihesu / there sholde ye dwell / hyde you in that holes of his wouÌ„des / namely in the grete wouÌ„de of his syde / in the whiche wouÌ„de by affeccyon of loue ye sholde be
rekenynge / therfore ryghtwysely of me they shall receyue as they haue deserued ¶ How that synÌ„e of Lechery reygneth in euyll mynysters of holy chyrche DEre doughter some maner of â—â—arcle I haue shewed the of that wretched lyuynge of them whiche do lyue in holy relygyon with howmoche wretchednesse they dwell in theyr order / as raumpynge wolues in shepes clotynge ¶ Now I shall tell the of clerkes seculer mynysters of holy chyrche / that thou also may haue ruthe and compassyon of theyr mysruled lyuyÌ„ge ¶ Thre pyllers of synnes ther be / of the whiche I tolde the in another place / wherof I shall make my complaynt to the / one is of vnclennesse / another is of hyghe prâ—de / the thyrde is of greate couetyse that reygneth ymoÌ„ge them / for they sell the grace of the holy ghost / as I haue sayd before ¶ Eche of these thre vyces / one foloweth and is dependauÌ„t vpon another / and the fundamente and grounde of these thre wretched pyllers / is propre loue of themselfe ¶ These thre wretched pyllers the whyle they stonde vpryghte that is to saye that they fall not downe by loue of vertu / they be suffycyent ynought for to holde styfly an obstynate soule in ony maner vyce / for euery vyce as I sayde spryngeth of the propre loue ¶ Of propre loue the pryncypal vyce of pryde spryngeth / and a proude man is depryued fro the loue of pure charyte / and so fro pryde / he cometh to vnclennesse and auaryce / and thus they chayne theÌ„selfe with the deuyls chayne togyder ¶ Se now dere doughter with what wretchednesse of vnclennesse they defoule bothe theyr bodyes and soules / as I haue tolde the in another place ¶ But nowe of another thynge wyll I tell the that thou maye the better knowe the wel of my mercy / and that also thou maye the rather haue coÌ„passyon of theÌ„ ¶ Ther be some that be so deuyll lyke / that not onely they take that blessyd sacrament in vnreuerence / wherin I haue sette theÌ„ for to mynyster it worthely / after the excellence that I haue sette them in / but they for the loue that they haue to certayne creatures / yf they may not optayne as they wolde haue / they wyll haue theÌ„ with charmes and incautacyons of fendes / with the blessyd sacrament that is gyuen to you for meet of lyue / they worke therwith malycyously for to fulfyl theyr vnhoneste and wretched thoughtes / and that they maye ther by the soner brynge theyr wylles to effecte / and those beestes that be vnder theyr cure whome they sholde fede bothe iÌ„ body and soule ¶ With suche maner wyse they tourmente and in many other maners whiche I ouerpasse / that thou haue the more peyne in heryÌ„ge of suche myseryes ¶ By suche mysruled gouernaunce they renne out of theyr myndes / and that causeth the fende that is incarnate within them / for to tell the in specyall how he dothe this suche other wretchednes / it is not spedeful that I tell the. ¶ But generally I tell the theyr lyfe is ryght wretched and dyshonest ¶ O dere doughter the flesshe that is exalted aboue all the orders of angels oned with my dyuyne nature / suche wretches gyuen it to suche cursed wretchednes ¶ O abhomynable and wretched man / and yet not a man but a beest / that thy flesshe whiche is oned to and halowed / gyues to comune women / yet thou gyues it a wors thyÌ„ge / fro thy flesshe and fro all mankynde / the wounde of synne was take awaye vpon the crosse / whiche wounde Adam by his synne broughte in ¶ O wretche to the my sone dyd worshyp / and thou does vnworshyp to hym / he heled thy wouÌ„de with his blode / and therto made the a specyall mynyster of the same blode / and thou smytes hym agayne with wretched synnes ¶ That good shepeherde wasshed his beestes in his blode / thou defoules them that be pure clene / that does thy power for to caste them in to fylthe / thou sholde be a myrroure of honeste / thou arte a myrrour of dyshoneste ¶ All the lymmes of thy body you hase put to wretched workes / thou does the coÌ„trary of it that my sothefastnesse hathe do to the. ¶ I haue suffred that he sholde be youre drynke with gall eysell / thou as an vnordynate mysse ruled beest delytes the in delycate meetes drynkes / makyÌ„ge thy wombe a god ¶ I suffred that his eyen sholde be blyndefelde for to yllumyne the / and thou with slyper syghtes in thy soule beholdes venemous dartes / and also in the hertes of them / in whome thou lecherously beholdes ¶ In thy tongue do dwel dyshonest and vayne wordes / with thy tongue thou arte bounde to correcke ameÌ„de thy neyghbour / for to tell hym and teche hyÌ„ my worde / and for to saye thy seruyce bothe with tongue with herte / I fele nothyÌ„ge elles but stynke sylthe / sweryÌ„ge forswerynge / as it were a baratour ofte tymes it blasphemeth me ¶ I dyd suffre also that his hoÌ„des sholde be bouÌ„de / that bothe they and al maÌ„kynde he sholde lose and vndo fro the bonde of synne ¶ And thy hondes be anoynted and halowed for to mynyster that blessyd sacrament / but thou in wretched and ryghte vyle touchynges does vse thy hondes / all thy workes the whiche de vnderstonde by thy hondes ben corrupte and put to the deuyls seruyce ¶ O wretche I haue putte the in so greate dygnyte for to serue me onely / and thou dyd dysceyue bothe me and the all reasonable creatures ¶ I suffred his feet to be fastned makynge to the of his body a ladder for to asceÌ„de vp to mercy therby / his syde was opened / for to make these the pryuyte of his herte ¶ I put hyÌ„ all to you as an open shoppe / where ye myght se and tast the meruaylous loue that I hadde to you / fyndynge there also my dyuyne nature oned in youre kynde / there maye thou se that of the blode whiche thou does mynyster to me / I haue gyuen the a bathe / the youre wyckednes maye be wasshed awaye therby / thou of thy herte hase made the deuylles teÌ„ple ¶ For thy feet whiche be thy affeccyoÌ„ bere thy soule to none other place / but to the deuylles place ¶ Thus with al thy body thou smytes the body of my sone Ihesu / doynge the contrary to hym that he dothe to the / to whome thou and al creatures be hyghly bouÌ„de ¶ All these instrumentes of thy body do sowne to euyll / for all that myghtes of the soule be gadered togyder in the name of the deuyll / and not in that name of me ¶ Thy mynde sholde be full occupyed / with the benefytes of me whiche thou hase receyued / thou does the contrary
this is sothe / that of my house whiche sholde be a house of prayer / nowe is made a denne for theues / they by and sell therin / and make marchaundyse of the grace of the holy ghoste / for they wyll haue greate prelaces and bene fyces of holy chyrche / they bye thē with grete gyftes ¶ And thus they plāte in the orcharde of holy chyrche this stynkynge plante ¶ Thus in this wyse bothe the byer and the seller do vse falsenesse dysceyte / there as they sholde go vpryght and vse al maner of truthe ¶ Yf the vycar of my sone knewe this / he wolde correcke them / and take fro them theyr offyces bothe of the byer and of the seller and yf they amēde theyr wretched lyuynge / it shall be lawfull for them to receyue theyr benefyces agayne ¶ He that boughte it sholde be put in pryson / so for to amēde his defautes / and that other maye take ensample therof / that they do not the same ¶ Yf the vycar of my sone do this in erthe / he dothe duly and yf he do it not it shall not be vnpunyshedde whan he shall yelde his rekenynge to me for his offyces ¶ Byleue me dere doughter / in these dayes it is not punyshed / and therfore my chyrche stondeth in grete defautes and full efabhomynacyons / for the vycar of my sone sercheth not the lyuynge of them whan prelacy is gyuē to them whether they be good or yl ¶ And yf they enquyre ony thȳge of theyr good cōuersacyon / they aske of suche as be yll as they be / for they be holde nothȳge elles in thē / but the greatenesse of theyr astates / worthynesse of the worlde and rychesse / and that they be greate spekers the worst of all is otherwhyle they wyll choke the offycers with golde / and commēde the same man to thē / the holy chyrche hathe of hȳ a semely prelate ¶ Here good doughter be the deuylles workes / for there as they shold enquyre of vertuous lyuȳge fayrenes of vertu / they beholde onely that semelynes fayrenesse of body / they sholde serche after meke men poore for to auaunce them / suche as forsake benefices / they take veyne people and proude ¶ They serche not onely after cunnynge and cunnynge is ryghte good and parfyte there as it is felyshypped with honest lyuynge very mekenesse ¶ Yf cunnynge be in a proude man / that is also dyshonest cursed of lyuȳge / that cunnynge is venym / for suche one vnderstondeth holy wryte none otherwyse but after the letter / ī derkenesse he vnderstōdeth it / for he hathe loste the lyght of reason / and his eye of intelleccyon is blynded ¶ In the whiche lyghte with lyghte aboue nature / was declared vnderstōde holy wrytte of worthy doctours / as I haue sayde before ¶ Thus thou maye se that cunnynge is good in it selfe but not in suche one for he lyueth not ther after / but his cūnȳge is to hym fyre of endelesse dampnacyō / but yf he amēde his lyfe ¶ And therfore they sholde rather beholde to holy lyuynge / than to a cūnynge man that lyueth euyll / they do the contrary / for all those that be good / vertuous / and also cunnynge / they holde them fooles of poore folke for to auaunce them they haue indygnacyon ¶ Therfore thou maye se that ī my house whiche shold be a house of prayer / and in the whiche sholde shyne the ghostly Margaryte stone of ryghtwysenesse / and lyghte of cūnynge / with honest holy lyuynge / and swete smell of truthe / and now aboundeth the synne of lesynges ¶ They sholde haue wylfull pouerte with very besynesse for to cōserue soules / and to pull them out fro the deuylles hondes / and they gader rychesse sette theyr besynesse more aboute temporal goodes / thā aboute ghostly goodes / and they take hede to none other thynge than to myrthes and games / and for to encrese and multyply temporall substaūce / and they wretches do not consyder that this is a maner of losynge of tēporall goodes / for yf the abounded in vertues / token vpon thē ghostly besynesse as they sholde do they shold haue temporal goodes ynowe ¶ They sholde fuffre deed mē to bury theyr deed men / and they sholde sewe me and my doctryne and fulfyll my wyll / the is for to do that thynge that I haue ordeyned them to / but they do all the contrary / for deedly thynges and trāsytory thȳges they bury in themselfe with a mys ruled besynesse and affeccyon / and they do take vpon them worldely mennes besynesse ¶ Thus is to me a greate dysplesaunce / and a greate hynderaunce to holy chyrche / they sholde leue suche thynges to the worlde / suffre one of thē bury an other ¶ A deed man is vnderstonde in two maners / one is whā a man of holy chyrche mynystreth and gouerneth temporall goodes with deedly synne of vnordynate loue affeccyon ¶ Another is for to excersyce onely bodyly workes and leue ghostly / for the body in hymselfe is deedly and hathe no lyfe / but that it hathe of that soule / and as longe as the soule is in the body / so longe it receyueth lyue and no longer / therfore suche bodyly workes onely be deed ¶ Wherfore my specyall anoynted seruauntes and mynysters that sholde lyue as angels / sholde leue deed thȳges to deed thynges they sholde gouerne soules that be quycke thynges and dye neuer / as to the beynge of thē gouernynge them and mynystrynge to them the sacramentes of holy chyrche / graces of the holy ghost / thē fedynge with ghostly meet and and godly lyuȳge ¶ And in this wyse my house sholde be a house of prayer / aboundynge in graces and vertues / bycause they do not thus but rather the contrary I maye saye that it is made a denne of theues / for there they bye and sell as marchauntes / and it is made a receyuȳge place of beestes / for they lyue as wylde beestes vnhonestly ¶ And therfore therof they haue made a stable for theyr lyenge in the fylthe of dyshoneste / so they holde with them ther in the chyrche theyr deuylles / as a spouse holdeth his wyfe ¶ Thus thou maye knowe howmoche euyl is vsed ymōge thē / and yet moche more without ony cōparyson thā I haue tolde yu. ¶ How pryde reygneth in the foresayde mynysters / by the whiche pryde the felynge in god is loste / and whan that felynge is awaye / than fall they to this faute that is to saye suche mē do feyne them to make consecracyon / they make none NOw I wyll tell the of that thyrde pyller that is pryde and thoughe I haue set it laste / yet it is better laste than fyrste / for al vyces come of pryde / lyke as all vertues do come of charyte
not to kepe a hounde that sholde berke agaynst the wolfe that cometh to the shepe / but suche one he holdeth in kepynge as he is ¶ And so these mynysters and shepeherdes be that cause that they haue no besynesse themselfe aboute thē / they wyll not haue the hounde of conscyence / nor the state of ryghtewysenesse / nor the rodde of cōreccyon it is no wonder for theyr owne conscyence wyll not barke agaynste theyr owne defautes / and therfore they can not well vndernyme theyr subiectes that be spred a brode in mysse ruled lyuȳge / wherfore the hell wolfe deuoureth theym ¶ Yf they wolde suffer the hounde of conscyence to barke / and they to take theyr defautes vpō them with the staffe of holy ryghtwysenesse / they sholde auoyde theyr shepe out of the deuyls crouches / and brynge them home agayne to the folde / but bycause suche shepeherdes be without the roodde and hounde of barkynge conscyence / theyr shepe do peryshe / it is no wonder thoughe the hounde of theyr conscyence barke not / for he is made feble for defaute of meet ¶ The meet that sholde be gyuē to this hounde of conscyence / sholde be the meet of my vndefouled lambe Ihesu cryst / for yf the mynde be full of his precyous bloode / the conscyence is fedde therw t / that is for mynde of that blode the soule is strengthed to hate vyces / and for to loue vertues / whiche hate whiche loue do puryfy the soule fro the fylthe of deedly syn̄e / it gyueth so greate strengthe to the cōscyence that is noryshed therby / that as soone as ony enemy of the soule whiche is synne wyll enter in / anone the conscyence as an hounde barketh agaynst it eycyteth reason to helpe hȳ for to do ryghtwysenesse agaynst hym / for he that hathe cōscyence hathe ryghtwysenesse / therfore all suche vnworthy mynysters the whiche be worthy to be called vnreasonable creatures for they be lyke to beestes in theyr lyuȳge / it may not be sayde of thē that they haue the hounde of cōscyence / nor the staffe of ryghtwysenesse / nor the that rodde of correccyon / for they haue somoche fere / that they be afrayde of eueri shadowe not for holy drede but seruyle drede ¶ And that cause is that they be encūbred with theyr owne mysse lyuynge / they sholde dyspose them to dethe / for to delyuer theyr shepe fro the fēdes hōdes / they thēselfe fēde thē to the fende / not gyuȳge thē doctrine of good lyuȳge / nor they wyll not suffer one worde of wrōge for thē / oftetymes it happeth that the soule of his subiecte is encūbred with ryght greuous synnes / he taketh no hede to the / but to his householde / he ordeyneth rather the another wretched preest shall here the confessyon of suche a troubled soule thā he hȳselfe / whiche hathe the charge therof ¶ O what wretched leche is he to whom is cōmytted the cure of soules / wyll not do his dewte / he shold lyue that he myght fulfyll his dewte ymōge his subiectes / but suche a wretche hathe fere to do his dewte / other for a worde that is sayde to hym of wrēge / or for drede / or suche other that he dare not fulfyll his charge / so that what for drede what for dysplesaūre / he shall leue that soule in that deuyls hondes armes / and dare not saye hym the sothe / in that wyse shall he take hym the body and the blode of my onely sothefaste sone Ihesu / and veryly seeth he that / that he is not losed fro that derkenesse of deedly synnes / and yet neuerthelesse for plesaūce of worldely men / and for a mysse ruled drede / or for some gyfte / or by the queste that he receyueth of hym / he mynystreth to hym the sacrament / and yet ther to he buryeth the same cursed man in holy chyrche with grete worshyp / where they sholde rather throwe hȳ out as a beest / or as a membre cut fro the mysteryall body of holy chyrche ¶ Who is cause of this ¶ Certayne proper loue / and the hornes of pryde / for yf they dyd loue me aboue al thȳges / also the soule of that wretche for me / they themselfe also were meke / than without seruyle drede / they wolde be dylygent aboute the helthe of that wretched soule ¶ Sees thou not what euylles do folowe these thre vyces / whome I put to the as thre pyllers / of whome all other synnes do come / that is pryde / coueryse / and vnclennesse / bothe of theyr bodyes and vf theyr soules / thy ere 's be not suffycyent to here those euylles that do come of these thre pyllers / as they dyd come fro the deuylles mēbres / for pryde they do many dyshonestes moche couetysenesse / as somtyme thou dyd knowe to whom suche thynges dyd happe / thou knowes wel somtyme ther were certayne parsones of good feythe and of good lyuynge / whiche were taryed in thē selfe with certayne dredes / wenȳge that they had in thē a wycked spyryte / they comen to a wretched preest / supposynge to be delyuered there of by his counseyle / and he as a couetous man receyueth gyftes of thē / also as a dyshonest wretched mā spake to thē of dyshonest wretched lynnes sayēge thus to them this defaute the ye fuffre maye not be heled but ī suche a wyse so wolde wretchedly haue do cursed synne with thē ¶ O deuyll aboue all deuyls / in all thȳges thou arte worse thā a deuyll ¶ There be many deuylles that hate that synne / thou that arte worse thā he walowes therin / as a hogge in that myre ¶ O vnclene beest / is it the thynge that I aske of the / I ordeyned the tor to put out deuyls out of soules by the vertu of my sones blode / but thou puttes in deuyls ¶ Sees thou not wretche how the axe of my ryghtewysenesse is sette at the roote of thy tree ¶ One thȳge I saye to the / that suche thynges sholde stōde to the to vsury / for one tyme shall be that I shall aske the bothe of mysspēdȳge of thy tyme of thy place but yf thou amende the punyshe thy wyckednesse here with penaūce cōtrycyon of herte I shal not spare the thoughe thou be a preest / but more wretchedly shall thou be punyshed / and greater peyne shall be putte to the / more cruelly than to other ¶ Than loke thou whether thou can put awaye the deuyll fro the / with the deuyll of couetyse ¶ Ther was also another wretche / yet is suche to whome creatures the be bounde in deedly synne come to for to be assoyled and losed of those synnes / they bynde thē faster ī some other synne lyke them or greater / with newe fyndynges and wayes of
/ and of the temple of theyr soules / of holy chyrche / whiche sholde be my specyal orcharde / they make a place for to receyue beestes ¶ O my dere doughter how abhomynable is this to me / that theyr houses whiche sholde be a receyuyÌ„ge place of poore meÌ„ of my seruauntes / and it sholde be a place for my spouse / therin to teche preche / and therin bokes to be kepte of holy maters and seyntes lyues / and they to delyte them therin / and for to gyue ensample of holy lyuyÌ„ge to theyr neyghbours / they make them receyuynge places of vnclennesse / and of wycked parsones / and there they do not trete of chastyte / but of auoutry / therin they lodge theyr concubynes / with whome they lyue vnclenly ¶ Theyr bokes they be not for to study vpon / but the syght of theyr chyldren / with they theyr chyldren that they haue goten with suche wretchednesse withoute ony shame / they haue greate delyte therin ¶ On holy dayes / on solempne dayes whan they sholde yelde praysynge to my name iÌ„ dyuyne seruyce / and for to offer to me the presentes of meke deuoute prayer / than they go to playe with theyr incarnate deuylles / and with seculers hawkynge huÌ„tynge / as thoughe they were seculers or teÌ„porall lordes ¶ O wretched man wherto arte thou comen nowe / thou sholde hunte and hauke after soules / for the worshyp and reuerence of my name / and stonde in the orcharde of holi chyrche to preche / and thou goes aboute in wodes and feldes ¶ But bycause thou arte a beest / thou lodges beâ—stes of deedly synnes within thy soule / and therfore thou arte become an hunter and hauker of beestes / by the whiche the gardayne of thy soule is made wylde and full of thornes / therfore thou delytes the to walke in deserte places / for to serche after wylde beestes ¶ Se thou defouled maÌ„ and beholde thy defautes / for thou hase a ryghte greate cause to be a shamed / on what syde the euer thou turnes the on / but thou arte not a shamed / for thou hase loste the drede of me / as a comune woman thou arte not ashamed / thou makes greate bostes and crakes that thou hase greate states in the worlde / that thou hase a fayre meyne and a grete nomber of chyldren ¶ And yf thou haue them not / thou wyl haue them yf thou maye / that thou may haue heyres after the. ¶ But thou thefe thou knowes ryghte well that thou maye nothynge leue to them / for thy heyres be poore men of holy chyrche ¶ O thou wycked and incarnate deuyll / withoute the pure lyghte thou serches that thynge the whiche thou sholde not serche ¶ Thou makes greate bostes of thynges / of the whiche thou sholde be ashamed before me / that se the pryuyte of thy herte / and also before all creatures ¶ Thou arte all shent / and yet the hornes of thy pryde wyll not fuffer the to se thy owne confusyon ¶ O dere doughter I haue sette hym vpon the brydge of doctryne of my onely sothfast sone Ihesu for to mynyster to you pylgrymes the sacramentes of holy chyrche / and he stondeth in the wretched floode vnder the brydge / and in the floodes of delyces wretchednesse of the worlde / they mynystre the sacramentes to you ¶ And they coÌ„syder not that the floode of dethe is come to hym / in the whiche floode he shall be drowned with his lordes that be fendes / whome he hathe serued ¶ To that endelesse dampnacyon shall he go / but he amende hym here / with greate reprefe shame / the whiche thy tongue is not suffycyent for to tell / and moche more he than ony other seculer / for the same synne that is in a seculer man shall be moore punyshed in hym / thaÌ„ in a seculer man / and with more reprefe of his enymyes / that do aryse agaynst hym in the ende of his dethe ¶ This fyfte chapyter speketh of the dyfference of the dethe of ryghtfull men ¶ Also of the dethe of greate synners and of theyr peynes in the ende or poynt of theyr dethe ¶ And a repetycyoÌ„ of moche more that is sayde after / and of dyuers many other maters / as it is specyfyed in the kalender before Ca. v. BIcause I tolde the how thou worlde / deuyls / and proper sensualyte shal accuse hym / therfore now I shal tell the of these wretches / how grete it is bytwene the dethe of a synner / and the dethe of a ryghtwyse man / for the dethe of a ryghtwyse man is in greate peas / more or lesse after the ê‘fyte lyuynge of his soule ¶ Therfore I wyll that thou knowe that al the peynes that reasonable creatures haue is in wyl of theÌ„ / for yf theyr wyll were well ruled and ordynately set / and acorded with my wyll / it sholde suffer no peyne ¶ I saye not therfore theyr labour sholde be take awaye fro them / but to that wyll that suffreth wylfully for my loue shall no peyne be / for he bereth it gladly / seynge that it is my wyll / of that holy hate whiche they haue of them selfe / they haue warre with the worlde with the fende / and with theyr owne propre sensualyle ¶ And whaÌ„ they come to the poynt of dethe / theyr dyenge is in peas / for theyr enemyes iÌ„ theyr lyues were ouercome iÌ„ ghostly batayle ¶ The worlde maye not accuse hym / for he knewe his dysceytes / therfore he forsoke the worlde / and all his delyces / his freyle sensualyte and his flesshe accused hyÌ„ not / for he helde hym vnder the brydell of reason / as a seruauÌ„t chastysynge the flesshe with penaunce / with wakynge with meke coÌ„tynuall prayer / his sencyble wyll he dyd slee with hate and dysplesaunce of synne and loue of vertu / dystryenge in al wyse the tendernesse of the flesshe / whiche tendernesse and loue that naturally is bytwene the body and the soule / maketh dethe to appere the harder / therfore naturally a man dredeth dethe ¶ But bycause that vertu is in a parfyte ryghtwyse man / he passeth nature the is to say he that sleeth the drede whiche is naturall and kyndely / and ouerpasseth it with very holy hate / and with desyre to come to his ende / for the naturall teÌ„dernesse of the flesshe can not make warre / where the conscyence stoÌ„deth in quyetnesse ¶ The cause of a quyet consyence / is in a mannes dyenge / bycause by his lyfe he hadde good kepynge / barkynge whan enemyes came by and wolde entre the Cytee of the soule / as an hounde stoÌ„dynge at the gate that seeth enemyes barketh / and so by his barkynge awaketh the kepers / in this same wyse this hounde of the conscyence waketh the keper of reasoÌ„ / therfore
bothe cōsyēce fre choyse togyder / knewe well ynoughe by lyght of ītelleccyō / who was his frende who was his enemy ¶ To the frēde that is to vertuous and holy thoughtes of the herte they gaue loue affeccyon of loue / excercysynge thē with greate ghostly besynesse ¶ And to the enemy that is to vyces shrewde thoughtes / they gaue hate dysplesaunce / and with the swerde of loue / hate / and with the lyght of reason / and the hōde of fre choyse / they smyte myghtely theyr enemyes / so that afterwarde in the poynt of of dethe / the conscyence freteth not hȳselfe / for he hathe made good kepynge / and so stōdeth ī peas / neuertheles a soule of mekenesse vndernymeth hymselfe in the tyme of dethe / for that tyme he knoweth clerely the tresour of his tyme / and the precyous ghostly stones of vertu / consderȳge than the he hathe excercysed that tyme ryghtely tell / yet that is no peyne that tourmenteth hym / but it is a peyne that impugneth hym / for it maketh the soule to gader all hole in to herselfe / puttynge before her the blode of the meke and vndefouled lābe my onely sothefast sone Ihesu / and he turneth hȳ not to his vertues that he hathe vsed before / for he wyl not nor he may not hope in his vertues / but onely in that blode / ī the whiche he fyndeth my mercy / and as he hathe lyued in his lyfe / hauȳge mȳde of my blode so in his dethe / he shall be fulfylled with the same / made drunke ther with / and he forsaketh than hȳselfe in that blode ¶ Fendes maye not than vndernyme hym of synnes / for the malyce of them he ouercame in his lyfe with wysedome / yet they came for to se hym / yf they myght thā ony thynge wynne / and of them cometh in a mānes dethe horryble syghtes to make hym afrayde with theyr foule lokynge / and with many dyuers fantases ¶ But bycause in the soule is no venyme of syn̄e / theyr lokȳge shall in no wyse make thē afrayde / as they shall make suche afrayde the haue lyued in the worlde wyckedly ¶ Whan the fendes do se that suche a soule is entred in to crystes blode with feruent charyte they maye not suffre that / but they stonde all a fer throwynge to the soule dattes / yet theyr batayle / theyr warre / theyr greate cryes maye not noye it / bycause the soule begynneth to taste endelesse lyfe in heuen / for with the eye of intellecyon / he hathe the clere lyght of holy feythe / that is me that am his infynyte good / whiche he hopeth to haue of grace not of dewte but in the vertu of my sones blode shed in his passyon / and therfore the same soule spredeth out his armes of hope / and with the hōdes of loue clyppeth that bolde to hȳ / entrynge in to the possessyon therof / or than he be therin ¶ Howmoche galdnes trowes thou receyueth than a soule that seeth hymselfe parfytely come to this peas / for he tasteth of the good of angels kynde / and ryghte as he lyued in charytable fraternyte with his neyghboure / ryght so he than receyueth the good of all trewe tasters fo charyte / eche of thē with other / generally all suche as do passe oute of this worlde so swetely / receyuen this thynge ¶ But my mynysters of whome I tolde / the whiche dyd lyue as angels ī erthe / they receyue of it moche more / for ī this lyfe they dyd lyue with more knowlege and with more honger of my worshyp helthe of soules ¶ I saye not that they do receyue onely of the lyghte of vertu purely whiche generally al maye haue but these had the lyghte of of cunnynge added to the lyght of vertuous lyuynge / the whiche is a lyghte aboue kynde / by the whiche cunnynge they knowe more of my truthe / and he that moche knoweth moche loueth / he the moche loueth more receyueth Your mede is mesured to you after the mesure of loue / for one that hathe no cūnynge this is not comunely sayde of all but of certayne specyall folke / and yet they receyue more worthynesse by state of theyr preestheed / for properly to them it is gyuen for to hōger soules for my worshyp thoughe it longeth to all in generall for all sholde stōde in the dewe loue of charyte of neyghbourheed ¶ But these that be my mynysters / is gyuen mynystracyon of my sones precyous blode and geuernaunce of soules / all suche that be so besy with affeccyon of vertu / sholde receyue more thā other ¶ O how blessyd be theyr soules whā they come to the poynt of dethe / for they were shewers and defenders of the feythe for theyr neyghbours ¶ Also they haue incorporate the same feythe in the pythe of theyr soules / with the whiche feythe they se theyr places in me ¶ The hope also that they lyuen with / hopynge in my prouydence / losynge the hope of theyr owne truste / that is not hopynge in theyr owne proper conceyte / by the whiche losse of theyr owne truste / they sette no ordynate affeccyon in no maner creature / nor in no maner create thȳge / for they do lyue ryght poore wylfully / wherfore that same blessyd hope they dyd extende to me with greate delyte ¶ The herte also of them whiche is a vessell of loue that bare my name aboute with ryght feruent and brennynge charyte / techynge and prechynge bothe with ensample of good and holy lyuynge and doctryne to his neyghboure / aryseth with meruaylous loue / and clyppeth me with affeccyon of loue that am his ende / bryngynge to me the Margaryte stone of ryghtewysenesse / for euer he bare that precyous ghostly stone before hym / doynge to euery creature ryghtwysenesse / and yeldynge his dewte dyscretely / and therfore he yeldeth to me with very mekenesse ryghtwysenesse / he yeldeth also ioy presȳge to my name / to hymselfe he yeldeth indygnacyon / holdynge hymselfe vnworthy to receyue so greate grace ¶ His conscyence also yeldeth to me good wytnesse / I yelde to hym the corowne of ryghtewysenesse arayed and set with Margaryte stones of vertu / that is of the fruyte that his charyte drewe out of vertu ¶ O erthely angell all this is good to the / for thou was neuer vnkynde of the benefytes that thou receyued of me / nor thou was neuer ygnoraūte nor neclygent / but besyly with very lyghte thou hadde the eye of thy intelleccyon open vpon thy subiectes / and as a trewe and a māly shepeherde thou folowes the doctryne of the very shepeherde Ihesu cryste my onely sothefaste sone and lambe / and therfore thou goes by hym all bathed in his blode with the flocke of thy beestes / whome by thy holy lyuynge and techȳge many of them thou base
THan that soule all breÌ„nynge in loue / and ghostly drunke / was wonderly wounded in herte of so greate bytternesse / and so feruent in loue and langorynge / vertuously turned her all hole to the souerayne endelesse goodnesse of good / sayde thus ¶ O endelesse god / one lyghte aboue all other lyghtes / of whom cometh all lyghtes / and fyre passyÌ„ge all fyres / for thou arte that fyre that brennes and wastes not / but thou consumes all synne / and the propre loue that thou fyndes iÌ„ a soule / and yet thou does not waste it playnly / but thou fyghtes agaynste it with vnsacyable loue / for thoughe thou dyd fyll it / yet is it not full / but euer it desyreth more and more of thy louely fyre ¶ O souerayne endeles and good he styrred the or moued the infynyte god so for to illumyne me thy creature / that thou shall haue ende with the lyghte of thy truthe ¶ Thou thy selfe arte that same fyre / and cause of loue / for euer he is loue that moued the and moueth yet / to make vs of noughte to the ymage and lykenesse of the / and for to do vs mercy O goodnesse aboue all goodnesse / thou arte onely he that arte moste souerayne good / and yet neuerthelesse thou hase gyuen thy onely sothefast sone Ihesu cryste to vs / for to be coÌ„uersaunte ymonge vs that be ful of siynkynge and vyle synnes derkenesse ¶ Who was the causer of this ¶ Certayne loue / for thou loued vs or that we were ¶ O good god and euerlastyÌ„ge in magnyfysence / thou made thyselfe lowe lytell to make vs mykell ¶ On what syde that euer I turne me I fynde none other than the depenesse and fyre of thy most swete charyte / whether I shal be that wretche that shall yelde thaÌ„kynges to thy feruent charyte and loue that thou hase shewed and yet shewes to vs / that is so greate brennyÌ„ge loue in specyal / aboue comune loue and charyte that thou shewes to creatures ¶ Nay but thou alone swete and louely fader arte he that shall take thankynge of thy endeles goodnesse for me / that is that the affeccyon of thy charyte alone shall yelde thankynges to the / for I am she that am noughte / and yf I sayd I were oughte of myselfe I sholde ly on myselfe / and I sholde be called the lyenge doughter of the fende / the whiche is fader of lesynges ¶ For thou onely arte he that is / and therfore beynge / and all grace that thou hase sette ordeyned aboue beynge / I haue of the / for that that I haue / thou gyues me of thy propre loue / not of dewte ¶ O ryghte swete fader / whan that mankynde laye seke for the synne and trespas of Adam / thou sende it to thy leche / that is thy onely sothefaste / swete / and well beloued sone Ihesu cryste ¶ In the same wyse whaÌ„ I lay seke as now by the sekenesse of neclygence and of moche ygnoraunce / than thou moste swete and well byloued leche endelesse god gyues me ryght swete and bytter medycynes that I myghte therby be delyuered / and to ryse out of my sekenesse ¶ Swete thou arte to me / for with thy swetenesse and with thy charyte / thou shewed the to me / also thou arte to me aboue all the swetenesse that euer was / for thou hase yllumyned the eye of my intelleccyon with lyghte of holy feythe / in the whiche lyghte as it was lykynge to thy endelesse gooodnesse for to shewe me / I knewe the greate excellence and grace whiche thou hase gyuen to mankynde / mynystrynge to them by thy mynysters all god and all man / that is the blessyd sacrament in the mysteryall body of holy chyrche ¶ And also I haue knowe the dygnyte of thy mynysters / by whose hondes thou hase ordeyned thy body to be mynystred to vs / I desyred that thou wolde satysty my desyre whiche I asked of that / and thou hase fulfylled that and moche more / enformynge me of thyÌ„ges that I couthe not aske / wherby I knowe veryly that the herte of a man can not aske somoche desyre / but that thou of thy greate mercy gyues hym more ¶ And so I knowe well that thou arte he that arte infynyte and endeles good / and we be they that be vyle corrupcyoÌ„ noughte of oure selfe / but thou arte infynyte and euerlastynge / and we be fynyte and mutable ¶ Thou gyues that thynge the whiche a reasonable creature maye not nor can not desyre in that wyse / as thou can and maye and wyll satysfy a soule / and fulfyll it of those thynges that it asketh not nor in that wyse so swetely and so ryghte plesauntely / as thou gyues it to hym ¶ And therfore I haue receyued lyghte in the magnyfysence of thy charyte / for to se that loue the whiche thou hase shewed to mankynde / and specyally to thy mynysters whiche be thy anointed people / and sholde be erthely angels in this lyfe ¶ Thou hase shewed the blessydnesse and vertu of thy anoynted specyall mynysters / that lyue as breÌ„nynge lanterns / with the ghostly precyous Margaryte stone of ryghtewysenesse in holy chyrche ¶ And by theym I haue the better knowlege of the defaute of suche that lyue wretchedly / by whome for the offence of the / and harme that is done to all the worlde / I haue conceyued a sorowe in my soule / bycause they do so moche harme to the worlde / and so to be myrrours of wretchednesse / there as they sholde be myrrours of vertu ¶ And also for asmoche as thou hase made the open to me most wretche / whiche am the cause and instrument of the defautes of many people / and thou hase complayned the to me of theyr wyckednesse / and I fynde in myselfe a meruaylous and greate and passynge sorowe of bytternesse ¶ Thou that arte a meruaylous parfyte louer / thou hase also shewed the to me bothe swete medycynable / and also bytter / wherby I myghte aryse hole fro the sekenesse of ygnoraunce and neclygence / and with ryghte parfyte besynesse / also with feruent desyre of loue / that I myghte renu me to the / bothe knowynge thy goodnesse and myselfe / and also the offences whiche be done to the of men / and specyally of thy mynysters / that I myght therfore casâ— water of teeres on me wretche for my wretchednesse / wyâ—ynge the fruyte of suche teeres / by knowlege of thy infynyte goodnesse / and also vpon these deed folke / that do lyue also wretchedly / for whom I wolde endelesse fader meruaylous fyre loue of charyte that my desyre be neuer wery for to desyre thy worshyp and helthe of soules / and that my eyes neuer cese to wepe ¶ But now swete fader I aske the of grace that I may haue two floodes of teeres the
whiche floodes maye come oute frome the / that arte the parmanents peaseable see ¶ I thanke the fader / and endelesse thankynge be to the / that hase satysfyed to me of that I asked the / and of that I knewe not / whiche I asked not of the / and also bycause thou hase styrred me to wepe / and taught me mater of wepynge / for to offer in prayer / swete thyÌ„ges / delectable thynges / and longe desyres / before the with meke contynual prayer ¶ Now therfore I aske of the / that thou shewe mercy to the worlde / and to holy chyrche I praye the that thou fulfyll that thynge / whiche thou wolde I prayed for ¶ Wo be to me most wretche that am cause of all euyl / and yet can not sorowe it within my soule ¶ Good lorde tary no longer / but haue ruthe and pyte on all the worlde / bowe the lorde and fulfyll the desyre of thy seruaunte ¶ O what am I / thou arte he that makes bothe me and thy seruauntes for to crye to the after mercy / and therfore gracyously here the voyces of theÌ„ ¶ Thy sothefastnesse sayd thus / serche and ye shall fynde / knocke and it shall be opened to you / aske it shal be grauÌ„ted to you ¶ O endelesse fader / thy seruauntes crye to the for mercy ¶ Good fader answere them after theyr desyres / for I knowe well properly it longeth to the for to haue mercy and for to gyue mercy / and therfore thou maye not deny it / but thou muste nedes gyue mercy to them that aske it ¶ They knocke at the gate of thy sothefastnesse / for in thy onely sothefaste sone Ihesu they knocke thy meruaylous loue whiche thou hase to man / and so they crye at the gate / wherfore the fyre of thy charyte sholde not nor maye not wtholde / but that it muste nedes open the same gate to theÌ„ that knocke with parseueraunce ¶ Therfore endelesse fader / open the breestes / breke the harde hertes of thy creatures not for theÌ„ that do not knocke but do it for thy infynyte goodnesse / and for the loue of thy seruauntes / whiche for them do knocke at the gate ¶ Graunte thou endelesse fader theyr askyÌ„ge / whom thou sees stoÌ„de knockynge at the gate of thy goodnesse / and what do they aske good lorde ¶ Certayne the blode of this gate / that is the blode of thy onely sothefaste sone Ihesu cryste / for in that blode / thou hase wasshed a waye the wyckednesse stynkyÌ„ge fylthe of synne / whiche came by the synne of Adam that is oure blode good lorde for of that blode thou hase made to vs a bathe / I knowe wel therfore thou maye not nor wyl not deny theÌ„ that aske the in parseueraunce ¶ Gyue therfore good lorde the fruyte of that blode to thy creatures / putte good lorde the pryce of that blode vpon that balaunce of thy sone / lest the fendes of hell lede awaye thy shepe with hym ¶ Thou art a veri good shepeherde that hase gyuen to vs a very trewe shepeherde / that is thy sone Ihesu / the whiche for thy obedyence gaue his lyfe for his shepe / of his blode made a bathe ¶ This is the blode that thy seruauÌ„tes do aske of the as hongry soules at thy gate by the whiche blode they aske that thou shewe mercy to the worlde / make holy chyrche smell swetely in swete smellynge floures of vertu / and deuoute and holy curates / with whose swete smell / they put awaye the stynkyÌ„ge smell of stynkynge floures ¶ Thou endelesse fader dyd saye / that for the loue whiche thou hase to thy reasonable creatures / for the prayers of thy seruauntes / that suffer moche labour for soules / thou wolde shewe mercy to the worlde / and araye holy chyrche worthyly / and so refresshe vs. ¶ Therfore delaye not / nor tary not endeles fader for to turne to synners thy eye of mercy but say to theÌ„ thus or that ye cryed to me for mercy / I herde you with my ere of mercy ¶ Open good lorde the gate of thy meruaylous charyte / the whiche thou hase graunted to vs by the grace of thy sone ¶ I knowe ryghte well good lorde that thou openes the gate or that we knocke ther at / for with the affecyon and loue that thou hase gyuen to thy seruauÌ„tes / they knotke to the crye / sekynge thy worshyp helthe of soules ¶ Therfore endelesse fader graunte theÌ„ breed of lyfe / that is the fruyte of thy blode of thy onely sone sothefaste Ihesu / whiche fruyte they aske of the / for ioye and worshyp of thy name and helthe of soules ¶ For it semeth and sothe it is that it is more ioye to the / worshyp for to saue soules of thy creatures / than for to suffer them obstynately in hardenesse of herte ¶ To the endeles fader al this is possyble / for thoughe thou made vs withoute vs / yet thou wyll not saue vs without vs. ¶ And therfore constrayne theyr wylles gracyously / dyspose theÌ„ for to desyre and wyll / that they wyll not ¶ This I aske the for thy infynyte mercy / thou hase made vs of noughth / therfore nowe to suche as we be / shewe mercy / refresshe the vessels that thou hase made and formed to the ymage and lykenesse of the / reforme them to grace / in the mercy in the blode of of thy ryght swete and well byloued sone Ihesu cryst ✚ LAVS DETVR DEO ¶ Nowe moder and systren here I haue made an ende of this the fyfte boke / in the whiche you may fynde ghostly / good / holy doctryne for the helthe of soules / with greate consolacyon comforte to youreselfe / with swete herbes and plantes of swete odour and smell In the whiche boke is made meÌ„cyon of the blessyd sacrament and of his vertues / with the reformacyoÌ„ of preestes and theyr subiectes / with many and dyuers maters / and ensamples of good lyuyÌ„ge / as is conteyned in the sayde boke Sexta ¶ The syxte boke ¶ The fyrst chapyter speketh of the syxte party / and it treateth moche of the prouydence of god / and fyrste of his prouydence generally / that is to say / how god prouyded man to be man / how he formed hym of noughte to his ymage and lykenesse ¶ And howe god prouyded man to sanacyon with incarnacyon of his sone / whan the gates of Paradyse were shyt for the synne of Adam ¶ And how he prouyded hymselfe / gyuynge hymselfe contynually to vs in the meet of the auter ¶ Also how god prouyded to gyue hope in his creatures / how he that moste parfytely hopeth / moste tasteth the prouydence of god ¶ And of other maters / suche as be rehersed to you before in the kalender Ca. i. benedictê° q
this lyfe ¶ How that god prouyded to gyue hope in his creatures / and how he that moste parfytely hopeth / moste tasteth the prouydeÌ„ce of god ¶ Forthermore I haue gyuen to hym refresshynge of hope / yf he be holde with lyghte of very feythe that pryce of my sones blode / whiche was payed for to gyue hym stydfast hope and sykernesse of helthe / and that shame and reprefe that cryste Ihesu suffered in his passyon is his worshyp ¶ For yf he in all the lymmes of his body offended me / as anendes that for a remedy / my blessyd swete sone iÌ„ all his body suffered greuous tourmente ¶ And also with his obedyence he releued youre inobedyence / of whose obedyence ye haue all take grace / and for inobedyence / al ye haue take and receyued synne ¶ This is grauÌ„ted and prouyded by my prouydence / was fro the begynnyÌ„ge of that worlde vnto this daye / and shall be vnto that laste daye / euer for to ordeyne a remedy to youre necessytes / and to that helthe of mankynde / by dyuers and sundry wyses / as I that am a very ryghtewyse leche / se it be spedefull to your infyrmytes / that parfyte helthe maye that soner be restored / orelles for to kepe hym in helthe ¶ Therfore my prouydence shal neuer fayle theÌ„ / to suche as wyll receyue it and haue parfyte hope in me / for all that haue parfyte hope in me they knocke and crye in sothefastnesse not onely by worde but by affeccyon / and so with lyghte of very feythe they shall taste me iÌ„ my prouydeÌ„ce ¶ But not suche that knocke crye in sothefastenesse with the voyce of wordes / sayenge thus to me lorde lorde all suche but yf they crye and aske me other wyse / I shall not knowe them by my mercy / but by my ryghtwysenes HOr in sothe my prouydence shall neuer fayle to hym that veryly hopeth in me / but he that hathe dyspeyre iÌ„ me and hopeth in hymselfe knowes thou not well that hope can not be sette in two contraryes / whiche my sothefaste sone taughte you in the gospel / where he sayd thus ¶ No maÌ„ may serue and please two lordes / for yf he serue that one / he hateth that other ¶ Seruyce is not wtout hope / for a seruaunte that serueth serueth for hope of his rewarde profyte that he seeth in his seruyce shall come to hym / or els for hope that he hathe to please his lorde ¶ In the same wyse thynke dere doughter that it happeth to a soule / for other it muste be that she serue and hope in me / or els that she serue and hope in the worlde and iÌ„ herselfe / for by somoche she serueth the worlde wtout me / in asmoche as she serueth and loueth her owne ê“pre sensuà lyte / of the whiche loue seruyce / she hopeth to haue delyte / plesaunce / sencyble felyÌ„ge ¶ But bycause theyr hope is set in vanytes and transytory thynges suche as haue ende / therfore it muste nedes fayle here / and of that she loued she maye haue none effecte / as longe as she hopeth in herselfe and in the worlde / she maye not hope in me for the worlde that is worldely desysyres of man / be to me hate / they were to me somoche in hate and abhomynacyon that is for dystruccyoÌ„ of them I sende my onely sothefast sone Ihesu to the most repreuable dethe of the crosse ¶ The worlde I maye not acorde / but a soule that parfytely hopeth in me / and serueth me with all her herte / and all her affeccyon / anone by very nede it must mysse trust of herselfe of the worlde / and of suche hope namely that is set with her owne freylte ¶ This is very ê‘fyte hope more or lesse parfyte after parfeccyoÌ„ of loue whiche the soule hathe in me / and so parfyte and vnparfyte do taste of my prouydence / but he that setueth and hopeth for to please me onely for my selfe / receyueth and tasteth me more ê‘fytely / than they that serue me with hope of fruyte that they fynde in me ¶ These be the fyrste of whome I haue tolde to the the parfeccyon iÌ„ the laste state of the soule ¶ But these that I tell that now whiche go with hope loue of fruyte / be the vnparfyte soules / bothe the seconde and the thyrde / of whome I tolde the before / of the states of the soule ¶ But yet in no wâ—se nother to parfyte nother to vnparfyte my prouydence shall not fayle / so that a man presume not / nor hope not in hymselfe / whiche presumyÌ„ge and hopynge in hymselfe / is cause of nothyÌ„ge elles / but by goynge out fro my loue / and entrynge in to his owne loue / wherby the eye of intelleccyon is blyÌ„dfelde / he withdrawynge of the lyghte of very feythe / and therfore he walketh not with lyght of reason for to knowe my prouydence ¶ Neuerthelesse to a man be he neuer so synfull or ryghtewyse / I wyl prouyde / and gyue my prouydence and ordeyne for hym / for all thyÌ„ges be made by crafte of my goodnesse / and I it am that am / and withoute me is nothynge / but synne the whiche is noughte ¶ Thus thou maye knowe that they recerue my prouydence / and yet they vnderstonde it not / and yf they knowe it not / they maye not loue it / and therfore they maye not receyue the fruyte of grace therof ¶ All that be ryghte and to suche it semed croked and as blyÌ„de men / they se in derkenesse / bycause they haue sette theyr hope in derkenesse / wherby they fall in to murmuracyon and in to inpasyence / how be they somoche fobles ¶ O dere doughter how maye they byleue the I moste souerayne endelesse goodnesse maye nothyÌ„ge wyl but the good of them in small thynges / that euery day suffer to come to theÌ„ for your helthe / whan they proue by experyence / that I wyll nothynge haue but satysfaccyoÌ„ of them for theyr helthe in greate thyÌ„ges ¶ Sythen it so is that not wtstoÌ„dynge all theyr blyÌ„denesse they may nothynge do be it neuer so lytell / but yf they se my goodnesse with some maner lyght aboue kynde / and also the benefyce of my prouydence whiche they fynde / and that they maye not deny / what in the fyrste creacyon / and in the secoÌ„de creacyon that a man receyueth in that blode of my sone / wherin I haue reformed hyÌ„ by grace / as I haue sayd to the. ¶ This is so clere and so opeÌ„ that they can not saye the contrary / neuerthelesse they defayle beynge afrayde of theyr owne shadowe / for they haue not vsed nor excercysed this lyghte with vertu ¶ An vnwyse man seeth not that fro that tyme to tyme I haue prouyded generally to the worlde / and specyally to some after theyr astate
/ for there is none in this lyfe that stōdeth stydfastly / but that he moueth hȳ fro tyme to tyme tyll he come to stydstast state / alway therfore I prouyde to suche one of suche thynges / as is behouefull to hym in tyme of nede ¶ How god in the olde testament prouyded the lawe and the prophecyes / and afterwarde he sende his worde by apostels / mar tyrres / and by other holy mē / how no thynge falleth in creatures / but that all is the very prouydence of god O Enerally I haue proued / and with the lawe the whiche I dyd gyue vnto Moyses in the olde testamēt / and with many other holy prophecyes ¶ Also I wyll that thou knowe that before that comynge of my onely sothefaste and swete sone Ihesu cryste crucyfyed / the people of the Iewes dyd stonde moche without prophecyes / that the people myghte be enformed with suche prophecy es / hopynge therby that my onely sothefaste sone Ihesu cryste the prophet of all prophettes myghte the soner drawe them out of bondage / bothe them and theyr chyldren / and that also he myghte therby the soner opē to them heuen / whiche so lōge tyme was shyt fro thē ¶ But after tyme my swete sone came / there roos no prophet ymonge thē / that they myght well knowe / that he of whome they dyd prophecy was come / wherfore it was not spedefull that mo prophe tes sholde prophecy of hym to them / all thoughe they knewe hȳ not / nor wolde not knowe hȳ for theyr blȳde nesse ¶ After thē I prouyded as I haue sayde that my owne sone sholde come / whiche was youre medyator bytwene me endelesse god and you ¶ After hym came the apostels / martyrs / and doctours / confessoures / all this hathe my prouydence done ordeyned ¶ And as I sayde to the he shall ordeyne and prouyde to the laste daye / that is by generall prouydence gyuen to all reasonable creatures / whiche wyll of that prouydence receyue fruyte ¶ In specyal also al thynges I haue gyuen them bothe lyfe and dethe / in what whyse that euer it come to thē / hōger / thryst / losse of state ī this world / nakednes / colde hete / wrōge / reprefe / scornes / derysyons ¶ All these I suffer for to fall to thē / or for to be sayd to thē / and of men / not that I shall make in them malyce of euyll wyll that done euyll and wronge ¶ But the beynge and the tyme that they haue they haue of me / whiche beynge I haue gyue to them / not for they sholde offende me nor theyr neyghbours / but bycause they sholde serue bothe me them with loue and charyte / wherfore I suffer them for to do suche dedes of wronge / or for to preue the vertu of pasyence in the soule whiche receyueth suche wrōges / or els to make hym knowen that he must haue pasyence / other whyle I suffer that to a ryghte wyse man / all that worlde be cōtrary / at the laste I make thē dye so wonderly / that many men of the worlde wondereth theron / for it semeth to thē vnryghtewysely done / so to se a ryghtwyse mā peryshe / otherwhyle in water / otherwhyle in fyre / otherwhyle to be deuoured of beestes / otherwhyle I suffer a house to fal vp on thē / wherby they lose theyr bodyly lyfe ¶ O how moche out of reason or maner this semeth to theyr eyes / in the whiche eye is no lyghte of very feythe / but all this is no wonder to feythfull folke / for they haue foūde tasted by affeccyon of loue in suche greate thynges my prouydēce / so he seeth holdeth stydfastly / that with my prouydence onely / all thynges I prouyded I do for that helthe of mā / wherfore all thynges he holdeth in reuerēce / it is not sclaūdred nother in hȳselfe nor in his workes / nor also in his neyghbours / but all he ouerpasseth with very pasyence ¶ My prouydence is withdrawe fro no creature / for all thynges ben made for hym / other whyle it semeth to a mā that hayle or tempest or dartes that I caste vpon the body of creatures is cruelte / n I couthe not / nor wyll not prouyde to his helthe / and I haue done that for to make hym ascape fro endelesse dethe / but he holdeth the contrary ¶ And so men of the worlde in all thȳges wyl defoule my workes / and vnderstonde theym after theyr vnderstōdȳge ¶ And here it shall be shewed how that what that euer god suffereth be done to vs / it is onely for our good / and for our soules helthe / and how they be blynded and dysceyued that deme or Iudge the contrary I wyll that thou se dere doughter with how moche pasyence I muste supporte and suffer my creatures / the whiche creatures I haue made and formed to the ymage and lykenes of me / as I haue tolde the with ryght greate swetenesse of loue ¶ Open therfore the eye of thy intelleccyon and beholde on me / and I putte the a certayne specyall case that byfell by a certayne persone / for whom yf thou remembre the well thou dyd praye to me that I sholde prouyde / and I haue prouyded for hym / as thou knowes ryght well / that with oute ony peryl of dethe he hadde his state agayne ¶ And this is a specyall partyculer thynge / in the same wyse generally it is in all maner people ¶ Thā that soule opened the eye of her intelleccyon / and behelde with that parfyte lyghte of holy feyth in his dyuyne mageste with greate loue and longynge desyre / for of his wordes she knewe veryly many thȳges in his swete prouydence / that she sholde obeye to his byddynge / seynge herselfe in the depenes of his charyte / that he was is moste souerayne endelesse good / that onely of loue he made vs / and raūsomed vs with the precyous blode of his sone / that also by the same loue / he gaue to vs all thynges / suffered all thynges for to come to vs / that is bothe trybulacyons cōfortes / prouydynge thē onely to the helthe of man / to none other ende ¶ The blode whiche was shed with so greate fyre of loue / made it knowe to her as she sawe all this / that it was veryly sothe ¶ Thā sayde that hyghe souerayne and endeles fader / suche as can not consyder my prouydence / be blynde in theyr owne proper loue that they haue to theymselfe / swclaūderȳge thēfelfe with moche vnpasyence / I shall nowe speke to the in specyall also in generall of that thȳge whiche I tolde the / suche as I haue tolde that as deme euyll to theyr owne harme / of that thynge whiche I do of loue for theyr good to auoyde thē fro endelesse peynes / for theyr
lyghte of feythe she is certyfyed and made syker of greate thynges / of the whiche thynges in the begynnyÌ„ge of this tretys I tolde ye. ¶ O how gloryous is this lyghte of very feythe / with the whiche she seeth / knoweth / preueth my truth / this lyghte is hadde of the blessyd mynyster the holy ghoste that I gaue to them / whiche is a lyghte aboue kynde that the soule purchaseth of my goodnesse / vsynge the same supernatural lyghte / as I haue gyue them ¶ How god hathe prouyded for soules / gyuynge them the sacrament for theyr helthe / how he prouyded for his seruauntes whiche be full hongry of desyres / whan he ordeyneth them to be fedde with his sones body Ihesu cryste / where he telleth that oftentymes he prouyded crystes body by a wonderfull maner to a soule that was ful hoÌ„gry H Nowes thou not wel dere doughter how I haue prouyded for my seruauntes that hopen in me by two maner of wyses / for all the prouydence the whiche I vse in my reasonable creatures / is in the soule and the body ¶ And what maner of prouydence I vse in the body / it is done for the seruyce of the soule that it maye encrese and growe in that lyght of feythe / wherby she maye hope in me / and mystruste in herselfe / and that she may knowe that I am he that am / whiche maye / wyll / and can / releue bothe her helthe / also her necessytes ¶ Sees thou not that I haue gyuen to the soule for her lyfe the sacramentes of holy chyrche / for it is her meet / not greate bodyly meet whiche is gyuen to the body / but the soule is vnbodyly / and therfore it lyueth with suche meet that is vnbodyly / that is with my worde ¶ And therfore my oneli sothefast sone sayd in the holy ghospell thus ¶ A man lyueth not he sayde onely by bodyly breed / but with euery worde that cometh out of my mouthe / that is for to folowe my ghostly entent / the doctryne and the worde of my onely incarnate sone Ihesu / the whiche worde by vertu of his blode gyueth lyfe to you in that that he gyueth to you these sacramentes / and so this soule receyueth ghostly lyuelode / by the iÌ„strument of the body ¶ That acte onely of receyuyÌ„ge sholde not gyue lyfe of grace / yf the soule dysposed her not for to receyue it with very holy ghostly desyre / whiche desyre is in the soule and not in the body ¶ And therfore I sayde to the that those thynges be spyrytuall and ghostly / whiche be gyuen to the soule / for it is vnbodyly / thoughe they be gyuen by medyacyon meane of a body as I haue sayde before / and so by desyre of the soule they be gyueÌ„ for to be receyued other whyle for to encres her holy honger / in ghostly honger I made her for to desyre it / and yet she may not haue it / and in that she may not haue it / her ghostly honger encreaseth / and in that ghostly honger encreaseth the knowlege of herselfe / holdyÌ„ge herselfe vnworthy by meks nesse / so I make her worthy ¶ Of tentymes in dyuers wyses I prouy ded to her of this blessyd sacrameÌ„t / and thou knowes well that it is so / for yf thou remembre the well / thou hase ê“ued it iÌ„ thyselfe / for my mylde mekenesse of the holy ghoste that mynystreth hym blysfully of my goodnesse / enspyreth so the soule of some of my mynysters / whiche owen of dewte for to mynyster to them that ghostly meet the sacrament of that auter / that they be coacte and constrayned of the fyre of my charyte / that is of the same holy ghoste / whiche gyueth them a prycke of conscyence / styrreth them for to fede hongry soules / with that ghostly blessyd breed / so to fulfyl their vertuous desyres ¶ And somtyme I make theÌ„ styrre them for to dyfferre theyr desyre to the laste ende / thaÌ„ after suche loÌ„ge abydyÌ„ge in holy desyre / for to fulfyl theyr desyre myght I not to suche a soule as well in the begyÌ„nynge as I do at the later endynge ¶ Yes certayne as wel / but I do it for to make her to encrese in the lyght of holy feythe / and that she neuer defayle / but that alway she must nedes hope iÌ„ my goodnesse / for to make her bothe warre wyse that she tourne not her heed abacke vnwysely / I leue with her honger of holy desyre / and therfore I delayd it for to make the haue myÌ„de of that soule whiche came to holy chyrche with greate ghostly honger / whaÌ„ my mynyster came to the auter / she asked crystes body / whiche is al god all man / he answered that he wolde not gyue it to her / than encreased in her waylynge / wepynge / moche holy desyre ¶ And in my mynyster whaÌ„ he came to the oblacyon of the chalyce / encresed the prycke of coÌ„scyence / coÌ„strayned coacte by the holy ghost / whiche ê“uyded for that soule / ryght as he prouyded to that soule wtinforth / ryght so he shewed it wtout forth / sayenge to hyÌ„ that sholde mynyster thus ¶ Aske her yf she wyl be houseled / I wyll gyue me to her gladly ¶ Yf she had fyrst a lytell sparcle of feythe of loue / her desyre encresed so abuÌ„dauÌ„tly / that her semed her lyfe wolde departe fro the body / therfore I suffered that it sholde encrese / that her proper loue / vnfeythefulnesse / hope that she had iÌ„ herselfe shold be dryed vp ¶ The holy ghost alone prouydeth this wtout ony meane of other creatures / the whiche oftetyme happeth to my seruauÌ„tes ¶ And ymonge al other I shall tel the of two grete meruayles / that thou may delyte in seythe to the coÌ„meÌ„dynge of my prouydence ¶ Haue mynde remeÌ„bre the in thyselfe what thou herde of that soule / whiche whyle she was in my temple of holy chyrche vpon the daye of the conuersyon of seynt Paule my apostell / with so greate and brennynge desyre for to receyue this blessed sacrament / breed of lyfe / and meet of angels / gyuen to men in erthe / that she asked to receyue it of euery mynyster of myne / whiche come to the auter for to saye masse / and of all by my ordynauÌ„ce / she was denyed / for I wolde that she knewe thoughe men dyd fayle her / I that am her specyall louer maker fayled her neuer / and therfore in the laste masse I kepe this maner as I shall tell the. ¶ And I vsed a maner of swete dysceyte / that she sholde be the more ghostly druÌ„ke with my dyuyne prouydence ¶ That dysceyte was this / whan she sayde that she wolde be houseled / and receyue the holy body of cryst /
the mynyster whiche serued the preest wolde not warne hyÌ„ ¶ She than bycause she was not denyed / wened and abode with grete desyre for to be hou seled / and whaÌ„ masse was fynyshed and she sawe that she myght not be houseled / she encresed in so greate honger and in so greate desyre / for she myghte not receyue that blessyd body / that with very u mekenesse she helde herselfe vnworthy for to receyue it / so she vndernymed her ê“per presuÌ„pcyoÌ„ for as her semed she presumed presuÌ„ptuousli to that blessyd mystery ¶ I thaÌ„ that enhauÌ„sed meke folke / drewe the desyre affeccyoÌ„ of that soule to me / gyuyÌ„ge to her knowlege in the depenesse of my endelesse trynyte / illumynynge her eye of intelleccyon iÌ„ the power myght of me endeles fader / in the wysdome of my sothefast sone / in the mylde mekenesse of the holy ghost / whiche be all one / that soule thaÌ„ oned herselfe iÌ„ to grete ê‘feccyon in that holy trynyte / that her body was takeÌ„ fro the erthe for as I haue sayd the vnyon of a ê‘fyte maÌ„ is as well in the body as in the soule / so in this grete depenes / that soule for satysfyenge of her desyre receyued of me that blessyd sacrameÌ„t / iÌ„ tokeÌ„ that this was sothe / many dayes after warde in meruaylous wyse / she feled iÌ„ her bodyly tast swete odour of that blessyd bodi blode of my sone Ihesu / wherfore she renewed herselfe in the lyght of my prouydeÌ„ce / whiche she tasted so swetely ¶ All this was vysyble to her / inuysyble to all creatures / the seconde tyme whaÌ„ she was thus houseled / it was vysyble to the mynyster whiche sayde the masse / to whom suche a case betell / in a tyme whaÌ„ that soule with grete desyre wolde come to chyrche to here masse / for to behold for bodyly passyoÌ„s that she had she myght not come thyder at dutyme / neuerthelesse she came thyder late / that is to the tyme of coÌ„secracyoÌ„ whaÌ„ the preest sacred / thaÌ„ in that one ende of the chyrche she kneled downe / for she myght not loÌ„ge stoÌ„de for bodili feblenes / ther she kneled with greate waylynge / sayenge thus to herselfe ¶ O wretched soule sees thou not how moche thou hase receyued of grace / for thou art nowe in holy chyrche sees that preest at masse / that art worthy for thy synÌ„es to dwel iÌ„ hell / that more she was oppressed by mekenesse / the more she was exalted in my syghte / wher she had knowlege of my goodnesse / so she trusted that the holy ghoste sholde noryshe her hoÌ„ger ¶ ThaÌ„ I gaue to her suche a thynge that how that it came to her she knewe not / this it was whaÌ„ that preest came to the fraccyon of the host ther he shold comune hyÌ„ selfe / it happed the one ê‘te of the hooste whiche was iÌ„ his hoÌ„des by vertu of my ordynauÌ„ce / it passed fro the auter to the lower ende of the chyrche / so entred iÌ„ to that soule / she vnderstode wel that she was houseled / but she weÌ„de it had be inuysyble / thought with brennynge desyre the as it befell to her oft / so she supposed that I had satysfyed to her after her desyre inuysyble / yet that semed not to the preest / bycause he fouÌ„de not the resydu of the hoste / wherfore he was in greate sorowe / saue that the mylde mekenesse of the holy ghost shewed it in his soule who had it / yet alwaye he doubteth vnto the tyme she declared it to hym / I myghte not in her auoyde that impedymeÌ„t of bodyly feblenes / that she myght in dewe houre haue gone to the auter for to receyue that blessid sacrameÌ„t therof the preest Ihesus certayne but I wolde she shold haue it in experyeÌ„ce proue it / that by medyacyon of a creature wtout her / in what state in what tyme that euer it be / and in what wyse she couthe desyre it / yet more thaÌ„ she couthe desyre it / I maye / caÌ„ wyll / satysfy her as it is sayde before ¶ Lo dere doughter thus may thou knowe how I vse my prouydence with hoÌ„gry soules / now shall I tell the somwhat what I vse wtin the soule with out meane of the body / that is what I vse wtout outwarde iÌ„strumeÌ„tes / for thoughe I tolde the somwhat of the states of soules / yet also I shall tell the my prouydeÌ„ce which I vse agaynst them that be abydynge in deedly synÌ„e ¶ The thyrde chapyter is of the prouydence of god / agaynst theÌ„ that be abydynge in deedly synne / of the whiche prouydeÌ„ce that god vseth ordeyneth for theÌ„ that be iÌ„ vnê‘fyte loue charyte / a shorte repetycyon of the foresayd wordes / of other maters / as is rehersed in the kalender Ca. iii. A Soule other it is iÌ„ the state of deedly synne / or vnparfyte in grace / or els ê‘fyte in euery of these states / I vse to sprede abrode / gyue my prouydenee in dyuers wyses with greate wysoome / as me semeth is spedeful to theÌ„ / meÌ„ of the worlde whiche lye in shadowe of deth that is of deedly synÌ„e I shall excyte them with the prycke of coÌ„scyeÌ„ce / or els with vexacyon that they fele in the myddell of theyr hertes in dyuers maners / in so many wyses that thy toÌ„gue is vnsuffycyent for to tell theÌ„ / oftetymes they passe out of that iÌ„portunyte of peynes prycke of coÌ„scyeÌ„ce whiche is wtin the soule / for the offeÌ„ce of dedly synnes / other whyle bycause I drawe out of youre thornes roses / whaÌ„ a maÌ„nes herte coÌ„ceyueth a loue to deedly synÌ„e / or to ony creature wtout my wyll / I shal take fro hym bothe tyme and place / the he shall not fulfyll his wycked wylles / in somoche that for werynesse of peynes of herte / which is caused for waÌ„tynge of his wyll / in asmoche as he maye not fulfyll his mys ruled wyl / he tourneth to hymselfe with coÌ„trycyoÌ„ of herte prycke of coÌ„scyeÌ„ce / there with he throweth fro hy t his wretched frenesy / whiche maye well be called a fernesy / for ther he thought for to haue put his affeccyoÌ„ in some thyÌ„ge he thaÌ„ seeth well that it is nought / neuerthelesse that creature whiche he loueth wretchedly / was is a creature / but the whiche he desyred of her was noughte / nor is noughte / for synÌ„e is ryghte noughte / of the ylnesse of synÌ„e which is a thorne that prycketh the soule I haue drawe out a rose as is rehersed before that is to prouyde to theyr helthe ¶ Who coÌ„strayneth me to do this Not he that sercheth me not nor sueth after my ê“uydeÌ„ce / but in trespas of synne / that is
other meane wherby they myghte she we very loue to me thaÌ„ by that but al other meanes by the whiche it maye be shewed that they loue me / is set vpon the pryncypall meane of a reasonable creature as I haue sayde to the before where I tolde the that euery good dede must be done vy medyacyon and meane of thy euen crysten / and euery good worke also / for there maye no good be do / but in the charyte of me and of thy neyghboure / but it be do in that charyte / it may be called no good / thoughe the dedes of them be vertuous / and iif the same wyse euery euyl dede is doone by this meane / that is by pryuacyon of charyte ¶ Thus thou sees well that in this meane whiche I haue put to you / ê‘feccyon is shewed and pure loue whiche they haue to me euer procurynge the helthe of theyr noyghbours with moche sufferauÌ„ce pascyence / therfore I purge them that they maye brynge forthe more and sweter fruyte with moche trybulacyon ¶ Here pascyence casteth to me ryghte good and swete smell / o how swete is this fruyte bow profytable to the soule / for she suffereth without synne / whiche pascyence yf she veryly se it / ther is no creature but that she wolde serche with greate besynes and ioye for to suffer / wherfore I prouyded for to put to them the charges of greate labours / that I myghte gyue them this greate tresoure of paseyence / also that the vertu of the same pascyence waxe not rusty in suche wronges and labours / so that whaÌ„ tyme cometh that it be nede for to proue the same pascyence / and it shall be fouÌ„de rusty with the ruste of pryue vnpascyence whiche freteth the soule / somtyme I vse in suche a maner of a plesaunte desyre that they maye the better be kepte in the vertu of mekenesse / for in the tyme of aduersyte I shall make theyr felynges slepe / that it shall seme to them bothe in wyll and in felynge / that no maner trybulacy on nor aduersyte greueth theÌ„ not / for they fele it not / but as parsones that were aslepe I say not as deed parsones for the sensyble felynge slepeth in a parfyte soule / but it dyeth not / for assoone as they leue deuoute excercyse and the fyre of holy desyre / anone trybulacyons and aduersytes waken them as sore as it was wonte to do / therfore a man that trusteth in this maye be as parfyte as he wyll / but yet it is ryght spedefull for hyÌ„ that he dwell alwaye stydfastly in my holy drede / for many that trusteÌ„ in theÌ„ selfe do fall full wretchedly / whiche sholde not fall yf they put awaye that truste / and therfore I saye in suche that be so occupyed in ghostly excercyse the felynge of them slepeth / for thoughe they bere grete burthons / it semed to them that they fele it not and without grutchynge / of the whiche afterwarde whaÌ„ they haue lefte theyr ghostly excercyses / they sholde wonder that they dyd not fele none of theyr burthoÌ„s / this dothe my prouydence that suche a soule myghte encrese and go in the waye of mekenesse / for than suche a soule wysely ryseth vp aboue herselfe / not sparynge herselfe / but with holy hate rebukynge she chastyseth her owne felynge / whiche chastysynge is nothynge els / but for to make it slepe more parfytely ¶ Otherwhyle also I prouyded ordeyned to my grete and ryght specyal seruauÌ„tes in this wyse ¶ I leue to them a certayne pryckynge / as I dyd to my swete apostell Paule that chosen vessell of eleccyon / to whome whan he had receyued that doctryne of my sones sothefaste truthe in the depenesse of me endelesse fader / yet I lefte with hym a prycke dyuers impugnacyons and conflyctes of his flesshe / where that I myght not nor yet maye not / bothe to Paule and to other of my worthy seruauÌ„tes / in whom I haue leâ—te a prycke by dyuers maners / that they sholde not haue it / Ihesus certayne Why thaÌ„ dothe my ê“uydeÌ„ce so ¶ Certayne for they shold the more deserue mede / and be kepte in theyr owne knowlege / by the whiche knowlege they wynne very mekenesse / also that they may therby be mylde and meke to theyr neyghbours and not cruell for to haue compassyon of theyr laboure / for they haue moche more compassyon of theÌ„ that be troubled and dyseased / yf they suffer dysease themselfe / than yf they hadde none / and also they encrese in more loue / bycause they be so anoynted with very mekenesse brenned in the seruyce of my dyuyne charyte ¶ Thus with these maners and other mo infynyte wyses / they come to parfyte vnyon as I haue tolde the before in somoche vnyon and knowlege of my goodnesse / that not wtstoÌ„dynge they stonde in theyr deedly body / yet they fele and tast the endelesse good of vndeedlynesse / for thoughe they be in the pryson of the body / yet they thynke that they be out of the body ¶ And bycause they knowe moche of me / they loue me moche / and he that loueth moche soroweth moche / for to whome loue encreaseth / sorowe also encreaseth / in the whiche peynes and sorowes / they dwell not in wronges that be done to them / nor iÌ„ sorowes for bodyly peynes / nor for heuynesse done to them by sendes / nor for none other peynâ— that maye come to them / but onely they sorowe for the offence whiche is done to me / seynge and knowynge the I am worthy to be loued serued ¶ And also they sorowe for the harme that falleth to soules / seynge them fall into the derkenesse of the worlde / so dwellynge abydynge in the same blyndenesse / for in that vnyoÌ„ whiche he hathe made in me by affeccyon of loue / he knoweth and beholdeth in me howmoche he loueth my creature / and in suche beholdynge that she seeth the a reasonable creature representeth my ymage / she is ther with rapte by loue for the loue of me / by the whiche loue she feleth an vntollerable peyne whan she seeth suche creatures be fere sro my goodnes / those peynes be so greate / that all other peynes be the lesse and fayle in the same / of whome he recketh neuer nor careth therfore / for he fareth as thoughe it were not he that receyueth suche trybulacyons ¶ Why is that ¶ For I prouyde for theÌ„ ¶ Wher with ¶ With she wynge to them clere syghte and knowlege of myselfe as it maye be in this lyfe in the whiche syghte I shewe them wyckednesse and mysery of the worlde and dampnacyon of soules in comune in specyall with greate bytternessr of themselfe / as it is lykynge to my goodnesse for to shewe them / so for to encrese the more in loue and in peyne / and that also they
of her holy desyre / but yet as it is sayde before / many of them go oute of the nette / whiche go away fro grace by theyr owne defautes / both mysbyloued people other that lyue iÌ„ deedly synnes / yet neuertheles they be in that nette by coÌ„tynuall prayer / for yf a soule passe awaye fro me by her owne trespas / fro loue coÌ„uersacyon that she sholde haue to my seruauÌ„tes / also fro the dewe tyme reuereÌ„ce of theÌ„ / yet sholde not affeccyoÌ„ of charyte be lessed nor mynyshed agaynste theÌ„ / for swete desyrous soules haue caste that nette of holy desyre vpoÌ„ the ryght syde ¶ O dere doughter I wolde thou wolde coÌ„syder the acte that my gloryous apostell Peter dyd / as my onely sothefaste sone made hym do / whan he badde hyÌ„ throwe his nette in to the see / whiche acte is coÌ„teyned in the holy gospel / thaÌ„ myght thou knowe what Peter sayde to hym ¶ What sayde he ¶ Peter answered agayne to my sone thus / all this nyghte we haue laboured iÌ„ fysshynge toke no thynge / but nowe in this worlde I shall caste my nette / whan that was done / they caughte so grete copyosyte multytude that they called to theyr felowes in the other shyp for to come helpe them ¶ Doughter yf this fygure was sothe as the gospell saythe yet it is fygured to the as I haue sayde I wyll that thou knowe that all mysteryes that my onely sothefast sone / other to the worlde / or to his dyscyples / or els wtout his dysciples shewed / be fygured wtin the soules of my seruauÌ„tes / that in al suche mysteryal fygures ye maye haue a rule a doctryne / wherin ye maye beholde with lyght of reason / so that bothe to boystyous parsones also to clere wytted ê‘sones / whiche haue a depe infynyte intelleccyon / it maye so tourne by ensample so that bothe may haue theyr parte yf they wyll ¶ I tolde the that Peter by the coÌ„mauÌ„dyment of my sones wordes cast his nette / in that he was obedyent / byleuynge with quycke feythe for to haue myght power to catche fysshe / therfore he toke many / but not in the tyme of nyghte ¶ Knowes thou well what the tyme of the nyghte meaneth ¶ It is nothynge els but the derke nyghte of deedly synne / whaÌ„ a soule is depryued fro the lyghte of grace / in this nyghte is nothynge take / for he casteth not his nette of affeccyon in the quycke see but in the deed see where synne is founde whiche is ryght noughte / therfore he that laboureth all in vayne with grete vnnumerable peynes wtout ony profyte / by which they be made the deuyl les martyrs not the martyrres of my sone cryste crucyfyed / but whan the daye is come that they be gone out of synne come to the lyghte of grace / than appereth to theÌ„ in theyr soules the preceptes the byddynges of the lawe / whiche byddeth them for to caste theyr nette in the worlde of my sothefast sone / that is to loue me aboue all thynges / theyr euen crysten as theÌ„selfe / so with obedyence lyghte of feythe with stydfast hope they cast theyr nette in his worlde / shewynge the doctryne the steppes of my ryghte swete sone / of his dyscyples / and how that he taketh soules / and who he calleth for to helpe / it nedeth not to be rehersed / for it is sayde before ¶ How some man casteth his nette more parfytely thaÌ„ another / of the excelleÌ„ce of suche ê‘fyte meÌ„ THis haue I sayde that thou myght knowe with how moche prouydeÌ„ce my sothefaste sone Ihesu cryst for the tyme that he was conuersaunte ymonge you / he wroughte suche mysteryes other mysteryall actes for that thou sholde knowe theÌ„ / that ye sholde do the same ghostly in the soule / namely suche soules as dwell iÌ„ this moste parfyte state / thynke dere doughter that one dothe more profyte thaÌ„ another / after that one is more redy for to obey thaÌ„ another to this worde / gothe with more clere parfyte lyghte / auoydyÌ„ge the hope of hymselfe / and onely hopeth iÌ„ me his maker / for he that obeyeth casteth his nette more parfytely / kepynge bothe the coÌ„mauÌ„dymentes the counseyles mentally actually / for that kepeth not the counseyles mentually / he maye not kepe the coÌ„maundymeÌ„tes actually / for they be annexed knytte togyder as I haue declared to the before in another place more playnly fully therfore suche one catcheth parfytely / as he casteth parfytely / but ê‘fyte folke catche abuÌ„dauÌ„tly iÌ„ grete ê‘feccyon ¶ O how they haue theyr nettes well ruled and ordred / for the good swete kepynge that the keper offre choyse dothe at the gate of wyll / altheyr wyttes and senscyble felyÌ„ges make swetete sownes / whiche sownes come out fro wtin / that is fro the cyte of the soule / for all the gates there be shutte opened ¶ The gate of wyll is shutte to his proper loue / it is opened for to loue desyre my worshyppe / and loue of neyghbourheed ¶ Also the gate of intelleccyoÌ„ is shut / that it shall not beholde delyces / vanytes / wretchydnes of the worlde / whiche be all as nyght that gyueÌ„ derkenes to intelleccyoÌ„ / the whiche beholdeth theÌ„ vnornately / it is opened with lyghte sette in the open knowlege of that lyght of my onely sothefaste sone Ihesu ¶ The gate also of mynde is shut / that it hathe no mynde of the worlde nor of his owne sencyble felynge / it is opened for to receyue brynge to mynde the remembraunce of my benefytes / thaÌ„ the affeccyon of the soule maketh a ioy and a sowne temperynge the strynges and cordes of the herte with prudeÌ„ce lyghte makynge theÌ„ to acorde iÌ„ one / that is to the ioye and praysynge of my name ¶ In this same sowne in the whiche the greate strynges myghtes of the soule ben acorded / the small strynges cordes of the bodyly wyttes be also acorded / whiche wyttes be that instrumentes of that body / as I tolde the whaÌ„ I spake to the of wycked men / for all they sowned deedly sownes with theyr bodyly instrumeÌ„tes / for asmoche as they dyd receyue theyr ghostly enemyes / lyke as they sowne dethe / so these parfyte folke do sowne lyfe / rereyuynge theyr freÌ„des of very effectuall vertues / whiche be instrumentes of good and holy workes / euery lymme and euery meÌ„ber trauayleth in that worke whiche is gyue to hyÌ„ for to labour in his parfyte state / that is his eye iÌ„ his lokynge / eâ—e in his herynge / the smell in his smellynge / that taste in his tastynge / the toÌ„gue in his spekynge / the hoÌ„de in his touchynge workynge / the fete
iÌ„ theyr goynge / al they acorde iÌ„ one maner of sowne for to serue theyr eueÌ„ crysteÌ„ for glory laude of my name / for to serue the soule with good / holy / vertuous workes for to answere as iÌ„strumeÌ„tes the obedyeÌ„t soule / they be ryght plesauÌ„t to the nature of angels / ryghte plesauÌ„t to very tasters / whiche abyde theÌ„ with greate loye / where one shall parte with the endelesse good of another / they also be plesaunte to the worlde whyther the worlde wyll or not wycked meÌ„ maye not / but that they must nedes fele of this plesauÌ„t sowne / yet many of them with that fysshynge hoke and with that instrumeÌ„t betake / that is they passe away fro dethe come to lyfe / all seyntes wroughten toke with that instrument ¶ The fyrste that sowned in the sowne of lyfe was my ryght swete ryght wel byloued sone / takynge vpon hyÌ„ youre manheed / with the whiche maheed oned to the godheed / he made a ryght swete sowne vpon the cros / so he toke the sone of maÌ„kynde fro that deuyll / the whiche he hadde so longe tyme kepte for his synÌ„e / all ye sholde folowe the doctryne of his mayster in youre best maner ¶ Of hym the apostels toke theyr doctryne / suyÌ„ge and sowynge his worde throughe all the worlde / Martyrs also Confessours / Doctours Vyrgyns / all by theyr maner of seynge ¶ Also the gloryous mayde Vrsula whiche sowned so swetely her instrument / that she caughte fyrste there with a .xi. thousande vyrgyns / after warde multyplyed the nombre meruaylously / bothe of them and of other with the same sowne ¶ In the same wyse thus do other / some in one wyse and some in another ¶ Who is cause of this ¶ Certayne my infynyte prouydence / whiche haue prouyded to gyue to them instrumentes / and also I gaue to them awaye and a maner / by the whiche they myght gyue sowne / and what that euer I gyue to them / or what that I do suffer for to fall to theÌ„ in this lyfe / it is to theÌ„ a way for to encrese theyr instrumeÌ„tes yf they wyll knowe it / that wyll do theyr lyghte awaye fro theÌ„ ¶ Wherwith se they ¶ Certayne with the cloude of theyr owne ê“per loue / with plesauÌ„ce of theyr owne conceyte ¶ The .iiii. chapyter is of the prouydeÌ„ce of god in generall that he vseth iÌ„ his creatures in this lyfe in the other ¶ Also of the prouydeÌ„ce of god for his poore seruauÌ„tes / helpige theÌ„ with teÌ„porall goodes / other maters as it is specyfyed in the kalender Ca. iiii DOughter thy herte shall be made larger / therfore open the eye of thy intelleccyon with the lyghte of feythe / for to beholde with what loue prouydeÌ„ce I haue made ordeyned maÌ„ / the is that he sholde Ioye iÌ„ me most souerayne endelesse good / for fully I haue prouyded for hym bothe in soule body as I haue tolde the bothe to vnparfyte parfyte / good euyll / ghostly or bodyly / in heueÌ„ iÌ„ erthe / iÌ„ this deedli lyfe also iÌ„ the lyfe of vndeedlynesse ¶ In this deedly lyfe as loÌ„ge as ye lyue here / I haue bouÌ„de you with the boÌ„de of charite why ther a maÌ„ wyll or no he is bouÌ„de in the same boÌ„de / yf he vnlose hyÌ„selfe fro affeccyoÌ„ / that is yf he be not in that charyte of his neyghbour / he is bouÌ„de of nede that bothe iÌ„ wyll dede he sholde vse charyte / yf ye lose it in your affeccyoÌ„ bycause of your wyckednesse / thaÌ„ be ye boÌ„de coÌ„strayned namely of nede for to vse it iÌ„ acte / for I haue not prouyded for to vse it to one maÌ„ alone / nor made eche man knowe the thynge whiche is spedefull for hym iÌ„ all his lyfe / but one hathe one thyÌ„ge of grace and another hathe another thyÌ„ge / that a maÌ„ may haue cause mater for veri nede / one to be enformed by another ¶ O this thou sees by ensample the a workemaÌ„ or a craÌ„ftymaÌ„ gothe for to lerne somthyÌ„ge of the tyller / the tyller of the craftymaÌ„ / so that one nedeth to be enformed of another / for the one can not do that the other can / in the same maner a clerke a relygy ous maÌ„ haue nede of seculers / seculers relygyous / for the one wtoute the other caÌ„ nothyÌ„ge do / thus of all other ¶ Myght I not gyue to euereÌ„ that that is nedefull ¶ Yes certayne / but I wolde with prouydeÌ„ce that one meked hyÌ„ to another mekely / that they shold be coacte by mekenesse eche of theÌ„ to vse togyder bothe acte affeccyoÌ„ of charyte ¶ I haue thus sheded iÌ„ theÌ„ my magnyfysence / my goodnesse / my prouydeÌ„ce / yet they suffer theÌ„selfe to be led in derkenes of theyr ê“per freylte / the lyÌ„mes of your body do you shame / for they vse charyte togyder not ye for whan the heed aketh the honde helpeth it / whaÌ„ the fynger whiche is the leest lyÌ„me suffereth ony peyne the heed is anyuyshed ther with thoughe it be the more worthy lyÌ„me of the bodye. ¶ In the same wyse euery lymme helpeth other with coÌ„passyon / bothe the eye heryÌ„ge with all other partes / so doth not a proude maÌ„ that seeth his pore lyÌ„mes seke feble / that is pore folke / and yet wtyl not helpe them in theyr nede / not onely with ony temporall good that he hathe / nor with the leest worde of his mouthe / but rather with lytell settynge by them repreuyÌ„ge them / he turneth his face fro them / he is ryche / and yet he suffereth hyÌ„ to dye for hoÌ„ger / but suche one seeth that his wretched cruelte casteth cruelte to me / so that his proude dedygnacyon descendeth done to the depenesse of hell / neuerthelesse yet I prouyde to that poore creature / to whome for the pouerte shall be rewarded in blys with endeles rychesse / and that proude wretche shall be sharply repreued of my onely sothefaste sone Ihesu / in suche wyse as the holy gospell saythe / but yf he amende hym or that he dye / it is wryten in the holy gospel thus O suriui noÌ„ dedistis michi maÌ„ducare c. I hoÌ„gred and ye gaue me no meet / I thrysted ye gaue me no drynke / I was naked ye coueÌ„red me not / I was seke and iÌ„ pryson ye came not to me / it shall no profyte be to hyÌ„ thaÌ„ in the laste daye for to excuse hym thus ¶ Lorde I sawe the neuer / for yf I hadde sene the / I wolde haue done al this to the. ¶ That wretche knoweth well that thus he seeth / that the whiche ye do to the lest of myne / ye do to me /
therfore ryghtewysely to hyÌ„ shall be gyueÌ„ endeles peyne with fendes ¶ Lo now thou knowes I haue prouyded in erthe for theÌ„ / that they ge not to endeles sorowe / yf thou dyd beholde me than aboue in the endelesse lyfe in the kyndes of angels / ymonge the cytesyns dwellynge in that endeles blysse / whiche by vertu of my sones blode that vndefouled lambe haue receyued that lyfe / that I sholde so ordeyne them and set them in order / that is for to set one for to tast onely his owne proper good in that blessyd lyfe / and not for to comune charytably be partener of the goodes of other / naye I wyll not so / but theyr charyte is so parâ—ytely ordeyned that the greate tasteth the good of the lesse / and the lesse of the greate / I call it lytell as for the mesure / not for that the lesse is full of ioye as the moste / for eche after his degre is ful of ioye / as it is rehersed iÌ„ another place before ¶ O howmoche charytable broderheed there is / and howmoche oneheed in me / and one with another / for they haue that of me / they knowe well that they haue it of me whiche they haue / they kepe it with holy drede du reuerence / seynge and knowyÌ„ge theyr owne dygnyte wherin I haue set them / there angels comune with men / that is with the soules of blessyd men / and blessyd soules with angels / and so eche of them be ioyfull of the good of other in the breÌ„nynge loue of charyte / and so they ioye in me with ioye and gladnes without ony sorowe / swetely without bytternesse ¶ For whaÌ„ they dyd lyue in erthe / iÌ„ theyr dyenge they tasted me by affeccyon of loue in the charyte of theyr euen crysteÌ„ ¶ Who ordeyned this ¶ My wysdome with ryghte meruaylous and swete prouydeÌ„ce / and yf thou tourne thy thoughte to purgatory / thou shal also fynde ther my swete ryght meruaylous prouydence in the wretched soules that haue loste theyr tyme in this worlde by ygnoraunce / and bycause that they maye be departed frome the body / they haue no more power for to helpe them / as for deseruynge of ony delyueraunce of peyne / and therfore I haue prouyded for theÌ„ by meane of you that yet do lyue iÌ„ erthe / whiche haue tyme for theÌ„ for to rauÌ„some theÌ„ out of peyne by almesdedes and by masse syngyÌ„ge whiche they ordeyne for to be sayde of my mynysters / by fastynge and by prayers done in the state of grace / with al these meanes ye abredge theyr tymes of peyne / by medyacyon of my mercy ¶ Nowe is this doughter a swete prouydeÌ„ce all this haue I sayde to the that thou shold be rapte with loue with in thy soule / in suche thynges as longen to the helthe of a soule / also for thou sholde araye thyselfe with lyght of holy feythe with stydfaste hope iÌ„ my prouydence / that thou sholde throwe out thyselfe fro thyselfe / and in all that thou sholde do for to hope in me wtout ony seruyle drede ¶ Of the prouydence of god for his poore seruauÌ„tes / helpynge them with temporall goodes NOw dere doughter wyll I tell the a lytell party of the maner whiche I helpe and releue my poore seruauntes in theyr bodyly necessyte that hope and trust in me / and yet neuerthelesse they be well apayde of theyr nede other parfytely or vnê‘fytely as they themselfe be parfyte or vnparfyte ¶ I prouyde also to my poore folke dwellyÌ„ge in the worlde whiche be poore in spyryte and wyl / that is with spyrytuall entent / I speke not of suche as be symple poore in the worlde / for there be many suche poore whiche wolde no poore men be / suche be ryche folke as touchyÌ„ge theyr wyll for they hope nothynge in me / nor they bere not ryghte gladly they pouerte whiche I haue gyueÌ„ to them for a medycyne to theyr soules / for rychesse sholde haue done theÌ„ harme and turned them to dampnacyoÌ„ / all my seruauÌ„tes be poore folke and not beggers / a begger oftetyme hathe that he wolde haue / and therfore he suffereth grete necessyte / but I defayle neuer my poore seruauntes / as longe as they hope in me / I lede them forthe in that pouerte / somtyme to the laste ende / that they sholde the better knowe se that I am he whiche wyll prouyde for theÌ„ / by the whiche truste they shold make them stronge with loue in my prouydence / and so gladly for to receyue the spouse of very pouerte / wherfore the holy ghost theyr mynyster with mylde mekenesse wyll puruaye for theÌ„ all that is nede bothe to theyr bodyes by gyuynge of a greate desyre in the hertes of other folke the whiche maye gyue them / so that they shall go and releue them in theyr bodyly nedes / al the lyfe of my swete poore folke is thus gouerned with the besynesse whiche I gyue to the seruauntes of the worlde for them / neuerthelesse yet I proue theÌ„ in pascyeÌ„ce / iÌ„ feythe / and in parseueraunce / for I suffer somtyme to be sayd and done to theÌ„ bothe repreues and wronges / yet he that dothe suche wronges to theÌ„ / I styrre them to do them almes / for to helpe them iÌ„ theyr nedes / this is a generall prouydeÌ„ce gyuen to my seruauntes / but somtyme I vse it in my ryghte specyall seruauntes with out meane of ony creature onely by myselfe / as thou knowes well I dyd to my gloryous seruauÌ„te seynt Domynycke / for in the begynnynge of his order / his brederne dyd sufter greate nede and penury of meet / so ferforth that whan the houre of meet was come and they had nothynge to ete / my well beloued Domynycke with the lyghte of feythe hopynge in me that I shold prouyde for theÌ„ / sayd to his brederne thus ¶ Chyldren sette ye downe to meet / his brederne anone were obedyent to his wordes sate downe / than I prouyded to all theÌ„ that had trust in me / sende two angels with ryghte whyte breed to theÌ„ in suche plente that they had greate abundaunce therof many tymes after / this prouydence was not done with meane of man / but onely by the benynge myldenes of the holy ghoste / somtyme also I ê“uyde for my ryght specyall seruaunces a lytell quantyte of lyuelode whiche was not suffycyent for theÌ„ / as thou knowes well I dyd to the swete mayde seynt Agnes / which serued me fro her chylde heed vnto her laste ende with greate mekenesse / by the whiche mekenesse with quycke feythe / at the commauÌ„dyment of my blessyd Mary my sones moder / she drewe her to greate parfyte pouerte / and so without ony temporall substaunce she bylded a Monastery in suche a place / where somtyme was as thou knowes well a comune
house of womeÌ„ / she thought not whan she sholde bylde it thus / how myght I parforme this / but besyly with my prouydence she made there an holy monastery / where she gadered togyder in the begynnynge xviij maydens whan she had ryght noughte for to gyue them of meet drynke / but as I prouyded for theÌ„ / ymonge all other thynges whan I hadde longe prouyded for them as for theyr bodyly nede / I sufferd theÌ„ thre dayes to be without breed / onely lyuyÌ„ge with herbes / yf thou aske me thaÌ„ why I withdrawe fro them theyr necessary lyuelode / nameli fro suche as had hope in me / sythen I haue sayde before that I wolde not fayle my seruauntes that put theyr hope in me / but that they sholden haue suche as them nedeth / wherfore the semeth that they lacked theyr nede / for onely with herbes the body of a reasonable creature lyueth not / for to speke comunely of suche as be not parfyte / for thoughe Agnes was ê‘fyte / other of her susters were not parfyte in the same ê‘feccyon / to this I shall answere the thus ¶ I suffred that iÌ„ her / that she sholde be fulfylled plentuously in my prouydeÌ„ce / and other that were yet vnparfyte of her systers / myghten haue cause by the myracle that sheweth for to parforme her begynnynge fundament in the lyghte of holy feythe / neuerthelesse in those herbes or iÌ„ suche other / I myghte gyue moche grace of releuynge / or els in gyuyÌ„ge suche dysposycyon to mankynde that he sholde better lyue with the lytel herbe and somtyme without meet / thaÌ„ he dyd before with breed and other maner of meet that be gyuen and ordeyned for the lyfe of man / thou knowes well this is sothe / for thou hase proued this thyselfe / neuerthelesse whaÌ„ that Agnes had lyued so longe as I haue sayde with so lytell quantyte of lyuelode / she lyfte vp the eye of her soule to me with lyghte of feythe and sayd thus / fader my lorde ende lesse spouse hase thou made me for to take out these maydens out of theyr faders houses / that they shall now peryshe for honger / good lorde / good spouse prouyde for theyr nede ¶ Lo doughter I was he that made her for to aske me so / for that I wolde haue her feythe proued / that meke prayer was ryghte lykynge to me / therfore I extended my prouydence in her / that whan she stode so before me / I constrayned a certayne creature in his soule by inspyracyon of the holy ghoste for to bere to those women fyue small loues / by the whiche the soule of Agnes had reuelacyon / by the whiche reuelacyon she tourned to her systers and sayde thus / go doughters and answeree at the whele / and take in theyr breed / they went as they were coÌ„maunded and and brought in breed / whiche was departed ymonges them / I gaue so greate myght and vertu to those loues in the departynge of them / that all they were plentuously fulfylled / and whan they hadde eten / there remayned asmoche whiche they toke fro the table / that they had another tyme to the full for the nede of theyr bodyly lyfe ¶ Thus do I with my prouydence whiche I vse with my seruauntes that be wylfully poore / yet not onely wylfully poore / but poore in spyryte / for without a spyrytuall entent / it were ryght noughte worthe for theÌ„ / as it happed to phylosophers whiche for the loue that they hadde to cunnynge and for the wyll that they hadde to lerne it / they set not by ryches / therfore they made them poore wylfully / knowynge very well that besynesse of the worldely ryches wolde let them / and not to suffer them to come to the parfyte knowlege of cunnynge / whiche cunnynge they sette before the eye of theyr intelleccyon as for one ende but bycause this wyll of pouerte was not done for the glory and laude of my name / therfore they had nother lyfe of grace nor of ê‘feccyon / but rather of endelesse dethe ¶ Of euylles whiche do come for kepynge and desyrynge of temporall goodes vnordynately I Haue touched the somwhat that thou maye the better knowe the tresour of wylful pouerte in spyryte ¶ Who knoweth that ¶ Certayne my well beloued poore seruauntes / whiche haue ythrowe awaye fro theÌ„ the burthoÌ„ of rychesse in to the erthe / that they myght lyghtly passe forth in theyr iournaye and so to enter by the strayte gate ¶ There be some that bothe actually and mentally throwe it awaye fro them / and they be those that bothe actually and mentually do kepe the commauÌ„dymentes and the couÌ„seyles / but some ther be that onely kepe the couÌ„seyles mentally / spoylyÌ„ge theyr affeccyon fro ryches / for they kepe theym by vnordynate loue / but ordynately and with holy drede I made no possessoure of theÌ„ / but a dyspensatour a puruayoure for poore folke / suche one dothe wel / but yet the fyrste be ê‘fyte bothe with more fruyte thaÌ„ these haue / also with lesse impedymeÌ„t / in whome my prouydeÌ„ce semeth more shynynge actually thaÌ„ in these / for suche one by the vertu of very pouerte holdeth hymselfe meke lowe iÌ„ his owne syghte / of the whiche mekenesse I haue tolde the before in another place / therfore I shall tell the more now onely of the vertu of pouerte ¶ I haue tolde the yf thou haue mynde / that all euyll / all harme / all the peyne in this lyfe / in the other lyfe of peynes / do come fro the loue of delyces / but now shall I tell that what good cometh of pouerte / all peas rest cometh of pouerte / be holde now se of what chere my very poore seruauÌ„tes be of / with howmoche ioye iocundyte they dwell / they be neuer sory / but for offence that is done to me / whiche sorowe tourmeÌ„teth not theyr soules / but it maketh the soule fatte in grace / for theyr pouerte they wyÌ„ne endeles ryches / bicause they haue forsakeÌ„ derknes they fynde the most ê‘fyte lyghte / for the forsakyÌ„ge of the worlde / they haue spyrytual ioy / for the forsakyÌ„ge of deedly goodes / they fyÌ„de vndeedly goodes so receyue ghostly coÌ„fortes / for to haue laboure peyne / it is a refresshynge of the soule with ryghtwysenesse a fraternal charyte / they lyue with euery reasonable creature / they accepte no more one creature than another / but yf they be suche that be more vertuous thaÌ„ other / iÌ„ suche shyneth the vertu of holy feythe of veri hope / iÌ„ theÌ„ breÌ„neth the fyre of dyuyne charyte / the whiche do lyfte vp auoyde theyr hope fro the worlde / fro all vaâ—nerychesse / they haue enbraced the very spouse of pouerte with the lyght of very feythe / whiche they haue in me that am
most souerayne endelesse blessydnesse ¶ Wyll thou knowe whiche be the honde maydens seruauÌ„tes of very pouerte ¶ Certayne vylyte / abieccyon / coÌ„tempte of maÌ„ of hyÌ„selfe / very mekenes / whiche do serue noryshe affeccyoÌ„ of pouerte in the soule ¶ The fyfte chapyter is of the excellence of them whiche be poore iÌ„ spyryte / how cryste taughte vs of this pouerte / not oneli bi worde / but by ensaÌ„ple / also of the prouydence of god for theÌ„ that take this pouerte / a short repeticioÌ„ of the fore sayde dyuyne prouydeÌ„ce / also other maters / as is reherced in the kalender Ca. v. My very seruauÌ„tes breÌ„ned iÌ„ that fyre of charite / forsoke rychesse theyr sencyble felynge / lyke as the apostell Mathewe dyd / the whiche forsoke ryches / sued my onely sothefast sone Ihesu / whiche taughte you bothe a maner rule for to loue folowe very pouerte / he taughte you not onely by worde / but by ensample / for fro the begyÌ„nynge of his byrthe vnto the last ende of his lyfe / he taught you this doctryne by ensample / he hyÌ„selfe wedded fro you this spouse of very pouerte / not withstondynge that he was most souerayne blessydnesse by vnyon of dyuyne nature / by the whiche he is one with me and I with hym / and yf thou wyll se hym meke lowe in greate pouerte / beholde god made and arayed with the vylyte of youre maÌ„heed / so thou maye se that swete ryghte well byloued Ihesu borne in a stable / for to teche you that lyue in this lyfe / euer for to be borne in the stable of youre owne knowlege / wher ye sholde fynde me borne by grace within youre soules ¶ Also thou maye se hym lyenge in the mydle ymonge beestes / in so grete penury that Mary his moder had not wher with to couer hym / but in the colde tyme with the brethynge of those beestes and with haye he was made warme ¶ Lo he that was the fyre of charyte wolde suffer colde in his maÌ„ heed all the whyle that he was in the worlde on lyue / bothe in presence of his dyscyples and in the absence of his dyscyples / so that otherwhyle for honger his dyscyples dyd gader the ere 's of corne and ete them / yet in the laste ende of his lyfe he was dyspoyled of his clothes and scorged all aboute a pyller / and also with grete thruste he hanged vpon the crosse / iÌ„ suche penury and pouerte that bothe the erthe the tree whiche he haÌ„ged vpon defayled hym so that he hadde no place where he myghte laye his heed / but that he muste nedes reste his heed vpon his shulder / and also he that was druÌ„ke with loue / he made to you a bathe in his blode / by shedynge of his blode / in openynge of his body on euery syde / he beynge so in suche myseri gaue to you grete rychesse / and also he beynge vpon the strayte tree of the crosse / he gaue plentuously his largenesse to euery reasonable creature / by tastynge of the bytternesse of gall he gaue to you swetenesse of greate suauyte / he beynge in sorowe gaue to you coÌ„forte / and he beynge bounde nayled to the crosse delyuered and vnlosed you fro the bonde of deedly synne / and in that he was made seruauÌ„te / he made you fre and delyuered you fro the deuylles daunger / and iÌ„ that he was solde he raunsomed you by his blode / and in that he toke dethe he gaue you lyfe / in the whiche dethe he gaue to you the rule of loue / shewynge more loue to you thaÌ„ he ought for to do to you / that were to hym to me endelesse fader deedly enemyes / he gaue to you also a rule of very mekenesse / in that he suffered in the most repreuable dethe of the crosse / repreues / shames sufferynge theÌ„ ryghte mekely / he gaue you also a rule of very pouerte / for as it is wryten of hym / Foxes haue caues dennes / byrdes of the ayre haue nestes / but the sone of maÌ„ hathe not wher he maye laye his heed ¶ Who maye veryly knowe this ¶ Certayne he that hathe the lyghte of very feythe ¶ In whome may thou fynde this fâ—ythe ¶ Certayne iÌ„ poore folke of spyryte that haue take for theyr spouse the quene of pouerte / this quene hathe a realme in the whiche realme is neuer warre / but pease reste / she is full of ryghtwysenesse / for all vnryghtwysenesse is departed fro her / the walles of her cytee be welles / for the fouÌ„damente therof is not sette vpon the grouÌ„de / but on a quycke stone Ihesu my onely sothefaste sone / within is lyght / without derkenesse / for the moder of this quene is the depenesse of my dyuyne charyte / the raymeÌ„t of this cytee is pyte mercy / for the tyrauÌ„t of ryches whiche vsed cruelte is pulled away fro thens / there is one maner benyuolence with all the cytesyns / that is loue of neyghbour heed / ther is also loÌ„ge parseuerauÌ„ce with prudence / whiche gouerneth not his cytee vnprudeÌ„tly / but with greate prudence besyly wakynge / and therfore a soule that is wedded to this ryght swete quene of pouerte / she hathe made herselfe a lady of all these ryches / she maye not be lady of one / but she be lady of all / and as ofte as the appetyte of ryches falleth in that soule / so ofte she is departed fro this good / and fyndeth herselfe with greate mysery without the cytee / and yf it so be that she be founde feythfull trewe to this spouse euer alwaye / the same spouses pouerte wyll largely departe with her abundaunt ryches ¶ Who maye se this grete excelleÌ„ce of pouerte ¶ Certayne none but suche a soule / iÌ„ whome shyneth the lyght of feythe / this same quene pouerte / arayeth a soule with grete purete wtdrawyÌ„ge rychesse / whiche made her clene depryued her from wycked thoughtes / gyuyÌ„ge to her good / she draweth out also fro her the besynesse of the worlde / and whan that bytternesse is gone / thaÌ„ remayneth in her swetenesse / she cutteth awaye fro her the thornes / and thaÌ„ remayneth the rose / she also dyscargeth the stomake of the soule fro the corrupte humours of vnordynate loue / maketh it lyght / and after tyme it is so voyded / she fylleth it with meet of vertu / whiche gyueth grete swetenesse / she setteth there also the seruauntes of holy hate of loue / for to purge araye the place for those seruauÌ„tes of holy hate of vyces and of proper sensualyte / turneth the soule bothe clenseth it purgeth / loue of vertu arayeth her / by puttynge awaye fro theÌ„s all maner doubtes / depryuyÌ„ge her fro seruyle drede / and
for there maye neuer no teÌ„pestes of the see greue hym nor noye hym / he feleth neuer wronges / for he wyll euer obeye as it is commauÌ„ded to hym / he hathe no peyne / for his appetyte is euer ful / in asmoche as obedyence hathe made hym well ruled ordeyned onely for to tast me that maye / can / wyll fulfyll his desyre ¶ He hathe also dyspoyled hymselfe fro worldely ryches / and so iÌ„ alother thynges whiche were to loÌ„ge to tell / he fyndeth peas quyetnesse ¶ O obedyence that without labour of shyp perell / thou comes parfytely to the hauen of helthe / thou coÌ„fortes the with my onely sothefast sone Ihesu / for thou asceÌ„des to the shyp of the holy crosse / ther makynge the redy for to suffer / where thou desyres not to passe the very obedyeÌ„ce of my sone / nor for to go out of his doctryne / thaÌ„ thou makes to the of the crosse a meettable / where thou etes receyues meet of the helthe of thy soule / dwellynge and abydynge in the loue of neyghbourheed / thou arte oned coupled with very mekenesse / and therfore thou desyres not thy neyghbours good agaynst his wyl / thou arte ryght wtout ony crokednesse / for thou makes a ryghte herte not a feyned herte to loue my reasonable creatures frely not feyntly / thou arte a graye mornynge / whiche ledes with the lyghte of dyuyne grace / thou arte a sonne that warmes / for thou arte not with out the hete of charyte / thou makes the erthe to brynge forthe fruyte / that is that all the instrumeÌ„tes bothe of the body soule do brynge forthe fruyte / whiche fruyte gyueth lyfe bothe to hym selfe to his neyghboure / thou arte all â—ocunde mery / for thy face is not troubled by vnpacyence / but thou hase a peaseable plesauÌ„te syghte in thy selfe / thou arte all clere with a greate clerenes / stroÌ„ge with a grete streÌ„gthe abydynge with longe ê‘seuerauÌ„ce in somoche that what the euer thou holdes or occupyes / thou hase heueÌ„ opened with the / thou arte also a precyous Margaryte stone hyd vnknowen caste out of the worlde / in settynge nought by thy selfe / but puttyÌ„ge thyselfe by subieccyon vnder all reasonable creatures / thy lordeshyp is so greate that there maye none passe the in domynacyon / for thou arte gone out of the deedly bondage of thy proper seusualyte / whiche withdraweth the fro thy worshypfull dygnyte / whaÌ„ that this enemy was dystroyed with hate dysplesauÌ„ce of thy proper coÌ„playntes / thaÌ„ thou had agayne vtterly thy fredome ¶ Here also he speketh of the mysery of theÌ„ that be not obedyeÌ„t / of that excelleÌ„t grace of theÌ„ that be obedyeÌ„t O Ere doughter all this hathe my goodnes prouydeÌ„ce done / whiche hathe prouyded that my onely incarnate sone sholde reforme this keye of obedyeÌ„ce as it is sayd before but worldly meÌ„ destytute barayne fro all vertu do worke the coÌ„trary / for they be as beestes wtout brydels / iÌ„ asmoche as they haue not the youke of obedyeÌ„ce / therfore they renne fro yll in to worse / fro synÌ„ to synÌ„e / fro wretchednesse to wretchednesse / fro derke to derker / fro dethe to dethe in somoche that at the last they come to the pytte of dethe / with the worme of coÌ„scyeÌ„ce whiche shall euer frete theÌ„ / all be it that they maye yet other whyle take vpon theÌ„ obedyeÌ„ce / that is to obey to the coÌ„mauÌ„dymeÌ„tes of that lawe / sorowynge for the tyme that they haue loste by inobedyeÌ„ce / yet neuertheles it is full harde to wynÌ„e it agayne / for the loÌ„ge custome of synÌ„e therfore ther sholde none truste in this delayenge for to take the keye of obedyeÌ„ce in that laste ende / thoughe it so be that euery man oweth and sholde hope as loÌ„ge as he hathe tyme and space of lyfe / but yet he sholde not truste therin / so that therby he delaye for to correcke and amende his lyfe what is the cause of so greate euyl so greate blyÌ„denesse / that they knowe not this blessed treasure ¶ Certayne the cloude of ê“per loue with wretched pryde / by the whiche they be gone out of obedyence / fall in to inobedyeÌ„ce / as loÌ„ge as they be vnobedyent / so longe they be vnpacyeÌ„t as I haue tolde the before with vnpacyeÌ„ce / they suffer vntollerable peines / whiche vnpacyence hathe draw theÌ„ out fro the waye of truthe / so makyÌ„ge theÌ„ selfe felowes to fendes / with whome but yf they amende theÌ„ they go with theyr owne inobedyeÌ„ce in to the endelesse turmeÌ„tes / lyke as my dere seruauÌ„tes / freÌ„des / kepers / very obeyers to my lawe shall loye be glad iÌ„ euerlastyÌ„ge blysse / with my onely sothfaste sone Ihesu / that meke and vndefouled laÌ„be / maker / keper / gyuer of the lawe / iÌ„ this lyfe all those that kepe very obedyeÌ„ce / they taste peas receyue blessed lyfe / they aray theÌ„ with the most parfyte charyte / in whom is peas wtout warre / good wtout yl / lykernesse wtout drede / honger wtoute peyne / lyghte wtout derkenes / one souerayne good / of whome all very rasters take parte ¶ Who hathe so brought to maÌ„ so grete good ¶ Certayne the blode of the vndefouled laÌ„be / by whose vertu the keye of obedyence hathe loste his rust / that ye maye opeÌ„ the gate of heueÌ„ with that same keye thus thaÌ„ obedyeÌ„ce by vertu of my sones blode / hathe opened to the the gate of heuen ¶ O fooles very vnwytty folke / delaye no longer for to come out of the fylthe of vnclennesse / for it semeth that ye do as hogges / the whiche walowe them in fylthe / so it semeth that ye do iÌ„ the fylthe of carnall delyte / forsake your vnryghtwysenesse / maÌ„slaughter / hate / rancour / detraccyon / gronynge / false IudgemeÌ„tes / crueltes / by the whiche ye vse for to do thefte and trechery to youre neyghbours / with mys ruled pleasures delyces of the world ¶ Cut a way your hornes of pryde / by the whiche cuttyÌ„ge awaye / ye shall dystroye the hate that ye haue iÌ„ your mouthes / agaynst theÌ„ whiche do you wronge / mesure the wronge that they do to me to your neyghbours / than shall ye fynde in rewarde of them / that wronges whiche be done to you be noughte / ye knowe wel that yf ye abyde in hate / ye do me wronge / in asmoche as ye breke my commaundymeÌ„tes / there ye sholde loue me aboue all thyÌ„ges / youre neyghboure as youreselfe / you do wronge to your neyghbour / so depryuynge you fre the loue of charyte / for I haue gyueÌ„ you by coÌ„mauÌ„dyment / that ye sholde loue me aboue all thynges / and youre neyghboure as
youreselfe ¶ There was neuer sette nor putte other glose thā as is sayde and yf they do you wronge / sholde ye not therfore loue thē yes certayne ful hole / for that was byd to you of my onely sothfast sone Ihesu whiche kepte fully the same / that ye with the same fulnesse sholde kepe do that same to youre enemyes / yf ye kepe it not / thā ye do harme to yourselfe and wronge to youre soule / depryuynge it fro the lyfe of grace ¶ Take you therfore receyue the keye of obedyence with the lyghte of feythe / go ye no more fro this tyme forthewarde with suche blyndenesse and derkenesse of synne / nor with suche dulnesse / but with brennynge loue kepe this obedyence / that with the trewe kepers of my lawe ye may at the last taste very lyfe euerlastynge Amen ¶ The secōde chapyter is of them that sette somoche loue to obedyēce / that it suffyseth not to them for to obey to the generall obedyence / as to the commaundymentes of god / but yf they take be bounde to some specyall obedyence ¶ Also how a mā cometh by what maner fro the generall obedyence to the specyal / and of the excellences of relygyon / and of other maters as be rehersed before in the kalēder Ca. ii Ryght dere doughter there be some / in whome the fyre of loue encreseth sore anendes this obedyēce / and bycause the fyre of loue is not without hate of proper sensualyte / for by encresynge of that fyre / hate encreseth in theym / so that what by hate and what by loue they holde thē not content / onely to lyue vnder the generall obedyence of the commaūdy mētes of the lawe / to the whiche as it is sayde before all ye be boūde to kepe yf ye wyll haue lyfe euer lastynge / but they take vpon thē a more specyall obedyence / whiche is a synguler obedyēce that gouerneth a soule in greate perfeccyon / by the whiche they make themselfe special kepers of the coūseyles / bothe actually and mentually / all suche wyll for hate that they haue to themselfe slee in them selfe theyr owne wyll / bynde them more straytly in relygyon or els out of relygyō / for to bynde thē to obeye to some creature / submyttynge to them theyr wylles / that they maye therby more spedefully open the gates of heuen ¶ These be those of whome I spake to the before / whiche haue chosen the moste parfyte obedyence ¶ Lo doughter I haue tolde the fyrste of the generall obedyence / and bycause I knowe well thy wyll is that I sholde tell the somewhat of the moste parfyte and specyall obedyence / therfore now I shall tell the of the seconde / the whiche is neuer separate fro the fyrste / but it is more parfyte for as I haue tolde the they be so coupled and knitte togyder / that they may not be departed ¶ Also I tolde the fro whense that obedyēce came / where it is foūde / what thynge it is that wihdraweth it fro you / therfore now I shall tell the of the specyall obedyēce / not for to withdrawe the fro the fyrste ¶ Now a man cometh and by what maner fro the generall obedyence to the specyall / and of the excellence of relygyon A Soule that with loue receyueth the youke of obedyence of that cōmaūdymētes of my onely sothefast sone Ihesu / suȳge his doctryne excercysynge hȳselfe ī suche wyse as I haue tolde the vertuously in this generall obedyēce he shal come to the seconde obedeynce with the same lyghte as he came to the fyrste / for with lyghte of holy feythe he knewe my sothefast truthe / my meruaylous loue whiche I haue to the freylte of mākȳde / in the blode of my meke lambe / bycause suche a soule can not vertuousli answere to me ī suche parfeccyon as he sholde / therfore he seeth with the same lyght in what place ī what wyse he myght yelde to me my dewte / and ouercome his ownefreylte / also sle his owne wyl ī this cōsyderynge / he fyndeth with lyght of feythe a place that is holy relygyon whiche is made and set of the holy ghost / as a shyp for to receyue soules / wyllynge for to renne to parfeccyon / thē for to lede brynge to the hauen of helthe ¶ The patrone of this shyp is the holy ghost / whiche neuer sayleth in hymselfe / for no defantes of ony maner relygyous subiecte that trespaseth in relygyon / what that euer he be that trespaseth in relygyō / he offendeth in the shyp of relygyon / but he maye not offende the relygyon in it selfe / but he offendeth hurteth hymselfe ¶ Neuertheles yet it happeth so that for the defaute of hym that trespaseth in the shyp / by mys gouernaūce of holdȳge of the sterne / oftetyme the shyp stōdeth in greate perell / is in poynte for to be drenched / these be wretched and wycked gouernoures / prelaces sette in gouernaunce of relygyon / by the patrone of this shyppe of relygyon ¶ This shyp of relygyon is of suche excellence in it selfe / that thy tongue is vnsuffycyent for to tell it / therfore as I sayde suche a soule after the fyre of desyre / is increased in her with holy hate of herselfe / whā she hathe founde a place of relygyon with the lyght of feythe / as all deed mortyfyed to the worlde / she entreth in to the same / yf she be a very obedyent soule / that is yf she haue before kepte parsytely the generall obedynece of the commaūdymētes / yet though she enter vnparfytely that is that she kepte not parfytely the commaūdymentes she maye yf she wyll excercyse herselfe in vertu of obedyence / attayne and come to the parfeccyon of relygyon / all be it that yet for the more party whiche enter in to relygyon be vnparfyte / for some enter with parfeccyon / some for drede / some in chyldeheed / some for peyne / some by fayre speche glosynge / all suche maye be good and holy / yf suche wyl deuoutely excercyse thēselfe in vertu / and contynu to the laste ende of dethe / for onely as touchynge the entre maye no mā deme / but in the parseueraūce abydȳge therin / for many enter as it semeth parfytely / whiche afterwarde wolde fayne turne agayne to the worlde / or els with moche vnparfeccyon they lyue stonde in relygyon / and therfore the maner the dede by whiche a soule entreth in to this shyp of relygyon / whiche maners be all ordeyned of me / callȳge soules to relygyō / it sholde not be demed / but onely the affeccyon of suche a soule that abydeth in the same relygyon with very parseueraūce ¶ This shyp of relygyon is ryche / therfore it nedeth not to a subiecte not for to thynge of his nede
ghostly nor bodyly / for yf he that entreth by very obedyeÌ„ce a trewe keper of his relygyoÌ„ / it shal be proued for hyÌ„ by his patrone / that is the holy ghost / oreles as thou knowes well I tolde the whan I spake to the of my prouydeÌ„ce where I sayd thê° that my seruauÌ„tes though they be poore / they be not therfore beggers ¶ In the same wyse all such as be entred in to relygyon / yf they be very obedyent / they shall haue that they nede ¶ Of this they that be very kepers of theyr orders / haue this in experyeÌ„ce / preue it daye by daye ¶ In olde tyme also whan that orders of relygyon were gouerned by the floure of vertu / that is with very pouerte fratâ—rnall charyte / teÌ„porall substauÌ„ce fayled them neuer / but that they hadde euer ynoughe as nede requyred the more that they had of temporall substaunce / the more nedy they were ¶ Therfore it is ryght reasonable that they be pryued to the vtterest / what fruyte they haue by inobedyeÌ„ce / for yf they were very obedyent kepyÌ„ge the vowe of pouerte / they wold neuer be ê“prytaryes nor lyue partyculerly / but in comune ¶ In suche poore comune lyuynge they fyÌ„de ryches of holy ordynauÌ„ce / set ordeyned with greate dyscrecyoÌ„ greate lyght of suche that were iÌ„ erthe / the teÌ„ple of the holy ghost ¶ Beholde se seynt Benet / with what dyscrecyon he ordeyned his shyp of relygyon / be holde also seynt Frauncys with what parfeccyoÌ„ and pouerte / with how many precyous Margaryte stones of vertu / he ordeyned the shyp of his order / ledynge theÌ„ that be entred therin vnto the waye of hyghe parfeccyon / he hymselfe was the fyrst that kepte the same rule / gyuynge to theÌ„ that enter to the same relygyon / very holy pouerte for theyr spouse / the whiche pouerte he toke also for his owne spouse with his suster vylyte / and settynge ryght nought by hym selfe / but he vertuously myslyket hymselfe / and he desyred neuer with out my wyll for to please ony maner creature / but rather he desyred to be sette lytell by in the worlde / euer turmeÌ„tynge and punyshyÌ„ge his body / and also sleynge his owne proper wyll / arayeÌ„ge hymselfe with repreues / peynes / and shames / for that loue of my sone that meke and vndefouled lambe Ihesu cryste / with whome he was fastned and nayled vpon the cros by affeccyoÌ„ of loue so ferforth that by specyall and synguler grace in his body apered the woundes of my onely sothefast sone Ihesu cryst crucyfyed / and so was shewed in the vessell of the body / the whiche was in affeccyon of the soule ¶ Thus he made awaye hymselfe to his subiectes / but now thou wyll aske me saye / whyther all other relygyous be fouÌ„ded set in that same parfeccyoÌ„ I say yes but in euery order this vertu of pouerte is not pryncypall / thoughe it so be that al vertues be grouÌ„ded in the same vertu / of vertues it fareth thê° / that all they take lyfe of the vertu of charyte / yet neuerthelesse as I haue tolde the iÌ„ other places before to some one vertu is specyall / to some another / yet all they dwell in charyte ¶ In the same wyse very ê“per pouerte was with this poore FrauÌ„cys as a pryncypall vertu / settynge the begyÌ„nynge of his relygyous shyp / pryncypally by his affeccyon of loue in the vertu of pouerte / and so makynge a strayte order / for all parfyte people not for comune people / but for fewe good I saye fewe for there be not many that chosen this pouerte iÌ„ the same order / therfore theyr defautes be multyplyed ymoÌ„ge the people / and so they fayle of vertu ¶ This is no defaute of the shyp / but it is for defaute of vnobedyent subiectes mys ruled gouernoures ¶ Also yf thou beholde nowe the shyp of thy fader seynt Domynycke my blessyd chylde / thou shall se how he setteth a parfyte order / he wolde that subiectes whiche enter in to the shyp / sholde onely take hede to my worshyp helthe of soules / with the lyght of cuÌ„nyÌ„ge / vpon the lyght / he made the pryncypall begyÌ„nynge of his relygyon / yet it was depryued fro that very wylful pouerte / but he had it / in tokeÌ„ that he had it / the coÌ„trary therof dysplesed hyÌ„ somoch / that he lefte to his chyldreÌ„ in the same relygyon by his testameÌ„t for theyr herytage his curs myne / yf they euer sholde be of wyll to haue or kepe ony maner of possescyons / in specyall or in generall ¶ This was a very token that he chose to his spouse the quene of pouerte / but for his pryncypall vertu that he sette his relygyon vpon / was the lyghte of cunnynge / whiche he toke myghtely vpoÌ„ hym selfe / for to dystroye erroures here syes / whiche reygned in those dayes / he toke vpoÌ„ the offyce of my sone / so that in the worlde he was worthyly called a postell / bycause with ryghte greate truthe he shewed my worde / puttynge awaye derkesse gyuyÌ„ge lyghte / he was one lyghte that shyned iÌ„ the derke worlde / whiche lyghte I gaue to the worlde by meane and medyacyon of Mary my sones worthy moder / that was sende to the mysteryall body of holy chyrche / as a dystroyer of heresyes / for she gaue hyÌ„ his abyte / whaÌ„ the offyce of prechynge was commytted to hym by my sone ¶ Why sayde I by meane and medyacyon of the most blessyd Mary ¶ For she prayed that the heresyes myght be dystryed in holy chyrche / wherfore I chose Domynycke for to labour ther vpon with lyghte of cunnynge / of the whiche lyghte of cunnynge / he made his chyldren in the same relygyon to ete vpon the table of the crosse / vpon the whiche crosse was sette ymonges them the table of holy desyre / wher soules do ete for my honour and worshyp / he wolde not that his chyldren sholde take hede to ony other belynesse / thaÌ„ onely for to stonde vpon this table with the lyghte of cunnynge / for to seke the glory and laude of my name / helthe of soules / that they sholde haue no mater for to beletted in other thynges / he dyd withdrawe fro theÌ„ the besynesse of teÌ„porall goodes / whom he wolde were poore / he doubted neuer for no lyuelod for theÌ„ / nor he neuer dredde that / for he had myghtyly arayed hyÌ„ in very feythe in stydfast hop / so hoped in my prouydeÌ„ce / he wolde also that they sholde kepe obedyence / that they be obedyent for to do that thynge to the whiche they be chosen / also bycause that by vnclene lyuyÌ„ge the eye of intelleccyon is blynded not onely the intelleccyon but by
that wretched vyce the bodyly syghte fayleth / wherfore he wyll not that therby theyr lyght were letted / with the whiche lyghte they wynne the lyghte of cuÌ„nynge the better more ê‘fytely / therfore he put to theÌ„ the thyrde vowe / that is of contynence / ymonge all his chyldren he wolde it were kepte with very ê‘fyte obedyence though it be these dayes euyl kepte for now they paruerte the lyght of cuÌ„nynge in to derkenesse / with the blyndenesse of pryde not for this lyghte of cunnynge may receyue derkenesse but I saye this as for the derkenesse of theyr soules / for where that pryde is / there maye no obedyence be for as I tolde the lately a very obedyencer is asmoche in mekenesse / as he is in obedyeÌ„ce / and asmoche in obedyence / as he is mekenesse / therfore he that breketh the vowe of obedyeÌ„ce / seldon it is sene but that he breketh the vowe of contynence / other mentually or actually / thus thou maye knowe and se well that he hathe ordeyned for to bynde his relygyous shyp with these thre cordes / that is with obedyence / contynence / and very pouerte / it is made all ryally / for all deedly synne maye be eschewed therin / he was so yllumyned of me with very lyghte and prouydence / that he prouyded to them whiche were of lesse parfeccyon than other / as well as he dyd for them that were parfyte in the same relygyoÌ„ / for thoughe all that do kepe this order be parfyte / yet in that waye of lyuynge ther maye be one more parfyte than another / and so he prouyded therfore / that bothe parfyte and vnparfyte maye dwell all togyder in this relygyous shyp / he fastned hymselfe myghtyly to my onely sothefaste sone Ihesu / shewynge his doctryne / that he shewed well in that he wolde not the dethe of the synners / but that they were gracyously turned and so to lyue / he was vertuously all large / all mery and full of iocundyte / and all swete in vertu as a delectable vyrydary / but wretches suche as kepe not the order but brekers of the same / they make foule enfecte other whiche be noryshed in the same relygyon at the breste of vertu with the lytell lyghte of cunnynge that they haue / I saye not of the order iÌ„ it selfe for as I sayd it hathe ghostly deleccacyoÌ„ iÌ„ it selfe / but iÌ„ the begyÌ„nyÌ„ge I sayde ther was none suche infeccyoÌ„ ymoÌ„ge theÌ„ / for thaÌ„ all as one floure well smellyÌ„ge / in that tyme men were of so greate parfeccyon that ther was no derkenesse of errour nor heresyes / but that it was with the lyghte of cunnynge of theÌ„ put away ¶ Se and beholde seynt Thomas Alquyn / whiche with the lyght of his intelleccyoÌ„ / worthyly he behelde in the myrrour of my truthe where he wanne lyghte aboue nature / cuÌ„nyÌ„ge infuded by grace / for bothe by prayer mannes study he wanne suche cunnynge ¶ He was as a brennynge lyght / that gaue lyght in his order / queÌ„ched derkenes in the mysteryal body of holy chyrche ¶ Beholde also seynt Peter of Mylan that vyrgyn and martyr / whiche with shedynge of his blode by martyrdome / gaue lyght in destroyenge of many heresyes / whiche heresyes he had in so greate hare / that he dysposed hymselfe for to dye / rather thaÌ„ to suffer them / all the whyle he lyued in erthe / he dysposed hyÌ„ to none other thynge / thaÌ„ for to excercyse hyÌ„ in prayer / prechynge dysputynge with heretykes / shewynge the truthe / spredynge the feythe ouer all with out ony drede / that not oneli he wolde knowlege it by his lyfe / but vnto that dethe so ferforthe that iÌ„ the ende of his dethe / whaÌ„ his tongue fayled hyÌ„ in receyuyÌ„ge of the stroke / he wette his fynger iÌ„ his blode / bycause he lacked a charter to wryte vpon / he put his fynger to the erthe wrote / knowlegynge his feythe byleue in this wyse O redo in deum c. His herte brenned in the depenes of my charyte / and therfore in his passyon he turned not his heed abacke / knowynge well that he sholde dye / for or than he dyed / I shewed hyÌ„ by reuelacyoÌ„ his maner of dethe / wher fore as a very knyghte without ony seruyle drede / he stode in the felde of batayle ¶ And thê° of many I may tell the that thoughe they dyd suffer no martyrdome actually / yet they dyd suffer martyrdome mentually / as seynt Domynycke other suche ¶ Here nowe what tyllers I haue sende in to my vyneyerde / for to pull vp thornes of vyces / and for to plaÌ„te vertues ¶ Certayne Domynycke and Frauncys were two pyllers in holy chyrche / FrauÌ„cys with his pouerte / whiche was gyuen hym pryÌ„cypally as his owne proper vertu / as it is before rehersed ¶ Of the excellence of them that be vnder obedyence and be obedyent / of the mysery of them whiche be vnobedyent that be in the state of relygyon Sythen it so is that the places of relygyon be now yfounde that is to saye shyppes ordeyned by the holy ghost to cary soules to heueÌ„ / by medyacyon of the blessyd patrone the holy ghost founded with the parfyte lyghte of holy feythe ¶ Nowe therfore I shal tell the bothe of the obedyence and of the inobedyence of them that haue enhabyted or made to them a dwellynge place in this shyppe of relygyon and not onely of one order but of all togyder in generall that is to saye no more spekynge of one order than of all other orders / and in the same I shall tell the togyder bothe of the defautes of them whiche lyue obedyently / and also the defautes of them that dolyue vnclenly and vnobedyently / that thou maye haue the more parfeccyoÌ„ / and more swetely / and the better to knowe that one fro that other / and also I shall tell the how he shall go / that goeth for to entre that relygyous shyp of onyÌ„ maner of order ¶ How sholde a man go that wyll enter a partyculer relygyon ¶ Certayne with lyghte of holy feythe / by the whiche lyghte / he shal knowe the nedes he must slee his owne wyll with the swerde of holy hate / of euery proper sencyble passyon / and so sholde he enter to relygyon / be coupled to the spouse of very obedyeÌ„ce / with her suster pacyeÌ„ce / and with that norse of mekenes / for yf he haue not this norse / obedyence shall peryshe for honger / for in that soule where this vertu of mekenesse is not / obedyence dyeth anone / mekenesse is not alone / but she hathe a seruaunt that is vylyte coÌ„tempte bothe of the worlde and of herselfe / whiche maketh a man to set lytell by hymselfe / and not for to desyre honoures worshyppes / but
repreues and shames ¶ Thus sholde a man go deed to the relygyous shyp of ony order / therin to lyue mekely / but in what maner wyse that he entreth / that is by dyuers maners as I call thē lyke as I haue tolde the before they sholde serche anone the parfeccyon of the same order / and kepe it eche in thēselfe / quyckely receyue the keye of obedyēce of the same order / whiche keye openeth the wyket / that is the greate gate of heuē ¶ Lo by this thou maye knowe that there is bothe a gate and a wyket of heuē / and therfore all those that gone to some partyculer relygyon / they take the keye of obedyence / whiche shall open the wyket of the gate / not leuynge the greate keye of generall obedyence / whiche openeth the greate gate of heuen / as I haue tolde the. ¶ In this gate is a wyket / of the whiche wyket they haue receyued a subtyll keye / for to open the same lowe wyket / ther throwe straytely for to passe / whiche wyket is not departed fro the greate gate / but it is in the gate / as thou may se materyally a wyket in a gate / thoughe they haue receyued this lytell keye of the strayte wyket of heuen / yet sholde they not caste awaye fro them the greate keye / bycause very obedyencers kowe well with the lyght of feythe / that they maye in no wyse enter by this lytell wyket of streyte obedyēce with burthons of ryches / nor with theyr owne wyll / nor that they maye in no wyse enter there goynge vpryght / but yf they stoupe leste they breke theyr heedes / therfore they cast away fro thē ryches also theyr owne wylles / kepynge the vowe of wylfull pouerte / and they wyll ī no wyse receyue nor kepe ony thȳge in possescyō as theyr owne lest they breke the vowe of wylfull pouerte promytted / and so to breke theyr obedyēce ¶ All suche as gone vpryght in relygyon / wenynge so to enter that wyked / be all proude obedyencers / kepȳge theyr owne wyll / for other whyle whan they must nedes obeye / they bowe not to the obedyence mekely / but with pryde they fulfyll theyr obedyēce / bowȳge downe theyr heedes by strengthe not by mekenesse / whiche strēgthe breketh the heedes of theyr soueraynes that is that obedyence done in suche wyse that it pleaseth not theyr soueraynes / ī gyuynge of euyll ensample to theyr subiectes that wolde obeye mekely / after the whiche proude obedyence / oftetymes they fall in brekynge of the vowe of chastyte in contynēce / for he that hathe not his appetyte well ruled and ordynately / nor hathe not yet dysposed hymselfe fro temporall substaunce / he taketh vpon hym for to knowe many newe conuersacyōs of men and womē / and fyndeth many frendes whome he loueth and vseth with his owne proper wyll / by the whiche knowlege of conuersacyon / they become ryght specyall frendes / and so togyder they do noryshe theyr bodyly conuersacyons in delyces / bycause they haue not the norse of mekenesse / nor her seruaūtes vylyte and abieccyon of themselfe / wherfore all they stōde in plesaūce of theyr owne sensualyte lyuynge delycately not as relygyous folke but as lordes without watche and prayer / all this and many mo it happeth them that haue proper goodes in kepynge for to spende whiche yf they hadde not it sholde not so fall with thē as it dothe / and also they fall in vnclennes other bodyly or mentally / yf it happe other whyle that for shame they abstayne them bodyly fro vnclennesse / yet they abstayne thē not mētally / for it is vnpossyble to hym that hathe moche conuersacyon of flesshly men / and in delyces of the body in receyuynge of meet and drȳke vnordynately / and also lyueth with out deuocyon / wakynge / and prayenge / for to kepe his soule clene / therfore a very meke obedyencer seeth al a fer with the lyght of feythe / the euyll and harme that sholde fall to hym / by kepȳge of ony temporall substaunce in proper / and so for to go with his owne wyl / he seeth well also that he muste nedes by his order passe throwe his lytell wyket with the keye of obedyence / whiche shall opē that wyket ¶ Why trowes thou that I haue sayde the that in ony wyse they must nedes go throwe that lytell wyket ¶ Certayne for I saye sothe / for wyll he or not / yf he abyde in the order / he muste nedes go throwe that wyket / by the hardenes of obedyēce of his prelate / and therfore a parfyte obedyencer lyfteth hymselfe aboue hymselfe / and hathe the domynacyon of his owne proper sēsualyte / reysynge hymselfe aboue all his bodyly felynges and styrrynges / and with quycke feythe he sendeth in to the house of the soule holy hate / for to put out the enemy of his owne proper loue / for he wyll not that his spouse of obedyence / whiche was gyuen to hym by the moder of charyte / be offended / and therfore he putteth out the enemy of his owne wyll / sendeth in the felowe and the norse of the same spouse mekenesse / and many other louers of the same spouse / whiche be very ryall vertues / maners / customes / and obseruaunces of the order / for to make redy anendes the entre of the spouse of obedyence / and so thā entreth this swete spouse obedyence in to the soule with her suster pacyence / and with the norse mekenesse well kepte and warded with her seruauntes vylyte and abieccyon / also dyspleasaūce of herselfe / after tyme she is thus entred / she is all in peas quyetnesse / stondynge in the orcharde of very cōtynēce / with the clere sonne of intelleccyō / where the lyghte of feythe sheweth her clerely / the clere syght of my sothefastnesse / there is also fyre whiche warmeth gyueth here to them all / that kepe the obseruaūces of the order purely for the loue of me ¶ What be these enemyes whiche be put out ¶ The fyrste pryncypall enemy is proper loue / the enemy of charyte mekenes / the whiche brȳgeth forthe pryde / another is inobedyence / agaynst very obedyēce / the thyrde is infydelytē / cōtrary agaȳst the vertu of feythe also presumpcyō / for to presume hope in hȳselfe / whiche acordeth not with very holy hope / the whiche a soule sholde haue ¶ Also vnpacyence whiche is agaynst pacyence / vnryghtwysenesse whiche cōformeth hȳ not to the vertu of ryghtwysenes / nor imprudēce with prudece / nor vnteporaūce with tēporaunce / nor crasgreliyō of the brekynge of the commandymētes of the order / with obseruaūce of the order / nor euyll cōuersacyō of wycked lyuers / with the cōuersacyōs of good lyuers / all these be enemyes and ryghte cruell enemyes / ymōge whome
vnobedyencer dothe the contrary of all this / whiche stoÌ„deth in the relygyous shyp of order / with ryght greate peyne bothe of hyÌ„selfe and of other that he tasteth in this lyfe the ernest and the sykernesse of hell / he euer is in sorowe / coÌ„fusyon / and pryckynge of coÌ„scyence and is dyspleased with his order also with his souerayne / suche one is vntollerable to hyÌ„selfe / lo doughter suche one hathe take the keye of obedyence in relygyon / and lyueth vnobedyeÌ„tly / for inobedyeÌ„ce is made a lady assocyate with vnpacyence / noryshed with pryde proper coÌ„placeÌ„s of herselfe / whiche pryde cometh out of proper loue as it is sayde before he dothe all the coÌ„trary agaynste very obedyence / how maye suche a wretche stonde without peyne / that is depryued fro charyte / he sholde myghtely bowe downe his heed of proper wyll / and pryde holdeth it vp ryght / all his wyll dothe dysacorde to the wyll of the order / the order wyll that he sholde lyue vnder very obedyence / and he foloweth and loueth inobedyence / the order wyll that he sholde lyue with wylfull pouerte / he fleeth it and desyreth ryches gadereth it / the order wyll that he lyue in purete and clennesse / and he lyueth iÌ„ vnclennes ¶ My dere doughter whan that a relygyous man breketh these thre vowes / he falleth in to so many defautes / the his lokynge semeth nothynge after a relygyous man / but after an incarnate deuyll as I haue more largely tolde the before in another place yet shall I not lene therfore / but that somwhat I shall tel the of theyr destynable lyuynge / of the fruyte that they wynne by vnobedyence / to the more coÌ„meÌ„dacyon of very obedyeÌ„ce ¶ Suche a wretche is dysceyued of his owne proper loue / for the eye of his intelleccyon is set with deed feythe in to the coÌ„placens of his owne proper sensualyte in worldely thyÌ„ges / he is lope with his herte in to the worlde / therin he dwelleth by affeccyon thoughe his body be in relygyon bycause obedyeÌ„ce is laborous to hyÌ„ / he wyll not obeye / but eschewe labour / so he falleth in more myscheuous labour / for nedes he must obeye / other by coÌ„straynynge or by loue / it were better for hym lesse labour for to fulfyll his labour with loue than wtout loue ¶ O howmoche suche one is dysceyued / there is none that so dysceyueth hym as himselfe / for in that he wyll please hymselfe / he dyspleaseth hymselfe / in asmoche as the workes whiche he dothe enioyned to hyÌ„ by obedyence / be dyspleasynge and mys lykynge to hym / he wolde lyue in greate delyte and so wynne endelesse blysse in this lyfe / and his order wyll that he be a pylgrym not for to truste in no abydyÌ„ge iÌ„ this worlde in token here of / whaÌ„ that he purposeth hyÌ„ for to dwell in one place of the order / ther as it lyketh hym best for to dwell / and where he myght fynde more delyte to his bodyly plesauÌ„ce / by the order he is remoued in to another place ¶ In suche remouynge chauÌ„gyÌ„ge fro one place to another such one fyÌ„deth grete peyne ¶ Why is that ¶ Certayne for his owne proper wyll is quycke for to wyll there he sholde not wyll / nor none otherwyse than the order the soueraynes wyll / yf suche one obeye not after the order the soueraynes wyll / he shal be coacted by dyscyplyne dures of the order / so he dwelleth as I sayd in coÌ„tynuall turment peyne / sees thou not nowe how suche dysceyue theÌ„ selfe / for there as he weneth to flee peynes / he falleth in to peynes / his blyndenesse wyll not suffer hym to knowe the waye of very obedyence / the whiche is awaye of sothefastnesse truthe / grouÌ„ded in my very obedyeÌ„t laÌ„be my sone Ihesu cryste ¶ Therfore thus blyÌ„dely he goeth by the way of vntruthe mys lykynge / wenyÌ„ge for to fynde delyte ther / he fyndeth there peyne and bytternes ¶ Who hath broughte hym therto ¶ Loue whiche he hathe not for to obey / that is his ownâ— passyon / suche one worketh as a foole / for he wyll swymme with his owne armes iÌ„ this perylous see / whiche is full of teÌ„pestes waues / crustyÌ„ge in his owne wretched lyuyÌ„ge / he wyl iÌ„ no wyse swymme with that armes of that order of his souerayne / he dwelleth thê° soly with his body iÌ„ the relygyous shyp of the order but not with his soule for he is gone oute therof by desyre / not kepyÌ„ge the statutes / nor the maner of the order / nor the thre howe 's takeÌ„ by his psessyoÌ„ / he dwelleth rather in the teÌ„pestyous see there to be drenched / thaÌ„ in the swetenes of relygyoÌ„ / he is rather bouÌ„de iÌ„ relygyoÌ„ by abyte of his body / thaÌ„ by the abyte of his soule / suche one is no relygyous maÌ„ / but rather a beestly man arayed in the habyte of relygyoÌ„ / yet in his affeccyoÌ„ in his lyuyÌ„ge he is worse thaÌ„ a beest / he seeth not that it is more labour for hyÌ„ to swyÌ„me rather with his owne armes / thaÌ„ with the armes of his souerayne / he seeth not also that he stoÌ„deth in myscheuous perell of endelesse dethe ¶ Why is that ¶ Certane for the cloude of his owne proper loue / of whome came to hym his inobedyence that hathe stopped his clere syght / that it suffereth hym not for to se his oâ—ne harmes / therfore he is wretchedly dysceyued ¶ What fruyte bryngeth forthe the tree of suche a myserable wretche ¶ The fruyte of dethe / for he hathe set planted the roote of dethe in the pryde of his affeccyon / whiche he drewe out of his owne proper loue plesaunce of hymselfe / and therfore all the fruyte floures that come out fro thense be all corrupte / also that leues and the braunches of the same tree be spotted defouled ¶ Thre brauÌ„ches that this tree hathe be corrupte defouled / that is the braunche of obedyeÌ„ce / of pouerte / and of contyneÌ„ce / whiche be those thre brauÌ„ches that be conteyned in the stocke of affeccyon / whiche is euyll planted and set / as I haue sayde before ¶ The leues that this tree bryngeth forthe the be wordes be also corrupte / that the most seculer rybaude that lyueth wolde not saye as they sayen / yf it so hap that he must preche shewe my worde to the people / he sheweth it with moch curyosyte / not ryghtfully as he sholde onely for to fede and wynne soules / but onely to speke with gaye wordes of poÌ„pe / yf thou beholde the floures of this tree whiche be dyuers thoughtes suche as be receyued with greate delectacyoÌ„ lust / they gyue a stynkynge smell / for
the eye of intelleccyon with the lyghte of feythe knewe my sothefastnesse and the excellence of obedyence / and whan it had so herde with ghostly herynge and tastynge by affeccyon all these thynges with loue longyÌ„ge desyre / she lyfte herselfe aboue herselfe and behelde in the dyuyne maieste and sayde thus ¶ Thankynge be to the endelesse fader / that hase no abhomy nacyon of me thy creature / nor hase not turned thy face fro me / nor thou hase not dyspysed my desyres / thou endelesse lyghte consyders no thyÌ„ge my derkenesse / thou lyfe wolde not consyder that I am dethe / nor thou leche wolde not forsake me for my greuous abhomynable ghostly sekenesse of synne / thou endelesse purete dyspyses me not that am ful of fylthe of moche wretchednesse / thou that arte infynyte hates me not that am fynyte able to haue ende / thou wysdome lettes not to speke â—â— me that am a foole / for all these / and many other infynyte euyls and defautes that be iÌ„ me / thy wysdome / thy goodnesse / and thy myldenesse / haue not dyspleased me / but iÌ„ thy lyght thou hase gyuen me lyghte / in thy wysdome thou hase gyueÌ„ me trewe knowlege / and in thy myldenesse I haue founde loue of the and of my neyghboure ¶ Who constrayned the ther to ¶ Certayne not my vertues / but onely thy charyte / that same loue hathe constrayned the to yllumyne the eye of my intelleccyoÌ„ in the lyght of holy feythe / that I myght vnder stonde knowe thy sothefast truthe shewed to me ¶ GrauÌ„te to me therfore blessed endelesse fader / that my mynde maye be able for to kepe thy benefytes retentyfely / and that my wyll maye brenne ferueÌ„tly in the fyre of thy charyte / that I may bathe soule body buriowne iÌ„ thy sones bloode / and that with the same bloode and the keye of obedyence / I maye open the gate of heuen / this same I praye the hertely for euery reasonable creature / bothe in generall and in specyall / and for the mysteryall body of holy chyrche ¶ I knowlege well denye not that thou loued me me or that I loued the. ¶ O endelesse trynyte / o very godheed / thy dyuyne nature hathe made the pryce of thy sones bloode of so greate valu / thou endelesse trynyte arte a depe see / in the whiche that moore I enter / the more I fynda / thou arte vnsacyable / for a soule that fulfylleth hym in thy depenesse / is not so fulfylled / but euer it is made hongry in the / it thrysteth in the endelesse trynyte / desyrynge with lyghte to se the in endeles lyghte / for as an harte desyreth to the well of rennynge water / so desyreth my soule to go out of the derke pryson of my body and se the in sothefastnesse as thou arte O how longe tyme shall thy face be hyd fro my eyes / o endelesse trynyte the depenesse of fyre charyte / vnlose and vnbynde fro the soule the cloude of my body / the knowlege that thou hase gyue me of the / causeth me in truthe to desyre for to ouer passe the burthon of my body / for I haue tasted and sene with the lyghte of intelleccyon with thy lyghte / the depenesse of thy endelesse trynyte / by the whiche syghte I sawe me in the / to be the ymage of the / hauyÌ„ge mynde by the myght of the the endelesse fader and intelleccyon / by the wysdome of thy sone and of the holy ghost that cometh bothe fro the and fro thy sone wyll by the wiche wyll / I am able for to loue / thou endelesse tryny rearte my maker / I thy creature / I knowe well endelesse trynyte by the shedynge of the bloode of thy loue / that thou arte a Iolyous louer of the fayrenesse of thy creature / o endeles depenes / o endeles godheed / o depe see / what myghte thou gyue me more than thyselfe / thou wastes and consumes in the hete of the loue of the soule / thou arte the fyre / thou does awaye all coldenesse / thou arte that fyre that yllumyneth / and with thy lyghte thou hase made me to knowe thy truthe / thou arte that very lyghte aboue nature in so greate habundaunce parfeccyon that thou makes clere the lyghte of feythe / in the whiche feythe / I se that my soule hathe lyfe / and in that lyghte it receyueth the that arte very lyghte / in the lyghte of feythe it hathe wonne wysdome / that is the wysedome of thy onely sone / In lyghte of feythe I am stydfaste / stronge / and parseueraunte / in the lyghte of feythe I hope / whiche suffereth me not to defayle iÌ„ my iournaye / that lyghte techeth me the waye / without this lyghte I must nedes walke in derkenesse / and ther fore endelesse fader I praye the yllumyne me with the lyghte of holy feythe / for that lyght is a see whiche norysheth the soule in the that arte the peaseable see endelesse trynyte ¶ The water of thy peaseable see is not troublous / therfore hym nedeth not to drede that is in that see / for he knoweth the truthe of thy onely sothefaste sone Ihesu cryste / he is suche a myrrour that nedes I muste beholde / in / the whiche myrrour is represented to me that am thy ymage creature / the whiche myrrour also representeth to me the that arte moost souerayne / iÌ„fynyte / and meruaylous good / and suche good as is aboue al good / blessed good incomprehensyble good meruaylous good / fayrenesse aboue all feyrenesse / wysdome aboue all wysdome / thou arte the meet of angeles / and with the fyre of loue thou hase gyuen thyselfe to vs wretches / thou arte that vesture whiche couers all nakednesse / thou arte he that fedes all hongry in thy swetenesse / thou acte swete without ony bytternesse ¶ O endelesse trynyte / in thy lyghte whiche I haue receyued lyghte of holy feythe / I haue knowe by many meruaylous declaracyons of the waye of parfeccyon that with lyghte and not with derkenesse I maye nowe serue the / therfore I praye the endelesse trynyte that I maye be a myrrour of good and holy lyuynge / that I maye aryse gracyously fro the derkenesse of my wretched lyuynge / in the whiche derkenesse I haue alwaye hyderto be blyÌ„ded / by the whiche knowlege of thy truthe as I sholde / therfore I myghte not well and parfytely loue it ¶ Why knewe I the not ¶ Certayne for I sawe the not with the gloryous lyghte of holy feythe / and also for the cloude of my owne proper loue had blynded the eye of my intelleccyon / and yet thou endelesse trynyte with thy lyghte hase dyssolued my derkenesse ¶ Who maye at tayne for to come to the heyghte and to yelde to the thaÌ„kynges for so grate a gyfte / and for the