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1

CHAPTER I

2
3

OF TOKENYNGIS AND WORCHYNGIS OF LOUE.

4
5    The firste tokene of loue is, þat þe louier submytte
6fully his wille to þe wille of him þat he loueþ. And
7þis special loue haþ þre worchyngis.
8    The first is, if þat he þat is loued be symple and
9pore, meke and in dispiit, þanne he þat loueþ, coueitiþ
10to be viile, pore and meke, and to be in repref, liik to

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11him þat he loueþ.
12    The secunde is, þat it makiþ man to leue al maner
13affeccioun or frendschip þat is contrarie to þis loue, and
14so it makiþ him forsake fadir and modir and alle oþere
15affecciouns, in as myche as þei ben contrarie to þe wille
16of hym þat he loueþ.
17    The þridde is, þat þer is no-þing hid in þat oones
18herte, þat he ne wole schewe it to þat oþer; and þis is
19a special tokene of hiȝ loue bitwene ii. persones, and þis
20is þe fulfillyng of þese oþere wirchyngis bifore-seid. Forwhi
21þoru þis schewyng of priuytees, her hertis ben
22openyd so, þat þei ben togidere moore perfiȝtly bounde.
23
24

CHAPTER II

25
26

OF WITHDRAWYNGE OF DEUOCIOUN; HOW A MAN SCHAL DO.

27
28    If þou wilt contynuely styen up to perfeccioun and
29in þe wey of God which þou art entrid, euere perfiȝtly

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30moore and moore encreesse fro vertu to vertu. And
31þou schalt neuere praie þe lasse, whanne grace of
32deuocioun is wiþdrawe, and temptaciouns and tribulaciouns
33comen upon þe, þan whanne þou hast grace
34of deuocioun withoute temptacioun. But þanne is moost
35acceptable and moost quaemeful to God: whanne in
36wiþdrawinge of deuocioun þou art in tribulacioun and
37in discunfort, and ȝit þou preiest neuere þe lesse; neuere
38þe lesse wakist and neuere þe lesse þou doost alle oþere
39gode deedis. Þerfore do þou þi-silf alle þe gode deedis
40wiþ-oute deuocioun, þe whiche þou didist bifore with
41deuocioun. Wherfore, if þere come sumtyme temptaciouns
42and tribulaciouns þe whiche ben ordeyned for to ponesche
43and for to clense Goddis children, and deuocioun be

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44wiþdrawe, strenkþe þee þanne not þe lesse for to praie,
45ne to wake, ne to faste, and not þe lesse in oþere gode
46werkis for to stonde. So þat þoru contynuaunce in
47praieris wiþ þe teris of þin iȝen unceessably excercisen
48þee, þat þou myȝt, as it were, constreyne God to ȝeue
49þee feruour and heete of holy deuocioun.
50    Whoso wil be perfiȝt and lyue aftir þis chapitil, do
51as Catoun seiþ: 'Cum recte uiuas, ne cures verba malorum' .
52Do þou þat longiþ to þee, and þi loued dere
53Iesu Crist schal wel do þat perteyneþ to him.
54    Preier þat is maad with greet enforsynge, whanne
55þe slouȝ flesch wolde be vnlusty, is to God acceptable.
56For-whi it dryueþ þi loued Iesu for to ȝeelde and for
57to eche to þee grace and deuocioun, and in temptacioun
58greet profiȝt.
59    Preye þanne contynuely if þou wilt purchace þe

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60grace of deuocioun, and for to profiȝten in þe wey of
61Crist. And for no tribulacioun and for no temptacioun,
62leue neuere praier, neiþer in wirchinge of worldli
63werk, neþer in bedde neþer out of bedde, in cumpanye
64neþer solitarie. For if þou be in tribulacioun eþer
65temptacioun and praieste lastyngly, grace and deuocioun
66schal be echid. And now cunfort schal be ȝouun of
67Iesu Crist þi loue vnto þee. And þouȝ þe feend putte
68in þin herte, þat it is nouȝt þat þou praiest, dispise
69and diffye hym wiþ mouþ and herte and euere praie.
70And þe moore þat þi tribulacioun and þin affliccioun
71is, þe moore schal be þi cunfort whanne grace and
72deuocioun is ȝouun to þee. Praie þanne contynuely
73redynge in þe book of liif, þat is in þe liif of Iesu
74Crist, þe which was pouerte, mekenes, sorowe, dispiit,
75affliccioun and soþfast obedience. And whanne þou art
76wel entrid in-to þis wey, þanne manye temptacyouns
77and tribulaciouns of þe feend, of þe world and of þe
78flesch, schal in manye a wise disese þee, and hugely

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79turmente þee and discunforte þee. But if þou wilt
80ouercome al, stilly praie, and pacientli abide þi loued
81Iesu Crist. And He schal soone sende þee help and
82cunfort vnspeicable, þat no tunge may telle how myche
83it is. Whanne þou art turmentid with tribulacioun or
84wiþ temptacioun, vse also ofte wiþ þi praier confessioun,
85in þe which þou schalt schewe, with al þe contricioun of
86þin herte to þi confessour enteerli and pleynly, alle þe
87woundis of þi conscience moore and lesse, as ferforþ as
88þou woldist schewe hem to þin owne aungel, if he be a
89wiis and a discreet and louynge leche, to ley to þi
90woundis helinge medicyns, and ellis not. And in þis
91maner it is a souereyn medicyn to putte alle temptaciouns
92and tribulaciouns awey, and for to purchace
93myche grace of Goddis cunfort. For-whi þe feend þat
94is ful of pride, may not suffre þe mekenes of pure
95confessioun, ne þe feruour of contynuel orisoun. Þoru
96whiche werkis specially, oure swete Lord Iesu Crist is,
97as it were, þoru violence drawen in-to a louynge soule,
98and so constreyned for to cunforte it. Sette þanne al

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99þi studie and þi bisynes for to make redy a place and
100a priuy chaumbir to þi Lord Iesu Crist þi spouse in þi
101soule, by swete meditacioun, bi contynuel orisouns, and
102by meke confessyouns, þat þe leest hour of þi tyme be
103not forȝete, in þe which þou hast offendid þi worþi Lord
104and loued Iesu Crist. For þoru þese þre forseid werkis,
105meditacioun, orisoun and confessyuon, manye a man
106comeþ to restful clennes of conscience. But be-war
107þat þou þoru recheleeschip ȝeue no place to þin
108enemyes, contynuely bisegynge þee, and þat þou doost
109whanne for vanyte or for idilnes þou leuest þi praiers.
110    Þerfore þe moore þou art temptid and trauelid, þe
111moore stably dwelle in praier. And leue it not liȝtli,
112but for feblenes of þi brayn. For-whi þat feblenes of
113brayn wole sumtyme falle, of vnmesurable contynuaunce
114in praier, or in wakynge, or exces in fastynge.

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115And þanne is it good to stynte awhile. For-whi Seynt
116Jerom seiþ: 'He erriþ not a litil but myche, þat preferriþ
117þe lesse good to þe moore good'; as he dooþ þat
118settiþ moore priis by fastyng þan bi deedis of charite;
119and he þat settiþ wakyng bifore hoolynes of brayn, of
120witt and of resoun. And he also erriþ greetli, þat bi
121vnmesurable and vndiscreet seyinge or synginge of
122salmes or ympnys, falliþ in-to fransye or in-to woodnes,
123or in-to bittir heuynes. Þerfore it is good þanne for
124to stynte fro multitude of wordis, and þinke oonli in
125þin herte as esily as þou maist. And so þoru vertu of
126contynuel preier vsid, what in mouþ, what in herte,
127schaltow be delyuerid and esid of þi temptaciouns.
128    By countynuaunce in preier, is liȝt of grace ȝoun to
129a soule, þe which cleriþ þe conscience, and settiþ it
130groundly in a depe soþfast mekenes. And þoru
131contynuel lokynge and redynge on þe book of liif, þat

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132is on þe blessid persoone Iesu Crist and on his liif, is
133þe soule rootid and groundid in pacience and in charite.
134For-whi in þat lokyng may þou be tauȝt and enfoormyd,
135of al þat þee nediþ for to knowe. And þoru þat þou
136schalt mow haue sich pacience, þat þou schalt wilne to
137resseyue gladli al maner tribulaciouns and dissesis as
138for a greet cunfort. For-whi þoru hem þou schalt feele
139and se þi-silf, sumwhat liik to þi Lord Iesu Crist him
140þat þou louest. Ȝhe, þou schalt holde þi-silf so viil
141and so vnworþi in Goddis siȝt, þat it is no dissese to
142þee what-so-euere þou maist suffre. For-whi wiþ-oute
143comparisoun, he suffride moore for þee. Naþelees, ȝit
144schalt þou triste and hope, þat as þou art felawe with
145him in peyne and in dissese, litil if it be, so schalt þou
146be felawe with him in his ioie and in his blis. For as þe
147apostil seiþ: 'If we ben felawes of Cristis passiouns,
148we schulen be felawes of hise blessid consolaciouns.'

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149    Wherfore it seemeþ þat þere is no more dignyte ne
150worþines þat a man mai come to, þan for to haue
151tribulacioun for Cristis loue. By þe which a man is
152maad Cristis felawe here in þis liif, and in þe blis of
153heuene withouten eende. Amen.
154
155

CHAPTER III

156
157

OF PERELS ÞAT BEN TO ESCHEWE TO A GOOSTLY MAN.

158
159    Be-war þat þou ȝeue not þi-silf ne þi ful affeccioun,
160ne þi ful hoomly frendschip to no persoone, but if þou
161haue resseyued first þe ȝift and þe spirit of discrecioun.
162Bi þe which þou maist knowe fro which þou schalt fle,
163and which þou schalt drawe to. Vnto þe tyme þou
164come to þis, kepe þee euere playn and comown, to ech
165a man half straunge, sauynge euere þe boond of charite.
166Also be-war speciali of hem þat han swete plesynge

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167wordis in her spekyngis, and haue noon holynes in vertu
168ne swetnes in herte, but a liknes of holynes oonli in þe
169tunge, and in þe abyte: þese þat schewen of hem-silf,
170and auaunten hem-silf of visyouns eþer of reuelaciouns,
171or of qweynte maner feelyngis, or of synguler doingis
172or wittis, or vndirstondyngis ouere oþere men, þoru
173whiche þei ben greetli preisid and worschipid of hem
174þat þei speken to. For siche manere of men ben oftetymes
175grynes of disseitis to hem þat ben not wise.
176    First avise þee of hem, and loke hem and bringe hem
177in þi mynde to þe presence of Iesu Crist; as if þou
178woldist take a þing out of a derk place for to knowe
179what it is; and ley it and loke it in þe liȝt. Riȝt so
180Iesu Crist is liȝt; and þere schal be no liȝt but of
181grace; ne of soþfastnes, but he and in hym. And þerfore

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182siche manere of men and alle oþere, ȝhe, and þi-silf
183with hem, bringe in-to þi praiers and in þi mynde
184to Iesu Crist. And þere schulen þei be seen what þei
185ben; þere schulen þei be tryed. þere schalt þou þoru
186biholdyng of hym and of his liif, se who is liik to him
187and who is vnliik to him. But ȝit be-war þat þou deeme
188not a man fully what he is aftir þi siȝt, but al comeþ
189as a þing vncerteyn in þe priuyte of Goddis doom.
190Naþelees þou maist bi þat siȝt of Cristis liif, folowe
191and rule þin owne conscience in þis poynt: whom þou
192schalt folowe, and whom reffuse, and wiþ whom þou
193maist ben hoomly, and with whom þou schalt be strange.
194And þat maner of deemynge is bihoueful to þee.
195    Also bewar of feruours, as if þou feele þe spirit of
196feruour greetli fallen upon þee, þinke firste and avise
197þee wel, eer þat þou folowe fully it in worchinge, what
198is þe bigynnyng of it, and where-of it is causid, and

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199þinke on þe myddil, and also what eende wole folowe of
200it. And þanne sue it as myche as þou may vndirstonde
201it bi grace and counceil and by Holi Writ, þat it
202is accordynge to soþfast vertu of discrecioun, and to þe
203liif of Crist. Þou schalt make þi myrrour, þi rule and
204þi saumpler, for to doon aftir it. And þis liif of Crist
205schaltow moore rewarden aftir þe inward vertu of Crist,
206þan aftir þe vttir tokenes of his techyng.
207    And ȝit also be-war of hem þat seyen hem-silf han
208gete þe spirit of fredom, and þat þei han so myche
209grace of loue, þat þei may lyue as hem lust. Þei þinken
210hem so fre and so siker, þat þei schulen not synne.
211Þei maken hem-silf aboue þe lawe of Holy Chirche, and
212þei seyen þus as Seynt Poul seyde: 'Where þe spirit of
213God is, þere is fredom'. And also þus: 'If ȝe ben lad
214with þe spirit, ȝe ben not vndir þe lawe'. But þei meene
215not as Poule mente; þei vndirstonde not hise wordis.

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216    These men ben expresly aȝeins þe lawe and liif of
217Crist. For-whi Crist þat was maad fre, made him-silf
218þral for us. And whanne he was aboue þe lawe as
219maker and ȝeuer of it, ȝit he made him buxum vndir
220þe lawe. Of þese men spekiþ Seynt Petir þus: 'Þei
221biheeten to oþere men fredom of spirit, and þei hem-silf
222ben þrallis in synne and seruauntis of fleischli corrupcioun.
223
224

CHAPTER IV

225
226

OF DEGREES BY WHICHE A SOULE PASSIÞ FORÞ IN-TO CONTEMPOLACIOUN.

227
228    The first degre is in teris, and in siȝhynge and in
229sorowe for synnes, in compunccioun and compassioun of
230Cristis passyoun, and in partie-feelynge of dissese, and
231of wrecchidnes of his euen Cristen, and in strong stryuynge
232aȝens al maner vicis, as aȝeins alle wickide werkis,
233wickide wordis and wickide willis and þouȝtis; wiþ

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234myche peyne, wiþ soore swynche of bodi and of soule
235for to aȝeinstonde hem.
236    The secunde degre is, greet feruour and brennynge
237desier with contynuaunce of praier, for to plese Iesu
238Crist, for to loue him with al þin herte and alle þi
239myȝtis, and for to fele cunfort of his gracious presence.
240And þis brennynge desier, wole clense þe conscience fro
241al rust of synne; boþe of þat þat is bifore doon, and
242of þat þat he ech day falliþ ynne. And þis werk is of
243greet trauel, and with wondirful bisynes, a litil temprid
244with rest among.
245    The þridde degre is a staat of wondirful swetnes and
246softnes, and of gladnes, of reste and of cleernes. For
247in þat comeþ þe grace of þe Holy Goost doun in-to a
248soule. And þanne it liȝtneþ and purgiþ so þe soule, þat
249it is al as iȝe. And it anoyntiþ þe soule with oyle of

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250goostli gladnes, and turneþ it al in-to charite of Crist;
251so þat it þinkiþ þat alle þe lymes of þe bodi and al þe
252makyng of þis with alle þe creaturis, is as a melody of
253þe harpe. And þanne aftir þis, is þe soule sumdeel able
254to goostli clippyngis of Iesu Crist þat is her swete spouse.
255    The iiij. degre is in souereyn reste of bodi and of
256soule. And þat is, whanne a man is deed and biried to
257þe world and to þe flesch, and slepiþ in pees of conscience
258and restiþ with-oute strogelynge of veyn þouȝtis,
259euere contynuely in oure Lord Iesu Crist.
260    Þe v. degre is, whanne a man bigynneþ for to taaste
261soþfastly þe errnes of eendelees ioie; and is reisid up
262to þe biholdyng of heuenli þingis. And, þanne feeliþ and
263perseyueþ he a glymerynge of heuenly blis. And þanne
264seeþ he sumwhat of aungels and of blessid soulis; and
265how þat alle illumynaciouns and alle gracis of charyte
266and of goodnes, descenden out of þe blessid Trynyte
267vnspeccable, in-to Iesu Crist man; and how of þe glorious

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268manheed of Crist, stremen out alle gracis of liȝt
269and of loue in-to aungels, and in-to holi soulis, and fro
270hem comen doun in-to us. And þanne is a man maad
271able to reuelaciouns and contemplaciouns of Iesu Crist.
272
273

CHAPTER V

274
275

OF PERELS OF HOOLY LOUE.

276
277    A man þat was holde an hiȝ lyuer, ofte was axid for
278to speke of goostli loue. And þane he bigan for to
279seye þe falseheed, þe perels and þe disseytis, þat oftsiþis
280fallen in goostly loue. And he seyde: 'Þer is no þing
281in al þe world, neiþer man ne feend, ne noon oþer þing,
282þat I haue so myche suspect as I haue þe affeccioun of
283loue; ne þat I am so soore a-feerd of, but if it be wel
284sett. For-whi loue is so passynge a þing and so cleuynge,
285þat it synkiþ deppir in a soule, þan ony oþir
286þing may do. And þere is no þing þat so fully occupieþ
287and byndiþ and ouer-maistriþ a mannys herte, as dooþ
288loue. Wherfore, it is ful hard, wheþer it be good loue
289or badde.

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290    'And þerfore but if a man or womman haue armour
291of discrecioun bi which he may kepe and gouerne his
292loue, it wole ellis liȝtly caste doun þe soule, and
293make it haue a foule fal. I speke not of fleschly
294loue þat is opinli yuel, þe which owid to be hatid of
295alle Cristis louers, as a þing moost feendly, moost perelous,
296and moost contrarie to þe chastite of Cristis loue;
297but I speke of good goostli loue, þat is, and owid to
298be, bitwixe God and man, and man and man and man
299and womman.
300    'For-whi þat loue þat a soule haþ conseyued þoru
301grace of Iesu Crist, but if it be ordeyned and rulid
302wiþ greet mekenes and with greet discrecioun, and þat
303þe feruour be resonably ordeyned; soþly or it lastiþ
304not, but soone failiþ and vaneschiþ awey, or ellis it

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305makiþ a man to bigynne summe werkis so ouerpassyngli,
306þat he may not contynue in hem, and so he is
307fayn to fle þerfro.
308    'Also þe loue þat is bitwixe man and man, and man
309and womman, as is bitwixe deuoute men and deuoute
310wommen, þat is in God and sett for God; but if it be
311riȝt wel lokid to and rulid with armeres of discrecioun,
312eþer it turneþ in-to fleschli loue and in-to leccherie,
313eiþir ellis it makiþ myche of her tyme be lost and
314wastid, þoru veyn speche, and in her comoun conuersacioun,
315bi chesoun þat her hertis ben vndiscreetly festnyd
316to-gydere in loue.
317    'And oftsiþis falliþ þat two persoones, be it men or
318wommen, louen to-gidere. But speciali moost perelous
319it is, whanne man and womman louen togidere with also
320good entent as þei can hemsilf dyuysen. And þei louen

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321hem hertly togidere in good maner and in honeste, þat
322hem þinken þat þei wolden neuere departen. And þei haue
323togydere grete affecciouns synguler, for þe goodnes þat
324ech of hem seeþ in oþer. And þat makiþ ech of hem
325to doon oþere manye seruicis, and grete esynessis. And
326what ech of hem dooþ to oþere, it is al of loue of þe
327herte. Ȝhe, ouermyche of herte. For hem þinken þat
328þei wolden ay be to-gydere. And what-so þat oon likiþ,
329þat oþir likiþ; and what-so myslykiþ þat oon, myslikiþ
330þat oþir. Þus loue is ful perelous, and ful myche
331blame-worþi þouȝ it seme good; and so myche it is þe
332moore perelous, þat þe perel is not knowe þerof. For-whi
333it wole worþe al in-to þe flesch, but if it be rulid

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334and gouernyd with armours of discrecyoun.'
335
336

CHAPTER VI

337
338

OF PERFIȜT LOUE OF CRIST, WITHOUTE WHICH AL OÞER LOUE IS
339SUSPECT.

340
341    The best loue and trewist is: whanne a soule is
342reisid and liȝtned in-to knowynge of þe beynge of God
343in Crist; as whanne þe soule seeþ how ech a creature
344haþ his beyng, of him þat is souereyn being þat is God,
345and it seeþ þat no þing haþ soþfast beinge, but God.
346Of þis knowyng þe soule resseyueþ a wondirful sauour
347and a greet vndirstondyng, þat what-so is of þat souereyn
348beynge it is good, and al þat he dooþ is best doon.
349    Þis knowyng stiriþ and reisiþ up a loue in þe soule,
350answerynge to þat goostly biholdynge of þe beynge of
351Crist. And þis knowyng makiþ a man to loue alle þat
352han beynge of him, þat is alle creaturis, resonable and

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353vnresonable, for his loue þat ȝeueþ beynge to alle
354creaturis. And specialli it stiriþ þe soule to loue resonable
355creaturis, and moost hem þe whiche it perseyueþ
356moost loued of Crist. For as it seeþ Iesu Crist enclyned
357to þe loue of creaturis, so is it enclynyd. And þanne is
358þe soule tauȝt for to loue creaturis, moore or lasse aftir
359þe mesure and þe qualyte of Cristis loue to hem, and
360of her loue in-to him. And þe grace of Crist kepiþ þe
361soule so in þat maner, þat it schal not passe mesure.
362    And þerfore, til þou feele þis maner loue sadly
363groundid in þin herte þe which is had of þe goostli
364knowyng of þe beinge of Crist, holde al þi loue suspect
365and be a-feerd.
366    But whanne þou maist come to þat poynt, þat þou
367maist holde þe siȝt of þi soule on þis blessid persoone
368Iesu Crist, and on his souereyn beynge, stably in wele
369and in wo, in ese and in vnese, with-oute greet blenchyng

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370fro him; þanne þat wondirful loue þat is causid
371of þis knowyng and of þis biholding, is sufficient for to
372aȝeinstonde þe venemouse dartis of alle fleschli loues,
373and for to put out her malice, fro þe mynde of her
374soule.
375
376

CHAPTER VII

377
378

OF TRANSFOORMYNGE OF ÞE SOULE IN-TO ÞE LOUE OF IESU
379CRIST.

380
381    Ther is þre maner transfoormynge of þe soule. Oon
382is whanne þe soule is maad meke and buxum to þe wille
383of God, so þat it schapiþ him-silf, in al þat he may,
384for to be liik to him, folowynge hise werkis, and for to
385transfigure and turne and haue in it-silf Cristis passioun,
386with suffrynge of alle schames and repreues as
387Crist suffride, so þat it hadde leuer be liik to Crist
388þoru suffraunce of tribulacioun, þan for to haue al þe
389myȝt of þe world.
390    Anoþir is for to be transfoormyd with God, and þat
391is, whanne his soule is oonyd wiþ Crist, and riȝt hoomly

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392with him. And þe soule haþ þanne grete feelyngis of
393Cristis loue, and often resseyueþ priuye swetnes of his
394inspiracioun, and manye grete cunfortis and delectaciouns.
395But þei ben not ȝit so grete, þat þei ne may
396bi þouȝt and bi wordis ben schewid.
397    The þridde transfoormynge is, whanne Iesu Crist and
398a soule ben so parfiȝtli, so vnpartabli and so accordably
399oonyd and bounden togidere, þat Crist is in þe soule
400and þe soule is in him, so fully, as if þei boþe weren o
401spirit, as Seynt Poul seiþ: 'Whoso cleueþ to God, he is
402o spirit wiþ him'. þanne feeliþ þe soule hiȝe þingis and
403pryue of Crist Iesu, and of his Fadir and of his Holi
404Spirit. And it tastiþ siche delectaciouns of Cristis charite,
405þat þei may not fulli be conseyued with þouȝtis
406of mannys resoun, ne declarid forþ wiþ wordis of mannys
407tunge.
408    The first transfoormynge is not sufficient for to rule

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409and gouerne þe affeccioun of mannys herte; ne þe secunde
410neiþer. For-whi þe feruour of þe affeccioun,
411wheþir it be sett actuely in God or in man, is oftsiþes
412myȝtier, moore egre and moore maistirful, þan is þe
413wisdom of discrecioun of þe soule. And þerfore it is
414so, þat þe loue mai snapere and stumble and erre, eiþer
415be ouer-mychil eiþer ouer-litil. But bi þe þridde is
416helid and ȝoten in-to þe soule sich a wisdom and sich a
417deep knowynge þoru þat wondirful medlyng and oonynge
418of Cristis liȝt liȝtnynge and of þe soule liȝtned, þat
419þe soule is knowe bi þe spirit of discrecioun how it
420schal rule and gouerne þe loue þat it haþ in Crist, and
421how it schal resseyue goostli feelyngis and priuy swetnes
422and delectaciouns of Crist and how it schal ordeyne,
423rule and mesure þe feruours of Cristis loue and
424þe visitaciouns of his gracious presence so wiseli and
425so priuely and so sobirly, þat it schal mowe laste esily

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426and contynuely in þe feelingis and in þe goostli cunfortis
427of Cristis loue; not discouerynge it-silf in siȝt of
428oþere men, neþer bi lawhynge ne bi sobbynge, ne bi no
429queint tokene of berynge of þe body. Also bi þe same
430spirit of discrecioun, þe soule is knowe how wysely,
431how sobirly, how chastli, how mekely and how louely it
432schal haue it-silf aȝens euery Cristen man and womman;
433and how gladli and benygnely for to condescende whanne
434it seeþ tyme, persoone and chesoun whi and whanne it
435is for to condescende whanne it seeþ tyme to hem.
436And whanne he seeþ þat it is not for to condescende to
437hem, þanne wole he not in no wise condescende. But it is
438wondur stif, streyt and strong, as a þing þat myȝte not
439be stirid ne chaungid, ne bowid on no syde. And þe
440skil is þis. God is in him-silf vnchaungeable; and a

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441soule is vnchaungeable of it-silf. But þanne, whanne þe
442soule is oonyd to Crist bi loue, þe moore þat it is oonyd
443to him, þe moore vnchaungeable it is and þe lasse it
444haþ of vnchaungeablete. For-whi þe wisdom and þe
445kunnynge, þe sadnes and þe liȝt of discrecioun þat þe
446soule haþ bi þe vertu of þis oonheed in loue, ȝeueþ þe
447soule loue and myȝt, þat it may with þese armers rule
448þe affeccioun of loue to God and to his euen Cristen with-oute
449errour or falsheed.
450    And þerfore, he þat neuere feeliþ þis ȝift of discrecioun
451and of wisdom and of grace in his herte, it is
452speedful to him þat he suffre not his affeccioun fully
453be bounde to no creature, neþer man ne womman, syngulerly
454ne priuely ne passyngly, for perels þat liȝtli
455may falle þerof; but þat he be playn and comown to
456alle, and not ful hoomly wiþ noone; til he may þoru þis

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457liȝt of discrecioun knowe bi experience, whos conuersacioun
458and comownynge he schal fle, as noious to him and
459vnprofitable; whos conuersacioun and affeccioun he schal
460coueyte, as to him esy and confortable.
461
462

CHAPTER VIII

463
464

HOW GOOSTLY LOUE IS TURNYD IN-TO FLESCHLY LOUE.

465
466    It falliþ oftsiþis þat a deuoute man loueþ a-noþer
467deuoute man or a deuoute womman in good honest loue
468and for God wiþ good entent. And aftirward þis loue
469encreessiþ so myche bitwene hem, þat ech of hem disiriþ
470þe presence of oþer vnmesurably. So ferforþ if þei
471may not haue presence at wille, þei wexen heuy and
472siikli. And sumtyme whanne þei come to-gydir, her
473affeccioun euere wexiþ; so þat þei ben moore siikli.
474And þat byndiþ hem to-gidere in-to sich an homely aqueyntaunce
475of hertis, þat what-so þat oon wil þat
476oþer wil, and what-so likiþ or myslikiþ þat oon, likiþ

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477or myslykiþ þat oþer; be it good, be it yuel. And þis
478is ful perelous bitwixe man and womman, whanne þei
479ben boþe þus deepli woundid with þe affeccioun of loue.
480For-whi whanne her hertis ben þus homely accordynge
481to-gider, nedis þei mosten schewe outward sumtyme bi
482oþere tokenes þat semeþ not myche yuel, what þe herte
483meneþ. And þus bi wordis and bi tokenes, whanne
484ech of hem schewiþ to oþer, how wel ech of hem loueþ
485oþer, þus is þe loue moore encreessid and moore
486chaungid fro goostlynes into fleschlynes. But ȝit þei ben
487bisy for to colouren and to huyde þe flescheli affeccioun
488vndir clennes of charite, and of goostli profiȝt, and of
489edificacioun of soule. For þus þei seyen ech of hem to
490oþer, þat þei meene not but good. And so vndir sikirnes
491of þat meenyng and of þat fals wenyng, þei coueiten

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492ech of hem to handele and fele oþer, and kisse oþer.
493And þat semeþ to hem as it were deuocioun and good
494loue; but in soþfastnes it is sleynge of deuocioun and
495leccherous loue, and greet hynderynge and harmynge to
496þe soule, þat wolde and schulde feele Cristis loue.
497Naþelees in þe bigynnyng her resoun grucchiþ
498sumwhat aȝens it; and þe conscience aȝenseiþ it ofte.
499For-whi þe resoun is not ȝit þoru customable comownynge,
500slayn ne stranglid al fully. But whanne it is
501ofte had in custum sich maner doynge, þanne is resoun
502blindid and stranglid and þe conscience falsly esyd.
503So þat hem þinkeþ þat þei may vse siche spekyngis,
504lokyngis, touchyngis, handlyngis, kissyngis, and siche
505tokenes of fleschli loue with-oute perel. And sumtyme
506þei seyen þat þei mown do þus. And þouȝ it be a

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507synne, ȝit it is no greet synne. And þus euere bi litil
508and litil goostli loue falliþ and dieþ; and fleischeli
509loue wexiþ and qwikeneþ. And after þis bi proces of
510tyme, þe feruour of loue wexiþ so myche, þat it bynymeþ
511away her tungis and alle þe myȝtis of her soule.
512So ferforþ, þat neiþir of hem wole aȝeinseie oþere, for
513displesynge of eþer oþer in ony þing þat neþer of hem
514wole do, þouȝ it were fully deedli synne. And whanne
515it is þus ferforþ brouȝt, þanne may neþer wordis ne
516touchingis, ne handlyngis, ne kissyngis, ne bodili presence,
517maken a ful seeth to her loue. And þanne be
518þei stirid fully to temptacioun of þe feend, for to consente
519to þe deede of leccherye, and fulli to perfoorme it,
520if þei myȝten haue leiser.

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521    And þerfore for as myche as þis perel may liȝtli
522falle of mysrulinge of loue, þerfore it is good to þe
523for to haue suspect and drede in þi-silf all maner loue,
524whanne it is priuely and synguleerly sett in-to ony o
525persoone, man or womman. For þouȝ it be first good
526and goostly, and bigynneþ in good and goodnes,
527naþelees ofte it falliþ, þat it is aftirward badde and
528fleschli, and eendiþ in þe werkis of þe feend. Fro
529which loue and perels of loue, þe armours of discrecioun
530geten bi þe woundis of Crist in þe maner bifore-seid,
531saue us and alle Cristen men and wommen.
532Amen.
533    Here eenden þese eiȝte chapitris necessarie for men
534and wommen þat ȝeuen hem to perfeccioun, which
535was founden in Maistir Lowys de Fontibus book, and
536Maistir Watir Hiltoun, Chanoun of Thurkartoun,

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537translatide it in-to Englisch tunge, for þe comown
538profyȝt.