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1

CAPITULUM NONUM

2
3    Þis vertu of meknesse is a sur fundement of alle maner vertues,
4whit-oute which fundement, what so euere þu wylt gostly reyse vp,
5hit falleþ doun. Inicium omnis peccati superbia: 'Bygynnyngge of alle
6synne is proude', which cast owt an angel out of heuene, and man out
7of paradys. And of þis cursede rote, alþouȝ þer spryngge out manye
8venenous braunches, alle naþeles ben departed in-to two spices: in-to
9gostly, and bodyly. Bodyly pruyde is to be proud of bodyly ȝynges;
10gostly pruyde is to be pruyd of gostly ȝyftes. And furþermor, bodyly
11pruyde is departed in tweyen; þat is to sayn, in-to bost, and vanite.
12Vanite is as ofte as þe hand-mayden of Crist haþ a veyn-glorie in here
13herte þat sche is ycomen of gret blood and noble, and þerwit haþ a

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14flehsly delytyngge þat sche haþ forsake richesse of þe wordle and
15nobleye and take here to pouerte, or elles þat sche holde here-self
16wondurliche holy and to be commendeþ þat sche haþ forsake grete
17and ryche mariages off worþy mennes sones þat sche myȝte han be
18maried to - al þis is vanite. Also hit is a spice of vanite ȝif þu coueyte
19to
20muche bodyly fairnesse, or þat þu delite þe to muche in gaynesse of þy
21celle, in diuerse peyntyngges or celures, or swyche oþere tryfles; alle
22þyse iapes þu most flen as contrarie to þy professioun.
23    Whit what vorheed myȝt þu haue veyn-glorie of rychesse or of
24noble blood, þat coueytest to be iseye his spouse þat for vs was mad
25riȝt pouere, alþouȝ he were verreyly ryche - þat is Crist. A pore
26moder, a pouere mayne, a pouere hows he chees hym; þe streytnesse
27of an oxe-stalle. And Lord, wheþer it seme a gret woundour to
28þe, in þe whiche þu schuldest haue a veyn-glorie, þat þu hast forsake
29to wedde a monnes sone for þe loue þat þu hast to be Cristes spouse? Is
30hit a gret woundour þat þu hast forsake styngyngge lust of body for
31þe swete sauour of maydenhood? Semeþ hit a wundur þat þu hast
32ychaunged matere of stench and of corupcioun for euer-lastynge
33delices and rychesse of heuene? Schuldest þu haue a veyn-glorie,
34al-þey þu haue idoo þus?
35    Holy scripture seyt: Si gloriaris, in domino glorieris - Suster, ȝif
36þu
37be glad for þise þyngges, loke þy ioye be in God, and serue hym in
38parfit drede. And vurþermor, I nel not be no wey þat, as it where
39vndur colour of deuocioun and holynesse, þu delite þe in veyne
40peyntyngges, kyttyngges and in grauyngges in þy celle, noþer in
41cloþys gaylyche yweue, ne steyned wit bryddes or bestes, or diuerse
42trees or floures, to oþer babounrye. Let hem haue swych aray þat,
43noon or litul ioye hauyngge wit-ynne, sechyþ al here ioye wit-oute.
44
45
46

CAPITULUM DECIMUM

47
48    Omnis gloria filie Regis abintus. As holy wryt seiþ, alle þe ioie of a
49kynges douter schulde be wit-ynne. Þerfore, ȝif þu be þe kynges
50douter of heuene, for as muche as þu hast ywedded his sone Criste,
51loke þu hiere þe veys of þy Fader, which seiþ to þe þat al þy ioye
52schulde be wyt-ynne þe.
53    Loke þerfore þat al þy gladnesse come of clene wytnesse of a good
54conscience wit-ynne. Let þer be fair peynture and grauyngge of
55diuerse vertues; let þer fressche coloures of goode þewes wit curious
56knottes be knet to-gydere, þat þe fayrnesse of o vertu, and-oþer wel
57icoupled to hym, mowe make þe mor brit in schynyngge. Let meknesse
58be ioyned to chastete, and noþyng schal be bryȝtere; let also
59simplenesse be associod to good inward wysdom, and noþyng schal be

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60clierere; let mercy be coupled wit ryȝtwisnesse, and noþyng is mor
61swete; and to alle þyse þanne put good temprure and good discrecioun,
62and mor profitable peynture schalt þu noon fynde.
63    In swich curiosite ocupye þyn eȝen of þyn herte, swich vertuous
64diuersete fourme in þy soule wit al þy wit, and þerwit let enbroude þy
65spiritual cloþynge. In fimbrijs aureis etcetera. Ȝif þu wylt, as þe
66book
67seiþ, adden goldene hemmys, certes, þenne þu hast a garnement wel
68iweue adoun to þi foot, in whiche þyn husbounde Crist wil haue gret
69lykyngge to fynde þe icloþed in. An hemme, as þu wost wel, is þe laste
70ende of a cloþ; and þe ende wherto draweþ al þe parfeccioun of Godes
71lawe is charyte, as þe apostel seiþ: Finis precepti est caritas . Þis
72charyte most þu nyede haue, louyngge God and þyn euene-cristene of
73clene herte, wit good conscience, and wit fey not feyned ne fayllynge.
74
75
76

CAPITULUM XJ

77
78    In swich ray, suster, haue likyngge and gladnesse, wit-ynne, and
79not wit-oute; in verrey vertus and in verrey peyntures put þy lust.
80    Let faire lynnene towayles ligge vppon þyn awter, ȝif þu hast eny;
81þe whiche for here whitnesse and clennesse mowe signefie and schewe
82to þe þe whitnesse of chastete and simplenesse. Beþenk þe wit ow
83muche trauayl and betyngge lynne or flex is ibrouȝt out of þe irþene
84colour þat it grew in, er hit were so wyth as hit is whan it makeþ fair
85þyn awter, and Cristes body is wrapped þer-in. Ferst flex is brouȝt
86forþ wit irþene colour; and so be we ybrout forþ wit wickednesse
87and synne: Quoniam ego in iniquitatibus conceptus sum, et in peccatis
88concepit me mater mea . Afterward, whan flewflex is itake out of þe
89irþe, hit is icast in-to water; and ryȝt so, whan we ben take out of owre
90oune moder wombe, we beþ icast in-to þe water of bapteme, and þer
91we beþ ibyryed wit Crist. And þer, alþouȝ synne be put awey, ȝit
92syknesse of synne dureþ. Þer we takeþ sumwhat off whitnesse in þe
93wasschyngge awey of þe vielþe of synne, bote, certes, al parfytly clene
94and whith be we not imaad, for þe enclinaunce þat we habbeþ, as
95longe as we beþ in þis wordle, to synne and to wrecchednesse.
96    Vurþermor flex, after water, it is dryed; and so we, after þat we beþ
97icristned, it be-houeþ þat oure body by abstinence be ymaad drye fro
98stynkynde humores of vnclennesse. And riȝt as after-ward flewflex is ibete
99wit a betyl, to be þe mor suple to werk; rith so oure flehs is ibete and
100bouyd wit temptacioun many and diuers, to be þe more obedient to þe
101spirit. Ȝit ouermor, þat lynne ofor flex is ipurged wit grete yrene
102kombes, to putte awey þe grete superfluites; and so mote we wit þe
103scharpe ȝerd of discipline putte awey alle superfluites, and hodeholde þat is
104streyt nyede to vs. And ryȝt as afterward þis is iput to flex: a comb of

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105smallere pryckes, to clense it more curiously - ryȝt so we, whan we
106haue ouercome, wit gret trauayle, grete and wickede temptaciouns
107and passiouns of þe flehs, we schul be aboute to make vs clene of
108cotidian defautes by meke schryfte and due satisfaccioun. Ouermor,
109after þis flex is ispunne a-long; and so we by long perseueraunce
110mote dure in oure goode purpos. And at þe laste, schortly, riȝt as to
111lynnene, er it be parfytly fair and whit, is iput boþe water and fuir;
112riȝt so we mote þorouȝ vier of tribulacioun and water of scharp
113contricioun, er we come fully to þe refreschyngge of chastete and
114clennesse.
115    Swyche þynges let brynge to þyn myende þe ornamentes of þyn
116oratorye, and not fulfylle þyn eȝen wit vnlyfsum iaperyes and
117vanites.
118

DE YMAGINIBUS.

119    And as touchyngge holy ymages, haue in þyn awter þe ymage of þe
120crucifix hangynge on þe cros, which represente to þe þe passioun of
121Crist, which þu schalt folwe. Al-to-gydere he is ysprad abrood to
122bykleppe þe in his armes, in which þu schalt haue gret delectacioun;
123and hys tetys beþ al naked ischewd to þe to ȝyue þe melk of spiritual
124delectacioun and confortacioun. And, ȝif it be lykynde to þe, to
125commende þe grete excellence of virginite, let þilke blessede mayden
126and moder in o syde, and þilke diere deciple Ihon, a mayde also, in þat
127oþer syde of þe cros be ihad in here ymages, þat þu mowe þenke
128her-by hou plesaunt to God is chastete boþe of man and womman,
129which he halewode so preciously in his moder and his lieue deciple,
130seynt Ihon; and þerfore he couplede hem so tendrely to-gydere,
131hangynge on þe roode, whan he bytook to his moder þe deciple to
132kepe, and aȝenward þe maydenly deciple to haue warde of þe moder
133and mayde. And a blessed testament was þis to seynt Ihon, to whom
134þe fayrnesse of alle mankynde, hope of al þe wordle, ioye of heuene,
135refut of wrecchen, solas of þo þat beþ in sorwe, cumfort of pouere,
136and at þe laste, lady of al þe wordle, queen of heuene wit so gret
137auctorite was take to kepe.
138    Suster, let þyse þynges styre þe to feruour of parfit charite, and to
139noo spectacle of vanite; for þorouȝ þyse alle it is necessarie þat þu stee
140vp oon, alone - for þilke on is only necessarie: Porro vnum est
141necessarium . Þis is þilke on þat is not yfounde bote in oon, at oon
142and wit oon, in whom is noon vnstabilite ne chaungyngge; and þat
143cleueþ to þylke oon, he is oon in spirit wit hym. alwey goynge in-to
144þilke oon þat is eueremoore oon wit-outen eny mutacioun, and whos
145ȝeres ne tyme neuere ne fayleþ - Tu semper idem ipse es, et anni non
146deficient . Þis cleuyngge to þis oon is charite, whic, as I seyde, is as it
147were a goldene hem, finally to make fair þy weddyng-coote.

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148

DE CARITATE. CAPITULUM DUODECIMUM

149
150    Þis weddyng-garnement, suttylly yveue wit diuers vertus, it
151bihoueþ þat it be be-goon aboute wit swiche goldene hemmeshemmes, þat is to
152seynseyn, wit þe briȝtnesse of charite, þe wyche mowen conteyne and
153bynde alle vertus in oon and make oon of manye, departyngge to alle
154here clernesse, and so cleuyngge to alle vertus þat as it were þey alle
155bete not manye, bote oon.
156

DIUISIO CARITATIS.

157    Þis charite is departyd in two: in-to þe loue of God, and in-to þe
158loue of þyn emcristene. And vurþermor, þe loue of þyn emcristene is
159departyd in two: in-to innocence and beneficience. Þat is to seyn, þat
160þu greue ne harme noman, bote do good and profyt to as manye as þu
161myȝt - for þis is lawe of kynde. Quod tibi non vis fieri, alij ne feceris
- -
and þis is innocence. And God seyd in þe gospel: Omnia quecumque
162vultis vt faciant vobis etcetera - alle þynges þat ȝe woolde þat men
163dede to ȝouȝ, do ȝe to hem aȝenward: and þis is benificience.
164    Now tak good heede, suster, how þise two parteyneþ to þe. Þe
165ferste is þat þu schost greue no-man; and certayn, þat howte be liȝt
166inouȝ to þe, for þu myȝt greue no-body, þey þe woldest, bote ȝif þu
167smyte hym wit þy tounge. And for-soþe, þe secunde scal be liȝt inouȝ
168to þe, ȝif þu take good heede to þi purpos, and loue þe nakede and bare
169pouerte þat þu hast take þe to. For þer may be no matere of euel wil
170aȝens no-man wher reigneþ no coueytyse, ne noþyng is iloued þat may
171be doon awey. Þerfore wylne wel to alle men, and do good to as manye
172as þu miȝt. Bote hier þu askest of me in what þyng þu miȝt do good to
173eny mon, soþþe þu hast forsake alle wordliche godys, and hast no
174maner þynge to ȝyue to þe neody.
175
176
177

CAPITULUM XIIJ

178
179    Suster, know wel þe condicioun of þy lyf. Þer were two sustren,
180Marthe and Marye: þat oon trauaylede, þat oþer restyde; þat oon ȝaf,
181þat oþer askede and baad; Marthe ȝaf outward seruise, Marie nurschede
182ynward loue. Marie ne ran not hyder and þyder, bisy to
183vnderfonge gystes; Marie was not distracte aboute husbondrye;
184Maria was not entendaunt to pore mennes cryyngge; bote sche saat
185meekely at Ihesu feet and herde deuoutly his word and his lore.
186    My diere sister, þis is þy party: þu þat art deed to þe wordle and
187ybyried, þu schalt be deef to hiere eny-þyng of þe wordle, and dump
188forto speke it; ne þu schalt not be bysy ne distract aboute wordly
189ocupaciouns. Let Marthe alone wit þat partye, whos partye, alþouȝ it
190be nouȝt deneyed good, Maries partye naþeles is yseyd þe bettere.
191    Lord, wheþer Marie hadde eny enuye of Marthe? Nay, dredeles;

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192bote raþer Marthe hadde enuye as it were of Maryes deel. And in þe
193same manere let hem þat beþ beste wommen i þe wordle, let hem, I
194seie, haue a spiritual enuye to folwe þy lyuyngge; bote not so þu to
195hemward. To hem þat beþ in þe wordle longeþ to ȝyuen almesse,
196wiche þat haueþ wordliche possessioun, and also to men of holy
197churche to whom is itake þe dispensacioun of þe godys of holy
198churche. For þeo þynges þat beþ yȝiue to holy chirche bysschopes,
199prestes and clerkes, after þat þey haue itake þrof here nyede þey
200scholde parte to þe pore; for here godys beþ pouere menne godys, and
201wydue godes, and faderles and moderles children godes, and also
202minystres of holy churche goodis - for þey þat ministreþ þe awter, it is
203skyleful þat þey lyue of þe awter. To þyse, þoo þat beþ benefysed in
204holi churche schulde in tyme of nyede dele here godes, and not
205coueytously close hem vp in here cofres. And also þoo goodes þat
206beþ yȝyue to holy monasteries in-to þe vs of Cristes seruauns, hit is
207resoun þat þey be ministred by certayn persones þat beþ y-ordeyned
208þer-to, so þat þat þat is more þan here breþryn han nyede to, be
209goodly yȝiue to gystes, to pilgrymes and pore men, and not auarously
210iput vp in here purses. Bote suster, þis partyneþ to hem to whom is
211itake Marthes office, not to hem þat resteþ hem in holynesse of
212contemplacioun, as þu art.
213    For þoo þat beþ in cloystre schulde not bysi hem to vnderfonge
214gystes, ne þey schulde not be distract to ministre to þe pouere men;
215for þey beþ þilke þat schulde make no purvyaunce fro o day to anoþer,
216ne haue no þouȝt ne care of mete ne of drynke; certayn, þey schulle be
217okepied in swettere þyngges, and be fulfeld more profitably of spiritual
218delices. Let hem þat beþ more contemptible and rude to spiritualte,
219let hem bysie hem wit þe wordle, let hem cleppe to hem
220carayne and dung; for þey beþ þilke oxen þat þe book spekeþ of:
221Quorum piger stercoribus lapidetur - Among þe whiche he þat is slow
222schal be stened to deþe wit stynkynde dung.
223    Bote þer beþ manye þat beþ slow and vnlusty aboute spiritual
224þyngges, as were þilke slowȝ and synneful poeple in desert þat hadde
225skorn and abhominacioun of angeles mete: Anima nostra nauseat
226super cibo etcetera . For swyche nyce foolys, whan þey beþ ydulled in
227here life, and þey see oþere y-ocupied in þe wordle aboute temperal
228godys, anoon þey haueþ envye, and gruccheþ, and bagbyteþ here
229breþeryn; and so for a lytul stynkynde vielþe, in þe whiche oþre beþ
230defoyled in þe wordle, þey hem-self beþ ismyte wit pryckes of enuye
231and biternesse; of þe whiche, in caas þey falle aȝen to þe wordle, to
232antermete of wordly þyngges, certes, it may be sayd: Qui nutriebantur
233in croceis, amplexati sunt stercora .
234    And þerfor, suster, seþþe þat þey þat beþ in holy monasteries ne

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235schulle not ocupien hem wit þe wordle, bote þilke þat beþ assigned
236þer-to, and to whom is itaken Marthes bisynesse, muche more þu, þat
237hast forsake þe wordle, neþer schalt haue worldly goodes in dispensacioun,
238neþer see ne hiere matires of þe wordle. Þu þat hast al forsake,
239wher-of schuldest þu ȝyue almesse? Naþeles EDITION: napeles , ȝif þu hast a wyȝt of þyn
240owne trauayle more þan þu dispendist þy-self, ȝif almesse a Godes alf,
241and ȝit not by þyn owne hand, bote by sum oþer. Soþþe þy lifnoode
242comeþ bote of oþere folk, wherto schalt þu care to ȝyue almesse of
243oþere menne godes, a namely seþþe þu schalt not vsurpe to þe bote þy
244neode?
245    What þanne almesse or good schalt þu doo to þyn emcristen, as I
246sayde byforn, whan I spake of beneficience? Suster, an holy seynt
247seiþ: 'Þer is noþynge rychere þan a good wyl' - þat ȝif! What is more
248profitable þan deuout preyere? Þat ȝif! What is more ful of manhoode
249þan pite? Þat spreed aboute! And in þis wise, suster, bynd al þis
250wordle to-gydere in þy bosum wit o bond of pyte and of loue; and þer
251by-hald alle þeo þat ben goode, and þanke God þer-of and be glaad;
252behald o þat oþer side alle þoo þat ben wickede and in dedly synne,
253and wyep vp-on hem and be sory! Þer tak heede of hem þat beþ
254oppressed þoruȝ greet meschyef, and haue conpassioun of hem; let
255renne þer in þy myende þe misese of þe pouere, þe whepyngge of
256fadurles and modurles children, þe desolacions of wydues, þe bitere
257siȝȝyngge and weylyngge of þo þat beþ ouercome by greet sorwe, þe
258niede of pilgrymes, þe periles of hem þat beþ in þe see, þe heȝe vowes
259of holy virgynes, þe temptacions of holy men, þe bysynesse of prelatys,
260þe trauayle of hem þat beþ in wherre, oþer in oþer maner ryȝtful
261trauayle. To alle þyse opene þy brest, to þyse ȝif þyn almesse, to þyse
262departe þy bitere terys, for þyse sched out þy clene preyeres.
263    For-soþe, suster, þis almesse is more plesaunt to God, more acceptyd
264of Crist, more competent to þy professioun, more fructuous to
265hem þat þu ȝifst hit to, þan eny oþer bodyly ȝifte. Swych maner ȝifte,
266þat is to seye gostly almesse, spiritual beneficience, helpeþ þy purpoos
267and not hyndreþ it, also hit encreseþ þe loue of þyn emcristene and
268not amenuseþ it. Hit kept þe quite of þyn herte, and let hit nouth. And
269what schal I say more? Certayn, as seynt Gregory sayȝt: 'Summetyme
270holy men, for þe more parfeccioun, for þe loue of God and of
271here emcristene þe wolde no-þyng of wordly richesse haue in þe
272wordle, ne noþyng coueyte forte haue.' Bote manye and to manye þer
273beþ þat doþ euen þe contrarie, for þey trauayled nyȝt and day to haue
274wordly good, and þey seyn to doo charite and almesse, for þey wolde

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275haue what for-to ȝyue. Bote certayn, þyse wel ofte fayled of þe heȝe
276parfeccioun off charite.