The Mirror of Simple Souls

““And thus well you know, that I may naught do and I am so greatly indebted. O Lord God, right courteous and large and free, acquit me of this debt, you that have power all things to do! ** Ah, without fail,”’ saith this soul, *‘ Lord, so shall you do, and henceforward I will your perfect will, in all things.” HOW GOD HATH LOVED THIS SOUL WITHOUT BEGINNING AND SHALL WITHOUT END; AND OF THE OBEDIENCE OF REASON TO THIS SOUL; AND OF THE ACCORDANCE OF THE WILL OF GOD AND OF THIS SOUL; AND OF HER PEACE AND OF PERFECT CHARITY; AND OF GRUDGING OF CONSCIENCE “*O RIGHT sweet Love,”’ saith this soul, “ grant me my possession that I have of the Trinity.” “Now tell your thought,”’ saith Love, “‘ for you ought not to hide it.” ‘“* Ah, Lady Love,” saith this soul, “ ye have told me that he that is in him [and] of him, shall be without beginning and without end; that he shall never have anything without me nor I without him.”’

EL iis is sooth, .,,sdith:. Love, rl am pledge* of this.” “Then,” saith this soul, “‘ since he shall never without end have nothing without me, then right so, he loved never nothing without me. And since it is so, that he shall be in me, without end by love, right so have I been loved of him without beginning.” ** Look what you say, Lady Soul!” saith Reason; ‘‘ have you forgotten that it is so, that it is not long agone, that you were not; for God, right sweet soul, look that you err not |” “‘ If I err in this holding, Love,”’ saith this soul, ‘‘ you err with me, who make this to be believed, to be thought and to be said.” ‘* Now prove it, Lady Soul !”’ saith Reason, “‘ this, that you have said.” ‘** © Reason,”’ saith this soul, ‘‘ how blinded thou art, and what trouble they have who by thy counsel live! Reason,” saith this soul, “* if I shall be loved without end, of the three Persons in Trinity, I have been loved of them already without beginning. For as well as he shall love me without end, of his bounty, so have I been in the knowledge of his wisdom, that I should be made by the work of his divine might. Right as God is—that is, without any beginning—so have I been in his divine knowing, that I shall be without end. Then,” saith the soul, ‘‘ he loved of his goodness the work that he should do in me, of his divine might.”

‘** This is sooth,” saith Love, ‘‘ he is—and never withheld [love] no more than he doth now.”’* “Now may you hear, Reason,”’ saith this soul, “‘ the witness of Love.”’ “You shall be still now, for me, Lady Soul,” saith Reason, “‘ since love leadeth you and you not love; this is to say that love is in you and maintaineth you and leadeth and doth his will of you, without you. I dare no more meddle of you since love governeth you, but I promise,* Lady Soul, to you from henceforth, peace and obedience with all my might; for do it I must by strength, for Love willeth it. J may not be there-against, but I yield me to you in all,’”’ saith Reason. “Now be the debts well returned:} this is right,” saith the soul, “for the great nobility and courtesy of my spouse willeth not to leave me in your service; neither in yours nor others [leaveth he] his spouse, who has learned of him; for he is the Spouse most free,” “This is sooth, sweet soul,” saith Love, “I grant it you.”

‘think, say and do what you will, for Love granteth it you !” ““O Reason,” saith this soul, ‘‘ how rude thou art! If Love granteth me this, why should he not? it is his own proper deed. I have no ‘deed’ in me of myself, except he do it himself, my Beloved in me. And you, Reason, do you marvel of this ?”’ saith the soul, ‘‘ that he willeth what I will. And + “‘ The tables turned.” & will it he must, for I will not but only what he willeth in me; and what he willeth that I will. In this he hath set me of his courtesy; that he willeth this that I will, nor he willeth nothing that I unwill. So that by this I have peace, Reason !” saith this soul, “and we have, between him and me, true accord, ‘“* O right sweet master of this work,”’ saith this soul, “‘ how may I have this peace, who know the great loss of my time ? Ah, Sire, without fail I may, for your courtesy oweth it me and your nobiesse, since you have peace, that I should have it also. So that I witness, my beloved Lord, that you have well quitted me of my debt, for I find no thing in which I find not peace, however it befall or hath fallen concerning my sins, your peace dwelleth with me. O thou Lord God !” saith this soul, “‘ my sins may none know in this world, as they be, in hideous figure, save you. But they in heaven shall have it in their knowing, all those that there shall be; not to my confusion but to my great glory; for this, my sweet God, that by those sins in which I have made you wrath, your mercy shall be known and your great largesse, full of courtesy, shall be felt.”

“* Sooth,”’ saith Love, “‘ the which courtesy giveth peace in conscience to this soul, whatever she doeth or leaveth to do.” ** Give, Lord,” saith this soul, “‘ to will your will perfectly, for to will perfectly your will is perfect charity.” *¢ And who hath alway in his will perfect charity, he should no more have grudging of conscience,” saith Love, “‘ for grudging of conscience is naught else but a default of charity. Nor for no other thing was the soul made, but for to have in her without end the being of pure charity.”

HOW ALL THAT THIS SOUL HATH SAID, IS SAID OF LOVE BY THIS SOUL, AND OF. THIS LOSS OF TIME *“O my Lord God,” saith this soul, ‘* what have I said of you !” “Think,” saith Love, “‘ and see if you can know your words.” ‘““ Ah, Lady Love,” saith this soul, ‘* you have given me the knowing, and behold it here! Naught is of such a nature, that naught must benaught. Then it behoveth,” saith this soul, “‘ that I be in certainty that this which I have said is less than naught. But this that is said in me or by me, is of divine knowing, Lady Love,” saith this soul, ““ you have said it, in me and by me, of your bounty, for my profit! To you be the glory, and to us the merit. This belongeth not to auditors that hear this book. *“O latest loved in all moments for me! O courteous without measure, this ought to seem well to me,” saith this soul, ‘“‘ when you will meekly suffer. O Lord, you will suffer more gladly and meekly than any creature may say it, notwithstanding my faults that be without number, and without recovering of this loss [of time], for mercy that is in you; for it behoveth you to keep your justice. It may not be that time lost may ever be regained, and as oft as I have retired or withdrawn myself from loving and knowing and lauding and thanking you, so many moments of time I have been idle, and into these great defaults Iam fallen. O Lord, Iam adeepness of darkness, and in this darkness you will put me in, there dwell not the gifts of that grace of which love hath devised* us.”

** Devised !”’ saith this soul, “‘ all that love hath said of this grace, by me, creature, it is but japings, in comparison with his work.” ‘“O sweet soul,” saith Reason, “‘ I have well heard this that ye have said; more gladly heard I never thing, so that I understand perfectly,” saith Reason, “‘ Lady Love, that this may none do but you alone, of whom this gift is given.” “* Sooth,”’ saith Love, “‘ of such a person that is the Holy Ghost himself [is this gift given.|” “Therefore I say,” saith Reason, “‘ that I may not understand it; but meseemeth that this which this soul. doth, is so well done,”’ saith Reason, “‘ that I will serve her in all as her poor servant. And I acknowledge that I may have no greater joy nor greater worship than to be servant to this soul.” ““ Do you know this ?” saith Love, “‘ you could do no better than to know this !” WHAT ORDINANCE IS, AND HOW THAT THE DEITY FELT NOT WHAT THE MANHOOD OF JESU CHRIST SUFFERED, AND HOW IN ALL THINGS BEHOVETH TO HAVE DISCRETION ;

‘“ AH right sweet soul,”’ saith Reason, “‘ what shall I do for my people that I have to govern, that shall no more see of this soul’s ordinance* in her outward usages °”’ “Why ?” saith Love, “is there other ordinance but this ?”’ ** Nay,” saith Reason, “‘ not for them that see nor for them that be chosen in this assize: but of such be few in earth, I dare well ** Now, Reason,” saith Love, ‘* what callest thou ordinance ?”’ **T call ordinance,’’ saith Reason, ‘“* the life of works of virtues [lived] continuously, by thy counsel and that of Discretion, after the ensample of our Lord Jesu Christ.” *“ Reason,”’ saith Love, ‘‘ this which the manhood of Jesu Christ suffered, the Deity felt it not. Right so IJ tell thee,” saith Love, “by ensample of this soul, it fareth with her. This which thou speakest of virtues and of the reason,”’ saith Love, ‘‘ this soul recketh naught of; she may better do, for love worketh in her who hath led her into him, so that she herself is love. And Love hath in him no discretion. In all things it behoveth to have discretion, except in love. I give thee an ensample. [It is as] if a lord would have tribute in his land because men owed it him by rights; for the lord owes not tribute to his servants, but the servants owe it to their lord. Right so I tell you, Reason,” saith Love, “all things owe me tribute. There be works of virtues, counselled of reason, ended by discretion; but they alone that be updrawn of love and led by love, they owe nothing but love; they are therefore as much quit as love hath quitted them.”

WHO BE PERFECTLY WISE, AND WHO BE DIPPED IN MEEKNESS, AND HOW THIS SOUL IS BECOME NAUGHT IN HER BEHOLDING; AND HOW SHE IS DEAD TO ALL FEELINGS INWARD AND OUTWARD, AND WHAT CASE THAT SOUL IS IN, IN TIME OF THIS USAGE “TI CALL,’ saith Love, ‘‘ this soul perfectly wise, among my chosen—but little folk cannot praise nor know of worthy value.” ““Ah, Lady Love,” saith Reason, “‘ whom call ye wise >?” “Those that are dipped* in meekness,”’ saith Love. “Who be those that be dipped in meekness ?”’ saith Reason. “They,” saith Love, “‘ that in nothing are wrong, and know that they are in nothing right. They that be in this knowing of their wrong and of their right, see so clearly, that they see themselves under all creatures in filth of sin; and that the enemy is servant to sin. And this soul hath long seen that she is under sin and serveth sin and without comparison, passing all creatures, is naught. And that she is less than naught under them, without any comparison, as between herself

and them, so much evil is of her [nature] and of her works. And because of this beholding, is this soul become naught, and less than naught in all her beholdings. She hath long heard say, by the Holy Ghost, that God setteth the least little at the most high [worth], of his sole bounty, and therefore, this soul hath no distress because of sin that she ever did, nor hope on account of thing that she might do, but only in the goodness of him that is her Beloved. And the hid treasure of his sole goodness hath so, in inwardness, annihilated her,* that she is dead to all feelings both inward and outward, so that such a soul doth no more ‘works,’ for God nor for her soul. She hath wholly lost her wits,t in this usage, so that she cannot seek God nor find him in her soul, nor lead herself.”

HOW THIS SOUL IS NOT WITH-HERSELF AND WHERE SHE IS; AND HOW BY NAUGHT WITTING AND NAUGHT WILLING SHE HATH ALL **' THis soul,” saith Love, “‘ is not with-herself, and she is excused for everything; and he in whom she is, made his work for him- + t.e., powers of reflection in the time of prayer. 102 self; he hath her well acquit—witness of God himself,’ saith Love, ‘‘ that is the worker of this work, to the profit of this soul, which is not with-herself.’’* ‘** Ah, Love,” saith Dread, ‘“‘ where is this soul then, that is not with-herself 2” **'There where she loveth,’’ saith Love, ‘“‘ without her witting,t and therefore liveth this soul without grudging of conscience, She doth nothing by her inward [guiding], for whoso doth anything by the moving of his inwardness, he is not,” saith Love, ‘‘ without-himself, for he is with-himself, and hath nature and reason with him. And he that is dead of love,”’ saith Love, “‘ feeleth neither reason nor nature, so that this soul willeth none of all the states of Paradise, though men laid them all in her choice. Nor they unwillt none of all the torments of hell. Though it were all at their pleasure to choose | any of these aforesaid, they desire not nor they will not none of these.”

*“ Ah, what then, for God 2” saith Holy Church. “This that she is,” saith Love, ‘‘in her knowing.” “And what is this ?”’ saith Holy Church. “being with herself,’’and the qualifying interpretation of “‘ naught willing’’ (pp. 18, 44, 53, 109). + Being conscious. 7.e., refuse. “Right sweet Holy Ghost, teach it us !* for this word passeth our scriptures, and so we may not understand it by Reason, this that you say. And she hath so abashed us,” saith Holy Church, “that we dare not be against her !” ** Oh, Holy Church,” saith the Holy Ghost, “will you wit what this soul wot and what she willeth? I.shall tell it you,” saith the Holy Ghost. “‘She wot but one thing, that is, that she wot naught; and she willeth but one thing, that is, that she willeth naught; and this naught witting and naught willing giveth her,” saith the Holy Ghost, “all the treasure fulfilled, that is closed in the Trinity, without end. “ Not,” saith the Holy Ghost, “‘ by nature divine, for that may not be, but by the strength of love, for that behoveth to be.” +

‘*Now Holy Church,” saith Love, “here you have heard why this soul hath all.” ‘“* Sooth !” saith the Holy Ghost, “ all that I have received of the Father and of the Son, who knoweth that she hath all that I have,” saith the Holy Ghost, “‘ and the Father and the Son have nothing but that I have it in me. Then hath this soul in her,” saith the Holy Ghost, ‘‘ the treasures fulfilled of the Trinity and enclosed within her.” t+ Introduction, pp. xliv-xlv. 104 ““ Now since it is thus,”’ saith Holy Church to the Holy Ghost, “‘ it behoveth the Trinity to dwell and live in her.” “This is right,” saith the Holy Ghost, ** for as much as she is dead to the world, and the world dead to her, that the Trinity [should] inhabit her.” ““O very God, Holy Ghost !”’ saith Holy Church. *Sooth,” saith Love, ‘*‘ Holy-Churchunder-this-Holy-Church ! for such souls,” . Saith Love, “‘be properly called ‘Holy Church,’ for they sustain and teach and nourish ali Holy Church. Not only they,” saith Love, “but all the Trinity, through them. This is sooth,” saith Love, “‘ of this let none doubt.

“Now, ‘ Holy-Church-under-this- Holy Church,’ ”’ saith Love, “‘ what will you say of these, that be thus so much* above you, you that use in all after the counsel of Reason ?” “We will say,” saith Holy-Church-theless, ‘‘ that these souls be in life above us, for Love dwelleth in them. And Reason dwelleth in us. Love leadeth them, and Reason leadeth us. But this is not against us,” saith Holy-Church-the-little, ‘‘ but we praise them among the glosses of our scriptures!" 4); Tt See note znfra, p. 301. 105

HOW THIS SOUL BY ALL GIVING HATH ALL RECEIVED ** Au, Lady Love,” saith Reason, ‘*‘ we would pray you if it pleased you, more openly to speak of those gifts that the Holy Ghost giveth to such souls, of his pure goodness; so that no creature may be the worse,* through her rudeness, by hearing of the divine school.”’ **O Reason,” saith Love, “‘ alway thou art rude and blind, thou and all the disciples of thy doctrine; for he is full blind that hath things before his eyes and seeth them not; and thus seem ye !” “‘T have said,” saith the Holy Ghost, ‘“‘that I shall give to this soul all that I have given,” saith the Holy Ghost. “ It is promised her of all the Trinity and granted of his bounty, in the knowledge of wisdom without beginning, all that we have. And this is good reason,” saith the Holy Ghost, ‘*‘ that we withhold from such souls nothing that we have. For this soul,”’ saith the Holy Ghost, “‘hath given us all that she hath of worth, and the same that we have, she herself hath given us by manner of

speech; for it is said, and sooth it is, that good will is accounted for deed. ‘** And this soul,” saith the Holy Ghost, “is of such condition, that if she had in her the same that we have, she would yield it to us; all this—as we have it—without willing any guerdon in heaven nor in earth, but right according to our will alone. “Now We have all this,”’ saith the Holy Ghost, “‘ of our very divine condition, and this she hath given us by way of a ‘ partie,’* that is, a thing in love of good will, in a gamet of holy meaning. And for this,” saith the Holy Ghost, ‘‘ that this soul hath given us all that she hath, and all things that she hath not also, by way of a ‘ game,’* it behoveth,” saith the Holy Ghost to Holy Church, “‘ that she be given that which We have, by justice of love. We have in us,” saith the Holy Ghost, “ this that is ours by nature divine, and she hath it from us in her, by justice of love, whatever she may be!”’ saith the Holy Ghost.

© Ov ‘Lord;?? ‘saith’ Holy. Church, “Swe understand it and believe it forsooth, that these be the gifts of your worthy noblesse, in reward of love; for love may not be rewarded at any time except with love.” See supra, pp. xxviii and 302. Tt MS. “ dalliance.”’ 107

OF THE BEING OF THIS SOUL. OF THE USAGE OF A SOUL THAT LANGUORETH FOR LOVE, AND IN WHAT POINT A SOUL IS, THAT IS DEAD IN LOVE; AND OF THE PROFIT AND PEACE OF NAUGHT WILLING “THIS soul,” saith Love, “‘ hath of old said and heard that there is nothing that is so great knowledge as is temperance; nor so great riches as is sufficiency; nor so great strength as is love. This soul,” saith Love, “ hath her mind and understanding and will, low; all is one being, this is in God. And this Being giveth her being without knowing nor feeling, nor willing any being, but only the ordinance of God. This soul,” saith Love, “hath many a day languored for love.” ““O Lady Love,” saith Reason, ‘“‘ what is the practice of a soul that languoreth for love >?” ““ She warreth at vices,”’ saith Love, “ by seeking virtues.” ** Ah, soothly Love,” saith this soul, ‘‘ this is a great war, and a perilous! Ah, right sweet Love,” saith this soul, “‘ such life may well discreetly be called languor and life of war.”

** Now she hath so much enlanguored for love,” saith Love, “‘ that she is dead in love.’’ ““Ah, Lady Love,” saith Reason, ‘“ for God, tell us this, in what point is a soul, that is dead in love >” *“* She hath,” saith Love, “‘ taken end* at the world, and the world hath taken end at her. And so she liveth in God, and there may not the vices find her. She is so fulfilled in God that neither world nor flesh nor enemy may grieve her, for they may not find her in her works. So that this soul liveth in the rest of peace, for created things are naughtto her. And because of this peace, the soul liveth in the world without grudging of conscience. Such a soul hath nothing of ‘will’; for this being should be our being, for we have nothing more availing before God than this, that we leave our will for his will, and that we give perfectly our will to his will, without willing anything but only the measure of his work, according to the ordering of his bounty.”

“To this I hold me,”’} saith this soul, “‘ here I lack nothing since I will naught; for none hath so much perfect peace as they only that have naught of will.” “That wit ye, Lady Soul,” saith Love. “ Ah, without fail, so do I, Lady Love,” saith this soul, “‘for I have perceived it by 109 certain proofs that I must be dead,* and so am I.’’+ They have no will that nothing will, and this soul hath her will given so that she hath naught whereof to will, but the will of him to whom she hath given her will. Such folk live in freedom of charity that have nothing of will: whosoever should ask them, what they would? in sooth they would say, ** Nothing !”

HOW THESE SOULS THAT THIS BOOK DEVISETH BE COME TO THE KNOWING OF THEIR NAUGHT; AND HOW BY THAT THEY BE COME INTO BELIEVING OF ‘‘ MORE,’? AND HOW THIS IS MEANT ‘THESE that be such as this book deviseth, are come to the knowing of their naught; that is to say, they may not know of their naught by any thing that is in them, for their knowing is too little to know their loss; and so they are come by believing of “ more.”+ And see here the knowledge of their believing ! tT An obscure passage in MS. “for myn pe his, me has y caste... .” £ 7.e., come by putting their trust in the “* more,” which is God himself. It is this, that men may know naught. No, though men knew as much as men shall know in heaven, or that might, passing that, be compared by the comparison of a part; so that all this that men shall know, were naught in regard of the whole to which men compared it. They might not put in this comparison, either his power or his wisdom or his bounty, but without more, the knowing of one sole spark of his pure bounty. Also it should be naught, as in regard of the least part that dwelleth in him, that is not known but by him. That is, to understand it better, that whoso knew of him all that is said, it should be naught as in regard of the great knowledge that dwelleth in him beyond our knowing. ‘The least part of his bounty is SO great, in sooth, that men might compare, by manner of speech, all that they could, it should be naught in regard to the greatness of the least part of his bounty. We have not one spark of him in comparison with the all of him.

“Ah, ah, Lord God,” saith this soul, “what shall the soul do that this believeth of him ?” ** She shall do naught,” saith God, ‘‘ but I shall do my work 1n her without her. For by the knowing of her naught, and by the believing in me [comes] the putting her at naught, that she may naught do. So that the knowing of this naught compared with the greatness of all, hath acquitted her and made her free, that she lacketh nothing. No soothly! for as much as she willeth naught.” Now is this soul come to knowing of “ more,” truly in this only, that she knoweth not of this naught-in-God, compared with the all-of-him.* ‘** Mercy God,” saith Reason, “‘ dare we call ‘ naught’ anything that is in God ?” ‘Yea, and God wills,” } saith this soul. ‘““ How then soothly is this will naught, that is given and shall be given of him to us ? even though we had the same, that is said in this writing, by comparison, if it might be so, [that] all should be naught in regard of the greatness of one spark of his bounty, that dwelleth in the knowing of him, beyond our knowledge. Ah, ah,” saith then this Soul, “‘ how great, then, is the All of him, when this may be said of the least of him! O right sweet Love,” saith this soul, “‘ that only wit ye, and that sufficeth me.”

** Now ye wit how this soul is come into believing of ‘ more, >and now shail I tell you,” saith Love, “‘ how she is come into knowing of her naught; by this, that she knoweth in God, because she is absorbed in contemplation of his All. t MS. An God wills =if. that neither she nor others know [anything] of her horrible defaults as compared to that which is in the knowing of God.”

OF THE PEACE OF THIS SOUL; AND HOW SHE IS ALL FREE BY NAUGHT WILLING; AND OF THE DIVERSITY OF NAUGHT WILLING AND WELL WILLING ** THIS soul,”’ saith Love, ‘*‘ hath not withheld any will within her, she is fallen into naught-willing and into certainty of naughtWitting, and this naught-willing and naughtwitting hath stilled and wholly pacified her. This soul,” saith Love, “‘ holdeth the counsel of the Gospel that saith: ‘Have the eye simple, and so shall ye not sin.’* And this soul is at peace concerning all that God suffered for her, for she hath true intentiont in all her purposes, and peaceable rest concerning the deeds of her even-Christian. For in all things wherein she abandoneth judging, she maketh no judgement, except always for the best.t This soul hath in all places her peace, for she beareth always peace with her, so that for this peace, all places + MS. “ entente.”’ ~ z.e., her judgements are always charitable. 113 be convenient to her, and all things also. So that this soul sitteth without moving herself, in the seat of peace, in the work of life, in virtues of good conscience, and in freedom of perfect charity; thus is she all free.

“Then willeth she naught,” saith Love, *“ since she is made free; for he is not free that anything willeth according to the willing of his inwardness, how well soever he willeth; for so much he is servant to himself, that he hath a will that God do his will, to his own worship. And he that this other [thing] willeth, willeth it not, but only to fulfil the will of God in himself and in others. But for those folk,”’ saith Love, ‘‘ that work by their wills, they refuse God the realm.” ** Eh, without fail,’ saith Reason, “so do they [indeed] !” ‘“* So do they [refuse to yield themselves],”’ saith this freed soul, ‘‘ but they ought to do so, or they should lose all the little cattle* that they have.” ‘** This is sooth, Lady Soul,” saith Reason, “<] grant it you.” **' These folk,” saith Love, ‘* that work thus by their wills, be not quit from thraldom. But that is without their witting, for they ween they be, and for that weening they are content with their state.”

“They have so much pleasure in their doings,’ saith this soul, ‘‘ that they ween* there be no better, and that deceiveth them from coming to better; thus they stand, within, in their good wills.” ** Such folk,’ saith Love, “be never fulfilled.” *“No, in soothness,”’ saith this soul, ‘‘ for because their wills dwell with them, they be Servants to their wills. Into this servitude enter they,” saith this soul, “that in all, they believe and follow these two virtues, Reason and Dread, for they nourish Will. But they alone be free,” saith this soul, “that be free; whom Faith and Love govern, for they rest from all servitudes, without having dread of things redoubtable or desire of any very delectable [thing]. ** This soul hath no will, nor is she troubled about what God may do, but only that she do his will alway. For this soul,” saith Love, “‘ recketh not of hell, nor of paradise, nor of thing that is made, she neither willeth nor unwilleth anything that is here said.” “Oh, what then, for God?” saith HolyChurch-the - little- with-all-his-rude-scrip-

turet | Nothing,” saith Love, “she willeth + With-all-his-rude-scripture—i.e., with all his mere rational, literal scripture, as apart from the understanding that comes by meditation and love. THE, MIRROR OF [Div. § naught. But this exercise seemeth to them that [exercise] will, to place them in great debt on account of the neglect of multiple opportunities of love.* And that is no marvel, but without fail none will believe how great loss this is to them, to whom this seemeth strange.” ** Such folks,” saith this soul, “‘ be so blind, that great things seem little to them.” “It is sooth, this that ye say, right sweet soul,”’ saith Love, “for right as the work of God is more than the work of man, right so is more worth this naught-willing in God, than well-willing for God! Yea! in sooth,” saith Love, “‘though they might through this well-willing for God do miracles and receive every day martyrdom, it 1s,” saith Love, “‘ nothing in comparison to that, for as much as Will dwelleth in them.t “No,” saith Love, ‘“‘ though they were every day through this Will, ravished to see the Trinity, with Saint Paul the Apostle := let me not speak of it,” saith Love, “ for I may not !’’§

ove. + Cf. 1 Cor. xiii 3. + Cf. 2 Cor. xii 1-5. § Love breaks offinimpatience! “ Though these self-seeking souls were rapt into the Trinity every day, yet they do not understand anything; it is nothing compared to the simple dependence of notknowing and not-willing.”’

THIS soul is printed in God, she hath taken his very imprint, by union of love, in the manner that the wax taketh the form of the seal, so hath this soul taken the print of God and his very likeness. This soul saith thus: “‘ However well God . loveth me as he hath showed by his divine work and the suffering of his manhood, he loveth me not,” saith this soul, “against himself. Though he died for all and took flesh and blood of mankind, this was to witness thereby to his bounty, for he owed me this since his Divine will willed it. Because of this,”’ saith this soul, ‘‘ he loveth me not against himself; for though all these that the Trinity hath wrought in his [knowledge] should have been damned without end; Jesu Christ, the Son of God the Father, hath not, in sooth, granted to save all.” “Oh, ah me!” saith this soul, ‘ from whence came it to me this to say? Eh, does not every man know that this may not be? but ye Love, say it yourself !’’*

plea for free will. God’s image imprinted on the soul does not force the soul to yield up “the ‘** Dear friend,”’ saith the Person of God the Father, “ this ought to be done to mine eldest daughter, who is out of my realm,* so that she may know the secrets of my Son through the love of the Holy Ghost, that to this soul hath given this [knowledge] from him.” ‘* It behoveth,”? saith Love, ‘‘ that this soul be like to the Deity, for she is drawn into him, so she hath taken his very form, which to her was granted without beginning, and given of him that alway hath loved her.”’ ““O Love,” saith this soul, “ he only hath made me [to be] no-one; and this naught of this none hath put me in a low deepness, under less than naught, without measure; and the knowing of my naught hath given me all, and this naught and this all,” saith this Soul,” hath taken prayer from me. I pray not.” ““O what do ye then, right sweet soul, tell us?’ saith Holy-Church-the-little-with-allhis-rude-scripture,

realm.”? The corollary is apparently the argument for “predestination,” which the soul puts forward strongly in order to contradict it immediately— according to the method of the jeu-parti. God the Father shows that this soul that dwells in “‘ will,” and cannot otherwise be forced to give up will, can be won by this “‘imprint’’ of love made by the Holy Ghost. 118 “*T rest me in peace,” saith this naked naughted soul, “‘all in the courtesy of his sole bounty, without turning me to one single desire, notwithstanding all the riches that he hath in him. This is the end,” saith this soul, “of my work, always naught to will. And forasmuch as I will naught,”’ saith this soul, “‘I am a solitary soul, and separate from myself,* and all free. And when I will anything,” saith this soul, ‘‘ then am I with myself so, and have I lost freedom, but when I will naught, and have all lost out of my will, then faileth me nothing; free-being is my maintainer.t I will naught of none !”’ “Ah, right precious sweet being,” saith Love, “‘ that hast all usages lost, and by this lost usage, hast ceased from all methods5+ for in sooth, these usages and this loss be made in the naughting of your soul, and in this naught, ye swoon,” saith Love, “ and dwell dead. But ye shall love, my friend,” saith Love, “‘ in his will, for in you he hath made his chamber secret, it pleaseth him there to dwell. O right well born,” saith Love, “to this precious day’s eye,§ and ye : zx Ms. ** An alone soul and without me and all rec:

t t.e., liberty is my sole support. I need no other. ~ MS. “ usage withholden.”’ § The Latin version has a marginal note: “ heliotropium, a flour that height a deysy or merygold.”’ are truly in free [hold] dwelling, where none entereth except he be of your lineage without bastardise. ** This soul,” saith Love, “‘ is entered into the flood or waves of divine love. Not,” saith Love, “ by the efforts to reach to divine knowledge, for it may not be that any understanding, however illumined, might attain to any of the influences of divine love; but the love of this divine soul is conjunct, clad, and arrayed in this ‘more’ of this passing divine love. Not by the reaching out of the understanding of love, but by the reaching and attaining of more praise* of right passing love. ‘This soul,’ saith Love, “‘ is so arrayed with the clothings of this passing peace wherein she liveth and endureth, and was, and is, and shall be, without her being. For right thus,” saith Love, “as the iron is clothed with fire and hath lost its own semblance by the greater strength of that which hath turned it unto itself, right so is the soul clothed of the ‘ more,’ and is all turned and drawn into this ‘more,’ for the [sake of the] love of ‘ more,’ of heavenly amiable peace, without paying of duty.t This soul,’ saith Love, “liveth in the sweet country of passing peace, there is nothing that may help nor grieve them that live

+ MS. “ truage,” O.F. treuage, tax, tmpot. I20 there, neither creature wrought, nor thing given, nor nothing that God commandeth.”’ ‘** Eh, what then, for God ?” saith Reason. ** This, that never was, nor is, nor shall be given, that none here maketh,” saith Love, “this hath put her at naught. Except for this, that is, praise of the thing that is, she willeth no help nor sparing, nor of his might, nor of his wisdom, nor of his bounty.”’ ‘* This it is,”’ saith this soul, ‘‘ that faulteth me not, and this hath given me peace. I live but with the peace that is gotten or born of these two gifts in my soul, without thought. This might I not do except he had given it me. This is mine all and my best; and the virtue of this gift maketh me have one being, one will, one love, and one work in two natures. Such power hath the union of the unity of [the] divine indwelling.”

OF TWO BEHOLDINGS OF THIS SOUL, AND HOW THEY THAT WILL UNDERSTAND THIS BOOK MUST BE DEAD OF ALL DEATHS “THIS soul,’ saith Love, “ suffereth the dead to bury the dead, and the marred* to the contrast of “* perished, marred, and those in life of spirit” is fully worked out. Cf. Division VI work the works of virtues. And so resteth she, of less and more, that is, of all thing. The ‘ most ’ showeth to this soul her naught, without covering, and that showeth her the almightful in the bounty of divine righteousness. So beholdeth she the deep by the deep, and by the high, the highful and sure one; for they do ever unite the all and the nothing,* as long as she hath it in her beholding.” ‘“ Ah, right sweet soul, deep in lowness, full of entire meekness, and right clean and pure in the pleasure of plain truth, and by love of passing ‘more’ alone perfected, except for them of your demesne,” saith Reason, ‘‘ tell us what these dark words, that fine love toucheth, mean.”’

“Reason,” saith this soul, “‘ this that is said to you, ye hear it, but never ye understand it! And so have your questions lengthenedt this book, through the examples that cannot be explained but in plain and hasty words. But your questions have made them long, because ye have need thereof yourself, and for your disciples, those of your household who have fly’s hearts !” following. The “‘ marred ” stands for the class that work out their salvation by the ways of virtues. ~ MS. “ shent.” + MS. ‘‘nourisch’’ =those under her care, ‘‘ ward.”’ “You have opened [it],’’* saith Love, ““so that Reason and all his scholars may not be there against.” ‘That this seemeth not well said to them, however much it be according to understanding, this is sooth,” saith this soul, “‘ but they only understand it whom fine love teacheth, and they only wot what this book meaneth. But him behoveth to be dead, and mortified of all deaths, that finely should understand it,” saith this soul, “‘ for none tasteth of this life unless he be dead of all deaths.”

OF THEM THAT BE PERISHED, AND IN WHAT, AND OF WHAT, AND FOR WHAT ““ AH, treasurer soul!’ saith Reason, A “for God, tell us of how many deaths behoveth you to die, ere that ye understand finely this book ?” ** Ask it of Love,” saith this soul, “‘ for she knows the truth.” ** Ah, Lady Love,” saith Reason, “‘ mercy! tell it us! Not for me, nor for my disciples, but for them that have taken leave of me, that this book may bear light—if God will !” ‘* Reason,”’ saith Love, “‘ those under your teaching have yet much to do [to come to the understanding] of the two deaths in which this soul is dead, but the third death understandeth none alive, but they of the mountain.” **O Lady Love,” saith Reason, “ tell us this, what folk be they of the mountain ?” “They have not in earth,” saith Love, “shame nor worship nor dread for thing that may befall.” ‘** Eh,” saith Reason, “‘ Lady Love, for God, answer us our questions, ere you say anything more; for I am a-wondered to hear the life of these souls.”

““ Reason,”’ saith Love, ‘“‘ they that see this book, that have the being of this life, understand it well—save this, that it behoveth them expound the glosses. But some things shall I expound to thy questions. There be,” saith Love, ‘‘ two manner of people that live the life of perfection, by the works of virtues, in affection of the life of spirit. ‘This is the life [of the first] of them, who in all, mortify the body, in doing works of charity. And they have so great pleasure in their works, that they have no knowing that there is any better being than the being of works of virtue and deaths of martyrdom, and they desire to persevere in this by help of meditations fulfilled with prayers, in multiplied means of good wiill, alway. And because of the opinion that these people hold thus, that this is the best of all beings that may be, therefore this people,’ saith Love, “‘ be blinded, and so they perish in their works. Because of the sufficiency that they have in their doings, this people,”’ saith Love, “ be called Kings; but this is a being where everyone is blinded; but, without fail, those that have two eyes take them* for servants,”’ saith this soul, ‘‘ but

that is without their knowing. ‘They fare like the crow that weeneth there be none so fair a bird in the wood as his bride, the crow. Right so I tell you,” saith this soul, ‘* of these that live in desire alway, they hold that there is no Being that attaineth to the Being of desire, wherein this“ people be always and will to dwell, for they may not believe that there is any so good. And therefore they perish in the way, that suffice -“thémselves so in this, which desire and will giveth them.’’ ““O God,” say the Virtues, ‘““ Lady Love, who shail bear us witness, of this that you say, that those who live all by our own counsel, perish ? Sosay none of the Masters of us,’’* say the Virtues to Love. “ We understand this well, that it is said of evil Christians; for we hope fully that none may perish who in all things do our teaching, by help of desire, which giveth a true feeling of Jesu Christ. This we believe perfectly, without doubt, Lady Love !”’ say the Virtues.

“You say sooth in this,” saith Love, ‘“* but in the understanding lieth the mystery; for therein lieth the winning of divine love.” ““We believe it, Love!” say the Virtues, *“ but this is not of our office, that we should understand it. We be excused, provided we believe you by the understanding that we have; for we be made of you, to serve such souls.”’ ** Oh, without fail,”’ saith this soul to Virtues, ‘‘ it is well said, men may well believe you, and therefore I tell you,” saith this soul, ‘‘and all those that hear this book, that whoso serveth a poor lord, since a long time, poor allowances shall he have, and little wages. Right so fareth it by Virtues; they have well acknowledged it in hearing of you all, that they understand not the Being of fine love !”’ ‘“‘ And for this, I tell you,” saith this soul, ‘““how should the Virtues teach the subject a thing that they have not, nor never shall have ? But whoever will understand it and learn how they perish who dwell in Virtues, [let him] ask it of Love. Soothly of that Love that is Mistress of Knowing, not of that Love that is Daughter of Knowing, for she knoweth never; but of that Love that is Mother of the Knowing of Divine Light. She knoweth the All; and the More of All, in which More, the free soul is rested and dwelleth; she may not otherwise do, but in the All make dwelling.”

“Now have ye heard, who are the " perished,’ and in what, and of what, ani for what.” OF THEM THAT BE MARRED, AND WHAT DIFFERENCE IS BETWEEN THE PERISHED AND THE MARRED OW we will tell you also which be N the marred. These be they who are servants and merchants and seekers; but they be more wise than they that be perished.* *“O Lady Love, that all things maketh light, tell us,”’ saith this soul, “‘ why they work in Virtues as well as the perished, and serve them, and feel and desire and run by burning of cutting desire in the work of the spirit? And so do the perished as the marred do.t Where is that ‘ best,’ for which I have so far failed to identify. It is, in general, the doctrine of Clement of Alexandria, In Stromata. + Marred, Latin translation, propediti, for which Ducange gives impedire, cohibere; O.S. merrian, to cause to stumble; O.E. merrar, to hinder, stop, compress; hence the sense of spoil and ruin. The marred life is a life hindered and arrested in the early stages by this adherence to a self-centred pursuit of

which ye allow them more than the perished ?”’ *“ Where is it ?”’ saith Love. ‘“ They have indeed a being, and that a right good being, to come to the best being that we speak of, to which the perished can have no succour. ’ M. This word “ perished,’’ may not be taken for perishing of the perdition of soul, that they should not be saved, but it is to mean, right as Love saith, they lean so upon their own works, weening that it is best so, that they continue to follow none other, and therefore they may not attain to the highest; but for the least they lose the best, therefore he calleth them *“ perished ”?; not for the works, but for their satisfaction [in them]. WN. **O Love of divine Love,”’ saith this free soul, “‘ now tell us why these marred have so great wit beyond what the perished have, for they have the same usage except in that wit alone for which ye praise them above the other.” ** For this,’ saith Love, “‘ that they hold that there is a better being than is their

the “‘ Virtues.’ It may come to mean spoilt, ruined; but this treatise shows that, even on its own lines, by a modification of method, it may still be raised to perfection. Cf. Division IX, chaps. ii and xiii; and chap. iv of Division VII. being, and these know well that they have no knowing of that better being. ‘This they believe, and this believing giveth them so little satisfaction in their being, that they hold themselves as caitiffs, and as marred.* And so they are, without fail, as compared to the free being of the Settled, that never move. And because they hold themselves as marred, they ask oftentimes by the way, by burning desire, of her that wot, that is, Damsel Knowing-enlumined-of-divinegrace; and these have little of their questions. This wit they that have been marred. She teacheth them the right way royal, by the country of not-willing, that is the true address. And those who thus address themselves wot if I say the truth. And this people that thus be marred, hold themselves for caitiffs, and so they be, but they may come to the free being, the which we speak of, by the teaching of this divine light, of whom these little [ones] that be marred, ask the dressing of their way.”’

** Little ?”’ saith Reason, “ yet little ?”’ “Yea, yet little,” saith the Holy Ghost, *“in sooth, as long as they make askings either of Knowing or of Love, or do anything that may be in love,t or in knowing, or in craving, for no wise man prayeth without t 7.e., with motives of self-seeking love, etc. 130 cause, nor careth he for that which may not be.* Therefore it may well be said, that they be little that often ask, but those be lords that nothing ask nor crave, for all beings, whatever they be, are but as strong as a reed,} and a default as compared to the sovereign Being of naught-willing; where the free in their right being may not remove, nor will, nor nothing ask, for nothing that men may do; but give all that they may, to love truly and keep.”’ OF A SWIFT OPENING AND OF A HASTY SHUTTING THAT THE FAR NIGHT GIVETH TO THIS SOUL; AND WHAT THIS FAR NIGHT IS “* AH, God,” saith Reason, “‘ what thing hath aneantised< these souls ?”’

*'This,”’ saith Love, “‘ they give all that God holds worthy. He that is thus, is neither perished nor marred. But she is settled in the fifth stateJ with her Beloved, fore he is “‘ little.”” Careth=takes trouble. + MS. ‘‘ the maintenance of a resche.” £ z.e., destroyed, annihilated. O.F. anéantt. § These ‘‘ estates’ refer to St Augustine’s Seven Degrees of preparation for the knowledge of God in De Quantitate Animae. The fifth is “‘ peace of there faulteth her nothing. And so is she oft into the sixth state ravished; only a little while it endureth, for this is a work of the Beloved, which is a swift opening and a hasty shutting; in that state may none long dwell. He had never mother that of this can speak. ‘“* From this ravishable opening, and at the spreading of this opening, the soul hath taken her shutting and abideth in the peace of this work, right free and noble, and discharged of ali encumbrances and of all things, as long as the peace endureth that is given in this opening. And after the shutting, she keepeth herself freely in the fifth estate without falling into the fourth, for in the fourth estate is will, and in the fifth estate is none. And because the fifth estate, of which this book speaketh, hath naught of will, the soul dwelleth there, after the work of the far night. ‘This is an high, heavenly ravishing, which is a swift opening and an hasty shutting. None may believe,” saith Love, “the peace on peace of this, unless he be the same.”

Understand these words for love, auditors of this book, and principally of this ‘ far soul, tranquillity. The sixth, Entrance into light, temporary. The seventh, Contemplation proper, habitual.”’ night,’ that we call celestrum esclistrum,* a manner of a swift opening and a hasty shutting, that taketh the soul in the fifth estate, and putteth her in the sixth estate, as long as the work endureth. ‘This is another than the fifth, but little while it dureth in the sixth, then is she again put in the fifth. ‘* She marvelleth,” saith Love, ‘‘ at the work of the far night. ‘This is none other thing but very glory of heaven. It dweileth not long in any creature, but only in the space of its moving, and therefore is this gift noble and good,” saith Love that doeth this work. ‘“* Before the soul indwelleth, in the time of my work,” saith Love, “when I work it, it is so delicious that truth calleth it, glorious food. But none may be fed with this heavenly meat that in desire dwelleth.”’

OF THE THREE LIVES OF THE SOUL, WHICH BE BORN IN MORTIFYING OF THREE THINGS— VIZ., OF SIN, OF NATURE, AND OF SPIRIT, AND HOW THIS SOUL IS ALWAY WITHOUT-HER “THESE souls,”? saith Love, “ govern a country, they be well above and all without them. At the first beginning, this soul lived of heavenly brightness. 133 G2 in the life of grace, the which life of grace is born in the death of mortifying sin. And after,” saith Love, “ she lived in the life of spirit, which life of spirit is born in the death of mortifying nature. And now she liveth of the life of glory, the which life of glory is born in the death of mortifying the spirit.* ‘** This soul,”’ saith Love, ‘‘ that liveth of the life of glory, is alway without-her.” ‘*O Love,” saith Reason, “‘ when is this soul without-her and when is she with-her ?”’ ** She is without-her,”’ saith Love, “‘ when she is in nothingness, neither in God, nor in herself, nor in her even-Christian, but in the naughting that this far night worketh in her. Concerning the approach of this work that is so precious and noble; even as men may no more speak of the opening of the movings of glory that the gentle far night giveth, so no more can this soul tell of this precious shutting. Then doth she forget by the deadening of this working, which this naughting yieldeth to herself.”

WOW Ca0d.? VSaith®. this. sOlUllsen wile tet might comprehend the profit of one moment of this naughting, what a great lord he were!” ‘** This is sooth,” saith Love, ‘* he should be the same [kind of person].”’

OF THE FIRST DEATH THAT A SOUL MUST DIE ERE’ SHE’ COME TO THE SECOND © LIFE— VIZ., THE DEATH.OF SIN, AND WHICH COMPLEXION HATH BEST HELP TO UNDERSTANDING ** TF ye have heard in this book high matters,” saith this soul to the auditors of this book, “let it not displease you concerning this, though I speak of a little thing, for I must do it if I am to fulfil the [explanation of the] takings in the fulness of my purpose. Not,” saith she, ‘‘ for them that have attained, but for them that have not, that shall—so God will; but always they shall missay, till they be the same.—I come again to my matter.” ** Reason,” saith Love, “‘ ye ask of us, of how many deaths it behoveth one to die before he come to this life? I speak,” saith Love, “‘ of three deaths, into which they enter, ere the soul may into this life be born. The first is the death of sin, as it is before said. Then, the soul ought to die entirely, so that there dwell not in her neither colour, nor savour, nor smell of nothing that God forbiddeth in the Law. And they that thus die be folks who live by grace. And that suficeth them to salvation, together with

this, namely, that they keep themselves from all that God forbiddeth, and do that which God commandeth. O right noble folks, naughted and upraised* by conjunction of union with divine love, let it not displease you if I touch something for them that be little! I shall speak enough afterwards of your being. For it falleth oftentimes that when white and black are come together, the one may be seen the better from the other; for white seemeth more white by black, and black by white. O haste you to understand, ye that be chosen and called to this sovereign being, for it is a full great way between the first estate of life of grace to the last estate of life of glory, which the gentle far night giveth. I have said,” saith Love, “ that ye [should] understand it and that ye haste you thereto, for without strong understanding, subtle and right noble, none may reach it. Thesanguine have help by nature, to this, and those who are hasty, of fervent will, of the burning desire of the spirit, the choleric; [all these] have help in this, by nature. And when these two natures thus accord, and the third nature that must join to these two natures without end, be righteousness, [then] this is the gladness of glory that draweth them by nature into his nature, by rightwiseness. ‘This accordance is finely noble.” 136

OF A QUESTION THAT LOVE ASKED: WHICH IS THE MOST NOBLE, THE SOUL IN GLADNESS OF GLORY, OR THE SOUL THAT IS ONED TO THIS GLORY 2? AND HOW THEY THAT HAVE THE FEELINGS OF THIS BOOK MUST KEEP IT SECRET, AND A LITTLE TOUCHING OF THE SEVENTH STATE “I ASK you a question: which is the most noble of these twain, the soul in gladness of that glory which draweth the soul, and embellisheth it by obedience to its nature, or that soul that to this glory is oned ?”’ ‘‘T know not,” saith the soul that this first wrote, “‘ but Love, you yourself, say it for me! J may not amend you. Excuse me, for jealousy of love, and work of charity in which I am encumbered, have made this book, to the end that ye that read this book without abiding,* may at least share the same in will, if ye have it not yet.f And if ye be disencumbered of all things, and be folk without will, in life [desirable], tell few your understandings of the things of this book.”

Tt t.e., may participate by will and desire if there is no actual experience yet of the state described. ‘** T have said,”’ saith Love, “‘ that this is a life of more high understanding, one beyond the other without comparison, for right as it is a little comparison to say a drop of water compared with all the sea, the sea is full great against the drop; even so it is, to speak of the first estate of grace, as compared with the second, and right so of the second compared to the others; it hath naught of comparison. Just as I have made a little ensample afore, the better to understand, of the sea and of a drop, yet not therefore is there any so great estate in the four estates, but the soul [nevertheless] doth live in great servitude therein; but the fifth is freed by charity, for it is uncumbered of all things, and the sixth is glorious, because of the openings of the swift movings of glory, which the gentle far night giveth. . And that is none other thing than some gleam that God willeth that the soul have of his glory [itself], which she is to have without end. So, of his bounty, he [giveth] the shewing of the seventh estate to which the sixth giveth being. And this showing is given so swiftly that the person to whom this gift is given hath, at the time, no perceiving of her, Sita

** What marvel is it,’ saith this. soul, “though I perceive it not ? for in the time that this gift was given, I was, by bounty divine, of the same nature as the gift itself. And it should be given me without end, if my body had left my soul.” “There is no need for that,” saith the Spouse of this soul himself.

WHAT THIS “‘ FAR NIGHT ”’ IS, AND OF THE KNOWING THAT IT GIVETH TO THE SOUL “* T HAVE, by my far night, sent letters to you; but none asketh, ‘ What is this far night ?’ When he showeth his glory to the soul, his works may not be told! But this—What the far night is? It is the Trinity himself, that showeth the same movings of the Trinity itself. The Trinity openeth to this soul and showeth her of his glory, of which none can speak but he, the same. And the soul to whom this far night hath given this gift, hath so great knowing of God and of herself, and of all things that she seeth in God’s being, by divine knowing. And the light of this divine knowing taketh from her the knowing of God’s self, and of herself, and of all things.’’* knowledge of God’s essence and of the soul’s nothingness, so blinding, that afterwards the soul is left without conscious knowledge of God or herself. The distinction is between the flash of immediate know-

“This is sooth,” saith this soul, ‘‘ there is no more; but when God wills that I know him, it taketh the knowledge of him from me; for otherwise,” saith this soul, “ should I no knowing have of him. And I see that I know myself, and that taketh from me also the knowing of myself, for otherwise might I no knowing have of myself.” “This is sooth,” saith Love, “‘ what you say, Lady Soul. There is nothing more profitable, nor more sure to have than to know this.” OF THE THREE DEATHS BY THE WHICH THESE SOULS COME TO THE LIFE AFORESAID *“Now, Reason,” saith Love, “‘ understand ! I come again for a little, touching to our matter. This people that we have spoken of that be dead from deadly sin and be in life of grace have no scruples; but they acquit them towards God only of that which he commandeth. They desire, indeed, worship, and sorry be they if men despise ledge and the ensuing darkness, or unconsciousness or state of oblivion, or disinterested self-forgetfulness, all of which are the very conditions of further knowledge.

them, but they keep themselves from vainglory and from impatience that leadeth to death of sin. They love riches, and sorry be they when they be poor, and if they be rich, sorry be they when they lose; but always they keep themselves from the death of sin; for they will not love their riches against the will of God, neither in winning them nor in losing them. And they love ease and rest for their pleasures, but they keep themselves from the inordinances thereof. These folk be dead from deadly sin and born to the life of grace.’ ‘Eh, without fail,’ saith this soul in freedom, ‘‘ these folks be little in earth, and right little in heaven and uncourteous ! Wit it well !” ““O Lady Soul,” saith Reason, ‘‘ beware what you say! We dare not say that any is little, whom God shall look upon without end.”’ ‘* Sooth it is,’ saith Love, “‘a hand may not write the littleness of them as compared with the greatness of those that be dead of the death of nature and live of the life of spirit.”

**T believe it well,’ saith Reason, ‘‘ and so do they. They believe me well, but they will do nothing; they say to me,” saith Reason, ‘‘ that they are not obliged thereto unless they wish it; for God hath not com- manded it to them but counselled it, without more.” ‘They say sooth,” saith this soul, “‘ these most uncourteous jones] !”’ “Oh, without fail,’ saith our Lord Jesu Christ, “‘uncourteous be they! They have forgot that anything that I did for them sufficed me not unless I had done all that mine humanity might bear, unto the death.” ““Ah, right sweet Lord Jesu Christ!” saith the soul, “do not trouble yourself thereof, nor displease yourself, for these souls be so for themselves, and with themselves, that they forget you, for the littleness of themselves, in which they suffice themselves.”’ ** Oh,” saith Love, “ without fail it is great villainy !” “This people,’ saith this soul, “be merchants; in the world they be called thralls, for thralls they be, for it behoveth not to any gentleman to be able to meddle with merchandise, nor to be one of them. But I shall tell you,” saith this soul, “‘ wherein I am appeased concerning this people; in this, Lady Love, that they be out of the court of your secrets, right as a churl is out of a gentleman’s court, in judgement at Paris, for there may none be admitted unless he be of gentle lineage and nameable in the

king’s court.* And in this I rest me,” saith this soul, “‘ for even so, they be driven out of the court of your secrets, there where these others be called, who never forget the works of your sweet courtesy, that is, the despites and poverties, and the torments unsufferable that ye have suffered for us; they forget never the gifts of your sufferings, it is alway as a mirror and ensample to them.” “To these folks,’ saith Love, ‘“‘are ordained all necessary things, for God commandeth them in the Gospel. These,” saith Love, ‘“*‘ be much more courteous than be the other foresaid, and nevertheless,”’ saith Love, “‘ yet be they little; so little that none can see it, as compared with the greatness of them that be dead of life of spirit, and be in the life of glory. Of this life tasteth none unless he be dead of the life of jeitahers ** These souls,” saith Truth, ‘‘ bear the flower of the love of the Deity. There is no meant between them and the Deity, nor no mean desire they; these souls may not suffer the thanking of any earthly love, nor

king’s court, and the reference to the system at Paris helps to substantiate the evidence for a French original. The Latin translation has: de curia vestrorum archanorum expulst sunt, rusticus est extra curia generosi in iudicio apud parisiis. the love of divine feelings, for the pure divine love that this soul hath to Love.” “This sole power* of love,”’ saith Love, *“‘ giveth her the deepness, the rest, and the stillness, and also it giveth her the flame and the burning of the working of love; witness of Love himself. ‘** This is sooth,”’ saith Love, “‘ this love of which we speak is the union of love, and fire enflamed that burneth without smoke; she dare not dread, for now worketh her Beloved.”’ Now have ye heard something of these three deaths by the which these souls come to these three lives.

WHO BE THEY THAT SIT IN THE MOUNTAIN, AND WHAT THINGS SHAME, DREAD, AND REASON DO TO THIS SOUL that sit in the mountain above the wind and the rains. ‘These be they that have in earth neither shame nor worship, nor dread for thing that befalleth. Such folks,”’ saith Love, ‘‘ be folks full sure, their gates be open, and within none may grieve, nor can any work of charity come to naught ;* such folks sit in the mountain, and none other but they.” ** Oh for God,”’ saith Reason, ‘‘ Lady Love, this tell us. What shall become of Shame, that is the fairest daughter that Meekness hath; and Dread also, she who, to this lady, hath done so many fair services? And I ask,’’ saith Reason, “for I never slept when she of me had need. Alas,’’ saith Reason, “shall we now be put out of her house because that she is come to lordship ?” “Nay,” saith Love, “‘ ye shall dwell as of her household all three, but it shall be at her gate, for her gate shall have three porters, so that if any will in her house do aught that is against love, that each of you defend* it. And in none other usage than in this only point, show not the door at which ye be porters, that it do you not confusion; for in other point ye shall not be heard, but in this one only point, if it so befall that she be brought so low that she have of this need.”

WHAT POWER THE FREEDOM OF LOVE HATH, AND WHEREOF THIS SOUL IS MOST GLAD THIS creature is naked, and she is clothed with the life of glory that we have spoken of. Also, she is naked from her body, for as the skin [of an animal] is made naked of bodily clothing, right so is her spirit naked from her body, so that it is not in the body, for the sensuality of her body is worn away and delivered by divine works. So _ that this soul is naked, and is in the sweet country unknown, more verily than she is in her proper body,. there where she giveth life, such power hath the freedom of love. ** Ah, right sweet divine love,” saith HolyChurch-the-little, in birth right little !—*‘it shall not be long thereto, that it shall come to an end.” Saith this soul, “‘ Then shall be great gladness |” ** Now,” saith Reason to this soul, “‘ tell me whereof ye be most glad !” “Lady Love,” saith this soul, “‘ shall say it for me.”

“Of this,” saith Love, ‘‘ that she hath taken leave of you and of other virtues. Now she is so upheld and so entered into divine election, that she beginneth to speak where you take your end. But this election is not put in writing of men’s hands, but of the Holy Ghost, who writeth this election marvellously in the soul, and the soul is thereunto precious parchment. There is the divine school held with closed mouth, that no wit of man may put into speech.”

*“ AH, Love,” saith Reason, “‘say among us something of the country where this soul dwelleth.”’ ~.Thus, it -is,’” .saith..Love,. “ where this soul is, of him, in him, for him; that is, 147 without receiving from any, but purely from him. Now 7s this soul,’ saith Love, ‘* in him, of him, for him; that is, without receiving any but only from him.” “Then is she in God the Father,”’ saith Truth, “‘ for we know well that there is no person in the Trinity that hath not received something from another person beside his own person, save only the person of God the Father.” ““Ye say sooth,” saith Love, “‘ for God the Father hath divine might in him without receiving might of any other but of himself. And he giveth to his Son the same that he hath in himself, and the Son receiveth it from the Father, and is equal to him. Now, of the Father and of the Son is the Holy Ghost, one person in Trinity. And he waxeth not,* but zs; for otherwise is the Son of the Father, and otherwise is the Holy Ghost of the Father and of the Son. This soul,’ saith Love, “is taken in and put in her due place, knit and oned in the high Trinity so she may not will but the divine will, by the divine work of all the Trinity. And a ravishing deep light toucheth her and pierceth her and feedeth her of the most nigh.’

tT Possibly ‘‘ high.”

HOW THE USAGE OF REASON IS FULL OF TRAVAIL, AND WHERE THIS FREE SOUL REFRESHETH HER Tuts Soul saith thus: “‘ Ah, ye right little people, rude and ill-mannered,”’ saith she. **’To whom speak ye ?”’ saith Reason. “To all those,”’ saith she, ‘‘ that live by your counsel, that be so bestial and so assed, that I am obliged for their rudeness to make answer [in] my language, that they take not death in that state of life, where I am of him, in him, without craving or begging. I say that I am obliged to answer [in] my language, what I have learned of secrets at the secret court of God, where courtesy is law, and love measure, and bounty is food. The sweetness draweth me, the beauty pleaseth me; what, then, can I desire more, than to live at peace ?”’ *O right sweet flower without lack,” saith Reason. ‘“‘ What do you think concerning our usages ?”’ *“ Meseemeth,”’ saith this soul, “‘ that it is a travail full of synagogues; their labours are all to gain their bread, and their sustenances. And this synagogue that our Lord Jesu Christ bought with his precious Body,

that heareth not the bestiality of those who, in this travail, please themselves thus.* But these [others] need certainty, and Jesu Christ will not lose them, as he himself hath assured them, by his death, and by the evangelists, and by their scriptures, where that folks of labour refresh themselves.” ‘** Oh, where do you refresh yourself, right sweet Lady Soul, tell us!” saith Reason, ‘ye that do nothing of labour in this synagogue, but by love and faith that be above these other gifts ?” ‘““No, soothly,” saith this soul, “I am of that acquit; [in] other ways I refresh myself, that are so far from that doing, that it may not be laid in comparison, nor put in speech. In God is this choice, but it is not of Time, where mine may not attain to his.” M.. Lo, the free soul saith that she addresseth her in other ways than they of labour do; and this is so far from. that doing, that it may not be put into speech. In God ‘is this choice, but it is not of Time. This is in the time of ravishing and union in God; it hath nothing of Time, for it lasteth but a little while in any creature here in this world, for the corruption of the flesh hindereth it, so that the soul may not long here abide. So then,

heretics may not it attain, for their sensuality will not suffer it. Also, a heretic [soul] may not attain to him for all the wit and understanding that she hath or might have, she may not reach to the knowing of his might, nor of his wisdom, nor of his goodness. Thus a heretic may not reach him in no wise. Right thus, all such words must be declared within themselves [by them] that read this book. For [concerning] these dark words and high matters darkly spoken in this writing, [this] is done for to make the souls of the readers that be disposed to ghostly feelings to circle and ensearch by subtlety of wit, to come to these divine understandings, by the which they may be the more able to receive and follow these heavenly usages of God’s work. In divers places of this book the. free soul reproveth, in a manner, those that be ghostly, that stand alway in labours and in such manner [of] doing outwardly, and will no further seek inwards, [to this purpose], that they should stint sometimes, and follow these restful usages of pure love. Thus saith the prophet in Holy Writ: Stint ye sometime and behold God,* as who saith, “Rest sometime from your

own works of outward labours, and behold God how good he is, and suffer him to work in you.” Also this soul that sitteth full high in the seat of peace, she saith that she prayeth not. This is not to be understood that this soul prayeth never, but in sundry practices that she hath, she prayeth never as thus. These souls of this disposition be drawn at other times to behold God’s privy works, his judgements, and his providences. Then with true love they print so their wills in God’s will, by meek obedience, that they cannot pray in this time for themselves, nor for none other. It pleaseth them best that it be as God will have it done, [even] though they might, by their prayer, have it any otherwise, they offer all unto his divine ordering and will. Also in other usages that be all inward, they pray not neither, but it all prayeth afore God.* But yet they pray in common, by the rule and ordinance of Holy Church, and in all things unite alway their will to his will, who hath made and bought them. But they never do bodily works, nor they may not during the time of such divine usages.t| Therefore it must be taken,

+ The “bodily works” refer to works of piety over and above that which is commanded—.e., extra as for the time always, of the usages. ‘Thus this book must be taken as concerning these ‘“‘ usages.” For such usages and such touches, such movings and such beholdings these souls have, as it is written in this book, and many more, forsooth, as ye may well conceive. And now I shall stint of my words unless there be more need. I have answered those points that have been mistaken, according to my simple learning. Another should have done it much better. I pray you all that read this book, have me excused, for that I am simple and unlearned and may not do but ignorantly. Amend ye my defaults, and if any word I have said tendeth to any goodness, to the profit of souls, to God only be the worship from whom all goodness cometh. Non nobis Domine, non nobis, sed nomint tuo da gloriam.*® N. fastings, vigils, penances, hearing of many masses, saying of many vocal prayers. Cf. earlier part of the book. It is distinctly stated that this abstention from i bodily works”? is the fruit of that particular

strictly only to the soul, while it is in this condition —1.e., “‘ usage.” The word ‘ ‘usage’? means sometimes the habitual practices of devotion at any one point of the soul’s development, sometimes the condition itself, “‘ a divine usage’’ as implying God’s act in the soul. * Ps. cxiii9. ‘“ Now, Reason,” saith this soul, “ you asked me where I address myself? To him only,”’ saith this soul, “‘ that is so strong that he may never die, whose doctrine may not be written, nor by works of ensamples showed, nor by doctrine sounded. He wist without beginning that I should believe him well, without witnessing. It is right great villainy to covet any witness in love. This seemeth to me, that so as love is, he is to me witness enough, if I would have more witness than him, I should not be believing him.” “Ah, Lady Soul,” saith’ Reason, “ye have two laws, yours and ours. Yours for love and ours for belief; therefore say what ye will !”’ saith Reason, “‘ and call our wards,

[IN] WHAT MANNER THEY SEEK GOD THAT BE GOVERNED BY REASON, AND WHERE THIS SOUL SEEKETH HIM, AND WHAT THIS SOUL IS ‘* SucH folks,” saith this soul, “ that I call asses, seek God in creatures and by hills and dales, and beg and crave; and paradise is not wrought by that, neither by men’s words nor by scriptures. O, without fail,” saith this soul, “in these folks Benjamin is not born, for Rachel liveth yet and she must die in the birth of Benjamin. For till Rachel be dead Benjamin may not be born and brought forth. It seemeth well that these folks that thus seek him by hills and dales and valleys, hold that God is subject to his sacraments and to his works. And they that are thus burdened say little and have heaviness of heart,’ saith this soul. “until they have their usages. But those have a good time and profitable who seek him neither by more nor less, nor on plains,* nor on mountains, but have him in all places, by union of the gift of will.”

“O right well born!’ saith Reason, ““ where seek ye him 2?” “I find him over all,’ saith this soul, “he is one Deity, one only God in three Persons. ‘This is God over all and there,” saith this soul, ‘‘ I find him.” ““O sweet Lady of us,” saith Reason, “tell us what ye be that speak thus >?” ““T am,” saith this soul, ‘‘ this that I am; of the grace of God that am I only, and none other thing than that which God is, in me. And God is also this same [thing], that he is in me. For best is best beloved and is what [he] is. Then am J not, if I am only that which is; and none is but God; and for this I find nothing but God, wherever that I look, for none is but he, sooth to say.” This soul liveth not in Truth, that is the Deity, but Truth liveth in her, who hath all sayings in her fulfilled. ‘f. Phis ‘is! snoth,;’?«.saith: Lovesnfforszalt others than these make answer through want of simplicity, but only these naked [souls] forget and have naught to answer.”

HOW THIS SOUL DOETH NO MORE WORK FOR GOD, NOR FOR HERSELF, NOR FOR HER EVEN-CHRISTIAN, AND HOW THIS IS MEANT ** THIS soul,’ saith Love, “‘ doeth no more work for God nor for herself, nor for her even-Christian, even as it is said before in this book. But God, who can all things do, doth it, if he will, and if he will not, she recketh no more of the one than of the other; all is one to her. And this, the beams of divine knowing work in this soul, which draw her out of herself, without her [help], into a divine peace débonnair, felt by a gladsome swimming love of the most High, the jealous one, who giveth her, in all places, masterful freedom.” ** Jealous,” saith this soul, “‘so seemeth it well by his works, who hath robbed me of all myself and hath put me into divine plesaunce* without me, and this union of fulfilled peace joineth and conjoineth me by the sovereign highness of the creation of the other equal membery of that union, who is divine. God is divine; so have I a being that is divine.”

“When this soul,’’ saith Love, ‘‘ is thus drawn out of herself, without herself, by God, for him, in him, in this divine work, she cannot never work works of charity of human body; nor can any who attains to this work.” *O understand holily,” saith this soul, “‘the sweet words of Love, for these words be hard to understand for them that desire the meaning of the gloss.” “This is sooth,”’ saith Love, ‘‘ for work of creatures may not be compared to divine work made of God in creatures, of his bounty, for creature.” orchard. HT MS. pared,” . + Planned by merely human foresight.

OF THE MISCHIEF THAT LUCIFER AND THEY THAT ACCORDED TO HIM CAME TO, BY REASON OF THEIR EVIL WILL ‘*O Gop,” saith this soul, “‘ how far is the country of the Perished and the country of the Marred from the country of freeness and of fulfilled peace, there where the Settled dwell !” ‘* That is sooth,”’ saith Love, ** and I shall say one word soothly,” saith this soul, “against ‘ Will,’ in which the perished and the marred dwell, that lead life of perfection. In heaven when the divine Trinity made the angels of the courtesy of his divine noblesse, some were evil, on account of their perverse election in agreeing to the evil will of Lucifer, who desired to have, by his nature, that which he might not have - but by divine grace. And anon, as they willed this, of their forfeited will, they lost the Being of bounty. Now they be in hell without being, and shall be, without recovering the mercy of seeing God. And thus their will, which they had chosen, made them lose this high vision by giving their will to that which they could not attain. Now, behold, to what head they are come.”

‘** Alas, alas,’ saith Truth, “ why love we will, since such loss is made by will ?” ‘J shall tell thee,” saith Love, ‘‘ why a soul hath will; because it liveth yet in spirit. She sitteth in that life, therefore she hath will.”

WHY LOVE HATH CALLED THESE SOULS IN THIS BOOK BY THE NAME OF ‘“*SOUL’’; AND TO WHOM THE NAME OF SOULS PROPERLY PERTAINETH; AND TO WHOM THE NAME OF SPIRIT; AND OF THE SURMOUNTED LIFE AND WHO BE PERFECTED IN IT; AND WHAT IS THE PROPER NAME OF THIS SOUL ‘*AH God,” saith Reason, ‘“‘ Lady Love, tell me why ye have so often named ‘ soul,’ this chosen, beloved of yours, from the beginning of this book unto this time, since ye say that the marred persons have will, because they live yet in life of spirit? And ye have so oftentimes named this noble creature by so little a name as is ‘soul,’ which is a less name than the name of ‘spirit,’ ”’ saith Reason; ‘‘ this marvelleth me !”’ ‘*Now wit it well,’ saith Love, “it is well asked, for in the understanding lieth all the meaning, and therefore hearken now, Reason,”’ saith Love. “All those that live in life of grace, in fulfilling the commandments, and so live as to be satisfied in that, these have name of ‘ soul’ soothly, and not name of ‘ spirit,’ but name of ‘soul’ for the life of grace that they stand in. For all the orders of angels have not one same name— if any would name their greatest name— and yet be they all angels. But the first angels have not the name of seraphins, but of angels, and the seraphins have both the one name and the other;

understand without saying* what this means! Even so, I tell you, they who keep the commandments and be in that feeling, they have the name of ‘soul,’ and. not , of. ‘spirit.’ . Their right name is ‘soul,’ for these folks be full far from the life of spirit. And then is a soul all spiritual when the body and the will is all mortified. The joys of these folks are to have poverties and tribulations, and then it is the time of ‘spirit.’ And yet in all this time is not the spirit perfectly dead while the wills [still] have their powers by inward feelings.t Nor unto this time is the spirit perfectly dead until it have lost the feeling of his love, and the will is dead that gave her life. And in this death and naked-

+ So long as the powers and feelings of the soul are active, the ‘‘ death of the spirit” is not fully accomplished. ness be the wills perfectly fulfilled by sufficiency of the divine pleasure. And in this death is born the perfect life, that is then made all free in gloriousness.”’ “O for God Almightful,”’ saith Truth, ‘‘ Lady divine Love, shew me one perfect in this Being.”’ “* Gladly,”’ saith Love, “‘ and unless she be such as I shall tell you, Truth,” saith Love, “IT command you that you answer her that she is ill-arrayed to speak to me in my secret chamber, where none entereth unless they be thus arrayed, as ye shall hear me say. “* Howsoever great she be, she is nothing, who loveth or desireth of me,”’ saith Love, *‘ whether to lose me or to win me, except it be only for my pleasure; for otherwise she is with herself, and not with me [at all]. But the Espoused of me may not be with herself, for though she had done as much sin as all the creatures of the world have done, and has as many gifts of grace as all those of paradise have, and that all this good and all this evil were shown before all this people, this lady should have neither shame nor worship in her thereof; nor will to justify herself.* And if she had,” saith Love, “‘ she would be for herself and with herself, and not for me nor with me at all. Whatever joy or sorrow they of my paradise have, though men see their

sins or though they receive of me gifts of glory, they have no will to make answer or show for none of these two. ** Ah, without fail, no ! they leave it to the Master and are disposed* to show it or to hide it, all at his will. And right so do the souls of which we speak, that be vessels of this election, to whom God showeth and giveth his noble gifts.” “Now, Reason,’ saith Love, “ you ask of us, why we have this soul so little a name named, as is ‘ Soul.’ Reason !” saith Love, “‘for the rudeness of thee, have I so oftentimes named her by her surname, for most [men] understand a thing by its surname, therefore it is to us now helpful, and yet shall be. But her right name is perfectly noble. She hight} ‘ pure heavenly spirit of peace,’ for she sitteth in the deepness of the valley; there she seeth the highness of the mountain, and, then, ina state of faith,t she gazeth upon the mountain of highness, that it may not there downfall. ‘There hath the wise brought her to unite [her with] his treasure, that is, the gifts of the divine generation, and this unity giveth her the peace and the food, holy and marvellous, in the glorious country, there where the lovers of God dwell. There dangers may no more appear, but glorious

+ MS. ‘‘ put in credence.” 162 life is had. This is the continual food,” saith Love, “‘ of my chosen spouse. ‘This is Mary of peace, for alway she hath the peace of peace, for her Beloved appeaseth her. Therefore is she Mary. Martha is much encumbered; most wise is she not: for her encumbering troubleth her; she is far from the life of peace. For wit it for sooth, that they whom encumbrances trouble, be full far from this life that we have spoken of.’”

OF THE TRANSFIGURATION OF OUR LORD, AND WHY HE DID IT BUT BEFORE THREE OF HIS DISCIPLES ; AND WHY IT WAS DONE IN THE MOUNTAIN, AND WHY HE BADE THEM NOT SHOW IT TILL HIS RESURRECTION “Now, for love,” saith Understanding of divine light, “* tell me, among you, who have somewhat to answer, what ye understand by this.”’ “And we shall tell you,” say the souls ofwit-of-nature, “‘ what we understand by this. We understand,” say they, “‘that when Jesu Christ transfigured himself on the Mount of Tabor, he had with him but three of his disciples, and he forbade them that they should not speak of what they had seen, till he were arisen.” ‘This is well said,” saith the free soul, to them of-wit-of-nature, ‘“‘for by that which thus [ye] answer, ye have given me the staff that I shall overcome you with.” ** Now I ask you,” saith this soul, ‘“ why God did this ?” ‘** He did it for us,”’ saith the soul that to this answereth, ‘‘ and since he teacheth us this, why then do we it not ?”

‘“* Ah, cheap, cheap,” saith the free soul, “how beastly* be your understandings; ye take the chaff and leave the grain. And | tell you that when Jesus Christ transfigured him before three of his disciples, he did it for this, that ye should wit well, that few folks see the brightness of his transfiguration, and that he showeth it not but to his special lovers. And for this had he three, that yet it may be had, when God giveth it to his creatures by fervour of burning charity. Now ye wit why there were but three. And now I shall tell you why it was done in the mountain. For this, that none may not see the divine secret things, as long as he is [engrossed] in temporal things, that are less than God is. Now I shall tell you why God forbade them that they should not speak of that they had seen, till he were arisen. And this is, that ye should have no vainglory, for unto that time none ought to speak. And thus much I certify you,” saith this soul, “without doubt, who hath anything to answer, he hath something to show; else he hath naught to answer.” —

OF MARY MAGDALEN AND ST PETER AND ST JOHN, AND HOW GOD WORKETH YET IN SOULS AS HE DID IN THEM, THAT WELL DISPOSE THEM THERETO ‘““ Ou, for God, behold the sinful repentant Magdalen, what shame or glory had she, that God said to her, that she had chosen the better part and the most sure, and that her Beloved said it should never be taken from her. [What shame had she] of this that her sins be known before all the people, by such witnesses as be the Evangelists ? For God threw out of her seven fiends. She hath no shame before anyone but him against whom she had sinned, for she was so upraised and drawn, that she had naught in her other than what was of him. And what shame or glory hath St Peter for this, that God raised the dead by his work, though he had denied him three times? And what shame hath John the Evangelist, or what glory of this, that God showed him his privities? And he made the true Apocalypse [concerning 165 H2

God], after that he was banished, who before had been at the taking, where Jesus Christ was taken. I hold,” saith this soul, “‘ that they to whom God did all this, had of it neither shame nor worship, nor desire to answer that this befell them by reason of what God did by them or for them—nor for other people, if this was their judgement. ““'These be examples enough to understanders, to understand the remnant thereof, what this means; and for none other folks is this book written, but for them that understand it. ‘**T have said,” saith this soul, “‘ that for this that God did to them, they had neither shame nor worship, nor will of themselves to answer for any; this ye see well.”’ ** Ah, without fail,” saith Truth, ‘“‘ they had no occasion for it, for they were unencumbered of themselves.” ** Oh,” saith this soul, ‘‘ since it is so that God did them this, is he not yet the same, hath he made an end with them of the gifts of his bounty ?”’*

““Oh, without fail, no,” saith Courtesy. ** His divine bounty may not suffer him. [to do so]. It ariseth from no other thingt but that [the soul] was not yet there,£ as + MS. “ne haleth not at.” JI ne tient a? + MS. “ that”? =in that state. compared to the great gifts that he hath to give, and the same that never was given nor said of mouth, nor of heart thought, [may be had] if anyone desired this, and could dispose himself thereto.” 0} Fa ie Wh 3 a, @ | HOW THEY THAT WILL COME TO PEACE AND FREEDOM MUST EVER BE READY AND ABLE TO RECEIVE THE SENDING OF GRACE; AND WHAT IT IS TO THEM IF THEY REFUSE IT “* OH, understand it by love, I pray you, how love hath much to give, and he maketh none end of it. He maketh in a moment of two things, one. But one thing it pleaseth me to say,” saith this soul, “‘ not for them that be settled, they have no need, for it does not concern them; but for them that are not, that yet shall be, they must trouble, for it is for them to take heed that they be upon their guard or waiting, if so be that love sendeth them anything of the same that he hath ordained for them, that they refuse it not, for nothing that may fall.

*“ At what time that it be, let them not ever refuse what love sendeth, for to do the message of the will of love, by letters ensealed of his signet. Right so as do the angels of the third hierarchy; for this wit well, and I do them well inform, all those to whom love sendeth his message, that if they refuse them at any point there where the virtues would have them, by the inward working of virtues that should have lordship over the body, and [if] they refuse them in this point, they shall never make their peace with the Sovereign that the message sendeth, but that they shall be taken and troubled in knowing, and encumbered of themselves for default of trust, for love saith that in great need men may know their friend. ‘““ Now answer this; unless he help him then, when shall he help him ? tell me, for love, when shall he help him, unless he help him when he hath most need 2? And though I think thereon,”’ saith Love, ‘‘ what marvel is it? It behoveth me to keep the peace of my divine righteousness and yield to every [man] that which is his. Not,” saith Love, “ everything that is.”

See i ih ih oh ae A GREAT REBUKE THAT LOVE GIVETH TO THEM THAT REFUSE THE SENDING OF GOD, AND HOW THEY BE THEREFORE ENCUMBERED OF THEMSELVES ALL THEIR LIFETIME, AND HOW THEY MIGHT HAVE BEEN UNENCUMBERED, AND BY WHAT MEANS AND FOR HOW LITTLE + OW understand, auditors of this book,” saith Love, “‘the gloss of this book, for the thing is as much worth as it is appreciated. And all that men have need for, is needful, and no more. And when [I desired [it], saith Love, “and when it pleaseth me, and was necessary to you, I hold need [to be] this, that I desired it—ye refused me by as many messages as I sent you. But none knew it,’ saith Love, ‘“‘ but I alone. I sent you the Thrones for to answer you and to summon you, and the Cherubin to enlumine you and the Seraphin for to embrace or kiss* you. By all these messengers I sent 169 to you,” saith Love, “that made you wit my will of the Beings where I would have had you, and ye alway refused it. And when I saw that,” saith Love, “‘ I left you in your waywardness to your [own] knowledge. But if ye had heard me,” saith Love, “ ye had been wholly another, by your own record. But ye should well wit, and all ye in life encumbered by your own spirit’s self, that never shall you be without some encumbering, and all for this,” saith Love, “that ye would not obey my messengers and Virtues when I would it.

I sent by many messengers to make you free both body and spirit. And for this,’ saith Love, “‘ you’ would not when I sent to you by the sensitive Virtues and by mine angels. ‘Therefore, I show you I may not by right give you the freedom that I have, for Right may not do it. And if you had,” saith Love, “ obeyed when I called you by the wills of Virtues that I sent you, you had had by rights the freedom that I have. Ah, soul!’ saith Love, “how you are encumbered by your self !”

“Yea, soothly,” saith this soul, ‘‘ my body is in feebleness and my soul in dread, and often I have heaviness,”’ saith she, ‘* will I or nill I of these two natures, that the faroff freedom I may not have.” ** Ah, soul, alas !”’ saith Love, ‘* what evil ye have for little gain! and all for this that you obeyed not the teachings of perfection, in which I urged you to disencumber yourself in the flower of your youth. And always you would not yet move yourself, nor nothing would you do, but alway refused my messenger* that I made you wit, by the noble messengers that ye have heard; and such folk,” saith Love, ‘‘be encumbered of themselves unto their death day. “Oh, without fail,’ saith Love, “and if they had willed, they had been delivered of that in which they are in right great servitude, at little profit, and they shall [continue to] be so as compared to the other. And if they had heard me, they had been delivered for right little; for so little,’ saith Love, “‘ as [merely] to. give themselves [up] there where I would have had them, [even] as I showed them, by the Virtues whose office this is. I say,” saith Love, ‘‘ they had been all free of soul and body, if they had done my counsel by the Virtues that said my will concerning what was necessary for them before I delighted myself in them, with all my freedom. And because they did it not, they all abide in this [state] that ye have heard ‘with’ themselves. Thus think the free naughted [souls] and arrayed with delights, that see by themselves, the servitude of the others; for the very sun shineth in the

light of them, so they see the motes within the sunbeam, by the brightness of the sun and of the beam. And when this sun is in the soul and this beam and this brightness, the body hath no more feebleness, nor the soul dread, for the very Sun of Righteousness, when he did his miracles on earth, never healed soul without the body; but he healed both body and soul; and right so he doeth yet, but he doeth it to none that hath no faith in the same.”’ Now see how worthy, and strong and right free is she, and of all things disencumbered, whom Faith and Love govern; but none may come to this unless Faith hallow him.

OF CERTAIN MEANS WHEREBY THEY THAT BE MARRED AND IN LIFE OF SPIRIT MAY COME OVER TO THE BEING THAT IS NEXT THE BEING OF THIS SOUL WHICH HATH ATTAINED THE HIGHEST BEING; AND IN WHAT CASE THE SOUL IS IN THE TIME OF THAT BEING ‘* T HAVE said,”’ saith Love, ‘‘ that they whom I have summoned. by their own inwardness to obey the perfection of virtues, who ought to have done so, that they dwell unto the time of death encumbered of themselves, 172 though they travail every day with themselves to fulfil the perfection of the apostles, by study of reason and of goodwill, they shall never be unencumbered of themselves, neither of body nor of soul. No soothly,” saith Love, “since the running fancies* of their inward arguments giveth it them not. It may not to them come, for all that ever is done of them, it is all encumbrances to them. This wit all they who undertake works of themselves without the fervour of the willing of their inwardness.”’ ‘“* For thus I say it,” saith this free soul, “to all them that live in study of life of perfection, that they be on their guard and keep themselves that they refuse not the askings of the fervent desires of the will of the spirit, as clearly as they feel them, whereby they may have the better [life] after those lives that be called ‘ life marred’ and ‘life of spirit’; that they may come to this life that never worketh nor asketh: for the settled can [have] no better than this.

“I say,” saith Love, “that they be on their guard, that is to say, that those which stand in the state of the twain first lives of perfection, that they follow duly and diligently all the good stirrings and fervours that the soul willeth and desireth, as much as they may, for it is needful for them to do so if they will have the better [life] afterwards; for the former lives be but maiden servants that array the house against the coming of the great Being, to lodge* the State that is the freedom of not-willing, in which the soul is of all points freed. To this come they that give all, for all who give all, have all and not else. And thus much,” saith this free soul, “‘ I will say to them that be marred, that they keep the peace, and fulfil perfectly the will and the fervour of cutting desire of the work of their spirit, as I have said, in holding their wits so close,t that they have nothing by work of deliberation beyond the will of the spirit, so that they may reach to these rightful works, that is most nigh the being that we have spoken of. Where the eldest born daughter of the high King is set, there faileth her nothing of gentleness. And this lady,” saith Love, “hath this being attained, the which is most highest and most worthy and most noble. And I shall tell you how,” said Love, “‘ there is not so much as the quantity of a point in her that is not fulfilled by me, so that nothing created may dwell in her thought. And she hath piety

+ MS. short; in holding back their conscious reflections upon their state. in her, but not of appearance,* and nevertheless,” saith Love, “‘ piety and courtesy be not from this soul departed, when there is time of need.” “That is right,’ saith this soul, “no more is it from Jesus Christ by whom I have life. When that his precious soul was glorified, as soon as she was knit to the body of the manhood and to nature divine in the Person of the Son, there dwelled in him pity and courtesy. And he who is courteous loveth not but that thing that he ought to love. He loveth not the spiritual things, who loveth temporalities. Nor he loveth never divinely who loveth bodily. They that love the Deity feel little of the humanity —during the time of that usage. Never was a soul knit, nor oned, nor divinely fulfilled, that feeleth bodily things. Of what should the inwardness of these souls feel ? for God does not move himself, nor does she move herself.” M. Now understand by nobleness of understanding the gloss of these words. The meaning of these words that the soul saith, that her inwardness feeleth not, she moveth not herself, it is meant for the time of ravishing in union. There be three manners of unions that devout

souls feel, in sundry dispositions, but I mean of the highest, that is best; and that is the union where, through ravishing of love, the soul is knit and oned to God, so that God and the soul is one spirit. For St Paul saith: it is not two spirits, God and the soul, that is thus oned to him, but it is all one spirit in time of this union.* Of what, then, should her inwardness feel in the time of this union, or [how] should she herself move herself ? Oh, she may not do it, for she is all molten in God for the time. Ah, this blessed oneness lasteth but a little while in any creature that is here in deadly life, for the corruption of nature} may not suffer it. But it may oft be had by the goodness of God, who is the worker of this work in souls where he vouchsafes [it]. To him be offered all glory and praisings to everlasting laud. Lo ye that study this book, thus ye must within yourselves gloss such dark words. And if ye cannot come soon to the understanding thereof, offer it meekly up to God, and by the custom of oft reading thereon, ye shall come thereto. A few words more I say in this book, to bring you into the way, notwithstanding that I

WORDEN IS COL, Viel 7. t MS. “ Sensuality of mankind.” was purposed before to have glossed no more. God grant us alway to do his pleasing and bring us to him when it is his will. WN.

HOW THESE SOULS BE NEVER FEEBLE NOR ENCUMBERED OF THEMSELVES ‘“ AH God,” saith Reason, “‘ what these souls be ! certainly through baptism be they never openly feeble,’’* saith Reason, ‘‘nor encumbered of themselves.”’ “Oh,” saith this soul, “no soothly no, love destroyeth not, but she keepeth and nourisheth and feedeth all those that trust in her. Sun and darkness and seas be fulfilled. I sing,” saith this soul, “‘ [at] one time, song, [at] other time, unsong, and all for them that yet shall be free; so that they may here, in this book, learn some point of freedom and what thing behoveth them before they come thereto.”

HOW THIS SOUL HATH PERCEIVED THE COAST OF THE COUNTRY WHERE SHE OUGHT TO BE ““’TuHIs soul hath perceived by divine light the coasts of the country where she ought to be. She passeth the sea to gather the shoots* of the high cedar; for none taketh nor attaineth to this cedar unless they pass the high sea, in naughting their wills unto the waves. Understand ye lovers what this is.”

OF THE DEBTS OF THIS SOUL, AND HOW THEY BE PAID, AND BY WHOM; AND WHO IS HIS NEXT NEIGHBOUR ** T HAVE said,”’ saith Love, ‘‘ that this soul is fallen of me into naught, and less than naught without number. For right as God is not to be comprehended as to his might, so is this soul in infinite debt for but one hour in time, without more, that she had will, against him. So that she oweth him, without default, the debt of that which his will willeth ; and so many times as she hath willed to rob ** MS.“ ympes.”’ 178 God of his will, she is in debt as much as his will is worth.”’ ** Ah, visible and insufferable debt,”’ saith this soul, ‘‘ who shall pay this debt? Ah, Lord, certainly you; for your plenteous goodness,* that is swimming and flowing full of courtesy, may not suffer but that I be quit by you, God of love, for you have my debts. paid in a moment !”’ “The right sweet Far Nightt hath suppliedt the last penny of my debt. And I say to him, ‘As much care have ye for me as I for you, though I gave you as much as you have, for such is the largesse of your divine nature.’ ‘So willeth he,’ so saith this gentle Far Night, that is my counsel.§ ‘These two debts, the one and the other, be henceforward all one, for this is the counsel of my next neighbour, and thereto I consent.”

*O clean, pure Lady Soul,” saith Reason, “who is your next neighbour 2?” ** His Exalting Ravishing that uptaketh me is sometimes goodness, sometimes a “* favour.’ + The Far Night is here impersonated and stands for Counsel in a mock pleading atlaw. The meaning | seems to be that the soul’s experience of the “‘ dark night ”’ has freed her from any kind of positive guilt of sin, and also from the debt of ‘* omissions.” + MS. ‘‘ hath brought.” § MS. “‘ avant parlour.” and throweth me in the very midst* of divine love, in which,” saith this soul, “‘ I am drowned. Then is it right that he sustain me of himself, for I am laid in him; I must stint,” saith this soul, “‘ for I may not tell it. *“ No soothly,” saith Love, “‘ no more than the sun may stayt or dwell, no more may this soul say of this life as compared to that which—truth to say—truly is.”

HOW THIS SOUL IS A SPRING OF DIVINE LOVE, AND HOW SHE SEETH THAT SHE IS NAUGHT, AND HOW THIS NAUGHT GIVETH HER ALL ** Au, Lady Soul,” saith Abashings, ‘“‘ ye be a continual spring of divine love, of the which spring of divine love waxeth the well of divine knowing, and the streams of divine laud.” ‘‘And of this spring of divine love, the well of divine knowing and of the streams of divine lauding, I remain,” saith this confirmed soul, ‘** perfectly in his divine will.” ‘* Now hath this soul,’ saith Love, “‘ her right name of Naught, in which she moveth, for she seeth that she is naught, and that she + MS. ‘ shut,” evidently O.F. ferme. 180 hath not of aught, neither of her nor of her even-Christian, nor of God himself. For she is so little, that she may not herself find, and all thing wrought is so far from her, that she may not feel it, and God is so great that she may nothing of him comprehend. And because of this naught, she is fallen into certainty of naught-knowing and into certainty of naught-availing, and into certainty of naught-willing. And this naught, which we speak of,” saith Love, “ giveth her the all, and otherwise might she not have it.”