The Fire of Love (Incendium Amoris)

If certain I love any creature of this world that shall in all kinds please my wish and set my joy and the end of my solace in it, when it should come to me I well might have dread of the burning and bitter parting. For all felicity that I have in such love is but greeting and sorrow in the end, and that pain, when it draws near, most bitterly will punish the soul. All pleasure also that men have beholden in this exile is likened to hay that now flourishes and waxes green, but suddenly vanishes as if it had not been. No marvel that to them that behold rightly, the joy of this world thus seems; and to them following the solace of those bound in sin; it never abides in one estate but passes until it come to nought. Nevertheless all stand in labour and grief, and no man can eschew that. The nature certain of true love and not feigned is this, that it stands ay stable and is changed by no new thing.

Therefore the life that can find love and truly know it in mind, shall be turned from sorrow to joy unspoken and is conversant in the service of melody. Song certain it shall love, and, singing in Jesu, shall be likened to a bird singing to the death. And peradventure in dying the solace of charitable song shall not want, - if it happen to him to die and not go swiftly to his love. After this passage forsooth he shall be marvellously lifted up into the praise of his Maker, and singing shall overflow with delights more than may be trowed, and into the song of the seraphim shall forthwith rise, so that in praising he shall give light, and continually and endlessly burn. There shall be halsing of love, and the sweetness of lovers shall be coupled in heart, and the joining of friends shall stand for ever. The sweet mouth shall give liking kisses and their love shall never cease.

The presence of my Love begets to me gladness unmeasured and sickerness, and with him I have mind of no heaviness; all adversity vanishes and all other desires appear not, but are stilled and dispersed; and He alone, that my mind has alone burningly desired, wholly refreshes and in-laps me. Truly if thou love Christ with all thy will, thou hatest all filth of wickedness, and thou givest thy heart to Him that bought it so that He may be thy Lord by grace and not the fiend by sin. As Christ has truly and unfeared sought thy soul, and would not cease in seeking until the time thou foundest Him, so to endless joy thou shalt be led and be near to God in a blessed seat. Therefore I counsel Thee to love as I have expounded, and take thy place with the angels.

Beware thou sellest not this joy and honour for foul vanity of fleshly lust; wisely consider that the love of creatures exclude thee not from the love of God. Hate thou no wretchedness on earth except that they thy pure love can cast over and disturb; for perfect love is strong as death, true love is hard as hell. Love forsooth is a light burden, not charging but lightening the bearer; the which makes glad the young with the old; in the which the discomfiters of fiends joy, having taken their prey; in which fighters are defended against the flesh and the world. Love is ghostly wine moistening the minds of the chosen and making them bold and manly, so that they have forgotten the venomous likings of the world nor have no care thereof but rather great scorn.

Therefore by holy love no lover can lose but needs win mickle if he keep it truly in his heart. Love without pain bides in the soul of a lover, as lovers have shown, for love makes perfect and pain destroys. Making perfect and destroying are contrary, therefore the heart, loving perfectly, feels no pain nor heaviness, nor is it sorry nor disturbed. Thus soothly perfect love and wretched heaviness stand not together. Moreover, that that is done gladly is not done painfully. Soothly a lover works wilfully and gladly, therefore he has no wretchedness in his work but he is happy; not constrained, not heavy, but ay showing himself glad and merry. Love therefore is the sweetest and most profitable thing that ever reasonable creature received. Love is most acceptable and liking to God; it not only binds the mind with bands of sweetness and wisdom and joins to God, but also it constrains flesh and blood that man slip not into beguiling sweetness and into divers desires of errors. In this love our life should stand and wax mighty and strong. A better dwelling place nor sweeter found I never, for it has made me and my love one, and made one out of two.

Yet worldly love shall grow and perish as the flower of the field in summer, and shall be joying no more but as it were one day, so sickerly shall it last a short while, but after that end in sorrow. And so doubtless it shall be bitter to fond lovers. Their pride and play in false beauty shall be cast into filth, that shall be with them endlessly when they are downcast into torments. These shall not pass; as did their false felicity and the joy they had in shining beauty, which have gone into voidness, and all that they enjoyed has swiftly vanished. God truly gives fairness to men and women not that they should burn together in love despising their Maker - as all nearly do now - but, knowing it as God's gift, they should glorify and love Him unceasingly with all their heart, and should continually desire that heavenly beauty, in comparison to which all worldly beauty is nought. For if a lovely form is shown in the servants of this world, what shall be the beauty of God's children set in heaven? Therefore let us love burningly, for if we love we shall sing in heavenly mirth to Christ with melody, whose love overcomes all things. Therefore let us live and also die in love.

OF THE FELICITY AND SWEETNESS OF GOD'S LOVE: AND OF THE NIGHTINGALE'S SONG: AND PRAYER FOR PERSEVERANCE OF TRUE GHOSTLY SONG THAT WORLDLY LOVERS HAVE NOT Sweeter delight I know not than in my heart to sing Thee Jesu, whom I love, a song of Thy praise. A better and more plenteous felicity I know not then to feel in mind the sweet heat of love. Of all things I hold it best to set Jesu in my heart and desire no other thing. He truly has a good beginning of love that has loving tears, with sweet longing and desire for things everlasting. Truly Christ as it were languishes in our love, whiles He to get us hied to the Cross with so great heat; but it is well said in play love goes before and leads the dawn.' It was nought but love that put Christ thus low.

Come my Saviour to comfort my soul; make me stable in Thy love so that I never cease to love Thee. Do away sorrow when I must pass, for there is none such a sinner that can not joy if he be perfectly turned to Thee. O sweetest Jesu have mind of Thy mercy, so that my life may be light and fulfilled with virtue that I may overcome my strong enemy. I pray Thee give me health in this wise that I be not lost with the child of damnation. Truly since my soul was incensed with holy love, I am set in longing to see Thy Majesty. Therefore made the bearer of poverty I despise earthly dignity and care for no honour; my joy truly is friendship. When I began to love Thy love took my heart and suffered me to desire nothing but love. And then Thou, God, madest my soul burn in sweet light, therefore in Thee and by Thee I can die and feel no heaviness. Delectable heat is also in the loving heart, that has devoured heavy grief in the fire of burning love. And from hence is sweetness given, principally music going betwixt and softening the soul, where Thou my God and my Comfort hast ordained Thy temple.

That joy certain is full delicious after which I yearn, and no man may be more covetous in such desire. Wherefore my loving soul as it were arraying a spouse for the King of the high Empire, says thus: Love holds my heart with unloosened bands, and sets it in such governance and binds it so greatly with a marvellous maistry that it is pleased to think rather to die than to live.' This flower certain can not end for my friend is so burning in love, he sings the melody and joy of death.

In the beginning truly of my conversion and singular purpose I thought I would be like the little bird that languishes for the love of his beloved, but is gladdened in his longing, when he that it loves comes and sings with joy, and in its song also languishes, but in sweetness and heat. It is said that the nightingale is given to song and melody all night, that she may please him to whom she is joined. How mickle more should I sing with greatest sweetness to Christ my Jesu, that is Spouse of my soul through all this present life that is night in regard to the clearness to come, so that I should languish in longing and die for love. But in dying I shall wax strong, and in heat I shall be nourished; and I shall joy and in joying sing the likings of love with mirth, and hot devotion as it were from a pipe shall issue and my soul shall yield angels melody, kindled within, to the most high, and offered by the mouth at the altar of God's praise. Thus my soul shall alway be greedy to love and never fail with heaviness or sloth from the desire she received.

Soothly holiness of mind, readiness of will, heat of very desire and turning to God by continuance of thought, that are in holy souls, suffer them not to sin mortally; and if they sin through frailty or ignorance, anon they are raised up to true penance by those pricks, nor shall they bide long in sin although they cleave to the liking. The venial sin forsooth that they do, they waste in the fire of love - unless any be cast down by such negligence that they ween that that in which they trespass by no sin - and charity is not enough to put away all the pain merited; or else they have no tribulation wherewith their sin may be purged. Certain in the coming of love the lover's heart is burned. Hotter than fire is this marvellous heat, the which most sweetly gladdens the mind and tempers and shadows from the heat of sins.

Good Jesu, give me the organ-like and heavenly song of angels that in that I may be ravished and Thy worship continually sing; that Thou gavest to me unknowing and unwise, now to me expert and asking, give again. Cherish me in my last end I may be found full of fire. Show me sweet cherishing in Thy good will that my defaults may be here punished and cleansed in that wise that, in Thy mercy, Thou hast known for him cleaving to Thee; not as in Thy wrath Thou cherishest those flourishing in this world, to whom Thou givest temporal prosperity and keepest endless pains. Worldly lovers soothly may know the words, or the ditties of our song but not the music of our songs; for they read the words, but they can not learn the notes and tone and sweetness of the songs.

O good Jesu Thou has bound my heart in the thought of Thy Name, and now I can not but sing it; therefore have mercy upon me, making perfect that Thou hast ordained. Thy true and busy lover is ravished into ghostly song of mind, that it is impossible any such sweetness be of the fiend, or such heat from any creature, nor such song from man's wit: in which if I abide I shall be safe. It behoves truly we be not glad to do small sins that will to perfectly eschew great sins. He truly that wilfully and knowingly falls into the least, ofttimes shall unavised fall into greater. It longs truly to love to desire to fall into great wretchedness rather than sin once. It is nought needful to him, but scornful, to seek delight, riches, strength, or fairness, that in the doom of the everlasting King shall be made a knight, with perfect beauty of members and clearness of colour; where in the heavenly hall there shall neither be too mickle nor too little, where he shall serve the Emperor in the world of worlds.

Explicit liber de Incendio Amoris, Ricardi Hampole heremite, translatus in Anglicum instancijs domine Margarete Heslyngton, recluse, per fratrem Richardum Misyn, sacre theologie bachalaureum, tunc Priorem Lyncolniensem, ordinis carmelitarum, Anno domini M. CCCCxxxv in festo translacionis sancti Martini Episcopi, quod est iiij nonas Iulij, per dictum fratrem Richardum Misyn scriptum & correctum. </div3> </div2> <pb/> </div1>

THE MENDING OF LIFE OR RULE OF LIVING, AS TRANSLATED BY RICHARD MISYN IN 1434 FROM DE EMENDATIONE VITAE' BY RICHARD ROLLE OF HAMPOLE: AND NOW DONE INTO MODERN ENGLISH

FIRST OF CONVERSION Tarry thou not to our Lord to be turned, nor put it off from day to day; for ofttimes the cruelty of death ravishes the wretched, and bitterness of pains suddenly devours them that now irk to be turned. It may not be numbered by us how many of the worldly wicked presumption has beguiled. Truly it is a great sin to trust in God's mercy and not cease from sin, trowing God's mercy be so mickle that He will not give righteous pain to sinners. Work ye therefore whiles it is day, the night truly comes in which no man may work.' Light or day' he calls this life, in which we ought never to cease from good working, knowing that death to us is sicker, the hour of death truly unsicker. The night' he calls death, in the which our members are bound, and wits put by, and we may not now work any healthful thing, but shall receive joy or tormentry according to our works. In a point we live, yea less than a point; for if we would liken all our life to the life everlasting, it is nought.

Therefore how waste we our life in love of vanity, not without grievous damnation; and all day negligent, without repenting, we stand idle. Lord, therefore turn us and we shall be turned; heal us and we shall be healed. Many truly are not healed, but their wounds rot and fester; for today turned to God, tomorrow are turned from Him; today doing penance, tomorrow turning to their ill. Of such it is said: we have cured Babylon and it is not healed, for to Christ it is not truly turned. What is turning to God but turning from the world and from sin; from the fiend and from the flesh? What is turning from God but turning from unchangeable good to changeable good; to the liking beauty of creatures; to the works of the fiend; to lust of the flesh and the world? Not with going of feet are we turned to God, but with the change of our desires and manners.

Turning to God is also done whiles we direct the sharpness of our minds to Him, and evermore think of His counsel and His commandments, that they may be fulfilled by us; and wherever we be, sitting or standing, the dread of God pass not from our hearts. I speak not of dread that has pain, but that that is in charity, with which we give reverence to the presence of so great a Majesty, and alway we dread that we offend not in any little thing. Soothly, thus disposed, to God we are truly turned because we are turned from the world.

To be turned from the world is naught else but to put aback all lust, and to suffer the bitterness of this world gladly for God; and to forget all idle occupations and worldly errands, in so mickle that our soul, wholly turned to God, dies pithily to all things loved or sought in the world. Therefore being given to heavenly desires they have God evermore before their eyes, as if they should unwearily behold Him, as the holy prophet bears witness: Providebam Dominum in conspectu meo semper, that is to say In my sight I saw our Lord evermore before me.' Not only the space of an hour; as do they that set all fair or lovely earthly things before the eyes of their hearts, which they behold and in which they delight and desire for love to rest. And after the prophet says: Oculi mei semper ad Dominum; quoniam ipse evellet de laqueo pedes meos, that is: Mine eyes evermore are to our Lord, for he shall deliver my feet from the snare.' By this is shewed that except our inward eyes to Christ unwearily be raised we may not escape the snares of temptation. And there are many lettings so that the eyes of our heart may not be fixed on God; of which we put some: abundance of riches; flattering of women; the fairness and beauty of youth. This is the threefold rope that scarcely may be broken; and yet it behoves to be broken and despised that Christ may be loved.

Truly he that desires to love Christ truly, not only without heaviness but with a joy unmeasured he casts away all things that may let him. And in this case he spares neither father nor mother, nor himself; he receives no man's cheer; he does violence to all his letters; and he breaks through all obstacles. Whatever he can do seems little to him so that he may love God. He flees from vices as a brainless man and looks not to worldly solace, but certainly and wholly directed to God, he has nearly forgotten his sensuality. He is gathered all inward and all lifted up into Christ, so that when he seems to men as if heavy, he is wonderfully glad. But there are many that say they will turn to God, but they can not yet, they say, for they are holden back by this occupation or other; whose cold mind sorrowingly we reprove. For withouten doubt and they were touched with the least spark of Christ's love, anon with all busyness they would seek which way they might come to God's service, and in seeking they would not cease until they had found.

Ofttimes they feign excuses, which the rather accuses them more. Riches forsooth withdraws many, and the flattering of women beguiles them; and they that have long done well sometimes are drowned, by them, in the worst dykes. For fairness is soon loved; and when it feels itself loved, it is lightly cherished; and the chosen one is cast down, and after turning or conversion, he is made worse than he was before. Then his name is blackened, and he that before was worthy, now is despised of all men and hated of all. I saw a man truly of whom they said that he chastised his body with marvellous sharpness for fifteen years, and afterwards he lapsed into sin with his servant's wife, nor might he be parted from her until his death. In his dying truly they said that he cursed the priests that came to him, and refused to receive the sacraments. Therefore the newly turned ought for to flee the occasion of sinning; and with their will avoid words, deeds, and sights stirring to ill. The more unlawful a thing is, the more it is to be forsaken.

The feind also strongly upbraids against them which he sees turned from him and turned to God, and ceases not to kindle fleshly and worldly desires. He brings to mind lusts done before, and the desolation of the contrite; and unprofitable desires that were slaked before stir themselves. Among these it behoves the penitent manfully to use himself, and to take ghostly armour to gainstand the devil and all his suggestions; and to slake fleshly desires and ever to desire God's love; and to go not from Him, despising the world: of the which now we will speak.

OF THE DESPISING OF THE WORLD To despise this world is to pass through this life without the love of all temporal and passing things; to seek nothing in this world but God; for all vainglory and solace not to care; scarcely to take thy necessaries, and if they sometimes want, to bear it goodly. This is the despising of this world. Have this in mind if thou wilt not be slain through love of it. Thus is the world despised and not loved. All soothly that we love, we worship; it is also foul to worship dirt, that is to love earthly things. Therefore these rich niggards bind themselves thrall in most foul filth and stink, and joy to be called lords of men, though they be servants of sin. If a man be lord of men, that is not of nature but of fortune. That man is subject to vice is from a froward will. Put away therefore thy wicked will, and thou shalt be free from the fiend and from sin and made the servant of righteousness that teaches thee not to love earthly things.

Covetousness of the world and the love of God truly are contrary, and rest not together in one soul. The place is so strait, that one falls out. The more soothly thou castest out covetousness the more thou tastest God's love. The more covetousness, the less charity. O wretched soul, what seekest thou in this world where thou seest that all things are deceitful and passing? They soonest beguile thee that most flatter thee. Why busiest thou thyself for mortal things? Why yearnest thou with great desire for the things that shall perish? Seest thou not that they perish sooner than they are gotten? But I wot where thou dwellest, where Satan's seat is; that has blinded thine eyes and by his falsehoods has scorned thee: so that thou shouldest desire fleeting things, and love hateful things, and despise abiding things, and be drawn to things vanishing. And so thou settest thyself on a false ground, and when thou weenest to stand thou fallest into the fire.

The dwellers in temporal plenty are beguiled by five things that they love: by riches; by dignity; by will; by power; and by honours. These bind them in sin, and constrain them in defaults; with these lusts they are overcome, and never are loosed but by death; but their loosing is too late when there is no more save endless pain. This lets them from despising the world; from God's love; from knowledge of themselves; from the desire for the heavenly kingdom. No man may be saved unless he cease to love the world with all that is therein. Cease therefore whiles heat is in the body and the fair age of youth yet abides. What things shall delight him that disposes himself to love Christ? He will despise youth and will keep his strength for God; riches he counts for nought; he will take heed that this fairness is vain, and grace deceitful. Whereto shall I run on one by one? He shall perfectly despise all things that in this world pass as a shadow.

O lover of the flesh, what findest thou in thy flesh wherefore thou so delightest in it? Does the form or shape please thee, or hast thou now thy joy in a skin? Why takest thou not heed what is hid under the skin? Or knowest thou not that fleshly fairness is the covering of filth, and the dregs of corruption, and oft the cause of damnation? Therefore be it enough for thee, all other things being despised, to love God; to praise God; with God to be; in God to joy; and from Him not to part; but to cleave to Him with unslakened desire. The world itself compels us to despise the world that is so full of wretchedness; in which is abiding malice, destroying persecution, swelling wrath, fretting lust, false blaming for sin, and bitterness of slander; where all things are confused and withouten order; where neither righteousness is loved nor truth approved; where faithfulness is unfaithful, and friendship cruel, that stands in prosperity and falls in adversity. There are yet other things that should move us to the despising of the world: the changeableness of time; shortness of this life; death sicker; the chance of death unsicker; the stableness of everlastingness and the vanity of things present; the truth of the joys to come.

Choose what thou wilt. If thou love the world, with it thou shalt perish; if thou love Christ, with Him thou shalt reign.

OF POVERTY If thou wilt be perfect, go, sell all that thou hast and give it to the poor and come and follow Christ. In the forsaking of worldly things and in the following of Christly things, it is shown there is perfection. Forsooth all that have forsaken their goods follow not Christ, for many are worse after the forsaking of their good than they were before. Then certain they serve backbiting, and they dread not to withdraw the good fame of their neighbours. Then they swell with envy; they gnash with malice; they set themselves before all others; they praise their state, all others they either dispraise or condemn. Trowest thou how that the fiend has beguiled such, that neither have the world nor God, whom by divers wiles he leads to endless tormentry.

Thou that understandest that I have said, take thy poverty another way. When He says go and sell' He marks the changing of thy desire and of thy thought, as thus: he that was proud now be lowly; that was wrathful now be meek; he that was envious now be charitable; before covetous, now generous and discreet. And if he were unclean, now let him abstain not only from all ill but from all likeness of ill. And if before he exceeded in meat or drink, now by fasting let him amend. He soothly that loved the world too mickle, now let him gather himself altogether in Christ's love; and fasten all the waverings of his heart in one desire for things everlasting. And so no marvel that willful poverty shall be fruitful to him, and the noy that he suffers for God be a glorious crown. Beati pauperes spiritu, quoniam ipsorum est regnum coelorum. That is to say: Bless be they that are poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.'

What is poverty of spirit but meekness of mind, by the which a man knows his own infirmity? Seeing that he may not come to perfect stableness but by the grace of God, all things that might let him from that grace he forsakes, and he sets his desire only in the joy of his Maker. And as of one root spring many branches, so of wilful poverty, taken in this wise, proceed virtues and marvellousness untrowed. Not as some that change their clothes and not their souls; soothly it seems they forsake riches, yet they cease not to gather innumerable vices.

What is worse than a proud poor man? What more cursed than an envious beggar? If thou truly forsake all things for God, see more what thou despisest than what thou forsakest. Take heed busily how thou followest Christ in manners. Discite, inquit, a me quia mitis sum, et humilis corde. 'Learn of me,' He says, for I am meek and lowly of heart.' He says not learn of me for I am poor. Truly by itself poverty is no virtue but rather wretchedness; nor for itself praised, but because it is the instrument of virtue and helps to get blessedness, and makes many eschew many occasions of sinning. And therefore it is to be praised and desired. It lets a man from being honoured, although he be virtuous; but rather it makes him despised and over-led, and cast out among lovers of the world. To suffer all which for Christ is highly needful. Therefore Christ to our example led a poor life in this way, for He knew that for them that abound in riches and liking it is hard to enter into heaven.

Therefore so that men should desire poverty more greedily He has promised high honour and the power of justice to them that forsake all things for Him, saying: Vos qui reliquistis omnia et secuti estis me, sedebitis super sedes duodecim, judicantes duodecim tribus Israel, that is to say: Ye that have forsaken all things and followed me, shall sit on twelve seats, deeming the twelve tribes of Israel.' They soothly that have wilful poverty and want in the meekness and lowliness that Christ teaches, are more wretched than they that have plenty of all riches, nor shall they take the apostles places of worthiness in the day of doom; but they shall be clad with the doublet of confusion, that is damnation of body and soul. They soothly that shine in meekness and lowliness, though they have mickle riches, yet shall they be set on the right hand of Christ when He deems.

Some men soothly say: we can not leave all, we are sick; it behoves us to keep our necessaries that we may live, and that is lawful. But they are the less worthy, for they dare not suffer anguish, poverty and neediness for God. Yet by the grace of God they may come to the height of virtue, and lift themselves to the contemplation of heavenly things, if they forsake secular occupations and errands, and unwearily rise to meditate and pray; and hold not the goods they have with full love, but having them, forsake them. Take heed also: to seek more than enough is foul covetousness; to keep back necessaries is frailty; but to forsake all things is perfectness. Therefore whiles they see high things that they can not reach, they empride not nor presume because of the small things that they have, so that they may mannerly ascend to the ordering of man's life: of which now follows.

OF THE SETTING OF MAN'S LIFE So that a man may be righteously directed to the worship of God and to his own profit and the profit of his neighbour, four things are to be said. First: what is it that defiles a man. There are three sins, or three kinds of sin; that is to say of thought, of mouth and of work. A man sins in thought when he thinks aught against God. If he occupies his heart not with the praise and loving of God, but suffers it to be abstracted or stirred with divers thoughts, and to go void in the world. In mouth he sins when he lies; when he forswears; when he curses; when he backbites; when he defends a wrong; when he uses fond speech, or foul speech; or brings forth vain things or idle. In deed he sins many wise: by lechery; touching sinfully, or kissing; defiling himself wilfully; or, without great cause, procuring or sustaining occasions by which he trows he might be defiled; in robbing; stealing; beguiling; smiting; and other such.

Secondly: which are they that cleanse a man? And they are three, against the three aforesaid, that is to say: Contrition of thought and pulling out of desires that belong not to the praise or worship of God and love of Him. Confession of mouth, that ought to be timely, bare, and whole. Satisfaction of deed, that has three parts, that is to say: Fasting because he has sinned against himself; prayer because he has sinned against God; alms because he has sinned against his neighbour. Yet I say not he should do alms of other men's goods, but he should restore; for sin is not forgiven unless that that is withdrawn, be restored. Third: which things keep cleanness of heart? And they are three: lively thought of God, that there be no time in which thou thinkest not of God except in sleep that is common to all; busy keeping of thine outwards wits, that tasting, savouring, hearing, and seeing they may wisely be restrained under the bridle of governance. The third is honest occupation, as reading of holy writ, speaking of God, writing, or some other good deed doing. There are three things also that save cleanness of mouth: avisedness of speech; to eschew mickle speech; and to hate lying.

Also three things keep cleanness of working: moderation in meat; fleeing ill company; and oft to mind of death. The fourth: which things are they that allure us to conform us to God's will? And there are three. First, the example of creatures, that is had by consideration; the goodliness of God, that is gotten by meditation and prayer: and mirth, of the heavenly kingdom, that is felt in a manner by contemplation. The man of God set to live in this wise shall be as a tree that is set by running waters - that is the flowing of grace - so that he shall always be green in virtue and never be dry by sin; and shall give fruit in time; that is, he shall give good works as an example, and good words to the worship of God, and these he shall not sell for vainglory. He says in time' against them that give example of fasting in time of eating, and the reverse way also; and against covetous men that give their fruit when it is rotten; or else they give not until they die.

Therefore he prays wisely who says: Bonitatem et disciplinam et scientiam doce me, that is to say: goodliness, discipline and knowledge teach me.' What is discipline but the setting of, or correcting, of manners? First therefore we are taught righteousness, and corrected of ill by discipline; and after that we know what we should do, or what we should eschew. At the last we savour not fleshly things, but everlasting heavenly and godly.

And when a man with all busyness has dressed himself to the will of his Maker and grown in virtue, and has passed another that peradventure went before, in steadfastness of living and desire of Christ, he ought not thereof to joy nor give praise to himself, nor trow himself better than others - although they be low - but rather hold himself as the foulest and most wretched. He shall deem no man but himself, and all others set before himself; he shall not desire to be called holy of men, but worthy to be despised. When he comes amongst men, he should procure to be last in number and least in opinion; for the greater thou art the more shouldest thou meek thyself in all things and then thou shalt find grace before God to be made high. For the might of God is great, and honoured by the meek; therefore it is despised by the proud, for they seek their own joy not God's worship.

Truly if thou takest with gladness the favour of the people and the honour of men that is done to thee for thy holiness and good fame in this life, know it well thou hast received thy meed. And if thou seemest marvellous in penance and chastity whiles thou joyest more in man's joy than in angels' in the time to come nought but tormentry shall be for thee. Therefore thou oughtest perfectly to despise thyself, and entirely to forsake all joy of this world, and to think nor do nothing but in the sight of God's love, that all thy life, inward and outward, may cry the praise of God.

In meat and drink be thou scarce and wise. Whiles thou eatest or drinkest let not the memory of thy God that feeds thee pass from thy mind; but praise, bless, and glorify Him in ilka morsel, so that thy heart be more in God's praising than in thy meat, that thy soul be not parted from God at any hour. Thus doing, before Christ Jesu thou shalt be worthy a crown, and the temptations of the fiend, that in meat and drink awaits most men and beguiles them, thou shalt eschew. Either soothly by immoderately taking of food they are cast down from the height of virtue, or by too mickle abstinence they break down that virtue. Many truly there are that always fluctuate in eating, so that over little or over mickle they always take; and the form of living they never keep whiles they trow that now this, now that, be better. The unwise and untaught, which have never felt the sweetness of Christ's love, trow that unwise abstinence be holiness; and they trow they can not be worthy of great meed with God unless they be known as singular of all men by scarceness and unrighteous abstinence.

But truly abstinence by itself is not holiness, but if it be discreet it helps us to be holy. If it be indiscreet it lets holiness, because it destroys discipline, without which virtues are turned to vice. If a man would be singular in abstinence he ought to eschew the sight of men and their praising, that he be not proud for nought and so lose all: for men truly ween they be holiest that they see most abstinent, when in truth ofttimes they are the worst. He certain that has truly tasted the sweetness of endless love shall never deem himself to pass any man in abstinence, but the lower he supposes himself in abstinence with himself, the more he shall be held marvellous with men. The best thing, and as I suppose pleasing to God, is to conform thyself in meat and drink to the time and place and estate of them with whom thou art; so that thou seem not to be wilful nor a feigner of religion.

Know it truly, without doubt, if one or two think well of him, yet others will call him an hypocrite or a feigner. But there are some covetous of vainglory that in no wise will be holden as common men; for either they eat so little that they always draw the speech of men to them, or they procure other manner of meats to be seen diverse from others: whose madness and obstinacy be far from me. Truly it is wholesome counsel that they that fast little give preference to them of greater abstinence, and since they may not do so great abstinence be sorry in mind. And they that are of great abstinence should trow others higher in virtue; whose virtue, in which they surpass, is hidden to men, whiles their virtue, that is to say abstinence, is praised of many. But unless it be dight with meekness and charity before Christ, it is nought.

It behoves him truly to be strong that will manfully use the love of God. The flesh being enfeebled with great disease ofttimes a man cannot pray, and then mickle more he cannot lift himself to high things with hot desire. I would rather therefore that a man failed for the greatness of love than for too mickle fasting; as the spouse said of herself: Nunciate dilecto quia amore langueo; that is: Show thyself to my love, for I long for love.' Be thou therefore steadfast in all thy ways and dress thy life after the rule shown to thee, and if thou may not get that thou desirest in the beginning mistrust not, but abide; for by long use and time thou shalt come to perfection.

If thou be a pilgrim and rest by the way, whatever thou dost in this life to God ever have an eye. Let not thy thought go from Him; think that time lost in which thou thinkest not of God. In the night praise Him and desire His love, that sleep may not find thee in any other wise occupied than praying or thinking of God. See that thou flow not with vain thoughts, nor give thyself to many charges, but study to get and hold this steadfastness of mind so that thou dread not the wretchedness of this world nor desire the goods thereof unmannerly. He that dreads to suffer adversity knows not yet how it behoves us to despise the world; and he that joys in earthly things is far from everlasting things. To the virtue of strength truly belong all adversities and prosperities; and also to despise death for endless life. And charity is to desire only heavenly things. A perfect lover forsooth joys to die, and suffers life meekly. To which perfection if thou ascend by the gift of Christ, yet shalt thou not be without tribulation and temptation: to show which our words shall turn.

OF TRIBULATION When the fiend sees one man out of thousands perfectly turned to God; following the steps of Christ; despising this present world; loving and seeking only the things unseen; taking perfect penance; and purging himself from all filth of mind and body: he devises a thousand beguilings of annoyance and a thousand crafts of fighting to cast him from the love of God to the love of the world, and to fill him again with the filth of sin so that at the least with lecherous thoughts he should be made hateful to God. He raises against him persecution, tribulation, slander, false blame for sins, and all kinds of hatred; so that pain may slay and break him that prosperity could not beguile. Now sharpness, now cherishing, he puts before him, and he brings to mind images of bodily things; he gathers together fantasies of sin; he gaincalls old shrewdness and delights of past love; he inflames heart and flesh with lecherous fire. He begins with the least but he comes to the greatest flame of wickedness. And with as great busyness he studies to blow against us all kinds of temptation, tormentry and tribulation, as he sorrows that we, by the mercy of God, have escaped from his cheeks.

He seeks nothing but that he might depart us from the unbodily embrace, sweetest and most chaste, of everlasting love; and afterward defile us in the pit of wretchedness. That were more wretched for us than I can tell. Who can think his madness that from the delicacies of kings would come down to swine's meat? And yet is he more mad that forsakes the delicious meat of unwrought wisdom and puts himself under the filth of the flesh. Is not gluttony and lechery swinish filth, and they that do such, feed they not fiends? Therefore how we must do against the tribulation and temptations of our enemies, and how to gainstand, shall patience teach us; of which now we will speak.

OF PATIENCE The children of God disdain to come down to the meat of unreasonable beasts, but truly they despise all unlawful lusts and worldly solace for the love of Christ. He truly that is fed with the bread that comes from heaven inclines not his desire to those things that are moved by the devil. When temptations arise or tribulation, ghostly armour is to be taken and it is time to go to battle. Temptations truly are overcome with steadfastness of faith and love; tribulation truly with patience. What is patience but goodly and wilful suffering of adversity? He therefore that is patient murmurs in no grief, but rather at all times with the prophet praises God. The more patient a man is in his noys the more glorious shall he be in heaven.

Gladly therefore are tribulations to be suffered in adversity, noys and bitterness, pains and sickness and thirst; for by these and such other our sins are cleansed and meeds increased. Truly it either behoves us in this life [to be burnt with the fire of God's love and of tribulation, or else after this life] with the fire of purgatory or hell to be most bitterly crucified and punished. Choose therefore; we shall not escape the one. Here truly with little pain, yea with joy, if we cleave to God, we may eschew all pain to come. Therefore tribulations are sent to us to call us from the love of the world, that we be not punished more grievously in the other life. With sorrow truly it behoves us to be cleansed of that ill we did in lust. If sinners build upon our backs, they noy us not, if we suffer it patiently, but themselves; for if they put us to a little pain for us they work a crown, but for themselves tormentry.

The sinful truly are suffered to pass this life withouten great tribulations; for in the time to come no joy is kept for them. Therefore holy men love tribulations, for they wot by them to win to endless life. Contrarily the rejected always murmur in adversity, and flee all that they can; for whiles they are given too mickle to seen things, they are deprived of the hope of things everlasting. In outward things only they find solace, because they have fully lost the savour of heavenly. There is no reasonable soul here abiding but either she loves creatures, or the Maker of creatures. If she loves creatures she loses God and goes, with the good loved, to death. Truly such love in the beginning is labour and fondness; in the middle languor and wretchedness; and in the end hatred and pain.

He soothly that loves his Maker forsakes omnia quae that is in the world, and he thinks it full sweet of Him and with Him to speak; his refreshment is to think on Him. He bolts his outward wits that death ascend not by the windows; and that he be not unprofitably occupied in vanity. And sometimes despisings, reproofs, scorns, and slanders are raised against him, and therefore it is needful to take the shield of patience and be readier to forget wrongs than to know them. He shall pray for their turning that hate him and cast him down, and shall care not to please man, but dread to offend God.

If thou be tempted in the flesh make it subject, that the spirit be not overcome. Temptation truly that we consent not to is a matter for using virtue. For no man wots whether he be weak or strong until the time he be assayed. Likewise in peace no man is called patient, but when he is pulled with wrong; then he should see if he have patience. Many seem patient when they are not pricked, but when a soft blast - I say not of wrong but of correction - touches them, anon their mind turns to bitterness and wrath; and if they hear one word against their will they give again two more ungodly: into whose counsel my soul comes not. Therefore the darts of our enemy are to be slakened with the meekness and sweetness of Christ's love; nor is place to be given to temptation, although it be grievous. For the greater battle the worthier victory and higher crown, as says the psalm: Beatus vir qui suffert tentationem, quoniam cum probatus fuerit accipiet coronam vitae, etc.; that is to say: Blest be the man that suffers temptation, for when he is proved a crown of life he shall receive that God behested to His lovers.'

Doubt not that thou art in the perfect life if despising be to thee as praising, poverty as riches, hunger as meat; so that thou sufferest them with even soul, and if thou fall in nought from height of mind. Flee and hate as mickle as thou canst the praise of man; for it is most praiseworthy to be worthy of praising, and not to be praised of men. The tongues of flatterers beguile many, and also the tongues of backbiters destroy many. Despise thou therefore favour, worship, and all vainglory; suffer meekly wraths, hatreds, and detractions; and so by slander and good fame, by tribulations and anger cease not to make haste to the heavenly kingdoms. Ofttimes we fall, so that taught by many chances we should stand more strongly. The strong dread not, nor are the patient heavy, in adversity, as it is written: Non tristabit justum quicquid ei acciderit. Whatever happens to the righteous man it shall not heavy him.' Thus disposed, no marvel thou shalt overcome all temptation and slake all malice; thou shalt see thy noyers more wretched than thee, and with all thy mind thou shalt cleave to Christ.

OF PRAYER If thou be set in temptation or tribulation, to prayer anon run. Truly if thou prayest clearly thou shalt have help. Distractions sometimes come and waverings of heart, and thoughts of divers things ravish the heart and suffer it not to stand in the praising of God. Then peradventure it were good a while to think of holiness, until the mind is more stabled, and so thy prayers are fulfilled. Truly if any have left all worldly occupations for the love of God, and always are given to holy prayer and holy meditation, I trow that by God's grace within a short space they shall find their heart is stabled to love and pray. They should not waver now to this and now to that, but rather abide in rest and endless peace. Full mickle it strengthens to get stableness of heart to be busy in frequent prayers, and devoutly to sing psalms. With busy prayers truly we overcome fiends, and we loosen their waitings and stirrings. They are enfeebled and as it were without strength, whiles we, strong and not overcome, bide in prayer.

Truly those men that have it in custom with long exercise to pray, sometimes find more sweetness and more fervent desire of prayer. Therefore whiles that sweetness and heat last it is good not to cease from prayers. When they cease - that often happens because of the corruptible flesh - they may turn to read holy scripture, or do some other profitable thing, that they suffer not their thought to waver from God, so that when they rise to pray again they may be quicker than they were before.

Truly then we pray well when we think of no other thing, but all our mind is dressed to heaven and our soul is enflamed with the fire of the Holy Ghost. Thus truly a marvellous plenteousness of God's goodness is found in us; for from the innermost marrow of our hearts shall the love of God rise, and all our prayer shall be with desire and effect; so that we overrun not the words, but nearly every syllable with a great cry and desire we shall offer to our Lord. Our heart being kindled with hot fire our prayer is also kindled, and in the savour of sweetness is offered by our mouth in the sight of God, so that it is great joy to pray. For whiles in prayer a marvellous sweetness is given to the one praying, the prayer is changed to song. Here some are reproved that rather take heed to meditation than to prayer, not knowing that God's speech is fired; and with it the filth of sin is cleansed, and the minds of prayers are enflamed with love. They say that they will first meditate and so stable their hearts; but they are stabled the later in that they are not comforted by prayer.

Although we can not gather our hearts together as we would yet may we not leave off, but little by little we should study to grow in prayer, that at the last Jesu Christ may stable us. To which meditation helps if it pass not measure and manner.

OF MEDITATION The meditation of Christ's passion and His death is good; and oft to recall what pain and wretchedness He freely took for our health in going about and preaching, in hunger, thirst, cold, heat, reproaches, cursings, and sufferings; so that it be not grievous to an unprofitable servant to follow his Lord and Emperor. He truly that says he dwells in Christ ought to walk as He did. Christ says truly by Jeremy: Have mind of my poverty and of my passage, of wormwood and gall; that is to say, of sorrow and bitterness, by which I went from the world to the Father.

Truly this mindfulness or meditation overcomes the fiend and destroys his crafts; it slakes fleshly temptation and kindles the soul to Christ's love; it raises and cleanses, and also purges the mind. I trow this meditation is most profitable of all others to them that are newly turned to Christ. For there truly is shown the manhood of Jesu Christ, in the which man should be repeatedly glad; in which he has matter for joy and also mourning. Joy for the sickerness of our gainbuying; heaviness for the filth of our sinning, on account of which it is to be grieved for that so worthy an offering is offered. For the boisterous and fleshly soul is not ravished into the contemplation of the Godhead unless all fleshly lettings be wasted away by ghostly meditation and contemplation of the manhood.

Truly when a man begins to have a clean heart, and no image of bodily things can beguile him, then sickerly he is admitted to high things, that in love of the Godhead he may be wonderfully made glad. Some think truly on the joy of the blessed angels and holy souls joying with Christ; and this thought belongs to contemplation. Some think on the wretchedness of man's condition and his filth, and they dispute in their thoughts about man's folly that for the vanities of this life forgets the joys unseen. Others thus dispose their thoughts: that they will nothing but the praise and desire of their Maker, so that they love Him as much as is possible for men in this life. To this meditation no man comes but he that is mickle used in these things before rehearsed. For truly it is a more excellent manner than others and makes a man most contemplative.

Therefore as the works and uses of saints are divers, so are their meditations divers. Yet all, because they come of one spring, go to one end, and they come or lead to one bliss; but by divers ways, through the one charity, that is more in one than another. Therefore the psalm says: Deduxit me super semitas justitiae; that is, He has led me upon the paths of righteousness;' as if to say, there is one righteousness and many paths by which we are led to the joy of the life everlasting; because whiles all are one in being, they are of divers needs, and in one righteousness they are led to God by divers paths. Some go by a low path, some by a mean, and some by a high. The higher path is given to him that is ordained from eternity to love Christ more, not because he works more than others, or gives more or suffers more, but because he loves more. Which love is heat and sweetness, and it seeks rest in all men.

No man may set himself in any of these paths; but he takes to that which God chose him. Sometimes they that seem in the higher are in the lower, and the reverse; for that is only inward in soul before God, not in anything that may be done outward of man. According to the disposition and desire of their meditation they are dressed to this path or to that. By outward works no man may be known who is more or who less before God. Therefore it is folly to deem of the chosen and say: he passes him; or, his merits are far below the meeds of this one, when plainly they know not their minds; the which if they knew they might lawfully deem. Therefore truly God wills it to be secret from all creatures, that they despise not some too mickle, or honour some too mickle. For doubtless if they saw men's hearts, many that they honour they would despise as stinking and foul, and others that they set not by, nor yet desire to see, they would honour as most lovely, and as the holy angels.

Good thoughts also and meditations of the elect be of God, and such by His grace He sheds forth to each one as best accords to their state and condition. Therefore I can tell thee my meditations, but which is most effectual for thee I cannot opine, for I see not thy inward desires. I trow truly that those meditations in thee most please God and most profit thee that God by His mercy sheds in thee. Nevertheless in the beginning thou mayest have the words of other men; that I know well by myself. Truly if thou despise the teachings of doctors and trow that thyself mayest find something better than they teach thee in their writings, know forsooth that thou shalt not taste Christ's love. For truly it is a fond saying: God taught them, why therefore shall He not teach me?' I answer thee: because thou art not such as they were. Thou art proud and sturdy, and they were lowly and meek; and they asked nothing of God presuming, but meeking themselves under all, took knowledge from the saints. He taught them therefore so that we should be taught in their books.

If truly thou now desirest the love of Christ in thy meditations, or to resound His praises - as meseems - thou art well disposed. But the thoughts in which thou feelest more sweetness in God profit thee more. To meditate well without sweetness profits thee little, except in that case when the need for sweetness is not felt.

OF READING If thou desire to come to the love of God, and be kindled in thy desire for heavenly joys, and be brought to the despising of earthly things, be not negligent in meditating and reading holy scripture; and most in those places where it teaches manners, and to eschew the deceits of the fiend, and where it speaks of God's love, and of contemplative life. Hard sayings may be left to disputers and to wise men used for a long time in holy doctrine. It helps us truly mickle to profit in good. By this we know our defaults and good deeds; in which things we sin, and in which not; what we should do, and what forbear; and the most subtle deceits of our enemies are opened to us. They kindle to love, and prick to weeping. If we have delight in them as it were in all riches, they prepare us a table of delights.

But let not covetousness of the honour or favour or praise of men kindle us to knowledge of scripture, but only the intent to please God; that we may know how we should love Him, and teach our neighbour the same. We ought not to be holden wise anent the people but rather hide our knowledge than show it so as to be praised, as it is said: In corde meo abscondi eloquia tua, ut non peccem tibi, that is: In my heart thy words, that I sin not towards thee,' in void or vain showing. Therefore the cause of our speaking should be only the praise of God and the edification of our neighbour, that it may be fulfilled in us: Semper laus ejus in ore meo. Alway His praise be in my mouth,' and that is, when we seek not our own honour and we speak not against His praise.

OF CLEANNESS OF MIND By these nine degrees before touched upon man comes to cleanness of mind, where God is seen. Cleanness, I say, that may be had in this life. How may perfect cleanness be gotten here where so oft man, with venial sins at least, is defiled? The feet of saints are to be washed for they draw the dust of the earth. Who may truly say, I am clean from sin?' Truly none in this life; for as Job says: Si lotus fuero aquis nivis, et effulserint velut munditiae manus meae, tamen sordibus intinges me, et abominabuntur me vestimenta mea; that is to say: If I be washed with snow water,' that means true penance, and if my hands shine with cleanness,' because of works of innocence, yet shalt thou touch me with filth,' because of venial sins that can not be eschewed; and my clothes shall abhor me,' that is to say my flesh makes me abhor myself; and sensuality that is so frail, slippery, and ready to love the liking beauty of this world, ofttimes makes me sin. Therefore the apostle says: Non regnet peccatum in nostro mortali corpore. 'Sin reigns not in our mortal body,' as who should say: Sin may un-reign in us, but it may not un-be.

What cleanness therefore can man have in this life? Truly worthy and great if he rightly use himself in the study of reading, prayer, and meditation, as it is before noted. Truly although he sometimes sin venially yet forthwith, because his whole mind is dressed to God, it is destroyed. The heat truly of charity wastes in him all rust of sin, as it were a drop of water put into a great fire. The virtue therefore of a cleansed soul is to have the mind busy to God, for in this degree all the thought is dressed to Christ; all the mind, although he seems to speak to others, is spread unto Him. Truly in a clean conscience nothing is bitter, sharp, or hard, but all is sweet and lovely. Out of cleanness of heart rises a song of joy, sweet ditty and joyful mirth. Then full oft a wonderful joy of God is given, and heavenly song is inshed. In this state a man may know that he is in charity that he shall never lose; he lives not without great dread - not lest he should suffer tormentry but that he offend not his Lover.

I spare to say more here for I seem to myself a full great wretch. For oft my flesh is noyed and assayed. Although forsooth the love of God and contemplative life is contained in these things beforesaid, yet somewhat of them is more specially to be said to your need and profit.

OF THE LOVE OF GOD O sweet and delectable light that is my Maker unmade; enlighten the face and sharpness of my inward eye with clearness unmade, that my mind, pithily cleansed from uncleanness and made marvellous with gifts, may swiftly flee into the high mirth of love; and kindled with Thy savour I may sit and rest, joying in Thee, Jesu. And going as it were ravished in heavenly sweetness, and made stable in the beholding of things unseen, never, save by godly things, shall I be gladdened. O Love everlasting, enflame my soul to love God, so that nothing may burn in me but His embraces. O good Jesu, who shall grant me to feel Thee that now may neither be felt nor seen? Shed Thyself into the entrails of my soul. Come into my heart and fill it with Thy clearest sweetness. Moisten my mind with the hot wine of Thy sweet love, that forgetful of all ills and all scornful visions and imaginations, and only having Thee, I may be glad and joy in Jesu my God. Henceforward, sweetest Lord, go not from me, continually biding with me in Thy sweetness; for Thy presence only is solace to me, and Thy absence only leaves me heavy.

O Holy Ghost that givest grace where Thou wilt, come into me and ravish me to Thee; change the nature that Thou hast made with Thy honeyed gifts, that my soul fulfilled with Thy liking joy, may despise and cast away all things in this world. Ghostly gifts she may take of Thee, the Giver, and going by songful joy into undescried light she may be all melted in holy love. Burn my reins and my heart with Thy fire that on Thine altar shall endlessly burn. O sweet and true Joy, I pray Thee come! Come O sweet and most desired! I pray Thee come! Come O sweet and most desired! Come my Love, that art all my comfort! Glide down into a soul longing for Thee and after Thee with sweet heat. Kindle with Thy heat the wholeness of my heart. With Thy light enlighten my inmost parts. Feed me with honeyed songs of love, as far I may receive them by my powers of body and soul.

In these, and such other meditations be glad, that so thou mayest come to the pith of love. Love truly suffers not a loving soul to bide in itself, but ravishes it out to the Lover; so that the soul is more there were it loves, than where the body is that by it lives and feels. There are soothly three degrees of Christ's love, by one or another of which he that is chosen to love profits. The first is called, unable to be overcome; the second, unable to be parted; the third is called singular. Then truly is love unovercomeable when it can not be overcome by any other desire. When it casts away lettings, and slakes all temptations and fleshly desires; and when it patiently suffers all griefs for Christ, and is overcome by no flattery nor delight. All labour is light to a lover, nor can a man better overcome labour than by love.

Love truly is undeparted when the mind is kindled with great love, and cleaves to Christ with undeparted thought. Forsooth it suffers Him not to pass from the mind a minute, but as if he were bound in heart to Him it thinks and sighs after Him, and it cries to be holden with His love that He may loose him from the fetters of mortality, and may lead him to Him Whom only he desires to see. And most this name JESU he in so mickle worships and loves that It continually rests in his mind. When therefore the love of Christ is set so mickle in the heart of God's lover and the world's despiser that it may not be overcome by other desire of love, it is called high. But when he holds undepartedly to Christ, ever thinking of Christ, by no occasion forgetting Him, it is called everlasting and undeparted. And if this be high and everlasting, what love can be higher or more? Yet there is the third degree that is called singular. It is one thing to be high, and another to be alone; as it is one thing to be ever presiding, and another to have no fellow. Truly we may have many fellows and yet have a place before all.

Truly if thou seekest or receivest any comfort other than of thy God, and if peradventure thou lovest the highest, yet it is not singular. Thou seest therefore to what the greatness of worthiness must increase, that when thou art high thou mayest be alone. Therefore love ascends to the singular degree when it excludes all comfort but the one that is in Jesu; when nothing but Jesu may suffice it.

The soul set in this degree loves Him alone; she yearns only for Christ, and Christ desires; only in His desire she abides, and after Him she sighs; in Him she burns; she rests in His warmth. Nothing is sweet to her, nothing she savours, except it be made sweet in Jesu; whose memory is as a song of music in a feast of wine. Whatever the self offers to her besides it or comes into mind, is straightway cast back and suddenly despised if it serve not His desire or accord not with His will. She suppresses all customs that she sees serve not to the love of Christ. Whatever she does seems unprofitable and intolerable unless it runs and leads to Christ, the End of her desire. When she can love Christ she trows she has all things that she wills to have, and withouten Him all things are abhorrent to her and wax foul. But because she trows to love Him endlessly she steadfastly abides, and wearies not in body nor heart but loves perseveringly and suffers all things gladly. And the more she thus lives in Him the more she is kindled in love, and the liker she is to Him.

No marvel loneliness accords with such a one that grants no fellow among men. For the more he is ravished inwardly by joys, the less is he occupied in outward things; nor is he let by heaviness or the cares of this life. And now it seems as if the soul were unable to suffer pain, so that not being let by anguish, she ever joys in God. O my soul, cease from the love of this world and melt in Christ's love, that always it may be sweet to thee to speak, read, write, and think of Him; to pray to Him and ever to praise Him. O God, my soul, to Thee devoted, desires to see Thee! She cries to Thee from afar. She burns in Thee and languishes in Thy love. O Love that fails not, Thou hast overcome me! O everlasting Sweetness and Fairness Thou hast wounded my heart, and now overcome and wounded I fall. For joy scarcely I live, and nearly I die; for I may not suffer the sweetness of so great a Majesty in this flesh that shall rot.

All my heart truly, fastened in desire for JESU, is turned into heat of love, and it is swallowed into another joy and another form. Therefore O good Jesu have mercy upon a wretch. Show Thyself to me that longs; give medicine to my hurt. I feel myself not sick, but languishing in Thy love. He that loves Thee not altogether loses all; he that follows Thee not is mad. Meanwhile therefore be Thou my Joy, my Love, and Desire, until I may see Thee, O God of Gods, in Syon. Charity truly is the noblest of virtues, the most excellent and sweetest, that joins the Beloved to the lover, and everlastingly couples Christ with the chosen soul. It reforms in us the image of the high Trinity, and makes the creature most like to the Maker. O gift of love, what is it worth before all other things, that challenges the highest degree with the angels! Truly the more of love a man receives in this life, the greater and higher in heaven shall he be. O singular joy of everlasting love that ravishes all His to the heavens above all worldly things, binding them with the bands of virtue.

O dear charity, he is not wrought on earth that - whatever else he may have - has not Thee. He truly that is busy to joy in Thee, is forthwith lift above earthly things. Thou enterest boldly the bedchamber of the Everlasting King. Thou only art not ashamed to receive Christ. He it is that thou hast sought and loved. Christ is thine: hold Him, for He cannot but receive thee, whom only thou desirest to obey. For withouten thee plainly no work pleases Him. Thou makest all things savoury. Thou art a heavenly seat; angels fellowship; a marvellous holiness; a blissful sight; and life that lasts endlessly. O holy charity, how sweet thou art and comfortable; that remakest that that was broken. The fallen thou restorest; the bond thou deliverest; man thou makest even with angels. Thou raisest up those sitting and resting, and the raised thou makest sweet.

In this degree or state of love is love chaste, holy, and wilful; loving what is loved for the self, not for goods, and fastening itself altogether on that that is loved. Seeking nothing outward, pleased with itself: ardent, sweet-smelling, heartily binding love to itself in a marvellously surpassing manner. In the loved one joying; all other things despising and forgetting; thinking without forgetfulness; ascending in desire; falling in his love; going on in halsing; overcome by kissing; altogether molten in the fire of love. Thus truly Christ's lover keeps no order in his loving nor covets no degree, because however fervent and joyful he be in the love of God in this life, yet he thinks to love God more and more. Yea, though he might live here evermore yet he should not trow at any time to stand still and not progress in love, but rather the longer he shall live the more he should burn in love.

God truly is of infinite greatness, better than we can think; of unreckoned sweetness; inconceivable of all natures wrought; and can never be comprehended by us as He is in Himself in eternity. But now, when the mind begins to burn in the desire for its Maker, she is made able to receive the unwrought light, and so inspired and fulfilled by the gifts of the Holy Ghost - as far as is lawful to mortals - she has heavenly joy. Then she overpasseth all things seen, and is raised up in height of mind to the sweetness of everlasting life. And whiles the soul is spread with the sweetness of the Godhead and the warmness of Creating Light, she is offered in sacrifice to the everlasting King, and being accepted is all burned up. O merry love, strong, ravishing, burning, wilful, stalwart, unslakened, that brings all my soul to Thy service and suffers it to think of nothing but Thee. Thou challengest for Thyself all that we live; all that we savour; all that we are.

Thus therefore let Christ be the beginning of our love, whom we love for Himself. And so we love whatever is to be loved ordinately for Him that is the Well of love, and in whose hands we put all that we love and are loved by. Here soothly is perfect love shown: when all the intent of the mind, all the privy working of the heart, is lift up into God's love; so that the might and mirth of true love be so mickle that no worldly joy, nor fleshly merchandise, be lawful nor liking. O love undeparted! O love singular! Although there were no torments for the wicked, nor no meed in heaven should be trowed for chosen souls, yet shouldst thou never the sooner loose thee from thy Love. More tolerable it were to thee to suffer an untrowed grief than once to sin deadly. Therefore truly thou lovest God for Himself and for no other thing, nor thyself except for God; and thereof it follows that nothing but God is loved in thee. How else should God be all in ilk thing, if there be any love of man in a man?

O clear charity, come into me and take me into thee and so present me before my Maker. Thou art savour well tasting; sweetness well smelling, and pleasant odour; a cleansing heat and a comfort endlessly lasting. Thou makest men contemplative; heaven's gate thou openest; the mouths of accusers thou sparrest; thou makest God be seen and thou hidest a multitude of sins. We praise thee, we preach thee, by the which we overcome the world; by whom we joy and ascend the heavenly ladder. In thy sweetness glide into me: and I commend me and mine unto thee withouten end.

OF CONTEMPLATION Contemplative life or contemplation has three parts: reading, prayer and meditation. In reading God speaks to us; in prayer we speak to God. In meditation angels come down to us and teach us that we err not; in prayer they go up and offer our prayers to God, joying in our profit; that are messengers betwixt God and us. Prayer certain is a meek desire of the mind dressed in God, with which, when it comes to Him, He is pleased. Meditation on God and godly things, in which is the halsing of Rachel, is to be taken after prayer and reading. To reading belongs reason or the inquisition of truth, that is as a goodly light marked upon us. To prayer belongs praise, song, surpassing in beholding, and marvel; and thus contemplative life or contemplation stands in prayer. To meditation belongs the inspiration of God, understanding, wisdom and sighing.

If it be asked what is contemplation it is hard to define. Some say that contemplative life is nought else but knowledge of things to come and hidden: or to be void of all worldly occupation: or the study of God's letters. Others say that contemplation is the free sight into the visioned truths of wisdom, lift up with full high marvel. Others say that contemplation is a free and wise insight of the soul all spread about to behold His might. Others say, and say well, that contemplation is joy in heavenly things. Others say, and say best, that contemplation is the death of fleshly desires through the joy of the mind upraised.

To me it seems that contemplation is the joyful song of God's love taken into the mind, with the sweetness of angels praise. This is the jubilation that is the end of perfect prayer and high devotion in this life. This is the ghostly mirth had in mind for the Everlasting Lover, with great voice outbreaking. This is the last and most perfect deed of all deeds in this life. Therefore the psalmist says: Beatus vir qui scit jubilationem, that is to say: Blest be the man that knows jubilation,' in contemplation of God. Truly none alien to God can joy in Jesu, nor taste the sweetness of His love. But if he desire to be ever kindled with the fire of everlasting love, in patience, meekness, and gentle manners; and to be made fair with all cleanness of body and soul, and dight with ghostly ointments; he is lift up into contemplation. Let him unceasingly seek healthful virtues, by which in this life we are cleansed from the wretchedness of sins, and in another life, free from all pain, we joy endlessly in the blessed life: yet in this exile he thus shall be worthy to feel the joyful mirth of God's love.

Therefore be not slow to chastise thyself with prayer and waking, and use holy meditations; for doubtless with these ghostly labours, and with heaviness and weeping from inward repenting, the love of Christ is kindled in thee, and all virtues and gifts of the Holy Ghost are shed into thy heart. Begin therefore by wilful poverty, so that whiles thou desirest nought in this world, before God and man thou livest soberly, chastely and meekly. To have nothing is sometimes of need, but to will that you may have nought is of great virtue. We may have mickle desires and yet will to have right nought, when we hold that we have to our need and not to our lust. Right as he sometime that hath nought coveteth to have many things; right so he that seemeth to have many things hath right nought, for that that he hath he loveth it not, save only for his bodily need. Truly it behoves the most perfect to take necessaries, else were he not perfect if he refused to take that whereof he should live.

This is the manner for perfect men to keep: all worldly goods for God to despise, and yet to take of the same meat and clothing; and if this want at any time, not to murmur but to praise God; and as much as they may to refuse superfluities. The warmer a man waxes with the heat of everlasting light, the meeker shall he be in all adversities. He that is truly and not feignedly meek holds himself worthy of being despised, and neither by harm nor reproof is provoked to wrath. Wherefore lowing himself to continual meditation, it is given him to rise to the contemplation of heavenly things, and the sharpness of his mind being cleansed as the sickness of the flesh suffers, it is given him to sing sweetly and burningly with inward joys. And truly when he goes to seek any outward thing, he goes not with a proud foot, but only joying in high delights anon with the sweetness of God's love is as it were ravished in trance, and being ravished is marvellously made glad.

Such forsooth is contemplative life if it be taken in due manner. By long use in ghostly works we come to contemplation of things everlasting. The mind's sight is truly taken up to behold heavenly things, yet by shadowly sight and in a mirror, not clearly and openly: whiles we go by faith we see as it were by a mirror and shadow. Truly if our ghostly eye be busy to that spiritual light it may not see that light in itself as it is, and yet it feels that it is there whiles it holds within the savour and heat of that light unknown. Whereof in the psalm it is said: Sicut tenebrae ejus, ita et lumen ejus; that is: And as the darkness thereof, so the light thereof.'

Although truly the darkness of sin be gone from an holy soul, and murk things and unclean be passed, and the mind be purged and enlightened, yet whiles it bides in this mortal flesh that wonderful joy is not perfectly seen. Forsooth holy and contemplative men with a clear face behold God. That is either their wits are opened for to understand holy writ; or else the door of heaven is opened unto them: that is more. As one might say: all lettings betwixt their mind and God are put back, their hearts are purged, and they behold the citizens of heaven. Some truly have received both these.

As we, standing in darkness, see nothing, so in contemplation that invisibly lightens the soul, no seen light we see. Christ also makes darkness His resting place, and yet speaks to us in a pillar of a cloud. But that that is felt is full delectable. And in this truly is love perfect when man, going in the flesh, cannot be glad but in God, and wills or desires nothing but God or for God. Hereby it is shown that holiness is not in crying of the heart, or tears, or outward works, but in the sweetness of perfect charity and heavenly contemplation. Many truly are molten in tears, and afterwards have turned them to evil; but no man defiles himself with worldly business after he has truly joyed in everlasting love. To greet and to sorrow belong to the newly converted, beginners and profiters; but to sing joyfully and to go forth in contemplation belongs but to the perfect.

He therefore that has done penance for a long time, whiles he feels his conscience pricking for default knows without doubt that he has not yet done perfect penance. Therefore in the meantime tears shall be as bread to him day and night; for unless he first punish himself with weeping and sighing he cannot come to the sweetness of contemplation. Contemplative sweetness is not gotten but with full great labour; and with joy untold it is possessed. Forsooth it is not of man's merit but God's gift. And yet from the beginning to this day a man might never be ravished in contemplation of everlasting love unless he before had perfectly forsaken all the vanity of the world. Moreover he ought to be used in healthful meditation and devout prayer before he come truly to the contemplation of heavenly joys. Contemplation is sweet and desirable labour. It gladdens the labourer, and hurts not. No man has this but in joying: not when it comes, but when it goes, he is weary. O good labour to which mortal men dress them! O noble and marvellous working that those sitting do most perfectly! It behoves that he take great rest of body and mind whom the fire of the Holy Ghost truly enflames.

Many truly know not how to rest in mind, nor yet to put out void and unprofitable thoughts, and cannot fulfill what is bidden in the psalm: Vacate, et videte quaniam ego sum Deus; that is to say: Be void from worldly vanity and see, for I am God.' Truly the void in body, and wavering in heart, are not worthy to taste and see how sweet our Lord is - how sweet the height of contemplation. Truly ilk man contemplative loves solitariness so that the more fervently and oftener, in that he is letted of no man, he may be exercised in his affections.

Then, therefore, it is known that contemplative life is worthier and fuller of meed than active life. And all contemplatives by the moving of God love solitary life, and because of the sweetness of contemplation are especially fervent in love. It seems that solitary men raised by the gift of contemplation are high and touch the highest perfection. Unless it happen there be some in such state that they have come even with the height of the contemplative life, and yet they cease not to fulfil the office of the preacher. They pass these other solitaries - highest in contemplation and only given to godly things, not to the needs of their neighbours - their degrees being like, and for their preaching they are worthy a crown that is cleped aureola. Truly a very contemplative man is set towards the light unseen with so great desire that ofttimes he is deemed by man as a fool or unwise; and that is because his mind is enflamed from its seat with Christ's love. It utterly changes his bodily bearing, and his body departing also from all earthly works it makes God's child as a man out of his mind.

Thus truly whiles the soul gathers all the self into endless mirth of love, withholding herself inwardly she flows not forth to seek bodily delights. And because she is fed inwardly with liking pleasure, it is no marvel though she say sighing; Who shall give thee me, my brother, that I may find thee without, and kiss thee?' That is to say: loosed from the flesh I may be worthy to find Thee, and seeing Thee face to face, be joined with Thee withouten end. And now man despises me.' A devout soul given to contemplative life and fulfilled with love everlasting despises all vainglory of this world, and, joying only in Jesu, covets to be loosed. For why she is despised by these that savour and love this world, not heaven, and grievously languishes in love, and greatly desires with the lovely company of the angels to be given to the joys that worldly adversity can not noy.

Nothing is more profitable, nothing merrier, than the grace of contemplation that lifts us from these low things and offers us to God. What is this grace but the beginning of joy? And what is the perfection of joy but grace confirmed? In which is kept for us a joyful happiness and happy joy, a glorious endlessness and everlasting joy; to live with the saints and dwell with angels. And that which is above all things: truly to know God; to love Him perfectly; and in the shining of His majesty to see Him and, with a wonderful song of joy and melody, to praise Him endlessly. To whom be worship and joy, with deeds of thankfulness, in the world of worlds. Amen. Thus endys the xij chapetyrs of Richarde Hampole into englys translate be ffrere Richard Misyn, to informacioun of Cristyn sauls. Anno domine Millimo cccc xxxiiij. </div2>

NOTE i., p. 12, - This passage, beginning Euigilans vero animam meam' to the end of the chapter, is found in early printed editions of Bonaventura's works as the prologue to a treatise called the Incendium Amoris. But both the prologue and the title are said to be spurious in the exhaustive edition of the works published by the college of S. Bonaventura. De titulo huius opusculi et de prologo illo Evigilans vero animam meam, qui certissime spurisu est, cum nec in primis editionibus nec in codicibus, exceptis tribus valde recentibus, inveniatur' (Ad Claras Aquas, vol. viii. p. 3, 1989). This is interesting as freeing Rolle - at any rate in this case - from the charge of incorporating the writings of others in his works. Not that the charge was a serious one in those days, when the pride of authorship was unknown. Rolle's aim was to kindle men's hearts to love God; by his own words if he could, or if he found his thoughts better expresses by another, he would gladly use what that other had written or said. NOTE ii., p. 13. - L. reads: 'eo de iure apciores essent ad amandum'; which Misyn translates literally. C. the more abyll to lufe be lawe thai ar.'

Chapter I Note iii., p. 16 - C. reads: for thai vnmanerly wyth warldly mone has armyd tham self.' But L. quia terrenas pecunias immoderate amauerunt'; which is probably correct, and which I have therefore followed. Note iv., p. 17 - an omission in C. L., reads: Erumpit enim in ostensione operis feruor amoris.' Note v., p. 18 - Another omission L. et qui ad amandum deum semper sunt auidi.' Chapter II Note vi., p. 20 = The Bible references are to the Vulgate of Sixtus V and Clement VII, and where the A.V. differs the reference to the latter has been added. I have not been able to trace the source of Rolle's quotations. They often differ slightly from the Vulgate, nor do they follow the Vetus Itala. Most probably Rolle quoted from the missal or breviary, or possibly he may have relied upon his memory which has sometimes played him false. (Eccli. = Ecclesiasticus. Eccl. = Ecclesiastes.)

Note vii. p. 20 - A difficult passage. I give both the Latin and Middle English in full. L. Porro perfecti qui in hanc excellentem abundunciam eterne amicicie assumuntur in preclaro calice caritatis melliflue, dulcore indebibili iam imbuti viuunt atque in almiphono amenitatis archano in animum suum hauriunt felicem ardorem quo iocundati iugiter inestimabilem habent interni electuarii confortacionem.' And C. Parfyte forsoth that in to his passynge plente of endeles frenschyp ar takyn. taght with swetness that sall not waste. new lyffe in the clere chales of full swete charite. And in holy counsaill of myrth thai drawe into there saules happy hete. with the whilk thai gretely gladdyd has gretter comforth then may be trowyd of gostely letwary.' Note viii., p. 21 - This is the only passage in the Incendium where Rolle breaks into rhythm: L. O deus meus, O amor meus Illabere mihi, Tua caritate perforato, Tua pulcritudine vulnerato, Illabere, inquam, Et languentem' and then he continues: consolare medicina tu miseri; ostende te amanti; ecce in te est omne desiderium meum, omne quod querit cor meum,' etc. Dr. Horstman takes this absence of rhythm as one of the proofs of the later date of the Incendium, since the Melum Contemplativorum, a much earlier work, is constantly broken up into verse.

Note ix., p. 21 - L. reads: nec me aliquando deseras quem tanto tui desiderio cernis flagrare,' but C. has: Forsake thou neuer hym that thou feles so swetely smel in thi desyre'; misreading flagrare for fragrare. Chapter IV. Note x., p. 27 - There seems some corruption here. L. et quasi in organo ascendit in altum concupitum clarificantem contemplari'; and C. '& als wer goyng to heghe clere desyre in noys of organes to be contemplatyue.' The difficulty here is contemplari,' which I have altered in the text to contemplation.' Chapter V. Note xi., p. 30 - Rolle seems here to have sacrificed clearness for the sake of alliteration. L. reads: Quamobrem capaces gaudii amoris et concipientes calorem qui non potest consumi concurrunt in canticum clari concentus et armonie amorose, atque in amenitate amicabili obumbracionem habent celitus infusam, contra omnem estum lenocinii ac liuoris.' And C. ffor whilk thinge takars of lufly ioy & heete consauand that may not be consumyd in songe thai ryn of clene company & lufly armony. And in frendely myrth heuenly thai haue in yett a schadow agayne all hete of lychery & fylth.'

Note xii. p. 30 - In this passage the sense seems subordinated to the alliteration. L. Hinc est vtique quod sine memore moriuntur, immo cum gaudio gradientes, et tam grandem gradum eleuantur in eternis honoribus et consistunt coronati in copiosissima creatoris contemplacione continentes cum choris clarissimis, qui eciam ardencius anhelant in essenciam ipsam omnibus imperantem.' And C. Herefore treuly it is that thai withouten heuynes dy sothely with Ioy passand vnto so grete degre in endles worschip. thai are lyft. and ar crounyd in behaldynge moste plentevous of per makar. syngand with clerist wheris the whilk also more byrnyngly desiris in to that godhede that reulys all thinge.' Note xiii., p. 31 - This idea often occurs; compare Prol., p.13; and Bk. II. ch iii, p. 142. It iscommon in most mystical writers, and many illustrations might be quoted from the Fioretti of S. Francis. For example brother Giles once praised Bonaventura's learning, and the latter replied that a poor old woman could love God better than a learned theologian. Thereupon Giles cried out to an old woman who was pasing, that she loved God better than Bonaventura. Chapter VII

Note xiv., p. 35 - The Latin brings out the meaning more clearly. L. quia et vna est maiestas trium personarum, plena et perfecta et quelibet persona in se plenam continet maiestatem, equalitatem quidem et ydemptitatem habens secundum deitatis substantiam et diuersitatis distinccione non carens secundum vocabuli proprietatem.' Property is here used in the scientific sense. Compare the Prayer of Humble Access: ' Whose property is always to have mercy.' Note xv., p. 36 - An omission in C. L. reads: et filius non minor est in patre quam in se.' Note xvi., p 36 - In the shorter versions of the Incendium this chapter begins here, with the words: Nichil enim tam suaue est sicut diligere christum.' Chapter IX Note xvii., p. 43 - There is some corruption here. C. reads: And noudyr pai will be ouycumyne, with auctorite ne resun pat pai sult not be sene hawstande haue sayd pat wer vnacordyng.' And L. et nec auctoritate nec racione possunt vinci ne videantur victi et incongruum protulisse.' Some word is wanted to translate victi, but hawsande seems to be a mistaken writing ofr baue said which follows it; nor is it found in A. It would be interesting if anyone could throw light on this passage.