Note: this edition differs from the printed (TEAMS) edition as follows:

1. MS yogh is rendered as y and not g in words where modern spelling has g : e.g. yift, not gift; yeven, not geven.

2. MS spellings of second-person personal pronoun are kept as the or thee instead of normalized to thee. Likewise spellings of thee for modern English the are retained here.

3. Pronouns referring to the deity are not capitalized: e.g. him not Him.

4. Minimalist capitalization of ecclesiastical entities: e.g. “holy church,” not “Holy Church.”

5. Additions to the Cambridge MS are marked in dark red.

6. Substantial alterations or expansions of the Cambridge MS are marked in green.

7. Folio breaks marked in orange refer to Lambeth Palace MS 472.

In the notes, C refers to Cambridge, University Library, MS Additional 6686.

Walter Hilton

The Scale of Perfection

BOOK I

CHAPTER ONE

[fol. 4r] That the innere havynge schulde be like to the uttere.

Goostli suster in Jhesu Crist, y praye thee that in the callynge whiche oure Lord hath callyd thee to his servyse, thu holde thee paied and stond stedefastli thereinne, travailynge bisili with alle thyne[1] myghtes of thy soule bi grace of Jhesu Crist to fullefille in sothfastnesse of gode lyvynge the staat whiche that thou hast take thee too in likenesse and in semynge. And as thu hast forsaken the world, as it were a deed man turnyd to oure Lord bodili in sight of men; right so that thyn hert myght be as it were deed to alle ertheli loves and dredes, turnyd hooli to oure Lord Jhesu Crist. For wite thu weel, a bodili turnynge to God without the herte folwynge is but a figure or a likenes of vertues and no soothfastnesse. Wherfore a wrecchid man or a woman is he or sche that leveth al the inward kepinge of hymself and schapith hym withoute oonli a fourme and likenes of hoolynesse, as in habite and in speche and in bodili werkes; biholdynge othere mennys deedys and demyng here defaughtes; wenynge hymsilf to be aught whanne he is right nought; and so bigileth hymsilf. Do thou not so, but turne thyne herte with thy bo[fol. 4v]dy principali to God, and schape thee withinne to his likenesse bi mekenesse and charité and othere goostli vertues, and thanne art thou truli turned to hym.

I sey not that thou so lightli on the first day may be turnyd to hym in thi soule bi fulheed of vertues as thu may with thi bodi be speryd in an hous, but that thu schuldest knowe that the cause of thy bodili enclosynge is that thu myght the betere come to goosteli enclosynge; and as thi bodi is enclosid fro bodili conversacioun of men, right so that thyn hert myght be enclosid from fleisschli loves and dredis of alle ertheli thynges. And that thu myght the betere come therto, I schalle telle the in this litel wrytinge, as me thynketh. Thou schalt undirstonde that ther ben in holi chirche two maner of lyves, as Seynt Gregor seith, in the whiche Cristene men schul be saaf. That on is callid actif lif, that other contemplatif lif. Withoutin the ton of thise two may no man be saaf.

CHAPTER TWO

Of actif lif and of the werkes of it.

Actif lif lieth in love and charité schewyd outward in good bodili werkes, in fulfillynge of Goddis comaundementes and of the sevene deedys of mercy, bodeli and goostli, to a mannys even Cristene. This lif longeth to alle worldeli men whiche han richesse and plenté of worldli goodes, and also to alle othere whiche eithir han staat, office, or cure over other [fol. 5r]men and han goodis for to spende, leryd or lewyd, temporal or spiritual; and generali alle worldli men. They aren bounden to fulfille up here myght and here connynge, as reson and discrecion asketh. Yif he mykil have, mykil doo; yif he litil have, litil doo; yif he nought have, that thanne he have a good wille. These aren werkes of actif lif, eyther bodili or goostli.

Also a partie of actif lif lieth in grete bodili deedes whiche a man dooth to hymsilf, as greet fastynge, mykil wakynge, and other scharp penaunce-doynge for to chastise the fleissch with discrecioun for trespaces that been bifore doon, and bi sich penaunce for to refreyne lustes and likynges of it, and make it buxum and redi to the wil of the Spirit. Thise werkes, though thei ben actif, not for thi they helpen mykel and ordaynen a man in the bigynnynge to come to contemplatif lif, yif thei ben usid bi discrecion.

CHAPTER THREE

Of contemplatif lif and the werkes of hit.

Contemplatif lif is in perfight love and charité feelid inwardli bi goostli vertues and bi soothfaste knowynge and sight of God in goosteli thynges. This lif longeth speciali to hem whiche forsaken for the love of God al worldli richesse and worschipes and outeward besynesse and oonly yyven hem body and soule, up her myght and here kunnynge, to the service of God bi goosteli occupacioun. Now sithen it is so [fol. 5v]that thy staat asketh to be contemplatif, for that is the ende and the entent of thyn enclosynge, that thu myght more freli and entierli yyve the to gosteli occupacioun—thanne bihoveth the for to be right bisy nyght and day with travaile of bodi and of spirit, for to come to that lif as neer as thu may bi swich meenys as thu hopist were best unto thee.

Neverthelees bifore that I telle thee of the meenys, I schal telle firste a litil more of this lif contemplatif that thu myght sumwhat see what it is and sette it as a mark in the sight of thi soule wherto thu schalt drawe in al thyn occupacion.

CHAPTER FOUR

Of the first partye of contemplacioun.

Contemplatif liyf hath three parties. The first is in knowynge of God and goosteli thynges, geten by resoun, bi techynge of man and bi studie of hooly writ, withouten goostli affeccion and inward savour feelid bi the special yift of thee Hooli Goost. This party han speciali summe lettred men, and grete clerkes whiche bi longe studé and travaile in hooli writ comen to this knowynge, more or lesse, after the sutelté of kyndeli wit and contynuance of studie after the general yift that God yyveth to everi man that hath use of reson. This knowyng is good, and it may be called a partie of contemplacioun in as mykil as it is a sight of soothfastnesse and knowynge of goostli thynges.

Neverthelees it is but a figure and a [fol. 6r]schadewe of verry contemplacioun, for it hath no gosteli savoure in God ne the inwarde swetnesse of love, whiche may no man feele but he be in mykil charité. For that is the propir welle of oure Lord, to the whiche cometh noon alien. But this maner of knowinge is comone to gode and to badde, for it may be had withoute charité. And therfore it is not veri contemplacion, as ofte sithes heretikes, ypocrites, and fleisschly lyvynge men han more sich knowynge than many trewe Cristene men, and yit han thise men noo charité. Of this maner of knowynge speketh Seynt Poul thus: Si habuero omnem scienciam et noverim misteria omnia, caritatem autem non habuero, nichil sum (1 Corinthians 13:2). Yif I hadde ful knowynge of alle thyngis, yhe, and y knewe al privytees and I hadde no charité, I am right nought. Neverthelees, yif they that han this knowynge kepe hem in mekenesse and charité, sich as thei han, and fleen worldli and fleischly synnes up her myght, it is to hem a good wey and a gret disposynge to veri contemplacion yif thei desiren and prayen devouteli after the grace of the Hooli Goost.

Othere men whiche have this knowyng and turnen it into pride and veynglorie of hemsilf, or into coveityse or desirynge[2] of worldli staatis, worschipes or richesses, not mekeli taken it in praisynge of God, ne charitabli spenden it in profight of here evene Cristene, summe [fol. 6v]of hem fallen oither into errours and heresies, or into othere opyn synnes bi the whiche thei sclaundren hemsilf and al holi chirche.

Of this knowynge seyde Seynt Poul thus: Sciencia inflat, caritas autem edificat (1 Corinthians 8:1). Knowynge aloone bolneth up the hert into pride, but medle it with charité and thanne turneth it to edificacion. This knowynge aloone is but water, unsavery and cold; and therfore yif thei wold mekeli offre it up to oure Lord and praye hym of his grace, he schulde with his blissinge turne the water into wyn as he dide for the praier of his moder at thee feest of Architriclyn. That is for to seie, he schulde turne the unsavery knowynge into wisdoom and the colde naked resoun into goosteli light and brennynge[3] bi the yift of the Holi Goost.

CHAPTER FIVE

Of the secunde partye of contemplacion.

The secunde partie of contemplacion lieth principali in affeccioun, withoute undirstondynge of gosteli thynges, and this is comonli of simple and unlettrid men which yyven hem hooli to devocion. And this is feelid on this maner.[4] Whan a man or a woman in meditacioun of God feelith fervour of love and gostli swettenesse, bi mynde of his passioun or of ony of his werkes in his manhede; or he felith greet trust in the goodnesse and in the merci of God, of foryyvenesse of his synnes and for his grete yiftes of grace; or ellis he feeleth drede in his affeccioun with gret rever[fol. 7r]ence of the pryvey doomes of God which he seeth not, and of his rightwisenesse; or in praier he feelith the thought of his herte drawe up from alle ertheli thynges, streyned togedre with alle the myghtes of it, upstiande into oure Lord bi fervent desire and goostili dylite; and neverthelees in that tyme he hath noon opyn sight in undirstondyng in goostli thynges, ne of pryvitees of holi writ in special, but oonly that hym thenketh for the tyme nothyng liketh hym so mykil as for to praie or for to thynke as he dooth for savour, delite, and comfort that he fyndeth thereinne; and yit he can not telle weel what it is, but he feelith it wel, for oute[5] of it springeth many good[6] sweet teres, brennande desires, and many stille mornynges, whiche schoure and clensyn the herte fro al the filthe of synne, and maken hit melten into a wondirful swettenesse of Jhesu Crist, buxum, souple and redi to fulfulle al Goddis wille, in so mykil that hym thynketh he maketh no charge what come of hymsilf then, so that Goddis wille were folfillid, with siche many styrynges moo thanne y can or may seye. Thes felynges mai not be had without greet grace, and whoso hath hem, for the tyme I hope that he is in charité. Which charité may not be lorn ne lassed, though the fervour of it passe away, but bi a deedli synne; and that is counfortable. This may be [fol. 7v]called the secunde partie of contemplacioun.

CHAPTER SIX

Of the lower degré of the secunde partie of contemplacioun.

Neverthelees this partie hath two degrees. The lowere degré of this feelynge, men whiche aren actif may have bi grace whanne thei be visited of oure Lord, as myghtili and as ferventli as thei that yyven hem hooli to contemplatiff liyf and han this yift. But it lasteth not so longe. Also this feelynge in his fervour cometh not alwey whanne a man wolde, ne it lasteth not wel longe. It cometh and gooth as he wole that yyveth it. And therfore whoso hath it, meke hymsilf and thanke God, and kepe it prevey, but yif it be to his confessour, and holde it as longe as he may with discrecion. And whanne hit withdraweth, drede not to mykil, but stond in feith and in meke hope, with pacient abidynge til it come ayen. This is a litil tastynge of the swetenesse in the love of God, of the whiche David seith thus in the sautier: Gustate et videte quam suavis est dominus (Psalms 33:9). Tasteth and seeth the swettenesse of oure Lord.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Of the highere degree of the secunde partie of contemplacion.

But the highere degré of this partie may not be had ne halden, but of thoo that aren in grete reest of bodi and soule, the which bi grace of Jhesu Crist and longe travaile bodili and goostli [fol. 8r]felen rest of herte and clennesse in conscience, so that hem liketh nothynge so mykil for to do as for to sitte stille in reste of bodi and for to alwey pray to God and to thynke on oure Lord, and for to thynke sum tyme on the blissid name[7] Jhesu, which is maad confortable and delitable to hem, that they bi the mynde of it, felen hem feed in here affeccion. And not oonli bi that name, but alle othere praieres, as the Pater Noster or the Ave Maria or ympnys or psalmes or other devoute seyynges of holi chirche aren turnyd as it were into gostli mirthe and swete songe, bi the which thei aren comfortid and strengthed ayens alle synnes, and mykil relevyd of bodili dishese. Of this degree speketh Seynt Poul thus: Nolite inebriari vino sed impleamini spiritu sancto, loquentes vobismetipsis in ympnis et psalmis, et canticis spiritualibus, cantantes et psallentes in cordibus vestris domino (Ephesians 5:18-19). Be not drunken with wyn, but be ye fulfilled of the Holi Goost, seiande to youresilf in ympnes and psalmes and goostli songes, syngynge and phalmynge[8] in youre hertes to oure Lorde. Whoso hath this grace, kepe hymself in lowenesse, and that he be evermore desirynge for to come to more knowyng and feelynge of God in the thridde partie of contemplacioun.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Of the thridde partie of contemplacion.

The thridde partie of contemplacioun, whiche is perfite as it may be here, lieth bothe [fol. 8v]in cognicion and in affeccion: that is for to seie, in knowyng and in perfight lovynge of God. And that is whanne a mannys soule first is cleensid from alle synnes and reformyd bi fulheed of vertues to the ymage of Jhesu; and after whanne he is visitid and is taken up from alle ertheli and fleisschli affecciones, from veyn thoughtis and veyn ymaginacions of alle bodili thynges, and as it were mykil ravysschid out of the bodili wittes and thanne bi the grace of the Holi Gost is illumyned for to see bi undirstoondynge soothfastnesse, whiche is God, and also goostli thynges, with a soft swete brennande love in hym, so perfightli that bi ravyschynge of this love the soule is ooned for the tyme and conformyd to the ymage of the Trinité. The bigynnyng[9] of this contemplacioun may be felid in this lif, but the fulheed of it is kepid in the blisse of hevene. Of this onynge and conformynge speketh Seynt Poul thus: Qui adheret deo unus spiritus est cum illo (1 Corinthians 6:17). That is for to seie, whoso bi raveschynge of love is fastned to God, thanne God and a soule aren not two but bothe oon. Not in fleisch, but in oo spirit. And sotheli in this onynge is the mariage maad bitwixe God and the soule, which schal nevere be brokyn.

CHAPTER NINE

Of the twynynge of the thridde partie of contemplacion fro the secunde, and of praysynge of it.

[fol. 9r]That othir partie mai be called brennande love in devocioun, but this is brennande love in contemplacion. That is the lowere, this is the highere. That is the swettere to the bodili felinge, this is swettere to the goostli felynge, for it is more inward, more goostli, and more worthi and more wonderful. For this is verili a taastynge, and as it were a sight of heveneli joye, not cleerli, but half in derkenesse, which schal be fulfillid and opynli clerid in the blisse of hevene, as Seynt Poul seith: Videmus nunc per speculum in enigmate; tunc autem videbimus facie ad faciem (1 Corinthians 13:12). We seen now God bi a myrour, as it were in deerkenesse,[10] but in hevene we schulen see openli face to face. This is the illuminacion of undirstondynge in delites of lovynge, as David seith in the sautier: Et nox mea illuminacio mea in deliciis meis (Psalms 138:11). Mi nyght is my light in my delitees. That othere partie is mylk for children, this is hool mete for perfite men, which han assaied wittes to knowe the gode from the yvel, as Seynt Poul seith: Perfectorum est solidus cibus qui habent sensus exercitatos ad discrecionem boni et mali (Hebrews 5:14).

The wirkynge and the ful use of this yift may no man have, but yif he bee first reformed to the likenesse of Jhesu bi fulheed of vertues. Ther may no man lyvande in fleisch dedli have contynueli it[11] in his fulheed, but bi tymes whanne he is visited. And as I conceyve of the writynge of holi men, it is [fol. 9v]ful schort tyme, for soone after he falleth into sobirté of bodili felynge. And alle[12] this werke maketh charité. Thus, as I undirstonde, seid Seynt Poul of hymsilf: Sive excidimus, deo, sive sobrii sumus, vobis; caritas Christi urget nos (2 Corinthians 5:13-14). Whether we overpasse oure bodili wittes to God in contemplacion, or we aren more sobre to yow in bodily felynge, the charité of Crist stireth us. Of this partie of contemplacioun and conformynge to God speketh Seint Poul: Nos autem revelata facie gloriam domini speculamur, transformati in eandem ymaginem, a claritate in claritatem tanquam a domini spiritu (2 Corinthians 3:18). This is thus moche for to seie, Seynt Poul in the persone of hymsilf and of perfight men seith thus: We, first reformed bi vertues to the likenes of God se the face of oure soule unhiled bi openynge of the goostli iye, bihalden as in a myrour heveneli joye, ful schapen and oned to the ymage of oure Lord, fro brightnesse of feith into brightnesse of undirstondynge, or elles from clerté of desire into cleerté of blissid love. And al this is wrought of the sprite of oure Lord in a mannes soule, as Seynt Poule seith. This part of contemplacioun God yyveth where that he wole, to lerid or to lewed, men or women occupied in prelacie, and to solitarie also, but it is special and not comone. And also though a man which is actif have the yifte of it bi a special grace, neverthelees the ful use of it as I hoope may no man have, but he be solitarie and in liyf [fol. 10r]contemplatif.

CHAPTER TEN

How the schewynges to the bodili wittis and the feelynge of hem may be bothe good and yvel.

By this that I have seid myght thu sumwhat undirstonde that visiones or revelaciouns of ony maner spirite, bodili apperynge or in ymagynynge, slepand or wakand, or ellis ony othere feelinge in the bodili wittes maad as it were goosteli; either in sownynge of the eere, or saverynge in the mouth, or smellynge in the nose, or ellis ony felable heete as it were fier glowand and warmand the breest, or ony othere partie of the bodi, or onythinge that mai be feelyd bi bodili wit, though it be never so comfortable and lykande, aren not verili contemplacion; ne thei aren but symple and secundarie though thei be good, in regard of goostli vertues and in goosteli knowynge and loovyng of God.

For in vertues and in knowynge of God with love is noo disceit. But al swich maner of feelyng thei mowe by[13] gode, wrought bi a good angil, and they may be deceyvable, feyned bi a wikkid angel whan he transfigurith him into an angel of light. Wherfore sithen thei moun be bothe good and yvel, it semeth that thei aren not of the beste; for wyte thou weel that the devyl may, whanne he hath leve, feyne in bodili felinge the liknes of the same thinges whiche a good angil may worche. For as the good angil cometh with light, so can the [fol. 10v]devel, and so of othere wittes. Whoso hadde felid bothe, he schulde kunne telle whiche were gode and whiche were yvele, but he that nevere feelid neither, or elles but that oon, may lightli be disseyved.

Thei aren like in maner of feelynge oughtward, but thei aren ful diverse withinne; and therfore thei aren not to desire greetli, ne for to resseyve lightli, but yif a soule myght bi spirite of discrecioun knowe the gode from the yvele, that he were not bigiled. Seynt Joon seith thus: Nolite credere omni spiritui, sed probate si ex deo sit (1 John 4:1). Seynt Joon biddeth us, we schulde not leve everi spirit, but we schullen assaien frist whether he be of God or no. Therfore bi oon assaie, I schal telle thee as me thenketh.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Hou thu schal knowe whanne the schewinges to thi bodili wittes and the feelynge of hem aren good or yvele.

If it be soo that thou see ony maner of light or brightnes with thi bodili iye or in ymagynynge, othir than every man mai see; or yif thou here ony meri or wondirful sowninge with thi bodili eere; or in thi mouth ony swete sodayne savour, othir than of kynde; or ony heete in thi breest as it were fier; or ony maner of deelighte in ony partie of thi bodi; or yif a spirit bodili appere to thee as hit were an angel for to conforte thee and teche thee; or ony swich feelynge which thu woost weel it[14] cometh not of thiself ne of noo bodili creature—be thanne waar in that tyme or soone aftir and [fol. 11r]wisili bihoold the stirynge of thyne herte. Yif thou be stired bicause of that likinge that thu feelist, for to drawe oute thyn herte from biholdinge of oure Lord Jhesu Crist[15] and fro goostli occupacions, as from preiers, and thenkinge of thisilf and of thi defautis, fro the inward desire of vertues and of goostli knowynge and the feelinge of God, for to sette the sight of thin herte and thyn affeccioun, thi delite and thi reest principali therinne, wenynge that bodili feelinge schulde be a partie of heveneli joie and of angilis blisse, and for thi the thynketh that thu schuldest never pray ne thinke not elles, but al hooli tende therto, for to kepe it and delite thee therinne: this feelinge is suspect and of the enemye. And therfore, yif[16] it be never so likinge and wondirful, refuse it and assente not therto, for this is the sleighte of the enemy. Whanne he seeth that a soule yyveth him entierli to goostli occupacioun, he is wondirful wrooth, for he hateth nothinge more thanne for to see a soule in bodi of synne feele verili the savour of gostli knowinge and the love of God, the whiche he withouten bodi of synne loste wilfulli. And therefore yif he may not lette him bi opyn bodili synnes, he wole dere[17] hym and bigile him bi swich a vanité of bodili savoures or swettenesse in the wittis, for to bringe a soule into goostli pride and into a fals sikernesse of himsilf, wenande therbi that he hadde [fol. 11v]a feelinge of heveneli joye, and that he were half in paradise for delite that he feeleth al aboute hym, whanne he is neer atte helle gates, and so bi pride and presumpcion he myght falle into errouris or into fantasies or into othere bodili or goostli myschevys.

Neverthelees, yif it so be that this maner of feelynge lette not thyn herte fro goostli occupacion, but it maketh thee the more devoute and the more fervent for to pray, it maketh thee the more wise for to thenke goostli thoughtes; and though it be so that it stonyeth thee in the first biginnynge,[18] neverthelees aftirward it turneth and quykeneth thyn herte to more desire of vertues and encreseeth thi love more bothe to God and to thyn evene Cristen; also it maketh thee more meke in thyn owyn sight. Bi thise tokenes may thu knowe thanne that it is of God, maad bi the presence and the[19] touchinge of the good angil, and that is of the goodnesse of God[20] in confort of symple devoute soulis for to encrese ther trust and there desire to God, for to seke therbi the knowynge and the love of[21] God more perfightli for swich a[22] confort, or ellis, yif thei be perfight, that thei fele suyche a delite: it semeth than that it is an ernest,[23] and as it were a schadewe of glorifyynge of the bodi which it schal have in the blisse.[24] But I not whether ther be ony siche man lyvande in erthe. This pryvylegie hadde Marie Mawdeleyn, as hit seemeth to my sight, [fol. 12r]in tyme whanne sche was visited, whanne sche was[25] aloone in the cave thritti wyntir and iche day was born up with angelis into the eyr, and was feed bothe bodi and soule bi the presence of hem. Thus we reden in the legend[26] of hire.

Of this maner of assayinge of wirkynge of spirites speketh Seynt Joon in his epistil thus, and techeth us: Omnis spiritus qui solvit Jhesum, hic non est ex deo (1 John 4:3). Eche a spirit that looseth Jhesu or ellis unknitteth hym, he is not of God. Thise woordes may be undirstonde on many manerys; neverthelees upon oon maner I mai undirstonde to that purpos whiche y have seid.

CHAPTER TWELVE

What knetteth Jhesu to mannys soule and what looseth hym therfro.

The knyttyng and the festenynge of Jhesu to a mannys soule is bi good wille and a greet desire to hym oonli, for to love and[27] for to have hym and see him in his blisse.[28] The more goostli that he desireth,[29] the fastere is Jhesu knyt to the soule; and the lesse that he desireth,[30] the lousere he is knyt. Than what spirit or what felyng that it be that leeseth this desire and wolde drawe hit doun fro stable mynde of Jhesu Crist, and[31] from the kyndeli stiynge up to hym,[32] for to sette it upon himsilf, thys spirit wole unknytten and undo Jhesu from the soule, and therfore it is not of God, but it is of the wirkynge of the enemye. Neverthelees, yif a spirit, or a felynge, or revelacion[33] maketh his desire more, knytteth the [fol. 12v]knotte of love and of devocion to Jhesu fastere, openeth the sight of the soule into goostli knowynge more cleerli, and maketh it more meke in itsilf, this spirit is of God. Here mai thu see sumwhat that thu schalt not suffre thyn herte wilfulli for to reste, ne for to delite hooli, in no bodili thynge[34] of sich maner felinge,[35] confortes or swettenessis, though thei were gode; but thou schalt holde hem in thyn owen sight as thei were right nought or litil in regard of gostli desire, ne sette not to mykil[36] thyn herte upon hem.[37] But thou schalt ay seke that thou myght come to goostli feelynge of God; and that is that thou myght knowe[38] the wisdom of God, the eendelees myght of hym, the grete goodnesse of hym in hymsilf and in his creatures. For this is contemplacion and that othir is noon. Thus seith Seynt Poul: In caritate radicati, et fundati, ut possitis comprehendere cum omnibus sanctis, que sit longitudo, et latitudo, sublimitas, et profundum (Ephesians 3:17-18). Be ye rootid and groundid in charité, that ye may knowe, he seith, neither the sound of the eere, ne the swete savour in the mouth, ne siche bodili thyng, but that ye myght knowe and fele with alle halewes, whiche is the lengthe of the eendelees beynge of God, the brede of the wondirful charité and goodnes of God, the heighte of the almyghti magesté of hym, and the groundlees depnesse of the wisdom of God.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

How and in what thynges a contemplatif man schuld ben occupied.

In knowynge and in felinge gostly, [fol. 13r]in thise schulde be the occupacion of a contemplatif man, for in thise[39] mai be undirstonden the ful knowynge of[40] gosteli thynges. This occupacion is that thynge that Seynt Poul coveitede, seiynge thus: Unum vero, que retro sunt obliviscens, in anteriora me extendam sequor si quomodo comprehendam supernum bravium[41] (Philippians 3:13-14). O thynge, as who seith, is left to me for to coveite, and that is that I may forgeten al thynges whiche aren hyndward,[42] and y schal strecche unto[43] myn herte ay forward for to feele and for to gripe the sovereyne meede of the endelees blisse. Hyndward aren alle bodili thingis, foreward aren alle[44] goostli thinges; and therfore Seynt Poul wolde foryeten al bodili thyng, and his owen bodi also, forthi that he myght see goostli thynges.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Hou in resoun and in wille vertues bigynnen, and in love and in likynge it is eendid and maad perfight.

Now have y toolde thee a litil of countemplacion, what it[45] schulde be, for this entent, that thu myght knowe it and sette it as it were a mark bifore the sight of thi soule, and for to desire al thy lyvetyme for to come to ony partie of it bi the grace of oure Lord Jhesu Crist. This is the confoormynge of a soule to God, which may not be had but he[46] be first reformyd bi fulheed of vertues turnyd into affeccion. And that is whanne a man loveth vertu, for it is good in the silf.

There is many man that hath vertues, as lowenesse, pacience, charité to his even Cristene, and siche othere, onli in his resoun and wille and hath no goostli de[fol. 13v]lite ne love in hem. For ofte tyme he felith grucchinge, hevynesse, and bittirnesse for to doo hem, and neverthelees yit he doth hem bi strengthe and[47] stirynge of resoun for drede of God. This man hath vertues in resoun and in wille, but not the love of hem in affeccion. But whanne bi the grace of gode Jhesu, and bi goostli and bodili exercise, reson is turnyd into light and wil into love, thanne hath he vertues in affeccion, for he hath so wel gnawen upon the bittir bark of the note that he hath broken it and fedeth him with the swete[48] kirnel. That is for to seie, the vertues whiche weren first hevy for to do aren now turnyd into[49] delite and savour, as whanne a man liketh in mekenesse, in pacience, in clennesse, in sobirté and in charité, as in ony delices. Sothli whanne vertues be turned thus into affeccioun, he may have the secunde partie of contemplacioun, but to the thridde soothfastli he schal not come. Now sithen vertues aren so disposynge to contemplacion, than bihoveth thee for to use certayn meenes for to come to vertues.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Of the meenes that bryngen a man to contemplacioun.

Thre meenys there ben whiche men most comonli use that yyven hem to contemplacioun: redynge of holi writ and of hooli techynge, goosteli meditacion, and besi praeris with devocioun. Redynge of holi writ mai thu not wel use, and therfore thee bihoveth more occupye thee in prayer and in meditacioun. By meditacion schalt thou see [fol. 14r]hou mykil thee wanteth of vertues; and bi prayer schalt thou gete hem. Bi meditacion schalt thou see thi wrecchidnesse, thi synnes, and thi wikkidnessis, as pryde, coveytise, glotonye, leccherie, wikide stiryngis of envye, ire, haterede, malincolie, angrynesse, bittirnesse, sleughthe, and unskilful hevynesse. Thou schalt also see thyn herte ful of veyn schames and dredes of thi fleisch and of the world. Alle thise stirynges wole alwey boylen ought of the herte as watir wole renne[50] from the sprynge of a stynkande welle, and letten the sight of thi soule, that thu mai neither see ne fele clenli the love of Jhesu Crist; for wite thou wel, til thyn herte be mykil yclensid from sich synnes thorugh stedefaste trouthe and bisi biholdynge on Jhesu Crist in praieres and in othir good werkes,[51] thou mai not perfightli have goostli felynge of hym.[52] Witnessinge hymsilf in the gospel thus: Beati mundo corde quoniam ipsi deum videbunt (Matthew 5:8). Blissid be the clene of herte, for thei schullen see God. Also in meditacioun thou schal see vertues whiche aren needful to thee for to have, as mekenesse, myldenesse, pacience, rightwisenesse, goosteli strengthe, temperaunce, pees, clennesse, and sobirnesse, feith, hope, and charité. Thise vertues schalt thou see in meditacion, hou goode, hou faire, hou profitable thei aren, and bi prayer thou schalt desire hem and gete hem, withoute whiche thu may not be contemplatif. [fol. 14v]For Job seith thus: In habundancia ingredieris sepulcrum (Job 5:26); that is for to seie, thou schalt in plenté of gode bodili werkes and goostli vertues entre thi grave, that is the reste in contemplacioun.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

What a man schal use and refuse bi vertu of mekenes.

Now yif thou schuldest use wiseli thise goostli werkis and sikirli travaile in hem, thee bihoveth bigynne right lowe. Thre thinges thee nedith to have first, upon whiche as upon a siker ground thu schalt sitte al thi werk. These three aren mekenesse, siker feith, and hool entencion to God. First thee bihoveth to have mekenesse in this maner. Thou schalte holde thi silf in thi wille and in thi felynge, yif thou may, unable for to duelle amonge men or women, and unworthi to serve God in conversacion with his servauntis, unprofitable to thi even Cristene, wantynge bothe connynge and myght to fulfille gode werkes of actif lif in helpe[53] of thyn even Cristene, as othere men and women doon; and therfore as a wrecche, outcaste and refuse of alle men and women, art spered in an hous aloone, that thou schuldest dere no man ne woman bi yvel ensaumple, sithen thou canst not profiten hem bi good wirkynge. Over this, thee bihoveth loke forthere that sithen thou art so unable to serve oure Lord bi bodili werkis outeward, hou mykil more thee bihoveth holde thee unable and unworthi to serve hym goosteli bi inward occupacion. For oure Lord is a spi[fol. 15r]rit, as the prophete seith: Spiritus ante faciem nostram Christus dominus est (Lamentations 4:20). Bifore oure face a goost is oure Lord Jhesu Crist. And the kyndeli service to him is goostli, as he seith himsilf: Veri adoratores adorabunt patrem in spiritu et veritate (John 4:23). Sothfast servauntes schullen worschipen the fadir in spirit and sothfastnesse. Thanne thou that art so boystous and so lewed, so fleischli, so blynd in goostli thinges, and nameli of thyn owyn soule, which thee bihoveth first to knowe yif thu schuldest come to the knowynge[54] of God, hou schuldest thu thanne fele thisilf able or worthi to have that staat and the likenes of lif contemplatif, the which liyf, as y have seid, lith principali in goostli knowynge and lovynge of God? This y seie to thee, not for thou schuldest forthynke thi purpos and be myspaide with thyn enclosynge, but that thu schuldest fele this lowenesse soothfastli, yif thu myght, in thyn herte, for it is sooth and noo lees. And though thou fele thus, yit schalt thou yerne nyght and day up thi myght for to come as neer as thou myght to the staat that thou hast taken, trowand stedefastli that it is best to thee bi the merci of God for to travaile inne. And though it be so, that thu myght not come to the fulheed of it heere in this lif, that thu myghttest be here[55] in the bigynnynge of hit; and truste sikirli for to have the fulheed of it bi the merci of God in the blisse of hevene. For soothli that is my liff. I feele me so wrecchid, and so freel, and so fleischli, and so fer [fol. 15v]fro the trewe feelynge fro that that I speke and have spoke, that y ne can not ellis but crie merci, and desire after as y may with hope that oure Lord wol brynge me therto of his grace in the blisse of hevene. Do thou soo, and betir, after that God yeveth thee grace. The felynge of this lowenesse schal putte oute of thyn herte unskilful bihooldynge of othere myslyvynge and demynge of othere mennys dedes, and it schal dryve thee oonli to biholde thisilf, as ther were no man lyvynge but God and thou; and thow schalte deeme and holde thisilf more vile and more wrecchid thanne is ony creature that berith liyf, that unnethes thou schal mowe suffre thisilf for mykilnesse of synne and filthe that thu schalt fynde and fele in thisilf. Thus bihoveth thee for to feele sum tyme, yif thou wolt be verili meke; for I telle the soothli, yif thou wolt be truli meke, thee schal thenke a venial synne more grevous and more peyneful to thee, and gretter schal be in thi sight sumtyme, thanne grete deedli synnes of othere men. And that for this skile, that thynge whiche putteth thi soule or letteth it moost from the felynge of love[56] and knowynge of God, bihoveth to be moost grevous and peynful to thee. But a venyal synne of thisilf letteth thee more fro the felynge and fro the perfight love of Jhesu Crist thanne othere mennys synnes [fol. 16r]mai do, be it never so mykil. Thanne semeth it that thou schuldest arise up in thyn owen herte ayens thisilf, for to hate and deme in thisilf al maner of synne which letteth the from the sight of God, more bisili thanne ayens defautes of ony othir man. For yif thyn herte be clene of thyn owen synnes, sothli the synnes of alle othere men schullen not dere thee; and therfore yif thou wolt fynde reest here and in the blisse of hevene, up the counseil of oon of the hooli fadres seie every dai, “What am I?” and deme no man.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Who schulde blame mennys defautis and deme hem, and who not.

But now seist thou, hou mai this bee, sithen it is a dede of a charité for to undirneme men of here defautis, and for to deme hem for here amendynge, it is a dede of merci. As to this I answere as me thenketh, that to thee or to ony othir which hath the staat and the purpos of lif contemplatif it fallith not for to leve the kepynge of youresilf and underneme othir men of here defautis, but it were in wel greet nede, that a man schulde perische but yif he undernemyd hym. But to men which aren actif and han sovereynté and cure of othere, as prelatis and curates and swich othere, thei aren bounden bi there office and by wai of charité for to see and seke and deme rightfulli othere mennys defautis, not of desire and delite for to chastise hem, but oonli for nede, with drede of [fol. 16v]God and in his name, for love and savacioun of here soulis. Othere men that aren actif and han no[57] cure over othere men, thei aren boundyn for to undirnyme othere men of her defautis bi wei of charité, oonly thanne whanne the synne is deedli and may not wel be correctid bi noon othir man, and whanne he troweth that the synnere schulde be amendid bi undirnymyng. Ellis it is betere that he cese. That this is sooth, it semeth bi Seynt Joon, which hadde the staat of contemplatif lif, and Seynt Petir, whiche hadde the staat of actif lif. Whanne oure Lord in his laste sopeer with his disciples, atte the pryvey stirynge of Seynt Petir to Seynt Joon, toolde Seynt Joon how Judas schulde bitraie hym, Seynt Joon tolde it not to Seynt Petir, as he askide, but he turnede him and leide his heed upon Cristis brest and was raveschid bi love into contemplacion of Goddis privetees, and so medfulli to hym he foryaat bothe Judas and[58] Petir—in tokenynge and[59] in techynge of othere men which wolden ben contemplatif that thei schulden dispose hem for to doo the same.

Thanne seest thou heere sumwhat that thu schalt neither deme othere men, ne conceyve ayens hem wilfulli noon evel suspicion. But thu schalt love hem in thyn herte, sich as leden in the world actif lif and suffren many tribulacions and greet temptaciones which thu sittynge in thyn hous felist not of. And thei han [fol. 17r]wel mykil travaile for here owen and othir mennys sustenaunce, and manye of hem hadde wel lyvere serve God, yif thei myghten, as thou doost in bodili reste; neverthelees thei in here worldli bisynesse fleen many synnes, which yif thou were in here astaat schuldest falle in, and thei doon many good deedes whiche thou kowdest not doo. It is no doute that many doon thus; whiche thei are, thou wost not.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Whi meke men schal worschip othere, and lowe hemself in her owen herte undir alle othere.

And therfore thou schalt worschipe alle, and sette hem in thyn herte al above thee as thi sovereynes, and caste thee doun undir her feet, that thou be vileste and lowest in thyn owen sight. For it is no drede ne peril to thee, how mykil thou may lowe thiself binethe alle othere, though it were so that in Goddis sight thou hadde more grace than anothir. But it is peril to thee for to highe thee and lifte thisilf in thi thought wilfulli above ony othir man, though he were the mooste wrecche or the most synful caytif that is in erthe. For oure Lord seith: Qui se humiliat exaltabitur, et qui se exaltat humiliabitur (Luke 14:11). Whoso higheth hymsilf, he schal be lowed, and whoso loweth himsilf, he schal be highed. This partie of mekenesse thee bihoveth for to have in thi bigynnynge, and bi this and bi grace schalt thou come to the fulhede of it and of alle othere vertues. For whoso hath oon vertu, hath alle. As mykil as thu hast [fol. 17v]of mekenesse, so mykil haste thou of charité, of pacience, and of othere vertues, though thei be not alle schewid outward. Be thanne besi for to gete mekenesse and for to holde it; for it is the first and the laste of alle vertues. It is the firste, for it is the ground, as Seynt Austyn seith: Yif thu thynke to bigge an high hous of vertues, ordeyne thee firste a deep grounde of meknes. And also it is laste, for it is savynge and kepynge of alle vertues, as Seynt Gregor seith: He that gadreth vertues withouten mekenesse, he is like to hym that maketh and berith poudre of spicerie in the wynde. Doo thou nevere so many good dedis, fast thou or wake thou, or ony good dede that thu doo, yif thu have no mekenesse it is nought that thou doost.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Hou men schullen don that wanten the feelynge of mekenes in affeccioun, not dredynge over mykil therof.

Neverthelees, yif thou mai not fele this mekenesse in thyn herte with affeccion as thu woldest, do as thou may: meke thisilf in wille bi thi resoun, trowynge that it schulde be so as I seie, though thou fele it not. And in that holde thee a more wrecche, that thou may not feele sothfastli as thou art. And yif thu doo so, though thi fleisch rise thereayen and wole not assente to thi wille, be not to mykil adraad, but thu schalt bere thanne and suffre the fals feelynge of thi fleisch as a peyne. And thou schalt thanne dispise and repreve that feelynge, and breke [fol. 18r]