and to one holyn o'clocks aftir þe ele hem dispo sed. Also it longith genanlý
to sinne men þe han sonne ynte w mekil auer of worldyn good. And also han
as it were a lorde schep on o' men for to noine hem and sufte yne he. as a fa
dn hath on his chylde yn. Or a maist on his suantis. And a lorde on his te
nantis pe which men also han reseped of pe fre zest of god and of devo
cion in myte favour of no fthi occupatons. On to pese men longith also this
medlyd lif þe is both actif and contemplatif. for if pese me stondynget charge
e pe lorde schip which þe han takyn woldyn lenen vtturly pe besynesse of pe
worlde whiche o'r yn skylfulky to be vsed in fulfillyngse of her charge. And holyn
men zeue hem to lif contemplatif pei don not wel for þe kepepe ordre of charite.
for charite as þe knowiste liti both i loue of god of his eyn cristen. and þe for it
is resonable þe þe hath charite vse both i werkynge. Sior pe tone i now þe toper.
for he þe for pe lone of god i contemplacon lenth pe lone of his eure cristen i doth
noizth to hym as he owith whan he is bonde þe to. he fulfillith not charite. Also
on contiue wise who so hane so get rewarde to werkis of actif lif i to besynesse
of pis worlde þe for þe lone of his eure cristen he lenth nofthi occupatoun vtturly aftir
pe tyme þe god callyd hym per to he fulfillith not charite. pis is pe sepingse of sent
Gregori. for pi o're lorde for to stere men to vse medlyd lif. tooke vp on hym self
pe p'sones of suche maner men both of p'lat of holyn cherche i of o' suche as arne dis,
posid as i hane seped. And zaf to hem example by his o'r yn werkyn þe pe yulde vse
pis medlyd lif as he dyd. On a tyme he comande i medlede w men schemynge to hem
his dedis of mey. for he tanzte pe vncumynge by his prechynge. He vsitid þe seke
and helpd hem of her foris. He fed pe hingre. And confortyd hem þere were for. And
a noyn tyme he lefte þe consfacon of all worldyn men i of his disciplins also. And
went alone in to desert vp on pe hyllys and contempyd al pe myth i preperis as þe
yospel seyth. Yis medlyd lif schemyd ouer lorde to hem self. In example of al opn þe
han take þe state i pe charge of pis medlyd lif pei þe yulde on tyme zeue hem to be
fynesse of worldyn p'ing vp on resonable nede. And to werkis of actif lif i preft
of her eure cristen which pei han charge of. And a no'n tyme zeue hem holyn to
contemplacon denoute i prever i in meditatoun. this lif led i vsed holyn beschops
here be fore which had cire of menys soules. And myn estracoun of tempall
goodis. for pese holyn men lefte not vtturly þe myn estracoun ne lokynge i pe dis,

34

35

poynge of werdly goodis, and zeue hem only to contemplacion as mekil ite as þ had.

But pei lefte wol ofþn her owne wil to her refte in contemplacion whan pei had leuer a ben styl per at but for loue of her euþ cristen to entar metþ hem w werdly bespnesse in helppnge of her sogeth to sothly þ was charite, for wisely to discreel þ pei deptyd her lenynge i too. O tyme pei fulfylld pe lower pt y of charite be werke of actif lf þ pei were bownde þ to be takynge of her placie. And a no þ tyme þ fulfilled ye ptie of charite in contemplacion of god to mostly pmitis be preieris to meditate

wei had ful charite of god to her euþ cristen both in affeacion of her soules. And also in schewynge be bode ly werkis w owt e for the. Dy'n men pat

contemplatif to were fre fro al suche curis to placies. pei had ful charite to her euþ cristen. But it was only in affeacion of her soule not to owtewynge. And i hap so mekil it was ye more ful in warde that it was not odis oute warde, for pei myzte not ne pei nede not ne it loneth not to the.

e men þ were i placie to op men also þ were tempale men had ful charite in me. And þ is asþ ly pe medlyd lif, pat is made both of actif lif to contemplatif.

for suche a man þ is in spital souëpnte as i placie in care to in goimance to curat

or in temporal souëpnte as werdly lordis and maistris arne. I halde pis lif medlyd best to moste be hofly to men as louge as pei arne fre to not bownde þ to. But to op þ arne fre to not bownde to temporal mynefracon ne to spinal. I hope þ lif contemplatif a lone if þ myzte comen sothfastþ to. were best to moste speðful moste faire. And moste wor thi to hem for to vse to holde. And not for to leue it wilfully for none oute warde werkis of actif lif, but if it were i n yet nede to n yet relenpnye to confort pnye of op men opn of her bodyes or of her soules. Than if nede aftie at preier to in stance of op. Or ellis at pe byddynge of her souëpning. I hope it is good to hem to schewe owtewarde werkis of actif lf for a tyme in helppnge of her euþ cristen.

We pis þ i hane seide. pon mayst i ptie vndr'stonde whiche is on lif to whiche is a noyn lif to whiche is a cordynge moste vn to pi state of lenpnye. And sothly as me thinkith pis medlyd lif acordith moste to pe. Sithe oure lorde hath or depred þ to sett i pe state of souëpnte oinn op men as mekil as it is to lente pe habundance of werdly goodis for to reule to sustepne specialty al yo þ arne vndr. in goimance to pm lorde.

Sthip vp in myzte to pi comynge. And also w Al pon reseþyd ite of pe mercye of oure lorde god. For to hane sii knowynge of pi self to mostly desre to sauour of his lone.

I hope yis if þis is medlyd is beste. And a cordith moste to the to travaile þinne. And þis is for to depte wisely pi leupnge i too. O tyme to pe tone a nop þrme to pe toþ. for wete pou wel if þy lene nedefil besynesse of actif lif et be rekeles et take no kepe of pi werdlyt csood is how pei be spente e kepte ne hane no fors of pi sofettis et of pi euþ cristen be cause of desfure et wil þ þy hafte only for to zeue pe to nystly occupacion wenande þ þe arte per by eycusid if þy do so pou do fse not wisely. What arne al pi werkis worth the whi pei ben bodylý or nystly. but if pei be done iredfullyt et reasonable to pe wor schip to God at his byddynse sothly with nocht. Thanne if þy lene po pnisis þ þe an to. by pe were of charite vp euth et reſon and witt holly zeue pe to a nop þyr as it were for more plesance of hym whiche þe arte not fully boimde wor chip discreetly to hym. pon arte besre to wor chip his hened et his ened faire et coriouſly. But pou leueſt his body þe armes et pe feet raggi takist no kepe of. And þy pou wor chip hym not. ffor yt is a velonpe et coriouſly a raped vp on his hed þe perre et pious stones et al his body and bare as it were a begger. Rith so gosſly it is no wor chip to god for to his and lene his body bare. thon yalt vndrſonde þe oure lorde ilham crist is hened of a gosſly body whiche is holys chryche. The membris of pis body Al tristen men. Suime arne armes et ſiime arne feet and ſiime arne of medris aftwad ryd werknysis þ pei vſe m her leupnse. Thane if þe besre pe w al pi myzte for to a rapsy his hened. that is for to wor chip hym ſelf be mende of his passion or his opn werkis i his manhod be denocou meditatoy of hym. And for zetis his feet þarne pi wif. pi chyldryn. pi ſuautis. pi tenaitis. And al pi euyn tristen spille for pe deſante of keppnge vn rayed vn kepid. And not entendpd to as pei anſte to ben. thon doſt no wor chip to hym. thon makist pe to kipſse his mouthe be deuocion et gosſly prepers. But þredift vp on his feet et defoulſt hê. In as mekil as þy witt not tende to hem for neſligens of pi ſelf of þy whiche pou haſt take cure of. pnis pnakith me. ſterdeles if þ pake þ pis is not sothe. for it were a faire office to wor chip þ hened of hym. As for to be al day ocuired in meditatoy of his manhod. pan for to no lower to opn werkis et make dene his feet. As for to be besre bothe i ponzte et i dede a boute pe helpe of pe euþ cristê i tyme. Me pake not so. As vn to pe. Sothly he wil cime pe more panke for meke

waschynge of his fete whan pei arne fonle and spynkynge vp on pe. than for al
pe precions peyntegge and atapynge þ þ canste make a boute his hened
be mende of his maðoo. for it is faire j noro. And nedith not mekil to ben
arapid of pe. But his fete ð his oyn menbris þ arne pi songett ð pi eny cristene.
Arne finite tpime enyl arapid ð had nede to be lokid ð holpe bp y. namely spthy
þ pon art boimde þ to. And for hem he wil cime þ mekil yanke. If þ wilt mekely
and tendnely loke to hem. for þ more lowly fince þ pon doste to pi lorde. for þ lone
of hyn. On to ony of his menbris whan nede ð rithvisnesse aſkith w glad and
mefe herte. pe more þ plesift hyn. pynkynge þ it were j now to pe. to be at þ
leſte degre ð loweste state. ſith it is his wil þ it be soo. for it ſempth ſithe he hath
pitt þ in þ state for to tranaple ð ſue oyn men þ is wel þ you xuldift fulfil it vp
pi myzt. This example j seep to þ nowe. for you doste not pns as j sep. for I hope þ
doste pue ð bettir. But j wolde pou xuldift do pns gladly ð not puke lothe for to
leupn finite tpime goſtly occupacion ð entirunety þ w werdly be ſyneſſe. In myſe
kepynge ð ſpendynge of pi werdly ſoodis. In good reuſynge of yi ſuantis ð pi
tenantis. And oyn werkis dopnyge vij to al pi eny tristene vp pi myſht. But
þ pon xuldift done bothe werkis ð dpuſe tymes whiche as god wil þ oon as þ
opn if þ myth as if pou hafte preide ð ben occupied goſtly. you yalt terteyne
tpime breke of þ. And panyalt pon besily ð gladly oamppe pe in finite bodyly ocau
pacion vij to pi eny cristen. Also whan þ hafte ben beſp outwarde a whyle w
pi ſernantis or w oyn men pſiztable. pon yalt breke of þ and turne azen
to pi prepers ð pi deuocion aftir þ god zcuph þ eſte. And so yalt þ pitt a wep be
eſte. SLOWTHE. J diſnesſe. And vepne reſte of pi self þ comythe vndir colour of con
templacion ð letuth pe ſui tpime firo nedeſul ð ſpedeſul occupacion ð owtewarde beſyneſ
And pou yalt alwey be wele occupied oyn bodply or goſtly. þ fore if you witt do wel.
pou yalt do goſtly as jacob dede bodply. Holy rbit seythe his maſt laban he co
ueitpd rachel his maſtis douztr to his wif for hir ſaned ð for hir lonchyched.
but whan he wende han had rachel to his wif he toke fyſt lia pe top dorster
in ſtede of rachel And afturwarde he toke rachel and so he had boy a, pe laſte. By
Jacob i holy witt is vndir ſtonde an omir goer of ſyne. By pese too wome arne
vndir ſtonde as seynt Grecory septh too lyues i holy cherche aetif lif ð contemplatif
lif. lia is as meche for to seyne as tranualions ð betokeneth aſtis lif. rachel ſuth

of be gympunge þ is god et betokeneth contemplatiſt lif. Ua. was fruitful bit
ſche was ſore eryd. Kachel. was faire et lonelech
pāne rith as jacob coneitid. Kachel. for hane
had hir not when he wolde. but firſt he toua. And aſt'n warde hir. Right
ſo iche man turmyd be ichte et compination ſopeſaſtly fro ſynes of ye worlde
and of pe fleſche. On to pe ſiuyce of tyod et dēnes of good lempinge. Hathy
ret deſire et gret longpunge to han. Kachel. þ is for to hane veste et goſtіe ſwetneſſe
in deuocōn et contemplacōn of pe godhed. for it is so faire et so lonely. and i hope
for to hane þ ſuf only he diſpoſith hym for to ſne onre lorde w al his myztis.
but oftn when he had wende to an had. Kachel. þ is veste in deuocōn. Oure
lorde ſuſſreth hir friste to be a ſapid wel et tranauilid w. lia. þ is eipn w gret tēp
tacion of ye worlde or of ye deuyl. or ells w opn wordly be ſyneſſe. bode ly or
goſtly in helppunge of his eury caſten. And when he is wel tranauilid et nerhande
omr tomyn w hem. pame onre lorde zemyl hyn. Kachel. þ is ichte of deuocōn
and veste in conſience. And so now hath he bope. Kachel. and lia. So val þ doo
aſtr. pe example of jacob. take yſe too lyſis actiſ et contemplatiſ. Sithe god
hath ſent pe bope and vſe hem bope pe tone et ye topr. Be þ one ſup þ is actiſ.
pou yalt brýnyn for the frute of many good deſis in helpe of pi euery viſtene.
and be þ opn pou yalt be made faire brizt et dene in be heldpunge of ſome pynne
baitneſſe. þ is god behympunge et ende of al pinge þ is made. and pāne yalt
ben ſopeſaſtly. jacob. An oour noer et an on corner of al ſpnes. And aftur
pis be ye ichte of god pi name yal be chaingid as jacobis name was tipyd in to
J Israel. J Israel. J s as meche to ſeue as a man ſe浦ne nod. þ if þ be firſt. jacob.
and diſcreth vſe pese too liſes in tyme þ yalt aſtr ben J Israel. þ is wery conti
platze. eipn in pis lif. If he wil dehuer pe et make pe ſre from charge et beſe
neſſe. whiche pou arte boude to. or ells aftir pis lif fully in pe beſſe of heny
when þ comyſte pedir. Aſ contemplatiſ. J s ſapre et mecaſful. And þ fore þ
yalt ap hanc it in deſire. but þ yalt hane i vſpunge meche pe lif actiſ. for it is
ſo nedeſul et ſo ſpedeſul. And þ fore þ yalt be put fro pi veste in deuocōn wha
þ were leueſte to be ſtille þ at by pi wib pi chyldryn pi ſeuautis or be onp of
pi euery tristen for her pſſt or eſe of her herte ſailfully aſkid. be þ not anuید
w hem ne heuy ne dredful as if god wolde ben wrothe w þ if þ lempſt hym