of the contemplation of god i limpzte. L. xii.

A
Antemplation or contemplation life hath there part is. y is
for to seie. I lesson, orison, meditation in lesson redy nge
and stud y nge, god spekith to vs in preping we speke to god m
lesson stud y nge. // ye angelis of henn come don to vs. //
zeuyn vs trewe vndyrstondyn. // and teche vs y we here not.
In our prepinge angelis also cii don to vs i take our preyers
and offeryn hem vp to ye fadiv of hemyn. // for yei ben ful
glade of oure pfizte i oure spede. // for yei ben massageris be
tivene god i vs. // se eyng is a wilful desir send to god for vs.
and whan he cunmyth to pe presence of god. // he hath so meche
ioie of his message. // yat he wil neui passe a wey. til he hane spes
pe nedis y he was sent for. // aftir lesson i orison minste a man
take dyntyne contemplation. to lesson longith reson i sekynge of
trewithe. pe whiche is ligt of gte markid on vs. // to preyer longith
ypmnes i holypsalmpys w pe orison y god made denontly schemid
to god. // And w minste preying a man yal cii to contemplation.
To holy meditacon longith dyntyne mspnacón. vndrystondying.
Wisdom. and cunyge, fyzing. wepyng. And lone longynge and
alle man of ioie i gladnesse m swetnesse of lemynge. // If it wer
askid of me what contemplacion is. // I wold seie it were not
lizt to answere to y question. // Sunen seyne yat contemplacion
is knowige of pming pat ben ind now. And yulb be knowy m
tyne to cii. // Ellis. fendent i studyinge of holyscripture. op
me seyne i y vith wil. // yat contemplacion is ioie of henenly
pming. // The thzide seyne alý beste. yat contemplacion is ferriet
ioie w grett lone yat may be reisid vn to god. // and yat còtemplacón
sleth i distroith alle flesthetys affecions. // and it sempth to me yat
contemplacón is a brennyg ioie m pe lone of god. taký m swetnesse
m manys niède be comfor te of angelis of heny. yis ioie of orison

W'pfezte denocön bringth a mâ to trewe pfecony. / yer is no man
pat is alienyd from god be p'ime þ may ioie in ilhin ne in pe lone
of hym. / But þ hath solewyd ony tyme pe swetnesse of ilhin.
he longith et seizt to enevesse in þ lone ei more et more. / And for
to be vndr'et iþ pacience meknesse and w alle maner of den
nesse of bodyt of soule. / And be reisid vp to contemplacony w
brenmpnge et trewe deuocony. seke he besylyt cese not þ wil eu
to contemplacony gostly vertues be pe which he may be made
dene in pis lif of wrecchidnesse et of blame. / And in pe tover
lif be fre of al peyne. / And m pat blisfyd lixe resepne ye heze
rewarde þ god hath or deynyd to his sernauntis in blisse w
outyn ende. no man be slonz to occuppe hi selfe w boddylý la,
bonne in denoute preieris et holý pmingis. / For w gostly
laborýngis forwýngis et wepýngis and w ferment lone of
criste. he is brente in hym selfe. / And his mende is reisid
holý from erde to henen. / And al mani of vertues et ziftis of pe
holý goste pozit grace ben sched in to his soule. / who so wil hane
contemplacony. he unisté be gyne at wilful poite. / And no
pinge desire of al pis wozilde. but þ is nedefuil to hym. And
to lene be fore god et man instlyt et sobrily. w pete. et w m'icý.
no pinge for to hane. sum tyme it is of nede. / for we may
no bettir. / for we wolde fayne hane if pat we mpzte. / but
pat poite is ltil wo the or nonzte. / But for to wilne to
hane no pinge but pat vs nedith. pat ponerte is of grett
vertu. / We may hane many pmingis et many richeffe. / et
zit we mo'n wilne to hane vith nonzt. / for when we
hane pmingis þ we kepe not from fle schely lustis. but to
holde he to vs only for oure nede. / As fù tyme he þ nonzt
hath cometh manyp pmingis pat ben necessarie to hym.
W' outyn pe whiche he mpzte not wil lenyn in reste of

body and of alone. / And pus be homely a pfizte man to take. And  
ellis is he not pfizte, if he refiſe to take yo ymge where by he  
yuſd leue. / And pis man of leuynge muste pfizte men hane  
pat ye diſpise for pe lone of god alle yingis of pis woſlde.

and zit nepeles pei yuſd take helynge ſ fedynge of po ymgiſ  
pat pei diſpise aftir her nede. / But pe ſupſuſperte of alle po yingis  
pei diſpise ſyn. / And pons pei failyn pat hem nedith. / pei gruſhyn  
not. / And what pei moive a bonyn her nede. / Wilfully pei for take  
ſomeche more as pei ben in patiente ſufferynge here. / In ſo mech  
pei ben ye heier in pe bliſſe of henen. / ſiche for is contemplatiſh  
life. / Y if it be take rithfully ſ longe of ye woude w werkis of goſchye  
goodneſſe. / It drawithe pe louer pe ioies of henp to. / For ſott  
holy contemplatione men ſene ſ felyn in her ſonlie. / Pe ioies  
of henp. for pat is pfizte lone. / When a man here in fleſchely  
can ſynde no lone but only in god. And he wol no ymge desire  
but god and for god. her it ſennyth wille. pat holyneſſe is not  
in crying of yme herte. ne in weppnge of yme eze. ne in pi  
werkis ouſte werde. / But in ſwetneſſe of pfizte charite. And  
holy contemplation. / goodneſſe of lenen is clerely knoweyn.

any men wepe for her ſynne to day And to morwe pei tur  
yn azen per to. / And make he ſelpe wol ſome pan pei were  
be fore. / But for sothe yer was neir man pat ioed hym  
ſelpe trewe. / Howely in yme lone ſ niftly was sett in charite. p  
ei aft pat ſyme deſoulyd hym ſelpe w beſynesse of pis woſlde  
weppnge ſoſwypnge for olde ſynnes is office of yo men pat  
newly be turmyd to god. / But for to iopen of contemplation  
m onre lozde ilſi criste and neil be ſorp for none aduſite pat  
maſ falle to hem is of trewe pfizte men. / per iche man be  
ware. / Alle pons p hane longe tryme lyued in penance. And  
zit he felith gremynge of conscience. / Wete he wele pat zit he

Hath not fulfillid pfizte penance, / and per for his bred yable be
weppynge of his drynte henenesse of mornynge bothe myth and day
til he fele his conscience purgid from gurathynge eche man
knowe trewly. / yat he may neи to ye swetnesse of contem-
platon. / W onteweppynge of teres and holyp meditations.
Swetnesse of contemplaton may neirr be hade w ontegrete
tranaile, w gret ioie it is hade. / But not be manys merite.
But specially wy zeſte of god. / for sothe was neirr man
from ye be gennyge ye woſlde vn to yis day þyrnzte be ra
neschid m to contemplaton of ye endeles lone. / But firſte he
for soke pfiiztly alle ye vepne ioie of yis woſlde. / And for sothe
it be honyth a man instlye and contemnielly. / for to vse leſon, medi-
tation, and orſon. of yan he eiu to contemplaton of henenly
pyngis. / Contemplaton is laboronſe. / But it is al in swetne
and in ioie. / ye more a man takith per of ye more he desfrith.
yis labour greath noth. / But it ioneth alle po men pat may
catche onp pte per of. / no man may tranaile pnis, but in gret
ioie, / but many men per ben yat may not ne time not tra
naile pnis. / for yei wolde not drynte awep fiu hem, vndene ponsz
and viprofitable and fulfillyn pat ye pſizte biddith hem. / Tafte
ze and ſe how swete god is. / how soſte is ye heyznesse of contempla-
tion, for eu a contemplatife man lone to be a lone. / y he may ye
more stronglye and denoutly w ontelettynge. ſchewe or to ye ppenſtes
of his herte to his lone and to his londe ihin sothe it is. þ контempla-
tife life is more wort hy in ye pizte of god. yan actife. / for alle ye
men of swete contemplaton be moste brennyng in ye lone of god. &
hezefte in degre as men deme, / but if be so pat ſu in ye ſame state
of contemplaton, to fulfille ye offite of pchynge yei tefyn not. /
po men paffyn in mede be ordypnance of ihin crifte. / alle þo þen
ſolitarie men. / be yei neirr soheze in contemplaton. / for pchyrig

["prizeth to all men, that we may, in our own hearts, so live, that we may be worthy of the name of Christ. But if any of you be so blind, that he cannot see the light of day, let him be converted, and take up your cross, and follow Christ, then he shall see the light of day, and be converted, and take up your cross also. But if any of you be so blind, that he cannot see the light of day, let him be converted, and take up your cross also. And if any

gornge. Or in ony oy good dede dopynge hath euil lone pnynge and
oste sithe yer of drempnge. For y þ þ lone ye I wole pe þ þ myth hane
pe as I wolde. Not to me but to my londe. I wolde be tii a messager
to henge pe to pis bed. pat hath made pe and bomzte pe crift pe Fyn
gis sone of hene. For he wolde wedde if þ wilte lone hym. he asfith
pe no more but pime lone. And impn wil þ doste if þ lone hi. crift co
neith pime fairehed in soule. þ þ zene hi holy pime herte. And I þ
che not ellis. but þ þ do his wil And enfozne pe dary and wyth to leue
All fle schely lone and lykynse þ lettith pe to lone ihin criste verily.
For if pi
will and pime herte be holdyn to lone ony bodylý pnige. I you maiſte not
verily ſi pſizthý be compled to god. I in henyn be me ne orderis of anget.
Wiche be coteypyd i there ierarchies. The lowest ierarchie contepr Angeles.
Ar chauſelis. Vortutes. The myddis ierarchie conteypnýth potestates.
principatus. dnacces. The hepeſt ierarchie þ next is to god. conteypnýth
tronys cherubyn i ſeraphyn. The lourſte ordere is. angetus. The hepeſt
is. ſeraphyn. And þ ordre þ left is bryzt. is ſeuyn tymys. so bryzt as þ ſi ne.
And as þ ſeift þ ſi ne bryzt pan ye candel. pe candel bryzter pan þ mone.
þ mone bryzter pan þ ſterris. So all þ ordrys of angetus in henyn ben
eche oy bryzter pan oy. ſro angetus to ſeraphyn. This I ſepe to kynAPS
herte to coneyte þ falauſchyp of angetus. For all þ ben god ſt holy whan
þ þaſſe oute of pis world. þ yal be takyn m to her ordres. Biune to
the lowest. þ han lonyd god mekyl. Biune to þ myddys. þ han lonyd god more.

Biune to þ heiest. þ han moſte lonyd god. I ben brymyngeth in his lone. Iera
phyn is to ſepe brenmpng to þ wych ordre þ ben reſeypyd þ leſte coneitth
m þ worlde. And Wyche ſele moſte swetnesſe i god I han brennyſeſt hert
i his lone. To þ I wryte þ ſpecialſe. for I hope in þ more nood neſ ya in ony
opir. þ þ wyt zeue þ powth to ſiſſel in dede þ þ ſeyp is pſiztable for pin
soule. And þ life zene ye to i ye wyche þ maiſte holieste offre pi herte to ilin
crifte. And leſte be in besy ſnesſe m pis worlde. For if þ wyt stabelý lone

yod and bremyntey whyles þy art here. Wych ontyn doute yn fete is, or depnýd
for þful herful i oiful be for ye face of yod a monge þ holý angelis. For in þ same
degre þy pronde denplis fel doð. Ben meke men and womè criftis doðaris set
in. To hane iole i reste w owtyn ende, for a lytil schorte penance and tranaile
here in pis lif þy pei hane suffred for goddis lone, penenture þ ymkest now hard
to zeue yme herte from all erdely pning. fro idil speche, fro all fle schely lone. And
goo be in one to walke and prep i pmke ye iole of henyn i to hane compassion
of pe passion of ilhui criste. And to þmargine ye peyne of helle þ is or depnýd for
synful men, but vittely fro þ þ be vsyd per in. þ wilt pmke it hzther i swetter pa
en þ dedist omz erdly solace. As sone as yme herte is, touchid w þ swetnesse of ye
upn. þ wilt hane lutyl lufte to ye merthe of yis worlde. And when þ felist iole
in crift alone. Ý wolt lothe ye iole i comforte of erdely solace. For al þ melody
and richesse and dehtes þ al þ men in pis worlde can or depyne or pmke semyth
þ it is, but no yons i angre to mannys herte þ is verrilý bremynte i þ lone of
god. For he hath merpe i melodie of angelis, Songe as þ maist e wel wete if þ lene
alle ymy þ y lufthith fle schely. And hane noo pouzt of yme sybfrendis but for
sake al for godd lone. And only zeue yme herte to coneite goddis lone and to
prepse hpm i more iole þ walt fynde in hpm yan i can pmke. How myzte i
yan write it. I not if ony man be in suche lone. For eu þe herzer þ pe lif is. pe-
fewer folowers, it hath here, for many ymig drawyn men fro goddis lone þ
ý may here i see þ god comfortith his louens, more yan pei wene he doth þ
lone hý not. For pons we seme in penance w ontyn. We val hane meche iole
w iinne, if we or depne vs wypely to goddis fince. And sett in hym alle
ome ponzte and for sake vamte. And zeue al ome entent to vndrtonde
Wentynge. If þ hane sett yme deserte to lone. Here pese. in degrees of lone.
Go þ þ maist e rise fro on to an oyr til þ be at pe heiest, for i wyl not hide
foo ye þ i hope may turne ye to holinesse. The ferste degre of lone is. When
a man holdith pe ten tomaundementis. And krepith hym from pe. Wy.
dedly synmys and is stable in ye treuthe of holý cherche. And when a man
wyl not for ony erdely pmke wbathe god but trewelý stonde in his fince
i lafte þ m to his lyves ende. This degre of lone owithe ihe men to hane
þ wyl be sanpd. For no man may eu to henyn bit if he lone god i lye

hae here lykynge and her wylle in yis worlde in hell in pe topir worlde. And sime men be in peyne in mifesecon and angulfsche in pis lif. And haue henyn to her mede. For if pi frendis be eu'n eſe in hele and in welthe of pis worlde. Pon and pei bothe may be ye more in dzed tocun to ye ioie w' outy ende. If pei ben in penance or in ſekennesse or if pei lene rithwyſly. Pei may truſt to god to eu'n to his blesſe for in pis degree of lone pon yalt so be ſullyd in ſiſte of pe holypityste þ' you yalt haue no ſorow ne wepynge but for hyſtly pinge in for þ' ſyns and opir menpys. And aftir pe lone of ihu cruſt in mykynge of his paſſion. And pat Jwol þ' you haue mekyl mynde of it. For it wil lyndele pime herte to ſett at nonzt all pe god of pis worlde in al pe ioie þ' of. And to despre brænmpylly pelyzt of henyn w' anget and halowis. And whan pe herte is ordepynd holyply to ye ſince of god. And all worl DP werks put oute. Than xal þ' hane luſt to ſtele be pime on for to puke of cruſt and to be in mekyl prepynge. For pozn god poiztis in holypreperis. Pime hert xal be made bypynge in pe lone of ihu cruſt. And pan xal pon ſele swetnesse in hyſtly ioie but in prepynge in mykynge. And whan þ' arte be in one zene pe mede to ſeie pe ſalnps of pe ſantir in þ' poir in and aues. And take no tent pat þ' ſepe manp. But at þ' ſepe hem wele. And in al denocon þ' þ' may leſte vp pime herte to henyn. As it is to ſeie. VYJ. ſalnes in desire of cruſt lone hauynge pime herte on pime preper. Than. VYJ. C. not thynkynge þ' on til þ' it be halfyndele ion. Pe dempil is on tormen whan þ' standist ſtabelyp azens al his ſoudyngis in ſoth faſte charite and mekenesse. And puke oy me þ' j be not for zeyn in pi preperis þ' is a bonzte warde þ' þ' were dere w' eſte whos inyp me nedith. Jwol þ' þ' were eu'n idel but for to be eu'n ſpekynge of god or mykynge on hym. And principal þ' pime poizte be eu'n hauynge hym in mynde. And puke of his paſſion. My kynge pe watr he wepte in pe blood he swett. And ſithe ful ſore hym hette. To þ' his blood hym wette. When his ſcoyris mette. Ful faſte pei be eu'n hym to dynte. At pe peler ſwypnge. His ſapre ſaſt foulyd w' ſpytpnge. Pe pozn crounyd pe kynge. Ful ſore is þ' prickynge. As in my ioie in my ſwetynge is demp'd for to hynge. Layd was is hed. And naſlid was his ſete. ſaylid was is handis. In pſp'd was is ſide so ſemely in swete. Zakid al his white breste in red his bloode ſide. Than was his ſaire hew. His wondis depe in wide. In v. ſtedis of his fleſche.

the blood yan don gipde. As the stveme doth of the stonde his pepne is not to lyde. To pmke it is gret pete you dempd he is to dede. And nailid on tree pe brizt anget bred. Dreupn he is to dole pat is ome goftly god. And foonid as fool in henyn pe halves food. A wondr it is to se who so vndr stode. Hon god of maieſte was put vp on ye rode. But ſoth pan is to ſepe þ lone ledith pe ryngse. Æm hii ſo lone was leid but lone it was no rynge. Ithi reſepne my herte to pi lone me brenge. Al my desire þ arte. I coneite pi comynge Æ make me dene of ſpne. And lett us neur tynne. Kyndele myn fire w mme. pat I pi lone may wþne. And ſe pi face ihii in bliffe þ neur blyme. Ithi my ſoule þ mende. pi lone i to me þ ſende. Æ j map w pe wende. i to ioie w outþ ende. In lone pon woude my ponzt. And lifte my herte to ye. ye ſoule þ pou haſt bozte pi loner make it to be. But ye I coneite not pis worlde fro ye ſle. pou art þ j hane ſonzt. Pi face whan j may ſe. Æ make my ſoule dere. Whan j may tii pe nere. Pi melody to here. Of lone to here ſonge. Þ is laſtige so longe. Wilt pou be mpen loupuge. pat I pi lone may ſenge. If þ wilt pmke pis ein þ day Æ valt ſpnde gret swetnesſe þ pal draw pme herte vp to make pe falle in weppynge i m gret longyngse to ihii. And pi ponzt pal be vaneſtind A bony al erdely pmeſ a bony pe ſkie i pe ſtervis so pat pe eze of pe herte man loke in to henþ. And pa entrif þ in to ye thidde degre of lone i pe which Æ valt be in gret deſite i comfort. If pou mai gett iſte to come yel to. for I ſeue not þ pon or on þ opir þ redith pis pal do it al. for þ is m goddy wil þ cheſiſh whom he wil to do þ here is ſeide. or opir pinge on opir man as he zeunth me iſte to her heel. for dyſe men take dyſe zest of ome londe ihii crif and al pei pal be gett in pe ioie of henþ þ endith in charite. who so is in pis degre wisdom he hath i diſcreu to leue aft goddis wil. This degre of lone is depid contemplatif life þ louyth only to be w outþ ryngyngse i deue i ſpungyngse i ryngse at pe begyngnge whan Æ comeſt þ to. Pi goſtly enze is taken vp in to ye lizt of henþ and per i lumpned i iſte and keudeled of pe fier of cſt lone. To þ pou pal ſele verpli ye brenmpge of lone i pme herte en more lyſtynge pi ponzt god. And fill yngse pe ſul of ioie. And pa for hiznesſe of pme herte. Æ me preiers tirmýth i to ioiſul ſonge. i pi ponztis to melody Thane ihii is al pme desire. Al pi deſite al pi ioie al pi ſolace and al pi comfort. So þ

on hynm wil eiu be his ynge and in hyn all yme reste. Than ma
þ seie. I flepe t my herte waketh. Who mal to my leman s ay for his lone
me longith ay. All pat lonyth vamtes t specially of pis wozide t settith
her herte on ony opir pmise pâ of god. In to pis desye may pei not eu
ne i to pe topn desye of lone be for saped. For al wozoldy solace pe be
honyth to for sahe þ þime herte beholdith not to lone of ony creature ne
to ony besynesse of erch þ you may in silentie be eu stable t stalwozth in
herte t monthe lone god oure lozde zeue not to men t women faprehed
richesses t delius. For to sett her hertis on hem t dispende hê m sýme
but for pei wold know hyn þ lone hyn t yanke hê of al his ziftis. Ye
more is her schame if pei wbathe hyn. Pat he hath zonyn to hê manye
zest in bodp or i soule. For if we toueite to fle pe pepyne of helle t pe
pepyne of purgatori ys behonyth to vestrepne vs pfizthe from pelustes
et likpynis et firo pe euele delices et pe wrechid drede of pis lif. And pat
wordis soþwe be not in vs. But þ we holde eu oure herte faste in ilhû
criste et stonde manly azens temptacion. Zow I write a songe of lone þ
þ yalt hane delite i whan þ art lounynge ilhû Criste. Ay songe is in sizinne.
ay lone is in longynge, til I se pe my kynge so faire in pi schypynge so
fare i pe fauched in to pe lyst pou me lede. And i pe me fede. Pi lone make
tue to spede. Pat þ be eu my mede. Whan wilt þ come ilhû my ione t keim
tue from care. And zeue me ye þ i may se pe hainynge eu mare. Al my
toueynge were eu jf j myzt to pe fare. I wil no pmige but only pe þ my wil
were. I hû my sainour I hû my comfozt of al faurenesse pe floure my herte
and my sancour. Whan may I se pi touse. Whan wilt pou me calle. Me longith
t to pi halle t to se pe t hê alle pi lone lett it not falle. My herte pepntith þ
palle þ stondith vs i stalle. Zow waye j pale and wan. For lone of my
leman. I hû both god t man. Pi þ leid me pâ. Whan I to pe faste ran. For
pi uowe lone I tan. I sitte t syyne of lone longynge þ i my brest is bred. I hû
I hû. I hû. Wlne ne were I to pe ledde. Ful wele I wot pou seist my state i lone
my poutt is ledde. Whâ I see I dwelle w pe pan am I fillpð i fed. I hû pi lone
is fest. I me to lone ymke beste. Ay herte whâ it mai heste to eu to pe my
reste. I hû. I hû. I hû. to pe it is þ i mornne. For pi my lif i my lykynge whi ne