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THE NEW
MEDIEVAL LIBRARY
THE
NEW
MEDIEVAL LIBRARY
VERGI.
Kemp-
ILLUSTRATED
THE CHATELAINE OF
Translated
by
Alice
Welch.
by
L.
Welch.
MANN.
Algar Thorold.
2009
http://www.archive.org/details/cellofselfknowleOOpepw
^ i'<^:^
THE CELL OF
SELF:
SEVEN EARLY ENGLISH MYSTICAL TREATISES PRINTED BY HENRY PEP WELL IN 1521: EDITED WITH AN INTRODUCTION AND NOTES BY
KNOWLEDGE
EDMUND G. GARDNER, M. A.
1910
The
Frontispiece
is
taken from
H
\
2.2S3
BV
SOS'
All
righis reserved
*'
Stiamo
cognoscimento di noi
ess ere, e la
cogno-
ricognoscendo
I'essere,
I'essere,
da lui." St. Catherine of Siena. " Tergat ergo speculum suum, mundet spiritum suum,
sitit
quisquis
et
videre
Deum suum.
quaedam divini luminis claritas interlucere, et immensus quidam insolitae Hoc lumen oculos visionis radius oculis ejus apparere.
diu
diligenter
inspecto, incipit
ejus
irradiaverat,
tui,
qui dicebat
;
Signatum
est super
nos
lumen vultus
Domine
admiratur in
et animatur
se,
ad
St,
supra se."
Richard of
CONTENTS
PAGE
I.
named Benjamin,
of the
Mights and Virtues of Man's Soul, and of the Way to True Contemplation, compiled by a
Noble and Famous Doctor, a man of great holiness and devotion, named Richard of Saint
Victor
The
Cap.
Prologue
I.
......
the Virtue of
How
Dread
riseth in
the Affection
7
riseth in the Affection
Cap.
II.
How
How
Sorrow
Cap.
III.
How Hope
Love
9
10
How How
Joy
riseth in the
Imagination
.12
.
Cap. VI.
Patience
rise in
15
Cap. VII.
How
....
19
X
Cap. VIII.
CONTENTS
PAGE
How
Perfect
.
Hatred
.
of
.
Sin
.22
and
Cap. IX.
How
Ordained Shame
.
riseth
.
.24
How
-27
and Spouse
. .
Our Lord,
35
III.
Our Lord Jesu Christ, or taken out of the Book of Margery Kempe, Ancress of Lynn
.
49
IV.
.61
75
V.
VI.
A Devout Treatise called the Epistle of Prayer A very necessary Epistle of Discretion in Stirrings of the Soul
93
of Discerning of Spirits,
.
.
VII.
Devout Treatise
'117
may be
(d.
In Germany,
we
Mechthild of Magdeburg
in Flanders,
{d.
1365)
Jan Ruysbroek
1
1381)
in
Italy,
Dante
{d.
321),
Jacopone da
1380),
Todi
1306),
Catherine of Siena
{d.
and
many
lesser writers
who
course of the
human
no longer in
the
official
of their
own
^
Latin of the Church, but in the language people, " a man's own vernacular," which
it is
"
is
most
closely united
to him."
Rolle, the
{d.
Hermit of Hampole {d. 1349), ^ Walter Hilton 1396), and of Mother Juliana of Norwich, whose Revelations of Divine Love professedly date from 1373,
speak for themselves.
1
Dante, Convivio,
i.
12.
xii
INTRODUCTION
seven tracts or treatises before us were published
in a little quarto
1 521
The
in
volume
by
Henry Pepwell. In the yere of our lorde God, m.ccccc.xxi., the xvi. daye of Nouembre." They may, somewhat
loosely speaking, be regarded as belonging to the fourteenth
first
and longest
of
them
professes
work
of the great
Augus-
ventura
all
Dante's Paradiso
of English mysticism.
his latter-day followers,
ofUn-
Victor
where he became the chief pupil of the great mystical doctor and theologian whom the later Middle Ages
regarded
as
a second Augustine,
Hugh
of St. Victor.
De
Gratia ConUmplationis,
known
also as
Benjamin
INTRODUCTION
Major, in
insight,
five books,
is
xili
work
of marvellous spiritual
unction,
In
it
how
of
the
soul
passes
steps
contemplation
in
dis-
gradually
thought
is
stage, it
contemplates what
He
according to
its
intensity
ment
of
in
bounds
human
which the
lose self-consciousness
and mentis
alienatio, or ecstasy, in
which
all
memory
of the present
mind, and
it
figuration, in
any
in
veils of creatures,
its
pure simplicity.
1
died
173.
and theologians
1
Thomas Aquinas
28),
like
Major
as
the
platione."
xiv
bids
INTRODUCTION
in
Dante mark the ardent spirit of " Richard who contemplation was more than man." ^
Benjamin, for Richard,
in accordance
is
" There
Benjamin, a youth, in ecstasy of mind " where the " Little Benjamin their ruler." ^ English Bible reads
:
it
his
mother Rachel
itself,
dies
" For,
rapt above
surpasseth
itself
the limits of
human
it
reasoning.
Elevated above
and rapt
light at
is
in ecstasy,
all
which
human
What, then,
?
the death
"
The
is
under the
title
Benjamin
Benjamin
Minor ; or
It
a
is
De
work, with
Among
the portions
known
or,
who do
Hill, the
not claim to be
specialists in
mediaeval theology.
of self as the
Holy
^
Mountain
of the
Lord
Par.
X. 131, 132.
2
3
Bejij'amin
Minor, cap.
73.
INTRODUCTION
"
If the
xv
mind would
Full
the peaks of
all
mundane
and
looks
down upon
the philo-
sophy and
all
could Plato, could the great band of philosophers ever attain to it ? " ^
Could
Aristotle,
In the other,
Bible, as the
still
moun-
tain of self-knowledge,
he makes
his
supreme
" Even
if
you think that you have been taken up into if you think that you see
Him
or hear from
I
Him,
unless
Moses
and
Elias
and
with Him."
themselves." This passage of Richard is curiously misquoted and its meaning perverted in Haur^au, Histoire de la Philosophic Scolastique, i, pp. 513, 514, in the Dictionary of National Biography, vol. xvi.,
this:
Cf. Shelley,
to
know
cap. 81.
xvi
INTRODUCTION
the other hand, the beautiful passage with which
On
shown
name
of Jesus,
which glows
through
"
Hampole,
what so thou be that covetest to come to contemplation of God, that is to say, to bring forth such a child that men clepen in the story Benjamin (that
therefore,
is
And
manner.
desires,
Thou
and thy
that
all
of
them
a church,
word
'Jesu^ so
may be
'
:
here
so that
thou
that
is
said in the
;
psalm
Lord,
I shall bless
Thee in churches
love of Jesu.
desires,
'
that
is,
in thoughts
and
desires of the
And
in this
and
wills,
look
that
all
all
thy studies,
and
of this
thy
evermore
mind be
it
in the beholding of
God and
is
be
fulfilled
in thee that
Ihi
INTRODUCTION
Benjamin adolescentulus
is
xvii
'
The
text printed
by Pepwell
which
others, it
is
differs
of the manuscripts, of
a large
preserved.
286,
Among
and the Harleian MSS. 674, 1022, and 2373. It has been published from the Harl. MS. 1022 by Professor
C. Horstman,
who
observes
that "
^
it
is
It
evidently by
External and
anonymous author
is
Un-
knozuirig.
This
tell
and most truly heroic women that the world has ever seen. Her life and manifold activities only touched England
indirectly. Sir
The famous
for
world
who,
were
won
to
nobler ideals
by her
and exhortations.
Two
of her principal
Giovanni Tantucci and William Flete, both Augustinian hermits, were graduates of Cambridge
disciples,
1
Richard Rolle of Hainpole and his Followers, edited by C. Horstman, vol. i. pp. 162-172.
2
xviii
INTRODUCTION
concerning
Urban the
as
Sixth to the
Great
Roman
A
to
letter
which she
herself addressed
King Richard the Second has not been preserved. About 1493, Wynkyn de Worde printed The Lyf of saint Katherin of Senis the blessid virgin^ edited by which is a free translation, by an anonymous Caxton Dominican, with many omissions and the addition of
;
graphy of
St.
Raymond
of
Capua,
the
Dominic
{d.
1399).
He
Brother Dane James of the Saint's mystical treatise, the Dialogo : " Here begynneth the Orcharde of Syon,
in
the whiche
is
Katheryne of Sene, with ghostly fruytes and precyous plantes for the helthe of mannes soule." ^ This was not
translated
1
from
St. Catherine's
own
vernacular, but
from
rina de Senis).
xlx
INTRODUCTION
Friar
at Brescia in 1496.
From
the
of these
two works,
but
it
from Caxton,
with an identical
of Unknozving.
found in the British Museum, MS. Reg. 17 D.V., where it follows the Divine Cloud,
Margery Kempe is a much more mysterious personage. She has come down to us only in a tiny quarto of eight pages printed by Wynkyn de Worde " Here begynneth a shorte treatyse of contemplacyon taught by our lorde Jhesu cryste, or taken out of the boke of Margerie kempe of Lynn." And at the end " Here endeth a shorte treatyse called Margerie kempe de Lynn. Enprynted in Fletestrete by Wynkyn de
: :
worde."
The
of
only
known copy
It
is
is
Cambridge.
the same
printed in 1501.^
is
With
few
insignificant variations, it
later
as
who merely
said
1
inserts a
"
unto her," or " she said," and adds that she was
Gordon
Cf. E.
i.
1556,
p. 24.
XX
INTRODUCTION
devout ancress. Tanner, not very accurately, writes " This book contains various discourses of Christ (as it is
pretended) to certain holy
style
women
modern Quietists and Quakers, speaks of the inner love of God, of perfection, et cetera." ^ No manuscript of the work is known to exist, and absolutely no traces can be discovered of the " Book of Margery Kempe," out of which it is implied by the Printer that
of
There
recipient
is
itself
to enable us to
of
perhaps, possible that the writer or these revelations is the " Margeria filia
1298, gave
Johannis
up
to the prior
all
Church, Canter-
bury,
her rights in a piece of land with buildings and appurtenances, " which falls to me after the decease of
my brother John,
The
revelations
and
lies
Mary
of
^
Canterbury."
show that she was (or had been) a woman of some wealth and social position, who had abandoned the world to become an ancress, following the life prescribed in that
gem
clearly only a
fragment of her
Quietaclamium Margeriefilie Johannis Kempe de domihus in parochia de Northgate. Brit. Mus., Add. MS. 25,109. 3 She was, however, apparently less strictly enclosed than was usual for an ancress.
2
INTRODUCTION
complete book (whatever that
is
XXI
may have
a
been)
but
it
worthy precursor of
:
woman
Juliana
is
For Margery,
JuHana, Love
the
mystery ^ " Daughter, thou mayst no better please God, than to think continually in His love." " If thou wear the habergeon or the hair, fasting bread
:
and water, and if thou saidest every day a thousand Pater Nosters, thou shalt not please Me so well as thou
dost
when thou
if
art in silence,
and
suffrest
Me
to speak
in thy soul."
" Daughter,
thou knew
how sweet
thy love
is
to
Me,
with
Me
thine heart."
sayest, daughter,
thou
mayst no better please God than believe that He loveth thee. For, if it were possible that I might weep with
thee, I
have of thee."
rises
And, from the midst of her celestial contemplations, up the simple, poignant cry of human suffering " Lord, for Thy great pain have mercy on my little pain." We are on surer ground with the treatise that follows,
:
Cf.
b2
xxii
INTRODUCTION
Song of Angels?- Walter Hilton who died on holds a position in the religious life and 24, 1396
the
March
spiritual literature of
England in the
of
and the
works of
own.
the mystical way, Richard of St. Victor, Hilton was an Augustinian, the head of a house of canons at Thurgarton, near Newark.
tionts,
His great work, the Scala Perfecor Ladder of Perfection^ " which expoundeth many
first
printed
by Wynkyn de Worde
for devotional reading.
in 1494,
and
is
still
widely used
to a Devout Man in Temporal Estate, first printed by Pynson in 1506, gives practical guidance to a religious
layman
of wealth
and
the
fulfilling of
the
spiritual
life.
him with
and
certainty,
from
plete
critical edition of
1 In the British Museum copy of Pepwell's volume, ff. 1-2 of the Epistle of Prayer and f. 1 of the Song of A?igels are transposed.
INTRODUCTION
the far future.^
xxiii
The
Soitg
twice
In profoundly
the
mysterious
Dionysius,
Neo-Platonist
it tells
whom we
call
pseudo-
verily
of the
state
of the
first
condition
that
when
the
mind
is
is
firmly
and wandering,
in
God
from
is
and ghostly
all
things,
cleared
all
bodily
God and
love,
ghostly things,
from
all fleshly,
kindly,
and worldly
and
is
inflamed
But to here on
mystical
1
this blessed
condition none
may
attain perfectly
earth.
The
consolations
and
visitations
granted to
the
ix.
see
2
J.
For Hilton's alleged authorship of the De Imitatione Christi, E. G. de Montmorency, Thomas a Kempis, his Age and
1 41-169.
Book, pp.
Edited by G. G. Perry, under the title The A?iehede of Godd with mannis saule, as the work of Richard RoUe, in English Prose Treatises of Richard Rolle de Hampole (Early English Text Society, 1866), pp. 14-19 and, in two texts, by C. Horstman,
;
i.
pp. 175-182.
xxiv
INTRODUCTION
life,
and
mere
proceed from
of
knowing
in the reason,
The
and the
of Unknowing, the Epistle of Privy Counsel, a paraphrase of the Mystical Theology of Dionysius entitled Dionise
Hid
of the
St.
Victor already
considered.^
These seven
by
the same hand. The Divine Cloud of Unknowing has been credited to Walter Hilton, as likewise to William Exmew, or to Maurice Chauncy, Carthusians of the
sixteenth century, whereas the manuscripts are at least
a
hundred years
to
earlier
but
it
seems
safer
attribute
the
whole
series
to
an unknown
who
1 In the MSS. this Js called A pystyll of discrecion in knowenge of spirites ; or A tretis of discrescyon of spirites. 2 All in Harl. MS. 674, and other MSS. The Divine Cloud of Unknowing, and portions of the Epistle, Book, or Treatise, of Privy Cotifisel, have been printed, in a very unsatisfactory manner, in The Divine Clotid with notes and a Preface by Father Augustine Baker, O.S.B. Edited by Kenry Collins. London, 1871.
: :
INTRODUCTION
The
more
spiritual
xxv
^
and,
if
the Epistle of Prayer, with its glowing exposition of the doctrine of Pure Love speaks
particularly,
for itself.
I
They show
us mysticism brought
down,
may
say so,
way.
And,
in
we
humour
Catherine
in a less degree,
he has the
gift of vision
of intuition
combined with
homely
common
with
I
a smile.
St.
The
and
Knowledge
of self
Knowthe high
ledge of
1
self,
for
Richard of
St.
Victor,
is
series
D. M. M'Intyre, The Cloud of Unknowing, in the Expositor, vii. vol. 4 (1907). Dr. Rufus M. Jones, Studies in Mystical
Religion, p. 336, regards these treatises as the work of "a school of mystics gathered about the writer of the Hid Divinity." Neither of these authors includes the translation of the Benjamin
me
xxvi
INTRODUCTION
is
transfigured
for
through time to eternity must be born again. " Wouldest thou behold Christ transfigured ? " asks Richard " as;
cend
this
mountain
learn to
know
thyself." ^
"
Thou
in
Word born
show
while
to
to you,
in
who
Him
The
soul
is
it is
of heart alone that this mirror is made clear. " Therefore," writes Richard of St. Victor, " let whoso
by purity
God, wipe
gazed into
it,
shine through
a certain
immense ray
lift
of
unwonted
the light of
This light
him who
said
Lord,
Thou up
us
ness in
my
heart.
with wonder in
mind
light
is
wondrously inflamed
is
which
above
itself." ^
Benjamin Minor,
Dialogo, cap. 151.
cap. 78.
^ 3
72.
INTRODUCTION
Pepwell's
xxvil
basis
of
the
but, in each
been completely
revised.
The
text
and the Treatise of Discerning of Spirits, has been collated with that given by the Harleian MSS. 674 and, in most cases, the readings of the manuand 2373
;
scripts
printed version.
The Katherin has been collated with Caxton's Lyf; the Margery Kempe with Wynkyn de
little
Worde's precious
of
volume
Cambridge ; and the Song of Angels with the text published by Professor Horstman from the Camb. MS. Dd. v. 55. As the object of this book is not to offer
a
Middle
bution to mystical literature, the orthography has been completely modernised, while
I
enough
mediaeval devotion.
Edmund G. Gardner.
HERE FOLLOWETH A VERY DEVOUT TREATISE NAMED BENJAMIN, OF THE MIGHTS AND VIRTUES OF MAN'S SOUL, AND OF THE WAY TO TRUE CONTEMPLATION, COMPILED BY A NOBLE AND FAMOUS DOCTOR, A MAN OF GREAT HOLINESS AND DEVOTION, NAMED RICHARD OF SAINT VICTOR
A TREATISE
NAMED BENJAMIN
THE PROLOGUE
Victor, in a book that he maketh of the study of wisdom, witnesseth and saith that two mights are in a man's soul, given of the Father of Heaven of whom all good Cometh. The one is reason, the other is affection through reason we know, and through affection we feel
GREAT
clerk
that
of Saint
or love.
Of reason springeth
and of
feelings.
right counsel
And right as Rachel and Leah were both wives unto Jacob, right so man's soul through light of knowing in the reason, and sweetness of love in the affection, is
spoused unto God.
By Jacob
is
understanden God, by
is
Rachel
is
understanden
affection.
1
Each
"
men
;
clepen."
affechcs
So the MSS,, which agrees with the Latin, ordinati {Benjamin Minor, cap. 3) Pepwell has "ardent feelings."
2
4
to
Zilpah.
drunken and
tion, the
which
Rachel
is
hy Zilpah
are these
And
that
so
much
ladies,
without them
all this
may not
-"
feel.
And
yet
may
do, yet
her.
And
therefore
it is
pray, so
many
and
evil
them away.
j
a foul
angler.
evermore so
feel,^
her lady
may
may not
is
The
So Pepwell, which accords with the Latin cum tanta imforThe MSS, read: " unconningly," i.e. ignorantly. 2 So Harl. MS. 674 and Pepwell Harl. MS. 1022, ed. Horstman, reads: "forthe," i.e. offer. The Latin is: " Et Zelphae quidem sitim dominae suae copia tanta omnino extinguere non
1
:
tunitate.
potest "
3
6).
sitit,
gaudium
for
why, for to
fill
the appetite
suffice
;
this
and
therefore
it is
God and
ghostly things,
when we pray or think on we would fain feel sweetness of and yet we may not, for are we so
;
for
evermore
Zilpah
it
is
we have
fleshly
compassion thereof.
is
And
thus
it
is
thirsty.
And
right as
Leah conceived of Jacob and brought forth seven children, and Rachel conceived of Jacob and brought forth two children, and Bilhah conceived of Jacob and brought forth two children, and Zilpah conceived of Jacob and brought forth two children ; right so the affection conceiveth through the grace of God, and bringeth forth seven virtues and also the sensuality conceiveth through the grace of God, and bringeth forth two virtues ; and also the reason conceiveth through the grace of God, and and also the imagination bringeth forth two virtues conceiveth through the grace of God, and bringeth forth two virtues, or two beholdings. And the names of their children and of their virtues shall be known by this figure
; ;
that foUoweth
Husband
to Jacob
:
Jacob temporally,
is
God
spiritually.
;
Wives
is
Leah, that
to say, Affection
Rachel, that
to say. Reason.
1
Maid
to
to under-
Harl.
MS.
1022, ed.
our soul."
stand, Sensuality
is
to understand, Imagination.
The
sons of Jacob
:
followeth
Reuben
;
signifieth
Simeon,
sorrow of
sins
Judah, love of
;
righteousness
inward sweetness
Zebu-
The
these
:
sons of Jacob
Gad, abstinence
sons of Jacob
;
Asher, patience.
:
The
Joseph,
discretion
Benjamin, contemplation.
sight of pain to
The
these
:
Dan,
come
of joy to come.
In
this figure it
is
to shew on what manner they were gotten, and in what order First, it is to say of the children of Leah ; for why, it is read that she first conceived. The children of Leah are nought else to understand but ordained affections or feehngs in a man's soul for why, if they were unor:
Also the
is
nought
a
else
man's
soul.
For then
is
when
it is
should be
then
it is
"
so
man's soul
should be.
These
and now unordained and unmeasured but when they are ordained and measured, then are they accounted
sured,
among the
sons of Jacob.^
CAPITULUM
HOW THE
The
that
first
is,
child that
;
Leah conceived
it is
of Jacob was
Reuben,
:
and therefore The beginning of wisdom is the dread of our Lord God." 2 This is the first felt virtue in a man's affection, without the which none other may be had. And, theredread "
whoso desireth to have such a son, him behoveth busily and oft also behold the evil that he hath done. And he shall, on the one party, think on the greatness of his trespass, and, on another party, the power of the
fore,
Doomsman.^
that
is
Of such
*
to say
son of sight."
For utterly
is
And
ordinate," for
2 Ps. cxi.
3 *
Pepwell gives the modern equivalent, "ordinate* and "in"ordained" and " unordained," throughout.
10 (Vulgate ex.). Pepwell adds " and high Judge.
:
Filius visionis.
8
well
is
of sight
:
for
when he was
"
God
hath seen
my
meekness."
his old sins
And
man's
soul, in
such a consideration of
and of the power of the Doomsman, beginneth then truly to see God by feeling of dread, and also to be
seen of
God by
rewarding of pity.
CAPITULUM
HOW SORROW
II
While Reuben waxeth, Simeon is born for after dread it needeth greatly that sorrow come soon. For ever the
more that
done.
a
man
Leah
is
in the birth of
said
me be had in despite." And Simeon cleped " hearing " ^ for when a man bitterly sorroweth and despiseth his old sins, then beginneth he to be heard of God, and also for to hear the
therefore
;
own mouth
For in what hour the sinner sorroweth and turneth from his sin, he
that sorrow, for they shall be comforted."
shall
1
be
safe.^
Scripture.
And
2
4
Gen. xxix. 32 ( Vidit Dominus humilitatevi meam, Vulgate). 3 Exauditio. Gen. xxix. 33. 5 Ezek. xxxiii. 14. Matt. V, 4.
hy Reuben he
is
is
contrite
in the psalm
and hath compunction of tears but, as witnesseth David " Heart contrite and meeked God shall not
:
despise "
in
CAPITULUM HI
HOW HOPE
But,
I
may be
to
them
that truly
sins,
ought but a
the which
is
Jacob, that
is
doing to."
God
doubt he this third, that is hope, shall not be delayed, but he shall be done to ; * as the story witnesseth of Levi, that, when his two brethren, Reuben and .Simeon, were given to their mother Leah, he, this Levi, was done to. Take heed of this word, that he was " done to " and not
given.
And
of
therefore
it is
said that a
man
shall
not
presume
hope of forgiveness before the time that his heart be meeked in dread and contrite in sorrow ; without these two, hope is presumption, and where these two
*
2
"*
Ps.
li.
17 (Vulgate
Cf.
1.).
Added.
Gen. xxix.
34,
10
are,
and thus after sorrow cometh soon ; comfort, as David telleth in the psalm that " after the
muchness of my sorrow in my heart," he saith to our Lord, " Thy comforts have gladded my soul." ^ And
therefore
it is
done to
is
called Paracletus^
that
is,
CAPITULUM
HOW
From now
IV
forth beginneth a
manner
of homeliness for
;
to grow between God and a man's soul and also on a manner a kindhng of love, in so much that oft times he feeleth him not only be visited of God and comforted in
filled
with
an unspeakable joy.
of love first felt Leah,
this kindling
when,
after that
:
"
be coupled to me."
The
God, and then are we truly coupled unto Him, when we draw near Him by hope and soothfast love. And right as after hope cometh love, so after Levi was Judah born, the fourth son of Leah. Leah in his birth cried and said
:
xciii.
).
Now
shall I shrive to
is
the story
this
our Lord." ^ And therefore in Judah cleped " Shrift." ^ Also man's soul in
degree of love offereth it clearly to God, and saith " Now shall I shrive to our Lord." For before thus
:
man's
he doth
is
done more
but in
this state a
God
might, wit,
sin,
it is
conning,^ or will
it clearly, freely,
not only of
when
man
:
telle th
to
God
He
is
good.
shrift speaketh
David
full oft
Of this when
he saith
Make it known to God, for He is good." * Lo, now have we said of four sons of Leah. And after
"
till
another time
and
it
is
so
it
sufficeth to it
when
so it
feeleth that
And
enough
to
salvation,
For
it
fire
and
also to
Modo
conjiteior
Domino.
2 3
Learning.
Ps. cvi.
I, cvii. I (cv.
:
,
4 5
cvi.
Vulgate).
Pepwell reads
12
CAPITULUM V
HOW THE DOUBLE
IN
THE IMAGINATION
is
waxeth, that
is
to say,
when
love
and
rising
and waxing in a
that
is
know
know.
feelings
Of
;
and measured
and
clear understandings.
And
ever the
waxeth, that
is
to say love, so
But who
is
how
hard
it is,
is
which
knowing
contemis
of unseeable ^ things,
For why,
a soul that
yet
rude and
fleshly,
things,
and
^ things.
Pepwell reads
"conning."
2 LiSitin
3
Invisidi Hum : Pepwell has " unseasable." Pepwell has " feble."
13
;
nevertheless, yet
it
it
looketh inward as
it
may
and
that that
may not
is
by ghostly knowing,
first
thinketh by imagination.
And
a
this
the cause
children of
that,
though
all
man's soul may not yet get the light of ghostly knowing
it
thinketh
in the imagination.
As by
And, therefore, reason sheweth more profitable for to think on ghostly things, in what manner so it be yea, if it be in kindling of our desire with some fair imagination than it is for to think on vanities and deceivable things of this world. And, therefore, of Bilhah were born these two Dan and Naphtali. Dan is to say sight of pains to come and Naphtali, sight of joys to come. These two children are full needful and full speedful unto a working soul the one for to put down evil suggestions of sins and the other for to raise up our wills in working of good and in kindling of our desires. For as it falleth to Dan to put down evil suggestions of sin by sight of pains to come, so it falleth to the other brother Naphtali to raise up our wills in working of good, and in kindling of holy desires by sight of joys to come. And therefore holy men, when they are stirred to any unlawful thing, by inrising of any foul thought, as oft they set before their mind the pains
; ;
:
14
that are to
and
temptation
And as oft as their devotion and their liking in God and ghostly things cease and wax cold (as oft times
befalleth in this
life,
it
and
with
many
other
is
skills),^
mind the
joy that
to come.
And
come
^
And
unlawful thoughts, therefore he is well cleped in the story " Doom." ^ And " Dan shall deem also his father Jacob said of him thus
for that
:
with
Dan we damn
his folk." *
And
also it
is
when
Bilhah brought forth Dan, Rachel said thus " Our Lord hath deemed me " ; ^ that is to say " Our Lord hath
:
evened
me
unto
my
sister
Leah."
And
when
and she
pains to
come
And
like
and
said
"
am made
Because,
to
Reasons.
:
3 ^
5
Judicium (Pepwell adds "or judgment "). Gen. xlix. 16 " Dan shall judge his people."
:
Gen. XXX.
6.
15
sister
Leah "
and therefore
^
is
Naphtali cleped in
And
made
like to
her
sister affection.
For there
as she
had
hath
now
gotten sight of joy to come in her imagination. he was " a hart sent out,
f airhead." ^
So
it is
that,
when we
in
we
say that
it is fair
For
"*
with holy
desires, as oft as
we imagine
of the worthiness
CAPITULUM
HOW THE
RISE IN
VI
AND PATIENCE
VIRTUES OF ABSTINENCE
THE SENSUALITY
When Leah
of these
saw that Rachel her sister made great joy two bastards born of Bilhah her maiden, she called forth her maiden Zilpah, to put to her husband that she might make joy with her sister, having Jacob
;
Gen. XXX. 8
et
In the Latin, " Comparaiio vel conversio." Gen. xlix. 2i " Naphtali is a hind let loose he giveth goodly words " [Nephthali cervus emissus, et dans eloquia pulchriUidinis,
2
3
:
Vulgate).
'
Had. MS.
i6
God,
her
fruit in helping of
God, and so to bear some fruit in helping of her feeling. But what fruit may she bear, ought but that she learn to live temperately in easy things, and patiently in uneasy
to
These are they, the children of Zilpah, Gad and is abstinence, and Asher is patience. Gad Asher is the sooner born child, and Asher the latter for first
things
?
:
Gad
it
needeth that
abstinence,
we be attempered in ourself with discreet and after that we bear outward disease ^ in
patience.
;
These are the children that for in abstinence and Zilpah brought forth in sorrow sensuality is punished in the flesh but that patience the
strength
of
;
that
is
much comfort
it
is
and
bliss
And
and
therefore
said
:
that,
born,
Leah
is
1 Underloute, participle oi Underluten (O. E. Ufiderhltan), "to stoop beneath," or "submit to." Cf. Wycliffes Bible, Gen. xxxvii. 8: "Whether thow shalt be oure kyng, either we shal be undir-
Discomfort.
Dixit:
Feliciter.
17
And
so it
^
is
happiness
in the affection.
is
For why,
lust,
ever the
the
less
dehghted in her
said
more sweetness
Also after
born,
Leah
be for
my
"
*
is
And
so it
is
bliss in
the affection.
more
And
thus by absti-
and worldly
delights,
and ghostly, within or without, reasonable or unreasonable, that by any of our five wits torment or delight the
sensuality.
On
this wise
Much
is
in
drunken in the
nor grutcheth
Harl.
:
The
first
of
" whether thou wilt." " selyness." 3 Gen. XXX. 13 (Vulgate) Hoc fro leatitudine mea. ^ Natural. 4 Beahis. 6 Murmurs, complains. Cf. Chaucer, The Persones Tale, ed. Skeat, 30 " After bakbyting cometh grucching or murmuracion and somtyme it springeth cf impacience agayns God, and somtyme agayns man. Agayns God it is, whan a man gruccheth agayn the
1
Felicitas.
these
it is
gotten by
Gad and
first
Here
to wete that
and this is the skill husband or the maiden of Leah why. For truly, but if the jangling of the imagination,
that
is
first
refrained, without
doubt the
may
not be attempered.
And
therefore
lusts,
him from
fleshly
and worldly
thoughts.-"-
And
also
may
man
and not dread the disease, but if he have before meeds and the torments that are to
But here it is to wete how that, with these four two maidens, the city of our conscience is kept wonderfully from all temptations. For all temptation either it riseth v/ithin by thought, or else without by some of our five wits. But within shall Dan deem and damn evil thoughts by sight of pain and without shall Gad put against ^ false delights by use of abstinence. Dan waketh ^ within, and Gad without and also their Naphtali other two brethren helpen them full much Dan, and Asher biddeth with Gad within peace maketh
come.
sons of these
;
;
:
have no dread of
his enemies.
Dan
peynes of helle, or agayns poverte, or los of catel, or agayn reyn or elles gruccheth that shrewes han prosperitee, or or tempest elles for that goode men han adversitee." " at the least willingly." 1 Pepwell adds ^ Watches. 8 Pepwell reads "put down."
;
:
19
hell,
of heavenly
not broken.
Gad
and Asher
^
pursueth disease.
his
enemy, when
he bringeth to
of his father
and the
And
therefore
it
is
is
that,
his
enemies (that
Gad to help
to destroy
And
;
without
but
fail,
flee.
The enemies
of
a
truly,
Gad man
CAPITULUM
HOW
VII
Thus when
beginneth
1
enemy
fleeth
and the
city
is
peased,* then
of
man
to prove
God
is
Promises.
l^diXm: fovet promissis. " Sed Aser hosti sue facile curious mistranslation
:
illudit,
rupemunitam conspicit"
3
Dwelling-place.
cite
MS.
1022, ed.
of conscience
made
pesebule."
20
that
Leah
but
Gad and
truly,
For
be so that
man have
he
shall
God
This
is
that Issachar,
is
cleped
this joy of
is
inward sweetness
of a devout soul,
this child, said
:
cleped "
bliss,
the which
is
the endless
meed
beginning here.
"
God
hath given
me meed,
my
maiden to my husband in bearing of children." ^ And so it is good that we make our sensuality bear fruit in abstaining it from all manner of fleshly, kindly, and worldly delight, and in fruitful suffering of all fleshly
disease therefore our Lord of His great mercy giveth us joy unspeakable and inward sweetness in our affection, in earnest * of the sovereign joy and meed of the kingdom of heaven. Jacob said of Issachar that " a strong ass dwelling between the terms." ^ he was
and worldly
Merces.
2
3 4
5
omitted in Harl.
MS.
TheMSS.
Gen.
xlix.
read: "erles."
14
;
(Vulgate).
21
that
man
in this state,
as
" an
ass,
because that,
be he never so
filled in soul of
God,
him
hunger,
for the
and
is
cold, sleep,
diseases
;
which he
is
likened to an ass as in
all
body
but
as in soul
he
And
is
dwelling belife.
and undeadly
He
but not
fully,
deadliness,
but not
each
;
fully
him needeth
is
man
in
this
deadly
life
and
for great
and sweetness that he feeleth in God, not seldom but oft, he hath his other foot in the undeadly life. Thus I trow
that saint Paul
desire
:
felt,
when he
:
said this
word
of great
?
"
deadly body
"
And when
"
with Christ."
And
24.
Rom.
vii.
23.
22
sweetness, the
understanden hj Issachar.
life,
It
enforceth
it
it
but
it
but
doth that
it
CAPITULUM
HOW
And
that
VIII
therefore
is
it is
Zebulun
it is
is
born,
And
here
to wete
why
never perfectly
felt in a
man's
affec-
be
felt in
the
skill
felt in
the affec-
man
harm
what
harmeth the
is
soul.
And
little,
all
in the soul
felt
much
less,
or
thereafter
the hatred
But when a soul, by the grace of God and long travail, is come to feeling of ghostly joy in God, then it feeleth that sin
measured, more or
And
also
when he
feeleth that he
last in
the feeling
which corruption
sin
is
all
and
all
kind of
sin.
23
This feeling taught David us to have, where he saith in the psalm " Be ye wroth and will ye not sin " ; ^ that is
thus to
mean
it is
sin,
the kind.^
For kind
but not to
this
And
here
wrath and
hatred
how
it shall
^
;
man
And,
as against
we
:
ought to hate
sin in
and
of this
hatred speaketh David in the psalm, where he saith thus " With perfect hatred I hated them." * And in another psalm he saith that " he had in hatred all wicked ways." ^
Thus
it is
For but
if
first,
Judah, that
that
1
is
how we
synne, or thus
2
3
MS. 674 has: " Wraththes and willeth not Beeth wrothe and synnith not." Human nature in our fellow-man. Fellow-Christian, The words in square brackets are omitted
Ps.
5.
Harl.
in Harl.
1
24
why we
may be made
strong in
God and
ing of
sin.
And
therefore
Zebulun cleped
in the story
" a dwelling stead of strength." ^ And Leah said in his birth " My husband shall now dwell with me " ^ and
:
so it
is
is
is
in the affection
all
the kind of
And
thus
it is
how Zebulun
is
born.
CAPITULUM
HOW
THE AFFECTION
IX
But though
Nay,
sikerly
all
it
per.?
whether
it
may
let
and therefore
no man presume of
:
himself,
1
when
" If
we
say that
we
Assuredly,
2 Gen. xxx. 20. HaHtaculumfortitudinis. Pepwell sometimes modernises this word, but not
invariably.
25
is
sin,
we
is
not
And
is
And
?
pray Yea,
who
full
and
to
God
suffereth those
men
by
fall
He
hath ordained
may
learn
own
falHng
how
of others. in those
And
same
sin,
is
men
fall
grievously
sins
hatred of
and
so it
that after
As by
of sin, of sin.
felt
never Zebulun,
a
Evil
men
manner of shame, but it is not this ordained shame. For why, if they had perfect shame of sin, they
have
should not so customably do
it
ment
so
on
their
But what
if
would shame
as
as
much
a
if
foul
thee would
thou
John
i.
8.
Cf. St.
e.g.
Epist.
ii.
coll.
374
et
seq.),
Ad Hilariuin.
3
Deliberate intention.
26
his
and
sikerly else
wete
it
so be that
thou have
less
if
thy
body
in the sight of
men
King
of heaven
and of
all
His angels
and holy
Lo,
saints in heaven.
it is
now
by
which may be now ordained and now but unordained, now measured and now unmeasured
in a man's soul, the
;
when they
virtues
;
are ordained
Then
are
when they
when they
more than
and overmuch sorrow casteth a man in to and heaviness of kind,^ for the which he is And overmuch hope unable to receive ghostly comfort. is presumption, and outrageous love is but flattering and
1
Warnes
in the
MSS.
Disposition.
27
dissolution
and wanton-
on
the
this
and untempered hatred of sin is woodness.^ And manner, they are unordained and unmeasured,
are they turned in to vices,
and thus
and then
for
lose
they
name
of virtues,
to say,
God
by Jacob
is
understanden God,
as it is
CAPITULUM X
HOW
Thus
DISCRETION AND CONTEMPLATION RISE IN
THE REASON
it
others
may be governed
for
is
without
loveth
cretion
it
all
is
This
Joseph, that
dis-
may
loved, without
wonder though that virtue be singularly which no virtue may be had nor governed. But what wonder though this virtue be late gotten, when we may not win to the perfection of discretion without much custom and many travails of these other affections coming before ? For first behoveth us to be used in each
therefore no
1
Harl.
MS. 674
28
virtue hy
we may have
sufficiently of
full
all serely,^
ere
else
can
deem
them
And when we
Then, by our
use us busily in
and
oft times
we
learn
we how much
rise.
oft falling,
we may
And
And
thus some-
then
it
may
before this
without discretion.
And
much
as
enforceth
him
in any
of these feelings
measure, in so
his purpose.
that, after them all Dinah born for often, after a foul fall and a failing, cometh soon shame. And thus after many fallings and failings, and shames following, a man learneth by the
falleth
and
last, is
is
which
^ it
for better
is list
a sly
man
than a strong
man
1
yea,
and better
2 Regret, Pepwell has "surely." than evil strength, A proverbial expression. Cf. Layamons Brut, 17210 (ed. Madden, ii. p, 297) Ancren Riwle (ed. Morton), p. 268 (where it is rendered " Skilful prudence is better than rude force"). Cf. Prov. xxi. 22.
:
In particular.
Better
is
art
29
man speaketh of victories. And here is the open skill why that neither Leah nor Zilpah nor Bilhah might bear
such a child, but only Rachel
;
the which
first
is
son of
Rachel
reason
and then
all
we
when
that
we
we do
it
with
counsel.
are
This Joseph
stirred unto,
shall
sins
we
do
most
but
also
he
shall
know
the weakness
he
is
And
a
also
by
led
this foresaid ^
man
is
not only
man
all
is
and
after that a
man knoweth
therefore
as
himself, thereafter
he
profiteth in the
knowing of God, of
whom he is
the image
and the
is
likeness.
And
For
it is
Benjamin born.
of- one
by Joseph
by
And
both are
For
God
come we
is
knowing of
it
may be
Joseph
that
is
Benjamin born.
after
so be
we
TheMSS.
30
we are learned to know ourself, we may not be raised in to the knowing and contemplation of God. He doth for nought that lifteth up his eye to the sight
the whicli
God, that is not yet able to would that a man learned him
of
see himself.
For
first I
^
to
know
the unseeable
things of his
own
spirit, ere
God
not yet himself and weeneth that he hath gotten somedeal knowing of the unseeable things of
God,
I
doubt
it
is
deceived
and therefore
rede that a
man
made
know
himself, the
which
is
to the image
and the
likeness of
God
as in soul.
And wete
in the
thou well that he that desireth for to see God, him behoveth to cleanse his soul, the which is as a mirror
which
all
when
it is
clean
and when the mirror is foul, then mayst thou see nothing clearly therein and right so it is of thy soul, when it
;
is
thou knowest thyself nor God, As when the candle brenneth, thou mayst then see the self candle ^
foul, neither
and other things also right so, when thy soul brenneth in the love of God, that is, when
light thereof,
;
by the
thou
of
in
1
God, then, by the light of His grace that He sendeth thy reason, thou mayst see both thine own unworthiInvisibilia.
reads
So Pepwell and Harl. MS. 674. Had. MS. 1022, see thiself and the candell.
'
ed,
Horstman,
'
31
And
and then,
God
is
and
is
manner
of
sunbeam that
of thy soul
opened to behold
is
God and
manner
all
But
this sight
God
soul, the
whiles
but after
This light shone in the soul of David, when he said thus in the psalm " Lord,
this life it shall
:
be everlasting.
marked upon us Thou hast ^ given gladness within mine heart." The light of God's
the light of
face
is
;
Thy
face
is
and therefore
if.
a soul that
sight,^
it
hope
wete
it
well
it
what is more * healfuU than the sweetness of this sight, or what softer thing may be felt ? Sikerly, none and that woteth Rachel full well. For why, reason saith that, in comtherefore,
;
And,
all
other sweetness
is
sorrow,
Pepwell reads
Harl.
"waking."
reads: "light."
MS. 674
Salutary.
32
and
a
Nevertheless, yet
may
man
own
slight.-"-
For why, it is the gift of God without desert of man. But without doubt, though it be not the desert of man, yet no man may take such grace without great study and brenning desires coming before and that woteth Rachel full well, and therefore she multiplieth her study, and whetteth her desires, seeking desire upon desire ; ^ so that at the last, in great abundance of brenning desires and sorrow of the delaying of her desire, Benjamin is born, and his mother Rachel dieth ^ for why, in what time that a soul is ravished above itself by abundance of desires
;
and
a great
it is
inflamed with
all
man's
what so thou be that covetest to come to contemplation of God, that is to say, to bring forth such a child that men clepen in the story Benjamin
therefore,
And
(that
this
is
manner.
desires,
Thou
and
thy
them
word
Jesu^ so that
may be
here
so
Skill.
So Pepwell,
Harl.
"each
desire on desire."
Harl.
2
MS.
1022, ed.
18.
Horstman, has
"
hekand
Gen, XXXV.
33
I shall
that
is
said in the
;
psalm
" Lord,
that
is,
in tlioughts
and
desires
And
and
and
all
in this
look that
studies,
all
thy
and
praising of this
as
Lord
Jesu,
without forgetting,
as
as far forth
;
thy
mind be
so that it
ravished above
itself,
God and
is
ghostly things
^
:
be
fulfilled in
thee that
that
is
" There
is
mind."
1
The
Amen.
12.
;
read: "godly."
3 Ps. Ixviii.
4
So Harl. MS. 2373; omitted in Harl. MS. 674. Pepwell has instead: "To the which us bring our blessed Benjamin, Christ Jesu, Amen." Harl. MS. io:i2 ends "Jesu, Jesu, Mercy, Jesu, grant Mercy, Jesu." The whole of this concluding paragraph, which is an addition of the translator, differs considerably
:
in Pepwell.
Deo Gratias
II
HERE FOLLOWETH DIVERS DOCTRINES DEVOUT AND FRUITFUL, TAKEN OUT OF THE LIFE OF THAT GLORIOUS VIRGIN AND SPOUSE OF OUR LORD, SAINT KATHERIN OF SEENES. AND FIRST THOSE WHICH OUR LORD TAUGHT AND SHEWED TO HERSELF, AND SITH THOSE WHICH SHE TAUGHT AND SHEWED UNTO OTHERS
followeth Divers Doctrines Devout and Fruitful, taken out of the Life of that Glorious Virgin and Spouse of Our Lord, Saint Katherin of Seenes. And first those which Our Lord Taught AND Shewed to Herself, and sith those which she Taught and Shewed unto Others
Here
THE
who
I
first doctrine of our Lord is this " Knowest thou not, daughter, who thou art and
:
am
If
and shalt be
blessed.
Thou
If
nought
and
am He
that
am ought.-"-
of these
and thou
any thing
all
that
is
against
all
My
commandments and
all
precepts, but
grace,
truth,
and
any hardness."
The
is
this
think on thee."
; :
1 So Pepwell and MS. Reg. 17 D.V. Caxton has " Thou art she that art not, and I am he that am " which is nearer to the
;
Latin.
2
Caxton reads
38
seeth not, nor loveth not herself, nor none other soul,
And
more
is
expressly,
and
saith thus
" Such
herself,
all
very nought of
her Maker's.
creatures,
;
Lord Jesu
all
in so
and principally
in to
all
Him
in
whom
all
goodness, and
perfection of blessedness.
And,
no
will to
ward knowledge
of love, that
is
of
Him
for nothing.^
And
of this unity
is
may
Cf.
Dante, Par.
"
xxxiii.
100-105
cotal
si
A quella luce
Che
diventa,
volgersi
da
lei
impossibil che
mai
consenta
Per6 che il ben, ch'e del volere obbietto, Tutto s'accoglie in lei, e fuor di quella E difettivo cio che li e perfetto."
'
Such
at that
good, that
is
it
and outside
one become, that it were impossible it for sight of ought else. For the the object of the will, is wholly gathered therein, that is defective which there is perfect."
light does
39
God.
see
God
nor
may not love herself, nor none other, but only in God nor she may have no mind of herself nor of none other, but only in God, nor she may have no mind but only of her Maker. And therefore," she said, " we shall have none other business but only to think how we may please Him, unto whom we have committed all our governance
she
The
Lord
:
is
this
in obtaining
" Daughter,
if
also
must follow Me. Albeit that I might by My godly virtue have overcome all the power of the fiends by many manner ways of overcoming, yet, for to give you ensample by My manhood, I would not overcome him but only by taking of death upon the
Cross, that ye
if
ye will over-
come
did
in
;
all
your temptations,
if
ye have
mind
I suffered thereon.^
1
And
So Pepwell
the vertu of
ghostely strength."
" and temptations" (Caxton " of 2 Pepwell and the MS. add temptacyons ") which is clearly out of place. Cf. Legenda, 104 [Acta Sanctorum Aprilis, torn. iii.).
: ;
,
40
may well
My
love, the
more
like
ye be to Me.
And
if
ye be so
like to
Me
in passion, needs ye
must be
and
like to
Me
in
in joy.^
Therefore for
My
love, daughter,
;
doubt
no
enough
this
for to
The
"
first
is
soul
which
is
verily
mete
to
it
God,
as
much
as it
much
is
own
sensuality.
For
of the love of
God
naturally
cometh hate
of sin, the
which
The
and beginning
rooted, she
all
is
moved and
stirred
own sensuality not utterly to may not be, as long as the soul
life,
be
left a root,
namely
And
because she
may not
soul
is
is
There
i.
2 Cor.
7.
Mated. Caxton has: "vertuously y-mette." "Talis anima sic Deo conjuncta." loi
:
Legenda,
41
that
And
the Apostle,
et fotens ;
when he
^
said
:
fortior
sum
that
is
feeble in
my
sensuality by hate of
and mightier in
my soul.
of such feebleness
man
meek, and to
meek
maketh him
to be loved both of
is
holy
not, there
all sin,
is
the stinking
canal of
and root
Do
away such
O'wn. self,
sin.
way
is
to perfection,
a
and amendment
Here
fiends
common
"
I trust in
is
my Lord
Here
a rule
:
how we
behave us in time of
" ariseth in
saith,
us,
we
should never dispute nor make questions ; for that is," she saith, " that the fiend most seeketh of us for to fall in
1
2 Cor.
xii, 10.
"
And
the cause
and the
42
Therefore
a soul
should never
make
to
mands
faith,
for
steadfast
we may overcome
is
fiend."
Here
good conceit
:
of this holy
maid
to eschew the
said,
the
devout fervour of
a soul loving
some
of the fiend,
by some new subtle temptations waxeth dull and slow, and otherwhile it is
;
in so
much
Sometimes. Caxton has " It happed she sayde that other whyle deuoute feruour of a sowle leuyng oure lorde Jhesu other by somme certeyne synne, or ellys by newe sotyll temptacyons of the fende wexyth dull and slowe, and other whyle it is y- brought to veray coldenesse." Pepwell and the MS. are entirely corrupt "It happeneth (she sayth) that otherwhyle a synner whiche is leuynge our Lord Jhesu by some certeyn synne, or ellys by some certeyn temptacyons of the fende," &c. The original of the passage runs thus: "Frequenter enim (ut inquiebat) contingit animae Deum amanti, quod fervor mentalis, vel ex divina providentia, vel ex aliquali culpa, vel ex haustis adinventionibus inimici, tepescit, et quandoque quasi ad frigiditatem usque deducitur " {Legenda, 107).
2
:
:
43
there-
whereby they be made more ready to be overcome of the fiend. For he desireth nothing else of Christ's knights, but that they should put away their armour by the which they were wont to overcome their enemies. A wise knight of our Lord
and of penance doing
;
so.
But
thus, the
more he
feeleth
make them less, but rather increase them." Here is another doctrine of this holy maid, the which
she used to say to herself in edifying of others
:
"
Thou
of
vile
art
thou worthy
hast thou not
Why
mind
thy
sins
?
What
Is
it
wretched sinner
by the mercy
?
of our
Lord from
everlasting
damnation
all
Therefore
thou
all
life.
Why
1
heavy and
sorrowful to suffer
such
pains, sith
Pepwell has
:
" leaving."
:
quantumcumque videat
seu sentiat.
3
44
Whether
comfort
Lord only
in this life
for the
?
Him
Him
heaven.
Therefore
arise
up now, and
she
had
a final victory
:
my
refreshing,
and therefore
pleaseth His
it is
not hard to
me
my
Saviour, as long as
it
Majesty that
I shall suffer
them."
Here
"
is
how we
should
Lord
Who
he should
For as often," she said, " as any new thing falleth to a man, be it of prosperity or adversity, he should think in
himself thus
:
Of
this will I
win somewhat.
For he that
can do
so, shall
Here foUoweth notable doctrines of this holy maid, taken of her sermon which she made to her disciples before her passing, and the first was this " What so ever he be that cometh to the service of God, if he will have God truly, it is needful to him that
:
45
naked from
all
his soul to
all
For an heart may not wholly be given to God, but if it all other love, open and simple without
And
so
that
it
come
to that perfection.
Also she said that she knew well that to such a state of
perfection, in the
soul
which
all
the heart
is
given to God, a
prayer,
and that it come not forth and proceed by any trust of any manner of virtue of him that prayeth, but alway he
should
know
For she
said
win the continual habit of prayer ; for she did see well that by prayer all virtues are increased, and made mighty and strong ; and, without prayer, they wax feeble and defail.^ Wherefore she
exercise of prayer, so for to
induced her
disciples
;
them
to
prayer perseverauntly
and therefore she told them of two manner of prayers ^ Vocal and Mental. Vocal
:
1 So the MS.; Pepwell reads: " were Caxton " wexed feble and defayled." " prayng" (praying). 2 Caxton reads
:
:
feble
; ;
46
but
saw
clearly
befell to her, or to
for hate
He
a readiness to
obey
as well to
sovereigns,^ as to the
need of
Also she
man
manner
of
judgments of
^
his [neighbour,
;
and from
all
idle
speaking of his]
neighbour's deeds
we
And
therefore
deem ^ creatures that is, neither despise them by their doom ^ nor condemn them, all be it that they see them do open sin before them but rather they should have compassion on them and pray for them, and despise them not, nor condemn
should
;
men
So Caxton Pepwell and MS. have " in." Latin, Praelatorum suorum {i.e. of her ecclesiastical
:
:
superiors),
Le^enda, 361.
3
Omitted
Judge,
in
4
5
Judgment.
47
Also she said that she had great hope and trust
;
knew
well
^
is
by
a
experience
hopeth in
1
it.
"Also she sayd that she hadde alwaye grete hope and truste Goddes prouydence, and to this same truste she enduced her dysciples seyng unto theym that she founde and knewe " (Caxton).
in
Deo Grattas
Ill
HERE BEGINNETH A SHORT TREATISE OF CONTEMPLATION TAUGHT BY OUR LORD JESU CHRIST, OR TAKEN OUT OF THE BOOK OF MARGERY KEMPE, ANCRESS OF LYNN
Here beginneth a Short Treatise of Contemplation Taught by Our Lord Jesu Christ, or taken out of THE Book of Margery Kempe, Ancress of Lynn
SHE
desired
off
many
smitten
our Lord Jesu. Then said our Lord Jesu in her mind " I thank thee, daughter, that thou wouldest die for My
love; for as often
as thou thinkest so, thou shalt have the same meed in heaven, as if thou suffredest the same death, and yet there shall no man slay thee.
if
it
were possible
for
Me
Me
were
ever-
lever to suffer as
alone, rather than
lastingly.
much
pain
as
Me
Then
best love
Him.
Lord Jesu Christ, how she should And our Lord said " Have mind of thy
:
My goodness.
51
52
hair,^
fasting bread
Me
so
when thou
art in silence,
and
suffrest
Me
many
beads,
it is
it is
good to them
not perfect.^
But
For
I tell thee,
And
The habergeon or the hair-shirt, the former term being applied an instrument of penance as well as to a piece of armour. Cf. Chaucer, The Persones Tale (ed. Skeat, 97) "Thanne shaltow understonde, that bodily peyne stant in disciplyne or techinge, by word or by wrytinge, or in ensample. Also in weringe of heyres or of stamin, or of haubergeons on hir naked flesh, for Cristes But war thee wel that swiche sake, and swiche manere penances. manere penances on thy flesh ne make nat thyn herte bitter or angry or anoyed of thy-self; for bettre is to caste awey thyn heyre, than for to caste away the sikernesse of Jesu Crist. And Clothe yow, as they that been chosen therfore seith seint Paul of God, in herte of misericorde, debonairetee, suffraunce, and swich manere of clothinge' of whiche Jesu Crist is more apayed than of heyres, or haubergeons, or hauberkes." 2 Wynkyn de Worde has "sholde." " profyte." 3 Wynkyn de Worde reads 4 Cf. St. Catherine of Siena, Letter to William Flete (ed. Gigli, " There are some who give themselves perfectly to chastising 124) their body, doing very great and bitter penance, in order that the sensuality may not rebel against the reason. They have set all their desire more in mortifying the body than in slaying their own
to
:
:
'
53
And
much
life.
almesse, they
would that
it
And I
life
have more merit in heaven for one year mind than for an hundred year of praying with thy mouth and yet thou wilt not believe Me, for thou wilt bid many beads.-'" Daughter, if thou knew how sweet thy love is to Me,
and thou
shalt
thinking in thy
Me with
all
" Daughter,
keep
if
Me
in heaven,
Me
much
as
forget not
Me
at thy
meat
in thine heart
therein,
both good and bad. " Daughter, I have suffered many pains for thy love
therefore thou hast great cause to love
for I
Me
right well,
full
dear."
"
pray Thee,
let
me
never
perfect
54
Thy
if I
for
me
Thy
love as I do
should be a manner
of
as
Thy
love putteth
;
for I
Thou
therefore,
good Lord,
Thou
may ^
it
be."
man, and suffer so grievous pains, for her that was so unkind a creature to Him. And then, with great weeping, she asked our Lord Jesu how she might best please Him ;
and
He
answered to her
soul, saying
mind
of thy wickedness,
and think on
My
goodness.''
Then
she prayed many times and often these words " Lord, for Thy great goodness, have mercy on my great
Thou may be though I would for Thou and, thereart so good, that Thou mayst no better be fore, it is great wonder that ever any man should be departed from Thee without end." When she saw the Crucifix, or if she saw a man had a wound, or a beast, or if a man beat a child before her, or
;
smote
a horse or
it,
if
she might
see it or hear
Lord beaten or
"mote."
wounded,
1
like as
man
de
or in the beast.
:
Annoy.
Wynkyn
Worde has
55
Tlie more she increased in love and in devotion, the more she increased in sorrow and contrition, in lowliness and meekness, and in holy dread of our Lord Jesu, and in
"-
frailty.
So that
if
more worthy
to be chastised
Then would
Our Lord
believe that
I
she
weep
for her
own
sin,
and
for
compassion
of that creature.
said to her
:
sayest, daughter,
God
than
He
loveth thee.
I
vrauld
compassion that
have of thee."
Lord Jesu Christ drew this creature unto His love, and to the mind of His passion, that she might not endure to behold a leper, or another sick man, specially if he had any wounds appearing on him. So she wept as if she had seen our Lord Jesu with His wounds
merciful
Our
bleeding
and so she
for,
man, her mind was all ravished in to our Lord Jesu, that she had great mourning and sorrowing that she might not kiss the leper when she met them in the way, for the love of our Lord which
through the beholding of the
:
was all youth and prosperity, for then she abhorred them most.
1
Wynkyn
de
Worde has
" lownesse,"
S6
Our Lord said " Daughter, thou hast mind to have many priests in the town
might sing and read night and day
worship Me, and praise Me, and thank
ness that I have
desired in thy
of
Lynn, that
for to serve
Me,
Me
;
for the
good-
and good
meed and
as
great
good service and thy good deeds that thou hast done in thy mind, as if thou
in heaven, for thy
Me
lecherous
them and weepest for them many a tear, desiring that I should deliver them out of sin, and be as gracious to them as I was to Mary Magdalene, that they might have
as
much
grace to love
Me
as
and
^
with
praise
this
condition
of
and
Me
hast to
1
them
Me right well.
And,
Cf. Chaucer, The Persones Tale with-inne the hertes of folk shal be the bytinge conscience, and with-oute-forth shal be the world al brenninge."
With-out-forth= outwardly.
:
"And
Everyche=:each one.
57
when thou
prayest for
all
Jews and
heathen people that they should come to Christian faith, that My name might be magnified Furthermore, daughter, I thank thee for the in them.
general charity that thou hast to
in this world,
all
people that be
now
and to
all
world's end
flesh to the
from damnation,
all
if it
pleased
Me.
And,
desires,
full
believe
right well
:
She
said
hurdle for
Good Lord, I would be laid naked upon Thy love, all men to wonder on me and
"
an
to
cast filth and dirt on me, and be drawen from town to town every day my life time, if Thou were pleased
thereby, and no
fulfilled
Thy
will
be
as
or thinkest
Worshipped he
'Jeru-
and passion
all
in
as if
by
all
According to the legend, certain "indulgences," to be gained who visited the Holy Places at Jerusalem, were first granted
S8
it
playne ^ remission
and
it is
but
and to
all
those that
unto the world's end, that God loveth thee, and shall thank God for thee. If they will forsake their sin, and be in full will no more to turn again thereto, but be sorry and heavy for that they have done, and will
shall believe
shall
is
granted to thyself
and that
Rafnys."3
suffered tribulation.
Our Lord
to
" Patience
it is
is
more
Daughter,
more pleasure
Me
by Pope St. Sylvester at the petition of Constantine and St. Helena. There seems no evidence as to the real date at which these special indulgences were instituted. Cf. Amort, De origine, progressu, valore, ac fructu Indulgentiarum, Augsburg, 1735, pars i. pp.
217
1
et seq,
Plenary.
All the indulgences attached to the Holy Places. Probably Racheness in the parish of South
2
3
' '
Acre,
where
there
was a leper
St.
59
times a day every day in seven year." said, " for Thy great pain have mercy
on
in
great
trouble,
" Daughter,
thee, for
this
way
;
to heaven.
for
By
My
disciples
now thou
shalt
what sorrow and shame I suffered for thy love, and thou shalt have the more compassion when thou thinkest on
My
"
passion."
O my
Thou shouldest shew to religious men and to priests." Our Lord said to her again " Nay, nay, daughter, for
:
is
shames,
and thereper-
for,
daughter, he
may not
God."
Here endeth a
called
IV
HERE FOLLOWETH A DEVOUT TREATISE COMPILED BY MASTER WALTER HYLTON OF THE SONG OF ANGELS
Here followeth a Devout Treatise compiled by Master Walter Hylton of the Song of Angels
DEAR
brother in Christ,
have understanding by
thine
own
man, that thou yearnest and desirest greatly for to have more knowledge and understanding than thou hast of angel's song and heavenly sound ; what it is, and on what
wise
it is
perceived and
felt in a
man's
soul,
and how
it is
how
made by
wete of
me
tell
nevertheless somewhat,
me
Wete thou
God and
of a
is
made when
condition
when
the
mind
is
stabled
2
sadly ,^
without changing
In true union.
63
Established firmly.
64
and vagation,^
reason
is
God and
all
when
the
cleared from
all
and from
creatures,
and
God and
is
when
kindly,
and worldly
fulfilled ^
and
Ghost.
may not be
perfectly, continually,
and wholly in
this life,
for the
may
it is.
For
the likeness of
joy and
the more
is
bliss shall it
have in heaven.
or darkness
ness.
Then
it is,
is
united, fastened,
mighty
loving and
For
of
1
more virtuous it is, and so it is more perfect. hath by the grace of Jesu, and long travail bodily and ghostly exercise, overcome and destroyed
a soul that
' :
'
With
this
wonderful onehede
65
stirrings^
is
and
passions,
and
unskilful
within
all
itself,
and without
in the sensuality,
and
clothed
in virtues, as in meekness
and mildness,
in patience
and
and righteousness,
in con;
then
it
made
perfect, as it
may be
Much
comfort
its
it
own
Lord
and
God,
in light
Him,
also
Godhead
but
many
sweetnesses,
and wonderful
feelings
on
sere ^ or
sundry
His
visit
and
and waxeth in
that
all
charity.
it, is
Some
by virtue
of charity
God
giveth
and
that he
sweetness in
creatures.^
And
1
Unreasonable impulses. Cf. Mother Juliana, Revelations of Divine Love, xiv. cap. 46: "And our kindly substance, is now blessedfully in God."
2
Secret nature.
Divers.
:
De Imiiatione Christi, ii. 4 "If thine heart were right, then every creature would be a mirror of life, and a book of holy There is no creature so small and vile, as not to repredoctrine. sent the goodness of God."
4 Cf.
66
fleshly, vain,
right so
now
they are
made
bitterness
And
is
this
is
the
punished in the
and the
flesh
is
ward the
and the
not
flesh
soul,
fleshly,
but ghostly,
This
is
as
man ^ hath over all creatures, the which dignity he may so recover by grace here, that every creature savour to him as it is. And that is, when by grace he seeth, he heareth, he feeleth only God in all
the worship that a
creatures.
in the sensuality
manner of wise a soul is made ghostly by abundance of charity, that is, in the substance of the soul. Also, our Lord comforteth a soul by angel's song. What that song is, it may not be dethis
On
it is
ghostly,
It
and above
felt
reason.
it
may be
may not be
shewed.
thinketh.
me
When
a soul
is
God, illumined by
wisdom, stabled by the might of God, then is the eye of the soul opened to behold ghostly things, as virtues and
angels
1
and holy
souls,
:
and heavenly
things.^
Then
and
is
Horstman reads " a mans saule." So Horstman Pepwell reads "as holy souls and in heavenly things,"
2
: :
virtues in angels
in
67
is
lifted
of the sensuality,
and out
of
mind
of any
(if
may
is
made by
Not
soul
;
between
man's soul
in flesh
and an
it,
may
not hear
much
charity,
For the
in the love of
is
God by
in
comis
of angels
and ghostly
creatures.
moved through
;
bodily imagina-
by working
^
of angels
as
in bodily imagination
;
privities
presence of angels
ravished out of
and
fleshly things in to
more
2 3
The
68
or
THE
less.'
CFJ.L
then,
OF SELF-KNOWLEDGE
me
thinkcth that there
Now,
may no
soul
perfect charity
though
all
have not
the
felt it,
so purified in
it,
fire of
all
love that
letting
earthly savour
brent out of
between the soul and the cleanness 'Then soothly of angels is broken and put away from ii. may he sing a new song, and soothly he may hear a
and
mean
or feigning.
for
that soul
is
that,
abundance of brenning
song.
Who
and that
is
is
when
all
it love nothing but God, nor dread nothing but God, nor joyeth, nor sorroweth nothing but in God, Who so might by the grace of God go this or for God. way, he should not err. Nevertheless, some men are deceived by their own imagination, or by the illusion of the enemy in this manner.^ Some man, when he hath
sins
by
^ All
"
hiiulr;uice.
:
riorstman reads
" matter."
69
conscience^
rest,
and
clarity
in
scriptures,
and
mind
of his
own
wits
things, or
his eye
travaileth
by imaginations
and by indiscreet
and forbreaketh
the mights and the wits of the soul and of the body.
And
and that
is
else
as a
but
a fantasy,
man
that
is
in a frenzy,
man doth
and
is
all
else it
by
For and
if
in his fantasies
in his workings,
falleth in to indiscreet
imagination, as
were in
in,
and by
his
false
illuminations,
and by
and by
he
And
A little.
Before.
Overtaxes.
70
false
and
false
reasonings,
And,
therefore,
if
thou
see
any
angel's
he
is
made
he
shall
never
*
by
fantasy, nor
by
indiscretion, nor
by no
were
;
slight
Also,
some men
a ghostly this
is
and
may turn to deceit. This sound is felt on this wise. Some man setteth the thought of his heart only in the name of Jesu, and steadfastly holdeth it thereto, and in short time him thinketh that that name turneth him to great comfort and sweetness, and him thinketh that the name soundeth in his
commonly good, and sometime
it
heart delectably, as
this liking
is
it
were
so
so mighty, that it
Who
as
may
feel this
sound and
this
it is
of
God,^ and,
as
long
he
is
meek, he
;
shall
not be deceived.
But this is not angel's song but it is a song of the soul by virtue of the name and by touching of the good angel.^
1
Craft.
2
3
Horstman reads
This passage
is
defective in
71
him
all his
trust
and
his desire in
Him, and
filleth
busily
will,
keepeth
Him
it
in his
He
it,
pureth
feedeth
and
song,
name
and
as
and
as
is
delectable
And
not only he
hath comfort in
this, but also in psalms and hymns, and anthems of holy Church, that the heart singeth them sweetly, devoutly, and freely, without any travail of the soul, or bitterness in the same time,^ and notes that holy
Church
which
is
useth.
This
is
Nevertheless, in this
manner
;
of feeling, a soul
may be
Him,
^
not in that time that the affecceaseth and the heart keeleth
it
Also
some man
1
is
MS. Dd.
V. SS> ed.
:
2 3
Pepwell has
MS. Dd.
V.
Horstman, has: "purges." " in feeling of the sound." 55, ed. Horstman, reads: "toune"
{i.e.
tone).
Illumined.
5 Cools down, grows cold. Also construed with "from." Cf. Richard Rolle, Psalter (ed. H. R. Bramley, p. 156): "He gars
sa
many
72
that
good to have Jesu in his mind, or any other good God then he straineth his heart mightily to word that name, and by a custom he hath it nearhand alway and, nevertheless, he feeleth not thereby in in his mind his affection sweetness, nor light of knowing in his reason, but only a naked mind of God,^ or of Jesu, or of Mary,
of
; ;
Here may be
deceit,
not for
if
mind on
is
this wise,
but
he
this feeling
and
this
mind, that
only his
own working
and
by
think
more than
it is.
mind
it is it
but a blindness,
and
way
to deceit,
if
man
hold
in his
own
sight
more than it is. Therefore I hold that he be meek in his own feeling, and hold this mind in regard nought, till he may, by custom and using of this mind, feel the fire of love in his affection, and the light of knowit siker ^
Lo,
;
this
matter a
me
this
thinketh
is
this sufhceth,
nor that
1
But
if
abstract thought of God. Construe " But if he hold this feeling and this mind (that only his own working by custom) to be a special visitation."
2
:
A mere
is
Surer, safer.
73
savour by
man
him
it sufficeth
to
me
principally,
and not in
1
feeling.
" and
in faith."
Explicit
as
how thou
I
And I
me
should be
full
speedful unto
thee at the
ever
it
first
make
it full
known unto
this
is
And wete
I tell thee,
no
and
see
why
for truly
no man
upon him
that
is
is
in doing.
I
And,
therefore, thou
it.
mayst think
if
it safely,
and
counsel thee to do
For,
thou do
it,
and
this special
amendment,
it shall
bring
The MSS. add And bot if thou spede thou come to the ende of thy prayer."
1
'
'
77
78
feel
"
heart, but
flatter
so be (the
^
which
God
and f age
it
may be
and
before,
for to behight
this
to thine heart.
is
thing
only in God,
will,
and
in thee
is
but
a blind abiding of
His
without
certainty of one
moment, the which is as little or less than a twinkling of an eye. And, therefore, if thou wilt pray wisely as the prophet biddeth when he saith in the
:
psalm
beginning
Domini
"^
that
is
"
The
beginning of wisdom
for that there
is
the
full
no
in to over
much
thy
1
first
thought
:
4
5
^ Coax, beguile. Pepwell reads "find." Falsehoods. " behetynges of lenger leuyng. The MSS. read Promise. Ps. xlvi, 8 (Vulgate), xlvii. 7 (A.V.): "Sing ye praises with
'
'
understanding." 7 Ps. cxi. 10 (ex. 10 Vulgate). 8 So Pepwell Harl. MS. 674 reads sekir stonding."
;
is
no
"
79
if
as a full
of
all
mean
thus
amended thee
shall
if
after the
;
common
ordinance of
for thy full
God
salvation,
and
of thy perfection,
thou didst
as
live longer.
This
is
the
^
amendment standeth
and doing of good
in leaving of evil
two' are none readier than the ghostly working of these two thoughts touched before. For what reaveth from a soul ^ more readily the affection of sinning, than doth
a true
Pepwell adds in explanation "or amends " i.e. satisfaction. Langland, Piers the Plowman, B. xvii. 237: " And if it suffice noughte for assetz"; and Wyclif, Pistle on Cristemasse Day (Select English Works, ed. T. Arnold, ii. p. 237): "And thus, sith aseeth muste be maad for Adams synne." 2 Ps. xxxiv. 22 (Vulgate xxxiii. 23). " fro a lyf. 3 The MSS. read
1
Cf.
8o
soul ^
more fervently to working of good, than doth a hope in the mercy and the goodness of God, the which is brought in by this second thought ? For why,
certain
when
it is
thus
be to thee a sure
staff of
all
And by
mount
thou mayst
is
sikerly
of perfection, that
God
though
hear
all
this
beginning be imperfect,
thou shalt
what for the general sight that thou hast of the mercy and of the goodness of God, and this special experience that thou feelest of His mercy and His
after.
For,
little
short service
were in
a full aseeth of so
much
is
recklessness (as it
is
said before), it
Him
that
good and
if
so merciful
unto thee
as
staff,
prayer,
thou do
it
duly
as I
The
standeth
man
hath to
God
dread in the
ground of
1
read: "alyf." So Harl. MS. 674. Pepwell reads " Also the steps of thy staff Hope plainly will shew unto thee if thou do it duly, as I have told
2
:
TheMSS,
8i
this staff
hope,
touched before.
is
nought
else
but
nought
else, as saint
Thomas
the doctor
but
a readiness of
manner,
he feeleth
Me thinketh
And
I
see
why
and gladly
for hope,
?
and
Sikerly,
had
meed
though
but
enjoined to
him
this
from the
day without
this
manner
two thoughts is so meedful but that reverent affection, to the which bringing in these two thoughts are sovereign means on man's party, that is it that is so meedful as I say .2] And this is only it by itself, without any other
1
Summa
esse videtur,
" Devotio nihil aliud Theologica, II. -ii. Q. 82, A. i quam voluntas quaedam prompte tradendi se ad ea,
:
quae pertinent ad Dei famulatum." 2 The whole passage included in square brackets Pepwell, but is identical in the two MSS.
is
omitted
in
82
which only by
itself
pleaseth
And
it
God
without
and
all
whoso hath much of this, much meed shall he have, and whoso hath less of this, And all these other things, as less meed shall he have.
the quantity of
meed
for
is
fasting, waking,
^
all
these other,
much
as
so that
without
is
this
And
by
this
it-
without them
self,
sometime
and
it is
come
to
of full
for that I
thing after that it is the more, " the more," and the less, " the less " ; for oft times unknowing
commended each
is
cause of
much
men
to charge
error. And oft times unknowing maketh more and commend more bodily exercise
all
(as is fasting,
these others)
this
reverent
decla-
touched before.
And,
therefore, in
more
ration of the
more than
so that,
in this
1
by such declaring, thou mayst be better learned working than thou yet art.
;
83
manner
when
were
it is
may
well be likened to
tree,
is,
of the
which
dread
is
the root.
is,
And hope
body
and
^
is
the
certain
stable, it
it is
the body
it
stirreth
men
as
to works
is
of love,
the boughs
fruit,
but
evermore the
is
long
a
the fruit
hath in party
then
green smell of
the tree
but when
it
hath been
a certain
it
time departed
lost all
is
full ripe,
is
hath
the
and
king's
knave's meat],^
affection
is
In this time
And, therefore, shape thee for to depart this fruit from the tree, and for to offer it up by itself to the high King of heaven ; and
so
meedful
as I said.
own
child, loving
Him
with
I
and not
mean
thus
deeds, the
though all that the innumerable good which almighty God of His gracious goodness
:
this life,
be sufficient causes
The
Not
trunk.
;
2
3
Pepwell inserts
in Pepwell.
:
"
it is
Pepwell reads
84
at the full
and more, to each soul to love Him for, with yet all his wit, and with all his will all his if it might be, that may no wise be, that a soul were as
mighty,
as
worthy, and
as
witty
as all
worthiness of God,^ or to
in this life in Himself,
;
whom
that
God had
never
shewed kindness
loveliness of
God
;
and
so liking, so
good and
so
He
is
in Himself.
love
how of God
how
high a thing
is
the
understanding of
man
;
And
with
not
thus
it
is
that
mean
well
when
said)
I say loving
Him
^
and not
as if I said
(though
all I
much
for Himself.
For,
of
1
my
meaning of
more highly speak in declaring the perfection and of the meed of this
if I
shall
never received it from Him. Pure Love, or Charity, which attains to God Himself, that it may abide in Him, not that any advantage may accrue to us from Him" (St. Thomas Aquinas, Sumvia Theologica, H.-ii. Q. 23, A. 6). For the whole doctrine of " Pure Love or Disinterested Religion," of. F. von Hiigel, The Mystical Element of
2
'
Had
'
Religion,
ii.
pp. 152-181.
85
God,
as
He
is
in Himself,
by the
for to
beam
which
of
is
God,
and for to
the loveliness
God
in Himself,
moment
mind
did
for
is
to
him
in this life
God God
feeleth he or seeth he
God Himself. So that though all it may be said in speaking of the common perfection, that the great goodness and the great kindness that God hath shewed to us in this life are high and worthy causes for to love God for
;
yet having beholding to the point and the prick of perfection (to the
ing,
which
my meannow,
this
God,
that
is
for to love
God
for,
but
God
Himself
is
so that
by
meaning
of
I say,
to love
God
for Himself
And
mine ensample, shape thee to depart the fruit from the tree, and for to offer it up by itself unto the King of
;
for
evermore
as
long
thou
offrest
1
Him
this fruit
So both MSS.
" blessedness."
86
tree,
woman
that
is
not
man more
that
I
himself.
And
see
why
for it
all
thou
art.
And
it
fruit a
green smell
in party,
of the tree
and though
it
pleaseth
God
nevertheless, yet
is
pleaseth
Him
is
Chaste love
is
when thou
;
askest of
God
neither
but
if it
fail
but thou
God nought
whether thou
shalt be in pain or
Him
this
is
is
perfect love.^
And
therefore shape
;
that
is
to say,
so that thou mayst offer it ripe and chaste unto God by itself, not caused of any thing beneath Him, or medled with Him ^ (yea, though all it
;
Cf.
;
St.
Thomas
F.
Aquinas,
Summa
ii.
A. 3
2
and
von Hugel,
op. cit.,
p. 167.
87
and then
it
so
meedful
as I say
that
it is.
For
it is
plainly
known
all
and of God's
stirred
man's affection
is,
is
unto
God
deserveth everlasting
is
life.
is
And
to say,
that offreth the fruit ripe, and departed from the tree)
may innumerable
God
it
can say
is
the
And
therefore shape
thee for to offer the fruit ripe and departed from the
tree.
upon the
tree, continually
;
and departed from the offered unto God without mean, that
but the
fruit ripe
tree,
is
suddenly
perfection.
And
all
is
good, though
more
and therefore I set it in thy garden ; for would that thou should gather the fruit thereof, and keep it to thy Lord. And for that that I would that thou knew what manner of working it is that knitteth man's soul to God, and that maketh it one with Him in
perfection
I
1
take "
it
man which
is
God
88
saying thus
spiritus est
cum
illo ;
that
is
to say
"
Who
so
as it is
is
one
with God."
That
is,
though
all
that
God
and he
*
;
^ in
and
all this is
for
will
and in
this
onehead
the marriage
shall
and the
soul, the
which
that the heat and the fervour of this work cease for a time,
but by a deadly
soul both say
sin.
may
a loving
and sing (if it list) this holy word that is Dilectus mens written in the book of songs in the Bible mihi et ego illi ; ^ that is " My loved unto me and I
: :
unto
Him
"
understanden that
God
shall
be knitted
on thy party.
Cf.
Dante, Par,
"
Si
xxxiii.
143-145
il
Ma gia volgeva
mio
disiro e
il
velle,
come rota ch' egualmente e mossa, L'Amor che move il sole e I'altre stelle," " But already my desire and will, even as a v^heel that is equally moved, were being turned by the Love that moves the sun and
the other stars."
2 4
Cor.
vi. 17.
ben one
Pepwell adds: " or sundry." Harl. MS. 674 reads " they Cant. ii. 16.
;
'^
89
said in the
is,
beginning
fruit (that
which ever
will be in thee
fage
take
lie, as I said),
is
good keep
of that
working that
God,
so that
times by
itself,
thought.
as I said,
And,
the which
is
so
meedful
(that
is
and ever the longer that it is kept from the tree to say, from any thought), and ever the ofter
done suddenly,
it
that
it
is
lustily,
and
ever
likingly,
it
without
pleaseth
feelest
And
when thou
He
breaketh
of thine
own present.
And
so hard,
and
so straitly stressing
first
beginning, that
bemeaneth
the tree, or else newly pulled, setteth thy teeth on edge. Nevertheless yet
Harl.
it
is
speedful to thee.
For
:
it
is
no
MS, 674 reads "glose." Pepwell adds " or flatter." Heed. 3 Pepwell adds: "or betokeneth." Cf. Langland, Piers the Plowman, A. i. i " What this mountein bemeneth."
1
:
90
thou crack
Nevertheless,
is
be weak (that
counsel that
my
thou seek
Another
so that
there
is
why
that
thy
For though
yet, to
all it
be
standing,
mine under-
And
yet
is
any mean.
And,
therefore, I rede
nought but
sin,^
me
as
though
be unworthy
for
whether
it
man
messenger,
it
is
but an
the
God Himis
work within
For
as
in thy soul.
And
this
skill
why
all
that
others.
man
is
2
2
Pepwell adds " or counsel." Of thyself thou hast nought but sin. So the MSS. Pepwell has " to God."
:
91
and
a ghostly, so it
two
is
means to come by to perfection ^ sith it so that both these substances shall be oned in undeadliness
sere
^
;
life,
by
mean accordant
seemly and acis
And
that
is
And
it is full
me
thinketh
for as there
all
nothing
affection of
;
so
there
is
raise
hope
And
1
Dante, De Monarchia, iii. i6 "Man alone of beings holds a mid-place between corruptible and incorruptible wherefore he is rightly likened by the philosophers to the horizon which For man, if considered after either is between two hemispheres. essential part, to wit soul and body, is corruptible if considered only after the one, to wit the body, but if after the other, to wit the soul, he is incorruptible. ... If man, then, is a kind of mean between corruptible and incorruptible things, since every mean savours of the nature of the extremes, it is necessary that man should savour of either nature. And since every nature is ordained to a certain end, it follows that there must be a twofold end of man, so that Hke as he alone amongst all beings partakes of corruptibility and incorruptibility, so he alone amongst all beings should be ordained for two final goals, of which the one should be
2
;
"
92
two thoughts
but
if it
so be that thy
than thee thinketh these two be, thou mayst take them,
safely
Nevertheless
my
conceit
full
(till I
wete more)
me
should be
much
unaccord-
I feel in thee.
And
thank
God
and
for
Do
it
then
so, for I
am
a wretch,
No more at this time, but God's blessing have thou and mine. Read often, and forget it not set thee sharply to the
;
proof
the
and
flee all
letting
and occasion of
letting, in
name
of our
Lord Jesu
Christ.
Amen.
Finis
VI
HERE FOLLOWETH ALSO A VERY NECESSARY EPISTLE OF DISCRETION IN STIRRINGS OF THE SOUL
Here followeth also a very necessary Epistle of Discretion in Stirrings of the Soul
God's
will.
Thou askest me counsel of silence and of speaking, of common dieting and of singular fasting, of dwelling in company and only woning ^ by thyself. And thou sayest
thou art in great were
sayest,
^
what thou
shalt
do
for, as
thou
with
common eating, as other folk do, and with common woning in company. And, on the other party,
speaking, with
thou dreadest to be
and
thou
hast,*
and
for
many
other perils
for
now
in to
deemed
many
1
perils,
Pepwell modernises this throughout to " dwelling alone." Pepwell substitutes " doubt." Cf. Chaucer, Legend of Good Women, 2686 " Thryes doun she fil in swiche a were." " in keeping of silence." 3 Pepwell adds " more holiness than thou art worthy." 4 Harl, MS. 674 reads
2
:
:
95
96
and
And
sooth
It is
holy,
and of that only woning, the kind ^ but suffering and only consenting and if it be otherwise, then that is but peril on all sides, for it is full perilous to strain
singular fasting,
;
is
silence or
common
woning
if it
in
company
the
or in onliness.^
common custom
;
of kind
be led
thereto by grace
now
good,
and now evil, now with thee, now against thee, now helping, and now letting. For it might befall that, if thou
followed thy singular stirring, straitly straining thee to
silence, to singular fasting, or to
still
times fast
when
Or
to
if
when
thee
list,
common
were to be
still,
sometime
fast,
sometime be in company
;
only
thine
1
own
And,
therefore, in
2 Solitude.
:
"company."
Pepwell reads
"better,"
; ;
AN EPISTLE OF DISCRETION
eschewing of such
errors,
97
I
thou askest of
:
me
the
(as
first
have
is is
my my
all
such others
when they
full
come.
As to the
first, I
answer and
I say
that
dread
much
rude
:
my
is
for
two
skills.^
And one
it
this
my
conceit, affirming
for fast
and
true.
The
other
is
For
it is
Nemo
novit quae sunt hominis, nisi spiritus hominis qui in ipso est
"
No man knoweth which are the privy dispositions of man, but the spirit of the same man, the which is in
himself "
thine
shalt
;
"
own inward
do hereafter, when
God
by
the proof,
among many
fallings
and
risings.
For
if
knew know-
he were
risings
many
temptations, and by
many
fallings
and
for right as
1
floods
ii.
and the G
Causes.
Cor.
11.
98
on the one party, and the peaceable wind and the calms and the soft weathers of the air on
storms of the
the other party, the sely
^
right so,
among
the diversity of
life
(the
the storms and the floods of the sea) on the one party,
Holy Ghost,
which are ensampled by the peaceable wind and the air) on the other party, the sely soul,
and to the haven of health the which is and the soothfast knowing of himself, and of
;
the clear
all his
he sitteth quietly in himself, as a king crowned in his royalme, mightily, wisely, and goodly governing himself
and
soul.
all his
thoughts and
stirrings,
Of such a
man
it is
man
saith thus
Beatus vir qui suffert tentationem, quoniam cum frohatus fuerit, accifiet coronam vitae^ quam repromisit Deus diligentibus se : " He is a blissful man that sufferingly beareth
temptation
that love
for,
the crown of
from he have been proved, he shall take life, the which God hath hight to all those
^
Him."
1
The crown
for ghostly
of
life
may be
i.
said
on
two manners.
One
wisdom, for
2
full discre-
Simple.
jas.
12.
AN EPISTLE OF DISCRETION
tion,
99
and
together
grace
crown
the which by
here in this
On
is
another
may be
said, that it
the endless
life,
in the
may
man
but
'^
if
in suffering of
noye
and of temptation,
fuerit,
accipiet
coronam vitae
"
From
take the
crown
of life "
^ as
who saith
:
(according to mine
if
But
sinner have
rising,
now
by
frailty, rising
by grace, he
shall
never
God
wisdom
in clear
inward
dispositions,
nor
God and
of his brethren.
of
life.
crown
gold
is
the
first
precious
gold,
up above the head, those are the third. By wisdom by the precious stones, discretion and
; ;
The MSS.
usually read " cleped" for " called." 3 jas, i, Pepwell modernises to " trouble."
12.
100
by the
Gold environeth the head, and by wisdom we govern our ghostly work on every side precious stones giveth light in beholding of men, and by discretion we teach and counsel our brethren ; the
perfection of virtue.
;
two
side branches,
left,
is
charity)
we
give
two
side branches
one even up unto God, above man's understanding, the which is the head of the soul. This is the crown of life
the which by grace
therefore, bear thee
may be
life
and,
low in thy
and
suffer
meekly
thy temptations
shalt
till
For then
so hath
for
who
;
he may be
full siker of
and
full
many
yet
come never
(if
may be had
full
here in this
life.
The which
Thee
;
may be had
but
as
here
yea,
bear thee
as
meekly
as
one noble to
AN EPISTLE OF DISCRETION
world
full of gold.
loi
which
how
far
the true knowing of thine inward disposition, and thereafter to give thee warning, not over soon to give stead
my
conceit that I
me
thou art
and
full greatly
doings,^
and
;
received
ableness
and that
this
full perilous.
and
is
other that
that
it is
God
good
this
but
that
it is full
and
yea,
life
;
mean,
if
is
meek
to
God and
to
itself,
the
own
will in all
To
Such impulses
Humble
102
stirrings,
stirrings,
but
and the consents of some ghostly teachers I mean such as have been of long time expert in singular living. Such a soul, for ghostly continuance thus in this meekness, may deserve, through
if it
crown of life touched before. And as great an ableness to good as is this manner of disposition in a soul that is thus meeked as I say, as perilous
for to take the
it is
greedy
by the own wit and the own will and therefore, God's love, beware with this ableness and with this
of disposition (that I speak of),
if it
manner
as I say.
be in thee
And meek
Break
counsel.
down
own
all
stirrings,
And
as
my
of
conceit and
my
them
suspiciously, that
that
Men
commonly
that
err
forgive
me
if I
my
1
Pleasant.
Pepwell reads
"wits."
* Lest.
AN EPISTLE OF DISCRETION
I
103
I
me by
and
^
evidence that
of mine,
have of
touched with
and of
full
granted unto
me
communing
v^^ith
me, and
For, as
he had seen
man
is
which
man,
as it is
well known,
evermore in great
;
silence, in
singular fasting,
and
certes, as I
suppose
fully,
they are
all
man
hath, caused
silence
without
the which
my
so
were,
it
as I say in
simple meaning.
And
thy
stirrings,
for
how
thou art
stirred,
whether from within by grace, or from without on ape's manner, God wote, and I not. Nevertheless this may I say thee in eschewing of perils like unto this
:
is
come from
spirit,
plainly,
Mors
intrat
Pepwell reads
"strait."
104
per fenestras}
is,
for
answer to the
where thou
askest of
me, what
is
my
me in thy letter. And touching the second thing, where thou askest of me my counsel in this case, and in such other when they fall, I beseech almighty Jesu (as He is cleped the angel of great counsel) that He of His mercy be thy counsellor and thy comforter in all thy noye and thy nede, and order me with His wisdom to fulfil in party by my teaching, so
of to
simple as
hast unto
as I
it is,
me
before
many others
a simple
lewd
wretch
little-
ness of grace
and
Nevertheless,
though
1
somewhat
say,
answering to
21 : "Quia ascendit mors per fenestras nostras" Pepwell reads " as saint Jerome saith " Cf. Walter " Lift up thy Hilton, The Ladder of Perfection, I. pt. iii. cap. 9 lanthorn, and thou shalt see in this image five windows, by which sin Cometh into thy soul, as the Prophet saith Death cometh in by our windows. These are the five senses by which thy soul goeth out of herself, and fetcheth her delight, and seeketh her feeding
Jer.
ix,
(Vulgate),
by the eye
to see curious
and
fair things,
senses. By the unskilful using of these senses willingly to vanities, thy soul is much letted from the sweetness of the spiritual senses within and therefore it behoveth thee to stop these windows, and shut them, but only when need requireth to open them (ed. Dalgairns, p, 115). 2 Ignorant.
;
AN EPISTLE OF DISCRETION
thy desire at
105
my
God
that
of
His grace
shall
when conning
Thou
thyself that silence in itself nor speaking, also singular fasting nor
common
company,
all
of our
but to some
men
if
(and not to
all)
they are
means
they be done lawfully and with they more letting than furthering.
and
else are
And
therefore plainly
still,
com-
for why, perfection standeth not in them. But this counsel may I give thee generally, to hold thee by in these stirrings, and in all other like unto these evermore where thou findest two contraries, as are these silence and speaking, fasting and eating, onliness and company, common clothing of Christian religion and singular habits of divers and devised brotherhoods, with all such other what so they be, the which in themself are but works of kind ^ and of men. For thou hast it by kind and by statute of thine outer man now^ for to speak and now for to be still, now for to eat and now for to fast, now for to be in company and now to be only, now to be
common
1
in clothing
natural
and now to be
3
in
singular habit,
Where
Fully.
io6
ever
when thee list, and when thou seest^ that any of them should be speedful and helply to thee in nourishing
of the heavenly grace working within in thy soul;
if it
but
be so (which
God
forbid), that
so
lewd and
were under colour of holiness feigned under such an holy thraldom,^ in full and final destroying of the freedom of Christ, the which is the
it
may be
in this
or in the other, by
:
thus
spirit of
God
evil
is,
there
is
freedom."
And
thereto
when
is
thou
may be both
for that
them both,
if
But do thou thus set the one on the one hand, and the other on the other, and choose thee a thing the which is hid between them ; the which
is
better.
thing,
when
it is
spirit to
at thine
askest
me, what
is
that thing.
I shall
Pepwell has " when thou dost feel." Pepwell inserts " I mean except the solemn vows of holy
:
religion."
2 Cor.
iii.
17.
; ;
AN EPISTLE OF DISCRETION
tell
107
thee what
mean
that
if
it is
It
is
God
for
still
whom
;
thou shouldest be
for
still,
thou shouldest be
and
whom thou shouldest speak, if thou shouldest speak for whom thou shouldest fast, if thou shouldest fast and for whom thou shouldest eat, if thou shouldest eat and for whom thou shouldest be only, if thou shouldest be only and for whom thou shouldest be in company,
and
;
if
And
so forth of all
is
the remenant,
what
not
so they be.
For
is
silence
not God,
nor speaking
is
is
God
is
fasting
not
;
God
onliness
not
God He is
work
all
but
all
He
may
He may
not be gotten by
;
but
He may
silently speaking,
1 Cf. St. Catherine of Siena, "Love Letter 308 (ed. Gigli) harmonises the three powers of our soul, and binds them together. The will moves the understanding to see, when it wishes to love when the understanding perceives that the will would fain love, if it is a rational will, it places before it as object the ineffable love of the eternal Father, who has given us the Word, His own Son, and the obedience and humility of the Son, who endured torments, inuries, mockeries, and insults with meekness and with such great love. And thus the will, with ineffable love, foUow^s what the eye of the understanding has beheld and, with its strong hand, it stores up in the memory the treasure that it draws from this love."
:
io8
and speakingly
ing,
and eatingly
fast-
and
so forth
of
all
the remenant.
^
Such
between
a lovely
and seeking
all
Him
such
a clean heart,
two leaving them both, when they come and proffer them to be the point and the prick of our ghostly beholding,
is
God
that
may
be gotten or learned in
will
mean
all
be contemplative
yea,
though
may be
for
if
God
(though
all
more Such
of
Him with
fail
all
time).
a blind shot
may
never
with the sharp dart of longing love of the prick, the which is God, as Himself
saith in the
He
speaketh to a lan:
Vulnerasti cor
meum, soror mea^ arnica mea, et sfonsa mea, vulnerasti cor meum, in uno oculorum tuorum : " Thou hast wounded mine heart, my sister, my leman, and my spouse, thou
hast
wounded mine
Eyes
By reason we may trace how mighty, how wise, and how good He but ever when is in His creatures, but not in Himself ;
two
:
list,
love, live
and
3
learn, to play,^
exercise love.
Losing.
Cant.
iv. 9.
Xo
AN EPISTLE OF DISCRETION
for
109
hit
by love we may
It
it is
feel
is
Him,
find
Him, and
"
;
Him,
hast
is
even in Himself.
a
loving soul
Thou
that
wounded
to
blind to
it
many
things,
seeketh,
and therefore
findeth
and
sight
feeleth, hitteth
it
prick that
shooteth
it
should
if
the
as it is
all
when
among
such
silence
fasting
and
;
common
to look
eating, onliness or
such other
whether
is
better.
Let be
this
manner
and
(I
let as
mean
is,
God
by)
for truly
no more there
like
purpose.
And,
and other
unto
" See
Videte vocationem
:
your
stiffly
is
ye be called, stand
to be very contemplative,
dalene.
Do
then
as
:
Mary
Porro
heart
unum
20
necessarium
" For
Divers.
2 I
Cor.
i.
26,
vii.
Eph.
iv.
i.
no
seekest thou,
Him
list
thee to
silence
Him list
by
common
eating,
by hard wearing nor by easy ; for sometime silence is good, but that same time speaking were better; and
againward sometime speaking
silence
as is
is
were better
and
remenant,
for
and company
is
some-
better,
but neither
them
is
at
And,
therefore, let be
good all that is good, and better all that is better,^ for and choose thee both they will defail and have an end the best with Mary, thy mirror, that never will defail Maria (inquit optimus) optimam partem elegit^ quae non auferetur ab ea.^ The best is almighty Jesu, and He said
;
all
and
Mary
best.
leave the
good and-the
silence
Let them
and and
Luke
X. 42.
:
2
s
Pepwell inserts "Him list thee to Pepwell reads " Let be good and
:
see,
and."
all that is
with
4
all
that
is
better."
Luke
X. 42.
AN EPISTLE OF DISCRETION
all
in
thou wotest
and
if
thou
shall at
I pray thee, covet not to wit any time think or speak of them, think
then and say that they are so high and so worthy things of
perfection, for to conne
for to
only,
folly
conne be still, and for to conne eat, for to conne be and to conne be in company, that it were but a and a foul presumption to such a frail wretch as
^
speak, or for to
conne
fast,
thou
art, for to
why,
for
meddle thee of so great perfection. For to speak, and for to be still, for to eat, and for
and
for to be in
;
company, ever
when we
may we have by kind but for to conne do all these, we may not but by grace. And, without doubt, such grace is never gotten by any mean of such strait
will,
silence, of
the which
is
by occasion of hearing and of seeing of any other man's But if ever this grace shall be
behoveth to be learned of
thou hast
listily
God from
many
a
within,
unto
with
whom
all
leaned
day before
manner of sight of any thing beneath Him though all that some of those things that I bid thee thus void, should seem in the sight of some men a full worthy mean to get God by. Yea, say what
thy ghostly beholding
;
To know how
to speak, etc.
112
do thou as I say thee, and let the proof that will be soon sped of his purpose him For to witness. ghostly, it sufficeth to him for a mean, and him needeth no more, but the actual mind of good God only, with a
men
so that
If thou keep whole thy gettest thou none but God. stirring of love that thou mayst feel by grace in thine
heart,
and
conne
be
^ tell
still,
when thou
it shall
shalt speak
shalt
govern thee discreetly in all thy living without teach thee mistily ^ how thou shalt begin and any error, and cease in all such doing of kind with a great and For if thou mayst by grace keep it sovereign discretion.
and
in
if it
be needful
eat, or
commonly
company, or
for to
common
men, and of kind, it shall first stir thee full softly to speak or to do that other common thing of kind, what so it be. And then, if thou do it not, it shall strike as sore as a prick on thine heart and pain thee full sore, and let thee have no peace ^ but if thou do it. And, on the same
1
Be
able
to.
:
Pepwell reads
cit.,
i.
" privily."
Cf.
ed.
3
p.
149):
"And
"rest."
Pepwell reads
AN EPISTLE OF DISCRETION
manner,
that
is
113
if
common
is
if it
be needful and
speedful to thee to be
contrary, as
all
it
and
onliness to
company,
fasting to eating,
and
them
so that thus,
by experience of
Cometh sooner to that grace of discretion for to conne and for to conne be still, for to conne eat, and for to conne fast, for to conne be in company, and for to conne be only,^ and all such other, than by any such singularities as thou speakest of, taken by the stirrings of man's own wit and his will within in himself, or yet by the ensample of any other man's doing without, what so it be. For why, such strained doings under the stirrings
soul
speak,
of kind,
without touching
;
of grace,
is
a passing
pain
but
if it
religious,
them by enjoining
doing without
;
where
profit
the which
painful to
all
that
it
is
proveth.
But
lovely
and
listily
to will to love ^
God
1
Pepwell modernises
Harl.
"conne"
to
this
passage.
2
MS. 674
reads:
"stirring";
other
MS.
as
Pepwell. 3 Harl.
MS. 674
reads
" have."
114
thee
And, therefore, speak v/hen and leave when thee list, eat when thee list,
thee
list,
and
fast
when
list,
so that ^
God and
grace
who fast will, and be only who who so will, but hold thee by God that doth beguile no man for silence and speaking, onliness and company, fasting and eating, all may beguile thee. And if thou hear of any man that speaketh, or of
Let
fast
and
let
hold silence
any that
is still,
or of any that
in
company
list,
or else
by
himself, think
if
thee
if
mean
on ape's manner ; for neither thou canst, nor peradventure thou art not disposed as they are. And, therefore, leave to work after other men's dispositions, and work after thine own, if thou mayst know what it is. And unto the time that thou mayst know what it is, work after
those men's counsel that
know
;
their
^ for
own
such
disposition,
but not
1
men
should
Pepwell reads
Manifestly,
"else."
unless they clearly
show that they do not know Pepwell has " in a part." 3 i.e. take their advice, but do not simply imitate them, I follow the MSS. in preference to Pepwell, who reads: "Work after no men's counsel, but sith that know well their own disposition for such men should," etc.
2
i.e.
how
AN EPISTLE OF DISCRETION
give
115
And
this
;
sufficeth for an
answer to
all
thy
letter, as
me
thinketh
the grace of
of Jesu.
God
Amen.
FiNiT Epistola
VII
HERE FOLLOWETH A DEVOUT TREATISE OF DISCERNING OF SPIRITS, VERY NECESSARY FOR GHOSTLY LIVERS
Here followeth a Devout Treatise of Discerning OF Spirits, very necessary for Ghostly Livers
that there be FOR because needful to us
fore it
is
is
knowing
of
them
sith it so
that
we be taught
to believe to
all spirits.^
For
might seem to
and namely
spirit
of ghostly things,
And
that
it is
not
so,
both
holy scripture proveth apertly ; the prophet David, " not what
what
my Lord God
saith, that
speaketh in
me
"
And also we
is
be taught
men
some men
are full
blown or
inflate
is
with the
the spirit
And
2
*
John
i.
iv.
1-6.
Zech.
g-19.
Col. 119
ii.
18.
120
of the world,
in
but
that they had not taken that spirit of the world, but that
God, the which is the Holy Ghost.^ And these two spirits of the flesh and also of the world are, as
that
sent of
it
spirit,
is
the
lord
and
And which
spirit,
we should not
believe them.
the
loss
soul.
And which
for ever
that speaketh to our spirit, the speech of that same spirit that speaketh shall fully declare
of the flesh
the spirit of
ship
;
more the spirit speaketh soft things and easy to the body ; the world vain things and covetise ^ of wor;
and the
Wherefore,
as oft
and
and
which longeth to
brenne
1
^ as it
were in
Cf.
"and
coveitise
^
DISCERNING OF SPIRITS
be
it.
121
And
therefore put
we him away,
is
in as
much
as
we
oft
goodly
may by
grace, for he
our adversary.
As
of great kin
and of great
thoughts
such
and all other the which would make a man to seem high and worshipful, not only in the sight of others, but also
in the sight of himself
no doubt but
these, a far
flesh,
off.
it is
all
more
ness he should be
put
two servants and sergeants of the foul fiend, the of wrath ^ and of wickedness, are either by grace and by ghostly slight of a soul stiffly put down and trodden down under foot or else, by quaintise ^ of
these
spirit
and prince
as a lion
;
running
felly to
and
this befalleth as
oft as the thought of our heart stirreth us, not to the lust
of our flesh, nor yet to the vain joy of this world, but it
stirreth us to
1
above,
p.
17 note.
122
to bitterness of soul, to pain and to impatience, to wrath, to melancholj, and to evil will, to hate, to envy, and to
maketh us to bear us heavily, if ought be done or said unto us, not so lovely, nor so wisely ^ as we would it were ; it raiseth in us all evil suspicion, if ought be shewed in sign, in countenance, in word, or in work, that might by any manner be turned to malice or to
all
such sorrows.
It
heaviness of heart
To
maketh us as fast ^ to take it to us. these thoughts, and to all such that would put us
;
it
we would
flee
the
self
fiend
and
as
much we
should
therefrom
as
from
No
work and travail in all that they can to the but most perilously the spirit of malice for why, he is by himself, but they not without him. For if a man's soul be never so clean of fleshly lust, and
of the world,
loss of
our
soul,
and
if it
standing
all
And
if
a soul
be never so
much
of the flesh,
of the world,
and
it
may by
unto the
grace keep
it
and
:
in restfulness of heart
Pepwell has " gladly." Pepwell reads "ever ready." Withstand, resist.
:
DISCERNING OF SPIRITS
even Christian/ though
(lasting the
all
123
it
be
full
hard for to do
it is less losable,
not againstanding
^
the other
filth of
And,
therefore,
though
all
that
evil, for
they reave
all
of devotion,
and though
it
that
reaveth us from
we should have
For who
so
in contemplation of
desireth
to be
men
here in earth,
ser-
and of
heavenly things,
tion
is
all
their lifetime
better and
more worthy
in itself than
the lust
and the
liking of devotion.
And
;
them
all
all,
which
is
God.
For who
so lacketh peace
of heart,
him
dear
His
1
own
self.
Cf. Mother ]u\ia.n?i, JRevelations 0/ Divine Love, i. cap. 9: "In general I am, I hope, in onehead of charity with all my even Christian; for in this onehead standeth the life of all mankind 2 jf jj jg ^^m guilty of the other two. that shall be saved." ^ Pepwelladds: "and voluptuous."
124
where he
the place of
in Sion.^
God
Sion
is is
made in as much
is
peace,
to say
peace
;
the thought
of that
is
same soul
.^
God made
His
And thus saith Himself by the prophet, Upon whom shall my spirit rest, but upon the meek and the restful." ^ And, therefore, who so will have God continually dwelling in him, and live
dwelling place
when he
saith
in love
and
is
Godhead,
the which
plation that
may be had
in this
life,
the flesh
and the
spirit of
malice, of wrath,
and of wickedness,
all.
for
he
is
the foulest
filth* of
And
it is full
needful and
know
his quaintise,
and not
for to
unknow
For sometime he
colour of virtue do
)
will,
that wicked
may under
more dere
but
13.
Walter Hilton, The Ladder of Perfection, II. pt. ii. cap. 3: "Jerusalem is, as much as to say, a sight ofpeace ; and betokeneth
2
contemplation in perfect love of God for contemplation is nothing but a sight of God, which is very peace." " most folly." 3 Probably Isa. Ivii. 15. 4 Pepwell reads 5 Pepwell adds: "or harm." Cf. The Chronicle of Robert of Brunne^ 8905-6: " Now may ye lyghtly here the stones to schip
;
else
wythouten dere."
DISCERNING OF SPIRITS
yet then,
ness
if
125
we
look
more redely/
the
it is
and
seem
it
never so
shewing.
Full
many
common
as
is
fasting, sharp
wearing, and
doings, in
many
All such
and
many
other he stirreth
them
and
for to do,
;
and
is
all
under
not for he
delighted
of charity,
is
dissension
and
slander, the
which
;
evermore caused by
any one or two are in any devout congregation, the which any one or two useth any such outward singularities, then
for
where
all
them;
themselves.
But
more than
wise men,
when
(if
it
their fautors
and
And
thus
many
on
this
manner.
be delivered of
Who
1
shall graciously
2
Partisans, abettors.
126
these deceits.^
to feel,
and more
for
so
overcome per-
adventure with each of these three spirits, of the flesh, of the world, and of the fiend, and so brought into
danger,
of
bounden
all,
in bondage, in thraldom
it is
and in
service
them
that sorrow
to wit.
In great confusion
office of
and
use,
loss of itself, it
itself in itself.
each one of
after long
them
And
when,
and customable consenting unto them when they come, at the last it is made so fleshly, so worldly, and so and
so froward, that
malicious, so wicked,
itself,
now
plainly of
spirit, it
gendereth
of the world,
and wicked,
it
And when
lightly
then, I trow,
may not
be known when
it
it is
our
own
when
it,
speaking in
as it
touched before.
who
is
speaketh,
?
spoken
that
1
when it is What helpeth to know the person of him speaketh, when it is siker and certain that all is evil
But what maketh it matter^ all one and the same thing that
read: "doles." Pepwell reads But it is more sorrow to feel of our own For sometime our own spirit." spirit's deceits. 3 The MSS. read: " Bot what thar reche" what need to care.
2
'
TheMSS.
'
DISCERNING OF SPIRITS
and perilous that
is
127
spoken
If it
meek thee
to prayer
and to counsel,
and
If
it
so
mayst thou mightily withstand thine enemy. be thine own spirit, reprove him bitterly, and
fell
in
so great
wretched-
devil.
Shrive thee
of thy
customed consents, and of thine old sins, and so mayst thou come (by grace) to recover thy freedom again and by the gracious freedom mayst thou soon
;
thine
own
spirit that
speaketh
may
this
knowing be
a sovereign
cause of
much
;
knowing
cause of
much
truth
and to
manner
of
knowing
as I say to thee.
^
when they come, whether that they be the speech of own spirit, or of any of the others of thine enemies
science,
if
thine
look
then busily by the witness of thy counsel and thy conthou have been shriven and lawfully amended
after the
doom
of thy confessor, of
all
the consents
sin,
that thy
2 Cf.
3
Pepwell reads " didst feel in thee." above, p. 95 note. Pepwell adds " and judgment.
:
128
thought
aware
of.
And
if
by grace and
and then wete thou right well that all the thoughts that come to thee after thy shrift, stirring
by counsel
;
sins,
(I
other
spirits
than thine
own
mean some
touched before).
And thou
but
if
for
many
(I
mean
for their
coming
in),
it
standing,^ art
no blame worthy.
so
And
same
sins
if
deserve,
stiffly
much
grace in this
heaven.
But
all
those
sin,
evil
after that
sin,
and
before that thou hast sorrow for that consent, and art
in will to be shriven thereof, it
is
no
them
all
to thyself,^
and
thoughts of thine
own
thyself
as it is
of other spirits
than of
mightest
thou
1
lightly misrule
first
^
Unless because of carelessness in resisting them when they come. To regard thyself as responsible.
DISCERNING OF SPIRITS
for sin the a
129
which
is
none
mean
evil
thought and
error, and For if it were so that each to sin were the work and the
this
and
were great
spirit,
spirit
then it would follow by that that a man's own spirit were a very fiend, the which is apertly false and a damnable woodness ^ for though all it be so that a soul may, by frailty and custom of sinning, fall in to so much wretchedness, that it taketh on itself by bondage of sin the office of the devil, stirring itself to sin ever more and more,
;
spirit (as it
is
said
it is
is
a devil in office,
devilish, for it
in
the doing
like to
unto
sin,
the which
Never-
thraldom to
sin
and
devilishness
in office,
it
may by
amending, recover the freedom again, and be made saveable-^yea, and a full special God's saint in this
life,
that
before was
full
damnable and
full
And,
to
1
it is a
fallen
amend him
Madness.
is,
and,
if it
may
2
3
Not
in Harl.
MS.
674.
full
Pepwell reads:
"a
damnable and a
full
his living."
cursed fiend in
130
be
said, a greater, a
with
of conscience,
might he
is
lightly-
And
the cause of
all this
lacking of
knowing
said before.
For
as
that
it
hath to
what that men will write thereupon. Both they do press ^ for to write on the soul, when it is clean in itself made by confession God and His angel on the one party, and the fiend and his angel on the other party but it is in the free choice of the soul to receive which that it
receive
: ;
will.
The
is
the which what is it else but the speech of one of the three spirits the which are thine enemies (touched before), proffering to write on thy soul
soul.
The
speech of thyself,
is it
not
for
why, there
it is
is
nothing
left
thereupon, but a
more
is
and custom
good
more
able to the
Pepwell adds
DISCERNING OF SPIRITS
than to the
evil, for
131
of
and virtue
to
but, of
itself, it
where through
evil
;
it
may
it
think or
stir itself
good or to
evil, it is
and, therefore,
in
it,
Cometh then
not of
itself,
whether that
ever
be good or
evil,
be, that
is
of the
And
this this
all
consent, thereafter
deserveth pain or
as fast it
If
consent be to
evil,
then
hath, hy cumbrance
same
;
made him
same
spirit
and
if it
be to the good,
then
that
as fast it hath,
first
hy
made him
stirring ^ to that
same good.
For
as
as oft
as
world, of
of charity,
and
without doubt
it is
the spirit of
God
by Himself or
else
by some
life,
of His angels
that
is
to say,
bliss,
and
inspirers of good.
And
as it
may be made
:
and
upon
the office of
them
Pepwell reads
"suggestion."
132
aal
;
againward ^ that
a soul, for
so ghostly
by cleanness
and
and devotion of
by peace and by
it
and
so godly
charity,
and by
office
restfulness of
and of wickedall
that
hath them
now
of
such good
thoughts to think
when him
seen
list,
without forgetting, in
life will suffer.
as great perfection as
And
is
thus
it
may be
how
be good or
spirit,
evil, it
own
it
but the
is
be, that
ever of
our
own
spirit.
Amen.
On
FINIS.
DEO GRATIAS
Dinah, symbolism
Dionysius,
Divi7te
xxiii,
of, 6,
25
xxiv
Cloud of UnkTiowing,
of, xii, xvii, xxiv,
3, 32, 33,
The, Author
XXV, xxvii,
25
of,
77-132
Benjamin, sj'mbolism
xvi, xvii, 6,
xiv,
29-33
of,
Bernard,
St., xii, 81
Bilhah, symbolism
4-6, 13-16
xviii,
Bonaventura,
St., xii
Catherine
of Siena, St.,
xi,
Gad, symbolism
of, 6,
16-19
Hawkwood,
77,
xi, xii,
Hugh
Dan, symbolism
Dante,
88
Tt,
18
ti,
xi,
xii,
7Z
xiii,
xiv,
38
91
134
Isaiah, 124
INDEX
Proverbs, 28 n
Psalms, The,
124
Jacob, symbolism
27, 29
of,
3-7, 10,
Pynson, xxii
Jacopone da Todi, xi James, Dane, xviii James, Epistle of, 98, 99 Jeremiah, 103, 104 John, St., Epistles of 25, iig Joseph, symbolism of, 6, 27-30 Judah, symbolism of, 6, 10-12 Juliana of Norwich, xi, xxi, 65 n,
,
Rachel, symbolism
12-15, 18, 27-32
of,
3-6,
Raymund
of Capua, xviii, xix Reuben, symbolism of, 6, 7-9 Richard of St. Victor, xii-xv,
xxii,
XXV, xxvi,
3,
\n,x()n
xi,
Richard RoUe of
Ham pole,
123 n
n, xxv, 71
of,
Shelley, xv n
3-1 1, 14,
Leah, symbolism
15-20, 24, 26, 29
Levi, symbolism
of,
8,
of, 6, g,
10
Luke, St.,
no
see
xvii
Margery,
Kempe
Wyclif, 16
xi
n, 79 n, 112
Wynkyn
6,
de Worde,
xviii, xix,
Naphtali, symbolism
13-15, 18, 19
of,
Zebulun,
22-25
symbolism
of,
6,
Paul,
Zechariah, iig
Zilpah,
17,
120
symbolism
of,
4-6, 15-
20
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