<fol. 15v><line 23>¶ The nynþe poynt seiþ loue is þis .
þat þis soule haþ no wille / O wiþouten faile noo .
for al þat sche willeþ in consentynge of wille ; it is þt
þat god wole þat sche wole / and þat williþ sche seiþ
<fol. 16r>loue . for goddis wil to fulfille . and not for her wil / And
þis may sche not wille of hir ; but it is þe wil of god þt
williþ in hur / so þat þis soule haþ no wille ; but þe wil
of god þat makeþ hir wille . al þat sche owiþ to wille /
¶ This heeriþ and vndirstandiþ 3e auditoures of þis
booke ; þe verrei vndirstandinge of þese wordis / & what
þis is to seie . þat þis booke seiþ in so many places & þt
a soule nou3ted haþ nou3t of wille ; ne nou3t may ha
ue . ne nou3t may wille / And in þis þe diuine wille ; per
fijth is fulfillid / ne in-to þis tyme ; may not þe soule
haue hir ful sufficiaunce of diuine loue / ne diuine lo
ue of þe soule ; til þe soule be in god and god in þe sou
le . of him . bi him . in þis beynge bi diuine sittinge /
and þanne þe soule haþ al hir sufficiaunce ¶ Soþeli
3he seiþ þe vndirstandinge of reson . but it semeþ þat
þe nynþe poynt seiþ al þe contrarie / þat seiþ þt þs soule
nou3ted willeþ nou3t ; as in regarde of þat þt sche wolde
wille / ne sche may not haue þat ; þt god wole þt sche
wille / And þat hir wil is nou3t as in regarde of hir
sufficiaunce ; þat neuere was 3oue hir . ne neuere schal be
3oue hir ¶ Of þis seiþ reson J vndirstonde . þat þis
soule williþ a wille . and god wole þat sche wille a wil
þe whiche sche may not haue / and þis haþ of þt fai
launce ; and not of substaunce ¶ Jt semeþ me lady
loue seiþ þe vndirstandinge of reson ; þt þis nynþe
poynt makiþ me þus to vndirstande þe seiynge of
<fol. 16v>þis booke / þat seiþ forsoþe . þat þe free soule haþ no
wille . ne nou3t may haue . ne nou3t may wille . ne þe
diuine trinite wole not þat sche haue / and þis booke
seiþ . þat sche haþ in al þing bi diuine loue ; hir ful
sufficiaunce ¶ O vndirstandinge of reson seiþ this
soule nou3ted . what þou hast of rudenesse / thou ta
kest þe schelle or þe chaaf ; and leuest þe kernel or þe
grayne / þine vndirstandinge is so lowe . þt þou maist
not so hi3eli areche ; as he bihoueþ þat wel wolde
haue þe vndirstandinge of þe beynge þat we speke
of / But þe vndirstandinge of diuine loue . þt lediþ
in a soule nou3ted þat is made free ; vndistandiþ it
wiþoute eerynge . for sche is þe same / O þou vndir
standinge of reson seiþ þe hi3enesse of vndirstandin
ge of loue ; now vndirstande þe rudenesse of þi mys
vndirstandinge / Jf þis lady nou3ted williþ þe wil
of god ; þe more þat sche williþ it . þe more sche wolde
wille it / and þat may sche not haue ; for þe litilnesse
of creature / for god wiþholdeþ þe greetnesse of his diui
ne ri3twisnesse / but god wole þat sche wille þis ; and þt
sche haue suche wille / for suche wille is diuine wille /
þe whiche diuine wille ; 3iueþ beynge to free creatures /
for þe diuine wille þat god makiþ to wille ; drawiþ
in hem þe beemys of diuine knowinges . and þe felin
ges of diuine loue . and þe vnyon of diuine magnifi
cence and laude / And þanne seiþ loue to þis creature /
<fol. 17r>Hou may þis soule haue wille . whanne cleer kno
winge knowiþ þat þer is a beynge among þe beyn
ges ; þe whiche is moost noble of alle beynges / whi
che þat creatures may not haue ; but if þei haue it
bi þe nou3t willinge ¶ Now haþ seiþ loue reson herd
þe answere of his demaundes / saue þere it seiþ . þat þe
fre soule haþ in hir defaute of sufficiaunce / but this J
seie to hir wherof to wille þe diuine wille / soþeli þe
moore yat sche williþ it ; þe lasse haþ suche wille of
þat hir sufficience / but þis same is þe oonli wille
of god : and þe soules glorie / ¶ A loue seiþ reson 3e
don oure piece for þe actyues and contemplatiues /
now J preie 3ou to declare and expowne to þe comune
peple ; þese dowble wordis þt ben hard to vndirstonde to
her vndirstandinge / þat summe bi auenture may
come to þis beynge bi whiche þis booke may sche
we to alle : þe verrey li3t of trouþe . and þe perfeccion
of charite of hem ; þat preciousli ben clepid & chosen
of god . and soueraynli beloued of him ¶ Reson seiþ
loue to þis J wole answere for þe profite of hem ; for
whom þou makest to us þis pitouse requeste / Reson
seiþ loue where ben þese double wordis þt þou preiest
me to discusse for þe auditoures of þis booke ; þat in
wille and in desire dwellen / þe whiche booke we clepe
þe myrrour of symple soules . ¶ To þis J answere
lady loue seiþ reson . for þis booke seiþ greete meruai
<fol. 17v>lis of þis soule / þat seiþ sche ne reckeþ of schame . ne of
worschip . ne of pouert . ne of richesse . ne of eese . ne of
diseese . ne of loue . ne of hate . ne of . elle . ne of para
dise / And also it seiþ þat þis soule haþ al : & sche haþ
nou3t / sche woote al ; and sche woote nou3t / sche wil
liþ al ; and sche willeþ nou3t / Ne sche ne desireþ seiþ re
son despite . ne pouert . ne no martirdome . ne tribulaci
on . ne sermons . ne fastinges . ne orisons / And sche 3e
ueþ to nature al his askinge ; wiþouten grucchinge
of conscience / wiþoute faile loue seiþ reson . þis may
noon vndirstonde be myn vndirstandinge ; but if þei
leeue it of 3ou bi 3oure techinge / For my counsail is
as for þe beste þat J kan counsaile ; þat men desire
dispite . and pouert . and alle maner of tribulacion .
massis . sermons . fastinges . and orisons / and þat
men haue drede of alle maner loues what euere þei be :
for perels þat my3te falle / and þat men desire para
dise soueraynli : and also þat men haue drede to go
to helle / and þat þei refuse alle maner of worschipes .
and temporel þinges . and alle eeses . in benymynge
nature al þat he askiþ . but oonli þat : wiþoute whi
che þei my3ten not lyue . aftir þe ensample of suffe
raunce : þat oure lord ihesu crist suffride / Þis is þe bes
te þat J kan counsaile seiþ reson ; to alle þoo þt lyuen
vndir myn obedience / And þerfore J seie þt noon schal
vndirstande þis booke be myn vndirstandinge : but
<fol. 18r>if þei vndirstande it bi þe uertu of feiþ . and bi þe
strengþe of loue . þat ben my mastressis / for J obeie
to hem in al / And 3it seiþ reson þus myche J seie .
þat who haþ þese two cordis in his herte . þe li3t of
feiþ . and þe strengþe of loue : he haþ leeue to do what
him likeþ . witnesse of god him silf þat seiþ to þe sou
le . Loue loueþ ; and doiþ what 3e wole Reson seiþ
loue þou art ful wise : of al þing þat perteyneþ to þee /
þat woldest haue answeres to þese wordis a-fore seid .
and þat þou askist what it is to seie : it is wel yasked /
And J wole seiþ loue answere þee ; to alle þine askinges /
Reson seiþ Loue J certefie þee . þat þese soules þt fyne
loue ledeþ : þei haue as leef schame as worschip . and
worschip as schame / and pouert as richesse : and ri
chesse as pouert / and tormentis of god and of his crea
tures ; as confortes of god and of his creatures / and
to be hated as loued : and loued as hated / and helle
as paradise ; and paradise as helle / and litel estate
as greet ; and greet estate as litel / Þis is to seie in
sooþ . þat þei ne willen ne vnwillen . noone of þese
prosperitees : ne noone of þese aduersitees / for þese soules
haue no wille : but þing þat god williþ in hem / and
þe diuine wille clepiþ not þese surmounted creatures :
wiþ suche encombraunces as we haue heere deuysed /
J haue seiþ loue afore seid . þat þese soules haue as
leef alle maner of aduersitees of herte for body and for
<fol. 18v>soule ; as prosperitees . and prosperitees as aduersitees /
þis is soþ seiþ loue . if it come to hem ; siþen her wille
is not þe cause / þe soules woote not where þe eende
lieþ / ne for what cause god wole fynde her sauacion .
ne þe sauacion of her euen cristen / ne for what eucheson :
god wole do ri3twisnesse or meny / ne for what cause
god wole 3iue to þe soule ; þe surmounted 3iftes of þe
goodnesse . of his diuine noblesse / and for þis skile .
þe fre soule haþ no wille to wille ne vnwille : but oon
li to wille þe wille of god . and suffre in pees his diui
ne ordenaunce 3itt loue seiþ reson . J am at my de
maunde / for þis booke seiþ þat þis soule haþ al : and
sche haþ nou3t ¶ Jt is sooþ seiþ loue . for þis soule
haþ god in hir bi diuine grace / and who haþ god ;
haþ al / and it seiþ þat sche haþ nou3t / for al þat þis
soule haþ of god in hir bi 3ifte of diuine grace ; it se
meþ hir nou3t . ne no+more it is as in regarde of þat
þat sche loueþ . þat is in him . whiche he 3iueþ to
noon but to him / And bi þis vndirstandinge . þis
soule haþ al ; and sche haþ nou3t / sche wote al : and
sche wote nou3t / sche wote al seiþ loue bi uertu of feiþ :
þat god is al my3t . al wisdome . and al goodnesse / &
þat god þe fadir haþ do þe werk of incarnacion ; &
þe sone also . and þe hooligoost also / So þat god þe
fadir haþ ioyned and vnyed manli nature ; to þe per
soone of god þe sone / and god þe sone haþ y-ioyned
<fol. 19r>it ; to þe persoone of him silf / and god þe hooligoost ; haþ
ioyned it to þe persoone of god þe sone / So þat god þe
fadir haþ in him oonli oon nature ; nature diuine /
and god þe sone haþ in him þre natures ; þt same
nature diuine . and nature of soule . and nature of
body / þis is oon persoone in þe trinite / and god þe hooligoost
haþ in him þis same nature . nature diuine /
Þis to bileeue . þis to seie . and þis to þenke ; is uer
rei contemplacioun / He is oon my3t . oon wisdome .
oon wille . and oonli oon god in þre persoones / þre persoones
and oon good / Þis god is oueral ; in his di
uine nature / but þe manhode is in heuene glorifi
ed . and ioyned to þe diuine persoone of þe sone ; and
oonli in þe hooli sacrament of þe auter / Þis diui
nite and þis manhode receyuen þe uerrey cristene ;
whanne þei take þe hooli sacrament of þe autere /
Hou wel þis manhoode dwelliþ wiþ hem : feiþ te
chiþ it / þis wote clerkis / and we schal seie 3ou hou
seiþ þe li3t of feiþ . hou þis humanite dwelliþ wiþ
hem ; as þus bi similitude ¶ Take þis sacrament
and putte it in morter wiþ oþir þinges . and bray þis
sacrament wiþ oþir þinges : so þat 3e may not se ne
feele of þe persoone þat 3ee haue put yn / J seie 3ou forsoþe
seiþ feiþ þt it is not now : siþen it may not be seen
ne felid / To þis 3e may answere . where is it þanne
bicome / Nay seiþ trouþe . it was . and now it is not .
<fol. 19v>vndirstande hoolli of þe humanite / ˆ <mrg>Þanne may 3e aske if it be goon as it came J seie 3ou
seiþ trouþe . þat þe humanite of crist ihesu neiþer comeþ ne goiþ /</mrg> & how may þis
be seiþ temptacion / M ¶ Jt is þus . þat þe manho
de neiþer comeþ ne goiþ of crist ihesu / but bi his diui
ne my3t . and bi þe uertu of his hooli word : þe oost
turneþ in to his owen preciouse body of fleisch and
blood / His gloriouse bodi þat is in heuene & knyt
to þe diuine persoone of þe sone . comeþ not down in
to þe oost ; but þe oost turneþ in to him . as it is a-fo
re seid / so þat it is uerrili his owen preciouse body :
þat for us suffride deeþ . þankid and worschipid be
he euere þerfore / Þus þe diuine my3t haþ ordeyned þis
worþi sacrament . N ¶ Þe seyntes þat ben in he
uene schulden se him in noon oþir semblaunce þan
we self don ; if þei sawen him in such semblaunce as
we seen him / but þei seen bi vndirstandinge of spi
rite / For for to se þe humanite of ihesus crist in þe sacrament
of þe auter~ glorified . but bi vndirstandinge :
it aperteneþ [not] to þe glorie of hem of glorie / Þerfore þei
se him not glorified : but bi vndirstandinge / and we
seen him bi uertu of feiþ / þer~ a3enst seiynge þe reson
of oure wittes ; þat we seen but breed . ne feele . ne sauour .
ne smelle / but oure feiþ wiþ-seiþ al þat . and bileeueþ
verrili and soþeli wiþouten ony dowte : þat it ne haþ
whitnesse . ne taast . ne smelle . but þe preciouse body
of oure lord crist ihesu uerrei god and man / now we seen
him bi feiþ ; so doon not þei of glorie / for þei þan ben
<fol. 20r>glorified ; ne vsen not of feiþ / þei seen not bi feiþ as we
don / Jn þis secrete . þe diuine trinite haþ ordeyned þe
hooli sacrament of þe auter~ . hooli chirche to norische
and to sustene seiþ þe soule of feiþ illumyned of þe
diuine trinite / such is þe ˆ <mrg>ordenaunce of þe</mrg> sacrament of þe autere . in
knowinge of him ; and in bileeue of me bi diuine
my3t ¶ Ne merueile 3ou not seiþ curtesie of þe good
nesse of loue ; þou3 we for loue seie 3ou þese þinges /
For J seie 3ou in sooþe . þat noon may come to deepe
foundement . ne to hi3e edifiynge ; but if þei come bi
sotilte of greet wit of nature . and bi gladnesse of þe
vndirstandinge of þe spirite / And bi þis . a creature
may not to myche knowe ; in askinge þe diuine
wille / for þe vndirstandinge . þat 3iueþ li3t . schewt
to þe soule þing þat sche loueþ / And þe soule þat re
ceyueþ bi li3t of vndirstandinge . þe nei3ynge and þe
knyttinge bi acorde of vnyon in plenteuouse loue .
seeþ þe beynge where þat sche holdeþ to haue hir assise ;
heeriþ gladli þe li3t of knowinge . þat bringeþ hir
tidinges of loue / and þanne sche wolde be bicome
soo ; þat sche hadde but oon wille in loue / and þat is
þe oonli wille of him þat sche loueþ ¶ Reson seiþ lo
ue J answere to þee . for J haue seid þat a soule þat is
made free woote al : and sche wote nou3t / Sche woote
bi þe uertu of feiþ ; þat þt hir nediþ to wite for saua
cion / and sche woote nou3t : for sche woote nou3t of
<fol. 20v>þat whiche god haþ in him . of him . for him / þat
he 3iueþ to noon but to him silf / Þanne bi þis vndir
standinge þis soule wote al ; and sche wote nou3t /
sche willeþ ; and sche willeþ nou3t ¶ For þis soule
seiþ loue willeþ so parfijtli þe wille of god ; þat sche
ne kan wille . ne not may wille . but þe wille of god /
Jn suche prison loue haþ reclusid hir / And sche willeþ
nou3t / for it is so litil þis þat sche williþ . and þt god
williþ in hir . in regarde of þis þat sche wolde wille ;
þat sche may not haue þat god wole þt sche haue / &
þis þat hir wil is nou3t as in regarde of hir sufficience .
whiche was neuere 3oue . ne neuere schal be 3oue . it is to
mene to wille þe wille of god as it is seid bifore / þan
ne bi þis vndirstandinge þis soule williþ al : and
sche williþ nou3t / This dou3ter of syon desireþ
neiþer massis ne sermons . fastinges ne orisons /
¶ whi so seiþ reson lady loue : it is þe foode of hooli sou
lis / ¶ Jt is sooþ for hem þat crauen seiþ loue . but
þis soule craueþ not / for sche haþ in hir inwardnesse
no nature to desire þing þat is wiþoute hir / Now
vndirstande reson seiþ loue . whi desiren suche soules
þese þinges afore seid : siþþe it is so þt god is oueral
wiþoute þat . as wel as wiþ al þat / þis soule ne haþ
þou3t word . ne werk ; but þe usage of þe diuine grace
of þe trinite / sche ne haþ diseese for synne þat sche
euere dide . ne for sufferaunce þat crist ihesu suffride for hir .
<fol. 21r>ne for synne ne diseese þat her euen-cristen haue /
¶ A god seiþ reson what is þis to seie . Loue teche me
þe vndirstandinge þat of myn oþir demaundes
haue apeesid me / ¶ Þis is to seie seiþ loue . þat þis
is not wiþ hir . ne þis may sche not haue off hir :
for hir þou3t is sett in þe pesible . þat is in þe trinite /
Sche may not þennes meue . ne haue diseese ; as
longe as hir loued is in eese . þou3 þat ony falle in
to synne . ne for synne þat euere was doon / Jt displee
siþ to hir wille : and so it doiþ to god / it is his owen
displesynge ; þat to þis soule 3iueþ such displesinge /
Jn sooþe seiþ loue . but þe trinite haþ in him no dis
eese for such displesynge / nomore haþ þis soule þat
in him is sett ; and bi him yled / But and þis soule
þat is hi3e sett . my3te helpe ony of his euencristen ;
sche wolde helpe hem at her neede wiþ al her my3t /
But þe þou3tis of þese soules ben so diuine ; þt þei
resten not so myche in þinges þat ben passinge . ne
made . þat þei schulden conceyue ony disese fore in
her inwardnesse . siþen þat god is good wiþouten
comprehendinge / This soule 3iueþ to nature al þt
he askiþ hir : wiþouten grucchinge of conscience /
For alle propirtees of nature ; ben mortefied in þese cre
atures / and þerfore þe lawe or oure lord ihesu crist is
wiþynne suche lijf closed ; and þe diuine 3iftes ben
aboue þis lawe / Þis is sooþe seiþ loue . þat þis soule