<County: Staffordshire>
<Code: L0215>
<MS reference: Dublin, Trinity College 155 (C. 5. 7), Hand A>
<Text: Rolle, Ego Dormio and The Sixteen Conditions of Charity>
<Tranche 1>
<p. 5>And 3if þu haue sette alle þi desire to luf god ; Here þes
þree degrees of luf / So þat þou may ryse from on to anoþer
Þe first degree of luf is ; when a+man holdes þe ten comman
dementes ; & kepes hym from þe seuen deedely synnes ; & is
trewly in þe trowþes of holy churche & whan a+man wol
not for none erþely þinges ; ne for no peyne þat falles
to his body wraþ god any tyme ; but trewly stand
is in goddis seruice & lastes þerinne to his lyues ende þis
degree of loue by-houes vche man to haue þat wol be
saued ; for no man may come to heuene but 3if he loue
god aboue alle þinge ; & his ney3ebore as hym-selue ;
wt-oute pride envie wraþe . bacbitynge ; & wt-oute alle
oþer deedely synnes as coueytise ; slouþe . glotonye & lecher
rye . for þes sleen þe soule ; & maken hit deperted from
god þat is lyue of þe soule / & whan an wreched man
or womman is deperted from god ; we mo sugge he is dede ;
for his synne haþ deperted hym from<?> god þat is verey lyfe
for as a+man may take in a+swete mossel venym or
poysen þat slees his bodye / Soo doþe an synful man
in lust . & in likyng of synne þat is swete to þe flesche
takes venym & poysen þat slees þe soule & brynges
hym to peyne wiþ-outen ende / Many þenken it swete
synne ; but þe raunsen þerfore ; is sorow3e and peyne wiþ
outen ende wors þan any man may þenke onne ; for 3if
man wolde haue mynde on þe peyne þat ˆ [is] ordeyned for
<p. 6>synne þei schul haue litel delite in synne / Alle perescheþ & pa
seþ awey þt we may here see / & þat we wiþ dele ; & alle
þe riches & welþes of þis worlde worþes to wrecchednes
robes & ieweelles alle roten jn þe dyche / her pride & her
gaynes styncke schal ful sone ; her golde & her tresoure
draweþ hem to deeþ / Alle þe wicked of þis worlde ; syn
ne dryues to nou3t & bringeþ hem byfore þe iuge þat
þei may see her dome ; & hem-selfe worþi to sorow3 ay
durable / But þan schal be solace & joy to hem þat ha
ue loued jhesu crist whan þe wrecchede for her welþe schul
falle into helle But whan þou hast lyued wel in þe com
maundemens of god . and kepud þe iusty fro alle dedely
synnes ; & and byn deuoute in preyers . & gostly ocupacy
ones . & trewly serued god þus in þis de-gree / þan
vmb[i]þenke þe how þou may more loue god & doo better
wiþ þi sowle . & by-come sumwhat mor perfyte &
ferre fro þe worlde / þan entres þou into þe toþer de
gree of loue Þat is to for-sake alle þe worlde / in
als muche as it lettes þe to loue god / fader & moder
& alle þi kyn & wor[d]ly hauynge & folow[3]e jhesu crist in
wilful pouerte ; boþe in body & in spiryte / & in þis de
gree þou schalt studye how clene þou may kepe þi
herte from vnleful desyres / & how chaste þi body ; &
3ife þe to mekenes & to suffring & to buxumnes to
god & to man . for þe loue of god & charite ¶ And loke
<p. 7>how ferre þou make þi soule wt vertues & hate alle
synnes<?> So þt þi lyfe be al gostly & nou3t fleschly / no3t
spekynge yuel wordes ne wraþful ne angrely ne
3euynge an yuel word for anoþer but al þat men sey
ne to þe yuel or goˆ[o]d <ill><1-2 words></ill> mekeliche in þi her
te wiþ-oute styringe of wraþ & þanne schalt þou
be in rest wiþinne and wiþ-oute ; & ly3tly come
to gostly lyfe . þe whoche þou schalt fynde sweter
& more delectable þan euer was any erþely þinge ///
Parfyte lyfe & gostly ; is for+to despyse þe worlde
& make hit fully dede in hem þat coueyten vertues
lyfynge & þe joy of heuene ; & þe puttyng a
wey þoru3 goddis grace alle wyked desyres of þe fles
sch & to for-3ete alle þe likyng & þe solace of þe
worlde ; & of þi kynraden wheþer þei be riche or
pore hole or seke . in woo or in eweel deede or on
lyue þanke þou ay ˆ [on] god & blesse hym in alle
his werkes for his domes byn so preuey . þat noo
creature may comprehende hem / And summe men ofte
tymes haue her likynge & wylle in þis worlde &
summe men byn in persecuconn & repreue & anguysse
in þis lyfe ; & han joy & reste wiþ-outen ende in
heuene for her mede / And þerfore 3if þi frendes byn
ay in eyse & hele & welþe of þis worlde þou & þei
boþe moo haue þe more drede ; þat 3e losen<?> nou3t
<p. 8>hele & lyfe wt-outen ende / 3if þei lyfe in penannce & se
kenes & tribulaconn ; & suffur it mekeliche ; & lede ry
3twis lyfe in loue & charite ; þei may trusten in god
to come to his blisse ¶ For-þi in þis degree of loue
þou schalt be fild wt grace . of þe holy+gost ; þat þu schalt
nou3t morne for þi fleschely frendes ne for none erþely
þing þat may falle ; but for synne & losynge of vertues
& after þe loue of jhesu crist . & to be in swete þou3tes
of his passioun ; & haue þat muche in þi mynde
for it wol kyndel þi hert to sette att nou3t alle þe
vanitees & ye ydel joy of þis world / & to desire
brennyngly þe lyfe in heuen wt angelis & holy seyntes ;
And whan þi hert is ordeyned holy to þe seruice of
god . & alle wordly þou3ttes & desyres putte oute
of þi soule ; þanne wole þe þing mery to be stille be
þi-selfe ; to þenke depely on crist ; to be muche in prey
er ; & to þenke holy meditaconns / for þour3 þt þi her
te schal be made brennyng in þe loue of jhesu crist / &
þanne schalt þou fele swetenes & gostly comforte &
ioye boþe in preynge & in þenkyng And whan þu art
by þi-selfe ; haue muchel in þi mynde to sey psal
mes of þe sauter / & pater nostris / & Aue maries / &
take none hede how many þou seyest to telle hem for
god knoweþ hem alle / wt-outen þi tellyng þat schal re
warde mede for hem / But take hede how weel &
<p. 9>how deuoutely þou may sey hem reysynge vp þin þou3t
to heuene / for better it is for+to sey fyue wordes in ful
deuoconn wiþ ful desire of cristes loue / & hauynnge þi herte
þer-onne / . þan fyue þousand / suffringe þi hert & þi
þou3t fleyng aboute & varying in þe world & a
boute bodyly þinges / For what goode hopes þou to
come þerof ; 3if þu suffur þi tonge blabur on þe bo
ke neuer so <exp>longe</exp> fast / & þi herte renne abowte in diuers
places & vanitees of þe world wher~ þat it wole / J
sey þe forsoþe noo more þan a+man þat greued þo[u]3
he chide or speke to an hard stone / for-þi sette þi
þou3t & þi hert in crist / & he wole drawe it vnto
hym ; & holde it from þe veinym & þe veyne bysy
nes of þis wreched world / And 3if þou loue jhesu crist
trewly in þis lyue ; þou schalt be filde ful of grace in
hert & in soule & mynde / in erþe / & be cristes spouse
in þe joyful blisse of heuene / For-þi no þing payes
god so muchel as verey loue of god / for 3if þou loue
hym trewly & lastyngly & neuer leues for no þing þt
man may doo or sey to þee þou schal be reysed into an
hey3er lyfe þat þou wt hert can coueyte / for his go
denes is so muchel Wat-[euere] we in þis worlde axe hym
any þing deuoutely wt loue & trust of hert þt he
wole grunte vs þrefold better þan we cunne axe <ill><1 word></ill>
wel apeyed he is whan we sette alle oure hert <ill><1 word></ill>
<p. 10>to loue hym / Jn þis degree of loue þou schalt ouer-come þi
þree enmyes þe world þe deuel & þi flesche / but neuer þe
later þou schalt haue ay fey3tynge & temptaconns þe whiles
þou lyues / & þerfore þe be-houeþ to be bysy euer to wiþ
stand temptaconns / þat þou falle nou3t in yuel delytes &
foule þou3tes ne in euel werkes ne foule wordes / for
alle þi desyre þou schuldest ordeyne to loue jhesu crist
vereyle ¶ Þi flesche þu schalt ouercome wt discrete
penaunce & resonable abstinence & clene & chaste ly
fynge . in þou3t & dede & deuoute preyers & honest
ocupaconn ¶ Þe worlde þou schalt ouer-come ; wiþ-hol
dyng of wilful pouerte puttyng awey alle coueytise of
erþely þinges / desyringe after cristes loue & þenkyng
on his blessed name & on þe grete ioyes þat byn in
heuene / for as sone as þou fynde sauour in þe loue
of jhesu ; þe wole þing alle þe world but vanyte &
ioye<?> to mennes soules ¶ þene wolt þou nou3t coueyte
to be riche ne to ocupye þe aboute many wor[d]ly goo
des ne haue gold ne siluer ne many cloþes moo þan euere
þe nedes to kepe þe fro colde ne none oþer þing more
þan euere nedeful to þi body ne take no more of þe
world þan scharpe nede askes / & 3if þou hast more þan
nedys ; 3efe it to crist þat goþ[e] naked & hongree ne
hold nou3t þe goodis to þi-selfe for þou wost nou3t to
lyfe to þoo be spended þat u haste ¶ Þe fende þou schalt
<Tranche 2>
<p. 127><line 5>Þe syxtene condiconns of charite
Of alle uertues þt byn charyte is þe beste
for in hym byn contened alle oþer uertues : &
wiþ-oute þis uertu of charyte may noo man
be saued & þerfore schuld euery man lerne . bysyle
to knowe þe propurtees of þis uertue / For seynt
paule þt was rauesched . vnto þe þridde heuene
herde & sau3e preuetees of god þt were no3t lef
ful man for+to speke : & he sey3e þt noo man
my3t be saued but 3if he hade charyte here
in þis lyfe & ended þer-inne : al-þou3 he hade many
oþer grete uertues & þerfore he reherseþ in hym-selfe
many grete uertues & seiþ on þis manere / 3if . J .
sp[e]ke wiþ mannes tonge & angeles tonge : & J .
haue no3t charyte : J am made but as a sou
nyng bras . or as a cymbal chymyng And 3it
J . haue prophecye & knowyng of alle priuetees
And 3if . J . haue alle conyng & alle feiþ : soo
þt þur3 my grete feiþ . J . make ˆ [a] hylle to remewe
from on place to anoþer : & J haue no3t charyte
. J . am no3t And 3if J deel to pore mennes fode
<p. 128>alle my goodys & haue no3t charyte it helpeþ
me nou3t And 3if J loue god so muchel . þt . J .
for hys loue take my body to þe fure so þt
it brenne for hym & haue no3t charyte noo
þing it prophetes to me & for þe grete luf &
charyte þat he hade to mankynde he wold
þt alle men knewen what charyte were &
þerfore he rekeneþ hym-selfe sextene condyconnes
þt charyte haþ & by hem a+man mey witte
wheþer he be in charyte or no3t . <lat>prima</lat>
Fyrst he seiþ charyte is pacyente þt is to
sey suffryng in alle maner persecusyones & wron
ges þt fallen to man in þis lyfe & of þis
moo we take ensaumple of oure gode lord &
saueour ihesu crist for he was so pacyent as
seynt petur seieþ : þat whan he was mys
seyde he cursed no3t a3eyne ne whan he
suffurd wronges he manased no3t a3eyne
O what charyte haþ he . to suffur wrong
for cristes loue : þt wol no3t suffur a lytel
word : bothe 3elde a wors a3eyne
Þe secunde condycyon is þis Charyte he
seieþ is benyngne þt is to sey mylde wt
oute ymagynacyon of wickednesse or of
malyce for it is no3t enow3e to suffure
for so done þefes : but a+man by-houeþ to
<p. 129>doo gode in hys soule a3eynes yuel þt he haþ
suffurde for þt is gode luf & þis is cleput be
nygne : by propurte of ye worde And þerfore
clerkes seyne þt þer byn þree law3es ¶ Þe
fyrst is law3e of oure god : þt is to doo go
de for yuel ¶ Þe secunde is law3e of þe world
þt is to doo gode for gode & yuel for yuel as
mannes maner is ¶ Þe þridde is law3e of
þe fende : þt is to doo yuel for go[o]d & þat
is ye fendys condiconn & þerfore crist cleput
Judas a fende for ˆ [he] dude yuel for gode iija
Þe þridde condiconn of charyte is þis cha
ryte is no3t enuyous þat is he þat is
in charyte ys no3t yuel apeyed of ye wel
fare of hys ney3bore ne glad of hys
yuel-fare & dysese wheþer he be enemye
or frynde for who+so is in charyte loues
weel god & alle hyse iiija
Þe furþ condycyon of charyte is þis
Charyte worcheþ no3t wickedly
þat is he þat is in+charyte : worched
no3t þat þing þt is a3eyne þe wille
of god or harmyng of hys breþer
nouþer in body ne soule va
Þe fyfþe condycyon is þis Cha
ryte is no3t blowen wiþ pryde
<p. 130>þat is he þat is charyte hateþ & fleeþ alle
pryde boþe bodye & gostly vja
Þe syxte is þis . Charyte is no3t couey
touse : þat is he ˆ [þt] coueytiþ no þing wiþ
wrong ne wiþ stryfte ne wiþ harmyng
of hys euen-cristen . but frely departiþ to
hem þt nede haþ : & loues more hys bre
þer þan any wordly catel / ne he coueytiþ
noo wordly worschyppe : but putteþ alle
worschyp to god vija
Þe seuent condyconn is þis Charyte se
chiþ no3t hys owne þinges : þt is he
þat is in charyte sechiþ no3t hys propur
godys wiþ stryuyng ueniaunce ne wiþ
malyce ne harmyn of hys euen-cristen : but
he sechiþ þe worschip of hys god & hel
pe & sauaconn of hys bre-þeren soules viijm
Þe ey3t condyconn is þis Charyte is no3t
wraþed : þat is he wraþes hym for noo
cause of hys owne persone : ne for non oþer
þing but onely for synne & in goddys cau
se & wole no3t breke pees for noo wrong
þat man doþ to hym but euer standeþ wt pees
Þe nynt condyconn is þis . Charyte þenkeþ
no3t yuel : þat is he putteþ oute of hys
alle vnleful þou3tes & wicked wylles
<p. 131>þt touchen to synne a3eyne þe wylle of
god & her euen-cristen but doþ as job dude
þat made couenounte not to þenke on
þe uirgyne xa <linefiller>
Þe tenþe condyconn is þis Charyte ioyeþ
no3t at wickednes but as angeles in he
uene þt ioyen of peyne of fendys but no3t
at her wickednes ne he þt is in charyte
makeþ no lau3ter ne myrþe at synne . ne
procureþ ne conseyles þerto . in worde ne wille
ne in no+þing elles / but euer is sory & heuy
whan he heriþ any synne doon þe who
che is a3eyne þe wille of hys god xia
And þerfore þe eleuent condyconn þt seweþ
seiþ he Joyeþ to trewþe þe whoche his
god loueþ : þerfore he þt is in charyte is euer
gladde & bysye to helpe & procur to meyn
tene trewþe & soþefastnes / xijm <linefiller>
Þe twelfe condycon is þis Charyte
suffurs alle þinges þt is he þat is
in charyte is euer redy to suffur mekely
wronges & reproues for goddys loue
& alle oþer harmes & sekenes þt god wol
þt he suffur // xiija <linefiller>
Þe þrettene condycon is þis Charyte
traweþ alle þinges þat is alle þing
<p. 132>þat goddys law3e techeþ hym to trowe . xiiijm
Þe fourtene condyconn ys þis Charyte ho
peþ alle þinges þt is he þt is in charyte . haþ
fully sette hys hope & hys truste in god : þt
he is ful of mercy & of godenes to for3ef hym
hys synnes 3if he forsake hem & doo penaunce
for hem / & saufe hym & bryng hym to euerlastyng ioy
Þe fyftene condycyon is þis Charyte sus
teyneþ alle þinges þt is he þt is in charyte
susteyneþ wiþ wylle & wiþ comforde what
harme þt euer comeþ : 3ee he is no3t dyscom
forded 3if goddys helpe abydeþ longe //
Þe syxtene condyconn & þe laste is þis
Charyte falleþ or slydeþ neuer downe þat
is he þt is in charyte feyleþ neuer of gode
wille lastyng in þe luf of god / for he þat
dwelleþ in charyte dwelleþ in god & god in hym
in þis world wiþ hys grace & hys helpe /
& in þe toþer wiþ ioy & comforde world wt
outen ende / And 3if a man knewe no more
of þe law3e of god but þes syxtene con
dycyones . & bysyed hym wiþ hys my3t to
kepe hem : ly3tlych he schuld come to heuen :
& know who went a-mysse / þur3 þe grace
of god þt he schuld haue for kepyng of
þis uertu charyte ¶ And for þt god coueyteþ
þt alle men schuld dwelle in hym : & he in hem
<p. 133>he haþ wryten to hem what is charyte :
& comaunded to alle þt wolen be saued : þt
þei holde it in herte & soule & mynde : wt
alle her power & her strengþe : to loue
god ouer alle þing & her ney3bore as hem
self ¶ For in þes twoo comaundmentes hon
geþ alle goddys law3e / But whan lo
uest þou god wiþ alle þi herte certes
whan þi herte is euer sorowful & dredyng
to dysplese hym for drede of losyng of hys
luf : & of hys grace . & of hys helpe ; and
for none oþer drede / & euer bysy wiþ ioyful
desyre for to serue hym : þat no+þing in þis
world be so muche in þi herte ne in þi mynde
as he / sorowyng for no losse of catel . ne
sekenes . ne for frendeschyp . ne vnkynde
nes : ne for noo noye þt may falle in þis
world : so muchel as for synne þt þu hast
done & dost a3eyne þe wylle of þi god / Jn
þou3t & word & dede & whan þi herte is
most bysye aboute to plese hym : & flee
synne : more þan to wynne any wordly go
de : or any fleschely lykyng to haue / þan
is a token þt þou louest god wiþ alle þi
hert . whan alle þe strengþes of þi hert
but fully sette for+to plese hym vsyng gode
uertues : & fleyng synne / ¶ Jn alle þi soule