<County: Warwickshire>
<Code: L4683>
<MS reference: San Marino, Huntington Library, HM 266>
<Text: Hilton, Scale of Perfection>


<Tranche 1>

<fol. 8v>þis loue he doþe mor~ . For he openeþ þe i3e of
ye soule & sheowiþ to þe soule þe si3t of ihesu
wonderfully & þe knowyng of hym as þe
soule may suffre it ¶ þus bi litel & bi litel & bi
þat si3t he rauysheþ al þe affeccioun of þe soule to
hym and þan bigynnyþ a soule for to knowe hym
gostly & brennandly for to loue hym Then seþe the
soule sumwhat of þe kynde of þe blissed godhede
of our~ lord ihesu how þat he is al & þat he wirchip
al . & þat al gode dedis þat ar~ done & gode þou3tis
ar~ onely of hym . For he is al souereyn my3t
& al souereyn soþfastnes & al souereyn godenes . &
þerfor~ euery dede þat is good is done of hym
& bi hym & he shal onely haue þe wurship & þe
þank for al good dedis & none but he ¶ For
þou3 wretchid men steele his wurship fro hym
here for a while : nerþeles at þe last eende
shal trouþe sheowe wel þat ihesu did al . & man
did ri3t nou3t of hym self / / And þan shal þeues
of goddis good . þat ar~ not acoorded
wiþ hym here in þis life for her~ trespas be
demed to þe deeþ & ihesu shal be fully wursheped
& þanked of al blissed creaturis for his
gracious wirchyng ¶ þis loue is not ellis
but ihesu hym self . þat for loue wirkiþ al þis
in mannys soule & reformeþ it in sekyng to his
liknes as J haue before seide . & sumwhat as J
<fol. 9r>shal seie <gap> þis loue bryngiþ into þe soule þe fulhede
of al vertuse and makiþ al clene & trw . soft & esy
& turneþ it al in to loue & into likyng And on what
maner wise he doiþ þat J shal telle þe a litel afterward
This loue draweþ þe soule fro fleisshhed in
to gostlynes . fro eerþli felyng into heuenly sauour
& fro peyne beholdyng of worldly þing into
contemplacioun of gostly creatures & of goddis priuitese .
ÞEn may J saie þat he þt haþe moste of þis
loue her~ in þis life . moste plesiþ god & moste
clere si3t shal haue of hym in+þe blisse of heuen
for he haþe Þe moste þift of loue here on erþe þis
loue may not be had bi a mannys oune traueile .
goyng bi-for~ ¶ For þer are summe louers of god
þat make hem self for to loue god as it were bi
here owne my3t for þei streyne hem self þur3 grete
violence & labur so strongly þat þei brest in to bodely
feruours as þei wolde drawe doun god fro
heuen to hem & þei seie in here . hertis & wiþ herre
mou3 ¶ A lord J loue ˆ [þe] & J wil loue ˆ [þe] J wold for
þi loue suffre deþe & in þis maner wirkyng þei
fele grete feruour & mych grace / / And soþe it is
as me þingiþ . þis wirkyng is gode and meedful
if it be wel temprid wiþ mekenes & wiþ discrecioun
. But nerþeles þise louers loue not ne
haue not þe yift of loue on þt maner þat J spake
<fol. 9v>of . ne þei ask it not so ¶ For a soule þt haþe þe yift
of loue þur3 gracious biholdyng of ihesu as J meen
. or ellis iff he haue it not yit . but wolde
haue it . he is not besy for to streyne . hym self
ouer his my3t as it were bi bodely strengh for
to haue it bi bodely feruours & so for to fele of
þe loue of god ¶ But hym þinkeþ þat he
is ri3t nou3t & þat he kan do ri3t nou3t of
hym self but as it were a dede þing oonly
hoonged & borne vp bi þe mercy of god / / He
seeþ wel þat ihesu is al & doþe al and þerfore
askeþ he nou3t ellis but þe yift of his loue
¶ For as mych þat þe soule seeþ þat his
owne loue is nou3t . þerfor~ it wold haue
his loue for þat is J-no3e Therfor~ preieþ he &
þat desireþ he þt þe . loue . of god wold touche .
hym wiþ his blissed li3t þat he my3t see a litel
of hym bi his gracious presence : for þan shuld
he loue hym . ¶ And so bi+þis wey comeþ þe
yift of loue þat is god into a soule The mor~
þat a soule . nou3tiþ it self þur3 grace bi si3t
of þis soþfastnes sum tyme . wiþ-outen any
feruoure outeward sheowd . and þe lesse it
þinkeþ þat it loueþ or seeþ god ; þe nerrer it
ny3eþ for to perceyue þe yift of þe blissed loue
For þan is loue maist~ and wirkiþ in þe soule
<fol. 10r>resoun & of grace ¶ J go a-boute þis citee whan
J beholde þe kiendes & þe causes of bodely creatiuris
þe yiftis~ of grace and blisses of gostly creaturis
and in al þise J seeke hym þat my soule loueþ .
Jt is faire lokyng wiþ þe innere i3e on ihesu
in bodely creaturisfor to see his my3t . his wisdam
& his goodnes in ordinaunce of here kiend
. But it is mych fairer lokyng on ihesu in
gostly creaturis ¶ Furst in resonable soulis boþe
of chosen & reproued . for to see þe merciful callyng
of hem to his chosen . how he turneþ hem
fro synne bi li3t of his grace . how he helpeþ hem
techeþ hem & chastiseþ hem . comforteþ hem . he ri3teþ
. he clensiþ . he fediþ . how he makiþ hem brennand
in loue & in li3t bi plente of his grace . &
þis doþe he not to oon soule onely : but to al
his chosen after þe mesure of his grace ¶ Also of þe
reproued how ri3tfully he forsakeþ hem & lediþ
hem in here synnes . and doþe hem no wrong
how he rewarediþ hem in þis world . suffryng
hem for to haue fulfillyng of here wil . &
after þis ; for to punyshe hem eendlesly
loo þis is a litel beholdyng of holy chirch
whils it is traueyland in þis life . for to see
how blak & how foule it semeþ in soules
þat are reproued . how faire and how louely
it is in chosen soulis ¶ And al þis
<fol. 10v>gostly si3t is not ellis but þe si3t of ihesu . not in
hym self . but in his merciful priuey werkes & in his
harde ri3twisse domes euery day sheowed and
renewed to resonable soulis ¶ Also ouer þis
for to see wiþ þe gostly i3e þe peynes of reproued
& þe ioie and þe blisse of chosen soulis it is /
ful comfortable . for soþefastnes may not be
seen in a clene soule wiþ-oute grete delite &
wonderful softnes of brennand loue ¶ Also
þe si3t of aungels kiend . furst of damned &
after of þe blissed . it is a ful faire contemplacioun
of þe feend in a clene soule . ¶ a wretched .
caytif bounden wiþ þe my3t of ihesu þat he
may not hurt þat þe soule beholdiþ hym not
bodely but gostly seyng his kiend & his malice
& turneþ hym vp & doun . it sporneþ hym . and
trediþ vp-on hym . it spoiliþ hym and rentiþ
hym al to nou3t ¶ Jt scornyþ hym & despiceþ
hym & settiþ nou3t bi his malice þus
biddiþ holy writ . whan it saiþ þus <lat></lat>
<lat></lat> Twrne þe wicked þat
is þe feend vp & doune .& he shal be as
nou3t ¶ Miche wondur haþe þe soule þat
þe feend haþe so mych malice and so litel
my3te There is no creature so vnmy3ty
as he is And þerfore it is a grete cowardise
þat men dreed hym so mych . he may no
<fol. 11r>þing~ do wiþ-oute leue of our~ lord ihesu . not
so mych as entre in-to a swyue as þe gospel
seiþ ¶ Mich lesse may he þen noie or hurte a
man . & þan if our~ lord ihesu yif hym leue for to
tari vs ; it is ful worþely & ful mercyfully
done þat oure lord ihesu doþe & hym self & by al
his messengers & þe soule drediþ no mor~
þe blustryng & þe malicious wodenes of þe
feend þan þe stiryng of a mows . wonder
wroþe is þe feend if he durst say nay . but
his mouþe is stoppid wiþ his owne malice .
¶ his handis are bounden as a þeef worþi
to be demed & hanged in helle . And þan þe
soule accuseþ hym & ri3tfully demeþ after he haþe
deserued ¶ Wonder not of þis seiyng . for seint
poul mened þe same when he seide þus <lat></lat>
<lat></lat> Breþeren
wote yee not wel þat we shal deme aungels
þat are ˆ <mrg>wikked</mrg> spirit3 þur3 malice þat were
made gode aungels bi kiend ; as who saiþ
þis ¶ þis demyng is figured bifore þe
dome in contemplatife soulis For þei feele a
litel taastyng in liknes of al þat shal be done
afterward bi our~ lord ihesu openly in soþefastnes
¶ Shamed & shent is þe feend &
fowle rebuked in hym self when he is þus
<fol. 11v>faren wiþ of a clene soule . he wolde fayn flee
away & he may not for þe my3t of þe hi3este
holdiþ hym stille : & þat greueþ hym more þan
al þe fire of helle & Wonder mekely falliþ
þe soule to ihesu þanne wiþ hertly louynges
and þankynges þat he so my3tly saueþ a+symple
soule fro al þe malice of so fel an enmy þur3
his grete mercy
And þan after þis . bi þe same li3t may þe
soule see gostly þe fairehede of aungels .


<Tranche 2>

<fol. 33r>hym self . but in as myche as he was man born
of þe same kynde þt adam was þt first trespast .
& So þau3 he au3t it not for his owne persone . for
he my3t not synne : neuerþeles he au3t it of his
free wil & gentilnesse for þe trespas of mankynde
. þe whiche kynde ˆ [he] toke for saluacoun of
man of his eendeles mercy ¶ For . soþe it is . þer
was neuer man þt my3t yelde to god any þing
of his owne þat he au3t nou3t but þis blissid
ihesu . ¶ For he my3t paye god one þing þat he
au3t nou3t as for him self . & þt was nou3t but one
þyng . þat was for to yif his precious life . bi wilful
takyng of deþe for loue of soþfastnes . þis
au3t he not . ¶ As mykel gode as he my3t do
to þe wurship of god in his life ; al was but
dette : But for to take deþe for loue of ri3twisnes
. he was nou3t bounden þerto . ¶ He was
bounden to ri3twisnes . but he was not bounden
to dye . For deþe is onely a peyn ordeyned of god to
man for his owne synne but our lord~ ihesu synned
neuer . ne he my3t not synne . & þerfore he i3t not
for to die ¶ Then sen he i3t not for to dye
and yit wilfully he dyed . þen payed he to
god mor~ þen he i3t . ¶ And sen þat was þe .
best mannys deþe and most worþi þt þe synne of
mankynde shulde be foryeuen . in as myche .
as mankynde had founde a man of þe same
kynde wiþ-outen ony spotte of synne . þat is ihesu þt
<fol. 33v>my3t make amendis for þe trespas done & my3t
paye our~ lord god al þat he i3t & ouer more þat
he i3t not ¶ Then sen þat oure lord ihesu god &
man dyed þus for sauacion of mannys soule . It was
ri3tful þat synne shulde be foryif . & mannys soule
þat was his ymage . shuld mowe be reformed and
restorid to þe first liknes & to þe blisse of heuene ;
¶ þis blissid passioun of our~ lord & þis precious deþe
is þe grounde of al reformyng of mannys soule .
wiþ-outen whiche . my3t neuer mannys soule be reformed
to þe liknes of hym ne come to þe blisse of
heuene . ¶ But blissid mote he be in al his wurchyng
¶ Now it is so þat þour3 þe vertu of þis
precious passioun þe brennand swerde . of cherubin
þt drofe adam oute of paradise is now put awey
. & þe eendles yatis of heuene are open to
euery man þat wil entre in þerto . for þe blissid persone
of ihesu is boþe god & man & kyng euyn in þe blisse
of þe Fader . & as a man he is porter at þe yate
redy to resceyue euery soule þt wil be reformed
here in þis life to his liknes . For now may euery
soule if þt he wil be reformed to þe liknes of
god . sen þe trespas is foryeuyn & þe amendis
þour3 blissid ihesu is made for þe furst gilt .
Neuerþeles þou3 þis be soþe ; alle soulis has not
þe profit ne þe frute of þis precious passioun
ne are not reformed to þe liknes of hym
Two maner of men are not reformed bi vertu
of þis holy passioun ¶ One of hem is . þat
bileuyþ it not . ¶ An oþer of hem ˆ [is] þat louyþ it not
Jewis & paynyms~haue not þe benefete of þis
<fol. 34r>holy passsioun . for þei trow it not . Jewes trowe not
þat our~ blissid lord ihesu man . þe son of þe virgyn
Marie : is god-is son of heuene : ¶ Also þe paynims
trowe not þat þe souerayne wisdome of god .
wolde be-come son of man . & in his manhode :
suffre ye paynes of deþe: ¶ And þerfor~ þe iewis
holde þe prechyng of þe cros & of þe passions of
criste . nou3t but sclaundre and blasphemye .
¶ And þe paynyms : holde it not fantony & foly
¶ But trewe cristyn men hold it þe souereyn wisdom
of god & his grete my3t . Thus saide seint
Poule . ¶ <lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat> ¶ þat is preche we to yow þat yee
trow þat ihesu crist crucified . þe sone of þe marie is þe
sone of god souereyn vertu & wisdom of god . þe which
ihesuc to iewis & paynems þt trowe not in him . is but
sclaundre & foli ¶ And þerfor~ þise men bi their~
vntrowþ puttes : þem self fro þe reformyng
of þeir~ owne soule & standyng þair~ vntrowþe
shal þei neuer be sauyd . ne come to þe blisse of
heuene . ¶ For it is soþe : Fro þe bigynnyng
of þe world vn-to þe laste ende : was þer neuer
man sauyd ne shal be sauyd . but if he hadde
þe treþe general or special in ihesu crist comaund
or comen . ¶ For ri3t as chosen soules þat wer~
bifore þe incarnacion~ vndur þe olde testament
had trowþe in crist þat he shulde come and reforme
mannys soule . owþer openly . as patriarkes
& prophetes & oþer holy men hadde . or ellis pri
<fol. 34v>uely & generally as childre & oþer symple & inperfyte
soules had þat knew not specially þe priuyte of
þe incarnacion . ¶ Ri3t so as chosen soulis vndir
þe newe testament has trouþ þat he is comyn
ouþer openly & felandly as gostly men & wise men
has . or ellis generally as childre þat dyes cristynd
& oþer symple and lewed soulis has þat are norisshid
in þe bosum of holy chirche : ¶ Sen þis /
is soþe : þen þinkiþ me þat þise men gretely and greuously
erre : þt saien þt iewis & saresenys bi kepyng
of þere owne lawe may be sauyd . þou3 þei trowe
not in ihesu criste as holy chirche trowes . in as mych
as þei wene þt . þere owne trouþe is gode and
sikir & suffisaunt to þere sauacion . & in þat trouþ
þei do as it semyþ many gode dedis of ri3twisnesse
. & perauentur~ if þei knewe þat cristen faiþ
were bettur þan þares is . þei wolde leue þare
owne & take it . þt þei þerfore shulde be sauyd .
¶ Nay it is not J-nowgh so . for crist god and
man is boþe wey & eende & he is mediatour betwene
. god & man . & wiþ-owten hym may no soule
be reconsiled ne come to þe blisse of heuen . & þerfor~
þay þt trow not in hym þt he is boþe god & man .
may neuer be sauyd ne come to blisse ¶ Oþer men
also þat loue not criste nor his passioun . ar not
reformed in þere soule to þe liknes of him . &
þise men ar fals cristen men þe which ar oute
of charite & lyues & dyes in dedly synne : ¶
Thise men bileuen as it semyþ . þt ihesu is goddis
sone . & þt his passioun suffice to saluacoun of
<fol. 35r>mannys soule And þei bileue also al þe other
articlis of þe faiþ ¶ Alle þis is but an vnshaply
trouþ & a dede . for þei loue hym not . ne þei
chese not þe frute of his passion . but þei lyg
stille in þeir synne & in fals loue of þis world
vn-to þere laste ende . & so be þei not reformed
to þe liknes of god . but go to þe paynes of hell
endesly as iewes & sareseyns dos and to mychel
mor~ peyne þan þei for as myche as þei had þe
trouþ & kept it not . for þt was more trespas /
þan if þei had neuer had it ¶ þan if þou will
wit which soules ar reformed here in þis
life to þe ymage of god þoru3 vertu of his
blissed passioun ; soþely onely þo . þt bileuys in
him & loues him . Jn þe which soulis þe ymage
of god þt was þoru3 synne forshapyn . as it wer~
in to a foule bestis liknes . is restored & reformed vnto
þe first shap . & to þe worþines & þe wurship þt
it had in þe bigynnyng . wiþ-outen which restoryng
& reformyng . shal neuer soule be sauyd ne
come to blisse - .
Now saist þu how may þis be soþe þt þe ymage of
god þe which is mannys soule my3t be reformed
here in þis life to his liknes in creature
¶ Jt semyþ nay . it my3t not be . for if it were reformed
þen shuld it haue stable mynde : clene
si3t & clene brennand loue in god & gostli þingis
euerlastyngly as it had in þe bigynnyng . But
þat is in no creature as þou suppose lyuand her~
in þis life . ¶ As for þi self þou can sey . The .