<County: Cambridgeshire>
<Code: L4773>
<MS reference: Oxford, Bodleian Library, Bodley 505>
<Text: Chastising of God's Children, Myrrour of Symple Soulis>


<fol. 28v>case and reste bi foule pride and presumpcion
of þese þre þer comeþ a spiritual or a goostli
lecherie for whan a man wol haue reste in
a maner ydelnesse wiþout any desire or besi
seekyng / to god . þan he is ful disposed in-to
alle errours / bi-cause he is turned awei fro
god and bicause þat he desiriþ and seekeþ al þt
is to plesaunce and lust and likynge / suche
a man is like to a marchaunt / for in al his
werkis he is euer inclyneng and bowyng bi
entencioun to his owne reste and to his owne
profite / but noþing for þe worchip of
god / þis man þat restiþ so vpon his owne
loue to his propir pleasaunce : may wele be
clepid a propretarie / whiche vice is dampnable
in alle obeishaunt children / neþeles
sum of / þese men lyuen in grete penaunce
and don many þinges outward þat her lif
mowe be knowe and her name be in reputacion
amonge holi men for eche suche loue
of kynde . is fauorable to hym silf ¶ Also
sum of þese men bi a grete singularite desiren
of god sum special 3ifte aboue other
eiþer of worchynge myraclis eiþer reuelacions
or sum oþer specialte wherfor ofte
<fol. 29r>tymes þei bien disceyued of þe deuel for sum
tyme yei haue of þe deuel þat þei desiren / þan
þei wene it comeþ to hem for her merite . and
wene þat it be sent fro god for her holi lyueng
suche men bien boþ proude and blynde . for hem
lackiþ al goostli li3t and feelyng / / and a ful
litel þing may comforte suche men : for þei
knowen nat what hem lackiþ / þis is clepid
a spiritual lecherie . for it is an vnresonable
and vnordynat wil a3ens reason
euermore bowyng doun bi þe loue of kynde
to his owne profite and al ease and reste /
Suche men also bien proude and ful soleyn
of wil : and to harde of herte / þerfor her desire
and her foule couetise strecchiþ sumtyme
and sprediþ . so ferforþ þat what þei .
desiren þei haue and so oft / siþes þei bien
disceyued . and sum in þis lyueng / han be
take wiþ þe fiend . and longe tyme traueld
wiþ spirites . and sum in-to her lyues ende
¶ Also þese men þat þus lyuen . lyuen
contrariousli to charite and to þe loue of
god . wiþ þe whiche a man offriþ hym silf
fulli inward and outward in al þat he may
in-to þe worchip of god / for þer may noþing
<fol. 29v>suffice to a parfite louer~ . ne noþing may
hym please . saue oonli o goodenesse þat
may nat be comprehendid whiche goodenesse
is god hym silf : for he is al charite
and goodenesse / for charite is a bond of loue
. whiche drawiþ us to god in whiche
loue we forsaken oure silf ; and þerwiþ
we bien ooned to god but þe loue of kynde
dwelliþ on hym silf . and euermore is lowyng
to his owne profite neþeles þe loue
of kynde is as liche to charite as to þe
worchyng outward as two heeris of oonhed
but þe willis and þe menynges . bien
myche discordynge and ful vnliche for a
goode mans herte is euere upward to god in
his entencion . and alwey desireþ þe worchip
of god / but in naturel loue a mans
wil bowiþ to his profite and ease / whan
þe loue of kynde passiþ þus of þe loue of
god and charite be contrarious wille and
worchyng þanne a man falliþ into foure
perelous synnes that is to seie in-to pride auarice
glotenye and lecherie ¶ þus fel adam
in paradise and al+mankynde wiþ hym ; for
bicause of þe loue þat he had to hym silf ;
<fol. 30r>he turned fro þe wil of god and bi pride . he dide
a3ens goddis comandement / and bi auarice
he coueited knowyng and wisdom / he sou3t
bi glotenye sauour and delite / and þanne
aftir þis ; he was stired to lecherie / but oure
blisful ladi : fonde þe grace a3en whiche
adam had lost / þat glorious ladi and modir
of loue ; 3af us ensample in lyueng / hou we
shulden loue / þis noble ladi from þe tyme
of hir birþe euermore turne hir herte to god
boþ actifly and goostli / þat is to seie wiþ
grete excercises of outward and inward
uertues bi grete desire and feruent loue to
god receyued crist wiþ al maner lownesse
and mekenesse / in þis þat blisful ladi fonde
grace a3ens pride / also she offrid up þt worþi
lord hir dere sone to þe fadir of heuene wiþ
hir worldli possessions : and wiþ al maner
plente or largete of herte . in ful affeccion
in 3eldyng þankynges and worshippes to
almy3ti god / and in þis she fond grace anentis
auarice Also she reste neuer up comfort
ne up graciouse 3iftes . whiche plenteuousli
she receyued of almy3ti god ; but al þat
sauour and swetnesse she 3af / al hooli to
<fol. 30v>hym . þat al goodenesse sent / and heere she fond
grace a3ens glotenye / also what clennesse
she had in bodi and in soule : it nediþ nat to
expresse / for al cristen feþ knowiþ wele : þer
was neuer erþli creature . þat had þat grace
of so ful clennesse as she had , in whiche clennesse
a3ens lecherie she fond grace ¶ þus
than þe grace þat adam lost : þat glorious
ladi foond a3en / who so wil þanne ouercome
or wiþstonde þe contrarious lyueng whiche
J rehersed bifore : must folwe to his power~
oure blisful ladi outward and inward in
mekenesse and largete . in abstinence and
clennesse / but for we bien fieble to stonde and
bi frealte dredeful to falle þerfor as J seide bifore
wakeþ and preieþ þat 3e falle nat into
temptacion . <lat></lat>Hou
sum oþer men wenen <the w is partial> þat þei haue fredom of
spirit & þat þei bien ooned to god wiþoute
any meane wherfor þei seie þei bien bounde
to no lawes of hooli chirche and þei bien
discharged of al maner wirchynges &
of al outward uertues

WHat tyme a man haþ in suche ydelnese
kyndeli reste as i seide bifore & oonli
<fol. 31r>biholdiþ hym silf and stondiþ upon his owne
propre wil : þerwhiles he may nat be ooned
to god . bi-cause he lyueþ in a maner contrariouste
to haue þe loue of god . for clene he is wiþouten
charite / þerfor aftir þis bigynnynge þe þrid
contrarious lyueng whiche is worse þan any
of þe þre whiche i haue rehersed / for þanne bigynneþ
a lif vnri3tful and vnskilful ful of
goostli errours and al maner wrecchidnesse
what suche men bien and hou 3e shullen knowe
hem ; as bi þer opynions i shal shewe 3ou
¶ þese men in þer owne si3t ; bien ful contemplatif
but in goddis si3t þei bien verray fugitiues
. bi-cause þei haue runne a-wei and fledde
fro god : so it is nedeful þat al men fle awei fro
hem . as from a gostli enemye þese men wenen
þat þei bien þe holiest men þat lyuen . natwiþstondyng
þat þei lyuen contrariousli
to alle goode men for þese bien þer opynions
þei holden bi þat kyndeli reste þat þei haue
and bi þat ydelnesse whiche þei haue whan
þei stonden so alone vpon hem silf þat þei
be free in spirit and ooned to god wiþout
any meane ¶ Also þat þei bien enhaunsid
bi perfeccion . aboue al obseruaunces of
<fol. 31v>loue þat he is . for þe most strong meneþ in
him þe most fieble Þis uniaunce is ri3t delicious
þt wote þei þat haue assaied it þer is
no perle of þe i3e so daungerouse whanne
oon puttiþ wiþ-ynne ˆ <mrg>it</mrg> þe yrun . or lynt . or
stoon þat is þe deeþ of him ; as is diuine loue
if oon do a3ens him / his beyng is alwei in perfijt
playn of pure wille of him ¶ Now may 3e
vndirstande hou my wikidnesse causeþ to
haue his bounte ; for encheson of my necessite
for god suffriþ sumtyme sum yuel to be do
for gretter goode þat aftirwarde shal growe
for al þoo þat bien plauntid of þe fadir and
comen into þis worlde ; bien descendid of parfijte
. in-to vnparfijte . for to atteyne to þe more
parfite . and þanne is opened þe wounde
for to be helid þer it is hurt ; wiþouten hir
wityng / Þese folkis bien mekid of god him silf
I Bihi3te seiþ þis soule . of the
takynges of loue sum þinges to seie
of þe seuene estatis þat we clepen beynges
for so it is and yese bien þe degrees . bi whiche
men stien of þe ualey to þe top of the
mountayne þat is so seuerel ; þat is seeþ but
god . and euery degre haþ in it his ful assise


<Tranche 2>

<fol. 213v>loue it bettre þan for to dwelle in þt glorie
¶ And þou3 J wiste þat it mi3t be . þat þe
swete manhede of crist ihesu and þe uirgyne
and al þe court of heuene mi3t not suffre
þat J had þe tormentis euerlastyngli . but
þat J had þe beyng þat J was come fro . and
god seeþ þis in him if it mi3t be þis pite of
hem and þis goode wille ; þus seiþ to me if
þou wilt J shal 3ilde þee þat whiche þou art
comen fro bi my wil . for þis þat my friendis
of my court wolen it but ne were her
wille ; þou shuldest not haue it wherfore
J 3ilde þee þis 3ifte if þou wolt take it Jt
shulde falle in my choys raþer wiþouten
ende to dwelle in torment ; þan J shuld take
it siþþe J had it nat of his oonli wille / so
J refusid it at þe praiers of þe humanite
and of seintes . and of þe uirgyne marie . J+mi3t
not suffre it but if J had it of þe pure loue
þat he haþ to me for me of his pure bounte
and of his alloone wille and loue ; þt loued
haþ to louer ¶ And þanne J seide to him
þat if J wiste it mi3te more plese him þat
J loued anoþer more þan him ; heere me failiþ
wit þus it goiþ . þat J ne feele my3t ne
<fol. 214r>wille to graunte ; but J aunswerd þat . J
shulde counsaile me ¶ And þanne J seide
þis þat if it mi3t be þat he mi3t loue anoþ
more þan me ; heere me failiþ wit J kan-not
aunswer . ne wille . ne graunte ¶ And þan
þis J seide to him þat if it mi3t be þat he mi3t
wille þat anoþir loued me more þan he loueþ
me . here me faileþ also witte . J kan not
answere no+more þan afore / but alwei
J seide þat of al þat J shuld counsaile me ; and
ri3t so J dide . J counsailed me at him silf &
seide him þat þese þre þinges weren right
harde ; for bi þe toþir weren bifore / þat J
shulde loue anoþir more þanne him . and he
anoþer more þane me & þat anoþer shuld loue
me more þan he ; witt failid me heere for
J mi3t not to noon of þese þre þinges wille
ne graunte . and alwei he assailed me for
to haue aunswere and so+moche J loued me
wiþ him ; þat J mi3t not for noþing haue
maner in þis and þus J was at distresse
so went J not li3tli a-wei / þis wote noon .
but if he haue assaied þis poynt and alweies
J mi3t haue noo pees ; but if J aunswerd
to þis forsaide ¶ A J loued me þis
<fol. 214v>hadde me þerfor J mi3t not li3tli aunswer
and if J hadde not loued me ; þe aunswer
hadde be swift and li3t and alweies me
bihouide to aunswere ; if J wolde not leese
of me in him for whiche myn hert suffrid
so greete distresse
NOu J shal seie 3ou myn aunswere J
seid to him of him þat he wold proue
me of al poyntes Alas what haue J seid
J shal speke no word more þe hert made
alone of him in þis bataile what shal
J aunswere in angwissh of deeþ ; þat he
þus wolde departe from his louyer~ . þe
whiche he had so wele arraied þat wel
J wend mi3t it haue endured but and
so mi3te be . and if so were þat bi partie
of chaunge he mi3t þis wille J aunswerd
þus and seid to him ¶ O lord if it mi3t
be þat þis chaunge mi3t euerlastyngli
endure in sooþenesse . as it is in demaundes
; J loue 3ou for 3ou and and of 3ou þerfor
þat J vnwolde for 3ou and if y had þe
same þat 3e haue wiþ þe creacion þat 3e
haue 3ouen me . and mi3te also wele do
<fol. 215r>my wille as J do of þe wille þat 3e haue
3oue me / and also if J hadde þis ; þat J were
egal vnto 3ou saue in þis þat J mi3t change
my wille for oþir þan for me þis shuld
3e nat do . siþen þat 3e wolde it wiþouten
eny of 3oure goodenesse . þese þre poyntes
þat bien ri3t greuouse to graunte / and
if J wiste wiþouten doute þat 3oure wille
wolde it . wiþouten amynnsyng<?> of 3our
diuine goodenesse : J wolde it wiþout eny
þing willyng more my wille takeþ his
endyng in yis seieng Þus my wil is
martired . and my loue martired ; 3e haue
hem to martirdom brou3t . her wenynges
bien ful enclinaunt . myn herte wende
sumtyme alwei to haue lyued of loue
bi desire of goode wille Now bien þese
two þinges endid in me : þat maden me
out of my childehode goon / and þere it
shewid me þe cuntrey of freenesse /
¶ Þanne cam to me ri3twisnesse and askid
me what sparyng J wolde haue of hym
or of þing þat torment mi3t me do
Þanne cam mercy and askid me what
help J wolde haue of him ¶ J aunswerd
<fol. 215v>anoon þis þat J was . J wolde no+more
help of him ; ne of þing þat goode mi3t
me do ¶ And þanne came loue to me fulfilled
wiþ bounte þat so often tymes me
had out of witt y-þrowe ; and in þe fire
me hadde þe deeþ y-3ouen : 3e haue sumþing
herd heere he seide to me . J holde al-þinge
þat was and is and shal be ; J am of al godenesse
fulfilled . take of me what 3ee
wole / if 3e wille haue me al : J vnwille it
not seiþ my friend / hou semeþ it 3ou of
me . J am loue fulfilled wiþ bounte / þis
þat 3e wille : we wole it seiþ friend drawiþ
3oure owne wille ¶ J aunswerde
anoon þis þat J am ; J am pure nou3tˆ <mrg>Alas what wolde pure nou3t</mrg>
it haþ neuer noþing of wil J wil noþing
þat is not of þe bounte of loue alþing
þat is of him . it is of him uerili fulfilled
and þus it is . þat noþing is . but if it be
of hym and þis J seie me haþ of al consumed
/ Now J began at þis assise of my
3ouþe and of my spirites oolde . to a3en+com
þat wille was drede . and my werkis .
endid . and my loue also þat made me
ioly for þe spredyng of þe diuine loue
<fol. 216r>shewid me bi diuine li3t ; an+hi3eful openyng
aprochynge to þe sooþenesse . þat
shewid me sodainli him and me / him so
hi3e and me so lowe ; þat J mi3t no+more
of þennes rise . ne help of my silf haue
and þere was best ¶ Jf 3e vndirstonde
nat þis ; J may not amende it / þis is a
werk myracleful . þis þanne may not
his weymentynges sen<?> Heere 3e haue
seiþ þis soule sum biholdyng . hou J me
compleyned for to vncombre me ; and for
þe wey to fynde þat J compleyned whan
J was marred þis þat J was þanne is
marryng for alle þo þat bien marred
þat haue eny-þing of affeccion of spirit
And þis biholdyng is in lijf of spirit
bi affeccion of tendirnesse of loue þt þe
soule haþ to hir silf / but she weneþ þat
it is in god þis loue þat she haþ ; of whiche
she is so attaynt but in wele vndirstandyng
it is in hir silf þat she loueþ
wiþouten hir wityng / and þere þei bien
disceyued þat louen bi þe tendirnesse þat
þei haue to affeccion ; þat suffreþ hem not ;
to come to knowyng / þus þei leden as
<fol. 216v>þei diden in werk of 3ouþe ; and dwellen
so long in werkis . til þei haue affeccion
of spirit ¶ O god seiþ diuine loue þat of
þis restiþ of him in soule nou3ted . what
þis lijf is fer from þe lijf of freenesse ; of
þe whiche nat willyng haþ lordshippe
ouer / and þis nou3t willyng sowyþ in
soules þe diuine seedis : fulfillid of diuine
wille of god / þis seed mai neuer faile
but fewe folkes disposen hem to receyue
þis seed ¶ J haue founde many of perisshed
in affeccion . and of marrid in lijf of spirit
. bi werkis of uertues in desires of goode
wille / but J haue founden fewe of gentil
in beyng : and fewer of hem þat bien
in fredom wiþoute faile . of whiche þis
booke spekiþ of þt haue oon alone wille
þat fyne loue makiþ to haue / for fyne loue
makeþ to haue oon wille and oon loue
and þerfor diuine wille is alwei oon same
wille in loue / and þis loue is of þat þat is
al oonli fyne in stondyng of werk diuine
Þis soule is noon bi nou3tyng . and she ne
reckeþ in þis nou3tyng þou3 þe serpent
hir deuoure siþen god may neiþer wexe ne