<350rb>OF nombre sayne these clerkes that it is naturel somme
of discrete thynges/as in tellynge one/two/thre and so forth: but amonge
al nombres thre is determyned for moste certayne. Wherfore in nombre certayne
this/werke of my besy leudenesse I thynke to ende and parfourme. Ensample
by this worlde in thre tymes is deuyded: of whiche the first is cleped
Demacion/that is to say/goyng out of trewe way/and al that tho dyeden/in
hel were they punisshed for a mans synne/tyl grace and mercy fette
hem thence/and there ended the firste tyme. The seconde tyme lasteth from
the commyng of merciable grace/vntyl the ende of transytorie tyme/in
whiche is shewed the true way in fordoynge of the badde/and that is ycleped
tyme of grace: and that thynge is not yeuen by deserte of yeldynge one
benefyte for another /but onely through goodnesse of the yeuer of grace
in thilke tyme. Who so can wel vnderstande/is shapen to be saued in souled
blysse. The thirde tyme shal gyn whan transytorie thynges of worldes
han made their ende/and that shal ben in ioye/glorie/and rest/both body
and soule/that wel han deserued in the tyme of grace. And thus in that
heuen togyther shul they dwel perpetuelly without any ymaginatyfe yuel
in any halue. These tymes are fygured by tho thre dayes that our god was
closed in erthe/and in the thirde arose/shewyng our resurrection/to ioye
and blysse of tho that it deseruen/hy his merciable grace. So this leude
boke in thre maters accordaunt to tho tymes/lightly by a good inseer maye
ben vnderstonde/as in the firste erroure of mysse goynge is shewed/with
sorowful pyne punysshed is cryed after mercy. In the seconde is grace in
good waye proued/whiche is faylinge without deserte/thylke first mysse
amendynge in correction of tho erroures and euen waye to bringe/with comforte
of welfare in to amendement wexynge. And in the thirde ioye and blysse
graunted to hym that wel canne deserue it/and hath sauour of vnderstandynge
in the tyme of grace. Thus in ioye of my thirde boke shal the mater be
tyl it<350rb><350va>ende. But special cause I haue in my hert
to make this processe of a Margarit peerle/that is so precious a gemme
with clere and lytel/of whiche stones or iewel/the tonges of vs
Englissh people tourneth the ri3t names/and clepeth hem Margery
perles: thus varyeth our speche from many other langages. For trewly
latyn/frenche/and many mo other langages cleapeth hem Margery perles/the
name Margarites or Margarite perles: wherfore in that denomynacion I wol
me acorde to other mens tonges/in that name clepyng. These clerkes that
treaten of kyndes/and studyen out the propertie there of thynges/sayne
the Margarite is a lytel whyte perle/throughout holowe and rounde/and vertuous/and
on the see sydes in the more Britayne in muskle shelles of the heuenly
dewe the best ben engendred: in whiche by experience ben founde thre fayre
vertues. One is/it yeueth comforte to the felyng spyrites in bodily persones
of reason. Another is good/ it is profytable helthe ayenst passyons of
sorie mens hertes. And the thirde it is nedeful and noble in staunchyng
of bloode/there els to moche wolde out ren. To whiche perle and vertues
me lyst to liken at this tyme Philosophie with her thre speces/that is
natural and moral/and resonable: of whiche thynges hereth what sayne these
great clerkes. Philosophie is knowyng of deuynly and manly thinges
ioyned with studye of good lyuyng/and this stante in two thynges/that is
connynge and opinyon: connynge is whan a thyng by certayne reson is conceyued.
But wretches and fooles and leude men/many wyl conceyue a thyng and mayntayne
it as for sothe/though reson be in the contrarye/wherfore connynge is a
straunger. Opinyon is whyle a thyng is in non certayne/and hydde from mens
very knowlegyng/and by no parfyte reason fully declared/as thus: if the
sonne be so mokel as men wenen/or els if it be more than the erthe. For
in sothnesse the certayn quantyte of that planet is vnknowen to erthly
dwellers/and yet by opinyon of some men it is holden for more than mydle
erth The first spece of philosophie is naturel/whiche in kyndely thynges
treten/and sheweth causes of heuen/and<350va><350vb>strength
of kyndely course: as by arsmetrike/geometry/musyke/and by astronomye/techeth
wayes and course of heuens/of planetes/and of sterres aboute heuen and
erthe/and other elementes. The seconde spece is moral/whiche in
order of lyuyng maners techeth/and by reson proueth vertues of soule moste
worthy in our lyueng/whiche ben prudence/iustyce/temperaunce/and strength.
Prudence is goodly wysdome in knowyng of thynges. Strength voydeth al aduersitees
alyche euen. Temperaunce distroyeth beestyal lyueng/with easy bearyng.
And iustyce rightfully iugeth/and iugyng departeth to euery wight that
is his owne. The thirde spece turneth in to reason of vnderstandyng/al
thynges to be sayd soth and discussed/and that in two thynges is
deuyded: one is arte/another is rethorike/in whiche two al lawes of mans
reason ben grounded or els maintayned. And for this booke is al of loue/and
therafter beareth his name/and phylosophie and lawe muste here to acorden
by their clergyal discripcions: as phylosophie for loue of wisdome is declared:
Lawe for mainteynaunce of peace is holden/and these with loue must nedes
acorden/therfore of hem in this place haue I touched. Ordre of homly thinges
and honest maner of lyuynge in vertue/with right ful iugement
in causes and profitable administration in commynalties of
realmes and cytes/by euenhed profitably to raigne/nat by singuler
auauntage ne by priue enuy/ne by soleyn purpose in couetise of worship
or of goodes/ben disposed in open rule shewed/by loue philosophy/and
lawe/and yet loue toforn al other. Wherfore as susterne in vnite
they accorden and one ende that is peace and rest/they causen
norisshinge/and in the ioye maynteynen to endure.
Nowe than/as I haue declared: my boke acordeth with
discription of thre thynges/and the Margarit in vertue is lykened
to philosophy/with her thre speces. In whiche maters euer twey ben acordaunt
with bodily reason/and the thirde with the soule: But in conclusyon
of my boke and of this Margarite peerle in knyttynge togider lawe
by thre sondrie maners shalbe lykened/that is to saye/lawe/right/and
custome/whiche I wol declare: al that is lawe cometh<350vb><351ra>of
goddes ordynance by kyndly worchyng/and thilke thynges ordayned
by mannes wyttes arn ycleped right/which is ordayned by many
maners and in constitution written: but custome is a thyng
that is accepted for right or for lawe/there as lawe and right faylen/and
there is no difference/whether it come of scripture or of reason. Wherfore
it sheweth that lawe is kyndly gouernaunce: Right cometh out of mannes
probable reson: and custome is of commen vsage by
length of tyme vsed/and custome nat writte is vsage/and if
it be writte constitutyon it is ywritten and ycleped: But
lawe of kynde is commen to euery nation/as coniunction of
man and woman in loue/succession of children in heritance restitution
of thyng by strentgh taken or lent/and this lawe among al other halte the
soueraynest gree in worship/Whiche lawe began at the begynnyng of reasonable
creature/it varyed yet neuer for no chaungyng of tyme: cause forsothe in
ordaynyng of lawe/was to constrayne mens hardynesse in to peace/and withdrawing
his yuel wyl/and turnyng malyce in to goodnesse/and that innocence sykerly
withouten teneful anoye amonge shrewes safely might inhabyte by protection
of safe- conducte/so that the shrewes harme for harme by bridle of ferdenesse
shulden restrayne. But forsothe in kyndely lawe nothynge is commended/but
such as goddes wyl hath confyrmed/ne nothyng denyed but contraryoustie
of goddes wyl in heuen: eke than al lawes or custome/or els constitucion
by vsage or writyng that contraryen lawe of kynde/vtterly ben repugnaunt
and aduersarye to our goddes wyl of heuen. Trewly lawe of kynde for goddes
own lusty wyl is verily to maintayne/under which lawe (and vnworthy)
bothe professe and reguler arne obedyencer and bounden to this Margarite
perle/as by knotte of loues statutes and stablysshment in kynde/whiche
that goodly maye not ben withsetten. Lo vnder this bonde am I constrayned
to abyde/and man vnder lyueng lawe ruled: by that lawe oweth after desertes
to ben rewarded by payn or by mede/but if mercy weyue the payne: so than
be parte/reasonfully may be sey/that mercy bothe right and lawe passeth/thentent<351ra><351rb>of
al these maters is the lest clere vnderstanding/to weten at thende of this
thirde boke ful knowing thorowe goddes grace/I thynke to make neuerthelater/yet
if these thynges han a good and a sleight inseer/whiche that can souke
hony of the harde stone/oyle of the drye rocke/may lyghtly fele nobley
of mater in my leude ymagination closed. But for my boke shal be
of ioye (as I said) and I so ferre set fro thilke place/fro whens
gladnesse shulde come my corde is to short to let my boket ou3t catch of
that water/and fewe men be abouten my corde to eche/and many
in ful purpose ben redy it shorter to make/and to enclose thentre/that
my boket of ioye nothing shulde catch/but empty returne/my careful sorowes
to encrese. and if I dye for payne/that were gladnesse at their
hertes. Good lorde sende me water into the cop of these mountayns/and
I shal drynke therof/my thurstes to stanch: and sey these
be comfortable welles in to helth of goodnesse of my sauiour am
I holpen. And yet I saye more/the house of ioye to me is nat opened. How
dare my sorouful goost than in any mater of gladnesse thynken to trete?
for euer sobbynges and complayntes be redy refrete in his meditations/as
werbles in manyfold stoundes commyng about I not than. And
therfore what maner of ioye coude endite/but yet at dore shal I knocke/if
the key of Dauid wolde the locke vnshyt/and he bring me in/whiche
that childrens tonges both openeth and closeth. Whose spirite/where
he wel worcheth/departyng goodly as him lyketh.
Nowe to goddes laude and reuerence/profite
of the reders/amendement of maners of the herers encresyng
of worship among loues seruauntes/releuyng of my hert in to grace of my
iewel/and frenship plesance of this peerle. I am stered in this
makyng/and for nothyng els: and if any good thyng to mennes
lyking in this scripture be founde/thanketh the maister of grace/whiche
that of that good and al other is authour/and principal
doer. And if any thing be insufficient or els myslyking/with that
that the leudnesse of myne vnable connyng/for body in disese
anoyeth the vnderstanding in soule. A disesely habitation letteth
the wyttes many thinges/and namely in sorowe. The custome
neuer the later of<351rb><351va>loue/be long tyme of seruice
in termes I thinke to pursue/whiche ben lyuely to yeue vnderstandyng
in other thynges. But nowe to enform the of this Margarites goodnesse/I
may her nat halfe preyse. Wherfore nat she for my boke/but this boke for
her is worthy to be commended/tho my boke be leude: right as thinges
nat for places/but places for thynges ought to be desyred and praysed.
Nowe (quod Loue) trewly thy wordes
I haue wel vnderstonde. Certes me thynketh hem right good/and
me wondreth why thou so lightly passest in the lawe. Sothly (quod
I) my wyt is leude and I am right blynde and that mater depe/howe
shulde I than haue waded/lightly mi3t I haue drenched and spilte
ther my selfe. Yea (quod she) I shal helpe the to swym. For
ri3t as lawe punyssheth brekers of preceptes/and the contrary
doers of the written constitutions: right so ayenwarde/lawe rewardeth
and yeueth mede to hem that lawe strengthen. By one lawe
this rebel is punisshed and this innocet is meded/the shrewe
is enprisoned and this ri3tful is corowned. The same lawe that ioyneth
by wedlocke without forsakyng/the same lawe yeueth lybel of departicion
bycause of deuorse both demed and declared. Ye ye (quod I)
I fynde in no lawe to mede and rewarde in goodnes/the gyltie of
desertes. Fole (quod she) gyltie conuerted in your
lawe/mykel merite deserueth. Also Pauly of Rome was crowned/that
by him the maynteyners of Pompeus weren knowen and distroyed: and
yet to forne was this Paulyn chefe of Pompeus counsaile.
This lawe in Rome hath yet his name of mesuring in mede/the bewrayeng of
the conspiracy/ordayned by tho senatours the dethe. Julyus Cesar
is acompted in to Catons right wisnesse/for euer in trouth florissheth
his name amonge the knowers of reason. Perdicas was crowned in the heritage
of Alexander the great/for tellynge of a preuy hate that kynge Porrus
to Alexander hadde. Wherfore euery wight by reason of lawe after his rightwysenesse
apertely his mede may chalenge: and so thou that maynteynest lawe
of kynde/and therfore disease hast suffred in the lawe/rewarde
is worthy to be rewarded and ordayned/and apartly thy<351va><351vb>mede
might thou chalenge. Certes (quod I) this haue I wel lerned/and
euer hensforward I shal drawe me therafter in onehed of wyl to abide this
lawe bothe mayntene and kepe/and so hope I best entre in
to your grace/wel deseruynge in to worship of a wight/without nedeful compulsion/ought
medefully to be rewarded. Truly (quod Loue) that is sothe/and
tho by constitution good seruice in to profite and auauntage
stretch/vtterly many men it demen to haue more desert of mede/than good
wyl nat compelled. Se now (quod I) howe may men holden of
this the contrary. And what is good seruice? of you wolde I here this question
declared. I shal say the (quod she) in a fewe wordes/resonable workynges
in plesaunce and profite of thy souerayne.
Howe shulde I this performe (quod
I) Ri3t wel (quod she) and here me nowe a lytel. It is hardely
(quod she to vnderstande) that right as mater by due ouerchaungynges
foloweth his perfection and his forme: Right so euery man
by ri3tful werkynges ought to folowe the leful desyres in his hert/and
se toforn to what ende he deserueth/for many tymes he that loketh nat after
thendes/but vtterly therof is vnknowen/befalleth often many yuels
to done/wherthrough er he be ware shamefully he is confounded/thende
ther of neden to be before loked to euery desirer of suche foresight in
good seruice thre thynges specially nedeth to be rulers in his workes.
First that he do good/next that he do by electyon in his
owne hert/and the thirde that he do godly withouten any surquedry
in thoughtes. That your werkes shulden be good in seruyce or in
any other actes/authorites many may be aleged neuerthelater/by reason thus
maye it be shewed. Al your werkes be cleped seconde/and mouen in
vertue of the firste wercher/whiche in good workes wrought you to procede/and
right so your werkes mouen in to vertue of the laste ende/and
right in the first workynge were nat/no man shulde in the seconde
werche. Right so but ye feled to what ende and seen their goodnes
closed/ye shuld no more recth what ye wrou3t but the gynnyng gan with good/and
there shal it cease in the last ende/if it be wel consydred. Wherfore the
myddle/if other wayes it drawe than accordant to the endes/there stynteth
the<351vb><352ra>course of good/and another maner course
entreth/and so it is a partie by him selue/and euery
parte be nat accordant to his al/is foule and ought to be
eschewed. wherfore euery thinge that is wrou3t and be nat
good/is nat accordant to thendes of his al hole/it is foule/and
ought to be withdrawe. Thus the persons that neither don good ne
harme/shamen foule their makyng: Wherfore without workyng of good actes
in good seruice/may no man ben accepted. Truely the ilke that han might
to do good and done it nat/the crowne of worship shal be
take from hem/and with shame shul they be anulled. and so
to make one werke acordant with his endes/euery good seruaunt by
reason of consequence muste do good nedes. Certes it suffiseth nat alone
to do good/but goodly withal folowe/the thanke of goodnesse els
in nought he deserueth: For ri3t as al your being come from the greatest
good in whom al goodnesse is closed. Right so your endes ben directe
to the same good. Aristotel determyneth that ende and good ben one/and
conuertible in vnderstanding/and he that in wyl doth away
good/and he that loketh nat to thende loketh nat to good/but
he that doth good and doth nat goodly/draweth away the direction of thende
nat goodly/must nedes be bad. Lo badde is nothing els/but absence or negatyfe
of good/as derkenesse is absence or negatyue of lyght. Than he that doth
goodly/directeth thilke good in to thende of badde: So muste thyng nat
good folowe/eke badnesse to suche folke ofte foloweth. Thus contrariaunt
workers of thende that is good/ben worthy the contrary of thende
that is good to haue. How (quod I) may any good dede be done/but
if goodly it helpe. Yes (quod Loue) the deuyl dothe many good dedes/but
goodly he leueth be hynde/for euen badly and in disceyuable wyse
he worketh/Wherfore the contrary of thende him foloweth. And do
he neuer so many good dedes/bicause goodly is away/his goodnes is nat rekened.
Lo than tho a man do good/but he do goodly thende in goodnesse wol nat
folowe/and thus in good seruice both good dede and goodly
done musten ioyne togider/and that it be done with free choise in
hert: and els deserueth he nat the merite in goodnes/that
wol I proue. for if thou<352ra><352rb>do any thyng good by
chaunce or by happe/in what thyng art thou therof worthy to be commended?
for nothing by reason of that turneth in to thy praysing ne lackyng. Lo
thilke thing done by hap by thy wyl is nat caused/and therby
shulde I thanke or lacke deserue: and sythen that fayleth/thende
which that wel shulde rewarde/must neds faile. clerkes sayn/no man but
wyllynge is blessed a good dede that he hath done is nat done of
free choice wyllyng/without whiche blyssednesse may nat folowe. Ergo neither
thanke of goodnesse ne seruice in that is contrary
of the good ende so than to good seruice longeth good dede
goodly don/thorowe fre choice in hert. Truely (quod I) this
haue I wel vnderstande. Wel (quod she) euery thyng thus done sufficiently
by lawe/that is cleped iustice/after rewarde claym. For lawe and
iustice was ordayned in this wise/suche desertes in goodnesse after quantite
in doynge/by mede to rewarde/and of necessyte of suche iustyce/that
is to say/ri3twysenesse was free choice in deseruyng of wel or of
yuel graunted to resonable creatures. Euery man hath free arbitrement
to chose good or yuel to performe. Nowe (quod I tho) if I
by my good wyl deserue this Margarit perle and am nat therto compelled/and
haue free choice to do what me lyketh: She is than holden as me thynketh
to rewarde thentent of my good wyl. Goddes forbode els (quod Loue)
no wi3t meaneth otherwise I trowe/free wyl of good hert after mede deserueth.
Hath euery man (quod I) fre choice by necessary maner of wyl in
euery of his doynges/that him lyketh by goddes proper puruyaunce.
I wolde se that wel declared to my leude vnderstanding/for necessary
and necessyte ben wordes of mokel entention/closyng (as to
saye) so mote it be nedes/and otherwyse may it nat betyde. This
shalt thou lern (quod she) so thou take hede in my speche. If it
were nat in mannes owne lyberte of fre wyl to do good or bad/but
to the one teyed by bonde of goddes preordynaunce: Than do he neuer
so wel it were by nedeful compulcion of thilk bonde and nat
by fre choice/wherby nothyng he desyreth/and do he neuer so yuel
it were nat man for to wyte/but onelych to him that suche thyng
ordayned him to done. Wherfore he ne ought<352rb><352va>for
bad be punished/ne for no good dede be rewarded/but of necessite of ri3twisnesse
was therfore fre choice of arbitrement put in mans proper disposition:
truely if it were otherwise it contraried goddes charite/that
badnesse and goodnesse rewardeth after desert of payn or of mede.
Me thynketh this wonder (quod I) for god by necessite forwote
al thynges comyng/and so mote it nedes be: and thilke thinges
that ben don be our fre choice comen nothing of necessite but onely
be wyl: Howe may this stonde togyther? and so me thynketh truely/that fre
choyce fully repugneth goddes forwetyng. Trewly lady me semeth they mowe
nat stande togyther.
THAN gan loue nygh me nere/and with
a noble countenance of visage and lymmes/dressed her nigh my sytting
place. Take forth (quod she) thy pen and redily write these
wordes/for if god wol/I shal hem so enforme to the/that thy leudnesse
which I haue vnderstand in that mater/shal openly be clered/and
thy sight in ful loking therin amended. First if thou thynke that
goddes prescience repugne lyberte of arbetry of arbitrement/it is
impossible that they shulde accorde in onheed of sothe to vnderstonding.
Ye (quod I) forsothe so I it conceyue. Wel (quod she)
if thilke impossible were away/the repugnaunce that semeth to be
therin/were vtterly remoued. Shewe me the absence of that impossibilyte
(quod I) So (quod she I shal). Nowe I suppose that they mowe
stande togider/prescience of god whom foloweth necessite
of thinges commyng and lyberte of arbitrement/thorowe
whiche thou beleuest many thinges to be without necessite.
Bothe these proporcions be sothe (quod I) and wel
mowe stande togider/wherfore this case as possyble I admyt. Truely
(quod she) and this case is impossible. Howe so (quod
I) For herof (quod she foloweth and wexeth another impossyble.
Proue me that (quod I). that I shal (quod she) for somthing
is commyng without necessyte/and god wot that toforn/for
al thing commyng he before wot/and that he beforn wot of
necessyte is commyng: as he beforne wot be the case by necessary
maner than/or els thorowe necessite is somthyng to be<352va><352vb>without
necessite/and whedto to euery wi3t that hath good vnderstanding/is
seen these thynges to be repugnaunt. Prescience of god/whiche that
foloweth necessyte and lyberte of arbytrement/fro whiche is remoued
necessyte/for truely it is necessary that god haue forwetyng of thing
withouten any necessite commynge. Ye (quod I) but yet remeue
ye nat away fro myne vnderstandyng/the necessyte folowyng goddes be forewetyng/as
thus. God beforne wote me in seruice of loue to be bounden to this Margarite
perle/and therfore by necessite thus to loue am I bounde/and
if I nat had loued/thorowe necessyte had I ben kepte from al loue dedes.
Certes (quod Loue) bicause this mater is good and necessary
to declare/I thynke here in wel to abyde and not lyghtly to passe. Thou
shalte not (quod she) say al onely god beforne wote me to be a louer or
no louer/but thus: god beforne wote me to be a louer without necessyte.
And so it foloweth whether thou loue or not loue/euery of hem is and shal
be. But nowe thou seest the impossibylite of the case/and the possibylite
of thilke that thou wendest had been impossyble/wherfore the repugnaunce
is adnulled. ye (quod I) and yet do ye not a waye the strength of necessyte
whan it is said/though necessyte it is me in loue to abyde/or not to loue
without necessyte for god beforne wote it. This maner of necessyte forsothe
semeth to some men in to coaction/that is to sayne/constraynyng or else
prohibycion that is defendynge/wherfore necessyte is me to loue of wyl.
I vnderstande me to be constrayned by some priuy strength to the wyl of
louynge/and if no loue to be defended from the wyl of louynge/and so thorowe
necessyte me semeth to loue/for I loue/or els not to loue/if I not loue/wherthrough
neyther thanke ne maugre in tho thynges maye I deserue.
Nowe (quod she) thou shalte wel vnderstande that
often we sayne thynge thorowe necessyte to be that by no strength to be
neyther is coarted ne constrayned/and throughe necessyte not to be/that
with no defendynge is remoued/for we sayne it is thorowe necessyte god
to be immortal nought deedlyche/and it is necessyte god to be rightful/but
not<352vb><353ra>that any strength of violente maner
constrayneth him to be immortal/or defendeth him to be vnrightful/for
nothing may make him dedly or vnrightful. Right so if I say thorowe
necessyte is the to be a louer or els none/onely thorowe wyl/as
god beforne wete/It is nat to vnderstonde that any thyng defendeth
or forbit/the thy wyl/whiche shal nat be/or els constrayneth it
to be whiche shalbe: that same thynge forsoth god before wot/whiche he
beforn seeth any thyng commende of onely wyl/that wyl neyther
is constrayned ne defended thorowe any other thing. and
so thorowe lyberte of arbitrement it is do/that is done of wyl.
And trewly my good childe/if these thynges be wel vnderstond I wene
that non inconuenyent shalt thou fynde betwene goddes forwetyng
and lyberte of arbitrement/wherfore I wot wel they may stande
togider. Also farthermore/who that vnderstandyng of prescience
properlych consydreth/thorowe the same wyse that any thyng
be afore wyst/is said for to be commyng it is pronounced/there
is nothing toforn wist/ but thing commyng/foreweting
is but of trouth dout may nat be wyst: wherfore whan I sey that god toforn
wote any thyng/thorowe necessyte is thilke thyng to be commyng/al
is one if I sey/if it shalbe/but this necessyte neither constrayneth
ne defendeth any thyng to be or nat to be. Therfore sothly if loue
is put to be/it is said of necessyte to be/or els for it is put nat to
be/it is affirmed nat to be of necessyte: nat for that necessite
constrayneth or defendeth loue to be or nat to be. For whan I say/if
loue shal be of necessite it shal be/here foloweth necessyte. the thyng
toforne put/it is as moch to say/as if it were thus pronounced/that
thyng shalbe: None other thyng signifyeth this necessyte but onely thus/that
shalbe may nat togider be and nat be. Euenlych also it is
soth/loue was and is/and shalbe/nat of necessyte/and
nede is to haue be al that was/and nedeful is to be al that is/and
commyng to al that shalbe: and it is nat the same to saye/loue
to be passed/and loue passed to be passed/or loue present to be present/and
loue to be present/or els loue to be commynge/and loue commynge to be commyng:
dyuersite in settyng of wordes/maketh dyuersite in vnderstandynge/<353ra><353rb>altho
in the same sentence they accorden of signification/right as it
is nat al one: loue swete to be swete/and loue to be swete: for
moch loue is bytter and sorouful er hertes ben eased/and
yet it gladeth thilke sorouful hert on suche loue to thynke. Forsothe (quod
I) outherwhile I haue had mokel blysse in hert of loue/that stoundmele
hath me sorily anoyed: and certes lady/for I se my selfe thus knit
with this Margarite peerle as by bonde of your seruyce/and of no
lyberte of wyl/my hert wyl nowe nat acorde this seruyce to loue. I can
demyn in my selfe non otherwise/but thorowe necessite am I constrayned
in this seruice to abyde. But alas than/if I thorowe nedeful compulsioun
maugre me be with holde/lytel thanke for al my great traueil haue
I than deserued. Nowe (quod this lady) I saye as I sayde: Me lyketh
this mater to declare at the ful/and why: for many men haue had
dyuers fantasyes and reasons/both on one syde therof and
in the other. Of whiche ri3t sone I trowe if thou wolt vnderstonde/thou
shalte con yeue the sentence/to the partie more probable
by reason/and in soth knowing/by that I haue of this mater maked
an ende. Certes (quod I) of these thynges longe haue I had great
luste to be lerned/for yet I wene goddes wyl and his prescience
acordeth with my seruice/in louynge of this precious Margarite perle.
After whom euer in my hert with thurstyng desire weete I do brenne: vnwastyng
I langour and fade/and the day of my desteny in dethe or
in ioye I vnbyde/but yet in thende I am comforted be my supposaile in blysse/and
in ioye to determyne after my desyres. That thyng (quod Loue) hastely
to the neigh/god graunt of his grace and mercy/and this shalbe
my prayer tyl thou be lykende in herte at thyne owne wyl. But nowe to enforme
the in this mater (quod this lady) thou wost where I lefte/that
was loue to be swete and loue swete to be swete/is nat al one for to say:
for a tree is nat alway by necessite white somtyme er it were white/it
myght haue be nat white: and after tyme it is white/it maye be nat
white: But a whyte tree euermore nedeful is to be white: for neither toforn
ne after it was white/myght it be togider white and nat white. Also
loue by necessyte is nat present as nowe<353rb><353va>in the/for
er it were present it myght haue be that it shulde nowe nat haue be/and
yet it maye be that it shal nat be present: but thy loue present whiche
to her Margarite the hath boude nedeful is to be present. Trewly some doyng
of action nat by necessyte is commynge ferre toforn it be/it may
be that it shal nat be commynge: thyng forsoth commyng nedeful
is to be comming/for it may nat be that commyng shal nat
be commyng. And right as I haue sayd of present and of future
tymes/the same sentence in sothnesse is of the preterit/that
is to say tyme passed for thyng passed must nedes be passed/and
er it were it might haue nat be/wherfore it shulde nat haue passed. Right
so whan loue comming is said of loue that is to come/ nedeful is
to be that is said/for thing commyng neuer is nat commynge/and
so ofte the same thynge we sayn of the same/as whan we sayne euery man
is a man/or euery louer is a louer/so muste it be nedes/in no waye may
he be man and no man togider. And if it be nat by necessite/that
is to say/nedeful al thyng commyng to be commyng/than somthyng
commyng is nat commynge/and that is impossible/right as these
termes nedeful/necessite/and necessary betoken and signify thyng
nedes to be/and it may nat otherwise be. Right these termes impossible
signifieth/that thyng is nat and by no way may it be/than thorowe
pert necessite/al thyng commyng is commyng/but that is by necessite/foloweth
with nothyng to be constrayned. lo whan that commyng is said of
thynge/nat alway thyng thorowe necessite is/altho it be commyng.
For if I say to morowe loue is commyng in this Margarites
hert/nat therfore thorow necessite shal the ilke loue be/yet it may be
that it shal nat be/altho it were commyng. Neuerthelater/somtyme
it is soth that somthyng be of necessite/ that is sayd to come: as if I
say to morowe by commynge the risynge of the sonne. If therfore with necessite
I pronounce commyng of thyng to come/in this maner loue to morne
commynge in thyne Margarite to the warde by necessite is commynge/or
els the risyng of the sonne to morne commynge/through necessite
is commynge. Loue sothely/whiche may nat be of necessyte alone folowynge/thorowe
necessyte<353va><353vb>commyng it is made certayne.
For futur of future is said/that is to sayn commyng of commynge
is said: as if to morowe commyng is thorow necessite commynge
it is. Arisyng of the sonne thorowe two necessites in commyng/it
is to vnderstande/that one is to forgoing necessite/whiche maketh
thyng to be/therfore it shalbe/for nedeful is that it be. Another is folowyng
necessite/whiche nothyng constrayneth to be/and so by necessyte
it is to come/why: for it is to come. Nowe than/whan we sayn/that god beforn
wot thyng commyng nedeful is to be commyng/yet therfore make
we nat in certayne/euermore thynge to be thorowe necessite commynge. Sothly
thyng commyng maye nat be nat commyng by no way/for it is
the same sentence of vnderstandyng: as if we say thus. If god beforn
wot any thyng/nedeful is that to be commyng. But yet therfore foloweth
nat the prescience of god/thyng thorowe necessite to be commyng:
for al tho god toforn wote al thinges commyng/yet nat therfore
he beforn wot euery thyng commyng thorowe necessite. Some
thinges he beforn wot commyng of fre wyl out of resonable
creature. Certes (quod I) these termes/nede and necessite/haue
a queynt maner of vnderstandyng/they wolden dullen many mennes
wyttes. Therfore (quod she) I wol hem openly declare/and
more clerely than I haue toforn er I departe hense.
HERE of this mater (quod she) thou
shalte vnderstande/that right as it is nat nedeful god to wylne
that he wyl/no more in many thynges is nat nedeful a man to wylne that
he wol. And euer right as nedeful is to be what that god wol/right so to
be it is nedeful that man wol in tho thynges/whiche that god hath put in
to mannes subiection of wyllynge: as if a man wol loue/that he loue:
and if he ne wol loue/that he loue nat/and of suche other
thynges in mannes disposition. For why/nowe than that god wol may
nat be/whan he wol the wyl of man thorowe no necessyte to be constrayned
or els defended for to wylne/and he wol theffecte to folow the wyl/than
is it nedeful wyl of man to be fre/and also to be that he wol. In
this maner it is soth/that thorowe necessite is mannes werke in
louyng/that he wol do altho he wol<353vb><354ra>it not with
necessyte. (Quod I than) howe stante it in loue of thilke wyl/sythen men
louen willyng of free choyce in herte. wherfore if it be thorowe necessyte/I
praye you lady of an answere this questyon to assoyle. I wol (quod
she) answere the blyuely: Right as men wyl not thorowe necessyte/right
so is not loue of wyl thorowe necessyte/ ne thorowe necessyte wrought thilke
same wyl: for if he wolde it not with good wyl/it shulde nat haue ben wrought/although
that he dothe it is nedeful to be doone. But if a man do synne it is nothyng
els but to wyl/that he shulde not: right so synne of wyl is not to be maner
necessary done/no more than wyl is necessarye. Neuer the later this is
sothe/if a man wol synne/it is necessarye him to synne/but though thilke
necessyte nothyng is constrayned ne defended in the wyl/right so thilke
thynge that frewyl wol and maye/and not may/not wylne/and nedeful is that
to wylne he maye not wylne/but thilke to wylne nedeful is/for impossyble
to him it is one thyng/and the same to wylne he may not wylne/but thilk
to wylne nedeful is: for impossyble to him it is one thyng/and the same
to wylne and not to wylne. The werke forsothe of wyl/to whome it is yeue
that it be that he hath in wyl/and that he wol not/voluntarie of
spontanye it is/for by spontanye wyl it is do/that is to saye with good
wyl/not constrayned: than by wyl not constrayned/it is constrayned to be/and
that is it may not togyther be. If this necessyte maketh lybertie of wyl/whiche
that aforne they weren they might haue ben eschewed and shonned:
God than/whiche that knoweth al truthe/and nothynge but truthe/al
these thynges as they arne spontanye or necessarie syght/and as he seeth
so they ben: and so with these thynges wel consydred it is open at the
ful/that without al maner repugnaunce/god beforne wote al maner thynges
ben done by frewyl/whiche aforne they weren might haue ben neuer they shulde
be/and yet ben they thorowe a maner necessyte from frewyl discendeth.
Hereby maye (quod she) lightly ben knowe that not
al thinges to be is of necessyte/though<354ra><354rb>god
haue hem in his prescience/for somthynges to be is of lybertie of wyl:
and to make the to haue ful knowynge of goddes beforne wetyng/here me (quod
she) what I shal say. Blythly lady (quod I) me lyst this mater entyrely
to vnderstande. Thou shalte (quod she) vnderstande/that in heuen
is goddes beynge/although he be ouer al by power/ yet there is abydinge
of deuyne persone/in whiche heuen is euerlastynge presence/withouten any
mouable tyme there/[PROBLEM OF ORDER] fole haue I not sayd toforn
this/as tyme hurteth/right so ayenward tyme healeth and rewardeth: and
a tree oft fayled/is holde more in deyntie whan it frute forthe bringeth.
A marchaunt that for ones lesynge in the see no more to auenture thynketh/he
shal neuer with auenture come to rychesse: so ofte must men on the oke
smyte/tyl the happy dent haue entred/whiche with the okes owne swaye maketh
it to come al at ones. So ofte falleth the lethy water on the harde rocke/tyl
it haue thorowe persed it. The euen draught of the wyre drawer/maketh the
wyre to ben euen and supple werchynge/and if he stynted in his draught/the
wyre breaketh a sonder. Euery tre wel springeth/whan it is wel grounded
and not often remoued. What shal this frute be (quod I) nowe it
gynneth rype? Grace (quod she) in parfyte ioy to endure/and therwith thou
begon. Grace (quod I) me thynketh I shulde haue a rewarde for my longe
trauayle? I shal tel the (quod she) retrybucion of thy good wylles to haue
of thy Margaryte perle/it beareth not the name of mede/but onely of good
grace/and that cometh not of thy deserte/but of thy Margarytes goodnesse/and
vertue alone. (Quod I) shulde al my longe trauayle haue no rewarde but
thorowe grace/and somtyme your seluen sayd/rightwysnesse euenlyche rewardeth
to quyte one benefyte for another. That is sothe (quod Loue) euer as I
sayde/as to him that dothe good/whiche to done he were neyther holden ne
yet constrayned. That is sothe (quod I). Trewly (quod she) al that euer
thou doest to thyne Margaryte perle/of wyl/of loue/and of reson thou owest
to done<354rb><354va>it/yet is nothyng els but yeldyng of
thy dette in quitynge of thy grace/whiche she the lent whan ye first mette.
I wene (quod I) right lytle grace to me she delyuered. Certes it was harde
grace/it hath nyghe me astrangled. That it was good grace I wot wel thou
wylt it graunt er thou departe hence. If any man yeue to another wight
to whom that he ought not/and whiche that of him selfe nothynge maye haue/a
garnement or a cote/though he weare the cote or els thilke clothyng/it
is not to put to him that was naked the cause of his clothynge but onely
to him that was yeuer of the garnement. Wherfore I saye/thou that were
naked of loue/and of thy selfe non haue mightest/it is not to put to thyne
owne persone/sythen thy loue came thorowe thy Margaryte perle. Ergo she
was yeuer of the loue althoughe thou it vse/and there lent she the grace
thy seruyce to begynne. She is worthy the thanke of this grace/for she
was the yeuer. Al the thoughtes/besy doynges/and plesaunce in thy might
and in thy wordes that thou canste deuyse/ben but right lytel in quitynge
of thy dette: had she not ben/suche thing hadde not ben studyed. So al
these maters kyndely drawen homewarde to this Margaryte perle/for from
thence were they borowed/al is holy her to wyte the loue that thou hauest:
and thus quytest thou thy dette/in that thou stedfastly seruest. And kepe
wel that loue I the rede/that of her thou hast borowed/and vse it in her
seruyce thy dette to quite/and than arte thou able right sone to haue grace/wherfore
after mede in none halue maist thou loke. Thus thy gynnyng and endyng is
but grace alone/and in thy good deseruynge thy dette thou aquitest: without
grace is nothyng worthe what so euer thou werche. Thanke thy Margaryte
of her great grace that hytherto the hath gyded/and praye her of contynuaunce
forthe in thy werkes herafter/and that for no mishappe thy grace ouerthwartly
tourne. Grace/glorie/and ioye/is comyng thorowe good folkes desertes/and
by gettyng of grace therin shullen ende. And what is more glorie or more
ioye than wysdome and loue in parfyte charite/whiche god hath graun<354va><354vb>ted
to al tho that wel canne deserue. And with that this lady al at ones sterte
in to myn hert: here wol I onbyde (quod she) for euer/and neuer wol I gon
hence/and I wol kepe the from medlynge while me lyste here onbyde: thyne
entermetyng maners in to stedfastnesse shullen be chaunged.
SOberlyche tho threwe I vp myn eyen/and hugely
tho was I astonyed of this sodayne aduenture/and fayne wolde I haue lerned
howe vertues shulden ben knowen/in whiche thynges I hope to god here after
she shal me enfourmen/and namely sythen her restynge place is nowe so nyghe
at my wyl: and anon al these thynges that this lady said/I remembred me
by my selfe/and reuolued the lyues of myne vnderstondynge wyttes. Tho founde
I fully al these maters parfytely there written/howe mysse rule by fayned
loue bothe realmes and cyties hath gouerned a great throwe. Howe lightly
me might the fautes espye/howe rules in loue shulde ben vsed/howe somtyme
with fayned loue foule I was begyled/howe I shulde loue haue knowe/and
howe I shal in loue with my seruyce procede. Also furthermore I founde
of perdurable letters wonderly there grauen/these maters whiche
I shal nempne. Certes none age ne other thynge in erthe maye the leest
syllable of this in no poynte deface/but clerely as the sonne in myne vnderstandynge
soule they shynen. This maye neuer out of my mynde/howe I maye not my loue
kepe/but thorowe wyllynge in herte: Wylne to loue maye I not/but I louynge
haue. Loue haue I none but thorowe grace of this Margarite perle. It is
no maner doute/that wyl wol not loue but for it is louynge/as wyl wol not
rightfully/but for it is rightful it selue. Also wyl is not louynge for
he wol loue/but he wol loue for he is louynge: it is al one to wyl to be
louynge/and louynges in possessyon to haue. Right so wyl wol not loue/for
of loue hath he no partie/and yet I denye not louynge wyl wylne
more loue to haue/whiche that he hath not whan he wolde more than he hath/<354vb><355ra>but
I saye he maye no loue wylne/if he no loue haue/through which thilke loue
he shuld wylne: but to haue this louyng wyl may no man of him selfe/but
onely through grace toforne goyng: Right so maye no man it kepe/but by
grace folowynge. Consyder nowe euery man aright/and let sene if that
any wight of him selfe mowe this louyng wel get/and he therof first nothynge
haue: for if it shulde of him selfe spring/eyther it muste be wyllyng or
not wyllyng. Wyllyng by him selfe may he it not haue/sythen him fayleth
the mater that shulde it forthe bring/the mater him fayleth: Why? he maye
therof haue no knowyng/tyl whan grace put it in his herte. Thus willyng
by him selfe may he it not haue/and not wyllyng may he it not haue. Parde
euery conseyt of euery reasonable creature otherwyse wyl not graunt: Wyl
in affyrmatife with not wyllyng by no way mowe acorde. And although this
louyng wol come in myn hert by frenesse of arbytrement/as in this booke
fully is shewed/yet owe I not therfore as moche alowe my frewyl/as grace
of that Margaryte to me leaned/for neyther might I without grace to forn
goyng/and afterwarde folowyng/thilke grace get ne kepe/and lese shal I
it neuer but if frewyl it make/as in wyllynge otherwyse than grace hath
me graunted. For right as whan any person taketh wyllyng to be sobre/and
throweth that away/willyng to be dronke/or els taketh wyl of drinkyng
out of mesure: whiche thyng anon as it is done/maketh thorowe his owne
gylte by frewyl that leseth his grace. In whiche thing therfore vpon the
nobley of grace I mote trusten/and my besy cure set thilke grace
to kepe/that my frewyl otherwyse than by reason it shulde werche/cause
not my grace to voyde: for thus must I bothe loke to frewyl and to grace.
For right as naturel vsage in engendring of children maye not ben without
father/ne also but with the mother/for neyther father ne mother in begettyng
maye it lacke: right so grace and frewyl accorden/and without hem bothe
maye not louynge wyl in no partie ben getten. But yet is not frewyl in
gettynge of that thyng so mokel thanke worthy as is grace/ne in
the ke<355ra><355rb>pynge therof/so moche thanke deserueth/and
yet in gettynge and kepyng bothe done they accorde. Trew y often tyme gra
e frewyl helpeth in fordoynge of contrarye thinges/that to wyllynge loue
not accorden/and strength wyl aduersytees to withsytte/wherfore al togyther
to grace oweth to ben accepted/that my wulyng deserueth: Frewyl to louyng
in this wyse is accorded. I remembre me wel howe al this booke (who so
hede taketh) consydereth al thynges to werchynges of mankynde euenly accordeth/as
in turnyng of this worde loue in to trouthe/or els rightwysnesse/whether
that it lyke. For what thyng that falleth to man in helpyng of free arbytrement/thilke
rightwysnesse to take or els to kepe/thorowe whiche a man shal be saued/of
whiche thyng al this booke mencion hath maked/in euery poynte therof grace
oweth to be thanked. Wherfore I saye/euery wight hauynge this rightwysnesse
rightful is/and yet therfore I fele not in my conscience/that to al rightful
is behoten the blysse euerlastynge/but to hem that ben rightful withouten
any vnrightfulnesse. Some man after some degree maye rightfully ben accompted:
as chaste men in lyuyng/and yet ben they ianglers and ful of enuy pressed:
to hem shal this blysse neuer ben delyuered. For right as very blisse is
with out al maner nede/ri3t so to no man shal it be yeuen but to the rightful/voyde
from al maner vnrightfulnesse founde/so no man to her blysse shal ben folowed/but
he be rightful/and with vnrightfulnesse not bounde/and in that degree fully
be knowe. This rightfulnesse in as moche as in him selfe is/of none yuel
is it cause/and of al maner goodnesse trewly it is mother. This helpeth
the spyrit to withsytte the leude lustes of flesshly lykinge: This strengtheth
and maintayneth the lawe of kynde/and if that otherwhyle me weneth harme
of this precious thyng to folowe/therthorough is nothynge the cause/of
somwhat els cometh it aboute who so taketh hede. By rightfulnesse forsothe
werne many holy sayntes good sauour in swetenesse to god almighty
but that to some folkes they weren sauour of dethe in to deedly ende/that
come not of the<355rb><355va>sayntes rightwysnesse/but of
other wycked mennes badnesse hath proceded. Trewly the ilke wyl/whiche
that the lady of loue me lerned/affectyon of wyl to nempne/whiche is in
wyllyng of profytable thynges/yuel is it not/but whan to flesshly lustes
it consenteth/ayenst reason of soule: But that this thynge more
clerely be vnderstand/it is for to knowe/whence and howe
thylke wyl is so vycious and so redye/yuel dedes to perfourme. Grace at
the gynnynge/ordeyned thilke wyl in goodnesse euer to haue endured/and
neuer to badnesse haue assented: Men shulde not byleue/that god thilke
wyl maked to be vycious. Our firste father as Adam and Eue/for vycious
appetytes and vycious wyl to suche appetytes consentynge/ben not on thynge
in kynde/other thyng is done for the other. And howe this wyl fyrst in
to man first assented I holde it profytable to shewe: but if the first
condycion of reasonable creature wol be consydred and apertly loked/lightly
the cause of suche wyl may be shewed. Intencion of god was that rightfully
and blyssed shulde reasonable nature ben maked/him selfe for to kepe/but
neyther blysful ne rightful might it not be/withouten wyl in them bothe.
Wyl of rightfulnesse is thilke same rightfulnesse/as here to forne is shewed:
but wyl of blysse is not thilke blysse/for euery man hath not thilke blysse/in
whom the wyl therof is abydynge. In this blysse after euery vnderstandynge
is suffysaunce of couenable comodytees without any maner nede/whether it
be blysse of aungels or els thilke/that grace first in paradise suffred
Adam to haue. For al though angels blysse be more than Adams was in paradyse/yet
maye it not be denyded/that Adam in paradyse ne had suffysaunce of blysse:
for ryght as great herte is without al maner of coldenesse/and yet maye
another herte more heate haue/right so nothynge defended Adam in paradyse
to ben blessed/without al maner nede. Al thoughe aungels blysse be moche
more/forsothe it foloweth not lasse than another to haue therfore hym nedeth/but
for to wante a thynge whiche that behoueth to ben had/that maye nede ben
cleped/and that<355va><355vb>was not in Adam at the first
gynnyng. God and the Margaryte weten what I meane. Forsothe where as is
nede/there is wretchydnesse/good without cause to forngoyng made not reasonable
creature wretched/for hym to vnderstande and loue had he firste maked.
God made therfore man blyssed without al maner indygence/togyther and at
ones toke reasonable creature blysse/and wyl of blyssednesse/and wyl of
rightfulnesse/whiche is rightfulnesse it selue/and lybertie of arbytrement/that
is fre wyl/with whiche thilke rightfulnesse may he kepe and lese. So and
in that wyse ordayned thylke two/that wyl whiche that instrument is cleaped/as
here toforne mencion is maked/shulde vse thilke rightfulnesse/by teachyng
of his soule to good maner of gouernaunce/in thought and in wordes/and
that it shulde vse the blysse in obedyent maner/withouten any incommodyte.
Blysse forsothe in to mannes profyte/and rightwysnesse in to his worshyp
god delyuered at ones: but rightfulnesse so was yeuen that man might
it lese/whiche if he not loste had not/but contynuelly haue it kepte/he
shulde haue deserued the auauncement in to the felowshyppe of angels/in
whiche thyng if he that loste/neuer by him selfe forwarde shulde he it
mowe ayenwarde recouer: and as wel the blysse that he was in/as aungels
blysse that to him wardes was comyng/shulde be nome at ones/and he depriued
of hem bothe. And thus fyl man vn to lykenesse of vnreasonable bestes/and
with hem to corrupcion and vnlusty apetytes was he vnder throwen/but yet
wyl of blysse dwelleth/that by indygence of goodes whiche that he loste
through great wretchydnesse/by right shulde he ben punisshed. And thus
for he weyued rightfulnesse/loste hath he his blysse: but fayle of his
desyre in his owne comodyte may he not/and were comodytes to his reasonable
nature whiche he hath loste may he not haue. To false lustes/whiche ben
bestyal appetytes he is turned: folye of vnconnyng hath him be gyled/in
wenyng that thilke ben the comoditees that owen to ben desyred.
This affection of wyl by lyberte of arbitrement is enduced to wylne thus
thing that he shulde not/and so is<355vb><356ra>wyl not maked
yuel but vnrightful/by absence of rightfulnesse/whiche thing by
reason euer shulde he haue. And frenesse of arbytrement may he not wylne/whan
he it not haueth/for whyle he it had/thilke halpe it not to kepe: so that
without grace may it not ben recouered. Wyl of commodyte/in as moche
as vnrightful it is maked/by wyllynge of yuel lustes/wyllyng of goodnesse
may he not wylne: for wyl of instrument to affection of wyl is thralled/sythen
that other thyng may it not wylne/for wyl of instrument to affection desyreth/and
yet ben bothe they wyl cleped: for that instrument wol/through affection
it wylneth/and affection desyreth thilke thyng wherto instrument
him ledeth. And so frewyl to vnlusty affection ful seruaunt is maked/for
vnrightfulnesse maye he not releue/and without rightfulnesse ful
fredome may it neuer haue. For kyndly lybertie of arbytrement without it/veyne
and ydel is forsothe. Wherfore yet I say/as often haue I sayd the same/whan
instrument of wyl loste hath rightfulnesse/in no maner but by grace may
he ayen retourne rightfulnesse to wylne. For sythen nothyng but rightfulnesse
alone shulde he wylne/what that euer he wylneth with out rightfulnesse/vnrightfully
he it wylneth. These than vnrightful appetytes and vnthrifty lustes
which the flyes desyreth/in as mokel as they ben in kynde/ben they nat
bad/but they ben vnrightful and badde/for they ben in resonable creature/where
as they beyng in no waye shulde ben suffred. In vnreasonable beestes neyther
ben they yuel ne vnrightful/for there is their kynde beyng.
KNowen may it wel ben nowe/of these thynges
toforne declared/that man hath not alway thilke rightfulnesse/which
by dute of right euermore hauen he shulde/and by no way by him selfe may
he it get ne kepe/and after he it hath if he it lese/recouer shal
he it neuer/without especial grace: Wherfore the comune sentence of the
people in opinyon/that euery thynge after destenye is ruled/false and wicked
is to byleue: For thoughe predestynacion be as wel of good as of badde/sythen
that it is sayde god hadnest made/whiche he neuer<356ra><356rb>ne
wrought/but for he suffreth hem to be maked/as that he hardeth whan he
naught missaythe/or ledde in to temptacion whan he not delyuereth/wherfore
it is none inconuenyent if in that maner be sayd/god toforne haue destenyed
bothe badde/and her badde werkes/whan hem ne their yuel dedes neyther amendeth/ne
therto hem grace leueth. But specyallyche predestynacion of goodnesse alone/is
sayde by these great clerkes /for in him god dothe that they ben/and that
in goodnesse they werchen. But the negatyfe herof in badnesse is holden/as
the lady of loue hath me lerned/who so aright in this booke loketh. And
vtterly it is to weten/that predestynacion properly in god may not
ben demed/ no more than beforne wetyng. For in the chapitre of goddes beforne
wetyng/as Loue me rehersed/al these maters apertely maye ben founden. Al
thynges to god ben nowe togyther and in presence durynge. Trewly presence
and predestynacion in nothynge disacorden/wherfore as I was lerned howe
goddes beforewetyng and free choyce of wyl mowe stonden togyther/me thynketh
the same reason me leadeth/that destenye and frewyl accorden/so that neyther
of hem bothe to other in nothing contraryeth. And reasonablyche may it
not ben demyd/as often as any thyng falleth frewyl werchyng/as if a man
another man wrongfully anoyeth/wherfore he him sleeth/that it be constrayned
to that ende/as mokel folke cryeth and sayth: Lo/as it was destenyed of
god toforne know/so it is thorowe necessyte fal/and other wyse might it
not betyde. Trewly neyther he that the wronge wrought/ne he that him selfe
venged/none of thilke thinges thorowe necessyte wrought: for if that with
frewyl there had it not wylled/neyther had wrought that he perfourmed:
and so vtterly grace that frewyl in goodnesse bringeth and kepeth/and fro
badnesse it tourneth/in al thynge moste thanke deserueth. This grace maketh
sentence in vertue to abyde/wherfore in body and in soule in ful
plentie of connynge after their good deseruyng in the euerlastynge ioy/after
the day of dome shul they endelesse dwel/and they shul ben lerned in that
kyngdome with<356rb><356va>so mokel affecte of loue and of
grace/that the leste ioye shal of the greatest in glorie reioyce and ben
gladded/as if he the same ioye had. What wonder syth god is the
greatest loue/and the [PROBLEM OF ORDER] ne ought to loke thynges
with resonnyng to proue/and so is instrument of wyl/wyl:
and yet varyeth he from effecte and vsing bothe. Affection of wyl
also for wyl is cleped/but it varyeth from instrument in this maner wise/by
that name/lyche whan it cometh in to mynde anon right it is in wyllynge
desyred/and the negatyfe therof with wyllyng nyl not acorde: this is closed
in herte/thoughe vsage and instrument slepe. This slepeth whan instrument
and vs waken: and of suche maner affection trewly some man hath more and
some man lesse. Certes trewe louers wenen euer therof to lytel to haue.
False louers in lytel wenen haue right mokel: Lo instrument of wyl in false
and trewe bothe euen lyche is proporcioned/but affection is more in some
place than in some/bycause of the goodnesse that foloweth/and that
I thynke herafter to declare. Vse of this instrument is wyl/but
it taketh his name whan wylned thyng is in doyng. but vtterly grace to
catche in thy blysse/desyred to ben rewarded/Thou muste haue than affection
of wyl at the ful/and vse whan his tyme asketh wysely to ben gouerned.
Sothly my discyple without feruent affection of wil may no man ben saued:
this affection of good seruyce in good loue/may not ben grounded/without
feruent desyre to the thyng in wyl coueyted. But he that neuer retcheth
to haue or not to haue/affection of wyl in that hath no restyng place.
Why? for whan thing cometh to mynde and it be not taken in hede to comyn
or not come/therfore in that place affection fayleth: and for thilke affection
is so lytel/thorow whiche in goodnesse he shulde come to his grace/the
lytelnesse wyl it not suffre to auayle by no way in to his helpes: Certes
grace and reason thilke affection foloweth. This affection with reason
knytte/dureth in eueryche trewe herte/and euermore is encreasyng/no ferdnesse/no
strength maye it remoue whyle truthe in herte abydeth. Sothly whan falsheed
gynneth entre/truthe draweth away/grace/and ioy both: <356va><356vb>but
than thilke falsheed that trouth hath thus voyded/hath vnknyt the bonde
of vnderstandyng reason/bytwene wyl and the herte. And who so that bonde
vndothe/and vnknytteth wyl to be in other purpose than to the first accorde/knytteth
him with contrarye of reason/and that is vnreason. Lo/than wyl and vnreson
bringeth a man from the blisse of grace/which thyng of pure kynde/euery
man ought to shonne and to eschewe/and to the knot of wyl and reason
confyrme. Me thynketh (quod she) by thy studyent lokes/thou
wenest in these wordes me to contrarien/from other sayenges here
toforne in other place/as whan thou were somtyme in affection of
wyl/to thinges that nowe han brought the in disease/whiche I haue the counsayled
to voyde/and thyn herte discouer/and there I made thy wyl t ben chaunged/whiche
now thou wenest I argue to witholde and to kepe. Shortly I say the
reuers in these wordes may not ben founde: for though dronkennesse
be forboden/men shul not alway ben drinklesse. I trowe right for thou thy
wyl out of reason shulde not tourne/thy wyl in one reason shulde not vnbyde/I
say thy wyl in thy first purpose with vnreason was closed: Constrewe forthe
of the remenante what the good lyketh. Trewly that wyl and reson
shulde be knyt togyder was fre wyl of reason/after tyme thyne herte is
assentaunt to them bothe/thou might not chaunge/but if thou from
rule of reason varye/in whiche variaunce to come to thilke blysse desyred/contrariously
thou werchest: and nothyng may knowe wyl and reason but loue alone.
Than if thou voide loue/than weuest the bonde that knytteth/and so nedes
or els right lightly/that other gone a sondre/wherfore thou seest apertly
that loue holdeth this knot/and amaystreth hem to be bounde. These thinges/as
a ringe in cyrcuit of wrethe ben knyt in thy soule without departyng. A
let be/let be (quod I) it nedeth not of this no rehersayle to make/my
soule is yet in parfyte blysse/in thynking of that knotte. [PROBLEM
OF ORDER]
NOwe trewly lady I haue my grounde wel vnderstonde/but
what thynge is thilke spire that in to a tree shulde wexe: ex<356vb><357ra>powne
me that thing/what ye therof meane. That shal I (quod she) blithly/and
take good hede to the wordes I the rede. Contynuaunce in thy good seruyce/by
longe processe of tyme in ful hope abydyng/without any chaunge to wylne
in thyne herte: this is the spire/whiche if it be wel kept and gouerned/shal
so hugely springe/tyl the fruite of grace is plentuously out sprongen:
for al thoughe thy wyl be good/yet may not therfore thilk blysse desyred
hastely on the discenden/it must abyde his sesonable tyme. and
so by processe of growyng/with thy good traueyle/it shal in to more
and more wexe/tyl it be founde so mighty/that wyndes of yuel speche/ne
scornes of enuy/make nat the traueyle ouerthrowe/ne frostes of mystrust/ne
hayles of ielousy right lytel myght haue in harmynge of suche springes.
Euery yonge setlyng lightly with smale stormes is a peyred/but whan it
is woxen somdele in gretnesse/than han great blastes and wethers
but lytel might/any disauantage to them for to werche. Myne owne souerayne
lady (quod I) and welth of myne hert/and it were lykyng vnto your
noble grace/therthrough nat to be displeased/I suppose ye erren/nowe ye
maken ielousy enuy/and distourbour to hem that ben your seruauntes.
I haue lerned ofte toforne this tyme/that in euery louers hert/great plentie
of ielousies greues ben sowe/wherfore me thynketh ye ne ought in no maner
accompte/thilke thynge among these other welked wyners and venomous serpentes/as
enuy/mystrust/and yuel speche. O fole (quod she) mystrust
with foly with yuel wil medled/engendreth that welked padde. Truely
if they were distroyed ielousy vndone were for euer/and yet some
maner of ielousy I wot wel is euer redy in al the hertes of my trewe seruauntes/as
thus: to be ielous ouer him selfe/lest he be cause of his own disease.
This ielousy in ful thou3t euer shulde be kept for ferdnesse to lese his
loue by miskepyng/thorowe his owne doyng in leudnesse/or els thus: Lest
she that thou seruest so feruently is beset there her better lyketh/that
of al thy good seruice she compteth nat a cresse. These ielousies in herte
for acceptable qualytees ben demed: these oughten euery trewe lo<357ra><357rb>uer
by kyndly/euermore hauen in his mynde/tyl fully the grace and blysse
of my seruice be on him discended at wyl. and he that than
ielousy catcheth/or els by wenyng of his owne folysshe wylfulnesse mystrusteth/truely
with fantasy of venyme/he is foule begyled. Yuelwyl hath grounded thilke
mater of sorowe in his leude soule/and yet nat for than to euery
wight shuld me nat trust/ne euery wight fully mysbeleue/the meane of these
thynges owen to be vsed. Sothly withouten causeful euydece/mistrust in
ielousy shulde nat be wened in no wyse person commenly/suche leude
wickednesse shulde me nat fynde. He that is wise and with yuel wil
nat be acomered/can abyde wel his tyme/tyl grace and blisse of his
seruice folowyng/haue him so mokel eased/as his abidynge toforehande
hath him diseased. Certes lady (quod I tho) of no thyng me
wondreth /sythen thilke blysse so precious is and kyndly
good/and wel is and worthy in kynde/whan it is medled with
loue and reason/as ye toforn haue declared. Why/anon as hye one
is sprong/why springeth nat the tother? and anone as the one cometh/why
receyueth nat the other? For euery thynge that is out of his kyndly place/by
ful appetite/euer cometh thiderwarde kyndely to drawe/and his kyndly
beyng therto him constrayneth. and the kindly stede
of this blysse/is in suche wyl medled to vnbyde/and nedes in that
it shulde haue his kyndly beyng. Wherfore me thinketh anon as that wyl
to be shewed and kydde him profreth/thilke blysse shulde him
hye thilk wyl to receyue/orels kynde of goodnesse worchen nat in hem
as they shulde. Lo/be the sonne neuer so ferre/euer it hath his kynde werching
in erthe: great wei3t on hye onlofte caried/stynteth neuer tyl it come
to this restyng place. Waters to the see warde euer ben they drawing/thing
that is lyght blithly wyl nat synke/but euer ascendeth and
vpward draweth. Thus kynde in euery thyng his kyndly course/and
his beynge place sheweth: Wherfore be kinde on this good wil/anon
as it were spronge/this blysse shulde thereon discende/her kynde
wolde they dwelleden togider/and so haue ye sayde your selfe. Certes
(quod she) thyne hert sytteth wonder sore this blysse for
to haue/thyne hert is sore agreued that it tarieth so longe/<357rb><357va>and
if thou durstest/as me thynketh by thyne wordes/this blysse woldest thou
blame. But yet I saye/thilke blysse is kyndly good/and his kyndely place
in that wyl to vnbyde. Neuer the later/their commyng togider after
kyndes ordynaunce nat sodaynly maye betyde/it muste abyde tyme/as kynde
yeueth him leaue for if a man/as this wyl medled gonne hym shewe/and thilke
blysse in haste folowed/so lyghtly commynge shulde lyghtly cause
going/longe tyme of thurstyng/causeth drinke to be the more delycious whan
it is atasted. Howe is it (quod I than) that so many blysses se I al daye
at myne eye/ in the firste moment of a syght with suche wyl accorde. ye/and
yet other whyle with wyl assenteth/syngulerly by him selfe there reason
fayleth/traueyle was none/seruyce had no tyme. This is a queynt maner thynge/howe
suche doynge cometh aboute. O (quod she) that is thus/the erthe kyndely
after seasons and tymes of the yere/bringeth forthe innumerable herbes
and trees bothe profytable and other/but suche as men might leaue/though
they were nought in norisshynge to mannes kynde seruen/or els suche as
tournen soone vnto mennes confusyon in case that therof they ataste/comen
forthe out of the erthe by their owne kynde/withouten any mannes cure or
any busynesse in traueyle: and the ylke herbes that to mennes lyue
lode necessarily seruen/without whiche goodly in this lyfe creatures mowen
nat enduren/and most ben nourisshen to mankynde/with out great traueyle/great
tylthe/and longe abidynge tyme/comen nat out of the erthe/and it with seede
toforne ordayned suche herbes to make spring and forthe growe. Right so
the parfyte blysse/that we haue in meanynge of duryng tyme to abyde may
nat come so ly3tly/but with great traueyle and right besy tylth/and
yet good seed to be sowe/for ofte the croppe fayleth of badde seede/be
it neuer so wel traueyled. And thilke blysse thou spoke of so li3tly in
commyng/trewly is nat necessary ne abidynge: and but it the better
be stamped/and the venomous ieuse out wrongen/it is lykely to enpoysonen
al tho that therof tasten. Certes right bytter ben the herbes that
shewen first the yere of her own kynde. Wel the more is the<357va><357vb>haruest
that yeldeth many graynes/tho longe and sore it hath ben traueyled. What
woldest thou demen if a man wold yeue thre quarters of nobles of golde/that
were a precious gyft? ye certes (quod I). And what (quod
she) thre quarters ful of peerles? Certes (quod I) that were a riche
gifte. And what (quod she) of as mokel azure? (Quod I) a
precious gifte at ful. Were nat (quod she) a noble gifte of al these
atones? In good faith (quod I) for wantyng of englyssh namyng
of so noble a worde/I can nat for preciousnesse yeue it a name.
Rightfully (quod she) haste thou demed/and yet loue knytte in vertue/passeth
al the golde in this erthe. Good wyl accordant to reason/with no maner
properte may be countreuayled/al the azure in the worlde is nat
to accompte in respecte of reason/loue that with good wyl and
reason accordeth/with non erthly riches may nat ben amended. This
yeft hast thou yeuen I know it my selfe and thy margarite thilke gift hath
receyued/in whiche thynge to rewarde she hath her selfe bounde.
But thy gifte as I said/by no maner riches may be ameded/wherfore with
thynge that may nat be amended/thou shalt of thy margarites
ri3twisenesse be rewarded. Right suffred yet neuer but euery good dede
somtyme to be yolde. al wolde thy Margarite with no rewarde the
quyte/Right that neuer more dieth thy mede in merit wol puruey. Certes
such sodayne blisse as thou first nempnest/ry3t wil hem rewarde
as the wel is worthy/and though at thyn eye it semeth the rewarde
the desert to passe/ri3t can after sende suche bytternesse euenly
it to rewarde: so that sodayne blysse by alwayes of reason in gret
goodnesse may not ben acompted/but blisse long/both long it abideth/and
endlesse it wol last. Se why thy wyl is endelesse/for if thou louedest
euer/thy wyl is euer ther tabyde and neuermore to chaunge: euenhed
of rewarde must ben don by right: than muste nedes thy grace and
this blysse endelesse in ioy to vnbyde. Euenlyche disese asketh euenlyche
ioy/whiche hastely thou shalt haue. A (quod I) it suffyseth not
than alone good wyl/be it neuer so wel with reson medled/but if
it be in good seruyce longe trauayled. And so through seruyce shul men
come to the ioye/and this me thynketh shulde be the wexyng tre of
which ye first meued.<357vb>[PROBLEM OF ORDER]
<358ra>UEry trouth (quod she) hast thou nowe conceyued
of these thinges in thyne hert hastely shalt thou be able very ioye
and parfyte blysse to receyue. and nowe I wot wel thou desyrest
to knowe the maner of braunches/that out of the tree shulde spring. Therof
lady (quod I) hertely I you pray: for than leue I wol/that right
soone after I shal atast of the frute that I so long haue desyred. Thou
hast herde (quod she) in what wyse this tre toforn this haue I declared/as
in grounde and in stocke of wexyng. First the grounde
shulde be thy frewyl ful in thyne hert/and the stocke (as I sayde)
shulde be contynuaunce in good seruice/by long tyme in traueyle/tyl
it were in greatnesse right wel woxen. and whan this tree suche
gretnesse hath caught/as I haue rehersed: the braunches than that
the frute shulde forth bringe/speche must they be nedes in voice of prayer/in
complayning wise vsed. Out alas (quod I tho) he is
soroufully wounded that hydeth his speche and spareth his
complayntes to make/What shal I speke the care: but payne
euen lyke to hel/sore hath me assayled/and so ferforth in payne
me thronge/that I leue my tre is seer/and neuer shal it frute forth
bring. Certes he is greatly eased/that dare his preuy mone discouer
to a true felowe/that connyng hath and might/wherthrough
his pleint in any thynge may ben amended. and mokel more
is he ioyed that with herte of hardynesse dare complayne to his
lady/what cares that he suffreth/by hope of mercy with grace to be auaunced.
Truely I saye for me/sythe I came this Margarit to serue/durst I neuer
me discouer of no maner disease/and wel the later hath myn herte
hardyed suche thynges to done/for the great bounties and worthy
refresshmentes that she of her grace goodly without any desert on my halue
ofte hath me rekened/and nere her goodnesse the more with grace and
with mercy medled/whiche passen al desertes/traueyls/and seruynges/that
I in any degre might endite/I wolde wene I shulde be without recouer/in
gettyng of this blysse for euer. Thus haue I stylled my disease/thus haue
I couered my care/that I bren in sorouful anoy/as gledes and coles
wasten a fyre vnder deed asshen. Wel the hoter is the fyre/that
with asshen it is<358ra><358rb>ouerleyn: right longe this
wo haue I suffred. Lo (quod Loue) howe thou farest: me thynketh
the palasy yuel hath acomered thy wittes/as faste as thou hiest forwarde/anon
sodaynly backwarde thou mouest: Shal nat yet al thy leudnesse out of thy
braynes? dul ben thy skilful vnderstandinges/thy wyl hath
thy wyt so a maistred. Wost thou nat wel (quod she) but euery tree
in his sesonable tyme of burionynge shewe his blomes fro within/in
signe of what frute shulde out of him spring/els the frute for that
yere men halte delyuered/be the grounde neuer so good. and though
the stocke be mighty at the ful/and the braunches seer and
no burions shewe/farwel the gardyner he may pype with an yue lefe his frute
is fayled. Wherfore thy braunches must burionen in presence
of thy lady/if thou desyre any frute of thy ladies grace/but beware of
thy lyfe/that thou no wodelay vse/as in askyng of thynges that stretchen
in to shame/for tha myght thou nat spede by no way that I can espy. Vertue
wol nat suffre villany out of him selfe to spring. Thy wordes may nat be
queynt ne of subtel maner vnderstadinge. Freelwitted people supposen in
suche poesies to be begyled/in open vnderstandinge must euery worde
be vsed. Voice without clere vnderstandyng of sentence saith
Aristotel/right nou3t printeth in hert. Thy wordes than
to abide in hert/and clene in ful sentence of trewe menyng
platly must thou shewe and euer be obedient/her hestes and
her wyls to performe/and be thou set in suche a wyt to wete by a
loke euer more what she meaneth. And he that lyst nat to speke/but stylly
his disease suffre: what wonder is it tho he come neuer to his blysse?
Who that traueyleth vnwist/and coueyteth thyng vnknowe/vnwetyng
he shal be quyted/and with vnknowe thyng rewarded. Good lady (quod
I than) it hath ofte be sene/that wethers and stormes so hugely
haue fal in burionyng tyme/and by perte duresse han beaten of the
springes so clene/wherthrough the frute of thilke yere hath fayled.
It is a great grace whan burions han good wethers/their frutes forthe to
bringe. Alas/than after suche stormes howe harde is it to auoyde/tyl efte
wedring and yeres han maked her circute cours al about/er any frute
be<358rb><358va>able to be tasted he is shent for shame/that
foule is rebuked of his speche. He that is in fyre brennyng sore
smarteth for disease. Him thynketh ful long er the water come/that shulde
the fyre quenche. While men gone after a leche/the body is buryed.
Lo howe semely this frute wexeth/me thynketh that of tho frutes maye no
man ataste/for pure bytternesse in sauoure. In this wyse bothe frute and
the tree wasten away togider/though mokel besy occupation haue be spente
to bringe it so ferforthe/that it was able to spring. A lyte speche hath
maked that al this labour is in ydel. I not (quod she) wherof it
serueth thy questyon to assoyle/me thynketh thee nowe duller in
wittes/than whan I with thee first mette/although a man be leude/commenly
for a foole he is nat demed/but if he no good wol lerne/sottes and foles
lette lyghtly out of mynde/the good that men teacheth hem. I sayd therfore
thy stocke must be stronge/and in greatnesse wel herted/the tree
is ful feble that at the firste dent falleth: and although frute fayleth
one yere or two/yet shal suche a season come one tyme or other/that shal
bringe out frute that is [PROBLEM OF ORDER] nothyng preterit ne
passed there is nothyng future ne commyng/but al thynges togider
in that place ben present euerlastyng without any meuyng/wherfore to god
al thynge is as nowe: and though a thynge be nat in kyndly nature
of thynges as yet/and if it shulde be herafter/yet euermore we shul saye
god it maketh be tyme present/and nowe for no future ne preterit
in hym may be founde. Wherfore his wetyng and his before wetyng/is
al one in vnderstandyng. Than if wetyng and before wetyng
of god putteth in necessite to al thynges whiche he wot or before wot ne
thyng after eternyte/or els after any tyme he wol or dothe of lyberte but
al of necessyte/whiche thyng if thou wene it be ayenst reason nat thorowe
necessyte to be or nat to be/al thinge that god wot or before wot/to
be or nat to be/and yet nothynge defendeth any thynge to be wyst
or to be before wist of him in our wylles or our doynges to be done/or
els commynge to be for free arbitrement. Whan thou haste these declarations
wel vnderstande/than shalt thou fynde it resonable at proue/and
that many thin<358va><358vb>ges be nat thorowe necessyte/but
thorowe lyberte of wyl/saue necessyte of free wyl/as I tofore said: and
as me thynketh al vtterly declared. Me thynketh lady (quod I) so
I shulde you nat displease/and euermore your reuerence to
kepe/that these thynges contraryen in any vnderstandyng/for
ye sayne somtyme is thorowe lyberte of wyl and also thorowe necessite.
Of this haue I yet no sauour/without better declaration. What wonder (quod
she) is there in these thynges/sithen al day thou shalte se at thyne eye/in
many thynges receyuen in hem selfe reuers/thorow dyuers reasons/as thus.
I pray the (quod she) which thinges ben more reuers than
comen and gone: For if I bydde the come to me/and thou come/after
whan I bydde the go and thou go/thou reuersest fro thy first commyng.
That is soth (quod I) and yet (quod she) in thy first
alone by dyuers reasone was ful reuersynge to vnderstande. As howe
(quod I) That shal I shewe the (quod she) by ensample
of thynges that haue kyndly mouyng. Is there any thyng that meueth
more kyndly than doth the heuens eye whiche I clepe the sonne. Sothly (quod
I) me semeth it most kyndly to moue. Thou sayest soth (quod she)
Than if thou loke to the sonne/in what parte he be vnder heuen/euermore
he heigheth him in mouyng fro thilke place/and higheth meuyng towarde the
ilke same place/to thylke place from whiche he gothe he heigheth commynge/and
without any ceasynge to that place he neigheth from whiche he is chaunged
and withdrawe. But nowe in these thynges after dyuersite of reason/reuers
in one thinge may be sey without repugnaunce. Wherfore in the same wyse/without
any repugnaunce by my reasons tofore maked/al is one to beleue/somthyng
to be thorowe necessyte comminge for it is commyng/and
yet with no necessite constrayned to be comming /but with
necessite that cometh out of free wyl/as I haue sayd. Tho lyst me a lytel
to speke/and gan stynt my penne of my writyng/and sayd in
this wyse. Trewly lady as me thynketh/I can allege authoritees gret that
contrarien your sayenges. Job saith of mannes person/thou hast putte
his terme/whiche thou might not passe. Than saye I that no man may shorte
ne length the day or<358vb><359ra>dayned of his doyng/altho
somtyme to vs it semeth some man to do a thynge of free wyl/wherthorowe
his dethe he henteth. Naye forsothe (quod she) it is nothing ayenst
my sayeng for god is nat begiled/ne he seeth nothing wheder it shal come
of lyberte or els of necessyte/yet it is sayd to be ordayned at god immouable/whiche
at man or it be done may be chaunged. Suche thyng also is that Poule
the apostel saithe of hem that tofore werne purposed to be sayntes/as thus/whiche
that god before wyst/and hath predestyned/conformes of ymages
of his sonne/that he shulde ben the firste begeten/that is to saye/here
amonges many brethern/and whom he hath predestyned/hem he hath cleped/and
whom he hath cleped/hem he hath iustifyed/and whom he hath iustifyed/hem
he hath magnifyed. This purpose after whiche they ben cleped sayntes or
holy in the euerlasting present/wheris neither tyme passed ne tyme commynge/but
euer it is onely present/and nowe as mokel a moment as seuyn
thousande wynter/and so ayenwarde withouten any meuyng is nothyng
lych temporel presence/for thinge that there is euer present.
Yet amonges you men er it be in your presence it is mouable thorowe
lyberte of arbytrement. And right as in the euerlastyng present no maner
thyng was ne shalbe/but onely is/and nowe here in your temporel
tyme/somthyng was and is/and shalbe/but mouynge stoundes/and
in this is no maner repugnaunce. Right so in the euerlastynge presence
nothyng may be chaunged: and in your temporel tyme
otherwhile it is proued mouable by lyberte of wyl or it be do/withouten
any inconuenyence therof to folowe. In your temporel tyme is no
suche presence as in the tother/for your present is done/whan passed and
to come gynnen entre/whiche tymes here amonges you euerych easely
foloweth other/but the presence euerlastyng dureth in onehed/withouten
any ymaginable chaungyng/and euer is present and nowe. Trewly
the course of the planettes and ouerwhelmynges of the sonne in dayes
and nightes/with a newe gynnyng of his circute after it is ended/that
is to sayn/one yere to folowe another. These maken your transitory
tymes with chaungynge of lyues and mutation of peo<359ra><359rb>ple.
But right as your temporel presence coueyteth euery place/and
al thinges in euery of your tymes be contayned/and as nowe
both sey and wist to goddes very knowynge. Than (quod I)
me wondreth why Poule spake these wordes/by voice of signification in
tyme passed/that god his sayntes before wist/hath predestined/hath cleped/hath
iustifyed/and hath magnified: Me thynketh he shulde haue sayde tho
wordes in tyme present/and that had ben more accordaunt to the euerlastyng
present/than to haue spoke in preterit voice of passed vnderstandyng.
O (quod Loue) by these wordes I se wel thou
hast lytel vnderstandyng of the euerlastyng presence/or els
of my before spoken wordes/for neuer a thing of tho thou hast nempned
was tofore other or after other/but al atones euenlych at the god
ben/and al togider in the euerlastyng present be nowe to vnderstandyng/the
eternal presence/as I sayd/hath inclose togider in one/al tymes/in
which close and one al thynges that ben in dyuers tymes and
in dyuers places temporel without posteriorite or priorite ben closed
therin perpetual nowe/and maked to dwel in present sight.
But there thou sayest that Poule shulde haue spoke thilke forsaid sentence
be tyme present/and that most shulde haue ben acordaunt to the euerlastynge
presence/why gabbest thou to thy wordes? Sothly I say Poule moued the
wordes by signification of tyme passed/to shewe fully that thilk wordes
were nat put for temporel signification/for al thilk tyme were nat
thilke sentence temporallych borne/whiche that Poule pronounced
god haue tofore knowe/and haue cleped than magnified/wherthorowe
it may wel be know that Poule vsed tho wordes of passed signification/for
nede and lacke of a worde in mannes bodily spech be tokenynge
the euerlastyng presence. And therfore worde is moste semelyche in lykenesse
to euerlastyng presence/he toke his sentence for thynges that here beforne
ben passed/vtterly be immouable/ilyke to the euerlasting presence.
As thilke that ben there neuer mowe not ben present/so thynges of tyme
passed ne mowe in no wyse not ben passed: but al thinges in your
temporal presence that passen in a lytel while/shullen ben not present.
So than in that it is<359rb><359va>more symilytude to the
euerlastyng presence/signification of tyme passed/than of tyme temporal
present/and so more in accordaunce. In this maner what thynge of
these that ben done thorowe fre arbitrement/or els as necessary/holy writte
pronounceth/after eternyte he speketh/in whiche presence
is euerlastyng sothe and nothyng but sothe immouable/nat after tyme/in
whiche naught alway ben your wylles and your actes. and right
as while they be nat/it is nat nedeful hem to be: so ofte it is nat nedeful
that somtyme they shulde be. As how (quod I) for yet must I be lerned by
some ensample. Of loue (quod she) wol I nowe ensample make/sithen I knowe
the heed knotte in that yelke. Lo/somtyme thou wrytest no arte/ne arte
than in no wyl to write. and right as while thou writest
nat/or els wolt nat write/it is nat nedeful the to write/or els wylne to
write. And for to make the knowe vtterly/that thynges ben otherwise
in the euerlastyng presence/than in temporal tyme: se nowe my good childe/for
somthyng is in the euerlastynge presence/than in temporal tyme/it was nat
in eternyte tyme/in eterne presence shal it nat be. Than no reason defendeth/that
somthynge ne may be in tyme temporal mouyng/that in eterne is immouable.
Forsothe it is no more contrary ne reuers for to be mouable in tyme temporel/and
mouable in eternyte/than nat to be in any tyme/and to be alway in eternite
and haue to be or els to come in tyme temporel/and nat haue be ne
nought commyng to be in eternyte. Yet neuer the later/I say nat
somthyng to be neuer in tyme temporel/that euer is eternyte/but al onely
in somtyme nat to be for I saye nat thy loue to morne in no tyme to be/but
to day alone I deny ne it to be/and yet neuer the later it is alwaye in
eternyte.
A so (quod I) it semeth to me that commyng
thyng or els passed here in your temporal tyme to be/in eternite
euer nowe and present oweth nat to be demed/and yet foloweth nat thylke
thynge/that was or els shal be/in no maner therto ben passed/or els commyng:
than vtterly shul we deny/for there without ceasyng/it is in his present
maner. O (quod she) myne own disciple/nowe gynnest thou able to haue<359va><359vb>the
name of my seruaunt. Thy wytte is clered/away is nowe errour of cloude
in vnconnyng/awaye is blyndnesse of loue/awaye is thoughtful study/of medlyng
maners hastely shalte thou entre in to the ioye of me/that am thyne owne
maistres. Thou haste (quod she) in a fewe wordes /wel and clerely concluded
mokel of my mater. And right as there is no reuers ne contrarioustie in
tho thynges/right so withouten any repugnaunce/it is sayd somthyng
to be mouable in tyme temporel/and for it be/that in eternyte dwelleth
immouable nat afore it be or after that it is/but without cessyng/for right
naught is there after tyme/that same is there euerlastynge/that temporallyche
somtyme nys/and toforne it be it maye not be/as I haue sayd. Nowe sothly
(quod I) this haue I wel vnderstande/so that nowe me thynketh
that prescience of god and fre arbytrement withouten any repugnaunce
acorden/and that maketh the strength of eternyte/whiche encloseth
by presence duryng al tymes/and al thinges that ben/han ben/and shul ben
in any tyme. I wolde nowe (quod I) a lytel vnderstande sythen that
al thyng thus beforne wot/whether thilke wetynge be of tho thynges/or els
thilke thynges ben to ben of goddes wetyng/and so of god nothynge is: and
if euery thyng be thorowe goddes wetyng/and therof take his beyng/than
shulde god be maker and auctour of badde werkes/and so he shulde not ryghtfully
punysshe yuel doynges of mankynde. (Quod Loue) I shal tel the/this
lesson to lerne myne owne trewe seruaunt/the noble philosophical poete/in
Englissh/whiche euermore hym besyeth and trauayleth right sore my name
to encrease/wherfore al that wyllen me good/owe to do him worshyp and
reuerence bothe/trewly his better ne his pere in schole of my rules coude
I neuer fynde: He (quod she) in a treatise that he made of
my seruant Troylus/hath this mater touched/and at the ful this questyon
assoyled. Certaynly his noble sayenges can I not amende: In goodnes of
gentyl manlyche speche/without any maner of nycite of starieres ymagynacion
in wytte and in good reason of sentence he passeth al other makers. In
the boke of Troylus/the answere<359vb><360ra>to thy questyon
mayste/thou lerne/neuer the later yet may lightly thyne vnderstandynge
somdele ben lerned/if thou haue knowyng of these to fornsayd thinges/with
that thou haue vnderstandyng of two the laste chapiters of this seconde
boke/that is to say/good to be somthyng/and bad to want al maner
beyng/for badde is nothing els but absence of good/and that god in good/maketh
that good dedes ben good/in yuel he maketh that they ben but nau3t/that
they ben bad: for to nothyng is badnesse to be. I haue (quod I tho)
ynough knowyng therin/me nedeth of other thinges to here/that is to saye/howe
I shal come to my blysse so longe desyred.
IN this mater toforn declared (quod
loue) I haue wel shewed/that euery man hath fre arbytrement of thinges
in his power to do or vndo what him lyketh. Out of this grounde
muste come the spire/that by processe of tyme shal in greatnesse sprede/to
haue braunches and blosmes of waxyng frute in grace/of whiche the
taste and the sauour is endelesse blysse in ioy euer to onbyde. [PROBLEM
OF ORDER] Nowe lady (quod I) that tree to set fayne wolde I
lerne. So thou shalt (quod she) er thou departe hence. The first
thing thou muste set thy werke on grounde syker and good/accordaunt
to thy springes. For if thou desyre grapes/thou goest not to the hasel/ne
for to fetchen roses/thou sekest not on okes: and if thou shalt haue hony
soukels/thou leauest the frute of the soure docke. Wherfore if thou desyre
this blysse in parfite ioy/thou must set thy purpose there vertue
foloweth/and not to loke after the bodily goodes/as I said whan
thou were writyng in thy seconde booke. And for thou haste set thy selfe
in so noble a place/and vtterly lowed in thyn herte the misgoyng of thy
first purpose/this setteles is the esyer to spring/and the more lighter
thy soule in grace to be lyssed. And trewly thy desyre/that is to say thy
wyl/algates mote ben stedfast in this mater without any chaungynge/for
if it be stedfast/no man maye it voyde. yes parde (quod I) my wyl
maye ben turned by frendes/and disease of manace and thretnyng in
lesynge of my lyfe and of my lymmes/and in many <360ra><360rb>other
wyse/that nowe cometh not to mynde. And also it mote ofte ben out of thought/for
no remembraunce may holde one thyng contynuelly in herte/be it neuer so
lusty desyred.
Nowe se (quod she) thou thy wyl shal folowe/thy
frewil to be grounded contynuelly to abyde: It is thy frewyl
that thou louest and haste loued/and yet shal louen this Margaryte perle/and
in thy wyl thou thinkest to holde it. Than is thy wyl knyt in loue/not
to chaunge for no newe lust besyde: this wyl teacheth thyn herte from al
maner varyeng. But than although thou be thretened in dethe or els in otherwyse/yet
is it in thyn arbytrement to chose/thy loue to voyde or els to holde: And
thilke arbytrement is in a maner a iugement bytwene desyre and thy herte.
And if thou deme to loue thy good wyl fayleth/than arte thou worthy no
blysse that good wyl shulde deserue: and if thou chose contynuaunce in
thy good seruyce/than thy good wyl abydeth/nedes blysse folowyng of thy
goodwyl must come by strength of thilke iugement: for thy first
wyl that taught thyn herte to abyde/and halte it from theschaunge
with thy reson is accorded. Trewly this maner of wyl thus shal abyde/impossible
it were to turne if thy hert be trewe/and if euery man dyligently the menynges
of his wyl consyder/he shal wel vnderstande that good wyl knyt with reason/but
in a false herte neuer is voyded: for power and might of kepyng
this goodwyl is thorowe lyberte of arbytrement in hert/but goodwil
to kepe may not fayle. Eke than if it fayle/it sheweth it selfe that goodwyl
in kepyng is not there. And thus false wyl that putteth out the good/anone
constrayneth the herte to accorde in louynge of thy goodwyl/and this acordaunce
bytwene false wyl and thyn herte/in falsyte ben lykened togyther.
yet a lytel wol I say the/in good wyl thy goodwylles to rayse and
strength. Take hede to me (quod she) howe thy wylles thou shalt
vnderstande. Right as ye han in your body dyuers membres/and fyue sondrie
wyttes/eueryche aparte to his owne doyng/whiche thynges as instrumentes
ye vsen/as your handes aparte to handle/fete to go/tonge to speke/eye to
se: Right so the soule hath in him certayne sterynges and<360rb><360va>strengthes
whiche he vseth as instrumentes to his certayne doynges. Reason
is in the soule/which he vseth thinges to knowe and to proue/and
wyl whiche he vseth to wylne: and yet is neyther wyl ne reason al
the soule/but euerych of hem is a thing by him self in the
soule. And right as euerich hath thus singuler instrumentes by hemselfe/they
han as wel dyuers aptes and dyuers maner vsinges/and thilke
aptes mowen in wyl ben cleped affections. Affection is an instrument
of willynge in his apetytes. Wherfore mokel folke sayn/if a resonable creatures
soule any thinge feruently wylneth/affectuously he wylneth/and
thus may wyl by terme of equiuocas in thre wayes ben vnderstande:
One is instrument of willing/another is affection of this instrument:
and the third is vse/that setteth it a werke Instrument
of willyng is thilke strength of the soule/which that constrayneth
to wylne/right as reason is instrument of resons/which ye vsen whan ye
loken. Affection of this instrument is a thyng/by whiche ye be drawe
desyrously any thyng to wylne in coueytous maner/al be it for the tyme
out of your mynde: as if it come in your thought thilke thyng to remembre/anon
ye ben willyng thilke to done or els to haue. And thus is instrument wyl/and
affection is wyl also/to wylne thynge as I sayd: as for to wylne helth/whan
wyl nothing theron thinketh/for anon as it cometh to memorie it
is in wyl/and so is affection to wylne slepe whan it is out of mynde/but
anon as it is remembred wyl wylneth slepe/whan his tyme cometh of the
doynge. For affection of wyl neuer accordeth to sicknesse/ne alway to wake.
Right so in a true louers affection of willyng instrument/is to wylne truthe
in his seruyce/and this affection alway abydeth/although he be slepyng
or thretned/or els not theron thinkyng/but anon as it cometh to mynde/anon
he is stedfast in that wyl to abyde. Vse of this instrument forsothe is
another thing by himselfe/and that haue ye not but whan ye be doyng
in wylled thing by affecte or instrument of wyl pursosed or desyred/and
this maner of vsage in my seruyce wisely nedeth to be ruled from
wayters with enuye closed/from spekers ful of iangeling wordes/from
proude folk and hautayn/that lambes and innocentes
bothe scornen and dispysen.<360va><360vb> Thus in doyng
varieth the actes of willynge euerich from other/and yet ben they
cleped wyl/and the name of wyl vtterly owen they to haue/as instrument
of wyl is wyl/whan ye turne in to purpose of any thing to don/be it to
syt or to stande/or any such thing els. This instrument
may ben had/although affect and vsage be left out of doyng/right
as ye haue sight and reson/and yet alway vse ye [PROBLEM
OF ORDER] grettest wisdom in hem shal he be/and they in god.
Nowe than whan al false folke be ashamed/which wenen al bestyalte and
erthly thing be swetter and better to the body/than
heuenly is to the soule: this is the grace and the
frute that I long haue desyred/it dothe me good the sauour to smel.
Christ now to the I crye of mercy and of grace/and
graunt of thy goodnes to euery maner reder ful vnderstandyng
in this leude pamflet to haue/and let no man wene other cause in
this werke/than is verily the soth: For enuy is euer redy al innocentes
to shende/wherfore I wolde that good speche enuy euermore hynder. But no
man wene this werke be sufficiently maked/for goddes werke
passeth mans/no mans wyt to perfyt werke may by no way puruay thende:
How shuld I than so leude/aught wene of perfection any ende to get?
Neuer the later grace/glorie/and laude I yelde and put with
worshipful reuerences to the sothfast god in thre/with
vnite closed whiche that the heuy langour of my sicknesse
hath turned in to myrth of helth to recouer: for ri3t as I was sorowed
thorow the gloton cloud of manyfolde sickly sorow/so mirth ayen
comyng helth hath me gladed and gretly comforted. I beseche
and pray therfore/and I crye on goddes gret pyte and
on his mokel mercy/that this present scorges of my flessh
mow make medecyn and lechcraft of my inner mans helth/so that
my passed trespas and tenes/through wepyng of myn eyen ben wasshe/and
I voyded from al maner disese/and no more to wepe herafter/I now
be kept thorowe goddes grace: so that goddes hande which
that merciably me hath scorged/herafter in good plite from
thence merciably me kepe and defende. In this boke
be many priuy thinges wimpled and folde/vnneth
shul leude men the plites vnwinde/wherfore I pray to the
holygost he lene of his oyntmentes mens wittes to clere/and
for goddes loue no man wonder why or how this question come
to my mynde/for my great lusty desyre was of<360vb><361ra>this
lady to ben enfourmed/my leudenesse to amende. Certes I knowe not other
mennes wyttes what I shulde aske/or in answere what I shulde saye/I am
so leude my selfe/that mokel more lernynge yet me behoueth. I haue made
therfore as I coude/but not suffyciently as I wolde/and as mater yaue me
sentence/for my dul wytte is hyndred by stepmother of foryetyng/and with
cloude of vnconnyng/that stoppeth the lyght of my Margarite perle/wherfore
it may not shyne on me as it shulde. I desyre not onely a good reder/but
also I coueyte and pray a good booke amender/in correction of wordes and
of sentence: and onely this mede I coueyte for my trauayle/that euery inseer
and herer of this leude fantasye/deuoute horisons and prayers to god the
great iuge yelden/and prayen for me/in that wyse that in his dome my synnes
mowe ben released and foryeuen: He that prayeth for other/for him
selfe trauayleth. Also I praye that euery man parfytly mowe knowe thorowe
what intencion of herte this treatyse haue I drawe. Howe was it that
syghtful Manna in deserte to chyldren of Israel was spirytuel meate:
bodily also it was/for mennes bodies it norissheth. And yet neuer
the later Christ it signyfyed. Ryght so a iewel betokeneth a gemme/and
that is a stone vertuous/or els a perle. Margarite a woman betokeneth grace/lernyng/or
wisdom of god/or els holy church. If breed thorowe vertue is made holy
flesshe/what is that our god saythe? It is the spyrite that yeueth lyfe/the
flesshe of nothyng it profyteth. Flesshe is flesshly vnderstandynge: flessh
without grace and loue naught is worth. The letter sleeth/the spyrit
yeueth lyfelych vnderstandyng. Charyte is loue/and loue is charyte/god
graunt vs al therin to be frended. And thus the Testament of Loue is ended.
Thus endeth the Testament of Loue