Front matter (continued 6)

CHAPTER III.

Than gan Love nighe me nere, and with a noble countenance of visage and limmes, dressed her nigh my sitting-place.

'Take forth,' quod she, 'thy pen, and redily wryte these 5 wordes. For if god wol, I shal hem so enforme to thee, that thy leudnesse which I have understande in that mater shal openly be clered, and thy sight in ful loking therin amended. First, if thou thinke that goddes prescience repugne libertè of arbitrement, it is impossible that they shulde accorde in onheed of sothe to 10 understonding.'

'Ye,' quod I, 'forsothe; so I it conceyve.'

'Wel,' quod she, 'if thilke impossible were away, the repugnaunce that semeth to be therin were utterly removed.'

'Shewe me the absence of that impossibilitè,' quod I.

15 'So,' quod she, 'I shal. Now I suppose that they mowe stande togider: prescience of god, whom foloweth necessitè of thinges comming, and libertè of arbitrement, thorow whiche thou belevest many thinges to be without necessitè.'

'Bothe these proporcions be sothe,' quod I, 'and wel mowe 20 stande togider; wherfore this case as possible I admit.'

'Truely,' quod she, 'and this case is impossible.'

'How so?' quod I.

'For herof,' quod she, 'foloweth and wexeth another impossible.'

25 'Prove me that,' quod I.

'That I shal,' quod she; 'for somthing is comming without necessitè, and god wot that toforn; for al thing comming he before wot, and that he beforn wot of necessitè is comming, as he beforn wot be the case by necessary maner; or els, thorow 30 necessitè, is somthing to be without necessitè; and wheder, to every wight that hath good understanding, is seen these thinges to be repugnaunt: prescience of god, whiche that foloweth necessitè, and libertè of arbitrement, fro whiche is removed necessitè? For truely, it is necessary that god have forweting of thing withouten 35 any necessitè cominge.'

'Ye,' quod I; 'but yet remeve ye nat away fro myne understanding the necessitè folowing goddes be foreweting, as thus. God beforn wot me in service of love to be bounden to this Margarite-perle, and therfore by necessitè thus to love am I bounde; and 40 if I had nat loved, thorow necessitè had I ben kept from al love-dedes.'

'Certes,' quod Love, 'bicause this mater is good and necessary to declare, I thinke here-in wel to abyde, and not lightly to passe. Thou shalt not (quod she) say al-only, "god beforn wot me to be 45 a lover or no lover," but thus: "god beforn wot me to be a lover without necessitè." And so foloweth, whether thou love or not love, every of hem is and shal be. But now thou seest the impossibilitè of the case, and the possibilitè of thilke that thou wendest had been impossible; wherfore the repugnaunce is adnulled.'

50 'Ye,' quod I; 'and yet do ye not awaye the strength of necessitè, whan it is said, th[r]ough necessitè it is me in love to abyde, or not to love without necessitè for god beforn wot it. This maner of necessitè forsothe semeth to some men in-to coaccion, that is to sayne, constrayning, or else prohibicion, that is, 55 defendinge; wherfore necessitè is me to love of wil. I understande me to be constrayned by some privy strength to the wil of lovinge; and if [I] no[t] love, to be defended from the wil of lovinge: and so thorow necessitè me semeth to love, for I love; or els not to love, if I not love; wherthrough neither thank ne 60 maugrè in tho thinges may I deserve.'

'Now,' quod she, 'thou shalt wel understande, that often we sayn thing thorow necessitè to be, that by no strength to be neither is coarted ne constrayned; and through necessitè not to be, that with no defendinge is removed. For we sayn it is 65 thorow necessitè god to be immortal, nought deedliche; and it is necessitè, god to be rightful; but not that any strength of violent maner constrayneth him to be immortal, or defendeth him to be unrightful; for nothing may make him dedly or unrightful. Right so, if I say, thorow necessitè is thee to be a lover or els 70 noon; only thorow wil, as god beforn wete. It is nat to understonde that any thing defendeth or forbit thee thy wil, whiche shal nat be; or els constrayneth it to be, whiche shal be. That same thing, forsoth, god before wot, whiche he beforn seeth. Any thing commende of only wil, that wil neyther is constrayned 75 ne defended thorow any other thing. And so thorow libertè of arbitrement it is do, that is don of wil. And trewly, my good child, if these thinges be wel understonde, I wene that non inconvenient shalt thou fynde betwene goddes forweting and libertè of arbitrement; wherfore I wot wel they may stande 80 togider. Also farthermore, who that understanding of prescience properlich considreth, thorow the same wyse that any-thing be afore wist is said, for to be comming it is pronounced; there is nothing toforn wist but thing comming; foreweting is but of trouth[e]; dout[e] may nat be wist; wherfore, whan I sey that god 85 toforn wot any-thing, thorow necessitè is thilke thing to be comming; al is oon if I sey, it shal be. But this necessitè neither constrayneth ne defendeth any-thing to be or nat to be. Therfore sothly, if love is put to be, it is said of necessitè to be; or els, for it is put nat to be, it is affirmed nat to be of necessitè; nat for that 90 necessitè constrayneth or defendeth love to be or nat to be. For whan I say, if love shal be, of necessitè it shal be, here foloweth necessitè the thing toforn put; it is as moch to say as if it were thus pronounced—"that thing shal be." Noon other thing signifyeth this necessitè but only thus: that shal be, may nat togider be 95 and nat be. Evenlich also it is soth, love was, and is, and shal be, nat of necessitè; and nede is to have be al that was; and nedeful is to be al that is; and comming, to al that shal be. And it is nat the same to saye, love to be passed, and love passed to be passed; or love present to be present, and love to 100 be present; or els love to be comminge, and love comminge to be comming. Dyversitè in setting of wordes maketh dyversitè in understandinge; altho[ugh] in the same sentence they accorden of significacion; right as it is nat al oon, love swete to be swete, and love to be swete. For moch love is bitter and sorouful, er 105 hertes ben esed; and yet it glad[d]eth thilke sorouful herte on suche love to thinke.'

'Forsothe,' quod I, 'outherwhile I have had mokel blisse in herte of love that stoundmele hath me sorily anoyed. And certes, lady, for I see my-self thus knit with this Margarite-perle 110 as by bonde of your service and of no libertè of wil, my herte wil now nat acorde this service to love. I can demin in my-selfe non otherwise but thorow necessitè am I constrayned in this service to abyde. But alas! than, if I thorow nedeful compulsioun maugre me be with-holde, litel thank for al my greet traveil have 115 I than deserved.'

'Now,' quod this lady, 'I saye as I sayde: me lyketh this mater to declare at the ful, and why: for many men have had dyvers fantasyes and resons, both on one syde therof and in the other. Of whiche right sone, I trowe, if thou wolt understonde, 120 thou shalt conne yeve the sentence to the partie more probable by reson, and in soth knowing, by that I have of this mater maked an ende.'

'Certes,' quod I, 'of these thinges longe have I had greet lust to be lerned; for yet, I wene, goddes wil and his prescience 125 acordeth with my service in lovinge of this precious Margarite-perle. After whom ever, in my herte, with thursting desyre wete, I do brenne; unwasting, I langour and fade; and the day of my desteny in dethe or in joye I †onbyde; but yet in th'ende I am comforted †by my supposaile, in blisse and in joye to determine 130 after my desyres.'

'That thing,' quoth Love, 'hastely to thee neigh, god graunt of his grace and mercy! And this shal be my prayer, til thou be lykende in herte at thyne owne wil. But now to enforme thee in this mater (quod this lady) thou wost where I lefte; that was: 135 love to be swete, and love swete to be swete, is not al oon for to say. For a tree is nat alway by necessitè white. Somtyme, er it were white, it might have be nat white; and after tyme it is white, it may be nat white. But a white tree evermore nedeful is to be white; for neither toforn ne after it was white, might it 140 be togider white and nat white. Also love, by necessitè, is nat present as now in thee; for er it were present, it might have be that it shulde now nat have be; and yet it may be that it shal nat be present; but thy love present whiche to her, Margarite, thee hath bounde, nedeful is to be present. Trewly, som doing of 145 accion, nat by necessitè, is comminge fer toforn it be; it may be that it shal nat be comminge. Thing forsoth comming nedeful is to be comming; for it may nat be that comming shal nat be comming. And right as I have sayd of present and of future tymes, the same sentence in sothnesse is of the preterit, that is 150 to say, tyme passed. For thing passed must nedes be passed; and er it were, it might have nat be; wherfore it shulde nat have passed. Right so, whan love comming is said of love that is to come, nedeful is to be that is said; for thing comming never is nat comminge. And so, ofte, the same thing we sayn of the same; as 155 whan we sayn "every man is a man," or "every lover is a lover," so muste it be nedes. In no waye may he be man and no man togider. And if it be nat by necessitè, that is to say nedeful, al thing comming to be comming, than somthing comming is nat comminge, and that is impossible. Right as these termes "nedeful," 160 "necessitè," and "necessary" betoken and signify thing nedes to be, and it may nat otherwyse be, right [so] †this terme "impossible" signifyeth, that [a] thing is nat and by no way may it be. Than, thorow pert necessitè, al thing comming is comming; but that is by necessitè foloweth, with nothing to be constrayned. 165 Lo! whan that "comming" is said of thinge, nat alway thing thorow necessitè is, altho[ugh] it be comming. For if I say, "to-morowe love is comming in this Margarites herte," nat therfore thorow necessitè shal the ilke love be; yet it may be that it shal nat be, altho[ugh] it were comming. Neverthelater, somtyme it 170 is soth that somthing be of necessitè, that is sayd "to come"; as if I say, to-morowe †be comminge the rysinge of the sonne. If therfore with necessitè I pronounce comming of thing to come, in this maner love to-morne comminge in thyne Margarite to thee-ward, by necessitè is comminge; or els the rysing of the sonne 175 to-morne comminge, through necessitè is comminge. Love sothely, whiche may nat be of necessitè alone folowinge, thorow necessitè comming it is mad certayn. For "futur" of future is said; that is to sayn, "comming" of comminge is said; as, if to-morowe comming is thorow necessitè, comminge it is. Arysing of the sonne, thorow 180 two necessitès in comming, it is to understande; that oon is to-for[e]going necessitè, whiche maketh thing to be; therfore it shal be, for nedeful is that it be. Another is folowing necessitè, whiche nothing constrayneth to be, and so by necessitè it is to come; why? for it is to come. Now than, whan we sayn that god beforn wot 185 thing comming, nedeful [it] is to be comming; yet therfore make we nat in certayn evermore, thing to be thorow necessitè comminge. Sothly, thing comming may nat be nat comming by no way; for it is the same sentence of understanding as if we say thus: if god beforn wot any-thing, nedeful is that to be comming. 190 But yet therfore foloweth nat the prescience of God, thing thorow necessitè to be comming: for al-tho[ugh] god toforn wot al thinges comming, yet nat therfore he beforn wot every thing comming thorow necessitè. Some thinges he beforn wot comming of free wil out of resonable creature.'

195 'Certes,' quod I, 'these termes "nede" and "necessitè" have a queint maner of understanding; they wolden dullen many mennes wittes.'

'Therfore,' quod she, 'I wol hem openly declare, and more clerely than I have toforn, er I departe hen[ne]s.

CHAPTER IV.

Here of this mater,' quod she, 'thou shalt understande that, right as it is nat nedeful, god to wilne that he wil, no more in many thinges is nat nedeful, a man to wilne that he wol. And ever, right as nedeful is to be, what that god wol, 5 right so to be it is nedeful that man wol in tho thinges, whiche that god hath put in-to mannes subjeccion of willinge; as, if a man wol love, that he love; and if he ne wol love, that he love nat; and of suche other thinges in mannes disposicion. For-why, now than that god wol may nat be, whan he wol the wil of man 10 thorow no necessitè to be constrayned or els defended for to wilne, and he wol th'effect to folowe the wil; than is it nedeful, wil of man to be free, and also to be that he wol. In this maner it is soth, that thorow necessitè is mannes werke in loving, that he wol do altho[ugh] he wol it nat with necessitè.'

15 Quod I than, 'how stant it in love of thilke wil, sithen men loven willing of free choice in herte? Wherfore, if it be thorow necessitè, I praye you, lady, of an answere this question to assoyle.'

'I wol,' quod she, 'answere thee blyvely. Right as men wil 20 not thorow necessitè, right so is not love of wil thorow necessitè; ne thorow necessitè wrought thilke same wil. For if he wolde it not with good wil, it shulde nat have been wrought; although that he doth, it is nedeful to be doon. But if a man do sinne, it is nothing els but to †wilne that he shulde nat; right so sinne 25 of wil is not to be [in] maner necessary don, no more than wil is necessarye. Never-the-later, this is sothe; if a man wol sinne, it is necessarye him to sinne, but th[r]ough thilke necessitè nothing is constrayned ne defended in the wil; right so thilke thing that free-wil wol and may, and not may not wilne; and nedeful is 30 that to wilne he may not wilne. But thilke to wilne nedeful is; for impossible to him it is oon thing and the same to wilne and not to wilne. The werke, forsothe, of wil, to whom it is yeve that it be that he hath in wil, and that he wol not, voluntarie †or spontanye it is; for by spontanye wil it is do, that is to saye, with good wil not 35 constrayned: than by wil not constrayned it is constrayned to be; and that is it may not †togider be. If this necessitè maketh libertè of wil, whiche that, aforn they weren, they might have ben eschewed and shonned: god than, whiche that knoweth al tr[o]uthe, and nothing but tr[o]uthe, al these thinges, as they 40 arn spontanye or necessarie, †seeth; and as he seeth, so they ben. And so with these thinges wel considred, it is open at the ful, that without al maner repugnaunce god beforn wot al maner thinges [that] ben don by free wil, whiche, aforn they weren, [it] might have ben [that] never they shulde be. And yet ben 45 they thorow a maner necessitè from free wil †discended.

Hereby may (quod she) lightly ben knowe that not al thinges to be, is of necessitè, though god have hem in his prescience. For som thinges to be, is of libertè of wil. And to make thee to have ful knowinge of goddes beforn-weting, here me (quod she) what 50 I shal say.'

'Blythly, lady,' quod I, 'me list this mater entyrely to understande.'

'Thou shalt,' quod she, 'understande that in heven is goddes beinge; although he be over al by power, yet there is abydinge of 55 devyne persone; in whiche heven is everlastinge presence, withouten any movable tyme. There * is nothing preterit ne passed, there is nothing future ne comming; but al thinges togider in that place ben present everlasting, without any meving. Wherfore, to god, al thing is as now; and though a thing be nat, in kyndly 60 nature of thinges, as yet, and if it shulde be herafter, yet evermore we shul saye, god it maketh be tyme present, and now; for no future ne preterit in him may be founde. Wherfore his weting and his before-weting is al oon in understanding. Than, if weting and before-weting of god putteth in necessitè to al thinges whiche 65 he wot or before-wot; ne thing, after eternitè or els after any tyme, he wol or doth of libertè, but al of necessitè: whiche thing if thou wene it be ayenst reson, [than is] nat thorow necessitè to be or nat to be, al thing that god wot or before-wot to be or nat to be; and yet nothing defendeth any-thing to be wist or to be 70 before-wist of him in our willes or our doinges to be don, or els comminge to be for free arbitrement. Whan thou hast these declaracions wel understande, than shalt thou fynde it resonable at prove, and that many thinges be nat thorow necessitè but thorow libertè of wil, save necessitè of free wil, as I tofore said, 75 and, as me thinketh, al utterly declared.'

'Me thinketh, lady,' quod I, 'so I shulde you nat displese, and evermore your reverence to kepe, that these thinges contraryen in any understanding; for ye sayn, somtyme is thorow libertè of wil, and also thorow necessitè. Of this have I yet no savour, 80 without better declaracion.'

'What wonder,' quod she, 'is there in these thinges, sithen al day thou shalt see at thyne eye, in many thinges receyven in hem-selfe revers, thorow dyvers resons, as thus:—I pray thee (quod she) which thinges ben more revers than "comen" and "gon"? 85 For if I bidde thee "come to me," and thou come, after, whan I bidde thee "go," and thou go, thou reversest fro thy first comming.'

'That is soth,' quod I.

'And yet,' quod she, 'in thy first alone, by dyvers reson, was 90 ful reversinge to understande.'

'As how?' quod I.

'That shal I shewe thee,' quod she, 'by ensample of thinges that have kyndly moving. Is there any-thing that meveth more kyndly than doth the hevens eye, whiche I clepe the sonne?'

95 'Sothly,' quod I, 'me semeth it is most kyndly to move.'

'Thou sayest soth,' quod she. 'Than, if thou loke to the sonne, in what parte he be under heven, evermore he †hyeth him in moving fro thilke place, and †hyeth meving toward the ilke same place; to thilke place from whiche he goth he †hyeth 100 comminge; and without any ceesinge to that place he neigheth from whiche he is chaunged and withdrawe. But now in these thinges, after dyversitè of reson, revers in one thinge may be seye without repugnaunce. Wherfore in the same wyse, without any repugnaunce, by my resons tofore maked, al is oon to beleve, 105 somthing to be thorow necessitè comminge for it is comming, and yet with no necessitè constrayned to be comming, but with necessitè that cometh out of free wil, as I have sayd.'

Tho liste me a litel to speke, and gan stinte my penne of my wryting, and sayde in this wyse.

110 'Trewly, lady, as me thinketh, I can allege authoritees grete, that contrarien your sayinges. Job saith of mannes person, "thou hast put his terme, whiche thou might not passe." Than saye I that no man may shorte ne lengthe the day ordayned of his †dying, altho[ugh] somtyme to us it semeth som man to do 115 a thing of free wil, wherthorow his deeth he henteth.'

'Nay, forsothe,' quod she, 'it is nothing ayenst my saying; for god is not begyled, ne he seeth nothing wheder it shal come of libertè or els of necessitè; yet it is said to be ordayned at god immovable, whiche at man, or it be don, may be chaunged. 120 Suche thing is also that Poule the apostel saith of hem that tofore wern purposed to be sayntes, as thus: "whiche that god before wiste and hath predestined conformes of images of his †sone, that he shulde ben the firste begeten, that is to saye, here amonges many brethren; and whom he hath predestined, hem he hath 125 cleped; and whom he hath cleped, hem he hath justifyed; and whom he hath justifyed, hem he hath magnifyed." This purpos, after whiche they ben cleped sayntes or holy in the everlasting present, wher is neither tyme passed ne tyme comminge, but ever it is only present, and now as mokel a moment as sevin thousand 130 winter; and so ayenward withouten any meving is nothing lich temporel presence for thinge that there is ever present. Yet amonges you men, er it be in your presence, it is movable thorow libertè of arbitrement. And right as in the everlasting present no maner thing was ne shal be, but only is; and now here, in 135 your temporel tyme, somthing was, and is, and shal be, but movinge stoundes; and in this is no maner repugnaunce: right so, in the everlasting presence, nothing may be chaunged; and, in your temporel tyme, otherwhyle it is proved movable by libertè of wil or it be do, withouten any inconvenience therof to folowe. 140 In your temporel tyme is no suche presence as in the tother; for your present is don whan passed and to come ginnen entre; whiche tymes here amonges you everich esily foloweth other. But the presence everlasting dureth in oonhed, withouten any imaginable chaunging, and ever is present and now. Trewly, the 145 course of the planettes and overwhelminges of the sonne in dayes and nightes, with a newe ginning of his circute after it is ended, that is to sayn, oon yeer to folowe another: these maken your transitory tymes with chaunginge of lyves and mutacion of people, but right as your temporel presence coveiteth every place, and al 150 thinges in every of your tymes be contayned, and as now both seye and wist to goddes very knowinge.'

'Than,' quod I, 'me wondreth why Poule spak these wordes by voice of significacion in tyme passed, that god his sayntes before-wist hath predestined, hath cleped, hath justifyed, and 155 hath magnifyed. Me thinketh, he shulde have sayd tho wordes in tyme present; and that had ben more accordaunt to the everlasting present than to have spoke in preterit voice of passed understanding.'

'O,' quod Love, 'by these wordes I see wel thou hast litel 160 understanding of the everlasting presence, or els of my before spoken wordes; for never a thing of tho thou hast nempned was tofore other or after other; but al at ones evenlich at the god ben, and al togider in the everlasting present be now to understanding. This eternal presence, as I sayd, hath inclose togider 165 in one al tymes, in which close and one al thinges that ben in dyvers tymes and in dyvers places temporel, [and] without posterioritè or prioritè ben closed ther in perpetual now, and maked to dwelle in present sight. But there thou sayest that Poule shulde have spoke thilke forsaid sentence †by tyme present, and that 170 most shulde have ben acordaunt to the everlasting presence, why gabbest thou †in thy wordes? Sothly, I say, Poule moved the wordes by significacion of tyme passed, to shewe fully that thilk wordes were nat put for temporel significacion; for al [at] thilk tyme [of] thilke sentence were nat temporallich born, whiche that 175 Poule pronounced god have tofore knowe, and have cleped, than magnifyed. Wherthorow it may wel be knowe that Poule used tho wordes of passed significacion, for nede and lacke of a worde in mannes bodily speche betokeninge the everlasting presence. And therfore, [in] worde moste semeliche in lykenesse to everlasting 180 presence, he took his sentence; for thinges that here-beforn ben passed utterly be immovable, y-lyke to the everlasting presence. As thilke that ben there never mowe not ben present, so thinges of tyme passed ne mowe in no wyse not ben passed; but al thinges in your temporal presence, that passen in a litel 185 while, shullen ben not present. So than in that, it is more similitude to the everlasting presence, significacion of tyme passed than of tyme temporal present, and so more in accordaunce. In this maner what thing, of these that ben don thorow free arbitrement, or els as necessary, holy writ pronounceth, after eternitè he 190 speketh; in whiche presence is everlasting sothe and nothing but sothe immovable; nat after tyme, in whiche naught alway ben your willes 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.'

195 'As how?' quod I; 'for yet I must be lerned by some ensample.'

'Of love,' quod she, 'wol I now ensample make, sithen I knowe the heed-knotte in that yelke. Lo! somtyme thou wrytest no art, ne art than in no wil to wryte. And right as while thou 200 wrytest nat or els wolt nat wryte, it is nat nedeful thee to wryte or els wilne to wryte. And for to make thee knowe utterly that thinges ben otherwise in the everlastinge presence than in temporal tyme, see now, my good child: for somthing is in the everlastinge presence, than in temporal tyme it was nat; in 205 †eterne tyme, in eterne presence shal it nat be. Than no reson defendeth, that somthing ne may be in tyme temporal moving, that in eterne is immovable. Forsothe, it is no more contrary ne revers for to be movable in tyme temporel, and [im]movable in eternitè, than nat to be in any tyme and to be alway in 210 eternitè; and to have be or els to come in tyme temporel, and nat have be ne nought comming to be in eternitè. Yet never-the-later, I say nat somthing to be never in tyme temporel, that ever is [in] eternitè; but al-only in som tyme nat to be. For I saye nat thy love to-morne in no tyme to be, but to-day alone 215 I deny it to be; and yet, never-the-later, it is alway in eternitè.'

'A! so,' quod I, 'it semeth to me, that comming thing or els passed here in your temporal tyme to be, in eternitè ever now and present oweth nat to be demed; and yet foloweth nat thilke thing, that was or els shal be, in no maner ther to ben passed 220 or els comming; than utterly shul we deny for there without ceesing it is, in his present maner.'

'O,' quod she, 'myne owne disciple, now ginnest thou [be] able to have the name of my servaunt! Thy wit is clered; away is now errour of cloude in unconning; away is blyndnesse of 225 love; away is thoughtful study of medling maners. Hastely shalt thou entre in-to the joye of me, that am thyn owne maistres! Thou hast (quod she), in a fewe wordes, wel and clerely concluded mokel of my mater. And right as there is no revers ne contrarioustee in tho thinges, right so, withouten 230 any repugnaunce, it is sayd somthing to be movable in tyme temporel, †afore it be, that in eternitè dwelleth immovable, nat afore it be or after that it is, but without cessing; for right naught is there after tyme; that same is there everlastinge that temporalliche somtyme nis; and toforn it be, it may not be, as 235 I have sayd.'

'Now sothly,' quod I, 'this have I wel understande; so that now me thinketh, that prescience of god and free arbitrement withouten any repugnaunce acorden; and that maketh the strength of eternitè, whiche encloseth by presence during al 240 tymes, and al thinges that ben, han ben, and shul ben in any tyme. I wolde now (quod I) a litel understande, sithen that [god] al thing thus beforn wot, whether thilke wetinge be of tho thinges, or els thilke thinges ben to ben of goddes weting, and so of god nothing is; and if every thing be thorow goddes weting, and 245 therof take his being, than shulde god be maker and auctour of badde werkes, and so he shulde not rightfully punisshe yvel doinges of mankynde.'

Quod Love, 'I shal telle thee, this lesson to lerne. Myne owne trewe servaunt, the noble philosophical poete in Englissh, 250 whiche evermore him besieth and travayleth right sore my name to encrese (wherfore al that willen me good owe to do him worship and reverence bothe; trewly, his better ne his pere in scole of my rules coude I never fynde)—he (quod she), in a tretis that he made of my servant Troilus, hath this mater touched, and 255 at the ful this question assoyled. Certaynly, his noble sayinges can I not amende; in goodnes of gentil manliche speche, without any maner of nycetè of †storiers imaginacion, in witte and in good reson of sentence he passeth al other makers. In the boke of Troilus, the answere to thy question mayst thou lerne. Never-the-later, 260 yet may lightly thyne understandinge somdel ben lerned, if thou have knowing of these to-fornsaid thinges; with that thou have understanding of two the laste chapiters of this seconde boke, that is to say, good to be somthing, and bad to wante al maner being. For badde is nothing els but absence of good; 265 and [as] that god in good maketh that good dedes ben good, in yvel he maketh that they ben but naught, that they ben bad; for to nothing is badnesse to be [lykned].'

'I have,' quod I tho, 'ynough knowing therin; me nedeth of other thinges to here, that is to saye, how I shal come to my 270 blisse so long desyred.'

CHAPTER V.

'In this mater toforn declared,' quod Love, 'I have wel shewed, that every man hath free arbitrement of thinges in his power, to do or undo what him lyketh. Out of this grounde muste come the spire, that by processe of tyme shal in greetnesse 5 sprede, to have braunches and blosmes of waxing frute in grace, of whiche the taste and the savour is endelesse blisse, in joye ever to onbyde.'*

'Now, trewly, lady, I have my grounde wel understonde; but what thing is thilke spire that in-to a tree shulde wexe? 10 Expowne me that thing, what ye therof mene.'

'That shal I,' quod she, 'blithly, and take good hede to the wordes, I thee rede. Continuaunce in thy good service, by longe processe of tyme in ful hope abyding, without any chaunge to wilne in thyne herte, this is the spire. Whiche, if it be wel kept 15 and governed, shal so hugely springe, til the fruit of grace is plentuously out-sprongen. For although thy wil be good, yet may not therfore thilk blisse desyred hastely on thee discenden; it must abyde his sesonable tyme. And so, by processe of growing, with thy good traveyle, it shal in-to more and more wexe, 20 til it be found so mighty, that windes of yvel speche, ne scornes of envy, make nat the traveyle overthrowe; ne frostes of mistrust, ne hayles of jelousy right litel might have, in harming of suche springes. Every yonge setling lightly with smale stormes is apeyred; but whan it is woxen somdel in gretnesse, than han 25 grete blastes and †weders but litel might, any disadvantage to them for to werche.'

'Myne owne soverayne lady,' quod I, 'and welth of myne herte, and it were lyking un-to your noble grace therthrough nat to be displesed, I suppose ye erren, now ye maken jelousy, envy, 30 and distourbour to hem that ben your servauntes. I have lerned ofte, to-forn this tyme, that in every lovers herte greet plentee of jelousyes greves ben sowe, wherfore (me thinketh) ye ne ought in no maner accompte thilke thing among these other welked wivers and venomous serpentes, as envy, mistrust, and yvel 35 speche.'

'O fole,' quod she, 'mistrust with foly, with yvel wil medled, engendreth that welked padde! Truely, if they were distroyed, jelousy undon were for ever; and yet some maner of jelousy, I wot wel, is ever redy in al the hertes of my trewe servauntes, as 40 thus: to be jelous over him-selfe, lest he be cause of his own disese. This jelousy in ful thought ever shulde be kept, for ferdnesse to lese his love by miskeping, thorow his owne doing in leudnesse, or els thus: lest she, that thou servest so fervently, is beset there her better lyketh, that of al thy good service she 45 compteth nat a cresse. These jelousies in herte for acceptable qualitees ben demed; these oughten every trewe lover, by kyndly [maner], evermore haven in his mynde, til fully the grace and blisse of my service be on him discended at wil. And he that than jelousy caccheth, or els by wening of his owne folisshe 50 wilfulnesse mistrusteth, truely with fantasy of venim he is foule begyled. Yvel wil hath grounded thilke mater of sorowe in his leude soule, and yet nat-for-than to every wight shulde me nat truste, ne every wight fully misbeleve; the mene of these thinges †oweth to be used. Sothly, withouten causeful evidence mistrust 55 in jelousy shulde nat be wened in no wyse person commenly; suche leude wickednesse shulde me nat fynde. He that is wyse and with yvel wil nat be acomered, can abyde wel his tyme, til grace and blisse of his service folowing have him so mokel esed, as his abydinge toforehande hath him disesed.'

60 'Certes, lady,' quod I tho, 'of nothing me wondreth, sithen thilke blisse so precious is and kyndly good, and wel is and worthy in kynde whan it is medled with love and reson, as ye toforn have declared. Why, anon as hye oon is spronge, why springeth nat the tother? And anon as the oon cometh, why receyveth nat 65 the other? For every thing that is out of his kyndly place, by ful appetyt ever cometh thiderward kyndely to drawe; and his kyndly being ther-to him constrayneth. And the kyndly stede of this blisse is in suche wil medled to †onbyde, and nedes in that it shulde have his kyndly being. Wherfore me thinketh, anon as that 70 wil to be shewed and kid him profreth, thilke blisse shulde him hye, thilk wil to receyve; or els kynde[s] of goodnesse worchen nat in hem as they shulde. Lo, be the sonne never so fer, ever it hath his kynde werching in erthe. Greet weight on hye on-lofte caried stinteth never til it come to †his resting-place. Waters 75 to the see-ward ever ben they drawing. Thing that is light blythly wil nat sinke, but ever ascendeth and upward draweth. Thus kynde in every thing his kyndly cours and his beinge-place sheweth. Wherfore †by kynde, on this good wil, anon as it were spronge, this blisse shulde thereon discende; her kynde[s] wolde, 80 they dwelleden togider; and so have ye sayd your-selfe.'

'Certes,' quod she, 'thyne herte sitteth wonder sore, this blisse for to have; thyne herte is sore agreved that it tarieth so longe; and if thou durstest, as me thinketh by thyne wordes, this blisse woldest thou blame. But yet I saye, thilke blisse is kyndly good, 85 and his kyndely place [is] in that wil to †onbyde. Never-the-later, their comming togider, after kyndes ordinaunce, nat sodaynly may betyde; it muste abyde tyme, as kynde yeveth him leve. For if a man, as this wil medled gonne him shewe, and thilke blisse in haste folowed, so lightly comminge shulde lightly cause 90 going. Longe tyme of thursting causeth drink to be the more delicious whan it is atasted.'

'How is it,' quod I than, 'that so many blisses see I al day at myne eye, in the firste moment of a sight, with suche wil accorde? Ye, and yet other-whyle with wil assenteth, singulerly by him-selfe; 95 there reson fayleth, traveyle was non; service had no tyme. This is a queynt maner thing, how suche doing cometh aboute.'

'O,' quod she, 'that is thus. The erthe kyndely, after sesons and tymes of the yere, bringeth forth innumerable herbes and trees, bothe profitable and other; but suche as men might leve 100 (though they nought in norisshinge to mannes kynde serven, or els suche as tournen sone unto mennes confusion, in case that therof they ataste), comen forth out of the erthe by their owne kynde, withouten any mannes cure or any businesse in traveyle. And the ilke herbes that to mennes lyvelode necessarily serven, 105 without whiche goodly in this lyfe creatures mowen nat enduren, and most ben †norisshinge to mankynde, without greet traveyle, greet tilthe, and longe abydinge-tyme, comen nat out of the erthe, and [y]it with sede toforn ordayned, suche herbes to make springe and forth growe. Right so the parfit blisse, that we have in meninge 110 of during-tyme to abyde, may nat come so lightly, but with greet traveyle and right besy tilth; and yet good seed to be sowe; for ofte the croppe fayleth of badde seede, be it never so wel traveyled. And thilke blisse thou spoke of so lightly in comming, trewly, is nat necessary ne abydinge; and but it the better be stamped, 115 and the venomous jeuse out-wrongen, it is lykely to enpoysonen al tho that therof tasten. Certes, right bitter ben the herbes that shewen first [in] the yere of her own kynde. Wel the more is the harvest that yeldeth many graynes, tho longe and sore it hath ben traveyled. What woldest thou demen if a man wold yeve three 120 quarters of nobles of golde? That were a precious gift?'

'Ye, certes,' quod I.

'And what,' quod she, 'three quarters ful of perles?'

'Certes,' quod I, 'that were a riche gift.'

'And what,' quod she, 'of as mokel azure?'

125 Quod I, 'a precious gift at ful.'

'Were not,' quod she, 'a noble gift of al these atones?'

'In good faith,' quod I, 'for wanting of Englissh naming of so noble a worde, I can not, for preciousnesse, yeve it a name.'

'Rightfully,' quod she, 'hast thou demed; and yet love, knit 130 in vertue, passeth al the gold in this erthe. Good wil, accordant to reson, with no maner propertè may be countrevayled. Al the azure in the worlde is nat to accompte in respect of reson. Love that with good wil and reson accordeth, with non erthly riches may nat ben amended. This yeft hast thou yeven, I know it 135 my-selfe, and thy Margarite thilke gift hath receyved; in whiche thinge to rewarde she hath her-selfe bounde. But thy gift, as I said, by no maner riches may be amended; wherfore, with thinge that may nat be amended, thou shalt of thy Margarites rightwisenesse be rewarded. Right suffred yet never but every 140 good dede somtyme to be yolde. Al wolde thy Margarite with no rewarde thee quyte, right, that never-more dyeth, thy mede in merit wol purvey. Certes, such sodayn blisse as thou first nempnest, right wil hem rewarde as thee wel is worthy; and though at thyn eye it semeth, the reward the desert to passe, 145 right can after sende suche bitternesse, evenly it to rewarde. So that sodayn blisse, by al wayes of reson, in gret goodnesse may not ben acompted; but blisse long, both long it abydeth, and endlesse it wol laste. See why thy wil is endelesse. For if thou lovedest ever, thy wil is ever ther t'abyde and neveremore to 150 chaunge; evenhed of rewarde must ben don by right; than muste nedes thy grace and this blisse [ben] endelesse in joye to †onbyde. Evenliche disese asketh evenliche joye, whiche hastely thou shalt have.'

'A!' quod I, 'it suffyseth not than alone good wil, be it never 155 so wel with reson medled, but-if it be in good service longe travayled. And so through service shul men come to the joye; and this, me thinketh, shulde be the wexing tree, of which ye first meved.*

CHAPTER VI.

Now, lady,' quod I, 'that tree to sette, fayn wolde I lerne.'

'So thou shalt,' quod she, 'er thou depart hence. The first thing, thou muste sette thy werke on grounde siker and good, accordaunt to thy springes. For if thou desyre grapes, thou 5 goest not to the hasel; ne, for to fecchen roses, thou sekest not on okes; and if thou shalt have hony-soukels, thou levest the frute of the soure docke. Wherfore, if thou desyre this blisse in parfit joye, thou must sette thy purpos there vertue foloweth, and not to loke after the bodily goodes; as I sayd whan thou were 10 wryting in thy seconde boke. And for thou hast set thy-selfe in so noble a place, and utterly lowed in thyn herte the misgoing of thy first purpos, this †setling is the esier to springe, and the more lighter thy soule in grace to be lissed. And trewly thy desyr, that is to say, thy wil algates mot ben stedfast in this mater without 15 any chaunginge; for if it be stedfast, no man may it voyde.'

'Yes, pardè,' quod I, 'my wil may ben turned by frendes, and disese of manace and thretning in lesinge of my lyfe and of my limmes, and in many other wyse that now cometh not to mynde. And also it mot ofte ben out of thought; for no remembraunce 20 may holde oon thing continuelly in herte, be it never so lusty desyred.'

'Now see,' quod she, 'thou thy wil shal folowe, thy free wil to be grounded continuelly to abyde. It is thy free wil, that thou lovest and hast loved, and yet shal loven this Margaryte-perle; 25 and in thy wil thou thinkest to holde it. Than is thy wil knit in love, not to chaunge for no newe lust besyde; this wil techeth thyn herte from al maner varying. But than, although thou be thretened in dethe or els in otherwyse, yet is it in thyn arbitrement to chose, thy love to voyde or els to holde; and thilke 30 arbitrement is in a maner a jugement bytwene desyr and thy herte. And if thou deme to love thy good wil fayleth, than art thou worthy no blisse that good wil shulde deserve; and if thou chose continuaunce in thy good service, than thy good wil abydeth; nedes, blisse folowing of thy good wil must come by 35 strength of thilke jugement; for thy first wil, that taught thyn herte to abyde, and halt it from th'eschaunge, with thy reson is accorded. Trewly, this maner of wil thus shal abyde; impossible it were to turne, if thy herte be trewe; and if every man diligently the meninges of his wil consider, he shal wel 40 understande that good wil, knit with reson, but in a false herte never is voyded; for power and might of keping this good wil is thorow libertè of arbitrement in herte, but good wil to kepe may not fayle. Eke than if it fayle, it sheweth it-selfe that good wil in keping is not there. And thus false wil, that putteth out 45 the good, anon constrayneth the herte to accorde in lovinge of thy good wil; and this accordaunce bitwene false wil and thyn herte, in falsitè ben lykened †togider. Yet a litel wol I say thee in good wil, thy good willes to rayse and strengthe. Tak hede to me (quod she) how thy willes thou shalt understande. 50 Right as ye han in your body dyvers membres, and fyve sondrye wittes, everiche apart to his owne doing, whiche thinges as instrumentes ye usen; as, your handes apart to handle; feet, to go; tonge, to speke; eye, to see: right so the soule hath in him certayne steringes and strengthes, whiche he useth as 55 instrumentes to his certayne doinges. Reson is in the soule, which he useth, thinges to knowe and to prove; and wil, whiche he useth to wilne; and yet is neyther wil ne reson al the soule; but everich of hem is a thing by him-selfe in the soule. And right as everich hath thus singuler instrumentes by hemselfe, 60 they han as wel dyvers aptes and dyvers maner usinges; and thilke aptes mowen in wil ben cleped affeccions. Affeccion is an instrument of willinge in his apetytes. Wherfore mokel folk sayn, if a resonable creatures soule any thing fervently wilneth, affectuously he wilneth; and thus may wil, by terme of equivocas, 65 in three wayes ben understande. Oon is instrument of willing; another is affection of this instrument; and the third is use, that setteth it a-werke. Instrument of willing is thilke strength of the soule, which that constrayneth to wilne, right as reson is instrument of resons, which ye usen whan ye loken. Affeccion of this 70 instrument is a thing, by whiche ye be drawe desyrously any-thing to wilne in coveitous maner, al be it for the tyme out of your mynde; as, if it come in your thought thilke thing to remembre, anon ye ben willing thilke to done or els to have. And thus is instrument wil; and affeccion is wil also, to wilne 75 thing as I said; as, for to wilne helth, whan wil nothing theron thinketh; for anon as it cometh to memorie, it is in wil. And so is affeccion to wilne slepe, whan it is out of mynde; but anon as it is remembred, wil wilneth slepe, whan his tyme cometh of the doinge. For affeccion of wil never accordeth to sicknesse, 80 ne alway to wake. Right so, in a true lovers affeccion of willing, instrument is to wilne tr[o]uthe in his service; and this affeccion alway abydeth, although he be sleping or thretned, or els not theron thinking; but anon as it cometh to mynde, anon he is stedfast in that wil to abyde. Use of this instrument forsothe 85 is another thing by himselfe; and that have ye not but whan ye be doing in willed thing, by affect or instrument of wil purposed or desyred; and this maner of usage in my service wysely nedeth to be ruled from wayters with envy closed, from spekers ful of jangeling wordes, from proude folk and hautayn, 90 that lambes and innocentes bothe scornen and dispysen. Thus in doing varieth the actes of willinge everich from other, and yet ben they cleped "wil," and the name of wil utterly owen they to have; as instrument of wil is wil, whan ye turne in-to purpos of any thing to don, be it to sitte or to stande, or any such thing 95 els. This instrument may ben had, although affect and usage be left out of doing; right as ye have sight and reson, and yet alway use ye* †nat to loke, [ne] thinges with resonning to prove; and so is instrument of wil, wil; and yet varyeth he from effect and using bothe. Affeccion of wil also for wil is cleped, but it varyeth 100 from instrument in this maner wyse, by that nameliche, whan it cometh in-to mynde, anon-right it is in willinge desyred, and the negatif therof with willing nil not acorde; this is closed in herte, though usage and instrument slepe. This slepeth whan instrument and us[e] waken; and of suche maner affeccion, trewly, 105 some man hath more and some man lesse. Certes, trewe lovers wenen ever therof to litel to have. False lovers in litel wenen have right mokel. Lo, instrument of wil in false and trewe bothe, evenliche is proporcioned; but affeccion is more in some places than in some, bycause of the goodnesse that foloweth, and 110 that I thinke hereafter to declare. Use of this instrument is wil, but it taketh his name whan wilned thing is in doing; but utterly grace to cacche in thy blisse †desyreth to ben rewarded. Thou most have than affeccion of wil at the ful, and use whan his tyme asketh wysely to ben governed. Sothly, my disciple, 115 without fervent affeccion of wil may no man ben saved. This affeccion of good service in good love may not ben grounded, without fervent desyr to the thing in wil coveited. But he that never reccheth to have or not to have, affeccion of wil in that hath no resting-place. Why? For whan thing cometh to mynde, 120 and it be not taken in hede to comin or not come, therfore in that place affeccion fayleth; and, for thilke affeccion is so litel, thorow whiche in goodnesse he shulde come to his grace, the litelnesse wil it not suffre to avayle by no way in-to his helpes. Certes, grace and reson thilke affeccion foloweth. This affeccion, 125 with reson knit, dureth in everiche trewe herte, and evermore is encresing; no ferdnesse, no strength may it remove, whyle tr[o]uthe in herte abydeth. Sothly, whan falsheed ginneth entre, tr[o]uthe draweth away grace and joye bothe; but than thilke falsheed, that trouth[e] hath thus voyded, hath unknit the bond 130 of understanding reson bytwene wil and the herte. And who-so that bond undoth, and unknitteth wil to be in other purpose than to the first accorde, knitteth him with contrarye of reson; and that is unreson. Lo, than, wil and unreson bringeth a man from the blisse of grace; whiche thing, of pure kynde, every man 135 ought to shonne and to eschewe, and to the knot of wil and reson confirme.

Me thinketh,' quod she, 'by thy studient lokes, thou wenest in these wordes me to contrarien from other sayinges here-toforn in other place, as whan thou were somtyme in affeccion of wil to 140 thinges that now han brought thee in disese, which I have thee consayled to voyde, and thyn herte discover; and there I made thy wil to ben chaunged, whiche now thou wenest I argue to with[h]olde and to kepe! Shortly I say, the revers in these wordes may not ben founde; for though dronkennesse be forboden, 145 men shul not alway ben drinklesse. I trowe right, for thou thy wil out of reson shulde not tourne, thy wil in one reson shulde not †onbyde. I say, thy wil in thy first purpos with unreson was closed; constrewe forth of the remenant what thee good lyketh. Trewly, that wil and reson shulde be knit togider, 150 was free wil of reson; after tyme thyne herte is assentaunt to them bothe, thou might not chaunge. But if thou from rule of reson varye, in whiche variaunce to come to thilke blisse desyred, contrariously thou werchest; and nothing may knowe wil and reson but love alone. Than if thou voide love, than †weyvest [thou] 155 the bond that knitteth; and so nedes, or els right lightly, that other gon a-sondre; wherfore thou seest apertly that love holdeth this knot, and amaystreth hem to be bounde. These thinges, as a ring in circuit of wrethe, ben knit in thy soule without departing.'

'A! let be! let be!' quod I; 'it nedeth not of this no 160 rehersayle to make; my soule is yet in parfit blisse, in thinking of that knotte!'*

CHAPTER VII.

'Very trouth,' quod she, 'hast thou now conceyved of these thinges in thyne herte; hastely shalt thou be able very joye and parfit blisse to receyve; and now, I wot wel, thou desyrest to knowe the maner of braunches that out of the tree 5 shulde springe.'

'Therof, lady,' quod I, 'hertely I you pray; for than leve I †wel, that right sone after I shal ataste of the frute that I so long have desyred.'

'Thou hast herd,' quod she, 'in what wyse this tree toforn this 10 have I declared, as in grounde and in stocke of wexing. First, the ground shulde be thy free wil, ful in thyne herte; and the stocke (as I sayde) shulde be continuaunce in good service by long tyme in traveyle, til it were in greetnesse right wel woxen. And whan this tree suche greetnesse hath caught as I have 15 rehersed, the braunches than, that the frute shulde forth-bringe, speche must they be nedes, in voice of prayer in complayning wyse used.'

'Out! alas!' quod I tho, 'he is soroufully wounded that hydeth his speche, and spareth his complayntes to make! What 20 shal I speke the care? But payne, even lyk to helle, sore hath me assayled, and so ferforth in payne me thronge, that I leve my tree is seer, and never shal it frute forth bringe! Certes, he is greetly esed, that dare his prevy mone discover to a true felowe, that conning hath and might, wherthrough his pleint in any thinge 25 may ben amended. And mokel more is he joyed, that with herte of hardinesse dare complayne to his lady what cares that he suffreth, by hope of mercy with grace to be avaunced. Truely I saye for me, sithe I cam this Margarit to serve, durst I never me discover of no maner disese; and wel the later hath myn herte 30 hardyed suche thinges to done, for the grete bountees and worthy refresshmentes that she of her grace goodly, without any desert on my halve, ofte hath me rekened. And nere her goodnesse the more with grace and with mercy medled, which passen al desertes, traveyls, and servinges that I in any degre might endite, I wolde 35 wene I shulde be without recover, in getting of this blisse for ever! Thus have I stilled my disese; thus have I covered my care; that I brenne in sorouful anoy, as gledes and coles wasten a fyr under deed asshen. Wel the hoter is the fyr that with asshen it is overleyn. Right longe this wo have I suffred.'

40 'Lo,' quod Love, 'how thou farest! Me thinketh, the palasy-yvel hath acomered thy wittes; as faste as thou hyest forward, anon sodaynly backward thou movest! Shal nat yet al thy leudnesse out of thy braynes? Dul ben thy skilful understandinges; thy wil hath thy wit so amaistred. Wost thou nat wel (quod she) 45 but every tree, in his sesonable tyme of burjoninge, shewe his blomes fro within, in signe of what frute shulde out of him springe, els the frute for that yere men halt delivered, be the ground never so good? And though the stocke be mighty at the ful, and the braunches seer, and no burjons shewe, farwel the 50 gardiner! He may pype with an yvè-lefe; his frute is fayled. Wherfore thy braunches must burjonen in presence of thy lady, if thou desyre any frute of thy ladies grace. But beware of thy lyfe, that thou no wode lay use, as in asking of thinges that strecchen in-to shame! For than might thou nat spede, by no maner way 55 that I can espy. Vertue wol nat suffre villany out of him-selfe to springe. Thy wordes may nat be queynt, ne of subtel maner understandinge. Freel-witted people supposen in suche poesies to be begyled; in open understandinge must every word be used. "Voice without clere understanding of sentence," saith Aristotel, 60 "right nought printeth in herte." Thy wordes than to abyde in herte, and clene in ful sentence of trewe mening, platly must thou shewe; and ever be obedient, her hestes and her wils to performe; and be thou set in suche a wit, to wete by a loke ever-more what she meneth. And he that list nat to speke, but 65 stilly his disese suffer, what wonder is it, tho[ugh] he come never to his blisse? Who that traveyleth unwist, and coveyteth thing unknowe, unweting he shal be quyted, and with unknowe thing rewarded.'

'Good lady,' quod I than, 'it hath ofte be sene, that †weders 70 and stormes so hugely have falle in burjoning-tyme, and by perte duresse han beten of the springes so clene, wherthrough the frute of thilke yere hath fayled. It is a greet grace, whan burjons han good †weders, their frutes forth to bringe. Alas! than, after suche stormes, how hard is it to avoyde, til efte wedring and 75 yeres han maked her circute cours al about, er any frute be able to be tasted! He is shent for shame, that foule is rebuked of his speche. He that is in fyre brenning sore smarteth for disese; him thinketh ful long er the water come, that shulde the fyr quenche. While men gon after a leche, the body is buryed. 80 Lo! how semely this frute wexeth! Me thinketh, that of tho frutes may no man ataste, for pure bitternesse in savour. In this wyse bothe frute and the tree wasten away togider, though mokel besy occupacion have be spent, to bringe it so ferforth that it was able to springe. A lyte speche hath maked that al this labour 85 is in ydel.'

'I not,' quod she, 'wherof it serveth, thy question to assoyle. Me thinketh thee now duller in wittes than whan I with thee first mette. Although a man be leude, commenly for a fole he is nat demed but-if he no good wol lerne. Sottes and foles lete lightly 90 out of mynde the good that men techeth hem. I sayd therfore, thy stocke must be stronge, and in greetnesse wel herted: the tree is ful feble that at the firste dent falleth. And although frute fayleth oon yere or two, yet shal suche a seson come oon tyme or other, that shal bringe out frute that [is parfit]. *Fole, have I not 95 seyd toforn this, as tyme hurteth, right so ayenward tyme heleth and rewardeth; and a tree oft fayled is holde more in deyntee whan it frute forth bringeth. A marchaunt that for ones lesinge in the see no more to aventure thinketh, he shal never with aventure come to richesse. So ofte must men on the oke smyte, 100 til the happy dent have entred, whiche with the okes owne swaye maketh it to come al at ones. So ofte falleth the lethy water on the harde rocke, til it have thorow persed it. The even draught of the wyr-drawer maketh the wyr to ben even and supple-werchinge; and if he stinted in his draught, the wyr breketh 105 a-sonder. Every tree wel springeth, whan it is wel grounded and not often removed.'

'What shal this frute be,' quod I, 'now it ginneth rype?'

'Grace,' quod she, 'in parfit joy to endure; and therwith thou begon[ne].'

110 'Grace?' quod I; 'me thinketh, I shulde have a reward for my longe travayle?'

'I shal telle thee,' quod she; 'retribucion of thy good willes to have of thy Margarite-perle, it bereth not the name of mede, but only of good grace; and that cometh not of thy desert, but 115 of thy Margarytes goodnesse and vertue alone.'

Quod I, 'shulde al my longe travayle have no reward but thorow grace? And som-tyme your-selven sayd, rightwisnesse evenliche rewardeth, to quyte oon benefit for another.'

'That is sothe,' quod Love, 'ever as I sayde, as to him that 120 doth good, which to done he were neyther holden ne yet constrayned.'

'That is sothe,' quod I.

'Trewly,' quod she, 'al that ever thou doest to thyne Margaryte-perle, of wil, of love, and of reson thou owest to done it; it is 125 nothing els but yelding of thy dette in quytinge of thy grace, which she thee lente whan ye first mette.'

'I wene,' quod I, 'right litel grace to me she delivered. Certes, it was harde grace; it hath nyghe me astrangled.'

'That it was good grace, I wot wel thou wilt it graunte, er 130 thou departe hence. If any man yeve to another wight, to whom that he ought not, and whiche that of him-selfe nothing may have, a garnement or a cote, though he were the cote or els thilke clothing, it is not to putte to him that was naked the cause of his clothinge, but only to him that was yever of the garnement. 135 Wherfore I saye, thou that were naked of love, and of thy-selfe non have mightest, it is not to putte to thyne owne persone, sithen thy love cam thorow thy Margaryte-perle. Ergo, she was yever of the love, although thou it use; and there lente she thee grace, thy service to beginne. She is worthy the thank of this 140 grace, for she was the yever. Al the thoughtes, besy doinges, and plesaunce in thy might and in thy wordes that thou canst devyse, ben but right litel in quytinge of thy dette; had she not ben, suche thing hadde not ben studyed. So al these maters kyndly drawen hom-ward to this Margaryte-perle, for from thence 145 were they borowed; al is hoolly her to wyte, the love that thou havest; and thus quytest thou thy dette, in that thou stedfastly servest. And kepe wel that love, I thee rede, that of her thou hast borowed, and use it in her service thy dette to quyte; and than art thou able right sone to have grace; wherfore after mede 150 in none halve mayst thou loke. Thus thy ginning and ending is but grace aloon; and in thy good deserving thy dette thou aquytest; without grace is nothing worth, what-so-ever thou werche. Thanke thy Margaryte of her grete grace that †hiderto thee hath gyded, and praye her of continuaunce forth in thy 155 werkes herafter; and that, for no mishappe, thy grace overthwartly tourne. Grace, glorie, and joye is coming thorow good folkes desertes; and by getting of grace, therin shullen ende. And what is more glorie or more joye than wysdom and love in parfit charitè, whiche god hath graunted to al tho that wel 160 †conne deserve?' And with that this lady al at ones sterte in-to my herte: 'here wol I onbyde,' quod she, 'for ever, and never wol I gon hence; and I wol kepe thee from medlinge while me liste here onbyde; thyne entermeting maners in-to stedfastnesse shullen be chaunged.'

CHAPTER VIII.

Soberliche tho threw I up myn eyen, and hugely tho was I astonyed of this sodayne adventure; and fayn wolde I have lerned, how vertues shulden ben knowen; in whiche thinges, I hope to god, here-after she shal me enfourmen; and namely, 5 sithen her restinge-place is now so nygh at my wil; and anon al these thinges that this lady said, I remembred me by my-selfe, and revolved the †lynes of myne understondinge wittes. Tho found I fully al these maters parfitly there written, how mis-rule by fayned love bothe realmes and citees hath governed a greet 10 throwe; how lightly me might the fautes espye; how rules in love shulde ben used; how somtyme with fayned love foule I was begyled; how I shulde love have knowe; and how I shal in love with my service procede. Also furthermore I found, of perdurable letters wonderly there graven, these maters whiche I shal nempne. 15 Certes, non age ne other thing in erthe may the leest sillable of this in no poynte deface, but clerely as the sonne in myne understandinge soule they shynen. This may never out of my mynde, how I may not my love kepe, but thorow willinge in herte; wilne to love may I not, but I lovinge have. Love have I non, but 20 thorow grace of this Margarite-perle. It is no maner doute, that wil wol not love but for it is lovinge, as wil wol not rightfully but for it is rightful it-selve. Also wil is not lovinge for he wol love; but he wol love for he is lovinge; it is al oon to †wilne to be lovinge, and lovinges in possession to have. Right so wil wol not 25 love, for of love hath he no partie. And yet I denye not lovinge wil [may] wilne more love to have, whiche that he hath not whan he wolde more than he hath; but I saye, he may no love wilne if he no love have, through which thilke love he shuld wilne. But to have this loving wil may no man of him-selfe, but only through 30 grace toforn-going; right so may no man it kepe, but by grace folowinge. Consider now every man aright, and let seen if that any wight of him-selfe mowe this loving wel gete, and he therof first nothing have; for if it shulde of him-selfe springe, either it muste be willing or not willing. Willing by him-selfe may he it not 35 have, sithen him fayleth the mater that shulde it forth bringe. The mater him fayleth; why? He may therof have no knowing til whan grace put it in his herte. Thus willing by him-selfe may he it not have; and not willing, may he it not have. Pardè, every conseyt of every resonable creature otherwyse wil [wol] not 40 graunte; wil in affirmatif with not willing by no way mowe acorde. And although this loving wol come in myn herte by freenesse of arbitrement, as in this booke fully is shewed, yet owe I not therfore as moche alowe my free wil as grace of that Margaryte to me lened. For neyther might I, without grace to-forn going and 45 afterward folowing, thilke grace gete ne kepe; and lese shal I it never but-if free wil it make, as in willinge otherwyse than grace hath me graunted. For right as whan any person taketh willing to be sobre, and throweth that away, willing to be dronke; or els taketh wil of drinking out of mesure; whiche thing, anon as it is 50 don, maketh (thorow his owne gilte by free wil) that [he] leseth his grace. In whiche thing therfore upon the nobley of grace I mote trusten, and my besy cure sette thilke grace to kepe, that my free wil, otherwyse than by reson it shulde werche, cause not my grace to voyde: for thus must I bothe loke to free wil and to 55 grace. For right as naturel usage in engendring of children may not ben without †fader, ne also but with the †moder, for neyther †fader ne †moder in begetting may it lacke; right so grace and free wil accorden, and withoute hem bothe may not lovinge wil in no partie ben getten. But yet is not free wil in gettinge of that 60 thing so mokel thank-worthy as is grace, ne in the kepinge therof so moche thank deserveth; and yet in gettinge and keping bothe don they accorde. Trewly, often-tyme grace free wil helpeth, in fordoinge of contrarye thinges, that to willinge love not accorden, and †strengtheth wil adversitees to withsitte; wherfore †al-togider 65 to grace oweth to ben accepted, that my willing deserveth. Free wil to lovinge in this wyse is accorded. I remembre me wel how al this book (who-so hede taketh) considereth [how] al thinges to werchinges of mankynde evenly accordeth, as in turning of this worde 'love' in-to trouthe or els rightwisnesse, whether that it 70 lyke. For what thing that falleth to man in helping of free arbitrement, thilke rightwisnesse to take or els to kepe, thorow whiche a man shal be saved (of whiche thing al this book mencion hath maked), in every poynte therof grace oweth to be thanked. Wherfore I saye, every wight havinge this rightwisnesse rightful 75 is; and yet therfore I fele not in my conscience, that to al rightful is behoten the blisse everlastinge, but to hem that ben rightful withouten any unrightfulnesse. Some man after some degree may rightfully ben accompted as chaste men in living, and yet ben they janglers and ful of envy pressed; to hem shal this blisse 80 never ben delivered. For right as very blisse is without al maner nede, right so to no man shal it be yeven but to the rightful, voyde from al maner unrightfulnesse founde; so no man to her blisse shal ben folowed, but he be rightful, and with unrightfulnesse not bounde, and in that degree fully be knowe. This rightfulnesse, 85 in as moche as in him-selfe is, of none yvel is it cause; and of al maner goodnesse, trewly, it is †moder. This helpeth the spirit to withsitte the leude lustes of flesshly lykinge. This strengtheth and maintayneth the lawe of kynde; and if that otherwhyle me weneth harm of this precious thing to folowe, therthorough is [it] 90 nothing the cause; of somwhat els cometh it aboute, who-so taketh hede. By rightfulnesse forsothe wern many holy sayntes good savour in swetenesse to god almighty; but that to some folkes they weren savour of dethe, in-to deedly ende, that com not of the sayntes rightwisnesse, but of other wicked mennes 95 badnesse hath proceded. Trewly, the ilke wil, whiche that the Lady of Love me lerned 'affeccion of wil' to nempne, which is in willing of profitable thinges, yvel is it not, but whan to flesshly lustes it consenteth ayenst reson of soule. But that this thing more clerely be understande, it is for to knowe, whence and how 100 thilke wil is so vicious, and so redy yvel dedes to perfourme. Grace at the ginninge ordeyned thilke wil in goodnesse ever to have endured, and never to badnesse have assented. Men shulde not byleve, that god thilke wil maked to be vicious [in] our firste †faders, as Adam and Eve; for vicious appetytes, and vicious wil 105 to suche appetytes consentinge, ben not on thing in kynde; other thing is don for the other. And how this wil first in-to man first assented, I holde it profitable to shewe; but if the first condicion of resonable creature wol be considred and apertly loked, lightly the cause of suche wil may be shewed. Intencion of god was, 110 that rightfully and blissed shulde resonable nature ben maked, himselfe for to kepe; but neyther blisful ne rightful might it not be, withouten wil in them bothe. Wil of rightfulnesse is thilke same rightfulnesse, as here-to-forn is shewed; but wil of blisse is not thilke blisse, for every man hath not thilke blisse, in whom 115 the wil therof is abydinge. In this blisse, after every understandinge, is suffisaunce of covenable comoditees without any maner nede, whether it be blisse of aungels or els thilke that grace first in paradise suffred Adam to have. For al-though angels blisse be more than Adams was in paradyse, yet may it not 120 be †denyed, that Adam in paradyse ne had suffisaunce of blisse; for right as greet herte is without al maner of coldenesse, and yet may another herte more hete have; right so nothing defended Adam in paradyse to ben blessed, without al maner nede. Al-though aungels blisse be moche more, forsothe, it foloweth 125 not [that], lasse than another to have, therfore him nedeth; but for to wante a thing whiche that behoveth to ben had, that may 'nede' ben cleped; and that was not in Adam at the first ginning. God and the Margaryte weten what I mene. Forsothe, where-as is nede, there is wrecchednesse. †God without cause 130 to-forngoing made not resonable creature wrecched; for him to understande and love had he firste maked. God made therfore man blissed without al maner indigence; †togider and at ones took resonable creature blisse, and wil of blissednesse, and wil of rightfulnesse, whiche is rightfulnesse it-selve, and libertee of 135 arbitrement, that is, free wil, with whiche thilke rightfulnesse may he kepe and lese. So and in that wyse [god] ordayned thilke two, that wil (whiche that "instrument" is cleped, as here-toforn mencion is maked) shulde use thilke rightfulnesse, by teching of his soule to good maner of governaunce, in thought and in wordes; 140 and that it shulde use the blisse in obedient maner, withouten any incommoditè. Blisse, forsothe, in-to mannes profit, and rightwisnesse in-to his worship god delivered at ones; but rightfulnesse so was yeven that man might it lese, whiche if he not lost had, but continuelly [might] have it kept, he shulde have deserved 145 the avauncement in-to the felowshippe of angels, in whiche thing if he that loste, never by him-selfe forward shulde he it mowe ayenward recovere; and as wel the blisse that he was in, as aungels blisse that to-him-wardes was coming, shulde be nome at ones, and he deprived of hem bothe. And thus fil man un-to 150 lykenesse of unresonable bestes; and with hem to corrupcion and unlusty apetytes was he under-throwen. But yet wil of blisse dwelleth, that by indigence of goodes, whiche that he loste through greet wrecchednesse, by right shulde he ben punisshed. And thus, for he weyved rightfulnesse, lost hath he his blisse; but 155 fayle of his desyr in his owne comoditè may he not; and †where comodites to his resonable nature whiche he hath lost may he not have, to false lustes, whiche ben bestial appetytes, he is turned. Folye of unconning hath him begyled, in wening that thilke ben the comoditees that owen to ben desyred. This affeccion of wil 160 by libertè of arbitrement is enduced to wilne thus thing that he shulde not; and so is wil not maked yvel but unrightful, by absence of rightfulnesse, whiche thing by reson ever shulde he have. And freenesse of arbitrement may he not wilne, whan he it not haveth; for while he it had, thilke halp it not to kepe; so 165 that without grace may it not ben recovered. Wil of commoditè, in-as-moche as unrightful it is maked by willinge of yvel lustes, willing of goodnesse may he not wilne; for wil of instrument to affeccion of wil is thralled, sithen that other thing may it not wilne; for wil of instrument to affeccion desyreth, and yet ben bothe they 170 'wil' cleped. For that instrument wol, through affeccion it wilneth; and affeccion desyreth thilke thing wherto instrument him ledeth. And so free wil to unlusty affeccion ful servaunt is maked, for unrightfulnesse may he not releve; and without rightfulnesse ful fredom may it never have. For kyndly libertee of arbitrement 175 without it, veyne and ydel is, forsothe. Wherfore yet I say, (as often have I sayd the same), whan instrument of wil lost hath rightfulnesse, in no maner but by grace may he ayen retourne rightfulnesse to wilne. For sithen nothing but rightfulnesse alone shulde he wilne, what that ever he wilneth without rightfulnesse, 180 unrightfully he it wilneth. These than unrightful appetytes and unthrifty lustes whiche the †flesh desyreth, in as mokel as they ben in kynde, ben they nat bad; but they ben unrightful and badde for they ben in resonable creature, where-as they being, in no waye shulde ben suffred. In unresonable beestes neyther ben they yvel 185 ne unrightful; for there is their kynde being.

CHAPTER IX.

Knowen may it wel ben now of these thinges toforn declared, that man hath not alway thilke rightfulnesse which by dutè of right evermore haven he shulde, and by no way by him-selfe may he it gete ne kepe; and after he it hath, if he it 5 lese, recover shal he it never without especial grace. Wherfore the comune sentence of the people in opinion, that every thing after destenee is ruled, false and wicked is to beleve. For though predestinacion be as wel of good as of badde, sithen that it is sayd, god †hath destenees made, whiche he never ne wrought; but, 10 for he suffreth hem to be maked, as that he hardeth, whan he naught missayth, or †let in-to temptacion, whan he not delivereth: wherfore it is non inconvenient if in that maner be sayd, god toforn have destenyed bothe badde and her badde werkes, whan hem ne their yvel dedes [he] neyther amendeth ne therto hem 15 grace †leneth. But specialliche, predestinacion of goodnesse alone is sayd by these grete clerkes; for in him god doth that they ben, and that in goodnesse they werchen. But the negatif herof in badnesse is holden, as the Lady of Love hath me lerned, who-so aright in this booke loketh. And utterly it is to weten, 20 that predestinacion properly in god may not ben demed, no more than beforn-weting. For in the chapitre of goddes beforn-weting, as Love me rehersed, al these maters apertly may ben founden. Al thinges to god ben now †togider and in presence duringe. Trewly, presence and predestinacion in nothing disacorden; 25 wherfore, as I was lerned how goddes before-weting and free choice of wil mowe stonden †togider, me thinketh the same reson me ledeth, that destenye and free wil accorden, so that neyther of hem bothe to other in nothing contrarieth. And resonabliche may it not ben demed, as often as any thing falleth [thorow] free 30 wil werching (as if a man another man wrongfully anoyeth, wherfore he him sleeth), that it be constrayned to that ende, as mokel folk cryeth and sayth: 'Lo, as it was destenyed of god toforn knowe, so it is thorow necessitè falle, and otherwyse might it not betyde.' Trewly, neyther he that the wrong wrought, ne he that 35 him-selfe venged, none of thilke thinges thorow necessitè wrought; for if that [oon] with free wil there had it not willed, neyther had [he] wrought that he perfourmed; and so utterly grace, that free wil in goodnesse bringeth and kepeth, and fro badnesse it tourneth, in al thinge moste thank deserveth. This grace maketh 40 sentence in vertue to abyde, wherfore in body and in soule, in ful plentee of conninge, after their good deserving in the everlastinge joye, after the day of dome shul they endelesse dwelle; and they shul ben lerned in that kingdom with so mokel affect of love and of grace, that the leste joye shal of the gretest in glorie rejoice 45 and ben gladded, as if he the same joye had. What wonder, sith god is the gretest love and the *gretest wisdom? In hem shal he be, and they in god. Now than, whan al false folk be ashamed, which wenen al bestialtè and erthly thing be sweter and better to the body than hevenly is to the soule; this is the grace 50 and the frute that I long have desyred; it doth me good the savour to smelle.

Crist, now to thee I crye of mercy and of grace; and graunt, of thy goodnes, to every maner reder ful understanding in this leude pamflet to have; and let no man wene other cause in 55 this werke than is verily the soth. For envy is ever redy, al innocentes to shende; wherfore I wolde that good speche envy evermore hinder.

But no man wene this werke be sufficiently maked; for goddes werke passeth man[ne]s; no man[ne]s wit to parfit werke may by no 60 way purvay th'ende. How shuld I than, so leude, aught wene of perfeccion any ende to gete? Never-the-later, grace, glorie, and laude I yelde and putte with worshipful reverences to the sothfast god, in three with unitè closed, whiche that the hevy langour of my sicknesse hath turned in-to mirthe of helth to recover. For 65 right as I was sorowed thorow the gloton cloud of manifolde sickly sorow, so mirth [of] ayencoming helth hath me glad[d]ed and gretly comforted. I beseche and pray therfore, and I crye on goddes gret pitè and on his mokel mercy, that this[e] present scorges of my flessh mow maken medecyne and lechecraft of 70 my inner man[ne]s helth; so that my passed trespas and tenes through weping of myn eyen ben wasshe, and I, voyded from al maner disese, and no more to wepe herafter, y-now be kept thorow goddes grace; so that goddes hand, whiche that merciably me hath scorged, herafter in good plite from thence merciably me 75 kepe and defende.

In this boke be many privy thinges wimpled and folde; unneth shul leude men the plites unwinde. Wherfore I pray to the holy gost, he lene of his oyntmentes, mennes wittes to clere; and, for goddes love, no man wonder why or how this question come to 80 my mynde. For my greet lusty desyr was of this lady to ben enfourmed, my leudenesse to amende. Certes, I knowe not other mennes wittes, what I shulde aske, or in answere what I shulde saye; I am so leude my-selfe, that mokel more lerninge yet me behoveth. I have mad therfore as I coude, but not 85 sufficiently as I wolde, and as mater yave me sentence; for my dul wit is hindred by †stepmoder of foryeting and with cloude of unconning, that stoppeth the light of my Margarite-perle, wherfore it may not shyne on me as it shulde. I desyre not only a good reder, but also I coveite and pray a good book-amender, 90 in correccion of wordes and of sentence; and only this mede I coveite for my travayle, that every inseër and herer of this leude fantasye devoute horisons and prayers to god the greet juge yelden; and prayen for me in that wyse, that in his dome my sinnes mowe ben relesed and foryeven. He that prayeth for 95 other for him-selfe travayleth.

Also I praye, that every man parfitly mowe knowe thorow what intencion of herte this tretys have I drawe. How was it, that sightful manna in deserte to children of Israel was spirituel mete? Bodily also it was, for mennes bodies it †norisshed; 100 and yet, never-the-later, Crist it signifyed. Right so a jewel betokeneth a gemme, and that is a stoon vertuous or els a perle. Margarite, a woman, betokeneth grace, lerning, or wisdom of god, or els holy church. If breed, thorow vertue, is mad holy flesshe, what is that our god sayth? 'It is the spirit that yeveth 105 lyf; the flesshe, of nothing it profiteth.' Flesshe is flesshly understandinge; flessh without grace and love naught is worth. 'The letter sleeth; the spirit yeveth lyfelich understanding.' Charitè is love; and love is charitè. God graunt us al[le] therin to be frended! 110 And thus The Testament of Love is ended.