1   2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133       134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243       244 245 246 247 248 249 250 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 258 259 260 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 269 270 271 272 273 274 275 276 277 278 279 280 281 282 283 284 285 286 287 288 289 290 291 292 293 294 295 296 297 298 299 300 301 302 303 304 305 306 307 308 309 310 311 312 313 314 315 316 317 318 319 320 321 322 323 324 325 326 327 328 329 330 331 332 333 334 335 336 337 338 339 340 341 342 343 344 345 346 347 348 349 350 351 352 353 354 355 356 357 358 359 360 361 362 363 364 365 366 367 368 369 370 371 372 373 374 375 376 377 378 379 380 381 382 383       384 385 386 387 388 389 390 391 392 393 394 395 396 397 398 399 400 401 402 403 404 405 406 407 408 409 410 411 412 413 414 415 416 417 418 419 420 421 422 423 424 425 426 427 428 429 430 431 432 433 434 435 436 437 438 439 440 441 442 443 444 445 446 447 448 449 450 451 452 453 454 455 456 457 458 459 460 461 462 463 464 465 466 467 468 469 470 471 472 473 474 475 476 477 478 479 480 481 482 483 484 485 486 487 488 489 490 491 492 493 494 495 496 497 498 499 500 501 502 503 504 505 506 507 508 509 510 511 512 513 514 515 516 517 518 519 520 521 522 523 524 525 526 527 528 529 530 531 532 533 534 535 536 537 538 539 540 541 542 543 544 545 546 547 548 549 550 551 552 553 554 555 556 557 558 559 560 561 562 563 564 565 566 567 568 569 570 571 572 573 574       575 576 577 578 579 580 581 582 583 584 585 586 587 588 589 590 591 592 593 594 595 596 597 598 599 600 601 602 603 604 605 606 607 608 609 610 611 612 613 614 615 616 617 618 619 620 621 622 623 624 625 626 627 628 629 630 631 632 633 634 635 636 637 638 639 640 641 642 643 644 645 646 647 648 649 650 651 652 653 654 655 656 657 658 659 660 661 662 663 664 665 666 667 668 669 670 671 672 673 674 675 676 677 678 679 680 681 682 683 684 685 686 687 688 689 690 691 692 693 694 695       696 697 698 699 700 701 702 703 704 705 706 707 708 709 710 711 712 713 714 715 716 717 718 719 720 721 722 723 724 725 726 727 728 729 730 731 732 733 734 735 736 737 738 739 740 741 742 743 744 745 746 747 748 749 750 751 752 753 754 755 756 757 758 759 760 761 762 763 764 765 766 767 768 769 770 771 772 773 774 775 776 777 778 779 780 781 782 783 784 785 786 787 788 789 790 791 792 793 794 795 796 797 798 799 800 801       802 803 804 805 806 807 808 809 810 811 812 813 814 815 816 817 818 819 820 821 822 823 824 825 826 827 828 829 830 831 832 833 834 835 836 837 838 839 840 841 842 843 844 845 846 847 848 849 850 851 852 853 854 855 856 857 858 859 860 861 862 863 864 865 866 867 868 869 870 871 872 873 874 875 876 877 878 879 880 881 882 883 884 885 886 887 888 889 890 891 892 893 894 895 896 897 898 899 900 901 902 903 904 905 906 907 908 909 910 911 912 913       914 915 916 917 918 919 920 921 922 923 924 925 926 927 928 929 930 931 932 933 934 935 936 937 938 939 940 941 942 943 944 945 946 947 948 949 950 951 952 953 954 955 956 957 958 959 960 961 962 963 964 965 966 967 968 969 970 971 972 973 974 975 976 977 978 979 980 981 982 983 984 985 986 987 988 989 990 991 992 993 994 995 996 997 998 999 1000 1001 1002 1003 1004 1005 1006 1007 1008 1009 1010 1011 1012 1013 1014 1015 1016 1017 1018 1019 1020 1021 1022 1023 1024 1025 1026 1027 1028 1029 1030 1031 1032 1033 1034 1035 1036 1037 1038 1039 1040 1041 1042 1043 1044 1045 1046 1047 1048 1049 1050 1051       1052 1053 1054 1055 1056 1057 1058 1059 1060 1061 1062 1063 1064 1065 1066 1067 1068 1069 1070 1071 1072 1073 1074 1075 1076 1077 1078 1079 1080 1081 1082 1083 1084 1085 1086 1087 1088 1089 1090 1091 1092 1093 1094 1095 1096 1097 1098 1099 1100 1101 1102 1103 1104 1105 1106 1107 1108 1109 1110 1111 1112 1113 1114 1115 1116 1117 1118 1119 1120 1121 1122 1123 1124 1125 1126 1127 1128 1129   1130

N      N N       N                   N N N         N     N       N N N     N   N                   N       N         N         N                 N   N     N             N   N     N           N N         N   N   N         N         N N N N       N     N   N                   N           N N N   N   N     N   N   N N     N   N N         N             N         N   N     N               N     N N N     N       N             N     N   N     N                     N         N     N   N                       N     N   N   N             N         N           N     N         N     N         N   N N       N   N       N       N N     N                                                             N N N                       N N N N N   N                 N N       N                                 N                     N   N N   N     N N       N N N     N           N               N                   N         N                             N   N   N       N     N   N                             N                 N     N     N   N       N                 N         N N   N       N     N N N N   N   N         N N           N N       N N         N       N       N             N                 N   N     N       N N         N                     N N N N N N             N N       N     N       N         N               N                     N                       N                     N         N                                                   N     N               N           N       N   N         N     N                   N             N N N           N             N                         N       N N N       N                     N N N                                     N                               N                   N                           N   N   N N         N         N                 N               N N                     N                     N                   N       N         N         N N             N     N           N   N   N         N             N N         N         N                                 N           N         N N                 N   N   N N         N   N                       N   N         N       N N   N     N       N   N         N       N     N         N         N               N                                 N                   N   N N

Chapter I      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 devyded: of whiche the firste is cleped Deviacion, 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 untyl 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 yeven by deserte of yeldynge one benefyte for another, but onely through goodnesse of the yever of grace in thilke tyme. Whoso can wel understande is shapen to be saved in souled blysse. The thirde tyme shal gyn whan transytorie thynges of worldes han made their ende, and that shal ben in Joye, glorie, and rest, both body and soule, that wel han deserved in the tyme of grace. And thus in that heven togyther shul they dwel perpetuelly without any ymaginatyfe yvel in any halve. These tymes are fygured by tho thre dayes that our God was closed in erthe, and in the thirde arose shewyng our resurrection to joye and blysse of tho that it deserven by his merciable grace. So this leude boke in thre maters accordaunt to tho tymes lightly by a good inseer maye ben understonde as in the firste, erroure of mysse goynge is shewed with sorowful pyne punysshed that cryed after mercy. In the seconde, is grace in good waye proved, whiche is faylinge without deserte, thylke first mysse amendynge in correction of tho erroures and even waye to bringe with comforte of welfare in to amendement wexynge. And in the thirde, joye and blysse graunted to hym that wel canne deserve it and hath savour of understandynge in the tyme of grace. Thus in joye of my thirde boke shal the mater be tyl it ende. But special cause I have in my hert to make this processe of a Margarit peerle that is so precious a gemme, whit, clere and lytel, of whiche stones or jewel the tonges of us Englissh people tourneth the right 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 hevenly dewe the best ben engendred; in whiche by experience ben founde thre fayre vertues. One is, it yeveth 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 devynly and manly thinges joyned with studye of good lyvyng, and this stante in two thynges: that is connynge and opinyon. Connynge is whan a thyng by certayne reson is conceyved. But wretches and fooles and leude men, many wyl conceyve 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 de- clared 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 quantyté of that planet is unknowen to erthly dwell- ers, 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 heven and strength of kyndely course, as by arsmetrike, geometry, musyke, and by astronomye techeth wayes and course of hevens, of planetes, and of sterres aboute heven and erthe and other elementes. The seconde spece is moral, whiche in order of lyvyng maners techeth, and by reson proveth vertues of soule moste worthy in our lyveng; whiche ben prudence, justyce, temperaunce, and strength. Prudence is goodly wysdome in knowyng of thynges. Strength voydeth al adversitees alyche even. Temp- eraunce distroyeth beestyal lyveng with easy bearyng. And justyce rightfully jugeth, and jugyng departeth to every wight that is his owne. The thirde spece turneth into reason of understandyng al thynges to be sayd soth and discussed, and that in two thynges is devyded. 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 love and therafter beareth his name, and phylosophie and lawe muste hereto acorden by their clergyal discripcions -- as phylosophie for love of wisdome is declared, lawe for mainteynaunce of peace is holden -- and these with love must nedes acorden, therfore of hem in this place have I touched. Ordre of homly thinges and honest maner of lyvynge in vertue with right ful jugement in causes and profitable administration in commynalties of realmes and cytes by evenhed profitably to raigne nat by singuler avauntage, ne by privé envy, ne by soleyn purpose in covetise of worship or of goodes, ben disposed in open rule shewed by love, philosophy, and lawe, and yet love toforn al other. Wherfore as susterne in unité they accorden, and one ende -- that is peace and rest -- they causen norisshinge, and in the joye maynteynen to endure.    Nowe than, as I have 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 ever 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 shal be lykened; that is to saye, lawe, right, and custome, whiche I wol declare. Al that is lawe cometh 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 governaunce. Right cometh out of mannes probable reson; and custome is of commen usage by length of tyme used, and custome nat writte is usage; and if it be writte, constitutyon it is ywritten and ycleped. But lawe of kynde is commen to every nation, as conjunction of man and woman in love, succession of children in heritance, restitution ofthyng by strength taken or lent, and this lawe among al other halte the soveraynest gree in wor- ship, whiche lawe began at the begynnyng of reasonable creature. It varyed yet never for no chaungyng of tyme. Cause, forsothe, in ordaynyng of lawe was to constrayne mens hardynesse into peace, and withdrawing his yvel wyl, and turnyng malyce into 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 heven. Eke, than al lawes or custome or els constitucion by usage or writyng that contraryen lawe of kynde utterly ben repugnaunt and adversarye to our Goddes wyl of heven. Trewly, lawe of kynde for Goddes own lusty wyl is verily to maintayne, under which lawe (and unworthy) bothe professe and reguler arne obedyencer and bounden to this Margarite perle as by knotte of loves statutes and stablysshment in kynde whiche that goodly maye not ben withsetten. Lo, under this bonde am I constrayned to abyde, and man under lyveng lawe ruled; by that lawe oweth after desertes to ben rewarded by payn or by mede, but if mercy weyve the payne. So than be parte reasonfully may be sey that mercy bothe right and lawe passeth. Th'entent of al these maters is, at the lest clere understanding, to weten at th'ende of this thirde boke. Ful knowing thorowe Goddes grace I thynke to make neverthelater 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 joye (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 ought 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 th'entré, that my boket of joye 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 saviour am I holpen." And yet I saye more: the house of joye to me is nat opened. How dare my sorouful goost than in any mater of gladnesse thynken to trete? For ever sobbynges and complayntes be redy refrete in his meditations, as werbles in manyfold stoundes commyng about I not than. And therfore, what maner of joye coude I endite? But yet at dore shal I knocke if the key of David wolde the locke unshyt, 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 reverence, profite of the reders, amendement of maners of the herers, encresyng of worship among loves servauntes, relevyng of my hert into grace of my jewel, 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, wyte that the leudnesse of myne unable connyng, for body in disese anoyeth the understanding in soule. A disesely habitation letteth the wyttes in many thinges and namely in sorowe. The custome, neverthelater, of love be long tyme of service in termes I thinke to pursue, whiche ben lyvely to yeve understandyng in other thynges. But nowe to enform thee 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.   Chapter II      "Nowe," quod Love, "trewly thy wordes I have wel understonde. 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 have waded? Lightly might I have drenched and spilte ther my selfe." "Yea," quod she, "I shal helpe thee to swym. For right as lawe punyssheth brekers of preceptes and the contrary doers of the written constitutions, right so ayenwarde lawe rewardeth and yeveth mede to hem that lawe strengthen. By one lawe this rebel is punisshed and this innocent is meded; the shrewe is enprisoned and this rightful is corowned. The same lawe that joyneth by wedlocke without forsakyng, the same lawe yeveth lybel of departicion bycause of devorse 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 converted in your lawe mykel merite deserveth. Also Paulyn of Rome was crowned that by him the maynteyners of Pompeus weren knowen and distroyed; and yet toforne 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 of Julyus Cesar is acompted into Catons right wisnesse, for ever in trouth florissheth his name amonge the knowers of treason. Perdicas was crowned in the heritage of Alexander the great for tellynge of a prevy hate that kynge Porrus to Alexander hadde. Wherfore every 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 mede might thou chalenge." "Certes," quod I, "this have I wel lerned, and ever hensforward I shal drawe me therafter in onehed of wyl to abide, this lawe bothe mayntene and kepe, and so hope I best entre into your grace wel deservynge into worship of a wight without nedeful compulsion ought medefully to be rewarded." "Truly," quod Love, "that is sothe, and tho by constitution good service into profite and avauntage stretch, utterly many men it demen to have more desert of mede than good wyl nat compelled." "Se now," quod I, "howe may men holden of this the con- trary. And what is good service? Of you wolde I here this question declared." "I shal say thee," quod she, "in a fewe wordes: resonable workynges in plesaunce and profite of thy soverayne."    "Howe shulde I this performe?" quod I. "Right wel," quod she, "and here me nowe a lytel. It is hardely," quod she, "to understande that right as mater by due overchaungynges foloweth his perfection and his forme, right so every man by rightful werkynges ought to folowe the leful desyres in his hert and se toforn to what ende he deserveth. For many tymes he that loketh nat after th'endes, but utterly therof is unknowen, befalleth often many yvels to done, wherthrough er he be ware, shamefully he is confounded. Th'ende ther of neden to be before loked. To every desirer of suche foresight in good service, 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, thathe do godly withouten any surquedry in thoughtes. That your werkes shulden be good, in servyce or in any other actes, authorites many may be aleged; neverthelater, by reason thus maye it be shewed. Al your werkes be cleped seconde and moven in vertue of the Firste Wercher, whiche in good workes wrought you to procede, and right so your werkes moven into 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 recche what ye wrought; 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 course of good, and another maner course entreth. And so it is a partie by himselve, and every parte be nat accordant to his al, is foule and ought to be eschewed. Wherfore every thinge that is wrought and be nat good is nat accordant to th'endes 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 service 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, every good servaunt, 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 deserveth. For right 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 con- vertible in understanding, and he that in wyl doth away good, and he that loketh nat to th'ende, loketh nat to good. But he that doth good and doth nat goodly and draweth away the direction of th'ende nat goodly, must nedes be bad. Lo, badde is nothing els but absence or negatyfe of good, as derkenesse is absence or negatyve of lyght. Than he that doth nat goodly directeth thilke good in to th'ende of badde. So muste thyng nat good folowe; eke, badnesse to suche folke ofte foloweth. Thus contrariaunt workers of th'ende that is good ben worthy the contrary of th'ende that is good to have." "How," quod I, "may any good dede be done but if goodly it helpe?" "Yes," quod Love, "the devyl dothe many good dedes, but goodly he leveth behynde. For ever badly and in disceyvable wyse he worketh, wherfore the contrary of th'ende him foloweth. And do he never so many good dedes bicause goodly is away, his goodnes is nat rekened. Lo, than, tho a man do good, but he do goodly, th'ende in goodnesse wol nat folowe, and thus in good service both good dede and goodly done musten joyne togider and that it be done with free choise in hert; and els deserveth he nat the merite in goodnes -- that wol I prove. For if thou do anythyng good by chaunce or by happe, in what thyng art thou therof worthy to be commended? For nothing by reason of that turneth into thy praysing ne lackyng. Lo, thilke thing done by hap by thy wyl is nat caused, and therby shulde I thanke or lacke deserve? And sythen that fayleth th'ende 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 service in that is contrary of the good ende, so than to good service longeth good dede goodly don thorowe fre choice in hert." "Truely," quod I, "this have I wel understande." "Wel," quod she, "every thyng thus done suffi- ciently by lawe that is cleped justice may after-rewarde claym. For lawe and justice was ordayned in this wise suche desertes in goodnesse after quantité in doynge by mede to rewarde; and of necessyté of suche justyce, that is to say, rightwysenesse, was free choice in deservyng of wel or of yvel graunted to resonable creatures. Every man hath free arbitrement to chose good or yvel to performe." "Nowe," quod I tho, "if I by my good wyl deserve this Margarit perle and am nat therto compelled, and have free choice to do what me lyketh, she is than holden as me thynketh to rewarde th'entent of my good wyl." "Goddes forbode els," quod Love, "no wight meaneth otherwise, I trowe. Free wyl of good hert after-mede deserveth." "Hath every man," quod I, "fre choice by necessary maner of wyl in every of his doynges that him lyketh by Goddes proper purvyaunce? I wolde se that wel declared to my leude understanding, for `necessary' and `necessyté' 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 lyberté of fre wyl to do good or bad, but to the one teyed by bonde of Goddes preordynaunce, than do he never so wel it were by nedeful compulcion of thilk bonde and nat by fre choice, wherby nothyng he desyreth; and, do he never so yvel, it were nat man for to wyte, but onelych to him that suche thyng ordayned him to done. Wherfore he ne ought for bad be punished ne for no good dede be rewarded, but of necessité of rightwisnesse was therfore fre choice of arbitrement put in mans proper disposition. Truely, if it were otherwise, it contraried Goddes charité that badnesse and goodnesse rewardeth after desert of payn or of mede." "Me thynketh this wonder," quod I, "for God by necessité forwote al thynges comyng, and so mote it nedes be; and thilke thinges that ben don be our fre choice comen nothing of necessité 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."   Chapter III   Than gan Love 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 thee that thy leudnesse which I have understand in that mater shal openly be clered, and thy sight in ful loking therin amended. First, if thou thynke that Goddes prescience repugne lyberté of arbetry of arbitrement, it is impossible that they shulde accorde in onheed of sothe to 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 impossibilyté," quod I. "So," quod she, "I shal. Nowe I suppose that they mowe stande togider: prescience of God whom foloweth necessité of thinges commyng and lyberté of arbitrement thorowe whiche thou belevest many thinges to be without necessité." "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." "Prove me that," quod I. "That I shal," quod she, "for somthing is commyng without necessyté, and God wot that toforn, for al thing commyng He before wot, and that He beforn wot of necessyté is commyng; as He beforne wot be the case. By necessary maner than or els thorowe necessité is somthyng to be without necessité and wheder to every wight that hath good understanding is seen these thynges to be repugnaunt: Prescience of God, whiche that foloweth necessyté, and lyberté of arbytrement, fro whiche is removed necessyté, for truely, it is necessary that God have forwetyng of thing withouten any necessité commynge." "Ye," quod I, "but yet remeve ye nat away fro myne understandyng the necessyté folowyng Goddes beforewetyng, as thus: God beforne wote me in service of love to be bounden to this Margarite perle, and therfore by necessité thus to love am I bounde, and if I nat had loved, thorowe necessyté had I ben kepte from al love dedes." "Certes," quod Love, "bicause this mater is good and necessary to declare, I thynke herein wel to abyde and not lyghtly to passe. Thou shalte not," quod she, "say al onely, `God beforne wote me to be a lover or no lover,' but thus: `God beforne wote me to be a lover without necessyté.' And so it foloweth, whether thou love or not love every of hem is and shal be. But nowe thou seest the impossibylité of the case, and the possibylité of thilke that thou wendest had been impossyble, wherfore the repugnaunce is adnulled." "Ye," quod "and yet do ye not a waye the strength of necessyté whan it is said, through necessyté it is me in love to abyde, or not to love without necessyté, for God beforne wote it. This maner of necessyté, forsothe, semeth to some men into coaction, that is to sayne, constraynyng, or else prohibycion, that is defendynge, wherfore necessyté is me to love of wyl. I understande me to be constrayned by some privy strength to the wyl of lovynge, and if no love, to be defended from the wyl of lovynge, and so thorowe necessyté me semeth to love, for I love; or els not to love, if I not love, wherthrough neyther thanke ne maugre in tho thynges maye I deserve."    "Nowe," quod she, "thou shalte wel understande that often we sayne thynge thorowe necessyté to be that by no strength to be neyther is coarted ne constrayned, and throughe necessyté not to be that with no defendynge is removed. For we sayne it is thorowe necessyté God to be immortal, nought deedlyche, and it is necessyté God to be rightful, but not that any strength of violente 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 thorowe necessyté is thee to be a lover or els none, onely thorowe wyl as God beforne wete, it is nat to understonde that anythyng defendeth or forbit thee thy wyl, whiche shal nat be, or els constrayneth it to be whiche shal be. That same thynge, forsoth, God before wot, whiche He beforn seeth, anythyng commende of onely wyl, that wyl neyther is constrayned ne defended thorowe any other thing. And so thorowe lyberté of arbitrement it is do that is done of wyl. And trewly, my good childe, if these thynges be wel understond, I wene that non inconvenyent shalt thou fynde betwene Goddes forwetyng and lyberté of arbitrement, wherfore I wot wel they may stande togider. Also farthermore, who that understandyng of prescience properlych consydreth, thorowe the same wyse that any thyng be afore wyst is said, for to be commyng it is pro- nounced, 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 anythyng, thorowe necessyté is thilke thyng to be commyng. Al is one if I sey if it shal be, but this necessyté neither constrayneth ne defendeth anythyng to be or nat to be. Therfore, sothly, if love is put to be, it is said of necessyté to be; or els for it is put nat to be, it is affirmed nat to be of necessyté, nat for that necessité constrayneth or defendeth love to be or nat to be. For whan I say if love shal be of necessité it shal be, here foloweth necessyté, the thyng toforne put. It is as moch to say as if it were thus pronounced `that thyng shal be.' None other thyng signifyeth this necessyté but onely thus, that shal be may nat togider be and nat be. Evenlych also it is soth, love was, and is, and shal be nat of necessyté. And nede is to have be al that was, and nedeful is to be al that is, and commyng 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 be present; or els love to be commynge, and love commynge to be commyng: dyversité in settyng of wordes maketh dyversité in understandynge, altho in the same sentence they accorden of signification, right as it is nat al one, love swete to be swete, and love to be swete. For moch love is bytter and sorouful er hertes ben eased, and yet it gladeth thilke sorouful hert on suche love to thynke." "Forsothe," quod I, "outherwhile I have had mokel blysse in hert of love that stoundmele hath me sorily anoyed. And certes, lady, for I se myselfe thus knit with this Margarite peerle as by bonde of your servyce and of no lyberté of wyl, my hert wyl nowe nat acorde this servyce to love. I can demyn in myselfe non otherwise, but thorowe necessité am I constrayned in this service to abyde. But alas. Than if I thorowe nedeful compulsioun maugre me be withholde, lytel thanke for al my great traveil have I than deserved." "Nowe," 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 reasons, both on one syde therof and in the other. Of whiche right sone, I trowe, if thou wolt understonde, thou shalte con yeve the sentence to the partie more probable by reason and in soth knowing, by that I have of this mater maked an ende." "Certes," quod I, "of these thynges longe have I had great luste to be lerned, for yet I wene Goddes wyl and His prescience acordeth with my service in lovynge of this precious Margarite perle, after whom ever in my hert with thurstyng desire weete, I do brenne. Unwastyng I langour and fade, and the day of my desteny in dethe or in joye I unbyde, but yet in th'ende I am comforted be my supposaile in blysse and in joye to determyne after my desyres." "That thyng," quod Love, "hastely to thee neigh, God graunt of His grace and mercy, and this shal be my prayer, tyl thou be lykende in herte at thyne owne wyl. But nowe to enforme thee in this mater," quod this lady, "thou wost where I lefte; that was love to be swete, and love swete to be swete, is nat al one for to say. For a tree is nat alway by necessité white. Somtyme, er it were white, it myght have be nat white, and after tyme it is white it maye be nat white. But a whyte tree evermore nedeful is to be white, for neither toforn ne after it was white myght it be togider white and nat white. Also love, by necessyté, is nat present as nowe in thee, for er it were present it myght have be that it shulde nowe nat have be. And yet it maye be that it shal nat be present, but thy love present, whiche to her, Margarite, thee hath bounde, nedeful is to be present. Trewly, some doyng of action nat by necessyté is commynge, for 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 have 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 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 commyng never is nat commynge, and so ofte the same thynge we sayn of the same, as whan we sayne, `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 necessité, 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,' `necessité,' and `necessary' betoken and signify thyng nedes to be, and it may nat otherwise be, right as this terme `impossible' signifieth that thyng is nat and by no way may it be, than thorowe pert necessité al thyng commyng is commyng, but that is by necessité foloweth with nothyng to be constrayned. Lo, whan that commyng is said of thynge nat alway thyng thorowe necessité is, altho it be commyng. For if I say `tomorowe love is commyng in this Margarites hert,' nat therfore thorow necessité shal the ilke love be. Yet it may be that it shal nat be, altho it were commyng. Neverthelater, somtyme it is soth that somthyng be of necessité that is sayd to come: as if I say tomorowe by commynge the risynge of the sonne. If therfore with necessité I pronounce commyng of thyng to come, in this maner love tomorne commynge in thyne Margarite to thee-warde, by necessité is commynge, or els the risyng of the sonne tomorne commynge through necessité is commynge. Love, sothely, whiche may nat be of necessyté alone folowynge, thorowe necessyté 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 necessité, commynge it is. Arisyng of the sonne thorowe two necessités in commyng, it is to understande that one is to forgoing necessité, whiche maketh thyng to be; therfore it shal be, for nedeful is that it be. Another is folowyng necessité whiche nothyng constrayneth to be, and so by necessyté 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 evermore, thynge to be thorowe necessité commynge. Sothly, thyng commyng maye nat be nat commyng by no way, for it is the same sentence of understandyng; as if we say thus: If God beforn wot anythyng, nedeful is that to be commyng. But yet therfore foloweth nat the prescience of God thyng thorowe necessité to be commyng. For altho God toforn wote al thinges commyng, yet nat therfore He beforn wot every thyng commyng thorowe necessité. Some thinges He beforn wot commyng of fre wyl out of resonable creature." "Certes," quod I, "these termes `nede' and `necessité' have a queynt maner of understandyng. They wolden dullen many mennes wyttes." "Therfore," quod she, "I wol hem openly declare and more clerely than I have toforn er I departe hense."   Chapter IV   "Here of this mater," quod she, "thou shalte understande 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 ever 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 into mannes subjection of wyllynge: as if a man wol love that he love; and if he ne wol love, that he love 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 necessyté to be constrayned or els defended for to wylne, and he wol th'effecte 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 necessité is mannes werke in lovyng that he wol do, altho he wol it not with necessyté." Quod I than, "Howe stante it in love of thilke wyl, sythen men loven willyng of free choyce in herte? Wherfore, if it be thorowe necessyté I praye you lady of an answere this questyon to assoyle." "I wol," quod she, "answere thee blyvely. Right as men wyl not thorowe necessyté, right so is not love of wyl thorowe necessyté, ne thorowe necessyté wrought thilke same wyl. For if he wolde it not with good wyl, it shulde nat have 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. Neverthelater, this is sothe: if a man wol synne, it is necessarye him to synne, but through thilke necessyté nothyng is constrayned ne de- fended in the wyl, right so thilke thynge that fre wyl 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 yeve that it be that he hath in wyl, and that he wol not, voluntarie or 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 necessyté maketh lybertie of wyl whiche that, aforne they weren, they might have ben eschewed and shonned. God than, whiche that knoweth al truthe, and nothynge but truthe, al these thynges as they arne spontanye or necessarie seeth; 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 fre wyl whiche, aforne they weren, might have ben never they shulde be. And yet ben they thorowe a maner necessyté from fre wyl discendeth.    "Hereby maye," quod she, "lightly ben knowe that not al thinges to be is of necessyté, though God have hem in His prescience. For somthynges to be is of lybertie of wyl. And to make thee to have ful knowynge of Goddes beforne-wetyng, here me," quod she, "what I shal say." "Blythly lady," quod I, "me lyst this mater entyrely to understande." "Thou shalte," quod she, "understande that in heven is Goddes beynge; although He be over al by power, yet there is abydinge of devyne persone, in whiche heven is everlastynge presence, withouten any movable tyme. There is nothyng preterit, ne passed; there is nothyng future, ne commyng, but al thynges togider in that place ben present everlastyng, without any mevyng. 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 evermore 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 understandyng. Than if wetyng and before-wetyng of God putteth in necessité to al thynges whiche He wot or before-wot, ne thyng after eternyté or els after any tyme He wol or dothe of lyberté, but al of necessyté, whiche thyng if thou wene it be ayenst reason, nat thorowe necessyté to be or nat to be, al thinge that God wot or before-wot to be or nat to be, and yet nothynge defendeth anythynge 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 understande, than shalt thou fynde it resonable at prove and that many thinges be nat thorowe necessyté, but thorowe lyberté of wyl, save necessyté of free wyl, as I tofore said, and, as me thynketh, al utterly declared." "Me thynketh lady," quod I, "so I shulde you nat displease and evermore your rever- ence to kepe that these thynges contraryen in any understandyng, for ye sayne, somtyme is thorowe lyberté of wyl and also thorowe necessité. Of this have I yet no savour, without better declaration." "What wonder," quod she, "is there in these thynges, sithen al day thou shalte se at thyne eye in many thynges receyven in hemselfe revers, thorow dyvers reasons, as thus: I pray thee," quod she, "which thinges ben more revers than `comen' and `gone?'For if I bydde thee `come to me,' and thou come, after, whan I bydde thee `go' and thou go, thou reversest fro thy first commyng." "That is soth," quod I. "And yet," quod she, "in thy first alone by dyvers reasone was ful reversynge to understande." "As howe?" quod I. "That shal I shewe thee," quod she, "by ensample of thynges that have kyndly movyng. Is there any thyng that meveth more kyndly than doth the hevens eye whiche I clepe the sonne?" "Sothly," quod I, "me semeth it 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 heigheth him in movyng fro thilke place, and higheth mevyng 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 dyversité of reason, revers 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 beleve, somthyng to be thorowe necessyté comminge for it is commyng, and yet with no necessité constrayned to be comming but with necessité that cometh out of free wyl, as I have 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 ordayned of his dying, altho somtyme to us it semeth some man to do a thynge of free wyl, wher-thorowe 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 lyberté or els of necessyté, yet it is sayd to be ordayned at God immovable 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 justifyed and whom He hath justifyed hem He hath magnifyed. This purpose after whiche they ben cleped sayntes or holy in the everlasting present wher is neither tyme passed ne tyme commynge, but ever it is onely present, and nowe as mokel a moment as sevyn thousande wynter. And so ayenwarde withouten any mevyng is nothyng lych temporel presence for thinge that there is ever present. Yet amonges you men, er it be in your presence, it is movable thorowe lyberté of arbytrement. And right as in the everlastyng present no maner thyng was, ne shal be, but onely is, and nowe here in your temporel tyme, somthyng was and is and shal be, but movynge stoundes, and in this is no maner repugnaunce, right so in the everlastynge presence nothyng may be chaunged; and in your temporel tyme otherwhile it is proved movable by lyberté of wyl or it be do withouten any incon- venyence therof to folowe. In your temporel tyme is no suche presence as in the t'other, for your present is done whan passed and to come gynnen entre, whiche tymes here amonges you everych easely foloweth other. But the presence everlastyng dureth in onehed withouten any ymaginable chaungyng, and ever is present and nowe. Trewly, the course of the planettes and overwhelmynges 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 lyves and mutation of people. But right as your temporel presence coveyteth every place, and al thinges in every 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 justifyed, and hath magnified. Me thynketh he shulde have sayde tho wordes in tyme present and that had ben more accordaunt to the everlastyng present than to have spoke in preterit voice of passed understandyng."    "O," quod Love, "by these wordes I se wel thou hast lytel understandyng of the everlastyng 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 atones evenlych at the God ben, and al togider in the everlastyng present be nowe to understandyng. The eternal pres- ence, as I sayd, hath inclose togider in one al tymes in which close and one al thynges that ben in dyvers tymes and in dyvers places temporel, without posteriorité or priorité ben closed therin perpetual nowe and maked to dwel in present sight. But there thou sayest that Poule shulde have spoke thilke forsaid sentence be tyme present, and that most shulde have ben acordaunt to the everlastynge presence, why gabbest thou to thy wordes? Sothly, I say, Poule moved the wordes by signification of tyme passed to shewe fully that thilk wordes were nat put for temporel signification, for at thilk tyme were nat thilke seintes temporallych borne whiche that Poule pronounced God have tofore knowe and have cleped than magnified, wherthorowe it may wel be know that Poule used tho wordes of passed signification for nede and lacke of a worde in mannes bodily spech be tokenynge the everlastyng presence. And therfore in wordes moste semelyche in lykenesse to everlastyng presence he toke his sentence, for thynges that here beforne ben passed utterly be immovable, ilyke to the everlasting presence. As thilke that ben there never 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 more symilytude to the everlastyng 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 eternyté he speketh, in whiche presence is everlastyng sothe and nothyng but sothe immovable, 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 love," quod she, "wol I nowe ensample make, sithen I knowe the heed knotte in that yelke. Lo, somtyme thou wrytest nat, ne arte than in no wyl to write. And right as while thou writest nat or els wolt nat write, it is nat nedeful thee to write or els wylne to write. And for to make thee knowe utterly that thynges ben otherwise in the everlastyng presence than in temporal tyme, se nowe my good childe; for somthyng is in the everlastynge presence, than in temporal tyme it was nat; in eternyté, tyme in eterne presence shal it nat be. Than no reason defendeth that somthynge ne may be in tyme temporal movyng that in eterne is immov- able. Forsothe, it is no more contrary ne revers for to be movable in tyme temporel, and, immovable in eternyté, than nat to be in any tyme and to be alway in eternité and have to be or els to come in tyme temporel, and nat have be ne nought commyng to be in eternyté. Yet neverthelater, I say nat somthyng to be never in tyme temporel that ever is in eternyté, but al onely in somtyme nat to be; for I saye nat thy love to morne in no tyme to be, but today alone I deny ne it to be, and yet, neverthelater it is alwaye in eternyté."    "A so," quod I, "it semeth to me that commyng thyng or els passed here in your temporal tyme to be in eternité ever nowe and present oweth nat to be denied; and yet foloweth nat thylke thynge that was or els shal be, in no maner therto ben passed or els commyng: than utterly shul we deny, for there without ceasyng it is, in his present maner." "O," quod she, "myne own disciple nowe gynnest thou be able to have the name of my servaunt. Thy wytte is clered; away is nowe errour of cloude in unconnyng, awaye is blyndnesse of love, awaye is thoughtful study of medlyng maners. Hastely shalte thou entre into the joye 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 revers ne contrarioustie in tho thynges, right so withouten any repugnaunce, it is sayd somthyng to be movable in tyme temporel afore it be that in eternyté dwelleth immovable, nat afore it be or after that it is, but without cessyng. For right naught is there after tyme; that same is there everlastynge that temporallyche somtyme nys, and toforne it be it maye not be, as I have sayd." "Nowe sothly," quod I, "this have I wel understande, so that nowe me thynketh that prescience of God and fre arbytrement withouten any repugnaunce acorden, and that maketh the strength of eternyté 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 understande sythen that God 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 every 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 yvel doynges of mankynde." Quod Love, "I shal tel thee this lesson to lerne: myne owne trewe servaunt the noble philo- sophical poete in Englissh whiche evermore hym besyeth and travayleth right sore my name to encrease, wherfore al that wyllen me good owe to do him worshyp and rever- ence bothe, trewly, his better ne his pere in schole of my rules coude I never fynde; he," quod she, "in a treatise that he made of my servant 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 nycité of starieres ymagynacion in wytte and in good reason of sentence he passeth al other makers. In the Boke of Troylus the answere to thy questyon mayste thou lerne. Neverthelater, yet may lightly thyne understandynge somdele ben lerned if thou have knowyng of these to fornsayd thinges. With that thou have understandyng 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 yvel he maketh that they ben but naught that they ben bad; for to nothyng is badnesse to be." "I have," 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."   Chapter V      "In this mater toforn declared," quod Love, "I have wel shewed that every man hath fre arbytrement 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 greatnesse sprede to have braunches and blosmes of waxyng frute in grace, of whiche the taste and the savour is endelesse blysse in joy ever to onbyde."    "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 have honysoukels thou leavest the frute of the soure docke. Wherfore, if thou desyre this blysse in parfite joy, 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 thyselfe in so noble a place and utterly lowed in thyn herte the misgoyng of thy first purpose, this setling 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 otherwyse 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 never so lusty desyred."    "Nowe se," quod she, "hou thy wyl shal folowe thy frewil to be grounded contynuelly to abyde. It is thy fre wyl that thou lovest and haste loved and yet shal loven this Margaryte perle, and in thy wyl thou thinkest to holde it. Than is thy wyl knyt in love, 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 love to voyde or els to holde: And thilke arbytrement is in a maner a jugement bytwene desyre and thy herte. And if thou deme to love thy good wyl fayleth, than arte thou worthy no blysse that good wyl shulde deserve. And if thou chose contynuaunce in thy good servyce, than thy good wyl abydeth; nedes blysse folowyng of thy goodwyl must come by strength of thilke jugement. For thy first wyl that taught thyn herte to abyde and halte it from th'eschaunge, with thy reson is ac- corded. Trewly, this maner of wyl thus shal abyde; impossible it were to turne if thy hert be trewe, and if every man dyligently the menynges of his wyl consyder, he shal wel understande that good wyl knyt with reason but in a false herte never is voyded. For power and might of kepyng this good wyl is thorowe lyberté of arbytrement in hert, but goodwil to kepe may not fayle. Eke, than if it fayle it sheweth it selfe that good wyl in kepyng is not there. And thus false wyl that putteth out the good anone constrayneth the herte to accorde in lovynge of thy goodwyl and this acordaunce bytwene false wyl and thyn herte in falsyté ben lykened togyther. Yet a lytel wol I say thee in good wyl thy good wylles to rayse and strength. Take hede to me," quod she, "howe thy wylles thou shalt understande. Right as ye han in your body dyvers membres and fyve sondrie wyttes, everyche aparte to his owne doyng whiche thynges as instrumentes ye usen 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 strengthes whiche he useth as instrumentes to his certayne doynges. Reason is in the soule which he useth thinges to knowe and to prove, and wyl whiche he useth to wylne; and yet is neyther wyl ne reason al the soule, but everych of hem is a thing by himself in the soule. And right as everich hath thus singuler instrumentes by hemselfe they han as wel dyvers aptes and dyvers maner usinges 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 anythinge fervently wylneth, affectuously he wylneth. And thus may wyl by terme of equivocas in thre wayes ben understande: One is instrument of willing; another is affection of this instrument; and the third is use 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 usen whan ye loken. Affection of this instrument is a thyng by whiche ye be drawe desyrously any thyng to wylne in coveytous maner, albeit 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 have. 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 never accordeth to sicknesse ne alway to wake. Right so in a true lovers affection of willyng, instrument is to wylne truthe in his servyce, 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. Use of this instrument, forsothe, is another thing by himselfe, and that have ye not but whan ye be doyng in wylled thing by affecte or instrument of wyl purposed or desyred. And this maner of usage in my servyce wisely nedeth to be ruled from wayters with envye closed, from spekers ful of jangeling wordes, from proude folk and hautayn that lambes and innocentes bothe scornen and dispysen. Thus in doyng varieth the actes of willynge everich from other, and yet ben they cleped wyl, and the name of wyl utterly owen they to have, as instrument of wyl is wyl whan ye turne into 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 usage be left out of doyng, right as ye have sight and reson, and yet alway use ye ne ought to loke thynges with resonnyng to prove. And so is instru- ment of wyl wyl, and yet varyeth he from effecte and using 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 usage and instru- ment slepe. This slepeth whan instrument and us waken: and of suche maner affection, trewly, some man hath more and some man lesse. Certes trewe lovers wenen ever therof to lytel to have. False lovers in lytel wenen have right mokel: Lo, instrument of wyl in false and trewe bothe evenlyche 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. Use of this instrument is wyl, but it taketh his name whan wylned thyng is in doyng. But utterly grace to catche in thy blysse desyred to ben rewarded, thou muste have than affection of wyl at the ful and use whan his tyme asketh wysely to ben governed. Sothly, my discyple, without fervent affection of wil may no man ben saved. This affection of good servyce in good love may not ben grounded without fervent desyre to the thyng in wyl coveyted. But he that never retcheth to have or not to have 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 avayle by no way in to his helpes: Certes, grace and reason thilke affection foloweth. This affection with reason knytte dureth in everyche trewe herte and evermore is encreasyng; no ferdnesse no strength maye it remove whyle truthe in herte abydeth. Sothly, whan falsheed gynneth entre truthe draweth away -- grace and joy both; but than thilke falsheed that trouth hath thus voyded hath unknyt the bonde of understandyng reason bytwene wyl and the herte. And whoso that bonde undothe and unknytteth wyl to be in other purpose than to the first accorde knytteth him with contrarye of reason, and that is unreason. Lo, than wyl and unreson bringeth a man from the blisse of grace, which thyng of pure kynde every 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 affec- tion of wyl to thinges that nowe han brought thee in disease, whiche I have thee counsayled to voyde, and thyn herte discover. And there I made thy wyl to ben chaunged, whiche now thou wenest I argue to witholde and to kepe. Shortly I say the revers 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 unbyde. I say thy wyl in thy first purpose with unreason was closed: Constrewe forthe of the remenante what thee 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 love alone. Than if thou voide love than wevest the bonde that knytteth, and so nedes or els right lightly that other gone a sondre, wherfore thou seest apertly that love 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."   Chapter VI      "Nowe trewly, lady, I have my grounde wel understonde, but what thynge is thilke spire that into a tree shulde wexe? Expowne me that thing what ye therof meane." "That shal I," quod she, "blithly and take good hede to the wordes I thee rede. Contynuaunce in thy good servyce 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 governed shal so hugely springe tyl the fruite of grace is plentuously out sprongen. For althoughe thy wyl be good, yet may not therfore thilk blysse desyred hastely on thee discenden -- it must abyde his sesonable tyme. And so by processe of growyng with thy good traveyle it shal into more and more wexe, tyl it be founde so mighty that wyndes of yvel speche ne scornes of envy make nat the traveyle overthrowe ne frostes of mystrust ne hayles of jelousy right lytel myght have in harmynge of suche springes. Every yonge setlyng lightly with smale stormes is apeyred, but whan it is woxen somdele in gretnesse than han great blastes and wethers but lytel might any disavantage to them for to werche." "Myne owne soverayne lady," quod I, "and welth of myne hert and it were lykyng unto your noble grace therthrough nat to be displeased, I suppose ye erren. Nowe ye maken jelousy envy and distourbour to hem that ben your servauntes. I have lerned ofte toforne this tyme that in every lovers hert great plentie of jelousies greves ben sowe, wherfore me thynketh ye ne ought in no maner accompte thilke thynge among these other welked wyners and venomous serpentes, as envy, mystrust, and yvel speche." "O fole," quod she, "mystrust with foly, with yvel wil medled, engendreth that welked padde. Truely if they were distroyed jelousy undone were for ever, and yet some maner of jelousy I wot wel is ever redy in al the hertes of my trewe servauntes as thus: to be jelous over him selfe lest he be cause of his own disease. This jelousy in ful thought ever shulde be kept for ferdnesse to lese his love by miskepyng thorowe his owne doyng 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 compteth nat a cresse. These jelousies in herte for acceptable qualytees ben demed. These oughten every trewe lover by kynde evermore haven in his mynde tyl fully the grace and blysse of my service be on him discended at wyl. And he that than jelousy catcheth, or els by wenyng of his owne folysshe wylfulnesse mystrusteth, truely with fantasy of venyme he is foule begyled. Yvel wyl hath grounded thilke mater of sorowe in his leude soule, and yet nat for than to every wight shuld me nat trust ne every wight fully mysbeleve: the meane of these thynges owen to be used. Sothly, withouten causeful evydence, mistrust in jelousy shulde nat be wened in no wyse person commenly; suche leude wickednesse shulde me nat fynde. He that is wise and with yvel wil nat be acomered can abyde wel his tyme tyl grace and blisse of his service folowyng have him so mokel eased as his abidynge toforehande hath him dis- eased." "Certes lady," quod I tho, "of som thyng me wondreth sythen thilke blysse so precious is and kyndly good and wel is and worthy in kynde whan it is medled with love and reason as ye toforn have declared. Why, anon as hye one is sprong, why springeth nat the t'other? And anone as the one cometh, why receyveth nat the other? For every thynge that is out of his kyndly place by ful appetite ever 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 unbyde and nedes in that it shulde have 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 receyve, or els kynde of goodnesse worchen nat in hem asthey shulde. Lo be the sonne never so ferre ever it hath his kynde werching in erthe. Great weight on hye onlofte caried stynteth never tyl it come to his restyng place. Waters to the seewarde ever ben they drawing; thing that is lyght blithly wyl nat synke but ever ascendeth and upward draweth. Thus kynde in every 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 have ye sayde yourselfe." "Certes," quod she, "thyne hert sytteth won- der sore this blysse for to have; thyne hert is sore agreved that it tarieth so longe, 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 unbyde. Neverthelater, their commyng togider after kyndes ordynaunce nat sodaynly maye betyde; it muste abyde tyme, as kynde yeveth him leave, 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 otherwhyle with wyl assenteth syngulerly by himselfe there reason fayleth. Traveyle was none; servyce 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 leave though they were nought in norisshynge to mannes kynde serven or els suche as tournen soone unto 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 traveyle. And the ylke herbes that to mennes lyvelode necessarily serven, without whiche goodly in this lyfe creatures mowen nat enduren, and most ben nourisshen to mankynde, without great traveyle, great tylthe, and longe abidynge tyme, comen nat out of the erthe, and yit with seede toforne ordayned suche herbes to make spring and forthe growe. Right so the parfyte blysse, that we have in meanynge of duryng tyme to abyde, may nat come so lyghtly, but with great traveyle and right besy tylth, and yet good seed to be sowe, for ofte the croppe fayleth of badde seede be it never so wel traveyled. And thilke blysse thou spoke of so lightly in commyng, trewly, is nat necessary ne abidynge. And but it the better be stamped and the venomous jeuse out wrongen it is lykely to enpoysonen al tho that therof tasten. Certes, right bytter 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 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 yeve it a name." "Rightfully," quod she, "haste thou demed, and yet love knytte in vertue passeth al the golde in this erthe. Good wyl accordant to reason with no maner properté may be countrevayled. Al the azure in the worlde is nat to accompte in respecte of reason. Love that with good wyl and reason accordeth with non erthly riches may nat ben amended. This yeft hast thou yeven, I know it myselfe, and thy Margarite thilke gift hath receyved, in whiche thynge to rewarde she hath her selfe bounde. But thy gifte, as I said, by no maner riches may be amended; wherfore with thynge that may nat be amended thou shalt of thy Margarites rightwisenesse be rewarded. Right suffred yet never but every good dede somtyme to be yolde. Al wolde thy Margarite with no rewarde thee quyte, right, that never more dieth, thy mede in merit wol purvey. Certes, such sodayne blisse as thou first nempnest ryght wil hem rewarde as thee wel is worthy, and though at thyn eye it semeth the rewarde the desert to passe, right can after sende suche bytternesse evenly it to rewarde. So that sodayne blysse by al wayes 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 lovedest ever thy wyl is ever ther t'abyde and nevermore to chaunge: evenhed of rewarde must ben don by right. Than muste nedes thy grace and this blysse endelesse in joy to unbyde. Evenlyche disese asketh evenlyche joy whiche hastely thou shalt have." "A," quod I, "it suffyseth not than alone good wyl be it never so wel with reson medled but if it be in good servyce longe travayled. And so through servyce shul men come to the joye, and this me thynketh shulde be the wexyng tre of which ye first meved."   Chapter VII      "Very trouth," quod she, "hast thou nowe conceyved of these thinges in thyne hert; hastely shalt thou be able very joye and parfyte blysse to receyve. 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 leve I wel that right soone after I shal atast of the frute that I so long have desyred." "Thou hast herde," quod she, "in what wyse this tre, toforn this have I declared, as in grounde and in stocke of wexyng. First the grounde shulde be thy fre wyl ful in thyne hert, and the stocke (as I sayde) shulde be contynuaunce in good service by long tyme in traveyle tyl it were in greatnesse right wel woxen. And whan this tree suche gretnesse hath caught as I have rehersed, the braunches than that the frute shulde forth bringe speche must they be nedes, in voice of prayer in complayning wise used." "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 even lyke to hel sore hath me assayled, and so ferforth in payne me thronge that I leve my tre is seer and never shal it frute forth bring. Certes, he is greatly eased that dare his prevy mone discover to a true felowe that connyng hath and might wherthrough his pleint in any thynge may ben amended. And mokel more is he joyed that with herte of hardynesse dare complayne to his lady what cares that he suffreth by hope of mercy with grace to be avaunced. Truely, I saye for me sythe I came this Margarit to serve durst I never me discover 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 halve ofte hath me rekened; and nere her goodnesse the more with grace and with mercy medled, whiche passen al desertes, traveyls, and servynges that I in any degre might endite, I wolde wene I shulde be without recover in gettyng of this blysse for ever. Thus have I stylled my disease; thus have I covered my care, that I bren in sorouful anoy as gledes and coles wasten a fyre under deed asshen. Wel the hoter is the fyre that with asshen it is overleyn. Right longe this wo have I suffred." "Lo," quod Love, "howe thou farest. Me thynketh the palasy yvel hath acomered thy wittes; as faste as thou hiest forwarde, anon sodaynly backwarde thou movest. Shal nat yet al thy leudnesse out of thy braynes? Dul ben thy skilful understandinges thy wyl hath thy wyt so a maistred. Wost thou nat wel," quod she, "but every tree in his sesonable tyme of burjonynge shewe his blomes fro within in signe of what frute shulde out of him spring, els the frute for that yere men halte delyvered be the grounde never so good? And though the stocke be mighty at the ful and the braunches seer and no burjons shewe, farwel the gardyner: he may pype with an yve 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 wodelay use as in askyng of thynges that stretchen into shame, for tha myght thou nat spede by no way that I can espy. Vertue wol nat suffre villany out of himselfe to spring. 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 worde be used. `Voice without clere understandyng of sentence,' saith Aristotel, `right nought printeth in hert.' Thy wordes than to abide in hert and clene in ful sentence of trewe menyng platly must thou shewe and ever be obedient her hestes and her wyls to performe and be thou set in suche a wyt to wete by a loke ever more what she meaneth. And he that lyst nat to speke but stylly his disease suffre, what wonder is it tho he come never to his blysse? Who that traveyleth unwist and coveyteth thyng unknowe, unwetyng he shal be quyted and with unknowe thyng rewarded." "Good lady," quod I than, "it hath ofte be sene that wethers and stormes so hugely have fal in burjonyng 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 burjons han good wethers their frutes forthe to bringe. Alas, than after suche stormes howe harde is it to avoyde, tyl efte wedring and 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 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 savoure. In this wyse bothe frute and the tree wasten away togider though mokel besy occupation have 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 serveth 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, fole, have 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 aventure thynketh, he shal never with aventure come to rychesse. So ofte must men on the oke smyte tyl 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 tyl it have thorowe persed it. The even draught of the wyre drawer maketh the wyre to ben even and supple werchynge, and if he stynted in his draught the wyre breaketh a sonder. Every tre wel springeth whan it is wel grounded and not often removed." "What shal this frute be," quod I, "nowe it gynneth rype?" "Grace," quod she, "in parfyte joy to endure and therwith thou begon." "Grace," quod I, "me thynketh I shulde have a rewarde for my longe travayle?" "I shal tel thee," quod she, "retrybucion of thy good wylles to have 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 travayle have no rewarde but thorowe grace and somtyme your selven sayd rightwysnesse evenlyche rewardeth to quyte one benefyte for another." "That is sothe," quod Love, "ever 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 ever thou doest to thyne Margaryte perle of wyl, of love, and of reson thou owest to done it, yet is nothyng els but yeldyng of thy dette in quitynge of thy grace whiche she thee lent whan ye first mette." "I wene," quod I, "right lytle grace to me she delyvered. 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 yeve to another wight to whom that he ought not and whiche that of himselfe nothynge maye have, 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 yever of the garnement. Wherfore I saye thou that were naked of love and of thyselfe non have mightest, it is not to put to thyne owne persone, sythen thy love came thorowe thy Margaryte perle. Ergo, she was yever of the love, althoughe thou it use, and there lent she thee grace thy servyce to begynne. She is worthy the thanke of this grace, for she was the yever. Al the thoughtes, besy doynges, and plesaunce in thy might and in thy wordes that thou canste devyse 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 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 servyce thy dette to quite, and than arte thou able right sone to have grace, wherfore after mede in none halve maist thou loke. Thus thy gynnyng and endyng is but grace alone and in thy good deservynge thy dette thou aquitest. Without grace is nothyng worthe, what so ever thou werche. Thanke thy Margaryte of her great grace that hytherto thee hath gyded, and praye her of contynuaunce forthe in thy werkes herafter and that for no mishappe thy grace overthwartly tourne. Grace glorie and joye is comyng thorowe good folkes desertes, and by gettyng of grace therin shullen ende. And what is more glorie or more joye than wysdome and love in parfyte charité whiche God hath graunted to al tho that wel canne deserve?" And with that this lady al at ones sterte in to myn hert: "here wol I onbyde," quod she, "for ever and never wol I gon hence and I wol kepe thee from medlynge while me lyste here onbyde: thyne entermetyng maners in to stedfastnesse shullen be chaunged."   Chapter VIII      Soberlyche tho threwe I up myn eyen and hugely tho was I astonyed of this sodayne adventure and fayne wolde I have lerned howe vertues shulden ben knowen, in whiche thynges I hope to God hereafter 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 myselfe and revolved the lyves of myne understondynge wyttes. Tho founde I fully al these maters parfytely there written: howe mysse rule by fayned love bothe realmes and cyties hath governed a great throwe; howe lightly me might the fautes espye; howe rules in love shulde ben used; howe somtyme with fayned love foule I was begyled; howe I shulde love have knowe; and howe I shal in love with my servyce procede. Also furthermore I founde of perdurable letters wonderly there graven 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 understandynge soule they shynen. This maye never out of my mynde howe I maye not my love kepe, but thorowe wyllynge in herte: Wylne to love maye I not, but I lovynge have. Love have I none but thorowe grace of this Margarite perle. It is no maner doute that wyl wol not love but for it is lovynge, as wyl wol not rightfully but for it is rightful itselve. Also, wyl is not lovynge, for he wol love, but he wol love for he is lovynge. It is al one to wyl to be lovynge, and lovynges in possessyon to have. Right so wyl wol not love, for of love hath he no partie, and yet I denye not lovynge wyl wylne more love to have whiche that he hath, not whan he wolde more than he hath, but I saye he maye no love wylne if he no love have, through which thilke love he shuld wylne. But to have this lovyng wyl may no man of himselfe, but onely through grace toforne-goyng. Right so maye no man it kepe but by grace-folowynge. Consyder nowe every man aright, and let sene if that any wight of himselfe mowe this lovyng wel get, and he therof first nothynge have, for if it shulde of himselfe spring eyther it muste be wyllyng or not wyllyng. Wyllyng by himselfe may he it not have, sythen him fayleth the mater that shulde it forthe bring. The mater him fayleth. Why? He maye therof have no knowyng tyl whan grace put it in his herte. Thus willyng by himselfe may he it not have, and not wyllyng may he it not have. Pardé, every conseyt of every reasonable creature otherwyse wyl not graunt: Wyl in affyrmatife with not wyllyng by no way mowe acorde. And although this lovyng 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 fre wyl as grace of that Margaryte to me leaned. For neyther might I without grace toforn-goyng and afterwarde-folowyng thilke grace get ne kepe, and lese shal I it never but if fre wyl 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 fre wyl that leseth his grace. In whiche thing, therfore, upon the nobley of grace I mote trusten, and my besy cure set thilke grace to kepe that my fre wyl otherwyse than by reason it shulde werche cause not my grace to voyde. For thus must I bothe loke to fre wyl and to grace. For right as naturel usage 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 fre wyl accorden, and without hem bothe maye not lovynge wyl in no partie ben getten. But yet is not fre wyl in gettynge of that thyng so mokel thankeworthy as is grace, ne in the kepynge therof so moche thanke deserveth, and yet in gettynge and kepyng bothe done they accorde. Trewly, oftentyme grace fre wyl helpeth in fordoynge of contrarye thinges that to wyllynge love not accorden and strength wyl adversytees to withsytte, wherfore al togyther to grace oweth to ben accepted that my wulyng deserveth. Fre wyl to lovyng in this wyse is accorded. I remembre me wel howe al this booke (whoso hede taketh) consydereth al thynges to werchynges of mankynde evenly accordeth, as in turnyng of this worde `love' into `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 saved, of whiche thyng al this booke mencion hath maked in every poynte -- therof grace oweth to be thanked. Wherfore, I saye every wight havynge this rightwysnesse rightful is, and yet therfore I fele not in my conscience that to al rightful is behoten the blysse everlastynge, but to hem that ben rightful withouten any unrightfulnesse. Some man after some degree maye rightfully ben accompted as chaste men in lyvyng, and yet ben they janglers and ful of envy pressed. To hem shal this blysse never ben delyvered. 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 blysse shal ben folowed but he be rightful and with unrightfulnesse not bounde and in that degree fully be knowe. This rightfulnesse, in as moche as in himselfe is, of none yvel 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 pre- cious 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 savour in swetenesse to God almighty, but that to some folkes they weren savour of dethe into deedly ende. That come not of the sayntes rightwysnesse, but of other wycked mennes badnesse hath proceded. Trewly, the ilke wyl whiche that the Lady of Love me lerned `affectyon of wyl' to nempne, whiche is in wyllyng of profytable thynges, yvel is it not but whan to flesshly lustes it consenteth ayenst reason of soule. But that this thynge more clerely be understand it is for to knowe whence and howe thylke wyl is so vycious and so redye yvel dedes to perfourme. Grace at the gynnynge ordeyned thilke wyl in goodnesse ever to have endured and never to badnesse have assented. Men shulde not byleve that God thilke wyl maked to be vycious. Our firste father as Adam and Eve, 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 into man first assented, I holde it profytable to shewe. But if the first condycion of reason- able 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 himselfe 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 every man hath not thilke blysse in whom the wyl therof is abydynge. In this blysse after every understandynge is suffysaunce of covenable comodytees without any maner nede, whether it be blysse of aungels or els thilke that grace first in paradise suffred Adam to have. 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 have, right so nothynge defended Adam in paradyse to ben blessed without al maner nede. Althoughe aungels blysse be moche more, forsothe it foloweth not lasse than another to have, therfore hym nedeth, but for to wante a thynge whiche that behoveth to ben had, that maye nede ben cleped and that was not in Adam at the first gynnyng. God and the Margaryte weten what I meane. Forsothe, where as is nede, there is wretchydnesse. God without cause toforngoyng made not reasonable creature wretched, for hym to understande and love 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 itselve, and lybertie of arbytrement, that is fre wyl with whiche thilke rightfulnesse may he kepe and lese. So and in that wyse God ordayned thylke two that wyl, whiche that instrument is cleaped, as here toforne mencion is maked, shulde use thilke rightfulnesse by teachyng of his soule to good maner of governaunce in thought and in wordes, and that it shulde use the blysse in obedyent maner, withouten any incommodyté. Blysse, forsothe, into mannes profyte and rightwysnesse into his worshyp God delyvered at ones. But rightfulnesse so was yeven that man might it lese, whiche if he not loste had not, but contynuelly have it kepte, he shulde have deserved the avauncement into the felowshyppe of angels; in whiche thyng, if he that loste, never by himselfe forwarde shulde he it mowe ayenwarde recover, and as wel the blysse that he was in, as aungels blysse that to himwardes was comyng, shulde be nome at ones, and he deprived of hem bothe. And thus fyl man unto lykenesse of unreasonable bestes, and with hem to corrupcion and unlusty apetytes was he under 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 weyved rightfulnesse, loste hath he his blysse, but fayle of his desyre in his owne comodyté may he not; and where comodytes to his reasonable nature whiche he hath loste may he not have, to false lustes whiche ben bestyal appetytes he is turned. Folye of unconnyng hath him begyled in wenyng that thilke ben the comoditees that owen to ben desyred. This affection of wyl by lyberté of arbitrement is enduced to wylne thus thing that he shulde not, and so is wyl not maked yvel but unrightful by absence of rightfulnesse, whiche thing by reason ever shulde he have. And frenesse of arbytrement may he not wylne whan he it not haveth, for whyle he it had thilke halpe it not to kepe, so that without grace may it not ben recovered. Wyl of commodyté, inasmoche as unrightful it is maked by wyllynge of yvel 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 fre wyl to unlusty affection ful servaunt is maked, for unrightfulnesse maye he not releve; and without rightfulnesse ful fredome may it never have. For kyndly lybertie of arbytrement without it veyne and ydel is, forsothe. Wherfore, yet I say as often have 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 ever he wylneth with out rightfulnesse unrightfully he it wylneth. These than unrightful appetytes and unthrifty lustes which 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 their beyng in no waye shulde ben suffred. In unreasonable beestes neyther ben they yvel ne unrightful for there is their kynde beyng.   Chapter IX   Knowen may it wel ben nowe of these thynges toforne declared that man hath not alway thilke rightfulnesse which by duté of right evermore haven he shulde, and by no way by himselfe may he it get ne kepe. And after he it hath, if he it lese, recover shal he it never without especial grace. Wherfore the comune sentence of the people in opinyon that every thynge after destenye is ruled false and wicked is to byleve. For thoughe predestynacion be as wel of good as of badde, sythen that it is sayde God badnesse made, whiche He never ne wrought, but for He suffreth hem to be maked as that He hardeth whan he naught missaythe, or ledde into temptacion whan He not delyvereth. Wherfore, it is none inconvenyent if in that maner be sayd God toforne have destenyed bothe badde and her badde werkes whan hem ne their yvel dedes neyther amendeth ne therto hem grace leneth. 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 Love hath me lerned, whoso aright in this booke loketh. And utterly 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 Love 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 before-wetyng and free choyce of wyl mowe stonden togyther, me thynketh the same reason me leadeth that destenye and fre wyl 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, fre wyl 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 necessyté fal, and other wyse might it not betyde.' Trewly, neyther he that the wronge wrought ne he that himselfe venged, none of thilke thinges thorowe necessyté wrought. For if that with fre wyl there had it not wylled, neyther had wrought that he perfourmed. And so utterly grace that fre wyl in goodnesse bringeth and kepeth and fro badnesse it tourneth, in al thynge moste thanke deserveth. This grace maketh seyntes in vertue to abyde, wherfore in body and in soule in ful plentie of connynge after their good deservyng in the everlastynge joy, after the day of dome shul they endelesse dwel, and they shul ben lerned in that kyngdome with so mokel affecte of love and of grace that the leste joye shal of the greatest in glorie rejoyce and ben gladded as if he the same joye had. What wonder? syth God is the greatest love and the grettest wisdom in hem shal he be, and they in God. Nowe than whan al false folke be ashamed which wenen al bestyalté and erthly thing be swetter and better to the body than hevenly is to the soule, this is the grace and the frute that I long have desyred: it dothe me good the savour to smel. Christ now to Thee I crye of mercy and of grace and graunt of Thy goodnes to every maner reder ful understandyng in this leude pamflet to have, and let no man wene other cause in this werke than is verily the soth. For envy is ever redy al innocentes to shende; wherfore, I wolde that good speche envy evermore 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 purvay th'ende. How shuld I than so leude aught wene of perfection any ende to get? Neverthelater, grace, glorie, and laude I yelde and put with worshipful reverences to the sothfast God in thre, with unité closed whiche that the hevy langour of my sicknesse hath turned into myrth of helth to recover. For right as I was sorowed thorow the gloton cloud of manyfolde sickly sorow, so mirth of ayen- comyng helth hath me gladed and gretly comforted. I beseche and pray, therfore, and I crye on Goddes gret pyté 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 privy thinges wimpled and folde. Unneth shul leude men the plites unwinde, wherfore I pray to the Holygost He lene of His oyntmentes mens wittes to clere, and for Goddes love no man wonder why or how this question come to my mynde, for my great lusty desyre was of 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 myselfe that mokel more lernynge yet me behoveth. I have made therfore as I coude, but not suffyciently as I wolde, and as mater yave me sentence, for my dul wytte is hyndred by stepmother of foryetyng and with cloude of unconnyng 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 coveyte and pray a good booke amender in correction of wordes and of sentence. And onely this mede I coveyte for my travayle, that every inseer and herer of this leude fantasye devoute horisons and prayers to God the great juge yelden, and prayen for me in that wyse that in His dome my synnes mowe ben released and foryeven. He that prayeth for other, for himselfe travayleth. Also I praye that every man parfytly mowe knowe thorowe what intencion of herte this treatyse have 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 neverthelater, Christ it signyfyed. Ryght so a jewel 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 yeveth lyfe; the flesshe of nothyng it profyteth. Flesshe is flesshly understandynge; flessh without grace and love naught is worth. The letter sleeth, the spyrit yeveth lyfelych understandyng. Charyté is love, and love is charyté. God graunt us al therin to be frended. And thus the Testament of Love is ended.   Thus endeth the Testament of Love