PROLOGUE OF RICHARD MISYN
For the honour of our Lord Jesu Christ, at
the asking of thy desire, Sister Margaret, coveting[16] to make satisfaction, and for increase also of ghostly
comfort, to thee and more, that understand not curiosity[17] of Latin, I, among lettered men simplest and in living
unthriftiest, have taken this work to translate from Latin into English for the
edification of many souls. And since it is so that all good pleasure and
ghostly life of man's soul stands in perfect love, therefore this holy man,
Richard Hampole, has named his book Incendium Amoris, that is to say
"The Fire of Love." The which book I think to change neither in meaning nor
substance, but truly to write it in good exposition after mine
understanding.
Therefore I pray all readers hereof, if your
discretion find aught thankworthy, to God give the praise thereof and to this
holy man; and if any thing be mis-said, to my ignorance ascribe it.
Nevertheless I make protestation to reform, with intent to write or say nothing
against the faith or determination of holy kirk, God being witness.
Furthermore, sister, have in mind the mortality
of this life, and always in thy hand some holy lesson keep. For if thou keepest
holiness thou shalt not love fleshly sins; and holiness, wherein it stands, I
said before, in perfect love.
But perfect love, what may that be? Certain, when
thy God, as thou oughtest, for Himself thou lovest; thy friend in God; and
thine enemy thou lovest for God. For neither God without thy neighbour, nor
they neighbour without God, is truly loved. Perfect love therefore stands in
love of God and of thy neighbour; and love of God in keeping of His
commandments.
Keep, therefore, His commandments, and when thou
enterest thy prayers or contemplation, all worldly things altogether forsake;
forget the care of all outward things, and to God only take heed. If thou find
any doubts call to thee sad[18] counsel, for
dread thou arrest; especially in such things as touch the twelve articles of
thy faith; also of the Holy Trinity, and divers others as in this holy book
following is wisely written to our learning.
PROLOGUE OF RICHARD ROLLE
More have I marvelled than I showed when,
forsooth, I first felt my heart wax warm, truly, and not in imagination, but as
if it were burned with sensible fire. I was forsooth amazed as the burning in
my soul burst up, and of an unwont solace; ofttimes, because of my ignorance of
such healthful abundance, I have groped my breast seeking whether this burning
were from any bodily cause outwardly. But when I knew that it was only kindled
inwardly from a ghostly cause, and that this burning was nought of fleshly love
or concupiscence, in this I conceived it was the gift of my Maker. Gladly
therefore I am molten into the desire of greater delight and ghostly sweetness;
the which, with that ghostly flame, has pithily[19] comforted my mind.
First truly before this comfortable heat, and
sweetest in all devotion, was shed in me, I plainly trowed such heat could
happen to no man in this exile: for truly so it enflames the soul as if the
element of fire were burning there. Nevertheless, as some say, there are some,
burning in the love of Christ, because they see them despising this world, and
with busyness given only to the service of God. But as it were if thy finger
were put into the fire it should be clad with sensible burning, so, as
beforesaid, the soul set afire with love, truly feels most very heat; but
sometimes more and more intense, and sometimes less, as the frailty of the
flesh suffers.
O who is there in mortal body that all this life
may suffer this great heat in its high degree, `or may bear for long its
continual existence? Truly it behoves him fail for sweetness and greatness of
desire after so high an outward love; and no marvel though many, passing out of
this world, full greedily would catch it and yearn after it with full hot
desire; so that unto this honey-sweet flame with wonderful gifts of mind he
might yield his soul, and so be taken, and forthwith enter the companies of
them that sing praises to their Creator withouten end.
But some things happen contrary to charity; for
filth of the flesh creeps up tempting restful minds; bodily need also and the
frail affections of man, imprinted with the anguish of this wretched exile,
sometimes lessen this heat, and the flame which under a figure I called fire,
because it burns and lightens, they hinder and heavy.[20] And yet truly they take not fully away that which may not
be taken away, for it has umbelapped[21] all
my heart. But this most happy heat, sometimes absent on account of such things,
appears again; and I, as it were abiding grievously cold, think myself desolate
until the time it come again, whiles I have not, as I was wont, that feeling of
ghostly fire which applies itself gladly to all parts of the body and soul, and
in the which they know themselves secure.
And, moreover, sleep gainstands me as an enemy;
for no time heavies me to lose save that in which, constrained, I yield to
sleeping. Waking truly I am busy to warm my soul, thirled[22] as it were with cold, the which, when settled in
devotion, I know well is set on fire, and with full great desire is lifted
above all earthly things.
Truly affluence of this everlasting love comes
not to me in idleness, nor might I feel this ghostly heat while I was weary
bodily for travel, or truly unmannerly[23]
occupied with worldly mirth, or else given without measure to disputation; but
I have felt myself truly in such things wax cold, until, putting aback all
things in which I might outwardly be occupied, I have striven to be only in the
sight of my Saviour and to dwell in full inward burning.
Wherefore I offer this book to be seen: not to
philosophers nor wise men of this world, nor to great divines lapped in
infinite questions, but unto the boisterous[24] and untaught, more busy to learn to love God than to know
many things; for truly not disputing but working is to be known and loved. For
I trow these things here contained may not be understood of these
questionaries; in all science most high in wisdom but in the love of God most
low.
Therefore to them I have not written, except, all
things forgetting and putting aback that are longing to this world, they love
to be given only to the desires of our Maker. First truly they must flee all
earthly dignity, and hate all pride of knowledge and vainglory, and at the
last, conforming themselves to highest poverty, meditating and praying, they be
constantly given to the love of God.
Thus no marvel the fire within of unwrought
charity shall appear to them; and dressing their hearts to receive the heat
with which all darkness is consumed, it will lift them up into that most lovely
and merry burning, so that they shall pass temporal things and hold for
themselves the seat of endless rest. The more knowledge they have, truly the
more they are able to love rightly, if they be glad to be despised of others,
and gladly despise themselves.
And since I here stir all manner of folk to love,
and am busy to show the hottest and supernatural desire of love, this book
shall bear the name: "Burning of Love."
THE FIRE OF LOVE
[16] desiring
[17] skill
[18] serious or wise.
[19] to the core
[20] grieve
[21] enwrapped
[22] pierced
[23] immoderately
[24] ignorant or simple