English prose treatises of Richard Rolle de Hampole / edited from Robert Thornton's ms. in the Library of Lincoln Cathedral by George G. Perry.

I.

[Thornton MS., Lincoln Cathedral Library, leaf 192.]

Of the Vertuȝ of the Haly Name of Ihesu.

Ricardus herimita super versiculo 'Oleum effusum nomen tuum'; in Cantic̄. [I. 3], &c̄.

That es on Inglysce 'Oyle owt-ȝettede es thi name'. The ['Oil poured forth' is, Iesu, thy name.] [ 4] name of Ihesu commys in-to the worlde, and als sone it smellys Oyle out-ȝetted. Oyle, it es takyn̄, for ay-lastande saluacyone es hopede. Sothely Ihesu es als mekyłł to be mene als saueoure or helefułł [helpful.] . Thare-fore what [qwat.] menys it, 'Oyle owt-ȝettide es [ 8] thy nam,' Bot Ihesu es thy name? This name es Oyle owte-ȝettyd, For Ihesu, the Worde of God, has tane [taken.] manes kynde. [By 'poured out' is meant the Incarna∣tion.] Ihesu, thow fulfillis in warke that thow es called [þat at þou art cald.] in name, Sothely sauys [þou] man, þat wham [Sothly man sauys þou qwam.] we calle saueoure, Thare∣fore [ 12] [Iesu is Savi∣our.] Ihesu es thy name. A! A! that wondyrfułł name! A! that delittabyłł name! This es the name þat es abown̄ ałł names; [This is the highest and most blessed of names.] name althirhegeste, witħowtten̄ whilke no [qwilk na.] man hopes hele. [þis name es swete & Ioyful, gyfand sothfast comforth vnto mans hert, Sothle þo name of ihesu es in my mynde joyus sang, in myn ere heuenly sounde.] This name es in myn̄ ere heuenly sowne [þis name es swete & Ioyful, gyfand sothfast comforth vnto mans hert, Sothle þo name of ihesu es in my mynde joyus sang, in myn ere heuenly sounde.] , in my mouthe hony∣fułł [ 16] swetnes. Whare-fore [qwarfor.] , na wondire þofe [If.] I luf þat name, the whylke [qwilk.] gyffes comforthe to me in ałł Angwys. I can noghte pray, I cane noghte hafe mynde, Bot sownnande the [þo.] nam of Ihesu. I sauyre noghte Ioye that with Ihesu es noghte mengede. [ 20] Whare-so [qwar-so, &c.] I be, Whare-so I sytt, What-so I doo, the mynd of [This name will I ever cherish and love.] the sauoyre of the name Ihesu [þo mynd of þo name of ihesu.] departis noghte fra my mynde. I haf sett my mynde, I haf sett it als takynnynge appone myn̄ [The readings in the foot-notes are from a MS. of the Treatise in the Harleian Collection, No. 1022, leaf 62, with initial qw for Thornton's wh.]

arme [I haue set it as a takenynge opon my hert. als takenynge apon myn Arme.] , for luf es strange als dede. Als ded slaas ałł, Swa lufe ouer-comes ałł. Ay-lastande lufe has ouer-comemyn̄ [ouercomen.] me, noghte [My love to it is so strong that it causes me to faint.] for to sla me, bot for to qwykkyn me. Bot it has wondyde me, For it sulde leche me. It has thurghe-fychede my herte, þat [ 4] merghlyere it be helyde. And now ouer-comen̄ I fayle. Vn∣nethes I lyfe for Joye. Nerehand I dye; For I suffyce [I suffice noghte in þis febul flesche for to bere so flowand swetnes of so mykel a mageste, þer skrythes in-to my mynde delyciost swetnes.] noghte in delycyouseste swettnes, And ay to be dronkenede. It falles the flesche may noghte of his vertu noghte defaile ay whils þe [qwylis þo.] saule [ 8] in swylk Ioyes is rauyste for to Ioye. Bot when̄ vn-to me [Iesu is the source of all my joy.] swylke Ioye, bot for Ihesu? The nam̄ of Ihesu has taughte me [Lf. 192 back.] for to synge, and has lyghtenede my mynde with the hete of vn-made lyghte. Thare-fore I syghe, and crye 'Wha [swa.] sałł schewe [ 12] to [vnto.] þe lufede Ihesu, þat I langwys for lufe?' My flesche has faylede, and my herte meltes [has meltyd.] in lufe, ȝarenande Ihesu. Ałł þe herte festenede in þe ȝernynge of Ihesu es turned in-to þe fyre of lufe; & with þe swettnes of þe Godhede fullyly es it fillide. Thare∣fore, [ 16] [Have mercy then upon me O Iesu!] A gude Ihesu, hafe mercy of þis wreche! schewe þe to þis [þo.] languessande! be þou leche vn-to þis woundyde! If þou come, I am hale, I fele me noghte seke, bot langwyssande for þi lufe; late my saule takande, sekande þe, Ihesu, whaym [qwam, qwas.] it lufes, with [ 20] whas [qwam, qwas.] lufe it es takyn̄, whaym [qwam, qwas.] anely it couaytes. Sothely þe mynd towchede with þe soueraynge swettnes, and es for to waxe hate in the lufe of þe makare, qwhyls it enforthis [enforces.] for to halde [Great is the power of that sweet name.] besyly in it the swetteste name of Ihesu. Sothely fra thythen̄ [ 24] Inryses [ryses.] a gret lufe; and what thynge þat it trewely towches, it rauesche [rauysches.] it vtterly to it. It in̄flawmes þe affeccyone, it byndis þe thoghte, ȝa, & ałł þe name [man.] it drawes to þe serues [seruys.] of it. Sothely, Ihesu, desederabiłł es thi name, lufabyłł and comfort∣abyłł. [ 28] [It gives the highest and purest joy.] [nane so delitabul solace may be had in mynde.] Nane swa swete Ioye may be consaveuede. Nane swa swete sange may be herde. Nane swa swete & delytabyłł solace

may be hade in mynde. Thare-fore, what-so-euer þou bee þat [Therefore whoever would serve God should ever have it in mind.] redies the for to lufe Gode, if þou wiłł nowthire be dyssayuede ne dyssayue, if þou wyłł be wysse and noghte vnwysse, if þou will stande & noghte fałł, haue in mynde besely for to halde þe [ 4] name of Ihesu in þi mynde; and þane thyn̄ Enemy sałł fałł and þou sałł stande, Thyne Enemye sałł be made wayke, þou sałł be made strange. And if þou wiłł lelely doo this [do lele þis.] , ferre fra drede [synne.] , þou sałł be gloryus and lowuabyłł [alowabul.] ouercommere. Seke þer-fore [ 8] the name of Ihesu, and halde it, and for-gette it noghte. Sothely [How infi∣nitely great are its powers.] na thynge slokynns sa fełł flawmes, dystroyes iłł [alle ille.] thoghtes, puttes owte venemous affeccyons, dos a-waye coryous & vayne Ocupa∣cyons fra vs. This [Also this.] name Ihesu, lelely haldyn̄ in mynde, drawes [ 12] by þe rote vyces, settys vertus, Inlawes [insawes.] charytee, In-ȝettis [ȝettes.] sauoure of heuenely thynges, wastys discorde, reformes pese, Gyffes Inlastande ryste, Dose awaye greuesnes of fleschely desyris, turnes ałł Erthely thynge to noye, fyllys þe luffande of gastely [ 16] Ioye. So þat wele it may be saide, 'Et gloriabuntur [[MS. gloria∣bitur.]] Omnes qui deligunt nomen tuum, quoniam tu benedices Iusto,' That es, [[Latin in red.] 'Ałł sałł Ioye, þat lufes þi name, for þou sałł blysse [MS. repeats 'þe name for þou sałł blysse.'] þe ryghtwyse.' [All shall have joy that love that name.] Thare-fore þe ryghtewyse has dysseruede to be blyssede, if þe [ 20] name of Ihesu trewly he hase luffede; And þare-fore es [eshe.] cald ryghtwyse, For he Enforssede hym trewly to lufe Ihesu. Whare∣fore, what [þerfor qwat.] may de-faile vn-to hym þat couaytes vn-cessandly for to lufe þe name of Ihesu? Sothely he lufes, and he ȝarnes for to [The more one loves the more one desires to love.] [ 24] lufe, For we haue knawen̄ þat þe lufe of Gode standis in swylke manere þat, In als mekyłł als we may [mare.] lufe, þe mare vs langes for to lufe. For-why [for qwy.] it es saide 'Qui edunt me adhuc esurient [esuriunt.] , et [[Latin in red letters.]] qui bibunt me adhuc sciciunt [siciunt. And huc is added in margin of Thn. MS., and the Latin verse is repeated at the foot, with 'in Euangelio' added.] ?' þat es to say, 'that [þei þat.] ettys me, [ 28] ȝitt hungres thaym; and þay þat drynkes [Leaf 193.] me, ȝitt thristis thaym [thrist þei.] .' Thare-fore, beit-selfe, delitabiłł & couaytabiłł es þe name of Ihesu, and þe lufe of it. Thare-fore Ioy sałł noghte faile [want.] vn-to

hym þat couaytes besyly for to lufe hym in whaym Angełłs [Angels desire to look into the virtues of this name.] ȝernys for to be-halde. Angełłs euer sese, & euer þay ȝerne for to see; and swa are þay fild, þat [of.] þaire fillynge duse noghte awaye þaire desyre, [þat þeir desire do.] and so þayre desyre duse [þat þeir desire do.] noghte awaye [ 4] þaire fillynge. This es full Ioye, This es Endles [endynge.] Ioye, This es [This is infi∣nite joy.] glorious Ioye, þe whylke þe fylde vses [qwilk þe fyld vysibul Ioyes.] lastandly with-owtten̄ noye; & if we vse [vise.] it, we sałł be fyllyde euer withowttyn̄ lessynge. Thare-fore, Ihesu, ałł sałł Ioye þat lufes thi name. [ 8] Sothely þay sałł Ioye nowe, be in-ȝettynge of grace, and in tym to come be syghte of Ioye, and thare-fore þay sałł Ioye [for þei luf þi name. Sothly warn̄ þei lufd þei myghte not Ioy: & þei þat lufs mare sal Ioy: for qwi Ioy cummes of luf.] , For why Ioy comes of lufe. [for þei luf þi name. Sothly warn̄ þei lufd þei myghte not Ioy: & þei þat lufs mare sal Ioy: for qwi Ioy cummes of luf.] . Thare-fore, he þat luffes noghte, he sałł euer [He that loves not cannot have joy.] mare be with-owttyn̄ Ioye. Thare-fore many wreches of þe [ 12] worlde, trowande þam̄ to Ioye with Criste, sałł sorowe with∣owttyn̄ ende. And why [& þat.] ? For thay lufede noghte þe name of Ihesu. [þei.] What so ȝe doo, if ȝe gyfe ałł þat ȝe hafe vn-to þe nedy, bot ȝe lufe þe name of Ihesu [þei.] , ȝe trauelle in vayne. Ałł [ 16] [His name must be our delight in this life.] anely þay may Ioye in Ihesu þat lufes hym in þis lyfe; and thay þat files [fylles.] þam̄ with vices & venemous delittes, Na drede þat ne [þat þei are.] þay ere putt owte of Ioye. Also with ałł [witte alle.] þat þe name of Ihesu es helefułł, fruytfułł & glorious. Þare-fore wha [qwo.] sałł haue hele [ 20] þat lufes it noghte, or wha [qwa.] sałł bere þe frwyte be-fore Criste þat has noghte the floure; and Ioye sałł he noghte see That, Ioyeande luffede noghte þe name of Ihesu. The wykkyde sałł be don̄ a-waye, þat he see noghte þe Ioye of God. Sothely þe ryghtwyse [ 24] sekys þe Ioye and þe lufe, and þay [may.] fynd it in Ihesu, whaym̄ [qwam.] þay [The way to find Jesus is] luffede. I ȝede abowte be couaytyse [about couaytys.] of reches, and I fande noghte Ihesu. I rane [be [ran be þo wantones.] ] the wanntonnes of flesche, and I fand [Exemplum, Exempla & cetera.] noghte Ihesu. I satt in companyes of worldly myrthe, and I [ 28] fand noghte Ihesu. In ałł thire I soghte Ihesu, bot I fand hym noghte, For he lett me wyete by his grace þat he ne es funden̄ in þe lande of softly lyfande. Thare-fore I turnede by anothire waye, and I rane a-bowte be pouerte, and I fande Ihesu, pure [pore.] [ 32] [in poverty and penance.]

borne in þe worlde, laid in a crybe and lappid in clathis. I ȝode by sufferynge of werynes [scharpenesse.] , and I fand Ihesu wery in þe way, tur∣ment with hu[n]gyre [hungur.] , thriste & calde, fild with repreues & blames. I satt by myn̄ ane, Fleande þe vanytes of þe worlde, and I fande [I fled the world's vani∣ties, and found Jesus in the desert.] [ 4] Ihesu in deserte, fastande in þe monte, anely prayande. I ran̄ by þe payne of [&.] penaunce, and I fand Ihesu bownden̄, scourgede, Gyffen̄ galle to drynke, naylede to þe Crosse, hyngande in þe Crosse and dyeand in þe Crosse. Thare-fore Ihesu es noghte [ 8] funden̄ in reches, bot in pouerte; noghte in delytes, bot in penance; noghte in wanton̄ Ioyeynge, bot in bytter gretynge [bot gretynge.] ; noghte emange many, bot in anelynes [in alones.] . Sothely ane euyłł [iłł.] mane [The wicked cannot find Him nor know Him.] fyndis noghte Ihesu, for, þare he es, he sekes hym noghte. He [ 12] enforces hym̄ to seke Ihesu in þe Ioy of þe worlde, whare [qware.] neuer he sałł be funden̄. Sothely thare-fore þe nam of Ihesu es hele∣fułł [helpful.] , [All that de∣sire salvation must love His name.] & nedys by-houys be lufed of ałł couaytande saluacyone. He couaytes wele hys [Lf. 193 bk.] saluacyone þat kepis besyly in hym þe [Nota hunc istum passum.] [ 16] name of Ihesu. Sothely I haue na wondyr if þe [he.] temptid fałł þat puttes noghte þe name of Ihesu in lastande mynde. Sekerly may he or scho chese [he chese.] to lyfe anely, þat has chosen̄ þe name of Ihesu to thaire [hys.] specyalle, For thare may na [ne.] wykked spyritte noye, þare [ 20] Ihesu es mekyłł in mynde or is neuennyd [neuend.] in mouthe [þer for it is to hald in my bysele þo name of ihesu.] , &c.

Explicit.