The ije. reule is this: If a man wole encrese his gode affecciouns anentis his absent freend, whilis he mai not haue the same freend visibili present, it is profitable to him that he ymagine thilk freend to be with him present bodili. This is euydentli trewe bi assay of experience to alle hem whiche ȝeuen hem wijsly to the bisynes of contemplacioun, namelich in the bigynnyng of her contemplatijf lijf. Wherfore this reule is trewe.
Also thus: If the freend were bodili visibili pre|sent, thilk presence were best forto gendre the seid affeccioun. Wherfore the other next present being of his freend, which is next aftir his bodili present visible being, is the next grettist meene aftir his bodili visible presence into the gendring of the seid affeccioun. And thanne ferther thus: But so it is, that thilk present beyng of the freend, grettist aftir his bodili visible presence, is his presence in ymagi|nacioun. Wherfore this present ije. reule is trewe: That it is ful profitable into gendring of affecciouns upon the absent freend, that the desirer of the affec|cioun haue ymaginacioun that thilk freend is in [The preposition in (occurring at the end of the line in the MS.) is joined by a hyphen to its sub|stantive, thus showing that in|stances of apparent junction of prepositions to their substantives are not purely accidental.] bodili maner present.
The iije. reule is this: It is esier forto ymagyne a thing absent to be present in an other thing lijk therto, than withoute eny other thing lijk therto. Forwhi euery thing lijk to an othir thing bringith into ymaginacioun and into mynde better and liȝtir and esier the thing to him lijk, than the thing to him lasse lijk or vnlijk. And herfore it is that miche esier men schulen ymagine the dai of Cristis birthe to be present in the dai as lijk therto markid in the
