Here begynneth the boke called the Pype, or tonne, of the lyfe of perfection The reason or cause wherof dothe playnely appere in the processe.

YEt whā I had thus finished my mater: I was required (bycause I had made mencion of the ∷ ∷ two lyues called actiue / and cōtemplatiue) I shuld shewe forther vnto the vnlerned people what is ment by those termes / actiue / & contēplatiue / & to shewe some example of both. And I answered the trouthe / that the request dyd passe myne vnderstan¦dyng or felyng. I myght {per}aduenture gesse therat / and do (accordyng vnto the cōmune prouerbe) as y^e blynde man doth cast his staffe. Wherfore I wyll nat take vpon me to make any worke / or treatyse of that mater / natwithstādyng I am content to shewe my pore mynde as vnto the vnderstandyng of the termes. This terme actiue: is as moche to say ī en∣glyshe / as ap{per}teynyng / or bylongyng vnto an acte dede / or worke / or vnto actes / ded{is} / or workes / done or wroght outwardly vnto the knowelege of out∣warde persones. And the {per}sones y^t done vse suche workes or ded{is}: ben called actiue {per}sones. And the lyfe or state & maner of lyuyng / of thē y^t (for y^e moste parte) ben occupied in suche maner of ac••es / dedes / or workes: is called a lyfe actiue. And vnto this lyfe done apperteyne and bylonge: the preceptes and cō¦maundementes of god specially of the secōde table. And the cōmaundementes also of the newe lawe of

Christe and of the churche / and the .vii. workes of mercy / with other good ded{is} or work{is} done in clene lyfe. For the workes of synne: ben deed / and the lyfe of theyr workers: is nat worthy the name of lyf / but rather of dethe. For deth it is in dede / and the perso¦nes that done vse it ben deed. So the byshope dyd answere saynt Iohan the euangeliste whā he asket hym for a yonge man that he lefte in his kepyng / he is deed (sayd he) what maner of deth? sayd saint Io¦han / he is (sayd he) deed in the synne of the worlde. All maner of good workes (than) done apperteyne vnto the lyfe actyue. Nowe for the other lyfe which is called cōtēplatyfe: this terme cōtemplatyfe: is as moch to meane: as apperteynyng or belongyng vn¦to contemplacion / and that lyfe is called contempla¦tyfe: that (for the moste parte) is gyuen and applied vnto cōtemplacion / and the persones that done vse and ben cōmunely occupied therin: ben called con∣templatyue persones. This terme contemplacion: in playne englyshe: is as moche to say: as a diligēt beholdyng / or inward lokyng with a desyre of hert And this beholdynge or lokynge (after the cōmune significacion / and vse of this terme cōtemplacion) doth ap{per}teyne and bylongyng rather vnto y^e soule or mynde: than vnto any bodely syght. As whan a persone wolde (for very feruente deuocion & desyre of our lorde) gyue & applie hymselfe (with diligēt study and of purpose) to sequestre / and withdrawe or put away all his herte and mynde (as moche as is possible for the tyme) frō all bodely and worldly thynges / and to fyre or fasten the same vpon thyn∣ges celestiall and heuenly / beholdyng and lokynge thervpon with the eye / & syght of the soule or minde

by cogitacion / thought / meditacion / or remēbraūce And bycause this thynge maye be done by diuerse maners / and diuerse degrees of feruour and desyre diuerse doctoures and contemplatyfe {per}sones: haue set forth in wrytyng theyr myndes therin / some ī en¦glysshe / and mo in latyne / and (I doute nat) in al o∣ther tonges / or langages. Among the which: I am required to translate one lytell worke of a great clerke / called mayster Io∣han Gerson / which worke can nat be made redy to be prynted at this tyme. Vale in Christo.