Title Page
INTRODUCTION
Abbreviations
EDITOR'S PREFACE
METHOD AND AIM OF THIS MODERNIZATION
SOURCES
TREATMENT OF WORDS

BIOGRAPHICAL

(i) RICHARD ROLLE
RICHARD MISYN
A TRANSLATION OF THE LEGENDA IN THE OFFICE PREPARED FOR THE BLESSED HERMIT RICHARD
Lection I. The saint of God, the hermit Richard, was born in the village of Thorntonà
LECTION II. After having thus put on the habit of a hermit and left his parentsà
LECTION III. Therefore, after mass, the aforesaid squire invited him to dinnerà
LECTION IV. And when the aforesaid squire had examined him in privateà
LECTION V. For in the aforesaid book he thus speaks: I marvelled more than I can sayà
LECTION VI. Yet wonderful and beyond measure useful was the work of this saintly man in holyà
LECTION VII. But the more laboriously and effectively this blessed hermità
LECTION VIII. Also this holy hermit, Richard, out of the abundance of his charity used to showà
LECTION IX. But yet, lest it should lie hidden from men -- especially from those who byà
The following prayers are from the Mass for the Saint.
HERE BEGIN THE MIRACLES OF THE BLESSED HERMIT RICHARD.
LECTION I But after the passing of this saint, Richard, so dearly beloved by Godà
LECTION II One day, therefore, while he was occupied with the aforesaid work of pietyà
LECTION IV A certain woman called Joan being vexed with demons lost the use of speechà
ALL THE MIRACLES OF RICHARD:
THE FIRE OF LOVE OR MELODY OF LOVE, AS TRANSLATED BY RICHARD MISYN IN 1435 A.D. FROM THE INCENDIUM AMORIS' BY RICHARD ROLLE OF HAMPOLE: AND NOW DONE INTO MODERN ENGLISH sPROLOGUE OF RICHARD MISYN
PROLOGUE OF RICHARD ROLLE

THE FIRE OF LOVE. BOOK I

CHAPTER I OF MAN'S TURNING TO GOD; AND WHAT HELPS AND WHAT LETS HIS TURNING.
CHAPTER II THAT NO MAN MAY SUDDENLY COME TO HIGH DEVOTION, NOR BE WET WITH THE SWEETNESS OF CONTEMPLATION
CHAPTER III THAT ILK MAN CHOSEN OF GOD HAS HIS STATE ORDAINED
CHAPTER IV THE DIFFERENCE BETWIXT GOD'S LOVERS AND THE WORLD'S: AND THEIR MEEDS
CHAPTER V WHEREFORE IT IS BETTER TO TAKE ENTENT TO THE LOVE OF GOD THAN TO KNOWLEDGE OR DISPUTATION
CHAPTER VI CONCERNING HERETICS: AND FAITH IN THE TRINITY
CHAPTER VII THAT IN THE GODHEAD WE OUGHT NOT TO SAY THREE GODS OR THREE ESSENCES, AS WE SAY THREE PERSONS: AND THAT ILK MAN SHALL BE CALLED GREAT OR SMALL AFTER THE QUANTITY OF HIS LOVE
CHAPTER VIII THAT THE PERFECT LOVER OF GOD HAD LIEVER RUN INTO GREAT PAIN THAN BY SIN ONCE GRIEVE GOD: AND WHY GOD TORMENTS THE RIGHTEOUS BY THE WICKED
CHAPTER IX THAT GOD IS TO BE LOVED AND WORSHIPPED IN DISEASES: AND ALSO OF THE MIRTH AND MEEKNESS OF THE GOOD
CHAPTER X THAT GOD'S LOVER FORSAKES THE WORLD, IDLENESS AND IRKSOMENESS: AND OF HYPOCRITES AND COVETOUS MEN
CHAPTER XI THAT LOVERS OF GOD SHALL DEEM WITH HIM: AND OF THE LOVE OF KNOWLEDGE GOTTEN BY LABOUR, AND OF GOD: AND THAT A TRUE LOVER ERRS NOT, NOR IS BEGUILED NEITHER WITH FASTING NOR ABSTINENCE, COUNSEL NOR PRESUMPTION
CHAPTER XII THAT NO MAN SHALL DEEM ANOTHER, BUT GIVE GOD PRAISE: AND OF EIGHT AFFECTIONS OF THE LOVE OF GOD: AND THAT WOMEN'S COMPANY BE ESCHEWED.
CHAPTER XIII THAT SOLITARY OR HERMIT'S LIFE PASSES COMMON AND MIXED LIFE. AND HOW IT COMES TO FIRE OF LOVE: AND OF SWEETNESS OF SONG.
CHAPTER XIV OF THE PRAISE OF SOLITARY LIFE AND OF THE FIRST LOVERS THEREOF: AND THAT LOVE OF GOD STANDS IN HEAT, SONG, AND SWEETNESS: AND THAT REST IS NEEDFUL: AND THAT SUCH ARE SAVED FROM DECEITS, AND ARE NOT SET IN PRELACY
CHAPTER XV HOW AND IN WHAT TIME I CAME TO SOLITARY LIFE: AND OF THE SONG OF LOVE: AND OF CHANGING OF PLACE
CHAPTER XVI THE PRAYER OF THE POOR, AND THE LOVING AND DESIRING TO DIE: AND OF THE PRAISING OF GOD'S CHARITY
CHAPTER XVII HOW PERFECT LOVE IS GOTTEN BY CLEANNESS AND LOVE: AND OF IMPERFECT LOVE AND FAIRNESS, AND OF THREE MIGHTS OF GOD'S LOVE: AND OF THE RICH AND POOR: AND OF ALMS
CHAPTER XVIII OF THE PRAISE AND MIGHT OF CHARITY: AND OF FORSAKING THE WORLD: AND OF THE WAY OF PENANCE TO BE TAKEN
CHAPTER XIX OF FAIRNESS OF MIND: VANITY OF THE WORLD: LOVE OF GOD: AND UNION WITH OUR NEIGHBOUR: AND WHETHER PERFECT LOVE CAN BE LOST AND GOTTEN IN THIS WAY
CHAPTER XX OF THE PROFIT AND WORTHINESS OF PRAYER AND MEDITATION
CHAPTER XXI THAT CONTEMPLATIVE LIFE IS WORTHIER AND MEEDFULLER THAN ACTIVE: AND OF BOTH PRELACY AND PREACHING
CHAPTER XXII THE BURNING OF LOVE PURGES VICES AND SINS: AND OF THE TOKENS OF TRUE FRIENDSHIP
CHAPTER XXIII THAT PERFECT LOVE MINGLES NOTHING WITH GOD: AND WHY. AND THAT IT IS NEEDFUL TO LOVE: AND OF THE BLINDNESS OF FLESHLY LOVE
CHAPTER XXIV OF THE STINK OF LECHERY AND THE PERIL OF TOUCHING: AND OF THE CURSEDNESS OF COVETOUSNESS: AND OF UNGODLY GLADNESS
CHAPTER XXV OF PERFECT LOVE: AND WHAT MUST BE HAD FOR GHOSTLY JOY: AND OF LOVE AND CORRECTION
CHAPTER XXVI OF THE SIGHINGS, DESIRE, AND MEEKNESS OF A PERFECT LOVER: AND OF THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WORLDLY LOVE AND GODLY: AND ALSO OF MEDITATION
CHAPTER XXVII OF TRUE MEEKNESS AND ADVERSITY: AND OF THE EXAMPLE OF THE SAINTS: AND OF THE MANNER OF GHOSTLY PROFITING: AND OF THINKING ON CHRIST'S PASSION
CHAPTER XXVIII THAT A TRUE LOVER DESPISES WORLDLY THINGS AND DESIRES HEAVENLY: AND OF THE HATING OF PRIDE, AND HALSING OF MEEKNESS
CHAPTER XXIX THE TEACHING OF THE BOISTEROUS AND UNTAUGHT, DESIRING TO LOVE: AND OF THE ESCHEWING OF WOMEN
CHAPTER XXX OF GOD'S PRIVY DOOM: AND THAT THEY THAT FALL AGAIN BE NOT DEEMED BY US: AND OF GREAT ARGUMENTS AGAINST PURCHASOURS

BOOK II

CHAPTER I WHY THE PERFECT CONTEMPLATIVES TAKE NO HEED TO OUTWARD SONG, AND OF THEIR ERROR THAT REPROVE THEM: AND HOW TO PROFIT IN CONTEMPLATION
CHAPTER II THE TEACHING OF CONTEMPLATIVE LIFE IN PRAYING, MEDITATING, FASTING, AND WAKING: AND OF THE PROUD CONTEMPLATIVE: AND OF TRUE AND VERY GHOSTLY SONG
CHAPTER III THAT GHOSTLY SONG ACCORDS NOT WITH BODILY: AND THE CAUSE AND THE ERROR OF GAINSAYERS. AND OF KNOWLEDGE INSHED OR INSPIRED; AND HOW IT DIFFERS FROM KNOWLEDGE GOTTEN BY LABOUR
CHAPTER IV OF THE EXCELLENCE OF GHOSTLY SONG: AND THAT IT NEITHER CAN BE SAID NOR WRITTEN, NOR RECEIVES ANY FELLOWSHIP: AND OF THE CHARITY OF SPIRITUAL SINGERS: AND THE PRIDE OF THEM THAT HAVE GOTTEN KNOWLEDGE
CHAPTER V THE MEDITATION OF THE LOVER IN HIS LOVE: AND THE FORSAKING OF FELLOWSHIP: AND HOW IN ORDER IT COMES TO THE FLAME OF LOVE
CHAPTER VI OF DIVERS GIFTS OF GOD'S CHOSEN: AND HOW SAINTS COME TO LOVE IN PRAYING, MEDITATING, LOVING, SUFFERING, ADVERSITY AND HATING VICE, AND THAT LOVE COMES FROM GOD AND THAT HIS LOVE IS NECESSARY, AND THAT TRUE LOVERS FALL NOT BY TEMPTATIONS OF THE FLESH, AS OTHER IMPERFECT ONES: NOR ARE HURT BY THE DREGS OF SIN ALTHOUGH THEY LAST.
CHAPTER VII THAT A TRUE LOVER ONLY LOVES HIS BELOVED: AND OF DOUBLE RAVISHINGS, THAT IS TO SAY OUT OF THE BODY, AND OUT OF THE LIFTING OF THE MIND INTO GOD; AND OF THE WORTHINESS THEREOF
CHAPTER VIII THE DESIRE OF A LOVER AFTER GOD IS SHOWN: AND THE CURSED LOVE OF THIS WORLD IS DECLARED BY MANY EXAMPLES: AND THAT THE MEMORY OF GOD ABIDES NOT IN LOVERS OF THE WORLD.
CHAPTER IX OF DIVERS FRIENDSHIPS OF GOOD AND ILL, AND IF THEY CAN BE LOOSED: OF THE SCARCENESS OF FRIENDSHIP OF MEN AND WOMEN: AND OF TRUE FRIENDSHIP, AND HOW THE CHOSEN JOY IN IT IN THIS LIFE: AND OF THE FOLLY OF SOME THAT ABSTAIN TOO MICKLE, OR ARE NAKED: AND OF FLESHLY FRIENDSHIP: AND THE ARRAY OF MEN AND WOMEN
CHAPTER X THAT GOD'S LOVE IS TO BE MINGLED WITH ILK TIME AND DEED NOR FAILS NOT FOR WEAL OR WOE, AND OF THE WORTHINESS AND THE GAINING THEREOF: AND OF TEARS TURNED TO SONG
CHAPTER XI THAT PERFECT LOVE BINDS TO GOD WITHOUT LOOSING AND MAKES MAN MINDFUL OF HIS GOD; BUT LOVE OF THE WORLD FALLS TO NOUGHT. AND OF THE NATURE OF TRUE LOVE, STABLE AND AY-LASTING, SWEET, SOFT, AND PROFITABLE: AND OF FALSE LOVE; VENOMOUS, FOUL, AND UNCLEAN
CHAPTER XII OF THE FELICITY AND SWEETNESS OF GOD'S LOVE: AND OF THE NIGHTINGALE'S SONG: AND PRAYER FOR PERSEVERANCE OF TRUE GHOSTLY SONG THAT WORLDLY LOVERS HAVE NOT

THE MENDING OF LIFE THE MENDING OF LIFE OR RULE OF LIVING, AS TRANSLATED BY RICHARD MISYN IN 1434 FROM DE EMENDATIONE VITAE' BY RICHARD ROLLE OF HAMPOLE: AND NOW DONE INTO MODERN ENGLISH

CHAPTER I FIRST OF CONVERSION
CHAPTER II OF THE DESPISING OF THE WORLD
CHAPTER III OF POVERTY
CHAPTER IV OF THE SETTING OF MAN'S LIFE
CHAPTER V OF TRIBULATION
CHAPTER VI OF PATIENCE
CHAPTER VII OF PRAYER
CHAPTER VIII OF MEDITATION
CHAPTER IX OF READING
CHAPTER X OF CLEANNESS OF MIND
CHAPTER XI OF THE LOVE OF GOD
CHAPTER XII OF CONTEMPLATION
NOTES
Prologue of Richard Rolle.
THE FIRE OF LOVE--BOOK I
BOOK II
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Glossary