8 - Mystical Prayer

Summary

Apparently the work of a reader of the Cloud-author, this short treatise on the early stages of mystical prayer survives uniquely, without heading, in MS Douce 262, along with copies of The Cloud of Unknowing, The Book of Privy Counselling and extracts from Latin mystical works, including the third section of Hugh of Balma's Viae Sion Lugent or De Triplici Via, which comments upon De Mystica Theologia of Pseudo-Dionysius. The manuscript, which belonged to the London Charterhouse, was written c. 1500.

Sole manuscript: Bodleian Library MS Douce 262 (D), fols. 132V–133V.

When a solle begynyth to fele grace werke in hym, he wexyt then sory for hys synne, and rememberyth hys gret unkyndnes don agenst God and in what peryll his soil ys in. Anone he wepyth and waylyth his offence, and with gret sorow and lamentacyon cryth and callyth to God for mercy. Then thus contynewing, he gettyth hym to relygyon, or at-lest-wysse to confessyon, ther purgyng hymself clene from alle rust of syn by contricyon and penance-doyng. Anone he felyth hym esyd in body and soil, and delyverd fro knawyng of consyens, wych ys the gretyst peyn in erghth. Then contynently, he felyth gret swetnes both in redyng and preyer and sermons-heryng, thynkyng that this doth all worldly solas excede, and gret conforth he felyth in that the wych not long byfore was fulle tedyosse and paynfulle to hym. Then ys he prest and redy to do alle thys that scholde pleese God, and fleyng that thyng that schold dysploese hym. Then lernyghth he meknys, dred and love, convryttyng evermore hys wylle and preyer to the wylle of Gode.