In this boke be many privy thinges wimpled and folde; unneth shul leude men the plites unwinde. Wherfore I pray to the holy gost, he lene of his oyntmentes, mennes wittes to clere; and, for goddes love, no man wonder why or how this question come to my mynde. For my greet lusty desyr was of this lady to ben 80 enfourmed, my leudenesse to amende. Certes, I knowe not other mennes wittes, what I shulde aske, or in answere what I shulde saye; I am so leude my-selfe, that mokel more lerninge yet me behoveth. I have mad therfore as I coude, but not sufficiently as I wolde, and as mater yave me sentence; for my 85 dul wit is hindred by +stepmoder of foryeting and with cloude of unconning, that stoppeth the light of my Margarite-perle, wherfore it may not shyne on me as it shulde. I desyre not only a good reder, but also I coveite and pray a good book-amender, in correccion of wordes and of sentence; and only this 90 mede I coveite for my travayle, that every inseër and herer of this leude fantasye devoute horisons and prayers to god the greet juge yelden; and prayen for me in that wyse, that in his dome my sinnes mowe ben relesed and foryeven. He that prayeth for other for him-selfe travayleth. 95 Also I praye, that every man parfitly mowe knowe thorow what intencion of herte this tretys have I drawe. How was it, that sightful manna in deserte to children of Israel was spirituel mete? Bodily also it was, for mennes bodies it +norisshed; and yet, never-the-later, Crist it signifyed. Right so a jewel 100 betokeneth a gemme, and that is a stoon vertuous or els a perle. Margarite, a woman, betokeneth grace, lerning, or wisdom of god, or els holy church. If breed, thorow vertue, is mad holy flesshe, what is that our god sayth? 'It is the spirit that yeveth lyf; the flesshe, of nothing it profiteth.' Flesshe is flesshly 105 understandinge; flessh without grace and love naught is worth. 'The letter sleeth; the spirit yeveth lyfelich understanding.' Charitè is love; and love is charitè. God graunt us al[le] therin to be frended! And thus THE TESTAMENT OF LOVE is ended. 110 CH. IX. 1. nowe. toforne. 4. get. 7. destenye. thoughe. 9. sayde. god hadnest (!); _read_ god hath destenees. 11. missaythe. ledde; _read_ let = ledeth. 12. none. toforne. 14. _I supply_ he. 15. leueth. 16. sayde. great. dothe. 17. negatyfe. 21. beforne (_twice_). 22. apertely maye. 23. nowe to-gyther. 24. nothynge. 25. howe. 26. togyther. reason. 27. leadeth. frewyl. 28. reasonablyche. 29. demyd. _I supply_ thorow. frewyl. 32. folke. toforne know. 33. thorowe. fal. 34. wronge. 35. thorowe. 36-7. _I supply_ oon _and_ he. 39. thanke. 41. plentie. 42. ioy. dwel. 43. kyngdome. affecte. 44-6. greatest (_twice_). * _A break here in_ Th. 47. folke. 48. swetter. 50. dothe. 51. smel.