The Cloud of Unkowing

 HERE BEGINNETH THE FIRST CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE SECOND CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE THIRD CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE FOURTH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE FIFTH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE SIXTH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE SEVENTH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE EIGHTH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE NINTH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE TENTH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE ELEVENTH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE TWELFTH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE THIRTEENTH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE FOURTEENTH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE FIFTEENTH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE SIXTEENTH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE SEVENTEENTH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE EIGHTEENTH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE NINETEENTH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE TWENTIETH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE ONE AND TWENTIETH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE TWO AND TWENTIETH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE THREE AND TWENTIETH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE FOUR AND TWENTIETH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE FIVE AND TWENTIETH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE SIX AND TWENTIETH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE SEVEN AND TWENTIETH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE EIGHT AND TWENTIETH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE NINE AND TWENTIETH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE THIRTIETH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE ONE AND THIRTIETH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE TWO AND THIRTIETH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE THREE AND THIRTIETH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE FOUR AND THIRTIETH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE FIVE AND THIRTIETH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE SIX AND THIRTIETH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE SEVEN AND THIRTIETH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE EIGHT AND THIRTIETH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE NINE AND THIRTIETH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE FORTIETH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE ONE AND FORTIETH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE TWO AND FORTIETH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE THREE AND FORTIETH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE FOUR AND FORTIETH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE FIVE AND FORTIETH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE SIX AND FORTIETH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE SEVEN AND FORTIETH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE EIGHT AND FORTIETH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE NINE AND FORTIETH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE FIFTIETH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE ONE AND FIFTIETH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE TWO AND FIFTIETH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE THREE AND FIFTIETH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE FOUR AND FIFTIETH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE FIVE AND FIFTIETH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE SIX AND FIFTIETH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE SEVEN AND FIFTIETH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE EIGHT AND FIFTIETH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE NINE AND FIFTIETH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE SIXTIETH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE ONE AND SIXTIETH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE TWO AND SIXTIETH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE THREE AND SIXTIETH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE FOUR AND SIXTIETH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE FIVE AND SIXTIETH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE SIX AND SIXTIETH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE SEVEN AND SIXTIETH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE EIGHT AND SIXTIETH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE NINE AND SIXTIETH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE SEVENTIETH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE ONE AND SEVENTIETH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE TWO AND SEVENTIETH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE THREE AND SEVENTIETH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE FOUR AND SEVENTIETH CHAPTER

 HERE BEGINNETH THE FIVE AND SEVENTIETH CHAPTER

HERE BEGINNETH THE FIVE AND THIRTIETH CHAPTER

Of three means in the which a contemplative Prentice should be occupied, in reading, thinking, and praying.

NEVERTHELESS, means there be in the which a contemplative prentice should be occupied, the which be these-Lesson, Meditation, and Orison: or else to thine understanding they may be called-Reading, Thinking, and Praying. Of these three thou shalt find written in another book of another man's work, much better than I can tell thee; and therefore it needeth not here to tell thee of the qualities of them. But this may I tell thee: these three be so coupled together, that unto them that be beginners and profiters-but not to them that be perfect, yea, as it may be here-thinking may not goodly be gotten, without reading or hearing coming before. All is one in manner, reading and hearing: clerks reading on books, and lewd men reading on clerks when they hear them preach the word of God. Nor prayer may not goodly be gotten in beginners and profiters, without thinking coming before.

See by the proof. In this same course, God's word either written or spoken is likened to a mirror. Ghostly, the eyes of thy soul is thy reason; thy conscience is thy visage ghostly. And right as thou seest that if a foul spot be in thy bodily visage, the eyes of the same visage may not see that spot nor wit where it is, without a mirror or a teaching of another than itself; right so it is ghostly, without reading or hearing of God's word it is impossible to man's understanding that a soul that is blinded in custom of sin should see the foul spot in his conscience.

And so following, when a man seeth in a bodily or ghostly mirror, or wots by other men's teaching, whereabouts the foul spot is on his visage, either bodily or ghostly; then at first, and not before, he runneth to the well to wash him. If this spot be any special sin, then is this well Holy Church, and this water confession, with the circumstances. If it be but a blind root and a stirring of sin, then is this well merciful God, and this water prayer, with the circumstances. And thus mayest thou see that no thinking may goodly be gotten in beginners and profiters, without reading or hearing coming before: nor praying without thinking.