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 SIX AND FORTIETH CHAPTER

A good teaching how a man shall flee these deceits, and work more with a listiness of spirit, than with any boisterousness of body

AND therefore for God's love be wary in this work, and strain not thine heart in thy breast over rudely nor out of measure; but work more with a list than with any worthless strength. For ever the more Mistily, the more meekly and ghostly: and ever the more rudely, the more bodily and beastly. And therefore be wary, for surely what beastly heart that presumeth for to touch the high mount of this work, it shall be beaten away with stones. Stones be hard and dry in their kind, and they hurt full sore where they hit. And surely such rude strainings be full hard fastened in fleshliness of bodily feeling, and full dry from any witting of grace; and they hurt full sore the silly soul, and make it fester in fantasy feigned of fiends. And therefore be wary with this beastly rudeness, and learn thee to love listily, with a soft and a demure behaviour as well in body as in soul; and abide courteously and meekly the will of our Lord, and snatch not overhastily, as it were a greedy greyhound, hunger thee never so sore. And, gamingly be it said, I counsel that thou do that in thee is, refraining the rude and the great stirring of thy spirit, right as thou on nowise wouldest let Him wit how fain thou wouldest see Him, and have Him or feel Him.

This is childishly and playingly spoken, thee think peradventure. But I trow whoso had grace to do and feel as I say, he should feel good and come play with Him, as the father doth with the child, kissing and clipping, that well were him so.