[Sidenote: What remains to be said is of such a nature that when it is first tasted it is pungent and unpleasant, but when once swallowed it turns sweet, and is grateful to the stomach.]
And certes the remenau{ n}t of thinges þ{ a}t ben yit to seye / ben swyche // þ{ a}t fyrst 1720 whan men tasten hem they ben bytynge / but whan they ben resseyuyd w{ i}t{ h}-inne a whyht than ben they swete //
[Sidenote: But because you say you would now gladly hear, with what desire would you burn if you could imagine whither I am going to lead you?]
but for thow seyst þ{ a}t thow art so desirous to herkne hem // wit[h] how gret brennynge woldesthow 1724 glowen / yif thow wystest whyder .I. wol leden the //
[Sidenote: _B._ Whither is that, I pray?]
[Sidenote: _P._ To that true felicity, of which you seem to have but a faint foretaste.]
to thilke verray welefulnesse q{ uod} she // of whyche thynge herte dremeth //
[Sidenote: But your sight is clouded with false forms, so that it cannot yet behold this same felicity.]
but for as moche as thy syhte is ocupied { and} distorbed / by 1728 Imagynasyon of herthely thynges / thow mayst nat yit sen thilke selue welefulnesse //
[Sidenote: _B._ Show me, I pray, that true happiness without delay.]
do q{ uod} .I. { and} shewe me / what is thilke verray welefulnesse / .I. preye the [[pg 64]] w{ i}t{ h}-howte tarynge //
[Sidenote: _P._ I will gladly do so at your desire, but I will first describe that false cause (of happiness), so that you may be better able to comprehend the exact model.]
þ{ a}t wole .I. gladly don q{ uod} she / 1732 for the cause of the // but .I. wol fyrst marken the by wordes / { and} I wol enforcen me to enformen the // thilke false cause of blysfulnesse þ{ a}t thow more knowest / so þ{ a}t whan thow hast fully by-holden thilke false 1736 goodes { and} torned thyne eyen to þ{ a}t oother syde / thow mowe knowe the clernesse of verray blysfulnesse //]
[Linenotes: 1702 _streyhte_--H. strenghed 1712 _am nat_--H. nam nought 1718 _had[de]_--H. hade 1734 _wol_--H. shall{ e} 1739 _wil_--wole _felde_--feeld]
[Sidenote: * Here the Add. MS. begins again.]
[Sidenote: He who would sow seed must first clear the ground of useless weeds, so that he may reap an abundant harvest.]