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N
 
 
 
 
 

N
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

   41
 
 

Sumtyme, whan the forseyd creatur was at sermownys wher Duchemen and other 
men prechyd, techyng the lawys of God, sodeyn sorwe and hevynes ocupying hir hert 
cawsyd hir to compleyn wyth mornyng cher for lak of undirstondyng, desyryng to be 
refreschyd wyth sum crumme of gostly undirstondyng unto hir most trustyd and 
entyrlyest belovyd sovereyn, Crist Jhesu, whos melydiows voys swettest of alle 
savowrys softly sowndyng in hir sowle, seyd, "I schal preche the and teche the myselfe, 
for thi wyl and thy desyr is acceptabyl unto me." Than was hir sowle so delectabely 
fed wyth the swet dalyawns of owr Lorde and so fulfilled of hys lofe that as a drunkyn 
man sche turnyd hir fyrst on the o syde and sithyn on the other wyth gret wepyng and 
gret sobbyng, unmythy to kepyn hirselfe in stabilnes for the unqwenchabyl fyer of 
lofe whech brent ful sor in hir sowle. Than meche pepyl wonderyd upon hir, askyng 
hir what sche eyled, to whom sche as a creatur al wowndyd wyth lofe and as reson had 
fayled, cryed wyth lowde voys, "The Passyon of Crist sleth me." The good women, 
havyng compassyon of hir sorwe and gretly mervelyng of hir wepyng and of hir cry- 
ing, meche the mor thei lovyd hir. And therfor thei, desiryng to make hir solas and 
comfort aftyr hir gostly labowr, be sygnys and tokenys, for sche undirstod not her 
speche, preyid hir and in a maner compellyd hir to comyn hom to hem, willyng that 
sche schulde not gon fro hem. Than owr Lord sent hyr grace to han gret lofe and gret 
favowr of many personys in Rome, bothyn of religyows men and other. Sum religyows 
comyn to swech personys of hyr cuntremen as lovyd hir and seyden, "This woman 
hath sowyn meche good seed in Rome sithyn sche cam hydir, that is to sey, schewyd 
good exampyl to the pepyl, wherthorw thei lovyn God mor than thei dede beforn." On 
a tyme, as this creatur was in a chirche at Rome wher the body of Seynt Jerom lyth 
biriid (whech was myraculosly translatyd fro Bedlem into that place and ther now is 
had in gret worshep besyden the place wher Seynt Lauerawnce lyth beriid), to this 
creaturys gostly sygth aperyng, Seynt Jerom seyd to hir sowle, "Blissed art thow, 
dowtyr, in the wepyng that thu wepyst for the peplys synnes, for many schal be savyd 
therby. And, dowtyr, drede the nowt, for it is a synguler and a specyal gyft that God 
hath govyn the, a welle of teerys the whech schal nevyr man take fro the." Wyth swech 
maner of dalyawns he hily comfortyd hir spiritys. And also he made gret preysyng 
and thankyng to God for the grace that he wrowt in hir sowle, for les than sche 
had an had sweche gostly comfortys it had ben unpossybyl hir to a boryn the schamys and 
wonderyngys the whech sche suffyrd pacyently and mekely for the grace that God 
schewyd in hyr.