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N
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

   58
 
 

On a tyme, as the forseyd creatur was in hir contemplacyon, sche hungryd ryth sor 
aftyr Goddys word and seyd, "Alas, Lord, as many clerkys as thu hast in this world, 
that thu ne woldyst sendyn me on of hem that myth fulfillyn my sowle wyth thi word 
and wyth redyng of Holy Scriptur, for alle the clerkys that prechyn may not fulfillyn, 
for me thynkyth that my sowle is evyr alych hungry. Yyf I had gold inow, I wolde 
gevyn every day a nobyl for to have every day a sermown, for thi word is mor worthy 
to me than alle the good in this werld. And therfor, blyssed Lord, rewe on me, for thu 
hast takyn awey the ankyr fro me whech was to me synguler solas and comforte and 
many tymes refreschyd me wyth thin holy worde." Than answeryd owr Lord Jhesu 
Cryst in hir sowle, seying, "Ther schal come on fro fer that schal fulfillyn thi desyr." So, 
many day aftyr this answer, ther cam a preste newly to Lynne whech had nevyr knowyn 
hir beforn, and, whan he sey hir gon in the stretys, he was gretly mevyd to speke wyth 
hir and speryd of other folke what maner woman sche was. Thei seydyn thei trustyd to 
God that sche was a ryth good woman. Aftyrward the preyst sent for hir, preyng hir to 
come and spekyn wyth hym and wyth hys modyr, for he had hiryd a chawmbyr for 
hys modyr and for hym, and so they dwellyd togedyr. Than the sayd creatur cam to 
wetyn hys wille and spak wyth hys modyr and wyth hym and had ryth good cher of 
hem bothyn. Than the preyste toke a boke and red therin how owr Lord, seyng the cité 
of Jerusalem, wept therupon, rehersyng the myschevys and sorwys that schulde comyn 
therto, for sche knew not the tyme of hyr visitacyon. Whan the sayd creatur herd 
redyn how owr Lord wept, than wept sche sor and cryed lowde, the preyste ne hys 
modyr knowyng no cawse of hyr wepyng. Whan hir crying and hir wepyng was cesyd, 
thei joyyd and wer ryth mery in owr Lord. Sithyn sche toke hir leve and partyd fro 
hem at that tyme. Whan sche was gon, the preste seyd to hys modyr, "Me merveylyth 
mech of this woman why sche wepith and cryith so. Nevyrtheles me thynkyth sche is 
a good woman, and I desyre gretly to spekyn mor wyth hir." Hys modyr was wel 
plesyd and cownselyd that he schulde don so. And aftyrwardys the same preyste lovyd 
hir and trustyd hir ful meche and blissed the tyme that evyr he knew hir, for he fond 
gret gostly confort in hir and cawsyd hym to lokyn meche good scriptur and many a 
good doctowr whech he wolde not a lokyd at that tyme had sche ne be. He red to hir 
many a good boke of hy contemplacyon and other bokys, as the Bybyl wyth doctowrys 
therupon, Seynt Brydys bokeHyltons bokeBoneventurStimulus Amoriscendium
Amoris, and swech other. And than wist sche that it was a spirit sent of God whech 
seyd to hir, as is wretyn a lityl beforn, whan sche compleynyd for defawte of redyng, 
thes wordys, "Ther schal come on fro fer that schal fulfillyn thi desyr." And thus sche 
knewe be experiens that it was a ryth trewe spiryt. The forseyd preste red hir bokys the 
most part of seven yer er eight yer to gret encres of hys cunnyng and of hys meryte, 
and he suffryd many an evyl worde for hyr lofe inasmeche as he red hir so many 
bokys and supportyd hir in hir wepyng and hir crying. Aftyrwardys he wex 
benefysyd and had gret cur of sowle, and than lykyd hym ful wel that he had redde 
so meche beforn.