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     60
 
 

The good preste, of whom it is wretyn beforn, the wheche was hir lystere, fel in 
gret sekenes, and sche was steryd in hir sowle for to kepyn hym in Goddys stede. And, 
whan sche faylde swech as was nedful for hym, sche went abowtyn to good men and 
good women and gate swech thyng as was necessary unto hym. He was so seke that 
men trustyd no thyng to hys lyfe, and hys sekenes was long contunyng. Than on a 
tyme, as sche was in the chirche heryng hir messe and preyid for the same preste, owr 
Lord seyd to hir that he schulde levyn and faryn ryth wel. Than was sche steryd to gon 
to Norwych to Seynt Stefenys Chirche wher is beriid the good vicary, whech deyd but 
lityl befor that tyme, for whom God schewyd hy mercy to hys pepil, and thankyn hym 
for recuryng of this preyste. Sche toke leve of hir confessowr, goyng forth to Nor- 
wich. Whan sche cam in the chirch yerd of Seynt Stefyn, sche cryed, sche roryd, sche 
wept, sche fel down to the grownd, so fervently the fyer of lofe brent in hir hert. 
Sithyn sche ros up agen and went forth wepyng into the chirche to the hy awter, and 
ther sche fel down with boistows sobbyngys, wepyngys, and lowde cryes besyden the 
grave of the good vicary, al ravyschyd wyth gostly comfort in the goodnes of owr 
Lord that wrowt so gret grace for hys servawnt whech had ben hir confessowr and 
many tymes herd hir confessyon of al hir levyng, and ministryd to hir the precyows 
sacrament of the awter divers tymes. And in so meche was hir devocyon the mor 
incresyd that sche sey owr Lord werkyn so special grace for swech a creatur as sche 
had ben conversawnt wyth in hys lyfetyme. Sche had so holy thowtys and so holy 
mendys that sche myth not mesuryn hir wepyng ne hir crying. And therfor the pepil 
had gret merveyl of hir, supposyng that sche had wept for sum fleschly er erdly 
affeccyon, and seyd unto hir, "What eylith the woman? Why faryst thus wyth thiself? 
We knew hym as wel as thu." Than wer prestys in the same place whech knew hir 
maner of werkyng, and thei ful charitefully led hir to a taverne and dede hir drynkyn 
and made hir ful hy and goodly cher. Also ther was a lady desyred to have the sayd 
creatur to mete. And therfor, as honeste wolde, sche went to the cherch ther the lady 
herd hir servyse, wher this creatur sey a fayr ymage of owr Lady clepyd a pyté. And 
thorw the beholdyng of that peté hir mende was al holy ocupyed in the Passyon of owr 
Lord Jhesu Crist and in the compassyon of owr Lady, Seynt Mary, be whech sche was 
compellyd to cryyn ful lowde and wepyn ful sor, as thei sche schulde a deyd. Than cam 
to hir the ladys preste seying, "Damsel, Jhesu is ded long sithyn." Whan hir crying was 
cesyd, sche seyd to the preste, "Sir, hys deth is as fresch to me as he had deyd this 
same day, and so me thynkyth it awt to be to yow and to alle Cristen pepil. We awt 
evyr to han mende of hys kendnes and evyr thynkyn of the dolful deth that he deyd for 
us." Than the good lady, heryng her communicacyon, seyd, "Ser, it is a good exampyl 
to me, and to other men also, the grace that God werkyth in hir sowle." And so the 
good lady was hir avoket and answeryd for hir. Sithyn sche had hir hom wyth hir to 
mete and schewyd hir ful glad and goodly chere as long as sche wold abydyn ther. 
And sone aftyr sche cam hom ageyn to Lenne, and the forseyd preyste, for whom sche 
went most specialy to Norwich, whech had redde hir abowte seven yer, recuryd and 
went abowte wher hym lykyde, thankyd be almythy God for hys goodnes.