3655 
3656 
3657 
3658 
3659 
3660 
3661 
3662 
3663 
3664 
3665 
3666
3667
3668 
3669 
3670 
3671 
3672 
3673 
3674 
3675 
3676
3677 
3678 
3679 
3680 
3681 
3682 
3683 
3684 
3685 
3686 
3687 
3688 
3689 
3690 
3691 
3692 
3693 
3694 
3695 
3696 
3697 
3698 
3699 
3700 
3701 
3702 
3703 
3704
3705
3706
3707 
3708
3709 
3710 
3711 
3712 
3713 
3714 
3715
3716 
3717 
3718 
3719 
3720

Than summe of hir frendys cam to hir and seyd it wer mor ese to hir to gon owt of 
the town than abydyn therin, so meche pepyl was ageyn hir. And sche seyd sche schulde 
abydyn ther as long as God wolde. "For her," sche seyd, "in this town have I synned. 
Therfor it is worthy that I suffyr sorwe in this town ther ageyn. And yet have I not so 
meche sorwe ne schame as I have deservyd, for I have trespasyd agens God. I thank 
almythy God what that evyr he sendith me, and I pray God that al maner of wikkydnes 
that any man schal seyn of me in this world may stonde into remissyon of my synnys, 
and any goodnesse that any man schal seyn of the grace that God werkyth in me may 
turnyn God to worschep and to preysyng and magnifying of hys holy name wythowtyn 
ende, for al maner of worschep longith to hym, and al despite, schame, and reprefe 
longyth to me, and that have I wel deservyd." An other tyme hyr confessowr cam to 
hir into a chapel of owr Lady, clepyd the Jesyne, seying, "Margery, what schal ye now 
do? Ther is no mor agen yow but the mone and seven sterrys. Anethe is ther any man 
that heldith wyth yow but I alone." Sche seyd to hir confessowr, "Ser, beth of a good 
comforte, for it schal ben ryth wel at the last. And I telle yow trewly my Lord Jhesu 
gevyth me gret comforte in my sowle, and ellys schulde I fallyn in dispeyr. My blisful 
Lord Crist Jhesu wil not latyn me dyspeyryn for noon holy name that the good frer 
hath, for my Lord tellyth me that he is wroth wyth hym, and he seyth to me it wer 
bettyr he wer nevyr born, for he despisith hys werkys in me." Also owr Lord seyd to
hir, "Dowtyr, yyf he be a preyste that despisith the, knowyng wel wherfor thu wepist 
and cryist, he is acursyd." And on a tyme, as sche was in the priowrys cloystyr and 
durst not abydyn in the cherch for inqwietyng of the pepil wyth hir crying, owr Lord 
seyd unto hir beyng in gret hevynes, "Dowtyr, I bydde the gon ageyn into cherch, for 
I schal takyn awey fro the thy criyng that thu schalt no mor cryin so lowde ne on that 
maner wyse as thu hast don beforn thei thu woldist." Sche dede the comawndment of 
owr Lord and telde hir confessowr lich as sche felt, and it fel in trewth as sche felt. 
Sche cryed no mor aftyr so lowde ne on that maner as sche had don beforn, but sche 
sobbyd wondirly aftyr and wept as sor as evyr sche dede beforn, sumtyme lowde and 
sumtyme stille, as God wolde mesur it hys selfe. Than meche pepil levyd that sche 
durst no lengar cryen for the good frer prechyd so ageyn hir and wold not suffyr hir in 
no maner. Than thei heldyn hym an holy man and hir a fals feynyd ypocrite. And, as 
summe spoke evyl of hir aforn for sche cryed, so sum spoke now evyl of hir for sche 
cryid not. And so slawndir and bodily angwisch fel to hir on every syde, and al was 
encresyng of hir gostly comfort. Than owr mercyful Lord seyd unto hys unworthy 
servawnt, "Dowtyr, I must nedys comfortyn the, for now thu hast the ryth wey to 
hevyn. Be this wey cam I to hevyn and alle my disciplys, for now thu schalt knowe the 
bettyr what sorwe and schame I suffyrd for thy lofe, and thu schalt have the mor 
compassyon whan thu thynkyst on my Passyon. Dowtyr, I have telde the many tymys 
that the frer schulde seyn evyl of the. Therfor I warne the that thu telle hym not of the 
prevy cownsel whech I have schewyd to the, for I wille not that he here it of thy 
mowth. And, dowtyr, I telle the forsothe he schal be chastised scharply. As hys name is 
now, it schal ben throwyn down and thin schal ben reysed up. And I schal makyn as 
many men to lofe the for my lofe as han despisyd the for my lofe. Dowtyr, thu schalt be 
in cherch whan he schal be wythowtyn. In this chirche thu hast suffyrd meche schame 
and reprefe for the gyftys that I have govyn the and for the grace and goodnes that I have 
wrowt in the, and therfore in this cherche and in this place I schal ben worschepyd in 
the. Many a man and woman schal seyn it is wel sene that God lovyd hir wel. Dowtyr, I 
schal werkyn so mech grace for the that al the werld schal wondryn and merveylyn of 
my goodnes." Than the sayd creatur seyd unto our Lord wyth gret reverens, "I am not 
worthy that thu schuldist schewyn sweche grace for me. Lord, it is anow to me that thu 
safe my sowle fro endles dampnacyon be thi gret mercy." "It is my worschep, dowtyr, 
that I schal do, and therfore I wil that thu have no wyl but my wyl. The lesse prise that 
thu settyst be thyselfe, the mor prise set I be the, and the bettyr wil I lovyn the, dowtyr. 
Loke thu have no sorwe for erdly good. I have asayd the in poverté, and I have chas- 
tised the as I wole myselfe, bothe wythinne forth in thi sowle and wythowte forth 
thorw slawndyr of the pepil. Lo, dowtyr, I have grawntyd the thin owyn desyr, for thu 
schuldist non other purgatory han but in this werld only. Dowtyr, thu seyst oftyn to 
me in thi mende that riche men han gret cawse to lovyn me wel, and thu seyst ryth 
soth, for thu seyst I have govyn hem meche good wherwyth thei may servyn me and 
lovyn me. But, good dowtyr, I prey the, love thu me wyth al thyn hert, and I schal gevyn 
the good anow to lovyn me wyth, for hevyn and erde schulde rathyr faylyn than I 
schulde faylyn the. And, yyf other men faylyn, thu schalt not faylyn. And, thow alle 
thy frendys forsake the, I schal nevyr forsakyn the. Thu madist me onys stiward of 
thin howsholde and executor of alle thy good werkys, and I schal be a trewe styward 
and a trewe executor unto the, fulfillyng of al thi wil and al thy desyr. And I schal 
ordeyn for the, dowtyr, as for myn owyn modyr and as for myn owyn wyfe."