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   64
 
 

The creatur seyd unto hir Lord Crist Jhesu, "A, blisful Lord, I wolde I knew wherin 
I myth best love the and plesyn the and that my love wer as swet to the as me thynkyth 
that thy love is unto me." Than owr swete Lord Jhesus, answeryng hys creatur, seyd, 
"Dowtyr, yyf thu knew how swet thy love is unto me, thu schuldist nevyr do other 
thyng but lovyn me wyth al thyn hert. And therfor beleve wel, dowtyr, that my lofe is 
not so swet to the as thy lofe is to me. Dowtyr, thu knowist not how meche I lofe the, 
for it may not be knowyn in this werld how meche it is, ne be felt as it is, for thu 
schuldist faylyn and brestyn and nevyr enduryn it for the joye that thu schuldist fele. 
And therfor I mesur it as I wil to thi most ese and comfort. But, dowtyr, thu schalt wel 
knowyn in an other worlde how meche I lovyd the in erde, for ther thu schalt han gret 
cawse to thankyn me. Ther thu schalt se wythowtyn ende every good day that evyr I 
gaf the in erth of contemplacyon, of devocyon, and of al the gret charité that I have 
govyn to the to the profyte of thyn evyn cristen. For this schal be thy mete whan thu
comyst hom into hevyn. Ther is no clerk in al this world that can, dowtyr, leryn the 
bettyr than I can do, and, yyf thu wilt be buxom to my wyl, I schal be buxom to thy 
wil. Wher is a bettyr charité than to wepyn for thi Lordys lofe? Thu wost wel, dowtyr, 
that the devyl hath no charité, for he is ful wroth wyth the and he myth owt hurtyn the, 
but he schal not deryn the saf a lityl in this world for to makyn the afeerd sumtyme, 
that thu schuldist preyn the myghtilier to me for grace and steryn thy charité the mor 
to meward. Ther is no clerk can spekyn agens the lyfe whech I teche the, and, yyf he 
do, he is not Goddys clerk; he is the develys clerk. I telle the ryth forsothe that ther is 
no man in this world, yyf he wolde suffyr as meche despite for my lofe wilfully as thu 
hast don and clevyn as sor unto me, not willyng for anythyng that may be do er seyd 
agen hym forsakyn me, but I schal far ryth fayr wyth hym and be ryth gracyowse unto 
hym, bothyn in this worlde and in the other." Than seyd the creatur, "A, my derworthy 
Lord, this lyfe schuldist thu schewyn to religiows men and to preistys." Owr Lord seyd 
agen to hir, "Nay, nay, dowtyr, for that thyng that I lofe best thei lofe not, and that is 
schamys, despitys, scornys, and reprevys of the pepil, and therfor schal thei not have 
this grace. For, dowtyr, I telle the, he that dredith the schamys of the world may not 
parfytely lovyn God. And, dowtyr, undyr the abyte of holynes is curyd meche 
wykkydnes. Dowtyr, yyf thu sey the wikkydnes that is wrowt in the werld as I do, thu 
schuldist have gret wondyr that I take not uttyr venjawns on hem. But, dowtyr, I spar 
for thy lofe. Thu wepist so every day for mercy that I must nedys grawnt it the, and wil 
not the pepil belevyn the goodnes that I werke in the for hem. Nevyrthelesse, dowtyr, 
ther schal come a tyme whan thei schal be ryth fayn to belevyn the grace that I have 
govyn the for hem. And I schal sey to hem whan thei arn passyd owt of this world, 
`Lo, I ordeynd hir to wepyn for hir synnes, and ye had hir in gret despite, but hir 
charité wolde nevyr sesen for yow.' And therfor, dowtyr, thei that arn good sowlys 
schal hyly thank me for the grace and goodnes that I have gove the, and thei that arn 
wikkyd schal grutchyn and han gret peyn to suffyr the grace that I schewe to the. And 
therfor I schal chastisyn hem as it wer for myself." Sche preyd, "Nay, derworthy Lord 
Jhesu, chastise no creatur for me. Thu wost wel, Lord, that I desyr no venjawns, but I 
aske mercy and grace for alle men yyf it be thy wille to grawnt it. Nevyrthelesse, 
Lord, rathyr than thei schulde ben departyd fro the wythowtyn ende, chastise hem as thu 
wilt thiselfe. It semyth, Lord, in my sowle that thu art ful of charité, for thu seyst thu 
wilt not the deth of a synful man. And thu seyst also thu wilt alle men ben savyd. 
Than, Lord, syn thu woldist alle men schulde ben savyd, I must wyl the same, and thu 
seyst thyself that I must lovyn myn evyn cristen as myn owyn self. And, Lord, thu 
knowist that I have wept and sorwyd many yerys for I wolde be savyd, and so must I 
do for myn evyn cristen."