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10
Fro London sche went to Schene
a three days beforn Lammes
Day for to purchasyn
hir pardon
thorw the mercy of owr Lord. And, whan sche was in the chirch at Schene,
sche had gret devocyon and ful hy contemplacyon. Sche had plentiuows
teerys of
compunccyon and of compassyon in the rememorawns of the bittyr
peynys and
passyons
whech owr merciful Lord Jhesu Crist suffyrd in hys blissyd manhod. Thei
that seyn hir wepyn and herdyn hir so boistowsly sobbyn wer takyn
wyth gret merveyl
and wondyr what was the ocupasyon of hir sowle. A yong man whech
beheld hir cher
and hir cuntenawns, mevyd thorw the Holy
Gost, went to hir, whan he myth goodly,
be hymself alone, wyth fervent desir to have undirstondyng what
myth be the cawse
of hir wepyng, to whom he seyd, "Modir, yf it lyke yow, I pray
yow to schewyn me
the occasyon of yowr wepyng, for I have not seyn a persone so
plenteuows in teerys
as ye ben, and specialy I have not herd beforn any persone so
boistows in sobbyng as
ye ben. And, modir, thow I be yong, my desir is to plesyn my
Lord Jhesu Crist and so
to folwyn hym as I kan and may. And I purpose me be the grace
of God to takyn the
abite of this holy religyon, and therfor I prey yow beth not
strawnge unto me. Schewith
modirly and goodly yowr conceit unto me as I trust unto yow."
Sche, benyngly and
mekely wyth gladnes of spirit, as hir thowt it expedient, comendyd
hym in hys entent
and schewyd to hym in parcel that the cawse of hir wepyng and
sobbyng was hir gret
unkendnes agens hir maker, wher thorw sche had many tymys offendyd
hys goodnes,
and the gret abhominacyon that sche had of hir synnys cawsyd
hir to sobbyn and
wepyn. Also the gret excellent charité of hir redemptowr,
be the whech thorw the
vertu of hys passyon sufferyng
and hys precyows blod schedyng sche was redemyd
fro evyrlestyng peyne, trustyng to ben an eyr of joy and blisse,
mevyd hir to sobbyn
and wepyn, as no merveyl was. Sche teld hym many good wordys
of gostly comfort,
thorw the whech he was steryd to gret vertu, and aftyrward he
ete and dranke wyth hir
in the tyme that sche was ther and was ful glad to ben in hir
cumpany. On Lammes
Day was the principal day of pardon, and, as the sayd creatur
went in the chirch of
Schene, sche had a syght of the ermite whech led hir owt of Lynne
whan sche went to
the seward wyth hir dowtyr in lawe, as is wretyn be forn. Anon
wyth gret joy of spirit
sche offeryd hir self to hys presens, wolcomyng hym wyth alle
the myghtys of hir
sowle, seying unto hym, "A, Reynald, ye arn wolcome. I trust
owr Lord sent yow
hedyr, for now I hope as ye led me owt of Lynne, ye schal bryng
me hom ageyn to
Lynne." The
ermyte schewyd schort cher and hevy contenawnce, neythyr in wil ne in
purpos to bryng hir hom to Lynne as sche desiryd. He, answeryng
ful schortly, seyd,
"I do yow wel to wetyn yowr confessowr
hath forsakyn yow for ye wentyn ovyr the
see and wolde telle hym no word therof. Ye toke leve to brynge
yowr dowtyr to the
see syde; ye askyd no leve no ferther. Ther was no frend ye haddyn
that knew of yowr
cownsel; therfor I suppose ye schal fyndyn but lityl frenschep
whan ye come ther. I pray
yow, getith yow felaschep wher ye can, for I was blamyd for yowr
defawte whan I led
yow last; I wil no mor." Sche spak fayr and preyd for Goddys
lofe that he wolde not be
displesyd, for thei that lovyd hir for God er sche went owte
thei wolde lovyn hir for
God whan sche come hom. Sche proferyd hym to aqwityn hys costys
be the wey
homward. So at the last he, consentyng, browt hir ageyn to London
and sithyn hom to
Lynne to hy worschep of God and to gret meryte of her botherys
sowlys. Whan sche
was come hom to Lynne, sche obeyd hir to hir confessowr.
He gaf hir ful scharp
wordys, for sche was hys obediencer and had takyn upon hir swech
a jurné wythowtyn
hys wetyng. Therfor he was mevyd the mor ageyn hir, but owr Lord
halpe hir so that
sche had as good love of hym and of other frendys aftyr as sche
had beforn, worschepyd
be God. Amen.
Thys creatur, of whom is tretyd beforn, usyd many yerys to begynnyn
hir preyerys on
this maner. First whan sche cam to chirche, knelyng beforn the sacrament
in the
worschep of the blissyd Trinité
(Fadir, Sone, and Holy Gost, oo God and three
Personys), of that gloryows Virgine, Qwen of Mercy, owr Lady
Seynt Mary, and of
the twelve apostelys, sche seyd this holy ympne "Veni creator
spiritus" wyth alle the
versys longyng therto, that God schulde illumynyn hir sowle,
as he dede hys apostelys
on Pentecost
Day, and induyn hir wyth the gyftys
of the Holy Gost that sche myth han
grace to undirstondyn hys wil and parformyn it in werkyng, and
that sche myth han
grace to wythstondyn the temptacyons of hir gostly enmiis and
enchewyn al maner
synne and wikkydnes. Whan sche had seyd "Veni creator spiritus"
wyth the versys,
sche seyd on this maner, "The Holy Gost I take to witnesse, owr
Lady, Seynt Mary,
the modyr of God, al holy cowrte of hevyn, and alle my gostly
faderys her in erth,
that, thow it wer possibyl that I myth han al knowyng and undirstondyng
of the
prevyteys of God be the tellyng of any devyl
of helle, I wolde not. And as wistly not
knowyn, heryn, seen, felyn, ne undirstondyn in my sowle in this
lyfe mor than is the
wil of God that I schulde knowyn, so wistly God mote helpyn me
in alle my werkys, in
alle my thowtys, and in alle my spechys, etyng and drynkyng,
slepyng and wakyng.
As wistly as it is not my wil ne myn entent to worschepyn no
fals devyl for my God,
ne no fals feith, ne fals beleve for to han, so wistly I defye
the devyl, and al hys fals
cownsel, and al that evyr I have don, seyd, er thowt, aftyr the
cownsel of the devyl,
wenyng it had be the cownsel of God and inspiracyon of the Holy
Gost. Yf it hath not
ben so, God, that art inseare and knowar of the prevyté
of alle mennys hertys, hafe
mercy of me therfor and grawnte me in this lyfe a welle of teerys
spryngyng
plenteuowsly, wyth the which I may waschyn awey my synnys thorw
thi mercy and
thi goodnes. And, Lord, for thi hy mercy, alle the teerys that
may encresyn my lofe to
the and moryn my meryte in hevyn, helpyn and profityn myn evyn
cristen sowlys,
lyvys er dedys, visite me wyth her in erth. Good Lord, spar no
mor the eyne in myn
hed than thu dedist the blood in thi body whech thu scheddist
plenteuowsly for synful
mannys sowle, and grawnt me so meche peyne and sorwe in this
world that I be not
lettyd fro thi blisse and the beholdyng of thi gloryows face
whan I schal passyn hens. As
for my crying, my sobbyng, and my wepyng, Lord God almythy, as
wistly as thu
knowist what scornys, what schamys, what despitys, and what reprevys
I have had
therfor, and, as wistly as it is not in my power to wepyn neythyr
lowde ne stille for no
devocyon ne for no swetnes but only of the gyft of the Holy
Gost, so wistly, Lord,
excuse me ageyn al this world to knowyn and to trowyn that it
is thi werke and thi
gyfte for magnifying of thi name and for encresyng of other mennys
lofe to the, Jhesu.
And I prey the, sovereyn Lord Crist Jhesu, that as many men mote
be turnyd be my
crying and my wepyng as me han scornyd therfor er schal scornyn
into the werdys ende
and many mo yf it be yowr wille. And, as anemst any erdly mannys
love, as wistly as
I wolde no love han but God to lovyn above al thinge and alle
other creaturs lovyn for
God and in God, al so wistly qwenche in me al fleschly lust and
in alle tho that I have
beholdyn thi blisful body in. And geve us thin holy drede in
owr hertys for thi wowndys
smert. Lord, make my gostly fadirs for to dredyn the in me and
for to lovyn the in me,
and make al the world for to han the mor sorwe for her owyn synnys
for the sorwe that
thu hast govyn me for other mennys synnys. Good Jhesu, make my
wil thi wyl and thi
wil my wil that I may no wil han but thi wil only. Now, good
Lord Crist Jhesu, I crye
yow mercy for alle the statys that ben in Holy Chirche, for the
Pope and alle hys
cardinalys, for alle erchebischopys and bischopys, and for al
the ordir of presthoode,
for alle men and women of religyon, and specialy for hem that
arn besy to savyn and
defendyn the feith of Holy Chirch. Lord, for thi mercy blisse
hem and grawnt hem the
victory of alle her enmiis and spede hem in alle that thei gon
abowtyn to thi worschep;
for alle that arn in grace this tyme God send hem perseverawns
into her lyvys ende.
And make me worthy to be partabyl of her preyerys and hem of
myn and eche of us of
otheris. I cry the mercy, blisful Lord, for the Kyng of Inglond
and for alle Cristen
kyngys and for alle lordys and ladiis that arn in this world.
God, sett hem in sweche
governawnce as thei may most plesyn the and ben lordys and ladys
in hevyn wythowtyn
ende. I cry the mercy, Lord, for the riche men in this worlde
that han thi goodys in
weldyng; geve hem grace for to spendyn hem to thi plesyng. I
cry the mercy, Lord, for
Jewys, and Sarazinys,
and alle hethen pepil. Good Lord, have mende that ther is many
a seynt in hevyn whech sumtyme was hethen in erde. And as thu
hast spred thi mercy
to hem that arn in erthe. Lord, thu seist thi self ther schal
no man comyn to the wythowtyn
the ne no man be drawyn wythowtyn thu drawe hym. And therfor,
Lord, yf ther be
any man undrawyn, I prey the drawe hym aftyr the. Me hast thu
drawyn, Lord, and I
deservyd nevyr for to ben drawyn, but aftyr thi gret mercy thu
hast drawyn me. Yf al
this world knew al my wikkydnes as thu dost, thei wolde merveylyn
and wonderyn of
the gret goodnes that thu hast schewyd me. I wolde that al this
worlde wer worthy to
thankyn the for me, and, as thu hast mad of unworthi creaturys
worthy, so make al this
world worthi to thankyn the and preisyn the. I cry the mercy,
Lord, for alle fals heretikys
and for alle mysbelevarys, for alle fals titharys, thevys, vowtererys
and alle comown
women, and for alle myschevows levarys. Lord, for thi mercy have
mercy upon hem
yf it be thi wille and bryng hem owt of her mysgovernawnce the
sonar for my preyerys.
I cry the mercy, Lord, for alle tho that arn temptyd and vexid
wyth her gostly enmiis,
that thu of thi mercy gefe hem grace to withstondyn her temptacyons
and delyvyr hem
therof whan it is thi most plesawns. I cry the mercy, Lord, for
alle my gostly faderys
that thu vochesaf to spredyn as mech grace in her sowlys as I
wolde that thu dedist in
myn. I cry the mercy, Lord, for alle my childeryn, gostly and
bodily, and for al the
pepil in this world that thu make her synnys to me be very contricyon
as it wer myn
owyn synnys, and forgeve hem as I wolde that thu forgove me.
I cry the mercy, Lord,
for alle my frendys and for alle myn enmiis, for alle that arn
seke specialy, for alle
lazerys, for alle bedred men and women, for alle that arn in
preson, and for alle creaturys
that in this world han spokyn of me eythyr good er ylle and er
schal don into the worldys
ende. Have mercy upon hem and be as gracyows to her sowlys as
I wolde that thu wer
to myn. And thei that han seyd any evyl of me, for thi hy mercy,
forgefe it hem; and
thei that han seyd wel, I pray the, Lord, rewarde hem for that
is thorw here charité and
not thorw my merytys, for, thow thu suffredist al this world
to vengyn the on me and
to hatyn me for I have displesyd the, thu dedist me no wrong.
I cry the mercy, Lord,
for alle the sowlys that arn in peynys of purgatory
ther abydyng thi mercy and the
preyeris of Holy Chirche as wistly, Lord, as thei arn thin owyn
chosyn sowlys. Be as
gracyows to hem as I wolde that thu wer to myn yf it wer in the
same peyne that thei
arn in. Lord Crist Jhesu, I thank the for al helth and al welth,
for al riches and al
poverté, for seeknes and alle scornys, for alle spitys
and alle wrongys, and for alle
divers tribulacyons that han fallyn er schal fallyn to me as
long as I leve. Heily I thank
the that thu woldist letyn me suffryn any in this world in remissyon
of my synnys and
moryng of my meryte in hevyn as wistly as I have gret cawse to
thanke the. Here my
preyeris, for, thow I had as many hertys and sowlys closyd in
my sowle as God knew
wythowtyn begynnyng how many schulde dwellyn in Hevyn wythowtyn
ende and as
ther arn dropys of watyr, fres and salt, cheselys of gravel,
stonys smale and grete,
gresys growyng in al erthe, kyrnellys of corn, fischys, fowelys,
bestys and leevys
upon treys whan most plenté ben, fedir of fowle er her
of best, seed that growith in
erbe, er in wede, in flowyr, in lond, er in watyr whan most growyn,
and as many
creaturys as in erth han ben and arn er schal ben and myth ben
be thi myth, and as ther
arn sterrys and awngelys in thi syght er other kynnes good that
growyth upon erthe,
and eche wer a sowle as holy as evyr was our lady Seynt Mary
that bar Jhesu owr
savyowr, and, yf it wer possibyl that eche cowde thynkyn and
spekyn al so gret reverens
and worschep as evyr dede owr lady Seynt Mary her in erthe and
now doth in hevyn
and schal don wythowtyn ende, I may rith wel thynkyn in myn hert
and spekyn it wyth
my mowth at this tyme in worschip of the Trinité
and of al the cowrt of hevyn, to gret
schame and schenschep of Sathanas
that fel fro Goddys face and of alle hys wikkyd
spiritys, that alle thes hertys ne sowlys cowde nevyr thankyn
God ne ful preysyn hym,
ful blissyn hym ne ful worschepyn hym, ful lovyn hym ne fully
gevyn lawdacyon,
preisyng, and reverens to hym as he were worthy to han for the
gret mercy that he hath
schewyd to me in erth that I can not don ne may don. I prey my
lady, whech that is
only the modyr of God, the welle of grace, flower and fairest
of alle women that evyr
God wrowt in erth, the most worthiest in hys syght, the most
leef, der, and derworthy
unto hym, best worthy to ben herd of God, and the heyest that
hath deservyd it in this
lyfe, benyngne lady, meke lady, chariteful lady, wyth al the
reverens that is in hevyn and
wyth alle yowr holy seyntys, I pray yow, Lady, offyr ye thankys
and preysyngys to
the blisful Trinité
for love of me, askyng mercy and grace for me and for alle my
gostly fadrys and perseverawns into owr lyvys ende in that life
one may most plesyn
God in. I blisse my God in my sowle and yow alle that arn in
hevyn. Blissyd mote God
ben in yow alle and ye alle in God. Blissyd be thu, Lord, for
alle thi merciis that thu
hast schewyd to alle that arn in hevyn and in erth. And specyaly
I blisse the, Lord, for
Mary Mawdelyn,
for Mary Egipcyan,
for Seynt Powle,
and for Seynt
Awstyn. And, as
thu hast schewyd ther mercy to hem, so schewe thi mercy to me
and to alle that askyn
the mercy of hert. The pees and the rest that thu hast beqwothyn
to thi discipulys and
to thi lovars, the same pees and rest mote thu beqwethyn to me
in erth and in hevyn
wythowtyn ende. Have mend, Lord, of the woman
that was takyn in the vowtré and
browt beforn the, and, as thu dreve awey alle hir enmyis fro
hir and sche stod alone by
the, so verily mot thu dryvyn awey alle myn enmiis fro me, bothin
bodily and gostly,
that I may stondyn alone by the and make my sowle ded to alle
the joyis of this world
and qwyk and gredy to hy contemplacyon in God. Hafe mend, Lord,
of Lazer that
lay
four days ded in hys grave, and, as I have ben in that holy stede
ther thi body was qwik
and ded and crucifiid for mannys synne and ther Lazer was reisyd
fro deth to lyfe, as
wistly, Lord, yf any man er woman be ded in this owr be dedly
synne, yf any prayer
may helpyn hem, here my preyerys for hem and make hem to levyn
wythowtyn ende.
Gramercy, Lord, for alle tho synnys that thu hast kept me fro
whech I have not do, and
gramercy, Lord, for al the sorwe that thu hast govyn me for tho
that I have do, for thes
gracys and for alle other gracys whech arn nedful to me and to
alle the creaturys in
erth. And for alle tho that feithyn and trustyn er schul feithyn
and trustyn in my prayerys
into the worldys ende, sweche grace as thei desiryn, gostly er
bodily, to the profite of
her sowlys, I pray the, Lord, grawnt hem for the multitude of
thi mercy. Amen."
Jhesu mercy quod Salthows.
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