|b{Julian_of_Norwich's_Revelations_} |b{of_Divine_Love.} |b{The_Shorter_Version} |b{ed._from_B.L._Add._MS_37790_} |b{by_Frances_Beer.} |b{Middle_English_Texts_8._Heidelberg:_Winter} |b{pp._39-79.} |p39 REVELATIONS OF DIVINE LOVE |rI |r[f.97r] There es a vision schewed be the goodenes of god to a deuoute woman and hir name es Iulyan that is recluse atte Norwyche and ¨itt ys on lyfe anno domini millesimo CCCCxiii, in the whilke visyon er fulle many comfortabylle wordes and gretly styrrande |r5 to alle thaye that desyres to be crystes looverse. I desyrede thre graces be the gyfte of god. The fyrst was to have mynde of cryste es passion, the seconde was bodelye syekenes, and the thryd was to haue of goddys gyfte thre woun_dys. For the fyrste come to my mynde with devocyon: me though |r10 I hadde grete felynge in the passyon of cryste, botte ¨itte I desyrede to haue mare be the grace of god. Me thought I wolde haue bene that tyme with Mary Mawdeleyne and with othere that were crystes loverse, that I myght have sene bodylye the pas_sion of oure lorde that he sufferede for me, that I myght have |r15 sufferede with hym as othere dyd that lovyd hym. Notwithstand_ynge that, I leevyd sadlye alle the peynes of cryste as halye kyrke schewys & techys, & also the payntyngys of crucyfexes that er made be the grace of god aftere the techynge of haly kyrke to the lyknes of crystes passyon als farfurthe as man ys |r20 witte maye reche. Nou¨twithstondynge alle this trewe beleve, I desyrede a body_lye syght whareyn y myght have more knawynge of bodelye paynes of oure lorde oure savyoure, and of the compassyon of oure la_dye and of alle his trewe loverse that were belevande his pay_nes |r25 that tyme and sythene; for I wolde have beene one of thame and suffrede with thame. Othere syght of gode ne schewynge desyrede I nevere none tylle atte the sawlle were departyd |p40 frome the bodye, for I trayste sothfastlye that I schulde be safe, and this was my menynge; for I wolde aftyr, becawse of that schewynge, have the more trewe mynde in the passion of cryste. |r5 For the seconde, come to my mynde with contricion, frelye with_owtyn any sekynge, a wylfulle desyre to hafe of goddys gyfte a bodelye syekenes. And I wolde čat this bodylye syekenes myght have beene so harde as to the dede, |r[f.97v] so that I myght in the sekenes take alle my ryghtynges of halye kyrke, wenande |r10 myselfe that I schulde dye; and that alle creatures that sawe me myght wene the same, for I wolde hafe no comforth of no fleschlye nothere erthelye lyfe. In this sekenes I desyrede to hafe alle manere of paynes bodelye & gastelye that I schulde have ¨yf I schulde dye, alle the dredes & tempestes of feyndys |r15 & alle manere of [othere] paynes [safe] of the ow¨te passynge of the sawlle, for I hope[d] that it my¨t be to me a spede when I schulde dye, for I desyrede sone to be with my god. This two desyres of the passyon and of the seekenes I desyrede thame with a condicyon, for me thought that it passede the com_ene |r20 course of prayers. And therfore I sayde, ,"Lorde, thowe woote whate I wolde. ¨yf it be thy wille that I have itt, grawnte itt me. And ¨yf it be nou¨t thy wille, goode lorde, be nought dysplesede, for I wille nought botte as thowe wille". This sekenes desyrede I yn my [¨]ought čat y myght have it |r25 whene I were threttye ¨eere eelde. For the thirde, I harde a man telle of halye kyrke of the storye of Saynte Cecylle, in the whilke schewynge I vndyrstode that sche hadde thre woundys with a swerde in the nekke, with the whilke sche pynede to the dede. By the styrrynge of this |r30 I conseyvede a myghty desyre, prayande oure lorde god that he wolde grawnte me thre woundys in my lyfe tyme, that es to saye the wound[e] of contricyon, the wounde of compassyon, [&] the wounde of wylfulle langgynge to god. Ryght as I askede the |p41 othere two with a condyscyon, [so] I askyd the thyrde with_owtyn any condyscyon. This two desyres beforesayde passed fro my mynde, and the thyrde dwellyd contynuelye. |rII Ande when I was thryttye wyntere alde and a halfe, god sente |r5 me a bodelye syekenes in the whilke I laye thre dayes and thre nyghttes, and on the ferthe nyght I toke alle my ryghttynges of haly kyrke, and wenyd nought tylle haue lyffede tylle daye. And aftyr this y langourede furthe two dayes & two nyghttes; & on the thyrde nyght I wenede ofte tymes to hafe passede, |r10 and so wenyd thaye that were abowte me. Botte in this I was ryght sarye & lothe thou¨t for to dye, botte for nothynge that was |r[f.98r] in erthe that me lykede to lyeve fore, nor for nothynge that I was aferde fore, for I tristyd in god. Botte it was fore I walde hafe lyevede to have lovede god bet_ter |r15 and lange tyme, that [I] myght, be the grace of that lyev_ynge, ave the more knowynge and lovynge of god in the blysse of hevene. For me thought alle the tyme that I wolde lyeve here so ly_tille nd so schorte in the regarde of endeles blysse, I |r20 thou¨t thus, "Goode lorde, maye my lyevynge be no langere to thy worschippe?" And [I] was aunswerde in my resone, and be the felynges of my paynes, that I schulde dye. And I asentyd fully with alle the wille of mye herte to be atte god ys wille. Thus I endurede tille daye, and by than was my bodye dede fra |r25 the myddys downwarde as to my felynge. Than was I styrrede to [be] sette vppe ryghttes, lenande with clothes to my heede for to have the mare fredome of my herte to be atte goddes wille, and thynkynge on hym whilys my lyfe walde laste. And thay that were with me sente for the person my curette to be |r30 atte myne endynge. He come, and a childe with hym, and brought a crosse, & be thane I hadde sette myne eyen and myght nou¨t speke. The persone sette the crosse before my face and sayde, "Dow¨tter, I have brought the the ymage of thy sauioure. Loke |p42 thereopon, & comforthe the čerewith, in reverence of hym that dyede for the & me". Me thou¨t čan that y was welle, for myne eyen ware sette vp_warde into hevene whethyr I trustede for to come. Botte nevere_thelesse |r5 I assendyd to sette myne eyen in the face of the cru_cyfixe ¨if y myght, for to endure the langyr in to the tyme of myn endynge; for m[e] thought I my¨t langyr endure to loke evyn forthe than vppe ryght. Aftyr this my syght byganne to fayle, and it was alle dyrke abowte me in the chaumbyr, and myrke as |r10 it hadde bene nyght; save in the ymage of the crosse there helde a comon lyght, and I wyste nevere howe. Alle that was besyde the crosse was huglye to me as ¨yf it hadde bene mykylle occupyede with fendys. Aftyr this the overe partye of my bodye beganne to dye as to |r15 my felynge. Myne handdys felle downe on aythere syde, and also for vnpowere my heede satylde down |r[f.98v] on syde. The maste payne that I felyd was schortnes of wynde and faylynge of lyfe. Than wende I sothelye to hafe bene atte the poynte of dede. And in this sodeynlye alle my payne was awaye fro me and I was |r20 alle hole, and namelye in the overe partye of my bodye, as ev_ere I was before or aftyr. I merveylede of this chaunge, for me thought it was a [de]rne wyrkynge of god, & nought of kynde. And ¨itte be the felynge of this ese I trystede nevere the mare that I schulde lyeve, ne the felynge of this ese was ne fulle |r25 ese to me. For me thou¨t I hadde leuere have bene delyverede of this worlde, for my herte was wilfulle thereto. |rIII And sodeynlye come vnto my mynde that I schulde desyre the sec_onde wounde of oure lordes gyfte and of his grace, that he wal_de fulfylle my bodye with mynde of felynge of his blessede pas_syon, |r30 as I hadde before prayede. For I wolde that his paynes ware my paynes, with compassyon, & aftyrwarde langynge to god. Thus thou¨t me that I myght, with his grace, have his woundys |p43 that I hadde before desyrede. But in this I desyrede neuere ne bodely syght, ne no manere schewynge of god, botte compas_syon, as me thought that a kynde sawlle myght have with oure lorde Ihesu, that for love wolde become man dedlye. With hym |r5 y desyrede to suffere, lyevande in dedlye bodye, as god wolde gyffe me grace. And in this sodaynlye I sawe the rede blode trekylle downe fro vndyr the garlande alle hate, freschlye, plentefully, & lyvelye, ryght as me thought that it was in that tyme that the garlonde |r10 of thornys was thyrstede on his blessede heede. Ryght so both god and man the same sufferde for me. I conseyvede treulye & myghttyllye that itt was hymselfe that schewyd it me withowtyn any meen, and than I sayde, "Benedicite Dominus" . This I sayde reuerentlye in my menynge with a myghtty voyce, and fulle gret_lye |r15 I was astonnyd for wondere & merveyle that y had that he wolde be so h[ame]lye with a synfulle creature lyevande in this wrecchyd flesch[e]. |r[f.99r] Thus I tokede it for that tyme that oure lorde Ihesu of his curtayse love walde schewe me comforthe before the tyme |r20 of my temptacyon. For me thought it myght be welle that I schul_de, be the suffyrraunce of god and with his kepynge, be temptyd of fendys or I dyede. With this syght of his blyssede passyon, with the godhede that I saye in myn vndyrstandynge, I sawe that this was strengh ynow¨e to me, ¨e, vnto alle creatures lyevande |r25 that schulde be saffe agaynes alle the feendys of helle & agay_nes alle gostelye enmyes. |rIV And this same tyme that I sawe this bodyly syght, oure lorde schewyd me a gastelye sight of his anly lovynge. I sawe that he es to vs alle thynge čat is goode and comfortabylle to oure |r30 helpe. He es oure clethynge, for loove wappes vs and wyndes vs, halses vs and alle be[s]eches vs, + hynges aboute vs for tendyr loove, that he maye nevere leve vs. |p44 And so in this syght y sawe sothelye that he ys alle thynge that ys goode, as to myne vndyrstandynge. And in this he schew_yd me a lytille thynge the qwantyte of a haselle nutte lyggande in the palme of my hande, & to my vndyrstandynge that it was as |r5 rownde as any balle. I lokede čeropon and thought, "Whate maye this be?" And I was aunswerde generaly thus, "It is alle that ys made". I merveylede howe čat it myght laste, for me thought it myght falle sodaynlye to nought for litille, and I was aun_swerde in myne vndyrstandynge, "It lastes and euer schalle, for |r10 god loves it, and so hath alle thynge the beynge thorowe the love of god" . In this lytille thynge I sawe thre partyes. The fyrste is that god made [it], the seconde ys that he loves it, the thyrde ys that god kepes it. Botte whate is that to me? Sothelye the |r15 makere, the lovere, the kepere. For to I am substancyallye aned to hym I may nevere have love, reste, ne varray blysse: that is to saye that |r[f.99v] I be so festenede to hym that thare be ryght nought that is made betwyxe my god & me. And wha schalle do this dede? Sothlye hymselfe, be his mercye & |r20 his grace, for he has made me thereto. And blysfullye restoryd in this god brought owre ladye to myne vndyrstandynge. I sawe hir gastelye in bodilye lyekenes, a sympille maydene & a meeke, ¨onge of age in the stature that scho was when scho conceyvede. Also god schewyd me in parte |r25 the wisdom & the trowthe of hir saule, whareyn I vndyrstode reuerente beholdynge, čat sche behelde oure god that ys hir ma_kere, mervelande with grete reuerence that he wolde be borne of hir that was a sympille creature of his makynge. For this was hir mervelynge, that he that was hir makere walde be borne |r30 of hir that was [made]. And this wysdome [&] trowthe, knawande the gretnes of hir makere and the lytelleheede of hirselfe that ys made, made hir [for to] saye mekelye to the angelle Gabri_elle, "Loo me here, goddys hande maydene." |p45 In this sight I sawe sothfastlye that scho ys mare than alle čat god made benethe hir in worthynes & in fulheede, for abo_vene hir ys nothynge that is made botte the blyssede manhede of criste. This lytille thynge that es made that es benethe |r5 oure ladye saynt Marye, god schewyd it vnto me als litille as it hadde beene a hasylle notte. Me thought it myght hafe fall_ene for litille. In this blyssede revelacyon god schewyd me thre noughtes, of whilke nou¨ttes this is the fyrste that was schewyd me: of |r10 this nedes ilke man & woman to hafe knawynge that desyres to lyeve contemplatyfelye, that hym lyke to nou¨t alle thynge that es made for to hafe the love of god that es vnmade. For this es the cause why thaye čat er occupyede wylfullye in erthelye besynes & euermare sekes warldlye wele er nought he[syd] of |r15 [t]his in herte and in sawlle; for thaye love and seekes here ryste in this thynge that is so lytille whare no reste ys yn, & knawes nou¨t god that es alle myghtty, alle wyse, and alle goode, for he is verraye reste. God wille be knawen, & hym lykes čat |r[f.100r] we reste vs in |r20 hym. For alle that ar benethe hym suffyces nou¨t to vs. And this is the cause why that na saule ys restede to it be noghth_ed of alle that es made. When he is noughthid for love to hafe hym that is alle that is goode, than es he abylle to resayue gostlye reste. |rV |r25 And in that tyme that oure lorde schewyd this that I haue nowe sayd[e in] gastelye syght, I saye the bodylye syght lastande of the plentyuouse bledynge of the hede, and als longe as y sawe that syght y sayde oftyn tymes, "Benedicite Dominus". In this fyrste schewynge of oure lorde I sawe sex thynges in myne |r30 vndyrstandynge. The furste is če takyns of his blysfulle pas_sion and the plentevous schedynge of his precyous blode. The seconde is the maydene, that sche ys his dereworthy modere. |p46 The thyrde is the blysfulle godhede čat euer was & es & euer schalle be: alle myghty, alle wysdome, & alle love. The ferthe is alle thynge that he has made, [for wele I wate that hevene & erthe & alle that is made] it is mykille & fayre and large & |r5 goode. Botte the cause why it [schewed] so lytille to my syght was for I sawe itte in the presence of hym that es makere. For to a sawle that sees the makere of alle thynge, alle that es made sem[es] fulle litylle. The fyfte es that he has made alle thynge that ys made for love, & thorowe the same love it is |r10 kepydde, and euer schalle be withowtyn ende, as it is before sayde. The sexte es that god is alle thynge that ys goode, & the goodenes čat + alle thynge has is he. And alle [čis] oure lorde schewyd me in the fyrst syght, and gafe me space & tyme to behalde it. And the bodyly syght styn_tyd, |r15 & the gastely syght dwellyd in myne vndyrstandynge; & I abade with reuerente drede, ioyande in that I sawe & desyrande as y durste for to see mare ¨if it ware his wille, or the same langer tyme. |rVI Alle that I sa[y]e of myselfe I meene in the persone of myne |r20 evyncristene, for I am lernede in the gastelye schewynge of oure lorde that he meenys so. And therfore I praye ¨owe alle for goddys sake, & cownsayles ¨owe for ¨owre awne profyt, that ¨e leve the behaldynge of the wrechid worlde[s] |r[f.100v] syn_fulle creature that [it] was schewyd vnto, & that ¨e myghtlye, |r25 wyselye, lovandlye, & mekelye behalde god that of his curtays love and of his endles goodnes walde schewe generalye this visyon in comforthe of vs alle. & ¨e that hyerys and sees this vision and this techynge that is of Ihesu cryste to edi_ficacyon of ¨oure saule, it is goddys wille & my [desyre] that |r30 ¨e take it with als grete ioye and lykynge as Ihesu hadde schewyd it ¨owe as he dyd to me. |p47 For the schewynge I am not goode but ¨if y love god the better, and so may and so schulde ylke man do that sees it & heres it with goode wille and trewe menynge. And so ys my desyre that it schulde be to euery ilke manne the same profytte that I de_syrede |r5 to myselfe, & čerto was styrryd of god in the fyrste tyme when I sawe itte. For yt [is] comon & generale as we ar alle ane, and I am sekere I sawe it for the profytte of many oder. For sothly it was nought schewyd vnto me for that god loves me bettere thane the leste sawlle that is in grace, for |r10 I am sekere thare ys fulle many that nevere hadde schewynge ne syght botte of the comon techynge of haly kyrke that loves god better čan I. For ¨yf I loke syngulerlye to myselfe I am ryght nought. Botte in generalle, I am in anehede of charyte with alle myne evyncristende: for in this anehede of charyte |r15 standes the lyfe of alle mankynde that schalle be safe. For god is alle that ys goode, and god has made alle that ys made, & god loves alle that he has made. And ¨yf anye man or woman departe his love fra any of his evyn_crysten, he loves ryght nought, for he loves nou¨t alle; and |r20 so that tyme he ys nou¨t safe, for he es nou¨t in pees. And he that generaly looves his evyncrystyn, he loves alle that es. For in mankynde that schalle be saffe is comprehende alle, that ys, alle that ys made and the makere of alle. For in manne ys god, & so in man ys alle. And he čat thus generalye |r25 loves alle his evyncrystene, he loves alle; and he that loves thus, he is safe. And thus wille I love, & thus I love, and thus I am safe. For y mene in the person of myne evyncrys_tene. And the more I love of this lovynge whiles I am here, the mare I am lyke to the blysse that I |r[f.101r] + schalle |r30 have in hevene withowten ende, that is god that of his endeles love wolde become owre brothere & suffer for vs. And I am sekere čat he that behaldes it thus he schalle be trewly tau¨t & myghttelye comforthtede [if] hym nede comforthe. Botte god forbede that ¨e schulde saye or take it so that I |p48 am a techere, for I meene nou¨t soo, no I mente nevere so. For I am a woman, leued, febille, & freylle. Botte I wate wele this that I saye. I hafe it of the schewynge of hym tha[t] es souerayne techare. Botte sothelye charyte styrres |r5 me to telle ¨owe it, for I wolde god ware knawen & myn evyn_crystene spede, as I wolde be myselfe, to the mare hatynge of synne & lovynge of god. Botte for I am a woman, schulde I therfore leve that I schulde nou¨t telle ¨owe the goodenes of god, syne that I sawe in that |r10 same tyme that [it] is his wille that it be knawen? And that schalle ¨e welle see in the same matere that folowes aftyr, [if] itte be welle and trewlye takyn. Thane schalle ¨e sone forgette me that am a wrecche, and dose so that I lette ¨owe nought, & behalde Ihesu that ys techare of alle. I speke of |r15 thame that schalle be safe, for in this tyme god schewyd me no nothere. Bot in alle thynge I lyeve as haly kyrke techis, for in alle + this blyssede schewynge of oure lorde I behelde it as ane in god syght, and I vndyrstode neuer nathynge čereyn that stonez me ne lettes me of the trewe techynge of halye |r20 kyrke. |rVII Alle this blyssede techynge of oure lorde god was schewyd to me in thre partyes, that is be bodylye syght, and be worde formede in myne vndyrstandynge, & be gastelye syght. Botte the gastelye syght I maye nought ne can nought schewe it vnto |r25 ¨owe als oponlye & als fullye as I wolde. Botte I truste in oure lorde god allemyghtty that he schalle, of his goodnes and for ¨oure love, make ¨owe to take it mare gastelye and mare swetly than I can or maye telle it ¨owe, and so motte it be, for we are alle one in loove. |r30 And in alle this I was mekylle styrrede in charyte to myne evyncrystene that thaye myght alle see and knawe če same that I sawe, for I walde that it ware comforthe to thame |p49 |r[f.101v] alle as it es to me. For this syght was schewyd in generalle & nathynge in specyalle. Of alle that [I] sawe, this was the maste comforthe to me: that oure lorde es so ham_lye & so curtayse. And this maste [fil]lyd me with lykynge & |r5 syekernes in saule. Than sayde I to the folke that were with me, "Itt es todaye domesdaye with me", & this I sayde for I wenede to hafe dyed. For that daye that man or woman dyes ys he demyd as he schalle be withowtyn eende. This I sayde for y walde thaye lovyd god |r10 mare, & sette the lesse pryse be the vanite of the worlde, for to make thame to hafe mynde that this lyfe es schorte, as thaye myght se in ensampille be me. For in alle čis tyme I wenede to hafe dyed. |rVIII ii And aftyr this I sawe with bodely syght the face of the cruci_fixe |r15 that hange before me, in whilke I behelde contynuely a party of his passyon: despite, spittynge in, sowlynge of his bodye, & buffetynge in his blysfulle face; & manye langoures and paynes ma than I can telle, and ofte chaungynge of coloure, and alle his blyssede face atyme closede in dry blode. This I |r20 sawe bodylye & hevelye & derkelye, and I desyred mare bodelye lyght to hafe sene more clerelye. And I was aunswerde in my resone that ¨yf god walde schewe me mare he schulde, botte me nedyd na lyght botte hym. iii And aftyr this I sawe god in a poynte, that es in myne vndyr_standynge, |r25 by whilke syght I sawe that he es in alle thynge. I behelde with vysemente, wittande and knawande in that syght that he dose alle that es done. I merveylede in this syght with a softe drede & thought, "Whate es synne?" For I sawe trulye that god dothe alle thynge, be itt nevere so litille; |r30 nor nathynge es done be happe ne be eventure, botte the ende_les forluke of the wysdome of god. Wharefore me behovede nedes grawnte that alle thynge that es done es wele done, and I was |p50 sekyr that god dose na synne. [éerfore it semed to me čat synne is nou¨t, for in alle thys synne] was nou¨t schewyd me. And y walde no lengyr mervelle of this, botte behalde oure lorde whate he wolde schewe me. & in anothyr tyme god schewyd |r5 me whate syne es nakydlye be the selfe as y schalle telle aftyrw[a]rde. iv And aftyr this I sawe behaldande the bodye plentevouslye bled_ande, hate & freschlye and lyfelye, ry¨t as I sawe before in the heede. And this was schewyd |r[f.102r] + me in the semes of |r10 scowrgynge, and this ranne so plenteuouslye to my syght that me thought ¨yf itt hadde bene so in kynde for čat tyme, itt schulde hafe made the bedde alle on blode & hafe passede on abowte. God has made waterse plenteuouse in erthe to oure servyce and to owre bodylye eese, for tendyr love that he has |r15 to vs; botte ¨it lykes hym bettyr that we take fullye his blessede blode to wasche vs with of synne, for thare ys no lykoure that es made that hym lykes so welle to gyffe vs, for it is so plenteuouse and of oure kynde. v And aftyr this, [or] god schewyd me any wo[r]des, he suffyrde |r20 me to behalde langere and alle that I hadde seene & alle that was thereyn. And than was withowtyn voyce & withowte openynge of lyppes formede in my sawlle this worde, "Herewith ys the feende ouercomyn". This worde sayde oure lorde me[n]ande his passyon, as he schewyd me before. |r25 In this oure lorde brought vnto my mynde & schewyd me a perte of the fendys malyce & fully his vnmyght, and for that he schewyd me that the passyon of hym is ouercomynge of the fende. God schewyd me that he hase nowe the same malyce that he had before the incarnacyon, and als sare he travayles & als con_tynuelye |r30 he sees that alle chosene saules eschapes hym wor_schipfullye, |p51 and that es alle his sorowe. For alle that god suffers hym do turnes [thame] to ioye & hym to payne & to schame, and he has als mekylle sorowe when god gyffes hym leve to wyrke as when he werkys nought, and that es for he maye |r5 nevere do als ille as he wolde, for his myght es alle lokene in goddys hande. Also I sawe oure lorde scorne his malyce and nought hym, and he wille that we do the same. For this syght I lugh¨ myghttelye, and that made tham to laugh¨ that were abowte me, and thare laughynge was lykynge to me. I |r10 thought y wolde myne evyncristene hadde sene as I sawe; than schulde thaye alle hafe laughyn with me. Botte I sawe nou¨t cryste laugh¨. Neuerthelesse hym lykes that we laugh¨ in com_fortynge of vs, & er ioyande in god, for the feende ys ouer_comyn. |r15 & aftyr this I felle into a saddehete & sayde, "I see thre thynges: game, scorne, and arneste. I see game that the feende ys ouercomen, and I see scorne |r[f.102v] that god scornes hym and he schalle be scornede, and I see arneste that he es ouer_comen be the passion of oure lorde Ihesu cryste & be his dede |r20 that was done ful erneste & with sadde travayle" . Aftyr this oure lorde sayde, "I thanke the of thy servyce & of thy trau_ayle, & namly in či ¨ough" . |rIX vi God schewyd me thre degrees of blysse that ylke saule schalle hafe in hevene that wilfullye hase servyd god in any degree |r25 heere in erthe. The fyrste is the wyrschipfulle thankkynge of owre lorde god that he schalle resayfe when he es delyu_erede fro payne. This thanke is so hy¨e and so wyrschipfulle that hym thynke it fylles hym čow¨ čare ware no mare blys: for me thought that alle the payne & travayle that myght be suf_fyrde |r30 of alle lyffande men myght nought [hafe] deservede the thanke that a man schalle hafe that wylfullye has servydde |p52 god. For the seconde, that alle the blyssede creatures čat er in hevene schalle see that worschipfulle thankynge of oure lorde god, & he makys his servyce to alle that er in heuen knawen. And for the thyrde, that als new ande als lykande |r5 as it es resayvede that tyme, ryght so schalle itt laste with_owten ende: I sawe that goodelye and swetlye was this sayde & schewyd to me, that če age of euerylk [man] schalle be knaw_en in heuen and rewardyd for his wilfulle seruyce and for his tyme, and namelye the age of thame čat wilfullye and frelye |r10 offers thare ¨ought vnto god es passande rewardede & wondyrlye thankkyd. vii And aftyr this oure lorde schewyd me a souerayne gastelye lyk_ynge in my sawlle. In this lykynge I was fulfillyd of euer_lastande sekernesse, myghtlye festnede withowtyn any drede. |r15 This felynge was so gladde to me and so goodly that [I was] in peez, in ese, and in ryste, so that čere was nothynge in erthe that schulde hafe grevyd me. This lastyd botte a while, and I was turnede & lefte to myselfe in hevynes and werynesse of myselfe and yrkesumnesse of my lyfe, that vnnethes I cowthe |r20 hafe pacyence to lyeve. Thare was none ese ne na comforthe to my felynge botte hope, faythe, and charyte, and this y hadde in trowthe botte fulle lytille in felynge. And anone aftyr, god gafe me agayne the comforth and |r[f.103r] the reste in saule, likynge and syekyrnesse so blysfulle & so |r25 myghtty čat no drede, no sorowe, no payne bodylye no gastelye that myght be sufferde schulde have dissesede me. And than the payne schewyd agayne to my felynge, and than the ioye and + the lykynge, & than the tane & nowe the tothere dvverse tymes I suppose abowte twentye sythes. And in the tyme of |r30 ioye I myght hafe sayde with Paule, Nathynge schalle departe me fro the charyte of cryste. And in payne y myght hafe sayde with saynte Petyr, Lorde save me, I perysche. éis vision was schewyd me to lere me atte my vndyrstandynge |p53 čat it es nedefulle to ylke man to feele on this wyse: sumtyme to be in comforthe & sumtyme to fayle & be lefte to hymselfe. God wille that we knowe that he kepes vs euerelyke syekyr in wele and in woo, & als mykille loves vs in woo as in weele. & |r5 sumtyme, for the profytte of his saule, a man es lefte to hym_selfe & to whethere synne es nought the cause. For in this tyme I synnede nought wherefore I schulde be lefte to myselfe, ne also I deseruede nou¨t to hafe this blysfulle felynge. Botte frelye god gyffez wele when hym lykes, and suffers [vs] |r10 in wa sumtyme. And bothe es of love: for it is god ys wille that we halde vs in comforthe with alle oure myght, for blys es lastande withowtyn ende and payn es passande & schalle be brought to nought. Therefore it es nought goddys wille that we folowe the felynges of payne in sorowynge and in mournynge |r15 for tha[im], botte sodaynlye passe on & halde vs in endelesse lykynge that es god allemyghtty oure lovere & kepare. |rX viii Aftyr this cryste schewyd me a partye of his passyone nere his dyinge. I sawe that swete faace as yt ware drye and bludye_lesse with pale dyinge, sithen mare de[de] pale langourande; |r20 and than turnede more dede to the blewe, & sithene mare blewe as the flesche turnede mare deepe dede. For alle the paynes that cryste sufferde in his bodye schewyd to me in the blyss_ede faace als farfurthe as I sawe it, and namelye in the lyppes. Thare I sawe this foure colourse, thaye that I sawe before_hande, |r25 freschlye & rud[dy], lyflye & lykande to my syght. This |r[f.103v] was a hevy chaunge to see this deepe dyinge, and also the nese c[l]aungede and dryed to my sight. This lange pyn_ynge semede to me as he hadde bene a seuen nyght dede, alle_waye sufferande payne. & me thought the dryinge of crystes |r30 flesche was the maste payne of his passion, and the laste. And in this dryhede was brou¨t to my mynde this worde that cryste |p54 sayde, "I thryste". For I sawe in criste a doubille thyrste, ane bodylye, ane othere gastelye. This worde was schewyd to me for the bodylye thirste, and for the gastelye thyrste was schewyd to me als I schalle saye eftyrwarde. And I vndyrstode |r5 of bodelye thyrste that the bodye hadde of faylynge of moys_tere, for the blessede flesche & banes ware lefte allane with_owtyn blode & moystere. The blyssyd bodye dryede alle ane lange tyme with wryngynge of the nayles and paysynge of the h[ede] and weyght of the bodye, with blawynge of wynde fra |r10 withoutyn that dryed mare and pyned hym with calde mare than myn herte can thynke, & alle othere paynes. Swilke paynes I sawe that alle es to litelle čat y can telle or saye, for itt maye nou¨t be tolde. Botte ylke saule aftere the sayinge of saynte Pawle schulde feele in hym čat in criste |r15 Ihesu. This schewynge of criste paynes fillyd me fulle of paynes, for I wate weele he suffrede nou¨t botte ane¨, botte as he walde schewe yt me and fylle me with mynde as I hadde desyrede before. My modere that stode emangys othere and behelde me lyftyd vppe |r20 hir hande before me face to lokke myn eyen, for sche wenyd I had bene dede or els I hadde dyede. And this encresyd mekille my sorowe, for nou¨twithstandynge alle my paynes, I wolde nou¨t hafe been lettyd for loove that I hadde in hym. And to wheth_ere in alle this tyme of crystes presence I felyd no payne |r25 botte for cristes paynes, čan thou¨t me I knewe [ful lytylle] whate payne it was that I askyd. For me thought that my pay_nes passede any bodylye dede; I thou¨t, "Es any payne in helle lyke this payne?" And I was aunswerde in my resone that dy_spayre ys mare for that es gastelye payne. Bot bodilye payne |r30 es nane mare than this: howe myght my payne [be more] than to see hym that es alle my lyfe, alle my blys, & alle mye |r[f.104r] ioye suffy[r? Here] felyd I sothfastlye that y lovede criste so mekille abouen myselfe that me thought it hadde beene a |p55 grete eese to me to hafe dyede bodylye. Hereyn I sawe in partye the compassyon of oure ladye saynte Marye, for criste & scho ware so anede in loove that če gret_nesse of hir loove was the cause of the mykillehede of hir |r5 payne. For so mykille as scho lovyd hym mare than alle othere, her payne passed alle othere, and so alle his disciples & alle his trewe lovers suffyrde paynes mare than thare awne bodelye dying. For I am sekyr be myn awne felynge that the leste of thame luffed [hym] mare than thaye dyd thamselfe. |r10 Here I sawe [a] grete anynge betwyx criste and vs, for when he was in payne, we ware in payne, and alle creatures that myght suffyr payne soffyrde with hym. And thaye that knewe hym nou¨t, this was thare payne, that alle creatures, sonne & the mone, withdrewe thare seruyce, and so ware thaye alle |r15 lefte in sorowe for the tyme. And thus thaye that lovyd hym sufferde payne for luffe, & thay that luffyd hym nought suf_ferde payne for faylynge of comforthe [of alle] creatures. In this tyme I walde hafe lokyd besyde the crosse botte I durste nou¨t, for I wyste wele whilys I lukyd vppon the crosse |r20 I was sekyr and safe. Therfore I walde nought assente to putte my sawle in perille, for besyde the crosse was na sye_kernesse, botte vglynesse of feendes. Than hadde I a profyr in my resone as ¨yf it hadde beene frendelye. I[t] sayde to me, "Luke vppe to heven to his fadere". Than sawe I wele, |r25 with the faythe that y felyd, that thare ware nathynge betwyx the crosse & heuen that myght hafe desesyd me, and othere me behovyd loke vppe or els aunswere. I answerde & sayde, "Naye, I may nought, for thowe erte myne heuen". This I sayde for I walde nou¨t, for I hadde levyr hafe bene in that payne to |r30 domysdaye than hafe comen to hevene otherewyse than be hym. For I wyste wele he that bought me so sare schulde vnbynde me when he walde. |p56 |rXI Thus chese I Ihesu for my heuen wham I [saw] onlye in payne at that tyme. Me lykede no nothere hevene |r[f.104v] than Ihesu whilke schalle be my blysse when I am thare. And this has euer beene a comforthe to me, that I chesyd Ihesu to my hevene |r5 in alle [this] tyme of passyon and of sorowe; and that has beene a lernynge to me, that I schulde euermare do so and chese anly hym to my heuen, in wele and in wa. And thus sawe I my lorde Ihesu langoure lange tyme, for the anynge of the godhede for love gafe strenght to the manhede to suffyr mare than alle |r10 men myght. I mene nought anly mare payne anly than alle men myght suffyr, bot a[lso] that he suffyrde mare payne than alle men that euer was fra the fyrste begynnynge to the laste daye. No tonge maye telle, ne [herte fully] thynke, the paynes that oure savyoure sufferde for vs, haffande rewarde to the worthy_nes |r15 of the hyest worschipfulle kynge and to the schamefulle, dyspyttous & paynfulle dede. For he that was hieste & worthy_est was fullyest noghthede & witterlyest dyspyside. Botte the loue that made hym to suffere alle this, itt passes als fare alle his payns as heuen es abouen erthe. For the paynes was |r20 a dede done in a tyme be the wyrkynge of love, botte luffe was withowtyn begynnynge, & es and evere schalle be withowtyn any ende. And sodaynlye, me behaldande in the same crosse, he chaunchede into blysfulle chere: the chawngynge of his chere chaungyd |r25 myne, and I was alle gladde & mery as yt was possybille. Than brought oure lorde merelye to my mynde, "Whate es any poynte of thy payne or of čy grefe?" And I was fulle merye. |rXII ix Than sayde oure lorde, askande, "Arte thou wele payde that I suffyrde for the?" "¨a, goode lorde", quod I. "Gramercy |r30 goode lorde, blissyd mut thowe be". "żyf thowe be payede", |p57 quod oure lorde, "I am payede. It es a ioye and a blysse and ane endlesse lykynge to me that euer y suffyrde passyon for the, for ¨yf I myght suffyr mare, I walde suffyr". In this felynge myne vndyrstandynge was lyftyd vppe into heuen, |r5 and thare I sawe thre hevens of the whilke syght I was gretlye merveylede, and |r[f.105r] thought, "I sawe thre hevens, and alle of the blessyd manhede of cryste; and nane is mare, nane is lesse, nane is hiare, nane is lawere, botte evene like in blysse". |r10 For the fyrste heuen schewed criste me his fadere, bot in na bodelye lyknesse, botte in his properte and in his lykynge. The wyrkynge of the fadere it is this: that he gyffes mede tille his sone Ihesu criste. This gyfte and this mede is so blysfulle to Ihesu that [his] fadere myght haffe gyffene na |r15 mede that myght hafe likede hym bettere. For the first heuen, that is blissynge of the fadere, schewed to me as a heuen, and itt was fulle blysfulle. For he is fulle blyssede with alle the dedes that he has done abow¨te oure saluacyon, wharefore we ere nought anely his thurgh byingge, botte also be the cur_tayse |r20 gyfte of his fadere. We ere his blysse, we er his mede, we er his wyrschippe, we er his crowne. This that I saye is soo grete blysse to Ihesu that he settys atte nought his travayle, and his harde passion, and cruelle and schamefulle dede. And in this wordes: ¨yf I myght suffyr |r25 mare, I walde suffyr mare, I sawe sothly that ¨if he myght dye als ofte als fore euerilke man anes that schalle be safe as he dyed anes for alle, love schulde neuer late hym hafe reste to he hadde done it. And when he hadde done it, he walde sette it atte nought for luff, for alle thynge hym botte litylle |r30 in regarde of his love. And that schewed he me wele [sobarly], sayande this worde: ¨yffe I myght suffere mare. He sayde nought, ¨if it ware nedfulle to suffyr mare, botte ¨if I myght suffyr mare. For thow¨ it be nought nedefulle and he myght suffyr mare, mare he walde. This dede and this werke abowte |r35 oure saluacyon was als wele as he myght ordayne it, it was |p58 done als wyrschipfullye as cryste myght do it. And in this I sawe a fulle blysse in cryste, botte this blysse schulde nought hafe bene done fulle ¨yf it myght any bettere hafe bene done čan it was done. |r5 And in this thre wordes, It is a ioye, a blysse, and ane ende_les likynge to me, ware schewed to me thre hevens as thus: for the ioye I vndyrstode the plesaunce of the fadere; for the blysse, the wirschippe of the sone; and for the endeles lykynge, the haly gaste. The fadere is plesed, the sone ys worschippyd, |r10 the haly gaste lykes. Ihesu wille that we take heede to this blysse that is in the blyssedfulle trinite of oure saluacion, and that we lyke als mekylle |r[f.105v] with his grace whyles we er here. And this was schewyd me in čis worde: <4>Erte <1>čow wele payed? |r15 Be the tothere worde that cryste sayde, ¨yf čou be payed I am payd, he schewed me the vndyrstandynge as ¨yf he had sayde: It is ioye and lykynge enough to me, and I aske nought els for my travayle botte that I myght paye the. Plentyuoslye and fully was this schewyd to me. Thynke also wyselye of the gret_nesse |r20 of this worde: That euer I suffred passion for the, for in that worde was a hye knawynge of luffe and of lykynge that he hadde in oure saluacion. |rXIII x Fulle merelye and gladlye oure lorde lokyd into his syde and behelde and sayde this worde, "Loo, how I lovyd the", as ¨yf |r25 he hadde sayde: My childe, ¨yf thow kan nought loke in my god_hede, see heere howe I lette opyn my syde, and my herte be clo_vene in twa, and lette oute blude and watere alle čat was thare_yn. And this lykes me, and so wille I that it do the. This schewed oure lorde me to make vs gladde and mery. xi And with the same chere and myrthe he loked downe on the ryght |r31 syde and brought to my mynde whare oure ladye stode in the tyme of his passion, and sayde, "Wille thowe see hir?" And |p59 I aunswerde and sayde, "¨a goode lorde, gramercy, ¨yf it be thy wille". Ofte tymes I prayed it, and wened to haffe sene here in bodely lykenes, botte I sawe hir nought soo. And Ihesu in čat worde schewed me a gastelye syght of hire. Ryght |r5 as I hadde before sene hire litille and sympille, ryght so he schewed here than, hye and nobille and gloriouse and plesaunte to hym abouen alle creatures. And so he wille that it be knawyn that alle tha that lykes in hym schulde lyke in hire, and in the lykynge that he hase in |r10 hire, and scho in hym. And in that worde that Ihesu sayde: Wille čou see hire? me thought I hadde the maste lykynge that he myght hafe gyffen me, with the gastelye schewynge that he gafe me of hire; for oure lorde schewed me nothynge in specy_alle botte oure lady saynte Marye, and here he schewyd me in |r15 thre tymes. The fyrste was as sche consayved, the seconde was as scho were in hire sorowes vndere the crosse, and the thryd as scho is nowe: in lykynge, wirschippe, |r[f.106r] and ioye. xii And eftyr this oure lorde schewyd hym to me mare gloryfyed as to my syght than I sawe hym before, and in this was I lered |r20 that ilke saule contemplatyfe to whilke es gyffen to luke and seke god schalle se hire and passe vnto god by contemplacion. And eftyr this techynge, hamelye, curtayse and blysfulle and verray lyfe, ofte tymes oure lorde Ihesu sayde to me, "I it am that is hiaste. I it am that čou luffes. I it am that thowe |r25 lykes. I it am that čowe serves. I it am čat čou langes. I it am that čowe desyres. I it am that thowe menes. I it am čat is alle. I it am that haly kyrke preches the and teches the. I it am that schewed me are to the". Thies wordes I declare nought botte for ilke man, eftyr the grace that god gyffes hym |r30 in vndyrstandynge and lovynge, resayfe tham in oure lordes menynge. xiii And eftyr, oure lorde brought vnto my mynde the langynge that I hadde to hym before. And I sawe that nathynge letted me bot syn; and so I behelde generallye in vs alle, and me thought, |r35 "¨yf syn hadde nought bene, we schulde alle hafe bene clene and lyke to oure lorde, as he made vs". And thus in my folye, be_fore this tyme, ofte I wondrede why, be the grete forseande |p60 wysdome of god, syn was nought lettede, for than thought me that alle schulde hafe bene wele. This styrrynge was mekylle to forsayke, and mournynge and sorowe I made therfore with_outyn resone and dyscrecion, of fulle grete pryde. |r5 Neuerthelesse Ihesu in this vision enfourmede me of alle that me neded. I saye nought that me nedes na mare techynge, for oure lorde, with the schewynge of this, hase lefte me to haly kyrke; and I am hungery and thyrstye and nedy and synfulle and freele, & wilfully submyttes me to the techynge of haly |r10 kyrke, with alle myne euencrysten, into the ende of my lyfe. He aunswerde be this worde and sayde, "Synne is behouelye". In this worde, Synne, oure lorde brought to my mynde gener_allye alle that is nought goode: the schamefulle dyspyte and the vtter noghtynge that he bare for vs in this lyfe and in |r15 his dyinge, and alle the paynes and passyons of alle his crea_tures, gastelye and bodelye. For we ere alle in party noghted, and we schulde be noghted folowande oure maister Ihesu to we be fulle purgede, that is to say to we be fully |r[f.106v] nogh_ted of oure awne dedely flesche, and of alle oure inwarde af_feccion[s] |r20 whilke ere nought goode. And the behaldynge of this, with alle the paynes that euer ware or euer schalle be, a[lle] this was schewed me in a toch and redely passed ouere into comforth, for oure goode lorde god walde noght that the saule ware afferdede of this vglye |r25 syght. Botte I sawe noght synne, fore I lefe it has na manere of substaunce, na partye of beynge, na it myght nought be knaw_en bot be the paynes that it is cause of. And this payne, it is sumthynge as to my syght, for a tyme: for it purges vs and makes vs to knawe oureselfe and aske mercy. |r30 For the passion of oure lorde is comforth to vs agaynes alle this, and so is his blyssyd wille. To alle that schalle be saffe, he comfortes redely and swetlye be his wordes, and says, "Botte alle schalle be wele, and alle maner of thynge schalle be wele". Thyes wordes ware schewed wele tenderlye, schewande |p61 na ma[ne]re of blame to me, na to nane that schalle be safe. Than were it a grete vnkyndenesse of me to blame or wondyr of god for my synnes, syn he blames not me for synne. Thus I sawe howe cryste has compassyon of vs for the cause of synne, |r5 and ryght as I was before with the passyon of cryste fulfilled with payne and compassion, [lyke in čis I was in party fyllyd with compassion] of alle myn euencristene; and than sawe I that ylke kynde compassyone that man hase of his evencristene with chartye, čat it is criste in hym. |rXIV |r10 Bot in this ¨e schalle studye: behaldande generallye, drere_lye, & mournande, sayande thus to oure lorde in my menynge with fulle grete drede, "A, goode lorde, howe myght alle be wele for the grete harme that is comon by synne to thy crea_tures?" And I desired as I durste to hafe sum mare open de_clarynge |r15 wharewith I myght be hesyd in this. And to this oure blyssede lorde aunswerde fulle mekelye and with fulle lovelye chere, and schewed me that Adames synne was the maste harme that euer was done or ever schalle to the warldes ende, and also he schewed me that this is opynly [knawyn] in alle haly |r20 kyrke in erthe. Forthermare he lered me that I schulde be_halde the gloriouse asethe, for this aseth-makynge is mare plesande to the blissede godhede and mare wyrschipfulle to mannes saluacion withowtene comparyson than euer was the synne of Adam harmfulle. |r25 éanne |r[f.107r] menes oure lorde blyssede thus in this tech_ynge, that we schulde take hede to this: "For sen I hafe made wele the maste harme, it is my wille that čowe knawe čerby that I schalle make wele alle that is the lesse" . He gaffe me vndyrstandynge of twa partyes. The ta party is oure savi_our |r30 and oure saluacion. This blyssed party is opyn and clere and fayre and lyght and plentious, for alle mankynde that is of goode wille or čat schalle be es comprehendyd in |p62 this partye. Hereto ere we byddyn of god and drawen and con_sayled and lered inwardlye be the haly gaste & outwarde by haly kyrke by the same grace. In this wille oure lorde that we be occupyed, enioyande in hym, for he enioyes in vs. And |r5 če mare plentyuouslye that we take of this with reuerence and mekenesse, the mare we deserve thanke of hym and the mare spede to oureselfe. And thus maye we saye, enioyande, Oure parte is oure lorde. The tother parte is spared fra vs and hidde, that is to saye, |r10 alle that is besyde oure saluacion. For this is oure lordys prive consayles [& it langes to če ryalle lordeschyp of god for to haue his prive consayles] in pees, and it langes to his seruauntys for obedyence and reuerence nought to wille witte his councelle. Oure lorde has pite and compassyon of vs for |r15 that sum creatures makes tham so besy čeryn, and I am sekyr ¨yf we wyste howe mekille we schulde plese hym and ese oure_selfe for to lefe it, we walde. The sayntes in heuen wille nathynge witte bot that oure lorde wille schewe thame, and also there charyte and čer desyre is rewlyd eftyr the wille |r20 of oure lorde. And čus awe we to wille ne to be lyke to hym, and than schalle we nathynge wille ne desyre botte the wille of oure lorde, as he does, for we er alle ane in goddys men_ynge. And here was I lered that we schalle anely enioye in oure blissid sauiour Ihesu & trist in hym for alle thynge. |rXV |r25 And thus oure goode lorde answerde to alle the questyons and doutes that I myght make, sayande fulle comfortabelye on this wyse: "I [maye] make alle thynge wele, I [can] make alle thynge wele, I [wille] make alle thynge wele, and I [schalle] make alle thynge wele, and čowe schalle se thyselfe that alle |r30 thynge schalle be wele". There he says he maye, I vndyrstande for the fadere; and čere he says he can, I vndyrstande for the |p63 sone; and čer he says |r[f.107v] I wille, I vnderstande for the hali gaste; and čere he says I schalle, I vndirstande for the vnyte of the blyssede trinyte, thre persones in a trewth; & there he says: Thowe schalle se thyselfe, I vndyrstande the |r5 anynge of alle mankynde that schalle be sayfe into the blys_fulle trinyte. & in this fyve wordes god wille be closed in ryste and in pees, and thus has the gastely thyrst of cryste ane ende. For this is the gastely thyrste, the luff langynge, and that lastes |r10 and euer schalle to wee see that syght atte domesdaye. For we that schalle be safe, and schalle be crystes ioye and his blysse, ere ¨it here and schalle be vnto the daye. Therefore this is the thyrste, the falynge of his blysse, čat he has vs nought in hym als haelye as he schalle thanne haffe. Alle this |r15 was schewed me in the schewynge of compassion, for čat schalle sese atte domesdaye. Thus he hath rewthe and compassion of vs, and he has langynge to hafe vs, botte his wysdome and his love suffers nought the ende to come to the beste tyme. And in thies same fyve wordes beforesayde: I may make alle |r20 thynge wele, I vndyrstande a myghtty comforthe of alle the werkys of oure lorde that ere for to come. For ryght as the blissyd trinyte made alle thynge of nought, ryght soo the same blyssed trinyte schalle make wele alle that es nought wele. It is goddys wille that we hafe grete rewarde to alle the |r25 dedys that he has done, for he wille that we knawe thereby alle that he schalle do, and čat schewyd he me in this worde that he sayde: And čou schalle see thyselfe that alle manere of thynge schalle be wele. This I vndyrstande in twa manerse: ane, I am wele payed that I wate it noght, anothere, I am |r30 gladde and mery for I schalle witte itt. It is goddys wille that we witte that alle schalle be wele in generalle; botte it is nought goddys wille that we schulde witte it nowe, botte as it langes to vs for the tyme: & čat is the techynge of haly kyrke. |p64 |rXVI God schewyd me fulle grete plesaunce that he has in alle men and women that myghttelye and mekelye and wyrschipfullye takes the prechynge and the techynge of haly kyrke, for he is haly kyrke. For he is the grownde, he is the substaunce, |r[f.108r] |r5 he is the techynge, he is the techare, he is the ende, he is the myddes wharefore ilke trewe sawlle trauaylles. And he is knawen and schalle be knawen to ylke saule to whame the haly gaste declares it, and I am sekyr that alle tho that sekes thus schalle spede, for thay seke god. |r10 Alle this that I hafe nowe sayde, and mare that I schalle saye eftyr, es comforthynge agayne synne. For fyrst, when I sawe čat god does alle that es done, I sawe nought synne, and than sawe I that alle is wele. Bot when god schewyd me synne, than sayde he: Alle schalle be wele. |r15 And when god allemyghttye hadde schewed me plentyuouslye & fully of his goodnesse, I desyred of a certayne person that I lovyd howe it schulde be with hire. And in čis desyre I lettyd myselfe, for I was noght taught in this tyme. And than was I answerde in my reson als it ware be a frendfulle m[ee]n, |r20 "Take it generally, and behalde the curtayssy of thy lorde god as he schewes it to the, for it is mare worschippe to god to behalde hym in alle than in any specyalle thynge". I assentyd, and čerwith I lered that it is mare wyrschippe to god to knawe alle thynge in generalle than to lyke in any thynge in speci_alle. |r25 And ¨yf I schulde do wysely eftyr this techynge, I schulde nought be glad for nathynge in specyalle, na desesed for na manere of thynge, for alle schalle be wele. God brought to my mynde that I schulde synne, and for lykynge that I hadde in behaldynge of hym I entendid nought redely to |r30 that schewynge. And oure lorde fulle curtayslye abayde to I walde entende; and than oure lorde brought to mynde with my synnes the synne of alle myne evencristen, alle in generalle and nathynge in specialle. |p65 |rXVII Iff alle oure lorde schewyd me that I schulde synne, be me allayn I vnderstode alle. In this I consayved a softe drede, and to this oure lorde answerde me thus, "I kepe the fulle sekerly" . This worde was sayde to me with mare love & seker_nes |r5 of gastely kepynge than I can or maye telle, for as it was be*fore |r[f.108v] schewed to me that I schulde synne, ryght so was the comforth schewed to me, sekernesse of kepynge for alle myne evencristen. [What may make me mare to luff myne evencristen] than to see |r10 in god that he loues alle that schalle be safe, as it ware alle a saulle? And in ilke saule that schalle be sayfe is a goodely wille that neuer assentyd to synne, na neuer schalle. For as čer is a bestely wille in the nethere party that maye wille na goode, so is thare a goodely wille in the ouer partye |r15 that maye wille nane eville, botte euer goode, na mare than the persones of če blissed trinyte. And this schewyd oure lorde me in the holehed of luffe that we stande in [in] his sight, ¨a, that he luffez vs nowe als wele whiles we ere here as he schalle do when we ere thare before his blissed face. |r20 Also god schewed me that syn is na schame, bot wirschippe to man. For in this sight myn vnderstandynge was lyfted vp into heven, and than com verrayly to my mynde David, Peter & Paule, Thomas of Inde and the Maudelayn: howe thaye er knawen in the kyrke of erth with thare synnes to thayre wirschippe. And it |r25 is to tham no schame that thay hafe synned, na mare it is in the blysse of heven, for thare the takenynge of synne is turn_ed into wirschippe. Right so oure lorde god schewed me tham in ensampille of alle othere that schalle cum thedyr. Syn is the scharpyste scourge that any chosen saule maye be |r30 bette with, whilke scourge it alle forbettes man & woman, and alle forbrekes [hy]m & noghtez hymselfe in [his] awne syght |p66 sa fare forth that hym thynke that he is noght worthy bot as it ware to synke into helle. Botte when contricion takes hym be the towchynge of the haly gaste, than turnes he bitternesse into hope of goddys mercye, and than begynnes his woundys to |r5 hile and the sawlle to qwykkyn, turnyd in to the lyfe of haly kyrke. The haly gaste leddes hym to confessyon wilfully to schewe his synnes, nakedlye & trewly with grete sorowe and grete schame that he hase swa defowled the fayre ymage of god. Than he takes pennaunce for ylke a synne, eni[oy]nyd be his |r10 domesman, that is growndyd in haly kyrke be the techynge of the haly gaste. Be this medycyn behoues euer ilke synfulle sawlle be heled, & namlye of synnes that ere dedely in the selfe. |r[f.109r] Thou¨ he be heled, his woundes er sene before god, nowht as woundes bot as wyrschippes. And so on contrarye |r15 wyse, as it es punysched here with sorowe and with pennaunce, it schalle be rewarded in heuen be the curtayse loue of oure lorde god allemyghttye that wille that nane that comes thare lese his travayle. That mede that we salle resayfe thare salle nought be litelle, bot it schalle be hy, gloriouse, and wirschip_fulle, |r20 and so schalle alle schame turne into wyrschyppe & into mare ioye. And I am sekere be myn awne felynge, the mare that ilke kynde saule sees čis in the kynde & curta[ys]e love of god, the lathere es hym for to synne. |rXVIII Bot ¨yf thowe be styrred to saye or to thynke, sen this is sothe |r25 čan ware it goode for to synne for to hafe the mare mede, beware of this styrrynge and dispice it, for it is of the enmy. For whate saule that wilfully takys this styrrynge, he maye neuer be safe to he be amendyd as of dedely synne. For ¨if it ware layde before me alle the payne that is in helle and in purga_torye |r30 and in erth, dede and othere and synne, I had leuer chese alle that payne than synne. For synne is so vyle and so mykille for to hate that it maye be likened to na payne, whilke payne es nought syn, for alle thynge is goode botte synne, and nathynge is wikkyd botte synne. Synne es nowthere deed no lykynge, |p67 botte when a saule cheses wilfully synne that is payne as fore his god, atte the ende he hase ryght nought. That payne thynke me the herdeste helle, for he hase nought his god: in alle paynes a saule may hafe god botte in synne. |r5 And als myghtty and als witty as god is for to safe man, als willy he is, for criste hymselfe is grownde of alle the lawe of crysten men, and he has tawht vs to do goode agaynes eville. Here may we see that he es hymselfe this charite, and does to vs as he teches vs to do; for he wille that we be lyke to hym |r10 in anehede of endeles luffe to oureselfe and to oure evencris_ten. Na mare than his love es broken to vs for oure synne, na mare wille he that oure love be broken to oureselfe ne to oure evencristen, botte nakedlye hate synne and endeleslye love the saule as god loves it. For this worde that god sayde es ane |r15 endelesse comforth: that [he] kepes vs fulle sekerlye. |rXIX xiv Aftyr this oure lorde schewed me fo[r] prayers. I sawe ii con_dicyons in tham that prayes, aftyr that I hafe felyd in my_selfe. Ane |r[f.109v] es, thaye wille nought praye for nathynge that may be, botte that thynge that es goddes wille and his |r20 wirschippe. Anothere is that thay sette tham myghttelye & con_tynuely to beseke that thynge that es his wille and his wir_schippe, and čat es as I hafe vndyrstandide be the techynge of haly kyrke. For in this oure lorde lered me the same, to hafe of goddes gyfte faith, hope, and charyte, and kepe vs |r25 therein to oure lyves ende. And in this we say: Pater noster aue and crede, with devocion, as god wille gyffc it. And thus we praye fore alle oure evencristen and for alle manere of men, that god es wille es, for we walde that alle maner of men and women ware in the same vertu and grace that we awe to de_syre |r30 to oureselfe. Botte ¨itt in alle this ofttymes oure triste is nowht fulle, for we ere nou¨t sekare that god al_myghtty hyeres vs, as vs thynke for oure vnworthynesse and |p68 fore we fele ryght nought. Fore we ere als barayne and als drye oftymes eftyr oure prayers as we ware before, and thus in oure felynge oure foly es cause of oure waykenesse, for thus hafe I felede in myselfe. |r5 And alle this brought oure lorde sodaynlye to my mynde, and myghttely and lyfely, & comfortande me agaynes this maner of waykenesse in prayers, and sayde, "I am grownde of thy besek_ynge. First it is my wille that čou hafe it, & s[y]ne I make the to will it, & syne I make the to beseke it, & ¨if čou be_seke, |r10 howe schulde it than be that čou schulde nought hafe thy besekynge?" And thus in the fyrste reson, with the thre that folous eftere, oure lorde schewed a myghtty comforth. And the fy[fte] čare he says: And čowe beseke, thare he schewes fulle grete plesaunce and endelese mede that he wille gyffe vs for |r15 oure besekynge. And in the [six]te reson thare he sais: Howe schulde it than be čat čou schulde noght hafe thy besekynge, čare he schewes a sobere vndertakynge, for we tryste nou¨t als myghtelye als we schulde do. Thus wille oure lorde that we bath praye & triste, for the |r20 cause of the resones beforsayde is to make vs myghty agaynes waiknesse in oure prayers. For it is goddis wille that we pray, and čerto he styrres vs in thies wordes beforsayde. For he wille čat we be sekere to hafe oure prayere, for pray_er pleses god. Prayer pleses man with hymselfe, and makes |r25 hym sobure & meke that beforehand |r[f.110r] was in strife & travayle. Praiere anes the saule to god, for čow¨ the saule be euer lyke god in kynde and in substaunce, it is oft vnlike in condicion thurgh syn of mannes party. Than makes prayer če saule like vnto god when the sawlle wille as god wille, and |r30 than es it lyke to god in condicyon as it es in kynde. And thus he teches vs to pray and myghttely tryste that we schalle hafe that we praye fore, for alle thynge that es done schulde be done čow¨ we neuer prayed it: botte the luff of |p69 god es so mykille that he haldes vs parcyners of his goode deede. And čerfore he styrres vs to praye that [that] hym lykes to do, for whate prayere or goode wille that we hafe of his gyfte he wille rewarde vs & gife vs endelese mede, and |r5 this was schewed me in this worde: And čou beseke it. In this worde god schewed me so grete plesaunce & so grete lykynge, as ¨if he ware mekille behaldene to vs for ilke goode dede that we do, alle ¨if it es he that does it. And for that, we beseke besily to do that thvnge that hym lykes, |r10 as ¨if he sayde: Whate myght čowe plese me mare than to bisike bisily, wisely, & wilfullye to do that thynge that I wille do? And thus makes prayere accorde betwix god & mannes saule, for whate tyme that mannes saule es hamelye with god, hym nedes nought to praye, botte behalde reuerentlye whate he says. For |r15 in alle this tyme that this was schewed me I was noght stirred to praye, botte to hafe allewaye this welle in my mynde for comforth, that when we see god we hafe that we desyre, & than nedes vs nought to praye. Botte when we se nought god, than nedes vs to pray for faylynge & for habelynge of oureselfe |r20 to Ihesu. For when a saule es tempted, trubled, & lefte to itselfe be vnreste than es it tyme to pray and to make hym_selfe symple and boxsom to god. Bot he be boxom, na maner of prayer makes god souple to hym. For he is euer ylyke in love; botte in the tyme that man is in synne, he is so vnmyghttye, |r25 so vnwyse, & so vnluffande that he can nought love god ne hym_selfe. The maste myschefe that he hase es blyndnesse, for he sees nought alle this. Than the hale luffe of god allemyghty that euer is ane gyffes hym sight |r[f.110v] to hymselfe, and than wenes he that god |r30 ware wrathe with hym for his synne. And than is he stirred to contricion and be confessyon and othere goode dedys to slake the wrathe of god vnto the tyme he fynde a reste in saule & softnesse in conscience. And than hym thynke čat god haseforgyffyn his synnes, and it es soth. And than is god, |p70 in če sight of saule, turnede in to the behaldynge of the saule, as ¨if it had bene in payne or in prison, sayande thus: "I am gladde that čou erte comen to reste, for I hafe euer loved the & nowe loves the, and čou me". And thus with prayers as I hafe |r5 before sayde, & with othere goode werkys čat ere custumab[yll]e be the techynge of haly kyrke, is če saule aned to god. |rXX xv Before this tyme I hadde ofte grete langynge, & desyred of goddys gyfte to be delyuered of this warlde and of this lyfe, for I schulde be with my god in blysse whare I hope sikerlye |r10 thurgh his mercye to be withowten ende. For ofte tymes I be_helde the waa that is here and the weele & the blyssede beynge thare; & ¨yf thare hadde bene na payn in erthe bot the absence of oure lorde god, me thou¨t sumtyme it ware mare than I myght bere. And this made me to mourne & beselye lange. |r15 Than god sayde to me for pacience & for sufferaunce thus: "Sudanly thowe schalle be takene fra alle thy payne, fra alle thy dissese, & fra alle thy waa; & čowe schalle comen vp abo_uen, and thowe schalle hafe me to thy mede, and čowe schalle be fulfyllede of ioye and blysse, & čowe schalle neuer hafe |r20 na maner of payne, na maner of sekenes, na maner of myslyk_ynge, na wantynge of wille, botte euer ioye & blysse withouten ende. Whate schulde it than greve the to suffyr awhile, sen it is my wille and my wirschippe?" Also in this reson: Sudanly čou schalle [be taken], I sawe |r25 how god rewardys man of the pacience that he has in abydynge of goddes wille in his tyme, and čat man lengthes his pacyence owere the tyme of his lyffynge for vnknawynge of his tyme of passynge. This is a grete profytte, for ¨if a man knewe his tyme, he schulde noght hafe pacience owere čat tyme. Also |r30 god wille that whiles the saule es in the bodye, that it [seme] to itselfe that it es euer atte the poynte to be taken. For alle čis |r[f.111r] lyfe in this langoure that we hafe here is |p71 bot a poynte, and when we ere takene sodaynly oute of payne into blysse it schalle be nou¨t. And čerfore sayde oure lorde: Whate schulde it than greve the to suffere awhile sen it is my wille & my wyrschippe? |r5 It is goddys wille that we take his behestys and his confort_ynges als largelye and als myghtelye as we maye take thame, and also he wille čat we take oure abydynge and oure desese als lyghtelye as we may take tham and sette tham atte nought. For the lyghtlyere we take tham, the lesse price we sette be |r10 tham for luff, the lesse payne salle we hafe in the felynge of tham, and the mare thanke we schalle hafe for tham. In this blyssed revelacion I was trewly taught that whate man or woman wilfully cheses god in his lyfe, he may be sekere that he is chosene. Kepe this treulye, for sothly it is god ys |r15 wille that we be als sekere in tryste of the blys in heuen whiles we ere here as we schulde be in sekernesse when we ere thare. And euer the mare likynge and the ioye that we take in this sekernesse with reuerence and mekenes, the bettere likes hym, for I am sekyr ¨if thare hadde nane ben bot I that schulde |r20 be safe, god wolde hafe done alle that he hase done for me. And so schulde ilke saule thynke in knawynge of his lovere, forgettande ¨if he myght alle creatures, & thynkkande that god hase done for hym alle that he hase done. And thys thynke me schulde styrre a saule for to luff & lyke hym, & nought drede |r25 bot hym, for it is his wille that we witte that alle the myght of oure enmye is loken in oure frendes hande. And čerfore a saule that wate sekerly this schalle nought drede botte hym that he loves, and alle othere dredes sette tham emange pas_syons and bodelye sekenesse & ymagynacions. |r30 And čerfore ¨if a man be in so mekylle payne, in so mekylle waa, & in so mekylle deseses, that hym thynke that he can thynke ryght nought bot that čat he es in or that he feles, als sone as he maye, passe lyghtlye owere and sette it atte nou¨t. And why? For god wille be knawen. For ¨yff we knewe hym & luffed |r35 hym, we schulde hafe |r[f.111v] pacience and be in grete reste, & it schulde be lykynge to vs alle that he does. And this schewed oure lorde me in thies wordes $at he sayde: Whate |p72 schulde it than greve the to suffyr awhile sen it is my wille and my wirschippe? And here was ane ende of alle čat oure lorde schewed me that daye. |rXXI And efter this sone I felle to myselfe & into my bodelye sek_nes, |r5 vnderstandande that I schulde life, & as a wrech + heuyed and mourned for the bodely paynes that I feled, and thou¨t grete irksumnes that I schulde langere lyffe. And I was als barane and drye as ¨if I hadde neuer had comforth before bot litille, for fallynge to my paynes & faylynge of gastelye fel_ynge. |r10 Than com a religiouse person to me and asked me howe I farde, and I sayde that I ha[dd]e raued čat daye; and he lugh lowde & enterlye and I sayde, "The crosse that stode atte my bedde feete, it bled faste". And with this worde the person that I spake to wex alle sadde & meruelande, and onane I was |r15 sare aschamed for my reklessenes, & I thou¨t thus: "This man takys it sadlye the leste worde that I myght saye, that says na mare čerto". And when I sawe that he toke it so sadelye & with so grete reuerence, I wex ryght gretly aschamed and walde haffe bene |r20 schryfen. Bot I couth telle it na preste, for I thought, "Howe schulde a preste leue me? I leued nought oure lorde god". This I leued sothfastlye for the tyme that I sawe hym, and so was than my wille & my menynge euer for to do with_owten ende. Bot as a fule I lette it passe fro my mynde. Loo, |r25 I, wrich! This was a grete synne & a grete vnkyndnes that I, for folye of felynge of a litille bodelye payne, so vnwyselye lefte for the tyme the comforth of alle this blissede schew_ynge of oure lorde god. Here maye ¨e see whate I am of my_selfe, botte herein walde nought oure curtayse lorde leue me. |r30 And I laye stille tille nyght, tristande in his mercye, and than I beganne to slepe. And in my slepe, atte the begynnynge, me thought the fende sette hym in my throte and walde hafe strangelede me, botte he myght nought. Than I woke oute of |p73 my slepe, & vnnethes hadde I my lyfe. The persones that ware with me behelde me and wette my temples, and my herte began to comforth, and onane a lytelle smoke come in atte the dore with a grete hete |r[f.112r] and a fowle stynke. I sayde, "Bene- |r5 dicite dominus! Is alle on fyre that is here?" And I wened it hadde bene a bodely fyre that schulde hafe brenned vs to dede. I asked tham that ware with me ¨yf thaye felyd any stynke. Thay sayde Naye, thay felyd nane. I sayde, "Blissede be god", for than wiste I wele it was the fende was comen to tempest me. |r10 And onane I tuke ča that oure lorde hadde schewed me on the same daye with alle the fayth of hali kyrke, for I holde it as bathe ane, & fled čerto as to my comforth. And alsone alle vanysched awaye, & I was brought to gret reste and pees |r14 withoutene seknes of bodye or drede of conscyence. |rXXII xvi Bot than lefte I stylle wakande, and than owre lorde openedde my gastely eyen & schewyd me my saule in myddys of my herte. I sawe my saule swa large as it ware a kyngdome, and be the condicions that I sawe čerin, me thought it was a wirschip_fulle cite. In myddys of this cite sittes oure lorde Ihesu, |r20 verraye god & verray man, a fayre persone and of large stat_ure, wyrschipfulle, hiest lorde: and I sawe hym cledde sol_emplye in wyrschippes. He sittes in the saule euen ryght in pees & reste, and he rewles & ¨emez heuen & erth and alle that is. The manhede with the godhede sittis in reste, and the god_hede |r25 rewles & ¨emes withowtyn any instrumente or besynes; and my saule [is] blisfullye occupyed with the godhede that is sufferayn myght, sufferayne wisdome, sufferayne goodnesse. The place that Ihesu takes in oure saule he schalle neuer remove it withowtyn ende, for in vs is his haymelyeste hame |r30 & maste lykynge to hym to dwelle in. This was a delectabille syght & a restefulle, for it is so in trowth withowten ende, and the behaldynge of this whiles we ere here es fulle plesande to god, and fulle grete spede to vs. And the saule that thus behaldys it makys it lyke to hym |p74 that is behaldene, and anes in reste & in pees. And this was a singulere ioye & a blis to me that I sawe hym sitte, for the behaldynge of this sittynge schewed to me sikernes of his endelesse dwellynge. And I knewe sothfastly that it was he |r5 that schewed me |r[f.112v] alle before. And when I hadde behalden this with fulle avisement, than schewed oure lorde me wordys fulle mekelye, withowtyn voyce & withowten openynge of lyppes, as he hadde done before, and sayde fulle soberlye, "Witte it welle, it was na rauynge that |r10 thowe sawe today. Botte take it, and leue it, and kepe če therto, and čou schalle nought be ouercomen". This laste wor_des ware sayde to me for lernynge of fulle trewe sikernes, that it is our lorde Ihesu that schewed me alle. For ryght as in the fyrste worde that oure lorde schewed me, menande |r15 his blissyd passion: Herewith is the fende ouercomen, ryght so he sayde in the laste worde, with fulle trewe sikernesse: Thow schalle nought be ouercomen. And this lernynge and this trewe comforthe, it es generalle to alle myne euencristen as I haffe before sayde, & so is |r20 goddys wille. And this worde, Thowe schalle nought be ouer_comen, was sayde fulle scharpely and fulle myghtely for seker_nes and comforth agayne alle tribulacions that maye com. He sayde nought [čou salle not] be tempestyd; thowe schalle not be trauayled; čou schalle not be desesed. Bot he sayde: éou |r25 schalle nou¨t be ouercomen. God wille that we take hede of his worde and that we be euer myghtty in sekernesse, in wele and in waa. For he luffes vs and likes vs and so wille he that we luff hym and lyke hym and myghtely triste in hym, and alle schalle be wele. And sone eftyr alle was close & |r30 I sawe na mare. |rXXIII After this the fende com agayne with his heete and with his stynke & made me fulle besye. The stynke was so vile and so |p75 paynfulle, and the bodely heete also dredfulle & trauaylous; & also I harde a bodely iangelynge & a speche, as it hadde bene of two bodyes, and bathe to my thynkynge iangled at anes as ¨if thay had haldene a parliamente with grete besynes. And |r5 alle was softe mutterynge, and I vnderstode nou¨t whate thay sayde, botte alle this was to stirre me to dispayre as me thou¨t. And I triste besely in god & comforthede my sawlle with bodely speche as I schulde hafe done to anothere person than myselfe that hadde so bene travaylede. Me thought this |r10 besynes myght nought be |r[f.113r] lykned to na bodely besenes; my bodelye ey¨en I sette on the same crosse that I hadde sene comforth in before that tyme, my tunge I occupyed with speche of cristes passion & rehersynge of the faith of hali kyrke, and my herte I festende on god, with alle the triste and alle |r15 the myght that was in me. And I thou¨t to myselfe, menande, "Thowe hase nowe grete besy_nes; walde čou nowe fra this tyme euermare be so besy to kepe the fro synne, this ware a soferayne & a goode occupacion". For I trowe sothlye, ware I saffe fra synne, I ware fulle saife |r20 fra alle the fendes of helle & enmyse of my saule. And thus thay occupied me alle the nyght, and on the morn tille it was aboute pryme dayes. And than onane thay ware alle gane and passed, and čere lefte nathynge bot stynke and that lasted stille a while. And I scorned thame and thus was I delyuered |r25 of tham be the vertu of cristes passion: for tharewith is the fende ouercomen, as criste sayde before to me. A, wriched synne! Whate ert čou? Thowe er nought. For I sawe that god is alle thynge: I sawe nought the. And when I sawe that god hase made alle thynge, I sawe the nought; and when |r30 I sawe that god is in alle thynge, I sawe the nought; and when I sawe that god does alle thynge čat is done, lesse and mare, I sawe the nought. And when I sawe oure lorde Ihesu sitt in oure saule so wyrschipfully. & luff and lyke and rewle and ¨eme alle that he has made, I sawe nou¨t the. And thus |r35 I am sekyr čat čou erte nou¨t; and alle ča that luffez the and lykes the and folowes the and wilfully endes in the, I am sekyr thay schalle be brought to nought with the, and endl lye confownded. God schelde vs alle fra the. Amen par charyte. |p76 And whate wrecchednesse is I wille saye, as I am lernede be the schewynge of god. Wrecchydnesse es alle thynge that is nought goode: če gastelye blyndehede that we falle into in the fyrste synne, and alle that folowes of that wrecchydnesse, |r5 passions & paynes, gastelye or bodely; and alle that es in erth or in othere place whilke es nou¨t goode. And than may be asked of this: Whate er we? |r[f.113v] And I answere to this: ¨if alle ware departed fra vs that is nou¨t goode, we schulde be goode. When wrechidnesse is departed fra vs, god and the |r10 saule is alle ane, and god and man alle ane. Whate is alle in erthe that twynnes vs? I answere and saye: In čat that it serues vs it is goode, and in that that it schalle perisch it [is] wricchednes, and in that that a man settys his herte čeropon othere wyse than thus it is synne. |r15 And for čat tyme that man or woman loves synne, ¨if any be swilke, he is in payne that passes alle paynes. And when he loves nou¨t synne, botte hates it and luffez god, alle is wele. And he that trewlye doez thus, čow¨ he syn sum tyme by frelty or vnkunnynge in his wille, he falles nought, for he wille |r20 myghtely ryse agayne & behalde god wham he loves in alle his wille. God has made tham to be loved of hym or hire that has bene a synnere, bot euer he loves, and euer he langes to hafe oure luffe. And when we myghttelye and wisely luffe Ihesu, wee er in pees. |r25 Alle the blissede techynge of oure lorde god was schewed to me be thre partyes as I hafe sayde before, that es to saye be the bodely sight, and be worde formed in myn vndyrstandynge, & by gastelye syght. For the bodely sight I haffe sayde as I sawe als trewlye as I can, and for the wordes fourmed I hafe |r30 sayde tham ryght as oure lorde schewed me thame. And for the gastely sight I hafe sayde somdele, bot I maye neuer fully telle it. And čerfore of this gastely sight I am stirred to say more, as god wille gyfe me grace. |p77 |rXXIV God schewed me twa maners of sekenes that we hafe, of whilke he wille that we be amended. The tone es inpacyence, for we bere our trauaylle and oure payne heuely. The tothere is di_spayre o[r] doutefulle drede as I schalle saye efterwarde. And |r5 thiese twa er it that moste travayles vs and tempestes vs, as by that oure lorde schewed me, and maste lefe to hym that thiese be amendede. I speke of swylke |r[f.114r] men and women that for goddes love hates synne and dysposes tham to do god_des wille: than ere thiese twa priue synnes, and maste besye |r10 aboute vs. Therefore it is goddys wille that thay be knawen, and than schalle we refuse tham as we do othere synnes. And thus fulle mekelye oure lorde schewed me the pacience that he hadde in his harde passyon, and also the ioye and the lyk_ynge that he hafes of that passion for love. And this he |r15 schewed me in ensampille, that we schulde gladlye & esely bere oure paynes, for that es grete plesynge to hym & ende_lesse profitte to vs. And cause why we ere travayled with tham is for vnknawenge of luffe. éow¨ the persones in the blissede trinyte be alle even in pro_perte, |r20 luffe was moste schewed to me, that it is moste nere to vs alle, and of this knawynge er we moste blynde. For many men and women leues that god is allemyghty & may do alle, and that he is alle wisdome and can do alle; botte that he is alle love & wille do alle, čar thay stynte. And this vnknaw_ynge |r25 it is that most lettis goddes luffers, for when thay be_gyn to hate synne, and to amende tham by the ordynnaunce of holye kyrke, ¨it čere dwelles a drede that styrres tham to behaldynge of thamselfe and of čer synnes before done. And this drede čay take for a mekenesse, bot this is a fowlle |r30 blyndehede and a waykenesse; and we can it nou¨t dispyse, for ¨if we knewe it ča[n] we schulde sodaynly dispice it, as we |p78 do ane othere synne čat we knawe, for it comes of the enmy & it is agayne the trewthe. For of alle the propertees of the blissed trinite, it is god_des wille that we hafe moste sekernesse in lykynge and luffe. |r5 For luffe makes myght & wisdome fulle meke to vs; for ryght as be the curtasye of god he forgettys oure synne for tyme we repente vs, right so wille he that we foregette oure synne, and alle oure hevynesse, and alle oure dowtefulle dredes. |rXXV |r[f.114v] Fore I saw foure maner of dredes. One is drede of |r10 afray that comes to a man sodanly be frelty. This drede is good, for it helpes to purge a man, as does bodely seknes or swylke odere payne that is nought synne; for alle swylke pay_nes helpes man ¨if thay be paciently taken. The secunde is drede of payne, wharby a man is styrred & wakned fro slepe of |r15 syn. For man čat is harde in slepe of syn, he is nou¨t able for če tyme to resayfe the soft comforth of the hali gaste, to he hafe getyn this drede of payne of bodely dede & of the fyre of purgatory; and this drede styrres hym to seke comforth and mercy of god. And thus this drede helpys hym as ane antre, |r20 and ables hym to hafe contricion be the blysfulle t[o]chynge of the hali gaste. The thyrde is a doutfulle drede, for čow¨ it be litille in the selfe & it ware knawen, it is a spice of dispayre. For I am sekyr that alle doutefulle dredes god hates, and he wille čat we hafe tham departed fro vs with trewe knaw_ynge |r25 of l[uf]fe. The fourthe is reuerente drede, for čare is na drede that pleses hym in vs bot reuerente drede, and that is fulle swete and softe for mekillehede of luffe. And ¨it is this reuerente drede and luffe nought bathe ane, bot thay er twa in properte |r30 and in wyrkynge, & nowthere of tham may be hadde withowtyn othere. Therfore, I am sekyre, he čat luffez he dredes, čow¨ he fele bot litille. Alle dredes othere than reuerente dredes that er proferde to vs, čow¨ thay come vndere the coloure of |p79 halynes, thay ere not so trewe. And hereby may thaye be knawen and discerned whilke is whilke: for this reuerente drede, the mare it is hadde, the mare it softes and comfortes & pleses and restes, and the flase drede it travayles and tem_pestes |r5 & trubles. Than is this the remedye, to knawe tham bath & refuse [č]e fals, righte as we walde do a wikkyd spiritte that schewed hym in liknes of a goode angelle. For ryght as ane ille spyr_it, čow¨ he com vndere the coloure and the liknes of a goode |r10 angelle, his daliaunce & his wirkynge čow¨ he schewe neuer so fayre, fyrst he travayles & tempes[tes] & trubles the person that he spekes with, and lettes hym and lefez |r[f.115r] hym alle in vnreste, and the mare that he comonez with hym, the mare he travayles hym, and the farthere is he fra pees. éer_fore |r15 it is goddes wille and oure spede that we knawe tham thus ysundure, for god wille euer that we be sekere in luffe, & peessabille & ristefulle as he is to vs. And ryght so of the same condicion as he is to vs, so wille he that we be to oure_selfe, and to oure evencristen. Amen. Explicit Iuliane de Norwych