he coude neuer perceyue ne fynde nother by her generall confessyon ne special confessyon, as ofte as euer she was confessyd and that was ryght ofte, that she hadde offendyd agaynst the precepte of our lorde, but yf it were that is tolde afore, the whiche he myght not suppose it 5 were agaynste the byddynge of god, ne he trowed none dyscrete man wold suppose it. And also he sayde that he founde her euer soo clene fro venyall synnes, that vnnethe he coude perceyue bi her cotydyan confessyon ony-maner offence. It was openly knowen not only to her confessours that knewe her conscyence, but to all that were conuersaunt 10 with her, that neuer or seldon she offended in worde. For eyther she occupyed her tyme in prayer and contemplacion or ellis in good edyficacion of her neyghbours; and as for her tyme of slepyng, vnnethes she wolde graunte to her a quarter of an houre. And whan she sholde ete her mete, yef (1) it may be called a mete, euer she prayed and thought 15 holy medytacyons, thynkyng of the thynges that she hadde lerned of our lord in her sowle. More her confessour Mayster Reymound bereth a trewe recorde of her, for the tyme þat he knewe her and hadde cure of her conscience, that it was more payne to her for to ete her mete than it was to an hungry man for to be wythdrawe from hys mete; and a 20 grete(r) tourmente it was to her body after-tyme she hadde ete than it was commenly to a feuerous man in rennyng off his feuer. And this was one of the causes why she wolde ete her mete, as it shall be declared wythin-forthe: for to tourmente and put in payne her body. In what maner of trespaas myght suche a sowle be occupyed that alwaye was 25 occupyed soo wyth our lord god? And yet not-wythstondyng suche good occupacions, she accused her-self soo sharpely in confession and soo wyttyngly put her-selfe in trespaas and offenses, that yf her confessour hadde not knowe her conuersacyon, he myght haue supposed that she hadde trespased, where she trespased not but rather deseruyd mede. Loo 30 ye maydens, that heren and reden this boke: alle this processe is for no thynge ellys I-sayde but, by that ye perceyuen this lytyll defaute in the whyche this holy mayde yelde her-self soo mekely gylty, ye maye vnderstonde therby what perfeccyon sheweth therafter by the gracyous yefte of our lorde; the whiche her confessour reherseth in this wyse. 35 Bonauentura ryght as she was besy afore for to araye this holy mayde as the worlde asketh, ryght soo eftsones she besyed her for to enduce her in suche araye by her counseyll to the same apparaylle. She myght in noo wyse inclyne the maydens herte, nother (in) generall nother specyall, that she sholde shewe her bodely presence wylfully to the syghte of man, 40 to that entent oonly that she sholde be desyred the soner to be wedded, all-though her feruour of prayer and (2) swetenesse off medytacion was slaked and wythdrewen from her for a tyme. Att the laste oure lorde wolde not lenger suffre that hys spouse, the whiche (he) had soo specyally chosen, sholde be withdrawe and taryed from hys special seruyce: he 45 wythdrewe from her in this wyse. In a tyme whan the same Bonauentura, the suster of the holy mayde, sholde brynge forthe a chylde, (she died, though) she was yet yonge ynough of age for to bere chyldren. Take hede, maydens, therfore, and see by thys how oure lorde is displesed wyth theym that ben aboute for to lette and wythdrawe theym that 50 wolde serue hym specially in maydenhode and chastyte of lyuynge. Thys Bonauentura, as it is rehersyd afore (3), was alwaye full honeste in her maner of lyuyng, bothe in worde and dede, but by-cause that she besyed her to drawe her suster to worldly thynges, the whiche desyred to serue our lorde specyally, she was smyten of hym and punyflhed wyth a full

(1) C. yet. (2) and of. (3) after.

5

sharpe deth. Neuerthelesse our lord yet wrought full mercyably wyth hyr: for, as it was shewed afterward by reuelacyon to thys holy mayde, she was in purgatory and suffred many greuous paynes, and by the prayers of hir she was delyuered of payne and restored to blysse, as she shewed afterward preuely to hyr confessour. - Whanne hyr suster Bonauenture was passyd out of thys worlde, thanne thys blessyd mayde Katheryn clerely perceyued the vanyte of thys worlde and beganne more feruentely and more gredylye, trewely, for to be torned to the louely ghostly clyppyng of hyr endeles spouse Ihesu cryste; claymyng and accusynge hyr-self gylty wyth Marye magdalene, fallyng doune full streyte 10 to the fete of oure lorde plenteuously shedyng out terys, axynge Inwardly hys mercy, praynge and thynkyng vncessably for hyr synnes, that she myght deserue to hyr (1) wyth Marye magdalene the wordes of confort of our lorde as he sayde to Marye thus: Remittuntur tibi peccata tua, that is to saye: doughter, thy synnes by foryeue the. And so she 15 beganne to haue a synguler affeccyon to Mary magdalene, ffor thanne in that tyme she enforsed hyr-self wyth alle hyr myghtys to conforme (2) hyr to Marye magdalene, to haue the more grace in forgyuenes of hyr synnes. Therfore afterward, by encrece of deuocyon, thys folow(ed) therof that our lord god, the spouse of holy sowles, and hys blessyd moder, our lady 20 Saynt Marye, gaue Mary magdalene to thys blyssyd mayde in to a maystresse and to a moder, as it shall be declared more openly wyth-Inneforth by the helpe of Ihesu. After thys the fende, enemye to alle mankynde, sorowyng that thus his pray was wythdrawe and delyuerd alle hole from hys power the whyche be lytell and lytell (he) enforced to 25 drawe it to hym; and also consyderynge that thys holy mayde encreced more and more (!) to renne quyckely to the tabernacle of mercy of hyr spouse Ihesu: he thought felly and wylely to lette hyr of hyr ghostly purpose by the meyne of hyr faders howsholde, besyeng hym by aduercytees and persecucyons to drawe hyr holy to the worlde, that she sholde 30 not be occupyed in suche ghostly excercyse; puttyng in to the mynde of hir fader and moder and also hyr brethern that in alle wyse she sholde be wedded, that they myght so by hyr mene purchase somme manere of kynrede. Aboute thys besynesse the fende enduced hem so hyely, that in asmoche as one of hyr doughters was passyd out of thys world, they 35 sholde be aboute to recouer the harme of hyr that was dede by hyr that was a-lyue; so ferforth that they were aboute to seke an husbonde for thys holy mayde. Whan thys mayde perceyued and consydered the wyles of hyr ghostly enemye by Inspyracyon of our lord Ihesu, anone myghtely and besely she contynued in prayer and medytacyon and ex- 40 cercyses of penaunce, to haue grace to flee the conuersacyon of men, and (3) shewed by open tokenys to hyr frendes that in noo wyse she was in purpose to be wedded to no dedely ne corruptyble spouse, syth it so is and (4) was that she had taken so gracyously to hyr spouse in hir yonge tender age the vndedely kyng of endeles blysse. Whanne the fader and 45 moder and kynne perceyued veryly that thys holy mayde shewed perseuerauntly bothe by tokenes and by worde that she wylled neuer to be wedded to none erthely man, they thought to bowe hyr herte by another mene for to consente to theyr purpose: they callyd to them a frende of therys, a frere prechour, the whyche they loued specyally, and prayed 50 hym entyrly that he wolde goo and counseyll that holy mayde that she sholde consente to there wylle. To whome the frere answerde and sayde, he wolde do that he myght. But whan he came to thys mayde, by communycacyon he founde hyr so stedfast in the purpose of mayden

(1) I. here. (2) C. conferme. (3) and soo. (4) tilge is and. Archiv f. n. Sprachen. LXXVI.

4

hode, that by conscience he was so enduced to gyue hyr holsum counseylle and sayde: Syth it is so that thou arte dysposed to serue our lorde god in maydenhede, ageynst whyche purpose thy frendes ben aboute to lette the, shewe the stedfastnesse of thyn holy purpose and 5 cutte a-waye alle thyn here of thy hede: and peraduenture they wold (1) cefle of there pursuyte." As soone as thys blessyd mayde herde thys hys counseyll, she wrought there-after, as though she hadde I-herde it of god, and took a peyre of sherys anone and cutte awaye hir herys, in the whiche she supposed she had synned greuously, and that that she hated so 10 moche, she cutte it awaye ryght gladly fast by the hede. And whanne she had I-do, she couerd hyr hede wyth a Coyf, and so wente forthe alle ageynst the comyn custome of other maydens of the worlde wyth a kerchyf on hyr hede, after be doctryne of saynt Powle. And whan hyr moder Lapa aspyed thys that hyr doughter Katheryn vsed thus to couer 15 hyr hede (vn)customably, she asked hyr why she dyd so. To whome thys mayden gaf none clere answer, by-cause she wolde nethyr lye ne telle the trouthe. Wyth that the moder wente to thys maydens hede and took of hyr kerchyfe wyth hyr owne hondys; and so perceyued pat hyr here was cut awaey. Thanne was the moder sorowful in hyr herte 20 by-cause hyr fayre here was cutte awaye, waylynge and cryenge in thys wyse: Aa, doughter, what haste thou doo? Anone the mayde keuered hyr hede efte-sones and wente a-syde. To the crye of her moder came bothe the fader and the chyldren, meruayllyng what it myght be; whanne they knewe the cause of hyr cryeng, they were hugely ameuyd 25 ageynste this maide. Of the whiche trouble was begonne the secounde bataylle ageynst this mayde, more sharper than (2) wal the fyrst; but yet to thys mayden our lord gaff the vyctorye, that thoo thynges whyche semed lettyng to hyr holy purpose, was to hyr grete helpe meruayllously for to knytte hyr to our lord more myghtely. Therefore they pursued 30 hyr openly, rebukyng hyr and thretyng hyr in worde and dede, sayeng thus: Thou wretched creature, trowest thou for to escape thus that thou shalt not fulfyll our wylle, be-cause that thou hast cutte awaye thyn here? hyt shall growe ageyn, wyll thou nyll thou, and though thyn herte sholde to-breste, yet shalt pou haue an husbonde, and thou shalt neuer 35 haue reste vnto the tyme that thou haste consented to our wylle." And wyth that they made an ordynaunce that Katheryne shold nomore haue no pryue chambre by hir-self to dwelle Inne, but that (she) sholde openly be occupyed in the comyn seruyce of the hows, so that the place and tyme of prayeng and vnyeng and knyttyng to Ihesu, hir spouse, sholde 40 vtterly be wythdrawe from hir, and also that she shold see hyr-self so moche the more in despyte that she was made a comyn seruaunte. After thys ordynaunce thys holy mayde was putte to alle-manere fowle (3) besynesse and the fylthe (4) of the kechyn, suffryng euery day repreues, and euery day also wronges, and rebukyng and dyspytable wordes were 45 multeplyed ageynst hyr, that moste of alle ouercomen wymmenys hertys. For, as hyt was supposed, hyr fader and hyr moder and brethern hadden fonde a yong man, of whos kynrede they weren gretely well apayde: and therefor they steryd and Inpugnyd hyr the more sharpely, that she myght the sonner be bowed to theyr consent. But where that oure 50 ghostly enemye, the fende, by whos wyckednes and tretcherous werkes all thyse thynges were wrought and doune,(5) wende for to wyth-drawe thys mayde from hyr clene purpose, there, by the helpe of god, she was made moost strengest: for she was in noo wyse meuyd ne stered of alle that was doone to hyr, but she made hyr a pryue chaumbre, by helpe of the

(1) 1. woll. (2) C. than thenne. (3) fylthe. (4) fowle. (5) 1. doone.

holy ghoost, in hyr owne sowle, fro the whyche pryue chaumbre she made an ordynaunce in hyr-self neuer for to go out for no manere of besynesse. And so it was done in dede that she, the whyche fyrste hadde an outward chaumbre assygned to hyr, somtyme stood wyth-in (1) and somtyme wente oute, but afterwarde, whan she had made hyr-selue in 5 hyr sowle a pryue chaumbre that myght not be take from hyr of no creature in erthe, she went neuer out. Thes ben tho heuenly vyctoryes that may not be taken awaye fro crystis specyall in erthe, ouercomynge wyth-out ony doubte alle stylly (2) enemyes, as holy wrytte seyth: Regnum dei intra (3) nos est, that is to saye: the kyngdome of heuen is wythin vs; 10 and also the prophete Dauyd seyth that all the ioye of our lordes doughter is wythin-forthe. Wythin vs, wyth-out ony doubte, there is a clere vnderstondyng, a fre wylle, and a retentyf mynde; wythin vs also is the gracyous Infusyon of the holy ghoost, the whiche maketh perfyte these ghoostly myghtys rehersed afore and ouercometh and throweth vnder foot 15 alle outward aduersytees; wythin vs, yf we ben trewe vylners of vertue, dwelleth that ghest the whyche sayde and seyth: Confidite, ego vici mundum, that is: trusteth feythfully that ye shall ouercome your enemyes, for I haue ouercome the worlde, that grete enemye. In this blessyd lord thys holy mayde Katheryn trustyd so hyghely, that she made hir 20 wyth-Inne hyr-self a chambre by hys helpe, for whos loue she charged not for to lese the chambre made of mannes handes wythoutforth. But now one thynge shall I saye that mayster Reymond the confessour of thys holy mayde beryth recorde of: that whan that he sholde walke outward by-cause other-whyle of grete outward besynesse and occupacyon 25 that nedys must be done, thys holy mayde oftymes warned hym and sayde that he shold make wythin hys sowle a pryuee celle, of whyche pryue cell he sholde neuer goo out. And alle-be-it that he vnderstode hyr not but so ouerly so lyghtely, (4) yet neuerthelesse afterwarde, whan he consydered more wyttely hyr wordes, the wordes that Saynt Johan 30 sayde in the Gospell felle in hys mynde, where it is rehersed of crystys dyscyples in thys wyse: Hoc autem non cognouerunt discipuli eius primum, sed quando glorificatus est ihesus, tunc recordati sunt: that is: crystys dyscyples knewe not alle thynge of hym as touchyng hys passyon fyrst, but onely (5) after-tyme whan he was reysen fro deth to lyue and glory- 35 fyed, thanne they knewe more openly and clerely. And soo in the same manere wyse bothe to mayster Reymond hyr confessour and to tho other that were conuersaunt wyth hyr it happyd meruayllously that they perceyued more openly and clerely bothe her dedys and hyr wordes afterwarde than whenne they were wyth hyr presently.

40

Yette shal I telle you of another holy confeyt and a blessyd ymagynacyon of thys holy mayde that the holy ghoost taught hyr, by the whyche she ouercome alle wronges and despytes, as she tolde pryuely to hyr confessour, axyng of hyr (6) mekely how she myght be perfytly gladde amonge soo many despytes; and thanne she brake out and sayde that 45 she hadde suche an ymagynacyon in hyr-self that hyr fader represented our lorde Ihesu Cryste oure sauyour, and hyr moder oure blessyd lady Saynt Marye, and hyr brethern and other many of the housholde betokeneth the holy appostles of oure lorde and other dyscyples of hys; and for thys blessyd ymagynacyon she serued hem alle the more gladdely, 50 soo that they were alle a-meruaylled therof. And by thys blessyd ymagynacyon she wan another grete profyte: and (7) as ofte as she serued and made mynystracyon, euer she hadde in mynde hyr spouse Ihesu Cryste, whome hyr thought she serued; and soo she, beyng in bodely kechyn,

(1) C. wyth out. (2) 1. sly? (3) C. infra. (4) onely fut. (6) hym. (7) 1. that.

=

superficialiter.

(5) C. but

was alle-waye wyth(in) that holy place that is callyd Sancta sanctorum, and as ofte as she serued atte mete, soo ofte she fedde hyr sowle wyth the presence of oure sauyour. A, h(e)ygh(t)e of (1) rychesse of endeles counseyll, by how many dyuers and meruayllous wayes delyuerest them that trusten 5 in the from alle-maner dyseses and bryngest them in to the hauen of endeles reste, delyueryng them bothe from the pytte and the fwolowe! -Whan alle thys was done, thys holy mayde, consyderynge euyr-more in hyr sowle be mede and the rewarde I-ordeyned for hyr of the holy ghoost, suffred gladly and nought paynfully alle the wronges that was putte to 10 hyr, and also she encreced contynually the cours of hyr labour the more, that she myght haue a full ioye in hyr sowle.

And by-cause that it was not suffred to hyr to haue a chambre by hyr-self, but for to haue hyr chambre openly as other hadde,

Therefore by an holy aduysement she chose the chambre of Stephen, 15 hyr brother, that hadde nether wyf ne chyldren, where by dayes tyme, whanne he was absente, she myght be allone, and nyghtes tyme, whan he slepte, she prayed after hyr desyre; soo that nyght and daye she soughte to see the face of hyr spouse Ihesu Cryste, knockyng at the dore of hys ghoostly tabernacle wyth-out cellyng. She prayed our lord vn20 cessably that he wolde wouche-sauf to be the keper of hyr virgynytee, sayeng and syngyng in (2) sowle wyth Saynt Cecylye thys holy verse of Dauyd the prophete: Fiat cor meum domine et corpus meum immaculatum, that is: lorde Ihesu, I praye that myn herte and my body be kepte clene vndefowled to the; and soo in scylence and in hope she was made stronge 25 in our lord ryght meruayllously: for the more torment and persecucyon she hadde wyth-out-forth, the more she was fulfylled wyth ghoostly ioyes wythin-forth; soo ferforth that hyr brethern perceyueng hir stedfastnesse sayden betwyne them-seluen thus: we be ouer-come." Hyr fader, that was most Innocente of alle, consyderyng pryuely hyr dedes perceyued 30 that she was ladde euery daye more and more by the holy ghoost, and nought by the lyghtnes of yonthe. Alle thyse that ben rehersed in thys chapytre, hyr confessour mayster Reymond had it by reuelacyon of Lapa, thys maydens moder, and of lyxa, her brother wyf, and of other also that were in hyr faders hows; but as for other thynges that other folke 35 myght not knowe, he knewe by tellyng of thys holy mayde in confessyon. Of the vyctorye whyche she hadde of them that desesed hyr: and that was by a culuer whiche hyr fader sawe, and by a vysyon of Saynt Domynyk. Cap. v.

IN the mene whyle that thys holy mayde was putte in suche reproue 40 and shame, it happyd vp-on a daye that she entred in to the chambre of hyr yonge brother Stephen and prayed deuoutly, leuyng the dore vnshett

for it was forboden to hyr by hyr fader and moder that she sholde not shette the dore. Casuelly thenne it happened that the fader entred in to the chambre, sekynge a certeyne thynge of hys sones that he had nede 45 to. And as he loked aboute, he sawe hys doughter, more goddes doughter thanne hys, prayng in a corner and knelyng, and a lytell whyte culuer restynge vp-on hyr hede: the whyche culuer fledde out of the chambre wyndowe whan the fader was entred in to the chambre, as him thought. Anone the fader axed the doughter what culuer that myght be that fledde 50 so out of the chambre. To whom the doughter answerd and sayde that neuer she sawe culuer ne other byrde in the chambre. Thenne hadde the fader grete meruaylle and kepte all thyse wordes pryuely in hys herte. Fro that tyme forwarde there beganne gracyously to encrece in that holy maydens sowle an holy desyre, whyche neuerthelesse was be

(1) C. hyghe and. (2) in in.