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) ceffe 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 pe 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. onely But. (6) hym.

(2) 1. sly? (3) C. infra. (4)
(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.

gonne, as it is reherced a-fore, in hyr chyldehode and now afterward it was renewyd for tuycyon and dysease (1) of kepyng of hyr maydenhode or virgynytee: and that desyre was no thynge ellys but for to receyue the habyte of the ordre of frere prechours, (of) the whyche ordre Saynt Domynyk was bothe foundour and fader. There(fore) she prayed bothe 5 daye and nyght to our lord that he (wolde) wouchesauf to fulfyll hyr desyre; and therto she had a grete deuocyon to Saynt Domynyk, as it is rehersed a-fore, (as) to a worthy and a fruytfull louer of sowles. Almyghty god, therefor, sawe how wysely and how myghtely hys doughter as a yong knyght faught in batayll and wyth what feruour of deuocyon she besyed 10 hyr to plese hym wyth alle hyr desyre: he wolde in no wyse dysceyue hyr ne defraude hyr of hyr holy purpose, but for the more sekernesse he comforted hyr wyth suche a vysyon. Thys holy mayde on a tyme had a vysyon in hir slepe that she sawe many holy faders and many dyuers foundours of be ordre of be frere prechours (2), amonges whom she 15 saw saynt Dominyk, that she knewe wel I-now, holdyng in hys honde a fayre whyte lylye, the whyche lylye semyng to hir was all a-fyre, as þe bythe pat Moyses saw, and yet was not brennyd. Whan this holy faders al in general and eche in a speciall gaf hir counseyll for hir more mede pat she shold chese oo Relygion of their ordynaunce, in be whiche 20 relygion she myght yelde due seruyce to god, she torned hir-self hole to saynt dominik and so saw in spyryt how bat be holy fader saynt dominyk came to hir and brought in his honde an habyte of sustris, the whyche susters ben called sustres of penaunce of saynt domynyk of þe whiche susters ther was ne yet is no lytell nombre in pe cyte of Senee. 25 And whan thys holy fader saynt domynyk cam to this mayde, he comforted hir with suche wordes and sayde: Doughter, be of good comfort, and drede no manere of peryll! for ryght as bou hast desyred, (thou shalt haue) this habyte." She thought she receyued it, and thankyd almyghty god and his worthy confessour Saint Domynyke, not wyth a lytyll gladnesse 30 but wyth ioyefull teres, that soo perfyghtely hadde comforted her; and 800 wyth wepyng she awoke and was restoryd to her bodely wyttes. And whan she was awaked, she caught comforte and bodely strength of this vysyon, and toke soo grete a boldenes of the truste that she hadde in our lorde, that the same daye she called her fader and moder and 35 bretheren togyders and sayde to theym boldely in this wyse: Somtyme ye sayde vnto me and tretyd me longe tyme therof, that I sholde bee wedded to a corruptyble and to a dedely man, and though I hadde abhomynacion of suche weddyng in myn herte, as ye myght clerly perceyue by many dyuerse tokenes if ye hadde I-wolde, yet for the reuerence that 40 I sholde shewe to my fader and moder by the bydyng of god, vnto this tyme I excused me neuer clerly to you; but now by-cause I may noo lenger be styl, I shall declare to you openly myn herte and purpoos; the whiche purpoos it is not conceyued of newe, but of chyldhode vnto this tyme. Therfore I wyl ye knowe it that in myn chyldhode I made 45 a vowe of virgynyte and serue (3) oure lorde, sauyour of alle the worlde, and his blessyd moder gloryous vyrgyn marie, our gloryous lady, not chyldely but wyth a fade and a longe avysement, and for a grete cause; I made a vowe also that I shold neuer take husbond but hym alone. Therfore now, syth I am come by the sufferaunce of oure lord to a more 50 perfyght age and knowleche and vnderstondyng wytte, wete ye ryght well, this is the same purpoos whiche is soo myghty and stroonge in myn sowle, that it were more possyble hard flynt-stones rather to be made

(1) tilge and dysease. (2) of be ordre of pe frere prechours st. of ordres. (3) and serue st. to.

neflhe (1) than myn herte shold be wythdrawe fro this holy purpos; and therfore the more ye laboure aboute thys thynge, the more tyme ye lese. Wherfore I counfeyll you that ye leue of alle-maner suche tretyng of weddynge as touchyng myn persone, for therin shall I neuer fulfylle your 5 wyll, by-cause that I sholde rather be obedyent to god than to man. Therfore yf ye wylle haue me suche one in your hous that I mow (2) serue god in this purpoos, and for to be a commyn seruaunt to serue you all, I am redy, in all that I can or may, to doo you seruyce gladly. And yf ye wyll not receyue me, but for this cause ye (3) wylle putt me out of 10 your hous, I doo you well to wete that in noo wyse myn herte may be wythdrawe fro this holy purpos. I haue an husbond and a spouse, cryste Thesu, soo rychely and so myghtely (4) þat (he) wyll not suffre me in noo wyse to lacke no thyng, but he wyll mynystre to me all that me nedeth." Whan she hadde sayde alle thyse wordes, alle that herde her speke 15 fyll in wepyng, and by-cause of her plentuously syghynge and sobbynge they myght for that time gyue none answer. They consyderid to the holy purpos of thys holy mayde pe whyche they myght not wyth-saye ne wythstonde, and they behylde also how styll the mayden had I-kepte her, how clene and how pure, vnto pat tyme and how bo(l)dely she 20 declared her consciens by wordes of grete prudence; and also ouer-more they sawe openli that she was rathir disposed for to forsake her faders hous than for to breke her holy purpoos: and soo they hadde nomore truste of her weddyng; wherfore it lyked theym better for to wepe than for to gyue her answer. Wythin a lytyll whyle after, whan they hadde 25 cesyd all her wepynge, the fader, pat loued her soo tenderly and dred god (5) soo hyghely, hadde mynde of the coluer that he sawe, and of many good dedes of the whiche she vsed, the whiche dedes he gretely merueylyng (6) gaue her suche an answere and sayde: „Dere doughter, god forbede it that we sholde ony thynge wylle or desyre agaynste the wyll of god, 30 for the whiche wyll and (7) fro the whiche wyll we knowe well thys holy purpoos cometh fro. Therefore, (for) it is soo that we ben taught by longe experyence, and now openly we see, that thou art not steryd herto by the lyghtenesse of chyldhode but by feruent charyte of god, make thy vowe therfore frely and doo as the lyketh and as the holy ghoost 35 techeth the, and fro this tyme forward we shall neuer lette the from thyn holy purpoos ne thyne ghostely excercise; but only praye for vs besely, that we maye bee made worthy to the promys and the byheste of thyn ghoostely spouse, whom thou haste chose by his specyall grace in thyn tender age." Thenne he tourned hym to hys wyf and to his chyl40 dren and sayde: „none of you from this tyme forward be to myne dere doughter greuous, none be soo hardy from this tyme forward to let her in ony wyse; suffer (8) her to serue her spouse freely and (9) to praye for vs besely; we myght neuer haue founde a better husbond to her thenne he is, the whiche vochesauf to be so nere of our kynde for to wedde our 45 doughter and haue her to wyf. Therfore we haue none cause to playne vs, sythe it soo is that we haue receyued now for a dedely man vndedely god and man to be her spouse." Whan the fader hadde sayde thyse wordes wyth wepynge and wyth weylyng bothe of theym-selfe and also of other that herde theym and hym speke, and namely of be moder that 50 louyd this mayde in maner fleflhely, thenne this holy maide Katheryn ioyefully thanked oure lorde that brought her to this vyctorye, and also her fader and moder wyth alle maner of lowenes, dysposyng her-self to vse profytably the lycence that was graunted to her. And this is the ende of this chapytre.

(1) C neffhed. (2) now. (3) that ye. (4) 1. riche. myghty. (5) C. had dredde of god and dred god. (6) 1. merueylyd. (7) tilge for - and. (8) C. to suffer. (9) and she.