Worde’s Version: A comparison
What follows is
a passage-by-passage comparison of the Book of Margery Kempe in British
Library, MS Additional 61823 against the extracts published in Wynkyn de
Worde’s pamphlet “Here begynneth a shorte treatyse of contemplacyon taught by our
lorde Ihesu cryste / or taken out of the boke of Margerie kempe of lynn”. The passages begin with the Worde extract in each
case, representing in order Worde’s entire text. Abbreviations have been
expanded for both texts; additions by the Red-Ink Annotator in Add. 61823 have
been included.
I
Worde, A i r, lines 1-13:
¶ Here begynneth
a shorte treatyse of contempla
cyon
taught by our lorde Ihesu cryste / or taken out
of the
boke of Margerie kempe of lynn.
She
desyred many tymes that her he
de myght
be smyten of with an axe
vpon a
blocke for the loue of oure lor
de Ihesu.
Thenne sayd oure lorde
Ihesu in
her mynde. I thanke the
doughter
that thou woldest dye for
my loue /
for as often as thou thynkest so thou
shalt
haue the
same mede in heuen / as yf thou suffredest
the same
dethe / & yet there shall no man slee the.
Add. 61823, f. 15r, lines 14-24:
[Sche ymagyned in hir self what deth sche mygth
deyn for Crystys sake ••
hyr þow sche wold a be slayn for goddys
lofe •
but for dred for þe poynt
of deth • & þerfor] sche ymagyned
hyr self þe most soft deth as hir thowt for dred of inpacy//
ens •
þat
was to be bowndyn hyr hed
& hir fet to a stokke •
&
hir hed to be smet of wyth
a scharp ex for goddys
lofe •[ þan seyd
owyr lord in hir mende •
I thank þe dowtyr þat þow woldyst ^ for suffer deth
my lofe •[
for as
oftyn as
þow
thynkyst so þow schalt haue þe
same mede in heuyn as þow þu
suffredyst þe same deth ••
&
ȝet schal no man sle þe •• ne fyer bren þe • ne watyr drynch
þe •• ne wynd deryn þe ••
II
Worde, A i r, lines 14-18:
¶ I assure
þe in thy mynde / yf it were possyble
me
to suffre
payne ageyne / as I haue done afore / me
were leuer
to suffre as moche payne as euer I dyde
for thy
soule alone / rather than thou sholdest de-
parte fro
me euerlastynge.
Add. 61823, f. 15r, lines 28-32:
I swer
to
þi mend & it wer possybyl me to suffyr peyn a ȝeyn as
I haue do be forn •
me wer leuar to suffyr as mech peyn as
euyr I dede for þi sowle alon • raþar þan þow schuldyst partyn
fro
me wyth owtyn end •
III
Worde, A i r, lines 19-23:
¶ Doughter
thou mayst no better please god than
to thynke contynually in his loue. Than she
asked
our lorde
Ihesu cryste / how she sholde best loue him
¶ And our
lorde sayd / haue mynde of thy wycked-
nes and
thynke on my goodnes.
Add. 61823, f. 24v, lines 6-10:
& þerfor
dowtyr •
þow mayst no bettyr
plesyn
god þan contynuly to thinkyn on hys lofe •
Than þis creatur
askyd owyr lord Ihesu
how sche xuld best louyn hym • And
owyr lord seyd haue
mende of þi wykydnesse & thynk
on my goodnes
IV
Worde, A i r, lines 24-28:
¶ Doughter
yf thou were the haberyon / or þe
here
fastynge
brede & water / & yf þou saydeste
euery day
a
thousande pater noster. thou sholde
not please me so
well as
thou dost whan þou art in scylence /
& suffrest
me to
speke in thy soule
Add. 61823, f. 44r, lines 2-6:
•/ ffor dowtyr þis
lyfe plesyth me //
mor þan weryng
• of haburion or / of
þe hayr
/ or fastyng of
bred & watyr •• for ȝyf þou
seydest euery day a thowsand
pater noster •
þu xuldist not
plesyn me so wel as þu
dost whan þou art in
silens & sufferyst
me to speke in thy sowle
.;.
V
Worde A i r, line 29-A i v, line 14:
¶ Doughter
for to byd many bedes / it is good to
them that
cannot better do / & yet it is not profyte.
But it is
a good way towarde perfeccyon. For I
tell the
doughter / they that be grete fasters / & grete
doers of
penaunce. they wolde that it shold be
holde
the beste
lyf / And they that gyue them to many de
uocyons /
they wolde haue that þe best lyfe.
And tho
that gyuen
moche almesse / they wolde that it were
holden the
best lyfe. And I haue often tolde þe dou-
ghter /
that thynkynge / wepynge / & hye
contemplacy
on is þe best lyf in erthe / & thou shalt
haue more me
ryte in
heuen for one yere thynkynge in thy mynde
than for
an hondred yere of prayeng with thy
mouth
& yet
thou wylte not beleue me. for thou wylte byd
many
bedes.
Add. 61823, f. 44r, lines 9-20:
And for to byddyn many
bedys it is good to
hem þat can
no bettyr do
/ & ȝet it is not parfyte •
but it is a good wey to
perfeccyon
ward •/ for I telle þe dowtyr þei
þat arn
gret fastarys & gret
doers of penawnce • þei wold þat
it schuld ben
holdyn þe best
lyfe •• Also þei þat ȝeuyn
hem to sey
many deuocyons •/ þei wold han þat þe best lyfe • And þei þat
ȝeuyn mech almes • þei wold þat þat
wer holdyn þe best lyfe •
And I
haue oftyn tymes dowtyr
teld þe •’/ þat thynkyng • wepyng •
& hy contemplacyon
•’ is þe best lyfe in erthe ••
And þu
xalt haue
mor meryte in heuyn •
for o ȝer of thynkyng in þi
mende •’
/ þan for an hundryd
ȝer of preyng wyth þi mowth &
ȝet þu wylt
not leuyn me
for þu wilt byddyn many bedys •
VI
Worde, A i v, lines 15-17:
¶ Doughter
yf thou knewe how swete thy loue is
to me / þou woldest neuer do other thynge but loue me
with all
thy herte.
Add. 61823, f. 76v, lines 26-28:
Dowtyr / ȝyf þu
knew how swet
thy loue is
vn to me þu schuldist neuyr do oþer thyng but lo//
vyn me wyth al thyn hert
VII
Worde, A i v, lines 18-22:
¶ Doughtyr
yf thou wylt be hye with me in heuen
ke
pe me
alway in thy mynde as moche as þou
mayst &
forgete
not me at thy mete / but thynke alway þat
I
fyt in thy
herte & knowe euery thought þat is
therin
both good
and badde.
Add. 61823, f. 89v, lines 9-13:
And dowtyr ȝyf þu wilt ben hey in
heuyn wyth me / kepe me al wey in þi mende as meche as
þu mayst / & forȝete me
not at þi mete / but thynk alwey
þat I sitte in þin hert / & knowe euery thowt þat is therin boþe good
and bade.
VIII
Worde, A i v, lines 23-25:
¶ Doughter
I haue suffred many paynes for thy
loue /
therfore þou hast gret cause to loue
me ryght wel
for I haue
bought thy loue full dere.
Add. 61823, f. 92v, lines 30-33:
Dowtyr þes sorwys & many mo suffyrd I for þi lofe
& diuers peynys mo
þan any man can tellyn in erth •’ / þerfor
dowtyr þu hast gret cawse to louyn me ryght wel for I haue
bowt
þi
lofe ful der
.;.
IX
Worde, A i v, line 26-A ii r. line
6:
¶ Dere
lorde I praye the late me neuer haue other
Ioye in
erth but mournynge & wepynge for thy lo
ue / for
me thynketh lorde / though I were in hel / yf
I myght
wepe there & mourne for thy loue as I do
here /
hell sholde not noye me / but it sholde be a ma
ner heuen
/ for thy loue putteth away al maner of
drede of
our gostly enemye / for I had leuer be the
re as
longe as þou
woldest & please the / than to be in
this
worlde & dysplease the / therfore good lorde as thou wylte so mote it be.
Add. 61823, f. 104v, lines 12-20:
þerfor lord I prey þe late
me
neuyr han oþer Ioy in erthe but mornyng & wepyng for
thy
lofe •/ for me thynkith lord þow I wer in helle ȝyf I //
myth
wepyn þer & mornyn for þi
lofe /
as
I do her •/
helle
xuld
not
noyin me /
but it xulde be a maner
of heuyn •/
for
thy
lofe
puttyth a wey al maner
of drede of owr gostly enmye
/
for
I had leuar ben þer as long as þu woldist & plesyn þe •/ þan
ben
in þis worlde
&
displesyn
þe •/ þerfor lord as þu wilt so
so
mote
it be .;.
X
Worde, A ii r, lines 7-19:
¶ She had
grete wonder that our lorde wolde beco
me man /
& suffre so greuous paynes for her þat was
so vnkynde
a creature to hym. And than with grete
wepynge she asked our lorde Ihesu how she myghte
beste
please hym. & he answered to her
soule saynge
doughter
haue mynde of thy wyckednes & thynke
on my
goodnes / than she prayed many tymes & of
ten these
wordes. Lorde for thy goodnes haue merci
on my
grete wyckednes / as certeynly as I was ne
uer so
wycked as þou arte good ne neuer may
be thou
ghe I
wolde. for þou
arte so good þat þou mayst no better
be &
therfore it is gret wonder þat
euer ony man shol
de be
departed fro the without ende.
Add. 61823, f. 100v, lines 12-25:
& þan
had
sche gret wondyr
þat owr lord wolde be comyn man / & suffyr so greuows
pe//
ynys
for hir þat was so vnkynde a creatur to
hym
• An oþer
tyme
as sche was in a chirch of Seynt Margarete in þe
qwer
/
beyng
in gret swetnes & deuocyon wyth gret plente
of
teerys /
sche
askyd owr lord Ihesu crist how sche
myght
best
plesyn hym
/ & he answeryd to hyr
sowle •
seying
•7
Dowtyr haue mynde of þi wykkydnes /& thynk on my good//
nes
•/ þan sche preyd many tymys and oftyn þes wordys
lord for thy gret goodnes •’ / haue mercy on al my wykkydnes
As wistly as I was neuyr so wykkyd •’/ as þu art good / ne neuyr
may
be thow I wolde /
for
þu art so good þat þu
mayst no bettyr
be
/ & þerfor it is gret wondyr / þat euyr ony man xulde be depar//
tyd
fro þe wyth owtyn ende
XI
Worde, A ii r, lines 20-25:
¶ Whan she
sawe the crucyfyxe / or yf she sawe a
man had a
wounde or a best. Or yf a man bete a
chi
lde afore
her / or smote an hors / or an other beste with
a whype /
yf she myght se it or here it. she thought
she sawe
our lorde beten or wounded lyke as
she sa
we in the
man or in the beste.
Add. 61823, f. 33v, lines 27-33:
& sumtyme
whan sche saw þe //
crucyfyx • er yf sche sey a man
had a wownde er a best •
wheþyr it wer •• er ȝyf a man bett a
childe • be
for hir • er
smet an hors • er an oþer best wyth a whippe •[ ȝyf
sche myth
sen it er heryn it hir • thowt
sche saw owyr lord be
betyn er wowndyd
• lyk as sche saw in þe man • er
in þe
best •
XII
Worde, A ii r, line 26-A ii v, line
5:
¶ The more
she encreased in loue & in deuocyon /
the more
she encreased in sorowe & contrycyon / in
lownesse
& mekenesse / & in holy drede of our lorde
Ihesu
& in knowlege of her owne freylte. So that
yf she
sawe ony creature be punysshed / or sharpely
chastysed
/ she wolde thynke that she had ben more worthy
to be
chastysed than þat creature
was for her
vnkyndnes
ayenst god. Than wolde she wepe for
her owne
synne. & for compassyon of that creature.
Add. 61823, f. 84r, lines 14-22:
& euyr þe
mor þat sche encresyd in lofe & in deuocyon / þe mor sche
encresyd in
sorwe & in contrycyon / in lownes / in mekenes / &
in þe holy dreed of owr lord / & in knowlach of hir owyn frelte /
/
þat ȝyf sche sey a creatur be ponischyd er scharply chastisyd / sche
xulde thynkyn
þat sche had ben mor worthy to be chastisyd
þan þat creatur was •/ for hir vnkyndnes a
geyns god •/ þan //
xulde sche
cryen wepyn & sobby for hir owyn synne / and
for þe compassyon
of þe creat þat sche sey so ben ponyschyd &
scharply
chastisyd •/
XIII
Worde, A ii v, lines 6-10:
¶ In noo
thynge that þou
doost or sayest doughter þou
mayst noo
better please god / than beleue that he lo
ueth the.
For yf it were possyble þat I
myght wepe with
the. I
wolde wepe with the for the compassyon þat
I
haue of
the.
Add. 61823, f. 40r, lines 29-32:
In no
thyng þat þu dost dowtyr ne seyest •
þu mayst no bettyr
plesyn god • þan to
beleuyn þat he
louyth þe ffor
ȝyf it were
possybyl þat
I myth wepyn wyth
þe I wold
wepyn wyth þe dowtyr
for þe compassion
þat I
haue of þe ••
XIV
Worde, A ii v, lines 11-24:
¶ Our
mercyfull lorde Ihesu cryste drewe this cre
ture vnto
his loue / & to the mynde of his passyon /
that myght
not endure to beholde a lepre / or an o-
ther seke
man / specyally yf he had ony woundes
ap
perynge on
hym. Soo she wepte as yf she had seen
our lorde
Ihesu with his woundes bledynge:
& so she
dyde in
the syght of the soule / for thrugh the behol
dynge of
the seke man / her mynde was all rauys-
shed in to
our lorde Ihesu / that she had grete mourn
ynge and
sorowynge þat she myght not kysse þe lepre
whan she
met them in the way for the loue of our
lorde
whiche was all contrarye to her desposycyon
in the
yeres of her youthe & prosperyte / for than she
abhorred
them moost.
Add. 61823, f. 86r, lines 7-20:
Thus owr mercyful lord
crist Ihesu drow hys creatur vn to
hys lofe & to mynde of hys passyon / þat sche myth not duryn
to beheldyn
a laȝer er an oþer seke man / specialy ȝyf he had
any wowndys aperyng on hym / so sche cryid & so sche wept /
as ȝyf sche had sen owr lord Ihesu
crist wyth hys wowndys ble//
dyng / & so sche dede in þe syght of hir sowle / for thorw þe be//
heldyng of
þe seke man / hir mende was al takyn in to owr
lord Ihesu crist •7/ Than had sche gret mornyng & sorwyng
for sche
myth not kyssyn þe laȝerys whan sche
sey hem • er
met wyth hem in þe stretys / for þe lofe of Ihesu /• Now gan sche to
louyn þat sche had most hatyd be for tyme / for þer was no
thyng mor
lothful / ne mor abhomynabyl to hir whil sche
was in þe ȝerys of werldly prosperite þan to seen er beheldyn
a laȝer •
XV
Worde, A ii v., line 24-A iii r,
line 3
¶ Doughter
þou
haste desyred in thy mynde to haue
many
preestes in the towne of lynn / that
myght syn
ge &
rede nyght and day for to serue me / worshyp
me / &
prayse me / and thanke me for the goodnes þat
I have do
to the in erth / & therfore doughter I pro
myse the
thou shalt haue mede & rewarde in heuen
for the
good wylles & good desyres / as yf thou had
dest done
them in dede.
Add. 61823, f. 98v, line 34-f. 99r,
lines 1-5:
And þu hast also in þi mende desyryd to han //
[f. 99r]
many
preistys in þe town of lynne / þat myth syngyn & redyn nyght &
day
for to seruyn me / worschepyn me / & preysyn & thankyn me / for
þe goodnes þat I haue don to þe in
erthe / & þerfor dowtyr
I behote þe
þu xalt haue þe same mede & reward in heuyn for þis good willys /
&
þes good desyrys / as ȝyf þu haddist don hem in dede
XVI
Worde, A iii r, lines 4-8:
¶ Doughter
þou
shalte haue as grete mede & as gre-
te rewarde
with me in heuen. for thy good seruyce &
thy good
dedes that thou haste do in thy mynde as
yf thou
haddest do þe
same with thy bodely wyttes
without
forth.
Add. 61823, f. 98v, lines 14-18:
Dowtyr
þow
xalt han as gret mede & as gret reward wyth
me in heuyn
for þi good seruyse
/
&
þe good dedys /
þat þu
hast don in þi mynde
&
meditacyon
/
as
ȝyf þu haddyst don þo same dedys wyth thy
bodily
wittys wyth owtyn forth •/
XVII
Worde, A iii r, line 9-A iii v,
line 3:
¶ And
doughter I thanke the / for the charyte that
thou haste
to all lecherous men & wymmen /
for thou
prayest
for them & wepest for them many atere de
syrynge þat it sholde delyuer them out of
synne / & be
as gracyous
to them as I was to Mary maudeley
ne / þat they myght haue as moche
grace to loue me
as Mary
maudeleyne had / & with this condycyon
þou
woldest þat eueryche of them sholde haue
.xx.li. a ye-
re to loue
& prayse me / & doughter this grete chary
te whiche þou hast to them in thy prayer
pleaseth me
ryght well
/ And doughter also I thanke the for þe
charyte
whiche þou
hast in thy prayer whan þou
prayest
for all
Iewes & sarasyns / & al hethen people þat they
sholde
come to crysten fayth / þat my
name myght be
magnyfyed
in them Furthermore doughter I than
ke the for
general charyte þat þou hast to al people that
be now in
this worlde / & to al tho that. are to come
vnto the
worldes ende / þat
thou woldest be hacked as
smalle as
flesshe to the potte for theyr loue / soo þat I
wolde by
thy deth saue them all fro dampnacyon
yf
it pleased
me. And therfore doughter / for all these
good
wylles and desyres thou shalt haue ful mede
&
rewarde in heuen byleue it ryght wel & doute ne
uer a
dele.
Add. 61823, f. 99r, lines 9-33:
&
dowtyr I thanke þe for
þe charite • þat þu //
hast
to alle lecherows men & women for þu preyst for hem /
&
wepist many a teer for hem •/ desyryng þat
I
xulde delyuyr
hem
owt of synne /
&
ben as gracyows to hem as I was to //
Mary
Mawdelyn /
&
þat þei myth han as gret lofe to me •/ as
Mary
Mawdelyn had •
And wyth þis condicyon þu woldist þat
euery
of
hem
xulde
haue xx pownde be ȝer to louyn me & preysyn
me
And dowtyr þis
gret charite þat þu hast in þi preier to hem
plesyth
me ryth wel • And also
dowtyr I thanke þe for þe charite
þat þu hast in þi preyer • Whan þu
preyist for alle Iewys & Saraȝenys /
&
alle
hethyn pepil
/
þat þei xulde comyn to cristen
feith •/
þat my name myth be magnyfiid in hem •/ & for
þe holy teerys
&
wepyngys þat þu hast wept for hem / preying & desyryng þat
ȝyf any
preyer myth bryngyn hem to grace or to cristyn dom / þat I xulde
heryn
þi preyer for hem yf it wer my wille /• fforþermor dowtyr
I
thanke þe for þe general charite þat þu hast to alle þe pepil þat
is
now in þis worlde leuyng / & to alle þo þat arn for to come /
in
to
þis worldys ende •/ þat þu woldist ben hakkyd as
smal as
flesche
to þe potte for her lofe •/ so þat I wolde be þi deth sauyn
hem
alle fro dampnacyon ȝyf it plesyd me •/ for þu
seyst
oftyn
in thy thowt þat þer arn I nowe in helle •/ & þu woldist
þat þer xulde neuyr mo men deseruyn for to comyn þerin • And þerfor
dowtyr for alle þes good willys & desyrys þu xalt han ful hy
mede
&
rewarde
in heuyn
/
beleue
it ryth wel /
&
dowt
it
neuyr a deel /
XVIII
Worde, A iii v, lines 4-9:
¶ She sayd
good lorde I wolde be layde naked vp
on an
hurdel for thy loue al men to wonder on me
& to
cast fylth & dyrt on me: & be drawen fro town
to towne
euery day my lyfe tyme yf þou were
pleased
therby /
& no mannes soule hyndred / thy
wyll be ful
fylled and
not myne.
Add. 61823, f. 89v:
And I wolde •’
lord for þi lofe be leyd nakyd on an hyrdil / alle
men
to wonderyn
on me for þi loue / so it wer no perel
to her
sowlys / & þei to castyn slory & slugge on me / & be dra//
wyn fro
town to town euery day my lyfe tyme / ȝyf þu
wer plesyd
þerby / & no mannys
sowle hyndryd •/ þi wil mote
be
fulfillyd & not myn .;.
XIX
Worde, A iii v, kubes 10-15:
¶
Doughters as oftentymes as þou
sayest or thynkest
worshypped
be all the holy places in Iherusalem
where
cryst suffre bytter payne & passyon in thou
shalt haue
haue the same pardon as yf þou
were with
thy bodely
presence / both to thy selfe & to al the þat
thou wylt
gyue to.
Add. 61823, f. 37r:
Dowtyr as oftyn tymes as þu
seyst or thynkyst
worshepyd be alle þo
holy^ placys in
Ierusalem þat crist suffyrde
bittyr peyn &
passyon in •’/ þu schalt haue þe same pardon
as ȝyf þu wer þer wyth þi bodily presens • bothyn
to þi self &
to alle þo þat þu wylt ȝeuyn it to •
XX
Worde, A iii v, lines 16-27:
¶ The same
pardon þat was graunted the afore ty-
me. it was
confermed on saynt Nycolas daye / þat
is
to say /
playne remyssyon / & it is not only graunted
to þe / but also to all tho þat beleue / & to all tho þat shall
beleue
vnto the worldes ende / that god loueth þe / &
shall
thanke god for the yf they wyl forsake theyr
synne /
& be in full wyll no more to tourne agayne
therto.
But be sorye & heuy for þat
they haue done &
wyll do
due penaunce therefore / they shall haue the
same
pardon þat is graunted to thy selfe. & þat is all þe
pardon þat is in Ierusalem / as was graunted þe whan þou
were at
Rafnys.
Add. 61823, f. 85v:
& þe same pardon þat was grawntyd þe befor
tyme / It was confermyd on Seynt Nicholas day / þat is to seyn
plenowr remissyon • And it is not only grawntyd to þe • but
also to
alle þo þat beleuyn & to alle þo þat xul beleuyn in to
þe worldys ende / þat god louyth þe & xal þankyn god for þe / ȝyf
þei wyl forsakyn her synne & ben in ful wylle no more
to turnyn a
geyn þerto / but ben sory & heuy for þat þei
haue do / & wil don dew penawnce þerfor / þei xal haue þe
same pardon
þat is grawntyd to þi selfe And þat is alle þe pardon
þat is in Ierusalem as was grawntyd þe whan
þu wer at Rafnys
as is be
forn wretyn .;.
XXI
Worde, A iii v, line 28-A iv r,
line 1:
¶ That day
that she suffred noo trybulacyon for
oure
lordes sake she was not mery ne gladde / as
that daye
whan she suffred trybulacyon.
Add. 61823, f. 58r:
And be processe
of
tyme
/
þat
day
whech sche suffyrd no tribulacyon / sche was not
mery
ne glad /
as
þat day • whan sche suffyrd tribulacyon
Worde, A iv r, line 2:
¶ Pacyence
is more worthe than myracles doing
Add. 61823, f. 58v:
for pacyens is more
worthy
þan myraclys werkyng •
XXII
Worde, A iv r, line 3-6:
¶ Doughter
it is more plesure to me þat
thou suffre
despytes /
scornes / shames / & repreues / wronges
/ dys
eases /
than yf thyne hede were stryken thre tymes
a day
euery day in seuen yere.
Add. 61823, f. 63r:
Dowtyr it
is mor plesyng vn to me • þat
þu suffyr despitys & scornys •
schamys & repreuys •
wrongys
& disesys •• þan
ȝif þin hed wer smet of thre tymes
on þe day •’/
euery day
in sevyn ȝer /•
XXIII
Worde, A iv r, lines 7-8:
¶ Lorde
for thy grete payne haue mercy on my ly
tell
payne.
Add. 61823, f. 66v:
A lord for thy gret
peyn / haue mercy
on my lityl peyne /
XXIV
Worde, A iv r, lines 9-15:
¶ Whan she
was in grete trouble / our lorde sayd /
doughter I
must nedes comforte þe.
for now þou hast
þe ryght way to heuen / By this way
came I & all
my
dyscyples / for now þou
shalt know þe better what
sorowe
& shame I suffred for thy loue / & þou shalte
haue the
more compassyon whan thou thynkest on
my
passyon.
Add. 61823, f. 76r:
& as summe spoke euyl of hir a forn
for sche
cryed •/ so sum spoke now euyl of hir for sche
cryid not /
& so slawndir
& bodily angwisch fel to hir on euery syde /
& al was encresyng of hir gostly comfort • Than owr mercy//
ful lord
seyd vn to hys vnworthy seruawnt / Dowtyr
I must
nedys comfortyn þe / for now
þu hast þe ryth wey to heuyn /
[
be þis wey cam I to heuyn & alle my disciplys •• ffor
now
þu xalt knowe þe bettyr what sorwe & schame I suffyrd for
thy lofe • And
þu schalt haue þe mor compassyon • whan
þu thyn//
kyst on my
passyon •
XXV
Worde, A iv r, lines 16-23:
¶ O my
dere worthy lorde: these graces þou
sholdest
shewe to
relygyous men & to prestes.
¶ Our
lorde sayd to her ayen / nay nay doughter /
for þat I loue best þat they loue not / & þat is shames / re-
preues /
scornes / & despytes of þe
people / & therfore
they shall
not haue this grace / for doughter he that
dredeth þe shames of this worlde may not
parfyght
ly loue
god.
Add. 61823, f. 77r:
A my der//
worthy lord
þis lyfe xuldist þu schewyn to Religiows men
& to preistys
•/ owr lord seyd a ȝen to hir nay • nay
dowtyr •
for þat thyng þat I lofe best þei lofe not
/ & þat is schamys despitys
scomys & repreuys
of þe pepil & þerfor xal þei not haue þis grace /
for dowtyr I telle þe he þat dredith þe schamys of þe world may
not parfytely louyn god