For the first [sight], thus, I saw two persons in bodily likeness: that
is to say, a Lord and a Servant; and therewith God gave me spiritual
understanding. The Lord sitteth stately in rest and in peace; the
Servant standeth by afore his Lord reverently, ready to do his Lord's
will. The Lord looketh upon his Servant full lovingly and sweetly, and
meekly he sendeth him to a certain place to do his will. The Servant
not only he goeth, but suddenly he starteth, and runneth in great
haste, for love to do his Lord's will. And anon he falleth into a
slade,[1] and taketh full great hurt. And then he groaneth and moaneth
and waileth and struggleth, but he neither may rise nor help himself by
no manner of way.
And of all this the most mischief[2] that I saw him in, was failing of
comfort: for he could not turn his face to look upon his loving Lord,
which was to him full near,--in Whom is full comfort;--but as a man
that was feeble and unwise for the time, he turned his mind[3] to his
feeling and endured in woe.
In which woe he suffered seven great pains. The first was the sore
bruising that he took in his falling, which was to him feelable pain;
the second was the heaviness of his body; the third was feebleness
following from these two; the fourth, that he was blinded in his reason
and stunned in his mind, so far forth that almost he had forgotten his
own love; the fifth was that he might not rise; the sixth was most
marvellous to me, and that was that he lay all alone: I looked all
about and beheld, and far nor near, high nor low, I saw to him no help;
the seventh was that the place which he lay on was a long, hard, and
grievous [place].
I marvelled how this Servant might meekly suffer there all this woe,
and I beheld with carefulness to learn if I could perceive in him any
fault, or if the Lord should assign to him any blame. And in sooth
there was none seen: for only his goodwill and his great desire was
cause of his falling; and he was unlothful, and as good inwardly as
when he stood afore his Lord, ready to do his will. And right thus
continually his loving Lord full tenderly beholdeth him. But now with
a _double_ manner of Regard: one outward, full meekly and mildly,
with great ruth and pity,--and this was of the first [sight], another
_inward,_ more spiritually,--and this was shewed with a leading of mine
understanding into the Lord, [in the] which I saw Him highly rejoicing
for the worshipful restoring that He will and shall bring His Servant
to by His plenteous grace; and this was of that other shewing.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account