The Book of Margery Kempe

by Margery Kempe

  With such manner of conversing he highly comforted her spirits. And he also gave great praise and thanks to God for the grace that he wrought in her soul, for unless she had had such spiritual comfortings it would have been impossible for her to have borne the shames and wonderings which she suffered patiently and meekly for the grace that God showed in her.

  Chapter 42

  When Eastertime had come and gone,1 and this creature and her companions were intending to go back to their own native land, they were told there were many thieves along the way who would relieve them of their goods and perhaps kill them.

  Then the said creature, with many a bitter tear in her eye, prayed to our Lord Jesus Christ, saying, ‘Christ Jesus, in whom is all my trust, as you have promised me many times before that no one should be harmed in my company, and as I was never deceived or disappointed in your promises as long as I fully and faithfully trusted in you, so hear the prayers of your unworthy servant all wholly trusting in your mercy, and grant that I and my companions, without hindrance to our bodies or possessions -for over our souls, Lord, they have no power – may go home again to our land just as we came here, for your love, and never let our enemies have any power over us, Lord, if it please you. As you will, so may it be.’

  Then our Lord Jesus Christ said to her mind, ‘Don’t be afraid, daughter, for you and everybody in your company shall go as safe as if they were in St Peter’s church.’

  Then she thanked God with all her spirit, and was bold enough to go where God willed, and took her leave of her friends in Rome and especially of her confessor, who for our Lord’s love had supported her and succoured her very tenderly against the wicked storms of her envious enemies, and with whom her parting was very miserable, as was witnessed by the teardrops running down the cheeks of both of them. She, falling on her knees, received the benefit of his blessing and so they parted, whom charity had joined in one, and through which they trusted to meet again, when our Lord willed, in their common homeland, after they had passed this wretched worldly exile.

  And thus she and her party set off for England, and when they were a little way out of Rome, the good priest, whom as is written before this creature had received for her own son, had great fear of enemies, and so he said to her, ‘Mother, I fear being killed by enemies.’

  She said, ‘No, son, you will make good progress and travel safely by the grace of God.’

  And he was much comforted by her words for he greatly trusted in her feelings, and along their route he treated her as warmly as if he had been her own son, born of her body.

  And so they reached Middelburg,2 and then her party continued their journey over to England on the Sunday. Then the good priest came to her, saying, ‘Mother, will you go with your companions or not on this good day?’

  And she said, ‘No, son, it is not my Lord’s will that I should go so soon hence.’

  And so she stayed with the good priest and some others of her party until the Saturday after, but many of her companions took ship on the Sunday. On the Friday after, this creature went out into the fields for a break, with some of her own countrymen with her, whom she instructed in the laws of God as well as she could -and she spoke to them sharply because they swore great oaths and broke the commandment of our Lord God.

  And as she was talking to them, our Lord Jesus Christ bade her go home quickly to her lodging, because a great and perilous storm was coming. Then she hurried homewards with her companions, and as soon as they got home to their lodging the storm broke, as she had felt by revelation. And many times, as she went by the way and in the fields, there were great flashes of lightning with terrifying thunder, such that she feared she would be struck and killed, and very heavy storms of rain which caused her great fear and grief.

  Then our Lord Jesus Christ said to her, ‘Why are you afraid while I am with you? I am as mighty to keep you safe here in the fields as in the strongest church in all this world.’

  And after that time she was not so very afraid as she was before, for she always greatly trusted in his mercy – blessed may he be, who comforted her in every sorrow.

  Afterwards an Englishman happened to come to this creature and swore a great oath. She, hearing that oath, wept, mourned, and sorrowed immeasurably, quite powerless to restrain herself from weeping and sorrowing, because she saw her brother was offending our Lord God Almighty, and would pay little heed to his own fault.

  Chapter 43

  Early the next day1 the good priest who was like a son to this creature came to her and said, ‘Mother, good news! We have a good wind, God be thanked.’

  And straightaway she gave praise to our Lord, and prayed him of his mercy to grant them that the good wind and weather should last so that they might reach home in safety. And it was answered and commanded in her soul that they should go their way in the name of Jesus.

  When the priest knew that she would in any case depart, he said, ‘Mother, there is no proper ship here; there is only a little smack.’

  She replied, ‘Son, God is as mighty in a little boat as in a big ship, for I will go in that boat, by God’s leave.’

  And when they were in that small ship, the weather began to turn very stormy and dark. Then they cried to God for mercy and grace, and then the storms ceased, and they had fair weather, and sailed all through the night and the next day till evensong time, and then they came to land. And when they were on land, the said creature fell down on her knees kissing the ground, highly thanking God who had brought them home in safety.

  Then this creature had neither penny nor halfpenny in her purse, and so they happened to meet up with other pilgrims, who gave her three halfpence because she had, in conversation, told them some holy tales. And then she was very glad and cheerful, for she had some money with which she could make an offering in reverence of the Trinity when she came to Norwich, as she did when she was on her way out of England.

  And so when she got there she very gladly made an offering, and afterwards she went with her companions to the Vicar of St Stephen’s, Master Richard Caister, who was still alive at that time. He led them with him to the place where he took his meals and made them very welcome.

  And he said to this creature, ‘Margery, I am amazed how you can be so merry, when you have had such great troubles and travelled so far.’

  ‘Sir, it is because I have great cause to be merry and rejoice in our Lord, who has helped me and succoured me and brought me home again in safety – blessed and worshipped may he be.’

  And so they talked of our Lord for a good while and had much good cheer. And then they took their leave, and she went to an anchorite,2 who was a monk from far away and lived in the Chapel-in-the-Fields.3 He had a name for great perfection and previously had loved this creature very much. But afterwards, through evil talk that he heard about her, he turned completely against her, and therefore she went to him on purpose, to humble herself and draw him to charity if she could.

  When she came to him, he welcomed her home shortly, and asked her what she had done with her child which was conceived and born while she was abroad, as he had heard tell.

  And she said, ‘Sir, the same child that God has sent me I have brought home, for God knows I never did anything since I went abroad through which I should have a child.’

  And he would not believe her for anything that she could say. Yet nevertheless she humbly and meekly told him, because of the trust that she had in him, how it was our Lord’s will that she should be clad in white clothing. And he said ‘God forbid’, for she would make everybody amazed at her. And she replied, ‘Sir, I don’t care, so long as God is pleased with it.’

  Then he bade her come again to him and be governed by him, and by a good priest called Sir Edward.4 And she said she would find out if it were the will of God or not, and with that she took her leave at that time. And as she went away from him, our Lord said to her soul as she went along, ‘I do not wish that you should be governed by him,’ and she sent him word what answer she had from
God.

  Chapter 44

  And then she prayed to God, saying, ‘As surely, Lord, as it is your will that I should be clad in white, as surely grant me a token of lightning, thunder and rain – provided it neither hinders nor harms anything – so that I, unworthy, may the sooner fulfil your will.’

  Then our Lord answered and said to his unworthy servant, ‘Daughter, have no doubt, you shall have that token by the third day.’

  And so it was. On the Friday next following, early in the morning, as she lay in her bed, she saw great lightning, and heard great thunder and great rain following, and just as quickly it all passed away and the weather was fine again. Then she fully resolved to wear white clothes, except that she had neither gold nor silver to buy her clothing with.

  And then our Lord said to her soul, T shall provide for you.’

  Later she went to a worthy man in Norwich with whom she was very welcome. And as they sat together telling holy tales our Lord said continually in her soul, ‘Speak to this man, speak to this man.’

  Then she said to that worthy man, ‘Would to God, sir, that I might find a good man who would lend me two nobles till I could pay him back, to buy myself clothes with.’

  And he said, ‘I will do that gladly. What sort of clothes do you want to wear?’

  ‘Sir,’ she said, ‘white clothes, by God’s leave.’

  So this good man bought white cloth, and had a gown made for her from it, and also a hood, a kirtle and a cloak. And on the Saturday, which was the next day, he brought her this clothing in the evening and gave it to her for God’s love, and showed a great deal more kindness to her for our Lord’s love – Christ Jesus be his reward and have mercy upon his soul, and on all Christians.

  And on the Trinity Sunday following,1 she received communion all in white, and since then she has suffered much contempt and much shame in many divers countries, cities and towns – thanks be to God for everything.

  Soon after, her husband came from Lynn to Norwich to see how she was and how she had got on, and so they went home together to Lynn. And she, shortly afterwards, fell very ill, so much so that she was anointed, because it was feared she might die. And she desired, if it were the will of God, that she might visit Santiago before she died, and suffer more shame for his love, as he had promised her before that she should do.

  Then our Lord Jesus Christ said to her in her soul that she would not die yet, but she herself believed she would not live, for her pain was so great. And quickly afterwards she was in good health again.

  And then winter drew on, and she was so cold that she did not know what she could do, for she was poor and had no money, and also she was greatly in debt. Then she suffered shame and abuse for wearing her white clothes, and because she cried so loud when our Lord put her in mind of his Passion. Because of the compassion that she had for our Lord’s Passion she cried so astonishingly loud, and as they had never heard her crying previously it was all the more amazing to them, for she had her first crying at Jerusalem, as is written before.

  And many said there was never saint in heaven that cried as she did, and from that they concluded that she had a devil within her which caused that crying. And this they said openly, and much more evil talk. She took everything patiently for our Lord’s love, for she knew very well that the Jews said much worse of his own person than people did of her, and therefore she took it the more meekly.

  Some said she had epilepsy, for while she cried she wrested her body about, turning from one side to the other,2 and turned all blue and grey, like the colour of lead. Then people spat at her in horror at the illness, and some scorned her and said that she howled like a dog, and cursed her, and said that she did a lot of harm among the people. And then those who before had given her food and drink for God’s love now spurned her, and ordered her not to come to their places, because of the unfavourable tales that they heard about her.

  And afterwards, when the time came that she should go to Santiago, she went to the best friends that she had in Lynn and told them of her intention, how she proposed to go to Santiago if she could get the money to go with, but she was poor and much in debt. And her friends said to her, ‘Why have you given away your money and other people’s as well? Where will you now get as much money as you owe?’

  And she replied, ‘Our Lord God will help very well, for he never failed me in any country, and therefore I trust in him.’

  And suddenly a good man came and gave her forty pence, and with some of that she bought herself a furred coat. And our Lord God always said to her, ‘Daughter, don’t concentrate on getting money, because I shall provide for you, but always concentrate on loving and remembering me, because I shall go with you wherever you go, as I have promised before.’

  And afterwards there came a woman, a good friend to this creature, and gave her seven marks3 to pray for her when she got to Santiago. Then she took leave of her friends in Lynn, intending to set off as quickly as she could.

  And it was said in Lynn that there were many thieves along the way. Then she was greatly afraid that they would rob her and take her gold away from her. And our merciful Lord, comforting her, said to her, ‘Go forth, daughter, in the name of Jesus. No thief shall have power over you.’

  Then she set off, and came to Bristol on the Wednesday in Whitsun week, and there she found the broken-backed man who had been with her at Rome, and whom she left in Rome when she came away from there two years previously. And while they were in Rome she borrowed some money from him, and at God’s bidding she then gave away to poor people all the money that she had, and what she had borrowed from him as well, as is written before. And then, while she was in Rome, she promised to pay him back in Bristol at this time, and so he had come there for his payment.

  And our Lord Jesus Christ had so provided for her, as she went towards Bristol, that she was given so much money that she could easily pay the said man all she owed him. And so she did -blessed be our Lord for it.

  And then she remained in Bristol six weeks, by God’s command, to wait for a ship, in that there were no English ships that could sail for Santiago, because they were requisitioned for the King.4

  Other pilgrims who were at Bristol, and wanted to speed up their journey, went about from port to port, but they were not any more successful and returned to Bristol, while she stayed where she was and did better than them despite all their efforts.

  And while she remained at Bristol in this way at God’s command, our merciful Lord Christ Jesus visited his creature with many holy meditations and many high contemplations and many sweet comforts. And she received communion there every Sunday with plentiful tears and violent sobbings, with loud crying and shrill shriekings; and therefore many men and women were astonished at her, scorned her and despised her, cursed her, spoke much evil of her, slandered her, and accused her of saying something she never said.

  Then she wept sorely for her sins, praying God for mercy and forgiveness for them, saying to our Lord, ‘Lord, as you said, hanging on the cross, for your crucifiers, “Father, forgive them; they know not what they do,” so, I beseech you, forgive these people all the scorn and slanders, and all their trespasses, if it be your will, for I have deserved much more, and of much more am I worthy.’

  Chapter 45

  On Corpus Christi Day afterwards,1 as the priests bore the sacrament about the town in solemn procession, with many candles and great solemnity, as was worthy to be done, the said creature followed, full of tears and devotion, with holy thoughts and meditation, bitter weeping and violent sobbing. And then a good woman came up to this creature and said, ‘God give us grace to follow the steps of our Lord Jesus Christ.’

  Then those words had such an effect in her heart and mind that she could not bear it, and had to go into a house. Then she cried out, ‘I die, I die,’ and roared so astonishingly that people were amazed at her, and wondered very much what was wrong with her. And yet our Lord made some people love and cherish her greatly, and invite her home both to eat and
to drink, and have great joy to hear her converse of our Lord.

  And so there was a man from Newcastle2 – his name was Thomas Marchale – who often invited this creature to meals in order to hear her talk. He was so drawn by the good words that God put it into her head to say of contrition and compunction, of sweetness and of devotion, that he was utterly moved, as though he had been a new man, with tears of contrition and compunction both day and night, as our Lord would visit his heart with grace, so that sometimes, as he walked in the fields, he wept so sorely for his sins and his trespasses that he fell down and could not bear it. He told the said creature that he had been a very heedless and misdirected man, and he bitterly repented that – thanks be to God. And then he blessed the time when he knew this creature and fully resolved to be a good man.

  Also, he said to this creature, ‘Mother, I have here ten marks. I pray you that it be yours, as your own, for I will help you to get to Santiago with God’s grace. And whatever you bid me give to any poor man or woman I will do your bidding – always one penny for you, another for myself.’

  Then, as it pleased our Lord, he sent a ship from Brittany to Bristol, which ship was made ready to sail to Santiago, and then the said Thomas Marchale went and paid the master for himself and for the said creature. Then there was a rich man of Bristol who would not let the said creature sail in that ship, for he held her to be no good woman. And she said to that rich man, ‘Sir, if you put me out of the ship, my Lord Jesus shall put you out of heaven, for I tell you, sir, our Lord Jesus has no liking for a rich man unless he will be a good man and a meek man.’

  And so she said many sharp words to him, without any flattery. Then our Lord said to her in her soul, ‘You shall have your will and go to Santiago at your desire.’