And whoso beggeth, he hath a lack[284] of divine sufficiency. Ah, right precious sweet being, saith Love, that hast all usages lost, and by this lost usage, hast ceased from all methods:[199] for in sooth, these usages and this loss be made in the naughting of your soul, and in this naught, ye swoon, saith Love, and dwell dead. The first is the Mirror of Simple Souls, written in the vernacular by Marguerite Porete, a woman condemned as a heretic, and the vernacular (re)trans- lations of this well-known text. Uploaded by But the understanding of divine love, that taketh the lead in a naughted soul which is made free, understandeth it without erring, for she is [of] the same [nature]., O thou understanding of Reason, saith the highness of the understanding of Love, understand now the rudeness of thy misunderstanding. These sayings, then, that Love saith to this creature, of his divine bounty, have thrown Reason and the works of virtues under his feet, and to death brought [them], without recovering. And forasmuch as I will naught, saith this soul, I am a solitary soul, and separate from myself,[197] and all free. They desire for Gods sake, despite,[48] poverty, tribulation, dis-ease, masses and sermons, fastings and orisons, and [they] take from nature all her asking, in refusing all thing that is lusty and pleasant to the flesh; for by this way, and by sharp contrition, souls must go, before they come to these divine usages. As the knowledge of her naught deepens, her knowledge of Gods bounty grows. A Companion to Marguerite Porete and "The Mirror of Simple Souls." Wendy R. Terry and Robert Stauffer, eds. The most showeth to this soul her naught, without covering, and that showeth her the almightful in the bounty of divine righteousness. Index to Text. Now hath the divine bounty put free will by pure divine goodness in her who is but in evils, that is, in all wickedness enclosed. The parallelism between our author s doctrine of the Dark Night and that of St John of the Cross admits of further analysis. . O glorious Trinity in whom is all goodness, hallowed be your holy name, in heaven and in earth, and fulfilled be your will. And Truth said to me this, that none shall ascend but he only that should reflect[383] the Son of God himself. Lord, ye be one only God in three Persons, and I am one only enemy in three mischances.[388]. The similarity in point of view is, however, clear, and as we have seen, the Englishman who in the late fifteenth century translated the Mirror into Latin believed the work to have been composed by Ruysbroeck. They swim into the retina, to be instantly classified by experimental knowledge, and most speedily dismissed in the search for the ultimate, ever-increasing joy of the mountain ranges. M. This is an usage in Loves game, by which these souls have then so clear sight in divine beholdings, that it seemeth to them that all which they or others say, it is but gabbings in respect of the high goodness and great nobleness that is in God; which may not be known except by himself for the magnitude of greatness. We have in us, saith the Holy Ghost, this that is ours by nature divine, and she hath it from us in her, by justice of love, whatever she may be saith the Holy Ghost. She willeth and she willeth not. This soul, saith Love, is quit of services, for she liveth in freedom. Alas, alas! [42] N. This soul, saith Love, recketh not of shame nor of worship, nor of poverty nor of riches, nor of ease nor of dis-ease, nor of love nor of hate, nor of hell nor of paradise., O Love, for God, saith Reason, what is this to say that ye have said? What is this to say? saith Love. . This is to understand, that he would that creatures begged as he doth in other creatures. This is full far from that which is said, that the righteous falleth seven times a day, into a case for correction.. They love riches, and sorry be they when they be poor, and if they be rich, sorry be they when they lose; but always they keep themselves from the death of sin; for they will not love their riches against the will of God, neither in winning them. She may not will by her own will, for her will is not with-her, but it is [without any leading thither], in him that she loveth. And for this, saith Love, you would not when I sent to you by the sensitive Virtues and by mine angels. MS. as of that that is of her: possibly for, with regard to all that is of her nature.. Here me faileth also wit I cannot answer no more than afore, but alway I said that of all that I should take counsel, and right so I did. That she is come to; and how the divine beholding hath but one entent and of the peace of that food that love giveth her, CHAPTER I: Of what abundance of grace our blessed Lady had in the womb of her mother, and of certain beholdings that be convenable for the marred, to come to the being that this book speaketh of, CHAPTER II: Of the beholdings that this soul had in this foresaid life, CHAPTER III: How the beholding of the goodness of God and of her wretchedness sent this soul to meditation. In addition to M.N.s interpretation of the passage, it may be remembered that the author probably referred to the mode of prayer of those souls, as will appear later. And this is hers by righteousness of love, so that this precious beloved of me is learned and led of me without her [working] for she is turned to me in me. Camaioni notes that the writings of the early Capuchins appear to be strongly dependant on the work of Bartolomeo Cordoni, Il Dyalogo de la unione. If it may be said that the work of the intellect in prayer spoils prayer, that does not apply to the habitual state of the mind at other times than those of prayer, and the best vindication of mystical union is a life intensely fruitful in some direction. Where the eldest born daughter of the high King is set, there faileth her nothing of gentleness. This is the fulhead and the substance of my peace, and the true rest of my thought, for I love not myself but for him. This union is right delicious; that wot they who have assayed it. [310] Thus to do and thus to say, is begging; for in doing this, and in saying this, and in dwelling thus, and in willing this, she remaineth a beggar wit this forsooth and encumbered of herself. It is possible that the French MS. reached England through the agency of a group of persons who accompanied Queen Philippa of Hainault to England in 1327. The right sweet Far Night[261] hath supplied[262] the last penny of my debt. Not work of bounty that ever I did, nor that ever I might do; that giveth me neither comfort nor hope, but my wickedness only, for I have by them this certifying. This was and is, and shall be her divine beholding, her divine love, her divine peace, and her divine lauding; altogether her labours and all her rest, to will only the divine will, and therefore she had glorious life enclosed within the soul of her mortal[300] body without any intermediary. Reason praiseth the Magdalen for she sought Jesu Christ, but love stilleth him. Now hearken by meekness among you, at the beginning of this, a little ensample of love of the world, and understand it into divine love. Her lot hath this of freedom, ended of every cost; there hath she her full purity. . The snares and pitfalls into which the soul may fall, both with regard to spiritual phenomena, such as visions and auditions, and with respect to the manifold defects or shortcomings of Faith, Hope and Charity, are analysed by St John in a systematic form, but are found in our treatise woven into the web of the work. But her right name is perfectly noble. This is the eagle[108] that flieth high; so right high and yet more high than doth any other bird, for she is feathered with fine love, and she beholdeth above others the beauty of the sun. She ought to dwell within, and there loseth the soul pride and play, for the spirit is become bitter,[369] that suffereth her no more to be playing nor jolly. And this opening hath made me have so clear sight, saith this soul, that it hath made me yield that which is his, and to take that which is mine. by a meditation of [the] love [that is] without [the] hearing [that cometh from] creatures, by such meditation that souls receive in love without desiring any of his gifts, which men call consolations that comfort souls, by feeling of sweetness in prayer. This meekness that is tutor and mother is daughter of divine majesty. Thinking no more is worth; for his divine beholding it hath but one entent. Her work needs to be judged on its own theological merit, or lack thereof, rather than by the accusation of heresy, which could also be the result of political (Church and/or secular power) machinations. The Doctrinal Significance of the Mirror, CHAPTER I: An exhortation to a soul to ascend to the stairs of perfection, and how this book may be understood, CHAPTER I: For whom this book has been made, and of the perfection that is needful to all them that will be saved, CHAPTER II: Of the counsel of perfection and of the laud of charity, CHAPTER I: Of the life naughted, and of nine points of the soul that liveth in that life, and how she willeth nothing that cometh by mean, CHAPTER II: How this soul hath six wings as have the seraphin, and what she doth with them, CHAPTER III: How this soul taketh leave of virtues, CHAPTER IV: Of certain things that the soul recketh not of, and how she is lost in the right high by plenty of knowing and become naught in her understanding, and whereto she is come by that, CHAPTER V: How a soul that is mortified of all outward desires can no more speak of God; and how it is meant, that this soul hath taken leave of virtues, and how such souls be become free; and what the greatest torment is that a creature may suffer in this life, CHAPTER VI: How these free souls have nothing of will, and what their continual usage is, CHAPTER VII: How love taketh one of these souls for all, for to speak more readily, and of certain works of virtue that this soul hath no desire to; and of what the [most] perfect gift is that God giveth to creatures, CHAPTER VIII: Of the proper names of this soul, and how the true contemplative should have no desire, CHAPTER IX: Of the first point that is spoken of afore, of the soul in life naughted; how none may find her, and how this is worthy and of true meekness, CHAPTER X: Of the second point, that is, how this soul saveth her by faith without works, and how this is understood, CHAPTER XI: How this soul is alone in love, and how she doeth naught for god, nor she leaveth naught for god, and how these three points be meant, CHAPTER XII: How none may teach this soul, nor none may rob her, and how this sixth point is understood, CHAPTER XIII: Of the eighth point, that is, that none may give to her, and how this is under- stood, and of the ineffableness of God, CHAPTER XIV: Of the ninth point, that is, how this soul hath no will, and how this [is] meant, CHAPTER XV: Of the perfection of them that live after the counsel of reason; and of the perfection of these souls that fine love leadeth, CHAPTER XVI: How this soul hath all and she hath naught; she wot all and she wot naught; and of the sacrament of the altar; and how this soul willeth all and she willeth naught, and how this is understood, CHAPTER XVII: How these souls so set their thoughts in the Trinity and be so divine that they rest them not in things that be passing or made, CHAPTER XVIII: how this soul giveth to nature all that it asketh without grudging of conscience, and how this is meant, CHAPTER XIX: How these souls have no heaviness at heart for things that they take; and of the peace that they have in taking the needfulness of nature, CHAPTER XX: How these souls can no more speak of God and what their custom is, CHAPTER XXI: What knowledge, faith, hope and charity have of these souls, and who hath the very knowledge of them, and how virtues be commanded for the souls, and not the souls for the virtues, and of mortifying will and desire, CHAPTER XXII: What the perfect being is that God giveth to creatures; and how none knoweth these souls but God that is within them, CHAPTER I: How it is meant that this soul hath taken leave of virtues; and of a land of this soul; and of the desire that they that live in will and desire must have, CHAPTER II: Of the two staffs that this free soul leaneth her upon; and how she is more drunk of that she never drank nor never shall drink, than of that she hath drunk, CHAPTER III: Of the freedom of these souls, and how they do nothing that is against the peace of inwardness, CHAPTER IV: How that consolations that comfort the souls by feeling of sweetness, it profiteth not a soul, but meditation of pure love; and how that hath only one meaning, and what that meaning is, CHAPTER V: Of the joy of those souls and of the accordance of will of the beloved and the soul; and of the union of love, CHAPTER VI: What it means that this soul doth no thing that is against the peace of her inward being, and of an example thereupon, CHAPTER VII: How this soul findeth God in all things; and of the incomprehensibleness of God, CHAPTER VIII: A complaint of this soul, and of the comfort that love giveth her, and how she is not sufficed nor appeased in that which love telleth her, but wherein she is sufficed, comforted, and appeased; and wherein she hath the full substance of her demands, CHAPTER IX: How it is more in this soul and better she loveth that which is in her beloved that she hath not, nor never shall have, than that she hath in possession; and how the body for his boisterousness and fleshliness cannot speak of the takings of the spirit, CHAPTER X: Of the gifts that this soul hath received of her beloved, and what her usage is, CHAPTER I: Of the visions that this soul hath had, and how no human body may see them; and how they that know their nothingness shall do naught; and what it behoveth them to do who cannot come to the knowing of their naught; and of the defaults of this soul, and by whom they be acquitted, CHAPTER II: How God hath loved this soul without beginning and shall without end; and of the obedience of reason to this soul; and of the accordance of the will of God and of this soul; and of her peace and of perfect charity; and of grudging of conscience, CHAPTER III: How all that this soul hath said, is said of love by this soul, and of this loss of time, CHAPTER IV: What ordinance is, and how that the Deity felt not what the manhood of Jesu Christ suffered, and how in all things behoveth to have discretion, CHAPTER V: Who be perfectly wise, and who be dipped in meekness, and how this soul is become naught in her beholding; and how she is dead to all feelings inward and outward, and what case that soul is in, in time of this usage, CHAPTER VI: How this soul is not with-herself and where she is; and how by naught witting and naught willing she hath all, CHAPTER VII: How this soul by all giving hath all received, CHAPTER VIII: of the being of this soul. Right so fareth it by Virtues; they have well acknowledged it in hearing of you all, that they understand not the Being of fine love!, And for this, I tell you, saith this soul, how should the Virtues teach the subject a thing that they have not, nor never shall have? Purblind is Reason, ye may well see. Never was a soul knit, nor oned, nor divinely fulfilled, that feeleth bodily things. It is that which has already been to some extent spoken of, which is so special that it is no longer the resemblance, but the unity of the mind with God, since man becomes one thing with God; one same mind, not only through the unity of the same will, but by a certain closer union of the will which removes from the soul the power of willing otherwise than God. At that time the author of the manuscript was unknown. And what shame or glory hath St Peter for this, that God raised the dead by his work, though he had denied him three times? It is right, saith Love, that the most has made her drunk;[121] not indeed that she hath drunken of the most, as it is said before; but she hath it, for as much as her love hath it; for there is between him and her no disseverance nor contrariety of nature whatsoever, through any discord of love. Now ye wit why there were but three. And when a soul is without herself and whereof she liveth when she is without her, CHAPTER XII: How this soul joyeth some time without her feeling; and of three things that maketh her to have joy; and of the blindness of reason, CHAPTER XIII: How this soul is the salvation of creatures to the glory of God, and how this is meant, CHAPTER I: Of the promise that this soul made to speak of seven estates, and how the first is the keeping of the commandments of God, CHAPTER II: Of the second state, which is in following the counsel that our Lord gave to come to perfection, CHAPTER III: Of the third state, which is in doing the works of perfection with affection of love and in mortifying the will; by obedience to follow other mens wills, CHAPTER IV: Of the fourth state, which is in the relinquishing all outward works through the sweetness that is felt by highness of love in contemplation, CHAPTER V: Of the fifth state, which is when a soul departeth from her will in putting it in God by a spreading ravishing of the moving of divine light, CHAPTER VI: Of the sixth state, which is when a soul is of all things made free, pure, and clarified, THE ONLY CHAPTER: How this book, that is made right high and great by words, seemeth right little and low to them that be fallen of love into naught, and by whom it was made, THE ONLY CHAPTER: Of the very addressing of fine love. 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