The Book of Margery Kempe (16 page)

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,
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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,
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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 marks
³
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.
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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.'

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 Newcastle
²
– 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.'

And immediately afterwards, she was summoned to appear before the Bishop of Worcester, who was staying three miles outside Bristol.
³
She rose early the next day and went to the place where he was – he being still in bed – and happened to meet one of his worthiest men in the town, and so they talked of God. And when he had heard her talk for a good while, he asked her to eat with him, and afterwards he brought her into the Bishop's hall.

When she came into the hall, she saw many of the Bishop's men in clothes very fashionably slashed and cut into points. Lifting up her hand, she blessed herself. And then they said to her, ‘What the devil's wrong with you?'

She replied, ‘Whose men are you?'

They answered, ‘The Bishop's men.'

Then she said, ‘No, truly, you are more like the devil's men.'

Then they were annoyed and rebuked her, and spoke angrily to her, and she put up with it very meekly. And afterwards she spoke so seriously against sin and their misconduct that they were silent, and held themselves well pleased with her talk -thanks be to God – before she left.

Then she went into the church and waited for the Bishop to come; and when he came she knelt down and asked what was his will, and why was she summoned to come before him; it was very inconvenient for her, inasmuch as she was a pilgrim, intending by the grace of God to go to Santiago.

Then the Bishop said, ‘Margery, I have not summoned you, for
I know well enough you are John of Brunham's daughter from Lynn. I beg you not to be angry, but be pleasant with me, and I shall be pleasant with you, for you shall eat with me today.'

‘Sir,' she said, ‘I beg you to excuse me, because I have promised a good man in town to eat with him today.'

And then he said, ‘You shall both eat with me.'

And so she remained with him till God sent wind so that she could sail, and she was made very welcome by him, and by his household as well. Afterwards, she was shriven by the Bishop, and then he asked her to pray for him to die in charity, for he had been warned by a holy man, who had understood by revelation that this Bishop would be dead within the space of two years. And so it happened, indeed. And therefore he lamented to this creature, and asked her to pray for him, that he might die in charity.

At last she took her leave of him, and he gave her gold and his blessing, and commanded his household to escort her on her way. And he also asked her, when she came back again from Santiago, to come to him.

And so she set off for her ship. Before she entered the ship, she said her prayers that God would guard and preserve them from vengeance, storms and perils on the sea, so that they might go and return in safety. For she had been told that, if they had any storm, they would throw her into the sea, for they said it would be because of her; and they said the ship was the worse for her being in it.

And therefore in her prayers she said in this way: ‘Almighty God, Christ Jesus, I beseech you for your mercy: if you wish to chastise me, spare me till I come back to England again. And when I get back, chastise me just as you will.'

And then our Lord granted her her boon, and so she took ship in the name of Jesus and sailed forth with her companions, whom God sent fair wind and weather, so that they reached Santiago on the seventh day.
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And then those who were against her when they were in Bristol were now very nice to her. And so they stayed there for fourteen days in that country, and there she had great happiness, both
bodily and spiritually, high devotion, and many loud cryings at the memory of our Lord's Passion, with abundant tears of compassion.

And afterwards they came home again to Bristol in five days, and she did not stay there long, but went on to see the Blood of Hailes,
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and there was shriven and had loud cryings and violent sobbings.

And then the religious men took her in amongst them, and made her very welcome, except that they swore many great and horrible oaths. And she rebuked them for it in accordance with the Gospel, and at that they were very surprised. Nevertheless, some were very well pleased – God be thanked for his goodness.