"I saw ... as it were in the time of His Passion.... And in the same
Shewing suddenly the Trinity filled my heart with utmost joy"
In this [moment] suddenly I saw the red blood trickle down from under
the Garland hot and freshly and right plenteously, as it were in the
time of His Passion when the Garland of thorns was pressed on His
blessed head who was both God and Man, the same that suffered thus for
me. I conceived truly and mightily that it was Himself shewed it me,
without any mean.[1]
And in the same Shewing suddenly the Trinity fulfilled my heart most
of joy. And so I understood it shall be in heaven without end to all
that shall come there. For the Trinity is God: God is the Trinity; the
Trinity is our Maker and Keeper, the Trinity is our everlasting love
and everlasting joy and bliss, by our Lord Jesus Christ. And this was
shewed in the First [Shewing] and in all: for where Jesus appeareth,
the blessed Trinity is understood, as to my sight.
And I said: _Benedicite Domine!_ This I said for reverence in my
meaning, with mighty voice; and full greatly was astonied for wonder
and marvel that I had, that He that is so reverend and dreadful will be
so homely with a sinful creature living in wretched flesh.
This [Shewing] I took for the time of my temptation,--for methought by
the sufferance of God I should be tempted of fiends ere I died. Through
this sight of the blessed Passion, with the Godhead that I saw in
mine understanding, I knew well that _It_ was strength enough for me,
yea, and for all creatures living, against all the fiends of hell and
ghostly temptation.
In this [Shewing] He brought our blessed Lady to my understanding. I
saw her ghostly, in bodily likeness: a simple maid and a meek, young of
age and little waxen above a child, in the stature that she was when
she conceived. Also God shewed in part the wisdom and the truth of her
soul: wherein I understood the reverent beholding in which she beheld
her God and Maker, marvelling with great reverence that He would be
born of her that was a simple creature of His making. And this wisdom
and truth: knowing the greatness of her Maker and the littleness of
herself that was made,--caused her to say full meekly to Gabriel: _Lo
me, God's handmaid!_ In this sight[2] I understood soothly that she
is more than all that God made beneath her in worthiness and grace;
for above her is nothing that is made but the blessed [Manhood][3] of
Christ, as to my sight.
[1] intermediary--thing or person. See vi., xix., xxxv., lv.
[2] Either: _In this sight_--Shewing--_of her;_ or _In this her
sight_,--insight--beholding (vii., xliv., lxv.). See Rev. xi. ch. xxv.,
"For our Lord shewed me nothing in special but our Lady Saint Mary;
and her He shewed three times." The first shewing is here (a _sight_
referred to in ch. vii. and elsewhere); the second, in ch. xviii.; the
third, in ch. xxv.
[3] This word is in S. de Cressy's edition.