The whole passage is very obscure. Then is she mistress and lady over the virtues, for she hath them all within herself, ready at her commandment, without bitterness or painfulness of feeling to the soul. so that such virtues be made to serve the souls, and these souls be made to obey God and to receive the singular gifts God giveth to no creature that in desire and in will dwelleth? This is sooth, saith Love, that this soul sets not so much prize nor love on temporal things, that she could win [anything] in refusing natures askings; wherefore then should she make [it a matter of] conscience, to give nature that which is his due? This is easy to prove, saith this soul; see here the proof! [314] This same, that the righteous God it seemeth that he cannot come again. And this hath rested her of all things by excellent nobleness.. Cf. And that is none other thing than some gleam that God willeth that the soul have of his glory [itself], which she is to have without end. And ere I owed anything, naught I was, and naught I had, this ye see well. There hath the wise brought her to unite [her with] his treasure, that is, the gifts of the divine generation, and this unity giveth her the peace and the food, holy and marvellous, in the glorious country, there where the lovers of God dwell. Such a soul is so clear in knowing, that she seeth herself not in God, nor God in herself.. And this naught willing soweth in souls the divine seeds, fulfilled of divine will of God. Nor she knoweth naught but him, nor she loveth but him, nor she praiseth but him, for there is but he. It appears to follow the same version as the British Museum copy, is divided into large sections, but though the occurrence of many illuminated capitals might indicate chapter heads, these are not specifically numbered or analysed, nor do they correspond wholly with the Bodleian arrangement. And so shall ye do if ever I know you, but I reck not of you. And for that the work is now ended, thanked and praised be ye of all good creatures. My opinion became a foolishness to me, for besides that I thought to find my works, naught did I but lose. The author refers probably to a rough classification of rationalists and mystics among the teachers and disciples within the general body of the Church each regarding itself as an, It is enough to know that God has hidden these souls yet are others near them, for they are always among us, unknown. The Cambridge MS. belongs also to the mid-fifteenth century. It seemeth well that these folks that thus seek him by hills and dales and valleys, hold that God is subject to his sacraments and to his works. Lady, what did ye to them for works of forfeit[378] that they did? peterjohnparisis This soul is printed in God, she hath taken his very imprint, by union of love, in the manner that the wax taketh the form of the seal, so hath this soul taken the print of God and his very likeness. Emphasizing the complexity of the Mirror of Simple Souls and its Mirror of the Simple Soul From the Original 15th Century English Translation Author: Marguerite Porete Publisher: ISBN: Category: Body, Mind & Spirit Page: 250 View: 581 DOWNLOAD NOW This edition of The Mirror of the Simple Soul was originally published in 1927. But that is without their witting, for they ween they be, and for that weening they are content with their state., They have so much pleasure in their doings, saith this soul, that they ween[188] there be no better, and that deceiveth them from coming to better; thus they stand, within,[189] in their good wills., Such folk, saith Love, be never fulfilled.. The Son of God is my mirror in this, for God the Father gave his Son our Saviour to be an ensample to us. O blissful Lady, it was needful to you to be so; for I hold of God his Son, that if he had found in you as much vanity as the quantity of a wrinkle[376] in a kerchief, of necessity he had never made of you his mother. These teach not the soul, nor any other usages, but pure love; for he who would have the comforts of God by feelings of consolation, he breaketh the price of fine love. And then I said to him, that if it might be that I had of me as much of worthiness as he hath of himself, so that it might not be taken from me nor diminished, but if I alone willed it myself, I should lay all this in him and go to naught, ere than I might anything withhold, that came not to me from him; and though it might be that I might have all this beforesaid, I might not do it to hold anything that came not to me from him. It is this, that men may know naught. And Love hath by himself of his noblesse, the debts all paid., And the seventh keepeth he within himself, for to give us in everlasting glory. It is realised when not only does he no longer will other than- God wills, but is so advanced in love that he is not able to will other than God wills. Such folks be servants to the law, but these others be above the law; not against the law, witness of truth; she is fed and fulfilled, God is in her will., O right sweet divine Love that is in Trinity, saith this soul, such work there is, that I marvel how they may endure, whom Reason and Dread govern work and will, and who can the great nobleness of naughted being devise., O pure, O heavenly, saith the Holy Trinity, I pray you, dear daughter, that ye let this be. For there where is most of my love, there is most of my treasure. This God is over all in his divine nature, but the manhood is in heaven glorified and joined to the divine person of the Son, and [beside that] only in the holy Sacrament of the Altar. but ye Love, say it yourself![195], Dear friend, saith the Person of God the Father, this ought to be done to mine eldest daughter, who is out of my realm,[196] so that she may know the secrets of my Son through the love of the Holy Ghost, that to this soul hath given this [knowledge] from him., It behoveth, saith Love, that this soul be like to the Deity, for she is drawn into him, so she hath taken his very form, which to her was granted without beginning, and given of him that alway hath loved her., O Love, saith this soul, he only hath made me [to be] no-one; and this naught of this none hath put me in a low deepness, under less than naught, without measure; and the knowing of my naught hath given me all, and this naught and this all, saith this Soul, hath taken prayer from me. I beheld him in me and me in him, and willed great wills for him. St John definitely assigns a painful significance to the Dark Night, he regards it as a means of purgation, intervening between the stages of illumination. And thus it is meant that this soul taketh leave of virtues.! Herself she withholdeth not, and oft promiseth thing that she hath not, for the great largesse of herself, in hope that he, that most giveth, most with him dwelleth. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Now is the will of the Beloved and the will of this soul turned into one, as fire and flame, for love hath this soul all drawn into him., Ah, right, sweet, pure, divine Love, saith this soul. Whereof should this soul have dread though she be in the world? And that sufficeth them to salvation, together with this, namely, that they keep themselves from all that God forbiddeth, and do that which God commandeth. The mystical life is the fruit of these, and our author is careful to show that he addresses himself only to those souls who are called to the higher life. Lady, it may not be that ye had been [his mother]. Now have ye tasted honey and our wine savoured, saith the Holy Trinity, none can speak but ye, for ye may not any other usages in your heart take, to have in price, but this. Now she is so upheld and so entered into divine election, that she beginneth to speak where you take your end. In God is this choice, but it is not of Time, where mine may not attain to his.. He says: If the soul never did any work she would not have written this book for our edification; but it is to be understood, as I have said before, as being for a short time . He wist without beginning that I should believe him well, without witnessing. 54, 66 and pp. . And of the two causes that maketh her to say that she will say the sum of her demands, CHAPTER VII: What a soul oweth to God for one default, and whereto it is brought by a default, CHAPTER VIII: What art it is that giveth science in creatures and of the ravishing of love, and of the peace of naught willing, CHAPTER IX: of this bounty of God and the working thereof, CHAPTER X: How we must draw within us all the life that our lord Jesus Christ himself led and preached, according to our power; and whereto we shall come by it, CHAPTER XI: Whether a creature may dwell in life and be alway without her. But these substantial experiences are unsubstantial compared with the purely spiritual fire, that seeks no outward phenomena, but issues in a spiritual and clear knowledge and valuation of things as they are. Charity is so wise a merchant that she winneth over all where others lose, and escapeth from perils where others perish, unto plenteous multiplying of that that is in love. [354] And this must we do ere we have the victory over ourselves. The doctrine of not being with herself, and naught willing, which first appeared as a method towards peace of soul, is now seen as part of Gods claim upon the soul and as a passive purgation. [202] This soul, saith Love, liveth in the sweet country of passing peace, there is nothing that may help nor grieve them that live there, neither creature wrought, nor thing given, nor nothing that God commandeth., This, that never was, nor is, nor shall be given, that none here maketh, saith Love, this hath put her at naught. [150] Right so, I tell you, saith this soul, that is better and more worth to hear thing that is written and said of God than if men heard naught., O my Beloved, saith this soul, how can I keep my wits[151] when I think on the gifts of your bounty, the which you have given me. In this, saith this soul, that I give him freely my will, without any withholding, purely for his bounty and because of his sole will, just as he gave it me of his gift, for a profit to me, of his divine bounty. Hear and understand, ye auditors of this book,[72] the true understanding of these words, and what that is that this book saith, in so many places: that a soul naughted hath naught of will, nor naught may have, nor naught may will. We will keep fighting for all libraries - stand with us! '[PDF] DOWNLOAD' The Mirror of Simple Souls by Marguerite Porete, Margaret Porette, Clare KIRCHBERGER MS. vilayn i.e., a matter of the law of villeins. There is also an Italian translation. That right Reason is a part of Love is clear from the latter part of the book, where it is shown that even laggards in the spiritual life may yet arrive, and also that some souls are definitely called by the methods of Reason (the personage reappears), and must follow their own perceptions, albeit inferior, in order to come to the ultimate possession of God. This is a work miracleful; this, then, his lamentations[394] may not say. And yet that little that I know of my wickedness, it hath given me the knowing that I have of your goodness. Now these natures are joined and knit together by nature and by justice, in corruption. . Thou wouldest have answers to these words aforesaid, and thou askest what it is? And bounty is what God is. I have no care, saith she, which lot I fall [into] of these four. [59] Then may not this soul here be found, for this soul is so naughted by meekness that it seemeth [to] her there is no creature that ever sinned that is so worthy to have torment and confusion without end, as she, by her true judgement, if God would take vengeance of one of a thousand of her faults. Thus they lead as they did in work of youth, and dwell so long in works till[395] they have affection of spirit.. It gave her war as long time as she withheld will with her, out of its due place. And our Lord answered him and said: One thing yet faulteth thee. And then I beheld who these should be that should ascend to heaven. I speak, saith Love, of three deaths, into which they enter, ere the soul may into this life be born. Herbert, of the British Museum; to the Librarians of Bodley; of Pembroke and St Johns College, Cambridge, who kindly lent MSS. This edition of The Mirror of the Simple Soul was originally published in 1927. To him only, saith this soul, that is so strong that he may never die, whose doctrine may not be written, nor by works of ensamples showed, nor by doctrine sounded. Truly, saith Love, but if ye know that no one can find them whom God hath made; and where they be, ye know all three, saith Love, for ye be with them in all moments of time. There is no mean[225] between them and the Deity, nor no mean desire they; these souls may not suffer the thanking of any earthly love, nor the love of divine feelings, for the pure divine love that this soul hath to Love.. Thinking no more is worth; for his divine beholding it hath but one entent. This passage is extremely obscure in the MS. . I come again to my matter., Reason, saith Love, ye ask of us, of how many deaths it behoveth one to die before he come to this life? But it might be so, and if it were so, that by a game of change he might will this and that he did will it with all his will, [then] I answered thus, and said to him: O Lord, if it might be that this change might everlastingly endure in fact, as it is in supposition; I love you, for you and of you. For wit it for sooth, that they whom encumbrances trouble, be full far from this life that we have spoken of., Now, for love, saith Understanding of divine light, tell me, among you, who have somewhat to answer, what ye understand by this., And we shall tell you, say the souls of-wit-of-nature, what we understand by this. And thus she suffereth Love to work in her; therefore this, that Love saith, that these souls desire not masses nor sermons, fastings nor orisons, it should not be so taken that they should leave [them] undone. And how Our Lady had it always, and what the language of this life is, CHAPTER XVII: How and by what means they that stand in desire may come to rest of spirit; and of three things of the divine life and of the innocence that is gotten by this life, CHAPTER XVIII: Of the most high being that the naked, naughted, or clarified souls be in, CHAPTER I: Of three things whereby it may be known that the soul is not come to peace, but is begging; and what paradise is, CHAPTER II: How it is [to be] understood that the thief was in paradise that day that he died and our lord went not into heaven before his ascension, CHAPTER I: How they that sit all in freedom do rest themselves in pure naught without thought, CHAPTER II: What thing they do that be in being above their thoughts, THE ONLY CHAPTER: How they that be of all things in sovereignty know and feel the life that this book speaketh of, and none but they, CHAPTER I: What great difference is between some angels and others, and also of the souls that this book speaketh of, compared with others that be not such; and how they think themselves to be best, CHAPTER II: Of three words wherein the perfection of this clear life is fulfilled, CHAPTER III: How this soul seeketh no more God; and what thing it is that taketh from her love of herself. And I am a creature right wretched and unable to any such work, poor and naked of ghostly fruits, darkened with sins and faults, environed and wrapped therein ofttimes, the which take away[13] my taste and my clear sight, [seeing] that I have little of ghostly understanding and less of the feelings of divine love. [30] But this falling of the righteous is more merit than sin, because of the good will that standeth unbroken, and is oned to God. And that men [should] remain in dread of all manner of loves whatever they be, on account of perils that might happen; and that men [should] desire Paradise sovereignly, and also that men should fear of going to hell, and that they refuse all manner of worships[78] and temporal things, and all kinds of ease, taking away from nature all that she asketh, save only that without which they might not live, after the ensample of suffering that our Lord Jesu Christ suffered. certainly through baptism be they never openly feeble,[258] saith Reason, nor encumbered of themselves., Oh, saith this soul, no soothly no, love destroyeth not, but she keepeth and nourisheth and feedeth all those that trust in her. For all that ever a creature may do of works of goodness, it is naught as in regard of his bounty for the divine wisdom gave not his highful goodness to souls, but for his own goodness self. , [Editors note: The division of souls into two classes, those guided by Reason, and those led by Love, An obscure passage in MS. for myn be his, me has y caste., She does not even know her own naught in God, because she is absorbed in comtemplation of his All, MS. great rerages of many multipliances of love., Love breaks off in impatience! And if it wax of her, she should be, for herself. For at the beginning, this soul did all that it might of heart and of body, all that reason taught her which was at that time mistress. This freedom, the highest state of the soul, implies a perfect union of will with God, so that the desires are transformed, and only that which pleases God is desirable. Even if they have some possessions, they themselves are hidden from men. And if they had heard me, they had been delivered for right little; for so little, saith Love, as [merely] to give themselves [up] there where I would have had them, [even] as I showed them, by the Virtues whose office this is. Now understand, if ye have this gift!, Now I say to them that serve, saith this soul, to bring them into life of freedom, I owe it not. Why it is I know not, nor I keep not wit. I have found many of them who be perished in affection, and of the marred in life of spirit, by works of virtues, in desires of good will. These were verse competitions produced at the Puys, in which some question is mooted and alternate sides are taken by two or more characters. But she hath not the usages of them, for she is not with them[44] as she was wont. Never loved the soul finely that doubteth that this be not true. Then am I the salvation, by union of love, which he is; for the most strong moveth into himself the most feeble. [4] Several passages from Cordonis Dyalogo are taken up and paraphrased by Pili. Here me faileth wit thus it goeth[392] this I feel not might nor will to grant, but I answered that I should take counsel with myself. I dare no more meddle of you since love governeth you, but I promise,[159] Lady Soul, to you from henceforth, peace and obedience with all my might; for do it I must by strength, for Love willeth it. This soul, saith Love, hath so great faith in God, that she hath no dread to be poor, for as much as her love is rich; for faith teacheth her that right so as she hopeth of God, right such shall she find him, and thus hopeth she. Ah, ah, what a thing it is, to think of; who durst ask this, unless his own bounty had made it that Jesu Christ should be poor and despised and tormented for us? Her joy of his bounty and the recording of the deeds of his bounty, maketh her also to have joy, without feeling of Reason. [186] This soul hath in all places her peace, for she beareth always peace with her, so that for this peace, all places be convenient to her, and all things also. Not only they, saith Love, but all the Trinity, through them. (2) And the unknown. And the soul to whom this far night hath given this gift, hath so great knowing of God and of herself, and of all things that she seeth in Gods being, by divine knowing. But, good Lord, of your great benignity, give them the grace of ghostly feeling. [302] Therefore let the virtues have that that is theirs of the cutting wills, of the fervours of affection of your spirit, till they have acquit you of the debt that ye owe to Jesu Christ. N. O Love of divine Love, saith this free soul, now tell us why these marred have so great wit beyond what the perished have, for they have the same usage except in that wit alone for which ye praise them above the other., For this, saith Love, that they hold that there is a better being than is their being, and these know well that they have no knowing of that better being. Therefore his eye beholdeth me, that he loveth none more than me. Amend ye my defaults, and if any word I have said tendeth to any goodness, to the profit of souls, to God only be the worship from whom all goodness cometh. O Lord, I wot not what this comprehended, your great everlasting might, your great everlasting divine wisdom, your great everlasting divine bounty. For [in] reproaches of the Father, and threatenings of the Son, there is nothing [found] of the oil of peace. Also, she comprehendeth much, what time she is oned to God; then in a moment of time she forgetteth herself and all other thing that was afore thought. By all these messengers I sent to you, saith Love, that made you wit my will of the Beings where I would have had you, and ye alway refused it. He is with her, she hath him, and if he faileth her, I know not why she should seek, since he lets himself be sought. I have said, saith this soul, that for this that God did to them, they had neither shame nor worship, nor will of themselves to answer for any; this ye see well., Ah, without fail, saith Truth, they had no occasion for it, for they were unencumbered of themselves., Oh, saith this soul, since it is so that God did them this, is he not yet the same, hath he made an end with them of the gifts of his bounty?[247], Oh, without fail, no, saith Courtesy. For as for me henceforward, I make no fors, I disencumber myself of you, both of myself and of mine even-Christian. She is right gentle and noble in prosperities, and highly noble in adversities, and excellent noble in all places that she is in., She who is such, saith this soul, she seeketh no more God by penances, nor by no sacraments of Holy Church, nor by thoughts nor by words, nor by works, nor by holy creatures, nor by creatures of above,[273] nor by righteousness, nor by mercy, nor by glory, nor by divine knowing, nor by divine love, nor by divine praise and laud., Ah, Lord God, saith Reason, what saith this creature at first? Lord, this is a greater thing to embrace our hearts in the love of you, by thinking on one of your benefits that ye have done for us, than were all the world and the heaven and the earth, if they were set on fire for to destroy one body. And God may not from his goodness depart, that it should not dwell in him. And when they have tasted of these sweet draughts of heavenly influences, it savoureth them so well that they attend fully thereto. Fine[346] thoughts have no more lordship in her. Right so, tell I you, saith this soul, that the Father hath spread and given all his bounty in me. . And this Holy Writ calleth falling, for so it is. O full naked and dark, dry and unsavoury be the speakings and writings of these high ghostly feelings of the love of God, to them that have not tasted the sweetness thereof. And then I told him that if I wist that I should have as much of torment without end as he hath of goodness unless I misdid against his will, I should choose rather to go suffer those pains everlastingly, than that I should do thing that I wist should displease his will. This seemeth to me, that so as love is, he is to me witness enough, if I would have more witness than him, I should not be believing him., Ah, Lady Soul, saith Reason, ye have two laws, yours and ours. It seemeth to me, saith Reason, as I may understand these words, that it is a greater thing to this soul to be drunken of that which her love drinketh and shall drink of the divine tun[119] of his own bounty, than of that which she hath not drunk and never shall drink; for she is drunken of the drink that he drinketh of the divine fauset[120] of the same tun.. She had no need to seek when love had taken her. And this point he hath assured me of without doubt by his pure bounty. This they believe, and this believing giveth them so little satisfaction in their being, that they hold themselves as caitiffs, and as marred. God-love. All this must be qualified by comparison with other passages. And of three things that causeth this soul that she hath no dread, CHAPTER II: Of the worthiness of the bounty of God and of the union that maketh between God and this soul. Reason, saith Love, I give thee an ensample, Behold the child that is a very pure innocent. Nor none may give [to] her nor take away [from her]. Lat. This can be conveyed through the dramatic form, more convincingly, perhaps, than in a methodical treatise. And without them they have the beams of the divine sun they keep cleanness of heart, and none but they. Love maketh in her of righteousness this union, that hath made her drink of the most of his highest drink, and [it] never shall be otherwise. Yet the eye still catches the earlier sequences; almost mathematically she apprehends them now. 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. The Mirror of Simple Souls, here for the first time printed, came to light in 1911, when Mr. J. Eh, Love! Translated into English by M. N. Now first edited from the MSS. This is full far from that which is said, that the righteous falleth seven times a day, into a case for correction.. Against this strength may none withstand; this is the soul that Love hath, by fine love passing herself, updrawn., The fifth is, that a soul behold what God is, who is, through whom all thing cometh; and she is not! on account of the simple understanding of other creatures who might to their damage misunderstand it., These souls, saith Love, that such be, as in this book is devised, which toucheth some thing of their usages; they have by righteousness of their beingwhich is the pure divine beingsuch condition, that if they had naught and were certain that they should live unto the day of judgement, they might not have heaviness of heart one hour, for thing that faileth them, nor spend a time to seek work for that which faulteth them, for all the gold of the world; except at a time when nature hath a need [in] which it is lacking, [that they may] give to nature that which is his. And thus I have in me by his pure bounty, his goodness divine and have had without beginning, and shall have without end. For this, that I hold, that if all diseases of deaths and of other torments that have been or shall be in reasonable creatures from the time of Adam unto the time of Antichrist, and all these miseases toforesaid, were in one creature, truly it were but a point of the misease that Jesu Christ had in his worthy precious Body by one of his pains, without more, for the onbinding[379] of his tenderness and cleanness. If his goodness give you this beholding, I unwill it not, it is that [which] it is. Will you have of your beloved a thing that appertaineth not to him to give, nor for you to take? And the knowing of this maketh her to separate the will from the place where he is not. This book, the which is called The Mirror of Simple Souls, I, most unworthy creature and outcast of all other, many years gone wrote out of French into English after my simple learning,[10] in hope that, by the grace of God, it should profit those devout souls that shall read it. This I shall tell you how and for why and in what? Here endeth the book that Love calleth The Mirror of Simple Souls. This is sooth, saith Love, under such control live they, that these virtues have power over., But these souls that I speak of, have the virtues put at point;[46] for they do nothing for them, but the virtues do all that the souls will, without control or withstanding, for these souls be their mistresses.. Thus she saveth her by faith without work, for faith surmounteth all works [by the] witness of Love herself. Before this time I have had a desire to hear speak of him, for no creature might tell me of him, but that I heard it gladly with a good will. And then holdeth the soul that there is none higher life than to have this, of which she hath lordship; for love hath so greatly fed her with his delights that she wot not that God hath any greater gift nigh to give to the soul than this love, which Love, by love, hath within her spread. And the light of this divine knowing taketh from her the knowing of Gods self, and of herself, and of all things.[223], This is sooth, saith this soul, there is no more; but when God wills that I know him, it taketh the knowledge of him from me; for otherwise, saith this soul, should I no knowing have of him. Since he hath given me nothing but free will, it breaketh the other things. Lord, unwitting I am, unmighty and unable to have done it, but only by your help and grace. This may mean that she has no will i.e., she is indifferent concerning her own satisfaction, or that her will is made naught , MS. and this hase of failance and not of suffisance.. 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. She hath all her love laid upon her night. O God, say the Virtues, Lady Love, who shall bear us witness, of this that you say, that those who live all by our own counsel, perish? not given herself up to feelings of either doubt or confidence. She may not thence move nor have dis-ease, as long as her beloved is at ease, though any [should] fall into sin, nor for sin that ever was done. Eh! Now I shall tell you who those be that sit in the mountain above the wind and the rains. Right as God is that is, without any beginning so have I been in his divine knowing, that I shall be without end. Now understand. O Lord, saith Holy Church, we understand it and believe it forsooth, that these be the gifts of your worthy noblesse, in reward of love; for love may not be rewarded at any time except with love., This soul, saith Love, hath of old said and heard that there is nothing that is so great knowledge as is temperance; nor so great riches as is sufficiency; nor so great strength as is love. how to soak dried apricots,