Chapter 2

These Revelations were shewed to a simple creature unlettered,¹ the year of our Lord 1373, the Thirteenth day of May. Which creature [had] afore desired three gifts of God. The First was mind of His Passion; the Second was bodily sickness in youth, at thirty years of age; the Third was to have of God's gift three wounds.

These revelations were shown to a simple, uneducated person¹ on May 13, 1373. This person had previously asked God for three gifts. The first was to remember his Passion. The second was bodily sickness in youth, at the age of thirty. The third was to receive three wounds from God.

As to the First, methought I had some feeling in the Passion of Christ, but yet I desired more by the grace of God. Methought I would have been that time with Mary Magdalene, and with other that were Christ's lovers, and therefore I desired a bodily sight wherein I might have more knowledge of the bodily pains of our Saviour and of the compassion of our Lady and of all His true lovers that saw, that time, His pains. For I would be one of them and suffer with Him. Other sight nor shewing of God desired I never none, till the soul were disparted from the body. The cause of this petition was that after the shewing I should have the more true mind in the Passion of Christ.

As for the first, I felt that I had some understanding of Christ's suffering, but I desired more through God's grace. I wished I had been there with Mary Magdalene and the others who loved Christ. So I desired a vision I could see with my own eyes. Through it, I hoped to understand more of our Saviour's bodily pain. I also hoped to understand the compassion of our Lady and all his true lovers who saw his suffering then. For I wanted to be one of them and suffer with him. I never desired any other vision or revelation from God until my soul should leave my body. I made this request so that, after the vision, I would have a truer remembrance of Christ's suffering.

The Second came to my mind with contrition; [I] freely desiring that sickness [to be] so hard as to death, that I might in that sickness receive all my rites of Holy Church, myself thinking that I should die, and that all creatures might suppose the same that saw me: for I would have no manner of comfort of earthly life. In this sickness I desired to have all manner of pains bodily and ghostly that I should have if I should die, (with all the dreads and tempests of the fiends) except the outpassing of the soul. And this I meant² for [that] I would be purged, by the mercy of God, and afterward live more to the worship of God because of that sickness. And that for the more furthering³ in my death: for I desired to be soon with my God.

The Second came to mind with sorrow for my sins. I freely desired an illness so severe that it brought me close to death. I wanted to receive all the rites of Holy Church during that illness. I wanted to believe that I was dying, and for everyone who saw me to believe the same. For I wanted no comfort from earthly life. During this illness, I desired to suffer all the bodily and spiritual pains I would suffer if I were dying, including all the fears and torments caused by fiends. I wanted to suffer everything except the passing of my soul from my body. I intended² this so that, through God’s mercy, I would be purified. Then, because of that illness, I would live afterward more fully to the glory of God. I also desired this to help me further³ at my death, for I longed to be with my God soon.

These two desires of the Passion and the sickness I desired with a condition, saying thus: Lord, Thou knowest what I would,—if it be Thy will that I have it—; and if it be not Thy will, good Lord, be not displeased: for I will nought but as Thou wilt.

I desired these two things, the Passion and the sickness, only on one condition. I said: Lord, you know what I want, if it is your will that I have it. If it is not your will, good Lord, please do not be displeased. For I want only what you will.

For the Third [petition], by the grace of God and teaching of Holy Church I conceived a mighty desire to receive three wounds in my life: that is to say, the wound of very contrition, the wound of kind⁴ compassion, and the wound of steadfast⁵ longing toward God.⁶ And all this last petition I asked without any condition.

For the third petition, God’s grace and the teaching of Holy Church gave me a powerful desire. I wanted to receive three wounds in my life: the wound of true sorrow for my sins, the wound of natural⁴ compassion, and the wound of constant⁵ longing for God.⁶ I asked for all of this last petition without any conditions.

These two desires aforesaid passed from my mind, but the third dwelled with me continually.

The two desires I mentioned faded from my mind, but the third stayed with me always.