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.
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 kind[1] compassion, and the wound of steadfast[2] longing toward God.[3] And all this last petition I asked without any condition.
These two desires aforesaid passed from my mind, but the third dwelled with me continually.
CHAPTER III
"I desired to suffer with Him"
AND when I was thirty years old and a half, God sent me a bodily sickness, in which I lay three days and three nights; and on the fourth night I took all my rites of Holy Church, and weened not to have lived till day. And after this I languored forth[4] two days and two nights, and on the third night I weened oftentimes to have passed;[5] and so weened they that were with me.
And being in youth as yet, I thought it great sorrow to die;—but for nothing that was in earth that meliked to live for, nor for no pain that I had fear of: for I
