—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[1] 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[2]] of Christ, as to my sight.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ This word is in S. de Cressy's edition.
