Why did kempe send for a priest

And therefore she would save the worship of her kindred whatsoever any man said. She had full great envy at her neighbors that they should be arrayed as well as she.

All her desire was for to be worshiped of the people. And then, for pure covetise and for to maintain her pride, she gan to brew and was one of the greatest brewers in the town N a three year or four till she lost much good, for she had never ure thereto. For though she had never so good servants and cunning in brewing, yet it would never prove with them.

For when the ale was as fair standing under barm as any man might see, suddenly the barm would fall down that all the ale was lost every brewing after other, that her servants were ashamed and would not dwell with her. Then this creature thought how God had punished her beforetime and she could not beware, and now eftsoons by losing of her goods, and then she left and brewed no more.

And then she asked her husband mercy for she would not follow his counsel aforetime, and she said that her pride was cause of all her punishing and she would amend that she had trespassed with good will. And then she asked her husband what was the cause that he had not meddled with eight weeks before, sithen she lay with him every night in his bed.

Good sir, I pray you grant me that I shall ask, and I shall pray for you that ye shall be saved through the mercy of our Lord Jesu Christ, and ye shall have more meed in Heaven than if ye wore a hair or a habergeon. Then they went forth to-Bridlington-ward in right hot weather, the foresaid creature having great sorrow and great dread for her chastity. My first desire is that we shall lie still together in one bed as we have done before; the second that ye shall pay my debts ere ye go to Jerusalem; and the third that ye shall eat and drink with me on the Friday as ye were wont to do.

She prayed him that he would give her leave to make her prayers, and he granted it goodly. For if I would break that manner of fasting which thou commandest me to keep on the Friday without meat or drink, I should now have my desire. But, blessed Lord, thou knowest I will not contrary to thy will, and mickle now is my sorrow unless that I find comfort in thee. Now, blessed Jesu, make thy will known to me unworthy that I may follow thereafter and fulfil it with all my might.

For, my dearworthy daughter, this was the cause that I bade thee fast for thou shouldest the sooner obtain and get thy desire, and now it is granted thee. I will no longer thou fast, therefore I bid thee in the name of Jesu eat and drink as thy husband doth. Granteth me that ye shall not come in my bed, and I grant you to quit your debts ere I go to Jerusalem.

And maketh my body free to God so that ye never make no challenging in me to ask no debt of matrimony after this day while ye live, and I shall eat and drink on the Friday at your bidding. And so they did, kneeling under a cross, and sithen they ate and drank together in great gladness of spirit. This was on a Friday on Midsummer Even.

And so they went forth into the Holy Land till they might see Jerusalem. And when this creature saw Jerusalem, riding on an ass, she thanked God with all her heart, praying him for his mercy that like as he had brought her to see this earthly city Jerusalem, he would grant her grace to see the blissful city Jerusalem above, the city of Heaven.

Our Lord Jesu Christ, answering to her thought, granted her to have her desire. The twain pilgrims of Dutchmen went to her and kept her from falling, of which the one was a priest.

And he put spices in her mouth to comfort her, weening she had been sick. He befriends Margery soon after her mystical experiences begin and defends her when her unusual behavior begins to draw hostile notice. Margery learns much of the writings of such English mystics as Walter Hilton and Richard Rolle, as well as female precursors such as St. Bridget, thanks to Master Aleyn. The most important and powerful bishop in England.

Margery seeks an audience with the Archbishop on the advice of the Bishop of Lincoln. The Archbishop is curious about Margery and asks her many questions regarding her spiritual experiences and her beliefs. Margery speaks with him well into the night, and in the end, he decides to sanction her unusual choice of spiritual vocation.

The Archbishop gives Margery permission to wear white clothes, and, later, he writes her a letter certifying that she is not a heretic. A friar, renowned for his preaching, who comes to live in Lynn. Margery looks forward to hearing the friar preach, but he is not used to being interrupted by loud wailing during his sermons. He bans Margery from his church and sparks a backlash against Margery in Lynn, inspiring many who dislike her behavior to speak out against her.

One of the greatest English mystics and best-known female writers of the Middle Ages. Julian was an anchoress female hermit in a convent in the city of Norwich.

Margery goes to pay her respects to Julian soon after her own mystical visions commence. Why did Kempe send for a priest? Kempe had something on her conscience that she wanted to confess before she died. How did Kempe behave in the months after seeing the priest? Kempe went out of her mind and was disturbed and tormented with spirits for half a year, eight weeks and odd days. She thought devils opened their mouths as if they were going to swallow her. What changed her behavior? Kempe's behavior changed when Christ comes and asks Kempe why she has forsaken him.

What kind of person does Kempe present herself to be, and for what purpose? Kempe sees herself as someone that was troubled by the devil, and when Christ came to visit her Kempe became sane again. This is like a death and rebirth purpose that she shows us that is happening to her. Kempe gives a listing of the works that the new priest reads to her, and it is impressive. Although she's illiterate, she now has access to the most respected mystics and theologians of her day.

We learn that these reading sessions go on for seven or eight years. At the end of them, the priest gets a large benefice and is forever thankful that Kempe made him do all that reading. Chapter 59 Kempe becomes more learned and thoughtful in her religious devotion after listening to mystical and theological works being read to her by her priest friend. Kempe's revelations become "higher"—though she doesn't reveal specifically what they are.

She does learn who will be saved and who will be damned, and this is a heavy psychological burden to her. Kempe can't believe that God would tell her such things, since she feels that God is all-merciful and wouldn't damn anyone to hell. She's basically having a crisis of faith. Kempe's way of coping is to think that these revelations are from the devil. She simply won't listen to the voice of God on this topic.

So God decides to teach Kempe a lesson. He stops speaking to her and sending her good thoughts. Instead, he allows the devil to fill her head with ugly er, sexual thoughts and images.

Kempe sees visions of male genitalia and has fantasies of being prostituted to holy men. These visions torment her, mostly because she no longer speaks with God. God tells Kempe that she will have to suffer this kind of diabolical communication for twelve days.

Then he'll speak to her again.