Blanquerna

HOW EVAST AND ALOMA DESIRED TO LEAVE THE CHARGE OF THE HOUSEHOLD TO THEIR SON BLANQUERNA

On the next day after Mass, EvaSt and Aloma called Blanquerna before the altar where stood the sign of the holy Cross, and EvaSt spake to Blanquerna these words: “ Wellbeloved son Blanquerna 1 It behoves us to remember whence we are come, by Whom we are created and whither we muSt return; and to bear in remembrance also the favours that we have received from the Most High. Now has the time arrived for Aloma thy mother and me to for¬ sake this world and renounce temporal riches. Our age and the feebleness of our bodies warns us that we draw nigh unto death. Now, therefore, henceforward is it meet that we lead a life of austerity and that all our days be spent in bewailing our sins, in prayer and in penance. We make thee, then, fair son, inheritor of all our temporal goods, and in the prayers and the good works that we shall do we give thee a part, and from henceforth art thou lord of all our goods. Do thou rule and govern this house in such a manner that the goods distributed therein be not loft, and that we ourselves receive sustenance in our lifetime, and that such children as thou shalt have may be nurtured in a way well-pleasing unto God.”

S. When EvaSt had said these words, and many more, to his son Blanquerna, he took his seal, and Aloma took the keys of the house, and they desired Blanquerna to receive the seal and the keys. But Blanquerna took not that which EvaSt and Aloma would have given him, but began to look upon the Cross, and remembered the sacred Passion of our Lord Jesus ChriSt, and how He and His ApoStles were poor in this world and despised temporal possessions. Long did Blanquerna think upon these things ere he answered EvaSt, and after his cogitation he spake these words :

BLANQUERNA

, “ My lord and father! ” said Bbnquerna. “ Great is the honour that thou and Aloma would do to this your son Blanquerna who is unworthy such great honour to receive. And great faith and confidence have ye in your son, being willing to entrust to him so many things, or ever ye have proved him in loyalty, charity, juftice and the other virtues. For the honour and the favour that ye do me, may ye be rewarded and have thanks of God. But as for me, know ye that from henceforward I will have in my heart neither honours nor riches nor pleasures of this world nor other thing soever, but only God Who has created me and made me to be His dwelling-place. Wherefore a grievous wrong would be done to God if He were caft out from the place wherein He would dwell, and sorely would it pain my soul to caff out God.”

4. Great marvel had Evaft and Aloma at the words of Blanquerna their son, to whom Evaft replied: “ What then doff thou intend, and the words which thou speakeft, what deeds do they signify? Greatly am I amazed at thy words. I pray thee, tell me thy will.” “ My lord 1 ” said Blan¬ querna. “ By the Divine light is my soul moved to re¬ member, comprehend and love the life of poverty, and of the hermitage, and the renunciation of this world, that it may the more perfectly contemplate and love the Son of God, Who came to this world for us sinners, and suffered moft grievous Passion, which the sign of the Cross portrays to my bodily eyes. By the which sign I your son Blanquerna would fain follow the life of Elias and Saint John Baptist and the other holy fathers that have passed from this life, the which fathers did penance and led lives of discipline in mountain and desert that they might flee from the world and vanquish the flesh and the devil, and be not impeded in contemplating and loving the God of glory, Who is the

beginning and end of all good.”

ariwe'^rTr!1 " ^ Evaft’ “ Righ‘ gM «d joyful i+ h°ly deV0tlon which *>as entered into thy mind.

CHARGE OF THE HOUSEHOLD Many a time did I fear to pray God that He would give me children left they should be sinners and live contrarily to His commandments. But now I know that the desire of Aloma thy mother to have thee for a son was good, since thou desireft to be a servant of God. I reprove thee not for thy devotion; but since thou muft needs requite thy parents for the benefits that thou haft received of them, therefore it behoves thee to remain in the world until thy mother and I have passed from this life, when thou mayeft fulfil the devotion and the desire which by the Divine virtue is in thee.”

6. “My lord Evaft!” answered Blanquerna, “Well do I know the natural benefits that from thee and from my lady Aloma I have received, and how ye have brought me up and inftrufted me to the utmoft of your power. But greater than all these are the benefits that I have received from God ; and the reason of all others for the which I am in the world is that I may know and love and praise and contemplate God. And since to be in the world is a thing that is perilous, moft chiefly of all to a man that is young, therefore from the world am I fain to flee. I would go to God Who calls me : father, mother, honours, riches, happiness and all things would I leave for love of Him. For if I have but God in my heart I shall want for naught; and if God were not in my heart, who could give me the fulfilment of that which my soul so greatly desires? ”

7. “ Beloved sonl ” said Evaft, “ If thou obeyeft not my prayers and my commandment, thou wilt do an evil deed both to me and to Aloma and likewise to the poor of Jesus Chrift. For these laft receive much alms from the possessions of this house, which will be loft if thou doft leave us. And thine will be the fault if we thy parents Evaft and Aloma, for want of one to govern their posses¬ sions, are compelled to leave undone the penances that they desire to perform. Thine will be the blame for the trials which we suffer in our age; and since detriment and injury

blanquerna

done to others are displeasing to God, therefore, fair son,

" „ ■ :„Aice nor in charity canft thou or mull thou

■» * *.

occasion of our trials, nor cause the benefits which will follow from our penance to be loft.”

8 "My lord and father 1” said Blanquerna. God wills that man should travail in His service even until death. Therefore it appears to me, having regard to your ages, that thou and my lady Aloma may yet travail and admimfter your possessions in this world and give therewith alms. And though to your years the travail of this world is ill beseem¬ ing, yet the greater for that very reason will be your merits if ye serve God thereby. Wherefore do thou and Aloma persist in your present eftate, despairing not of the help of God, neither renouncing temporal wealth, after the fashion of many, that ye may find reft, the which reft is peril and travail to other men. At the end of your days, when ye have no more Strength, commend ye your possessions to some trufty man who shall do good therewith even as ye do, or divide them all among the poor of Chrift. Impede not, my lord, my happiness or my desire; set me not in peril for things that are temporal, fleeting and corruptible; reprove me not where ye should give me your blessing; and be not sad at that for the which ye should rejoice.”

9- “ Blanquerna! ” said Evaft. “Assay thou firft in our midSl to do penance and lead a life of aufterity, rather than go to do penance in solitary1 places. Do thou prove thy will also to persevere at length in that which it makes thee to desire A great thing is this whereupon thou desireft to

CHARGE OF THE HOUSEHOLD receives of men naught but disdain and reproof. Where¬ fore, beloved son, be thou not over-haSty, but curb thy will, and give thou heed to my words.”

10. “ My lord EvaSt, that a man should try and prove himself in the bearing of pains and in the life of penance is without doubt not engendered by lack of perfect devotion and love ; for such things are lightened by the Strength of devotion and love, and the severer is the life of a man, the greater and the nobler in him are love and devotion, as also are patience, Strength, juStice, hope and the remaining virtues. Wherefore there is naught that can trouble my soul save that my trials and austerities should be less.”

1 1 . Many arguments did EvaSt use with his son Blanquerna, that he might caSt out from his mind the thought and the design which he had conceived. But the more he begged him, and the Stronger were the arguments that he alleged, the greater was the assurance and determination that he found in him. Wherefore EvaSt ceased from speak¬ ing, for he feared that his words might be displeasing to God, and considered how through Divine grace Blanquerna might well be inspired by the Holy Spirit. While EvaSt thought upon these things, Aloma began to speak, and she spake these words to her son Blanquerna, weeping and being greatly moved in her spirit:

12. “Beloved son!” said Aloma, “If thou goeSt to the hermitage, what wilt thou eat? And if these garments of thine be torn, wherewith wilt thou be clothed? And if thou fall sick, who will tend thee? Fair son Blanquerna I Have a thought to thy body which I so carefully have nourished. Take pity on EvaSt thy father and on me, for in thy absence and with the fear of thy death and of thy sufferings we too shall suffer, who had hoped for help and comfort from thee at the end of our days. And now, when we truSted to have had of thee comfort and joy, and are wishful to give thee to wife a fair and goodly damsel of noble breeding, honoured anceSlry and great riches, thou

blanquerna

wouldft forsake us, and give thy body over to death for no fault of thine; for thou haft done no such gnevous wrong that thou needeft to torment both thyse f and us, neither have we done harm or wrong to thee. All these words and many more said Aloma to her son; and so devoutly and with so many tears did she speak, that Evaft and Blanquerna wept likewise, and all three were for long in tears ere Blanquerna could answer Aloma his mother.

t3. When Blanquerna had wept for long and nature had rendered him her due,1 his soul had in no wise forgotten its sacred devotion, neither did fortitude delay in ftrengthening his mind to resift his bodily nature. And by the virtue of God, Blanquerna spake to his mother Aloma, and to Evaft, in these words: “ With the suffering of a mind conftrained by the Strength of love I muft resift the desire of thy soul. Love has captured my will and makes me to disobey thy desires, though thou haft so long and so dearly loved me. I am thy son: from thee and from my father Evaft have I taken my being. Ye have brought me up, — and better ye could not. All that ye have, would ye give me. Even your own bodies would ye put into my power. And I cannot serve you, nor gladden you with my presence : nay, my absence will bring you sorrow. I cannot reward you for the good that ye have done me and the love that ye have borne. For I am not my own; rather do I belong to Another, Who has captured me. Were I but lord of myself I would give myself to you to serve and honour you all the days of my life. If God has captured me and withdraws me from your presence, and from the pleasures of th,s world, and makes me to be alone in the woods and wT J T"g WM beafts> and in P^es where If manv h a"d "h™"1 and companionship and

r,ngs;err to man’ then G°d. ^ven

th; bfVn SUCh Places th* wherewithal ’ ,lnk and t0 be clothed, and Who keeps them in 58 Wh“ ”at"K 1“d P«d *e tribute of tears.

CHARGE OF THE HOUSEHOLD health, will give to me also all that my body needs to sustain its life. Wherefore my soul will be able to contemplate Him in His honour and glory; and if my body should die for lack of that which it needs, then will God have worked His will with that which is His own, and my soul will have used hope, charity and fortitude towards her Creator and with respeCt to the trials of the body, and her profit will be so exceeding great that the trials of the body will be efteemed as light afflictions and as naught. All my life long will I pray for you to the God of glory; and if God for my merits should will to give me aught, I will pray Him to grant it to you. I beseech you to forgive me in that I cannot obey you and am the occasion of your trials. And I beg of your favour to forget me, that for my sake ye may suffer no more trials. Beftow on me then your blessing, for I would go to that place which God has given me to desire.”

14. When Blanqucrna had said these words and many more, he kneeled before Evaft his father and Aloma his mother, and begged their blessing, since he desired to go to a hermitage to serve God. “ How now, son Blanquerna? ” said Aloma. “ Wouldfl thou indeed depart? ” “ Beloved mother 1 ” said Blanquerna, “ I would fain take leave of you, that I may go to those places to the which God and my fortune may be pleased to guide me. Where¬ fore I pray you to give me your blessing and in no way to delay my journey, for the longer I am with you, the greater will be your longing for my presence, and the yearning of my heart for yours. And the greater freedom I give to the desire of my soul, the greater will be my affliction and my

15. “ Fair son Blanquerna! ” said Aloma, “ Thou shalt remain with us all this day and night, for it beseems not that our farewells be so brief. Let all this day and night be spent in leave-taking and in tears, in mutual love and in grief at thy departure. In the morning, after Mass, thy father EvaCl; and I will give thee our blessing, and then

blanquerna

Shalt thou take leave of us for our whole life long: may it please God that we find thee and know thee m Hi* holy glory. If thy absence give us now in th.s present life trial or grief, may God in glory eternal make us glad with thy presence so greatly beloved.”

When Aloma had ended these words, she went from the chapel to the house of one Naftasia, a widow. This lady had a right fair and gracious daughter, by name Natana. And Aloma enjoyed great friendship with Naftasia and her daughter Natana. Aloma went secretly into a chamber apart with Naftasia and Natana her daughter, and began to weep sorely, saying these words: “Ah, unhappy, wretched one that I am I For ever am I to be without com¬ fort, and I had thought to be glad all the days of my life. I have loft my son Blanquerna whom I have loved above all things in this world, save only God. If in you I find not counsel and aid whereby I may recover my son, my soul will be in grief and sorrow all the days of my life.”

2. Greatly marvelled Naftasia and Natana, and to great pity were they moved by the tears and by the words of Aloma. “ Sifter and friend 1 ” said Naftasia. “ Weep not; for ,f we can aid thee in aught, we will do it with all good wi an pleasure and with all our might, provided only that

OF THE TEMPTATION OF BLANQUERNA words nor give ear to her entreaties, and how he purposed on the morrow early to take leave of them and to depart to desert places alone to do penance therein all the days of his life. “ Therefore,” said she, “ the counsel and the aid that I ask of thee, if thou wilt do me pleasure, is that thy daughter Natana shall speak with my son Blanquerna, to the end that perchance she may turn him from his present will and in¬ cline him to the Sate of matrimony, if he be pleased to take her to wife. All our possessions would we give, both Evaft and I, in such a case, to Natana and to Blanquerna.”

3. So they debated, and agreement was made between them that Aloma should bring Blanquerna to the house of Naftasia after the hour of dinner; and that, when they were within the house, Aloma and Naftasia should leave Blan¬ querna and Natana in the room alone; and that Natana should speak loving words whereby Blanquerna should know that Natana would fain be his wife, and had loved him for Jong with an inward love; and that in this manner they should turn Blanquerna from his former will, and incline him to the eflate of matrimony. When this agreement had been made, Aloma returned to her house, and entered the chapel, where she found Evaft, with his son Blanquerna, weeping for the parting which was to be be¬ tween them. Then Aloma spake these words: “ Now it is the hour to dine. Come then and let us to table, and afterwards we shall have leisure to weep for as long as we will.”

4. Many were the meats that were placed upon the table, but little did they eat thereof, either Evaft or Aloma or Blanquerna. When they had all dined, Aloma took her cloak and commanded Blanquerna to accompany her, for she desired to visit a lady of her acquaintance with whom she had to speak. So Blanquerna accompanied Aloma his mother to the house of Nailasia, and Aloma with her son Blanquerna entered a room wherein they found Naftasia and Natana alone. Natana was richly clad in coftly gar-

BLANQUERNA

ments, and adorned by nature with wondrous beauty. So Aloma said to Natana: “ Hold company, if it please thee, with my son Blanquerna, while I speak with thy mother Naftasia.” Then Blanquerna and Natana remained alone in the room, and Aloma and Naftasia entered another room

to speak together.

y. While Blanquerna and Natana were sitting the one beside the other, and Blanquerna was thinking upon his journey, Natana began to speak to Blanquerna in these words: “ For long, O Blanquerna, have I desired a way wherein I may speak to thee of that which is in my heart and reveal it. For long have I loved thee inwardly with all my soul, and above all things I desire to be thy wife. It is the Strength of my love that now constrains me to speak to thee these words. If thou, by virtue of thy lineage and wealth, art deserving of a richer or more honourable wife, do thou consider the love wherewith from the depth of my heart I love thee, and do thou consider likewise the good intention wherewith I would be thy wife, for this comes of no intemperate thought. And may God fulfil the desire of my will to have sons of thee, who shall be servants of God,

and be like unto thyself in the holy life which thou doSt lead by the grace of God, and by the do&rine and example of thy father EvaSt and thy mother Aloma, who are of greater sanftity than any other persons in this city.”

6. Fair was Natana, and prudently and with a semblance of great love did she speak these words to Blanquerna. Yet for all that he neither forgot not caft from his heart the holy desire that was his, nor did the fire of the Holy Spirit which had kindled his whole soul tarry long in coming to his aid. bo when Blanquerna had thought for a brief space on the

tW ,,,' 7 “ naQ sP°ken t0 him, he spake to he;

and Consort' ^ If'"8 °f *“ kinSs- Who is the Hop. emnts 10n °f * “> and Who forgets not Hi: servants in their necessity r , , * .

bless because from to-day templa

OF THE TEMPTATION OF BLANQUERNA and the Divine Virtue aids me against evil counsel. Glad is my heart at this the beginning of my temptations, and hope bids me look to the strength which now I feel, that it may help me in all other temptations that assail me.” Greatly did Blanquerna praise and bless our Lord God thus ere he made answer to the words of Natana.

7. Natana perceived that Blanquerna rejoiced and blessed God, and answered not her words; wherefore, exalted some¬ what within herself, she spake to him after this manner: “ Why, O Blanquerna, replied thou not to my words ? And what is this that thou sayeft? And wherefore is thy soul made to rejoice? ” Blanquerna answered Natana and said: “ With the light of grace hath the Holy Spirit illumined my soul, making me to desire the life of a hermit, that I may have within my heart God alone. When thou, Natana, didft reveal to me thy heart, the luft of the flesh began to tempt my soul through my bodily nature and the work of the evil spirit. But forthwith my soul turned to the remem¬ brance of its Lover, and the Divine Light illumined my soul with Divine Love, which made me to know that God forgets not His servant. And His love makes me so greatly to despise thy words, that I marvel, as I follow thine argu¬ ments, how in one so fair as thou there can be so foolish a thought as this of thine which counsels me to forsake the love of my Sovereign Lord for the love of thee. At certain times I have doubted if God will aid me againft the temp¬ tations that will come to me in the desert, but now I know and doubt not that which I doubted aforetime. Let any temptation come that may: this my good beginning will

8. Greatly did Natana marvel at the sandtity of Blan¬ querna and his conftancy of mind, saying: “ Blanquerna, my friend 1 How is it that thou answered not my words ? ” Blanquerna answered: “ If thou wilt speak to me of God or of doftrine wherewith I may greatly love, honour and serve Him, then will thy words be very pleasing unto me.

B UNQUERN J

mT rather, while ^ymrthlr iUoma speaks with thy mother

Nfa''Bll0n^e™T saJ Natana. “How couldft thou for so long endure the bitter life of wdd and desert regions? And how doit thou purpose to endure it without firil know¬ ing if thou art able?” Blanquerna answered: “ Who enabled Saint Catherine, Saint Eulalia, Saint Margaret, and other holy virgins and martyrs, to endure trials, tor¬

ments and death, for these of their own will were put to suffering and torture, were killed or burnt alive, for love of my Beloved, Jesus Chriil. And if these, who were young girls, frail1 and of tender years, by the grace of God bore all these things and desired to endure yet more, shall not I, a man, endure hunger, thiril, cold, heat and fear as a hermit for love of God? And is it not beyond comparison a surer and a nobler thing to put my trail in the help of God in the desert than in this city to trail in the help of Evail my father, and of Aloma my mother, and in the riches of this world? ”

to. “ Oftentimes has it come to pass,” said Natana to Blanquerna, “ that a man among his kindred and his friends has purposed right valiantly to accomplish or endure some great feat or trial, and for this to be praised and re¬ warded exceedingly. But later, when the trial comes upon him, he shrinks from it; and that which he purposed be¬ comes irksome to him, and he flees from that trial which he believed himself able to endure. Even so, when thou, Blanquerna, art in the desert, tailing that bitter life and looking upon wretched and scanty vifluals, and grieving at the absence of Evail and Aloma, and of thy other kinsfolk and friends, being alone among wild beails, then wilt thou be of another mind than that wherein now thou art, and then wilt thou fear things which now thou feareit not.”

riateS° V

The alternative

reading frivols

OF THE TEMPTATION OF B LAN QUERN A I I. “ Natana! ” said Blanquerna, “ I go into the foreft to contemplate my Lord God Jesus Christ and His Virgin Mother our glorious Lady Saint Mary; and for my com¬ pany I have Faith, Hope, Charity, Justice, Prudence, Fortitude and Temperance. Faith I need that I may be¬ lieve the articles of the holy Catholic Faith according to the Roman Church, and to aid me againft the temptations which come through ignorance. Hope I bear in my company that I may hope and truft in the strength and help and mercy of Him Who alone can aid me. Charity my heart bears, and it will bear me to regions wild and make it to appear that this city and other regions inhabited are unpeopled and desert: with Charity man conquers and vanquishes all things. Juftice makes me turn body and soul to God because He is the Creator and Benefaftor both of me and of all things that are. Prudence makes me to know and despise this world that is full of deception and error and is of brief duration, and makes me to desire eternal happiness. Fortitude Strengthens my heart, in the might of the MoSt High, to endure every trial for His love. Temperance I bear with me that it may rule my mouth, my appetite and my belly. If in the desert places I may not have these virtues, then shall I be compelled to return. And if I could not in such places endure hunger, thirft, cold, heat, naked¬ ness, fear, poverty and temptations, where would be the virtues or the works without which I could not and would not live, either in these places or in any other? And thus, Natana,” said Blanquerna, “ thou wouldfl affright me with those very things which I desire to endure for His love Who for love of me endured trials more grievous than those whereof thou speakeft; and my desire to endure these trials and many others drives me from my home to those places where I may find them and have them; and I would neither be nor dwell in any place wherein they are not to be found.”

12. “ Blanquerna 1 ” said Natana, “Greatly do thy words please me; for ever would I be with thee; may it

blanquerna

please thee then to take me in thy company, that we may live as penitents together in whatsoever place seems to thee heft ” Blanquerna answered: “ It would be .11 beseeming that either thou should be in my company or any other, for no company will I have save that of God, and of trees, grass birds, wild beafts, fountains and flreams, banks and meadows, sun, moon and ftars; for none of these things

13. “ Blanquerna 1 ” said Natana, “ If I am in thy com¬ pany and there comes to thee at times an inclination towards carnal desire, the greater will be thy merit if thou abftaineft and the farther wilt thou be from lufl, which is a vice, and moft displeasing to God. The greater will be thy Strength if thou doft subdue thy flesh; and if thou doSt take me and haSt confidence that thou wilt subdue thy flesh, the greater will be thy hope. The greater the merit thou canSt gain, the greater will be thy wisdom, and the more Sternly thou subdueSt thyself, the greater love wilt thou have towards God. Wherefore, for all these reasons, and for many beside, it is good that thou take me in thy company.” Blanquerna answered: “ It is forbidden in the law for man to tempt God, neither should a man tempt himself according to the manner that thou sayeSl; for it is a manner of pride and vainglory, and therein is peril by reason of the lightness which is in man, who has fallen through the corruption of sin. When it comes to pass that a man by some accident falls into occasion of sin, then indeed does it behove him :o use the virtues even as thou sayeft. But for naught upon t e earth would I take thee in my company: rather do I counsel thee to forsake the world and find companionship among women in one of the religious orders, in the con¬ templation, remembrance, underfunding and love of the 0 y virtue 0 God, the vileness of this world and the glory

•'Blanquerna 1 " said Natana, “ I„ our former speech me to ove thy body and thy fair features,

OF THE TEMPTATION OF BLANQUERNA

but now has my soul risen to love the virtues of thy soul. By the virtue of thy words haft thou transformed my mind; my soul haft thou illumined with Divine Virtue; my heart haft thou given to God; and, whereas aforetime I desired to be thy wife, thou haft given me now for a Spouse Jesus Chrift.” While Natana spake these words to Blanquerna, Aloma and Naftasia gave ear and heard their speech. Naftasia was greatly angered at the words of Natana, and she said to Aloma: “ Lady Aloma, I will not suffer Blan¬ querna henceforward to speak with my daughter.” So Aloma and Naftasia entered the room, and the words of Blanquerna and Natana ceased.

15. Blanquerna took leave of Natana. And love, un¬ feigned and pure, caused Natana to weep before Aloma and Naftasia, and to say these words: “ Forget me not, O Blan¬ querna, in thy prayers, for thy words make this room in the which I now am to be even as the dwelling whither thou wouldeft go.” Then Blanquerna expounded to Natana the manner wherein the seven virtues would preserve her vir¬ ginity all the days of her life. And afterwards Aloma and Blanquerna left the house of Naftasia and returned to their home. Aloma related to Evaft that which had passed be¬ tween Blanquerna and Natana, and the reasons for the which she had led Blanquerna to the house of Naftasia. Evaft said to Aloma that from that time forward they should in no wise hinder Blanquerna from his journey, for it was the Lord’s doing, and a dreadful thing is it to set hindrances before those that would serve God.

16. All that night were Evaft and Aloma in the chapel with their son Blanquerna. Their tears and the devout words that passed between them, who may recount them ? And the profitable words that Blanquerna uttered that night concerning God and His glory, who may tell them ? And the blessings that Evaft and Aloma gave to their son, who can write them ? And who is he that could have refrained from tears had he but heard their words ?

B UNQUERN A