Blanquerna

OF THE LIFE WHICH BLANQUERNA LED IN HIS HERMITAGE

Blanquerna rose daily at midnight, and opened the win¬ dows of his cell, that he might behold the heavens and the Stars, and began his prayer as devoutly as he might, to the end that his whole soul should be with God, and his eyes in weeping and tears. When Blanquerna had remained in contemplation and tears for a long time, even to the hour of Matins, he entered the church and rang for Matins, and the deacon came to assist him to say Matins. After dawn he sang Mass. When he had sung Mass, Blanquerna spake certain words of God to the deacon, to the end that he might cause him to love God, and they spake both together of God and of His works, and wept together through the great devotion which they had to the words which they spake. After these words the deacon entered the garden, and worked in divers manners, and Blanquerna left the church and took recreation in his soul from the work which his body had done, and he looked upon the mountains and the plains that he might have recreation therein.

2. So soon as Blanquerna felt himself refreshed, he betook himself again straightway to prayer and contem¬ plation, or read in the books of Divine Scripture, and in the Book of Contemplation f and thus he remained until the hour of terce. After this they said terce, sext and none, and after terce the deacon went away to prepare for Blan¬ querna certain herbs and vegetables. Blanquerna likewise laboured in the garden, or at some other business, that he might not become slothful, and that his body might have the greater health, and between sext and none he went to dine. After he had dined he went back alone to the church

1 The reference Art of Conttmplatio in the present volui

to Lull’s large work of that name, which follows the Book of the Lover

the brief te Beloved

BLANQUERNA

to give thanks therein to God. When he had ended his prayer, he remained yet an hour, and went to take recreation in the garden, and by the fountain, and visited all those places wherein he could beft make glad his soul. After this he slept, to the end that he might the better endure the labours of the night. When he had slept, he washed his hands and his face, and remained alone until it was the hour to ring for vespers, to the which came the deacon; and when they had ended vespers they said compline, and the deacon departed, and Blanquerna entered into the consideration of those things which were the moft pleasing to him, and might beft prepare him to enter upon his prayers.

3. After the sun had set, Blanquerna mounted the high ground which was above his cell and remained in prayer until prime, gazing upon the heavens and the ftars with tearful eyes and devotion of heart, and meditating upon the honours of God and upon the sins which men commit in this world againft Him. In such great affeftion and fervour was Blanquerna in his contemplation, from the set of the sun even until prime, that when he had lain down and fallen asleep, he thought that he was with God even as he had made his prayer.1

4. In this life and in this happy ftate Blanquerna re¬ mained until the people of those parts conceived a great devotion to the virtues of the altar of the Holy Trinity which was in that church; and through the devotion which they had, there came to that place men and women, who disturbed Blanquerna in his prayer and contempla¬ tion. And left the people should lose the devotion which they had to that place, he feared to tell them that they should not come there, wherefore Blanquerna changed his

1 Part of this passage will be found quoted in the popular edition of the Book of the Lover and the Beloved (S.P.C.K., 1923). The divergences which will be found to exist between the two renderings are due to the fact that the earlier translation was made principally from V.

“ BOOK OF THE LOVER AND THE BELOVED " cell, and went to a hill which was a mile distant from the church, and another mile from the place where the deacon lived; and in that place he remained and dwelt, and would not go to the church at any time when the people were there, neither desired that any man or any woman should come to that cell wherein he had taken up his abode.

5. Even so lived Blanquerna, and remained in the estate of a hermit, considering that never had he led so pleasant a life, nor ever had been so well prepared for the exaltation of his soul to God. So holy was the life wherein Blan¬ querna dwelt that he blessed God for it, and direfted in that selfsame way all such as had devotion to the virtues of the place wherein was the church. And, through the holy life of Blanquerna, the Pope and the Cardinals and their officers Stood likewise the better in the grace of God.