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OF FORTITUDE

As we call prudence, wisdom, even so do we speak of fortitude as Strength, that women may the more easily comprehend it. Now a certain sifter, who adored God continually, beseeching Him to give her the seven virtues wherewith to serve Him, and to defend her from the seven deadly sins, was tempted many times by vainglory concern¬ ing the goodness of her life, and the devoutness of her prayers, wherein charity and contrition for her sins made her to weep and to remember the mercy of God.

2. So Strongly was this siSter tempted to vainglory that she believed that God would work miracles on her behalf, and that He would honour her in His glory above all others. It came to pass one day that while this siSter had vainglory in her prayers, she became conscious of her sin, and marvelled greatly how that such wickedness as vain¬ glorious thoughts could enter her soul while she was so devoutly engaged in prayer. So this siSter asked the abbess in chapter, and before the whole community, whence came to her the sin aforesaid. The abbess answered and spake these words :

3. “ Companionship and fraternity exiSt between one virtue and another, so that the virtues are exalted one by another, and the vices mortified. Now as charity, juStice, faith and hope arc present in a high degree when the soul is at prayer, and contemplates the virtues of God, prudence and fortitude would fain be of their company. Therefore when the soul is tempted by vainglory, and has the wisdom to be conscious of the temptation, and reason is Strong to oppose it, and remembrance is led to comprehend the

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misery whereto sin leads us, and understanding seeks to comprehend the nobility of God, then wisdom puts forth its lofty virtue and is virtue1 in the company of the other virtues. But when vainglory is victorious and the soul for¬ gets its wrong-doing and comprehends not the virtues of God and is consenting to vainglory, then by defeft of wisdom, and of Strength of mind, the other virtues fall into

4. When the abbess had described the manner wherein vainglory tempts those that are in good works, another siSter said that she had many times been tempted to leave her order. The abbess answered that that temptation comes through defedt of Strength in the mind, where there is lack of charity in loving the order and despising the world ; and, because the memory remembers the world and forgets the honeSty and holy life of siSters of religion, therefore is fortitude mortified in the will. Wherefore should a man forget the cause for the which temptation comes, and should remember other things.

J. Another siSter said to the abbess that she was tempted every day to eat and drink and speak againft the rule of the order. And the abbess said: “ God has been pleased to ordain that the creatures should be many and various, to the end that, in many and various manners, they may serve man ; and to man God has given them, that in many and divers manners he may serve God. So this temptation comes that fortitude by means of abstinence may conquer gluttony and unrulincss of speech, the which conqueft it makes when charity and juftice aid it againft sin. Where¬ fore that temptation is occasion for the virtues to use that virtue which God has given them, that the soul may have thereby greater glory.”

6. There was a sifter in the chapter, very c right honourable lineage, who had left great

ely and of es for the

OF TEMPERANCE

sake of her order. That sifter was tempted daily by pride, and she begged the abbess to give her counsels againft pride. The abbess answered her and said that whensoever that temptation came to her she should enter the garden and look upon an ass drawing the water-wheel and think how dearly she longed to be that ass. The renunciation of efteem that she would make in order to think herself an ass would ftrcngthen her inwardly againft pride, by causing her to think upon God Who could make her to be an ass if He desired. When she had meditated thus, she should go to the graveyard and think upon the dead, and remember the putrefaftion of their flesh and the filth of their bodies1 ; and afterwards she should go into the church and look upon the Cross, that she might remember the humility where¬ with it pleased God to humble Himself. All these words and many more spake the abbess to that sifter, that she might teach her to fortify her mind againft pride, and caft away all things rather than commit any sin againft God.