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Familial Imagery in the Visions of Margery Kempe S.E.S. Eberly Margery Kempe, in her Boke, expresses the purpose of her writing in the first sentence: Here begynnyth a schort tretys and a comfortabyl for synful wrecchys, wher-in pei may haue gret solas and comfort to hem and ndyrstondyn pe hy ! nspecabyl mercy of ower souereyn Sauyowr "ryst #hesu... $ %Here begins a short treatise and a comfortable %one& for sinful wretches, wherein they may ha e great solace and comfort to them and understand the high and unspea'able mercy of our so ereign Sa ior "hrist (esus...& Kempe is creating a boo' of consolation, a guide to meditation for others li'e herself who wish to )understand the high and unspea'able mercy) of "hrist. *s such, her wor' participates in the meditati e tradition of contemporary de otional manuals, such as Love's Mirrour of the Blessed Lyf of Jesu Chris t and the Meditations on St. Elizabeth , and the community of belief of which they were an important part. #n this spiritual guideboo', Kempe uses familial imagery in de eloping the metaphors which re eal her perception of her relationship with +od. She spea's of "hrist as her fianc,- and as husband. of the /irgin Mary as her mother. of herself as a daughter, fianc,-, wife, and -- with (esus -- parent of her )e en "hristians.) 0o understand these metaphors, and Kempe-s use of them within the contemporary tradition of affecti e piety, we must understand what family and 'inship meant to Kempe herself. The Tradition of Affective Meditation Kempe practices an affecti e piety centered on her close relationship with "hrist, and based upon an emotionali1ation of 2atin "hristianity... concentrating on the humanity of "hrist, and participating, as "aroline 3ynum notes, in the )later medie al de otional tradition that is characteri1ed by an increasing preference for analogues ta'en from human relationships, a growing sense of +od as lo ing and accessible...)4 *s her account of her life progresses, Kempe-s perception of her role ta'es on a larger meaning as she increasingly attempts to intercede for sinful humanity. #n her practice of the via positiva, Kempe is not set upon teaching formal doctrine, but rather on mo ing the heart of the reader to compassion, penitence, and sal ation 5$6. "ritics cite a ariety of spiritual guides for Kempe, 7 but perhaps to try to posit a single, or e en a primary, influence is to ignore the e idence we ha e that she had an array of imageries and de otional philosophies upon which to draw. Her meditational patterns grow out of models de eloped by *nselm and others, and she had ac'nowledges, as well, a number of contemporary sources -- 3rigit-s boo', Hilton-s Stimulis Amoris, Marie d-8ignies, 9olle-s n!endium Amoris, the 3ible, wor's of 3ona enture, and the )treatys) of Eli1abeth of Hungary 57:, ;<, $;7, $=7-;6. *n important fifteenth century guide to this type of highly isual, affecti e meditation was >icholas 2o e-s Mirrour of the Blessed Lyf of Jesu Christ, written in English at the "arthusian monastery of Mount +race, ; for many decades the home of the only 'nown manuscript of Kempe-s boo'. ?ritten in the ernacular, the Mirrour was penned during Kempe-s lifetime, and was presented by 2o e to 3ishop *rundel prior to $;=@. Auring this period, the amount of de otional literature a ailable to the laity in their own tongue was rapidly expanding, due in large part to the "ouncil of 2ambeth. #t was here, in $4B$, that *rchbishop (ohn Cec'ham declared that the laity were to be instructed four times each year in the ernacular regarding the 'ey aspects of the faith, a declaration repeated by *rchbishop 0horesby of Dor' in $7=<. "he Lay #olkes' Cate!hism, written at 0horesby-s command, explains, 8ure fadir the Ercebishop... Has treted and ordayned...

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0hat il'ane that ndir him has 'epynge of saules, 8penly on #nglis opon sononndaies 0eche and preche them that thai haue cure of...)= %8ur father the *rchbishop... Has treated and ordained... 0hat each that under him has 'eeping of souls 8penly in English on Sundays 0each and preach them that they ha e care of...& 0his mandate meant that Kempe and other, non-2atin spea'ing laypersons li'e herself had access to the rich lore of their church. Kempe is spiritually nourished by ernacular sermons, de otionals, penitentials, and saints- li es that would ha e been beyond her reach only a century before. ?hen at one point she is told that she will no longer be allowed to learn about )textys of Scriptur) %scriptural texts& nor )gon to pe frerys, ne spe'yn wyth the sayd doctowr, ne as'yn hym no Ewestyons) %nor go to the friars, nor spea' with the said doctor, nor as' him any Euestions&, and is later banned from the hearing of sermons, she finds it )ful gret sweme ! heuynes) %full great sorrow and hea iness& 5$FB6. Kempe eagerly absorbed the lessons presented to her in the ernacular through sermons and the teaching of her )gostly fadirs,) her confessors. Her isions are shaped by this community of belief and practice, and are structured around an imagery, common within this milieu, that has its roots in the family. 0he imagery is most i id in her narrati e isions, those that occur both in conGunction with high holy days in *d ent and the Easter season, and in her )homely isions,) particularly that of her marriage to the +odhead 5chapter 7=6, and that of her welcoming the "ourt of Hea en into her soul 5chapter BF6. Familial Imagery 0o understand the referents of Kempe-s familial metaphors, it is helpful to outline what little we 'now about Kempe herself as the member of a medie al family -- a daughter, perhaps a sibling, a fiance-, bride, wife, and mother. She was born c. $7<7, the year that 3rigit of Sweden died, and also the year that (ulian of >orwich recei ed her re elations. Her father was (ohn de 3runham, an influential man who was widely 'nown both within and beyond his community of 3ishop-s 2ynn 5now King-s 2ynn6. 3ishop-s 2ynn, the town that ser es as the setting for much of Kempe-s boo', was in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries a prosperous merchant port that supplied imported goods to the surrounding counties of >orthampton, Huntingdon, "ambridge, ?arwic', 2eicester, 9utland, 3edford, and 3uc'ingham. 3y the time Kempe was born, in the late fourteenth century, 3ishop-s 2ynn was the home of a 3enedictine priory, a hospital for lepers, se eral anchorholds, and friaries of the Hranciscan, Aominican, *ustin, and "armelite orders, as well as Hriars of the Sac'.F Hor someone as hungry for spiritual instruction as Margery Kempe, this wealth of religious houses was indeed a blessing, and ?alsh comments that she is ery accurate in her obser ation of liturgical practice, a fact that reflects both her own concern with proper belief and her access to priests, confessors, and other teachers who could pro ide a high Euality of religious instruction.B 0hrough her 3o'e, we can obser e Kempe beginning her life as a young married woman. tra el with her as she grows, both spiritually and personally. and see her in the final chapters as an )eldmother) who is more than sixty years old. Hor Kempe, daughter of the influential de 3runham family, it does not seem surprising that she chooses an acti e, asserti e life in religion. Sarah 3ec'with comments that female mysticism in the Middle *ges is the )only place in ?estern history where a woman spea's and acts in such a public way.) : #n doing this, Kempe deri es her au!toritas first, from "hrist. second from her )gostly fadirs,) her confessors, to whom she turns for alidation, reassurance, and guidance. and third, from her status as a de 3runham. >or is it surprising, 'nowing the milieu and Kempe-s own nature, that she focuses her de otion on the Manhood of "hrist, and uses the metaphor of the family to define her relationship to him. 0hus, to use 3ec'with-s words, )the absolute is domesticated.)$@

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Kempe, in using the metaphor of the family to describe her relationship to "hrist, wor's within an established tradition of medie al sanctity. #n many contemporary saints- li es, for example, familial imagery is used to pro ide, as Aa id Herlihy explains, Idescriptions of the saints- mystical experiences. 0hese abound in allusions to brides and bridegrooms. to motherhood, childhood, paternity. #n their struggle to achie e sanctity, the saints brea' free from family entanglements, but not at all from familial sentiments. ...0hey reconstituted, as it were, in a religious context, the emotional rewards that families ideally held out to their members.$4 #n a ision described in chapter $; of Kempe-s boo', "hrist himself defines for her the roles she will play in her relationship with him: ...Jow art a ery dowtyr to me ! a modyr also, a syster, a wyfe, and a spowse... ?han Jow stodyst to plese me, Jan art Ju a ery dowtyr. whan Ju wepyst ! mornyst for my peyn ! for my Cassyon, Jan art Jow a ery modyr to haue compassyon of hyr chyld. whan pow wepyst for oJer mennys synnes and for aduersytes, Jan art Jow a ery syster. and, whan Jow sorwyst for Jow art so long fro Je blysse of Heuyn, Jan art Ju a ery spowse ! a wyfe, for it longyth to Je wyfe to be wyth hir hysbond ! no ery Goy to han tyl sche come to hys presens...57$6. %Dou are a true daughter to me, and a mother also, a sister, a wife, and a spowse... ?han you study to please me, then are you a true daughter. when you weep and mourn for my pain and for my Cassion, then are you a true mother to ha e compassion for her child. when you weep for other men-s sins and for %their& ad ersities, then are you a true sister. and when you sorrow because you are so long from the bliss of hea en, then are you a true spouse and wife, for it is appropriate for the wife to be with her husband, and to ha e no true Goy until she comes into his presence...& #f we want to understand the nature of Kempe-s relationship with +od, we must ha e a ery clear notion of how she defines the roles of a dowtyr, syster, spowse, wyfe, and modyr. Whan ow stodyst to plese me, an art u a very dowtyr *fter Kempe-s first ision, she goes to her confessor to tell him of what she has seen, and he replies, )Aowtyr, ye sow'yn euyn on "rystys brest) %Aaughter, you suc' e en on "hrist-s breast& 5$B6. 0his metaphor encorporates the images of "hrist as lifegi ing mother and of Kempe as daughter, newly born to spiritual life, dependent and needful. ?e ha e spo'en of the metaphor of the family as being a means by which the absolute -- the ineffable -- is )domesticated,) a process in which Kempe parta'es as she ta'es on the role of dutiful daughter during her isions. #n the great maGority of these isions, she is subordinate, recepti e and passi e, beginning each meditati e experience with a Euestion, reEuest, or concern. "hrist, the /irgin, or another member of the )"ourt of Hea en) then responds with an authoritati e answer, explanation, or consolation. Kempe had two primary types of isions, the didactic and the narrati e. #n the didactic isions, a spiritual guide -- usually "hrist, but at times the /irgin Mary, St. Caul, St. (erome, or an angel -- spea's, usually in monolog or, less freEuently, in a dialog that offers instruction or consolation. *bout ninety percent of Kempe-s isions fall into the category of didactic isions, in which Kempe is a passi e participant as'ing only brief Euestions, expressing gratitude, or acEuiescing to the wisdom of the di ine spea'er. 0he other ten percent of Kempe-s isions, the narrati e isions, ha e recei ed the lion-s share of the attention of the critics, perhaps because they are both simpler and more i id. 8r it may be that they better fit the stereotype of Kempe, de eloped in the early criticism of this contemplati e woman and continuing to

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the present day, as a neurotic, rather simpleminded attention-see'er who fit a medie al syndrome, common to the women mystics in the Middle *ges, of )illness with delirium, reco ery and con ersion, and %a& blundering Euest for a proper expression of religious ocation,) $7 a mystic whose boo' is labeled )that strange hysterical record.) $; 8ne component of this stereotype springs from the notion that Kempe-s religious experiences were uniformly spectacular. #n actuality, the maGority of her isions came to her Euietly and in solitude: 0wenty-two begin while she is in prayer Eighteen in response to a specific Euestion or reEuest 0wenty-eight isions occur as she meditates in church Kempe meditated in a ariety of positions. Six isions occur while she is lying down Hour while she is 'neeling 0hree while she is standing or wal'ing about 8ne while she is sitting Six isions are clearly related to the site or situation in which they occur, including particularly the isions she experiences while she is in the Holy 2and, and the Cassion isions centering on the ceremonies she obser es during Easter wee'. 0hese site-related isions are often narrati e isions. ?hile isions that occurred in public settings, and in response to specific sacraments or e ents, sometimes caused her to weep loudly or cry out, the maGority were silent and occurred when she was alone. 0he initial impression created by Kempe-s boo' may be that she was extremely, e en exasperatingly, asserti e, but close scrutiny of her isions re eals that during meditation she is ery seldom an acti e participant. *pproximately $@=@ lines of actual ision account 5in Meech and *llen6 are de oted to "hrist-s words, of which more than F=K are monolog. "on ersely, only 4@4 lines are spo'en by Kempe, of which 4$K are prayer or monolog. #n the narrati e 5as opposed to didactic6 isions, the emphasis is ery much on isual images, rather than on spo'en dialog or monolog, and what little dialog occurs is brief and reads as if scripted for a stage performance, suggesting that church drama was an important influence. KempeLs felt need to fulfill her deuer, duty, -- human as well as spiritual -- is an important theme that recurs throughout her writing. "learly, her role was one of an obedient, recepti e daughter, wife, mother, and "atholic. She obeys her )gostly fadirs,) her confessors, insofar as her understanding of +od-s will allows her. 0o better understand how Kempe percei ed her role of do$tyr, we may begin by loo'ing at the relationship of medie al fathers and their children in general. and more specifically, at what Kempe tells us of her own relationship to her father. #n Kempe-s time, men often postponed marriage until later in life, after they had established themsel es securely enough to consider raising a family. #n contrast to this, women were often married at an early age 5the ?ife of 3ath, whose first three husbands were )goode men, and riche, and old,) was not atypical6. 0his meant that in the rearing of children, fathers were often separated in age from their offspring by a good many more years than the mothers. $= #t may be for this reason that the relationships of fathers tended to be more distant and less lo ing, $F and this is suggested by the tone of Kempe-s writing about her father. Kempe ne er spea's affectionately of her father, (ohn de 3runham, yet she was proud -- e en ain -- about him, and in an argument with her husband once told him %s!hre$ydly & s!hortly% that ...sche was comyn of worthy 'enred -- hym semyd neuyr for to a weddyd hir, for hir fadyr was sum-tyme meyr of e town >. and sythyn he was alderman of e hey +ylde of pe 0rinyte in >. *nd perfor sche wold sauyn e worschyp of hir 'ynred what-so-euyr ony man seyd 5:6. %she came from worthy 'indred -- he ought ne er to ha e married her, for her father was at times the mayor of the town of >. %3ishop-s 2ynn&, and

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since then alderman of the high +uild of the 0rinity in >. *nd therefore she would continue to honor her 'indred no matter what any man said.&

0he worthy (ohn de 3runham who is Margery Kempe-s father was mayor of 2ynn in $7<$. transferred property in $7<:, inEuired into facilities for lepers in $7B:, and rented property at Stonegate in $7:$-4. $< He was fi e times mayor of 2ynn 5$7<$, -<<, -<B, -B=, and -:$6, and may ha e been the (ohn of 3runham who ser ed in Carliament in $7F;-=, -FB, -<F, -<:--B@, and -B4--B7. He also ser ed as chamberlain, mayor, coroner, and Gustice of the peace,$B and was an alderman of 2ynn-s powerful 0rinity +uild, of which Margery Kempe herself became a member in $;7B.$: ?hen Kempe is brought to 0homas Ce erel, 3ishop of ?orcestor, for Euestioning, the good bishop explains that it wasn-t his idea to call her in for examination, for he 'nows well enough that she is the daughter of (ohn de 3runham of 2ynn. He as's her not to be angry, promising that if she will )far fayr) %act fairly& with him, he will )far fayr) with her. 0hey ha e dinner together, and he sends her on her way with a gift of gold -all of which suggests the 3ishop does not want to offend the daughter of a man of considerable prestige and power5$@:6. (ohn de 3runham is referred to in the past tense in $;$7. ?hile Kempe deri ed much of her sense of status from that of her father and from the powerful family of the de 3runhams, her membership in an influential family would not ha e guaranteed Kempe herself any sort of personal autonomy, for in England at this time, as in Europe, society was de eloping along increasingly patriarchal, agnatic lines. 3y the time Kempe was born, the single English woman had, except in the case of certain widows, )lost all capacity to own chattels or mo ables, which at her marriage passed completely under the ownership of her husband.) 4@ Kempe, growing up in the home of a prosperous merchant family, would ha e watched her male 'in -- father, brothers, cousins -- lead li es of power and influence, and would ha e 'nown that these roles were, for the most part, denied to her. #n many ways, Kempe-s response to +od the Hather parallels her relationship to her own father. Her deeply felt respect for both is clearly expressed, yet the focus of her spiritual life is not upon +od, but rather the manhood of "hrist. #n her isions, +od the Hather is present only twice, and spea's to her only once, and ery briefly. ?hat of the role of the daughter in relationship to the motherM Kempe-s relationship to the 3lessed /irgin pro ides additional insight into her perception of the role of daughter. 0he role of the /irgin-as-mother to Kempe-as-daughter centers on teaching, and in this role Mary has the attributes of the typical medie al mother, who for most children of the middle and lower classes was educator and spiritual instructor. 4$ ?hen Kempe wishes to 'now how best to show her lo e of "hrist, he as's his mother to instruct her 5;:-=@6. ?hen "hrist wishes Kempe to cease her Hriday fasts, carried out in honor of the /irgin, he sends Mary, who instructs Kempe in appropriate de otions 5$F$-$F46. *nother notable characteristic of Kempe-s relationship to the /irgin is deuer, duty. #n her first sustained ision, Kempe as's (esus, )?hat shall # thin' onM) and he replies, )0hin' on my mother)5$B6. 0his leads into the series of *d ent isions that deal with Kempe-s fulfillment of her duty as a handmaiden, first to *nne, the mother of Mary, and then to Mary herself as the mother of "hrist. *s with the daughter, the role of the handmaiden centers on ser ice and )studying to please.) 0hroughout the narrati e isions, Kempe remains in the role of dutiful maidser ant or daughter to the /irgin. #n the *d ent isions, she is a maidser ant to Mary and a nurse to the #nfant (esus. in the Cassion isions, she sometimes seems to ta'e the place of the Magdalene in relationship to "hrist, and is consistently the handmaiden to his mother. Her duties center on ma'ing the /irgin comfortable -- pro iding food, clothing, and shelter in the *d ent isions. offering comfort as well as rest and a )warm caudel) 5an act that expressly follows the instructions for meditation found in 2o e-s Mirrour446 to the grie ing mother following the crucifixion 5$:=6.

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#n the legend of Mary Magdalene, both the Magdalene and Marcella, her maidser ant, are exemplary in their roles as dutiful handmaidens. Kempe-s admiration of Mary Magdalene is e idenced throughout her Boke, and she is also familiar with Marcella, the Magdalene-s maidser ant, who accompanied her mistress through hardship and exile, and is herself remembered as a saint. Kempe isits St. Marcella-s %Marcellys& "hurch while she is in 9ome 5:4-76. 0a'ing the role of handmaiden during meditations on the life of "hrist is not uniEue to Kempe. 0he isuali1ation of this role during meditation is suggested in the Meditations of St. Elizabeth, a wor' contemporary with Kempe, and also in 3ona entura and >icholaus 2o e. #n her many discussions of the relationship between parent and child, Kempe clearly expresses her con iction that one must fulfill one-s obligations, one-s deuer. She refers to this repeatedly in her writing, expecting it of herself and critici1ing others when they fall short of fulfilling the duties to which they are bound 5$:, B=, $:=, 47$, etc.6. ?hile Kempe tal's ery little of herself in her role as human daughter, she does write at length about her unsatisfactory relationship with her daughter-in-law, whom she accompanies safely bac' to Crussia following a isit to England: )Cer was non so meche a-geyn hir as was hir dowtyr-in-lawe...) %there was no one so much against her as was her daughter-in-law& 547$6. Kempe-s disappointment in her own disloyal ser ant on the Gourney to 9ome 5F46, and her later experience with this ungrateful daughter-in-law, who was )most bowndyn ! beholdyn to a comfortyd hir yf sche had ben 'ende) %most bound and beholden to ha e comforted her if she had acted appropriately& 547$6, were particularly galling. 0he proper relationship of children to mothers is cited at se eral other points in Kempe-s wor', and places emphasis upon obedience 5)buxomness)6 and lo e in eEual measures 57$, :$, $;7, $:=6. "hrist-s lo e for his mother is most i idly shown in the Cassion isions, when each weeps o er, holds, and 'isses the other. ?hile Kempe appears at times to en y "hrist-s lo e for other saints, particularly Mary Magdalene, this attitude does not extend to the lo e shared by "hrist and the /irgin Mary, and points up a clearly felt distinction between the lo e shared by parent and child, and the lo e shared by "hrist and the Magdalene. #n a prolonged Cassion ision, when "hrist appears to be disobeying his mother by going to his death, he explains that he is indeed being an obedient son, but to a higher authority -- his father. He continues with a long explanation of how the /irgin will be recei ed in hea en, intended to pro ide comfort for the pain he is causing her 5$BB6. 8ther sons are also spo'en of in ways that suggest obedience, ser ice, and lo e as primary components in a filial relationship. #n 9ome, for example, Kempe says that a priest recei ed her as he would a mother or a sister, and promised to support her against her enemies 5B76. Her )lystere) in 2ynn, who reads to her and instructs her, li es with and cares for his aged mother, to whom he also turns for ad ice 5$;76. "hrist explains to Kempe at two different points that he will be a true steward for her household and a true executor of her will, and will care for her as he would for his own mother 54@, $=<6. 0he grie ing /irgin tells Kempe, )er neuyr woman in is world bar a bettyr childe ne a me'ar to hys modyr an my Sone was to me) %there ne er was a woman in this world bore a better child, nor a mee'er to his mother, than my son was to me& 5$:=6. 8n shipboard, sailing for Crussia, the shipmaster is described as being as tender to Kempe as if she were his own mother 547$6. ?hen she returns to England, she tra els to Sheen *bbey, where a young man calls her Nmother,O as's her why she weeps, and reEuests that she )schewith modirly ! goodly 7owr conceit n-to me as # trust n-to 7ow) %explain your beliefs to me in a manner that is motherly and well-intentioned, as # trust unto you& 54;F6.

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Whan u wepyst ! mornyst for my peyn ! for my "assyon, an art ow a very modyr to haue compassyon of hyr chyld 0hat Kempe ne er mentions her own mother, or in any way refers to her, is a surprising fact in a woman so acutely tuned to the sorrows as well as the Goys of pregnancy, childbirth, and child-rearing. Herlihy notes that, because women were married young and were often much closer in age to their children than were fathers, mothers in both literature and hagiography often appear as intercessors and intermediaries: ...the mother is also protector and intercessor... 0he difference in age between husband and wife, the conseEuent uneEual measures of time separating fathers from children and mothers from children, made the father an older, distant, but powerful figure. 0he father could do fa ors for his %children&, but his ery presence, once his sons had reached maturity, could bloc' them from attaining and enGoying marriage and property...0he mother, on the other hand, was ideally placed to ser e as an intermediary between... generations.47 0his intercessory role is, of course, an important attribute of the /irgin Mary, and is also stressed in the traditions surrounding many of the female saints. 0he metaphor of Mary as the source of grace and thus the spiritual mother who brings souls to a new, spiritual birth 5a theme de eloped by 3ernard of "lair aux in sermon B=, and found throughout meditational literature 4;6 is lin'ed to Kempe-s role as an intecessor. 2i'e the 3lessed /irgin, Kempe is a font of grace, for her tears are a )to'yn) of the /irgin-s sorrow that can mo e sinners to compassion and to sal ation 5$B76. ?hat do we 'now of Margery de 3runham Kempe-s role herself as an earthly motherM *gain, we are frustrated by her silence. She does not tell us how many of her fourteen children sur i ed to adulthood, nor does she e er describe her experience as the mother of young children. #n an early ision, when "hrist tells her that she is, again, pregnant, she replies, )*, 2ord, how xal # an do for 'epyng of my chylde.M) "hrist replies, )Aowtyr, drede e not, # xal ordeyn for e an 'epar) %)*h, 2ord, how shall # then pro ide for the 'eeping of my childM) "hrist replies, )Aaughter, dread not, # shall ordain for you a 'eeper&. 5;B6. ?e hear no more of the child, nor of who ser ed as its 'eeper. >ewly deli ered of her last child, Kempe is told by "hrist to get up from childbed and go to >orwich. She replies that she is too faint and feeble, and he promises that he will ma'e her strong enough 57B6. 0here is no mention here of the newborn baby, nor of any other children or family responsibilities. #t is hard to resist the temptation to theori1e about Kempe-s reasons for passing o er her children, and one wonders if perhaps they aren-t mentioned in more detail because many of them didn-t sur i e infancy. Mortality records at that time re eal that $= to 4@K of all children died before their first birthday, and one of e ery three did not li e to the age of twenty. 4= ?e 'now that Kempe-s life as a young matron is not mar'ed by success. She is impatient with her husband, who seems to be less successful than her father in business, for she must pay his debts for him. She tries, and fails, at brewing and milling, two ocations felt to appropriate for women of her class. Cerhaps a failure too painful to record centered on the deaths of her children. Significantly, the first narrati e isions that Kempe describes, in chapters F and <, are *d ent isions that focus on pregnancy, childbirth, childhood, and the human 'in of "hrist. Kempe first ser es *nne, mother of Mary, as dutiful midwife and handmaiden, and then is a nurse to Mary until she reaches puberty. #n these isions dealing with the life of the /irgin prior to the *nnunciation, Kempe spea's to the child Mary as a mother would. ?hen Mary departs during a ision, and then returns pregnant with "hrist, she herself assumes the role of mother, saying to Kempe, )Aowtyr, now am # be-'ome e Modyr of +od) 5$B6. 2ater, as Kempe progresses in her religious life, she is brought to tears again and again at the sight of an infant, for it reminds her of the infant "hrist, fated at birth to suffer the Cassion 5BF, :;, $:B6. #n her isions, "hrist appears as a ery young infant or a young man, but she recounts no isions of (esus as a child or adolescent.

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8f the fourteen children Kempe tells us she bore, she pro ides further inforamtion about only her son -- a tall young merchant who li es with a burgess in 2ynn. Crussian merchants had established a trade headEuarters in 2ynn in $7BB, and a strong community of Hanseatic merchants existed there in Kempe-s time, trading fish, wool, and wine.4F #t appears that Kempe-s son made his li ing as a merchant in Hanseatic trade, 4< and it was during his tra els that he met and married his Crussian wife. 3ut before his marriage, Kempe is concerned about her son-s loose li ing, and repeatedly counsels him to follow "hrist. E entually they ha e words, and she, )symdel meued wyth scharpnes of spiryt) %somewhat mo ed with sharpness of spirit& tells him that if he doesn-t remain chaste until he ta'es a wife, she prays that +od will punish him 54446. 0he son, whose name we ne er learn, becomes ill. his face is so full of )whelys and bloberys) %weals and blemishes& that people shun him as a leper and his employer fires him. 0he son in his anger belie es that his mother has put a curse on him. *t last he comes to her, confesses, promises to mend his ways, and as's for her intercession. She prays, and )not for7etyng e frute of hir wombe,) as's +od to heal the young man. *s "hrist tells her, she is a ) ery Modyr to haue compassyon of hyr chyld) 54476, and she intercedes -- both positi ely and negati ely -- in a manner recalling both early saints and 8ld 0estament prophets. Whan pow wepyst for oper mennys synnes and for aduersytes, pan art pow a very syster Kempe-s role as a sister of "hrist is perhaps the least de eloped of the familial metaphors, and this is paralleled in her boo' by the total lac' of reference to any siblings she may herself ha e had. Historical records spea' of a 9obert de 3runham, probably her brother, who ser ed in Carliament in $;@4 and $;$<. #n $;@4, another 9obert de 3runham was the prior of >orwich, the church to which Kempe-s parish church, St. Margaret, had been gi en by 3ishop 2osinga in the $$th century. 4B #n $;$;-$=, 9obert de 3runham was an alderman, and in $;$= his position as mayor of 2ynn was confirmed by the 'ing, after de 3runham nearly lost his life in a riot o er the issue of who had the right to choose the mayor. 4: #n $;7B-:, 9obert built a house in Stonegate near St. Margaret-s "hurch. still another de 3runham, 0homas, was mayor of 2ynn in $7<:-B$, and was named as a burgess of 2ynn in $;$; 7@ * son of (ohn and Margery Kempe li ed in the dwelling of a )worshipful burgess in 2ynn,) selling merchandise and sailing o er the sea 544$6, and one can-t help but wonder if this burgess was in fact Kempe-s brother, 0homas de 3runham. 3ut Kempe herself ne er mentions either 9obert or 0homas de 3runham. #n the same way, her role as a sister to "hrist recei es little attention. Aespite "hrist-s explanation of this role as one in which she )weeps for other men-s sins, and for ad ersities,) Kempe seems to define her role as intercessor as being more nearly a'in to that of Mary the Mother interceeding for her children. an art pu a very spowse ! a wyfe, for it longyth to e wyfe to #e wyth hir hys#ond #t is the metaphor of the married pair, with Kempe in the role of the betrothed woman 5 sponsa, spouse6, bride, wife, and spiritual parent -- with "hrist -- of sinful humanity that is de eloped most fully in Kempe-s isions. ?ithin this metaphor, Kempe matures in her relationship with "hrist, mo ing from the role of maiden to betrothed spouse, then from bride to mature wife and mother. 0o understand the spiritual dimensions of this relationship, it is helpful first to see how Kempe experiences the human dimension. Kempe-s tells us nothing of her feelings as a young woman betrothed to (ohn Kempe. *s for sexual lo e, Kempe explains in a number of passages that this is to be reser ed for the marriage bed -- a commitment that is emphasi1ed, rather than contradicted, by her miserable and ill-fated attempt at adultery. #n her isions dealing with irginity, she expresses her longing to come to "hrist not only as a )dowtyr) who )studies to please,) but also as a irgin. #n one ision, in fact, she tells "hrist she wishes she had been slain at the baptismal font, so that he could ha e had her )maydenhed wyth-owtyn ende) 5=@6. #n the role of unmarried irgin, unbound by duty, law, or )dett of matrimony) 5$4=6 to any other lo er, she would truly be )made free to +od.) Kempe is hardly uniEue in this desire, for this theme of ardent longing for irginity and chastity is found in the writings of many women who follow the ia mystica. 7$ "hapter 44 continues this

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theme, and is filled with Kempe-s remorse that she is no longer a irgin. She fears that this will pre ent her union with "hrist in the same way that an earthly, sexually acti e young woman of her time would ha e feared being reGected by a much-lo ed suitor who was expecting a irgin bride. Kempe as's "hrist, )*, 2ord, maydenys dawnsyn now meryly in Heuyn. Pal not # don soM) %*h, 2ord, maidens dance now merrily in Hea en. Shall not # do soM& 5=@6. Kempe-s sorrow o er her married state and her re erence for the irginal saints is clear throughout her boo'. #n her isions it is the Holy /irgins -- "atherine, Margaret, and 3arbara -- who most freEuently appear, along with Mary Magdalene. she does not call upon the Holy Matrons. 9esponding to her Euestion, abo e, "hrist tells her that she is a singular lo e to him: # be-hest Je QJat # shalR come to Jin ende at Ji deyng wyth my blyssed Modyr ! myn holy awngelys ! twel e apolstelys, Seynt Kateryne, Seynt Margarete, Seynt Mary Mawdelyn, ! many oJer seyntys Jat ben in He yn...Ju art a synguler louer, ! Jerfor Ju xalt haue a synguler loue in Heuyn, a synguler reward, ! a synguler worshep. # xal ta'e Je be Je on hand in He yn ! my Modyr be Je oJer hand, ! so xalt Ju dawnsyn in He yn wyth oJer holy maydens ! irgynes...5=$-46. %# promise you that # shall come to your end at your dying with my blessed Mother, and my holy angels, and the twel e apostles, Saint Katherine, Saint Margaret, Saint Mary Magdalene, and many other saints that are in hea en... you are a singular lo er, and therefore you shall ha e a singular lo e in hea en, a singular reward, and a singular worship. # shall ta'e you by the one hand in hea en, and my mother by the other hand, and so shall you dance in hea en with the other holy maidens and irgins...& 0he most fully de eloped metaphor describing her relationship with "hrist places him not in the role of Hea enly ?ooer, nor Holy 3ridegroom, but that of 3elo ed Husband. ?e learn a great deal from Kempe about her marriage to, her lo e for, and her role as the wife of, her husband (ohn Kempe. 0hey were married when she was )4@ or a little more) 5F6, which would place the marriage in about $7:7. Marriage, particularly in England, was ery much a business transaction, and families loo'ed upon the marriage contract as a means to assure alliances, buttress 'indreds, and extend properties. Hathers or brothers made the marriage arrangements and pro ided suitable dowries for the family-s daughters.7$ Kempe was fortunate, for in an age when winter-spring marriages were the rule, (ohn Kempe was only a few years older than she. 0hroughout her tumultuous career, (ohn Kempe is patient and supporti e -- as Kempe tells us, he was )always a good man and easy to her) 5746. 8nce a daughter married, the husband-s power was supreme in theory and in law, and Kempe ac'nowledges this reality at se eral points in her writing, spea'ing of her )bond of wedloc') and of being bound to her husband )be Je lawe of matrimony) 5$$, 4=, $$4, $$=6. 3efore she can choose to abstain from sex with her husband, wear white, don the wedding ring symbolic of her mystical marriage to "hrist, or go on pilgrimage, she must ha e the permission of both her husband and the church. (ohn Kempe gi es permission in each case, though not always willingly. He is her companion during her early pilgrimages in England 5746, an arrangement they e entually forgo to put an end to gossip about Kempe-s sexual abstinence 5$<:6. His exceptional tolerance for his wife-s ocation is apparently common 'nowledge, and early in Kempe-s pilgrimage to 9ome her fellow tra elers admonish her, saying )Jei wold not suffren hir as hir husbond dede whan sche was at hom ! in #nglond) %they would not suffer her as her husband did when she was at home and in England& 5F$6. Sexually, too, Margery and (ohn Kempe were ery compatible, and throughout her 3o'e Kempe expresses her belief that she is being Gustly chastised by +od for the )inordinat) lo e she once had for her husband. #ndeed, in one ision "hrist refers to this, telling her,

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Aowtyr, # haue drawe Je lofe of Jin hert from alle mennys hertys in-to myn hert. Sum-tyme, dowtyr, Ju thowtyst it had ben in a maner npossybyl for to ben so, ! Jat tyme suffyrdyst Ju ful gret peyne in Jin hert wyth fleschly affeccyons. ! Jan cowdyst Ju wel cryen to me, seying )2ord, for alle Ji wowndys smert, drawe al Je lofe of myn hert into Jyn hert) 5$F$6. %Aaughter, # ha e drawn the lo e of your heart from all men-s hearts into my heart. 8nce, daughter, you thought it was impossible for it to be so, and that time you suffered full great pain in your heart with fleshly affections. *nd then could you indeed cry to me, saying, )2ord, for all your wounds that smart, draw all the lo e of my heart into your heart.& (ohn and Margery Kempe carry on a long, unhappy debate o er her wish to be abstinent. 0heir final negotiations ha e a mar'edly mercantile cast, for Kempe agrees to close out her husband-s financial debts before she lea es for (erusalem if he will li'ewise close out her debt of matrimony: +rawntyth me Jat 7e schal not 'omyn in my bed, ! # grawnt 7ow to Ewyte 7owr dettys er # go to #ersalem. ! ma'yth my body fre to +od so Jat 7e neuyr ma'e no chalengyng in me to as'yn no dett of matrimony aftyr Jis day whyl 7e leuyn...54=6. %+rant me that you will not come into my bed, and # grant you that # will pay your debts before # go to (erusalem. *nd ma'e my body free to +od so that you ne er again challenge me, or as' %satisfaction of& any debt of matrimony after this day for as long as you li e...& 3ut before reaching this point in their complex married life, (ohn and Margery produce fourteen children together. 0heir first child is born shortly after they marry, )as 'ynde wolde) %as is natural& 5F6, a casual phrase that belies the misery Kempe experiences during her first pregnancy and deli ery. She is often sic', has a difficult deli ery, becomes so ill afterwards that she belie es she will die, and calls for a priest to hear her confession. She sur i es 5we don-t 'now whether the child does or not6 but falls into a se ere post partum depression. Kempe-s first ision of "hrist mar's the end of this illness. 0hrough the whole experience, she tells us, her husband was always compassionate and tender 5B6. 0hat she went on, after this particularly unpleasant introduction to motherhood, to bear thirteen more children spea's to the seriousness with which she honored her )debt of matrimony,) and perhaps also to the intensity of the physical attraction between herself and her husband. Kempe is a ery human mystic. she openly confesses to both re eling in and regretting her sexuality. #f her honesty is atypical for her age, her remorse and guilt about her sexuality are commonplace, and reflect the conflict between the flesh and the spirit that is a motif of much secular and religious literature during this period. ?hen (ohn Kempe is old, incontinent, and mentally confused, she loo's down at his body and affectionately remembers, in what is surely one of the most tender moments in medie al literature, ...how sche in hir 7ong age had ful many delectabyl thowtys, fleschly lustys, ! inordinat louys to hys persone. ! Jerfor sche was glad to be ponischyd wyth Je same persone ! to'e it mech Je more esily ! seruyed hym ! helpyd hym, as hir thowt, as sche wolde a don "rist hym-self...5$<:6. %...how she in her youth had many delectable thoughts, and fleshly lusts, and inordinate lo e for his body. *nd therefore she was glad to be punished by means of that same body, and too' it the more easily, and ser ed him and helped him, she thought, as she would ha e done "hrist himself...& Kempe is acutely aware of the snare of lechery, one of the se en deadly sins that figure so freEuently in the sermon literature, penitentials, and confessionals of her day: )2echerye is an nleful lust Jt comyth of Je frayelte of Je flesh ! defoylith Je sowle which Jt is Jer to y 'net) %2echercy is an unlawful lust that comes

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from the frailty of the flesh, and defiles the soul to which it is 'nit&. She was also clearly aware of the )branchis) of lechery: )symple fornicacioun, spowsebreche, incest, rauyssching of woman, yolacyon of maydenhood, abusyon, pollucyon, and synne a 7en 'eende) %simple fornication, adultery, incest, rape of a woman, iolation of a irgin, sexual abuse, masturbation, and homosexuality&. 74 Kempe, in the isions found in chapters 4$ and 44, passionately addresses the issue of irginity and the conflict she experiences as she contemplates mystical union with "hrist. Her anguish is that of a dutiful, affectionate wife who has disco ered she lo es someone other than her husband. 0o Kempe-s ery literal mind, it is an issue not far remo ed from that of spo$sebre!he -- adultery. 0o a woman who has so faithfully honored the contract she entered into upon marriage, it is an ethical Euestion of great concern. 7; ?ithin this conflict, irginity ta'es on a particular rele ance. 0he ision in chapter BF ma'es it clear that the sexual consumation of a marriage mar's the point at which the marriage contract becomes indissoluble. 77 #n this ision, "hrist compares his relationship to Kempe with that of a man who who has wedded a wife, and now feels secure that no man can part them because they ha e )gon to bedd to-gedyr wyth-owtyn any schame er dred of Je pepil ! slepyn in rest ! pees...) %gone to bed together without any shame or dread of the people, and sleep in rest and peace& 54$76. Kempe desires to return to a point in time before she had made legal and religious ows, as well as a physical and sexual commitment, to (ohn Kempe. 8nly thus could she truly )ma'e her body free to +od,) and this powerful moti ation underlies her longing for irginity. #t is a longing, of course, that cannot be fulfilled. 3ut in the same way that "hrist in Kempe-s isions will sometimes o errule her confessors, "hrist also has the final authority to cancel her debt of matrimony to her husband. Kempe, learning in a ision that she is again pregnant, tells "hrist that she is not worthy to spea' with him while she is still -- howe er unwillingly -- sexually acti e with her husband. "hrist replies that because her sexual relationship with her husband causes her distress, it is not a sin, but rather brings her merit 5;B6. Kempe replies that the via !ontempliva is more appropriate for "hrist-s holy maidens, and "hrist then explains to her the hierarchy of holy women, within which wi es are also well-lo ed, for though irginity is more perfect than widowhood, and widowhood more perfect than wedloc', yet "hrist lo es her ...as wel as any mayden in Je world. Jer may no man let me to lofe whom # wele ! as mech as # wyl, for lofe, dowtyr, Ewenchith al synne 5;:6. %as well as any maiden in the world. >o man can stop me from lo ing who # will, as much as # will, for lo e, daughter, Euenches all sin.& "hrist-s lo e Euenches all sin. ?ith this edict, Kempe has di ine authority to turn away from her human husband to her di ine spouse. Kempe-s great fear of being percei ed, by "hrist or by the world, as an adulterous or defiled woman is remar'ed upon at se eral points in her boo'. En route bac' to 9ome from the Holy 2and, she fears attac' and defilement, prays that "hrist will defend her as he defended the woman ta'en in adultery, and announces that she will ne er return to England if she is defiled. ?hen she does return, her confessor as's what she has done with the illegitimate child that gossip reports she bore during her stay abroad, and she tersely refutes the charge 5$@76. #n 2eicester, she defends herself against the ) n-clene to'enys ! ngodly cuntenawns) %unclean signs and ungodly loo's& of the steward whom she belie es desires to )opresyn hir ! to for-lyn hir) %oppress her and lie with her&. and when he accuses her, before the 3ishop of 2eicester, of promiscuity, she replies that she has ne er )had part of mannys body in pis worlde in actual dede be wey of synne, but of myn husbondys body, whom # am bowndyn to be Je lawe of matrimony) %had part of a man-s body in this world in actual deed by way of sin, except of her husband-s body, to whom she is bound by the law of matrimony& 5$$4-4=6. She li es apart from her husband for many years to pre ent gossip concerning her abstinence 5$<:6, a concern that arises again when (ohn Kempe reEuires care in his old age. *fter departing from her ungrateful daughter-in-law in Aan1ig, she tra els in constant fear of defilement, )durst trustyn on no man) 54;$6, and sleeps whene er possible with another woman. ?hile Kempe-s concern with chastity continues throughout

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her writing, her early anxiety about irginity slowly ebbs as her relationship with "hrist e ol es, and by chapter 7=, when her marriage to the +odhead ta'es place, this issue has been laid aside. Kempe was married to "hrist-s Manhood before lea ing England for 9ome, and she wears a wedding ring with the words )#hesus est amor meus) %(esus is my lo e& engra ed upon it. Her marriage to the +odhead ta'es place in the *postles "hurch in 9ome on St. (ohn 2ateran Aay, probably >o ember :, $;$; 57@$6. 0he upcoming marriage is announced to her by the Hather of Hea en in the only instance in which +od spea's to directly to her. *s was typical of marriages at this time, she is not consulted beforehand about her wishes in the matter. She reacts to the announcement with tears, for )sche was ful sor aferd of Je +odhed ! sche cowde no s'ylle of Je dalyawns of Je +odhede, for al hir lofe ! al hir affeccyon was set in Je manhode of "rist) %she was sorely afraid of the +odhead, and she had 'nowledge of no s'ills for communing with the +odhead, for all her lo e and all her affection were set in the manhood of "hrist& 5BF6. "hrist as's what she has to say to this, and she )wept wondir sor,) so that "hrist is forced to apologi1e for her as one who is )7ong ! not fully lernyd how sche xulde answeryn) %who is young and not fully learned in how she should answer& 5B<6. 0he marriage ta'es place, with ows that ha e remained essentially unchanged in the ensuing =@@ years, and the /irgin Mary, the Holy /irgins, the saints and the angels wish the couple much Goy together. *fter the ceremony, Kempe feels )many gret comfortys, both gostly...and bodily) %many great comforts, both spiritual..and bodily& -- all of her senses are mo ed, and it is now that she first feels the fire of lo e, a )flawme of fyer wondir hoot ! delectabyl ! ryth comfortabyl, nowt wastyng but euyer incresyng...brennyng in hir brest ! at hir hert) %a flame of fire wonderfully hot and delectable, and right comfortable, not wasting but e er increasing...burning in her breast and in her heart& 5BB6. "hrist tells her that it is the heat of the Holy +host, which will burn away all her sins, for -- again -- )Je fyer of lofe Ewenchith alle synnes) 5B:6. #t is, of course, ery similar to 9olle-s in!endium amoris, the fire of lo e, a topos common to the mystical experience. 9olle is one of the mystics from whose wor's Kempe-s )lystere) had read 5$=;6. #n the next ision, "hrist tells Kempe that if he were on earth, he would demonstrate to the world his lo e for her. *s they are no longer espoused, but are now husband and wife, she is to be )homly) with him: Hor it is conuenyent Je wyf to be homly wyth hir husbond. 3e he neuyr so gret a lorde ! sche neuer so powr a woman whan he weddyth hir, 7et Jei must ly to-gedir ! rest to-gedir in Goy ! pes. ...Serfore most # nedys be homly wyth Je ! lyn in Jy bed wyth Je. Aowtyr, thow desyrest gretly to se me, ! Ju mayst boldly, whan Ju art in Ji bed, ta'e me to Je as for Ji weddyd husbond, as thy derworthy derlyng, ! as for thy swete sone, for # wyl be louyd as a sone schuld be louyd wyth Je modyr ! wil Jat Ju loue me, dowtyr, as a good QwifeR owyth to loue hir husbonde. ! Jerfor Ju mayst boldly ta'e me in Je armys of Ji sowle ! 'yssen my mowth, myn hed, ! my fete as swetly as thow wylt 5:@6. %Hor it is appropriate for the wife to be familiar with her husband. 3e he e er so great a lord, and she e er so poor a woman when he weds her, yet they must lie together and rest together in Goy and peace... 0herefore # must needs be familiar with you and lie in bed with you. Aaughter, you greatly desire to see me, and you may boldly, when you are in your bed, ta'e me to yourself as your wedded husband, as your dearest darling, and as your sweet son, for # will be lo ed as a son should be lo ed by his mother, and will that you lo e me, daughter, as a good wife ought to lo e her husband. *nd therefore you may boldly ta'e me in the arms of your soul, and 'iss my mouth, my head, and my feet as sweetly as you wish.& #t is a highly physical description of the marriage bed, in 'eeping with Kempe-s )material mysticism,) 7= yet also subtle in its references. She is gi en the roles of both wife and mother, while continuing to be addressed as )dowtyr) -- in other words, hers is a multifaceted relationship, with the responsibilities of

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compassion, lo e, and obedience remaining in the foreground. 0hat she is to 'iss her holy spouse-s head, hands, and feet pro ides a foreshadowing of the scene following "hrist-s deposition from the cross. #t is a scene that Kempe will later describe in great detail. in it, the /irgin Mary is 'issing the dead (esus- head, while Mary Magdalen 'isses his hands and feet. Kempe-s role as the wife of "hrist is further described in se eral later ision passages. *s his wife, she is to be obedient to his will, and to clea e to him as closely as the s'in of the stoc'fish, after boiling, clea es to the hand 5:$6. #n an Easter ision, she tells "hrist that she wants to be as worthy of his lo e as Mary Magdalene, a saint with whom Kempe freEuently identifies, and with whom she seems to feel some ri alry. 7B "hrist reassures her by saying that he lo es her eEually, gi ing her the same lo e that he gi es the saint, for no saint in hea en is displeased e en though )# loue a creatur in erde as mech as # do hem) %# lo e an earthly creature as much as # do them& 5$<F6. Auring another Easter ision, "hrist reminds Kempe how dearly he has bought her lo e through his crucifixion 5$:$6. #n chapter BF we meet Kempe in a more mature role. >o longer the young bride, she is now the wife of "hrist, welcoming him and the entire "ourt of Hea en into her soul as a gracious hostess. "hrist than's Kempe for calling his mother into her soul, where the /irgin then ta'es "hrist in her arms and lets him nurse. He than's Kempe for calling Mary Magdalen into her soul to welcome him, for he 'nows that Kempe re eres the Magdalen abo e all other saints except the /irgin Mary. 0he list of the members of the hea enly court welcomed into Kempe-s capacious soul continues: the *postles, Saints Katherine and Margaret, and all the Holy /irgins, martyrs, and confessors 54$@6. >ow as the hostess, with her soul the home to the "ourt of Hea en, Kempe en isions herself preparing soft cushions, one for each member of the 0rinity. 0his metaphor of the cushions is carefully de eloped to explain this mystery: )! so u beleuyst erily, dowtyr, in thy sowle at er be iiG dyuers personys ! oo +od in substawnce) %and so you belie e truly, daughter, in thy soul that there are three different persons and one +od in substance& 54$$6. +od the Hather sits on a golden cushion, in honor of his might and power. "hrist sits on a cushion of red el et, recalling the blood with which he purchased human'ind-s sal ation. and the Holy +host recei es a white cushion, symboli1ing holy thoughts and chastity. #n this homely account, Kempe may be recording a )trio of cushions-of-honor,) *llen reports, for the church wardens- accounts in Darmouth report payment in $;F$ for )three "ushyons for the Crior ! 3ayli es.) 7: >ext Kempe-s soul extends itself to en elope all of "hristianity, and "hrist recogni1es that Kempe )ma'yst euery "risten man ! woman i childe in i sowle for e tyme ! woldist han as meche grace for hem as for in owyn childeryn) %ma'es e ery "hristian man and woman your child in your soul for the time, and would ha e as much grace for them as for your own children& 54$46. Kempe-s role of wife has expanded to include the role of mother, interceding for her children, and these children include )euery "risten man ! woman) 54$76. 0he scene in its homely domesticity echoes a $@th century #rish poem: # should li'e to ha e a great ale-feast for the King of Kings. # should li'e the Hea enly Host to be drin'ing for all eternity. # should li'e to ha e the fruits of faith. # should li'e to ha e the seats of 9epentance in my house. # should li'e to ha e the men of Hea en in my own dwelling. # should li'e to ha e the ats of 2ong-Suffering to be at their ser ice. # should li'e to ha e the essels of "harity to dispense. # should li'e to ha e the pitchers of Mercy for their company. # should li'e there to be Hospitality for their sa'e. # should li'e (esus to be there always.

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# should li'e to ha e the 0hree Marys of glorious renown. # should li'e to ha e the Hea enly "ourt from e ery side. # should li'e to be the rent-payer of the 2ord. he to whom +od gi es a good blessing has done well in suffering distress.;@ 8n Sundays and before ta'ing the Sacrament, Kempe anxiously approaches "hrist with mee'ness, humility, and charity. 0his is to be expected, "hrist explains, for any woman would carefully prepare to recei e home again a husband who has been away from her. "hrist goes on to than' Kempe for bathing him in her soul )at hom in i chambre as ow # had be er present in my Manhod) %at home in your chamber as though # had been present there in my manhood& and for harboring himself and his blessed mother in her bed. *s a conscientious and lo ing wife, Kempe has earned -- li'e the /irgin, the saints, the martyrs, indeed all the court of hea en whom she earlier welcomed into her soul -- lo e, Goy, and bliss )lestyng wyth-owtyn ende) 54$;6. *gain and again in the isions, "hrist comforts Kempe by telling her that she earns great merit when she suffers shame, scorn and abuse in his name. truly, 3lessed are the mee'. *s an eldmother, tra eling alone and afraid on the road from Stralsund to ?ilsnac', Kempe is reprimanded by "hrist for her fear. He admonishes her that when a woman lo es a )fair and seemly) husband, she must be willing to follow him where er he goes. #n Kempe-s Boke, lo e, suffering, and obedience are lin'ed inextricably as the duties of the wife. $onclusion *s Kempe describes her relationship to "hrist, she loo's to human relationships for parallels. She sees herself as the child, maiden, lo er, and wife of "hrist, and as the mother of "hrist-s children, her )e en "hristians.) "hrist is li'ewise described as a newborn infant, betrothed fiance, husband, and father. Kempe-s early de otion is fearful and passionate, li'e that of a young woman newly in lo e. we should not be surprised that the metaphors she employs are drawn from the experiences of maidenhood and espousal. *s she mo es beyond this to the stable )married lo e) of commitment and respect, her metaphors li'ewise e ol e. Kempe is told by "hrist that she is his )syngular lofe) 5=@6, a term gi en special meaning by 9ichard St. /ictor and 9ichard 9olle. 9olle refers to this as the third and highest form of lo e, )when all comfort and solace es closed owt of pi hert, bot of (hesu "yrste alane...%and& pe fyre of lufe byrnand in paire saule) %when all comfort and solace are closed out of your heart, except for (esus "hrist alone...%and& the fire of lo e burning in their soul&. ;$ 0apping the rich metaphor of the family to express her ineffable relationship with "hrist and the /irgin, Kempe de elops a ocabulary of lo e that is built -- and reEuires no apology for being so constructed -- on images both bodily and spiritual. #n her final prayer, in what would be the one-hundredth chapter of her boo' if she had chosen to number the chapters of the second boo' consecuti ely with those of the first, Kempe turns to "hrist in gratitude, lo e, and supplication for man'ind 54=7-;6. She has mo ed, in her relationship with "hrist, to that of the mother who lin's a hea enly father to his earthly children. Her boo' concludes with a prayer of intercession for these children: *nd for alle o at feithyn ! trustyn er xul feithyn ! trustyn in my prayerys in-to e worldys ende, sweche grace as ei desyrn, gostly er bodily, to e profite of her sowlys, # pray e, 2ord, grawnt hem for e multitude of i mercy. *men 54=7-;6. %*nd for all those that ha e faith and trust

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8r shall ha e faith and trust in my prayers unto the world-s end, such grace as they desire, spiritual or bodily, to the profit of their souls, # pray you, 2ord, grant them from the multitude of your mercy. *men.&

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT $ Margery Kempe, 0he 3oo' of Margery Kempe, ed. Sanford Meech and Hope Emily *llen. 58xford: Early English 0ext Society, $:;@6 $. *ll page references cited in parentheses following Euotes are from Kempe-s boo', and refer to this edition. 4 /alerie 2agorio, )/ariations on the 0heme of +od-s Motherhood in Medie al English Mystical and Ae otional ?ritings,) Studia Mystica B.4 5$:B=6: $F-$<. 7 Aenise Aepres, )Hranciscan Spirituality: Margery Kempe and /isual Meditation,) Mystics Uuarterly $$.$ 5$:BB6: $4-$B. and )0he Meditati e *rt of Scriptural #nterpolation in the 3oo' of Margery Kempe,) Aownside 9e iew $@F 5$:BB6: 4=7-F7. also Aa id Mycoff, personal communication, March $:B:. and Martin 0hornton, Margery Kempe: *n Example in the English Castoral 0radition 52ondon: Society for Cromoting "hristian Knowledge, $:F@6. 7 (oseph ?alsh, ed., Cre-9eformation English Spirituality 52ondon: 3urnes and 8ates, $:F=6 4$:. ; >icholaus 2o e, 0he Mirrour of the 3lessed 2yf of (esu "hrist, ol. $ and 4, ed. (ames Hoff and 2awrence Cowell 5Sal1burg, *ustria: *nalecta "artusiana, $:B:6. = 0homas H. Simmons and Henry (. >olloth, ed., "he Lay #olks' Cate!hism 52ondon: Early English 0ext Society, $:@$6 $$=. F /anessa Car'er, 0he Ma'ing of King-s 2ynn 52ondon: Chillimore, $:B<6 7. < Aorothy M. 8wen, 0he Ma'ing of King-s 2ynn 52ondon: 8xford Vni ersity Cress, $:B;6 74-7. B ?alsh 4$$. $@ Sarah 3ec'with, )* /ery Material Mysticism: 0he Medie al Mysticism of Margery Kempe,) ed. Aa id *ers, Medie al 2iterature: "riticism, #deology, and History 5>ew Dor': St. Martin-s Cress, $:BF6 7=-;<. $$ 3ec'with ;<. $4 Aa id Herlihy, Medie al Households 5"ambridge: Har ard Vni ersity Cress, $:B=6 $$=. $7 3e erly 3oyd, )?yclif, (oan of *rc, and Margery Kempe,) Mystics Uuarterly $4.7 5$:BF6:$$4-$$B. $; "olin Clatt, 0he *bbeys and Criories of Medie al England 5>ew Dor': Hordham Vni ersity Cress, $:B;6 $B;. $= Herlihy $4@-$4$. $F Herlihy $@B-$$F. $< 8wen 74;.

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$B Kempe 7=:. $: Kempe 7=B-:. 4@ Herlihy $@@. 4$ Herlihy $44-$47. 44 2o e 4=F. 47 Herlihy $4$. 4; Mycoff, Aa id, * "ritical Edition of the 2egend of Mary Magdalena from "axton-s +olden 2egend of $;B7. 5Sal1burg, *ustria: #nstitut fur *nglisti' und *meri'anisti' Vni ersitat, $:B=6 7$F. 4= 8rme, >icholas. Hrom "hildhood to "hi alry: 0he Education of English Kings and *ristocracy, $@FF to $=7@ 52ondon: Methuen, $:B;6 7. 4F 8wen ;<-;B, Car'er $$. 4< Kempe 7;$-7;4. 4B 8wen $B;. 4: Car'er $;$. 7@ 8wen 7:;-;@$. 7$ 8wen $B=, 4<$. 74 "larissa *t'inson, )Crecious 3alsam in a Hragile +lass: 0he #deology of /irginity in the 2ater Middle *ges,) (ournal of Hamily History B.4 5$:B76: $7$-;7. See also 0homas 9enna, )/irginity in the 2ife of "hristina of Mar'yate and *elred of 9ie aulx-s 9ule,) 0he *merican 3enedictine 9e iew 7F.$ 5$:B=6: <:-:4. and Ceter 3rown, )0he 3ody and Society: Men, ?omen, and Sexual 9enunciation,) 2ectures on the History of 9eligion, $B 5$:BB6. 77 Herlihy, B4. 7; 9ichard 2a ynham, * 2itil 0retys on the Se en Aeadly Sins 59ome: #nstitutum "armelitanum, $:=F6 44. 7= Herlihy B@-B$. 7F 9ichard 9olle, )0he Horm of 2i ing,) in Hope Emily *llen, English ?ritings of 9ichard 9olle, Hermit of Hampole 58xford: 8xford Vni ersity Cress, $:7$6 BB. 7< 3ec'with 7=. 7B Susan S. Eberly, )Margery Kempe, St. Mary Magdalene, and Catterns of "ontemplation,) Aownside 9e iew $@< 5$:B:6, 4@:-447. 7: Kempe 77:. ;@ Kenneth H. (ac'son, * "eltic Miscellany -- 0ranslations from "eltic 2iteratures 53altimore: Cenguin, $:<$6 4B;. ;$ 9olle $=@.

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%i#liography *t'inson, "larissa. )Crecious 3alsam in a Hragile +lass: 0he #deology of /irginity in the 2ate Middle *ges.) (ournal of Hamily History B.4 5$:B76: $7$-$;7. 3a'er, Aere'. Sanctity and Secularity: 0he "hurch and the ?orld 8xford: Studies in "hurch History, >o. $@, $:<7. 3e ington, Aa id. Medie al Arama 3oston: Houghton Mifflin, $:<=. 3ec'with, Sarah. )* /ery Material Mysticism: 0he Medie al Mysticism of Margery Kempe.) Medie al 2iterature: "riticism, #deology, and History. Ed. Aa id *ers. >ew Dor': St. Martin-s Cress, $:BF, 7=-;<. 3oyd, 3e erly. )?yclif, (oan of *rc, and Margery Kempe.) Mystics Uuarterly $4.7 5$:BF6: $$4-$$B. 3rown, Ceter. )0he 3ody and Society: Men, ?omen, and Social 9enunciation.) 2ectures on the History of 9eligion $B 5$:BB6. "hodorow, Stanley. 0he 8ther Side of ?estern "i ili1ation, 4nd ed., /ol. 4. >ew Dor': Harcourt 3race (o ano ich, $:<7. Aespres, Aenise. )Hranciscan Spirituality: Margery Kempe and /isual Meditation.) Mystics Uuarterly $$.$ 5$:BB6: $4-$B. Aespres, Aenise. +hostly Sights: /isual Meditation in 2ate Medie al 2iterature. >orman, 8K: Cilgrim 3oo's, $:B:. Aespres, Aenise. )0he Meditati e *rt of Scriptural #nterpolation in the 3oo' of Margery Kempe.) Aownside 9e iew $@F 5$:BB6: 4=7-F7. Eberly, Susan Schoon. )Margery Kempe, St. Mary Magdalene, and Catterns of "ontemplation.) Aownside 9e iew $@< 5$:B:6: 4@:-477. Herlihy, Aa id. Medie al Households. "ambridge: Har ard Vni ersity Cress, $:B=. Kiec'hefer, 9ichard. VnEuiet Souls: Hourteenth "entury Saints and their 9eligious Milieu. "hicago: Vni ersity of "hicago Cress, $:B;. 2agorio, /alerie. )/ariations on the 0heme of +od-s Motherhood in Medie al English Mystical and Ae otional ?ritings.) Studia Mystica B.4 5$:B=6: $F-$<. 2a ynham, 9ichard. * 2itil 0reatys on the Se en Aeadly Sins. 9ome: #nstitutum "armelitanum, $:=F. 2o e, >icholaus. 0he Mirrour of the 3lessed 2yf of (esu "hrist, ol. $ and 4. Ed. (ames Hoff and 2awrence Cowell. Sal1burg, *ustria: *nalecta "artusiana, $:B:. Mycoff, Aa id. * "ritical Edition of the 2egend of Mary Magdalena from "axton-s +olden 2egende of $;B7. Sal1burg, *ustria: #nstitut fur *nglisti' und *meri'anisti' Vni ersitat, $:B=. 8rme, >icholas. Hrom "hildhood to "hi alry: 0he Education of English Kings and *ristocracy, $@FF-$=7@. 2ondon: Methuen, $:B;. 8wen, Aorothy. 0he Ma'ing of King-s 2ynn. 2ondon: 8xford Vni eristy Cress, $:B;. Car'er, /anessa. 0he Ma'ing of King-s 2ynn. 2ondon: Chillimore, $:B<.

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9enna, 0homas. )/irginity in the 2ife of "hristina of Mar'yate and *elred of 9ie aulx-s 9ule.) 0he *merican 3enedictine 9e iew 7F.$ 5$:B=6: <:-:4. 9olle, 9ichard. )0he Horm of 2i ing.) English ?ritings of 9ichard 9olle, Hermit of Hampole. Ed. Hope Emily *llen. 8xford: 8xford Vni ersity Cress, $:7$. 0homas H. Simmons and Henry (. >olloth, eds. 0he 2ay Hol's- "atechism. 2ondon: Early English 0ext Society, $:@$. 0hornton, M. Margery Kempe: *n Example in the English Castoral 0radition. 2ondon: Society for Cromoting "hristian Knowledge, $:F@. ?alsh, (oseph. Cre-9eformation English Spirituality. 2ondon: 3urnes and 8ates, $:F=.