Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	hear_v	lord_n	sin_n	15,720	5	5.7661	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A14448	Here begynneth the lyf of saint katherin of senis the blessid virgin; Vita di S. Catarina da Siena. English	Raymond, of Capua, 1330-1399.; Elizabeth, of Hungary, Saint, 1207-1231, attributed name.; Elizabeth, of Toess, Saint, 1297-1338, attributed name.	1500 (1500)	STC 24766.3; ESTC S109658	218,906	188

ofte tymes bycause of hys greate sotyll wytte he loued soo moche therto that he made party in the same Cyte and grete enstaunce bytwene neyghbore and nyghbore wherof came a grete enmyte preuy morderyng the whiche came by hym slyly and by his mayntynaunce At the last mene persons came bytwene for to make peas but he answerd euer soo wylyly that he rought neuer whether there were peas or none as it semed to theym that herd hym and alwaye he was glad to make vnpeas that he myght and to be avengyd after his desyre That herd this holy mayde katheryne she desyred to speke wyth him for to sece that euyll hatered but he fledde her assone as he knewe that she came to hym Ryght as the serpent wolde flee from hym that sholde charyne hym At the laste an holy man the whiche was called Fryer wyllyam of Englond a fryer austyn he spake soo to hym that he graunt● hym that he wolde gladly speke wyth that hooly mayde and here her But he sayd he wolde nothyng doo as she wolde counseylle hym Soo thenne he kep●… his promys and he went to the holy maydes hous the same tyme that mayster Reymound was there But that holy mayde was not therin by cause she was gone a lytyll byfore to procure the helthe of soules In the mene whyle that mayster Reymound was therin there came a messanger to hym sayd that Nannes was at the dore and wolde speke wyth katheryn wherof mayster Reymound was glad for he knewe well that the holy mayde had ofte tymes desyred that And wyth that he went and welcomed hym and tolde hym that she was out prayed hym that he wold not thynke lōge for she wolde come anone And thenne thei went to this holy maydes chapel whan they hadde sytte a whyle there he thought longe and sayd to mayster Reymond Thus I behete frere Wyllyam that I sholde come hyder here this holy lady Katheryne speke therfore syth she is out occupyed I may nought abyde here wherfore I pray you excuse me to hyr for I haue moche thyng to do mayster Reymond was heuy here wyth that she was so long for to occupye the tyme tyll she came he axed hym of the maner of pees the whiche he knewe To whome this Nannes answerd ▪ Syre I shall tell you the sothe for to thou that ben a prest a relygyous man and to this holy mayde of whome I here a grete name of holynesse I shall not lye but saye the sothe Therfore what that euer I saye to you I am not in wyll to do by your counseyll Sothe it is that I am he the whiche that letteth the pees by twene him him and that pees that pees And yet it semed by my dedys that it am not I that lette it by cause it is done by other but I maynteyn them pryuely ther to for yf I allone wold consente to haue pees al shold be well cessyd But I purpose in no wyse for to consente therto wherfore it nedeth not for to counseyll me preche me for I shall not consente in ony maner wyse Loo now I haue tolde you that I haue hydde from other tarye me no lenger and holde you apayed yet mayster Reymond prayed him to reherce it ageyne for to occupye the tyme and he wolde not at the last by the dysposycyon of god the holy mayde was come Inne Whan that Nannes sawe hyr he was ryght sory But mayster Reymond was gladde As soone as she sawe that erthely man she toke him wyth an heuenly charyte sat doun to gydres and axed him the cause of hys comyng Thenne he rehersed to hyr all that euer he sayd to mayster Reymond wyth the last negacyon This holy mayde beganne thenne to shewe him what peryll he stode Inne soo that she touched hym ouer all but as a deef serpent he stoppyd the erys of his herte that he wold not here hyr counseylles that consydered this holy mayde anone She sat styll torned Inward prayed our lord in hyr herte axed hys gracyous helpe Whan mayster Reymond aspyed how ghoostly she was occupyed for hym He occupyed hym wyth somme wordes hopyng in the mene whyle of som helpe of oure lorde by hir prayers wythin a whyle aft Nannes sayd to them bothe thus Loo I wyll not be so vnkynde but that I wyll do nye all that euer ye wyll byd me but somwhat I shall graunte and thenne wyll I goo fro you I haue made foure debatys whiche contynued yet Of that oo debate I wyll gyue you leue do wi●h all as ye will cesse it as ye wyll with that he roos vp wold haue go out and in the rysyng he sayd to him self thus O lord what comfort may this be that I fele now in my soule of that worde that I spak of pees and soone after he sayd more A a lord god what vertue strengthe may that be that holdeth me and drawed me now I may not go hens ne I may not denye no thynge O who is that that constreyneth me now O who is that that holdeth me now wyth this he wept sore sayd I am ouer come I may not wythstonde it Thenne he kneled doun on his knees to the holy mayde and sayd wyth wepyng chere Holy mayde I shall do what euer thou bydde me do Not onely of this mater but also of all other what that euer it be I knowe well now that the deuyll hath hadde me bounde in hys chayne hyder to but now I shall do what euer ye counseyl me to do counseyll my soule how it may be deliuerd out of the fendes poure I praye you Att these wordes the holy mayde torned to hym sayde I thanke god brother that thou hast perceyued what peryll thou stodest Inne of the mercy of our lord wherof I spake fyrst to the but thou ●ettys● lytell therby And thenne I spak to our lord he herde my prayers Therfore now good brother do penaunce for thy synnes by tymes leste a sodeyne trybulacyon fall vpon the Thenne anone wyth grete contrycion he was shryuen of mayster Rymond of all his synnes afterward by helpe of this holy mayde he made pees wyth all folk also wyth god by counseyll of mayster Reymond But wythin a fewe dayes after he was take by the Justyce of the Cyte put in a streyte pryson and it was a comyn saynge that he sholde be behedyd Thenne mayster Reymond herde that he came to this holy mayde wyth a sorowfull che●e and sayd Loo moder all the whyle Nannes serued the fende he had no dysease but alwaye ●speryte And after tyme now he is torned to god all the world is ageynst hym where of I am a ferde by cause he is yette but a yong braūche lest he be all for broke by this tempest and so fall in despeyre I praye you therfore praye for hym to god that he whom ye haue delyuered from

And yet not wythstondyng suche good occupacions She accused her self soo sharpely in confession and soo wyttyngly put her selfe in trespaas and offenses that yf hee cōfessour hadde not knowe her conuersacyon He myght haue supposed that she hadde trespased where she trespased not but rather deseruyd mede Loo ye maydens that heren and reden this boke alle this processe is for no thynge ellys I sayde but by that ye perceyuen this lytyll defaute In the whyche this holy mayde yelde her self soo mekely gylty Ye maye vnderstonde therby what per feccyon sheweth therafter by the gracyous yefte of our lorde the whiche her confessour reherseth in this wyse Bonauentura ryght as she was besy afore for to araye this holy mayde as the worlde asketh Ryght soo eftsones she besyed her for to enduce her in suche araye by her counseyll to the same apparaylle She myght in noo wyse inclyne the may dens herte nother generall nother specy all that she sholde shewe her bodely presence wylfully to the syghte of man to that entent oonly that she sholde be desyred the soner to be wedded all though her feruour of prayer and of swetenesse off medytaciō was slaked and wythdrewē from her for a tyme Att the laste oure lorde wolde not lenger suffre that hys spouse the whiche had soo specyally chosen sholde be withdrawe and taryed from hys speciall seruyce he wythdrewe from her in this wyse In a tyme whan the same Bonauentura the suster of the holy mayde sholde brynge forthe a chylde she was yet yonge y nough of age for to bere chyldren Take hede maydens therfore and see by thys How oure lorde is displesed wyth theym that ben aboute for to lette and wythdrawe theym that wolde serue hym specially in maydenhode and chastyte of lyuynge Thys Bonauentura as it is rehersyd after was alwaye full honeste in her maner of lyuyng bothe in worde and dede But by cause that she besyed her to drawe her suster to wordly thynges the whiche desyred to serue our lorde specyally She was smyten of hym and punysshed wyth a full sharpe deth Neuerthelesse our lord yet wrought full mercyably wyth hyr for as it was shewed afterward by reuelacyon to thys holy mayde she was in purgatory and suffred many greuous paynes And by the prayers of hir she was delyuered of payne and restored to blysse as she shewed afterward preuely to hyr confessour ¶ Whanne hyr suster Bonauenture was passyd out of thys worlde thanne thys blessyd mayde Katheryn clerely perceyued the vanyte of thys worlde and be ganne more feruentely and more gredylye trewely for to be torned to the louely ghostly clyppyng of hyr endeles spouse Jhesu cryste claymyng and accusynge hyr self gylty wyth Marye magdalene fallyng doune full streyte to the fete of oure lorde plenteuously shedyng out terys axynge Inwardly hys mercy praynge and thynkyng vncessably for hyr synnes that she myght deserue to hyr wyth Marye magdalene the wordes of confort of our lorde as he sayde to Marye thus ¶ Remittūtur tibi peccata tua ¶ That is to saye doughter thy synnes by foryeue the. And so she beganne to haue a synguler affeccyon to Mary magdalene For thanne in that tyme she enforsed hyrself wyth alle hyr myghtys to conferme hyr to Marye magdalene to haue the more grace in forgyuenes of hyr synnes Therfore afterward by encrece of deuocyon thys folow therof that our lord god the spouse of holy sowles and hys blessyd moder our lady Saynt Marye gaue Mary magdalene to thys blyssyd mayde in to a maystresse and to a moder as it shall be declared more openly wyth Inne forth by the helpe of Jhesu ¶ After thys the fende enemye to alle mankynde sorowyng that thus his pray was wythdrawe and delyuerd alle hole from hys power the whyche be lytell and lytell enforced to drawe it to hym And also consyderynge that thys holy mayde encreced more and more to renne quyckely to the tabernacle of mercy of hyr spouse Jhesu He thought felly and wylely to lette hyr of hyr ghostly purpose by the meyne of hyr faders howsholde besyeng hym by aduercytees and persecucyons to drawe hyr holy to the worlde that she sholde not be occupyed in suche ghostly excercyse puttyng in to the the mynde of hir fader and moder and also hyr brethern that in alle wyse she sholde be wedded That they myght so by hyr mene purchace somme manere of kynrede aboute thys besynesse the fende enduced hem so hyely that in asmoche as one of hyr doughters was passyd out of thys world they sholde be aboute to recouer the harme of hyr that was dede by hyr that was a lyue So ferforth that they were aboute to seke an husbonde for thys holy mayde ¶ Whan thys mayde perceyued and consydered the wyles of hyr ghostly enemye by Inspyracyon of our lord Jhesu A none myghtely and besyly she contynued in prayer and medytacyon and excercyses of penaunce to haue grace to flee the conuersacyon of men and soo shewed by open tokenys to hyr frendes that in noo wyse she was in purpose to be wedded to no dedely ne corruptyble spouse Syth it so is and was that she had taken so gracyously to hyr spouse in hir yonge tender age the vndedely kyng of endeles blysse Whanne the fader and moder kynne perceyued veryly that thys holy may de shewed perseueraūtly bothe by tokens and by worde that she wylled neuer to be wedded to none erthely man they thought to bowe hyr herte by a nother mene for to consente to theyr purpose They callyd to them a frende of therys a frere prechour the whyche they loued specyally and prayed hym entyrly that he wolde goo and counseyll that holy mayde that she sholde consente to there wylle To whome the frere answerde and sayde he wolde do that he myght But whan he came to thys mayde by communycacyon he founde hyr so stedfast in the purpose of maydenhode that by conscience he was so enduced to gyue hyr holsum counseylle and sayde Syth it is so that thou arte dysposed to serue our lorde god in maydenhede ageynst whyche purpose thy frendes ben aboute to lette the. Shewe the stedfastnesse of thyn holy purpose and cutte a waye alle thyn here of thy hede peraduenture they wold cesse of there pursuyte As soone as thys blessyd mayde herdethys hys counseyll she wrought there after as though she hadde I herde it of god And took a peyre of sherys anone and cutte awaye hir herys in the whiche she supposed she had synned greuously and that that she hated so moche she cutte it awaye ryght gladly fast by the he de And whanne she had I do she couerd hyr hede wyth a Coyf and so wente forthe alle ageynst the comyn custome of other maydens of the worlde wyth a kerchyf on hyr hede after the doctryne of saynt Powle And whan hyr moder Lapa aspyed thys that hyr doughter Katheryn vsed thus to couer hyr hede customably She asked hyr why she

her to suffre pacyently and gladly the seke wommans rebukynge ¶ And yet ferthermore to this dede off charyte was knytte wythouten ony doughte sekernesse of clere faythe By the whiche faythe she behelde euer her spouse Jhesu in her sowle as ofte as she mynystred to that woman ¶ And yet neuertheles she failed none hope by the whiche she contynued to the laste ende in her holy mynystracyon After alle thyse hooly company of vertues folowed an open myracle in clensyng of that lepre by the dethe of this poure woman the whiche she toke by her mynystracyon This is a gracious myracle and a merueylous yet sholde ye see and here a more merueylous thinge that folowed yf ye lysten here it besely In the same Cyte of Gene there was a susters of penaunce of Saynt Domynyk seke that whiche was called after the maner of speche ī the coūtre Palmaria the suster Palmaria was so gretely styred to hate by excytacion of the fende agaynst this holy mayde katheryn that as ofte as euer she sawe her or herd herd her speke or herd speke of her she was hyghely troubylyd in her sowle soo ferforth that she shewed alle the tokenes of malyce agaynste her bothe in ba●bytyng of her pryuyly and openly also in cursyng Assone as the holy maide perceyued this she shewed to her alle maner of myldenes and mekenes for to pees her in that that she coude but alway her seke suster despysed all her mekenesse to the vtterest and sette none pryce bi her Thenne this holy mayde ranne by prayer wyth a feruent deuote herte to our lorde Ihesu her spouse prayeng to hym specyally for her seke suster that he wold vouchesauf to gyue her grace of forgyuenes the prayers were as a brennyng fyre ascendynge vp to our lorde askyng of him bothe mercy dome all bee it that the entent of this holy mayde was nothyng ellys but for to aske mercy for her and no ne dome yet it was lykyng to our lorde for that tyme not for to gyue hys mercy wythout dome there shewed oure lorde hys grete dome but yf byrrayers of this holy mayde He shewed a more gretter mercy he smote mercyably to that suster Palmarya in her body that her soule shol be made hole but what hardynes of obstinacion was in that seke suster And what swetenes of charyte there agaynst was in his spouse katheryne It was clerely shewed afterward by ryghtwysdom euermore he encresyng in this holy mayde katheryn the loue of sowles by shewyng of a wonderfull fayrnes of that susters soule the whiche was fyrst by the ryght wysdome of hym I demed to bee dampned for her obs●ynacie but merytes and prayers of this hooly mayde it was afterward saued Whan our lorde hadde smyte that suster palmarya in her body by bodely sekenes to that entent onely that her soule shold be more hole yet wolde she not sece of her malycyous hate that she shewed wythout cause to this holy mayde But rather was more greuoꝰ to her after her sekenes thenne she was in her he le The more froward she was to the holy mayde the more mekenes she she wed agayn to her and wold ofte tymes full charytably be wyth her and do her seruyce both wyth louyng wordes and dedes ¶ Yet was that seke suster harder thenne ony stone agaynste her that neyther by charytable wordes ne dedes ne seruyces she wolde not be pesed but euer was grutchyng vpon her soo ferforth that she bad her goo out of the hous that she was inne wyth a wood violent spyryt This consyderyd our lord that rightwis iuge he leyde his honde of ryghtwysnes vpon that enmye of charyte and touched her soo Soo sodenly that bothe wythout shryfte and housell she drewe faste to the deth of body and sowle Whan this holy may herd her of Anone she went to her chamber and bysoughte our lord by deuout prayer for that soule lest it sholde peryche by occasyon of her Suche wordes she seyde to oure lorde in her sowle in tyme of her prayer as afterward she was be knowe to her confessour Lord whyder I wretche am I bore to the ende by occasyon of me soules I made lyke to that shold be put to endeles peynel ● wylt thou suffer lord that by occasyon of endeles dāpnacion to myn suster to whom I sholde be an instrument of euerlastynge helthe A myn good lord put awaye suche an orybyll dome sor the multytude of thyn grete mercy It had be better I had neuer be borne than soulis I bought by precyous blod shold for me be dampned O lorde be thyse thyne byhestes the whiche thou behotest me by thy large mercy I sholde be profytable to the sowle he le off myn neyghbours be thyse the fruytes of helthe that I sholde brynge forth for that myn suster sholde be dampned and none douwte mynsynne is cause therof and of her payne For other fruyte brynge I not forth but synne alone But yet shall I not cese to aske mercy vnto the tyme I haue somme comforte of myn susters sauacion in this wyse this hooly mayde prayed more in sowle thenne in worde outward and for that she shold haue the more compassyō of her susters sowle our lord shewed her in the mischefs perile that her susters sowle was inne comered and wythinne that syght oure lorde answerd her and sayde that he myght not suffer it of his ryghtwysnes but that suche a malycious hate and an obstynate must nedes be punysshed Thenne the holy maide fell doune a fore oure lord in prayer and sayde Lord I shall go neuer out of this place in to the tyme thou hast shewed methy mercy for my suster punisshe me lorde for her synne for I that am cause of her trespaas shold bee punisshed and not she therfore merciable lord I beseche the for thy grete mercy and thyn endeles godenes that thou suffer not myn susters sowle goo out of her body in to the tyme that she haue receyued that grace thy merci ¶ Loo maydens that prayer was off grete strengthe that her suster soule myghte not passe out of the body vnto the tyme oure lorde shewed his plentuous mercy in her notwythstondynge the seke woman lay adrawyng on thre dayes and thre nyghtes soo that many folke that knewe her merueylled and sorowed for her that she suffred soo longe a peyne yet in all that tyme this holy mayde continued in her deuout prayer neuer cesing vnto the tyme she hadde ouercome in maner of our lord by meke teres Then●e our lorde by her deuout prayers graciously sent his mercy vnto that sowle and gaue her clere knowyng to knowe her trespas and also gaue her suffycient contrycion to helthe of her sowle Assone as this holy mayde perceyued that by reuelacion that she hadde suche a grace she wente to the seke susters chamber for to comforte her And whan the seke suster sawe this hooly mayde she dyde her reuerence wyth grete ioye as

greate contrycion he passyd out of thys worlde to our lord Ihesu cryste ¶ O fader of endeles mercy how mercy able ben thy werkes and how profounde ben thyn prouydence whos gracyous werk is ben vnscrutable vnto man thou suffredest that man to be hardyd in hys synnes vnto the laste ende femyng that thou haddest none torce of hym But yet at the laste thou prouydest for his helthe thin seruaunt came to hym for to stere hym to grace And yet al her coūseylles myght not auayle to the meke prayers of thy meke mayde thou condescendyst mekely and mercyabyly And who gaue her that boldenes of herte but thou who gaue her fyre of compassyon in herte for her brother but thou who gaue her the meke teres that bowed to thy mercy tre wely none but thou Thou aryssydyst vp to thy spouse that she sholde bowe the to her Lord thyse ben thy werkes that gloryfyest thyn saintes What is he that wyll not be coplued to the in loue seyng thy mercy soo plentuous ▪ Loo maydens what mercy our lorde shewed for meke teres yet shall I telle you a merueylous myracle ¶ It befyll also another tyme in the same Cyte of Seene that there were two famous thefes and ryght peryllous the whiche were take and brought byfore a temporall Juge for to bee dampned to the payne for the mysdedes and soo thei were put to a cruell tourmente that was called the tourmente of the hote yron and that was in this wyse They were put in a Carte and tourmentours were redy wyth hote yrous for to breune them now in one place now in another of her body And therto the thefes were soo obstynat that neyther in pryson ne out of pryson there myght none creature stere them to be shryue take penaunce for her trespaas And as they were ledde by the cyte for to make other aferd they blasphemed god all his saintis and specyally whan they felte brennynge they cursed the magnyfycence of our lorde soo as it semed by thei payne of that temperall fyre that the drewe faste to the endeles fyre Thenne oure lorde Ihesu of his endeles goodnes the whiche wold none body were dampned but all saued he thought he wolde lete tho wretched sowlis by medyacion of his spouse katheryn out of dampnacion soo that by the ordenaunce of hym that this hooly mayde for her more quyete was that same daye in her felawes hous whom she loued vertuously the whiche was Alixa whos hous stood by the same waye where that this dampned wretches shold passe by Sondenly on the morowe Alyxa herde a merueylous voyce comyng by her hous wyth that she loked out of the wyndowe and sawe all a fyre two men the whiche were dampned to the hote yrens thenne she wente in agayne tolde this holy mayde and sayde O yren Whan this holy mayde herde this she wente to the wyndowe and loked and tourned in agayn to her prayers she sawe as she sayde afterward to mayster Reymound her confes sour a grete multytude of wycked spirytes aboute theym that brennyd her sowles wythin moche more than the tourmentours dyde the body wythout And therfore she was stered with double compassyon for to praye for them to our lord for to helpe the wretched sowles out of payne seyeng thus Ha ha mekest lord Ihesu why settest thou soo lytyl by thy creatures whom thou madest to thyn lykenesse And boughtest wyth thy precious blood that aboue all her bodely torment thou suffrest theym to be cruelly tormentyd of spyrytes wythinforth in her sowles whan thou illumynyst soo graciously that theef that henge on the ryght syde al be it that he toke his tourment of the crosse wurthely as he hadde deserued that he knowleched the very god and mā in all his tourmente where in the appostles were in doubte wherfore he deserued for to here thyn blessyd voyce whan thou saydest thus Hodie mecum eris in paradiso That is ▪ to daye thou shalt be wyth me in paradyse why dedyst thou this lorde ▪ trewely for nothynge ellys but for thou woldest graunte forgyfnes to suche as were lyke to hym thou despysyd not mary magdalene that grete synner but thou drewest her to the graciously Thou puttest not fro the puplycane ne the woman of Cananye ne the prince of pupplycanis zacher But rather thou calledest theym to the therfore by all thy mercies I beseche the that thou helpe mercyabyly the soules of the synners that been now lad to tourment Thenne oure lorde bowed his mercy to the wretches graūt this holy maide suche gra●e that she wente wyth theym in spyryte wepyng and weylyng for to stere theym the sonner to repentaunce whan the fendes sawe that they cryed alowde vppon her and sayde katheryne but yf thou wylt leue of thyn ghostely besynes in prayng for thyse mē we sholde soo werke agaynste the that thou shalt trauayle wyth a wycked spyryte To whom she answerd again what that that god wyll I wyll and therfore I shal not leue of that I haue bygonne whan thyse wretches were outward att the gates of the Cyte our lord Ihesu cryst appyred to theym wyth his blyssyd blody woundes steryng theym to be tournyd therto byhete theym forgyfnes and soo they been of dyuyne light entryd in to her hertes and they asked apreste wyth grete instaunce for to beshryue and after tyme they were shryuen They turnyd there blasphemynge in to praysyng of our lord euer accusyng theym selfe seyeng that they were wurthy tho paynes and more gretter paynes and soo wyth grete gladnes they went to her deth as they hadde gon to a grete feste This consyderyd all tho that stode about merueylyng gretely of that changynge perceyuyng euermore in grete deuociō of the tourmētours that they durst nomore brenne thē where they thanked our lord of his grete mercy For there was none that knewe how and in what wise and bi whos prayers this mercy was gyuen ¶ Neuertheles a deuout preste the whiche her confessour commaund afterward wyth this holy maydes confessour merueylynge of the grete mercy of god that so soone tourned theym to grace Then̄e her confessour asked afterward Alixa this holy maydes felawe how thys holy mayde was occupyed whan the man were ledde to the deth Thenne Alixa tolde hym all the processe as it is sayd afore he founde well by record of her that the same hour katherin lefte her prayer tho mē dyed and passed out of thys world the whiche he knewe more perfyghtly afterward bi preuy reuelacion of the same holy mayde ¶ After yet certen dayes after they were passey some of her felawes herd her saye wyth a full voyce in time of her prayer thyse wordes lord Ihesu I thanke the that thou hast delyuerd theym out of the second prisō it was asked her afterward what she ment therby She sayd that the sowles of the theefes ben restored to paradyse For albe it they went to purgatory after tyme they passed yet