page 257
HOW A CERTAIN CLERK DEVOTED TO THE VIRGIN MARY INVOKED THE DEVIL BY NECROMANCY, THAT HE MIGHT GAIN A BRIDE THEREBY
THE Devil, that is our Enemy, doth ever wage great war upon them that love and serve Our Lady Mary, seeking what he may do to tempt them from her service, for he knoweth that all her children are his foes; and especially will he lead them if he can to choose another and an earthly mistress, that shall turn from love celestial to the enjoyment of this world's love, for by this he gains great power over their souls.
There was a certain young clerk that served in the cathedral-church of his town; and he was a pious and a gentle youth, having his heart filled with a pure and fervent love for God and Our Lady, so that he served them gladly and as well as he could. His bishop cherished him as a father might do, for he judged him to be a child of God; and he taught him much scholarship, and would keep him ever at his side. And the young man, because of the great love he had for things
page 258
divine, hated the world, and longed only for the time when he might be hallowed priest. Furthermore, he was diligent at his prayers, saying each day with exceeding fervour the Hours of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Now this was a matter greatly vexing to Sathan, who is the foe of all that Lady's friends: and seeing how that this young clerk increased in virtue and religion, he was jealous to turn him from it and steal his soul from God. Therefore he entered into his heart, one day as he was at Vespers in the choir, and caused him to look upon a certain maiden of the congregation that was very fair of face: and the young man, when he saw her, was suddenly filled with a great passion of love, so that forgetting all else he most ardently desired her for his wife. Then did he do great battle with himself, for he knew that his life was promised to God and to the Church, and that all worldly love for him was but a sin; moreover, he was very poor, and dared not ask this lady of her parents, the which were wealthy folk and pious, and were minded to give their daughter to a nunnery that there she might pray for them all her days.
But he could not overcome his desire, for the Enemy was always at his side to tempt him with thoughts of it, so that he had no more peace nor any joy in the service of God; and at last a day came when he might bear it no more, being indeed ready to die of grief and anguish because he might neither have the
page 259
maiden whom he loved nor find anything to heal his pain. Then, because he knew not that what else to do, Sathan put it into this young man's heart that he should have recourse to a certain sorcerer, that lived in that city, an heathen man that was a friend of the detested Evil One, that he might have of him a love-philtre or other villainy. To him did he go; and when he was come into his house, he saith to him:
"Messire, it is said that you are greatly learned in the magic arts. If this be true, conjure for me, I pray you, the devil by whom you do your works, that he may help me gain my mistress' love. If this you will do, it shall profit you well; for I will give you all the gold that I possess."
Said the sorcerer: "My friend, I am not able to do this of myself, for the devil that serves me has not power for it. If this you indeed desire, you must put yourself in the hands of his master and mine, the Prince of Hell; and if you please him and do his will, very surely he will give you that which you crave."
Saith the clerk: " What would he have me to do?"
Answered the sorcerer: "It is needful that you do abjure in writing the service of Jesu Christ your God."
That poor youth replied: "I will do it, if thereby I may have my sweetheart's love."
Then said the wizard: "If indeed you are
page 260
ready to do this, I will help you all I may, and first I will dictate the letter that you must carry to the prince of Hell."
Then did he dictate to him a letter in this manner: "Most puissant Prince and Lord of Evil! Whereas it is our bounden duty to give to the God that did make and redeem us our love and all our works, nevertheless, I do altogether deny Him and also the Christian religion, and seek of my own will to be made of your company. And I do humbly entreat, that you will accept this my service, and in recompense thereof will smite the maiden whom I desire with the pangs of love, that I may have her to be my friend. If this you will do, then am I your man for evermore to serve and to obey you."
Then when this letter was writ and engrossed, the sorcerer warned the young man, saying: "You must go at a certain hour of the night, and stand upon the heathen stone that is beyond the gates, and hold this parchment in the air. Then one will come who shall lead you into the presence of Sathan, that there you may give it into his hands. And have no fear, for thus you will get all your desire."
Then did that unfortunate receive the parchment right eagerly, and he carried it in the night to the place that was ordained him; and there, standing on the stone where heathen men had aforetime sacrificed to Sathan, he most heartily invoked the Prince of Darkness and asked him for his help. And behold, when he
page 261
had so done a little while, came an evil spirit, the which, perceiving him to be altogether led astray and ripe for deeds of sin, took him with much joy and brought him to the place where Sathan was, where he sat enthroned above the sun with the company of the wicked all about him.
And when he had received the letter of the sorcerer, the Prince of the Powers of the Air saith to this young man, "Credis in me?"
Replied the poor clerk, "Credo."
The Devil then saith to him, "This is well; nevertheless, it does not content me, for I have great knowledge of you Christians, how that very often you repudiate your debts and evade your obligation. For you come to me when you would have my help in your iniquities, but when all is done, and you must pay me the price of your sin, you deny me altogether, and flee for help to my enemy Christ: Who, because He is both patient and merciful, doth forgive and receive you, and keeps you from my power. Therefore, before I help you, you must deny the God in Trinity, in Whose Name you were baptized, and also His Virgin Mother Mary, giving yourself wholly into my hands. For I would have you by my side at Judgment Day, that we may taste together the eternal torments that are prepared for me."
Said the clerk, "I cannot deny my sweet Lady, the Blessed Virgin, for she hath shown me much kindliness, and therefore must I use her courteously; but all else will I do as you desire."
page 262
Then right solemnly did that unfortunate abjure his Holy Baptism in the name of Father, Son and Holy Ghost; and lo! when he did deny the Holy Spirit, a white dove came from out his mouth and flew away into highest heaven. And the young man saw it with dread and amazement; nevertheless he repented not but persevered to the end. And when he had done, Sathan saith to him:
"I am content; but be not too sure that you shall have your will of your sweetheart, for that Lady whom you will not deny is a strong saint and dangerous, and she will work against it if she can."
Then did the Prince of Evil send a fiend exceeding subtle, the which entered into the heart of that maiden, and laboured greatly to imprint upon her mind the image of the young clerk that desired her. And so much did he tempt her, and so continually, that at last, altogether forgetting the religious life for which she was intended, she became inflamed with ardent love for this young man; the which wrought in her so powerfully that she could not conceal it, but came and threw herself upon the ground before her father, saying:
" Miserere mei, miserere! for I suffer torments of love for a certain young clerk that sings in the cathedral choir. Alas! father, will you not have pity on me and join me to him? Verily, if you do not, in a very little while you will see me dead of love, the which you must justify before God at the Doom.
page 263
Dear father, have pity on your flesh and blood that suffers so great pain, and deny me not my heart's desire !"
Her father said to her with tears, " 'Heu mihi peccatori!' What has befallen my un- happy child? Who has robbed me of my treasure? It is known of all that I had devoted you to a celestial marriage, namely, to be a bride of Jesu Christ, that you might be of the household of the angels, and with them rejoice in the perfect love of God. But now you are inflamed with earthly passions, and desire the love of man, the which is a poor and transitory thing. Nevertheless, if husband you must have, I will find you a better one than this young man, for he has neither nobility nor wealth; therefore have patience."
But the maiden persevered in her demand, saying, "Nay, father, no husband will I have but this, and no habit will take but the wedding garment. Neither can I wait, for I suffer great torments; therefore give me what I ask, for if you will not I shall surely die."
Then was the poor father full of sorrow. "For," said he, "if I do this thing I break my contract with God, and my daughter's soul will go down into the pit." And he took counsel with his friends what were best to be done. These said to him that it were better to do the will of the maiden than incite her to seek death, the which were surely a great crime displeasing to God and His Saints. Therefore at last he went to the bishop and told him his
page 264
daughter's grief, and asked of him that he would release his clerk from orders, that they might be wed, for no other remedy could he see. The bishop was greatly vexed at it, for much better had he loved that this clerk whom he had cherished should wed his Heavenly Mistress than take to himself a wife according to the world: and he called the young man to him and questioned him straitly, admonishing him that he should think well on the discourtesy he did to God, Saint Mary, and the Church. But nought that he could say might move him, so that at last he was forced to consent to the marriage lest worse befall; and the young clerk was exceeding glad, remembering not the price that he must pay to the Devil for his joy, nor how that God was no longer with him, because he had denied His Name.
Now when the day of the wedding was come, came the young clerk and his friends, and also the maiden and her parents, to the cathedral-church for the saying of the Nuptial Mass. And whiles the said Mass went forward, it came of a sudden into the mind of the bridegroom how that he had long neglected to say the Hours of the Blessed Virgin, the which in the time of his innocence he had been accustomed to recite each day. Therefore he began them forthwith, and said them to the end of Sext: but even as he began the Hour of None the Mass was ended, and the priest having come to the dismissal, it was convenient that he should go home with his bride and the guests. Never
page 265
theless, he was not content to leave this Hour unsaid, for now he remembered that Our Lady was all the friend he had, because he had abjured Our Lord her Son; for the which reason he stood in great need of her grace.
Therefore, when the time came that the wedding guests should wash their hands in preparation for the feast, he made his excuses, begging that they would tarry a little, for he stayed not long away; and he returned back into the church full hastily, and there kneeled down before her altar, and began to say the Hour of None with great devotion. But the words of this Office filled him with dread, for they showed him the peril in which he stood, saying, "Nisi Dominus aedificaverit domum, invanum laboraverunt qui aedificant eam.' And again, " Beati omnes, qui timent Dominum ; qui ambulant in viis ejus. "
And pondering on these matters he fell into a deep sleep; and when so he lay, behold! the Virgin Mary appeared to him, in the likeness of a right fair lady: and she asked him if he knew her, whom she was.
Said the bridegroom, "Nay, lady, I know you not."
"I am," said she, "that Mary of whom you have just said the Hour of None. But greatly am I vexed against you, for once you were devoted to my service and that of my Son: but Him have you abjured for Sathan, for the which you will be very surely damned, and me, though you denied me not, you have yet left
page 266
for another woman, to whom you have given all your love."
When the young clerk heard these words, he was filled with a very fervent sorrow for all the evil he had done; and he fell down at the feet of the glorious Virgin, and wept bitterly, and begged her grace. But she said:
"Touch me not: if you would have comfort, go ask it of your new wife whom you have taken in my stead, for I am your sweetheart no more."
"Alas, sweet Lady!" said that poor bridegroom. "Turn not from me altogether, for indeed I am in sorry case: and a heavy darkness is upon me, in that now I know I have lost the love of God. I pray you aid and counsel me before it be too late, for I have not yet completed this marriage, for the which I have emperilled my soul. And I would have you remember, my very dear Mistress and Queen, that I denied you not, even though I abjured Almighty God, for I have ever loved you exceeding well. Yea, so greatly do I love you, that even now if you demand it I am ready to leave my bride forthwith, and have no other wife but you."
Said the most holy Virgin, "If this you will do, I will aid you openly and be your Bride for evermore: but first you must make your peace with God, that you may be saved from the Enemy in Hell, for now His Spirit is no longer with you, and without it no man can have my love. Go therefore to your bishop
page 267
and make confession of your sin, and faithfully perform the penance wherewith he shall charge you. I, meanwhile, will go to Paradise, there to intercede for you before my Son, that He may bring you safely out of Sathan's hand."
Then the Queen of Angels vanished away, and at once the young clerk awoke from his slumber; and he rose up, being full of awe, and thinking no longer of his bride nor of the marriage feast. And he went straitway to the bishop, and kneeling down before him very humbly he accused himself of mortal sin, telling him all his fault how that he had trafficked with the Prince of Evil for his bride, abjuring God that he might have his will, and how the Blessed Virgin had rebuked him. And he entreated the bishop very fervently with tears and supplications, that he would release him from this marriage and save him from the Devil if he could ; for now he knew his wickedness and was very sorry for it.
Then was the bishop full of joy, seeing his contrition; and forthwith he absolved him from his marriage and gave back the maiden to her father, that she might serve God in the religious life. But he had great dread because of the vows that the young clerk had made to Sathan, by the which the Holy Ghost had been driven from his soul; and he said to him that an exceeding bitter penance he must bear if he would overcome the power of the Enemy and have God's forgiveness of this deadly
page 268
sin. But the young man, being full of fear and repentance, was minded to do everything that was needful for Our Lady had put a great contrition into his heart. Therefore the bishop did bring him to a very solitary place, where a cave was wherein an holy hermit had once dwelt, by whose presence that spot had been so greatly sanctified that no foul spirit could come near it.
And being come within this cave, the bishop saith to him, "My son, here must you stay three days and three nights, in honour of the Holy Trinity Whom you denied, fasting continually and beseeching God's grace. And I also will pray for you all I can to Our Lord and Our Lady, that you may have their pity and their love."
Then the bishop went a little way off, and made orison to God, entreating Him most ardently for this poor child that stood in such evil case, that his penitence might be accepted and his soul released from Sathan's power. And when the first day was at an end, he came back to the young man, that kneeled before the door of the cave; and he saith to him:
"My son, have you seen aught?"
Replied the penitent, "Yea, I saw a dove in highest heaven, that stayed above my head."
The bishop saith to him, "Wait patiently, and pray most earnestly to God."
And when the second day was done, again the bishop came and questioned him, saying:
"Have you seen aught to-day?"
page 269
The young man saith, "I saw the dove, that came and hovered close about my head."
Then the bishop exhorted him, saying: "Watch and pray without ceasing, for God is very near." And he went away, but the third day being done, he came to him again in the evening, and said once more:
"Have you seen aught?"
Then the young man fell down upon the earth before him, and cried, saying : " My father, let us give thanks to Almighty God, for I have seen a great mercy this day. For the dove did come, and stayed above my head a long while, and I put out my hand to take it; and behold! when I had so done, straitway it entered into my mouth, and I had great joy, for I know that the Holy Spirit is with me."
Then the bishop gave thanks with exceeding fervour, praising God and Saint Mary, and saying: "Behold, my son, God has accepted your repentance at His Mother's prayers, wherefore you are delivered out of the power of Hell. See to it, therefore, that you serve that Lady and her Son in holiness and chastity forthwith, that the Blessed Spirit you have this day received be ever with you, to help you in your devoir and make you acceptable in their sight."
This did that clerk most willingly do; and forsaking the world he was hallowed priest, and his life was greatly pleasing unto God. And history saith, that when he lay upon his bed to die, the Virgin Mary was seen visibly who came to his passing ; and she stood at the head of his
page 270
bed. And at the moment when his breath did leave him, that pitiful Lady took from his mouth a white dove, the which she received and cherished very sweetly. And she laid it in her breast; and forthwith departing from that place, she carried it with her to Paradise.
