Julian at Prayer: A Lambeth Palace Manuscript

JULIAN OF NORWICH, HER SHOWING OF LOVE AND ITS CONTEXTS ©1997-2024 JULIA BOLTON HOLLOWAY || JULIAN OF NORWICH || SHOWING OF LOVE || HER TEXTS || HER SELF || ABOUT HER TEXTS || BEFORE JULIAN || HER CONTEMPORARIES || AFTER JULIAN || JULIAN IN OUR TIME || ST BIRGITTA OF SWEDEN || BIBLE AND WOMEN || EQUALLY IN GOD'S IMAGE || MIRROR OF SAINTS || BENEDICTINISM || THE CLOISTER || ITS SCRIPTORIUM || AMHERST MANUSCRIPT || PRAYER || CATALOGUE AND PORTFOLIO (HANDCRAFTS, BOOKS ) || BOOK REVIEWS || BIBLIOGRAPHY ||

JULIAN AT PRAYER

A LAMBETH PALACE MANUSCRIPT

here have been many books on 'Praying with Julian'. Here we may have her prayers, rather than ours. They are rather like the later Carmelite Brother Lawrence's sense of practising the presence of God.

These prayers are in a collection in a Lambeth Palace Manuscript that was originally taken by Syon Abbey into exile to Dendermonde, 1539-1557, under King Henry VIII. Today, it is Lambeth Palace 3600 (L), with English rubrics and Latin and English contemplative prayers at folios 59v-66v.

Its English contemplative prayers echo Julian's own contemplative theology in numerous ways. Indeed, Syon Abbey nuns at this period and later in exile loved, carefully preserved and copied out Julian's text. The scribe, writing in brown ink, has a squarish hand and dots her ys like is to distinguish them for her thorns. The writing is similar to that in the Norwich Castle Manuscript .

[Folio 59 verso]

{ Haue euer thyn yei up
on the person of criste
beholdyng hym as god
and man. And festenn thy spyrituall syght
more upon hys god
hed than upon hys
manhed consyderyng

[L60]
how by hys mageste and allmyghty
power all thyng ys browght
forthe and hath beyng
as of a fatherly begyn
nyng. By his endles
wysdom all thyngys
are gouerned. by hys
ynfynyte gudnes all
thyngys ys kepte and
after hys godly ordy=
nance Behold also
how by hys wysdom
yn the crosse he hath
distroyed deth and all the
Power of the devyll.
And geuyn us power
by the vertue of hys
Passyon. yn the same
crosse yf we wyll abyll
oure selfe thertoo. for
to ouercome all our gost
ly enemyes. Say them
as present yn hys syght.
in the worshyp
of hys fiue wounds :

[Keep your gaze on Christ, seeing him as God and as man. And fasten your spiritual sight more upon his Godhead than upon his manhood, considering how by his majesty and almighty power everything is brought forth and given being as born of a father. By his endless wisdom all things are governed, by his infinite goodness all things are kept, and after his goodly ordering. See also how by his wisdom on the Cross he has destroyed death and all the power of the devil. And that he has given us power by virtue of his Passion in the same Cross if we will turn ourselves to it, to overcome all our spiritual enemies. See them as present in his sight, in the worship of his five wounds.]

[L60v]

{ood Lord I apeer

here afore the as

a poore wrechyd beg=

ger. Afore on of grett

ryches and superabu=

dant tresure. besechyng

the to make me pertey=

ner of the most pre=

cyous tresure and ryches

of thy marcy & grace.

[Good Lord, I appear before you as a wretched beggar, before one of great riches and superabundant treasure, beseeching you to make me partner of the most precious treasure and riches of your mercy and grace.]

[L62]

{ gud lord I am

here afore the as a servant

afore hys Lorde desyryng

to be fedde wyth the

most holsome fode.

[L62v]
of thy precious body
of flesche. blode and bone.
That is to say swete
iesu for thy grett gud=
nes mercy and grace
make me perteyner
spyrytually of the pro=
fytabull and frutfull
effectys and gracys of
that most honorabul
Sacrament of thy
moste precyous body
and blode. whych is
dayly offeryd yn thy

[L63]
chyrche. In the honore
of thee. and thy bles=
syd moder & virgine.
with all thy holly
seyntys. for the syn=
nys and offensys of
all synners that be a
lyue yn this worlde
and for the dilyuerance
quyetude. and reste
of all feythfull sow=
lys that ly yn the pry=
son of paynfull pur=
gatory. And also gyue

[L63v]
me gode lorde the profytable garment
of charyte. that hy=
dyth and coueruth the multitude of synnys.

[O good Lord, I am here before you as a servant before his Lord, desiring to be fed with the most wholesome food of your precious body of flesh, blood and bone. That is to say, sweet Jesus, for your great goodness, mercy and grace, make me partner spiritually of the profitable and fruitful effects and graces of that most honourable Sacrament of your most precious body and blood, which is daily offered in your Church. In honour of you and your blessed Mother and Virgin, with all your holy Saints, for the sins and offenses of all sinner that are living in this world, and for the deliverance, quietude and rest of all faithful souls that lie in painful purgatory. And also give me, good Lord, the profitable garment of charity that hides and covers a multitude of sins.

[L64]

{ercyfull iesu I

knele here afore

the as a gylty thefe a

fore hys ferfull iuge

mekely prayyng the

to be a mylde and mer=

[L64v]
cyfull Iuge unto me yn
the moste ferfull howre
of deth. When my wret=
chyd sowle schall depart.

[Merciful Jesus, I kneel here before you as a guilty thief before his fearful Judge, meekly praying you to be a mild and merciful Judge to me in the most fearful hour of death, when my wretched soul shall depart.]

[L65]

{o I am here afore

the my lord god

as on frend to myn

power afore a nother

desyring that thy yn

fynyte charite may

drawe me on to the.

And so to one and

knytte me to thy loue

that I neuer be depart

yd no separat fro the.

[See, I am here before the Lord my God as one friend [can't understand this part] before another, desiring that your infinite charity may draw me to you. And so to One and so knit me to your love that I may never be departed nor separated from you.]

[L66]

{ my Lord god. I

am here a fore

the as a chyld. a chyld

afore hys father. be=

sechyng the of thy fa=

therly grett gudnes

marcy and grace to

make me partyner

of thy fatherly ynhe=

rytance yn the heuen=

ly ioy and blysse that

neuer shall haue end. Amen.

[O my Lord God, I am here before you as a child, like a child before his father, beseeching you of your great fatherly goodness, mercy and grace to make me partner of your fatherly inheritance in the heavenly joy and bliss that shall never have end. Amen.

[L66v]

{ehold then oure la

dy as present and glo

ryfied in the sight of

hyr sonne. make hyr

mediatryce and meane

for the all mankynde.

[Behold then, Our Lady , as present and glorified in the sight of her Son. Make her mediator and instrument of salvation for all humankind.]

Translation into Italian:

Mio Signore, sono davanti a te come una misera mendicante, davanti a colui che abbonda di richezze e tesori, pregandoti di farmi partecipe dei preziosissimi tesori e delle richezze infinite della tua misericordia e grazia.

Oh buon Gesù, sono davanti a te come una serva davanti al suo Signore, che anela di esser nutrita con il cibo che più ristora, il tuo preziosissimo corpo di carne, di sangue e di ossa. Dolce Gesù, per la tua grande bontà, misericordia e grazia, coinvolgimi spiritualmente per godere degli effetti fruttuosi e delle grazie di tale santissimo sacramento del preziosissimo corpo e sangue tuo, che quotidianemente è offerto nella tua Chiesa. In tuo onore e della tua benedetta Vergine Madre, con tutti i tuoi santi, per le offese di tutti i peccatori che vivono in questo mondo, e per la liberazione, pace e riposo di tutte le anime fedeli che sono nelle carceri e nelle pene del Purgatorio. E concedimi, mio Signore, il mantello della carità che nasconde e copre una moltitudine di peccati.

Gesù misericordioso, mi inginocchio davanti a te come un ladro colpevole davanti al suo spietato giudice, pregandoti umilmente di essere un giudice mite e misericordioso nell'ora spaventosa della morte, quando la mia misera anima lascerà il corpo.

Ecco, sono davanti al Signore mio Dio come una amica davanti a un amico, desiderando che la tua carità infinita possa attrarmi a te. E così congiungermi e legarmi al tuo amore affinchè mai io possa allontanarmi o separarmi da te.

Indices to Umiltà Website's Essays on Julian:

Preface
Influences on Julian
Her Self
Her Contemporaries
Her Manuscript Texts ♫ with recorded readings of them
About Her Manuscript Texts
After Julian, Her Editors
Julian in our Day

Publications related to Julian:

Saint Bride and Her Book: Birgitta of Sweden's Revelations Translated from Latin and Middle English with Introduction, Notes and Interpretative Essay. Focus Library of Medieval Women. Series Editor, Jane Chance. xv + 164 pp. Revised, republished, Boydell and Brewer, 1997. Republished, Boydell and Brewer, 2000. ISBN 0-941051-18-8

To see an example of a page inside with parallel text in Middle English and Modern English, variants and explanatory notes, click here. Index to this book at http://www.umilta.net/julsismelindex.html

Julian of Norwich. Showing of Love: Extant Texts and Translation. Edited. Sister Anna Maria Reynolds, C.P. and Julia Bolton Holloway. Florence: SISMEL Edizioni del Galluzzo (Click on British flag, enter 'Julian of Norwich' in search box), 2001. Biblioteche e Archivi 8. XIV + 848 pp. ISBN 88-8450-095-8.

To see inside this book, where God's words are in red, Julian's in black, her editor's in grey, click here.

Julian of Norwich. Showing of Love. Translated, Julia Bolton Holloway. Collegeville: Liturgical Press; London; Darton, Longman and Todd, 2003. Amazon ISBN 0-8146-5169-0/ ISBN 023252503X. xxxiv + 133 pp. Index.

To view sample copies, actual size, click here.

Julian of Norwich, Showing of Love, Westminster Text, translated into Modern English, set in William Morris typefont, hand bound with marbled paper end papers within vellum or marbled paper covers, in limited, signed edition. A similar version available in Italian translation. To order, click here.

'Colections' by an English Nun in Exile: Bibliothèque Mazarine 1202. Ed. Julia Bolton Holloway, Hermit of the Holy Family. Analecta Cartusiana 119:26. Eds. James Hogg, Alain Girard, Daniel Le Blévec. Salzburg: Institut für Anglistik und Amerikanistik Universität Salzburg, 2006.

Anchoress and Cardinal: Julian of Norwich and Adam Easton OSB. Analecta Cartusiana 35:20 Spiritualität Heute und Gestern. Salzburg: Institut für Anglistik und Amerikanistik Universität Salzburg, 2008. ISBN 978-3-902649-01-0. ix + 399 pp. Index. Plates.

Teresa Morris. Julian of Norwich: A Comprehensive Bibliography and Handbook. Preface, Julia Bolton Holloway. Lewiston: Edwin Mellen Press, 2010. x + 310 pp. ISBN-13: 978-0-7734-3678-7; ISBN-10: 0-7734-3678-2. Maps. Index.

Fr Brendan Pelphrey. Lo, How I Love Thee: Divine Love in Julian of Norwich. Ed. Julia Bolton Holloway. Amazon, 2013. ISBN 978-1470198299

Julian among the Books: Julian of Norwich's Theological Library. Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2016. xxi + 328 pp. VII Plates, 59 Figures. ISBN (10): 1-4438-8894-X, ISBN (13) 978-1-4438-8894-3.

Mary's Dowry; An Anthology of Pilgrim and Contemplative Writings/ La Dote di Maria:Antologie di Testi di Pellegrine e Contemplativi. Traduzione di Gabriella Del Lungo Camiciotto. Testo a fronte, inglese/italiano. Analecta Cartusiana 35:21 Spiritualität Heute und Gestern. Salzburg: Institut für Anglistik und Amerikanistik Universität Salzburg, 2017. ISBN 978-3-903185-07-4. ix + 484 pp.

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JULIAN OF NORWICH, HER SHOWING OF LOVE AND ITS CONTEXTS ©1997-2024 JULIA BOLTON HOLLOWAY || JULIAN OF NORWICH || SHOWING OF LOVE || HER TEXTS || HER SELF || ABOUT HER TEXTS || BEFORE JULIAN || HER CONTEMPORARIES || AFTER JULIAN || JULIAN IN OUR TIME || ST BIRGITTA OF SWEDEN || BIBLE AND WOMEN || EQUALLY IN GOD'S IMAGE || MIRROR OF SAINTS || BENEDICTINISM|| THE CLOISTER || ITS SCRIPTORIUM || AMHERST MANUSCRIPT || PRAYER|| CATALOGUE AND PORTFOLIO (HANDCRAFTS, BOOKS ) || BOOK REVIEWS || BIBLIOGRAPHY ||