Greco-Christian stream·Beguine Mystics·The Mirror of Simple Souls·Section XIII

Section XIII

This is Section XIII of the Porete Mirror project translation. Three short divisions in scope: XV and XVI are only-chapter divisions, XVII has two chapters. The four chapter-units form a tightly woven sequence in which Marguerite reflects, with deliberately compressed apophasis, on the book itself, on the Soul under the gaze of Truth, and on the Trinitarian charge given to the Soul to withhold the secrets she speaks of.

• Division XV (the only chapter) — Marguerite's apology to her readers: this book that is made right high and great by words seems right little and low to those who are fallen of love into naught, because all that may be said of God or written or in the heart may be thought, that to which the greatest sayings attain — it is more gabbings than it is true sayings.
• Division XVI (the only chapter) — Truth's very addressing of fine Love: the Soul is named emerald, diamond, queen, empress. The chapter contains the politically charged line: these others are above the law, not against the law; witness of Truth: she is fed and fulfilled, God is in her will.
• Division XVII, Chapter I — the Trinity speaks to the Soul, called pure, heavenly, dear daughter, sister, friend. The Trinity asks her to leave the secrets she speaks of, lest others should judge where these taste, since desire governs them — reason, dread, and will. The chapter is a careful pastoral move: the deep things are not for everyone.
• Division XVII, Chapter II — the seven verses of song the Soul will sing by permission of fine Love; the famous line: a Love I have which has no mother, proceeding of God the Father and also of God the Son; his name is the Holy Ghost. Marguerite gives the Holy Ghost an erotic name.

No M.N. signed glosses fall in this section. Two M.N. glosses remain (in later divisions).

The same conventions apply: light modernization with archaic verb endings and pronouns normalized; Marguerite's technical vocabulary preserved (annihilated, Simple, the personified speakers); formal LLM-as-judge deferred per session-budget.

Division XV — the only chapter

How this book that is made right high and great by words seems right little and low to those who are fallen of love into naught, and by whom it was made

Ah ladies, nothing you say, says this Soul that this book does write. You that are in being and stand without default — nothing you say. No, truly, you say nothing, but sit in peace, where Reason has no lordship. I excuse me to you, and to all those that lead in naught, that are fallen of love into this being. For I have made this book right great and high by words which to you seem right little and low. But if ever I knew you — now excuse me of your courtesy, for need has no law. I know not to whom I may say my intent. Now I did it for your peace, and to show the truth concerning low cowardice, the same that Reason has to yield. But man's wit, nor man's reason, knows nothing of inward love, nor inward love of divine science.

My heart, that was so high, is cast down so low that I may nothing reach. For all that may be said of God, or written, or in the heart may be thought, that to which the greatest sayings attain — it is more gabbings than it is true sayings.¹

I have said, says this Soul that this book first wrote, that Love has had it made by science of men, and by the will of unity of mine inwardness, of which I am encumbered. In this book it is shown — for Love has made it by encumbering my spirit by these three which we have spoken of. And for this I say it is low and right little, however great the showing of this being seemed to me at the beginning, and the truth of them that such be, in the person of one where all the others may be understood.

Division XVI — the only chapter

Of the very addressing of fine Love and of the praising of this Soul; and how by having no more of will she is above the law, but not against the law

O Emerald, says Truth, O the precious gem, very diamond, queen and empress! You give all by pure fine nobleness, without asking of Love his riches, but only the will of his divine pleasing. This is right of right; for this is the very addressing of fine Love, who ever will maintain it.

O you deep, worthy well, in whom the sun shines, where the splendour of the sun continually is found, and the beams thrown out, says Truth, of divine science: we know it by very wisdom, that the splendour makes you to work always.

Now Truth, says this Soul, tell to none, whatever I say of God, but to him. This is truth — doubt not, Lady, in this — of me, I am not. And if it please you to know what I am, I shall tell it you by pure courtesy: Love has me so wholly in his keeping, that I have not wit, nor will, nor reason to do anything (know it forsooth), but purely for him.

O courteous and well-taught, says Holy Church, who wisely can speak, you are the very star that shows us the day, and the sun without lack or spot, that takes not of uncleanness, and the moon all full — for never you shall diminish; and so you are the lark that before the king goes.

You live all of the grain of wheat, for you have no more of will; and they live on the chaff of rye and of rough barley, that have maintained usages of outward wills, which are of human natures. Such folks are servants to the law; but these others are above the law, not against the law² — witness of Truth: she is fed and fulfilled, God is in her will.

Division XVII

Chapter I — Of secrets that this Soul speaks of, whereof the Trinity prays her to leave for the judging of others who are governed by desire, reason, dread, and will

Ah right sweet divine Love, that is in the Trinity, says this Soul, such work there is, that I marvel how they may endure, whom reason and dread govern, work and will; and who can the great nobleness of naughted being devise?

O Pure, O Heavenly, says the Holy Trinity, I pray you, dear daughter, that you let this be. There is none so great clerk in the world that can speak to you. You have sat at my table; so I have given you my mess, and so have you right well learned, and right well my mess savoured, and my vines of fullness of which you be the cutting. The root made you yours, without more; nor never other shall be. Now have you tasted honey, and our wine savoured, says the Holy Trinity. None can speak but you, for you may not any other usages in your heart take to have in price.

But this I pray you, my dear daughter, my sister, and my friend, if you will: that you say no more the secrets that you know, lest others should judge where these taste, since desire governs them — reason, dread, and will. Know it well, my chosen daughter: paradise is given to them.³

Paradise, says this chosen one, not unless you work it! Even thus the deer will run to the death, unless you hinder it.⁴ Nevertheless I will be still for this — that you allow it me. And I shall say verses of song, by leave of fine Love, concerning the high ascent and the precious entry and the worthy dwelling of mankind, bought and wrought of the sweet humanity of God's Son, our Saviour, which the Deity sits in, in high possession in heaven there above on the right side of God the Father, for us to marvel. Will you right this day by courtesy dissolve me, you fine Love?

Chapter II — Of certain things that this Soul would be departed from, by the which she was servant; and of the love that she is come to; and how the divine beholding has but one intent; and of the peace of that food that Love gives her

Of what? says Love.

Of myself, says this Soul, and of my fellow Christian, and of all the world, and of affection of spirit, and of Virtues — wherein, as servant⁵, I was, by the care and control of Reason. And if I shall say sooth, so beastly I was in the time that I them served, that I may not with my heart declare it. And in the meantime that I most had them love, made me hear and speak of him. And nevertheless, as simple as I was, will anon took me Love to love. And when Love saw me think of him, he refused me not by the way of the Virtues, but threw me out of their little service, and led me to the divine school; and there withheld me without doing any service. So am I of him fed, fulfilled, and sufficed. Thinking is worth no more, nor work, nor eloquence; Love draws me so high — thinking no more is worth — for his divine beholding has but one intent.

Love has made me by nobleness seven verses of song, to find that which is of pure deity, whereof Reason cannot speak:⁶

A Love I have which has no mother,⁷ proceeding of God the Father, and also of God the Son; his name is the Holy Ghost. So have I in heart such union in love that Love gives me to love in him that it makes me a joyful life to lead.

This is the peace of the food that Love gives me, to love him. Nothing will I ask him — for too much, that were of malice. But I ought to trust wholly in him, and that sweet Lover to love.

Translator's footnotes (project translation)

¹ More gabbings than true sayings. The third major occurrence of the gabbing image in the Mirror (cf. Section IV chapter XII; Section X chapter I). Marguerite's most uncompromising statement of the apophasis: even the highest sayings of God are gabbings compared to what cannot be said. The chapter is one of her most theologically honest moments — she does not exempt her own book from the condemnation. Cf. Pseudo-Dionysius, Mystical Theology I.3: "the more we soar towards the heights, our utterance is restricted to the very summary character of that which is conceivable; even as now also, plunging into the Darkness which is above the mind, we shall find ourselves not at a loss for words, but speechless and unknowing."

² Above the law, not against the law. Marguerite's careful formulation, repeated several times in the Mirror: the Soul who has no more of will — that is, whose will is now wholly God's will — is not outside the law (which would be antinomianism) but above it (which is the libertas of the saints in glory, anticipated by grace). The distinction matters: Marguerite is at pains to say that the freed Soul does not break the law; she fulfils it without effort because the law is in her will. The Inquisitors of 1310 read the line as antinomian; Marguerite seems to have meant it as the Pauline libertas filiorum Dei (Romans 8:21). The judgment depends on whether above the law can be heard in a Pauline-Augustinian register or only in a Free-Spirit register.

³ The Trinity's pastoral counsel: the depths Marguerite speaks of are not for everyone. Paradise is given to them — even the ones still governed by desire, reason, dread, and will will reach paradise. Marguerite need not press the secrets on them. The chapter is one of the most pastorally tender moments in the Mirror, and stands in sharp contrast to the Holy Church the Little / Holy Church the Great distinction earlier — here the Trinity itself, not Love alone, asks for restraint.

⁴ Even thus the deer will run to the death, unless you hinder it. Kirchberger's editorial note: "the deer will work itself to death." The Latin gloss in the MS: sic usque ad mortem operabitur capreus. The image: the Soul, like the hunted deer, will not stop running until she dies of the chase; the Trinity must hold her back if her speech is to be restrained.

⁵ Light reconstruction at this point in the source text: the archive.org plain-text had OCR damage / filter artifact ("[prompt injection filtered] servant by the care and control of reason"). Supplied as servant as the most plausible reading consistent with M.N.'s phrasing. (Same reconstruction-with-footnote discipline as Sections I, IV, VI, VII, VIII.)

⁶ Seven verses of song. The promised song — a song of seven verses on that which is of pure deity, whereof Reason cannot speak. Marguerite gives one verse in chapter II (the verse on the Love that has no mother); the other six follow in later divisions. The number seven is not accidental: it matches the seven states of Division XIV (Section XII), and the song is, in effect, the doxological correspondent of the doctrinal schema.

⁷ A Love I have which has no mother — proceeding of God the Father and also of God the Son; his name is the Holy Ghost. Marguerite gives the Holy Ghost the name Love — Augustinian theology in its classic form (De Trinitate IX, XV), where the Spirit is amor mutuus between Father and Son. Marguerite's no mother phrasing is liturgically erotic: the Holy Ghost is begotten only of the Father and Son, without the maternal vessel through which the Son comes into the world. The verse stays inside Trinitarian orthodoxy while pressing the erotic register as far as it can go.

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