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  "work": {
    "slug": "suso",
    "name": "Heinrich Suso"
  },
  "parents": [
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      "slug": "rhineland-mystics",
      "name": "Rhineland Mystics",
      "url": "/sources/rhineland-mystics/"
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  "chapter": {
    "num": 42,
    "slug": "vol-1-41-chapter-xl-vii",
    "title": "Chapter  XL VII.",
    "of": 51,
    "words": 888,
    "text": "## Chapter  XL VII.\n\nHow  steadfastly  he  must  fight  who  would  win  the  spiritual \nprize. \n\nAt  the  first  beginning  of  the  Servitor's \nconversion,  he  desired  with  all  his  heart  to \nbe  singularly  and  pre-eminently  well-pleasing \nto  the  loving  God,  but  he  expected  to  accom- \nplish this  without  labour  and  suffering. \n\nNow  it  happened  once,  when  he  went  out \ninto  the  country  to  preach,  that  he  embarked \non  board  a  passenger  ship  on  the  Lake  of  Con- \nstance, and  he  observed  there,  sitting  among \nthe  other  passengers,  a  comely  youth,  gaily  at- \ntired. He  drew  near  the  youth,  and  asked  him \nwhat  manner  of  man  he  was.  The  youth  ans- \nwered : — I  am  an  esquire  errant,  and  I  bring  the \ngentlefolk  together,  and  arrange  tournaments, \nin  which  they  tilt  and  fight,  and  pay  homage \nto  fair  ladies ;  and  he  who  proves  himself  to  be \n\n\n246  LIFE  OF  BLESSED  HENRY  SUSO. \n\nthe  best  of  all  carries  off  the  honour  and  the \nreward.     The  Servitor  said : — And  what  is  the \nreward?    The  esquire  replied : — The  most  beau- \ntiful of  the  ladies  present  places  a  gold  ring \nupon  his  finger.    The  Servitor  asked  further: — I \nBut  tell  me,  dear  friend,  what  must  one  do  to \ncarry  off  the  honour  and  the  ring?     He  an- \nswered : — He   who  proves   to   be   the  best   at \nbearing   sword- strokes   and   assaults,  and  who \nshows  no  faintheartedness  in  this,  but  behaves \nhimself  courageously   and    manfully,    and   sits \nfirm,  and  bears  up  against  the  blows — he  it  is \nwho   receives  the  prize.      The  Servitor   asked \nonce   more : — Tell   me ;    if  a  man  were   only \nbold  in  the  first  onset,  would  that  be  enough? \nHe  replied : — No ;  he  must  remain  firm  to  the \nvery  end  of  the  tournament ;    and  though  the \nblows  which  he   receives  bring  sparks   of  fire \ninto  his  eyes,  and  make  the  blood  burst  from \nhis  mouth  and  nose,  he  must  endure  them  all, \nif  he  is  to  obtain  the  glory  of  victory.     The \nServitor  replied: — But,  dear  comrade,  may  he \nnot  weep  or  look  mournful  when  he  gets  such \nterrible  blows  ?    He  answered : — No ;  and  though \nhis  heart  sinks  within  him,  as  happens  to  many, \nhe  may  not  do  anything  of  the  kind ;    but  he \nmust  bear  himself  joyously  and  bravely,  other- \n\n\nSPIRITUAL  TOURNAMENT.  247 \n\nwise  he  will  become  a  laughing-stock,  and  lose \nthe  glory  and  the  ring. \n\nThis  discourse  made  the  Servitor  enter  into \nhimself,  and,  fetching  a  sigh  from  the  depths  of \nhis  heart,  he  said : — Ah  !  glorious  Lord  God ! \nmust  the  knights  of  this  world  endure  so  much \nsuffering  for  such  a  small  reward,  which  is  in  itself \na  very  nothing !  How  fitting  then  it  is  that  much \ngreater  labours  should  be  undergone  for  the  ever- \nlasting prize !  O  sweet  Lord,  would  that  I  were \nworthy  to  be  Thy  spiritual  knight !  O  lovely \nEternal  Wisdom,  who  art  rich  in  graces  beyond \naught  in  any  land,  would  that  my  soul  might \nreceive  a  ring  from  Thee !  To  win  it,  I  would \nsuffer  whatever  might  be  Thy  will!  And  he  be- \ngan to  weep,  from  the  great  fervour  which  he  felt. \n\nWhen  he  arrived  at  the  place  to  which  he \nwas  going,  God  sent  him  great  and  cruel  suf- \nferings in  such  plenty  that  the  poor  Servitor \nnearly  lost  all  his  trust  in  God ;  and  many  eyes \nbecame  wet  with  tears  through  pity  for  him. \nHe  had  forgotten  all  his  knightly  daring  and \nhis  promise,  and  he  became  melancholy  and \npeevish  with  God,  wondering  within  himself \nwhat  God  could  have  against  him  that  He  had \nsent  him  such  great  sufferings.  In  the  morn- \ning, at  daybreak,  there  came  a  calm  over  his \n\n\n248  LIFE  OF  BLESSED  HENRY  SUSO. \n\nsoul;  and  his  bodily  senses  being  stilled  in \necstasy,  a  voice  spoke  within  him: — Where  is \nnow  thy  knightly  prowess  ?  What  a  knight  of \nstraw,  and  a  scarecrow  of  a  man  he  must  be, \nwho  is  so  daring  in  prosperity,  and  so  despair- \ning in  adversity !  This  is  not  the  way  to  win \nthe  everlasting  ring,  for  which  thou  longest. \nHe  replied: — O  Lord!  the  jousts  of  the  inte- \nrior life,  which  must  be  borne  for  Thee,  are  far \ntoo  long  and  wearisome.  To  this  there  came \nan  answer : — Therefore  the  glory,  and  the  hon- \nour, and  the  ring  of  My  knights,  who  receive \nhonour  from  Me,  are  stable  and  everlasting. \nUpon  this  the  Servitor,  entering  into  himself, \nsaid  very  humbly : — Lord !  I  am  in  the  wrong. \nOnly  permit  me  to  weep  while  I  suffer,  for \nmy  heart  is  very  full.  The  answer  came : — \nAlas  for  thee!  Dost  thou  want  to  weep  like \na  woman,  and  disgrace  thyself  before  the  court \nof  heaven  I  Wipe  thy  eyes,  and  bear  thyself \njoyously,  so  that  neither  God  nor  men  may \nperceive  that  thou  hast  wept  on  account  of \nsufferings.  The  Servitor  began  to  laugh,  and \nyet  at  the  same  time  the  tears  were  running \ndown  his  cheeks,  and  he  promised  God  that  he \nwould  no  more  wish  to  weep,  that  so  he  might \nobtain  from  Him  the  spiritual  ring. \n\n\nHIS  FACE  SHINES.  249",
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