E-text prepared by Geoffrey Horton, Tapio Riikonen, and Project Gutenberg
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PATRI.REVERENDISSIMO
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ET
CVIDAM.NESCIENTI
HVNC.LIBRVM
D.
Introduction
How Sir John visited Master Hermit: and found him in contemplation
Of the Word from God that came to Master Hermit: and of his setting
out
How Master Richard fared: how he heard Mass in Saint Pancras' Church:
how he came to Westminster: and of his colloquy with the Ankret
How Master Richard saw the King in Westminster Hall: and of the Mass
at Saint Edward's Altar
How Master Richard cried out in Westminster Hall: and of his coming
to a Privy Parlour
Of Master Richard's speaking with the King's Grace: and how he was
taken for it
Of Master Richard's second speaking with his Grace: and of his
detention
Of the Parson's Disquisition on the whole matter
How Master Richard took his meat: and of Master Lieutenant's whipping of him
Of the Second Temptation of Master Richard: and how he overcame it
Of the Dark Night of the Soul
How Sir John went again to the cell: and of what he saw there
How one came to Master Priest: how Master Priest came to the King's
Bedchamber: and of what he heard of the name of Jesus
Of Sir John's Meditations in Westminster Palace
How Master Richard went to God
Of his Burying
Introduction
In the winter of 1903-4 I had occasion to pass several months in
Rome.
Among other Religious Houses, lately bought back from the Government bytheir proper owners, was one (whose Order, for selfish reasons, I prefernot to specify), situated in the maze of narrow streets between thePiazza Navona and the Piazza Colonna; this, however, may be said ofthe Order, that it is one which, although little known in Italy, hadseveral houses in England up to the reign of Henry VIII. Like so manyother Orders at that time, its members moved first to France and then toItaly, where it has survived in penurious dignity ever since.
The Religious were able to take with them at the time of exodus, threeand a half centuries ago, a part of the small library that existed atthe English mother-house, and some few of these MSS. have survived tothe present day; many others, however, have certainly perished; for inthe list of books that I was looking over there one day in March, 1904,I observed several titles, of which, the priest-librarian told me, thecorresponding volumes have disappeared. To some half-dozen of thesetitles, however, there was appended a star, and on enquiring the meaningof this symbol, I was informed that it denoted that a translation hadbeen made into French and preserved in the library.
One of these titles especially attracted my attention. It ran asfollows: VITA ET OBITUS DNI RICARDI RAYNAL HEREMITAE.
Upon my asking to see this and its companions, I was conducted to adusty shelf in the little