much almesse, they would that it were holden the best life. And I
have often told thee, daughter, that thinking, weeping, and high
contemplation is the best life in earth, and thou shalt have more
merit in heaven for one year thinking in thy mind than for an
hundred year of praying with thy mouth; and yet thou wilt not
believe Me, for thou wilt bid many beads.[144]

"Daughter, if thou knew how sweet thy love is to Me, thou wouldest
never do other thing but love Me with all thine heart.

"Daughter, if thou wilt be high with Me in heaven, keep Me alway in
thy mind as much as thou mayst, and forget not Me at thy meat; but
think alway that I sit in thine heart and know every thought that is
therein, both good and bad.

"Daughter, I have suffered many pains for thy love; therefore thou
hast great cause to love Me right well, for I have bought thy love
full dear."

"Dear Lord," she said, "I pray Thee, let me never have other joy in
earth, but mourning and weeping for Thy love; for me thinketh, Lord,
though I were in hell, if I might weep there and mourn for Thy love
as I do here, hell should not noye[145] me, but it should be a
manner of heaven. For Thy love putteth away all manner of dread of
our ghostly enemy; for I had lever be there, as long as Thou
wouldest, and please Thee, than to be in this world and displease
Thee; therefore, good Lord, as Thou wilt, so may[146] it be."

She had great wonder that our Lord would become man, and suffer so
grievous pains, for her that was so unkind a creature to Him. And