8 S p i r i t ua l i t y S t u d i e s 4 - 1 S p r i n g 2 0 1 8 4 Structural Analysis Even though Hadewych, compared to the later Ruusbroec, which is almost over-structured, has only a lean structure in her texts, the structure of this Letter can be called clearly. Rule 1–15: The Poem Serving people: 1. Be generous and zealous for every virtue (Holy Spirit) 2. Fail not with regard to a multitude of things (the power of the Father) 3. Have good will and compassion for every need (the Son) Refrain from serving people: 1. But do not apply yourself to any one virtue (nature of the Father) 2. But perform no particular work (the power of the almighty Father) 3. But take nothing under your protection (his Father engulfed him in himself) Mission of Hadewych to her readers. Rule 16–23: The First Stanza The first Stanza of the poem stated: “be generous and zealous”; nature of the Holy Spirit; (“pouring out”) “do not apply yourself to any one virtue”; nature of the Father; (“keeping back”) Rule 24–43: The Second Stanza The second Stanza of the poem stated: “Fail not with regard to a multitude of things”; power of the Father; (“pouring out”) “perform no particular work”; justice of the Father; (“keeping back”) Rule 44–77: The Other Verses: The other three verses of the poem explained: “Have good will and compassion for every need”; nature of the Son; (“pouring out”) “But take nothing under your protection”; engulfing of the Son by the Father; (“keeping back”) Feedback to the human soul; The Unity of the three Persons in the Deity. Rule 78–100: The Human Soul in the Unity The Unity in relation to the human soul; Be in the fruition; When this fruition grows less or passes away: the works should indeed be performed, as justly owed. Rule 101–122: The Vision The vision in which Hadewych receives the communication of God; The “new knowledge” cannot be expressed in language. Rule 123–135: Postscript Postscript to the readers: reception of the order. 5 Substantive Analysis Rule 1–15: Be generous and zealous for every virtue, But do not apply yourself to any one virtue. Fail not with regard to a multitude of things, But perform no particular work. Have good will and compassion for every need, But take nothing under your protection. This I wished long since to tell you, For it lies heavy on my heart; May God give you to understand what I mean, Solely in the one nature of Love. The things I order you in these verses were ordered me by God. Therefore, I desire in my turn to order you the same things, because they belong perfectly to the perfection of Love, and because they belong perfectly and wholly in the Divinity.
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