English Translation

  1. How the good princess will wish to cultivate all virtues.

The good princess will have these or similar ideas by divine inspiration, and in order to them into effect, she will see that she needs to be well informed by good and wise people about what is right and what is wrong, so that she can choose the one and avoid the other. Alhtough every mortal person is by nature given to sin, to the best of her ability she will mortal sin, especially and will try to follow the example of a good physician who cures a disease by its opposite. She will follow the words of Chrysostom on the Gospel of St.Mathew, who says ‘whoever wishes to have riches in Heaven should cultivate earthly humility, for in the eyes of God the one who is most grand and elevated in honours here below is not the greatest, but the one who is most just on earth is the greatest in Heaven’. And because the good princess will know that honours usually increase pride, her heart will be altogether inclined towards humility. She will think that although it is appropriate to the rank of her husband and of her class that she should receive honours, she will control her heart and it will not be wounded with arrogance nor puffed up with pride, but she will render thanks to God and attribute all honour to him. She will always recognize in her heart that she is a poor mortal creature, frail and sinful, and that the rank that she receives is only an office for which she will soon have to account to God, for her life in comparison to the life everlasting is only a short time. This noble princess, therefore, although the dignity of her rank requires that she receive great reverence from people, will not take any personal delight in it when it is paid to her. At the very least, she should preserve the honour of her position.  She will behave respectably and speak softly; her conduct will be kindly and her expression gentle and pleasant, greeting everyone with lowered eyes. She will greet people in words so humane and so sweet that they may be agreeable both to God and to the world.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *