Chapter 41
- Kempe describes her frustration at being an unlearned Englishwoman in a foreign land. Sometimes she can't understand the speech of the foreign priests, and it frustrates her.
- Jesus tells Kempe to chill: he'll instruct her himself in her soul.
- Of course, this is so great and overwhelming to Kempe that she just has to weep. The fire of love in her heart is too strong, yo.
- Kempe tells concerned passersby that Christ's Passion just kills her with grief. Italian women totally get her and do what they can to comfort her.
- And so she enjoys a good reputation among some people in Rome, who report her goodness to friendly English priests.
- When she visits the church of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, Kempe has a vision of St. Jerome (who is supposedly buried in the Nativity Crypt there).
- St. Jerome tells her that her tears will benefit many people (remember that she's weeping for her sins and the sins of others)—and that they are a gift from God.
Chapter 42
- After Easter (in 1415), Kempe and her companions decide to head on home to England. But there are rumors of thieves and murderers along the way.
- Kempe prays, and Jesus tells her that she and her companions will arrive home safely.
- So Kempe says an unhappy goodbye to her confessor and all her friends in Rome and takes off for England with the English priest who calls her "mother."
- The priest afraid of being murdered by robbers, but Kempe reassures him. The rest of the party takes ship for England once they reach an island off Denmark, but they hang out a while.
- While there, God warns Kempe of a terrible storm, and she takes cover. She finally learns that God is on her side, and she doesn't have to be afraid.
- Kempe also loses it when she hears an Englishman curse. She weeps uncontrollably because the man didn't understand how much he had offended God.
Chapter 43
- Kempe and the good priest get in a small boat for England. When they reach English soil safely, Kempe falls to her knees and kisses the ground.
- Kempe earns some money from other pilgrims by telling holy stories. She gives the money as an offering when she gets to Norwich, where she visits her favorite confessor, Richard of Caister.
- Richard is amazed that Kempe is so happy after traveling so far. She tells him it's because God helped her so much on the trip.
- Kempe goes on to visit another religious man called Thomas Brakelyn. But Thomas has turned against her and accuses her of having a baby out of wedlock while abroad.
- God tells Kempe not to put herself under Thomas's power and to get herself home.
Chapter 44
- Once again, Kempe asks God if she has to wear white clothes. She needs a sign from heaven.
- So God sends a terrific storm. Kempe gets the message, but she has no money for new white clothes.
- When Kempe talks with a "worthy man" of Norwich, God tells her to ask him for the white clothes. The man has the clothes made for her.
- But of course, parading about in white clothes makes Kempe a target for ridicule. As usual.
- Kempe's husband then travels to Norwich to check on her. She gets really sick and is "anointed"—she thinks she will die.
- But God has other plans and tells Kempe that she will not die at this time.
- Even though she recovers, Kempe suffers from poverty (she's in debt from all that traveling) and from the abuse of others (for the white clothes and for screaming in public).
- People speculate that Kempe has epilepsy, based on the evidence of her writhing on the floor and screeching. So they spit on her, because that makes it better, right?
- Things aren't going well, but Kempe's about to make another pilgrimage, this time to Santiago de Compostela.
- Kempe's having money problems and can't fund the trip. God tells her not to worry—he'll arrange things.
- As before, benefactors pop up everywhere. Pretty soon, Kempe has what she needs. So, off she goes on the pilgrimage road again.
- Kempe's first stop is in Bristol so that she can pay broken-backed Richard, her servant from the Holy Land trip, all the money of his that she gave away.
- But Kempe has a hard time taking ship from Bristol to Spain, since Henry V had requisitioned most ships for his war efforts in France.
- While Kempe waits it out in Bristol, she does her thing: takes Communion and weeps and shrieks. People don't much like her.
- Kempe forgives their hatred and prays to God to forgive her sins, too.
Chapter 45
- Kempe has a particularly spectacular episode during the Corpus Christi processions in Bristol. She has to be taken to a house nearby to calm down.
- But Kempe somehow still has friends and admirers. She mentions Thomas Marchale, who is so moved by her sadness for his own sins that he, too, starts walking about and weeping.
- Marchale gives Kempe money to continue her journey and promises to give to the poor in her name.
- Before she can get going, Kempe is summoned by the Bishop of Worcester. She is annoyed by the fashionable dress of the bishop's men, and she tells them so.
- But when Kempe comes before the bishop, he swears that he never summoned her. Still, he gives her hospitality until her ship is ready to sail.
- The bishop knows that he will die within two years (another holy man prophesied it), and he asks Kempe to pray for his soul.
- When Kempe gets onboard the ship, she prays that they have good weather. The other passengers have already told her that they will pitch her in the sea if things go badly.
- The ships get to Santiago quickly, Kempe cries a lot, and then they return in perfect safety.
- Kempe goes on to Hailes Abbey, where she rebukes the religious men for cursing. She's just a bundle of fun.