# A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country/Juliana

JULIANA, (Anchoret of Norwich)
Lived in the reign of Edward III. and distinguished herself by a book of Revelations she wrote. But though she was author of so remarkable a work, and her situation in life so very singular, yet through the negligence of ecclesiastics (who were almost the only men that transmitted intelligence to posterity) we find but very little recorded concerning her. Even our most curious and industrious biographers, who had the best opportunity of examining manuscripts and records belonging to religious houses, could not trace out any memorials relating to this devout lady, more than an hint or two mentioned by herself in her own writings.
R. F. Jo. Gascoyn, L. Abbot of Lambspring, ushered her compositions into the world, with the following title: Sixteen Revelations of divine Love, shewed to a devout Servant of our Lord, called Mother Juliana, an Anchoret of Norwich; who lived in the Days of King Edward III. Published by F. R. S. Crossy, 1610. Vo,
"Her profession was of the strictest sort of solitary livers, being inclosed all her life (alone) within four walls; whereby though all mortals were excluded from her dwelling, yet saints and angels, and the Supreme King of both, could and did find admittance. Moreover, the place, in a high manner dignified by her abode, was Norwich. The time when she lived, and ​particularly when these celestial visitations were afforded her, she herself, in the beginning of the book, informs us, was in the year 1373, that is, about three years before the death of the famous conqueror king Edward III; at which time she herself was about thirty years of age. And, in the last chapter of the book, she signifies that more than fifteen years after these revelations had been shewed her, for resolution of a certain doubt of her's, touching the meaning of one of them, our Lord himself was pleased to answer internally in ghostly understanding."
"As for the manner of these revelations, it was the same of which we read innumerable examples, both among ancient and modern saints. The objects of some of them were represented to the imagination, and, perhaps also, to the outward sight; sometimes they were represented in sleep, but, most frequently, when she was awake. But those which were more pure in time, and withal more certain, were wrought by a divine illapse into the spiritual part of the soul, the mind, and understanding, which the devil cannot counterfeit, nor the patient comprehend, though withal it excluded all doubt or suspicion of illusion."
"She was far from expecting or desiring such unusual supernatural gifts. Matters stood thus with her: she thought herself too much unmortified in her affections to creatures, and too unsensible of our Lord's love to her. Therefore to cure the former, she requested a sickness in extremity, even to death, in her own and other's conceit; a sickness full of bitter pain and anguish, depriving her of all outward refreshments, and of all inward comforts also, which might affect the sensual portion of the soul. And, for a remedy to the latter, she begged of the Lord, that he would imprint on ​her soul, by what way he thought best, a deep and rigorous conception and resentment of those most violent torments, which he in his infinite love, suffered for her on the cross, to the end, that she might even be forced to return to him a suitable affection."
"Yet in making these requests, she expressed a perfect resignation (as to the manner) to his heavenly will. The only graces that she did, and might, and so may we, desire absolutely, without any condition, were a true and spiritual hatred and contempt of herself, and of all worldly or sensual contentments; a perfect sorrow and compunction for sin past, and a cordial love and reverence of Almighty God. These were the gifts she desired; and as for the means of procuring those graces, she proposed the best to her seeming; yet so, as being assured that Cod knew what was best for her, she left them to his divine pleasure."
Of this nun, who appears to have possessed an amiable and refined understanding, though wild and misguided by her solitary life, we have no farther account.
Female Worthies.