Life of the Servant

Henry Suso (1300-66) was a German Dominican friar and a noted spiritual writer and mystic. His other spiritual writings include the Horologium Sapientiae (The Clock of Wisdom) and Exemplar Seuses (The Exemplar).James M. Clark, late Professor of German at Glasgow University, is the author of The Great German Mystics: Eckhart, Tauler and Suso.

• Translator’s PrefacePart OnePrologueOf the Divine ImpressionI. Of the First Trials of a BeginnerII. Of the Supernatural Ecstasy which befell HimIII. How He married Eternal Wisdom in a Spiritual MannerIV. How He wrote the Beloved Name of Jesus on His HeartV. Of the Prelude of Divine Consolation by which God encourages many BeginnersVI. Of Various VisionsVII. The Rules He observed at TableVIII. How He celebrated New YearIX. Of the Words ‘Lift up Your Hearts’X. How He celebrated CandlemasXI. How He observed LentXII. How He celebrated May DayXIII. Of the Sorrowful Way of the Cross, which He walked with Christ when He was led to His DeathXIV. Of the Useful Virtue that is known as SilenceXV. Of the Mortification of the FleshXVI. Of the Sharp Cross that He carried on His BackXVII. Of His BedXVIII. How He broke off the Habit of DrinkingXIX. How He was led to the Spiritual School and instructed in the Knowledge of the true Self-SurrenderXX. Of the Painful DescentXXI. Of Inner SufferingsXXII. How He set out to bring Wholesome Help to His NeighboursXXIII. Of Manifold SufferingsXXIV. Of the Great Sorrow that came to Him through His Own SisterXXV. Of the Deep Sorrow that once came upon Him through One of His CompanionsXXVI. Of the MurdererXXVII. In Perils of WatersXXVIII. Of a Short Respite that God once vouchsafed to HimXXIX. Of a Loving Account that He once Settled with GodXXX. How He once came Near to Death in His SufferingsXXXI. How a Man should offer up His Sufferings in a Praiseworthy Manner to GodXXXII. How God in This World compensates a Suffering Man for His SufferingPart TwoXXXIII. Of the Servant’s Spiritual DaughterXXXIV. Of the First Steps of a BeginnerXXXV. Of the First Examples and Teachings for a Beginner, and the Need for Moderation in AusteritiesXXXVI. Of the Childlike Devotion of a Beginner in ReligionXXXVII. How He drew Dissolute Persons to God, and comforted the SufferingXXXVIII. Of a Sore Affliction that befell Him about this TimeXXXIX. Of Inner SufferingXL. What Sufferings are the Most Useful to Man and the Most Praiseworthy to GodXLI. How He drew some Loving Hearts from Earthly Love to Divine LoveXLII. Of Certain Suffering Persons who were attached to the Servant with Particular AffectionXLIII. How Christ appeared to Him in the Shape of a Seraph, and taught Him how to SufferXLIV. How Firmly he must contend Who would win the Spiritual PrizeXLV. Of the Beloved Name of JesusEpilogue

The Life of the Servant presents characteristics usually associated to religious literature, like The Confessions of St. Augustine and The Imitation of Christ. It collects several personal experiences, told shortly but brightly. They are characterized from the typical literary expressiveness that introduces the medieval amorous poetry into a religious and sacred field.