lerne this blessyd man omytted nothyng 〈◊〉 he lerned by the euangelystys or ê“phyttys to be 〈◊〉 fulfyllyd it in that he coulde howe be it in that he kepte 〈◊〉 Estre at the due tyme Bede prayseth hym not 〈◊〉 prayseth hym for he seyth ê‘case he knewe it not 〈◊〉 kepte it on a sonday but he praysyth hym that 〈…〉 pynge of his Ester he beleuyd nor worsh 〈…〉 other thynge but as we doo that is to say the Redempcion of mankynde by the Passyon Resurreccyon AsseÌ„cyon of the medyator betwixte God Man our Lorde Ihesu Criste And in the lyfes of Seynt Oswalde and Oswyn kynges And of Seynt Cuthbert dyuerse thynges thynges be spokyn of this Blessyd man ¶ De sancto Albano martire SEynt Albon dwellyd iÌ„ the Towne of verolame that now is callyd seynt Albons And in the tyme of the ê‘secucyoÌ„ of dioclesyan seynt Amphibell came into Brytayne and lodged in the house of seynt Albon and exortyd hym to be coÌ„uerted And shewyd hym sumwhat of the beleue of our lorde and he gaue lytle credence to his techynge And the same nyght seynt Albon sawe a vision that betokened the Misteryes of the Incarnaciou Passyon Resurreccion Assencion of our Lorde as in the Legende apperyth And in the mornynge he asked of seynt Amphibell what his visyoÌ„ betokened wheÌ„ seynt Amphibell had declared the hole misteryes therof how our Lorde suffred Passyon and Deth And how he Rose agayne and assendyd to Heuyn he sayd it was all trewe that he sayde And anon he Beleued and was Cristened And thenne he was complaynyd on that he was Cristened Wherfore he was sent for and was Takyn as he was prayenge before a Crosse And so he was broughte to the Iudge And there constauntly he confessyd that he was a CristeÌ„maÌ„ And so he was put iÌ„ prison there he lay .vi. Monethes in all that tyme there felle no rayne And therfore the people thynkynge that the god that AlboÌ„ worshypped ê“hibited the rayne toke hym out of prysone and wolde haue lette hym goo And he seynge that 〈◊〉 wold haue let hym goo prayde our Lorde that his martyrdome shuld not be lette And opynly dyspysyd theyr Idollys and soo he was had with great vyolence to be behedyd and as he went a ryuer that wolde haue lettyd theyr passage by his Prayer dryed vppe and oon of the Knyghtys that drewe hym to his marterdome seynge the great Myracles that our lorde shewyd for hym was coÌ„uertyd seynt AlboÌ„ was behedyd the .x. kaleÌ„das of Iuli the yere of our lorde god CClxxx vi And anon the eyen of hym that strake it offelle owte he was buryed at seynt Albons sumwhat the LegeÌ„d leuyth it for a dowte whether he lye now at seynt Albons or at ely but it semyth to be the more lyke that he shuld lye at seynt Albons And in the legend apperith how kynge Offa repayred the monastery ofseynt Albons And how the heresy of PelagianÌ„ began at Bangor and how it was extyncte ¶ De sancto Aldelmo episcopo confessore SEynt aldelme was of kynne to Iue kynge of we stesaxoÌ„s iÌ„ his youthe he ê“phyted moch iÌ„ coÌ„nynge after he was made monke at malmesbury so preest then Abbot And his fame went so ferre that it came to the pope Sergyus he sent for hym to Rome wheÌ„ he had sayd masse in the Church of lateraneÌ„se helde the vestemeÌ„t behynde hym to haue takyn it to one of his seruauÌ„tis none was there it hoÌ„ge vppoÌ„ a sonne beame a longe tyme a womaÌ„ that was with Chylde defamed the Popâ— therw t And saynt Aldelme herynge that was moch heuy coÌ„mauÌ„dyd the chylde which was but .ix. dayes olde iÌ„ the name of our lorde Ihesu criste to shewe if the Pope were his fader he sayd nay And so the Pope was delyuerd of the cryme And seynt Aldelme brought with hym fro Rome an Alterstone which by the way brake with his prayer blessynge it was made hoole And as it is sayd the same stone is yet iÌ„ the priory of Briton now callyd Bruton he was a great wryter of Bokes meynteyned moche the due kepynge of Ester he neuer went out of his Monastery without a great cause he gaue great almes wold stonde in the water thoughe it were froste snowe tyll he had sayd a hole psalter And after he was made busshop of Shyryburne and in great age full of good werkes he went to our Lorde the .viii. kalendas of Iune in the yere of our Lorde .vii. hundred .ix. and lyeth in his monastery at Malmesbury ¶ De sancto alredo EpÌ„o confessore When seynt Alrede was in his Cradell his face shone lyke the sonne And in his chyldehod he had the spirit of ê“phecy And tolde the very day of the deth of the Busshop of yorke he was in so great fauoure with Dauyd kynge of Scottys that he was seconde to hym whiche a Knyght enuyed much with great hatred insomoche that somtyme in presence of the kynge he wolde speke opprobrious wordys to hym he toke all paciently so that the Knyght meruaylyd toke penauÌ„ce askyd hym forgeuenes he tolde hym that he ought to loue hym the more for by his hatred he encresyd the more in the loue of our lord And by hym his pacieÌ„ce was prouyd And he was so meke that thoughe he were hurte he was not moche troubled therwith and if any accused hym he was not prouokyd to vengeaunce and he dyd alway good for euyll and when the kynge wolde haue made hym busshope he forâ—oke it entred into Relygyon at ryeuall which is of the ordre of cisteaux and was mayster of the nouyces a Nouyce that was vnstable was by his prayers twyse brought agayne to the Monasterye when he was goynge away and when he was made Abbot oftymes he counceyled his Bretherne that noo foule worde shulde goo out of theyr mouthe ne any detraccion or o the And he refourmyd the hole couÌ„trey of gallway and wrote the lyfe of Seynt Edwarde Kynge Confessoure and dyd many other thynges he was of great abstynence and wolde moche rede in Bokes that shulde moue compunccion and he had great sykenes ten yeres before he dyed and toke it in great pacieÌ„ce and wolde no fysyke and oftymes was visityd with Aungells and he knewe the veray daye of his Deth he sayde to his Bretherne that after he entered into Relygyon he neuer fret in malyce nor detraccyoÌ„ with any ê‘son that for any cause taryed with hym tyll nyghte and that he had louyd alway peace Broderly loue his owne espirituell quietnes he wente to our lord the day before the firste Idus of Ianuarye in the yere of our lorde god a. M. a huÌ„dred .lxvi. and dyuers thynges be here omytted c. ¶ De sancto Amphybalo martire WHen seynt Amphibell had coÌ„uertyd seynt Albon seynt Albon aduertysed hym to go
lyke to And that for presence of that blessyd Chylde his speche was stoppyd And so seynt Gylda went into Irlande there he cōuertyd moch people And after when kynge arthure had kyllyd his broder ho well he came into Brytayne there he forgaue kynge Arthure the deth of his Broder And he dwellyd by seuerne there he buyldyd a Chyrche where he was moche in prayer He wrote a Boke of the foure Euangelystys that was had in suche honoure that the people durste not open it And the people thought ther was no accorde fully made bytwixt enemyes but apon that boke And after he came to glastonbury And not farre fro thens he buyldyd a Chyrche vppon a Ryuer where he lyuyd an Heremytys lyfe After he felle syke wherfore he sent for the Abbot of glastonbury desyred that he myght be buryed in his monasterye And so he went out of this worlde the fourth kalendas of february in the yere of our Lord CCCCC .xii. a grete lyght was seen about his Body And he lyeth at Glastonbury ¶ De sancto Gilberto confessore SEynt gylbert was borne at sempyngham and ī his youth he was so abiecte ī his faders House that the seruauntys dysdeynyd to sytte with hym at mete and at Scole he lytyll prophytyd And so he wente into Fraunce and there he toke degre of Mayster And when he came ageyne into Englonde he began the ordre of Sempyngham of men and women He labouryd all that he coulde for the helthe of so wllys And to all that he coulde he prophytyd in worde dede and exaumple And his father lykyd his conuersacyon so well that he presentyd hym to the chyrches of sempyngham tyryngton on a tyme ther fell a lyghte temptacyon bytwyxt hym his hostys doughter And the nyght folowynge he thought in his slepe that he had put his hāde so ferre in her bosom that he coulde not plucke it oute agayne wherfore he feryd greatly lefte that place And after that virgyn was oon of the .vii. that he began his relygyon vppō And all that he had aboue his necessary lyuynge he gaue to pore men after he was made preest then went to Rome to the pope engeny to haue the Relygyon of Cisteux assygnyd to haue rule of his Monasteryes And the Pope wolde not assent therto ne yet the Cysteux And then the Pope orderyd that he shulde appoynt men therto hym selfe And so he dyd And in that Iourney he was moche famylyer with seynt malachye Busshoppe of Irlande and with seynt Bernarde And to his Bretherne he appoyntyd the ruell of seynt Augustyne And to the Susters the rule of seynt benedycte and what so euyr he myslykyd in eyther of the Rulys he refourmyd and sent his Rule to Rome where it was cōfermyd he made .xiii. monasteryes wherin at his deth were aboute seuyn Hundred Bretherne fyue hundreth Susters he louyd all his placys lyke moche and put lyke dylygence for the one as he dyd for the other His rydynge apparell was symple And his companye honest He absteynyd alwey fro flesshe but in grete sykenes In lent and Aduenthe absteynyd fro Fysshel He hadde at his table a dysshe that was callyd the dysshe of Ihesu wherin he put mete for pore men not of the refuse but very good and after dyner hevsyd Redynge prayer or medytacyon he were in Wyntre and Somerlyke many clothys And he electyd one of his dyscyples to be his mayster was to hym obedyent and toke the habyt of a chanon A man with werynge of his sockys was helyd of the gowte Also fyre fledde fro the house where he was prayinge and hurte it not And in the yere of our lorde god a thousande a hundred foure score and .ix. the day before the Nonas of February full of good werkys and good exaumples he went to our Lorde and was buryed honorably in the monastery of Sempyngham which he had foundyd ¶ De sancto Godrico seruo dei heremita THe fader and moder of seynt Godryke dwellid in Norfolke in a Towne callyd Walpole they were pore of worldlye substaunce and Ryche in vertues deuoutly prayinge to our Lord that they myght haue a chylde apte to his seruyce And so they had a sone whom they callyd Goderyke And in his youthe he was a marchaūte vsynge Feyrrys and Markettys he went to seynt Andrewys in Scotlande soo to Rome came whom with marchauntys by water And went into Brytayne Flaunders and Denmarke wan moche good And .xvi. yerys he expendyd in suche busynes And after he went twyse to Rome oon tyme he went by seynt Gyle And the other tyme he toke his moder with hym whiche went barefote And when he came whome at the laste tyme he solde all that he had gaue it to poore men lyuyd at caerlyle vnknowyn Wher many folkys began to worshype hym wherfore he went into a wood lyuyd there with herbys frutys had no house after he founde an olde heremyte and eyther of them callyd other by his name yet they neuer had herde of other before he taryed with hym tyll the other Heremyte dyed And then seynt Cuthberte apperyd to hym bad hym to go to Ierusalem and be crucyfyed with our Lord then to come agayne to a wood callyd fynkale a lytyll fro Duresme And in that Iourney he toke no sustenaunce but drye barley breed water And he chaungyd not his clothynge nor wasshed theym ne chaungyd his shone tyll he came there so that stonys grauell were growyn into his feet so greuouslye that the flesshe bonys myght scarcely hange to gedyr And at fleme Iordane he chauugyd hym wyshe his Here fro that tyme he were no shone Then he retournyd ageyne to fynkale by the ryuer of were he made a lytyll house where he dwelled vnknowen dyuerse yerys lyuyd with Leuys Rotys after he began to Laboure to get hym mete by his laboure he dyggyd the grownde sewe it made a Gardeyne he neuer lay in Bedde but on the groūde with a here vnder hym a stone vnder his Hedde of all thyngys he eschewed Idelnes and wolde eyther be in Prayer medytacyon or Laboure He wolde stonde in the water thoughe it were Froste snowe sometyme a moneth together in the nyghtys tyll the mornynge when his teth chakyid ī his heed he wolde sey thys is greuous but the fyre of Hell is moche more greuous in the coulde wynter he wolde go barefote so that his feet sumtyme were cut so greuously that a man myght put ī his fynger he chose the pryor of Duresme to be his mayster wolde not speke with any man wtout lycēse of hym .iiii. dayes in the weke sonday mōday tuesday fryday also in festys in aduēt fro septuagesyme to Ester he kepte scylence after he began to enhabyt that place He neuer went out of it but thryse
assent of his coÌ„mons he was desyryd to marye and for loue of Chyldren he asseÌ„tyd therto And he refusyd the doughter of a great Consulle bycause her Fader was a man full of fraunde and dysceyte alienatyd fro Truthe And at the laste it was concludyd that he shuld goo to off a Kynge of mersshes And when he was goynge the Erthe quoke the sonne waryd derke so that oon of them myght scarcely see a nother And when all a boute hym were a frayde merueylyd what it shuld betokyn He sayde let vs doo that is in vs humble our hartys to almyghty god praye that he put awaye the derkenes both of Body and soule and that he send vs the lyghte of his clerenes And so they laye prostrate prayed And anon the Derkenes went awaye And then he wente forth in his Iourney when he cam into the kyngedome of Marshes he had a meruaylouse dreme that as he stode with his counceyll he thought his house fell downe anon he sawe a goodly tree that he neuer sawe any lyke to it that certeyn ê‘sones were he wynge at the tree to cut it downe a streme of blood folowyd of theyr hewynge he thought he hymselfe was a byrde that his wyngys were blody he sawe a bryght beame bryghter then the sonne com out of the south which asceÌ„dyd into heuyn he thought that he flewe into the toppe of the tree sawe all that was in the firmameÌ„t herde a songe of great melody some thought it shulde betokyn the exaltynge of his kyngdome he sayd how so euer our Lord wold dyspose of hym he wold take it pacyeÌ„tly when he came to Kynge off a by counceyll of the quene for ambycyon of hys kyngdome And to enhaunce theyr owne blode his hed was stryken of the .xiii. kaleÌ„das of Iune as apperyth in his legende at great length And when the virgyne alfryde whome he shulde haue maryed knew therof she bade his seuauÌ„tys goo into theyr couÌ„trey for they re mayster was behedyd taught of the holy goost she sayde to hir moder thy sone shall not lyue .iii. yerys thy kyngedome shall not be stabled thou shalt not lyue in the confeffyon of god ouer thre monethâ—s thou shalte be takyn with a Deuyll ete thyn owne tonge and dye an euyll deth and it folowyd as she sayd and therupon that blessyd virgyne auowyd to entre into relygyon at crowlande fro the tumbe there as the yonge kynge was buryed a bryght beame wente to heuyn And when Kynge off a herde therof â—e feryd greatlye toke penaunce and after his body was broughte to herforde And by the way a blynde man recoueryd his syghte a longe tyme was seen euery nyghte a bryghte beame vppoÌ„ his sepulcre the kynge Mylfryde made a goodly chyrche ouer hym and endewyd it with great possessyons And was the fyrste kynge that made there a Busshoppyssee callyd wakerynge to ramesey where they lye to this day that traÌ„slacyon was made the .xvi. kaleÌ„das of noueÌ„ber ¶ De sancto Ethelwoldo epÌ„o confessore SEynt ethelwolde was borne in wynchester his moder when she was with chylde with hym sawe two visions which signyfyed that she shulde bere a chylde of great ê‘feccyon when his norse hauynge the chylde in her armys wolde haue goon to the Chyrche coulde not for great tempest sodenly she was broughte into the Chyrche wiste not how she came thyder And when the chylde came to age he was set to scole he had a quycke witte what so euer he lernyd he kepte it in memorye kynge ethelstane herynge his famesent for hym to haue hym abyde with hym causyd hym to take order of preesthod And seynt DuÌ„stane and he And oon Ethelstane were made Preestys on oon daye by Seynt Aldelme and he sayde that two of them shulde be Busshoppes And the Thyrde shuld geue hym to Uoluptuousnes make an euyll Ende And soo it prouyd of the sayde Ethelstane And after seynt Ethelwolde went to glastenbury there was made a moÌ„ke vnder seynt Dunstan where euer he coueytyd to the hyghnesse of vertue though he was moche cherysshed belouyd of all men he ranne not therby in any peryll of Pryde but kepte hym alwey in humylyte And after Kynge edrede gaue hym a Place in abyngdon where he renewyd the Monastery of Abyngedon And put therin monkys there he was Abbot and after by coÌ„mauÌ„dement of Kynge Edgar seynt DuÌ„stan made hym Busshope of Wynchester there he put in monkys also at hyde he made a place of Nonnys at Wynchester he made Peterburgh thorney wente aboute all monasteryes to set them in good order to coÌ„forte good men to correcte theym that were obstynate he neuer punysshed any of cruelnes but for loue He was a fader a shepherde to Relygyous men a defender of virgyns a comforter of wydowys a receyuoure of pylgrymys a refressher of poure men a helper of pupyllys orphanys when a great derth was in all Englonde he solde the Ornamentys of his Churche the plate to helpe the poure people he had coÌ„tynuall sykenes so that many nyghtys he slepte nothynge And he neuer ete Flesshe but twyse onys by coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t of seynt DuÌ„stane a noder tyme in the sykenes that he dyed of His Candell burnyd vppoÌ„ his boke tyll it weÌ„t out And yet it hurtyd not his boke It is red of hym in Cronycles that when he was at grete feestys which began in Englonde at the commynge in of the Danys he wolde ete no other thynge but Breed wolde drynke water And he went to our Lord in the kalendas of August in the yere of our Lord .ix. hundred foure score and foure and he lyeth at wynchester where our lorde hath shewyd for hym many Myracles a man and a Chylde that were blynde at his tombe receyuyd theyr sâ—gh ¶ DesctoÌ„ Felice epÌ„o confessore SEynt felix was borne in Pyes a cytie of BurguÌ„dye there was made Busshope in the tyme of the 〈◊〉 honoryus of honoryus Archebusshope of Caunterbury leuynge his owne countrey the pompe of the worlde He came into Englonde to preche the feyth of our Lorde to suche people as were not then coÌ„uertyd he was a man of great lernynge that he taught he fulfyllyd iÌ„ good werkys the Archebusshope honory us at his coÌ„mynge reseyued hym moche charytably but wheÌ„ he knewe his enteÌ„t was to ê‘seuer iÌ„ pÌ„chynge he was moch more glad so he weÌ„t into the ê“uynce of est EngloÌ„d the yere of our Lord .vi. C.lxxiii And after that she enteryd into Relygyon she neuer ware lynnen she ete but onys on a day She was dylygent to vigyllys prayers before her deth she had a great swellynge in her Throte in her cheke wherin she moche delytyd sayde it was a great goodnes
.ix. kalendr of NoueÌ„bre De sancto Malichia ¶ De sancto Malichia Episcopo confessore SEynt Malachie was borne in Irlande amonge barbarous people and as a fysshe is in the salt see and is nat salt so was seynt Malachie good amoÌ„ge euyll people he went to a man that lyued a solytary lyfe seruynge our lorde in fastyngê and prayers and of hym he toke his example of lyuynge and in shorte tyme had many disciples and there he toke the ordre of presthode The bysshop coÌ„mytted to hyÌ„ his auctoryte to pÌ„che vnto the rude people whiche he dyd with great fauoure and what so euer he sawe out of good ordre he spared nat to reproue theym of it He had great loue and zele to the seruyce of god honoure to the Sacramentes of the Chuche and went to a holy bysshop called Malcus that was borne in Irlande brought vp in Englande and that had ben a monke at Wynchester to lerne at hym that he taught nothynge but as the Churche coÌ„mauÌ„ded after he was made bysshop of CoÌ„nereth in Irlande where anone he ê‘ceyued that the people were bestely and rude Cristen men in name and nat in dede they payed no tythes they lyued out of laufull matrymony they made no confessions there was no man to enioyne penauÌ„cene to aske it they made more noyse in the Churche then the precher or they that sange wherfore to refourme thyse people he put hym selfe in Ieopardye as a good Sheperd and admonysshed theym of theyr defautes openly and also secretely he wepte vpon theym tenderly nowe he spake sharpely and anone more easely And whenne henothynge preuayled he humbly watched in prayer for them to our lorde when they wolde nat come to the Churche he wolde go in to theym lokynge who he myght wyn to our lord when euyll wordes were sayde to hym he spake fayre and when he was wronged he toke pacyence and so with goodnesse he ouercame euyll Thus were the people reformed Churches were buylded the lawes of the Churche receyued the Sacramentes duely mynystred the people went to confessyons and toke penaunce after the deth of the Archebysshop Celsus he was made Archebysshop of Archemacan and yet he wolde neuer haue seruaunt ne house of his owne he went in maner a wayes aboute the parysshes prechynge the worde of god and leued of the Gospell Other prelates toke Lordshyp in the Clergye and he made hymselfe seruaunte to all men After he gaue vp the Archebysshopryche and went to his parysshe agayne Thenne he wente to Rome there the Pope toke a Myter fro his owne hedde and set it vpon his hedde and also gaue hym a stole and a phanon Fro thens he went to Clareuall to seynt Bernarde and leuynge with hym foure of his disciples he went in to Scotlande where our Lorde shewyd for hym many myracles and after he went into Irlande and there he helyd a monke of the great fallynge sykenesse Thenne he went agayne to Scotlande and so thorughe Englande to Clareualle to seynt Bernarde And there he dyed the .iiii. Nonas of Nouembre In the yere of our Lorde god a Thousande a hondred and .xlviii. and Seynt Bernarde wrote his lyfe wherin be many notable thynges ¶ De sancta Margareta Regina Scocie SEynt Margaret Quene of Scotlande was doughter of Edwarde outlawe sone to Edmonde Irneside And she by prouysion of god was Maryed to MalcolynÌ„ kynge of Scotlande she delyted more in good werkes thenne in possessions or ryches Ofttymes she called her children afore her and admonysshed theym to loue and drede our lord and dayly she prayed for theym that they myght pleas hym she enduced the kynge to do Iustyce with mercye and to gyue alines in her dayes the kynges seruauntê durst nat take any thynge fro pore men or otherwyse hurte theym She reproued the people of Scotlande in that they begann at Lent so that they myght faste .xl. dayes besyde the sondayes and that theyr prestes sange nat masse after the custome of the Churche and that the people were nat howseled at Ester that they kept nat the sondayes and that they maryed theyr moders in lawe and susters in lawe she reformed theym in thyse poyntê The kynge seynge the holy ghost was with her helped her forewarde in all that she went aboute She serched where she myght fynde pore people to do almes vpon on the nyghtê she sayd Matens of the Trinite of the holy crosse of our ladye the Dirige and the Psalter And thenne she vsed to wasshe .vi. pore men and then she toke rest In the mornynges she refressed .ix. orphanes and serued theym knelynge And afore dyner the kynge and she serued CCC pore people her boke fell into the water and lay there a daye and a nyght without hurte she knewe the deth of her husbonde sone that were slayne in Batayle whiche she toke pacyently she dyed the .iiii. Idus of Iune lyeth in the Churche of the holy trinite that she had buylded in the same place where she was maryed ¶ De sancta Maxencia virgine martyre SEynt Maxence was doughter to Marcolane soÌ„tyme kynge of Scotlande fro her youth she entended to kepe virginite after a prynce called maxencius was a pagan desyred her in maryage wherto he had her fathers assent and she perceyuyng that fledde to a churche and coÌ„mended her virginite to oure Lorde And after with an olde man and a Mayde she fledde secretely and came into Fraunce into a place called Pontis and as it is sayd in the way thyder she went ouer the water of ysara wtout bote and the sayd the prynce made suche serche that he founde where she was and when he coulde by no mean haue her assent in a fury he toke her by the heer and stroke of her hedde after kylled both her seruauntê and she toke vp her hedde and bare it to the place where she now lyeth and ouer her is buyldyd a godly churche where our lorde hath shewyd for her many myracles kyng Charles that reyned in tho dayes loued her churche moche gaue many great thynges to it ¶ De sancto Mellito ArchiepÌ„o confessore SEynt Gregorie was moche dylygent for the conuertynge of the people of Englande to the fayth and also to haue the people well ordered after they were conuerted wherfore he is moche to be honoured by Englysshmen after kynge Ethelbert his people were coÌ„uerted by seynt Augustyne he sent worde therof to seynt Gregorie as in the lyfe of seynt Mellytapperyth and then seynt Gregorie sent Mellite Iuste and Pallyne with dyuerse other into Englande to preche to the people and Mellite in the yere of our lorde .vi. hondred and foure was made bysshop in the prouynce of Eest saxons nyghe to Thamyse where London is metropolys and by hym that prouynce was conuertyd and the Churche of seynt Paule that was made by kynge Ethelbert is the bysshoppes see and after the deth of kyng
other ê‘te at seynt Edis after his deth he apperyd dyuers tymes to his broder kyng Alfrede comfortynge hym in his trouble and by his helpe he had great victorye agaynst the Danes ¶ De sancto Niniano EpÌ„o SEynt Ninian in Englysshe called seynt Tronyon was a Kynges sone of great Brytayne anone as he had passed his yerê of childhod he had great deuocion to be in the Church had great loue spirituell to his Felowes he was Sober in diet difcrete of wordes besy in Redynge sadde of maners absteynyng fro pleys and alwayes laboured to subdewe the body to the spyryte He went to Rome on Pylgrymage where he profyted moch in lernynge and was in synguler fauour with the 〈◊〉 and he grewe in all vertue charite after the 〈◊〉 made hym bysshop and sent hym into the weste parte of Englande to preche the worde of god and in the waye homewarde he came by seynt Martyn and seynt Martyn knewe by reuelacion that he shuld profyte to moche people And when he came thyder as he was sent the people receyued hym Ioyously and toke hym as a veray Prophet whereby his prechynges examples and myracles he conuertyd all the people And he buyldyd the firste Churche of stone that euer was buyldyd in Brytayne he conuertyd also the Southe pictes where he dyd many myracles and if a man thynke of the lyues of seynt DunstanÌ„ seynt Cuthbert seynt ModwynÌ„ seynt Goderyke seynt Ninian and suche other he shall thynke it right lytell that is done by the people for the loue of god in thyse dayes a disciple of seynt Tronyon that hadde offendyd feâ—ynge punysshement toke seynt Tronyons staffe and went into the see in a lytell shyppe and anone with a sodeyne tempest he was dryuen so ferre into the see that he wyst nat what to do wherfore he was conpunct and in his herte asked forgyuenes and cryed to seynt Tronyon for helpe sodenly the wynde tourned and brought hym safe to lande And when he came to laÌ„de in testefyinge of the myracle he prayed o r lord that the staffe myght growe when he set it into the grouÌ„de forthwith it grewe had rotê new barke with goodly armes brauÌ„ches at the rote therof spraynge a fayre welle wherof the water is very holsome forsyke men he dyed in the .xvi. Kalend of Octobre lyeth in a Churche that he made of newe in the honour of seynt Martyne A childe that was borne with great deformytes to the great heuynesse of his father moder at the tumbe of seynt Trony an resceyued perfyte helth two lepous wasshyd theym at seynt Tronyons welle and theyr flesshe was made clene lyke the flesshe of a Childe ¶ De sancto Odone Archiepiscopo SEynt Odo was sone of a Paynym of the blode of the danes that came in with Hynguar bycause he vsed moche to speke to his fader such thyngê as he had lethed at sermones of the Cristen fayth his fader corrected hym cruelly And also disheryted hym wherfore he lefte his fader moder came to a Duke a noble man in kynge Edwyns house he receyued hym Ioyously There he was baptyzed lerned both latentunge and greke tunge whiche fro the tyme of seynt Theodre was moch vsed in Englande after he toke ordres was made Dekon so he taryed dyuerse yeres was after made preest By his prayer the Duke was made hole of a great sykenesse as he was goynge towarde Rome And after he was made bysshop of Salisbury and fro thense was electyd to be Archebysshop of Caunterbury whiche he wolde nat take vpon hym tyll he was made monke and so he entred into Relygion and when he was Archebyssop he reproued the kynge of his abhominable aduoutrie and the women that the kynge kepthe toke theym and burned theym in the face with yron abanysshed them the Realme To reforme certeyn clarkê that erred in the sacrament of the Aultre affermynge it to be a fygure of the passyon of our lorde by his prayer as he was at masse at the brekynge of the Hoest very blode ran out therof into the Chales and the clerkes seynge it were conuerted and then the blode went agayne into the nature of wyne By his prayer there felle noo rayne in his Churche all the whyle it was in buyldynge whiche was thre hole yeres He was alway aduersarye inflexible agaynst synne The pleasure or Ioyes of the world ne yet thretes coulde nat fere hym neyther lette hym fro doynge Iustyce he prophesyed that seynt Dunstaâ— shuld be Archebysshop after hym and so he was he dyed the fourth Nonas of Iulii and lyeth at Caunterbury ¶ De sancto Odulpho confessore SEynt Odulphe was borne of noble blode in FrauÌ„ce and he forsoke his frendes and went to the Bysshop of Traiectense where he lyued dyuerse yerê in vigylles fastynge prayeng and holy redynge he coÌ„uerted the Frysonnes by his prechynge He set nought by any Erthly thynge so that after this lyfe he myght haue euerlastynge rewarde in heuyn By his prayer the fyre ceased fro his â—eâ—â— and he dyed of the Axes the daye byfore the Idus of Iune at his deth was a swete sauoure that comforted all that were present his Relykes were after brought to London the tyme of kynge Kinite and fro thens they were conueyed to Enesshm honorably and though he was neuer in Englande whyle he was a lyue yet bycause his Relykes be in Englande he is put into the Legende ¶ De sancta Ositha virgine martire SEynt Osithe was doughter to kynge Frethewalde and she was bytaken iÌ„ her youth to seynt Modwen to Instructe seynt Modwen bytoke her to seynt Edith she on a tyme beynge at Pollesworth sent a boke to Osyth to seynt Modwen on a brygge she was blowen with the wynde into the water and drowned and when she had lyen deed thre dayes by monycion of an AuÌ„gell seynt Modwen went to the brygge nat knowynge wherto where she met with seynt Edith and there by theyr prayers she was Reysed fro dethe to lyfe After she was maryed by her frendes agaynst her wyll to the kyng of Estsaxons and a longe season by certeyne excuses she kept her husbonde fro the Acte of matrymony and when he had fully purposed to receyue no ferther excuses sodeyn tydynges came to hym that a harte was founde nygh to the paleys and in the tyme that the kynge made taryeng dyuerse dayes about his huntynge the virgyne sent for two bysshoppes was made a Nonne And when the kynge retourned and knewe therof though he was greatly moued yet he suffred her and gaue her the towne of Chychensen and in the yere of our lorde godsyx C. .liii. Danes came into the couÌ„tre of Estsaxons bycause seynt Osith wolde nat do sacrifice to their Idollê she was beheded she bare her hedde to the churchedore there fell downe her fader moder buryed her at Aylesbury wher she lay
othe that he wolde neuer after ete mete of that kynde after he was made monke at WygornÌ„ where he had dyuerse offyces and at laste was made pryor He vsed moche fastynges vigylles and prayers moste coÌ„monly he toke slepe in the Churche with his boke vnder his hed euery sonday he vsed to preche to the people Wherfore one reproued hym sayinge a monke shulde kepe his Cloyster And in the nyght folowyng that man in his slepe was brought byfore a Iugge and was coÌ„maunded to be beten so he was so sore that the markes apperyd vpon hym whenne he was awake And seynt UulstanÌ„ herynge therof with his blessyng made hyÌ„ hole agayne Thre dayes in the weke he absteyned fro all mete kepynge also scylens the other thre dayes he ete lekes and wortes soden and barley brede Whenne he was chosen to be bysshop he wolde in no wyse assent to take it tyl a holy man blameâ— hym for his obstynacye and then he toke it vpon hym The kyng Wyllyam Conqueroure bycause seynt WlstanÌ„ coulde speke no Frenche and that he thought he was but of small conynge wolde haue deposed hym and whenne seynt Lamfranke then Archebysshoppe of Caunterburye at a counseyll bad hym to sygne his staffe and his synge he sayd he knewe wel he was neuer worthye to haue the roâ—e but he sayd saynt Edwarde by Auctoryte of the 〈◊〉 and by hole assent as well of the clergye as of the people leyde that burden in his necke agaynst his wyl Wherfore he sayd he wolde resygne to hym wherupon he went to seynt Edwardes Shryne there put his staffe vpon the stone that lay vpon seynt Edwarde sayd he resygne vÌ„to hym and the stone receyued the staffe and hede it fast And when the kynge and saynt Lanfranke makynge his prayers attempted to haue pulled out the staffe but it wolde nat remoue And whenne seynt Wulstane toke it it came lyghtly out wherfore seynt Lamfranke he toke the bysshopryke agayne He wold haue all his seruauÌ„tes here masse And when he sent any of his seruauntes in any Iourney he wolde enioyne theym to saye prayers .vii. tymes euery daye as clerkes be bounden to do and he that swere any othe shuld haue a certeyne punysshemeÌ„t He harde daly â— masses and sayd hym selfe the thirde He helyd a woman and also a man that had deuylles in theym and the woman was after a Nonne and lyued a blessyd lyfe A lepur with the water yâ— seynt Wlfstans wasshed in was helyd with his blessynge helyd a Nonne that was kynge Heroldes 〈◊〉 of a sort 〈◊〉 When he rode he wold begyn the Psaulter nat cease tyll he had done one was alway redy to gyue almes In euery of his townes he had a hous wherin he wold be 〈◊〉 tyl one warned hym that it was tyme to go to â—uyce or to go to dyner When he was at Wygorn he wold synge hygh masse he sayd he wold as gladly resygne his bysshopryke as leue that offyce He wolde be at collecion of the bretherne and when Confessyon was done and benediccyon gyuen he wolde departe There was a man that by no Instaunce wolde forgyue the deth of his brother wherfore seynt Wlstane coÌ„mytted that sayd man to hym whose he was and his body to sathan wherupon he was taken with a spyryte and was not hole tyll he had clerely forgyuen the offence He was desyred by Elsyn that somtyme was seynt Edwardes seruauÌ„te to halowe a Churche iÌ„ a place where was a tree that letted the lyght of the Churche whiche the sayde Elsyn bycause he vsed somtyme to ete playe vnder it wolde nat haue cutte downe wherfore seynt Wlstane accursed it wherupon it waxed drye wherfore the lorde cutte it downe sayinge there was nothynge more bytter thenne Wlstanes curse and nothynge more swete then his blessynge In the pene of our lorde a Thousande .lxvii. the .xiiii. kalend of ◠〈◊〉 he went to our lord amd a hondred yere after his body was remoued whiche with his pontyfycall vestymentes was founde vncorrupt Amonge other myracles that our lorde shewyd for this blessyd man A woman that .v. yeres bowed downe to the grounde was made hole A child that had his tunge cutte of restored fyue blynde men had theyr syght fyue obcessed of deuylles delyuered 〈◊〉 deed men reysed to lyfe â—â—â— lepurs clensed â—â— a tyme within the space of thre dayes by merytes of seynt Wlstane .xxxv. were helyd of dyuerse deceases grupynge thankyngê vnto â—â—â—â—â—â—tye god and to seynt Wstane ¶ De sancto Edgaâ—eâ—ege â—t â—â—â—fessore THe lyfe of this blessyd Kynge was founde in the boke that is called Cathologus sanctoruÌ„ when the great Legend was nygh fynysshed and bycause it coulde not be put in after the ordre of the letters it is â—ette laste of all the seyntes and in the Kalendre it shall kepe the ordre as other seyntes do after the letter Seynt Edgâ—rekynge of Englande when he was aboute the age of .xvi. yeres beganne his Raygne in the â—yme of Otho the Emperoure at his byrth seynt Dunstane Archebysshop of Caunterbury haâ—â—e the voyce of an Aungell fro Heuyn sayinge peas be to Englande as lâ—nge as this childe shall Raygne and as longe as our Dunstane shall lyue He raygned .xvi. yeres euery yere he foundyd a new Monastery gouernyd the Realme iâ— hygh peas Iustyce he subdued yâ— kynge of scotlande the kyngê in Wales to the nombre of â—yue and dyuers other he compellyd to come to his court toke a perpetuall â—the that they shuld be 〈◊〉 vnto hym What by by polycye and what with fere he refreyned his people fro great outragyous drynkynge and he was so terryble and streyght of punysshement that there was noo pryâ—â—t theâ—â— in all the Countrey nâ— any great Robâ—er of the people He kylled al yâ— wylde bâ—stes in Englande that weâ—e â—â—uenours and lyued by blode and coÌ„maunded Guydale kyng â—f â—â—â—les that he shuld for his â—ribute yerely brynge vnto hym thre Hundred Wâ—lnes whiche he dyd many yeres tyll he sayde there were no mâ—â— Euery yere afterê Ester he 〈…〉 serche the see to take Pyratys and râ—bbers of the see And in wynter he wolde go 〈◊〉 by euery prouynce to put away theuys and to serche the Demeaner of great mâ—n that they breke nat Iustyce On a sondaye he was dysposyd to goâ— on huntynge and desyred seynt Dunstane to 〈◊〉 of masse tyll he came And whenne the houre drewe nere seynt Dunstane put on his vâ—â—tymentes and lenyd vpon the Aulter and sodeynly fallynge a slepe he was ledde into Heuyn where he harde Aungelles synge Kyrie eleyson .ix. tymes After he awakyd and taryed a whyle and was rapte agayne and harde theym synge with an hyghe voyce Ite miss a est wherto was answeryd Deo gratias Thenne after his clerke came to hym and tolde hym that the kyng was come to whom he answeryd that he had harde Masse that he nedyd nat any
vpon whome the Lotte felle was goynge towarde watzstenes to fulfyll his a vowe by the waye he was takyn Prysoner and was greuously betyn leyde in Prysone with many Irons vpon hym wherfore estesones he prayde to seynt Birgette for helpe and anon as he hadde so doon all his Irons and Bondys felle fro hym and he toke his Iourney towarde seynt Birgette withoute lette with great deuocion In the Cytie of lyptzyge there was a Peynter callyd HeÌ„ry which for the great loue that he hadde to seynt Birgette was wonte to sey many thynges amonge doctours of hyr Holynes and of the Bookys of hyr Heuenly reuelacyons wherfore on a tyme oon of the Doctours with great Indygnacyon sayd vnto hym but thou leuesayde he to speke of thys newe he â—esye of the Bokys of that olde matrone I shall cause the to be burnyd for thy erroure and so he porposyd to haue don and causyd the Paynter to be cytyd that the daye folowynge he shuld appere before the Iuges wherupon the sayde Peynter wente to a Clerke that had also great denocyon to Seynt Birgette to aske hym couÌ„ceyle and he comfortyd hym ryghte charytably and aduysyd hym to be dylygent in prayer to almyghtye god and to seynt Birgette and bade hym drede nothynge but they wolde helpe hym And more ouer he sayde that he and another preest callyd master IohnÌ„ Torto whiche also had great deuocion to seynt Birgette wolde praye for hym to seynt Birgette and so they dydde In the mornynge the sayde Peynter beynge moch ferefull apperyd before the Iuges where he was strayghtly examynyd and many thynges were leyde to his charge to haue conuyctyd hym of heresye But by the prayers of Seynt Birgette for whom he sufferde that trowble the sayde symple laye man not letterde was so fulfyllyd with the holy goste and speke soo effectuouslye great hyghe mysteryes of almyghtye God that his aduersaryes coulde not resyste the spyryt that speke in hym wherfore he was dyschargyd and his aduersaryes confysyd Not longe after oure Lorde toke vengeaunce of hym that was the Pryncypall causer of that dysturbaunce for as he went on a nyght hoole to his bedde the same nyght he was smytten with the Fallynge sykenes wherof he dyed And anon his Bodye rottyd and corruptyd with suche an horryble stenche that fewe men durste come nyghe it And with handelynge of the Body the Flesche came from the Bonys by great peaces And at the laste when men for his horryble sauoure refusyd to bere hym to his graue certeyne ê‘sonys that were vsyd to clensevyle stynkynge pryuyes where hyryd to bere the wretchyd Bodye to his Graue and whenne they hadde don they sayde that if they hadde knowen before that he had had so horryble a sauoure that they wolde not haue borne hym though they myght haue had the dowble pryce that they hadde Finis A prayer to seynt Byrgette ¶ Nowe lette vs pray vnto this gloryous spouse of our sauyoure Cryste Ihesu seynt Byrgette that she praye for vs vnto our Lorde that by the merytys of hyr prayers after this transytory short lyfe we maye come to the euerlastynge Lyfe in the blysse of Heuyn Amen ¶ A prayer to seynt Byrgette O Birgitta mater bona Dulcis ductrix et patronâ— Nobis fer suffragia Naufragantes in hoc mari Tuo ductusalutari Duc ad vite breuia O preclara tu dignare Delictorum impetrare Nobis christi veniam Ut possimus respirare Et excessus emendare Consecuti gratiam Confer vite sanctitatem Corpori da sanitatem Et quieta tempora Auge veram charitatem Cordium da puritatem Nos languentes robora Uite nostre rege cursum Post hanc vitam transfersursum Animas ad gaudia Ubi deum contemplari Tibi quoque sociari Possimus in gloria Amen Uersus ¶ Ora pro nobis beata Birgitta sponsa christi preelecta Ut ad Celestem patriaÌ„ sit ipse nobis via recta Oremê° DEus qui ecclesiam tuaÌ„ per beatam Birgittam sacris illuminare dignatus es et coÌ„siliis exemplis coÌ„cede propicius eius intercessionevt que pro nostris purgandis excessibus clementer ei reuelasti deuotis mentibus exequamur Per christum â—nÌ„m nostrum Amen ¶ Another prayer to seynt Byrgette O Beata Birgiâ—ta late collandata Principissa suecie in terris vocata Uita verbo stabilis solide fundata Omnibus affabilis humilis monstrata Post sponsi exequias casta approbata Remotas prouincias es peregrinata Cristo sponsa nobilis pie adoptata Nunc manes laudabilis christo copulata Sanctorum reliquias pietate grata Deuotis obsequiis multum venerata In multis misteriis aliis prelata Coruscas miraculis celo sublimata Iustis desideriis assiste perata Regnis et ecclesie pace confirmata Pro nostris miseriis matrona beata Sponsa sponsum dominum flecte aduocata Uersus multe filie regum Congregauerunt diuicias Tu superegressa es vniuersas Oratio DOmine Ihesu criste qui beatam BirgittaÌ„ propter multorum secretorum Inspiracionem et singularem virtutum adornacionem sponsam tuam vocari decreuisti Presta quesumus vt eadem in vite moribus conformemur cum ea de mundi illecebris ad visionem celestium transferamur Qui viuis regnas c. ¶ Thus endyth the Lyfe of Seynt Byrgette Enprynted at LoÌ„don in Flere strete at the sygne of the George by Rycharde Pynson prynter vnto the kynges noble grace the .xx. daye of February In yere of oure Lorde god a. M. CCCCC and .xvi. Hereaftre foloweth a deuoute Boke compylyd by mayster Walter Hylton to a deuoute man in temperall estate howe he shulde rule hym whiche is ryghte expedyent for euery man moste in especyall for theym that lyue in the medylde lyfe it shewyth what medelyd lyfe is he that wyll dylygently loke vpon it may therby the soner come to some of the hyghe vertues and blessyd lyfe that he shall rede of in the begynnynge of this present Boke of the gloryous Seyntys conteynyd in the same ¶ Howe a man that woll be ghostly must fyrste vse moche Bodely exercyse in penaunce and destroyenge of synne Capitulum primum DEre broder iÌ„ cryst two maner of states there are in holy Chyrche by the which crysteÌ„ soulys please god and get theym the blysse of Heuyn the one is bodely and the other is ghostly bodely werkynge longeth pryncypally to worldly men wymen the which lefully vse worldlye goodes and wylfully vse worldlye busynes Also it longeth to all yonge begynnynge men the which comen newe out of worldly synnys to the seruyce of god for to make theym able to ghostly werkynge for to breke downe that vnbuxumnes of the body by dyscrecyon and by suche Bodelye werkynge that it myghte be souple and redy not moche coÌ„traryous to the spyryte in ghostly werkynge for seynt poule sayth as woman was made for man and not man for woman ryght so bodely werkynge was made