his doctryne and blessyd in glorye Possidonius bisshop of Calamente compyled his lyf as Cassiodore sayth in the book of noble men Of saynt Austyn doctour and Bisshop SAynt Austyn the noble doctoure was borne in Auffryke in the Cyte of Cratage And was comen of noble kynrede And his fader was named Patryce and his moder Monica he was sufficiently instruct in the artes lyberalle soo that he was reputed for a suffysaunt philosopher and a right noble doctour For he lerned al by hym self withoute mayster in redyng the bokes of Arystotle and alle other that he myght fynde of artes lyberalle And he vnderstode them as he hym self wytnessith in the booke of Confessions sayeng Alle the bookes that ben callyd of the artes lyberall thenne I mooste wretchyd seruaunt of al couetyses redde them by my self allone and vnderstode alle them that I myght rede and alle them of the craft of spekyng and of deuysyng Alle them of dyuysyons of figures of Musyke and of nombres I redde and vnderstode them with oute grete difficulte and withoute techynq of ony man this knowest thow my lord god For the hastynes of myn vnderstondyng and the yefte of lerynge is of the only and cometh of thy name but I haue not sacryfyed to the therfore And therfor scyence withoute charyte edefyeth not but swellyth in therrour of manychâ—ens whiche afferme that Ihesu cryst was fantastyke renye the resurection of the flessh And in the same errour Austyn fylle and abode therin nyne yeres whyles he was an adolescent and was broughte to byleue the truffes and Iapes that saye that the fygge tree wepeth whan his fygges ben taken awey or leues And whan he was xix yere of age he begaÌ„ne to rede in the book of philosophy in whiche he was taught to despyse the â—anytees of the world And by cause that book plesyd hym wel but he beganne to be sory that the name of Ihesu Crist whiche he had lerned of his moder was not therin And his moder wepte ofte and enforced her moche to brynge hym to the veryte of the feythe And as it is redde in the book of Confessions she was in a place moche heuy and her thought that a fayre yong man was to fore her that enquyred of her the cause of her heuynes And she sayd I wepe here the losse of my sone Austyn and he answerd be thou sure For where thou arte he is and she saw her sone besyde her and whan she had told this to Austyn he said to his moder thou arte deceyued moder hit was not said soo but where that I am thou arte and she sayd contrary sone it was not said so to me but where I am thou arte And thenne the moder ententyfly prayd and requyred a bisshop instantly that he wold praye for her sone auguâ—tyn And he beynge ouercomen sayd to her by the voys of a prophete goo thy way surely For a sone of soo many tâ—rys may not by possibilyte perysshe And whanne he had certayne yeres taught Rethoryke in cartage he cam to Rome secretely withoute the knowlege of his moder And assembled there many disciples And his moder hadde folowed hym vnto the yate to make hym abyde or elles that she sholde go with hym And he abode that nyght but he departed secretely on the morn And whan she apperceyued hit she replenysshed the eeres of our lord with clamour And wente in the mornyng and at euen to the chirche and prayd god for her sone In that tyme they of Melane requyred a doctour of Rethoryke of Symache the prefecte of Rome that he myght rede Rethoryke at Melan And that tyme Ambrose seruaunt of god was bisshop of that Cyte and augustyn was sente at the prayer of them of Melane and his moder myght not reste but dyde moche payne to come hym ¶ And fonde hym that he ne was very manachyen ne very catholyque And thenne it happed that augustyn beganne to haunte with saynt Ambrose and ofte herde his predicacions And was moche ententif to here yf ony thyng were sayd ageynst the Manychyens or other heresyes On a tyme it happed that saynt Ambrose disputed ageynste the errour manychyen long and condempned it by open and euydent resons and by auctorytees soo that this erroure was al put oute of the herte of augustyn And what byfelle to hym afterward he reherceth in the book of his confessions and seith whan I knewe the fyrst thou betest awey thynfyrmyte of my syÈte shynyng in me forcybly And I tremblyd for drede of good loue and I fond my self right fer fro the in a Regyon of vnlykelyhode lyke as I herd thy voys fro heuen on hyhe sayeng I am mete of gretenes encreced and thou shalt ete me thou shalt not chaunge me in the as mete of thy flessh but thou shalt be chaunged in me And as he reherceth there the lyf of Ihesu cryst plesyd hym moche well but he doubted yet to goo in suche distresses but our lorde anone putte in his mynde that he shold goo to Symplycyen in whome all dyuyne grace shone for to refrayne his desyres and for to saye to hym what maner was couenable to lyue for to goo in the weye of god in whiche that other wente For all that was done displesyd sauf the swetenes of god and the beaute of the hows of god whiche he loued And Symplycyen beganne to exhorte hym And saynt Augustyn exhorted hym self and sayd how many children and maydens serue in the chirche of god to our lord And mayst not thou doo that they doo in them self and not in their god wherfore taryest thou cast thy self in hym and he shall receyue the and rewarde the And among these wordes Vyctoryn cam to his mynde Thenne Symplycyen was moche gladde and tolde to hym how Vyctoryn was yet a paynym and deserued to haue a grete ymage to his lykenes in the markette of Rome And how he oftymes said that he was a cristen man To whome Symplycyen said I shalle not bileue it but yf I see the in the chirche And he answerd meryly The walles make not a man Crysten At the laste whan he cam in to the chirche he brought to hym secretely a booke wherin the Credo of the masse was bad hym rede And he ascended vppon hyghe with voys on hyghe pronounced it wherof Rome merueyled and the chirche was ioyefull And alle cryed sodenly Vyctoryn Victoryn And anone they helde hir pees for ioye And after that ther cam fro Auffryke a frende of Augustyn whiche was named Poncyen And recounted to hym the lyf and myracles of the grete Antonye that had ben dede before vnder CoÌ„stantyn themperour And by the Ensamples Austyn enforced hym strongly soo that he assailled his felawe Alippe as wel with chere as mynde and cryed strongly what suffre we what here we vntaught peple and folyssh rauysshe and take heuen And we wyth oure connyng and doctrynes plonge synke in to helle And
and take out my sowle fro this pryson and whan he had sayd thys one of the bouchyers smote of his heed Thenne the crysten men came pryuelye and toke aweye the body and buryed it honourably and he suffred dethe the v kalendes of decembre Thus endeth the grete passyon Of Saint Iames the marter ¶ Here foloweth the lyf of the holy and venerable preest bede THe holy and venerable bede was borne in englond whan he was seuen yere of his age he was delyuerd to benette bysshop of gyrwy for to lerne after his dethe he was put to colfrydus abbot of the same place and lerned prouffyted moche in holy lyf and connyng and the xix yere of his age he was made deken of Iohan bysshop of yorke and in the thyrty yere of hys age he was made preest Thenne began he to wryte and to studye to expowne holy wrytte where vpon he made many noble omelyes and not withstondyng his grete besynesse was dayly in the seruyse of relygyon as in syngyng prayeng in the chyrche he had grete swetenes and lykyng to lerne to teche and to wryte he wrote lxxviij bookes he acounted the bookes yeres fro the beygnnyng of the world in hystorya anglyeana In the book of polycronycon is reherced that is wonder that a man that was so wythoute vse of scole made so many noble volumes in soo sobre wordes in soo lytell space of his lyf tyme It is sayd he wente to Rome for to shewe there hys bookes for to see them accordyng to holy wrytte and to the lore of holy chyrche but herof somme doubte and saye that he neuer wente to Rome Also it is sayd that whan he was blynde he wente aboute for to preche his seruaunte that ladde hym brought hym where as were many hupples of stones to whome he maad a noble sermone and whan he had al fynysshed his sermone the stones answerden sayden amen Also it is sayd that he fonde a wrytyng of thre R and thre F ouer the yate of rome whiche he expowned thus the fyrst R betokened regna the second ruent the iij rome that is regna ruent rome and the firste f betokeneth ferro the second flamma the thyrd fame that is ferro flaÌ„ma fameque Also pope sergyus wrote a letter to thabbot colfrydus and prayed for to haue beda come to Rome for to assoyle certeyn questyons that were there moeuyd here is to be noted that how noble and worthy the courte of rome helâ—e hym whan so noble a courte had nede to haue hym for to declare and assoyle the questyons that there were moeuyd also we ought to holde noble and holy by the manere of hys lyuyng and his techyng he must nedes be vertuous and eschewe vyces that was so wel ocupyed in spendyng his wytte and thought in expownyng of holy wryte and his clennesse was moche seen at his laste ende For hys stomacke had Indygnacyon of mete seuen wekes contynuelly of drynke so that vnnethe he myght reteyne ony mete and was strayte and shorte brethed but for al that he spared not the trauayle of lecture and of bookes euery day emonge the detty trauaylle of seruyse and of psalmes he taughte his dyscyples in lessons and in questyons he translated saynt Iohans gospel in to englysshe and sayd to his scolers lerne ye my smale children whyles I am a lyue and wyth you I wote not how longe I shal abyde wyth you and alwey emonge he said that sawe of saynt ambrose I haue not so lyued emonge you that me shameth to lyue neyther me dredeth to deye for we haue a good lord on nyghtes tyme whan he had no man to teche thenne wold he deuoutely be in yrayers and thankyng our lord of al his yeftes The tewesday tofore assencyon day his dethe approched and his began to swelle he was howseld enoynted kyssed his brethern and prayed them al to rememembre hym and he yaue to dyuers of his seruauntes thynges that he had in pryuyte On the assencyon day the heer was spredde and he layed hym doun theron and prayed for the grace of the holy ghoost and sayd O kynge of blysse and lord of vertues that hast the prys and arte this day styed vp aboue alle heuenes leue thou vs not faderlesse but sende thou in to vs that byheste of the fader the ghoost of sothfastnesse And whan he had ended that he yaue vp the laste brethe with a swete odour and sauour and there he was thenne buryed but the comune fame tellyth that he now lyeth at durham wyth saynt cutberde There was a deuoute clerke whyche laboured in hys mynde for to make his epytaphye and in no wyse he coude make trewe metre wherfore on a tyme he wente to the chyrche and prayed god to gyue hym connyng to make a trewe verse And after came vnto his tombe and sawe there wryton by an aungel Hic sunt in fossa bede venerabilis ossa Thenne lete vs praye to this holy man that he praye for vs that after thys lyf we may come to euerlastyng lyf amen ¶ Here endeth the lyf of the holy Bede And here foloweth the lyf of Saynt Dorothe THe glorious virgyn and marter saynt dorathe was borne of the noble lygnage of the senatours of Rome hir fader hyght Theodore In that tyme the persecucion of the cristen peple was grete about rome wherfore this holy vyrgyn saint dorathe despysyng the worshyppyng of ydolles counceylled hir fader hir moder and hir two susters crysten and calestyn to forsake theyr pocessyons and so they dyd and fledde in to the royame of capadoce and came in to the cyte of cezarye wherin they set saynt dorathe to scole sone after she was crystened of the holy bysshop Saynt appollynare and he named hir dorathe and she was fulfylled with the holy goost and in grete beaute aboue all the maydens of that royame and she despysed al worldly vanytees and brennyd in the loue of almyghty god and loued pouerte and was ful of mekenes chastyte Wherof the fende hauyng enuye at hir blessed lyuyng prouoked and sette a fyre in hir loue the prouoste soo that he wold haue hir to his wyf and anone sente for hir in al haste and whan she came he desyred to haue hir to his wyf and promysed to hir rychesse or worldelye good wythout nombre whan thys holy virgyne vnderstood hys desyre requeste refused it and denyed it vtterlye and alle his rychesses settyng at nought and more ouer she know leched hir self to be crysten and that she had auowed hir vyrgynyte vnto Ihesu cryste whome she had chosen to hir spouse and wold neuer haue other and whan the prouoste fabrycyus herde thys he was nyghe fro hym self for angre and commaunded that she shold be put in a tonne of breÌ„nyng oyle wherin she was preserued by the power of hir spouse Ihesu criste that she felte none dysease ne harme
THe holy blessed doctour saynt Ierom sayth thys auctoryte do alweye somme good werke to th ende that the deuyl fynde the not ydle And the holy doctour saynt austyn sayth in the book of the labour of monkes that no man stronge or myghty to laboure ought to be ydle for which cause whan I had parfourmed accomplisshed dyuers werkys hystoryes translated out of frensshe in to englysshe at the requeste of certeyn lordes ladyes and gentylmen as thystorye of the recuyel of Troye the book of the chesse the hystorye of Iason The hystorye of the myrrour of the world the xv bookes of Metamorpheseos in whyche been conteyned the fables of ouyde and the hystorye of 〈…〉 froy of boloyn in the conqueste of Iherusalem wyth other dyuers werkys bookes I nyste what werke to begynne put forth after the said werkys tofore made for as moche as ydelnesse is so moche blamed as sayth saynt bernard the myllyfluous doctour that she is moder of lyes stepdame of vertues it is she that ouerthroweth stronge men in to synne quenchyth vertue nouryssheth pryde maketh the waye redy to goo to helle and Iohan cassyodore sayth that the thouÈt of hym that is ydle thynketh on none other thynge but on lychorous metys vyandes for his bely and the holy saynt bernard aforesayd sayth in an epystle whan the tyme shal come that it shal behoue vs to rendre and gyue acomptes of our ydle tyme what reson may we rendre or what answer shal we gyue whan in ydlenes is none excuse prosper sayth that who someuer lyueth in ydlenesse lyueth in manere of a dombe beest and by cause I haue seen the auctorytees that blame despyse so moche ydlenes also knowe wel that it is one of the capytal and dedely synnes moche hateful vnto god Therfore I haue concluded fermelye purposed in my self no more to be ydle but wyl applye my self to laboure and suche ocupacion as I haue be acustomed to do for as moche as saynt austyn aforesayd sayth vpon a psalme that good werke ought not be doon for fere of payne but for the loue of rightwysnesse that it be of veray souerayn fraunchyse and by cause me semeth to be a souerayn wele to Incyte exhorte men and wymmen to kepe them from slouthe and ydlenesse and to lete to be vnderstonden to suche peple as been not letterd the natyuytees the lyues the passyons the myracles and the dethe of the holy sayntes also soÌ„me other notorye dedes and actes of tymes passed I haue submysed my self to translate in to englyssle the legende of sayntes which is callyd legenda aurea in latyn that is to say the golden legende for in lyke wyse as golde is moste noble aboue al other metalles in lyke wyse is thys legende holden moost noble aboue al other werkys ageynst me here myght somme persones saye that thys legende hath be translated tofore and trouthe it is but for as moche as I had by me a legende in frensshe another in latyn the thyrd in englysshe whiche varyed in many and dyuers places and also many hystoryes were comprysed in the two other bookes whiche were not in the englysshe book and therfore I haue wryten one oute of the sayd thre bookes which I haue ordryd otherwyse than the sayd englysshe legende is whiche was so tofore made besechyng alle theym that shall see or here it redde to pardone me where I haue erryd or made fawte whyche yf ony be is of ygnoraunce and ageyn my wylle and submytte it hooly of suche as can may to correcte it humbly bysechyng them so to doo and in so doyng they shal deserue a synguler lawde and meryte I shal praye for them vnto almyghty god that he of his benygne grace rewarde them cÌ„ And that it prouffyte to alle them that shal rede or here it redde and may encreace in them vertue and expelle vyce and synne that by the ensaumple of the holy sayntes amende theyr lyuyng here in thys shorte lyf that by their merytes they and I may come to euerlastyng lyf blysse in heuen amen My Truste Is ANd for as moche as this sayd werke was grete ouer chargeable to me taccomplisshe I feryd me in the begynnyng of the translacyon to haue contynued it by cause of the longe tyme of the translacion also in thenpryntyng of the same in maner halfe desperate to haue accomplissd it was in purpose to haue lefte it after that I had begonne to translate it to haue layed it aparte ne had it be at thynstaunce requeste of the puyssant noble vertuous erle my lord wyllyam erle of arondel whiche desyred me to procede contynue the said werke promysed me to take a resonable quaÌ„tyte of them when they were achyeued accomplisshed and sente to me a worshypful gentylman a seruaunte of his named IohÌ„n Stanney whych solycyted me in my Lordes name that I shold in no wyse leue it but accomplisshe it promysyng that my sayd lord shold duryng my lyf yeue graunte to me a yerely fee that is to wete a bucke in sommer a doo in wynter with whiche fee I holde me wel contente Thenne atte centemplacion reuerence of my sayd lord I haue endeuoyred me to make an ende fynysshe thys sayd translacion and also haue enprynted it in the moost best wyse that I haue coude or myght and presente this sayd boook to his good noble lordshyp as chyef causer of the achyeuyng of hit prayeng hym to take it in gree of me Wyllyam caxton hys poure seruaunte that it lyke hym to remembre my fee I shal praye vnto almyghty god for his longe lyf and welfare after this shorte transytorye lyf to come in to euerlastyng ioye in heuen the whiche he sende to hym me vnto al them that shal rede and here this sayd book that for the loue feythe of whome al these holy sayntes hath suffred deth and passyon amen ¶ And to th ende eche hystoryy lyf passyon may be shortely fouÌ„den I haue ordeyned this table folowyng where in what leef he shal fynde suche as shal be desyred and haue sette the nombre of euery leef in the margyne ¶ Thaduent of our lord folio primo The natyuyte of our lord foure The circumcysyon of our lord fyue The feste of thepyphanye eyghte Septuagesme enleuen Sexagesme folio enleuen Quinquagesme twelue Quadragesme twelue The ymbre dayes thyrtene The passyon of our lord fourtene The resurrexyon eyghtene The letanyes more lasse xxi The ascencion of our lord xxiij The feste of whytsontyde xxvj The feste of corpus xpristi thyrty The feste of dedycacion two thyrty The hystorye of adam seuen thyrty The historye of Noe nyne thyrty The hystorye of abraham fourty The hystorye of ysaac his two sones Esau Iacob four fourty Thystorye
that this day shewed hym to thise kynges And at his baptesme where the voys of the fader was herd the holy ghoost seen And at the feest torned water in to wyn and fedde fyue thousand men besyde wymen and chyldren with v. loues and two fysshes that at the reuerence of this hye and grete feste he forgyue vs oure trespaces and synnes that after this short lyf we may come tohis euerlastyng blysse in heuen Amen Thus endeth the fest of Epyphanye of the thre kynges Here begynneth Septuagesme AT Septuagesme begynneth the tyme of deuiacioÌ„ or goyng out of the way of the world whiche began at Adam and dured vnto moyses And in this tyme is redde the book of genesis The tyme of septuagesme representeth the tyme of deuyacioÌ„ that is of transgression The sexagesme sygnefyeth the tyme of reuocacion The quinquagesme signefieth the tyme of remyssion The quadragesme signefieth of penaunce and satisfaction The septuagesme begynneth whan the chirche syngeth in thoffyce of the masse circuÌ„dederunt me and endureth vnto the saterday after ester day The septuagesme was institued for thre reasons lyke as mastre IohÌ„n beleth putteth in thoffyce of the chirche The first reason was for the redempcion For the holy fadres somtyme ordeyned that for thonour of thascencion of IhÌ„u cryst In the whiche our nature ascended in to heuen And was enhaunsed aboue thangeles that this day shold be halowed solempnly And shold be kepte fro fastyng And at the begynnyng of the chirche also solempne as the sonday And procession was made in representyng the procession of thappostles which they made on that day or of thaÌ„gellis that cam to mete hym and therfor comenly the prouerbe was that the thursday and the sonday were cosyns For thenne that one was as solempne as that other but by cause that the festes of sayntes cam and ben multeplyed whiche were greuous to halowe so many festes therfore the feste of the thursday cessed And for to recompence that ther is a weke of abstynence ordeyned lyke to lente and is called septuagesme That other reeason is for the sygnyficacion of the tyme For by this tyme is signefyed to vs the tyme of deuiacion of goyng out of the way of eyxle and of tribulacion of thumayne lignage fro syth Adam vnto th ende of the world Whiche exile is halowed vpon the reuolucion of vij dayes of vij M. yere vnderstoÌ„deÌ„ by lxx dayes or lxxC yeris For fro the begynnyng of the world vnto thascencion we acounte vj thousand yere and of the rest that we rekene it for the seuenth thousand of whiche god knoweth only the terme Now it is so that Ihesu cryst bought vs out of this exile in the vj age in hope of perpetuel lyf of all them that be reuested with the vesture of Innocence by bapteme we ben regenerate And whan we shal haue passed the tyme of this exyle he shal clothe vs of double vesture that is to wete of body and soule in glorye and in the tyme of deuyacion and of exyle we leue the songe of gladnes that is alleluya but the saterday of ester we synge one alleluya In enioyeng vs thankyng god of the vesture perpetuel whiche by hope we abyde for to recouure in the sixth age And in the masse we sette a tracte In fyguryng the labour that yet we ought to doo and in fulfyllyng the comandemens of god And the double Alleluya that we synge after ester sygnefyeth the double vesture tht we shaal haue in body and in soule The thirde Reson is for representacion For the septuagesme representeth lxx â–ª yere in whiche the chyldren of Israhel were in babilone in seruytude And in suche maner that they caste away and lefte their vsage of songe of gladnesse sayeng Quomodo cantabimus canticum domini cÌ„ ¶ Thus leue we the songe of preysyng and of gladnes After licence was gyuen to them to retorne in the tyme of Sexagesme and begonne thenne to Ioye and so we doo the satirday of ester as in the yere of Sexagesme we synge Alleluya in representyng their Ioye and gladnesse how wel in the retornyng they had payne and sorowe to take their thynges and bere with them therfor we synge anon after the tracte whiche foloweth the alleluya And in the saterday after ester in whiche Sptuagesme is complete we synge double Alleluya in fyguryng the playn gladnesse that they had whan they were retorned in to theyr contree And this tyme thus of the seruytude of the chyldren of Israhel representeth the tyme of our pylgremage of the lyf of this world ¶ For thus as they were delyuerd in the syxtyth so were we in the syxte age And as they had payne in gadryng assemblyng theyr thynges for to bere with them So haue we in fulfyllyng the comandements of god And like as they were in reste whan they cam in to their contre and in gladnes and in Ioye in lyke wyse we synge double alleluya that betokeneth double Ioye that we shal haue as wel in body as in sowle In this tyme theÌ„ne of exile of the chirche full of many tribulacions and as throwen out in to the depenesse of desperacion almost and despayr sigheth for sorowe in sayeng thoffyce of the masse Circundederunt me gemitus mortis cÌ„ And sheweth many demonstracions that she suffreth as well for the myserye that she had deserued by synne As for the double payne that she is ronne in as for the trespas to her neyghbour but all way for as moche as she falle not in despayr is purposed to her in the gospell and epystle thre maner of Remedyes The first is that yf she will yssue of thyse tâ—ybulacions that she laboure in the vygneyerde of her sowle in cuttyng and pullyng out the vyces and the synnes And after in the waye of this present lyf she seche the werkys of penaunce And after that in doyng spyrytuel bataylle she defende her strongly ayenst the temptacions of thenemye And yf she doo thyse iij. thynges she shal haue threfold reward For in labouryng god shal gyue her the peny and in wel rennyng the prys And in well fyghtyng the crowne And by cause that septuagesme sygnefyeth the tyme of our captyuyte the remedye is purposed to vs By the whiche we may be delyuerd in fleyng the myserye by rennyng by vyctorye in fyghtyng and by the peny in vs ayen beyng ¶ Here endeth the mysterye of Septuagesme ¶ Of Sexagesme THe Sexagesme begynneth whan is songe in the chirche at office of the masse Exurge domine And this endeth the wednesday after ester day And was instytued for redempcion for sygnefycacion and for representacion For redempcioÌ„ it was instytued For Melchisedech the 〈◊〉 and syluestre Institued that men shold ete twyes on the saterday to th ende that they that that had fasted the fryday whiche shold all way be fasted were not greued And in rechaet them of the saterdayes of this tyme they adiousted and Ioyned
had not be deed Man had neuer be made mmortal And thenne said Egeas Telle to thy dyscyples suche vanytees And obeye thou to me make sacrefise vnto the goddes almyghty And thenne said saynt Andrewe I offre euery day vnto god almyghty a lambe wythout spotte And after that he is receyuyd of alle the peple so lyueth he and is all hole Thenne demandeth Egeas how that myght be And Andrewe saide take the forme for to be a dyscyple thou shal knowe it wel I shal demande the said Egeas by turmentis Thenne he beyng alle angry comanded that he shold be enclosed in pryson And on the morne he cam to Iugement And the blessyd saynt Andrewe vnto the sacrefyse of the ydolles And Egeas comanded to be said to hym yf thou obeye not to me I shal doo hange the on the crosse For so moche as thou hast praysed it And thus as he menaced hym of many turmentis seynt Andrewe said to hym Thynke what turment that is most greuous that thou mayst doo to me and the more I suffre the more I shal be agreable to my kynge by cause I shal be most ferme in the turmentis payne Thenne comanded Egeas that he shold be beten of xxj men And that he shold be so beten bounden by the feet and handes vnto the crosse to th ende that hys payne shold endure the lenger And whan he was ledde vnto the crosse ther ran moche peple theder sayeng The blode of thynnocent is dampned without cause And thappostle prayd them that they shold not empesshe ne lette hys turment ne martirdom And whan he sawe the crosse fro ferre he salewed it and sayd Alle hayl crosse whyche art dedycate in the body of Ihesu cryst and were aourned with the mēbres of hym as of precious stones To fore that our lord Ascended on the thou were the power erthly Now thou art the loue of heuen Thou shalt receyue me by my desyre I come to the surely gladly so that thou receyue me gladly as dyscyple of hym that henge in the For I haue alway worshyppid the and haue desyre the tembrace O thou crosse whyche hast receyued beaute and noblesse of the membres of our lord whō I haue so longe desyred and curiously loued and whom my corage hath so moche desyred and coueyted take me fro hens and yeld me to my mayster to th ende that he receyue me by the that redemyd me by the And in thys sayenge he dyspoylled and vnclad hym and gaf hys clothys vnto the bochyers And thenne they henge hym in the crosse lyke as to them was comanded And there he lyuyd two dayes and prechyd to twenty thousand men that there were Thenne all the company swore the deth of egeas and said The holy man and debounayre ought not to suffre thys Thenne cam theder egeas for to take hym doun of the crosse And whan andrewe sawe hym he said wherfore arte thou come to me Egeas yf it be for penaunce thou shalt haue it And yf it be for to take me doun knowe thou for certayn thou shalt not take me herof alyue For I see nowe my lord and kynge that abideth for me therwith they wold haue vnbounden hym And they myght in noo wyse touche hym For theyr armes were bynomen and of no power And the holy saynt Andrew sawe that the world wolde haue taken hym doun of the crosse he made thys oryson hangyng on the crosse as saynt Austyn saith in the boke of penaunce Syre suffre me not descēde fro this crosse a lyue For it is tyme that thou comande my body to the erthe For I haue born longe the charge And haue so moche watched vpō that which was comanded to me and haue so longe traueyllyd that I wold now be delyuerd of thys obedyence and be taken away fro thys agreable charge I remēbre that it is moche greuous in prowd beryng in doubtyng vnstedfast in nouryssyng And haue gladly laboured in the refraynyng of them Syre thou knowest how ofte the world hath entented to withdrawe me fro the purete of contemplacion how ofte he hath entended to awake me fro the slepe of my swete reste how moche and how ofte tymes he hath made me to sorowe And as moche as I haue had myght I haue resysted it ryght debonayrly in fyghtyng ayenst it And haue by thy werke and ayde surmounted it And I requyre of the Iuste and debonayr gwerdon and reward And that thou comāde that I not goo agayn therto but I yelde to the that whyche thou hast delyuerd me Comande it to another and empesshe me nomore but kepe me in the resurrection so that I may receyue the meryte of my labour Comande my body vnto the erthe so that it behoueth nomore to wake but late it be stratched frely to the whiche art fontayne of Ioye neuer fayllyng ¶ And whan he had said thys ther cam fro heuen a ryght grete shynyng lyght whiche enuyroned hym by the space of half an our in suche wyse that noman myght see hym And whan this light departed he yelded and rendryd therwith hys spyryte And maximilla the wyf of Egeas toke away the body of thappostle and buried it honnourably And or that Egeas was comen agayn to hys hows he was rauysshyd with a deuyl by the waye and deyed to fore them alle and it is said that out of hys sepulcre cometh manna lyke vnto mele And oylle whyche hath a right swete sauour and odour And by that is shewed to the peple of the contrey whan ther shal be plente of goodes For whan ther cometh but lytyl of manna Therthe shal brynge forth but lytyl fruyt And whan it cometh habundantly The erthe bryngeth forth fruyt plentyuously And thys myght wel happen of olde tyme For the body of hym was transported in to Constantynoble ¶ Ther was a bysshop that ledde an holy and relygyous lyf And louyd saynt Andrewe by grete deuocion and worshypyd hym aboue all other sayntes so that in alle hys werkys he remembryd hym euery day and sayd certayn prayers in thonour of god saynt Andrewe in suche wyse that thenemye had enuye on hym and sette hym for to deceyue hym with alle hys malyce ¶ And transfourmed hym in to the fourme of a ryght fayr woman And cam to the palays of the bysshop and sayd that she wold be confessyd to hym And the bysshop bad her to goo confesse her to hys penytaūcer which had playn power of hym And she sente hym word agayn that she wold not releue ne shewe the secretes of her confessyō to none but to hym And so the bysshop comanded her to come And she said to hym Syre I praye the that thou haue mercy on me I am so as ye see in the yeres of my yongthe and a mayde and was delycyously nourisshed fro my Infancye and born of ryal lygnage but I am come allone in strange habyte For my fader whyche is a ryght
swerd thurgh her throte And yet for all that she deyde not anon but spack to the peple sayeng I adnounce and shewe to you that holy chyrche shal haue peas For dyoclesyen the Emperour whiche was enemy to holy chirche is this day put out of his seignourye And maximiē hys felawe is this day deed And in lyke wyse as saynt Agathe is patronesse and kepar of cathanence In the same wyse shal I be commysed to be patronesse of siracusane this cyte And as she spack thus to the peple The sergeantes and mynystres of Rome cam for to take pascasius and brynge hym to rome by cause that he was accused to fore the senatours of Rome of that he had Robbed the prouynce wherfore he resseyued hys sentence of the senate And had hys heed smyten of Saynt lucye neuer remeuid fro the place where she was hurt wyth the swerd ne deyde not tyl the preest cam brought the blessyd body of our lord Ihesu cryst And assone as she had receyued the blessyd sacrament she rendred and gaf vp her soule to god thankyng and preysyng hym of alle his goodnes In that same place is a chyrche edefyed in the name of her where as many benefetes ben gyuen to thonour of our lord Ih̄u crist whiche is blessed world wythouten ende Amen Here foloweth the lyf of seynt Nychase IN that tyme that the wandles wasted and destroyed many cytes londes they cam to the cyte of reynes in fraūce in whiche cyte seynt nychase was arche bysshop he prechyd the fayth of Ihesu cryst and conforted the peple and admonested them to receyue in pacience the persecucion of the wandles whiche thenne had destroyde the contraye and londe alle aboute the cyte and as thys peple called wandles approched the cyte The folke cam to tharchebisshop and demaunded counseyl yf they shold yelde theym or go and fyght for the cite Seynt nychase to whom god hath shewed to fore that the wandles cam that al the cite shold be destroyde Impetred and had graūte of our lorde that thys tribulacion and thys deth sholde be to the helthe of the soules of them that to theyr power shold be repentaūt of theyr synnes sythe sayde to them late vs goo surely to the peryl of dethe And lat vs abyde the mercy of god I am redy to sette my sowle for my peple late us preye for our enemyes and late vs desyre of theyr soules lyke as of our owne Thus as he spake to the peple seynt eutroppe his suster exorted as moche as she myght the peple to receyue martordom whiche was redy after thorysons and thensygnementes that they had made to the peple they yssued out ayenst the wandles Ande seynt nychase sayde to them yf ye wyl slee my people slee me fyrst tofore And after he prechyd to them the fayth of Ih̄u cryst and taughte them how they myght be saued but they wold not vnderstonde it thenne the holy man sette hym to prayer And whyles he prayde hys enemyes smote of hys hede and after that the hede was smeton offe he made an ende of hys prayer and sayde in his tongue thys vers of the sauter adhesit panimento c̄ whan seynt eutrope saw her brother martred And sawe that noman made hym redy to be martred but stroof for her beaute she ran to hym that had slayn her brother And wold haue cratched hys eyen out of his heed And anon she was martrid and many other with her Thenne the wandles sawe a grete companye of cheualrye of heuen come for tauenge the grete felonye that they had don and herde a grete soun in the chirche And they had so grete fere and drede that they lefte all theyr Armures and fledde And ther appiered a grete lyght and clernes vpon the bodyes that it was seen ferre by nyght thenne cam agayn som̄e burgeyses of them that had fled and sawe the clerenes and felte a grete odour aboute the martirs and buryed thē aboute the cyte And thanked our lord and seruyd hym more perfyghtly than they had don byfore late vs praye thenne to the holy saynt Nichase and to saynt Eutroppe that they wyl gete vs grace of our lord that they brynge vs in to their companye Amen Thus endeth the lyf of saynt Nychase And here begynneth the lyf of saynt Thomas thappostle THomas is as moche to saye as abysme or double whiche in grece is said didimus or ellis Thomas is said of Thomos whiche is said dyuysion and departyng he was abysme or swolowe by cause he deserued to perse the depnes of dyuynyte whan at hys Interrogacion Ihesu cryst answerd to hym Ego sum via veritas vita I am the waye trouthe and lyf he is said double by cause he knewe cryst in hys resurrection in double thyse more than other knewe For they knewe hym but only in seeyng but Thomas knewe hym bothe seeyng and feelyng he is said dyuysyon or departyng for he departed hys loue fro the loue of the world And was departed fro the other appostles atte Resurrection Or Thomas is said as appered agayn that is in the loue of god by contemplacion he had thre thynges in hym of whiche prosper saith in the book of the soule contemplatyf and demaundeth what it is for to loue nothyng but for to conceyue the brennyng of hym in hys thought and the talente of god and hate of synne and to forsake the world Or Thomas is as moche to saye as alway goyng in the loue and contemplacion of god Or thomas is as moche as my god by cause he said whan he touched the syde of our lord my god and my lord SAynt Thomas whā he was in Cezaree our lord appiered to hym and sayde The kynge of ynde gondeforus hath sente his prouost Abanes for to seche men that can wel the craft of masons And I shal sende the to hym and saynt Thomas saide Syre sende me oueral sauf to them of ynde And our lord said to hym goo thy way theder surely for I shal be thy kepar and whan thou hast conuerted them of ynde thou shalt come to me by the crowne of martirdom And Thomas said to hym thou art my lord And I thy seruaunt thy wyll be fulfyllid And as the prouost wente thurgh the market our lord said to hym yong man what wilt thou bye And he said my lord hath sente me for to brynge to hym som̄e that be lerned in the science of masonrye that they myght make for hym a palays after the werke of Rome And thenne our lord delyuerid to hym saynt Thomas thappostle and told to hym that he was moche expert in that werke and they departed and saylled til they cam in a cyte where the kyng made a weddyng of hys doughter And had do crye that all the people shold come to this feste of this mariage or ellis he wold be angry And it so happed that the prouost and thomas wente thyder And an hebrewe mayde
alle he gaf to theÌ„ to drynke the venym whiche men assone as they had dronken it incontynent deyed Thenne saynt IohÌ„n toke the cuppe with the venym And blessyd it with the signe of the crosse and dranke it of euerydele And had ne felte none hurte ne harme wherfore alle the peple gaf laude and preysyng to god Aristodemus sayde yet haue I a doubte but and yf thou reyse to lyf agayn the dede men that dranke the venym wythout doubte thenne shal I byleue Thenne thappostle delyueryd hym hys cote to whoÌ„ he said why gyuest thou to me thy cote and saynt IohÌ„n said by cause that thou asshamed and confused shalt goo fro and forsake thyn Infydelite To whom he seid Trowest thou that thy cote shal make me byleue and thappostle said goo and leye it vpon the bodyes of the dede men sayeng Thappostle of Crist hath sent me to you that ye aryse in the name of crist whyche whan he had doon anon they aroos fro deth to lyf Thenne thappostle baptysed the bysshop and the proconsul byleuyng in cryst wyth all theyr kynne frendes which anon brake all their symylacres And in the same place edefyed a chyrche in the worshyp of god and of saynt Iohan The holy saynt clement reherceth in the fourth book of historia ecclesiastica that one a tyme saynt IohÌ„n theuangelist conuerted to the fayth a goodly yong man wel fauoured and stronge And comanded hym vnto the kepyng rule and gouernaunce of a bysshop And within a lytyl whyle after thys yong man forsoke the bysshop and fylle in to euyl companye emong theuys And by cam and was made maister and prynce of them Anon after thappostle cam to the bysshop and demanded for thys yong man And the bysshop was sore abasshed whan saynt Iohan sawe hys contenaunce he demanded more besilier after hym And where he had lefte hym For I aske hym of the whom I delyuerid to the and gaf the so grete charge with hym Thenne said the bysshop to hym Fader truly he is deed in hys sowle And is in yonder montayn wyth theuys and is theyr mayster and prynce And whan he herd that for sorowe he rente hys clothis and said to the bysshop thou art a feble kepar for to suffre thy brother to lese hys sowle Anone he made an hors to be made redy for hym and rode faste to the montayn And whan the yong man espyed and knewe hym he was so sore ashamed that he fled from hym Thenne thappostle forgate hys age and prykyd after and cryed after hym that fledde My most swete sone why fleest thou fro thy fader feble and olde Be thou not aferd sone For I shal yelde acountes for the to Ihesu cryst And truly I shal gladly deye for the lyke as Ihesu cryst deyed for vs Torne agayn my sone torne agayn Ihesu cryst hath sente me to the And he herd hym thus speke he abode with an heuy chyer and wepte repentyng hym bytterly and fylle doun to the feet of thappostle and for penauÌ„ce kyst hys hand And thappostle fasted and prayed to god for hym and gate for hym remyssyon of hys synnes and foryeuenes And lyued so vertuously after that saynt IohÌ„n ordeyned hym to be a bysshop ¶ Also it is redde in the same hystorye that saynt IohÌ„n on a tyme entred in to a bath for to wasshe hym and ther he fonde cheryntuÌ„ an heretyke whome assone as he sawe he eschewed and wente out of it sayeng Late vs flee and goo hens leeft the bayne falle vpon vs in whyche cheryntus thenemye of trouthe wassheth hym And assone as he was out the bayne fylle doun Cassiodor saith that a man had gyuen to saynt IohÌ„n a partrych lyuyng And he helde it in hys honde strokyng and playeng with it other whyle for hys recreacion And on a tyme a yong man passyd by wyth hys felawshyp and sawe hym playe wyth hys byrde whyche sayd to hys felaws lawhyng See how the yonder old man playeth wyth a byrd lyke a chyld whyche saynt IohÌ„n knewe anon by tholy ghoost what he had said and callyd the yong man to hym and demanded hym what he held in hys hond and he said a bowe what dost thou with all said saynt IohÌ„n And the yong man said we shote byrdes and bestes therwith to whom thappostle demaunded how and in what maner Thenne the yong man bente hys bowe and helde it in hys honde bente And whan thappostle said no more to hym he vnbente hys bowe agayn Thenne said thappostle to hym why hast thou vnbente thy bowe and he said by cause yf it shold be long bente it shold be the weyker for to shete with it Thenne said thappostle Soo sone it fareth by maÌ„kynde and by freylte in contemplacion yf it shold be alway be bente it shold be to weyke And therfor otherwhyle it is expedient to haue recreacion The eygle is the byrde that fleeth hyest and most clerly beholdeth the sonne And yet by necessyte of nature hym behoueth to descende lowe Ryght soo whan mankynde withdraweth hym a lytil fro contemplacion he after putteth hym self heyer by a renewed strengthe and he brenneth thenne more feruently in heuenly thynges Saynt IohÌ„n wrote his gospellis after the other euangelistes the yere after thascencion of our lord lxvj after this that the venerable bede saith And whaÌ„ he was requyred and prayd of the bysshops of the contre of ephese to write them saynt IohÌ„n prayd also to them that they shold faste praye in their dyosices iij dayes for hym to th ende that he myght truly wryte them Saynt Iherome saith of this glorious appostle saynt IohÌ„n that whan he was so olde so feble and so vnmyghty that hys dysciples susteyned and bare hym in goyng to chirche and as of tymes as he restid he said to his dysciples Fayre chyldren loue ye to gydre and eche of you loue other And thenne hys disciples demanded why and wherfore he said to them so ofte suche werdes he answerd to them and said our lord had so comanded And who someuer accomplisshed wel this comandemeÌ„t it shold suffyse hym for to be saued And fynably after that he had founded many chyrches and had ordeyned bysshops and prestes in them and confermed them by hys predycacion in the crysten fayth the yere lxviij after the resurrection of Iesu cryst For he was xxxj yere old whan our lord was crucyfyed And lyued after lxviij yere and thus was all hys age lxxxxix yere TheÌ„ne cam our lord with hys dyscyples to hym and said Come my frende to me For it is tyme that thâ—u come ete and be fed atte my table with thy bretâ—ern Thenne saynt IohÌ„n aroos vp and said to our lord IhÌ„u cryst that he had desired it longe tyme And began to goo Thenne said our lord to hym On sonday next comyng thou shalt come to me That sonday the peple came alle to the chyrehe whiche was founded in hys name
and consecrate on that one side of Ephesee And fro mydnyght forth he ceassed not to preche to the people that they shold establysshe them and be stedfast in the crysten faith and obeyssaunt to the comandemens of god And after thys he said the masse and howselyd and comuned the peple and after that the messe was fynysshed he bad and dyde do make a pytte or a sepulture to fore the aulter And after that he had taken hys leue and comanded the peple to god he descended doun in to the pytte or sepulture And helde vp hys handes to heuen and said Swete lord Ihesu cryste I yelde me vnto thy desyre and thanke the that thou hast vouchedsauf to calle me to the yf it plaise the receyue me for to be with my brethern with whom thou hast somoned me Opene to me the yate of the lyf permanable And lede me to the feest of thy wel and best dressed metes thou art Cryst the sone of the lyuyng god whyche by the comandemÌ„t that of fader hast saued the world To the I rendre and yelde grace and thankynges world wythouten ende thou knowest wel that I haue desired the with al my herte After that he had made hys prayer moche amerously and pyteously anon cam vpon hym grete clerenes and light And so grete brightnes that none myght see hym And whan thys lyght and bryghtnes was goon and departed ther was nothyng founde in the pytte or graue but manna whiche cam spryngyng from vnder vpward lyke as fonde in a fontayn or spryngynge welle where moche peple haue ben delyuerd of many diseases sekenesses by the merytes prayers of thys gloryous saynt SomÌ„e saye and afferme that he deyed without payne of deth And that he was in that clerenes born in to heuen body and sowle wherof god knoweth the certaynte And we that ben yet here bynethe in this myserye ought to pray deuoutly to hym that he wold impetre and gete to vs the grace of our lord whiche is blessyd in secula seculorum Amen Ther was a kyng an holy Confessour and virgyne named seynt Edward whiche had a specyal deuocion vnto saynt IohÌ„n euangelist and it happed that thys holy kyng was atte halowyng of a chyrche dedycate in thonour of god and of this holy appostle and it was that saynt IohÌ„n in lyknes of a pylgryme cam to thys kynge and demaunded hys almesse in the name of saynt IohÌ„n And the kyng not hauyng his amoner by hym ne his chamberlayn of whom he myght haue somwhat to gyue hym but toke hys rynge whyche he bare on hys fyngre and gaf it to the pylgryme ¶ After thys many dayes it happened ij pylgryms of englond for to be in the holy londe And saynt IohÌ„n appiered to them And bad them to bere thys Rynge to theyr kynge and to grete hym wel in hys name And to telle hym that he gaf it to saynt IohÌ„n in lykenes of a pylgryme and that he shold make hym redy to departe out of thys world For he shold not longe abyde here but come in to euerlastyng blysse And so vanysshed fro them And anone as he was goon they had grete lust to slepe and leyd them doun and slepte and thys was in the holy land and whan they awoke they loked aboute them and knewe not where they were And they sawe flockes of sheep and shepherdes kepyng them to whom they wente to knowe the waye and to demaunde where that they were and whan they axed them they spack englyssh and said that they were in englond in kente on beram downe And thenne they thanked god and and saynt JohÌ„n for theyr good speed and cam to this holy kynge saynt Edward on Cristemas day and delyuered to hym the rynge and dyde their erand wherof the kynge was abasshyd and thanked god and the holy saynt that he had warnyng for to departe and on the vygyle of thepyphanye next after he deyde and departed holyly out of thys world And is buryed in thabbiye of westmestre by london where as is yet in to thys day the same rynge Ysidore in the book of the lyf and deth of holy sayntes and fadres sayth thys Saynt JohÌ„n theuaÌ„gelist transformed and torned roddes of trees in to fyn gold the stones and grauel of the see in to precious geÌ„mes and owches the smale broken pyeces of gemmes he reformed vnto their first nature he reysed a wydowe fro deth And brought agayn the sowle of a yong man in to hys body he dranke venym without hurte or peryll And them that had ben deed by the same he recouerid in to the state of lyf Here endeth the lyf of saynt Iohan theuangelist Here foloweth Thystorye of Thynnocentes THe Innocentis callyd Innocentis for iij reasons First by cause reason of lyf and by reason of payne and by reason of Innocence By reason of lyf they be sayd Innocentis by cause they had an Innocent lyf They greued no body neyther god by inobedyence ne their neyghbours by vntrouthe ne by conceyuyng of ony synne And therfor it is said in the psaulter Thynnocentes and rightwys haue Ioyned them to me Thynnoâ—â—ntis by theyr lyf rightwys in the faith by raison of payne For they suffred deth Innocently and wrongly wherof Dauid saith they haue shed the blood of Innocentes by reason of Innocencye that they had by cause that In thys martirdom they were haptysed and made clene of thorigynal synne of whiche Innocence is said in the psaulter kepe thou Innocencye of baptesme And see equyte of good werkes HOly chyrche maketh feste of the Innocentis whyche were put to deth by cause of our lord Ihesu cryst For herode Ascalomer for to fynde and pute to deth our lord which was born in bethleem he dyde doo slee alle the chyldren in bethleem and ther aboute fro the age of two yere and vnder vnto one day vnto the somÌ„e of an CxliiijM chyldren For to vnderstonde whyche herode it was that so cruelly dyde do put so many chyldren to deth It is to wyte that ther were thre herodes and all thre were cruel tyrauÌ„tes And were in their tyme of grete fame and moche renoÌ„med for their grete malyce The first was herode Ascolamer he regned in Iherusalem whan our lord was born The seconde was herodes Antipas to whom pylate sente IhÌ„u cryst in the tyme of hys pâ—ssiâ—n And he dyde do smyte of saynt JohÌ„n baptystes heed The thyrde was herodes agrippa whyche dyde do smyte of saynt Iames heed said in galyce sette saynt peter in pryson But now late vs come to thys fyrst herode that dyde do slee the Innocente chyldren hys fader was named Antipater as hystorye scolâ—styke sayth and was kynge of 〈◊〉 and paynem he toke a wif whiche was Niece to the kynge of arabe on whom he had iij sones a doughter of whome that one was named herode Ascalomer Thys herode seruyd so wel to Iulyen theÌ„perour of Rome that he gaf to
crysten peple myght surely come to the sepulcre vnhurte And the body of Emerencian was buryed by the body of saynt Agnes It happed that whaÌ„ the frendes of seynt Agnes watched at her sepulcre on a nyght they sawe come a grete multitude of virgynes clad in vestymentes of gold and siluer and a grete light shone to fore them And on the right side was a lambe more whyte than snowe and sawe also saynt Agnes emong the virgynes whyche said to her parentes Take hede and see that ye bewaylle me nomore as deed but be ye Ioyeful wyth me For with all thise virgynes Ihesu cryst haue gyue me most â—â—yghtyst habytacion and dwellyng And am with hym Ioyned in heuen whoÌ„ in erthe I loued wyth my thouht And thys was the viij day after her passyoÌ„ And by cause of thys vysion holy chyrche maketh memoyre of her the viij day of the feste after whyche is called Agnetis secundo Of her we rede an example that in the chyrche of saynt agnes was a preest whych was named paulus and allewaye serued in that chyrche and had right grete temptacion of hys flesshe but by cauhe doubted to angre our lord he kepte hym fro synne And prayd to the pope that he wold gyue hym leue for to marye The pope considered hys symplenesse and for hys bouÌ„te he gaf hym a rynge in whych was an emerawde and câ—manded that he shold goo to thymage of saynt Agnes whyche was in hys chyrche and praye her that she wold be hys wyf Thys symple man dyde so And thymage put forth her fyngre And he sette the rynge theron And thenne she drewe her fyngre agayn and kept the ryng faste And thenne anon all hys tempptacion carnall was quenchyd and take away from hym And yet as it is said the rynge is on the fyngre of thymage Constaunce the doughter of Constantyn was smeton wyth a sore and foul lepre whan she had herd of the vysion of saynt agnes at her tombe shâ—wed to her frendes she cam to the sepulcre of saynt agnes And whan she was in her prayers she fill a slepe And she sawe in her slepe saynt agnes sayeng to her Constaunce werke constantly And yf thou wylt byleue in cryst thou shalt anon be delyuerd of thy sekenes wherwyth she awoke and fonde her self perfyghtly hool anon she receyuyd baptesme and founded a chyrche vpon the body of the virgyne And ther abode in her virgynyte and assembled there many virgynes by cause of her good ensample In an other place it is redde that whan the chyrche of saynt agnes was voyde the pope said to a preest that he wold gyue to hym a wyf for to norysshe and kepe and he mente to coÌ„myse the chyrche of saynt agnes to hys cure And he delyueryd to hym a rynge and bad hym to wedde thymage And thymage put forth her fyngre and he sette on it the ryng and anon she closid the fynger to her hand and kept the rynge and so espoused her Of thys vyrgyne sayth saynt Ambrose in the book of vyrgynes ¶ Thys vyrgyne yong men olde men and chyldren preyse ¶ Ther is none more to be praysed than that may be praysed of all Saynt Ambrose saith in hys preface that this blessyd saynt Agnes despysed the delytes of noblesse and deserued heuenly dygnyte she lefte the desires of mannes felawshyp and she fonde the felawshyp of the euerlastyng kynge And she receyuyng a precious deth for the confession of Ihesu cryst is made conformable to hym euerlastyngly to regne in Ioye in heuen to the whyche he brynge vs for whos glorious name and faith thys gloryous vyrgyne saynt Agnes suffred martirdom of deth Thus endeth the lyf of saynt Agnes Here begynneth thynterpretacion of the name of saynt vyncent Vyncent is as moche to saye as brennyng vyces or ouercomyng brennynges and kepyng victorye For he brente and destroyed vyces by mortificacion of hys flessh he vaynquysshid the brennyngis of tormentis by stedfast suffraunce he helde the victorye of the world by despysyng of the same he vaynquysshyd thre thynges in the world that is to wete false errours foule loues and wordly dredes whyche thynges he ouercam by wysedom by clennesse and by constaunce Of whom saynt Austyn saith that the martirdoms of sayntes haue enseygned that the world is ouercome wyth all errours loues and dredes ¶ And somÌ„e afferme that saynt Austyn wrote and compyled hys passyon whyche prudencien sette right clerly in versis Of the lyf of saynt vyncent Vyncente was noble of lygnage but he was more noble by fayth and relygion And was deken to saynt valeryen bysshop he was in hys chyldhode sette to studye where by dyuyne prouydence he floured in double science most parfoundly that is to saye in dyuynyte and humanyte To whom saynt valerien by cause he was empesshyd in hys tongue comysed to hym the fayttes and werkes of charge And hym self entended to prayer and contemplacion And by the comandement of dacian the prouost vyncent and valeryen were drawen to valence and there caste in pryson And whan the prouost had supposed they had ben almost perysshyd for hungre and payne he comanded them to come to fore hym And whan he sawe them hool Ioyeful he beyng wroth began to crye moche strongly and sayd what saist thou valeryen whyche vnder the name of thy relygyon doost ayenst the decrees of prynces And as the blessyd valeryen answerd lyghtly Saynt vyncente sayd to hym worshypful fader answere not hym so wyth a tymerous herte but put out thy voys and escrye hym frely And fader yf thou wylt comande me I shal goo answere to the Iuge To whom valerian said right dere sone it is longe sith I haue coÌ„mysed to the the charge of spekyng And now it byhoueth the to answere for the fayth for whyche we ben here Thenne saynt vyncent torned to the Iuge and said to dacyan Thou hast holden vnto now wordes to renye our faith but knowe thou that it is grete felonnye to the wysedome of crysten men to blame and renye our crysten fayth Thenne dacyan beyng wroth comaÌ„ded that the bysshop shold be put in exile And vyncente as a man presumptuous and despytons shold be put to be tormented in the place named eculeo And it was made lyke a crosse twhart of whyche the two endes were fyxed in therthe And that hys membres shold theron be broken for to fere the other And whan he was all thus to broken dacian said to hym saye vyncente now seest thou thy body vnhappy And vyncent smylyng sayd to hym Thys is that I all way haue desired TheÌ„ne the prouoste beyng wroth began to saye menace hym with many turmÌ„tis And vyncent said to hym O vnhappy man how wenest thou to angre me the more greuously that thou tormentest me so moche more pyte shal god haue on me Aryse vp thou vnhappy man and cursid and by thy wyckyd spyrite thou shalt be vaynquysshyd
Thenne the prouoste commaunded hym to be hanged on a gybet thenne sayd prothase to hym I am not angry with the For I see thyn eyen of thyn herte blynded and I haue grete pyte of the by cause thou seest not what thou doest but doo that thou hast begonne that thys day the benygnyte of our sauyour may brynge me to my broder Thenne the erle commaunded hym that his heed shold be smyton of thus he suffred marterdom for our lord Phelyp a seruaut of Ihesu cryste wyth his sone toke the bodyes and buryed them secretely in his hows in a tombe of stone and layed a book at hyr heedes conteynyng theyr natyuyte theyr lyf and theyr ende And they suffred dethe vnder nero abowte the yere of our lord lvj Thyse bodyes were hyd there many yerys but in the tyme of saynt ambrose they were founden in thys manere Saynt ambrose was in prayer in the chyrche of saynt felyce and saynt nabor in suche wyse that he neyther slepte ne woke hooly there apperyd to hym two yonge men clad in whyt vestementys wyth one cote and mantel and hosed and they apperyd prayeng with hym with theyr hondes holden vp Thenne saynt ambrose prayed that yf it were illusyon that it shold appere nomore And yf it were trouthe that it sholde be shewyd hym ¶ Thenne whan the cocke crewe the yonglynges apperyd to hym adouryng with hym in semblable manere and at the thyrd tyme they apperyd the thyrd nyght whan he had fasted and slepte not ¶ And wyth them apperyd saynt peter the appostle after that he had seen hym in paynture Thenne the yonglynges sayd no thyng but the appostle spake Thyse ben they that desyre none erthely thynge but haue folowed myn admonestementes And thyse been they of whome thou shalte fynde the bodyes in suche a place And there thou shalt fynde an arche of stones couerd with xij feet of erthe and thou shalt fynde at theyr heedes a litel book wherin is conteyned theyr byrthe and theyr ende Thenne saynt ambrose callyd alle hys neyghbours and began fyrst to dygge the erthe and fonde lyke as thappostle had sayd to hym and they had layn in that place wel a thre hondred yere and they were as fresshe as they had ben layed there that same houre and a right swete sauour yssued out of theyr tombe and in contynent a blynde man touched the byer and anone he had his syght ageyn and many other seek people were helyd by the merytes of them and in theyr solempnytees pees was reformed bytwene the lombardes and the emperour of Rome And thenne Saynt gregory the pope establisshed for the Introyte of the masse of them Loquetur dominus pacem and this offyce aperteyned in partye to the sayntes in partye to the grete aduentures that were in that tyme And saynt austyn reherceth in the book of the cyte of god that he was present and the emperour and moche grete companye that a blynde man receyued hys syght at melan at the bodyes of Geruase and prothase but it is not knowen whether hit was the same blynde man or no ¶ Also he telleth in the same book that there was a yonge mā in a towne named victoryan rode hys hors in to a ryuer that laye there by and assone as he was therin the deuyl strangled hym and threwe hym in the water alle deed and whyles they songen euensonge in a chyrche of saynt geruase and prothase whiche was there by he was smyton wyth the voyses of them that songe that he sterte vp a lyue and in a grete haste he entryd in to the chyrche in a grete drede and helde fast the aulter lyke as he had be bounden therto thenne the deuyl menaced hym and sayd yf he wold not come thens he wold breke alle his membrys and a lytel whyle after by the merytes of the holy marters he was playnly helyd and saynt ambrose sayth in hys preface These ben they that by the heuenly baner toke tharmes of the appostles and vaynquysshed haue the vyctorye and ben assoyled fro the snares of the world they destroyed the felawshyp of the fende and folowed frely without ony empesshement our lord Ihesu cryste lyke vnto a debonayr fraternyte that so lerned the holy wordes that no fylthe was medlyd emonge them O how glorious a stryf was thys that causeth them both to be crowned in heuen lyke as they yssued out of one bely Thus enden the lyues of saint Geruase and saynt prothase Here foloweth the lyf of saynt Edward kyng and marter SAynt edward the yonge kynge and marter was the sone of kyng edgare and he was kynge but iij yere and seuen monethes and whan his owne moder was deed his fader the kynge wedded another wyf whiche was ful wycked and by hir he had a sone named ethelrede This quene laboured sore for to destroye thys yonge kyng edward for to make hir owne sone athelrede kynge And litel loued the kynge edwarde For thenne kynge edgar was deed whyche had ben a good Iustyser in chastysyng rebellys and cherysshyng good Well dysposed peple for he had a blessyd an holy man saynt dunstō whiche was chyef of his counceyl and was moche ruled by hym and in that tyme was ioye and myrthe in alle englond And the quene thorugh entysyng of the fende our enemye laboured euer awayted for to destroye thys yonge kynge edward and so it happed that thys sayd yonge kynge Edward rood on huntyng with his knyghtes in the wode of dorset besyde the toune of warham and there in the chaas it happed the kynge to departe aweye from his men and rode forthe allone to see his broder athelrede which was therby with the quene his moder in the castel named corf but whan the quene saw hym there beyng allone she was ioyeful and glad in hir herte hopyng thēne taccomplysshe that whiche she sore had laboured fore wente to the kynge and welcomed hym wyth fayre and blaundysshyng wordes and commaūded to fetche brede wyne to the kyng and whyles the kyng dranke the botelyer toke a knyf and roof the kynge thorugh the body to the herte in suche wyse that the kynge fyl doun deed And anone thenne the quenes seruaūtes buryed the body in a desolate place of the wode to the ende that no man shold knowe where he were becomen And whan saynt dunston knewe that the kynge was so murdred he maad moche grete sorowe and in shorte tyme after yet a parte ageynst his wylle he crowned hir sone ethelrede kynge And thenne he sayd to the kynge for as moche as by manslaughter and wronge thou arte comen to be kynge thou shalt therfore haue grete sorowe and trowble to thy lyues ende And al shal falle for the dethe of thy broder edwarde who that wyl knowe the sorowe that fyl may see it in the lyf of saynt alphey and there he shal see what sorowe there fyl and al
yere and departyd out of this world and deyed worthely the thyrd day of Ianyuer And was buryed in the mounte of parys called mounte par louer and now is callyd the mounte of saynt geneuefe in the chyrche of saynt Peter and Poule the whiche as sayd is at the begynnyng the kyng bowys somtyme named cloius dyd doo make by thenhortemente of this holy virgyn for the loue of whom he gaue grace to many prysonners al hyr departyng and after there were many fayr myracles whyche by neglygence by enuye and not retchyng were not wryton as he confessyd that put hir lyf in latyn exepte two whyche he sette in th ende of his book as here foloweth Vnto the sepulcre of the holy vyrgyn was broughte a yonge man that was soo seek of the stone that his frendys had no hope of lyf In grete wepyng and sorowe they brought hym thyder requyryng ayde of the holy vyrgyn Anone after theyr prayer the stone yssued and was forthwith alle hool as he had neuer been seek Another man came thyder that gladly wrought on the sonday Wherfore our lord punysshed hym for his handes were so bynommen and lame that he myght not werke on other dayes He repentyd hym and confessid his synne and came to the tombe of the said virgyne and there honoured and prayed deuoutelye and on the morne he retorned alle hool praysyng and thankyng our lord that by the worthy merites prayers of the holy virgyne graunte gyue vs pardon grace ioye ê‘durable After the dethe of the blessyd virgyne saynt geneuefe was assigned a lampe at hir sepulcre in whiche the oyle fourded and sprange lyke water in a welle or fontayn Thre fayre thynges shewyd our lord by this lampe for the fyre and lyght brennyd contynuelly The oyle lassed not ne mynysshed the seek peple were heled there Thus wrought our lord by the merites of the blessyd vyrgyne corporally Whiche moche more habundantly wyrcheth by hir merytes to the sowles spirituelly Many moo myracles hath our lord shewyd at her sepulcre whyche ben not here wryton for hit shold be â—uer longe to remembre them al and yet dayly ben shewyd wherfore in euery necessyte and nede lete vs calle on thys glorious saynt the blessyd geneuefe that she be medyatryce vnto god for vs wretchid synnars that we may so lyue and amende vs in this present lyf that we may come whan we shall departe hens by hir merites vnto the lyf perdurable in heuen amen ¶ Thus endeth The lyf of saynt Geneuefe Here foloweth the lyf of saynt Maturyne SAint maturyn was borne of the dyosyse of sens and his fader was callyd maryn which by the commauÌ„dement of the emperour maxymyen persecuted moche strongely crysten men but his sone maturyne fro the tyme of his Infancye priuyly in his herte and in wyll was dysciple of Ihesu criste was moche sorowful of the predycacion of his fader moder for as moche as they were paynyms myscreauntes wherfore he prayed many tyme our lord IhÌ„u cryste that by his benygne grace he wold conuerte them So it happed on a nyght as he slepte a wys said to hym maturyn thy petycion is herde and graunted who anone aroos gaue and rendryd grete thankynges to our lord The moder of saynt maturyne beyng enspyred with the holy ghoost came to hym and sayd O my sone what rewarde what meryte shal we haue yf we byleue in Ihesu cryste as by many tymes thou hast desyred vs thenne saynt maturyne sayd to hir Moder I lete you wyte that after the general resurrexion body sowle shal haue ioye wythout ende and that so moche that herte humayn may not thynke ne tonge speke ne pronounce anone thenne the moder of saint maturyn wente to hir husbond his fader for to telle to hym what hyr sone had sayd To whome the fader sayd thus I haue thys nyght seen in a vysyon that our sone maturyne was entryd in to a shepcote and that there was delyuerd to hym a grete multytude of shep and theÌ„ne they bothe two receyued the holy sacramente of baptesme of an holy bysshop named polycarpe whiche ordeyned and made saynt maturyn preest whan he was but xx yere olde After that that saynt mauryce and his felowes were marterd and that the peple of the romayns had suffryd many dyuerce trybulacions The emperour maxymyen had a doughter whiche had a wycked spyryte in hir body whiche tormentyd hyr moche and persecuted for whome hyr fader the emperour dyd do make many craftes of enchauÌ„tementes for to guarisshe and hele but hit auayled no thynge Thenne the fende that was wythin hyr cryed and sayd by the mowthe of the mayde O emperour it auayleth the nothynge that thou doest For I wyl not departe from hens tyl thou hast brouÈt hyther out of fraunce maturyn the seâ—uaunte of god whiche by his prayers shal gete helthe to thy doughter and vnto the peple and anone themperour wyth a grete multitude of peple wente to seche hym and broughte hym to rome vpon thys condycion that they shold swere promyse that yf it happed wat he deyed by the waye they shold brynge or sende hym to the place to be buryed where as they had taken hym and whan they came nyghe to rome the peple came ageynst hym and receyued hym moche reuerently And anone as he was comen to rome he helyd and delyuerd the doughter of themperour fro the handes of the fende Semblably all the other seek men that were presentyd to hym he helyd them Neuertheles it happed so that the day of the kalendys of nouembre he rendrid and gaue vp his sowle to god moche holyly Thenne took they the precious body and enoynted it wyth noble oynementes and beryed it wyth moche reuerence and whan they had leyed it in the erthe on the morne they came vnto the sepulture and fonde the holy body aboue the erthe nyghe vnto the same sepulture and thenne were they alle abasshed and wyste not what to do how be it whan one of the knyghtes that had broughte hym out of ffraunce had remembryd of the ê“messe that they had made anone he sayd to the peple the cause wherfore it was And anone after by the commaundemente of the Emperour the knyghtes brought the body ageyn moche solempnely in to his contreye in a place where our lord by the merytes of the holy body hath shewyd many myracles and vertues Of whyche by the blessyd prayers hys Intercessyons we may haue parte Amen Thus endeth the lyf of saynt Maturyne ¶ Here foloweth of Saynt Uictor marter SAint Uictor the gloryous knyght marter in the tyme of anthonyn and aurelyen emperours was presented as a crysten man vnto a duc called Sebasten whyche wold haue made saynt victor do sacrefyse to thydolles to whom saynt vyctor answerd that he was a trewe knyght to Ihesu cryste that he wold not do sacrefise whan the duc vnderstode that he commaunded that his
ffor he hath deserued it He dranke yesterday in the cite without lycence of the priour and made not the signe of the crosse theron and I entred thenne in signe of a botel to th ende that he shold drynke me With the wyn the sonner Thenne it was founden that he had dronken in the toun And in the mene whyle he made the signe of the crosse and they ronge to matyns and whan the deuyll herd that he sayd I may no lenger abyde here Syth they with the grete hoodes aryse and thus he was constrayned by the prayer of Seynt domynyke to yssue and goo hys waye the frere was delyuerd and hool and was wel ware euer after to doo ayenst the wyl of the pryour And as seynt domynyk on a tyme cam to a ryuer toward the parties of tholouse his bookes Whiche had a custodye fyl in the water and coude not fynde them but must leue them behynd hym And the thyrd day after a fisshar cast his hoke in to the water and supposed to haue teken vp som grete fysshe And drewe vp the bookes of seynt domynyk with out ony wetyng lyke as they had ben kepte dylygently in an almarye and on a tyme Whan he cam to a monasterye And al the brethern were at reste and he Wolde not destrouble ne awake them he put hym to prayer entred in with his felawe the yates beyng shette and closed also in lyke wise in the conflicte of theretikes as he was with a conuerse of the cystews in an euentyde and cam to a certayn chyrche and fonde hit shytte and closed he made his prayers sodenly they were in the chyrche and abode there all that nyght in prayer And whan he had prayed he had alway a custome to staūche his thurst at sōme welle or fontayn lest he shold haue ony desyre to drynke in the hous of his hoost There was a scolier in the hows of the freres at boloyne for to here masse and hit happed that seynt domynyk sang the masse whan it cam to the offryng the scolier Wente and kyssed the honde of Seynt domynyk with grete deuocion whan he had kyssed it he felte come out of his honde so grete swetenes and so swete an odour as he euer had felte to fore in his lyf and fro than forthon the Ardeur and brennyng of lecherye began to wexe colde in hym so that he whiche tofore had ben vayn lecherous was after so contynent that his flesshe shone alle of clerenes and chastite and the flesshe of seynt domynyk shone moche of grete chastyte and purete of whom the odour cured the filthes of the thought ¶ There was a preest which sawe seynt domynyk so ardantly in his predycacion With his felawes and he concluded in hym self that he wold Ioyne hym to them yf he myght haue a book of the newe testament necessarie to hym for to preche and as he thought thys there cam a yong man beryng a book of the newe testament to selle vnder his vestement and anon the preest bought it with grete Ioye But as he doubted yet a lytil he made his prayer to almyghty god made the crosse vpon the book without forth and sythe opened the book and loked within forthwith the first chappytre that he fonde was in the actes of thappostles that Whiche is sayde to Peter cam first to his syght which was this Arise vp descende and goo with them nothyng doubtyng For I haue sent them Thēne he went and Ioyned hym to them On a tyme whan a noble mayster in scyence and in fame was regent in tholouse in theologye On a mornyng tofore the day whyle he purueyed his lessons he was surprised with slepe and enclyned hym on his chayer a lytil and hym semed that seuen sterres stode tofore hym and as he merueylled of the nouuelte of this the said sterres grewe sodenly in to so grete lighte that they enlumyned all the world and whan he awoke he was strongly amerueylled and whan he entred in to the scoles and as he redde seynt Domynyk with vj freres of the same habite entred and cam amyably to hym shewed theyr purpoos and said that they coueyted to haunte his scoles Thenne this mayster remembred hys vision and doubted not but thise were the seuen sterres that he had seen Whan saynt domynyke was on a tyme at Rome Mayster Reynold of saynt Aman deene of Orleaunce which was wyse in the lawe Canon And hadde ben fyue yere doctor was comen with the bisshop of Orleaunce to the see for to passe in Rome And hadde ben long in purpoos for to haue lefte the world and to entende to prechyng but he was not yet auised how he myght accomplisshe it and when he had herd thynstytucion of thordre of the prechours of a cardynal to whome he had told his will he called saynt domynyke and exposed to hym his purpoos And thenne he hadde counseylle to entre in to the ordre But withoute taryenge he was taken with so greuous sekenes that he was in despayr of his helthe And thenne saynt domynyk prayd hertely to oure blessid lady the vyrgyne to whome he had commysed alle the ordre that she wolde gyue to that deen helthe for a lytel tyme And sodenly the quene of mercy cam with thre maydens And Reynold wakyng and abydyng the dethe sawe her come to hym and oure lady sayde to hym be of good chere requyre of me What thow wylt And I shalle gyue it to the And as he thought what he shold requyre one of the maydens saide to hym softely that he shold requyre nothyng but to commytte hym alle to her wille And whan he hadde so done thenne she put forthe her vyrgynal honde and touched his eres his nosethrellis mouth handes feet and raynes and enoynted them with the oynemente of helthe Whiche she had brought with her in sayeng propyrly the forme of the wordes whiche apperteyne to the membres And she sayd to the raynes these raynes be restreyned with the girdel of chastyte And thenne she torned to the feet And sayd I enoynte these feet in preparacion of theuangely of pees And she said I shalle sende to the an Ampulle for to restablysshe the to ful helth And thenne she shewed to hym the habyte of the ordre and sayd to hym This is the habyte of thyne ordre And saynt domynyke beyng in prayer sawe alle this vysyon And on the morn saynt domynyke cam to hym and fond hym all hoole And herde of hym alle the ordynaunce of the vysyon and he toke thabite that the vyrgyne shewed to hym For to fore the freres vsed surplys And the thirdde daye the moder of god was there and enoynted the body of Reynold that she took not only awey the hete of feuers but also extyncted and quenchyd the ardour of luxurye lyke as he confessyd after that one only meuyng of luxurye was not after in
slepyng and leyde in her hande the stone with whiche she had ben tormented And thenne she awoke and fonde her self delyuerd of the payne and delyuerd to her moder the stone And tolde her vysyon by ordre And the moder bare the stone to the freres And they henge it tofore thymage in mynde and remembraunce of this fayr myracle that seynt domynyk had doon In palacye in scicile there was a poure woman that had a sone whyche was gretely tormented with scrophules whiche chyldren ben wonte to haue in theyr necke and coude fynd no remedy she auowed to god to seynt domynyk that yf he myght be deliuerd she wolde make hym to laboure in the werkes of the chyrche of freres for no hyre but gladly for nought and the nyght folowyng a man appiered to hyr in thabyte of a frere sayd woman knowest thou thyes thynges and named to her iiij thynges that was Arayn veâ—t pelletre lapacium and the Iuse of porret and she sayd she knewe them well and he sayde goo take thyse thynges confyte them with the Iuse of porret and leye on the sore of the necke of thy sonne and he shal be al hool Thenne she awoke and dyd so and he was all hool and the moder accomplisshed her vowe There was a man of piemoÌ„nt swollen lyke a monstre auowed hym to seynt domynyk and he apperid to hym in his slepe and opened his bely without payne and toke out alle thordures and enoynted hym wyth hys holy honde and heled hym parfyghtly In the cite of August whan in the â—est of the translacion of Seint Domynyk certayn wymmen were atte solempnytees of the masses and whan they retorned homward to theyr houses they sawe without a woman that spynned in the feste of one so grete a saynt and they toke and repreued her charitably why she spanne at the feste of one so grete a seynt and she was angry and ansuerd ye that be wymmen of the freres kepe ye theyr festes and anon the eyen of that woman swellyd and there cam out roten mater and ther yssued wormes so that one of the neyghbours toke xvij wormes out of her eyen And thenne she repented her and cam to the chyrche of the freres confessyd her synnes And auowed that fro than forthon she wold neuer myssaye to the seruaunt of god domynyk but shold deuoutly holde his feste anon she was made hool here was a Nonne named marye whiche was seke at Crypolyn in the monastery of Marie magdaleyn and was smyton in the thye so greuously that fyue monethes duryng they doubted that she wold haue deyed and thenne she bethoughte her and prayed thus in her self lord god I am not worthy to praye to thene to be herde of the but I praye my lord seynt domynyk that he be medyatour bytwene the and me that he may gete to me the benefeite of helthe And whan she had long prayed in teres she slepte and sawe seynt domynyk With two freres that opened the curtayn that henge afore her bedde and entryd and sayde to her Wherfor desirest thou so sore to be heled And she sayd syr that I myght more deuoutly serue god And thenne he drewe out his oynement whiche was of swete odour from vnder hys cope and enoynted her thye and she was anon alle hool and sayd thys oynement is moche precious swete and lyght And whan she demaunded how it was named he sayd to her thys oynement is the oynement of loue is so precious that it may not be bought for no prys For in the yeftes of god is no better than loue For there is nothyng more precyous than charyte but it is sone lost yf it be not well kept Thenne he appered to her suster that nyght that slepte in the dortour sayeng I haue heled thy suster whiche anon aroos ranne thyder and fonde her hool And Whan she felte her enoynted with sensible vnction she wyped it with grete reuerence with a bendel of sylke And whan she had tolde alle this to the abbesse to her suster and to her confessour and had shewed the vnction and bendel they were smyten with the nouelte of the sauour so suete smellyng that it myght not be compared to none Aromatyke and they kepte that vnction with grete reuerence how agreable the place is vnto god where the body of seynt Domynyk resteth how be it that many myracles ben shewed there yet one shalle I say to you here and that shall suffyse Mayster Alysaundre bysshop of vendosm reherseth in hys postillys vpon this worde Mercy and trouthe haue mette to gydre That a scolyer duellyng at boleygne whiche was all gyuen to wycked vanytees of the worlde sawe a vysyon That hym semed he was in a grete felde and that a grete tempest of thondre and lightnyng descended from heuen vpon hym thenne he fled the tempest and cam tofore an hows and fond it shette and knocked atte dore for to entre in and thostesse answerd I am rightwysnes that am enhabyted here and this hous is myne and thou art not rightwys Therfore thou mayst not enhabyte here And thenne he wepte bytterly for thyse wordes and went to a nother hous that he sawe beyonde that and knocked at the dore for to come in but thostesse whyche was within answerd I am trouthe and thou art not trewe ther for I may not receyue the And fro thens he went to the iij hous beyonde that and requyred that he myght come in for the tempest and he that was wythin sayde I am peas that duelle here and peas is not with felons but only with men of good wylle And by cause I thynke the thoughtes of peas I shalle gyue to the good couÌ„seyl My suster dwellyth aboue me whiche alway helpeth kaytyues goo to her and doo that she shall counseylle the And thenne he went to that hous And she that was within sayd I am mercy that dwelle here yf thou wylt be saued fro this tempest goo to the hous of the freres prechours at boleyne and there thou shalt fynde the stable of doctryne the racke of scrypture the asse of symplenesse the oxe of discrescion and marie enlumynyng Ioseph prouffytyng the chyld Ihesu sauyng and whan this scoler awoke he cam to the hous of freres and recounted his vysyon by ordre And requyred to haue the habyte he receyued it abode in thordre seynt domynyk tofore thynstitucoÌ„n of thordre saw IhÌ„u crist holdyng thre dartes in hys hond menaced the world theÌ„ne I frere IohÌ„n of vignay translatour of this boke wil nomore reherce this visyon for in this present chapytre it is reherced tofore was shewd also to a moÌ„ke wherfor I here make an ende theÌ„ne late vs considre the holy lyf the holy conuersacion and the holy myracles that god hath shewed for this blessyd man Seynt domynyk and late vs praye hym to be mediatour bytwene god and vs
flammes of the persecutoure he shewde to vs by the fyre of fayth that he ouercam thembracementes of the fyre of helle And by the loue of Crist not to fere the day of dome Thyrdly in brennyng loue Maxymyn and Ambrose seyn that saynt laurence enlumyned the world playnly of the same lyght that he was embraced with and chauffed the hertes of all crysten people by the flammes that he suffred by these thre thynges sayth saynt Maxymyn after the bookes of saynt Ambrose that we ben called to the feythe by thexample of saynt laurence and embraced to martirdome and chauffed to deuocion Thyrdly he was right excellent in constaunce and in strengthe And herof sayth saynt Austyn The blessid laurence dwellid in Ihesu cryste vnto the temptacion vnto the demaunde of the tyraunt And vnto the deth in whome thocasion was longe and by cause that he had well eten and well dronken he was fat of this mete And dronken of the chalyce soo that he felte not the tormentes ne eschewed them but succeded the Royamme of heuen he was so constaunt that he sette not by the tormentes but after that saynt Maxymyn sayth he was made more parfight in drede more ardaunt in loue and more Ioyous in brennyng For the fyrst it is sayd thus he was stretched vpon the flammes of the grete brondes of fyre and torned ofte fro that one syde to that other And how moche more he suffred of paynes so moche more he dradde god And of the second he sayth thus ¶ Whan the grayne of the mostard is grounden it chauffeth And whan Laurence suffred tormentes he was enflammed ageyne and tormented of a newe maner of merueylous tormentes And the gretter tormentes that the wood persecutours dyden the more deuoute was laurence to oure sauyour And as to the thyrd he sayth thus he was chauffed in the lawe of Ihesu Crist that by grete hyenes of courage he despysed the tormentes of his owne body that in hauyng Vyctorye of his woode tormentour he was Ioyous for to despyse it by the fyre Fourthly he was right excellent in the merueylous bataylle and in the maner of his vyctorye And as it apperith openly by the wordes of saynt Maxymyn and of saynt Austyn The blessid laurence had fyue brennynges withoute forthe whiche he al ouercam manly and extyncte them ¶ The firste was the fyre of helle The second mate ryall flamme the thyrdde carnal concupiscence the fourthe of brennyng couetyse And the fyfte of a mad wodenes The quenchyng of the first fyre that is of helle Maxymyn sayth It myght gyue no place of brennyng to the worldly fyre for to brenne his body whiche quenchyd the fire perdurable of helle he wente thurgh the fyre erthely and materyal of this world but he escaped and eschewed them the horryble flambe of the fire perdurable of helle The quenchyng of the second fire he sayth also he trauayled by bodely brennyng but the dyuyne ardoure quenchyd the materyal brennyng And yet sayth he how be it the euylle peple put vnder the fagottes woode for tencrece and make grete flamme Seynt Laurence esprysed by the hete of the feyth felte not the flammes And saynt Austyn sayth the charyte of Ihesu Crist may not be surmounted with flammes for the fire that brente withoute forth was more feble than that whiche he embracyd within forth And the quenchyng of the thyrd fire of carnall concupyscence sayth saynt Maxymyn saynt laurence passed thorugh the fire whiche he abhorryd beyng not brente but he enlumyned shone he brenned lest he shold brenne And by cause he shold not brenne he was brente Of the quenchynge of the fourthe fire that is of Auaryce of them that coueyte the tresours of whiche they be deceyued Sayth saynt Austyn thus A man coueytous is armed by double ardour of money and is enemy of trouthe his auaryce is for to stele gold And by his febonye he leseth oure lord He hath no thyng he prouffyteth no thyng humayne cruelte is withdrawen by his wyndes and câ—rporalle mater And laurence goth to heuen And he fayleth in his flammes Of the quenchyng of the fifthe fire that is of the furyous woodenes how that is to say furyous woodenes of the persecutoure was deceyued and brought to nought Seyth Seynt Maxymyn thus whan the woodenes of the mynystres of the flaÌ„mes was surmoÌ„ted he restrayned the brennyng of the worldly wodenes And tyll that tyme the deuyls entent prouffyted tyll that the trewe man ascended and mounted in to heuen gloryously vnto his lord god And he made to câ—le the cruelte of the persecutours confused all wyth theyr fires ¶ And sheweth that the woodenes of the persecutours was fyre whanne he sayde the woodenesse of the Paynyms maade redy a gredel of yron vppon the fyre strongly brennyng And that was done to th ende that he sholde auenge the fyres and grete heetes of indignacion And it was no wonder though he surmounted these thre grete fyres without forth For as it is had of the wordes of the sayd maxymyn he had within forth thre refroydours or coldes and bare in his herte thre fyres by whiche he assuaged by coldenes all the fyre with oute forth And surmounted with theÌ„bracynge of more fyre And the firste coldenes was the desyre of celestyalle glorye Che second was the remembraunce of the lawe of god And the thirde was the clennes of his conscyence By this treuble coldenes he quenchid alle the fyre withoute forth And he was cold of the fyrst refraydeur whiche is desyre of heuenly glorye as saynt Ambrose sayth the blessid Laurence myghte not fele the tormentes of fire in his entraylles whiche within hym posseded the refraidour of paradis Though the brente flesshe laye to fore the tyraunt and the body brente Neuertheles the body suffred no payne in erth whoos sowle and courage was in heuen Of the second coldenes or refraideur that is the remembraunce of the lawe of god he sayth thus whan he remeÌ„bryd to fore the commaundementes of Ihesu Cryst al was cold that he suffred Of the thyrde whiche is purete clennes of conscyence he sayth thus the right strong martir truly is brente in his entraylles but he sechyng the kyngdome of heuen enioyeth as a vaynqueur by the refroydour of the clennes of his conscyence And as saynt Maxymyn sayth he had thre fyres within forth by the whiche he surmonnted by embracyng al the fyres withoute forth The fyrst was the gretenes of the faith The second the ardaunt dilection The thyrdde the very knowlege of god whiche embracyd hym as fyre Of the first fyre sayth saynt Ambrose As moche as the brennyng of the feyth chauffeth hym so moche coled hym the flamme of the torment We rede in the gospell that the fyre of the feythe is the fyre of the sauyoure ¶ Theuangelyst sayd I cam in to the erthe to put fyre therin And with this fyre was saynt laurence embraced and felte not the brennyng of the
by cause they go to fore we ben ashamed to folowe them And thenne he ranne in to a gardyn And as he sayth hym self he cast hym self doune vnder a fygge tree wepte right bytterly and gaf oute wepyng vois by cause he hadde taryed soo long fro day to day and fro tyme to tyme And was gretely tormentid soo that he had no maner in hym self for sorow of his long taryeng lyke as he wryteth in the booke of his Confessions sayde Alas lord how thou arte hyghe in hyghe thynges and depe in depenes And departest not ne goost oute of the wey And vnnethe we come to the A lord he sayd calle me moeue me chauÌ„ge me and enlumyne me rauysshe me and make swete and softe al myn enpesshementes and lettynges as hit apperteyneth for I drede them sore I haue loued the ouer late thou beaulte soo olde and soo newe I ouer late haue loued the thow were within and I was withoute and there I sought the And in the beaulte and fayrenes that thou haste I fylle all defourmed and fowle thou were with me but I was not with the Thou hast called and cryed and hast broken my deefnes Thou hast enlumyned clered and haste put awaye my blyndenes Thou haste replenisshed me with fragraunt odours and I haste me to come to the I haue tasted the and am hongry and desyre the Thou hast touched me and I am brent in the voys of leuyng thy pees and as he wept thus bitterly he herde a voys sayeng Take and rede and anone he opened the booke of thappostle and cast his eyen on the first chapytre and redde clothe ye you in our lord Ihesu crist and anone alle the doubtes of derkenes Were extynct in hym and in the mene tyme he began to be so gretely tormented With tooth ache that almoost he saith he was brought to byleue thoppynyon of Cornelys the Philosopher whiche putteth that the souerayne wele of the sowle is in wysdom and the souerayne wele of the body is in suffryng no payne ne sorowe And his payne was soo grete and vehement that he had lost his speche wherfore as he wryteth in the book of his Confessions he wrote in tables of waxe that al men shold praye for hym that oure lord shold aswage his payne And he hym self kneled doune with the other And so denly he felt hym self hoole And thenne he sygnyfyed by lettres to the hooly man saynt Ambrose that he wold sende to hym word whiche of the bookes of hooly wrytte apperteyned best to rede in for to be made moost couenable to the Crysten feythe And he sente to hym answere ysaye the prophete by cause that he was sene to be the shewer and pronouncer of the gospell and of callyng of men And whan Augustyn vnderstode not alle the begynnyng and supposed al the remenaunt to be other wyse than it was to rede he differred to rede them tylle he were more connyng in holy wrytte And whan the day of Eester cam And Austyn was xxx yere old he and hys sone whiche was named a de o datus a childe of noble wytte and vnderstondyng whome he had goten in his youthe whan he was a paynym a philosopher with Alyppe his frende by the merytes of his moder and by prechyng of saynt Ambrose receyued baptysme of saynt Ambrose ¶ And thenne as it is redde saynt Ambrose sayde The deum laudamus And saynt Austyn sayd Te dominum confitemur And soo they two to geder ordeyned made this ympne and songe hit vnto the ende And soo wytnessyth it Honorius in his booke whiche is named the myrrour of the Chirche And in some other old bookes the tytle of this ympne or psalme is intytled the Cantykle of Ambrose and of Augustyn And anone he was merueylously confermed in the faythe Catholyke And forsoke all the hope that he had in the world And renounced the scoles that he rewled And he sheweth in his book of confessions how he was fro thens forthe achauffed in the loue of god sayeng lord thou hast thorugh perâ—ed myn hert with thy charyte And I haue borne thy wordes fixed in myn entraylles And thensamples of thy maners whiche thou hast made of blacke whyte shynyng and of deed lyuyng And of corrupte thoughtes thou makest fayre and hyghe vnderstandyng in heueÌ„ly thynges I mounted vp in to the hylle of wepyng and thou gauest to me syngyng the cantycle of grees shape arowes and cooles wastyng ne I was not in tho dayes fulfylled in thy merueylous swetenes for to considere the heyght of the dyuyne counceylle vp on the helthe of the lygnage humayne How moche haue I wepte in thy ynâ—pnes and cantycles swetely sownynnge And by the vois of thy chirche I haue ben moeued egrely The voyses haue ronnen in myn eres And thy trouthe hath dropped in myn herte and thenne teres haue ronnen doune and I was wel eased with them Thenne these thynges were establysshed to be songen in the chirche of Melan And I cryed With an hyghe crye of myn herte O in pace O in idipsum O thou that sayst I shalle slepe in that same and take rest thou arte the same For thou arte not chauÌ„ged and in the is reste forgetyng all labours I redde al that psalme And I brenned whiche somtyme had ben a barker bytter and blynde ayenst the lettres honyed with the swetenes of heuen and enlumyned with thy lighte And vppon suche scriptures I helde my pees and spack not O Ihesu crist my helper how swete is it sodenly made to me to lacke the swetnesses of iâ—â—ffes and Iapes which Were fer fro me to leue and forsake and now to leue forsake them is to me grete ioye Thou hast cast them oute fro me And thou Whiche arte souerayne swetenes hast entryd in to me for them whiche aâ—te swetter than ony swetnes or delyces more clere than ony syght and more secrete than ony secrete counceylles more hyghe than al honour And ther is none more hyghe than thou And after this he tooke Nebrydyon Euodyon and his moder and retorned ageyne in to Auffryke But whannâ— But whanne they cam to hostyberyn his swete moder deyde And after her deâ—h Austyn retorned vnto his propre herytage there entended wyth them that lode with him in fastinges in prayers He wrote bokes taught them that were not wyse And the fame and renomme of hym spradde ouer all And in alle his bookes and werkes he was holden merueylous he reffused to come to ony Cyte where as was no bisshop leste he shold be lette by that offyce And in that tyme was in yponence a man full of grete vertues whiche sente to Augustyn that yf he wold come to hym that he myghte here the good of his mouthe he wold renounce the world And whanne saint Augustyn knewe it he wente hastely thyder And whanne Valeryen Bisshop of yponence herd his renommee fame he ordeyned hym a preest
masses contynuelly to gyder in thyrtty dayes And the bisshop emprysed to saye them And whanne he had sayd half of them he made hym redy to contynue forth and say the other And the deuylle maade a discencion in the Cyte that the peple of the Cyte fought eche ageynst other And thenne the Bisshop was callyd for tappese this discord And dyde of his vestymentes And lefte to saye the masse And on the morne he began all newe ageyne And whanne he had said the two partes hym semed that a grete hoost hadde besyeged the Cyte so that he was constrayned by drede and lefte to saye the offyce of the masse And after yet he beganne ageyne the seruyse And whanne he had al accomplysshed excepte the last masse which he wold haue begonnen alle the towne and the bisshops hows was taken by fyre And whanne his seruauntes cam to hym and bad hym leue his masse he sayd though alle the Cyte shold be brent I shall not leue to saye the masse And whanne the masse was done the yce was molten And the fyre that they hadde supposed to haue sene was but a fantosme and dyd none harme Thyrdly for oure Infyrmyte that is that we knowe what grete payn is made redy to synnres after this mortalle lyf Also dyuerse places be deputed to dyuerse sowles for our Instruction as it happed at Marys There was a maister whiche was chauÌ„celer at parys named Sylo whiche had a scoler seke And he prayd hym that after his deth he shold come ageyne to hym and saye to hym of his estate And he promysed hym so to do and after deyde And a whyle after he appyered to hym clad in a Cope wreton fulle of argumentis fallacions and sophymmes was of parchemyn And within forth all fulle of flambe of fyre And the chaunceler demaunded hym what he was And he told to hym I am suche one that am comen ageyne to the And the chauÌ„celer demaunded hym of his estate And he sayd this Cope weyeth on me more than a mylne stone or a toure And it is gyuen me for to bere for the glory that I had in my Sophyms and Sophystycall argumentes that is to saye deceyuable and fallacions The skynnes ben lyghte but the flamme of fyre within forth tormenteth and al to brenneth me And whanne the maystre Iuged the payne to be lyght the dede scoler said to hym that he shold put forthe his honde and fele the lyÈtnes of his payne and he put forth his hand And that other lete falle a drope of his swete on hit And the drope percyd thorugh his hand sonner than an arowe coude be shoten thorugh wherby he felte a merueylous tormente And the dede man sayde I am all in suche payne And thenne the chaunceler was all aferd of the cruel and terryble payne that he hadde felte concluded to forsake the world and entryd in to relygyon with grete deuocion Fourthly for the synne that hath be coÌ„mysed in the place As saynt Augustyn saith SoÌ„tyme sowles be punysshed in the places where they haue synned as appiereth by an ensample that saint gregory reciteth in the fourthe book of his dyalogue and saith that ther was a preest whiche vsyd gladly a bayne whan he cam in to the bayne he fonde a man whome he knewe alwey redy for to serue hym And it happed on a day that for his dylygent seruyse and his reward the preest gaf to hym an hooly loof And he wepyng answerd Fader wherfor gyuest thow me this thynge I may not ete it for it is holy I was somtyme lord of this place but after my dethe I was deputed for to serue here for my synnes but I pray the that thou wylt offre this brede vnto almyÈty god for my synnes And knowe thou for certayne that thy prayer shalle be herd And whan thenne thou shalte come to wasshe the thou shalt not fynde me And thenne this preest offryd alle a weke entiere sacryfyse to god for hym And when he cam ageyne he fonde hym not Fyftly dyuerse places ar deputed to dyuerse sowles for the prayers of somme saynt as it is redde of saynt patryke that he Impetred a place of purgatory in Irelond for somme Of whiche thystory is wreton to fore in his lyf And as to the thyrdde that is suffrages thre thynges ought to be consydered Fyrste the suffrages that ben done Secondly of them for whom they be done Thirdly of them by whom they be done Aboute the suffrages that ben done It is to be noted that there ben done four maner of suffrages whiche prouffite vnto them that ben deed that is to wete prayers of good Frendes gyuynge of almesses Syngynge of masses and obseruacion of fastynges As touchyng to that that the prayers of frendes prouffite to them It appiereth by ensample of paschasyen of whome gregory telleth in the fourth booke of his dyalogues and saith that there was a man of grete holynesse vertu And two were chosen for to haue ben popes but neuertheles at the laste the Chirche accorded vnto one of them And this paschasyen alwey by errour suffred that other And abode in thys errour vnto the dethe And whanne he was dede the byere was couerd with a clothe named dalmatyke one that was vexyd with a deuyll was brought thyder and touchyd the clothe and anon he was made hole And a long tyme after as saynt Germayn bisshop of capuenne wente to wesshe hym in a bayne for his helthe he fonde paschasyen deken there and seruyd whan he sawe hym he was aferd and enquyred dylygently what thynge so grete and so holy a man made there And he sayd to hym that he was there for none other cause but for that he helde and susteyned more than ryght requyred in the cause afore said and saide I requyre the that thou praye oure lord for me And knowe that thow shalt be herd For when thou shalt come ageyne thou shalt not fynde me here And thenne the Bisshop praid for hym and when he cam ageyne he fonde hym not And Pieter Abbot of Cluny saith that ther was a preest that song euery day masse of Requiem for all Crysten soules And herof he was accused to the bisshop and was suspended therfore of his offyce And as the Bisshop went on a daye of grete solempnyte in the Chirche yerd all the dede bodyes aroos vp ageynst hym sayeng this Bisshop gyueth to vs no masse And yet he hath taken awey our preest fro vs Now he shalle be certeyne but yf he amende he shalle deye And thenne the Bisshop assoylled the preest and sange hym self gladly for them that were passid oute of this world And so it appierith that the prayers of lyuyng peple ben prouffitable to them that ben departed by this that the Chauntour of parys reherceth Ther was a man that alweye as he passed thorugh the Chirche yerd he sayd De profundis for alle Crysten sowles And on a tyme
hath acomplisshed the commaundement of the gospell For he had two cotes and hath gyuen to hym that had none and thus sayd he ye ought to doo he was of grete power to chace awey the deuyls For he put them oute oftymes fro dyuerse peple It is redde in the same dyalogue that a Cowe was tormentid of the deuylle and was woode And confounded moche peple And as saint Martyn and his felauship shold make a vyage this wode Cowe ranne ageynst them And saynt Martyn lyfte vp his hand and commaunded her to tarye And she abode stylle withoute moeuynge Thenne saynt martyn sawe the deuylle whiche satte vpon the backe of the cowe and blamed hym and sayde to hym Departe thou fro this mortall beest and leue to tormente this beest that noyeth no thynge And anon he departed And the cowe kneled doune to the feet of this holy man And at his commaundement she retorned to her company ful mekely He was of moche grete subtylyte for to knowe the deuylles they coude not be hydde fro hym For in what place they put them self in he sawe them For somtyme they shewed them to him in the fourme of Iupyter or of Mercurye And otherwhyle they transfygured them in lykenes of venus or of my nerue whome eueryche he knewe and blamed them by name It happed on a day that the deuylle appierid to hym in the forme of a kynge in purpre and a crowne on his hede wyth hosen and shone gylte with an amyable mouthe and gladde there and vysage And whanne they were bothe stylle a whyle the deuylle sayde Martyn knowe thow whom thou worshippest I am Crist that cam descended in to erthe And wylle fyrst shewe me to the And as saynt Martyn all admerueyled sayd no thynge yet the deuylle sayd to hym wherfore doubtest thou Martyn to bileue me whan thou seest that I am Cryst And thenne Martyn blessyd of the holy ghoost saide Oure lord Ihesu Criste sayth not that he shalle come in purpre ne wyth a Crowne resplendysshynge I shalle neuer byleue that Ihesu Cryste shalle come but yf hit be in habyte and fourme suche as he suffryd deth in And that the signe of the Crosse be borne to fore hym And with that word he vanysshed aweye and all the halle was was fylled with stenche ¶ Seynt Martyn knewe his dethe long tyme to fore his departynge the whiche he shewed to his bretheren And whyles he vysyted the dyocise of â—â—ul for cause to appease discord that was was there And as he wente he sawe in a water byrdes that plonged in the water whiche awayted and espyed fysshes and ete them And thenne he saide In this maner deuylles espye foles they espye them that be not ware they take them that knowe not but ben ignoraunt and deuoure them that ben taken And they may not be fulfilled ne saciate with them that they deuoure And thenne he commaunded them to leue the water and that they shold goo in to deserte Countrees And they assembled them went vnto the wodes and montaynes And theÌ„ne he abode a lytell in that dyocyse and beganne to wexe feble in his body and sayd to his disciples that he shold departe and be dissolued Thenne they alle wepyng sayde Fader wherfore leuest thou vs or to whome shalt thou leue vs all desolate and discomforted The rauysshynge wulues shalle assaylle thy flock and beestes And he theÌ„ne moeued with theyr wepynges wepte also and prayd sayenge Lord yf I be yet necessary to thy peuple I refuse nothynge the labour thy wylle be fulfylled He doubted what he myghte lest doo For he wolde not gladly leue them ne he wold not longe be departed fro Ihesu Cryst And whanne he had a lytell whyle ben tormentid wyth the Feuers And his disciples prayde hym where as he lay in the asshen dust and hayre that they myght laye some strawe in his cowche where he laye he sayde It apperteyneth not but that a Crysten man shold deye in hayre and in asshes And yf I shold gyue to you another ensample I my self shold synne And he had his handes and his eyen toward the heuene And his spyrit was not losed fro prayer And as he lay toward his bretheren he prayd that they wold remeue a lyâ—ell his body And he sayde Bretheren late me beholde more the heuene than the erthe soo that the esperyte maye adresse hym to oure lord And this sayenge he sawe the deuylle that was there And saynt Martyn saide to hym wherfore standest thow here thow cruell beest thou shalte fynde in me noâ—hynge synfulle ne mortalle the bosome of Abraham shalle receyue me And wyth this word he rendryd and gaf vp vnto our lord his spyrite in the yere of oure lord thre honderd Foure score and lviij And the yere of his lyf foure score and one And his chere shone as it had ben gloryfyed And the voys of Aungels was herd syngynge of many that were there And they of poytyers assembled at his dethe as well as they of Tours and ther was grete altercacion For the poyteuyns sayd he is oure Monke we requyre to haue hym And the other sayde He was taken from yow and gyuen to vs And at mydnyght alle the poyteuyns slepte And they of Tours putte hym oute of the wyndowe and was borne with grete ioye and had ouer the water of leyre by a bote vnto the Cyte of Tours And as Seuer Bisshop of Coleyne on a sonday after matyns vysyted and went aboute the holy places the same houre that saynt Martyn departed oute of this world he herde the Aungels syngynge in heuen Thenne he called his Archedeken and demaunded hym yf he herd ony thynge And he sayd nay And the Bisshop badde hym to herkene dilygently And he beganne to stratche forth his necke and adresse his eres and lente vpon his staf Thenne the Bisshop put hym self to prayer for hym Thenne he sayde that he herde voyces in heuene To whome the Bisshop sayde It is my lorde saynt Martyn whiche is departed oute of this world And the Angels bere hym now in to heuene And the deuyls were at his passynge but they fonde nothynge in hym And wente awey all confused And the archedeken marked the daye and the houre and knewe veryly after that saynt Martyn passyd oute of this world that same tyme And Seuere the Monke whiche wrote his lyf as he slepte a lytelle after matyns lyke as he wytnessyth in his Epystle Saynt Martyn appiered to hym cladde in an aulbe His chere clere the eyen sparklynge his heere purple holdynge a booke in his ryghte honde whiche the sayd Seuere hadde wrâ—ton of his lyf and whanne he had gyuen hym his blessynge he sawe hym mounte vp in to heuen And as he coueyted for to haue gone with hym he awoke And anone the Messagers cam whiche sayde that that same tyme seynt Martyn departed oute of this world And in the same day saynt Ambrose Bisshop of Melane sange
alisaundre entryd in to the paleys fonde dores closures openyng ageynst hym so passed fro chambre to chambre tyl he came in to hir secrete studye where as none cam but hir self allone there he fonde hir in hir holy contemplacion dyd to hir his message lyke as ye haue herde accordyng to his charge whan this blessed virgyne katheryne had herde his message vnderstode by certeyn tokenes that he came for to fetche hir to hym whome she so feruently desyred anone aroos forgetyng hir estate meyne folowed this olde man thorugh hir paleys the cyte of alysaunder vnknowen of ony persone so in to deserte in which waye as they walked she demaunded of hym many an hyghe questyon he answerd to hir suffyciently in alle hyr demaundes enformed hir in the feyth she beuygnely receyued his doctryne and as they thus wente in the deserte this holy man had loste his waye and wyst not where he was and was alle confused in hym self sayd secretlye alas I fere me I am deceyued that this be an illusyon alas shal this virgyne here be perysshed emonge these wylde beestys now blessyd lady helpe me that almoste am in despayr and saue this mayden that hath forsaken for your loue al that she had hath obeyed your commaundemente as he thus sorowed the blessyd vyrgyne katheryne apperceyued demaunded hym what hym eyled and why he sorowed he sayd for you by cause I can not fynde my celle ne wote not where I am fader said she drede ye not For truste ye verayly that that good lady whiche sente you for me shal not suffre vs to perisshe in this wyldernesse and thenne she sayd to hym what monaster is yonder that I see whiche is so ryche and fayr to beholde he demaunded of hir where she sawe it and she said yonder in the eest and thenne he wyped his eyen and sawe the moste gloryous monasterye that euer he sawe wherof he was ful of ioye and sayd to hir now blessyd be god that hath endowed you with so parfyte faythe for there is that place wherin ye shall receyue so grete worshyp ioye that there was neuer none lyke sauf onely our blessyd lady cristes owne moder quene of alle quenes now good fader adryā hye you fast that we were there for there is al my desyre and ioye and sone after they approched that glorious place and whan they came to the gate there mette theym a glorious companye al clothed in whyte with chappelettes of whyte lylyes on theyr heedes whos beaute was soo grete bright that the vyrgyn katheryn ne the olde man myght not beholde them but alle rauysshed fyl doun in grete drede thenne one more excellent than another spake fyrst and sayd to this virgyne katheryne stonde vp our dere suster for ye be ryght welcome and ladde hir ferther in tyl they came to the second gate where another more gloryous companye mette hir al clothed in purpure wyth fresshe chappelettes of rede rooses on theyr heedes and the holy virgyne seeyng them fyl doun for reuerence and drede they benygnely comfortyng hir toke hyr vp and sayd to hyr drede ye noo thynge our dere suster for there was neuer none more hertely welcome to our souerayn lord thenne ye be and to vs alle for ye shal receyue our clothyng and our crowne with so grete honoure that al sayntes shal ioye in you come forth for the lord abydeth desyryng you and thenne this blessyd virgyn katheryne with tremblyng ioye passed forth with them lyke as she that was rauysshed with soo meruayllous ioye that she coude not speke and whan she was entred in to the body of the chirche she herde a melodye of meruayllous swetnesse which passyd alle hertes to thynke it and there they behelde a ryal quene stondyng in hir estate wyth a grete multitude of aungels sayntes whos beaulte and rychesse myght noo herte thynke ne noo penne wryte for it excedeth euery mannes mynde Thenne the noble companye of marters with the felawshyp of vyrgynes Whyche ladde the vyrgyne katheryne fyll doun flatte tofore thys ryal Empresse wyth souerayn reuerence sayeng in thys wyse Our moost souerayn lady quene of heuen lady of al the world emperesse of helle moder of almyghty god kyng of blysse To whos commaundement obeyen al heuenly creatures and erthly lyketh it you that we here presente to you our dere suster whos name is wryton in the book of lyf besechyng your benygne grace to receyue hir as your doughter chosen and humble handemayde for to accomplysshe the werke which our blessid lord hath begonne in hir and with that our blessyd lady said brynge ye me my wel belouyd doughter and whan the holy virgyn herde our lady speke she was so moche replenysshed with heuenly ioye that she laye as she had ben dede Thenne the holy companye toke hir vp broughte hir tofore our blessyd lady to whome she said my dere doughter ye be welcom to me and ye be stronge and of good comforte for ye be specyally chosen of my sone for to be honoured remembre ye not how syttyng in your parlamēte ye descryued to you an husbonde where as ye had a grete conflycte bataylle in deffendyng your chastyte thenne this holy katheryne knelyng wyth moste humble reuerence and drede said O moste blessyd lady blessyd be ye emonge al wymmen I remembre how I chaas that lord whyche thenne was ful ferre fro my knowleche but now blessyd lady by his myghty mercy your specyal grace he hath opened the eyen of my blynde conscience and ygnoraunce so that now I see the clere waye of trouthe and humbly beseche you moste blessyd lady that I may haue hym whome myn herte loueth desyreth aboue alle thynge withoute whom I may not lyue and with thyse wordes hir spyrites were so fast closed that she laye as she had ben dede and thenne our lady in comfortyng hyr sayd my dere doughter It shal be as ye desyre but yet ye lacke one thynge that ye must receyue or ye come to the presence of my sone ye must be clothed wyth the sacramente of baptesme Wherfore come on my dere doughter for al thynge is prouyded for there was a fonte solempnely apparaylled wyth al thynge requesyte vnto baptesme And thenne our blessyd lady callyd adryan the olde fader to hir and sayd brother this offyce longeth to you for ye be a preest therfore baptyse ye my doughter but chaunge not hir name for katheryne shal she be named and I shal be hir godmoder and thenne this holy man adryan baptysed hir and after our lady sayd to hir now myn owne doughter be glad and ioyeful for ye lacke no thynge that longeth to the wyf of an heuenly spouse And now I shal brynge you to my lord my sone whiche abydeth for you and soo our lady ledde hir forth vnto the quere
hir playne helthe On another tyme another woman of Latynynak put one of hir feet wythin the said chapel or chyrche but hir foot swellyd by suche manere that alle the legge knee and thye of hit was greuyd with sekenesse many other myracles hath ben therof shewed wherfore the wymmen shal ne ought not entre in to it The good holy saint fyacre in his lyf tyme resplendysshed by myracles vertues and after rendryd right gloryously his soule vnto our lord sythe after his temporal dethe at his owne graue by hys merytes prayers our lord shewyd and as yet now sheweth many myraches as to restore in good helthe the pour seek folke languysshyng of their membris of what someuer sekenesse or langoure that it be who with good contryted herte cometh to the chyrche where the said graue or tombe is and deuoutelye besecheth prayeth god and the good holy saynt fyacre the which by hys gloryous merites may be vnto vs good frende toward our sayd Lord and god amen Thus endeth the lyf of Saint Fyacre Here foloweth the lyf of saynt Iustyn SAint Iustyn was born in the cite of naples and his fader was called cryspobachye and was a ryghte grete phylosophre whyche laboured strongelye for the cristen relygyon in soo moche that he composed many fayre bookes moche prouffytable as recounteth saynt Ierome hugo He betoke to themperour anthonyn a book which he composed of the crysten relygyon so moche he laboured toward the sayd emperour that he had pyte compassyyn of the cristen peple not onelye the emperour hym self but also al his chyldren and al the senatours of rome the sayd emperour made sythe a commaundemente that no paynym shold not be so hardy to haue in despyte the sygne of the veray crosse ¶ Item pompee the troyen which was of the spaynysshe nacyon composed in to xliiij bookes al thystoryes that were thorugh al the world from the tyme regne of mynym that Was kyng of assyrye vnto the tyme regne of themperour cesar and Wrote them in latyn the which hystorye saint Iustyn abreuyed or shorted also composed many other bookes whiche were to longe to reherce to hym was deuynely reueled or tolde that moche he shold suffre before his dethe for to mayntene trouthe as it apperith by a writte or letter whiche he sente to themperour anthonyn where he saith thus I shal haue ynough of persecucyons of staues of yron by them ageynste whom I bataylle or fyght for to mayntene the estate of trouthe but whan that shal be I theÌ„ne shal haue knowlege that they be not phylosophres that is to Wete louyng arte scyence but that they be louers of all vanytees for he is not worthy to be called a phylosophre which publyklye affermeth testefyeth that whyche he knoweth not that saith that the cristen are without a god putten in gretter errour tho that al redy are in errour al the whiche thynge was thus accomplisshed soo as saynt Iherome recounteth euschyus also for whan the said emperour was passed to god from this world after hym regned ij other emperours the which were named anthonyn aurelyen that were grete persecutours of cristen peple so as Iustyn perseuerd in holy lyuyng in holy doctryne he composed the second book for to deffende with the religyon cristen It happed so that many other phylosophres were that grete enuye had at iustyn as moche for his holy lyf honeste condycions wherof he was fylled as for his grete science accused hym to the emperour sayeng he was cristen that he wold destroye theyr lawe thenne was Iustyn taken and made hym to suffre many tourmentes dyuers paynes in whiche by cause that he constauntelye reclamed euer the name of god they spryncled and shadde hys blood by suche maner that he rendred yaue his sowle to our lord Ihesu crist with whom he restyth in pees shal reste wythoute ende In seculorum secula amen ¶ Thus endeth the lyf of saint Iustyn Here folowtth the lyf of saynt demetryen WHile that themperour maxymyen had the lordshyp of thessalony cense he made al the audytours of the cristen feyth to be put to deth emonge whiche was demetryen that made hym self to be manyfestyd knowen of al without ony fere or drede for sith the tyme of his yongthe he had euer ben stedfast constaunte in good operacions or werkys euer endoctryned taughte thother how the deuyne sapyence was descended in therthe who by his owne blood had quyckened or reysed fro deth the man whiche by hys synne was put to deth as he preched somme of the mynystres sergeauntes of themperour that were commytted ordeyned for to take the crysten men toke saynt demetryen wold haue presented hym vnto themperour maxymyen but it happed so that themperour was goon to see a batayll that shold be doon for moche he delâ—ted hym to see shedyng of blood humayn in the same bataylle was a man named lyneus whiche by cause of the victoryes that he in his dayes had had was moche loued of themperour but as fortune chaungeth ofte it happed that this lyneus was there wounded to deth whan the emperour was retorned in to his paleys sorouful angry of the deth of the said lyneus mencion of demetryon was made vnto hym thenne was themperour sore moeuyd ageynst hym in so moche that in the same prison where he was sore fetheryd harde holden he made hym to be stycked thorugh and thorugh his body with sharpe sperys the whiche saynt demetryen thus euer wytnessyng the name of Ihesu consumed there his marterdom Many myracles were made by his merytes by his good vertues on al them that with good feyth deuoutely reclamed hym a man that was called lemycyus who hertelye loued serued god gafe moche of his goodes to the hows where the holy corps of Saynt demetryen was buryed maad the place more gretter than it was tofore bylded there an oratorye or chappell in thonour of the said marter saynt demetrien One of the prefectes or Iuges of thessalonytence that named was manam was moche agreable to god to the world on which thenemye had grete enuye for his good werkyâ— began to tempte hym sore stronge first he tempted hym of the seuen dedely synnes but god wold that he neuer shold ouercome hym whan the deuyll sawe that he myght not deceyue hym he toke from hym al his temporal goodes fynally smote hym with suche a sekenesse that he had no membre wherwyth he myght helpe hym saufe onelye his tuâ—ge with the whyche he praysed thanked euer our lord after this the enemye apprryd to one of his seruauntes in lykenesse of a man shewyd to hym a cedule sayeng thus to hym yf thy maister dyd put ones this cedule or scrowe on hym he shold be anone al hole of his