the voys of syngyng whan he approchâ—d to them he sawe the Calf and the instrumentis of myrthe and he was so wroth that he threwe doun the tables brake them atte fote of the hylle ran and raught doun the Calf that they had made and brente and smote it al to pouldre whiche he caste in to water and gaf it to drynke to the chyldren of Israhel Thenne said Moyses to Aaron What hath this peple don to the that thou hast made to synne greuously to whom he answerd late not my lord take none indignacion at me Thou knowest wel that this peple is prone and redy to synne They said to me Make to vs goddes that may goo tofore vs We knowe not what is fallen to this Moyses that lad vs out of egypte To whom I said who of you that hath gold geue it me they toke and gaf it to me And I Caste it in to the fire and therof cam out this Calf And thenne said moises Alle they that ben of goddis parte and haue not synned in this Calf late hem Ioyne to me And the chyldren of leui Ioyned to hym and bade eche maÌ„ take a swerd on his side and take vengeance and slee euerych his brother his frende and neygbour that haue trespaced And so the chyldren of leui wente and slewe xxxiijM of the children of Israhel And thenne said Moyses ye haue halowed this day your handes vnto our lord And ye shal be therfore blessyd The second day moyses spack to the peple and said ye haue commysed and don the grettest synne that may be I shal ascende vnto our lord agayn and shal praye hym for your synne Thenne Moyses ascended agayn and receyuyd afterward two tables agayn whiche our lord had hym make And therin our lord wrote the comandements And after our lord comanded hym to make an arke and a tabernacle In whiche arke was kepte thre thinges ¶ First the Rodde with whiche he dide meruaillis A potte ful of manna and the .ij. tables with the comandementis And thenne after Moyses taught hem the lawe how eche man shold behaue hym ayenst other and what he shold doo and what he shold not doo And departed them in xij tribus ¶ And comanded that euery man shold brynge a Rodde in to the tabernacle ¶ And Moyses wrote eche name on the Rodde And Moyses shytte fast the tabernacle And on the morn ther was founde one of the roddes that burgeyned bare leuys and fruyt And was of on almonde tree that Rodde fyl to Aaron And after thys longe tyme the chyldren desireden to ete flesshe remembrid of the flesshe that they ete in egypte And grudchyd agayn Moyses And wold haue ordeyned to them a duc for to haue retorned in to egypte Wherfore Moyses was so woo that he desired of our lord to delyure hym fro this lyf by cause he sawe them so vnkynde ayenst god thenne god sente to them so grete plente of curlews that two dayes and one nyght they flewe so thycke by the ground that they toke gete nombre For they flewhe but the heyhgt of two cubytes and they had so many that they dreyde hem hangyng on their tabernacles and tentes yet were they not content but euer grutchyng Wherfore god smote them toke vengeauÌ„ce on hem by a grete plaghe And many deyde and were buryed there And thenne fro thens they wente in to Aseroth and dwellyd After this Maria and Aaron brother and suster of moyses began to speke agayn moyses by cause of his wif whiche was of ethyope and said god hath not spoken only by Moyses hath he not also spokeÌ„ to vs wherfore our lord was wroth Moyses was the humblest and mekest man that was in all the world Anone thenne our lord said to hym to Aaron and to marye Goo ye thre only vnto the tabernacle And there our lord said that ther was none lyke to Moyses to whom he had spoken mouth to mouth and repreuyd aaron and maria by cause they spack so to Moyses And beyng wroth departed fro them And anone maria was smeton and made lepre and whyte lyke snowe And whan Aaron behelde her and sawe her smeton with lepre he said to moyses I beseche the lord that thou sette not this synne on vs whiche we haue commysed folyly And late not this our suster be as a deed womaÌ„ or as born out of tyme caste away from her moder beholde and see half her flesshe is deuoured of the lepre Thenne Moyses cryed vnto our lord sayeng I beseche the lord that thou hele her to whom our lord said yf her fader had spytte in her face shold she not be put to shame and Rebuke vij dayes late her departe out of the castellis vij dayes and after she shal be callyd in agayn So maria was shytte out of the castellis vij dayes the peple remeuyd not fro the place tyl she was callyd agayn After this our lord coÌ„manded Moyses to sende men in to the londe of canaan that he shold gyue theÌ„ charge for see and considere the goodnes therof And that of euery trybe he shold sende somÌ„e Moyses dyde soo as our lord had comaunded whiche wente in brought of the fruytee wyth hem and they brought a braunche with one clustre of grapes as moche as two meÌ„ myght bere bytwene them vpon a colestaf whan they had seen the contre consydered by the space of xl dayes thei retorned and tolde the commodytees of the londe but somÌ„e said that the peple were stronge and many kynges and gyauntes in suche wyse that they said it was imprenable and that the peple were moche strenger than they were wherfore the peple anon were aferde and murmured agayn moyses and wold retorne agayn in to egypte Thenne Iosue Chaleph whiche were two of them that had consydered the loÌ„de said to the peple why grutche ye and wherof be ye aferd we haue wel seen the contrey and it is good to wynne the contrey floweth ful of mylke and hony be not rebelle ayenst god he shal gyue it vs be ye not aferd Thenne alle the peple cryed ayenst hem and whan they wold haue taken stones and stoned hem our lord in his glorye apperyd in a clowde vpon the coueryng of the tabernacle and said to Moyses thys peple byleueth not the sygnes and wondres that I haue shewd and don to hem I shal destroye them alle by pestylence And I shal make the a prynce vpon peple gretter strenger than this is Thenne prayd Moyses to our lord for the peple that he wold haue pyte on them and not destroye them but to haue mercy on them after the magnytude of his mercy And our lord at his request forgaf them Neuertheles our lord said that all tho men that had seen his mageste and the sygnes and meruaylles that he dyde in Egypte and in deserte and haue tempted hym ten tymes and not obeyed vnto his voys
is thy name he answerd anone and sayd I am named george I am a gentyl man a knyght of capadoce and haue lefte al for to serue god of heuen Thenne the prouoste enforced hym sefl to drawe hym vnto his feythe by fayre wordes whan he myght not brynge hym therto he dyd doo reyse hym on a gylet soo moche bete hym with grete staues and broches of yron that his body was alle to broken in pyeces And after he dyd doo take brondes of yron and ioyne them to his sydes and his bowellys whiche thenne appyeryd he dyd doo frote wyth salte And soo sente hym in to pryson but our loord appyered to hym the same nyght wyth grete lyght and comforted hym moche swetely And by this grete consolacion he took to hym soo good herte that he doubted no tormeÌ„t that they myght make hym suffre Thenne whan dacian the prouost sawe that he myght not surmounte hym he called hys enchaunter and sayd to hym I see that these cristen peple doubte not our tormentes ThenchauÌ„tour bonde hym self vpon his heed to be smyten of yf he ouercome not his craftes Thenne he dyd take stronge venym and medled hyt wyth wyne and made Inuocacion of the names of his false goddes and gafe hyt to Saynt George to drynke Saynt george took hit and made the signe of the crosse on hit and anone dranke it without greuyng hym ony thynge Thenne the Enchaunteur made it more stronger than hit was tofore of venym and gaue it hym to drynke And hit greuyd hym no thynge whan the enchaunteur sawe that he knelyd doun at the feet of saynt george and prayed hym that he wold make hym crysten And whan dacyen knewe that he was becomen crysten he made to smyte of his heed And after on the morne he made saynt George to be sette betwene two wheles whiche were ful of swerdes sharpe and cuttyng on bothe sydes But anone the wheles were broken Saynt george escaped wythout hurte And thenne commaunded dacian that they shold put hym in a cawdren full of molten leed whan saynt george entred therin by the vertu of our lord hym semed that he was in a bayne wel at ease Thenne dacyen seyng thys began to aswage his yre and to flatre hym by fayre wordes and said to hym George the pacyence of our goddes is ouer grete vnto the whiche hast blasphemyd them and done to them grete despyte thenne fayre and right swete sone I praye the that thou retorne to our lawe and make sacrefyse to the ydolles and leue thy folye and I shal enhaunce the to grete honour and worshyp Thenne began saynt George to smyle and sayd to hym wherfore saydest thou not to me thus at the begynnyng I am redy to do as thou sayest Thenne was dacyan gladde and made to crye ouer alle the towne that alle the peple shold assemble for to see George make sacrefyse which so moche had stryued there ageynst Thenne was the cyte arayed and feste thorugh out al the towne and al came to the temple for to see hym whan saynt George was on his knees and they supposed that he wold haue worshypped thydolles he prayed our lord god of heuen that he wold destroye the temple and thydolle in the honoure of his name For to make the peple to be conuerted And anone the fyre descended fro heuen and brente the temple and thydolles and theyr preestes And sythe the erthe opened and swalowed alle the cendres and asshes that were lefte Thenne dacien made hym to be broughte tofore hym and sayd to hym what ben the euyl dedes that thou hast doon and also grete vntrouthe Thenne sayd to hym saynt george A syr beleue it not but come wyth me see how I shal sacrefye Thenne sayd dacyan to hym I see wel thy frawde thy barate thou wylt make the erthe to swalowe me lyke as thou hast the temple and my goddes Thenne sayd saynt george O caytyffe telle me how may thy goddes helpe the whan they may not helpe them self Thenne was dacyan soo angry that he sayd to hys wyf I shal deye for angre yf I may not surmounte and ouercome thys man Thenne sayd she to hym euyl and cruel tyraunt ne seest thou not the grete vertue of the crysten peple I sayd to the wel that thou sholdest not doo to them ony harme For theyr god fyghteth for them And knowe thou wel that I wyl become crysten Thenne was dacyâ—n moche abasshed sayd to hir wylt thou be crysten theÌ„ne he took hir by the here and dyd do bete hyr cruelly Thenne demaunded she of saynt george what may I become by cause I am not crystenyd Thenne answerd the blessyd george doubte the no thynge fayre doughter For thou shalt be baptysed in thy blood Thenne began she to worship our lord IhÌ„u crist and so she deyed and wente to heuen On the morne dacian gaue his senteÌ„ce that saynt George shold be drawen thorugh alle the citee And after his heed shold be smyten of Thenne made he his prayer to our lord that alle they that desyred ony bone myght gete of our lord god in his name and a voys cam from heuen whiche sayd that hyt whiche he had desyred was graunted and after he had made his oryson his heed was smyten of aboute the yere of our lord ijClxxxvij Whan Dacyen wente homeward fro the place where he was byheded toward hys paleys Fyre fyl doun fro heuen vpon hym brente hym and alle hys seruauntes Gregore of Turonense telleth that there were somme that bare certeyn relyques of saynt george and came in to a certeyn oratorye in an hospytal and on the mornyng whan they shold departe they coude not meue the dore tyll they had lefte there parte of their relyques It is also founden in thystorye of antyoche that whan the cristen men went ouer see to coÌ„quere Iherusalem that one a right fayre yonge man appered to a preest of the hooste counceylled hym that he shold bere wyth hym a lytel of the reliques of saynt george For he was conduytour of the batayle and so he dyd so moche that he had somme And whan hit so was that they had assyeged Iherusalem durst not mouÌ„te ne goo vp on the walles for the quarellys and defence of the sarasyns they sawe appertely saint george which had whyte armes with a reed crosse that wente vp tofore them on the walles they folowed hym And so was Ierusalem taken by his helpe bytwene Iherusalem and porte Iaphe by a towne callyd ramys is a chapell of saynt george whiche is now desolate and vncouerd and therin dwelle crysten grekys And in the sayd chapel lyeth the body of saynt george but not the heed And there lyen hys fader and moder and his vncle not in the chapel but vnder the walle of the chapel And the kepars wyl not suffre pylgrymes to come therin but yf they
the wordes of our profession And shal shewe to fore vs alle that euer we haue don and in what place and what tyme we haue synned And what good theÌ„ne we shold haue don he shal saye to the Iuge right trewe Iuge deme Iuge this synnar to be myn for his trespaas whiche wold be thyne by grace he is thyne by nature he is myne by his myserye he is thyne by thy passyon he is myne by monycion To the he hath be in obedyent To me he hath be obedyent he hath receyued of the the vesture of Inmortalite Of me he hath taken this penyble cote wyth whiche he is clad he hath lefte thy vesture and is comen to myn Ryght Iuste demer Iuge hym to be myne for to be dampned with me Alas Alas how may the mouthe of them open that shal thus be fouÌ„den whaÌ„ they shal be Iustly dampned to be with the deuyll â— The second accusement is oure owne trespaas For oure owne propre synnes shal accuse vs As the wyse salomoÌ„ saith sapieÌ„tie quarto venient in cogitatoÌ„em pccoÌ„rum suorum timidi traduceÌ„t illos ex aduerso iÌ„iqitates eorum To the Iugement they shal come in the thought of their synnes in grete drede And their wyckednesses shal caste them out afterward TheÌ„ne theyr werkes shal saye to gydre Thou hast made vs we ben engendred of the we shal not leue the But alleway we shal be with the And â—ith the we shal goo to the dome Thus in many thynges crymes they shal accuse the synners The thirde accuseâ— shal be all the world wherof sayth seynt gregorye yf thou demande who shal accuse the I saye the world whiche is offended And saynt IohnÌ„ grisestome seyth that at that day there we shal answere nothyng but the heuen the erthe the water the sonne the dayes the nyghtes shal be in wytnes of our synnes And yf we speke not oure werkes our thoughtes shall be moeued and all the world shal be ayenst vs to fore god And shal accuse vs strongly The sixth thyng that ensieweth the dome shal be witnes trewe without fayllyng The synnar shal haue iij wytnessis ayenst hym That one that is aboue hym that is to wete that shal be Iuge wytnes lyke as he saith by the mouth of Ieremye the prophete I am Iuge and witnes saith our lord That other witnes is within hym that is to wete his conscience therfor saith saint Austyn yf thou dredest the Iuge comyng correcte thy conscience For the worde of thy mouth is the wytnes of thy conscience That other wytnes is by hym that is his propre angele deputed to his kepyng the whiche by cause that he knoweth his conscience shal bere witnes ayenst hym wherof it is said in Iob The heuenes that is to saye the angeles theÌ„ne shall shewe thynyquytees of the synners The seuenth thyng that shal be atte Iugement is the constraynt of the synners wherof saith saynt gregoire O how strayte shall be the wayes to synners all aboue shal the Iuge sytte ful of wrath And vnderneth thorrible coÌ„fused region of payne on their ryght side theyr synnes whiche shal accuse theym On their lyft syde theyr enemyes deuylles without noÌ„bre drawyng them to torment within theym theyr coÌ„science shal be brennyng And with out forth the world brennyng The caytyf and myserable synnar thus taken whyther shal he flee or whyter shal he goo he shal not mow hyde hym For it is Impossible And to shewe it is Intollerable so moche that he shal not conne bere it The eyghte that he shal haue the sentence inreuocable This sentence shal neuer be repelled ne it may be appeled For thappellacion shal not be receyued for thre causes as it shold be in Iugement the first cause is for thexcelleÌ„ce of the Iuge As of a kynge yf he yeue a sentence it may not be appelled in his royaume For ther is none therin aboue hym souerayn and in like wise of themperour and of the pope Secondly for theuydence of the cryme wiche is notoryly knowen Thirdly whan the thynge of whiche the Iugement is yeuen may not be differred And that it haue not dilacion And for thise thre causes ther maye none appele be fro the dyuyne sentence First for thexcellence of the Iuge For god hath none aboue hym but he is aboue all other in eternyte in dignyte and in auctorite And somme wise may be appelled fro the Emperour to god But fro god may nomaÌ„ appelle for he hath none aboue hym Secondly for the crime For alle trespaas and synnes shal be there openly shewd wherof saith seynt Ierome that in this daye alle our dedes shal be shewd like as they were writen in a table noted Thirdly for the thyng whiche may not suffre dilacion For alle thynges that shal be don atte Iugement shal be don in a twynkelyng of an eye TheÌ„ne late vs pray that we may in this holy tyme so to receyue hym that at the day of Iugement we may be receyued in to his euerlastyng blisse Amen ¶ Thus endeth thystorye of thaduente ¶ Here foloweth the Natiuite of our lorde ihesu Crist Whan the world had endured fyue thousand nyne hondred yere after eusebe the holy saynt Octouian themperour coÌ„manded that alle the world shold be descriued so that he myght knowe how many cytees how many townes how many personnes he had in alle the vniuersal world TheÌ„ne was so grete peas in therthe that alle the world was obeyssaunt to hym And therfore our lorde wold be born in that tyme that it shold be knowen that he brought peas fro heuen And this emperour coÌ„manded that eueri maÌ„ shold goo in to the tounes cytees or villages frowhens they were of and shold brynge with hem a peny in knowlechyng that he was subgette to th empyre of rome And by so many pens as shold be founden receyued shold be knowen the nombre of the personnes Ioseph whiche theÌ„ne was of the lignage of dauid And dwellyd in Nazareth wente in to the cyte of Bethlem And ladde with hym the virgyne marie his wyf And whan they were comen theder by cause the hostryes were alle taken vp they were constrayned to be with oute in a comyn place where alle peple wente And ther was a stable for an asse that he brought with hym and for an oxe In that nyght our blessid lady and moder of god was delyuerd of our blessyd sauyour vpon the heye that laye in the racke At whiche Natiuite our lord shewd many meruaylles Fo by cause that the world was in so grete peas the Romayns had don mad a teÌ„ple whiche was named the temple of peas On whiche they coÌ„seylled wyth Appollo to knowe how longe it shold stond and endure Appollo answerd to them that it shal stoÌ„d as loÌ„ge tyl a mayde had brought forth and born a chyld And therfore they dyde do wryte on the portal of the temple loo this
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
sayeng suffre ye hym brethern and late hym curse me loo I haue thys lx yere blasphemed by my werkys Cryst and may not I not bere one blame or vice of thys man And he comanded that a sack of money full shold be brought to fore thys poure man that he shold take as moche as he world On a tyme after that the gospell was redde in the chyrche the peple wente out and talked ydle tales And thys holy patriarke apperceyued them and folowed after and satte doun emong them and said to them Sones there as the sheep been there must the sheepherde be also And therfor eyther ye muste entre with me in to the chyrche or ellys I must abyde wyth you here And thus he dyde tweyes And therby he taught the peple to abyde stande in the chyrche Another tyme ther was a yongman had rauysshed anonne And the clerkys repreued the yong man therof to fore saynt IohÌ„n And said he ought to be cursid therfor by cause he had lost ij sowles his owne and the nonnes Thenne saynt Iohan withstode theyr sentence sayeng not so my sones not so I shal shewe to you that ye coÌ„myse two synnes Fyrst ye doo ayenst the comandement of god whyche saith Iuge ye not and ye shal not be Iuged Secondly ye wyte not for certayn whether they haue synned in to thys day and haue not be penytent and haue repented them It fyll many tymes that saynt IohÌ„n was rauysshyd in hys prayers and was in a traunce And he was herd dyspute with our lord in thyse wordes So good lord Ihesu cryst so I in partyng and thou in mynystryng late vs see who shal ouercome On a tyme whan he was seek vexid wyth the feures and sawe that he approched hys ende he said I yelde to the thankynges For thou hast herd my wretchidnes prayeng thy goodnes that at my deth shold be fouÌ„de wyth me but one besaunt or one pece of money and that yet I comande to be gyuen to the poure And thenne he yelded hys soule vnto all myghty god And his venerable body was put in a sepulcre where the bodyes of ij bysshoppis were buryed And the two bodyes by myracle gaf rome and place to the body of saynt IohÌ„n For they remeued eche fro other and left the mydle voyde for his body A lityl tyme to fore hys deth ther was a woman had coÌ„mysed a grete and horryble synne And durst not be shryuen therof ne â—hewe it to noman saynt IohÌ„n bad here wryte hit and seale it and brynge it to hym And he wold praye for her she assented therto she wrote her synne and dylygently closed and sealed it And delyuerd it to saynt IohÌ„n And anon after saynt IohÌ„n waxe seek and deyde And whan she herd that he was deed she supposed her self confused and shamed For she wende that he hath delyuerd it to somÌ„e other man and she cam to hys tombe and there wepte cryed moche lamentably sayeng Alas Alas I supposed to haue eschewid my coÌ„fusion now I am made confusion vnto all other wepte bytterly prayeng saynt IohÌ„n that he wold shewe to here where he had lefte her wrytyng And sodenly saynt IohÌ„n cam and appiered to her in thabyte of a bysshop on eyther syde of hym a bysshop and said to the woman why troblest thou me so moche and thies sayntes wiâ—h me and suffrest not vs to haue reste loo here our clothes ben alle weet of thy teeris And thenne delyuerd to her her scrowe agayn sealed as it was to fore sayeng to her Se here thy seall opene thy wrytyng and rede it whyche anoÌ„ she opened and all her synne was disfaced and clene out and she fonde therin wreton Alle thy synne is foryeuen and put away by the prayer of IohÌ„n my seruaunt And thenne she rendred thaÌ„kynges to our lord god and to saynt IohÌ„n And thenne saynt IohÌ„n with the two bysshoppis retorned in to theyr sepulture Thys holy man saynt IohÌ„n flowrid in the yere of our lord vjCv in the tyme of foke themperour Thus endeth the lyf of saynt Iohan the Almosner Of the conuersion of saynt paule of the name of conuersion COnuersion is sayd of conuertor I am torned or is as moche as to gydre torned from synnes and euyllis he is not conuerted that shryueth hym to the preest of one synne and hydeth an other It is said conuersion For saynt paule thys day was conuerted to the fayth leuyng hys vices why he is said paule it shal be said afterward ¶ Of the conuersion of saynt Paule THe conuersion of saynt Paule was made the same yere that cryste suffred hys passion and saynt stephen was stoned also not in the yere naturell but appieryng For our lord suffred deth the viij kalendes of apryll And saynt stephen suffred deth the same yere the thyrde day of august And was stoned and saynt paule was conuerted the viij kalendis of feuerer And thre reasons ben assigned wherfor the conuersion of saynt paule is halowed more than of other saynctes Fyrst for thensample by cause that no synnar what someuer he be shold despayre of pardon whan he seeth hym that was in so grete synne to be in so grete Ioye Secondly for the Ioye For lyke as the chyrche had grete soâ—owe in hys persecucion So had she grete Ioye in his conuersion Thyrdly for the myracle that our lord shewde whan of j so cruel a persecutour was made so trewe a prechour The conuersion of hym was merueyllous by reson of hym that made hym and of hym that ordeyned hym and of the pacient that suffred it by reson of hym that made hym to be conuerted that was Ihesu cryst whyche shewde there his merueillous puyssaunce in that he said it is harde to the to stryue ayenst the alle or prycke and in that he chaunged hym so sodaynly For anon as he was chaunged he said lord what wylt thou that I doo vpon thys word sayth saynt Austyn the lambe slayn of the wulues hath made of a wulf a lambe For he was redy for to obeye that to fore was wood for to persecute Secondly he shewd hys merueyllous wysedom hys merueyllous wysedom was in that that he toke fro hym the swellyng of pryde in offryng to hym the inward thynges of humylyte and not the heyghte of mageste For he said I am Ihesus of nazareth And he called not hym self god ne the sone of god but he said to hym take thynfirmytees of humanyte and caste away the squames of pryde Thyrdly he shewde hys pyteous debonayrte and mercy whyche is signefied in that that he that was in dede and in wylle to persecute he conuerted how be it he had euyl wyll as he that desyred alle the menaces and thretenynges had euyll purpoos as he that wente to the prynce of preestis as he that had a Ioye in hys euyl werkis that he ladde the crysten men bounden to Iherusalem And therfor hys Iourneye and
knowyng hym to be ouercomen in his herte Our mayster hath taught vs for to doo good for euyl Thenne said simon to peter poul yet is it not comē to you that ye desyre for ye be not worthy to haue martirdom the which answerd that is that we desire to haue To the shal neuer be wel For thou lyest alle that thou sayest Thenne as marcel sayth Symon went to the hous of marcel and bond there a grete dogge black at the dore of the hous and sayd now I shall see yf peter whyche is accustomed to come hether shal come And yf he come this dogge shal strangle hym ¶ And a lytil after that peter and poul went theder And anon peter made the signe of the crosse and vnbond the hound And the hound was as tame and meke as a lambe and pursewed non but simon And went to hym toke cast hym to the grounde vnder hym and wold haue estrangled hym And thenne ran peter to hym and cryed vpon the hound that he shold not do hym ony harme And anon the hound lefte and touched not his body But he alle to rente and tare his goun in such wyse that he was almost naked Thenne alle the peple and specyally chyldren ran with the hoūd vpon hym And hunted and chased hym out of the toun as he had ben a wulf Thenne for the repreef and shame he durst not come in to the toun of alle an hole yere after Thenne Marcelle that was dissciple of symon magus seyng thyse grete myracles came to peter And was fro thēne forthon hys disciple And after at the ende of the yere symon retorned and was receyued agayn in to thamyte of Nero And thēne as leon seyth this symon magus assembled the peple shewd to them how he had ben angred of the galyleens ¶ And therfor he sayd that he wold leue the ate which he was wont to defend and kepe ¶ And sette a day in whiche he wold ascende in to heuen For he dayned nomore to dwell in therthe Thenne on the day that he had stablisshed lyke as he had sayd he went vp to an hye tour whiche was on the capytol And there beyng crouned with laurer threwe hym selfe out fro place to place and began to fle in thayer Thenne sayd saynt Poule to seynt peter hit aperteyneth to me to praye And to the for to comaunde Thenne sayd Nero this man is very god and ye ben two traytees thenne sayd seynt peter to seynt poul Poul brother lyfte vp thyn hede and see how simon fleeth Thenne seynt Poul sayd to seynt Peter whan he sawe hym flee so hye Peter Whi taryest thou performe that thou hast bygonne god now calleth vs Thenne sayd Peter I charge and coniure you Angelles of sathanas whiche bere hym in thayer by the name of our lord Ihesu cryst that ye bere ne susteyne hym no more but lat hym falle to the erthe And anon they lete hym falle to the grounde and brake his necke and hede and dyed there forthwyth ¶ And whan Nero herd saye that symon was deed and that he had loste suche a man He was sorouful and sayd to thappostles ye haue don thys in despyte of me And therfore I shalle destroy you by ryght euyl example Hec leo Thenne he delyuerd them to paulyn whiche was a moche noble man And paulyn dely uerd them to mamertyn vnder the kepyng of two knyghtes processe and martiniani Whom saint peter conuerted to the fayth And they thenne opened the pryson and lete them alle goo out that wold goo wherfore after the passyon of thappostles paulyne whan he knewe that they were crysten byheded both processe and martynyan The brethern thenne whan the pryson was opened prayed peter to goo thens and he wold not but atte last he beyng ouercomen by theyr prayers went awaye And whan he cam to the gate as leo witnesseth which is called scā maria adpassus he mette Ih̄u cryst comyng ayenst hym And peter sayd to hym Lord whither goost thou And he sayd to hym I goo to rome for to be crucyfyed agayn And peter demanded hym lord shalt thou be crucifyed agayn he sayd ye peter sayd then lord I shal retorne agayn thēne for to be crucyfyed with the This sayd oure lord ascended to heuen Peter beholdyng it whiche wepte sore whan peter vnderstode that our lord had sayd to hym of hys passyon he retorned And whan he cam to hys brethern he told to them what our lord had sayde And anon he was taken of the mynystres of Nero was delyuered to the prouost agryppe thēne was his face as clere as the sonne as it is sayde Thenne agrippe sayd to hym thou art he that glorifyest in the peple and in wymen that thou departest fro the bedde of theyr husbondes whom thappostel blamed sayd to hym that he glorifyed in the crosse of our lord Ih̄u cryst Thenne peter was commaunded to be crucyfyed as a stranger and by cause that poul was a cytezeyn of rome hit was cōmaunded that his hede shold be smeten offe And of this sentence gyuen ayenst them sent dionyse in a pistle to Tyimothe sayth in this wyse O my brother thymothe yf thou haddest seen thagonyes of the ende of theym thou sholdest haue fayled for heuynes sorowe who shold not wepe that hour whan the commaundement of the sentence was gyuen ayenst them that peter shold be crucified and poul be byheded thou sholdest thēne haue seen the turbes of the Iewes and of the paynēs that smote them and spitte in their vysages And whan the horrible tyme cam of theyr ende that they were departed that one fro that other they bond the pylers of the world but this was not withoute waylyng and wepyng of the brethern Thenne sayd seint poul to seint Peter Pees be with the that art foundement of the chirche and pastour of the schepe lambes of our lord Peter thenne sayd to poul go thou in pees precher of good maners Medyatour ledar and solace of rightful people And whan they were with drawen fer fro other I folowed my mayster They were not both slayn in on strete Thys sayth seynt dyonyse as leo the pope and marcelle witnessen whan peter came to the crosse he sayd whan my lord descended fro heuen to therthe he was put on the crosse right vp but me whom hit pleseth to call fro therth to heuen my crosse shall shewe my hede to therth and adresse my feet to heuen For I am not worthy to be put on the crosse lyke as my lord was Therfor torne my crosse crucyfye me my hede dounward thenne they torned the crosse and fastned his feet vpward and the hede dounward Thenne the peple wer angrye ayenst nero and the prouost and wold haue slayn hem by cause they made seint peter so to dye but he requyred them that they shold not lette his passyon as leo witnesseth Our
thanke you theÌ„ne they that stode by demanded who they were that he spack to And he sayd to them wondryng haue ye not seen the blessed appostles peter and poul and as he cryed agayn his blessyd soule departed fro the flessh Som haue doubte whether peter poul suffred deth in one daye For som saye that it was thesame one day but one a yere after the other And Iherome alle the seyntes that trete of this mater accordeÌ„ that it was on one day one yere And so is hit conteyned in an epystle of Denys and leo the pope sayth the same in a sermon sayeng we suppose but that it was not don without cause that they suffred in one day in one place the sentence of the tyraunt And they suffred deth in one tyme to th ende that they shold goo to geder to IhÌ„u cryst and bothe vnder one persecutour to th ende that egall cruelte shold strayne that one that other The day for theyr meryte the place for theyr glorye And the persecucyon one come by vertue hec leo thaugh theyr suffred bothe deth in one day and in one hour yet it was not in one place but in dyuerce wâ—thin rome And herof sayth a versyfyar in this wyse Ense coronatus paulus cruce petrus eodem Sub duce luce loco dux nero Roma locus That is to saye Paul crouned with the swerd And peter had the crosse reuersed the place was the cyte of rome And how be it that they suffred deth In one day yet seynt gregorye ordeyned that that day specyally shold be the solempnyte of seynt Peter And the nexte day CoÌ„memoracoÌ„n of seynt poul For the chirche of seynt Peter was halowed that same day And also for as moche as he was more in dygnyte first in conuercyon and held the pryncypalite at Rome Thus endeth the lyf of seynt Peter thappostle Here begynneth the lyf of seynt Poul thappostle and doctour POul is as moche to saye as the mouth of a trompe or of sence or merueylously chosen or a myracle of electyon Or paul is sayd of pausa that is reste Or it is sayd litill of latyn And by this ben vnderstonden vj prerogatyues whiche paul had before the other appostles The first is a fruitful tongue For he renepleneshid the gospel fro Ierusalem to Ierico And therfore he is sayd the mouth of a tromp the ij was vertuouse chary te for he sayd who is seke I am not seke therfor he is sayd mouth of sâ—ns or vnderstondyng The thyrd is conuercion moche merueyllous and therfor he is sayd meruelously chosen For he Was meruellously chosen conuerted The fourth is the hand werchyng therfor he is sayd merueyllous of elâ—â—tion For it was a grete myracle whan he chaas to gete his dispences with the labour of his handes and to preche without cessyng The fyfte was contemplacyon delycyous For reste of thought is requyred in contemplacyon For he was rauisshid vnto the third heuen The syxte was humylyte vertuous and therof he is sayd lytyl Of this name paule ben thre opynyons Orygene sayth that he had alleway two names and was called paulus and saulus And Rabanus sayth that he was called saulus and that was after Saul the proude kyng but after his conuercyon he was callid poul as it were lytyl and humble of spyrite And therfor he sayd I am leest of alle the appostles And bede sayd that he was called paule of Sergio paulo proconsul whom he conuerted to the fayth And lynus the pope wryteth his passyâ—n Of Seynt Poul doctour and Appostle SAynt Poul thappostle after his conuersyon suffred many ê‘secucions the which the blissed hyllarye reherseth shortly sayeng Poul thappostle was beten with roddis by philippis he was put in prison and by the feet fast sette in stockes he was stoned in listris In yceyne and thessalonyque he was pursewid of wicked peple In Ephesym he was delyuerd to wyld beestis In damask he was lette by a lepe doun of the wall In Iherusalem he was arested beten bounden and awayted to be slayn In Cezarea he was enclosed and deffamed Saylyng toward ytalye he was in paryl of deth And fro thens he cam to rome and was Iuged vnder nero and there fynysshid his lyf This sayth seynt hyllarye Poul toke vpon hym to be appostle among the gentyles ij lystris was a contracte which he 〈◊〉 and redressid a yong man that fylle out of a wyndow and dyed he reysed to lyf and dyd many other myracles at the Ile of metylene a sarpent lote his hande and hurted hym not and he threwe it in to the fyre It is sayd that alle they that cam of the progenye and lynage of that man that thenne herberowed poule may in no wyse be hurt of no venemous beestis wherfore whan theyr children be born they putte serpentes in thayr cradellis for to ê“ue yf they be veryly theyr children or noo In som place it is sayd that paule ys lasse than peter Otherwhile more and somtyme egalle and lyke For in dygnyte he is lasse In prechyng greter and in holynes they be egal haymond seyth that paule fro the cocke crowe vnto the hour of fyue he laboured with his handes after enteeÌ„ded to preching and that endured almost to nyght the resydue of the tyme was for to ete slepe and for prayer whiche was necessarye He come to rome whan nero was not fully confermed in the empire and nero heryng that there was disputyng questyons made betwene paule and the Iewes he retchyng not moche therof suffred poul to go wher he wold and preche frely Ieronimus saith in his boke De uiris illustribus that the xxxj yere after the passyon of oure lord the second yere of nero seynt poul was sent to rome bounden and ij yere he was in free kepyng and disputed ayenst the Iewes and after he was lete go by nero and prechid the gospel in the west partyes and the xiiij yere of nero the same yere day that peter was crucifyed his hede was smyten of Hec Ierommus The wysdom and relygyon of hym was publisshed ouer alle and was reputed meruellous he gate to hym many frendes in themperours hâ—us and conuerted them to the fayth of cryste and some of hys wrytynges wer recyted and redde tofore the emperour and of al men meruelously commendyd and the senate vnderstode of hym hy thinges of auctorite It happed on a day that poul prechid aboute eueÌ„song tyme in a lofte a yong man named patroclus boteler of nero and with hym welbyloued went for to see the multitude of peple and the better for to here paul he went vp in to a wyndowe and there slepyng fyll doun dyed whiche whan nero herde was moche sory and heuy therfor and anon ordeyned another in his offyce Paul knowyng herof by the holy goost sayd to them stondyng by hym That they shold goo and bryng to hym patroclus whiche was
And made of them wythout nombre to be drowned in the see And thus the deuyll aduenged hym on them And many of them that escaped bycam cristen ffor whan they wold haue goon vp on the montayne wyth the other they myght not go vp so sharpe roches in suche wyse that they that went vp were alle to cutte with the stones And the other were drowned in the see and weren alle deed And whan the other wolde haue doon the same and tarryed by cause they wyst not what was happed of the other certayn fysshers goyng by them told what was fallen of the other and thus they that myght escape retorned and wente not after the other And al thise thynges ben conteyned in the said historye The fourth cause of the Instytucion of this feste may be assygned here in this wyse â— For our lord delyuerd seynt Peter out of his chaynes by myracle And gaf hym power to bynde and vnbynde ffor we be holden and bounden vnto the londe of synne and haue nede to be assoyled Therfor we worship the solempnyte of the chaynes afor sayd For as he deserued to be vnbounde of the bondes of his chaynes so receyued he power of our lord IhÌ„u crist to assoyle vs And thys last reson may be lyghtly apperceyued For thou seest that thepystle accordeth thabsolucoÌ„n and losyng of the chaynes made to thappostle And the gospell recordeth the power that was gyuen to hym for tassoyle And thoryson of the dethe requyreth that absolucion be made to vs And thys that somtyme he gyueth absolucion And assoylleth the dampned otherwhyle by the power of the kayes whiche he receyued It apperyth in a myracle of the blessid virgyne marrie On a tyme there was a monke a scolyer whiche was in the cyte of coloyne in the monastery of seynt peter whiche monke was synful and whan this monke was supprysed with sodeyn dethe the deuyllis accused hym and cryed on hym that he had don alle maner synnes That one sayd I am couetyse whiche so oft thou hast coueyted ayenst the commaundement of god And another sayd I am vayne glorye of whyche thou hast enioyed the in makyng a vaunte emong men And another sayde I am thy lesyng in whiche thou oft synâ—edest in lyeng And other in lyke wyse And contrarye to them some good werkys that he had don excused hym sayeng I am obedyence whyche thou dydest to thyn elders and soueraynes Another sayd I am the song of psalmes that thou hast songen to god moche ardantly seint peter to whom he was a monke went to god for to pray for hym and our lord ansuerde to hym hath not the prophete sayd by my Inspyracion OneÌ„ quis hitabit in tabernaculo tuo lord who shal dwell in thy tabernacle or who shal reste in thy hye holy montayn he that shall be wythout spotte of synne how may this man thenne be saued whiche is not entred wythout spotte Ne hath doon no rightwisnesse And yet peter prayed for hym with the blessid virgyne moder of god Thenne our lord gaf vpon hym this sentence that the soule shold retorne agayn to the body and that he shold doo penaunce And thenne seynt peter with the kay that he held in his hond fered the deuyllis and made them to flee and after delyuerd the soule to a monke of the same monastery and commaunded hym that he shold bryng it to the body and he bare it to hym and requyred of hym for his rewarde that he had brought it agayn that he shold say euery day for hym the psalme Miserere mei deus and that he shold of te swepe his sepulture kepe it clene And thus he reuyued fro the deth and cam agayn to the world and dyde hys penaunce and recompted to alle the peple this that had happed to hym Thenne late vs praye this gloryous appostle seynt peter to be our aduocate to our lord Ihesu cryste that we may by the power of the kayes gyuen to hym haue very absolucion of oure synnes that after the accomplysshemeÌ„t of this short transitory lyf we may come to euer lastyng lyf in heuen amen Thus endeth thistorye of seint Peter ad vincula Here foloweth the lyf of seynt Stephen the Pope WHan seynt stephen the pope had conuerted many of the paynems vnto the cristen fayth both by word and by example and had also buryed many bodyes of the marters in the yere of our lord two hondred lx he was sought by grete studye of valeryen and of galyen thenne empereurs For by cause that he and his clerkes shold doo sacrefyse vnto theyr ydolles or ellis to be slayne by dyuers tormentis and the sayd emperours made ordynaunce that who someuer broughte them he shold haue all theyr substauÌ„ce and for that cause x of his clerkes were taken and brought forth and anon wythout audyence were byheded And the day folowyng seynt Stephen the pope was taken and brought to the temple of mars theyr god to th ende that he shold adoure and doo honour to thydolle or ellys he shold haue sentence to be byheded But whan he was entred in to the temple he prayed to our lord IhÌ„u cryst that he wold destroy the temple and anon a grete party of the temple fylle And alle they that were there ffledde for drede that they had and thenne he went to the Cymetoyre of seynt luke and whan valerien herd that he sent to hym mo knyghtes than he dyd tofore and whan they cam they fond hym syngyng masse And anon he fynysshed deuoutly that which he had begonne And that doon theâ— byheded hym in his seete ¶ Thus endeth the passyon of seynt Stephen the pope Here foloweth thynuencion of seynt Stephen prothomartir THe Inuencion of the holy body of seynt Stephen prothomartir was made in the yere of our lord iiijCxvij in the xvij yere of honorius themperour The Inuencion of hym the translacion and the coniunction were made by ordre For a prest named lucyen of the contray of IhÌ„rlm Of whom gerard recompteth emong the noble men and wryteth thus that on a fryday Whan he was in his ledde rested and vnnethe awoke He sawe an auncient man of noble stature wyth a long berd wyth a semely vysage enuyronned in a Whyte mantel In whiche there were litil ouches crosses of gold tissued he was hosed wyth hosen browdred with gold aboue which helde in his honde a rodde of gold wyth whiche he touched hym and sayd Goo and with grete dylygence opene our tombes For We ben leyde in a place dyshonest and of despyte Goo thou therfor vnto IohÌ„n the bysshop of Iherusalem and say to hym that he lay vs in a more honourable place And by cause that drought and tribulacion is thrugh the world God hath ordeyned to be debonayr and merciful to the world by our suffragyes and prayers And lucian sayd to hym Syre who art thou I am sayd he gamaliel which norisshed thappostle poule enseygned hym
was wouÌ„den and wrapped in a clene sudary and was leyd vpon the bed and lampes brente full bryght aboute her Oyggnementes gaf a grete and fragraunt odour the louynges and preysynges of angels resowned And thappostles other that were there songe dyuyne songes And the Arke of oure lorde was borne in to Mount of syon vnto the vale of Iosephat vpon the â— heedes of the Apostles And the Angels wente to fore some And somme folowed the body And other conueyed her And she was accompanyed of alle the plente of the chirche And some of the Iewes herd hit in their euyl malyce descended doune fro the Mount of syon one of them whiche was a membre of the deuylle ranne folyly vnto the holy body And assaylled it for to haue cast it to the erthe drawyng hit with bothe hys handes both his handes cleuyd to the bere were departed fro the body lyke as two staues had ben sawed of soo he was lyke a tronke til that fâ—yth chaÌ„ged his thought And he waylyng soroufully repented hym they tâ—at bare the bere taryed made that Iewe worshipe touche the holy body theÌ„ne cam his handes ageyne in to their fyrst estate theÌ„ne was the body borne vnto the vale of Iosephat ther it was emâ—raced kissed songes songen of holy â—ouynges preysynges ther were wepte many teres theÌ„ne that holy body was leid in the tombe honourably but her sowle was not left in helle ne her flesshe felte neuer corrupcion And they sayden that she was the welle whiche neuer was dygged the felde not â—red The vygne not cut tholyue berynge fruyte whiche shalle not be holden in the bosome of the erthe For hit apperteyneth that the moder be enhaunced with the sone And that she mounte to hym like as he descended in to her And that she that hath kepte her virgynyte in her childyng ought to see no corrupcion And she that bare the creatoure of alle the world in her bely ought to duelle in dyuyne tabernacles And that she whome the fader had taken to espouse were kepte in the chambres celestyalle And tho thynges that longe to the sone ought to be posseded of the moder And alle this sayd Iohan damascene ¶ Yet of thassumpcion of oure lady aftir saynt Austyn SAynt Austyn sheweth autentyckly in a sermon of the right holy assumpcion of oure blessid lady sayenâ— we that haue begoÌ„nâ— to speke of the body of the Vyrgyn perâ—urable of thassumpcion of her blessid sowlâ— We say thus Fyrst that we fynde nothyng of her wreton syth that oure lord hangyng on the Crosse commaunded her to his disciple sauf that Luke recordeth in his wrytynges sayeng that all they were by one courage perseueryng with the Vyrgyne Marye moder of our lorde Ihesu cryste what is thenne to saye of her deth and of her assumpcion Wherof the scripture remeÌ„bryth no thynge It is thenne as me semeth to be enquyred thynge whiche is acordynge to trouthe withoute whichâ— Auctoryte is nothyng we remembre the condicion humayne We doubte not to saye that surely she wente to temporall deth And yf we saye that she is resolued in to comyn putrefaction in wormes and in to asshes or dust It behoueth vs to weye and thynke suche thyng as apperteyneth to soo grete holynesse and to the seygnorye of suche a chambre of god We knowe wel that it was sayd to the fyrst fader thou art poudre and in to poudre thou shalt retorne but the flessâ— of Ihesu Cryst escaped fro this condycion For his flesshe suffred neuer corrupcion Thenne is excepte fro this generall sentence the nature taken of tâ—e Vyrgyne And god sayd to the woman eue I shal multyplye thy dyseases and thou shat bryng forth chyldren with payne and sorowe But marye suffred neuer suche dyseases of whome the swerde of sorowe perced 〈◊〉 sowle But Marye childed withoute sorowe And thenne yf she were ouyte and had no parte of sorowe in childyng thenne ought she not to haue paâ—te of dyseases ne of corrupcion â—ut she is excepte of somme other generalytees by cause that the dignyte gafe to her suche seygnorye And though we saye that she suffred deth yet is she not reteyned with the bondes of dethe yf oâ—re lord wold kepe his moder entyer and hoole and the chastyte of her vyrgynyte Wherfor may he not kepe hâ—r withoute corrupcion of stenche of rotynnesse It apperteyneth thenne vnto the debonayrte of oure lord to kepe thonour of hys moder whiche was not come to breke the lawe but to accomplysshe it And in his lyf had worshiped hâ—r to fore al other by the grace of her conceyuyng And therfor we ought well to byleue that he honoureth her at her dethe wyth synguler saluacion and of special grace And rotynes and wormes ben but reproche of humayne condycyon And whan Ihesu cryst is oute of thâ—t reproche the nature of Marye is excepted the whiche is the nature that he toke of her For the flessh of Ihesu cryste is the flessh of Mary the whiche he bare aboue the sterres in worshypyng man aboue nature and in worshypynge more his moder yf he be sone of the very moder Thenne is it couenable thynge that she be moder of the same sone Not as to the vnyte of the Persone but to the vnyte of bodyly nature yf grace withoute propyrte of especial teÌ„porell nature may make vnyte how moch more theÌ„ne may the grace of corporall and especiall natyuyte make vnyte of grace lyke as the disciples in Ihesu Crist of whome he sayth hym self that they ben one as we be And after he sayth Fader I wylle that where I am they be wyth me And thenne yf he wyll haue with hym them that ben ioyned soo wyth hym in the feythe and that they be Iuges with hym what shalle thenne be iuged of his moder Where is she worthy to be but in the presence of her sone Therfor I vnderstonde and byleue that the sowle of marye be honoured of her sone by a right excellent prerogatyf possedyng her body gloryfyed in Ihesu Crist whome she conceyued And why shold not she possede her body gloryfyed by whiche she conceyued For so grete an halowyng is more worthy to be in heuen than in erthe The sete of god the Chambre of oure lord and the worthy tabernacle of Ihesu Cryste ought and apperteyneth better to be there as he is than els where and soo right precious tresoure is more worthy to be in heuen than in erthe And by ryght no resolucion of rotynnes maye not folowe so grete entyernes of thyng not corumpable And by cause I fele not that the ryght hooly body be not delyuerd in to mete of wormes I doubte to saye it And by cause that the yefte of grace incomparable surmounteth gretely thys estymacion that I fele that the consideracion of many scriptures admoneste me to saye trouthe God sayth somtyme to his mynystres
Where as I am ther shall be my mynysstre yf this sentence be generalle to alle them that haue mynystred Ihesu cryst by fayth and by werke how is ther ony more special than Marye For with oute doute she was admynystresse in alle werke For she bare hym in her bely she childed hym she nourisshed hym and leyd hym in the Crybbe she went with hym in to egypte and kept hym all her lyf vnto the deth of the Crosse and departid not fro hym but folowed hym his dyuynyte myght not be to her incredyble For she knewe wel that she had not conceyued of the seed of man but by dyuyne Inspyracion thenne she hauyng feyth in the puysaunce of her sone as of the vertu of god not chauÌ„geâ—ble said whan the wyn fayled Sone they haue no wyn she wyst that he myghte doo alle thyng And he acomplysshed anone that myracle And thenne seest thou that Marye was admynystresse of Ihesu Cryst by feythe and werke Thenne yf she be not where as Ihesu crist will that his mynystres be where shall she be thenne And yf she be there Is it not by grace pareylle and lyke And yf it be not egall where is the egall mesure of god that rendreth to eueryche after his deserte For by the deserte of Marye is gyuen to man lyâ—yng moche grace Shalle thenne the grace be lassed to her beyng deed Nay nay for yf the dethe of al sayntes be precious Certes I Iuge the dethe of Marye to be right precious whiche is receyued to the Ioyes perdurable by the debonayâ—te of her sone Ihesu Crist more honourably than the other whome he had honoured by grace tofore his other sayntes And I saye that she ought not to be put ne is not set to the comyn humanyte after the deth that is to wete of wormes of rotynnesse and of pouldre she that bare in her bely the sauyour of alle men yf the dyuyne Volente vouchesauf to kepe the vestymentes of the children from hurtyng among the flaÌ„mes of fyre why shold not he thenne in his moder that whiche he kepte in a straunge vesture It plesyd hym to kepe Ionas in the bely of the whale with oute corrupcion shold not he thenne kepe his moder not corrupt he kepte danyell a lyue in the pytte of lyons fro ther disatempered honger ouÈt he not to kepe Mary for so many yeftes of meritees dgnytees we know well that alle these dygnytees that we haue said haue not kepte nature For we doubte not but grace hath kepte more the entyernes of Marye than nature And theÌ„ne oure lord maketh Marye to enioye in her propre sone bothe in soule and in body as she that neuer had tatche ne spot of corrupcion in bryngyng forthe so grete a sone For she is alwey wyth oute corrupcion that was fulle of soo moche grace She is lyuyng entyerly she that childed the lyf of alle And thenne yf I haue sayd as I ought to saye Ihesu Criste approue it thou and thyne And yf I haue not sayd as I ought do saye I praye the to pardone me thou and thyne Thus endeth the history of thassumpcion of oure blessid lady Saynt Marye Here foloweth the lyf of saynt Rocke SAynt Rock was borne in MouÌ„tpeler whiche is a Towne ofgrete name vpon the bordure of Fraunce and was borne of noble progeny His fader was lord of Mountpeler was named Iohan and was comen of the noble hows of fraunce And though he was noble of byrthe â—nd ryche of lordship he was also vertuous in all humanyte he hadde a wyf of noble kynrede and fayr of vysage named libera whiche bothe deuoutely serued our lord Ihesu Crist and lyued in dyuyne loue and hooly werkes And how wel that they thus had lyued longe yet had they no childe ne heyr wherfor they ofte made their prayers And vowed pylgremages And on a daye moost specially the wyf made her prayers to our blessid lady prayeng deuoutely for to haue a child and was in very contemplacion in whiche she hâ—rde the voys of an angel seyeng O Lybera god hath herd thy prayer and thou shalt receyue of hym grace of thy peticion And anone she wente to hâ—r husbonde and tolde hym as she had herd of the Angel And thenne they herof ioyeful accomplysshed thacte of matrymony and she conceyued and at â—yme was delyuerd of a sone whiche in his batpysme was named Rochus or Rocke And this Rocke had inpressid in the sholder on his lyft syde a crosse whiche was a token that he shold be acceptable and byloued of god whiche thyng when his fader and moder saw they blessid god and his moder her self nourysshed and gaf sowke to the child and fedde it And commysed and dyde gladly the other besynes of a nouryce whiche deuoute moder fasted twyes in the weke And the blessid child rocke absteyned hym twyâ—s also whan his moder fasted in the weke And wold sowke his moder but ones that day whiche was to al a grete wonder and that day he was gladder meryer and swetter than the other And after whanne he cam to fyue yere of age he disposed hym to the werkes of penaunce and was moche obedyent to fader and moder And in the twelft yere of his age he fasted many dyuerse fastynges for Crystes loue And the more his membrys grewe the more the crosse that to fore was spoken of appered larger and more apparaunt In that tyme the fader of saynt Rock was seke sawe his last ende approche called to hym his sone rocke sayde O myn only sone Rocke thou seest wel that I shalle shortely fynysshe my lyf alwey the wyll of god be fulfilled foure thynges with my lordship herytage I leue to the coÌ„maÌ„de yâ— tacomplysshe Fyrst lyke as thou hast begonne that thou serue besyly god Socondly that thou remembre poure peple wydowes and Orphanes Thyrdly I coÌ„stytute and ordeyne the gouernour and dyspensatour of al my tresours that thou dispende them in charytable and meke werkes And fourthly that with all dylygence thou haunte and frequeÌ„te the hospytalles of seke and poure men These forsayd thynges Rocke promysed to his fader to fulfylle them to his power And anone after his fader deyde whome Rocke buryed honourably and leyd it in a sepulture And in the xx yere of his age he buryed also his deuoute moder And in fewe dayes he executed the testament of his fader effectuelly And vysyted Relygyous places of poure peple wretches oppressid and seke men he cured by counceylle and werkes wydowes and Orphans he comforted and poure maydens to marye he releued And in these good offices and werkes he dispended his faders goodes And whanne he had fynysshed his faders commaundements he decreed to leue the contre of Mount pâ—ler and to make and seche other dyuerse pylgremages and clad hym with thabyte of a pylgryme and couerd his hede with a bonet a scryppe on his sholder and