what our lord had doÌ„ to pharao to thegypcyeÌ„s for Israhel all the labour that they endured how our lord had delyuered theÌ„ Ietro was glad for alle thise thynges that god had so sauyd theÌ„ fro the handes of thegypcieÌ„s said Blessid by the lord that hath delyuerid you fro the hand of thegypcyens of pharao and hath sauyd his peple now I know that he is a grete lord aboue all goddes by cause they dyde so proudly ayenst theÌ„ And Ietro offred sacrefyces offryngis to our lord Aaron alle the senyors of Israhel cam ete with hym so fore our lord the next day moyses satte Iuged demed the peple fro mornyng vnto euenyng whiche whan his cosyn sawe he said to hym what doost thou why sittest thou allone all the peple â—arye fro the morn til euen to whoÌ„ moyses answerd The peple come to me demauÌ„dyng sentence the dome of god whaÌ„ ther is ony debate or dyfference emonge theÌ„ they come to me to Iuge hem to shewe to them the preceptes â—â—wes of god TheÌ„ne said Ietro thou â—ost not wel ne wysely For by folye thou consumest thy self the peple with the thou doost aboue thy myght Thou maist not allone susteyne it but here me doo ther after our lord shal be with the Be thou vnto the peple in tho thynges that apparteyne to god that thou telle to theÌ„ what they shold do the cerymonyes ryte to worship god the way by whiche they shold goo what werk they shal doo Poruyde of all the peple wyse men dredyng god in whom is trouth and them that hate auaryce couetyse ordeyne of them trybunes centuriones denes that may in all tymes Iuge the peple And yf ther be of a grete charge weight late it be referrid to the And late them Iuge the smale thinges it shal be the esyer to the to bere the charge whan it is so parted yf thou doo soo thou shalt fulfylle the comandement of god and susteyne his preceptis And the peple shall goo hom to theyr places in peâ—s which thynges whaÌ„ Moyses had herde vnderstonden he dyde all that he had couÌ„ceyllyd hym And chase out the streÌ„gest wysest peple of all Israhel ordeyned theÌ„ prynces of the peple tribunes CeÌ„turiones quinquagenaries and denes whiche at alle tymes shold Iuge and deme the peple And alle the grete weyghty maters they referryd to hym demyng and Iugyng the smale causes And thenne his cosyn departed and wente in to his contre ¶ The thirde moneth after the children departed out of egypte that same day they caÌ„ in to the wyldernesse of Synay and ther a boute the regyon of the mounte they fyxed theyr tentes Moyses ascended in to the hylle vnto god ¶ God callid hym on the hylle and said this shalt thou saye to the hows of Iacob and to the chyldren of Israhel ye your self haue seen what I haue don to the egypciens And how I haue born you on the whynges of Egles and haue taken you to me yf ye therfor here my voys and kepe my couenaunt ye shal be to me in the regne of preesthod and holy peple thyse ben the wordes that thou shalt saye to the chyldren of Israhel Moyses cam doun and gadred all the most of byrthe and expowned in them alle the wordes that our lord had comaunded hym Alle the peple answerd Alle that euer our lord hath said we shal doo Whan Moyses had shewd to the peple the wordes of our lord our lord said to hym Now I shal come to the in a clowde that the peple may here me spekyng to the that they byleue the euer after ¶ Moyses wente and told this to the peple our lord bade them to sanctefye the peple this day and to morow and late them wesshe their cloâ—hes be redy the thirde day The thirde day our lord shal desceÌ„de to fore all the peple on the mount of Synay And ordeyne to the peple the markes and termes in the circuyte said to them Beware that ye ascende not on the hylle ne towche the endes of it who someuer towcheth the hylle shal dye by deth ther shal no hande towche hym but with stones he shal be oppressid and with castyng of them on hym he shal be tolben whether it be man or beest he shal not lyue whan thou herest the trompe blowen thenne ascende to the hylle Moyses wente doun to the peple sanctefyed halowed theÌ„ and whan they had wasshen herr clothis he said to them Be ye redy at the thirde daye and approche not your wyues whan the thirde daye cam and the mornyng wexed clere they herde thondre lyghtnyng and saw a grete clowde coure the mouÌ„te and the crye of the trompe was so shrylle that the peple was sore aferd whan moyses had brouht them forth vnto the Rote of the hylle they stode there all the mounte of synay smoked for somoche as our lord descended on it in fyre And the smoke ascended fro the hylle as it had be fro a fornays The mount was terryble and dredeful the soun of the troÌ„pe grewe a lytyl more and contynued lenger Moyses spack And our lord answerd hym Our lord descended vpon the toppe of the mounte of synay euen on the toppe of hit And called Moyses to hym whiche whan he come said to hym Goo doun and charge the peple that they come not to the termes of the hylle for to see the lord for yf they doo moche multitude shal perisshe of them the preestis that shal come late them be sanctefyed lest they be smeton doun And thou and Aaron shal ascende the hylle Alle the peple and preestes late them not passe theyr boundes leste god smyte them Thenne moyses descended and told to the peple alle that our lord hath said After this our lord callyd Moyses And said I am the lord god that brought you out of egypte and of thraldom And gaf hym the comandemeÌ„tis first by spekyng and many cerymonyes as ben rehersed in the byble whiche is not requysyte to be wreton here but the ten comandementes euery man is bounden to knowe And er Moyses receyued them wreton he wente vp in to the mount of Synay and fasted there xl dayes and xl nyghtes er he receyuyd them In whiche tyme he comanded hym to make many thynges and to ordeyne the lawes and cerymonyes which now ben not had in the newe lawe also as doctours saye moyses lerned that tyme all thystoryes to fore wreton of the makyng of heuen erthe of adam noe abraham ysaac Iacob of Ioseph with his brethern And atte laste delyueryd to hym two tables of stone bothe wreton with the honde of god whiche folowen Here folowen the ten comandemens of our lawe THe first comandement that god comanded is this Thou shal not worshipe no straunge ne dyuerse goddes that
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
meÌ„ shal yssue out of the caues shal goo by the wayes feldes as men alyened out of their witte And shal not conne speke one to another Te xj day the bones of dede men shal yssue out of their beryels places shal hold theym vpon their sepulcres fro the sonne rysyng vnto it goo doun the sepulcres shal be open to th ende that the deede bodyes may all yssue The xij· signe all the sterres shal fall fro the heueÌ„ shal sprede out Rayes of fyre theÌ„ne grete quantyte shal growe In this xij daye it is said that alle the beestes shal come to the felde howlyng shal not ete ne drynke The xiij signe alle lyuyng shal deye to th eÌ„de that they shold aryse with the dede bodyes The xiiij day the heuen therthe shal breÌ„ne The xv day shal be a new heueÌ„ new erthe all thing all dede meÌ„ shal aryse The ij thyng that shal be a fore IugemeÌ„t shal be the folye malice of aÌ„tecryst he shal payne hym to deceyue all men by iiij maners The j maner shal be by suasion false exposicion of scripture For as moche as he may he shal gyue theym to vnderstaÌ„de that he is Messyas whiche was promysed in the lawe that he sold come whom we saye IhuÌ„ Cryst he shal destroye the lawe of IhuÌ„ Cryst shal ordeyne his lawe in allegyng dauid the prophete that saith CoÌ„stitue dnÌ„e legislatoreÌ„ suê‘ eos Thus shal he saye that it was said for hym as he that was ordeyned of god for to sette lawe vpon his place After this that is seid in the scripture of danyel danielis xj dabuÌ„t abhominacioneÌ„ desolacioneÌ„ teÌ„pli cÌ„ Antecryst his coÌ„plices shal gyue abhominacion desolacion to the teÌ„ple of god in this tyme as saith the glose Antecrist shal be in the teÌ„ple of god as god for that he shal destroye the lawe of god The seconde maner shal be by merueyllous oê‘acion of myracles wherof saith thappostle saynt poule in his secoÌ„de epistle ad thesaloniceÌ„ses in the seconde chapitre where he saith Cuius aduentus erit secunduÌ„ operatio nem sathane iÌ„ omnibus verbis et prodigijs mendacibus Of Antecryst it is said that the comyng shal be after the operacioÌ„ of sathan in all his signes in all his merueylles and false lyeng dedes wherof saynt Iehan maketh mencioÌ„ in thapocalips the xiij chapitre Fecit signa vt etiam ignem faceret de celo in terram descendere Antecryst shal make suche signes that is to seye he shal make suche tokenes that he shal make the fyre descende fro heuen The glose saith that lyke as the holy goost descended in likenes of fyre In lyke wyse shal Antecryst gyue the euyl spirite in lykenes of fyre Te thyrde maner that he shal doo for to deceyue shal be in gyuyng of yeftis of whiche is wreton in the booke of daniel the prophete in his xj chapitre dabit eis potestatem in mlÌ„tis terraÌ„ diuidet gratuito Antecryst shal gyue puissance to his seruauntis in many thynges And shal departe therthe to them after his will The glose saith that Antecryst shal gyue many yeftes to them that he shal deceyue And to his disciples he shal deuyde therthe them that he may not subdue by terrour fere he shal subdue ouercome them by auarice make them therby tobeye hym The iiij maner for to deceyue them shal be by tourments that he shal gyue to them wherof daniel saith in his viij chapitre Supra qd credi potest vniuersa vastabit Noman shal bileue how he shal destroye tormente theÌ„ that will not bileue in hym For to drawe theÌ„ to hym by force And saynt gre gore saith of hym Robustos quippe iterficiet cetera he shal slee the grete and strong meen whan he may not wynne ne ouercome theÌ„ by herte ne will he shal ouercome them by torment The thirde thyng that shal goo to fore the Iugement shal be the right vehement fyre fyre the whiche shall goo to fore the face of the Iuge And god shal seÌ„de this fyre for foure causes Fyrst for the renewyng of the world for he shal purge renewe the elemeÌ„tes And lyke to the fourme of the deluuye It shal be xl cubites hyer thaÌ„ alle the moÌ„taynes lyke as it is wreton in thystorye scolastyque For the werkes of the peple may mouÌ„te so hye SecoÌ„dly for the purgatioÌ„ of the people For theÌ„ne that fyre shall be in stede of the fyre of purgatorye to them that theÌ„ne shall be on lyue Thirdely for to to gyue more gretter tormente to theÌ„ that be dampned Fourthly for to gyue more clerenes light vnto the seyntes For after the sayeng of saynt basylle our lorde god whaÌ„ he shal make the purgacioÌ„ of the world he shal departe the hete of the fyre fro the resplendour bryghtnes And all the hete he shal sende to the place of daÌ„pned people by cause they shold be the more turmented And all the resplendour brightnes he shal sende to the place of seyntes to th eÌ„de that they be the more conforted Of thies that shal ensiewe folowe the IugemeÌ„t ther ben many the first shal by the descencioÌ„ of the Iuge The Iuge shal desceÌ„de in to the vale of Iosaphat shal sette the good on his right honde the euyll on the lift honde in an hye place in thayer by cause other shold see them And it ought not to be byleued that within that lyte vâ—leye all myght be enclosed after that whiche saynt Ierome saith but many shal be there the other ther aboute Neuertheles in a lytil space of loÌ„de may be men with out nombre by dyuyne puissauÌ„ce ordynaunce yf it be of necessite the chosen people shal be in thayer for the agilite lightnes of theyr bodyes also in soule And thenne the Iuge shal despute repreue the wicked men of the werkes of mercy whiche he ordeyned to vs And they shal not mowe replye but shal theÌ„ ne wepe vpon theÌ„ self vpoÌ„ theyr dedes lyke as saynt IohnÌ„ GrisostoÌ„ saith vpon the gospell of seynt Mathew in sayeng that the Iewes shal wepe their lyf whaÌ„ they shal see their Iuge and hym that gyueth lyf to all men whoÌ„ they estemed trowed a dede man shal blame theÌ„ self for his body hurt wounded by theÌ„ And they may not denye theyr cruelte but shal wepe in grete distresse The paynems whiche by the vayne disputacioÌ„s of the philosophres were deceyued supposed to haue ben folye to worshipe god crucyfyed The CrysteÌ„ meÌ„ synnars shal wepe that haue more louyd the world than god The heretyques shal wepe by cause they holden fals opynyons ayens the faith of IhuÌ„ Cryste whom theÌ„ne they shal see the souerayn Iuge whom the Iewes crucyfyed and so shal all the lynages of the world wepe for they shal
and esprysed in the loue of the holy goost They be fasted also in Septembre to fore mychelmas And thise be the thirde fastynges by cause that in this tyme the fruytes ben gadred we shold rendre to god the fruytes of good werkes In decembre they ben also And they ben the fourth fastynges and in this tyme the herbes deyen And we ought to be mortefyed to the world The thirde reason is fore tensiewe the Iewes For the Iewes fasted foure tymes in the yere that is to wete to fore ester to fore whitsontyde to fore the set tyng of the tabernacle in the temple in septembre And to fore the dedicacion of the temple in decembre The fourth reason is by cause the man is composed of iiij elementis touchyng the body and of thre vertues or powers in his sowle that is to wete the vnderstondyng the wyll the mynde To this thenne that this fastyng may attempre in vs iiij tymes in the yere at eche tyme we faste thre dayes to th ende that the nombre of foure may be reported to the body and the nombre of thre to the sowle Thise ben the reasons of maister beleth The v reason as saith IohnÌ„ damascenus in marche and in prymtemps the blode groweth and augmenteth in somer colere In septembre melancolye And in wynter flewme thenne we faste in marche for tattempre and depresse the blode of concupiscence disordynate for sanguyne of hys nature is ful of flesshly coÌ„cupiscence In somer we faste by cause that colere shold be lessed and refreyned of whiche cometh wrath And thenne is he ful naturelly of yre In heruest we fast for to refrayne melancolye the melancolyous man naturelly is cold couetous and heuy In wynter we faste for to daunte and to make feble the flewme of lyghtnes and forgetyng For suche is he that is fleumatyke The sixte reason is for the prymtemps is lykened to the ayer the somer to fyre the heruest to therthe and the wynter to water Thenne we faste in marche to th ende that the ayer of pryde be attemperat to vs In somer the fyre of concupiscence of auaryce In septembre the erthe of coldenesse and of the derknes of Ignorance In wynter the water of lightnes and Inconstaunce The vij reson is by cause that marche is reported to Infancye Somer to yongthe Septembre to stedfast age vertuous And wynter to auncyente or olde age We faste thenne in marche that we may be in thynfancye of Innocencye In somer for to be yonge by vertu and constaÌ„ce In heruest that we may be ripe by at teÌ„peraunce in wynter that we may be auncient old by prudence honeste lyf or atte leste that we satysfye to god of that whiche in thise iiij seasons we haue offended hym The viij reson is of maystre guylliam dancerre We fast saith he in thise iiij tymes of the yere to th ende that we make amendes for all that we haue faylled in all thise iiij tymes and they be don in thre dayes eche tyme to th ende that we satisfye in one day that whiche we haue faylled in a moneth that whiche is the fourth day that is wednesday is the day in whiche our lord was betrayed of Iudas the fryday by cause our lord was crucifyed the saterday by cause he lay in the sepulcre thappostles were for of herte and grete sorowe Thus endeth the ymbre dayes THe Passyon of our lord was bytter for the sorowe that he suffred in derysions despituous And of many fylthes fructuous The sorowe was cause of fyue thynges The first by cause it was shamefulle for the place of the mount of caluarye where as malefactours and crymynel persones were put to execucion And he was there put to deth right foull the crosse was the tormente of theues And yf the crosse was thenne of shame and of vylonye she is now of glorye and of honour wherof saith saynt Austyn Crux latronum qui erat supplicium cÌ„ The crosse whiche was the Iustice of theuys is now become the sygne of glorye in the forhedes or frontes of emperours And yf he had suche honour at his tormente what dyde he to hys seruant for the shameful felawshp that he dyde to hym for he was sette with malefactours but the one of them was conuerted whiche was called dysmas lyke as it is said in the gospell of Nychodemus And he was on the ryght syde of our lord And that other on the lyfte sâ—de was dampned whiche was callid gesmas To that one thenne he gaf the royame of heuene and to that other helle wherof saith saynt Ambrose Auctor pietatis in cruce cÌ„ he saith the auctour of pyte hangyng on the crosse deuyded offyces of pâ—te in scculyer erandes that is to saye The persecucion to thapostles peas to his disciples hys body to the Iewes hys spyryte to the fader to the vyrgyne the messages of the weddyng of the souerayn espouse To the theef peradys To synners helle And to the Crysten penytent he comanded the crosse Loo this is the testament that Ihesu cryst made hangyng in the crosse Secondly the sorow was caused Iniustly For none iniquite was founde in hym And pryncypally Iniustly they accused hym of thre thynges The first was they said that he deffended to paye the trewage and for he said that he was a kynge and he said hym to be the sone of god ¶ And ayenst thyse thre accusacions we saye on the good fryday thre excusacions in the persone of Ihesu crist Whan we synge popule meus Where Ihesu crist repreued them of thre benefetes that he dyde and gaf to them that is to wete the delyueraunce of them fro Egypt the sustentacion and the gouernauÌ„ce in deserte And the plantacion of the vigne in a londe propyce lyke as Iesu cryst wold saye thhou accusest me by cause that I deffende to paye thy trewage And thou oughtest more to thaÌ„ke me of that I haue delyuerd the fro the trewage and fro the scruytude of pharao and of Egypte Thou accusest me that I calle my self kynge and thou oughtest better to yelde me thankynges of that whiche I gouerned the in deserte with mete royalle Thou accusest me of this that I saye me to be the sone of god And thou oughtest more to thank me that I haue chosen the to be in my vygne yerde and in a ryght good place I haue planted them The thirde cause is by cause he was despyted forsaken of his frendes whiche semed a thyng more tollerable to be suffred of his enemyes than of them whom he helde to be his freÌ„des And alleway he suffred deth for his frendes and hys neyghbours that is of theÌ„ of whos lignage he was born Thys said he by the mouth of dauid Amici mei proximi cÌ„ My frendes my neyghbours haue approcheed ayenst me and so haue contynued wherof said Iob capitlÌ„o xxx Noti mei quasi aliem
hym in the eye and blynded hym To whom Chrystofer sayde Tyraunt I shalle dye to morn make a lytyl claye wyth my blood temperyd and enoynte therwyth thyn eye and thou shalt receyue helthe Thenne by the commaundement of the kyng he was ladde for to be byheded thenne there he made hys oryson hys hede was smeton of and so suffred martirdom And the kyng thenne toke a lytyl of his blood and leyde it on hys eye and sayde in the name of god and of Seynt xpoÌ„fer and was anon heled Thenne the kyng by leued in god and gaf commauÌ„dement that yf ony persone blamed god or seynt xpoÌ„fer he shold anon be sleyne with the swerd Ambrose sayth in his preface thus of this holy martir lord thou hast gyuen to xpoÌ„fer so grete plente of vertues suche grace of doctryne that he called fro the errour of paynems xlviij thousand men to thonour of cristen fayth by hys shynyng myracles And vesene and aquylene whiche long had ben comyne atte bourdel vnder the stenche of lecherye He callyd and made them serue in thabyte of chastyte And enseygned them to a lyke crowne of martirdom And wyth thys he beyng strayned and bounden in a fete of yron and grete fyre put vnder doubted nothyng the hete And alle an hole day duryng stode bounden to a stake Myght not be thrugh persed with arowes of alle the knyghtes And wyth that one of the arowes smote out the eye of the tyraunte To whom the blode of the holy martir restablysshed hys syght and enlumyned hym in takyng awaye the blyndnes of hys body and gate of the crysten mynde and pardon And also gate of the by prayer to put away sekenes and sores fro them that remembre hys passyon and fygure Thenne late vs praye to seynt xpoÌ„fre that he praye for vs cÌ„ Thus endeth the lyf of seynt Christofre martyr ¶ Of the seuen Slepars THe seuen slepars were born in the cite of Ephesym And whan decyan themperour cam in to Ephesym for the persecucion of cristeÌ„ men he commaunded to edefye the temples in the myddle of the cyte so that alle shold come wyth hym to doo sacrefyse to thydollys And dyd do seche al the crysten peple and bynde them for to make them to do sacrefyse or ellys to put them to deth In suche wyse that euery man was aferde of the raynes that he promysed that the frende forsoke hys frende And the sone renyed hys fader And the fader the sone And thenne in thys cite were founden seuen crysten men that is to wete maxymyen Malchus marcyanus denyâ— IohÌ„n Serapyon and Constantyn And whan they sawe thys they had moche sorowe and by cause they were the first in the paleys that despysed the sacrefises they hyd them in theyr howses and were in fastynges and in prayers And thenne they were accused to fore dacien and cam thyder and were founden very crysten men thenne was gyuen to them space for to repente them vnto the comyng agayn of dacyen And in the mene whyle they despended thayr patrymonye in almesse to the poure peple And assembled them to gydre toke counseyl and went to the mount of Celyon And there ordeyned to be more secretly And there hyd them long tyme And one of them admynystred and serued them alle waye And whan he wente in to the cyte he clothed hym in thabyte of a beggar whan dacyen was comen agayn he commauÌ„ded that they shold be fette And thenne malchus whyche was theyr seruaunte and mynystred to them mete drynke retorned in grete drede to hys felawes and told and shewed to them the grete fâ—rour and wodenes of themperour And thenne were they sore aferde And malchus sette tofore them the loues of breed that he had brought so that they were comforted of the mete And were more strong for to suffre tormentis and whan they had taken theyr refection and satte in wepyng and waylynges sodenly as god wold they slepte And whan it cam on the morne they were sought and coude not be founden Wherfor Dacien was sorouful by cause he had lost suche yong men And thenne they were accused that they were hydde in the mount of Celyon And had gyuen theyr goodes to poure men and yet abode in theyr purpoos And thenne commaunded decius that theyr kynrede shold come to hym and menaced them to the deth yf they sayde not of them alle that they knewe And they accused them and comployned that they had despended al theyr richesses thenne decius thought what he shold doo wyth them and as our lord wold he enclosed the mouth of the caue wherin they were wyth stones to th ende that they shold dye therin for hungre and faute of mete thenne the mynystres and two crysten men Theodore and Ruffyne wrote their martirdom and leyde it subtilly emong the stones And whan decius was deed and alle that generacion thre Clxxij yere after and the xxx yere of Theodocien the emperour whan the heresye was of them that denyed the Resurrexyon of deed bodyes and began to growe Theodocien thenne the most cristen emperour beyng sorouful that the faith of our lord was so felonysly demened for angre and heuynes he cladde hym in hayre and wepte euery day in a secrete place and ladde a ful holy lyf whiche god merciful and piteous seeyng wold conforte them that were sorouful and wepyng and gyue to them esperaunce and hope of the resurexyon of deed men And opened the precyous tresour of his pyte and reysed the forsayde martirs in thys maner folowyng he put in the wylle of a burgeys of ephesym that he wold make in that montayn whiche was deserte and aspre a stable for his pastours herdemen And it happed that of aduenture the masons that made the sayd stable opened thys caue ¶ And theÌ„ne thyse holy seyntes that were with in awoke and were reysed and entre salewed eche other And had supposed veryly that they had slepte but one nyght only And remembred of the heuynes that they had the day tofore And thenne malcus whiche mynystred to them sayd what decyus had ordeyned of them for he sayd we haue ben sought lyke as I sayd to you yesterday for to doo sacrefyse to thydollys that is that themperour desireth of vs and thenne maxymyen ansuerde god our lord knoweth that we shalle neuer sacrefye And comforted his felawes He commaunded to malchus to goo byâ— breed in the cyte And bad hym bryng more than he dyd yesterday and also tenquyre and demaunde what themperour had commaunded to doo And thenne malcus toke v shilynges And yssued out of the caue and whan he sawe the masons the stones tofore the caue he began to blysse hym and was moche admerueyllyd But he thought litil on the stones for he thought on other thyng Thenne cam he alle doubtous to the yates of the cite And was al admerueylled For he sawe the
were becomen Crysten cam with their wyues to Iustyn the preest for to receyue baptysme Claudius the emperour whan Cyryll wold not doo sacryfyse dyde do cutt her throte dyde do byhede the other knyghtes And the bodyes were borne wyth the other in to the feld Verane and there buryed And it is to be noted here expressely that Claudyus succeded decyen whiche martred saynt laurence and saynt ypolyte but he succeded not decyan themperour For after the Cronykes Volusyan succeded decyan and galyen succeded volusian And claudius succeded galyen soo it behoueth that galyen had two names that is to wete galyan and decyan and so said Vyncent in his Cronyke and godeffroy in his booke Galyan called one vnto his helpe that was named decyan whome he made Cezar but not emperour so sayth Rychard in his cronyke Of thys martir sayth Ambrose in his preface The blessid martir Ypolyte considered that Ihesu criste was very duke and he wolde be his knyght and had leuer be his knyght than duke of knyghtes And he pursyewed not saynt laurence whiche was put vnder his kepyng but folowed hym soo that in suffryng martirdome he lefte the lawe of the tyraunt and cam and posseded the tresour of very rychesses which is the glorye of the kyng pardurable and perpetuel Ther was a carter named Peter whiche yoked his oxen in the carte in the feste of marye magdalene and folowed his oxen and beganne to curse them And anone the oxen and the cart were smyten with thonder And that same peter whiche had soo cursed was tormented of cruell tormentes For fire took hym so that he brente the senewes and the flessh fro his thye and the bone appered and that the thye legge fyll of thenne he wente to a chirche of oure lady and hyd his legge in an hoole of the chirche And prayd our lady with teres deuoutely for his delyueraunce And on a nyght the blessyd Vyrgyne with saynt Ypolyte cam to fore hym in a vysyon And she prayd to ypolyte that he wold restablysshe peter in his first helthe And anone saynt ypolyte tooke his legge in the hole and tooke and set it in his place like as on graffyth in a tree And he felte soo moche payne in that vysyon that he awoke and cryed so lowde that he awoke alle the meyne and they aroos and tooke lyght sawe that peter had two legges two thyes but they had supposed that it had be illusion they tasted yet yet efte ageyne and saw that he had veryly his membrys theÌ„ne they awoke hym demanded of hym hou it happed And he wende that they had mocked hym And whan he sawe it he was all abasshed yet neuertheles the newe thye was softer than the olde And myghte not wel susteyne his body therwith And by cause this myracle sholde be publysshed he halted an hoole yere And thenne the blessyd Vyrgyne apperyd to hym and saynt to saynt Ypolyte that he shold perfourme that whiche apperteyned to that cure And theÌ„ne he awoke and felt hym self al hool And thenne he entred in to a recluage To whome the deuylle apperid oftyme in the lykenes of a woman naked and ioyned to hym naked And the more he defended hym the more the deuylle approched ner in temptynge hym shamefully And whan he had ben shamefully trauayled of her he took the stole of a preestes necke and gyrd hym with hit And anon the deuyll departed And lefte lyeng there a stynkyng and roten careyne And so greete stenche yssued that ther was none that sawe it but said that it was the body of somme deed woman whiche the deuylle had taken ¶ Thus endeth the lyf of saynt ypolyte ¶ Here foloweth the assumpcion of the glorious vyrgyne oure lady saynt Marye WE fynde in a book sente to saynt Iohan theuangelyst or elles the book whiche is sayd to be apocriphum is ascrybed to hym In what maner the Assumpcion of the blessid Vyrgyn saynt Marye was made Thappostles were departed and gone in to dyuerse Countrees of the world for cause of prechyng And the blessyd lady and Vyrgyne was in an hows by the mount of Syon And as long as she lyued she vysyted all the places of her sone with grete deuocion that is to say the place of his baptysme Of his fastyng of his passion of his sepulture of his resurection and of his ascencion And after that Epyphanes sayth she lyued four and twenty yere after thascencion of her sone And he sayth also whan our lady had conceyued Ihesu Cryste she was of the age of fourten yere And she was delyuerd in the xv yere And lyued and abode with hym thre and thyrty yere And after his dethe she lyued foure and twenty yere And by this acompt whan she departed oute of this world she was lxxij yere old but hit is more probable that whiche is red in another place that she lyued after the ascencion of hyr sone twelue yere And soo thenne she was lx yere old And on a day whan alle thappostles were sprad thurgh the world in prechyng the gloryous vyrgyne was gretely esprysed and embraced with desyre to be wyth her sone Ihesu Crist And her courage eschaufed was moued And grete habundaunce of teres ranne without forth by cause she had not egally the comfortes of her sone whiche were withdraweÌ„ from her for the tyme And an angell cam to fore her with grete lyght and salewed her honourably as the moder of his lord sayenge Al hayll blessid Mary receyuyng the blyssyng of hym that sente his blessyng to Iacob lo here a bowhe of palme of paradis lady whiche I haue brought to the whiche thou shalt commaunde to be born to fore thy bere For thy sowle shalle be taken fro thy body the thirdde day next folowyng And thy sone abydeth the his honourable moder To whome she answerd yf I haue founde grace to fore thyn eyen I pray the that thou vouchesauf to shewe to me thy name And yet I praye the more hertely that my sones and my bretheren thappostles may be assembled with me soo that to fore I deye I may see them with my bodely eyen And after to be buryed of them And they beyng here I maye yelde vp my ghoost to god And also yet I praye and requyre that my spyryte yssuyng oute of the body see not the horryble ne wycked spyryte ne fende And that no myght of the deuylle come ageynste me And thenne the Aungel sayd lady wherfor desyrest thow to knowe my name whiche is grete and merueylous All thappostles shall assemble this daye to the and shal make to the noble exequyes at thy passyng And in the presence of them thow shlat gyue vp thy spyryâ—â— For he that brought the prophete by an heer fro Iudee to Babylone may withoute doute sodenly in an hour bryng thappostles to the And wherfor doubtest thou to see the wycked spyrytes sythr thou haste broken vtterly his heed And
slayne lefte theyr ydolatrye and submytted them anone to the Crysten faythe The second vyctory of saynt Mychell was whan he put out of heuen the dragon Lucyfer with all his folowers Of whiche is sayd in thapocalyps Factum est prelium magnum Apocalipsis dnodecimo For whanne Lucifer coueyted to be lyke to god tharchaungel whiche bare the baner of the celistyall hoost cam and chaced Lucifer out of heuen with alle them that folowed hym hath enclosed them in derke ayer vnto the day of dome For they be not suffred to duelle in heuen neyther in the vpper 〈◊〉 of thayer by cause that place is 〈◊〉 and delectable ne yet to be in erthe with vs to th ende that they shold not ouermoche tempte ne tormeÌ„te vs But they ben in thayer bitwene heuen and erthe soo that whan they loke vpward they maye beholde the ioye that they haue loste and haue therof grete sorowe And whan they loke donnward they may see the men mounte vp to heuen fro whens they fylle Notwithstondynge by the dyuyne dispensacion they descende ofte vnto vs in erthe As lyke hit hath be shewed to somme hooly men they flee aboute vs as flyes they ben Innumerable And lyke flyes they fylle thayer withoute nombre wherof sayth Haymo as the philosophers sayden and doctours haue oppynyon This ayer is also full of deuyls and of wycked spyrytes as the sonne bemes ben full of smale motâ—s whiche is smal dust or pouldre And how wel that they be soo many Neuer theles after the sentence of Orygene theyr power ne strengthe is but righte lytel and that we may ouercome them here And yf ony of them ben ouercomen of ony hooly man he may neuer after tempte a man of that vyce Of whiche he is ouercomen The thyrd vyctory is that Aungels haue euery day of the deuyls whanne they fyght for vs ageynst them And delyuer vs fro their temptacions and they delyuer vs in thre maners Fyrst in refreynynge the power of the deuyl lyke as it is sayd Appcalypsis visesâ—o of the angel that bonde the deuylle And sente hym in to Abisme that is the pytte of helle And Thobye whiche fayth that the Aungel Raphael bonde the deuylle in the ouerest deserde And this byndynge is none other thynge but the refraynynge of his puyssaunce myght Secondly he delyuereth vs in refraynyng our couetyse the whiche thyng is in genesis the xxxij chapitre there where he sayth that thangell took the synew of Iacob anone it dryed vp Thirdly in empressyng in our hertes the memorye of the passion of oure lord this is signefyed appcalipsis vij where it is sayd Ne woylle ye not greue ne noye in therthe ne in the see ne the trees till we haue marked them Ezechyel saith the signe of thau be in the forhedes of the peple Thau is made lyke an hedeles Crosse And they that ben marked ther with dreede not thangel smytynge wherof is sayd vp on whome ye see thau slee them not The fourth victory is that that tharchangel mychell shalle haue of Antecryst when he shal slee hym thenne mychael the grete prynce shalle aryse as it is sayd danielis xij he shal aryse for them that ben chosen as an helpar and a protectour shalle strongly stande ageynst Antecryst after as the glose sayth Antecryste shal fayne hym to be deed and shal hyde hym thre dayes after he shalle appiere sayeng that he is rysen fro deth to lyf the deuyls shall bere hym by arte magyke shal mouÌ„te vp in to thayer al the peple shalle meruayle worshipe hym atte last he shalle mounte vp on the mount of olyuete whan he shal be in a pauyllon in his syege entryd in to that place where our lord ascended Mychel shal come shal slee hym of whiche vyctorye is vnderstonden after saynt gregorye that whiche is sayd in thapocalipsis the batayll is made in heuen This worde of the treble bataylle in heuen is expowned of the batayll that he had with Lucifer whan he expulsid hym oute of heuen and of the batayll that he had with the deuyls that tormente vs And of this last solempnyte is said dedycacion by cause on this daye the sayd place in the Mount gargan was dedycate halowed of hym by reuelacion For whanne they of Syponte were retorned fro thoccision of theyr aduersaryes had so noble vyctorye yet doubted they to entre in to the said place halowe it to tharchaungel Thenne the bisshop wente axed counseylle of pope pelagyen And he ansuerd yf the chirche ought to be dedycate that ought to be on that day that the vyctorye was done And yf it plese other wyse to saynt Mychael men ought to requyre his wylle therof thenne thepope the bisshop men of the cyte fasted thre dayes saynt Mychel appiered to the bisshop and said It is no nede to yow to dedye halowe that I haue halowed commanded that he sholde entre in to that place the next daye with the people shold frequente hit with prayers and they shold fele that he shold be a specyal patrone to them he gaf to them a sygne of consecracion that was that they shold goo vp therto by a posterne toward the eest they shold fynde there the steppes of a maÌ„ impressyd in a marble stone theÌ„ne the bisshop on the morn moche grete peple cam to the place entryd in fonde a grete caue thre aultres of whiche two were sette toward the southe and the thyrd towarde the eest moche honourably was couerd al aboute with a rede mantel whan the solempnytees of the masses were done the peple had taken hooly communyon al retorned to their propre places the bisshop lefte there prestes clerkes for to synge say goodly the dyuyne offyce within the said chirche sourdeth clere water swete whiche the comyn peple drynketh ben heled therby of many dyuerse maladyes And whanne the pope herd these thynges he establysshed to halowe this day in thonoure of saynt Mychel of alle the hooly Aungels and to be kepte hooly thorugh alle the world ¶ Fourthly this solempnyte is sayd the Memorye of saynt Mychael how well that we alle solempnyse this feest in the honoure of alle the Archaungellys of oure Lord We doo the Memorye and the honoures generally And hit apperteyneth and is behoeffull to vs to gyue to them lawde praysynge and honour by manyfold reasons experte that is to wete For they ben our kepars oure mynystres oure bretheren our neyghbours the berars of our sowles in to heuen and representers of our prayers vnto god Ryght noble knyghtes of the kynge of heuen And perdurable comfortours of them that ben in heuynes and trybulacions And fyrst we ought to honoure them For they ben oure kepars wherfor we ought to worshipe them To euery man ben gyuen two Aungels One euylle for