speke wyth this hooly mayde katheryne Thenne of charyte he lefte his owne nede and wyth his speciall frende to thys holy mayde katheryns hous wenyng that he sholde haue fouÌ„de her there but her felawes answerd hym that longe a go she went to chirche and come not home yet ¶ Whan mayster Reymond herde thys he was admerueylyd and came agayn to chyrche wyth his frende and fouÌ„de her there in a corner of the chirche knelyng rauysshed as she was wount to be and somme of her felawes wyth her Off whom he asked how longe that holi mayde katheryne hadde be there they saide alle this masse tyme and more that he prayed theym for to excite her assone as they myght for hys frendes is come for to speke wyth her And he myght not tarye Whan she was cesyd of her rauysshyng mayster Reymound toke her asyde and tolde her of his dysese vnder fewe wordes by cause the other man his frende sholde not be lette Anone she smylyd vppon mayster Reymound and askyng hym thus gladly Fader sought ye not all aboute he sayde yes Thenne she sayde why haue ye soo grete sow we therfore And wyth that she smiled â—ft â—â—is went soo forth for to speke wyth the pryour off the charterhous In the mene tyme mayster Reymound abode somwhat I comforted but not fully vnto the tyme he wyst how it myght be soo awaye Whan she hadde full doo wyth the Pryour of the Charterhous and delyuerd hi of an answer that he came for She tourned her to mayster ReymouÌ„de agayne Thenne Mayster Reymound sayd to her thus Moder I too we it be ye that hath awaye that partycule of the holy hoste she wyth smyling saide nay but it was another that toke it awaye from you therfore be ye nomore sory therfore ne for it ne seke nomore for it for I telle you ye shall neuer fynde it Thenne Mayster Reymond prayed her that she wolde tell hym al hole how it myght be To whom she sayde thus Fader take nomore sorowe for that partycle for yf I shall sholde saye the soth to you as to myn confessour myn ghostely fader that partycule was brought to me I receyued it by the reuerend hondes of our reuerend lord almyhty god swete gloryous Jhesu cryst And I shal tell you the cause why This daye I was in purpos wyth a grete desyre for to be houseled but myn felawes gaue me counseyll for to cese that I shold not be hoseled in as moche as somÌ„e grutched wyth all After whos counseyll I wrought was purpos for to cese but myn desyre was so grete therto that I prayed our lord almighty god of helpe he in his own reuereÌ„d ê‘sone aperit to me gaue me that partycle wyth his â–ª owne reuerend hondes And therfore fader bee not sory there is none necligence in you as for that pertycule After this reuelacion Mayster Reymound was ryght ioyefull by cause the thaghte of his concience was put awaye from hym Suche myrâ—câ—e our reuerend lord almyghty god shewed in the reuerend holy sacrament of the auâ—ter by the merytes of his honde mayde holy katheryne of Sene Also there were many other feythfull folke and trewe that sayde â–ª thei â—awe ofte tymes whaÌ„ Mayster Reymoâ—de houselyd this hooly mayde katheryâ—e of Sene the swete holi ghooste flede out of his hondes in to her mouth the whiche Mayster Reymound perceyued neuer saue this he perceyued that The swete reuerende hoste made anoyse in her mouth whan she had receyued it aâ— though a stone hadde bee caste in her mouth from a ferre contree ¶ Now thus shall I make an ende off the grete merneylousnes of that reuerende swete holy sacramente of the aulter telle you of dyuerse myracles that befylle to this holy mayde saynt katheryne of sene aboute certayn relykes of sayntes ¶ This holy mayde katheryne of Sene hadde onys a reuelacion as she tolde pryuely to Mayster Reymound her confessour that she sholde be sette in the same degre of ioye in the blysse of heuen And be felawe wyth saint Agnes the whiche was a suster of the mount of Pollycita Wherfore this holy mayde katteryn of sene desyred ofte tymes wyth alle her herte for to bysyte the relykes of saint Agnes ¶ But now ye maydens by cause ye shall knowe how bertuous a lyuer that saint Agnes was whan she was here in erthe I shall tell you shortely vnder fewe wordes This holy mayde Saynt Agnes suster of the mount of pollyâ—yta the same tyme that she sholde be borne off her moder there was in the chambre there her moder chylded a greate merneylous lyght that all th o the whiche were in the same chambre myght clerly see it And whan she was born it cesyd By this ye may knowe of what merite she shold be in the syght of our reuerende lord almighty god afterward that soo soone in the begynnyng receyued the merueylous light of our reuerend lord almyghty god After tyme she was born she encresyd vertuously more and more in al tyme of the yeres and at the laste she made two monasteryes of maydens and lyeth beryeâ—… in the toun in the whiche is shewed by our reuerend lorde almyghty god in her coÌ„tinuelly many wouÌ„derful miracles And amonge all other myracles whaÌ„ she was passid out of this worlde her body was not buryed but lefte vpon erthe all hooll wythout ony corrupâ—ion Wherfore other deuout folke that knewe her by her lyâ—â—e consyderyng how many merneylous thynges oure reuerend lorde almyghty god shewed in her wold haue bawmed her swete body that it myght so be kâ—pte vpon the erthe wyth miracles whan thei cam to bawme it they sawe how there came out of the toes of the feet and of the fyngers of the hondes droppes of bawme the whiche bawme is kepte yet in to this daye for a relyke amonges the susters of the same place This myracle was shewed for this cause that alle folke sholde knowe that she hadde none nede for to be bawmed outward whan oure reuerend lorde almyghty god hadde bawmed her wythin forth Ferthermore the same hour that she passed out of this worlde in the tyme of the nyghte infantes both mayde chyldren and other as they laye in her moders beddes cryeden and sayeden that now suster agnes is passeth out of this world and is a saint inâ—heuen On the morowe thyse in fantes drewe theym togyder in a companye and wolde suffer none corrupte child come amonges theym and wente eche of theym as in proâ—â—ssyon wyth candeles in her handes to this monastery wher suâ—ter Agnes passed out of this world ofofferyng to that mayde maydenes oblacion Many moo myracles our reuerend lord almyghty god shewed by that holy Mayde saint Agnes in the syght of alle peple wherfore she is had euery yere in grete reuerence wyth deuoute oblacion of many brennyng tapres for to see that holy maydes body this holy mayde katheryne
that she wayled and wept and wente Inne there the body â—aye seyeng to the ghoostely chyldren of thys holy mayde Katheryne ¶ O vnpytuous woman why haue ye hydde this fro me why called ye me not to her passyng They excusyd theym that they myght not for certayn causes than she prayed theym for to telle her whaÌ„ she departed from the body they sayde yester daye aboute vnderne of the daye wyth the Semya wepte and sayde thus that same tyme it was that I sawe myn gloryous moder lad vp to heuen with angâ—lis wyth thre precious crownes on her hede Now I wote well she sayd that our reuerend lorde almyghty sent his angelys shewed me the passyng of myn glorious moder gloryous saint katheryn of Sene And more ouer she mynystred for me merueylously in myn kytchyn O moder O gloryous moder why vnderstoode I not whan I hadde that gloryous visyon that thou that tyme passid out of this worlde Thenne she respyred and tolde to her susters and to other ghostely children of heres what vysyon she had suche a tyme â–ª al as it is rehersed thus endeth this chapitr◠¶ Of tokens and myracles whiche our reuerend lord almyghty god wrought after the deâ—h of this hooly mayde and vyrgyn gloryous saynt Katheryn of Sene bothe tofore her beryeng and after That is to saye of tho myracles were knowe for many ther were that were not knowe Capitulum â— WHan the blessyd soule of this holy mayde and virgygyn gloryoê° saynt katheryn of Sene was de liuerd out of her swete body and the swe holy body put in a chaunsell of saint Do mynyk I closed by cause the people sholde cerce a whyle of her confluence as it is â—eherâ—ed afore in the iiij chapytre In the mene tyme that it sâ—ode there came a suse of saint fraunceis order that was callyd Domynyca the whiche had a sekenes in her armr that half a yeâ—e afore this holy mayde vyrgyne dyed she myght not by welde her arme for it was in maner benomme her aud drped vp This suster Domynyca in hope to haue helpe herde seye that this hooly mayde vyrgyn was dede â–ª came to the chyrche there she laye sayde that she myght not come to this holy body for the peple by cause also the chaunsel dore was shette she threwe in a keuerchef and prayed the susters of saint Domynyk that they wolde touche the swete holy body of that holy mayde and vyrgin wyth that keuerchefe thenÌ„e to gyue â—t to her a gayn They dyd so assone as she hadde the keuerchefe agayn she put it to her arme and was hole anon wyth that she cryed to all the people and sayde that her arme was hole by myracle of this holy mayde vyrgyn gloryous katheryne Thenne the peple made moche noyse in thankyng oure reuerend lorde almyghty god brought chyldren of heres other seke bodyes that they myght haue helpe by myracle namely by touchyng somme hemme of that holy mayde and virgins clothes â–ª Amonge all other there was brought a â—â—â—â—de of iiij yere olde whos he de lay vpon his one sholdes by cause off a certayn infyrmyte that he hadde by the whiche infyrmyte the synowes of his necke were shronke to gyders so that he myght neuer lifte vp his hede fro the sholder Assone as this childeÌ„ was brought to the holy body and was touched in the necke wyth the holy mayde and vyrgyn about whos neck also was put a keuerchefe of this holy mayde and vyrgyn â–ª â—ythin a lytyll whyle and tyme afterward the chylde began to amende and soo was att the laste hole This was the cause why the fryers durste not burye the holy body by thre dayes to gyder in as moche as our reuerende lord almighty god sholde shewe myracle by her For there was soo grete a confluence of people thoo thre dayes that a mayster of â—yuynyte was steryd for to make a sermon to the worshyppe of oure reuerend lorde almyghty god and of this holy mayde and virgyn But whan he stode vp in the pulpyt he myght not be herd for noyse of the people and the grete concurs to the swete holi body Soo that at the laste he lefte of his sermon and sayde to all the peple in this wyse Syres I see well this holy maide and vyrgyn nedeth nought our prechinge for she by her self prâ—â—heth suffyciauntly ynow and thenne he wente doune out of the pulpyt ¶ The myraclys of this holy mayde vyâ—gyn encresyd faste For there was a Roman the whiche was called Lucius that had suche a sekenesse the whiche myght not behelyd of none leche a ioynt off his knee was to broste so that he myght not walke vnnethe but by sustentacion of a staf This lucius herde saye that suche an holy mayde and virgyn dyde myraclys â–ª wyth grete traueyle and helpe of other he came there her sweâ—â— hooly body lap there wyth grete reuerence and deuoucion he toke the holy mayde and vyrgyn hond and put it to his thye to his legge â—ythin a lytyll whyle and tyme after he felte more strengthe in his leggys than he dyde a fore so that or than he wente fully thens he was all hole praysyng our reuerend lord almyghty god in his merueiles that he shewed in his saintes ¶ Also there was a yonge maydede childe that was called â—eâ—â—zola the whiche had an horybyll infyrmyte of a lepyr in her face that her noyse and the ouerlyppe of her mouth was coueryd wyth that horryble lepre This mayde herd speke also of the myracles shewed by this holy may de vyrgyn gloryous saynt Katheryne of Sene come to the same chriche where that her holy body lay and in to come to that holy body but alwaye she was put a backe by prees of the people At the laâ—t she came in to that swete holy body put not only her face to the holy mayde vyrgyns hondis and feet But also to her louely swete face and vysage Soone after she felt releuyng of her sekenes soo that wythin a short tyme she was so perfyghtly hole and neuer afterward apperyd in her face ony naner of â—eper spottene marke of ony maner leper ¶ Also there was a Roman calliâ— Cypryus that had a doughter the whiche doughter of yonge age toke a sekenes that is called the tysyk of that sekenes she myght neuer be deliueryd by none maner of me decyne when the fader the moder herde saye of the myraclis shewed by our reuerend lord almyghty god by by this holy mayde and vyrgyn gloryous saynt katheryn they came to the same place her doughter wyth them where the swete holi body laye recommendyd deuoutly her doughter to that holy mayde and vyrgin Assone as the chylde was hole Also in the mene tyme the swete holy body lay vnberyed there was a cytysyn of Rome that was callyd Anthoni the whiche was the same tyme in saynt Petâ—is chirche
goddis chirche in heuen And in this chapytre is a recapytulacion of all the holy fyll of this gloryous saint and virgyn afore sayde for werynesse of reders Also yf eche maÌ„ may not haue all the hole holy lyf of this gloryous saint and virgyne afore sayde Thenne maye he haue the substauÌ„ce of it here compendyously rehersyd Capitulum vltimum THe holy doctour saynt Gregorye seyth in hys dyalogus that the vertue of pacyence is more commendable thenne shewyng of myracles This is the cause why our moder holy chyrche whaÌ„ she wodel Canonyze ony saynte fyrste she enquyreth of the vertue of pacyence Thenne of the shewyng of myracles that is for two skylles One is for many euyll lyuers haue do wond thynges shall do that semeth myracles all though they be none as Symon magus dyd Antecryst shall do in hys tyme. Another is by cause som ther hath ben that haue done shewed myracle by â—tue of our lord Ihesu the whiche haue be dampned afterward as Judas all tho thou our lord speketh of in the gospell where he sayth that som shall stande on the lyfte syde on the day of the generall dome saye to hym in excusyng of them self Lord haue we not in thy name shewed do wonderfull myracles To whome our lord shall answere ageyne say Go ye from me werkers of wickydnes by thyse two skylles ye may vnderstonde the holy chyrche in erthe may not only be certyfyed by myracles whether the ê‘sone be holy or not by whom they be shewed all be it that they shewe presumpcyon of holynesse And namely tho myracles that ben shewed after the deth of a ê‘sone for they were no sayntes at whos graues myracles ben shewed Yet were possyble that our mercyable lord sholde haue them excused yelde them after theyr meke beleue the whiche beleuen that they be sayntes Not for them that ben there beryed but for the glorye the ioye of hys owne name lest they the whiche beleue in hym be defrawded from theyr desyre wherfore our mod holy chyrche in erthe that is gouerned by the holy ghost desyryng for to be certefyed of tho merites of holy sayntes as moche as it is possyble in this lyf enquyreth specyally of theyr vertuous lyuyng of tho thynges that they wrought whyles they lyued in erthe Soo our lord Ihesu hyr spouse taught hyr to do whan he sayd Ex fructibus eorum cognoscetis eos That is of hyr werkys ye shall knowe them for it folowed aftward in the same place where that clause is wryten afore that a good tree may not bryng forthe euyll fruyte What ben thyse fruytes Trewely no thyng ellys but werkys of loue charyte bothe of god and of our neyghbours But by cause of these werkys of charyte ryght as they be plesaunt to our lord ryght so they ben dysplesaunt to the fende So that he is about in all that he can may for to lette the dedes of charyte bothe by hym self also by the worlde that is by worldly lyuers Wherfore it is full necessarye to holy lyuers to haue pacyence ê‘ceuerauÌ„ce yf they wyll be rewarded for theyr mede in blysse by the whiche pacyence they may conserue them kepe them in good loue of god and of theyr good neyghbours notwythstoÌ„dyng all maner ê‘secucyons Therfore it was that Saynt Powle assygned the fyrst condycyon of charyte pacyence whan he sayd Caritas paciens est That is charyte is pacyence Loo maydens this is the cause why oure moder holy chyrche in erthe requyreth more after the pacyence of a saynte yf he sholde be Canonyzed thenne after the myracles for among all â—tuous werkys yet pacyens is the grettest wytnesse of holynesse And this is sayd maydens be cause that ye shold not be in doubte of this holy maydens holynes for she had that vertue of pacyence full blyssedly As I shall tell you by the helpe of god of your good prayers rehersyng all hir dedes of pacyence by recapytulacyon of this hole legende namely for wery reders that thynken an houre in deuoute redyng is lenger than a daye and yf they were occupyed in tales tryfles thenne them semeth the long day â—hort thenne an houre Vnderstonde well maydens that this holy mayde Katherin ê‘ceyued that the vertue of pacyence myÈt not haue his gracious werkyng in a soule but fyrst vnlefull thynges were remeuyd awaye from it namely suche vnlefull thyngys that ben eâ—â—ytable to the lustes of the flesshe wherfore or thenne she came to the age of exê‘yence of flesshly lustes She â—emeuyd awaye myghtly all suche as suche thynges that sholde styre hyr whâ—n she came to age And yet she dyd not this wythout Inspyracion notable vision of our lord by the whiche InspiracoÌ„n whan she was â—j yere of age she saw our lord arayde as a bisshop sytting in a ryâ—t fayre chambre ouer the chirche of the fâ—ere pâ—echours Wyth whome she sawe aâ—so saynt Johan Euangelyst whyles she behelde our lord he lokyd vpon hyr full benyngly mekely and blyssed hir After this holy vysyon hyr soule was fulfylled wyth ê‘â—yâ—e loue that she putte awaye all chyldren condycyons gaue hyr selfe anone to prayer to penaunce and therin she encrecyd ê‘fytly that in the nexte yere after whan she was of vij yere of age she made a vowe of madenhode afore an ymage of our lady not sodeâ—â—ly but wyth grete delyberacyon afore as it is openly declared in the seconde the thrydde chapytre of the fyrst ê‘tye Furthermore by cause that this holy mayde wyst well that abstynence was necessary for to kepe the purpose of maydenhode Therfore she gaue hir to grete abstynence in hyr yong age ê‘fourmed it meruayllously For as it is reherâ—â—d in the thrydde chapytre of the fyrst ê‘â—ye in the vj chapytre of the same partye more largely the began preuely to leue flesshe And thenne as she encrecyd in age lytel lytell she lefte all maner etynge of flesshe therto she dranke no wyne but whan it was medled wyth watâ—r so that it had all most lost hys â—ast hys colour of wyne And whan she was xv yere of age she lefte bothe wyne flesshe all maner of metes out take brede rawe herbes Also whan she was xx yere of age she lefte brede took hir onely to dyetyng of rawe herbys soo contynued in that maner of lyuyng vnto the tyme our lord gaue hir a newe maner of gracious lyuyng whan she lyued without ony maner of mete that was whan she was xxv or xxvj yere of age as it is openly declared in the vj chapytre of the fyrst partye where is rehersed the cause the maner why wherfore she came to suche estate And where also is answered suffycyentely to them that grutched to that maner of lyuyng Whan this holy mayde hadde thus fully oâ—come the styryng of synnes that she came to the ê‘fyte vertue of
place of hir how 's where she dwellyd as she hadde chosen to fore hyr self and alle they scour gyd hem selfe as she dyde And eche of them sayde a certeyne Pater noster and of Aue maria as Katheryne bad hâ—m saye ¶ Alle these werkyngee were but tokenys of gretter meruaylles that sholde folowe after that ¶ For as hyr moder tolde full ofte to Mayster Reymond ¶ And she whan he asked hyr myghte not denye hyt that full ofte goyng vpward and dounward the grees of hyr faders how 's vysybly to alle their syghte that sawe hyr Swyfâ—â—ly she wente in the ayre and touched noo grees wyth her fete and thys fylle namely whanne she wolde flee a waye oute of companye and specyally from the syghte of companye of men And for as moche as she had a gretely kynge in the begynnyng to say hyr Aue maria And to grete our lady ther wyth in goynge vp and doune on hyr faders grees Therfore it is to suppose that thys myracle was shewed there rather thanne in another place ¶ Forthermore for as moche as she had knowynge of the lyfe of holy faders of Egypte by reuelacyon therfore wyth alle her strengthes she was steryd gretely to folow hem ¶ In so moche that in the yong tender age full feruentely she desyred to be in the wyldernesse as the holy faders were in olde tyme but she myghte not be thynke hyr by what maner waye she myght perfourme hyr desyre by cause it was not ordeyned of god that she sholde dwell in soo solytary place Oure lorde suffred hyr to stonde to the wytte of hir proper nature as in that And she myght nomore knowe what she sholde doo as touchyng that purpose than hyr owne chyldes wytte wolde shewe hyr And ryght so it befyll that she wyth hyr feruent wyll to her purpose she ouercame the tendrenesse and the frealte of hyr age but yet hadde she not the parfyte vyctorye For erly on a morowty de she thought to go to the deserte or ellys wyldernesse and abyde in a solytary place wherefor by chyldys prouydence she purueyed her of a lofe of brede and of no more Forthe she wente toward hyr susters how 's that was wedded whyche how 's was faste by the gate is clepyd the gate of saynt Ansanye She passyd hyr sustrer how 's and forthe she wente out at that gate and so dyd she neuer afore and soo passyd forthe tyll she came to a waye out of the Cyte where she saw noo how 's stonde nyghe there as she dyde in the cyte And thenne she thought wel she was nyghe the deserte yet wente she somwhat forther and at the laste she founde a lytel caue vnder a banke whyche plesyd hyr well â–ª And forth she wente in with a glad herte wenyng to hyr that she hadde fonde the wyldernesse whyche that she hadde desyred And all be it that she it had not yet our lorde almyghty god whome she behelde long to fore and receyned hys holy blyssyng whyche gladly acceptyth all holy desyres alle be it that our lord hadde not dysposed hys spouse to haue that manere of lyuyng yet wolde not he suffre that dede that she dyde of good desyre to passe awaye wyth out a token to sheweher that she dyd was acceptable and plesyng to hym And anone as she began to praye there feruently she was I lyfte vp lytell and lytell from the erthe and the body wente vp as hyghe as the height of the caue wolde suffre and so she stode in prayer fro the morow in to none Thys mayde perceyued welle that she was areryd from the erthe and as for that tyme she wende it had ben the worâ—hyng of hyr enemye whyche wold wyth hys fraudes and dysceytes lette hyr prayer and desyre that she had to the deserte And for that cause she besyed hir and enforced hyr the more stablye and feruently to praye At the laste aboute the houre of the day whan our lord after his passy on of the crosse was take doun fro the crosse she descendyd lytell and lytell as she ascendyd And by Inspyracion of our lord she hadde vnderstondyng and knowyng that the tyme was not yet I come where in she sholde not putte hyr body in suche afflyccyon for our lorde Ne that she sholde leue her faders how 's in suche maner wherefor she torned as she came But whan she wente out and sawe she was allone and behelde the gate of the Cytee longe and full feâ—re to her age and feblynesse dredynge also that hyr fader and moder shold wene that she had be loste She coude no more but beganne to praye and commytted hyr fully to god And anone in a shorte whyle by the ordynaunce and myght of our lorde she was borne vp in the eyre and sette in the gate of the Cytee wyth out ony harme And anone she wente home in alle the hast that she myght or coude Thys she tolde to a Cosyne of here 's whyche was callyd Laxa But to hyr fader and moder alle thys was hydde and vnknowen tyll she came to elder age for they wende she hadde come fro hyr susters how 's that was wedded Of thys that is shewed in thys chapytre in somme partye Lapa hir moder tolde to mayster Reymond Whyche was hyr last confessoure and in somme partye her self and of somme Laxa hyr cosyne not wythstondyng that he hadde grete swetenesse of alle that is I wrytton and sayd a fore Saue at the laste bothe of hyr fyrst confessour whyche was I nourysshed in hyr faders how 's and of many worshypfull and trewe matroâ—s of neyghbours nyghe and of other besyde nygh to hyr fader and moder and to hyr ¶ Of hyr vowe made of virgynyte and of other vertuous liuynge and meruaylles whyche be fyll tyll she came to the age of abylytee to be wedded to man but wedded was she not ne neuer wolde CapituluÌ„ iij SO moche vertue and grace was in that vysyon whyche is rehersyd in the nexte â—hapytle to fore that all worldly loue and affeccyon was wyth drawen out from the herte of thys holy yonge mayde and onely the holy loue of goddys sone and of the gloryous mayde and moder of our lord Ihesu cryste stylly and stedfastly was prented in hyr herte â–ª Wherfore she sette alle thynge at noughte soo that she myght ouely wynne our lord hyr sauyour And anone she had clere vnderstondyng only by the techyng of the holy ghoost that is full semyng and accordyng to our lorde and our maker of nought to be serued wyth alle purytee and â—lenues bothe in body and in sowle Wherfore she desyred fully to haue and kepe the clennesse of virgynytee and for that she thought well and knowynge hyr by the techynge of god that our blessyd lady goddys moder was the fyrste that founde the lyf of virgynytee wherefor thys mayde conceyued in hyr herte that vp that mater she wolde haue recourse to our lady for helpe
her to suffre pacyently and gladly the seke wommans rebukynge ¶ And yet ferthermore to this dede off charyte was knytte wythouten ony doughte sekernesse of clere faythe By the whiche faythe she behelde euer her spouse Jhesu in her sowle as ofte as she mynystred to that woman ¶ And yet neuertheles she failed none hope by the whiche she contynued to the laste ende in her holy mynystracyon After alle thyse hooly company of vertues folowed an open myracle in clensyng of that lepre by the dethe of this poure woman the whiche she toke by her mynystracyon This is a gracious myracle and a merueylous yet sholde ye see and here a more merueylous thinge that folowed yf ye lysten here it besely In the same Cyte of Gene there was a susters of penaunce of Saynt Domynyk seke that whiche was called after the maner of speche iÌ„ the couÌ„tre Palmaria the suster Palmaria was so gretely styred to hate by excytacion of the fende agaynst this holy mayde katheryn that as ofte as euer she sawe her or herd herd her speke or herd speke of her she was hyghely troubylyd in her sowle soo ferforth that she shewed alle the tokenes of malyce agaynste her bothe in baâ—bytyng of her pryuyly and openly also in cursyng Assone as the holy maide perceyued this she shewed to her alle maner of myldenes and mekenes for to pees her in that that she coude but alway her seke suster despysed all her mekenesse to the vtterest and sette none pryce bi her Thenne this holy mayde ranne by prayer wyth a feruent deuote herte to our lorde Ihesu her spouse prayeng to hym specyally for her seke suster that he wold vouchesauf to gyue her grace of forgyuenes the prayers were as a brennyng fyre ascendynge vp to our lorde askyng of him bothe mercy dome all bee it that the entent of this holy mayde was nothyng ellys but for to aske mercy for her and no ne dome yet it was lykyng to our lorde for that tyme not for to gyue hys mercy wythout dome there shewed oure lorde hys grete dome but yf byrrayers of this holy mayde He shewed a more gretter mercy he smote mercyably to that suster Palmarya in her body that her soule shol be made hole but what hardynes of obstinacion was in that seke suster And what swetenes of charyte there agaynst was in his spouse katheryne It was clerely shewed afterward by ryghtwysdom euermore he encresyng in this holy mayde katheryn the loue of sowles by shewyng of a wonderfull fayrnes of that susters soule the whiche was fyrst by the ryght wysdome of hym I demed to bee dampned for her obsâ—ynacie but merytes and prayers of this hooly mayde it was afterward saued Whan our lorde hadde smyte that suster palmarya in her body by bodely sekenes to that entent onely that her soule shold be more hole yet wolde she not sece of her malycyous hate that she shewed wythout cause to this holy mayde But rather was more greuoê° to her after her sekenes thenne she was in her he le The more froward she was to the holy mayde the more mekenes she she wed agayn to her and wold ofte tymes full charytably be wyth her and do her seruyce both wyth louyng wordes and dedes ¶ Yet was that seke suster harder thenne ony stone agaynste her that neyther by charytable wordes ne dedes ne seruyces she wolde not be pesed but euer was grutchyng vpon her soo ferforth that she bad her goo out of the hous that she was inne wyth a wood violent spyryt This consyderyd our lord that rightwis iuge he leyde his honde of ryghtwysnes vpon that enmye of charyte and touched her soo Soo sodenly that bothe wythout shryfte and housell she drewe faste to the deth of body and sowle Whan this holy may herd her of Anone she went to her chamber and bysoughte our lord by deuout prayer for that soule lest it sholde peryche by occasyon of her Suche wordes she seyde to oure lorde in her sowle in tyme of her prayer as afterward she was be knowe to her confessour Lord whyder I wretche am I bore to the ende by occasyon of me soules I made lyke to that shold be put to endeles peynel â— wylt thou suffer lord that by occasyon of endeles daÌ„pnacion to myn suster to whom I sholde be an instrument of euerlastynge helthe A myn good lord put awaye suche an orybyll dome sor the multytude of thyn grete mercy It had be better I had neuer be borne than soulis I bought by precyous blod shold for me be dampned O lorde be thyse thyne byhestes the whiche thou behotest me by thy large mercy I sholde be profytable to the sowle he le off myn neyghbours be thyse the fruytes of helthe that I sholde brynge forth for that myn suster sholde be dampned and none douwte mynsynne is cause therof and of her payne For other fruyte brynge I not forth but synne alone But yet shall I not cese to aske mercy vnto the tyme I haue somme comforte of myn susters sauacion in this wyse this hooly mayde prayed more in sowle thenne in worde outward and for that she shold haue the more compassyoÌ„ of her susters sowle our lord shewed her in the mischefs perile that her susters sowle was inne comered and wythinne that syght oure lorde answerd her and sayde that he myght not suffer it of his ryghtwysnes but that suche a malycious hate and an obstynate must nedes be punysshed Thenne the holy maide fell doune a fore oure lord in prayer and sayde Lord I shall go neuer out of this place in to the tyme thou hast shewed methy mercy for my suster punisshe me lorde for her synne for I that am cause of her trespaas shold bee punisshed and not she therfore merciable lord I beseche the for thy grete mercy and thyn endeles godenes that thou suffer not myn susters sowle goo out of her body in to the tyme that she haue receyued that grace thy merci ¶ Loo maydens that prayer was off grete strengthe that her suster soule myghte not passe out of the body vnto the tyme oure lorde shewed his plentuous mercy in her notwythstondynge the seke woman lay adrawyng on thre dayes and thre nyghtes soo that many folke that knewe her merueylled and sorowed for her that she suffred soo longe a peyne yet in all that tyme this holy mayde continued in her deuout prayer neuer cesing vnto the tyme she hadde ouercome in maner of our lord by meke teres Thenâ—e our lorde by her deuout prayers graciously sent his mercy vnto that sowle and gaue her clere knowyng to knowe her trespas and also gaue her suffycient contrycion to helthe of her sowle Assone as this holy mayde perceyued that by reuelacion that she hadde suche a grace she wente to the seke susters chamber for to comforte her And whan the seke suster sawe this hooly mayde she dyde her reuerence wyth grete ioye as
hys dyuyne loue that she â—â—yed in hyr soule sayd ¶ Lorde thou hast wounded myn herte lorde thou hast wouÌ„ded myn herte ¶ And this was on saynt margaretes day as she tolde to hyr confessour in preuytee ¶ Hyt befell also in another tyme the morowe after Saynt Laurence daye that this holy mayde cam to the chyrche for to here masse kneled nexte to the auter as she was wonte for to do for to see the blessyd sacrement because that she sholde not lette the preste at theautre by hyr grete sobbynghir confessour came to hyr warned her that she shold constreyne hir asmoche as she mighte fro suche grete sobbynges lest the prest were lette by hyr ¶ Thâ—nae anone she mekely as trewe obedyent mayden satte ferther fro the aulter prayed to oure lorde that he wold vouchesauf to Illumyne hir confessour that he myght see and knowe whether suche sterynges of the spyryte of god myght be mesured of man ¶ TheÌ„ne by vertu of that prayer hyr contessoure hadde so perfyte knoleche of feuoure of deuocyon by experience that he knewe fully by that that suche feruoures of the soule myght not be kepte wythin but nedes by strenthe of dyuyne loue yt muste breke out ¶ Ferthermore oftyme whan she was not houseled she desyred in hyr sowle for to receyue the blyssed sacramet of the aulture ¶ And oftymes she wold breke out and say deuoutly thus ¶ I wolde receyue my lorde Jhesu crystys body wyth that our lorde wolde appyre to hyr as he was wont to doo and to fulfylle hyr desyre he toke the maydens mouthe put it to hys blessyd wounde of hys syde and bad hyr receyue of â—s flesshe and of hys bloode as moche as she lyst ¶ Thenne she receyued plentuously of our lorde breste that she semed for pure loue she sholde hadde dyed by cause of the grete swetnes that she felte in her herte ¶ Hyt befyll also vpon Sanyt â—â—exis day that this holy mayde prayed to our lorde deuoutly that he wolde vouchesauf to grauÌ„te hyr breÌ„nyng desyre for to receyue hys flesshe and hys blood ¶ Wyth that she had dâ—a reuelacyon that she sholde be houseled on the morowe doubteles for it was forbeden hyr of the freres that she sholde not so ofte be houseled ¶ Thenne whane she hadde thys confortable reuelacyon She. prayed our lord that he wold wouchesauf to clenie hir herte agaynst the tyme she shold receyue hym that she myght the more worthely receyue hym ¶ In tyme that she prayed thus she felte a reyne comenge doun in to hyr soule in maner of a grete haboundant flood not of water or of suche other lyquore but onely of blood medelyd wyth fyre the whiche as hyr semed purgyd clensed so myghtely â—â— rsowie that by strengthe of that tyre it reâ—oâ—ded in to the body and clensed also hyr body ¶ After thys on the morowe she was â—oseek that by no waye it semed to hyr she myght not goo one foot ¶ Neuertheless she doubted no thyng of the ê“mysse oâ— our lord but trustyng to hym fully began to go to chyrche And whan she was come thyder she knelyd doun in a chapell besyde an aulter ¶ Thenne came to hyr mynde how she was enfourmed that she myght not be houseled of what prest she lyst but of suche that ben assygned to hyr â–ª ¶ wyth that she desyred hyr confessour sholde say a masse at that same aulter Anone oure lorde gaf hyr comforte that he sholde sing there Sodeynly our lord thenne touched the herte of hyr confessonr wyth deuocioÌ„ that he sholdesaye a masse that day for he was in no wyll for to syng that day ne he wyste not that the holy mayde was come to chyrche ¶ Thenne at the steryng of our lorde he dysposed him to masse wente to the same aulter there the holy mayde was and abode our lordes behest at whiche aulter also he was neuer wont to synge ¶ And whanne he came he founde there this holy mayde axyng for to be houseled for charyte ¶ Thenne he rceyued that it was the wyll of god he sholde syng that day ¶ He sayd masse and at the ende of the masse as the maner is he came for to housele hyr this holy mayde at the aulter ende where she was redy for to receyue that blessyd sacrament ¶ Hyr confessour behelde and sawe hyr vysage all shynyng rede al for wepre wyth terys the whiche was to him a grete meruayll and Wuth that deuocion she receyued that blissed sacrament ¶ And after tyme she was houseled she was so plenteuously replete of our lorde that all that day she myght speke no worde to noo creature ¶ On the morowe hyr confessour axed hyr what hir eyled and what nowe grace she receyued the other day a fore by cause she was so shynnyng rede whan she receyued that blyssed sacrament she answorde thus ¶ Fader of what colour I was that tyme I wote nere but thys I knowe well whaÌ„ I vnworthy wretche receyued that blyssed sacrament of your hondes it drewe me som to it that alle other thyng saue that allone wexed to me lothesom not onely temporall thynges dylectacyons of the worlde but also other comfortes pleysaunces were they neuer so ghostly wherfore I desyred prayed that all suche ghostly comfortes sholde be sequestryd frome so that I myght pleese god and ende lesly be I knytte to hym And also I prayed hym that he wolde take away my wyl gyue me hys wyll and so he dede right mercyably and sayd to me thus ¶ Loo dere doughter now I gyue the my wyll bi the whiche thou shalte be soo strong that what euer happe to the fro thys tyme for the warde thou shalt neuer be chaunged nestyred ryght so it was ¶ She was euer afterwarde dyspysed and sette lytell by of alle folke and was neuer the more styred ne troubled ageynsthem ¶ Ouermore yet this holy mayde sayd to her confessour Fader well wyll ye wete how our lorde serued me Trewely as a moder serued hyr lytell soukyng chylde whome she loueth tenderly ¶ A moder suffred other while hir childe stonde a ferre from hyr whyle she sheweth hym hirtete of hir breste and suffred hym to wepe longe tyme after hit but all that tyme the lawhed ¶ At the last whan she hath suffred it to wepe long tyme she gothe ther to wyth a lawhyng there and beclypped it in her armes and kyssed it and soo gyueth it hyr breste or she tete ¶ Ryght so ferde our lorde wyth me that day he shewed me hys blessyd wounde in his syde stondyng all a ferre from me ¶ And I for desyre that I hadde ther to putte my mouth to that blessyd wounde and wepte haboundantly ¶ Thenne our lorde sayd after tyme that he hadde so suffred me to wepe he came to me gladdely and tooke my sowle in hys armes and putte my mouthe to his wounde ¶ And thenne my sowle for that grete
the whiche was one of the sustres of penaunce I shall tell you this womman Palmarya was hyghly sette in a wycked hate ageynst this holy mayde soo ferforthe that she dyffamed hyr wretchedly wherfore our lord gaf hyr fyrst a sykenes in hyr body Afterward she began to perysshe body and soule so that she myght not eshaâ—e dampnacyon but yf this holy mayde Katheryne by perfyte pacyence that charyte formyd in hyr soule had prayed for hyr as it is rehersed in the same for the chapytre of the seconde partye Also there was another suster of penauÌ„ce that was called Andrea as it is wryten in the same chapytre the whiche had in hyr brest a foule stynkyng kancre that ther was neuer one that wold minystre to hir for stenche Of this herde this holy mayde she cam to the syke woÌ„man serued hir gladly without ony squeymousnes in washyng wypyng of hyr wouÌ„de whan she felte in hyr self ony maner squeymousnes she wold then put hyr nose to the wouÌ„de long tyme to gyds vnto the tyme hir body defaylled but the lothenes went awaye ther by Thenne the fende Sathan entred in to the syke suster made hir to grutche with this holy mayde for to haue hir in suspeccion so wood she was wyth hir that she sclauÌ„dred hir openly to hir susters sayd that she had synned flesshely and loste hyr maydenhode ¶ Al be it that this hooly mayden and vyrgyn was heuy of this shlaunder yet she lefte neuer her seruyce to her but ouer came by meke seruyse and myghty pacy ence her malyce and wente to prayer as for a souerayn remedye agaynst suche accusacions at the laste by grace of thys holy mayde and vyrgyns prayers and by the merytes of her stronge pacieÌ„ce this seke suster sawe this holy mayde vyrgyn in tyme of her prayers transformed a fore her in to a grete lyght that she had therby grete comforte and repented here of her fals accusacion ThaÌ„ she called this holy mayde and vyrgyr to her and asked her forgyuenes af her cursed accusacion all other to whom she had shlaundred her she sent after and tolde theym that she hadde falsely accused this hooly mayde and vyrgyn wherfore she asked theym forgyuenes and thenne she tolde theym what she sawe of this holy mayde and vyrgyn affermyng to theym all that she was not only a pure mayde and virgyn but also an holy mayde and vyrgin Loo dere frendes there the fend wente to the fame this hooly mayde and vyrgyn by his malycious excitacioÌ„ there he magnefyed her vertuous name alle agaynste his wyll yet all this oure reuerend lorde almyghty god by medytacion of the vertu of pacience that was in her Thenne from that tyme forward this holy vyrgyns name encrecyd soo hyghely amonges the peple that it come to the audyence of two popes whiche were in her tyme and many cardynals ¶ Ferthermore of another thinge I shal telle you the whiche is writen in the same chapyter of the same woman Andrea It befell in a tyme whan this holy may de and vyrgyn wasshyd and wyped her stynkyng wounde The fende made her so skeymous that her stomake was meruey lously steryd for to caste wyth that she aroos saide to her sefl thus Trewely wretche thou that art soo skaymous off thyne susters sykenes leue it welle thou shalt receyue the fylte of her wounde with in thyn owne body Thenne she wente wysshe that stynkyng wounde and receyued the fylthe that came ther fro in to a dysshe and went a syde and dranke it of The nexte nyght after our reuerend lord apperyd to her and sayde Doughter in this dede thou passyst in myn syngh And thou hast therby pleasyd me more than in ony werke that euer thou dedest And therfore by cause thou hast doo soo merueylously a dede for my loue I shal gyue the a merueylous drynke by the whiche thou shalt be hadde in grete merueyle amonge alle creatours wyth that as it semed to her he putt her mouthe to the reuerend wounde of his swete blody syde And sayde doughter drynke ynongh of the drynke of myn syde that is merueylous and delectable bi the whiche not oonly thyn soule but thyn boody shal bee fulfylled the whiche thou hast despised for myn loue Fro that tyme forword her sâ—omake had none appetyte to ony matery al mete ne it nyght not defye ony mete and that was none merueyle For wher that ony creature hath receyued drynke habundauntly of the well of lyf what merueyle is it though it nede none helpe of other bodely mete Oute of this grace came that merueylous faste the which is rehersyd in the fyrste Chapytre off the seconde party Wherfore was all this grace graunted trowe ye dere frendes trewely for the charytable pacyens that she hadde to syke folke to all other for the grete charyte that was soo habouÌ„daunt in her herte receyued and toke the word of lyf the whiche brought forthe fruit in pacience that is thrytty folde fruyte syxty folde fruyte and an hondred folde fruyte Thrytty fold fruyte she brought forth by paciens that she shewed to Cecca the leprous woman syxty fold fruyte she brought forth by pacience that she shewed to Palmarya an hondred folde fruyte she brought forth by the pacience that she shewed to Andrea this laste seke suster Now I shall I telle you of somme thynges that ben not rehersed in the boke before vnnethe was ther ony body that had conuersacioÌ„ with this holy mayde and vyrgyn but that they dede to her many iniutyes and wronges one way or other soo that there was one of the fryers that was so fulfylled wyth the fende that in the presens of alle her susters he put to her full reproues and defamacioÌ„s She was neuer the more meued out off paciens but she charged her susters that they sholde not trouble hym ne telle nothynge afterward to other thar shold soune to her repreff what that euer they herd hym speke the more pacient the holy maide and vyrgyn was the more wood was he agaynst her so that in a tyme he stale her monye that was gyuen to her for to doo almes wyth yet for all this she was notfynge steryd but kepte alwaye patiently her charyte and so at the laste ouer came hym by her pacience ¶ Ouermore yf I sholde tell you of the grete pacience that she had in suffring of dyuerse infyrmytes of the body my payne sholde not oonly fayle me but also myn vnderstondyng she suffred euer coÌ„tynuelly the payne of ylica passyo as it is rehersed in the vj Chapytre of the seconde party where is declared and tolde clerly the cause why she hadde that infirmyte And therwyth she hadde a payne in the hede contynuelly And aboue all this she hadde a synguler continuell payne in her breste fro that daye that oure reuerende lorde almyghty god made her taste paynes of his precyous passyon as it is
myght worshypfully and parfy tably be wedded and to what prosone Hyr moder supposed that for the grete wysdome that hyr doughter had she sholde haue be wedded to somme man of grete kyneede where for she besyed hir fast aboute the bodely apparayll and araye of hyr doughter and taught hyr to wasshe ofte hyr face and to kembe ofte hyr hede and to make hyr fayre here and to voyde alle thynge that sholde be dyshoneste or sholde make foule hyr face or hyr necke That whan ony man came to aske after hyr for maryage she sholde be the more semely and fayrer Thys holy mayde was alle of another purpose and had made another vowe Alle be it she shewed it not to hyr fader ne moder wherfor vtterly she thoughte noo thynge to do as hyr moder bad hyr touchyng suche curyosyte She besyed wyth alle hyr strengthes to plese god but no man in that wyse And whanne hyr moder hadde aspyed that she had no wylle to that maner of lyuynge she was dysplesed and clepyd to hyr Bonauenture hyr other doughter whyche was late I wedded before And bad hyr trete soo hir suster that she myght araye hyr in bodely apparayll as the manere was of wymen in that contre that sholde be maryed and doo as she hadde bad hyr doo to fore Hyr moder knewe welle that Katheryne loued Bonauenture fulle tenderly and supposed that she sholde be broughte in to that more lyghtely by hyr suggestyons thanne by ony other And soo she was as ye shalle see after For by suffraunce of oure lorde she was broughte so Inne thorough speche and example of hyr suster Bonauenture by many maner wayes that at the laste she assentyd to hyr besynesse in apparaylle of hyr body after the wylle of hyr moder not wythstondynge that stably she kepte hyr purpose neuer to haue husbonde But after the grauÌ„te to hyr sustre and folowed hyr wylle in suche araye she maad soo moche sorowe whanne that she was confessyd therof wyth terys and sobbyng that eche body shold suppose that she hadde do somme greuous synne She vsed ofte to be confessyd generally and alway whaÌ„ she came to the poynt she accused her selfe full harde wyth wepyng sore sobbyng But the confessour alle be it he knewe that a vertue it is of god and lowely sowles to see in them self defaute where none is And where it is but lytyll it semeth hym full grete Neuerthelesse for asmoche as she accused her self and demed her worthy euerlastynge payne for that synne sauyng the mercy of god There he asked her whether she purposed or wylled in all that tyme to do agaynst her vowe She sayde nay for it came neuer in her herte Also he asked agayne whether she dyde it to the plesaunce of ony man In speciall or to the plesaunce of all men She answerd and sayde ther was none somoche payne to her as to be holde men or to be seyne of men or to be there men shold fynde her wherfore when her faders men that lerned dyers crafte in her faders hous came to ony place or chambre where she was she fledde as faste awaye as adders hadde come to her soo that all men wondred She wold neuer goo to the wyndowe ne to the dore of the how 's to see how men wente by the waye ThenÌ„e he sayd why deserued ye that dede whiche was but for a bodely ornamente euerlastyng payne namely whan the apparelle was not to excessyuely She answerd and sayde that to excessyuely she loued her suster And as her thought more thaÌ„ god as at that tyme wherfore she wepte wythout remedye and dyd harde penauÌ„ce Her confessour wold haue replyed agayne and sayde Alle bee it ther was somme maner excesse of loue it was but lytyll And that dede as of him self was not I doo for noo wycked or euyl entencion but for vayne plesaunce of her for the tyme and that was not agaynste the precepte of god She herde how her confessour replyed she lyft vp her eyen to god And wyth a lowde voys cryed and sayde A my lorde god what ghostely fader haue I nowe whiche excuseth my synnes and wyth a sore grutchynge agaynst her self she tourned to her confessour and sayde Fader thynke ye that this wretchedfull and mooste vnworthy creature of god whiche hath receyued of my maker of nought soo many gracyous yeftes wythout my labour And wythouten ony meryte shold occupye ony tyme in arraye and vayne apparelle of this roten flesshe whiche myght or induce a dedely synne I wene she sayde helle suffyseth not to punysshe me hadde not the pyte of god doo gracyously and mercyfull wyth me After thyse wordes her confessour durst nomore speke of that mater But than after that he besyed him to knowe yf that blessyd sowle had euer in her lyf be kept wythouten ony spotâ—e of dedely synne Soo that she hadde kepte fully hole her vyrgynyte both of body and of sowle Not only from the synne of flesshely steryng but also of alle maner of synne ¶ And after that he knewe how vertuous and how clene a sowle she hadde This wytnesse and recorde he bare of her conuersacion and both sayd and wrote that he coude neuer perceyue ne fynde nother by her generall confessyon ne speciall confessyon as ofte as euer she was confessyd â–ª And that was ryght ofte that she hadde offendyd agaynst the precepte of our lorde But yf it were that is tolde afore the whiche he myght not suppose it were agaynste the byddynge of god Ne he trowed none dyscrete man wold suppose it And also he sayde that he founde her euer soo clene fro venyall synnes that vnnethe he coude perceyue bi her cotydyan confessyon ony maner offeÌ„ce It was openly knowen not only to her confessours that knewe her conscyence but to all that were conuersaunt â–ª with her that neuer or seldon she offended in worde For eyther she occupyed her tyme in prayer and contemplacion or ellis in good edyficacion of her neyghbours And as for her tyme of slepyng vnnethes she wolde grauute to her a quarter of an houre And whan she sholde ete her mete â–ª yet it may be called a mete euer she prayed and thought holy medytacyons thynkyng of the thynges that she hadde lerned of our lord in her sowle More her confessyon Mayster Reymound bereth a trewe recorde of her for the tyme that he knewe her and hadde cure of her conscience that it was more payne to her for to ete her mete than it was to an hungry man for to be wythdrawe from hys mete And a grete tourmente it was to her body after tyme she hadde ete than it was comÌ„ely to a fenerous man in rennyng offhis feuer And this was one of the causes why she wolde ete her mete as it shall be declared wythin forthe for to tourmente and put in payne her body In what maner of trespaas myght suche a sowle be occupyed that alwaye was occupyed soo wyth our lord god
And yet not wythstondyng suche good occupacions She accused her self soo sharpely in confession and soo wyttyngly put her selfe in trespaas and offenses that yf hee cōfessour hadde not knowe her conuersacyon He myght haue supposed that she hadde trespased where she trespased not but rather deseruyd mede Loo ye maydens that heren and reden this boke alle this processe is for no thynge ellys I sayde but by that ye perceyuen this lytyll defaute In the whyche this holy mayde yelde her self soo mekely gylty Ye maye vnderstonde therby what per feccyon sheweth therafter by the gracyous yefte of our lorde the whiche her confessour reherseth in this wyse Bonauentura ryght as she was besy afore for to araye this holy mayde as the worlde asketh Ryght soo eftsones she besyed her for to enduce her in suche araye by her counseyll to the same apparaylle She myght in noo wyse inclyne the may dens herte nother generall nother specy all that she sholde shewe her bodely presence wylfully to the syghte of man to that entent oonly that she sholde be desyred the soner to be wedded all though her feruour of prayer and of swetenesse off medytaciō was slaked and wythdrewē from her for a tyme Att the laste oure lorde wolde not lenger suffre that hys spouse the whiche had soo specyally chosen sholde be withdrawe and taryed from hys speciall seruyce he wythdrewe from her in this wyse In a tyme whan the same Bonauentura the suster of the holy mayde sholde brynge forthe a chylde she was yet yonge y nough of age for to bere chyldren Take hede maydens therfore and see by thys How oure lorde is displesed wyth theym that ben aboute for to lette and wythdrawe theym that wolde serue hym specially in maydenhode and chastyte of lyuynge Thys Bonauentura as it is rehersyd after was alwaye full honeste in her maner of lyuyng bothe in worde and dede But by cause that she besyed her to drawe her suster to wordly thynges the whiche desyred to serue our lorde specyally She was smyten of hym and punysshed wyth a full sharpe deth Neuerthelesse our lord yet wrought full mercyably wyth hyr for as it was shewed afterward by reuelacyon to thys holy mayde she was in purgatory and suffred many greuous paynes And by the prayers of hir she was delyuered of payne and restored to blysse as she shewed afterward preuely to hyr confessour ¶ Whanne hyr suster Bonauenture was passyd out of thys worlde thanne thys blessyd mayde Katheryn clerely perceyued the vanyte of thys worlde and be ganne more feruentely and more gredylye trewely for to be torned to the louely ghostly clyppyng of hyr endeles spouse Jhesu cryste claymyng and accusynge hyr self gylty wyth Marye magdalene fallyng doune full streyte to the fete of oure lorde plenteuously shedyng out terys axynge Inwardly hys mercy praynge and thynkyng vncessably for hyr synnes that she myght deserue to hyr wyth Marye magdalene the wordes of confort of our lorde as he sayde to Marye thus ¶ Remittūtur tibi peccata tua ¶ That is to saye doughter thy synnes by foryeue the. And so she beganne to haue a synguler affeccyon to Mary magdalene For thanne in that tyme she enforsed hyrself wyth alle hyr myghtys to conferme hyr to Marye magdalene to haue the more grace in forgyuenes of hyr synnes Therfore afterward by encrece of deuocyon thys folow therof that our lord god the spouse of holy sowles and hys blessyd moder our lady Saynt Marye gaue Mary magdalene to thys blyssyd mayde in to a maystresse and to a moder as it shall be declared more openly wyth Inne forth by the helpe of Jhesu ¶ After thys the fende enemye to alle mankynde sorowyng that thus his pray was wythdrawe and delyuerd alle hole from hys power the whyche be lytell and lytell enforced to drawe it to hym And also consyderynge that thys holy mayde encreced more and more to renne quyckely to the tabernacle of mercy of hyr spouse Jhesu He thought felly and wylely to lette hyr of hyr ghostly purpose by the meyne of hyr faders howsholde besyeng hym by aduercytees and persecucyons to drawe hyr holy to the worlde that she sholde not be occupyed in suche ghostly excercyse puttyng in to the the mynde of hir fader and moder and also hyr brethern that in alle wyse she sholde be wedded That they myght so by hyr mene purchace somme manere of kynrede aboute thys besynesse the fende enduced hem so hyely that in asmoche as one of hyr doughters was passyd out of thys world they sholde be aboute to recouer the harme of hyr that was dede by hyr that was a lyue So ferforth that they were aboute to seke an husbonde for thys holy mayde ¶ Whan thys mayde perceyued and consydered the wyles of hyr ghostly enemye by Inspyracyon of our lord Jhesu A none myghtely and besyly she contynued in prayer and medytacyon and excercyses of penaunce to haue grace to flee the conuersacyon of men and soo shewed by open tokenys to hyr frendes that in noo wyse she was in purpose to be wedded to no dedely ne corruptyble spouse Syth it so is and was that she had taken so gracyously to hyr spouse in hir yonge tender age the vndedely kyng of endeles blysse Whanne the fader and moder kynne perceyued veryly that thys holy may de shewed perseueraūtly bothe by tokens and by worde that she wylled neuer to be wedded to none erthely man they thought to bowe hyr herte by a nother mene for to consente to theyr purpose They callyd to them a frende of therys a frere prechour the whyche they loued specyally and prayed hym entyrly that he wolde goo and counseyll that holy mayde that she sholde consente to there wylle To whome the frere answerde and sayde he wolde do that he myght But whan he came to thys mayde by communycacyon he founde hyr so stedfast in the purpose of maydenhode that by conscience he was so enduced to gyue hyr holsum counseylle and sayde Syth it is so that thou arte dysposed to serue our lorde god in maydenhede ageynst whyche purpose thy frendes ben aboute to lette the. Shewe the stedfastnesse of thyn holy purpose and cutte a waye alle thyn here of thy hede peraduenture they wold cesse of there pursuyte As soone as thys blessyd mayde herdethys hys counseyll she wrought there after as though she hadde I herde it of god And took a peyre of sherys anone and cutte awaye hir herys in the whiche she supposed she had synned greuously and that that she hated so moche she cutte it awaye ryght gladly fast by the he de And whanne she had I do she couerd hyr hede wyth a Coyf and so wente forthe alle ageynst the comyn custome of other maydens of the worlde wyth a kerchyf on hyr hede after the doctryne of saynt Powle And whan hyr moder Lapa aspyed thys that hyr doughter Katheryn vsed thus to couer hyr hede customably She asked hyr why she
endeles reste delyueryng them bothe from the pytte and the swolowe Whan alle thys was done thys holy mayde consyderynge euyr more in hyr sowle the mede the rewarde I ordeyned for hyr of the holy ghoost suffred gladly and nought paynfully alle the wronges that was putte to hyr And also she encreced contynually the cours of hyr labour the more that she myght haue a full ioye in hyr sowle And by cause that it was not suffred to hyr to haue a chambre by hyr self but for to haue hyr chambre openly as other hadde ¶ Therefore by an holy aâ—uysement she chose the chambre of Stephen hyr brother that hadde nether wyf ne chyldren Where by dayes tyme whanne he was absente she myght be allone And nyghtes tyme whan he slepte she prayed after hyr desyre soo that nyght and daye she soughte to see the face of hyr spouse Ihesu Cryste knockyng at the dore of hys ghoosâ—ly tabernacle wyth out cessyng She prayed our lord vncessably that he wolde wouche sauf to be the keper of hyr virgynytee sayeng and syngyng in in sowle wyth Saynt Cecylye thys holy verse of Dauyd the prophete Fiat cor meum domine et corpus meum immaculatum That is lorde Ihesu I praye that myn herte and my body be kepte clene vnderfowled to the and soo in scylence and in hope she was made stronge in our lord ryght meruayllously For the more torment and persecucyon she hadde wyth out forth the more she was fulfylled wyth ghoostly ioyes wythin forth soo ferforth that hyr brethern perceyueng hir stedfastnesse sayden betwyne them seluen thus we be ouer come Hyr fader that was most Innocente of alle consyderyng pryuely hyr dedes perceyued that she was ladde euery daye more and more by the holy ghoost and nought by the lyghtnes of yonthe Alle thyse that ben rehersed in thys chapytre hyr confessour mayster Reymond had it by reuelacyon of Lapa thys maydens moder and of lyxa her brother wyf and of other also that were in hyr faders how 's But as for other thynges that other folke myght not knowe he knewe by tellyng of thys holy mayde in confessyon ¶ Of the vyctorye whyche she hadde of them that desesed hyr And that was by a culuer whiche hyr fader sawe and by a vysyon of Sâ—ynt Domynyk Ca v IN the mene whyle that thys holy mayde was putte in suche reproue and shame it happyd vp on a daye that she entred in to the chambre of hyr yonge brother Stephen And prayed deuoutly leuyng the dore vnshett for it was forboden to hyr by hyr fader moder that she sholde not shette the dore Casuelly thenne it happened that the fader entred in to the chambre sekynge a certeyne thynge of hys sones that he had nede to And as he loked aboute he sawe hys doughter more goddes doughter thanne hys prayng in a corner and knelyng and a lytell whyte culuer restynge vp on hyr hede the whyche culuer fledde out of the chambre wyndowe whan the fader was entred in to the chaÌ„bre as him thought Anone the fader axed the doughter what culuer that myght be that fledde so out of the chambre to whom the doughter answerd and sayde that neuer she sawe culuer ne other byrde in the chambre Thenne hadde the fader grete meruaylle and kepte all thyse wordes pryuely in hys herte Fro that tyme forwarde there beganne gracyously to encrece in that holy maydens sowle an holy desyre whyche neuerthelesse was begonne as it is reherced a fore in hyr chyldehode and now afterward it was renewyd for tuycyon and dysease of kepyng of hyr maydenhode or virgynytee and that desyre was no thynge ellys but for to receyue the habyte of the ordre of frere prechours the whyche ordre Saynt Domynyk was bothe foundour and fader There she prayed bothe daye and nyght to our lord that he wouchesauf to fulfyll hyr desyre And therto she had a grete deuocyon to Saynt Domynyk as it is rehersed a fore to a worthy and a fruytfull louer of sowles Almyghty god therefor sawe how wysely and how myghtely hys doughter as a yong knyght faught in batayll and wyth what feruour of deuocyon she besyed hyr to plese hym wyth alle hyr desyre he wolde in no wyse dysceyue hyr ne defraude hyr of hyr holy purpose But for the more sekernesse he comforted hyr wyth suche a vysyon ¶ This holy mayde on a tyme had a vysyon in hir slepe that she sawe many holy faders many dyuers fouÌ„dours of the ordre of the frere prechours amonges whom she saw saynt Dominyk that she knewe wel I now holdyng in hys honde a fayre whyte lylye the whyche lylye semyng to hir was all a fyre as the busshe that Moyses saw yet was not brennyd Whan this holy faders al in general eche in a speciall gaf hir couÌ„seyll for hir more mede that she shold chese oo Relygion of their ordynauÌ„ce in the whiche relygion she myght yelde due seruyce to god She torned hir self hole to saynt dominik so saw in spyryt how that the holy fader saynt dominyk came to hir brought in his honde an habyte of sustris the whyche susters ben called sustres of penaunce of saynt Domynyk Of the whiche susters ther was ne yet is no lytell noÌ„bre in the cyte of Senee And whan thys holy fader saynt domynyk cam to this mayde he coÌ„forted hir with suche wordes sayde Dought be of good coÌ„fort drede no manere of peryll for ryght as thou hast desyred this habyte she thought she receyued it and thankyd almyghty god and his worthy confessour Saynt Domynyke not wyth a lytyll gladnesse but wyth ioyefull teres that soo perfyghtely hadde coÌ„forted her And soo wyth wepyng she awoke was restoryd to her bodely wyttes ¶ And whan she was awaked she caught comforte and bodely strength of this vysyon and toke soo grete a boldenes of the truste that she hadde in our lorde that the same daye she called her fader and moder and bretheren togyders and sayde to theym boldely in this wyse Somtyme ye sayde vnto me and tretyd me longe tyme therof that I sholde bee wedded to a corruptyble and to a dedely man though I hadde abhomynacion of suche weddyng in myn herte as ye myght clerly perceyue by many dyuerse tokenes if ye hadde I wolde yet for the reuerence that I sholde shewe to my fader and moder by the bydyng of god vnto this tyme I excused me neuer clerly to you but now by cause I may noo lenger be styl I shall declare to you openly myn herte and purpoos The whiche purpoos it is not conceyued of newe but of chyldhode vnto this tyme â–ª therfore I wyl ye knowe it that in myn chyldhode I made avowe of virgynyte and serue oure lorde sauyour of alle the worlde and his blessyd moder gloryous vyrgyn marie our gloryous lady not chyldely but wyth a saâ— and a longe avysement And for a grete
cause I made avowe also that I shold neuer take husbond but hym alone Therfore now syth I am come by the sufferaunce of oure lord to a more perfyght age and knowleche and vnderston dyng wytte wete ye ryght well this is the same purpoos whiche is soo myghty and stroonge in myn sowle that it were more possyble hard flynt stones rather to be made nesshed than myn herte shold be wythdrawe fro this holy pnrpos and therfore the more ye laboure aboute thys thynge the more tyme ye lese Wherfore I counseyll you that ye leue of alle maner suche tretyng of weddynge as touchyng myn persone For therin shall I neuer fulfylle your wyll by cause that I sholde rather be obedyent to god than to man therfore yf ye wylle haue me suche one in your hous that I now serue god in this purpoos and for to be a commyn seruaunt to serue you all I am redy in all that I can or may to doo you seruyce gladly And yf ye wylle receyue me but for this cause that ye wylle putt me out of your hous I doo you well to wete that in noo wyse myn herte may be wythdrawe fro this holy purpos ¶ I haue an husbond and a spouse cryste Jhesu soo rychely and soo myghtely that wyll not suffre me in noo wyse to lacke no thyng But he wyll mynystre to me all that me nedeth Whan she hadde sayde alle thyse wordes alle that herde her speke fyll in wepyng and by cause of her plentnously syghynge and sobbynge they myght for that time gyue none answer They consyderid to the holy purpos of thys holy mayde the whyche they myght not wyth saye ne wythstonde they behylde also how styll the mayden had I kepte her how clene how pure vnto that tyme how bodely she declared her consciens by wordes of grete prudence also ouer more they sawe openli that she was rather diposed for to forsake her faders hous than for to breke her holy purpoos and soo they hadde nomore truste of her weddyng wherfore it lyked theym better for to wepe than for to gyue her answer Wythin a lytyll whyle after whan they hadde cesyd all her wepynge the fader that loued her soo tenderly had dredde of god and dred god soo hyghely hadde mynde of the coluer that he sawe and of many good dedes of the whiche she vsed The whiche dedes he gretely merueylyng gaue her suche an answere and sayde Dere doughter god forbede it that we sholde ony thynge wylle or desyre agaynste the wyll of god For the whiche wyll and fro the whiche wyll we knowe well thys holy purpoos cometh fro Therefore it is soo that we ben taught by longe experyence And now openly we see that thou art not steryd herto by the lyghtenesse of chyldhode but by feruent charyte of god Make thy vowe therfore frely and doo as the lyketh and as the holy ghoost techeth the ¶ And fro this tyme forward we shall neuer lette the from thyn holy purpoosne thyne ghostely excercise but only praye for vs besely that we maye bee made worthy to the promys and the byheste of thyn ghoostely spouse whom thou haste chose by his specyall grace in thyn tender age ¶ Thenne he tourned hym to hys wyf and to his chyldren and sayde none of you from this tyme forward be to my ne dere donghter greuous None be soo hardy from this tyme forward to let her in ony wyse to suffer her to serue her spouse freely and she to praye for vs be sely We myght neuer haue founde a better husbond to her thenne he is the whiche vochesauf to be so nere of our kynde for to wedde our doughter and haue her to wyf Therfore we haue none cause to pfayne vs sythe it soo is that we haue receyued now for a dedely man ▪ vndedely god and man to be her spouse ¶ Whan the fader hadde sayde thyse wordes wyth wepynge and wyth weylyng bothe of theym selfe and also of other that herde theym and hym speke and namely of the moder that louyd this mayde in maner flesshely then̄e this holy maide Katheryn ioyefully thanked oure lorde that brought her to this vyctorye and also her fader and moder wyth alle maner of lowenes dysposyng her self to vse profytably the lycence that was graūted to her And this is the ende of this chapytre ¶ But now I wylle ye knowen that redyn or heren this booke that Mayster Reymound confessour to this holy mayde knewe neuer by reuelacion of the fader that sawe the coluer the whiche restyd on this blessyd maydens hede for the fader was deed or thā Mayster Reymoūd knewe this blessyd mayde But he knewe it by reuelaciō of Cosyns that dwellyd in the faders hous the whiche cosins recorded and bare wytnes that the fader sawe suche a culuer wyth her ofte tymes And therfore he hadde her in greate reuerence and he wold in noo wyse that she hadde be lettyd or troublyd ¶ Of the vysyon that she sawe of saynt Domynyk bothe mayster Reymound her confessour afore hym knewe it by tellyng of this holy mayde And whan mayster Reymound examyned her of the wordes that she sayde laste to her fader moder and brederen and how she byhad her in her pesecucions she tolde hym alle by ordre mekely as it was ¶ Of the hardenesse of her bodely penaūce of afflyction what persecucion she fuffred therfore of her moder Capitulū vj WHan this deuoute mayde hadde receyued so large a lycence that was graunted her of longe tyme desyred afore She beganne ryght quyckely for to dyspose merueylously alle her lyf to the seruyse of god ¶ Att the begynnyng she asked to haue a lytyll chambre to her self and so had de it wherin she purposed to tourmente her body wyth penaunce as in a wyldernesse that she myght haue the more fredome of sowle for to serue our lord How moche and how harde penaunce she vsed in tourmentyng of her body And how grete loue she hadde in seyng of hyr spouse in that lytyll chambre there maye noo tongue suffre to telle Neuertheles I haue rehersed som what in generall of her grete penaunce And now I purpose to telle you maydens in speciall vnder fewe wordes the hardnesse of her penaunce soo that ye of the grete vertuous herbes of her holy lyuyng maye taste somwhat of the fruyte that growen aboute the herber bothe of the fyrst and of the laste And for the condycions and the kyndis of the fruyt it shall be declared by the helpe of god afterward And the cause why that in this place is rehersyd som̄e what of her fruyte full vertuous lyuing is for nothynge ellys But for the maydens sholde be the more able and redyer to ghostely excercyse In this lytyll chābre that was graunted her ofte tymes she consydered swetely the ghostely werkis of our old faders of Egypte And in ghostely werkys was to her soo moche the more merueylous and that
that the moost traueylle that euer she hadde was for to ouercome slepe It was soo harde a bataylle for her or she myght haue the vyctorye of it Yet more ouer as her confessour recorded off her yf she myght haue founde ony body that cowde hadde vnderstonde her and commyned wyth hyr of vertue And of the goodnes of god it shold not greue her though she hadde been wythout mete or drynke and slepte an hondred dayes and an hondred nyghtes she sholde neuer haue be wery but rather the fressher and she gladder She tolde ofte tymes to her confessour that she was neuer soo well refrysshed in spyryt in thys lyf as whan she myght fynde wyth whome she myght commyne of the goodnes of god And that knewe well tho the whiche were conuersaunt wyth her ¶ This was openly perceyued in her whan she myght haue leyser to speke off god that tho thynges of vertu the whiche were hyd in her herte appieryd strongely by ghostely gladnesse in the body outwarde ¶ And whan she hadde noo leyser to talke of oure lorde thenne she was feble Herof bereth wytnesse her confessour Mayster Reymound to the worshyp of god and of his owne shame that oftymes Whan this holy mayde wolde speke of the goodnes of our lorde and of the greate myseryes that he shewed to her by cause of the longe tyme of her contynuaunce in spekyng And also by cause he was ferre from her louyng as he sayde hym selfe He fyll in a slombryng and alwaye she contynued forthe in spekynge For she was reysyd vp by loue in to the breste of oure lorde nothyng perceyuynge that he was a slepe tyll a longe tyme afterward And whan she perceyued that he was a slepe wyth a grete voys she awoke hym sayde why lese here ye the prouffyte of our sowle for a lytyll slepe speke I to a walle or to yow ¶ Ferthermore she desyred aboue alle this to folowe the stappes of the holy fader Saynt Domynyke And that was in this wyse she receyued euery day theyes dyscyplyne wyth an yron chayne The fyrst dyscyplyne was for her self The seconde for alle tho that were a lyue And the thirde for them that were deed ¶ Thus we rede in the legende of saynt Domynyk that he vsed contynually therfore she vsed the same longe tyme afterward ¶ But after tyme she was feblyd with sekenes that she myght no longer vse hyt ¶ And whanne hyr confessour axyd of hyr pryuely how in what wyse she vsed that manere of penaunce wyth a grete shamefastenesse she knowleched to hym ¶ That in euery dysciplyne she occnpyed an houre and an halfe so that for the moost partye the blode folowed foo the sholdres doune to the fete ¶ Loo maydens what perfeccyon was in thys holy maydens sowle that thryes in the daye lete hyr self blood for goddys loue shedyng hyr blood for hys blood Seeâ—ye not in what vertue she was of that wyth out ony exaumple or Informacyon of ony man in erthe that vsed suche grete penaunce wyth in hyr faders how 's Redeth Sayntes lyues and wrytyng of holy faders of Egypte leueth none vnsought but sercheth ouer all and espye whether ye fynde ony lyke to hyr Ye shall fynde Saynt Powse the fyrst heremyte lyued longe in deserte But a crowe brought hym euery daye half a lof to hys mete Ye may also fynde saynt Anthonye a full holy lyuer and dyd grete meruayllous penaunce yet he wente to dyuers ankrys aboute and of eche of them he gadred somme floures of vertue Ye may also fynde of Saynt Hyllaryon an holy lyuer Yet as Saynt Jerome seyth he was fyrst enformed to vertuous lyuyng of Saynt Anthonye and ro wente to deserte and there myghtly ouercam hys enemyes Ye may fynde also of Macharye and Arsenye and many other whyche is longe to telle of that had techers to vertuous lyuyng one or moo bothe in worde and also in exsaumple what in deserte or in Relygion And this holy mayde had nethyr hyr doctryne to vertues in Relygyon nother in deserte But in hyr faders how 's wythout ony Informacyon or exaumple of ony man in erthe and there to came to a grete perfeccyon of abstynence notwythstondyn ge the manyfolde lettyng the whyche she suffred in hyr faders how 's Shall I yet saye more of thys maydens commendacyon I praye you lystene a lytel whyle I shall telle how holy wrytte maketh mencyon that Moyses fasted twyes fourty dayes wyth out mete and drynke and Ely ones and our lord Ihesu cryst also as the Gospell sayth that thei fasted more by many yeres contynued Holy wrytte telleth not Saynt Johan baptyst though he were in deserte he lyued by hony soukeles and herbes But symply that he fasted I fynde nowhere I wryton Of Marye magdelyne allone hyr storye maketh mencyon of hyr lyf that she fastyd euery yere fourty dayes to gyder wyth out mete or drynke thre and thyrty yeres folowyng leuyng in a Roche of the see There for I trowe it was that our lord and hye blyssed moder commytted hyr to thys holy mayde for to be hyr may stresse and hyr moder as it is somwhat I touched afore And as it shall clerely be de declared afterward by the helpe of god By thys may ye knowe that thys holy mayde had a specyall yefte and a synguler grace of god Not that she is preferryd in holy lyuynge aboue alle the Sayntes the whyche ben rehersed afore For that were a full odyous comparyson So for to make suche lykenes bytwene Sayntes among whiche sayntes our sauyour Ihesu Cryst is I nempned to whome for to lyken ony saynt in comparyson of holy lyuyng that sholde be euen wyth hym it were blasfemye al tho other sayntes whyche ben named they be not rehersed for to make lykenesse in merites of lyuyng but that ye shal consydere and take hede fyrst of the grete magnyfycence of our lord Ihesu cryst that euery day by hys gracyous plentuous largenes multâ—plyed hys newe yeftes and grace where wyth he arayeth ghostly maketh perfyte hys chosen sowles Another also that ye shall consydere and take of the grete synguler worthynesse in hyr was noo Iniurye ne wronge to other sayntes For holy chyrche syngeth and seyth specyally syngulerly of euery saynt by hym self Thes wordes of Salamon Non est inueÌ„tus similis illi That is none I founde lyke to thys These wordes muste be vnderstonde of the grete myght and large fredom of our lord makyng holy and perfyte hys chosen sowles The whyche may wylle endowe arraye euery saynt syngulerly wyth a specyall yefte of grace wyth out ony wronge of other Of alle thys mater now I shall cesse and procede forth in the fyrst purpose By thyse condycyons of abstynence of thys holy mayde may be vnderstoÌ„de clerely that she was lene in body that wyth so many herdenes of penaunce and sharpe afflyccyonâ— was so often tymes tamed and all was for to make hyr body
of her susters not consyderyng the opyn tokens of grace that were shewed in her dyuerse tymes But rather they myghi be lykened to the pharysens that seyth the opyn myracles the whyche our lord wrought And yet they grutched by cause he helyd a man vpon the sabat daye seyng thus ¶ Non est hic homo a deo qui sabbatum non custodit That is this man is not of god hals that kepeth not his sabat daye This holy mayde whan she hadde receyued her habyte of penaunce â–ª she besyed her what she cowde to obeye to her souereyns and therto she durst not forsake the waye of vertuous lyuynge the whiche our lord taught her by hym self soo that bytwene thyse two she was sore angwisshed in tourment that ther maye none tongue telle it ne penne wryte it Was this not trought ye maydens a martyrdome for her I trowe yeis A a lorde god ofte was it sayde to her in repref that all her vysyons come nought of god but of the fende ¶ Notwythstondyng that they the whiche sawe in her many merueylous werkes and that therto they myght see that all her lyf was myracle as it shall declared more clerely here after Now was this a stronge martyrdome as me semeth ¶ And as touchyng to pouerte of lynyng she kepte soo perfyghtly that vertu pouerte that she beyng in her faders hous and housholde where greate plente was of temperall goodes for her self she toke no thynge but that she wolde gyue frely to poure folke And therto her fader gaue her a specyall leue ¶ She loued soo moche pouerte that as she sayde preuyly to her confessoure she hadde neuer ioye of her faders hous by cause temperall goodes were soo plenteuosly vsed therin And therfore she prayed oure lord hertely that he wolde vochesauf to tak awaye that rychesse And brynge hyr frendes to pouerte seyng in this wyse Lorde whether this good that aboundeth soo plentuously in myn faders hous by that good I sholde aske for myn frendes and nought oonly of good euerlastyng I knowe well lord that amonges thyse temperall goodes there is moche peryll medeled amonge And therfore I wolde nought myn frendes were encombred wyth theym ¶ Whan she hadde thus prayed our lorde of his goodnes herde her prayers and suffred hee frendes Fader and moder and other of her kynne to falle to ryght lowe pouerte by many merueylous chaunces wythout ony trespaas of theym As it was well knowe to all tho that knewe theym whyles they lyued By this may ye knowe that this mayden kepte full dewely the thre pryncipall vowes of relygyon That is obedyence chastyte and pouerte all be it that she made none avowe openly whan she receyued her habyte of penaunce Now shall I telle you of her perfection after tyme she hadde receyued her habyte whan she hadde receyued habyte as our holy fader Saynt domynyke promysed her she began anone swete vertuous lyuynge and sought occacions and causes for to constreyne her self more streyghtly than she dyde afore that she myght the more deuoutlye loue her spouse Ihesu seyng to her self in this wyse Lo thou hast now take vp on the a maner of relygyon thou mayst nomore lyue as thou hast doo thy seculer lyuynge is goo And a newe relygyon is come after the whiche reule thou must nedes be reuled Sâ—est thou not the colour of thyn clothes the nedeth now fro this time forward to kepe perfyghtly pouerte and clennesse of body and sowle whiche be tokeneth bi the whyte cote The nedeth also to be dede to the worlde the whiche betokenneth by the blake mantel therfore see to thy self how thou gouerneste the for thou muste now goo in the streyte waye that fewe walken ynne For the more sekernesse therfore of kepyng of her pouerte and cleÌ„nesse ¶ This holy mayde purposed her to kepe sylence full streyte and not for to speke but whan she shold be shryue And as her confessour both sayde and wrote that was afore Mayster Reymound â–ª thre yere contynuelly she kepte her sylence but whan she wolde beshryue She kepte her also contynuelly in her chambre But whan she wolde goo to the chyrche for her mete she hadde none nede to goo out It was lytyll and soone doo For she vsed to ete none maner of mete that was made by the fyre out taken breed alone as it is rehersed afore ¶ Also she made an ordynaunce in her owne herte neuer to come to mete but wyth wepyng soo that euer afore mete she wolde offre to our lord teres for to fede her soule fyrst And than afterwarde wolde she susteyne her body wyth mete ¶ Her faders how 's was to her as a wyldernesse and deserte notwythstondyng the confluence of peple that were therin ¶ Besyde all this what wakyng what prayers what medytacions and what teres she vsed I trowe there is none tongue cowde telle ¶ She made also an other ordynaunce in her self that whan her bretheren the freer prechours stepte she wolde wake And whan the friers hadde tonge the ij peel to matyns and anone erst wolde she seye than her spouse Ihesu Cryste in this wyse Loo lorde myn bretheren And thyn seruauntes haue I rested theÌ„ in to this tyme and I haue prayed for theym to the that thou sholdest kepe them fro deuelys and fro the ouercomyng off the fendes ¶ Now lorde they be aryse to praye to the therfore lorde I praye the kepe theym and gyue me leue to reste a whyle And soo she laye doune vpon hard bordes and a stoke vnder her hede in stede of a bolster ¶ Our lord Ihesu her gracious spouse seyng all this in this mayde the whiche gaue her all thyse graces wolde not suffer soo able and soo dylygent a dyscyple to be vntaught wythout a perfyght mayter Nother man ne angell But he hym self wolde be her informer of vertu Anone as she was shett vp in her chambre oure lorde Ihesu Cryste her well beloued spouse and sauyour of alle mankynde appieryd to her and taught her and enformed her fully of tho thynges that longeth to the helthe of sowle as she her self tolde priuely after ward to her confessour and sayde to hym thyse wordes Fader vnderstondeth this for a trouthe that I was neuer taught ne enformed ony thynge that longeth to helth of sowle of man ne of woman but oonly off myn lorde Ihesu the spouse of my sowle other by his inspyracion or ellys by hys open apperyng spekyng to me as I nowe speke to you ¶ She knowleched also to her confessour that in the begynnyng of that vysyon whan it apperyd openly to her bodely wyttes soo that she perceyued wyth her bodeli erys a voys she began to waxe a ferd lest it hadde be a deceyte of the fende that ofte tymes transfygureth hym in to an Angell of lyght the whiche feer in noo wyse dysplesyd our lorde but rather he commended that feer and sayde As longe as a man or a woman lyueth in this lyf
in suche a vessell by kynde seke bryttell But by grace meruaylously made strong and precyous And thus I make an ende of this chapytre All thoo thynges the whiche mayster Reymond was taught enfourmed of this holy mayde he hath declared them openly in this chapytre Outake one thyng that he was charged by hyr to kepe it pryuely of a certeyn reuelacion as it is rehersed a fore ¶ Of a noble doctryne whyche our lord gaf to hyr in her begynnyng and of other doctrynes in the whyche he founded hyr maner of lyuyng Capitulum x SYth it so is that the grounde the foundament of trust and byleue touche the reuelacyons of this holy mayde by the helpe of god is declared in the chapytre that goth afore Therfore now I shall procede forth shewe you the spyrytuall edyfycacyon of this same mayde And by cause that trewe sowles feythfull ben fedde and edyfyed by the wordes of our lord Therefor I shall telle you shewe you a notable doctryne of the whiche this holy mayde was taught of our lord him self Thys holy mayde tolde to hyr confessours amonges whom mayster Reymond was one that in the begynnyng of hyr vysyons our lord appyred to hyr whan she prayed sayde to hyr in this wyse Knowest thou not doughter who thou arte and who I am yf thou knowe well these two wordes thou art and shalt be blessyd Thou art she that art not and I am he that am Yf thou haue the veray knoweleche of these two thynges in thy soule thy ghostly enemye shall neuer dysceyue the. But thou shalt escape gracyously all his snares ne thou shalte neuer consente to ony thyng that is ayenst my commaundementes and preceptes But alle grace alle treuthe alle charyte thou wylte wynne wythout ony hardenesse And now is this a bryef worde and a grete in maner Infynyte and endeles Oo this is a grete wysdome expressyd vnder fewe syllables Whether this be not that leng the that brede that heythe and that depthe the whiche saynt Poule desyred for to haue wyth all sayntes I trowe yes Oo dere maydens consydereth beholdeth meruayllously this Incomparable tresoure the whiche is founde in this holy maydes breste For our lord Jhesu that vndeceyuable trouth seyth to this holy mayde thus Yf thou knowe thyse two thynges in thy sowle the fende shall neuer deceyue the Me semeth it is full good for you to make here thre tabernacles or dwellyng places vnto the worshyp of god that excellent doctouâ— the whiche tâ—ched the vnderstondyng of thyse fruytfull wordes Another to the loue and deuocyon of this holy mayde Katheryne The whiche receyued the holsom doctryne of this fewe fruytfull wordes And the thyrde to the ghostly tresoure of valour of all tho the whiche fynden lyf in this fewe fruytfull wordes In the vnderstondyng of thoo fruytfull wordes now be founden had ghostly rychesse so plenteuously that it shall no nede be to alle tho that haue soo founde this ghostly rychesse for to begge of other A whether this bryef fruytfull sentence be not trewe where it is sayde Art not thou she that is not I troweyes Euery creature is made of our maker Jhesu cryst of nought So ferforth that yf our lord Jhesu cryst oure maker wolde cesse for a tyme be it neuer so lytell fro conseruacyon of hys creature that he hath made Anone that creature shold torne in to nought whan soo euer a creature doth synne the whyche synne in hym self is nought Ne of hym self he may noo thynge do or thynke that is ought As Saynt Poule seyth And that is meruaylle for he may not be ne haue beyng of him self ne yet be conserued of him self in his beyng And therfore the aposâ—le sayd Qui se existimat aliâ—uid esse cuÌ„ nichil fit ipse se seduciâ— That is he that wenyth he be ought he is nought he decey ueth hym selfe Seâ—st thou not mayde how noughty a creature is A creature made of nought euer of him self â—owyng to nought by synne maketh him self noughte as Saynt Austyn sayd for he may noo thyng do that is ought by hym self but rather that is nought as oure lorde sayd Sine me nichil poâ—â—stis sacere That is wythout me ye may do ryght nought the whyche nought is synne Therfore ye may wel clerely know by this that a creature of hym self is nought And that knewe well Sayntâ—s afore thys tyme the whiche by knoweleche of this veray wysdom excluded veraâ—ly out of theyr sowles alle manere of synne What manere of Inflacyon of synne may entree in to suche a sowle the whiche knoweth hir self nought How may she be ioyfull in vayne glorye of ony good werke that euer she dyd the whiche knoweth wel I nough that suche good dedys come neuer from hir but fro god How may suche a sowle enhaunce hir selfe by pryde aboue other that holdeth hyr self nought How may a sowle that thus settâ—th hir self at nought Inwardely despyse other other haue enuye to other How may ony creature haue vaynioye in outwarde rychesse that now hath dyspysed all his owne ioye of hym self I trowe suche a creature is taught by the wordes of our lord endeles wysdom where he sayd Siego quero gloriam meam gloria mea nichil est That is yf I seek myn owne ioye my ioye is nought Also how may suche a creature that knowed hym self in no wyse his owne but onely his that made hym see of alle outwarde thynges this is myne syth he hym self is not his How myght make suche a creature to haue delectacyon in flesshely synnes that euery day restreyneth hym self by suche manere consyderacion of nought Loo maydens by this bryef fruytfull wordes thou art nought ye may consydere that all maner of synne is and may be excludeth That other bryef fruytful worde that oure lorde sayde to this holy mayde is this I am he that am whether this bryef fruytful worde be a newe worde ye forsothe bothe newe olde This is that olde worde that our lorde sayde to Moyses in the sussh the whiche semyd brennyng whan he sayde Qui est misit me That is say to the chyldren of Israel He that is sente me to you Hit is also now a newe worde by cause it is newe reherfed to this holy mayden in lyke wordes that she the whiche by the fyrst bryef fruytfull sentence was I taught to knowe hir self nough sholde lerne by the nexte fruytfull sentenâ—e to aske our lorde ought the whiche is the endeles welle of all essencyall beyng By thyse bryef fruytfull sentencys may ye knowe that a creature is nought of hym self For all that he hath of vertue and of beynge cometh of god maker of all creatures Almyghty god maker of al creatures hath onely of hym self and of none other endeles perfeccyon of essencyall beynge For he myght neuer forme and make all thyng of nought but yf he had an Infynyte vertue of essencyall beyng in hym self
Wherfore alle that euer oure lorde Jhesu that souerayne mayster taught his spouse in tho two bryef sentences as it is rehersed afore is no thyng ellys but this that she sholde knowe hir self as she is and our lord verayly as for hir maker in the depnes of hir herte and thenne she sholde be blessyd In the same wyse I fynde I wryten that he sayd to saynt Kâ—theryne the virgyn and marter Whan he vysytre hir in prysone Doughter knowe me for thy maker Of suche manere of knoweleche cometh all maner of perfeccyon and all ordynate settyng of the sowle What is he that may not loue so large and so free a gyuer wyth all his herte and all his sowle what is he that is not styred euery day more and more to loue suche a lorde that fyrst er thanne he made his creatures he loued hem not for theyr deserue and meryte but onely by his Infynte goodnes ¶ What is he that ferth not and dredeth contynually to offende in ony maner of wyse soo grete and soo dredefull a maker soo myghty and soo large a gyuer soo gladsom and soo free a louer What is he that may not gladdely suffre all manere of dyseases for suche a lorde of who me he hath receyued and receyuyth day by day and hopeth to receyue wythoute ony deubte soo manyfolde goodnesse What is he that sholde be wery or tormented by sekenes to please so amyable a lorde What is he that endeyneth to kepe reuerently and louyngly in hys mynde the blessyd wordes that suche a lorde wouchesaue to hys creatures ¶ What is he that wyll not gladdely obeye to the commaundementes and pretho thynges that the sowle loueth the whiche desyre may not be hadde wiwout werke soo ferforth that in as moche it loueth soo moche it werketh And yet neuertheles it trusteth nought in her owne werke as in her owne self but only in our lorde that worched in her The cause of this louely desyre is noothynge ellys but the very knoleche off god that he is aulterd therfore amonge all other merueylaus thynges of this holy mayde she helde that doctryne the whiche our lord taught her syngulerly to bee worshy pâ—ed To the whiche wurshypfull doctryne yet shall I adde more to For but yf I be gretly dysceyued all they come out of the fyrst notable doctryne Ofte tymes this holy mayde was wouÌ„t to comyn and to speke to tor confessoure Mayster Reymound of the worthynes and condycions that our lord loued off a sowle And she sayde that suche a sowle perceyued not ne seeth not ne loued her self ne none other sowle ne hadde none mynde of none creature This was a full hard word to Mayster Reymound for to vnderstonde and therfore he prayed this hooly mayde for to declare it Thenne she sayde a sowle seeth her selfe that she is verely nought of her self and knoweth perfyghtly that all the goodnes wyth alle the myghtes of the sowle is her maker ¶ She forsaked viteâ—ly her self And alle creature and hedeth her self fully in her maker our lord Jhesu in soo moche that she sendeth fully and pryncypaly all her ghostely and bodely werkynges in hym In whom she perceyued that she maye fynde all goodnes and all perfection off blessydnes and therfore she shalle haue none wyll to goo out from suche inwarde knowleche of hym for nothynge And of this vinte and loue that is encresed euery daye in suche a sowle She is transfourmyd in a maner in to oure lord that she may neyther thynke ne vnder stonde ne loue ne haue no mynde but god or ellys in god she maye not see her self ne none other creatures but onely in god Ne she may not loue her self ne none other but only in god Ne she maye not hane mynde in her self ne of none other but only in god ne she maye haue no mynde but only in her maker Ryght as a man that is vnder a water and swymmeth vnder the water nether seeth ne touched nothyng but water and that is vnder the water And thynge that he is aboue the water he neyther toucheth ne seeth of that that is aboue the water it shy neth vnder the water for that he may perceyue and yet none other wyse but in the water And as they maye byshewed in water as longe as he is voder the water Ryght so fareth it of a sowle that is hyd in the loue of god ¶ All this she lerned of our lorde that dyuyne loue the whiche neuer teched errour to his meke dyscyples ne gyueth theym cause to coueyte ony thynge wyth out hym For euer her ghostely excersyse in is hym ¶ Another tyme this holy mayde reher syd in presence of her confessour Maister Reymound and to many other that wer called to clennes of lyuyng A full notable doctryne and a vertuous the whiche is good for pure maydens to knowe Who 's chast lyuyng is full speâ—yally to god And the more ye ben met ner to god by swete meke maydenhede the sonner ye maye vnderstonde that vertuous doctryne And it is this that a sowle the whiche is vertuously I mette to god as it is rehersed afore As moche as it hath of the loue of god Soo moche it hath of the hate of her owne sensualyte For of the loue of god naturally cometh hate of synne the whiche is do ne agaynst god the sowle theâ—fore consyderyng that the rote and the begynnynge of synne regneth in the sensualyte there pryncypally is roted She meued and storyd hyghely and holyly wyth alle her merytes agaynst her owne sensualyte not for to vtterly destroye the rote For that mayr not be longe the sowle dwelleth in the body lyuyng in this lyffe But euer it shall be lefte a rote namely of smale venyall synnes Wherto accordeth ryght well saynt Johan whan he sayth thus Si diximus quia peccatuÌ„ non habemus ipsi nos seducimus c. That is yf we saye that we haue noo maner of synne in our sensualytes namely of venyall synÌ„es â–ª we desceyue oure self And by cause she maye not vtterly destroye that rote of synne thus in her sensualyte as it is sayde afore She conceyued a grete displesaunce agaynst sen sualyte and of her sesuâ—lyte The whiche dyplesaunce spyngin vp an hooly hate and a dysplrsyng of her sensualyte by the whiche the sowle is euer wel kepte fro her ghostely ennemyes ¶ There is noo thynge that kepeth the sowle soo stronge and soo syker as doth suche an holy haâ—e and that felt well the Appostle whan he sayde Cum infirmot tunc forcior sum et potens ¶ That is whan I am feble and syke in myn sensualyte by hate of synne Thenne I am the stronger and myghty er in myn sowle Loo fader of suche hate cometh vertu and of swete febylnesse and sykenesse cometh â–ª strengthe And of suche displesaunce cometh plesaunce ¶ Suche holy hate fader haue euer with you For it shall make you meke and euer to fele meke
so frely so charytable that it voyded awaye fro me the peyne of colde Therfore I shall now gyue the a cote the whiche shall be Inuysyble to men but to the it shall be sensyble Out of myn holy body I shall take it and hyue it the by the whiche bothe thy body and thy sowle may be keuered and kepte from noyous colde vnto the tyme that they shall be arayed in ioye wythout an ende a fore my sayntes and angels Anone forth wyth he toke out a clothe of a sangueyne colour wyth hys holy hondes out of the wounde of his syde shynyng alle aboute to the quantyte mesure of the maydens bodye Where wyth he arayed hyr wyth hys owne holy hondes and sayd Thys clothe I gyue the all the whyle thou dwellest in erthe in token of thy clothe of ioye that thou shalt be arayed wythin heuen Thus this vysyon cessyd After that the holy mayde hadde soo grete grace in receyuyng of that ghostly gyfte not onely in hir sowle but also in hir body that fro that houre in to hyr endyng daye she neded neuer to were moo clothes in wynter thanne in somer For were the wedder neuer so colde she vsed no mo clothes than a cote and a kertell For euer afterward as she semed she felte that ghostly cote vpon hyr the whiche our lord gaf hir and that was the cause that she felte no colde See ye not maydens of what worthynes this holy mayde was that folowed Saynt Nycholas in gyuyng of atmespryuely and folowed saynt martyn in gyuyng of hyr owne clothes the whiche our lord allowed by hys holy apperyng to thys blessyd mayde And there to gaf hyr a sensyble and an euerlastyng token for to fele in erthe how plesauÌ„t almes dedes ben to hym Me semeth that whan our lorde sayd to thys holy mayde that he wolde she we hyr that lytell crosse at the daye of dome the whiche she gaue in almes And also that he wolde araye hyr wyth a clothe of ioye in heuen is no thyng ellys but a sikernes of endeles helthe And therto an excellent ioye in blysse for hir mede Therfore maydens sett not lytell by suche reuelacyons and suche tokenes for sykernesse of endeles helthe onely causeth so grete ioye and so grete comforte in a sowle that it were impossyble a tongue to tell it or a penne to wryte it What foloweth after suche a sykernesse of ioye trowe ye to a sowle Trewely encrece of all vertue of pacyence of strengthe of temperaunce of besynesse and delygence in kepyng of hyr self in holy werkes of feyth of hope of charytr and of suche other vertues And all that were harde to suche a soule a fore ben made by suche comfort ryght esye Loo what grace suche predestynacyon notefyed to a clene sowle wercheth Another tyme also it befyll that thys holy mayde fulfylled wyth compassyon perceyued that ther was a man the whiche made him pore wylfully for goddes loue and lacked mete wherfore she toke preuely a lynnen bagge and fylled it wyth egges and bare it wyth hyr preuely vnder hyr â—oote to refresshe wyth that poure man whan she mette wyth him She came to the place there that the poure maâ— dwellyd and entred fyrst in to the chyrche there besyde for to praye And whan she was entred she bethought on our lord so Inwardly and anoue her spiryte was rauysshed soo that she was fully for that tyme wythdrawe from hyr outwarde wyttys as it is rehersed afore Whanne she was thus rauysshed it happed sodeynly that the body bowed to a pyler casuelly on that syde that the egges were on so that she lened fully vpon the bagge wyth egges thanne was ther in the same bagge for goten a fore a thymbyll as tayllours sowen wyth the whiche thymbyll was broken in thre partyes by burthon of hir body but the eyren that charyte hyd there were hole in noo partye broken Now was thys a meruayllous thyng that the eyren were hole and the thymbyll of coper was to broke so our lorde shewed there hys myracle in the charytable eyren For our lord shewed his helpe not only by this holy mayde to nedy folke but also he shewed hys myracle in hyr by werkes of his godhede And for to declare the more openly I shall tell you a meruaylles thyng of whiche meruayll were wytnes bothe men and woÌ„man aboute the nombre of xx of this maydens faders housholde Her moder Lapa tolde mayster Reymond hir doughters confessour that after tyme hir doughter thys holy mayde had leue of hyr fad to gyue almes It befylle that the meyne of the housholde had dronke amonges them a certeyn vessell of wyne so that the remenauÌ„t the whiche was lefte was not fresshe for to gyue to poure men in asmoche she had in custome to gyue them of the beste for goddes loue She went hyr than to the next vessell of wyne there besyde in hyr faders seller and tamed that for poure folke And gaf them largely ther of euery day as they neded many dayes to gyder and it was not aspyed of the meyne At the last whan the fyrst vessell was done the boteler mynystred drynke to the meyne of the vessell the whyche the holy mayde had tamed Yet the holy mayde left not therfore but alwaye she gaue ther of to the poure folke and the more the meyne dronke the more largely she gaue to poure folke and it was not aspyed ne the wyne was neuer the vnfressher ne neuer the lasse in the vessell but allewaye kepte his estate bothe in fulnesse in fresshenesse Alle the meyne of the housholde gretely meruaylled ther of that the vessell contynued so long and the wyne was so good and so fresshe for it was well knowe a fore that suche a vessell of wyne myght not laste ouer xv dayes or xx dayes at the ferthest Neuerthelesse it contynued not onely xx dayes but a full moneth complete And yet it semyd that the vessell was noo wyse lessened All the meyne had meruayll ther of that the wyne was so good so fresshe lastyd so long For better wyne them semed they tastyd neuer It was vnknowe to them all how that myght be but the holy mayde knewe well I nogh that it was by myracle of our lord by cause of the almes that she gaue ther of the more largely to the poure folke And therfore she gaue ther of the more largely to pour folke openly that all the meyne myght see it and yet it semed neuer the lesse in the vessell O moneth was passyd an other began to entre yet the wyne contynued euer lyke fresshe lyke full as it dyd fyrste in to the tyme the grapes were rype for to make newe wyne Whenne the gâ—apes were rype vessellys were ordeyned for to be fylled wyth newe wyne the mayster of the wyne bad commauÌ„ded that the vessell whiche coÌ„tynued so long wyth olde wyne sholde be emptyed and fyllyd with newe wyne
she myght whome she had first in grete repreue and soo she accused her self wyth spekynge and tokens makyng asked her mercy and forgyuenesse of her trespaas as she myght speke and soo she was shryue and hoselyd and passyd out of this worlde wyth grete contrycion Whan she was passed out of this world thenne our lorde shewed to this holy mayde her sowle in soo grete bryghtnesse and fayrnes that as she knowleched afterward to her confessour it myght not be tolde ne spoken wyth mannys tongue Yet was not that the fayrenesse that she sholde haue in blysse endelesly but oonly the fayrenes that she hadde in her first creacion and in receyuyng of her baptysme And thenne sayde our lord to this hooly mayde loo dere doughter by the I haue receyned this soule that was loste is thys not a fayre soule and a semely Loo is he or she that wyll not doo her besines for wynnyng of suche a fayre sowle yf that I am the most souerayn fayrnes of whom cometh alle maner of vertues fayrnesse was so oucome thrugh loue of fairnesse of manÌ„ys soule that I wold come doun froheueÌ„ to erthe shedde my blode for to rauÌ„som it moche ye thenne shold laboure so eyther for other the so fayr a creature be not lost for this cause I haue shewed the this soule that thou may the more her afterward be â—â—erid for to wynne soules to me and also that thou may stere other to the same grace This holy mayde thenne thanked our lord for his blessyd reuelacion prayng hym mekely wyth alle the affeccion of her sowle that he wolde vouchesaf to gyue her that grace euer afterward that she myght see the fayrnesse of euery soule of all tho the whiche been conuersaunt wyth her so the more be steryd for to winne her helthe the whiche grace oure lorde graunted her and sayde by cause thou haste despised for myn sake all maner of flesshely conuersacion and art knytte to me in the spyryte the whiche am the moost souerayn spyryte and also haste prayed soo besely and soo deuotily fore this sowle therfore now I gyue thy soule clere syght by the whiche thou mayste perceyue and beholde bothe the fayrenes and the fylthes of euery soule that is present afore the So that as thy bodely wittes afore this tyme haue perceyued the condycions of bodyes ryght so from this tyme forward thyn ghostely wyttes sholde perceyue and consydere the conditions of the spyrytes not only of tho the whilche ben I presented to the but also of all other for whos helpe thou shalt praye though they neuer be presented to thy bodely syght ¶ The grace of this gyfte was euer after ward soo spedefull in this holy mayde that fro that tyme forward she perceiued more clerly the qualytes and dedes â–ª of the sowles of theym the whiche aperyd afore her than of her bodyes so ferforth that in a tyme Mayster Reymound her confessour complayned to her of somÌ„e that grutched vppon her by cause that she suffred many dyuerse persones to knele afore her wolde not byd theym stonde vp To whom she ausâ—terd in this wyse God knoweth fader that I am occupyed aboute the consyderacion of her sowles that I perceyued nothyng in maner of outward dedes Thenne asked her confessour of her and sayde whederâ—ye see her sowles To whom she answerd thus Fader vnder confessyon I shewe to you that after tyme our sauyour hadde I gyue me suche a grace that I sawe the fayrnesse off myn sufters soule the whiche was ordeyned to be dampned for her trespaas by his right wysdom he delyuerd mercyable by mym prayers shewed me afterward He fayrenes ther apperyd afterwar vnnethe afore me but that I sawe the condycions of theyr sowles and therfore fader I am syker if ye hadde onys seen the fayrenesse of a resonable sowle ye wold suffre an hondred tymes bodely deth if it were possyble for the wynnyge off a soule there is nothyng in wis worlde that maye be lykened to her fayrnesse whaÌ„ here oÌ„fessour herd this he prayed her that she wolde vouchesaf to tell hym all the processe how she come to suche a reuclacion Thenne this holy mayde tolde him al the processe as it is reherced afore all bee it though she tolde it but shortly and me kely of the trespas of her seke suster done agaynst her But her confessour afterward enquyred the sothe of that odyous cryme of her susters the whiche knewe theÌ„ both well ynow Ferthermore to the more coÌ„fyrmacion of thyse thynges that benrehersed a fore maister Reymound her coÌ„fessour recordeth of her that he was ofte tymes a speker bytwene her the pope gregori xj For she was an ytaly coude vnd stonde none latyn the pope Gregorye coude vnderstonde none ytaly therfore Mayster Reymound her confessour that coude bothe was a speker bytwene them Amonges alle other communycacions that this holy mayde communyd wyth pope Gregory she complayned her of the court of Rome And sayde that the that paradyse sholde be of vertu ther she founde stynche of cursed vices thenne the pope asked her by her confessour how longe she hadde be in the courte To whom she answerd sodenly wyth a meke boldenes to the pope in this wyse to the worshyppe of almyghty god I dare well say that I perceyued moche more the stynche of synne the whiche is vsed in the court of Rome at home in myn owne cyte there as I was borne thenne they that hath sinned and synne euery daye Thenne the pope after this answere helde his peas And was merueylously astonyed but her confessour maister Reymound merueylously marked he wordes and wyth what auctoryte they were spoken to suche a wourthy prelate Also ofte tymes it befyll bothe to mayster Reymound her confessour and to other that folowed that holy mayde in to dyuerse countrees where neyther she ne they came afore that ther come to her and to hym many vnknowen persons semely arayed for to comin with theym of vertu semyng as though they hadde be vertuous folke But in trouthe they encombred wyth wretched synnes whos synnes she perceyued anone wherfore she wolde neyther speke to theym netourne her face to theym And whan she sawe that they abode loÌ„ge Thenne she brake out a lytyll her voyce more than she was wonte to doo and sayde to theym suche wordes Fyrst we shold amende our lyf fro synne and goo out of the deuyles seruyce and thenne to speke of our lord WhaÌ„ she had said suche wordes she wente fro theym assone as she myght goodly And afterward her confessour and her felawes founde it sothe that they were e ncombred wyth wretched synnes in the whiche synnes they coÌ„tynued wythouten repentaunce Another tyme also she spake wyth a woman the whiche woman semed an honest womaÌ„ but in soth she was the concubyne of a man of holi chirche and that was grete pyte As they spake togyders the wymmen myght not loke vpon the
maidens face by cause euer the hooly mayde tourned awaye her face fro her Of this thynge her confessour hadde grete merueyle And in a tyme asked her why she dyde soo ¶ To whome she answerd and sayde Fader I am syker and ye hadde felt that stynche of synne that I felte in her ye wolde haue caste oute alle that is in your body for sqweymusnes Loo maydens all thyse ensamples haue I sett here for ye sholde knowe what excellent gyftes of grace our lord gaue to this hooly mayde by cause of her meke lyuyng ¶ Ouermore our ghoostely enemye the fend perceyuyng that this hooly mayde wan grete vertues by the seruyce that she dede to seke folke He thought by somme maner of wylle to wythdrawe her fro that holy besynes and yet myght he not For the more that he was aboute to lette her the more she encresyd vertuously by that occupacion ¶ It befyl in a tyme that one of the susters of penaunce whyche was called after the maner of the countree Andred This andred was touched bi the suffrauÌ„ce of oure lorde wyth a greuous infyrmyte and that was in this thyse She hadde vppon her brest a sore the whiche was called a cancer And that fretid the flesshe rounde aboute and it was soo corrupte that there myght none come nyghe her for stynche But yf they hylde her nose And soo there was fewe or none that myghte suffre to come nyghe her ¶ whanne this hooly Mayde perceyued this she vnderstoode that oure lord had receyued that seke suster to her kepyng Thenne anone she came to her that wyth a glad there she comforted her and she serued her gladly to the laste ende of her sekenes that seke suster toke her seruyce the more freely in as moche as she consydered that all other forsoke her this holy mayde lefte no thynge vndo that was longyng to her seke suster encresyd neuer her abhomynable stynche neuer so moche She stode by her and opened her wounde wasshed it and wepte it and coueryd it â–ª and yet neuer she hyldeth she her nose for noo stynche ne shewed none token of lothsomnes ne neuer was heuy ne wroth of seruyce ne wery about her but gladli dyd her dilygeÌ„t seruyce soo that her seke suster had merueyle of the grete stedfastenes and of the grete sufferaunce and of the grete fulnes of loue and charyte that was in so yonge a mayde Of this grete loue and charyte that she shewed to that seke suster the fende had grete enuye and was aboute to lette that dede of mercy and of charyte after his power ¶ Fyrst vpon a daye as this holy mayde was aboute to vnoouere her wounde for to wasshe it and wype it to refreissh it agayn â–ª there came out suche an odoure of stynche that vnnethe her stomake myght suffer it But almost she was brought to a vomyte Assone as she perceyued that she arose agaynst her self wyth an hyghe wrathe and sayde to her skeymons flesshe in this wyse whether the wretched flesshe haste abhomynacion now of thyn suster the whiche oure lorde boughte wyth his precious blode thou mayste falle euery daye in the same sykenesse that she is in or in verse trewely thou shalt be punysshed therfore Anone she bowed done to the sore and hyld her nose and her mouthe open agaynst the wounde soo longe vnto the tyme she felt in her selfe that her skeymousnes was goo and soo she ouer came the flesshe that was contrary to the spyryte The seke suster behelde this and cryed to her merueylyng and sayde cecedere doughter corrupte not thy selfe wyth this foule stynkyng sore ¶ This holy mayde for alle her cryenge wolde not aryse vp vnto the tyme she felt her enemye was ouercome and so she arose vp and he auoyded awaye fro her for a tyme But he consyderyng that he myght not haue the maystry of her wrought wylyly agaynst her by her seke suster He put in her herte suche an heuenes agaynst this holy mayde that she lotheth her seruyce and by lytyll and lytyll that malyce soo encresyd that lothenes was tourned in to an hate For though she knewe well ynow that there was none that wolde serue her but she But yet she sâ—cyd not of that pryuy hate but brake out agaynst her in to a suspycious gâ—losye for that is the condycion of theym that lyuen in hate euer lyghtely for to leue a suspycious thought of them that they hate And at the laste she began to ymage ne and bere her an honde that whan she was not present wyth her she was aboute somme actuell synne flesshely in somme other preuy places â–ª ¶ Yet wold not this holy mayde neuer sâ—ce of her holy seruise aboute her notwithstondyng suspycious ymagynacions I put agaynst her For she wel that wylecome by the deuyll and the more besy she was aboute her the more wrathfull was her seke suster agaynst her by exortacion and excitacion of the fende that euer hated the dedes of charite In so moche that he steryd that seke suster to slander thys holi mayde openly of the filthe of vnclenÌ„e and that scland was so open that at the last whanne that it came to hir susters he ryng somme of the oldest and of the sted fastest cam to thys seke suster for to knowe the trouthe Thanne the seek suster as she sdauÌ„dred hyr a fore ryght soo she contynued in the same sclaund to hir susters accusyng hir full foule actuell vnclennesse Of the whiche foule accusacy on thyse sustres were gretely a meruaylled and styred ageynst thys holy mayde and so was called forthe a fore them and sharpely rebuked wyth many repreuable wordes axyng of hir how she wold suffre hyr self so be deceyued for to lese hyr maydenhode To whome thys holy mayde answerd full pacyently and softely seynge thus â–ª Trewely ladyes and sustres by the grace of our lord Jhesu cryste I am a mayde And neuer wold she say other worde in blamyng of hyr that so had accused hyr but onely thus Trewely I am a mayde trewely I am a mayde Yet for all thys she cessyd neuer of hyr seruyse all be it that it was full heuysom to hir for to here suche wordes sclaundre But yet fyrst she serued hyr seek suster and afterward went to hir chaÌ„bâ—e for to praye for that was hyr most comforte in all suche dyseases There she prayed in soule more thenne in wordes by mouthe and that was in thys wyse O almyghty god my dere beloued spouse thou knowest well that the name of maydes is tender and lyghtly for to catche sclaundre namely of suche maydens that haue chosen the to be their spouse and that was the cause why that thou woldest that thy gloryous moder our lady Saynt Mary was commytted to Joseph that was called spoused hyr husbond for to kepe hyr name of virgynyte wythout sclaunder Thou knowest lord that alle thys sclaundre the whiche is putte vpon me is come by the fende â—he
fader of â—esynges by cause I sholde cesse of the besynes the whiche I haue begonne for thy loue Therfore lord I praye the helpe me that knowest well I am gylteles and suffre not thys wycked enemye the whiche was ouertâ— rowe by thy passyon to haue the maystrye of me Whanne she hadde prayed thus longe to our lord wepyng plenteuously Oure lorde appyred to hyr as she knowelechyd afterward in confessyon to hyr confessour mayster Reymond Holdyng in his ryght honde a golden crowne arayed with precyous margaryte stonys And in hys lyfte honde a garlonde of sharpe thornes seyng to hyr in thys wyse Dere doughter it is nedefull that thou be crowned wyth owne of thyse two crownes therfore chese whether thou hast leuer haue of thys two Châ—se now whether thou haddest leuer be crowned wyth the shaâ—pe crowne of thorne in thys lyâ— and that other to be reserued to the in euer lastyng lyf Or ellys for to haue this precyous crowne for to haue the other after thys lyfe Thenne thys holy mayde sayde Lord thou knowest well that I haue forsake myn owne wylle and chosen for to do after thy blyssed wyll therfore I dare not chese no maner thyng wythout thy plesaunt wyll Neuerthelesse by cause thou wylte that I shall answer I say thus that I chese rather in thys lyf euer to be coÌ„fourmed to thy blessyd passyon and soo for to suffre peynes for thy loue After thyse wordes anone she toke of our lordes hondes the garland of thornes feruently and put it myghtely vpon hyr hede wyth a maner ef vyolence that the thornys percyd hir hede rounde about as hir thought in so moche that she had a peyne long afterward in hyr hede by prykynge of the thornys as she recorded hir self openly to mayster Reymond hyr confessour Than sayd our ford to hyr thus in my poure is al thyng and as I haue suffred this sclauÌ„der to be areysed ryght so it is in my power to cesse it Therfore thou shalt contynue in that holy seruyse as thou hast be gonne gyue no stede to the sende that wold let the I shall gyue the full vntorye of thyne enemye that what that euer he hath Imagyned ageynst the it shall torne to hys owne hede for thy more ioye and hys more peyne Thus was thys holy mayde comforted and soo bode stylle in that holy seruyse But whanne thys sclaundre cam to hyr moder Lapa all be it that she was seker ynough of hyr doughter she was gretely styred by thys sclaunder sayd to hyr wyth myghty spyryte in thys wyse Doughter haue I not oft sayd to the that thou sholdest nomore serue that stynkyng woman loo what reward she hath gyue the for thy besye seruyse She hath sclaundred the full foule to all thy sustres yf thou euer serue hyr more or come to hyr neuer shall I calle ne name the my doughter afterward ne thou me thy moder Now was this the soty lest wyll of all For ther the fende myght not haue the maystrye of hir by sclaunde ryng of hyr seek suster he beganne wyth a maner of pyte to lette hyr of hyr holy seruyse by hyr moders mouthe Thenne was thys holy mayde astonyed somwhat for hir moders wordes And at the last she wente to hyr and knelyd afore hyr seynge to hyr thus Swete moder whether our lorde wolde be pleased yf we leue vndone the dedys of mercy to our negyhbours for theyr vnkyndenes Whether our sauyour lefte to raunsom vs by suffryng deth on the crosse for the reprouyng wordes and obloquye of men God knoweth moder your charyte also yf I lefte thys seek suster wolde do hir no seruyse there wolde none do hir seruyse And so she shold deye for defauâ—â— Sholde we be cause and occasyon of hyr deth she is now a lytell deceyued of the fende perauenture here afterward our lorde wyll gyue hyr grace for to knowe hyr trespas By suche wordes lyke to thise at the laste she wan hyr moders blessyng and wente to the seek suster ageyn and serued hir so gladly as though she had neuer sayd euyll of hyr These ke suster was than astonyed and perceyued thenne that she had do amysse and beganne to haue sorowe contrycyon in hyr herte of hir sclaunder that she had put vpon hir Thenne our lord shewed mercy to hyr And for to make the good fame of hys mayde he shewed that seek suster in a tyme as she laye in hyr bedde a gracious vysyon that he wouchesauf to shewe to thys holy mayde vpon a daye whanne thys holy mayde wente to hyr chambre after hyr seruyse that she had do to that seek suster That same seek suster sawe as she laye in hyr bedde aboute the holy mayde a grete lyght comyng don from heuen of so grete mirthe swetenes that it made hyr for to forgete vtterly all hyr dyseases what thys myght mene clerely she wyst neuer but she loked aboute here and there And behelde the maydes face transformed or traÌ„sfygured that hyr semed that she was not thenne Katheryn Lapais doughter but rather lyke to an heuenly creature gloryfyed that lyghte beclypped hyr rounde aboute And the more she behelde hyr the more she yelde hir self gylty in hyr sowle to our lorde of the sclaunder that she puttâ— vpon that holy mayde Whanne thys vysyon hadde taryâ—â— a whyle the whiche appyred to the bodely eyen of that seek suster as it came so it passyd awaye after the whiche passyng the seek suster was long after comforted and also sorowfull for her trespas And anone she axed mercy of the holy mayde wyth sobbyng terys that she had so wyckedly trespassyd ageynst hyr and sclaundred hyr full falsely Loo maydens by that outward lyght our lorde gaf hyr an Inward lyght for to knowe how falsely she was deceyued by the fende Anone forthwyth whanne this holy mayde herde how mekely she axed forgyuenes She wente to hyr mekely and took hyr in her armes and kyssed hyr seyng to hyr thus full comfortably Dere moder I am not dysplesed wyth you in no wyse for I wote well it was the fendes malyce and not youres but I thanke yon wyth all my herte for ye loue me in that ye wolde I were kept clene And therfore I wyte you no thyng of all thys but the fende that hath wrought all this so malyciously ageynst me wyth suche wordes and lyke thyse Thys holy mayde comforted hyr seek suster and dyd hyr seruyse as she was wonte to do and whan she had do leste she shold haue spende hyr tyme in vayne she wente to hyr chambre and occupyed hyr in prayer In the mene tyme that the seek su ste knowleched hir gylty with wepyng and waylyng afore all thoo that came to hyr and sayd openly afore theym alle that by dysceyte of the fende she sclaundred the holy mayde wrongfully And she axed forgyuenes of hem alle For she sayde that she knewe well ynough that this mayde
was not onely pure and clene from flesshely synnes but also she was holy and fulfylled wyth the holy ghoost and that she knewe well Thenne somme of the saddest of hyr susters axyd hyr pryuely and wysely how she knewe that the mayde was holy and what tokens she hadde therof She answerd stedfastly wyth a feruent spyryt that she knewe neuer afore what was swetnesse of the soule and ghoostly comfort vnto the tyme she sawe thys holy mayde afore hyr transfygured or transformed ouercouered with an vnspekable lyght Eftesones thenne hyr susters axyd hyr whether she saw that syght wyth hyr bodely eyen But she coude not telle it wyth noo thyng the fayrenes of that lyght and the swetnesse that she felte in hyr sowle for that tyme. Thenne the holy maydens name began to encreace vertuously ouer all for there the fende was aboute to dysceyue and to hynder hyr name there the holy ghoost enhauncyd hyr name vertuously But in all thys ryght as she was neuer the sonner throwe doun by an euyll fame ryght so she was neuer the more enhauncyd in hir self by elacyon for suche a good name She contynued euer forthe in hyr holy seruyse and dyd hyr besynesse euer for to knowe hyr self that she was nought but yet hyr ghoostly enemy the fende cessyd neuer for to lette hyr eftesones he tempted hir in hir holy minystracion by squey mousnes of the stomake In a tyme whanne thys holy mayde wesshyd hyr seek susters horryble wounde there cam suche a sauour out therof that she was in poynte to caste out all that was in hyr body Thenne she rose ageynst hyr self so moche the more vyolently that she had the vyctorye of another temptacyon by the grace of the holy ghoost and sayde to hir self thus Trewly wretche thou that hast so moche abhomynacyon thou shalte receyue it wythin the. Anone she toke all the wesshyng of that wounde with the matter fylthe and went asyde and draÌ„ke it of preuely whanne she hadde so do all hir teÌ„ptacyon of abhominacion cessyd This was tolde afterward to mayster Reymond hyr confessour in hir presence to whome she addyd sayd pryuely that srthâ—n she was borne in thys worlde she etc neuer ne dranke so swete ne so good a sauour of noo maner mete ne drynke After thys gloryous vyctorye that same nyght suyng our lord Jhesu cryst appyred to that holy mayde shewyng to hir hys fyue blessyd woundes the whiche he suffred for our helthe and sayd thus De re doughter many bateylles thou hast ouerpassyd for me by my helpe thou hast oue coome them yet hyther to for the whiche vyctoryes thou art to me ryght welcome but specyally yester day thou plesyst me gretely in that that thou dyspysedest thyne owne nature kinde for my loue thou receyuest a drynke the whiche was abhomynable and dedely Therfore ryght as in that thou passâ—st thy kynde and thy nature Ryght so shall I gyue thou a drynke that passyth the custome and the kynde of man Wyth that he helde hys arme of her necke brought hyr mouth to hys blessyd wounde in hys syde and sayd to hiâ— thus Drynke doughter out of my â—y â— the drynke of helthe by the whiche thy soule shall be fulfylled wyth so moche swetenesse that it shall â—â—bouÌ„de in to thy body the whiche thou hast so meruayllously despysed for my loue Thenne thys holy mayde sowked out of the pype of lyf comyng out of hys blessyd wounde wyth hyr mouth of hyr bodye but moche more wyth the mouth of hyr sowle longe tyme to gyder full plentuouâ—ly an vnspekable drynke of euer lastyng helthe At the lost by the ordynaunce of our lord she cessyd and yet thursty not withstondyng she had ynough Now maydens I praye you consydereth mekely thys vertues acte of thys blessyd mayde Beholdeth I beseche you the rote of hir charyte where with she was moeued to take vpon hit folowely a seruyse for to serue seek folke â–ª Also beholdeth how long she contynued in that seruyse not wythseondyng the grete lettyng that she had by abhomynacyon of nature Behelde also the grete stedfastenes that she hadde in abydyng not wythstondyng the foule sclandres the whiche were put vpon hyr and at the last she beholde a notable coÌ„clusyon how after tyme she hadde receyued that holsom drynke out of our lordes syde She was fulfylled wyth so moche habundaunce of grace that she etc neuer ne myght etc afterward in suche a wyse as she dyd afore as it shall be declared more clerely wythin forthe For as touchyng this chapytre I shall make an ende There is no thyn ge wryten ne reherced in thys chapytre but suche as mayster Reymond thys holy maydes confessour knewe it out hyr by confessyon of hyr or as he founde by wrytyng of hyr confessour that was afore him or of certeyn of hir sustres the whiche were trewe sadde of leuyng ¶ Of hyr synguler maner of lyuyng how they were dysceyued that grutched wyth hyr meruayllous fastyng Ca V AFter tyme our lord Jhesu the endeles spouse of thys holy mayde had proued hir in the ouen of manyfolde trybulacyons also had taught hyr to ouercome hyr ghostly enemy the fende by dyuers bateyll it were ryght semely that he shold reward hyr in thys lyf wyth somme specyall gyfte of grace But by cause that soules as longe as they ben in the body may not fully receyue the fruyte of vertue as it is had in blysse endelesly Therfore it is full nedefull as for the fulfyllyng of the dyuyne prouydence of our lord that euery chosen spouse of hys in erthe shold yet dwelle in erthe neuerthelesse yet shall be endowed with som specyal reward of mede for this cause it was that our sauyour wouchesauf to begynne in his spouse in his handemayde Katheryne this wretched lyf a maner of an heuenly lyuyng And wyth that maner of lyuyng he wolde assocye hyr to erthely folke Therfore whiche suche a maner of reuelacyon he enfourmed hyr It be fyll in a tyme that this holy mayde prayed in hyr chambre where our lord apperyd to hyr sayd in this wyse wete ryght well dere beloued doughter that thyne abydynge in erthe shal be fulfylled with so many meruayllous gyftes of my grace that it shall be cause of studieng Incredulyte to many mannes hertes specyally to flesshely meÌ„nys hertes that knowen not the maner of my gracyous gyftes And also many that louen the they shall be in thought and suppose that my passyng loue the whiche werche in that shold be dysceyte For I shall gyue so grete habundauÌ„ce of grace in thyn sowle that it shall meruayllously rebounde in to thy body by the whiche thy body shall receyue and haue a meruayllous maner of lyuyng the whiche hath selde be herde afore Ferthermore thyn herte shall be soo gretely kyndelyd to helthe of soules that thou shalt forgete in maner thyn owne kynde chaunge althy fyrst conuersacyon
For thou shalt not eshewe shun the company of men and wommen as thou were wonte to do but rather for theyr soule helthe thou shalt put the to all maner of laboure to thy power and myght Of thys maner of lyuyng many one shold be sclaundred and so of many thou shalt be ageyn sayd that the thoughtes ef theyr hertys may be knowen by theyr wordes but loke thou be in no wyse aferde ne troubled for I shall euer be wyth the delyuer thy sowle from treucherons tonges and lyers Therfore werke myghtely that the holy ghoost shall teche the for by that I shall delyuere maÌ„nes sowle out of the fendes power and by mediacion of my specyall grace I shallede them to heuen Whanne our lorde had sayd thyse wordes and often tymes had rehersed to hyr the same comfortably as touchyng that poynte Where our lord sayd to hyr that she sholde not be a ferdene troubled She answerd as she beknewe afterward in contessyon Thou aâ—t my lord my god and I thy wretched seruaunt euer more thy wyll be done but haue mynde of me good lorde god after thy grete mercy helpe me and thus vanysshed cessyd this vysyon Thys holy mayde bethought hyr kepte well in hyr herte wha this gracyous chauÌ„gyng sholde be in tyme comyng Fro that tyme afterward fro day to day the grace of oure lord Jhesu encreced in hyr herte the holy ghost habounded in hyr so moche that she hyr self was astoned therof wext feble in body sayd as the propheet sayd thyse wordes Deficit caro mea et corpus me um deus cordis mei et ê‘s mea deus ineteâ—nuÌ„ That is my body my flesshe sebled deâ—ailleth but good lord by the gouernour of myn herte my parte wythoutenende And eftesones she sayd as the same ê“pheet sayd in another place Memor fui dei et drlectata sum exercitata sum et deficit spiritus meus That is I haue mynde of my lord god haue therin grete delyte I hauÌ„ce me in the ghostly delyte therfore my spyrytes strengthes of my body wexen feble and defayllen This mayde wext seek in body for the loue of our lord and hir sekenes had no remedy but by weping waylyng therfore she wept wayled euery day yet by suche wepyng and waylyng she myght not so cour hyr sekenes Than our lord put in hyr herte that it sholde be good for hyr as for a souereyn cemedye to hir sekenes oft tymes to be housled that so she myght receyue that lord that she loued by sacrement of the autre Of whom she myght not yet be fulfylled fully in thys lyf as she shold be in heuen blysse And netheles that was cause of more loue encrece of gretter sekenes But yet for a tyme it made satys faccyon by the vertue of the feyth to the ser â—yse of hyr charyte that brenned contynuelly in hyr herte by in sufflacyon of the holy ghoost After tyme she had in custome to be comuned houseled as it were euery day all be it though she were oft tymes lette by sekenes of body and soo for besynes that she had of mennes soules She had suche a desyre ofte for to be house led that but yf she were hyr body sholde suâ—â—â—â— grete peyne in maner it sholde feble defayll right as the body had parâ—â— of the haboundaunce of the spyryte by affluence that habouÌ„ded fro wythin forth Ryght so it myght not be but yf it had be perâ—eyner of the anguysshe dysease that the spyryt suffred Thys mater shall be de daâ—d more largely by the helpe of god afterward For now I shall tell you of the meruayllous lyuyng that she leued as touchyng hyr body mayster Reymond recordeth thus of this holy mayde as he knewe well by hyr confessyon also by wrytyng of hyr confessour afore hym that after tyme she was vysyted by the forsayd vysyon she had so moche plente of graces ghoostly comfortes and namely whan she had receyued our lord Jhesu in the blessyd sacrement of the autre that it reboundyd in to hyr body by a copyous affluence that the kyndly consumpcyon of dygestyon in hyr body had no place but it chauÌ„gyd so the kynde of hir stomake that the receyuyng of mete was not now ned full to hyr for she myght not receyue mete wythout grete torment of the body yf she shold algates â—te hir body suffred ryght gret peyne for it myght haue no kyndely dygestion but nedys it must by vyolence come out ageyne that she etc ther that it went June It is not lefull to wryte wyth a penne how ofte how many peynes this holy mayde suffred for receyuynge of bodely metes This maner kynde or condycyon of lyuyng in the begynnyng was to many folke bothe to them of the houshold to other that were conuersaunt wyth hyr so Incredyble that they named this synguler gyfte of god eyther a temp tacyon or ellys a sottyll dysceyte of the deuyll In to this errour fyll mayster Reymond hyr confessour as other dyd that wende she had be disceyued of hyr enemy the whiche oftymes transfygured hym self to an aungell of lyght for to deceyue soules â–ª And therfore he bad hyr etc hir mete euery day gyue no credens to suche desceyuable vysyons that wold lett hyr fro hyr mete Thenne sayd this holy may de to hyr confessour that she founde well by experyence that she was more hole in body whan she receyued no bodely mete thaÌ„ whanne she receyued it Yet for all suche excusacyons he wold not cesse of his precepte but badde commaunded hir that she shold ete Thenne she as a trewe doughter of obedyeÌ„ce obeyed to his byddyng ete hir mete vnto the tyme bi sekenes she was almost dede Thenne she called hyr confessour mayster Reymond and sayd to him thus Fader yf I be to moche fastyng were I cause of myn one deth were I a sleer of myn one body he answered sayd yes Thenne she askyd eftesones whether it be grete synne to be dede bi etyng or by abstinence he sayd by etyng Thenne she sayd sythen it is so that ye see me wexe feble and nere to the dethe by etyng as ye knowe well by experyence why wyll ye not fobede me etinge as ye wolde forbede me fastyng in suche a caas To this resoÌ„ he coude not answere but by cause he perceyued that she was nyghe to deth by euydent tokens he sayde to her doughter doo as our lord taught the For they ben merueylous thynges to me that I see our lord werke in the Many grutchynges ther was in the housholde agaynste her for this merueylous lyuyng by cause they knewe not the gracious werkynge of god in her And therto also they stered her confessour mayster Reymound to repreue her albe it it was ofâ—â— tymes agaynst his wyll and what grete dysese she suffred of other there
her stomak ony mete the whiche was mete wurthy as for that tyme yet she spet out fro her grete mater off flewme as other folke dyde the whiche myght not bee by nature But yf the stomake hadde receyued somme substaunce afore and thrfoere our lord wrought merueylously in her aboue nature Also as for drynkynking of colde water she receiued it gladly to refresshe her chykes and her throte This maner of lyf she lyued vnto her I aste ende for grutchers and for theym that were slaundred by her fastinge Her confessour Mayster Reymound perceyued how grete peyne she suffred by vndygestyon of her stomake and all for to stoppe grutchers he conforted her for coÌ„passyon that he hadde vppon her that she sholde leue and ete nomore rather than for to suffre suche a payne And lete theymgrutche ynow To whom she answerd smylyngly fader is better for meto suffrein this lyfefor my synÌ„es thanne for to suffre payne endelesly Her grutchyng is to me profytable by cause I shall be delyuerd of payne wythouten ende for the payne that I suffre in this lyf sholde I fle the ryghtwysnes of god Nay god forbede it oure lord doth to me grete grace by cause he giueth me myn payne in this lyf Soo her confessour coude nomore answere to her but helde his peas in this wyse ¶ Of alle her enemyes she had the maistry what soo in maner of the fende and of grutchers so she taughte other to do euery daye So that in a tyme whan she comynyd wyth her confessour of the gracious gyftes of our lord She sayd who soo coude vse the grace of oure lorde He sholde euer haue the vyctorye of all thynges that fallen to hym And thenÌ„e she tourned to her confessour and sayde to hym soo I wolde that ye dyde as ofte as ony newe thynge byfalleth to you be it prosperyte or aduersyte thynketh with in your self and sayth ofte this I wyll wanne somwhat and ye doo soo ye sholde soone be ryche in vertu ¶ Loo maydens haue mynde of thysnotable doctryne for thus I make an ende of this chapytre The wytnes of all thynges the whiche ben wryte therin Is this holy mayde eyther by her opyn dedes or ellis by her wordes And also her confessour the whiche was a fore maister Reymound ¶ Of the wounderfull rauysshyng and excesse of her mynde for her bodely wyttees And of grete reuelacions I shewed to her of oure lorde Capitulum vj rIght as oure lorde graunted to his spouse this holy mayde a synguler lyuyng as touchyng her body â–ª ryght soo he vysyted her soule wyth grete merueylous confortes of reuelacions Fyrst for the grete habouÌ„dant graces with her come that bodely strengthe that she had aboute kynde Wete ye right wel that fro the tyme that this holy mayde had I dronke of oure lordes syde the drynke of lyf as it is rehersid a foâ—â— many grete graces were habouÌ„dant iÌ„ her that ofte times ofte times as it had be in maner contynuabyl She was occupyed in actuell coÌ„templacion and her spyryte was lowyd to our lord that for the more parte she by lefte wythout felyng in her bodely wyttes Soo that as it is rehersed in the fyrst party her armes were founde ofte times soo styf in tyme of suche actuell contemplacion that rather they sholde breke theÌ„ne bowe Her eyen were all closed her ere 's herde none noyse were it neuer so grete and her bodely wyttes for that tyme were sequestred fro her owne werkynge ¶ This sholde be none merueyle to noman yf they wolde take hede to that syweth Oure lorde began to bee soo homely with her and brennyd her sowle wyth soo moche haboundante fyre of loue not oonly in pryuy places but also in open places as well stondyng as goyng that she the whiche hadde thyse grete graces by knewe it playnely to her confessour she coude fynde none wordes for to telle expressely the grace that she felte ¶ For in a tyme whan she prayed to oure lord feruentely wyth the Prophete Dauyd seyeng deuoutly thyse wordes ¶ Cor meum crea in me deus et spirituÌ„ rectum innoua in visceribus meis That is prayng our lorde specially that he wolde take awaye her herte her owne wyll and gyue her a newe herte after his wyll She hadde suche a comforte that her semed that our lord Jhesu come to her and opened her lyft side and toke out her herte and went his waye and belyfte her with out her owne herte ¶ Afterward it befyll that she commynyd wyth her confessour and amonges all thynges she sayde that she had none herte in her body the whiche wordes her coÌ„fessour sâ—â—rned her in a maner and blamed her for she sayde soo Thenne she rehersed eftsones and confermed her wordes trewely fader as moche as I maye fele yet after the felyng of myn body me semeth I lacke myn herte for oure lorde apperyd to me and opened myn leste syde and toke out myn herte and went his way Thenne the confessour sayde that it was vnpossyble that she shold lyue with out an herte she sayde naye there is nothynge vnpossyble to god And therfore she bad hym gyue credens that it is so For ofte tymes after ward she rehersed that she lyued without herte with in a fewe dayes afterward it befyll that she wente to a chapell of the fryers where susters of penaunce were wonte to knele And whan all were goo home it befil that she contynued in her prayers so that she was fro her self by rauysshyng and at the laste she awoke of her rauysshyng and went homward And as she wente by the waye sodenly a lyght of heuen bicliped her And in that lyght aperyd our lord holdyng in his honde a reed shining herte in lykenes of a mannys herte At the commyng of thys heuenly lyght she was aferde that she fyll doune vppon the grounde Thenne came our lorde to her openyd her lyftesyde eftsones and pute in her body that herte the whiche he hylde in his hondes seyng to her thus ¶ Loo dere doughter as I toke awaye thyn herte the laste daye ryght soo now I giue the myn herte wherby thou mayst lyue endelesly whan he hadde so doo he closed the wounde agayn that he made open in the flesshe Neuerthelesse there by left a merueylous marke in the lykenes of a wouÌ„de heled in the same place euer afterward where as her felawes tolde her confessour Mayster Reymound for ofte tymes they sawe it as she coude not forsake it to hym whan he askid it of her whether it were soo or not Out of that meruayllous gracyous herte that was so I gyuen hyr of our lord came out many meruayllous werkys And yet many moo meruayllous reuelacyons haboundeth wythin forth She came neuer afterward for to be hoseled but that ther was shewed to hyr many synguler gyftes of grace Oft tymes she sawe a lytell chylde in the prestys handys and other whyle a well growen
chylde other whyle an hote brennyng ouen of fyre And whan the preste receyued that blyssed sacrament it semed to hyr that the fyre entred in to hym But whan she shold be houseled ofte tymes she tastyd so grete an odour of that blyssed sacrament that almost hyr body defaylled Euermore also whether she sawe or receyued the blyssed sacrament She receyued with all a newe ioye in hir soule so that many tymes she sholde daunce in hir body for ioye makyng a noyse that hyr felawes myght here hyr the whiche tolde it afterward to hyr confessour and he enquyred the trouthe whether it were so and founde it trewe and soo wrote it for a perpetuell recorde That sowne and that noyse was not lyke other maner comyn sownes of men but as it hadde be a noyse aboue comyn cours of kynde what meruayll was that though she made a ioyfull noyse aboue kynde Syth it so was that she hadde receyued an herte aboue kynde For after tyme that she hadde receyued that newe herte as it is rehersed afore she semed that she was not the same that she was afore ofte tymes she sayd to hyr confessour See ye not fader that I am not the same that I was afore but rather chauÌ„ged in to another persone O wolde god fader ye knewe that I fele for I trewe veryly yf a creatour knewe that I fele in my sowle he sholde be resolued made ryght esye were he neuer so harde For my sowle is full of melodye and ioye And it is meruayll to me how it may abyde in the body There is also grete hote brennyng of dyuyne loue therin that thys outward materyall fyre semeth me in coÌ„paryson of that fyre rather colde than hote Also of that ghoostly hote is kynde led in my sowle as me semeth soo grete a loue of my neghbours that my thynketh I myght gladdely suffre for them bodely deth wyth grete ioye And ouermore out of that ghoostly hote is come to my soule a renewyng of purytee and mekenes in so moche that me semeth I am brought to the same purytee and mekenes that a chylde of foure or a fyue yere age is Inne All this she tolde to hir confessour preuely and to none other After tyme that thys holy mayde was thus fulfylled in hyr sowle of suche plente of newe gracys that were many notable vysyons shewed to hyr of whom somme I shall reherce by the grace of god ¶ Fyrste our lord Jhesu hys blessyd Moder and Marye magdalene appyred to gydres to hir and comforted hyr in hir holy purpose whome our lord axed and sayd Doughter what desyrest thou She wyth wepyng chere answerd sayd Lorde thou knowest what me nedeth better than I for I haue no wyll but thyne ne none herte but thyn hert Thenne came to hyr mynde how Marye magdalene commytted hyr self fully to our lorde whan she satte wepte at his fete Wyth that she felte the same swetenesse of loue that Marye magdalene felte that tyme whan she wepte Wherfore she behelde Marye magdalene Our lord ê‘ceyued that and for to fulfyll hyr desyre he sayd Loo dere doughter for thy more solace and coÌ„forte I gyue the Marye magdalene to be thy moder To whome thou mayst trustely go to and be comforted for to hir specyally I commytte thy gouernaunce For this grete gyfte this holy mayde thanked our lord wyth gpete mekenes reuerently deuoutly she comended hyr ghoostly gouernaunce to Marye magdalene prayng hyr that she wolde wouchesauf to take hyr vnder gouernaunce Syth our lord had specyally commytted hyr to her Fro that houre euer afterward the holy mayde called Marye magdalene hyr moder the whiche was not doo wythout grete mysterye as me semeth for as Marye magdalene lyued xxxiij yere in a â—oche wythout bodely mete and all that tyme was I occupyed in comtemplacyon Ryght so this holy mayde fro that tyme that she was endowed wyth these newe graces vnto the age of xxxiij yere afterward whiche yere she passyd out of thys worlde She was so occupyed in dyuyne contemplacyon that she hadde neuer nede all the tyme of bodely mete And yet as Marye magdalene was take vp in to the ayre by aungels seuen tymes in the day where she herde the pryuetees of god Ryght so this holy mayde for the more partye all hir yeres she was rauysshed fro hyr bodely wyttes by strengthe of the sowle that was occupyed in contemplacyon of heuenly thynges and so praysed our lord wyth aungels in so moche that often tymes hyr body was lyfte vp in to the ayre of the whiche many men wommen that sawe hyr for that tyme bare recorde Ouermore in that rauyssheng she sawe many meruayllous thynges spake preuely in tyme of hyr rauysshyng many hygh wordes of contemplacion of the whiche som I shall tell you afterward Hyr confessour saw hyr ones in a tyme rauysshed fro hyr bodely wyttes in the same wyse as it is rehersed afore and he herde hyr speke preuely thenne he came nere for to lysten clerely what she sayd and he herde that she sayd formably thyse wordes in latyn Vidi archana dei And that was sayd often tymes other wordes sayde she none but thoo Whanne she was restoryd ageyne to hyr bodely wyttes she cessyd not to reherse these same wordes coÌ„tynuelly and it is nomore for to say but I haue seen the pryuetres of god Thenne hyr confessour desyryng for to knowe why she rehersed tho wordes so ofte axyd hyr in thys maner of wyse Good moder why rehersed ye soo ofte the wordes wyll not tell me what ye mene as ye were wonte to do She answerde I may not say none other wyse Hyr confessour axed hyr why and what is the cause ye were wont to declare me many thinges that our lord hadde shewed to you why wyll ye not do so now theÌ„ne she sayde I sholde haue as grete conscyence therof yf I sholde declare to you that I haue seen wyth my langage that is soo vnperfyte as I sholde haue yf I blasfemed our lord or Inhonoured hym for there is a grete dyffrence bytwene the vnderstondyng or intellecte of the sowle Illumyned of god the expressyng of wordes they seme contrary eche to other therfore as for this tyme I can not tell you what I haue saye for they ben vnspekable For this skylle me thynke that she was well commytted by the dyuyne prouydence of our lord to Marye magdalene that a faster shold be knytte to a faster and a louer to a louer And she that had so hygh contemplacyon to hyr that was soo hyghe in contemplacyon Also hir confessour rehersed of hir that after tyme she saw that vysyon of our lord hys blessyd moâ— and Saynt mary magdalene that for that tymeit semed hyr that hyr herte went Inne by the syde of our lorde in to his herte and was made bothe one so that she felte hyr soule all for melte relented by the strengthe of
desyre entred all hole in to hys blessyd wounde where I founde moche swetnesse and knowleche of hys godhede ¶ And yfye wystye wold meruayll that myn herte for gretnesse of that ioye and loue to barst not And ye wolde be astonyed how I myght lyue in this lyf wyth suche a grete passyng hete of loue Also another thynge befyll hyr the next yere se wyng vpon the same day as she was a boute to receyue the blyssed sacrament of the aulter whanne the prest helde the blessyd sacrament in hys handes afore hyr and taught hyr for to say thus Lorde I am not worthy that thou sholdest entre in me Thenne whan she had de receyued hym hyr semed that as a fysshe entred in to the water and the water in hym ryght so hyr sowfe entred in god and god in hir And soo she felte hyr self all I drawe in to our lord that vnnethe she myght come home to hyr chambre And whan she was come home she layde hyr doune vpon hir harde bedde leyng long tyme styll and moeuyd not At the last hyr body was take vp in to the ayre and stode the re a whyle to gyder as thre wytnessys bereth recorde the whiche names I shall tell you afterward Thenne afterward she came doun and lay vpon hyr bedde alle weyke and feble and spake softely many blessyd swete wordes And hye contemplatyf wordes that it steryd hyr felawes to wepe the whiche herde them And amonges thoo swetr wordes she prayed for many folke and for som̄e specyally by name namely for hyr confessour that was that same tyme in the same momente in the chyrche and thought for that tyme on no thynge that sholde styre hym to deuocyon But sodeynly by hyr prayer he felte a meruayllous deuocyon that neuer he assayed afore consyderyng and meruayllyng how that newe grace camto hym soo sodeynly that houre whyle he thought thus sodeynly came to hym one of this holy maydens felawes and sayd Trewely fader Katheryne hath moche prayed for you this day suche an houre Thenne anone he knowe that suche a newe denocyon came to hym at that houre by Katherynes prayer And he axed of hyr felawe what she prayed she tolde him that she prayed for him and for other that oure lorde wolde wouchesauf to graunte them euerlastyng lyf and that she putt forth hyr honde and prayed hym for to graunte that Thenne she took doune hyr honde ageyne semyng to hir al sore and wyth grete syghenge she sayde thus A lord worshypped mote thou be for that was euer a comyn terme in hyr mouthe for to saye whan she was seek sore trauaylled Whanne hyr confessour herde this he wente to her and prayed hir tille hym all hyr vysyon She as meke obedyent mayde tolde him all the hole bysyon as it is sayd afore and whanne she came to that mater where she prayed for specyall frendes she sayd to hym Fader whanne I prayed for you and for other that our lord wolde wouchesauf to graun te you euerlastyng lyf with that I hadde a comforte that it sholde so be and forthwyth I asked a token of our lord that I myght knowe it sholde be so not for none Incredulyte but rather for a notable memorye Thenne he prayed me that I sholde stoetche out myn honde I dyde so and he putte in my honde a nayle and closed the nayle soo faste wyth Inne myn honde Thenne I felte a grete peyne in myn honde as though an yren naylle hadde be smyten thorugh myghtely wyth an hamour soo that me semed to mynowne syght thought it be Jnuysyble to other I haue a marke of Crystys woundes in myn honde ¶ Also for contynuance of mater I shall tell you another meruayllos thyng lyke to thys that befylle in the Cytee of Pyse As mayster Reymond hyr last confessour bereth recorde In a tyme thys holy mayde came to the Cyte of Pyse and other many wyth hyr amonges whome mayster Reymond was one the whyche holy mayde was receyued in to a worthy mannes place of the same Cyte besyde a chappell of Saynt Crystyane In the whyche chappell mayster Reymond sayde masse at the holy maydes prayer and ther he houseled hyr after hyr desyre as she vsed to be contynuelly whanne she hadde receyued that blyssed sacramente she was anone rauysshed fro hyr bodely wyttes and all that tyme mayster Reymond and other moo abode tyll she hadde do for to here of hyr somme ghoostly comforte as they were wonte to do after suche rauyssheng Sodeynly as they behelde hyr the body that laye prostratr vpon the grounde was reysed vp and she kneled vpon hyr knees stretchyng vp hyr armes hyr hondes wyth a clere shynyng vysage Whanne she had so long kneled wyth closyng and styf armes at the laste she fyll doun sodeynly as though she hadde be dedly wounded and anone sone after she was restoryd ageyne to hyr bodely wyttes Thenne she sente after mayster Reymond hyr confessour and sayde to hym preuely thys wordes Fader I do you well to wete that by the mercy of god I here now in my body the markys of the blessyd woundes of oure lorde mayster Reymone thenne axed hyr how that myght be and how it stode with hir in tyme of hir rauyssheng she answer de and sayde I sawe our lord fastned vpon the crosse comyng a doune and beelyppyng me wyth a grete lyght By the whyche gracyous vysyon the sowle was so gretely steryd to me wyth my lorde that the body was constreyned by strengthe of the spyryte to aryse Thenne out of the holes of hys holy woundes I sawe fyue rede bemys come doune from hym fastned vpon my body and was cause why that my body was all forstoeyned Wyth that I cryed to our lord and sayde A a lorde god I beseche the that these woundes appyre not in me to the syght of men outward Thenne sodeynly whyle she sayde thyse wordes er thenne thoo rede bemys were fully come doune to the body changed hir colours out of rede in to a meruayllous bryghtnesse and in lykenes of a pure lyght they restyd in fyue placed of my body that is vpon the hondes the feet and the herte Thenne mayster Reymond axed hir whether ony of the bemys come to the ryghte syde She sayde nay but onely vpon the lyfte syde vpon my herte mayster Reymond axed hyr eftesones felyst thou ony maner of sensyble pryne in thoo places She answerd wyth a grete sygheng sayde I suffre soo grete a sensyble sorowe in all tho fyue places and specyaly in my herte that but god shewe a newe myracle it is Impossyble to me for to lyue longe tyme to gydres in this body This worde marked well mayster Reymond hyr confessour and espyed where he coude see in hir ony maner tokenes of peyne Whā she had told that she wold say they depted a sonder out of that chappell they went to gyders home to theyr Inne the holy mayde went to hir chambre
was not fully evcyted But anone as she perceyued that worde she hadde suche a reuerse of conscience off that lesynge that for sorowe the whiche she toke therof She was restoryd fully to her bodely wyttes And as many dayes and nyghtes as she stood afore in rauysshyg so longe after she wayled and wepte vncessabyly that syâ—e sayd to her self O wycked woman hast thou soo well bee feed wyth the infinite goodnes of god that thou muste now make a lesyng bee thyse trentheâ—â— that thou haste lerned in heuen is this the doctryne that thou art taught of the holy ghoste for to make lesynges ¶ Thenne wyst thou ryght well that thou woldeste not goo wyth tho fryers And yete thou saydest thou woldest and soo madest a lesyng to thyn confessour to thyn ghostely faders O meost wycked synne ce ye not maydens the meruaylous wayes and maners of our lordis prouydence Loo leste her reuelacyons sholde haue by cause of pryde to her Our lorde suffred her for to falle in to suche a lesyng yf it may be callyd a lesyng for there was none â—ntencion of deceyte and soo by that mekenes and lownes oure lorde couered her vertu that the fend shold not entre for to destroye theym But tho thinges that the sawe for that tyme in her reuelacyons she tolde not to her confessour as she was wonte to doo of other reuelacyons for as she sayd her selfe she coude fynde none laÌ„guege that myght expresse tho reuelacyons by wordene it is not lefull to noo man for to speke of hem wyth tongue as the same appostle sayth hym selt Nonlicet hoÌ„iloqui ¶ Eut the feruoure of her herte the besynes of her prayer â–ª and her holy exortacyons shewed openly ynowe that she sawe the preuytes of god ¶ The whiche may not be coÌ„mynyd but theyÌ„ that sawe theym Ouermore another tyme saiÌ„t poule the appostle arpperid to her and warned her that she shold giue her besely to prayer the whiche she tolde afterward to her confessour And therfore that she vsed moche Thenne it befyll afterwarde whyles she prayed in the chyrche on the vygylle of Saynt Domynyke many reuelacyons were shewed to her of saynt Domynyke and of other sayntes ¶ She was soo oft occupyed wyth reuelacyons the same tyme whan she wold speke to her confessour she hadde reuelacions Thenne iÌ„ the nexte day afterward of saynt Domynyke a lytyl afore euen songe tyme whyles she was occupyed wyth reuelacions sodenly entred in to the chirche a fryer whiche was Bartylmeus her confessours felawe in whom she trusted as moche as in her confessour for â–ª he was her confessour absens of her goostely tader ¶ Whan â—he perceyued that that he was come she arâ—os and wente agayst hym and sayd to hym that she wolde speke wyth hym of certeyn reuela câ—ons Theune they satte doun bothetegyders in the chyrche and she began to reherce how many reuelacyons our lorde had deshewed her of saynt Domynyke at the laste she sayd loo fader I see now myn â–ª holy fader Saynt Domynyke as I see â–ª you nowe And yet he is more nerer me than ye be ¶ And thenne she procedyd forth of many merueylous reuelacyons wythin a whyle after it befyll that her yong brother that was called also Bartylmeus went by her And sodenly she caste her eye a lytyll a syde and behylde her brother and left of the syght of saynt Domynyke for that lytyll tyme and thenne contynued forth in her tyste mater But for that dede she made moche sorowe whan she ê‘ ceyued what she had I doo that longe after she helde her peas spake nomore but alwaye wepte for that trespaas Whan she had longe contynued in wepyng at the laste Fryer Bartylmewe prayed her to procede forth as she began but she migte not for sobbyng vnnethe speke one worde ¶ Yet as she myght speke she sayde ¶ O what wretche am I And he shall doo me vengeaunce for my synnes ¶ Fryer Bertylmewe What synne myght that be theÌ„ne she sayde Sawe ye not how I bowed awaye mynhede myn eyen for to beholde my broder that went ryght now by the whiles our lorde she wed me many merueylous thynges Fryer Bertyimewe say nay he coude not perceiue that she bowed in ony wyse her hede and her eyen a syde ¶ Thenne she sayde fader yt ye wyste how our blessyd gloryous lady gloryous virgyn mary repreuyd me ryght now for that synne Ye woide wepe also fore as I and soo she spake nomore of that maâ—ieâ— of reuelacyons but euer coÌ„tynued in wepyng vnto the tyme she had made her conâ—eâ—ion and thene she wente home to the chamber where saynt poule appleryd to her as she to de afterwarde to her confessour and repreuyd her sharpely off the lokyng of that tyme whan she tourned her hede soo a syde in so ferforthe she sayd that it hadde be more leuer for her to be shamed of all the worlde than onys â—stsones to suffre that shame the whyche she had of saynt poule whan he repreuyd heâ— Thene she sayd to her confessour fader bethynke you what repreuynge of cryste shall be at the day of dome to all synners yt the cepreuynge of one of hys appostles is now soo sharpe and make me soo moche aferd She sayd also but yf she had hadde comforthe of a fayr lambe that stode besyde her whiles the. Appostle repreuyd her She sholde haue deyed for sorowe as her semed wherefore euer after warde she was she more meker â— her reuelacyons Loo maydens how our lorde suffred her to falle for her more mekenes But now shall I telle you what the â–ª reuelacyons was the whyche she had ofsaynt Domynyke Whan this holy mayde comyned spake wyth Freyer bertylmewe of hyr reuelacyons she sayd that she sawe in dede by a vysyon of imaginacion allmyghty god the fader brenging forth as her semed out of his mouthe our lorde thuÌ„cryste his endeles sone the whiche apperid openly to hyr in lykenes of mankynde On the lodersyde the blessed Patryarch Saynt Domynyke comyng out of the brest of almyghcy god the fader shyn nyng all in â—yâ—ht ¶ And the herde of the mouthe of aâ—â—myghty god the fader thyse wordes dere doughter I haue brought forthe thyle chyldren the one kyndely naturall beyng the second persone in intrynyte The oder louyngly and swetely by adopcion Thenne this holy made hadde grete meruayle of suche comparyson by twene the sone of god and saynte Domynyke ¶ But almyghty god the fader to put awaye that grete meruayle expownyd thyse wordes and sayde Dere doughter ryght as here mynowne sone whom I brought forth of me naturally and eternaly was euer pertyghtly obedyent to me vnto the dethe by takyng vpon hym maÌ„kynde Ryght soo the dedes of Domynyk myn sone by adopcyon what that euer wrought fro hys chyldehode in to the enof hys bodely lyf were reuled ¶ After the obedyence of myÌ„ commauÌ„de t ys and neuer brake
onys ony maner of precepte of myn for the virgynyte ofthis body and soule and the grace of hys baptyme he kepte euer to me vndefoylyd ¶ And also ryght as here myn eternall and naturall sone the endeles worlde of my mouthe tolde and spake opeÌ„ly to all the worlde that I badde hym say And therto bare wyttenes of trouthe Ryght soo Domynyke myn sone by adopcyon preche my trouthe openly to the worlde as Welle Amonges heretykes as amonges faythfus peple not onli bi hiÌ„self but also bi other of hiÌ„ not only â–ª whyles he lyued in erthe amonges you But also bi his successours bi whom yet they precheth and shalle preche for ryght as my naturall and eternall sone sente his dyscyples for to preche ryght soo Domynyk myn sone by a dopcion sente his fryers And also ryght as myn naturall sone and eternall is myn word ryght Domynyke myn sone by adopcion is the prechour aboute of myn word wherfore of myn synguler gyfte it is gyue to hym and to his fryers for to vuderstonde the trouthe of min wordes not for to passe therfro Also ryght as myn naturall sone and eternall ordeyned and dysposyd all his lyff and his dedes by doctrynes and ensample to helthe off mannys soule ryght Domynyke myn sone by adopcion put all his besynes to delyuer out soules of the sorowe of errour and of synne And that was his pryncipall entent Whan he began his ordre that is for to say for helthe of soules therfore he may well be lyked to min natural and eternall sone sone Ihesu Criste This was the reuelacioy the whiche she comynyd to fryer Bertylmewe â–ª whan that sodeyn caas of lokyng asyde byfyll to her as it is rehersyd afore Now I shall procede forth of the remenaunt of the lyf of this holy mayde in reuelacions and visyons â–ª but fyrst I wolde ye knewe maydens that for the grete haboundance of greces and open reuelacions and visyons and for the greâ—enes of loue therwyth The whiche this holy maydes soule was fulfylled She was ryght syke in her body and euer encresid in sekenes more and more for loue soo that she rooâ— nomore out of her bedde but laye styll euer newyng the loue of her spose seyng thus Aswete louely lord goddes sone and the sone of a mayden â–ª wyth suche many louyng â–ª wordes she praised oure lorde and her spouse She beleft wythout bodely mete and therto her spouse Jhesu Cryste the whiche gyuen her that fyre of loue by cause it sholde brenÌ„e more stoÌ„gely he apperyd to her ofte tymes Then ne sayd she to hym that was so febyll off the fyre of loue Good louely lord thou sufferest me so longe abyde in this wretched body and wylt not take me to thyn endeles presence I haue none Joye now off this wretchid lyf but only all myn ioye is for to seke the For I loue the Ihesu and none wythout the for what that euer I loue lord it is for the why am I ther for delayed soo longe â–ª fro thyn endeles presence ¶ Ha ha mekest and myldest lorde delyuer myn soule out of this pryson and out of this dedely lif To thise wordes that were sayd soo weylyngly oure lord answerd Dere doughter whan I liued in erthe amonge men I besyed me neuer for to fulfylle myn owne wyll but myn faders and albe it that I desyred to ete the laste paske wyth myn dysciples for to be wyth myn fader as they herd me ofte tymes saye yet I suffred paciently the tyme that was ordeined off myn fader soo must thou doo though thou desyre feruently to be onyd to me perfightely in the blesse of heuen yet thou muste abyde the tyme that I haue ordeyned Theenne she sayd to our lord louely lord sythe it soo is that it is not kynde to me as yet to passe out of this lyff thyn wyl be done Fiat voluntas tua But one thinge I beseche the whyles I lyue in this erthe that sythe I may not yet be onyd to that iÌ„ blysse â–ª grauÌ„te me as longe as I lyue in this lyf to be onyd to the with the bi parte taking of thy blessyd passioÌ„ the whiche was grauÌ„ted to her ¶ For as she asked soo she hadde fro that tyme forward she hadde so moche experiens euery day in her herte iÌ„her body of the passions of our lorde as she tolde afterward preuyly to maister ReymouÌ„d that she neuer felte suche a soor and that was in this wyse Ofte tymes she wolde sytte talke with mayster Reymound and teche hym of the passyon of criste affermyng myghtely that our lorde Jhesu cryste fro the tyme of his gloryous concepcion in to the tyme of the ende of his blyssyd passyon he bare euer the crosse of his deth in hys soule â–ª for the grete passyng desyre that he hadde for the helthe of mannys sowle For whan he was conceyued he was ful of grace and of wysdome and of charyte And it was none nede to hym for to encrece in hym afterward for he was perfyght ynow in theym at the begynnyng Therfore sythe it so was that he loued so perfyghtly god the fader and mankynde in herte seyng and consyderyng god the fader in trinite in maner depryued of his honour And also mankynde depryuyd fâ—o his blessyd ende he was soo tourmeÌ„ted wyth compassyon in hym self vnto the tyme that he myght restore by his passyon the dewe honour to god the fader in Tâ—inyte and endeles helthe to mankynde â–ª Also she sayde the affliction of his holy desyre was none lytyll payne But it was a grete payne And thefore it was that he sayde to hys dyscyples on schherthursday at the soper Desideâ—io desideraui manducare vobiscum hoc pascha ¶ That is I haue desyred wyth a grete desyre longe afore thys tyme to ete with you this paske and the cause was for he gaue theym in that soper an speciall ernest of helthe the whiche he wolde werke er thenne he purposed to ete wyth theym eftsones And therfore she alleggid for her the wordys of our sauyour where he sayth in another place Pater transfer calicem huÌ„c a me That is fader put awaye this passion fro me that I shall now drynke the whiche wordes she expownyd thus and sayde Perfyght folke sholde not vnderstonde thyse wordes as symple folke done that our sauyour asked of his fader to put awaye and remeue hye paynefull passioÌ„ But thus fro the begynnyng of his gloryous concepcton vnto that tyme of his deth he dranke euer of that paynfull passyon by the grete desyre that he had off mannys helthe And thenne the more he drawe nere to the deth â–ª the more gredyly he desyred that drynke â–ª he asked therfore that it shold soone be fulfylled the whiche he hadde soo longe tyme desyred for the helthe of mannys soule that the dryke the whiche he hadde drunke soo longe afore sholde thenne be ended â–ª And thus this was not for to
aske a remeuyng awaye of his deth but rader an hasti ende of his deth the whiche our sauyour declared full openly afterward whan he sayde to Judas Quod facis fac cicius That is frend that thou shalt doo doo it anone ¶ Neuertheles though it soo were that the forsayd paynes full drynke of his desyre were to hym ryght greuous for to drynke yet as ryght an obedyent chylde to the fader he sayde thus Veruntamen non sicut ego volo sed sicut tu Fader I desyre that myn wyll be not fulfilled but thy wyll offeryng hym self redy by thâ—se wordes for to suffre dayly of his payne full desyre as longe as it lyked to hys fader soo that the fyrst wordes where he sayd Transfer hunc calitem c. Fader a voyde this paynfull fro me he vnderstode not for to haue a voyded his passyon that was to come But the passyon of hys desyre afore by suffryng the deth for helthe of mannes sowle for to be endyd Thenne sayd mayster Reymond Moder comynly after exposicion of doctours our lord sayd tho wordes as a veray maÌ„ and hede of all hys chosen bothe fâ—eel and strong whos sensualyte naturelly drede the deth that he myght by example to all bothe to freel folk and to strong folk that they dyspeyre not all be it they felte they re sensualytâ—e kyndely dredyng the deth Here to this holy mayde answerd and sayd that the actes the dedys of our sauiour yf they ben wysely consydered euery creature after hys consyderacyon may fynde in them ghostly felyng as it is spedefull to hys helthe And therfore syth it is soo that feble freall creatures fynden in tho wordes comfort ageynst theyr feblenesse it were ryght necessary thenne that perfyt folk myghty shold fynde also ther Jnne coÌ„fyrmacyon of theyr strengthe the whiche myght not be but by thys exposycyon afore â–ª Therfore it is better that it be expowned in many maners so that al may be comforted ther by theÌ„ne in a maner of wyse for one maner of folk allone Whanne mayster Reymond herde this he helde hys peas meruayllyng of hyr grete wysdom grace that she had for he her de neuer that exposycyon afore ¶ Another exposycyon of the same wordes by the same holy mayde Mayster Reymond founde wryten in a book that hir fyrst confessour wrote they ben these In a tyme whan she was rauysshed she lerned of our lord that the prayer the whiche he made a fore hys passyon whan he â—watt bothe blood water seynge thus Transfer hunc calicem â— That is fader remoue this peynfull passion fro me He prayed thenne for them whome he sawe afore that wolde haue no parte of his passion the whiche was to him peynfull passyon And by cause he loued ryghtwysnesse he put a condycyon and sayd VeruÌ„tamen non mea voluntas That is neuthelesse fader be not my wyll fulfylled but thy wyll and yf he had not putto suche a condycyon it wolde haue folowed ther on she sayd that all folk shold haue be saued After tyme thenne that he had thus prayed he was herde as saynte Poule sayd for hys reuerence Exauditus est ê“pter suam reuerenciaÌ„ In exposycion of this wordes of saynt Poule comynly doctours vnderstonden the same It had be ellys meruaylle but that the same sone of god sholde haue be herde Also she sayd another tyme to mayster Reymond taught hym that the passyons whiche our our lord god Jhesu Cryst ve ray god and man suffred for the helthe of mankynde were so myghty that it were impossyble ony man in erthe for to suffre but that he sholde dye it were possyble many tyme yf that he suffred them For ryght as his loue that he had thenne hath yet to mankynde vnestymable vncomperable Ryght so hys passyon that he suffred by constreynyng of loue allone was vnestymable Who wolde beleue that the thornes of hys crowne sholde perysshe in to the brayne Or that the bones of a quyk man sholde be drawe out of they re ioyntes For the ê“phete sayd of our lordes passyon thus DinumeraueruÌ„t omnia â–ª ossa mea That is they tolde nombred all the bones of my body So thenne it may be proued that the pryncypall cause of hys passyon was loue the whiche he shemed for mankynde And it myght not be shewed more conuenyently than by hys passyon By this it semed that the naylles helde hym not vpon the crosse but hys loue onely Ne the strengthe of man ouercame hym â—ot but loue How were men so stronge for to holde hym that at a worde of hys mouthe they fyll doune to the grounde whan they came for to take hym Suche hyghe wordes conuenyent wordes of our lordes passyon this holy mayde coÌ„myne wyth mayster Reymond And yet she sayd more that she had experyence in hyr body of som maner of passyon that Cryst suffred on the crosse â–ª Of all she wold not say for that was Impossyble to ony erthely creature But specyally by cause of the grete loue that she had to our lord to his passyon the most peyne that she suffred was in hyr herte soo that it semed to hyr other whyle that hyr herte was to braste cutt a sondre fro that one ende to that other And for thys grete peyne of loue she was oftymes dede to all mennys syght Of thys bare wytnes many one the whiche were presente whanne she dyed for the loue of Crystys passyon allone Here of was mayster Reymond in grete doubte But for to put awaye that doubte he thought to comen wyth this holy mayde serche the sothe of hyr whether it were so or no. Whanne he axed hyr this She for grete wepyng coude gyue none answer long tyme to gydre but at the last she sayde Fader wolde ye not haue grete pyte compassyon of a sowle that were delyuered out of a derke pryson to lyght and after tyme it had see so mery a lyght eftesones to be reclused ageyn in the same derke prysone I am that same wretche that thus happed me by the ordynaunce of god for my synnes Then ne mayster Reymond axed hir where hir sowle was fully departed fro the body To whome she answerd sayd thus That the feruent fyre of dyuyne loue of ghoostly desyre was so moche in hyr herte for to lyue with our lord endelesly whom she loued That though hyr herte hadde be of stone or of yren it must nedys to breste Therfore fader vnderstondeth thys for trouthe that myn herte of myn body was thenne vndo opened fro the ouermost partye to the nether onely by the strengthe of pure loue so that me semeth yet I fele the markys of that syssure in myn herte By this ye may knowe that the sowle was fully for that tyme deê‘ted fro the body and sette in the presence of god where I sawe the preuytâ—es of god that is vnâ—efull for
passage by prayers other holy exercyses in commēdyng of hyr sowle to god He came thre freres wyth hym mo to be present att the passyng of this holy mayde But whan she was passyd as it semed One of the freres took so grete sorowe therfore that by vyolence of hys wepyng a veyne of hys brest was all for brosyd where wyth he caught a coghe spatte gebettes of blood Thenne was that another sorowe to them that stode aboute for bothe they wepte for the holy mayde that was so passyd And also for hir brother the whiche was not shappely to lyue long after in that payne Thenne sayde frere Thomas hir fyrst confessour to that seek frere wyth grete feyth and trust Brother I wote well this holy mayde is in grete reputacyon afore god for hyr good lyuyng Therfore take hyr honde and putte in the same place of thy sekenes And I doubte not but that thou shalte be hole And anone forth wyth he dyd so and so he hadde helthe the whiche he tolde afterward to al that wolde here if Ther was also a ghoostly doughter of herys that was present thenne the whiche was called Alyxa passyd out of this worlde sone afterward Moother were that came Inne for to see whether she was passed or not and ther was none that coude suppose otherwyse There were also two other specyall wyttenessys that were aboute for to ordeyne for the body that it sholde be beryed And bothe were susters of penaunce of Saynt Domynyk that one was called Katheryne as she was the whiche was hyr felawe longe tyme afore And that other was hyr cosyn Lysa and thus I make an ende of thys chapytre ¶ Of somme myracles wrought gracyously by thys holy mayde aboute the helthe of sowles Capitulum vij YF I sholde reherce alle the myracles that our lord shewed by this holy mayde I myght rather make a grete book of them than for to comprehende hem in oo chapytre But by cause I wolde put awaye dulnesse of them that sholde rede or here this legende of this holy mayde I am aboute asmoche as I may vnder fewe wordes for to comprehende them in one chapytre that they myghte knowe vnder fewe wordes how grete they ben the whiche I passe ouer lyghtely therfore in as moche as the sowle passeth the body in worthynesse I shall begynne of tho myracles the whiche were shewed of our lord by hyr aboute mennys sowles and after that of the bodyes As touchyng for the fyrst whan that Jamys or Jacob the fader of this holy mayde perceyued that hys doughter Katheryne was alle gyuen to serue and to please our lord as it is rehersed in the fyrste partye of thys legende euer he loued tretyd hyr reuerētly and louyngly for bedyng all folk of hys housholde that none be soo hardy for to lette Katheryne hys doughter in ony maner wyse what that euer she wyll haue done Thys is a grete cause why that the doughter loued the fader And therfore she commended specyally hyr faders helthe oft tymes to oure lord And he had suche a truste in hys doughters prayers that he supposed well she myght haue of god what she wold for hys helthe Sone after the fader sykened laye doune in hys bedde all seek Whan this holy mayde hys doughter perceyued that anone she prayed to oure lorde hyr spouse for the helthe of hyr fader And it was answerd to hyr of our lorde that the ende of hys dayes of this worlde were come and that it were not spedefull for hym for to abyde lenger in this lyf Then ne she wente to hyr fader vysyted hym and examyned hym how he was dysposed in hys sowle and founde redy wylfully to passe out of this worlde hauyng no luste for to abyde lenger wherefor she thanked our lord hyghly But thenne she prayed our lord eftesones that syth it so is that he hadde gyuen hyr fader so grete grace for to passe out of this worlde wythout synne that he wolde wouchesauf to graunte hym also for to flee to heuen wythout payne of purgatory Of this she hadde an answere in this wyse that ryghtwysnesse must nedys be kepte and therfore it were no ryght but Impossyble a sowle to haue the clerenesse of endeles ioye wythout perfyte purgacyon a fore For all be it thy fader hath ben in hys dayes of good lyuyng among alle other wedded folke also do many good thynges that I am well pleased wyth and specyally as touchyng the Yet neuerthelesse it may not be sauyng my ryghtwysnesse But that hys sowle must be purged by the fyre for to brenne out the duste of erthely conuersacyon the whiche is hardened endured in his soule Thenne sayde this holy mayde to our lord thus My dere welbeloued lord what may I suffre that my fads sowle by whom I haue be so tenderly nourysshed haue had so many cōfortes in hys lyf that it be not tormented in suche paynes I praye the lord for the goodnesse that euer thou shewdest to mā kynde suffre not hys sowle to goo out of hys body vnto the tyme it be perfytly purged oo waye or other that it nede not in no wyse the payne of purgatory After suche wordes our lorde shewed hys mercy meruayllously as though he had obeyed to the voyce of hys mayden All be it that the bodely strengthes of hir fader Jamys beganne for to defaylle more more to the deth warde Yet hys soule passed neuer out of his body vnto the tyme that holy dysputacion betwene our lord alledgyng for hym ryghtwysnesse And the holy made axyng grace mercy ▪ And at the laste after long dysputacion the holy mayde sayd to our lord My welbeloued lord yf thys grace may in no wyse be goten or graunted without som maner of ryghtwysnesse suffre that ryghtwysnesse fall on me for I am redy to suffre al maner of peyne what euer thy goodnesse wyll ordeyne for delyueraūce of my fads sowle Thenne our lord graunted hyr grace sayd Loo doughter for the loue that thou hast to me I shall graunte the thyne axyng I shall delyuer thy faders soule fully out of payne But thou shal be suffre a payne for hym as long as thou lyuest the whiche I shall assygne the. This holy mayde thanked our lord and sayde Good blessyd lorde be it to me as thou haste ordeyned After that she wente to hyr fader as he laye a deieng she comforted hym meruayllously of hys endeles helthe that he was ryght ioyefull she went not from hym vnto the tyme he was passyd out of this worlde And whan the sowle was passyd out of the body anone forth wyth this holy mayde was payned wyth a sekenes in the syde the whiche is called Ilica passyo that neuer went from hir in to the tyme she passyd out of this worlde And ther was neuer tyme afterward but she had the payne as she sayde other bare recorde
the deuelys poure by your prayers helpe him also defende hym from his aduersaryes Thenne she sayde to mayster Reymond why be ye sory for him for whome ye sholde be gladde Now be ye seker that our lord spareth him wyll relesse hym from endeles payne by that temporall payne Fyrst whan he was in the worlde the worlde loued that was hys And now he is passyd out of the worlde the worlde begynneth to hate hym Fyrst our lord reserued for him endeles payne but now of hys mercy he hath chaunged hys endeles payne in to temporall payne And of hys desperacyon be thou noo thynge in doubte for he that hath delyuered hym of helle wyll delyuer hym gracyously out of thys peryll and as she sayde soo it was For wythin a whyle after he was delyuered out of pryson though he hadde grete losse of hys temporall goodys where of thys holy mayde was no thyng sory but was ioyefull and sayde that our lord of hys mercy hath do awaye fro hym the poyson that he was poysoned wyth And at the last he had so many trybulacyons and hys deuocyon encrecyd so moche that he gaf to this holy mayde a fayre paleys of his vnder his letter and seale that was two myle wythout the Cyte Of the whiche paleys she sholde make a monastery of sustres of penaunce Thenne this holy mayde by specyall lycence and auctoryte of hyr holy fader the pope Gregory the xj made there a monasterye in the worshyp of our lady to all hyr ghostly doughters and called the monasterye the monasterye of our lady And Nannes that man the whyche this holy mayde conuerted was gouerned ghoostly by mayster Reymond and lyued after a blyssed lyf Abouen all these maters yf I wolde reherce all the conuersyons of euell lyuers all the roburacyons and the strengthes of seek folke All the comfortes of desolate folke or them that were in trybulacyons all the exortacyons of them that were in ghoostly perellys the whiche our lorde hath meruayllously wrought by hys spouse this holy made I myght make many grete bokes Who coude telle how many wretched synfull lyuers she hath delyuered out of the fendes bondys How many obstynate folke she hath brought ageyne to theyr owne knowleche How many she had made forsake and despysed the worlde And how many tempted folk in fonle synnes she hath delyuerd out of the fendes daunger by hyr prayers and doctrynes Neuerthelesse ye shall saye as saynt Jerome sayd comendyng our lady I myght say that yf all the membrys and lym̄ys of my body were torned in to tongues they sholde not suffyce for to tell all the fruyte of soules that this holy mayde hath purposed to heuen by the helpe of almyghty god mayster Reymond bereth this trewe recorde that he sawe a thousand or moo bothe of men and wymmen comyng doun fro the mounteynes and other vyllages longyng to the shyre of the Cyte of Sene comyng for to see and here this holy mayde as though they hadde be called by an Inuysyble trompe the whiche not onely by hyr wordes but also by hyr lokyng were styred to compunccyon for to be confessyd of all theyr synnes wyth grete contricyon so theyr went two confessours of whome mayster Reymond was one as he seyth hym self and they confessyd hyr synnes wyth so grete contrycion that eche man myght well knowe that there was grace gyuen of god in her hertes that was not onys ne twyes but oftymes Wherfore the forsayd Pope Gregorye that was that tyme hadde soo grete ioye and delyte of the wynnyng of soo many soules that he graūted by bull to mayster Reymond and to hys felawes that all thoo the whiche wolde come and vysyte this holy mayde and after desyren for to be shreuen they sholde here them assoylle them as moche as the bysshop of the dyocyes myght do Therfore mayster Reymond bereth recorde and seyth that there came many synfull wretches to hym and to hys felawes the whiche were neuer shreuen a fore of the synnes the whiche they were shreuen to hym and to them And they stode ofte tymes fastyng fro the morow tyll euen by cause of grete concours of people and yet they myght not suffyce for to here all that wold be shryuen All that tyme this holy mayde prayed and thanked our lord ioyefully that the fende hadde loste hys prayer There is no penne that can expresse the ioye of hir herte that she had that tyme of wynnyng of soules Thus moche is rehersed in this chapytre of the ghostly meruayllous thynges that our lord wrought by hys spouse This holy mayde Katheryne aboute the helthe of mannes soules ¶ Now shall I tell you in the next chapytre what god wrought for hyr aboute the helthe of bodyes so shall I make an ende of the next chapytre The wyttenesse that nedeth to be rehersed in the ende of this chapytre ben rehersed a fore in the same chapytre and that suffyceth ynough ¶ Of somme myracles done in hyr lyfe by hyr aboute the lyf and helthe of mennys bodyes Capitulum viij I Shall tell you maydens a wonder meruayllous thyng And yette it is lyght and esye to them Inough wyth whome is founde none vnpossybylyte Lapa this holy maydes moder was a womman of grete symptenesse and Innocencye Yet she hadde for that tyme lytell affeccyon to Inuysyble thynges And therfore she was sore aferde to dye and passe out of this worlde She caught a bodely sykenes and it encreced day by day more and more Whan this holy mayde this vnderstode She prayed to our lord deuoutely for hyr that he wold wouchesauf to socour hyr moder wyth helthe that brought hyr forth and nouryshed hyr She hadde an answer anone from heuen that it was beste for hyr for to passe now out of this worlde or thenne she haue more aduersytees that ben to come As soone as she wyste this she went to hyr moder and sayde to hyr wyttely suche swete wordes Moder yf our lord swete Ihesu wyll calle you to hym out of this worlde dyspose you to be confourmyd to his blyssed wyll and beth noo thyng sory ¶ Thenne the moder desyryng not for to deye prayed hyr doughter to praye for hyr that oure lorde wolde wouchesauf to graunte hyr bodely he le and speke nomore to hyr of hyr deth Thys holy mayde prayed thenne our lord hertely and feruentely that he wold wouchesauf take hir nought out of this worlde in to the tyme she knewe that hyr wylle were more confourmed to hys wyll ¶ Our lorde graunted hyr hyr axynge and suffred hyr moder to be seek for a tyme and not for to drawe to the passage of deth And thenne this holy mayde was made mene betwene god and hyr moder for to praye that one and exhorte that other Our lord she prayed that he wolde not take hyr ageynst hyr wyll And hyr moder she exorted and admonysshed wyth swete wordes that she sholde confourme hyr and consent to the
wyll of god Neuerthelesse though in maner she bowed our lord to hyr prayers yet she myght not enclyne hir moder wyll by hyr exortacyons ¶ Thenne our lord spake to hys spouse Katheryne and sayde Telle thy moder that she hath now no nede to passe out of this worlde but tyme shall come that she shall desyre for to deye and then̄e she shal not haue it and that was sothe ¶ Hyt befyll that she lyued in to a grete age and sawe many aduersytres in hyr dayes as well of persones as of theyr goodys in so moche that she sayde ofte tymes in heryng of many folke suche wordes Whether our lord Ihesu hath put a soule in my body that it shall neuer be delyuered thens So many chyldren and doughters grete and smale yong and olde ben dede and I may not deye ¶ Now I shall cesse of this mater and procede forthe in the fyrst mater that I began Lapa this holy maydes moder was of so harde herte that she wolde in no wyse dye ne by confessyd ne thynke in noo wyse on hyr soule he le ¶ Thenne oure lorde for to appyre more meruayllously in hys spouse Katheryne denyed in maner as it semed hys fyrste graunte And suffred Lapa to drawe fast toward the deth wythout confessyon Whan this holy mayde perceyued that she lyfte vp hyr eyen to heuen wyth wypyng terys sayd to our lord thus A a lord god ben thise thy behestys that thou hast graunted me that none of my faders houshold shold perysshe is this thy mercyable byheste that saydest my moder sholde not passe hens ageynst hyr wyll I see well now that she shall dye wythout sacramentys of holy chyrche Therfore I beseche the by alle thy mercyes that thou suffre me not to be deceyued and that I goo not hens a lyue vnto the tyme thou haste yolde to me my moder reuyued in soule and body ¶ These wordes and these meruayllous cause herde thre wimmen of Sene that were present ¶ Whan hyr moder as it semed by syghte and felyng was dede soo that they were aboute for to go home ageyne to theyr howses leuyng Lapa there for dede yf it had not ben that the holy mayde prayed as she dyd and therfore they abode the lenger Of the maners of these wymmen I shall tell you afterward ¶ Thys holy mayde contynued long in prayers at the last our lord herde hyr prayers gracyously and quyckened the soule and the body ageyne of Lapa that she lyued afterward vnto the tyme she was foure score yere of age and nyne wyth grete torment of herte for many aduersytres that she suffred as it was prophecyed to hyr afore by hyr doughter this holy mayde ¶ Of this myracle were wytnesse one Katheryne and Angelyna sustres of penaunce and also Lysa this holy maydes cosyn they were present whan Lapa was leyde forthe for dede and herden how this holy mayde prayed to oure lorde thus Lorde ben these thy behestys that thou behote me as it is sayd afore Of the remeynaunt of hyr age whan she was restoryd ageyne to lyf bare wyttenes many one Lo ye maydens here may ye knowe of what meryte this holy mayde was wyth our lord Ihesu that delyuered hyr faders soule out of purgatory and reduced hyr moders soule in to hir body ageyne meruayllously ¶ Another meruayllous thyng shall I tell you It happened that ther was a comyn pestylence of bocchys reygnyng in the Cyte of Sene soo that it oppressyd bothe men and wymmen yong and olde to the deth that comynly they dyed wythin two dayes or thre at the ferthest the whiche sekenes feryd many a man ¶ Thenne mayster Reymond wente aboute to vysyte seek folke and comforted them in god no thyng chargyng of the Infeccyon of that pestylence touchyng hys bodely deth soo that he myght wynne soules Whanne he hadde so vysyted them for werynes that he had in goyng aboute he restyd hym in a chyrche of our lady where to he hadde a grete deuocyon and namely for the persone of the same chyrche was a blessyd lyuer and well knowen wyth thys holy mayde Katheryne the whiche persone was called Syr Mathewe ¶ It befyll fewe dayes after that mayster Reymond wente out by the morowe for to vysyte seek folke as he was wonte And as he came by the chyrche of our lady for deuocyon that he hadde to our lady in that place and also for affeccyon that he hadde to the persone syr Mathewe he wente for to loke how he ferde Sodeynly whan he was entred in to the chyrche he sawe syr Mathewe bere vp in to hys chambre semynge as he hadde be dede by vyolence of that pestylence For he hadde lost bothe colour of hys face and strengthe of hys body and also hys speche ¶ Thenne mayster Reymond axed of other aboute what hym eyled They answerde and sayd that the nyght afore aboute one after mydnyght he was vppe for to vysyte a seek body And wyth Inne lytell tyme afterward he was take wyth the pestylence Here of was mayster Rymond ryght sorye folowed hym vp to his chambre as other dyd and then ne satte doun by hym Wythin a whyle after whan he was layde in hys bedde he recouered his spyrytes ageyne and callyd mayster Reymond to hym prayeng hym of confessyon and so was shryuen clene of hys synnes as he was ofte wonte to do After tyme that he was assoylled mayster Reymound axed how it stode wyth hym and he answerd and sayd ageyne that it greued hym so sore in hys grynde or in the flanke that it semed to hym his thygh wolde falle awaye and not onely the thygh but also the hede fareth as though it were departed in foure partyes by payne and ache that he suffred ther Inne Thenne mayster Reymond touchyd tastyd hys poūse and founde well that he hadde a passyng feuer Wherfore he had hys menye that they sholde bere hys water to leches and so they dyd But mayster Reymound folowed soone after to knowe verayly what the leches wolde saye To whome the leche sayde thus Thys man is take wyth the pestylence and therfore I drede me that the how 's of our lady shall wante and lacke a good persone ¶ Thenne axed mayster Reymond whether he myght be holpe by ony maner remedye of medycynes he sayd that he sholde assaye But he hadde no grete trust in noo medycynes by cause the sykenes was ryght greuous Thus mayster Reymond departed from hym wyth grete sorowe euer prayeng by the waye to our lord in hys soule that he wolde wouchesauf to saue hys bodely lyf Yet a whyle for hys example to many ¶ In the mene whyle this holy mayde herde saye that syr Mathewe was seek whome she loued tenderly for hys vertuous lyuyng Anone she wente home to hym and as soone as she sawe hym she cryed to hym and sayd ¶ Aryse vp syr Mathewe aryse vp for shame is it now tyme to lye a bedde Sodeynly thenne atte hyr callyng
the feuer and the bocche wente away fro hym as though he hadde neuer hadde hem and thenne he roos vp wythout ony taryeng goodly soo that in hys rysyng he sayde smylyngly and ioyefully that the vertue of god restyd in that holy mayde ¶ Thenne the holy mayde wente awaye and fledde the preysyng of men But as she went out of the how 's the mette wyth mayster Reymond To whome mayster Reymond sayd full sorowfully ¶ Moder whether thou wylte suffre this man to dye that is so dere and profytable to vs. Alle be it that she wyst well ynough what she hadde to done yette she sayde to hym of mekenes suche wordes Fader what wordes be these whether ye wene I am god that may delyuer men fro deth ¶ Thenne sayde mayster Reymond to hyr ageyne wyth a grete spyryte for sorowe that he hadde of hys deth Saye this to whome that thou lust but to me tell no suche thynges that knoweth how our lorde dothe wyth the. I knowe well that what that euer thou axyste of god thou shalte haue ¶ Thenne this holy mayde bowed hyr hede to hym and smyled And at laste she loked vp wyth a gladde chere vpon hym and sayd Be of good chere fader for he shall not dye at thys tyme. ¶ Wyth that was Mayster Reymound gladde he knewe well that god hadde gyue hyr grete grace soo he departed from hyr and wente to syr Mathewe for to loke how he ferde Whome he founde syttyng in hys bedde and wyth gretr ioye rehersyng the myracle of the holy mayde ¶ To whome Mayster Reymound sayde in confortynge of hym that the holy mayde tolde hym Syr Mathew sayd thenne to mayster Reymond What trowe ye she hath do he sayd he wyst ne◠for she tolde him no worde therof Syr Mathew wyth that aroos vp out of his bedde sat doune by mayster Reymound and tolde hym all the hole gladly how the holy mayde was there and sayde to hym as it is rehersed afore Soone after syr Mathew ete and dranke none seke mannis mete but hole mānys mete and that was a grete merueyle he was mercy and gladde that vnne the he myght speke a worde that same daye in the morowe Of this myracle were wytnesse one Fryer Nychol that came wyth Mayster Reymound and other prestes and clerkes of the hous of our glorious Lady gloryous vyrgyn Mary xx or there aboute But now I praye you maydens taketh hede that infydelyte off curyous hertes dysceyue you not in this myracle Somme wyll saye to you perauenture that it is none greate merueyle though a man be helyd of suche a comyn sekenes as is the feueres and pestylence for all day suche a thynge happeth To whom it may be asked agayn what merueyle that was whan our lord heled petre his wyffes moder of the feuers al day it happeth that men ben delyuered of the feuers be it neuer soo greuous why is it than of petris wyffes moder rehersed for a myracles in the gospell But now taketh hede ye curyous vntrowyng hertes take hede whether it be not he the whiche heled this man Mathewe that heled petris wyffes moder In helyng of petre wyffes moder he commaūded that her feuers sholde goo fro her and soo it dyde anone wythout ony taryeng ▪ And she thenne arose vp and mynistred our lord at mete ¶ Ryght soo in this miracle it was the same lorde that spak in the holy maydes breste the whiche heled petrys wyffes moder and soo syr mathewe was bothe off the fruers and also of the pestylence What was the cause trowe you trewely for the mynystracion that he sholde shewe to our lorde in tyme comynge for wynnyng of soules soo thenne the entent folowyng is cause of the miracle that goth byfore therto he was made so perfyghtly hole that he ete forwyth hole mete and mennys mete as thought he hadde not be seke afore now I sythe I haue tolde you of the myracle done to the helthe off bodyes I shall telle you a nother by the helpe of god ¶ A lytyl beside the Cyte of Sene there was a deuoute woman that was one of the susters of penaunce of saint Domynyke the whiche herd and sawe moche off the vertuous lyuyng of this holy mayde she drewe moche to her afterward and was vnder the coūseyll of this holy mayde dyde her reuerence as to her moder After it befyll on a day that this deuout suster was on hye on a solier of her hous for certayn thynges that she hadde to do And sodenly the solyer fyll doune the woman vndernethe ▪ alle the raftre treys brosed so her that she was drawe out halfe ded or soone after to be deed At the laste by the helpe of god she was broughte to bedde and began to reuyue and felte that payne of her herte brosour complayned her sore wyth wepyng and weylyng Leches than were sought to do the besynes for to hele her ▪ but yet for all her lechecraf she myght not tourne her in her bede without helpe of other Whan the holy mayde katheryn herde therof she had compassion in herte of the suster and came to her and comforted her in penaunce and in her dysese But whan she perteyued that her dysese was soo passyng payne to her She touched the places of her body that were paynefull as though she wolde anoynted theym wyth her hondes Of the whiche touchyng the suster was well apayed supposyng faythfully by the mercy of god that it sholde bee to her grete ese She hadde not so soone touched her syde but that she was all hole as though she hadde felt afore none payne Thenne the seke suster prayed her that ▪ she wolde touche the oder syde as she dyde the syde by cause the holy mayde thenne supposed that it was ese to her She dyde soo as she badde her in the same wyse her dysese went a waye in that place after her touchyng as it was in the other syde soo thenne at the laste the holy mayde touchyd ouer all her body there she felte dysese and all dysese was clene a voyded At the laste whan she was alle hole she tourned her aboute by her self wythouten ony helpe that all myght see verely by her tokens that she was fully hole Neuertheles yet she helde her peas tyll tfe hooly mayde was a goo leste she sholde haue troubled her mekenes yf she hadde tolde it her ī presence but afterward she told it bothe to leches to neyghbours and sayde thus katheryne the doughter of Lapa hath heled me by her touchyng All they hadde me rueyle therof and thanked god that hadde gyue suche gracious vertues to the holy mayde katheryne For they wyste ryght well that the holynes might not come but of god therfore they thanked hym This myracle Mayster Reymound knewe by tellyng of other But now I shall tell you of anther that mayster Reymound him self knewe and sawe it ¶ In that tyme whan the
And by cause it was in all wyse lyke ellys therfore I passe ouer and reherce it not But I wolde ye vnderstood may dens that this holoy mayde shewed not oonly the dyuyne myracle of curacion in tyme of pestylence but also in other tymes and yet not only in the Cyte of Sene but also in other places But therfore one I shall declare at this tyme wherby ye may vnderstonde all other yf ye take hede wytely therto ¶ It befyll soone after that the general pestâ—lence the whiche is rehersed afore the many folke both men and wymmen as well relygyous and seculer But specyally certayn mynchis of the Cyâ—â— of â—yse herde of the famous name of this holy mayde katheryn desyreden to see her and here her speke And by cause it was notlefull for theym to goo oute and seke her therfore they prayed her as well by lettres as by messengers that she wolde vouches â—f to come to â—yse seyeng to her that there she myght wynne many a son le the whiche sholde be to oure lord greate worshyppe Albe it that this holy mayde eschewed alwaye for to go fer about the contre yet she was soo ofte prayed wyth soo many messengers or messages that she was almoste constrâ—yned therto by prayer of lettres messages Thenne she had a recource to prayer as she was wont to done and asked our lorde mekely declaracion of that doubte that she stode in and what she sholde doo somme off theym that were counseyllers to her saide that it was best for her to goo and somÌ„e sayde nay wythin a fewe dayes afterward she had an answere of our lord as she beknewe afterward to mayster â—eymound that she shold not tarye but algatys she sholde goo to speke wyth hys seruauntys and his spouse dwellyng in the same Cyte of Pyse Thenne as a tâ—ewe obedyencer by leue of Mayster Reymound her confessour she wente to Pyse whome folowed afterward Mayster Reymound wyth a certeyn of hys bredren for to here confessyons For many ther were that came to her whaÌ„ they herde her speke soo â—eruent wordes of loue were steryd therby to contrycion And leâ—t they sholde be lette fro trewe conuersacyoÌ„ falle agayn in to the fendes snares after suche coÌ„puccion she wold beidde theim go to confession be shryue without ony taryeng And by cause her confessyon was ofte tymes delayed for defaute of confessours therfore ofte tymes she desyred that she myght haue confessours by her to whom she myght sende suche repentaunce And therfore Maister Reymound and his two felawes hadde power of the pope by bull for to here and assoyle all tho that were enduâ—ed to confessyon by this holy mayde WhaÌ„ she came to Pyse she was receyued in a burgeys hous that was called Gerardus the whiche Gerad vpon a daye brought wyth hiÌ„ a yonge man of xx yere of age alle seke of the feuers to this holy mayde besechinge her that she wolde praye for his helthe for he tolde her that he was vexid xviij monethes to gyders wyth the feuers soo that it was none daye but that he hadde it And therto it was so myghty to him that it hadde brought hym soo lowe and that is well sene by hys chekes and by hys body Andâ—â— myght neuer by none medecyn be made hoole Thenne the holy mayde hadde grete compassyon in herte of that yonge man she asked hym how longe it was a goo that he was shryue of hys synnes and toke penaunce he sayd not many a yere therfore it is sayde she that our lord hath yeue the this â—oorge for thou hast not purged thy soule by holy confessyon soo longe tyme. Therfore sone goo forthe anone to confession and cast out that venim the whiche enfecteth alle thy body whan he was confessyd and â—ame to her agayne she put her holy honde vpon his sholders and sayd to hym thus Goo sone in peeâ— of our lord â—hesu cryst for it is his wyll that thou be nomore vexed wyth tho feuers as she sayd it was fro that time forward he was not vexed therwyth Within fewe dayes after he came again to the holy mayde and thanked her of her curacion and sayde openly afore aâ— folke that he hadde neuer the feuers sythe she a voyded it by the vertu of our lord â—ff this bereth wytnes Mayster Reymound for he sawe that myracle And other wytnesse there were ynow by Gerad the childes moder and many other afterward the yonge man puplychid that miracle by all â—â—e contree suche another byfyll in the Cyte of Seene but moche more â–ª merueylous by cause the sikenes was more perylous ¶ There was a suster of penaunce of saynt Domynyke in the same â—yte off Seene that was called Gemina the whiche loued well this holy mayde she had a sekenes of hir throte the whiche was called the sâ—ynce by contynaunce of tyme the sekenes encresyd soo that it made her throte soo streyght that vnethe she might drawe her brethe â–ª but almoost ofte tymes was strangelyd Thenne she wente to this holy mayde prayed her as she myght speke seyenge thus moder I shaldeye but ye helpe me this holy maide hadde soo grete compassyon of her that she toke her holy honde and crossed her throte â–ª ¶ And anone wythout ony taryenge tâ—e sekenes avoyded and soo she that come wyth grete sorowe went home wyth grete gladnesse And tolde it soone after to her confessour But by cause somme what I haue tolde you of curacions done to the body by this holy mayde to diuerse persones therfore I shall telle you now of a grete notable myracle that our lorde wrought â—i this blessyd holy mayde ¶ It befyll that this holy mayde wente in a tyme fro Pyse to Auyoun wyth whome wente two good deuoute yonge men that wrote the lettres that this holy Mayde wolde sende The one was called Neryus that afterward â—as a deuoute recluse And the other was caâ—led Stephene that was afterward a monke of the charterhous And a good vyrtuous lyuer therto to the same â—yte of auyoun wente alsâ— mayster ReymouÌ„d ¶ It happed whan they were entred in to the Cyte of auyoun the forsayd Neryus was seke wyth a merueylouâ— sykenes in his bowellis that he myght haue none reste neyther nyght ne daye But cryed and wayled ofte tymes and he might not lye in his bedde but creped about on hondes and on feet and sought reste and yet myght none fynde This was tolde to the holy maide and she badde mayster Reymound sende afleches to helpe hym For other comforte wolde she none gyue mayster ReymouÌ„d dyde soo and there was none leche that myght ese him but rather he was the more payned I trowe for that ende allone by cause our lord wolde worke that myrarle in his spouse katheryn At the last leche said to maister ReymouÌ„d that they myght not prouffyte in hym And therfore they hadde none truste in his lyffe ¶ Whan Mayster Reymound hadde tolde this to his
companye as they sateÌ„ at the mete Stephene the felowe of Neryus roos vp wyth a grete spyryte went to the holy maydes chambre sytyng doune on his knees and prayed her mekely that she wyll not suffre his felowe Neryus to deye in suche a straunge contree To whom this holy mayde answerde thus sone why art thou heui thou sholdest not be sory for thy felawe For our lorde wyll rewarde hym in blysse for his pacyence in sufferyng of that sekenes ThenÌ„e he sayd agayn dere moder yett here myn prayer at this tyme and helpe hym for I wote well ye may and ye wyll Thenne she sayd well sone I see well that thou art not in will to conforme the to the wil of god as I haue tolde the Therfore sythe I see that thou art soo tourmentyd for hym come to me to morowe whan I go to here masse and be houselyd and reduce this mater to myn mynde And I shall sende vp thyn prayer to god And thou shalt praye for me that I maye be herde Thenne stephen was well apayed wyth this vyhesteâ—erly on the morowe he mette wyth this holy mayde goyng for to here masse Assone as he aspyed her he fyldoune on his knees and prayed her that she wolde not forgete hym of that he spake to her the day afore After tyme whan she was hoâ—elyd she was rauysshed from her bodely wyttes and prayed our lord for that seke man Soone after she was restoryd ayen to her bodely wyttes and came to the same Stephene smylyng the whiche abode her there of an answere and sayde vnto hym thus Sone thou hast the grace that thou hast asked Thenne he asked her whether Neryus shold be deliuerd of his sekenes She sayd ye wyth that he wente gladly to his felawe and badde hym be of good there for he shall be hole and soo he was full tendaunt aboute for to recouer hym In tyme of his mynystracion aboute hiÌ„ it happed the same Stephene to be seke lay doune in his bedde of a passyng feuer Whan the holy mayde knewe that she hadde grete sowwe and went to hym and asked hym what sekenes he hadde And she perceyued by touchynge of hys ponse that he was vexed wyth a strong feuer Anone wyth a greate feruour oâ—â— spyryte she sayde thus I charge the feuer by the vertu of obedyence that thoâ— goo out of this man thenne went the feuer a waye and he wos vp all hole with out ony taryeng and thanked oure lorde of his grete grace that he shewed to hys spouse Katheryne Another notable myracle I shall telle you of a suster of penaunce the whiche was called Johan dwellyng in the Cyte of Sene In a tyme that our holy fader pope Gregory that lyued that tyme was in the cyte of Sene at the byddyng of our holy fader Gregorye this holy mayde was sent to Florence to make pees betwene hym his rebell children of floreÌ„ce the whiche mat is to longe to tell here But this mater shall hauâ— a chapytre by hit self afterward by the helpe of god And whan she was come to Florence wyth hyr a felawe of here 's the whiche was called Johan for to trete for the pees betwene our oure holy fader and that rebell people The people sette lytell by hyr wordes but sâ—laundred hyr meruayllously set hyr at nought Then ne she was counseylled for to withdrawe hyr a whyle vnto the tyme that they were cessyd of theyr malyce She dyd so but yet she sayd that she wold neuer passe out of that cyte in to the tyme they were accorded and pees were cryed thorugh out all the cyte of Florence as she sayde so it was Thenne she wente a syde was lodgyd a lytell besyde the cyte where sodeynly hir suster Johan was seek in hyr foot so that hyr foot was all forswoâ—land ther wyth for payne of hyr foot she had a grete â—eruent axes and so she was in double wyse tormented that she myght not goo wyth hyr Thyâ— holy mayde was heuy therof wolde in no wyâ—e leue hyr behynde leâ—t sâ—launder sholde spryng She prayed to our lord for helpe that he wold woucheâ—auf mercyably to helpe hyr felâ—we all the whyle that she prayed hyr suster was a slepe And whan she awoke she was all hole as though she had I had no sykenes Anone she arose vp went wyth this holy mayde as quykly as euer she dyd afore ¶ Of this myracle many one thanked our lord that sawe it the whiche had wrought soo gracyously by hys spouse Katheryne Yette shall I tell you another meruayllous thynge that our lord wrought by hyr in the cyte of Tholetane Whan this holy mayde was entred in to the Cyte of Tholetane she took hir Inne and anone she wente in to hir chambre as she was wonte to do In to the whiche mayster Reymond was come on the popes message Sodeynly thenne he herde in the stretys of the Cyte of wymmen that an holy wommaÌ„ was come entred in to the Cyte Then ne soone after cam men and after wymmen to hyr Inne axed where thys holy mayde was They of the Inne myght not hyde hyr but they suffred wymmen onely to goo in to hyr speke wyth hyr Thenne ther was one of the wommen that hadde a lytell chylde whos whombe was meruayllously swolle And they prayed this holy mayde that she wold take that childe in hyr armes at the begynnyng she refused it by cause of vayn glorye but at the â—ast she was ouercome by pyte and dyd as they had hyr as soone as she took that chylde in hir hondes anone the childe deliuered from him moche wynde so that at last hys bely aswagyd and was as small as euer it was soo the chylde was hole All be it that mayster Reymond sawe not this myracle yet ther was so open speche therof in the Cyte of Tholetane that it came to the bysshopys ere and sent after mayster Reymond prayed hym that he myght speke wyth the holy mayde for the childe was neuewe to a vycary of hys And than this holy mayde came spake wyth the bysshop of many vertuous maters Many moomeruayls our lord wrought by this holy mayde that ben not wryten in this book But these fewe I haue wryten to you maydens by cause that ye shall the sonner gyue credence that our lord Jhesu Cryste dwellyd in this holy maydens soule the whiche principally wrought all thyse meruayllous werkys wytnes of tho maters the whiche ben reherced in this chapytre ben reherced afore in tho places where these my racles were shewed and thus endeth this chapytre ¶ Of myracles wrought by thys holy mayde a boute the delyueraunce of them whiche were encombred and vexyd wyth fendes Capitulum lx Owre lorde all myghty Ihesu cessyd not to shewe outward the Fertue that he gaue Inwarde to hys spouse Katheryne by many meruayllous werkes The vertue therfore of our lorde Ihesu cryst
angmented so myghtly in the brest of this holy mayde that not onely it was shewed to seek bodyes as it is reherced afore but also it was shewed in voydyng of wycked spyrytes as it shall be declared in this chapytre by the helpe of god Ther was in the Cyte of Sene a man the whiche was called mychael that vsed the craft of wrytyng whan he was passed in yeres of age by consent of hys wyf he was in purpose to leue the worlde serue our lord more specyally thenne he was wonte And also for to make two doughters of hys mynchyns in a monasterye in the same Cyte of Sene endowed in worshyp of saynt Johan the Enange lyst so hys lyst was fulfylled And at the last by a pryue dome of god one of his doughts the whiche was made a myn then that was called Laurencyana of vill yere of age or there aboute was vexed with a fende so that all the monasterye was vnquyeted by hyr vexacyon And at the last by comyn assent they sent after hyr fader delyuered ageyne hys doughter for they wold nomore haue hyr in the monasterye as long as she was so vexed Whan she was take out of the monasterye the fende spak wythin hir by the childys mouth many wondre thynges all in latyn wordes so many herde questyōs ther to pupplysshed many pryue synnes in sclaunder of many folke by the whiche it myght well be vnderstond that he was no good spyryte Of this vexacyon hyr fader moder and other of hir frendes were ryght sory wente aboute to dyuerse relyques of sentes for to seke helpe grace that her doughter myght be delyuerd of that spiryte And specyally they trusted gretely in the relyques of saynt Ambrose the whiche was a frere prechour to whome our lord graunted a synguler gyfte to put awaye wycked spyrytes soo that hys cope yf it had be layde vpon ony creature that had be vexed wyth a wicked spiryte it sholde be auoyded where fore the same chylde was brought to the frere prechours leyde vpon a tombe of saint ambrose hys clothes were leyde to the childe and the fader the mod prayed in the mene whyl the helpe ef god of the sente that the chylde myght be socourre But yet for that tyme were they not herde Not for no synne that euer they dyd But I trowe be cause that the syguler remedyes was reserued to this holy mayde Thenne was it counseylled to the fad mod for to presente hyr doughter to Pratheryne the holy mayde they sent to the holy mayde prayenge hyr that she wolde helpe they re doughter And she sent ageyn answer sayd that often tymes defayled departed a sonder and my soule was vtterly delyuered out of the body Neuerthelesse it was but a lytell tyme that was my sorowe Then ne eftesones mayster Reymond axed hir how long tyme hyr sowle was out of the body She sayd as they that kepte hyr were aboute to haue beryed hyr foure houres or thēne she reuyued ageyn Yet he axed hyr what she sawe for that tyme why came the soule ageyne to the body she answerd thus Fader that tyme my sowle sawe vnderstode ioye of blessyd sowles and peynes of synners And as myn mynde wold suffre me wordes wolde suffyce to expresse them I shall tell you My sowle sawe the diuyne essen cyall beyng of god and that is the cause why I am soo lothe vnpacyent to lyue in this worlde and had not be the loue of hym the loue of crysten people for whiche my sowle was restoryd to the body ageyne I sholde had defaylled dyed for sorowe The hyghest comfort that I haue is whan I suffre ony dysease for that I haue the perfyte vysyon of god therfore trybulacyons ben not heuysom to me but comfortable as ye may knowe other that ben conuersaunt wyth me I sawe also the peynes of dampned sowles and peynes of sowles that ben in purgatory the whiche I can not expresse perfytely wyth no maner of wordes For yf wretched synners sawe the leste peyne that is there they had leuer chese bodely deth an hondred tymes yf it were possyble thēne for to suffre o daye the leste peyne that is there But specially I sawe hem ponysshed syngulerly that had synned in matrymony the whiche hadde not kepte hem to gyder honestly as they sholde do but folowed the dylectacions of theyr lustys Of this mayster Reymond hir confessour axed hyr why that synne in specyall was more greuously punysshed thenne o ther synnes syth it so is that it is not the most greuous synne She sayd for this skylle For they had not soo grete conscyence of that synne ne so grete contrycyon as they had of other synnes but rather they offended in that synne thenne in ony other That synne the whiche a synner chargeth not for to remoue by penaūce is a grete synne be it neuer soo lytell Thenne this holy mayde proceded forthe in hyr mater sayd thus also Fader whāne I had seen all thyse ioyes and thes peynes wenyng my self that I hadde fully be delyuered out of this body Oure lorde sayde to me seest thou not doughter what ioye they lacke and what peyne they haue that offenden me Torne ageyn therfore to thy body tell to the peple theyr errour and theyr peryll And wyth that worde I was astonyed for to torne ageyne to the body and sore aferde Thenne our ford sayd to me it is profyte to mennys soules that thou torne ageyne and thou shalte not lyue the lyfe that thou hast lyued a fore ne kepe the so lytarie allone in chambre but thou shalte goo a brode to wynne sowles I shall euer be wyth the and goo wyth the bothe goyng and comyng Thou shalte bere the worshyp of my name and of ghoostly doctryne afore grete and smale laye people and clerkys and a fore Relygyous folk also I shall gyue the bothe mouth and wytte for to speke that none may wythstande the. I shall also bryng the afore bysshoppys and curates of sowles for to confounde there pryde Whyles our lorde spak thyse wordes sodeynly my soule was restored ageyne to my body And whanne I perceyued that I hadde grete sowwe that I wepte thre dayes ende of this chapite It nedeth not for to reherce the wytnesses of euery acte that was done in this chapytre for it is made mencion of forthwyth at euery acte ī the same chapytre ¶ Of myracles whiche our lord wrought by this holy mayde in breed wyne herbes ▪ and other thinges that had none lyff Capitulum xj BY cause at the begynnyng whā Adam was made our lord ordeyned a rewle to all tho that obeye◠to hym perfyghtly that all thynges sholde obeye to them Therfor maydens in this nexte chapytre I shall telle you how to this holy mayde obeyden alle creatures by cause she obeyed perfyghtly to god In the tyme
of Sene toke leue of her confessour as as chylde of obedyens and wente to that monastery there she laye whom folowed her susters and Mayster ReymouÌ„d for to see what myracle our lord and almyghty god wolde shewe in metyng to gyder of peas two gloryous vyrgyns maydens and his chosen spouses Whan she was come to the monastery she wente to the same place there she laye knelyd doune and began to bowe her hede for to kysse that holy vyrgyns feet wyth that bowyng doun the holy vyrgyns body off gloryous Agnes lyfte vp by myracle her owne foote as hye that the holy mayde katheryn of Sene shold kysse it wythout ony bowyng of her body or hede This myracle sawe all the susters of the same monasteryeland also the susters off penaunce wyth this holy mayde katheryne of Sene. Whan the holy mayde katheryne of Sene perceyued this she was the more meke and bowed the lower And than this holy mayde and vyrgyn saint Agnes drewe doune her legge agayn her fete and layde it as it was fyrste Another tyme this holy mayde katherin of Sene came agayn to vysyte the swete holy body of this holy mayde saynt Agnes and brought wyth her two cosyns of here 's yonge mayde chyldren for to make theÌ„â—usters in that monastery there for to serue oure lord almyghty god And whan she was come â–ª to the monasterye She went there the swete holy body lay of gloryous saint Agnes and knelyd not at the feet as she dyde the fyrst tyme but at the holy hede eschewyng mekely as it semed the eleuacion of her holy feet as it was doo fyrst And as she knelyd at her hede she layde her cheke to the swete cheke of this holy mayde gloryous Agnes loÌ„ge tymes to gyders But whaÌ„ she had so longe taryed she tourned her to her cosyn Lysa the whiche came wyth her and other moo of her susters and saide in this wyse Lysa why perceyue ye not the gyfte off our reuerende lord almyghty god hath gyue to vs out of heuene why bee ye soo vnkynd wyth that Lysa and other susters of heres loked vp and sawe manna reyne doun out of heuen couerynge both gloryous saynt Agnes and the holy mayde katheryn of Sene And also other that stode aboute Soo that Lysa fylled her hondes wyth that same whyte seed of manna ¶ This myracle appieryd not wythoutâ—n cause For gloryous saynt Agnes whan she lyued in erthe was wounte to haue that token out of heuen whan she prayed to our reuerend lorde almyghty god Soo that somme of her susters sawe â—er mantell alle whyte whan she wos vp fro her prayer and vnknowyng what it myght be and wold haue shake it awaye from her mantyll and she forbode it theym full esely And also it was doo for another mystery â–ª Glorious saynt Agnes knewe well that this holy mayde katheryne of Sene sholde be felawe wyth her in heuen And therfore she began to felyshyppe wyth her in erthe and worshyppe her also wyth that token that was wonte to appe re to her whan she lyued in her body By that manna is vnderstonde puryte and mekenes for by wytnes of that manna is vnderstonde puryte and clennes of maydenhede by the lytelnesse of greyne of that manÌ„a is vnderstonde of the mekenes of maydens that they sholde haue That puryte and that mekenesse was ryght haboundaunt in thyse two maydens saynt Agnes and this holy mayde Katheryne off Sene As for that wytnesse of the myracles I shewed in this chapytre was Lysa aud other susters of hers and also susters of the same monasterye where thyse myracles weren shewed Ouermore as for wytnesse touchyng the myracles off the hooly sacrament of the aulter was mayster Reymond her confessour and another mayster of dyuynyte the whiche was called Berthylmewe and other mo many moo myracles our glorious lord almyghty god shewed by his holy mayde katheryne and by this holy mayde saynt Agnes whyles they lyued here in erthe the whiche ben not writen in this boke but that is wryten herinne is wryten to the worshyppe of our gloryous lord god and helthe of soulys And thus I make an ende of this chapytre of this hooly legende of this holy mayde glorious saint Katheryne of Seene to the honour worshyppe and glorye of all the gloryous trinyte Cui referantur laudes honor et gloria in secula seculorum Amen ¶ Explicit secunda pars gloriosissime vite gloriosissime virginis Katerine de Seene ¶ Here begynneth thr thyrde boke and party wherin is rehersed the deyenge off this holy mayde gloryous saynt katheryne of Sene and of her myracles that were shewed after her dethe And fyrst of all of the wytnesse whiche were preseÌ„t at her passyng and enformed the auctor of this boke whiche and what they were Capitulum Primum WHan this hooly mayde katherine of Sene was sente to the Cyte of Florens by our holy Fader Gregory xj the whiche was that tyme pope off Rome as it is rehersed afore in the seconde party for to make peas betwyne oure hooly fader the pope and his children of Florence she founde theym vnobedyent rebell where amonges whom she suffred moche persecucion in soo moche that one of them drewe his swerde wolde haue smyten of her hede so woode he was wyth her all be it thought he were letted by the vertu of our glorious lord almighti god And yet notwythstondyng suche persecucion she wolde neuer goo thens vnto the tyme that peas was cryed thorugh out all the Cyte of Florence And that was not by pope gregorys dayes for he dyed in the mene tyme â–ª but it was by pope vrbans tyme dayes the whiche was pope after hym in whos tyme the peas was made And after tyme the pope was made she went home agayne to the Cyte off Seene And bylefte in her owne hous ful dylygently aboute the making of a certayn boke the whiche the swte gloryous holy ghoste endyted by her mouth in her owne langage She prayed her wryters the whiche wrote the boke that thei sholde consydere besely that she telleth theÌ„ in tyme of her rauysshyng soo she bad theym wryte Thenne she wente and prayed and sone after she was rauysshed from her bodely wyttes and in that rauisshyng she spake many swehe wordes the whiche wordes the wryters wrote as she spake and soo compyled a boke full off profytable sentence as our swete gloryous for almyghty god tolde her In the whiche endytyng one special thynge and a merueylous was shewed And alle that was comprehended and wryten in the boke was endyted by her by dyuerse times in tyme of her rauysshyng and neuer ellys soo that in that same tyme that she was soo rauysshed she sawe none bodely syght wyth her eyen ne herde wyth her eeres ne swellyd wyth her nose ne none of her bodely wyttes neyther hadde her bodely workynge for that tyme that she was in that rauysshyng By this ye may
coÌ„sydere and vnderstonde that the boke was not endyted by none naturall kyndely wytte But only by the infusyon of the swete gloryous holy ghoste ne I doubte not that all tho the whiche bee vnderstondyng men and dylygently serche the sentences shall rede that boke and of that boke they shullen say the same that I saye After tyme she had made that boke oure holy fader pope vrbane the vj that knewe this holy mayde in auyoun and had grete deuoucion in her wordes and in her vertuous lyuyng sent to Mayster Reymound her confessour that he sholde stere her to come to Rme for to vysyte the sainâ—â—s that ben there Mayster Reymounde dyde soo but she was soo full of dyscrecion that she answerd agayn in this wyse Fader many of this Cyte of Sene and also of our owne susters by cause of mingoyng aboute hider and thyder â—en sklandred therby and seyn that it is not semely to a Relyous mayde for to go so aboute all be it I hope to oure gloryous lorde almyghty god that I haue not offedyd in myn goyng aboute For by obedyence of our gloryous lord almyghty god by his vycar in erther and for the helthe of soule I wente thyder that I went And therfore leest I ben to theym mater of sklander by myn own wyll I purpos not to remeue out of the Cyte ¶ Neuertheles yf the gloryous louely Crystis vicar wyll algatis that I come his wyll be done and not myn And therto I praye you goo to hym and praye him that he vouchesaf to sende me worde by you of his wyll that they the whiche ben so sklandred by min goyng aboute Now ye maye clerly knowe that I toke not that iorney vpon me by min own wyll Mayster Reymound wente and tolde to the pope all this mater he sente agayn by hym that she sholde come by the vertu of obedyens Thenne assone as she herd this comÌ„auÌ„dement as a trewe douhter of obediens she spedde her faste and came to Rome with a grete company both men wymÌ„en many moo wolde haue come had she not forbede theÌ„ â–ª Whan oure holy fader the pope saw her he was glad ioyeful he desyred that she shold seye somÌ„e word of exortacioÌ„ to the cardinalis that weren there present namely for the scisme the whiche began the same tyme And so she dyde full vertuously made eche of them stedfastly stronge wyth many swete wordes and sentences and counseylled them that they sholde not drede for nothynge notwythstondynge the scisme the whiche began but to stand myghtely and drede noman and procede forth in thynges that longen to our gloryous lord for he is mighty ynow to mayntene theym whan she had made an ende of her wordes our holy fader the pope was gladde and rehersed her wordes tournyng to hys Cardynales and sayde Loo brederen the more vnfeytfull we be the more reprouable we ben in the syght of our gloryous lorde almyghty god this woman hath shamed vs all she sholde rather be aferd thaÌ„ we by cause she is a woman yet in that we be aferde she is not aferde but conforted vs wyth her good counseyls Certen we ought all to be ashamed wherfor sholde our gloryous lord god Ihesus Crystus vicar be aferd â–ª Trewele though all the worlde were agaynst hym our gloryous lord god Ihesus cryste is myghtyer theÌ„ne it And it is not possyble that he wil forsake his chyrche wyth suche wordes many moo lyke thyse our holy fader the pope comforted the Cardinalis and commaunded this holy mayde in our gloryous lord god graunted her for her selfe and for her frendes many special graces Within a fewe dayes afterward it came to our hooly faders mynde that he sholde sende this holy mayde katheryne wyth a nother maide that was called katheryne and was one of the ghostely doughters of saint Brygytte of swethe the whiche saint Brygytte was canonysed by pope Bonefas the ix â–ª to dame Johan the quene of cycely that openly rebelled agaynst hooly chyrche and gaue greate fauour to Scismatykes that both two maydens the whiche were well knowen wyth the quene of Cycely sholde wythdrawe her from her errour Thenne this holy maide katheryn of Seene herde this she wolde in none wyse wythdrawe her fro this holy obedyens but oblysshed her self for to goon ¶ The other katheryn of swethe in noo wyse wolde take that iournaye vpon her but refused it in presence of mayster Reymound Thenne mayster Reymound bythought hym that the fame of holy maydens is ryght tendre and a lytyll â—â—otte of synne thought they be not gylty therin Is sklaunderous to theym Also he thought that she to whom thyse maidens sholde be sente myght by counseyll of her and many aboute her to lye awayte in the waye that thyse maydens sholde not come to her presens and soo to be letted off her purpos And also they maydens myght not escape wythout a grete sklander al be it they myght be gyltles thyse thoughtes Mayster Reyymound tolde our holy fader To whom our holy fader answerd and sayde thus thou seyst well mayster ReymouÌ„de It is better they goo not than goo After this tyme mayster Reymound wente tolde this to this holy mayde Anone she tourned her to Mayster Reymound and sayde thus wyth a myghty voyce Fader yf saint Agnes and saint Margarete and other maydens sholde haue thought thus they shold neuer haue had the crowne of martyrdome whether we haue not a spouse that can delyuer vs out of the hondes of wycked men kepe our clennesse amonges the fylthy companye of lecherous meyny all suche thoughtes ben but veyn thoughtes And come out rather of the defaute of lytyll feythe thenne of very wysdome All be it that Mayster Reymound was thus made ashamed of his imperfection yet he hadde a grete gladnes of her perfeccion consyderyng and nothynge in his herte the stedfastenesse and stabylnes of her faythe Neuertheles by cause that our holy fader had ordyned that tho two maydens sholde not go on that Journay he durste noo more meue to hym of the mater ¶ Loo maydens this is rehersed here by cause ye shold know how stedfastly this holy maydes foot was set in the feyth of perfeccioÌ„ ¶ Furthermore whan our holy tader had ordeyned that these maydens sholde nott go he ordeyned that mayster Reymonde sholde goo to Fraunce Supposyng that he myght torne kyng Charles out of hys errour by enbassatour bytwene but yere myght he not For the kynges herte was so enduratin malyce wolde not torne for he beganne to be auctor and begyÌ„ner of that scysme After tyme mayster Reymond knewe the wyll entent or our tader he came to aske counseyll of this holy mayde what were best for hym to do thenne all be it that she was lothe to wante hys presence yet she gaue hyÌ„ counâ—eylitor to obeye to the byddyng of oure holy fader And among all other thynges she sayde
haste gyue gyftes and make satysfactyon for thyn gyftes and answer for theym gyuyng to me a lyght of grace that thou maye yelde thankynge to the wyth the same lyght of grace Clothe me an make me that I maye bee arayed wythe thyn endeles trouthe that I maye renne this dedely waye wyth very obediens and wythg the lyght of the moost holyest teytn Loo maydens as nere as I myght and coude I haue translated worde for worde the wordes of the booke And prayer that this holy mayde of the whiche gyfte ye besely take hede ye maye worsâ—ippe the excellence of thys blessyd mayde not only as for her maner of â—yuyng but also for the doctryne of trouthe the whyche is ryght meruelous I sayde and namely of a woman ¶ Furthermore ye maye perceyue by thy se wordes that she desyred gretely to bee vnbounde of the body and be with cryste for she knewe and vnderstoode well that it was moche beter to be wyth cryst than to lyue in this lyf And therfore her desire euer encrecyd vnto the tyme she had fulli her desire and her full weddyng oned off the swete gloryous holy ghost the whiche was promytted vnto her in her yonge age whan she receyued of our gloryous lorde almyghty god the rynge of spousaâ—le as it is rehersyd afore in the laste chapytre of the fyrst party for in the nexte chapytre shall be declared how this holy mayde and virgyn passyd out of this world ¶ Of the tyme whan this hâ—oly mayde passed out of this world and of a sermen that she made to her ghoostely dyâ—â—yples and susteren to â—ore â—er passyng ¶ â—nd how she enformed them in generall and. enspecyall how they sholde gouerne they whan she was goo ¶ And or a vyâ—yâ—n whiche was shewed to a matrone in the houre of passyng Capituâ—um v WHanne this holy mayde perceyued and vnderstode by the reuâ—lacyâ—n that the houre or her dethe drewe nygh She drewe to her aâ— her ghostely dyscyples to whom she spaâ—e generally a longe notable sermon of exortacion to the encrece of vertu In the whyche exortacyon she expressyd somme certayn notabylytes the whiche I purpos to wryte in this boke ¶ The â—yâ—â—te notable doctryne that she taughte was thys That whatso euer he bet at cometh to the seruyce of god Yf he wyll haue good tâ—eâ—ely it is nedeâ—ull for hym that he make his herte naked from all sensyble loue not out of certayn persones but of euery creature what that euer he be than he hold stretche vp his soule to our reuerend lord maker symply wyth alle his desyre oâ—â— his herte for an herte may not holy be yeuen to god but it be fre fro all other loue opyn symple wythout doubâ—lnesse soo she affermed of her selfe that it was alle herâ— principall labour besynes fro her yong age vnto the tyme euer for to come to that ê‘fection also she sayd she knewe well that to suche a state of ê‘fectioÌ„ in the whiche al the herte is gyue to our gloryous lord almyghty god a soule may not come ê‘fyghly whyles she answerd other whyles she smyled as though she hadde soorned the wordes that she herde of hyr enemyes other whyles she was enflammed in loue of the holy ghost but one worde they marked well that herde hyr whan she spak in this ghoostly batayll After tyme she had be styll a certâ—yn tyme hering as it semed the wordes that were put ageynst hyr of hyr enemyes wyth a gladde chere she answerd thus Mayne glorye neuer but ve ray trowe glorye honour of my forde Jhesu cryst it was These wordes by the dysposycyon of oure forde were not sayde wythout cause for ther were many ghoostly men wymmen wened that for the grete graces that our lord had gyuen hir she had sought praysyng of the peple or ellys that she had som maner dylectacyon there Inne therfore they sayd she desyred to be conuersaunt among men in so moche that som wold saye to mayster Reymond hir confessour thus why â—enneth this womman thus about yf she desyre to serue god Why abydeth she not at home in hyr celle herto it may be answeryd as she answeryth afore to hyr ghoostly enemyes in hir passyng thus vayne glory neuer but ve ray trewe glory of my lord Ihesu cryst it was as though she myght answere thus I ranne not aboute ne dyde none other maner ghostly werke for vayne glorye but for the honour glory of my lord Ihesu crystis name That it was so the mayster Reymond bereth recorde of treuthe that herde hyr confessyon bothe generall specyall wherfore he recordeth for a sothe that all that euer she dyd hit was done for the worthyp of god and not for praysyng of men in so moche that she thouâ—t on noo man as for the tyme but whan she prayed for them so ordeyned for theyr bodely nede So that it myght be veryfyed of hyr the wordes of the apostle where he seyth thus Nostra conuersatio in celis est That is oure conuersacyon is in heuen so she what that euer she dyd in erthe hyr conâ—sacion was in heuen After tyme thenne she had long contynued in that long ghostely batayll wyth hyr enemyes she resorted ageyne to hyr self made a generall confessyon openly the whiche is callyd the confytroâ— axyng forgyuenes eftsonys â—o lowyng of doctryne exsample of saynt Martyne Saynt Jerom Saynt Austyn that shewed bothe in hyr dedys in hyr wordes that be a man neuer so excellent in vertue in this lyf he shold not passe out of this world wythout waylyng hertely penaunce for hys synnes In token here of Saynt Austyn in hys last ende whan he shold passe out of this worlde he ordeyned for to wryte to hym the seuen psalmes of penaunce for to be sette vpon the wall that he myght see tho psalmys as he laye in hys bedde The whiche psalmes he radde ofte wepte plenteuously in seyeng of them Also Saynt Jerom whan he sholde be dede he made a generall an open confessyon of hys synnes and defautes Saynt Martyne also in his laste ende taught hys dyseyples that a crysten man shold not deye but in asshys in heyre in token of meke hertety penaunce whom this holy mayde folowed in all maner of tokenes by shewyng of hertely penaunce axyng mekely many tymes oft absolucyon bothe of hyr synnes and paynes Thenne soone after she beganne to wexe more febler and febler but yette she cessed neuer of holy exhortacyon to all hyr dysciples bothe to them that were presente and to them that were absent And specyally that same tyme she charged all hyr dysciples to axe counseyll of mayster Reymond what doubte that euer they hadde And furthermore she had them saye to him whan he came home that he faylle not ne be not aferde for noo thyng that shall falle but euer contynue vertuously for she sayd that she