wyll saye thus to theym Venite benedicti patris mei Come ye my faderis blissed children receyue ye the kyngdom of heuen that is ordeyned to you and soo reherse to theym the vii werkes of mercy whan I was hungry ye gaaf me mete Sitiui et dedistis michi bibere whan I was thursty ye gaue me drynke and whan I was herberles ye herbered and soo forth all the werkes off mercy For whan ye gaf ony thynge in my name it was to me Thenne shall our lorde rebuke the riche people that wold not doo for his loue nor forgyue noo trespasse for his sake And saye to theym ¶ Discedite a me maledicti in ignem eternum Goo ye cursed people in to euerlastinge peyne of helle For whan I was a hungred ye gaue me noo mete c. ThaÌ„ maye they be full sory and woo that euer our lorde Ihesu Criste shall thus rebuke theym For ther shall noman of lawe to plete nor for golde nor syluer nor other yeftes to helpe For than shall nother mayster nor lordeshyp helpe but all be sette besyde but right as a man hath done soo shall he haue And ther shall be dyuerse accusers bothe aboue hym and benethe hym and on euery syde aboue hym shall be our lord Ihesu Criste his domes man Iratus est furor domini in populo suo wythout mercy to theym that dede no mercy and so accuse theym of the â—â—st thought that euer was amys On the right syde his angell tellyâ—◠〈◊〉 where whan and how ofte he â—yde amys On that other syde fendes chalengynge hym theyres as by ryght for his wycked dedes Vnder hym â—elle redy if he be founde in synne that daye they shall be peyned and in peyn wythout ende That daye poure people shall â—â—â—te wyth cryste at the dome And done the ryche people for the grete wrongâ—s that they dyde to them and they myghte gete none amendes tyll the daye off dome Thenne they shall haue theyâ— wylle of the ryche people For whan the ryche done the pore wronge they can doo nomore But praye to god to quyte theym at the daye of dome And soo he wyll for god sayth thus Michi vindictâ—m et ego retribuam ¶ Put all to me â–ª and I yelde euery man after his deseruynge Therfore whyle ye ben here make ye amendes for your wyckednesse And maâ—e them youre frendes that shal be your domes men at the day of dome And truste nat to them that shall coÌ„me after you leste ye be begyled And drede the payne of hell that neuir shall haue ende ¶ Narracio ¶ Saint Bede tellith howe there was an husbond man in Englond that fyl seke and ley dede from the euyn tyll on the morowe Thenne he rose and departed his godes in foure parties all his owne parte he gaue to pore meÌ„ and wente and was a monke in an Abbey that was nigh the water syde into the whiche water he went euery nyghte wâ—â—â—n neuir so colde and stode therin longe and suffred grete penaunce And whan he was asked why he dyd so to suffre that grete penaunce he sayde to 〈◊〉 we a greter payn that he had seen â—nd he wolde eâ—e but barly brede drinke water all his lyf after and tolde ii religiouse men the peynes that he hadde seen And they were so grete that he coude nat tell them openly He sayd that an aungell ladde him into a place there that oon syde was so colde that noo tongue myght tell the peyne therof And the other was so hoote that no man myghte tell the peyne therof And soules were caste oute of that one into that other that was a grete payne to them And the aungell shewyd him the fyre that came oute of hell that was so hoote and so ferre as him thought he mighte se it he thought it brente him and in the leaâ—â—e therof he sawe soules boile vp and downe cryenge and waylinge for woâ— Also he herde fendes crye caste out hote â—ede and brymstone to make their peines greter and so they tormentyd the soules in peyne Nowe lorde for thy grete mercy haue mercy on vs and kepe vs fro tho peines and bryng vs to the blis of heuyn that neuir shall haue endyng Amen ¶ Dominica in septuagesima GOod men wymen this daye is called in holy churche the soÌ„day in septuagesme for cause that holy churche is modre of all cristen people she taketh good hede to the children as a good modre oweth to doo and forasmoche as she seeth him full sory sek in synne and many of them wounded to the dethe with the swerde of synne the whiche synne hath caughte all this yere to fore and namely this cristeâ—â—asse tyme that was ordeyned in holy churche for grete solempnyte For euery maÌ„ shulde be besy to serue god with al his power bicause that criste him self shewyd that daye swetnesse of loue to al cristen people For man he was that tyme and in the same flesshe and bloode as one of vs and layde in a cradyl more pourely than any of vs and was cristenyd in water as one of vs And also he came to a weddynge for to clense it from synne and to make vs holy and bretherne to him and heires to the kyngdome of heueyn ¶ For these causes all cristen people owen to be full gladde in their soules as in the tyme makinge solempnite and myrthe and making them bothe clene in body and soule from all maner of synnes And groÌ„dynge them in grete sadnesse of loue to god and to all cristen people doynge greate almes to theym that haue nede ¶ But nowe the more harme is for that high and solempne feste is torned into fylthe synne and grete sekenesse to the soule as pryde by diuerse wyse in clothynge and in many diuerse guyseâ— vsynge into grete couetyse and into lechery that suythe alwaye glotony in slewth in goddes seruyce as â—apes and vanyte syngynge rebaudrye spekynge For vanyte causeth moche slouthe for emonge suche people he is moost worthy that mooste of harlatry can speke Thus these solempne and hygh festys that were ordeyned to grete worshippe of god and of our lady and al the saintes in â—â—uyn now been torned into greate offence to god ¶ wherfore oure mâ—dre holy churche seynge her children in suche dispayre as a moodre full of compassion sory in heâ—â—â— her for theym This day leyeth downe alleluya and other songes of myrth and melody and taketh Tractus that been songes of mornynge Also for this holy sacrament of weddynge is moche defoyled by vanyte of synne Therfore it is leyd downe thesâ— daies and in aduente For many that been nowe wedded yeuyth theym all to luste and lykynge of the bodyes of flesshely luste of this worlde And thinketh full lytell of the dethe that is full greuouse that coÌ„meth so sone after but as it is redde by greate clerkes It is more spedefull to 〈◊〉 soule to 〈…〉 an house there as is a 〈◊〉 and
a man and told his name that was his seruaunt a lytyll to sore and that woman was and ther knyghtes wif and he haddeley by her husbondes lyf therfore they were bothe put to that penaunce and sayde the horse that I ryde on is the fende that brenneth me a C. fold worse than ony other fyre myghte that is in erthe And that peyne they muste so suffre tyl they had helpe of good preyers masses and almes dedes tolde hym many other thynges Than this knyghte dyde alle thinges that he sayd shold be her helpe and so delyuered hem oute of this peyne to euerlastyng blysse the which god brynge vs all to Amen ¶ Dominica in passione dniÌ„ GOod men and wymmen this daye is called the sondaye In passion weke this daye Oure lord Ihesu Criste began his passion For this 〈◊〉 the iewes had suche an enuye â—oâ— by cause he tolde her defautes and â—â—ces of mysliuyng And soo for this cause they repreued hym Soo this daye they were full assented to do hym to deth and soo they were aboute ofte byfore But they were letted by some thynge and most for fere of the comen people For they helde hym a prophete ¶ But this daye they â—uytte hem togider and fully accorded 〈◊〉 they wolde spaâ—â— for noo thynge but he sholde be dede wherfore as the gospell tellith as criste prechyd in the temple the iewys rebuked him spytously and sayd Nunc cognouimus quia demonium habes Nowe knowe we that thou haste a fende with the And all was to tempte him to haue made him speke som euyl worde by the whiche they mighte haue putt him to some repreefe And for he tolde them that he was goddes sone they were redy to haue stoned him to deth But he knewe well ther malice Iesus autem abscondit se et exiuit de templo Iesus hyd him selue and went oute of the temple ¶ Thus oure lord this day began his passion wherfore holy churche redeth this weke in the booke of Ierom the prophete that firste prophyced of cristes passion and tolde howe and what maner the iewys sholde doo hym to dethe Thenne ye shall vnderstonde wele that in the same wyse that the Iewys pursuyd criste to the deth In the same wyse I fere gretly lest there been moche false people that be cristned that pursuen criste in heuyn nowe ¶ Sainte Austyn sayth that they synne more greuously that pursue him in heuyn that the iewys dyd that pursued him in erth Thenne if ye wol wete whiche be those Take hede how criste marked them and sayd thus Oui ex deo est verba dei audit He that is of god heryth the worde of god For he heryth nat the word of god that sweryth many grete othes ful falsely Thiâ—â— been tho that 〈…〉 in heuyn that been glade in their 〈◊〉 whan they haue a foule dede doon and be grounded in foule cursed lyuynge of synne and wâ—ll nat amende theym for prechinge nor techynge but euir do foull dedes and anone been redy to fyghte and chyde with them that tell hâ—â— their defautes As it is shewyd by crist For the more harme is the condiciones of the people been suche nowe a dayes that he shall haue many enmyes that wyll saye trouthe And that I may preue by ensample ¶ Narracio ¶ There was somtyme a mawmente in a cyte that wold tell where any thinge was that was stole or myssed and who hadde it So it hpped on a tyme that a yonge man hadde stole a thinge and was aferde of this mawmente and anone he went to this mawmeÌ„t and fayde thus well I wote thou mayste deâ—me a grete shame and velonye But by god that I beleue vpon and thou discouer me I wyll breke thy bede And soo went forth his waye Thenne soone after caÌ„me they that missed this gode praynge the mawmente to tell theym who had it And whan they hadde long prayed at the laste the mawment spake and sayd Tymes be chaunged the people been worse than they were who saythe the trouthe his hede shal be broken So he that wyll saye trouthe he shal be shâ—â—e and so the true man shal be dâ—â—â—ted and so plucked that he shall nat wytt to whome he shall speke nor to whâ—â— he may tell his counseyll in truste 〈◊〉 that woll sonest descryue him soÌ„tyme speke mooste fareste ¶ It is wretyn in the boke of kynges haâ— ther were two knyghtes grete enmyes one to the other That one hight Ioab and that other amasa and this ioab saide to amasa as they mette Hayle broder and kyssed him and with his other honde behinde him he slewe him with his knyffe and smote him to the herte Thus it fareth nowe a daies by moche peple they freke full fayre bifore the people And behynde theym they wyl sle them wit a shrewyd knyf that is with the euyl and cursed tongue These been they that pursuyth him into heuyn set nought 〈◊〉 goddes woâ—de For though they here it with their crys it synketh nat in their hertes where god playneth him greuouâ—ly by his prophete Iheremye and saith this ¶ what gyfte fouÌ„de your fadâ—rs 〈◊〉 If I haue trespassed to you in a 〈◊〉 manerthinge tell me Allas for shaâ— of youre obstinat pryde for god is 〈◊〉 the right and so he tretythe with vs. thaâ— ben in the wrong He proferith merâ—â—oâ— we aske it He maketh him mercyfull to theym that displeasyth hym shewyth loue there non is worthy Thê° been their hertes harder than any stoon And thus ben we worse than iewes for we be vnkynde to him that shewyth to vs all kyndenesse And euir he cryeth to vs and sayth I haue lefte on erthe for ye sholde here my scripture Torne ayen to me and I woll resceyue the Lo myn armes ben al redy spredde to clyppe the to me And myn hede is redy bowed to kysse the My syde is all redy opnyd to shewe the myn herte my hondes my fete â—leden to shewe the what I suffryd for the and thou tornest away from me and thou be in parfyt lyf I wyll yeue the treasoure withoute nombre I sal auaunce the withoute comparison yeue the reste withoute ende So that all the faute shal be founde in the and natt in me Thus oure lorde proferith and techyth vs. and there been full fewe that wyll here him but â—et all these wordes passe oute of their hertes And takethe noon hede but all their mynde is in rychesse and in this worldes prosperyte in this presente lyf and take full lytel hede of the lyf that is coÌ„mynge And how oure lorde iesu criste suffryd deth to briÌ„ge vs to euirlastinge blisse ¶ Therfore in cristes passion maketh the prophete a grete lamentacion for the gete vnkyndnesse that he seeth in mankynde and sayth thus Thou man for vanyte thou stynkest for thy rustye synne And therfore I cry and wepe for thou haste on thy hede a garlond of flores and I
all the reame aboute And thus it was alowed in all holy chirche ¶ Narracio Also we fynde that there was a seculer chanon that on a tyme wente ouer a water to haue doo avowtry wyth a woman And as he was aboute to begynne to saye oure lady maâ—yns and as he was at the Inuytatory that is Aue maria Ther wyth the fende caste hym downe and drowned hym wolde haue had hym to helle Thenne come our lady and sayd why hast thou take this man the fende sayde for we fynde hym in our seruyce goyng to do avowtry Thenne sayd our lady he was in my seruice and anone restored hym to lyf ayen And bad hym do no more synne and bad hym halow her concepcion soo he dyde was a good man euer after all his lyf ¶ Narracio ¶ Also there was a clerke that euery day vsed to say the seruice of our lady Then it hapned by counseyll of hys frendes he sholde haue a wyf whan he shulde ben weddyd he bethoughte him that he hadde nat saide oure lady seruyce Thenne he made all the peple to go oute of the churche while he sayd his seruyce And theÌ„ne he knelyd a doune and saide his seruyce tyll he caÌ„me to an antem of oure lady Quam pulcra es amica mea Thenne oure lady apperyd vnto hym and saide why sayste thou that I am faire and honest why wyll thou than leue me and take a nother Thenne saide he vnto oure lady what wylte thou that I shall doo Thenne saide our lady If thou wylt leue thy flesshly wyf and serue my sone and me I shall be thy spouse and thou shalte haue with me a crowne of euirlastinge lyf in the kingdome of heuyn the whiche god his blessed modre sainte mary and all holy saintes of heuyn brynge vs al the dre nowe and euir Amen Sequitur sermo breuis de sancto thoma gOode men and wymen suche a daye ye shall haue saint thomas day he was cristes appostel and ye shall faste the euyn and do him worshippe specially for thre causes The firste is for the preuynge of oure byleue and for grete woundres in his waye and grete miracles in his day This holy appostyll preuyd so oure faythe that he lefte no trouble For whan the discyples saide that our lord was rysen fro dethe to lyue And they haue seen him and spoke with him Thomas said he wolde nat byleue it tyll he hadde pull his honde into his side into the wound that the spere hadde made Thenne viii daies after whan all the disciples were to giddre and thomas with them theÌ„ne oure lorde iesu criste come bodily to theym and saide Pay vobis Peas be with you and thanne oure lorde sayde to thomas of ynde Mitte manuÌ„ tuaÌ„ in latus menÌ„ Putte thy honde into my syde in to the wounde that was made with the spere that smote me to the herte Et noli esse meredulus And be no lengre out of beleue but be stedfaste in the fayth TheÌ„ne whan Thomas hadde doon so anone he cryed and sayd for grete wondre Dominus meus et deus meus My lorde and my god I beleue that thou arte very god and man Then our lorde saide to him thus BtiÌ„ qui credideruÌ„t noÌ„ videruÌ„t Blessed be they that beleue and se nat For thou that haste seen thou byleueste But yet the taryenge of thomas brought vs to fadder beleue and to the blessinge of oure iesu criste Of this speketh sainte Gregory and sayth Thomas of ynde thou haste holpe more to the fayth that woldest nat beleue tyll thou haddest felyd his woundes thenne mary mawdeleyn that dyd beleue at the firste sighte Minus est enim in maria magdalena que cicius credidit quaÌ„ thomas qui diu dubitauit Thus Thomas preuyd oure feyth beleue that we nede neuir to varye ne to be in doubte ¶ Also thomas dyd from deth to lyf tolde to the kynge yâ— he had seen his palâ—yse in paradyse many merueylles and grete wondres that were in his dayes ¶ Narracio Hit happed that a kynge of ynde sende his messenger Abbanê° indie requireÌ„s artificeÌ„ To seke some crafty men in to the contrey of cesar to seke a carpeÌ„ter that coude make hym a palays to his plesaunce Thenne our lorde IhuÌ„ criste met wyth this Abbanus sente wyth hym thomas in to ynde Also whan thomas abbanus were passed the see they com to a cyte there as the kyngis doughter was wedded the same daye wherfore all maner of peple were commaunded to mete So amonge al other people thomas abbanus come in And were set to mete But thomas ete not for his thoughte was euere off god had no luste to ete Thenne come a boteler to thomas smote thomas on the cheke and badde hym ete thenne sayd thomas to hym Non hunc surgam donec manus que me percussit a canibê° aufertur I shall not ryse from this place tyll the honde that smote me be brought wyth a dogge Thenne anone after the boteler went after water and a lion met with hym and slew hym dranke his blode and ete of his body and thenne come a blacke dogge caught that honde that smote thomas and brought it in to the hall in the syghte of all the people layd it downe byfore thomas Thenne was there a woman that vnderstode thomas wordes anone â—neled dowâ—ne to thomas and cryed and said thoâ— arte god or elles one of his disciples For ryght as thou wylt soo it is TheÌ„ne the kynge prayed to thomas to blesse his doughter and her husbande theÌ„ne thomas was glad therof ¶ Cepit ergo predicare beatus Thomas Therfore the blessed thomas began to preche and tolde them of our lord ihesu crist that he tourned the man that was wedded the same daye from his wyff a none and made hym bisshop of the same Cite his wyff anon and they were martirs after for crystis sake TheÌ„ne wente thomas forth in to ynde to the kynge to make hym a paleys to his plesaunce Soo whan Thomas was come to the kynge he was gladde ¶ And delyuered thomas a grete soÌ„me of gold to make a palays wyth Thenne rode the king forth in the meane tyme. And whan thomas sholde haue made this paleyse hym thought it was better to make a paleyse in heuen than in erthe and deled his golde amoÌ„ge poure peple and conuerted them to the feyth Thenne come the kynge home and went that his paleyse had be redy And whan he herde how Thomas and abbanus had done he wold haue put them to deth But it happed that his owne brother was dede the same time ¶ And therfore he putte theym bothe in to pryson in to the tyme that he had buryed his brother ¶ Thenne as god wold whan his brother had laye longe dede he rose
that Thomas had made for hym and prayed the kynge that he myghte haue it and he wolde gyue hym as moche gold as he toke thomas TheÌ„ne the kinge toke his couÌ„seyl and said nay I wil haue it my self Lete hym make the another for his broder had seen the paleyce in paradyse made wyth gold and arayed wyth precyous stones and clothe of golde ¶ Thenne the kynge toke crystendome and many a thousande wyth hym and whan the bysshop saw that the kynge and soo moche other peple forsoke her lawes and tourned to Cristendome they were sore wrothe wyth thomas the one of theym sayde he wolde venge his god and wyth a spere smote thomas thorugh the body and slewe hym Thenne Cristen peple buryed hym in a tombe of Crystall And there god wrought many myracles for hym For the honde that was in Crystis syde wold neuer come in to the tombe but euer laye wythout Also in his prechyng and techyng he taught Duodecim gradus virtutum assignare Primus est vt in deum crederent qui est vnus in essencia et trinus in personis Dedit eis triplex exemplum sensibile quomodo sint in diuidenci a vna tres persone Primum eÌ„ quia vnum est in homine sapiencia et de vna procedit intellectus Memoria et in genium memoria est vt non obliuiscaris intellectum vt intelligas que ostendi possunt veldoceri ingenium eÌ„ vt quod didiceris inuenias Secundum est quia in vna vinea tria sunt lignum folium et fructus Et hec omnia tria sunt vinea Tercium eÌ„ quia capud nostrum eâ— quatuor sensibus constat In vno autem capite sunt Visus auditus Adoratus et gustus Et hec plura sunt et tamen vnum capud Secundus gradus est vt baptismum suscipiat Tercius gradus est vt a fornicatione abstineat Quartus vt se ab auaricia teÌ„peret Quintus vt gulaÌ„ distringeret Sextus vt penitenciaÌ„ teneret Septiê° vt in hiis perseuerareÌ„t Octauus vt hospitalitatem a marent Nonus vt voluntateÌ„ dei requirant Decimus est vt facienda quererent Vndecimê° vt caritatem amicis et mimicis impenderent Duodecimê° est vt custodiant â—iis vigilem curam exhiberent Item appostolus Omnes qui oderant deuÌ„ de tribê° breuiter instruxit scilicet vt ecclesiaÌ„ diligerent Sacerdotes honorareÌ„t Er assidue ad verbuÌ„ dei coÌ„uenirent Also there ben many merueyles woÌ„derful thinges done on this day for on that day al the countrey cometh theder to take pardonoff that hond that lyeth ¶ oute of the Tombe in theyr vse â–ª the bisshop of the cite that goth to masse And whan he hath said Confiteor thenne he taketh a braunce of vyne putteth it in to thomas honde that is oute of the tombe and thenne he gooth forth to masse and the brenche burgeneth out grapes and by that tyme that the gospell be sayd the grapes ben rype thenne the bysshop taketh the grapes and wryngeth the wyne in the chalyâ—e and so singeth wyth the same wyne and houseleth the people And whaÌ„ ony man or womaÌ„ cometh that is not worthy to receyue this housell anone the honde closeth to gyder and wyl not open tyll he be shryuen and thenne it wyll open Also yf ony people be in debate they shall be brought to thomas tombe and there the cause shall be rehersed thenne wyll the honde torne to hym that is in the right and so they be made at one Thus thomas preueth oure byleue and dyde many woÌ„dres in his dayes ¶ Also Iohan grisâ—stomus saith that Thomas come in to the countrey there as the thre kynges of coleyn were and thomas cristened them For they had worship god in his byrthe And therfore Thomas come to theym And taught theym the feyth the byleue of criste to that byleue that we maye be saued god brynge vs all ¶ De Natiuitate dnÌ„i nostri Ihesu cristi GOod men and wymmen as ye here and see all holy chirche maketh mynde and mencioÌ„ of the greate myrthe and melodye of the blessed birth of our lorde Ihesu criste very god and man that was this day borne of his moder mary in socour off all mankynde but in especyall form causes First to gyue peas to man off good wyll and to lyghte hem that were derke in synne And for to drawe vâ— wyth loue to hym Thenne as to the first cause he was borne to gyue men peas of good wyll I maye well preue this for whan he was borne angelles songe thus Gloria in excelsis deo Ioye be to god in heuen peas in erthe to mankynde of good wyl At mydnyghte our lord was borne for by kynde al thynge was in peas and rest in shewyng that he was and is Princeps pacis Prynce of peas come to make peas bytwyx god and man and bytwene the angell and maÌ„ and betwyx man and man And for to be trewe medyatour bytwyx god and man He toke nature and kynde of bothe And was bothe very god and man by his mediacion he knytte the loue of god to man Soo sadly that the fader of heuen spared not hym that is his owne sone But sende hym in to this worlde to bye mankinde wyth his precyous blode thrugh his gret mekenesse to ioye of paradyse that man had lost by couetyse of vnbuxsumnesse Thus he made peas bytwyx god and man and man and man For whan angellâ—s saw her mayster wrothe with man for his vnbuxsumnesse For it is a sinne that angellis haten gretly Therfore they kepte the gates of paradyse and wolde lete noo soule come in tyll they sawe her lord borne of mankynde ¶ Thenne anone for loue of oure lord thangellis dyde mankynde worshyp spake goodly to mankynde as to the shepherdes that kepten her shepe in the countre by They badde hem go to the cite of Bethlem and there they shold fynde a child borne and layd in a â—ratche bad hem do hym worshyp and so they dyden and euer syn angellis haue ben frendely to man and lowly haue done reuerence to mankynde for thyncarnacion of our lord Ihesu crist Thus he made peas bitwene angellis and man Also he made peas betwene man and man for ayenst the time that our lord wolde be borne he made soo grete peas that in all the world there as kyngdomes and countrees were in debate and werred eche wyth other Vnto the tyme of oure lordis byrth Thenne there was so grete peas that a man that was called Octauian Emperour of Rome and he had the gouernaunce of the world For all the worlde was subget to Rome and it dured xxx yere in soo moche that ther was a maundement sent oute from Rome in to all the world commaundynge that all maner of people shold goo to the Cite that he drew lygnage of and lay a peny vpon his hede and soo
fight for hem all and bothe the endes of the brydge shulde be drawen vp And whiche of theym that hadde the victory sholde haue bothe the kyngdomes Thenne was eraclius so full in feyth of the crosse trustyd in the prayer of the people that he ouircome his enmy Thenne cosdres people by strengith of the holy gooste turned to the feyth by free wyll of hem selue And whanne they were all criste nyd then went Eraclius with both the ostes to the olde kynge cosdre as he satt in his trone and saide to him thus For by cause thou haste doo worshyp to the holy crosse thou shal chose if thou wil be crystned and haue thy kyngdome ayen for a lytell trybute in reste and peas or els to be dede and he forsoke to be cristned Thenne anoon Eraclius smote of his hede and made a crye that his treasoure sholde be dealyd emong his men and precious stones and other Iewelles sholde be kepte to restore the churches that were distroyed and bare the crosse to Ierusalem And whan he came to the mounte of olyuete toward the cyte of Ierusalem rydynge on a traped horse he wolde haue ryden into the cyte of Ierusalem but sodenly the gates fell to gydder was a playn wal Thenne he was gretely astonyed and marueyled gretly of that vengeaunce and made a grete mone Thenne come an aungell and stode vpon the gates sayde Quando rex noster whan the kynge of heuyn come this way thrugh this gates towarde his passion he rode on no trapped horse nor in no clothe of golde but mekely on a symple â—sâ—e gyuynge ensample of mekenesse to al peple Thenne the aungell went his way then the kinge with all the deuocion that he coude or myghte doo anoon dyd of his clothes to his sherte and went bare foot and bare legged Then the gate opnyd he wente in to the cyte so to the temple and offred the crosse ayen as it was to fore Thenne for the grete ioye that the people hadde of that crosse and for the grete miracles that god shewed it was more worshypped after thanne it was to fore and the worshyp of the croce that was cast downe after was lyft vp ¶ wherfore this day is called they altacion of the crosse For as saint Austyn sayth the crosse was firste of grete spyte and vilany nowe it is of so grete worshyp that emperoures kynges worshippe it ¶ Narracio ¶ we rede in legenda aurea that a iew come to a churche and for defaute that no man was in the churche he went to the rode and for greate enuye that he had to criste he cutte the rodes throte and anone the bloode stert out on his clothes and so his clothes were all rede blood and thenne he hyd the rode in a pâ—â—uye place And as he wente home a cristen man met him and saide to him Thou haste slayn some man where hast thou done him and he sayd nay and the cristen man saide thy clothes been all blody of him Thenne this iew kneled downe and saide Forsoth the god that these cristen people byleue vpon is of greate vertue tolde him howe he had done and cryed mercy with al his hert and soo he was cristenyd a holy maÌ„ after and so went to euirlastynge ioy and blysse to the whiche god bring vs all Amen De quatuor temporum gOde frendes this weke ye shal haue ymbre daies that is wednesday fridaye and saturday the whiche Câ—lâ—xt the pope ordeyned iiii tymes in the yere to al that be of couenable age to faste For certayn causes as ye shall here Oure olde faders fastyd foure tymes in the yere ayenste foure hye and solempne festes if we wol shewe vs gode children we must fast folowe the same rule that they vsed therfore we faste iiii tymes First in marche The seconde at wytsontyde The thridde bitwene heruest and seed tyme and the iiii bifore cristmasse Marche is a tyme that it dryeth vp the moistre that is in the erthe wherfore we faste that tyme to drye the erthe of oure body of the humoures that be nedefull to the body and to the soule for that tyme the humoures of lechery temteth a man moost of any tyme of the. yere Also we fast at wytsontide for to gete grace of the the holy goste that we may be in loue and charite to god and to all the worlde Caritas cooperit multitudinem pecâ—atorum Charite couereth the multitude of synnes Also we fast for to haue mekenesse in our hertes and to putte awaye all pryde that reyneth within vs Also we faste bitwene heruest sedetyme for to haue grace to gader frutes of gode werâ—is into the house of oure conscience and so by ensample of gode lyuynge emong the people that we be comen with both ryche and pore Also we faste in wynter for to slee all stynkynge wedes of synne and of foule erthe of flesshely lustes that make good aungelles and good people to withdrawe theym fro vs. For right as the nettyll brenneth roses and other floures that growe nye him In the same wyse a vicious man or woman stereth setteth on fyre theym that be in their company And for these causes we fast foure tymes in the yere and euery tyme thre daies that betoken thre speciall vertues that helpe a man to grace that is fastynge deuoute prayenge and almessededys doyng And by opunion of moche people these dayes be called ymbre daies bycause that oure elder faders wold on these daies ete no brede but cakes made vndre asshes so by the etyng of that they reduced into their mynde that they were but asshes and so sholde turne ayen wyst natt how sone by that they turned away from all delyciouse metes and drynkes toke non hede but that they had easy sustenaunce This caused theym to thynke on deth that wyll cause a maÌ„ to desire no more than he nedeth and absteyne him selue fro all maner of bodily lustes And to encrese in vertues by the whiche we may come to euirlastynge blysse Amen De sancto Matheo gOode frendes suche a daye ye shall haue saint Mathewes daye whiche was cristes appostyl and ye shall faste the euyn come to god and holy church in the worshyp of god and saint mathewe He is gretely comeÌ„ded in holy churche for certeyne holy vertues that he hadde He was obedieÌ„t to criste at the firste calling the gospell he preched without faynynge he suffred passion withoute any denyenge Firste he was obedient to criste at the firste callynge for he satte at a certeyn place besy to gete good and crist come that waye and loked on him and bad him come and goo with him Thenne he caste soo greate loue to criste that he lefte all his godes that he hadde sued criste forth full symple and ful pore Also he fedde criste gladly for on a daye he prayed criste to ete with hym and made
SAM PEPYS CAR ET IAC ANGL REGIB A SECRETIS ADMIRALIAE Mens cujusque is est Quisque ¶ The helpe and grace of almighty god thrugh the besechinge of his blessed mo 〈…〉 saynt mary be with vs at oure begynnynge help vs and spede vs here in oure lyuynge and bringe vs vnto the blisse that neuir shalle haue endynge Amen Myn owne simple vnderstondinge I fele wele how it fareth by other that been in the same degree and haue charge of soules and holden to teche their parisshyns of all the principal festys that come in the yere shewynge vnto theym what the hooly saintes suffred and dyd for goddes sake and for his loue So that they sholde haue the more deuocion in good saintes with the bettre wyll come vnto the churche â–ª to serue god and pray his holy saintes of their help But for many excuse theÌ„ for defaute of bokes and also by symplenesse of connynge Therfore in help of suche this tretyse is drawen oute of Legenda aurea that he that lyst to studye therin he shal fynd redy therin of all the principall festes of the yere of echone a shorte sermon nedefull for hiÌ„ to teche and for other to serue And for this treatise speketh of all the high festys of the yere I woll and praye that it be called festiuall the whiche begynneth at the firste sonday of the Aduent in worship of god and all his sayntes that ben wretyn therin ¶ Incipit liber qui vocatur festialis GOde men and wemen this day is called the first sonday in aduent wherfore holy church maketh mencion of the coÌ„mynge of criste goddes sone into this world 〈…〉 maÌ„kinde oute of the deuylles bondage â–ª to bringe all well doers into the blisse that euir shall last And also of his other coÌ„mynge that shall be at the daye of dome whan he shall coÌ„me to deme all wacked doers into the peyne of hel for euir But the firste coÌ„mynge of â—huÌ„ Criste into this worlde brought ioye and blisse with him Therfore holy churche vsed songes of myrth as alleluya and other And for the second coÌ„mynge of criste shall be soo cruell that no tonge may tell Therfore holy churche seyth downe songes of melodye as Te deum Gloria in excelsis â–ª and weddinge For after that daye shall 〈◊〉 be weddinge more in to 〈…〉 ynge of veÌ„geaunce that coÌ„meth after Then after the the first coÌ„myng of crist into this worlde sainte Austyn sayth there been there thinges ryf in this worlde that ben 〈◊〉 the trauayll and deth This is the testamente that Adam oure forme fadre made to all his ofsprynge after him that is to be borne in sekenesse and for to lyue in trauayll and for to dye in drede But criste he came to be oure socoure of this testamente and was borne and trauayled and deyed he was borne to bringe men oute of sekenesse into euirlastinge helthe he trauayled to bryng man to euir lastinge reste he deyed to brynge man to euirlastinge lyf This was the cause of the firste coÌ„mynge of criste into this worlde wherfore h 〈…〉 wyll escape the dome that he shall coÌ„me to in the secounde coÌ„myng he must ley downe all maner of pryde of herte and knowe him selue a wreche of erth and holde meknesse in his hert he must trauayle his body in good werkes and gete truly his lyuelode with trauayll of his body and putte awaye all ydelnesse For he that woll nat trauayl his body in good werkes â–ª as sainte beinÌ„ sayth he shall trauayll euir with fendes in hel and for drede of dâ—th he muste make him euir redy to god whan he woll fende for him that is to say shryue 〈◊〉 â—ene of all his synnes and nat 〈…〉 yere to yere but assone as he 〈…〉 ryse vp and mekely tak◠〈…〉 fadre then shall 〈…〉 come haue gret worship 〈…〉 a knight she wyth his woū◠〈…〉 had in batayll in moche 〈…〉 to him Right so the synnes 〈…〉 hath doon and is shreuyn of 〈…〉 his penaunce shal be moche wâ—â—ship to him and grete coÌ„fusion to 〈…〉 And that he hath nat shryu◠〈◊〉 â—halbe shewyd openly to al the worlde in grete shamâ— to him This is sayd for the firste coÌ„mynge of crist in to this worlde Vnde DnÌ„s veniet ad iudicium· The coÌ„mynge of criste is to the dome Tunc videbunt filium hominis venientem in nubibus cum potestate magna et maiestate And these coÌ„mynges shal be so cruell that fyftene daies afore shall coÌ„me tokens of grete drede So that therby the people may knowe that sone after coÌ„myth the dome Secundum IeronimuÌ„ As Ierom sayth The firste day the water shall ryse vpon the see and it shall be higher than any hyll by xl cubytes The secounde day the see shal fal downe so lowe that vnnethe it may be seâ—â— The thridde daye all the fysshe and bestes in the see shall make suche a crye and a rorynge that no tonge may tell it but god him selue The fourthe daye the see and waters shall brenne· The v day all trees â–ª and herbes shall swete blood and al maner of foules shal coÌ„me to gidder and nother ete nor drynk for drede of the dome that is coÌ„mynge The vi day all grete bildinges castel sys toures steples and houses shal fal downe and brenne tyll the sonne ryse ayen The vii day all stones and rockes shall bete to gydre that eche shall breke other with an horrible noyse whiche shal be herde into heuyn The eyghte day the erthe shall quake so that there may no man stonde theron but shall fall downe The ix day the peple shal goo oute of their dennys goo as they were myndlesse and noone speke to other The tenth day hylles and erth shal be euyn and playn The xi day al graues and tombes shall open and the bodies shall stonde vpon them The tuelthe day sterres shall fall from heuyn shotynge oute brennynge bemys a dredefull signe to see The xiii day they shall deye that beren lyf The xiiii day heuyn and erthe shall brenne The xv day heuyn and erthe shal be made new and all people shal aryse in the age af xxx wynter and coÌ„me to the dome Dominus veniet ad iudicium cum multitudine angelorum ¶ Thenne shall come to the dome our lord Ihesu Criste very god and man wyth his angelis And shewe his wouÌ„dis fresshe bledyng as thaâ— daye he deyed on the crosse wyth all the instrumeÌ„tes of his passion ¶ The spere croune scourges nailes hamer pynsones and the garland of thornes to shewe what he suffred in his passion for mankynd Thenne maye they be sory and ferde that haue sworne by his passion or wouÌ„dis or by ony membre of his body that shall be a grete represse to theym But they amende theym in this worlde or they deye Thenne wyll our lorde gretely thanke theym that haue doo mercy in this worlde for his sake to theyr euyn crysten And
for the haue oon of thornes Thou haste on thy hondes a peyrof white gloues And I for the haue my blody woundes Thou hast thy armes spradde to lede karolles and dances And myn armes been nayled on a tree with sharpe nailes Thou haste thy clothes pynched full smale And my body for the is full of greate whelys And oon thynge greuyth me mooste of all thou settyst nat by my passion that I suffred ful sore for thy sake But with thyn horrible swerynge thou vp broydest me with many greate othes by my hede eyen armes nayles sydes wouÌ„des feet bones by myn herte and by my passion that thou sholdest doo worshippe to thou dooste grete dispyte and repreef ¶ Narracio ¶ we rede in the gestes of Romaynes that an emperoure sente a grete man to a loÌ„de to be a Iuge And or he came ther no man in the countre coude swere an othe but ye and nay But whan this Iustice came emong them he made the peple to swere on bokes in sessiones and gaue them charges and so the people toke ensample of this Iustice to swere as he his men dyd By oure lordes passion sydes armes nayles face woundes blood herte and so forthe and took it so in vse that the coÌ„men people swoore as they dyd Thenne on a day as the iustice sat in his office and chargyd the peple there caÌ„me to fore him a fayre woman clothed all in grene and brought a faire childe in her lappe all blody al to martred his hede all to prycked his face disfigured his eyen oute his armes broken his hondes smyte through his nayles cutte and his fete cutte from his legges his sydes all to rente his bowelles and hert drawen onte of his body ¶ Thenne sayd this woman to the iustice what are they worthy to haue that haue thus doo to my childe And he sayde they were worthy to haue deth Than saide she thou and thy men with they re horryble othes haue thus dismembred my swete sone Iesu crist that I am modre vnto and thus ye haue taughte al your countrey ¶ wherfore thou shal haue thyn owne dome And so in sighte of all the people the erthe 〈◊〉 and the Iustice fyll downe to hell than the people were sore aâ—ast and they lefte all suche othes and dyd amend ther lyues And so lete vs leue al our othes and lyue as cristen people sholde doo and reuerence the passion of oure lorde iesu criste that was cause of oure â—â—â—eÌ„pcion by the whiche we shall coÌ„mâ—â—â— euirlastinge blysshe that neuir shall haue ende ¶ Dominica palmarum gOode frendes as ye know wele that this daye is called palme sonday But for bicause â—hat the seruyse of this daye is longe I wyll tell you why it is called Palmesonday as saint Iohan sayth Oure lorde Ihesu criste came to Betany where he saythe Venit Iesus bethaniam vbi lazarus fuit mortuus quem resuscitauit And there â—e reysed Lazar from dethe to lyue that had ley iiii daies dede and this Lazar was brother to Mary magdaleyne and to Martha that was a nother sustre Thenne iesus wyâ—t that his passion was nygh and toke Lazar wâ— the him and rydinge on an asse caÌ„me towarde Ierusalem And whenne the people herde therof the people went agaynste him Non propter Iesum tautum sed vt Lazarum viderent quem resuscitauit a mortuis Nat only for Iesu but for to se Lazar that was rysâ—n from dethe to lyue and also for to see criste doo him worshyp Acceperunt ramos palmarum et sternebant in via They tooke braunches of palme and other floures and strewyd in the way ayenste his coÌ„mynge And some spradde their clothes in the way and songe Benedictus quivenit in nomine domini Blessyd be he that coÌ„meth in the name of oure lorde kinge of Israell ¶ wherfore holy churche maketh this daye solempne procession in mynde of the procession that was made ayenst criste and also ioye and myrthe of oure rysynge from dethe to lyf that hath ley all this yere in dedely synne ¶ Nowe I truste to god that we be reysed to good lyuiÌ„ge And for aungellys of heuyn make â—oche ioye of oure resynge oute of synâ— And thus we take palme and flou◠〈◊〉 procession as they dyd and go in â—ssion knelynge to the crosse in worâ— and mynde of him that was doon 〈◊〉 crosse worshipynge and welcoÌ„mynge him with songe into the churche 〈◊〉 the people dyde oure lorde into the cytee of Ierusalem ¶ Than Iohn Byllet asketh a question and sayth that oure lorde hadde the gretyst worshyppe rydynge on the asse that euir he had in this worlde Thenne why worship wee the cros and nat the asse To this question he aunsweryth him selue and sayth that the worshippe of this worlde as salamon sayd all is but a vanyte noughte and maketh a man to forgete his god and him selue There as is gret tribulation disease and heuynesse it causeth a man to thynke of god and crye to him for socoure and help and to knowe him selue And therfore all cristen people sholde putt awaye all worldly vanyties that bringeth moche people to greate myscheif and many to euirlastynge peyne we worship the crosse for it was cause of oure redempcion saluacion to bringe vs to euirlastinge ioy and blisse that we hope all to coÌ„me to Thenne anoon whan criste was coÌ„me to the cyte of Ierusalem he went to the temple and droue oute all byers and selâ—ers that he founde therin and sayd Domus mea domus oracoÌ„nis vocabitur My house is a house of prayers and ye make it a denne of theuys Thus oure lorde yaue all cristen people ensample to leue byenge and sellynge on the holy day and in especiall in the churche ¶ Another is is why it is called Palme sonday For bicause that palme betoknyth victory wherfore all cristen peple shulde bere palme in processioun in tokenynge that he hadde foughten with the fende and hath the victory on hym by shryfte of mouthe satisfaction with dede mekely doon his penaunce wythe grete coÌ„tricion in hert And in this wyse ouircoÌ„me the goostly enmye the fende ¶ Narracio ¶ we rede in the gestys of Romaynes that it was the maner somtyme that if there were any londe that were rebell ayenste the Emperoure Anoon the Emperoure wolde sende some worthy knyghte with grete puyssaunce to that loâ—de and put them downe and maâ— them subgettes to the Empepoure of Rome And whan this knyghte hadde done so than sholde he be sett in a chayr arayed with clothes of gold in the beste wyse a braunche of palme in his honde in tokenynge that he hadde the victory and with grete worship broughte into Rome But whan he caÌ„me into any worthy cyte thenne there sholde stonde one by him and beâ—e him in the mouth with a â—nche of olyue saynge thus Knowe thy selue That is to vnderstonde thâ—â—u be greate nowe and haue the â—y
tourne ayen to synne and thenne truste vereyly ye shall haue grace mercy and socour to euerlastyng ioye and blysse wherfor thinke for certeyne though ye make it glosyng wyth wordes for to disceyue your goostly fader and saye that ye be in charyte and bee not ye begyle your self and truste truly ye shall not begyle god that seeth euery corner af your hertes ¶ And therfore dysceyue not yoâ—â—e owne soules for the loue of god And be also besy and redy to make your soules clene to the syghte of god as ye ben to make your houses to the syght of man and as ye wolde araye you in your best clothes that ye haue ayenst the comynge of your best frendis soo sholde ye araye you now to receyue your beste frende that is your maker our Lord Ihesu Criste that this tyme suffred passion and dethe to brynge vs to euerlastiÌ„ge lyf ¶ This daye is called also a passyng daye and in especiall for two causes One is for this daye all cristen people in reuerence of god sholde forgyue all theym that haue trespaced to hem and be in parâ—â—â—e loue and charyte to all 〈…〉 sholde be amendyd with the salâ—â— that â—â—â—eth al soâ—â— that is chaâ—â—e Câ—ritus cooperit multitudineÌ„ peccatorum Charite coueryth the multitude of synnes It is also a passinge day For this day shold al goddes châ—ldren passe out of euyll lyuynge into good lyuynge oute of vyces into vertues oute of pryde into mekenesse oute of couetyse in largenesse out of slouthe into holynes oute of enuye into loue and charite ouâ—e of wrathe into mercy oute of glotony into abstinence oute of lechery in to chastite out of the fendes clawes into goddes armes and of his grete enmye make his dere frende And he that passeth thus is worthy to coÌ„me to a good feste the whiche oure lorde Iesu maketh this daye to all the people It is called also goddes sonday For this day goddys sone rose from deth to lyue and so gladdeth all his seruauntes with hys vp rysinge wherfore all holy churche maketh myrthe and melody this daye and singeth thus Hec est dies quam fecit dominus exultemus et letemur iÌ„ ea This is the daye that oure lorde made ioye we and gladde we in that with al oure bertes for the fadre of heuyn with all his aungellyâ— maketh so grete melody of the vprysynge of his sone that he maâ— to daye a passinge grete fest and byâ—â—â—th all cristen people thertâ— aswell those that ben in heuyn as thâ—se that been in erthe and they shall be full welcome that coÌ„me to this feeste 〈…〉 that is a gâ—de clothynge that is in loue and charite And also euyll shal those be that shal coÌ„me in the fendes leuerye clothed in wrathâ— and enuye For as the gospell telleth these shall be caste in pryson of hell And thenne while other laughe and maâ—e mery they shall wepe and be sory and whâ—le some ete and drynâ— at goddes borde they shall grynne wythe their teeth and saye Ve ve ve quante suÌ„t tenebre wo. wo. wo. many derknesse been here For they shall thynk that they may fele the derknesse it is so derke and the peynes of hell shal be so hard for wormes shall gnawe them for they ete her eyen cristen here in this lif in erth with false baâ—bytynge and sâ—laundrynge ¶ wherfore I charge you in goddes name that noon of you coÌ„me thus to goddes borde but if ye be in parfyte loue and charite and be clene shreuyn and in full purpose to leue your synnes For and I wyst in certayn whiche were oute of charite and in dedely synne I must by the lawe of holy churche with a loude voyce say thus to theym in audience of all the people I gyf the nat thy housyll to thy saluacion bâ—â—â—e to thy dampnacion tyll thou coÌ„me to amendmente And therfore euery cristen man and woman sholde serche wel his conscience and make him able to reâ—â—â—ue his sauyour Iesu criste to the heâ—â—â—e of his soule that she may coÌ„me after this fynall lyf to euirlustinge ioye Amen gOode frendes theâ—e thre daies that is to saye Monday Tuysday and and wenesdaye ye shall faste and go in procession man woman and seruantes for al we be synners and haue nede to pray to god for helpe grace and mercy for they may nat excuse therin fro the procession that may laâ—fully be there Than he that withdraweth him self fro the coÌ„maundment of holy churche wylfully he synneth full greuouslye Firste he synneth in pryde for he is vnbuâ—um Also he synneth in slouthe that knoweth him selue in synne and wyll nat do his diligence to coÌ„me out therof right as he withdrawyth him fro peple that be gadred to serue god Right so wyll god putt him from all the company of heuyn and from all the prayers that be doon in holy churche tyll he come to amendement Therfore all cristen people come only to gidder pray these thre daies to all the sayntes in heuyn to pray to god for vs For we haue synned many tymes in the yere ayeÌ„ste the coÌ„maundment of god And therfore these thre daies we shall faste and pray to god of mercy and remission of oure synnes and put awaye al the power of the fende and kepe vs from al myscheuous peryl and dredys that fal this tyme of the yere more than any other tyme For in this tyme many grete thundres and lightnynge and as Lyncolnyence saith Ther were fendes that fleteryn in the ayr for fere of the blast of thundrynge whan that criste coÌ„me to hell gates whan he dispoyled hell And so yet whanne they here the thunder in the ayre they been so agast therof that they fallen downe and then go they nat vp ayen tyll they haue don some cursed dedes For than they 〈…〉 tempestes in the see and drawe downe shippes and make debate emonge the people and make one to slee a nother and tende fyre and brenne houses and drawe downe steples and trees and cause wymmen to ouirlye their children and make people to hange theym selue and drowne them self in wanhope and in dispayre and do many cursed dedys And for to putte awaye all suche myscheuys the power of the fende Holy church hathe ordeyned that al cristen peple shal faste and goo in processioun these thre daies and pray to god and to oure lady and to all the saintes of heuyn of helpe and socoure ¶ wherfore in these processiones belles be ronge baners be spleyed the crosse coÌ„myth after the people suyth after For right as a kinge whanne he goth to a battayl his troÌ„pettes goon to fore Thenne the baners and thenne coÌ„meth the king and his oft folowynge So in this processioun the bellys been goddes trompettes the baners coÌ„me after Thenne coÌ„meth the croce in cristes lyknesse as kinge of cristen people and all sewe him and with her good prayers chace awaye the fendys that they
masse and had made the fraction he sawe the blood droppe fro the oste in the chalyce Thenne he made a signe vnto theym that beleuyd natt to coÌ„me nere him and to see And whan they sawe his fyngers blody the blode ran from the oste into the chalyce anoon for grete fere they cryed sayd O thou blessed man that hast this grace to holde cristes body in thy hondes that droppeth blood in the chalice we beleue verily therupon and we beseche the verily to pray to him for vs that thou haste in thy hondes that he take no vengeaunce on vs for oure misbileue and we cry mekely mercy And anon the ost turnyd into the fourme of brede as it was bifore And thenne they were parfyte men of bileue euir after A nother skyll is that the sacrament is made in the aulter to make a man by often syght therof the soner haue mynde on cristes passion and to haue it in mynde for it is the beste defence ayenst the teÌ„ptacion of the fende For sainte Austyne sayth the mynde of cristes passion putteth awaye all temptaciones the power of all wycked spirites And for this cause rodes and ymages been sett on hye in the churches for as sone as a man coÌ„meth into the churche he sholde se it and haue it in his mynde and thinke on cristes passion wherfore croces other ymages be ful necessary nedefull what someuir these lollers saye For and it had nat be full profytable holy faders wold haue distroyed them many yeres a goon For right as the people do worshippe to the kinges seall nat for loue of the seale but for reuereÌ„ce of the kinge that it coÌ„meth fro Soo rodes and ymages be sette for the kynges seal of heuyn and other saintes in the same wise For ymages been lewed people bokes And as Iohn Bellet sayeth ther been many thousandes of peo that can nat ymagine in their hertes howe criste was don on the crosse but as they se by ymages in the churches and in other places there as they been And for to haue the bettre mynde of cristes passion I shall tell you this ensample ¶ Narracio ¶ There was a cristen man of EngloÌ„de that went into the holy londe and 〈…〉 red an hethen man to be his guide and as he caÌ„me vnto a faire forest and sawe many faire thinges â–ª but this cristened man maruayled gretly that herd no noys of birdes therof he had gret meruayll and saide to this hethen man I meruayll moche that there is no songe of birdes in this wode Then sayd this hethen man This is the weke that ye call passion weke that your greate prophete dyed in wherfore on sonday ytâ—aâ—te was that ye call palme sonday all the foules of this wode dyed for sorowe all this weke shall lye as dede But on sonday nexte coÌ„mynge that ye call esterday they quycken ayen all the yere after they make melody whrefore 〈◊〉 vp in to the trees and see and thenne he sawe euery bowe of the trees lye full of byrdes as flatte as they had be sprede on the crosse ¶ Thenne sithe byrdes haue mynde of cristes passion and make suche mornynge and sorowe Moche more cause hath mankynde that was broughte from euirlastinge dampnacion to euirlasting saluacion by his passion ¶ The thridde cause is why the sacrament is vsed in the alter For a maÌ„ sholde by the sight therof thynke on oure lorde Iesu criste fader of heuyn that hathe but one sone that he louyth passing all thynge but he spared nat to sende him downe into this worlde to suffrer passion and deth to shede his precious blode for mankynde to bye him out of the fendes bondes and to wryte a charter with his owne preciouse blood of fredome for euirmore to all mankynd So that a man forfayte nat his charter by dedely synne But he that louyth god wyll kepe his charter for god asketh a man but loue wher he sayth thê° Da michi cor tuuÌ„ et sufficit michi et cetera Sone gyue me thy herte and it is enoughe for me Thenne take hede of this ensample ¶ Narracio ¶ There was an erle of venys that was called sir Ambright that louyd the sacrament in the Auter passinge well dyd it all the worshippe and reuerence that he coude and myght So whanne he leye seke and shold be dede he might nat resceyue the sacramente for castinge thenne was he sory and made dole and thenne he lete make clene his right side and to couer it with a fayre clothe of fendyll and leyde goddes body theren and sayd thus to the oste Lorde thou knowest that I loue the with all my herte and wolde fayn resceyue the with my mouthe and I durst And for I may nat I lay the on that place that is nexte to myn herte and so I shewe the all the loue of myn herte that I can or maye wherfore I besech the good lorde haue mercy on me and euyn therwith in sight of all the peple that were aboute him his syde openyd and the oste wente in there to his syde thenne it closed ayen and so anoon after he dyed and departyd oute of this worlde ¶ Soo lete vs loue the sacramente in oure lyf and doo it reuerence â–ª and worshyp and thenne at oure laste ende whanne we shall dye and passe oute of this worlde it woll socour vs and bringe vs to euirlastinge blisse Thus the sacramente is vsed for grete mede gettynge to all that beleue therin For though it haue the lykenesse of brede and the taste it is flesshe and semyth brede it is quycke and semyth dede ye must byleue verily that it is goddes blessed body that tooke flesshe and blood of the virgyn mary and after died on the crosse and rose fro deth to lyue and styed vp into heuyn and nowe sytteth on his faders right honde shall coÌ„me ayen at the day of dome to deme the quycke and the dede And he that resceyueth it here and beleuyth verilye theruppon shall haue euirlastinge lyf in the kyngdom of heuyn as the gospel sayth Qui manducat hunc paneÌ„ viuet in eternum who so etyth of this brede shall lyue euyr and neuir be dede And he that resceyueth it and beleueth nat thus Reus erit in iudicio At the daye of dome he shall be dampned into euirlastinge peyne Augustinus iÌ„ persona cristi Manducas me non mutabis me inte sed tu mutaberis in me Saint Austyn sayth in the persone of criste Ete me but I shal nat turne and chaunge into the but thou shal turne chaunge into me ¶ we rede that ther was a iewe that wente with a cristen man a felowe of his into a churche of cristen people and herde masse Et post missam dixit Iudeus And after masse sayde the Iewe thus Si ego tantum edissem quaÌ„tuÌ„ comedisti non esuriem vt puto in tribus
But whanne thomas herde the knyghtes armed and wolde come into the chirche and might nat he wente to the dore and vnbaryd it and tooke one of the knyghtes by the honde and saide It besemeth nat to make a castell of holy churche and tooke them by the hondes and saide Come in my children in goddes name Thenne for it was derke that they might nat se nor knowe Thomas they saide where is the tratoure Naye saide thomas no traitoure but arsshebissop Thenne one saide Flee for thou arte dede TheÌ„ne saide Thomas I come nat to flee butt to abyde Ego pro deo mori paratus suÌ„ et pro defensione iusticie et ecclesie liberate I am redy to dye for the loue of god for the right of holy churche TheÌ„ne Raynolde with his swerde poynte put of thomas cappe and smote at his hede cutte of his crowne that it henge bye like a disshe Thenne smote another att hym and smote it all of thenne fyll he downe to the grounde on his knees and elbowes and saide God in to thy hondes I putte my cause and the righte of holy churche and so dyed theÌ„the thridde knyghte smote and half his stroke fyll vpon his clerkes arme that helde thomas crosse bifore him and so the swerde fyll downe to the grounde and brake of the poynte and he said go we hens he is dede And whenne they were at the dore goynge oute Roberte Broke went agayne and sett his foote to Thomas necke and thruste oute the brayne vpon the pauemente Thus for the right of holy churche and the lawe of the londe thomas tooke his deth ¶ Thenne howe this martirdome was knowen in Ierusalem â–ª ye shall here There was an abbey of Monkes in the whiche that same day and 〈◊〉 me tyme that thomas dyed A monke lay at the dethe Thenne for he was a goode holy man of liuynge his abbote badde him If it were nat to goddes displeasure whanne he were dede he shoulde coÌ„me ayen and tell him howe he ferde and soo whanne he was dede he caÌ„me ayen and tolde his abbot whaÌ„ he dyed an aungell brought him bifore god and as he stode there â–ª he sawe a bisshoppe coÌ„me with a greate come any of aungellys and other saintes And he stode bifore god at his iugemeÌ„t and his hede dropped downe of blood of woundes that he had Thenne saide our lord to him â–ª thê° it besemyâ—h a man to come to his lordes courte And anone oure lorde sette a crowne on his hede and saide thus to him Asmoche as I haue gyue to Petyr and Poule so moche ioye I graunte the. and the monke saide Hereby I knowe well that this is the gretest busshop in Englonde â–ª and is slayne for goddes sake And weâ—e â—e well that I goo to euirlastinge blâ—sâ—e This tolde the Patryarke of IerusaleÌ„ sone after that thomas dyede â–ª there caÌ„me into Englonde after peple to fight agayn the hethen men ¶ Narracio ¶ Also there was a byrde that was taughte to speke and coude saye saint thomas as she herde other pilgrymes speke moche of sainte thomas And it hapnyd on a tyme this byrde satt without his cage and there caÌ„me a sparhawke and wolde haue slayn him and anon the byrde cryed on sainte Thomas helpe anoon the sparhauke fel downe dede Then saint thomas of his grete graâ—e and godenesse herde the byrde wist nat what she ment Moche more he wolde haue herde a cristen man or a cristen woman that cryed hertly to him for helpe and socoure ¶ Narracio ¶ Also we rede there was a man that thomas loued passinge well in his lyue And it fyll so that this man fell â–ª seke on a tym and coÌ„me to saint thomas â—ombe praynge him of socoure and helpe and anone he was hole But after â—e bethoughte him that his sekenesse was encreasinge to his soules helthe and so wente agayn prayenge thomas that if it were more mede to his soule to be seke than hole that he might be seke ayen so he was thaÌ„ked god seint thomas Then whan the kinge herde how god wroughte so many miracles for saynt Thomas he went to Caunterbury barefote and wolwarde and almoost naked saue a feble cote to binde his body in goyng in the feÌ„ne and in the lake as he hadde been a pore man in this londe prayenge to saint Thomas of forgyuenesse of his trespasse and at the tombe he made al the couente to gyue disciplyne by and by on his bare bodye with a rodde And there he dampned all sory customes and false lawes that was cause of the debate bitwene Thomas and the kinge bifore and graunted the churche her fredome ayen wente his way ¶ Thenne these foure knyghteâ— whan they herde howe god had wroughte for Thomas they were full sory of their cursed dedes cursed the tym that euir it hapnyd so with theym and lefte all their londes and wente to Ierusalem into the holy londe to were on goddes ennemyes But william Tracy was letted by the waye and fyll seke and roted all his body In somoche that him selue with his owne hondes caste awaye his owne flesshe lomp mele and so died an horrible deth And the other thre also dyed a pytous deth sone after And thus within thre yeres after Thomas dethe they dyed all foure But as longe as they lyued they cried euir mercy to god and to saint thomas and so I hope they hadde De circumcisione domini gOode frendes suche a daye is called neweyeres daye and is the firste daye of the begynnyng of the newe yere that is cuÌ„myng and is the laste daye of the yere that is gone And therfore this daye ye shall coÌ„me to god and holy churche to here youre diuyne seruyce for this yere For lyke as a godâ— seruaunte that hath a good maister makâ—th his couenaunte but ones but holdeth forth from yer to yere hauing ful truste in his maister that he woll for his gode seruice gyf him agode reward in his grete nede at his last ende In the same wyse goddes seruauntes maken couenaunte with him but ones that is at the cristenynge at the fonte and ther he maketh couenaunte to be goddes seruaunt hauynge full truste in god that at his grete nede that is at the daye of dome wyll quyte him for his seruyce in euirlastinge blisse of heuyn And so wyll he do to all that be good true seruauntes Thus this day is called new yeres daye Also it is called Circumcisio domini The circumcision of oure lorde Alsoo this daye is called Neweyeres day for this daye is the firste daye of the CaleÌ„der and the yere gooth moche by the calender therfore it is called neweyeres daye Saint Austyn sayth this daye this nyghte hethen peple vse many false opyniones and witche crafte false byleue the whiche been nat to tell emoÌ„ge cristen people lest they turne to that vse wherfore ye that
daye xii monthe he turned water into wyne at the weddinge at Chane galilee But the feste maketh mooste mynde mencion of the iii. kinges offryng and therfore lete vs folowe the fourme of holy churche and ye shall here howe it fyll of their offringe to oure lorde iesu criste very god and man Thus iii. kynges wer of the lignage that prophecyed howe a sterre sholde shyne of Iacob But they were no iewes kynd but they hadde herde by prophecy of this wherfore they hadde greate desire luste to see it And so often tymes whaÌ„ne they might coÌ„me to giddre vpon certeyne high hylles thenne they wolde dispute emonge theym of this sterre Soo it hapned vpon cristemasse nighte the same tyme as oure lorde was borne they were to gyddre and were disputyng of this sterre Super montem Vpon the hyll Dominus enim erat natus Oure lorde was borne Eâ— apperuit illis And apperyd to theym in the sterre as a faire childe and vnder his hede a brâ—kâ—â—â— â–ª crosse of golde and saide thus to them Goo ye anoon in all the haste that ye maye into the londe of Iury and take with you gold myrre and ensence and offre these thre thinges to him that ye shal fynde there now borne kinge of iewes very god man And I shal be youre gyde and lede you to the way Then anoon for grete haste they toke bestâ—â— that ben called Dromedaries that ben of suche kynde they be so swyfte that they wyll tenne further in one day thaÌ„ne any other beest wyll tenne or go in thre daies And so they caÌ„me to Ierusalem that was the cheif cyte of all Iury hopynge that they shulde here there some tydinges where that this child was borne But as sone as they turnyd into the cyte of Ierusalem thenne they loste the sighte of the sterre that lad theâ—◠¶ euyr the waye tyll that they come thyder bryghter than the sonne theÌ„ne wheÌ„ they com to the cyte of iherusâ—leÌ„ they rode to kyng Herode for he was there the same tyme sayd to heÌ„ Vbi eÌ„ qui natus eÌ„ rex iudeoruÌ„ ¶ where is he that is borne that is kynge of iewes Vidimus enim stellam eius in oriente we sawe his sterre in the Este Venimus adorare eum we be come to worshyp hym Thenne kynge herode was troubled and all the cyte wyth hym but more for flaterynge of him thenne for ony loue that they had to hym Thenne kynge Herode asked his clerkis where this child sholde be borne and they sayd in bethelem â—nde thenne kyng herode asked the kingis preuely of the sterre and bad hem goo in Bethelem and worship the childe â–ª and come ayen by hym telle hym where he myghte fynde the chylde that he myght goo worshyp hym Thenne whan the kyngis were passed towardes Bethelem anone the sterre apered to them And whan thei sawe the sterre was come ayen they were glad in their hertes and as it is in many place painted the kynge that is in the myddel for gret ioye of the sterre he loked bacwarde to his felowe behynde hym and wyth his fynger shewed him the sterre that is the cause that the middel king loked bacward ¶ And thus the sterre broughte them to bethelem and whan the sterre come ouer the hous there as Our Lord was in it stode styll Thenne the kynges lighted downe and wente in to the hous and wyth al the reuerence that they coude knelynge â— downe offird eche of theÌ„ thise iii. thinges Aurum thus et mirram Golde cence and myâ—â—e knowlechyng by the golde that he was kynge of all kynges And by the 〈◊〉 that he was very god and by the myrre that he waâ— very man and shold be dede and layd in graue wythout rotynge For gold is cheef of al mettallis Encence is breÌ„te in holy chirche in worship to god Myrre is an oynemeÌ„te that kepeth the bodyes from rotynge Thus whan the kyngis had done theyr offrynge by techinge of the angell Per aliam viam reuersi sunt iÌ„ regionem suam By another waye they wente toward theyr owne londis And lefte kynge he rode and the sterre vanysshed awaye fro them ¶ Thenne as syant Bernard sayth Ioseph kept of this golde as moche as hym neded to his tribute that he shold paye to the emperour And also more to kepe our lady wyth whyle she laye in chylde bed And the remenaunt he deled to poure people suche as had grete nede therto The cence he brente to put awaye the stenche of the stable there as she laye in and wyth the myrre Oure lady anoynted her chyld to kepe hym from wormes and dysease But what befel of the kyngis after I fynde no thyng in certeyn but some peple haue an oppynyon how the saynt thomas of Inde cristened theym whan he come in to that cuntrey of Inde ¶ And thenne as the sterre lyghtened theym to crystis birth Soo the holy ¶ goost lyghtened them in theyr soule and â—aught them the parfyghte waye of the byleue And also of parfyghte and gracious lyuinge In soo moche that they lefte all theyr kingedom and wente forth on pylgrâ—mages that is to saye to Iherusalâ—m to many other places And soo they come forthe to Myllayne and there they deyed all thre And soo after that they were translated to Coleyne and there they ben yet now haue ye herde bi thyse thre kynges How Oure Lorde Ihesu Criste was this daye shewed verey god and man wherfore lyke as they offred wyth deuocyon So shold ye doo your offrynges whan ye come to holy chirche knelynge downe wyth all reuerence that ye canne or may not on your one knee as to a temporal lorde but on bothe your knees And doo worshyp hym wyth good prayers Thenne offre ye precious golde For there is noo golde soo precyous as is the good prayer deuoute And thenne hold vp your hondes to hym wyth all the reuerence that ye can and wyth a deuoute herte praye to hym and shewe hym all the loue of your hertes And thenne offre ye to hym ensence For there is noo ensence sauour that is so swete brennyng in the fyre as doth good prayers that is deuoutely said· wyth a brennyng loue in clene charyte And if thou doo thus thenne thou offrest knelyng on thy knees Make a crosse on therthe and kysse it and thynke well thou art but etthe theÌ„ne muste ye offre myrre For right as myrre kepeth a body from rotyng soo the mynde of deth kepeth a mannis soule from dedely synne in this wyse do ye your offâ—nâ—â—e And thenne shall ye haue as moche mede as had thyse thre kynges Also he was shewed bothe god and man atte his cristenyng For he come to the water of flom Iordan he wente in to the water and halowed it for right as he was circumcised to conferme the new lawe and for noo nede that he hadde therto For he was clene wythout
whan saint wolstone visited his busshopriche the people brought a man bifore him that dyd his neyghboures moche disease wold neuyr be in peas praynge the busshop to chastice him whan the busshop hade prechyd to this man he was euir leâ—gre the worse Then the busshop and al the peple prayed to saint mathye to shewe some myracle by this maÌ„ what he was worthy to haue Then anoon in sighte of all the peple there came oute of the erthe ii fendes with brennynge hokes and plucked this quycke man doune to hell And whan he was gone the people were releuyd and had reste and peas euyr after Amen De annunciacione beate marie virginis gOode frendes suche a daye ye shall haue an highe and a solempne feste in holy churche thannuÌ„ciacion of oure lady he that hath auowed or ioyned in penaunce must faste the euyn ¶ ye shall vnderstonde that it is called thannuÌ„ciacion for this cause For the fad of heuyn sent his angel gabriel Missus est angelus gabriel a deo in ciuitateÌ„ cui nomen Nazaret In the cyte that was called Nazareth to oure lady that was newe weded by the byddynge of god and reuelacion of the holy ghooste to a man called Iosephe And as she was in her chambre in her praiers the angell gabriell come to her said Oure lorde is with the Then was she gretly astonyed of this gretynge For there was in the countre a man that coud moche wichcraft so with helpe of fendes he made hym self lyâ— an angel came to dyuerse maydens said he was sente from god to theym on his message so ofte tymes laye by hem dyde hem grete vylonye thenne whaÌ„ our lady herde telle of that man she was a drad lest it had be he For she had spoke wyth noo angell before nor ther were no suche wordes ne suche gretinges made neuer none to her before Thenne gabriell the angell comforted her and saide ¶ Ne timeas maria inuenisti graciam apud dnÌ„m Drede not mary forsoth thou hast fouÌ„de grace at our lord For amonge al the wymen our lord hath chosen the for to be moder of his sone And hym thou shal coÌ„ceyue by feyth by loue of the holy goost wythout ony dede of maÌ„ that shal shadow the. quenche al flesshely lust tende the lyght of goostely loue that thou shalt coÌ„ceyue the sone of the hyghe god And thus thou shal be moder mayde so was neuer none before Thenne anone our lady herde thise wordes and anone therwyth come a spirituel swetenesse ioye in her herte that anone or ony erthely man cowde telle it so wyth al the reuereÌ„ce of mekenesse that she cowde She answerde thus ayen and sayde Ecce ancilla domini fiat michi secundum verbum tuum Lo here goddis own mayd redy to goddis wyl prayng it may be to me ryght as thou sayst Thus that blissed body coÌ„ceyued our lord Ihesu cryst in euerlastyng ioye to al the world Thus I ma eye lykeÌ„ our lady to a precioê° stone called onyx it is as clere as ony cristall shal of kynde whan the sonne shyneth hote on hym he openeth and receyueth a droppe of the dewe of heuen in to hym and closed ayen tyl ix monethes after thenne it openeth and falleth out a stone of the same kinde and so closeth ayen as euer it was â–ª and neuer openeth after Thus our lady was as clene as ony cristal for the hote loue of the holy goost at the ix monethis ende she was delyuered of her sone our lord Ihesu criste and was after as clene mayden as she was to fore Thenne whan the angell had done hâ—s message he wente his waye to heuen â–ª And our lady wente to her cosyn elysabeth that was grete wyth châ—ld with Saynt Iohan baptist And when she come to Elysabeth she grete her mâ—kely And assone as our lady spake to Elysabeth the childe in elysabethis woÌ„be pleyde and made grete ioye For he sawe that our lord had take mankynde and was come to saue hem that was lorn Thenne our lady dwelled there wyth Elysabeth her cosyn tyll the tyme that saynt Iohan was borne and was mydwyfe to Elysabeth and toke saynt Iohan from therthe and ther she lerned all that her neded for to knowe ayenst the tyme that her sone shold be borne And was parfyte ynough therof Thenne mekely she toke her leue and wente home ayen to Nazareth Thenne thoughte Ioseph he wold go loke how his wyf dyde and wente towarde her And whan our Lady herde of his comynge she wente ayenst hym and grete hym full mekely But whaÌ„ Ioseph sawe her grete wyth childe he merueyled gretely how that myght be For well he wyste it was not his for he had neuer part of her body in that degree For he knewe well that she had made a vowe before that she wold neuer haue parte of mannys body And thought how that he was made to wedde her by the byddynge of the holy gooste and grete myracle shewynge thought right in his herte he was not worthy to dwelle in her companye thoughte in his herte to haue gone home ayen and to leue her there Thenne come an angell to hym and sayd be not aferde to take mary thy wyf to thy kepyng for it is of the holy gooste that is quycke in her body For thou shalt be kepar and norissher to her child whaÌ„ it is borne calle it Ihesus For he shall be sauyour to all the world Thenne ye shall vnderstonde that for iiii causes As saynt Ambrosius saith Oure lady was wedded to this olde man Ioseph The firste was yf she had conceyued wythout wedlocke the iewes wolde haue said that she had be an euyll woman of her body and soo haue stoned her to deth The second cause was for she was soo shame faste that and she had herde ony haue put ony defam to her she wold haue deyed for sorowe The thirde cause was for Ioseph sholde bere wytnesse of her maydenhode The fourth cause for Ioseph sholde helpe her at her byrthe and brynge her to Bethelem and after in to Egypte and so ayen in to her own countrey For thise four causes she was wedded to this olde man Ioseph and also to begyle the fende that he shold not knowe hym fro another childe Now haue ye herde of the AnnunciacioÌ„ There be some people that aske a question why there stondeth a wyne potte wyth lilyes betwene our Lady and gabriell the angell at her salutacion This is the cause For our Lady at her salutacion conceyued by feyth ¶ Narracio ¶ It befell thus vpon a cristmas day that a Cristen man and a Iewe satte to gyder and spake of the Concepcion of our lady and as they were there stode a wyne pot to fore them with a lilie therin Thenne sayde the cristen man we byleue that our lady conceyued lyke as this lylye conceyued coloure of grene
and after brengeth forth a whyte floure wythout crafte of man or ony peyryng to the stalke Ryght so our lady conceyued of the holy gooste and after brought her sone our lord Ihesu Cryste wythoute ony wemme of her body That is flour and cheef of alle wymmen Thenne said the iewe whaÌ„ I see a lylye sprynge oute of the dede stalke that standeth in this pot thenne wyl I byleue that thou sayst to be trewe And anon ther wyth sprange a whyte lyly oute of the dede stocke that stode in that same wyne pot And whaÌ„ the iewe sawe that anone he felle doune to the grounde vpon his knees and sayd thus Lady now I see well that thou conceyued wyth the holy gost our lord Ihesu criste goddis sone of heuen And thou were clene mayden both before the birth and so anone he was cristened so after he was a full holy man And this is the cause wherfore that the pot wyth the lily is set betwene our lady the angel For ryght as the iew disputed wyth the Cristen man of the maner of the Concepcion So our lady disputed wyth the angell of the maner how she shold conceyue be both moder mayde or she consented therto Thenne ye that wyl faste the v. euens of our lady in the worship of the v. ioyes that she had of her sone The first whan she conceyued of the holy gooste and knewe that she was moder to goddis sone of heuen The ii was on cristmasse daye whan she was delyuered of her sone wythoute ony peyne of her body For as she conceyued wythout lust of her body also she was deliuered wythout peyne of her body The iii. ioye was on ester daye whan her sone rose from deth to life and come to her kyssed her and made her more ioyefull of his vprysing than she was sory off his deth The iiii ioye whan he styed vp to heuâ—n on holy thursday in the same flesshe and blode that he toke in her body The v. ioye was in her assumpcioÌ„ whaÌ„ she sawe her sone come wyth grete multitude of angelis and saintes to fette her to heuen to crowne her quene of heuen and emperes of helle and lady of the world and so al that ben in heuen shall do her reuerence and worshyp And al that ben in erthe shal doo her seruyce Thyse ben the v. ioyes that our lady had of her sone and ye shall vnderstonde that he that wyl grete our lady with v. Aues shal neuer come in to the peynes of helle ¶ Narracio ¶ we fynde wreten of an holy maydeÌ„ that was denoute in our ladyes seruyce and euery daye greted her wyth v. ioyes Thenne it happed so on a daye that she fell seke felte her selfe well that she shold be dede and for fere she sighed wonder sore and made greate mone for by cause she wyft not wheder she shold goo after her deth Thenne come oure lady to her and said why arte thou so sory that hast made me so glad gretynge me wyth ioyes that I had of my sone therfor be not sory but knowe mell that thou shal go wyth me in to euerlastynge blysse and ioye wyth out ende Amen ¶ Narracio ¶ we fynde of saint Gylberte that on a tyme he was nye dede of the quynâ—â— and whan his throte was so grete and well nye dede that he myght not take breth our lady come to hym and sayd to hym Gylbert my seruaunt it were euyll do that thy throte shold suffre penaunce that hath soo oft tyme gladed me wyth ioyes and anone she toke her fayr pappe and mylked on his throte and wente her waye anone therwith he was hole and thanked our lady euer after De sancto Georgeo martire â—Ood frendes suche a daye ye shal haue saynt Georges daye The holy marter It is wreten in 〈◊〉 â—â—fe that there was an horryble dragon besyde a cyte that was called Câ—â—â—e of the whiche dragon men of the Cite were sore aferde in so moche that by counseyll of the kynge euery daye thei gaue hym a childe and a shepe to ete For fere lest he wolde haue come in to the Cyte Thenne whan all the chyldren and the shepe were nye ete for by cause that the kyng hym self gaue theÌ„ the counseyll they constreyned hym that he had but a doughter to gyue her to the dragon Thenne the kynge for fere of the people wyth wepyng and grete sorowe makynge delyuered hem his childe and sente her forth to the place â—â—ere as they were wont to set her own children and a shepe wyth her to abyde tyll the dragon come But than by the ordynaunce of god saynt George come tydyng that waye And whan he sawe this damoysell in her araye him thought she was a woman of greate byrth and asked her why she stode therre wyth the shepe in suche araye so mornynge Thenne answered she and said gentyll knyght well maye I morne make sorowe for I am a kynges doughter of this Cite and now I am sette here to be deuoured of a dragon that hath ete all the chyldren of this Cite be now dystroyed and nowe he muste haue me For my fader gaf hem counseyll therto and therfore gentyll knyght ryde hense faste and saue thy selfe leest the dragon sle bothe the and me Thenne sayd George damoysell that were grete shame and vylonye to me that am a knyghte well arayed And shold fle and thou a woman and sholdest abyde TheÌ„ne wyth that the dragon put oute his hede at an hole and spytted fyre proferd batayle to george he made a sygne of the crosse before hym and sett the spere in the reste and wyth grete myght bare downe the dragon to the grounde· And thenne he bad the damoysell bynde this dragon wyth her gyrdell about the necke And lede it wyth her in to the Cite and soo the dragon folowed after her as it hadde be a honde maide to bowe paciently· But whan the people of the Cyte sawe the dragon come they fledde for fere awaye Thenne George called the peple ayen and sayde to theym be not aferde For and ye wyll belyue in Criste and take cristeÌ„dom I wyll saue and sle this dragon and delyuer you of your enemye then were they so glad that anone xx thousand men wythoute wymen and children were cristened And the kynge the quene were first of all wyth al his housholde And thenne George slewe the dragon and bad the people tye oxen to hym and drawe it out of the Cite that the fauour of it dyde the peple no harme Thenne George bad the kynge edefye chirches in euery corner of his londe and be lusty to goddis seruyce and to honour and worship all the peple of holy chirche and euer haue coÌ„passyon and be sory for them that be pour or in ony dysease Thenne whan George had done thus and had torned al the londe to crysten feyth he herde of
forsake her synne and doo nomore therfore the teeres of a man or a woman that is sory for his synne in this maner quenchen the fyre of helle Of thyse teeres speketh Iohn grisostome and saith ¶ O thou teere that art mekely lete in oryson and prayer wyth good deuocion thy myghte is soo grete that thou goest to heuen and takest the worde of the Iewes mouth making hym to torne the to saluacion that before were in weye off dampnacion Also thou makest thy aâ— cusare dombe the fendes· and so thou quenchest the fyre of helle that fendes made redy ayenst thy comyng and thê° god hangeth vpon waters Thenne for saynt Barthylmewe was goddys sone as all ben that seruyth hym he was hangyng vp in four wayes in deuocion of holy orysons prayeng and in feythful monicion in suffryng off passion he was hangyng to godward in deuoute orysons for that he sayd wyth his mouthe he thoughte in his herte Soo that his herte was alwaye hangyng vp toward god both in worde and in dede as the preste sayhe in the masse Sursum corda Holde vp your hertes to god Thus this holy man saynt barthylmew had euer his herte to god for grete deuocion ¶ We fynde wreten of hym thus that he kneled a C. tymes on the daye and C. tymes on the nyght for a grete deuoucion that he had to god· But for he shold not be wery of the traueyle God sente an angell euer more to shewe hym and kept hym thus hanged he vp in holy orysons prayeng ¶ He was also hanged vp by the feythfull monycion in this wyse For god gaue hym soo grete power ouer all fendes that by his holy monycion he suspended hem whether they were in man or woman And also in other mawmentis we fynde wreten of saynt Barthylmewe how he come into yndâ— in the temple In the whiche temple was aâ— ymage there in was a fende a mawment that was called aâ—tarâ—th and this ymage was made of gold thenne the fende that was therin and spake to hym and dyde hym worshyp And by suche wordes as he spake he made the people byleue that he was god and yet to make hem the more to byleue he heled many syke men and wymmen bothe blynde and lame and of many dyuerse sykenesse that he had caste vpon hem to fore hym self And so semynge to them that they were heled by hym but suche sikenesse as god sente vpon hem he cowde not hele Thenne was the temple full of syke people that were brought to this mawment to be hole but assone as Barthylmewe come to the temple he suspended the fendes power that he myght he le noo man Now ther was another god called baruth and they asked hym why her god gaue hem none answere He sayd barthylmew the appostle of god hath bouÌ„de hym soo sore that he dare not ones speke nor â—rake Thenne he tolde hym the fetures of Barthylmew and sayd he knoweth euery worde that we spek now for he hath an angel of god with hym and telleth hym all thynges that euer was sayd or done by hym And moreouer though ye seke hym ye shall not fynde him but yf he wyll hymself ¶ Thenne wente they home ayen and sought Barthylmew and myghte not fynde hym Thenne as barthylmewe walked amonge the people a mad maÌ„ that had a fende wythin hym anone cryed barthylmewe goddis own appostle thy prayers bynde me so sore bren me also Then said barthylmewe holde thy peas thou fende go oute of with the worde the fende went his way and lefte the man and anon he was hole Then it hapnyd that the king of that cyte had a doughter that was madde and sore bounde with cheynes For harme that she dyd emonge the people And whan the kinge herde how this man was helyd he sent to Bar 〈…〉 mewâ— prayeng him that he wolde heale his doughter and so he dyd Thenne Barthelmewe prechyd soo to the king that he turnyd the kinge to be cristâ—ed And then anon he coÌ„maunded to drawe downe the mawmentes that wer in the temple Thenne the people tyed ropes aboute the ymages neckes wold haue drawen downe the mawmentes but they myght nat for the fendes ware stronge in them Then Barthelmewe coÌ„maunded the fendes to come out of ymages and to pull theym to pouder and so they dyd for they hadde no power to withstande his coÌ„maundmente And so they al to brake theym and for the temples were so full of seke peple Barthelmewe praied god that they myghte be hole and anoon they were ¶ Then the knigâ— â–ª his wyfe his doughter and all his menye and moch other people turned to the feyth of crist and thenne Bherthelmewe cristenyd â–ª theym all ¶ Thus Barthelmewe hangith by feâ—thfull monycion For he suspendyd the fendes power that they myghte do no thynge ¶ He was also haÌ„gyd vp by suffring of passion For whanne the Busshop of the temple sawe that the people wer almooste turned to the cristen feyth â— â—ftâ— the fendes mawmentry he wente vnto the Cite there as a kyng was called Astrages and brother to the kyng Polunyes and compleined to hym sore And sayd there was a man come to hem that was called Barthylmew that had tourned his broder and al the people to the feyth that they set not by her goddis but had draw hem downe and all to broke hem and halowed the temple oonly to criste for this cause he preyed hym of helpe Thenne sent the kinge a thousande men after Barthylmewe Thenne whan barthylmewe was come he asked hym why he had tourned his broder and made hym byleue on a dede man that was hanged on the Crosse Thenne sayd Barthylmewe I haue bounde that god that thy brother byleued on and shewed that fende And yf thou or he maye doo soo to my god thenne wyll I byleue os thou dooste Thenne the kynge commaunded to hange barthylmew on a crosse and longe to torment hym theron and after toke hym downe and fleye hym quycke and thenne to smyte of his hede Thenne come crysten people buryed hym wyth grete reuerence worshyp And thus he was hanged vp by grete compassion suffryng we rede in gestis romanorum That whan frederycke themperour had destroyed a grete Cite And therin was a fair chirche of saynt Barthylmew and other moo of dyuerse sayntes And as a good holy man come by the cyte and he sawe a grete companye of men stondyng to gyder Thenne had this man grete merueyle of hem and asked what they were and what was theyr counseyll Thenne sayd they that iâ— was sayâ—â— Barthylmew and other sayntes that had chirches in that cyte that were dystroyed and there they toke her counseil what they myght doo wyth the empeperour And they were in full purpose that he shold come before god and answere for his dedes And soo the Emperour deyed a fowle dethe and was damned And also it is wreten in the lyf of saynt