And that the faythe that thow haste yeue mote a bde vndefowlyd And that the Erroure of the other may Appere by merytes and prayers of the gloryous loued Ierome brynge ayen vn to these bodyes the saules that thow haste made go oute therof After thys prayers he toke the sacke that Ierome vsyd and towched the dede bodyes ther wyth And anone they opened her eyen and shewyng alle tokens of lyfe veryly a roos and be gaÌ„ne with a clere voyce to telle openly alle the Ioies of holy saules And the paynes of synners in purgatorye and in helle For as theye tolde me afterward sainct Ierome lad de theym in to paradyse purgatorye and in to helle that they shulde telle alle folke what was doo there And after bad theym go to there bodyes ayen and do penaunce for the synnes that they hadde doo For the same day and oure the wurshipfulle Euseby shuld dye they shuld passe also and yf they dyde welle they shulde haue Ioye with hym And so it fylle as I shalle telle afterwarde these thynges doon The grete multytude of people bothe of trewe feyth and this secte seynge openly there erroures the grete merueylles of Ierome yafe grete praisyng vn to god that forsakyth not theyme that truste In hym Thus dere Austyn we be taught not to drede the pursewers of oure faythe And to know how redy oure pytefull lord is to helpe alle that calle vnto hym in tyme of trybulatyon And how myghty gloryous Ierome is to promote the praiers of theym that in clene herte pray and truste vn to hym ¶ Of the merueylous dethe of the sayde Euseby and how saynct Ierome Appered vn to hym in the oure of his Passyng Whan tyme come y t eusebi knew y t he shulde passe as he was enformed by the sayd vysyon of seint ierome the iii day to fore he was myghtyly smyte with a feuere And than he made his bretheen ley him naked on the erthe and ley vpoÌ„ hym the sake that Glorious Ierome vsyd to were than he kissed alle his brethren and benyngly confortyng theym he stured hem to abyde stauely In theire holy lyuyng He ordeyned by example of gloryous Ierome that he shulde be buried naked wythowt the chirche in whiche the body of sainct Ierome lyeth After this he strengthed hym selfe with the Communyon of the holy body of oure lord Ihesu cryste And commended hym to god and sainct Ierome And so he lay thre dayes whithowt bodyly sight or speche His brethren standyng a bout hym contynually sayeng and redying theire sawter the passion of our lorde and othere holy thynges But for sythe it is harde and feerfulle to all that lyue in this worlde this that I shalle telle The day that he sholde deye two houres to fore the passing of the blessid sawle worshipfulle euseby by gaÌ„ne to behaue hym self so ferfully that the moÌ„kes that stode aboute him felle downe to the erthe for feer as men oute of they re mynde For other wyle he tourned vp his eyen and wronge his handes to geder And wyth a feerfull face and an harde voyce He sate vp and cryed I shalle not I shalle not thow lyest thow lyest ¶ After thus he felle dowuÌ„ ayen to the erthe and festenyng hys face to the grounde as moche as he myght he cryed helpe me brotheren that I peryshe not And they hyerynge thys wepyng and tremelyng for feer asked hym fader how is it with yow he said se ye not the grete multytude of fendes that wolde ouercome me They asked hym what wolde they that thow sholdest do whan thow saydest I shalle not I shalle not he aunswerd they laboure trauayle me that I sholde blapheme the name of god And therfore I crye that I shulde not doo it And they asked hym why fader haddest thow thy face doune to the erthe He answered that I sholde not seye here lokynges whiche be so fowle and so horyâ—ble that the paynes of the worlde are ryght nought In regarde therof Amonge these wordes he began to do and crye ayen as he dyde to fore And so came to the laste ende of his lyffe his bretheen that stoode aboute hym For fere and sorow felle downe as dede not wetyng what they myght doo god that is gloryous in hys saynctes meruelous In mageste benygne and mercyfulle to theym that drede hym he forsaketh not hys seruauntes In tyme of nede For whan worshypfulle fader Euseby came vn to the laste ende Gloryous Ierome apperyd and benynely comforted hym and whan he came alle y t Innumerable companye of fendes for feer of hym vanysshed away as smoke as many of the monkes bere wytnesse that by dyspensacyon of god sawe it But alle that stode aboute herde how Euseby sayde From whens comest thow fader why hast thow taryed so longe I praye the for sake not thy sone And sodeynly alle they herde how ierome ansuerd ayen Abyde sone be not a ferde for I shalle not for sake the whom I loue so moche then afterward alytle while wurshipfull Euseby dyed And the same oure died the thre men that were arerid and as I hope went with Euseby vn to euerlastyng Ioie for all the xx dayes after they were arerid they yeue theym to so moche penaunce that without doute they where worthy to be rewarded with endlese blysse ¶ How the sayd thre men after they were Areryd tolde Cirille of the viii paynes of purgatorye and of helle I Trowe it be not to kepe sylence of the thynges that I lerned of the thre men in the daies that they lyued after they were arerid for alle the tyme I was contynually with somme of theym froÌ„ mydmorow tille euensong tyme desyryng to know the pryuetes of the lyfe that we abyde after this shorte and passyng lyf But thoughe I lerned many thynges of theym yte now by cause of shortnesse I may telle but afew On a tyme whan it happened me go to one of theym I fonde hym sore wepyng And after I felte he wolde take no confort by my wordes I askyd hym the cause of his wepynge And whan I hadde askid hym oftyn And he answerd not at the laste compellyd be longe instaunce He Answerd and sayd yf thow knew the thynges that I hadde by experyence of the laste day there shuolde none be but in cause of wepinges than said I y praye the tell me what thow seyeste he was stylle alytle while and than he sayd O what payne and tourmentes are ordeyned not only to dampned soules but also to theym that be in purgatorye Than sayd I of thynge that I know not I can yeue no certayne sentence But I trowe they be not lyke to the paynes and deseses that we suffer here he ansuerde yf alle the peynes tourmentes and afflycions that myghte be thoughte in this worlde were lykned to the leste payne that is there Alle that semeth there payne and tourmente shulde be but soulas and comfort for yf ony
all theire bodies trembled all theire strengthe of theire bodies failed whan they came ayen to them self they thoughte to sew ayeÌ„ after them pryuelly to see what shuld falle whan euen came these pilgrymes wiste not what to do ne where to be lodged therfore they tourned to the said xii theues to aske couÌ„seell wenynge to them they be way faryng men as they were and than they tourned to the theues ward They see but two and than they were bold to mete with theym And after they mette the theues asked whens they were and whider they wold they aunswerd and sayd we be men of alyzaunder goyng to Bedlem to vysite the holy relyques of gloryous Ierome The theues asked what men were they that coÌ„me wyth them the other meueylled said we sawe none sith we coÌ„me to the wood saue you other thre than the prynce of the thues tolde them alle prayng them to telle hym what waâ— the cause they said they knewe noo cause But if it were for they coÌ„mytted theym to the kepynge of gloryous ierome than thees theues enspired sodaynly with the holy goost fyll downe at theire feet askyng them forgeffenesse and sith lad theim vnto theire felowes atte the bigyning of the nyght they coÌ„me to the other theues abydyng after them tolde theym as it had befalle praynge theym to leue all theire synnes and go with theim to visyte the body of gloryous Ierome The tother theues scorned them and sayd they wold sle them yf they spacke eny more therof and they not cessyng therfore many of the theues a roos and drowe out ther swerdes but they callyng after helpe of saynct Ierome they myghte neyther left vp they re swerdes nor put theym vp tylle they whome they wold haue slayn prayed to gloryous Ierome for theym O the vnspekable mercy of our sauyour that in so many wise bryngeth whom he wylle to knowleche of trouthe Anone alle the company of theues seeyng this thanked god and gloryous ierome and made auow to vysyte his relyques Therfore whan morow came more than thre honderd theues that were there that tyme left the wod went with the said men of Alyzander vnto the tombe of glryous ierome tellynge these wonders ther the hethen men were baptyzed and leuyng alle the vanytes of the world went in to a monastery And the theues also yaue them to holy lyuyng by the grace of god and by the merytes of Sanict Ierome ¶ How sainct Ierome saued two yonge men from deth that came from rome to visite hym â—Han tweyn yonge men going from Rome to wardes Bethlem to visite the relyques of ierusaleÌ„ hit happened they come by a vyllage xii myle from coÌ„staÌ„tyn noble two mile from the vilaige or they come therto two meÌ„ were slain wherfore meÌ„ of the towne gadred to geder began to seke a bout who it shulde be that dide y t whan they had alle soughte they fouÌ„de none but only the ii men that came fast by whom they toke wenyng they had slayn the ii men â–ª wherof the yonge men were amerueyled swore asmoche as they myght that they knew not therof but they sett not therby but lad forthe the yoÌ„ge men to they re vyllage And they wyth rygour of gert tourmeÌ„t thei were coÌ„pelled to knowlege them self gylty where they were not gilty And so they were daÌ„ned to be heded Alas what hert myght coÌ„teyne hym from wepyng to here soo many wayliÌ„ges of Innocentes whiche were arayed both with yougth with faryenes with noble byrghte for wepiÌ„ges and waillynges syhynges contynuelly They said Ierome is this reward y t thow geuest to theym they serue the is it that we haue deserued with trauaile of oure way Alas thou cyte of Rome thow knowest of oure birthe we went not that thow should haue ben so vnknowyng of oure ende thus thei wer lad to the place where they shuld be beheded moche peple standyng there and abidyng Aud there they kneled downe and held vp there handes saide with a lowde voice gloryous Ierome maker of oure helpe and hauen of our hope bow thyn ere 's vn to our prayers at this tyme soo that if we dide not this synne for the whiche we be punysshed we may fele of thy wonte pyte the helpe of thy delyuerrance and if we be gilty lete vs be ded as nede asketh whan they had said thus thei put there neckes to the smyters sayng no thyng but helpe helpe gloryoê° ierome what merueyle thenne the helpe of glorioê° ieroeme myght not absteigne hym from shewyng of mercy to soo many teres of them that come vn to hym while the hertes of alle that stode aboute they of the self tourmentours were meued vn to compassion than they lyft vp their swerdes and smote on there neckes but theire neckes toke the sâ—â—okes as though It hadde be a stone and thenne they smete ayen ayen but they felt theym as they hadde be smytyn wyth a straw wherof ther aroos grete merueyle to alle that stood aboute and gret multytude came rennyng to see at the last the Iuge that demed coÌ„me him self and bad theym smyte ayen that he myght see And they smote but theyr neckes wold not be hurte theÌ„ne the iuge meruayled gretly and wist not what it myght be But thought that thei had vsed some whitchecrafte And therfore thenne he coÌ„maunded in alle hast that they shuld be made naked and brent theÌ„ne they made a grete fiere a boute them and putte theryn pitche and oile the rather to distroie theyr lyues but he that delyuered theym from swerde coude also helpe hem cryeng contynuelly in the fier the fier brent fast and the flames assendid vp ryght high but the yong meÌ„ by the helpe of gloryous Ierome rested as in a mery herber At last the Iuge wolde know wheder it were by myracles or witchecraft he had they shuld be hanged viii daies and yf they lyued soo they shulde goo wheder they wold But the presence of glorious Ierome failled theym not for merneylously he kept theim the viii daies holdyng they re feet with his haÌ„des On the viii daie all the people of the cyte and townes and the Iuge hym self went vnto the galowes and ther openli they see this Gloryous myracle the kepars tellyng theym what they had seen thenne alle merueyled and praysed God and Sainct Ierome dide gret wurshyp vnto the yonge men And than moche people went from constantynnoble vn to Bedlem to visyte the relyques of gloryous Jerome And a non the yonge men castyng from theym alle worldly besynesse entered vnto the monasterie where gloryous Ierome lyued both nyght and daie entendyng to praier and penaunce and holi lyuyng ¶ How a Monasterie of Nonnes was distroied for couetise and Symonye THis Myracle of thes yonge men to fore is to vs cause of grete meruaile Ioye and deuocyon But this that foloweth yeueth cause of grete
wounde as of a lyuyng man whiche cesseâ—â— not yet in shewyng of the myracle the same tyme y t this was doo the iuge of the contre was in the chyrche yerd to whom gloryous ierome appered with a knyf in his throte askyng hym to doo vengaunce for that ofence tellyng hym how that it was The Juge was a stonyed alle that were there goyng to the cherche they see the herityke stonde wyth hys knyffe in the throte of the Image And as sone as they saw it he myghte take a waie his hand than they toke hym for he abode obstynatly in his wille euyll sayng y t he sorowed for no thyng but that he had slain ierome in his lyffe The multytude of the people with speres and swerdes stones and staues slew hym ¶ How sainct ierome delyuered a man oute of prison from one Land to a nother on a nyghte IOhan myn neue whom thou knowest arraied with all fairenesse whom I chose to me in sted of a sone told the as I wene what befyll him But yet y t it may be the better had in miÌ„de I wil write it the lame whan was take two yere a goo of men of perse and sold to the officers of the kyng of percy for his fairnesse he was ordeyned to serue the king whan he had be a yere with gret sorow heuynes in the kingis court the same daie twelmouth seruiÌ„g the king at mete he myghte not for heuynesse kepe hâ—m fro wepÌ„ig whan the king sawe it had besily asked knew the cause he had certeyn knyghtis take kepe him in a castell in the nyghte folowyng he beyng ther alle bewept in his slepe Ierome came vnto him as him thoughte toke him by the haÌ„de bad him come to the cyte of ierusaleÌ„ on the morow Iohan a woke wenynge hym self he hadde be amonges the knyghtes He found hym self in the house were I duelle And than he was nye madde for merueile and coude not witte wether he were in the castelle or in my howse At the laste he coÌ„me to hym self and cryed And a woke theym that were a slepe Than they all caÌ„me rennyng to me and said Iohan was coÌ„meÌ„ yet I was doutfull tyll I came my self a sawe hym preseÌ„t whyche I went had be in bondes among the persieÌ„s than he told vs how he was holpe than we praised god glorious Ierome bi whoo 's merites praiers our lord deleyuere vs from all euyll brynge vs to the cyte of all we le to dwelle with him in endlees blysse Ioye AMEN ¶ Here endeth the pistell of cirille to sainct Augustyn of Sainct Ierome ¶ How oure lady coÌ„mendeth sainct ierome in the reuelacions of brigitte WHan saincte brigitte was in praier she sayd on a tyme blessid be thou my god that arte thre oon thre personnes in oo nature thow art very goodnesse veray wisdome thow arte very fairnesse power thou art veri rightwisnesse trouth by whom all thinges lyue haue their beyng thow arte lyke a flower growyng syngularly alloon in the feld of whiche flowre all that nyghe therto resceyue swetnesse in theire tastyng releuyng in theire brayn delectacion in theire syghte strength in all theire membres so that all that nyghe vnto the are made the fairer by leuyng of synne wiser folowyng the wille of the noughte of the flesshe more ryghtwis folowiÌ„g the profite of the soule the worship of the therfore moost pytefull god graunt me to loue that pleseth the myghtly to withstande teÌ„ptacoÌ„s to despise al wordly thiÌ„ges to hold the besili in my miÌ„de the moder of iesu answerd this salutacoÌ„ gate the ierome bi his merit that went from fals wisdome to trew wisdome that dispiseth erthely wurship Blessid is that Ierome blessed ar they that folow his teching and lyuyng he was a louer of widowes A myrour of all that be perfite in vertu A doctour A techer of alle trouth and cleÌ„nesse A nother tyme our lady said to saincte Brigitte doughter haue mynde that I told the How Jerome was a louer of wydowes a folower of perfite monkes And an auctor and defeÌ„sour of trouthe that gate the be his merytes that prayour that thow saidest and now I adde to and saie that Ierome was a trompe by the whyche the holy gost spake He was also a flame inflamed of that fire that coÌ„me vpon me and vpon thaposteles on pentecoste day And therfore blessyd arre they that here this and folowe after that AMEN ¶ Oracio ad sanctum Ieronimum Antifona ¶ Iste est qui ante deum magnas virtutes operatus est et omnis terra dotrina eius repleta est ipse intercedat pro pecatis oiÌ„m populorum versus Amauit euÌ„ dnÌ„s et ornauit euÌ„ â„Ÿ Stola glorie induit eum Oremus DEus qui nobis per beatuÌ„ IeronimuÌ„ coÌ„fessoreÌ„ sacerdoteÌ„quam tuuÌ„ scripture sancte veritatem et mistica sacramenta reuelare dignatus es presta quesumus vt cuius natalicia colimus eius semper et erudiamur doctrinis et incritis adiuuemur ê‘ xpÌ„m Explicit Vita beati Ieronimi confessorris ¶ Alia Oracio Antifona Aue amator quam famose Ieronime gloriose Magnus amator xpÌ„i Doce nos bene viuere Deum vere diligere vt in libris scripsisti O amator castitatis Tenens vitam puritatis Cordis per muÌ„diciaÌ„ fac nos corpus castigare ê“ pecatis quam plorare diuinam per graciaÌ„ Emuli te ianiabaÌ„t Sed neququam superabaÌ„t per inpacieÌ„eiaÌ„ Ob amoreÌ„ thesu xpÌ„i Fac iÌ„plere quod fecisti Nos per diligeÌ„ciam v Ora pro nobis gloriose ieronime â„Ÿ vt deuÌ„ diligamê° corde ore oê‘e DEus qui gloriosuÌ„ coÌ„fessoreÌ„ tuuÌ„ ieronimuÌ„ multis di 〈…〉 rum nacionuÌ„ linguis perituÌ„ sacre bibli e traâ—â—tore magna ex parte voluisti et ecclesie tue doctoreÌ„ luminosuÌ„ fecisti presta qÌ„s nobis xpÌ„ianis et oiÌ„bê° in muÌ„do creaturis racionis capacibus vt eiê° doctrinaÌ„ exeÌ„pia bone vite sequeÌ„tes in te fideliter credamê° meÌ„tis muÌ„diciaÌ„ teneamê° te toto corde diligamê° pro inimicis ex corde vero preces fundamê° et in hiis perseueraÌ„tes te doctore te duce ad te in celuÌ„ perueniamus Per xpÌ„m dominuÌ„ nostrouÌ„ amen W C Printed by Caxton 〈…〉
man a lyue knew the paynes by experyence he sholde rather chese to be tormented vn to the ende of the worlde without remedye with alle the paynes to geder that alle men suffred from Adam tylle now than be tourmented a day in helle or in purgatoyre wyth the leste payne that is there And thetfore yf thow aske me the cause of my grete wepyng it is for drede of paynes that are ryghtfully yeue vn to synners for I know wel that I haue synned ayenste god And I dowte not but that he is ryghtwis And therfore merueylle not thoughe I sorowe But rather thow oweste to be gretly merueylled why men that wote wel they shalle dye Atte the leeste by experyence of other lyue heer in grete sikyrnesse and thynke not how escape so grete paynes At these wordes I was so touched wyth inwarde sorowe so that vnnethe I myght speke and I sayde Allas what is thys that I heere But I pray the telle me what difference is there be twyxe the paynes of helle and of purgatore he saide there is no difference in gretnesse of paynes but in o wise ther may be difference for the paines of helle abydeth no ende but monyng at the day of dome whan the bodyes shal be tormented with the sowles and the paine of purgatoire hathe an ende for after they haue doo her penaunce there they shal be take vn to endlenes Ioye I asked be they that are in purgatoure tourmented alle I lich or ellis diuersly he sayd dyuersly somme more greuously and soÌ„me more eisely After the quantite of the synnes for in heuen alle blessid sawles be holde the face of god wherein is all blysse and thoughe eche of theym haue asmoche Ioye as they can wylle or thynke yette they be not alle eueyn in Ioye for some hath more and some hath lasse after there dedes that they haue dso And yf thow merueyle that there may be dyuerse Ioyes in saynctes while the only cause of they re ioyes is god hym self in whom may be no dyuersite The aunswere is thys that the knowyng of holding and vnderstandyng of god is alle the rewarde ioie of saiÌ„tes therfore though al soules in blyse know god as he is yet soÌ„ se vndèstaÌ„d lases thaÌ„ other so haue lase ioie soÌ„me so vndiystaÌ„d hym clerly than other and so haue more Ioie So it may be saâ—de of the paynes of dapned soules For though all dapned saules be in one place of paynes ytt they are tourmented wyth dyuerse paynes after the qualyte of the synnes for ther is so myche dyfference be twyx the paynes of crsten men and hetheen menne that the paynes of hethen menne in regarde of the that false crysten men suffer be as it were no payne And ther be vnspekable may not be thought of ony that lyueth in erthe and so it is worthy For crysten men receyue the grace of god in vayn and wolde not be amended of theyr synnes while they lyuid holy scripture cryeng vpon theym cÌ„tynuall and they set not there bye I saide it is ryght horyble that thou seyst And wolde god hit were bysylly festned in the myndes of alle that be alyue that they myght sece from synne for drede of payne yf they wold not for loue of Ioye ¶ Of the deyng of these thre men â–ª a reryd and how Sainct Ierome conforted theym in ther passyng NOw I praye the telle me how it was wyth the the laste day whan thy saule passid from thy body he seid whan the oure of my deth came there came so grete multytude of euylle spyrites eeÌ„des in the place ther I lay y t for multytude they myght not be noÌ„bred the lykenes of them was suche y t ther may not thyng bi thouÈt more paynefull nor me re horyble for eny man of lyue wolde Rather put hym self to brenne in hottest flames of fire than ye wolde see the formes of theym in twynkelyng of on eye Thes fendes came vn to me and brought vn to my mynde all the synnes that euer I dide sturyng me to truste no lenger in the mercy of god for I myght not escape nor wythstande theym to assente vn to theym Glorious Ierome came with a grete company of Aungelles aboute hym seuyn tymes brighter than the soÌ„ne and confortid me And whaÌ„ he saw the wicked spirites how harde thei troubeled me he was gretly sturid ayenste theym and saide with a feerfule voice ye spyrites of wickednesse and of alle cursidnesse whi come ye heder wot ye not well that he thus shuld be socored by my helpes leueth hym anone and with draw this wickednesse frome hym as ferre as the Este is from the weste and anone with thes wordes alle that companye of cursid spirites was aferde And with grete crienges and waylynges they weÌ„t out of the place there I lay ¶ And tht glorious Ierome bade some of the angelles that they shulde not go from me but abyde tylle he come ayen And with the other angelles in haste he weÌ„t his wayes whaÌ„ he was gone the Angelles that he lefte to kepe me Bigyne to conforte me behotyng me faire yf I wolde suffre and abide with stronge herte and these wordes of conforte an oure paste And than came sainct Ierome ayen And staÌ„dyng in the doore he sayde com in haste Then sodenly my soulle lefte the body so greuously And birterlly that no mannes mynde myght vndirstande what anguysshe and disseeses these were But yf he lernyd theym by experience as I haue For yf the vndyrstandyng of alle men shulde resceyue alle anguysshes and sorowes that they cowde they shnlde coÌ„pte theym at nought in regarde of the departyng of the saule from the bodi But while he tolde me this and many mo thynges fulle harde and dredefulle to alle men whyche I wryte not her for lengthe the day biganne to ende and therfore he must nedis leue to telle the thynges that by fylle hym after his dethe whiche I desyred moste to here ¶ How the saules of the iii men stode to fore the dome of god and how sainct Ierome hade theym to se the ioies of heuen the payne of purgatorie of helle and sith bade theym go ayen to ther bodies â—He next day after I clepid the other tweyne with hrm to wete how they acordid that by wytnesse of theym alle thre I myght be taught the more surely And whan they beganne to telle me y t that the other had cold me to fore I seide though thes thinges be profitable yet it is not veine to speke theym often yet leuyng thys that I haue herde I praye yow telle it forthe what by fyl you after ye were departed from the body than seid he that spacke on the day to fore what askest thow cyrille it is not possible to telle it fully for spirituell thynges may not be coÌ„prehendid in oure wytte thow knowest that thow hast asoule and yette what