lerne this blessyd man omytted nothyng 〈◊〉 he lerned by the euangelystys or ê“phyttys to be 〈◊〉 fulfyllyd it in that he coulde howe be it in that he kepte 〈◊〉 Estre at the due tyme Bede prayseth hym not 〈◊〉 prayseth hym for he seyth ê‘case he knewe it not 〈◊〉 kepte it on a sonday but he praysyth hym that 〈…〉 pynge of his Ester he beleuyd nor worsh 〈…〉 other thynge but as we doo that is to say the Redempcion of mankynde by the Passyon Resurreccyon AsseÌ„cyon of the medyator betwixte God Man our Lorde Ihesu Criste And in the lyfes of Seynt Oswalde and Oswyn kynges And of Seynt Cuthbert dyuerse thynges thynges be spokyn of this Blessyd man ¶ De sancto Albano martire SEynt Albon dwellyd iÌ„ the Towne of verolame that now is callyd seynt Albons And in the tyme of the ê‘secucyoÌ„ of dioclesyan seynt Amphibell came into Brytayne and lodged in the house of seynt Albon and exortyd hym to be coÌ„uerted And shewyd hym sumwhat of the beleue of our lorde and he gaue lytle credence to his techynge And the same nyght seynt Albon sawe a vision that betokened the Misteryes of the Incarnaciou Passyon Resurreccion Assencion of our Lorde as in the Legende apperyth And in the mornynge he asked of seynt Amphibell what his visyoÌ„ betokened wheÌ„ seynt Amphibell had declared the hole misteryes therof how our Lorde suffred Passyon and Deth And how he Rose agayne and assendyd to Heuyn he sayd it was all trewe that he sayde And anon he Beleued and was Cristened And thenne he was complaynyd on that he was Cristened Wherfore he was sent for and was Takyn as he was prayenge before a Crosse And so he was broughte to the Iudge And there constauntly he confessyd that he was a CristeÌ„maÌ„ And so he was put iÌ„ prison there he lay .vi. Monethes in all that tyme there felle no rayne And therfore the people thynkynge that the god that AlboÌ„ worshypped ê“hibited the rayne toke hym out of prysone and wolde haue lette hym goo And he seynge that 〈◊〉 wold haue let hym goo prayde our Lorde that his martyrdome shuld not be lette And opynly dyspysyd theyr Idollys and soo he was had with great vyolence to be behedyd and as he went a ryuer that wolde haue lettyd theyr passage by his Prayer dryed vppe and oon of the Knyghtys that drewe hym to his marterdome seynge the great Myracles that our lorde shewyd for hym was coÌ„uertyd seynt AlboÌ„ was behedyd the .x. kaleÌ„das of Iuli the yere of our lorde god CClxxx vi And anon the eyen of hym that strake it offelle owte he was buryed at seynt Albons sumwhat the LegeÌ„d leuyth it for a dowte whether he lye now at seynt Albons or at ely but it semyth to be the more lyke that he shuld lye at seynt Albons And in the legend apperith how kynge Offa repayred the monastery ofseynt Albons And how the heresy of PelagianÌ„ began at Bangor and how it was extyncte ¶ De sancto Aldelmo episcopo confessore SEynt aldelme was of kynne to Iue kynge of we stesaxoÌ„s iÌ„ his youthe he ê“phyted moch iÌ„ coÌ„nynge after he was made monke at malmesbury so preest then Abbot And his fame went so ferre that it came to the pope Sergyus he sent for hym to Rome wheÌ„ he had sayd masse in the Church of lateraneÌ„se helde the vestemeÌ„t behynde hym to haue takyn it to one of his seruauÌ„tis none was there it hoÌ„ge vppoÌ„ a sonne beame a longe tyme a womaÌ„ that was with Chylde defamed the Popâ— therw t And saynt Aldelme herynge that was moch heuy coÌ„mauÌ„dyd the chylde which was but .ix. dayes olde iÌ„ the name of our lorde Ihesu criste to shewe if the Pope were his fader he sayd nay And so the Pope was delyuerd of the cryme And seynt Aldelme brought with hym fro Rome an Alterstone which by the way brake with his prayer blessynge it was made hoole And as it is sayd the same stone is yet iÌ„ the priory of Briton now callyd Bruton he was a great wryter of Bokes meynteyned moche the due kepynge of Ester he neuer went out of his Monastery without a great cause he gaue great almes wold stonde in the water thoughe it were froste snowe tyll he had sayd a hole psalter And after he was made busshop of Shyryburne and in great age full of good werkes he went to our Lorde the .viii. kalendas of Iune in the yere of our Lorde .vii. hundred .ix. and lyeth in his monastery at Malmesbury ¶ De sancto alredo EpÌ„o confessore When seynt Alrede was in his Cradell his face shone lyke the sonne And in his chyldehod he had the spirit of ê“phecy And tolde the very day of the deth of the Busshop of yorke he was in so great fauoure with Dauyd kynge of Scottys that he was seconde to hym whiche a Knyght enuyed much with great hatred insomoche that somtyme in presence of the kynge he wolde speke opprobrious wordys to hym he toke all paciently so that the Knyght meruaylyd toke penauÌ„ce askyd hym forgeuenes he tolde hym that he ought to loue hym the more for by his hatred he encresyd the more in the loue of our lord And by hym his pacieÌ„ce was prouyd And he was so meke that thoughe he were hurte he was not moche troubled therwith and if any accused hym he was not prouokyd to vengeaunce and he dyd alway good for euyll and when the kynge wolde haue made hym busshope he forâ—oke it entred into Relygyon at ryeuall which is of the ordre of cisteaux and was mayster of the nouyces a Nouyce that was vnstable was by his prayers twyse brought agayne to the Monasterye when he was goynge away and when he was made Abbot oftymes he counceyled his Bretherne that noo foule worde shulde goo out of theyr mouthe ne any detraccion or o the And he refourmyd the hole couÌ„trey of gallway and wrote the lyfe of Seynt Edwarde Kynge Confessoure and dyd many other thynges he was of great abstynence and wolde moche rede in Bokes that shulde moue compunccion and he had great sykenes ten yeres before he dyed and toke it in great pacieÌ„ce and wolde no fysyke and oftymes was visityd with Aungells and he knewe the veray daye of his Deth he sayde to his Bretherne that after he entered into Relygyon he neuer fret in malyce nor detraccyoÌ„ with any ê‘son that for any cause taryed with hym tyll nyghte and that he had louyd alway peace Broderly loue his owne espirituell quietnes he wente to our lord the day before the firste Idus of Ianuarye in the yere of our lorde god a. M. a huÌ„dred .lxvi. and dyuers thynges be here omytted c. ¶ De sancto Amphybalo martire WHen seynt Amphibell had coÌ„uertyd seynt Albon seynt Albon aduertysed hym to go
oute of the Cytie so he went into wales after when seynt Albon was martyred a great multytude of people sawe a bryght Pyller ascende fro his toumbe to heuyn they mere conuerted and sent for seynt Amphibell to instructe theym in the feyth the messengers fouÌ„de hym in Wales prechynge to the people and in the meane tyme a noyse rose in the Cytie that some of the Cytye wolde goo with Amphybell ouer the see caste away the worshyppynge of theyr goddes wherfore a great company of the people furyously went to hym when they founde hym they bouÌ„de his armes and made hym goo before theyr horses barefote and in the way he helyd a syke man Aud when men of verolame met hym they put hym to cruell Martyrdome And many seynge his constaunce were conuerted wherfore they were put to deth in his syghte a. M. persones whome he coÌ„mytted ioyously to our Lord as he was stoned he was iÌ„ prayer sawe our Lord with many auÌ„gelles seynt AlboÌ„ was amoÌ„ge them a voyce sayd that he shuld be with his discyples in ê‘adyse And so Aungels toke his sowle to heuyn And all that dyd any thynge ageynst hym were greuously punysshed by the haÌ„de of god the people seyng the terryble punysshemeÌ„t that folowid were all coÌ„uertyd many went to Rome to do penauÌ„ce he was buryed at Radbourne lay there longe â—yme vnknowen And by reuelacion of seynt alboÌ„ his body was fouÌ„de brought to seint alboÌ„s ¶ De sancto Anselmo archiepiscopo SEynt anselme was borne in the Cytie of AugustaÌ„ in the mouÌ„tes of Alpey and iÌ„ his youth he came to the monasterye of Becceuse in Normandye And there he was .iii. yeres vnder lamfranke lyued a Religious lyfe wheÌ„ lamfraÌ„ke was takyn to the rule of the monastery of cadomence anselme was made Pryour of Becceuse he abstractid hys mynde fro the worlde wordely thynges gaue hym holly to study coÌ„templacyon And he assoylyd many doutes in scripture that had not ben assoyled afore his tyme And he absteynyd so moche that all glotony was extincte iÌ„ hym so that he had no huÌ„gre nor desyre of etynge as other men haue a yonge broder of frowarde maners enuyed hym he suffred hym all that he mought not brekynge the rules of the religioÌ„ a longe tyme wherby at the laste the chylde began to loue seynt anselme and wolde here his monycions and at laste take his correccyons and an olde broder that longe had enuyed hym when he lay syke cryed out and sayd that two wood wulphes were betwixte his armes that wolde strangle hym and seynt Anselme herynge that made the signe of the Crosse and so they wente away then gladlye he toke penaunce Seynt anselme wrote many Bokes the Deuyll had great enuy to them somtyme he tere them in pecys And he shewyd by dyuerse godlye exauÌ„ples that chyldren shulde aswell be Instructyd by feyre meanes as by rygoure And after he was made Abbot he vsed moche contemplacyon and appoyntyd other approuyd men to haue rule vnder hym he was dylygent in receyuynge of gestys And after he came into EngloÌ„d where after the deth of seynt LaÌ„fraÌ„ke he was made archbusshope of CauÌ„terbury in the tyme of wyllyam Rufus which was a great tyrauÌ„te oppresser of the Churche And by cause seynt Anselme namyd Pope vrban as Pope The kynge toke great displeasour And anon dyuerse of the Busshoppes gaue vp theyr obedyeÌ„ce to Seynt anselme And after when he had asked thryseleue of the Kynge to goo to Rome the Kynge bad hym leue that purpose or go his wey without Retournynge and after he went to Rome and there he had a decre for makynge of Busshopes that they sholde not be made by geuynge of a staffe and as he came homewarde he sawe in vyfyon yâ— â—l the seyntys of Englond complayned to our lorde of the Kynge And our lorde gaue a burnynge Arowe to seynt Albon he sayde he wolde take it to a wicked spiryt that was a taker of vengeauÌ„ce for synne And so he threwe it into the Erthe lyke a comet sterre by which vision seynt Anselme knewe that the kynge was deed And after he came into Englonde by deseyre of Kynge henry the furst he went agayne to Rome to chauÌ„ge the decre when the Kynge knewe the Pope wolde not chauÌ„ge it he seased the Busshopryche of Cauterbury into his handys And after yâ— Kynge and he were agreed And the kynge lefte the olde custome of makynge of Busshoppes by geuynge of a staffe and in the yere of our lorde a. M. a hundred .ix. full of good werkys he went to our Lorde the .xi. kalendas of Maii and lyeth at Caunterbury ¶ De sancto Audoeno epÌ„o confessore SEynt audowen was archebusshpe of Roane after he was choseÌ„ he wolde not pÌ„sume anon to take it vppoÌ„ hym but went fyrste into Spayne And there prechyd to the people and by his prayer they hadde abundauÌ„ce of Rayne that were before .vii. yerys wtoute And he went to our Lorde the .ix kalendas of september and was buryed in Roan And .xxx. yerys after his body was found vncorrupte And in the tyme of kynge Edgare foure clerkys came to his courte And tolde hym that they had brought with them the Relykys of seynt Audoen And when he doubtyd and marueylyd therat they sayde without it appere by Myracles that it is soo let theym be punysshed and put out of the Realme and the Kynge sayde that it belonged to Spyrytuell examynacyon and not to hym And bad them tarye tyll the Archebusshope odo came And whaÌ„ yâ— Archbusshop came the Clerkes ê‘seuered in that oppynyon and prayde that it mought be tryed by the shewynge of almyghty god And so a Lepour was brought furthe with deuoute prayer the Archebussope made a Crosse ouer hym with Bones that they brought And anon he was hoole and a man syke of the palsey with the hede and with deuoute prayer made in the name of seynt Audoen was also made hoole And so the relykys with great honoure were had to CauÌ„terbury and the sayde clerkys seynge the place were made Monkes they endyd theyr lyues in the seruyce of our Lorde and of seynt Audoen in his Lyfe be many notable thynges of his vertues counceyles and myracles De sancto Augustino episcopo confessore SEynt gregory sawe englysshe ChyldreÌ„ to sell at Rome when he had lerned that they were callyd Angli that they were not Cristened he sayde it was great pyte that the spyryte of Derkenes shuld haue so feyre People for he sayde they were well callyd Angli quasi angeli And so he had great desyre to haue prechid the seythe to them hymselfe but that the people of rome wold not suffre hym to go so ferre therfore wheÌ„ he was made Pope he sent seynt Augustyne many other into Englonde as he had loÌ„ge desyred
¶ De sancto Sampsone epÌ„o confessore SEynt sampsone was borne in great Brytayne our Lord shewyd in vysyon to his moder callyd anne whiche was bareyne that lyuyd with her HusboÌ„de a blessyd Lyfe in fastyngys prayers that she shuld haue a sone whom she shuld call SaÌ„pson that shulde be great with our lorde worthye to haue order of preesthod when he was .vii. yerys olde he was commyttyd to seynt Iltut and he sayde he shuld be a great Busshope profyte moche in the chyrche of god and when he toke dekon preesthod and also when he was made busshope a whyte doue was seen descende vppon hym the hyer degre that he toke the streyghter lyfe he ledde iÌ„ all his lyfe he neuer ete flesshe the celerer that was neuew to seynt Iltute which was desyrous to be Abbot aftre his vncle feryd that seynt saÌ„psone shuld haue it wherfore he put a great poyson into his chales he blessyd it dranke it without hurte as the Celerer abydynge in his malyce shulde be houselyd by seynt Sapsone on a sonday the Deuyll enteryd into hym vexyd hym sore by seynt sampsone he was delyueryd with water and oyle that he blessyd and gaue hym by the Daye he labouryd and prayed And on the nyghte he redde scripture vsyd medytacyon and when he toke slepe he lenyd to some wall and neuer slept iÌ„ bedde His fader was syke and sayd he shulde neuer be hole nor receyue the sacrameÌ„tys tyll he sawe his son sampson and though he was ryght lothe to goo yet by counsell of seynt Iltute he went vnto hym which was moche gladde of his coÌ„mynge and confessyd hym to hym of a great hed synne that he had longe kept close after both he his wyfe with all theyr chylderne betoke them to the seruyce of god With the sygne of the crosse he kyllyd a great serpent after the sayde Celerer compleynyd that he had wasted the Houy and when the busshope Dubryee thought to proue it Sampson made the sygne of the Crosse ouer the vessellys and anon all the vessellys whiche he hadde afore geuyn in almes were fyllyd agayne full of Hony after he was Abbot thre yerys Then he wente into Scotlande where he dyd many great Myracles and instructyd the people and when he came whome dubrycyus by commaundement of an Aungell made hym Busshope so he went into lytyll brytayne where he fouÌ„de a man at the seesyde lokynge for oon that as it was shewyd hym by our Lorde shulde come fro be yonde the see that shuld hele his wyfe that was a lepoure and his Doughter that was vexyd with a Deuyll and soo he helyd theym bothe And there the quene had great malyce vnto hym and gaue hym Puyson And after that turnyd a wylde Lyon to hym and he escapyd both and by his worde the Lyon dyed and the Quene seynge that Myracle askyd hym forgyuenes euery Lent he wolde be in some secret place fro recourse of people He departyd fro this Lyfe the fyth kalendas of Auguste And lyeth at the Monasterye of dolo which he had foundyd in lytle Brytayne as he had doon dyuerse other Monasteryes This blessyd man had suche grace that euer as he was at masse he had Aungells to assyste hym and to mynystre to hym in the sacryfyce ¶ De sancta Sexburga regina abbatissa SEynt Sexburghe was Doughter to Anna kynge of eest Englonde And she was maryed to ercombertus kynge of Kent and hadde Issue Egbertus and Lotharyus whiche were after Kyngys and two doughters Ermenylde and ErkeÌ„gode she was in that hyghe degre meke and poore in spyryte she ruled her Ryches it rulyd not her she was good to them in hygh degre and also in lowe degre Seldome it was that she was seen amonge the people often in the Churche she enducyd her Husbonde to destroye all Idollys that were in his Realme And crystendome was brought in thrughe all the Realme and at her desyre he made dyuerse Monasteryes She taughte her Chyldrenne dylygentlye to drede God and to kepe his commaundemeÌ„tys And when the Kynge was dede she enteryd into Relygyon at Ely vnder her suster etheldrede whiche lyuyd there a Blessyd lyfe iÌ„ great Fastynges watchyngys laboure And in great mekenes she folowyd the example of her suster where after her deth she was made abbesse and then she was moche dylygent by cause she knewe she had more cure and charge then she had before and she endyd this present lyfe the daye before the Nonas of Iulii aboute the yere of our Lorde .vi. C. and .xl. and was buryed by her Suster ¶ De sancto Swithuno epÌ„o confessore SEynt Swythune was borne in the tyme of kynge Egbertus which was the .viii. kynge fro kynge kynegelfe that was coÌ„uertyd by seynt Byrynne and after he had taken ordre of preesthode He endeuouryd hymselfe to preche the worde of god catholycallye and truely to vse werkys of pyte to correcte theym that lyuyd inordynately after the deth of Helynstane whiche was busshope of wynchester he was chosen busshope there And he made Churches of newe and repayryd tho that were decayed and when he went to halowe any churche he went not with great pompe but went on his bare fete To his feestys he callyd not Ryche men but poore men euer he callyd vppon synners to do penauÌ„ce And encouragyd men that lyuyd vertuously to perseuer in vertue he neuer toke a full meale but moderatly for sustenaunce and after longe vygyllys great labourys that he shuld not all fayle he toke a lytyll slepe He made the brydge at the eest ende of Wynchester And as he was lokynge vpoÌ„ the werke a woman came bye with egges in a basket and by the neclygence of the werkemen her Eggys were brokyn wherfore she wepte and made sorowe And the Busshope hauynge pyte with his ryght hande blessyd the basket all the Eggys were hole agayne he was euer busy Psalmes and spirituell melodye and with all dylygence he kept his herte in all clennes and ê‘seuered in kepynge of the coÌ„maudementes of our lorde to his departynge out of this worlde whiche was the syxth nonas of Iulii in the yere of our lorde god D. CCC.lxii And he was translated in the yere of our lorde D. CCCC.lxxi in the Ide of Iulii And the same daye of his translacyon our lorde shewyd for hym many myracles A thilde contracte fro his byrth was helyd There blynde wymmen had their syght The yrons of one in pryson brake and the man was delyuered A man syke of the palsey was helyd and .xxv. other were also made hole of dyuers sykenes ¶ De sancto Thatheo confessore SEynt Thathe was sone to a kynge in Itlande called Thathalius fro his yonge age he kepte hym self vndefowled fro al vyces and when his Fader and moder sawe hym despyse all worldy thynges they set hym to scole
suche sobrenes that his seruauntes neuer sawe hym excede in mete or drynke he punysshed his body with vigylles fastyngê pryuely vsed to weer the heere and in the yere of our lorde M.CC.lxxv he was made bysshop of Herforde for defence of the right of his church to his great payne he went to Rome where he was honorably receyued of pope Martyn in retournynge home he deê‘ted out of this world at FlorentynÌ„nygh the hylle of Flascon the .vi. nonas of Octobre in the yere of our lorde god M.CC.lxxxvii and .vi. dayes his body was kept and gaue a swete sauoure and then his flesshe was shauen fro the bones and buryed in the Churche of seynt Seuery there and his bones were brought to Herforde Threscore and ten men haue ben reysed fro deth to lyfe by his meryt â–ª and .xii. blyndemen recouered theyr syght with dyuers other coÌ„tracte mute syke of the palsey that haue ben also made hole ¶ De sancto 〈…〉 THe lyfe and hole proses of this gloryous 〈◊〉 seynt 〈◊〉 of 〈…〉 and of his fader moder How his moder beynge a pagan came to London fro fer countres and by the goodnes of our lorde was conuerted to the fayth how 〈…〉 was in fauoure with the kynge and was made his Chaunceller And after Archebysshop of Caunterbury where he lyued a blessyd lyfe in good eâ—ample dedes of charite and how he agreed at Clarendon to certeyn Articles which he after reuoked bycause they were agaynst the lyberte of the Churche and how he was therfore called ê‘iured and of the persecucion that he hadde for the lybertye of the Churche and how al his olde fauoure with the kynge tourned to malyce How he fledde at Northampton and went to Rome where he was as an outlawe .vii. yerê his kynnesfolke banysshed the Realme for his sake all his goodes and possessions seased and his frendes tourned to his enemyes howe he was logged in a place of the Cisteux by the 〈◊〉 assygnement and was put out fro thens for fere leste the kynge wolde haue hurted that Relygion in Englande how he went into Fraunce was there greatly cherysshed how after by the meanes of the kynge of Englande the Frenche kyng tolde hynthe was to wylfull so he knew none other but he shulde be banysshed from thens then the Frenche kynge seyng his constaunce toke hym in more great fauour then he dyd byfore how the Archebysshop of yorke was accursyd for that he toke vpon hym to crowne the kyngê sone where it belonged oonly to the see of Caunterbury whiche was cause of more grugge how he in the ende was 〈…〉 where by whom that the kynge sayd he was nat assentynge to his deth of the great repentaunce that the kynge toke by cause he had so moch attemptyd agaynst hym is so openly knowen to most people that the spekyng of it in this short treatyse shuld but make the story the more darke nat to open as it shuld be wherfore I coÌ„mytte the reder hereof that is disposed to se more of this 〈…〉 to rede his hole LegeÌ„de When 〈…〉 in his lyfe lyued moche prayed at his tumbe for helth had it after his desyre After when he was hole he consyderyd that ê‘case that helthe was nat expedyent to the helth of his soule wherfore he went agayne to his tumbe prayed that if that bodely helth were nat to the helth of his soule that his sykenes shuld co â— agayne so it dyd ¶ De sancto Thoma monacho a gallis occiso WHen Lowys sone to the Frenche kynge at the desyre of dyuers of the noble men of England came with a great hoste into EnglaÌ„de they founde this blessydmaÌ„ seynt Thomas at douersyttyng alone in the dormytorie a maÌ„ of a venerable age meke sobre fro his you the brought vp iÌ„ monastical â—uersacioÌ„ al his felowes were fled for fere of the FrenchmeÌ„ wheÌ„ he wold nat by fayr wordes neyther by thretes discouer the Riches of the Monastery But also boldely rebuked theym for theyr sacrelege and cruelte with a swerde in great malyce they martyred hym the nonas of August the yere of our lorde M. CC.lxxxxv and at his Tumbe a man of the Frenesy was made hoole Foure men had theyr fyght .v. were reysed fro deth to lyf ¶ De sancta Walburga virgine SEynt Walburgh was suster to seynt Willibrord Wynnybolde and with theym she went out of Englande when they came to seynt Bonyface bysshop of MaguntineÌ„se he made Willibrord bysshop of Heystatense Wynnobolde entered into Religion at Heydanhem and after theyr deth seynt Walburgh was made Abbes of that Monastery had rule of many virgyns And when the keper of the churche at nyght denyed to gyue her lyght and she toke it in great pacyence there was in the dortor where she went a great heuynly lyghte that endured to Matens tyme so that al the susters meruayled at it and she thanked our lorde therof and attrybuted it to the merytes of her bretherne and nat of her owne On a nyght she went vnknowen to a Riche mannes house where a mayde lay syke and when the man sawe her he badde her beware of the dogges and she sayd he that had brought her thyther shuld saue her fro the dogges and when he had lerned what was her name he toke her into his house with great reuerence and when it was tyme to go to reste he asked her where she wolde lye and she sayde there as her suster lay syke where she gaue her to prayers and helyd the mayde and in the mornynge retourned to her Monastery and full of good werkes she went to our lorde the. Kalend of May and was honorably buryed in the same Monasterye She appered After her deth to Otgare bysshop of Heystatense and blamyd hym that he kept the Monastery neclygently and tolde hym that she wolde shewe hym such a token that he shulde ê‘ceyue that he had nat done well to her and shortly after at the rofe of a house there was settynge vp the North wall fell and feryd theym moche and then Otgare repayred the Churche and remouyd the body of seynt Walburgh and of her brother Wynnybold to Heystatense ¶ De sancto Walleno abbate SEynt Wallene otherwyse called Walthesse was sone to Syrnon Erle of Huntyngdon his moder was doughter to the Erle of NorthumberlaÌ„de accordynge to his name he was a good thefe for he stale mekely the kyngdome of heuyn kepynge all his Reuelacions and vertues close when his fader was disheryted and was deed in Fraunce seynt Wallene was made Chanon in the Monastery of seynt Oswalde in yorke and there beyng sexten he was chosen to be Pryor of KyrkehmÌ„ and how moche he was in the oppynyon of other men hyer so moche he was in his owne syghte the more meke As he was at masse on Cristenmasse daye and he had spoken the
of chyualry defeÌ„dyd hys Father myghtely agaynste his enemyes bette downe castellys townys in his moost cruelty he was also mercyfull wolde geue to his enemyes the thyrde parte of that he geet And after he consyderyd that the glorye of the worlde was but as smoke a vapoure of small abydynge wherfore he caste away his Armoure went to repeÌ„don toke orders geuynge hym to monastycall lernynge he wolde drynke nothynge that myght be occasyon of dystemperaunce And after he went to crowlande where then no man durste enhabyte for fere of wyckyd spiritis there he lyuyd a blessyd lyfe sufferyd great temptacyons persecucyons of wyckyd spiritis as in that Legende apperyth at great length he was ofte delyuerd owte of trowbles temptacyons by seynt Bartylmew whom he had in synguler deuocyon on a tyme two Deuyllys in lykenes of men came to hym ê‘swadyd hym to faste not two or thre dayes but by hole wekys put hym iÌ„ mynde of Moyses hely howe they fastyd of the fastyngys of olde fathers of sythye theÌ„ he knewe they were wyckyd spiritis wherfore he made his prayer anon they vanysshed awey then he toke his sustenaunce of Barley brede as he was wonte to do This blessyd man had suche a hoole entent to god that there was neuer in his harte but pyte charyte in his mouth there was nothynge but our lorde Ihesu Peas mercy forgyuynge He was neuer seen angry prowde or heuy but alwayes iÌ„oon sobrenes On a tyme he sawe two deuyllys wepe when he askyd them the cause why they wepte they sayd bycause he pÌ„uaylyd so ofte agaynste theÌ„ so he made the sygne of the crosse anon they vanysshyd away the busshope hedda as he was goinge to seynt guthlake praysid moch the strayghtnes of his lyfe oon of his chapleyns sayd that he had seen many Heremytes some good some euyll if he had ones seen hym he sayd he coulde tell whether he were so good as the fame raÌ„ne vppoÌ„ hym wheÌ„ he cam to seynt guthlake he by spyryt knowynge his wordys askyd of hym howe he sayd by that man that he spake of the day before then he was abasshyd fell downe askynge hym forgyuenes theÌ„ the Busshope made hym preest he had a suster callyd pega whom he wolde not see iÌ„ this lyfe to the enteÌ„t they myght the rather mete in the lyfe to come when his tyme drew nere he shewyd his discyple Bertelyn therof bade hym that he shulde praye his suster to se hym buryed then Bertelyn prayed seynt Guthlake to shewe hym who he was that he had seen euery day syth his fyrste cuÌ„mynge to hym spekynge with hym Mornynge euenynge he sayde that euer syth he came to that wyldernes he had an AuÌ„gell to coÌ„forte hym to helpe hym in his teÌ„ptacions that shewyd hym thynges to come with other great secretys that it was not laufull to speke bade Bertelyn kepe it secrete not to shew it to any ê‘sone but to his suster Pega to a holy Anker callyd Egbert when he had thus spokyn there came a swete smell out of his mouthe as of Rose flowrys or Balme fro mydnyght to the mornynge was a great lyght seen in all the house then he sayd to his dyscyple that his tyme was come lyftynge vp his Ien his haÌ„dys into Heuyn he slepte iÌ„ our Lorde aboute the yere of grace .vii. C. .vi. aboute a yere after his deth his body was remouyd was fouÌ„de vncorrupt with all his clothys a kynge callyd Ethelbalde which was wrongefully put out of his Realme had be moche famylyer with seynt gutlake in his lyfe came to his tumbe prayed deuoutly to hym for helpe he apperyd to hym tolde hym that within two yerys he shuld be restoryd to his kyngdoÌ„ so he was theÌ„ he buylded crowlaÌ„de endewyd it with great loÌ„des many lybertyes as he hadde promysed to seynt Guthlake in his lyfe that he wolde doo De sancta Helena regina Seynt helyn was doughter of cloell kyng of grete brytayn iÌ„ tho dayes the senate of romeseÌ„te coÌ„staÌ„cyus which had subdued to theÌ„ the couÌ„trey of spayne to subdue also to them brytayne now callyd EngloÌ„de And cloell ferynge the great wysdome of coÌ„stancius anon assentyd to pay yâ— olde trybute theruppon constancyus toke the sayd helyn his doughter to wyfe had by her constantyne whiche after the deth of his fader went to rome with great power of brytayne toke his moder with hym put downe maxencyus the tyrauÌ„te was made Emperoure after he was coÌ„uertyd to the feyth also Crystenyd by seynt syluester wherfore his moder praysyd hym that he had lefte the worshyppynge of Idollys but she thought he shuld rather haue receyuyd the feyth of the god of the Iues which she had theÌ„ receyuyd then to receyue the feythe of a man crucyfyed there vppon a tyme was appoyntyd betwyxte them to haue bothe lawes disputyd at which day by the ê“founde argumeÌ„tys of seynt Syluester also by myracles that our lorde shewyd in ê“ue of the feyth seynt Helyn all the docturys of the Iues that she brought with her were coÌ„uertyd to the feyth when she was crystenyd she encouragyd her selfe to enlarge the crysten feythe all that she could went to Iherusalem with a great power where she fouÌ„de the holy crosse with the thre naylys the crybbe that our lorde was leyed on ê‘te of the hey our Ladyes smokke she made monasteryes where our lord sufferyd his deth passyon there as the holy crosse was fouÌ„de at BetheleÌ„ in many other placys After she went to ynde she made many churchys brought with her the Bodyes of the thre kynges of coleyne she broughte with her ê‘te of the holy crosse to constantynople after she went to rome grewe to suche hyghe charyte that she was as a moder to all personys And after when she laye syke she sawe heuyn open our lord standynge with a great multytude of AuÌ„gellys with his Crosse meruaylously shynynge which comfortyd her moche She went to our Lord the .xv. kalendas of septeÌ„ber was honorably buryed by the Pope with great wepynge of all the people as it is sayd her body was traÌ„slatyd to constantynople now it lyeth at venys De sancto Henrico heremita SEynt henry the heremyte was borne in denmarke And on a tyme when all thynge was ordeynyd that he shuld haue ben maryed our lord prohybytyd hym to be maryed bad hym kepe hym selfe clene inmaculate fro this worlde that he shuld goo into the I le of Coket so he came to tynmouth there he had leue of the pryor to go into the I le of Coket And certen yerys he lyuyd with brede
sone fell to Idolatry And also toke his faders wyfe in lykewyse after sabertus Kynge of eest saxons was deed his thre soÌ„nes fell to Idolatry which was great trouble to the feyth so that mellyte Busshope of London and Iustus Busshope of Rochestre were put oute of theyr Busshoprykes which by assent of seynt Laurence went into Fraunce seynt Laurence thought to haue folowyd but that seynt Peter the same nyghte that he wolde haue departyd as he laye in the Chyrche of seynt Petyr and Paule apperyd vnto hym and bette hym with roddys bycause he wolde forsake the flocke of god which he had takyn the charge of admonescyd hym that for the people of our Lorde he shulde tary vnto the Deth lyke as he dyd And so he went to the Kynge Edbalde and shewyd hym how he was betyn of whom for what cause And so the Kynge receyuyd the feythe And also lefte his aduoultrye And after seynt Laurence conuertyd moch people in ScotlaÌ„de to the Feythe and in the way thyther warde he went ouer the see drye fote And a holy Busshope of Irlande came thyder to hym herynge his Oppynyon of the kepynge of Eester confermyd hym therto and taught his people to folowe the same And after he retournyd into Englonde and reysyd a Chylde where he was lodged fro deth to lyfe And in the yere of our Lord god .vi. hundred and .xix. the thyrde nonas of Februarye he lefte this worlde is buryed by seynt Augustyne ¶ De sancto Lethardo epÌ„o confessore SEynt letharde was assygnyd to come with the Quene Berta when she shuld be maryed to kynge Ethelberte yet beynge a Paynym to be her leder doeter and preseruator in Uertue and to defende her fro the Idolatrye then vsyd in Englonde where he suffred great opprobryes and laughyngys to skorne in doynge the seruyce of god which he vsyd to doo in an olde Chyrche of seynt martyn nygh to CauÌ„terbury in which Chyrche the quene and her seruauntys that were crystenyd vsyd to here dyuyne seruyce At the toumbe of seynt Letharde a blynde mayde receyuyd her syght as a man that with the palsey was lame fro the myddle downe warde was prayinge for helthe at his tumbe he apperyd sayd the people in theyr sykenesse pray with grete deuocyon for helth but when they be hoole they forgette the benefaytys of god And anon be vnkynde and turne ageyn to synne And when the sykeman faythfully promysyd to amende seynt Letharde sayd of the oon legge thou shalt be hoole that thou mayste knowe the goodnes of god the other shal be as it was that thou waxe not vnkynde and so it was doon This blessyd man was the precoursoure of seynt Augustyne and made the waye redye for hym to the bryngynge in of the feythe wherfore he is right moch to be had in honoure by Englysshemen ¶ De sancto Macuto epÌ„o confessore SEynt machute was borne in great Brytayne on Eester euyn in a noble Monastery in the vale of nantcarwan where his moder came to kepe vygyllys And he was baptyzyd by seynt Brendan that was Abbot of the sayd monasterye .xxxiii. men Chyldren were borne the same nyght of womeÌ„ that came to bere his moder coÌ„pany and fro his youth he was vertuous when his felowys were quakynge for colde he swette leyde a wey his Clothys which was of a brennynge Charyte that was in hym On a tyme the see flowyd there as he laye slepte and the grouÌ„de where he laye rose lyke an I le and so he was sauyd Seynt Brendan seynge that the holy gost was with hym aduysyd hym to be preest and he sayde he was not worthy to take that offyce neuerthelesse after he assentyd And when he was made preest a whyte Doue was seen descende vppon his shoulder He saylyd moche with seynt brendane in his Iourneys and in his company with the sygne of the Crosse he droue away a serpent that hadde kyllyd .iii. Chylderne In lytell Brytayne he was made Busshope of alethys And when he shulde be consecrate at turone a whyte doue was seen descende vppon his necke as he helde downe his hedde to bencdyccyon he vsyd gret watchynges fastynges prayers And when he rode by the waye eyther he talkyd of god or prayde there was no tyme but he Prophytyd to other or to hymselfe He vsyd euer a sharpe Heer vppon hym and was a grete precher to the people he went to Rome with seuyn dyscyples and chylderne that he fouÌ„de there to be solde he bought theÌ„ cristenyd theÌ„ In the waye homewarde as he was iÌ„ great perell of the see seynt peter apperyd to hym sauyd hym all his coÌ„pany when he was Cxxxiii yere olde he dyed the .xvii. kalendas of december was honorably buryed at perdma where all his Relykys lye excepte his hed and his ryght hand which lye at alethys He helyd oon that was deffe dome and lame He reysyd a chylde that was drownyd And by his prayers blynde woman recoueryd her syght For the wretchydnes of the people he cursyd them and went into Andygauya was there .vii. yerys durynge whych tyme was great drynes and derth in lytell Brytayne And when he was desyred to come agayne to blesse the people as soone as he came the rayne fell and great plenty folowed in all the countre ¶ De sancto Maglorio EpÌ„o confessore SEynt Maglorye bysshop was borne in great brytayne he was Felowe to seynt Sampson was his successoure by an Aungell he was admonysshed to leue his bysshopryke and to lyue a solytary lyfe and so he dyd he helyd an Erle that was lepre wherfore he gaue hym the one halfe of a Certeyne grounde to the whiche grounde incoÌ„tynent came many byrdes with great plente of fysshes therfore the Erle by counsell of his wyfe toke that grouÌ„de from hym and gaue hym the other half and then the byrdes and fysshes came thyder and left the other And then the Erle perceyuyng that he had done amysse gaue to seynt Maglorye the hole grounde and then the byrdê and fysshes came indifferently to bothe ê‘tes He was a clene virgyne and lyued with barley brede and lekes Euery wednysday and fryday he fasted and punysshe his body with the heer he neuer dranke wyne ne syder somtyme when the bretherne were aslepe he wolde go pryuely to the seesyde there wake in prayers On eester euyn as he watched in the Churche an Anugel appered to hym and shewed hym that his tyme drewe nere to go out of this worlde and heferynge it had ben an Illusion made instauÌ„te prayer and when the Aungell had thryse affermed the same he receyued of the Aungell the blessyd Sacramente and after that tyme if there were nat the greatter lettynge he vsyd euer to saye this verse Unam pecii a dnÌ„o hanc requiraÌ„ vt inhabiteÌ„ in domo dnÌ„i c. And he went to our lorde the