shall haue that for whiche he shalle Ioyously retorne home shal glade alle his felawes in his comynge Another vysyon that same nyght happed to the same pryour Ther was an Abbot a man of grete deuocion whiche had ben afore tyme fader of that same Abbaye of Shrewesbury And hauyng old age ful of vertues departid oute of this lyf named Godfrey whiche â—â—piered to hym that same nyght of the drede that he had â—â—â—med hym sayeng Be thou not of faynt herte but haue 〈◊〉 faythe truste For we shal well euercome oure enemyes 〈◊〉 with them that shalle assiste vs by the helpe of god we 〈◊〉 vaynquysshe them knowe thow verily that we shal 〈◊〉 opteyne that thyng which we with hyhe deuocion so moche â—â—syre After these wordes he vanysshed aweye from his 〈◊〉 Of these vysyoÌ„s grewe somme surete in their myndes 〈◊〉 gyuen to them an hope to opteyne that they sought And on the morne erly they told what they had sene in their 〈…〉 gaf grete comfort to the herers sodenly one of the messagers that had ben with them the daye before cam sayde that they myzt surely come warnyng them to folowe hym for that they desyred they shold fynde whiche anone toke their 〈◊〉 and cam thyder fyrst their prayers sayd they called the 〈◊〉 of the sayd place secretely prayd hym hertely that he wold 〈◊〉 helpyng to them The preest paciently heryng their wordes gaf to them an answer in this wyse I shal lyghtly 〈…〉 your entente with good wyll by cause I shall the 〈◊〉 be confedered to yow that I knowe the wyll of god of the blessid virgyn touchyng your desyre I shal here in your presence shewe to yow On the satirday the vigyle of after in the chirche whiche ye here see beholde I was al the nyght for to syng say matyns ympnes whan tyme was whan I had said the psaulter to fore the aulter I lâ—yd me doun vpon the 〈◊〉 a lytel to take my rest and I sawe a vysyon whiche moche fered me And by cause I shold not resiste ne be rebell to yow by thretenynge he warned me And as me thought no grete slepe oppressyd me but as I had be half wakyng a fayr yong man hauyng an augels chere stode before me and callyd me sayeng aryse I wenyng that he wold haue awaked me that I shold haue begonne my nocturnal offyce ansuerd to hym It is not yet tyme to begynne thoffyce I wyl not aryse And be thenne as me semed wente his way And the second tyme he cam callyd me ludder sayd aryse aryse I wolde not take no hede to his wordes ansuerd hym as I dyd before And with my mantell that I ware I couerd my hede and fylle in to a sadde slepe and after a lytel whyle the same yong man cam with his hand drewe awey by grete strength the mantel fro my hede leyd it vnder my sholders sayenge to me the thyrd tyme Aryse aryse aryse folowe me ¶ Thenne me thought I aroos and folowed hym And we cam to the sepulcre of the blessyd vyrgyne saynt wenefrede whiche shewynge to me with his fyngre seyd Marke dylygently thys place And the wordes that I shalle saye reteyne faste in thy mynde yf ony come hyder this yere or the nexte whiche wil remeue this stone remeue the erthe In no wyse gaynsaye it not yf he wyll bere away with hym the bones of this blessyd vyrgyn repugne not ther ageynst but put hond to in ahl thynges that thou mayst helpe hym yf thou therin be nec lygent be founde a despysar of my wordes whiche ben shewed to the by goddes commaundement thou shalt be payned by myserable long languour and sekenes sone after lese thy self This said the angelyk visyon vanysshed away Therfore be ye assnred that I shal helpe to spede your purpos And dylygently mynystre to yow after my myght Therfore of me be ye sure calle the other to you whiche ye may applyr to your desyre for I wyll with all the studye Industrye that I may can shall execute your playsyre the good wyll of them of whom the ryght of this toune apperteyneth I shal do my best to brynge them to your wyll by cause they now be here preseÌ„t say ye to them what ye will for they be redy for to here you Thenne the pryour by the moyen of the preest or by his Interpretacion spacke vnto alle the companye of men that were there And exposed to them the cause of his iourney And desyred them by fayre wordes that they wold gyue theyr assente shewynge no thynge to them of theyr vysyons ne recytynge what hadde happed to them but only for deuocion that they hadde to the vyrgyne they had taken the labour on them After many wordes and causes leyd And after Innumerabro incidentes and reasons alledged atte last they were al acorded And that they desyred they benyngnly consentyd The pryour and his felawes gyuynge thankyngee to god desyred that they shold shewe to them the place And sothly the place where so moche tresour was reteyned is a chirche yerde of agood distaunce fro the chircheyerd where now the bodyes of dede men ben buryed And in that chirche yerd resten the bodyes of many other sayntes And is 〈…〉 soo grete renerence of them that dwelle in the countrey That none of them dare presume to entre in to it but yf it be by â—â—â—se for to praye And whan the sayd Monkes with theire 〈◊〉 laushyp were brought to that place the sayd pryeure 〈◊〉 before his felaushyp by thynstynct as I suppose of the 〈◊〉 ghoost anone withoute ony man ledynge or shewynge 〈◊〉 strayte to the sepulture of saynt Wenefrede And â—e whiche 〈◊〉 uer was there before ne knewe by techynge of ony man 〈◊〉 place by the ledynge of god withoute goyng oute of the 〈◊〉 cam to the tombe of the blessyd virgyne And standynge 〈◊〉 the hede of the blessyd vyrgyne abydynge his felawes haue admonysshed by a dyuyne reuelacion within forth that 〈◊〉 was the sepulture of the blessyd vyrgyne and there â—e sholde haue that he desyred Thenne they comyng that sheld 〈◊〉 shewed the place assigned to hym that same place that in to fore had chosen and stode by Thenne the peple beyng remeued two of the monkes with pykoys and spades beganne to digge in the ground tyll they cam to the tresour desyird And the other sayde and redde theyr psalmes ¶ And whanne the body was founden they gaf and rendryd thankynges vnto god And tooke oute the bones fro the erthe And as they thought that tyme best for them bonde them fair in theyr mantels honestly leid them therm And they there honestly toke their loue commendynge them that there were to god beganne to retorne homeward with grete ioye And soo they wente forth with grete ioye
¶ Here begynneth the lyf of the holy blessid vyrgyn saynt Wenefryde IN the west ende of grete Britayn whiche now is callyd Englond is a prouynce whiche is named walys This said prouynce was somtyme inhabyted of sayntes of many dyuerse merytes embelisshed decorate vnto this day with Innumerable prerogatyuys in many wyses EmoÌ„g whom ther was an holy deuout maÌ„ named beunow a maÌ„ of hye merite this holy man lad religious lyf was a monk in the said englond he edyffyed chirches ordeyned certayn bretheren prestes for to serue god in many places hit was so y t by dyuyn prouydence he was warned admonested to desyre aske of a myzty man named Theuith a certeyn place to bylde on a chirch for his helthe which he dyligeÌ„tly demaÌ„ded the seid theuith grauÌ„ted to hym gladly with good wâ—â— also coÌ„mysed to hym his douzter named wenefrede whome 〈◊〉 â—â—uyd tenderly for to be instruct tauzt prayeng hym to bisech almyzty god that he wold dispose her conuersacion to the 〈◊〉 honour of hym which thyng god knowyng what shold â—â—â—we therof wold not suffre her to be lost ne perisshed for the maid wenefrede desyred by an ardauÌ„t desyre to be the temple of god in tyme comyng And suche thynges as she vnderstode by stryng of her ere 's she held enprynted fast in her mynde that she conceyued in her thouzt purposed verily â—accoÌ„plyssâ—â— hastâ—ly in werkes so thenne by thynspyracion of the holy ghost this holy vyrgyn prouffytyng in vertues shewed vnto â—er mayster feâ— now the very purpose of her mynde sayeng I haue determyned in my self to forsake al the lust plaisir of the world haue disposed to conserue kepe my virgynyte vndefowled vnto Cryst whiche thyng o holy fader I byseche the deuouâ—â—ly that thou wylt impetre gete grauÌ„te of my fader moder whiche thynge he shewed to hem they gladly consentid therwyth were wel pleasid Thenne this holy vyrgyn recordyng desyryng tenprynte in her mynde suche holy wordes lessoÌ„s as floweden oute of the mouth of her mayster suffred none erâ—â—ely nâ— worldly vanytees to entre in to her bnt laye oft in the nyztes in the chirche And of tyme she solycyted the holy man to make a sermon and to treate to her of her spouse Ihesu crist to shewe his werkes digne worthy of laude pâ—ysynge ¶ It happed on a sonday that her fader moder were gone to the Chirche this blessid virgyne was lefte for certayn cause at home one named Cradoke sone of kyng Alane entryd sawe this holy virgyne syttyng by the fyre whiche anone as she sawe the kynges sone aroos humbly demannded hym what was his playsir and he sayd to her thou knowest well that I am a kynges sone whiche haue plente of rychesses honours of them shalle departe largely to the yf thou wylt consente to my peticion desyre she anon felyng â—ym to make his request for to haue a do with her a lytyll case doun shamefastly her chere dyssymylyd her to be a shamed that he had founden her not well arrayed ne apparaylled sayd to hym suffre a whyle lest my fader come I shal go in to my chambre shal come to the ageyne withoute taryeng to whiche the yong man graunted she wente in to the chambre by a bye dore of the chambre she wente oute ran faste toward the chirche whiche so fleyng was anone knowen to the yong man thenne he beyng wood wroth by cause she fledde fro hym by cause she wold kepe her virgynyte with a suerd 〈◊〉 folowed after ouertâ—ke her holdyng hir with a sterne 〈◊〉 said to her in this wyse somtyme I louyd the desytrd the to be ioyned to myn enbracementes now thou despysest hym y t desyreth the Now know thow for certayn y t either thou shalt this present tyme suffre me to haue my wyl of the or without â—â—ryeng I shal smyte of thyn hede with this swerd The holy vyrgyn hauyng her ful hope truste in oure lord answerd hym in this wyse I am coupled in matrimonye to the sone of the euerlastyng kyng Iuge of al men wherfor I may haue none other And by cause I wyll not long abuse the why be I lyue I shal neuer loue ne forsake hym therfor be thou assured that thy menaces ne fair wordes thretenynges ne promesses maye departe me fro the swetenes of his loue to whos enbracementes I am strayned coupled by deuocion This becherous yonge man herynge hym self to be despysed and put fro his voluptuons desyre toke oute his swerd and smote of the hede of this blessyd vyrgyne ¶ And anone as the hede of the virgyne fylle to the erthe In the same place a bryght and fayre welle beganne to sprynge vp largely gyuynge oute water and plentyuously whiche contynâ—eth to flowe vnto this day gyuynge helthe by the merytes of this blessyd vyrgyn to many seke peple malades Now was it so that the place where her hede was smyton of was hangyng of an hylle the hede rollyd doun to the chirche dore whan the peple in the chirche sawe the hede there was a grete noyse rumour in so moche that her fader moder cam sawe how her doughter was biheded wherof they were sore basshed made a lamentable noyse sorow sayeng that they had hoped that she shold haue ben a seruaunt of god to haue lyued an holy lyf whan beunowe herd this noyse rumour he cam sawe this hede of the holy vyrgyn 〈◊〉 none he took it vp sawe where the kynges sone stode a 〈◊〉 his swerd on the grusse to whom he said be kyng in his vsage these wordes O thou wycked man whiche hast 〈◊〉 thy fair yongth arte sone of the bygnage of a kyng 〈…〉 slayn by cryme as an homycyde this noble vyrgyn 〈…〉 pentest the not that hast commysed so grete a synne 〈…〉 troubled the pees hast defowled the chirche by thy 〈…〉 hast gretely trespaced wratthed out lorde 〈…〉 not Now for as moch as thou hast not spared the 〈…〉 hast gyuen reuerence to the sonday I byseche my lorde 〈…〉 whom thou hast commysed synne vnworthely that 〈…〉 the by digne recompensacion these wordes said 〈…〉 the yong man forthwith fyll doun to therthe eâ—spyred 〈…〉 incontynent wonderfully the body of hym so dede 〈◊〉 â—yght presence of many was molten 〈…〉 in to therthe his soule drowned in helle theÌ„ 〈…〉 moder hauyng no coÌ„fort but waylâ—yng the deth of 〈…〉 desyred to make bewaillynges the holy maÌ„ 〈…〉 to th aulter to say the masse whiche beyng fynyssâ—â—d 〈…〉 peple awaityng on hym hauyng hope vnto god he went to the body lyeng dede vnto the peple made a sermon 〈…〉 al other wordes he said how
sayenge oftymes emonge other wordes that they had goten a grete tresour whiche was better than many and grete Rychesses And knewe not of what meryce hit was besechynge almyghty god that they myghte haue somme token therof And it was not long to but that god wold satisfye their wylle and desyre For anone the daye beganne to faylle and to wexe derke and were lodgyd in a good mannes how 's And there they beynge sette to souper they berd in the Inner parte of the how 's a seke man grone and gyuynge oute a terryble voys Thenne the pryour demaunded the cause of his dysease And it was answerd that ther was a man veyid with grete sekenesses And yf he myght be â—eâ—â—d he shold gyue a grete reward therfore Thenne the prâ—cur toke a lytell water and blessyd hit and he took a 〈◊〉 of the pouldre or dust that was in her hede and put 〈◊〉 And badde to gyue it to the seke man whiche anon after he badde receyued hit slepte And anone after he awoke aroos all â—â—ele gyuynge thankynges to god and to the blessyd vyrgyne And by this myracle they were confermed in the fayche and were gladder than they were to fore more deuoute in worshippynge of the vyrgyne And many other signes and myracles they had by the waye whiche affermed that hit was a godly yefte that they bare And whanne they cam to a place vpon a ten myte fro shrewesbury they resiyd taryed there And whanne they sholde haue departyd they ceude not remeue the bones wherfor they counceyled to gyder And concluded that the bones shold be wesshen at that place And thenne there was no water but anone sprang vp there a fayr welle whiche yet renneth a grete cours contynuelly in to this day lyke to the rather welle In whiche welle they wesshe the bones of the blessyd saynt Wenefrede And euer after the stones that lye and reste in that water ben besprynct as it were with dropes of blood in so moche that for certayne ther hath ben certayne deuoute persones whiche haue done to beleyd certayne whyte asshen aippes in this sayd welle And whanne they haue ben in the water a seuen dayes or ther aboutes they haue appieryd al besprynct as it were with blood And this is dayly shewed whiche is a grete myracle ¶ Thenne they sente messagers vnto the toune of Shrewessbury from whens they were departed And sente word to the monastery that they had that for whiche they were sente fore Thenne the congregacion herynge these tydynges were ryghte Ioyeful and thankyng our lord concluded that the bones sholde be sette in the chirche of saynt Gyles whiche is in Issuynge oute of the towne sayeng that so holy a tresour oughte not to be receyued in to the monasterye withoute auctoryte and be 〈◊〉 nediction of the bisshop and with the grete concourse of the peple of that prouynce This counceylle pleased them alle And thenne they sente ageyne the pryour to the Bisshop for to conferme by his auctoryte what they shold doo with 〈◊〉 a relyque to them graunted from heuen ¶ And in the menwhyle the Monkes were departed for to synge thoffyce of 〈◊〉 daye and nyght before the body of the blessyd vyrgyne 〈◊〉 deuoute courage To whome they songe besyly on the day 〈◊〉 me moche peple cam that were dwellyng there in that 〈◊〉 commyttynge them self to the prayers and merytes of the holy vyrgyne saynte wenefrede ¶ There was in the same 〈◊〉 a certayne yonge man whiche was gretely veyyd with 〈◊〉 ueyllous sekenes And was benomen in alle his membres in so moche that his hede lowed doune almost to the erthe And in no wyse he myght lyfte vp his hede And whanne he â—â—id of the noyse of the comyng of this holy vyrgyne he dyde do be made redy an hors And by helpe of his Frendes was 〈◊〉 theron And holden on bothe sydes by the handes of two men And soo broughte to the chirche where the relyaues of saynte wenefrede were conteyned and kepte And there abode all myght in prayer And there was vxyd with moche greuous payne And on the morne whanne the day beganne to weye clere And as the preest beganne thoffyce of the masse he beganne to amende And anone was restored to his fyrst helth And whanne the gospell was redde he lefte his bedde that be laye on And wente hastely to the Aulder for to make his offryng to god and to the blessyd vyrgyne saynt Wenefrede yeuyng grete thankes to god and hyr deuoutely for the helthe that he had receyued And retorued all hole and stronge on his feet to the how 's of his fader and moder whiche the day before was brought thyder on an hors by the handes of other This grete myracle gladded the hertes of alle them that there were gadred And anone in short space after was shewed told this myracle thorugh alle the prouynce whiche excyted moche the myndes of them that herd hit vnto the deuocion reuerence of the blessyd saynt ¶ The name of hir grewe euery day more and more and the memorye of her Thenne the pryour retorned fro the Bisshop bauynge his auctoryte that alle they that in the worship of the holy virgyne and in her honour were deuoute shold haue goddes blyssynge and his And thenne a certayne day was named And shewed vnto the paroches there aboute that alle they shold be warned that wold come to the venerable translacion of thys holy vyrgyne ¶ Thenne on the day assigned the monkes wente in procession with crosses and candellys Innumerable multitude of peple for to fetche the holy body of the blessyd vyrgyne saynt wenefrede euery man knelynge with his knees and many for ioye myght not absteyne them from wepyng The couente of the bretheren that wente out for to receyue this holy Iewel receyued celestyall bienfaittes by the merytes of the blessyd vyrgyne saynt Wenefrede For hit rayned by grete shoures al aboute in the feldes therby And the couent that were gone oute cladde them with precious ornamentes of the chirche to mete with the blessyd body and dredde not a lytell that the ornamentes munymentis shold be sore hurte by the fallyng of the rayne but that they hadde begonne in no wyse wold leue mekely prayd to oure lord that by the prayer of saynt wenefrede they myghte be kepte drye and that they myghte be preseruyd fro the fallynge of the rayne Thenne in al that procession of them that went out of the monasterye And in the receyuynge of the holy relykes ye shold haue sene the water of the shoures nyghe to the erthe hangynge ouer them And the dropes redy for to haue fallen by the myght of god reteyned so that none fylle on them And where alle the peple that were there beyng gretely aferd â—eâ—te the grete rayne that was lyke to falle shold haue troubled and haue fallen yet by the myght and power of god by the