and makynge to his body foule to wchyÌ„ges dyshonest whyche sholde be abhomynable stynkyng shamfull to reherce and all for to moue hym to the synne of lecherye / ¶ The whiche thynge seenge the good knyght of IhuÌ„ Cryst wyst not what to doo to th eÌ„de that he whyche had vaynquysshed the deuyl by soo many tormentes were not ouercome by a woman / ¶ And by cause he myghte not putt her from hym / ne had power of noo membre to put her from hym / He putt oute as moche as he myghte his tongue bote it a sondie wyth his teeth and spitte it in the vysage of the fowle ylle woman / whiche dyshonestly kyssed hym to th ende that the playsaunce of her sholde not moeue hym to synÌ„e / But for the payne and anguisshe that he felte / he myghte conserue kepe his virgynyte / And holde it agaynst the vyolence of the sayde fowle and euill disposed woman / ¶ In that same tyme was saynt Poul in the lowe Regyon of Thebayde of the aâ—ge of syxtene yeres / ¶ But neuerthelesse he was well Instruce in lettres Greke and Egypcyen / He abode and dwelled faderles and moderles wyth one his syster thenne maryed ¶ He seenge the persecucyon of the true Crysten men· wente in to a towne moche ferre fro his couÌ„tree / And from thens in to a mouÌ„tayne full of roches / Att foote wherof was a grete and a merueylous pytte couerd with a stone / ¶ The whyche he toke awaye and loked therin And founde there a moche fayre fountayne / Wyth this there was in the sayd mountayne dyuerse habitacoÌ„ns and dwellinges / Wherin he fonde many maners of Instrumentes / wyth whyche had be made in tyme passed secretly and forged false money Lyke as it is wretch in histories of Egypte in the tyme that Anthonye was with Cleopatra / ¶ Saynt Poul louyd thene merueyllously the sayde place Eyke as god hadde gyuen it to hym / ¶ And there he ladde a solytary lyfe / In oâ—cupyenge deuowte prayers and abstynâ—nces merueyllously / ¶ His vesture was oonly of leues of palme / And other mete also he ete not / ¶ In the same place on the side of Syrye nyghe by the Saâ—asyus lawe saynt Iherom an Hermite the whyche had be there shytte enclosed thyrty yere· without to ete ony other thynge than barly breede to dryÌ„ke water ful of ordure fylthe / ¶ And a nother wythin a cysterne the whyche ete but euery daye .v. fygges for his sustentacoÌ„n / that this is true saynt Iherom callyth god his angellis to wytnesse / ¶ Thenne for tachieue of saynt Poul / We oughte to knowe that whan he was come to thage of C xxx yere in lyuyÌ„ge an heueÌ„ly lyf· In a nother partye was saynt Anthoaye the whiche hadd lyued lxxxx yeres / And by cause that he was tempted of vaynglory / wenynge that in the hermytages hadd none be better than he / By the wyll of god it was shewed to hym by nyghte that there was one more perfyte than he / ¶ And assone as it was daye saynt Anthonye departed / And how well that he was sore feblysshyd in his body / He went fourth wyth a staffe in his honde / And putt hymselfe in dylygence for to seke saynt Poul / ¶ For it was he of whom he had had Reuelacyon / ¶ And whan he had walkyd vnto myddaye / Not knowynge what waye he sholde take and holde He founde a Monstre halfe horse and halfe man / Whom the Poetes name Centaure / Of whom he was gretly abasshed / ¶ And he blessyd hym wyth the sygne of the Crosse / And askyd of hym in what place saynt Poul enhabyted and dwellyd ¶ To this demaunde or askyng the sayd Centaure ansuerde some wordes / whiche saynt Anthonye vnderstode not / And after he shewed hyÌ„ the waye on the ryght honde and IncoÌ„tynent as he hadd fledde he vanysshed a waye fro the syghte of saynt Anthonye / The whiche beeste sayÌ„t Anthonye doubted stroÌ„gly / For we fynde not whether it was a monstre or a deuyll But neuertheles he wente forth / And anone after in a valeye full of stones he sawe a lytyl man hauyng his nosethrilles torned outwarde the forbede full of ferdful hornes / and his fete lyke to the fete of a ghoeâ— / ¶ To whom saynt Anthonye replenysshed with the shelde of fathe and wyth the habergron of hope as a good Champyon adressyd hymselfe questyonynge hym what he was The whyche ansuered / ¶ I am sayde he a mortall dweller in this hermytage with the other / Whyche haue be there dysceyued by many temptacoÌ„ns / ¶ We praye the that thou pray for vs one god onely / The whyche is descended in to the erthe for oure helthe / ¶ Thenne saynt Anthonye herynge thyse wordes wepte and alle by wette his fare wyth teeres / ¶ For he reioyced hym of the glorye of god / And of the contrarye of the destruccyon of the deuyll / ¶ Also he was moche admerueylled how he vnderstode the langage speche of the same beeste / ¶ And after he beganne to smyte with a staffe vppon the erthe sayenge / Acursyd be Alexandrye / The whyche adoure and worshyppe for theyr god thydolles / In whyche the deuylles enhabyte and dwelle / ¶ Ha Regyon what mayste thou saye / The beestes confessen the name of god / And thou worshyppest the deuylles / ¶ In sayenge thyse wordes / The same beeste vanysshed away Lyke as it hadde flowen in the ayre / ¶ After this saynt Anthonye abode in his enterpryse in folowynge the waye of wylde beestes / And not knowynge what waye he sholde take ¶ Thus contynued the seconde daye / wythoute to knowe whether it were daye or nyghte / ¶ And fynably he founde a wulfe gooynge vpwarde towarde a mountayne / The whyche had grete thurste / ¶ And whan he sawe hym goone vp / He wente after vnto a fosse or a dyche The whyche he behelde / But neuerthelesse by cause the place was tenebrouse or derke he apperceyued noo thynge / ¶ Alwaye lyke as he had perfyght dyleccyon / And fered noo thynge / he wente peasybly in to the dyche or hoole / herkenynge yf there were ony thynge / ¶ Soo abydynge by feruente charytee Whyche puttynge from hym alle feere· and drede / Wente soo ferre fourth and soo longe / That he sawe the doore of a place In whyche was saynt Poul / ¶ And in approuchynge or comynge nyghe to the same / He knockyd wyth his fote ayenst a stone whyche made a lityll noyse / ¶ The whyche herynge saynt Poul Incontynent shytte his doore ¶ And whanne saynt Anthonye sawe his doore shytte / ¶ He abode there by the space of syxe houres / ¶ And fynably he sayde to him thyse wordes / Poul my broder / Thou knoweste by Reuelacion of god whom that I am / And fro whens I come / And wherfore I am comyn hyther /
serpentes and venymouse beestes roo◠vp agaynst the peple / Of the Infeccion of whom they deyed in dyfferently wythout remedye yf Incontynent they had not be brought to saynt Hylaryon whiche gaaf theim oyle blessyd Of whiche anone as theyr woundes were touched were hole guarysshed / ¶ And by that cause that in those partyes he was soo moche knowen / And that there was done to hym ouermoche grete honour He went in to Alexandrye and came in to a monasterye namyd Oason / ¶ Ferdermore bi cause he had not dwellid in no towne walled syth he had be religyous He went to Brynchion by Alexandrye wyth some of his brethern that he knewe where he was receyued benygnely / ¶ But anone after by cause that they sawe the discyples of the holy man make redy his asse for to departe / they prayed hym wyth Ioyned hondes that he wolde abyde / For they hadd leuer haue deyed than he sholde departe fro theym ¶ Thenne the holy man for to comforte them sayd that he was constrayned hastly to depart / To th ende that by his ouerlonge taryenge there wyth theym he sholde be cause of heuynesse / ¶ Sayeng to theym ferdermore that for some thynges that they sholde see after come They sholde well know that not with oute grete cause he sholde not departe soo hastely from theym and theyr monastery / ¶ And the day after it happed that the Pryncypall of the cyte of Gaza / A cytee nyghe by wherin dwelled Paynems and enmyes to the lawe of oure lorde Ihesu cryste / Whyche were aduertysed of the comynge of saynt Hilaryon to the sayde monastery / Knowynge that their lawe was in waye and daūger to be all destroyed by the moyen of the sayde saynt Hylaryon / And for to eschew the same concluded to goo to the sayde monastery for to putte hym to dethe / ¶ And soo Incontynent they wente thyder ¶ And they fyndynge that soo hastely was departed from thens / And wythoute to be aduertysyd· ne warned of theyr enterpryse and purpose / Imposed and put to him that he was a Magycyen / Sayenge emonge theim that that they myghte cleerly knowe that he sawe before thynges that comen after / ¶ Now it oughte to be vnderstonde that whanne saynt Hylaryon was departed from Palestyne / They of Gaza demaūded of Iulyan whyche thenne was emperoure lycence for to slee his discyple Esicius / ¶ And for more lyghter to take him / they had wreton to alle the londes there abowte ¶ His chyrche was thenne dystroyed beten downe / And his Relygyouses slayn / ¶ The whyche thynge he had perceyued by reuelacyon / wherfore he was departed by cause he wold not see that dystruccyon / Lyke as tofore is sayde / ¶ Saynt Hylarion soo departed from Bruchyon and the desertes retournyd in to Oason / Where he was a yere or there abowte ¶ But by cause his renomee and fame was thrugh that londe spradde· He wold goo to places where he sholde not be knowe / ¶ And wente for to passe ouer the see / and to dwell in yles where he sholde not be knowen ¶ In that tyme Adryan whyche was his dyscyple comynge from Palestyne arryued to hym sayenge / That Iulyan the Emperoure was slayne / And that in his place regued an Emperoure that was Crysten / ¶ Whanne the holy man herde his purpoos he blamyd hym / ¶ And neuerthelesse he wolde not retorne / But he and Zazanius one his discyple went in to a shippe for to come in to Cecyle / ¶ And whanne they were in the myddill of the see / the sone of the maronner was rauisshed of a deuyll Whyche entred in to his body ¶ And by cause that saynt Hylaryon by force of coniuracyon wold haue constrayned hym to departe oute of the sayd sone He sayde to hym ¶ O seruaunt of god why suffrest thou not me to be in peas wythin the water / Gyue me spase to goo to the londe / ¶ For yf I departe here / I sholde falle in to the abysme / ¶ The holy man ansuered to the deuylll Yf my god hath gyuen to the puyssaunce and power to abyde / Abyde thou And yf thou haste noo myghte I shall caste the oute / ¶ Anone after the chylde was hoole and guarysshed / ¶ After this saynt Hilaryon to the ende that he sholde not be knowen made the Maronners to swere other that were there that they shold not shewe his name / ¶ And whanne he was arryued in an hyghe mountayn in Cecyle named Pachumum he wold haue gyuen to the Maronner for his solaire a boke of the gospellis whiche he hadd doo make in his yongthe for hym and his dyscyple Zazanius / ¶ The Marōner seenge that he had none other thynge wolde noo thynge haue / ¶ And to th ende that he wold not there be knowen of the Marchaūtes of the Eest partyes / He wente ferre in to the myddyll of the lond well twenty myle from the see / ¶ And there in a desert he made of the broken bowes and wode fagottes and brusshes / and charged and layd in the necke of his dyscyple for to bere to the market in the nexte towne / To the ende that he sholde brynge breede for theyr sustentacyon / ¶ Alas lete vs consydre the pouertee of this holy man / and how moche euyl he suffred for to come to heuen / we that haue soo moche good / How suppose we to haue it / I byleue that it shall be wyth grete payne / ¶ And how well that the holy man was goon in to a straūge countree by cause he wolde not be knowen / ¶ Neuerthelesse anone after by the moyen of his merueyllous werkes· Hys fame was grete thorugh alle the countree of Cecylle / ¶ And the fyrste knowlege of hym was by a a man whyche had a deuyll wythin his body / the whyche man was broughte in to the chirche of saynt Peter of Rome / ¶ And on a daye amonge the other / the deuyll cryed by the mouthe of the seke man with in shorte tyme Hylaryon shall entre in to Cecylle the whyche wenyth to hyde hym / But I shall goo to him and shal manyfeste and shewe him thorugh out the londe of Cecylle / For suche is the playsure of god / ¶ Anone the same man wyth his seruauntes wente to the see came a londe in Pachumium / ¶ And lyke as the deuyll broughte hym tofore the hermytage of saynt Hylaryon And Incontynent was alle hoole / ¶ The whyche curacyon was the fyrste myracle that he made in Cecylle / ¶ And after came to hym Innumerable seke people / Of whom he refusyd many grete gyftes whyche they wolde haue gyuen to hym / ¶ Consyderynge by hym that whyche oure Sauyour sayd to his dyscyples / ¶ I haue gyuen to you grace / wythoute ony thynge to gyue therfore Gyue ye in lyke wyse wythout takynge of ony thynge / ¶ Esicius dyscyple
the sayde Pelage aroos vpp atte mydnyghte / And saynt Nonne cladde her wyth the heere / And a groos and cours robe of a man / And after the sayd daye she neuer entred in to the cytee of Anthioche / ¶ Whanne saynt Romayn knewe it she beganne to wepe / By cause she had loste her companye / And saynt Nonne comforted her in sayenge That she hadde chosen the ryght holy waye lyke as the Gospell conteyneth / ¶ In the whyche is founde that oure lorde preferred Marye Magdalene ledynge Contemplatyff lyffe tofore her faster Martha whyche ladde actyf lyfe ¶ The good Pelage in this habyte dyssymyled wente to Iherusalem in to the mounte of Olyuete / Where oure Redemer prayed to god his fader tofore his sorowefull passyon / ¶ And there she made a lityll house where she determyned to dwelle / ¶ A lytyll tyme after the Bisshopp of Anthyoche callyd togyder alle the bysshoppis that he hadde assembled / And sente eche of theim in to his bysshopryche / ¶ Thre or foure yeres after the deaken of saynt Nonne hadde a wyll to goo to Iherusalem for to vysyte the holy sepulcre of oure lorde / And the other holy places in whyche oure lorde suffred for vs so many tormentes and myseryes / ¶ And asked leue of his bisshopp / Whyche lyberally graunted to hym / ¶ Chargynge hym for to enquyre in the sayd place of a Relygyous namyd Pelage / Whyche was departed afore tyme from hym / ¶ And how well that the sayde Bysshopp named the sayd Relygyous Pelagius / ¶ Neuertheles he mente the good seruaunt of god pelage the whyche was cladde in thabyte of a man secretely departed as to fort is said / And for that cause he named her by the name of a man / ymage nynge that by cause of her clothynge she had chaunged her name / Thys deken thenne wente to Iherusalem / And after that he hadd accomplysshed hys pilgremage / he fonde the good relygyous in the mouÌ„te of Olyuete in whiche she hadde be all waye closed and shette in her lytyl hous / whyche hadde none openyng but a lytyl wyndowe / at whyche the sayd deken knocked and anone she opened it / And how be it that she hadde neuer be seen but ones syth that she had be in her grete beaulte and pomperye / yet neuerthelesse she knewe hym But he coude not knowe her by cause she was soo deffayted and dysfygured by the grete abstynences that she made in suche wyse that the bones perced the skynne / And hadd her eyen wythin her hede so depe and holow / hat she semed better to presente a dede body than a lyuynge woman / She seyeng this deken she demaunded hym of whens he was / ¶ To whome he ansuerde that he cam fro anthioche / and was thyder sente by hys bisshoppe Nonus for to visyte her / ¶ Thenne she sayde to the same deken My broder and frende saye to him that I praye hym that yt maye playse hym to praye to god for me / I hope that his prayers ben to me moche prouffytable / For he is a deuoute man and of an holy lyf / And incontynent she shytte her wyndowe / and began to saye her tierce / And the deken in lyke wyse nygh to the wall sayd wyth her / and after retorned in to Iherusalem moche comforted of the syght of one so holy woman ¶ Fro thens he wente to vysyte all the monasteryes and holy places of the cyte and for to see the relygyouse people Wyth whome he beynge there he herde saye thyngys merueyllous of the holy religyous Pelagius / In deuysynge of whome they spake of the sayd Pelage ¶ For they supposed that she hadd ben a religyous maÌ„ / by cause she fayned her allwaye to be a man / And named her self Pelagius / ¶ The same deken for the grete vertues that he herde saye of hyr / wold ones goo to vysyte her / and cam and knocked at her wyndowe / as he had don to fore / And by cause that the sayd Pelagyus ansuerde nothynge· he called hym by hys name / but neuerthelesse she ansuerd not wherfore he ferynge to offende hyr retorned thens by the space of thre dayes / the whyche passed and wenynge that he hadde be departed out of that place knocked agayn at the wyndowe soo harde that he openyd it / And lokynge in to the lytyll hous he sawe pelage whyche was deed / ¶ Thenne he cam in to Iherusalem shewde it to the relygyous people of the cyte / the whiche in grete multitude cam thyder for to fetche the corps / ¶ And after that they hadd brought it out of the â—elle or ytyll hous ¶ And by cause it was the custome to enoynte the dede bodyes wyth myrâ—e / in enoyntynge the body they knewe well that she was a woman ¶ Thenne they began to synge and rendre graces and thankynges to god / in preysynge and magnyfynge his louerâ—â—yn bounte / for contemplacoÌ„n of his noble â—â—clours whyche ben hydde not oonly in holy men but also in vertuoule wymen / whyche by strayte and haâ—de penaunces haue goten the Royame of heuen ¶ And after they put the body in a ryche tombe garnysshid with gold and precyous stones ¶ Thenne late vs praye vnto thys holy woman pelage that by her Intercessyons and prayers we maye come to euerlastynge blysse in heuen Amen / ¶ Thus endeth the lyf of saynt Pelage ¶ Here foloweth the lyf of saynt marie Egypcyen whyche in deserte ladde a solytarye lyf And begynneth in latyn Fuit quidam Senex et cetera / ¶ Capitulum xlii SAynt Ierome recounteth that in the countrey of palestyn in whyche is the cyte of Iherusalem was somtyme a ryght prudeÌ„t man of notable lyf in dedes and worde named zozymas ¶ And we fynde that there was another in lyke wyse soo named whyche was an herytyke of whome at thys tyme we shalle make noo mencyon / but oonly we shalle speke of hym that we haue fyrst named / he walked thurgh alle palestynâ— in vysytyng deuoutly alle the holy places and monasteryes that were there / ¶ Of hym self he fonde many maners for to chastyse the flesshe And for to make it subgette to his spyryte / ¶ And in effecte he was of soo grete renomme that there came to hym from ferre countrees for to here his doctryne ¶ And euery man merueylled of his grete abstynences / ¶ His moder in his Infancye and yongthe put hym in a mouastery In whiche he lyued by the space of fyfthy yere / ¶ Durynge the whyche for the mooste parte he was gretely persecuted wyth dayne cogytacyons and thoughtes / In resystynge of whom he hadde in suche wyse foughten agaynste the deuyll by grete and harde abstynences / that hym semyd that in alle the Desertes there was noo man that exceded him in doctryne ne in penaunce as he that in hys persone hadde experymented ¶ And in suche wyse
sayd fader holy good lyfe also strongly aged made hym to entre in without ony suspeccoÌ„n And in beholdyng the Relygyous wyÌ„men / sawe none that had a crowne on her hede Thenne he sayd to theym me semeth that ther lacketh here one systre of you They sayd to hym that ther was yet one all folysshe kept the kechyne / sayeng furthermore / that she somtyme was tormented with the fende whiche greued her sore This wordes so sayd / the holy fader prayed that he myght see her Thenne anone they wente to fette her / but she wolde not come / vnto the tyme that it was sayd to her that the holy man Pyterius was there within whiche had grete desyre to see her And incontynent as she herde hym named she wente to hym / for he was gretely renoÌ„med in that regyon She beyng comen to fore the holy abbot Pyterius / he fyll flat doun to her feet sayeng My frende I praye the gyue to me thy blessyng / she in lyke wyse fylle doun to the feet of the holy abbot askynge also his blessyng The other systres seeyng this thyng were gretely admeruaylled / sayden to hym Alas holy fader desyre not to aske the blessynge of this woman / for she is folysshe out of her wytte Thenne answered the holy fader / ye ben all foles / this virgyne is wyse she is my NoÌ„ne yours he named her so / bycause they named in lyke wyse the deuoute virgynes in the regyon And I praye to god sayd the holy fader / that at the daye of Iugement that I may be also worthy capable of the felycyte euerlastyng as she / the whiche thynge herde / alle the other systres fylle doun to her fete / confessyd that they had synned in dyuerse maners vnto her Some for they had throwen the wasshyng of the dysshes vpon her / other oftymes and without cause had beten her / other in mockyng her had fylled her nose with mustarde And generally all the other confessyd that they had doon to her meruayllous Iniuryes wherof they all demauÌ„ded of her pardoÌ„ne forgyuenes And thenne the holy man departed And from thenne forthon the systres had in grete reuerence the sayd holy virgyne meruayllously But a lytyll tyme after / bycause that she myght not endure the louyng praysyng of the worlde / she wente secretely out of the monasterye / neuer after herde they ony thyng of her ¶ Here after folowed the seconde chapytre of contemplacyon A Yong broder named Zacharye wente to his abbot named Syluanus for to speke to hyym / but he founde hym Incontemplacyon hauyng his hondes lyfte vp to heuen And he seeyng that he shette the dore / wente his waye After he cam ayen at the hour of sexte / and at the hour of none And fynably he cam at ten of the clocke at nyght / knocked atte dore entred in / he founde hym that he rested Neuertheles he asked of hym saynge Helas fader what haste thou had this daye / whan I was comen hyther to the The whiche answered that he was seke Thenne the brother fylle doun ate his feet sayd to hym Fader yf thou saye not to me what thou hast had I shal not leue the to goo Thenne sayd the holy man I haue be rauysshed to heuen haue seen the glorye of god / haue be deteyned ther vnto this hour ¶ Some of the olde faders sayden that as they spake of the holy scryptures wordes edyfycatyf / they sawe thangels enioye prayse god And after that they began to speke of worldely thynges vnprouffytable / they sawe foull hogges swyne stynkyng come in the myddes among theyÌ„ whiche made theym all foule After whan they began to speke agayne of god / they sawe agayn the angelles semblably as they dyde to fore That is to saye that god is with theym that speke of god / the deuyll with theym that speken of dyshoneste thynges ¶ An holy man sayd the one may synne in four maners Fyrst in euyll thought Secondely in consentynge to the same thought Thyrdely in spekynge euyll of an other Fourthly in doyng by werke outwarde that whiche he had in his euyll thought And in al these thynges is not the wrath taken awaye / but as he sayth at the begynnyng I shall not punysshe somtyme for the thre synnes / whiche ben thought / spekyng / consentyng / but the fourth / that is to saye / whan with theym the werke shall be doon I shall punysshe theym ¶ An holy man of Sychye in makynge his celle / he was on a tyme mery Ioyous And whan the fouÌ„dement was made / he cessed not tyll the resydue was achyeued It happed on a tyme that in repayryng he began to wepe The brethern asked hym why he wept And he answered theym / that he had a grete cause of heuynes / for it had be shewed to hym / that that place sholde be desolate destroyed And sayd also I haue seen the fyre ones in Sychye / the whiche hath be quenched / I sawe it also the seconde tyme / it was also quenched / but the thyrde tyme I haue seen a meruaylloê° so grete a fyre that hath brente all Sychye myght not be quenched / therfore I haue cause to be sorowfulll ¶ An holy man sayd it is wryten in the psalmyst The Iuste shall flourysshe / as the palme of the foreste of Lybane And by this it is shewed that the good werkes shall haue for theyr salayre swete fruyt / ryghtfull / noble / for in the palme is a parte swete whyte / lyke wyse is in the herte of the rightfull man for he is swete by mercy pyte / whyte by IllumynacoÌ„n of fayth And he is stronge to resyste ayenst the temptacoÌ„n of the fende of helle ¶ The good sunamyte receyued Helyzee the prophete in to hyr hous / not that she had ony carnell affeccoÌ„n towarde hym / for she was holy Iuste / but she receyued hym as a gheste ¶ Morally by this sunamyte is sygnefyed the soule / by Helyzee the holy ghoost Thus thenne as oftymes as our soule is withdrawen and separate from worldely thynges seculer in adressyng it to god / so oft the holy ghoost cometh anone for to lodge hym in the soule / thenne the soule whiche tofore was bareyn of good werkes may brynge forth good holy werkes ¶ An other holy man sayd that in lyke wyse as we see a swyne whiche is all foule may not lyfte his eyen towarde heueÌ„ but alwaye loked dounwarde / so in lyke wyse is the soule of a lecherous man / that whiche deteyned by his right foule desyre couetyse may not thynke but on erthly thynges / ne lyfte vp the eye of coÌ„templacoÌ„n for to knowe in what astate he is / but he hath
was not cladde with precyous clothyng For suche people soo clothed serue not god / but to temporell lordes / he was cladde with skynnes of Camellys oonly And therfor yf he that was saynctefyed of god in the wombe of his moder / and was so moche loued of god and was a very prophete more than a prophete hath be cladde with the skynne of a Camele / we that be myserable synners oughte to be contente with vyle vestementes without to desyre other / eueryche after his astate Yet furthermore saynt Peter in his epystle defendeth precyous clothyng / but yf it be to please the worlde TheÌ„ne we ought not to seche theyÌ„ / but rather we ought to seche vertuous clothynge for our soule / and not for our bodye / the whiche clothyng is charyte / fayth / humylyte / bounte / and benygnyte / for of these vertues our soule ought to be garnysshed for to lyue perpetuelly with god And how well that our bodye be aorned with golde and syluer or with precyous vesture Alway it ne is but duste and fylthe / and therfore we ought not to demaunde the eases of our bodye For yf we nourysshe it after his appetyte / we nourysshe our enemye with vs / by cause that a man hath noo gretter enemye than his bodye / the whiche draweth his soule to synne yf he maye Therfore eche persone ought to holde it subgette and to chastyse it by thexample of saynt Poul whiche sayth I chastyse my bodye / and rendre it to seruytude ¶ How alle thynges ought to be doon by reason mesure Caplm .vij. OVre body ought to be chastysed by wakyÌ„ges by dyuerse other maners / to the ende that it drawe not our soule to synne / but neuerthelesse it must be doon in suche maner / that in chastysyng it / he leue not to do good werkes / for he that wolde make lene put his bodye to afflyccoÌ„n in suche wyse that he may not contynue in vertuous werkes he sholde not be wyse ne dyscrete And thou oughtest to vnderstonde that the vertues of scylence / nakednes / abstynence / chastysyng of his bodye ought to be doon with dyscrecyon / the whiche is a souerayne vertue / without the whiche none operacoÌ„n is vayllable / where she shall be / it shal be merytorye / by defaulte of dyscrecoÌ„n the operacoÌ„n is not prouffytable / wherfor we may saye that dyscrecoÌ„n is moder of the other vertues And therfor I admoneste the that thou take dyscrecoÌ„n in al thy werkes / to the ende that thou falle not on that one syde ne on that other Of this vertue of dyscrecoÌ„n thou hast in the lyfe of faders called in latyn Vitas patâ—uÌ„ for thabbot Anthonye sayth / that there be some that make lene theyr bodyes / but for that they do it not dyscretly they ben well ferre fro the Royame of god ¶ Of the we le of conpunccoÌ„n whiche pryncypally cometh for a man to mortefye hym selfe Caplm .viij. BVt for as moche as in all operacyon is requyred conpunccyon It byhoueth fyrste to knowe the dyffynycyon of it Thenne I trowe that very mortyfycacyon may not be goten by ony persone without conpunccyon And therfore I praye the that in all thy werkes / be it in kepynge abstynence / or that thou louest to be euyll clothed / or that thou wylâ— wake / or doo ony other helthfull werke / that thou doo it all to the honour of god / yf thou wepe for thy synnes / there shall ensyewe therof conpunccyon and dyspleasaunce / but thou oweste to doo it in suche wyse that noo persone be sklaundred / but rather edefyed in to good / haue thenne conpunccoÌ„n and heuynes in thyn operacoÌ„ns / to th ende that thou mayst saye with the psalmyste Lorde god I offre to the my sacrefyce all full of the marghe of conpunccyon Thenne oughtest thou to knowe that he offreth sacrefyce to god the whiche gyueth hym selfe alle ouer to god / the whiche thyng apperteyneth proprely to relygyous people / to theyÌ„ of theyr vocacyon By the marghe of whiche sacrefyce / we vnderstonde the conpunccyon / dyspleasaunce contrycyon at the herte of hym that sacrefyceth to god Thenne sacrefyce without marghe is operacoÌ„n without conâ—â—ycoÌ„n The psalmyst speketh of this marghe in a place sayeng thus Thy sacrefyce be made fatte of the fattenes of contrycoÌ„n / whiche we calle marghe The vertue of conpunccoÌ„n is moche grete For in the lyfe of faders is wryten of an holy man the whiche sayd / that to vs it were ryght necessarye to wepe incessauntly The whiche cam agayne after that he was deed sayd to his brethern in wepyng bytterly bycause they wolde not wepe MaledyccoÌ„n be to you Maledyccyon be to you And by cause we may see here what is to vs necessarye duryng this lyfe alwaye to wepe / to the ende that after our deth in this worlde we descende not in to the tourmentes of helle / the whiche thyng we ought gladly do / consyderyng that this lyfe mortalle is myserable and transytorye / but that other shall neuer haue ende / in the whiche the Iuste persones shall haue Ioye perpetuelly with the auÌ„gellys And the myserable synners shall be tourmented by the deuylles with the dampned in helle perpetuelly without remyssyon For it is wryten that in helle is noo redempcoÌ„n that is to theym that by theyr demerytes and deseruynges be dampned And therfore yf we maye not wepe as ofte as we wolde / lete vs persyste and coÌ„tynue in deuoute prayer For it is in the puyssaunce of our lorde to gyue to vs habondaunce of teeres And to this purpose is conteyned in the lyfe of faders an example of a relygyous man whiche complayned to an holy man sayeng My soule desyreth to haue teres and to wepe / lyke as the other olde faders haue wepte / but it can not haue it To whom the holy man answered Thou oughtest to persyste in prayer / for thou mayste not obteyne soo soone that whiche thou demaundeste / knoweste thou not well that the childeren of Israell were by the space of fourty yere in deserte tofore they myght come in to the londe of promyssyon The teres theÌ„ne ben the londe of promyssyon / to the whiche yf thou mayst come / thou shalt nomore drede th assaultes temptacyons of the enemye of helle It is reherced of thabbot Arsenius / that had alwaye tofore his eyen a clothe to wype awaye the teres that yssued out contynuelly So thenne ought we by example dyspose vs to wepynges wayllynges / yf he and the other holy faders whiche were so Iuste / mortefyed theym selfe in this maner / by moche more greter reason we synners ought to wepe in thynkyng on the deth and on the terryble daye of Iugement of god And for this cause sayth Amon to one of his brethern / we ought to be as the theef in the pryson / the whiche awayteth none
vitas patrum ¶ Here foloweth the right deuoute / moche lowable / recoÌ„mendable lyff of the olde Auncyent holy faders hermytes / late translated out of latyn in to frenshe / and dylygently corrected in the cyte of lyon / the yere of our lord M. CCCC lxxxvi vpon that whiche hath be wryten and also translated out of Greke in to Latyn / by the blessyd holy saynt Saynt Ierome right deuoute approued doctour of the chirche / other solytarye relygyouse persones after hyÌ„ And after in the yere of our lorde M. CCCC.lxxxxi reduced in to Englysshe folowyng the copye / alwaye vnder correccyon of doctours of the chirche ¶ The Prologue of the translatour FOr as moche as dayly amonge the Infenyte multytude of mortall people / is seen but fewe of theym that lyue vertuously And the contrarye many in grete nombre lyuen voluptuously / and in that maner passen forth theyr tyme. This consyderyng I haue holden reputed And yet repute holde well happy theym amonge other / whiche of our souerayn lorde and god Ihesu cryste maker conduytour of all thynges / haue obteyned that synguler grace that they may verytably saye that they haue lyued vertuously And that I see some to happen in our tyme the whiche by theyr mellyflue swete eloquence haue admynystred helthfull doctryne / by the moyen of theyr excellent bokes in latyn And other whiche haue wryten translated to our prouffyte and vnderstondyng / wherof in so dooyng they hâ—â—e meryted deserued to be gretely thanked recoÌ„maunded The whiche thyng I byleue hath not ben ouer dyffycyle ne harde to do / seen the sublymyte hyenes of theyr sharp vnderstondyng the fructuouse instruccoÌ„n whiche they haue had in lettres greke latyn By the ayde of whom they haue goten the souerayne manere well to persuade saye But I whiche in ony scyence am not suffycyentely Instructe And also I haue not in me ony begynnyng of eloquence / fynde my self all affrayed / doubtyng to be repreued of ouer hardy presumpcoÌ„n to haue soo indyscretely entreprysed the translacoÌ„n of this presente werke Neuertheles reducyng to remembrauÌ„ce the prouerbe of the ê“phete sayeng / that fortune helpeth the hardy / haue in my selfe Iuged to be a thyng lycyte and resonable / to tempte assaye yf to the vtylyte comyn prouffyte I myght make ony werke By the whiche yf I haue not vertuously lyued / atte leste I may saye that I haue not alwaye passed my tyme vnprouffytably And by this consyderacoÌ„n also / that I see but lytyll or fewe persones applye theym to lede solytary lyfe / I haue entreprysed to translate out of latyn in to the Frensshe tongue the right deuoute solytary lyfe of the auÌ„cyent or olde holy faders hermytes somtyme dwellyng / as well in the grete desertes of Egypte / of Thebayde / of Mesopotamye / as in other places / vpon whiche haue wryten Saynt Ierome / the moche auctorysed doctour of holy chirche / some other reuerende faders after hym And how well that I suppose that this werke ought not to be agreable to the redars by reason of the fayr ornate langage / wherin is none Neuertheles I byleue that many that shal see the grete penauÌ„ces / meruayllous straytnes of lyuynge / in whiche haue perseuered all theyr lyfe the sayd holy faders togydre / the fayr helthfull example that ben therin conteyned / shal employe gladly a parte of theyr tyme to rede or to here it redde And further more by cause that I doubte not / that many that shall see this boke / shal mowe verytably saye / that I haue not well elygantely ne dyrectely wryten in this present translacyon I mekely beseche theym that they take no regarde to the defaultes mepcoÌ„ns that they shall fynde But that they consyder that my lytyll â—eble engyne hath mowe here in it dooyng For my regarde or affeccyon hath not be to employe my selfe for to receyue ony temporel prouffyte or thanke / but oonly to th ende to do thynge the some may fynde prouffyte therby Or that they that can do better / that it please theym to correcte and amende / be it in augmentyng or dymynysshyng / lyke as they shall see to be doon And vnder this confydence I calle fyrste the ayde of the holy ghoost / by whoo 's helpe I shall begynne the declaracoÌ„n of the chapytres of this present boke And after I shall procede to the translacyon of the prologue And consequently of all the boke / as if shall be seen by eche partye of the same ¶ Here foloweth the declaracoÌ„n of the table of the chapytres of this present volume conteynyng in it four partyes In the fyrste of whome ben the chappytres here after declared ¶ Prologue of saynt Iherom ¶ Of saynt Iohan the hermyte / whiche begynneth in latyn PrimuÌ„ igitur Caplm primuÌ„ ¶ Of the lyfe dedes of an holy abbot named Hor. To whom by grace dyuyne was shewed the yefte of scyence of holy scrypture / begynneth in latyn Vidimus et alium Caplm .ij. ¶ Of saynt AmÌ„on abbot of thre thousande monkes / begynneth in latyn Vidimus auteÌ„ Caplm .iij. ¶ Of saynt Benon abbot ledyng an angelles lyfe / begynnyng vidimus et alium Caplm .iiij. ¶ Of the cyte of Exâ—rynque / in the whiche dwelled neuer heretyke / begynnyng Vidimus auteÌ„ Caplm .v. ¶ Of saynt Theon whiche was .xxx. yere without spekynge / begynneth Vidimus aliuÌ„ Caplm .vi. ¶ Of saynt Appolonyen confessour of his vertues / begynnyng Vidimus et alium Caplm .vij. ¶ Of saynt Ammon thermyte / whiche slewe a dragon / coÌ„uerted the theues / begynneth in latyn Que audiuimus Caplm .viij. ¶ Of saynt Coprett preest heremyte and begynneth in latyn Erat quidaÌ„ Caplm .ix. ¶ Of saynt Cyr. Ysaye Paule / whiche begyÌ„neth Adhebat adhuc Caplm x. ¶ Of saynt Helayn whiche begyÌ„neth in latyn Fuit aliê° vir Caplm .xi. ¶ Of saynt Helye whiche begynneth Vidimê° aliuÌ„ senem Caplm .xij. ¶ Of saynt Pithuyon / whiche begynneth RedeuÌ„tes Caplm .xiij. ¶ Of saynt Eulogyon / whiche begynneth in latyn Vidimus et alium c. Caplm .xiiij ¶ Of saynt Appellen / and begynneth in latyn Vidimus et alium presbiteruÌ„ Caplm .xv. ¶ Of saynt Paphunce / begynneth in latyn Vidimus et aliuÌ„ monasteriuÌ„ Caplm .xvi. ¶ Of the monastery of saynt Ysydoee begynnynge in latyn Vidimus apud Thebaida Caplm .xvij ¶ Of saynt Serapyon abbot / whiche begynneth in latyn Sed in regione Caplm .xviij ¶ Of saynt Apolonyon Relygyous martyr / begynnyng in latyn Tradebant ergo Caplm .xix. ¶ Of saynt Dioscore abbot begynÌ„yng Vidimus aliuÌ„ Caplm .xx. ¶ Of the monasteryes of Nitrye / begyÌ„neth in latyn Venimus Caplm .xxi. ¶ Of a nother place callyd Cecylya begynneth in latyn Post hunc vero Caplm .xxij ¶ Of saynt Ammonyon abbot
heede of al synÌ„e ye shall resyste all vyces / for who resystith the herde he may lyghtly resyst gainsay the meÌ„bres / Wyth this he exhorted hem to vaynquisshe eche other / in surmouÌ„tyng eueryche his broder in vertues / For he say de the eueryche ought to desire to be more perfyte than his neyzbour also he sayd that the man is more perfyte in vertues that is not subdued ne vaynquysshed by worldly teÌ„ptacoÌ„ns for to resyst the sinnes fowle wylles is the begynÌ„yng of the yeftes of god / And after he sayd to hem yf ony of you do ony myracle / therefor he ouÈte not to glorifye hyÌ„self ne to repute hyÌ„ more worthi than his felowes / Also he ouÈte not shew to the peple the god hath gyue to hyÌ„ suche grace For otherwyse he seduceth deceyuyth hyÌ„selfe lesith his reward / yf the sayd holy man had excellent grace in doctryne yet more grete had he in operacoÌ„ns Al that he demauÌ„ded of god was to him acorded grauÌ„ted wyth this many reuelacoÌ„ns were shewed to him ¶ Amonge the whiche of one of his felowes wyth whom he had longe tyme vsyd his lyf was shewed to hym that he was in heuen in the sete of thapostles in lyke glori A nother tyme he prayeÌ„g for hyÌ„self to god that it wolde pleyse hym tabrdge his dayes to brynge hym in to the reame of heuen God shewed to him that he sholde be yet a lytyll tyme in the world for to be an exaÌ„ple of vertues to many other hermytes whiche by him shold be enformyd in holy coÌ„uersacoÌ„n as it was shewed to hym so it happed / For after that came to hym many hermytes fro dyuers places couÌ„trees whiche ensewyd hym in doctryne in vertues in suche wyse the many renounced the world for to folowe him made a monastery in the sayd mouÌ„tain wher as they lad a lyfe comyn / And those religyoê° men wer clene of body of soule notwythstondyng that they were in Egypt where as habounded synÌ„e malyce Yet were they vertuoê° reputed as angels / And therby is verefyed the sayeng of thapostles sayeng that where as habouÌ„dith synÌ„e there also habouÌ„deth grace Now ouÈt to be noted that thabycauÌ„ts of the sayde Egipte by theyr grete ydolatry worshiped the oxen by cause they laboured the feldes by whiche they lyued / also they worshypped the water of the ryuer of Nyle by cause it watred aroused the regyons of Egypte / In lyke wyse they adoured the erth as the moost fertyle of all other the dogges also apes dyuerse herbes / And the reyson whi moued heÌ„ so to doo was by cause they sayde that the dyuers ocupacoÌ„ns that they had somÌ„ to ere the londe other to nouryssh her dogges apes other to plante herbes / so of other operacoÌ„ns had be cause that they in besines had be lett empesshed that they went not wyth Pharao were not drowned wyth hym whan he entred in to the reed see wenynge to haue persecuted the chyldner of Israel whyche had happened to them yf they had not be taryed by the moyen of the sayd operacoÌ„ns / And for asmoche as that hadd be cause of her preseruacoÌ„n helth they worshypped hem as godes / After this the afore is writen of the doctryne of the holi man now resteth to-see of his werkes operacoÌ„ns ¶ ThenÌ„e it is to be noted that amonge his other werkes he saw in a temple of a cyte nyghe by his hermytage an ydolle· whyche soÌ„tyme was by prestes other peple born in processyon for to obteyne vberte habuÌ„dance of rayne / The whiche thyng seenge the holy man moued wyth pyte made his prayed to god for to take this foule creauÌ„ce mysbyleue fro theim His prayer soo made they their ydoll abode all vnmouable in suche wyse that they myght not moue ne go froward ne backeward / And were there all that day with out departyng frothens / in suffrynge susteynynge the brenÌ„ynge of the sonÌ„e / ThenÌ„e the preestes sayd that the orysons prayers of the holy cristen man that dwelled there by theyr cyte namyd Apolonyus was cause that they myght not moeuene depart thens / And yf they were not loâ—ourd by him they sholde longe tyme tary abyde there / And thenÌ„e some of theim sayd that it myght well be trouthe by cause that thenÌ„e he passed forthe by Neuerthelesse they brought many oxen wenynge for to moue thydoll but they cowde not make hym for to depart fro the place fynably they sent to the holy man promysed hy that yf he wolde delyuer theim fro the payne in whyche they were they shold renouÌ„ce theyr goddes byleue in IhuÌ„ cryst / ThenÌ„e camÌ„ the holy man to theim made his prayer the whyche made they were all delyuerd fro theyr trybulacoÌ„n / And for this miracle some of theim abode wyth hyÌ„ in his hermytage other went in diuerse places shewyng publysshynge this myracle by cause wherof they coÌ„uerted heÌ„ to the crysten fayth / And anone but ryght fewe dwelled in that regron / but they were coÌ„uerted to the fayth ¶ A nother myracle worthy to be remembred dyde the sayd holy man as here folowyth / Two townes on a tyme had war one ayenst a nother bi cause of the bouÌ„des lymytes of theyr londes of whyche that one was crysten that other paynym / By cause of this dyuysion were assembled of that one part that other man / men of warre The whyche thyÌ„ge seenge the holy man was moued by charyte enforced hym tacorde appese them togider / ThenÌ„e one whiche was namyd for cheif of the sayd paynyms / cause of the warr sayd that neuer he wolde acorde vnto the deth / The holy man answerde thenÌ„e be it soo in suche wyse as the demauÌ„dest / None shall deye but thyself thou shalt haue sepulture suche as aperteyneth to the / For thou shalt be buryed in the belyes of bestes byrdes so it befell / For he was fouÌ„de dede alone vpon therth all detrenched deuoured with bestes· all thother wer abasshed how the worde of the holy maÌ„ was soo verytable / And for that cause they began to drede the god of the holy man were alle coÌ„uerted to the crysten fayth leuynge their ydolatrye / ¶ Now shal we speke of a nother myracle whiche he dyde at the begynÌ„ynge whan he rendred hyÌ„selfe in to a cauern or caue wyth certayne bredern / In an holy daye of Ester he beynge at the table wyth his bredern after the seruyce acoÌ„plisshed in stede of delycate mete he hadd a lytyll drie brede wortes of chool made with a lytyll salte onÌ„ly / And the seenge the homan sayd / yf we ben the true seruauÌ„tes of god haue very fayth we shall opteyne bi our prayers / that whiche we desyre to ete in this holy soleÌ„pnyte / TheÌ„ne the
dnÌ„i Et erit tanquaÌ„ lignuÌ„ / The whiche verses by hyÌ„ considred said that they suffysid to bryÌ„ge a man to euerlastyng lyf / After that he had be thre dayes wyth theym he went in to an hermitage whan he was in desert he ete noo thyng but rotes kept right dyligently the vertues whiche the prestes had delyuerd yeue to hyÌ„ not onÌ„ly in wordes· but also by effect operacoÌ„ns / And after this he retourned to theim whiche were moche abasshed how sodenly he was become so vertuoê° in ledyng soo harde strayte a lyf / they constreyned hyÌ„ for to dwell emonge theim / ThenÌ„e he wyllyng not to dysobey soiournod wyth theim a weke· that whiche passed he retorned in to desert / And was there vii· yere in grete abstynence in kepyng holy scrypture / ete no thyng but brede / that on the son daye / Whiche brede was mynystred to hym by grace diuyne / For whan he rose fro prayer he fonde the brede alle redy wythout bryngyng of ony persone / His refeccoÌ„n take he ete nomore tyl the nexte sonday folowyng After longe tyme he retorned fro desert / many were by him coÌ„uerted to penauÌ„ce Emong whoÌ„ a yonge man camÌ„ to hym for to be his dyscyple / ThenÌ„e clad hyÌ„ the holy man with thabyte of hermytes whiche was of the skyuÌ„e of a ghote / after enfourmyd him wyth the rules of heremytes Hrewith he had grete besynesse to bury the dede bodyes yf ony had passed out of this worlde / WhaÌ„ the childe that was his discyple saw his spirytuel fader thê° bury the dede men in clothyng theim honestli ThenÌ„e sayd he I wolde well that my fader shold clothe me thus whan I wer deed And the holy man sayd to him so shal I doo shall yeue to the asmoche as that shal saye it suffyseth / After a lytyll tyme the childe deyed was buried with his fayr fader / And whan he had wrapped him in fayr vestyments he demauÌ„ded him yf it suffised / The chylde that was tho deed answerd tofore al them that were presence there ye / that he had ynouz that his promyse was acoÌ„plysshed / ThenÌ„e all they that were present were moche admerueylled / After that the chylde was buryed the holy fader retorned in to his hermitage / whä he had be long tyme there he came ayen to vysyte his bredern in cominge it was shewed to hyÌ„ that one of hem was in deyeng And by cause it was late he hasted hyÌ„ for to see him at leest or he deyed for he was ferre fro the place where the seke man laye / that dyde he considering that our lord sayth / that we ouÈt to walke whyle we haue light For who that walketh in lyght / that is to say in instyce he offeÌ„dyth not god / therfore by cause the the sonÌ„e decluâ—ed theuynge came on He coÌ„masided to the sonÌ„e in the name of god that he shold cary yeue his lyghte vnto the time that he were comÌ„ vnto the place where the seke man was / And anone the sonÌ„e taried abode vnto the tyme that he was come / ThenÌ„e the bredern were abasshed demauÌ„ded at his comynge frowhens proceded the tarienge of the sonÌ„e / And he answerd ne remeÌ„bre ye not that our loâ—ue sayth / that who someuer hath somoche fayth as the greyne of mustard / of whiche of one grayne come procede infynyte greynes c· Anone the bredern vnderstoden that it was by his merytes that the sonne had be fixed in his syege and trone / And whan he was entred to to the place where as the seke man was / for whom he had so hasted for to come he fonde hym deed / And incontynente the holy man Mucyns kyssed hym in demauÌ„dyng him / Answere to me my broder / Whether haddest thou leuer â—e deed wyth IhuÌ„ Cryst or to come lyue agayn in this worlde / And the bâ—odder answerde / Alas my fader wherfore demaundest thou me this questyon / Thou knowest wel that it is of necessite that I be wyth my god / For. for to be in the worlde nys but myserye / Fader hermyte sayd he thenne to hym / Now goo thy waye thenÌ„e my sone / and praye for me ThenÌ„e the broder layd hym downe agayn in the bedde as he had slepte / Of whyche thynge they that were present were moche abasshed / For they knewe well that he was a man of God of holy lyfe / And this done the holy fader cladde the corps like as he was acustomyd to burye theym that were deed / walked all the nighte in prayers / And after the sayd holy man went to vysite a nother broder that laye on deyenge / And by cause that this broder doubted to be reproued of his lyfe tofore god / Prayed the holy man that he wolde gete of god that his dayes myghte be proloÌ„ged / to th eÌ„de that he myght ameÌ„de his lyfe / the holy fader answerd / What hast that do al thâ— lyf / Hast thou had no space to do penauÌ„ce thou woldest neuer lasse thy synÌ„es but alway haste augmented heÌ„ notwythstoÌ„dyng sayd the holy maÌ„ iâ— thou wylt promyse cameÌ„de thy coÌ„scyence satysfye for thy synÌ„es we shal praye god for ye. they put beÌ„ al to prayer anone after the holy maÌ„ had prayed the lyfe of the broder to be proloÌ„ged thre yere ThenÌ„e the holy man reysed hym out of his bed the frere beyng al hole went wyth him in to deserte / And whaÌ„ the iii. yeres were acoÌ„plysshed he brouÈt hyÌ„ ayen in the place where he had take hyÌ„ ledyng moâ—e the lyfe of an angel than of a man Wherof all the bredern were admerueyled that he was becomÌ„ in so perfyte lyf / After that the freres wer asseÌ„bled he beyng in the myddes amonge hem / the holy man began to preche of the penauÌ„ce coÌ„uersacoÌ„n of the sayd broder al the nyght And in makyÌ„g the sayd sermon lyke as the broder had be a slepe / he rendred gaue vp his spiryte vnto the holy sayntes to heuen his body was buryed / And after the seruyce done the holy man retorned in to deserte / in goynge thyder oftymes he passed the ryuer of Nyle / whyche is a ryuer merueylously grete depe / yet he neuer entred therin depper than to his knees whiche is a thynge moche merueylous / Another tyme the deuyll preseÌ„ted to hym tresours infinyte whyche he said that thei had be loÌ„ging to kyÌ„g Pharao were hyd in therth / The holy man Mucyns answerd to hyÌ„ / the and thi money be in perdicoÌ„n perpetuel / Oftymes he entred in to the hous of the bredern there where al the dores were shytt closed / whaÌ„ he wold in a moment he made a grete way And as saynt copret recouÌ„ted of the holy men tofore sayd one of
holy lawe / And also for to conferme thoos that ben here presente / And to brynge theym oute of the heresye of this Heretyke ¶ Incontynent thyse wordes sayde He called the deed man by the name that he hadd in hys lyfe / The whyche anone answerd and rose / ¶ And after that the brethern vnwounde his couerynge He shewed him all lyuyng to thoos that were there presente / The Heretyke this seenge was moche admerueyled / And fledde a way for drede of al the bredern / Whiche chaced hym oute of the countreye / ¶ Therfore oughte noo man dyspute the faythe agaynst the Heretykes but yf he be Inspyred and taughte of god / By the helpe of whom he maye by myracles more than by reasons verytably preue that whyche he woll mayntene / ¶ Of the vertues of that other saynt Machayre of Alexandrye / And begynnyth in latyn ¶ Alius vero saÌ„ctus c· Caplm .xxix. SAynt Machaire of AlexaÌ„drye souerayn more than all thother louyd solytude He enquyred curiously of the moost ferre hermitages tyll that he was at the ferthest place of al the deserte / Where he fonde al plentenousnes habuÌ„dance of dyuers fruytes all other good thynges / ¶ There were .ii. bredern to whom he prayed that they shold bryge of the other hermytes thyder by cause the place was moche fertyle habuÌ„dant / The same bredern dreding / not wythout cause theym the they shold brynge to be deceyued wyth teÌ„ptacions of the deuyll by cause that in the same deserte there were many deuylles horryble monstres / And answerde to hym that they myghte not be broughte thyder / but that they shold be in dangeour to be begyled deceyued in comynge / ThenÌ„e the holy fader retorned to his bredern / To whom he shewed thyse thynges whyche he had seen / And by this cause they were moeuyd for to goo wyth hym for to see that same deserte· ¶ The aeged ailcyent men consideryng the dauÌ„geours of the sayd temptacoÌ„ns couÌ„seyled the yonge men that they sholde not goo thyder For the place after theyr oppynyon mighte more be cause to deceyue hem thaÌ„ to moeue theym to deuocoÌ„n And more ouer the holy fader sayd to theym that the places is full of delyces yf we vsyd theym / What hope oughte we to haue of the other worlde / Whan we in this worlde shall lyue at our playsure / The yonge bredern herynge thise wordes fayr remonstrauÌ„ces anone concluded not for to goo thyder / The place thenÌ„e wherin as dwellyd the holy fader Machair was called Sycheon to whyche place was nother waye ne path / And was as ferre from the monasteryes of Nytrye aboute ii· Iourneyes / They had but lytyll water yet it was noyous bitter to dryÌ„ke / ¶ On a tyme was presented to hym a clustre of grapes / the whyche Incontynent by charyte he sente to one of his bredern whyche was seke he gaue it to a nother And that man gaaf it a nother he to a nother / And fro hond to honde it was soo ofte yeuen the fynably it came agayn to hym fro whom it fyrste was departed / And saynt Machair knowyÌ„ge their grete loue that they had togyder for to conferme our fayth saynt Iherom rehercith of the sayd saynt Machaire the he herde saye of the mouthe of the sayd saynt Machaire / that the deuyll came to hyÌ„ on a nyght sayeng / Machair aryse yu. and go we where as the bredern ben asseÌ„bled in prayer / incoÌ„tynent by the grace of god he knew that it was the â—â—yll and answerd to hym / O lyar enâ—â—e of trouth answere to me presently â—â—at haste thou to doo wyth the congregaâ—â— of the holy bredern / The deuyll answeâ— to hyÌ„ / Knowest thou not well that thasseÌ„ 〈◊〉 of relygyous people ne theyr dedes 〈◊〉 neuer made but that we deuylles ben â—â—ed therto come thou shalt see our deâ—â— / ThenÌ„e saynt Machaire put hyÌ„ to â—â—yer / in prayenge god that he wold leteâ—â—n know yf his worde were true in â—â—ynent he sawe lyke lytyl blacke chylâ—â— goo flee by all the partyes of the chirâ—â— / Now was the custome there suche that 〈◊〉 alone sayd the psalmes the other â—â—d· or they answerd / He sawe thenÌ„e yeâ—â—â—e chyldern blacke as ethyopiens whiâ—â—â— deceyned mocked al the bredern In â—he wise whan they towched some biâ—yen anone they were a slepe And yf â—â—â—y towched theim on the mouth they â—â—yd to syÌ„ge Tofor some thei shewed â—â—â—m in lyknes of a woman / and in efâ—â—â— bi dyuers scornes many bredern were â—â—â—eyued in suche wyse that some myghte â—â—t abide in the chirche / To other bredern â—â—y sprange vpon their sholds by can they had none affeccoÌ„n ne thyÌ„ kynge 〈◊〉 their prayers / this seeng saynt maâ—aire made his prayer to god sayenge â—â—y god aryse thou and chace a way the fenâ—â—s to th ende that they appyere not tofore 〈◊〉 face / ne tofore my bredern for our souâ—â— ben all full of theyr socrnes lyke as â—â—w I apperceyue / His orison made he â—â—lled the one after that other al the bredern / â—â—fore whom he had seen the deuylles / â—â—ed them yf in makyng their orrsons â—â—â—i had ben in wyll to doo ony werkes â—â—orell lyke as the holy man had seen / â—â—ey ansuerde ye / ThenÌ„e the holy man knewe that the vayn thoughtes that they had came of the scornyÌ„ges of the deuyll And to this purpoos sayth saynt Iherom that whan the thoughte of the man is wel sett in the loue of god it neuer takith ony fantasye whiche is greuoê° to hym or cause of synÌ„e / ¶ A nother thyÌ„ge more merueylouê° of the said saynt Machaire sayth saynt Iherom / That is to wyte that whan ony of his bredern came to receyue the holy sacrament of thawter / Yf they were not clene in theyr coÌ„scyences it semyd to the sayd holy fader / that the body of oure lorde retorned to thawter But whan the good men came for to receyue theyr sauyour the deuyllis incoÌ„tynent retorned bacwarde ferre ¶ On a nother tyme the same saynt Machayire that other Machaire his broder of whom is to fore spoken put theim in a boot for to go vysite one of theyr bredern with theym were some noble offycers / called trybunes right puyssaunt ryche / hauyng with theym many chyldern grete noÌ„bre of horses Innumerable quaÌ„tyte of syluer wyth other good / Whan one of theym sawe theim in the bote cladde with pore cloâ—hes he sayd to theim / Alas bredern that ye ben happy / whiche thê° despyse the world in it soo despysyng were so vyle poore clothes / Verily it apperyth that ye mocke yourself of theim of the worlde ThenÌ„e the one ansuerde to hyÌ„ truely thou sayst wel for they that folowe god by vertues mocke theymself / But the contrary we haue pyte
but yf they sholde kepe the lawe / ¶ Thenne alle the Relygyouses went away / But saynt Anthonie sette noo thynge of his menaces and thretenynges / And shewed his Scapularye / to the ende that he sholde be the better knowen for a Relygyous man / ¶ And on the moune he shewed hym in a whyte vestement tofore the faâ—e of the Tiraunt / To the ende that he was desyrynge to be of the nombre of the martyrs / that whyche by the wyll of god was kepte and preseruyd from the yâ—e of the Tyraunt / And retorned to his monastery in makynge lene and castisynge his body of more sharpe fastynges prayers contynuelly thanne tofore / ¶ Nexte his flesshe he ware the hayre / And ther vpon a vestement of hayre namyd Melote ¶ He bayned neuer his body ne neuer wysshe his fete / But by necessytee whanne he passed and wente thorugh the water / ¶ Neuer man sawe his body naked / but whanne he was deed ¶ Longe tyme after that saynt Anthonye was closyd in his monastery not wyllynge to speke to ony persone / ¶ A prynce of chyualrye named Martynyan hadde a doughter whyche was meueyllously vexed of the deuyll ¶ Soo wolde the sayde Maxymyan goo to saynt Anthonye for to praye hym that he wolde make his prayer to god that it playsed hym to heele and guarysshe his sayd doughter / The whyche Martynyan arryued there and prayed hym that he wolde open his doore / ¶ But for what prayer that he cowde make / He wolde neuer opene it / But went vpon hyghe / And saynt Anthonye sayde to hym / ¶ O man wherfore demanndest thou ayde or helpe of me / Whanne I am mortall as thou arte / Yf thou byleue in Ihesu Cryste whom I serue Praye to him And after thy fayth thy doughter shall be guarysshed and heelyd / ¶ The sayd Martinyan gyuynge faythe and credence to the wordes of saynt Anthonye called vnto the name of god ¶ And Incontynent his doughter was heelyd and guarysshed / ¶ Many folkes also whyche went and slepte tofore the doore of his sayde monastery were guarysshed of dyuers maladyes ¶ And saynt Anthonye seenge that from alle partyes people came to hym / for to recouuere helthe He wente from thens in to the hyhest partyes of Thebayde / Where as he was not knowen / ¶ And by cause that by the occasion of the grete miracles and wonders that he dyde and wroughte by the vertue of oure lorde / he sholde not entre in to the synne of exaltacyon and vayne glorye / And also that men shold not repute nor Iudge hym for an holy man / He tooke of the breede of his brethern / for to goo in to the hyghest partyes of Thebayde / ¶ And wente tyll he came to a grete ryuer On the ryuage or banke wherof / he herde a voyce comynge from heuen / Whyche sayde / ¶ O Anthonye whether goost thou / ¶ Saynt Anthonye as accustomyd to here suche voyces / Ansuered that he wente from hys monasterye / By cause that the people lefte hym not in peas / ¶ And the voyce ansuered vnto hym / ¶ Yf thou goo thyder as thou haste enterprysed for to goo thou shalte haue more payne by the halfe thanne thou haste hadd ¶ But and yf thou wolte haue peas / Goo in to the deserte whyche is here wythin / ¶ Saynt Anthonye ansueryd that he knewe not where it was / And thenne the voyce sayd to hym that there were Sarrasyns whyche haue ben accustomyd to lede marchaundyses in to Egypte ¶ Anone after saynt Anthonye aperceyued theym And prayed theym to lede hym wyth theym in to the sayde deserte / The whyche they dyde gladly / ¶ And whanne they had goon thre nyghtes / they fonde a moche hygh mountayne / Atte the foote wherof was a fayre well and fountayne / And aboute the same was a lytyll felde in whyche were palme trees in lytyll quantyte ¶ And whanne saynt Anthonye sawe that place / He knewe well that it was the place whyche was shewed to hym by the voyce on the ryuage or bryÌ„ke of the Ryuer ¶ Thenne he tooke the brede of his felowes / In recommaundyng theym to god / And abode there alle alone / ¶ After that his brethen hadd knowlege of the place where he was / Thei sente hym alwaye his pytaunce / And by cause he sawe well that it was grete payne for to brynge to hym his sustentacyon / Sente to one of his Religyouses that he sholde brynge to hym a shouell or a spade wyth two forkes of yren and some whete / ¶ The whyche brother soo dyde ¶ And anone after / he founde couuenable londe to laboure in the mountayne / The whyche he sewe wyth whete / ¶ And it multeplyed soo gretly / that he gadred ynough for to susteyne his lyffe / Wherof he was moche Ioyeous and gladde / Seenge that he myghte lyue wythoute gyuynge to ony persone ony payne or traueylle / ¶ And bi cause that some folkes came thyder / He augmented and encreacyd his laboure in the lytyll londe for to gyue Refeccyon to the comers to hys hermytage / ¶ And whanne the corne was grete / The beestes that were there ete it ¶ He dyde soo moche that he tooke one / ¶ And in spekynge to all the forsayd beestes he sayde to hym / ¶ Wherfore doo ye to me dysplaysure syth that I doo none dysplaysure to you / Goo ye fourth in the name of our lorde Ihesu Cryste / and come noo more hyther / To the whyche wordes the sayd beeste and all the other obeyenge departed all fro there abowtes / Thus lyued saynt Anthonye long wythin the pyttes fosses in the same mouÌ„tayne / ¶ And whaÌ„ somtyme his brethern sente to hym oliues or of the oyle or other fruyte for to susteyne his olde aege / he wolde none / ¶ In the mountayn he had many bataylles not oonli ayenst the flesshe but also ayenst the deuylles whyche ofte broughte to hym suche tempeste that it semed that all the mouÌ„tayne were ful of men of armes / ¶ Who well consydreth the wonderfull lyfe of saynt Anthonye he is worthy of grete praysynge / Seenge his perseueraunce in abydyng so longe tyme in one place solytary wythout seenge ony persone / But on that one side wylde cruell beestes· and the deuylles on that other syde / whyche came to bete tormente hym / ¶ And neuerthelesse he was neuer in wylle to leue hys hermytage / But abode alwaye in hys feâ—me purpoos to serue god· considryng the sayeng of the prophete Dauyd / Who someuer shal haue very fayth stedfaste hope in god shal neuer haue empeshement ne lettynge that may noye hy / ¶ On a nyghte as he woke in sayeng his prayers came aboute hym al the wylde beestes of the deserte whyche enforced theym for to byte hym / ThenÌ„e saynt Anthonye sayd to theym Yf ye haue lycence to noye me /
come to me deuoure me / And yf ye be come hyther by thentysement of myne aduersarye goo fro me· I am the seruaunt of god / And Incontynent lyke as they had ben hunted they fledde awaye / ¶ A nother tyme as saynt Anthonye made a tresse for to make a lytyll basket / For his custome was to gyue somethynge to theym that broughte to him of theyr goodes / A beeste hauynge the face of a persone and the Resydue of an Asse· drewe from his hondes the sayd tresse / And Incontynent as he sawe that / He blessyd hym wyth the sygne of the Crosse / And sayde I am the seruaunt of god / Yf thou be sente to me in his name / I shall not flee from the / anone he vanysshed a waye / ¶ Other moo grete thynges dyde saynt Anthonye as it shall appyere here after / ¶ His brethern on a tyme prayed hym that he wolde come and see them / And by cause that vppon the waye beynge bytwene his hermytage and the place where as were his brethern was noo water / He dyde doo charge mete water vppon a Camell for to susteyne the necessytees of hym and theym that were wyth hym / ¶ Whanne they were at the myddyll of the waye / theyr water faylled / ¶ And they had soo grete thurste that they were well nyghe deed / by cause of the grete heete that there was / ¶ And lete theyr Camell goo acte the aduenture of god / ¶ And the good saynt Anthonye moeuyd wyth pyte wente behynde his felowes And put hymselfe to prayer / The whyche done / sodaynly apperyd a fountayne / of whyche they were alle refresshed and eased ¶ And anone after they sechynge theyr Camell for to gyue to hym drynke fonde him casuelly bounden wyth his corde to a grete stone / ¶ Theyr waye accomplysshed at ende / saynt Anthonie his brethern came to the monasterye where as were his brethern / ¶ And anone they came hastely to hym In enbracynge and kyssynge hym / Lyke as he hadde be theyr owne fader / Anone after he beganne to comforte theyr soules / In praysynge the auncyentes and aeged / And in exhortynge the yonge to vertuouse lyuynge / ¶ And amonge other thynges he sayde to theym they sholde ofte rede the lyues of the good auncyent or aeged faders / To the ende that by their vertues they myghte be encyted and styred to lyue well And to wythdrawe from dooynge ony maner euyll / ¶ One named Froncho the whiche was of Palestine was tormented of a deuyl in suche wyse that wyth his teeth he detrenched and bote his tonge / And with that he enforcyd him to put out his eyen / ¶ He was broughte to saynt Anthonye to the ende that he myghte recouuer his helthe / Saynt Anthonye sayde vnto hym that he sholde goo in to Egypte / And anone he sholde be guarisshed and heelyd / ¶ He gaaf noo fayth to his ansuere / But abode prayenge that he wolde heele hym ¶ Thenne he sayde that there he myghte not be heelyd / ¶ Froncho byleued in his wordes And as soone as he came in to Egypte he was guarysshed and heelyd / ¶ A vyrgyne of the regyon Trypolytane was seke of a sykenesse the moost horrible that hath be seen / Fro her nose thrylles her eyen her eeres came oute Incessaūtly humours ordures so stynkynge that it was an horryble thynge to beholde and see / For the sayd fylthes as soone as they felle on the grounde they torned in to wormes / ¶ Her frendes and parentes desyrynge her helthe and hoping to obteyne the same by the moyen of saynt Anthonye putt theym on the way for to lede her to him / And in gooynge they founde sone some relygyouses whyche wente for to see saynt Anthonye / ¶ And soo they prayed theym that they myghte goo wyth theym / ¶ And soo longe they wente togyder that they came vnto a good man namyd Paphonce / to whom Maxymyen had doo pulled out his eyen for the name of Ihesu Cryst / ¶ They beyng there arryued the relygyouses made the parentes the mayde to abide there with the good holy man / And they went forthe to saynt Anthonye recounted to hym the caas of the poore mayde / In prayenge him that she myghte come entree in to his monasterye / ¶ Saynt Anthonye wolde in noo wyse that she sholde entree but sayde to the relygyouses / ¶ Goo ye forth thyder yf the mayde be not deed ye shall fynde her all hole guarisshed / ¶ And yet he sayde / none ought to come to me for to recouuer helth / ¶ For to giue helthe to seke men apperteyneth to the Sauyoure of the worlde / Neuertheles he sayd As I prayed vnto god the helthe of his doughter was shewed to me / ¶ Then̄e they wente where as the mayde was wyth her frēdes in the house of saynt Paphunce / there founde her alle guarysshed / ¶ Two brethern walkynge for to goo see saynt Anthonye in walkynge that one deyed for thurste that other laye stratched on the erthe abode the dethe ¶ Saynt Anthonye that knowynge bi Reuelacyon of god callyd tweyne of his brethern / whyche were comen thyde to hym / And sayde to theym thus / ¶ Goo ye hastely in the waye that ledyth men in to Egypte / And also take wyth you a botell wyth water / For ye shall fynde a brother deed for thurste / and a nother nyghe exspyred / ¶ The space of the waye was wel a Iourneye thens / ¶ Incontynent they wente and founde alle true that saynt Anthonye hadde sayde / ¶ They buryed the deed man / And broughte that other wyth theim / ¶ Yf ony demaūde or aske wherefor saynt Anthonye shewed not the Reuelacyon tofore the dethe of the brother / It maye be ansuered that the questyon is inpropre / ¶ For the Iugement proceded of god and not of saynt Anthonye / In soo moche that god wolde that the one shold deye / And that other sholde by saynt Anthonye be restored to his helthe / ¶ On a tyme as saynt Anthonye was prayeng to god sawe the soule of saynt Ammon religyous in Nytrye borne in to heuen by many angellis syngynge melodyously / ¶ A nother accompanyed wyth a good man namyd Theodore wolde passe the ryuer called Licuim / And by cause they myghte not passe the ryuer wythout they sholde doo of theyr clothes be all naked / Saynt Anthonye prayed the sayd Theodore that he wolde goo abacke to the ende that he sholde not see hym bare / That notwtstondyng saynt Anthonye beyng ashamed for to vnclothe hym by the grace of god he was sette ouer on that other syde of the ryuer / Theodore passed the ryuer after hym was moche admerueylled how soo hastely saynt Anthonye was passed ouer / And toke hym by the fete swore that he wolde neuer leue hym tyll he had tolde to
/ ¶ A merueyllouse thynge in sayenge thyse wordes the membres of the seke man were restored in theyr strength and helthe / In suche wyse that he wente vppon his fete / ¶ Of whyche thynge and myracle the fame sprange and spradde there alle abowte / ¶ Wherfore the holy man Hylaryon wolde noo lenger abyde there / Not for to departe from thens for ony mutabylyte or chaungynge of thoughte / But by cause he desyred to lyue solytaryly wythoute to haue knowlege of ony persone / ¶ Whanne he was foure score yeres olde he felte himselfe moche feble / And by cause that Esicius his dyscyple was thenne absente / He made a cedule or letter of his honde / By the whyche he lefte to hym alle that he hadde / ¶ That is to wyte his Robe Whyche was made of a sake / His Frocke his Pelycon and his Gospellis / ¶ Alle thyse were noo greteâ—ychesses / ¶ Many deuowte Relygyouses of the cytee of Pafun And wyth theym a notable-woman named Constance att prayers of whom he hadd heeled her sone and her doughter / Camen to hym by cause he was in dysposicyon to deyeed / And spoken wyth hym as he hadde To whom he requyred and neuerthelesse commaunded that Incontynent as he sholde be deed They sholde putt hym in to the erthe in a gardine nyghe to his hous / ¶ And tofore that he deyed there as he hadde noo more charyte he sayd to his soule / What dredest thou my soule / Goo oute of my body / Wherfore arte thou aferde / ¶ It is now gone thre score and ten yere syth thou seruedeste Ihesu Cryste / And now thou dredest to deye / ¶ And thus sayenge he rendred his spyryte to god / Incontynent they buryed hyÌ„ wythin the gardyne ¶ Anone after his dyscyple Esicius whyche was in Palestyne knew his departyng / And thenne he came in to Cypre / ¶ And whanne he was in the gardyne where as he was buryed / He fayned that he wolde dwelle there / ¶ To the ende that they that kepte hym sholde haue noo suspecyon ne mysdemyng that he wolde transporte and carye away the body of saynt Hylaryon / But he wroughte soo pryuely that ten monethes after that he stele hym a waye transported or caryed hym to Maxymian his auncyen and olde chyrche in the whyche the same Esicius and also all the men and Relygyouses there abowte buryed hym in his frocke and his pelycon / Whyche as it is sayde is there alhoole / ¶ And saynt Hylaryon is yet as he was in playne lyfe / Gyuynge out odoures sauours merueyllously smellynge swete / ¶ The good woman Constaunce / whyche hadde be acustomyd in curyouse wakinges to passe the tyme in makinge her prayers there as he had be burybe alyue / ¶ Whanne she knewe that he was transported and taken from thens She wynge the grete loue that she had to him Rendred and gaaf Incontinente her spyryte vnto god / ¶ And yet preseÌ„tly by this occasyon is there grete questyon bytwene theym of Cypre and of Palestyne / ¶ By cause they of Cypresayen that they haue the spirite / ¶ And they of Palestyne sayen to haue the body / ¶ Neuerthelesse in Cypre atte this daye ben done to the praysynge of him moo myracles thanne in Palestine / ¶ And perauenture for almoche as he loued more the place ¶ Or by cause onely that it playsyth god that soo it be done / ¶ Thus endeth this Prossesse of the ryghte holy and deuowte man saynt Hylaryon / ¶ Here folowyth the life of saynt Malachye / And begynnyth in latyn ¶ Caromas / Caplm .xxxviii. CAromas is a cyte in Syrie distaunt or beynge of fernesse fro Anthyoche abowte thyrty myle / In the whyche dwelled Malachye a man soo named / ¶ Malachye is a sayeng Syryaque / The whyche in latyn tongue is asmoche to saye as kynge / ¶ This same Malchus or Malachye was an holy man borne of Syrye with hym was alwaye an olde woman the whyche was so olde that she semyd alwaye redy to deye ¶ Thei two were so contynuelly in the chirche that they myghte be lykenye to Zacharye and Elysabeth in deuocoÌ„n / ¶ Saynt Iherom beyng in Syrye some cyteyzyns of the same cyte axed yf the sayd Malachie same woman were maryed or kynnes folke / By cause he sawe theym soo contynuelly togider / ¶ To whom was ansuered that they were holy and deuoute persones towarde god / Thenne saynt Iherom wente to vysite the holy man for to demaunde and enquyre of his life / ¶ The holy man Malachyas sayd to him that he was born of a place namyd Nyzibam / and oonly Herytour of his fader and moder / ¶ The whyche for to contynue their lygnage wold haue constrayned hym to take the Sacrament of Maryage / And nothwythstondynge that he was by his fader strongly menaced and threrenyd / And of hys moder affectuously requyred for to marye hym / ¶ Neuerthelesse he loued beter to these the state of Relygyon and to renounce and forsake the world / ¶ After he sayde to hym that for doubte of the Romayns that made watche vpon the passages and of other men of the sayde countree / He durste not goo in to the Eeste / But wente hym in to the Weste ¶ He sayde to hym also that he had be in an Hermytage whyche was namyd Calcidâ—s and stode towarde the Southe bytwene Mynas Heroas / ¶ And that he had founde there good Relygyous vnder whyche werkynge and laborynge he had lyued longe tyme. ¶ After he was in wyll to retorne in to hys countree / By cause that he wyste well that his fader was deed ¶ And for this cause he wold haue the goodes that were lefte for to gyue a parte to poore peple / Another parte to make a churche the Resydue for to susteyne his lyfe / ¶ The whiche thinge he had declared to his Abbot as he sayd / And he Incontynent blamyd hym / sayenge that it was temptacyon of the deuyll / ¶ And alleged and shewed to hym for the same many fayre hystoryes of some Relygyouses whyche in lyke caas hadd be deceyued / ¶ For the denyll vnder the coloure of good thynge temptyth alwaye the persone for to make him to accomplysshe and doo some euyll / ¶ He sayde ferdermore that his Abbott hadde sayde to hym / That he resembled and was lyke the hounde the whiche after he hadd made his vomyte Retourned and receyued it agayne / ¶ And for prayer that the Abbot cowde doo he wolde not consente to abyde ¶ How be it that he knelyd downe on his knees tofore hym / Prayenge that he sholde not goo / but abyde wyth him in prayenge and shewyng that he that putteth his honde to the plough· That is to saye that entreth in to Relygyon And he loke backewarde / Is not worthy to haue the kyngdom of heuen / ¶ Alas sayde Malachye to
not to praye for me / To the ende that I maye haue mercy atte the ende of my dayes / ¶ Zozimas herkenynge wepte moche strongely / ¶ And she beganne to telle how she was born in Egypte / ¶ And how in forsakynge her fader and moder and theyr fayre Instruccyons and shewynges / she beynge twelue yere of aege transported putte her in to Alexandrye / ¶ After that aege and durynge the tyme of seuentene yeres and more she hadde contynuelly made resydence atte the open bordell of the same towne wyth other comyn wyÌ„men there beynge In abandonnynge and vsynge 〈◊〉 be propre body to all that came / ¶ And wyth noo other thynge gate her lyuynge in passynge soo her yongthe ¶ On a tyme she liuynge in this folye sawe a multytude of people of Lybye and of Egypte / whiche sayden wolde passe the see ¶ Thenne she asked one of theym whyther they wolde goo / And wherfore they made soo grete haste / ¶ To whom he ansuered that shortely sholde be in Iherusalem the feest of the Exaltacyon of the holy Crosse / On whyche god hadde be crucyfyed / ¶ And therfore they made theym redy for to goo to the sayde solempnytee ¶ Vppon that she demaunded and enquyred of theim yf they wolde take her in to theyr companye To whom was answered ye / Soo that she hadde money for to paye the Maronnar / ¶ She sayde that she hadde noo thynge / But yf she wente in to the shyppe / And for her freyghte she sayd that shold abandouned to hym her body / ¶ And this sayd she requyred Zozimas that it sholde playse hym that she sholde telle noo more / For the ayre and he were therof enfected / ¶ Zozimas ansuered / Ha my frende saye hardely wythoute hydynge ony thynge / ¶ Thenne beganne she to recounte to Zozimas this that folowyth / ¶ Whan the yonge man hadde herde alle thyse wordes he beganne to laughe and wente his waye / ¶ Thenne she threwe awaye her spyndle that she helde / wente towarde the shyppe to saylle fourth with the other / ¶ Thenne sawe she x. yonge men atte ryâ—age of the see after her Iugement good and honeste / The other were thenne goon to the shyppe / ¶ And she prayed theym that she myghte goo wyth theym in to the shyppe And that they sholde not refuse her / ¶ And by many lewde and fowle wordes she mouyd theym to laugh / Theâ—e they tooke her in to theyr shyppe / ¶ As towchynge the Insolences by her done in the sayde shyppe she wolde noo more recounte to Zozimas / But prayed hym that he wolde be contente wyth that she hadde sayde wythout to recyte and shewe ony more / ¶ She in lyke wyse arryued in Iherusalem was abandouned to alle synne / ¶ And was not oonly contente to doo synne wyth theym of the shyppe but also with many other pylgrymes ¶ Whan the daye of the feest of the holy Crosse was come / She wente tofore the yonge pylgrymes for to excyte them to the synne of secherye / ¶ But neuerthelesse she wente wyth the other in to the chyrche for to worshyppe and adoure the Crosse And came vnto the porche / Wenynge to entre in / ¶ And notwythstondynge that she was borne wyth grete payne vnto the yate of the chyrche / Yet myghte she not entree / How well that alle the other entred lyghtly that wold entre ¶ But by the power of god whyche wythstode her she was reiecte caste abacke from the yate / ¶ And fyrste she supposid that the cause why she mighte not entree was by cause that she was feble as wymmen ben whiche be not soo stronge as men ¶ Thenne she enforcyd her for to entree more asprely thanne she dyde tofore / But all her enforce auaylled her not / ¶ For she was ofte reiected and caste abacke / In suche wise that her body was shouen and brused / ¶ Thenne she abode longe tofore the gate / in beholdynge alle the worlde whiche entred in wythoute ony force or vyolence / ¶ And began to thynke that the grete multytude of synnes whyche she hadd commysed and done was the cause and lettynge for whyche she myghte not entree / ¶ And thenne she beganne to wayle and wepe bytterly and smote her breste wyth grete contrycyon and dysplaysure of her lyfe / ¶ And beholdynge on hyghe she sawe an ymage of the vyrgyne Marye· whiche hadd borne the god of heuen and of erth / sayenge that for my horryble synnes whyche I haue done and commysed I am not worthy to beholde oonly thyn ymage / For thou arte a vyrgyne tofore thy chyldynge and after / ¶ And therfore it is noo thynge Iuste ne ryghtfull that a poore and a lecherous detestable make prayer vnto the / ¶ Neuerthelesse by cause thou haste conceyued and engendred hym that woll alwaye calle agayne synnars to penaunce / I byseche the that it maye playse to helpe to conuerte me to hym / In gyuynge to me ayde and comforte for to entree in to his chirche / To the ende that I maye worship and adoure his ryght worthy Crosse / in whyche he shedde his precyous blode for to Redeme me from the paynes of helle / ¶ CoÌ„maunde blessyd lady and vyrgygyne that the yate be open to me / And I promyse to thy dere sone whyche is my god and to the also that I shall neuer retorne to synne / But Incontynente that I haue adoured and worshipped this precyous Crosse I shall forsake al the worlde / ¶ She recited and tolde ferdermore to the sayde Zozimas that in contynent after her prayer made as sayd is / She trustynge in the grace of oure lorde Ihesu Cryste and of his blessyd moder wente to the yate / Where tofore she cowde not entree / And in grete fere as half deed she entred lyÈtly wyth oute ony dyffycultee / ¶ And after came to the place where as was the ryghte worthy Crosse of our Sauyour / To fore whyche she knelyd on her knees / â— And in feruente deuocyon she adoured lyke to other / ¶ And after came to the ymage of the virgyne Marye moder of god for to gyue thankynges to her the beste wyse she cowde of that whiche bi her Intercessyon she hadde soo grete a pryuylege to worrhyppe his precyous Crosse / ¶ In sayenge / O gloryous virgyne Mary glorye be to god almyghty whyche by thyne worthy Intercessyons hathe wylled to Receyue me synfull woman to mercy / ¶ What oughte I more to doo thanne to accomplysshe that whyche I haue promysed / ¶ And yet agayne I praye the that thou helpe me to conduyte me and sette me in the way of saluacoÌ„n for to the I yelde me as to her whiche may helpe socour me ¶ Anone she herde a voyce whiche sayde to her / Woman passe ouer the flom Iourdan / And thou shalte fynde there thyne helthe and reste of thyne soule / ¶ Inconcynent
I was admynystred in the chyrche of saynt Iohan in Iherusalem / ¶ I praye the that thou dyspyse not my requeste / But doo as I haue sayde to the / ¶ Wyth this thou shalte saye to IohnÌ„ Abbot of thyne monasterye that there ben some thynges to be corrected in his chyrche and Abbaye the whyche I wol not tell to the now / ¶ But neuertheles thou shalte aduertyse hym to take hede to his Relygyouses / ¶ Thyse wordes sayd the goode woman retourned in to her caue and dwellynge place accustomed ¶ The good Zozimas retornyng to his monastery kyssed the grouÌ„de where as she hadde markyd / In praysynge god / And sayde non thynge alle that yere of that he hadde seen / ¶ For by cause he durste noo thynge saye / He enterteyned wyth his brethern whanne they were retourned from the Desertes after theyr custome / ¶ Alle the yere syghed Zozimas somoche desyre hadde he that it were passyd ¶ Whanne the tyme was come that the brethern sholde departe for to goo in to Deserte to make theyr fastynges as they hadde ben accustomyd / ¶ Zozimas was taken with a feuer / And therfore he abode in the monasterye / ¶ ThenÌ„e he remembred that she had sayde to hym whanne he wolde haue gone wyth the other he myghte not ¶ The daye of the Cene comen / And after that alle the brethern were retourned from Desertes / ¶ Zozimas in obeyenge that whyche that the goode lady saynt Marye Egypcyen hadde sayd to hym / ¶ He tooke a chalys and the precyous body and blood of oure Sauyoure Ihesu Cryste / ¶ And after he putte fygges and Dates in a lytyll panyer and in a lytyll potte potage wyth water / ¶ And soo wente forth as he hadde ben cauzâ—e vnto the rynage of the flom Iourdan / In abydynge the good woman Marye Egypcyen / ¶ And notwythstondyng that it was longe â—â— she came thyder / Yet Zozimas slepte not / Ferynge that she hadde ben there tofore his comynge / ¶ Wherfore he wepte and prayed god in sayenge / My god whyche haste wylled to yeue to me the grace to se this holy woman / I byseche the that it maye pleyse the to graunte to me agayn that I maye yet ones se her / ¶ And in prayenge and makynge hys orysons came to hym a nother fantasye / ¶ And after he sayd / Alas what shal I do whan she shall come / how shall she come ouer the Ryuer ¶ Alas I haue noo Boote to rowe her ouer / Alas that I am vnhappy / ¶ And thus sayenge the holy woman came and taryed on that other syde of the flom Iourdan / ¶ Whanne Zozimas sawe her he was replenisshed wyth Ioye and thanked god / Alwaye thynkynge how she myghte come ouer wychoute boote / ¶ And he beholdynge her what she dyde He sawe her make the sygne of the Crosse vppon the water / ¶ And after she beganne to walke vppon the water / In passynge ouer as stedfastly as she hadde walked vppon drye londe ¶ She beynge yet vppon the water sayd to Zozimas / What doost thou faynt fader whyche arte preest and seruaunte of god kepynge the holy thynges / ¶ And thus sayeng she came vnto the other ryuage of the flood where as was the holy man / Whom she salewed righte humbly / ¶ Thenne he answered I was soo admerueylled of this myracle that I was in maner of a aslepe / Now I knowe / that alwaye it is trouth that god saythe whyche hathe promysed to theym that puryfye theym by penaunce / That they ben agreable to hym ¶ Alas I knowe now / how well I be lasse in perfeccoÌ„n thanne they that ben in this place / ¶ And I helde me the moost perfyghte in my former monastery ¶ This done the holy Marye Egypcyen sayde to hym that he sholde begynne the Symbole Quicunque vult saluus esse et cetera ¶ After they sayde the orayson Domynycall / That is to saye the Pater noster / The whyche achyeued she kyssed the holy fader Zozimas / ¶ And after receyued the holy sacrament of the aulter her maker and â—â—res / ¶ And after lyfte vppe her hondes to heuen and sayde / ¶ O my god suffre now thy honde mayde and poore seruaunte in peas after thy worde / ¶ For myn eyen hathe seen thy helthe ¶ After she sayd to Zozimas Goo now in to thy monasterye and lyue in peas wyth god / ¶ And whanne this yere shall be passed thou shalte come agayne vnto the lytyll Broke where I fyrste spake to the / And yet thou shalte see me agayne yf it playse to my god / ¶ Zozimas answered / Wolde god that I myghte alwaye be wyth the / ¶ My moder I praye the that thou mote ete a lytyll of the mete that I haue broughte to the / ¶ Thenne she toke thre graynes of his LeÌ„tylle and put it in her mouthe sayenge / ¶ It suffyseth to haue the grace of the holy ghost for to susteyne the soule vndefoylled of synne / ¶ Thenne sayde Zozimas pray for me / And remembre myn Infelycyte / ¶ Zozimas tooke her by the fete in prayenge her that she wolde haue the state of the poore synnars and hymself for recommended / ¶ Thyse thynges thus done the good woman made the sygne of the Crosse vppon flom Iourdan and went vppon the water as she dyde tofore / ¶ Zozimas dredefull and Ioyeous retourned agayn in to his monasterye / ¶ But he was dysplaysed by cause he hadde not asked her name / ¶ The yere passed he came agayne in to the place afore sayde / ¶ And byholdynge on alle sydes yf he myghte se her ¶ But he cowde fyude none apparaunce nor knowlege ¶ And lyftynge vppe his eyen to henen made his prayer sayenge / ¶ O my god playsyth it that to shewe to me the Aungell to whom alle the worlde is not worthy to be compared or lykened / ¶ And thyse wordes thus proferred and vttred / he saw ouer the sayde broke a clerenesse shynyng as the sonne / ¶ Vnder whyche bryghtnes laye deed the body of the holy Egypcyen / Hauynge the face towarde the Eest And her hondes Ioyned vppon her breste / Thenne Zozimas aroos and wente vnto the sayde body / ¶ By whyche he wepte a longe whyle / wasshynge her fete wyth his teeres wythout towchynge ony other parte of her body / ¶ Thynkynge in hyÌ„selfe that he was not worthy to towche her / ¶ But by the prouydence of god he founde a letter in whyche was wreton this that folowyth / ¶ Fader Zozimas putte in sepulture the poore body of Marye Egypcyen To the ende that in soo dooynge thou rendre to the erthe that whiche is hys / And poulder to poulder / in prayenge god for my soule / ¶ Zozimas was moche admerueylled In thynkynge how thyse lettres hadde ben wreten / Neuerthelesse he reioyced hym of that he knewe her name / And praysed and
theyr frendes / ¶ The eyghte daye after whyche was Sondaye he tooke leue of the sayd wydowe and wente openly thorugh the strete / ¶ And in gooynge he founde in his waye a man moche olde / whom he salewed demaundynge whether he went and yf he wolde holde hym companye ¶ To whom the olde man ansuered that he wolde doo as it sholde playse hym / ¶ And soo they wente togyder oute of Rome in sechynge theyr mete fro dore to dore / ¶ And longe tyme they wente togyder by the wayes the whyche the threpilgryms tofore namyd hadde holden / ¶ And after the good Machaire recyted that whan he came a .xxx. myle nyghe to the place where as he was / and recyted thyse thynges that same olde man whyche had acompanyed hym syth he departed from Rome vanisshed a way and wyste not where he became / ¶ Thenne was saynt Machaire sore trowbled In soo moche he wyste not what to doo / ¶ But layed hym downe on the erthe / and there wayled and weâ—te habundauntly / ¶ And he beynge in this poynte wayllynge and wepynge The same man that was in his companye / apperyd to hym agayne and sayde / ¶ Ryght dere brother angre the noo thynge / ¶ For I am the Aungell Raphaell sente from god for and to helpe the in thy necessytees / ¶ And knowe the that by the coÌ„maundement of god I haue brought the hyther ¶ Oure lorde hathe alwaye holpen the In gyuynge waye prosperouse / By the whyche thou haste passed alle the derâ—e places / And theim where as ben the tourmentes of soules / Now thou art in lyght / And therfore thou oughtest now to drede noo thynge But goo forthe in the waye that thou haste begonne / ¶ Thyse thynges thus sayde the aungell departed from hym / Thenne reprysed and tooke agayn saynt Machaite his strengthe and wente forthon / ¶ And ryght soone after he founde a wylde asse / The whyche he adiured in the name of god that he sholde adresse and gouerne hym the waye by whyche he myghte surely goo / ¶ After the sayne coniuracyon the asse wente forth by a lytyll path / And soo folowynge hym saynt Machaire wente wyth hym two dayes / ¶ And the thyrde day he founde an herte without comparyson more greter thanne ony of the countree / ¶ The sayde asse seenge the sayde herte / hadde grete drede and left the holy man whyche was thenne sore trowblyd By cause he myghte not know ne see ony wayne pathe ¶ He thenne soo abasshyd that he wyst not what to doo / He adiured the herte that hadde be cause to make hym to lese his guyde / That he hymselfe sholde guyde him and lede hym surely ¶ And Incontynente the sayde herte came to hym lyke as a good came beest / ¶ And in a strayte waye he beganne to goo to fore the good holy man / In lokynge be hynde hym yf he folowyd hym alwaye ¶ And soo they wente togider thre dayes / ¶ The fourthe daye they founde a dragon merueyllous whyche laye alonge in the waye / ¶ And whanne the herte sawe the dragon he fledde a waye and the good man abode alone / And wyste not what to doo but to calle on the name of god / And felle downe prostrate to the erthe for to make his prayer / ¶ After he blessyd him wyth the sygne of the Crosse / ¶ And commaunded in the name of god the sayde dragon that he sholde doo to hym none harme ne lettinge / ¶ And thenne it haped by myracle and agaynst the comyn vsage of nature that the dragon spake and sayde to hym / ¶ Come on hardly come on well happy and seruaunte of god Machaire ¶ The aungell Raphaell shewynge me thy face hathe commaunded me that I sholde come to the / for to lede the to the place whiche is arayed for the by the commaundement of god / ¶ It is foure dayes sythe I haue abyden for the wythoute mete or drynke / ¶ In this nyghte I haue seen the in a clowde ryght shynynge / And haue herde a voyce whyche sayde to me that I sholde haste me for to lede the and conduyte Bi cause thou were not ferre frome / ¶ Wherfore come on promptely folowe me And drede the noo thynge / ¶ For by the ayde and helpe of god I shall lede the to the place Whyche by hym is made redy to the / In whyche thou oughtest to loue and prayse god / Thyse wordes sayde by hym that semyd to be a dragon / Sodainly he transfygured and chaunged hymselfe in to lykenesse of a yonge man / As the same holy fader sayd / brought him vnto the holy place where he recited al thise thyÌ„ges / And where as the sayde pylgryms had founden hym / ¶ And he sayde yet ferthermore that he beynge arryued in the sayde caue / The sayde yonge man vanysshed awaye / ¶ And thenne he huÌ„bly thanked god in gloryfyenge hym of the graces that he had done to hym / In preseruynge hym fro the grete daungers wherin he hadde ben er he was comen vnto the sayde place / ¶ Neuerthelesse he sayde that he hadde be ofte tempted of the deuyll / Whyche ofte came to vysyte hym for to gyue to hym empesshement and lettynge in his contemplacyons ¶ And emonge his other temptacyons he hadde presented hym a lytyll bende to swadle a lytyll chylde brynge in his cradle / The wyche bende the holy man hadde taken and putt it in his caue forgetynge to blesse hym ne to make prayer in takynge it / ¶ A nother tyme he hadde layed tofore his caue a payr of shoes of a woman / whyche semblably and in lyke wyse he hadde taken and layed bi the layd bende / ¶ And the thyrde tyme the deuyll apperyd to hym in lyckenesse of a woman cladde wyth ryche habyllements And was aourned arayed wyth precyous stones / ¶ Whanne the sayde holy man sawe that / Not ymagynynge that it was the deuyll spake to her famylyerly demaunded what she was / And how she was comen in to his â—aue / ¶ Thenne she as heuy and sorowfull beganne to wepe and caste out greâ—e syghynges / ¶ The holy man seeng that she wepte mouyd of pyte and compassyon beganne to wepe wyth her / ¶ And thenne the deuyll beganne to speke to hym sayenge O holy man seruaunte of god I am the doughter of a noble Romayne / whyche some tyme was fyaunced and trouthplyght in maryage to a noble man of Rome ¶ But whanne the day was comen in whiche we sholde haue made the maryage He to whom I shold haue be spowsed and maryed wente his waye secretely that neuer syth was seen / ¶ And whanne I sawe that he was departed from Rome And that his parentes and kynnesmen and frendes soughte hym in grete heuinesse / I was not Ioyous But the same nyghte departed also pryuely wyth oute takynge leue of ony persone And haue passyd
thynge for deuocyon But to the ende for to enryche theym wyth goodes and rychesses of the chyrche for to lyue atte theyr playsure God knowyth what shall be the ende ANd folowynge thenne the doctryne and tethynge that Pastumyen gaaf to his Religyouses ¶ He commaunded theym ferthermore to loue not oonly the one that other But to loue god pryncypally wyth all theyr herte / That was the fyrste commaundement that god gaaf to Moyses in the moutayne of Synay / ¶ But wyth the same commaundement must be Ioyned the lone that we oughte to haue that one wyth a nother / ¶ Whanne alle Relygyouses louen eche other / and god pryncypally and fyrste / Yet muste they haue the vertue of obedyence / ¶ Loue wythoute obedyence is noo thynge ¶ For lyke as the grasse lettyth the corne to fructefye and encreace / In lyke wyse who that is in obedient and fastyth and prayeth / bryngyth fourth noo fruyte for fawte of obedyence / ¶ After he commaunded theym to excercyse the nyghtes in prayers / ¶ For by nyghte the deuyll makyth moo lettynges to deuowte persones thanne he dooth in the daye Lyke as the Gospel saythe / ¶ Who woll doo euyll Hatyth lyghte / ¶ And to this purpoos sayth the Gospell Awake awake For ye know not the howre whanne the theyf of the soules woll come / ¶ He commaunded theym also that they sholde wryte in a Table of theyr conscyences all the commaundementes of god / And that ofte they sholde laye the clothe for to take refeccyon spyrytuell in sauourynge and etynge the ten loues composyd of the ten commaundementes of the fayth ¶ The twelue artycles of the lawe / And the werkes of mercy / ¶ More ouer he sayde / O ye my brethern / whyche desyre to be very obedyent and charytable to loue eche other / byleue ye after the sentence of Baruth the prophete whyche sayth / that ye ben now the felowes of god / ¶ And in a nother place the holy scrypture sayth well happy â—en the peasyble For they ben the sones of god / ¶ Now they that ben peasyble ben obedyent and charytable / ¶ They thene that shall desyre in this corruptyble world to enioye the fruytes of heuen / He muste renounce and forsake his propre wyll in hauynge perfyghâ—e charyte / ¶ After he coÌ„maunded theym yf they hadde amonge theym ony dyscencyon or debate / that Incontynente it sholde be appeasyd / For god oure lorde dwellyth ne abydeth but in one place of peas / ¶ And the contrarye where as is dyssencyon the deuyll regnyth ¶ And ferthermore he deffended them that they neuer sholde be angry ne wrothe ne to theyr brethern ne to straungeres / ¶ And that for ony gayne of the worlde that they myghte gete They sholde not oâ—cupye theym wyth temporell thynges But oonly in werkes spyrytuell By the whyche they myghte lyghtely gete the herytage of the Reame of heuen / ¶ And whanne ony temptacyons sholde come to theym the whyche with grete payne the ymyghte eschewe / ¶ He admonested theym to torne to god / In lyf tynge theyr hondes to heuen And sayenge ¶ O my god I pray the that it playse the to helpe me / And to enforce my poore freyltee to the ende that I maye vaynquysshe and surmounte my mortall enemye / ¶ And he sayde that anone after oure prayer made to god Comen his aungellis to oure ayde for to comforte vs / ¶ And for to proue thys thynge to be true He tolde thenÌ„e to theym that on a tyme. he beynge on a mountayne came tofore hym a grete companye of deuyllis in lyckenesse of men humayne And bi cause that by the will of god he knewe well that they were deuylles / He all resoluyd / And wythoute hauynge ony drede kneled downe on the erthe in prayenge god that it wolde playse hym to make the same deuylles to departe / ¶ And Incontynent they vanysshed awaye as a fume or a smoke tofore the wynde / ¶ Many other temptacions the deuylles made to hym But god delyuered hym alwaye by the deuowte prayers that he made / ¶ Therfore in concludynge he sayde to his Relygyouses / My chyldren be ye ferme and stable in the faythe in resystynge the deuylles temptacyons / And that ye ben clymynge by feruente charyte to the loue of god / The whyche in soo dooenge he shall to you be alwaye a protectour / And by his helpe ye maye gete the reame of heuen / ¶ Thus endyth the storye of the ryght holy man Pastumyen ¶ Here folowyth of saynt Onuffryen Heremyte / And begynnyth in latyn Beate memorie paphoncius et cetera / Caplm .l. SAynt Phaphunce hauynge desyre for to vysyte alle the Relygyouses that weren in the hermytages for to accomplysshe the helth of his body more lyghtly his waye bare wyth him a lityll water and brede / ¶ And whanne he hadde walked by the space of foure dayes his vytaylle faylled him / And became all confusyd and halfe deed By cause he was soo feble that he hadde neytheyr foote ne legge that myghte susteyne hym / by cause he had neyther to ete ne to drynke / ¶ But neuerthelesse he was by the helpe of god made alle hoole and guarysshed / And hadde as moche strength as though he hadde well eten and dronken / ¶ And thenne beganne to walke agayne And contynued soo foure dayes without mete and drynke ¶ The sayd foure dayes passed / by cause he felte hymselfe feble / He was constrayned to lye downe on the erthe as he hadde be deed / ¶ And he lyenge on the erthe Sodaynly sawe by hym a man in merueyllous glory ferdfull and terryble in shynynge / Worthy of prasynge in beawte / Longe of corpulence and right clere of regarde / Whom Paphunce seenge hadde grete fere but anone after he comforted hym / ¶ For in approchyng towched his lyppes and his houdes / And restored and gauf to hym strengthe / ¶ And Incontynent aroos vpp and walkyd seuentene dayes after tyll he came to a place where as god wolde brynge hym ¶ To whyche place he came and saw a man as he rested hauynge his face terryble all coueryd wyth heer lyke as a brute beest / ¶ And fro the raynes downe alowe he hadde a vestement of leues and of herbes / ¶ Whanne Paphunce sawe thys man soo deformyd / He was sore abasshyd / And not wythoute cause / ¶ For he hadde neuer seen suche lyckenesse of man ne of woman and wyst not what to doo But fledde in to a mountayne whyche was nyghe to that place And there hydde hym vnder the braunches of the trees / He was soo sore aferde / ¶ And there he beganne to syghe merueyllously ¶ Knowynge that by cause of his aege and abstynence he myghte goo noo ferther / ¶ This man seenge that Paphunce was fledde tofore him / and that he was aferde came nyghe to hym And callynge and cryenge with an hyghe
lamentacyons and waylynges ¶ And thenne she beganne to tere her heer and to bete her breste and her vysage Enforcynge her selfe for to slee herselfe by dyspayr ¶ And thus in lamentynge and bewaylynge she bewaylled merueylously her vyrgynyte soo loste / ¶ And ferthermore / She sayde Alas me poore synnar I haue loste alle the tyme in whyche I haue done penaunce / Alle myne orysons / Fastynges and good operacyons and werkes ben by me synnar loste ¶ O ye teeres and wâ—pynges maye not redememe / ¶ O my vncle whyche is soo moche soo perfighte What shame and dyshonoure haue I done to the / ¶ Certaynly I now fere me that the wrathe of god shall hastely falle vppon me / that am made Illusyon and mocked of the deuyll ¶ Alas what shal prouffyte me from hensforth to do penaunce / It were better for me to deye thanne to lyue / ¶ O very god What synne haue I done Alas my maker how haue I coÌ„mysed and doon agaynst the suche offence How haue I be soo blynde in my thoughte Ne how haue I be soo ygnoraunte ne had noo knowlege of that whiche I oughte to do Ne where or what shal come of me ¶ Alas where ben the goode monyâ—sons and warnynges that mine vncle sayd and warned me of whan I was vyrgyne And that I hadde purposyd to haue kepte my soule Inmaculate and vndefoylled to Ihesu Cryste my spowse / ¶ Alas I am not worthy to beholde the heuen for I am deed as towchynge the worlde / ¶ And as towarde god I dare not retorne to my wyndowe / by whiche I sprange and came oute / ¶ Alas how I that am full of Inyquyte wyckydnesse shall I be hardy ynough to speke to myne vncle / I suppose yf I retourne to my lytyll howse / Incontynent yf I come and approche and come nyghe to the wyndowe by myracle shall fyre to me that shall brenne me / ¶ After thyse pyteous by wayllynges the poore synnar oute of her wytte as deed and ferre from her helth went her way in to a nother cyte / and chauÌ„ged her habyte / And after went to an hous where as dwellyd comyn wyÌ„men ¶ Now it happed that her vncle knewe her synÌ„e / by a reuelacyon whyche was suche / ¶ In his slepe he dremyd that he saw a dragon merueylous grete and so ferâ—ful that he durste not beholde it / The whiche in syflynge enforcyd him to approche come nyghe his chambre or lytyll hous / And hym semyd ferthermore that in comynge nyghe the same place the same dragon fouÌ„de a doune the whyche he deuowred / And after he had deuowred it he retornyd thither fro wheÌ„â— be came ¶ And whan the holy man Abraham a woke He beganne to wepe estemynge that the deuyl wolde sette scysme dyuysion in the chirche or that many crysten men sholde be torned fro the holy fayth ¶ And so the good holy man wyste not what to doo sauf to praye to god that it myghte playse hym to lete hym haue knowlege what the sayd vysyon betokened ¶ And two dayes after he had a nother dreme lyke / And hym semyd whanne the sayde dragon came nyghe to his house he putt his heed vnder his fete was deuyded in two partyes / ¶ After the whyche vysion the holy man sawe wythin the bely of the sayd dragon the sayde doune whyche he had deuoured And him semyd that the douue was alyue / And thenne Incontinent the holy man put his honde in the sayde bely / And drewe oute the doune a lyue / ¶ ThenÌ„e he a woke after that / wenynge to haue founde his nyece Marye in her Oratorye Came smytynge atte her wyndowe and called her two or thre tymes ¶ And by cause that syth ii dayes he had not herde her in her oratory and prayers He ymagyned and bileued that the vysyon was of his nyece Wherfore he fell downe to the grounde in makynge merueyllous lamentacyons and wayllynges and sayd ¶ Alas what is now happened to me / My doughter is now prysoner in the pryson of the deuyll / O cursyd wulfe rauysshynge Thou haste rauysshed my shepe / O sauyour of all the worlde gyue to me a gyfte That is that my shepe maye come agayne in to her folde tofore er I deye / To the ende that in perpetuell ennoye I finysshe and ende not myn olde aege / ¶ My god dyspyse not my prayer But hastely goode lorde enlarge vpon me thy grace to th ende that she maye be deliuered from the golette of the dragon ¶ The poore doughter was two yere liuynge in lubrycyte and lecherye bounden with the boundes of the deuyll and englotted in his bely / ¶ Durynge the whyche two yere the holy man Abraham prayed contynuelly to god That it playsed hym to reduce and bryng her agayne to penaunce / ¶ I thyse two yeres the holy man sende a famylyer freÌ„de of his for to serche and seche in what place she myghte be The whiche wente and fonde her and brought worde where she was and had seen her in an open house wyth comyn wymmen / ¶ The holy man anone dyde doo opene his house and wente oute of it secretely / To the ende that he sholde not be knowen he toke the habyte of a seculer man / And dyde on a grete hode and mufflyd his vysage by cause he wolde not be knowen / ¶ Now lete vs consydre the comparyson and simylytude of the fyrste Abraham And of the seconde of whom this presente hystorye makyth mencyon / ¶ The fyrste wente in to the batayle agaynste foure kynges / And rescowed and brought home his neuewe Loth Whyche was prysonner / ¶ The seconde wente also to bataylle agaynste the deuyll For to redeme his nyece whyche was prysonner and kepte and holden in thraldom and captyâ—â—te of synne to whyche she was submysyd and gyuen / ¶ For to retorne thenne to this present hystorye the holy man Abraham thus habilled and arayed as sayd is lepe vpon an horse that he had borowed for to make this vyage And so longe rode by his Iourneyes that he arryued in the house where as his nyece was And he beynge comen thider by cause he sawe her not amonge thother yonge wyÌ„men whiche were there demaunded of the hooste yf there wythin were ony yonge woman namyd Marye / ¶ The whiche hooste wenynge that the holy man were come for to commyse and perfourme his lecherye Ansuerd to hym that there with in was suche one Whyche he sayd was as fayre as one myghte see / Gentyll honeste of body / And that she hadde in her body none deformyte / ¶ The whyche wordes herynge the holy man was merueylously Ioyous / And prayed him that she myghte come forth For he wolde ete and drynke wyth her ¶ Incontynent the hoost brought her tofore her vncle prowdely and worldely arayed cladde As comynly ben thyse vnthryfty comyn wymmen / ¶ The holy
deth cowde neuer ouercome him / Who was that was deed yet he neuer rootyd / ¶ The holy man Theodore answerde / O phylosophre thy questyons ben lyghte to soylle and lyghte to be answerde / ¶ As to the fyrste I answere the that it was Adam / To the seconde it was Enoch whyche is in paradyce in erthe / And to the thyrde I saye / that it was the wyfe of Loth that was torned in to a masse of salte / the whyche is yet there as she was soo torned for the confusyon of them that wolde not byleue it ¶ And therfore sayd Theodore / My frende thynke noo more to suche folysshe scyences / For the scyence of this worlde is but folye afore god / But worshypp byleue the god that we byleue / ¶ Whan the phylosophre had herde his answere he was sore merueyled / And after that he aposed hym nomore / ¶ Of the abstynence of the relygyouses / And begynnynth in latyn ¶ Prouide pachomius / Caplm lxxxxiiii THe holy fader Pachomyen after he had be longe in the said monastery nyghe by the sayde cyte / He went to a nother that was gouerned vnder one of his dyscyples / The relygyouses well glad of his comynge came ayenst hym in grete Ioye / amoÌ„ge theym was a yonge chylde the whyche seenge the holy fader began to crie sayd / ¶ O fader abbot syth that thou departed from oure monastery we haue not ete noo caboshe nother other potage / the holy man sayd to him / My sone angre not thyselfe / For I shall make some to be soden for the / ¶ He went from thens to the chyrche where he made his prayer / The whyche done he went to the coke asked him how longe it was ago that he made ony potage for the freres he answerde that it was well ii monethes paste / ThenÌ„e axyd the holy maÌ„ of hym why he had not entreated hys brethern after the rule that he had yeue hym / Wherat the coke answerde mekely that he had done so but that whyche he sodde made redy was loste by cause none ete therof but onÌ„ly the smale relygyouses / And to th ende he shold not be ydle he with some relygiouses had made aboute .l. peces of mattes / ¶ The holy man coÌ„mauÌ„ded hym that all the sayde mattes sholde be brought afore hym / Incontynent that they were sette there in an hepe he made fyre to be put among theym / ¶ And thenÌ„e sayd to the sayd coke to the other bredern / Lyke as ye haue dyspysed the rule that I had gyue to you Soo haue I brenÌ„ed your labours to the ende that ye shall knowe what labour ye doo· whan ye hate dyspise the coÌ„mauÌ„dements that ben yeue to you by youre fader abbot for the sauacoÌ„n of your soules ¶ Wite it that they that for consideracoÌ„n of the godly thynges absteyne themselfe to doo thys that is in theryr power / they deserue grete mede of god / by the contrary he that absteynyth hyÌ„self to doo that thynge whyche is to hym defeÌ„ded forbode not onÌ„ly for the defence in terdyccoÌ„n but by some coÌ„straynyng for nouÈte he wayteth for ony rewarde the refor / ¶ But they that haue many metes byfore theym there as they haue goode appetyte to ete of theim absteyne theymselfe therfro for the loue of god / they deserue grete mede / And so do not they that forbere theym onÌ„ly by cause that they haue none / ¶ How saynt Pachomyen sawe corrected by reuelacoÌ„n of god the euyl thouztes of thanachorites that were relygiouse heretykes / begynnyth in latyn ¶ Hec cuÌ„ pachomius / Caplm lxxxxv IN this meane tyme he correctinge by wordes some of his relygyouses the porter came to hyÌ„ shewed hyÌ„ how many religyouse he remytes desyred to speke wyth hyÌ„ / So he coÌ„mauÌ„ded that they sholde be lete in / brought afore hym / ¶ After that they were entred by him honestly reuerently receyued and theyr orysons done in the chyrche they were brought fro chaÌ„bre to chambre sawe all the oratoryes of the bredern / ¶ And after prayed the holy man that they myght speke with hyÌ„ secretly / He brought theim in to his owne chaÌ„bre / In the whyche by longe space in manere of a collacoÌ„n or refeccyon spirytuell they disputed bytwene heÌ„ of the holy scryptures / And hangynge the sayd collacoÌ„n or disputacoÌ„n the holy man felt smellyd a wonderful stenche so abhomynable that wyth grete pain he might endure it / But neuertheles by cause hym semyd by theyr wordes that they were wyllyng to speke of the holy scryptures he suffred the stenche wolde not enquere wherof it came / And they coÌ„tynued in this disputacoÌ„n somoche so longe that the nyghte drewe nye where by thise heremytes were constreyned to depart / ¶ Incontynent after saynt Pachomyen sett hyÌ„self to prayer besoughte our lorde· that he wolde shewe to hym from whens this stenche camÌ„ that he had felt / Soo was it shewed to hym by the grace of god that theresies in whiche thei were obstynatly abydyng causyd them soo stynkynge Of the whiche thynge the holy man this knowynge went anone after theym so besily spedde his way that he ouertoke theym / And this done he askyd theym· yf they had not studyed in the bokes of Orygenes / Wheratt they answerd naye / ¶ And after he sayd to them / I ensure you that al they that shall redde the thynges by him wryten that shal seke gyue fayth therunto they shall haue hell for theyr dwelling places the whiche thynge I ensure you to be true ye shall knowe it / Therfor yf ye woll see for the sauacyon of your soules caste all the volumes of Orygenes in to the ryuer / ¶ After he retorned to his monastery fonde his relygiouses in prayer / ¶ Of the Reuelacyon that saynt Pachomyen hadd of the gouernynge that his religyouses sholde holde after hys dethe / And also the Prelates that were to come after hym / And begynnyth in latyn ¶ Monachis vero et cetera Caplm lxxxxvi SAynt Pachomyen vpoÌ„ a tyme that his religiouses toke their refeccoÌ„n he closed hyÌ„self with in his oratory seruynge there god in deuowte oryson vnto thour of mydnyÈte / Besechynge hym that he wold shewe vnto hyÌ„ what thastate rule of his relygiouses shold be that that was to come to theym / And who shold hold his monastery after his deth / So was to hym shewed of god that the sayd monastery sholde be encreacyd / there sholde be relygyouses that shold lyue deuoutly holily and also other that shold be neclygent of theyr sauacoÌ„n / ¶ After he sawe wyth his ghostly tye a grete nombre of religyouses in a valeye sore derke depe / Wherof some wold haue styed the mouÌ„tayn thother ran a
et cetera Caplm C.xvi. IN Alexandrye was a Prouost or ruler of the cyte namyd Nyceta fulfylled of the deuyll the whyche came to argue and repreue the holy Patryarke saynt Iohan / Sayenge to hym / ¶ Syre ye waste all the londe For ye deale to freely the syluer that is broughte to you / Better it were that ye sholde putt it to the comyn tresour / ¶ The holy man wythoute to angre hymself answerde to hym / Haa my lorde it is not leyffull that the goodes gyuen to the god in heuen be torned or appropred to the erthely thynges / ¶ But and yf semith the to be doo / Goo thou vnder my bedde and take the tresoure of Ihesu Cryste that is there / So doo therof thy wyll / ¶ Thenne this Patrice that hadd the rule and gouernaunce of the comyn wee le in Alexandrye made alle to be laden / And lefte hym noo more than to the nombre of an huÌ„dred penyes of golde / ¶ And as he was comynge downe from the sayd Patryarkes chambre / He mette wyth men of Affryque the whiche bare certayne bot telles full of golde / Vpon some of the whiche was wryten / Hony ryght good And vpon the other / Hony wythoute smoke / ¶ The sayde Patryce or Ruler whan he sawe thise superscrypcoÌ„ns sente worde to the sayd holy man that he sholde sende hym some honne / ¶ And he that was so moche humble and meke sente hym the bottell vpon whyche was wryten Honee right good wyth a letter wherin was wryten this that fofolowyth ¶ Our lorde that hath sayd I shall not leue the. Is wythout lesynge / And he is very god the whyche gyueth bothe mete and lyfe / ¶ And noo man corruptyble can not by ony wyse constrayne him / And therfore to god I coÌ„mende the / ¶ And after he commaunded to theym that bare the sayd battelles· that they sholde make theym to be openyd afore theym / And that they sholde saye that all the other that they had seen were full of syluer / ¶ The whyche thynge done / Whanne the sayde Patrice sawe that he sente hym but one bottell alone / he was sore we othe agaynst hym / And after he radde his lettre ¶ And whanÌ„e he sawe that worde That man corruptyble canne not constrayne god / He was full sory and dysplaysaunt of that he hadd done / ¶ And Incontynent came agayne to the holy Patryarke / And toke hym agayne alle that he had hadde of hym ¶ And wyth this he gaaf hym of hys owne thre hundred penies of golde / Requyryng hym by grete contrycyon that he wolde gyue hym penaunce for his synnes / ¶ Thenne the holy man was sore merueyllyd of his conuersyon soo sodaynly sore / ¶ And seenge his repentaunce comforted hym wyth mery wordes / And from that tyme ther were soo grete frendes togyder that the sayd Nicera Patrice of Alexandrye made hym his Godsypp / ¶ Of the scarnesse and derthe of scorne and suche goodes / ¶ And of a man that required to be made Deaken and begynnyth in latyn ¶ Qui Abraham c. Caplm C.vii. GOd that tempted Abraham for to knowe his obeyssaunce / Towchynge the offrynge vp of hys sone Ysaac / ¶ In lyke wyse be tempted the good Patryarke Iohan as herafter folowyth / ¶ It is rehercyd here aboue how the Assiryens that had be sore oppressyd of the Percyens For to eschewe theyr woodnesse forsoke and lefte theyr owne londe / And many of theim came to Alexandrie for to be socoured in theyr pouertee by the holy Patryarke Iohan / ¶ They beynge in Alexandrye happed there a grete derthe and scarcitee of corne thorugh the occasyon of the flode of the ryuer of Nyle that bedewyth and watreth the londe had be soo mynysshyd lessed of water that it myghte not yeue hys moystâ—es ouer floweÌ„ges acustomyd to the erthe ¶ Soo had act that tyme the Patriarke gyuen for goddis sake to the poore peple alle hys tresour and wyste not where to borow more nother golde nor syluer / Wherof he was ryght sory and namely by cause he myghte nor contynue his almesse / as he had of custome / ¶ He sett hyÌ„self to praye contynued in his orysons loÌ„ge tyme ¶ In the sayd cite was a man bygame / that is to wyte the whiche by cause he knewe that the holy man was in grete necessytee wolde constrayne hyÌ„ to make hyÌ„ a deaken in his chirche / And by cause he sholde not haue durst speke to hym therof he sent hym a letter by the whyche he besoughte hym that he wolde make hym deaken in his chirche / to the ende that in seruynge god wyth hyÌ„ he might haue remyssoÌ„n of his synÌ„es he sholde gyue hym .ii. C.M. Rasers of whete wyth a C. four score pouÌ„de of money / ¶ His lettres seen the Patryarke sent for hym after made to go oute of his chambre all his folke that were there / By cause that he wolde not repreue hym by for theim / ¶ After that they were gone the holy Patryarke sayd to hym / ¶ My frende thy proffer is moche necessary seeng the tyme of the derthe that we haue now / But neuerthelesse it is defoylled with the synne of Symonye ¶ In the olde testament men offred not the bestes to god· were they grete or lytyll / but yf they were pure clene / ¶ For of those that were bespotted man dyde neuer offrynge / ¶ And therfore god had not agreable the sacrefyce of Caym / ¶ And as towchyng my bredern or euer thyself or I were god had pâ—rueyed and nourysshyd theym / And he shall yet doo soo to theim and to me as I hope / ¶ For all they that kepe the coÌ„maundements of god / shall not haue nother nede nor pouerte but all plentee habundance of goodes / ¶ Our lorde that multeplyed the .v. loues of barley / maye well multeplye also .x. Rasers of whete that are in my Garnere / ¶ And therfore my frende I shall tell the for an answere that whiche is wryten in that tes of thapostles / That is that thou shalt not haue in the chirche nother part nor porcoÌ„n ¶ And as he sayd thise wordes came Incontinent tidynges to the holy Patriarke how two shyppes of the chirche were londed wythin the hauen and came out of Cecyle lade wyth whete / ¶ ThenÌ„e the holy man thankyd oure lord sayeng / My god I thaÌ„ke the that thou wolde not haue suffred that I shold haue solde thy grace for ony nede that I haue had / ¶ Certaynly my god I byleue stedfastli that thou shalt neuer forsake in the grettest nede theym that shall obeye the / that wyth good herte shall fulfylle thy coÌ„mauÌ„dements / ¶ Of two clerkes that dyde falle in to synne / And begynnyth in latyn ¶ Quibusdam / Caplm C.xviii TWo yonge Clerkes hauynge questyon togyder smote wrongefully eche other / ¶ And
for to performe his vnlawfull wyll he departed fro his monastery camÌ„ in to Alexandrye / And whan he was come thyder he ladde a playsaunt lyfe· as to men but vnto god ryght agreable / ¶ Fyrste he wrote all the houres playnly / And that whyche he cowde wynÌ„e he gaaf vnto one of theim sayd to her / My frende I praye the gyue me this nyght that is to say that she sholde abstene herself fro fornycacoÌ„n ¶ The sayd abbot for to kepe her fro euyll dedes· abode wyth her al the nyght helde hymself in a corner of the chaÌ„bre prayeng god for her tyll it was day / On the morn he went away prayed her that she shold tell no bodi that he had be with her / ¶ Many dayes nyghtes he contynued this going among theim vnto the time that this was shewed bi an harlot that neuerthelesse wolde not saye that he was a lechour but he acoÌ„panyed theym onÌ„ly for theyr helthe / ¶ The good abbot prayed god that his good purpoos mighte not be lette by the sayd dyscoueryng / Wherfor the deuyll anone entred in the bodi of the sayd woman to th ende that the other sholde fere to saye as she sayd in sheweng the lyf that he lad ¶ SomÌ„ that sawe this woman sike sayd to her beholde euyll womaÌ„ thou seest now how god punysshyth yt. by cause that thou hast lyed vpon the relygious / Thou hast sayd that he gooth not wyth thy felowes for lechery / but thou hast made a lye / Thise thynges notwythstondynge the holy abbot whan he had wrought all daye / He at euen desyred none other but preche the comyn wymÌ„en / sayd to hyÌ„self Goo we goo to a nother place there is a woman that taryeth after ye. ¶ Many that sawe his vsuall comynycacyon that he had wyth thyse wymÌ„en blamed hyÌ„ for it / but he answerd vnto theym / Is not god aswell wroth wyth the other as he is wyth the relygyouses they ben men as other ben / ¶ Some tolde hym that he sholde take a wyfe chauÌ„ge his habyte by cause he shold not be sklauÌ„dred / But he kepte hym well that he consented not vnto theyr oppynyon onÌ„ly to theym he answerd that they shold goo fro him askyÌ„ge them / Are ye assygned my Iuges see to yourselfe lete me do my wyll Fynably he was accusid to the holy Patryarke whiche wold not byleue lightly that men reported vnto him but had in remeÌ„braunte the other relygyouse that in lyke wyse had hadde be accusyd as here byfore is made mencoÌ„n / ¶ And for to stynte the reporters the holy Patriarke tolde an hystory of Constantyn the emperour to whom was lyke wyse reported by an accusar certain blames in writynge ayenst a religyous / ¶ Whan the emperour saw the accusacoÌ„n he sente for the accusar him ytâ— as accused And they beynge aforesayd to the accusaâ— / Truly yf I sawe a seculer preest or a relygious that dide ony synÌ„e I shold hyde hym wyth my mantell / to th ende that his synne sholde not be knowen nor seen of other / And thê° the holy Patryarke peased the accusars of the sayd abbot ¶ Durynge the sayd tyme the seruauÌ„t of god Vitall vsed as he had acustomed wyth the comyn wymen / And wyth this he prayed god deuoutly contynuelly that after his deth to some persone shold the cause be shewed bi reyson wherof he dyde hauÌ„te the comyn wymen to th eÌ„de the peple sholde not abyde by hyÌ„ euyll ensaÌ„pled as also they ought not to be / ¶ For thrugh his prayers many persones that sawe hym praye god by nyghte â—euynge his hondes vp towarde heuen bi feruent deuocoÌ„n kept them self fro flesshly desires namly many wymen by reyson of him kept themselfe from the synne of lechery / ¶ It happed one daye as in a mornyng that he came out of the hous of a comyn womaÌ„ He mette wyth a lewde haskarde whyche for to doo the sayd synne of lechery went to the hous there as the holy man came fro / And at theyr metynge togyder this Vnthryft gaaf hym a buffett sayenge to hym / Knauysshe ypocryte why amendest not thyselfe of thyne ypocrysie / The holi abbot answerd vnto him I shall yelde the ones suche a buffett that all Alexandrye shall come to thy crye ¶ A lytyll whyle after this deyed the holy abbot Vytall / neuer duryng his lyfe was the cause knowe why he drewe to the comyn wyÌ„men / ¶ And it is to wyte that his celle or lytyll hous where he decessed all alone was sett in a place a lytyll fro the towne the whiche was called the gate of the sonÌ„e / ¶ Anone after his dethe or euer it was to oni persone knowen the deuyll came in lykenes of an Ethyopien toward him that had smyten hym hyÌ„ gaaf a grete buffett sayeng The abbot Vitall sendith that this offryÌ„ge / The vnhappy bawdy knaue felle down to the grouÌ„de / foomyÌ„ge as a mad man / Wherof many men wyÌ„men that herde the stroke were sore merueyled by cause they trowed that they had herde the thouder bolte fall / ¶ And truely lyke as the abbot had prophecyed it all the cyte was therof moeuyd / the cyteyzyns came to the cryeng of the sayd vnthryfte / Whyche after a longe space of tyme that he had be in this penauÌ„ce his mynde was restored to hym ayen / And anone he â—auÌ„e to the lytyl heâ—us of the sayd abbot for to crye hym mercy sayeng that he had ouermoche offeÌ„ded ayeÌ„st hyÌ„ whan he mette hym gaaf hym the buffett ¶ Many went thyder with hym in presence of whom the deuyll yet ayen smote the forsayd knaue caste hyÌ„ to theâ—h And they that were come wyth hyÌ„ entred wythin the celle of the sayd Vitall and founde hym on bothe his knees as he shold praye god wyth this it semyd theym that he had one honde to the grouÌ„de wherwyth he wrote thyse wordes / ¶ O ye men of Alexandrye iuge neuer noo man nor woman but that ye knowe him fyrst abyde tyll that god hyÌ„self makyth the Iugement / ThenÌ„e the pore losell confessyd that he had beten hym ¶ And thê° the prophecye was in hym fulfylled / ¶ All thise thyÌ„ges were by the peple rehercyd vnto the holy Patriarke The whiche wyth the Clergye grete nombre of cyteyzyns came to the place where the corps of the holy abbot was All the wyÌ„men in lyke wyse came thyder whiche he had coÌ„uerted to goodnes And bare with theim tapres lampes brenÌ„ynge sayenge Alas we haue loste our hele techynge / ¶ ThenÌ„e they tolde shewed how he companyed wyth theim not for rayson of synÌ„e but for to exhorte styre theym to doo well leue theyr lecherous lyfe malyce / Soo were they sore rebuked / that they hadd not vttred his holy lyfe / But they answerde that
sholde well thynke therat he sholde well haue cause to become humble and meke / ¶ How he corrected by fayre wordes swete langage theym that went out of the chyrche after that the gospell was sayd / And begynnith in latyn ¶ MittaÌ„ autem / Caplm Cxlvi BY cause that some Seculers or laye people had of a custome that they wente oute of the chyrche after the gospell was done / The holy Patryarke dyde correcte theym of this saweâ— / ¶ And desyrynge to moeue theym vnto deuocion / One daye amonge other departed oute of his palays And came and sette hym amonge theym in the chyrche / Wherof they were gretely merueylled / ¶ Thenne for to answere to theyr thoughtes sayd vnto theym / My chyldren it is exspedyent and nedefull that the shepeherde be there as his shepe ben / And therfore yf ye abyde in the chirche of god there out I shall doo as ye done ¶ For your loue I am come to the chyrche / And ye goo there oute / ¶ And alwayes yf I had wolde I mighte wel haue soÌ„ge my masse in my chapell of my bysshopriche / and sholde not haue come to you ¶ Bi this maner of meane they al corrected theymself â—â—â—fered to doo as they were acustomyd / ¶ Wherby men maye euydently and openly knowe that the good maners of a Prelate and his holy lyuynge is ofte tymes cause of the amendement correccyon of his euyll subgets / The whyche at his ensample enforce theymselfe to lyue vertuously / By meane of whyche good lyfe they gete the glory of heuen / Whiche largely is yeuen bi our blessyd Sauyour Redemer Ihesu Cryste to theym that fleenge the lykynges and worldly playsures purpoos theym selfe to lyue a lyfe honeste and holy after the techyÌ„ges of his true doctryne / ¶ How he forbadde that folke sholde not speke in the chyrche / And begynnyth in latyn ¶ Loqua autem cetera / Caplm C.xlvii ANd whan the holy Patryarke herde ony speke in the chyrche / Incontynent he made theym to be putt oute / And sayd to theym / ¶ Syth that ye ben come in to the chirche for to praye god I commauÌ„de you that all your thoughtes be torned vnto prayer / ¶ For it is writen that the house of god is a house of prayer / And ye Clatterers and Ianglers make therof a pytte of theues / ¶ How he ordeyned two orders of Relygiouses and buylded theym two chirches / One in the name of oure Lady the other of saynt IohnÌ„ / And begynnyth in latyn ¶ Voleâ—â—s autem cetera Caplm C.xlviii THis meane tyme the holy Patriarke ordeyned two ordres of relygyouses / and buylded two monasteryes for theim / One in the name of the moost holy moder of god and the other of saynt IohnÌ„ / And dyde doo make for theym lytyll houses for to kepe theymself therin solytary / By cause they sholde haue none occasyon to goo out of theyr Relygyon / Ordeyned also certayne men in the cyte that bare theym all theyr necessytees / Sendyng theim word that they shold haue besinesse of the lyfe spyrytuell / And he sholde see for theyr bodily lyfe / And he wold that the charge of the seruyce of the chyrche bothe bi daye by nyght sholde be put vnto hym / to th ende that whyche they sholde doo in theyr celles or lytyll houses sholde be for the helthe of theyr soules / To that whiche lyf this holy man by the sayd entysyÌ„ges contynued theim / ¶ How men oughte to eschewe the coÌ„pany of Heretykes / And begynnyth in latyn ¶ Et hoc beatê° / Caplm C.xlix ABoue alle other thynges thys holy man defended vnto the cristen that they sholde nother comyn nor acompanye wyth the heretykes / Sayenge that it was more worth to a crysten to be alle alone / than to be acompanyed wyth an Heretyque / And more ouer he sayd that lyke as a wedded man sholde be punysshyd yf he left his wyf and wedded a nother somwhere in a nother londe / Soo sholde a crysten be punysshyd / that shold leue the comynycacoÌ„n wyth his lyke for to acompanye with the Heretiques / ¶ And more ouer syth that we ben maryed to a wyf sure chaste whiche is the holy chirche crysten / yf we leue it for the comynycacoÌ„n of Heretiques / We oughte as fornicatours to be greuously punisshed stoned of the deuyls of hell / asmoche as we shold be yf we had had the flesshly coÌ„pany of a nother woman than our owne wife / ¶ How the holy Patriarke iuged nor coÌ„deÌ„pned neuer no body / BegynÌ„ith in latyn ¶ CuÌ„ oÌ„nibus / Caplm C.l. AMoÌ„ge the other grete vertues that this holy Patryarke had· namly he had one right grete whiche was suche / that he neuer iuged no persone nor also wold not here theim the sayd ony euyl bi a nother / To this purpose is to be knowe that he beynge in Alexdrye a yonge man rauisshed a right fayr regyous mayde and ladde her wyth hyÌ„ vnto Constantynople / This thyÌ„ge came to his knowlege consideryng the loothnes of the befall And for the grete charytee that he had to the helthe of man / He was soo sory for it that it semyd he sholde haue deyed / ¶ And a lytyl whyle after that this caas was soo happed / He beynge wyth some clerkes / and dysputynge of holy scryptures / came in his remembraunce the sayde befall / ¶ In spekynge of the whyche by cause al those present Iuged this forsayd man a ryght grete abhomynable synnar They wolde haue hym acursyd But the holy Patriarke wolde not performe the same Sayenge that ther sholde be cause of two euylles / ¶ Fyrste in that they sholde doo as he sayd ayenst the commaundement of god and sholde breke it / By cause it is wryten that we oughte not to iudge ony body / And we shall not be Iudged / ¶ The second euyll for that they wyste not yf the sayd clerke had wythdrawe the sayd relygyoê° woman out of her monastery / for to doo euyl wyth her / And was not yet knowen whether he had defoylled her or not / ¶ Wherfore they oughte not to cast vpon hym the sayd sentence of cursynge / ¶ For men oughte not to Iudge but this that men see to be euyll done / ¶ And for to conferme his worde he rehercyd of .ii. relygyouses amoÌ„ge whom was one / whyche passynge thorugh the cyte of Thyre mette wyth a strompett comyn named Porphyre / The whyche cryed after the abbot / O fader saue me lyke Ihesu Cryste saued the woman synnar / ¶ The abbot that fered not the speche of the world sayd vnto her that she sholde come after hȳ· and she dyde so ¶ The same abbot brought her by the honde afore al the peple out of the cyte of Thyr / The whiche thyng was anone tolde / But this notwythstondyng the abbott torned neuer from his
the sayde Prouoste that therof he wolde doo to her as ryghte and reason requyreth / ¶ The Prouoste heryng thise wordes was enflammyd wyth grete woodnesse And sente to the monastery certayne Commyssaryes that charged were to brynge hym prysonere / Eugene and alle the other dwellynge in the sayde monasterye Whyche thynge was done / ¶ And by cause they were in suche nombre that they myghte not be alle in one pryson togyder / They were put in dyuers places and vnder dyuerse kepers fetherâ—â— well harde faste / The sayd Pâ—â—â—oste after gyuyng credence folysshly to the â—â—â—des of the sayd Melance condempned theym all for to deye ordeyned a certayn daye that some of theym shold be take for to be deuoured of wylde bestes The other to be brenÌ„ed thother to be put vnto dyuers tormeÌ„tes / And at this cause was thrugh all the londe grete no ye of the execucion that sholde be done of the sayd Relygyouses / The whyche alle the dwellers of the londe Iudged them worthy to suffre deth / ¶ For they thoughte that Melance whyche was come of a noble hous / and of hyghe kynreed / wolde neuer haue putt vpon theym wythout a Iuste cause suche a charge / ¶ Fynably whan the daye was come that the sayd execucoÌ„n sholde be done alle the dwellers of the townes and cytees lyenge abowte / came to Alexandrye the cyte for to see the same / Wherof some sayd theyr opynyon in one manere and the other sayde otherwyse / ¶ But oure lorde god that neuer leuyth his seruauntes in their moost nede / After that the hangman had made redy the torments other thinges couenable to putt to dethe Eugene and the other relygyouses suffred that the sayd Eugene for to declare the more openly her grete vertues / was by the sayd Prouostr questyoned / And for to make alle the people wyse of the grete malyce of the forsayd wycked Melance / Thenne the sayd Prouoste namyd Philyp that was fader to Eugene and that knewe her not began to speke afore her sayenge in this wyse / ¶ Come hether false Crysten man and the worst of thother Hath thi god coÌ„mauÌ„ded to the to be oppressour defoyler of the noble ladyes Thou art well shamles and ouerseen / What folye causyth the to praye wolde haue take bi foly so noble a lady as is dame Melance ¶ Eugene casted her syght to the grouÌ„de feryng to be knowe of her fader answerd mekeli / Mi god whom I serue hath coÌ„maunded the men shall kepe his chastytee vyrgynyte / vnto all those that done soo he promysyth euerlastyng lyfe in his Ioye of heuen / ¶ And now we maye declare Melance to be a lyar and forger of falshede / But it is better that we suffre some euylles than that she shold be atteyned conuycte of her synne to th ende that we lese not the meryte of our pacience / Alway yf you syre Prouost woll promyse whan she shal be proued fals full of lesyng that ye shal doo her noo harme at this hour we shall approue her synÌ„e / the Prouoste heryng her meke wordes grauÌ„ted her request / ¶ ThenÌ„e Eugene to testyfie the vntrouth of Melance required the men sholde her woman seruaunte in her chaÌ„bre doo come / The Iuge made all the seruauÌ„tes of the sayd lady to be callyd brought afore hym whiche declared by their othes that theyr lady Melance wyth good Iuste cause had complayned her of the Relygyous Eugene / And that he wolde haue constrayned her as it is sayd aboue / ¶ The Prouoste herynge theyr deposicyons sayde vnto saynt Eugene / ¶ What wol thou saye now false wyckyd monke / thou seest how thus many wytnesse thy cursyd delyte / ¶ Eugene of this fals wytnessyng was sore trowbled / So thouÈt she in herself that yf shold hyde her virgynytee / Soo many Relygyouses as were there prysonners wyth her there sholde allisuffre dethe for her and in the tyme to come the euill malycyoê° sholde be more bolde to repreue the seruauÌ„tes of god / Of the other parte she hadd purposed neuer to dyscouer her conuersacoÌ„n but oonly to her spouse IhuÌ„ Cryste / Neuertheles for to saue the lyf of her relygyouses / and to th ende that the cursed Melance and al suche other by falshed· sholde not be in tyme comynge so outrageoê° for to charge wrongfully the crysten peple / she thoughte to open and shewe her befall that was soo secrete / ¶ Soo departed she her gowne fro top to too shewed that she was a womaÌ„ and namely that the Prouost was her fader and Claudia her moder / and tolde hym that Anitus Sergius were her bredern / ¶ This came anone to the ceres of her moder Claudia that was in her place / Wherfore she desyryng to see her doughter ranÌ„e anone to the barres where the Iustyce was / And there the Prouoste she her bredern knewe her / and began to wepe make grete way lynges that longe were to be rehercyd ¶ Anone were broughte gownes of clothe of golde vnto her of the whiche she clothed her as by force / After she shewed to her fader how Prothus Iacintus his two Emiches she had forsake the worlde and all the goodes in erthe and had made theymself Crysten / Thenne all togyder thanked god / sayenge / ¶ O god thy power is now gloryfyed that hath ouercome and banysshyd the enmyes of thy seruauntes / ¶ Eugene was ladde in grete worship in to the house of her fader / And the fyre of heuen came downe vpon the house of Melance / In whyche abode noo body alyue but were all that were 〈◊〉 in brenned and wasted all in to asshes / ¶ Thenne all the Crysten peple that had be put out of the sayd Prouoste were called ayen / And the chyrche was open / the whyche by the space of eyghte yere was shytte / ¶ The fader of Eugene Prouoste of Alexandrye that in the Crysten hadd take awaye theyr fraunchyses restored theim enteerly vnto theym ayen / ¶ And he himself thrugh the enticynge of his doughter Eugene made hym to be crystned his wyfe also all his seruauntes / ¶ Alle the cyte was as it had be one oonly chyrche soo moche began there the name of the Crysten to flourysshe / ¶ Now it is trouthe / as often it happyth that the good are enuyed by the badde / that some wente and reported vnto Seuere Anthony bothe emperours of the Romayns / vnder the whyche / the gouernaunce of all Alexandrye was ruled and gouerned / How Phylyp the Prouost was become a crysten man and dystroyed thydolles and buylded chyrches in the name of the god of the Crysten / And how he hadd ordeyned newe lawes and put asyde the emperours lawes / The whyche wrote vnto hym in this maner / ¶ Philyp we be enformed of the noueltees that thou hast done
cyte she mett the corps of saynt Basille that men brought to his graue / ¶ Thenne she made grete cryenges sayeng / Ha poore vnhappy what shal thou doo now / O holi man of god whi haste thou sent me to the holy fader Effrem syn that thou myghte gete remyssyon of my synne / I byleue it was by cause I sholde not gyue the man lettyng at thy dethe / ¶ The poore synful woman layed her rolle vpon the corps of the holy man / The whyche thynge knowen of one of the prestes that was at the buryenge of hym he wolde see rede the same rolle / And opened it in dede / But he fonde noo thynge wryten therin / ¶ ThenÌ„e he sayd vnto the woman / ¶ O woman what desyrest thou Thy rolle is wythoute ony scrypture Thou knewe not the Indulgence that god had done to the / ¶ All the peple seenge this myracle beganne to thanke god that hath gyuen myghte to the quirke to enrase and put oute by pardonne the synÌ„es fulfilled and done by the wretchyd synnars / ¶ Of Ioseph the Hebrewe / Whyche Hystorye is ann dexed to the sayde chapytre / IOseph the Hebrewe was some tyme a leche well expert in the craft of Physike and so sure that in tastynge the poulse of what someuer persone he wyste to saye .iiii. or .v. dayes afore the decesse of the syke the very hour that he shold passe out of this worlde / And by the grete experyence that he had in medycyne / He was sore enuyed of the other leches / ¶ But saynt Basylle that knewe by reuelacyon of god / that in tyme comynge he sholde be regenered by the holy sacrament of baptym loued hym moche / And ofte comyned wyth hym / desyrynge hym to forsake his errour and to torne hym to that fayth of crystendom / ¶ The whyche Ioseph answerde to hym vpon the same / that he sholde deye in the faythe where he was borne in / ¶ Saynt Basylle replyed ayenst his answere sayenge / Ioseph byleue that I shall telle the / Certaynly I ensure the that wythout the sacrament of baptym / nother thyself nor I shall not come in paradys Haue not thyn elder faders ben baptysed / Knowest thou not that for our redempcoÌ„n Iesu Cryste hath take oure nature in the wombe of the vyrgyn Mary / And for that self RedempcoÌ„n he was crucyfyed and broughte to dethe / And soone after he rose from dethe to lyfe / and now he sytteth at the ryght honde of hys fader / And atte the ende he shall come to Iudge and yelde vnto euery one after that he hath deseruyd / ¶ Thenne it is Impossyble wythout regeneracoÌ„n of the water of the holy ghost / and also wythout the coÌ„munyon of the sacrament of the awter that we shall be sauyd / But what soeuer exortacion that the holy man made vnto Ioseph / he wolde take noo hede to his wordes / ¶ It happed so the god / whyche wolde calle vnto hym the good saynt Basylle made hym know the houre of his dethe by reuelacyon of god / And thenÌ„e he sent for Ioseph the leche forsayde for to Iudge the houre of his deth / Ioseph after that he had tasted the veyne of saynt Basyll sayd to his seruauÌ„tes that they sholde make redy his wyndynge shete for to burye hyÌ„ wythall / and that he cowde not lyue loÌ„ge / ¶ Saynt Basylle that vnderstode this Iugement asked him how he knewe it / Wherunto he answerde that he knewe it certayÌ„ly by the felynge of his veyne / ¶ The holy man sayd vnto hyÌ„ My frende thou woâ—est not what thou sayst / Ioseph answerde to hym / this daye shall the sonne goo with the sonÌ„e ¶ The holi man sayd vnto him And yf I dey not tyll to morow in the mornynge what shall thou saye / He answered that it was not possyble / And that wyth grete payne he sholde lyue yet an houre / And therfore he tolde hym that he sholde dyspose of his besynesse and of his chirche / For he sholde deye afore that the daye sholde faylle / ¶ Saynt Basylle sayde to hym / Now come hyther leche / What shal thou saye yf I lyue vnto to morowe syxe of the clocke / ¶ He answered to hym That he sholde thenne deye wyth hym / ¶ Saynt Basylle sayde vnto hym / Atte leest yf thou wolt deye take afore the â—he fayth of Ihesu Criste and the sacrament of baptesme / ¶ Thenne Ioseph promysed hym / that yf he lyued as longe as he hadde sayde / Wythoute ony manere delaye / he sholde be obeyssaunte to his wyll / Thenne the holy man made his prayer vnto god / to th ende that he wolde lengthe his dayes onÌ„ly for to torne Ioseph the Ebrewe to the fayth / The whyche requeste god graunted to hym And in the mornynge nexte he sent for the sayd leche / the whiche wening that he hadde be dede came Incontynent to his lodgynge / ¶ But whan he sawe that he was yet alyue he felle downe at his fete and cryed hym mercy / Sayenge that there was no god soo grete as the god of the Crystens / ¶ And thenÌ„e he forsoke the lawe of the Iewes and toke the cristen fayth / Desyryng saynt Basille that he and alle his meyne myghte be crystned / ¶ The holy man sayde vnto hym / that he sholde crysten theym hymselfe· And thenne the good leche Ioseph toke him ayen by the honde / and towchyd the vayne of his right arme / And after that he had felte it he sayde vnto hym / ¶ My lorde thy nature is febled wery that thou shold not conne goo to the chyrche / The holy man answered vnto hym / ¶ We haue our god whyche is creatour of nature the whyche recoÌ„fortyth vs / ¶ And how he it that the holy man had noo naturell strengthe yet went he to the chyrche in whiche the said Ioseph his company Seruauntes were Incontynent cristenyd / And after the sayd saynt Basylle brought the sayd Ioseph vnto his Doâ—tour / and there was yeuen vnto him a spyrytuell foâ—e in rehercyng vnto hym the Ioyes of heuen / ¶ Sone after the holy man dyssposyd hymselfe for to synge masse / ¶ And after that it was done he kyssed all the Pryncypall of the chyrche the lordes of the towne / Vnto whom he Recommended ryghte besyly Ioseph the newe Cristen / ¶ After he wente agayne to his house / In whyche yeldinge graces and thankes vnto god betoke his soule in to his hondes / ¶ Whan the good Ioseph in his scyence had wel consydered the dethe of the sayde saynt Basylle he sayd / ¶ Truely holy fader Basyll / ¶ Yf thou hadd wolde thou sholdest not as yet haue deyed ¶ / And this he sayde by cause that he knewe well that he had lyued longe ouer naturell possybylytee ¶ The nexte daye wyth grete honour was his body buryed within the chirche
for to chace oute the other from his house ¶ Thenne the dyscyple seeyng the furour of his mayster prayde hym that he wolde suffre hym goo a fore / to th ende yf ony brethern were with the other Relygyouse / that he sholde not be shamed to make hym ony gryfe ¶ The dyscyple Incontynent departed and came to the deuoute Relygyouse and tolde hym thus My fader and frende My fayre fader cometh towarde the I counseyll the to goo from hens ayenst hym / for he loueth the oboue all other ¶ Thenne yssued the good man out of the house well gladde / and whan he was come to hym he kneled on his knees and sayd O my ryght well beloued brother I thanke the moche of thy celle that thou hast lente me for goddes sake / to whome humbly I beseche that he wyll rewarde the for it in the lyfe that euer shall last ¶ That other holy fader threwe thenne the staffe from hym and toke hym in his armes for to kysse hym ¶ After he poynted hymself for to go take his repast with hem in his celle forsayd And when they were arryued the fayre fader abbot demaunded of his dyscyple yf he hadde done to the other his messages that he hadde charged hym to telle hym for to make hym to voyde his lodgys The dyscyple answered Certaynely fayre fader I telle the that when thou commaunded me to go to hym I durst not for the reuerence and obeyssaunce that I owe vnto the as to my fader / answere ony wordes ayenst the / but neuerthelesse I neuer tolde hym that / that thou hade me telle hym ¶ The Relygyouse heryng the dyscyple speke / and knowynge his prudence Incontynente be cast hym selfe donne atte his fete and sayd to hym I promyse the that from hens for thou thou shalte be my mayster / and I shall be thy dyscyple For by thyne attemperaunce and the good drede that thou hast hadde of me thou haste delyuered my soule fro synne ¶ And by this we see / that seruauntes ought to loue more the saluacyon of theyr maysters soules / than to theyr wycked wylles ayenst theyr sauete / to obtempre or he agreable ¶ The holy faders testyfyed to one named Iohan that was dyscyple of Pawle the abbot / that this Iohan was veraye pacyent humble and obeyssaunte ¶ And whan his abbot commaunded ony thynge for to be doo / how well that they were dyffycyle / he neuer sayd theyr ayenst nor murmured ayenst him ¶ It happed ones that in his monasterye men had grete nede to haue a quantyte of dong of oxen / so sent the abbot Powle his dyscyple Iohan for to fette the sayd donçe where as he coude fynde it ¶ The dyscyple Incontynent yelded hym selfe redy for to go but neuerthelesse he tolde hyÌ„ that he had herde many persones say that there about was a lyonesse that deuoured the folke that she mette Thabbot all playnge sayd vnto hyÌ„ / go go care not for it yf she come to the thou shalt byÌ„de her shal brynge her with the. This sayd the good dyscyple Iohan departed sought so longe tyll that he had fouÌ„de the sayd â—onge that he sought / but the lyonesse came there the whiche lept vpon hyÌ„ for to haue deuoured hym The yong dyscyple desyryÌ„g to do that his mayster had coÌ„mauÌ„ded hyÌ„ enforced hym selfe for to take her / but she scoup out of his handes / he raÌ„ne after her saynge O best tary thy selfe / my fader abbot hath tolde me / that I sholde bynde that to th ende that I shold brynge the afore hyÌ„ Thenne by suffrauÌ„ce dyuyne the sayd best taryed her self styl tyll that she was bouÌ„de / fynably suffred herselfe to be ledde by the dyscyple vnto the presence of his abbot / that whiche seeyng this myracle gloryfyed that name of god And his dyscyple sayd to hyÌ„ My faderâ— haue acomplysshed done that the thou dedest coÌ„mauÌ„de me Thabbot dredyng that the dyscyple sholde gloryfye hyÌ„selfe of this werke done of hyÌ„ repreued hyÌ„ gretely sayeng Thou art an ouermoche foole to haue brought hether this ferfull best therfor vnbynde thou her to th ende that she maye go where she lyst her selfe ¶ One of the holy faders sente ones his dyscyple to fette water att a welle whiche was ferre from his celle or cotage ¶ This dyscyple forgate to take with hyÌ„ the corde for to haue his bokette doÌ„ne in to the welle wherof he was full sory whan he fouÌ„de him selfe without it at the sayd welle For he wyst not how to do for to drawe water / nor he durst not go home without And fyndyng hyÌ„selfe thus troubled / he began to praye god on his knees sore wepyng made vnto hym suche a Requeste oryson O my god that haste made the heuen the erthe / the see / all the meruayllouse thynges that be therin / thou knoweste that thy seruauÌ„t hath sent me here for to bryng him water I beseche the that thou wyll suffre that I maye bere him some Soone after he tourned his speche vpon the well sayeng O welle gyue socours to the seruauÌ„te of god myn abbot that hath sente me here for to brynge hym of thy water And incontynente after these wordes sayd / by the suffrauÌ„ce of god dyuyne / the water of the sayd welle aryesed her selfe vp vnto the borders of the welle aboue And when the dycyple had fylled his vessell the water wente doÌ„ne agayne in her owne place ¶ And this done the dyscyple wente bare water to his abbot thankyng and gloryfyeng the name of our lorde ¶ Eulalius was a good Relygyouse full of all humylyte of so grete symplenes that when ony thyng blameful was done in the monasterye where he dwelled / they that had done it scused them / sayeng that the sayd broder Eulalius had done it ¶ And theÌ„ne whan his elders came to repreue hym of the fautes that wrongfully and withoute cause were putte vpon hym / the good Relygyouse by his grete humylyte kneled on bothe his knees before them and asked them therof pardon as yf he hyÌ„ selfe hadde coÌ„mysed the sayde fautes ¶ And bycause that the sayd elders towarde whom he was often tymes accusyd / sawe that he corrected not hymself for theyr admonycoÌ„ns / they folowyng the rules of the monasterye sette hym to faste many dayes for his penaunce And he bare it alle pacyently obeynge to his sayd elders to all theyr wylles the whiche trowyng by the acusacoÌ„ns that the other yonge brethern made agaynst hym wherof he scused not him selfe / that he euer sholde perseuer in his malyce and wyckednes without to correcte ne amende hym selfe in ony wyse / went to theyr fader abbot for to aske hym what of the sayd brother Eulalius was to be done / the whiche they sayd was Incorrygyble For the wende not that he endured the sayde penauÌ„ce by his humylyte / but byleued that he
face ful bryght and clere and was honorably clothed with vesture full fayre whyte And the contrarye the other had a blacke an horryble vysage and after that they had receyued that selfe holy sacrament of the aulter / he with the whyte face / shewed hym selfe to haue a strengthe of corage whiche made hym appyere to be clene and purged from all wyckednesse That other shewed to haue his face taken with fyre Ryghte horryble doubtable This seeyng the holy bysshop / besought our lorde that he wolde teche him what betokened this vysyon To whome by the wyll of god an angell dyde appyere whiche sayde vnto hym / that all that he hadde seen was true / but as to hym that had the vysage blacke / because he was obstynate in his synne / hauyng a wylle purposyng euer more to synne / for that cause had he seen his vysage blacke horrybly taken with dredefull fyre But that other his felawe / that was lyghtened with a bryght vysage / bryngynge vnto mynde thrugh bytter sorowe / the synnes that he had done forsakynge them with grete teeres sobbynges / he had goten and axed the mercy of god / promyttyng yf it pleased hym to forgyue quytte and pardōne vnto hym his synnes by hym done in tyme passed / that he sholde neuer retorne for to do them ayen And for this cause he was come to that grace whiche this holy bysshop sawe And where this forsayd bysshop meruaylled hym selfe of the souerayne grace of god / because that not oonly he hadde preserued this synner repentaunt from the tourmentes whiche are due to them that ledde a foule wycked lyf / but also with the same / he wolde make hym fayre with so grete honour the angell sayd to hym that not without a cause he meruaylled / seen that he was a man that can not comprehende the bounte of our lorde / the whiche is Infynytly good kynde to them that forsaken theyr synnes / to whome also when they do penaunce after deuoute cōfessyon / he not oonly forgyueth theyr synnes / but with this he maketh them worthy to be worshyped And in trouth the angell sayd / god hath so derely loued the synners / that he hath sente his oonly sone / and ordeyned hym for to suffre dethe in this worlde for to redeme them from the paynes of helle ¶ Syth thenne he wolde deye for them how be it that they were his enemyes / how moche shall he be wyllyng to loue them when they shall be by veray penaunce his owne childern And therfore wyte it sayd the angell / that noo synne of man can not ouercome the goodnes of god / namely when he that shall haue done ony synne / shal be wyllyng to putte hym selfe in payne for to put out slee by penaūce his wyckednesses synnes ¶ For our lord whiche is Infynytly mercyfull knoweth well the feblenesse wekenesse of the kynde of man / the strength of the passyons / the myght malyce of the deuyll And there as he knoweth the sȳner to be ouer thrawen in synne / them pardōnyng as to his childern he taryeth abydeth euery day after theyr amendemēt wylfull correccōn he hath pyte cōpassyon of theym that be repentaūt as of those the sore ◠vexed with sykenesse awaytē after the physycyen And sodeynly vnbynden castynge theyr synnes out of them / he graūteth to them Iuste rewardes of theyr penaūces ¶ Thēne the bysshop forsayd heryng these thȳges merueylled more than he had done afore / hertly he praysed the name of god ¶ The abbot Powle surnamed the symple / purchaced of god this grace / that in lokyng vpon them that entred in to the chirche / he wyst to say by theyr vysages yf theyr thought were good or bad so it happed on a day that he sawe many folke come to that chirch had theyr faces bryght and clere were mery in theyr hertes / with them were theyr good angels that gladly ladde them and bare them felyshyp ¶ Soone after he sawe one come that was woūderfull blacke all his bodye was cōpassed with an horryble cloude / with hym were many deuyls / the whiche by a trayne that was made fast atte his nose threllys / they drewe him here there so that he wyst not what he sholde do / and after ferre from hym came his good angell whiche was full heuy and an angred ¶ The whiche thyng seeyng the good fader saynt Powle / he began to wepe full bytterly smote his brest / wolde not entre within the chirche / but he satte hym selfe donne there by for to see the ende of that man that he sawe in soo pyteouse astate ¶ The other that were entred within the sayd chirche sawe hym wepe thus / desyred prayed him hertely yf he had seen in them ony vycyouse thyng / that for theyr correccyon he wolde telle it them / or ellys that he wolde come in to the chirche with them the whiche thyng he wolde not do / but euer contynued in wepynge sorowes consyderyng the daūgerouse astate of hym that he had seen thus withholden boūde by the dāpned fendes of helle ¶ Anone after the sayde holy abbot / seeyng all the companye that he hadde seen go within the chirche come out of it after the absolucyon to them gyuen / sette hym selfe for to beholde theyr faces / for to knowe yf they were suche at theyr comyng out of the chirche / as they were when they wente ynne And pryncypally he casted his syght vpon the wretchyd sȳner whiche he had seen go with so grete hardnesse within the sayd chirche / he sawe that his face feerfull blacke was wexed full fayre bryght all his bodye whyt / that the deuyls folowed hym fro ferre his good angell by him that made vnto him a moche glad chere ¶ Thenne saynt Powle fulfylled with a synguler gladnesse / rose vp began for to crye with a hyghe voyce sayd O how grete is the mercy mekenesse of our lord And comyng to a nother place a lytyll nerer he sayd yet with a lowder voyce Come hether deuoute crysten see the werkes of god / come see how he wyll that al folke shall be saued that they come to the knowloge of trouthe / come hether worshyp hym with me sayeng Lord god / thou art that selfe alone that may enrase putte out our synnes And when they were alle come togydre with the good Powle / he shewed vnto them all that he had seen afore that they entred in to the chirche / also atte theyr comyng out of the same ¶ And after he asked after hym that he had seen troubled as it is sayd / for to declare vnto hym his thoughtes his dedes / how god had done vnto hym so grete a grace chaūgyng from euyll in to good ¶ And thenne the
ony ferther Alwayes he suffreth his chosen for to traueylle and labour / to th ende that they shall haue remembraunce of the labours of trybulacyon / and that they by this meane kepe them fro synne feeryng lest they sholde lese so grete laboures We fynde also wryton / that our lorde made the sones of Ysraell for to traueylle and goo duryng the space of .xl. yere thrugh the deserte / to th ende that hauyng mynde of the trybulacyons that they had there / they sholde haue no wyll for to retourne therat ¶ An other brother questyoned an aūcyent fader asked him the cause whyche Relygyouses at this tyme presente labouryng gete not therby some grace as dyde the aeged Relygyouses ¶ To whome the olde fader answered / that charyte was thenne so grete / that euerychone by vertuouse werkes drewe his neyghbour on hyghe / but now all the worlde applyeth theym to ylle / and euery one ledeth his neyghbour in to helle And for this cause there nys none that geteth ony grace ¶ By an other yong Relygyouse was requyred vnto an aeged fader / that he sholde tell hym yf he wyst not that the holy men had knowloge of the grace of god when it cometh to them Where at he answered / that they knowe it not alwayes ¶ And for an open exemple of this thyng he leyde vnto hym / that ones a dyscyple of an olde holy fader / had· done oo synne / for the whiche the sayd holy fader moeued with yre ayenst hym / crynge sharply had sayd vnto hȳ Goo that thou mayst deye ¶ And anone this dyscyple felle deed to the erthe And when the sayd holy fader see hym deed he was touched with a meruayllouse drede Soo sette he hym selfe to praye god by grete humylyte sayeng O Ihesu cryste my lord and my god I beseche the that it wyll please the to reyse this poore Relygyouse And I promyse the that I shall neuer speke suche wordes without grete consyderacyon And Incontynente after his prayer y made his dyscyple wexed a lyue agayne alle soūde and hole ¶ The abbot Poemen sayde that the man whiche techeth other / and dooth not as he techeth / he is lyke vnto the hyghe welle whiche fylleth with drynke theym that be a thurst / or that wassheth the fylth awaye of euery one / but it can not wasshe hym selfe nor purge the fylthes that are in it selfe ¶ And morouer he sayde that a man whiche desyreth to be vertuouse ought to styre and teche his soule to kepe and obserue those thynges whiche his tonge leueth vnto other For it is a thyng moche to be blamed and worthy of grete Repreuyng to a man whom he presumeth to correcte other folke of some synne or euyll dede / wherof he is hym selfe worthy to be Rebuked for it Wherfore it behoueth of necessyte vnto hym that well wyll teche or edyfye some other / that fyrst he correcte his owne self / ensyewyng the doctryne of our souerayne mayster and techer Ihesu Cryste / the whiche lyuyng vertuously as men fynde it wryten in the trouthe and holy scryptures / shewed fyrst exemple of good lyfe / and thenne after he began to preche And for this cause his predycacyons were soo agreable to those that after the holy faythe desyred to lyue / that they forsake all worldly thynges for to ensyewe hym and lyue after his holy exortacyons whiche were of a grete and wonderfull effycacye / pryncypally bycause of the fayre and ryght honest lyue that he ledde ¶ An holy hermyte some tyme yede towarde the holy fader Poemen whiche receyued hym with grete gladnesse ¶ And after that they hadde enbraced eche other / the hermyte began to speke and to comyn with hym of holy scryptures / and namely of thoo thynges that be heuenly ¶ And thenne the holy fader Poemen heryng his proposycyons / and how be it that he was well settred and sore experte he tourned his face towarde an other brother as thoughe he wolde not here the sayd hermyte nor gyue to hym ony answere ¶ The hermyte thenne seeyng that he wolde not herken atte hym by noo wyse wente out of the celle of the sayd Poemen alle on angred / and sayd to his dyscyple I am wel sory to haue for nought and without cause entreprysed the labour of so grete awaye when he for whome I am come and that I desyred soo feruently for to see wylnyth not speke to me ¶ The dyscyple heryng this came to the holy fader Poemen and sayd to hym ¶ Haa fayre fader / that worshypfull hermyte that now departe from afore the / is come hyther for to see the / and he hath soo good Renōmee and soo grete Ioye in his countree / and thou wylte not speke with hym ¶ Thenne answered the holy fader Poemen ¶ He of whome thou spekest wyll dyspute of the souerayne and heuenly thynges ¶ And I that am an erthely man I can with grete payne speke of the thynges that be erthely ¶ Yf he hadde spoken vnto me of the passyons of Relygyouses happely I wolde haue answered hym therupon / but yf he wyll speke of the heuenly thynges I can nought answere hym therof / for I confesse my selfe not suffysaunt therunto ¶ Thenne the dyscyple Retournyng the hermyte sayd to hym ¶ O man of god / our fader Poemen wyll not speke to the of these hyghe questyons / but when men speke vnto hym of the wretchydnesse and passyons that must be suffred and endured in this worlde / and how pacyently they muste be borne / he speketh therof gladly ¶ The hermyte thenne taken with sadnesse by the wordes of the sayd holy fader / came to hym agayne sayeng ¶ O holy man / counseylle me what I ought to doo for to withstonde ayenst my passyons / whiche Reygne ouer me and kepe me soo wonderfully subgette ¶ The holy fader herynge his wordes and beholdynge vpon hym Ioyously sayd vnto hym ¶ Now thou art welcome vnto me / I shall atte this houre open my mouth and shall fylle it with thy vertuouse goodes ¶ The good hermyte takynge a corage to his wordes sayde vnto hym ¶ In good sothe fayre fader Poemen / good and true is the waye that thou takest And after that they hadde a longe wyle deuysed togydre of many thynges profytable necessarye to the edyfycacōn helthe of theyr soules / the hermyte yeldyng vnto hym graces and thankes / retournyng vnto his owne Regyon ayen ¶ Men fynde that an other aeged holy fader sayd to his dyscyple Yf ony bodye speketh to the of holy scryptures or of ony other thyng / be not therfore wyllynge to chyde nor stryue ayenst hym And yf he sayth well / be thou of his opynyon / yf he speketh euyll / thou shalt telle hym in this maner ¶ My frende loke well what thou sayst ¶ And to this purpose sayd the postle / be not wyllyng for to stryue by wordes And in
sykenesse And his dyscyples that he had thus lefte complayned togydre sayd the one to the other ¶ Hathe not one of vs made our olde fader Arseny angry / the whiche for this cause sholde be thê° departed separed from vs. And in spekyng deuysynge togydre they coude not knowe nor ymagyne the cause of his angre nor of his heuynesse / nother also that euer they had be to him dysobeyssaunt in ony thyng ¶ After that the holy fader Arsenyen was heled of his sykenesse / he thought in hym selfe that he sholde go vysyte see his brethern the whiche he had lefte ¶ And after rowynge to fro he came to a place the called was the stone where were the sayd mynysters And as he walked a longe the sayd streme there came nyght to hym a mayde of Egypt that plucked out her small pappes / wherof the holy fader as yll apayde for it began to rebuke her sharpely Wherat she answered vnto hym that yf he were a monke that he sholde go to the montayne ¶ The holy fader felyng hym selfe stengyd and prycked in his corage of the wordes of the sayde doughter / dyde note and toke good hede to the same wordes sayeng in hym selfe Yf thou be a monke / goo to the montayne ¶ And he beynge in this coÌ„punccyon / his two dyscyples Alexandre Zoyle came towarde hym / whiche in contynente casted them selfe tofore his fete / he in lykewyse before them dyde put hym selfe donne to the erthe / began to wepe all thre togydre ¶ The holy fader sayd syn to theym / haue not ye herde telle that I was syke / the whiche answered ye ¶ And why sayd he are you not come to see me ¶ Wherat Alexander answered / bycause that thy departynge from vs had not be vnto vs agreable For many one by reason of the same haue be euyll pleased with vs / sayng that yf we had not be dysobeyssauÌ„t vnto the / thou sholdest neuer haue departed thy selfe from with vs. ¶ Thenne sayd the holy fader Arsenyen to them I haue well knowen that this sholde be sayd But yet agayne men shall saye truely that the doue whiche coude not fâ—nde where vpon to rest her fete / retorned ayen towarde Noe beynge within his arche The whiche wordes herde of his dyscyples / they were well content with it peased theyr corages And dwelled euer after with hym vnto the laste tyme of theyr lyues ¶ The holy fader Besaryon a dyscyple of his walkyng in the desertes / cam of auenture vpon a depe pytte in whiche they entred they founde there a brother syttyng werkyng about the makyng of a corde The whiche lyke as he had be bothe doÌ„me blynde nother spake nor loked not vpon them ¶ This consyderynge the holy fader Besaryon / sayd to his dyscyple / lete vs go hens / for this olde fader wyll not speke with vs. Soo wente they theyr waye wente towarde the abbot Iohan And soone after retournynge to the sayd pytte / the sayd holy fader Besaryon sayd Lete vs goo there in onâ—s agayne for to speke with that brother so shall we now wyte yf god had kepte hym that he spake not to vs. ¶ And incontynent that they were entred within the sayd place / they founde nothynge therin but oonly a deed bodye Thenne callyng vpon his dyscyple / he sayd in this maner ¶ Come hether my brother / lete vs dresse this corps / for god hath sente vs here therfore And where they besyed them for to haue putte a wyndyng shete about hym / they fouÌ„de that it was a woman / wherof they merueylled gretly sayd ¶ Here is a thynge merueyllouse to see how the women fought ayenste the deuyls ouercome them ¶ And after that they had buryed her they wente awaye praysed the name of god pretoctour and deffender of all thynges ¶ Saynt Mecharye tolde ones to his Relygyouses / that towarde hym were come two brethern the one was olde the other veray yong / the whiche hauyng of hyÌ„ no knowloge / but oonly by â—enoÌ„me / they had questyoned hym / askynge of hym where was the celle of the abbot Macharye ¶ And he enquyryng of them why they asked after it / they answered that they hauyng knowlege of his vertuouse werkes holy lyfe desyred soueraynly to see hym ¶ And where the sayd saynte Macharye confessed that he was the man that they sought they incontynent fallygh afore his fete requyryng besought him that he wolde suffre them to enhabyte with hym / but he seeyng Iugyng by consyderynge of theyr gyftes habylymentes / that by habondauÌ„ce of rychesses / they were wanton delycate / he answered that they myght not abyde with hym The whiche answere y herde / they sayd to hym that yf they myght not dwelle with hym alwayes they had purposed to seke for theyr resydence some other solytary place ¶ The holy fader heryng theyr wordes / thought in hym selfe / that yf he departed or shoued them backe agayâ—e from him / he myght haue be sclauÌ„dred therby And consyderyng the grete labour that they had take for to come to hym / he thought that he sholde gyue them no cause in this behalue to noyse ayenste hym So sayd he to them ¶ Come on my childern / yf ye maye / make buylde here your celles habytacions ¶ They moche Ioyouse of this answere / requyred hym / that he wolde assygne them the place where his pleasure was that they sholde make theyr lodgyng / he toke vnto them a tubbe an aâ—e a sack full of brede with a lytyll salt / this done he brought theÌ„ vpoÌ„ a roche of harde stone sayng to theÌ„ that they sholde dygge therin for to make there theyr habytacoÌ„n lytyll houses / whiche they sholde couer with claye / alwayes the intencoÌ„n of sayÌ„t Macharye was suche / that they sholde be wery for to be besy about that werke that they for grete werynes sholde leue it go awaye But they that had purposed to abyde there / asked of hym what occupacyon the other brethern had of custome to do there And he answered that they made cordes And syn pared to them bothe palmes leues of the pylles therof / he shewed and taught to them the maner for to make weue cordes / also for to make baskettes and maundes / the whiche mauÌ„des he warned them to gyue vnto the seruauntes for to receyue brede therin And thus he lefte them wente his waye And they after this with a grete pacyence dyde that the sayd saynt Macharye coÌ„mauÌ„ded them / and kepte them selfe within theyr celles habytacyons / and wente not towarde hym duryng the tyme of thre yere But bycause that many Relygyouses of ferre Regyons came toward saynt Macharye forsayd / he meruaylled by how these two brethern kepte them so longe togyder that they came
it so that they be sore curyouse besy for to put them in to the hertes of the persones / alwayes it is not to thē possyble for to make them abyde therin / but yf they wyll hemself / wherfor thou ought to knowe not fere / but the thou mayst receyue or forsake them whan thou wylt And to this purpose maye be applyed this that the Madyanitees dyd when they made fayre clad theyr thoughters / put them in the syght byfore the presence of the childern of Israell For they cōstrayned not none of them for to haue doo carnaly with the sayd wȳmen / but they that folysshly dyde sette theyr loue vpon them / dyde what they wolde with them / thēne the Madyanites angred moeued ayenst them that had defoyled theyr doughters / thretned the other / but they toke vengeaūce of the fornycatours / whiche they broughte all to deth And thus hast thou for to do of the lecherouse tēptacōns in castyng them from the / to th ende that they be not cause of the deth ¶ Thenne answered the broder Good fader ye coūseyll me right well / but what shall ye answere to me of that I am weyke and soo feble that this passyon ouercometh me ¶ Thou must sette all thyn affeccyon sayd the holy fader to withstonde And when the deuyls shall enforce them for to moeue thy herte for to thynke euyll or to speke some ylle answer them not in no wyse / but aryse for to praye god doo penaūce saynge O sone of god haue mercy vpon me Ha good fader sayd the brother I shall do well this / atte lest I am well in a thought to do soo / but I haue not in myn herte no maner of cōpunccion For I can not vnderstande the vertue of the wordes of the oryson that thou tellest to me Well sayd the holy fader yf thou vnderstandest nothyng of it / thou shalt thynke oonly therupon For I haue herde saye the abbot Pastor / also other olde faders this worde / that is to wyte that the enchauntour knowyng not perfyghtly what betoken the wordes by the meanes of whiche he maketh his incantacōns / but alwayes he knoweth that by suche wordes spoken to the serpent that hereth them / that selfe serpent is incontynent enchaūted Lykewyse how well that we knowe the vertue of the wordes that we put forth in our orysons / always the deuyls when they here them they aferde therof and by the vertue and drede of the same / they goo from vs. ¶ Some ancyent sayd that the thought of fornycacyon is as freylle as lyght for to breke as paper For yf the happeth to come vpon vs that we refuse her and cast her behynde vs / she is of lyght ouercome It is thenne nedefull that we haue dyscrecōn in our thoughtes cogytacyons / by the whiche we haue to knowe / that they that consente to them ought not to haue thus dooyng ony hope to be saued / but they that withstande ayenst them may owe to wayte for theyr rewarde the crowne of vyctory in the Royalme of heuen ¶ Two brethern sore assaylled tempted of the synne of fornycacōn / not hauyng afore theyr eyen the drede of god nor the memory of the helthe of theyr soules / as foles and out of wytte forsoke and lefte theyr hermytages / and ledyng eche of them a comon woman with them / went and accompanyed certayne space of tyme among the worldly folke ¶ And after that they had thus wantonly lyued / one of them shewed to the other theyr vnhappy and wycked lyuyng / and sayd to hym suche wordes Lete vs consydere and take hede what goodes we lese / that lyuyng soo wyckedly we leue the lyfe of angels for to accompanye and vs to defoyle in soo stynkyng a fylthe / the whiche shall be cause vnto vs for to go in to broundes and tourmentes that euer shall last I praye the my brother lete vs goo agayne to the hermytage and doo penaunce for the synnes that we haue done soo presumptuously ¶ The whiche thyng they purposed and were delyvered for to doo And folowyng theyr delyberacyon came to the desertes where as they founde the aeged holy faders / to whome ryght humbly and in grete contrycyon they besought that they wolde receyue them to penaunce as they dyde ¶ And after that they hadde made an hoole confessyon of all theyr synnes / the auncyent faders dyde shytte theym within theyr celles / where as they were by the space of a yere where as they made to be admynystred to them a lytyll brede and a lytyll water for to susteyne theyr lyffe withall / as moche to the one as to the other For also they were bothe y lyke of face and of aege ¶ And after that / that they hadde done theyr penaunce and that they were loos agayne and lete out of theyr celles / the holy fader seeyng the one of them to be wonderfull pale heuy / that other moche boystouse gladde / they wondred sore vpon / withstandynge that to eyther of them / as moche to the one as to the other / there lyuyng indyfferently had be admynystred vnto them / wherfor they moeued a questyon vnto hym that soo pale and heuy was / askyng hym what dedes he had had in his thoughtes duryng the tyme of the penaūce that he had ben in his celle / wherat he answered ¶ In good sothe sayd he I haue had euer in Remembraūce the paynes tourmentes that I haue deserued / and in whiche I was aferde to come / for the grete abhomynable and vyle synnes that I haue done And for this cause for the grete drede that I toke therof I am become thus drye and lene by the contynuelly ensyght that I had therupon In son moche that my bones haue perced and yet perce my flesshe as ye see And after they questyoned the other sayng And thou brother what thought haddest thou in thy celle The Relygyouse answered I rendred contynually graces and thankes vnto my god of that it had pleased hym to delyuer me out of the fylthes and vnclennesse of this worlde / and from the paynes and tormenees euerlastyng / in callyng me ayen to this angels lyfe And in Remembryng my selfe of the grete mercyes of my god I wexed gladde in my selfe as yet styll I do The whiche wordes herde of the sayd aeged faders / they Iuged that theyr penaunce was lyke and semblable towarde god / and thanked them ¶ An auncyent holy fader was in the desertes of Sychye / the whiche fylle in a grete sykenesse / and for to Releue hym therfrom / many brethern besyed them curyously for to serue and admynyster vnto hym all his necessytees as well as they coude ¶ This holy fader consyderyng the payne and traueyle that they toke and bore about hym / thought in hym selfe for to goo in to Egypte
was the deuyll of helle for his holy lyfe and conuersacyon moeued to enuye ayenst hym / as he is wonte to be enuyouse ayenst the holy and vertuouse men And waytyng for to deceyue hym dyde bryng in to his mynde suche an ymagynacyon / that is to wyte / that vnto hym whiche was of suche conuersacyon / was nother leyfull nor good to lete hym selfe be serued or to suffre his necessytees to be admynystred vnto hym by other men / whiche he ought to serue hymself and admynystre vnto theym that was necessary to them And yf he myght not or wolde not do to them noo seruyce / at the lest he ought to serue his owne selfe / and not lette them from theyr vertuouse werkes to be done by them for theyr saluacyon / wherfore he dysposed hym for to go to the next Cyte by for to selle there some panyers and maundes that he hadde made / to th ende that he sholde bye of the moneye that he sholde haue therof suche thynges that were nedefull for his lyuynge without to gyue ony body traueyll or charge wherfore he myght be letted by And how be it that in this his purpose was some lykenesse of good / neuertheles the deuyll that was enuyous of the rest and tranquylyte of the conscyence of the sayd relygyouse / and of the byhoyffull tyme that he hadde to the seruyce of god / to the prouffyte and saluacyon of many one hadde brought tofore hym this folysshe ymagynacyon pretendyng of all partes to take hym in his grymes and to make hym falle in synne whiche semed hym not to be possyble or atte the lest harde or not to be done lyghtly but yf he made hym to companye and hauÌ„te with the folke of the worlde Thenne this Relygyouse folowyng his purpose whiche serued hym good Iuste / departed from his dwellyng place and cam to the Cyte for to doo that that he hadde supposed for to doo And bycause that euery body hadde hym in grete merueylle for his holy lyfe by cause of the whiche he was sore famed and named among the worldly folke / he helde hym selfe there more longe than it was nede for hym to doo not takyng hede to the sleyghte and wyckednes of the fende / whiche in spyeng lokyng for an houre conuenyent and necessary for to deceyue hym / presented vnto hyÌ„ the syght of a yonge doughter full fayre / wherof he was Incontynent taken with the fyre of concupyscence And thrugh the besynesse and couenable tyme that the deuyll gaaf to bothe partes / they wente togydre / soo that they knowe eche other flesshely And after the dampnable synne fulfylled / knowynge this Relygyouse to haue be deceyued / he departed and came to the deserte / the deuyll alwayes folowyng of nyghe / vnto tyme that he cam to a water where he lete hym selfe falle donne by the shorts / and thynkyng that the deuyll sholde be gladde of his myshappe or fallyng / he wolde dyspere hymselfe / namely bycause he sayd that he had angred our lorde and his holy angels / and hadde done grete sklaunder and shame to the holy faders / and namely to many that hadde vsed the Cytees / and were yet dwellyng there without to haue be ouercome by the temptacyons of the deuyll And lokyng that he was not worthy to lyken and compare hymself to one of them / was full sore troubled in his corage / and remembred not hymselfe of the bounte and mercyfulnesse of god / that gyueth vertuouse corage to thoos that deuoutely tourne them selfe to hym He thenne blynded and not seeyng the Remedye of his synne / he wolde haue caste and drowne hymself within the sayd flode to th ende he sholde reioysshe perfytly the deuyll of helle And of the sorowe and grete tourmentyng of his corage he was meruayllously â—yke and febled of his bodye wherof he was in suche wyse dysperate / that yf the grete mercy of god had not gyuen hym couÌ„seyll helpe afterward / he sholde haue deyed without repentauÌ„ce to the grete Ioye parfytte gladnesse of the wycked fende of helle Fynably he thynkyng in hym selfe to retourne vnto god / by grete labour of penauÌ„ce in teerys sobbynges hyÌ„ to beseche to haue mercy of hyÌ„ retourned ayen to his habytacoÌ„n monasterye And as soone that he was come there / closed his dore / shettyng the same as he had be decessed deed And there he sette hymselfe to wepe makyng for his synne right humble supplycacyons deuoute prayers vnto our lorde And fastyng contynuyng in watchynges grete traueylles febled wekyd wonderfully his bodye / but it was not yet in his corage that he had done suffysaunt penaunce And when ony brethern came towarde hym for to aske hym couÌ„seyll of some thyng profytable / prayde hym to open his dore / neuerthelesse he wolde not open it to them / sayng that it laye not in hym to do it / bycause that by othe he had strayned hyÌ„ selfe from openyng his dore a yere duryng / to make there all that whyle fruytfull penauÌ„ce / but he prayed them that they wolde praye god for hym And all be it that they were sklauÌ„dred in hym ylle content of that they had herde saye of hyÌ„ bycause they helde hym to be honourable a vertuouse Relygyouse / neuerthelesse he enforced not hymself for to lay vnto them ony excusacoÌ„ns / but sette al his entent affeccyon to abyde contynue in fastynges deuoute orysons that he dyde a hole yere durynge makyng his penauÌ„ce Hangyng the whiche tyme on the resurreccoÌ„n nyght of our lorde / this holy fader desyryng to knowe yf his synne was forgyuen to hym / he toke a newe lanterne garnysshed it with a lampe after dyde sette it within a newe cawdron and couered it with a lydde And this done / he sette hym selfe to oryson sayng O my god right mercyfull pyteouse that wyll desyreth euery one to be saued to come to the knowloge of thyn stedfast trouth / I atte this houre come vnto the to helpe / as to the veray sauyour of thy good trewe seruauÌ„tes / notwithstandyng that I haue offended the sore / obeyng and pleasynge to the fende of helle / so that obeynge hyÌ„ I am falle to deth euerlastyng Always my god / bycause I wote knowe that by thy grete mercy thou art alwaye redy wyllyng to haue pyte of the wycked folke / of thoos that be not mercyfull / when they tourne themself ayen towarde the. I beseche the my god that it wyll please the to haue pyte of myn humylyte / as thou mayst do it / for to the is nothyng Impossyble And suffre not the my soule the whiche thou hast created and made after thyn owne symylytude whiche is alredy by synne brought to the gates of helle / falle nor entre therin / but as thou art mercyfull pyteouse of thy meke
relygyous man answerde that he had be there .vi. yere I meruayll sayd the deuyll / how it may be that thus longe tyme I haue not knowen that thou were my neyghbour / but within four dayes hytherward that to me is comen in myne ymagynacion / that ther was some holy man dwellyng nyghe by me And so I concluded to serche to come to that for to deuyse talke with the for the helth of my soule And this I telle to the my brother / that we prouffyte nothyng holdyng vs in our celles caues For we lyue as bestes / receyue not the body of our lord Ihesu cryst / wherfor I doubte fere strongly but that we be astraūged from hȳ that so longe absteyne vs fro the holy sacrament But I shall tell the what I thynke my broder Ther is from hens about a two myle a monasterye / wherin ben many prestes whom we may go see euery weke ones / or in .xv. dayes / there we shal receyue the worthy body of our lord Ihū cryst / the doon we maye retourne in to our celles This deuyllysshe suasyon was agreable to the relygyous yongman And the sondaye comen / the deuyll came ayen to hȳ sayeng that they sholde go to the sayd monastery / that it was tyme to departe / so they wente forth And in gooyng the fonde a relygyous man of the sayd monasterye After that the yong man had made his prayer in that place / he arose lokyng about hȳ he fonde not hȳ that was come with hȳ / the whiche was vanysshed awaye And thought in hȳself that he was goon out of the monastery for some necessyte / he abode for hȳ longe seeyng that he cam not / he wente makyng dylygence to fynde hȳ And after enquyred of the monkes after hym in askyng theym / yf they had seen ony olde fader comen in to the chirche / the whiche relygyous men answerd to hȳ that they had seen none but hȳ oonly Thenne the yong religyous man knewe well that it was the deuyll / began to saye in hym selfe Loo by what subtylte malyce the deuyll hath made me to go out of my cell / but neuertheles I sette not moche therby For I am comen hyther for to do accomplysshe a good werke / that is to wyte for to receyue the precyous body of my sauyour Ihesu cryste / whom I shall receyue yf it please hym / and after retourne in to my celle The masse sayd done in the sayd monasterye And after that he had receyued the holy sacrament / the sayd yong man wolde haue retourned in to his celle / but thabbot reteyned wolde not suffre hym to go / tyll that he had taken his refeccyon And whiche refeccyon taken graces sayd to god / he toke leue of the sayd abbot of his relygyous monkes for to go in to his celle And in retournyng the deuyl cam to hȳ ayen in the forme lykenesse of a yong seculer man And by a maner fayned for to come to his dampnable Intency on began to beholde hym ententyuely from the toppe of the hede vnto his fete And sayeng these wordes that the yong Relygyous man myght well here Is this he that hath so longe be sought or is it he not And in sayeng these wordes / he contynuelly behelde more ententyfly than he dyde before For whiche cause the brother seeyng that / sayd to hym what moeued the thus to beholde me To whome the deuyll answered I byleue fayr fader that ye knowe me not / wherof I am not sore abasshed ne admeruaylled / for ye can not well knowe me / seen the longe tyme that ye sawe me / neuerthelesse I knowe you well / for I am next neyghbour to your hous And ferthermore he named his fader his moder / a syster that he had by theyr names / theyr seruaūtes also in sayng to hȳ / was not your fader called thus your moder by this name / your syster in this wyse / and thus theyr seruytoues My frende I assure you / that your moder syster deyed thre yere agoon And your fader departed out of this worlde but late And he hath ordeyned you his heyre made you his excecutour for to dyspose well his goodes for the helth of his soule / he coude not leue ne sette they in a better hade than in yours whiche be an holy man / that haue gyuen ouer forsaken the worlde all worldly goodes for to walke folowe the waye of Ihesu cryste / hopyng that for the grete loue charyte / that ye haue to hym / ye shall be bely dylygent for to dystrybute gyue in almesse by good type dyscrecōn his goodes to the poore nedy seruaūtes of god And for this cause he ordeyned the one sholde come to you for to do for his sake this request / in folowyng the sayd ordynaūce many messagers haue ben in dyuerse places for to fynde you / but they coude not here of you / so it is happed that in comȳg in to these parties / for certayn thȳges I haue foūde you here Wherfor moeued of charite cōpassion consyderyg the grete trust that your fader hath in you I haue be moeued to telle it you / therfore tarye not / but for to fulfyll the wyll testament of your fader / go to his hous / selle all that he hath / for to dele dystrybute to poore peple after his holy deuocōn To who me the relygyous yong man answerd / that it was not to hȳ necessary to retorne to the worlde / that he wolde not go thyder And therupon the deuyll replyed ayen sayeng to hym / that yf by his neclygence / the goodes of his fader were lost dysperpled without to be gyuen to the poore people as he had ordeyned / he sholde therfor gyue a rekenyng ones to fore god And forthermore he sayd to hym these wordes / what harme say I yf I exhorte admoneste the that thou come as a gode trewe dyspēsatour dystrybutour to the poore people the goodes of thy fader lyke as he trusted to the that his goodes sholde not haue ben meschyeuously wasted consumed by vycyous persones See what charge mayst the renne in by thyn estymacōn in so doyng Thou knowest that thou mayst in this thyng gete grete meryte for the helth of thy soule And whan thou shalt haue that doon / thou shalt mowe retourne ayen in to thy celle Fynably this yong Relygyous man was by the deuyll in suche wyse deceyued begyled / that he was contente to go home to the hous of his fader / for to doo and fulfyll that whiche the deuyll had sayd to hym And in dede he departed from his hermytage / and with the deuyll he cam in to the cyte / in whiche he was
thenne moost ardauÌ„tly he mynystreth that to hyÌ„ But yf he knewe certaynly the temptacoÌ„n to whiche the soule sholde be moost enclyned / be sholde not admynyster to hyÌ„ so many temptacoÌ„ns ¶ Some rehercen of thabbot Nathere whiche was dyscyple of thabbot Syluayn / whiche made resydence in his celle in the mount Syna / he lyued only with thynges whiche were necessarye for his bodye But after that he was made bysshop of the Cyte of Pharan / he made moche more abstynence than he hadde doo byfore / the whiche thyng seeyng his dyscyple sayd to hym My lord whan we were in the desertes / we tourmented not our bodyes by strayt harde afflyccyons lyke as we do now To whom he answered / whan we made in thermytage our dwellyng / we were in a place solytary in rest And for that cause I wolde well gouerne my poore bodye to th ende that I ranne in to noo sekenes But now we ben in the worlde / conuersyng with worldly thynges / where we haue moo occasyons to synne than we had before / the whiche it behoueth necessaryly to cutte of and cast awaye / wherfore it is nede to vs to lyue the more sobrely And on that other parte yf of aduenture I were seke I sholde fynde here / whiche sholde better helpe me / than I sholde in thermytage / by whiche I shall not lese the purpose of relygyon ¶ A broder dwellyng in an hermytage nygh vnto thabbot Pastor / sayd to hym on a tyme / that he was sore troubled / that he wolde forsake his place and go in to an other Thabbot Pastor demauÌ„ded hym what moeued hym to doo soo He answered that he herde saye of a brother beyng there some thyÌ„ges / by whiche he was not well edyfyed Thabbot answered to hym that they were not true / he replyed to hym ayen that they were For the brother whiche had reported theym to hyÌ„ was verytable true Thabbot sayd yet ayen that the relygyoê° was not true / for yf he had be suche / he hadde neuer reported suche thyÌ„ges our lord heryÌ„g the voys of the sodomytes cryeng to hyÌ„ for theyr syÌ„ne wold not byleue it / but descended wolde see it with his eyen The relygyous answered the right so he had seen it Thabbot Pastor heryÌ„g these wordes / began to loke on the grouÌ„de / toke vp a strawe / askyng hyÌ„ what it was that he helde / the relygyous sayd that it was a strawe After he loked vp on hye towarde the coueryÌ„g of his celle / lokyng shewde to hym a balke or a beme / he asked hyÌ„ what it was And he answered that it was a balke that susteyned the weyght charge of the celle Thenne sayd to hyÌ„ thabbot My broder hardyly sette in thyn herte byleue that thy synnes be suche also heuy as is the balke / the synnes of whom thou spekest synystryly ben lyke as lyght as the strawe Sysoy heryng this worde was moche admeruaylled of his grete dyscrecoÌ„n sayd to hym Holy fader as moche as I may I blesse prayse the. Certaynly thy wordes ben vertuous as precyous stones ¶ On a tyme prestes of the relygyon came in to a monastery nygh by / in whiche also was thabbot Pastor And thyder cam thabbot Anub / the sayd to hyÌ„ that he sholde praye thoo prestes to take with theym in charyte suche as god had gyuen to theym Thabbot Pastor beyng long without meuyÌ„g hyÌ„ or to make to hyÌ„ ony answere Thenne the sayd abbot Anub was angry went out of the monastery they that were by the sayd abbot Pastor axed wherfor he had gyue none answere to thabbot Anub / bycause sayd he that I haue no cause so to do / ye knowe well that I am deed / a man that is deed speketh not / therfor though I be here with you / ye ought not to repute me lyuyng ¶ A relygyous of a monastry of thabbot Pastor wente on a tyme a pylgremage / arryued in a place where as dwelled a solytary relygyous / the whiche was moche loued of all theym there about And for his vertues cam ofte for to vysyte hyÌ„ The same broder in dyuysyng with hym / receyued to hyÌ„ some of the vertues of the sayd Pastor And for that cause the sayd relygyous desyred sore to see hym And after the sayd relygyous was retourned in to his monasterye whiche was in Egypte Certayne tyme after / the sayd solytarye man departed for to go thyder / and so longe walked that he cam in to the place / where that the other relygyous had tolde hym where he sholde fynde hym And whan the sayd relygyous sawe the solytary monke / he was moche Ioyous made to hym good chere And after the sayd solytary monke prayed hyÌ„ for saynt charyte that he wolde shewe to hym his abbot Pastor / whiche he dyde brought hyÌ„ vnto his sayd abbot saynge to hym O venerable fader loo here is a solytary relygyous man / whiche in his prouynce is moche honoured praysed of all men / the whiche desyryng to see the for the good renoÌ„mee that he hath herde of the is comeÌ„ oonly hyther to see yt. After that they were entresalued / thabbot Pastor receyued hyÌ„ Ioyously / after they had rested theyÌ„ togydre / began the sayd solytary to speke of holy scrypture of spyrytuell heueÌ„ly thynges / but thabbot Pastor gaaf to hyÌ„ none answere / the solytary relygyous seeyng that he spak not / all wroth departed froÌ„ hyÌ„ And to the broder that had brought hym thyder sayd in this maner I haue well taken in vayn for nought this waye that I am comen to this holy fader for to see hym to speke with hyÌ„ / that he dayneth not to speke to me The relygyoê° heryng the coÌ„playnt of the other / transported hyÌ„ selfe to the sayd abbot Pastor sayd to hyÌ„ Fader abbot this notable relygyoê° whiche hath so grete a fame in his couÌ„tree is comen hyther for to see that thou wylt not speke to hyÌ„ Thabbot answered to hym I am not a man for to speke to hym / he speketh not but of bye of heuenly thynges And I whiche am a man can not speke but of lowe erthely thynges / yf he had spoken of the passyons of the soule / certaynly I sholde wâ—ll haue answered hyÌ„ / but to hye spyrytuell questyons I can not answer for I knowe theym not The broder after that he had herde this answer / retourned to the other solytary man / sayd to by that the abbot Pastor sayd to hym He thenne touched of coÌ„punccoÌ„n / retorned vnto the sayd abbot / axed hym what thyng he had for to do / of that his passyons surmouÌ„ted hym Thabbot beholdyng by sayd Now thou art ryght welcome / now I shall open my mouth to the And yf I can ony good
a good entente / as for cause of sekenesse or other necessyte ¶ A broder cam to thabbot Pastor the seconde weke of lente / in declaryng to hyÌ„ his thoughtis / fouÌ„de in hyÌ„ some rest of coÌ„scyence / theÌ„ne sayd the broder to hyÌ„ I had thought to haue dyfferred this daye for to haue come to the for lytyll thyng The abbot asked hyÌ„ wherfor / the broder answered I doubted by cause that it was lente that the yate sholde not haue be opened Thenne sayd to hyÌ„ the abbot we haue not be acustomed to shette the yate / by the whiche men entre herin / but we desyre more besyly to close shette the yate of that tongue As who wolde say that it is more vayllable to close refrayne his tongue from spekyng in tyme place / than to close and shette the materyall dore of his hous ¶ A broder sayd to thabbot Pastor / yf I gyue ony thyng to my neyghbour / anone the deuyll tempteth me with the synne of vayne glorye / wherfor I drede to do almesse The holy man answered / we ought to socour the necessyte of our neyghbours for the loue of god The same olde fader sayd to the broder one suche a parable Two men labourers dwelled in a cyte / of the whiche the one of that he had sowen gadred but lytyll good therof / yet that whiche he had gadred was not very clene That other dyde sowe nothyng / also he gadred nothyÌ„ge I aske the thenne yf it so happed that ther cam an honger or famyne / whiche of thyse myght best escape this dauÌ„ger The broder answered that he that had sowen gadred TheÌ„ne sayd the holy maÌ„ lyke wyse we ought to sowe good werkes / to th ende that the tyme of famyne beyng come / that is to saye / that we may nomore deserue / the whiche thyng theÌ„ne we wolde haue done may not recouuer it / that we deye not eternally ¶ An other broder cam to speke to a good fader / in departyng froÌ„ hyÌ„ bycause he had supposed to haue letted hyÌ„ sayd to hyÌ„ Fader pardoÌ„ne me / for I haue letted that in thy rule maner to lyue relygyously / to whom the holy man answered thou hast not letted me in my rule for acordyng to the same I ought in good charyte mercy receyue all comers ¶ A man moche solytary strayt of lyuyng / the occupyed hyÌ„self in excercyse of dyuerse werkes dwelled nygh by a monastery in whiche were a grete multytude of bredern / soÌ„tyme it happed that they that went to vysyte cam vnto this holy maÌ„ whiche was so moche solytary they coÌ„strayned hyÌ„ to ete aboue the hour determyned after that they asked hyÌ„ sayng fader art not thou wroth bycause thou etest to fothyn hour / he answered I am neuer wroth / but whaÌ„ I do after myn owne wyll for asmoche as I do this coÌ„trary ayenst my wyll I am nothyÌ„g wroth ne sory therfore ¶ Ther was in Syrye vpoÌ„ that way of desertes an olde man whiche had a custome to receyue all the relygyoê° ê‘sones that passed by that way On a tyme amoÌ„g the other passed a moche so lytary man that whiche for what prayer that the olde fader made / he wold not dryÌ„ke ne ete / sayeng that in no wyse he wolde breke his fast / but the holy maÌ„ sore displesed by cause he wold not acorde to his prayer sayd to hyÌ„ I pray the syth thou wold not ete ne dryÌ„ke with me / at the lest that thou wyle holde me coÌ„pany to pray vnto god vnder a tree whiche is here by / of it bowe doun at my prayer tofore thyn / thou shalt do that I shall requyre the / the whiche thyng that holy fader accorded to hyÌ„ TheÌ„ne began he to praye that was so strayt in his fastyng but the tree bowed nothyng doun warde TheÌ„ne after that other begaÌ„ to praye / all sodaynly the tree bowed it doun / the seeyng that other / he obteÌ„pred obeyed to his wordes / praysed god both togyder of the caas that was to theyÌ„ happed ¶ Two relygyoê° persones cam to an holy man / that whiche had of custome not to ete of all the longe daye / but whan he sawe theyÌ„ he was moche Ioyous / and sayd to theyÌ„ / the fastyng hath his rewarde For who the eteth for charyte / he accoÌ„plyssheth two coÌ„mauÌ„dement / for he leueth his owne wyll / accomplyssheth the coÌ„mauÌ„dement of god in fedyng refresshyng his brethern ¶ A relygyoê° man of Thebes had receyued of god suche a grace / that he myght gyue to all Indygent nedy that whiche was to theym necessary One tyme amonge thother as he dyde his almesse in a strete / he sawe tofore hyÌ„ for to haue some thyng / a woman clothed with olde clothes all to rente that it was pyte to see The relygyoê° man hauyng on her coÌ„passyon / toke his hoÌ„de full of money wenyng to haue gyuâ— it to the sayd woman / but by the grace of god / his honde closed myght gyue to the womaÌ„ but a lytyll parte therof / wherby it appered that she was not so indygent / as it appered withoutforth And after that ther cam an other woman well clothed / whan be sawe her / he sayd in hyÌ„selfe / this persone had no nede toke in his hoÌ„de a lytyll almesse for to gyue to her / but in openyng his honde she toke more than he had put in / in sygnefyeng that this woman was more indygent than her clothes sheweth withoutforth Thenne he meruaylled moche / enquyred of the astate of these two wyÌ„men / he fonde that this womaÌ„ that was well clothed was of grete kynne / was falleÌ„ in pouerte / for that cause she was ashamed for to be euyl clothed / but the other was so clad for to moeue the people for to gyue to her theyr almes And now in these dayes ouer al the worlde be many suche abusyde therfor it is not euyll sayd / see wel to whom that gyuest / for oftymes men gyue to hyÌ„ that is rycher than he that gyueth / how be it that men suppose by cause he is euyl clothed that he hath no thyng ¶ Ther was a relygyoê° man whiche had a broder seculer / that whiche was moche poore / all that the relygyous man myght wyÌ„ne he delyuered to hyÌ„ / but how moche more he gaf to hyÌ„ / the more poore he was / of whiche thyng that relygyoê° meruaylled / declared it vnto a good holy man / whiche sayd to hyÌ„ in this maner yf thou wylt byleue me gyue to hyÌ„ nomore / whan he shall come to the / saye to hyÌ„ My broder whyâ—e I had ony good I gaaf it to that / therfor labour now / of that thou wyÌ„nest sende to me for my dyner / whan ony
of charyte of humylyte / begynnyng in latyn Certissime Caplm .ij. ¶ Of the vertue of contynence Capitulum .iij. ¶ Of the contynence of the syght Caplm .iiij. ¶ Of contynence of speche Caplm .v. ¶ How â—yle clothyng ought to be desyred Caplm .vi. ¶ How alle thynges ought to be doon by reason mesure Caplm .vij. ¶ Of the we le of conpunccoÌ„n whiche pryncypally cometh for a man to mortefye hym selfe Caplm .viij. ¶ Of the qualyte of conpunccyon Capitulum .ix. ¶ Of the maner to praye to god our maker Caplm .x. ¶ Of the bataylle of vyces ayenst the vertues Caplm .xi. ¶ Of the affeccyon for the studye well Caplm .xij. ¶ How one ought pacyently to endure the aduersytees and maladyes Capitulum .xiij. ¶ Here foloweth thystorye of Theododosius of whom is spoken in the chapytre to fore Caplm .xiiij. ¶ How one ought gladly rede the scriptures / begynnyn in latyn Sanctarum c. Caplm .xv. ¶ Of the yefte of peas / begynnynge in latyn Saluator et cetera Capitulum .xvi. ¶ Of the Epystle of saynt Macharye to the monkes / whiche begynnyth in latyn In primis c. Caplm .xvij ¶ Here endyth the Table of this present volume called in latyn Vitas patrum / that is the lyfe of olde auncyent faders ¶ Explicit ¶ Here foloweth the fyrste parte ¶ Prologue of saynt Iheroâ— BLessyd be god our souerayn creatour dyrectour Infallyble Whyche woll that all mankynde sholde be sauyd and come to the perfyghte knowlege of trouche / Whyche also to vs hath adressyd our way for to goo in to Egypte / Where we haue seen grete thynges merueylloê° terryble and profytable to theym that in tyme comyng maye come to the knowlege of theym / And the whiche thynges ben not to vs allonely cause of the sechynge of oure helthe but also they haue giue to vs occasyon and matere for to wryte hystory right couenable to doctryne of pyte / The whiche doctryne by the fayth of thynges passed and tolde in the same / shall shewe waye ryght ample large to theim that woll walke therin And how wel that we ben not couenable ne luffisaunt to telle recompte soo grete thynges / And is seen not to be thynge dygne ne worthy that folke of lytyl capacyte oughte to entremete to recyte in theyr soo lytyll feble style suche hystoryes whiche consiste in the excersyte of right hye vertues / Nevertheles bi cause that the feruente charytee of the fretes dwellynge in the holy mountayne of Olyuete / haue ofte tymes requyred vs to wryte to theym and explyke the lyues of holy Heremytes and religyouses resydent in the desertes of Egypte the yâ— grete vertues verkes of pytee And the merueyllous strengthe of theyr abstynences whiche we manyfestly haue seen Hopynge to be holpynge in thys matere by the right holy and deuowte prayers orysons of the layd requyters The whyche ben to vs in stede of commauÌ„dement haue entreprysed this werke / In whiche we desyre not somoche the laude of the style as we hope the edyficacyon in tyme comynge of theym that shall rede this history / By this the eche of theim enflamÌ„ed by thexamples that herin ben conteyned shall be moeued excyted to haue errour of the wicked ordures fylthes vayn labours of this worlde· and to excyte hym to reste of conscyence and to the werkes of pyte / Thenne maye we saye thus saythe the noble clerke saynt Iherom in spekynge of the sayd holy deuoute relygyous of Egypte whiche we haue seen And verely haue seen the noble tresour of Ihesu Cryste hydde in vessels humayn / The whyche tresour after we had founde it haue not wylled as enuyouse to hyde ne couere it but the same soo founde to the vtilyte profyte of many / we haue wyll to manyfeste make comyn / Veritably acertayned that of soo moche that many shall be therby enrychyd of so moche more shall they mow haue grete mede meryte / ¶ Thenne at begynnyng of this narracoÌ„n we supplye ryght humbly to our worthy sauy our Ihesu Cryste that his prompt grace maye be to vs presented in vertue of the whiche the same werkes of pyte haue ben doon by the sayd relygyouses of Egypte / Ferthermore we haue seen in the sayd countree of Egypte many holy faders lyuynge in erthe not the lyfe humayne but heuenly lyf as newe prophetes reysed for to shewe thynges for to come· Soo moche were they full of vertues / In the whiche was all efficace of verytee as well for to bere wytnesse of the merytes as for to doo myracles / And noo thynge wythout cause hadde they suche prerogatyf of god / For he that in all contempnyth or despisyth the worlde· and all his alyauÌ„ce / Wherfore sholde he not haue myght puyssauÌ„ce celestyall dyuyne / We haue seen also somÌ„ other the whyche were soo ygnoraunte of malyce that they knewe not that ony euyll were done in the worlde ne also what synne was / But they were all vtterly Inculpable / In theym was so grete tranquylyte of courage vertue / and soo extreme affeccoÌ„n of bouÌ„te that not wythoute cause myghte be sayde to theym / Pees be habundantly to the very louers of the name of Ihesu Cryste / They dwelled in deserte dispersed separate that one fro that other in diuerse â—elles lytyll howses / But by very â—harite were they ensembled alâ—ed vnyed / And the reyson for whiche they were separate was this / By cause that by ydle wyndes vnprofitable walkyng in theyr vrages or by comynycacyons not truytfull theyr dyuyne holy contemplacön of that one or of that other be truwbled or letted / And wyth al theyr herte and as ententyf to theyr deuocyon in theyr secrete places fro daye to daye they abode the comynge of Ihesu Cryste that is to saye the dethe In the whyche eâ—he one shall be Iudged after his merytes / And there lyke as very knyghtes armyd of all pyeces of hameys abode the aduersary of all mankynde the fende of helle / They had no manere solyeytude ne besynesse of the lyfe naturell ne of bodyly necessytees consyderynge the grete promyse charytable of our redemer / by that whiche he promysyth to all theym that by very Iustyce wyth all theyr herte shall take payn to gete the reame of heuen· that they shall haue no nede ne necessyte / And for this consyderacoÌ„n many amonge hem whaÌ„ they had ony necessytees they retorned to god· as to the very conduytour infallyble of theym that renne to hym And anone they haue that whyche they demaunde / Some of theym went vppon the water lyke to saynt Peter / Some of theym with theyr hondes sleâ—ve and put to dethe horryble bestes for to see And they dyde not oonly suche myracles but other Infynyte / And suche as by the prophetes appostles had be done / Thenne it is to byleue that syth the tyme the world
hath be mayntened as it is now by the holy deuoute relygy onses whyche daye nyghte praye for the vnyuersall helthe / But as it is so that the thynges right good ben ofte in lytyll quantytee right dyffycile / Neuertheles al they were in the same â—â— condycoÌ„us / For they were in grete multytude and also they were perfyte of ryight holy lyfe / Some were nygh dwellers by citees and other places in champestres / And other garnisshed wyth vertues were separate dysperded in the desertes / And as the excersice of men of armes of some prynce is one they were vnyed in charytee in theyr tyguryes orcelles / And stedfastly armyd with prayer berynge the shelde of faythe for souerayne defence were redi apparaylled to fyghte agaynste the aduersaryes of our fragylytee / By whyche they tooke by assaulte the reame of heuen / All generalli were aoumed and arayed with vertues swete and peasyble / But alle were togydre alyed and bounde wyth the bonde of charyte And for Ialousye and desyre for to gete vertues they led dide dyuerse batayles For euery man laboured and toke payne that one to be more swete and softe or more benigne than the other / That one to be more peasyble and that other right pacyente / Yf ony were more wyse than thother / Of soo moche he rendred hymselfe more humble / and seruaunte of alle the other In suche wise as he semyd to be moost ygnoraunte / And soo moche sayth saynt Iherom that god hath done to me suche grace to see their conuersacyon I shall sette my payne after that god shall gyue me the mynde for to recounte by wrytynge theyr fayre laudable manere of lyuynge / To the ende that they whiche haue not seen corporally theym maye knowe theyr holy conuersacyon and good werkes / By the whyche they maye ensyewe and lede suche a lyfe lyke to theym / And fynably maye gete by very pacyence tryumphe and vyctorye in this worlde And in the reame of heuen glory perdurable / Amen / ¶ Of saynt IohnÌ„ the Heremyte the fyrst chapytre / whiche begynnyth in latyn Primum igitur / THe noble and blessyd Doctou saynt Iherom Recountyth of saynt IohnÌ„ of Egypte The whiche was an holy Heremyte and an examplayre of alle vertues dwellynge in the partyes of Thebaydes in an Heremytage sette in an hyghe roche nygh to the cytee of Lyto / To whyche Heremytage myghte noo man goo but in grete payne and laboure / The chyrche of that Heremytage was closed and shette / And therin was the sayde Heremyte soo longe tyme. that fro his lx yere of age tyl he was lxxx yere olde that noo persone entred in to that chyrche tyll saynt Iherom vysited hym / Neuerthelesse to theym that came thyther for to vysyte hym he spake to theym thorugh a wyndowe oonly in confortynge theym / And gyuynge to theym spyrytuell refeccyon / He was neuer seen of woman in the sayd Heremytage / There were but fewe men that sawe hym / and that not alwaye / But att certayn houres dayes He suffred wel that a lityll how 's was made wythout his monastery for to lodge reste theym that came fro ferre regyons countrees for to see hym / And he hyÌ„selfe allone with in his monasterye ocupyed hym daye nyght without ony Intermyssion with alle his thoughte myghte to denowte oâ—yson prayer / And he was soo agreable to god that not allonely he had the scyence of thynges presente but also of thynges to come / And soo hadd he the yefte of prophecie as well in the prouyÌ„ces cytees nyghe by and also in ferre countrees in whyche he had neuer be To the emperour Theodosâ—en he shewed ofte tymes of his fortunes that he sholde haue of his aduersaryes / how he sholde haue vyctorye of some tyrauÌ„â—es his enmyes ¶ In a time it happed that the Ethyopyens nyght a cyte namyd Cyrene the whyche is the fyrst of the parties The baydes in the countree of Ethyopye hadd assyeged a knyghte Romayne the whyche had loste many of his peple in bataylle some slayne some take and broughte in capryuyte The sayde knyghte had lytyll peple· grete multytude of enmyes feryng for that cause to assaylle the Ethyopyens / â—ame to the sayd holy Heremyte for to couÌ„seyle what he shold doo / The why the ordeyned to hym day of batayle ayenst his enmyes / sayenge to hym that yf he soo dyde he sholde opteyne vyctorye and haue domynacoÌ„n of his enmyes / As well of theyr bodyes as of theyr goodes / And soo it happed to the sayde knighte ¶ Another knyght of Rome excercisyng the offyce of a Trybune came to the sayd Heremyte prayeng him that he and his wyffe myghte speke with hym To whom he answerd that his wyffe myghte in noo wyse speke wyth hym / And that syth he hadde be Heremyte neuer woman had seen him ne spake wyth him / The sayde knyghte abode styll in his prayers / In swerynge yf she sawe him not that she were in daungeour of dethe / And whanÌ„e the sayde Heremyte considered his Inportunytee and also her faythe sayd to hym / Goâ— to thy wyffe and saye to her that in this nyghte she shall see me But that she come not hyther / But in her bedde and in her howse I shall speke to her / Thenne wente the sayd Romayne / and consyderynge in his herte the doubtous answere of the sayde Heremyte shewed it to his wife / The whiche of the Incertayntee of that answere was strongely greuyd and ennoyed / But in the same nyghte she slepynge sawe a vysyon of a man spekynge to her whyche sayde to her thyse wordes / O woman of grete faythe for to satysfye thy desyre and wyll I am come hither for to speke to the / Neuerthelesse I admonest and warne the. that frohens fourth thou desyre not to see the bodyly vysage of the seruauntes of god / But allone haue thou desyre for to haue coÌ„templacyon in thyne herte of theyr vertues in good maners / The spyryte onely gyuyth lyfe And the flesshe prouffy tyth in noo thynge / I am not hid come to the as Iuste ne prophete lyke as thou wenest of me but for the fayth of thy Husbonde and of the / I haue prayed vnto almyghty god for to gyue to the helthe of all thy sykenesse and maladyes· thou shalt be hoole and guarysshed / And thou and thy husbonde and your housholde shall be blessyd of god / And be not vnkynde of the benefaytes that god hath gyue to you / But drede ye hym frohenforth / And demauÌ„de not of hym but the sustentacyon of your lyfe wythoute ony other rychesse / Lete it suffyse to the that thou haste seen me in slepynge / And in tyme comynge herafter desyre not to see my body / Thenne whan this woman was awaked she· recounted alle the caas to her husbonde In exposynge to hym very
ensygnes of his vysage and clothynge and habyllements of the sayd holy fader with many other tokenes / By the whyche her Husbonde knewe certaynly the sayd visyon to be true / Wherefore he sore amerueylled retorned to the sayd holy fader for to rendre and gyue thankynges of the thynges afore sayde / The whyche rendred he demauÌ„ded of hym his bene dyccyon / And after came Ioyously home to his howse / ¶ In a nother tyme a Prouoste or Capytayne of men of warre lefte his wyffe nyghe her tyme for to chylde Came for to see the sayde holy fader / And in the tyme that he aryued in the place where as he dwelled And the same day she was in grete peryll for her chyldynge / Thenne the holy fader forsayde aduertysed the sayde Prouoste and shewed to hym how she was delyuered of a fayre sone and brought fayre a bedde In sayenge to hym Thou art bounde to gyue thankynges souerayne to god / For thy wyfe whiche was in grete daungeour is delyuered oute of peryll / But haste the to retorne home and thou shalte fynde her hoole and guarysshyd wyth her chylde seuen dayes olde Whom thou shalte name IohnÌ„ / And thou shalte nourysshe hym seuen yere in thyne howse wythoute to haue ony comynycacion wyth the Pay nyms to th ende for to kepe hym from theyr vyces / The whyche seuen yere so passyd thou shalte delyuere hym to some holy relygyous man for to Instructe and teche the Crystyn fayth and doctryne / And thus the holy man as well to peple of the prouynces nygh by him as to straungers yf they requyred hym gaaf good counseyle in repreuyng theym of theyr vyces and secrete synnes ¶ He prophecyed the famyne to come / for the synne of the peple and other persecucyons comynge In excytynge the synners to penaunce and amendement of lyfe And as to Inpotents and Paralytyks whan they were broughte to hyÌ„ he blessyd hem wyth holy oyle· of whyche whan they were ennoynted they recouered helthe and guaryson of all theyr maladyes / ¶ A Senatour of Rome had a wyfe blynde whiche exorted him to lede and brynge her to the sayde holy Heremyte / To whom the sayd Senatour her husbonde answerd that he wolde neuer see ony wymmen / ThenÌ„e she prayed hym that he wolde goo to hym / And praye hym to make his oryson and prayer to god for her / For by this moyen syngulerly she hoped to recouere her syghte / The same Senatour came to this sayde holy man / and after that he hadde made his Requeste He blessyd a lytyll oyle / And sente it to the sayde blynde woman / Wyth whyche she ennoynted her eyen thre dayes And Incontynente she receyuyd her syghte in gyuynge thankynges to god ¶ Many other dedes worthy to be remembred dyde this holy man / ¶ The whyche sholde be ouer longe to wryte ¶ But saynt Iherom hathe yet wryten one in this boke / By cause he him self was there present wyth syxe other brethern / The whyche togyder came for to see the sayde holy man / ¶ And after they were aryued / And that they had salwed eche other / He receyued theym wyth grete gladnesse / And spake to eche of theym humbly / In admonestynge theym to praye to god wyth hym / As it was acustomed to the holy faders of Egypte / whanne ony came for to vysyâ—e theym / ¶ Thenne he demaunded theym yf ony of theym were a clerke / The whyâ—he answerde to him â—aye ¶ Neuerthelesse he knewe in spytyte of prophecie that one of them was a Deaken / ¶ And by humylytee he reputyd hymself vnworthy to be with lo grete and persyghte men as his felowes wâ—ee / And hydde hym behynde theym / ¶ The holy man seenge the sayde Deaken whyche was the yongest of theym And shewed hym wyth his fynger and sayde / Loo this is the Deaken The whiche answered that he was no ne / ¶ Thenne the holy man toke him by the honde and kyssyd hym and sayde / Haa my sonne denye not the grace that god hathe giuen to the. To the ende that thou take none harme for goode / And for humylytee to lye / ¶ For aboue all thynges â—â—synges oughte to be eschewed be it for good or for euyllâ— The whyche Deken receyuyd benygnly his correceyon / ¶ And this done they togyder prayeng god / One of theym had a grete Feuer· In suche wyse that he supposyd to haue deyed / ¶ Thenne he prayed the same holy man that he myghte by hym be heelyd and guarysshyd / To whome he answered / ¶ My frende thou desyreste to putte from the that thinge whiche is to the necessarye to haue / ¶ For lyke as the body is puryfyed and wasshyd by the Nytree Whyche is a spece of Salte puryfycatyff / or by other wasshynges / ¶ In lyke wyse also is puryfyed and heelyd the sowle by maladyes and other Infyrmytees corporell / ¶ Neuerthelesse after that he hadd enfourmed and taughte hym of many enscynements and doctrynes He blessyd a lytyll oyle / And gaaf it to hym to drynke / By the moyen of whyche he caste oute sodaynly of his mowthe the humoure causynge the Feuer / And retournyd alle hoole· and guarysshyd of his Feuer / ¶ This myracle done thus and after many other Instruccyons and spyrytuell refecâ—yons to theym gyuen by the sayd holy fader / He dyde admynystre to theym that was nedefull / for theyr refeccyon corporell / ¶ And in the meane whyle he wythdrewe hym in to his Celle / There beynge solytary by Reason / ¶ For to wryte his abstynence it sholne be a thynge merueyllous / For he neuer ete tofore Euen / And yf he therme ete it was ryght lytyll / ¶ Of corpulence he was lene by his abstynence / And he hadde but lytyll heere of his heede also of berde / As he that was in langour / By cause he ere noo thynge wherof his nature myghte be susteyned / He beynge of aege foure score yeres ete noo mete that was boylled ne by fyre ne other wyse / ¶ Whanne they hadde take theyr Refeccyons they retorned to him ¶ And they beynge sette tofore hym / He demauÌ„ded for what cause they were comen thyder / The whyche answered that for the helthe of theyr sowles / they were comen from Iherusalem to hym / And also for to see hym bodyly By cause of the merueyllous thynges whyche were of hym to theym recyted / ¶ For more formely is reteyned and reduced to remembraunce that whyche hathe be seen thanne that whyche hathe ben herde tolde or spoken / ¶ Thenne the holy man replenysshyd wyth Ioye in smylynge answered / I merueylle of you my chylderen that ye haue enterprysyd soo grete a waye For as ye maye see to me is noo thinge digne ne worthy of praysynge / Certaynly I am a man lytyll and pooer / Hauynge noo vertue that ye oughte to desyre / ¶ And whanne it soo
is made in the worlde / And whanne be hadde taken for to susteyne nature / He retourned to prayer for to Rendre and gyue thankynges to our souerayn lorde god / ¶ To whyche Heremyte many reuelacyons of thynges to come were shewed / But after he fell in to vayne glory for his demerytes / And became slowe and neclygent in his prayers / And prayed not to god soo moche deuowtely as he had ben accustomyd / ¶ And as he was ennoyed to contynue his prayers He therby ranne in to slowthe and Infamye and in to lecherous thoughtes / And neuertheles he soo beynge made his prayers as he was accustomyd to doo / And entrynge in to his Caue he founde brede as tofore / The whyche was not soo fayre but fusty and spotted Thenne he admerueylled and was heuy and sory / By cause this brede was not lyke ne soo good as it had ben byfore / And the thyrde daye after he beynge maculate by vayne thoughtes / supposed verily in his mynde to haue seen the ymage of a yonge woman ¶ And thenne hym semyd that he embracyd and also kyssyd her In makynge fowle attowchynges / ¶ Thys notwythstondyng / the daye folowyng he retourned in to hys prayers / But SAynt Iherom saythe that he saw a nother holy man moche honourable nyghe vnto the regyon of Thebayde namyd Hor / whyche was fader and abbot of many monasteryes And was foure score and ten yeres of aege / Hauynge a longe berde and white heere 's and Ioyous after the Iugemente of his face / And to th ende that the brethern dwellynge in the Foreste had none occasion for to goo ferre for to seche their bodily necessytees / He planted in places nighe the monasteryes trees berynge fruyte In whyche places tofore he dwelled there hadd neuer tree be planted / And yf he was moche besye for theyr refeccyons corporell / Moche more wythout comparison had he more affeccyon vnto the spyrytuell refeccyon / It is sayd that charytee begynnyth at hymself / He ete not of that whiche his brethern ete / For oonly he vsyd rootes and herbes for his mete and for his drynke oonly clere water / yf he fonde it in ocupyenge hymselfe al day and nyghte in fastynges and prayers / ¶ Whanne he was come to maturytee and rypenesse of his aâ—ge / An aungell apperyd to hym in a vysyon sayenge to hym / Many men to the obeissaunte shall bileue the / Grete multytude of peple as thousandes shall be saued by the And after the angell sayd to him that in tyme to come he sholde haue domynacyon vpon as many men as he had conuerted / And that he sholde drede no manere thynge / For all that he sholde demaunde of god he sholde opteyne / ¶ Whan the holy man had herde alle thys· he wente in to a â—elle the whyche he hadd made for hymselfe / And there he vsyd for his sustentacyon but coole wortes after that he hadd longe fasted And notwythstondyng that he ne cowde rede ne wryte / Neuerthelesse his brethern whom he vysyted in places adiacent and nyghe to his Hermytage presented to hym a booke / In whyche as he had knowen all by herte he radde lyightly / He had puyssaunce vpon the deuylles in chacynge theym oute of the bodyes of men / And by vertue of his prayers he guarysshyd and heelyd theym / ¶ Many other Hermytes and relygyous men came to him / Amonge whiche saynt Iherom came whom he receyued benyngly and prayed hym that he myghte wasshe his fete lyke as he had be acustomyd to doo to his ghestis His custome was neuer to receyue hys refeccyon corporall tyll that he had receyued his maker / ¶ On a tyme amoÌ„ge other after that he hadde receyuyd his creatour saynt Iherom aryued / He exorted his brethern and saynt Iherom to take theyr refeccyon corporell / In whyche refeccyon he spake of god and of his werkes wythout to speke of ony vanytees lyke as we doo After the refeccyon take he recounted many hystoryes of holy Heremytes / And fyrst of an holy man whyche was thre yere coÌ„tynuelly wythoute etynge of ony mete / of this worlde / but from thre dayes to thre dayes an aungel broughte to him heuenly meete / Of whyche oonly he was susteyned and fedde wythoute takynge of ony other thynge / ¶ After this he recounted to theim a nother historye / In sayenge that he had seen soo holy an Heremyte To whom the cruel deuylles came in lykenesse of angels bryngynge a charyott aâ—urned and arayed as for a grete lorde / In whyche charyott was one of the deuylles habyl lyd lyke a kynge the whyche sayde to him / Come now hither good man thy penaunce is accomplysshed / There is now nomore to doo but thou adoure worshyp me / To the ende that I enhaunce the in this charyott lyke as Hely was / But the good Relygious Heron thynkynge was admerueyled / sayde to hymselfe / Eeuery daye I adoure my god / And now he woll praye that I adoure hym / He knowyth well that I serue hym day nyght wyth all my power / I byleue that this is not my god / And therfore he said to the same deuyl I haue my kynge whom contynuelly I adoure / Wherfore I byleue that thou art not my lorde souerayne / Thenne the deuylles sawe his constaunce humylyte wente all awaye confused / Saynt Iherom sayth notwythstondynge the holy man Hor in recountynge this hystorye applyed it to be happed to a nother persone than to hym / Neuertheles the brethern affermyd the same Hor. to be it hymselfe / But by his grete humylyte he atrybuted his perfeccoÌ„n to a nother / Whan ony men came for to dwell with hyÌ„ / he was soo pyteuouse of them that he callyd his brederrn and dyde theym for to make an hous for theym There some made mortere other made tyles / And by cause his brethern seenge his charytee enioyed theym to be wyth hym / He dyde not as some done in thise dayes whiche demaunde grete quantite of money for to receyue some relygyous in theyr hous but he delyuerde to them at his dyspence and his brethern hous and vtensyles / ¶ On a tyme it happed that one of his brethern a stonge lyer came to hym the whyche had rente his robe / to the ende that the good abbot sholde see hym nakyd for to haue one newe / ThenÌ„e the holy maÌ„ knowyng by Inspyracyon his Inyquite falsenes repreued hym tofore alle his brethern / And neuer after durste he lye tofore hym / And for fynall conclusyon he was of soo grete vertues me rytes· that from all partyes came to hyÌ„ holy and deuoute relygious men for the excellence of his vertuous lyfe In whyche oughte to take ensample alle men of Relygion / ¶ Of saynt AmÌ„on abbot of thre thousande monkes / And begynnyth in latyn Vidimus autem / Caplm iii. REcyteth saynt Iherom of
louable vertu of chastyte / He had to the same desyred and persuaded her therto syth and after that she hadd hadd by hym thre chyldren / That by the space of xxx yere· durynge the whyche they had contynuelly ben playsauntly in maryage that one wyth that other / Yet had they neuer towched flesshely that one wyth the other / ¶ But at suche tyme as they were prycked desyred tacomplysshe theyr flesshly delectacoÌ„ns / they haue myghtly wythstode and resysted theym duryng the tyme aforsayd / as they yet done / ¶ Secondly he sayd that all his lyfe he had not cessed to lodge pylgryms And that he hymself went fyrste to receyue theym in / He had neuer dyspysed the poore peple but had benygnly mynystred to theym theyr necessytees / In doynge Iustice he spared noo more his chyldren than the estrangers / The godes of other he neuer retayned / Yf ony dyscorde hadd be moeuyd emonge his men / he neuer cessed tyll he hadd made theym acorded / Neuer man founde his seruauntes doynge ony euyll to other his beestes had neuer done ony doÌ„mage to the graynes or corne of his neygboure ¶ Who some euer wolde sowe ony corne on his loÌ„de he wolde neuer for bydde it hym ne also to gadre take the prouffyte / ¶ And more ouer he wolde neuer suffre the riche to offende ne hurte ne greue the poore / But had alway studyed to doo playsure to other / And also of all theym that had pleeted tofore hym he neuer condempned one / but had constreyned theym tacorde theymself / ¶ And this seenge the fader heremyte bowynge his heed / gaaf to hym his blessynge / The blessynge of god of Syon be yeue graunted to the. to the ende that thou mayste eternally see the goodes of Iherusalem all thy lyfe / ¶ And for asmoche said saynt PaphuÌ„ce that thou haste acomplysshed thy dayes in vertues werkes good maners / There abydeth one thynge whiche is necessary / That is that the leue alle thy mouable goodes herytages / And renounce theim in folowyng thy lorde Instructour Ihesu cryste / And incontynent withoute to dyspose his godes the sayd lord with the sayd holi fader wente soo ferre that they came to a ryuer where neuer ony persone had passed wythout boote / The holy fader constreyned hym to entre therin / And notwythstondynge the water was moche depe Neuerthelesse they passed it lyghtly wythout to entree more depe than theyr sydes / ¶ After they went so longe that they came to the deserte / Where saynt Paphunce delyuerd to hym a lytyll celle a lytyll hous nyghe vnto his monasterye / In exposynge to hym the Rules of holy conuersacyon and the excersyte of perfyghtnesse / ¶ And after that he duely and suffysauntly Instruct / The sayde holy fader Paphunce wente hys waye and constreyned hymself to lede a more straytter lyfe than he had done byfore / And also to doo make greter abstynences / And the payne that he had to for suffred and the penaunce that he had borne suffred· he reputed ouer lytyll Seeng that they that were in the worlde dyde thynges of soo grete vertue / Lyke as dyde they two aforsayd / ¶ After that the lord of whom is tofore spoken had lyued the space of longe tyme in the hermytage in augmentynge multeplyenge his perfeccyon / The sayd Paphunce beynge there in his celle or lytill house sawe the soule of the sayd lorde borne by angelles in to heuen sayenge / Blessyd is he whom thou hast chosen / For he shall dwelle wyth the / And by that knewe the holy fader that the sayd lorde was sauyd / ¶ Wherfore the sayd holy fader constreyned himself to doo yet more grete abstinences than he dyde tofore / And in lyke wyse prayed he yet god agayne that he wolde shew to hym to whom he was semblable amonge the men / To whyche request a voys answerde / Thou shalt be semblable to a marchauÌ„t whyche anone shall come hyder for to vysite the / Wherfore aryse and goo to mete hym / ¶ Anone the holy fader aroos and wente downe for to mete the sayd marchaunt that whyche came fro Alexandrye and brought fro Theybayde many marchaundyses the whyche he had in thre shyppes whiche was worth of theyr money .iii. thou sande shyllynges or there abowte And by cause he was a good man louyd well relygyon· be broughte to the sayde holy fader ten sackes full of pesen and benes for to make wyth potage / And whan Paphunce sawe hym he sayd to hym / What doost thou man of god / What lyfe ledest thou in erthe or what consolacoÌ„n hast thou wyth theym that ben celestyall / Leue vnto erthly worldly peple the goodes of the world And doo somoche that thou be marchaunte solicytour of the reame of heuen and folowe thy sauyour / The whiche shall calle the in shorte tyme ¶ The whyche thynge soo happed / For the marchaunt folowynge the good admonycyons of saynt Paphunce made to be gyue dealed his goodes to poore men / seruauntes of god / And ledde a lyfe solytarye / And soone after he passed fro this corruptyble worlde / in to the glory of heuen / ¶ And in lyke wyse after deyed the holy fader Paphunce / But yet the angell shewed to hym his dethe sayenge / ¶ Come thou holy man blessyd of god Loo here the prophetes whiche hen with me for to receyue the. The whyche grace I haue not shewed to the byfore / to the ende that thou sholdest not be proude / ¶ The holy man lyued one day after and recounted this that sayde is to some preestes whiche were come thider for to vysyte hym ¶ And after he gaue to theym many techinges / ¶ Amonge all other he shewed to theym / that they sholde neuer despyse other of what estate or what vocacion he was though he were vycyous / ¶ For in euery ordâ—e of mannes lyfe there ben two soules pley saunt to god by doynge some thynges secretly and vnknowen / ¶ And thus may be concluded / that the habyte makyth not the man pleysaunt ne agreable to god / but oonly the clennesse of lyf ¶ After that the sayde holy fader Papounce hadd gyue to his brethern enseygnements and many other techynges And that he had take leue of theym in grete humylyte / he rendred his soule to god / Whyche the holy angelles bare in to heuen in the presence of the assystences In syngyng songes and dyctees celestyall / ¶ Of the monastery of saynt Ysodore begynnynge in latyn ¶ Vidimus apud thehaidam / Caplm xvii IN Thebayde was a monastery and couent of saynt Ysodote playsaunte and gretly renoÌ„med / ¶ The relygyouses that were there wythin hadde moche grete and large howses / ¶ There were many pondes gardynes and trees berynge frute / Wyth this there were all thinges necessary for the bodyly lyfe In suche wise
that they hadd noo nede to goo out for to suche their necessytees to lyue / ¶ Tofore the gate of the sayde Monasterye was an olde man moche prudente / the whyche sayd to all theym that wold en tree / That yf they wold entree ones in they sholde neuer come oute / And that suche was the lawe / ¶ Now there was one thynge therin moche merueyllous / For Incontynent as one was entred the sayde lawe toke none effecte / By cause of his propre wyll wythout constraynt he was contente to abyde there / In suche wyse that he was rauysshed in contemplynge his perfeccyon and holynes that was wythin the sayd monastery / ¶ And that same olde man that kepte the gate hadd a lytyll house· in whyche he receyuyd all theym that came thyder And treated manerly and well ¶ Ferthermore sayth saynt Iherom that whan he arryued there he myghte not entre therin But enquyred of the Portyer the manere of lyuynge in the sayd monasterye / The whyche sayd to hym and to his felyshipp / That there with in were two auncyente and olde men Whyche oonly hadd power to goo oute and entree in agayne / The whiche were Pourueyours for to pourueye for the poore lyf of the bredern that were within / Whyche alwaye weren in scylence makynge theyr prayers and occupyenge all theyr lyfe tyme in vertuouse ocupacyons to serue god / ¶ Yet was there more merueylles / ¶ For neuer was there ony of the Relygiouses that were seke there wythin / ¶ But whan they sholde deye they shewed theyr dethe that one to that other in the presence of theyr felowes / And rendred theyr spyryte Ioyously to god / ¶ Of saynt Serapyon abbot / whyche begynnynth in latyn ¶ Sed et in regione Caplm xviii SAynt Iherom sawe in the regyon Aâ—senoitte a nother deuowte Relygyous man namyd Serapyon· Abbot and fader of many monasteryes / In whyche were nyghe by .x. Mill Relygyouses and heremytes lyuynge of theyr propre labours / And of that whyche they wanne in the season whan they gadred the corne grayneâ— / ¶ And they gaue to the sayd Abbot the mooste parte of theyr gayne by whyche they were nourysshed and susteyned the poore peple / ¶ The custotome was suche not oonly in that Relygyon but also in all Egypte for to hyre the sayde Heremytes and relygyouses in the tyme of Haruest / And eche of theym wanne abowte a foure score mewes or combes of grayne after the mesure of the sayd countree of Egypte Some more and other lasse after that the seeson was more habundaunt plenteuous or sharpnesse scarsytee / And of the same the moost parte was gyue to poore peple after the ordynauÌ„ce and dyscrecoÌ„n of theim that were ordeyned to make dystrybucoÌ„n of the same corne grayne / ¶ Theyr charytee was soo grete that they gaaf not oonly to the pore of the same countreye but they sente shyppes full charged lade in to Alexandrye for to gyue to prysoners nedy of the countreye For in Egypte were not poore peple ynoughe for to gyue in almesse the sayd corne graynes ¶ Saynt Iherom sawe also in the cytees of Mempheos Babylone a multytude Innumerable of heremytes the whyche were all full of vertues graces to god agreable / ¶ In that couÌ„tree it is sayd that the places is where as Ioseph made his grenyres for the famyne / And therfore that place is called the place of the tresours of Ioseph / Other call it Pyramidas by cause they had suche credence that suche where shold be ther asseÌ„bled by Ioseph in that maner ¶ Of saynt Apolonyon Religyous martyr begynnyng in latyn ¶ Trade hant ergo / Caplm xix THe .ii. holy olde faders of whom is tofore wryten in the chapytre precedent Recounted tolde to saynt Iherom his felowes that emonge the sayd heremytes and relygiouses there was one namyd Apolonyon / Whyche for his ryght honeste lyfe was ordeyned in the ordre of Deaken / In whyche estate he was strongly persecuted / ¶ And durynge the sayd persecucoÌ„n the sayde Apolonyon admonested alwaye his bredern to receyue martyyrdom ¶ Anone after he was take put in pryson / And he beynge therin came to hym the persecutours whiche were Paynyms / Whyche in mockynge hyÌ„ dyde to hym many Iniuryes / And specyally one namyd Phylemon whyche was moche amyable debonayr to the peple called hyÌ„self seductour deceyour of the peple / And sayd more ouer the he was worthy to be in the hate of al the worlde / Whan saynt Apolonyon hadd herde al this he answerd moche curteisly sayd / ¶ Alas my frende I pray to god oure maker that he haue mercy pite on the / And that he not Impute to the thyniuryes shames that thou dost to me presently / The whiche answer herde by Phylemon he was heuy sorowfull in his hert / And moued with suche contrycoÌ„n conpuÌ„pcion that Incontynent he declared hymself crysten / And wyth as ardaunte desyre enflaÌ„med of grete charyte came to the Iuge to whom tofore al the peple he began to crye / O wyked Iuge thou trayueyllest Iniustly the poore seruauÌ„tes of god that ben cristen For they ne doo ne saye ony euyll / The Iuge herynge thise wordes hadd supposed at fyrst that he had proposed suche wordes in Iape / But after bi cause he sawe hym perseuere in the same / he sayd that sodenly he was bycome a foole / Phylemon answerde / Herke take hede Iuge I am noo foole but thou art enraged and out of thy wytte whanne wythout reason and vnryghtfully haste putt to dethe the good true Crysten peple / Knowe thou that now I hold shall holde the crysten lawe the whiche is necessary to all men lyuynge in thys worlde ¶ ThenÌ„e the Iuge supposed to haue repelyd him by fayr wordes But by cause he sawe hym constaunt / he menacyd hym wyth Infynyte tormentes / ¶ The Iuge also moeuyd wyth wrathe agaynst the holy fader Apolonyon / Knowynge that it was by his exortacyon that the sayd Phylemon had renouÌ„ced his lawe made hym to suffre mani tormentes called hyÌ„ deceyuer begyler / saynt apolonion said to hyÌ„ ha Iuge knowe thou thy maker Certaynly I desyre that thou and all the assystents sholde kepe the errour that I kepe holde / That is to saye that they were crysten / And Incontynent that sayd the Iuge coÌ„maunded that they sholde bothe two be putt in to a fyre tofore al the peple / And soo doynge they two togyder began to praye god soo hye that euery man myghte here in sayenge / O souerayne god Ihesu cryste our protectour suffre not the soules to be lost that confesse the openly / But shewe to vs euydently our helthe / And Incontynent thyse wordes sayd· descended a clowde full of water the whiche quenchyd all the fyre / Of whiche the Iuge the peple were merueylously abasshed
¶ I knome well that I am not worthy to see the / But neuerthelesse I praye the open to me thy doore / ¶ For surely my frende I shall neuer departe fromhens tyll I haue seen that / Thou susteynest well that brute beestes Wherfor thenÌ„e openest not thou thy doore to me that am a beest resonable I haue sought the. haue fouÌ„de that / And haue knocked to th ende that thou shold open the dore to me / the whiche thyÌ„ge yf thou doo not I shal dey-here in abydyng that / And thê° tofore the dore of saynt Poul· the blessyd saynt Anthonye sorowed / ¶ ThenÌ„e saynt Poul ansuerde to hyÌ„ / O knyght of god noo man threnyth that / in desyrynge like as the desirest / thou thretnest mein wayllynge sayenge that thou shalte deye· yf I opene not to the the dore / And thus in smylynge saynt Poul opened the dore to sayÌ„t Anthonie / whaÌ„ it was opened that one saluted that other by theyr names / And yet hadd they neuer seen eche other / And after that they embracyd and kyssed togyder a long whyle / ¶ Now lete vs thynke what welcomynges and thankes full of deuocyon were thenÌ„e bitwene theim tweyne Certaynly it shold be loÌ„ge to reherce / ¶ After saynt Poul began to saye / Alas my broder thou haste taken grete labour for to see me / And I am noo thynge but a wretchyd carayne all roten for aege / thou seest a man the whyche anone shall be come asshes or duste / But charite enduryth and suffreth all manere traueylle how grete someuer it be / ¶ Now say to me my broder how men ben gouerned in the worlde / Yf ony be deceyued by the temptacyon of the enmye the deuyll / vnder what domynacion is the worlde gouerned / And in sayeng suche wordes togyder came a Crowe or a byrde whiche lete falle a loof of brede tofore thise two holy men / ¶ ThenÌ„e saynt Poul sayd / My right dere byloued broder leâ—e vs thynke on the goodnes of our lorde the whyche hath sente to vs our dyner / Helas he is moche mercyfull lowely / It is now syth .lx. yeres that euery daye I haue had halfe a loof of breede but now at thy comyng god hath multeplyed the porâ—dern and hath sente dowble pytaunâ—e / ThenÌ„e by a welle or fouÌ„tayne whiche was there they rendred gaue thankynges vnto god / And after they were by two houres in doynge honoure that one to that other· whyche of theym sholde departe the brede / Saynt Poul sayd it was saynt Anthonies parte to doo it by cause he was his gheste Sayenge that honoure oughte alwaye to be gyuen to the ghestes / Saynt Anthonye sayde the contrary / But that it apperteyned to saynt Poul / By cause he was more auncyente and more perfyghte / ¶ For vnto the perfyghte and vertuous is honoure due / ¶ And at laste they holdyng the same breede bytwene theyr hondes / It was departed and deuyded by the grace of god that to eche of theym abode his porcyon / ¶ And after that they had eten they dranke a lytyll water of the fountayne in renderyng and gyuynge graces and thankes to god / ¶ That done they putt theym bothe togyder in prayer And woke all the nyghte in prayenge to god deuowtly / ¶ O deuowte soule Thynke what prayer euery man now makyth on his partye / ¶ They had noo fantasye of the worlde In thynkynge what they sholde ete or drynke / Clooth or to hoose or shoo theym / ¶ Alas we that ben in the worlde canne not saye an Aue maria wythoute to haue lettynges wythoute nombre· or empesshements As euery man knowyth in hymselfe / ¶ On the moâ—â—e whanÌ„e it was daye saynt Poul sayd to saynt Anthonye / It is longe syth I knewe that thou dwelledest in thyse Regyons ¶ For god hath promysed to me longe sythe that I sholde haue one his seruaunte wyth me / But bycause that in folowynge the appostle it is longe syth that I desyred to be wyth IhuÌ„ cryst / thou art by hym sent byder to th eÌ„de that thou put my body whiche is but erthe within the bely of his moder whiche is the erthe / with his bredern whiche hen the wormes the ben of the erth / ThenÌ„e saynt Anthony began to wayle wepe so habuÌ„dantly that none can write in prayeÌ„ge hym that he myght holde hym companye in this mortall waye of the worlde Saynt Poul ansuerde / Thou oughtest not to seche that thynge whyche is in thy possessyon / but the strange thynges / ¶ It is necessary to the to leue thy careyne and folowe Ihesu Cryste / And to thyne other bredern that they gouerne theym by the ensample of thy lyfe / Wherfore thou shalt goo to thyne house / And thou shalte brynge the mantell whiche the bysshopp Athanase gaaf to the for to couere my body whan it shal be deed / And thyse wordes sayde saynt Poul to saynt Anthonye not for drede that his body sholde be wythout couerture / For neuer in his lyfe he had not couerde it but wyth leues of palmes / but he sayd this to the ende / that saynt Anthonye sholde departe and that his dethe sholde not be to hym sorowfull / ¶ O how grete charyte is soone come emonge theym that ben perfyghte for one daye oonly that they had ben togyder / ¶ Saynt Poul dradde to angre saynt Anthonye / His requeste herde saynt Anthonye was merueylously abasshyd how he knewe that saynt Athanase hadd gyuen to hym a mantell / And by that he knewe that he had god in his hertâ—â— And therfore he durste not answere· bâ—â— kyssed hym soo swetly soo brotherly / bothe his eyen hondes in weping grete teeres that he myght not well departe from him / ¶ And after he came agayn in to his hermytage / And by cause that saynt Anthonye was moche feble by cause of his abstynences myght not soo soone come as his courage constrayned hym / ¶ And thus as he came in to his lytyll hous / two of his discyples came metynge hym / And sayd to hym ¶ Where haste thou be soo longe fader What haste thou be soo longe from vs Helas we supposed to haue loste that / and doubted that thou haddest ben deed / Thou arte tyght welcome / For the heuynesse that we had for thy departyng Thy comynge agayne hath rendred to vs Ioye without melancolye / ¶ He ansuerde to theym / Helas I am a poore synar vnworthy to be namyd Relygyouse / ¶ I haue seen Helye and Iohan in deserte / ¶ And verely I haue seen saynt Poul in heuen / ¶ And Incontinente he tooke in his celle the mantell for to retorne towarde saynt Poul / ¶ Thenne the bredern demaunded of hym the cause why he was soo heuy soo sorowfull / ¶ And he answeryd to theym / That there was a tyme to speke And a tyme
/ Yf thou wolt be perfyghte selle all that thou haste gyue it to the poore and come folowe me And for that thou shalt haue tresour in heuen / ¶ And Incontynent lyke as the holy scrypture makych mencyon he gaue ouer all his possessions / And thre huÌ„dred mesures or acres of londe whyche apperteyned to hym he lefte to his neyghbours / to th ende that he wolde noo thynge of theyrs ne of his syster / Al his other moeuable goodes he solde and toke the money and gaue it to poore people excepte a lytyll whyche he gaaf to his syster whyche was of â—asâ—e aege more fâ—ble of complecâ—nn than he was ¶ And after agayne he retorned to the â—hyâ—â—he / And herde â—adde in the gospel that noo man ought to thynke how he sholde lyue on the morne / And thenne he distrybuted the rysydue of his godes to poore peple And after that he wold no more retorne home to his hous / But recomended his syster to the vyrgynes / To th ende that by theyr good ensamples she sholde be the better enfourmyd in good maners ¶ All his desyre was to enquyre where he sholde fynde ony holy men for to vysyte theym to the ende that he myghte receyue some fruyt / Like as the bee gooth fro floure to floure for to gadre some thynge for to make his hony ware / ¶ Emonge the other there was one solytary man not ferre fro his hous / Whom he ofte vysyted / After that he was retorned to his hermytage he gate his lyuynge by the labour of his hondes / consyderynge that he whiche labourith not is not worthy to ete / ¶ Helas he had somoche ryches whyche he had gyuen for goddis sake / For the honour of whom and in obeyenge his worthy Instruccyons he was content afterwarde to labour / to begge / ¶ What shal thou doo · thou cursyd auaricyous man whyche wolt no thynge gyue for goddis sake / Vneth with grete payne woldest thou nourysshe a poore persone one hoole daye / ¶ Take ensample on saynt Anthonye / whyche lefte al for to be a poore beggar / Yet of that he wanne wyth his grete laboure / he kepte for hym but brede for his sustenauÌ„ce / And the remenauÌ„t he gaaf to the poore / He gouerned hym soo honestly that he was merueylously biloued of all his bredern / ¶ Of al theym that he vysyted he helde to hymselfe some vertue / Of that one he wanne contynence chastytee of an other gladnesse of an other mekenesse lowlynesse of a nother studye pacyence / And fynably he had the fayr vertue of charytee / whyche is the maystresse of all vertues / And in suche wise he profited fro vertue to vertue that emonge alle his bredern there was none lyke to hym / ¶ The deuyll of hell enuye to mankynde seenge the holy lyfe whyche saynt Anthonye began to lede was enuyuous and enterprysed to tempte him / ¶ Fyrst he layed tofore his eyen to th ende that he shold departe out of his hermytage the noblesse of his byrth his sister whom he had lefte alone thabuÌ„daÌ„ce of his godes of the goodes that he myght gete / the dyuerse metes that he might ete generally he presented to him all thynges playsauÌ„t to nature / ¶ And after he shewed hym how it was harde to gete vertue seen consydered the freelte of his bddy· And that he myghte yet lyue longe tyme / Wherfore thenne sholde he be thenne longe in deserte / ¶ All thyse thynges putt he in his mynde for to haue reuokyd hym from his good purpoos / But this notwithstondyng he ouercame alwaye the deuyll by deuowte prayers and ferme constaunce ¶ Often tymes he tempted hym in the synne of the flesshe that was by cause he was in his yonge aege But by longe fastynges and contynuell abstynences he wythstode it manly / ¶ Some tyme by nyght the deuyll apperyd to hym in the lykenesse of a fayre woman / But Incontynente for to wythstonde it he remembred how hys flesshe sholde rote in wormes hastely / ¶ A nother tyme the deuyll moeuyd styred hym to lyue Ioyoeusly in lustes of his flesshe and of the worlde / And thenÌ„e anone he wolde bringe to remembraunce the paynes and tourmentes of helle and the Ioyes of heuen / And by this manere he wythstode all the temptacyons of the deuill / ¶ Fynably whan the deuyll sawe that he myghte not ouercome the good holy man / He knelyd downe to hym in the semblaunce or lykenesse of a lytyll horryble chylde blacke and howlynge / And also in cryenge sayde to saynt Anthonye / ¶ I haue deceyued many heremytes and holy men but by the I am ouercome and put vnder fote / ¶ Saynt Anthonye thenÌ„e asked hym what he was to whom he ansuerde / I am the grete solycytour of Lecherye the deceyuer of yonge peple· called the spyryte of fornycacyon whyche ofte tymes haue tempted the. alwaye thou hast ouercome me / And whan the gode knight saynt Anthonye herd this ansuere / he began to yelde thankynges to god of this that he had put hym vnder fote and sayd / My god be thou my ayde and my Protectoure / And I shall neuer fere ne drede myn enmye ¶ And Incontynent the deuyll whyche was seen by saynt Anthonye as a fantasme vanysshed away / and he sawe hym no more / And thus was the fyrste vyctory gyuen to saynt Anthonye / ¶ But this notwythstondynge he was not well assured / For he knewe by holy scrypture that the deuyll had diuerse maners for to tempte men / Wherfore he kepte him more strongely thenÌ„e and put his body in grete suffraunce to th ende that yf he had vyctory in ony thynges ayenst the deuill he shold not be ouercom by other And for this cause he occupyed his tyme in prayers orysons more than ony of his bredern heremytes ¶ The moost parte he woke nyghte daye / he ete but one tyme on the day and that was after the sonne gooynge downe / Some tyme in thre or foure dayes he ete not but ones and that was brede salte a lytyll water / His bedde was of Ionckes and his vestyment of hayre / ¶ Ofte tymes he laye all naked vpon the grounde / And how well that he had longe tyme suche abstyneÌ„ces yet were they to hym noo thynge greuous / But thoughte alwaye to be att the begynnynge of his penaunce in encreacyng alway his sayd abstynences / ¶ And for teschewe vayÌ„glory / he dyde payne to forgete theim / And in dede he forgate al the good dedes that he hadde doone And enforced to doo more than he had done tofore / ¶ He remembred alwaye in his herte the prophete Helye that sayde / My god seeth to whom we oughte to be clene and apparayled to obeye him wyth redy wylle / ¶ He considerynge alwaye also how he oughte to gouerne hymselfe
voyces sayeÌ„ge to saynt Anthonie / Wherefor puttest thiselfe in our habytacles Goo out of our bouÌ„des / For thou shalt not mow suffre our temptacyons / And they had supposed that it had ben men that hadd entred by ladders / Wherfore they loked wythin the caue thrugh the câ—euyces / And by cause they saw no persone they estemed that theâ— were deuilles that soo spake to hym / ¶ Thenne they were aferde in suche wyse that they cryed for helpe to saynt Anthonye and thenÌ„e he came nyght to theym wyth his worde be comforted them in sayenge / ¶ Blesse ye you and be assured Lete the deuylles deceyue themself / ¶ Saynt Anthonye alwaye lyued in encreacyng his vertue prudence / ¶ On a tyme came some persones to hym of whiche some supposed to haue fouÌ„de hym deed but by hymself he sayd syngynge To my wyll god enhaunsyth hymself And all his enmyes ben destroyed / and al they that hate hym fleetofore his face like as smoke is consumyd soone so sone faylle they / And lyke as ware melâ—yth ayenst the fyre soo perysshe they that ben synnars tofore god / And more ouer he sayd / All folke haue assaylled me in the name of our lorde and I haue vainquysshed theym / And thus in that wyldernesse he was bi the space of twenty yere / ¶ And by cause that many desyred to see hym for to folowe his maners his doctryne came some in to his hous and brake it by force / But whan they sawe hym they were amerueylled how he was soo hoole of his membres / For he was not swollen by his longe abydynge enclosed ne by his fastynges ne by tormentes of the deuyllis / And his vysage was not pale ne chaunged but he was as a yoÌ„ge persone also clene of all his membres as he neuer hadd ony harme / He neuer laughed / And wyth al his myght he kepte hym fro synne / He neuer for ony praysyng of the peple was the more prowde / ¶ Many by his prayers were delyuered fro deuyllis theyr power His wordes were alwaye vertuouse· He comforted the desolate He taughte alway the symple Innocentes he appeasyd alway they that were angry To all he shewed that no persone sholde loue ony thynge more than his creatour or maker / ¶ To good peple he shewed the glorye eternall and the mekenesse of god / And how god the fader had noo feere to sende his sone to take oure nature to the ende for to redeme vs frothe paynes of helle / ¶ Also he counseyled euery man not to leue teÌ„porell thynges / ¶ On a tyme in the conntree of Aâ—senoytayns as he wolde goo and vysyte his brethern and his felowes / he passed the ryuer of Nyle / wythoute hauynge ony harme of the cokadrylles and other beestes that were there / ¶ In that place he confermed in vertue grete nombre of his brethern In suche wyse that many monasteryes were reedyfyed / ¶ On a daye he beynge wyth his brethern / They requyred hym to gyue to theym some Rules for to gouerne theym in vertue / Whyche he gaaf to theym many / ¶ Fyrst that they solde comforte eche other / And that whyche they hadde goten by science they sholde shewe eche to other / ¶ Also that they sholde neuer haue wyll to leue theyr estate of Heremyte But to kepe it in encreasynge of vertues / ¶ For mannes lyffe was but an InstauÌ„t / as to the regarde of the lyfe eternall ¶ After that he had proposed this / He made by a manere of taryenge a lytyll scylence / ¶ And after in merueyllynge of the bounte and largesse of god he beganne to saye agayn thyse wordes / ¶ O my brethern consyder ye that in this mortall life marchaundyses and rewardes ben egall / For the seller receyueth for his marchaundise but thynge Iuste of the byar / Ne in lyke wyse the seruaunt but his Iuste deseruynge of his lorde / ¶ But the glorye of the euerlastynge life maye for vyle and lytyll pryce be boughte / ¶ It is not wreton that oure dayes excede not thre score and ten yeres or foure score yeres / And yf we lyue lenger It is but labour and sorowe and myserye ¶ For in that aege a man retorneth to the state of Innocencye / ¶ But in that other worlde we shall liue perpetuelly / TheÌ„ne we shall not enhabyte the erthe but the heuen / And the body that we shall leue corruptyble we shall take agayne Incorruptyble / Therfore my brethern be noo thynge greuyd ne anoyed / For the shorte passyons of this worlde ben not condygne ne worthy to the perpetuelly of heuen / ¶ Yf ye haue lefte ony lityll londe or possessyons / Be not dysplaysaunt ne sory therfor / For god shal yelde to you for it an hundred fold more / ¶ They that shall haue left the godes of this worde for to serue god shall haue an hundred folde more in that other worlde / ¶ Also oughte they to consydre that woll sette theyr herte in ouer moche louynge the rychesse of this worlde / That in th ende they shall lede theym in to helle / ¶ We oughte noo thynge to loue but that oonly whyche we maye here wyth vs after oure dethe / ¶ Oughte we not thenne to loue that thynge that shall cause vs to goo to heuen / That is to wyt Sapyence Chastyte Iustyce Fastynge Prayer â—esynesse on the poore Ferme faythe Pacyence ayenst yre / And generally to loue god and our neyghbour as ourselfe / ¶ Consydre that we ben the seruauntes of god / and that we owe to hym seruyce as to hym whiche hath created vs ¶ Lete vs not reioyce vs of our lyf for yf we ben in helthe in the mornynge / Yet we be not sure to liue to euyn / And yf in this manere we ben besye for our helthe we shall neuer synne / ¶ We oughte also to flee hate and euyll wyll agayn all persones / And aboue all thynges loue of wymmen / ¶ We ought promptly and benygnely to forgyue and pardonne eche other / ¶ Tofore oure eyen we oughte to sette two thynges / that is to wyte the laste daye of oure lyfe whyche is the dethe / And the nyghe Iugement of god / ¶ And yf for the loue of god we woll kepe vs from synne / Or att leest for drede of thyse two thynges we oughte to absteyne vs / ¶ Ferdermore sayd saynt Anthonye I praye you my brethern loke neuer behynde you / But goo alwayes right fourth the good wayes / that ye haue begonne / ¶ For he that puttyth hys honde to the plough / And lokyth behynde hym / He is not worthy to haue the Reame of heuen / ¶ Leue the Grekes whyche gone in to straunge londes / and passen ouer the see for to gete the scyence cunnynge of vayne thynges / ¶ We haue noo thynge to doo to goo hytherne thyder / ¶ For the Reame and
regyon that we pretende to haue / Lyke as god wytnessyth in the gospell is wythin vs / ¶ Ne doubte not that yf our soule be not maculate or spotted ne defoyled wyth synne / That in her shall be the fountayne of alle vertues / ¶ TheÌ„ne it is of necessyte that it be good / For it is created or made of a mayster / whyche is souerayne good / that is god oute Creatoure and Maker / ¶ Lete vs consydre the wordes of oure Sauyoure Ihesu Cryste sayenge ¶ Doo ye soo that ye haue the herte clene to the god of Israhell / ¶ And in lyke wyle sayth saynt Iohan / whiche sayth / ¶ Doo ye soo that your wayes be ryghtfull pure and clene / Gouerned by the faythe of god / ¶ Now for to doo soo it byhouyth vs for to kepe vs from the spotte of synne / ¶ We oughte souerainly and â—â—atly for to kepe vs from yee or wâ—athe / ¶ For whanne the man is angry / Wyth ryght grete payne maye he doo ony werke agreable or playsaunt vnto god / By cause that yre or wrathe empessheth and lettyth vertue / The whyche is none other thynge but god / ¶ Yet after also sayd saynt Anthonye to the Relygyouses / My lytyll chyldren kepe you from vayne wordes and fro pryde / ¶ Some there ben that enterpryce and avaunte theym to doo well / But they folowe not the dede whyche they enterprysed and purposed / ¶ Other there ben that clothe theim and araye theym wyth vestymentes of Relygyouses / and folowe Relygyon / to the ende to seme and appyere good / But within their hertes they ben wulues enraged / And ben werse thanne deuylles ¶ For vnder the shadow of good / they done Infynyte harmes and euylles / ¶ After the holy fader saynt Anthonye shewed to theym some fallaces or disceytes whyche the deuylles done in dyuerse maners and mockynges / In sayenge that often tymes the deuyll sheweth him to the holy men in lykenesse of men / In blaundysshynge theym and flaterynge theym wyth fayte and swete wordes / And in praysynge theyr estate and constaunce / ¶ And often tymes promyseth that / whiche they may not gyue / That is the glorye and Ioye of heuen / ¶ For to eschewe suche Illusyons and mockynges / Whanne they ben felte comynge Oughte men to enseygne and blesse theym wyth the sygne of the Crosse / And Incontynent it shall tourne in to noughte / ¶ For by the meryte of the passyon that our souereyne lorde and Redemer Ihesu Cryste suffred in the Crosse / Alle suche Illusyons or mockynges shaâ—â—lese theyr strengthe and vertue / ¶ He sayde also that some tyme come some Illusyons or deceyuynges whyche cause terrour drede to theym that the deuylles admynystre theym And that done they for to takeÌ„ awaye from men theyr mynde ¶ But agaynst suche Illusions or scornynges byhouyth to haue stedfaste faythe / And soo shall it be wythstonde lyghtly / ¶ For to knowe thenne the dyfference of good and euyll angellis / It oughte to be knowen / that whanne the good angell comyth / Hys chere and regarde is swete and amyable or louely ¶ And by cause he desyreth but peas / He makyth none noyse ne clamoure / And his voyce is not herde / ¶ He gyuyth Ioye and exultacyon to synnars / ¶ For oure lorde is wyth hym / whyche is welle and fountayne of alle good / Incontynent also as oure soule seeth hym / yf it were to hym possyble he sholde breke the membres of the body / and wold goo wyth the good angell whan he is there presente / ¶ The benygnyte of the same aungell is soo grete / that yf he caused ony drede atte the begynnynge for his grete lyghte Incontynent he takyth awaye from the man all drede and fere / ¶ Ryght soo dyde Gabryell to Zatharye beynge in the Temple / also with the Shepeherdes / whanne he shewed the Natyuyte of Ihesu Cryste ¶ But of the euyll Aungelles / the countenaunce and chere is crimynell dredefull / ¶ His entree horryble· Theyr mocyon and waye is Inconstaunte / As of fooles or of theues / ¶ And Incontynent as they ben tofore men the soule feâ—eth and dredyth / ¶ Alle the fyue wyttes ben trowbed / And feere of dethe folowyth / ¶ Desyre of shrewdnes Lachednesse of vertue / And wekenesse of courage ¶ Thenne whanne to the vnderstondynge comyth a thoughte or a presentacoÌ„n in lykenesse of an angell After the drede presentyth hym Ioye Hope in god and charyte / ¶ We oughte veritably to byleue that this comyth from god / Whyche sendeth to vs his ayde and socoure / ¶ In suche wyse Abraham the Patryarke seenge god reioyced him / ¶ In lyke wyse saynt Iohan Baptyste beynge in the wombe of saynt Elyzabeth his moder / Whanne the gloryous vyrgyne Mary moder of our Sauyoure Ihesu Cryste came to vysyte her / He whyche was not yet borne· reioyced hym merueyllously / ¶ By whyche it apperyth that the good aungell atte his comynge gyueth consolacyon and comforte / And makyth the persone to be assured As he dide whan he shewed the ryght Ioyeous Natyuyte of our Sauyour Ihesu Cryst to the same gloryous vyrgyne Marye in sayenge to her / ¶ Marye be not aferde for thou haste founde grete grace towarde god / ¶ And the contrarye by apperynge and represeÌ„tacions of euyll angellis haue be many tymes deceyued the gentyles and Paynems / ¶ But we Crysten men ben preseruyd By cause that god hath taken awaye from the deuyl the domynacyon and power that he hadde vppon vs. whanne he sayde to hym ¶ Goo thou abacke Sathanas / It is wreton that thou shalte adoure and worshipp thy god / and oonly shal thou serue to hym / ¶ By thyse same wordes whiche god sayde to the deuyll He toke his power from hym / ¶ There is also gyuen to vs power to saye to hym whan he wolde tempte vs Goo abacke Sathanas ¶ And Incontynent he shall be vaynquysshed / And shall departe from vs / ¶ After saynt Anthonye prayed they that they shold not be curyous to doo myracles / to the ende / That yf they or one of theym by the vertue of our lorde made ony / they sholde not renne for that cause in to dampnable vyce of pryde and of vayne glory / ¶ In lyke wyse he defended to theym that they sholde not dyspyse that one the other But exhorted theim that they sholde payne theymselfe to lede togyder good lyfe and honeste / ¶ Also sayde he for to doo and make myracles is not in oure power / But in the power of god / ¶ For he sayth in the Gospell in spekynge to his dyscyples / ¶ Gloryfye ye not yf the deuylles ben subgett to you but reioyece ye you that your names beÌ„ wrete in heuen ¶ Here it is to be noted that they that done miracles and prodygees by arte magyke / Wythoute to haue the gyfte
of the grace of god whanÌ„e they shall crye to god ¶ Haue we not dryuen awaye the deuylles in thy name / And many other vertues haue ben done in callynge the / and makynge Inuocacyon to god the blessed and very Iudge / ¶ To theym that he knowyth that heryth not hys sygne / He shall ansuere to theym / Certayne I knowe you not / for ye haâ—e neuer myn enseygne / ¶ After god shall say to theim / Goo ye a backe from me for ye haue ben alwaye euyll chyldren of Inyquyte / ¶ Saynt Anthonye sayd afterward / By cause it is harde to knowe the comynge of the good angell or euyll / ¶ We oughte to praye hym that it playse hym to gyue to vs scyence to conne dyscerne / ¶ For after the scrypture we oughte not byleue euery spyryte / ¶ On a tyme the deuylles came to saynt Anthonye / Whyche sayde to hym ¶ Anthonye we come to shewe to the oure lyghte / And Incontynent saynt Anthonye closyd his eyen and wolde not see theym / But putte hymselfe to prayer his even closyd / And anone the lyghte of the deuyllis quenched / ¶ A nother tyme they came and songe tofore hym / And spake togyder of holy scrypture / But that notwythstondyÌ„ge saynt Anthonye stopped his eeres / ¶ A nother tyme they made his monastery to tremble and shake / But he in his thoughte abode vnmoeuable / And prayed to god constauntly / ¶ Ofte tymes they came spryngynge and syflynge tofore hym wyth an hyghe voyce ¶ But Incontynent as he retorned to god theyr noyce and tempest torned into lityll noyce / that vnneth sayde saynt Anthonye myghte here it ¶ On a time camÌ„ one whiche had his body wonderly grete and sayde he had the vertue of god / The whiche demauÌ„ded of saynt Anthonye what he wolde haue of hym / ¶ And whanne he sawe hym soo grete He armyd him Incontynent wyth prayer / And toke the sheelde of fayth / By whyche anone he became as lytyl as half a fote ¶ A notherey me came the deuyll in fourme of a Relygyous man broughte to hym and sayd to hym / It is tyme that thou ete / thou haste ouerlonge fasted / Take corporell refcceyon to th ende that thou be not seke / ¶ Anone after saynt Anthonye byhelde hym and sawe that his face was pale / And putt hymself to prayer / And thenne the deuyll wente his waye by the wyndowe lyke vnto fume or smoke / ¶ A nother tyme he presented hym golde for to dysceyue hym / But he neuer wolde loke on it / ¶ A nother tyme came the deuyll knocked atte the doore of his monastery whan saynt Anthonye went out he sawe hym soo grete that him semed that his heed raughte to heuen ¶ ThenÌ„e saynt Anthonie demaunded hym what he was and what thyng he soughte / And he ansuered that he was callyd Sathanas / And that he came thyder by cause the Relygyouses dyspysed hym / And alle Crysten men cursyd hym / ¶ And saynt Anthonye ansuerd that it is well right and requysyte that all Crysten folke despyse curse hym / ¶ For ofte by his temptacyons he broughte theym in hate / the one agaynste a nother / ¶ Where vpon the deuyll ansuered· that he dyde not But they theymself were angry togider / ¶ And more ouer the deuyll sayde to hym / That the myghte and puyssaunce of the deuylles was faylled by the moyen of the passyon of Ihesu Cryst / And that they had noo more noo cytee ne other place for to enhabyte in / By cause the name of god was reclamed and named in al townes and cytees / And also in desertes whyche ben enhabyted by Relygyouses and heremytes / Thenne saynt Anthonye hauynge the grace of god with him ansuered prudently / ¶ I byleue not that thou weneste to saye trouthe / For thou arte the capitayne of lesyÌ„ge and of fallaces ¶ But thou art constrayned to saye this sentence whyche is true / ¶ Certaynly Ihesu Cryste pryued the of alle thy strengthest and vertues syth the tyme that thou lostest thy beawte of an aungell by the spotte of thy synne / ¶ And Incontynent that saynt Anthonye had achyeuyd his prayer / The sayde deuyll vanysshed awaye ¶ Saynt Anthonie sayde thenne to his relygiouses / My brethern drede not the Illusyons of the deuyll / ¶ For god whyche hathe putt from vs the deuylles / And that aybdyth wyth vs / As longe as we ben in grace / He shall kepe vs from theyr dyuerse temptacyons / ¶ Lete vs sette oure charge to resyste wythstonde theyr tytulacyons and cauyllacyons as moche as we maye / For whanne they knowe that oure thoughtes ben vayne freeyll and Inconstaunt They putte theym in to the bodyes of men / ¶ And as theues houndes wulues enraged they rauysshe body soule / ¶ Iob by his stedfaste fayth ouercame the deuyll / ¶ And Iudas was the contrarye / ¶ The pryncypall thynge and moost necessarye for to vaynquysshe and ouercome the deuyll is to take playsaunce in spyrytuell thynges / and to haue contynuelly his herte to god / ¶ This vertue makith the deuylles to flee as the smoke vanysshyth awaye / ¶ Therfore my brethern sayde saynt Anthonye yf ony vysyon come to vs / it must hardely be demaunded who is he that preseÌ„tyth hym tofore vs / whens he comyth / ¶ And yf it be the aungell of god / The drede that we had shall to urne Incontynent in to Ioye / ¶ But yf it be the deuyll / And yf he be demaunded of a deuoute soule / Incontynent he shall departe / ¶ After that saynt Anthonye had made his exhortacyons / Eeuery one of the brethern was merueyllously enioyed / And after they enforcyd theym to gete vertues / ¶ And they that hadd hadde tofore but lytyll faythe were confermyd· and hadd perfyâ—ghte fayth / ¶ And the other toke awaye all folysshe oppynyons from theyr thoughtes / In suche wyse that after they dradde not ony temptacion of the deuyll / But were more abasshed how saynt Anthonye hadde theym soo highly Instruct or taught theym to knowe dyfference of the good aungell and of the wyckyd and euyll / ¶ In the tyme that Maxymyan persecuted the Crysten people / Saynt Anthonye lefte his monastery sayenge to his brethern / Lete vs goo wyth our brethern martyrs / To th ende that we ben martred wyth theym / Or att leest that we see theim suffre martyrdom / ¶ By the whyche wordes it appyereth many festly that thenne was saynt Anthonye martyr in wyll / ¶ And whanne ony was broughte tofore the Iudge He comforted theym in sayenge / that they sholde not feere the dethe / But sholde be constaunt or stedfaste in the faythe / ¶ The Iudge seeng the constaunce of saynt Anthonye of his felowes was honâ—â—bly an angryd And dyde doo for bede that noo Relygyous sholde abyde in the towne
in to a lytyll house made of Ionkes and bowes Wherin he endured tyll he was twenty yeres olde colde and heete Rayne and snowe and other grete necessytees / And after he dwellyd in a nother lytyll houses· whiche was foure fote brode and fiue fote hyghe / But it was a lytyll lenger thanne his body / ¶ This lytyll hous semed better a sepulcre than an house / ¶ He clipped of his heere 's ones a yere / That is to wyte tofore the solempnytee of Ester / ¶ He laye bare vppon a bedde of Ionkes / and soo contynued to the deth / And neuer was he couered but wyth one sacke / The whyche he neuer wasshed / Sayenge that in an hayer oughte not to be soughte clennesse / ¶ He neuer chaunged Robe ne cote tyll tholde was rotyn / His felycytee was to remembre holy scrypture / ¶ And emonge his orysons he songe deuowte psalmes to god as he hadde be presente / ¶ After that he was .xxi. yeres olde vnto .xxvi. he lyued sobrely / ¶ And in thre yere he ete not but onÌ„ly a syxter of wortes medled in a lytyll colde water / In the other thre yeres he ete but breede salt wyth a lytyll water / ¶ After seuen and twenty yeres tyll fyue and thyrty he ete not but sixe vnces of barly breede And for his potage a lytyll coole wortes without oyle ¶ But whan he sawe his body by straytnesse of lyffe became scabby and ronyous / Alytyll for to recomforte hymself / he putt a lytyll oylle in his potage ¶ And he lyued in this life sobrely vnto thaâ—ge of thre and fourty / without etynge apples ne other frutes / ¶ Whanne he came vnto the aege of thre score foure yere and the deth drawynge nyghe· He ete noo more brede tyll he was foure score yere olde but oonly ete meele and scooles brayed / ¶ Alle that he ete and dranke weyed not all but fyue vncis / ¶ And thus fynysshed he his dayes in suche abstynences / ¶ Alas we that ete some more thaÌ„ thyrty other more than foure score vncis of weyghte fyue or syxe tymes on the daye yet ben not well contente / And he that ete not but oonly whanne att the sonne was gone downe one tyme on the daye / And all his mete drynke weyed not but fyue vnces / Yet he lyued vnto the aege of foure score yeres / ¶ Lete vs thenne be sobre vnto the ende to be chaste by the ensample of the good holy fader Hylaryon whyche in his lyffe wolde suffre and endure soo moche euyll and payne / for the honour of Ihesu Cryste / ¶ He beynge in the aege of .xviij. yeres Theues came to hym wenynge to affraye hym by cause of his yonge aege Or for to robbe some thynge fro hym / ¶ And how well they made grete dylygence to fynde his lytyll house Neuerthelesse they went rounde abowte it an hoole daye and a nyghte cowde not fynde it / And on the morne they fonde it and hym therin / ¶ And they demaunded of hym this questyon / Yf the theues came to the. what sholdest thou do thou lytyll man / He ansuered to theym What maye they demaunde or aske seen that I am all naked and haue none moeuable goodes / ¶ Thenne they sayde to hym / Thou myghtest be slayne / ¶ The chylde ansuered / I maye well be slayne truely / But for that I drede-not / For I am redy for to deye / ¶ The theues were moche admerueylled And recounted to hym how they had soughte him / ¶ And after they amended theyr lynes ¶ He was not yet but two and twenty yeres olde / whanne his fame renommee sprange ouer alle the countree of Palestyne by cause of the holynesse of his lyffe / ¶ And in that tyme was a woman in the towne of Lentâ—opolytane whom her husbonde dispysed and hadde in hate / By cause he cowde not conne haue of her in fyftene yeres ony chylde / ¶ Wherfore she came to saynt Helaryon demaundynge or aryng counseylle of hym how she myghte doo ¶ And by cause that at the fyrste tyme he wolde not speke to her but spytte by cause he wolde not speke / Thenne she fell downe on her knees sayenge to hyÌ„ ¶ Fader Hylaryon lete it playse the to here me / torne not awaye thyne eyen from me / But beholde me not as a woman but as one vnhappy and cursyd ¶ Att laste he spake to her in demaundyng her the cause of her sorowe / The whyche by her recyted and opened / saynt Hilaryon sayd to her that she sholde goo home and haue alwaye stedfaste hope in god / ¶ And after for the pyâ—e that he had in her he prayed god often tymes in grete habundauÌ„ce of teeres soo effectuously that in the ende of the yere she had a childe / and that was his fyrste myracle / ¶ The wyfe of one namyd Elypydius comynge to se saynt Anthonie abode in the towne of Gaza wyth threof her chyldern and her husbonde / In whyche towne deyed the sayd thre chyldren ¶ The moder beynge in the myddle of theym thre soo desolate that she wyste not whom moost to bewaylle / ¶ And aduysed her of saynt Hylaryon whyche was nyghe by / And tooke the waye wyth her Chamberers and lefte alle her astate for to come to the place where he was ¶ To whom she sayd I requyre and adiure the in the name of our lorde Ihesu Cryste / Of his gloryous passyon and of the effusyon of hys precyous blood that it playse the to praye for my thre children that they maye by him be reysed from dethe / To the ende that his name be praysed and magnyfyed in the cyte of Paynems / ¶ And also I adiure the in lyke wyse that for thys cause thou come oute of thyne Hermytage And come in to the cyte of Gaza ¶ Thenne ansuered saynt Hylaryon that he wolde neuer come oute of hys celle / ne also wolde entree in to townes ne citees ¶ She noo thynge content of his ansuere fell down prostrate or flatt to the grounde and beganne to crye / Hylaryon reyse my chyldren by thy prayers / the whyche saynt Anthonye hath soo longe kepte and gouerned in Egipte / To the ende that of the they sholde be kepte in Syrye / ¶ All they that were thenne presente wepte / ¶ And how well he dyfferred his gooynge / neuerthelesse she sayd to hym that she sholde neuer departe / But he shold fyrste promyse to goo vysyte her chyldren wyth her / ¶ And soo he was constrayned by her wordes for to goo thyder / ¶ He beynge comen thyder / And seenge the chyldren all colde as they whyche had noo sygne of lyfe / In the presence of grete multytude of people thyder comen by cause of hym / He made his prayer deuowtly to god / ¶ The whyche made the sayde chyldren caste oute grete habundaunce of water oute of
was thenne estemyd fruyte ynough for to gadre an hundred mues or tonnes of wyne / ¶ But twenty dayes after the lyberall relygyouses gadred there thre hundred / ¶ And that other that was skarce and nygardous gadred not halfe soo moche / And yet what he had gadred it tourned in to vynaygre / And soo loste it / ¶ Saynt Hylaryon thenne repreuyd all Relygyouses that were curyous of thynges transytorye / ¶ In lyke wyse a nother Relygyous auarycyous dwellynge nyghe by the space of fyue myles to saynt Hylaryon hadde a lytyll gardyne / Whyche he caused a man to kepe ¶ This Auaricious man for to take the benyuolence or good fauoure of the holy man came ofte to vysyte the brethern / And pryncypally one namyd Esicius To the ende to haue habytude and famylyertee wyth the sayde saynt Hylaryon / ¶ And broughte on a daye emonge other thynges grene cooles whyche he had gadred in his gardyne / And delyuered theym to the sayde Esicius / The whyche presented theym to the holy man Hylaryon beynge atte table / ¶ And whanne he sawe theym / Incontynent he commaunded that they sholde be taken awaye Sayenge that they were soo stynkyng that he myghte not fele the sauoure / ¶ And after demaunded or asked who hadde broughte theym thyder ¶ Esicius namyd to hym the brother / Smelle ye not theym sayde the holy man / how auaryce is roted in thyse cooles / Yf the beestes hadde theym tofore theym they wolde not ete theym / ¶ Anone Esicius bare theym to the oxen kyen / whyche wolde not ete theym / ¶ The holy man had this grace / Whanne oonly he sawe the vestymentes of a man Or that he had towched it / He knewe what synne that man hadde commysed / ¶ Whan he was .lxiij. yere olde in conteÌ„plynge the multytude of bredern that were come to him in desert also that by hym Infynyte seke men were heelyd guarysshed / ¶ He began to wepe sayenge to his brethern / Alas my brethern I haue wel loste my rewarde I supposyd to haue Renounced and forsaken the worlde / and I am retorned consyderyd the multytude of you that be wyth me ¶ For I oughte to be allone in a pytte or fosse for to doo penaunce / And to lyue solytaryly / ¶ In this lamentacyon he was by the space of two yeres / The whiche passed / he hadde Reuelacyon of the dethe of saynt Anthonye ¶ The whyche deth he shewed to the good woman of Arystene / Of whom here aboue is made mencyon / And that it was true / Two dayes after the sayde Reuelacyon came messagers whiche wytnessyd the sayde dethe· ¶ Whyche happed at the houre that he hadde shewed it to the sayde woman / ¶ His lyfe was soo holy that euery man merueylled / ¶ As well for reason of his myracles As of his abstynences / Scyence and humylytee / ¶ Bysshops Preestes Clerkes Relygyouses· Matrones and other Crysten people / As well nobles as other in grete multytude went to hym / And helde theymself well happy / whanne they hadde of the breed and of the â—ylle that he hadde blessed with his honde / ¶ By cause and aboue alle thynges he desyred solytude / And hadde appetyte to be allone / ¶ On a tyme he purposyd to leue hys hermytage and to goo fewe from hys brethern ¶ And he declared to some of theym / The whyche accordynge to his wyll and to the ende that more art hys case he myghte passe by the feldes broughte to hym an asse for to bere hym / But with grete payne myghte he sytte on him / by cause of his debylite and of the grete abstynences that he made / ¶ And whanne he beganne to passe by the desertes of Palestine moo than ten thousande persones enforcyd theym to haue supposed to tarye him / that he shold not goo / But neuerthelesse they cowde not lette ne tarye hym / ¶ And in smytyng ayenst the grouÌ„de wyth his staffe sayde for to contente theim / ¶ I knowe well that my god is noo lyer / ¶ Also I maye not see for to destroye the chyrches ne to shede the blood of my chyldern ¶ Al they that there were present knewe by his worde that he had had some reuelacyon· whyche he wold not shewe But alway they wold haue taryed hyÌ„ ¶ Thenne he sayde to theym that he wold neuer ete tyll they wolde lete him goo ¶ Seuen dayes after he toke his lene of his brethern In commaundynge theim that they sholde retorne in to theyr monasteryes / And after he wente in to Bethirion / ¶ Fyue dayes after he came in to Pelusus and there vysyted all the brethern dwellynge in Lychone / ¶ And thre dayes folowynge he wente in to a place named Thobaston for to see Dracone bysshopp and Confessour The whiche hadde ben sente thyder in â—ryle / ¶ Whanne the sayde Bysshopp sawe him / he was strongely comforted wyth his presence / ¶ Thre other dayes after he wente in to Babylone for to see Phylon the bysshopp / ¶ Thyse two bysshops hadde be sente in to exyle by the kynge Constancyus The whyche gaaf fauoure and good wyll to the Arryens Heretykes ¶ He departed from thens And two dayes folowynge he came to the castell of Affrodyton / Where he founde Bysano deaken / the whiche had be accustomed to carie water vpon camellis and Dromedaryes in to deserte to saynt Anthonye By cause there was none in the place where he abode / ¶ He recounted and shewed to the sayde Hylaryon how att houre that saynt Anthonye shold deye / it was commaunded to hym how he sholde wake alle the nyghte / ¶ Saynt Hylaryon and the sayde Bysano were by the space of thre dayes walkynge by oyuerse places / ¶ And in the ende came in to an highe mountayne / Where they founde two Relygyous men / That is to wyte Ysaac and Plusyano / ¶ his Ysaac had wreten the lyfe of saynt Anthonye / ¶ The good holy man Hylaryon wente there from place to place / To the ende to vysyte the places where saynt Anthonye had conuersid and vsed and prayed to god and had done other vertuouse werkes / And in vysytynge those places he founde a gardyne In whyche saynt Anthonye had planted and sette many trees and also hadde made many piscynes for to water theym whanne it was nede / ¶ He fouÌ„de also the place where he lay for to slepe / Whyche was noo gretter thanne the body of a persone ¶ And after retorned saynt Hylaryon wyth two of his brethern to the nexte hermytage / callyd Affrodyton / In whyche place saynt Anthonye lyued a space of tyme. solytaryly / ¶ Now hadd it not rayned in that londe in thre yeres / Lyke as the elementes sholde haue complayned the deth of saynt Anthonye / ¶ But at the Requeste of saynt Hylaryon they hadd thenne grete habundance of Rayne / ¶ After the whyche a multytude of
of saynt Hylaryon soughte hym in dyuerse places / And was there thre yere in desertes and mountaynes for to seche hym / ¶ And fynably in a cyte namyd Mathone he founde a Iewe / the whyche sayde to hym that there was descended in to Cecylle a Prophete whyche dyde Infynyte myracles In suche wyse that he was reputed and taken for an holy Heremyte ¶ Esicins asked hym of his habyte of his tongue / and of his aege / Wherof he cowde noo thynge saye to hym / For he had not seen hym / But he sayde soo by heryng saye / ¶ Esicius came by aduenture in to Pachumium in a vylage / In whiche he demauÌ„ded and enquyred for the holy man / Whom euery man tolde where he was / For he was knowen of theym alle for the grete myracles that he dyde / Wherof they hadd grete wonder / And neuer toke ony thynge of theym but a pyece of brede / ¶ Esicius by grete dylygence founde hym / And knelyd downe tofore hym / wepynge and kyssynge his fete / ¶ Saynt Hylaryon toke and releuyd hym vpp / And a lytyl whyle after they wente in to a castell / named Epidarium in Dalmacye where by in a felde there beynge he dwellyd a lytyll tyme / ¶ But he was Incontynent knowen As he byfore hadde ben in other places and countrees where he hadde conuersyd and dwelled / ¶ In the sayde place was a dragon merueyllously grete / The whyche oonly dystroyed not the goodes but also he deuoured and slew the herde men that kept beestes / ¶ Thenne the holy man caused to be broughte a grete heepe or stacke of woode / And caused to be sette fyre therin / ¶ And after made his prayer to god The whyche made the same dragon in the presence of alle the people came and brente hymselfe wythin the sayde fyre / ¶ In that same tyme. and anone after the dethe of Iulyan the Emperoure all the londe trembled / ¶ And the sees sprangen oute of theyr places In suche wyse that it was supposyd that the worlde shold perysshe and be drowned by a seconde deluge or flood / ¶ And the shippes were lyfte vpp to the mountaynes / ¶ And this seenge the Epydanytayns came for refuge and socoures to the holy man / And broughte hym to the ryuage or cooste of the see / ¶ The whyche Incontynent after that he had made thre sygnes of the Crosse in the sonde / Sodaynly the see descended and became lowe / And came in to his vsuall custome / ¶ Here oughte we to note the wordes that oure lorde sayde to his Appostles / Whyche ben thyse / ¶ Yf ye haue very faythe / And ye commaunde to a moutayne that it goo in to the see Infallibly and wythoute fayllynge it shall goo / ¶ Hylaryon dyde noo lesse myracle Whanne the see that was in the partyes soo haunsed that it couered alle the londe / Incontynent was wythdrawen and becomen lowe / ¶ Of whyche myracle alle they of the cytee were admerueyled / ¶ But by cause that men beganne to honoure hym there / He departed by nyghte in a lytyl â—essell of the see / ¶ And two dayes after he fonde a grete shyppe whiche was laden / By the ayde and helpe of whyche he wente in to Cypre / ¶ But so as they of the sayde shyppe wolde haue arryued and comen to an hauen / ¶ The Marronners sawe comynge two shyppes well garnysshed wyth men of Armes / Whyche men called Rouers of the see / Whyche enforcyd theym to approche or to come aborde to theym / In entencoÌ„n to robbe and pylle theym / Wherfore the Maronners and the dyscyples of saynt Hylaryon beganne to tremble and quake for feere / And the holy man dyde noo thynge but laughe / And sayd to his dyscyples / ¶ Ye ben of lytyll fayth / Thyse theues here whyche comen agaynst vs / ben not in soo grete multytude as was Pharao / ¶ And neuerthelesse he and his companye were drowned in the see / ¶ And whanne the shyppes of theues were as nyghe as the caste of a stone / The holy man sayd / Hola / Hola / Ye ben nyghe ynough / ¶ And IncoÌ„tynent happed a merueyllous thyÌ„ge / For the shyppes of the sayde theues retourned bacwarde wolde the Paciones and Maronners or not / ¶ After he entred in to a cyte namyd Pafun beynge in Cypres a noble cytee and moche flowrysshynge in Poetrye / Of whyche the edefyces and buyldynges were some tyme fallen downe bycause that the londe trembled ofte / ¶ There were moche people tourmented of deuylles whiche were within theyr bodyes / ¶ But the holy man hadde not ben there enhabyted twenty dayes but that they cryed with an hyghe voys / Hylaryon the seruaunt of Ihesu criste is in this londe / To whom we must all goo / ¶ In lyke wyse there was in the cyte of Salomnocurium Laphyte / and many other whyche also cryed sayenge / That they muste goo to the holy man Hylaryon / But they knewe not where he was / ¶ Thyrty dayes after or there aboute came to the holy man Hylaryon many seke men / vnto the nombre of two hundred / Whiche were guarysshed and heelyd in eyghte dayes / ¶ He dwellyd two yeres in that place there in abydynge Esicius his dyscyple / Whom he hadde sente in to Palestyne for to vysyte the brethern of the monastery / ¶ After that Esicius was come agayne to hym / He retourned in to Egypte in to a place namyd Botholya / By cause that there ne dwelled ony Crysten man / And the place was soo enhabytable / that vneth ony man myghte goo there a foote / ¶ And was dystaunte or beynge from the cyte two myles or there abowte / ¶ There were many trees and fayre gardynes / But of fruyte of theym he neuer ete ¶ There was also an olde monastery the whiche was alle in Ruyne or fallen in dekeye / by the whyche was herde the â—oyses of some spirytes / Lyke as there had ben a grete excercyse or Rowte of men of Armes / ¶ Wherof the holy man Hylaryon was ryght Ioyeous / Consyderynge the meryte that he myghte gete / in Resystynge and wythstondynge the spyrytes that were soo nygh hym / ¶ There dwelled he fyue yeres / Where fewe people wente for to see him for the grete asprete or sharpnesse of the place And for the dyffycnltee or doubfulnesse of the waye to goo thyder / ¶ On a daye the holy man Hylarion comyng in to his gardyne apperceyuyd a man Paralytyke· or taken wyth the Palsey beynge tofore the gate / ¶ Thenne Escius aryd hym what he was / And who had broughte hym thyder / ¶ He ansuerd that he was the Procuroure of the towne / to whom the gardyne in whiche he was apperteyned vnto / ¶ Thenne he toke hym by the honde and sayde to hym / ¶ In the name of god my frende aryse thou and walke
Anthonye seenge his Imbesilyte and symplenesse / commaunded that he sholde holde his peas and departe Incontynente ¶ Soo he departed by obedyence wyth oute to answere ony thynge / ¶ And whanne saynt Anthonye sawe that he was soo humble and obeyssaunt / ¶ He was moche admerueylled / ¶ And after he coÌ„maunded hym that he sholde speke / And that he sholde saye wherfore he spake not / ¶ To whom he answered that he hadde soo done by cause he hadde soo commaunded hym / THenne saynt Anthonye was moche Ioyeouse and gladde of hyâ— ansuere ¶ And yet agayne he admonested hym tabyde alwaye and peâ—ceuere in obedyence / ¶ And ofte tymes he commaunded hym to doo thynges agaynst reason / ¶ As to drawe water oute of a depe pytte alle daye a longe / And to caste it on the erthe / And sometyme to vnsowe his gowne / And after to sowe it agayne / And soo of many other thynges / ¶ But in all he was moche obeyssaunte and lowely / ¶ And by that manere he came to perfeccyon / ¶ And therfore sayde saynt Anthonye Who some euer woll be perfyte / He oughte not to be mayster ne obeye to hys owne wyll / ben they resonable or none ¶ For oure Sauyoure sayth that tofore alle thyuges / one oughte to renounce his owne wyll / ¶ And wyth that he sayth in a nother place / ¶ I am not descended and comen in to this worlde for to doo and fulfylle myn wyll but the wyll of hym that hath sente me / That is my god almyghty / ¶ Neuerthelesse the wyll of the sone was neuer contrary to the wyll of the fader / ¶ Also he that was Doctour of obedyence whan he hadde done his wyll he hadd not be Inobedyente / ¶ Alas thenne syth that god wolde not vse his owne wyll / But was somoche obedyente / ¶ Wherfore ben not we obedyente to hym / Wythoute to obeye to our sensualyte / In leuynge all thinges contrary to equyte and reason / ¶ The vertue of obedyence is more agreable to god thanne ony sacrefyces ¶ For this vertue god shewed moo greter myracles for saynt Poule than for saynt Anthonye / ¶ From alle Regyons came seke folkes to hym / for to recouuer helthe / ¶ The whyche thynge saynt Anthonye seenge And dredynge that he sholde be ouermoche lette / For that cause he made him to goo in a nother secrete place / Where as he myghte not be founde / To the ende that saynt Anthonye sholde receyue theym that sholde come / ¶ And yf ony fayllyd to recouere theyr helthe by the prayers of saynt Anthonye / He sente theym to saynt Poul / And anone they were hoole and guarysshed / ¶ Emonge other there came one to the whyche was madde and soo ferre from himselfe / That by the reason of his maladye he bote alle theym that came to hym / ¶ Saynt Poul beganne to praye to god / And commauÌ„ded the deuyll whyche tourmented hym / that he sholde departe oute of his body ¶ But by cause the deuyll departed not wente not oonly Incontynent after he had commaunded hym / ¶ Saynt Poul beganne to speke to god as lytyll chyldern done / sayenge / ¶ Truely my god / I shal not ete this daye / yf thou heele not this seke man / ¶ And anone he was heelyd / ¶ Alle the myracles that he dyde god hadde graunted to hym the power for the grete obedyence that was in hym / ¶ Thenne oughte euery persone to enforce him to be obedyent to god in obseruynge and kepynge his coÌ„maundementes / ¶ Thus endeth the lyfe of saynt Poule the symple Heremyte ¶ Here folowith the lyfe of saynt Paula or Paulyne / And begynnynth in latyn ¶ Si cuncta corporis mei membra c. Caplm .xl. SAynt Iherom sayth / Yf alle my membres were torned in to tongues / And alle they longen thynge worthy of praysynge / Yet cowde they not saye suffysauntly of the venerable saynt Saynt Paula / She was noble of parentes / but moche more noble of holynesse of lyfe / Ryche of patrymonye / But more ryche for as moche as she had renounced and forsaken the goodes of this worlde ¶ All the dayes of her lyfe she complayned to god sayenge / ¶ Alas poore synnar what shall I doo My life is lengthed I dwelle ouer longe in this corruptible worlde in whyche is no thynge but synne and fylthe / ¶ And for asmoche as she sayd her selfe a pylgryme in this worlde Often she desyred dethe / and to be wyth Ihesu Cryste / ¶ The moost parte of her tyme she was lyke by the grete abstynences that she made / ¶ Neuerthelesse armyd wyth pacyence she sayde / I chastyse my body and putt it in seruytude / To the ende that by myselfe I be not repreuyd / Whanne I repreue other / ¶ And in this grete pacyence she sawe heuen open for to receyue her / And sayde / ¶ Who shall gyue to me wynges that I maye flee and reste myselfe in Paradyce / ¶ She loued alle the tyme of her lyfe the sure astate of pouertee / ¶ For whanne she deyed she was more pore than they whom she gaaf her almesse / ¶ Her fader was called Topocius / The whyche was of the lygnage of Agamenon / Whyche ten yeres duringe helde siege tofore Troye the graunte / And att laste by hym it was destroyed ¶ Her moder was namyd Basylle extracte of the lygnage of Scypyons Grekes / ¶ This whyche saynt Iherom â—eeâ—tyh and spekith of No thynge for that he woll saye that the man ne the woman â—en to be praysed for asmoche as they ben comen of grete parentele and lygnage in worldly honour ¶ But for asmoche as whanne some ben come of hyghe byrthe and of grete place / And they dyspyse the Rychesses of this worlde / They shewe theymself in soo dooynge to be of the very lygnage of Ihesu Cryste / And to haue towarde hym greâ—ter loue / thenne to theym whyche haue noughte or lytyll thynge in value ¶ And say that they renounce and forsake alle / ¶ As some done whyche putt theym selfe in to Relygyon for to haue prouysion suretee of theyr lyuyng ¶ Wythoute to haue Regarde to oure sauyour Ihesu Cryste / Sayenge that who that shall leue alle for the loue of god He shall haue an hundred tymes more in the ende / That is to saye the Reame of heuen / The whyche is true in saynt Paulyne / ¶ For for the cytee of Rome whyche she lefte wyth all rychesses and vaynglorie of the same cyte / ¶ She is right merueyllous renommed as emonge many precyous stones the moost precious and in excellent vertue shynynge / ¶ Lyke as the sonne gyueth gretter lyght thanne the mone / in lyke wyse saynt Paula emonge al holy wymmen moost excellently she shynyth / ¶ She fleenge and eschewynge the glory of this worlde / ¶ And
therfore it is to be noted that after the deth of her husbonde Toxocius / She dystrybuted and dealed that one halfe of his godes vnto the poore people / Of whyche some were nourisshed and other clothed And other after theyr dethe buryed / ¶ And whanne a poore body was susteyned and holpen of a nother thanne of her / Anone she was sory as though she hadd loste moche good / ¶ Whan she had longe tyme ladde suche holy lyfe / She wolde not endure and suffre the praysynge of the worlde ¶ For by the occasyon of that she was of noble lygnage many lordes came to vysyte her / ¶ Thenne she beganne to dyspyse the honoure temporall / In desyrynge to goo to deserte for to doo penaunce / ¶ In that tyme it happed that the bysshoppis of the Eest and of the Weste came to Rome for the decension and stryfe of some chyrches ¶ Emonge whom saynt Paula sawe a notable a good man namyd Paulyn Bysshop of Anthyoche / ¶ And a nother namyd Epysanus bysshopp of the cytee of Salamonye in Cypres / The whyche cyte now is called Constance ¶ And the sayd Epifanus was lodged in her howse ¶ And for the grete vertues of the same Bysshoppis she was enflammed wyth loue of god more thanne tofore / ¶ And concluded in herselfe to leue her house in suche manere / That for chyldren ne for the noblesse of her howsene for possessyons that she had she myght neuer be wythdrawen from her holy purpoos / ¶ And after that the Wynter was passed The same Bysshopps putt theym to the see for to retorne to their chirches ¶ Thenne she wente wyth theym for to goo to the hermytages of saynt Anthonye and of saynt Paule Heremytes ¶ After that she hadde saylled by the see / She descended atte a Porte namyd Fratre / And there came to her alle her parentes and frendes / ¶ And that was more pietoê° came thider her childer whyles they arryued and came a londe The shyppes beyng thenne redy for to saylle and take the see / her chyldren were atte Ryuage or hauen / ¶ The lytyll Toxocius helde vpp his hondes to hys moder saynt Paula / And her doughter Ruffine whiche was redy to be maried wepte and prayed her that she wolde tarie abyde tyll the weddynge were done / But the good lady garnisshed with ferme constaunce helde vp her hondes and eyen vnto heuen / In hauynge more grete pyte on her soule thanne of her chyldren / ¶ To whom she shewed noo more affeccyon / thanne yf they hadde not ben her chyldren / Ne she theyr moder / ¶ Now oughte it here to be noted that Nature oughte to be strongely moeuyd to pytee and compassyon whanue she sawe her chyldren thus strongely wepe after her ¶ But neuerthelesse she was constaunt and stedfaste and retourned not / ¶ Alas there is noo martyrdom more sharpe than to departe from frendes / ¶ Alas is this not a werke agaynst nature To leue forsake and abandonne thus her children Ye maye well thynke that she hadd grete faythe / and synguler loue to god / ¶ And it maye well be byleuyd that she was soo wyse and prudente that she louyd theym of a feruente loue well ordeyned / ¶ For tofore or she departed she hadde gyuen to theym alle her good / ¶ Alas she was dysheryted in this worlde for to make her ryche in a nother worlde / ¶ The shyppe thenne sessyd not to saylle for ony prayer that her chyldren made / ¶ But by cause she myghte not see theim wythoute some heuynesse she torned her eyen from theym / and from the Rynage or cooste where as they were / ¶ In effecte the shyppe saylled soo scire that after many dayes they airyued and came a londe in thyles of Pounce / ¶ And by cause the wynde was not grete but ouer calme amonge the stony see and many peryllous passages Of whiche that one was namyd Cylla / A nother Carthdis An other Adriaticus whyche ben daungeours in the see for the rockes that ben there / They descended and came a londe And in goinge a londe she felte her membres soo wery and ouermoche trauaylled as she sholde haue deyed ¶ There she toke a lytyll refecedcoÌ„n for to comfort her / ¶ After that she had be in Citharee in Rhodes and in other many yles She came in to the yle of Cypre / In whyche place she soiourned bi the space of ten dayes wyth the sayd Bysshopp Epyfanius / ¶ Thenne whanne she hadde vysited alle the monasteryes there she toke the see and came on londe in Scylence ¶ After she came in to Anthyoche there she was a lytyll tyme wyth the bysshopp Paulyne / ¶ Alas the good lady whyche woned to be borne wyth .x. Emuches had not in walkynge all thyse wayes and other here tofore declared but a poore Asle Vpon whiche she sate ¶ And she vysited not oonly the holy places in the yles tofore declared but also she was in theym of Syrye of Fenyce / ¶ How well that of theym saynt Iherom makyth noo mencyon / ¶ For he hath wreten oonly that whyche hathe be founde in holy hystoryes / ¶ After that she had passed Iherico Romayn and Colugne / She entred in to a lytyll towne namyd Sarepta bytwene Thyrye and Syrye / ¶ And by cause she wente abowte alle that londe it were a longe thynge to recounte what she dyde in that vyage / ¶ Fynably she came in to Iherusalem the whiche cytee hath thre names / That is to wyte Iehus Salem and Iherusalem / Whan she was comen thider / The pryncypall of the cytee / hauynge the offyce of Proconsull made to be arayed for her a lytyll place like an hermitage / ¶ But tofore er she soiourned there she wente to vysite the holy places / and to worshipp the holy Crosse wheron oure lorde was crucyfyed for the Redempcyon of man kynde / ¶ Now thynke we how many teeres she lete there thenne falle whanne she byhelde by a merueyllouse câ—mpunccyon / As yf oure lorde had yet ben there / ¶ In lyke wyse she came to the Sepulture / whyche was not wythout kyssynge and worshyppynge deuououtly / ¶ After in to the mount of Syon / whiche Dauyd reedefied / where she sawe the pyler bysprente wyth the precyous blood of our lorde / To the whyche he hadd be bounden for to be beten byfore Pylate / ¶ There also she sawe in the place in whyche after the prophecye of Ioel. the holy ghoste descended vppon syxe score persones / ¶ After she wente to Betheleem / And on the ryghte syde of the waye she taryed to see the Sepulcre of Rachel in the place where Beniamyn was borne / ¶ After she came in to the place where oure lorde was borne in the stable / Where she beganne to be in contemplacyon / And remembred how the chylde was layed and wrapped in lytyll
enmye is ouercome by pacyence / And by humylytee pryde / ¶ Sayth not the holy scrypture / That who that shal be smeton on that one cheke He ought to profre that other / ¶ The appostles also went Ioyenge whanne they sholde be martred for the honoure of Ihesu Cryste / ¶ Oure sauyour meked hymself in takynge our nature whan he tooke man kynde / ¶ Yf Iob hadd not ben in pacyence in his aduersytees He hadde not herde the voyce of oure sauyour in sayenge to hym / ¶ Thynke Iob that I haue sente the persecucion and trowble but to the ende that thou sholdest be reputed and holden Iuste / ¶ They that endure trybulacyon ben reputed thoughte well happy in the Gospell / ¶ She coÌ„syderynge thyse thynges / and for to fructefye her pacyence ¶ Whan the enuyous Adad some tyme bote her by wordes Iniuryous and wrongfull / She sayde wyth the psalmyste / Whan the synnar adressyd hym to me for to doo me wronge / I haue restrayned or hydde my worde as I hadde be muette or dombe / As a deef man I herde noo thynge / And as a dombe man opened not my mouthe / ¶ The temptacyons come not to the persones but for to preue theym yf they loue god wyth all theyr herte and wyth alle theyr soule / ¶ She reduced and called to her mynde the worde of Ysaye whyche saythe / ¶ Ye that ben now oute from the pappes that is to saye in aege / Abyde trybulacyon vppon trybulacyon / ¶ Hope vppon hope oughte to be hadde agaynste an euyll and serpentyne tongue full of venyme / ¶ For pacyence is proued in trybulacoÌ„n / ¶ By pacyence is goten strengthe By that vertue is goten hope ¶ And who that hathe stedfaste hope / shal neuer be confounded / ¶ Who that is in aduersitee he oughte to arme him wyth strengthe wyth pacyence wyth hope / ¶ But some tyme they that ben Impacyent sayen / I endure ynough / and take the beste wyse I maye in pacyence / ¶ Neuerthelesse god helpyth me not / ¶ I haue hope he shall helpe me / But it is longe er it come / ¶ Suche murmurers done grete wronge and be not pacyent But full of alle Impacyence / ¶ For god hath sayde In tyme due and oportune I haue enhaunced the And in the daye of helthe I haue holpen the / ¶ It behouyth not thenne to drede in ony wyse the venymouse and wyckyd tongues / ¶ But we oughte to reioyce yf we ben wrongefully blamed in requyrynge alwaye the helpe of god ¶ Yet what some euer aduersytee that we haue Yet we ben not worthy to haue the glorye of heuen / ¶ Whanne saynt Paula was moche seke she sayde that she was more stronger thanne whanne she was hole / For by aduersytees and maladyes / her body gate Inmortalytee / ¶ And yet she sayde / Lyke as the passyons of Ihesu cryste abounded in me In lyke wyse by Ihesu Cryste in aboundance cometh to me consolacyon and comforte / ¶ They that ben felowes of passyon / shall also be felowes of consolacyon ¶ In heuynesse wepynge and wayllynge sange saynt Poul sayenge / Wherefor arte thou heuy my soule / Wherfore trowblest me / Haue hope in god For yet I shal confesse him as my god and Sauyour of my soule / ¶ Whanne she was in peryll she sayd wyth oure lorde / Who that woll kepe his soule and saue it he muste lese it And who that woll lese his soule for the loue of god he shall saue it / ¶ Whanne it was sayde to her that she was ouer liberall / And that bi this moyen alle her Patrymonye was dysspended She ansuered / ¶ What prouffyteth to wynne alle the worlde yf one lese his soule that it be dampned what marchaundyse maye a man take in recompence of his soule / ¶ As yf she wolde saye / Lyke as the Rychesses of thys worlde ben cause of the dampnacoÌ„n of the soule ¶ She sayde also I am borne in this worlde alle nakyd / And alle nakyd I shall retorne / ¶ Neuer oughte to be desyred ony thynge in this worlde / For alle that is in the worlde is none other thynge but fleshely desyre / And the euyll concupyscence of oure eyen / ¶ And in the ende alle shall passe / but the good vertues that we gete in thys mortall worlde shallen be contynuelly wyth vs and tofore the dethe / And in lyke wyse shall accompanye vs oure euylles and fowle synnes / ¶ On a tyme came to the sayde gode lady saynt Paula a good Relygyouse man The whyche sayde to her· that for the ryght grete aboundaunce of heâ— good vertues / And that for the ryghte grete loue that she hadde to god / she semed to moche people to be as a foole Ydâ—ote / ¶ And that for that cause / it were full necessary and grete nede to take medycynes for her brayne / ¶ To the wordes and proposycyons of whyche good Relygyous man the good lady ansuered / ¶ My brother in god we ben alle semblable and lyke / That is to saye in a place comyn where as alle the men in this worlde shall be assembled ¶ And we all ben called fooles for the loue of Ihesu Cryste / ¶ By cause that we haue in him sette our loue and deuocyon / ¶ And therfore I recomfort me in the sayenges and wordes of god our maker / whyche sayth to his apposles / ¶ For this cause the worlde hateth you / For ye ben not of the worlde / And yf we were of the worlde the worlde sholde loue you / ¶ The Iewes sayde to oure swete Sauyour and Redemer Ihesu Cryste that he was a Samarytane / And that he hadd a deuyll wyth in hym in his body / ¶ And that in the name of Belzebub whiche is the prynce of deuyllis he chassed and caste oute deuyllis of the bodyes of creatures the whyche oughte to requyre of hym hys mercy / ¶ After whyche wordes the gode and deuowte saynt Paula adressyd her wordes to god oure Sauyour and Redemer Ihesu Cryste In sayenge to to hym in this manere / ¶ Ha my god my Sauyour and Redemer Ihesu Criste / thou knoweste the affeccyon and desyre that I haue towarde the / And the grete loue that I bere / And how I am redy and apparaylled to obeye and accomplyssh wyth my lytyll power al thi commaundementes / ¶ Thou wotest knowest alle the thoughtes of myn herte / ¶ On that other syde thou seest wel and knoweste alle the Iniuryes whyche haue ben done to thy seruauntes / ¶ And neuerthelesse they remembre alwaye the / ¶ Yf we kepe alle thy commaundementes / And haue our hert on ony other thanne on the / We ben lyke and semblable to beestes the whyche be broughte to sacrefyce / ¶ My lorde god I counte noo thynge in suche fryuolouse wordes and deceyuable / ¶ For I haue
that by that the deuyll had made hym to falle in to vayne glorye ¶ And thê° as he was in this same fantasye / An auncyent fader came and sayd to hym / ¶ My frende I wote well that in alle thyne operacyons and werkes thou haste ouercome the deuyll saut oonly in this that thou wenest that in thise partyes ben none relygyous persones lyuynge more perfyte thanne thy selfe ne that better knowen the wayes of helthe thanne thou doost / ¶ But for as moche as I knowe the contrary / Yf thou wolte come wyth me / I shall lede the in to a monasterye faste by the flood of Iourdan / In whyche for to take from the this folye / Thou shalte mowe see of Relygyouses more perfyte thanne euer thou were / ¶ Thenne wente forthe the goode man Zozimas in folowenge the holy fader / ¶ Now it is to be noted that it was the aungell of god whyche in the lykenes of an holy fader conduytted hym The whyche Incontynente as they were att the sayde flood vanysshed a waye / Neuerthesse Zozimas beynge by the flood Iourdan herde a voyce resownynge / ¶ And in comynge nyghe to the same he arryued atte a monasterye ¶ And after that he had knocked atte the gate / He that kepte it shewed it to the abbot Whyche for contemplacyon of his habyte / And also by cause that he semyd to be a man of holy lyfe made hym to entree in and receyued hym honestly / ¶ After that he hadd made his oryson The Abbot demauÌ„ded of hym the cause why he came to vysyte theym / And Zozimas answered for to lerne the helthe of his soule / ¶ For he had herde say that grete myracles and sygnes of vertues were made there wythin / ¶ The Abbot sayd to hym / My brother a man maye not teche a nother of hymselfe yf he helpe not hymselfe in prayenge god his conduytour in alle his werkes / And therfore I praye to god that he make vs suche that we maye obserue and kepe his commauÌ„dementes / ¶ But syth it hathe playsed the to vysyte vs. thou shal abyde wyth vs yf thou be for that cause come hyder / ¶ And I byleue that god shall accompanye vs togyder alle in his grace / ¶ For he is the Pastour of Pastoures / Whyche hathe putte hys soule / That is to saye his propre lyfe for to redeme and saue vs / ¶ Zozimas beynge in this same monasterye sawe some Relygyouses shynynge in vertues / ¶ And in esperyte incessauntly wakynge daye and nyghte in orison and prayer / ¶ And neuer proferred they one vayne worde / Ne occupyed theym in ony thynges teÌ„porell / But as they hadde ben deed theyr names were vnknowen / ¶ Theyr lyfe and passety me was of holy wordes / ¶ And for to susteyne nature ete but brede and water oonly / ¶ This considerynge Zozimas he prouffyted moche gretly in folowyng theyr holy lyfe / ¶ After that he hadde ben there a certayne tyme / The holy tyme came the whyche they muste faste the Lente / ¶ Wherfore alle they made theym redy to saynctefye and make them holy agaynste the tyme of the passyon and Resurrexion of oure lorde / ¶ Now it was soo that the yate of the sayde monasterye was neuer open / To th ende that noo man sholde entre· whiche sholde lete theym to praye to god / ¶ For to knowe thenne how they proceded in their fastynges / It is to be noted that the fyrste Sondaye of Lente alle togyder came to the chyrche / And there receyued theyr maker in grete seruente deuocyon / ¶ And after that they had done and accomplysshed theyr oâ—ysons / The auncyentes embracyd and kyssed eâ—he other in sygne of synguler loue / ¶ Enuye for to opteyne benefyces and pryouryes for to haue occasyon to lepe oute of theyr monasterye was not lodged there / ¶ And they resembled not the birde that fleeth alwaye abowte the cage for to fynde an hole That is to say an Abbaye or Pryorye for to flee thorugh the feeldes and countree / ¶ For to retorne thenne to our purpoos after that they hadde kyssed eche other They prayed humbly to thabbot that he wolde make to god deuowte prayer for theym / To the ende that they myghte strongely fyghte agaynste the fende / ¶ Thyse thynges done alle the yâ—tes were opened / And alle togyder songen the songe or psalme Dominê° illuminacoÌ„ Psalmo .xxvi. ¶ And whan they were oute of theyr monasterye for to goo in to desertes / Two of the Relygyous men abode wythin the chyrche / Not for doubte ne fere that they shold lese ony thinge / But to the ende that theyr Oratory sholde not be without prayer ¶ Eeueryche of theym bare his necessytees for to lyue by / ¶ Some a lytyll brede Other fygges or dates Or pesen or benes for to make potage wyth a lytyll water / ¶ Some other bare no thyge but her mantellis with whiche they were cladde / ¶ And in the Desertes ete but herbes that grewe there / Eche after his appetyte and wyll / ¶ For beynge there they ladde suche rule as they wolde By cause they wente not one with an other / ¶ Thus passed they the flom Iourdan separate and ferre from the cyte in goynge by the desertes / ¶ And yf by aduenture one saw a nother come agaynst hym he toke anone a nother waye Wythoute spekynge one to a nother / ¶ And in this wyse ladde they a lyffe moche solytarye / And theyr fastynges thus contynued tyll palme Sondaye / ¶ Atte whyche daye they alle were retourned to theyr monasterye / ¶ And eueryche broughte the fruyte of his abstynence / ¶ Neyther neuer asked they one of a nother how they hadde lyued in the deserte / To the ende to eschewe vayne glorye / ¶ For some of theym ladde a lyfe full harde and sharpe ¶ And yf the other hadde knowen it / They hadde praysyd hym / And wolde haue tolde it eche to other / By whyche the deuyll myght haue tempted theym by vayne glorye / ¶ And by this it apperith that they fledoe the praysynge of men / Whyche mighte brynge forthe noo prouffyte / ¶ But it is ryght peryllous and dommageable to the soule / ¶ Zozimas thenne passyd the flom Iourdan by the example of the other and bare a lytyll brede wyth hym for to susteyne his poore body / ¶ And yf he was sobre in etynge Yet he was more in slepynge / ¶ And soo passynge thorugh the deserte / Alwaye he desyred to fynde some holy man / By whom he myghte be the better enfourmyd and Instructe thanne he hadde ben tofore / ¶ After that he hadde walkyd by the space of twenty dayes / Aboute the hon iâ— of Syxte he taryed to praye and to make his orysons to god / as he had be accustomyd / ¶ For his custome was at the houre of Tyerce Syxte and None for to ceasse
loue of god / ¶ The relygyouse brethern seyeng her grete pacyence and humylyte / moeued wyth grete pytee and compassyon prayde thabbot that it wold playse hym in preferrynge mercy tofore the rygour of Iustyce to calle agayn brother Maryn / whyche thynge he wolde in no wyse doo / hauynge allwaye ayenst hym merueyllous indygnacyon bycause of the sayd trespaas / ¶ Fynably he beynge vaynquysshyd by contynuel prayers of hys brethern / called hyÌ„ in agayn and sayd to hym / Maryn I haue grete conscience / seen the grauâ—te of thy synne / yet I admytte the neuertheles to come in for to playse my brethern whyche haue humbly prayde me for the many tymes / I suffre that thou and thy myserable chylde whyche hast goten in aduoultrye be lodged her wythyn as straunge persones / ¶ And by cause that thou art not worthy for to felawshyppe and commynyke wyth the brethern but in doynge to them scruple lyke as the caas shall requyre / I ordeyne that thou be allwaye subgette to make clene all the places of here wythin / take here awaye the fylthe and vnclene thynges / And also in lyke wyse to fetche water for to wasshe the pottes disshes and to helpe the nedes of the brethern / ¶ The whyche penaunce she accepted wyth good wyll and good herte / and so longe she contynued that â—he departed out of this world fro lyf to deth / ¶ Thys thynge pronouÌ„ced by the brethern to theyr abbot / Whyche sayd to them / My brethern ye knowe well the enormyte of hys synne of whyche he hath not made condygne penaunce / And therfore it is not decent ne couenable that he be buryed in our monastery But neuertheles seen his obedyence / I am content that ferre in the maner accustomed he buryed by you out of the monastery / The brethern for to doo that whyche was permytted to theym came in to the lytyll chambre where he was deed / ¶ And in dyspoyllynge and takynge of his clothes for to ennoynte hym / They knewe that she was a woman And were merueylously abasshed ¶ And began to waylle bytterly wyth grete abundaunce of teeres / ¶ And Incontynent camen and shewed to the abbot / Who for this thynge was gretely â—oenyd and towchyd of a merueyllous contrycyon and dysplaysure / ¶ And telle there to the grounde Smytynge wyth his hondes agaynst his brest and his heed sayenge / ¶ O gloryous Maryâ—e I byseche the that of the afflyccyâ—â—s whyche I haue gyuen to the / that thou accuse me not tofore god / For by ygnoraunce I haue done it / ¶ Alas yf thou haddest tolde to me the trouth / I had neuer commysed towarde the thys merueyllous fawâ—e / ¶ After that he hadde moche lamented and waylled he dyde doo burye her solempnly wythin the chyrche of the monasterye / ¶ And that same daye came she whiche hadde vntruely accused her of the caas for whyche she hadde done soo grete penaunces / The whyche vexed and tormented of the deuyll confessyd openly her synne / Declarynge the name of hym whyche hadde goten the chylde / ¶ Alle the Relygyouses persones of the monasteryes nyghe by aduertysed of this mysterye / In the honoure of the glorious vyrgyn came to the monastery wyth theyr Crosses and tapres lyghte and brennynge / in syngyng ymâ—â—â—s and psalmes / In praysynge the name of god / To whom they thanked and rendred graces of that whiche had playsed hym for the edifycacyon of the yr soules to shewe to theym this merueyllous fayte ¶ And after in the sayde monasterye were shewed and done many myracles by the prayers of the holy vyrgyne saynt Maryne / ¶ Thus endyth the lyfe of saynt Maryne / ¶ The lyfe of saynt Eufrosyne / begynnyth in latyn ¶ Fuit vir et cetera Caplm .xliiii. IN Alexandrye was a man named Pafunce moche honourable and kepynge the commauÌ„dementes of god / He toke a wyfe whyche was of moche honeste lyfe / As she that was extracte of noble parentes vertuous / ¶ But she was barayn steryle and moche sorowfull by cause she had noo chyldren ne lygnye / ¶ The good PafuÌ„ce was moche soroufull bi cause he had noo chyldren / that myght succede to his possessyons / His wyfe hadd grete solycytude to nourysshe the poore people ¶ She seruyd god daye nyghte Contynuelly she prayed hym that it myghte playse hym to gyue her a chylde by generacyon pryncypally by cause that her husbonde was soo dysplaysaunt that he mighte haue none ¶ And he hymself semblably prayed / and forcyd hyÌ„self to finde some deuowte man that wolde praye god for hym that he myghte obteyne his desyre by the moyen of his prayers And to that ende he enlarged to the poore grete quantite of his goodes temporall / On a tyme he entred in to a monastery where he founde a good fader loued of god after the renomÌ„e of the countree for the contemplacoÌ„n of whom he frequented in the sayd monastery diuers times dooyng there his almesse tofore eâ—he declaryd his wyll desyre to the Abbot ne to the relygyouses ¶ Fynably he sayde to theym that he had all his lyfe desyred to haue generacyon but neuerthelesse he cowde not haue it / ¶ Thabbot the relygyouses desyrynge to helpe in his aduersytee prayed god for hyÌ„ in suche wise that by the will of god he had a moche fayâ— doughter the whiche after that she was .vii. yeres olde was baptysed and callyd Eufrosyne ¶ And whan she was of .iii. yere aege her moder departed out of this worlde· leuyng her husbonde alyue the whyche enfourmyd the sayd doughter aswell in letture as in good maners / And in suche wise prouffyted that not oonly her fader her parentes but also all thynhabitauÌ„tes of the cyte or the moost parte merueylled theym also of her bodyly bewte ¶ Soo it happed that for her grete vertues perfeccions she was of many desyred in maryage but al were forsaken excepte one whyche passed alle other in rychesse and in honours / ¶ In ryght yonge aege she was therto acorded / ¶ Whan she was .xviii. yere olde her fader ladd her to the monastery where he had ben accustomed to praye god And there gaaf grete quantyte of money / sayd to thabbot / ¶ Fader abbot loo here the fruyte of thy prayer / Neuertheles I am constrayned to marye her I require the to praye for her / ¶ Thabbot admonested her to lyue in honeste chastyte pacyeÌ„ce and also soueraynly to drede god / ¶ And she beÌ„ynge in this monasterye where she soiourned wyth her fader by the space of thre dayes began to haue contemplacoÌ„n in the good honeste conuersacyon of the Relygyouses And thoughte in herself that wel happy were thise men relygyouses / whiche in this worlde were semblable to angellis and in the ende of theyr lyfe sholde deserue the glorye eternell / ¶ The thre dayes passed Pafunce requyred
sayde He made soo lamentacyon and sorowe that he sayde thyse wordes / ¶ Alas my swete dâ—ughter myne oonly consolacyon and alle the playsaunce of myne eyen Whyche is he that robbed toke the awaye from me / And that hath quenchyd my lyghte and alle myn hope / ¶ Alas now is defoylled the beaute of thy face / ¶ A cursyd be the wulfe that hath borne awaye my shepe / ¶ Alas in what set or in what londe maye she be hydde ¶ O londe hyde not from me my douâ—ghter Eufrosyne But doo soo moche that she maye be rendred to me agayne ¶ Suche wordes and other moche merueyllous and pyteuous sayde Pafunce in wayllynge soo moche· that the assystentes and dwellers of the citee were excyted and styred to make lamentacyon and cryes / ¶ And after he retourned to his holy Abbot To whom in wepyng he declared the cause of his grete sorow and dyscomforte / To the ende that he his Relygyouses sholde praye to god that he myghte haue hasty and shortly tydynges of his doughter / ¶ And that they dysposyd theym to faste and make denowte orysons duâ—ynge an hoole weke / But neuerthelesse they herde of her noo manere tydynges / ¶ Saynt Eufrosyne prayed in lyke wyse to god that neuer her conuersacyon sholde be shewed to man ¶ After came the Abbot to her fader PafuÌ„ce and sayde to hym / My sone reioyce the syth we haue noo reuelacyon of her / ¶ We byleue stedfastly that in what place that euer thy doughter be she is in the honour of god / And hathe noo dystrowblynge ne empeshement / ¶ That herynge Pafunce was a lytyll comforted / And after that he hadde thankyd the bredern he retornyd in to his howse / ¶ Certayne dayes after passed the sayde Pafunce retornyd in to the abbaye / And recommauÌ„ded him to the bredern In requyrynge theym moche humbly that they sholde praye for him and for his doughter And syngulerly to the abbot to him sayenge ¶ Alas good fader my sorowe renewyth from daye to day more and more / ¶ Truely I may noo lenger bere it wythoute dethe / ¶ The Abbot seenge that he was soo moche sorowfull broughte hym in to the chambre where as saynt Eufrosyne was not knowyng that she was his doughter / ¶ And callyd the Relygyouse that hadde the charge of her namyd Agapyton / ¶ Saynt Eufrosyne herynge her fader was moche abasshed / And wepyng wyth grete teeres beganne to comforte her the beste she mighte as she had not be of his knowlege / ¶ Her fader beholdynge that her face was alle couered with her habyte and gretely chaunged for her fastynges and abstynences whiche she continuelly made knew her not ¶ After the lamentacyons and wayllynges / saynt Eufrosyne began to speke to her fader of the excellence of the glorye eternall / ¶ And how by abstynence Charytee almesse Chastyte and also in lyke wyse by the vertue of humylytee myghte begoten the souerayne be atytude or blessydnesse / ¶ After she admonested hym to dyspyse and contempne all worldly thynges In shewynge to hym that a man oughte not soo moche loue his chyldren as god / ¶ But by cause that she sawe her fader in moche grete trybulacyon she wolde comforte hym atte laste and sayd to hym ¶ Knowe my frende for trouthe as I byleue that thou arte bylouyd of god / ¶ And that yf thy doughter were in waye of perdycyon god wolde haue shewed in what estate she were in ¶ I byleue that she hathe chosen the waye of helthe / ¶ For he that forsakyth not alle that he hathe maye haue noo parte in heuen / ¶ Leue thenne thy malencolye and be not cause of thi perdycyon and losse / ¶ Haue pacyence and stedfaste hope / ¶ I haue herde ofte my mayster Agapyton speke of the / ¶ And how thou haste prayed the Relygyouses for to haue tydynges of thy doughter ¶ But I haue ofte prayed to the ende that thou sholdeste haue pacyence And haue desired for to see the for to comforte the. wyth the leest harme that I myghte / ¶ And after the sayde to hym / My lorde and my frende goo thy waye I praye the / ¶ And notwythstondyng that she desyred hym to goo his waye Neuerthelesse she wepte and had compassyon of him / ¶ For nature myghte not lye / ¶ Pafuncyus her fader by her wordes / was moche comforted / And nyghe as moche as he hadde founde his doughter / ¶ After he recommaunded hym to the prayers of the Abbot and Couent / And retorned home to his house / ¶ Saynt Eufrosyne in the habyte of a man lyued eyghte and thyrty yeres ¶ And anone after camÌ„ to her a sykenesse and maladye of whyche she deyed / ¶ And dutynge the sayde maladye her fader came to the abbaye for to vysyte her / Notwythstondynge that he wende alwaye that she hadde ben the Relygyouse Smaradyn / ¶ And entred in to the chambre where she laye syke and founde her almoost deed / ¶ Thenne he beganne to wepe sayeng / Alas and what shall I doo / ¶ Where ben the promyses whyche thou haste made to me Smaradyn / ¶ Where ben the swete consolacyons and the playsaunte wordes By whyche thou promysedest to me that I sholde see my doughter ¶ Alas I haue not oonly loste my doughter But also I shall lese the. the whyche haste gyuen to me soo moche comforte / ¶ Alas who shall comforte my poore olde aege and whyther shall I goo / ¶ Who shall be helpynge to me in my heuynesse / Now am I constrayned to wepe my dowble euyll and harme of the and of my doughter / ¶ It is eyghte and thyrty yere goo syth I loste my doughter / Now I retorne in to lyke sorowe ¶ Alas where shall I now fynde consolacyon and comforte / ¶ I shall descende wepynge in to helle yf god haue not pyte vppon me / ¶ Smaradyn seenge his heuynesse hadde compassyon on hym / ¶ And recomforted hym sayenge / Wherfore tormentest the thou thus / Wolte thou flee thyselfe / ¶ Ne thynkesse not thou that god is almyghty for to comforte the / Make an ende of thy heuynesse / ¶ Thynke how Iacob wepte for hys sone Ioseph as deed / And yet after oure lorde god shewed hym to hym / ¶ I praye the for the honoure of god that thou leue me not bi the space of thre dayes / ¶ Thenne her fader Pafunce supposyd that the noble Relygyous Smaradyn wythoute faulte sholde shewe to him some thynge in some manere that he shall haue knowlege of his doughter / ¶ The thre dayes passed Incontynent came agayne Pafunce to Smaradyn / And sayd thus ¶ My ryght swete frende the thre dayes ben now passed / I haue taryed lyke as thou saydest to me / ¶ Thenne saynt Eufrosyne knowynge that the daye approchyd and drewe nyghe in whyche she sholde deye· sayde to her fader / ¶ My lorde and my frende
god / ¶ The man slepynge was gretely admerueyled / ¶ On the morne erly he callyd togyder alle his frendes and recounted to theym alle that the angel had shewed to hym / ¶ But he knewe noo thynge in what place the holy faders were / ¶ Wherfore he cowde not do that the aungell hadde sayde to hym / ¶ On the morne he was yet agayn menaced thretened and beten by thangell / By cause he hadde not accomplysshed and fulfylled his commauÌ„dement ¶ In lyke wyse as he dyde tofore he dyde doo assemble alle his frendes for to haue counseylle how he myghte doo that whiche the aungell hadde commaunded hym / In shewyng to theym the woundes that he hadde receyued of the aungell / ¶ And notwythstondynge none of theym wyste not what to saye / By cause they knew not the place where the relygyous were in deserte / ¶ Emong the other there was one wyse man that counseylled hym that he sholde lade and charge thre score ten Camellis wyth vytaylle / And to lete theym goo there as they wolde withoute to be ladde ne conduyted of ony persone / ¶ For yf it were soo that suche reuelacyon came of a good aungell He sholde pourney for theym / And yf it came of an euyll aungell He sholde take it in pacyence / This counseyle playsed to alle them that were presente / ¶ And it was soo executed in ladynge thre score and fyue Camellis with vytayle for the Relygyouses / And fyue other wyth vytaylle for the sayde Camellis / ¶ After they were thus laden he made his prayer to god thus sayenge / O my god I requyre the. as Prouyder of alle theym that lyuen / That it may playse the to adresse and to gouerne alle thyse Camellis to go to the place where thy seruauntes ben / in suche wyse as it shal playse the / And also to brynge them home agayne yf it soo playse the. wythoute empesshement or lettynge in to myn howse / ¶ Thenne he made theym to departe wythoute ony persone to goo wyth theym for to be theyr guyde / ¶ And soo they wente alonge by a mountayne by the space of foure dayes / And fynably came to the yate of theyr monasterye / ¶ And by cause that they songe theyr seruyce they myghte not here those sayde Camellis ne theyr grete sownettes ne belles / â—auf oonly the Abbot whyche was nyghe the gate / Whyche was fyrst aduysed and hadd knowlege of theym to his grete Ioye and exultacyon By cause that god hymselfe hadde purueyed to his nedefull petycyon and prayer ¶ The sayde Abbot Frontynyan sayde noo worde vnto the tyme that al the seruyse was accomplysshed and ended / ¶ And after the ende of the sayde seruyse he callyd togider alle his brethern To whom he sayde / ¶ O my brethern where ben now youre murmuracyons and grutchynges / ¶ See ye now how god hath sente myraculously thyse Camellis laden wyth vytaylle / ¶ Alle they togyder rendred and gaaf thankynges to god In praysynge and magnefyenge his name / ¶ And after dischargeden and vnloded the sayd Camellis· and wysshe theyr fete / And that done they gaaf to them to ete suche mete as they hadde brought wyth theym / ¶ And with that also wente to the mountayne for to fetche grasse for to Refresshe theym more largely / ¶ On the morowe the Abbot departed aile the vytaylles / And layed agayne on the Camellis halfe theyr ladynge / To the ende to eschewe the sinnes that they myghte commyse and doo by ouer grete habundaunce and plentee of those goodes / ¶ And sente theym to hym agaynt that hadde sente theym / ¶ In prayenge to god / that from alle harme and euyll he wolde kepe theym / and also theyr mayster and lorde / ¶ Seuen dayes after they of the howse of the sayde riche man whyche had sente forthe the sayd Camellis / ¶ One of theym herde the sownettis and bellis sawenge theym comynge togyder and And aduertysed and tolde the other / ¶ Thenne alle they alle togyder went to mete theym / And founde theym all togyder alle hoole / And not lener ne in worse poynte thanne they were att the yt departynge for alle theyr ferre and longe Iourney / ¶ The ryche man whiche tofore was heuy doubtynge the losse of his Camellis receyued theim Ioyously In louynge and praysynge the name of god / ¶ And after that same tyme durynge the lyfe of the sayde saynt Frontynyan contynued to sende to hym ofte of hys goodes as well for hym as for his Relygyouses by whyche the sayde hadde noo suffraunce of hungre ne necessytee of ony thynge / And this thynge happed the thyrtenth yere of the Empyre of Anthonye Emperoure of Rome / ¶ Saynt Iherom sayth vppon this paas / that who some euer shal doo almesse vnto the seruauntes of god And haue towarde theym a pyteuous herte In enlargynge to theym of his goodes for theyr necessytees He shall be rewarded of god in this lyf or in euerlastynge lyfe / ¶ The whyche yeue vs the fader the sone and the holy ghoste / Amen / ¶ Thus endyth the life of saynt Frontynyan whyche was a deuowte and holy Relygyous / ¶ Here folowyth the lyfe of saynt Symeon heremyte / And begynnyth in latyn ¶ Sanctus Symeon et cetera Caplm .xlvi. SAynt Symeon was not he the receyued in the Temple oure Sauyoure and redemer Ihesu Cryste ¶ Fourty dayes after he was borne The whyche made the Psalme Nunc dimittis / ¶ But this holy man of whom presentely we shall rede was halowed of god in his moders wombe / ¶ He was swetely nourysshed of his parentes and frendes / And kepte and droue the beestes of his fader vnto thirtene yeres of his aege / ¶ Thnne it happed as he kepte those beestes that he apperreyued a chyrche / In to whyche he entred leuynge his beestes in the feldes / And in that chyrche thenne was radde the Epystle of saynt Poul / ¶ Incontynent saynt Symeon aâ—yd an auncyent man what sygnefyed that whyche was thenne radde / ¶ The whyche answered to hym that the epystle sygnefyed / How a man oughte to loue and drede god wyth alle his myghte and thoughte / ¶ Saynt Symeon asked what it was to laye to drede god / ¶ The sayd auncyent man answered to hym / My sone why mockest thou me / ¶ The chylde ansuered to hym / My fader I aske the as hym whiche maye comforte me I am as a â—ude asse and ygnoraunt whiche knowyth noo thynge / ¶ And therfore I praye the that thou wolte teche me in that whyche I shall demaunde and aske the The auncyent fader in heryng thyse wordes taught hym in this manere and sayde ¶ My sone who someuer fastyth and mekyth hymselfe in kepynge the commaundementis of god forsakyth fader and modeâ— frendes and all the goodes of the worlde In folowynge the doctryne of holy
transitory and maye no lenger dure thanne foure score yere / Thou knoweste also that the worldly rychesses and the vanytee of this worlde arn noo thynge but a lytyll wynde / ¶ But the rychesses of heuen ben alwaye durable perpetuel / ¶ Now my syster thou oughtest to knowe that all they that louen dysordynatly the honoures of thys worlde ben pryued from the goodes of heuen / ¶ And ofte the rychesse worldly possessyons ben cause of the confusyon and vtterly dystruccyon of theim that haue theym / ¶ His wyfe herynge thyse wordes sayd to hym / What playsyth that that we doo / CoÌ„maunde thy good playsure and I shall accomplysshe it ¶ For thy wyll is myne That whyche thou wolte I woll / ¶ Antigonius ansueryd We haue a doughter god be thankyd / And we oughte to be contente that one wyth that other wythout to haue affectyon to lyue emonge the voluptuosytees of this worlde / ¶ Thenne his wyfe lyfted vpp her hondes to heuen in sayenge / O my lorde loue blessyd be our lorde that hath made the worthy to knowe thyne helthe / ¶ Truely my loue I haue many tymes prayed god / that he wolde humble the. and torne thyne entendemente to wyll to flee thy flesshely coÌ„cupyscences worldly / But I neuer durste declare to the ony thynge therof for the grete fere gode loue that I had to the / ¶ And for asmoche as thy wyll is suche / Lete vs departe of our temporell goodes to the ende that they be not cause to make vs descende in to helle / ¶ Other holsom reasons the lady gaaf to Antigonius her husbond the whiche herof praysynge thankynge god with all his herte Dystrybuted the gretest parte of his goodes to the poore people / ¶ And after lyued not but one yere wyth his good lyfe holy vertuouse in perfyghte deuocyon· chastytee contynence / ¶ Of his dethe was moche sorowfull the emperour whyche was of hys kynÌ„e and also alle the Romayns for the grete vertues that were in hym / And also for the pyte that they hadd of his wyfe Eufraxe whiche had not bâ— but .ij. iij monethes wyth hym / ¶ After that he was buryed the good lady Eufraxe toke her doughter also namyd Eufraxe And presented her to the Emperour to her frendes sayenge ¶ O souerayne emperour and ye alle my lordes frendes I put in to your hondes this poore Orphelyne Humbly you supplyenge that in fauoure contemplacyon of the gode very loue that ye had to her fader Antigonius it wolde playse you to doo her to be Instructe and taughte in gode maners vertues And to be to her gode faders conduytours / ¶ The lordes herynge this pyteuous requeste were in contynent moeuyd to wepynge waylynge / ¶ And a lytyll after that they had resprysed theyr spyrytes the emperour desyred counseylled the good lady that she sholde consente to the maryage of her fayr doughter / of one of the Senatours the rychest of alle the other / ¶ To the whyche she accorded / And the sayde doughter receyued ernest of the maryage / ¶ But after by cause that the sayde doughter atte that tyme that the sayde Maryage was treated / was but fyue yere olde / And that the senatoure was greuyd to abyde tyll that she were suffysaunte of aege for to accomplysshe the sayde maryage / ¶ He concluded to demaunde the moder to his wyfe / ¶ And for to come to his entencyon / He sente notable ladyes to the Emperesse for to labour that the moder wolde take to husbonde the sayde Senatour / The whyche thynge the sayde Emperesse and the sayde ladyes supposyd to haue made and accomplysshed it ¶ But the good lady wydowe wolde neuer in that maner leue her â—eâ—e to here it / But repreâ—yd theym angrely In shewynge to theym the grete Inconuenyent in whyche they wolde brynge her That is to wyte in desyrynge her to leue the way of helthe for to take the worldely waye for to brynge her to eternal dampnacyon / And emonge other wordes she sayde to the emperesse / ¶ A madame to what thynge woll ye Induce me Alas whanne I was wyth my husbonde that was I kepte chastytee And ye labour to me that I sholde folowe the amorouse wymmen I shall neuer doo it / ¶ The emperour induertysed of the enterpryse of his wyfe was euyll contentent wyth her sayenge thyse wordes ¶ Come hyther my wyfe ye be wel presumptuous to woll breke the maryage whyche hath be soo honestely begonne ¶ Ne knowe ye not that oure cosyn kynnes woman Eufraxe woll lede a solytary lyfe / ¶ Haue ye now forgoten the loue that ye had to her husbonde whan he lyued / Woll ye now doo hym Iniurye / ¶ Alas yf ye haue louyd hym whyle he lyned ye oughte after his deth to loue his wyfe whyche is soo good and Iuste / ¶ The emperesse herynge thyse wordes was soo moche trowbled that she was two houres wythoute spekynge and semyd to be deed / ¶ The good Eufraxe knowynge thyse tydynges / was in lyke wyse wrothe Doubtynge that it sholde be layed to her that she sholde be cause of the dyscencyon of the emperoure of his wyfe in suche wyse that she myghte be in daunger of deth ¶ And in waylynge wepynge she sayd to her doughter ¶ Lete vs goo in to Egypte my dere doughter we haue there many londes and possessyons whyche I shall leue vnto the. For alle that I haue is thyne / And soo they wente in to the londe of Egypte / ¶ They â—eynge there arryued vysyted her londes possessyons And fynably came in to the partyes of Thebayde where they dyde many almesses to the monasteries relygyons / ¶ And emonge all other they came to a Relygyon of wymmen in a towne wherin were an hundred thâ—â—ty monasteryes of relygyouses / ¶ There some ete no apples ne fygges ne draÌ„ke no wyne The other ete noo oyle ne other lycour Other fasted an hole day Other wysshe noo fete / And whanne ony spake to theym they were abasshyd ¶ They laye on the erthe and ware euery daye the heyt / ¶ And yf by aduenture one of theym were syke / there was noo medycyne gyuen to her ¶ But the sykenesse that she hadde was reputed for a benedyccoÌ„n of god ¶ They wente neuer out of the monasterye but they hadde a Portiere the whyche gaaf ansuere to alle theym that came thyder / Eufraxe knowynge the honeste and deuowte conuersacyon of the sayde Relygyouses vysyted theym ofte And gaue them lyght to the chyrche for to doo the seruyce of god / ¶ On one daye emonge the other Eufraxe spake to thabbesse and to the pryÌ„cypallis of the monasterye And sayde to theym / My good ladyes I woll yeue to you twenty or thyrty pouÌ„de of golde of reuenue for and to the ende that it wolde playse you
and soo heuy / That two of the Relygyouses wyth grete payn sholde haue borne theym / ¶ Neuerthelesse wythoute murmure and grutchynge and wythoute callynge ony helpe / And also notwythstondynge that she hadde longe fasted / she bare theym alle desyrynge to obeye to her abbesse / ¶ A nother day she sayde to her / My doughter thyse stones that thou haste borne nyghe to the chyrche ben not wel there ¶ Wherfore thou muste bere theym vnto the place where as thou haste taken theym ¶ To whyche thynge she gladly and wyth good wyll accorded And thabbesse made her to doo this penauÌ„ce by the space of twenty dayes for to proue her pacyence / Whyche was so grete that alle the systers merueylled therof / ¶ Some of theim mocked her And other admonested and styred her to perseuer encrease in vertues / ¶ She contynued this penaunce vnto thyrty dayes ¶ And yet cessed not the Abbesse And she seenge her grete humylyte sayde to her that sholde retorne and here noo more those stones / sayenge / ¶ Leue this crafte my doughter and take mele and make therof brede and bake it in the ouen to the ende that thou serue thi systers Wyche she dyde wyth good courage ¶ On a daye the deuyll founde her slepynge And he put this temptacyon in her mynde / That the Senatour of Rome whyche had promysed to haue her sholde come with a grete multytude of men of armes for to take her out from her monastery / Wherof it happed that she being in her bed began to crye with an hyghe voyce soo sharpely that alle her systers awoke / ¶ For whyche cause they came to her And awoke her / DemauÌ„dynge and questyonyng wherof proceded the cause of the grete crye that she made ¶ Eufraxe thenÌ„e recyted Incontynent her dreme / ¶ And thenne alle her systers put theym selfe to prayer for to praye god for her / ¶ Now lete vs thynke what systerhede was there / In soo moche that they ne louyd not oonly togyder corporally / ¶ But more wythonte comparyson spyrytuell / ¶ Yet agayne the deuyll tempted her / And gaaf to her assaulte of her flesshe / ¶ And Incontynent she shewed it to the Abbesse and to her syster Iulyan / Whyche comforted her and prayed for her / ¶ And after sayd to her syster / My loue it behouyth the to resyste and with slonde otherwyse Or ellis thou shalte lese alle the meryte that thou haste goten / ¶ Also yf we resyste and wythstonde not in oure yongthe / How maye we resyste in oure aege / ¶ Eufraxe ansueryd to the Abbesse / Madame yf it playse you to commaunde me that I faste an hoole weke to the ende that I may ouercome the tende wyth the helpe of god I wâ—ll doo it wyth a good wyll ¶ Iulian sayd to her / My loue it thou mayste doo that Thou shalte â—e well happy ¶ For in all oute Relygyon none of oure systers maye doo it â—auf â—â—nly oure Abbesse / ¶ Thenne Eufraxe demaunded lyâ—ence of the Abbesse for to faste an hoole weke ¶ To whom the Abbesse ansuered That she sholde doo after her power / ¶ And that it sholde well playse to her In sayenge My â—one god whyche hathe created and fourmed the conferme the in thy gode wyll ¶ After that tyme Eufraxe ete but ones in the wyke / ¶ And neuerthelesse she lefte not to apoynt the chambres ne to synge and doo the dyuyne seruyce / Ne in lyke wyse to serue alle the systers lyke as she hadd ben accustomyd as tofore is sayde / ¶ Whanne her systers knewe her grete humylyte And consyderynge that she was of the lygnage of the Emperoure of Rome They praysed and honoured her more thanne tofore / And prayed god for her to the ende that she myght perseuere and contynue ¶ Emonge the other Relygyouses there was one whyche was amorous The whyche as the euyl pryckynges of the enmye haue more enuye on the good maners thanne of their semblable or lyke Not for to take good ensample but for to fynde yf thei myghte fynde occasyon for to sklaundre theym / Founde Eufraxe in the kechyn / and secretely sayde to her ¶ Come hither my syster I merueylle me of the how thou mayste faste alle she weke lyke as dooth oure Abbesse / And I doubte me sore that oure Abbesse commaunde vs to faste lyke as thou doost / ¶ Eufraxe ansuered to her humble sayenge to her / My syster doubte â—â— ferâ—ye not for oure Abbesse shall commauÌ„de vs noo thynge but that we may wel doo / ¶ But knowe ye that I doo that whyche is to me necessary for to resyste and wythstonde the temptacyons of the deuyll whyche comen to me ¶ Germayne â—erynge her answere / And wenynge for to make her leue be fastynges / Sayde to her Inâ—â—ryously and wrongefully I knowe well wherfore thou doost soo moche fastynge It is to th ende that after our Abbesse shall be deed / That thou woldest be oure abbesse ¶ Thenne saynt Eufraxe not wyllynge to excuse her of that that the forsayde Germayne Imposyd to her / but knelyd downe on her knees tofore her and cried her mercy / In prayenge her to praye god for her / ¶ The Abbesse whyche was aduertysed and hadd knowlege by theym that Germayne hadd tolde it to Sente for her to fore alle her systers / And sayde to her / ¶ O cursyd seruaunt full of enuye what greuyth the this mayde Eufraxe / ¶ Wherfore wolte thou wythdrawe her from penaunce / I assure the that thou shalte be noo more wyth the systers Thou arte not worthy to be in theyr companye But thou shalt lyue alone as one that is excomyned or acursyd / ¶ Saynt Eufraxe thenne knelyd downe on her knees tofor the Abbesse in demaundynge and requyringe pardonne for the same Germayne / But not for all that the Abbesse wolde not pardonÌ„e her / ¶ And was soo thyrty daye in the same penaunce ¶ The thyrty daye Eufraxe and her syster famylyer Iulyan came agayne to praye the Abbesse for to haue pardonne for Germayne / ¶ Thenne she was sente fore and corrected ¶ And atte the requeste and petrâ—oÌ„n of her systers was put agayne in theyr companye / ¶ The deuyll more and more enforcyd him to make the good Eufraxe to falle in to synne / And wenynge to make an ende of her / On a tyme as she drewe water out of a pytt The deuyll tooke her and threwe her in to the pytte In suche wise that her heed towchyd the bottom / ¶ After she came vpp on the water And wyth her bonde caughte the corde / And beganne to crye in sayenge / ¶ O my god helpe me / ¶ Thabbesse and the sisters ranne thyder And drewe her oute of the pytte ¶ Whanne she was oute of the pytte she beganne to laughe in sayenge ¶ O my god blessyd myghte thou be whiche haste gyuen to me strengthe
And tooke her awaye from her / And after thretened her to bete her / And sayde to her Yf she euer dyde Insolence to the systers she shold bete her wythoute mercy / ¶ And thenne the poore Demonyake helde her stylle by the worde of saynt Eufraxe ¶ On the morne after the seruyce done / came saynt Eufraxe for to vysyte the poore pacyent And founde that she hadd rented her clothes And ete that whyche departed from her bynethe oute of her body / ¶ Thenne saynt Eufraxe hauyng compassyon and pyte of her made her prayer to god her maker bi the space of an hoole houre in wepynge and wayllynge for her helthe / ¶ On the morne the abbesse sent to seche saynt Eufraxe And sayde to her / ¶ Wherfore haste thou not shewed to me that thou madest thy prayer to god Redemer our lorde Ihesu Cryste for this poore pacyente / ¶ Eufraxe cryed her mercy And sayde to her / ¶ Certaynly madame I praye you to pardonne me / ¶ For I founde her in so pyteuous astate and condycyon that I cowde not lenger tarie wythoute to praye thenne for her / The Abbesse after sayd to her / ¶ My loue I shall saye to the one thynge in secrete / But kepe that the fende dysceyue not thou by vaynglorye in ony manere / ¶ I haue hadde by the reuelacyon of god that god oure Creatoure hathe gyuen to the puissaunce to chace a waye the deuyllis oute of the body of this pacyent / ¶ Eufraxyne herynge thise wordes casted asshen vppon her heed and fel downe to the grounde sayenge / ¶ Alas me whyche am a poore synnar What shall I doo for the my god / whyche haste gyue to me puyssaunce and myghte to hele guarysshe this poore pacyente / ¶ And my systers haue soo longe tyme prayed for her without to obteyne and purchaâ—e her helthe / ¶ The Abbesse ansuered My doughter the tyme hathe abyden the Be thou suffyâ—ed For thy rewarde is grete in the reame of heuen ¶ Thenne she entred in to the chyrche and prayed god in requirynge his ayde / To the ende that by her prayers the seke syster myghte be guarysshed and helyd / ¶ After the aroos / accompanyed wyth alle her systers / and came to the pacyente / to whom she sayde ¶ O poore woman god whiche hathe created and foâ—urmed the make the by his mercy now hoole and guarysshe the / ¶ And after she made the sygne of the Crosse on the fronte or forhede of the sayde pacyente ¶ Thenne the deuyll whiche was wtin her body beganne horrybly to crye / Ha a muste I departe from this myserable body wherin I haue be soo longe ¶ And after sayde to saynt Eufraxe / Wherfor thou payllaide and Infamed suffreste thou not me here as I haue be accustomyd wythoute to persecute me ¶ Eufraxe ansuered to hym I persecute the not But it is my god and my maker whyche coÌ„maundyth the to voyde / ¶ The deuyll ansuered / O meschaunte and Infamyd I shall neuer departe hens for the / For thou haste noo myghte to caste me oute / ¶ Eufraxe sayde I knowe well that I am poore and a myserable synnar / But neuerthelesse yf thou departe not from her I shal tormente the wyth the Pastoralle staffe of my lady the Abbesse / ¶ Fynably she toke the staffe and smote thre strokes vppon the pacyent / ¶ By the mouthe of whom alwaye the deuyll ansuered that he myghte not departe / ¶ And sayde thus Where woll thou that I goo Eufraxe sayde to hym Goo in to derkenesse and euerlastynge fyre / ¶ Alle the systers were there whyche durste not approche ne come nyghe to her / ¶ After that she had longe foughte against the deuyll She made her prayer to god in sayenge ¶ O my god I praye the that I be not confounded by the fende / But that it maye playse the to preserue me in suche wyse that he ouercome me not ¶ And in this presente houre commaunde hym that he departe and goo hys waye / Leuynge peasyble this poore pacyente / ¶ And the deuyll Incontynentâ— departed scumynge and gryntynge the teeth of the sayde pacyente / The whyche att the same houre was guarysshed and helyd / ¶ Thenne alle the systers ladde and broughte her humbly and in grete reuerence to the chyrche Louynge and magnefyenge the name of oure sauyoure Ihesu Cryste / ¶ After the sayde myracle saynt Eufraxe humbled and meked herself more thanne to fore And durste not slepe dredynge the temptacyon of the fende of helle / ¶ And euer she contynued to fast alle the weke / wythoute etynge ony more thanne ones in the weke ¶ Certayne tyme after the Abbesse sawe in her slepe that saynt Eufraxe sholde departe oute of this worlde Wherof she was moche heuy and sory / ¶ Her sisters seenge her grete heuynesse Prayed her by grete humylyte that it myghte playse her to shewe to to theim and tell theym the cause of her sorowe / But in noo wyse she wolde telle theim ¶ And by cause that more and more thei exhorted her to telle it to theym / ¶ She was constrayned to saye it to theim And declared to theym in the manere that folowyth / ¶ My denowte doughters tomorne we must leue the good lady Eufraxe Wherof I am moche Ioyous on one syde By cause she shall be in eternall felycyte / ¶ And on that other syde I am heuy and sorowfull ¶ For we shall be pryuated fro her gracyous syghte corporall / ¶ But of this reuelacion saye ye noo thynge to her leest she sholde take ony fere or drede / ¶ Thenne alle the systers made lamentacions soo grete that thayre resouned of theyr wepynges / ¶ One of theym came to Eufraxe wher as she made brede wyth Iulyan and sayde to her My sister the abbesse and all the Couent make for the soo grete lamentacyons that it is merueylle / ¶ They were moche abasshed bothe two / Iulyan sayde thenne that perauenture the Abbesse myghte haue hadde tydynges of the Senatour / whyche wold come fetche for to rauyssh her by force oute of theyr monasterye / ¶ Eufraxe ansuered to her By the lyuynge god fro the loue of whom yf all the foundemens of the erthe sholde foundre and faylle / I shall neuer departe ¶ But my syster Iulyan I praye the goo see yf thou mayst knowe in ony wise the cause of theyr wepynges and wayllinges to th ende that my soule be not trowbled / ¶ Iulyan wente for to speke to the Abbesse / And she beynge tofore the yates or doores of the Chapytre Herkenyd the Abbesse and herde how she recounted her vysyon in this manere / ¶ I sawe two men comynge in hyder whyche soughte Eufraxe And haue sayd to me / Abbesse enseygne and counseyle Eufraxe for she hath nede / ¶ After came some other whyche sayde to me Take Eufraxe and lede her tofore thy lorde god /
somoned to her maryage / ¶ And dyde doo assemble all the sisters for to chese an other Abbesse / And they chose one namyd Theogenye / ¶ And after that she was made Abbesse / She callyd her and sayde / My sister thou seest that the sisters haue made good wytnesse of the. And therfore I commaunde the in the name of the Trynite that thou thinke not on temporel godes ne on vayne playsauÌ„ce of this worlde / Ne suffre thy systers be occupied on erthly thynges But make theym to excersyse fastynges prayers and other vertuouse werkes / To the ende that they maye by theyr merytes gete the glorye of heuen / ¶ After she sayde to her systers Ye my good systers haue seen the holy conuersacyon of the ryght deuowte Eufraxe / Doo ye lyke as she hathe doon / to then de that ye maye accompanye her in heuen / And haue wyth her the fruycyon of euerlastynge blessydnesse / And whan she hadde thus sayde she entred in to her Oratorye / and shytte the dore / And after defended that none sholde entere tyll on the morne ¶ On the morn they came vnto the sayde Oratorye and founde that she hadde rendred her spyryte to god ¶ And they buryed and sayed her solempnely by the sayde holy saynt Eufraxe / ¶ And after that tyme there were non moo of theym buryed in the yr sepulâ—ure / ¶ Maâ—ty Demonyakes weâ—en guarysshed vppon the combe where the deuylles cryed ¶ O Eufraxe what shall we doo / Thou doost vs more harme after thy dethe thanne in thy lyte ¶ By thâ—se thynges we oughte to enforce vs to ensyewe by vertuous werkes the ryght persyghte lyte of saynt Eufraxe And in soo dooynge fynably we shall haue the glorye eternall The whyche by her Intercessyons we maye gete Amen ¶ Thus fynysshyth the story of saynt Eufraxe / ¶ Of saynt Machanâ— Romayne whiche was founde nyght by Paradys terrestre / And begynnyth in latyn ¶ Gloriam et magnificentiam et cetera Caplm .xlviii. After the reporte and wytnesse of thre deuoute relygyous men Theophyle Serguis Thymus We shall see of the lyfe of saynt Machaire / ¶ The sayd thre relygyous men mette togyder by a monasterye in Mesopotamia in the countree of Syâ—t bytwene two floodes / Of whyche that one is named Eufraxes and that other Tygris / ¶ The Abbot of the sayd monastery was callyd Asclypyon the whiche receyued theym benygnely for to make there theyr professyon after the rule of the sayde monasterye / ¶ Longe tyme after that they hadde lyued comyÌ„ly wyth the brethern / ¶ On a daye aboute nyne of the clocke in the mornynge they mette togyder vpon the Ryuer of Eufrates in disputynge of the conuersacyon and of the grete laboure of the brethern of the sayde monastery / ¶ And thenÌ„e came to Theophile a thought Whyche he sayde to his two felowes Sergius and Thâ—mus ¶ My brethern I shall saye to you / Truly it play syth me / and I haue grete desyre to walke and goo soo ferre vnto that I maye fynde the heuen and the erthe Ioyne togyder / ¶ The other sayd / We haue holde the alwaye companye / And yet we shall not leue the / For thy maners and thy wordes playse vs. We shall goo with the. and not forsake the vnto the dethe ¶ Thyse wordes sayde they departed from thens ¶ And after that they had gone by the space of ten dayes Iourney They arryued and came to the cyte of Iherusalem / And worshypped the places where our lorde Ihesus Cryst had be ¶ His Crosse his sepulture and other sayntuaryes ¶ And after came to Bethleem in whiche place they also worshipped the cribbe where in oure lorde hadde layen and were also in the place where the aungelus spekynge to the Shepeherdes songen Gloria in excelsis deo the whyche place standyth two myle from Bethleem ¶ And after they wente vpp in to the mounte of Olyuete Where as our lorde Ihesu Cryste ascended in to heuen whanne he was receyued in a clowde the daye of his gloryous Ascencyon / ¶ They came agayne in to Iherusalem And there adoured and worshyped god ¶ And after they departed as people gyuynge ouer refusynge all delyers temporell Wythoute to haue ony regarde ne thoughte to the worlde / ¶ The fyfthe daye they passed the Ryuer of Tygris / And entred in to the londe of Perse ¶ They came in to a grete felde namyd Assya / In whyche saynt Mercure martyr slewe Iulyan the Apostata / ¶ After they reentred in to a cyte namyd Catyssefodo / In whyche the bodyes of the thre chyldren Anany as Azaryas and Mysaell ben buryed / ¶ And there they soiourned many dayes / ¶ Foure monethes after they passed the londe of Perse / And entred in to the londe of Inde / And aryued in an how se in whyche noo man dwellyd / ¶ And there they abode two dayes / ¶ And the thyrde daye they sawe come to them a man and a woman armyd / Of whom they had grete drede / ¶ But by cause that the sayd man and woman hadde supposyd that the relygyouse men had ben spyrytes or espyes and retorned agayne / And asseÌ„bled almost a thre thou sande Ethyopyens / The whyche arryued there and bylette the house al aboute where as they weren on theyr knees prayenge to god / ¶ And the other sette fyre atte the foure corners of the howse ¶ The whyche thynge knowen by the religyous men were moche aferde and not wythoute cause / And sprongen out in to the myddes of theym in callynge the name of Ihesu Cryste Sauyoure of alle the worlde / ¶ The sayde Ethyopyens after that they hadde longe parlemented togyder in theyr langage whiche the sayd freres vnderstode noo thynge / ¶ Fynably they lad theym· and broughte theym in pryson obscure and derke / ¶ Alas whanne they weren in pryson none gaaf to them nother mete ne drinke / And had noo comforte of ony man liuynge But beganne to wepe and requyred the mercy of god / ¶ Whanne the cursyd Ethyopyens sawe that they were in contynuell prayer / They lete theym goo oute In chacynge and betinge theym vylandusly rygoryously wyth grete staues tyll they were oute of theyr prouynce / ¶ And they sayd that thei were foure score dayes wythoute mete And herof the Recytour callyth god to wytnesse / The whyche for the honour of god we oughte pyteuously to byleue ¶ Fynably they departed oute of theyr Regyons / And wente towarde the couÌ„treye of the Eest Where they founde a felde delycyous alle full of trees berynge sauourous fruyte and merueyllouse swete Wherof they thankyd god / And ete alle theyr fylle of the fruytes of the sayde trees / And after passed the sayde londe of Iude. And entred in to the londe of Chanane ¶ Whanne they sawe the vysages of the Inhabytauntes of the sayde countreye / They were moche admerueyled ¶ In that countree the men
of Infenyte nombre of people / Symphonysynge more swetter thanne ony other Instrumentes / ¶ After they felte an odoure more swete thanne bame and also thanne ony other spyces aromatyke in al the worlde / ¶ And by the vertue of those armonyes and swete sauours they slepte / Anone after they awoke ¶ And in beholdynge byfore theym / They sawe a chirche decorate and ornate aboue alle puyssaunce humayne / For it semyd alle to be made of crystall / ¶ In that chyrche was an awter moche well arayed / By whyche and by a fountayne there beynge sourded and sprange a water whyte as mylke / Abowte whyche fountayne weren people whyche songen songes of Cherubyn / ¶ Now for to dyscryue the fourme of the sayde chyrche / The partye wythout for the on the syde of the South was of the colour semblable or lyke to a precyous stone namyd Prasym The partye towarde the North was redde as blodde / And towarde the Eest white as mylke ¶ There was also vpon the same chirche many sterres more shynynge thanÌ„e they that shyne in this worlde / ¶ The sonne shone and was more hoter seuen tymes thanne in oure londe / The mountaynes and the trees were wythoute comparyson more hygher thanne they of this Regyon / And the fruytes of the sayde trees were moche fayrer and also moche swetter / ¶ The songe of the byrdes that flewe there resowned vppe to heuen ¶ The erthe of that place had two colource / Of whom that one was whyte and that other reed / ¶ Thyse relygyouses thenne alle abasshed salewed the enhabitauntes of that place and wente forthe theyr waye / ¶ And they wente an hundred dayes wythoute mete But of water they dranke ynough / ¶ And sodaynly they sawe comÌ„ towarde theym a multytude of men wyâ—â—men whiche were but a cubite bye whyche made theym sore aferde / But they sette theyr lyues in the honde of god wente agaynste theym / ¶ And Incontynent by the vertue of god they fledde ¶ Thenne the sayde Relygyouses toke their refeccoÌ„n of herbes whiche they founde in that place And rendred than kynges to god whyche hadde delyuerde theym from soo many perylles / ¶ And after by the wyll of god they founde a fayr waye to walke in / by whyche they wente many Iourneyes / And in walkynge they founde a caue playsaunte ynoughe / and clenly wythin / In to whyche they entred / ¶ After that they were wythin they marked theym wyth the sygne of the Crosse But thei founde there noo persone ¶ And by cause they founde the place soo clene they ymagyned that some man dwellyd there / And soo abode there tyll euen for to knowe yf he that dwellyd there wolde come / They beynge there wythin slepten / ¶ And after that they were a waked they went oute of the caue And Incontynent they saw a man hauyng hys heere 's as whyte as snowe / The whyche couered alle his body / ¶ Whanne the sayde man sawe theym he fell downe to the grounde / ¶ And after he aroos sayde to theym Yf ye ben on goddis halfe / Marke ye wyth the sygne of the Crosse Or ellis goo ye youre waye oute from me in the name of god / whyche sayden to hym that he sholde noo thynge be aferde / And that they were the seruauntes of god as he was / This seenge that good man was longe in his prayers ¶ And notwythstondyng that he had be longe in that place Yet was his face as shynynge as the vysage of an aungell / ¶ His browes couered hys eyen bi force of olde aege The vngles or nayles of his fete and hondes weren merueyllously longe His berde and his heere 's couered also alle his body / And his skynne was as harde as the shelle of a lymace / ¶ The sayde holy man also wepynge demaunded of the thre Relygyouses pylgryms of whens they were / And wherfore they weren thyder come / and of the estate of mankynde And yf the Sarrazyns and Ethnycyens persecuted more the faythe / ¶ The sayde pylgrymes recounted to hym all theyr aduersytees / And how they soughte to fynde the place where as heuen and erthe Ioyned togyder / ¶ The holy man sayde thenne to theym that fro the place where as they were it was no ferre waye to paradyce terrestre / But noo man myghte goo thyther But yf the aungellis bare hym lyke as a voyce hadde sayde to him whanne he hym selfe wolde haue goon thyther / ¶ He tolde to them also as the aungell had tolde to hym that it was but twenty myles to the place where as Adam was created and fourmed and to the sayd paradice terrestre Where as the erthe Ioynyth to heuen / ¶ The sayde pylgrymes herynge thyse wordes were moche enioyed / And entred in to the caue wyth the sayde holy man / ¶ Whanne the euen was comen he prayed theym and sayde That they sholde not holde theym wythin the sayde caue / By cause that there were wyth in a lytyll space therby two lyons whyche camen euery nyghte to lye wyth hyÌ„ ¶ And he fered theym sore leest they sholde doo to theym ony harme or dysplaysure / ¶ Anone after they sawe the sayde two lyons come But the good holy man wente and mette wyth theym / And deffended and forbadde the sayd lyons to doo theym ony greyf / The whyche deffence made they soiourned there surely / ¶ On the morne they asked of the holy man of his estate and conuersacyon / and also of his name / And of what place he was / ¶ To whom he ansuered / Fyrste that he was namyd Machaire / And was borne atte Rome sone of a noble Romayne flourysshynge in good renomme and fame thorugh oute alle the empyre / ¶ After he recounted to theym of his lyfe and conuersacyon and the cause wherfore he was departed from Rome ¶ And beganne to recyte shewe to theym / That he beynge yonge / his fader wolde haue maryed hym and in dede was fyaunced and trouth plyghted and a daye accepted to be wedded ¶ Atte whyche daye after that al thynges necessary for the weddyÌ„ge were made redy / And the lordes Romayns boden for to goo to the celebracoÌ„n and so lempnytee of the sayde weddynge / ¶ The holy man seenge the same preparacyons and ordynaunces / And that the houre approchyd and drewe nyghe Secretely he departed from the house / of his fader And hydde hym in the â—ous of a woman a widowe wyth whom he was famylyer / ¶ In her house he was seuen dayes hydde wythoute to be seen of ony persone of the cyte of Rome / ¶ That same wydowe wente euery daye in to the hous of his fader And knewe alle the was sayde of hym syth he came to her house And shewed alle to the sayde holy man ¶ His fader seenge that he mighte not fynde him was moche angry and also his moder wyth alle
as well by mouÌ„taynes and valeyes as by many other dangerouse places without guydynge of ony lyuynge persone / ¶ And thus alle allone am I comen hyther / ¶ Saynt Machaire wenynge that she was his wife / Toke her swetely by the honde and ladde her in to his caue / ¶ But the deuyll contynuelly wepte / Wherfore the holy man was the more redy to byleue that it hadde ben his wyfe / And wepte semblably and in lykewyse wyth her / ¶ After theyr lamentacyons and wepynges the holy man tooke akehornes herbes and wolde haue made her to ete wenynge that she shelâ—e cesse her sorowe / ¶ Now the holy man Machaire vnderstode not the cautelles and dysceytes of the deuyll / The whiche atte begynnynge were ouer subtyll and straunge for to be vnderstonde ¶ And soo they deuyseden longe wyth in the sayde caue that one syttynge by that other / ¶ And in spekynge togyder the forsayde woman towchyd his hondes by manere of flaterye As now many done for to moeue the men to vs â—â—â—ouse and fowle synne of lecherye / ¶ And in thus dooynge the poore man without to blesse hym ne comauÌ„dynge him to god fell a slepe / As yf he hadde be traueylled of many labours / ¶ Now it happed in slepynge by th art or subtyltee and shrewdenesse of the deuyll / That he dremyd to be wyth hys wyfe and to haue her companye in suche wyse that whanne he awoke he founde hymselfe alle dyscoueryd and ponished oâ— defoylled / as he hadde flesshly done wyth his wyfe / ¶ Thenne knewe he that it was the deuyll By cause that after he hadde slepte he sawe ne apperceyued her noo more / ¶ Thenne he beganne to lamente and make sorowe and make many exclamacyons and cryes to god In requyrynge hym humbly of pardonne and mercy / ¶ Now it is to be noted that the two lions whyche he hadde founde in his caue whanne he there fyrste arryued After he hadde done this synne forsoken hym and departed fro hym The whyche thynge by hym knowen And for the grete dysplaysaunce that he hadde for his synnes He put him agayne to prayer Prayenge god that he wolde enseygne and shewe hym / what suffysaunt penaunce he oughte to doo / And that it wolde playse hym to sende agayne to hym his two lyons / ¶ And Incontynente after by the wyll of god whyche herde his requeste and petycyon wolde reduce and brynge hym to the waye of heâ—the The sayde lions retourned / and beganne promptely to make a fosse or a pytte of the largenesse depnesse suffysaunt to the comyn stature of a man ¶ The holy man that seenge / thoughte that god wolde that he sholde doo his penaunce in the sayd pytte / ¶ And commaunded the lyons that they sholde couere hym in the same / And so they dyde / ¶ He beynge in the sayd pytte by the space of thre yere / Happed that by the grete InundacoÌ„n and flowynge of waters the whyche descended there the sayd caue was broken And a parte fell vppon his heed in suche wyse that by the moyen of the sayde rumpure and brekynge where as he hadde not seen noo lyghte in thre yere He sawe the sonne clerely shyne and gyuynge lyghte / ¶ Thenne he tooke the herbes whyche he founde besyde hym and ete of theym / ¶ The lyons after came agayne And they seenge the caue broken and dysconuerte They dyffeated the pytte / and brought hym oute alle hoole wythoute ony gryef or brusure / ¶ Thenne he came oute of the fosse or pytte / And rendred than kynges of that he hadde lyued soo longe wythoute seenge of sonne ne mone And also wythoute to haue ony harme of his body he was delyuered from the same caue / ¶ And knelyd downe to the grounde and was fourty dayes and fourty nyghtes wythoute moeuynge hyÌ„selfe Lyke as he hadde he Inmobyle in gloryfyenge the name of god / ¶ The sayde fourty dayes passyd He came agayne in to his caue ¶ And there he sawe foure aungellis whyche shone soo merueyllously that alle the caue was enlumyned ¶ And in the myddle of theym was our lorde and Redemer Ihesus Cryste in fourme of a man Holdynge in his honde a rodde of golde / made a sowne so strongly resownyng lyke the voys of ten men / ¶ The same noble companye songen longe / ¶ And whanne theyr songe was accomplysshed and fulfyllyd / Thre voyces togyder ansuered Amen ¶ And Incontynent oure Sauyour Ihesu Cryst wyth his aungellis whiche acompanied him vanysshed awaye and wente in to heuen / ¶ And after in a voys descended a douue wythin the sayde caue / And Incontynente was herde a noyce romblynge as thundre / and also lyghtnynges Innumerable / ¶ He herde also many voyces from heuen whyche songenâ— Sanctus Sanctus Sanctus Dominus deus / c ThenÌ„e the holy man herynge and seenge the sayde woundres was alle taken in a traunce and rauysshed in spyryte And felle downe to the erthe On whyche he was ryght dayes wythoute moeuynge honde ne fote / The whyche passyd he awoke / ¶ And thenne he knewe that god hadde sanctefyed and halowed that place / And giuen there his benedyccyon and blessynge / And thenne he recuâ—ned in to the sayd caue and praysed the name of god / in gyuyng to hym thankynges and louynges of his vysytacyon And that his grace hadde made hym worthy to haue his companye / ¶ Atte the tyme of the same vysyon He was in the aege of fourty yere And hadde dwellyd but seuen yeres in the sayd caue ¶ Whanne he hadd recounted and tolde alle thyse thynges to the thre Relygyous pylgrymes / That is to wyte Theophyle Sergius and Thimus / ¶ He Instructe and shewed to theym the maner how they myghte voyde the cursyd temptacoÌ„n and decepcyon of the deuyll of helle / In sayenge to theym that they sholden remembre and haue in mynde alwaye how the deuyll hadd dysceyued hym subtylly / ¶ And after he admonested and desyred them to abyde wyth him Or yf it playsed to theym not to abyde there that they sholde retourne in to theyr monasterye / ¶ Alle thyse consydered by the thre Relygyouses / they were moche abasshed and fell downe to the erthe in gloryfyenge the name of god / Whyche oonly dooth soo many merueyllous thynges / ¶ And also they rendred to hym thankynges of that he hadde broughte theim to the knowlege of the holy man / ¶ Theyr oryson fynysshed they prayed to the glorious saynt Machaire that he wolde praye for theym to the Sauâ—our of the worlde / That he wolde saue and kepe theym in retournynge in theyr abbaye / To the ende that by all the monasteryes where as they sholde goo They myghte also well recite and tell that whyche they hadde seen / For to ercyte and moeue alle Relygyous men to lyue vertuously / ¶ For they byleuyd fâ—â—mely that god hadd broughte theym to the sayde
voys sayd to hym ¶ O man of god come doune from the moyntayne / And be not aferde / For I am a man mortall as thou arte / ¶ Whanne Paphunce herde thyse wordes he was gladde and comforted / And tooke agayne hys mynde and courage and anone came downe from the place where he had ben / ¶ And after that he hadd salewed the holy man He fell downe on his knees tofore him ¶ The holy man anone defended him that he sholde not knele to hym sayenge so hym / Aâ—yse thou my frende thou arte the seruaunte of god namyd Paphunce loued of alle the sayntes of heuen / ¶ Thenne Paphunce aroos vpp Notwythstondyng that he was wery aswel for his longe fastynges as for his olde aege ¶ After he made hym to sytte by hym Desuynge to knowe his name· his conuersacyon and manere of lyuynge ¶ He sayde to him / Knowe thou seruaunte of god that by longe Iourneyes I haue walked in thise desertes and haue endured grete hungre and thirste / But now my vyage is accomplysshyd and fulfylled ¶ And I fele a solace in my membres / Lyke as they were all fyllyd and quyte of alle payne / And therfore I praye the my lorde and my frende for the hononore and loue of hym For the name of whom thou hast dwellyd in thise desertes thou tell me whens thou arte and thy name / ¶ And also whanne thou camyst in to this place to enhabyte here / ¶ The holy man seenge the grete affeccion of his desyre and also the traueylle that he hadde taken to fynde Ansuered to hym of that he hadde askyd And demaunded hym in sayenge to hym Fyrste that his name was Onuffâ—en Secondly that it was thre score and ten yeres that he hadde dwellyd in that deserte / Lyuynge wyth brute beestes etynge grapes and herbes in the mountaynes and valeyes And syth that he came thyther he hadde neuer seen man ne woman sauf him onely / ¶ Neuerthelesse he sayde that in his yongthe he had be nourysshed in a monasterye namyd Herâ—mopolyn in the prouynce of Thay / In whyche monasterye were an hundred Relygyouses / ¶ After he declared to hym how the relygyouses of the sayde monasterye lyueden in eâ—ynge and drynkynge alle togider And dyde then penaunces that one lyke to that other / ¶ And that whiche was playsaunt to that one was to that other agreable And yet that was more They hadde alle one wyll One herte And one thoughte / ¶ In the sayde monasterie was so grete taâ—ytuâ—ytee and scylence amonge the Relygyouses that none durste ones speke wythoute a Iuste cause / ¶ He beyng in this sayde monasterye herde recounte the lyfe of an holy fader namyd Helye / ¶ And how he hadde lyued in grete abstynence in deserte in grete straytnesse of lyfe / ¶ And how he hadde many preuyleges aboue the power of man kynde / ¶ In lyke wyse of saynt IohnÌ„ Baptyst whyche ladde soo holy merueylouse lyfe in deserte tyll that he had baptysed oure lorde Ihesu Cryste in the floâ— Iordan / ¶ Thenne herynge tolde of the Relygyouses the gloryouse lyues of theym· and many other / ¶ The sayde Onuffryen requyred of the sayde brethern that thei wolde saye to hym Yf the auncyent holy faders of the deserte had ben more stronge thanÌ„e they or more feble / ¶ They ansuered that they hadde ben more stronge For wythoute mannis comforte and wyth oute mete and drynke they lyued in deserte ¶ But they sayde that in spekynge as they hadde ben the holy faders of the sayd desertes We haue consolacion the one of an other / ¶ For whanne we haue hungre we fynde the mete redy / Whanne we ben seke / We thynke Incontynent and done penauÌ„ce to gete vs helth ¶ We haue fayre houses and grete edyfyces / And they that ben in deserte haue noo consolacyon / ¶ They haue hungre colde and hete And in al tribulacyons haue noo socours but of god ¶ And therfore whom some euer woll dwelle there· Hym behouyth to be constaunt and stedfaste for to endure al suche penaunces / ¶ Yet more the deuyll gyuyth to theym wythoute comparison more settynges and temptacions for to dyuerte theym from theyr good wyll / that to theym comynyke by the worlde / ¶ But whanne they haue very faythe Alwaye they ouercome the fende by armes spyrytuell / ¶ The aungellis comforte theym ofte / And delyuer to theym that is necessary for theym / ¶ For it is wryten / that they that shall putt theyr hope in gode Shall haue the vertue of strengthe for to endure all thynge / wyth fethers as an Egle for to flee to heuen / ¶ And yet more they that shall haue thurste shall drynke in the fountayne eternell / ¶ And the herbes that they shall ete shall gyue to theym also grete swetnesse as hony / ¶ Whanne the Relygyouses ben tempted of ony temptacyons / They oughte to putt theym to praye god lyftyng theyr hondes to heuen ¶ And Incontynente the angellis descende and come downe for to helpe theym to fyghte agaynste the deuyll / ¶ Thus also saythe the prophete Dauyd That in the ende the poore people shall not be forgeten ne theyr pacyente shall not perysshe / ¶ And also god enhauncyth alwaye the poore of spyryte And delyueryth theym from alle trybulacyons ¶ Fynably the same faders sayde to that ryght holy man saynt Onuffryen That the Aungelles contynuelly serue the Iuste and good Whyche arne peâ—fyghte in the loue of god / ¶ And theyr sowles ben Illumyned and kyndled wyth the lyghte of grace and of trouth ¶ Saynt Onuffryen whanne he hadd herde the fayr Instruccyons of thyse holy faders Hadde the herte all embraced wyth grete desire for to doo penaunce and to fyghte agaynste the deuyll / In suffrynge all pouertee to the ende that he myghte come to the glorye eternall / ¶ And thoughte in himselfe to accomplysshe and perfourme the counseyll of the sayde prophete Dauyd ¶ Techynge and sayenge that it is a good thyng to Ioyne hymselfe for the loue of god / And to sette in hym his hope / ¶ Whanne saynt Onuffryen hadde althyse thynges consydered He tooke a lytyll brede and a fewe pesen or benes to make potage wyth alle for to lyue abowte a foure dayes ¶ After he departed by nyghte secretely out of his abbaye / makynge his prayer to god That it myghte pleyse him to enseygne and shewe the place where he sholde doo his penaunce / ¶ And came in to a mountayn The whyche he passed ouer for to come in to deserte ¶ And he beynge there arryued and to men sawe in a place tofore hym a grete lyghte The whyche as hym semyd came strayghte to him / Wherof he was atâ—â—de ¶ And supposyd that it had sygnâ—fyed that be sholde retorne in his monastâ—rie / ¶ In the sayde lyghte he sawe a man ryght playsaunte sayenge to hym that he sholde noo thynge
aferde / and knowe thou that bi the wyll of god thou arte comen vnto this place / To the ende to burye me laye my body in the erthe / ¶ Anone my soule shall departe fro my body shall be borne in to the heuenly Reame / ¶ My brother I knowe thy desire and thy wyll / ¶ And therfore whanne thou shalte be retournyd in to Egypte· I praye the that thou remembre me and of my name / ¶ And to the ende that thou and alle thy brethern be desyrynge to haue of me remeÌ„braunce I shall saye to the the prerogatyues and specyall gyftes that I haue obteyned of my lorde and god Rededemer of alle the worlde / ¶ Fyrste euery persone that shall make to hym Immolacyon or sacrefyce be â— in messes or otherwyse in soo dooynge haue mynde of my name He shall be preserued and kepte from alle frawdelous decepcyons and temptacyons dyabolyke and worldly / ¶ And att laste be shall haue partycipacion wyth the aungellis in the reame of heuen / ¶ And yf ony haue noo power to make the sacrefyce / And in gyuynge oonly for the loue of god and of me an asmesse to some poore man Wythout faâ—â—e I shall praye for hym in heuen to then de that god make him worthi to haue part of his excellent glori ¶ yet yf he may not doo neyther that one ne that other In gyuynge a candell or in makynge a lytyll oblacyon As encencynge wyth â—â—ence or other offrynge / Certaynly I shall soo make prayer to god To the â—â—â—e that he haue euerlastynge Ioye / ¶ Paphunce herynge thyse alle thyse â—â—ynges made to hym this demaunde â—â— question Now fader yf some or ony persone haue noo power to doo ony of thyse thre thynges / By what moyen maye he doo for to be in thi recommendacyon and prayer / To the ende that as what trybulacyon he be in / thou make thyne oryson for hym / ¶ The holy man ansuered / My brother and frende yf it happed as thou sayst / That the suppliaunt haue noo facultee ne power to doo ony of the thynges aforsayd Yf he knele downe on his knees In lyftynge his hondes Ioyned to god and sayenge deuowtly thre tymes the Pater noster Aue maria in the honoure of the glorious Trinyte of heuen / and remember my name / Surely I shall doo soo moche anenste the same ryght holy Trinyte that he shall haue parte in the reaâ—e of heuen with all the sayntes that ben there / ¶ Or yf ony be in doubte or hesytacyon of the thynges tofore sayde He maye rede saynt Iherom in his boke whyche he hathe composyd in latyn Intytulyd of the lyfe of faders / Of the whyche hath be made this present traÌ„ssacyon as in other places hathe be sayd And there he shall see alonge this that is sayde here tofore / ¶ In retournynge to purpoos the holy Paphunce was gretely content wyth the wordes of saynt Onuffryen ¶ And for asmoche as he reputed the same place where as they wereÌ„ to be holy / he prayed to the sayd Onuffryen that he wolde gyue him lycence to dwelle there after his dethe / The whyche thynge the good holy fader wold not But commaunded hym that he sholde retorne in to Egypte / And there perseuere in goode werkes / For in the ende he sholde haue felycyte eternall / ¶ Whanne Paphunce hadde herde his ansuere He knelyd doune tofore the holy fader Onuffryen and sayde to hym this that folowyth ¶ Alas my dere fader frende I knowe and byleue that alle that thou shalte demaunde of god For the loue of whom thou haste be lxx yeres in this deserte thou shalte lyghtly obteyne· ¶ Thenne gyue to me now thy blessynge To the ende that I be also perfyghte as thou / ¶ The holy fader ansuered / My brother Paphunce be not angry For thy demaunde shall be obteyned / Be thou stedfaste in the faythe in seruynge god wyth all thyne herte and wyth alle thy thoughte / And by this moyen thou shalte haue eternall lyfe / ¶ I praye to oure lorde that thou be kepte alwaye of his worthy aungellis in alle thy cogytacyons and wylles To the ende that thou be clene and puryfyed tofore the face of Ihesu Cryste ¶ Whanne the holy man hadde sayde alle thyse wordes He knelyd downe to the grounde / And in wepynge sayde ¶ O my god now in to thyne hondes myghte puyssaunce and streyngthe I coÌ„mende my spyryte / And thyse wordes sayde sodaynly came a grete lyghte / whyche enuyronned alle his body / ¶ Thenne after came many aungels to grete multytude / whyche songen songes melodyous Wherof alle the ayre resowned And bare the soule vnto the reame of heuen / ¶ Paphunce whyche herde those aungellis synge / Beganne to wepe and drowne in teeres sayeng / Alas I haue well cause to make lamentacyon whanne wyth soo grete payne I haue founde the holy man Onufryen And hane be soo lytyll whyse wyth hym / ¶ After whanne he hadde longe waylled wepte· He departed his garment in to two partes / And of that one he cladde hymselfe / And in that other he wounde the body of the holy man putte it in a Sepulture of stone whiche was there / ¶ Paphunce seenge that he was there alone wepte more thanne he dyde byfore / ¶ And supposyd to haue entred in to the caue of the holy man / But whanne he was atte the entree a grete parte of the roche fell downe / By whyche he knewe that god wolde not that he sholde vse the resydue of his lyfe in the sayde place / ¶ And soo thenne he came agayne in to his monastery in Egypte / Where as he recounted this bistorye lyke as tofore is wreton / ¶ And the holy man saynt Onuffryen deyed the twellyfth daye of Iuyn the day of saynt Barnabe the appostle / ¶ Here folowyth the lyfe of saynt Abraham the Heremyte And begynnyth in latyn ¶ Cupio et cetera Caplm .li. ¶ Soo it happed that the tyme to halowe the Sacrament of maryage approched and drewe nyghe / But by cause that he wolde not abyde thereby and persyste / His parentes and kynnesmen were angry wyth hym soo gretely that for the greyf that he hadde of theyr heuynesse He concluded in hymself to procede forthe therin / ¶ Thenne the mariage of theym solempnysed / And he beynge in his chambre and layed a bedde wyth his spowse and wyfe / ¶ Sodaynly there came vpon him a feruent wyll for to departe and goo oute of the cyte / ¶ And soo departed from thens that he was well two myle from the cyte / Where he founde a lytyll house Wherin noo man frequented nor vsyd / And entred in and kepte hym there a certayne tyme prayenge and makinge deuoute prayers to god / ¶ Whanne his parentes and kynnesâ—es knewe that he was goon they were moche angry / And for to seche
Infamyd ryght myserable and lyar of alle lyars / syth that thou knoweste theym that ben happy humble seruauntes of god Wherfore ye ueste thou to theym heuynesse and lettynges that they may not doo theyr penaunces suche as they desyred / ¶ The deuyll ansuered that the cause wherfore he trowbled the seruauntes of god / was to th ende that they sholde leue theyr gode conuersacyons and abandonne and gyue theym to synne / ¶ ThenÌ„e the holy man sayde to hym / Thynkeste thou spyrite Infamyd that they that ben ferme in the loue of IhuÌ„ Cryst may be deceyued by thy suggestions Thou deceyuest none but theym that ben vnhappy And ben contente to doo thy wyll / And that worse is they done payne to synne mortally / ¶ Thou knowest whan the seruauntes of god ben assaylled of the / That by one prayer that they make to god thou arte constrayned to flee / And Incontynent as the holy man hadd sayd thyse wordes / The deuyll fledde awaye as a raye or beme of the sonne ¶ Yet agayne fyue dayes after came the deuyll And made in the ayre a noyse / as he hadde hadd a grete multytude of people / That one sayeng to that other ¶ Lete vs goo and throw Abraham into a dyche and putte hym to dethe / ¶ The good holy man whanne he herde thyse wordes sayede / ¶ The enmyes of god haue gone rounde abowte me as flyes or bees and ben enforcyd agaynst me as fyre in thornes ¶ Alle be done in the name of god our lorde Ihesu Cryste / For by the puyssaunce dyuyne I shall vaynquysshe the cursyd deuyll / ¶ After that the enmye had herde thyse wordes of the sayde good holy man / He beganne to crye sayenge / Helas Helas I knowe noo more by what manere ne by what moyen the to dysceyue I knowe now that I am dysceyued / Neuerthelesse I shall neuer departe fro the vnto the tyme thou rendre thyself to be my subgette / ¶ Thenne the holy man ansuered to hym Maledyccyon come to the / Glory be gyuen vnto god and noo thynge vnto the / ¶ Thou knoweste that our sauyoure and redemptour Ihesus gyuethe to alle his true seruauntes strength to fyght agaynst the. and knowlege of thy dysceyuable temptacyons and mockynges for to kepe them from thy mortall and dampnable grynnes ¶ By many assawtes was assailed the holy man Abraham of the deuyll oure enmye But of what some euer temptacyon that he was tempted wyth He neuer fered ne doubted / but hadde alwaye stedfaste faythe / ¶ And of soo moche more as he was tempted vexid and traueylled of the deuyll / Of soo moche more he augmented his charytee towarde god / Wherfore fro day to day encrecyd his grace / ¶ And by that lyghtly by the helpe of god he suppedyted and put vnder fote the deuyll / ¶ Whanne the holy man apperceyued that the tresoure of grace was to hym ottroyed and gyuen He took thre precyous stones / Of whyche the fyrste was Faythe The seconde Hope / And the thirde Charyte To the ende that by thyse thre the other vertues mighte be decorate and made fayre / ¶ His charyte was soo grete that it stratched not oonly to good men / For whom he prayed affectuously / to the ende that the deuyll sholde not greue ne noye theym / But also he desired the conuersyon of the euyll peple in prayenge in lyke wyse for theym And in wepynge grete habundauÌ„ce of teeres / ¶ To the ende that god wolde dyuerte theym from theyr euyll lyfe / and tourne theym to the waye of helthe / ¶ He neuer laughed / And neuer after his conuersion wysshe his feete ne his hondes· ne his vysage / Estemynge euery daye that he sholde deye / ¶ He had his vysage not lyke the floure that neuer dryeth / ¶ And in seenge hym by his vysage· he sholde be Iuged to be a vessell full of alle vertues· ¶ Alwaye he was Ioyeous wythoute heuynesse / ¶ And for that cause atte houre of his dethe he was Iuged neuer to haue doo penaunce soo moche was his visage fayte and rodye / ¶ And that more is in fyfty yere he chaunged not his garment of hayre / Whiche he toke and hadde worne syth he beganne to doo penaunce fyrste / By the whyche thynges it apperyd euydently that he was strongely the frende of god / ¶ A nother myracle dide the holy man Abraham in his olde aege / He hadde a cosyn germayn / Whiche departed oute of this worlde and deyed leuynge after hym a doughter seuen yere of aege / ¶ The frendes of the sayde chylde secuge that she had neyther fader ne moder / broughte her to the holy man / where as she was enclosyd nyghe by to a wyndowe whyche was on the syde of his lytyll house And by the same wyndowe he taughte to her the Psaulter other holy scryptures / ¶ And there in soo dooyng and sayenge Ympnes and psalmes they were longe togyder / In suche wyse / that in alle abstynences the yonge mayde ensyewed her vncle Abraham / The whiche seeng the good way and wyll by her begon / He deuowtely wythoute cessynge prayed god for her / To the ende that he wolde gyue to her suche grace that she neuer solde retourne to the worlde And that her thoughte sholde haue none affeccyon to worldly thynges / ¶ For he hadde therof grete doubte by cause that her fader hadde lefte to her grete plentee of goodes temporell / ¶ The whyche goodes Abraham seenge her grete prudence and perfeccyon made theym to be dystrybuted to the pore people / In prayeng god that the deuylles by theyr subtyll suggestyons myghte haue noo power to chaunge her from her good purpoos / ¶ Soo contynued longe tyme the goode mayde in the rule that her vncle had gyuen to her / ¶ And she hadde in her soo grete constaunce that in twenty yeres he founde not her varyable / But obeyssaunte as a yonge lambe or shepe / ¶ Durynge this tyme. the deuyll whiche slepyth not ymagyned many subtyll meanes by whyche he myghte dysceyue theym / ¶ And by cause he cow â—e in noo wyse come to his entente / He dyde do begyle and disceyued her by a myserable Relygyous / The whyche were ofte to vysite the sayd good man Abraham Faynynge soo to doo for the saluacyon of his soule / ¶ But the cursyd Relygyous man tempted of the deuyll vnder the shadow of deuocion He wente for to defoyle the sayd vyrgyn / And soo longe he contynued by the space of a yere that he drewe her oute of her Oratorye / ¶ And by cause that in suche caas the lasse to knowe and expresse is beste and mooste honeste / It suffyseth to wryte that the poore doughter was defoylled / ¶ And that after the synne commysed and done / she became soo sorowfull and desolate that vneth maye be expressyd and wryten her
be declared herafter ¶ How in his yonge aege be distroyed the Ydollis / begynÌ„ith in latyn / ¶ Her enim c / Caplm .lv. THis sayde Pachomyen in hys yonge aege beynge yet a chyld was broughte by his parentes as to a temple of ydolatrye beynge by the ryuer of Nyle for to adoure and sacâ—rfye the ydolles / ¶ The preest sacrylege wold make sacrefyce whanne they were come after theyr dampnable and wycked lawe / ¶ But the deuyll wolde not gyue ansuere as he hadd be accustomyd to doo Wherof the folysshe preeste was moche abasshed / ¶ And fynably the deuyll shewed to the cursyd preest / that the goddis wolde yeue none ansue â—t but yt Pachomyen were expulsid oute of the same temple / ¶ His parentes were moche angrye whanne they sawe hym constrayned to departe from theym And wiste not what they sholde do ¶ A nother tyme he beinge replenysshyd wyth the grace of god / As one gaaf him to drynke of the wyne that had be sacrefyed to the ydolles / Incontynente he casted it vppe agayne by manere of vomyte Lyke as it hadde be poyson Notwythstondyng that he was not yet Crysten / ¶ How the sayde Pachomyen was taken for to goo on werre And beginÌ„yth in latyn ¶ Eodem tempore et cetera Caplm .lvi. IN the same tyme Constantyn obteynynge the Empyre of rome dide constrayne all the yonge men of his countree for to habylle put theim in armes for to serue hym in his warre / Emonge whom he was reteyned to wages / ¶ The sayde Pachomyen whyche thenne was in the aege of twenty yeres / After that he was put vppon the see / The wynde aroos / And made theym to arryue in a cyte in whyche dwelled Crysten men / ¶ Whanne they of the cyte sawe theym come lyberally they receyued theym / And honestly they admynystred to theym alle theyr necessitees / ¶ Pachomyen seengâ—â—â—yr charite and humanytee enquyred â—â— his felowes what men they were / Whyche ansuered to hym that they were crysten men / And that theyr custome was to be soo humble and charytable to alle the worlde Hopinge to haue therfore rewarde of their god ¶ Pachomyen herynge this was moche heuy in his herte for that he myght not haue none other knowlege of them ¶ Wherfore he made his prayer to god in sayenge / O god almyghty whyche haste made heuen erthe graunte thou to me my prayer That is that it playse the to giue me perfighte knowlege of thy name / And that I be delyuered of the oblygacyon in whyche I 'am bounde And I shall be thy seruaunt alle the tyme of my lyfe / ¶ And I promitte to the that I shall renounce the worlde for to beye the onely / He thenÌ„e retornynge frothe warre wyth his felowes they passyd by dyuerse countrees and Regyons in whiche some tyme Pachomyen was tempted wyth the synne of the flesshe / But neuertheles rmeÌ„bryng of the promise that he hadd made to god he resisted the temptacoÌ„n And wolde neuer coÌ„mise the sayd synne Desyrynge for the loue of oure lorde to lyue chastely / ¶ How Pachomyen receyued the holy Sacrament of baptim / And bgynnyth in latyn ¶ Igitur constantinus c Caplm lvii· IT happed that Constantyn the Emperour of Rome after that he was Crysten And that by the faythe credence that he hadde to god He hadde opteyned vyctorye agaynste his aduersaryes Concluded for to dyscharge his subgettes of the grete exaccyons and charges that they bare by cause of men of warre And to gyue theym leue and to sende theym home And soo he dyde / ¶ Pachomyen thenne seenge hymselfe delyuered of his seruyce IncoÌ„tynent came in to a towne called Smobostrum beynge beyonde the partyes of The haydes / ¶ And there in the chirche in acomplysshinge the promyse that he made to god Promtly he was baptysed But a merueyllous thynge happed after his baptesme / ¶ For in the same nyghte that he was crystened he sawe in his dreme / How in to his ryght bonde descended a dewe the whiche myraculously coÌ„uerted in to hony / ¶ After he herde a voys whiche sayde to hym O Pachomyen considre wel this that is happed to the. For this is the sygne of the grace that god hathe gyuen to the / ¶ Pachomyen was after enflammed wyth the grace of the holy ghoste / And rendred hymselfe wyth the relygyouse men for to lerne the state of holy and perfyghte life / ¶ How saynt Pachomien desirynge to be Heremyte or Relygyous / wente to the holy fader Palemon dwellynge in deserte / And begynnyth in latyn ¶ Andiuit autem / Caplm .lviii. AFter that Pachomyen herd say that in desertes was an holi man named Palemon moche deuoute contynuelly seruynge god He wente to hym and knocked atte his doore / ¶ And he opened halfe his doore / and demaunded of hym what he wolde â—â— what he soughte ¶ Now the holy man Palemon was terryble to beholde· By cause that by longe tyme lyuynge solytaryly he hadde ladde a strayt lyfe and harde in the deserte / ¶ Pachomyen ansuerde to hym moche humbly / Fayre fader I come to the by the coÌ„maundemente of my god to the ende that I â—e made and constytuted Relygios ¶ The holy fader sayde to him Thou mayst not be Relygyous here / It is not a lytyll thynge to be made Relygyous But he oughte well rypely to thynke the holy conuersacyon in whiche he oughte to liue / ¶ For many haue ben in desertes sayd the holy fader whiche haue not perseueryd in theyr begynnynges / ¶ Pachomyen ansuered that the maners in all persones ben not semblable / ¶ And therfore he prayed hym / that he wolde receyue hym And by succession of tyme he sholde knowe his courage and affecyon / ¶ The holy fader sayde to hym / My frende I haue sayde tofore that here thou mayste not be Relygyous / And therfore goo in to some Monastery of Relygyon / ¶ And whanne thou haste hâ—â—d in chastyte and contynence in obeyenge the rules of Religyon / ThenÌ„e shalte thou come agayne to me gladly I shall receyue the / ¶ But take hede what I shall saye to the / And waye it well tofore thou procede ony ferther / And I shall saye to the what thou shalte doo to gete the helthe of thy soule / I lyue here compentli ynough / ¶ For my custome is to ete oonly brede and salte I vse none oyle ne wyne / And I wake ordynarily tyll mydnyghte / And somtyne all the nyghte / Bisye some tyme in prayer A nother tyme in contemplacion Or otherwise ocupienge myselfe in some helthfull werke / ¶ Pachomyen whanne he had all herde Lyke as the dyscyples ben abasshed in the presence of theyr mayster / So he was somwhat abasshed in herynge the wordes of the holy man But this notwythstondynge he trustynge in the grace of god he purposyd alle to endure /
¶ And ansuered to the holy man Fayre fader / I haue ferme affyaunce in oure lorde Ihesu Cryste In whom I byleue fermely That he shall gyue to me strengthe and myghte to doo the penauÌ„ces that thou haste shewed to me / and that in the same by the ayde of thy prayers I shall perseuere constauntly alle the tyme of my lyfe / ¶ How Palemon the Heremyte gaaff to Pachomyen the habyte of Religyon And begynnyth in latyn ¶ Tunc sancâ—â—s Palemon / Caplm .lix. PAlemon· seenge the faythe of Pachomyen fynably receyuyd hym And gaaf to hym the habyte of Relygyon And dwelleden togyder dooynge grete abstynences wyth deuoute orysons and prayers passyng there the tyme of theyr lyf / ¶ Some tyme they made robes of heyre not oonly for the enterteynynge of theyr lyfe / But also for to socoure the poore / ¶ Whanne they were in prayer / And that Palemon sawe somtyme Pachomyen a slepe / by cause of the laboure that he tooke· For to eschewe that he sholde not slepe made hym for to bere sonde from one place to a nother And by the moyen of that excercyte He beynge heuy of slepe made hym to eschewe the slepe whiche is the nourysshment of all vyces and synnes ¶ After he admonested hym that he sholde be alway constaunt and perseuerynge in his good purpoos / And of alle thynge dyde the good Pachomyen hys prouffyte receyuynge humbly benygnely his charges correccoÌ„n of the sayde holy man Palemon / By whiche he augmented fro day to daye the perfyghte loue charite that he had to the mageste dyuyne / ¶ Here folowyth of his abstyneÌ„ce And begynnyth in latyn ¶ Per idem tempê° c. Caplm .lx. IN the same time happened the solempnite of Ester the whiche is halowed in grete deuocion spirytuell Ioye of al good true crysten people By cause that in the same daye many haue a custome to reioyce themself sobrely ¶ The holy man Palemon coÌ„maunded to Pachomyen that he sholde thynke of theyr refeccoÌ„n for the souper / ¶ Now as tofore is sayde theyr custome was to ete oonly brede salte / and to drynke water But for the reuerence of the solempnyte of the daye Pachomyen sette on the fyre of thise wyld coles wyth other herbes ¶ Whanne Palemon had made his prayers he came in to his chambre for to take his refeccoÌ„n the whiche he sonde all redy / For it was thenne euen / ¶ He perceyued that Pachomyen for the solempnyte of the sayd daye had made redy coles wyth oyle the whiche thinge seenge the holy man Palemon for a displaysure beganne to rubbe his face wyth his hondes in sayenge suche wordes / ¶ O my god my maker thou haste hadde soo moche harme payne on the crosse Sholde I ete oyle certaynly I sholde none ete / ¶ Pachomyen seenge that he was angry set it downe in sayenge that he had made it lyke as he had coÌ„maunded / ¶ And that he myghte well ete a lytyll / Neuerthelesse Palemon wolde none ete / but was contente wyth a lytyll brede and salte ¶ And after sayde graces to god lyke as he was acustomyd / ¶ Of a proude relygyous man whiche came for to vysite theym And begynnyth in latyn ¶ Vna vero dierum· c Caplm .lxi. IT happed on a daye the a proude religyous man superstycyous came for to vysite theym / Now had they made a fyre for to warme theim For gladly denoute persones beynge occupyed in contemplacoÌ„n arne sooner colde than they that done other ocupacyons and werkes temporell Yf they ben not kept and conserued of god ¶ The brother beynge wyth theym seinge the fire beganne to saye / Yf one of you haue very fayth lete hym lye vpon thise hote coles and saye his Pater noster al a longe and I byleue certaynly that he shall not brenne / Palemon whyche knew his surquydrye sayd to him Broder saye noo more suche ydle wordes oute of reason For it sholde more auaylle the to be stille I se well wel that thou arte full of pryde of â—lacyon / ¶ The brother wold not be correte for ony thyÌ„ge that Palemon sayd to him but was more wollen in pride than tofore / And wythout necessyte layed hymself vpon the hote coles / ¶ And by suffraunce of god it happed that the deuyll prynce mayster of all prowde peple for more to dysceyue hym in tyme comynge kepte hym from brennynge / ¶ And after he departed from theym more fyers proude than he had be tofore / ¶ On the morowe he came agayne to the sayde holy men And ayen sayd to theym in repreuynge theym by his pryde sayenge Habrethern where is your faythe / The deuyll seenge his elacoÌ„n knewe that lyghtely he sholde make hym to falle in to what synne that he wolde / ¶ And chaunged him in lykenesse of a ryght fayr woman aourned arayed worldli and came and knocked att the doore of the prowde relygyous And he opened it And whan he was wythin sayd to him ¶ O my good brother I shall telle the wherfore I am come hyther / It is trouth that I am bounde to many my credytours the whiche for fawte of goode it to me not possyble to paye satysfye ¶ And yf by aduenture they fonde me I myghte renne in to grete doÌ„mage / Wherfore I am come hyther for to hyde me to th ende that they shall not fynde me / Wherfore I praye the in good charyte that thou wolte suffre me to so iourne here a lytyll tyme for to eschewe this Inconuenient And god whiche hathe adressed me to come to the for refuge shall thanke the / ¶ The relygyouse man was moche proude / wherfore god gaaf hym not the grace to knowe that it was the deuyll that spake to hym / ¶ And soo receyued hym to his dampnacoÌ„n· for Incontynent the deuyl tempted hym to the synne of lecherye TheÌ„ne he lyÈtly suffred to be ouercome / and wolde haue enbraced the deuyll in lykenesse of a woman / ¶ And thenÌ„e the deuyll threwe hym downe to therthe / and lay there longe as he had be deed But after certayne dayes he came agayn to hymself in his good mynde and knowleged his synne And wente and tolde it the holy fader Palemon / sayenge A. A holy fader I am cause of my perdicyon Thou warnedest me well but I poore vnhappy hane despysed thy wordes Wherfore I praye the that thou wolte praye god for me to th ende that I may haue remission of my synÌ„e ¶ Palemon Pachomyen seenge his lamentacyon cowde not holde them fro wepynge for pyte compassion that they had of hyÌ„ ¶ But the deuyll seenge that his contrycoÌ„n was not consonaunt to his wordes the whiche were fayned ful of ypocresie broughte him Incontynent oute of theyr presence / ¶ And soo thenne the poore myserable ranne thorugh the desertes as a foole oute of his
wytte / And fynably came in to a cyte namyd Panos / And there as enraged threwe hymselfe in to a depe caue full of hote water In whiche sodainly he deyed / ¶ How Pachomyen went thorugh the desertes And begynnith in latyn ¶ Igitur pachomius / Caplm .lxii PAchomyen after wente bare fote thorugh the deserte and bi mountaynes Endurynge pacyently the pryckynges and hurtes of thornes whereof his feet were swollen and moche soâ—e / ¶ And he enioyed in hymselfe reducynge to remembraunce how our lorde hadde in his feet and his hondes holes perâ—yd by foâ—e of grete naylles recourbled blout / Whyche were more greuous than yf they hadde ben sharpe pryckynge ¶ Alle his herte and desire was for so dwelle in place solytarye for to praye god by grete desyre / To the ende be and alle the worlde myghte be preseruyd and kepte from the trawdes decepcyons and temptacyons of oure enâ—â—ye the sende of helle / ¶ How a voâ—â— from heuen spake to Pachomyen And begynnyth in latyn ¶ Quodam vero tempore et cetera / Caplm .lxiii. IT happed on a tyme that saynt Pachomyen entrynge in a towne namyd Thebayde ferre ynough from his hermytage / In whiche towne whan he entred dwelled noo persone ¶ He putt hymselfe in prayer / and was there longe / ¶ Soo herde he a voys from heuen whyche sayd to hyÌ„ Pachomyen abyde in this place where thou arte And edefyâ— here a monastery Many shall come to the. desirynge to prouffyte by thy Instytucyons ¶ And thou shalte gyue to theym the rule whiche I shall desyner to the / ¶ After that appyered the aungell whyche broughte to hym a table in whiche was wryten the rule whiche be sholde teâ—he all theym that sholde come to the sayde place for to be relygyous vnder hym / ¶ The whyche rule yet kepen the Tabenesiens ¶ Saynt Pachomyen ryght affectuously alle that whyche thangell had broughte to hym / ¶ And after came agayne to the holy fader Palemon / To whom he recyted alle that whiche was happed to hym In prayenge hym that he wolde goo with him to the place where the aungel had spoken to hym as sayd is / ¶ Palemon whiche was humble wolde not trowble his dyscyple / went in to the towne wyth hyÌ„ / And there ariued Incontynent after the coÌ„maundement of god made a lytyll hous / In the whyche longe tyme they prayed to god deuowtely / Bysechynge hym that they myghte perfourme the chirche lyke as the angell had warned Pachomien ¶ Longe tyme after Palemon sayd to Pachomyen Now I knowe that the grace of god is descended vpon the. that thou arte dysposyd for to dwelle in this place where thou arte / Wherfore I praye thou that we make this paccyon couenanÌ„t togyder That durynge all the tyme of oure lyfe we be not separate in courage ne deuyded / But by vysitacyon fraternall we gyue consolacyon eche to other The whyche paccyon they made and entrehelden / For after ofte tymes they vysited eche other / ¶ Of the deth of saynt Palemon And begynnyth in latyn ¶ Inter heâ— venerabilis c / Caplm .lxiiii. A Lytyll tyme After Palemon strongly enfebled of nature by the extreme abstinences that he made felle in a grete maladye / by cause of the whyche well ofte he ete wythoute drynke And somtyme he ete not / But his refeccyon was eyther to ete or to drynke oonly / ¶ Some brethern came thither for to vysite him / And prayyed hym to enforce to take refeccoÌ„n suffisauntly for to susteyne his body / But the holy man herynge theyr requeste toke oonly mete for to comforte his membres Whiche were moche enfeblysshed by his sayd abstynences But neuertheles that auayled noo thynge / ¶ For his maladye was to hyÌ„ more greuous whaÌ„ he ete more thanne he was accustomye ¶ And therfore he wolde not ete but after his appetyte and suffred pacyently his maladye Consyderyng that many marters had ben despieced in to pyeces ¶ Some hadd theyr heedes smyten of The other haue ben brent in fire And alwaye they perseuered vnto th ende for the loue of Ihesu Cryste / ¶ And the holy man sayd he had by theyr examples farye ample matere of pacyence And that he ought not for a lytyll maladye corrumpe by gormandyse his lytyll penaunces and fastynges acustomyd / ¶ He sayd ferther that they had gyuen hym more payne by the metes that he had eten in his maladye thanne the abstynences that he made And soo retourned to his fyrste penaunce / ¶ And a moneth after in perseuerynge in fastynges he deyed rendred his soule to god ¶ But tofore his dethe came to hyÌ„ saynt Pachomyen whiche behelde hyÌ„ as his fader in kyssynge enbracynge hyÌ„ As he had sayd to hym fare well And after he buryed his body in the erthe / his soule was enhauÌ„ced gloryously with changellis in to the Ioye glory of heuen / The whiche graunt to vs the fader the sone the holy ghost / Amen / ¶ How the sayde saynt Pachomyen one his brother namyd Iohn conuerseden togyder And begynnyth in latyn ¶ Quo peâ—â—o / Caplm .lxv. AFter the saynt Palemon was bi saynt Pachomyen buryed the same saynt Pachomyen came agayne in to his monastery where god hadde Instytuted to hym / ¶ And after came to hyÌ„ his broder germayn named IohnÌ„ whiche longe tyme hadde sought hym / ¶ The holy man seenge his brother was moche Ioyous for sith he had be Crysten he had seen none of his freÌ„des ¶ The gode IohnÌ„ dwellyd with his brother / yf they were bredern carnally yet were they moche more bredern spyrytuelly / They two had but one will one selfe desyre Nyghte daye they thoughte on the faythe of oure lorde renouncynge all worldly rychesses ¶ They wanÌ„e theyr lyuynge onÌ„ly wyth makynge of celles / yf they had ony thyng superflue of theyr labour / Incontynent it was dystrybuted vnto poore for thono in of god / ¶ All theyr clothyng was of one vesture made of lynÌ„en clothe / As the Relygiouses were then robes / ¶ But the holy man Pachomien ware thayre for to kepe his body in seruytude / whanÌ„e soÌ„tyme be slepte by nyghte He laye not on the erthe but lenynge / Ferynge that yf he laye downe that he sholde reste ouer moche atte his case therby he myght falle in some â—yÌ„ne or euyll teÌ„ptacoÌ„n / ¶ Of the grete repentaunce and dysplaysaunce that had the sayde Pachomyen for IndygnacoÌ„n and angre that he hadde agaynst his brother / And begynnyth in latyn ¶ Inter hec et cetera Caplm .lxvi. Saynt Pachomyen bi the grace of god dyde encreace the place where he IohnÌ„ his broder dwellyd to the ende that they that shold comÌ„ to dwell in the sayde place lyke as thangell had shewed sholde fynde place for to dwell in / ¶ IohnÌ„ whiche was thelder was wrothe with hyÌ„ by
watred theym / ¶ And yf ony knocked att the doore of the chyrche he was the fyrste redy to open it / ¶ He serued theym that were seke and admynystred to theym theyr necessytees / ¶ In doynge thyse thynges he gaaf ensample of humylyte to all his dyscyples / and occasyon to serue not oonly to theyr auncyents and elders but also to theym that came after theym to the Relygyon / ¶ Also he admonested to excercyse them after theyr vocacyon callynge / And coÌ„maunded theym to make contynuelly prayâ—es and estudye hesyly in especyall in the holy gospelles / to the ende that therby they myght acustome theym gladly in the coÌ„maundementes of god And to loue hym aboue all thynges hertely And payne theym for to acomplysshe theim in getynge of vertues for fynably to obteyne the Ioye felycyte eternall / ¶ Of thre men that came to saynt Pachomyen and begynnyth in latyn Exâ—â—nt autem Caplm lxxiiii IT happed that thre men / that one namyd Postentesus that other Surys and the thyrd Oblys came for to vysyte the holy heremyte Pachomyen the whyche by his wordes by ensamples of holy lyf moued theym to doo penaunce / ¶ And whan they had contempled his bountee that one of theym sayd to the other / ¶ Certainly we knowe now that they erre openly that saye that the chyldern ensiew folowe the maners of theyr faders moders / and saye not wel / For oftymes of euyll fader euyll moder descende ryght good chyldren as it aperyth by this holy man Pachomyen whiche is soo Iuste that in his lyf he neuer brake ony of the coÌ„mauÌ„dements of god / And neuerthelesse he is extracte descended of the lignage of Paynyms ydolatours all contrary to the lawe of god / And ayenst theim that haue folysshe ymaginacoÌ„ns sayenge that thei haue good to doo well or euyll / For yf they ought to be sauyd they shall be sauyd / And yf they oughte to be dampned thei shal so be / Thyse ben fooles and enraged / For we fynde in holy scrypture our blessyd sauyour to haue sayde / ¶ Come to me ye that ben charged wyth many euylles and I shall dyscharge you / And in this sayenge he excepted not one / ¶ Also he woll not the dethe of a synner / And therfore euery one oughte to perseuere in his goodnesse to his lyues ende / ¶ Thyse thre men came ayen afterwarde to the holy man prayeng hyÌ„ that he wold telle theym the cause wherefor he toke that payne vpon hym to serue all his religyouses / Wherat he answerde sayenge to theym in this wyse / ¶ Whan men woll lerne a mare or some other beest for to bere a grete burthen they gyue her firste a lytyll charge And after by contynuance men encrease her burthen / For who sholde fyrst gyue her almoche as she myghte bere she haply wolde not endure with it but sholde be rebell / ¶ All thus muste I doo to my bredern whyche god hath gyue me to kepe in a good rule / ¶ Fyrste I gyue theym a lytyll charge And after by example I shewe to theym how they oughte to doo whan they haue seen the burthen that I haue borne nowe / I haue be longe â—â—fore theym in this monastery / And they ben come theim but a while agoon / Wherfore I oughte to bere a more charge than they done now / ¶ How he resceyued many one to the state of Relygyon / And begynnyth in latyn ¶ Regulas igitur et cetera Caplm lxxvi AFterwarde by the grace of god that benygnly callyth euery one to doo penaunce / came many deuowte persones to the holy man for to lyue solytaryly wyth hym / AmoÌ„ge whyche came Pawle / a nother Pachomyen and one namyd Iohan. the whyche lyued there a holy lyfe and honeste wythout ony spotte of synne / After this he stablysshed some for to haue the gouernaunce and rule of the monastery / And pryncypally the moost vertuouse humble aboue the other / ¶ And sayd the holy man that lyke as a spâ—â—cle of fyre that fallith amonge an kepe of sheuys of corne may not be but with grete paynt queÌ„chyd And often tymes it is seen that it brennyth all the hooâ—e hepe / In lyke wise yf in a relygyon be some Relygyouses that chaunge there thoughtes to that cursyd vyce of ambycyon / Desyrynge to be fyrste and princypall in the Ordre / And to haue there grete offyces / ¶ Yf from theyr hert thê° enflammed they putt not awaye soone the bronde of this euyll suggestion rihtlyghtly / They lese Incontynente that they haue soughte by longe tyme afore ¶ And for this cause the holy man wolde not consente nor suffre that the one sholde haue ony lordshyp or premynence ouer the other / And namly vpon a solempne feeste / ¶ And to the ende that this Inordinate affeccyon were take fro theym and wyll to precede that one the other / He made a preest to come that was not of that monasterye for to doo there the offyce and seruyce that sholde admynystre theym the sacramentes / ¶ And more ouer he sayd that it is better to lyue in charyte and in humylyte than in dysordynate worshypp / ¶ And yf some clerke or preest came to hym for to be Relygyous He made to hym honour after his astate / and lyke as it aperteyneth to a man of the chyrche / ¶ Of the humylyte of saynt Pachomyen To the chapitre that begynnyth in latyn ¶ Omnes autem et cetera / Caplm lxxvi THe humylyte of the holy fader Pachomyen was so grete that al the seruauntes of god he honoured and louyd ¶ To the olde to the seke and to the lytyll he dyde all ghostely and bodyly seruyses / Counseyllynge and comfortynge theym for the saluacyon of theyr soules / ¶ And soo he seenge that the nombre of his Relygyouses encreaced / he made and constytued some of theym his Coadiutours and helpers / And other he ordeyned as Pryours for to helpe hym to saue theyr soules / And techynge theym the Rules to hym gyuen by the angell ¶ He constrayned theym all to be very obedyent and to haue the drede of god in their hertes ¶ And whan he that had the gouernaunce and charge of the werkes of the monastery was fayllynge in ony thynge / The good holy fader Pachomyen toke the charge vpon hym / And amended the fawte as seruaunt of all the other Not for to seme meke by vaynglory / But by very affeccyon and goode loue / ¶ Of the charytee of saynt Pachomyen / To the chapytre whyche begynÌ„yth ¶ Quodam vero tempore et cetera Caplm lxxvii SAynt Pachomyen was moche pytefull and charytable / He seenge that in the places beynge night to his monastery were many folke that ocupyed them in none other wise but to kepe the beestes / wythoute comynge to chyrche / And wythoute receyuynge of theyr creatoure / Came to
one namyd Pyceryen bysshopp of the Cenâ—â—ryens / And gaaf hym counseyle that he sholde doo buylde a chirche in the same place / where as thyes Pastours or Shepherdes dwellyd / to the ende that they sholde be for this cause more enclined and deuowte to praye god / And to receyue there theyr ryghtes and sacramentes of the chyrche / And thus made the bysshopp to be doon / ¶ But by cause that there were noo clerkes not yet that dyde the seruyce of the chyrche / He and some of his Relygyouses came to vysyte theim / And shewed theym some hystoryes of the holy scrypture / ¶ And by this he excyted and mouyd the good persones to deuocyon Soo that by hys doctryne many were conuerted to the fayth And his charyte was spradde aswell vpon the mysbyleuyd peple as vppon the Crysten folke / ¶ For whan he sawe ony men or wymmen that were Heretykes or oute of the true byleue He wept / Prayenge god for theym that he wolde torne theym / ¶ Of the coÌ„dempnacoÌ„n of some scryptures of Origenes / The chapytre begynnyng ¶ Per idem tempus et cetera Caplm lxxviii THe same tyme Achanase that perfight was and replenisshed of all vertues was bysshop of Alexandrye / The whyche as he vysyted the chyrches / prechynge the Crysten faythe / Came to the place where saynt Pachomyen was / ¶ Whyche knowynge of his comynge acompanyed of alle his religiouses / Came wyth grete gladnesse agaynst the sayd Achanase syngynge Ympnes and orysons / And was receyued of hym and of his Relygyouses ryght gladly / ¶ But the good holy fader Pachomyen shewed not hymself to hym / But bydde hym amonge hys Relygyouses / By cause that the bysshopp of the Centiryens of whom iâ— spoken aboue had sayd moche good of hym vnto saynt Athanase whiche had be strongly persecuted of the Heretykes Arryens / ¶ And by cause the sayd holy man Pachomyen was very deuowte a good Crysten man Also that he knewe well the persecucyons that the sayd Athanase hadd suffred by the Arryens This Pachomyen whyche wyth alle his myghte bare and mayntened the true Crysten folke / Approuyd strongly the condycyons and holy lyuynge of saynt Athanase / And hertly leuyd hym / And hadde the obstynate Heretykes in fore grete Indygnacyon / And pryncypally Orygenes that was chaced oute of the chyrche by Eraclius bysshopp of Alexandrye / ¶ Orygenes by his false doctryne hadd gyuen many vntrueful techynges contrary to the holy scrypture / ¶ For lyke as they that woll gyue poyson to drinke putt hony amonge it for to haue awaye the euyll taast and the bytternesse therof from the tonge / to the ende that it maye be dronke more lyghtly / ¶ Soo dyde the sayd Orygenes the whyche sayde and broughte forthe fayre and honeste proposicyons But he corrupted theym by false exposycyons that was cause of the losse of moche Crysten peple / ¶ Wherfore the holy man Pachomyen deffended not only to his Relygyouses that they sholde not rede in none of this Orygenes bokes / But also he wolde that yf some other dyde rede theym they sholde not here theym by noo meanes What someuer sentence it were / ¶ One tyme amonge his bokes he founde of the sayd Orygenes volumes / Whyche Incontynent he dyde caste in to a water sayenge / Yf it were not by cause that the name of god is wrytt in the bokes of Orygenes I shold brenÌ„e theym all / ¶ By this apperyth the charyte whyche he hadd to the holy byleue and faythe of Crystendom / ¶ WhanÌ„e some Religyous blamyd his felawe he wolde not here hym / But fledde from hym as moche as he cowde / Consyderynge the worde of the Psalmyste sayenge / I shall persecute hym that shall bakbyte his euyn crysten / ¶ And he sayd that a good persone shold neuer speke none euyll worde ¶ And to this purpoos he alledged many historyes Princypally of one Machayre whiche in blamynge Moyses was Incontynente punysshed by the honde of god / ¶ Of the monastery that saynt Pachomien dide buylde for his suster and beginnyth in latyn ¶ Comperit igitur Caplm lxxix THe suster germayne of the sayde holy man Pachomyen desyrynge to see hym wente to his monastery / Wenynge to her that he as gladde of her comynge sholde receyue and treate her humaynly / But he sent worde to her by the Porter / that he was hoole and sounde / But he wolde not see her wyth his bodily eyen / And more ouer that yf she wolde forsake the worlde and serue god / He shold doo buylde a howse for to lodge her wher she sholde doo penaunce / And that he dowted not yf she wolde begyn to lyue there a holy lyffe Reguler that many other wymmen sholde yelde theymselfe to serue god wyth her / ¶ And she heringe thyse wordes from her brother She was replenysshed att herte wyth so grete compunccyon and suche contrycyon that she promysed to serue god alle her lyfe / ¶ Wherfore the holy man seenge that she was all redy torned gaue graces thaÌ„kynges to our lord ¶ And after he commaunded his brethern that they sholde make her a chapell ferre ynoughe from his monastery / ¶ So it happed soone after by the grace of god that from al prouynces countrees came wymmen that yelded theymself to Religyon with the sayd syster of saynt Pachomyen The whyche he admonested to resyste alwayes ayenst the fleshly temptacyons ¶ And in lyke wyse after the cunnynge that god had yeue hyÌ„ He foreyd him to excyte theym to vertues good maners / Prayenge god that it wolde playse hym to preserue theym in his grace / ¶ More ouer he gaaf to theym suche and lyke rules as his Relygyouses dyde kepe / Sauf that they sholde not were noo gretes fellis / And yf ony Relygyous had a syster or some other kynne whyche she wolde vysyte / She sholde not goo there but that she toke wyth her one of the eldeste of the Relygyon / ¶ And they oughte not to speke togyder / but in the presence of the Abbesse or elles of some of theldest Relygyouses / ¶ Nor she sholde not bere ne gyue noo thynge oute of theyr howses ¶ For the Religyouses aswell the men as the wymmen oughte not fro that tyme to haue noo thynge of theyr owne ¶ And yf by aduenture they sholde of necessytee make some reparacoÌ„ns they chose the moost perfyghte and of moost honeste conuersacyon for to see that that was of nede sholde be doo / But they ete not dranke wyth the other / ¶ And whan by the wyll of god some Nonne derparted from lyfe to dethe / Her felowes broughte her vnto the ryuage of a ryuer that parted the two monasteries And thenne came the monkes agaynste theym there / whyche toke the corps of the Nonne for to be buryed wythin theyr chyrche / And the wymmen of the Relygyon retorned to theyr abbaye / ¶ Of the
togyder the poore woman hauynge a stedfast byleue in god the sayth in the gospel / Haue coÌ„fydence thy fayth shall saue the. tooke fro behynde of the vestyment that the holy fader had vpon his heed touched it wyth grete drede / wherof it happed merueilousli that she was anone heelyd hoole souÌ„de / Soo fell she downe vpon her knees afore saynt Pachomyen thanked god of thâ—â— that he made soo grete myracles bi his seruauntes that haue to hym a stedfast hope ¶ The deuoute preest knowyng ytâ—o man hoole praysed the name of god / went agayn homewarde / ¶ How saynt Pachomyen by his deâ—â—nayâ—te was cause of the good lyfe of a Relygyous / And it begynnyth in latin ¶ Aliquando vero et cetera Caplm lxxxv CErtayne dayes after a Relygiouse that wold be a preest was broughte to saynt Pachomien by one his frende / that was mynystre at abbot of many Relygiouses / ¶ And the whyche mynystre or abbot was ofte vexed by the same Relygyouse / For by cause he wolde not conferme ne graunte the clerkely sheerynge / The whiche thenne he defferred longe / by cause it semyd hym not the sayd Relygyouse to be able ne suffysaunte for to be promoted there vnto / ¶ Fynably by cause he cowde noo lenger resyste to his Importunyte / Brought hym to saynt Pachomyen / trustynge that he sholde well contente hym / ¶ Saynt Pachomyen whanne he had vnderstonde the entencoÌ„n of the sayde Abbot He sayd to him ¶ My brother thou art come to me for as knowe the wyll of god / I counseyle she that thou gyue to him that that he askyth / And by aduenture thus dooynge his soule shall be delyuerd fro the thraldom of the deuyll ¶ For some tyme the wyckyd soo constytued in offyce or benefyte tourne theymselfe and take good maners / ¶ And therfore the wyll of god is that we shall haue pyte the one of that other / ¶ The answere well vnderstonde / the sayde Abbot confermyd and gaaf hym that that he askyd ¶ After that the sayde Religyous was constytued to a clerke he beganne all togyder to bowe to alle good condycyons / And afterward he came agayne to the holy man Pachomyen / and knelynge downe afore hym sayde / ¶ O man of god I knowe that thou arte moche agreable to god / whanne he dooth graunte the power for to dyscerne know of the saluacyon of men / ¶ Thy bounte hath vaynquysshed my malyce / For yf thou had not be pytuouse and swete I sholde haue lefte the habyte of Relygyon and sholde haue gone agayne to the worlde to fynysshe my dayes wretchydly / Wherof blessyd be thou of god / by the whyche thou haste gyuen saluacyon to my soule / ¶ The holy fader toke hym vpp from the erthe and sayde to hym / ¶ My brother I praye the that thou contynue alwayes in werkes behouynge and apperteynyng to thy dygnytee / And soo kyssed hym / And commended hym to god / ¶ How saynt Pachomyen delyuered a woman soore traueylled of the deuyll And begynnyth in latyn ¶ Adhuc autem cetera / Caplm lxxxvi SAynt Pachomyen beynge yet in the sayd place came a man to hym that prayed hym swetely that he wolde haue pyte of his doughter / the whyche was vexed and traueylled wyth the deuyll / ¶ The holy man entred within his monastery and left this man at the gate / And after he sente hym worde by the Porter that he not his Relygyous were not wonte to vysyte ony wymmen / ¶ And yf he had ony of her Rayments that he shold sende it to hym / And it sholde be halowed and blessyd / And after in puttynge the same vpon her / yf he had in god faythfull byleue and hope / His doughter by the grace of god myghte be delyuered of the sende and broughte to good recouerynge of helthe / ¶ The fader broughte the gowne of his sayd doughter And whan the holy man sawe it / He sayde to hym that it was not hers / The fader answeryd and sayd it was ¶ Thenne sayde the good holy fader to him / ¶ By cause I knowe that she kepe not her chastyte / Therfore I sayde that it was not her gowne / For she oughte to lyue chastely / Soo must she promyse to lyue in contynence / And after god shall helpe her / ¶ The fader questyoned his doughter / And she answerde that the wordes of the holy man were true / ¶ But notwythstondynge she promysed that she sholde neuer retourne to her synne / ¶ Thenne toke saynt Pachomyen an oyle and blessed it And gaue it to her fader / ¶ And after that she was enoynted wyth the same oyle she was hoole and sounde / And so she lyued afterward holyly in grete chastytee and contynence / ¶ How he helyd a childe that was traueylled wyth the fende / And begynÌ„yth in latyn ¶ Tali igitur et cetera Caplm lxxxvii AFter this a nother man that had his sone seke hauinge the deuyl in his body purposyd to lede hym for to recouere his helthe to the monasterye of saynt Pachomyen / But he cowde not / For the deuyll letted hym / Wherfore he desyred meâ—â— the holy man that he wolde praye goo for his sone and he dyde soo / And 〈◊〉 he sente hym a lytyll of halowed brede And commaunded that men sholde gyue it hym to ete afore all other mete ¶ The Spyryte dampned that was wythin the body of the forsayde chylde wold not suffre him to ete of it how well that he lete hym ete of the other brede his fylle / ¶ Thenne the fader wenynge to make his sone ete of this halowed brede brake the crommes in his honde / But it auayled not / For he wolde not take it in his mouthe ¶ The fader aduysed him that he sholde lete his sonne faste longe / And after he gaaf to hym of the sayd breed / And thenne for grete hungre he ete of it / ¶ Soone after he felle a slepe and was heeled and all togyder delyuered of the passyon of the deuyll / ¶ Soo came he and yelded graces and thaÌ„kynges to the holy man Pachomyen in gloryfyenge the name of god that dooth soo many myracles by his seruauntes / ¶ Alwayes the holy man for noo myracle that he dyde in the name of god / neuer gloryfyed hymselfe for it ¶ And wherof he is more to be praysed / Whan he made some requeste to god notwithstondynge it were not graunted to him Men sholde neuer haue knowen in hyÌ„ any sygne of sorowe or dysplaysure / But sayd by his grete mekenesse that god wolde not graunte hym that whiche he axed / By cause that his askyng myghte be contrary to his saluacyon / ne to the saluacoÌ„n of theym for whom he prayed / Notwythstondynge that he trowed to askt that that was good for the soule / ¶ Of the Conuersion of saynt Syluayn
/ And begynnyth in latyn ¶ Taliter igitur et cetera / Caplm lxxxviii SAynt Syluayn wyllyng to torne hym out of the fylth of synne for take clene pouertee / Came and yelded hymselfe to saynt Pachomyen / whiche frendly receyued him But this notwythstondynge he wolde not kepe the Rules of the Relygyouses ¶ For it was ouer harde a thynge to hym for to forgete his euyll customes / of the tyme passed / By the whyche he peruerted many brethern / And bowed theym to his wycked wylle ¶ Some Religyouses were ryghte sory of that they sawe the other Relygyouses consentynge to the detestable wyll of Syluayn / ¶ Soo came they and shewed it to the holy fader Pachomien· that whiche prayed god for the sayd syluayn to the ende he sholde haue contrycoÌ„n for hys synne and that he shold doo penaunce But for noo prayer he wolde not plyene consente therto / And for this cause they all wolde haue chaced him out of the monastery / The holy fader defferred it ladd hym wyth hym / And syn after corrected hym with swete wordes techyng hym alwayes in the crysten fayth / Wherof it happed syn that the poore Syluayn / as by synguler grace ameÌ„ded his wycked lyfe had it in so grete dysplaysure that he was neuer wythoute teeres in all his werkes / ¶ Some seenge his grete contrycoÌ„n shewed vnto hym that he angred hymself to bytterly and exorted hym to be moderate in his wepynges takynge in hym attemperaunce / but he answerde that he cowde not / For his hert was soo sore taken wyth grete dysplaysure / that he myght not conteyne himself / And morouer by cause he cowde not absteyne hyÌ„self fro wepynge / as well at the borde as elles where / The bredern sayd to hym that he sholde wepe in makynge his holy orysons not at the table / For it was noo place pâ—opâ—e ne couenable to wepe ne weyle / And that a relygyoê° myght wel haue sorow dysplaysure for his synÌ„e by hymself alone wythout to shewe it thus openly / And admonested hym to abstene himself therof / by cause the brethern myghte not ete whan they sawe hym wepe soo / ¶ Suche and semblable wordes they sayd to hym for to constreyne hym to telle the cause for whiche he contynued soo longe in his weyllynges and lamentacions / ¶ And theÌ„ne he sayd to theym / My brethern why sholde not I wepe in Ioyenge myselfe of the grace that my god hath doon to me / ¶ I was wonte to be full of synnes and soo many benefaytes are now gyuen vnto me for the saluacoÌ„n of my soule / ¶ Dathan and Aâ—yron ben contynuelly in my remembrauÌ„ce / To the confusyon of the whyche by cause they were defoyled and poluted wyth synne And wolde haue towched the holy sacrefyce The erthe opened and swalowed theym in / ¶ And I that haue despysed soo moche my saluacyon I fere yet ryght soore suche a sentence of god / Alas though I sholde wepe and weylle myn Innyquyte al my lyfe dayes and that I were in contynuell lamentacyons / Yet sholde I be vnworthy to haue the felycyte eternall / ¶ The good â—yluayn contynued in his humylytee and contynence soo that he was more perfite than all the other / ¶ And saynt Pachomyen seenge his holy conuersacyon sayd in the presence of all the other suche wordes ¶ My brethern I calle god to wytnesse the angelles and all the â—urt of heuen that syth oure monasterye was founded I haue not knowen noo brother of ours that hath be soo moche obeysaunt to me as hath one about al the other / The brethern thoughte that it hadd be Theodore or Peâ—ronyen â—or Orose / ¶ Theodore prayed saynt Pachomyen that he wolde tell what he was that he loued soo moche / But the holy man defferred to tell it hym / Neuerthelesse whan he saw that Theodore can streyned hym soo sore / He sayd to hym ¶ Yf I crowed that he sholde arâ—yse hymselfe in vaynglory therfore I sholde neuer declare it to hym / but by cause I knowe that the vertue praysed often tymes encreacyth and that he shall be more humble for it than he was byfore ¶ Also to the ende that other take ensample at hym I shall name hym vnto the / Soo I telle the. that how be it thyselfe and thy semblable haue bataylyd strongly ayenst the deuyll soo that by the grace of god / ye haue ouercome brought hym vnder your fete / Neuerthelesse Syluayn yonge of aege that thy bredern and thyselfe wolde put oute of our monastery hathe foughte in suche wyse ayenst hym that he hath this gyfte of god that the deuyll dare neuer shew hymself afore his face / And by his grete humylytee he hath ouercome hym in all thynges / ¶ Ye other haue confydence in youre vertues / But he the more that he batayllyth he yeldyth hymselfe the more meke vnprofytable / And yf thou demaunde why he wepte soo contynuelly / I telle the that it is by cause he is perfyghtly meke / And for this cause he canne not forbere his teeres / ¶ Soo wite it that there is noo vertue that makyth the deuyll more confuse / than the vertue of very and perfyghte humylyte ¶ The good Syluayn was bi the space of viii yere in befightyng his enmye Sathan / And after he deyed / And saynt Pachomyen wytnessyd that at his passynge were present many angels that wyth grete Ioye bare his soule awaye in to the glory that euer shall laste / the whyche by his prayers we maye purchace Amen ¶ How the holi man coÌ„mauÌ„ded that a deed body shold be vnclothed of his vestimentes / And begynnyth in latyn ¶ Eodem vero teÌ„pore / Caplm lxxxx IN the cyte of Panos was a bisshopp named Varus that was right deuowte feruent in the loue of Ihesu Cryste the whiche herde speke of the conuersacoyn of saynt Pachomyen / Soo wrote he to hym many lettres by that whiche amonge other thinges he desyred prayed hyÌ„ to come towarde hym for to gyue hym counseyle ayde to buylde a chyrche nygh to his cyte / And for to lodge there some Religyouses that were of good lyfe of coÌ„uersacoÌ„n good / In obeynge to the whiche requeste he toke on his waye towarde the sayd bisshopp / And as he was come nye a monastery whiche he vysited by the waye he mett wyth many Relygyouses that conueyed the corps of one of theyr bredern that was deceased whiche his frendes bare to the erth clothed with riche raymentes whiche were after the maner doynge that the seculer had there acustomyd / Whan they sawe saynt Pachomyen come they taryed Incontynent for to praye hym that he wolde make deuowte prayers orysons to god aswel for the deed as for them whiche he dide gladly / And his orison done he coÌ„maunded that men sholde take awaye fro the Relygious that was deacessed the rayments of the
this do â—â— he departed fro theym / ¶ How saynt Pachomyen by his merytes knewe the thoughtes of men / BeginÌ„yng CuÌ„que ê‘gereÌ„t / Caplm lxxxxviii THus as saynt Pachomien was gooynge towarde a nother monastery namyd Thebennense with Theodore Corneylle and many other / He restyd hym in the myddes of the waye as he wolde haue spoke with some of a secrete matere / ¶ And he beynge as rauysshyd / He knewe att his ghostly eye that the relygyouses of his monastery had broken one of his commaundementes that he had enioynyd theym to kepe / ¶ The whyche commauÌ„dement was that they that made the brede sholde not speke noo vayne thynge in makynge the oblacyons / ¶ And for to veryfye that that he knewe of it in his thoughte / He sente Theodore / that was admynystratour of the sayde monastery for to examyne hym of that the bredern had sayd at euen makynge thyse offryÌ„ges / Soo came there Theodore knewe that they had broke this coÌ„mauÌ„dement· wenyng that the sayd brekyÌ„ge was no grete synÌ„e by cause that the sayd coÌ„mauÌ„dement semyd to be of no grete thyng / ¶ Theodore shewed it to the holy man Pachomyen that sayd to hym / How be it that the ordenauÌ„ces that I haue yeue to them for to kepe ben manly in asmoche as I that am a man haue enioyned them to kepe them / Neuertheles they consydre not the peryll that may come to him that dispysith one of the leest coÌ„maundementes that arre ordeyned for to be kept for the worshypp of god / ¶ It is not fouÌ„de in holy scripture that the childern of Israell beynge afore the cyte of Iherico kept duryng vii dayes the scylence that was to theym boden ordeyned for to kepe / And after the vii dayes passed the sayd scylence soo kept they toke anone the sayd cyte of Iherico / The whyche thyÌ„ge was to theim grauÌ„ted of god by cause they dispysed not thoâ— denauÌ„ce or coÌ„mauÌ„dement that had be gyuen to them by his seruauÌ„t in the honour of hym ¶ Anone after saynt Pachomyen came there as the religyous were that made mattes soo began he to werke with heÌ„ in this doynge came there a yonge religyous nouyce that was sette for to serue him The whiche sayd to hyÌ„ fader Pachomyen thou doost not as our fader Theodore dooth The holy man Pachomyen herynge the wordes of this nouyce swetly louyÌ„gly prayed him that he sholde shewe hyÌ„ how he shold doo / And after that he had shewed to hym the maner how he shold make the mattes he contynued abowte it werkynge wyth the other forcyng hymself to do as he was taught by the chylde / Wherby he gaaf grete ensample of mekenesse to all hys bredern In somoche that he bare the correccoÌ„n of the sayd nouyce / The whyche yf he had be proude he wolde not haue endured but to the contrary sholde haue rebukyd hym for it fyersly / ¶ How the deuyll shewed himself to saynt Pachomyen Begynnynge ¶ Alio vero tempore / Caplm lxxxxix THe holy man after this vpon a daye putt hymselfe in to a secrete place / The deuyll anone came to hym in disguysed araye greted hyÌ„ honourably / the holy man thouÈt anone that it was some wycked spyryte / For whan the gode spiryte cometh to a man al heuines departeth fro hyÌ„ his seeng is free of all drede and is full of merueylous Ioye and soo departen fro â—â— al worldly thouÈtes In stede of whiche comyth to hym an affeccoÌ„n a desire of the souerayn thynges / soo sayd he in hyÌ„self / ¶ Syth that this vysion is happed to me I haue be troubled in mi myÌ„de / He rose anone blessed hymself with the sygne of the crosse / ¶ And wyth his hâ—nde he wende to take the deuyll that was in his presence and sayd to hym / ¶ O cursyd deuyll goo fro me thy vysion thy craftes ben but dysceyuable Thou hast not adoo wyth the seruauÌ„t of god / ¶ And incontynent as duste he wente awaye sayenge Ha Pachomyen yf thou hadd obeyed me I sholde haue yelded the my subgett / But the vertu of the souerain god is togrete this notwtstondyng I shall befyghte the wythoute ceasynge to th ende that I maye acoÌ„plysshe my werke wythout delaye Soo toke the holy man hyÌ„ to yeue thankyng to god of the grete fortunes yeftes that he dyde to hym euery daye / ¶ How the myghte of the deuyll was shewed to the holy man Pachomien begynnyth in latyn ¶ In hoc eciam cetera / Caplm C. THe holy man Pachomyen goynge by nyghte wyth Theodore to the sayd monastery had suche a vysion / ¶ A deuyll apperyd vnto him in lykenesse of a woman more hiâ— than other ben comyÌ„ly / And wyth this she shewed to be of soo grete bewte of body of visage that it semid as a thyÌ„ge inpossyble to bebrought forth / The sayd Theodore that also sawe hym was sore trowbled wyth alle in his mynde / But the holy fader sayd to hym that he sholde haue hope in god and that he shold not abasshe hyÌ„self / ¶ ThenÌ„e they sette theymself to prayer besought our lorde that it wolde playse hym by his godly vertu to take away this vysion fro theim / Neuertheles camÌ„ the deuyll more nere hem in that self likenes byfore hyÌ„ were a grete noÌ„bre of deuylles / ThenÌ„e sayd the deuyl to the holy men Pachomien theodore / Why do ye pray god ayenst me in vayn ye can not alway wtstond me / For I haue myÈte power of god to teÌ„pte hem that I woll / ThenÌ„e the holy man Pachomyen axed of hyÌ„ what he was fro whens he camÌ„ whiche of heÌ„ he wolde teÌ„pte to whom he answerd / I am the myÈty deuyl hauyng lordshipp vpon a grete nombre of deuylles / Iudas was soÌ„tyme deceyued by me cast out of the coÌ„pany of thapostles I am she that soweth in erth the sede of the whiche all persones that taast of it are in dauÌ„geour to deye / ¶ And that more is god hath gyue me myÈte for to tempte his seruauntes wythout ceassynge / So am I coÌ„mauÌ„ded by the court of helle for to putt the in her daungeour Neuer man ouercame me but thyself / Thy doctryne yeuyth me subget both to the yonge and to the olde and namely to a hepe of folysshe relygyouses that thou hast gadred togyder / The whyche by thyne exaÌ„ple are obstynate ayenst me / as folke vnable to be ouercome / ¶ For of al the wyles of the deuyll they haue ben teÌ„pted yet they cowde not be ouercome And all this euyll comyth to vs by the sone of god / that hath be made a man of the whiche ye other haue soo grete myghte / ¶ ThenÌ„e sayd to him the holy fader Pachomyen / Thou comyst thenÌ„e for to tempte me onÌ„ly seenge that that thou hast tolde me / ¶ Wherat
the deuyll answerd to hym I am come for to warre ayenst the Theodore and ayenst all tho that ben thy lyke / But I may not towche you by cause that my strengthe is only to tempte you / ¶ So axed him the holy man / why he hadd no myghte ouer theyr bodyes / And he answerde that yf he towchyd theym they sholde haue more mede of god for it for the grete victory that thei sholde wynne / And pryncypally thyselfe Pachomyen that hast be worthy to see with thy bodyly eyen the Ioye of heuen ¶ With this he thretned the sayd relygyouses sayeng that after the decesse of the holy man / the deuylles sholde doo al at theyr wyll wyth them ¶ ThenÌ„e the holy man that myghte not forbere thyse wordes sayd to hym / Go vnhappy wretche / What canst thou tell of the thinges that ben to come the religyouses that shall lyue after vs shal be more perfyte than we ben / And the deuyll answerde / I knowe now that thou hast made a lye / That hast thou thyself prynce of lesynge sayd the holy man / Thou canst noo thyng knowe of that that is to come For none knowyth it but god oonly to whom all thynges passed to come are present / ¶ ThenÌ„e the deuyll sayd to hym stedfastly that it was trouthe but by the thynges passed he had some crowyÌ„ge of those that were to comÌ„ / ¶ Soone after the holy man axyd hym / yf it is soo that thou ceasest not to teÌ„pte the gode men and that by thy craftes ouer subtyll that by cause of the losse of the soules / Wherof comyth that thou can not bringe vnder fote the very seruauÌ„tes of god / ¶ And he answerde / I haue tolde that by the IncarnacoÌ„n of the sone of god all our strengthe hathe be broughte vnder / ¶ We cease not to gyue troubles lettinges to the seruauÌ„tes of god ¶ And whan we knowe that they consent to some temptacions thenÌ„e we assayle hem more strongly than euer we dyde / bryÌ„gyng a for heÌ„ foule thouÈtes somoche tyl we haue brought hem subget to our wyll myÈt the coÌ„trary yf they obeye not by no wise to our entysyÌ„ges· but contynue stedfastly in ther vertuoê° werkes anone depart all teÌ„ptacoÌ„ns fro ther hertes thouÈtes ¶ But we haue not that miÈte to tempte all persones so sharply as we shold wel doo For some there ben that coude not suffre all our temptacoÌ„ns / ¶ And yf it were soo that god wold lete vs continue Many are in thy keping that shold fall ofte the whyche be preseruyd kepte by thy prayers / ¶ ThenÌ„e saynt Pachomyen began to crye with a hye voyce sayeng cursyd serpents eâ—uâ—yoê° and that cease neuer to yeue infynite lettyÌ„ges to the seruantes of god tyll that the might of god bryngyth you downe / ¶ He maye well calle hymselfe happy that canne wythstoÌ„de to your cursyd entysyÌ„ges / After he coÌ„iured in the name of god al this multytude of deuylles that soone went awaye as the smoke dooth / The nexte daye in the mornyng he callyd to hym his bredern rehercyd to theim al that he had seen in the nyghte of the deuilles And to theym that were absent he made it to wryte by wrytynge warnynge theym that they shold euer wythstonde ayenst their temptacoÌ„ns / The whiche relygiouses seeÌ„ge the grace the god had do to the holy fader abbot to theym / they were confermed in the fayth ¶ And afterwarde wythstode more besily ayenste the temptacoÌ„ns of the fende encreacynge euer in vertuous werkes / ¶ How the holy man Pachomyen helyd a man that was bytte of a Scorpyon / And begynnyth in latin ¶ Interea c. Caplm C.i. A Brother beynge in his prayers was bytten of a Scorpyon in the foote / Soo that the venym was come vp all redy to the herte ¶ And how well he suffred grete sorowe and payne / He contynued alwayes his prayers / ¶ Thenne saynt Pachomyen seenge his grete stedfastnesse made to our lord a deuowte oryson for hyÌ„ ¶ And Incontynent his helthe was to hym restoryd / ¶ How sykenesse prouffiteth oft to the saluacyon of the soule / Begynnynge ¶ Tali quoque / c· Caplm C.ii. SAynt Theodore in his yonge aege bare often grete sykenesse in his heede whiche was cause to hym of sharpe sorowes / Soo prayed he to saynt Pachomyen that it wolde playse hym to praye goo for his helthe / ¶ To whom he answerd / My childe thou ought to byleue that the passyons that we suffre come not to vs but by the wyll of god therfor haue pacyence in thy sores god shall yeue the helth whaÌ„ it playsith him / ¶ Be thou remembred of Iob that was somoche perfyte pacyente the whyche in all his passyons he blessyd the name of god / ¶ Certaynly it is a good thynge of abstynence and contynuyng in prayer / ¶ But alwaye the seke axyth a grete rewarde whan he is fonde pacyent and of stedfast courage ¶ And by cause that we haue spoken of that meÌ„ of stedfast courage / I haue thouÈt to the profyte of many one to shewe the merueylous stedfastnes and suffrauÌ„ce of a man that is somoche to be coÌ„mended that it maye as to this excede all manly praysynge / ¶ Of the pacyence of Zacheus that was a relygyous begynÌ„yth in latyn ¶ Zacheus quidaÌ„ monachê° / Caplm C.iii. SOmtyme was a religyous namyd Zacheê° that whyche after grete contynence bi cause of a grete sykenesse that god sende hym was had in an hous fâ—â—re fro his biedern / In that hous he ete but onÌ„ly brede salt But notwythstondyng the sayd departyng he was contynuelly in the chirche at al houres of the day / His custome was euery nyght afore he yede to bed to reed some histories of the holy scripture after be armyd hyÌ„ with the signe of the crosse slept tyll mydnyght / To the whiche houre he rose / ocupyeng hymself in oryson fro that same houre vnto marynes / ¶ And to this surplus for teschew ydlenesse he wroughte mattes wyth suche grete myghte dylygence that in weuynge of theym he claaf brake al his hondes that the blode came out soo sharply he drewe the cordes / ¶ One of the bredern seenge his hondes thus broken asked hym why he was soo gredy in his werke seenge that he was so greuyd wyth sykenesse Sayeng moreouer to hym / Thynkes thou my broder yf thou wroughte wythout to force thyselfe soo moche that thou sholdest be holden foâ— ydle as toward god· Truely naye / For he knowyth well not oonly thy myght but also that thou arte sore greuyd with sykenesse / Wherfor I ensure the that it is not nede that thou werke soo contynuelly as thou doost / Thenne answerd Zacheus / My broder it is possyble that I coude forbere me therof / The broder beryng his answere sayd to
the seruauntes of our lorde to all theim that ben lyuinge vnder our pouertee / that by the suffrauÌ„ce of god are submytted to our rule gouernauÌ„ce / Herke after the sayeng of saynt Poule in his pystle / ¶ Obeye to your prelates yelde yourself subgettes to theym / For certaynly they wake as that they muste yelde acounte of your soules / ¶ My lytylnes byleuyth that yf ye obeye to the wordes of god / ye shall haue your petycyons not onÌ„ly of men but of god ¶ And bi cause I know this that I wryte to you to be trouthe / I praye you of your charite that ye doo noo thyng contrary to the coÌ„mauÌ„dements that I haue done to you but be obeyssaunt / ¶ It is writen in his holy scripture that god hath in hate the grete balauÌ„ce and the lytyl / ¶ After this my warnyng yf ony goo ayenst my biddynge touchyng the weighte the mesure / Wyte he that al his godes shall be dealyd to the pore ¶ How he corrected theym that receyuyd ony yeftes begynÌ„ith in latyn ¶ RelatuÌ„ est autem / Caplm · C.ix. IT was shewed to the sayd saynt IohnÌ„ that some bought men after solde theym ayen to an hyer pryce than they had bought them Soo made theym al to be assembled without grete blame or rebuke shewed theym that it was euyll done / syth toke theym more moneye than they had bestowed in this marchauÌ„dyse And charged theym that they shold not doo in tyme comyÌ„g suche dedes / after this some left theyr takyng of theyr pryce so grete that they were wont to take aboue the comyn taxe of theyr marchauÌ„dyses / ¶ How he gaaf lycence leue to them that wold comÌ„ to hym begynnyth in latyn ¶ DisceÌ„s vero c. Caplm C.x. Saynt IohnÌ„ the Almoner knowyng that some of his subgettes suffred many wronges of theyr enmyes / were aferde to come to hym for to coÌ„playne by cause of his seruauÌ„tes that coÌ„tynuelly assysted hym / ¶ He for the same cause dyde make a chayre iâ— benches byfore the chyrche vpon the whyche the Wenesdaye the Frydaye in comynge fro the sayd chyrche he restyd hym deuysed wyth some notable persones other while he helde the holy gospels in his hondes / And there were certayn his deputes to whom he gaf power leue to stonde nyghe hym / the whiche had the charge to kepe the rightes of the chyrche ¶ And yf ony body came to complayne / they shewed it to the said saynt IohnÌ„ / the whiche coÌ„mauÌ„ded the chapâ—tre sholde be callyd assembled for to purueye therto / And they thê° asseÌ„blyd he proposyd vnto theym sayenge ¶ Yf we men haue lyght dedes to the onÌ„ly god that is aboue all nature for to make to hyÌ„ our requestes whan we pray hym deuoutly we gete that we aske In lyke wyse we ought to doo to theim that come to vs. bryÌ„gyng in our mynde the worde of god sayeng / ¶ Wyth suche a mesure as ye mesure ye shall be mesured / also in recordyng the sayeng of the prophete that shewyth to vs / That lyke as we doo we shall be done vnto / For thise causes the holy bisshop made that thei came to hyÌ„ to be spedd of theyr matere wtout ony delay ¶ And one tyme emoÌ„ge other he was one daye tyll .v. of the clocke beynge in the same place where he was wont to sytt herynge the questions of his peple / And by cause no body came there the daye that wold require of hym ony thyng he departed retorned in his house wepyÌ„g / ¶ So were his folke gretly merueylled wherof came this wayllyÌ„ge none durste axe hyÌ„ the cause why but to a holy man namyd Sophronyen that herof famylyerly axyd hyÌ„ The holy man answerd that he was â—â—â—che of this that none was come speke with him wherby he had spende the day wtout to haue done ony mercyfull dede / ¶ Now it is trouth as it is sayd about that the cause whiâ—he helde hyÌ„ in the open place was by cause he sholde acorde al maner folke / that in manere of processe or otherwise had ony discorde or euyl wylthe one ayenst thother / the whiche oft tymes he acorded peasyd atte his owne propre costes / ¶ Sophronyen thenÌ„e sayd to hym certaynly my lord thou art wel happi / For the subgets that thou hast in thâ— gouernauÌ„ce are by thy meanes soo prasyble soo kynde that they haue noo cause to haue ony hate or rancour theâ—e ayenst thother by this he saw knew that this was the cause that none was came to hym that daye / Wherof he gaue thenÌ„e 〈◊〉 â—â—ynges to our lorde / at this example ¶ We rede that Constanciê° whiche was Emperour sone of Heracle had this custome maner at Rome in peasynge of the Romayns / ¶ How the holy bsshop receyued mekely the folke that were fled for to schewe the madnesse of theim of Percy beginÌ„ith ¶ Cuâ—us sancti / Caplm C.xi. HAngynge the tyme that the holy bysshop Patryarke IohnÌ„ the Almoner being in Alexandrie they of Percy had werre ayenst the Syrryens in the reame of Syrrye the whiche reame the subgettes of the same / â—er brought to thraldom· by the Percyâ—on / ¶ Wherfore many of the sayd Sirâ—â—â—ns / the bare full vnpacyently that they were brought in bondage· came yelded the ymself in the subieccoÌ„n of the sayde Patryarke / The whiche he receyued mekely swetly / in comfortyng theim not as in tharldom fleers but as his bredern / They that were hurt sike he made to be heelyd / after suffred theym goo where as they semyd good ¶ Some of his seruauÌ„tes the grutchyd the grete almesses that were done out of his howse reported shewed to the holy Patryarke how some Sirryens clothyd with clothe of golde of other precyous raymeÌ„tes were come to his house to fetche an almesse / ¶ But not wythstondynge that he was swete of vysage of speche yet he lokyd vpon theym as wroth sayeng ¶ Knowe ye not wel the god hathe coÌ„mauÌ„ded / that men shall gyue to all theym that shall aske vs / And by cause that the goodes that I yeue be not min but they ben goddis / therfore I woll in gyuyng theim kepe his coÌ„mauÌ„dement ¶ Yf ye thynke that the almesse mynisshe in gyuyng theym to theym that ben rychely clothed ye haue lytyll faith / I bileue that yf all the worlde were beggers that they came to Alexandrye that the godes of the chyrche sholde not mynysshe therfore / And by this he comforted hys seruauÌ„tes / And the poore for this cause grutchyd noysed ayenst the other / ¶ Of the shappe of a woman that apered to saynt IohnÌ„ the Almoner Patryarke of Alexandrye / begynnyth in latyn ¶ CuÌ„que illis c. Caplm C.xii. THe sayd saynt
IohnÌ„ rehercyd ones to the hope of them that gladly gyue for goddis sake that he beynge on a nyghte a slepe sawe in dremynge a ryght fayre and clere woman and shynynge as the sonne / And crowned with a crowne of lawrer / In musynge of her grete bewte he a woke / ¶ And him semyd that he sawe her in dede stondynge byfore hym / ¶ Soo he blessyd hym Incontynent And spake to her After askynge what she was / ¶ To whom she answerde all smylinge that she was the moder of the doughter of the kynge / ¶ And after sayd to hym / My frende yf thou wolt loue me I shall presente the byfore the souerayne emperour / For none hath there soo grete power as I haue / ¶ Thenne after she vanysshed a waye from his syghte / ¶ Thenne the holy man Iohan supposyd after his aduys that it was compassyon or almesse that was appered byfore hym in lykenesse of a woman / By cause she hadd on her heed a fayre crowne of lawrer / ¶ For certaynly the grete compassyon benygnytee that god hath to the poore synners / He hathe made his ryght dere and swete chylde Ihesu Cryste to take our kynde flesshe / and suffre soo many euylles for vs / ¶ The holy man after this vysyon aroos / wythout to a wake ony body and wente to the chyrche / ¶ And ingoynge thyder he founde a poore euyll clothyd man / and as deyenge for colde ¶ Soo toke he of his gowne and gaue it hym for to clothe hym wyth all / And after retornyd wythoute to entree in to the chyrche / Puttyrige in hymselfe a doubte whether the aduysion that he had seen were of god or non / ¶ And in retornynge to hys howse warde he met wyth a man clothyd wyth whyte vestyments / that gaaf hym an hundred penyes / Sayenge that he sholde dystrybute theym where it playsed hym / ¶ And by cause hym semyd that he had be ouer hasty and redy to receyue the sayde penyes doubtynge to be dysceyued / He wente to haue delyuered theim ayen to hym that gaaf theym to hym / ¶ But he cowde not by cause the other was vanysshyd away / ¶ Soo had he thenÌ„e some vnderstondynge and knowlege that this vysion was come to hym of god / ¶ Of a pylgryme that wolde tempte saynt Iohan the Almoner / Begynâ—nynge in latyn ¶ Adoriâ—ue et cetera Caplm C.xiii. IN the sayd cyte of Alexandrye was a straunger whyche herynge the grete fame of saynt IohnÌ„ the Almoner wolde tempte him for to vnderstonde the certayntee therof / And for to doo this he put of his raymentes toke euyll clothes abowte hym / And after came byfore hym there as he wente towarde the place where the syke peple were kept dressed / ¶ For his customÌ„ was to goo to the hospytalles twies in the weke for to vysite there the syke folke that were there / ¶ This valyaunt man stranger sayd to him / O my lord gyue to me your almesse poore prysoner / ¶ ThenÌ„e the holy man coÌ„mauÌ„ded the men sholde yeue to hym vi pens ¶ Whan he had receyued the fyrst almesse he chauÌ„ged his habyte and Incontynent went ayen tofore hym in sayenge ¶ Alas syre haue pyte of me poore syke man / The holy man ones ayen coÌ„maunded to the Almoner that he sholde gyue hym vi pens of golde / ¶ After that he had taken theym to the Papelarde he said all soft to the holy man that he had had twyes his almesse / Wherat the holy man answerd noo thynge / feynyng as he had not herde hyÌ„ / ¶ Thirdly he came agayn in a nother chauÌ„geable clothynge / for to haue yet a nother almesse / And thenÌ„e the Almoner drew the holy man by the gowne for to gyue hym to knowlege that it was he that had had twyes his almesse that daye / But the holy man coÌ„maunded the men sholde gyue hym twelue pens of syluer sayenge to his Almoner / Doo the I coÌ„mauÌ„de the / For by aduenture it is god that temptyth me / ¶ Of a Maryner of the tynne that was tornyd to syluer / Begynnynge in latyn ¶ Nauclerus quidam et cetera Caplm C.xiiii A Marynar straunger / that by tempest of the see or otherwyse had loste all his goodes / Besechynge humbly to saynt IohnÌ„ the Almoner that he wolde sprede vpon him his mercy / Hauynge pyte vpon hym as he had vpon the other / ¶ Soo he gaaf him v. pounde of golde that he put forthe in marchandise and after retorned vpon the see where he loste all excepte oonly his shippe the whiche was saued ¶ Soo came he ayen to the sayd holy man / prayed hym as aboue / ThenÌ„e he said to him / ¶ My broder thou had dest some syluer euyll goten that thou hast medled wyth that of the chyrche Therfore thou hast loste all / Neuerthelesse he gaue hym agayne x. pounde of golde / Soo went he agayen to the see / Where he had the wynde soo contrary that all his shyppe was perysshyd· abode noo thynge sauf but the men / The whyche thynge seenge the Mary nerâ—he wolde haue slayne hymselfe for sorowe / But god preseruyd hym there fro / And shewed his wrath angre to the holy Patryarke / The whyche Incontynent sente for hym / ¶ The Maryner coueryd wyth asshes / and his clothes all to torne lyke as they are wont to doo in the londe came to the sendynge of the Patryarke / The whyche in beholdynge vpon hym sayd to hym ¶ My frende god haue pyte and mercy vpon the / I trowe / that from hensforth thou shalte not haue none euyll fortune / ¶ Thy shippe is perysshyd bicause it was goten by wronge / ¶ And thenne he made to be gyuen to hym one of the shyppes of the chyrche / that he made be fylled wyth ten thousande râ—sers of whete / ¶ And this done the Marynar wente to the see as he was acustomyd / But he saylled twenty dayes twenty nyghtes that he wyste not whether he drewe to / ¶ Durynge the whiche tyme the gouernoure of the shyppe / as he rehercyd to the Marynar / sawe nyghe hym the holy Patryarke / that sayd to hym / Marinar doubte no thinge thou sayllest well / ¶ After the twenty dayes they londed in Britayne where soo grete necescyte of corn was that they of the londe for grete derth suffred grete hungre / Wherby they were receyued in grete Ioye reuerence / ¶ The folke of the londe asked of the Marynar yf he wolde selle his where for redy moneye or take Tynne for it ¶ And after he had remembred vpon theyr askynge / He toke redy money for the halfe / And for the other halfe he take fyne Tynne / And after wyth a grete gladnesse retornyd in to Alexandrye And were longe tyme art the hauen callyd Penthapolis / To the whyche hauen the maister Marynar of the shypp had a
felowe To whom he gaaf in a sacke fyfthy pounde of hys Tynne ¶ But he wyllynge to make a prouâ— yf it were good / This his sayd felowe founde that it was ryght fyne syluer / Soo he broughte it agayne / ¶ ThenÌ„e the Marynar sayd to hym / I promyse the it is taken me for fyne Tynne / But I shall telle the / I trowe he that hath tornyd the water in to wyne By the prayers of the holy Patryarke haâ— the tornyd my Tynne in to syluer / ¶ And for to shewe verily that it 〈◊〉 Tynne he broughte his felowe to the shippe where the remenaunte of the sayd Tynne was / ¶ And whanne they were entred in to the sayd shyppe they â—â—de that al the forsayd Tynne was conuerted and chaunged in to syluer ¶ But the myracle well to be consyderyd and markyd was not lesse to merueyllyd thanne thoos that god made / ¶ The one was whanne he multeplyed fyue loues and two fisshes to the sustentacion and foode of fyue thousande men / ¶ The other whanne he tourned the waters of Egypte in to bloode / ¶ A nother tornynge the rodde by the hoÌ„de of Moyses in to a serpent / ¶ And a nother whanne many martyrs beynge in the fyre for to be brente / He tourned that fyre in a dewe / ¶ And therfore made god this chaungyng and tournyÌ„ge of Tynne in to syluer for to make this good Marynar his seruaunt rycher / In grasstynge to hym his mercy / ¶ Of a Ryche man that was fallen in grete pouertee / And begynnyth in latyn ¶ Descendente sanctissimo c. Caplm C.xv. THe holy Patryarke IohnÌ„ the Almoner on a Sondaye gooynge to the chyrche came byfore hym a poore man that some tyme hadd be ryche / And had hadde moche goode / But he had be robbyd of theues that had lefte hym noo thynge / wherof he myghte mayntene his poore lyfe ¶ Soo was he constrayned to begge his brede for goddis sake / And askyd of the sayd saynt Iohan the Almoner his almesse / ¶ The whyche hauynge compassyon of his wretchyd falle / And by cause he hadde somtyme noble fader and moder ordeyned that his Almoner sholde gyue hym the somme of fyftene pounde of golde / ¶ But the sayd Almoner complaynyng the grete almesses that the said saynt Iohan made was moche dysplaysed and aggreuyd of that he muste voyde out of hys hondes and take to this poore man so grete a somme of moneye / ¶ And for this cause he went Incontynent to speke wyth the Stiewarde that was wonte to gyue accountes of alle the moneye that eche daye were spente and alowed for the necessaryes of the sayde saynt Iohan / ¶ And to whom eche one made his acountes / and yelded his Rekenynge of the moneye that was taken by his hondes for to be tornyd to the sayd dedes and necessaryes / They two togyder spekynge and comynynge of thys forsayd matere bi the temptacoÌ„n of the cursyd spyryte Mammona the tempted theym of the brennynge and Insacyable synne of couetyse purposid concluded that of the sayd xv.li. of golde shold be taken out x. li and but v.li. gyuen to the sayd poore man the whyche thyng was soo done / ¶ Now it is trouth that theyr lorde saynt Iohan the Almoner was sore famyd renoÌ„med the he gladly dyde grete almesse / ¶ Wherfore many notable lordes other persones desirynge to playse hym / and somwhat to content his sauourous appetyte and the deuocoÌ„n that he hadd to recomfort the poore seruauntes of god / They gaaf sende oft tymes to hym grete somÌ„es of money for to gyue for goddis sake aswell for the helthe of the soules of some dede as for the prosperitee of them that were on lyue / ¶ And thus a ryche notable wydowe that had a chylde noo more· came towarde the sayd holy man / ¶ The whyche wydowe for some pytenous consyderacoÌ„us her monyge purposyd for to do certayn aâ—messes by the sayd holy manes honde / ¶ And for to doo this she toke hyÌ„ a lytyll wrytynge that she hadde wryten wyth her owne honde / By the whyche she lete hym vnderstonde that she wolde haue dealed to poore folke the somÌ„e of .v. C· li. ¶ And in receyuynge openynge of the sayd wrytyng by the sayd holy man He knewe by the wyll of god that she had be wyllynge for to doo her sayd almesse vnto the somÌ„e of xv huÌ„dred pode / ¶ Soo dyde be calle the sayd wydowe / And in the presence of his sayde Almoner and Styewarde / whyche in lyke wyse by the shewynge of god / he knewe to haue wythholde to theyr behouffe ten pounde of the fyftene pounde that he afore had ordeynyd to be yeue to the poore man that had he robbed / ¶ He charged the same wydowe that she sholde tell hym trouthe / Whyche she promysed hym to doo soo / Now herke sayd he my frende by the faythe that thou owest to god Haste not thou had late a wyll to make a gretter almesse than of fyue huÌ„dred pouÌ„de She answerde Ye / And that she herself had wryten the writynge that she had delyuerde vnto hym / And she was well certayne that by the sayd wrytyng she had declared that her wyll was to yeue fyttene huÌ„dred pouÌ„de for goddis sake to poore peple / ¶ But by cause that sone after as she wolde haue take the sayde wrytynge she had seen as she lokyd in â—â— that where she had wryten that her wyll was to giue an almesse of fyftene hundred pounde to the poore peple she founde but fyue hundred pounde oonly in nombre / And for this cause she had restrayned her fyrst wyll / And had purposyd thoughte that she sholde gyue oonly the sayd fyue hundred pounde / Supposynge by the retornynge chaunge of the sayd wrytynge the wyll of god to be / That she sholde not gyue but this fyue hundred pounde / And that she shold kepe the remenaunt for her sone / ¶ Thyse wordes soo spoken And after that she had delyuered to saynt Iohan the sayd fyue hundred pounde / And was gone from hym / He sayd to his sayde Stiewarde and Almoner / ¶ I praye to god that he call you and aske you ones acompte of a thousande pouÌ„de that this wydowe hath with holde as ye be bouÌ„de to yeue hem ayen ¶ For and yf he had taken to the poore man the xv.li. that I hadd ordeyned for hym / And wherof ye haue wythholde x.li our lord shold haue suffred that this wydowe sholde haue gyuen to the poore peple the same thousand pounde that she hath wythholde in her honde ¶ Thenne the sayd Almoner Styewarde knowynge theyr mysdedes prosternyd or â—aste theymself at his fete requyred hym mercy amendement and they sholde neuer doo suche a nother offence / ¶ Of Niceta Patrice ruler of the comyn wâ—ele in Alexandrye / Begynnynge in latyn ¶ Intuens niceta
for this cause by the holy Patryarke IohnÌ„ they were denouncyd acursyd / ¶ That one of theym tweyne knowleged his synne / But the other abydynin his obstynacy dyspysed the sayd sentence of cursynge / ¶ For he was well gladde to haue occasyon for to flee the chyrche to abyde in his wyckydnesse / And neuerthelesse he thretenyd the sayde Patryarke to dysplayse hym in hys persone / ¶ And men sayde comynly that it was he that had born to the Patryce Niceta the money of the chyrche that was taken vnder the bedde of the sayd Patriarke / And that had be yelden again afterwarde as it is sayd afore / ¶ The malyce of this outrageous acursyd maÌ„ was shewed to the holy Patryarke but this notwythstondyng he had of hym pyte / And remembred the worde of the apostle saynt Poul sayenge / Who is he that is seke not I / ¶ Now was the charyte of the sayd Patryarke soo grete / the whan he sawe one in synÌ„e he wepte vpon hym / And as to hym was aduys he felte well his sykenesse / ¶ He thenÌ„e made the sayd acursed man to be callid to hym / And waâ—tyd him of his conscyence as he was wonte to warne his other subgettes / ¶ But whan he sawe his euyll frowardnesse and that he was made harde in his synne / He lefte and forsoke hym as a rotyn membre / ¶ This neuerthelesse vpon a Sondaye the sayde Clerke beynge yet in his frowardes As the holy Patryarke came to the awter for to offre his sacryce vnto god / after his custome / ¶ He remembred hym of the counseylle of Ihesu Cryste that sayd / ¶ Whanne thou shalt brynge thine offrynge vnto the awter / And that thou shalt thynke that thy brother hathe some euyll wyll and hate agaynste the / Thou oughtest to leue that that thou woldest offre to god / And goo to hym thyne enmye for to reconcyle the wyth hym / ¶ Wherfore the holy Patryarke willynge to doo soo· sente Incontynent for the sayde acursyd man / And made the messager praye that he sholde come to speke wyth hym vnder surete / And whanne he was come / This holy Patryarke knelyd on his knees afore him And beloughte hym of mercy / ¶ Wherof it happed that the sayd acursyd persone had knowlege of his sinne and he hymselfe requyred mercy / ¶ Thorugh his humylyte was the prowde frowâ—de man mekyd in his pryde / ¶ And by his charytee was the hate of the sayde acursyd man paste / ¶ And fynably he dyde penaunce of the sinne that he had done / And had of it grete contrycyon dyspleysaunce / ¶ Of the noyse that the holy Patryarke IohnÌ„ had agaynst the Ruler Niceta / And begynnyth in latyn ¶ Deâ—mquidam / Caplm C.xix NEuer to haue noyse with a nother it is angels lyfe / SoÌ„tyme to stryue the one wyth the other it is manÌ„es lyf / Euermore to haue noyse hate it is a deuyls lyfe / ¶ To this purpose is to be noted that the holy Patriarke / for some right of the lawe Cyuyl had on a tyme questyon wyth the sayd Patrice Niceta / The questyon was suche that the Patrice wold haue certain trybute to be put sett of newe vpon the peple of the londe / The whiche thynge the sayd Patryarke wolde not consente / by cause that the poore folke sholde haue be hurte therby ouer sore / ¶ And for the grete varyaunce that fell therby they departed from eche other with wrath the one agaynst the other / ¶ Soone after att after none / aboute fyue of the clocke / The sayd holy Patryarke thynkinge in hymself that the wyse man oughte neuer to angre hymself for noo maner cause that it be sente his Archedeaken to the said ruler Niceta sent him onÌ„ly thise wordes ¶ DnÌ„e sol ad occasuÌ„est / That is asmoche for to say my lorde the sonne is nygh to goo vnder / After that Niceta had herde thise wordes he cowde not hold his couÌ„tenaunce but as fulfylled wyth the fyre of the holy ghoste camÌ„ to the sayd holy Patryarke the whiche whan he sawe hym he sayd to hyÌ„ / ¶ Alas thou arte welcome the sone of the chyrche obeyssauÌ„t to her coÌ„mauÌ„dements / ThenÌ„e they dyde enbrace eche other in token of grete loue After the whyche enbraginces the holy Patriarke began totake the worde said to hym in this wyse / ¶ My lord I praye the byleue me / For by cause I knowe the sore trowbled I wolde well haue spoke with the / for none other cause I couÌ„seylle warne the the in tyme to come thou byleue nomore noo reportes of false tales flaterers ¶ For yf thou woll lene thyne eeres vnto suche they shall gyue the a cause many euylles to begynne / And they shall counseylle the that thyÌ„ge whyche shall not be nother leyffull good ne prouffytable / ¶ For I haue founde myselfe dysceyued therby oftentymes / ¶ Wherfore to theyr reportes sayenges flaterynges and false accusacyons men oughte neuer to gyue credence nor faythe / ¶ Thenne the Patryce consyderynge the mekenesse and the fayr ensamples of the sayd Patryarke answerde that he sholde neuer byleue suche men / Nor sholde not gyue faythe byleue to theyr flaterynges ne to theyr wordes / ¶ But he sholde dyspyse theym and sette theym alle atte noughte / ¶ And by this manere meanes was peasyd that questyon that was bytwix theym for the cause aboue sayde / ¶ Of Gregori the neuew of tholy Patryarke / And begynÌ„yth in latyn ¶ Iste memoriabilis / Caplm C.xx BYtwene one namyd Gregory whiche was neuew of the sayd holy Patryarke a Tauerner of Alexandrye moeuyd a grete debate / In whyche this Gregory openly was sore wronged by shamefull wordes to hyÌ„ sayd by the sayd Tauerner / the whiche Gregory consyderyng· the he that was neuew of the sayd holy Patryarke had be thus dyspysed or fowle spoken vnto openly of a man Infamyd began to wepe right sore / And the holy Patryarke seenge the secrete dysplaysauÌ„ce sorowe that his neuewe made / wolde know what was the cause / Grogory herupon examined coude not for his grete anâ—e dyscharge nor shewe his courage in â—â—wyse nor speke wyth the sayd holy Patryarke / ¶ Neuertheles some that had herde seen the debate tolde hym a parte how it was / The holy Patryarke willyng to he le fyrste his neuew or euer he sholde enquyre ferder of the trouth of the befall sayd to hym for to comfort hym suche lyke wordes in substaunce / My neuew I am gretely merueyllyd· sore euyll apayd how that foole hath be so holde to open his mouth ayenst the / Byleue thou me I ensure the. that I shall doo this daye a thynge wherby all Alexandrye shall merueylle / ¶ And after seenge his anger heuinesse tempred peasen kyssed his sayd neuew sayd / My swete frende yf in folowynge
this mekenesse of me thou woll be my neuew / I praye the that thou woll be vtterly agreable content· for to endure suffre almanere repreyffes wronges of al persones / ¶ Certaynly it is true that the knowlege kynred comyth more of vertues than it doth of blood / And how wel the be myn owne neuew / Neuertheles for more grete sybbe kynred to haue with me / I praye the that thou be good vertues in alle thy dedes prayenge to god that he woll helpe socoure the in all thyne aduersytees that euer he make the to encrease in good werkes / ¶ Now they beyÌ„ge present wende that the said Tauerner sholde haue be scorged bete châ—uâ—h the towne for the repreuynge of the holy Patryarkes neuewe / But by his grete mekenesse he dyde the contrary / For he coÌ„maunded that he that toke trybute ouer alle the Tauerners sholde take in tyme comynge noo trybute of hym / ¶ And thus he was made free for the grete wronge that he had done to hys â—â—â—we ¶ ThenÌ„e knewe those present that this was that he wolde haue sayd that he shold doo suche a thynge wherof all Alexandrye sholde merueyle / ¶ Of the DyacoÌ„n of the sayd holy patryarke namyd Damyen / Begynnynge in latyn ¶ Nunciatum est et cetera Caplo· C.xxi. .xxii. IT was shewed to the sayd holy Patriarke· that one of his deakens namyd Damyen hadde coÌ„ceyued hate euyll wyll ayenst a nother / ¶ And it happed that vpon a sondaye this deaken wythoute to be reconcyled to hys enmye wolde receyue hys Creatoure / And to be admynystred by the honde of the sayd holy Patryarke / And presented hymself afore hym for this cause ¶ The Patryarke seeng his presumcoÌ„n rebukyd hyÌ„ byfore the clergye of the hate that he bare to his euin crysten / And sayd to hym or that he sholde receyue the blessyd sacrament of the awter· he wolde he sholde reconcyle hyÌ„ to his aduersary / For otherwyse he sholde not admynystre to hym the precyoê° body of our lord / ¶ ThenÌ„e the deaken taken wyth grete shame to haue be thê° corrected afor so many folke durst not dysobeye hym / And promysyd that he shold neuer haue in IndignacoÌ„n to hyÌ„ that he had hated soo sore but shold take hym from thens forth in grete loue / ¶ And thenÌ„e the sayd holy Patryarke seenge his contrycoÌ„n repentaunce admynystryd mekely hym the sayd holy sacrament / ¶ For reason of the whiche correccoÌ„n his subgets from the tyme for the dradde to haue hate rancour the one ayenst the other / Ferynge leest they sholde be corrected in suche wyse / Wherby it apperyth that a good pastour whan he knowyth in his folke amonge his subgets a wyckyd synnar obstynate / that he maye not brynge hym to good lyfe by secrete kynde exhortacoÌ„ns / he oughte to rebuke hym sharply openly to the ende he be constrayned by force sharpnesse / ¶ Of the tombe of saynt Iohan the Almoner the whyche he wolde not suffre to be full made / And begynnyth in latyn ¶ Diffinicionem / et cetera Caplm C.xxiii IN olde tyme whanne an Emperour was crowned / they that made the tombes brought him foure or fyue peces of marble of diuers colours / And askyd hym of whyche he wolde his tombe sholde be made / And by this was to hyÌ„ shewed that he muste ones deye / And that he ought to thyÌ„ke for his soule and to rule wel his empyre / ¶ The holy Patryarke that this wold haue in mynde commauÌ„ded that his tombe sholde be bygonne in the place where the other Patryarkes were buryed But he wolde not haue it ful made to the ende that they that sholde see it shold haue occasyon to tell him that he sholde doo make it vp in bryngyng hyÌ„ to mynde that he knewe not / what houre he sholde deye / And by this meane trowed to haue contynuell remembraunce of his deth aslonge as he was alyue / Wherby of lyght he eschewed to synne dedely ¶ Of the yeâ—tes that saynt IohnÌ„ the Almoner sent to the Patryarke of Iherusalem for a socoure agaynst the Paynyms / And begynnyth in latyn ¶ Domino c. Caplm C.xxiiii THe holy Patryarke IohnÌ„ seenge the dystruccoÌ„n of the temples of Iherusalem the whyche sholde be made by the Persyens for the synnes of the peple sente to the Patriarke of Iherusalem a thousande penyes· a thousande sackes full of where and a thousande hogges heedes of beenes peâ—sen to make potage wyth / A thousande pounde of yren a thousand tonne of wyne and a thousande Egiptyens cunnynge good werke men in makynge and buyldynge of chyrches / ¶ And he wrote to the sayd Patriarke in this manere / O very dyspensatoure of Ihesu cryste / I byseche the gyue me pardonne that I goo not to the / Truly I wold it were couenable that I myight goo thider for to buylde in the place of the ResurreccoÌ„n of Ihesu Cryst / ¶ Notwythstondyng I praye the that thou take as for a thynge of noughte the gyfte that I sende to the / But pray god oonly that he gyue me that preuylege to be wryten in the boke of lyf / ¶ How a marchauÌ„t gaaf to saynt Iohan the Almoner a ryche couerlet for to couere ouer his sory bedde / begynÌ„yth ¶ Arripuit scuÌ„s / Caplm C.xxv IN Alexandrye was a grete marchauÌ„te / the whiche knowyng that IohnÌ„ the holy Patryarke slepte on a sory bedde and was couered with a couerlet of wull sent him a nother couerlet of the price valew of xxxiii peâ—â— of golde Prayenge hym as it had not be for his honestee to haue a bedde soo euyll apparayled that he wolde laye it vpon his bedde hauyng hym in a remembrauÌ„ce / The holy Patryarke graunted to the request of the said marchaunt couered hym wyth alle the nyghte folowyng ¶ And as his chambrelayÌ„s dyde reherce shewe he sayd all nyght in hymself / Where is he that shall dare saye that the Patryarke IohnÌ„ is meke fyth that he is heelyd wyth a couerlett worth .xxxvi. pens of golde and the pore peple dey for colde / ¶ How many is there now that chattre her teeth for colde whyche haue no clothes to couer theymselfe wyth / ¶ How many holy faders in wyldernesse goo euery nyghte to bed wythout supper wythout lyghte haâ—ynge dowble passyon the one of colde thother of hungre / ¶ How many is there that sholde holde theymself well fedde wyth the leues of the coole wortes that men cast out of my kechin ¶ How many is there that wold haue of the broth that my coke castyth a waye And that wolde well haue of the wyne of my celler / ¶ How many pylgryinÌ„s is there in this towne that wote not where to lodge / And that chauÌ„ge not theyr clothes be it wynter or somer / How many is ther that syth
But they cowde not see hym noo morere / ¶ The mayster knowynge the vertues of Peter / And the place wherof he was come wonderfull sory of that he had boughte hym to be his bondman / ¶ And yet more by cause that he hadd sette hym to the offyce of his kechyn / Seenge that he was soo holy a persone And pryncypally they that callyd him foole and from his wytte / Whan they had knowlege of it they were sore troublyd wyth alle / And bare therfore grete penaunce / ¶ The whyche hystory rehercyd often the holy Patryarke / for to moeue the hertes of the Crysten to gyue gladly almesses of theyr goodes for goddis sake to poore folke / ¶ Of saynt Cerapyon / And begynnyth in latyn ¶ Omnibus et cetera / Caplm C.xxvii THe holy Patriarke IohnÌ„ that was cladde wyth alle vertues / reherced shewed gladly many good hystoryes / And pryncypally of theym that deuowtely dyde theyr almeses / ¶ One daye amonge other it happed that he reherced and shewed of saynt Scrapyon / otherwyse callyd Sydomyen / ¶ How that on a tyme amonge other in goynge by the waye he had gyuen hys mantell to a poore man / ¶ And after as he wente forthe on his waye He founde a nother poore man / that was al trowbled for colde / To the whyche poore man he gaaff his gowne / And abode all nakyd / Beryng onÌ„ly a boke of gospels / ¶ Soo was he anone mette of a man / that askyd hym Who had thus dyspoylled hym / ¶ To whom in shewynge the sayde boke of gospels wyth his fynger he answeryd in this manere / ¶ The same hath done it / As he wolde saye that she 〈◊〉 of the sayd gospels hadde constraynyd hym to gyue for goddis sake bothe his mantell and his gowete / ¶ It happed after one tyme amonge other that he solde the sayde gospels / And in lykewyse gaaf the moneye that he had for it for goddis sake ¶ Soo after his clerke vnknowynge that his mayster had solde the sayd boke / questyoned of hym where were his gospels / ¶ And the sayd holy man answered hym mekely in this wyse / Truely my sone god hath commaunded that men sholde selle all that they haue for to gyue to the poore for goddis sake / ¶ And therfore haue I solde the same gospels / And the moneye therof I haue gyuen for his loue to the poore peple / ¶ A nother thynge a more wonderful dede done of the sayd holy man / A pore woman wente towarde hym / sayenenge to hym in this wyse / That she her chyldren by grete pouertee and â—â—ede deyed for hungre / ¶ The sayd holy man seenge that he hadde noo thynge to gyue to this poore woman but oonly hymselfe / ¶ And consyderynge yf she wolde selle hym to the Grekes / She sholde well haue money for hym ¶ For the Grekes had a custome that they boughte men and wymmen straungers fro theyr nacyon / ¶ And sayde vnto her thyse wordeâ— / ¶ My frende I haue noo thynge to gyue the / But I shalt lern the how them shalt haue moneye for to socour the and thyne at thy nede / ¶ Thou shalt sell me to the Grekes and shalt take the moneye for â—◠¶ The poore woman herynge thyse wordes was alle asharayd / But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he enfourmed her soo that she 〈◊〉 â—â—â—ente for to selle hym / And in 〈◊〉 she solde hym to Marchauntes of Gâ—â—ke ¶ Wherof it happed by the will of god That wythin a shorte tyme afâ—â— he torned all the Grekes to the crysten faythe / ¶ The holy Patryarke this consyderynge sayd to hymself / ¶ Alas I wenâ—â— to haue doone some good for to gyâ—â— that that god had gyuen / But I geâ—â— not soo grete Rewarde as doone my 〈◊〉 that gyue not onÌ„ly theyr goodes but also put theyr owne bodyes for the compassyon and piâ—e that they haue of theyr neyghbours / ¶ We other thenÌ„e that are bywrapped wyth many synÌ„es and ytâ—â—ue neyther ourself nor our goodes / ought wel to drede the rightwysnes of god / And therto we sholde wel take hede consyderyng that by almesses we may saâ—e ourself lyghtly / ¶ How the holy Patryarke wolde not herken to the acusacions that men made agaynst the Relygyouses / And begynnyth in latyn ¶ Semper quidem Caplm Cxxviii· THe holy Patryarke lefte neuer noo Relygyouses to haue ony nede / Soo that thei were of holy conuersacyon / And also wolde not here speke nor herken to theym that sayd euyll by theym / ¶ Wherof it happed ones that a Relygyouse that wente from strete to strete sekynge his brede wyth a fayre yonge mayde / Mette wyth some euyl folke / The whyche came and shewed to the holy man / How that the sayd Relygyouse went thrugh the cyte / And how he shamyd all other Relygyouses / ¶ The holy Patryarke weninge to correcte the synne of the sayd Religious made the sayd mayde to be rebukyd and departed from his felyshypp / ¶ And soone after was the Relygyouse sore beten and casten in pryson / ¶ The nyghte folowynge apperryd to the sayde Patryarke in his slepe a Relygyous that shewed him his backe al rotyn and sayd to hym / ¶ O Patryarke it is thy wyll that it be soo done / I promyse the that thou haste atte this tyme erryd as a man / And byleue that I saye / For the lyfe the dethe are nyghe me / And this sayenge he wente awaye / ¶ The nexte daye folowynge in the mornynge eerly the holy Patryarke sente for the forsayde Relygyouse for to vnderstonde yf he cowde know whether it was he of whom the forsayd Vysyon was apperyd shewed vnto hym / ¶ And whanne he was broughte byfore hym / Seenge hys vysage pale he was all ashamyd / ¶ After by cause he wolde see his backe / for to wyte yf it was rotyn as that other that he sawe in a vysion / Prayed hym that he wolde vnclothe hym· and that he sholde not be ashamyd / ¶ The poore relygyous had all his lyâ—nes soo sore that he had almost noo power to reâ—eue hym / Neuerthelesse wyth moche payne vnclothed himself / ¶ And it was founde that he had noo membres manly and his backe was all rotin / ¶ ThenÌ„e the holy Patryarke sent all his seruauÌ„tes out of the chambre and callid to him the sayd religyous / And askyd hyÌ„ why he ladd that mayde wyth hym / SayeÌ„g to hym that all folke pryncypally religyouses oughte to kepe hemself from sklaundre shame / and aboue all thinges fro companye of wymÌ„en / ¶ The relygyous answerde that it was not loÌ„ge agoo that he was in the cite of GazaÌ„ And as he wolde haue come thens / after leue taken of his abbot Cirus the sayd mayde whyche was a Sarrasyn was come to hym abowte euen had prayed hym that he wolde not leue her by cause she wold
be Crysten / He thenÌ„e consyderynge her good wyll and ferynge to offende god / Yf by his neclygence she had not contynued in her holy purpoos Hopyng also that the deuyll sholde not dysceyue hym by her Had taken on his way wyth her and had born her felyshypp vnto the cyte of Alexandrye / Where he had existned her and sought a place for to haue her in to relygyon / And this doynge they asked theyr breede thorugh the cyte / The holy Patryarke seenge the holy affeccoÌ„n that he had to the soule of the good mayde begâ—â— for to crye / ¶ Alas how many good seruauntes of god 〈◊〉 is the worlde vnknowen / ¶ And after he gaaf hym aâ— hundred pens / But the relygyous wolde none take / Sayeng that it was not that he soughte / ¶ And that all relygyouses that ben of good fayth haue noo nede of syluer / ¶ And yf that they haue nede / Men maye well saye that they haue noo fayth / ¶ Thenne the Patryarke bowed his knees byfore hym and recommended hym to god / ¶ And after loued maintened and lodged the relygyouses more tenderly than he hadd done afore / ¶ And after for the grete affeccyon and feruent loue that he had to them dide buylde an hospytall without the cyte of Alexandrye that he namyd the hospytall of Relygyouses / ¶ How the holy Patriarke vysited the 〈◊〉 in â—ourynge to theyr dethe warde ¶ And of hym that was broughte pryâ—â—â—er in Perse / And begynnyth in latyn ¶ Mortalitate et cetera Caplm C.xxix A Grete dethe happed in Alexandrye in the holy Patriarkes dayes / Durynge the whiche dethe / For to purchace gretter mede / And also for to shewe a token of mekenesse to all other / He wente and vysyted the lyke / and helped to wynde them whan they were decessed / ¶ And often for to haue a contynuell mynde of dethe / He â—â—syd they re eyen after that they were deed / ¶ And after made deuowte prayes and orysons for the helthe of theyr poore soules / ¶ And for to shewe that prayers and orysons that ben doone deuowtely profyten to the deed / Here after is rehercyd a fayre hystory of a maÌ„ the whyche was taken and broughte prysoner in to Perse / And was putt in a pryson that is callyd Lethe / Whyche is as moche for to saye as Forgetynge Or to be putt oute of Remembraunce ¶ Some that fledde from thens for to goo in to Ethypre / Passed by the howse of the frendes of the sayd prysonere / And they were questyoned yf they had not mette nor seen theyr kynnesman / ¶ Wherat they answeryd that wych theyr owne hondes they hadd buryed hym / ¶ Alwayes it was not the same / But it was a nother that was well lyke hym / ¶ And for to certefye the better that it was he they namyd the monyth and also the daye that he deyed ¶ The sayd frendes bi cause they wende thise mennes sayenges to be true dyde do make thre seruyses euery yere for theyr sayde kynnesman / ¶ That is to wyte one att the feeste of the Epyphanye that we calle Tweluyfthdaye / the other vpon the holy Sondaye that is Trynyte Sondaye And the thyrde at the feeste of Pentecost otherwyse called Wytsondaye ¶ It happed that foure yere after the sayd prysoner came ayen To whom his frendes rehercyd tolde hym / That by cause men had reported to them that he was deed they made for him vpon thise dayes and euery yere the sayd seruyses / ¶ The whyche thyng by hym herde of theym / He affermyd to theym for a trouthe / That he beynge wythin the sayde pryson / euery yere and the same dayes came to hym a man alle in whyte that loosyd hym his chaynes wherwyth he was bounde And preseruyd hym from theym that kepte him / And after went beryng hys chaynes att his necke wythout the knowlege of ony man / ¶ Wherfore he concluded that oryson prouffytyth moche to the prysoners vpon the Turkes and Sarrasyns / And pryncypally to theim that ben deed / ¶ Of hym that prayed for his sone and for his shyppe that was vpon the see / by cause it sholde not perysshe / And begynnyth in latyn / ¶ Quod in actibus aplorum / Caplm C.xxx SVche a nother thynge we rede of the holy Patriarke in the boke of the dedes of thapostles· that many deuowte crystens seenge the grete coÌ„passion that he had toward the poore solde moche of theyr goodes broughte the money therof to the holy man for to be dreased by hyÌ„ to the poore / ¶ Amonge the other was one that had onÌ„ly but .vii. pouÌ„de of golde an halfe / that whiche somÌ„e he brought to the sayd holy man sayenge that it was all the golde that he had in his possessoÌ„n / ¶ And as he toke him this golde He sayd that he had onÌ„ly a sone of .xv. yere of aege the whyche wyth a shyppe was gone in to Affryque ¶ And bi cause he was in grete thoughte malencolye of that he came not ayen soo soone as he was acustomyd besoughte hym that he wold pray god that he wolde saue hym his sone brynge his shyppe ayen to port salw / the holy Patryarke was merueylled of the goodnes and· kindnesse of this marchaunt that had gyue all his golde att oâ—â— almesse / ¶ Soo toke he soone the sayd golde and put it vnder a table halowed prayenge god deuoutly for the helthe of his sone of his shippe / ¶ Thirty dayes after came tydynges that hys sone was dysceased but thre dayes after the sayd tydynges his shyppe came and also his sone that neuertheles was drowned in comyng wythin the hauen the goodes wythin the shyppe lost / there abode oonly but one lytyll boote / All this befall was reported to the sayde holy Patryarke And how the fader was more sory onÌ„ly for the deth of his sone than for the losse of his goodes / the holy man consideryng his grete sorow durste not make hym come afore hym / ¶ But neuertheles he sent hym worde that he shold take his Infortune in pacyence bi cause our lorde made no thynge wythout a cause all be it that we knowe not the same or wyll not knowe it / And therfor he leuyth neuer those that do ony good but rather whan they suffre ony aduersitees or trybulacoÌ„ns yf they retourne to hym soone or late they ben coÌ„forted / ¶ Soone after the good marchaunte sawe in his dreme a man lyke vnto the holy Patryarke the sayd to hyÌ„ / My broder why trowblest thou thiself takest soo moche heuynesse / Hast not the prayed me that thy sone mighte be sauyd / Certaynly thy prayer is harde for surely yf he lyued he were in daungeâ—ur to be dampned for the euylles that he sholde haue done / ¶ I ensure the yf iâ— had not be by the gyfte that thou beste doone to me /
They of the shyppe 〈◊〉 haue be perysshyd and so sholde not thy sone haue escaped fro euerlastyÌ„ge dampnacoÌ„n ¶ The marchauÌ„t thenÌ„ wâ—ll coÌ„forted awoke came to the holy Patryarke for to shew him the caas thanked hym of his prayer / ¶ TheÌ„ne the holy Patryarke heuyng his hondes to heuen sayd / O my god I thanke the that thou gladly herest enhauÌ„cest the prayers of the poore synÌ„ars / After he sayd to the marchauÌ„t / ¶ My frende byleue not that this vysion is come to the by my prayers but onÌ„ly by the grete fayth that thou hast had to our lorde / ¶ Of a coueytous bisshopp the whiche â—â—â—yd moneye Inordynatly ouermoche / And begynÌ„yth in latyn ¶ Vrgehat c. Caplm C.xxxi OFt tymes the holy Patryarke IohnÌ„ went to vysite the pore that were in a place called CesariuÌ„ In whyche place he had do make mattes beddyng for to lay theim vpon in Wynter / ¶ Wyth hym on a tyme amoÌ„ge other vysityng the sayd poore folke was a bysshop namyd Troyle whiche made thenÌ„e to be broughte wyth hym by one his Attourneye xxx.li of golde for to bye certayne plate to serue at his borde / ¶ The holy Patryarke that knew well his Intencyon / sayd vnto hym in spekynge of the poore peple / Troyle I pray the loue the bredern of Ihesu Cryste / ¶ After whyche wordes thus sayd by the Patryarke and well markyd by the sayd bysshopp / As all ashamyd coÌ„maunded to hym that bare his golde that he sholde gyue it to the poore / And after that they came ayen to the cyte / and as they were in the waye / the bysshopp Troyle that was right sory that he hadd gyuen agaynste his wyll the sayde .xxx. pouÌ„de of golde angred hyÌ„self soo sore for it that a stronge feuer toke hym so feruently that he was from hyÌ„selfe And the holy Patryarke whan he was come to his hous was set at the table sent for the sayd bysshop for to come to dyner take his refeccoÌ„n wyth hyÌ„ but he answerde that he myght not goo / that the feuer was soo stronge vpon him that he myght not ryse from his bed / ¶ The holy Patryarke knowyng hym thê° syke thoughte it was for grete malencolye that he toke for his golde that he had gyuen ayenst his wyll ¶ And by cause he knewe this bysshopp to be sore vexed tormented And for this cause he myghte not take his refeccyon / ¶ He wente to the bedde where he laye syke and sayde to hym / ¶ Troyle be of goode there comfort And reioyce thyselfe att my comynge / Dydest thou ymagyne otherwyse whaÌ„ I tolde the that thou shold gyue thy gold to the poore peple but that it was my wyl to gyue vnto the ayen all togyder / Truely my wyll was soo Holde here is thy hoole somÌ„e whyche I beynge to the / And whan he sawe in the holy manÌ„es hondes all his golde he fonde hymself aswel dysposyd of his comynge / as though he had brought a good medycyne / wherof he sholde haue recouered his good heele / And so the holy man toke hyÌ„ his golde ayen / ¶ But in this doynge he askyd hyÌ„ a letter of his honde how he forsoke the meryte that he myght haue gote in gyuynge his money for goddis sake· the whiche bysshopp made to hym a wrytyÌ„g wherof the tenour was suche / ¶ O my god yeue to my maister IohnÌ„ Patryarke of the grete cyte of Alexandrye the meryte of the xxx li of golde that I had gyuen to the poore / peple For I haue receyued theym ayen / The sayd holy Patriarke kepte well the sayd wrytyng and broughte the sayd bysshop to dyner wyth him / To whom after fewe dayes to th ende he were stired to socour gladly the poore peple / Oure lorde gyuer of rewardes wold shewe in a dreme what rewarde he had lost / So saw he in this dreme a grete palays â–ª so costelew soo fayr builded that al maÌ„kynde cowde haue discerne it / And amonge the grete rychesses of the same palays was the gate all of fyne golde / Vpon whyche was wryten / This palays is euerlastynge / the reste of Troyle / ¶ And as he was redyng the sayd superscripcoÌ„n came sodenly a notable persone as a chaâ—brelayn acompanyed of many seruaunters / To whom he hadde that they sholde take awaye the same superscrypcoÌ„n / And that they shold â—â—te in that place / that whyche the sâ—â—ersyn kynge hadd ordeyned The whiche thynge they dyde / And theyr wrytynge was this / ¶ It is the palayes euerlastynge of IohnÌ„ the Patryarke and archebysshopp of Alexandrye boughte by hym for xxx.li of golde / The whyche vysyon the sayde bysshopp rehercyd aforsayd Patriarke ¶ And from that â—â—me forthe he was a grete almesse yoâ—â— Hauinge euer more after strongly compassyon of the poore / ¶ Of the shyppes of the chyrche / And how al the goodes that were theâ—â— were lost / Whyche chapytre begynnyth in latyn ¶ Dominê° qui diuician cetera Caplm C.xxxii TRue it is that our lord whiche toke from Ioh all his goodes for to preue 〈◊〉 pacyence / 〈◊〉 for to gyue vs ensample to haue it 〈◊〉 alle oure aduersytees / Toke also from the holy Patryarke Iohan all his godes / ¶ For as the shippes of his chirche were in the see laded with all the â—â—â—ur of the chirche att a place namyd â—â—hyra / The Patrons of the said shippes of the chyrche were constrayned 〈◊〉 eschewe the lyckely peryll and gretâ—â— daungeour of theyr owne persones and vesselles to caste alle theyr goodes in to the see / ¶ And Incontynent that they were come in to the cyte of Alexandrye Ferynge to be trowbled· vexed and not in pryson / Wente alle to the chyrche for to kepe there the fraunchyse and â—â— betters / ¶ The holy Patryarke heryng 〈◊〉 â—â—ynges / and the cause why they â—nderstaÌ„de / wrote to theym wyth hys 〈◊〉 â—onde sayenge / Bredern be not say not angre not yourself Our lorde hath take from vs his goodes as it hathe playsyd hym His good playsure be done / Come surely oute of the chyrche 〈◊〉 â—â—â—nysour god shall puruey for vs 〈◊〉 one daye to the other / The daye folowyng the cyteyzyns wolde haue come to hym for to comforte hym / But he came ayenst theym and beganne to saye to theym / ¶ O my chyldern be not angry for the losse of the shyppes / Certaynly I am for my synne the cause of the destruccoÌ„n / by cause I was proude of the alâ—esses that I haue done in tyme passe / Ymagynynge to haue had mede to yoâ—â— that â— was your owne / And the â—â—â—oce god sendyth me now this fortune for to meke myselfe / ¶ Almesse oft playsyth the hert of man and makith to gloryfye hymself wythout rayson / Wherfor it oughte to be done secretly in humylyte / ¶ It is no fortune to haue grete
they durste not by cause that one of theyr felowes whiche had spoken of him had be Incontynent tormented of the deuyll / Wherfore they durste neuer be soo bolde to speke therof / ¶ The sayd corps was after honestly brought to sepulcre / ¶ And he that was vexed of the deuyll abydynge vpon the graue / was by the grace of god Incontynent hoole souÌ„de / And forsakyÌ„ge the worlde putt hyÌ„self religyous vnder thabbot Seridoiâ—e desyred that the lytyll hous that the abbot Vytall had in his life shold be delyuerde vnto hyÌ„ / ¶ The holy Patryarke after al thyÌ„ges by him well consydred thanked our lorde god of that he had not synÌ„ed ayeÌ„st the sayd abbot / by cause he byleuyd not lyÈtly theym that accused hyÌ„ of lecherye / ¶ Many sekynge the sayd holy abbot Vitall recouerde helth were heled of dyuers sykenesses / ¶ Of a begger whiche in askyÌ„g an almeses of the sayd Patriarke spake grete wordes ayenst hyÌ„ / And begynÌ„yth in latyn ¶ Precipiens / Caplm C.xli. A Beggar for to aske an almese came to the holy Patryarke that made to be gyuen vnto hym x. peces of money But this beggar not content began to speke euyll ayenst hyÌ„ spekyÌ„ge of hym in his presence dyuerse wroÌ„ges that whiche his seruauÌ„tes myght not endure· but wold haue corrected hyÌ„ But the Patriarke wold not suffre theym doo so / but sayd to his seruauÌ„tes offycers / My bredern leue the poore man It is all redy .lx. yere paste that dayely thrugh my neclygences otherwyse I haue done many offences to my god· that whyche he playeth mekely in yeuynge vnto me example / And for the loue of hyÌ„ I ought well to endure a wrong yf it be done to me / ¶ After he coÌ„mauÌ„ded the men shold open the purs to the poore where the money was put that shold be yeue for goddis sake for to take therof asmoche as he wolde / ¶ Of the questyons that the holy Patryarke made vnto the poore peple Begynnyng in latin ¶ Si vero ca. / C.xlii. OFte tymes the holy Patryarke knowyÌ„g the some of his subgettes were grete almesse gyuers / sent for theym that they shold come vnto hyÌ„ / And aft he questyoned theym how they dyde theyr almesses other naturelly or by constraynt / Some by syÌ„plenes answerde noo thynge / the other gaaf therof certayn reasons causes / Amonge whyche one of theym that was a ChauÌ„ger sayd vnto him suche wordes Certaynly my lorde I dyde neuer noo goode but neuertheles that whiche I haue yeue to the poore / that was for to folowe that / In time past I haue be cruel without mercy / Wherfore I haue had many hurtes / Soo came to me ones in mynde that yf I wexed an almes gyuer god sholde neuer leue me vnpuruâ—yed / Wherfor I hadd of custome that I gaaf euery daye v. pens of syluer / But the deuyll teÌ„pted me put in my entendement that the vpens that I gaaf were suffisauÌ„t for to nourysshe my meyne / by his temptynge I left to yeue for goddis sake / After warde retornyng to myself / I coÌ„mauÌ„ded to my sone that he shold robbe me eche daye v. pens that he shold yeue theym for goddis sake / My sone hath euer done the that I haue coÌ„maunded hyÌ„ ouer this whan he perceyued the godes in my house to be encreased / He dyde encrease my almesse / And in lyke wyse consydering sayd to my sone / My childe I knowe that the .v. pens that the hast gyuen for goddis sake hath profyten me moche / So woll I that thou yeue .x. pens frohens forthe / He answerde to me smylynge / My fader pray for my theftes certaynly yf I had not be a theyf / we myghte well haue deyed for huÌ„gre / yf ony theyf were euer Iust I haue be so / ¶ The holy patryarke knowyng of this thyng / gloryfyed god of the wysdom of this childe / ¶ Of a prynce the hated a nother prynce / begynÌ„yth ¶ MaliciaÌ„ / ca. C.xliii SOmtyme was grete hate bytwene .ii. pryÌ„ces· wherof thoâ—e was by the holy Patryarke many tymes moeuyd to haue agreed with the other but therto he wold neuer acorde / ¶ On a tyme the sayd Patryarke called to hyÌ„ the sayd obstynat prince brought hym in to his oratory wyth a seruauÌ„t of his / ther in theyr presence he songe masse / In sayeng that whiche after the consecracoÌ„n eleuacoÌ„n of the precyoê° body of our lorde where the Pater nost behouyth to be sayd they .iii. sayde togider vnto thise wordes Et dimitte 〈◊〉 his debita â—raÌ„ sicut et nos dimittâ—â—â— debitoribusâ—ris In whiche wordes â—e pray to god our creatour that it wâ—ll playse hyÌ„ to foryeue our defautes like as we foryeue those that ben done ayeÌ„st vs / And afore that they began the sayd clause the sayd Patryarke cessed his speche coÌ„mauÌ„ded his seruauÌ„t to kepe his tonge styll So ended the prince al alone the same clause / the Patryarke after sayd to hyÌ„ Auyse see my broder how thou spekest ferfully to god ayenst thyself In prayenge hyÌ„ that he pardon that as thou pardonÌ„est the other netheles thou doost therof noo thynge / the prynce thenÌ„e meked hymself promysed to the sayd holy Patryarke that he shold do as he wold haue hyÌ„ to doo / ¶ How the holy Patryarke constrayned by his humylyte the proude to be meke / begynÌ„yth in ¶ Suê‘buÌ„ auteÌ„ ca· C.xliiii YF the holy Patryarke knewe in the cyte ony that was proude / He neuer rebuked hyÌ„ opeÌ„ly but in one secrete place or in his house for to doo so he drew hyÌ„self nie him / layed to hym the mekenes of IhuÌ„ cryst / to hyÌ„ shewing how he that was god had take our maÌ„kynde / soÌ„tyme sayd / I merueyle me / syth that my god hath be so meke how man may reyse hiÌ„self other for the godes of fortune or whaÌ„ he is fayrer than other beÌ„ / or whaÌ„ he hath lordshyp ouer some other / Alas we herke not after IhuÌ„ cryste the sayth / My chyldern lerne of me for I am meke / by this ye shal doo the wee le of your soules / We in lyke wyse thyÌ„ke not vpon the mekenesse of sayntes / how they helde themself to be erthe asshes wormes of the erth / pryncipally how Ysayas sayd of hyÌ„selfe / Why am I not meke Haue not I be made of the fylthe wherof the tyles ben made / All the playsure of this world passyth to an ende as the floure or herbe that fro the mornynge to the euen is torned in haye ¶ WhaÌ„ the Patriarke sayd suche wordes / they that felt themself â—ike of the greuoê° euyll of pryde / toke the wordes for theim corrected theimself / ¶ A sermon that the holy Patriarke made to yeue emsaÌ„ple of mekenes begynnyth ¶ Et hec Caplm ·
good purpoos / ¶ But in gooynge by the way the one wyth the other / Hopynge this holy man to haue her in to some monastery of relygyouse wymÌ„en / walked togyder so longe that they came to a chyrche at the entree of whyche they fonde a moche fayre chylde that laye on the grouÌ„de / ¶ The whiche this Porphyre moeuyd of pyte compassyon toke bare bytwyx her armes and sith nourisshed hym in the sayde abbots monastery / that whyche soone after made this Porphire a woman of religyon and made her to be callyd Pelage / ¶ Afore that sheâ— was relygyous she beynge yet in the sayd abbots monasteri MarchauÌ„tes came thyder of the cyte of Thyre that well knewe the sayde Pelage / And seenge that she had a chylde sayd to her / ¶ Haa dâ—me ye haue broughte forthe a fayr chylde to the abbot / ¶ Many other dyspytes the sayd to her and to the abbot also / Vi. or vii yere after that the childe was grete the abbot knewe by the wyll of god that in short time he shold deye / for this cause he gaaf to vnderstoÌ„de vnto this Pelage that he must nedes for certain causes go vnto the sayd cyte of Thyr / so coÌ„maunded her to make redy herself thyderwarde wyth hym and that she sholde take her chylde wyth her / ¶ Pelage that wolde not dysobeye hym toke the childe they thre togyder went in to the sayd towne / ¶ And whan they were came thider the abbot laye Incontynent syke in his bed / ¶ ThenÌ„e were tydynges shewed thrugh the cyte how the abbot that hadde ladde awaye Porphyre the â—â—â—yn woman was at poynt of dethe And anone went and vysited hym more than a hundred persones in nombre ¶ In presence of whom and also of Pelage and of the yonge chylde / The abbot callyd after cooles quycke glowyng / ¶ And Incontynent that they were broughte to him / He putt theym vppon his gowne / and sayd this / My bredren byleue that like as god kept somtyme byfore Moyses the busshe brennynge wythout to be apayred nor brente / And as att this presente houre he kepeth my gowne from harme of thise cooles glowynge / ¶ Thus for very certane I tell you that I neuer knewe the synne of this woman· wherof I am accused / Shewynge to theym beynge present the same woman and the chylde / ¶ All they were merueylled and gloryfyed god of the myracle / ¶ And anone after that the holy abbot had taken awaye the false oppynyon that they of Thyr had ouer hym he bytoke his goost in the hondes of our lorde / ¶ For this cause the holy Patryarke for said deffended that folke sholde not gyue noo sentence ouer the yonge man that had broughte the woman of Relygyon oute of her monastery as it is aboue sayde / ¶ More ouer sayd the holy Patryarke that how well men seen ofte the synners perfourme the synne of fornycacyon / Neuerthelesse men ought not to dyspyse theym nor reporte synnars / ¶ For men knowe not what secrete penauÌ„ce they haue done for to decerue the grace / ¶ And in like wise this he sayd of all other synnars / ¶ Suche ben playsauntly clothed and well arayed that who soo sholde take his vesture from his backe dame Penaunce vnder his clothes sholde be fouÌ„de / ¶ Of two Clerkes that made shone begynnyth in latyn ¶ Duobus clericis c· Caplm C.li. DVrynge the tyme that the forsayde holy Patryarke dwellyd in Alexandrie two clerkes were there that made shone for to gete theyr liuyng ¶ Th one had many chyldern to fede / And beside this he nouryshed his fader his moder / ¶ And how be it that he was constrayned to werke contynuelli for cause of the grete charge that he bare / Neuertheles he serued god dayely and herde masse sayenge many prayers and orysons / But that other hadde his thoughte all sette vpon his werke / ¶ And not oonly the dayes that were suffred and assygned to doo lawfully all manere of hondwerke But also he wroughte vpon the sondayes / vppon all other solempne dayes wherin is for boden that noo manere of hondwerke shold be vsyd / And namely thrugh the grete luste that he sett to his werke for lucre of money he slouthed the seruyce of god and herde neuer masse / ¶ But what soeuer payne that he toke he mighte not liue nor mayntene hyÌ„self Where by he fel in enuye agaynst his felow And askyd hym how it myght be that he was richer than he· seenge the grete charge that he had and also that he wrought not soo moche as he dyde / Thys other desyrynge to styre his felowe towarde god and to serue hym sayd vnto hym / That he had founde a tresour in the grounde / wherof he was become ryche / And that yf he wolde kepe hym felyshypp and goo wyth hym he sholde gyue hym parte of that he shold fynde / Where vnto he was agreed / Promysynge to here hym coÌ„panye and to goo wyth hym where some euer he wolde lede hym / ¶ Vnder shadowe of whyche promyse the seruaunt of god sette hym many dayes for goo here masse / And soo moche he vsyd hym therin / that he cowde not leue but that he went euery day to the chyrche for to here masse and serue god / And afterwarde he wexed so ryche that lyÈtly wythout nede he had from that tyme forthon to lyue more honestly wythout comparyson than he dyde afore / ¶ Wherby it apperyth that we ought fyrste to seke the reame of heuen / And god shall socour vs in our dedes / ¶ The holy Patryarke forsayde whan he knewe how this good faythfull hadd conuerted his felowe to serue god / By cause also hym thoughte he was worthi to be a preest for was he â—â—tred ynouÈ of good maners / he ordened hym to the holy order of preesthode / ¶ How the holy Patriarke was called of god for to decesse out of this worlde And begynnyth in latin ¶ Et quidem Caplm C.lii IT happed bi the suffraunce yf god that Alexandrye was subdued of theim of Perse by force of armes / The whiche aduersytee serâ—ge this holy man / and consyderynge the godly counseyle whiche is written in holy scrypture sayenge / ¶ Yf one â—egyoâ— is contrary / Goo to a nother / He made his purpoos to retourne in to Ethyper in the cyte where he was borne / ¶ The whiche thynge knowynge the Patryâ—s Niceta requyred hyÌ„ besyly that he sholde goo to the cheyf cyte of the citees for to exhorte the emperours to lyue vertuously / ¶ The holy Patryarke that neuer refusyd noo thynge that was leyfful good to noo maner of persone / coÌ„sented for to goo wyth the sayd Patryce / The shippes were Incontynent made redy and they toke the see / ¶ It happed by the wyll of god that the shyppe wherin were thise Patryarke Patrice was in
daungeour to be drowned / The holy Patryarke thenÌ„e toke vpon hym for to comforte the poore folke that were in the same vessell / And wyth theym he called the grace of almyghty god ¶ Soo sawe he in this stormous tempeste a man vpryght byfore hym / Hauynge the face of a wonderfull briÈtnesse holdyÌ„ge in his honde a ceptre al of golde / The whiche man sayd to hym / Patryarke come on for the kynge of kynges askith for the / ¶ Thenne the holy Patryarke thynkynge vpon the sayde vysion / Incontynent he callyd the Patrice Niceta vnto hym and wyth grete syghes teeres he shewed it vnto hym Sayenge how the emperour of emperours regnynge in heuen had callyd hym And that without fawte he might not goo to theÌ„perour of the erthe to whom the sayd Niceta wolde brynge hym / ¶ The good Patrice herynge the wordes of the holy Patryarke was moche sory of his departynge and gladde of his helthe / Soo sente he hym ayen there as he wolde goo / That is to wyte in the reame of Chypre in the cyte of Amathanque / where he hadde taken his â—â—tynite / ¶ The fourme of his Testament folowyth / And begynnyth in latyn ¶ Adueniente / Caplm C / liii AFter that the holy Patryarke was come in Chypre in the cyte namyd AmathuÌ„que where he was borne / He askyd after penne ynke for a skynÌ„e of parchemin / And in contynent he made his Testamente to be wryten in manere as here folowyth ¶ I IohnÌ„ fyrst bonde sith afrauÌ„chised made free by the dygnytee of preesthode of the grace of god to me yeuen To the my god I yelde graces of that it hath pleysed the to enhauÌ„ce my prayer to the wee le of my soule / It is that att the houre of my dethe men shall fynde in my tresour but onely do piece of money / ¶ Whan I was promoted to the dignytee of Archebysshopp ensacred receyued in the holy chyrche of Alexandrye / The whiche dignytee by the leue and InspyracoÌ„n I haue obteyned I foÌ„de there tresours wythoute nombre / I thenÌ„e knowyng that the sayd tresours were bylongyng to god purposed to yelde vnto him ayen that that was his owne by cause that now of all the sayd tresours is to me in remaynyng but onÌ„ly the pyece of money forsayd whyche byloÌ„gyth vnto god· I coÌ„mauÌ„de that it be yeue vnto hym ayen in to the hondes of the pore folke his seruauÌ„tes / ¶ O thyng ryghte gloryoê° worthy to be rehercyd O ye riche that haply haue gadred your money tresours vniustely the whiche ye woll kepe holde as your owne noo thynge wol yeue for goddis sake but hyde kepe them as ye myght bere theim with you / Loke now wyth me in this myrrour consydryng how the holy Patriarke gadred a tresour that neuer can be mynysshyd as worldly riches is / ¶ Certaynly we ought to bileue that he is worthy to be glorified / For our lord sayth in his gospell / Who soeuer shall honour or gloryfye me I shall gloryfye hyÌ„ / ¶ It is so that for the worshyp of our lorde for to exalte his praysynge he founded many monasteryes in whiche he ordened grete multytude of Relygyouses / that contynuelly gaue lawde praysynge to god For whiche cause is to him rewarded that meryte of al the orisons there made of the sayd relygyouses / ¶ And to the ende that by fable lesynge this that afore is of hym wryten be not reputed / We haue therof a veri knowlege that he was of the nombre of the Iust / ¶ For after that he had yelded his holy soule in to the hondes of our lord god as done the soules of the Iuste that are in the honde of god / His sepulture was by the clergy ordened in a sepulcre wherin of longe tyme afore two good bysshops his Predecessours had be buryed / ¶ But a wonderfull thynge happed there / For at the openyng of the sayd sepulcre the two bysshops that there rested theyr bones of longe space dede byreuyd of life wythdrewe theymself fro theyr places / Makynge honour to the sayd Patryarke and gyuyng vnto him his place bytwene theim in the myddes of the graue / ¶ Wherby it is to vs openly shewed that our lorde hym rewarded moche largely· whan he wold his body in this worlde to be soo openly honoured / And his soule aboue in heuen gloryfyed worshypfully enhaunsed / ¶ Of the woman that gaaf her synne in wrytynge to saynt IohnÌ„ the Patryarke / And begynnyth in latyn ¶ Aliud autem / Caplm C.liiii YEt lyuynge the sayd Patryarke Iohan. he made a nother myracle ryght grete the whyche begynnyth in his lyf and endeth after his dethe / ¶ A woman of the sayde cyte where he was borne had done soo horryble a synne / that she durste neuer confesse it / Soo it happed that the sayde Patriarke came to the cyte / And she hauynge knowlege of his comynge came and caste herselfe at his fete / sayenge by grete coutrycyon / ¶ O reuerende lorde I haue done a synne the whyche for the grete loothlynes of it I dare not confesse / But this notwythstondyng I wote wel that yf it playse that thou shalt gyue me therof remyssyon / ¶ The holy Patryarke seenge her grete contrycyon / He wolde not correcte her rygoriously / Doubtyng that she sholde neuer make shryfte therof to a nother / And that bi this she were in dangeour of her soule but sayd vnto her / My freÌ„de yf thou haste that fayth that I maye clense thi soule fro synne and that I maye gyue the remyssyon therof / Confesse it vnto me and I shall doo al that thou requyrest of me / Wherunto she answerd that she sholde not dare telle it / For it was soo dyshoneste shamefull that it sholde cause horrour at the ceres of the holy man / ¶ Thenne he sayde vnto her Thus thenne yf thou arte soo shamefaste of the confessyon of it / gyue it vnto me by wrytynge / ¶ She yet answered that she sholde not dare doo soo / And the holy man yet agayne sayd vnto her / Thou muste doo it but yf it seme the good / thou shalt close the letter in suche wyse that noo body maye see it / ¶ Thenne this woman consentyng to the wordes of the holy Patryarke / wrote her synne wyth her owne honde And after closyd the letter and toke it to hym / But he ne lyued but fyue dayes after that / ¶ Soo it happed by casuell aduenture that at his dethe this we man was oute of the towne / Whanne she came agayne and knowyng his deceasse / She ymagyned that her synne had be shewed thorugh all the cyte / by cause that the holy man was deed / hauynge towarde hym her scrowe / ¶ And as for answere therupon she had none of / ¶ Soo wente she to his tombe where he
in Alexandrye / And we knowe wel that our fader ComÌ„odius ordened the to be there / Not oonly as Prouoste but as a kynge In suche wyse that in all thy lyfe thou sholdest neuer be reuokyd therfro / And noo successour sholde not be gyuen to the / ¶ Wherfore we desyrynge some thynges to be multyplyed vnto the benefices of the same order / We seÌ„de the worde of coÌ„mauÌ„dement that to the ryght myghty goddes thou doo make lyke sacrefice as we haue acustomyd or otherwyse thou shalt be bi reuyd fro thy dygnytee And wyth thys thy goodes shal be vnto vs applyed as forfayted / ¶ The Prouoste Phylyppe whan he herde thyse tydynges feyned hymself to be syke tyll that he had caused al his goodes to be dealed vnto the poore for goddis sake / and to the chyrches And he hymself weut and comforted the Crysten· to the ende they sholde be more stable constaunt and not ferynge the dethe / ¶ Durynge the sayde tyme notwithstondyng that he was coÌ„maunded to wythdrawe hymself oute of the offyce of Prouoste / Neuerthelesse by cause none other was yet come that sholde ocupye the sayd offyce the peple seruyd and obeyed hym as theyr Prouoste / And ouer this the preestes ordeyned hym theyr Bysshopp / ¶ Soo was the good Phylyppe a hole yere well seruynge god in suche astate / The yere expyred was ordeyned to the office of the Prouoste one namyd Perennius whyche trowed to haue slayn hym / But by cause he was moche agreable to god to the peple he cowde not fynde the wayes therof / ¶ Finably he made to be put secretly some subtyll and euyll dryuels that feyned to be Crysten wythin the chyrche where as was the goode Phylyppe and slewe hym in doynge the dyuyne seruyce / ¶ Thyse vnhappy Dreuels murdrers were take put in pryson in the hondes of the Prouoste PereÌ„nius / The whiche Prouoste felyng hyÌ„ self gyltye of this synne / And feynyng as he wolde haue made them to be kepte surely for to speke wyth theym and enquyre of the trouthe of the befall made theym to be putt in to pryson vnder good kepers / ¶ But neuertheles in fewe dayes after he lete them goo free by pardon Indulgence of the prynces ¶ Eugene that in the sayd cyte had begon a Couente of vyrgines buryed the body of her fader the martyr wythin the chyrche where she helde her / ¶ Also her moder Claudia had begon an hospytall whiche she had endowed wyth suffysauÌ„t rentes fayr possessyons / for to herbrugh the poore pylgrymes was at the buryenge of the sayd blessyd martyr somtyme her husbonde ¶ Whan his seruyce was done / Claudia moder to Eugene her chyldren retorned to Rome they there lo come / one of the sayd chyldren was made Senatour of Rome / the other Consul of Cartage and thother vycarye in Affryque / ¶ Eugene hadde many cosyns bothe of men of wymmen dwellynge in Rome that came to see her desyryng at her ensample to be Crysten ¶ AmoÌ„ge other saynt Basille a vyrgyne / that was of the lygnage of kynges cowde not fyÌ„de the meanes to speke wyth Eugene for to be Crysten / So made she her to be prayed bi a messager that she wolde sende her some InstruccoÌ„ns of the Cristen fayth ¶ TheÌ„ne saynt Eugene sente her two crysten knyghtes / Prothus Iacintus toward the sayd Basylle for to be by theÌ„ taught in the faythe of holy chirche / The whyche she receyued worshypfully as apostles of IhuÌ„ Cryste / ¶ All daye all nyghte she was wyth theym spekinge of the holy scrypture / And by cause they were Emyches therof folowed noo sklauÌ„dre / ¶ In the sayde tyme one namyd Cornille was pope of Rome / whiche came to her secretly crystned her / WhaÌ„ saynt Basylle was coÌ„fermyd in the faythe by the sacrament of baptesme / she came almoost euery nyght visited saynt Eugene all the wydowes that were cristned went to the couent of saynt Claude the moder of Eugene the virgyns resorted to saynt Eugene / ¶ The sayd saynt Cornyll at that tyme pope went euery Saturday visyted them / expownyg vnto theim deuoute ympnes soÌ„ges all the longe nyght vnto the spring of the daye / ¶ Valerien Galien in tho dayes were emperours that whiche began to haue the Crysten in grete Indignacyon for by cause the saynt Cyprien coÌ„uerred them of Cartage / saynt Cornylle the Romayns / Soo was sent Paternê° Proconsul in to Cartage for to bringe theâ—â— to deth Cyprien that whiche thyng he dyde â— by all thê° he deyed a martyr ¶ The same tyme saynt Eugene knewe by the wyll of god / that saynt Basylle shold be martâ—ed for to kepe her vyrgynyte the whiche reuelacoÌ„n she gaue her to know saynt Basylle answerd to Eugene· that also she had vnderstond by reuelacoÌ„n of god that Eugene shold haue a dowble crowne of martyrdom one for the meryte that she had gote in Alexandrâ—e thother for shedynge of her bloode that she sholde suffre for to kepe her faythe ThenÌ„e saynt Eugene yelded graces to god sayenge / O my god onÌ„ly sone of the euerlastyg god the fader that art come in to this vyle world within the wombe of the right holy virgin I byseâ—he the right huÌ„bly that it woll playse that to grauÌ„te vnto altho virgines whiche that hast coÌ„mitted to be ruled by me the grace that they maye come to thy euerlastyng Ioye / ¶ Eugene after went wyth her vyrgyns and sayd to them suche or lyke wordes in substaunce / ¶ My sisters the vyneyerde is now ripe / the seeson is now come that the gode vynes shall be pressed out of the grapes wyth fete / but after that the vyne shal be strayned made well pure clene / It shall be preseÌ„ted for to be dronke in the ryall courte of the kynge / And therfore sayde god I am the vyne And ye my dyscyples are the raysyns / My systers that are sprynges reysyns of virgynytee be euer redy for to make fayre worshypp the lawe whyche ye holde Virgynyte is the fyrst shewing of gode vertues nyhe neyghbour to god lyke vnto angels moder of life freÌ„de vnto holynes waye of suretee lady of Ioye leder of vertue nourysshinge crowne of fayth the socours yelder of charyte ¶ And therfore my systers we oughte to desyre none other thynge somoche as to lyue in vyrgynyte / yet noâ—e grete deuocoÌ„n we ought to haue as to deye for her in this byhalfe / ¶ Ye knowe that all erthly thynges come wyth grete Ioye· but after departyng they are cause of grete heuynesse soo they gyue a laughter a Ioy sondayn for to be the causeâ— of wepyng euerlastyÌ„gly / For this lyfe is but a momente to the regarde of the lyfe that euermore shall last / And at the ende al those that therupon shall
/ ¶ Gregory that for that tyme was bysshopp of Nazance whan he wyste that saynt Basylle was discessed / He came to his Teâ—ment and layed hymselfe downe ouer his body makynge vpon it grete lamentacyons / ¶ And neuertheles he cryed to the peple wyth a highe voys / ¶ O peple reioyce now yourselfe and make orysons vnto god / Syngyng ympnes and psalmes / And cease not to make remembraunce of the holy man Basylle / ¶ Morouer after the comynge of the sayd bysshopp came there twelue other the whyche togyder layed the holy corps in to his sepulcre / Whyche was of Marble wythin the chyrche of the gloryous martyr Ysichrus / In whyche the good holy man Leoncius his Predecessour was was buryed / ¶ And saynt Basylle deyed the fyrste daye of Ianyuer / the fyfthe yere of the Regne of the Emperours gouernynge Valentis and Valeriani / ¶ Here folowyth of the holy fader Effrem / And begynnyth in latyn ¶ Fratres enaâ—racionem volo facere / cetera Caplm C.lxv. SAynt Iherom makith mencoÌ„n in the laste chapytre of the fyrste part of the lyfe of faders of the holy Heremyte Effrem yt. was vnknowe of saynt Basylle ¶ And of the whiche Effrem saynt Iherom saythe to haue had knowlege by tellynge vnto hyÌ„ made of certain faders / ¶ And for to shewe therof It is trouthe that the sayd Effrem was borne of Syrie / He beynge in hys hermitage a frende of his shewed vnto hym the perfyte astate of saynt Basylle ¶ And for to haue of it some experyence he prayed god ryght hertely that it wolde playse hym to gyue hym by reuelacoÌ„n some knowlege of the holynesse of saynt Basylle / Our lorde that herd his prayer made to hym suche a reuelacoÌ„n That is to wyte that he beynge as halfe a slepe and halfe wakynge he sawe a pyller of fyre whiche was so long that it retchyd to the heuen / And in seenge the same he herde a voys that sayd to hym ¶ Effrem Effrem suche as thou seeste this pyller suche is Basylle / Thenne went he in to the chyrche of Cezaree in Capadoce where the sayde saynt Basyll was vpon a daye that men made solempnytee of Epiphanye / ¶ And by cause that he vnderstode noo Greke he toke an expowner with hym to whom he sayde whan he sawe saynt Basylle ordeyned in soo grete honour / We haue loste our payn / For this Basylle is not suche as I haue seen hym / ¶ The same time saynt Basylle was clothio in suche ornaments acompanyed of many clerkes / ¶ Soo was Effrem angry in himself / Sayenge we Heremytes endure bothe colde heete in the wyldernesse and haue noo rewarde / And thys Basylle here whiche is in honour proferred is a pyller of fyre / ¶ And as he was in this malencoly saynt Basylle sente to the holy fader Effrem one of his Archedeakens for to tell hym that he sholde come for to speke wyth hym / ¶ The Archedeaken came to the sayd holy fader Effrem and to hym he sayde / ¶ Thy fader Archebisshopp of Cezaree sendyth the worde that thou come speke to hym / Effrem answerde to hym / ¶ My frende it is not to vs that thou shold speke / We ben not they that he wolde haue / For we ben Straungers The Archedeaken reported this answere to saynt Basylle whyche sent hyÌ„ ayen to saynt Effrem· charged him to doo his message in this wyse / Syre Effrem I coÌ„mauÌ„de the to come to thy archebisshop / Effrem was moche merueyled gloryfyeng the name of god answerde to tharchedeaken / Truely Basylle it is a very pyller of fyre / For the holy ghost spekyth bi his mouth / Thei neuer had seen eche other but in spiryte ¶ Fynably the seruyce ended Effrem came to saynt Basylle / thenÌ„e they made th one to thother deuoute salutacoÌ„ns Saynt Basyll greted hym in this manere / O fader of holy Heremytes thou arte welcome / thou that haste multeplyed the dyscyples of IhuÌ„ Cryste thou arte welcomÌ„ Alas good fader thou haste moche payn in comynge hither for to see a poore syÌ„ner god yelde the mede after thy laboure / ¶ Effrem answerd to hym / to the holy fader all that thy herte desyreth / After he receyued his maker of the hondes of saynt Basylle / And whan they had be longe togyder Effrem prayed saynt Basylle that he wolde grauÌ„te to hym a requeste / Saynt Basylle sayde vnto him / CoÌ„mauÌ„de me saye what thou wol For I am gretely bounde vnto the forthe traueyle that thou haste take for to vysyte me / ¶ Effrem sayd vnto hym I know that all that thou shal aske of god shall be of hym grauÌ„ted vnto the gladly / For it is wryten that god dooth fulfyll the wyll of those that drede hym and shall enhauÌ„ce theyr prayers / Therfore I biseche the that thou wolt praye hym that he woll gyue me that grace that I maye speke Greke / Saynt Basylle consented vnto his requeste sayenge that it was honeste / ¶ ThenÌ„e they sett theymselfe to prayer were so longe ynough / And this done saynt Basille rose vp askyÌ„g to saynt Effrem why he made not hyÌ„selfe to be promoted to the ordre of prestehode syth that he was worthy to be a preest / Wherat he answerde that he deferred to doo the same takynge hyÌ„self vnworthi therunto bi cause he was to grete a synÌ„ar / Saynt Basille answerd vnto him / After my mynde wold god thy synÌ„es were myn ¶ Yet ayen they kneled on theyr knees to the grouÌ„de / anone the tonge of the holi fader Effrem was enfourmed to speke grekysshe langage redily began to speke it as he had be born in the myddes of Grece / ¶ They yeldes graces thankes to god therfor in loouynge praysynge his gloryous name / And after they were thre dayes togyder / Duryng the whyche space he that Effrem had broughte wyth hym for to be his Expownar of Greke langage vnto his moder laÌ„gage was made deaken / And the holi fader Effrem also ordened in the order of preesthode / And after they commauÌ„ded eche other vnto god yeuynge thaÌ„kes vnto hym of that they had seeen eche other / ¶ HEre endeth the fyrste parte of the lyfe of Faders and after folowyth the seconde parte / ¶ Sequitur secunda pars ¶ Here foloweth the seconde parte ¶ Here foloweth the seconde parte of the lyfe of holy faders of Egypte coÌ„teynyng in dyuerse bokes many laudable exhortacyons for to enduce all persones / pryncypally men of Relygyon to lyue solytaryly and well with some fayre hystoryes excytyng to flee vyces and ensyewe vertues / as more largely is declared in the table I sette at the begynnyng of this present boke where the chapytres ben declared all a longe / aswell thoos that are coÌ„teyned in the precedent fyrst parte as in this seconde / and
vnto the holy faders by reuelacyon dyuyne the trouth of this befalle / that the one gafe his bodye to penauÌ„ce for the salualoÌ„n of his felawe / how be it that he had not done the synne ¶ Men maye doo no fayrer almose than to gyue his body for to saue his euencrysten to praye god for his soule ¶ An other brother there was that semblably was tempted of the synne of lecherye / wherfore by dyuerse tymes he camto one holy fader that was dwellyng ynough nyghe him euer he besought hym that he wolde praye god for hyÌ„ / but the more that the holy fader prayed / the sayd brother to more besely requyred him to praye for hym ¶ And for this cause the sayd holy fader was both nyght daye in oryson for him / but it prouffyted hyÌ„ nought / wherof the sayd holy fader was sore dyscomforted knowyng that his oryson was not herde ¶ But our lord for to comforte hym shewed to hym a vysyon the cause why he was not herde / that it was by occasyon of the neglygence of hyÌ„ for whom he prayed / the whiche wolde not helpe hym selfe for to resyst corageously ayenst the temptacoÌ„n of the deuyls / but rather toke a plesure to see the Illusyons that the deuyll presented vnto hym puttyng in his mynde the remeÌ„braunce of many dyshonost women And how well that in these folysshe Illusyons his good angell that was full heuy and sory as him semed of that he resysted not ayenst the sayd temptacyons / neuertheles he made no force for it So sayd he to the sayd brother My frende but yf the take corage of thy self castyng a backo the delectacoÌ„ns that the deuyll presented to the I can not helpe that by my prayers And therfor thou must put thy selfe in oryson to fast / to sygh to wepe / other abstynences to do Thou knowest that the leche whan he wyl gyue to the pacyent some remedyes ayenst his maladye / yf the seke kepe not hyÌ„selfe from suche metes that ben contrarye to his helthe / with grete payne the leche shall he le hyÌ„ ¶ Also thy selfe the arte in dedely synne thou puttest no payne to recouer the grace of god that thou hast lost / but doest the contrarye of that he coÌ„mauÌ„deth the to do thrugh the pleasure that thou takest in the temptacoÌ„ns of the flesshe Therfor helpe thy selfe / god shall helpe ye. For otherwyse the holy faders that are leches spyrytual sholde not conne because to restore to thy soule her helthe ¶ The brother by these remonstracoÌ„ns toke at his herte so grete contrycyon that he obteyned the mercy of god / the sclauÌ„deroê° wycked passyon of lecherye wente a waye from hym ¶ For no maner of nede that a man hath he ought not to suffre the ony yong woman serue in his house / all be she his kynneswoman or otherwyse ¶ An her myte beyng in his hermytage doynge there penauÌ„ce was by one his kynnes woman wretchedly deceyued For the deuyll styred the same his kynnes womaÌ„ for to see the sayd hermyte in his hermytage where he receyued her benyngly / at this cause she bode with hyÌ„ a space of tyme / the whiche tyme / he knewe her carnaly Not ferre froÌ„ the same hermytage dwelled a holy fader right deuoute / the which by many dayes afore the caas was happed / when he put water in a vessell of his owne for hyÌ„ to dryÌ„ke / incoÌ„tyneÌ„e as he wold take the vessell trowyÌ„g to haue droÌ„ken of the water / the vessell tourned vpsodoÌ„ne in his hande spylled the water coude not drynke out of it Thenne he thought he wolde shewe this to his felawe for to knowe what it mente Soo toke he his waye for to come to his hermytage / but he was beclypped of the nyghte and constrayned for to goo lye in a Temple where Yooles were ¶ As he slepte within the sayde Temple / he herde the deuyls that sayde one to the other / how that nyghte they hadde made an hermyte to falle in the synne of fornycacyon with a woÌ„man that was of his sybbe ¶ The holy hermyte herynge these wordes was therof sore meruaylled ¶ On the morowe acte sprynge of the daye he began to walke forth on his waye vnto the tyme that he was come there as his felawe was ¶ And entryng in his hermytage he founde hym trystefull and sore to the deth ¶ After his gretynge yeuen vnto hym tolde hym how his water dyde spylle oute of his vessell when he sholde drynke / and that for to haue his counseyll in this matere / he was come towarde hym ¶ That other that hadde done the sayd synne of lecherye answered ¶ Alas my brother I haue gretter nede of thy counseyll / than thou of myne / for the last nyght I felle in to the fowle dyshonest and abhomynable synne of fornycacyon / wherof I haue offended my god and my maker wyckedly ¶ Thenne his felawe sayd to hym / that he wyst it well and shewed hym the maner / how he beynge a slepe within a Temple of Ydoles hadde herde the deuyls sayeng the one to the other that whiche is sayd ¶ Thenne he that hadde synned as withoute hope wolde haue gone to the worlde and forsake his hermytage But that other recomforted hym aswell as he coude / praynge hym to abyde styll in his telle / and that better it was to sheue oute the sayde woman to th ende they two togyder myghte doo penaunce tyll that god had pardonned hym his synne / the whiche thynge he dyde / and syth ledde a lyfe moche deuoute and holy ¶ Whan men are ouermoche vexed trauaylled of the deuyll / and tempted of the synne of fornycacyon / the souerayne remedye is to occupye hym selfe in prayers and orysons / or in temporall werkes / and I lee ydlenes whiche is the rote of all vyces ¶ To this purpose we rede that an holy hermyte beyng in a place named Celya / the whiche by the deuyls was sore tempted for to acomplysshe the synne of lecherye He consydered in hym selfe that it was of necessyte that he sholde sette hym selfe to some werke by the whiche his bodye were strongly trauaylled ¶ Now this broder was a potmaker / so aduysed he that he sholde make a woman of erthe / in dede he dyde so / after that she was made / he sayd to his thoughtes the tourmented him of the synne of fornycacyon that he had a woman to kepe But bycause that this notwithstandyÌ„g he was euer teÌ„pted as aboue / he ymagyned to labour more than he had done tofore / made childern of erthe saynge after to his thoughtes when they moeued hyÌ„ to lecherye that he hadde bothe wyfe and childern Morouer for to ouercome his passyons / he purposed to laboure more than he had done afore / sayng that nedes he muste trauaylle / aswell for to gete his wyfe
/ alwayes the vertuous persone ought to flee the places where men doo to hym honour / to the ende that the deuyll tempte hym not by vayne glorye ¶ The abbot Poemen to this purpose recouÌ„ted to his brethern / that in the ryme that Theodosius was Emperour of Constantynople There was an hermyte that hadde a lytell house without the towne of Constantynople nyghe ynoughe to a place of pleasure where the Emperours wente gladely to passe the tyme by maner of recreacion ¶ Theodosius knowyng of the sayde hermyte and that he neuer wente out of his sayde house purposed for to goo vysyte hym And whan he was nyghe the sayd place / he made his folke to tarye and wolde goo there all one Soo came he and knocked atte the hermytes dore The holy hermyte rose vppe anone and opened the gate After that the Emperour was entred there ynne / he looked alle aboute the chambre and he founde there no thynge but a lytyll drye brede He prayed the sayde hermyte that he wolde gyue hym some mete ¶ The holy man presented hym Incontynente brede / salte / and water Thenne after that the Emperour asked hym how the holy faders of Egypte dyde lyue in the deserte Where vnto he answered that contynuelly they prayed and were in theyr orysons for the saluacyon of theyr soules ¶ More ouer the Emperour asked hym yf he knewe hym not And he answered naye Thenne the Emperour tolde hym that he was Theodosius the Emperour of Constantynople ¶ Thenne the hermyte kneled donne on his knees a fore hym to the grounde But Theodosius toke hym vp sayeng in this maner Ye Relygyouses are right happy in this presente worlde / for ye lyue without solycytude and are euer in peas All your laboure is to doo the saluacyon of your soules / and to acquere the Royalme of paradyse And in good sothe I tell the holy fader that I that am Emperour hadde neuer rest / but I haue be am contynuelly in laboure and trybulacyon / and be it in drynkyng or in etyng Dame solycytude cometh and telleth my morcelles After the Emperour salued hym honestely and toke leue of hym The man of god consyderyng all the nyght how the Emperour was come to hym / was a ferde that many other lordes sholde come in lykewyse to hym Wherfore dredynge the grete honour that they myght haue done to hym / purposed to goo thens And in dede he wente to the deserte of Egypte with the other holy faders / to th ende that he were not withdrawe nor brought from his humylyte by the pleasure that he myght haue taken in the vysytacyons of the lordes that shold haue comen see hym Soo ought we well to take hede to the exemple of the sayde holy fader that toke soo moche payne vpon hym for to kepe his humylyte without whiche we maye not come to the euerlastyng glorye ¶ Of the sayd abbot Poemen RecouÌ„ted the holy faders that on a tyme the Iuge of the prouynce where he was that hadde herde many thynges of his holynesse sente hym worde and prayed hym that he wolde wouchesauffe to receyue hym in to his house / for he wolde goo see hym ¶ The holy man Poemen thought in hym selfe that yf the sayd Iuge sholde come to hym / many other myght also come there / where by his conuersacyon sholde be knowen the whiche he hadde kepte soo secretly sythe the tyme of his yongthe ¶ And by this myghte the deuyll thrughe his cautele and malyce tempte him of vayne glorye And thus he sholde lese all the meryte that he hadde acquered ¶ Alle these thynges consydered / the abbot Poemon sente worde to the sayde Iuge that he sholde not receyue him This answere herde the Iuge was angry and wrothe supposyng that the holy fader wolde not receyue hym because he was to grete a synner Alwayes he thought in hym selfe by what maner he myght best speke with hym So he aduysed hym selfe and made to be take and brought to pryson the sone of the syster of the sayde holy man / ymagynyng that when the sayde saynte Poemen sholde knowe of it he sholde come for to sue his delyueraunce towarde hym / or ellys he sholde be contente for to Receyue hym in his celle or lytell house ¶ And this doon he sente worde to the holy abbot Poemen / that he sholde not be wroth for the prysonement of his neuewe For as soone as he wolde come and speke with hym he sholde be delyuered oute of pryson The syster of the sayd holy man all wasshed in teeres went to the deserte for to telle hym these tydynges / but he had a meruayllous constauÌ„ce / for he nother opned the dore nor spake not to his syster wherfor she as a woman froÌ„ her wytte began for to curse Poemen be cause of that he had no coÌ„passyon ouer her sayeng O ryght harde herted euyll man â—â— thy hert made of yron which can not be moeued thurgh the teeres of thy syster Germayn I haue but one oonly sone whiche thou leuest in daunger onely by cause that wyll not obeye to the petycyon of the Iuge The abbot Poemen sent anone suche or semblable wordes vnto the Iuge Syr Iuge Poemen hath no childern of his body begoten ouer whome he ought to sorowe ne make coÌ„passyon The Iuge herynge this wordes / sent him a letter contaynyng this that foloweth Abbot Poemen yf thou wylte not come to speke with me to th ende that thy neue we may be delyuerd / wryte vnto me in forme of a supplycacyon / I shall grauÌ„te all that y shalte desyre of me Thenne at the exhortacoÌ„n of som thabbot Poemen wrote to hym in this maner Thy noblenes shall make good informacoÌ„n of the lyfe of my neuewe / yf he hath deserued deth make hym deye / to th ende that in this presente worlde he be punysshed of his synnes / wherby he maye eschewe that payne euerlastyng And yf he hath not done that thynge wherby he sholde be worthy to suffre deth for it / make of hym that whiche thou maye suffre to be do after thy lawes ¶ A nother of the holy faders of Egypt named Agathon very pacyent humble was of some bretheren vysyted / by cause they desyred to knowe his grete pacyence humylyte that men sayd was in hym And for to preue hyÌ„ they sayd to hym many grete Iniuryes hym repreuyng that all his holy faders were sclauÌ„dred thrugh his pryde / that by his exaltacoÌ„n he setted all the other to nought in bachytyng and blasphemyng them / With this they sayd to hym / that the cause why he blaphemed his felawes / it was by cause he was lecherous And to th ende that men sholde not suppose nor deme hym selfe allone to be lecherous / he contynuelly sclaundred the other The holy man Agathon to these Iniuryes other answered humbly / that he coude not denye the synnes of the whiche he was by them
not goo to her Wherfore this two childeren wente towarde seynt Anthonye and prayed hym that he wolde commaunde hym for to goo vysyte his syster And saynt Anthonye dyde so ¶ Soo toke the good hermyte Pyot a nother Relygyouse with him and obeynge to the commaundement of saynt Anthonye wente for to vysyte his syster ¶ When they were come atte her house / he closed his eyen by cause he sholde not see her / and after sayd vnto her I am thy brother / beholde me as moche as thou wylte / and Incontynente he departed and wente agayne to his hermytage ¶ And this he dyde for to Instructe the prelates and abbottes / that they sholde not gyue leue to theyr relygyouses for to see theyr parentes or neyghboures whan they wolde goo theyr for the grete Inconuenyences that sholde mowe happen there by ¶ An abbot called Iohan dwellynge in a moūtayne named Calamys had in lykewyse a syster whiche was a woman of Relygyon / the whiche hadde tysed hym for to forsake the worlde / all the vanytees of the same He was xxiiij yere that he wente neuer out of his monasterye and without to go vylyte his syster / how well she desyred sore to see hym And to this entent she sent him lettres by the whiche she prayde hym humbly that he wolde come speke with her a fore the endynge of her lyfe for to be comforted of hym att her last ende ¶ Neuerthelesse he wolde not goo there Wherfore she wrote to hym agayne letyng hym to wyte yf he came not vnto her / that she sholde be cōstrayned for to go to hȳ herself The holy abbot was thenne sore on angred thynkyng in hym selfe / but yf he dyde ayenst the entente and purpose of his syster / he sholde be cause that / many other women atte the exemple of her sholde vndertake in lyke wyse for to goo see theyr kynnesmen that were of Relygyon / to the grete hurtynge of theyr saluacyon / wherfore he loued better for to go to her / than that she sholde haue occasyon for to come to hym ¶ Soo toke he two of his Relygyouses with hym for to bere hym company / and wente to the monasterye where his syster was ¶ And after that he hadde knocked atte the gate / his syster came there acompanyed with two other women of Relygyon But bycause that in .xxiiij. yere they hadde not seen eche other she knewe not her brother / the whiche neuerthelesse knewe her well / but he wolde not make hym to be knowen ¶ The brethern that were come with hym asked of her some water for to drynke / for they were wery and chaffed of the waye ¶ And after that they hadde dronke they retourned agayne to theyr monasterye without ony other worde to haue with her Wherfore she not knowyng that it hadde be he / and wrote vnto hym agayne / that he sholde come see hyr / or ellys her soule perysshed ¶ The abbot her brother for an answere sente her worde / how that he hadde be with her by that same token that she had gyuen them drynke / wherfore it sholde suffyse her / and otherwyse she sholde not see hym ¶ And with this by his lettres prayed her / that she wolde haue hym for euer Recomended in prayers towarde god / for to obteyne more easely by meane of the same the saluacyon of his soule ¶ An other Relygyouse dyde otherwyse Some folke brought hym worde that his syster was syke / and anone he purposed for to goo to her that hadde not sente for hym / whan he was come to the monasterye where she was professed Incontynent she sent to him worde that he sholde retourne agayne and that she wolde not speke with hym / but and god wolde she sholde see hym in heuen ¶ And this dyde the good ladye for to shewe that the men ought not to be lycenced nor suffred all be they parentes or other what soo euer they be to haunte in the monasteryes where women of Relygyon be ¶ For to knowe the vertues of the abbot Theodorus / it is to be noted that he was dyscyple of Saynt Pachomyen of whome is wryten here afore where it is touched how in Thebayde be many monasteryes and Infynyte Relygyouses vnder hym ¶ It happed that the syster of the sayd Theodorus for to see hym / transported her selfe vnto the monasteryr wherof he was abbot / to whome some of his Relygyouses Incontynente that she was come wente and shewed vnto hym her comynge ¶ The whiche thynge by hym knowen / not wyllyng for to speke with her / sente her worde / that it myght suffyse her to knowe that he was in good helthe / and that she sholde not care nomore for to come see hym ¶ Morouer prayed her that she sholde Renounce the deceyuable vanytees of the worlde / and that she sholde take her to the astate of Relygyon / to the ende that she sholde come to the felycyte and beatytude eternall / and after that she sholde thynke in her selfe that yf she dyde not soo in kepyng the commaundementes of god / she myghte not in noo wyse be saued ¶ And to the this purpose in hauynge stedfast fayth and hope in god / without ony doubte she sholde lyue euerlastyngly ¶ When she hadde herde his answere / as she hadde be Inspyred of the holy goost / she yelded her in a monasterye of women of Relygyon where she was of ryght holy conuersacyon ¶ The moder of the sayde Theodorus when she vnderstode these tydynges / made some bysshopes to wryte vnto saynt Pachomyen fader abbot of the sayd Theodorus her sone / that he sholde commaunde hym for to come speke with her / and Saynt Pachomyen dyde so atte the requeste of the sayd bysshopes that had wryten to hym for it Theodorus after the lettres of his fadr abbot seen and redde that his moder had broughte hym / sente her worde that for feere to offende god / he durste not speke with her For thus to doo he sholde gyue to many a Relygyouse bothe to men women occasyon maner to doo the same Wherfore he prayed her that she wolde contente herselfe that for that tyme with hym she sholde not speke She thenne abydyng atte the gate whan she knewe that he wolde not come speke with her / purposed to herself neuer to retourne atte her house Soo wente she to a monasterye of virgyns whiche was nyghe ynough by the sayde abbaye / sayeng in herselfe that she sholde see hym some tyme whenne he sholde goo oute of it for the nedefull affayres of the same / ymagynynnge also / that she myght profyte in the monasterye of the sayd virgyns for the holy deuoute lyfe that they ledde theyr / wherby lightly she myght do her saluacōn in takyng exēple to the constaūce of her sone ¶ Saynt Pachomyen of whom is wryten here afore dyde meruaylouse thynges and was almoost egall vnto saynt Anthonye ¶
in two lytyll pottes moche lyke to eche other So it happed that his dyscyple in makyng his sayd pappe he toke the potte where in the oyle was wenyng to him to haue taken the other where in the honny was / and of this oyle sore stynknyge he powred in to the sayd pappe And how be it that by meane of the sayde oyle the pappe was of an ryght euyll taste / neuerthelesse he ete twyes of it / at the thyrde tyme / he tolde hym that he myght ete nomore therof / wherfore the dyscyple desyryng that he sholde ete more of it He sayd to hym Ha my fader it is soo good / looke I shall ete of it with you Thenne he toke of the same for to ete of it / thus doynge he knewe that it was all stynkynge ¶ Thenne he kneled before the holy fader cryed hym mercy sayeng Alas my fader I am cause of thy deth / alas why dydest not telle me therof ¶ The abbot answered / my sone be not angry / yf god had wolde that I sholde haue ete it god wolde haue grauÌ„ted that 〈…〉 haue tâ—ken to it the honny 〈◊〉 the cyte / ¶ The abbot Poemen sayd that yf Nabuzar 〈◊〉 the prynce of the tâ—ken / that is to wyt a souerayne 〈◊〉 man in dressyng of metes / hadde not come in Iherusalem / the Temple of god sholde not haue be brenâ—e by â—yre That is to sa yt / that yf the desyre of the synne of glotonye is not put one in man / his spyryte may not be enflamed nor moeued to fyght ayenst the deuyll ¶ Saynte Macharye had of custome / that when he ete with his brethern / yf men presented hym with 〈◊〉 / he dranke of it / but after for as many tymes that he had dronken therof / he absteyned hym selfe by as many dayes that he dranke nother water nor wyn Notwithstandyng he dranke it Ioyously / hopyng that afterwarde by abstynenâ—e suche as it is sayd / he myght therfore â—ere penauÌ„ce ¶ And for this cause his dyscyple knowyng the grete affeccyon that he bare in makynge the sayd abstynence / forbode that none sholde presente hym with wyn to drynke / sayng that the wyne that he dranke / was vnto hym by cause of the sayd afflyccyon more cause of tourmente / than of substentacyon ¶ In a congregacyon or assemblee of Relygyouses etyng togyder flesshe where the abbot Theodore was / a Relygyouse among the other was there fouÌ„de that ete noo maner of mete ¶ And by adueÌ„ture bycause he had brought with hym some oynoâ—s or herbes whiche he wolde haue ete with saâ—â— He called one of them that serued at the table sayd vnto him My sone I ete nothyng that is â—â—st nor soden / but I praye the gyue me a lytyll salte ¶ The souerayne abbot of this assemble / herynge the sayd brother / he sayd vnto the seruauÌ„t / why gyuest that hym not that he asketh / when thou seest that he eteth nothyng ¶ Thenne the abbot Theodore in rebukynge hym by cause he had shewed openly his abstynence / sayd vnto hym ¶ It had be better my brother that thou had eten flesshe in thy celle or habytacyon / than that thou sholdest haue sayd these wordes in the presence of so many Relygyouses / gyuyng to knowe by the same wordes that rather he sholde haue absteyned hym selfe from etynge of salte / than to shewe his abstynence / whiche he ought to haue kept secrete ¶ A brother in lykewyse came ouer to the abbot Syluayn whiche dwelled in the montayn of Syna He seeyng that his Relygyouses occupyed themself to temporall werkes sayd to hym ¶ Fader abbot / why suffrest thou that the brethern werke applye themselfe to operacyons worldly Thou knowest well that it is wryten that Marye Magdalene hath chosen the best parte for herselfe / that is to wyte contemplacyon ¶ The abbot heryng these wordes / coÌ„maunded that men sholde take to the sayd brother a boke of contemplacyon that he sholde be shett within a chaÌ„bre there contemplatyuely for to apply hym selfe to deuoute oryson The whiche thyng was thus done / the sayde Relygyouse was left within the sayde chambre all allone tylle that eueryche of them had taken his refeccyon / wherfore he as wery noyouse to be there so longe seeyng that he was not called for to ete / he came to the abbot asked hym yf he sholde not ete ¶ The same abbot for to repreue hym of his folysshe repreyff / saye to hym Thou art a man all spyrytuall that hath no nede of mete nor drynke maternall ¶ With this the brother yelde hym selfe all confuse knowyng that he had done yll to haue repreued hym as aboue it is sayd ¶ And thenne the holy fader sayd agayne vnto hym O brother thou knowest now that Marthe is necessarye vnto Marye and that by Marthe Marye is praysed That is to saye that the lyfe contemplatyue hath nede of the lyfe actyue ¶ There were somtyme two brethern Relygyouses / euery of them had to name Iohan. One of them whiche was abbot lesse than that other of stature tempted with boost and vayne glorye / sayde to the moost that he wolde lede an angelles lyfe / serue to god contynuelly without ony other thyng to do ¶ Soo lefte he his monasterye and all that he had wente to an hermytage where he kepte hym a whyle / syn Retourned to his brother / knocked atte his dore / his brother asked who was there that knocked so Wherat he answered that it was his brother That other kepyng his dore shette sayd there ayenst My brother is now with the angels it maye not be that he sholde haâ—Ì„te with the men So lefte he hym atte his dore all a hole nyght ¶ And in the mornyng gyuyng to hym entrynge he sayd to hym in this maner ¶ My brother yf thou be a man / thou must labour / otherwyse thou canst not lyue ¶ Thenne this other broder knowe his grete hooâ— cryeng mercy to his brother / and toke hym to his werke agayne ¶ An other brother was / that was sore subget to the synne of blasphemye / that whiche ryght sory for this vyce went vnto all the olde faders that he wyst ony wherfore to declare vnto them his myÌ„de therupon ¶ But Incontynent that he come to them / he was soo shamefast that he durst not shewe his synne to them So wente he oftentymes for this cause towarde the abbot Poemen / neuerthelesse he came ayene without to telle him ony thyng therof ¶ But the sayd abbot seyng hym pensefull malencolyouse / constrayned hym so that he opened to him his corage / in sayeng vnto him that he was right sory that he was thus enclyned to the sayd synne of blasphemye ¶ Thenne the sayd holy fader couÌ„seylled him / that at all tymes that he sholde be tempted of it / he sholde resyste sayeng vnto
the same philosopher his mayster to so grete wrathe ayenst hym / that he tolde hym / he sholde neuer pardonne hym / tyll that he had endured borne by the space of thre yere alle the Iniuryes of his felawes / whiche thyng he dyde so ¶ And at th ende of the sayd thre yere this dyscyple cam to his mayster ayen asked him forgyuenes And he tolde hyÌ„ as in feryng hym that he sholde neuer pardone hym vnto the tyme that he yet by the space of other thre yere sholde haue gyuen certayn gyftes to those that scorned dyde hyÌ„ euyll The dyscyple suffred yet thre yere / when they were come at an ende / he cam ayen vnto his mayster as he had done before / whiche brought hyÌ„ vnto Athenes for to lerne phylosophie TheÌ„ne was there at the gate of the cyte an olde phylosopher / that made grete Iniuryes to them that wolde haue gone within for to preue theyr pacyenâ—e This odle philosopher theÌ„ne seeyng the sayd disciple that wolde haue entred within the towne for to studye there in phylosophye / casted at hyÌ„ many proude mockes shamefull wordes And bycause that he suffred them pacyently without to trouble hyÌ„self withall / the entre of the cyte of Athenes forsayd was grauÌ„ted vnto hyÌ„ without ony grete labour ¶ By this gate maye be vnderstande the gate of paradyse / thrugh whiche men may not passe for to seke the glorye of heuen without that they endure many Iniuryes ¶ An hermyte asked an holy fader how he sholde gete heuen / wherat he answered that more lyghtly he myght not come therat than for to haue pacyence in his troubles Iniuryes / that yf men doo to hym many / he sholde haue more mede in suffryng of them / than in doynge of ony other penaunce ¶ The abbot Moyses was desyred by certayne Relygyouses that he wold shewe vnto them some good ensaÌ„ples for to saue theyr soules ¶ And he coÌ„mauÌ„ded his dyscyple Zacharye that he sholde telle them som what This dyscyple thenne dyde put of his habyt tradde it with his fete / sayeng that a man myght not be nor ought not to be a monke but yf he were in lykewyse tradde tormented with dyuerse aduersytees troubles ¶ The abbot Macharye sayd that he is a veray relygyouse that in ouercomynge hyÌ„selfe bryngeth vnder his owne passyons None also ought not to lese hyÌ„ selfe for to saue an other / therfor ony man ought not to aÌ„gre his neyghbour for to preue his pacience / for it happeth ofteÌ„tymes that a body in moeuyÌ„g of som other / he falleth in to the synne of yre ¶ Where certayn relygyouses in the presence of saynt Anthony / dyd prayse an other broder his vertues / saynt Anthony after his praysyÌ„g made vnto hyÌ„ some Iniuryes for to preue his pacyence / the whiche Iniuryes he myght not endure TheÌ„ne sayd saynt Anthony / that he was lyke the houses that haue fayr entre strong but the theues may come in lyghtly atte the backe syde ¶ Some brethern asked of the abbot Ysaac wherfor was that the deuyls fered hyÌ„ so moche / he aÌ„swered the syth that he was made religioê° he was neuer aÌ„gry in hyÌ„ self / wherby the deuyls had hyÌ„ in a drede ¶ A Relygyouse cam ones to the abbot Achyles whiche casted blood out of his mouth The relygyouse seeyng the same asked hym wherof proceded this sykenesse / wherat the abbot answered that folke hadde reported some wordes to him wherof he was angry / but notwithstaÌ„dyng he wolde not shewe it So had he prayed our lord that he wolde take away that wrath from hym / for this cause by meane of the same prayer he casted blode out of his mouth whiche was cause of the sleeyng of his wrath ¶ Dyuerse brethern cam to a holy hermyte / as they where come nyghe his hermytage / they fouÌ„de shepardes that sang dyshonest songes And when they were within the celle of the sayd hermyte / they asked him why he corrected not the sayd shepardes And he answered to them that he had be in wyl full oft for to do so / but he consydered that yf he coude not resyste to the teÌ„ptacions that sholde hap to come to hyÌ„ by meane of suche songes / he sholde with grete payne mowe withstande to other teÌ„ptacyons more grete To this purpose he sayd / that he that shal not conne refrayne his tonge ayenst his wrath In lykewyse with grete hardnesse he shall bere the moeuynges pryckynges of the flesshe ¶ The abbot Iohan beynge with all his Religyouses / they shewed vnto hyÌ„ one after an other theyr thoughtes / saue one that sayd by enuye O Iohan my brethern do as the coÌ„mon wyÌ„men that vtter swetly theyr wordes for to gete loue of theyr bylouers To whom the sayd abbot answered that his worde was true The sayd brother more moeued with enuye than afore / sayd ayen to the sayd abbot / that his bodye was all full of venym / wherat he answered Yf thou knowe that that is within my body as well as the doest that that is without thou sholdest se therin moche more deuyls than thou spekest of ¶ In Egypte was a Relygyouse sore renoÌ„med / the whiche for his grete renoÌ„mee / almoost all they of the Regyon were wonte for to vysyte hym Durynge his sayd renoÌ„mee / the abbot Poemen came out of Sychye for to dwelle within the sayd londe of Egypte So many one lefte the vysytyng of the sayd Relygyouse for to go towarde the sayd Poemen / wherof the sayd Relygyouse becam moche enuyouse ¶ The abbot Poemen knowynge this brother to be ylle contente of the men dyde more of reuerence to this Poemen / than to hym whiche so long tyme had be so famouse within the sayd londe / was full sory heuy of that he was cause of his angre ¶ Soo gadred he all his Relygyouses togydre with hym / wente for to vysyte see the sayd brother that whiche wolde not open his dore to them at the fyrst but bycause he sawe that the sayd Poemen was in his opynyon prayeng that he wolde make hym openyng / he made hym with his felawes to come in And after kyssed eche other / were at the same houre veray frendes togydre / soo that the sayd Relygyouse sayde vnto saynt Poemen that he was of moche more perfeccyon than he had herde telle ¶ An abbot named Mutues made a celle some tyme in a place called Eracloena where so grete enuye was vpon hym of many one that he was constrayned for to departe out of it ¶ So wente be to a nother place where in lykewyse he made a nother dwellyng place for hym selfe to dwelle in / as a fore / he was there sore enuyed of a Relygyouse / wherof he was constrayned to go there out as he was fro the other Soo went he ayen to the place from
shall not be made ayen whyles I lyue / to th ende that the worlde shall knowe that it is fall doÌ„ne for a cuppe of wyne ¶ The abbot Iohan sayd that we that take hede to our syÌ„nes we be not ouer ladde with penauÌ„ce / but when we coÌ„dempne some other forsakyng our owne bodye for them / we take then grete charge vp our selfe And to this purpose recouÌ„ted the sayd abbot Iohan / that somtyme in Sychye were many holy faders togyder whiche spake of a relygyouse that was a grete synner ¶ The abbot Pyot herkenyng after those the accused the sayd relygyouse stode vp went toke a sacke whiche he fylled with sonde / laded it vpon his backe And after he toke an other lytyll one that he bare afore hym / thus lad he began to go He was axed why he dyde so / wherat he answered / that the multytude of the sande that was behynde betokened his synnes / the whiche he wolde not putte in his RemembrauÌ„ce nor wepe for them / the lytyll quantyte of sande that was afore hym betokened the synnes of his neyghbours whiche he sayd he had afore his eyen / more than his owne that he wolde forgete / the whiche thyng men ought not to do But to the coÌ„trarye a bodye ought to putt his owne synnes before hym the other behynde ¶ The other abbottâ— were moche merueylled therof / affermed and sayd that it was the waye of saluacyon ¶ The abbot Ysaac beynge in Theâ—ayde fouÌ„de hym selfe amonge many Relygyouses where he condempned a broder as gylty of certayne synne that he had done After this he wente ayen to his celle where he founde an angell atte the dore that wolde not suffre hym to come in / but yf he sholde telle him fyrst what thyng he sholde do of his broder that he had condempned ¶ Thenne he knewe that he had synned cast hymself doÌ„ne to the grouÌ„de But the angell toke him vp sayd / that he sholde neuer Iuge ony body afore that he were Iuged of god ¶ In a monasterye of Relygyouses was a monke that coÌ„mytted a passyng grete caas of whiche he was accused by his brethern / but this notwithstandyng he sayd there ayenst with all his myght / wente vnto saynt Anthonye His brethern folowed hym for to brynge hym ayen to the monasterye ¶ And when they were come togyder afore saynt Anthonye / they fouÌ„de there the abbot Paphonce otherwyse called Cephalus / the whiche in presence of them all sayd suche wordes I haue seen a man vpoÌ„ the shorys of a streme / the whiche was in the myre to the knees / some for to brynge him there out are come to him / they be entred therin to the necke Thenne these wordes y herde / the sayd accusacours were all abasshed / vnderstode that this wordes were put vnto them / wherfore in humylyte they retourned with the sayd broder to theyr abbaye ¶ One of the sayd holy faders sayd the when we see ony bodye that dooth synne / we ought not to put it vpon hym / but vpon hym that maketh hym for to do it / consyderyng that the deuyll also maye brynge vs to haue a falle Morouer he sayd that none was in the worlde that wyll synne / but we be all deceyued ¶ An hermyte named Thymothee dispysyng a broder of his Relygyouse / couÌ„seylled his abbot the he sholde puâ— hyÌ„ out of his abbaye After the whiche puttyng out / the sayd hermyte fell in to a gryuouse synne / of whiche he made many coÌ„playntes And as he was often cryeng for mercy vnto our lord / he herde a voyce that sayd to hyÌ„ Tymothee this shame is happed to the bycause of that that thou hast dyspysed thy broder fallyng in synne ¶ An other broder was whiche reherced that he had seen a vysyon foure ordres in heuen The fyrst ordre was of folke feble in the fayth / but neuertheles they gaue thankes vnto god The seconde of the hostelers whiche were ordeyned to receyue the other as almeners The thyrde was of solytarye folke whiche forsake the worlde as hermytes And the fourth was of those that haue withstonde to theyr owne wyll were submytted vnto the subgeccyrn of theyr faders spyrytuall / as relygyouses that make four vowes And he sayd that the last had more noble astate than the other / for this cause they bare atte theyr neckes colers of golde ¶ Morouer sayd the same Relygyouse that in seeyng the sayd vysyon he demauÌ„ded of hym that shewed it vnto hym why the last where more worshypped than the other He answered vnto hym that the hospytalers almeners hermytes that be in desertes be not subget but to theyr wyll / but the other gaue them selfe all togydre to god vnder the subgeccyon of other / wherby theyr meryte is more greter in honour Obedyence is the saluacyon of euerychone the moder of all vertues / she openeth the heuens / she lysteth the man vnto heuen / she is felawe to angels the mete consolacoÌ„n of all the sayntes whiche by obedyence are come to euerlastynge glorye ¶ An holy fader sayd that when a broder coÌ„maundeth an other for to do some good werke with drede of god with holy mekenesse suche a coÌ„maundemente shal be done / but when men coÌ„mauÌ„deth ony thyng without to haue regarde to god warde but oonly to his owne aueâ—orysâ— It happeth often that he whiche is so coÌ„mauÌ„ded dooth noo thyng therof / wherfor it is to be noted / that all the procedeth of god begynneth by humylyte And to the contrary that the cometh of the deuyll it is begoÌ„ne by pryde or by yre by trouble of other oonly ¶ The abbot Syluayn had a dyscyple named Marc moche necessarye obedyent that whiche was well loued of his mayster / This abbot had it other dyscyples that whiche were right â—ory wrothe of that thabbot loued more the sayde Marc than he dyde ony other of theÌ„ It happed that the olde faders that were sory of this vysyon / came shewed it vnto the abbot But afore that they reherced ony thyng of the caas / they went to all the chambres of the .xi. with the sayd abbot and knocked att euery dore / but there answered no body Fynably they came to the dore of the sayd dyscyples chaÌ„bre / the whiche incontynent that he herde his mayster he lefte an O that he had begon to make wherof he made but half for grete desyre hast that he had to obey vnto his mayster Thenne the olde faders that were with hyÌ„ dyde prayse this dyscyple loued hyÌ„ more then the abbot dyde ¶ Two brethern of fader of moder were in a monasterye / wherof th one was moche obedyent / the other contynent chaste The obedyent dyde all that to hyÌ„ was coÌ„mauÌ„ded He that was chaste had enâ—â—e vpon the other / wolde preue yf he was veraye obedyent And
same man in presence of all the assystens began to telle openly / how he was a grete synner hadde hooly gyuen hym selfe in tyme passed vnto many a grete synne foule abhomynable And how entryng in the chirche he had herde the wordes of our lorde / sayeng by the mouthe of Ysaye the prophete ¶ Wasshe your selfe be clene / put awaye the malyces synnes from your soules / for to be present purely clenely before my presence / lerne to do good / seke Iustyce ryghtwysnesse ¶ And yf your synnes be reed enflaÌ„med by the bronde of coÌ„cupyscence / in dooyng this the sayd is / they shall become whyte as snowe ¶ And also yf ye wyll here me do that I saye / ye shall ete of the goodes of the erthe ¶ And morouer sayd the sayd repentauÌ„t synner I am a wretched fornycatour whiche is touched with coÌ„punccoÌ„n thrugh the sayd wordes of thou prophete / entryng within the chirche I haue sayd vnto god in my corage Syre I knowe that thou art he that is come for to saue the synners / wherfore humbly I praye the that now it wyll please the to accomplysshe in me vnworthy synner that that the hast promysed by the mouthe of the holy prophete And fro this tyme I promyse the with all myn herte / that I shall nomore retourne in to my synne And in witstondyng to all wyckednes and Iniustyce I thynke me to serue the with coÌ„scyence pure clene From this daye thenne from this houre wyll thou wouchesaufe to receyue me as veray penytent / worshypyng thy souerayn god hede forsakyng all my synnes / the whiche thyng thou ought not to refuse me seen that I haue in my self stablysshed sworen to kepe all thy Iustyfycacyons ¶ And vnder this promesse the forsayd penytent sayd that he was come out of the sayd chirche ordeynyng in hym selfe neuer to do synne ¶ The whiche thynges heryng that sayd good olde men beyng there / they began to crye to god warde sayeng in this wyse O lord god how grete praysyngly ben thy werkes / that hast done all thynges in wysdom ¶ The abbot Iosephell goynge with some other good olde faders toward the abbot Poemen / one of the frendes of the sayd Poemen brought afore his monasterye a childe of his / that IncoÌ„uenyentes vexacoÌ„ns of the deuyll had the face all dysfygured / the whiche frende syttyng with his sayd childe without the sayd monasterye wept with grete habondauÌ„ce of teeres And one of the sayd good olde faders heryng that weylynge sorowes of the fader of the sayd childe / was gone out of the sayd monasterye for to wyte who moeued hyÌ„ for to wepe so / he axed hym of the cause Wherat he answered / that he was kynnesman vnto the sayd abbot Poemen / was come there to the ende he myght haue thrugh his meane the helth to the sayd childe / whiche neuerthelesse he feered to haue brought within the chirche doubtyng that the sayd abbot Poemen whiche had feere to haue bruyt renoÌ„mee that he sholde make myracles / wolde haue put hym out agayn Sayeng morouer that he seeyng the sayd holy faders come there / he had purposed vnder theyr confydence that he sholde bryng there his sayd childe And after castyng his wordes towarde the abbot Iosephell forsayd / he sayd thus to hyÌ„ ¶ Holy fader haue mercy vpon me my childe make hym to be brought therin with the / to th ende that the holy fader Poemen seeyng hyÌ„ he wyll praye god for hym ¶ The whiche abbot Iosephell beryng the same childe to the celle of the sayd Poemen vsyng with wyse counseyll presented hym not at fyrst metyng vnto the abbot Poemen For he wolde not haue be well contente yf he hadde seen that the sayd Iosephell sholde haue had so grete trust of hym / as for to haue heled hym by myracle / but he presented hym vnto the lower brethern sayd to them ¶ My brethern blesse thy childe praye god for hym / after he requyred the other brothern to do so lykewyse / folowyngly he came to the sayd abbot Poemen to whom he made lyke Requeste But neuertheles he wolde not entromytte hyÌ„ therof And where all theym beyng present requyred hyÌ„ to praye with theym as they dyde / he was content to do so So stode he vp wepyng prayed with that other in this maner O my god thy wyll be for to helpe this childe whiche is thy creature / suffre no lenger that the sende haue ony domynacoÌ„n ouer hym The whiche oryson fynysshed the sayd childe blessyd by hyÌ„ with the sygne of the crosse / he was anone gyuen hole sonde vnto his fader ¶ Somtyme one of the holy faders was axed / yf pouerte was a parfytte good / the whiche answered that it was a grete afflyccyon / but who that susteyneth it wylfully all â—e it he be tormented with it in his flesshe / neuerthelesse in beryng the same he fyndeth the reste of his owne soule ¶ A yonge Relygyouse made suche a questyon to an olde relygyouse / that is to wyte / yf a brother of his ought hyÌ„ a lytyll somme of moneye yf he sholde are it hyÌ„ or no. To the whiche that olde answered that he myght well are it with humylyte ones oonly ¶ And the yong sayd to hym Yf he wyll not paye me thenne / what ought I to do ¶ Thou shalt sayd the other speke nomore of it Ye but sayd the yong monke I shall not haue power to breke my corage but that I shall be to hym hasty or callyng therupon Wherat the olde answered / thou muste be mayster of thy selfe / chyde with thyn owne selfe oonly / to th ende that thou angre not thy brother / for thou ought to kepe the there from as besely as thou canst / seen namely that thou art a Relygyouse ¶ An other yong broder Requyred one the was olde / that he wolde telle hyÌ„ how by what maner he myght gete parfytte mekenesse Wherat he answered that he sholde come to it lyghtly / yf he wolde consyder his owne wyckednesse / not they of other / sayng with this / that the perfeccion of man is humylyte of asmoche as the man abateth hyÌ„selfe lowe by humylyte / so moche more is he enhauÌ„sed by his humylyte / for lyke as the cursed synne of pryde yf hit wyll be areysed vnto heuen / is confounded ouerthrawen vnto the betom of helle All thê° humilyte yf it descendeth vnto the lowest degre / it is then exalted vnto heuen ¶ The holy abbot Macharye walkynge on a tyme by the desertes / fouÌ„de in his waye vpon the erthe the hede of a dede man whiche hede he tourned with his staffe ouer all sydes / thus doyng be herde the hede that sorowed weyled And bycause it sowned no worde that be coude vnderstande
place of his hermytage An other tyme he founde hym selfe with some of his bretheren in a place where grewe moche rede / whiche by force of wynde moeued sore here and there betyng eche other soo that they made grete noyse ¶ Soo demaunded he to his brethern wherof grewe that noyse that he herde in that place The whiche answered and sayd / that it was the wynde that made thus the rede to bete the one ayenst the other ¶ Thenne he sayde vnto them Now my brethern consydere how moche harde athynge it is to lyue in peas and tranquylyte in this worlde Yf ye were in a place where ye sholde here all oonly a byrde synge / ye sholde not haue your corages nor entendementes with rest / how sholde you haue them thenne peasyble among the noyse and tempest of this rede seen the grete and wonderfull noyse that they make bycause of the wynde that maketh them this to smyte eche other And some sayd that the celle or dwellynge of this forsayd holy fader Arsenyen stode .xxx. myle fro the place where the sayd rede were ¶ From whiche dwellynge he wente but lytyll out / but by some Relygyouses were admynystred vnto hym his nedes and necessytees ¶ Morouer it is founde wryten of hym that when the place in Sychye where in the holy faders dyde dwelle was them lefte / and he hym selfe comyng out of the same he began to wepe sayeng that the worlde hadde loste Rome / and the Relygyouse hermytes Sychye ¶ Some brethern goynge out of Alexandrye in to the partyes of Thebayde for to bye there some flaxe / bycause that the holy fader Arsenyen dwelled that tyme in the sayde partyes of Thebayde / concluded togydre / syth that they hadde occasyon to goo nyghe the place where he dwelled / that they sholde goo see and vysyte hym And they dyde soo ¶ And after that his dyscyple hadde tolde hym that they were come towarde hym / he charged hym that he sholde aske them the cause and occasyon wherfore they came there ¶ Soo broughte he vnto hym worde agayne that the cause and occasyon of theyr coÌ„mynge was suche as aboue is sayd ¶ The good holy fader Arsenyen herynge this answere / sayd in this maner ¶ Certaynly syth that they be not come here for me / but oonly for theyr owne affayres I wyll not that they see me ¶ And therfore thou shall goo to Receyue them and shall serue them as well as thou mayst ¶ And this done and acomplysshed / thou shalte take leue of them saynge thus vnto them / that I sholde not go to them for bycause of my grete wekenesse and feblenesse ¶ An other brother desyryng for to see the sayd holy fader Arsenyen transported hymselfe vnto his celle knocked atte the dore for to haue gone in ¶ The holy fader made hyÌ„ openyng wenyng to hym that it had be his dyscyple / but all incontynente that he sawe it was not he / he casted hymselfe donne to the erthe / the whiche thyng seeyng the Relygyouse he was sore abasshed / prayde hym humbly that he wolde aryse / whiche he wolde not / but sayd / that he sholde not aryse tyll that the sayd Relygyouse were gone agayne fro thens / the whiche neuerthelesse prayed and requyred hym many tymes that he wolde aryse / but he wolde neuer graunte nor consente therto vnto the tyme that he were departed and gone ¶ Sometyme the deuyls of helle came to hym and made hym endure many trybulacyons and aduersytees within his celle ¶ And vpon a tyme among other the brethern that were wont to bryng hym suche thynges as he hadde nede of came there and herde this holy fader that cryed and sayd to our lorde Alas my god my fader creatour and Redemer leue me not And where it is so that I haue not yet done ony good that be worthy to be presented afore the. I beseche the humbly as moche as I can / that after thy grete mercy and benygnyte / it wyll please the atte the leste to grauÌ„te vnto me that I maye vndertake the begynnynges of good lyuyng ¶ The sayd holy fader Arsenyen questyoned and asked ones a symple brother of the londe of Egypte / askynge of hym how he feled hym selfe in his cogytacyons and thoughtes The whiche thynge seeyng a brother that was of vnderstandyng more redy than was the other sayd thus to hym Fayre fader I merueylle me of thy selfe that art so expert not oonly in greke tonge / but also in latyn tonge / how thou aposest questyoned this brother Rustyke in askynge of his thoughtes cogytacyons / wherat he answered I knowe well that I haue studyed and lerned suffysauntely as to the worlde bothe the latyn tonge and the greke / but yet haue I not conne take nor lerne the ABC of this Rustyke ¶ Some olde holy faders tolde that ones some persones gaue and sente vnto the brothern hermytes of Sychye a quantyte of dates And bycause there was but a fewe / they dyde not sende none of them to the fader Arsenyen / doubtyng that he sholde take it an wronge or a mocke to haue sente hym so lytyll a gyfte ¶ And when he was shewed herof / he wolde not goo out of his celle for to goo to the dole with the other brethern as it was acustomed to be doo / but sayd to them Ye haue excomunycated me my brothern / to th ende that ye sholde not gyue me the charyte that god hath sent vnto you / of the whiche I haue not be worthy to haue had my parte ¶ They all thenne vnderstandynge these wordes were wonderfully edyfyed of his humylyte So sente they vnto hyÌ„ by one of them whiche was a preest his parte of the sayde dates / brought hym with hyÌ„ Ioyfull in the coÌ„panâ—e of the other for to take vp the sayd dole ¶ And some sayd that he was so secrete in his dedes and operacyons / that men coude neuer perceyue ne knowe the maner of the conuersacyon of his lyfe ¶ He dwellynge in the partyes of Egypte bycause he suffred bare there greuously the nedes of the folke that towarde hym came for to vysyte see him / he purposed for to gyue vp leue his celle or lytyll house without to bere awaye with him ony thyng that was in it ¶ And thus came he to his dyscyples wherof one was named Paranytas / the other AlexaÌ„der the thyrde Zoyle Soo sayd this holy fader Arsenyen to Alexander Aryse Alexander dyspose thy selfe for to rowe ¶ To Zoyle he sayd / come with me vnto the flode seke a bote for me to go in to Alexandrye take also an ore with thy brother to rowe ouer Zoyle was wrothe of these wordes helde his peas And thus were they departed one from the other Alwayes he wente all alone vnto about the partyes of Alexandrye where he ley syke of a gryuous
what is this / art thou here coÌ„dempned for to suffre euerlastyng tourmentes Alas where ben the fayre wordes / that thou saydest / whan thou woldest ayenst my good wyll entre in to Relygyon / saynge that in this maner thou wolde do the saluacoÌ„n of thy soule Heryng the whiche wordes and seeyng the gryuouse tourmentes that his moder suffred / he founde hymselfe so ouercome so abasshed that he wyst not what he sholde answere ¶ And after this by hym seen herde his goost came in to his bodye ayen / and as by the wyll of god it was suffred / he retorned from his syknesse vnto good helth ayen So thought he in hym selfe that this vysyon was to hym by god his mercy done / and for this cause he shâ—tt hym selfe within his celle / thynkynge to enforce hym selfe there to his soules saluacoÌ„n / whiche for to gette / he made there grete sharpe penaunces for his synnes and neclygences passed And in effect he was somoche bowed to weryâ— and trauaylle his bodye there by paynes and afflyccyons / that many one requyred hym that he sholde not take so moche vpon hym And namely bycause that euer without seassyng he wept syghed / prayed hym that he sholde somtyme absteyne hymselfe from wepyng to th ende that he sholde not lese his syght by it / or that he sholde renne in to some other Inconuenyences But neuerthelesse he wolde not be coÌ„forted / saynge that syth he myght not susteyne noâ— endure the Rebukes of his moder that he had seen in these wretched and horryble tourmentes / with more grete hardenesse payne he sholde abyde or endure the wrath of god of his sayntes atte the daye of his grete Iugemente ¶ A Relygyouse was in Egypte moche solytarye / that amonge the other bycause of his grete humylyte / was sore famed He had a syster that lyued wantonly among men / the whiche was cause of the dampnacyon losse of many one So was this Relygyouse oftentymes Requyred pursyewed of dyuerse good men / that he sholde goo towarde her in the cyte where she kepte herselfe to th ende that by meanes of his admonycyons he myght do so moche that she wolde forbere withdrawe her from suche dampnable wantonnesse And where he came to the place openly where she helde herselfe / a man of her knowloge wente hastly towarde her sayd Here is thy brother that cometh towarde the She y moeued with grete gladnesse / leueyng her louers whiche she wolde fayne haue pleased / with her hede all bare wente out of her lodgys for to renne ayenst her brother / where thenne she enforced herselfe for to haue taken hym in her armes kysse hym / he sayde vnto her Alas my syster my right dere frende I praye the that thou wyll haue pyte vpon thy soule in consyderynge the grete paryll in whiche thou lyuest where so many a wretchyd man thrugh the occasyon of the is perysshed / wherof atte the last thou shalt must suffre Infynyte paynes for it and tourmentes Intollerable ¶ She heryng the wordes of her brother / and shakynge horrybly / thynkynge vpon the same / beganne for to saye vnto hym Alas my brother / thynkest thou that after soo many euylles whiche I haue done I myght yet come for to gette my soules saluacyon / Wherat he answered I ensure the my frende / yf thou wyll doo thy deuoyre / that lyghtely thou shalte be saued ¶ Thenne she castynge her selfe atte her brothers fete Requyred hym right besyly that he wolde led her with hym there as she myght do penaunce And thenne he answered vnto her My syster I wyll well / but goo fyrst and couere thy hede / and thenne come after and folowe me To whome she sayd agayne Goo we my brother goo we It is better for me to walke and goo amonge the men bare hede and all dyfformate / than for to Retourne to the synnes abhomynable wherat I haue tysed them / ¶ And as they sette them selfe for to walke togydre / her brother excyted and warned her for to doo penaunce And seeyng that some folke mette them by the waye / he sayd to her My frende bycause that euery man knoweth not that thou art my syster / and to th ende that we gyue none occasyon to folke that goo by to thynke or saye ylle / me semeth to be necessarye that thou sette thy selfe a lytyll out of the waye tyll that they be passed / and thenne I shall calle the agayne to me The whiche thynge she graunted him with a good wyll And anone after when hym thought that they sholde not mete nomore ony folke / he called her to hym ayen saynge My syster lete vs go our waye And after that he had called her two or thre tymes she answered hym not / he wente there as she was behynde an hedge fouÌ„de her dede / founde also the trayne of her passes where she had tredde all full of blode bycause that she had putte of bothe her hosys shone And where as her brother hadde shewed this thyng vnto some of his brethern Relygyouses / they had amonge them grete doubte of her saluacyon / but our lorde shewed vnto one of them / that bycause that in walkyng she had forsaken the flesshly desyres worldly pleasurs / by merueylouse contrycyon had sette herselfe for to wepe to complayne vpon the gryfâ—es of her synnes For this cause he had receyued agreably her deuoute penauÌ„ce ¶ Saynt Athanasye obteynynge the archebysshopryche of Alexandrye and dwellyng there / many heretykes enforced themself for to bespotte with theyr errours the holy fayth of crystendom And atte this cause for to haue destroyde the sayd errours / he made saynt Anthonye to come in the cyte / whiche beynge there / an olde blynde man named Dydymus came towarde him whiche was well lettred wonderfully taught in holy wryte In spekyng and dysputyng of whiche saynt Anthonye meruaylled moche of the grete engyne vnderstandyng that this blynde man had theim And gyuyng a laude to the hyghenesse of his corage / askyng hym yf he was not heuy sory that he had lost his bodely eyen ¶ And where the same Dydymus shamefast dyspleased with it dyde not answere nothyng to his askyng ¶ Saynt Anthonye the seconde tyme and also the thyrde tyme questyoned hym as afore / but he answered hym nomore than he had done att the fyrst tyme / wherby he gaue to knowe vnto saynt Anthonye the heuynes that he bare in his corage to haue lost the bodely lyght ¶ Thenne saynt Anthonye this knowyng sayd in this maner I meruayll me how a man prudente sage maye be sory of the domage losse of that thyng whiche the pyssemyers the bees the flyes haue where as they sholde be gladde of that thyng whiche the postles other sayntes haue deserued to haue Veryly it is a better thyng more
grete to see with the spyrytuell eyen / than with the bodely eyen / to possesse rather suche eyen / by the whiche a synne as lytyll as for to take vp a strawe can not be done / than the eyen that by one oonly loke of concupyscence maye make a man to falle in to the gryÌ„nes of deth with tormente euerlastyng ¶ A Relygyouse dwellyng in the desertes of Nytrye whiche was more sparynge than a couetouse man / not takyng hede that our lorde was solde for .xxx. penys / left behynde hym when he was deed a hondred shelyng whiche he had spared with weuyng of clothes The relygyouses his neyghbours that dwelled in the same desertes as two or thremyle one from an other / hadde togydre counseyll / what they ought for to doo with this hondred shelyng Some of them sayd that men ought to deale it to the poore folke for goddes sake / some sayde that it sholde be gyuen to the chyrche / and some sayd that they ought to sende it to the parentes of the forsayd relygyouse that was deed ¶ But saynt Macharye / the holy fader Pambo / saynt Ysodore and some other holy faders beynge atte the same counseyll and spekyng out of the mouthe of the holy goost decerned concluded that it sholde be buryed with theyr mayster that hadde spared them / saynge Thy moneye be with the to thy losse and destruccoÌ„n And to th ende that this thynge be not thought cruelly done It is to be noted / that by this was moeued suche a feere and soo grete a drede amonge all the monkes and Relygyouses of the londe of Egypte / that euery of them thought a right grete and abhomynable synne in a man to leue onely oo shelyng after his deth ¶ A yong stryplyng borne of Grece became a Relygyouse in the desertes of Egypt And how well that he was sore abstynente and made lene his bodye with paynfull fastynges / grete labours and longe watchynges / neuerthelesse he coude not putte out in hym the mocyons of flesshely concupyscence And where this thyng was shewed vnto the fader abbot of his monasterye / he fouÌ„de the maner for to preserue him therfrom by suche a meane He coÌ„mauÌ„ded to a grete man moche hughe and sore harde / that he sholde goo chyde fyersly / and saye many grete wronges to the sayd Relygyouse / and that yet after grete shame sayd and done to hym / he sholde not gyue hym leue to scuse hym selfe / but sholde euer contynue his blames and complayntes ayenste hym / the whiche thynge this man Incontynent fulfylled And for to moeue and trouble more the sayde yonge Relygyouse / all be it that he was not gylty of the shames that he sayd by hym / he called some persones for to be presente when he spake vnto hym suche shames / the whiche as they hadde be lerned afore helde with the sklaunderar and bare out his dede to the blame of the poore Relygyouse Innocente Where by he consyderynge the grete outrage and shame of the wronges that hym were layed vpon agaynste all truthe / toke hym selfe for to wepe and syghe soo sore that it was grete wounder And contynued his teeres a longe space of tyme as he that was Replenysshed other fulfylled with moche grete heuynesse and putte from all ayde and socoure and other comforte as to hym semed But that he Retourned to god his creatour and Redemer / vnto whome lyenge flatte and castynge hym selfe to the erthe / he made Ryght sorowfull and bytter complayntes of the grete wronges Iniuryes and Rebukes whiche wrongfully and without a cause hadde be putte vpon hym And he contynued this lyfe well an hole yere the whiche ended and acomplysshed / this yonge man was questyoned and asked / how he bare hym selfe touchyng his lecherouse temptacyons / and yf he was passyoned therwith ony more bycau-of them Where vnto he andswered sayd vnto them Alas when it is not honest for me for to haue aptyte to lyue lenger / that I ought to desyre my selfe deed for the grete shames that haue be layd vpon me / how sholde I remeÌ„bre of ony lecherouse appetyte to be within me / as he wolde haue sayd / that detraccyon whiche Iniustly had be done ouer hym / had taken awaye from hym all other cogytacoÌ„ns thoughtes And by this meane the sayd yong Relygyouse was thrugh the aduyse of the sayd holy fader saued kept from the sayd temptacyons / came syn ayen casely to the right waye when he knewe that the sayd wronges had be done to hym for to make hym for to forgette the temptacyons aboue sayd ¶ Here after consequently foloweth a lytyll boke or treatyse conteynyng many instruccyons for folke of Relygyon other contemplatyue / how they owe to behaue them selfe that one with the other / to profyte in Relygyon / whiche begynneth in latyn Interrogauit c. A Relygyouse Requyred the abbot Anthonye that he wolde teche hym how he myght sooneste please our lorde To the whiche Relygyouse the same abbot answered / that to what soeuer place that he sholde goo / he sholde alwayes haue god afore his eyen / and that in the thynges that he sholde doo / he sholde euer haue the wyenessynge and prouynge of the holy wryte / and that he sholde not be vnstedfaste / but in all places where he hadde to dwelle / he sholde perseuerantly abyde therat and not to departe sodeynly therfrom Tellyng morouer vnto hym that in kepyng and obseruyng curyously these thre thynges / he sholde purchace his saluacyon ¶ The abbot Pambo askynge of the abbot Anthonye / how he ought to ledde hym selfe for to lyue vertuously This anthonye sayd to hym / trust not vpon thy holy lyfe Repente not of the thyng that is passed where no remedy can not be hadde to it Refrayne thy tonge from ouermoche and vnprofytable langage kepe also that thou fylle not thy bely ¶ Saynt Gregorye sayd that our lord asketh thre thynges to be pryncypally kept by euery crysten man / the fyrst that he haue a veray fayth kepe it with all his soule / the seconde that he be true in his wordes / the thyrde that he be contente chaste of bodye ¶ Saynt Euagrius sayd that the mere that is dyre without craftly sauer as fruytes herbes rotys is a couenable â—â—ete for men of Relygyon / that suche mete bryÌ„geth them to the hauen of saluacoÌ„n Impassyble / that is to saye to the blysse that euer shall last without ende ¶ Ayen he sayd / that a Relygyouse to whome the deth of his fader was tolde / answered vnto hym that brought hym this tydynges My frende leue of blame no more my fader / saynge by the that he is deed / for thou sayst not well / bycause that I knowe well that he is Inmortall By the whiche wordes / the sayd Relygyouse gaue to vnderstande / that he reputed not hym selfe to
the houre of dethe / the seconde when his soule sholde be presentes afore god for to be Iuged / the .iij. what the sentence sholde be that sholde be cast vpon hym And therfore the good archebysshop Theophyle when he was atte the poynte of dethe he sayd of saynt Arseny / that he was well happy in soo moche that he contynuelly had this houre byfore the eyen of his entendement ¶ The abbot Iames sayd / that lyke as the lanterne lyghtneth the place whiche is obscure derke In lykewyse the drede of god lyghteneth a man when he hath it within hym ¶ Some brethern asked of the abbot Machary how he coude be so drye of so poore of bodye / wherat he answered that when men take a staffe in theyr hande with it they rake styre the brondes that be a fyre the same staffe barneth consumeth awaye fynably In lyke wyse who soeuer shall haue in him the drede of god it shall consume the flesshe of a man awaye vnto the bones ¶ The holy faders dwellyng in the moÌ„tayn of Nitrye sente toward the abbot Machary that was in Sychye prayng hyÌ„ that he wolde come to see them / yf he came not to them / they were purposed for to go to him / bycause that they desyred for to see by afore his dethe And when he was come to the montayn where they dwelled / they togydre asked hym some consolacoÌ„n spyrytuall TheÌ„ne he sayd vnto them that they sholde wepe weyle ouer theyr synnes / to th ende that they sholde not defâ—ende in to helle where men wepe weyle euerlastyngly And they all togydre at ones began to wepe besought by that he wold pray god for them ¶ The abbot Pastor gooyng thrugh Egstpt lawe a woman vpon a graue / the whiche bette herself wept so sore that it semed yf all the Ioyes of the worlde had come to her that she sholde not reioyse herself for it So in lykewyse oughte to doo euer a Relygyouse in this world An other tyme he passed thrugh the parties of Dyolche with the abbot Nub / they fouÌ„de a woman that wepte bytterly for the deth of her husbande / of her sone of her brother Thenne sayd the abbot Pastor to the abbot Nub I belyue stedfastly that no man but yf he slee all concupyscence of the flesshe / but he haue as grete contrycoÌ„n as this woman / he is not worthy to be a Relygyouse And this he sayd bycause that all her thought was sette vpon wepyng And thus we ought to do for our synnes ¶ A brother axed somtyme the sayd Pastor some good conseyll for his saluacoÌ„n And he conscylled hyÌ„ that he sholde do as Abraham dyde when he entred in the londe of promysson / the whiche made a tombe / whiche sygnyfyed wepynges and sorowynge ¶ The archebâ—sshop Athanasy prayed ones the abbot Pambo that he sholde come doÌ„ne from his hermytage for to see hyÌ„ in the cyte of Alexandrye The whiche coÌ„myng doÌ„ne to it mette with a coÌ„mon woman / when he sawe her he began to wepe Athanasy asked hym what moeued hyÌ„ to do so / wherat he answered the two thynges moeued it The fyrst bycause he sawe that the woman daÌ„pned herself the seconde bycause he toke not somoche of payn to please god as she dyde for to please the worlde ¶ The abbot Syluayn beynge ones with his Relygyouses / was rauysshed gostly / so that he fell doÌ„ne that face to the erthe after that he had be there a longe whyle he rose vp ayen wepyng full sore Soo axed hyÌ„ his relygyouses what hyÌ„ eyled fo to wepe thus / but he answered them nothyÌ„g / euer he wept / they neuerthelesse prayed hyÌ„ somoche that they constrayned hyÌ„ by huÌ„ble Requestes to telle them that the they desyred to wyt of hyÌ„ / in effect he shewed vnto them / that he had be rauysshed born afore god holdyng his Iugement / where he sawe many relygyouses that were condeÌ„pned to the euerlastyng payne of helle / many seculer men that were taken receyued for to go to the royalme of heuen / wherof the poore abbot wept euer bytterly / for this cause he becam so solytary / that he wolde not go out of his celle / yf he was somtyme coÌ„strayned to go out of it / he couered his hede with a hode / saynge that it was no nede for to see this lyght temporall where no goodnesse was ¶ A man worthy of holy memory named Synclyeyce / sayd that they the tourne themself from synne vnto vertue / haue grete payn atte begynnyÌ„g to leue theyr euyll lyfe / but at the last they shall haue Ioye vnable to be tolde / euyn so as they the kyndlen a fyre haue atte begynnyng grete akyng of hede with blowyng / at theyr eyen with the smoke or euer the fyre be kyndled Also we must haue many euylles for to kyndle within vs the fyre of the loue of god ¶ The abbot Ypericius sayd that a monke ought to watche daye nyght in oryson / in waylyng in coÌ„punccoÌ„n / to th ende that thrugh this meane he haue the mercy of Ihesu cryste ¶ Many Relygyouses seculers cam togyder to the abbot Felix / be dyuerse tymes prayed hyÌ„ that he wolde gyue theÌ„ som gode doctryne for theyr saluacoÌ„n / but neuertheles he wold not / but only sayd vnto theÌ„ / now haue I no tonge for to spek ¶ The brethern heryng this answere were sore abasshed bycause he wold not teche them Then he sayd to theÌ„ / somtyme that Relygyouses requyred for to be taught of the aeged / they dyde that the was coÌ„mauÌ„ded vnto theÌ„ / wherfor our lord gaaf to the sayd olde faders tonge speche for to lerne them / bycause that the dyscyples now doo nomore nothyng of that is coÌ„mauÌ„ded vnto them / god hath taken from the aeged that worde of veray doctryne / for there is nomore no body that doth this that the olde faders coÌ„mauÌ„de These wordes herde they all togyder began to wepe syghe askyng mercy / that the sayd abbot wolde praye for them ¶ A holy fader sayd when our lord shall come to that daye of dome / yf it were possyble that the soules that then shal be brought to theyr bodyes / myght be departed ayen all that worlde sholde then deye of the drede terrour the euery one shall haue atte thou sayd daye / therfor we ought well to wepe in this world do penauÌ„ce to th ende that at the same ferfull daye we may yelde good acomptes vnto our lord ¶ A broder axed a holy fader wherof cam that he was harde herted that he fered not god The holy fader answered to hyÌ„ that he sholde haue drede of god / yf he wolde rebuke his soule saynge My soule thynke vpon thy lyfe / for thou shal be broughte byfore the myght of
not wonte to see ony men / wolde not gyue vnto her broder none occasyon to come vnder her shadowe for to comoÌ„ne amonge women of Relygyon / wherfore she lete him wyt that she wolde nother see hym nor speke with hyÌ„ / that he sholde retorne to his owne monastery ayen that he wolde praye god for her / to th ende the helpyng the grace of god she myght see hym in the Royalme of heuen ¶ A monke walkyng by the waye mette somtyme an abbesse acompanyed with some Relygyouse wyÌ„men whiche this monke made grete force to loke vpon them for to knowe what they were and of what monastery / and for this cause lefte his waye toke theyrs To whome the abbesse sayd / that yf he had be a parfyte Relygyouse he sholde not haue putte hym in payne for to loke vpon them somoche that he sholde haue knowyng that they had be women / as she wolde haue sayd / that in goyng on his waye / he ought to open so soberly his eyen that he sholde not see nor apperceyue thoos that cam ayenst hym or that passed theyr wayes by hym ¶ An holy man whiche was Archebysshop of the Cyte of Alexandrye / and hadde to name Theophyle requyred som holy faders Relygyouses / that they shold come toward hyÌ„ in the sayd cyte of AlexaÌ„drye / trustyng that by theyr prayers merytes he sholde dystroye some temples where were done many ydolatryes within the sayd cyte in the contree about it These holy faders ones among other etyng with the sayd archebysshop were serued with veell where of they ete not takyng hede to theyr mete The archebysshop whiche desyred to make theym good there toke a capon that was in his dysshe afore hyÌ„ and sette it before one of the sayd holy faders / saynge that it was good that he sholde ete of it The holy fader answered vnto hym Certaynely I haue wende to this houre that I hadde eten coles / but syn I perceyue that it is flesshe I shall no more ete of it After the whiche wordes sayd the other Relygyouses lefte theyr etynge of suche flesshe that was brought before them ¶ An other Relygyouse desyred some for to ete of his lytyll loues of newe brede that he had baken hym selfe vnder the asshys And when they hadde ete eche of them one of this small loues / they left theyr etyng The brother that had boden them therunto seeyng the pacyence of theyr abstynence / and that they sholde well haue eten yet more of them / prayed them in the name of god that they wolde yet ete some / tyll that they had theyr fylle of them So began they ayen for to ete of the sayd loues of brede to the nombre of ten euery man / whiche thyng they dyde as veraye Relygyouses / not for noo necessyte that they had of it / but pryncypally for to obey vnto the request of the sayd Relygyouse that therto had desyred them in the name of our lorde god ¶ An other holy fader was somtyme syke of a gryuouse sykenesse whiche was suche / that out of his entraylles he casted blood by grete plente And for to socoure hym atte his nede a Relygyouse brought hym some almauÌ„des / wherof he made hym a cawdell whiche he presented vnto the good holy fader saynge Fayr fader I praye the that thou wyll ete this / for I hope that it is good for to Restowre the thy helthe And after that the holy fader had loked vpon hym a long whyle / he sayd to hym Certaynly my brother I dyde desyre that god sholde holde me .xxx. yere in this sykenesse / for this cause he wolde not obeye to the Request of the sayd Relygyouse / nother ete of the candell the he had brought to hym / was coÌ„strayned to bere it ayen with hym to Retourne in to his celle ¶ An auncyent fader hauyÌ„g his celle ferre within the desertes / and departed from all folke / was vysyted of a brother whiche founde hym sore syke So he wasshed hym his face that was all bespoted and wasted for bycause of his sykenesse And after he made redy certayne thynges for hym to ete that he hadde brought there with hym And the good olde fader seeyng this / he sayd vnto hym Certaynely my brother I hadde forgoten that men hadde taken ony solas or pleasures in etynge And after he presented hym with a cuppe of wyne for to drynke / whiche good aeged fader beholdynge the sayd cuppe beganne for to wepe and sayd / that he hoped not to drynke of ony wyne tyll that dethe sholde take hym ¶ An other olde fader purposed ones in hymselfe that he sholde not drynke duryng the space of .xl. dayes contynuelly And there as he was in a grete necessyte bycause of the hete / he dyde fylle a glasse full of water / that whiche he henge vp before hym within his celle And when his brethern asked hym why he dyde so / he answered he dyde it to th ende that in seeyng the same water within the sayd glasse / where as he sholde haue a lust and desyre to take of it for to stynte his thrust withall neuertheles sholde not cast of it / he myght by this meane receyue of our lorde more grete Rewarde ¶ An other broder walkyng by the waye with his moder that was alredy come to a grete aege / fouÌ„de a streâ—e thrugh whiche they must passe / whiche thyng his moder sholde not haue conne doo withstandyng her olde aege feblenes Wherfore the brother constrayned for to haue her ouer / toke of his mauÌ„tell and be wrapped her handes withall / to th ende that he sholde not couche her naked flesshe And thus he toke her vp on his necke bare her ouer the sayd streme And where his moder asked him why he had be wrapped her handes in his mantell he answered that he had done it / bycause that he knewe that the bodye of a woman is lykened vnto fyre that all wasteth And for this cause to thentente he sholde eschewe that in touchyng her naked flesshe the remembrauÌ„ce of other women sholde not be brought in his mynde / he wolde thus be wrappe her handes ¶ An other aeged holy fader sayd that he knewe a Relygyouse whiche was wonte to fast all the holy passyon weke And the satyrdaye of the sayd weke whan he came to the masse with the other Relygyouses he wayted tyll the masse were begonne for to entre within the chirche And the masse done / after he had receyued the holy sacramente of the aulter he departed hastly out of the chirche / to the ende that he sholde not be constrayned by his brethern for to ete with them / for he loued better to lyue solytaryly etynge within his celle alone some colles or beetes soden in water salt than for to comyn with them ete other metes ¶ Many brethern in Sychye were ones
moneye whiche was alredy inutylly spende / began for to wepe syghâ— full sore / repentyng hyÌ„self that he had so offended god the poores / began to saye thus O my god I beseche vnto thy benygne bouÌ„te that thou wyll not take hede vpon my grete ingratytude towarde the / but please that to haue remeÌ„brauÌ„ce of the lytyll almoses that I haue done for thy sake in tyme passed the tyme that I dyde labour in my gardyn / wherof I dyde fede thy poore seruauÌ„tes And sayng the same the angell of god descended afore hyÌ„ whiche sayd to hym Come hether good man I praye the telle me where the hope that thou haddest in thy moneye is now which so curyously thou had spared kept The good man herkenyng after these wordes answered Alas syre I haue syned pardoÌ„ne it me / from hensforthoâ— I shal nomore do so Thenne the angell of our lord touched his fote whiche was anone hole / redyly he stode vp / went to labour in his gardyn as he was wonte to do He beynge in his gardyn the cyrurgyen cam to the house of this good man bryngyng with hyÌ„ his yrons instrumentes for to haue cutte of his fote with / but men tolde hyÌ„ that he was rysen in the mornyng erly was gone for to werke labour his gardyn The whiche thyng herde / beleuyÌ„g the same the sayd cyrurgyen / he wente towarde the poore man whiche he fouÌ„de deluyng that erthe his fete ouer the spade And seeyng in hyÌ„ the trouth of that was tolde him / the grete socours that our lord had gyuen to hyÌ„ / he began to gloryfye to prayse the dyuyne puyssance ¶ A Relygyouse questyoned an aeged holy fader askyng of hym yf he wolde well that he sholde holde kepe towarde hyÌ„ the value of two shelyng for to helpe socour to hyÌ„selfe ayenst syknes yf ony happed to come vpon hyÌ„ The olde fader knowyng the affeccoÌ„n that the sayd Relygyouse had to reserue kepe this two shelyng / sayd that he wolde well that he sholde do so Thenne this Relygyouse retourned to his celle thynkyng vpon the answere that the olde fader had done to hyÌ„ cam vnto hyÌ„ dyuerse cogytacoÌ„ns thought the tormented hyÌ„ all his corage sayd to hyÌ„selfe / wenest thou myserable man that the olde fader hath tolde the trouth certeynly I can not say whether he sayd it in ernest or no / in effecte for to pease his corage / he departed ayen out of his celle went ayen towarde hym repentyng hyÌ„selfe sayd to hym Good fader I praye that in the name of god that it wyll please the to telle me trouth touchyng that the I haue asked to the / that is to wyte yf I sholde kepe my two shelyng or no for to ayde to my necessyte / for I fynde me sore tourmenâ—ed of thought cogytacoÌ„ns whiche come to me bycause of the same wherat the olde holy fader answered to hyÌ„ Certes my broder bycause I dyde see the wyll that thou haddest for to kepe them to the ward I dyde telle the that thou sholdest kepe them / but neuertheles I wyll well that thou knowe / that it is not well done to kepe or withholde towarde hym selfe more than it nedeth for the bodye / yf thou withholdest these two shelynge / doubte not but that thy hope shal be sette therupon And yf by aduenture they be lost / syn that thy hope was torned therupon / god shall nomore haue a cause to remembre thynke â—pon the. And therfor we ought to fixe tourne all our hope thought oonly in god / thus dooyng he shall see that we shall be holpen socoured in oure affayres necessytees ¶ An other lytyll treatyse herafter consequently foloweth of the vertue of force of pacyence / and it begynneth in latyn Sanctus abbas Anthonius c SAynt Anthonye the abbot he beyng in his hermytage was meruayllously vexed his corage sore perturbed confuse by the occasyon of dyuerse thoughtes cogytacions the cam ouer hym / began to say to our lorde Alas syre I wolde fayne be saued / but the dyuerse thoughtes fantasyes whiche come me ouer / letten me totally from the gettyng of my saluacoÌ„n Alas syre what ought I to doo in this trybulacoÌ„n / or how shall I mowe saue my selfe And after he yssued out of his celle sawe a man that satte wrought / whiche anone after rose cessed his labours sette hyÌ„selfe to praye make oracoÌ„n vnto god / thenne after he wente ayen to his werke toke labour to haÌ„de makyÌ„g mattes or mauÌ„des soone after went to oryson ayen as he dyde afore It is to wyte that this man was an angell that had tourned hyÌ„ selfe in that forme of a man / the whiche hadde be sente from our lord vnto saynt Anthonye for his correccoÌ„n / for to gyue hyÌ„ a good cautele awaye for to resyst ayenst the temptacoÌ„ns of the deuyll So herde he the voyce of this angell the sayd vnto hyÌ„ Anthonye werke labour as I do / thou shalt be saued Saynt Anthony heryng these wordes was moche reioysshed takyng in this vysyon a veray hope of his saluacoÌ„n / he began to do as he had seen the angell do / thê° doyng he fouÌ„de the salute that he sought ¶ A relygyous sayd to the abbot Agathon that he had be sente for / for to come to a place that was not vnto hym well agreable / bycause he hoped not to be there without batayll nor in peas of his coÌ„scyence / but nethelesse he was purposed to go theder for to obey to that was to hyÌ„ coÌ„mauÌ„ded / how be it that he fered redoubted sore to go theâ— for the cause abouesaid ¶ The abbot Ammoras sayd that he had dwelled .xiiij. yere in the desertes of Sychye prayng god there nyght day the pryÌ„cypally he sholde gyue hyÌ„ vertue strength for to ouercome the passioÌ„s of yre ¶ The abbot Besaryon sayd / that he had soyourned by .xl. dayes amonge the thornes without slepe ¶ An other solytary broder that was in his werkes sore synguler was bycause of the same oftentymes in his corage / wherfore he went towarde the abbot Theodore called the ferme / tolde hyÌ„ how he was thus sore troubled often To whom he sayd My sone thou must huÌ„ble thy corage put thyselfe vnder the other brethern / thus thou shalt mowe in lykewyse dwelle with them This Relygyous went incoÌ„tynent to the montayne / dwelled there with the other a certayne whyle / theÌ„ne he cam ayen towarde the sayd abbot Theodore / sayd to hyÌ„ that in coÌ„uersauÌ„t with the men / he coude not fynde there no rest / wherat the holy fader answered yf thou canst not haue peas by thyself alone nor with the relygyouses / why hast
flesshe Thenne he ought to enioye hym / in consyderyng to whom he is made semblable For yf he be tempted with flesshely concupyscence / and yf he withstande it constantly / he shall haue meryte / and deserue lyke to the meryte of Saynt Poull the Appostle Yf we be chastysed by hote feures / or by rygour of colde / we ought to haue Remembraunce of the scrypture that sayth / we haue passed by fyre and water And ther resteth noo thynge / but that we be putte in a place of reste / we ought also to hope syth that we haue born the tourmentes / that we shall haue after consolacyons and comforte Also in makyng and dooyng vertuouse werkes we ought to crye with the prophete Dauyd in sayeng I am poore / nedy / and sorowfull And he that pacyently shall suffre suche trybulacyous Infallybly he shall be in souerayne degree of perfeccyon Thenne in these excersyces lete vs proue our werkes in fyghtyng constantly ayenst our enemye / whome we haue contynuelly tofore our eyen And yf the maladye be to vs gryeuous / therfore late vs not be angry / but notwithstandyng the sekenesse or hurte bodely late vs take hede to praye to god and thanke hym Certayne all thynges be to vs necessarye for to destroye and bryng to noughte the bodely dyseases And fastynges and labours ben to vs ordeyned ayenst the soule thoughtes and temptacyons Yf thenne our sekenesses breke and bruse our vycyous affeccyons and superflue / we ought to praye god that they abyde and contynue in vs for our amendemente and correccoÌ„n / and that he gyue to vs courage and affeccyon to bere and suffre theym pacyently Certaynly lyke as by grete and sharpe medycyne a sekenes is heled Ryght soo by maladyes of the body ben cutte of and withdrawen the bodely vyces And it is a grete vertue whan in gryeuous maladyes / one hath humble pacyence And by soo dooyng and gyuynge to god thankynges / the sayd pacyente is redyly addressyd and sente to god / yf we lese our bodely eyen / we ought not take it gryeuously / but we ought to endure it pacyently For belesyng of theym / we lese the Instrumente whiche maye make vs to enhaunce in pryde And in contrarye wyse / by the eyen of our entendemente and vnderstandyng / we maye the more lyghtly beholde and haue contemplacyon in the glorye of our lorde / yf we haue lost our heryng and be deef / we retche not / for therby we haue lost the opportunyte of heryng or to herkene vayne wordes Yf our bodely hondes haue ony passyon / or by sekenesses be enfebled / we ought to haue our spyrytuell hondes more redy to vertuous werkes / yf the sekenesse enfeblyssheth our bodye in soo dooyng yf it be vycyous / it dysposeth hym to withstande the temptacyons of the fende And yf he be vertuous / his vertue and helth encreaceth They that in this worlde commyse and doo ony cryme or trespaâ—s openly / whan they be taken they be wyll they or not putte and sette in pryson for to be punysshed of theyr mysdedes / the whiche punycyon / yf they bere it pacyently maye be cause of theyr saluacyon We thenne that haue doon and commysed many horryble and grete synnes towarde our god and maker / whiche with his precyouse blood hath redemed vs / and that by cause of the sayd synnes we ben in daunger to renne in to dampnacyon eternall / we ought for to eschewe the same with good wyll to enprysone vs and to punysshe and to correcte our selfe / consyderyng that in soo doyng we maye gete the glorye eternall / and to eschewe the horryble tourmentes of helle / whiche euer shall suffre the myserable synners that deyen in dedely synne / whan we faste we ought not to seke occasyon to saye that the fastyng hath soo moche enfebled vs that we haue ronne therby in to some maladye For often tymes it happeth that they that faste not renne in to suche and lyke sekenesses as well as they that faste / yf we haue begonne to doo some good / we ought neuer to leue it without to fulfylle it / what someuer lettyng the fende gyueth vs. For by our pacyence he shall be destroyed And for to perseuere with constaunt corage to withstande his temptacyons we ought to rule vs by example of the maronners / the whiche in dysposyng theym to sayle yf they haue wynde that to theym be propyce Incontynente they reyse vp theyr saylles / and putte theym to the voyage But yf that in theyr sayllyng come vnto them ony wynde contrary / for all that they forsake not sodaynly theyr shyppe / but suffre a lytyll ayenst the tempeste And repugne to theyr power ayenst it vnto the tyme that they fynde the tyme well dysposed to performe surely and lyghtely theyr voyage We thenne that be recountred and foughten with / by the wycked and dampned spyryte Addresse we in our corage the precyous crosse of our sauyour Ihesu Cryste in stede of the saylle And with out ony daunger or peryll we shall ouersaylle the peryllous and myserable see of this worlde ¶ Some recyten of a virgyne named Sayre the whiche was reputed of holy and praysed Remembraunce / the whiche dwelled by the space of sixty yere vpon the ryuage of a Ryuer / durynge the whiche tyme she neuer lyfte vp her syght for to be seen ¶ The abbot Yperycius sayd that we sholde alwaye synge and haue in oure mouth ympnes and spyrytuell songes / in thynkynge contynuelly on god and in his meruayllous werkes For by suche cogytacyons and thynkynges is aswaged and alleged the grete heuynesse and burthen of temptacyons that comen on vs / of the whiche thynge we haue an euydent example ¶ A man longe gooyng and trauayllynge wereth wery / but in blowynge and takyng his breâ—h dymynyssheth somwhat his trauayll / and the grete charge of his waye ¶ The abbot Yperycius sayd / that it is of necessyte that we be armed ayenst the temptacyons of the deuyll / for they come in many maners / and in withstandyng theym whan they assaylle vs we shal be by the sayd resystauÌ„ce be approued constauÌ„t ferme ¶ An olde auncyent fader sayd / that yf vpon a man cometh a temptacyon / and he withstande it not constantly / thenne shall other temptacyons assaylle hym on all partes / whiche the fende his enemye shall mynystre to hym / and make hym dredefull and to murmure ayenst god To this purpose is reherced an example ¶ A brother beyng in his celle whiche was tempted of a temptacyon / and desyryng to withstande the same / yf ony salâ—wed or grette hym / doubtyng to reÌ„ne in to synne yf he spake to ony persone / he wolde not salowe hym / ne receyue hym in to his celle And by cause of his grete solycytude and straytenesse he was so estraunged from other that some tyme / yf he had nede of brede / men gaaf hym
of hedges or busshes / how be it that somtyme he be hurte with thornes that he fyndeth in his waye / netheles be setteth not therby tyll that he hath taken the hare ¶ In lykewyse the relygyous persone or other that seketh oure lorde Ihū cryste / that is to wyt he that desyreth by good werkes to obteyne his grace Incessantly applye his entente to be scourged tourmented by penaūce / passe lyghtly all the sclaūdres that may come to hym / vnto the tyme that he come to the glorye celestyall / in comyng to the same he take Ihesu cryste at that cours / that is to wyte in rennyng after hym / in folowyng hȳ by good maners And thenne that he come to the same Ioye / he take his praye whiche is the fruycyon of his precyous vysyon / in the whiche delyteth all the court celestyall ¶ An other aged fader sayd that lyke as a tree whiche is ofte dysplaunted transported from one groūde to an other may bere no fruyte Lykewyse the relygyous persone that ofte goth from one place to an other may not prouffyte ne doo ony werke that is helthfull ¶ Ther was a relygyous persone whiche fonde hym strongly oppressed and tempted to leue his monastery And for as moche as he myght not well withstande it / he declared to an olde fader askyng hym herupon some remedye / the whiche coūseylled hym that he sholde go to his celle / that he sholde leye his bodye to wedde that he sholde not go out And in so doyng he sholde payne hȳselfe to cast his thoughtes away say to his body that he sholde thynke all that he wolde sauf oonly that he go not out of his celle And in so doynge the sayd Relygyous vaynquysshed the sayd temptacyon ¶ An other aged fader sayd that the celle of a relygyous persone is lykened to the fornays or chemyney of Babylon where the thre childern Sydrac Mysaell / and Abdenago fonde the sone of god whiche kepte theym from brennȳge Or ellys to the busshe / pyler / or cloude in whiche god spack to Moyses ¶ A relygyous persone was tempted contynuelly by the space of .ix. yere for to forsake the company of his brethern And to that ende euery daye he dyde of his pylche or skynne in the whiche after his rule he hadde be accustomed to lye slepe in And whan it was euyn he sayd to hym selfe I shall departe go hens to morn / on the morn I shall abyde yet this daye for the loue of god And whan he had contynued thus in this varyacyon by the space of .ix. yere in doyng euery daye as sayd is / our lorde toke awaye from hym that temptacyon ¶ An other Relygyous by force of tēptacōns fonde hȳ selfe so troubled that he lost lefte the rule of relygyon And lyuyng dyssolutely / as he wolde somtyme sette hymselfe to do well come agayn to lyue Relygyously / his temptacōns letted hym / wherfore he had grete sorowe And in bewaylyng the tyme that he had lost wasted in lyuȳg myschaūtly sayd in hym selfe Alas whan shall I fynde my selfe in suche astate as I was wonte to be And in makyng suche sorowe he purposed to amende him selfe But neuertheles he had a corage so slouth / that he coude not ne wolde take ayen his relygyous lyfe / wherfore on a daye he transported hym vnto an holy aged fader / to whom he reherced all his myserable lyfe / how he coude not put hym to lyue well The aged fader knowyng his myschaunt caas for to reduce hym to good lyfe / recoūted to hym suche an example as foloweth ¶ Ther was a man somtyme / whiche had a fayr pyece of londe / the whiche he lefte by his grete neclygence tourne in to so grete ruyne that hit was ouer charged growen with thystles / thornes / and grete buysshes Thynkyng on this caas / a certayne tyme after he cōcluded that he wolde sette ayen in value the same pyece of londe And sayd to his sone that he sholde go see in what astate it was / that he sholde make dylygence to wede take away the thystles buysshes / refresshe it Thenne he faynyng to wyll obeye his fader / went to the sayd pyece of londe And as he behelde the grete multytude of thornes buysshes thystles that grewe theron / he fonde hym selfe so slouth feble of corage / that he coude not begynne to werke / sayneg in hym selfe thus A lorde god how shall it be to me possyble to stubble make clene this pyece of londe here Certaynely I shall neuer conne make an ende therof / and leyde hym selfe doun on the groūde by slouthe latchesse / began to slepe And so contynued many dayes without doynge of ony labour And the fader desyryng to see what his sone had done in the sayd loude On a daye he wente thyder / fonde that he had nothyng laboured / asked hym why he had noothyng done And he answered to hym wenyng to sense hym / that whan he was come had seen the grete habundaūce of thystles thornes / he coude not enterpryse soo grete labour / for that cause he leyed hym doun slept His fader heryng his answere / repreued hym of his slouth latchednes / sayd to hȳ that he sholde begynne to labour / sholde not do but a certayn one daye / as moche an other daye / vpon whiche he soo dyde in obeyng the cōmaundement of his fader And whan he sawe in labouryng that it began to amende / he toke therin grete pleasyr / that in short tyme / it was refresshyd made clene In lyke wyse my brother sayd the olde fader It byhoueth to the a lytyll lytyll to werke / in so dooyng the corage shall not faylle the / god by his holy grace shall restore the in to thy former astate This heryng the relygyous man toke leue of the holy fader in thankyng hȳ mekely in good pacyence And with grete constaūce made resydence in his celle / began to werke lyke as the holy fader had instructe taught hȳ And in this maner fyndyng reste / he was promoted by our lorde to right deuoute vertuous lyfe ¶ There was an olde fader the whiche had be accustomed to be ofte enfebled by sekenes And it happed that it was the pleasyr of god that duryng an hole yere he was hooll in good poynt without to be touched ne gryeued with ony bodely sekenes And consyderyng in hȳselfe that he was in ouer grete helth he entred for this cause in a grete melancolye / of the whiche he was strongly tourmented / wepte sayeng that god had lefte forgoten hym bycause that he vysyted hȳ no more with sekenes ¶ An other aged holy fader sayd that an other broder was by the space of .lx. yere so sharply tempted
haue sayd thought is a thyng humayne / but in coÌ„mauÌ„dyng to gyue the potage thou haste done a thynge dyuyne Thenne sayd to hym thabbot Sysoy yf god gloryfye not a man / his glorye shall neuer be stable ¶ The abbot Amenas sayd to the abbot Sysoy that he sholde applye hyÌ„ to rede the scryptures / to th ende to lerne to aorne make fayr his wordes / for to be redy answere to all askynges that sholde be made to hyÌ„ Sysoy sayd that it was no nede to rede for to make his wordes fayre / but a man ought vertuously pourueye hym of holynesse in his wordes / by clennes of conscyence / as who wolde say / that a man that lyueth vertuously can not speke euyll ne ylle ¶ The abbot Symeon beyng in desertes A Iuge of a prouynce came for to see hym And in comyng he fonde the sayd Symeon / whiche by the ayde and helpe of his gyrdell was cloÌ„men on a palmyer for to make it clene And asked hym not knowyng that it was he Where was the olde fader Symeon that dwelled there solytaryly And he answered that there was noman there solytary / the whiche answere herde by the Iuge / he departed ¶ An other tyme cam an other Iuge for to see hyÌ„ / of whiche thyng his dyscyples were aduertysed / cam sayeng to hyÌ„ Fayr fader make you redy / for here cometh a grete man for to see you for to haue your blessyng To whom the holy fader Symeon answered Now well well I shal make me redy / wente toke an olde sacke wherwith he couered his hede his sholdres / holdyng in his hande brede chese sette hyÌ„ doun ete at the dore of his celle as he had ete no mete thre dayes byfore The Iuge his people arryued there seeyng his coÌ„tynauÌ„ce sette nothyng by hym And retourned sayeng as by mocquery / is this the monke solytary of whome we haue herde saye so many thynges ¶ Saynt Syncletyce that in lyke wyse that as a tresour that is publysshed and shewed is ofte mynysshed and dyspendyd In lyke wyse euery vertue after that it is publysshed / lyghtly is put awaye and fynysshed And all in lyke wyse as waxe whiche is nygh the fyre is molten In lyke wyse the soule whiche is praysed becometh vayne / leseth the rygour of vertue He sayd furthermore that all in lyke wyse as it is Impossyble a thyng to be in one tyme bothe herbe seed So it is Impossyble that they that haue glorye mondayn delyte theym therin maken ony fruyte for to haue the heuenly glorye ¶ In a hye fest halowed among the relygyouses of the hermytages / in the whiche they had a custome to take theyr refeccoÌ„n in the chirche One relygyous man among the other called one of the seruauÌ„t in sayeng that he ete no boyled mete / but oonly brede salt / the whiche thyng herde by the sayd seruauÌ„t / he called an other in sayeng to hyÌ„ openly with an hye voys Bryng some salt to this broder here / for he eteth none other thyng And one of the olde faders heryng the arose vp cam to the Relygyous that aâ—ed for salte / sayd to hyÌ„ that it had be more expedyent to haue eten flesshe in his celle than to haue herde the wordes that had be sayd of hyÌ„ to fore so many relygyous people / as who sholde saye that he ought to be ashamed / to haue herde recyted of hym after his owne worde that he ete noo thyng but brede salte For yf he had be vertuoê° none ought to apperceyue it ¶ On a tyme vnto an aged fader were come som strauÌ„gers / to whom for theyr refeccoÌ„n he had do make good potage it happed that the same tyme came to hyÌ„ a broder moche abstynent / that ete no brede / they syttyng atte table begoÌ„ne to ete / he brought chiches for hyÌ„selfe ete theym in the coÌ„pany of the other / after that they were rysen fro the table / an aged fader called secretly the broder sayd to hyÌ„ / Broder whan thou shalt come herafter to fore ony men / kepe the well fro shewynge to hyÌ„ / or from letyng hyÌ„ apperceyue thyn abstynence or coÌ„uersacoÌ„n / yf thou wylte do ony strayt abstynence / kepe that in thy celle go not out The sayd relygyous heryng these wordes / enclyned to theym / determyned to lyue lyke to the other / to ete suche mete as sholde be brought in to the company of other relygyous folke ¶ An other holy fader sayd that the humayne ê“uydence takath awaye cutteth from hym all fattenesse yeldeth hym drye ¶ An other olde fader sayd yf thou wylt holsomly lyue / it behoueth the in fleeyng the worlde to flee fro the men in mockyng the sayd worlde the men that ben therin / to repute fayne thyself to be a fooll ¶ An other lytyl treatyse rechyng how noman ought to Iuge ony other A Relygyous monke beyng vnder the charge and congregacyon of the abbot Helye happed on a tyme a temptacoÌ„n or a cause for the whiche he was putte out of the congregacyon And he wente vp to a montayne vnto the holy abbot saynt Anthonye And after that he had abyden by a certayne tyme / he sente hym ayen to the congregacoÌ„n from whens he was departed / but incontynent that his felawes sawe hym / they put hym out ayen / wherfore yet efte ones he retourned vnto the sayd fader Anthonye layeng to hym that they wolde not receyue hym And for that cause the holy fader sente to theym suche a parable A shyppe hath be in daunger for to be perysshed in the see / where she hath left the charge that she bare / and with grete labour payne she hath be brought vnto londe / ye thenne my brethern wyll ye drowne and do perysshe the shyppe that hath be delyuered They knowynge by these wordes / that the sayd holy abbot Anthonye had sente hym ayen to theym / and anone agreably they receyued hym ¶ A relygyous monke had coÌ„mysed a synne / for the whiche he was constrayned by a preste to auoyde out of the chirche The abbot Besaryon at that tyme beyng present arose vp and wente also out / sayeng to hym that he was a synner / as was the sayd Relygyous monke ¶ The abbot Ysaac dwelled in the desertes of Thebayde / and sawe on a tyme amonge the other in the congregacyon of the relygyouses / among whom he sawe one that was culpable of a synne / for the whiche he Iuged the sayd relygyous And in retornyng in to his hermytage / wenyng to entre in to his celle / he fonde thangall of god whiche letted hyÌ„ to entre / sayeng that he wolde not suffre hyÌ„ to entre in And the sayd abbot asked of hyÌ„ the cause And he answered hyÌ„ / that god
he answered / yf thou hast noo charge ne besynes of thy selfe in prayeng god that he kepe the fro synne / he shall haue no pyte of the / ne more shall I also ¶ An other tyme sayd the sayd saynte Anthony of some folke that he knewe to be feble hertles God suffreth not this people here to haue ony warre or bataylles / bycause that he knoweth that they be feble may not be it ¶ Thabbot Euagriê° sayd to thabbot Arsenye that he meruaylled moche / how it myght be / that in soo grete a multytude of relygyouses as were there that had so grete scyence InstruccoÌ„n / had noo vertues Sayeng furthermore that the labourers werke men in Egypte were endowed with Infynyt vertues / and sayd that many relygyouses were not vertuoê° / by cause they applyed ouer ententyfely theym selfe to worldly thynges / but the labourers werke men of Egypt had goten the vertues by theyr owne propre labours ¶ The holy fader Arsenye sayd that a Relygyous straunger dwellyng in a straunge prouynce / yf he wyll be in rest tranquyllyte / he ought not to entremete with ony worldly thyng ¶ Thabbot Marke sayd to the holy fader Arsenye that it was a good thyng whan a Relygyous man taketh some coÌ„solacoÌ„n in his celle And that he had seen a relygyous man / the whiche had but one oonly plante of a coole in his gardyn / he had plucked it vp / to the ende that he sholde not take therof ouer grete pleasyr / or ouer grete delectacyon To whom the holy fader Arsenye answered / that the holy fader Marke sayd well / how well that it is necessary to some man to byhaue hym selfe after his excercytacoÌ„n For yf the same persone that had dysplanted pulled vp the sayd coole / yf he had not in hyÌ„ this vertue to endure it / he had noon other thyng to do / but to plante it ayen ¶ Thabbot Peter whiche was dyscyple of thabbot Loth sayd that he was on a tyme in that celle of that holy fader Agathon where as cam to hyÌ„ a relygyous persone sayeng / that he had wyll to dwelle with the relygyouses / for the cause he prayed hyÌ„ that he wolde saye how he ought byhaue hyÌ„ among theym To whom the sayd fader answered / that it was necessary / that for the fyrste daye he entred he shold take suche so good maner of lyuyng / that he sholde neuer chauÌ„ge it / that he sholde take in hyÌ„selfe no trust of his werkes The holy fader Macharye to this purpose asked hym / what dooth trust To whom he answered that it is lykeneth to the grete hete / the whiche whan it brenneth / maketh euery man to flee from hym And also it corrupteth the fruytes of the trees Thenne sayd the holy fader Macharye / trust is an euyll thyng The fader Agathon answered / that it is noo worse passyon than is confyaunce / the whiche is moder of all other passyons And it is a thyng couenable necessary to a relygyous persone / that he applye hym selfe to vertuous werkes / that he take not in hyÌ„ selfe confyauÌ„ce of the same werkes / how be it also that he be resydent allone in his celle ¶ We fynde that for the dyscrecyon of thabbot Agathon Some desyryng to see hym to experyment / yf he were a man moderat pacyent / not subget to angre or to yre / cam transported theym to hym / sayd to hyÌ„ many Iniuryes in this maner Thou art thabbot Agathon / of the we haue herde saye / that thou art a grete fornycatour / replenysshed with all pryde ambycoÌ„n To whom he answered / it is true / where of it me dyspleaseth After they sayd to hyÌ„ / thou art Agathon / the grete rayller full of Ryotous wordes of detraccoÌ„n And he yet answered that he was so And furthermore they sayd Thou art an heretyke / heryng the whiche Iniurye / he sayd without troublyng ne moeuynge hyÌ„ selfe in wrath / that he was none heretyke And they seeyng his grete pacyence / asked hym wherfore he had suffred endured so longe so grete Iniuryes / as were the fyrste / in confessyng theym to be true And he had not in lyke wyse suffred the last Iniurye To whiche askyng he answered / that as to the regarde of the sayd fyrst Iniuryes he had attrybuted to hyÌ„selfe / was prouffyte to his soule to haue endured theyÌ„ But as touchyng to the last / by the whiche they accused hyÌ„ of the right enorme synne of heresye / consyderyng that this synne is the pryncypall that departeth a man from the companye of god And that for nothyng he wolde not be separate fro hyÌ„ / therfor he wolde not endure it They heryng his right honest answere were moche meruaylled of his right grete dyscrecoÌ„n / departed from hym moche well edyfyed ¶ The sayd abbot Agathon asked that whiche labour was more grete whether to kepe his body / or to kepe his soule He answered that the bodye was lykened to a tree And sayd that to kepe his bodye / was as moche as to kepe the leues of the tree But to kepe the soule is as moche / as to kepe the fruyte And therfore it is wryten that euery tree not beryng good fruyte shall be hewen doun put in the fyre to brenne / it behoueth vs for the conseruacoÌ„n of our fruyte to haue besy solycytude of the kepyng of our soule And in so doyng to haue coÌ„stauÌ„ce in our good thoughtes cogytacyons Also alwaye we haue nede of couerture ornement whiche is labour corporall ¶ Thabbot Agathon well dyscrete sayge for well to entende vnderstonde / nothyng slouthfull for to labour / suffysaunt in all thynges And moche strongly ententyfe besy in labouryng with his poore handes / and moche sobre in etyng vestymentis ¶ In a chapytre generall where as were assembled all the relygyouses of Sychye for the determynacyon of a certayne cause After the delyberacyon of the same cam to theym thabbot Agathon / whiche sayd to the sayd relygyouses / that they had not well ordeyned The whiche heryng these wordes sayd to hym / who art thou that thus spekest To whom he answered I am the sone of a man Certaynly it is wryten O ye sones of men yf ye speke veryly Iustyce Iuge ye ryght wysely ¶ The sayd abbot Agathon sayd that yf a man yracundyous were so vertuous that he myght reyse the deed bodyes yet it sholde not please god bycause of his yre ¶ On a tyme cam to thabbot Achylles thre olde faders / amonge whom there was one whiche was moche obstynate in an ylle opynyon The other tweyne eche after other requyred the abbot Achylles that he wold make a nette for to fysshe / to th ende that theyr monasterye sholde haue remembrauÌ„ce of hyÌ„ And he answered to
/ or yf he ought to lustre theym in to his thought To whom the holy fader answered / that he sholde late theym entre / and after he sholde fyght with theym and withstande theym Anone after the abbot Pastor retourned in to Sychye where as he made his resydence And certayn tyme after a Relygyous man comen fro Thebayde in to Sychye in spekynge of thabbot Ioseph to some Relygyouses / sayd that he hadde asked hym / how he ought to conduyte hym in his temptacyons / and yf he ought promptely resyste and withstande theym / or ellys receyue theym and fyght ayenst theym And that the sayd Ioseph had sayd that he sholde kepe hym that he receyued theym not / but Incontynente to caste theym fro hym ¶ Thenne the abbot Pastor herynge these wordes of the sayd relygyous persone / and knowyng that the sayd abbot Ioseph hadde counseylled hym to doo the contrarye / departed fro Sychye / and went to Panese where as the sayd Ioseph helde theym And whan he hadde arryued and entresalued eche other The sayd Pastor sayd to hym suche wordes My brother I shall saye to the wherfore I am come here I haue grete desyre to see the / and with this thou knowest I haue manyfested to the some of my cogytacoÌ„ns and thoughtes And I demaunde of the on a tyme / yf to the temptacyons that comen to me I ought incontynent resyste and withstande them in castyng theym behynde me / or yf I in ony wyse ought to receyue theym / and thenne after to caste theym fro me To whiche thou saydest and answeredest / that I sholde not redyly cast theym fro me / but sholde receyue theym and after that I had foughten ayenst theym to caste theym fro me Now I haue sythyn well herde saye of one of our brethern of Sychye comyng fro the / that thou haste counseylled hym all otherwyse to doo Therfor I am comen to knowe of the that thou saye to me for to content my fantasye ¶ Thenne thabbot Ioseph sayd to hym My broder thou knowest that I loue the / certaynly that doost the answered Pastor / whan the requyredest me to gyue the counseyll in this mater Vnderstodest thou not that I gaaf to the as I wolde haue gyuen to my selfe Certaynly yes sayd Pastor Certaynly sayd Ioseph Myn aduyse is suche / that yf thou or I gaaf place to temptacoÌ„ns whan they assaylled vs / and after that we fyght ayenst theym / thenne we haue the more meryte / than yf incoÌ„tynent we cast theym away without to fyght ayenst them In thus dooyng we be the more proeued / and therfore I spack counseylled the as I wolde haue done to my selfe / but euery man hath not the constauÌ„ce to mowe withstande the temptacoÌ„ns whan they delyuer to them ouer grete entree Therfore to hym / to whom I sayd the contrarye I sayd it for his moost surete / by cause I knewe hyÌ„ not ne what strength he had ¶ The sayd abbot Pastor sayd that on a tyme that he transported hym selfe in to the lowe partyes of Eracleos vnto the sayd abbot Ioseph / the whiche had in his monasterye a moche fayr fygge tree And on a frydaye in the mornyng the sayd Ioseph and Pastor deuysyng togyder / the sayd Pastor behelde the sayd fygge tree And Ioseph sayd to hym that he sholde ete of the fygges that ther were But by cause it was fastyng daye / he wolde not ete Neuerthelesse he prayed hym in the name of god that he wolde telle to hym the cause wherfor he wylled hyÌ„ to ete / seen that it was fastyng daye And how be it that he ete not as sayd is / neuerthelesse yet he was ashamed that he had not do that the sayd Ioseph had coÌ„mauÌ„ded hym doubtyng to haue done euyll in as moche as he had not obeyed to his comauÌ„dement / ymagynyng that he had done it without cause Thabbot Ioseph answered hyÌ„ that the olde faders at the begynnyng had not acustome to coÌ„mauÌ„de the yonge relygyouses ony thyng / that it were lawfull to do / but to the contrarye coÌ„mauÌ„ded them to do thynges that semed to be vnprouffytable not decente ne couenable And whan they sawe that they were redy to do all the / whiche was coÌ„mauÌ„ded to theym were it good or euyll Thenne they coÌ„mauÌ„ded theyÌ„ nothyng but that whiche was reson And so ought they to do bycause they knewe that in all thyng they were obeyssauÌ„t ¶ A broder asked the sayd abbot Ioseph in demauÌ„dyng hym what he had to do vpon that whiche he sayd / that he myght not bere ony temptacoÌ„ns / ne labour / ne gyue almesse Thabbot answered hym yf thou mayst not do ony of these thyÌ„ges at the lest kepe thy conscyence clene froÌ„ all euyll towarde thy neyghbours / in this maner thou shalt be saued For god axeth noo thyng but the soule without synne ¶ Thabbot Ysaac of Thebayde deffended his brethern / that they sholde not bryÌ„g ony childern in to theyr monastery / sayng that in Sychye by thoccasyon of childern .iiij. chirches had ben deserted ¶ Thabbot Longyn sayd on a tyme to thabbot Lucius that he had thre thought the greued hyÌ„ / that one was that he wente in to an strauÌ„ge couÌ„tree And the sayd Luciê° answered to hyÌ„ / yf thou reteyne not thy tongue / in what someuer place that thou goost thou shalt not be a strauÌ„ger / but yf thou refrayne it thou shalte be there a pylgryme / After the sayd Longyn sayd to hyÌ„ The seconde admonesteth me to faste two dayes contynuell without etyng The holy fader answered to hym Certaynly my brother / whan by force of fastyng thou becomest so croked that thy hede boweth to thy fete Yet for all that shall not thy fastyng be agreable to god / yf it be not done with a pure entencyon / thenne is it nede to make suche fastynges as ben agreable to god and to kepe the fro euyll thoughtes Yet ayen sayd thabbot Longyn That other thought is that I kepe me from hauntyng with the men And the sayd Luctus answered to him / yf thou canst not correcte thy lyfe in coÌ„uersyng with other In lyke wyse thou canst not correcte thy selfe lyuyng allone solytaryly ¶ Thabbot Macharye sayd yf we put in our remembraunce / that is to saye / yf we forgete not / pardonne the offenses that ben doon to vs by the men we take awaye cutte fro our thought the vertue to haue remeÌ„braunce of our lorde But yf we haue remeÌ„braunce of the euylles that the deuylles excyten vs / we shall be vertuous Inuyncyble ¶ Thabbot Mathoys sayd that the deuyll knoweth not by what passyon or synne he maye pryncypally ouercome or subdue the soule And therfore he soweth in vs euyll thoughtes / but he can not take theym awaye ayen Somtyme be soweth fornycacyons / and semblably other passyons And in the wherin he seeth the soule to be moost enclyned
had deceyued hyÌ„ / that he was but a lyar / he whiche had refused to lene hyÌ„ moneye / sayeng that he had none / how be it that he had ynough to lene hyÌ„ / wherfore he myght knowe that he was a lyar The broder theÌ„ne rysyng erly on the morne cam to the sayd olde fader tolde to hym all that he had herde / the whiche answered to hyÌ„ that it was trouthe that he had the moneye but he wolde not lene it hyÌ„ / bycause that he knewe well / yf he had lente it hym that he shole haue euyll vsed it to the hurte of his soule / for the cause he had leuerlye / in lyeng to breke one of the coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„â—â— of god / than to be cause to make hyÌ„ to breke ten / in lenyng hym the moneye / by whiche they bothe myght happely haue ronne in myscyef grete trybulacoÌ„n And after sayd to hyÌ„ that he sholde nomore gyue heryng to the deuylles whiche wolde begyle hym The relygyous broder conforted by the wordes of the olde fader retorned in to his celle / was better content than he was before· ¶ Thre relygyous brethern camen to an olde fader in Sychye / the one of theym sayd to hym / that he had so moche studyed the olde testament the newe / that he had al reteyned it in his myÌ„de And the holy fader sayd to hym that he had well acquyted hyÌ„selfe / the he had replenysshed all the heuen with wordes That other sayd that with â—â—honde he had wryten all a longe 〈◊〉 newe testament And he answeâ—â— hyÌ„ that he had fylled all the wyndeâ—â— with papyer And the thyrde sayd to hym / that he had be solytary in his celle / that the grasse was growen in the entre To whom he answered that he had putt awaye froÌ„ hyÌ„ the vertue of hospytalyte ¶ Some faders recyten of an olde vertuous man that whiche oftymes whan ony man cam to hyÌ„ for to aske ony good InstruccoÌ„n for to be well edefyed in his conscyence He sayd to hyÌ„ of good affeccoÌ„n Now syth that thou comest to me for to haue couÌ„seyll of me I shall saye to the for to gyue to the good couÌ„seyll what thyng we haue to do / thou muste ymagyne that I am here as god syttyng in his Iugement / for to decyde Iuge the doubtous causes that thou askedest Now aske thou what thou wylt / I shall answere to the / yf thou sayest haue mercy on me I shall answere to the in the persone of god / yf thou wylt I haue pyte on the / haue thou pyte mercy on thy brethern / in so dooyng I shall haue mercy of the / yf thou wylt that I forgyue the / forgyue thou thy neyghbour / wylt thou thenne saye the god be cause to dampne the / or to saue the. Certes nay But it is in vs to be saued yf we wyll be saued ¶ Some other sayd of an olde fader beyng in his celle / the whiche was moche penyble in labour / that on a tyme in labouryng in his celle / an holy man cam to hym And as he entred he herde that he spack chydde as ther hadde ben moo men with hym sayeng Ha how for one oonly worde haue I lost all these thynges That other beyng withoutforthe wende that he had chyddâ—â—th an other / knocked at his dote for to go in and to appease theym / he entryng in seeyng that ther was none but he allone / asked hyÌ„ where he was to whom he had chydde To whom he answered that he chydde to hyÌ„selfe / bycause that he had late reteyned in his mynde .xiiij. volumes of bokes And as he yssued out of his celle a lytyll / he had herde a worldly worde / whiche had made hym to forgete all that whiche he had estudyed / and complayned hym of that whiche in comyng for to doo the seruyse dyuyne / that worde oonly that he had herde / cam to hym in his mynde / and for that cause he dyde chyde ayenst his thoughtes as sayd is ¶ An other sayd to an olde auÌ„cyent fader / that somtyme whan he was heuy of slepe / he myght not aryse atte hour couenable for to do his seruyse / whan he sawe the hour passed / he was ashamed dyspleased that he coude not done saye his seruyce / and asked how he ought to do The olde fader answered to hym Yf this Inconuenyent happe to hym ony more to slepe vnto the mornyng / that neuertheles whan he a woke / he sholde aryse / and shette his dore wyndowes / that is to saye / he sholde caste from hym all occupacoÌ„ns temporall / doo his seruyce For it is wryten that the daye the nyght be ours / and in all tyme we ought to gloryfye oure lorde god ¶ An other olde fader sayd that therben some men that eten moche / and yet they haue grete hunger And also there ben some that eten ryght lytyll / and haue none hunger / but ben full And alwaye they haue â—oost meryte and thanke / ben they that ete and haue hungre / more than they that eten lytyll and ben full ¶ An other olde auncyent fader sayd / yf it soo happed that bytwene the and an other were moeued ony Ryotous wordes / and thy aduerse partye denyed to haue sayd the sayd worde / beware and kepe the well to enforce the ayenste hym sayeng that he hadde sayd it For in soo dooyng / thou sholdest moeue hym more strongly in yre and shall mowe saye to the that he hadde sayde it / where it were better that the questyon were suspended in sayeng that he had neuer spoken it ¶ A Relygyous man asked and demaunded of an olde auncyent fader / sayeng I haue a syster whiche is ryghte poore / yf I wolde doo to her ony almesse / is it not all one / as thoughe I dyde it to ony other poore persone The olde auncyent fader answered to hym / nay / by cause that the blood excyted hym to do more to her / than to ony other persone / and in soo dooyng he myght erre / in estemyng the almesse to be better employed on his syster / than to the other persone / the whiche sholde be yet more poorer than his sayd syster ¶ An other olde auncyent fader sayd / that a relygyous ought neuer to herkene ony people that chyden / ne sclaundred eche other ¶ An other sayd / beware that thou herkene not / ne to receyue agreably all tho thynges that ben sayd to the / ne gyue to euery worde thy consentyng ¶ An other sâ—â—d that a man sholde be slouth 〈◊〉 bylue / prompte redy to 〈◊〉 â—e trouthe ¶ An olde 〈◊〉 â—yent fader sayd / that yf a relygyous persone beyng resydente in his celle / purpose for to doo ony good werke / and in that purpose he
thyng he shall bryng to the gyue it to pylgryms / or to some olde poore persone / warne theyÌ„ that they praye for thy broder The relygyoê° man concluded for to do so as lyke as the holy man had sayd to hyÌ„ So theÌ„ne after his broder cam to hyÌ„ desyryng his helpe as he had be acustomed To whom he answered / my broder I can gyue to that no more / for I am becomen all poore / now it is nede that the labour bryng to me some thyng for to socour me / the whiche answere herde / the seculer departed all troubled / a daye after he brought his broder some worte cooles of his gardyÌ„ / his broder gaf to hyÌ„ his blessyÌ„g / he gaf dystrybuted it to the poore nedy in dygeÌ„t / prayeng theyÌ„ that they wolde pray for his broder The seconde daye after he cam ayen / brought mo cooles thre loues of brede / whiche he toke gaaf to hyÌ„ his blessyng as he dyde tofore / the thyrde day he cam ayen brought grete quantyte of mete of wyn of fysshe This seeyng his broder meruaylled therof / called a grete multytude of poore people fedde theyÌ„ After he asked of his broder yf he had ony nede of brede or of wyn / to whom he answered nay in sayeng to hyÌ„ / whan thou gauest to me of thy goodes / all that I toke was incontynent consumed / lyke as the fyre hadde brente it in my hous / but syth I gaaf to that of my goodes / they be multyplyed meruayllously by the benedyccoÌ„n of god Thus theÌ„ne the relygyous man heryng thanswere of his broder / went tolde the caaâ— to an holy fader whiche sayd to hyÌ„ knowest thou not well / that the goodes of a relygyous man ben as fyre / ouer all where as they entre come they coÌ„sume all I assure the that it is well necessarye ê“uffytable to thy broder to lyue of his labour / to do almesse to th ende that they praye for hym / and that his goodes be multeplyed ¶ Ther was a man that dyde moche almesse / but that deuyll hauyng enuye ther of / for to lette the rewarde to hyÌ„ of his good dedes / brought in to his thought a multytude of scrupuloê° remorse of coÌ„scyence / among all other camto hyÌ„ a wydowe askyng for the loue of god a lytyll whete / to whoÌ„ he sayd that she sholde bryÌ„g a mesure / take as moche as she sholde nede / netheles he mesure the whete hyÌ„selfe / but whan it was put in the sacke / he began to saye that there was more than .iiij. busshellis made the woman gretly ashamed That seeyng an holy man that was by / began to axe of the man that made that almesse / haste thou lente or sholde this whete to this womaÌ„ to whom he answered that he had gyueÌ„ it TheÌ„ne go saye to her that thou hast gyueÌ„ it to her all / wherfor makest thou dyffyculte of a lytyll / for the deuyll wolde that this man sholde lete his rewarde ¶ An olde man moche mercyfull / a nother man lyued to gydre a certayne tyme / duryng the whiche ther fyll a grete hunger famyne The poore people knowyng the grete pyte mercy of this man / camen from all costes to hyÌ„ for to haue his almesse And to all theym that cam for socour / he gaaf brede / but that other brother seeyng that / sayd to hym Fader gyue to me my parte of the goodes / and after of thy parte doo as thou wylt Thenne this pytefull man of his parte dyde almesse as he dyde to fore And for that cause Infenyte multytude of people cam to hym / wherfore our lord seeyng his good purpose / blessyd the brede of this holy man / multeplyed in suche wyse that he had ynoughe alwaye for theym that cam / and it mynysshed not That other broder that dyde none almesse / ete all his brede / whan he sawe that he had nothynge / he sayd to the holy fader Alas yf it please you lete vs lyue togydre as we dyde to fore / to whom the holy fader sayd that he wolde well / so they were to gydre as they had ben tofore / anone the huÌ„gre cessed / and was grete habundauÌ„ce of goodes / but notwithstondyng the poore peple cameÌ„ alway for to haue almes One daye among the other cam a poore man askyng almesse / theÌ„ne the holy fader sayd to the same broder that he sholde gyue brede to the poore man / the broder seeyng that he had no brede / answered that he had none to gyue / the holy man sayd to hyÌ„ go in loke seche / whaÌ„ he was entred in / he sawe the chestes all full of brede / therfor praysyng god for this myracle / gaaf to the poore what they asked / and had euer after the holy man in grete reuerence ¶ Here foloweth a lytyll treatyse of obeyssauÌ„ce or obedyence THe holy scrypture recouÌ„teth to vs the obedyence is better than sacrefyce Therfore in this boke is determyned of this vertue by many exaÌ„ple / of whiche the fyrst is this ¶ Thabbot Arsenye sayd on a tyme to thabbot Alysander / as soone as thou hast doon thy werke come to me / we shall dyne togydre / but it happe by aduenture the ony pylgryms come / abyde ete with theyÌ„ hardyly / the hour of dyner comen / the holy man Alysander whiche had not achyeued his werke for to obeye the worde of Arseny / abode tyl he had done / Arsenye seeyng that the hour was passed sayd I byleue that Alysander haue pylgryms with hyÌ„ syth that he cometh not / so the holy man wente to dyner / whan Alysander had done / whiche was about mydnyght / he wente to thabbot Arseny whiche sayd to hyÌ„ I suppose Alysander that thou hast had this daye pylgryms Alysander answered Fader I haue had none / but I haue done as moche as I maye for to come to that as soone as I myght / whan I had achyeued my werke lyke as thou coÌ„mauÌ„dest me Thenne Arsenye was moche abasshed how this maÌ„ was so obedyent / began to saye I coÌ„mauÌ„de that the a nother tyme thou be not so longe in thy werke / but go praye god and do thyn other bodely necessytees / for there myght ensyewe therof some dauÌ„ger to thy bodye ¶ Thabbot Abraham thabbot Aram were on a tyme togyder ther cam a broder vnto theyÌ„ axed thabbot Aram what thyÌ„g he myght do for to be saued / to whoÌ„ the holy maÌ„ aÌ„swerd go in to thy celle / all this yere ete onely at euyn brede salt / after com ayen to me at ende of the yere / I shall tell that what thou shalt thenne do This broder went his waye dyde this penauÌ„ce all
saye / that whiche the sayd saynt Anthonye had demauÌ„ded hym ¶ Thenne saynt Anthonye sayd to hym / that he â—onâ—y had fouÌ„de the yate of humylyte / for in spekyng of the holy scrypture ought noman to gloryfye hym / but rather to meke humble hym ¶ Thabbot Arsenye beyng allone in his celle / the deuylles camen somtyme for to lette hym of his contemplacoÌ„ns On a tyme among the other they cam at the hour / whan the brethern brought hym his refeccyon corporall And they taryeng at the dore herde the sayd abbot cryeng with an hye voys sayeng My god leue me not without thy mercy And bycause I neuer dyde dede merythâ—ryous I praye the gyue me grace that now I may entrepryse the begynnyng of helthfull lyfe And this sayd 〈…〉 humylyte / â—ow he it he had so 〈…〉 ledde a ryght parfyght lyâ—◠¶ Of the same holy abbot Arsenye recounten his brethern / that whan he was in the palays of themperour / ther was none cladde with more precyous Robes than he And countrarye whan he was Relygyous for to more to meke humble hym selfe / he cladde hym with the moost vyle clothynge more course than all the other He asked on a tyme of an olde fader of Egypte what thoughtes and medytacyons he ought to haue for to lyue holyly The whiche olde fader answered to hym sayeng Arsenye I meruaylle me how thou that art a clerke / knowyng the grekysshe lettres latyn / demauÌ„dest suche a questyon of me that am a rude man / that can not dyscerne bytwene synne vertue Thenne the holy fader Arsenye coÌ„syderyng his humylyte sayd to hym these wordes I haue knowen the lawes tradycoÌ„ns latyne greke But yet knewe I neuer the a.b.c of suche a rude man that is no clerke / whan he spacke / his speche was sorowfull / whan he was styll spacke not / it was to hym gladnesse ¶ Whan thabbot Pastor herde tydynges of his deth / he sayd of hym these wordes Thou art well happy fader Arsenye / for thou hast wepte bewayled thy selfe in this worlde As who sholde saye / he that bewayleth ben epeth not his synnes in this worlde mortall / in doyng penytence / he shal bewept hyÌ„ incessauÌ„tly in torment euerlastyng ¶ An holy fader named Danyell wytnesseth of the sayd holy fader Arsenye many fayr rewles of his holy conuersacyon ¶ Fyrste the sayd abbot Arsenye presumed neuer to speke ony questyon doubtouse touchynge holy scrypture ¶ Secondely be wrote not gladly ony lettres myschyef to his Relygyous brethern And whan he had be longe out of his couent / was come ayen to the chirche / he shewed not hym selfe / but put hym selfe behynde a pyler by cause he wolde not be seen / also that he sholde see none other Notwithstandynge that his face was angelyke pleasant as the face of Iacob ¶ Thauncyent faders rehercen that some relygyoê° brethern presented theyÌ„ selfe to fore thabbot Ammon / to th ende that he sholde Iuge some questyon moeued among theym But the good fader Ammon dyssymyled wolde Iuge no persone That seeyng a woman she sayd to an other that was by her My neyghbour take hede see this fayr fader whiche is all a fooll Thus as she sayd these wordes / the sayd Ammon vnderstode it / and sayd to her My frende how longe wenest thou that I haue had paynes labours in deserte for to gete this fatuyte folye And for thoccasyon of the / that is to wyce for thy Iniuryouses I sholde haue this daye loste it As who sayd / that yf I had not endured pacyently that whiche she had sayd / he had falle in Inpacyence / by that he had loste the meryte of his penauÌ„ces / yf by newe penauÌ„ce he had not retorned to god ¶ The holy faders recouÌ„ten that in the cyte of Exyrynque was a bysshop named Assus / the whiche beyng a monke to fore he was electe bysshop / ladde a right harde strayt lyfe And also wel whan he was bysshop / he wolde haue ledde suche a lyfe / as that he had ledde in his hermytage Thenne as desolate / wenyng to be out of the grace of the holy ghost made ofte his prayer vnto god in sayeng O my lord my god / the dygnyte epyscopall in whiche I am coÌ„stytued maketh me to be separate from thy loue In so moche that I may not doo suche penaunces as I was wonte to doo in deserte To whom was shewed that nay / and that our lord socoured hym more whan he was in deserte in solytude / bycause that men myght not thenne helpe hym But he beyng a bysshop he myght haue ayde and helpe of men / wherfore god gaaf not soo grete consolacyon ne suche strength in his penaunces strayt lyuyng ¶ The abbot Danyell wytnesseth that in Babylon the doughter of a prouoost was vexed of a deuyll the whiche she hadde within her bodye The sayd prouoost had grete famylyaryte with a Relygyous man / of whom he asked ofte couÌ„seyll for to knowe by what moyen his doughter myght ben preserued from this vexacyon dyabolyke ¶ The sayd monke answered that he knewe noo remedye / but the prayers of the holy hermytes lyuyng in the desertes But by cause that the sayd monke knewe theyr humylyte / he counselled the sayd prouoost that he sholde awayte whan ony of theym cam to the market for to selle theyr hottes or paners / and that he sholde bye thâ—ym and not paye / but constrayne hym to come to his hous for his moneye And whan he were come / he sholde make his doughter demonyake to come to fore hym / thenne he sholde praye hyÌ„ to praye to god for his sayd doughter / hopyng by this moyen that she sholde be heled and restored to her helth And fynably it happed than that an olde hermyte cam to the market for to selle his paners And anone after the counseyll of the Relygyous man the sayd prouoost brought hym to his hous / for to paye to hym there his moneye for the marchauÌ„dyse that he hadde bought of hym And after that the holy fader was entred in to the hous / the doughter beyng gryeuously tourmented of the deuyll was presented tofore hym The whiche in hyr grete woodnesse gaaf to the sayde hermyte incontynent a buffet vpon his cheke The whiche consyderyng the coÌ„maundement of our lorde Ihesu cryste in his gospell / presented and profred to hyr that other cheke / to th ende that she sholde gyue to hym yet an other buffette The deuyll whiche was with in the bodye of the sayd doughter / whan he perceyued the grete humylyte of the holy hermyte / by his grete pryde he coude ne myght noo lenger kepe ne holde hym within her in the presence of the holy man But with an hye voys cryed by the mouthe of the sayde doughter sayeng O vyolente
chapytre or congregacōn generall / treated a questyon of Melchysedech preest / wherof is made mencōn in holy scrypture / in treatyng of this mater / they remēbred of an holy abbot named Coppres moche renōmed amonge theym / the whiche had not by theym be called And thenne they sente for hym And Incontynent as he was comen / they asked hym his opynyon of the questyon proposed The whiche by hym herde / he smote his mouth sayd / ha Coppres that whiche god byddeth the to be doon thou hast lefte And that whiche he cōmaūdeth not / thou sekest it by argumentacyon Whan the brethern had herde these wordes / all confused they retorned in to theyr celles For by that he gaaf theȳ to vnderstande / that none without grete necessyte ought not presume to enquyre ouer ferre of that werkes of god / veray scyence is to knowe hym selfe / and to do that ought to do / without entremetynge with the fayte of other ¶ It is foūde of the holy abbot Macharye that he dwellyng in the desertes of Sychye On a tyme as he cam frō a marys / and bryngyng palmes on his necke / a deuyll appyered to hym in lykenesse of a man beryng a sythe to shere otes / wolde haue smoten hȳ with that same syche / but he myght not bycause that god our maker wolde not suffre it ¶ Thenne the deuyll sayd to hym A Macharye I haue grete passyons of that I may not ouercome the / for all that thou doste / I do also / yf thou fastest in etyng ones on the daye / I ete neuer / thou wakest / and I slepe neuer / but neuerthelesse thou surmoūtest me with one thyng ¶ Thenne thabbot Macharye demaūded hym what thyng it was And be answered that it was his humylyte / the whiche kepte hym from hauynge ony power / auctoryte / or domynacyon on hym ¶ Some holy faders rehersen of thabbot Moyses / that after that he was made preest / they cladde hym with the tunyke sacerdotall thenne accustomed to preestes ¶ Thenne the Archebysshop sayd to hym / beholde Moyses / by the ordre of preesthode thou art made whyte And that sayd he peraduenture by cause that thenne he was cladde with whyte ¶ The sayd abbot humbly answered to hym A my lorde this whytnesse or clennesse is it without forthe or within forth ¶ The sayd Archebysshop for to preue his humylyte commaunded to his seruauntes / whan he offred hym selfe to the aulter for to doo sacrefyce / that thenne incontynent they sholde caste hym out of the chirche / the whiche thynge they dyde sayeng to hym the sayd seruauntes Goo out of the Temple Ethyopyen / as who sholde saye Olde vylayne full of wyckednes To whiche wordes and Iniuryes be answered not one worde / but as spekyng to hym selfe he sayd They haue well doon myschaūt fooll For thou that art not a man oughtest not to repute thy selfe worthy to domyne on men vnder the shadowe to excercyse suche an offyce ¶ The holy abbot Pastor beyng in a congregacyon of Relygyouse men / herde saye of an holy fader called Nestoryn And for as moche as the sayd Nestoryn was of grete name and fame The sayde Pastor sente vnto his abbot / prayeng hym that it wolde plese hym to sende to hym the sayd Nestoryn His abbot dyfferred it by cause he wolde not sende hym allone Hit happened on a tyme that the dyspenser of his couent had in lyke wyse wyll for to goo vysyte the abbot Pastor for to take awaye some scrupules of his cōscyence Thenne that sayd Nestoryn asked lycence of the sayd abbot for to goo see and to vysyte the sayd abbot Pastor And soo gaaf hym leue to goo thyder and gaaf expresse commaundement to the sayd dyspencer to brynge agayne with hym the sayde Nestoryn They tweyne to gydre departed for to accomplysshe the commaundement that was made to theym / and camen to the celle of the sayd Pastor To whom the dyspencer declared fyrste the secretes of his conscyence / wherof he was moche comforted and reioyced by the good exhortacōns and admonycyons that the sayd Pastor made to hym for his helthe After these wordes sayd / he tourned his wordes to the sayd Nestoryn / and asked and demaunded of hym / how he hadde goten soo grete prudence that he hadde For his custome was suche in his monasterye / yf ony amonge theym were in dyssencyon or in hate / he entremeted not / and lete theym doo / as theym good semed / yf ony sayde to hym ony haynous wordes / he answered noo thynge agayne His humylyte was soo grete / that he toke all thyng in good / and reputed all his brethern more wyse dyscrete than hym selfe ¶ The sayd Nestoryn answered to the sayd Pastor in this maner ¶ My fader pardonne me yf it please the. I am noo thynge vertuous as thou sayste But I shall telle the / whan I entred in to thastate of Relygyon I sayde to my selfe that I wolde be semblable and lyke to a beste / whiche called is an asse / the whiche whan he is beten sayth not a worde Yf ony doo to hym wrong or repreef / he holdeth hym stylle and sayeth not a worde ¶ And this rewle approeued Dauyd in his psalme whan he sayth in spekynge to our lorde god My redemer I haue be as a Iument towarde the / that is to saye pacyent in all aduersyte ¶ For to gete good and very humylyte thabbot Pastor sayd / lyke as he that is or wyll be very humble / and haue the parfyght drede of god our blessyd maker / ought alwaye without ceassynge to syghe That is to saye to lyfte his herte on hye on heuenly thynges / lyke as the ayer that the nose bretheth in respyreth out ayen incessaūtly And to that purpose he sayd to theym that demaunded hym / as a man ought to holde hym selfe in the place wherin he dwelleth or babyteth / that in all places he that wyll haue peas / ought to repute hȳ as done the straūgers that be ferre / the whiche entremete theȳ not soone to gaynsaye to that whiche they seen done or sayd ¶ Lyke wyse also none ought desyre to haue audyence in his wordes aboue other / for he that wyll that one herkene alwaye without ceassyng / is ofte reputed for a fooll amonge the other ¶ Yet he sayd that he that wyll haue stronge armours for his soule ayenst his aduersarye the deuyll / he ought neuer to be proude / ne presume hym selfe or esteme to be of ony valour And with that he ought to sette and putte all his affeccyon and his thought behynde his backe / that is to saye to be very obeyssaunt to all the operacyons and commaundementes of his prelates and soueraynes ¶ Furthermore he sayde that none oughte to byleue fermely his propre opynyon / but ought to vse the counseyll and techyng of theym that be of holy conuersacyon and
that an hermyte had with hym a yonge dyscyple replenysshed with alle euyll wylle On a tyme amoÌ„g other the holy man repreued hym of his synne in sayeng to hym My sone do not that That not withstondyng the same dyscyple amended not hym selfe / wherfore thermyte seeyng that he was pertynax obstynate he corrected hym nomore / but coÌ„cluded in hym selfe / to suffre hym to do what hym good semed After that yet he dyde worse / for he shytte closed the celle of the sayd hermyte In the whiche was nomore but thre loues oonly / suffred hym faste thre dayes / duryng the whiche tyme / the sayd hermyte sayd noo thynge ne dyde to hym ¶ This knowyng an other hermyte his next neyghebour made potage for hym delyuered it to hym by an hole of the walle of his celle / asked hym wherfore his dyscyple was so longe or he cam / he answered without ony angre / that whan it pleased hym he sholde come ayen ¶ Many phylosophres beyng togydre in a place / passed by theym a Relygyous well and honestly clothed after his astate The phylosophres desyryng to preue the pacyence of the relygyoê° man called hym in sayeng to hym Ha monke come and speke to vs / and so he dyde ¶ After this passed an other grete monke and of lowe condycoÌ„n / to whome the phylosophres sayden Ha monke folysshe and euyll come and speke with vs / incontynent he went to theym And anone as he was comen / one gaue a buffet to hym on the cheke After whiche buffet by hym receyued whiche was armed with pacyence / presented to theym that other cheke after the couÌ„seyll of Ihesu cryste / whan they knewe his pacyence / they praysed hym / and made hym to sytte in the myddes of theym / sayeng / veryly this is a veray monke ¶ After they demaunded how moche more penaunce doo ye in deserte than they that be in the worlde For they sayd / yf ye faste / soo doo we / yf ye chastyse your bodye / soo do we / thenne what doo ye more than we The monke answered / we lyue in hope / and we kepe scylence and our thought fro thynkyng euyll The phylophres herynge this last answere / praysed theyÌ„ sayeng that it was an harde thyng that to do to theym that ben in the worlde / for they theym selfe coude not do it ¶ An holy fader hadde a dycyple of grete pacyence / the whiche on a tyme / by cause that he was angry putte hym anone out of his hous ¶ The good dyscyple was not proude / but yelded hym humbly and pacyente wente not from the dore of his fayr fader / to fore the whiche whan the fader opened his dore / the dyscyple anone fylle doun on his knees / in askynge hym forgyuenes ¶ The holy fader gretely admeruaylled of his pacyence sayd to hym Ha my sone from hens forth thou shalt be my fader / for by thyne humylyte and pacyence / thou hast ouercome my pusyllanymyte Entre and goo in my sone / thou shalt be holden and reputed my fader And I that am olde shall be thy yong dyscyple / that is to saye / that I am yonger than thou in vertues For by thy grete pacyence constauntly suffred / thou hast put doun my feble age ¶ And to this purpose recounten some holy faders / that many yonge Relygyous men nowrysshed theym that ben olde bycause of theyr euyll gouernaunce And pryncypally we fynde of an olde hermyte whiche made not in a daye nyght but one matte / the whiche he solde anone and dranke the moneye whiche he hadde receyued Soo it happed that a yonge brother with hym lodged / whiche also euery daye made a matte / the whiche in lyke wyse the same olde man solde with the his / enployed in wyn all the moneye that he had receyued for theym after dranke it without to brynge ony therof to his dyscyple sauf oonly a lytyll brede whiche he brought to hym atte euyn This lyfe ladde the olde fader by the space of thre yere / without ony grutchyng of the yonge man or ony euyll worde After consyderyng that he was naked he ete not but brede not halfe ynoughe / purposed hym to departe and to goo in to an other hermytage / but on that other syde he consydered that he ought to endure it for the loue of god And that he was not hermyte for ony other thyng but for to doo penaunce / wherfore he concluded that he wolde not departe out of his hermytage ¶ And anone an Aungell appyered to hym sayeng Brother departe not / for to morn we shall come to the. Of this apparycyon was moche Ioyous the yonge dyscyple And after he prayde his olde fader thermyte that on the morn he wolde not goo out of his celle in to the towne as he was accustomed to goo euery daye / and that his frendes sholde come seche hym The hour comen that the sayd hermyte was accustomed to goo for to selle his mattes / he sayd to his dyscyple My sone I wyll goo to selle our mattes For they for whom thou abydest seen that it is now late / wylle not come this daye ¶ The dyscyple answered My fader knowe for trouthe that they shall come And in sayeng those wordes he rendred and yelded vp his speryte Thenne the olde fader began to crye / helas helas / a longe tyme it is that I haue lyued in this deserte in grete neclygence of my helthe / and thou vertuous childe by the pacyence that thou hast had of me in a lytyll tyme hast taken by assault the Royame of heuen And fro theÌ„ne forthon the olde hermyte becam moche sobre / lyued more holyly than he had be accustomed ¶ Grete pacyence and meruayllous suffred a comyn woman was named Thays / the whiche was of soo grete beaute garnysshed / that for her pleasaunte maynteyne and swere regarde many yonge fresshe and lecherous persones solde theyr rentes and reuenues for to entreteyne and accompanye the sayd Thays And in th ende they cam to shamefull pouerte and mendycyte And that worse / detestable more dauÌ„gerous thynge was / by cause that many pretended to enioye her eueryche at his owne wyll Oftentymes her dore was blody with the blood of the yong men that in grete nombre faught for her An holy fader abbot named Paphunce aduertysed of her poore myserable lyfe / desyryng to withdrawe the sayd Thays from her euyll lyfe / cladde hyÌ„ selfe in seculer habyte / toke moneye for to go to the hous of the sayd Thays dwellynge thenne in a cyte of Egypte The holy saynt fonde her in her hous And after that he had salewed her / he presented offred to her a shelyng for her rewarde of the synne whiche he fayned to coÌ„myse with her Thays whiche toke of all hondes receyued the shelyng / made the good
of the worlde tam to port saâ—lewe / that is in heuen ¶ Thabbot Macharye of the regyon of Sychye sayd / whan ye shall see the celle of a relygyous sette in a place full of ghotes / knowe ye thenne that Sychye shall be nygh his ende And whan ye shall see it nygh vnto the trees / it shall be at begynnyng But yf ye see the childern to fore the celle / flee ye thens / take your vestymentes ¶ The abbot Moyses sayd to his brethern / yf we kepe the coÌ„mauÌ„dementes of god I promyse you that our enemyes shall not assaylle vs / but yf we despyse his coÌ„mauÌ„dementes / knowe ye for certayne that god shall suffre that our enemyes shall destroy our habytacoÌ„n and dwellyng And this is consonauÌ„t to the comyn sayeng / yf god be with vs / who is he that may greue vs / as who sayth they that kepe the coÌ„mauÌ„dementes of god / ben by hym kepte preserued fro euyll ¶ Thabbot Moyses beyng in his celle sayd to his brethern / my frendes this daye our enemyes the Barbaryns shal come hyther for to put vs to deth / and therfore flee we for to eschewe the deth Thenne the brethern sayden to hym And thou holy fader shall thou not flee To whom he answered nay sayeng that he had longe tyme abyden that daye / to th ende that the worde of god were accomplysshed That is to wyte / that all they that smyte with swerde / with the swerde shall deye Thenne the brethern sayden to hym / syth that thou wylt abyde we wyll abyde / and deye with the. To whom the holy man replyed in this wyse I haue no cause ne occasyon to goo awaye / but eche of you see how constauÌ„t he is for to endure the deth And thus as he spacke the enemyes cam slewe theym all / except oonly one / whiche was not constauÌ„t ne stedfast in the fayth But for fere that he had he hydde hym vnder a matte of Ionkes And he beyng there sawe the angell of god bryngyng seuen crownes / of whiche he crowned thabbot fyrst / after eche of the sixe brethern / thus were they veraye martres ¶ Marke the dyscyple of Syluanus sayd to his mayster wyllyng to goo in to Syrye Fader yf it please the / abyde thre dayes to th ende that I conucye the And so caryed the holy man vnto the thyrde daye / and that daye comen / his clerke deyed ¶ Thabbot Iohan whiche had be baÌ„nysshed of one named Marcyen / cam on a tyme to thabbot Pastor for to aske of the hardenes of a mannes herte / whom seeyng Pastor began to speke sayd to hym / the nature of the water is to be loft swete / and the nature of the stone is to be harde of grete resystence / yet alwaye is it seen that the dropes of water that falleth vpon the stone / fynably atte laste it perceth it / not of the vyolence caused of the water / but by the contynuell droppyng of the sayd water vpon the same stone And so it is sayd he of the worde of god For it is swete lofte And our herte is harde obstynate Not for as moche / yf one hereth it ofte in feruent deuocoÌ„n / it maketh in our herte whiche is harde as a stone an hole of the drede of god It is wryten by the psalmyst That lyke as the herte desyreth to the fontayne of clere water clene whan he is moche wery / all in lyke wyse our soule coueyteth and desyreth to come to god / whiche is the water of lyfe by grace ¶ A brother demauÌ„ded of thabbot Pastor / what the scrypture sygnefyeth sayng that a man sholde not do euyl for euyl To whom the holy man answereth / that may be do in four maners Fyrste in thought Secondely in beholdynge Thyrdely in worde Fourthly in operacoÌ„n ontward in dede Thus theÌ„ne yf thou thynke not euyll to an other / beholde hym not dyspytously / yf thou beholde hym not by Ire ne by despyte / thou shalt not speke euyll of hym And yf the speke not euyll of hym / thou shalt do no outwarde werke ne thynge that not gryeue ne ennoye hym Thus it is sayde atte begynnyng / that one ought to resyste put remedye to the pryncyples or begynnyng And this is consonauÌ„t to the worde of god where he sayth / loue ye your enemyes / and do ye good to theym that hate you / also do ye none euyll for euyll / but good fyr euyll ¶ An holy man named Basyle sayd that in a monastery of wyÌ„men / was a vugyne that fayned her selfe demonyake out of her mynde / in soo moche that all the other fledde / wolde not ete ne felashyp with her And this woman wolde so lyue bycause she wolde be in the kechyne / do all that ther was necessarye for the other systres / all that whiche was to do in the monastery coÌ„cernyng the housholde And she dyde all this for to haue the more payne labour Consyderyng that whiche out lord sayth in holy scrypture / yf ony of you sayth he / repute hym selfe wyse in this worlde It behoueth hym fyrst to correcte hym selfe / repute hym selfe a fooll to fore that he be wyse ¶ And in an other place is sayd that the wysedom of this worlde / is but foly towarde god And this virgyne was all bare hede seruynge all the other systres in theyr affayres / with grete payne myght ony see her ete / she satte neuer at table / and dranke of the wasshyng of pottes where in the wyne had be / she dyde neuer wronge ne dyspleasyr to ony other for ony thyng / she neuer grutched ne spacke to persone / and oftymes bycause she spacke not / she was beten Iniuryed of the other systres / but she endured suffred all for the loue honour of god And bycause she wolde not suffre the good to be oppressyd of the euyll God shewed to a good holy man whos name was Pyterius the lyfe of this holy woman / so herde this holy man a voys sayeng to hym Pyterius whiche reputest thy selfe a moche holy man / yf thou wylt see a woman more Iuste than thou / go in to the monastery of Tabenesyens where as be many holy relygyous wyÌ„men / her whom thou shalt see crowned on the hede / knowe thou that she is better than yu. For in fyghtyng euery daye ayenst a grete peple / her herte departeth not fro my loue / but thou that dwelleste all alone / somtyme thou hast not the vertue for to resyste the temptacoÌ„ns The holy fader herde this reuelacoÌ„n / departed incontynent / cam in to that monastery / prayed his brethern / whiche had the charge of the relygyous wymmen / that they wolde suffre hym to entre in to the monasterye with theym The brethern seeyng the
that it was god For it is wryten in the psalmyste God is our refuge / strengthe vertue in trybulacōns whiche persecute vs strongely ¶ A brother asked hym what prouffyten the fastynges and wakynges that men make The holy man answered / that they make the soule humble and meke For it is wryten Lorde god beholde my mekenes my labour / and forgyue me my synnes / yf it pleaseth the. And therfore yf we take on vs payne / god shall haue pyte mercy on vs. ¶ A brother demaunded of an olde fader / what ought a man to doo agayne the temptacōns of the fende To whome he answered / he ought fyrst to wepe to th ende that god helpe hym And yf he praye deuoutly / god shall socoure hym For it is wryten Yf god helpe me I fere noo man ¶ A brother asked yf a bondeman haue trespaced / what shall he saye to his lorde / yf he wyll punysshe hym To this he answered that he sholde saye My lorde I haue trespaced / but yf it please the. I praye the to pardonne me / anone his mayster shall forgyue hȳ Thus we that be boūde and seruaūtes to god / whan we haue synned / and we retorne to hym in confessyng our synnes / he wyll pardonne vs Incontynent The ende of our operacyons is not to Iuge ony persone For whan god slewe all the fyrste begoten in Egypte / ther was not one hous but there was one therin deed Thenne asked a brother what was that that soo saye And he answered to hym / that yf we behelde well our synnes / we sholde thynke noo thyng of the synnes of our neyghboures It is grete folye to a man to forsake his deed corps in his hous / for to go by wepe one in his neyghbours hous he is deed towarde his neyghbour / the whiche thynketh not on the werkes of other / and dooth no harme to ony persone / ne thynketh none euyll in his corage / the whiche also despyseth no man bycause he is a synner / and the whiche is not vnyed to hym that dooth euyll to his neyghbour / ne speketh yll of ony persone / but sayd to hym selfe God knoweth the thought of euery man / I not It behoueth thenne to flee the detractours For it is sayd in the gospell Iuge no man / to th ende that ye be not Iuged of god One ought not also hate ony persone / though he were his enemye Ne despyse a man bycause he chydeth with his neyghbour For otherwyse thou sholdest haue noo reste ne peas in thy conscyence ¶ An other olde fader sayd / thou man lyuyng thynke that thy god is born of the virgyne Marye for the loue of the / he hath be made man and alwaye abydeth god / he hath be made a lytyll childe / he was a redar and prechar whan he toke the boke in the synagoge and sayd The speryte of god is vpon me / by cause he that hath enoynted me / hath sente me to preche the gospell to the poore synners / he had be subdeken / whan he chaced out of the temple theȳ that solde and theym that bought / he was deken whan he weeshe the feet of his appostles / in cōmaūdyng theym to wesshe the feet of theyr brethern / he was made preest whan he abode in the myddell of the temple techynge theym / he was made bysshop in takyng the brede and in delyueryng to his dyscyples / he hath be beten for the loue of the / he hath be crucyfyed / he aroos the thyrde daye And after ascended in to heuen / and all for vs / and all he hath doon for to saue vs. And neuertheles we wyll nothynge endure ne suffre for the loue of hym Late vs thenne be sobre and wake we / praye we deuoutly and kepe we his cōmaūdementes to th ende that we may be saued / was not Ioseph solde in to Egypte in to a straunge londe The thre childern were they not brought prysoners in to Babylon And how well they had no knowlege / god was theyr helpe and were saued in th ende / for as moche as they dradde / who that gyueth hym all to god hath no free wyll / but doth as god cōmaūdeth hym without payne of conscyence And yf thou wylt do after thyn owne wyll without helpe of god / thou shalt haue ouermoche payne in thy conscyence ¶ A brother asked of thabbot Pastor fader what is that to saye / that one ought not to thynke on the next daye folowynge The holy man answered / that is to vnderstonde of a man that is in temptacyon / that is to saye / that he ought to resyste it the same daye / without to thynke to resyste it on the morn ¶ A brother demaūded from whens it cam / that a man how well he be a grete synner / neuerthelesse he is not a shamed to detracte the renōmee and fame of an other To whom the holy man answered by suche a parable / ther was a poore man whiche had a wyfe the whiche sawe an other woman that was moche fayrer than his wyfe with out comparyson / and desyred her and dyde soo moche that he had her in maryage / but she was as poore as that other It happed thenne / that tho two wyues / wente with her husbonde to a market And by cause they were both naked / they put theym selfe in a tonne but that one seeyng that the people were departed / sprang out of the tonne / and founde olde clothes and ragges / couered her in suche wyse / that she myght well goo amonge the people / without to haue ony shame Thenne that other woman hauyng therof enuye sayd to hyr husbonde This folysshe woman is all naked / and neuerthelesse she is not a shamed to goo amonge the people Thenne answered to hyr the husbonde in grete angre / she hath some what couered and hydde hyr pouerte and confusyon / but as for the / thou art all naked / and yet thou mockeste her as moche as thou mayste ¶ Thus sayd the holy fader / is eche man a detractour / the whiche not consyderyng his owne synnes / cesseth not to saye euyll of an other whiche ben better than he ¶ The abbot Iohan sayd to some of his brethern / that there were thre phylosophres the whiche were good frendes to gydre Of whiche one of theym deyeng lefte his childe to that other And whan he was grete / he defoylled the wyfe of his moneytour / wherfore he was put out of the hous And how well that he dyde grete penaunce / neuerthelesse the phylosopher wolde not suffre hym to reentre in to his hous But sayd to hym that he sholde goo amonge theym that were Iuged to the deth for to dygge gadre with them metall within the Ryuer thre yere longe And whan he hadde soo doon and fulfylled that penaunce / he sholde retourne to the phylosophre and than he
mette with his fader and slewe hym It is possyble that this brother lyued ylle / and therfore god suffred that he was thus deceyued of the fende Euery Relygyous man and Relygyous woman ought to note dylygently this example / to th ende that god suffre not theym thus to be tempted ¶ Thus fynysshed the seconde parte of this presente booke ¶ Here foloweth the thyrde parte ¶ Here foloweth the thyrde parte ¶ Here foloweth the thyrde partye of the lyfe of fadres / in the whiche is made mencyon of the rule conuersacoÌ„n of the holy faders of Egypte / of theyÌ„ that dwelled in Mesopotamye Palestyne And fyrst begynneth the prologue of thauctour in this maner OFte tymes my brethern frendes ye haue prayde me syth that I cam agayn from the partyes of beyonde the see / that for your Instruccyon edyfycacoÌ„n I sholde recouÌ„te to you the hystorye of my pylgremage And how the fayth of Ihesu cryst regneth in the oryent / what prycyple / what hermytes / what relygyouses dwelle there / yf god sheweth there myracles Also ye haue asked how I cam thyder / what prosperyte I haue had there by see and by londe And bycause in satysfyeng your desyres prayers of whiche I hope ye shall be ayded I shall begynne that whiche ye aske But I pray you vnderstaÌ„de ye dylygently take good hede to that whiche I shall saye you ¶ Of the rule conuersacoÌ„n of holy faders ¶ Of a solytarye relygyous the dwelled in Cyrene in a lylyll hous / begynnyng Ante hoc trienniuÌ„ Caplm primuÌ„ IT is thre yere syth that my felawes I departed fro NarboÌ„ne / cam the fyfthe daye after our departyng to the porte of Auffyke Thenne we wolde see Cartage vysyte the places of sayntes And pryncypally we cam to the sepulture of saynt Cypryan martyr The .xv. daye we departed from Cartage / toke the see for to go in to Alexandrye / but ther aroos a meruaylloê° grete teÌ„pest so hydous that but yf the maryners whiche were wyse experte had not caste out theyr ancres / we had ben all drowned After this we arryued a londe in a coÌ„tree vnhabyted And we sente to knowe what regyon it was / what people dwelled ther about And I my selfe wente a lytyll waye ferre fro the ryuage / soone I sawe a lytyll hous / whiche semed to be couered lyke the facyon maner of a shyppe strongh ynough well edefyed to th ende that it myght be the more ferme strong ayenst the wyndes For in that contree it rayneth neuer / whan the wynde bloweth it is more dauÌ„geroê° vpon the see / than in other regyons In the contree was neyther corn ne trees / for the londe ouer all remeued with the wynde as poulder dust / except bytwene som montaynes was londe ferme ynough / where as growed a lytyll grasse / of whiche were nourysshed sheep other best The most parte of the people that ben there lyuen by mylke And they that ben moost ryche lyuen by barle brede / for ther groweth no whete but barle / the whiche is soone rype For they saye in that contree that the .xxx. daye after that it is sowen it is rype / there dwelle no folke but by cause that it is free of all trybutes / and it is the last contree of Cyrene nygh Ioynyng to the deserte / the whiche standeth bytwene Egypt Affryke By the whiche Cathon fleyng Cezar ladde his armye Thus we cam in to this lytyll hous whiche we sawe fro ferre / fouÌ„de therin an olde man cladde with skynnes / whiche with his hondes tourned a mylle / the whiche receyued vs right benygnely And anone we asked of hyÌ„ yf ther were there ony crysteÌ„ men IncoÌ„tynent he began to wepe for Ioye whan he had knowlege that we were crysten After that he had desyred vs to prayer / that we had made our prayers / he toke of his robe / made vs to sytte vpon it / after brought to vs for to dyne halfe a barle loof / we were of vs .iiij he was the fyfth / aboue that he brought a fewe of herbes whiche to loke vpon semed mente / but they had the taste of swetenes lyke hoÌ„nye / we were well refresshed with this herbe in so moche that we abode there .vij. dayes with hym Syth after the .viij. daye bycause that many persones cam to the hous / we knewe that he was a preest / wente with hyÌ„ to the chirche / the whiche was bytwene two montaynes made with smale staues was not moche more sumptuous than the hous of the holy man that had receyued vs. In this chirche a man but yf he hadde be ryght lytyll myght not stande vp ryght it was soo lowe And furthermore we knewe in the contree the maners of the people whiche solde not ne bought not ony thyng / ne knewe no thyng of deceyuyng ne of thefte / they had neyther golde ne syluer / ne also none desyred they to haue For I profred moneye to this preest / but he refused it wolde none haue Thenne we gaaf to hym of our robes / the whiche he toke gladly / for he hadde none that ony thyng was worth This doon we reendred vnto the see / departed fro the coÌ„tree ¶ Of the sygnes of Orygene whiche ben ayenst the fayth / begynnyng Prospere igitur Caplm .ij. THe .vij. daye after we cam in to AlexaÌ„drye / there as the bysshops the relygyouses had among theym grete debate stryfe bycause of the werkes of Orygene whiche had wryten ayenst the holy scrypture / they of his secte sayden that how well that he had in his bokes some faultes / yet neuertheles he had in theyÌ„ good doctrynes / the other saydeÌ„ al coÌ„trary that it sholde be more auayllable for the helth of good crysten people to breÌ„ne the same bokes coÌ„sydred that ther were ynough of other tenseygne teche the crysten people / seeyng that those bokes myght do more hurte to the symple people ygnorauÌ„t / than to proffyte to thou wyse men clerkes I haue redde my selfe in his sayd bokes many good doctrynes enseygnement / but also I haue fouÌ„den many falsytees amonge whiche was this That is to wyte that he sayd that all in lyke wyse as that god was deed for to redeme the synners in the tree of the crosse Alle in lyke wyse by the same deth he ought to redeme the deuylles And his reason was this For it is well couenable he sayd / that god that is soo pyteous and mercyfull seen that he had suffred for to redeme the man / that he suffred also passyon for to redeme the angell whiche was falle in synne This opynyon is dyrectly ayenst the trouth / therfore it ought to be fledde / and of this opynyon and other was engendred a grete sedycyon among
fruyt of this palme gaaf to the same lyon / whiche toke it of his honde moche swetely as it had ben a beest domestyke tame / whan he had eten / he wente his waye By whiche we may well knowe that the vertue power of god habouÌ„ded in the sayd hermyte beeyng solytary ¶ How an holy man nourysshed a wulfe the whiche demauÌ„ded of hyÌ„ pardon begynnyng in latyn Alium eque Capitulum .vij. AFter we sawe an holy man whiche dwelled in a lytyll hous in whiche myght but one man come in / with whiche man was a wulfe accustomed to come whyles that he souped / and faylled neuer atte hour of souper / abode alwaye atte dore vnto the tyme that the holy man gaaf hym some brede whiche was at soupor / and whan he had taken brede of the hande of the holy man / he bowed to hym fyrste and thenne wente his waye It happed on a tyme that this holy man wente with an other / cam not agayn tyl it was nyght This wulfe cam as he had be accustomed atte hour of souper fouÌ„de hym not / therfore he entred within the hous of the holy man / toke the brede that was in his paner ete it After thynkyng that he had doon euyll / wente his waye Incontynent Thermyte cam home fouÌ„de his paner broken one of his loues lost / and wyst not who had taken it awaye / but for as moche as the daye folowyng this wulf cam not lyke as he had be accustomed / he doubted som what that he had doon this thefte Neuertheles by cause he was sory for his absence / he prayed to god that he wolde sende to hyÌ„ this wulf for to comforte hym / whiche was accordeth to hyÌ„ And the .vij. daye after the wulfe cam agayn atte hour of souper / but for shame drede he durst not approche / fro ferre he fylle doun to the grouÌ„de by sygnes he demauÌ„ded pardon of his trespas The whiche thyng seeyng the holy hermyte made hyÌ„ come ner pardoÌ„ned hyÌ„ gyuyng to hyÌ„ double pytauÌ„ce of brede / thus he toke awaye his heuynes cam alwaye as he had be customed Here may we see the power of god whiche maketh the cruell best to be meke tame as loÌ„bes / wherfore the peple ought well to drede our lorde Ihesu cryst whan they see that the besâ— drede hym And to th ende that noman doubte of this that sayd is I shal saye to you thynges more meruaylloê° with out ony thyng to fayne / but oonly I shall saye that I haue seen ¶ How fyue lytyll lyons beyng blynde were enlumyned by an holy man begynnyng in latyn Habitabant Capitulum .viij. MAny holy men dwelleden in deserte without ony houses / to th ende that none sholde vysyte theym they abode neuer in one place bycause they loued aboue all thyng to lyue solytaryly On a tyme it happed that two monkes of Nytrye camen for to vysyte an holy fader that lyued solytaryly / the whiche had be of theyr conuent And whan they had sought hym by longe space of tyme. Fynably in the moneth of Iuyn they cam to th ende of the deserte named Memphis And he had dwelled there by the space of .xij. yere / the whiche how well that he fledde the companye comynycacyon of all other men / alwaye whan he knewe that they were of the relygyon of whiche he had be a relygyoê° man / he abode theyÌ„ was with theym by the space of thre dayes / the fourth daye he brought theyÌ„ within the same deserte / to the whiche we folowed And anone cam a lyonesse meruayllously grete / the whiche fylle doun at the fete of this holy solytarye men And as she had chosen hyÌ„ amonge the other made sygne to hym that he sholde folowe her whiche thyng this holy man dyde tyll that the sayd lyonesse cam to hyr caue / after she entred in brought to hym fyue lytyll lyons that whiche were blynde of nature / she leyed theym at the feet of this holy man solytarye / the whiche knewe well what she desyred And he made his prayer to god / after touched the eyen of those fyue lytyll lyons / incontynent they sawe And this doon / the two relygyoê° monkes whiche were come thyder for to see this holy man / retourned in to theyr monasterye praysyng magnefyeng god his sayntes ¶ How a broder by a storke knewe what herbes he sholde ete / whiche not / begynnyng in latyn Fuit et alius Capitulum .ix. IN that deserte was an hermyte newe comen bycause that he knewe not the herbes was strongely tourmented For ofte he ete of the herbes that were venemous whan he supposed to haue eten good And thus for this cause he was .vij. dayes without to ete / but god seeyng his afflyccyon sente to hym a storke the whiche brought to hym a grete fardell of herbes / theym that were good holsom to ete / the same storke chace theym out leyed theym a parte / to th ende that he sholde after knowe theym And that so doon / he flewhe awaye / thus this brother knewe what he sholde ete / whiche he sholde leue ¶ Of a brother dwellyng in the montayne of Syna the whiche spacke to no persone by the space of fyfty yere / begynnyng Sed longuÌ„ Caplm .x. KNowe ye my frendes that it sholde be to me a moche harde thyng to recouÌ„te to you al the fayttes dedes of holy men dwellyng in deserte with the whiche I haue conuersed a yere and .vij. monethes And amonge all other I haue frequented with hym that had the oxe / of whom I haue spoken tofore in the .vi. chapytre of this thyrde parte I haue also frequented two other monasteryes of saynt Anthonye in whiche yet at this present tyme dwelle some of his dyscyples In lyke wyse I haue ben in the place where the fyrst hermyte saynt Poul dwelled I haue seen the montayn of Synay the heyght wherof approucheth so nygh heuen / that it semeth that it toucheth it / it is so hygh that from byneth may not be seen the hyghest therof / noman lyuyng may go vp to the hyest of it Bytwene the sydes of this montayn was sayd that ther dwelled an holy hermyte whiche I myght not see / how well that moche dylygently I had sought hym / the whiche had seen noo persone in fyfty yere / he had no garment / but vsed his heer in stede of a robe / whan he myght espye the ony man sought hym he fledde in to the deserte bycause he wolde not be seen It was sayd that syth the space of fyue yere in the tyme that I was in that place / he had spoken oonly with an holy man / whiche had asked of hym why he fledde so the presence of men Thenne the solytary man sayd to hym / that he
he had be preued in his pacyence he was receyued / but for as moche as theym semed he was not prouffytable / they delyuered to hym that charge to labour in the gardyns / in whiche he wrought vnder an other broder yonger than he was / all that the other refused he dyde dylygently On the nyght in lyke wyse he aroos laboured secretly / in suche wyse on the morn noman knewe who hath spedde so theyr werke So it happed that the thyrde yere thus as his bretheren sought hym in dyuerse places cōtrees / that he was foūden of one of theym the whiche one of theym vnnethe knewe hym / withstondyng the mutacōn chaūgyng of his habyte / that he laboured in werkes to hym not couenable For he grubbed in therthe planted herbes and cooles / and after fette dounge / and leyde it about the rotes This seeyng the brother that sought hym doubtyng yet whether it were he or not / approched hym more ner spake to hym And thenne he knewe hym by the vysage by his speche that he was his abbot whiche he sought / and anone fylle doun to his feet This seeyng the brethern of that abbaye demaūded of that other why he kneled doun to the feet of that relygyous / whiche was but as newe comen Thenne the brother answered that it was his abbot And incontynent eueryche of the brethern asked hym pardon of thyniuryes grete euylles that they had doun to hym But this holy abbot began to wepe playne of thenuye of the deuyll that hadde bewrayed hym / had not suffred that he hadde endured longe that payne / to th ende that he sholde not haue so grete rewarde in heuen Thenne the brethern brought hym agayn in to his abbaye / and kepte hym that fro thens forthon he sholde not flee awaye But after he hadde ben there a lytyll tyme / by grete humylyte he departed by nyght and wente in to a ferre Regyons And putte hym selfe in to a shyppe / by the helpe of whiche / he wente in to the Regyon of Palestyne / wenyng that neuer he sholde be founden / for there was neuer herde speke of hym As soone as he was arryued he wente strayt to a monasterye / whiche is nygh to the place in whiche our sauyour Ihesu cryste was born of the blessyd virgyne Marye / and ther he was a whyle But lyke as the Cyte whiche was vpon a montayne myght not be hydde / ryght soo this holy man was not longe there / but was knowen by some of the monkes that cam on pylgrymage vnto the holy londe / and brought hym agayn with grete prayers and requestes in to his fyrste monasterye ¶ A ryght good admonycyon for annouyce begynnynge in latyn Habent igitur Caplm .xxiiij. ON a tyme thus as we were with this holy man by cause of the famylyaryte that was bytwene vs / cam a brother that demaunded to be receyued in to the sayd monasterye / to whom this holy man gaaf a terryble admonycōn / the whiche I wyll here declare / fyrst he sayd to hym My frende I trowe thou knowest wel how many dayes thou hast abyden at the yate for to be here receyued / yet with grete payne hast thou be receyued Now thou oughtest to knowe the lyfe of relygyon in to the whiche thou wylt entre For yf thou lyue well / thou shalt wynne heuen Also yf thou lyuest euyll thou shalt wynne helle Soo oughtest thou to knowe that to theym that serue well and truly to god in theyr vocacyon is promysed heuen / but to theym that be neclygent to serue hym / ben promysed tormentes Infenyte in tyme to come And after his vocacyon euery man ought to doo and werke For better it were to make none auowe ne promysse / than to make it and kepe it not And furthermore he is cursed and vnhappy that doth the operacyon of god neclygently And therfor sayd the sayd holy abbot to the same brother Thou hast be longe refused of vs / not but that we desyre the helthe of euery catholyke or crysten persone / but doubtynge that we receyue theym solyly And by this wyse we ought be repreued of folye / and thou strongly punysshed and greuously / yf thou haddest be receyued incontynent without to haue gyuen to the knowleche of the burthen and charge of relygyon / sholdest haue be in daūger that th ende sholde not haue be good / knowe thou lyth thou art this daye deed to the worlde and to his goodes And with that as sayth thappostle thou art crucefyed to the worlde and the worlde in the. But thou mayste demaunde / how may he that is yet lyuyng be deed and crucefyed to worlde Now herkene a lytyll I saye fyrst that the crosse of whiche I speke / is the drede of god For lyke as a man crucefyed / may not moeue his membres at his wyll Alle in lyke wyse we ought to do nothyng to our pleasaunce / but after that is cōmaunded vs. And all in lyke wyse as he that is crucefyed or hanged thynketh no more on worldely thynges ne to his affeccyons and pleasaunces / and hath noo couetyse to possede ne haue ony thynges And whan he is nygh the poynt of deth / he reputeth hym selfe as deed Alle in lyke wyse byhoueth vs to be crucefyed by the drede of god / without to thynke on the worlde / but we ought to sette contynuelly our thought there / where we hope ones to go to / that is in to heuen / yf we deserue it And therfore it byhoueth to eschewe that we loke not bacwarde ne behynde vs / that is to saye / whan one hath renoūced the worlde haue lefte it behynde hym / he may nomore thynke theron in ony maner For oonly he shall be saued that shall haue perseuered in good and vertuous operacōns vnto th ende Furthermore our enemye the fende awayteth alwaye / desyreth nothyng but to begyle and deceyue vs by his cauteles and malyces And therfore it shall but lytyll prouffyte to haue well begonne / that perseuereth not to th ende And in this wyse sayd the holy abbot to the sayd broter I exhorte the syth that thou wylt serue god / that thou haue contynuelly the drede to fore the eyen of thy thought / and that the apparaylle thy soule / nothyng to the reste ne to the worldly delyces and flesshely / but to resyste the temptacyons of the deuyll / and tendure the anguysshes of the worlde pacyently For it byhoueth by many trybulacōns to entre in to the royalme of heuē / wherof the yate waye ben so strayte / that fewe peple walke therin / wherof is grete pyte Thus thenne the begynnyng of our helth is the drede of god For by dyuyne drede / good conuersacyon / and kepyng of vertues it is goten The whiche drede yf it be parfyghtly in the herte of a man / it engendreth in hym
of a woman / but also the abyllemētes For on a day as he wente to vysyte an holy fader he was recoūtred of a woman / but al incontynent as he sawe her he retorned in to his celle more Impetuously than yf he had be chaced of a lyon or a nother beste And for as moche as he had the wȳmen in ouer grete abhomynacyon nothyng by presumpcōn / but by feruent chastyte / yet god suffred his bodye to be smyten with the palsye / in suche wyse / that he had no membre of whiche he myght helpe hym selfe / not oonly the feet / but the tongue the eeres dyde not in hym theyr offyce / for he myght not speke nor here / but was as a statue or ymage vnmeuable And for this cause he foūde noman that myght suffyse to hym to suffre the maladyes / wherfore he was constrayned to suffre to be born in to a monastery of women / there where as the holy Relygyous wȳmen admynystred to hym by the space of .iiij. yere all his necessytees / after deyed with theym And how well that he was thus enfeblysshed in his membres / alwaye he hadde this vertue / that what oyle the touched his bodye / guarysshed heled the seke men / lo that they were therwith enoynted And therfore it is notorye that this maladye was come to hym by the wyll of god / the whiche wolde manyfeste the Inestymable vertues of the sayd holy fader ¶ Of thbbot Moyses begynnyng Secundus Caplm .xliiij. FOlowyng the abbot Moyses the seconde how well that he was Iuste an holy man / neuertheles bycause that he had repreued thabbot Machary of some thynges / he was possessed of the deuyll / in suche wyse that he toke the fylthe ordure that cam of men / put it in his mouth The whiche punycōn was sente to hym to th ende that he sholde not falle in to a more greuous synne For incontynent as the abbot Machary fyll on his knees and prayed humbly to god for the sayd Moyses The deuyll of helle lept out of his bodye / therfore we ought not to despyse theym that ben strongly tempted or demonyake For we ought byleue two thynges Fyrst the none is tempted of the deuyl without the suffraūce of god Secondely that all the whiche god sendeth to vs / is for our prouffyte helthe For he knoweth well that whiche is necessarye to vs prouffytable ¶ Of a Relygyous whiche sawe by nyght a multytude of deuylles begynnyng in latyn Quidā antē frater c. Caplm .xlv. OO relygyous brother walkyng thrugh deserte was cōstrayned by cause he was surprysed of the nyght to entre in to a fosse or caue where he began to saye his seruyce after his custome tylle after mydnyght And after he wolde haue rested slept a lytyll But incontynent as he so wolde haue doon he sawe tweyne caterues companyes of deuylles accompanyeng theyr prynce / that one companye tofore / that other behynde The whiche prynce was more grete terryble than the other After he sette hym on a chayr / asked all what they had doon And they that had not vaynquysshed the men whiche they had tempted / he put them out as meschaūt foles / but theȳ that had begyled deceyued some / he praysed theym / sette theȳ about the other / to th ende that eueryche of theym sholde do so Among the whiche ther came one that sayd that the same nyght / he had made a monke to falle in to fornycacōn / the whiche he had tempted by fyue yere tofore / and at this relacōn eche of theȳ enioyed / he was gretly praysed of the prynce of the other And thēne they wente theyr waye / after the sprynge of the daye began to come / in the whiche this brother whiche doubted whether it had be trewe or none that whiche he had dremed And thenne this holy man cam in to a place named Pelusiū in whiche place dwelled the same relygyous of whom the deuyll had auaūted hȳ to haue deceyued by the sayd synne of fornycacōn And ther dwelled an other deuoute relygyous whiche knewe well the broder that had herde the sayd relacōn / to whom he asked how that the other relygyous fared / foūde that he had be deceyued as sayd is For he had forsake his monasterye / but afterwarde whan he herde saye these thynges / he cam agayn in to his sayd monastery / with grete habundaūce of teres made dyde holsom penaūce ¶ Of two phylosophres whiche went to saynt Anthonye begȳnyng in latyn Quodā vero tempe c. Caplm .xlvi. ON a tyme two phylosophres heryng the good renōmee of saynt Anthonye wente to hym And whan they were with hȳ bycause that he answered not to theȳ to theyr pleasyr of the questyons whiche they proposed to hȳ / retourned sayeng that he was a fooll ygnoraūt The whiche phylosophres of enuye that they had that many cam to saynt Anthonye as seruaūt of god / they sente to hȳ by theyr arte magyke two deuylles for to tempte hȳ / but the holy man by his prayer by the sygne of the crosse / kepte theym soo well that they approched hȳ not Thenne they retorned to the two phylosophres without doyng to hȳ ony thyng But neuertheles they sent two strenger deuylles whiche dyde to hȳ nomore dyspleasyr than the fyrst Thyrdely they enraged and wood sente to hȳ more cruell fendes by the halfe / but they dyde nothyng to hȳ but cam agayn all confused For they foūde saynt Anthonye constaūt stedfast And for so moche they knewe wel what vertues the good crysten men haue For these deuylles whiche were so terryble myght not gryeue ne noye saynt Anthonye ne his hous Thenne these two phylosophres moche meruayled came to saynt Anthonye / confessynge theyr synne dyde do baptyse theȳ After saynt Anthonye asked of theym what daye they had sente those deuylles to hȳ And by theyr answere he knewe that in thoo dayes he had be sore trauaylled in temptacōns / neuertheles he had resysted them by the moyen of his prayers / in whiche he was right besy contynuell For on a tyme thus as he prayde fro the euyn tylle on the morn seeyng the sonne aryse appyere / he began to crye saye O thou sonne wherfore lettest thou me / what enforcest the now for to shewe thy selfe / for to preue take awaye fro me the clerenes of this very lyght / whiche now presently I see ¶ Here fynysshed the thyrde partye of this present boke ¶ Here foloweth the fourth parte ¶ Here begynneth the prologue of saynt Paschayse vpon the fourth parte of the lyfe of holy faders as well of Egypte as of Grece O Venerable lord fader Martyn preest and abbot Paschayse Salute Ryght holy deuoute fader Yf it had be leefful to refuse thy cōmaūdement I had gladely
/ and ought to flee theym as the venym of a serpent or of a scorpyon / to caste theym lyghtly behynde fro his herte The seconde sayde / syth that I haue renoūced and forsaken the worlde I haue sayd euery daye in my selfe On this daye thou art born by grace / this daye thou begynnest to serue god / this daye thou begȳnest to dwelle here / be thou alway as a pylgyme with out to haue other estymacōn of thy selfe / and thou shalt be shortly delyuered The thyrde sayd In the mornyng I moūte vp to my god by prayer in stratchyng my selfe vpon the erthe / prayeng hym that he forgyue me my synnes After I praye to thangellys and other creatures resonable that they supplye praye to god for me / this doon I goo to Iherusalem to see that the Iewes doon The fourth sayd It semeth me that I am with god his dyscyples in the moūte of Olyuete / me semeth that god sayth to me / be thou alway with my dyscyples enhaūsed in contemplacōn And entremete that with no worldly thynges they abuse thy soule / in takyng exāple of Marye magdalene / that whiche sette her atte feet of the sauyour of the worlde in heryng his wordes whiche ben suche Be ye all holy and parfyght / so sayth your fader of heuen And lerne of hym whiche is hūble of herte swete The fyfth sayd I see euery daye thangellys moūtyng descendyng for to calle the holy soules to bryng theym in to paradyse / do nothyng but abyde myne ende in sayeng Lorde god my herte my conscyence is redy and apparaylled whan thou shalt wyll to take it The .vi. sayd It semeth to me euery daye that after my prayes god sayth to me Labour in the loue of me / I shall make the reste Fyght yet a lytyll ayenst the enemye / after thou shalt see my helthe my glorye / yf thou loue me / yf thou art my sone retourne the hardely to me whiche am thy fader / yf thou be my broder / haue thou shame for me / endure the opbrobryes of the people for the honour of me For I haue endured euylles Infenyte for the loue of the / yf thou be my sheep my subgette folowe my passyon The .vij. sayde I thynke alway on the fayth of god on hope / on charyte dyleccōn I haue hope for to enioye my selfe / charyte for drede the I not hate ony man / fayth for to fortefye me ayenst myn enemyes The .viij. sayd I abyde in grete constaūce the deuyll / whatsomeuer parte he go And I praye to god deuoutly / that he do no gryef to ony persone / pryncypally to theym that drede god The .ix. sayd I consydere by contemplacōn dyuyne the vertues angelyke / in the myddes of theym the sone of god shynyng as the sonne ouer aboue all creatures And in consyderyng the swete armonye of angellys cometh in to my remēbraūce that whiche is wryten Lord god the heuens recounte thy glorye / the fyrmament thy werkes meruayllous And in this contemplacōn al that is vpon therth me semeth dust pouldre The .x. sayd I see myn angell whiche is alwaye besyde me kepeth me / thenne I remēbre of that whiche is wryten by the psalmyste I haue alwaye god tofore my thought For he is alwaye at my right syde to th ende that I be not moeued by euyll temptacōns And for as moche as I drede myn angell whiche moūteth alwaye to heuen feryng that he ne shewe my werkes to god The .xi. sayd I haue gyuen my selfe to all vertues / that is to wyte to abstynence / chastyte / humylyte / charyte / dyleccōn / of whiche what someuer parte I fynde my selfe I am enuyronned of theym / enforce my selfe to kepe theym / to th ende that after my deth / they may wytnesse that they haue rested dwelled in me The xij sayd / amonge you faders whiche haue the heuenly conuersacōn / ye haue also the sapyence dyuyne And for as moche as I see you enhaūsed in vertuous werkes ye haue all renounced the worlde the goodes therof Thenne may I saye without synne that ye ben erthely angellys / heuenly men / touchyng your conuersacōn the whiche is in heuen / of whiche thynges I me repute Indygne vnworthy for my synnes whiche accompanye me ouerall where I goo / on the ryght syde and lyfte syde And therfore I me repute worthy to be dampned Thou shalt be putte hastely with theym that for theyr demerytes be in wepynges and in perpetuell wayllynges And in this I consydere some of theym that strayne theyr teeth for the grete payne that they endure in all the partyes of the bodye And in sygne of humylyte I caste my selfe on the erthe takyng asshes / and prayeng god that it may please hym to preserue me from these tourmentes Furthermore I sawe in that helle a see all boyllynge / in the whiche ben moche people of dyuerse astates whiche cryen soo strongely that it is Impossyble to expresse / and the whiche ben pryued fro the mercy of god by cause of the enormyte of theyr synnes And for as moche consyderynge these paynes I wepe by compassyon the falle of worldely people whiche lyue in so grete daunger And in this dooyng I remembre of that whiche is wryten in the psalme My teres haue ben to me also prouffytable as brede of the daye and nyght For by the moyen of theym I haue nourysshed my soule spyrytuelly Alle in lyke wyse as the bodye is nourysshed by brede materyalle ¶ The whiche contemplacyons afore sayd / of the whiche sayenges and dyctes of the sayd holy Auncyent and olde faders we ought with all our power to folowe / to the ende that in so dooyng we may come in to the Royame of heuen The whiche graunte vs he that regned perpetuelly AMEN ¶ Here fynyssheth the fourthe parte of the lyfe of holy faders of Egypte and of Grece ¶ Here foloweth the fyfth parte and some smale treatyses of the praysyng of vertues c. ¶ Here foloweth the fyfthe parte ¶ Here folowed some smale treattys of the praysyng of vertues / as well morall as theologycall / vpon which saynt Macharye made his prologue / whiche was auctour compylatour of theym spekyng in this maner FOr as moche my right dere byloued brother that somtyme thou haste affectuously requyred me to make some lytyll boke or treatyse of the praysyng of vertues I desyryng to fulfylle thy requeste haue compyled this presente booke to the praysyng of god and to the saluacyon of thy soule / knowynge the grete desyre that thou haste to see the holy scryptures And for that cause I am gladde to haue accomplysshed that whiche hath pleased the to requyre me / to th ende that thou mayst alwaye prouffyte in the loue of god / and also that I be
temple sacred halowed or to marche come nygh the pauement of the same with thy feet whiche ben so moche foull pollute How darst thou lyfte vp thy handes to god out of whiche yet the blood of the Innocentes droppe out / how also darst thou receyue the precyoê° bodye and blood of Ihesu cryste / in thy mouth by the whiche hath be pronouÌ„ced the sentence furyous daÌ„pnable wycked / by whiche ben deed so many Innocentes seruauÌ„tes of god Seen thenne the gryeuous enormyte of thy caas I defende that his chirche / enioyne that to departe from hens / to th ende that to thy fyrste euyll thou put not therto the seconde And furthermore I exhorte the that thou bere pacyently the sentence of excomynycacoÌ„n ayenst the pronouÌ„ced / the whiche is the medecyne of thy soule Themperour seynge the constauÌ„ce laudable hardynesse of saynt Ambrose / by his remonstrauÌ„ces touched with the holy ghoost concluded in hyÌ„selfe to obeye hym / so retorned to his palays / where he abode and was by the space of .viij. monethes / with out to go or yssue out / wepyng there by grete contrycoÌ„n meruayllous habouÌ„dauÌ„ce of teeres / the detestable synne by hym coÌ„mysed And approchyng the feste of the natyuyte of our sauyour Ihesu cryste One his knyght stewarde of housholde named Ruffyn whiche was moche famylyer with hym seeyng his wepynges wayllynges / the whiche he had so longe contynued prayed hyÌ„ that he wolde declare to hyÌ„ the cause of the same To whom he answerd in this maner Alas my frende thou knowest not the gryeuous euylles ennoyes that I suffre I wepe for my grete myserye / the whiche I knowe excedeth all other / consyderyng that the yates dores of the chirche be opene to the poore seruauÌ„tes of god the whiche go whan theym seme good / but they ben shytte closed to me by right full cause / whiche is to me ouermoche gryeuous And god knoweth what grete syghynges wayllynges made his heuy desolate herte For they were so sorowfull so ofte renewed the oftymes they brake his wordes / in suche wyse that vnnethe he myght achyeue that he wolde saye Thenne the sayd knyght whiche was moche dyspleasauÌ„t gryeued of the desolacoÌ„n of his lorde maystre the Emperour sayd to hym that he wolde go to saynt Ambrose / sholde enforce hyÌ„ selfe to do so moche towarde hym that he sholde assoylle hym of the sayd sentence that he sholde be permysed to entre in to the chirche The whiche thyng the sayd Emperour byleued to be ryght harde to obteyne of the sayd saynt Ambrose / consyderyng the rygorous affeccoÌ„n that he had so sharply to punysshe to correcte thou defaultes coÌ„mysed in the vnreuerence of god This notwithstandyng the sayd Ruffyn transported hym to saynt Ambrose And themperour desyryng to knowe the answere / wente all a ferre after hyÌ„ / but incontynent whan saynt Ambrose sawe the sayd Ruffyn approche to hyÌ„ seeyng tofore what he wolde saye requyre of hym / began to saye to hym suche wordes or semblable in substauÌ„ce I meruaylle me of the Ruffyn how thou hast no shame to come hyther for to baye lyke an hounde in the face of god and of his sayntes Ruffyn suffryng pacyently the wordes of saynt Ambrose / and takyng in hym corage / notwithstandyng the grete rygour of theym kneled doun on his knees tofore hym in shewyng by alle humylyte the harde and meruayllous dyspleasaunce of the Emperour / whiche desyred none other thynge but to rendre yelde hym obeyssauÌ„t childe of the chirche / delybered and concluded in hymselfe to receyue and bere suche penaunce as sholde please to Saynt Ambrose to charge hym Saynt Ambrose consyderyng that Theodosius hadde be longe tyme without to come to hym / doubtyng yet of his obstynacye and pertynacyte sayd to Ruffyn / that it was dyffycle and harde to hym to byleue that whiche he sayd And with that he sayd to hym that the sayd Theodosius was not yet worthy to entre in to the chirche / but neuertheles whan he shall be aduertysed of his conuersyon he shall be content that he come to hym Thyse thynges thus sayd Ruffyn takynge leue of saynt Ambrose / retorned to the Emperour his maystre / to whom he reported that he was not yet well appeased / wherfore he couÌ„seylled that he sholde dyfferre yet a lytyll his gooyng to hym But neuertheles the Emperour beholdyng that he was nygh to the yates of the chirche where as saynt Ambrose was / delybered and concluded in hym selfe to go thyder to endure pacyently all Iniuryes and obprobryes that he wolde saye to hym in sayeng that he had well deserued theym / he thenne comyng to the yate of the sayd chirche presumâ—â—â—â— to entre within / but sente to saynt Ambrose humbly prayeng hym that it myght please hym for to assoylle hym of the sayd sentence of excomynycacyon Thenne cam to hym saynt Ambrose sayeng O Theodosiê° I haue horrour to see thy presence whiche is moche cruell For thou hast ouer moche inhumaynely shewed thy grete wodenes ayenst god in brekyng his holy lawes and coÌ„maundementes Theodosius answered A holy man I proteste that I entende not to do ony thyng ayenst the holy catholyke instytucoÌ„ns And I wyll not enforce me to entre by vyolence in to the chirche / but I praye the that it please the to doo to me that grace to assoylle me to vnbynde me of the sentence of excomynycacyon in whiche I am bounden / in prayeng god of forgyuenesse of my synnes / and to me openyng the yates of his chirche / the whiche he wolde sholde be opened vnto all veray penytauntes Thenne saynt Ambrose sayd to hym I wolde well knowe Theodosius / syth the horryble occysyon whiche thou haste commysed what medecyne haste thou gyuen to thy soule for to hele it of hyr mortall woundes To whom the Emperour answered It apperteyneth to the reuerende fader to gyue to me the penaunce / and to me to receyue it humbly Saynt Ambrose seeyng his grete humylyte sayd to hym For as moche as thou haste gyuen Iugement in horryble furour and noo thyng after reason I enioyne the that within .xxx. dayes next folowynge thou doo wryte and ordeyne a lawe that may be cause to auoyde thyne Ire And by the same lawe thou shalt knowe yf thyn opynyon shall be rightfull and Iuste / or vnrightfull / the whiche penaunce the Emperour receyued moche humbly And composed the same lawe whiche he wrote with his owen honde / wherof the tenour is this / yf an Emperour from hens forth condempne to deth one or many men / he shall be holden to doo withdrawe thexcecucyon vnto the .xxx. daye after the pronuncyacoÌ„n of the sentence / to the ende that he may knowe yf the same sentence be Iustely or wyckedly gyuen This lawe thus made / saynt Ambrose gaaf to the sayd
and began to crye in sayenge / O god of Cristen men now we confesse that thou art almyghty and oonly Inmortall / Anone after camÌ„ thyse tydynges to the grete Prouoste of Alexandrye / the whyche as enraged sente for to fetche the sayd Iuge the two holy faders / That is to wyte Apolonyon Phylemon ordenynge that they sholde be brought straytly bounde lyke prysoners / But in ledyng theym the holy man coÌ„uerted theym that were come to lede theim / Whyche all they togyder presented themselfe as crysten to the sayd Prouost of Alexandrye / Thenne the cursed prouost seenge that he myghte not reuoke theim fro the cristen fayth he made them alle to be throwen in to the see / And in that wyse they were baptysed in the water / Anone after the see broughte theim to the ryuage all hoole wythout corrupccoÌ„n of theyr bodyes / Thenne were they buryed al togider in one sepulture And god shewyth there euery daye many dyuerse myracles on theym that serue requyre theym / ¶ Of saynt Dioscore abbot beginÌ„yng Vidimus aliuÌ„ / Caplm xx AFter spekith saynt Iherom of saynt Dyoscore whiche hadd in his monastery nyght vnto Thebayde .i. C. religyouses or there abowte To whom he coÌ„mauÌ„ded expressely that they shold neuer receyue their maker yf they had ony synnes in their conscyences / Not onely synnes actuell or in thoughte but also of theym that somtyme happe by dremynges of whiche they falle in pollucoÌ„ns nocturnall / were it by fantasies or by operacoÌ„ns of wymÌ„en or bi habuÌ„daÌ„ce of humours naturell / And he sayde yf somtyme suche pollucoÌ„n came wythout to haue ony faÌ„tasye of ony woman in the manere / that is noo synne But that he take therin no playsaunce after the sayd dreme / For that pollucyon comyth by cause of thabuÌ„dance of thumour whyche is wythin the body of the man ¶ For to eschewe suche pollucyon is necessary fastynge to lyue sobrely / ¶ He gaaf to his dyscyples a symylytude suche / Whan a man is seke And the Fylicyen defendyth to hym ony mete / he kepyth his coÌ„maundement / Thenne the relygiouses all maner of peple that will lyue vertuously oughte to kepe theym to doo thyng that is contrary to the medicyne of the soule / That is to saye that he muste kepe hym fro synne the whyche makyth the soule seke / And in the ende makyth it to deye ¶ And to the contrary yf we kepe it clene wythout dedely synne we shall haue Ioye perdurable / ¶ Of the monasteries of Nitrye begyÌ„nyth in latyn ¶ Venimê° / Caplm xxi AFter saynt Iherom and his felowes camÌ„ in to Nytrye a place the most fayr moost renoÌ„med of Egypte dystaunt fro Alysaundrie xl myle or there about whiche ben escryued to xxx leukes of FrauÌ„ce / There was a cyte namyd Nytrye takynge his name of the sayd region in whiche growyth the Nytre lyke or semblable to sonde / Wherof ben wasshen there the clothes / And otherwise it is called an esspyce of salte after Papye / it is made of water of therthe in Egypte / And in Palestine it is made of grete hete of the sonne / ¶ In the countree were aboute .v. C. monasteryes th one nyghe vnto that other vnder one abbot / Of whom ther some lyued dwelled togyder other helde them solytarily eche by hymselfe that notwithstoÌ„dyng they had alwaye charyte togyder / ¶ And whan saynt Iherom his coÌ„panye approched to them All in a grete companye lyke to a multytude of bees came ayenst theim bryngynge brede botelles full of water And after they broughte theym all singynge in to the chyrche / After wasshed theyr fete wiped theim wyth to waylles / ¶ And they were not onÌ„ly serued of bodyly necessytees / But also they were Instructe in humylytee clemence / ¶ And saynt Iherom sayth that he neuer hadd be in place where he had seen flowe so habundantly charyte mercy ¶ Theyr Oratoryes were full of bookes in scyence dyuyne / And they vsyd none other thynges in all theyr dayes / ¶ Of a nother place callyd Cecylya begynnyth in latyn ¶ Post hunc vero / Caplm xxii THere was a nother place towarde that deserte dystaunte fro that place tofore sayd x. myle or there abowte / the whyche was callyd Cecylia for the multytude of celles and lytyll houses that were there / ¶ The custome of the relygiouses that there dwelled was suche that they spake not th one to the other but the saterdaye sondaye And yf that one came not on that daye Incontynent they thouÈte that he was seke / Werfore that one after that other wente for to see hym / And broughte to hym some thynge for to susteyne helpe hym to his bodyly helthe / They neuer spake togyder but the dayes tofore sayd but yf it were in prechynge or in gyuynge doctryne / Whan ony of theim was gretter Clerke or Inspyred more thanÌ„e a nother / And yf ony wolde goo dwelle wyth ony of them / they were so replenysshed wyth charytee that they lodged theym Incontynent in theyr howses or cotages / ¶ Of saynt AmÌ„onion abbot begynÌ„ynge ¶ Vidimê° quendaÌ„ / Caplm xxiii AMonges the same heremytes relygyouses saynt Iherom saw one namyd AmÌ„onyon to whom god had gyuen all plenytude of graces / pryncypally he had merueyls us charyte humylite none lyke generally asmoche in pacyence clemence benygnyte / Also in scyence prudence he was moost perfite of theim al / The sayd AmÌ„onyon had ii· bredern that one namyd Eusebius the other Euâ—imius / that whyche were not oonly bredern carnalle but also in lyf in religyon in vertues they were germayns / Thise iii. bredern solycyted in theyr tyme the other bredern as the moder thynkyth on her chyldern in helpyng theym not onÌ„ly to theyr corporall lyfe but also to the spirituell as enscynynge theym to vertues good maners / The same saynt AmÌ„onion dwelled in a monastery closyd wyth walles In whiche he hyÌ„selfe had made a pytt And it happed that a broder transported hymself towarde him for to haue a lytyll hous to dwell in thermytage / The whyche answerde to hym that he hadd none but he made hym to dwell in his monastery vnto the time he had fouÌ„de one / ¶ Sone after he delyuerde to him a lytyll one the whiche he fonde nye the sayde monastery / And yf by aduenture had many come he had IncoÌ„tynent gadred togider his bredern and in lytyll tyme had made a monastery / ¶ Of saynt Dydyme why the begynnyth in latyn ¶ Vidimus inter cos Caplm xxiiii SAynt Iherom recounteth of a nother namyd Didyme the whiche was emonge the faders namyd moche vertuouse debonayr / lyke as his vysage shewed well / And suche grace had he of god that he roode vpon the scorpyons other venymous bestes whiche were there in grete habuÌ„dance / By
cause of the grete heete of the sonne / And slewe theym wyth his fete as lytyll wormes of the erthe wythout that they dyde to him ony harme / Wherefor in hym was acoÌ„plysshed the worde of the prophete sayeng / Thou shalt make thy Iourneye vpon aspydes basylyks / And vnder the fote thou shalte putt the lyon the dragon / ¶ Of saynt Crenyon whiche begynnyth in latyn ¶ Vidimê° / Caplm xxv A Nother also whiche was namyd Crenyon of moche auÌ„cyente aege as of an C. x. yere olde / And was dyscyple of saynt Anthonye / The whyche amonge all other vertues that he had he was humble peâ—fâ—ghtly / The whiche vertue suffysed to gete the reame of heuen / And wythout this vertue none other vertue maye prouffyte to the soule / For by that all other vertues ben requyred / ¶ Of saynt Orygene begynnynge in latyn ¶ Erat autem / Caplm xxvi ALso there was a nother called Orygene Dyscyple of saynt Anthonye merueyllous in all operacoÌ„ns / His worde was edyfycatyff that they whom he endoctryned put in effecte by operacoÌ„ns all his doctryne / ¶ Of saynt Enagrion whyche begynnyth in latyn ¶ Vidimus ibi / cetera Caplm xxvii AFter he sawe also in the same place a nother named Enagrion a man right wyse / the whyche was Instructe of saynt Machairy / Whyche was strongely possessed wyth all vertues / ¶ And aboue all thynge he Instructed his brethern to lyue sobrely Sayeng if they wolde eschewe the fantasyes and Illusions of the deuyll that they sholde not drynke soo moche water as they well myghte drynke / Bycause that grete repleccyon of water causyth dyuerse fantasyes in mannes body / By the moyen wherof the deuyll with synne entreth more lyghtly / ¶ Inenfecte the sayd holy hermyte Enagryon and his brethern ete not for all metes but oonly a lytyll brede and salte / Wherof they were more contente than we ben of metes delycyous and curyouse / ¶ Of saynt Machayre Egypcyen / begynnynge in latyn ¶ Narrabant autem / Caplm xxviii AFter saynt Iherom Recountyth that somme of the Auncyent faders Recyted to hym amonge theyr other brethern there were tweyne named Machayre that one Egipcyen dyscyple of saynt Anthonye that other of Alexandrye / notwythstoÌ„dyng the they were of dyuers regyons yet were they egall in vertues and soo grete that thei shone in edify cacoÌ„n of maners of good lyf lyke vnto ii shynynge steires How well the Machary Egypcyen had by synguler grace the vertuoê° maners of saynt Anthonye He beynge on a time in his cell or lytyl hous was perpetred coÌ„mysed a murdre by some homycides / by reason wherof he was acused pursued a symple man InnoceÌ„t of the caas The whiche seeng be mighte none otherwyse escape went for refuge to the sayd Machaire affermyng by his othe not to be culpable of the caas ThenÌ„e thei that pursued camÌ„ vpon hyÌ„ wold haue take hyÌ„ there haue ladd hym for to haue condeÌ„pned hym to dethe / This seeng the holy man prayed requyred theim that or they proceded ony ferder ayenst hym whiche sayd hyÌ„self to be Innocent wold lede hym to the place where as the man that was slayd was buryed / He beyng comÌ„ thyder made his prayer vpon the buryel / in prayers god deuoutly that it wold pleyse hym to shewe manyfest the trouth of this thyng / Hys prayer made he coÌ„mauÌ„ded the deed maÌ„ in the vertue of the passion of our blessid sauiour IhuÌ„ cryst the he shold declare yf he that was accused whyche there was holde take had slayne hym or none To whom he the was deed answerde the he had not done it / ne therin was gylty Thacusers heryng this answere were moche merueyled kneled on ther knees to for the holy fader Machairy in prayeng hym huÌ„bly the he shold demaunde of the deed man who had slayne hy / the holy man answerd the he wold not in â—ayeng thise wordes It suffyâ—eth to me that thynnocent be delyuerd For it longyth noo thyng to me that the culpable be acused / ¶ A nother tyme came to hy some parentes or frendes of a yonge damoysell the whiche bâ—arte magyk was conuerted in to a Iument or a mare as it semyd to all theim the lawe her / IncoÌ„tynent as he lawe theym / he demaunded for what cause they were come to hym ThenÌ„e they auswerde that by their comyÌ„ge to hym they hoped that by the moyen of his prayers merytes to obteyne the sayd damoysel to be remysed in her fyrste strength semblauÌ„ce / ThenÌ„e he excyted them to pray also he made his oryson vnto god that whiche oryson acheued he enoynted the mayde / whyche as sayd is was lyke a mare / The whyche incontynent after apeâ—â—d to the men in her fyrst fourme that is to wyte in the seÌ„blauÌ„ce of a mayde / ¶ A nother mayde whiche had the meÌ„bres soo rotes infect the wormes might be seen cryng hee flesshe vnto the bones was brouÈt tofore this holy man· to whom he sayd / O doughter be constauÌ„t for god hath not yeâ—e to the this sykenesse for to deye but for thy helth / ¶ Thenne was the holy man Machaire vii dayes durynge in prayers and enoyntyng her euery daye And the said .vii. dayes passed she was all hoole souÌ„de / ¶ Of the same wrytyth saynt saynt Iherom that an Heretyke Ierasitain / whiche is to saye in langage Egypcyen heresees by his art had deceyued mocked many bredern of the deserte / And att laste he came to the holy fader Machaire / to whom he made many questyons argumentes / For he supposyd to haue tourned deceyued hym / ¶ The holy man by fayre wordes answerde to his argumentes whyche were subtyll / But by cause the the holy fader saw that by hym the fayth of the bredern perysshed / he sayd to the same Heretyke / Wherfor dysputest thou thus ayenst me for to torn by thy heresye theym that herkene the / ¶ Lete vs goo to the sepuleres of our predecessours whiche ben deed / To th ende that to hym whiche our lord shall gyue grace for to reyse the deed maye by this thyÌ„ge make clere appere to all theym that shall be present that his lawe is the beste / Thenne they wente to the sepulcres ¶ Thenne sayd saynt Machaire now calle a deed man and reyse hym / The Heretyke answerd that it apperteyned to him fyrste for to calle to his god / TheÌ„ne saynt Machaire felle platte downe in prayer sayenge / O my souereyn lorde and god I byseche and requyre the mekely that it playse the in this houre in the Reysyuge of this deed man here buryed to shewe openly the whyche of vs tweyne hath moost rightfull fayth Not that I presume soo moche of myself / that my oryson or prayer be of the enhauÌ„ced / But for to encreace and make open the
to be stylle / ¶ Thenne he toke a lytyll mete / And retourned by the waye that he came / Desyrynge syngulerly to see the holy Heremyte Poul Doubtynge also that he sholde rendre his soule to god in his absence / ¶ And after fynably he wente wyth soo grete dylygence as was to him possyble / and in suche wyse as that he had not walked but thre houres / ¶ WhanÌ„e he sawe 〈◊〉 â—â—ule of saynt Poul amonge the an 〈◊〉 Appostles / Prophetes and marters pure clene and white as snowe borne vpp in to heuen / And Incontynente he felle downe to the erthe / And couered his heed wyth sonde in sayenge / ¶ Wherfor Poul leuest thou me / Helas wherfore goost thou wythoute sayenge to me a dieu / or farewell / Helas I haue ouerlate knowen the / And ouer soone thou goost / Now haue I loste alle comforte Helas if I had not seen the ne knowen I shold not now haue the harme ne euyll that I haue / ¶ O man of god make thy requeste now in that hye place / where as the angels haue borne the to / that I maye by very faythe goo soone and folowe the / ¶ After that he had well egrely wepte waylled he was and founde hymself also lyghte as a byrde or a fowle fleenge and not wythout cause / For he beynge arryued at the hermytage of saynt Poul / He fonde hym knelynge on his knees vnmoeuable his hede beynge lyft vp on hyghe and his hoÌ„des Ioyned in suche wyse as saynt Anthonye had supposyd as he had ben yet alyue / But by cause he drewe noo brethe he wyste well he was deed / He was abowte to burye hym in sayenge psalmes and ympnes / lyke as thenne was the custome to burye the faders of Egypte / He supposyd to haue putt hym in to the erthe / But he founde neyther pykeys ne shouel for to make a pytt or graue / Wherof his heuynesse was encreaced consyderyng that he myght not lyghtly make it / For it was foure Iourneyes vnto his monastery / And of that other parte he thought in hymself that withoute pykâ—oys and shouel he myghteâ—e doo noo thynge / ¶ He beynge 〈◊〉 malencolye concluded in hymself byde there tyll he sholde deye nyghe to the layd body ¶ And thus thynkynge came two lyons sodaynly whyche made saynt Anthonye sore aferde / But he anone retorned towarde god by deuowte orison / And anone was assured and had noo more fere ne drede / ¶ And he behelde the lyons whyche began to waylle and lamente by the corps of saynt Poul / Lyke as they had had vnderstondynge resonable / And after theyr wayllynges / they made a depe pytte of the lengthe of the holy saynt Poul / The whyche made they came to saynt Anthonye / and lycked his hondes and fete Lyke as they had axyd his benedyccyon for theyr rewarde that they had there done / ¶ Thenne saynt Anthonye in praysynge god sayd / O my lorde my god wythout the prouydence of whom one oonly leef of the tree fallyth not to the grounde / Gyue to thyse lyons that whyche thou knowest that ought to be gyuen to them / ¶ And after blessyd theym wyth the sygne of the Crosse to the ende that they sholde goo theyr waye / And after whan they were departed he putt the body in the erthe the beste wyse he myghte / And on the morne came agayne / And as his heyre brought his robe of leeues / the whyche he ware or Eester daye and Whytsondaye oonly / ¶ Vpon this matere for to excyte theym that haue soo moche payne for to hope and to assemble bi neclygent wayes townes castelles lordshippes and other temporell godes in soo grete quantyte and the whyche some tyme begge in the ende of theyr dayes / Saynt Iherom knowynge the holy lyfe of the sayde gloryous saynt Poul / whyche neuer hadde suffraunce ne Indygence makyth to theym suche an exhortacyon / ¶ Thynke thou prowe man that drynkest and etest in vessellis of golde and syluer and gayely made fayr and ryche wyth precyouse stones / Thynke that to the deuowte and holy man Whyche hadd not but oonly one Robe of leues of Palme was heuen opened And to the prowde is hells made redy ¶ Thynke in lyke wyse of thy sepulture composyd of stones of marble or of syluer gylce / Or that is couered with veluet with whiche thou mayst be brente / ¶ Helas the holy man hadd not but a lytyll of erthe / Helas ye worldly men deporte or forbere you / And take not so moche payne to gadre and hepe richesses / ¶ Alas how is a man soo moche a foole for to burye a nother in clothe of golde or of sylke / For Incontynent and as soone as a man whiche hathe lyued euyll and synfully is out of this worlde / He is but in wepynges and in waylynges / ¶ The sepulcre of golde ne the dothe of parement maye not raunsonÌ„e hym fro the paynes that he suffreth / ¶ Alas poore prowde man wolt thou deye in thy pryde that desyrest to be buryed soo costle we / ¶ Fro whens comyth this folye / Whan thou haste be ambycyous in thy lyfe and that hath be made to the soo many vayne honours / Thou desyrest yet that they yet sholde be made to thy careyne after thy deth / ¶ And ofte perauenture some haue fayre and ryche sepulture of whom the soule suffreth harde payne / ¶ Here folowyth the lyfe of saynt Anthonye Abbot / Whyche fyrste was broughte in to wrytynge and sente by saynt Anathase to the bysshopp of Alexandrye / And after by saynt Enagrion preest translated out of Greke in to latyn and put it to this present boke whiche is made of holy faders / And begynnyth in latyn ¶ Igitur Anthonius c. Caplm .xxxvi. SAynt Anthonye born in Egipte was come of ryght noble pareÌ„tes as was of noblesse of lignage as of holy conuersacyon / He was nourysshed soo solytaryly that he knewe noo man of the world / but onÌ„ly his frendes ¶ Whan he was a lytyll grete that is to wyte in his Infancye he wolde not goo play with lytyll chyldern but he went in to the chyrche herynge the seruyce of god / And notwythstondynge that the chyldren of ryche houses had a custome to be delicyously nourysshed with dyuers metes / Neuerthelesse saynt Anthonye desyred them neuer / but was coÌ„tent wyth suche as men gaaf to hym / ¶ After the deth of his frendes he abode faderles in thage of .xix. or .xx. yere with hyÌ„ dwelled his syster whom he gouerned taught in gode dedes werkes thê° passyÌ„g the tyme· vi moÌ„thes hauÌ„ting the chirche he thouÈt how thapostles left all theyr substaunce and goodes for to folowe theyr swete lorde and mayster Ihesu Cryste / ¶ On a tyme he beynge in the chyrche herde one rede a gospell / Whyche made mencyon how our lord sayd to a Ryche man
of the worlde / he answerde that it was the same that was vpon the worlde / The wordes of the worlde are swete notwithstondyng that it shall be full bytter to hym that shall lyue in it vyciously / But who that wol be in the worlde maye not obeye his sensualytee serue god / By cause that none shall not serue well two lordes And that the naturell manly desyres are contrary to the saluacoÌ„n of our soules / And therfore my mayster coÌ„maunder sayde saynt Basylle / I praye the lete vs quycken our spirytes that ben deed by syÌ„nes / And for to purchace lyfe euerlastyÌ„ge lete vs folowe the techynges of thapostles of the souerayn god Redemer of all the worlde / ¶ Yf we woll put payne to obeye hym notwythstondynge that we ben alle redy stryken in aege Yet shall we haue asmoche of rewarde by medyacoÌ„n of his grace as they that haue be in his seruyce from the tyme of theyr yongthe / ¶ For it is wryten in the gospell that as grete a rewarde had he that came at the hour of Sexte as he the was comÌ„ at the hour of Prime / The doctour Eubole herynge the warnynges of his dyscyple Basylle began to saye / ¶ O Basylle true shewer expownar of that faythe of Criste thrugh the. I byleue in one god almyghty In tyme past that I knewe I dyde shewe the. now alle that is myne I gyue vnto the. putt in thy possessoÌ„n purposyng to lede wyth the thou remenauÌ„te of my lyfe / yf it playse to my god IhuÌ„ Cryst I shall receyue wtin shorte tyme the holy sacramente of baptym / Saynt Basylle answerde O my mayster blessyd be oure god that hath mekely lyghtned the in giuynge to the wyll courage to forsake leue the foule errours wherin thou were ouerthrowen thrugh the vayn worldly science· and that now thou knowest his mercy ¶ Syth that thou woll be wyth me· I shall teche the how we shal lyue in getynge our wee le in delyueryng ourself from the lettyÌ„ges of this wretched world / ¶ Fyrst we shall selle all that we haue shall gyue it to the poore nedy for goddys sake after we shall goo to the holy cytee of Iherusalem / The whyche thynge they dyde / And clothyd theymself in Raymentes lyke Crysten people / for to receyue Crystendom / ¶ And in goynge thyder they torned many Paynems that they fonde in theyr waye to the Crysten fayth / ¶ How Eubole was crystened in the FluÌ„me Iourdan / And begynnyth in latyn ¶ Apprehendentes autem cetera Caplm C.lx. THenne whan saynt Basylle his doctour Eubole were come in Ihâ—l'm they went vysited al the holy places worshiped theim for the loue of our lorde / After they presented theself tofore the bisshop of the cyte namyd Marimyen kneled byfore him bysechyge him that he wold crysten them in the flum Iordan ¶ The sayd bysshop receyued theim moche mekely / acompanyed with many notable persones sad theim to the forsayd flum / WhaÌ„ theâ— were come to the bryke of the same saynt basyll sate on both his knees / besouÈt god deuoutly that he wold vouchesauf to shewe some token to theim of his grace After he rose vp toke of al his clothes for to entre wythin the flood thenÌ„e the sayd bysshop went crystned hym / Att whiche crystnynge a moche merueyloê° thynge happed there / For a grete lyght as it had be fyre makyng wonderful shinyng came from heuen vpon theim / out of the fyre flewe out a whyte doue / the whiche after she had trowbled the water flewe ayen in to heuen / Of whiche thyÌ„ge those present were moche merueyled For they had neuer seen soo quycke ne soo grete a lyghte / Soo began they to prayse glorifye the name of god and pryÌ„cipally the bisshop the contynuelly remeÌ„bred the loue that saynt Basylle had to the Redemer of the world They .ii. thenÌ„e togyder crystened enoynted with the holy oyle retorned to Ihrl'm there they dwelled a yere ¶ After the knowlege of whiche they toke theyr waye towarde Anthyoche / thenne was saynt Basylle made Deaken / ¶ How sayÌ„t Basylle beyng a bysshop coÌ„posed the masse / in coÌ„posyng of whiche he sawe god his apostles begynning ¶ CoÌ„uenientes c· Caplm C.lxi. MAny bysshops were assemblyd in Anthyoche the whyche chose saynt Basylle to be bysshop And after that he was ordened he made his prayer to god bysechyng hym that he wold gyue him the gyfte of vnderstondynge by the whyche he myght to the exaltacoÌ„n of the fayth his glorioê° name make a seruyce or offyce to hym agreable in makynge vnto hym oblacyon of his precyous blode / And that in this dooyng he myghte receyue the grace of the holy ghost ¶ The gode Basylle after this request was by the space of sixe dayes as al chauÌ„ged wythdrawe fro his thought / But neuertheles he purposed to make the sayde seruyce / ¶ And on a nyghte after the sayd dayes paste / he had a syghte of god the whyche acompanyed of all his apostles as whan he wrote the wordes that preestes proferon vpon the breed sayde to hym / Basylle after thy desyre be thy mouth fulfyllyd of praysynge to th ende that by thy owne worde thou make sacrefyce vnto me of my bloode / ¶ Saynt Basylle that coude not abyde the syght departed with grete fere and went to the awter where he began to saye wryte this that here folowyth / Be my mouth fulfylled wyth loeuynge to th ende that it synge ympne to thy Ioye / Wyth this he made many other orysons that ben customably sayd whan the body of our lorde is to be consecrate of the preest / the whiche are not to be wryten to ony laye folke / Nor to be had in comynicacoÌ„n but onÌ„ly amonge men of the chirche / And after the consecracoÌ„n eleuacoÌ„n of the hoste whyche was of brede he deuyded it in thre partes / of the whiche he vsyd the one in grete drede reuerence the other he kepte for to bere wyth hym / and the thyrde he kepte for to be putt in to a doune of fyne golde the whyche he had doo make for to be hanged ouer the awter in by tokenyng of that same doune that appered ouer hym whan he was crystned in the flum Iordan / ¶ Eubole manâ— other clerkes were thenne afore the gate of the temple beholdinge this mystery they sawe abowte hym a wonderful lyght whyche constrayned them to fall to the grouÌ„de / And wyth this they sawe a grete multytude of men al clothed in whiche rayments / the whyche acoÌ„pamed hym in makynge the sayd sacrefyce ¶ The masse done saynt Basyll gooyng out of the chyrche / al them present worshipped him puttynge byfore hyÌ„ theyr knees to the grounde made hym more grete honour than they had be acustomyd
/ And att this cause he askyd theym what it was that had moeued theym to come there also the cause why they made hym so grete honour / TheÌ„ne they tolde hym the wonderfull syghte that they had seen / of the whiche saynt Basylle yelded graces to god / ¶ And certayne dayes after he gadred all the peple / In the presence of whom he put the one of the sayd thre partes of the hoste in to the sayd douune of golde hanged it reuerently ouer the awter / And this done He for to comforte the peple and to conferme in the holy faythe of Ihesu Cryste made a moche fayre prechynge / ¶ Att whyche was the grete abbot Of whom herafter shall be spoken / ¶ Of an Ebrew man that saw a chylde bytwene the hoÌ„des of saynt Basylle whan he deuided the body of our lorde And begyÌ„nyth in latin ¶ Diuino quidem c· Caplm C.lxii. BY the wyll of god and duringe the tyme the saynt Basille on a tyme amoÌ„ge other songe masse An Eâ—rewe that was there saw a chylde bitwene the hondes of the sayd saynt Basylle / ¶ The chylde as it semyd to the sayd Ebrewe was by this Basylle parted deuyded / And where they alle after the masse sayd admynistred them self in receyuynge the body of our lorde The sayd Ebrewe man put hymselfe amonge the other Crystens / And so saynt Basylle admynystred hym an hoste as to the other / And consequently askyd to be admynystred wyth the holy chalys that semyd him to be fylled with blood / And his askynge was gyuen to hym / ¶ And he kepynge of eyther one parte bare it vnto his wyfe for to shewe it to her and to conferme her in the vyson that he had seen / ¶ And the nexte daye after he retorned to the holy bysshop and made hymself to be crystned wyth all his meyne / ¶ Of one that forsoke god and gaaf a wrytynge therof sealed wyth his owne honde / And begyÌ„nyth in latin ¶ Illudius auteÌ„ / Caplm C.lxiii A Holy man that had be Chapelayn to saynt Basylle and his sucessour in the bysshopryche of Capadoce / And the whyche wrote vnto saynt Iherom the lyf of saynt Basylle / ¶ Reherseth that a Senatour of Rome called Protherius hadd a doughter The whyche he wolde offre and sacrefye vnto god / Thynkynge that she shold be a relygyous woman / But the deuyll enuyuous ouer all goodnesse ¶ For to lette and wythdrawe the holy purpoos of the sayd Protherius / enflaÌ„med wyth the fyre of concupyscence one of his housholde seruauntes / The whyche enamoured hymselfe on his sayd doughter / ¶ And by cause he knewe for certayne that he was not her lyke for to haue her by maryage / He wente to a mayster of Magyke / To whom he shewed his caas / Sayeng that yf he cowde lerne hyÌ„ ony meane by the whiche he myghte haue the sayd doughter He sholde gyue hym a grete somme of golde / ¶ The Magycyen or Nygramancer answerd that he cowde not do it / ¶ But and he wolde he shold make him speke with the deuyll / whiche was his procurour / By whoo 's werkyng he sholde well now haue ryght soone hys wyll / ¶ Thenne the folisshe louer answerde to the sayd Magicyen / That he was redy to doo all that he shole commaunde hym / Soo that he myghte gete all that he desired / ¶ Thenne the sayd Magycien made him to forsake his Creatour And to forsake his parte of the Ioyes of paradis / And this done he made hym to take hym a bylle conteynynge the wordes that folowe wryten oonly wyth his owne honde / ¶ My lorde and my Procurour / by cause that I muste wythdrawe oute of the Crysten relygyon· and bynde myself to thy wyll to the ende that thy subgettes ben multeplyed / I sende the this messager berer of my lettrers whyche is desyrous taken wyth the loue of a may de / Werfore I praye that thou wolt doo soo moche for me that his wyll be fulfylled / To th ende that by hym I may haue Ioye and glory / And power to coÌ„mauÌ„de other / and brynge theym in thy obeyslaunce / ¶ This letter soo made the Magycyen delyuered it to the folysshe louer / and sayd to hym / That att a certayne hour of the nighte / he sholde goo and put himselfe vpon the graues of the Paynyms and Heretykes / And that there he sholde holde vp his letter in the ayre And anone certayne messengers sholde come to hym whyche sholde brynge hym to the deuyll / ¶ Thus dyde this vnhappy wretche / And sodainly came to hym a grete multytude of wickyd spirytes from the prynce of derkenesse and of wyckydnesse The whyche in grete Ioye ladde hym tofore theyr prynce / Whyche was sett vp on hihe in a grete chayer / And abowt hym were a grete multytude of deuylles wythoute nombre / In presence of whom he presented his wrytynge / ¶ And after that it was radde / the sayd prynce sayde vnto hym / ¶ Now come hyther my freÌ„de / Doost thou byleue in me / He answerd ye / ¶ Yet agayn questyoned him sayenge / ¶ Doost thou forsake Ihesu Cryste / he answerd as afore / Ye / TheÌ„ne the prynce of the deuylles sayde to hym / ¶ Ye Crysten men are false shrewes / For whan ye haue nede to be holpen of me / Ye praye me / And after that ye haue gote your desyre Ye denye and forsake Incontynent to that ye haue promysed to me / And soone after retonrne to youre god whyche is soo moche good and swete and mercyfull / That he refusyth not ony Synnar / ¶ But this notwythstondynge / yf thou wolte that I shall doo thy wyll to be performed and fulfilled to thy behouf playsure / Thou muste fyrste gyue to me a letter of thyne honde / By the whyche thou shalt denye and forsake the sacrament of baptesme and the crysten faythe / ¶ SecoÌ„dly thou shalt promyse me that thou shalt serue me in this worlde And atte the daye of dome thou shalte holde me felishyp for to be wyth me afterwarde perpetuelly in all the tormentes that I suffre / This vnhappy man promysed him all the same / And IncoÌ„tynent all the deuylles maysters of fornycacion were sente towarde the sayde mayde for to tempte and styre her to the loue of the vnhappy man forsayde ¶ The whyche sodaynly was soo take wyche loue of hym that she myghte no ther ete nor drynke / And after that she had borne this woodnesse a lytyll space of tyme / Fynably she sayde vnto her fader / ¶ O my fader haue pyte vpon me / For certainly I am sore tormented of the loue of one of thy seruauÌ„tes / My fader I biseche the shewe now what a loue thou haste to thy chylde / For yf thou enclyne and falle not to my wee le thou shalte see me deed wythin shorte tyme / ¶