Here foloweth the lyf of saynt Grysogone and fyrste of hys name GRysogone may be sayd of gonos in Greke whiche is as moche to say as aungel For he was wythout aungel of worldly malyce or he is sayd of gonos whiche is as moche to saye as a lâ—der For he ledde moche people to the waye of a trouthe by hys ensaumple ¶ Of saynt grisogone GRisogone was taken and sette in pryson by the commaundemente of Dyoclesyan saynt anastase fedde hym and gaue to hym mete and drynke to lyue by wherfore hir husbond was put in to a strayte pryson she sente to grysogone whiche had enformed hyr in the feythe of Ihesu crist in wrytyng thys that foloweth To the holy confessour of cryste Grysogone I anastasâ— haue taken the yoke of a wycked husbond by the mercy of god I haue eschewed his bedde by fayned and dyssymyled Infyrmyte haue nyght and day embraced the stappes of our lord Ihesu cryste my husbond hath taken aweye my patrymonye of whiche he is ennoblysshed and setteth it on fowle ydolles and hath put me in pryson as a cursed enchaunteresse for to make me to lese my lyf temporel So there bleueth nomore but I that am seruaunte to the spyrite may lye doun and deye In whiche dethe I glorefye my self but I am gretely troubelyd in my mynde that my rychessls whiche I had ordeyned to god been wasted and spente in fowle thynges fare wel seruaunte of god remembre me To whome saynt grysogone answerde ageyn by wrytyng see that thou be not angred ne troubled for ony thynge that is doon to the foloneslye in thy lyf though it be contrarye vnto the thou mayste not be dysceyued yf thou be preuyd a tyme paysyble shal come to the anon for after this derknes thou shalt see anone she florysshed light of god after this colde tyme of froste and yce there shal come to the the softe swete tyme Fare wel be wyth god and praye for me and as thys blessyd anastase was thus constreyned in suche wise that vnnethe ony brede was gyuen to hyr in foure dayes and that she supposed she shold haue deyed She wrote a pystle to hym in thys wyse To the confessour of crist grysogone anastase the ende of my tyme is comen remembre me So that whan the sowle shal departe from me that he receyue it for whos loue I suffre thyse thynges whyche thou shalt here by the mowthe of this olde woman To whome he wrote ageyn It apperteyneth alwey that derkenes goo tofore the lyght In lyke wyse after sekenes and Infyrmyte helth shal retorne and lyf is promysed after deth Alle aduersytees and prosperytees of thys world been enclosed by one ende by cause desperacion shold haue no domynacyon on the sorowful ne elacyon ne pryde shold not domyne on theym that been glad and ioyeful There is but one see in whych the shyp of our lady saylleth and our sowles vse the offyse of maronners vnder the gouernaunce of the body the shippes whiche ben fastenyd and bounden wyth stronge chaynes passen wel wythout ony brekyng thorugh the stronge wawes of the see and somme shyppes there been that haue brutyl and feble ioyntures of trees and falle ofte in peryll to be drowned but thou handmayde of Ihesu cryste haue in thy mynde the vyctorye of the crosse and make the redy to the werke of god and thenne dyoclesyan whiche was in the partyes of aquyle and slewe other crysten men commaunded that grysogone shold be broughte tofore hym to whom he sayd Take the power of the prouoste and the consulate of thy lygnage and doo sacrefyse to the goddes And he answerd I adoure worshyp one onely god of heuen and I despyse thy dygnytees as fylthe or myre and thenne sentence was gyuen vpon hym and was brought in to a place where he was byheded aboute the yere of our lord two hondred lxxx and seuen whos body saynt Zeyle the preest buryed and the heed also Thus endeth the lyf of Saint Grisogone Here foloweth the lyf of saint Katheryne virgyn and marter And first of hir name KAtheryne is said of catha that is al ruyna that is fallyng for alle the edefyce of the deuyl fyl al fro hir for the edefyce of pryde fyl fro hyr by humylyte that she had and thedefyce of flesshly desyre fyl fro hir by hir virgynyte worldly couetyse for she despysed al worldly thynges Or katheryne may be sayd as a lytel chayne for she made a chayne of good werkys by whiche she mounted in to heuen and this chayne or ladder had foure grees or stappes whiche been Innocence of werke clennesse of body despysyng of vanyte and sayeng of trouthe whiche the prophete putteth by ordre where he sayth Quis ascendet in mon tem domini Innocens manibus Who shal ascende in to the montayn of our lord that is heuen he answereth The Innocence of his handes he that is clene in his herte he that hath not taken in vayne his sowle and he that hath not sworen in fraude and deceyte to his neyghbour And it apperyth in hyr legende how thyse four degrees were in hyr KAtheryn by discent of lyne was of the noble lygnage of themperours of Rome as it shal be declared more playnelye herafter by a notable cronycle whos moste blessyd lyf and conuersacyon wrote the solempne doctour anathasius whiche knewe hir lygnage hyr lyf For he was one of hir maysters in hir tender age or she was conuerted to the cristen feythe and after the sayd anathasius by hir prechyng meruaillous werkys of our lord was conuerted also Whiche after hir marterdom was made bysshop of Alysaunder And a gloryous pyler of the chirche by the grace of god and merytes of Saynt katheryne And as we fynde by credyble cronycles In the tyme of dyoclesyan and maxymyen was grete cruel tyrannye shewyd in al the world as wel to crysten men as to paynyms Soo that many that were subgette to Rome put aweye the yocke of seruage and rebellyd openlye ageynst th empyre Emonge whome the royame of armonye was one that wythstood most the trybute of the romayns wherfore they of Rome deputed a noble man of dygnyte named constancius whiche was tofore other a valyaunt man in armes dyscrete and vertuous the which lord after he came in to ermonye anone subdued them by his dyscrete prudence deseruyd to haue the loue and fauour of his enemyes in so moche that he was desyred to marye the doughter of the kynge whiche was sole heyre of the royame and he consentyd and maryed hir sone after the kynge hir fader deyed and thenne constancius was enhaunced and crowned kynge whyche sone after had a sone by his wyf named costus at the byrthe of whome his moder deyed after the dethe of whome constancius retorned to rome to see the emperour and to knowe how his lord shyppes were gouerned in tho partyes and in
thydolles Saynt Ignace shewd to them clerely that theyr goddes had ben theuys Rybauldes and men of abhomynable euyl lyf And that they were dampned in helle And that they had ben in grete errour in thys that of so cursid men they made theyr goddes and worshypped deuyllys and had forsake god whyche had made and created all the world And hys blessyd sone whyche in humayne nature had redemyd and sauyd the world Fynably after thys that he had be tormented by fyre by betyng pryson Themperour dyde sende for the romayns in a place and there dyde do sette saynt Ignace And dydde doo brynge theder two lyons for to deuoure hym but he had neuer drede for deth ne for other tormentes of whyche he had suffred many but was alleway cōforted for to deye for the loue of Ih̄u crist and he said atte laste I am wheete of Ihesu cryst whyche ought to be groūden bytwene the teeth of thyse bestes by whych I may be pure brede for to be presented to my lord And anon the lyons cā strangled hym wythout treryng of hys flessh or ony thyng hurtyng it wherfor traian had grete merueylle and departed fro the place It is redde that saynt Ignace in alle hys tormentes and alle the paynes of martirdom that he suffred that his tongue neuer ceassed to name the name of Ih̄us And whan they that tormented hym demanded hym wherfor he named this name so ofte he answerd knowe ye for certayn that I haue in my herte thys name wreton◠¶ And therfor I may not leue to name thys name ofte And by cause herof whan he was deed they that herd thyse wordes opened hys body drewe out his herte cut it open And they fonde wyth in the name of Ihesu wreton wyth fayr lettres of gold ¶ For whyche myracle many receyued the fayth of Ihesu cryst ¶ Of thys saynt sayth saynt bernard vpon the psalme Qui habitat Saynt Ignace martir of god gloryous is of grete meryte whyche was mynystre to the dyscyple that Ihesus so moche louyd And in hys epystles the whyche he sente to the gloryous vyrgyne marye he salewed her as moder that had born Ihesu cryst And she resalewed hym agayn in sygne that he was a persone of grete honour of grete dygnyte and of of grete Auctoryte The body of whom was honourably buryed of crysten mē to the worshyppe of Ihesu cryst which is blessyd in secula seculorum Amen Here endeth the lyf of saynt Ignacien And here foloweth the puryficacion of our lady POstquam impleti sunt dies purgacionis marie secundum legem moysi tulerunt Ihesum in Iherusalem luce secundo capitulo Th auncyent lawe had his cours vntil the tyme that god hath suffred deth for vs And whan he deyde on the crosse he sayd Iohannis nono capl̄o Consummatum est That is to saye alle thyng is fynysshed and ended that hath be wreton of me whyche lawe he kepte duryng hys lyf as it is wreton I am not comen for to breke the lawe In whych he gaf vs example of humylyte and of obedience lyke as saynt Poul saith In lyke wyse our lady for tobeye to the lawe bare her swete sone Ihesu Cryst vnto the temple of Iherusalem after the xl daye of hys byrthe for to offre hym to god and for to gyue offryng for hym suche as in the lawe was ordeyned that is to wete a payr turtellis or two douues was thoffryng of poure folke lyke as it is wreton Our lord whyche in alle caas cam to make our sauacion dayned not only to humble hym self and descende fro his royame and becam man mortall semblable to vs Also he dayned to be born of a poure woman And was poure for tenriche vs and drawe vs out of the myserye of thys world to the richesse permanable ¶ And we that ben poure by cause of our synnes and wythout Richesses of good vyrtues ¶ So worthyly shold we come and be atte feste of our lord we shold offre to hym that whyche by the offryng is signefyed The douue whiche is of her nature symple wyhout galle And the turtle naturelly chaste ¶ For whan she hath loste her make she wyl neuer haue other make And wyth that she taketh the wepyng for her songe we ought to offre to our lord in stede of ij douues one symple wyll and a good Intencion wythout reteynyng in our herte ony galle of angre or of hate toward our neyhbour For as our lord sayth yf thyn eye be symple all thy werkes shal be in light ¶ And herof sayth saynt Iohan theuangelist in thapocalipse The cyte nedeth no sonne ne mone to shyne in it For the clerenes of god shal enlumyne it And hys lanterne in lambes The lambe is the lyght by the lambe whyche is symple is signefyed to vs a symple conscience and ryghtwys whyche maketh true Iugement of thyntencion For all werkes ben good or euyl yf they be doon in euyl entencion or by ypocrysye they ben euyl and wythout prouffyt lyke as sayth Ihesu cryst yf thyn eye be euyll Alle thy body shal be derke by the eye is vnderstande thentencion with goodnes symple And debonairte signefieth by the douues we ought also to offre a payre of turtles to our lord that is to saye a chast lyf and a very entenciō to leue our synnes the whiche is signefyed to vs by the chasttete of the turtle ¶ And by her wepyng the contricion As Bede saith Contricion ought to begynne in drede and ende in loue For the sowle faithful whan she remembreth her synnes in her conscience ¶ She wepeth for the drede of the paynes of helle that she hath deseruyd and thus offreth she to god a turtle And whan she hath wepte ther cometh to her an hope to haue mercy and pardon of her synnes And thys hope conceyued of drede in hym a loue of god to serue and to be in hys companye So that that soule that ought to synge wepeth for loue whyche hath delyuerd her so sone fro the paryllis and myseryes of thys world and for to come to the swete companye of our lord And thus offreth she that other turtle in wepyng wyth dauid the prophete the longe pylgremage that she hath made in the myseryes of thys world sayeng Heu me quia incolatus meus prolongatus est For whan she begynneth to thynke after the Ioyous companye of Angellis and of the sowles that ben in heuene And what Ioye and deduyt that they haue in the ouerdesirous syght of our lord Thenne alle the world greueth them and desireth to be delyuerd fro the faytes of the body for to goo in to the companye of thyse holy sowlis And also that saynt Symeon which by reuelacion of the holy ghoost cam in to the temple of Iherusalem in the same houre that the blessyd virgyne brought her dere sone for to offre hym And the holy ghoost had shewd to hym that to fore that he
hym an helper lyke to hym selfe for to brynge forth children Adam supposed that somme helpar to hym had ben emōg the beestis whiche had ben lyke to hym ¶ Therfore god brought to Adam alle lyuyng beestis of the erthe ayer In whicle ben vnderstande thē of the water also whiche with one comandement alle cam to fore hym they were brought for two causes One was by cause man shold gyue to eche of them a name by whiche they shold knowe that he shold domyne ouer them And the second cause was by cause adā shold knowe that there was none of thē lyke to hym And he named hem in he brews tonge whiche was only the langage and none other atte begynnyng And so none beyng founde lyke vnto hym god sente in Adam a luste to slepe whiche was no dreme but as is supposed in a extasi or in a traunse in whiche was shewd to hym the celestial courte wherfore whan he awoke he prophecyed of the coniunction of crist to his chirche And of the flode that was to come And of the dome and destruction of the world by fyre he knewe whiche afterward he told to his chyldren Whiles that adam slepte god toke 〈◊〉 of his Ribbes both flesshe and bone and made that a woman And sette her to fore Adam whiche thenne saide this is is now a bone of my bones and flessh of my flessh And Adam gaf here a name lyke as her lord and said she shal be called virago whiche is as moche to saye as made of a man And is a name taken of aman And anon the name gyuyng he prophecied sayeng by cause she is taken of the syde of aman therfor a man shall forsake and leue fader and moder and abyde and be adherent vnto his wif and they shal be two in one flesshe And thaugh they be two persone yet in matrymony and wedlok they be but one flesshe and in other thyngis tweyne for why neyther of them hath power of his owne flessle They were bothe naked and were not asshamed they felte nothyng of meuyng of theyr flessh ne to refrayne them as we now doo For they stode bothe in the state of Innocensye Thenne the serpente whiche was hotter than ony beste of therthe naturelly deceyuable for he was ful of the deuyll lucifer whiche was deiecte and caste out of heuen had grete enuye to man that was bodyly in paradys and knewe wel yf he myght make hym to trespace and breke gods commandement that he shold be cast out also yet he was aferd to be taken or espied of the man he wente to the woman not so prudent and more prone to slyde and bowe in the forme of the serpente for thenne the serpente was erecte as a man Bede saith that he chace a serpente hauyng a maydens chere For lyke ofte aplye to lyke and spake by the tonge of the serpente to Eue and said why cōmanded you god that ye shold not ete of alle the trees of paradys this he said to fynde occasyon to saye that he was come fore Thenne the woman answerde and said Ne forte moriamur leste happely we dye whiche she saide doubtyng For lightly she was flexible to euery parte wher vnto anon he answerd Nay in no wyse ye shal dye but god wold not that ye shold be lyke hym in science and knowyng that whan ye ete of this tre ye shal be as goddes knowyng good euyll he as enuyous forbade you And anon the woman elate in pryde willyng be lyke to god accorded therto And byleuyd hym The woman sawe that the tree was fayr to loke on and clene and swete of sauour toke and ete therof And gaf vnto Adam of the same happyly desiryng hym by fayr wordes but Adam anon agreed for whan he sawe the woman not deed he supposed that god hath said that they shold dye to fere hem with And thenne ete of the fruyt forboden ¶ And anon theyr sight was opened that they sawe theyr nakydnes ¶ And thēne anon they vnderstode that they had trespaced For anon their flesshe began to meue and stire to concupiscence for to fore that they had eten of the forboden fruyt tho meuynges were repressed and closed as in yong children And thenne after they had synned they were opend lyke spryngys of water and began to meue and then they were experte and knewe them And lyke as they were inobedyent to theyr superyor ryght soo theyr membres began to meue ayenst theyr superior whiche is reson they felte theyr first meuyng in theyr preuy membres and therof they were asshamed And thus they knewe then that they were naked And they toke figge leuis and sewed them to gyder for to couere theyr membres in maner of brechis And anon after they herde the voys of our lord god walkyng and anon they hyd them Our lord called the man and said Adam where art thou callyng hym in blamyng hym and not as not knowyng where he was but as who said Adam see in what myserye thou art whiche answerd I haue hydde me lorde for I am naked our lord said who tolde the that thou were naked but that thou hast eten of the tree forboden he thenne not mekely confessyng his trespas but leyde the fawte in his wyf and in hym as gyuer of the woman to hym and saide ¶ The woman whom thou gauyst to me as a felawe gaf to me of the tree and I ete therof And thenne our lord soid to the woman why dydyst thou soo Neyther she accused her self but leyd the synne on the serpente and pryuely she leyd the faute in the maker of hym The serpente was not demanded For he dyde it not of hym self but the deuyl by hym And our lord cursyng thē began at the serpente kepyng an ordre congrue nombre of curses The serpente was the first and synned most for he synned in iij thyngis The woman next and synned lesse than he but more than the man for she synned in two thyngis The man synned last and leest for he synned but in one ¶ The serpente had enuye he lyed and deceyued For thyse thre he had thre curses by cause he had enuye at thexcellence of man it was sayd to hym thou shalt goo and crepe on thy breste by cause he lyed he is punysshid in his mouth whan it was said thou shalt ete erthe alle the dayes of thy lyf Also he toke away his voys and put venym in hys mouth And by cause he deceyued it was said I shal put enemyte bytweyne the and woman and thy seed and her seed She shal breke thy heede c̄ In two thyngis the woman synned In pryde and etyng the fruyte by cause she synnyd in pryde he meked her seyeng Thou shalt be vnder the power of man And I shal haue lordship ouer the and I shal put the to affliction ¶ Now is she subiecte to a man by condicion and drede whiche to
maners in that he is gloryous gloryfyeng and to be gloryfyed And after he excused hym of the blame in moyses in praysyng hym moche and especyally in thre thynges that is to wyte of feruour of loue For he slewe thegypcien that smote thebriew And of the myracles that he dyde in egypte or deserte And of the famyliaryte of god whan he spack to hym many tymes amyably And after thys he excused hym of the thyrde blame that was in the lawe in preysyng the lawe in thre maners Fyrst by cause of the gyuer that was god the seconde of the mynystre which was moyses that was a grete prophete And the thyrde by cause of th ende For it gyueth lyf perdurable And after he purged hym of the blame of the tabernacle and of the temple In preisyng the tabernacle in iiij maners one was by cause he was comanded of god to make it And was shewd in vision it was accomplysshed by moyses and that the arke of wytnes was therin he said that the temple succeded tabernacle And the blessyd Stephen purgyd hym of that whyche was â—yde to hym of whyche the Iewes sawe that they myght not ouercome hym in that manere And theÌ„ne they toke the thirde bataylle ayenst hym that they shold surmounte hym by tormentis And whan the blessyd saynt stephen sawe thys he wold kepe the comandement of our lord and enforced hym to refrayne them in thre maners that was by shame by drede and by loue Fyrst by shame in blamyng the hardnes of theyr hertes And said to them ye coÌ„trarye alleway the holy goost by your harde heedes and hertes not pyteous lyke as your fadres that persecuted the prophetes and slewe them that shewde the comyng of god And the glose saith that in thre maners they were malycyous The first that they contrarye den to the holy ghoost The seconde that they persecuted the prophetes The thyrde that by theyr euyl malyco they slewe Iesu cryst but by cause they were lyke the comyn woman they coude haue no shame to leue theyr malyce but whan they had herd thyse thynges they wythsayde it in theyr hertes and grennyd theyr teeth ayenst hym After thys he corrected them by drede by cause that he said that he sawe IhÌ„u cryst on the right syde of god lyke as redy to helpe hym and condempne his aduersaryes For saynt stephen which was ful of the holy ghoost loked vp and byheld the heuen and sawe the glorye of god And said loo I see the heuenes opene and the sone of the mayde stondyng on the right syde of the vertue of god how be it that he corrected theÌ„ by shame by drede yet they left not their malice but were more werse thaÌ„ to fore and stopped their eeris to th eÌ„de that they wold not here hym wherof he blamed them And they cryed with an hye voys and made a grete assault ayenst hym and caste hym out of the cyte all to gydre and stoned hym And they supposed to haue doon after theyr lawe as a blasphemour in comandyng that he shold be stoned out of the castellis And thyes ij false witnessis which after theyr lawe ought to cast the first stone toke of theyr clothes by cause that they shold not be touched of god and to th ende that they myght better lyghtlyer bywelde them to stone hym and they lefte them atte feet of a child that theÌ„ne was callid saulus and after he was called paule And thus he kept the clothes of them that stoned hym And he was stoned of them alle And whan he myght not withdrawe them fro their malice ne by shame ne by drede he toke the thyrde maner so that he wold withdrawe them by loue and the loue that he shewed them was not lytyl whan he prayd for hym for them that hys passyon myght not be dyffered And that the synne shold not be Imputed do them that stoned hym and sayeng lord Ihesu cryst receyue my spyrite And whan he was on hys knees he cryed with an hye voys and said lord establysshe not to theym thys synne And thys was a meruayllous loue whan he prayd on hys knees for theym that stoned hym lyke as yf he had prayd more for them than for hym sylf For he desyred to be more empesshed for theÌ„ than for hym self And as the glose saith he knelyd for by cause he ought the more humbly to praye for them of whom thynyquyte was grete And in thys he dyde as dyde Ihesu cryste For in hys passyon he prayd for hym self And said Fader I comande my spyryte in to thyn hondes and he said for them that stoned hym Fader foryeuene it theym And whan saynt stephen had so said he slepte in our lord and was not deed For he suffred sacrefyse of dylection And after slepte in hope of resurrection And the stonyng of saynt stephen was made in the same yere that our lord ascended vp in to heuen in the next moneth of august the thirde day entrynâ— And saynt Gamalyel and Nycodemus whych were emong the connseyllys of the Iewes for the crysten men buryed hym in the felde of gamalyel made grete wepyng for hym and theÌ„ne was grete persecucioÌ„ of crysten meÌ„ that were in IhrlÌ„m For whan the blessyd saynt stephen whyche was one of the prynces was slayn they began to persecute alle the crysten meÌ„ in so moche that thappostles whiche were strenger than other in the faith departed out of all the prouynce of the Iewes after that whiche our lord had comaunded to theÌ„ yf they persecute you in one cyte flee you in to another And the blessyd doctour saynt austyn reherceth that the blessyd saynt stephen was noblysshid by many myracles For he reysed by hys merytes sixe dede bodyes and heled many that were seeke of dyuerse maladyes languors And without this recounteth he other myracles worthy dygne to be remembrid For as he saith in the xxiiij book of the cyte of god the floures that were put on the aultre of saynt stephen were put on the seek men anon they were cured heled And the clothes taken fro the aulter leyde on theÌ„ that were seek were a medecyne to many For as it is said in the xxiiij chapytre of the cronycles of god thyse floures taken vpon the aulter of saynt stephen were leyd on the eyen of a womaÌ„ that was blynde and anon she had agayn her sight And also said he in the same book that a man that was maistre of a cyte was named marcial was a paynem wold not be coÌ„uerted it happed that he was strongly seke and his sone in lawe that was a right good man cam in to the chirche of saynt stephen toke of the flowres leyd vnder the heed of his lord and anon whaÌ„ he had slepte therupon on the mornyg he cryed that the bysshop shold be brought to hym the bysshop was not in the
herd all this he was despayred as he that was taken in blynde loue and was ouer fore tormented in so moche that he laye doun seke in hys bedde for the grete sorowe that he had Thenne cam the fysiciens anon knewe hys maladye and sayd to hys fadre that he languysshid of carnal loue that he had to somÌ„e woman Thenne the fader enquyred and knewe that it was thys woman And dyde doo speke to seynt agnes for hys sone and said to her how hys sone languysshid for her loue seynt agnes answerd that in no wise she wold breke the faith of her first husbond vpon that the prouost demaÌ„ded who was her first husbond of whom she so moche auaunted and in hys power so moche trusted Thenne one of her seruauntes said that she was crysten and that she was so enchaunted that she said Ihesu cryste was her espowse And whan the prouoste herde that she was crysten the prouost was moche glad by cause to haue power on her For thenne the crysten peple were in the wylle of the lord yf they wold not renye theyr god and theyr byleue all theyr goodes shold be forfayted wherfore theÌ„ne the prouoste made saynt agnes to come in Iustice And he examyned her swetely and after cruelly by menaces Saynt agnes wel comforted sayd to hym doo what thou wylt For my purpoos shalt thou neuer chaunge whan she sawe hym nowe flateryng and now terrybly angry she scorned hym And the prouost said to her beyng all Angry One of two thyngis thou shalt chese eyther doo sacrefyse to our goddes wyth the vyrgyns of the goddes vesta or goo to the bordell to be abandonned to alle that thyder come to the grete shame and blame of alle thy lygnage Saynt Agnes answerd yf thou knewest who is my god thou woldest not saye to me suche wordes but for as moche as I know the vertue of my god I sette nothyng by thy menaces For I haue his angele which is kepar of my body Thenne the Iuge all araged made to take of her clothys and all nakyd to be ledde to the bordell And thus saynt agnes that refused to doo sacrefyse to thydollys was delyueryd nakyd to goo to the bordell but anon as she was vnclothed god gaf to her suche grace that the heeris of her heed bycam so longe that they couerd all her body to her feet so that her body was not seen And whan saynt agnes entred in to the bordell anon she fonde thangele of god redy for to defende her and enuyronned saynt agnes with a bryght clernes in suche wise that noman myht see her ne come to her There made she of the bordel her oratorye And in makyng her prayers to god she sawe to fore her a whyte vesture And anon therwith she clad her and saide I thanke the Ihesu cryst whyche accomptest me wyth thy virgyns and hast sente me thys vesture Alle they that entred made honour and reuerence to the grete clerenes that they sawe a boute saynt Agnes And cam oute more deuoute and more clene than they entred Atte laste cam the sone of the prouoste with a grete coÌ„panye for taccomplysshe his foule desires and lustes And whan he sawe hys felaws come out and yssue all abasshyd he mocqued them and callyd them cowardis And thenne he all araged entryd for taccomplyssh hys euyl wyll and whaÌ„ he cam to the clerenes he auaunced hym for to take the virgyne And anon the deuyl toke hym by the throte and strangled hym that he fyl doun deed And whan the prouoste herde thyse tidynges of his sone he ranne wepyng to the bordel and began cryeng to saye to saynt agnes O thou cruel woman why hast thou shewde thyn enchantemÌ„t on my sone and demaunded of her how hys sone was deed and by what cause To whom saynt agnes answerd he toke hym in to hys power to whom he had abaundonned hys wylle why ben not all they deed said he that entred here to fore hym For hys felawes sawe the myracle of the grete clernes and were aferd and wente theyr waye vnhurte For they dyde honour to my god whyche hath clad me wyth thyse vestement and hath kept my body but your vylaynous sone assone as he entred in to thys hows began to braye and crye and whan he wold haue leyde honde vpon me anon the deuyl slewe hym as thou seest yf thou maye reyse hym said he It may wel appere that thou hast not put hym to deth And saynt agnes answerd how wel that thy creance is not worthy to impetre ne gete that of our lord neuertheles by cause it is tyme that the vertue of god be shewed Goo ye all oute that I may make my prayer to god And whan she was in her prayers thangele cam and reysed hym to lyf And anon he wente out and bygan to crye wyth an hye voys that the god of crysten men was very god in heuen and in erthe and in the See And that thydolles were vayne that they worshypped whyche myght not helpe them self ne none other Thenne the bysshops of thydolles made a grete discorde emonge the peple so that alle they cryed Take away this sorceresse and witche that torned mennes myndes and alyeneth theyr wyttes whaÌ„ the prouoste sawe thyse merueylles he wold gladly haue delyuerd saynt agnes by cause she had reysed hys sone but he doubted to be banysshyd And sette in hys place a lyeutenauÌ„t named aspasius for to satisfye the peple and by cause he coude not delyuere her he departed soroufully Thys aspâ—sius dyde do make a grete fyre emong alle the peple and dyde do caste saynt Agnes therin Anon as thys was doon the flamme departed in to two partyes brente them that made the discordes she abode alle hole wythout felyng the fyre The peple wente that she had don all by enchauntement Thenne made saynt agnes her oryson to god thankyng hym that she was escaped fro the paryll to lese her virgynyte and also fro the brennyng of the flamme And whan she had made her oryson the fyre loste all hys hete and quenchyd it aspasius for the doubtance of the peple comanded to put a swerd in her body And so she was martred Anon cam the crysten men and the parentis of saynt Agnes and buryed her body but the hethen defended it and caste so stones at them that vnnethe they escaped She suffred martirdom in the tyme of constantyn the grete whyche began to regne the yere of our lord CCCix Emong them that buryed her body ther was one Emerenciana whyche had be felaw to saynt Agnes how be it she was not yet cristened but an holy virgyne she cam also to the sepulces of saynt agnes whyche constaÌ„tly repreued the gentyles and of theÌ„ she was stoned to deth and slayn Anon thenne cam a erthe quaue lightnyng and thondre that many of the paynems perisshed so that forâ—hon the
And he anon wente forth and dyde as he was boden and helde the lettre in thayer And forth with cam the prynce of derknes felawshipped with a grete multitude of fendes whan he had redde the cedule he said to the yong man wylt thou byleue in me yf I accomplyssh thy desire And he answerd that he wold so doo Thenne the deuyl sayd to hym renye thenne Ihesu cryst whyche sayd I renye hym And the deuyll sayd to hym ye crysten men ye be alle fals and vntrewe For whan ye haue to doo ye come to me And whan ye haue that ye demande anon after ye renye me and retorne to your Ihesu cryst And he receyueth you by cause he is ryght deboÌ„nayr but yf thou wylt that I doo thy wylle Make a londe of thyn owne hand wrytyng and delyuere it to me and lete it conteyne that thou hast forsaken Ihesu cryst thy baptesme and the profession of crysten relygion and that thou be my seruaunt and wyth me atte Iugement to be dampned and anon all this he wrote and toke it to the deuyll put hym in his seruytude and anon the deuyl toke with hym feÌ„des that serued for fornycacion comaÌ„ded them that they shold goo enflaÌ„me the herte of that mayde in the loue of that yong maÌ„ The whiche cam to her so enflaÌ„med her in the loue of the man that she fyll doun to the ground to fore her fader cryeng piteously sayenge Fader haue pyte on me For cruelly I am tormented for the loue of your seruaunt haue mercy on me And shewe to me your faderly loue that ye owe to me that ye gyue to me in mariage the yong man that I desyre And yf ye doo not ye shal see anone that I shal deye And therof shal ye answere atte day of dome and the fader wepyng said Alas wretchyd that I am what is to me befallen God haue mercy on my doughter that thus taketh away my tresour and quenchyth the light of myn eyen I wold haue gyuen the to the spowse of heuene wende to haue saued the And thou art desmesured in worldly loue flesshly Abyde doughter tarye that I may marye the to hym that I had purposed brynge not me my laste dayes in sorow And she cried and said fader doo as I haue said or anon thou shal see me deed and so as she wepte bytterly as out of her wytte the fader in grete desolacion of herte meuyd by the couÌ„seyl of hys frendes deceyued dyde her playsir maried her to the yong man gaf to her all hys substaunce sayeng Goo forth my doughter very kaytyf that thou art forth she wente toke hym to her husbond they dwellid to gydre The husbond wente not to chirche ne be blessid hym not ne recomended hym not to god wherof many of the neyghbours noted it said to the wyf Thys yong man that thou hast taken is not cristend ne he goth not to the chyrche And whaÌ„ she herd that she was moche abasshyd and for sorow fyll doun to the ground and wyth her naylles began to cratche hyr face and bete her breste and sayd Alas most myserable wretche that I am wherto was I born I wold I had perisshyd in my byrthe And thenne she told her husbond what she had herd of hym And he answerd that it was nothyng so thenne said she yf thou wylt that I byleue the thou I shal to morn goo to chyrche and theÌ„ne shal I know yf it be trewe that thou sayst Thenne he yelded hym confused saw wel that he myght not denye but it was so And told to her all that he had don And whan she had herd alle the caas how he had doon she began to waylle and to wepe strongly And forthwyth wente to saynt basylle and reherced to hym all that she had herd of her husbond And saynt basylle sente for the husbond and said to hym my sone wylt thou reborne agayn to god Syre sayd he ye but I may not For I haue bounde my self to the deuyll and renyed Ihesu cryst and therof I haue made a wrytyng of my hand and delyuerd it to hym And saynt basylle sayd to hym therof no force Our lord is debonayr and mercyful and shal receyue the yf thou repentest the And anoÌ„ toke the yong man and made the signe of the crosse on his forhede And shytte hym in a chambre thre dayes After he wente to see hym and demaunded sayeng my sone how is it with the and he answerd Syre I am in grete payne in grete anguyssh in suche wyse that I may not bere the clamours the terrours and the lapydementis that the fendes don to me For they holde in theyr honde my wrytyng in accusyng me and sayeng I cam to them and not they to me Thenne sayd basylle my sone be not aferd but put fermely thy byleue in Ihesu cryst and saynt basylle gaf to hym a lytyl mete for to comforte hym and marked hym wyth the signe of the crosse And closyd hym agayn and he wente and prayd for hym After certayn dayes passed he wente and vysited hym agayn and askyd how it was with hym And he answerd moche better than to fore I here theyr clamours and theyr menaces but I see them not Saynt basylle gaf hym mete and closyd the dore and blessyd hym and wente and prayd god for hym and xl dayes after he retorned and sayd to hym my sone how is it wyth the he answerd holy fader it is wel wyth me thys daye for I haue seen the fyght for me and ouercomen the deuyll Thenne he toke hym out and callyd all the clergye the relygyouses and the peple and warned them that they shold praye alle fore hym and and ledde the yong man by the hande to the chyrche And anon the deuyll wyth a grete multytude of fendes wythout sceyng of ony man toke the yong man and payned them to take hym out of the honde of saynt basylle And the yong man bygan to crye holy saynt of god helpe me And the fendes enforced them so gretly that they made saynt basylle to meue in holdyng the yong man saynt basylle sayd thou cursed cruel fende suffyseth not to the ynough thy ê‘dicion propre but thou must teÌ„pte the creatures of my god for to haue them loste The deuyl theÌ„ne said heryng many O basyll thou greuest ennoyest me moch theÌ„ne all the peple cryed kyryeleyson And saynt basylle said to the deuyl Our lord god blame repreue the cursyd fende And the deuyl said to hym basylle thou greuest anoyest me moche I weÌ„te not to hym but he cam to me he hath renyed hys god hath confessid me to be hys lord lo here in my hond the wrytyng that he gaf to me and saynt basylle said to hym we shal not cesse to prâ—ye for hym vnto the tyme that thou shalt delyuer hys wrytyng And thus
And they prayd hym that they myght destroye alle thydolles that they myght fynde And that they myght edefye chyrches eth whyche thyng themperour graunted them And wrote that all men shold obeye them and helpe them vpon payne to lose their hedes Now it happed that they edefyed a chirche and all men by the comandement of themperour obeyed and heelp them ¶ It happed that there were som̄e men that ladde a carte whyche shold passe by and thought how they myght doo and passe without arestyng for to helpe them they thoughte that one of thē shold lye on the carte as he were deed And therby they wold excuse them And so they dyde and bad hym that laye in the carte to holde his eyen cloos tyl they were passed the paas And whan they cam in the place where they edefyed the chyrche Iulien and Iulie his broder sayd to them my sones tarye a whyle and come helpe vs to werke they answerd that they myght not For they caryed a dede man Saynt Iulien said to them why lye ye so they answerd Syre we lye not it is soo as we saye to you And saynt Iulyen sayd to them so mote falle to you as ye saye And anon they droof forth theyr oxen and passed forth And whan they were passed a lytyl they called theyr felawe that he shold aryse and dryue forth the oxen for to goo the faster And he answerd not one word And they called hym agayn on hye and sayd art thou out of thy wytte aryse vp and dryue forth the beestys and he meued ne spack not one worde They wente vp and dyscoueryd hym and fonde hym dede as saynt Iulyen had sayd to them Thenne toke they suche drede and fere that after that they ne none otheer that herd of the myracle durste ly nomore to fore the holy seruaunt of god Another Iulyen ther was that slewe hys fader and moder by ygnouraūce And thys man was noble and yong and gladly wente for to hunte And one tyme emonge all other he fonde an herte whyche retorned to ward hym and said to hym thou huntest me that shalt slee thy fader moder herof was he moche abasshed and aferd And for drede that it shold not happen to hym that the herte had sayd to hym he wente pryuely away that noman knewe therof And fonde a prynce noble and grete to whome he put hym in seruyse And he preued so wel in bataylle and in seruices in hys palays that he was so moche in the prynces grace that he made hym knyght And gaf to hym a ryche wydowe of a Castell and for her doware he receyued the castell And whan hys fader and moder knewe that he was thus goon they put hem in the waye for to seke hym in many places And so longe they wente tyl they cam to the castel where he dwelled but thenne he was goon out and they fonde hys wyf And whan she sawe them she enquyred dylygently who they were And whan they had sayd and recounted what was happend of theyr sone she knewe veryly that they were the fader and moder of theyr husbonde And receyuyd them moche charytably And gaf to them her owne bedde And made another for her self And on the morn the wyf of Iulyen wente to the chyrche And her husbond come home whyles she was at chyrche And entred in to hys chambre for to awake his wyf And he sawe tweyne in his bedde And had wende that it had ben a man that had leyen wyth his wif And slewe them bothe wyth his swerd ¶ And after wente out and sawe his wyf comyng fro chyrche Thenne he was moche abasshed and demanded of his wyf who they were that laye in his bedde thenne she said that they were hys fader and hys moder whyche had longe sought hym And she had leyed them in hys bedde ¶ Thenne he swowned and was almost deed And began to wepe bytterly and crye Alas caytyf that I am what shal I doo that haue slayn my fader and moder Now it is happened that I supposed to haue eschewed And said to hys wyf Adieu And fare well my ryght dere loue I shal neuer reste tyl that I shal haue knwleche yf god wylle pardone and foryeue me thys that I haue don and that I shal haue worthy penaunce therfore And she answerd Ryght dere loue god forbede that ye shold goo wythout me lyke as I haue had Ioye wyth you so wyl I haue payne and heuynesse Thenne departed they and wente tyl they cam to a grete ryuer ouer whyche moche folk passed where they edeffyed an hospytall moche grete for to herberowe poure peple And ther doo theyr penaunce in beryng men ouer that wold passe After longe tyme saynt Iulyen slepte aboute mydnyght sore traueylled and it was frozn and moche colde And he herd a voys lamentyng and cryeng that said Iulien come and helpe vs ouer And anon he aroos and wente ouer and fonde one almost deed for colde and anon he toke hym and bare hym to the fyre and dyde grete laboure to chauffe and warme hym And whan he sawe that he coude not be chaufed ne warme he bare hym in to hys bedde and couerd hym the best wyse he myght And anon after he that was so seke and appiered as he had be meselle he sawe all shynyng assendyng in to heuen and said to saynt Iulien hys hoost Iulien oure lorde hath sente me to the and sendeth the worde that he hath accepted thy penaunce And a whyle after seynt Iulien hys wyf rendrid vnto god their soules departed out of this world Another Iulien ther was but he was no saynct but a cursed man and was called Iulianus apostata Thys Iulyen was first a monke and shewyng out ward signes of grete religion and of grete holynesse after that that mayster Iohan beleth reciteth Ther was a woman that had thre pottes ful of gold And by cause the gold shold not be seyn she had put in the mouth of the potte abouen asshes And delyuerd them to thys Iulien to fore other monkes for to kepe whom she reputed an holy man but she said not to hym that they were ful of gold whan he had thyse pottes he loked what was therin and he fond that it was gold and toke it out all And fylle them ful of asshes And fledde wyth all to Rome And dyde so moche that he was of the counceyllours and gouernours of Rome But the woman whan she wold haue a gayn her pottes she coude not preue that she had delyueryd to hym in kepyng gold For she made no mēcion therof to fore the monkes And therfor he reteyned it and procured wyth all thoffyce of a consul of the gouernaunce of Rome And after that he procured somoche that he was instytued emperour whylis he was yong he was taught in the arte of enchauntement and of thynuocacions of feendes And gladly he studyed and it plesed hym moche and had wyth hym dyuerse
For he was moche debonayr humble and mercyful to riche and poure and to grete and smale wel may he apperceyue that redeth his wrytynges how ofte he complayned of thys grete charge that he was charged wyth alle to whyche he sayd he was not worthy therto and also he myght not here that ony shold preyse hym ne in lettres ne in wordes And alleway he was in grete humylite and acounted hym self more meke and lowe after that he was pope than to fore in so moche that he was the first of the popes that wrote seruus seruorum dei that is seruaūt of the seruantis of god he had grete cure and was besy to conuerte synnars he made and compyled many fayr bookes of whyche the chirche is gretly enlumyned he was neuer ydle how wel that he was alleway seke he conuerteth the englisshe peple to the crysten fayth by thre holy men and good clerkys that he sente thyder that is to wyte Augustyn mellitus and Ioh̄n for to preche the fayth And by cause the mortalyte cessyd not he ordeyned a procession in the whyche he dyde do bere an ymage of our lady which as is sayd saynt luke the euangelyste made whyche was a good payntour he had coruen it paynted after the lykenesse of the gloryouse virgyne marye And anon the mortalyte cessed and thayer becam pure and clere And aboute thymage was herd a voys of angellis that songen thys Antheme regina celi letare c̄ And saynt gregory put therto Ora pro nobis deum alleluya At the same tyme saynt gregory sawe an angele vpon a Castelle whyche made clene a swerd alle blody and put it in to the shethe And therby saynt gregory vnderstode that the pestylence of thys mortalite was passed and after that it was called the castell Angell Saynt gregory dyde euery day so grete almesse that many in the contre aboute were nourisshid by hym whom he had by name wreton And also the monkes that dwellyd in the mount Synay had of hym theyr sustenaunce Emonge alle other almesses that he dyde he gouerned thre thousand virgyns to whom he sente euery yere four score pound of gold and also he founded to them an abbeye in Iherusalem ¶ And sente to them that therin were suche thynge as they lacked Euery day had he poure men to dyner On a tyme it happed that he toke the lauour for to gyue water to a pylgrym for to wasshe hys hondes by grete humylite and anon the pylgrym vanysshyd a way wherof saynt gregory had merueylle The nyght after our lord appiered in a vysion and said to hym The other dayes thou hast receyued me in my membres but yesterday thou receyuedest me in my persone Another day saynt gregory comaunded to hys dyspenser that he shold brynge to dyner xij poure men And whan saynt gregory and the poure men were sette atte mete he tolde atte table syttyng xiij poure pylgryms And demaunded of hys dyspenser why he had don aboue hys comandement to brynge in moo than xij persones And anon the dyspenser all abasshyd wente and told the poure men and fonde but xij and sayd to saynt gregory holy fader ther be no moo but xij and so many shal ye fynd and nomoo Thenne considerid saynt gregorye that one of the pylgryms that sette next to hym ofte chaunged hys vysage For ofte he semed yong and after old And after dyner saynt gregory toke hym by the honde and brought hym in to hys chambre and prayd hym that he wold telle hym hys name And he answerd wherfor demādest thou my name which is merueyllous neuertheles knowe thou wel that I am the same poure maronner to whom thou gauest the dyssh◠of siluer in which thy moder was wonte to sente the potage And knowe for certayn that sith that day that thou dydyst to me that almesse god hath destyned the to be pope And sayd more ouer I am thangelle of god and he hath sente me hyther to the to be thy deffendour procurour of that whiche thou woldest demande and Impetre of hym And after this the angele vanysshed away And in that tyme ther was an heremyte an holy man whyche had lefte and forsaken all the goodes of the world for goddes sake and had reteyned nothyng but a catte wyth whyche he playde ofte and helde it in hys lappe delyciously On a day it happed that he prayd god deuoutly that he wold wouch◠sauf to shewe to hym to what saynt he shold be in lyke Ioye in heuen by cause for his loue he had left all the world and renounced vpon thys god shewd hym in a vysion that saynt gregory and he shold haue lyke Ioye in heuene And whan he vnder stode thys he syghed sore and preysid lytyl hys pouerte whyche he had longe suffred and born yf he shold haue lyke meryte whyche habounded so gretly in seculer Rychesse vpon this ther cam a voys to hym whyche said that the possession of richesse maketh not a man in this world riche but the ardour of couetyse Thenne be stille thou darest thou compare thy pouerte to the rychesse of saynt gregory whyche louest more thy catte with whom thou cessest not to stroke and playe than saynt gregory doth all his richesses for he seesseth neuer to gyue almesse for goddes sake Thenne theremyte thanked almyghty god and prayd that he myght haue hys meryte and reward with saynt gregory in the glorye of peradys On a day it happed that saynt gregory sange masse in the chyrche of saynt Marye Maior And whan he had said Pax dominj sit semper vobiscum Anone thangele sayd Et cum spiritu tuo and fro than forthon the pope ordeyned a stacion in that chyrche euery yere on ester day And whan thenne he sayd in hys masse Pax dominj c̄ none shal answere in remembraunce of this myracle In the tyme that Traian themperour regned one as a tyme he wēte toward abatayll out of Rome it happed that in his way as he shold ryde a woman a wydowe cam to hym wepyng and sayd I pray the sire that thou auēge the deth of one my sone whiche Innocently and wythout cause hath be slayn Themperour answerd yf I come agayn fro the bataylle hool and sounde thenne I shal doo Iustyce for the deth of thy sone Thenne said the wydowe Syre and yf thou deye in the bataylle who shal thenne auenge his deth And themperour sayde he that shal come after me And the wydowe sayd is it not better that thou do to me Iustyce and haue the meryte therof of god than another haue it for the Thenne had traian pyte and descended fro hys hors and dyde Iustice in auengyng the deth of her sone On a tyme saynt gregory wente by the market of Rome whyche is called the market of traian And thene he remembred of the Iustice and other good dedes of traian and how he had ben pyteous and debonayr and was moche sorowful
that he had ben a paynem And he torned to the chyrche of saynt peter wayllyng for thorrour of the mescreaunce of traian Thenne answerd a voys fro god sayeng I haue now herd thy prayer and haue spared traian fro the payne perpetuell By thys thus as som̄e saye the payne perpetuel due to traian as a mescreaunt was somdele take away but for al that was not he quyte fro the pryson of helle For the sowle may wel be in helle and fele ther no payne by the mercy of god And after it is sayd that the angele in hys answere sayd more to thus by cause thou hast prayd for a payneme god graunteth the to chese of ij thynges that one which thou wylt Or thou shalt be ij dayes in purgatorye in payne or ellis all the dayes of thy lyf thou shalt languysshe in sekenesse Thenne answerd saynt gregory that he had leuer to haue sekenesse all his lyf in this world than to fele by ij dayes the paynes of purgatorye And euer after he had contynuelly the feures or axces or the goute in hys feet And herof hym self maketh mencion in one hys epystle and sayth I am so moche tormented of the gowte in my feet and of other sekenesses that my lif is to me a grete payne euery day me semeth that I ought to deye And alleway I abyde the deth Som̄e tyme my payne is lityl somtyme right grete but it is not so lityl that it departeth fro me ne so grete that it bryngeth me to deth And thus it is that I that am alleway redy to deye am withdrawen fro deth It happed that a wydowe that was wonte euery sonday to brynge hoostes to synge masse wyth shold on a tyme be houselyd cōmuned And whan saynt gregory shold gyue to her the holy sacrament in sayeng Corpus dominj nostrj c̄ that is to saye the body of our lord Ih̄u cryst kepe the in to euerlastyng lyf Anone thys woman began to smyle to fore saynt gregorye And anon he wythdrewe hys honde and remysed the sacrament vpon th aulter And he demaunded her to fore the peple why she smyled And she sayd by cause that the brede that I haue made with my propre handes thou namest it the body of our lord Ihesu cryst Anone saynt gregory put hym self to prayer wyth the peple For to praye to god that herupō he wold shewe hys grace for to conferme our byleue And whan they were rysen fro prayer saynt gregorye sawe the holy sacrament in figure of a pyece of fhessh as grete as the lytil fynger of an honde And anone after by the prayers of saynt gregorye the flesshe of the sacrament torned in to semblaūce of breed as it had be to fore And therwyth he comuned and howseled the woman whiche after was more relygyous and the peple more ferme in the fayth Saynt gregorye made and ordeyned the songe of thoffyce of holy chirche and establysshed at Rome two scoles of songe that one beside the chyrche of saynt peter And that other by the chyrche of saynt Ioh̄n latian where the place is yet where he laye and taughte the scoliers and the rodde wyth whiche he menaced them And the anthyphoner on whyche he lerned them is yet there he put to the canon of the masse thse wordes Diesque nostros in tua pace disponamus atque ab eterna dampnacione nos eripias et in electorum tuorum iubeas grege numerari Atte laste whan saynt gregory had ben pope xiij yere vj monethis and x dayes he beyng ful of good werkes departed out of thys world in the yere of our lord vjCvj yere in the tyme whan foca was Emperour of rome Lete vs thēne praye to saynt gregory that he gete vs grace that we may amende so our self here in thys lif that we may come vnto euerlastyng lyf in heuen Amen Thus endeth the lyf of saynt Gregorye Here begynneth of saynt longius the lyf LOngius whyche was a puyssaūt knyght was wyth other knyghtes by the comandement of pylate on the side of the crosse of our lord and percyd the side of our lord wyth a spere And whan he sawe the myracles how the sonne lost his light and grete erthequauyng of therthe was whan our lord suffred deth and passion in the tre of the crosse Thenne byleued he in Ihesu cryst Som̄e saye that whan he smote our lord wyth the spere in the syde the precious blood aualed by the shafte of the spere vpon hys hondes And of auenture wyth hys hondes he touched hys eyen And anon he that had be to fore blynde sawe anon clerly wherfor he refused all cheualrye and abode wyth thappostles of whom he was taught and crystened and after he abandonned to lede an holy lyf in doyng almesses and in kepyng the lyf of a mōke aboute xxxviij yere in cesaree and in Capadoce And by hys wordes and hys example many men conuerted he to the fayth of cryste And whan thys cam to the knowleche of octouian the prouoste he toke hym and wold haue constrayned hym to do sacrefise to thydollis And saynt longius said Ther may noman serue two lordes whyche ben contrary to other Thyn ydollis ben lordes of thy malices corruptours of all good werkis and enemyes to chastyte humylite and to bounte And frendes to all ordure of luxurye of gloutonnye of ydelnesse of pryde and of Auaryce And my lord is lord of sobrenesse that bryngeth the peple to the euerlastyng lyf Thenne sayd the prouoste it is nought that thou saist Make sacrefice to thydollis And thy god shal forgyue the by cause of the comandement that is made to the longius said yf thou wylt becomē cristen god shal pardonne the thy trespaces Thenne the prouost was angry and made the teeth of saynt longius to be drawen out of hys mouth and dyde do cutte hys mouth open And yet for alle that longius lost not hys speche but toke an axe that he there fonde hewe and brake therwith thydollis and said now may we see yf they be very goddes or not And anon the deuyllis yssued out and entred in to the body of the prouoste amd hys felaws And they brayed lyke beestes and fyll doun to the feet of saynt longius and sayd we knowe wel that thou art seruaunt vnto the souerayn god And saynt longius demaunded of the deuylles why they dwellyd in thyse ydollis and they answerd we haue foūden place in thyse ydolles for vs For ouerall where Ihesu crist is not named ne hys signe is not shewd there dwelle we gladly and by cause whan thyse paynems come to thyse ydolles for to adoure and make sacrefise in the name of vs thenne we come and dwelle in thyes ydolles wherfor we pray the man of god that thou sende vs not in in thabysme of helle And saynt longius said to the peple that there were what saye ye wyll ye haue thyse deuylles for
sayntes were buryed in vlster in the cyte of Dunence as it were in a caue wyth thre chambres her bodyes were founden atte first comyng of kyng Iohan kyng harry the secondes sone in to yrelond vpon whos tombes thyse verses folowyng were wryton Hic iacent in duno qui tumilo tumilantur in vno Brigida Patricius atque columba pius Whyche is for to say in englysshe In duno thyse thre been buryed alle in one sepulture Bryde Patryke and Columba the mylde Men say that this holy bysshop Saynt Patryke dyd thre grete thynges One is that he droof with his staffe alle the venemous bestys out of yrelond The second that he had graunte of our lord god that none yrysshe man shal abyde the comyng of antecryst The iij wonder is redde of hys purgatorye whyche is more referred to the lasse saynt Patryk thabbot And this holy abbot by cause he founde the people of that londe rebelle he went out of yrlond came in to englond to the abbey of glastenberye where he deyed on a saynt bartylmewes day He flouryd about the yere of our lord viijCL the holy bysshoy deyed the yere of our lord foure hondred iiij score x in the hondred and xxij yere of his age to whome praye we that he praye for vs ¶ Thus endeth the lyf of Seynt patryke ¶ Of saynt benet thabbot And first the interpretacion of hys name BEnet is sayd by cause he blessyd moche peple or ellys bycause he had many benedyccions in this lyf Or for as moche as he deseruyd for to haue blessynges or benediccions perpetuel And the holy doctour Saynt gregory wrote his lyf ¶ Of saynt benet thabbot TAynt benet was borne of the prouynce of Nurcia And was sente to Rome for to studye but in hys Infancye he lefte the scoles and wente in to a deserte and his nouryce whych tenderly loued hym weÌ„t alweye wyth hym tyl they came to a place named offyde And there she borowed a vessel for to pourge or wyne we whete but the vessel fyl to therthe by neclygence and was broken in two peces And whan saynt Benet sawe his nouryce wepe he had grete pyte made his prayers to almyghty god after made hit also hole as it had been tofore Thenne they of the contre tooke hit and henge hit on the fronte of the chyrche in wytnesse of one soo fayre a myracle Thenne lefte saynt benet hys nourice and fledde secretely and came in to an hermytage where he was neuer knowen of no man but of a monke named romayn whiche mynystred to hym mete for to ete And bycause that there was no waye fro the monasterye of romayn vnto the pytte where Saynt Benet was he knytte the loof in a corde so lete hit doun to hym And bycause he shold here whaÌ„ romayn shold lete doun the breed he bonde a belle on the corde and by the sowne therof he receyued his breed But the deuyl hauyng enuye of the charitee of that one and of the refeccion of that other cast a stone and brake the belle but neuerthelesse Romayn lefte not to mynystre hym It happed that there was a preest on an estern day that had arayed his dyner for hym self and our lord appered to hym and sayd thou ordeynest for thy self delycious metes and my seruaunt deyeth for hunger in suche a pytte and named hym the place Thenne the preest aroos and bare his mete wyth hym sought soo longe that he fonde Saynt benet in grete payne whan he had founden hym he sayd to hym Aryse and take thy mete and refeccion For it is ester day He answerd I knowe wel that hit is the feste of paske bycause that I see the The preest sayd to hym Certeynly thys day is the day of ester and saynt benet wyst hyt not by cause he had dwellyd there so longe and so ferre fro people Thenne sayd they graces and made the benedyccion and toke theyr refeccyon It happed after thys that a blacke byrde that is called a merle came on a tyme to saynt benet and peckyd with his bylle at his vysage And greuyd and noyed hym so moche that he coude haue no reste for it and coude not put it from hym but assone as he had made the signe of the crosse anone the birde vanysshyd away And after that cam to hym a grete temptacioÌ„ of the flessh by the whyche the deuyl tempted hym in shewyng hym a womaÌ„ and brente sore and was enflamed in hys corage but anon he cam agayn to hym self and after he despoylled hym self all naked and wente emong thornes and walowed emong the nettels so that his body was torn and payned by whyche he heled the woundes of his herte Thenne after that tyme he felte nomore temptacion of hys flessh ¶ It happed that thabbot of a monastery was deed And for the good renomâ—e of thys holy man saynt benet All the monkes of thabbaye gaf theyr voys and electe saynt benet for theyr abbot But he accorded not therto ne agreed to them For he said that hys condicions and maners were not acordyng to theyres Notwythstondyng he was vaynquysshyd and so Instauntly requyred that atte laste he consented But whan he sawe they lyuyd not ne were not ruled acordyng to theyr religion and rewle he repreued and correctyd them vigorously And whan they sawe that they myght not doo their wylles vnder hym They gaf hym venym medlyd wyth wyn for to drynke but saynt benet made the signe of the crosse ouer it and blessyd it and anon the vessell brake in pieces whyche was of glasse whan saynt benet theÌ„ne knesoe that in that vesselle was mortal drynke whyche myght not abyde ne suffre the signe of the crosse he roos vp and sayd god haue mercy on you fair brethern I sayde to you wel atte begynnyng that my condicions and maners apparteyne not to youres Fro hensforth gete to you another fader For I may no lenger dwelle here Thenne wente he agayn to deserte where god shewed for hym many signes myracles and founded there two abbeyes Now it happed that in one of thyes two abbeyes was a monke that myght not endure longe in prayers And whan the other of hys felawys were in prayer he wold goo out of the chyrche Thenne thabbot of that abbaye shewd thys to saynt benet And anone he wente for to see yf it were trewe And whan he cam he sawe that the deuyl in lyknes of a lytyl blaâ—k chyâ—d drewe hym out of the chyrche by hys cowle Thenne sayd saynt benet to the abbot and to saynt maure See ye not hym that draweth hym out they sayd naye thenne sayd late vs praye to god that we may see hym whan they had made theyr prayers saynt maure sawe hym but the abbot myght not see hym The next day saynt benet toke a rodde and bete the monke And thenne he abode in prayer lyke as the deuyl had be beten
theder For he lyued there ful holyly in fastyng and grete penaunce doyng And atte last he had the gowte in hys knees whiche he had taken of cold in knelyng vpon the cold stones whan he said hys prayers in suche wyse that hys knee hegan to swelle And the synewys of hys legge were shronke that he myght neyther goo ne stratche out hys legge but euer he toke it ful paciently and sayd whan it plesith our lord it shal passe away And within a whyle after his brethern for to doo hym coÌ„fort bare hym in to the felde And there they mette wyth a knyght whyche sayd late me see and handle thys cuthbertis legge And thenne whan he had felt it wyth hys handes he bad them take the mylk of a cowe of one colour and the Iuse of smal plaÌ„tayn And fair whete flour And seethe them alle to gydre And make therof a playster leye it therto and it wyl make hym hool And assone as they had so doon he was perfightly hool And thenne he thanked our lord ful mekely And after he knewe by reuelacioÌ„ that it was an angele sente by our lord to hele hym of hys grete sekenes and dysease And thabbot of that place sente hym to aselle of theyres to be hosteler for to receyue there ghestes and do them confort And sone after our lord shewd there a fayr myracle for hys seruaunt seynt cuthberd For Angellis come to hym oftymes in liknes of other ghestis whom he receyued and seruyd dylygently wyth mete and drynke and other necessaryes On a tyme ther come ghestis to hym whom he receyued and wente in to the houses of offyce for to serue them And whan he cam agayn they were goon And wente after for to calle and coude not espye them ne knowe the stappes of theyr feet how wel that it was thenne a snowe and whan he retorned he fonde the table leide And theron thre fayr whyte loues of brede all hoot whiche were of meruayllous beaute and swetenes For alle the place smelled of the swete odour of them Thenne he knewe wel that the Angellis of our lord had ben there and rendryd thankynges to our lord that he had sente to hym hys angellys for to conforte hym and euery nyght whaÌ„ his brethern were a bedde he wold goo and stonde in the cold water al naked vp to the chyn tyl it were myd nyght And thenne he wold yssue out Anth whaÌ„ he come to londe he myght not stonde for feblenes and fayntnes but oft fyll doun to the ground And on a tyme as he laye thus ther cam ij otters whyche licked euery place of his body and thenne wente agayn to the water that they cam fro And thenne saynt cuthberd aroos all hool wente to hys celle agayn and wente to matyns wyth hys brethern but hys brethern knewe nothyng of hys stondyng thus euery nyght in the see to the chyn but atte laste one of hys brethern espyed it and knewe his doyng and told hym therof but saynt cuthberd charged hym to kepe it secrete and telle noman therof duryng his lyf And after thys within a whyle the bysshop of durham deyed And saynt cuthberd was electe sacred bysshop in his stede after hym And euer after he lyued full holyly vnto hys deth And by his prechyng ensample gyuyng he brought moche peple to good lyuyng And to fore hys deth he lefte his bysshopriche And wente in to the holy Iland where he lyuyd an holy and solytary lyf vnto that â—e beyng ful of vertues rendryd his soule vnto almyghty god And was buryed at durham And after translated and the body leyd in a fayr and honourable shryne where as yet dayly our lerd sheweth for hys seruaunt there many fair and grete myracles wherfore late vs pray vnto this holy saynt that he pray for vs Here foloweth the fest of the anunciacion or salutacion of thangel gabriel to our lady THe feste of thys day is called thanunciacion of our lady for on thys day thaungel gabriel shewed to the glorious virgyne marye the comyng of the blessyd sone of god That is to wete how he ought to come in to the gloryouse vyrgyne and take in her nature and flesshe humayne for to saue the world It was wel thyng resonable that than gel shold come to the glorious virgyn marye For lyke as Eue by thenhortyng of the deuyl gaf her cousente to doo the synne of Inobedyence to our perdicion Ryght so by the gretyng of thangel gabryel and by exhortyng the glorious virgyne marye gaf her consentyng to hys message by obedyence to our saluacion wherfor lyke as the first woman was cause of our dampnacion So was the blessyd virgyne marye begynnyng of our redempcion whan that thangel gabriel was sente for to shewe thyncarnacyon of our sauyour IhÌ„u crist he fonde her al one enclosed in her chambre lyke as saynt bernard sayth In whyche the maydens virgynes ought to abyde in theyr howses wythout rennyng abroode out openly And they ought also to flee the wordes of men of whyche theyr honour and good renomee myght be lassed or hurte And thangele said to the gloryous vyrgyne marye I salewe the ful of grace the lord is wyth the Ther is not founden in scripture in no ê‘te suche a salewyng And it was brought fro heuen vnto the glorious virgyne marye whyche was the first woman that euer in the world offrid to god first her virgynyte And thaungele said to her after Thou shalt be blessyd aboue alle other Wymen For thou shalt escape the malediction that all other wymen haue in chyldyng in synne and in sorowe and thou shal be moder of god and shal abyde a pure virgyne and clene and our blessyd lady was moche abasshid of thys salutacion and thought in her self the maner therof Thys was a good maner of a vyrgyne that so wysely held her stylle and spack not and shewyng example to virgynes whiche ought not lyghtly to speke ne without aduys ne manere to answere And whan thangele knewe that for thys salutacion she was tymerous and abasshed A none he repeased her sayeng Marye be nothyng aferd For thou hast founden sothly grace atte god For thou art chosen aboue alle wymen for to receyue his blessyd sone and be moder to god and moyen and aduocate for to sette peas bytwene god man for to destroye the deth and bryng the lyf O thou that arte a vyrgyne sayth saynt Ambrose lerne of marye to be manerd and fere ful to all men lerne to be stylle teschewe alle dssolucions Marye was aferd of the salutacion of thangel the whyche sayd Thou shalt conceyue and brynge forth a sone And thou shalt calle hys name Ihesus and he shal be callid the sone of god And marye sayd to the angele In what maner may thys be that thou sayst For I haue purposed in myn herte that I shal neuer know man And yet I neuer
and fasted alweye his vygyl Now it happed that she offred a candell to th aulter of saynt peter and anone the preest for his couetise quenchyd the candel but anone after the candel was lyhht ageyn by hym self he quenched it ageyn ones or twyes alle weye as sone as he was gone it lighted anone ageyn thenne he lefte that put out another candel which a knyght had offred in thonour of saynt peter whiche knyghte fasted also hys euen and the preest assayed ij tymes yf he myght put it out but he myght not Thenne said the knyght vnto the preest what deuyl seest thou not well the myracle that saynt Peter wyl not that they be quenchyd Thenne was the preest abasshed all the clerkes that were there with hym in so moche that they fledde out of the chirche tolde the myracle oueralle There was a man called roba whyche had lost hys gowne and alle the money that he had whan he came vnto hys hows and sawe hym self in soo grete pouerte he called the deuylles and gaue hym self to them thenne came to hym thre deuyls whiche cast doun roba vpon the solyer after toke hym by the necke it semed that they wold haue estrangled hym in suche wyse that he vnothe myght speke whan they that were in the hows bynethe herde hym crye they went to hym but the deuylles said to them that they shold retorne they had supposed that roba had sayd so retorned and after anone he began to crye ageyn thenne apperceyued they wel that they Were the deuyls fette the preest which coniured in the name of saynt Peter the deuyls that they shold goo their waye Thenne two of them wente awaye and the thyrd abode his frendes brought hym on the morne to the chyrche of the freres Thenne there came afrere named guyllam of versel this frere guyllame demaunded What was hys name the fende answerd I am called buthsephast thenne the frere commauÌ„ded that he shold goo out anone the fende called hym by his name as he had knowen hym said guyllam guyllam I shal not gone out for the for he is oures and hath gyuen hym self to vs thenne he coniured hym in the name of saynt peter the marter thenne anone he went his waye the man was all hoole toke penaunce for his trespace was after a good man Saynt peter whiles he lyued it happed that he dysputed with an heretyke but this heretyke was sharpe aygre soo full of wordes that saynt peter myght haue of hym none audyence whan he sawe that he departed fro the dysputacion wente prayed our lord that he wold gyue to hym place and tyme to susteyne the feythe that the other myght be stylle speke not whan he came ageyn he fonde this heretike in suche caas that he myght not speke Thenne the other heretykes fledde al confused and the good cristen men thanked our lord The day that saynt peter was marterd a nonne that was of the cite of florence sawe in a vysyon our lady that styed vp in to heuen with her two persones one on the ryght syde that other on the lyfte in the habyte of freres whiche weren by hir whan she demaunded who it was A voys said to hyr that it was the sowle of saynt Peter And was founden certeynly that same day he suffred deth therfore thys Nonne whiche was grouously seek prayed to saynt peter for to recouer her helthe and he gate it for hir entyerly There was a scoler that wente fro maloygne vnto monpellyer in lepyng he was broken that he myght not goo Thenne he remembryd of a woman that was helyd of a cancre by a lytel of the erthe of the sepulcre of saynt peter anone he had truste in god and cryed to saynt peter in suche manere as she had doon anone he was hoole In the cyte of compostelle there was a man that had grete leggys swollen lyke a barelle his wombe lyke a woman with chylde and his face foule horryble so that he semed a monstre to loke on and it happed that he wente with a staffe beggyng his breed and in a place where he demaundd on a tyme almesse of a good woman she sawe hym so swollen that she said that it were better for hym to haue a pytte to be buryed in than ony other thynge For he was no better than dede yet neuerthelesse sayd she I counceyl the that thou goo in to the chirche of the frere prechours praye saynt peter that he make the hoole and haue in hym veray faythe I hope he shal make the al hole This seek man wente on the morne to the chyrche but he founde it shette closed Thenne he slepte atte dore he sawe in his slepe that a man in the habyte of a frere broughte hym in to the chyrche And couerd hym wyth his cope whan he awoke he fouÌ„de hym self in the chirche was perfytely hole Wherof moche peple merueyled by cause they had seen so shorte tyme tofore hym like as he shold haue deyed forthwith There be many mo myracles which were ouer grete a laboure to wryte al for they wold ocupye a grete book theÌ„ne lete vs praye to thys holy marter saynt Peter that he praye for vs ¶ Thus endeth the lyf of saynt Peter the marter ¶ Here foloweth of saynt Phelip thappostle fyrst of thynterpretacyon of his name PHelyp is as moche to saye as the mowthe of a lampe or the mouthe of handes or it is sayd of philos that is as moche to saye as loue and of ypus that is to saye souerayn so phelyp is as moche to saye as loue of souâ—rayne thynges thenne is it said mowthe of a lampe for his clere prechyng and mowthe of the handes for hys besy werke loue of thynges souerayn for his celestyal loue and contemplacion Of the lyf of Saynt phylyp SAint phylip whan he had preched in sychye by the space of xx yere he was taken of the Paynyms whiche wold constrayne hym to make sacrefise to ydolles whiche was called mars theyr god anone vnder thydol yssued out a right grete dragon whiche forthwith slewe the bysshoppes sone that apoynted the fyre for to make the sacrefyse the ij prouostes also whos seruauÌ„tes helde saint phylip in yron bondes and the dragon corrupted the peple with his breethe that they al were seek saynt philyp said beleue ye me breke thys ydol sette in his place the crosse of IhÌ„u crist after worshyp ye it they that been here dede shal reuyue al the seek peple shal be made hole they that were seek cryed to saynt philip and said yf thou mâ—y do so moche that we may be guarisshed hole we shal gladly doo hit anone saynt philyp commauÌ„ded the dragon that he shold
there he saw one persone blacke syttyng on a grete chayer And alle aboute hym al ful of horryble people and blacke Whiche had speres and swerdes Thenne demaunded thys grete deuyll of the enchauntour who was that clerke thenchauntour sayd to hym Syr he is owres thenne sayd the deuyl to hym yf thou wylte worshyp me and be my seruaunte and â—enye Ihesu cryste thou shalt sytte on my right syde The clerke anone bleâ—syd hym wyth the sygne of the crosse and sayd that he was the seruaunte of Ihesu cryste his sauyour And anone as he had made the crosse that grete multitude of deuylles vanysshed aweye It happed that this notarye after this on a tyme entryd wyth his lord in to the chyrche of saynt sophye knelyd doun on his knees tofore the ymage of the crucyfyxe the whiche crucifyxe as it semed loked moche openly sharpelye on hym Thenne his lorde made hym to goo a parte on another syde alle weye the crucifyxe torned his tyen toward hym Thenne he made haÌ„m goo on the lyfte syde and yet the crucifixe loked on hym Thenne was the lord moche admerueyled and charged hym commaunded hym that he shold telle hym wherof he had soo deserued that the crucifyxe so behelde and loked on hym Thenne sayd the notarye that he coude not remembre hym of no good thynge that he had doon saufe that one tyme he wold not renye ne forsake the crucifyxe tofore the deuyl Thenne late vs so blesse vs with the sygne of the blessyd crosse that we may therby be kepte fro the power of our ghoostly and dedely enemye the deuyl and by the merytes of the glorious passyon that our saueour Ihesu cryst suffred on the crosse after this lyf we may come to his euerlastyng blysse amen ¶ Thus endeth thynuencion of the holy crosse ¶ Here foloweth thystory of saynt Iohan portlatyne WHan saynt Iohan the appostle and euangelyste prechyd in a cite of grece named ephesym he was taken of the Iuge whiche commaunded hym that he shold make sacrefyse to the false ydolles and whan he wold not doo hit he put hym in pryson And after he sente a lettre to domycyen the emperour whyche sayd that he helde an enchauÌ„tour in pryson which had despysed theyr goddes and worshypped hym that was crucefyed Thenne commaunded domycyen that he shold be brought to Rome and whan he was there they dyd doo shaue of alle the heerys of hys heed in derysion and after they broughte hym tofore the yate called porte latyn and put hym in a tonne ful of brennyng oyle But he neuer felte harme ne payne And wythout suffryng ony harme he yssued out In that place crysten men dyd do make a fayre chyrche and this day made a solempne feste as it were the day of his marterdom And whan the Emperour sawe that he cessyd not of prechyng for the commaundement that he had made he sente hym in exyle in to an yle named pathmos It ought not to be beleued the themperour dyd these persecusyons vnto cristen peple bycause they beleuyd in god for they refused none But it was a dysplesure to them that they worshypped god wythout auctoryte of the senatours ¶ Another reason there was and that was that the seruyce of theyr other goddes was lassed and mynysshed therby The thyrd reason was that he preched to dyspyse the worshyp the honoure and the hauoir of the world and that was the thynge pryncypal that the Romayns loued But Ihesu cryste wold no thynge by cause they helde that it was doon by puyssaunce humayn Another cause there was as mayster Iohan beleth sayth why that the emperour and the senate pursewed crist and his appostles And that was that them semed that god was ouer prowde and enuyous by cause he dâ—gyned not to haue a felowe Another cause aledgeth crosyus and sayth that the senate had despyte of this that pylate had wryten the myracles of Ihesu criste to the Emperour onely and not to the senatours Wherfore they wold not accorde that he shold be amytted to be worshypped emonge the goddes ¶ Wherfore Tybere the emperour dyd do slee soÌ„me of the senatours and somme he sente in exyle The moder of saynt Iohan heryng that her sone was prysonner meuyd wyth moderly compassyon came to Rome whan she came she founde that he was sente in exyle she wente thenne in to the champeyn to a cyte named voâ—ilana and there deyed and yelded her sowle to cryste whos body was buryed in a caue where it longe rested but after by saynt Iames hyr other sone hit was shewed whiche thenne was taken vp founde swete smellyng and many myracles shewed in hyr translacion in the sayd cyte Thenne lete vs praye to saynt Iohan that he praye for vs Thus endeth the felte of saynt Iohan Portlatyne ¶ Here begynneth the lyf of Saynt Gordyan GOrdyan that was vicayr vnto Iulyan themperour constrayned a cristen man named Ianuarie for to do sacrefyse But by the grace of god he was conuerted by the prechyng of the same Ianuarye vnto the crysten feythe wyth his wyf liij men and whan this came to the knowleche of the Emperour he commaunded that Ianuarye shold be put and sente in exyle and yf so were that gordyan wold not doo sacrefyse to the goddes he shold be byheded and so his heed was smyten of and the body caste vnto the howndes whiche laye soo by the space of seuen dayes vntouched And atte laste his seruauntes toke and stale it aweye and wyth the body of the blessyd epymache whom the sayd Iulyan had sleyne a lytel tofore they beryed it not ferre fro the cyte of rome aboute a myle And thys was doon aboute the yere of our lord thre hondred lx Thus endeth the lyf of Saynt Gordyane ¶ Here foloweth the lyues of Nereus and Achylleus and fyrst thynterpretacion of theyr names NEreus is as moche to say as counceyl of lyght Or nereus is sayd of nereth that is a lanterne vs that is hastyng Or nereus is sayd of ne and reus whiche is to say no thynge gylty he was thenne counceyl of lyght in prechyng of vyrgynyte a lanterne in honeste conuersacion hasty in feruor of loue to gete heuen and neuer gylty in his conscience Achylleus is sayd of achi that is to saye my broder and lesa that is helthe as who sayth the helthe of brethern The passyon of thyse tweyne wryten entyches victoryn and Marâ— seruauntes of cryste dylygently ¶ Of the sayntes nereus and Achylleus NEreus and Achylleus were ghelded chaumberlayns of one domycel nece of domycian the emperour whome saint Peter thappostle baptyzed thys damoysel had to husbond a man that was called aurelyan and was sone of one of the counceyllours of the emperour And Whan she was curyously clad and arayed in roobes of pourpre and precious stones thyse two glorious sayntes prechyd to hyr the feythe of cryste and the vertue of vyrgynyte
meruaâ—led gretely what this shold mene For he knewe no thynge of the translacion of saynt austyn and whan he knewe the trouthe that on that tyme the body of the glorious saynt was translated he yaue lawde and thankynges to almyghty god and we may verayly knowe by that euydent vysyon that it is an holy and a deuoute place and as it is sayd that of olde tyme auncyent holy men that vsed to come thyder wold at the entre of it do of theyr hosen and sho on and durst not presume to goo in to that holy monasterye but barefoot by cause so many holy sayntes ben there shryned and buryed and god hath shewed so many myracles in that holy place for his blessyd saynt saynt Austyn that yf I shold al wryte them here it shold ocupye a grete book TheÌ„ne lete vs praye vnto saynt austyn fader appostle of englond by whome this londe was conuerted vnto the cresten feythe And by hys ordenaunce bysshoppes were ordeyned to mynystre the sacramentes that he be moyen vnto our lord Ihesu cryste that we may here so lyue accordyng to his doctryne that after this lyf we may come to euerlastyng blysse in heuen amen Thus endeth the lyf of saynt Austyn thappostle of englond Here nexte foloweth the lyf of Saynt Germayn and first the inrtepretacion of his name gErmayn is said of germe and of ana that is hye that is that there was founden in the seed of germayn thre souerayn thynges that is hete natuâ—â—l humour noresshyng and reson of semence or seed Germayn is sayd seed bourgenyng for he had in hym hete by ardour of grete dyleccion humour by eygrenes of deuocion and seed by vertu of his predycacion by whyche he engendryd moche peple to the feythe And constancien the preest wrote hâ—s lyf to saynt Seueryn bysshop of Ancerre ¶ Of Saynt germayn SAynt Germayn was of moche noble lygnage born in the cyte of ancerre was wel lerned in the artes lyberalle and after he wente to rome for to lerne the scyence of droyt and of the lawe and there receyued he so moche dygnyte that the senate sente hym to the frensshe men for to haue the rule and dygnyte of burgoyn and thus â—s he gouerned the cyte of ancerre more dylygently than the other there was in the myddle of the cyte a tree callyd a pynaple tree on which were hanged on the brauÌ„ches of this tree for the mernayle of chace and huntyng the heedes of wylde beestys that had ben sleyne But whan saynt amadour whiche was bysshop of this cyte repreuyd them of suche vanytees and warned them to hewe doun this tree they wold not consente therto in ony manere and on a tyme whan germayn was not in the cyte the bysshop dyd do hewe doun this tree and dyd do brenne hit And whan Germayn knewe hit he was moche angry and forgate crysten relygyon and came with a grete multitude of knyÈtes for to haue sleyne the bysshop And thenne the bisshop knewe by reuelacion deuyne that Saynt Germayn shold be his successour and forbare and yaue place to his hastynes and wente to saynt austyn after whan he came ageyn to ancerre he enclosed moche subtylly germayn wythin the chyrche and sacred hym there and sayd to hym that he shold be his successour in the bysshop ryche and so he was for a lytel after saynt amadour deyed and al the peple requyred saynt germayn to be bysshop and thenne he gaue al his rychessys to poure peple and chaunged hys wyf in to his suster and tormented his body by the space of thyrty yere that he neuer ete brede of whete ne dranke wyne ne vsed no potage and wold haue neuer salte to make his mete sauery and two tymes in the yere he wold drynke wyne that was at ester and crystemas and yet for to take aweye the sauour of the wyne he wold put therin plente of the water in his refeccion he wold take barly breed with asshes and fasted euery day neuer ete but in the euen In wynter ne somer he had but one clothyng that was the hayr nexte his body a cote a gowne and yf it happed so that he gaue not his vesture to somme poure body he wold were it tyl it were broken and torne his bedde was enuyroned wyth asshes hayre and sacke clothe And his heed laye no hyer thenne hys sholdres but al day wepte and bare aboue his necke dyuerse relyques of sayntes he ware none other clothyng and he wente ofte barefote and selde ware ony gyrdle the lyf that he ladde was aboue mannes power hys lyf was so strayte and harde that it was merueyle and pyte to see his flesshe and was lyke a thynge not credyble and he dyd so many myracles that yf his merytes had not goon before they shold haue ben trowed fantasmes In a tyme he was herberowed in a place where alwey after sowper the tables were couerd whan alle men had sowped wherof he meruayled and demauÌ„ded the hoost wherfore they couerd the tables ageyn after sowper and the hoost sayd it was for hys neyghbours that came to drynke eche wyth other And that nyght saynt germayn concluded to watche for to see what hit shold be it was not longe after that there came in there a grete multitude of deuylles and sat atte table in liknes of men and wymmen And whan the holy man sawe them he commaunded them that they shold not departe and thenne sente to awake the hoost and al the neyghbours and ghestys on al sydes in suche wyse that euery man and woman were founden in theyr howses and he maad al them to come and see yf they knewe ony of them and they sayd nay and thenne he shewed them that they were deuyls of whome the peple was moche abasshed by cause the deuyls mocked them so And thenne saynt germayn coniured them and wente theyr weye neuer after retorned In a tyme Saynt lowe bysshop of troyes was byseged by the kynge actylle and saynt lowe wente vpon the yate and demaunded who he was that assyegyd and assayled them and the kynge said to hym I am he actylle the scorge and rodde of god and thenne the meke bysshop sayd to hym sore wepyng I am lowe that haue wasted the flocke of god and haue nede of the scorgyng of god and thenne saynt lowe commaunded to opene the yates and alle the people of actyl were so by the wylle of god blynded that they passed thorugh the towne and sawe no men of the cyte ne dyd no hurte to no body And thenne the blessyd saynt lowe toke saynt germayn with hym and wente in to bretaygne where as there were heresyes But whan they were on the see there aroos a ryght grete tempeste whyche by the merytes of saynt germayn was anone apeased Thenne they were honestlye receyued of the people of the contrey whos comyng the deuyls that saynt germayn had dryuen out of suche
shewed in the tyme of constantyn the grete whaÌ„ pees was in the chyrche by a mayde whyche had ben one of her chamberers that tho yet lyued and were had of al the people in grete deuocion They suffred marterdom aboute the yere of our lord CCC and thyrty vnder alysaunder Thus endeth the lyf of saynt quyryn his moder Iulitte Here foloweth the lyf nexte of saint maryne MAryne was a noble vyrgyn was one onely doughter to hir fader wythout broder or suster after the deth of hir moder hir fader entryd in to a monastery of religyon chauÌ„ged thabbyte of hys doughter so that she semed was taken for his sone not a woman theÌ„ne the fader prayed thabbot his brethern that they wold receyue his onely sone whome at his Instaunce they receyued for to be a monke was called of them al brother maryne he began to lyue right religyously to be moche obedyeÌ„t whan she Was xxvij yere hir fader approched toward the dethe he callyd his doughter to hym confermyng hir in hir good purpoos commaundyng hyr that in no wyse she shold shewe ne doo be knowen that she were a woman and thenne hir fader deyed she went oftymes to the wood wyth the carte to fetche home wood and by cause it was ferre fro the monasterye other whyle she lodged in a good mannes hows whos doughter had conceyued a chylde by a knyghte And whan it was perceyued she was therof examyned who had begoten that chylde and she sayd that it was the monke maryne had leyen by hir and goten it and thenne anone the fader and moder wente to the abbay and maad a grete compleynte and a grete clamour to thabbot for his monke maryne TheÌ„ne thabbot beyng herof sore abasshed sente for maryne and demauÌ„ded of hym why he had doon so horryble a synne And he mekely answerd and sayd holy fader I aske of our lord mercy for I haue synned Thenne the abbot heryng thys was moche angry for the sorowe and shame commaunded anone that he shold be put out of the hows And thenne this maryne ful paciently wente out of the monasterye dwellid at the yate thre yere lyued straytly wyth a morsel of breed a day and whan the chylde was wened fro the moders pappe it was sente to thabbot and he sente it to maryne bad hym kepe suche tresour as he had broughte forthe and thenne he toke mekelye pacyently the chylde and kepte it with hym there two yere Al thyse thynges he toke in grete pacyence in al thynges gaue to our lord thankynges atte last the brethern had pyte on hym consyderyd his humylyte pacyence dyd so moche to thabbot that he was taken in to the monasterye and al the offyces that were moste foule were enioyned to hym for to do he toke it all gladly and alle thynges he dyd pacyently and deuoutely and at the laste beyng ful of vertuous lyf she deyed and departed out of this world Whan they shold take vp the body and wasshe it for to dyspose hyt to be buryed they sawe that she was a woman alle they were astonyed and aferde and knowleched that they had trâ—spaced gretely in the seruaunte of god Thenne they ranne alle for to see the syght asked foryeuenes of theyr ygnoraunce and trespaas Thenne bare they the body of hyr in to the chyrche And there honourably they buryed it ¶ Thenne she that enfamed the seruaunte of god was taken and vexyd wyth a deuyl And knowlechyng hyr synne came to the sepulcre of the blessyd vyrgyne and there was delyuerd and made al hool To whos tombe the people oueral there aboute came and assemblyd there our lord shewyd many myracles for hys blessyd vyrgyn maryne she deyed the xiiij kalendys of Iuyl Thus endeth the lyf of saynt Maryne ¶ Here folowen the lyues of saint geruase and prothase and firste of the ynterpretacion of their names â—Eruase is sayd of gerar whiche is as moche to say as a vessel or holy or of gena that is to say strauÌ„ge and of syor that is lytel For he was holy by meryte of his lyf a vessayl for to receyue vertues in hym self straunge by despysyng of the world and he was lytel by despysyng of hym self Prothays is sayd of prothos why che is as moche to say as fyrst and of syon that is dyuyn Or prothas may be sayd of procul that is ferre and of stasis that is sette that is to say he was fyrst by dygnyte he was dyuyn by dyleccion and ferre sette fro worldly affecaon And Saynt Ambrose fonde theyr passyon wryten in a book founden in the sepulture at theyr heed Of saynt geruase prothase SAynt geruase and saynt prothase were brethern of one burthen of fader and moder theyr fader was saynt vytal and theyr moder the blessyd valerye which gaue all theyr goodes vnto the poure for the loue of god and dwellyd with saynt nazaryen whiche made a right fayr oratoyr in the cyte of hebredune And a chylde named celsus bare to hym the stones and yf nazaryen had thenne the childe celsus or none I wote neuer For the hystorye of nazaryen reherced that celsus was offryd to hym longe after and whan they were offryd and ladde to nero the emperour thys chylde celsus folowed them muche sore wepyng and one of the knyghtes buffeted and smote hym and nazaryen thenne blamyd hym Thenne the knyghtes in a grete angre bete defowleden nazaryen vnder theyr feet and after they put this celse wyth the other in pryson and after that they threwe hym in to the see and ladde geruase and prothase to melan And nazaryen was delyuerd by myracle and came to melan In that tyme there came thyder the erle astase whiche wente in batayle ageyn them of marcomannos whiche came ageynst hym Thenne the kepers of the ydolles came to hym said that theyr goddes wolde gyue none answer but yf geruase prothase shold fyrst offre to them and do sacrefyse ¶ Thenne anone were they broughte and ledde for to sacrefyse and thenne geruase sayd that all the ydolles were deef and dombe and that he shold requyre helpe of almyghty god ¶ Thenne the erle was wrothe and commauÌ„ded hym to be beten with scorges of leed so longe tyl he gaue vp his spyrite and so suffryd dethe Thenne he commaunded prothase to be brouÈt to hym to whome he said thou cursyd wretche now thynke to saue thy lyf and deye not an euyl dethe with thy broder To Whome prothase sayd who is a wretche I that drede the not or thou that dredest me To whome of tasyus sayd how shold I drede the wretche To whome prothase sayd In that thou dredest me that thou sholdest be hurte by me yf I made not sacrefyse to thy goddes yf thou dreddest not to be hurte of me thou woldest neuer compelle me to the sacrefyse of ydollys
that they shold goo to saynt denys the wode men answerd that they myght not but she vnbonde them the virgyn which was for them in grete sorowe commaūded them that they shold goo thenne anone they suffred them to be ledde secretely theyr handes bounde behynde their backes she wente after them whan she was in the chirche of saynt denys she stratched hir self on the grounde in orisons in wepynges Thus as she perseueryd in prayers and wepynges the wode men cryed with an hygh voys that they approched whome the vyrgyn callyd in to their helpe none ought to doubte that the enemye that sawe that he must nedys yssue goo out signefyed by the mowthe of the demonyaks that the appostles marters other sayntes that the holy virgyn callyd came vnto hyr helpe by the yefte of god which is redy to do the wylle of them that drede hym calle hym in trouthe whan the holy vyrgyn herde this that they said She aroos vp and blessyd eche after other with the sygne of the crosse anone they were delyuerd of the enemyes They that were presente felte soo grete stenche that they doubted no thynge but tho sowles were delyuerd fro the vexacion of the deuyl blessyd our lord for this myracle There was at bourges a damoysel which herde speke of the grete renomee of this holy saynt came to parys for to speke to hir she had ben sacred but after the consecracion she had loste hir vyrgynyte the holy genouefe demaunded of hir yf she was a vyrgyn nonne or wyf or a wydowe She answerd that she was a vyrgyn sacred Geneuefe sayd nay tellyng to hir the place tyme of hir defloracion the man that had done the feyte Whan she sawe that it was for nought that she sayd she was a vyrgyne her conscience remorsed hir and fyl doun to hir feet in requyryng pardon In semblable wyse the holy genouefe dyscouerd to many the secretes of theyr consciences whiche ben not here wryton by cause it were ouer noyous longe to wryte A woman whome the holy vyrgyn had helyd had a chylde of the age of foure yere whiche fyl in a pyt he was therin the space of thre houres the moder came and drewe it out and bare it al deed vnto the saynt in rendyng hyr heyre and betyng hir breste and pappes and wepyng bytterly and layed the chylde dede at hyr feet The holy vyrgyn couerd hit with hyr mantel and after she fyl doun in hyr prayers and wepte and anone after whan she cesyd of hyr wepyng our lord shewyd a fayre myracle for the chylde that was deed reuyued the whiche was baptysed at ester after was named celonyer by cause she was reysed in the celle of saynt Genouefe There came fro meaux a man to thys holy vyrgyne whyche had hys hande dryed vnto the wreste and she handled his ioyntes and fyngres and maad theron the sygne of the crosse and anone the hande became alle hool Geneuefe that knewe wel that our lord Ihesu cryste was baptysed the day of epyphanye and after wente in to deserte in gyuyng enseygnement to them that ben regenerate in the sacramente of baptesme to faste wake and adoure besely and to accomplysshe by werke the grace that they haue taken in the baptesme by the ensaumple of swete Ihesu cryste Thenne entryd the holy vyrgyn in to hyr celle the sonday tofore the sayd feste and abode there as recluse vnto the thursday absolute in wakyng in prayers in fastynges and orysons Thyder came a woman to see hir more for curyosyte than for good feythe And therfore god punysshed hyr Far assone as she approched the dore of the celle she loste hyr syght and became blynde But the holy mayde by hir debonayrte by hir prayer gate hir syght ageyn and by the sygne of the holy crosse whan she yssued out of hyr celle in the ende of lente ¶ In the tyme that the cyte of parys was assyegyd by the terme of ten yere lyke as thauncyent hystoryes reherce that there folowed so grete famyne and hungre that many deyed for hungre The holy vyrgyne that pyte constrayned hir wente to the sayne for to goo fetche at name somme vytaylles whan she came vnto a place of sayne where as of custome shyppes were wonte to perysshe She made the shyppe to be drawen to the ryuage and commaunded to cutte doun a tree that was in the water and she sette hyr to prayer Thenne as the shyppes shold haue smyton vpon the tree hit fyl doun And two wylde heedys graye and horryble yssued therout which stanke so sore that the peple there were enuenymed by the space of two houres and neuer after perysshed shyp there thāke be to god and to hys holy saynt Vnto arcy the castel wente thys holy vyrgyne and there came ageyn hyr a grete lord whiche requyred hir that she wold vysyte his wyf whyche had had longe tyme the palseye The holy vyrgyn wente and uysyted hyr which had ben longe seek wyth prayers and orysons and after blessyd hyr wyth the sygne of the crosse commaunded hyr that she shold aryse She thenne that had ben four yere seek myght not helpe hyr self aroos seyng alle the people whyche thanked our lord Fro arcy she wente to troyes in champayn the peple came to mete with hir and offred to hir grete multitude of seek people wythout nombre She blessyd them and sygned them wyth the sygne of the crosse Incontynente they were helyd in the syght of al the people whiche meruayled moche and rendryd thankynges to our lord There was brought to hyr a man whiche by the pugnycion of god was made blynde by cause he wrought on the sonday and a blynde mayde also the holy vyrgyne blessyd them in the name of the fader and sone and of the holy ghoost and anone theyr syght was restored to them There was a subdeken presente and sawe thys he wente and fette a chylde whyche had ben seke x yere of the febres right sore the holy vyrgyn dyd do brynge holy water and blessyd it and gaue hym drynke and that doon by the grace of god the chylde was in good helthe In this tyme many toke of the cuttynges of hir vesture by deuocyon wherof many seek were helyd and many vexyd by spyrytes were delyuerd remysed in to theyr good mynde Fro arcy retorned the holy vyrgyne to parys wyth xj shyppes charged wyth vytayl wynde tempeste orage assayled them soo strongely that they wende to haue perysshed without remedye the holy vyrgyn lyfte vp hyr handes to heuen requyryng helpe of our lord and anone the tempeste cessed Thēne bessus a preest that was present and sawe it whiche tofore had tremblid for fere began to synge for ioye cantemus domino gloriose Al that there were thanked our lord that had saued them by the prayer of the damoysel geneuefe whan the goodes came to parys
ansuerd he lyeth wythoute the towne wyth one of his felawes and his visage is couerd with thy keuerchief and she answerd sayd I haue now seen peter and paul entre in to the cyte clad with right noble vestementis and also they had ryght fair crownes vpon theyr hedes more cleer and more shynyng than the sonne And hath brought agayn my keuerchyef alle blody whiche he hath deliuerd me For whiche thyng and werk many beleued in our lord and wer baptised And this is that seynt dyonyse sayth And whan Nero herd saye this thyng he doubted hym and began to speke of al these thynges with his phylosophres and with his frendes as they spake to gydre of thys mater paule cam in and the yates shitte and stode tofore Cezar and sayd Cezar loo here is tofore the poul the knyght of the kyng perdurable and not vaynauysshed Now bileue thenne certeynly that I am not deed but alyue But thou Chaytyf shalt deye of an euyl deth By cause thou hast sleyne the seruauntes of god And whan he had sayde thus he vanysshyd awaye And nero what for drede and what for angre he was nygh out of his witte and wist not what to doo Thenne by the counseyl of his frendes he vnbonde patrocle and barnabe and lete them goo where they wold And the other knyghtes longynus mayster of the knyghtes and aggestus cam on the morn to the sepulcre of poul and ther they found two men prayeng that were luke and titus And bytwene them was poule And whan luke titus sawe them they were abasshyd began to flee anon poul vanyshyd awaye and the knyghtes cryed after them and sayd we come not to greue you but know ye for trouth that we come for to be baptised of yow Lyke as paul hath said whom we sawe now prayeng with you whan they herde that they retorned and baptysed them with grete Ioye The hede of seynt paul was cast in a valey And for the grete multitude of other hedes of men that Wer there slayn and throwen there it coude not be knowen which it was It is redde in thepystle of seynt Dyonyse that on a tyme the valey shold be made clene And the hede of seynt poul was cast out with thother hedes And a shepherde that kept sheep toke it with his staffe and sette it vp by the place where his shepe grased he sawe by iij nyghtes contynuelly and his lord also a ryght grete lyght shyne vpon the sayd heed Thenne they went and tolde it to the bisshop to other good cristen men whiche anon sayde truly that is the hede of seynt poule And thenne the bisshop wyth a grete multitude of cristen men toke that hede wyth grete reuerence sette it in a tablette of gold and putte it to the body for to Ioyne it therto thenne the patriarke answerd we knowe wel that many holy men ben slayn and theyr hedes ben desperpled in that place Yet I doubte whether this be the hede of poul or noo but late vs sette this hede atte feet of the body and praye we vnto almyghty god that yf it be his hede that the body may torn and Ioyne it to the hede whiche plesed wel to them alle and they sette the hede atte feete of the body of poul And thenne alle they prayed And the body torned hym in his place Ioyned hym to the hede thenne alle they blessyd god and thus knewe verily that that was the hede of seynt paul this sayth seynt dionyse And seynt Gregory telleth that there was a man that fylle in despayre in the tyme of Iustyn themperour And made redy a corde to hang hym self alwaye he cryed on seynt poul sayeng Seynt paul helpe me Thenne cam ther a black shadowe sayeng to hym Hye the good man make an ende of that thou hast begonne And he allewaye made redy the corde sayeng most bussyd paule helpe me And whan alle was redy there cam another shadowe as it had ben of a man sayd to hym that stired hym Fle hens thou moste wretche For paul the aduocate is comeÌ„ Thenne the foule shadowe vanysshed a waye and the man comyng agayn to hym self and castyng awaye the corde toke condigne penaunce for his offence and trespas In the same epistle a for sayd seynt denyse bewayleth the deth of his mayster paule with mylde wordes sayeng who shal yeue teres to myn eyen and to my browes a fountayn of water that I may wepe day and nyght that the lyght of the chirche is extyncte And who is he that shall not wepe wayle and clothe hym wyth clothes of mornyng and sorowe And in hys mynde be gretly abasshid Loo Peter the foundament of the chirche glorye of seyntes and holy appostles is goon fro vs And hath lefte vs orphaÌ„ns Paule also the techer and comfortoure of the peple is fayled to vs and shalle nomore be found whiche was fader of faders doctour of doctours pastour of pastours profoundnesse of wysedom a tromp sounyng hye thynges And a prechour of trouthe I say verily paul to be moste noble of thappostles neuer wery of prechyng of the worde of god he was an erthly angelle an heuenly man ymage and symylytude of dyuynyte and hath vs alle forsaken â—edy and vnworthy in thys dyspysed world And is goon vnto cryst hys god his lord and frende Alas my brother thymothee best byloued of my soule where is thy mayster thy fader and louer Fro whens shal he grete the ony more loo thou art made an orphane and remaynest allone Now he shal nomore wryte to the wyth hys owne hond my derest sonne woo to me my brother thymothee what is happed to vs of heuynes of derknes harme By cause we be made orphanes Now come not his epistles to the In whiche he wrote paule the lytel seruaunte of Iesu crist Now he shal no more write to the citees sayeng receyue ye my welbelouyd sonne Shette my brother the bokes of the prophetes and clapse them For we now haue none enterpretour of the parablys ne paradygmes ne theyr dictes Dauyd the prophete bewayled his sonne and sayd wo to me who shal graunte me to deye for the my sonne wo to me And I may say woo to me mayster myn veryly wo to me Nou the concourse of thy dysciples comyng to rome and sechyng cesseth and fayleth Now no man sayth late vs goo and see our doctours and aske we them how vs behoueth to rule the chirches to vs commysed And shalle enterprete and expoune to vs the seyenges of our lord Iesu cryst and of the prophetes veryly wo to thyse sonnes my brother thymothee that ben depryued of thayr spirituel fader And also to vs that ben depriued of our spirytuel maysters whiche gadred to gyder vnderstondyng and scyence of the olde and newe lawe And put theym in theyr epistlis where is now the renewyng of paule and the labour of hys
bronde in her honde and lyghted the tapers and lampes and as eche of them called other by theyr name Crist cam to them sayeng come my welbelouyd hostesse For where I am thou shalte be with me Thou hast receyued me in thyn herberugh and I shal receyue the in myn heuen and all them that calle vpon the I shal here them for thy loue Thenne the hour of her deth approchyng she commaunded that she shold be born out of the hous that she myght be holde and loke vp in to heuen and to lâ—ye her on the erthe and to holde the sigâ—e of the crosse to fore her and sayeng thyse wordes she prayed My swete ghâ—ste I beseche the to kepe me thy pour creature And lyke as thou hast vouched sauf to be lodged with me so I beseche the to receyue me in to thyn heueÌ„ly herberugh And thenne she had that the passyon after luke shold be redde tofore her And whan this was said Pater in manus tuas comendo spiritum meum she gaf vp her spirite and deyed in our lord The next day folowyng that was the sonday whyles they said laudes aboute her body and dyd her obsequyâ— and aboute the hour of tierâ—â— at petogoriâ—e our lord appered to the blessid ffrancone syngyng masse whiche after thepystle slepte in his chayre and said to hym my welbelouyd ffrancone yf thou wilt fulfille that thou behyghtest long sithe to my hostesse martha arise anon and folowe me whos commaundement he obeyed sodenly both cam to tharascone And syngyng thoffyce aboute the body And the other answeryng they with ther owen hondes leyd the body into tâ—e sepulture And trouth it was that at petogorike whan they had songen in the chore and the deken shold goo rede the gospel and receyue the benediction they awoke the bysshop demaundyng the benediction Thenne the bysshop awoke and sayd why haue ye awakend me my brethern Our lord Ihesu Crist hath ledde me to his hostesse martha And we haue leyed her in her sepulture Now sende thyder messagers for to felche our rynge of gold and our gloues whiche whiles I made me redy to burye her I delyuerd them to the sextayne and I haue forgoten them there by cause ye awoke me so soone Thenne were messagers sent forth as the bysshop sayde they fond his rynge and one gloue whiche they brought agayn and that other the sextayn reteyned for a wytnes and memorie And the blessyd ffrancone added therto sayeng that after her sepulture a brother of the same place a lerned man in the lawe demaunded of our lord what was his name To whom he ansuerd not but shewed a boke open in his honde in Whiche was wreton thys versycle In euerlastyng memorye shal be my rightful hoostesse and she shal drede non euyl in the last day and whan he shold torne the leues of the boke in euery leef he fonde that same wreton where afterward many myracles were shewd and don at her tombe ¶ Thenne Clodoneus kyng of ffraunce was after thys made a cristen man and baptised of seynt remyge And suffred grete payne in his mynes cam to her tombe and there receyued very helth For whyche cause he enryched that place And the space of iij myle way about on both sides of the ryuer of Roon as wel townes as castellys he gaf to the same place and that place he made free Marcilla her seruaunt wrote her lyf whiche afterward went in to sclauonye And there prechyd the gospel of cryst after x yere fro the deth of martha she restid in our lord Thenne late vs praye to this blessyd martha hostesse of our lord that after this shorte lyf we may be herberowed in heuen wyth our blessyd lord Ihesu crist to whom he yeue Ioye laude and preysyng world without ende Amen Thus endeth the lyf of the blessyd Seynt martha And here folowen the lyues of Abdon and Sennen ABdon is sayde of Absein in greek which is as moche to saye as cutte in latyn dolos Whiche is to saye as seeyng He was cutte hewen in his body and sawe god by martirdom Sennen is sayde of senos in greek Whyche is as moche to saye as Wytte and en that is in And therof is sennen as in witte or sennes as olde As who sayth he was olde in wytte Of seyntes Abdon and sennen ABdon and sennen suffred martirdom vnder decyen the emperour whaÌ„ decius themperour had surmounted babilone the other prouynces he fond somme cristen men within the cite And brought them wyth hym bounden to the cyte of Cordule And made them there to dye by dyuers tormentys And thenne Abdon sennen whyche were as gouernours of the contray toke the bodyes and buryed them Thenne were they accused and brought to decyen and he dyd do lede them wyth hym bounden in chaynes to rome thenne were they brought tofore decien and tofore the senatours thenne was it commaunded that they shold doo sacrefyse And they shold haue al theyr thynges frely Or ellys they shold be deuoured by bytynges of wyld beestes But they dyspyseden to make sacrefyse and spytten ayenste the fals ydollys and statues thenne were they drawen to the place of martirdome and made to be brought to them two lyone and ij berys whiche dyde to them non harme ne touched them not But rather kepte them fro harme Thenne began they to cast speres and swerdes at them and atte last they were alle to hewen wyth swerdis and thenne they were bouÌ„den by the feet and drawen thrugh the toun vnto thydolle of the sonne And whan they had leyn there iij dayes quyryne subdeken toke the bodyes vp and buryed them in his hous And they suffred deth aboute the yere of our lord two hondred liij Thus endeth the lyues of Abdon and Sennen Here foloweth the lyl of seynt Germayne and first of hys name GErmayne is sayde of germe and ana that is hye thys is to saye souerayn germe Thre thynges ben fouÌ„den in seed germynyng that is to wete natural hete humour nutrimental and reson of seed Thenne the holy Seynt Germayn is sayd as seed germynyng For in hym was hete by brennyng of loue humour by fatnesse of deuocion and reson of the seed by vertu of predycacion by whiche he engeÌ„dryd moche peple to the fayth And in good maners And constance the preest wrote his lyf to seynt seueryn bysshop of Anserre ¶ Of Seynt Germayne GErmayn was of moche noble lygnage born in the cite ancerre And was taught and enformed wel in the artes lyberalle And after he went to rome For to lerne the scyence of the decretees droytes lawe And there receyued he so moche of dygnyte that the senate sent hym vnto ffraunce for to haue and obtayne the dygnyte of the duchy of alle burgoyne And thus as he gouerned the cyte more dylygently than al the other ther was in the myddes of the cite a tre whiche
and defended that neuer after he shold soo doo to her ne to none other And thus was she all delyuerd of that Illusion And whan on a tyme as this holy man as a legate in to that prouynce for to reconcyle the duke of guyan to the chirche And he refused to be reconciled in al maners The hooly man wente to the aulter for to synge masse And the duke abode withoute the chirche as excommyned And whan he had sayd Pax domini he leyd the body of our lord vppon the patene and bare it withoute the chirch And wente oute with a face flammyng and brennyng and assayled the duke by ferdfull wordes sayeng We haue prayed the and thou hast despysed vs boo here is the sone of the vyrgyne whiche is comen to the whiche is lord of the chirche whome thou persecutest this is thy Iuge in the name of whome al knees bowe in the handes of whome thy sowle shalle come despyse hym not as thou hast his seruauntes resyste hym yf thou mayst TheÌ„ne anon the duke wax all styf and was inpotent in alle his membrys And thenne he fylle doune at his feet And the holy man put his fote at hym and commauÌ„ded hym to aryse and to here the sentence of god he thenne tremblyng aroos and accomplysshed anon that the holy man commaunded On a tyme as this holy man saynt Bernard entryd in to Almayne for tappease a grete discord ther was an Archebisshop that sent an honourable clerke ageynst hym And whan the clerke sayd to hym that he had be sent fro his maystre ageynst hym the hooly man answerd to hym and sayd another lord hath sente the And be merueyled and sayd that he was sent of none other but of his lord tharâ—hâ—bisshop And saynt Bernard sayd sone thou arte deceyued our lord Ihesu Cryste whiche hath sente the is gretter mayster And whan the clerke vnderstode hym he sayd syre wenest thou that I wylle be a Monke nay I thought it neuer ne hit cam neuer in my herte yet after in the same vyage he forsoke the world and receyued thabyte of this hooly man saynt Bernard He took also on a tyme in to the 〈◊〉 a noble knyght And whan he had folowed saynt Bernard a lytel tyme he beganne to be greuously tempted and whan a broder sawe hym so heuy he enâ—uyred hym the cause of his heuynes And he answerd hym I wote well I shalle neuer be glad And the brother tolde it to saynt Bernard he prayd to god moch enteÌ„tifly for hym And anone that broder that was so pensyf and soo heuy semed more ioyous than the other and more gladde than he hadde ben to fore heuy And the broder blamed hym by cause he had sayd that he shold neuer be ioyous And he answerd and sayd I wote wel I sayd I shold neuer be glad but I saye now that I neuer shall be soroufull whan saynt Malachyel bisshop of Irlond of whome he wrote the lyf full of vertues passid oute of this world oute of his monasterye blessydly to our lord Ihesu cryst And saynt Bernard offryd to god for hym sacryfyce of helithe he sawe the glory of hym by reuelacion of our lord and by thyn spyracion of god he chaunged the forme of prayer after the communyon sayeng thus with Ioyous voys God that hast acompanyed saynt Malachyell by his merytes with thy sayntes we praye the to gyue to vs that we that make the feste of his precious deth may folowe the examples of his lyf And whan the chantour herd hym he sayd to hym and shewed that he erred And he sayd I erre not but I know wel what I saye and thenne wente to the body and kyssed his feete And in a tyme that the lente approched he was vysyted of dyuerse knyghtes And he prayd them that at the leste in these holy dayes they shold absteyne them fro theyr vanytees their Iolytees and doyng outrages and they in no wyse wolde agree therto And thenne he bad make redy wyn and sayd to them drynke ye the helthe of your sowles whan they had dronken the wyn they were sodenly chaunged and wente to their howses they that had denyed to doo a lytell tyme they gaf to god after all the tyme of their lyf and ladde a ryght hooly lyf At the last the holy saynt Bernard approchyng to the deth sayd blessydly to his bretheren I requyre and commaunded yow to kepe thre thynges the which I remembre to haue kepte to my power as long as I haue ben in this present lyf I haue not wylled to sclaundre ony persone and yf ony haue fallen I haue hydde hit as moche as I myght I haue euer trusted lasse myn owne wytte than ony others Yf I were hurte I neuer requyred vengeaunce of the hurter I leue to yow charyte humylyte and pacyence and after that he had done many myracles and had made Clxxj monasteryes and had ordeyned many bookes and trayttyes he accomplysshed the dayes of his lyf the lxiij yere of his age in the yere of oure lord a MClvj he slepte in oure lord amonge the handes of his sonnes and his glory shewed his departyng hens to moche peple He appyered to an abbotte in a monasterye and admonested hym that he shold folowe hym and he soo dyde And thenne saynt Bernard sayde we be comen to the Mount of Lybane thou shalt abyde here And I shalle ascende vp an hyhe And he asked hym wherfor he wold gone vp And be sayd for to lerne I wyl go vp And he beyng gretely admerueyled said what wylt thou 〈◊〉 fader to whome we byleue that ther is none to the lyke ne holden soo wyse in scyence as thou arte And he sayd here is no scyence ne here is no knowlege of trouthe but ther aboue is plente of scyence And on hyghe is the veery knowlege of trouthe And with that word he vanysshed aweye And thenne that Abbotte marked that daye and found that saynt Bernard was thenne passed to oure lord whiche shewed for hym many myracles And Innumerable To whome be gyuen laude and preysyng euerlastyng Amen Thus endeth the lyf of the glorious doctor saynt Bernard Of saynt Thimothe and interpretacion of his name THimothe is as mohe to saye as holdynge drede Or of timore that is drede and theos a word of greek whiche is deus in latyn and god in Englysshe as the drede of god Of saynt Thymothe SAynt Thymothe was taken vnder New of the prouoste of Rome and was greuously beten and had quyk lyme put in his throte and vppon his wonndes And he rendryd thankynges to god with al his herte And thenne two Angels cam to hym sayeng lyfte vp thyn hede to heuen And thenne he byheld and sawe the heuen open and Ihesu Cryste whiche helde a double crowne and said to hym thou shalt receyue this of my hand And a man named Appollynare sawe this thyng and dyd hym to be baptysed And therfor the prouost
by cause they go to fore we ben ashamed to folowe them And thenne he ranne in to a gardyn And as he sayth hym self he cast hym self doune vnder a fygge tree wepte right bytterly and gaf oute wepyng vois by cause he hadde taryed soo long fro day to day and fro tyme to tyme And was gretely tormentid soo that he had no maner in hym self for sorow of his long taryeng lyke as he wryteth in the booke of his Confessions sayde Alas lord how thou arte hyghe in hyghe thynges and depe in depenes And departest not ne goost oute of the wey And vnnethe we come to the A lord he sayd calle me moeue me chauÌ„ge me and enlumyne me rauysshe me and make swete and softe al myn enpesshementes and lettynges as hit apperteyneth for I drede them sore I haue loued the ouer late thou beaulte soo olde and soo newe I ouer late haue loued the thow were within and I was withoute and there I sought the And in the beaulte and fayrenes that thou haste I fylle all defourmed and fowle thou were with me but I was not with the Thou hast called and cryed and hast broken my deefnes Thou hast enlumyned clered and haste put awaye my blyndenes Thou haste replenisshed me with fragraunt odours and I haste me to come to the I haue tasted the and am hongry and desyre the Thou hast touched me and I am brent in the voys of leuyng thy pees and as he wept thus bitterly he herde a voys sayeng Take and rede and anone he opened the booke of thappostle and cast his eyen on the first chapytre and redde clothe ye you in our lord Ihesu crist and anone alle the doubtes of derkenes Were extynct in hym and in the mene tyme he began to be so gretely tormented With tooth ache that almoost he saith he was brought to byleue thoppynyon of Cornelys the Philosopher whiche putteth that the souerayne wele of the sowle is in wysdom and the souerayne wele of the body is in suffryng no payne ne sorowe And his payne was soo grete and vehement that he had lost his speche wherfore as he wryteth in the book of his Confessions he wrote in tables of waxe that al men shold praye for hym that oure lord shold aswage his payne And he hym self kneled doune with the other And so denly he felt hym self hoole And thenne he sygnyfyed by lettres to the hooly man saynt Ambrose that he wold sende to hym word whiche of the bookes of hooly wrytte apperteyned best to rede in for to be made moost couenable to the Crysten feythe And he sente to hym answere ysaye the prophete by cause that he was sene to be the shewer and pronouncer of the gospell and of callyng of men And whan Augustyn vnderstode not alle the begynnyng and supposed al the remenaunt to be other wyse than it was to rede he differred to rede them tylle he were more connyng in holy wrytte And whan the day of Eester cam And Austyn was xxx yere old he and hys sone whiche was named a de o datus a childe of noble wytte and vnderstondyng whome he had goten in his youthe whan he was a paynym a philosopher with Alyppe his frende by the merytes of his moder and by prechyng of saynt Ambrose receyued baptysme of saynt Ambrose ¶ And thenne as it is redde saynt Ambrose sayde The deum laudamus And saynt Austyn sayd Te dominum confitemur And soo they two to geder ordeyned made this ympne and songe hit vnto the ende And soo wytnessyth it Honorius in his booke whiche is named the myrrour of the Chirche And in some other old bookes the tytle of this ympne or psalme is intytled the Cantykle of Ambrose and of Augustyn And anone he was merueylously confermed in the faythe Catholyke And forsoke all the hope that he had in the world And renounced the scoles that he rewled And he sheweth in his book of confessions how he was fro thens forthe achauffed in the loue of god sayeng lord thou hast thorugh perâ—ed myn hert with thy charyte And I haue borne thy wordes fixed in myn entraylles And thensamples of thy maners whiche thou hast made of blacke whyte shynyng and of deed lyuyng And of corrupte thoughtes thou makest fayre and hyghe vnderstandyng in heueÌ„ly thynges I mounted vp in to the hylle of wepyng and thou gauest to me syngyng the cantycle of grees shape arowes and cooles wastyng ne I was not in tho dayes fulfylled in thy merueylous swetenes for to considere the heyght of the dyuyne counceylle vp on the helthe of the lygnage humayne How moche haue I wepte in thy ynâ—pnes and cantycles swetely sownynnge And by the vois of thy chirche I haue ben moeued egrely The voyses haue ronnen in myn eres And thy trouthe hath dropped in myn herte and thenne teres haue ronnen doune and I was wel eased with them Thenne these thynges were establysshed to be songen in the chirche of Melan And I cryed With an hyghe crye of myn herte O in pace O in idipsum O thou that sayst I shalle slepe in that same and take rest thou arte the same For thou arte not chauÌ„ged and in the is reste forgetyng all labours I redde al that psalme And I brenned whiche somtyme had ben a barker bytter and blynde ayenst the lettres honyed with the swetenes of heuen and enlumyned with thy lighte And vppon suche scriptures I helde my pees and spack not O Ihesu crist my helper how swete is it sodenly made to me to lacke the swetnesses of iâ—â—ffes and Iapes which Were fer fro me to leue and forsake and now to leue forsake them is to me grete ioye Thou hast cast them oute fro me And thou Whiche arte souerayne swetenes hast entryd in to me for them whiche aâ—te swetter than ony swetnes or delyces more clere than ony syght and more secrete than ony secrete counceylles more hyghe than al honour And ther is none more hyghe than thou And after this he tooke Nebrydyon Euodyon and his moder and retorned ageyne in to Auffryke But whannâ— But whanne they cam to hostyberyn his swete moder deyde And after her deâ—h Austyn retorned vnto his propre herytage there entended wyth them that lode with him in fastinges in prayers He wrote bokes taught them that were not wyse And the fame and renomme of hym spradde ouer all And in alle his bookes and werkes he was holden merueylous he reffused to come to ony Cyte where as was no bisshop leste he shold be lette by that offyce And in that tyme was in yponence a man full of grete vertues whiche sente to Augustyn that yf he wold come to hym that he myghte here the good of his mouthe he wold renounce the world And whanne saint Augustyn knewe it he wente hastely thyder And whanne Valeryen Bisshop of yponence herd his renommee fame he ordeyned hym a preest
auenture by the feldes he beheld gladly huntyng And whan he was at home he behelde oftymes the spyncoppes or spyders takynge flyes by the nettes of theyr Copwebbes herof he confessyd hym to oure lord For somtyme they toke fro hym good thoughtes and letted hym of somme good werkes And he accused hym of thappetyte of praysyng and of the mornyng of vayn glory sayeng that he wolde be preysed of men And thou blamest hym He shalle not be deffended of men whanne thow Iugest hym Ne be wythdrawen whanne thow shalt dampne hym For man is praysed for somme gyfte that thow hastâ— gyuen to hym Neuertheles he enioyeth more of that he is praysed thenne he doth of the yefte that thou hast gyuen We be tempted euery daye with these temptacions withoute ceassynge or cotidyan fornays is oure tonge humayne Neuerthelesse I wold wel that the name of euery good dede shold encrece by the help of a straunge mouth But the tongue encreceth hit not but blame mynuysseth hit I am sory somtyme of my praysynges whan they be praysed in me in whiche they displease me For so somme maners ben estemed better than they be This hooly man confounded ryght valyauntly the Heretykes in soo moche that they prechyd openly that it were no synne to slee augustyn and said that he ought to be slayn like a wolf and they affermed that god pardonned alle the synnes to them that slewe hym And was oftymes awaited of them And whanne he went in to ony places they sette espyes but by the grace of god they were deceyued of theyr vyage and myght not fynde hym He remembryd alwey the poure peple and socourâ—d them frely of that he myght haue And somtyme he commaunded to breke the vessels of the chirche for to gyue to the poure peple and dispende it among the nedy He wold neuer bye hows ne felde ne Towne And refused many herytages that were fallen to hym wherfore he sayd that they apperteyned to the children of the dede peple and to them that were next of theyr kynne And it suffysed hym ynough that whiche fill to hym by the chirche And yet he was not ententyf for the loue of suche goodes but day and nyght he thoughte in dyuyne scriptures he had neuer studye in newe fabrykes ne buyldynges but eschewed to sette theron his courage whiche euer he wold haue free fro alle bodyly greues so that he myght more frely entende and more contynuelly to the lesson Neuertheles he wold not forbede them that wold edyffye yf that he sawe them not doo it dysatemperatly he preysed them strongly that had desyre to deye and remembryd moche ofte there vppon the ensamples of thre bisshops For whanne Ambrose was at his ende he was prayd that he sholde gete lenger space of his lyf by his prayers he answerd I haue not lyued soo that I am ashamed to lyue amonge yow And I am not aferd to dye For I haue a good lord whiche answere Augustyn preysed merueylously And also he sayd of another Bisshop that it was said to hym that he was yet moche necessarye to the Chirche and that he shold praye to god for the delyueraunce of his sekenesse And he sayd yf I dyde neuer wel but selde wherfor shold he delyuer me now And of another Bisshop that he sayd that Cypryan tolde whan he was in greuous sekenes and prayd that god wold sende hym helthe A yonglyng appered to hym and loked sternly on hym and said to hym by desdayne thou doubtest to sâ—â—fre to yssue what shalle I doo to the He wold neuer haue that ony woman sholde dwelle with hym ne his owne susters ne the doughters of his broder whiche serued god to gyder For he sayd though of his suster ne of his nyeces myght none euylle suspecion growe Neuertheles by cause that suche persones myght not be wyth oute other that serued them And also other myght come to them of such myght the thoughtes be meued to temptacions or myght be diffamed by euyl suspecion of men he wold neuer speke allone with ony wymmen but yf hit were in secrete he gaf neuer no goodes to his kynne ne to his Cosyns ne he retched whether they habouÌ„ded or were nedy he wold neuer or selde pray for ony neyther by lettres ne by wordes remembryng a certayne philosopher to whome his frendes had not gyuen moche to in the tyme of his hongre Ofte the puyssaunt that is requyred yeueth Verayly whan he spack for his frende he attempred soo the maner of his dytee that he was not ouer hastyng hym self but the curtosye of the sayer deserued to be herd He wold gladlyer here causes of vnknowen men than of his frendes For bytwene them he myghte frely knowe the defaute and of them to make one his frende for whome by ryghte he myght gyue sentence And of his frendes he was sure to lese one that was hym ayenste whome he gaf the sentence he was desyred to preche the word of god in many chirches And there he prechyd and conuerted many fro errours whanne he prechyd he had a custom soÌ„tyme to departe him fro his purpoos and theÌ„ne he said that god had ordeyned that for the prouffyte of som ne persone As hit appered to a manychyen whiche in a sermon of Augustyn where as he departed fro his mater and prechyd ageynste the same errour And therby he was conuerted to the feythe In that tyme that the Gothes had taken Rome and that thydolatres and fals crysten men enioyed them therof Thenne made saynt Augustyn therfore the book of the Cyte of god in whiche he shewed fyrste that rightwys men were destroyed in this lyfe And the euylle men flowryd And the traytye of the two Cytees is Ierusalem and Babylone and of the kynges of them For the kynge of Iherusalem is Ihesu Cryste And he of Babylone is the deuylle the whiche two Cytees make two loues in hem For the cyte of the deuylle maketh a loue to hym self growyng the same vnto despyte of God And the cyte of god made a loue growyng vnto the despyte of hym In that tyme the wandales aboute the yere of oure lord foure honderd and fourty took alle the prouynce of Auffryke and wasted all And spared neyther man ne woman ne for ordre ne for age And after cam to the Cyte of yponense and assyeged hit wyth grete power And vnder that trybulacion Augustyn to fore al other ladde a bytter and ryght hooly lyf For the teres of his eyen were to hym brede daye and nyght whanne he sawe somme slayn other chaced awey the chirches with oute preestes and the Cytee wasted with the InhabytauÌ„ts And among thus many euylles by the sentence of a certayne wyseman he comforted hym self sayeng thou shalt not be greete in wenyng grete thynges by cause that the woodes and stones falle And they that ben mortal dye he called thenne his bretheren and sayd I haue praid our lord that eyther he take aweye fro vs these
were in gadryng as it is sayd in Scolastica historia there cam Monkes fro Ierusalem whiche couertly putt them among the gaderers and took a grete parte of them and bure them to Phelyp Bisshop of Ierusalem And he sente them afterward to athanayse bisshop of Allexandrye and longe tyme after Theophyle Bysshop of the same Cyte leide them in the Temple of Serapis when he had halowed and purged it fro fylthe and sacred it a chirche in thonoure of saynt Iohan Baptist and this is that thystorye scolastike sayth But now they be worshipped deuoutely at Iene lyke as alexander the thyrde and Innocent the fourthe wytnesseth for trouthe and approwe it by their pryuelegys And like as Herode which biheded hym was punysshed for his trespas soo Iulyan thappostata was smyten with dyuyne vengeaunce of god whos persecucion is conteyned in thystorye of saynt Iulyen to fore rehersed after the conuersion of saynt Poul Of this Iulyan appostata of his natyuyte of his empyre of his cruelte and of his dethe is sayd playnly in historia tripertita Thirdely this feste is halewed for the Inuencion of his heede or fyndynge therof For as somme saye his heede was founden on this day And as hit is redde in thystorye Scolastyke Iohan was bounden and enprysonned had his hede smyten of within the castel of Arabye that is named Macheâ—onte And Herodyane dyd do bere the hede in to Ierusalem and dyd do burye it secretely ther by where as herode dwellyd For she doubted that the prophete shold ryse ageyne yf his hede were buryed with the body And as hit is had in thystory Scolastyke in the tyme of Marcian the prynce which was the yere of our lord thre honderd and liij Iohan shewed his hede to two moÌ„kes that were comen to Ierusalem And thenne they wente to the palays whiche was longynge to herode and fonde the hede of saynt IohÌ„n wrapped in an hayre And as I supoose they were of the vestymentes that he ware in deserte And theÌ„ne they wente with the heede toward their propre places And as they wente on theyr wey a poure man whiche was of the Cyte of Emyssene cam and felaushipped with them And they delyuerd hym the bagge in whiche was the hooly heede Thenne this man was warned in the nyght that he shold goo his Waye flee fro them with the heede and soo he wente with the heede and brought hit in to the Cyte of Emyssene And there as long as he lyued he worshyped the heede in a caue and had alwey good prosperyte And whan he shold dye he told and shewed it to his suster chargynge her to telle it to no body by her faythe and she kepte it all her lyf lyke as he had done to fore long tyme After that long tyme the blessid IohÌ„n Baptiste made reuelacion of his hede to saynt Marcell Monke that dwellyd in that caue in this maner hym semed in his slepyng that many companyes syngyng wente thyder and sayd loo here is saynt Iohan baptist whome one lad on the ryght syde and another on the lyft syde and blessyd all them that wente with hym to whome whan Marcelle cam he reysed hym vp and tooke hym by the chynne and kyssed hym And Marcell demaunded hym sayd My lord fro whens arte thou come to vs And he sayd I am comen fro Sebasten And thenne whan Marcelle was awaked he merueyled moche of this vysyon And the nyght folowyng as he slepte ther cam a man to hym whiche awoke hym And whan he was awaked he sawe a right fayr sterre whiche shone amyddes of the câ—lle thorugh the hows And he arâ—â—s wold haue touched it and it torned sodenly on that other syde And he beganne to renne after hit tylle that the sterre abode in the place where the heede of saynt Iohan was and there he daâ—f and fonde a potte and the hooly heede therin And a Monke that wold not byleue that hit was the heede of saynt Iohan leyd his hande vpon the potte and forthwith his honde brenned and cleued soo to the potte that he couthe not withdrawe it ther fro in no manere and his felawes prayd for hym And thenne he drewe of his hande but it was not hoole And saynt Iohan appered to hym and sayd whan my heed shalle be sette in the chirche touche thou thenne the potte and thou shalt be hoole and soo he dyd and receyued his helthe and was hool as it was before Thenne Marcelle shewed this to Iulyane bisshop of the same cite and they bare it reuerently in to the cyte and shewed hit honourably And fro that tyme forthe the feste of his dâ—collacion was there halowed for it was founden the same day And after this it was transported in to the cite of Constantynople And as it is sayd in thystorye trypartyte that Valent themperour commaunded that it shold be leyd in a charyot for to be broughte to Constantinople And when it cam to Galcydone the charyot wold go no ferther how wel that they sette in moâ—estes to drawe it wherfor they must leue hit there but afterward theodofius wolde brynge it thennes And fonde a noble woman sette for to kepe it And he prayde her that she wolde suffre hym to bere awey the heede And she consented by cause that she supposed that lyke as valent myght not haue it thens that in lyke wyse he sholde not conne haue hit thennes Thenne themperour took it and enbraced in his armes moche swetely the holy hede And leyd it within his pourpre and bare it in to the Cyte of Constantynople and ediffyed there a right fayre chirche and set hit therin This sayth the Hystorye trypertyte After this in the tyme that the kynge Pyppyne regned hit was transported in Fraunce in Peytowe And there by his merytes many dede men were reised to lyf And in lyke wyse as Herodes was punysshed that byheded saynt Iohan And Iulyan appostata that brente his bones soo was Herodyane whiche counceylled her doughter to demaunde the hede of saynt Iohan And the mayde that requyred hit deyde ryght vngraciously and euylle And some saye that Herodyane was condempned in exyle but she was not ne she deyde not there but whan she helde the heede bytwene her handes she was moche ioyeful but by the wyll of god the heede blewh in in her vysage and she deyde forthwith This is sayd of somme but that whiche is sayd to fore that she Was sente in exyle wyth Herode and myserably ended her lyf This sayen sayntes in her Cronycles it is to be holden And as her doughter went vpon the water she was droâ—ned anone And it is sayd in another Cronycle that the erthe swalowed her in all quycke and may be vnderstonden as of the egypciaÌ„s that were drouned in the reede see so the erthe deuoured Fourthly this feste was halowed for the translacion of his fyngre and the dedycacion of his chirche For his fyngre with whiche he shewed
blessyd Euse be the pope and dwellyd there fyue yere And heled two lame men and two blynde men And thenne the Angel appered to her in her slepe and sayd to her what is this that thow dost that hast lefte thy Rychesses and lyuest here in delyces Aryse and dyne And after goo in to the cyte of Trecane that thow maist fynde there thy brother And thenne she sayd to her chambryere It behoueth vs no lenger to abyte here And she sayd lady whyder wylle ye goâ— Alle the peple here loue yow well And wylle ye go dye in a place where as the peple knowe yow not And she sayd god shalle purueye for vs And thenne she tooke a loof of barly breed and wente vnto the Cyte of Rauenne and entryd in to the hows of a ryche man whos doughter was bewayled as deed And she requyred the mayde of the hows that she myght be lodged there And she sayd how mayst thou be lodged here whan the doughter of hâ—rin is deed and alle be sorowfull And she sayd to her For me she shalle not deye and thenne she entrid in and took the haÌ„d of the mayde and reysed her vp al hole And the moder wold haue reteyned her there but she in no wyse wold agre therto but departed And the doughter lyued and aroos on the morne And whanne Sauyne with her chambryere arryued a myle nyghe vnto trecane she sayd to her Chambryere that she wold there reste a lytel And there cam a noble man fro the Cite named Lyceryen and demaunded them sayeng Of whens be ye To whome Sauyne seyde I am of this Cyte And he sayd Why lyest thow when thy speche sheweth the to be a pylgrym And she sayd Verayly I am a pylgrym and feche Sauyen my broder whome I haue long loste And he sayd to her that man for whome thou demaundest was but late slayne for the name of Ihesu Cryste and is buryed in suche a place And thenne she put hyr in prayeng and sayd lord which hast alwey kept me in chastyte suffre me thenne nomore to trauayle by these hard and wery Iourneyes ne my body to be remâ—ued oute of this place And lord I recommaunde to the my chambryere whiche hath suffred soo moche payne for me and for my broder whome I may not here see I byseche the to make me worthy to se hym in thy regne And whanne she had fynysshed her prayer she passed oute of this world and wente to oure lord whanne her chambryere sawe that her maystresse was deed she beganne to wepe by cause she had nothyng necessary to bury her with The sayd man thenne sente a cryat thorugh the Cyte that all grete and smale shold come see the strauÌ„ge woman that was there deed And incontynent alle the peple ranne and she was buryed honourably And this same day is the feste of saynt Sauyne that was wyf of saynt Valentyn knyght whiche was byheded vnder Adryan themperour by cause he wold not sacryfyse to thydollys Thus enden the liues of saint Samen martir and of Sainne his sustir Here foloweth the lif of seine Lowe And first of thinterpretacion of his name EOwe or Lupe is somme sekenes in the legge whiche behoueth a medycyne For hit is a maladye that regneth and vseth the flesshe And also hit is sayd a maner of fysshe that is on the water and on the londe And it may not drowne by no force of water And thus maye be expowned saynt Lowe For he vsed and strayned his propre flesshe by penaunce For he was lyke the lupe of the water and of the erth For he duellyd in the waters of dâ—lyâ—es of rychesses and of temptacions and myght not drowne among these waters in no wyse ¶ Of saynt Lupe or Lowe SAynt Lupe or Lowe was borne at OrleauÌ„ce And was of the ryal lygnage And by the resplendysshour of his grete and many myracles and vertues He was made Archebisshop of Sense And gaf alle that he hadde to poure peple And on a day whanne all was gyuen It happed that he hadde boden many men to dyne with hym And thenne his mynystres sayd that there was not wyn half ynough for the dyner And he answerd to them he that fedeth the byrdes of heuen shall performe hisâ— haryte of wyne And anone after come a messager to the yate that sayd to them that there were a reyued to fore the yate an honderd Mâ—es of wyne On a tyme they of the Courte sayd euylle of hym by cause that he had with hym a vyrgyn of oure lord whiche was doughter of his predecessour And as they sayd he loued â—eramour and spake moche despytously and ouer dysatemperately And whanne he herd these thynges he tooke the vyrgyne and kyssed her to fore alle the detractours and euylle sayers and sayde that no straunge ne euyll wordes ennoye ne hurte no man whanne his owne conscyence defoylleth hym not And by cause he knewe well that she loued well Ihesu Cryste and purely therfor this hooly man louyd her with a ryght pure thought On a tyme whanne the kyng Clotayre was kyng of Fraunce and entred in to Burgoyne he sente his styward ageynst them of sens for to assyege the Cyte ¶ Thenne Lupe entred in to the chirche and beganne to rynge the clock And whanne thenemyes herd it they had so grete drede that they supposed neuer to haue escaped fro thennes but that they shold haue deyde alle but yf they fledde and at the laste the stywarde of Burgoyne was taken â— And whanne he was taken ther was another styward sente in to Burgoyne cam to Sens And by cause saynt lupe had gyuen to hym no gyftes he had grete despyte And diffamed hym to the kyng so that the kynge sente hym in to exyle And there he shone by myracles and vertues And in the mene whyle they of Sens slewe a Bisshop whiche had taken the place of saynt lupe ¶ And after they impetred of the kyng that saynt Lupe retorned fro exyle And whanne the kyng sawe that he was wrongly doo to he was chauÌ„ged by the grace of god that he knelyd to fore the saynt and requyred pardon And restablysshed hym ageyne in his chirche and gaf to hym many fayr yeftes On a tyme as he cam to parys a grete coÌ„panye of prysoners cam ageynste hym theyr bondes broken And alle the dores of the pryson open On a sonday as he songe masse A precious stone fylle doune fro heuen in to his chalyce the whiche he gaf to the kynge whiche he helde for a noble relyque On a tyme the kyng Clotayre herd saye that the Clockes of saynt Steuâ—n of Sens had a merueylous swetenes in theyr sowne And sente for them and tooke them fro thens and dyde doo brynge them to Parys by cause he wold here the sown of them but it displeased moche to saynt Lupe And as sone as they were oute of the Cyte they lost
the loue of god withoute takynge of ony reward There was a lady whiche had spente al her goodes in medycyns and cam to these sayntes and anone was heled of her sekenesse and thenne she offrid a lytell yefte to saynt Damyan but he wold not receyue it And she sware and coniured hym by horryble othes that he graunted to receyue hit And not for couetyse of the yefte but for to obeye to the deuocion of her that offred it And that he wold not be sene to despyse the name of our lord of whiche he had be coniured And whanne saynt Cosme knewe hit he commaunded that his body shold not be leyd after his dethe with his broders And the nyght folowynge our lord apperyd to saynt Cosme and excused his broder And whanne Lysyas herd theyr renommee he made them to be callyd to foâ—e hym and demaunded their names and their countrey And thenne the holy martyrs sayd Our names ben Cosme and Damyan And we haue thre other bretheren whiche he named Antyne Leonce and Euprepye Our countreye is Arabye but Crysten men knowe not fortune Thenne the preconsul or Iuge commaunded them that they shold brynge forth theyr bretheren And that they shold alle togyder doo sacryfyse to the ydollys And whanne in no wyse they wold do sacryfyse but despysed thydollys he commaunded they shold be sore tormentid in the handes and feet And whanne they despysed his tormentys he commaunded them to be bounden with a chayne and throwen in to the See But they were anone delyuerd by thaungell of oure lord and taken oute of the See and cam ageyne to fore the Iuge And whan the Ingr sawe them he sayd ye ouercome our grete goddes by your enchauntementes ye despyse the tormentis and make the see peasyble Teche ye me your wytchecraft And in the name of the god Adryan I shall folowe yow And anone as he had said this two deuyls cam and bete hym gretely in the vysage And he cryeng sayd O ye good men I praye yow that ye pray for me to our lord And they thenne praid for hym And anon the deuyls departed Thenne the Iuge sayd Loo ye may see how the goddes had indignacion ageynst me by cause I thonght to haue forsaken them but I shal not suffre my goddes to be blasphemed And thenne he commaunded them to be cast in to a grete fyre But anone the flamme sprange ferre from them and slewe many of them that stode by And thenne they were commaunded to be puâ—te on a torment named Eculâ—e but they were kepte by the Aungel of our lord And the tormentours tormentid them aboue alle men And yet were they taken of with oute hurt on gryef and foo cam all hole to fore the Iuge Thenne the Iuge commaunded the thre to be put in pryson And made Cosme and Damyan to be crucyfyed and to be stoned of the peple but the stones retourned to them that threwe them and hurted wounded many of them Thenne the Iuge replenysshed with woodenesse made the thre bretheren to stande by the Crosse And commaunded that foure knyghtes shold shote arowes to Cosme and Damyan but the arowes retorned and hurted many and dyd no harme to the martirs And whan the Iuge sawe that he was confused in alle thynges he was anguysshous vnto the dethe and dyde doo byhede all fyue bretheren to gydre Thenne the crysten men doubted of the word that saynt cosme had sayd that his broder shold not be buryed wyth hym and as they thoughte theron there cam a voys whiche cryed and sayd they ben al of one substaunce berye them all to gydre in one place And they suffred deth vnder Dyoclesyan aboute the yere of oure lord two honderd four scorâ— and seuen It happend that an husbond man after that he had laboured in the felde aboute repynge of his corn he slepte With open mouthe in the feld And a serpent entryd in by his mouthe in to his body thenne he awoke felte no thynge and after retorned in to his hows And at euen he beganne to be tormented and cryed pytously and called vnto his helpe the holy sayntes of god cosme and damyan and whanne the payne and anguysshe encreced he wente to the chirche of the sayntes and fylle sodenly a slepe and thenne the serpent yssued oute of his mouthe lyke as it had entryd There was a man that shold haue gone a longe vyage and recommended his wyf to cosme and Damyan and lefte a token with her that yf he sente for her by that token she shold come to hym And the deuylle knewe well the token transfygured hym self in the fonrme of a man and brought to the woman the signe of her husbond sayd thyn husbonde hath sente me fro that cyte to the for to lede the to hym And yet she doubted for to goo wyth hym and sayd I knowe wel the token but by cause he lefte me in the kepynge of the sayntes cosme and Damyan Swere to me vpon theyr aulter that thou shalt brynge me to hym surely And thenne I shalle goo with the And he sware lyke as she hadde sayd Thenne she folewed hym And whan she cam in a secrete place the deuylle wolde haue throwen her doune of her hors for to haue slayne her And when she felte that she cryed to god and to the sayntes cosme and damyan for help And anone these sayntes were there with a grete multytude clothed inn whyte and delyuerd her and the deâ—ylle vanysshed away And they sayd to her we ben Cosme and Damyan To whoos othe thou byleuedest Therfore we haue hyed vs to come to shyn helpe Felyx the eyght pope after saynt gregory dyd doo make a noble chirche at Rome of the sayntes Cosme and Damyan and ther was a man whiche serued deuoutely the hooly martirs in that chirche whome a Canâ—â—e had consumed al his thye And as he slepte the hooly martirs Cosme and Damyan apperyd to hym theyr deuoute seruaunt bryngynge with them an Instrument and oynement of whome that one sayd to that other where shal we haue flesshe whan we hane cutte aweye the roten flesshe to fylle the voyde place Thenne that other sayd to hym Ther is an ethyopyen that this day is buryed in the chircheyerd of saynt peter ad vincula whiche is yet fresshe late vs bere this thyder and take we oute of that moryans flesshe and fâ—ll this place with all And soo they fette the thye of this dede man and cutte of the thye of the seke man and soo chaunged that one for that other and when the seke man awoke and felte no payne he put forthe his honde and felte his legge withoute hurte And thenne tooke a Candel and sawe wel that it was not his thye but that hit was another And when he was well come to hym self â—e sprange oute of his bedde for ioye and recounted to al the peple how hit was happed to hym and that
late vs deuoutely praye this hooly fader saynt Fraunceis to be oure socoure and ayde in our aduersytees and peryllys and helpe that by his merytes we maye after this short lyf come in to euerlastynge lyf in heuen Amen ¶ Thus endeth the lyf of saint Fraunceis Here foloweth the lyf of saint Pelagyeune And first of hir name PElagyenne is said of pelagus whiche is as moch to saye as the see For in the See alle waters habounde In lyke wyse habounded she in the See of this world of alle Rychesses and of delyces She was the See of Inyquyte and the flood of synnes but she plonged after in the See of teeres And weesshe her in the Flood of baptysme Of saint Pelagienne PElagyenne was the formest and noblest of the wymmen of Antyoche fulle of Rychesses in all thynges She was ryght fayr of body noble of habyte vayne and varyable of courage and not chaste of body On a tyme as she wente thorugh the Cyte with grete pryde and ambycion that ther was no thynge sene on her but gold and syluer and precious stones And oueral where as she wente she fylled thayer with dyuerse odours and swete smellys And to fore and after her wente a grete multitude of yonge men and maydens whiche were also clad with ryght noble vesture and ryche And an hooly fader whiche was named â—onnon bisshop of leopoleos whiche now is called daunete passyd thorugh the Cyte and sawe her Thenne he beganne to wepe ryght bytterly by cause she hadde more cure to plese the world than she hadde to plese god And thenne fylle doune vpon the pamente and smote therthe wyth his vysage and wette it with his tâ—erys and sayde O moost hyhe god haue pyte on me synnar the adournemeÌ„t and araye of one comyn woman hath surmounted in one day alle the wysedome of all my lyf O lorde late not tharray of one woman of folye coÌ„fouÌ„de me tofore the syght of thy dredefull mageste She hath arayed her self wyth hyhe studye and alle her myght for erthely thynges And I had purposed lord to haue pleased the but I haue not accomplysshyd it by cause of my neclygence Thenne he sayd to them that were with hym In trouthe I saye to yow that god shalle sette this woman in wytnes ageynst vs in the dome by cause that she soo besyly paynteth her for to plese worldly frendes louers ¶ And whanne we ben neclygent for to please the heuenly spouse oure lorde god And whanne he hadde sayd these or semblable wordes He fylle sodanly a slepe And hym semed that a foule douue or black culuer flewhe about hym whyles he was at masse at aulter And whanne he commaunded that they that were not baptysed shold departe and goo their way this douue departed anone and cam ageyne after the masse and was plungyd in a vessel ful of water wente out all clene and whyte and flewhe vp soo hyghe that she myght not be sene And thenne he awoke ¶ On a tyme whanne he prechyd in a chirche Pelagyenne was present She thenne becam so repentaunt that she sente hym a lettre by a messager thus sayenge To the hooly Bisshop of Ihesu Cryst Pelagyenne disciple of the deuylle et cetera yf thow art veryly the disciple of Ihesu Cryste the whiche as I haue herd sayd descended from heuen for the synners Vouchesauf to receyue me repentaunt synful woman To whome the Bisshop sente ageyne I praye the not to tempte my humylyte For I am a synfulle man yf thow desyrest to be saued thow mayst not see me allone but among other men thow shalt see me Thenne she cam to hym to fore many and tooke his feete And moost bytterly wepynge she sayd I am Pelagyenne the See of Inyquyte Flood of synnes the Swalowe of perdycyon And the deuourer of sowles I haue deceyued many by deceytes whiche now alle I abhorre ¶ Thenne the Bisshoppe demaunded her sayenge what is thy name She sayd I haue be called fro my byrthe Pelagyenne But for the pompe of my clothynge men calle me Margaryte Thenne the Bisshop receyued her benyngnly and enioyned to her helthfull penaunce And enformed her in the drede of god dylygently And Regenered her by hooly baptysme The deuylle thenne cryed there sayenge O what vyolence I suffre of this old seruaunt of God O vyolence O euylle old age acursyd be the day in whiche thow were born contrary to me For thow hast taken aweye my grettest hope On a nyght whyles Pelagyenne slepte the deuylle cam to her and awoke her and sayd Lady Margaryte what harme dyde I euer to the haue I not aourned the in alle Rychesses and in alle glorye I praye the telle me wherynne I haue angryd the and I shalle amende it anone I requyre the leue me not leste I be made reproche vnto the Crysten peple thenne she blessid her blew on hym And the deuylle vanysshed away And the third day after she assembled alle the goodes that she had and gaf hit to the poure peple for the the loue of god And a lytell whyle after she fled awey by nyght without knowlege of ony persone and tooke thabyte of an heremyte and set her self in a lytell celle and there seruyd our lord in moche grete abstynence and was of moche grete and good renommee vnto alle the people and ladde a ryght hooly lyf and good And was called broder Pelagyen After a Deken of the same bisshop that had baptysed her wente to Iherusalem for to vysyte there the hooly places Thenne that bisshop sayd to hym that after the vysytacion of the hooly places he shold see he a Monke that was named pelagyen and that he sholde vysyte hym For he shold fynde there the trewe seruaunt of our lord And soo he dyd And anone she knewe hym but he knewe her not for the grete lenesse that she had And Pelagyen demaunded hym haue ye a bisshop And he sayd ye lady And she sayd to hym Say to hym that he praye for me For truly he is thappostle of Ihesu cryste And thenne the preest departid and came ageyne the thyrdde day But whanne he cam he knockyd atte dore of the celle and anone answerd he opened the wyndowe and sawe that she was deed Thenne he cam and told hit to the bisshop thenne the Bisshop and the clergye and all the monkes assemblyd for to doo thexequyes for this holy man And whanne they hadde taken the body oute of the celle they fonde that she was a woman And thenne they merueyled gretely And gaf thankynges vnto god and buryed the body moche honourably the eyght day of October the yere of oure lord two honderd and foure score Thus endeth the lyf of saint Pelagien Here foloweth of saint Margarite saide Pelagyen â— And first of her name THis virgyne Margaryte hadde tweyne names She was called Margaryte and Pelagyen In soo moche as she was named Margaryte she is alwey
assoylled hym of his auowe of which he sent to hym a bulle vnder leed And enioyned hym in penaunce to yeue the goodes that he shold haue spente in his pylgremage to dedes of charyte and to reedyfye som chirche of saynt peter and endowe hit with sufficient lyuelode And thenne the messagers receyued the popes blessynge And retorned in to Englond cam vnto the kyng at westmestre and whan the kyng vnderstode how he was assoylled of his auowe And how they had spedde he was glad thanked almyghty god our hooly fader the pope There was an hooly man a recluse in the dyocyse of worceter whiche knewe no thynge of the counceyll assemblyd vpon the gouernaunce of the lande ne of tha uowe of the kynge ne of the message sente to Rome To whome saint Peter appyerid in a nyght said to hym how kynge Edward had sente to Rome to be assoylled of the auowe that he made when he was beyonde the see and he hath grete conscyence by cause his counceylle wol not suffre hym taccomplysshe hit in goyng in his propre persone to Rome wherfor thow shalt wryte to hym in my name gyue hym knowlege that he is assoylled by myn auctoryte fro the bonde of his auowe And how he shall haue in commaundement of the pope for his penaunce to yeue suche goodes as he hath ordeygned for his exspensis to poure men and to make a newe Abbay in thonour of saynt Peter or to repayre an old one and tendewe it suffyciently and wryte to hym that by the same token that he chaas me somtyme to his patrone in Normandy that he repayre the Abbaye called Thorney in the west syde of the Cyte of london whiche somtyme I halowed my self And late hym sette therin Monkes of good conuersacyon For fro that place shall be a ladder stratchyng in to heuen And Aungels descendynge and ascendynge berynge vp to heuen to oure lord the prayers of meke and deuoute men ¶ And to him that ascendeth by that ladder I shalle opene the yates of heuen lyke as our lord hath enioyned me by myn offyce and I shal lose them that ben bounden and receyue them that ben vnbounde Alle this that thow hast herd of me thow shalt wryte it and sende it to kynge Edward whiche thenne was many a myle thens And the Messager that cam fro this Anker or recluse cam to the presence of the kynge the same tyme that the Bisshops cam fro Rome And when the kynge hadde receyued the lettres that cam fro Rome with grete reuerence and redde them he thanked God that he was soo clerely releced of the bonde of his auowe And thenne he commaunded the lettres of the Recluse to be redde And when they were redde and sawe they were acordynge to the lettres that cam fro Rome he humbly thanked god saynt peter his patrone and Incontynent disposid hym to fulfille his penaunce And began to repayre thabbaye that he was assigned to repayre by the glorious appostle saint peter and yaf largely almesse to poure peple fraunchysed al Englond of the trybute that was vsyd yerely to be payd to the danes for euermore On a tyme when kyng Edward was at westmynstre ther cam to hym a Crepyl born in Irlond whiche was named Gylemychell And this Crepyl had no feet but wente vpon his handes knees hauyng in either hand a lytel stole to go with His legges were bothe bent backward and cleuyd to his thyes and his toes grewe fast to his buttokkes This Crepyl entrid boldly in to the kynges palais and cam to the kynges chambre dore And one Hulyn the kynges chamberlayn demaunded hym shurply what he dyde there To whome the crepil seid lette me not I pray you for I must nedes speke to the kynge For I haue be out of this londe sixe tymes to vysyte the hooly Relyques of the holy appostle seint peter to th entent for to be heled and saynt peter denyed me not but badde me goo in to englond late the kyng bere me on his back in to the Chirche of saynt Peter theÌ„ne I shal be made parfyghtly hoole which thynge was tolde to the kyng by the same Hulyn anone the kyng had pyte on the poure man and desdeygned not but took hym on his sholdres bare hym whom the crypel beclypped with his fowle skabby hondes armes soo in the beryng his synewes losed were retchyd oute And of kyrnellys botches of his face of scurffys ther ranne grete plente of blood and atter on the kynges clothes whiche was tolde to the kynge also that he was al hoole but the kyng took none hede therto but bare hym to the hyhe aulter and ther he was sette doune on his feet was made parfyghtely hoole to ryde or go whyder he wold but the kyng wold in no wyse haue this myracle ascrybed to hym but yaf to hym a reward bad hym go to rome thanke god his holy appostle saint peter In the tyme of kynge Athelberte whiche regned in kent And Sygebert in myddelsex whiche were conuertid to the faythe of Cryst by saynt Austyn whiche Athelbert made in london within the Cyte a noble ryall chirche in thonoure of seynt Powle in whiche saynt Austyn ordeyned saynt Mellyte to be bisshop of that Cyte whiche thynge was not satisfyed with that good dede but thought And also did do make another chirche in the west ende of the Cyte whiche theÌ„ne was called Thorney now is named westmynstre whiche chirche he prayd Mellyte for to halowe in thonour of saynt Peter and the nyght before that he had purposed to halowe it saynt Peter appyered to a fisshar in Temse bad hym set hym ouer fro stangate to westmynstre And he prayd the fysshar to abyde hym there tyll he come ageyne he wold well rewarde hym for his labour And soone after the fysshar sawe saint Peter entre in to the Chirche with a grete lyght whiche lyght endured contynuelly as longe as he was in the chirche And a certeyne space after he retorned to the fysshar axynge hym yf he hadde ony mete to ete And the fysshar was soo gretely abasshed of the lyght that yssued oute of the chirche with hym that he durste not speke to hym To whome soynt Peter sayde Broder drede the not I am a man as thow art hast thow take ony fysshe he sayd nay For I haue awayted on yow alle this nyght whyle ye haue ben in the chirche And thenne they entryd in to the bote And saynt Peter commaunded hym to caste out his nette And whanne he had so done there cam soo grete a multitude of grete fysshys in to his nette that vnnethe they myght drawe vp the nette for brekynge And whan they were come to lond Seynt Peter deuyded the fysshes and â—adde the fysshar bere the grettest vnto Mellyte Bisshop of London and delyuer it to hym And telle to hym
aromatike had flowed oute of the Tombe And they fonde the palle that lay next hys body as hoole and as fayre as it was whan he was buryed And whan the palle was take of they drewe forthe his armes they moeued his fyngers and his toes and they were bowyng and hoole as they hadde be newely buryed And in his flesshe was fouÌ„den no corrupcion but it was faire fressh of colour pure and bryghter than glas whytter than snowe And it semed a body gloryfyed And they fered to discouere his vysage but gundulph whiche was hardyer than another with deuocion vnbonde his hede And the first that appyeryd was the fayre hoor here of his hede thenne he thought to take some therof for a relyque with reuerence drede plucked ther at but he coude none haue out for they were as fast as they were when he was a lyue TheÌ„ne said thabbot ffader suffre hym to lye in reste ateÌ„tpte not to mynuysshe that that our lord hath so long prescruyd kept hole Thenne the palle in whiche the holy body was wrappid was taken awey and another of the same valure was fette the holy body leid therin couerd ageyne his tombe with ful grete reuerence abydyng the grete resurection How vengeaunce was shâ—wed to a damoiselle that blasphemyd saynt Edward In the Cyte of london there was a noble woman whiche was ryÈt connyng in sylke werke whiche was desyred tembrawdre certayne garmentes to the countesse of gloucettre whiche thenne was yong lusty fresshe and newely wedded wold haue them made in short space And when the festful day of saynt Edward approchyd this noble woman was sore troublid in her mynde for she dradde thyndignacion of the grete lady yf her garmentes were not redy at tyme sette And also she dradde to werke on the day of saynt Edward for it was bothe synful perillous Thenne she sayd to a yong damoiselle that was felawe with her wrought in the same werke what thynke ye best now either to displese this lady or els this good saynt Edward and she answerd is this not that Edward whom the chorles of the countrey worshipe as he were a god she saide yet more what haue I to do with hym I wyl no more worshipe hym than yf he were a chorle theÌ„ne this noble woman was sore abasshyd and moeuyd with her that said suche wordes of blasphemy to this holy saynt And she all to bete her forto be in pees she of frowardnes blasphemyd hym more more thenne sodenly she was smeton wyth a palsey so that her mouthe was drawen to her ere also she had lost her speche foomyd atte mouth lyke a bore gruÌ„ted her teeth to gydre merueylously was sore punysshed in all her membris whan this noble woman sawe thie she was ful heuy that she had beten her by cause almyÈty god had so punysshed her wepte ful bytterly whan hit was knowen in the cyte her neyÈbours cam some for to comforte her some to wondre vpon her so lyeng theÌ„ne ther cam a worshipful man to visyte her counceiled that she shold be caryed by water vnto the shryne of saint edward to pray to god ther that by the merytes of the hooly saynt Edward he wold shewe some myracle for her and whan she was so brought thyder moch peple praid for her but they had not their entent anon but abode in her prayers tyl mydnyght that matyns began and thenne they praid the Monkes to praye for her And whan they hadde done matyns they come to the shryne also praid for this damoiselle whiche lay there in full grete payne torment whan the holy monkes had praide for her a good whyle thenne this damoyselle arose vp al hole demanded why they wepte and made so moche sorowe And whan they sawe hir mouth in his ryght place al hir membrys restored ageyne they were full of ioye yaf laude thankynges vnto almyghty god to his holy kyng Confessoure saint Edward How a Monk was heled of a feuer quartane In thabbay of westmynstre ther was a vertuous monke and connyng named Gylberd whiche was sore vexyd with a feuer quartane fro the moneth of Iuyl to Crystemas consumed lyke a drye ymage wherfor he praide god to relece his payne or take hym oute of thys world And on Cristemasse nyghte he toke herte to hym and wente to matyns with his bretheren And whan he herd the gospell how a lytell chyld was borne and yeuen to vs fro the fader of heuen whos moder was a pure vyrgyne he hadde so grete deuocion that his mynde was rauysshed with so grete ioye that he felte no dysease two dayes after And after tho two dayes the feuer cam ageyne and vexyd hym contynuelly vnto the fest of saint Edward whiche is alwey in the vygyle of the pyphanye that daye in the hyhe masse tyme he cam to the tombe of saint Edward fyll doun plat in grete deuocion wepyng sayd thus O thow my lord and my kynge how long wilt thou forgete me how long shall I suffre this payne how long shalt thou torne thy face fro me where ben alle the grete myracles that our faders haue told to vs done in theire dayes thou hast holpen many straungers but me that am in thyne owne chirche thow forgetest And closest to me the yate of thy pyte wold god that I myÈt deye I am norisshed in payne may not deye my lyf is sorowe to me but it can haue none ende I desyre deth can not haue it what shal I stryue with the but I beseche the good kyng laudable prynce swete patrone moeue thy bowellis of mercy on me yf it plese the yeue me helthe or els late me deye anon amoÌ„ge these wordes the teres brake oute of his eyen and sobbynges fro his herte that he coude not speke with hys mouthe but with his affection And whan masse was done he aroose vp fro prayer alle hoole and felte alle his membrys merueylously refresshyd with a newe strengthe And entryd in and axyd after mete and drynke anon he felte hym self that he had receyued ageyne his strengthe And euer after he was moeued with grete deuocion vnto the glorious saynt Edward by whoos merytees he was delyuerd fro his sekenes and dysease And in lyke wyse a knyght named Geryn was heled that same day a yere after of the feuer quartane whiche cam that same day vnto the shryne herde the same Monke that had soo be heled whiche thenne was pryour make a sermon in whiche he told of the myracle how he was hoole And after the Sermon this knyght thought he wold not ceesse but deuoutely pray this holy saynt tyll he were hole and abode there prayenge alle that daye and nyghte folowyng tyl the Monkes cam to matyns whome he praid to
commaundyng hym to take vp the bodyes and burye them in his howe which old man took a cosyn of his an olde woman whiche â—uâ—llyd with hym in his celle went to the place where they had ben biheded And by cause it was nyghe to the Ryuer they myght lyghtely be broughte to the Celle by water but they hadde no ship ne bote redy ne they couth not the craft of rowyng ne had the strengthe to brynge them ageynste the streme of the Ryuer And whan they cam to the place they fonde the bodyes of the sayntes and a bote redy in the ryuer ordeyned by our lord Thenne they hauynge hope and trust in oure lord eche of them tooke vp a body of the martirs And wente frely withoute burthen in suche wise that it semed to them that they bare no berthen but that they were borne of the berthens And they entryng with the holy bodyes in to the litil boote withoute ores gouernayl that myght be sene ageynst the stronge streme of the flood were brought vnto the ryuage of his celle and there buryed them in his oratorye And where the persecucion of them ceessed the honoure of them was shewed to the peple by myracles In suche wyse that a grete chirche was afterward maade in thonoure of the holy sayntes of trewe Crysten peple thenne late vs praye to them that they pray for vs etcetera ¶ Thus endeth the martirdome of the holy saintes Crispyn and Crispynyan Here foloweth of the holy Appostles Symon Iude And first of their names SYmon is as moche to saye as obedyent or beynge in heuynes And he hadde a double name He was sayd Symon Zelotes And Symon Cananean of cana a strete that is in galilee there where as oure lord conuertid the water in to wyn And Zelotes is as moche to saye as canamen This holy man had in hym obedyence of the commaundements by execucion heuynesse by pyte of tormente And had loue of Sowles by ferme ardour of loue Iudas is as moche to saye as confessyng or glorious or Iudas is as moche to seye as gyuynge ioye For he had Confession of faythe glorye of Regne and glorye of the euerlastynge ioye This Iudas was called by many names He was sayd Iudas Iames For he was broder to Iames the lasse And he was callyd Thadee whiche is as moche to saye as takynge a prynce or Thadee is sayd of Tharea that is a vesture and of deus that is god For he was vesture ryal of god by ornament of vertues by whiche he took crist the prynce He is sayd also in thystory Ecclesiaste Lebeus whiche is as moche to say as herte or worshipper of hert Or he is said Lebeus of Lebes that is a vessel of herte by grete hardynesse or a worshipper of herte by purete a vessel by plenytude of grace For he deseruyd to be a vessell of vertues and a cawdâ—on of grace And Abdyas Bisshop of Babyloyne by the Appostles ordeyned wrote their passion and Legende in greke And the disciple of Abdyas translated it oute of greke in to latyn And was named Affrycan ¶ Of the holy sayntes Symon and Iude SYmon Cananyen Iudas thaddee were bretheren of Iames the lasse and sones of Marye Cleophe whiche was maryed to Alpheus And Iude was sente of Thomas to the kynge Abagar of Edysse after thascencion of oure lord And it is redde in the Hystorye Scolastyque that the sayd Abagar sente a pystle vnto oure lord Ihesu Cryst in this maner Abagar the sone of Euchanye To Ihesu blessyd saueour whiche appiereth in the places of Iherusalem sendeth salutacion I haue herd of the and of the helthes and recouerynges that thou makest and dost ben withoute medycynes and her bys And that thou makest the blynde to see by thyn only word and the lame go the mesels to be cured and made hole and the dede bodyes to lyue ageyne whiche thynges herd of the I wene in my courage that thou arte one of two that is that thou art god that arte descended from heuen for to do this or that thou arte the sone of god that dost suche thynges wherfore I praye the by wrytynge that thow wylt trauayle so moche as to come to me and hele me of my maladye Of whiche I haue be longe vexed And I haue herd saye that the Iewes murmure ageynst the and lye in a wayte ageynst the Come therfor to me For I haue a lytell Cyte but it is honeste And shall well suffyse to vs bothe Oure lord Ihesus answerd â—yn by wrytynge in these wordes Blessyd art thou that hast byleuyd in me whanne thou hast not sene me It is wreton of me that they that see me not shalte byleue in me And they that see me shall not byleue Of that thow hast wreton to me that I shalle come to the me behoueth taccomplysshe that whiche I am sente fore And after to be receyued of hym from whome I am sente whan I am ascended I shalle sende to the one of my disciples to hele the and quykene the This is wreton in Historia Ecclesiastica And whanne Abagar sawe that he myght not see god presently after that it is sayd in an Auncyent Historye as Iohan damascene witnesseth in his fourth boke He sente a payntour vnto Ihesu Cryste for to fygure thymage of oure lord to th ende that at leste that he myght see hym by his ymage whome he myght not see in his vysage And whan the payntoure cam by cause of the grete splendour and lyght that shone in the vysage of oure lord Ihesu Cryst he coude not beholde it ne couthe not counterfete it by no figure And whan oure lord sawe this thyng he toke fro the payntour a lynnen clothe and set it vpon his vysage and enprynted the very physonomye of his vysage therin And sente it vnto the kynge Abagar whiche so moche desyred it And in the same History is conteyned how this ymage was fygured It was well eyed well browed a longe vysage or chyere and enclyned whiche is a signe of maturyte or rype sadnes ¶ That Epistle of oure lord Ihesu Cryste is of suche vertu that in the Cyte of Edysse no Heretyk ne no paynym may lyue therynne ne none Tyraunt maye greue hit For yf ony people come ageynste that Cyte by force of Armes A Chyld shalle stande vpon the gate And shal rede that Epystle And that same daye eyther thenemyes shalle flee and ben aferd or they shalle make pees wyth them of the Towne And as is sayd this hath ben done But thys Cyte hath ben sithe taken of the Sarasyns and touched In suche wyse that for the multyplyeng of synnes this benefayt is lost Also it is redde in thystorye ecclesiastyke that whan oure lord was ascended in to heuen thomas thappostle sente thaddee that was Iude vnto the kynge Abagar accordyng to the promesse of oure lord And whan he was comen to hym And had told to hym that he was
stones as other The day of purifycacyon of our lady ne were riche vesture of golde but after the ensaumple of the blessyd vyrgyne marye she bare hyr sone in hyr armes and a lambe and a candel and offred it vp humbly and by that she shewyd that the pompe and boâ—anunce of the world shold be eschewyd And that she conformed hir vnto the vyrgyne marye and whan she came home she gafe to somme poure woman the clothes in which she went to chirche She was of so grete humylite that by the consentyng of hir husbond she submysed hyr self in the obedyence of mayster conrade a poure man and a smalle but he was of noble scyence and parfyte relygyon and she dyd it wyth ioye and reuerence that whyche he commaunded for to haue the merite of obedyence lyke as god was obedyent vnto the dethe ¶ ON a tyme it happed that she was called for to goo to prechyng and the marquyse of messence came vpon hir by whome she was lette and myght not goo thyder wherfore he helde hym euyl apayed and wold not relece hir obedyence tyl that she was despoyled to hir smocke with somme of hir chamberers whyche were culpable and that he had strongely beten them she dyd so grete abstynence that at the table of hyr husbond emonge the dyuers metes that were there she Wold not ete but brede She toke soo grete rygour on hir self that she wexyd leâ—e for maister conrade deffendyd hir that she shold not touche the metes of hir husbond of whiche she shold not haue an hole conscience and she kepte thys commaundemente wyth so grete dylygence that whan other habounded in delyces she ete with hir chamberers grosse metes On a tyme whan she had sore traueyled in goyng there were broughte to hyr and to hir husbond dyuers metys and were supposed not wel gooten of good and Iuste labour wherfore she refused them and took hyr refectyon of an harde broune loof tempryd wyth water and for this cause hir husbond assygned a pencyon to hyr by whyche she and hyr chamherers consentyd for to lyue by and hir husbond suffryd al in pacyence said he wolde gladly do soo yf he doubted not to angre his meyne and she that was in souerayn glorye desyred thestate of souerayne pouerte to th ende that the world shold haue no thynge in hir and that she shold be poure lyke as Ihesu Cryste had been and whan she was allone wyth hyr chamberers she wold clothe hyr wyth poure vestementes and vyle and sette a poure vayle vpon hyr heed and sayd thus shal I goo whan I shal come to the estate of pouerte And though she dyd abstynence yet was she lyberal to the poure soo that she myght not suffre that ony had mysease but gaue to theym aâ—le largely She entented wyth alle hyr power to the seuen werkys of mercy she gaue on a tyme to a poure woman a right good vesture and whan thys poure woman sawe that she had soo noble a yefte she had soo grete ioye that she fyl doun as deed and whan the blessyd elysabeth sawe that she was sory that she had gyuen to hir soo noble a yefte and doubted that she was cause of hir dethe and prayed for hir and anone she aroos alle hoole And she spanne ofte wulle wyth hyr chamberers and made therof clothe so that of hir propre labour that she gafe to the chyrche she receyued gloryous fruyte and gafe good ensaumple vnto other On a tyme whan hyr husbond landegraue was goon to the courte of the emperour whyche was thenne at cremone she assemblyd in a garnere alle the whete of the yere and admynystred parte to eueryche that came from alle partyes and that tyme was grete derthe in the contree and ofte whan hyr lacked money she solde of hyr aournementes for to gyue to the poure peple but for al that she gaue the garners mynysshed not ne lassyd She dyd doo make an hows grete vnder we castel where she receyued and nowrysshed grete multytude 〈◊〉 poure people and vysyted theym euery day and she lefte not to vysyte them for ony sekenes ne maladye that they had but she wesshe and wyped them wyth hyr owne handes how be hyt that hir chamberers wold not suffre it And yet more ouer thenne she dydde do nourysshe in hyr hows powre wymmens chyldren soo swetely that they alle called hyr moder She dyd do make sepultures for pour people and wente deuoutely vnto the dethe of them and wold burye them wyth hyr owne handes in the clothes that she had made And ofte tymes broughte the shete wherin she laye for to wynde the deed bodyes therin and was at the dethe of them moche deuoutelye and emonge thyse thynges the deuocyon of hyr husbond was moche to be preysed for how wel he was ocupyed in his other thynges Neuerthelesse he was deuoute in the seruyce of god and by cause he myght not hym self entende personably vnto hys thynges he gaue ful power to his wyf to alle that shold be to the honour or to the helthe of theyr sowles And the blessyd saynt elisabeth had grete desyre that hir husbond shold enploye hys puyssaunce to deffende the feythe of god and aduysed hym by debonayr admonestemens that he shold goo vysyte the holy londe and thyder he wente and whan he was there this deuoute and noble prynce ful of feyth and of deuocion rendryd hys spyrite vnto almyghty god and so deyed receyuyng the glorious frute of his werkys and thenne she receyued wyth deuocyon the state of wydowed and whan the dethe of hir husbond was publysshed and knowen thorugh alle thurynge Somme of the vayssalles of hyr husbond helde hir for a fool a wastresse of hyr goodes and threwe hyr out of hyr herytage and by cause hir pacyence were more clere and that she had the pouerte that she had longe desyred She wente thenne by nyghte in to the hows of a tauerner in the place where the pottes laye and gaue grete thankynges to god and at the hour of matyns she came in to the hows of frere menours and prayed them that they wold gyue lawde and than kynges to god for hyr trybulacyon And the day folowyng she came wyth hir lytel chyldren to a place and in to the hows of one hyr enemye and thenne was delyuerd to hyr a strayte place for to dwelle in and whan she sawe that she was moche greuyd of the hoost and hoostesse thenne she salewed the walles and sayd I shold gladly salewe the men but I fynde them not thus she beyng constraynte by necessyte she sente hir smale chyldren here and there for to be nourisshed in dyuers places and retorned hyr self in to the fyrst place and as she wente there was a strayte weye vpon stones and a depe myre vnder and ful of fylthe and as she passed she mette an olde woman to whome she had doon moche good tofore and this olde woman
this childe this is the sone of Inobedyence therfore beware ye brethern for I haue doon this in myn olde age I praye you praye ye for me and thenne he retorned in to his celle and came ageyn to his fyrst astate and in lyke wyse as another olde man sayd to another I am as a deed man and that other sayd to hym truste neuer to thy self tyl thy sowle yssue out of thy body For yf thou say that thou arte deed neuerthelesse thyn enemye the fende is not deed There was a brother whiche had synned and was sente by hys breâ—hern to the abbot moyses And he toke a basket ful of grauel and came to them they demaunded hym what it was and he sayd thyse been my synnes that renne after me and I see them not and I am thys day comen to deme the synnes of a straunger They heryng this spared their brother A lyke thynge is redde of the abbotte tofore hym For whan the brethern spake of a brother that was culpable he helde hym stylle and spake not And after toke a sacke ful of grauell and bare it behynde hym the moost parte and a lytel tofore hym they demaunded hym what it was and he sayd the moste parte ben my synnes whiche I bere behynde me them I consyder not ne sorowe for them And thys lytel that I haue before me been the synnes of my brethern whiche I consydere alday and Iuge them how be it I shold alweye bere myn owne synnes tofore me and thynke on them praye to god for them that he wolde forgyue me them whan thabbot moyses was made clerke and the bysshop had ordeyned thoffyce he said to hym now thou arte made alle whyte and moyses sayd wythinforth or wyth outforth Thenne the bysshop wolde proue hym and sayd to hys câ—erkys that whan he shold come to the aulter they shold wrongfully put hym fro hit and folowe hym and here what he wold say and anone they put hym aweye and sayd lo hym goo out thou ethyopyen and as he wente oute he sayd they haue doon wel to the â—oule wretche for to defoule and doo dspyte to the For sythe thou arte no man what presumest thou to be emonge the men thys sayd he to hym self Hec in vitas patrum ¶ Thus endeth of the abbotte moyses ¶ Here foloweth of Saint Arsenye WHan arsenye was yet mayster in the paleys of a prynce he prayed vnto god that he wold addresse hym vnto the weye of helthe soo that in a tyme he herde a voys that sayd to hym arsenye flee the companye of men and thou shalte be saued thenne he wente and took vpon hym the lyf of a monke and as he prayed there he herde a voys sayeng arsenye flee hens speke not and reste the It is redde in the same place as to coueyte this reste that there were thre monkes newe made and the first of them chaas for to brynge men that were at debate and in dyscorde to reste and pees The second for to vysyte seek men and the thyrd for to reste in wyldernesse and in deserte The fyrste man that laboured to sette them at accorde that were at debate coude not plese al men was wery and greuyd and halfe ouercome cam to the second and fonde hym al mate and fayllyng for werynesse myÈt not performe that he had emprysed and thenne by assente they two came to the thyrd that was in deserte and whan they had tolde their trebulacions to hym he put water in a cuppe and sayd loke and beholde this water they sawe that it was thycke and troubled and sone after he sayd see hyt now how it is now fayr and 〈◊〉 and whan they loked therin they saw theyr vysages therin and thenne he sayd who so euer dwelle emonge the men he may not for the multytude of peple see his synnes but whan be resteth thenne he may see his synnes And on a tyme ther was a man fonde another in deserte etyng herbys and grasse alle naked as a beest and he ranne after hym and that other fledde and he that folowed sayd abyde and tarye for I folowe the for the loue of god and that other sayd I flee fro the for goddes sake and that other caste aweye his mantel fro hym and thenne he taryed and sayd by cause thou haste throwen the matere of the world fro the I haue abyden the And thenne he axyd of hym how shal I be saued and he answerd and said flee fro the companye of men and saye noo thynge There was a noble lady whiche was olde came for to see thabbot arsenyen by deuocyon and theophybe the archebysshop prayed hym that he wold suffre that she myght see hym â—ut he wolde not graunte hym in noâ— wyse and at the laste she wente vnto his cellâ— and fonde hym without tofore his dore and she fyl doun to hys feet and he toke hir vp wyth grete Indygnacyon sayeng to hir yf thou wylte see my face see and she for grete shame and confusyon consydered not his vysage To whome he sayd how durst thou presume vpon the that arte a woman to make suche a vyage thou shalte now goo to Rome and say to other wymmen that thou hast seen arsenyen and they shal also come for to see me and she sayd to hym yf god wyl that I retorne to Rome I shal neuer styre woman to come to the but onelye I praye the that thou praye for me and alweye remembre me and he sayd to hir I praye to god that he put out of my herte the rememberaunce of the and whan she herde that she was moche angry and came in to the cyte and beganne to tremble and shake for sorowe in the feuers or accesse and whan the archebysshop knewe it he wente for to comforte hir and she sayd I deye for sorowe and heuynesse and the archebysshop sayd to hir knowest thou not that thou arte a woman and the fende ouercometh holy men ofte tymes by wymmen And therfore the olde man sayd to the those wordes how be it he prayed alweye for thy sowle and thenne the woman was comforted and was alle hoole and retorned home to hir owne hows ¶ Also it is redde of another olde fader that whan his dyscyple sayd to hym Thou arte woxen alle olde fader lete vs now goo dwelle nerre to the world and he sayd lete vs goo thyder where as no woman is and his dyscyple sayd where is ony place but that wymmen been therin saufe in deserte to whome he sayd Thenne brynge me in to that deserte There was another brother which whaÌ„ he bare his moder ouer the water he wonde his hondes in his mantell To whome she sayd wherfore hast thou couerd thy handes so my sone to whom he answerd the body of a woman is as fyre that brennyth and by cause the mynde of other wymmen shold not come in my remembraunce therfore I doo it ¶ And
laus honor sit tibi rex xpeÌ„ and the emperour was presente and hit plesyd so mâ—che to themperour that he toke hym out of prison and restablysshed hym in to hys see The messagers of mychel themperour of constantynople brought yeftes to lowys the sone of charles and emonge al other they brouÈt the bookes of saynt denys of the Ierarchye of aungellys translated out of greek in to latyn and he receyued them wyth grete ioye And thenne were there aboute a twenty seek men of dyuers maladyes whiche al were helyd that nyght in the chyrche of saynt denys And whan lowys was dede Lothayr helde th empyre and lowys charles his brethern made a bataylle ageynste hym where there was so grete occysion of one and other that there had neuer tofore ben suche in no tyme in fraunce atte laste it was accorded that charles shold regne in fraunce Lowys in almayne and lothayr in ytalye and in the parte of fraunce whyche is named Lorayne and after that he lefte the empyre to Lowys hys sone whiche was emperour after hym and he took the habyte of a monke And it is sayd in a cronycle that serge was thenne pope whych tofore was named os porcy that is to saye the mowth of aswyn but his name was chaunged and was called Sergyus and fro than forthon it was ordeyned that alle the popes shold chaunge their names by cause our lord chaunged the name of hym that he chaas to be prynce of thappostles For as they be chaunged in name soo shold they be chaunged in perfeccion of lyf and by cause that thys man was chosen in to a noble offyce he shold not be defouled by a dyshoneste name In the tyme of this lowys in the yere of our lord viij hondred and xvj as it is sayd in a cronycle in the paroche of magonce a wycked spyrite smote on the walles of the howses as it had be wyth hamers and spake openlye in sowyng dyscordes and tormented so the peple that in what hows he entrid anone the hows brennyd and whan the preestes sayd the letanyes he caste at them stones and greuyd them cruelly and atte laste he confessyd that whan holy water was caste he hydde hym vnder the cope of a certeyn preest as his famylyar accusyng hym that he had synned wyth the doughter of the procurour In that tyme the kyng of bulgarys was conuerted vnto the feythe was of so grete perfectyon that he made his oldest sone kyng and he hym self toke thabyte of a monke but his sone gouerned hym so yongely the he toke ageyn the ryte and lawe of the paynyms thenne his fader reprised his knyghthode pursyewyd his sone toke hym put hym in prison and thenne he ordeyned his other sone to be kynge reprised his habyte ageyn It was sayd that in ytalye that tyme in the cyte of bryxe it rayned blood thre dayes that same tyme cam in to fraunce brezes or locustes Innumerable whiche had vj wynges syxe longe feet two teeth harder than ony stone fledde by companyes as armed men by the space of a day iourneye stratchyng a four myle or fyue myle brode they deuoured al thyng that was grene in trees and in herbys and came vnto the see of brytaygne but in th ende they were drowned in the see by force of the wynde but the hete of thoccean see threwe them to the ryuage and the ayer was corumped of their rotyng and therof ensewed a grete famyne and grete mortalyte that almoste the thyrd parte of the peple perysshed and deyed And after thys the fyrste otto was emperour in the yere of our lord ixC and xxxviij and as thys otto on an ester day had ordeyned a grete feste to his prynces tofore they were sette a sone of one of the prynces in the maner of a chylde toke one of the messys of mete fro the borde the keruar smote the chylde with his fyste and slewe hym And he that had the chylde in kepyng sawe that and slewe hym anone that had slayne the chylde and whan themperour wold haue dampned hym without audyence he toke themperour and threwe hym to the grounde and wold haue strangled hym and with grete payne he was taken from his handes and after themperour made hym to be kepte and sayd that he hym self was culpable and to blame and for the honour of the feste he lete the man goo frely his waye after thys fyrst otto the second otto succeded whan the ytalyens had ofte tymes broken the pees bytwene them and the romayns he came and made a grete comune feste to al the barons bysshoppes and grete lordes and whan they were al sette at dyner he enuyronned them al wyth men of armes and thenne he made his compleynte and dyd doo name them that were culpable by wrytyng and anone dyd doo smyte of her heedes there And vnto alle the other be made good chere and moche honoured theym And Otto the thyrd came after hym the yere of our Lord ix hondred foure score and ten And he had to surname the meruaylle of the world And as it is sayd in a cronycle he had a wyf whyche wold haue been loue or lemman vnto an erle And he wold not consente to hyr Wherfore she had soo grete malyce vnto hym that she dyffamed hym in suche wyse vnto hyr husbond the Emperour that he commaunded to smyte of hys heed wythout hauyng ony audyence But tofore he was byheded he prayed his good wyf that she sholde shewe hym Innocent not gylty by the preef of hote yren and thenne after came a day that the emperour shold do right to wydowes and to orphanes And thenne thys wydowe came and brought the heed of hir husbond bytwene hyr armes and demaunded of what dethe he ought to haue that had slayne a man wrongefully And he sayd that he ought to haue hys heed smyton of and thenne she sayd thou arte he that hast slayne my husbonde by the false entysemente of thy wyf Innocentlye and that I shal preue that I sawe trouthe by the beryng of thys brennyng yron And whan the emperour sawe that he was al abasshed and gaue hym self to be punysshed in to the handes of the woman Neuerthelesse by the prayer of the bysshoppes and of the barons the emperour took terme of ten dayes and after of viij and after of seuen and after of vj tyl the cause was examyned the trouthe knowen Thenne themperour the cause examyned and the trouthe knowen dyd doo brenne his wyf al quycke gaue to the wydowe foure castellys for hys redempcyon whyche castellys been in the bysshopryche of lymencis and been callyd the termys of the dayes And after this emperour reygned Henry which was duc of lauyer in the yere a M ij and gaue his suster named Geysyle to the kynge of hungarye in maryage that same kyng al hys peple she conuerted to
how be it that he was tendre yonge of eage yet semyd to be aunciente in maners condycions courage whan he was ledde in to catheloygne a prouynce of the royame of arragon with hys two brethern in ostage or pledge for the delyueraunce of the sayd kyng theyr fader he gaue hym self so fermelye to the studye that in seuen yere while he was pledge he prouffyted soo moche in the feuen sciences in holy scripture that the same goddes man resplendysshyng in wytte myght not not onely dispute subtylly in publyke and a parte of the sayd sciences but also durste coude propose the worde of god solempnelye vnto the peple and before clerkes In so moche that men supposed and byleued better that god had sente and enspyred hym wyth suche scyence than hit had be goten by hym humaynlye he confessed hym ofte and dylygentelye and herde the deuyne seruyce deuoutelye and on the solempne and hygh holy dayes with grete preparacion he receyued the body of our lord and whan he was preest he celebred as dayly herkened moche ententyfly the word of god and for the nourysshyng of his sowle he gladly and ofte studyed the holy deuoute scriptures fro the tyme of his chyldehode he loued chastyte so that for the moost sure kepyng of hym self he fled eschewed the companye of al wymmen in so moche that he spake to none sauf onely to his moder and with hys susters yet selde He chastysed his body by abstynence of mete drynke made it lene dyscyplyned it as another saynt paule with chaynes of yron right ofte wyth his owne handes and he puttyng his flesshe vnder the seruytude of the spyryte ware for a shyrte a stamyn or streyner clothe for gyrdel he gyrded hym on his bare flesshe wyth a corde This holy man thenne remembryng his vowe to entre in to thordre of the frere menours by hym maad â—â—yng in ostage as it is sayd in the prouynce of catheloygne purposed to accomplysshe it but he seeyng that for fere of the sayd kynge his fader the freres durst not receyue hym he solempnelye renewed the sayd vowe and by no maner of persuacion admonestyng ne for ony prouysion that pope boneface had made gyuen to hym he wold not assente to forsake it whiche deuocyon consyderyd by thassente of the sayd pope this holy saint bowes toke thabyte of religyon of the said freres menours knelyng made expresse professyon in the prefeÌ„ce of IohÌ„n bisshop of portuence which as thenne was mynyster general of the same ordre Meruayllous moche wonderful thynge it is not acustomed to be seen for the same holy saynt fylled with vertues renounced to the right of the first borne defpyted the pompe or worshyp of the syege rayl for the wyame temporal corruptyble chaunged gate the royame pardurable and ful of al manere delyces He had meeuayllous compassyon on the poure peple to whome largelye he dalte hys almoses Thys holy saynt Loyes as goddes plesure was 〈◊〉 pope bonyface promoted hym to the dygnyte of bysshop and not wythstondyng he neuer chaunged hys habyte but dylygentelye excerced the offyce of bysshop ¶ He celebred deuoutelye the ordres examyned dylygently in lyf in condycyons and in the artycles of the feythe and he louyng feruentelye the feythe wyllyng and euer redy to enhaunce it persuaded admonested ententyfly the Iewes and paynyms to baptesme and at the laste tâ—ys gloryous saynt tendyng to god fonteyn quycke and lyuyng nyghe the terme of hys dayes lyeng on hys bedde seek wyth his laste sekenesse took and deuoutelye receyued the precyous body of our lord and how be it that he was ryght feble he yssued from his bedde ageynst his creatour and anone after he passed right gloryously oute of thys world to the glorye of paradyse wherfore it was wel behoueful and resonable thynge that he in whos lyf duryng god aourned wyth soo many vertues and good condycyons shold be ennobled and honoured of many myracles after hys dethe the whyche myracles are approued and testefyed by the worthy people of the feyth and are declared herafter to the honoure glorye of the sayd Saynt A mayden of two yere of age the whyche was agreuyd with a stronge axes whiche she had suffred by the space of two yere deyed and passyd fro thys world hyr fader besoughte the saynt for hyr lyf and anone by the merytes of the saynt she was reysed and restoryd on lyue A chylde of fyue yere of age by ouer grete force of an axes deyed vowe by hys fader made for hym to the saynt was restoryd ageyn vnto lyf A mayden of seuen yere of eage whiche had suffred an axes contynuel deyed and vowe made vnto the same saynt by hyr parentes recoueryd the spyryte of lyf and lyued longe after A woman conceyuyng two doughters one of the whiche for cause of a falle that hyr moder receyued ageynst hyr bely deyed within the wombe of hyr moder tyme came that the moder shold be delyuerd of hyr bryâ—he this chylde dede and as thenne aâ—â—e roten by helpe and mysterye of mydwyuee was had oute one pyece after another vowe maad by the fader to the saynt The chylde so dysmembryd was restoryd to lyf and lyued after seuen moneâ—hes Another chylde whyche vnder a bedde was founde deed vowe maad to the same Saynt was the chylde restoryd to lyf ¶ A woman which by grete sekenesse was passed out of this world vowe maad for hyr by hy parentes vnto the saynt recouerd the spyryte of lyf and syâ—hen lyued longe wyth thyse myracles and many other wold god hys saynt to be magnefyed and rendred honourable to alle the world Therfore lete vs praye the holy saynt loyes of marcelle that he wyl praye god for vs AMEN Thus endeth the lyf of saint Loyes of marcelle bisshop And here foloweth the lyf of saint audegonde virgyne IN the thyme of dagoberte kynge of Fraunce whiche reygned about the yere syx hondred was borne saynt audegonde of lygnage ryalle Thys holy audegonde was nourysshed in the seruyce of gods and yet I may say that our lord hym self nourysshed hyr in his seruyce and endoctryned hyr as wel hym self presente by noble vysyons and wonderful as by his aungellys men wymmen relygyous and holy as wâ—l by hyr owne holy suster as by other as it apperyth in hir legende none oughte not thenne to be meruaylled yf she lyued holyly that was scoler of suche a scole whan thenne thys holy audegonde was of eage competente her fader and moder wold haue maryed hyr to a noble man ryche myghty but in conclusyon she answeryd that none other she wold take to hyr lord and spouse but our lord Ihesu cryste to whome of bounte beaute noblesse puyssannce rychesse and wytte may none be compared Saynt wantrud of mouns whiche after the decesse of hyr husbonde Saynt vyncente of Songnyes made hir professyon in
thabbay of nonnes at mouÌ„s whiche she had founded and wrote and prayed to hir moder that she myght haue audegonde hir suster wyth hir for hir dysporte comforte and companye in veray loue and charytee audegonde the holy virgyne was sente thyder and was taughte and endoctryned by hir suster in the manere holdyng of relygyon Fewe dayes after hir moder yet supposyng to haue maryed hir wente there where bothe hyr doughters were and to Audegonde gaue a pyete of lynnen clothe suche as prynces weren and commaunded to hyr that therwyth she shold make shertes shetys and kerchyers for hyr paramours The good virgyn wenyng that hir moder had mente hyr spouse Ihesu cryste took the sayd clothe and therof she made crysmes whyche are put on newe borne chyldrens heedes whan they be borne to the fontes there to be baptysed to whome the preest sayth take thou thys whyte clothynge whiche thou shalte bere tofore the syege trybunal of our lord wherfore the sayd holy vyrgyne to the ende that the shyrtes of hir owne shapyng and making shold be borne to hir spouse Ihesu cryste she made crysmes with hir moders clothe and whan she had made them moche fayre and ryche as for kynges sones she wyth a mery countenaunce gaue them to hir moder sayeng that she had doon it in the beste wyse that she coude whan hir moder sawe the crysmes and hir lynnen cloth thus employed she was moche wroth and euyl apayed and fette a rodde for to bete hir doughter wythal But the blessyd saynt fledde vnto the foreste of mauâ—euge that was there nyghe there she made hyr penytence wyth the comforte and helpe of our lord It is sayd that he whyche by thassente and graunte of hir moder shold haue had hir to his wyf came in to the said foreste for to haue rauysshed hir by force but he coude neuer fynde ne see hyr alle wente he nyghe hyr There she abode vnto the tyme that hyr moder was dede and after she wente to moune where she was sacred vnto a nonne by the handes of Saynt obyer of saynt amande and anone after she bylded founded hyr abbay of mauleuge There was once brouhte to thys holy vyrgyne a grete fysshe whiche she put in to a fountayn for to be kepte there It happed as suche grete fysshes ben acustomed to doo that he lepte so hyghe fro the water that he fyl on the grounde and coude not retourne in to the fontayn On hym cam a grete rauen whiche wold haue ete of hit but there came a lambe that kepte the fysshe fro harme and foughte ageynst the rauen so longe that the ladyes nonnes of the place perceyued the bataylle Somme of them cam to the fontayn toke the fysshe brought it wyth them the said lambe euer folowed them vnto tyme the fysshe was before the presence of saint audegoÌ„de neuer wold departe tyl the holy vyrgyn said to hym ye haue do right wel goo to your herde ageyn On a nyÈt as saint audegonde with hir suster togyder spekyng secretely of their spouse our Lord Ihesu Cryste theyr candyl fyl fro the candel stycke and was put out Saynt audegonde took it and as god wold it lyghted by it self ageyn Item as on a tyme they two wente to gyder toward the chirche of saynt Peter aboute the houre of sexte the yates that as thenne were shytte sodaynlye openyd before them at the Instaunce of theyr orysons and prayers Item ones as she had thyrste was water broughte to hyr whyche was tourned in to wyne by the grace of hym that in galylee dyd tourne the water in to wyne Saynt Wandrud sawe in a vysyon fyue dayes before the dethe of the holy audegonde hyr suster the blessyd vyrgyn marye bothe saynt Peter and saynt powle prynces of the appostles accompanyed wyth many sayntes and a grete legyon of aungellys whyche ledde hyr suster audegonde in to paradyse She therfore came to the place where hyr suster laye seek and was presâ—nte whan she rendred hyr sowle to hir spouse our lord Ihesu cryste to whome we shal praye that thorugh the merytes of the blessyd vyrgyne audegonde of whyche the myracles bothe in hyr lyf and after hyr dethe been wythoute nombre we may come there as she is in glorye without ende Amen ¶ Thus endeth the lyf of saint audegonde virgyne And here foloweth the lyf of saint Aulbyne bysshop SAynt aulbyne was borne of noble lygnage in the partyrs of ytalyâ— In his chydehode he loued and seruyd god ententyfly and wyth so grete wylle that he lefte bothe his fader and his moder his parentys and frendes lande and alle worldely rychesse and became a monke in an abbay callyd in latyn Tincillacense monasterium where he nedyd shewe of his noblesse but onelye the good condycyons He was humble and seruysable vnto alle and was euer in contynuel prayers and replenysshed wyth alle vertues redy and apparaylled to flee and eschewe alle vyces Whan saynt aulbyne came to the eage of thyrty yere he was maad abbotte of the sayd abbay whyche he gouerned bothe temporelle and spryrituel by the space of fyue twenty yere so that our lord was at al tymes wel and deuotelye seruyd and al goodes temporalle dayly grewen there The bisshop of angers deyed that tyme and thenne thys holy saynt aulbyne by the grace and wylle of our Lord and by the comune and concordable assente of alle the chappytre was promoted to the dygnyte of bisshop there where as he was afterwarde knowen so parfyte and so charytable that doubtelesse his promocyon Was cause of the saluacyon of many sowles A Woman there was in the cytee of angyers whyche had hir handes as lame and counterfeyted for cause of a sekenesse that men calle the gowte wherwyth she was sore vexyd she made hyr prayer and demaunded helpe of the saynt and soone she was holpen and releuyd from that sekenesse onelye by that he handelyd thre tymes hyr handes on a tyme as saint aulbyn went thorugh a dowue within his dyocyse he sawe the fader moder wepyng ouer theyr chylde dede toke on them pyte made his prayer vnto our lord sodaynlye their chylde was reysed to lyf Item a blynde man demauÌ„ded helpe of saint aulbyn the holy bisshop made the signe of the crosse ouer â—ym anon he was enlumyned ageyn Item as saynt aulbyn dyd passe on a tyme before the pryson hows at angers the prysonners cryed besought hym for helpe the holy bysshop hauyng on them grete compassyon yede vnto the baylye prayed hym for theym but nought auayled there his prayer wherfore he wente to his chyrche and soone after his prayer made to god knelyng before the hygh aulter a grete parte of the pryson walle fylle doun and soo scapyd euery prysonner there A woman vexyd wyth a wycked spiryte was broughte before thys holy bysshop and assone as the enemye perceyued the holy man he put hym selfe in to the