his doctryne and blessyd in glorye Possidonius bisshop of Calamente compyled his lyf as Cassiodore sayth in the book of noble men Of saynt Austyn doctour and Bisshop SAynt Austyn the noble doctoure was borne in Auffryke in the Cyte of Cratage And was comen of noble kynrede And his fader was named Patryce and his moder Monica he was sufficiently instruct in the artes lyberalle soo that he was reputed for a suffysaunt philosopher and a right noble doctour For he lerned al by hym self withoute mayster in redyng the bokes of Arystotle and alle other that he myght fynde of artes lyberalle And he vnderstode them as he hym self wytnessith in the booke of Confessions sayeng Alle the bookes that ben callyd of the artes lyberall thenne I mooste wretchyd seruaunt of al couetyses redde them by my self allone and vnderstode alle them that I myght rede and alle them of the craft of spekyng and of deuysyng Alle them of dyuysyons of figures of Musyke and of nombres I redde and vnderstode them with oute grete difficulte and withoute techynq of ony man this knowest thow my lord god For the hastynes of myn vnderstondyng and the yefte of lerynge is of the only and cometh of thy name but I haue not sacryfyed to the therfore And therfor scyence withoute charyte edefyeth not but swellyth in therrour of manychâ—ens whiche afferme that Ihesu cryst was fantastyke renye the resurection of the flessh And in the same errour Austyn fylle and abode therin nyne yeres whyles he was an adolescent and was broughte to byleue the truffes and Iapes that saye that the fygge tree wepeth whan his fygges ben taken awey or leues And whan he was xix yere of age he begaÌ„ne to rede in the book of philosophy in whiche he was taught to despyse the â—anytees of the world And by cause that book plesyd hym wel but he beganne to be sory that the name of Ihesu Crist whiche he had lerned of his moder was not therin And his moder wepte ofte and enforced her moche to brynge hym to the veryte of the feythe And as it is redde in the book of Confessions she was in a place moche heuy and her thought that a fayre yong man was to fore her that enquyred of her the cause of her heuynes And she sayd I wepe here the losse of my sone Austyn and he answerd be thou sure For where thou arte he is and she saw her sone besyde her and whan she had told this to Austyn he said to his moder thou arte deceyued moder hit was not said soo but where that I am thou arte and she sayd contrary sone it was not said so to me but where I am thou arte And thenne the moder ententyfly prayd and requyred a bisshop instantly that he wold praye for her sone auguâ—tyn And he beynge ouercomen sayd to her by the voys of a prophete goo thy way surely For a sone of soo many tâ—rys may not by possibilyte perysshe And whanne he had certayne yeres taught Rethoryke in cartage he cam to Rome secretely withoute the knowlege of his moder And assembled there many disciples And his moder hadde folowed hym vnto the yate to make hym abyde or elles that she sholde go with hym And he abode that nyght but he departed secretely on the morn And whan she apperceyued hit she replenysshed the eeres of our lord with clamour And wente in the mornyng and at euen to the chirche and prayd god for her sone In that tyme they of Melane requyred a doctour of Rethoryke of Symache the prefecte of Rome that he myght rede Rethoryke at Melan And that tyme Ambrose seruaunt of god was bisshop of that Cyte and augustyn was sente at the prayer of them of Melane and his moder myght not reste but dyde moche payne to come hym ¶ And fonde hym that he ne was very manachyen ne very catholyque And thenne it happed that augustyn beganne to haunte with saynt Ambrose and ofte herde his predicacions And was moche ententif to here yf ony thyng were sayd ageynst the Manychyens or other heresyes On a tyme it happed that saynt Ambrose disputed ageynste the errour manychyen long and condempned it by open and euydent resons and by auctorytees soo that this erroure was al put oute of the herte of augustyn And what byfelle to hym afterward he reherceth in the book of his confessions and seith whan I knewe the fyrst thou betest awey thynfyrmyte of my syÈte shynyng in me forcybly And I tremblyd for drede of good loue and I fond my self right fer fro the in a Regyon of vnlykelyhode lyke as I herd thy voys fro heuen on hyhe sayeng I am mete of gretenes encreced and thou shalt ete me thou shalt not chaunge me in the as mete of thy flessh but thou shalt be chaunged in me And as he reherceth there the lyf of Ihesu cryst plesyd hym moche well but he doubted yet to goo in suche distresses but our lorde anone putte in his mynde that he shold goo to Symplycyen in whome all dyuyne grace shone for to refrayne his desyres and for to saye to hym what maner was couenable to lyue for to goo in the weye of god in whiche that other wente For all that was done displesyd sauf the swetenes of god and the beaute of the hows of god whiche he loued And Symplycyen beganne to exhorte hym And saynt Augustyn exhorted hym self and sayd how many children and maydens serue in the chirche of god to our lord And mayst not thou doo that they doo in them self and not in their god wherfore taryest thou cast thy self in hym and he shall receyue the and rewarde the And among these wordes Vyctoryn cam to his mynde Thenne Symplycyen was moche gladde and tolde to hym how Vyctoryn was yet a paynym and deserued to haue a grete ymage to his lykenes in the markette of Rome And how he oftymes said that he was a cristen man To whome Symplycyen said I shalle not bileue it but yf I see the in the chirche And he answerd meryly The walles make not a man Crysten At the laste whan he cam in to the chirche he brought to hym secretely a booke wherin the Credo of the masse was bad hym rede And he ascended vppon hyghe with voys on hyghe pronounced it wherof Rome merueyled and the chirche was ioyefull And alle cryed sodenly Vyctoryn Victoryn And anone they helde hir pees for ioye And after that ther cam fro Auffryke a frende of Augustyn whiche was named Poncyen And recounted to hym the lyf and myracles of the grete Antonye that had ben dede before vnder CoÌ„stantyn themperour And by the Ensamples Austyn enforced hym strongly soo that he assailled his felawe Alippe as wel with chere as mynde and cryed strongly what suffre we what here we vntaught peple and folyssh rauysshe and take heuen And we wyth oure connyng and doctrynes plonge synke in to helle And
to symon my fader And my fader sayd to me at his dethe â—e wel ware that for no tormente that ye may suffre telle not where the crosse of Ihesu criste was leyde For after that hit shal be founden the Iewes shal reygne nomore but the crysten men that worshypped the crosse shall thenne reygne And verayly this Ihesus was the sone of god Thenne demaunded I my fader wherfore had they hanged hym on the crosse sythe it was knowen that he was the sone of god thenne he sayd to me fayre sone I neuer accorded therto But gayn said it al were but the pharisees dyd it bycause he repreuyd theyr vyces but he aroos on the thyrd day and his dysciples seeyng he ascended in to heuen Thenne by cause that stephen thy broder byleued in hym the Iewes stoned hym to dethe Thenne when Iudas had sayd thyse wordes to his felawes they answerd we neuer herde of suche thynges neuerthelesse kepe the wel yf the auene demaunde the therof that thou say nothynge to hyr whan the auene had called them and demaunded them the place where our lord Ihesu cryste had be crucefyed they wold neuer telle ne ensygne hyr Thenne commaunded she to brenne them alle but thenne they doubted and were aferde delyuerd Iudas to hyr and sayd lady thys man is the sone of a prophete and of a Iuste man and knoweth right wel the lawe can telle to you al thynge that ye shal demaunde hym Thenne the quene lete al the other goo and reteyned Iudas wythout moo Thenne she shewed to hym his lyfe dethe bad hym chese whyche he wold Shewe to me sayd she the place named golgata where our lord was crucefyed by cause and to the ende that we may fynde the crosse ¶ Thenne sayd Iudas it is two hondred yere passed more I was not thenne yet borne Thenne sayd to hym the lady by hym that was crucyfyed I shal make the perisshe for hungre yf thou telle not to me the trouthe Thenne made she hym to be caste in to a drye pytte and there tormented hym by hungre and euyl reste whan he had been seuen dayes in that pytte thenne sayd he yf I myght be drawen out he shold say the trouthe Thenne he was drawen out and whan he came to the place anone the erthe moeuyd and a fume of grete swettenesse was felte in suche wyse that Iudas smote his hondes to gyder for ioye and sayd in trouthe Ihesu cryste thou arte the sauyour of the world It was so that adryan the Emperour had doo make in the same place where the crosse laye a temple of a goddesse by cause that all they that came in that place shold adoure that goddesse But the quene dyd doo destroye the temple Thenne Iudas made hym redy and began to dygge and whan he came to xx paas depe he fonde thre crosses and broughte them to the quene And by cause he knewe not whiche was the crosse of our lord he leyed them in the myddel of the cyte and abode the demonstraunce of god and aboute the houre of none there was the corps of a yonge man brouhgte to be buryed Iudas reteyned the byere and layed vpon hit one of the crosses and after the second and whan he leyed on hit the third anone the body that was dede came ageyn to lyf Thenne cryed the deuyll in the eyre Iudas what hast thou doon thou hast doon the contrarye that thother Iudas dyd For by hym I haue wonne many sowles and by the I shal lose many by hym I reygned on the peple And by the I haue loste my royame neuerthelesse I shal yelde to the this bountee For I shal sende one that shal punysshe the and that was accomplysshed by Iulyan the appostata which tormented hym afterward whan he was bysshop of Iherusalem and whan Iudas herde hym he cursed the deuyl and sayd to hym Ihesu cryste dampne the in fyre pardurable After this Iudas was baptyzed and was named quyryache And after was made bysshop of Iherusalem ¶ Whan helayn had the crosse of Ihesu cryste and sawe she had not the nayles thrune she sente to the bysshop quyriache that he shold goo to the place and seke the nayles Thenne he dyd dygge in therthe so longe that he founde them shynyng as golde thenne bare he them to the quene and anone as she sawe them she worshypped them wyth grete reuererence Thenne gafe saynt helayn a parte of the crosse to hir sone And that other parte she lefte in Iherusalem closyd in golde syluer and precious stones And hyr sone bare the nayles to themperour And the emperour dyd do sette them in his brydel and in hys helme Whan he wente to batayle This reherceth Eusebe Whiche was bysshop of Cezayr how be it that other say other wyse Now it happed that Iulyan the appostata dyd doo slee quyriache that was bysshop of Iherusalem by cause he had founde the crosse for he hated hit soo moche that where someuer he founde the crosse he dyd hit to be destroyed For whan he wente in batayle ageynst them of perse he sente and commaunded quyriache to make sacrefyse to thydolles and Whan he wold not doo hit he dyd do smyte of his righte honde and sayd wyth this honde hast thou wryten many letters by whyche thou repellyd moche folke fro doyng sacrefyse to our goddes Quyriache sayd thou wood hounde thou hast doon to me grete prouffyte For thou hast cut of the hande wyth whiche I haue many tymes wreton to the synagoges that they shold not byleue in Ihesu cryste and now sythe I am cristen thou hast taken fro me that whiche noyed me thenne dyd Iulyan do melte leed cast it in his mowthe and after dyd doo brynge a bedde of yron and made quyriache to be layed and stratched theron and after leyed vnder brennyng cooles and threwe therin grece and salte for to tormente hym the more and whan quyryache moeuyd not Iulyan themperour said to hym outher thou shalt sacrefye our goddes or thou shalt say at the leste thou arte not crysten And whan he sawe he wold doo neuer neyther he dyd doo make a depe pytte ful of serpentes and venemous bestys and caste hym therin whan he entred anone the serpentes were al deed Thenne Iulyan put hym in a cawdron ful of boylyng oyle and whan he shold entre in to hit he blessyd it sayd Fayre lord torne thys bayne to baytym of marterdom ¶ Thenne was Iulyan moche angry commaunded and that he shold be ryuen thorugh his herte wyth a swerde and in this manere he fynysshed his lyf The vertue of the crosse is declared to vs by many myracles For it happed on a tyme that one enchauntour dysceyued had a notarye and broughte hym in to a place where he had assembled a grete companye of deuylles and promysed to hym that he wold make hym to haue moche rychesse and whan he came
were becomen Crysten cam with their wyues to Iustyn the preest for to receyue baptysme Claudius the emperour whan Cyryll wold not doo sacryfyse dyde do cutt her throte dyde do byhede the other knyghtes And the bodyes were borne wyth the other in to the feld Verane and there buryed And it is to be noted here expressely that Claudyus succeded decyen whiche martred saynt laurence and saynt ypolyte but he succeded not decyan themperour For after the Cronykes Volusyan succeded decyan and galyen succeded volusian And claudius succeded galyen soo it behoueth that galyen had two names that is to wete galyan and decyan and so said Vyncent in his Cronyke and godeffroy in his booke Galyan called one vnto his helpe that was named decyan whome he made Cezar but not emperour so sayth Rychard in his cronyke Of thys martir sayth Ambrose in his preface The blessid martir Ypolyte considered that Ihesu criste was very duke and he wolde be his knyght and had leuer be his knyght than duke of knyghtes And he pursyewed not saynt laurence whiche was put vnder his kepyng but folowed hym soo that in suffryng martirdome he lefte the lawe of the tyraunt and cam and posseded the tresour of very rychesses which is the glorye of the kyng pardurable and perpetuel Ther was a carter named Peter whiche yoked his oxen in the carte in the feste of marye magdalene and folowed his oxen and beganne to curse them And anone the oxen and the cart were smyten with thonder And that same peter whiche had soo cursed was tormented of cruell tormentes For fire took hym so that he brente the senewes and the flessh fro his thye and the bone appered and that the thye legge fyll of thenne he wente to a chirche of oure lady and hyd his legge in an hoole of the chirche And prayd our lady with teres deuoutely for his delyueraunce And on a nyght the blessyd Vyrgyne with saynt Ypolyte cam to fore hym in a vysyon And she prayd to ypolyte that he wold restablysshe peter in his first helthe And anone saynt ypolyte tooke his legge in the hole and tooke and set it in his place like as on graffyth in a tree And he felte soo moche payne in that vysyon that he awoke and cryed so lowde that he awoke alle the meyne and they aroos and tooke lyght sawe that peter had two legges two thyes but they had supposed that it had be illusion they tasted yet yet efte ageyne and saw that he had veryly his membrys theÌ„ne they awoke hym demanded of hym hou it happed And he wende that they had mocked hym And whan he sawe it he was all abasshed yet neuertheles the newe thye was softer than the olde And myghte not wel susteyne his body therwith And by cause this myracle sholde be publysshed he halted an hoole yere And thenne the blessyd Vyrgyne apperyd to hym and saynt to saynt Ypolyte that he shold perfourme that whiche apperteyned to that cure And theÌ„ne he awoke and felt hym self al hool And thenne he entred in to a recluage To whome the deuylle apperid oftyme in the lykenes of a woman naked and ioyned to hym naked And the more he defended hym the more the deuylle approched ner in temptynge hym shamefully And whan he had ben shamefully trauayled of her he took the stole of a preestes necke and gyrd hym with hit And anon the deuyll departed And lefte lyeng there a stynkyng and roten careyne And so greete stenche yssued that ther was none that sawe it but said that it was the body of somme deed woman whiche the deuylle had taken ¶ Thus endeth the lyf of saynt ypolyte ¶ Here foloweth the assumpcion of the glorious vyrgyne oure lady saynt Marye WE fynde in a book sente to saynt Iohan theuangelyst or elles the book whiche is sayd to be apocriphum is ascrybed to hym In what maner the Assumpcion of the blessid Vyrgyn saynt Marye was made Thappostles were departed and gone in to dyuerse Countrees of the world for cause of prechyng And the blessyd lady and Vyrgyne was in an hows by the mount of Syon And as long as she lyued she vysyted all the places of her sone with grete deuocion that is to say the place of his baptysme Of his fastyng of his passion of his sepulture of his resurection and of his ascencion And after that Epyphanes sayth she lyued four and twenty yere after thascencion of her sone And he sayth also whan our lady had conceyued Ihesu Cryste she was of the age of fourten yere And she was delyuerd in the xv yere And lyued and abode with hym thre and thyrty yere And after his dethe she lyued foure and twenty yere And by this acompt whan she departed oute of this world she was lxxij yere old but hit is more probable that whiche is red in another place that she lyued after the ascencion of hyr sone twelue yere And soo thenne she was lx yere old And on a day whan alle thappostles were sprad thurgh the world in prechyng the gloryous vyrgyne was gretely esprysed and embraced with desyre to be wyth her sone Ihesu Crist And her courage eschaufed was moued And grete habundaunce of teres ranne without forth by cause she had not egally the comfortes of her sone whiche were withdraweÌ„ from her for the tyme And an angell cam to fore her with grete lyght and salewed her honourably as the moder of his lord sayenge Al hayll blessid Mary receyuyng the blyssyng of hym that sente his blessyng to Iacob lo here a bowhe of palme of paradis lady whiche I haue brought to the whiche thou shalt commaunde to be born to fore thy bere For thy sowle shalle be taken fro thy body the thirdde day next folowyng And thy sone abydeth the his honourable moder To whome she answerd yf I haue founde grace to fore thyn eyen I pray the that thou vouchesauf to shewe to me thy name And yet I praye the more hertely that my sones and my bretheren thappostles may be assembled with me soo that to fore I deye I may see them with my bodely eyen And after to be buryed of them And they beyng here I maye yelde vp my ghoost to god And also yet I praye and requyre that my spyryte yssuyng oute of the body see not the horryble ne wycked spyryte ne fende And that no myght of the deuylle come ageynste me And thenne the Aungel sayd lady wherfor desyrest thow to knowe my name whiche is grete and merueylous All thappostles shall assemble this daye to the and shal make to the noble exequyes at thy passyng And in the presence of them thow shlat gyue vp thy spyryâ—â— For he that brought the prophete by an heer fro Iudee to Babylone may withoute doute sodenly in an hour bryng thappostles to the And wherfor doubtest thou to see the wycked spyrytes sythr thou haste broken vtterly his heed And
is to wete of that he caÌ„ in humayne nature to the world of that he cometh to the IugemeÌ„t dome as it apperith in thoffyce of the chirche of this tyme And therfor the fastynges that ben in this tyme ben of gladnes and of Ioye in one partie that other partie is in bitternesse of herte By cause of the comyng of our lorde in our nature humayne they ben of Ioye gladnes And by cause of the comyng at the day of IugemeÌ„t they be of bitternes heuynes As towchyng the comyng of our lord in our bodyly flessh we may considre thre thynges of this comyng That is to wete thoportunyte the necessyte the vty lyte The oportunyte of comyng is takeÌ„ by the reson of the man that first was vaynquysshyd in the lawe of nature of the defaulte of the knowlege of god by whiche he fyll in to euyll errours therfore he was coÌ„strayned to crye to god IlluiÌ„a oculos meos that is to saye lord gyue lyght to myn eyen After cam the la we of god whiche hath gyuen coÌ„mandement in whiche he hath ben ouercome of Impuissance as first he hath cryed ther is non that fulfilleth but that comaÌ„deth for ther he is only taught but not delyuerd fro synne ne holpeÌ„ by grace therfore he was coÌ„strayned to crye ther laketh non to comande but ther is none that accoÌ„plisheth the coÌ„mandement TheÌ„ne cam the sone of god in tyme whaÌ„ maÌ„ was vaynquysshid of ygnorance ImpuissauÌ„ce to the yf he had so comeÌ„ to fore ê‘auenture man myght saye that by his owne merites he myght haue be saued thus he had not be bouÌ„de to yeld thankes to god The ij thynge that is shewd vs of this comyng is the necessyte by reson of the tyme of whiche thappostle poul speketh ad galatas the iiij chapitre At vbi venet plenitudo temê‘is whan the plenitude or ful tyme of the grace of god was ordeyned theÌ„ne he sente his sone that was god sone of the virgyne wyf whiche was made subget to the lawe To that that they be subget to the lawe he bought hem agayn were receyued sones of god by grace of adopcion Now saith saynt austyn that many demande why he cam not rather he answerth that it was by cause that the plenytude of tyme was not come whiche shold come by hym that all thynges were ordeyned made after whan this plenitude of tyme cam he caÌ„ that of tyme passed hath delyueryd vs To that we shal be delyueryd of tyme we shal come to hym where as no tyme passeth but is perpetuite The iij thyng that is shewde to vs of this comyng is the vtylyte proufit that cometh for the cause of the hurte sekenes generall For syth the maladye was general the medecyne must be general wherof saith saynt Austyn that thenne cam the grete medecyn whan the grete maladye was thurgh all the world wherof the holy chirche remembreth in vij Antemmis that ben songen to fore the natyuyte of our lord where the maladye is shewd in diuerse maners And for eche demaÌ„deth remedye of his maladye of the phisicyen For to fore the comyng of our lorde we were ygnorant blynd bounden to payne ê‘durable bonde to the deuyll Alyed to hym by euyll custome of synne ywrapped in derkenes dryuen out of our contrey and therfore we haue grete nede of a doctour or techer of ayenbyar of a delyuerer of a conduyter of a lighter or Illuminer and of a Sauyour ¶ Therfore thenne that we were ignorant we had nede that we were of hym taught and lerned ¶ And therfore we crye in the first Antheme O sapiencia que ex ore altissimi prodisti et cetera ¶ O sapience souerayne whiche art descended fro the mowthe of the most hye Come to vs teche vs the waye of prudence And for as moche as it is ouer lytyl to vs for to be taught we demaÌ„de in the secoÌ„de Antheme to be agayn bought saye O adonay dux domus israhel cÌ„ veni ad redimendum nos in brachio extenso O thou souerayn syre prynce of the hous of ysrahel come ayenbye vs by thy puyssanÌ„ce wyth armes stratched but lityl shold it prouffyt vs for to be taught ayenbought yf yet we were holden in pryson fast shette And therfore we demande to be delyuerd sayeng O radix iesse veni ad liberandum iaÌ„ noli tardare O Rote of Iesse come delyure vs tarye not And what auaylleth vnto prysoners to be bought agayn delyueryd yf they were not vnboÌ„den fre to goo where they wolde lytyl shold it prouffyte there fore we demaunde that we may be vnbouÌ„d losed fro all bonde of synne whan we crye in the fourth Antheme O clauis dauid cÌ„ O keye of dauid that closeth that noman may opene and openest that noman may shytte Come to vs cast the prisoner out of the pryson that sytteth in derkenes shadowe of deth For they that haue ben longe in pryson derk places may not se clerly but haue theyer eyen dym Terfor after we be delyueryd fro pryson it behoueth that our eyen be made clere our sight illumyned for to see whyder we shold goo therfore we crye in the fyfth antheme O oriens splendor lucis eterne veni illumina sedentes in tenebris et vmbra mortis O Oryent that art the resplendour of theternal lyght come and Illumyne them that sytte in derkenes shadowe of deth yf we were taught lighted vnbounde bought what shold it auaylle to vs but yf we shold be sauyd And therfore we requyre to be sauyd therfore we saye in the two last Anthemes the vj the vij we demande to be saued whan we crye O rex geÌ„cium veni et salua homineÌ„ quem de limo formasti O thou kynge of peoples come saue the man that thou hast fourmed of the slyme of therthe in the seuenth O emanuel rex et legifer noster ueni ad saluandum nos domine deus noster o emanuel that art our kynge berar of our lawe our lord our god come and saue vs The proufyte of his comyng is assigned of many sayntis in many maners For luke saith in the fourth chapytre that our lord was sent and came to vs for vij prouffytes where he saith the speryte of our lord on me whiche he reherseth by ordre he was sente for the comfort of the poure to hele theym that were seke in synne to delyuere theym that were in pryson to teche theym that were vncunnyng to foryeue synnes to bye agayn al mankynde And fore to yeue reward to theym that deserue it And saynt Austyn putteth here iij prouffytes of his coÌ„myng seyth In this wretchid world what haboundeth but to be born to laboure to deye Thyse ben the marchaÌ„dyses of our region and to this marchaÌ„dyses the
noble marchant IhuÌ„s descended And by cause all marchans gyue take they gyue that they haue take that they haue not Ihesu Cryst in this marchandyse gaf toke he toke that whiche in this world habouÌ„deth that is to wete to be born to laboure to deye he gaf agayn to vs to be born spirituelly to aryse to regne pardurably And he hym self cam to vs to take vyloÌ„nyes to gyue to vs honour to suffre deth to gyue vs lyf to take pouerte to gyue vs glorye Seynt Gregore putteth iiij causes of the prouffyte of his comyng sayeng Studebant omnes superbi de eadeÌ„ stirpe progeniti â–ª prospera vite presentis appetere Aduersa deuitare ob probria fugere gloriaÌ„ sequi They of the world in their pryde desceÌ„ded of the same lignage studyed to desire the prosperite of this present lyf teschue thaduersites to fle the reproefs and shames tensiewe the glorye of the world and our lord cam encarnate emong them askyng sechyng the aduersitees despytyng the prosperitees embrachyng vyloÌ„nyes fleyng all vayne glorye And he hym self whiche desceÌ„ded froÌ„ glorye caÌ„ he comeÌ„ taught newe thynges And in shewyng merueylles suffrid many euyll seynt bernard putteth other causes saith that we trauayll in this world for iij maner of maladyes or sekenes For we beÌ„ lyghtly deceyued Feble to doo well frayll to resiste ayens euyll yf we entende to doo wel we faylle yf we doo payne to resiste the euyll we ben sourmounted and ouercome for this the comyng of Ihesu Cryst was to vs necessarye To that he enhabiteth in vs by faith he enlumyneth our eyen of the herte And in abydyng with vs he helpeth vs in our maladye in beyng with vs he deffendeth our fraylte ayenst our enemyes Of the secoÌ„de comyng whiche shal be atte last IugemeÌ„t Two thynges ben to be seyne that is to wyte that whiche cometh to fore the Iugement And that whiche shal be atte Iugement As fore the first thre thynges shal be to fore the IugemeÌ„t First the terrible coÌ„fusion of signes tokenes SecoÌ„dly the malyce the deceyte of Antecryst and the thirde of the uehemeÌ„t merueyllous operacioÌ„ of the fyâ—e As touchyng the signes saynt luke saith in the xxv chapitre EruÌ„t signa in sole luna stellis cÌ„ Ther shal be grete signes in the sonne in the mone in the sterres in therthe oppression of peple anguysshous for the confusion of the sowne of the see of the wawes The in first signes beÌ„ determined in the booke of thapocalips in the vj chapitre Sol factus eÌ„ niger tanquaÌ„ saccus cilicinus luna facta eÌ„ sicut sanguis stelle cecideruÌ„t suê‘ terram TheÌ„ne shal be the tyme that the sonne shal be black as a sacke groos rude the mone shal be as blood the sterres shal falle on therthe The sonne is said derke for as moche as he is depriued of his lyght as though he wepte for the deyeng of men For saynt Austyn saith that the vengeaÌ„ce of god shal be so cruel at the day of dome that the sonne shal not dar beholde it Or as for to speke of the propre signyficacion spirytuelly to be vnderstoÌ„den is that the sonne of Iustice IhuÌ„ Cryst shal be theÌ„ne so derke that noman shal dar knowe hym The heueÌ„ is here takeÌ„ for thayer And the sterres be called of this heuen whiche haue symylytude semblauÌ„ce like sterres And after the comyne langage men saye that they falle fro heuen whaÌ„ they descende vnder the heueÌ„ and in that the scripture coÌ„fermeth to the maner comyne of spekyng And theÌ„ne shal be made suche oppression For the qualyte of the fyre shal halouÌ„de strongly this shal our lord doo for the terrour fâ—re of the synners Or the sterres shal be said to falle for by cause they caste out Rayes of fyre Or by cause ther be many that seme clere as sterres theÌ„ne shal fal fro the faith Or that they witthdrawe theyr light that they ne may be seen lytil or nought Of the fourth signe the whiche shal be the pressure thaÌ„guysshe that shal be vpon therthe saith seynt Mathew in the iiij chapitre that theÌ„ne shal be suche tribulacioÌ„ that neuer was none so grete seen vpoÌ„ therthe syth the world begaÌ„ ne neuer shal be The v signe shal be the coÌ„fusion that shal be on the see herof saye soÌ„me ymagyne that the see shal perysshe by a grete brekyng of his first qualite that is to saye of his puis sauÌ„ce vertue accordyng to that saynt IohnÌ„ saith in thapecalips in the xxj chapitre Et mare IaÌ„ noÌ„ est And as touchyng to his qualites of his wawes of rysyng other accidens And after this that some other saye the fown shal be moche grete For it shal gyue out a merueyllous grete noyse bruyt For the see shal be lyft vp xl cubites aboue the montaygnes And after shal aswage goo doun Or to speke after the lettre playnly after the sentence of saynt gregore TheÌ„ne shal the see be made newe And troublyng of the wawes that neuer were herd lyke Now we haue that saynt Iherome sheweth to vs in the yerly historyes of thebrews xv signes tokenes the whiche shal come byfore the IugemeÌ„t but he declareth not yf they shal shewe contynuelly or yf ther shal be space bytwene them The first signe is that the see shal aryse fyfteÌ„ cubytes aboue the heyght of the moÌ„taynes in beyng in his place as a wall The ij day the see shal desceÌ„de so lowe that vnnethe it shal be seen The third signe the grete fysshes as whales other shal appiere a boue the water shal crye vnto the heueÌ„ And god only shal vnderstonde their crye ¶ The fourth signe shal be that the see and water shal brenne The fyfte signe that the trees and herbes shal gyue dewe of blood and in the v day diuerse clerkys afferme that all the byrdes of thayer shal asseÌ„ble in a felde euerych kynde by them self shal not ete ne drynke but shall abyde the comyng of the Iuge in grete feer The vj signe the edefices byldyngig shal falle doun in this vj day thondres tempestis ful of fyre shall growe in the west where the sonne goth doun ayenst the firmameÌ„t in rennyng to the eest The vij signe the stones shal smyte hurtle to gydre shal cleue in foure parties eche partye shal smyte other ne none shal vnderstande ne here the sowne but god only The eyght signe shal be the moeuyng general tremblyng of therthe whiche shal be so grete as it is said that noman ne beste shal not mow stoÌ„de theron but falle to the ground The ix signe Alle the erthe shal be eueÌ„ playn And all the montaygnes and valeyes shall be brought in to pouldre be all lyke The tenth day the
meÌ„ shal yssue out of the caues shal goo by the wayes feldes as men alyened out of their witte And shal not conne speke one to another Te xj day the bones of dede men shal yssue out of their beryels places shal hold theym vpon their sepulcres fro the sonne rysyng vnto it goo doun the sepulcres shal be open to th ende that the deede bodyes may all yssue The xij· signe all the sterres shal fall fro the heueÌ„ shal sprede out Rayes of fyre theÌ„ne grete quantyte shal growe In this xij daye it is said that alle the beestes shal come to the felde howlyng shal not ete ne drynke The xiij signe alle lyuyng shal deye to th eÌ„de that they shold aryse with the dede bodyes The xiiij day the heuen therthe shal breÌ„ne The xv day shal be a new heueÌ„ new erthe all thing all dede meÌ„ shal aryse The ij thyng that shal be a fore IugemeÌ„t shal be the folye malice of aÌ„tecryst he shal payne hym to deceyue all men by iiij maners The j maner shal be by suasion false exposicion of scripture For as moche as he may he shal gyue theym to vnderstaÌ„de that he is Messyas whiche was promysed in the lawe that he sold come whom we saye IhuÌ„ Cryst he shal destroye the lawe of IhuÌ„ Cryst shal ordeyne his lawe in allegyng dauid the prophete that saith CoÌ„stitue dnÌ„e legislatoreÌ„ suê‘ eos Thus shal he saye that it was said for hym as he that was ordeyned of god for to sette lawe vpon his place After this that is seid in the scripture of danyel danielis xj dabuÌ„t abhominacioneÌ„ desolacioneÌ„ teÌ„pli cÌ„ Antecryst his coÌ„plices shal gyue abhominacion desolacion to the teÌ„ple of god in this tyme as saith the glose Antecrist shal be in the teÌ„ple of god as god for that he shal destroye the lawe of god The seconde maner shal be by merueyllous oê‘acion of myracles wherof saith thappostle saynt poule in his secoÌ„de epistle ad thesaloniceÌ„ses in the seconde chapitre where he saith Cuius aduentus erit secunduÌ„ operatio nem sathane iÌ„ omnibus verbis et prodigijs mendacibus Of Antecryst it is said that the comyng shal be after the operacioÌ„ of sathan in all his signes in all his merueylles and false lyeng dedes wherof saynt Iehan maketh mencioÌ„ in thapocalips the xiij chapitre Fecit signa vt etiam ignem faceret de celo in terram descendere Antecryst shal make suche signes that is to seye he shal make suche tokenes that he shal make the fyre descende fro heuen The glose saith that lyke as the holy goost descended in likenes of fyre In lyke wyse shal Antecryst gyue the euyl spirite in lykenes of fyre Te thyrde maner that he shal doo for to deceyue shal be in gyuyng of yeftis of whiche is wreton in the booke of daniel the prophete in his xj chapitre dabit eis potestatem in mlÌ„tis terraÌ„ diuidet gratuito Antecryst shal gyue puissance to his seruauntis in many thynges And shal departe therthe to them after his will The glose saith that Antecryst shal gyue many yeftes to them that he shal deceyue And to his disciples he shal deuyde therthe them that he may not subdue by terrour fere he shal subdue ouercome them by auarice make them therby tobeye hym The iiij maner for to deceyue them shal be by tourments that he shal gyue to them wherof daniel saith in his viij chapitre Supra qd credi potest vniuersa vastabit Noman shal bileue how he shal destroye tormente theÌ„ that will not bileue in hym For to drawe theÌ„ to hym by force And saynt gre gore saith of hym Robustos quippe iterficiet cetera he shal slee the grete and strong meen whan he may not wynne ne ouercome theÌ„ by herte ne will he shal ouercome them by torment The thirde thyng that shal goo to fore the Iugement shal be the right vehement fyre fyre the whiche shall goo to fore the face of the Iuge And god shal seÌ„de this fyre for foure causes Fyrst for the renewyng of the world for he shal purge renewe the elemeÌ„tes And lyke to the fourme of the deluuye It shal be xl cubites hyer thaÌ„ alle the moÌ„taynes lyke as it is wreton in thystorye scolastyque For the werkes of the peple may mouÌ„te so hye SecoÌ„dly for the purgatioÌ„ of the people For theÌ„ne that fyre shall be in stede of the fyre of purgatorye to them that theÌ„ne shall be on lyue Thirdely for to to gyue more gretter tormente to theÌ„ that be dampned Fourthly for to gyue more clerenes light vnto the seyntes For after the sayeng of saynt basylle our lorde god whaÌ„ he shal make the purgacioÌ„ of the world he shal departe the hete of the fyre fro the resplendour bryghtnes And all the hete he shal sende to the place of daÌ„pned people by cause they shold be the more turmented And all the resplendour brightnes he shal sende to the place of seyntes to th eÌ„de that they be the more conforted Of thies that shal ensiewe folowe the IugemeÌ„t ther ben many the first shal by the descencioÌ„ of the Iuge The Iuge shal desceÌ„de in to the vale of Iosaphat shal sette the good on his right honde the euyll on the lift honde in an hye place in thayer by cause other shold see them And it ought not to be byleued that within that lyte vâ—leye all myght be enclosed after that whiche saynt Ierome saith but many shal be there the other ther aboute Neuertheles in a lytil space of loÌ„de may be men with out nombre by dyuyne puissauÌ„ce ordynaunce yf it be of necessite the chosen people shal be in thayer for the agilite lightnes of theyr bodyes also in soule And thenne the Iuge shal despute repreue the wicked men of the werkes of mercy whiche he ordeyned to vs And they shal not mowe replye but shal theÌ„ ne wepe vpon theÌ„ self vpoÌ„ theyr dedes lyke as saynt IohnÌ„ GrisostoÌ„ saith vpon the gospell of seynt Mathew in sayeng that the Iewes shal wepe their lyf whaÌ„ they shal see their Iuge and hym that gyueth lyf to all men whoÌ„ they estemed trowed a dede man shal blame theÌ„ self for his body hurt wounded by theÌ„ And they may not denye theyr cruelte but shal wepe in grete distresse The paynems whiche by the vayne disputacioÌ„s of the philosophres were deceyued supposed to haue ben folye to worshipe god crucyfyed The CrysteÌ„ meÌ„ synnars shal wepe that haue more louyd the world than god The heretyques shal wepe by cause they holden fals opynyons ayens the faith of IhuÌ„ Cryste whom theÌ„ne they shal see the souerayn Iuge whom the Iewes crucyfyed and so shal all the lynages of the world wepe for they shal
And thise xij euery yere ascended vpon a montayne whiche was called victoryal and thre dayes they abode there and weesshe them clene and prayed our lord that he wold shewe to theym the sterre that balaam had sayd and prophesyed be forn Now it hapened on a tyme that they were there the day of the natyuyte of Ihesu Cryst and asterre cam ouer theym vpon this moÌ„tayne whiche had the fourme of aright fayr child vnder his â—ede was a shynyng crosse whiche spack to thise iij kynges sayeng Goo ye hastely in to the londe of Iudee And there ye shal fynde the kynge that ye sâ—che whiche is born of a virgyne Another cause putteth seynt Austyn For it myght wel be that the angele of heuene appiered to theym whiche sayde the sterre that ye see is Ihesu Cryst Goo ye anone and worshippe hym Another cause putteth seynt lyon that by the sterre whiche appiered to theym whiche was more resplendis shyng shynyng than the other that it shewde the souerayn kynge to be born on therthe Thenne anon departed they for to come to that place Now may it be demanded how in so lytil space of xiij dayes they myght come from so ferre as fro the eest vnto Iherusalem whiche is in the myddle of the world whiche is a grete space and longe way Therto answerith seynt remyge the doctour and saith that the chyld tho whom they wente myght well make them to goo somoche way in that while Or after this that saynt Iherome saith that they cam opoÌ„dromedaries whiche ben beestis that may goo as moche in one day as an horse in thre dayes And whan they cam in to Iherusalem they demaunded in what place the kynge of Iewes was born And they demauÌ„ded not yf he was born For they byleuyd it fermly that he was born And yf ony had demaunded of them wher by knowe ye that he is born they wold haue answerd we haue seeÌ„ his sterre in thoryent And therfore we come to worsshippe hym This is to vnderstond we beyng in the oryent sawe his sterre that shewde that he was born in Iudee And we be come to worship hym And therfore saith this doctour Remyge that they confessid this child veray man veray kynge and veray god veray man whan they said where is he that is born veray kynge whan they said kynge of Iewes veray god whan we be comen to worshippe hym For ther was a comaundement that none shold be worshipped but god And thus as saith saint Iohan Crisostome they confessyd the chlyd veray god by worde by dede And by yeftes of their tresours that they offred to hym and whan herode hade herd this he was moche troubled And all Iherusalem with hym herode was troubled for thre causes Fyrst by cause he dredde that the Iewes wold resseyue the chyld born for thier kyng And reffuse hym as a strauÌ„ger wherof saith saynt IohnÌ„ crisostoÌ„e in suche wise as the bowes of a tree that ben hye be soone moeuyd â–ª with the wynde so they that ben in hye estate of the world a lyght renomee troubthle them Secondly lest he shold be blamed of the Româ—ynes yf ony were kyng but yf he were ordeyned by themperour For so had the Romayns ordeyned that none shold be callyd lorde ne kynge but yf it were by the coÌ„mandement of themperour ¶ Thirdly he was angry as saynt gregory saith whan the kynge of henen was born the kynge of therthe was troubled and not without cause For the erthely lordshyp is counfounded whan the hyenes of heuene is declared and perceyued And all the contree of Ierusalem was troubled with hym for thre causes Fyrst by cause that the euyll enioye them not of the presence ne the comyng of the ryghtfull and iuste Secondly for adulacion and flateryng that they were sory of his angre Thirdly for lyke as the wyndes that ben contrarye in the see as longe as the wawes be moeued In lyke wyse the contraryte of prynces and wrath falleth on the people And therfore they doubted and feered leste they shold be tormented ¶ Thenne herode called alle the prestes of the lawe and doctours and demaunded of theym where Ihesu Cryst shold be born And whan he had vnderstonde of theym that he shold be born in bethleem the Cyte of Iuda he called the thre kynges a parte and demaunded of theym dylygently the tyme that the sterre appiered to theym For to knowe what he shold doo yf the kynges retorned not agayn to hym And he said to theym assone as ye shal haue founden the chyld and haue worshipped hym that they shold retorne and shewe it to hym In faynyng that he wold worshippe also hym ¶ And thought that he wold goo sle hym ¶ And it is to wyte that assone as they were entred in to IhrlÌ„m the sight of the sterre was taken froÌ„ theÌ„ and for thre causes First that they shold be coÌ„streyned to seche that place of his natyuyte lyke as they were certefyed by the appieryng of the sterre And bye the prophesye of the place of his byrthe and so it was don Secondly that they that sought the helpe and the world had deserued to lese the ayde dyuyne The iij. by cause that the signes by gyuen to mescreauntes And prophesyes to them that byleue well lyke as thappostle saith And therfore the signe whiche was gyuen to the thre kynges whiche yet were paynems ought not tappere to them as longe as they were with the Iewes and whan they were yssued of Iherusalem the sterre appered to them wiche wente to fore them and brought them til it cam aboue the place were the chyld was ye ought to knowe that ther ben thre opynyons of this sterre whiche Remyge the doc doctour putteth sayeng that some saie that it was the holy goost whiche appiered to the thre kynges in the fourme of a sterre whiche after appiered vpon the hedeof Ihesu Cryst in the lykenes of a douue Other saye lyke to saynt IohnÌ„ Crysostom that it was an angele that apperyd to the shepherdes and after appered to the kynges but to the shepherdes Iewes as to them that vse reason in fourme of a resonable creature And to the paynems as to vnresonable in lyknesse of nature vnresonable that is to saye of a sterre Other say more resonable and more veritable that it was a ster newe created made of god that whiche whaÌ„ he had don his offyce was brought agayn in to the mater wherof it was first fourmed And this sterre was this that fulgencius saith it differenced fro the other sterres in thre thinges First in situacion for it was not fyxed in the firmament but it henge in thayer nygh to therthe Secondly in clerenes for it was shynyng more than the other it appiered so that the clerenes of the soÌ„ne myghy not hurte ne appale hir light but at playn mydday it had right grete light and clerenes ¶ Thirdly in moeuyng for it went
maketh them to ryse to newe lyf And in signeficacion herof the psalme of miserere mei deus whiche is the fyftyth psalme And the psalme of penaunce is in the tyme of lente oft vsed and sayd ¶ Thus endeth the mysterye of quanquagesme ¶ Of quadragesme THe quadragesme whiche we calle now in englyssh lente bygynneth the sonday in whiche is songen in thoffyce of the masse Inuocauit me cÌ„ And the chirche whiche was moche troubled to fore by so many trybulacions and had cryed Circundederunt me And after in respyryng syghyng had axyd helpe in sayeng Exurge domine Now she sheweth that she is herd whan she saith he hath called me and I haue herd Now it is to vnderstonde that the quadragesme conteyneth xlij dayes For to acounte the sondayes And yf they be not rekened ther ben but xxxvj dayes for to faste whiche ben the thenthe part of the dayes of the yere But the foure dayes to fore ben put to by cause the nombred sacred by the quadragesme be accomplysshyd the whiche our saueour Ihesu Cryst halowed by his holy fastyng And by cause we faste in this nombre of fourty ther may be assygned thre reasons The fyrst reason putteth seynt Austyn whiche saith that seynt mathew setteth xl generacions to th ende theÌ„ that our lord by his holy quadragesme desseÌ„ded to vs we shold assende to hym by our quadragesme That other assigneth the same sayeng To that we may haue the quynquagesme We must put to xl ten For vnto that that we may com to the blessed glorye and rest in heuen it behoueth vs to laboure alle the tyme of this present lyf And therfore our lord alode xl dayes with his dissiples after his resurection and after the tenth day he sent to them the holy ghost The third reson assigneth maister prepositiuus in the soÌ„me of thoffice of the chirche whiche seyeth The world is deuided in to iiij partyes And the yere in to iiij tymes and the man of iiij elementis iiij complexions is composed And we haue the newe lawe whiche is ordeyned of foure euangelistes And the x coÌ„maundementis that we haue broken It behoueth theÌ„n that the nombre of ten by the nombre of iiij be multiplyed that thus we make the quadragesme that we fulfiyll the coÌ„mandementis of the olde lawe newe Our body as sayd is is composed of iiij elementis lyke as they had iiij setes in oure body That is to wete the fyre whiche is in the eyen thayer in the tongue and eeres the water in the natural membres named genitoires And the erthe hath dominacion in the hondes and other membres Then in the eyen is curiosite in the tongue and eeris is scurilite In the naturel membres that is to saye genitoires voluptuosite And in the handes and other membres cruelte thise iiij thynges confessid the publicane whan he prayed god he held hym a ferre in confessyng his luxurye whiche is stynkyng lyke thus as he sayd Sire I dare not approche to the For I myght stynke in thy nose and by cause he durst not lyfte vp his eyen he confessed curiocite And in that he smote hym self on the brest he confessed cruelte And whaÌ„ he sayd deus ê“picius esto michi peccatori he confessed the cryme and glotonie whiche we ought to represse Saynt gregorye in his omelyes putteth also thre reasons wherfore in abstinence is holden the nombre of xl For the vertu of the x comaundementis in the lawe And for thaccomplysshement of the iiij bokes of theuangelistes And also in this world we that ben in mortal body be compoâ—â—d of the iiij elementis And by the wyll of the mortal body we gaynsay the commauÌ„dementes of god therfor then we that haue disobeyed the coÌ„nauÌ„demeÌ„tis of god by the desire of the flessh it is cordyng that the same flessh by iiij tymes x We put to penauÌ„ce affliccyon fro this present day vnto ester vj wekes comyng that ben xlij dayes Yf the sondayes be taken away Ther abyde in thabstynence but xxxvj dayes And the yere is demened by iij hondred sixty and v dayes we gyuen the tithe of them to god whan we fast And this saith seynt gregorye wherfore kepe we not this fastyng in the tyme that IhuÌ„ cryst fasted whiche was anon after his baptesme But we begynne so that we continue vntil ester herof ben assyned iiij reasons in the soÌ„me of thoffice of master IohÌ„n bethel in thoffice of the chirche Tle first is that we wyl aryse with IhuÌ„ Cryst For he suffrid for us And we ought to suffre for hym The second is To that we shold folowe the chyldren of Israel whiche first yssued out of egipte And in this tyme yssued also out of babylone the whiche thyng appiereth For as wel that one as that other anon as they were retorned halowed the solempnyte of ester Andthus we for to ensue them in this tyme we faste to th ende that fro egipte and fro babilone that is to vnderstond from this mortal world in to the contraye of our heritage of heuen we may entre The thirde reason is by cause that in the prym temps the hete of the flessh meueth and boyleth to th end that we may refrayne vs ther in this tyme we fast The fourth is for asmoche as anon after oure fastyng we ought receyue the body of Ihesu crist For in lyke wise as the children of Israhel to fore they had eten the lomb they put them in afflicion by penaunce in etyng wylde letuse bitter right so we ought to withdrawe put vs in affliction by penaunce to th ende that the more worthily we may take and receyue the lombe of lyf Amen ¶ Thus endeth the misterye of the quadragesme ¶ The ymbre dayes THe fastyng of the quatee temps callyd in englyssh ymbre dayes the pope Calixte ordeyned theym And this faste is kept iiij tymes in the yere and for dyuerse reasons For the first tyme whiche is in marche is hote and moyste The second in somer is hote and drye The thirde in heruest is cold drye The fourthe in wynter is cold moyste Thenne late vs faste in marche whiche is prymtemps for to represse the hete of the flessh boylyng and to aqueÌ„che luxurye or tattempre it In somer we ought to faste to th ende that we chastyse the brennyng and ardour of auarice In haruest for to represse the drought of pryde and in wynter for to chastyse the coldnesse of vntrouthe and of malyce The second reason why we faste iiij tymes for thyse fastynges here begynne in marche in the first weke of the lente to th ende that vices wexe drye in vs For they may not all be quenchid Or by cause that we caste them away And the bowes and herbes of vertues may growe in vs And in somer also in the whitson weke For thenne cometh the holy goost And therfore we ought to be feruent
and esprysed in the loue of the holy goost They be fasted also in Septembre to fore mychelmas And thise be the thirde fastynges by cause that in this tyme the fruytes ben gadred we shold rendre to god the fruytes of good werkes In decembre they ben also And they ben the fourth fastynges and in this tyme the herbes deyen And we ought to be mortefyed to the world The thirde reason is fore tensiewe the Iewes For the Iewes fasted foure tymes in the yere that is to wete to fore ester to fore whitsontyde to fore the set tyng of the tabernacle in the temple in septembre And to fore the dedicacion of the temple in decembre The fourth reason is by cause the man is composed of iiij elementis touchyng the body and of thre vertues or powers in his sowle that is to wete the vnderstondyng the wyll the mynde To this thenne that this fastyng may attempre in vs iiij tymes in the yere at eche tyme we faste thre dayes to th ende that the nombre of foure may be reported to the body and the nombre of thre to the sowle Thise ben the reasons of maister beleth The v reason as saith IohnÌ„ damascenus in marche and in prymtemps the blode groweth and augmenteth in somer colere In septembre melancolye And in wynter flewme thenne we faste in marche for tattempre and depresse the blode of concupiscence disordynate for sanguyne of hys nature is ful of flesshly coÌ„cupiscence In somer we faste by cause that colere shold be lessed and refreyned of whiche cometh wrath And thenne is he ful naturelly of yre In heruest we fast for to refrayne melancolye the melancolyous man naturelly is cold couetous and heuy In wynter we faste for to daunte and to make feble the flewme of lyghtnes and forgetyng For suche is he that is fleumatyke The sixte reason is for the prymtemps is lykened to the ayer the somer to fyre the heruest to therthe and the wynter to water Thenne we faste in marche to th ende that the ayer of pryde be attemperat to vs In somer the fyre of concupiscence of auaryce In septembre the erthe of coldenesse and of the derknes of Ignorance In wynter the water of lightnes and Inconstaunce The vij reson is by cause that marche is reported to Infancye Somer to yongthe Septembre to stedfast age vertuous And wynter to auncyente or olde age We faste thenne in marche that we may be in thynfancye of Innocencye In somer for to be yonge by vertu and constaÌ„ce In heruest that we may be ripe by at teÌ„peraunce in wynter that we may be auncient old by prudence honeste lyf or atte leste that we satysfye to god of that whiche in thise iiij seasons we haue offended hym The viij reson is of maystre guylliam dancerre We fast saith he in thise iiij tymes of the yere to th ende that we make amendes for all that we haue faylled in all thise iiij tymes and they be don in thre dayes eche tyme to th ende that we satisfye in one day that whiche we haue faylled in a moneth that whiche is the fourth day that is wednesday is the day in whiche our lord was betrayed of Iudas the fryday by cause our lord was crucifyed the saterday by cause he lay in the sepulcre thappostles were for of herte and grete sorowe Thus endeth the ymbre dayes THe Passyon of our lord was bytter for the sorowe that he suffred in derysions despituous And of many fylthes fructuous The sorowe was cause of fyue thynges The first by cause it was shamefulle for the place of the mount of caluarye where as malefactours and crymynel persones were put to execucion And he was there put to deth right foull the crosse was the tormente of theues And yf the crosse was thenne of shame and of vylonye she is now of glorye and of honour wherof saith saynt Austyn Crux latronum qui erat supplicium cÌ„ The crosse whiche was the Iustice of theuys is now become the sygne of glorye in the forhedes or frontes of emperours And yf he had suche honour at his tormente what dyde he to hys seruant for the shameful felawshp that he dyde to hym for he was sette with malefactours but the one of them was conuerted whiche was called dysmas lyke as it is said in the gospell of Nychodemus And he was on the ryght syde of our lord And that other on the lyfte sâ—de was dampned whiche was callid gesmas To that one thenne he gaf the royame of heuene and to that other helle wherof saith saynt Ambrose Auctor pietatis in cruce cÌ„ he saith the auctour of pyte hangyng on the crosse deuyded offyces of pâ—te in scculyer erandes that is to saye The persecucion to thapostles peas to his disciples hys body to the Iewes hys spyryte to the fader to the vyrgyne the messages of the weddyng of the souerayn espouse To the theef peradys To synners helle And to the Crysten penytent he comanded the crosse Loo this is the testament that Ihesu cryst made hangyng in the crosse Secondly the sorow was caused Iniustly For none iniquite was founde in hym And pryncypally Iniustly they accused hym of thre thynges The first was they said that he deffended to paye the trewage and for he said that he was a kynge and he said hym to be the sone of god ¶ And ayenst thyse thre accusacions we saye on the good fryday thre excusacions in the persone of Ihesu crist Whan we synge popule meus Where Ihesu crist repreued them of thre benefetes that he dyde and gaf to them that is to wete the delyueraunce of them fro Egypt the sustentacion and the gouernauÌ„ce in deserte And the plantacion of the vigne in a londe propyce lyke as Iesu cryst wold saye thhou accusest me by cause that I deffende to paye thy trewage And thou oughtest more to thaÌ„ke me of that I haue delyuerd the fro the trewage and fro the scruytude of pharao and of Egypte Thou accusest me that I calle my self kynge and thou oughtest better to yelde me thankynges of that whiche I gouerned the in deserte with mete royalle Thou accusest me of this that I saye me to be the sone of god And thou oughtest more to thank me that I haue chosen the to be in my vygne yerde and in a ryght good place I haue planted them The thirde cause is by cause he was despyted forsaken of his frendes whiche semed a thyng more tollerable to be suffred of his enemyes than of them whom he helde to be his freÌ„des And alleway he suffred deth for his frendes and hys neyghbours that is of theÌ„ of whos lignage he was born Thys said he by the mouth of dauid Amici mei proximi cÌ„ My frendes my neyghbours haue approcheed ayenst me and so haue contynued wherof said Iob capitlÌ„o xxx Noti mei quasi aliem
saye Nunc viderunt oculi mei saluta re tuuÌ„ I haue now seen with myn eyen thyn helth whiche bryngeth and hath made it redy to fore the face of all thy peple After come one whiche semed to be an heremyte And whan we demaunded hym what he was he answerd that he was IohÌ„n that baptysed Cryst and he that am goon to fore hym for to maâ—â— redy his waye And shewde hym with my fyngre whan I saide Ecce agnus dei and am descended for to shewe to you that he cometh sone to visyte you Thenne said seth whan I cam to the gate of paradis for to praye our lord to sende me hys angelle And that he wold gyue to me of the oylle of mercy for tenoynte the body of adam my fader which was seke The angel mychel appered to me and said laboure not in prayeng by wepyng for the oylle of the tre of mercy For by no waye thou mayst gete it tyl that v thousand and v. C. yeres ben accomplisshed And whan the patriarkes and the prophetes herd this they enioyed and demened grete feste Thenne Sathan prynce and demener of deth said to helle make you redy to receyue Ihesu whiche gloryfyeth hym self to saye I am the sone of god and he is man that dred the deth for he said my soule is sorouful vnto the deth And many that I haue made lame and croked he thath heled and made them goo right Thenne answerd helle and saide yf thou art myghty and so grete as thou saist who is this man Ihesus that thou dredest not and is aduersarye to thy puissaunce yf he saith that he dredde the deth he wyll take the And woo shal be to the perpetuelly as longe as the world shal dure Sathan answerd I haue tempted and haue moeued the people ayenst hym I haue made redy the spere I haue medled the vynaygre and the galle to gydre and haue made redy the tree of the crosse and anone he shal dye to th ende that I may brynge hym hyther Thenne helle answerd is not this he that reysed lazare whom I reteyned And Sathan said that same is he trewly And helle said to Sathan I coniure the by my vertue and by thyne that thou brynge hym not hyther whan I herde the myght of his word his commandement I trembled for fere I myght not kepe lazare but he escaped fro me And lyke an angele he sprange on hye and departed fro vs And thus as they spaken ther cam a voys lyke a thondre whiche sayde Attollite cÌ„ Take away your gates ye prynces And lyfte ye vp the yates perdurable and the kynge of glorye shal entre in At this voys the deuyllis ran thyder and shytte fast the gates with barres of yron And then said dauid haue not I prophecyed this that I see whan I said Confiteantur domino quia contriuit portas ereas cÌ„ is not this he that hath broken the yates of helle of strong mater and hath broken the barres theÌ„ne after cam a grete voys whiche said agayn Attollite cÌ„ And whan helle sawe that he had cryed twyes thus and knewe hym not thenne he saide who is this kynge of glorye to whom dauid answerd this is our lord stronge and myghty in bataylle whiche is kynge of glorye Thenne cam in the kyng of glorye And enlumyned the derknes and put forth his right hand and toke the right honde of Adam and said peas to the And to all thy sonnes that ben Iuste and thenne our lord departed fro helle and all the sayntes foloweth hym And our lord holdyng the hoÌ„de of Adam delyuerd hym to Mychel tharchangele and he brought them in to paradis Thenne cam two honourable men and auncient and they demaunded them and saide who be ye that wyth vs haue not be yet dede and in body and in sowle ye be sette in paradys One of them spack and answerd I am Enoch whiche am hyther translated And this is helye whiche by the will of god is comen hether in a chariot enflamed of fyre yet haue we not tasted the deth But we be kept vnto the comyng of Antecryst for to fyght with hym of hym we shal be slayn And after thre dayes and an half we shal be receyued in the clowdes in thayer And thus as they spak ther was another that bare vpon his sholdres the tree of the crosse the whiche whan he was demauÌ„ded what he was he saide I am a theef and was crucyfied with Ihesu and I beleued on hym that he was the creatour of the world And I prayed hym sayeng lord haue mynde on me whan thou shalt come in to thy Royame And he said to me this day thou shalt be with me in paradys and gaf to me this signe of the crosse and said to me bere this and goo forth to paradys And yf the angele that is kepar of paradys will not suffre the to entre shewe to hym this signe of the crosse and saye that Ihesu cryst whiche is crucyfyed sente the thyder And anon as I had said that he bad me saye The angele opened the gate to me and sette me in the right sid of paradys And whan Carinus lencius had recounted thies thynges here Anon they were transfygured and were nomore seen And heerof speketh gregory Niceus And saynt Austyn lyke as is founden in somme bookes Anon as Ihesu cryst desceÌ„ded in to helle the nyght began to wexe clere And anon the por ter black and horrible emong them in sylence began to murmure sayeng who is he that is so terrible and of clerenes so shynyng Our maistre receyued neuer none suche in to helle ne the world caste neuer none suche in to our cauerne This is an assayller and not dettour a brekar and destroyer And no synner but a despoyller we se hym a Iuge but no bysecher he come for to fyght not to be ouercomen A caster out and not here dwellar Thus endeth the Resurrection ¶ Here begynne the letanyes the more and the lasse THe letanyes ben don twyes in the yere The first be don on saynt markes day and that is called the more letanye And the second be don on the thre dayes byfore thascencion day and is called the lasse letanye and letanye is as moche to saye as supplicacioÌ„ or prayer The first letanye is named in thre maners First it is called the more letanye Secondly the procession of vij ordres Thirdly the black crosse Thenne this letanye is said the more for thre reasons The first reason is for hym that Institued it that was saynt gregorye the pope and that was at Rome whiche is lady and heed of the world by cause that the body of the prynce of thappostles is there and the holy see And also for the reson of the cause wher fore it was Institued and that was for a right grete and greuous maladye For as the Romayns had in the lenton lyued
receyue none other licour of erthely delectacion ¶ And by cause they haue tasted the swetnes of heuen they haue none appetyte to the erthely delectacions wherof saith saynt Austyn who so drynketh one drope of delyces of paradys the whiche one drope is gretter than all the see occean whiche ought to be vnderstoÌ„de that all the thurst of this world is in hym extyncte And this signe had thappostles whiche wold haue none of the goodes of this world in propre but put it all in comyn The thirde signe is for to renne ouer out as it appierith by a Ryuer whiche aryseth and renneth ouer his bankes As salamon saith whiche fyllyth as phison wysedom This flode or ryuer phison of his nature ariseth and spryngeth ouer and watreth and arrouseth the bonde aboute hym In lyke wyse thappostles began to sprede abrode For after they had receyued the holy ghoost they began to speke dyuerse langages where the glose saith that that was the signe of plenytude For the vessell full shedeth ouer as it appiereth of saynt Peter For anone as he began to preche he â—â—nuerted thre thousand Secondly he was sente in tongues of fyre And here be thre thynges to be considered First for whom he was sente conioynctly in the tongues of fyre Secondly wherfore he was sente in tongues of fyre more than in another element ¶ Thirdly wherfor he was sente in toÌ„gues more thaÌ„ in another membre As to the first for thre reasons he was sent and appiered in tongues of fyre to th ende that their wordes shold enflamme the hertes Secondly that they shold preche the fyry lawe of god Thirdly that they shold knowe that the holy ghoost whiche is fyre spack in them And that they shold doubte nothyng And by cause alle men shold here the wordes of god And they shold attrybue ne take to them self that they conuerted by theyr predicacion but by the wordes of god ¶ Of the second we ought to knowe that he was sent in lyknes of fyre for many reasons The first is taken after the seuen vertues of grace The holy ghoost cam in the maner of fyre for to make meke hyghe thynges by the yefte of drede he amolyfyeth and softeth hard thynges by the yefte of pyte he illumyneth hard thynges by the yefte of scieÌ„ce he restrayneth the flodes of vices by the yefte of counseyl he affermeth and consolideth softe thynges by the yefte of strâ—ngthe he clereth the ruste of synne by the yefte of vnderstandyng he draweth vp the creatures by the yeft of sapience The second reason is taken after his dignyte and excellence the fyre surmounteth and excedeth all other elementes in beaute in ordre and in vertue In beaute by cause of the fayrnes of lyght In ordre by cause of his situacion In vertu by cause of vigour in operacion In lyke wyse the holy ghoost in thyse iij thynges excedeth all For the first he is said the holy ghoost pure without fylthe For the second holy ghoost whiche compriseth all other spyrites of vnderstondyng by his incomprehensibilite For the thirde he is said holy goost hauyng alle vertue for he is Invyncyble For he hath all strength seeyng all thynges fro ferre The third reason is taken as to hys manyfold effecte And this reason assigneth Rabanus sayeng that the fyre hath iiij vertues or natures It brenneth it purgeth it chauffeth and it lighteth In lyke wyse the holy ghoost brenneth the synnes he purgeth the hertes he casteth away alle coldnes and drede of the hertes And he enlumyneth theym that ben ignorauÌ„t Of the first saith zacharye the prophete He broyleth and brenneth the hâ—rtes as the fyre brenneth the syluer Also dauid sayd Lord I praye the brenne my reynes and my herte and drye them fro all synne he purgeth also the hertes after that as saith ysaye Whan our lord had wasshe away the fylthes of the doughters of syon hath purged the blood of Iherusalem fro the myddle of hym in the spiryte of Iugement and in the spyryte of brennyng thenne shal they be in sauete and surete and kepte ayenst all tempeste And the prophete speketh of the purgacion that shall be made atte laste whan all shal be purged pure clene that shal goo in to heuen he casteth out also all coldenes and pusyllanymyte of the hertes wherof thappostle saith Be ye feruent in spyryte that is of herte the whiche thyng the holy ghoost maketh whan he espriseth hym of hys loue And herof saith saynt gregory The holy goost appyered in fire for alle the hertes whiche he replenessid and voyded the coldnes of fere and enflamed them with desyre of the glorye perdurable He enlumyned also the ygnorauntes wherof sayth the wyse man Lord god who shal knowe thy scieÌ„ce yf thou gyue not thy sapience and sende to vs thyn holy spyryte from aboue that is he that all enseyneth and techeth The fourthe reason is taken after the nature of hys loue Loue is sygnefied by the fire for iij causes The first cause is for the fire is alway moeuyng So is it of the holy goost For them that he replenesshith he maketh them to be in contynuel moeuyng of good operacion wherof saith saynt gregory The loue of god is neuer ydle as longe as it is in the herte of a deuoute persone it fructyfyeth And it fructyfyeth not it is a signe that it is not there The seconde is For the fyre emonge al the other elementis hath but lytle matere but stronge vertue in operacion it hath in his qualite Thus the holy ghoost whom he replenesseth maketh them to haue but lytle ne lotâ— erthely thynges and gretly to spyrituel thynges in so mochethey loue not worldly thynges more wordly but spyrytuelly Saynt bernard putteth iiij maners of loue that is to wete to loue the world flesshly the spyrite flesshly the flessh spyrituelly the spyryte spyrytuelly The thirde cause is for that the fyre abassheth and meketh the thynges hye he hath tendede on hye thynges despercled to vnye them and them despercled to beynge to gydre And by thyes thre thynges ben vnderstonden thre ver tues of loue For as saith saynt denys in the book of the names dyuyne the fyre hath iij vertues ¶ For he enclyneth the hye thynges doun he lyfteth the thynges lowe in heyght he ordeyneth the thynges egall to theyr ordenaunce And thyse thre thynges maketh the holy ghoost in them that he replenesshyth For he enclyneth them by humylyte he lyfte them vp in desyre of hye thynges And ordeyneth them to gydre by vnyte of maners Thyrdly he apyered in lyknes of a tongue more than in an nother membre And for iij reasons The tongue is the membre that is enflamed of the fyre of helle and is of grete dyffyculte to gouerne And proufytable whan it is wel gouerned And by cause that the tongue was enflamed of the fyre of helle she hadde nede that the holy ghoost shold come tenflame it as saith saynt
soule with honeste wherof thappostle saith to the Romayns Clothe you with vestymentes of lyght they enchauffe and enflamme vs in charyte wlerof it is sayd Be not thy vestementes hoote For it auayleth lytil to hym that gooth to the aulter yf he haue souerayn dygnyte and a lyf defamed it shold be an horryble thynge to see hym in an hye sete and a lowe lyf souerayn degre and lowe estate A sad visage and lyght in werkis ful of wordes and nothyng of dede Noble of auctoryte and fleyng corage ¶ Secondly it ought to be seen how the chirche is sacred and halowed And to that apparteynen many thingis For the bisshop gooth all aboute thre tymes And at euery tyme that he cometh to the gate or dore he knocketh wyth his croys sayeng Prynces opene your yates And the chirche is wasshen within and withoute with holy water And a crosse of asshen is made on the pauement and of sonde a trauers the Angle fro thorient vnto that Whiche is ayenst thoccydent And the A. B. C. is wreton within of lettres of greke and of latyn Crosses ben made on the wallis of the chirche and they be enoynted with creme ¶ And it is to wete that the thre first goynges aboute signefye thre goynges aboute that Ihesu cryst made for the halowyng of this chirche The first was whan he cam fro heuen in to the world the seconde was whan he desceÌ„ded fro the world in to helle The thirde was whan he cam agayn fro helle and ascended in to heuen Or the thre gooyngâ—s aboute shewe that the chirche is halowed in thonoure of the trynyte or for to signefye the thre estates of them that ben to be saued of the chirche That ben virgynes continentis and maryed folke whiche be signefyeed in the disposicioÌ„ of the chirche materyall lyke as hugo de sancto victore sheweth For he saith that the sanctuarye signefieth the ordre of virgyns the chore or quyer signefieth the continentes And the body sygnefyeth thordre of them that ben maryed For the sayntuarye is strayter than the chore or quyer and the quyer strayter than the body For thordre of vrgyns is more worthy than the contyneÌ„tes thordre of the contyneÌ„tys is more worthy than they that be maryeed The seconde knockyng atte dore signefieth the treble right that Ihesu cryst hath in the chirche wherfore it ought to be opened to hym ¶ For it is his by creacion and swete by redempcion and by promesse of gloryfyeng And of this thre fold right saith Anselme Certaynly lorde for somoche as thou hast made me I owe my self al to the by cause thou redemyst me I owe my self al to the by cause thou hast promysed to me so grete thyngis I owe my self vn to thy loue by cause thou art gretter than I for whoÌ„ thou gauest thy self and to whom thou promysest thy self I owe to the more thaÌ„ my self And this that the bysshop cryeth thryes opene your yates cÌ„ sygnefyeth the treble power that he hath in heuen in the world and in helle And this that the chirche is thryes wasshen within and withoute sygnefyeth thre causes The fyrst is for to put out the deuyll And therfore is said in the blessyng of the water that it be blessyd to chace away all the power of thenemye the fende with his angellis cursed and shrewd And thou oughtest to knowe that this holy water is made of four thynges that is of water of salt of wyne and of asshes whiche thynges put out the deuyll and chacheth hym away By the water is signefyed theffusion of teeres by the wyn is signefyed spyrituel gladnesse and by the salt is shewd mewre distrecion And by thasshes is parfonde humylyte Secondly it is dedicate for to make her self clene from all erthly thynges whiche were corrupt by synne And therfore by cause it shold be clene from all ordure it is wasshen wyth holy water so that it be clene and pure And this was signefyed in tholde lawe that all shold be clensed by water Thirdly it is halowed for to take away all malediction For therthe atte begynnyng was cursyd with his fruyt by cause man Was deceyued by fruyte and and the water was not cursed And therfore it is said that our lord ete fysshe but it is not fonden that euer he ete ony flesshe by name sauf the pâ—ske lambe And that was in ensample for taccomplysshe the commandement of the lawe And by cause that all malediction and cursynges shold be take awaye is the chirche wasshen wyth holy water Fourthly the A.B.C. is wreton in the pauement in latyn and in greek and thys signefyeth the comunion of that one and of that other people Or it sygnefyeth that one and that other testament or thartycles of our faith For thescripture of the lettres greekes and latyn that were made on the table of the crosse representeth thassemble of the faith made by IhÌ„u crist on the crosse therfore is this crosse leyde made trauers fro thaÌ„gle of thoryent vnto thangle of thoccident for to signefye that it that was first on the right syde was made the lift syde that whiche was atte heede was made atte ende thus to the contrarye And it representeth the scripture of that one and that other testament whiche was accomplisshid by IhÌ„u crist on the crosse For he said whaÌ„ he deyde all is accomplisshid And the crosse is made trauerse by cause that the one was chauÌ„ged in to that other For all the lawe is in a rolle Thirdly the crosses ben paynted in the chirche that is for thre causes The first is to fere the deuyll For whan they see the signe of the crosse there by whiche they haue ben put out they ben aferde dar not entre For they doubte and drede moche the signe of the crosse ¶ And herof saith Crysostome In what place they shal see the signe of the crosse they shal flee For they drede the staf of whiche they haue beÌ„ hurte Thirdly it representeth the artycles oâ— the faith For the pauement of the chirche is the fondement of our faith the lettres that ben within wreton ben tharticles of our faith by the whiche the rude peple and newe ben introduced And they of the one and other peple whiche ought repute them for asshes and for pouldre after this that abraham saith in genesis I shal speke to my lord as that I were asshees and pouldre SecoÌ„dly for to shewe the signe of the victorye of IhÌ„u crist For thise crosses ben signes baners of IhÌ„u crist and of his victorye therfore ben there paynted the crosses for to shewe that the place is dyuyne subgette to god And also it is of custome to emperours to other prynces that Whan a toun or cyte is takeÌ„ or yoldeÌ„ for to sette vp within the baners and thensignemens of the lordes to signefye that it is subgette to them Thyrdly for to represente thappostles it is
the voys of syngyng whan he approchâ—d to them he sawe the Calf and the instrumentis of myrthe and he was so wroth that he threwe doun the tables brake them atte fote of the hylle ran and raught doun the Calf that they had made and brente and smote it al to pouldre whiche he caste in to water and gaf it to drynke to the chyldren of Israhel Thenne said Moyses to Aaron What hath this peple don to the that thou hast made to synne greuously to whom he answerd late not my lord take none indignacion at me Thou knowest wel that this peple is prone and redy to synne They said to me Make to vs goddes that may goo tofore vs We knowe not what is fallen to this Moyses that lad vs out of egypte To whom I said who of you that hath gold geue it me they toke and gaf it to me And I Caste it in to the fire and therof cam out this Calf And thenne said moises Alle they that ben of goddis parte and haue not synned in this Calf late hem Ioyne to me And the chyldren of leui Ioyned to hym and bade eche maÌ„ take a swerd on his side and take vengeance and slee euerych his brother his frende and neygbour that haue trespaced And so the chyldren of leui wente and slewe xxxiijM of the children of Israhel And thenne said Moyses ye haue halowed this day your handes vnto our lord And ye shal be therfore blessyd The second day moyses spack to the peple and said ye haue commysed and don the grettest synne that may be I shal ascende vnto our lord agayn and shal praye hym for your synne Thenne Moyses ascended agayn and receyuyd afterward two tables agayn whiche our lord had hym make And therin our lord wrote the comandements And after our lord comanded hym to make an arke and a tabernacle In whiche arke was kepte thre thinges ¶ First the Rodde with whiche he dide meruaillis A potte ful of manna and the .ij. tables with the comandementis And thenne after Moyses taught hem the lawe how eche man shold behaue hym ayenst other and what he shold doo and what he shold not doo And departed them in xij tribus ¶ And comanded that euery man shold brynge a Rodde in to the tabernacle ¶ And Moyses wrote eche name on the Rodde And Moyses shytte fast the tabernacle And on the morn ther was founde one of the roddes that burgeyned bare leuys and fruyt And was of on almonde tree that Rodde fyl to Aaron And after thys longe tyme the chyldren desireden to ete flesshe remembrid of the flesshe that they ete in egypte And grudchyd agayn Moyses And wold haue ordeyned to them a duc for to haue retorned in to egypte Wherfore Moyses was so woo that he desired of our lord to delyure hym fro this lyf by cause he sawe them so vnkynde ayenst god thenne god sente to them so grete plente of curlews that two dayes and one nyght they flewe so thycke by the ground that they toke gete nombre For they flewhe but the heyhgt of two cubytes and they had so many that they dreyde hem hangyng on their tabernacles and tentes yet were they not content but euer grutchyng Wherfore god smote them toke vengeauÌ„ce on hem by a grete plaghe And many deyde and were buryed there And thenne fro thens they wente in to Aseroth and dwellyd After this Maria and Aaron brother and suster of moyses began to speke agayn moyses by cause of his wif whiche was of ethyope and said god hath not spoken only by Moyses hath he not also spokeÌ„ to vs wherfore our lord was wroth Moyses was the humblest and mekest man that was in all the world Anone thenne our lord said to hym to Aaron and to marye Goo ye thre only vnto the tabernacle And there our lord said that ther was none lyke to Moyses to whom he had spoken mouth to mouth and repreuyd aaron and maria by cause they spack so to Moyses And beyng wroth departed fro them And anone maria was smeton and made lepre and whyte lyke snowe And whan Aaron behelde her and sawe her smeton with lepre he said to moyses I beseche the lord that thou sette not this synne on vs whiche we haue commysed folyly And late not this our suster be as a deed womaÌ„ or as born out of tyme caste away from her moder beholde and see half her flesshe is deuoured of the lepre Thenne Moyses cryed vnto our lord sayeng I beseche the lord that thou hele her to whom our lord said yf her fader had spytte in her face shold she not be put to shame and Rebuke vij dayes late her departe out of the castellis vij dayes and after she shal be callyd in agayn So maria was shytte out of the castellis vij dayes the peple remeuyd not fro the place tyl she was callyd agayn After this our lord coÌ„manded Moyses to sende men in to the londe of canaan that he shold gyue theÌ„ charge for see and considere the goodnes therof And that of euery trybe he shold sende somÌ„e Moyses dyde soo as our lord had comaunded whiche wente in brought of the fruytee wyth hem and they brought a braunche with one clustre of grapes as moche as two meÌ„ myght bere bytwene them vpon a colestaf whan they had seen the contre consydered by the space of xl dayes thei retorned and tolde the commodytees of the londe but somÌ„e said that the peple were stronge and many kynges and gyauntes in suche wyse that they said it was imprenable and that the peple were moche strenger than they were wherfore the peple anon were aferde and murmured agayn moyses and wold retorne agayn in to egypte Thenne Iosue Chaleph whiche were two of them that had consydered the loÌ„de said to the peple why grutche ye and wherof be ye aferd we haue wel seen the contrey and it is good to wynne the contrey floweth ful of mylke and hony be not rebelle ayenst god he shal gyue it vs be ye not aferd Thenne alle the peple cryed ayenst hem and whan they wold haue taken stones and stoned hem our lord in his glorye apperyd in a clowde vpon the coueryng of the tabernacle and said to Moyses thys peple byleueth not the sygnes and wondres that I haue shewd and don to hem I shal destroye them alle by pestylence And I shal make the a prynce vpon peple gretter strenger than this is Thenne prayd Moyses to our lord for the peple that he wold haue pyte on them and not destroye them but to haue mercy on them after the magnytude of his mercy And our lord at his request forgaf them Neuertheles our lord said that all tho men that had seen his mageste and the sygnes and meruaylles that he dyde in Egypte and in deserte and haue tempted hym ten tymes and not obeyed vnto his voys
Yf my fader hath leyed on you an heuy burthen I shal adde and put more to your burthen my fader bete you with scorgis and I shal bete you with scorpions ¶ The thyrde day after Iheroboam and alle the peple cam to Roboas to haue theyr answere And Roboas lefte the counseyl of the olde men and saide to them lyke as the yong men had counseylled hym And anon the peple of Israhel forsoke Roboas And of xij trybus ther abode with hym no moo but the trybe of Iuda and of beniamyn And the other ten trybus departed and made Iheroboam theyr kynge and neuer retorned vnto the hows of dauid after vnto thys day And thus for synne of salomon And by cause Roboas wold not doo after the counseyl of the old men but was counseylled by yong men the ten tribus of Israhel forsoke hym and departed fro Iherusalem seruyd Iheroboam and ordeyned hym kynge vpon Israhel Anon after thys Iheroboas fylle to ydolatrye and grete deuysyon was euer after bytwene the kynges of Iuda and the kynges of Israhel ¶ And so regned dyuerse kynges eche after other in Iherusalem after Roboas And in Israhel after Iheroboam And here I leue alle thystorye and make an ende of booke of kynges for thys tyme cÌ„ For ye that lyste to knowe how euery kyng regned aftâ—â— other ye may fynde it in the fyrst chapytre of saynt Mathew whyche is redde on Crystemas day in the mornyng to fore Te deum whyche is the genelagye of our lady Here foloweth Thystorye of Iob red on the first sonday of Septembre THer was a man in the londe of hus named Iob And this maÌ„ was symple rightful dredyng god and goyng from all euyll he had vij sones and thre doughtres And his possessyon was vij M sheep iijM camellis vC yok of oxen vC asses hys famylye and houshold passyng moche grete he was a grete man and riche emong all the men of the oryent And his sones weÌ„te dayly eche to other hows makyng grete festes euerich as his day cam they sente for their thre susters for to ete drynke with hem whan they had thus fested eche other ofte Iob sente to them blessyd sanctefyed theÌ„ rysynge euery day erly he offred sacrefyses for theÌ„ all sayeng leste my chyldren synne and blesse not god in theyr hertes And thus dyde Iob euery daye On a daye whan the sones of god were to fore our lord Sathan cam and was emonge them to whom our lord saide whens comest thou whiche answerd I haue goon round aboute the erthe and thurgh walked it Our lord saide to hym hast thou not consyderyd my seruaunt Iob that ther is none lyke vnto hym in the erthe A man symple rightful dredyng god and gooyng from euyl To whom Sathan answerd doth not Iob drede god ydelly yf so were that thou ouerthrewest hym hys hows and alle hys substaunce rounde aboute he shold sone forsake the Thou hast blessyd the werkes of hys handes and hys possessyon is encrecyd moche in therthe but stratche out thy hond a lytyl towche all that he hath in possessyon and he shal soone grutche and not blesse the Thenne sayd our lord to Sathan loo all that whiche he oweth and hath in possession I wyl it be in thy hand and power but on hys persone ne body sette not thy hand Sathan departed wente fro the face of our lord On a day as hys sones and doughtres ete dronke wyn in the hows of the oldest brother ther cam a messager to Iob whiche said The oxen erid in the ploughe and the asse pastured in the pasture by them And the men of Sabâ—y ran on them and smeten thy seruauntes and slewe them with swerd and I only escaped for to come to shewe it to the And whyles he spack ther cam an other and saide The fyre of god fylle doun from heuen and hath brente thy sheep and seruauntes and consumed them and I only escaped for to come and shewe it to the And yet whylys he spack cam another and sayd the chaldeys made thre hoostes and haue enuayhed thy camels and taken them and hath slayn thy seruaÌ„tes with swerd and I only escaped for to brynge the word And yet he spekyng another entryd in and said Thy sones and doughtres drynkyng wyn in the hows of thy first begoten sone sodenly cam a vehemente wynde fro the regyon of deserte and smote the iiij corners of the hows whiche fallyng oppressyd thy chyldren and ben all deed and I only fledde for to telle to the TheÌ„ne Iob aroos cutte his kote and dyde do shaue his heed and fallyng doun to the ground worshipped adowred god sayeng I am comeÌ„ out naked fro the wombe of my moder And naked shal retorne agayn therto Our lord hath gyuen and our lord hath taken away as it hath plesid our lord so is it don The name of our lord be blessyd In all thyse thynges Iob synned not with hys lippes ne spack nothyng folyly ayenst our lord but toke it all pacyeÌ„tly After thys it was soo that on a certayn day whan the children of god stood to fore our lord sathan cam and stode emong them and god said to hym whens comest thou to whom Sathan answerd I haue gon rounde the erthe and walked thurgh it And god said to Sathan hast thou not consydered my seruaunt Iob that ther is noman lyke hym in therthe a man symple ryghtful dredyng god and goyng fro euyl And yet reteynyng hys Innocencye Thou hast meuyd me ayenst hym that I shold put hym to afflyction without cause To whom Sathan said Skynne for skynne and all that euer a man hath he shal gyue for hys sowle Neuertheles stratche thyn hande towche his mouth and hys flesshe and thou shalt see that he shal not blesse the Thenne said god to sathan I wyl well that hys body be in thyn hande but saue hys sowle and hys lyf Thenne sathan departed fro the face of our lord and smote Iob with the worst botchys blaynes fro the plante of hys foot vnto the toppe of hys heed whiche was made lyke a lazar and was caste out satte on the dongehyll Thenne cam hys wif to hym and said yet thou abydest in thy symplenes Forsake thy god and blesse hym nomore And goo deye Thenne Iob said to her Thou hast spoken lyke a folissh woman yf we haue receyuyd and taken good thyngis of the hande of our lord why shal we not susteyne and suffre euyll thynges In all thyse thynges Iob synned not with his lippes Thenne thre men that were frendes of Iob heeryng what harme was happed and comen to Iob camen euerich fro hys place to hym that one was named Eliphas themanytes Another Baldad scintes And the thyrde Sophar naamathites And whan they sawe hym fro fer they knewe hym not And cryeng they wepte they cam for to conforte hym and whan they
it vp remysed it the thyrde tyme vpon the aulter And it was throweÌ„ agayn ferther than to fore of which thyng all they that were there merueylled men caÌ„ for to see thys thyng And anon the chyld that had fallen in the water in the see cam agayn prestly to fore them alle brought in hys hondes the first cuppe and recounted to the people that anon as he was fallen in the see the blessyd saynt Nicholas cam kept hym that he had none harme And thus hys fader was glad offrid to saynt Nicholas bothe the two cuppes ¶ Ther was another riche man that by the merites of saynt Nicholas had a sone and callid hym deus dedit god gaf And this riche man dyde do make a chapel of saynt Nicholas in hys dwellyng place and dyd do halowe euery yere the feste of saynt Nicholas And thys manoyr was sette by the londe of Agariens thys chylde was taken prysoner and deputed to serue the kynge The yere folowyng and the day that hys fader helde deuoutly the fest of saynt Nicholas the chylde helde a precious cuppe to fore the kynge And remembrid his pryse the sorowe of hys frendes and the ioye that that day was made in the hous of hys fader And began for to sighe sore hye And the kynge demaunded hym what hym eyled and the cause of hys sighyng And he tolde to hym euery word hoolly ¶ And whan the kynge knewe it he said to hym what someuer thy Nicholas doo or doo not thou shalt abyde here wyth vs And sodaynly ther blewe a moche stronge wynde that made alle the hows to tremble And the chyld was rauysshyd wyth the cuppe and was sette to fore the yate where hys fader helde the solempnyte of saynt Nycholas in suche wyse that alle they demened grete Ioye And somÌ„e saye that this chyld was of Normandye and wente ouer see and was taken by the sowdan whiche made hym ofte to be beten to fore hym And as he was beten on a saynt Nicholas day and was after sette in pryson he prayd to saynt Nicholas as wel for hys betyng that he suffred as for the grete Ioye that he was wonte to haue on that day of saynt Nicholas ¶ And whan he had long prayed and syghed he fyl a slepe And whan he awoke he fonde hym self in the chappel of hys fader where as was moche Ioye made for hym ¶ Late vs thenne praye to thys blessyd saynt that he wyl praye for vs to oure lord Ihesu cryst whyche is blessyd in secula seculorum Amen Here endeth the lyf of saynt Nicholas Here foloweth the Concepcion of our blessid lady Of the Fest of the Concepcion of our blessyd lady MAria inuemsci graciam apud dominum Luce primo capitulo Whan the Aungel gabriel had grete our lady for to shewe to her the blessyd concepcion of our lord For to take from her alle doubtes and dredes he comforted her in sayeng the wordes aforsaid Marie thou hast founden grace at the lord Ther ben foure maner of peple of whiche the ij ben good And the two ben euyll For somÌ„e ther ben that seche not god ne hys grace as peple out of the byleue Of whom may be said as it is wreten who that byleueth not on his lord god shal deye perpetuelly And other ther ben that seche god hys grace but they fynde it not For they seche it not as they ought to doo as Coueytous men that sette alle their loue in hauoyr and in solace of the world ¶ Suche peple ben lykened to them that seche flowres in wynter wel seche they flowres in wynter that seche god and hys grace in the couetise of the world which is so colde of alle vertues that it quenchyth alle the deuocion of the loue of god ¶ And wel is callyd the world wynter in holy scripture For hys euyllis and vices make synners and colde to serue god And therfore saith the holy ghoost to the sowle that is amerouse Canticorum primo capitulo Arise vp thou my fayr sowle the wynter is passed ¶ Iam enim hyemps transiit For thou hast vaynquysshyd the temptacions of the world whiche kele my loue and therfore come in to my Royame where thou shalt fynde deduyte of alle flowres of the somer there as the synners may not come by cause they seche not god as they ought to doo by uery repentauÌ„ce of herte ¶ And therfor sayth our lord Iohannis vij capitulo Queritis et non inuenietis Item Iohannis octauo capitulo 〈◊〉 voâ— queritis me et in peccato moriemmj Ye seche me and fynde me not Item Lo ye seche me and in synne ye shal deye ¶ The thyrde maner of peple that seche not god And yet neuertheles they fynde hym They ben chyldren that deye in their Innocencie and ben purged by lapâ—esme Of whom god said by hys prophete Ysaye lxiiij capitulo Inuenerunt qui non quesierunt me I am founden of them that sought me not And that is for defaulte of Age ¶ The fourth maner of peple that seche god and fynde hym ben they that sette alle theyr desyre to serue god and loue hym lyke as the blessyd vyrgyne marye that sith she was in her enfancye she put her euer in the seruyce of god and loue of hym and vowed to hym chastete afore alle other wymen And therfore with right myght the Aungel wel saye to her Maria inuenisti graciam apud dominum Marye thou hast founden grace at god our lord We fynde in the scripture that thys gloriouse virgyne marye hath founden grace in thre maners For her comyng was longe afore prophecied And her byrthe anunciat and shewd by thaungel And in the wombe of her moder er she was born sanctefyed and halowed Fyrst her comyng was shewd and prophecied in many maners and by many fygures For Balaam prophesyed Numeri vicesimoquarto Capitulo Orietur stella ex Iacob et consurget virga de Israhel That is to saye that the virgyne marye shal be born of the lignage of Iacob patriarke it is a custome whaÌ„ folke wyl preyse a persone they wylle compare hym to a valyant man lyke as it said comunely of an hardy man Thys is a right alisaundre And of a symple man Thys is a right Iob Thus Balaam the prophete compared our lady to a sterre for thre causes First for she is aourned and gyueth beaute to alle humayne creature lyke as the sterre doth on the firmament For she hath opened to vs the yate of ê‘radis like as it is songe in holy chirche paradisi porta ê“ â—uaÌ„ cuÌ„ctis claâ—sa â— et per beatam virginem mariam iterum patefacta est The yate of paradys whyche by eue was closed fro all men is now opened by the blessyd vyrgyne marye Secondly lyke as the sterre enlumyneth the nyght by hys clerenes In lyke wyse the gloryous lady enlumyneth by her lyf all holy chirche
swerd thurgh her throte And yet for all that she deyde not anon but spack to the peple sayeng I adnounce and shewe to you that holy chyrche shal haue peas For dyoclesyen the Emperour whiche was enemy to holy chirche is this day put out of his seignourye And maximiē hys felawe is this day deed And in lyke wyse as saynt Agathe is patronesse and kepar of cathanence In the same wyse shal I be commysed to be patronesse of siracusane this cyte And as she spack thus to the peple The sergeantes and mynystres of Rome cam for to take pascasius and brynge hym to rome by cause that he was accused to fore the senatours of Rome of that he had Robbed the prouynce wherfore he resseyued hys sentence of the senate And had hys heed smyten of Saynt lucye neuer remeuid fro the place where she was hurt wyth the swerd ne deyde not tyl the preest cam brought the blessyd body of our lord Ihesu cryst And assone as she had receyued the blessyd sacrament she rendred and gaf vp her soule to god thankyng and preysyng hym of alle his goodnes In that same place is a chyrche edefyed in the name of her where as many benefetes ben gyuen to thonour of our lord Ih̄u crist whiche is blessed world wythouten ende Amen Here foloweth the lyf of seynt Nychase IN that tyme that the wandles wasted and destroyed many cytes londes they cam to the cyte of reynes in fraūce in whiche cyte seynt nychase was arche bysshop he prechyd the fayth of Ihesu cryst and conforted the peple and admonested them to receyue in pacience the persecucion of the wandles whiche thenne had destroyde the contraye and londe alle aboute the cyte and as thys peple called wandles approched the cyte The folke cam to tharchebisshop and demaunded counseyl yf they shold yelde theym or go and fyght for the cite Seynt nychase to whom god hath shewed to fore that the wandles cam that al the cite shold be destroyde Impetred and had graūte of our lorde that thys tribulacion and thys deth sholde be to the helthe of the soules of them that to theyr power shold be repentaūt of theyr synnes sythe sayde to them late vs goo surely to the peryl of dethe And lat vs abyde the mercy of god I am redy to sette my sowle for my peple late us preye for our enemyes and late vs desyre of theyr soules lyke as of our owne Thus as he spake to the peple seynt eutroppe his suster exorted as moche as she myght the peple to receyue martordom whiche was redy after thorysons and thensygnementes that they had made to the peple they yssued out ayenst the wandles Ande seynt nychase sayde to them yf ye wyl slee my people slee me fyrst tofore And after he prechyd to them the fayth of Ih̄u cryst and taughte them how they myght be saued but they wold not vnderstonde it thenne the holy man sette hym to prayer And whyles he prayde hys enemyes smote of hys hede and after that the hede was smeton offe he made an ende of hys prayer and sayde in his tongue thys vers of the sauter adhesit panimento c̄ whan seynt eutrope saw her brother martred And sawe that noman made hym redy to be martred but stroof for her beaute she ran to hym that had slayn her brother And wold haue cratched hys eyen out of his heed And anon she was martrid and many other with her Thenne the wandles sawe a grete companye of cheualrye of heuen come for tauenge the grete felonye that they had don and herde a grete soun in the chirche And they had so grete fere and drede that they lefte all theyr Armures and fledde And ther appiered a grete lyght and clernes vpon the bodyes that it was seen ferre by nyght thenne cam agayn som̄e burgeyses of them that had fled and sawe the clerenes and felte a grete odour aboute the martirs and buryed thē aboute the cyte And thanked our lord and seruyd hym more perfyghtly than they had don byfore late vs praye thenne to the holy saynt Nichase and to saynt Eutroppe that they wyl gete vs grace of our lord that they brynge vs in to their companye Amen Thus endeth the lyf of saynt Nychase And here begynneth the lyf of saynt Thomas thappostle THomas is as moche to saye as abysme or double whiche in grece is said didimus or ellis Thomas is said of Thomos whiche is said dyuysion and departyng he was abysme or swolowe by cause he deserued to perse the depnes of dyuynyte whan at hys Interrogacion Ihesu cryst answerd to hym Ego sum via veritas vita I am the waye trouthe and lyf he is said double by cause he knewe cryst in hys resurrection in double thyse more than other knewe For they knewe hym but only in seeyng but Thomas knewe hym bothe seeyng and feelyng he is said dyuysyon or departyng for he departed hys loue fro the loue of the world And was departed fro the other appostles atte Resurrection Or Thomas is said as appered agayn that is in the loue of god by contemplacion he had thre thynges in hym of whiche prosper saith in the book of the soule contemplatyf and demaundeth what it is for to loue nothyng but for to conceyue the brennyng of hym in hys thought and the talente of god and hate of synne and to forsake the world Or Thomas is as moche to saye as alway goyng in the loue and contemplacion of god Or thomas is as moche as my god by cause he said whan he touched the syde of our lord my god and my lord SAynt Thomas whā he was in Cezaree our lord appiered to hym and sayde The kynge of ynde gondeforus hath sente his prouost Abanes for to seche men that can wel the craft of masons And I shal sende the to hym and saynt Thomas saide Syre sende me oueral sauf to them of ynde And our lord said to hym goo thy way theder surely for I shal be thy kepar and whan thou hast conuerted them of ynde thou shalt come to me by the crowne of martirdom And Thomas said to hym thou art my lord And I thy seruaunt thy wyll be fulfyllid And as the prouost wente thurgh the market our lord said to hym yong man what wilt thou bye And he said my lord hath sente me for to brynge to hym som̄e that be lerned in the science of masonrye that they myght make for hym a palays after the werke of Rome And thenne our lord delyuerid to hym saynt Thomas thappostle and told to hym that he was moche expert in that werke and they departed and saylled til they cam in a cyte where the kyng made a weddyng of hys doughter And had do crye that all the people shold come to this feste of this mariage or ellis he wold be angry And it so happed that the prouost and thomas wente thyder And an hebrewe mayde
thappostles other And after that that they were by thordenaūce of the holy ghoost confermed in the crysten fayth by the vnyuersal world Saynt Ioh̄n cā in to grece where he conuersid and conuertid moche people and founded many chyrches in the cristen faith as wel by myracles as by doctryne ¶ In thys tyme domycien was Emperour of rome whyche made right grete persecucions vnto cristen men ¶ And dyde do take saynt Iohan and to be brought to Rome And made hym to be caste in to a fatte or a tonne full of hote oylle in the presence of the senatours of which he yssued out by the helpe of god more pure and more fayr wythout felyng of ony hete or chauffyng than he entred in After thys that themperour sawe that he cessed not to preche the cristen faith he sente hym in exile vnto an yle called pathmos There was saynt Iohan allone and was visited of angellis and gouerned there wrote he by the reuelacion of our lord thapocalypse whiche conteyned the secretes of holy chyrche and of the world to come In thys same yere was domycien themperour for hys euyllis put to deth And all that he had don was reuoqued by the senatours and deffeated And thus was saynt Ioh̄n brouht agayn from hys exyle with grete honour in to Ephesym And all the people of ephesym cam ayenst hym syngyng and sayeng blessyd be he that cometh in the name of our lord In that waye he reysed a woman whyche was named drusiane whiche had moche loued saynt Ioh̄n and wel kept hys comandementis And her frendes brought her tofore saynt Ioh̄n all wepyng and sayeng to hym Loo here is drusyane whyche moche loued the and dyde thy comandementis and is deed ande desired nothyng so moche as thy retorne and that she myght see the to fore her deth now thou art comen hether and she may not see the Saynt Ioh̄n had grete pyte on her that was deed and of the peple that wepte for her and comanded that they sholde sette doun the byere and vnbynde take awaye the clothes fro her And whan they had so doon he said hyeryng alle wyth a lowde voys Drusiane my lord god Ihesu criste areyseth the drusiane arise and goo in to thy hows and make redy for me som̄e refection Anon she aroos and wente in to her hows for to doo the comandement of saynt Ioh̄n And the peple made thre howres longe a grete noyse and crye sayeng ther is but one god and that is he whom seynt Ioh̄n prechyth It happed on an other day that craton the phylosophre made a grete assemblee of peple in the myddes of the cyte For to shewe to them how they ought to despyse the world and he had ordeyned two yong men brethern whiche were moche ryche and had made thē to selle theyr patrymonye and therwith to b̄ye precious stones the whiche thyse two yong men brake in the presence of the peple for to shewe howe thyse precious and grete Rychesses of the world ben soone destroyed That same tyme saynt Ioh̄n passed by And said to craton the phylosopher Thys maner for to despyse the world that thou shewest is vayne and folyssh demonstraunce For it secheth to haue the preysyng of the world god reproueth it my good maystre Ihesu cryst sayd to a man that demanded of hym how he myght come to euerlastyng lyf that he shold goo and selle all hys goodes And gyue that he receyued of it to the poure peple And he shold fynde tresour in heuen Craton said thenne to hym the pryse and valewe of thyse precious stones is destroyed in the presence of alle men here but yf thy maystre be veraye god he wyll that the goodes of the world be gyuen to poure men take thenne the pieces of thyse precious stones broken And make them hole stones as they were to fore by cause yf I haue shewd thys by vayne glorye make thou them to the honour of thy maystre Anon saynt Ioh̄n toke the pyeces of the precious stones ¶ And after that he had made hys prayer to god he shewd to thē the stones as hoole as euer they were or had ben whan craton the phylosopher sawe thys anon he with his ij men and his disciples fyll doun to the feet of saynt Ioh̄n receyued the faith and baptesme of Ihesu criste And sold the precious stones gaue the money therof for the loue of god And begonne to preche the faith of our lord Ihesu cryst Than the two brethern moche riche and honoured in the cyte of Ephesim anon they sold al their patrymony and gaf it for the loue of god But after whan they cam in to the cyte of pergania sawe them that had ben theyr seruauntes clothed in silke and in grete honour of the world and them self hauyng but a poure mantel or perauenture a poure cote Anon they repented them that they had gyuen away their goodes in almesse to poure people Thys apperceyued saynt Ioh̄n and said to them I see that ye ben heuy and sorouful of thys that after the doctryne of Ihesu cryste ye haue gyuen your good for goddes sake wherfor yf ye wyl haue agayn the valewe of your goodes brynge to me roddes of the trees and stones of the Ryuage of the see And so they dyde And whan saynt Iohan had them anon by hys prayer he chaunged the roddes in to fyn gold And the comyn stones in to precious stones And saynt Iohan had them to take them and shewe to the maistres that had knowleche in suche Iewellis yf the Roddes were gold and the comyn stones precyous stones After they cam agayn and said to saynt Ioh̄n Syre the maistres saye that they sawe neuer so fyne gold ne so precious stones Seynt Ioh̄n thēne said to them goo ye and bye ye agayn your londes that ye haue solde For ye haue lost the reward of heuen Be ye riche temporelly for to be beggars perpetuelly Thenne began he to preche in despytyng the Rychesses and to shewe vj causes why we ought to restrayne vs for to loue Rychesses Fyrst thescripture lerneth vs to hate Richesses And reciteth in the gospell how the Ryche mā that was clad in purpure and ete euery day delycious metes glotonously was lost and dampned but the poure man at hys gate that deyde ful of soores and hongry was saued Secondly Nature techeth vs to hate Rychesses For we ben born poure naked and pourly muste we departe and deye ¶ Thyrdly the creature techith vs For the sonne the mone the sterres the Rayne and the ayer ben comyne and departe theyr Influences and their benefices largely ¶ Fourthly the man it not oft in one estate For whan he weneth to be Ryche plentiuous and free he fyndeth hym self bonde and caytyf For the Ryche man aduerse is bonde and seruaunt to the peny and to the deuyll Amator pecunie seruus est mammone ¶ Fyftly sorowe and care
songen for hys sowle And whan the quer began to synge Requiem An angele on hye aboue begaÌ„ thoffyce of a martir Letabitur Iustus And thenne all the quyre folowed syngyng forth the masse of thoffyce of a martir And the pope thanked god that it plesed hym to shewe suche myracles for his holy martir Atte whos tombe by the merytes and prayers of this holy martyr our blessyd lord hath shewde many myracles the blynde haue recouerd ther their sight the dombe their speche the deef their heeryng the lame their lymes And the dede theyr lyf yf I shold here expresse alle the myracles that it hath plesyd god to shewe for thys holy saynt It shold conteyne an hole volume therfor at thys tyme I passe ouer vnto the feste of hys translacion where I purpose wyth the grace of god to recyte somÌ„e of them Thenne late vs praye to thys glorious martir to be our aduocate that by hys peticion we may come to euerlastyng blysse amen Here endeth the lyf and passion of saynt Thomas of Caunterbury Here foloweth the lif of saynt Siluester The interpretacion of hys name SIluester is sayd of silue or sole whyche is lyght and of terterra the erthe as who saith the light of therthe that is of the chyrche Or siluester is said of siluas of trahens that is to saye he was drawyng wyld men and harde vnto the faith Or as it is said in glosario siluester is to saye grene that is to wyte grete in contemplacion of heuenly thynges and a tylyar in labouryng hym self he he was vmbrouse or shadewous that is to saye he was colde and refrigerat fro all concupyscence of the flesshe full of bowes emonge the trees of heuen Eusebe of Cezarce compyled hys legende whyche the blessyd Gelagius in the counseyl of lxx bysshops recordeth lyke as it is had in the decrete Of the lyt of saynt Siluestre SIluester was sone of one Iusta And was lerned and taught of a preste named Ciryne whyche dyde merueyllously grete almesses made hospytalytees hyt hepped that he receyued a crysten man in to hys hows named Thymothee whom noman wold receyue for the persecucion of tyrauntes wherfore the said Thymothee suffred deth and passyon after that yere whylis he preched Iustly the faith of Ihesu cryst it was so that the prefecte tarquynus supposed that Thymothee had had grete plente of Rychesses whiche he demanded of siluestre thretenyng hym to the deth but yf he delyueryd them to hym And whan he fonde certaynly that Thymothee had no grete Rychesses he comanded to saynt siluestre to make sacrefyse to the ydollys and yf he dyde not he wold make hym suffre dyuerse tormeÌ„tis Saynt siluester answerd Fals euyl man thou shalt deye thys nyght and shalt haue tourmentes that euer shal endure And thou shalt knowe whether thou wilt or none that he whom we worshype is veray god Thenne saynt syluester was put in pryson and the prouoste wente to dyner Now it happed that as he ete a bone of a fysshe torned in hys throte and stacke faste so that he coude neyther haue it doun ne vp And after at mydnyht deyed like as saynt siluester had said and thenne saynt siluester was delyuerd out of pryson he was so gracious that alle cristen men and paynems loued hym For he was fair lyke an aungele to loke on a fayr speker hool of body holy in werke good in counseylle pacyent and charytable and fermly establysshed in the faith he had in wrytyng the names of all the wydowes and orphanes that were poure to theym he admynystred theyr necessyte he had a custome to faste alle frydayes and saterdayes ¶ And it was so that melchiades the bysshop of Rome deyed And all the peple chese saynt siluester for to be the hye bysshop of Rome whyche sore ayenst hys will was made pope he Instytued for to be fasted wednesday fryday and saterday And the thursday for to be halowed as sonday ¶ Now it happed that themperour Constantyn dyde doo slee all the crysten men oueral where he coude fynde them And for thys cause saynt siluester fledde out of the toun wyth hys clerkes and hydde hym in a montayne And for the cruelte of Constantyn god sente hym suche a sekenes that he becam lazare and mesell And by the counceyll of hys phisicyeÌ„s he gate thre thousand chyldren yonge for to haue cut their throtes for to haue their blood in abaygne all hoot and therby he myght be heelyd of hys meselrye ¶ And whan he shold ascende in to hys chare for to goo to the place where he shold be baygned the moders of the chyldren camen cryeng and brayeng for sorow of theyr chyldren ¶ And whan he vnderstode that they were moders of the chyldren he had grete pyte on them and said to hys knyghtes and them that were aboute hym ¶ The dygnyte of th empyre of Rome is brought forth of the fontayne of pyte the whyche hath stablysshed by decree that who that sleeth a chyld in bataylle shal haue hys heed smeton of ¶ Thenne shold it be grete cruelte to vs for to doo to oures suche thynge as we deffende to straunge nacions for so shold cruelte surmounte vs It is better that we leue cruelte and that pyte surmounte vs And therfor me semeth better to saue the lyues of thyse Innocentis than by their deth I shold haue agayn my helthe of the whiche we be not yet orâ—â—ayn Ne we may recouuer nothyng for to slee them For yf so were that I shold be therby haue helthe that shold be a cruel helth that shold be bought with the deth of so many Innocentis Thenne he comaÌ„ded to rendre and delyure agayn to the maders their chyldren and gaf to euerich of them a good yefte And thus made them retorne to their howses wyth grete Ioye For whens they departed with grete sorowe And he hym self retorned agayn in hys chare vnto hys palays Now it happed that the next nyght after saynt peter saynt poul appiered to thys emperour ConstaÌ„tyn sayeng to hym By cause that thou hast had orrour to shede and spylle the blood of Innocentis our lord Ihesu cryst hath had pyte on the And comaÌ„deth the to sende vnto suche a montayne where siluestre is hyd with his clerkes And saye to hym that thou comest for to be baptysed of hym and thou shalt he heled of thy maladye And whan he was awaked he dyde do calle hys knyghtes And comanded them to goo to that montaygne And brynge the pâ—pe siluestre to hym courtoisly and fayr for to speke with hym whan saynt siluestre sawe froÌ„ ferre the knyghtes come to hym he supposed that they sought hym for to be martyred And began to saye to his clerkes that they shold be ferme and stable in the faith for to suffre martirdom whan the knyghtes cam to hym they said to hym moche courtoysly that Constantyn sente for hym and prayd hym that he
fro the culture and worshypyng of false ydolles fro the vemyin of the dragon Atte laste whan saynt siluestre approched toward hys deth he called to hym the clergye and admonested them to haue charyte And that they shold dylygently gouerne their chirches And kepe theyr flock fro the wulues And after the yere of thyncarnacion of our lord thre hondred twenty he departed out of thys world and slept in our lord cÌ„ Thus endeth the lyf of saynt Siluester Here foloweth the lyf of saynt Poul the first heremyte SAynt Poul whiche was the first heremyte as saynt Iherome wryteth was in the tyme of decius and valeryanus emperours the yere of thyncarnacion of our lord ijClvj Thys holy man saynt poul sawe men for Crysten faith cruelly tormented wherfore he fledde in to the deserte Emonge whome he sawe two cruelly tourmented The first for that he abode fermly in hys fayth The Iuge dyde do enoynte alle hys body wyth hony And dyde do bynde hys hondes by hynde hym on hys back And soo dyde hym be sette in the hete of the sonne for to by byten and stongen of flyes and waspes That other that was yonge he made hym to lye in a right softe bedde bytwene ij shetes emonge flowres and delectable Roses and herbes swete smellyng And there in he was bounden so that he myght not meue hym After made an harlote a Rybaulde come to hym allone for to touche hys membres and hys body to moeue to lecherye Fynably whan the voluptuosyte of hys flesshe surmounted hym and myght not deffende hym self ne hys meÌ„bres he bote of a pyâ—ce of hys tongue and spitte it in her vysage whiche alleway enticed hym to lecherye by touchyng and by kyssynges And so he voyded the temptacion flesshely and the Rybaulde also and deserued to haue lawde and victorye In thys tyme saynt poul to fore said was yong aboute xvj yere of age and dwellyd in thebayde whyche is a partye of Egypte wyth hys suster mauryce And whan he sawe the persecucions of crysten men he departed and becam an heremyte so longe and so many yeres that he was olde an honderd and xiij yere In thys tyme saynt Anthonye was an heremyte in an other deserte was thenne lxxxx yere of age And on a tyme he thought in hym self that in the world was none so good ne so grete an heremyte as he was hym self Herupon cam to hym a reuelacioÌ„ as he slepte that bynethe alle alowe doun in that deserte was an heremyte better than he And that he ought to goo and see thys holy man Anon after the next day he toke hys staf by whyche he susteyned hym and began in goo thurgh that deserte And it happed that he mette a persone whyche was half aboue an hors and bynethe a man whome the fables of the poetes calle centaure And anon made to fore hym the signe of the crosse And demaunded of hym where thys holy maÌ„ theremyte dwellyd And he shewed to hym the waye on the right side and anon vanysshyd away from hym It is not certaynly knowen yf thys beste was a beste of the deserte or the deuyl in fygure of a beste After thys saynt Anthonye mette with a monstre in a valeye beryng the fruyte of a pal myer croked and had in hys forhede hornes and hys legges and feet lyke a ghoot of the woodes And anon he made to fore hym the signe of the crosse Thys bestial man gaf to saynt Anthonye the fruyte of the palmyer And saynt Anthonye demauÌ„ded what he was And he answerd I can mortal and dwelle in deserte And the sarasyns calle vs sacraros I am the messager of our companye we praye the that thou praye the lord for vs we knowe wel that the sauyour of the world is comen And hys renomee is spred thurgh the world And by cause herof noman shold haue doubtauÌ„ce Alle men knowe that in the tyme of Constantyn themperour suche amaÌ„ was brought in to the cyte of Alexandre to fore the peple and whan he was deed hys body was fylled with salt ayenst the hete of the sonne And was sente to themperour to Anthioche for a meruaylle But retorne we to our mater Saynt Anthonye had grete labour in goyng by the deserte where as was no waye Fynably he fonde a she wulf whyche brought hym by the wille of god vnto thermytage of saynt poul But assone as he knewe that saynt Anthonye cam hastely he shytte hys dore And saynt Anthonye prayd hym for charyte that he wold opene it to hym said thou wotest wel who wherfore I am come I knowe wel I am not worthy to rendre gyue to the ony thyng for thy labour Neuertheles I shal not departe fro hens vnto the tyme that I haue seen the Atte last he opened hys dore and sâ—â—h entrebraced eche other And eche of them dyde reuerence eche to other And saynt poul demaunded of thestate of the world and of the gouernaunce And yf Crysten faith were spredde and vsed ouerall And whyles they were thus talkyng A crowe cam fleyng and brought to them two loues yf breed And whan the crowe was goon Saynt Poul said be thou glad and Ioyeful For our lord is debonayre and mercyful he hath sente vs brede for to ete It is xl yere passed that euery day he hath sente me half a loof But now at thy comyng he hath sente ij hole loues and double prouende And they had question to gydre vntil euensong tyme whyche of them bothe shold entame or bygynne to take of the breed Atte laste the bred departed euen bytwene theyr handes and thenne they ete dranke of the welle or fontayne After graces said they had alle that nyght collacion to gydre On the morn said saynt poul Broder it is longe sith that I knewe that thou dwelledeth in this region and in thys contree And god had promysed to me thy coÌ„panye I shal now shortly deye and shal goo to Ihesu cryst for to receyue the crowne to me promysed Thou art comen hyther for to burye my body whan saynt Anthonye herd that anon he begaÌ„ tendrely to wepe and waylled prayeng that he myght deye with hym and goo in hys companye Saynt Poul said hyt is nede yet that thou lyue for thy brethren to th ende that they by the ensample of the be made forme and taught wherfore I praye the retorne to thyn abaye And brynge to me the mantel whyche Athanases the bysshop gaf to the for to wrappe in my body Thenne saynt Anthonye merueylled of thys that he knewe of this bysshop and of thys mantel and after durst nothyng saye â—ut dyde to hym reuerence lyke as god had spokeÌ„ to hym And wepyng kyssed hys feet and hys hondes and cam aâ—ayn to hys abbaye with grete trauayl and labour for he had fro that one parte to that other many Iourneyes and foul waye thurgh hayes and hedges woodes stones hylles and valeyes and saynt
themperour of thys that he was ouer cruel to Crysten people And themperour had of hym so grete despyte that he made of the hows of a good womaÌ„ of whyche saynt marcel had made a chyrche the sayd emperour made it a stable for horses And in the place where saynt marcel had songe masse themperour made hym to kepe hys hors in whyche seruyse saynt marcell was alle hys lyue after and in that seruyse saynt marcell deyed holily the yere of thyncarnacion of our lord two hondred and foure score Here endeth the lyf of saynt Marcell pope Here foloweth of saynt Anthonye and fyrst thynterpretacion of hys name ANthonye is sayd of Ana whyche is as moche to saye as hye and tenens that is holdyng whyche is as moche to saye as holdyng hye thynges and despysyng the world he despysed the world and sayd it is deceyuyng transitorye and bytter And Athanase wrote hys lyf Of the lyf of saynt Anthonye SAynt Anthonye was born in egypte of good relogious fader moder And whan he was but xx yere olde he herde on a tyme in the chirche redde in the gospell that sayd yf thou wilt be ê‘fight goo and selle alle that thou hast gyue it to poure men And theÌ„ne accordyng therto he solde all that he had gaf it to the poure peple becam an heremyte he had ouer many teÌ„ptacions of the deuyll Thenne on a tyme whan he had ouercomen the spiryte of fornycacioÌ„ which teÌ„pted hym therin by the vertue of his faith the deuyl cam to hym in the forme of a lityl child all black fille douÌ„ at his feet and confessed that he was the deuyl of fornycacion whyche saynt Anthonye had desired and prayd to see hym for to knowe hym that so tempted yong people Thenne said saynt Anthonye sith I haue perceyued that thou art so â—oul a thyng I shal neuer doubte the After he wente in to an hole or caue to hyde hym And anon he fonde there a a grete multitude of deuylles that so moche bete hym that hys seruant bare hym vpon hys sholdres in to hys hous as he had ben deed whan the other heremytes were assembled and wepte hys deth and wold haue don hys seruyse sodenly saynt Anthonye reuyued and made hys seruaunt to bere hym in to the pytte agayn where the deuyllis had so euyl beten hym And began to somone the deuyllis agayn whyche had beten hym to bataylles And anon they cam in fourme of dyuerse bestes wylde and sauage of whom that one howled another syfled and another cryed and another brayed and assaylled saynt Anthonye that one wiâ—h the hornes the other with theyr teeth and the other with theyr pawes and vngles and dystourned and alle to rente hys body that he supposed wel to deye Thenne cam a clere bryghtnes And alle the bestes fledde awaye and saynt Anthonye vnderstode that in this grete light our lord cam and he sayde tweyes who art thou the good Ihesu answerd I am here Anthony theÌ„ne said saynt Anthony O good Ihesu where hast thou ben so longe why were thou not here wyth me atte begynnyng to helpe me and to hele my woundes thenne our lord sayd I was here but I wold see and abyde to see thy bataylle And by cause thou hast manly foughten and wel mayntened thy batayll I shal make thy name to be sprad thurgh alle the world Saynt Anthony was of so grete feruour and brennyng loue to god that whan maximus themperour slewe and martred crysten men he folowed the martres that he myght be a martir wyth them and deserue it And was sory that martirdom was not gyuen to hym After thys as saynt Anthony wente in deserte he fonde a plater of siluer in hys way theÌ„ne he thoughte whens this plater shold come seeyng it was no way for ony man to passe And also yf it had fallen fro ony man he shold haue herde it sowne in the fallyng Thenne said he wel that the deuyl â—ad leyde it there for to tempte hym and sayd Ha deuyl thou wenysâ— to tempte me and deceyue me but it shal not be in thy power thenne the plater vanysshed away as a lytyl smoke And in lyke wyse it happed hym of a masse of gold that he fonde in his wayâ— whiche the deuyl had caste for to deceyue hym which he toke and caste it in to the fyre and anon it vanysshed away After it happed that saynt Anthony on a tyme was in prayer and sawe in a vysion alle the world ful of snares and grynnes Thenne cryed saynt Anthony and said O good lord who may escape fro thyse snares ¶ And a voâ—s said to hym veray humylyte shal escape them without moâ—e whan saynt Anthonye on a tyme was lefte in the ayer the deuylles câ—m ayenst hym and layde to hym alle the euylles that he had doo fro hys chyldhode tofore the angellis ¶ Thenne said thangellis thou oughtest not to telle the â—uyâ—les that hen deffeted but saye yf thou knowe ony euyl sith he was made a monke thenne the deuyllys contryued many euyllys And whan they myght not preue them the Angellis bare hym hyer than to fore and after sette hym agayn in hys place Saynt Anthonye reâ—â—â—â—eth of hym self that he had seen a man so grete and sâ— hye that he vaunted hym self to 〈◊〉 the vertue and the prouydence of â—od and sayd to me 〈◊〉 of me what thou wylt and I shal gyue it to the And I spytte in the myddes of hys vysage And anon I armed me wyth the signe of the crosse and â—anne vpon hym anon he vanysshid away And after thys the deuyl appyereâ—â— to hym in so grete a stature that he towched the heuen And whan saynt Anthony had demaunded hym what he was He answerd I am the deuyl and demaunde the why thyse monkes and thyes cursed crysten men doo mâ— thus moche shame Saynt Anthonye said they doo it by good right For thou doost to them the werst thou canst And the deuyl answerd I doo to theÌ„ none harme but they trouble eche other I am destroyed and comeÌ„ to nought by cause that Ihesu cryst regneth ouerall A yonge man passed by seynt Anthonye hys bowe in his honde behelde how saynt Anthonye played with his felawes and was euyl a payd Thenne saynt Anthony said to hym that he shold bende hys bowe and so he dyde and shotte ij or iij shottes to fore hym and anon he vnbente hys bowe Thenne demanded hym saynt Anthony why he helde not hys bowe bente And he answerd that it shold be theÌ„ne ouer weak and feble Thenne said to hym saynt Anthonye in lyke wyse playe the monkes for to be after more stronge to serue god A man demanded of saynt Anthony what he myght doo to plese god and he answerd ouer all where thou shalt be or shal goo haue god to fore thyn eyen and the holy scripture And holde the in one
thou by thys ryng Tarquillinus said the gold of the rynge is the body humayne And the precious stone signefieth the sowle whiche is enclosed in the body The body and the sowle make a man lyke as the gold and the precious stone make a rynge And moche more precioous is the man to Ihesu cryst than the rynge is to the Thou sendest thy seruants for to take vp this ryng out of the dyrte or myre And they may not Thus sente god in to thys world the prophetes for to drawe the humayne lygnage out of thordure of synnes and they myght not doo it And lyke as thou sholdest leue thy ryche clothis and clothe the with a course cote and woldest descende in to the pryue and put thy handes in to foule ordure to take vp the rynge Ryght so the mageste of god hydde the lyght of hys dyuynyte by a carnal vestement whyche he toke of our nature humayne And clad hym therwith and descendeth fro heuen and cam here bynethe in to the pryue of this world and put hys hondes in thordure of oure myseryes in suffryng hungre and thurst And toke vs vp out of the fylthe weessh vs fro our synnes by the water of baptesme And thus he whyche dispyseth the by cause thou shold descende in a foule habyte to take vp the ryng thou myghtest wel put hym to deth Thus all they that renye or despise IhÌ„u cryst by cause he humbled hym self for to saue man maye in no wyse escape for the deth of helle The prouost said I see wel that thyse ben but fables Thou hast take respyte for thy sones knowest thou not well that theÌ„perour our lord is cruell ayenst crysten men Tarquillinus said it is folye to doubte more humayne puyssaunce than the puyssaunce dyuyne They that ben cruel ayenst vs maye wel tormente our bodyes but they may not take fro our herte Ihesu cryst Thenne the prouost put put tarquillinus in the handes of the sergeantis sayeng shewe to me the medycine by whiche thou art helyd of thy gowte And I shal gyue to the gold without nombre knowe thou that moche euyl shal come to them that selle bye the grace of god but yf thou wilt be hole of the maladye of the gowte byleue in Ihesu cryst and thou shal be as hole as I am The prouoste said brynge hym to me that hath heled the Tarquillinus wente to polycarpus said to hym alle thys And brought hym wyth saynt sebastian vnto the prouost and enformed hym in the faith And he praid hem that he myght haue his helthe And saynt sebastian sayd that he shold first renye hys ydollis yeue hym licence to breke them and thenne he shold haue hys helthe TheÌ„ne Comasyn the prouost said that hys seruants shold breke them saynt sebastian said they ben aferd and dar not breke them And yf the fendis hurte ony of them by ony occasion the mysbyleuers wold saye that they were hurte by cause they brake their goddes And thenne policarpe and saynt sebastian destroyed moo than CC ydollis Thenne said they to the prouost why hast not thou receyued the helthe whylâ—s we brake thydollis thou kepest yet thy mysbyleue or ellis kepest yet somÌ„e ydollis Thenne he shewed them a chaÌ„bre whyche was light as had ben of sterris whervpon hys fader had dyspendyd CC poys of gold by which he knewe thyngis for to come Thenne said saynt sebastian as longe as thou kepest thys hole thou maist neuer haue helth And thenne he agrered it shold be broken Tyburcien hys sone whyche was a noble yong man sayd playnly that so noble a werke shold not be destroyed how wel I wyl not be agayn my fadres helthe thys wylle I wel that ther be ordeyned ij furneyses of fyre brennyng and thenne I wyll that ye destroye thys werke and yf my fader haue hys helthe I shal be content And yf he receyue not hys helthe thenne I will that ye ij shal be brent in thyse ij furneyses of fyre all quyck And saynt sebastian saide be it as thou hast said And forthwyth they wente and breke the chambre in the mene whyle the angele of our lord appyered to the prouost and said hys helthe was gyuen to hym And anon he was all hool and ranne after hym for to haue kyssed his fete but he denyed hym For he had not receyued baptesme And thenne he and Tyburcien hys sone wyth a MCCCC of theyr famylye were baptysed Thenne Zoe was taken of the mescreants and was tormeÌ„ted so longe that she gaf vp the spirite And whan tarquillinus herd that he cam forth and said Alas why lyue we so longe wymen goon to fore vs to the crowne of martirdom And with in a fewe dayes after he was stoned to deth And Tyburcien was comanded that he shold goo barefoot vpon brennyng coles or ellis doo sacrefise to thydollis And thenne he made the signe of the crosse vpon the coles and wente on them bare foot And he said me thynketh I goo vpon Roose flowres in the name of our lord Ihesu cryst To whom fabien the prouoste said It is not vnknowen to vs that your Ihesu cryst is a techar of Sorcerye To whoÌ„ Tyburcien said holde thy peas thou cursid wretche For thou art not worthy to nempne so worthy so holy ne so swete a name Thenne the prouost was wroth and comanded to smyte of hys heed and so he was martred And thenne marcellianus and marcus were sore tormentid and bound to a pyler and as they were so bounden they seyden loo how good Ioyeful it is brethern to dwelle to gydre To whom the prouost said ye wretchis doo away your madnes and delyure your self And they sayde we were neuer so wel fedde we wold that thou woldest late vs stonde here tyl that the spirites shold departe out of our bodyes And thenne the prouost comaÌ„ded that they shold be percid thurgh the body with speris And so they fulfilled their martirdom after this saynt sebastian was accused to theÌ„perour that he was crysten Wherfore dyoclesian themperour of Rome made hym come to fore hym And said to hym I haue alleway loued the wel and haue made the maistre of my palays how theÌ„ne hast thou be crysten pryuely ayenst my helthe and in despyte of our goddes Saynt sebastian said allewaye I haue worshyppid Ihesu cryst for thy helthe and for thestate of Rome And I thynke for to praye and demande helpe of thydollis of stone is a grete folye wyth thyse wordes dyoclesian was moche angry and wroth and comanded hym to be ladde to the felde and there to be bounden to a stake for to be shotte at And the archers shotte at hym tyl he was as ful of arowes as an hirchon is ful of prickis And thus lefte hym there for deed The nyght after cam a crysten woman for to take hys body and to burye it but she fonde hym a
of god said to hym Aryse vp noble martyr surely aryse vp For thou shalt be our felawe be accoÌ„panyed wyth sayntes O knyght inuyncible strengest of alle stroÌ„ge now thise aspre tormÌ„tes cruell doubte the now a vaynquer prudencien saith thou art only noble of the world thou berest only the victorie of double batayll thou hast deserued ij crownes to gydre Praye we theÌ„ne to hym that he Impetre grace of our lord Ihesu Cryste that we may deserue to come vnto hys blisse Ioye in heueÌ„ where he regneth ¶ Amen Here endeth the lyf and passion of saynt vyncent Here foloweth the lyf of saynt Basylle bysshop and first of the interpretacion of hys name BAsille is said of basis in greke which is as moche to saye as a fouÌ„dement leos that is peple For he was fouÌ„dement of them that wold go to their maker or ellis it is sayd of basilisco a serpente For he ouercam the serpentâ— enemye of mankynde Of the lyf of saynt Basille SAynt Basille was a venerable bysshop and a solempne doctour of whom Amphilonus bysshop of ycome wrote the lyf And it was shewde in a vision to an hermyte named effraym how moche holy he was On a tyme as the said effâ—aim was in a traunse he sawe a pyler of fyre whos hede areched heuens a voys ther vpon sayeng Suche is basille lyke vnto thys pyber that thou seest And after thys the hermyte caÌ„ to the cite for to see at the daye of epiphanye so noble a maÌ„ whan he sawe hym he was clad with a whyte vesture goyng honourably with the clergie theÌ„ne thermyte said to hym self I see wel that I haue laboured in vayn for nought he that is sette in suche honour may not be suche as I haue seen we that haue born the burthen labour of the hete of the day in grete payne we had neuer suche thynge he here whiche is sette in suche honour also thus acoÌ„panyed is a colompne of fyre Now I haue grete merueylle what this may be And saynt basylle that sawe this in spirite made hym to be brought to hym And whan he was comen he sawe a tongue of fyre spekyng in hys mouth Thenne said effraim Truly basille is grete truly basille is the pyler of fyre And verily the holy ghoost speketh in his mouth And Effraim said to saynt basille Sire I praye the that thou Impetre of god that I may speke greek to whom saynt basille saide thou hast demaunded an hard thyng Neuertheles he prayd for hym and he spack greek Another hermyte sawe saynt basille how he wente in thabyte of a bysshop demed euyll in hys thought how he delyted in this estate in vayn glorye And anon ther cam a voys that sayd to hym thou delytest the more in playng and handlyng thy catte than basille doth in all hys araye and â—â—urnementis Malens themperour whych susteyned tharryens heretikes toke away a chyrche fro the crysten men and gaf it to the Arryens to whome saynt basylle sayd O thou Emperour it is wreton honor regis Iudicium diligit Thonour of the kynge requyreth true Iugement And the dome of a kyng is Iustyse And wherfore thenne hast thou coÌ„manded that the catholyque crysten men ben put out of holy chyrche And themperour said to hym yet retornest thou to saye vylonye to me It apperteyneth not to the To whom saynt basille said It apperteyneth wel to me and also do deye for Iustyce Thenne demostenes prouost of the metes of themperour vpholder of tharryens spack for them and made an answere corruÌ„ped in langage for to make satisfaction And saynt basille said to hym it apperteyneth to the to ordeyne for the metes of themperour and not to enquyre of the techynges dyuyne the whiche as confused held hym stylle said not And theÌ„perour said to saynt basille Now goo thou forth and Iuge thou bytwene them and not for fauour ne ouer grete loue that thou hast to that one partye ne for hate that thou hast to that other Thenne saynt basille wente to them and said to fore tharryens and to the catholyques that the doores of the chirche shold be shette faste and sealid wyth the sealis of eyther partye And that euery shold praye to god for hys right and that the chyrche shold be delyueryd to theÌ„ at whos prayer it shold opene And thus they accorded The arryens put them to prayer iij dayes and thre nyghtes And whan they caÌ„ to the doores they opened not Thenne saynt basille ordeyned a procession and cam to the chyrche and knocked a stroke wyth hys croche sayeng Attollite portas principes vestras cetera and anon as he had sayde the verse the dores opened and they entryd in and gaf lawde and preysynd to god and so was their chyrche rendryd to them agayn And after the emperour dyde promyse to saynt basylle moche good honour yf he wold consente to hym And saynt basille sayd that was a demande to make to chyldren For they that be fulfylled wyth dyuyne wordes wyl not suffre that one only syllable of the dyuyne science be corrupte Thenne themperour had grete Indygnacion of hym and toke a penne for to wryte the sentence on hym that he shold be exyled And the first penne brake and the second and also the thyrde And hys hande began to tremble for fere thenne in grete Indygnacion he alle to rente the cedule Ther was an honest worshypful man named heradius whiche had but one doughter whom he dysposed to consacre to god but the fende enemy to mankynde enflamed made one of the seruauÌ„tes of the same to breÌ„ne in the loue of thys mayde And whan he remeÌ„bred that he was but a seruant hym thought not possyble that euer he shold atteyne to come to hys desyre of so noble a virgyne he wente to an enchaaunteur to whom he promysed grete quantyte of moneye yf he wold helpe hym to whom theÌ„chantour answerd that he coude not do it but I shal sende the to the deuyll whych is my mayster and lord And yf thou doo that he shal saye to the thou shalt haue thy desyre And the yong man sayd he wold so doo And this enchanteur sente a lettre by hym to the deuyll thus conteynyng My lord and mayster by cause that I must hastly besily drawe alle them that I may fro the religion of crystendom brynge them to thy wyll to th ende that thy partye alleway growe and multeplye I sende to the thys yong man esprysed in the loue of the mayde And demandeth that hys desyres may be accomplysshyd that herin I haue glorye honour And that fro now forthon I may gadre to the drawe moo TheÌ„ne he gaf hym hys lettre had hym goo and at mydnynght stande vpon the toÌ„be of a paynem calle the deuyll And hold vp thys lettre in thayer And anon he shal come to the
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
shold deye corporally he shold see Ihesu cryste comen in to therthe the whyche byrthe he knewe longe byfore to be shewed by the prophetes ¶ And whan he sawe Ihesu cryst brought in to the temple anone he knewe hym by the holy ghoost to be very god and very man And toke hym bytwene hys Armes and sayd fayr lord god late thy sergeant and seruaunt from hensforth be in peas ¶ And suffre that after thys reuelacion shewed to me I may departe and deye for to be delyuerd fro the euyllis of thys world ¶ For myn eyen corporell and spyrytuell hath seen thy blessyd sone Ihesu cryste whyche shal saue the creatures humayne fro theyr synnes the whyche thou hast made redy and ordeyned to fore the face of alle creatures humayne for to be lyght to alle peple by hys doctryne tenlumyne and take away derknesses that is to saye of theyr ydolatrye After thys that ysaye the prophete hath prophecied of hym Populus genaū qui ambulabat in tenebris cetera the peple of gētilis or paynems which walkyd in derknessis to worshyppe ydollis and deuyllys for very god saw a grete light whan they yssued fro their synnes by the doctryne of Ih̄u crist whiche cam also to the glorye of the Iewes For they receyued hys syght bodyly lyke as was promysed them by the wytnesse of the prophetes by which they myght gloryfye them of this that theyr ryghtful kynge was born emōg them and conuersed bodyly in theyr contrey ¶ And saynt Symeon said Nunc dimittis seruum tuun domine c̄ Syre lete thy seruant in pees after thy word For myn eyen haue seen thy helthe whyche thou hast made redy to fore the face of all peples that is light to the reuelacion of paynems and to the glorye of thy peple of Israhel Ihesu cryst is called pees helth light and Ioye Peas by cause that he is our moyen and our aduocate Helthe For he is our redemer Lyght for he is our enformer And glorye for he is our gouernour ¶ Thys feste is called candelmas And is made in remembraunce of thoffryng that our lady offryd in the temple as sayd is And euerych beryth thys day a candel of waxe brennyng whyche representeth our lord Ihesu cryst lyke as the candel brennyng hath thre thyngis in it that is to wyte the waxe the weyke and the fyre Ryght so be thre thyngis in Ih̄u cryst that is the body the sowle and the godhede ¶ For the waxe whyche is made of the bee purely wthout companye and myxtionn of of one bee with another signefyeth the body of our lord Ihesu cryst And the fyre of the candele signefyeth the dyuynyte of Ihesu cryst whiche enlumyneth alle creatures And therfor yf we wyll appiere in thys feste to fore the face of god pure and clene and acceptable we ought to haue in vs thre thyngis whyche be signefied by the candell brennyng that is good deedis trewe fayth wyth good werkis And lyke as the candell without brennyng is deed Ryght so fayth is deed without werkis as saynt Iame saiths For to byleue in god without obeyeng hys comādementis prouffyteth nothyng And therfor sayth saynt gregorye The good werke ought to shewe withoutforth that thyntencion abyde good withinforth the herte wythout sechyng within ony vayne glorye to be alowed and praysed And by the fyre is vnderstonden charyte Of whyche god sayth I am comen to put fyre in therthe and whom I wylle I wylle brenne Thys feste is called the puryficacion of our lady not for that she had nede ne ought make her purificacion For she was pure and clene wythout hauyng of ony tatche of dedely synne ne venyal lyke as she that had without companye of ony man by the vertue of the holy ghoost conceyued the sone of god and was delyueryd with out leesyng of her virgynyte So she cam wyth her blessid sone atte fourty daye after hys natyuyte for tobeye the comandement of the lawe after the manere of other wymen whyche had nede of purificacion And also for to shewe to vs thexample of humylite he is very humble that is worthy to be praysed for hys vertues Thys gloryous lady is quene of heuene and lady of angellis neuerthebes she is pure and humble emonge the wymen lyke as a poure woman wythout makyng ony semblant of her grete humylyte ne of the hye mageste of her sone wherof saynt bernard sayth in thys maner O who may make vs to vnderstonde gloryous lady the thought of thyn herte that thou haddest emonge the seruyses that thou madest to thy blessyd sone in gyuyng hym souke in leyeng doun and reysyng whan thou sawest a lytyl chyld of the born on that one parte of that other syde thou knowest hym to be god almyghty And nowe thou byleuest and seest hym create that had created alle the world Now thou seest hym feble as a chyld whyche is alle myghty and alle puyssaunt Now thou fedest hym that alle the world fedeth And now thou seest hym not spekyng that made man and speche O who shold conne shewe here vpon the secretes of thyn herte how sauoured thy corage whan thou heldest thy chyld bytwene thyn armes whom thou louedest as thy lord And kyssed hym as thy sone who shold not merueylle of thys myracle whan a virgyne and a a clene Mayde hath enfaunted and chylded her maker and lord of all the world To hym lete vs adresse our thoughtes and enbrace we this child of one very byleue whome we ought to loue by cause he hath humbled hym self for vs And to doubte hym by cause he is our Iuge and our lord to whos comandementes we owe tobeye yf we wyll be saued ¶ We rede an example of a noble lady whiche had grete deuocion in the blessid virgyne marye and she had a chappell in whyche she dyde doo saye masse of our lord dayly by her chapelayn It happed that the day of the purificacion of our lady her chappelayn was oute so that thys lady myght that day haue no masse And she durst not goo to another chyrche by cause she had gyuen her mantel vnto a poure man for the loue of our lady she was moche sorowfull by cause she myght here no masse And for to make here deuocions she wente in to the chapelle and to fore th aulter she knelyd doun for to make her prayers to our lady And anon she fyl a slepe in whyche she had a vision And her semed that she was in a chyrche and sawe come in to the chyrche a grete companye of vyrgyns to fore whome she sawe come a right noble virgyne crowned right preciously And whan they were all sette eche in ordre cam a companye of yong men whyche satte doun eche after other in ordre lyke the other After entred one that bare a burthen of candellis And departed them to them aboue first and so to eche of them by ordre he gaf one And atte laste cam
bones And the wheel was al blody Thenne cam an angel of god and brake the wheel and heled the wondes of saynt Iulyane and heled perfaytly And for thys myracle were conuertid alle they that were present And anon after for the fayth of Ihesu cryst were byheded men and wymen to the nomof Cxxx personnes After comanded the prouost that she shold be put in a grete potte ful of boyllyng leed And whan she entryd in to the sayd potte Alle the leed bycam cold so that she felte none harme ¶ And the prouoste cursid hys goddes by cause they myght not punyssh a mayde that so vaynquysshyd them And thenne he comāded to smyte of her heed And whan she was ledde to be byheded the deuyl appyered to the prouoste in figure of a yong man and sayde Spare not good peple and of her haue no mercy For she hath blamed your goddes And don moche harme ¶ And me she hath beten thys nyght passed Therfore rendre to her that she hath deseruyd Wyth thyes wordes saynt Iuliane loked behynde her for to wyte who sayd suche wordes of her ¶ Anone the deuyl sayd Alas Alas Caytyf that I am I doubte me that yet she wylle take and bynde me ¶ And so he vanysshyd away After thys that she had admonested the peple to loue and serue Ihesu cryst she prayd them alle to praye for her And thenne her heed was smeton of The prouoste entred in to a shyppe wyth xxxiiij men for to passe an Arme of the see Anon cam a grete orage and a tempest which drowned the prouost and alle hys cōpanye in the see ¶ And the see threwe theyr bodyes to the Ryuage And wylde beestes cam thyder and ete them Thus thys holy vygyne saynt Iulane suffryd martirdom for our lord the xiiij kalendes of the moneth of marche late vs praye to her that she praye for vs c̄ Thus endeth the lyf and passion of saynt Iulian virgyne Of thee chayeryng of saynt Peter thappostle THe chayer is sayd in thre maners that is the chayer Ryall as it is said in the boke of kynges Dauid sittyng in a chayer And ther is a chayer of prestes as regum prymo Hely the preeste syttyng vpon a chayer And the thyrde is the chayer for a Mayster as is sayd Mathei xxiij vpon the chayer of moyses et cetera Thenne saynt peter satte in a chayer ryall For he was prynce of thappostles And he satte in the chayer of prestes For he was lord of alle the prestes And in the chayer of the maystre For he was a grete doctour of crysten men The first was of equyte The seconde of quātyte And the thirde of trouthe and of vertue HOly chyrche haloweth the feste of saynt petre thappostle this day was seynt petre honourably enhaūced in the cite of anthioche sette in the chaier as a bysshop Many causes ther ben wherfore thys feste is halowed and establysshyd Of whom the first is as is sayd in a sermon of thys feste that whan saynt peter wente for to preche the word of god and founded holy chyrche by hys predycacion Niceta Aquila shewed vnto the cyte of Anthioche that peter thappostle of god cam theder wherfore the peple And also the nobles of the cyte cam ayenst hym And knowleched them self culpable of that they had holden of the predicacion of Symon magus whyche was an enchaunteur ¶ After they dyde to be brought to fore hym all suche people as were vexid wyth dyuerse maladyes and sekenesses of whom there were so many that they myght not be nombred ¶ Saynt peter behelde theyr repentaunce ¶ And also that they byleuyd fermly in the name of god And anon lyft vp hys handes vnto heuen and made hys prayr to god sayeng ¶ O god fader almyghty I yelde to the thankynges in thys that thou hast worthyly fulfyllyd the promesses of thy blessyd sone by whyche alle creatures may knowe that thou art one onely god in heuen and in erthe And after he ascended vp in to an hye place And alle the multytude of sekemen were brought to fore hym And said to them in thys manere ye that see me a mortal man as ye be wene ne suppose not ye that by me ye may be heled but by hym that is descended fro heuene to therthe whyche gyueth to alle them that byleue in hym full helthe of body and of soule thys ought ye to byleue to th ende that alle may knowe that ye that thus byleue entierly wyth all your herte in Ihesu cryst may 〈◊〉 made hool and guarisshid by hym anone all they that were seke cried with an hie vois we byleue that Ih̄u crist is veray god sodenly a light appierid there And alle the seke peple were guarysshed and beled of what someuer maladye they had And that same day the holy ghoost shewde so gretely hys grace that fro the leste vnto the moste Alle byleued in our lord Ihesu cryst ¶ And there were baptised in vij dayes more than ten thousand persones of men wymen and chyldren ¶ And also theophilus the lord and prouost of the cyte to whom seynt peter had reysed his sone whyche had ben xiiij yere deed And som̄e saye that of hys palays he made a chyrche in the whyche alle the peple sette vp a chayer for saynt peter to sytte in more hyer for to preche the doctryne of Ihesu cryste and the better to be herd and seen And of thexaltyng thus of saynt peter in to thys chayer thys feste taketh the name of the chayeryng of saynt peter And in thys chyrche was saynt peter vij yere And fro thens he wente to Rome and gouerned the chirche of Rome xxv yere ¶ That other reason why thys feste was establysshed was for the reuerence of the crowne or tonsure on hys heed whyche yet clerkes bere and haue ¶ For lyke as som̄e saye at this Iourneye was first founde the crowne of the clerkes For whan saynt peter prechyd atte fyrst tyme in the cyte of anthioche the paynems share hym vpon hys heed aboue lyke a fool in despysyng crysten lawe And by cause thys was don to saynt Peter For to doo hym despyte and shame it was syth stablysshyd that the clergye shold haue hys crowne shauen in signe of right grete honour and auctoryte And it is to wete that in the crowne ben thre thyngis Fyrst the heed is dyscouerd and bare aboue and the heer cut away And the crowne is rounde Ther ben thre resons why the heed is bare of whyche saynt denys assygneth the tweyne and sayth the rasure and cuttyng of of the heer signefyeth pure lyf and clene wythout ony arayeng wythout forth For lyke as heeris ben naturelly for to aourne the heed right so dysforme they the heed whan they be cut of by mocquery or other wyse Also good maners whych ought to aourne the clene lyf defforme the holy conuersacion whan they ben left takē
Austyn sayth in lybro de trinitate that good erthe is in the heyght of the moūtayns in the temperaunce of the valeyes and in the playne of the feldes The fyrst is good for herbys beyng grene The second to vygnes and the thyrd to whete and corne Thus the blessyd George was hygh in despysyng lowe thynges and therfore he had verdour in hym self He was attemperate by dyscressyon and therfore he had wyn of gladnesse wythin he was playne of humylite and therby put he forth whete of good werke Or george may be sayd of gera that is holy and of gyon that is a wrasteler that is as an holy wrasteler For he wrastled with the dragon Or hit is sayd of George that is a pylgrym and geyr that is or detrenchyd out and vs that is a coūceyllour He was a pylgrym in the sight of the World and he was cutte and detrenched by the crowne of martirdom and he was a good counceyllour in prechyng And his legende is nombred emonge other scriptures apocryfate in the counceyl of nycene by cause his marterdom hath no certeyn relacion For in the kalender of bede it is sayd that he suffred marterdom in parsydye in the cyte of dyapolin And in other places hit is redde that he restyth in the cyte of dyspolyn whyche tofore was called lyde whyche is by the cite of Ioppem or Iaph And in another place hit is sayd that he suffred dethe vnder dyoclesian and Maxymyan whyche that tyme were Emperours And in another place vnder Dioclesian Emperour of Perse beyng presente lxx kynges of hys empyre And it is sayd here that he suffred deth vnder dacyen the prouoste Thenne Dioclesyan and Maxymyan beyng emperours ¶ Here foloweth the lyf of saynt George martyr SAynt George was a knyght and borne in capodose On a tyme he came in to the prouynce of Lybye to a cyte whyche is sayd Sylene And by this cyte was a stagne or a ponde lyke a see wherein was a dragon whyche enuenymed alle the contre And on a tyme the peple were assemblid for to slee hym And whan they sawe hym they fledde And whan he came nyghe the cytee he venymed the peple wyth his breeth And therfore the peple of the cytee gaue to hym euery day two sheep for to fede hym by cause he shold doo no harme to the peple And whan the sheep fayled there was taken a man and a sheep Thenne was an ordenaunce made in the towne that there shold be taken the chyldren and yonge peple of them of the towne by lotte And eueryche as it fyl were he gentil or poure shold be delyuerd whan the lotte fyl on hym or hyr So it happed that many of them of the towne were thenne delyuerd In soo moche that the lotte fyl vpon the kynges doughter Wherrof the kyng was sory and sayd vnto the people For the loue of the goddes take golde and syluer and alle that I haue and lete me haue my doughter they sayd how syr ye haue made and ordeyned the lawe and our chyldren been now deed And now ye wold doo the contrarye your doughter shal be gyuen or ellys we shal brenne you your hows whan the kyng saw he myght nomore doo he began to wepe and sayd to his doughter Now shal I neuer see thyn espousayls Thenne retorned he to the peple and demaūded viij dayes respyte And they graunted hit to hym and whan the viij dayes were passed they came to hym and sayd thou seest that the cyte perissheth Thēne dyd the kyng doo araye his doughter lyke as she shold be wedded and enbraced hyr kyssed hir and gaue hir his benedyccion And after ledde hyr to the place where the dragon was whan she was there saynt george passed by And whan he sawe the lady he demaunded the lady what she made there And she sayd goo ye your waye fayre yonge man that ye perysshe not also Thenne sayd he telle to me what haue ye and why ye wepe and doubte ye of no thynge whan she sawe that he wold knowe she sayd to hym how she was delyuerd to the dragon Thenne sayd saynt george Fayre doughter doubte ye no thynge herof For I shall helpe the in the name of Ihesu Cryste She said for goddes sake good knyght goo your waye and abyde not wyth me for ye may not delyuer me Thus as they spake to gyder the dragon apperyd came rennyng to them and saynt George was vpon his hors drewe out his swerde garnysshed hym wyth the signe of the crosse and rode hardely ageynst the dragon which came toward hym and smote hym with his spere and hurte hym sore threwe hym to the grounde And after sayd to the mayde delyuer to me your gyrdel and bynde hit about the necke of the dragon and be not aferde whan she had doon soo the dragon folowed hyr as it had been a make beest and debonayr Thenne she ledde hym in to the cyte the peple fledde by mountayns and valeyes and sayd alas alas we shal be alle deed Thenne saynt George sayd to them ne doubte ye no thynge wythout more byleue ye in god Ihesu cryste and doo you to be baptysed and I shal slee the dragon Thenne the kyng was baptysed and al his peple and saynt george slewe the dragon and smote of his heed And commaunded thathe shold be throwen in the feldes and they took iiij cartes wyth oxen that drewe hym out of the cyte ¶ Thenne were there wel fystene thousand men baptised without wymmen and chyldren And the kyng dyd doo make a chirche there of our lady and of saynt George In the whiche yet sourdeth a founteyn of lyuyng water whiche heleth seek peple that drynke therof After this the kyng offred to Saint george as moche money as there myght be nombred but he refused alle and commaunded that it shold be gyuen to poure peple for goddes sake and enioyned the kynge iiij thynges that is that he shold haue charge of the chyrches and that he shold honoure the preestes and here theyr seruyce dylygently and that he shold haue pyte on the poure peple And after kyssed the kyng and departed Now hit happed that in the tyme of dyoclesyen and maxymyen whyche were Emperours was soo grete persecucion of crysten men that wythin a moneth were marterd wel xxij thousand And therfore they had soo grete drede that somme renyed and forsoke god and dyd sacrefyse to the ydolles whan saynt george sawe thys he lefte thabbyte of a knyght and solde alle that he had and gaue hit to the poure and toke thabbyte of a crysten man went in to the mydel of the paynyms And began to crye al the goddes of the paynyms and gentyls been deuyls My god made the heuens is veray god Thēne said the prouost to hym of what presumpcion cometh thys to the that thou sayest that our goddes ben deuyls and saye to vs what thou arte what
demaunded longe what he was At the laste he answerd and sayd he was Ioseph of abyramathya a cytre of Iudee and that the Iewes had mured hym therin by cause he had buryed cryste and sayeng more that fro that tyme vntyl thys now I haue ben fedde with heuenly breed and drynke and comforted wyth deuyne lyght Neuerthelesse in the gospel of nychodemus it is sayd that whan the Iewes had shette hym vp ¶ Cryste in his resurrexyon toke hym thens and ledde hym in to arymathye It may wel be after whan he cessyd not to preche of Cryste that the Iewes so mured hym vp After thys whan vaspasyanus was deed Titus his sone was made emperour after hym and was so debonayr so lyberalle and of soo grete bountee that there had none be lyke hym For as Ierome sayth that day that he had not gyuen a yefte ne had done no good at euyn he sayd to his frendes O my frendes thys day haue I loste After this longe tyme it happed that somme Iewes wold reedefye Iherusalem and on the fyrst mornynge that they wente to werke they founde crosses on the dewe and thenne they fledde And after they came ageyn and began to reedefye ageyn And thenne they founde blody crosses And thenne they fledde aweye ageyn And the thyrd tyme they came ageyn and out of the erthe yssued a fyre and brente wasted them alle ¶ Thus endeth the lyf of Saynt Iames the lasse with the storye of Iosephus and the destruction of Iherusalem ¶ Of thynuencion of tholy crosse and first of thys worde Inuencion THe Inuencion of the holy crosse is said bycause that this day the holy crosse was founden for tofore it was founden of seth in paradyse terrestre lyke as hit shal be sayd here after and also it was founden of salamon in the moute of lybane and of the quene of saba in the temple of salamon And of the Iewes in the water of pyscyne And on thys day it Was founden of Helayne in the mounte of caluarye Of the holy crosse THe holy crosse was foūden two hondred yere after the resurrexyon of our lord It is redde in the gospel of nychodemus that wh◠adam Wexyd seek Seth his sone Wente to the yate of paradise terrestre for to gete the oyle of mercy for to enoynte wyth al his faders body Thenne apperid to hym saynt mychel thaungel sayd to hym traueyle not the in vayne for this oyle for thou mayst not haue it tyl fyue thousand and fyue hondred yere been passed how be it that fro Adam vnto the passyon of our lord were but fyue MC and xxxiij yere In another place it is redde that the aungel broughte hym a braunche and commaunded hym to plante it in the mounte of lybanye Yet fynde we in another place that he gafe to hym of the tree that Adam etc of And sayd to hym that whan that bare fruyte he shold be guarysshed and alle hoole Whan seth came ageyn he founde his fader deed planted this tree vpon his graue And it endured there vnto the tyme of Salamon and by cause he sawe that it was fayre he dyd doo hewe it doun and sette it in his hows named saltus and whan the quene of saba came to vysyte Salamon She worshypped this tree by cause she sayd the sauyour of alle the world shold be hanged theron by whome the royame of the Iewes shal be defaced and seace Salamon for this cause made hit to be taken vp doluen depe in the grounde Now it happed after that they of Ierusalem dyd do make a grete pytte for a pyscyne where as the mynystters of the temple shold Wesshe theyr bestys that they shold sacrefyse there foūde thys tree and thys pyscyne had suche vertue that the aungels descended and meuyd the water and the first seek man that descendyd in to the water after the meuyng was made hole of what someuer sekenesse he was seek of And whan the tyme approched of the passyon of our lord thys tree aroos out of the water and floted aboue the water And of this pyece of tymbre made the Iewes the crosse of our lord Thenne after this hystorye the crosse by whiche we been saued came of the tree by whiche we were dampned And the water of that pyscyne had not his vertue onely of the aungel but of the tre Wyth this tre wherof the crosse was maad there was a tree that wente ouerthwarte on whiche the armes of our lord were nayled And another pyece aboue whiche was the table wherin the tytle was wryten and another pyece wherein the sokette or morteys was maad that the body of the crosse stood in soo that there were foure manere of trees That is of palme of cypres of cedre and of olyue So eche of thyse foure pyeces was of one of these trees This blessyd crosse was put in the erthe and hyd by the space of an hondred yere and more But the moder of themperour whyche was named helayne fonde it in thys manere For Constantyn came wyth a grete multitude of barbaryns nyghe vnto the ryuer of the dunoe whyche wold haue goon ouer for to haue destroyed alle the contre And whan constantyn had assembled his hoost He wente and sette them ageynst that other partye but assone as he began to passe the ryuer he was moche aferde by cause he shold on the morne haue batayle and in the nyght as he slepte in his bedde an aungel awoke hym and shewed to hym the sygne of the crosse in heuen and sayd to hym Beholde on hye on heuen Thenne sawe he the crosse made of ryght clere lyght was wryten there vpon wyth lettres of golde In this sygne thou shalte ouercome the bataylle Thenne was he alle comforted of thys vysyon And on the morne he put in his banere the crosse and made it to be borne tofore hym and his hoost and after smote in the hoost of his enemyes and slewe and chaced grete plente After thys he dyd doo calle the bysshoppes of the ydolles and demaunded them to what god the signe of the crosse apperteyned And whan they coude not answere some crysten men that were there told to hym the mysterye of the crosse and enformed hym in the faythe of the trynyte Thenne anone he byleued parfytely in god and dyd do baptyse hym and after it happed that constantyn his sone remembred the vyctorye of his fader Sente to helayn his moder for to fynde the holy crosse Thenne helayne wente in to Iherusalem and dyd doo assemble alle the wyse men of the contre and whan they were assembled they wold fayn knowe wherfore they were called Thenne one Iudas sayd to them I wote wel that she wyl knowe of vs where the crosse of Ihesu cryste was leyed but beware you al that none of you telle hyr For I wote wel thenne shal our lawe be destroyed For zacheus myn olde fader sayd
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
hym in the eye and blynded hym To whom Chrystofer sayde Tyraunt I shalle dye to morn make a lytyl claye wyth my blood temperyd and enoynte therwyth thyn eye and thou shalt receyue helthe Thenne by the commaundement of the kyng he was ladde for to be byheded thenne there he made hys oryson hys hede was smeton of and so suffred martirdom And the kyng thenne toke a lytyl of his blood and leyde it on hys eye and sayde in the name of god and of Seynt xpoÌ„fer and was anon heled Thenne the kyng by leued in god and gaf commauÌ„dement that yf ony persone blamed god or seynt xpoÌ„fer he shold anon be sleyne with the swerd Ambrose sayth in his preface thus of this holy martir lord thou hast gyuen to xpoÌ„fer so grete plente of vertues suche grace of doctryne that he called fro the errour of paynems xlviij thousand men to thonour of cristen fayth by hys shynyng myracles And vesene and aquylene whiche long had ben comyne atte bourdel vnder the stenche of lecherye He callyd and made them serue in thabyte of chastyte And enseygned them to a lyke crowne of martirdom And wyth thys he beyng strayned and bounden in a fete of yron and grete fyre put vnder doubted nothyng the hete And alle an hole day duryng stode bounden to a stake Myght not be thrugh persed with arowes of alle the knyghtes And wyth that one of the arowes smote out the eye of the tyraunte To whom the blode of the holy martir restablysshed hys syght and enlumyned hym in takyng awaye the blyndnes of hys body and gate of the crysten mynde and pardon And also gate of the by prayer to put away sekenes and sores fro them that remembre hys passyon and fygure Thenne late vs praye to seynt xpoÌ„fre that he praye for vs cÌ„ Thus endeth the lyf of seynt Christofre martyr ¶ Of the seuen Slepars THe seuen slepars were born in the cite of Ephesym And whan decyan themperour cam in to Ephesym for the persecucion of cristeÌ„ men he commaunded to edefye the temples in the myddle of the cyte so that alle shold come wyth hym to doo sacrefyse to thydollys And dyd do seche al the crysten peple and bynde them for to make them to do sacrefyse or ellys to put them to deth In suche wyse that euery man was aferde of the raynes that he promysed that the frende forsoke hys frende And the sone renyed hys fader And the fader the sone And thenne in thys cite were founden seuen crysten men that is to wete maxymyen Malchus marcyanus denyâ— IohÌ„n Serapyon and Constantyn And whan they sawe thys they had moche sorowe and by cause they were the first in the paleys that despysed the sacrefises they hyd them in theyr howses and were in fastynges and in prayers And thenne they were accused to fore dacien and cam thyder and were founden very crysten men thenne was gyuen to them space for to repente them vnto the comyng agayn of dacyen And in the mene whyle they despended thayr patrymonye in almesse to the poure peple And assembled them to gydre toke counseyl and went to the mount of Celyon And there ordeyned to be more secretly And there hyd them long tyme And one of them admynystred and serued them alle waye And whan he wente in to the cyte he clothed hym in thabyte of a beggar whan dacyen was comen agayn he commauÌ„ded that they shold be fette And thenne malchus whyche was theyr seruaunte and mynystred to them mete drynke retorned in grete drede to hys felawes and told and shewed to them the grete fâ—rour and wodenes of themperour And thenne were they sore aferde And malchus sette tofore them the loues of breed that he had brought so that they were comforted of the mete And were more strong for to suffre tormentis and whan they had taken theyr refection and satte in wepyng and waylynges sodenly as god wold they slepte And whan it cam on the morne they were sought and coude not be founden Wherfor Dacien was sorouful by cause he had lost suche yong men And thenne they were accused that they were hydde in the mount of Celyon And had gyuen theyr goodes to poure men and yet abode in theyr purpoos And thenne commaunded decius that theyr kynrede shold come to hym and menaced them to the deth yf they sayde not of them alle that they knewe And they accused them and comployned that they had despended al theyr richesses thenne decius thought what he shold doo wyth them and as our lord wold he enclosed the mouth of the caue wherin they were wyth stones to th ende that they shold dye therin for hungre and faute of mete thenne the mynystres and two crysten men Theodore and Ruffyne wrote their martirdom and leyde it subtilly emong the stones And whan decius was deed and alle that generacion thre Clxxij yere after and the xxx yere of Theodocien the emperour whan the heresye was of them that denyed the Resurrexyon of deed bodyes and began to growe Theodocien thenne the most cristen emperour beyng sorouful that the faith of our lord was so felonysly demened for angre and heuynes he cladde hym in hayre and wepte euery day in a secrete place and ladde a ful holy lyf whiche god merciful and piteous seeyng wold conforte them that were sorouful and wepyng and gyue to them esperaunce and hope of the resurexyon of deed men And opened the precyous tresour of his pyte and reysed the forsayde martirs in thys maner folowyng he put in the wylle of a burgeys of ephesym that he wold make in that montayn whiche was deserte and aspre a stable for his pastours herdemen And it happed that of aduenture the masons that made the sayd stable opened thys caue ¶ And theÌ„ne thyse holy seyntes that were with in awoke and were reysed and entre salewed eche other And had supposed veryly that they had slepte but one nyght only And remembred of the heuynes that they had the day tofore And thenne malcus whiche mynystred to them sayd what decyus had ordeyned of them for he sayd we haue ben sought lyke as I sayd to you yesterday for to doo sacrefyse to thydollys that is that themperour desireth of vs and thenne maxymyen ansuerde god our lord knoweth that we shalle neuer sacrefye And comforted his felawes He commaunded to malchus to goo byâ— breed in the cyte And bad hym bryng more than he dyd yesterday and also tenquyre and demaunde what themperour had commaunded to doo And thenne malcus toke v shilynges And yssued out of the caue and whan he sawe the masons the stones tofore the caue he began to blysse hym and was moche admerueyllyd But he thought litil on the stones for he thought on other thyng Thenne cam he alle doubtous to the yates of the cite And was al admerueylled For he sawe the
men shold goo out And thenne he made hys prayers to god And alle thydolles fyl doun and were broken and whan new herd that he commaunded to cast hym in to the see And yf it happed that he escaped they shold folowe and take hym and brenne hym shold take the ashes of hym cast it in to the see nazaryen thene the chyld Celse were put in a shyppe and brought in to the myddle of the see And were bothe cast in and anon about the shyppe aroos a grete tempeste and about them was grete calme and tranquylite whan they thenne that were in the shyppe were aferd to be perisshed and repented them of the harme and wyckednes that they had coÌ„mysed in the seyntes Nazaryen wyth the chyld celse walked vpon the see and apperid to them with a glad chere and entred in to the shyppe to them And thenne they beleuyng By his prayer the see was peasid and fro thens they sayled vjC paas and cam to a place besyde Iene where they long prechyd And after cam to melane where they fond geruase and prothase in the place where he had left them whan Anolynus the prouost herd that sent hym in exyle and Celse the chylde abode in the hous wyth a noble woman Nazaryen thenne cam to rome fond hys fader thenne olde and crysten and enquyred of hym how he was crystened whiche sayd that peter thappostle had appiered to hym and bad hym byleue as his wyf and his sone dyd thenne fro thens he was exyled of tho bisshoppes vnto melane agayn Fro whens tofore he was exyled to rome and was now compellyd agayn wyth wronge to goo to rome where he was presented to the prouost with the chyld Celse whiche thenne was ladde out of the yate of rome whiche is named thre wallis with the childe celse and there was byheded whos bodyes cristen men toke vp and by nyght buryed it in a gardyne and the next nyght they apperyd to an holy seynt named Ciriake sayeng that he shold burye theyr bodyes in his hous more depper for drede of nero To whom he sayd I praye you first my lordes that ye make my doughter hole of the palsey whiche anon whan she was hool he toke the bodyes and as they commaunded he dyd Long tyme after this god shewed theyr bodyes to seynt Ambrose and he lefte celse lyeng in his place and toke vp the body of nazarien with as fresshe blode as he had be buryed the same day smellyng a merueyllous swete odour Incorupte with his here and hys berde and brought it to the chirche of thappostles And there buried it honourably and after toke vp the body of celse and beryed it in the same chirche They suffred deth about the yere of our lord lvij Of this martir sayth Ambrose in his preface O thou holy noble champyon and blessyd martir shynyng by thy shedyng of thy blood thou hast deserued to haue the kyngdom of heuen whiche by the Innumerable assaultes of tormentis hast ouercomen the wodenes of the tyraunt by the constance of fayth And hast gadred to gydre a multitude of peple to euerlastyng lyf O thou martir of whos helth the chyrche Ioyeth more than the world Ioyed in his punysshyng O thou blessyd moder of her chyldren glorifyed wyth tormentis whiche ledde them not with waylyng ne sorowyng to helle But departyng hens folowed her with perpetuel laude vnto the heuenly kyngdoms All this more sayth Seynt Ambrose Thus enden the lyues of seint Nazaryen and Seynt Celse Here foloweth the lyf of seynt Felyx and first of his name FElyx is sayde of felicitate that is blessydnes Or ellys felix as beryng stryues and tribulacions of this worlde for euerlastyng lyf Or felix beryng lyhe or water to faythe whiche is to saye ledyng peple to the fayth Of seynt Felix FElyx was chosen pope in stede of liberie and was ordeyned sacred For by cause lybery the pope wold not consent to the heresy of tharryens he was sent in to exyle of constancyen sone of constantyn and there abode thre yere Wherfore alle the clergy of rome ordeyned Felix to be pope by the wyl and consent of liberie And thenne this Felix assembled a counseyl of xlviij bisshoppes And condempned Constancien Arryen and he retike and two prestes whiche fauoured and susteyned hym in his heresye For whiche thyng constancien was Wroth and chased Felix out of hys bisshopriche and called agayn liberien by this couenaunte that he shold be partener with hym and thother whom Felix had condempned and liberien whiche was tormented by the greuousnes of his exyle submytted hym vnto the euyl heresye and thus the persecucion grewe more In so moche that many prestes and clerkes were slayn wythin the chyrche wstthout that lyberien defended them and Felix whiche was cast out of his bysshopriche dwellyd in his owne heritage of whiche he was put out and was martred by smytyng of of his hede aboute the yere of our lord CCC and xl Thus endeth the lyf of seynt felix pope and Martir Here foloweth of the Seintes Simplicien Faustyn and Beatrice and first of their names SYmplicien is as moche to say as symple or Without ony plyte of falsehede He was symple by meknes and humylite For he humbled hym self to receyue martirdom he was knowyng For he knewe the cristen fayth and for the fayth he suffred martirdom â— Faustyn is as moche to say as fortunate Beatrice is to saye holdyng blessydnes or it is sayde of beata that is blessyd And of ares that is vertue whiche is a blessyd vertu And beatryce is sayd sorouful or beuy For she was sorouful of the passyon of her brethern and she was blessyd by her martirdom Of the Seintes Simplicien Faustyn and Beatrice SYmplicien ffaustyn brethern whan they wold not by no constraynt do sacrefyse to thydolles and refused it vtterly they suffred many tormentis at rome vnder dioclâ—sien and atte last sentence was gyuen ayenst them and were byheded theyre bodyes cast in to tyber the ryuer And Beatrice theyr suster toke vp the bodyes of them and buried them honourably Lucrete whiche was prouost of rome went on a tyme playeng aboute therytage of beatrice and sawe her and made her to be taken and commaunded her that she shold make sacrefyse to his goddes and she refused it And lucrete made his seruauntes to strangle her in a nyghte and lete her lye and lucyne the virgyne toke away the body and buried it with her brethern and after that lucrete entrid in to theyr heritage And thus as he assayled the martirs And dyd do make a grete feste to hys frendes And as he satte atte dyner A yong child that lay wounden in smale clowtes in hys moders lappe whiche yet souked sprange out of the lappe of his moder that helde hym and all men seyng escried and sayd O thou lucrete here and vndestande thou hast sleyne and
helth and was alle hool Thenne Quyryn demaunded pardon foryeuenes And delyuerd Alexander out of pryson and receyued the holy bapteme he and alle hys meyne and many other Thenne Alexander establysshed this feste to be halowed alleway the first day of august And dyd doo make a chyrche in thonour of seint peter where as he sette the chaynes And named it seynt peter ad vincula and to that chyrche come moche peple at that solempnyte and the peple kyssed there the bondes and chaynes of seynt peter The thyrde cause of thys establisshement after bede is this â— Antoyne and Octauyan were so conioyned to gydre by affynyte that they departed bytwene them two th empyre of the world Octouyen had in thoceydent ytalye ffraunce and spayne And Antoyne had in the eest Asye Ponte and affrique Anthoyne was wylde Ioly and rybauldus and had the suster of Octauyen to his wyf And left her and toke cleopatra which was quene of egypt and for this cause Octauyen had hym in grete despyte And went wyth force of armes ayenst Anthoyne in Asye And ouercam hym in alle thynges Thenne Anthoyne and Cleopatra fledde as vaynquysshed And slewe them self by grete sorowe And octauyen destroyed entierly the royame of Egypte and made be vnder the Romayns ¶ And fro thens he went in alle the hast he myght in to Alexandrye And despoyled it of alle rychesses and brought them to Rome And encreased so the comyn prouffyt of Rome That there was gyuen for one peny that whyche to fore was sold for foure And bycause the batayles of the peple had wasted and destroyed the cyte of Rome he renewed it sayeng I fond it couerd wyth tyles And I shalle leue it now couerd wyth marble And for thyse causes he was made emperour And the fyrst that euer was callyd Auguste And of hym ben alle other that come after hym called Augustes Lyke as after his vncle Iulyus Cezar they ben called Cezariens Also thys moneth of Auguste whyche tofore was called Sextilys The peple entituled it to hys name callyd it Angustus in thonour and rememberaunce of the victoryâ—e of the Emperour that he had the first day of thys monthe In so moche that alle the Romayns made that day grete solempnyte vnto the tyme of Theodosye themperour whyche began to regne the yere of our lord CCCCxxvj Thenne Eudosie doughter of the sayde Theodosyen Emperour and wyf of valente went by a bowe to Iherusalem And there a Iewe gaf to her for grete loue a grete yefte ¶ And they were the bondes that is to wete the ij chaynes wyth whiche Seynt Peter vnder herode was bounden wyth Wherof she was moche Ioyous And whan she retorned to rome she sawe that the Romayns halowed the fyrst day of august in thonour of an Emperour Paynem whyche was deed thenne was she moche sorouful by cause they dyd so moche honour to a man dampned And thought that they myght not lyghtely be wythdrawen fro thys custome But yf she myght so moche doo she wold not leue it thus But that it shold be made in thonour of Seynt Peter And that alle the peple shold name that day the day of Seynt Peter ad vincula And herof she had collacoÌ„n with seynt Pelagyen the pope And brought them wyth fayre wordes to that that the remembraunce of the prynce of paynems was forgoten And the memorye of the prynce of thappostles was halowed And it plesed ryght well to alle the people Thenne she brought forth the chaynes whyche she had brought fro Iherusalem And shewed them to alle the peple And the pope brought forth the chayne wyth whiche he had be bounden vnder Nero ¶ And assone as that chayne touched that other alle thre by myracle were but one lyke as they had be neuer but one Thenne the pope and the quene establysshed that the folisshe relygyon of the peple makyng solempnyte of a Paynem were chaunged in to better And was made of Seynt Peter prynce of thappostles And the pope and the quene sette the chaynes in the chyrche of seynt Peter ad vyncula And were gyuen of the quene to the sayd chyrche ryght grete yeftes and ryght fayre preuyleges and it was establysshed that day to be halowed ouer alle ¶ And thys is that lede sayth And Sygybert also sayth the same of thys thyng And of what grete vertue thys chayne is It apperyth wel in the yere of our lord foure hondred and xl iiij There was an erle whiche was nyghe to the Emperour Octone that was so cruelly vexyd and tormented with the deuyll to fore alle the peple that wyth his owen trethe he bote and tare hym self And by the commaundement of themperour he was ledde to pope IohÌ„n for to put the chayns aboute hys necke And there was a nother put aboute hys necke of thys wode man and demonyake â— And it dyd hym none alegement By cause it had no vertu And atte last the very chayne of Seynt Peter was broughte and put aboute the necke of the sayde man Demonyake But it was of suche vertue that the deuyl myght not bere it But departed and went out cryeng tofore them alle Thenne Theodoryke bysshop of Mets toke that chayne and said he wold not departe fro it in no maner but yf his hand were cut of for this cause was grete descorde bytwene the pope and the bysshop and the other clerkes And atte laste the Emperour appeased the noyse And gate of the pope that he had a lynke of the chayne â— And he kepte it moche Worthely in grete deuocion Mylet also recompteth in his cronyque And is wreton in thystorie tripertite that in that tyme there was a grete horryble dragon whiche apperyd at empyrum And the bysshop donatâ— spytte in his mouth and kylled hym forthwith but that bysshop made tofore the signe of the crosse with his fyngres vpon the dragon For he was so grete that there behoued seuen cople oxen to drawe hym thens out of the toune in to a place where he was brent for by cause the stenche of hym shold not corupt the ayer yet sayth the same mylet also it is sayd in thystorye tripertite that the deuyl apperyd in a toune named creta in the semblaunce of moyses And this creta is nygh to a montayne whiche is nygh to the see assembled a grete multitude of Iewes of alle places And brought them to the toppe and hyest of the montayne promysed them to lede them and to goo drye foot with them vppon the see in to the londe of promyssyon And there he assembled peple wythout nombre And some byleue that the deuyl had despyte of the Iewe that had gyuen this chayne to the quene by whyche the feste of Octauyen cessed to be made And whan the deuyl sawe that he had there of the Iewes wythout nombre aboue the grete montayne He made many falle doun from the toppe to the ground bynethe
the ordre of the prechours myght be confermed to hym to hys successours And the pope wold not lyghtely accorde to this thyng And thenne it happed on a nyght that the pope sawe in a vision that the chirche of latronense Was sodenly menaced for to falle and ouerthrowe and as he behelde it alle aferd he sawe on that other syde seint domynyk rennyng ayenst it susteyned and bare it vp and kepte it 〈◊〉 fallyng and thenne awoke the pope and vnderstode the vision and receyued Ioyously the peticōn of the man of god And badde that he and his brethern shold seche somme Rewle approued he wold conferme it at his wyll and thenne seynt domynyk cam to hys brethern and shewed to them What the pope had sayd and they Were of nombre aboute xvj or xvij freres whiche anon called counseyl of the holy ghoost and chosen the rule of seynt Austyn prechour and holy doctour and wold of one wyl be in dede and name prechours establisshed therwith somme customes more strayter in their lyuyng whiche they toke aboue and promysed to kepe them truly In this tyme Innocent the pope deyed and honorius was made pope and souerayn bisshop of the chirche and he gate of the same honorius the confirmacion of his ordre in the yere of our lord a MCCxvj And on a tyme as he prayed at rome in the chirche of seynt peter for thencreacyng of his ordre he sawe comyng to hym the glorious prynces of thappostles Peter and poule And hym semed that Peter gaf to hym the staffe first And seynt poul delyuerd to hym the book they sayd to hym goo and preche For thou art chosen of god to doo that occupacion and mynysterye and in a litil moment hym semed that he sawe hys sones sprad thrugh out the world two and ij prechyng to the peple the worde of god For whiche cause he cam agayn to tholouse and departed hys brethern somme to paris somme in to spayne And other to boloyne and he retorned agayn to Rome There was a monke byfore thestablysshement of this 〈◊〉 whiche was rauysshed in spirite and sawe the blessed virgyne our lady Seint marie knelyng with her handes ioyned prayeng her sonne for the humayn lygnage and he ofte Withstode her requeste and atte last he sayd to her that so besily requyred hym moder what may I doo more for them I haue sent to them patriarkes and prophetis and litil haue they amended them after I cam to them my self and after that I haue sent to them appostles And they haue sleyn them I sent to them also martirs confessours and doctours And they accorded not to them ne to theyr doctryne but by cause it apperteyneth not to me to wythsay thy request I shalle gyue to them my prechours by whom they may be enlumyned and made clene or ellys I shal come ayenst them my self yf they wyl not amende them And another sawe that same tyme whan the xij abbottes of the ordre of Cystews were sent to tholous ayenst the heretikes For Whan the sone had ansuerd to his moder as is aboue said The moder sayd to hym Fayr sone thou oughtest not to doo to them after theyr malyce but after thy mercy To whom the sone vaynquysshed by her prayers sayd I shalle yet doo to them mercy at thy requeste For I shal sende to them my prechours that shal warne and enforme them And yf thēne they not correcte them I shalle spare them no more A Frere menour that longe tyme had be felow with seint fraunsoys recounted to many of the freres of the ordre of the prechours that whan seint domynyke was at rome for the confirmacōn of his ordre of the pope he sawe on a nyght Ih̄u crist in thayer holdyng thre speres in his hande and brandysshed them ayenst the world and his moder ran hastely ayenst hym and demaunded hym what he wold doo And he sayd to her alle the world is ful of vyces of pryde of luxurye and of Auarice and therfor I wil destroye them wyth thyse thre speres Thenne the blessyd virgyne fyll doun at hys feet and sayde Dere sone haue pyte And tarye thy Iustyce by thy mercy Ihesu cryste sayd to her seest thou not how many wronges and Iniuryes they do to me and she answerd Sone attempre thy wrath and tarie a lityll I haue a trewe seruaunt and a noble fighter ayenst the vyces whyche shalle renne oueral vaynquysshe the worlde and subdue them vnder thy seygnorye And I shal gyue to hym a nother seruaunte in to hys helpe that shal fight as he doth and our lord her sone saide I am appeased and receyue thy prayer but I wold see whom thou wilt sende in so grete an offyce And thenne she presented to hym seynt domynyk And Ih̄u cryste sayde truly thys is a good and a noble fyghter and shalle doo dilygently that thou hast sayd And thenne she shewed to hym and offryd to hym seint ffraunsoys and he preysed hym as he dyd the first And Seynt Domynyk consydered dylygently hys felawe in that vysyon For he had neuer seen hym byfore and he fond hym on the morne in the chyrche and knewe hym by that he had seen hym in the vysyon wythout other shewer began to kysse hym and sayd thou art my felawe thou shalt renne wyth me we shalle be to gydre and none aduersarye shal surmounte vs And thenne he recounted to hym alle by ordre the sayd vysion and fro then forthon they Were one herte and one soule in our lord And commaunded that this loue shold be kepte to them that shold come after them perdurably And whan on a tyme Seynt domynyk had receyued a nouyse in to thordre Some that had ben his felawes peruerted hym in suche wyse that he wold retorne to the world And demaunded after his gowne and whan seint domynyk herd that he went to prayer and as the yong man had despoyled hym of his relygyous clothyng and they had don on hym his sherte he began to crye wyth an hye voys and saye I chauffe I brenne certaynly I am alle brente doo of doo of this cursed sherte whiche brenneth al my body And myght not endure in no wise til he was despoyled of this sherte and clothed agayn wyth his relygyous clothes and brought agayn in to the cloystre of the religious And whan seynt domynyk was at boleyne what tyme the freres were goon to slepe A frere conuerse began to be tormented of the deuyl and whan ffrere Reyner of losanne knewe it he sayde it to seynt domynyk And seynt domynyk commaunded that he shold be brought in to the chyrche tofore the aulter of our lady x ffreres myght vnnethe bryng hym And thenne said Seynt domynyk I coniure the wicked spyryte that thou telle to me wherfore thou vexyst thus the creature of god And wherfor and how thou entredest here And he answerd I vexe hym
hast despoylled hym from th empyre of his power Neuertheles thy wyll be doone that thou see not the fenâ—e And this said the Angel mouÌ„ted in to heuen with grete lyght and the palme shone by right grete clerenes and was lyke to a grene rodde whoos leues shone lyke to the morowe sterre And it happed as saynt Iohan the euangelyst prechid in Ephesym the heuen sodenly thondred And a whyte clowde took hym vp and brought hym to fore the yate of the blessyd Vyrgyn Mary And he knocked at the dore entryd and salewed the Vyrgyn honourably whome the blessid Vyrgyne behelde and was gretely abasshed for Ioye and myght not absteyne her fro wepyng And sayd to hym Iohan sone remembre the of the worde of thy mayster by whiche he made me moder vnto the And the a sone vnto me loo I am called of thy mayster and my god I paye now the dette of condicion humayne And recomende my body vnto thy besy cure I haue herd saye that the Iewes haue made a counceyll and sayd late vs abyde bretheren vnto the tyme that she that bare Ihesu be deed And thenne incontynent we shall take her body and shalle caste it in to the fire and brenne it Thou therfore take this palme And bere it to fore the bere whan ye shall bere my body to the sepulcre Thenne said Iohan O wold god that alle my bretheren thappostles were here that we myght make thyn exequyes couenable as it houeth and is dygne and worthy And as he seyd that alle the Appostles were rauysshed with clowdes fro the places where they prechyd and were brought to fore the dore of the blessid Vyrgyne Marye And whan they sawe them assembled they merueyled and sayde For what cause hath oure lord assembled vs here Thenne saynt Iohan wente oute and sayd to them that oure lady shold passe and departe oute of this world and added more to sayeng bretheren beware and kepe yow from wepyng whan she shalle departe by cause that the peple that shalle see it be not troubled And sayde loo these how they drede the dethe whiche preche to other the resurection And denys disciple of pawle affermeth this same in the booke of dyuyne names That is to wete that alle thappostles were assembled at the assumpcion and dethe of oure lady Marye were to geder there And that eche of them made a sermon vnto the praysyng and laude of Ihesu Crist and the blessyd Vyrgyn his moder he saide thus spekyng to Thymothee Thus we and thou as thow well knowest And many of oure hooly bretheren dyde assemble at the vysyon of the moder that receyued god And Iames broder of god was there And Peter thappostle moost noble and souerayne of the theologyens And after that me semed that all the Ierarchyes lyft her vp after and acordyng to her vertue wythoute ende This saide saynt Denys ¶ And whan the blessid Vyrgyn Marye sawe all the Appostles assembled she blessyd oure lord and satte in the myddes of them where the lampes tapres and lyghtes brenned And aboute the thirde houre of the nyght Ihesu Criste cam with swete melodye and songe with thorders of the Angels the companyes of patriarkes thassembles of martirs the Couentes of Confessours the Carolles of Virgyns And to fore the bed of oure blessid lady the companyes of alle these sayntes were sette in ordre And made swete songe and melodye And what exequres were done of our blessid lady and there halowyd hit is all sayd and enseygned in the forsaid book whiche is attrybued to saynt Iohan ¶ For first Ihesu Crist began to saye Come my chosen and I shalle sette the in my sete For I haue coueyted the beaute of the And oure lady answerd Syre my herte is redy And alle they that were comen with Ihesu Cryste entewned swetely sayeng this is she that neuer touched bedde of â—aryage in delyte And she shalle haue fruyte in refection of hoâ—â—y sowles Thenne she sange of her seâ—f sayeng Alle the generacions shal saye â—hat I am blessid For he that iâ— myghty hath done grete thynges to me And the name of hym is hooly And the chauntour of chauntours entewned more excellently aboue alle other sayeng Come fro lybane my spouse come frâ— Lybane Come thou shalt be crowned And she said I come 〈◊〉 in the begynnyng of the booke hiâ— is wreton of me that I shold doo thy wylle For my spyryte hath Ioyâ—â—h in the god my helthe And thus in the mornyng the sowle yssued oute of the body and fled vp in the armes of her sone And she was as fer enstraunged fro the payne of the flesshe as she was fro corrupcion of her body Thenne sayd oure lord to thappostles Bere ye the body of thys Vyrgyne my moder in to the vale of Iosephat And leye ye her in a newe sepulcre that ye shalle fynde there And abyde me there thre dayes tyllâ— that I retorne to yow And anone she was enuyronned wyth flowres of Roses that was the company of martirs and with lylyes of the valeyes that were the company of aungels of Confessours and Vyrgyns ¶ And thappostles cryed after her sayeng Ryght wyse Vyrgyne whyther gooste thow lady remembre the of vs ¶ And thenne the companye of sayntes that were abyden were awaked with the sowne of the songe of them that mounted and cam ageynst her And sawe their kynge bere in his propre armes the sowle of a woman sawe that this sowle was Ioyned to hym were abasshed began to crye sayeng Who is this that ascendeth fro deserte fulle of delyces Ioyned to her to her frende And they that accompanyed her said this is the right fayre among the doughters of Ierusalem And lyke as ye haue sene her fulle of charyte and dylection so is she ioyously receyued And sette in the sete of glory on the right syde of her sone And thappostles sawe the sowle of her beyng so whyte that no mortal tonge myghte expresse it And thenne thre maydens that were there tooke of the clothes fro the body for to wesshe it the body anone shone by so grete clernes that they myght wel fele hit in touchyng and wasshyng but they myght not see it And that lyght shone as long as they were aboute the wasshyng of it And thenne thappostles took the body honourably and leyde it on the bere And Iohan sayd to Peter bere this palme to fore the buere For oure lord hath ordeyned the aboue vs And hath made the pastour and prynce of his sheep To whome peter sayde It apperteyneth beitre to the to bere it For thou art chosen Vyrgyn of oure lord And thow oughtest to bere this palme of lyghte atte thexequyes of chastyte and holynes thou that drankest of the fontayn of perdurable clernes And I shalle bere the holy body with the byere And these other Appostles our bretheren shal goo rounde aboute the body yeldynge thankynges to god And thenne saynt powle sayd to hym
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
nyght with the body he made there a chirche in thonour of hym And thus was brought to pauye with grete ioye And was leid honourably in the chirche of saynt peter whiche is called Cioldoree or heuen of gold in Englysshe Seynt Bernard on a nyÈt as he was at matyns he slombryd a lytel and the lessons of saynt Augustyn were redde And thenne he sawe a ryght fayr yong man stondyng before hym And soo grete habundaunce of water comyng oute of his mouthe that hym semed alle the chirche was full therof And thenne he awoke and wyst wel that it was saynt Augustyn whiche hadde fulfylled that chirche with his doctryne Ther was a man whiche had grete deuocion to saynt augustyn gafe grete good to a Monke that kepte the body of saynt Augustyn for to haue a fynger of the gloryous saynt And this Monke tooke this money and delyuerd to hym the fyngre of another dede man wrapped in sylke and fayned that it was the fyngre of the gloryous saynt Austyn And the good man receyued it moche honourably in grete reuerence and honoured hit euery day deuoutely and touched with all his eyen and his mouthe and oft enbraced it ageynst his brest And god by his mercy that byholdeth alle thyng and the fayth of this man gaf to hym for that fyngre the very propre fyngre of saynt Augustyn And whan he cam in to his countreye ther were many myracles shewed ther by The renomme and fame therof cam to pauye of this fyngre And the MoÌ„ke afore sayd affermed alwey that it was the fyngre of another dede maÌ„ The sepulcre was opened for to know the trouthe and hit was fouÌ„de that ther lacked one of the fyngres of the gloryous saynt And whan thabbotte had knowlege of this thynge he putt oute the Monke of that offyce And tormented and punysshed hym sore Many other myracles hath god shewed by his lyfe and also after his deth whiche were ouer longe to wryte in this booke For they wold I suppose conteyne a book as moche as al this and more but among other correction I wylle sette here in one myracle whiche I haue sene paynted on an aulter of saynt Austyn at the blacke Freres at Andwerpe how be it I fynde hit not in the legende myn exampler neyther in Englysshe Frensshe ne in latyn It was soo that this gloryous Doctor made and compyled many volumes as a fore is sayd among whome he made a book of the Trynyte In whiche he studyed and mused sore in his mynde soo ferforthe that on a tyme as he wente by the see syde in Auffryke studyeng on the Trynyte he fonde by the see syde a lytel childe whiche hadde made a lytel pytte in the sonde and in his honde a lytel spone And wyth the spone he tooke oute water of the large See and poured hit in to the pytte ¶ And whanne saynt Augustyn behelde hym he merueyled and demaunded hym what he dyde ¶ And he answerd and sayde I wylle lade oute and brynge alle this water of this See in to thys pytte what sayd he hit is Impossyble How maye hit be done sythe the See is soo greete and large and thy pytte and spone soo lytylle yes forsothe sayd he I shalle lyghtlyer and sonner drawe alle the water of the See And brynge hit in to this pytte than thow shalt brynge the mysterye of the Trynyte and his dyuynyte in to thy lytel vnderstandynge as to the regard therof For the mysterye of the Trynyte is greter and larger to the comparyson of thy wytte and brayne than is this grete see vnto this lytel pytte And therwyth the childe vanysshed awey Thenne here may euery man take ensample that no man and specially symple lettred men ne vnlerned presume to entermete ne to muse on hyghe thynges of the godhede ferther than we be enfourmed by our faythe For our only feyth shalle suffyse vs Thenne here with I make an ende of the lyf of this gloryous Doctor saynt Austyn to whome late vs deuoutely praye that he be a medyatour and aduocate vnto the blessyd Trynyte that we maye amende oure synful lyfe in this transytorye world that whan we shalle departe we may come to euerlastyng blysse in heuen Amen ¶ Thus endeth the lif of saynt Augustyn doctour Here foloweth the decollacion of saynt Iohan Baptist AT is redde that the decollacion of saynt Iohan baptist was establysshed for four causes lyke as it is fouÌ„dein the book of office First for his decollacion Secondly for the brennyng and gaderynge to geder of his bones Thyrdly for the Inuencion and fyndyng of his heede And fourthly for the translacion of his fyngre and dedycacion of the chirche And after somme peple this feste is named dyuersly that is to saye decollacion Collection Inuencion and dedicacion First this feste is halowed for his decollacion whiche was made in this maner For as hit is had in historia scolastica Herodes Antipa sone of the grete Herode wente to Rome passed by the hows of philip his broder began to loue the wyfe of his broder whiche was named Herodyane wyf of the same philip his broder after that Iosephus sayth she was suster of Herode Agryppa And whan he retourned he refused and repudyed his owne wyf and secretely wedded her to his wyf the whiche thynge his wyf knewe wel that he had wedded his broders Wyfe And this fyrste wyfe of Herode was doughter of Areth kyng of damaske And therfor she abode not the comyng home of her husbond but wente to her fader as sone as she myght And when Herode retorned he took awey the wyf of phelyp his broder and wedded her and left his owne And ther moeued ageynst hym therfore Herode Agryppe And the kyng of Arethe and Phelyp bycam his enemyes And saynt IohÌ„n sayd to hym that he had not done well to doo soo by cause after the lawe hit apperteyned not to hym to haue holde the wyf of his broder lyuyng And Herode sawe that Iohan repreuyd hym of this thyng soo cruelly as Iosephus sayth by cause he repreued hym of blame he assembled grete peple for to please his wyf And dyd do bynde and putte saynt Iohan in pryson but he wold not slee hym for doubte of the peple whiche moche loued Iohan and folowed hym for his predicacion and Herode and Herodyan couetyng occasyon ageynste saynt Iohan how they myght make hym to dye ordeyned bytwene them secretetely that whanne Herode sholde make the Feste of his Natyuyte the doughter of Herodyane shold demaunde a yefte of Herode for daunsyng and spryngyng at the feste to fore the pryncipal prynces of his royamme And he shold swere to her by his othe that he shalle graunte hit her And she shold axe the hede of saynt Iohan and he wold yeue it to her for kepyng of his othe but he shold fayne as he were angry by cause of makynge of the othe And it is redde in thystorye
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
For on a tyme he wyth other men of peruse was taken prysoner And were put in a cruell pryson where all the other waylled and sorowed And he only was gladde and enioyed And whanne they had repreuyd hym therof he answerd knowe ye sayd he that I am ioyeful For I shall be worshipped as a saynt thorugh oute alle the world On a tyme he wente to Rome by cause of deuocion And he tooke of alle his clothes and cladde hym with the clothes of a beggar and satt amonge the poure men to fore the chirche of saint Peter And as one of them begged with hem coueytously And moche oftener wold haue done but the shame of knowen peple letted hym The old enemy the deuylle enforced hym to lette hym of his hooly purpos And shewed to hym a woman monstruous and horrybly diffygured croke bak and lame whiche was in that Cyte And he sayd to hym that he left not that he had enterprysed he wold make hym semblable and lyke vnto her But he was comforted of our lord whiche herd a voys sayenge to hym Fraunceys take these bytter thynges for the swete and despyse thy self yf thow desyre to knowe me On a tyme he mette a lepre whome naturelly men abhorre but he remembryd hym of the word that was sayd of god and ranne to hym and kyssed hym And anon the lazare vanysshed away wherfor he wente to thabytacion of the lazars And kyssed deuoutely theyr handes and gaf to them moneye And lete hem haue no nede of suche as he myÈte doo ¶ On a tyme he entryd in to the Chirche of saynt Damyan for to make his prayers And thymage of Ihesu Cryst spak vnto hym and sayd FrauÌ„ceis goo and repayre my hows which is alle destroyed as thou seest And from that houre the sowle of hym lyquefyed And the passion of Ihesu Cryst was merueylously infyxed in his herte And thenne he dyde grete payne and was besy in repayryng the chirche And sold alle that he hadde and gaf the money therof to a preeste And he durst not receyue hit for fere of his parentes and kynne Thenne he castynge it awey to fore the preeste as dust settynge not therby wherfore he was taken of his fader and bounden and restored to hym his money And resygned also his clothes and soo naked he fled to our lord clad hym with hayre And thenne the blessyd Fraunceys wente vnto a symple man whome he took in stede of his fader and prayd hym that lyke as his fader doublyd on hym his curses that in contrarye he shold blesse hym his owne broder germayn sawe hym in a wynter tyme haue on hym but fowle and fewe clothes and that he tremblid for cold and was entendynge to his prayers sayd to his felawe Goo to Fraunceys and saye to hym that he selle to the a penyworthe of his swote And whanne he herd it he answerd with a glad chere I wylle selle hit vnto my lord god On a day he herd in the chirche that whiche oure lord sayd to his discyples whanne he sente them to preche And anone he adressyd hym with alle his myght to doo and kepe all tho thynges he dyd of his hosyn shone fro his feet and clad hym with a fowle cote and tooke a corde for his gyrdle He wente on a tyme in a snowe by a woode and was taken by theues and they demaunded hym what he was And he sayd that he was the messager of god And anone they toke hym and caste hym in the snowe sayenge to hym lye thou there vilayn messager of god Many noble and vnnoble clerkes and laye men hadde despysed the world and begonne to folowe hym And the hooly fader enseygned and taught them the perfection of the gospel whiche was for to be in pouerte and that they shold go by the wey of symplenesse he wrote thenne a rule after the gospel to hym self and his bretheren had and to be had whiche pope Innocent confermed And fro than forthon he beganne to sprede more ardauntly the sedes of the word of god and wente aboute cytees castels by a feruent and merueylous desyre There was a Frere whiche semed outward of merueylous holynes and kepte scylence soo straytly that he wold not be shryuen by wordes but by sygnes and euery man preysed hym as a saynt this hooly man Fraunceis cam thyder and sayde leue ye bretheren to preyse hym for I shall not yet preyse hym leste it be by fayntyse of the deuylle late hym be warned to be shryuen twyes in the weke by worde and spekynge And yf he doo it not this is but temptacion of the deuylle and fraudelous deceyte and thenne the freres warned hym so to doo and he put his fyngre to his mouthe and shoke his heede and shewed that in no wyse he wold confesse hym And anone after he retourned ageyne to worldly lyf as an hound to his vomyte And wente oute of his ordre and fynysshed his lyf in synful actes and werkes On a tyme saynt Fraunceis was wery of goyng and rood vppon an asse And his felawe one Leonard of Assyse was also wery of goynge and saynt FrauÌ„ceis biganne to thynke thus and saye in hym self his kynne my kynne were not lyke And incontynent he alyghte doune and sayd to the Frere It apperteyneth not to me to ryde and the to goo afoote For thow art more noble than I am And the Frere was abasshed and kneled doune and requyred pardon On a tyme as he passed by a place a noble lady ranne soo hastely ageynste hym that she myght not speke for werynes And he axed of her what she wold and she saide praye for me fader For I maye not performe the purpoos of helthe whiche I haue bigonne for my husbond whiche letteth me doth to me many aduersytees in the seruyce of god and he said to her goo thy waye doughter For thow shalt haue anone comfort of hym And saye to thyn husbond in goddes name and myn that now is the tyme of helthe And herafter shall be tyme of equyte and righte And when she hadde said so to her husbond the man was sodenly chaunged and auowed to god contynence and chastyte On a tyme a poure labourer was almost lost in a woode for thurst And this hooly saint impetred a fontayne by his preyers He said on a tyme to a Frere that was famylyer with hym this secrete whiche was shewed to hym by the hooly ghoost Ther is a seruaunt of God lyuynge in the worlde on this daye For whoos sake as long as he shal lyue our lord shall suffre no famyne among the peple but withoute doubte it is said that when he was deede alle that condicion was chaunged to the contrarye For after his blessid deth he apperyd to the same frere and said to hym loo now is the famyne comen whiche as longe as I lyued vppon erthe our lord wold not suffre to come On an eester daye the
Aryopagyte of the strete that he dwellyd â—n And in that strete callyd Aryopage was the Temple of Mars for they of Athenes named euery strete of the goddes that they worshiped in the same And that strete that they worshiped in the God Mars they called Aryopage For Aryos is to saye mars and pagus is a strete and where they worshyped pan they named panopage and soo of all other stretes Aryopage was the moost excellent strete by cause that the noble men haunted it And therin were the scolers of the artes lyberalle And denyse dwellyd in that strete whiche was a ryght grete philosopher And for as moche as the plante of wysedome of the deyte was in hym he was called Theosophus that is to saye knowyng god And one Appollophanus was his felawe in philosophye There were also Epicurij whiche sayde that alle felycyte of man was in only delyte of the body And stoycy whiche helde oppynyon that it was in the only vertue of courage And thenne on the daye of the passion of our lord whan derkenesse was vpon the vnyuersalle worlde the philosophres that were at Atthenes coude not fynde in causes naturelle the cause of that derkenesse And it was no naturall eclypse For the mone was thenne fro the sonne was xv dayes old and soo was in a parfyght distaunce fro the sonne And neuertheles an Eclypse taketh not awey the lyght in the vnyuersall partytyes of the world And it maye not endure thre houres longe And it appiereth that this eclypse took awey all the lyght by that whiche saynt Luke sayth that our lord suffryd in alle his membrys And by cause that the Eclypse was in Elyopolym in Egypte in Rome and in grece And Orose sayth that it was in gyece and in the ende of Asye the lasse And sayth that whan our lord was nayled to the Crosse ther was a ryght grete tremblyng erth quaue thorugh the world The Roches were cutte a sondre and the Montaynes clouen ryght grete floodes fylle in many partyes more than they were wonte to doo And that day fro the sixthe houre vnto the nynthe houre the sonne loste his syghte thorugh oute alle the londes of the vnyuersall world And in that nyghte ther was no sterre sene in alle Egypte And this remembryth Denys to Apolophanes sayenge in his Epystle The world was derke communely of obscurete of derkenesses And after the only dyametre retorned purged And whanne he had founden that the sonne myght not suffre suche heuynes And we ne maye not haue knowlege in our courage yet the mysterye of this thynge by oure connynge and wysedome And O Appollophanes myrrour of doctryne what shalle I saye of these secretes and hyd thynges I attrybute and putte them to the as to a mouthe dyuyne and not as to vnderstondynge ne speche humayne To whome he sayd O good denyse these ben the mutacions of dyuyne thynges And in th ende it is sygnyfyed al along the day and the yere of thanunciacion that Powle our doctour sayd to our deef eeres And by the signes that al men cryed whiche I remembryd I haue founden the very trouth and am delyuerd from the laas of falsenes These ben the wordes of denys that he wrote in his epistle to polycarpe and to Appollophanes sayenge we were we tweyne at Helyopolym we sawe the Mone of heuen goo disordynately And the tyme was not couenable And yet ageyn fro the nynth houre vnto euensonge tyme at the Dyametre of the sonne establysshed aboue all naturel ordenaunce That eclypse we sawe begynne in the eest and comynge vnto the terme of the sonne After that retornyng ageyne and not purged of that defaute but was made contrarye after the Dyametre Thenne Denys and Appollophanes wente to Helyopolyin in Egypte by desyre to lerne Astronomye And after Denyse retourned ageyne That the sayd Eclypse tooke aweye the lyght fro the vnyuersalle partyes of the world It apperith that Eusebe wytnessyth in his Cronycles whiche sayth that he hath redde in the dyctes af the Ethyncyens that ther was in Bythynnia whiche is a prouynce of Asye the lasse a grete erthe shakynge And also the grettest derkenesse that myght be And also sayth that in Nycene whiche is a cyte of Bytynne that the erthe tremblynge threwe doune howses And it is redde in Scolastica Historia that the Philosophers were brought to this that they sayd that god of nature suffred dethe or els the ordynaunce of nature in this world was dissolued or that the elementys lyeden or god of nature suffred And the elementis had pyte on hym And it is sayd in another place that denyse sayth this nyght sygnefyed that the newe very lyghte of the world shold come And they of Atthenes made vnto this god an aulter and sette this tytle therupon This is the aulter of the god vnknowen on euery aulter of their goddes the tytle was sette aboue in shewyng to whome that aulter was dedycate whanne that henyens wold make theyr sacryfyse vnto this vnknowen god The philosophres sayden this god hath no nede of none of our goddes but late vs knele doune to fore hym and praye vnto hym deuoutely For he requyreth not thoblacions of beestes but the deuocioÌ„s of our corages after when the blessyd saynt pawle cam to Athenes the philosophres Epicurij and stoycy disputed with hym Somme of them sayde what wylle this sower of wordes sâ—ye And other sayde that he semed a shewer of newe goddes that ben deuyls And thenne they brought hyâ— in to the strete of the philosophres for to examyne theyr newe doctryne And they sayd to hym bryngest thow ony newe tydynges we wold knowe what thou hast brought to vs For thatenyens entended to none other thynge but to here somme newe thynges And thenne whanne saynt Powle hadde beholden al theyr aulters He sawe amonge them the aulter of God vnknowen and Pawle sayde whome honoure ye that ye knowe not Hym shewe I to yow to be very god that made heuen and erthe And after he saide to Denyse whome he sawe best lerned in dyuyne thynges Denyse what is he that vnknowen god And Denyse sayd He is veryly a god whiche amonge goddes is not shewed but to vs he is vnknowen and to come in to the world and to regne withoute ende And pawle sayd Is he a man only or spyryte and Denyse sayd he is god and man but he is vnknowen by cause his conuersacion is in heuen Thenne sayd saynt powle this is he that I preche whiche descended fro heuen And toke our nature humayne and suffryd dethe and aroos ageyne the thyrd day And as saynt denys disputed yet with saynt powle ther passed by aduenture by that way a blynd man to fore them And anone Denys sayd to Powle yf thow saye to this blynd man in the name of thy god see and thenne seeth I shal anone byleue in hym but thou shalt vse no wordes of enchauntement For thou
mayst happely knowe somme wordes that haue suche myghte and vertue And pawle sayde I shal write to fore the forme of the wordes whiche ben these In the name of Ihesu Cryste borne of the vyrgyne crucyfyed and deed whiche aroos ageyne ascended in to heuen and from thens shal come for to Iuge the world See And by cause that alle suspecion be taken awey Pawle seyd to Denyse that he hym self shold pronounce tho wordes And whanne Denyse had seyd those wordes in the same maner to the blynd man Anone the blynd man recouerd his syghte And thenne Denys was baptysed And Damare hys wyf and alle his meyny And was a trewe Crysten man And was Instructe and taughte by seynt Powle thre yere and was ordeyned Bisshop of Athenes And there was in predycacion And conuertyd that Cyte and grete paÌ„te of the regyon to crysten feith And it is seyd that seynt Powle shewed to hym that he sawe whanne he was rauysshed in to the thyrd heuen lyke as seynt Denyse seyth shewyth in dyuerse places wherof he speketh so clerly of the gerarchyes of Aungels of the ordres and of the disposicions offyces of them soo that it is not supposed that he lerned of ony other but only of hym that was rauysshed vnto the thyrdde heuen and hadde sene alle thynges He flouryd by the spyryte of prophecye lyke as it appieryth in an epystle that he sente to Iohan theuangelyst in the yle of pathmos to whiche he was sente in exyle where as he prophecyed that he shold come ageyne sareng thus Enioye thou veryly byloued very wonderfulle and to be desyred ryÈt well byloued thow shalt be laten oute fro the kepynge that thow hast in pathmos And shalt retorne vnto the land of Asye And thou there make there the folowynge of thy good god and the good werkes of hym and shalt delyuer them to them that shalle come after the And as it is sene and shewed in the booke of the names dyuyne he was at the deyenge of the blessyd virgyne Marye And whanne he herd that peter powle were enprysoned at Rome vnder Nero he ordeyned a Bisshop vnder hym and cam for to vysyte them And whanne they were martryd and passyd to god And Clement was sett in the see of Rome After a certayne tyme he was sente of the seyd Clement in to Fraunce and he hadde in his companye Rustyke and Elentherye And thenne he cam with them to parys and conuerted there moche peple to the faith and dyde doo make many Chirches sette in them clerkes of dyuerse ordres And thenne he shone by soo grete heuenly grace that when the Bisshops of thidolles moeued by stryf the peple ayeâ—st hym And the peple cam for to destroye hym Anone as they had sene hym they lefte alle their cruelte And knelyd doune at his feet where they hadde soo grete drede that they fledde aweye from hym for fere But the deuylle whiche had enuye and sawe euery day his power mynnysshed and destroyed And that the chirche encreaced and hadde vyctorye of hym and moeued Domycyen themperour in soo grete cruelte that he made a commaundement that who someuer myght fynde ony cristen man that he shold constrayne them to doo sacryfyse or tormente them by dyuerse tormentes And thenne he sent the prouost sysynnyeÌ„ of Rome to paris ageynste the Crysten men And fonde there the blessyd denyse prechynge and made hym cruelly to be beten bespytte and despysed and fast to be bounden wyth Rustyke and Elentherye and to be brought to fore hym And whan he sawe that the sayntes were constaunt and ferme in the knowlechynge of oure lord he was moche heuy and soroufull Thenne cam thyder a noble matrone whiche sayd that her husbond was fowly deceyued of these enchaunteurs And thenne anone the husbond was sente fore And he abydynge in the coÌ„fession of our lord was anone putte to deth And the sayntes were beten cruelly of twelue knyÈtes and were straytly bounden with chaynes of yron put in pryson the day folowynge Denys was leyd vpon a gredyron and stratched al naked vppon the celes of fyre And there he sange to our lord sayeng Lord thy word is vehemently firy And thy seruaunt is enbraced in the loue therof And after that he was putte amonge cruel beestes whiche were excited by grete hongre and famyne by longe fastynge And as soone as they cam rennynge vpon hym he maade the signe of the crosse ageynste them anone they were made mooste meke tame And after that he was cast in to a fornais of fyre and the fyre anone quenchyd And he hadde neyther payne ne harme And after that he was putte on the crosse and theron he was longe tormentid and after he was taken doune and put in to a derke pryson with his felawes And many other Crysten men And as he song ther the masse and communed the peuple our lord appyeryd to hym with greete lyght and delyuerd to hym brede sayenge Take this my dere frende For thy reward is moost grete with me After this they were presented to the Iuge and were put ageyne to newe tormentes And thenne he dyde do smyte of the hedes of the thre felawes that is to seye denyse Rustyke and Elentherye in the name of the hooly trynyte this was done by the temple of Mercurye And they were byheded wyth thre axes And anone the body of saynt Denys reysed hym self vp and bare his heede bitwene his armes as the aungels ladde hym two leghes fro the place whiche is sayd the hylle of the martirs vnto the place where he now resteth by his election and by the purueaunce of god And there was herd soo grete and swete a melodye of Aungels that many of them that herd hit byleuyd in oure lorde And Laâ—sia wyf of the forsaid prouost lubye sayd that she was Crysten And anone she was byheded of the wycked felons was baptysed in her blood and soo deyed And Lysbyen his sone whiche was a knyght at Rome vnder thre Emperours cam afterward to parys and was baptysed and putte hym self in the nombre of the Relygyous and the wycked paynyms doubted that the good Crysten men wold burye the bodyes of Rustyke and Elentherye and commaunded that they shold be caste in to sayne the Ryuer And a noble woman badde them to dyne that bare them And whyles they dyned this lady toke aweye the bodyes and buryed them secretely in a felde of heerys And after whanne the persecucion was cessyd she tooke them thens and leyde theym honourably with the body of seynt Denys And they suffred deth aboute the yere of our lord four score and sixten vnder domycyan the yere of the age of saynt Denys four score and ten On a tyme whanne Regulus the holy bisshop songe masse at Arelatence reherced the names of thappoostles in the canone he added and ioyned to the blessid martirs Denyse Rustyke and Elentherye whiche soo sayd many
dico vos seruos et cetera I saye you not now seruauntes but frendes For the second Iohannis Primo Dedit eis potestatem filios dei fieri he gaf to them power to be maade the sones of God Of the thyrdde ad Romanos octâ—uo yf ye be sones ye be heyres et cetera Of the fourthe he sayth thus How moche sholdest thow laboure to fynde a leder to brynge the to the kynge and speke for the that is to wete that they ben leders of grace and of alle humayne lygnage and speke and pray for vs to god wherfore they ought to be worshipped Other ben taken as touchyng the preciosite of their bodyes And the sayd Iohan Damascene putteth foure resons And saynt Augutyn putteth therto the fyfthe by which is shewed the preciousite of the bodyes or of the Relyques For the holy bodyes were the selyers of god temple of Ihesu Crist they were the Alabastre or boxe of the precious oynement and the fontain of the dyuyne lyf membres of the holy ghost Fyrst they were the celers of god For the Sayntes ben celers of god and pure aournementes Secondly they were the temple of Ihesu Crist ¶ For hit foloweth by cause that god duellyd in them by entendement wherof thappostse sayth Ne knowe ye not that your bodyes ben the temple of tholy ghost duellyng in you Herof saith Crisostom Man delyteth hym in edificacion of walles and god delyteth hym in the conuersacion of sayntes Wherof Dauyd sayth Syre I haue louyd the beaute of thy hows but that beaute is not made by dyuersyte of marble but hit is gyuen to lyuyng men by dyuersyte of graces the beauâ—te of marble the Flesshe delyteth The beaute of grace quykenyth the soule the fyrst deceyueth the eyen and that other edyffyeth by double endendemente Thyrdly they ben the Alabastre or box of spyrytuel oynement wherfor hit is said oynement of good odour cometh of hymself And this gyuen the Relyques of sayntes yf the water ranne from the Roche and oute of the stone in deserte And also water ranne out of the Iowe of the asse to Sampson whiche had thurst thenne it is not incredyble that ther renneth fro the Relyques of sayntes oynementes wel smellyng to them that knowe the yefte of god and thonour of sayntes whiche cometh from hym Fourthly they ben Fontaynes of dyuynyte Of whome is sayd they that lyue in veryte with free pacyence ben assistaunt to god and ben to vs welles of helthe Our lord Ihesu Cryst yeueth vnto Relyques of his sayntes many benefayttes in dyuerse maners Fyftly they ben membrys of the holy ghost this reason assigneth saynt Augustyn in the book de Ciuitate dei And sayth they be not to be despysed but to be honourid gretely and to worshipe the bodyes of the sayntes of whome whanne they lyued the holy ghoost vsed as his owne membre in all good werke And thappostle sayth ye seche experyence of hym that speketh in me Cryste And of seynt Stephen it is sayd they myght not resiste his wysedome ne to the holy ghoost that spake in hym And Ambrose sayth in thexametre It is a ryght precious thynge that a man is made the membre of dyuyne voys And with his bodyly lyppes expressyth the wordes celestyall Thyrdly the feste of alle the sayntes is establysshed for the clensynge of oure neclygences For how be hit that we halowe the festes of a fewe sayntes yet we kepe them neclygently of tymes and leue many thynges vndon by ygnoraunce and by neclygence And yf we haue not solempnysed ony festes as we ought to do but neclygently Now in this generall feste we ought to fulfylle and amende it and purge vs of oure neclygence And this reason is touchyd in a sermon that is recited this day in the Chirche And hit is ordeyned that at this day memorye is made of alle saintes that what someuer fragylyte humayne hath done lasse than he ought by ygnoraunce by neclygence or by occupacion of seculer thynges in the solempnyte of sayntes that hit be appeased in thobseruacion of this holy feest It is to be noted that there be four differences of the sayntes that we honoure by the cours of the yere whiche ben of the newe testameÌ„t of whom on this day we gadre to gyder for taccomplisshe that whiche we haue neclygently done that ben thappostles martirs confessours and vyrgyns And after Rabane these foure ben sygnefyed by the foure partyes of the world By thoryent that is Eest thappostles by the southe the martirs By the norâ—he the confessours And by the west the vyrgyns The fyrst difference is of thappostles Of whom thexcellence is magnyfested by cause they surmounte all thother sayntes in foure thyngis First in soueraynte of dygnyte For they ben the wyse prynces of the chirche mylytaunt they ben the puyssaunt accessours of the Iuge perdurable they ben swete pastours of the shepe and flock of our lord And they ben swete Iuges as Bernard saith It besemeth well to establysshe suche pastours and suche doctours of thumayne lygnage that ben swete or softe puyssaunt and wyse swete or softe that they receyue vs goodly by mercy Myghty For to defende vs puyssauntly wyse for to bryng vs to the way of trouthe After they surmounte the other sayntes in soueraynte of puyssaunce wherof saynt Augustyn sayth thus God gaf power to the Appostles ouer the deuyls for to destroye them Aboue thelementes to chaunge them A loue nature to cure it Aboue the sowles for to assoille them of their synnes aboue the deth for to despyse hit aboue thaungels for to sacre the precious body of oure lord Ihesu Cryst Thyrdly They excede other saintes in prerogatyf of holynesse soo that by their grete holynes and plenytude of graces the lyf and conuersacion of Ihesu Crist shone in them as in a myrrour and was knowen in them as the sonne in his splendour as a rose in his odour And as fyre in his hete And herof sayth Crysostome vpon Mathewe Ihesu Cryste sente his Appostles as the sonne his rayes as the Rose his odour And as the fyre his sparkles And lyke as the sonne appierith in his rayes And as the Rose is felte by his odour and as the fyre is sene in his sparkles so by the vertues of them is knowen the puyssaunce of Ihesu Crist Fourthly Thappostles excede other sayntes in th effecte of prouffyte Of whiche vtilite saynt Augustyn spekyng of thappostles seyth Of the moste vyle of the most ydeottis And of the lâ—ste ben ennoblisshed enlumyned and multeplyed the moste eloquente and fayr spekars the clerest wyttes and connynge And most plentyuous wysedome of facunde and spekynge of Auctours doctours The second dyfference is of martirs of whome thexcellence is shewed by that they suffrid in many maners prouffitably constaÌ„tly and multyplyengly For aboue the martirdome of blood shedyng they suffrid thre other martirdome without effusion of bloode that is 〈◊〉 in plente whiche Dauyd had largesse in pouerte
of leos that is peple and of nardus that is an herbe swete smellynge For by the odour of good fame he drewe the peple to hym by thodour of good renommee Or Leonard may be said as gaderynge hyhe thynges Or hit is said of lyon the lyon hath in hym self four thynges The fyrst is force or strengthe And as Isydre sayth hit is in the brest and in the hede And so the blessyd saynt Leonard had strengthe in his brest by the refraynyng of euyl thoughtes in the heede by contemplacion of souerayne thynges Secondly the lyon hath subtilyte in two thyngis For he hath his eyen open whanne he slepeth And diffaceth his traces when he fleeth And thus Leonard waked by labour of good werke and in wakynge he slepeth by rest of contemplacion And diffaceth in hym self the trace of alle worldly affection Thyrdly the lyon hath myght in his voys For by his voys he reyseth the thirdde daye his whelpe that is dede borne And maketh alle other beestes by hym to be in pees and reste And in lyke wyse Leonard reysed many that were dede in synne and many that lyued bestyally he fixed them in good werkes and prouffitable Fourthly the lyon hath drede in his herte after that ysydore sayth He doubteth two thynges that is the noyse of wheles of chariottes or cartes fyre brennyng In lyke wyse Leonard doubted and in doubtyng he eschewed all the noyse of the world And therfor he fledde in to the deserte And he eschewed the fyre of couetyse and therfor he reffused the tresours that were of fryd to hym ¶ Of saynt Leonard AT is said that leonard was aboute the yere of oure lord vC And he was baptysed in the holy fount of saynt Remyge Archebisshop of Raynes And was Instructe of hym and enduced in holy disciplynes of helthe And the parentes and kynnesmen of saynt Leonard were chyef and hyest in the palays of the kynge of Fraunce This Leonard gate so moche grace of the kynge that alle the prysonners that he vysyted were anone delyuerd And whanne the renommee of his holynes grewe and encreaced the kyng constrayned hym for to dwelle with hym long tyme tyll that he hadde tyme couenable and gaf to hym a Bisshopryche And he reffused it and left al desyrynge to be in deserte And wente to Orleaunce prechynge there with his broder Lieffart And there lyued a lytel whyle in a Couente And thenne Lyeffart had desyre to dwelle allone in a deserte vpon the Ryuer of Loyre And Leonard was warned by tholy ghoost to preche in guyan And thenne they kyssyd to gyder and departed Thenne Leonard prechyd there and dyd many myracles and dwellyd in a forest nyghe to the Cyte of Lymoges In whiche forest the kyng had do made an halle or a lodge whiche was ordeyned for hym whan he shold go hunte And hit happed on a daye that the kyng wente for to hunte in that forest And the quene whiche was gone thyder with hym for her recreacion whiche thenne was grete with child beganne to trauayll of child And the trauayll endured longe and was in poynt to perysshe so that the kynge and al the meyny wepte for the peryl of the quene And thenne Leonard passyd thorugh the forest and herd the vois of them that wepte and was moeued with pyte and wente thyder And the kyng called hym And demaunded hym what he was and he sayd that he was a disciple of saynt Remyge And thenne the kynge had good hope by cause he hadde ben enformed of a good maistre And brought hym to the quene prayd hym that he wold praye for her and for the fruyt that she bare that she myght gete of god double ioye And anone as he hadde made his prayer he gate of god that he requyred Thenne the kynge offryd to hym moche gold and syluer but he reffused al and desyred hym to gyue hit to poure men sayd I haue no nede of no suche thynges It suffyseth me to despyse the Rychesses of the world and to serue god in this wode and that is that I desyre And thenne the kynge wold haue gyuen to hym alle the wode I wylle not haue all but as moche as I maye go aboute with myn asse in a nyght I desyre whiche the kyng gladly graunted to hym And there was made a monastery In whiche he lyued longe in abstynence and two monkes with hym And theire water was a myle fro them wherfore he dyde do make a pytte alle drye the whiche he fylled with water by his prayers And called that place noble by cause he hadde receyued it of a noble kynge And he shone there by soo grete myracles that who that was in pryson and called his name in ayde anon his bondes feters were broken and wente awey withoute ony gaynsayeng frely And cam presentyng to hym their chaines or yrons And many of them that were soo delyuerd dwellyd stylle wyth hym and seruyd there our lord And there were seuen of his noble lygnage whiche folde awey alle their goodes duelleden wyth hym And he delyuerd to eche of them a parte of that woode And by his holy ensample he drewe many to hym And at the laste thys holy man beynge endowed with many vertues the eyghte ydus of Nouembre departed oute of this world slept in oure lord wherafterward for the many myracles that god shewed there it was shewed to the clerkes of the Chirche that by cause that place was ouer lytil for the grete multitude of peple that cam thyder that they shold do make in another place another Chirche And bere therin the body of saynt Leonard honourably And thenne the Clerkes and the peuple weâ—â— alle thre dayes in fastynges and in prayers ¶ And on the third day they sawe alle the countreye couerd with snowe sauf only the place wherin saynt Leonard wold reste whiche was alle voyde And thyder was the body transported And the Chirche made And the grete multitude of yrons of dyuerse maners witnesse well how many myracles oure lord hath shewed for hym And specially to prysoners of whome the feters and yrons hange to fore his tombe The vycounte of lymoges had do make a grete chayne for to fere with alle the malefactours and commaunded that it shold be fastned vnto a tronke in his Toure And who someuer was bounden with this chayne to that tronke ther as it was sette he myght see no lyght And hit was a place ryght derke And who soo deyde there deyde not of one dethe only but more than of a thousand tormentes And it happed that one of the seruauÌ„tes of Seynt Leonard was bounden with this Chayne withoute deseruyng Soo that almost he gaf ouer his spyrit And thenne as he myght in his courage he auowed to Seynt Leonard And prayd hym that sythe he delyuerd other that he wold haue pyte on his seruaunt ¶ And anone saynte Leonard appierid to hym in a whyte
masse and slepte vpon the aulter bytwene the lesson of the prophecye and the epystle And none durst wake hym And the subdeken durst not rede the pystle with oute his leue And whanne he hadde slepte the space of thre houres they awoke hym and sayde Syre the houre is passyd And the peple ben wery for tabyde wherfor commaunde that the Clerke rede the pystle And he sayd to them be not angry Martyn my broder is passid vnto god I haue done the offyce of his departyng buryeng I coude no sonner accomplysshe ne make an ende of the laste oryson by cause ye hasted me so sore Thenne they marked the daye and the houre and they fonde that saynt Martyn was thenne passyd oute of this world and gone to heuen ¶ Mayster Iohan Beleth sayth that kyngis of Fraunce were woned to bere his cope in bataylle And by cause they kepte this cope they were called chappellayns And after his deth the yere thre score and foure whan saynt perpetue hadde enlarged his chirche And wold transporte the body of saynt Martyn therin they were in fastynges vygylles ones twyes thryes And they myght not moeue the sepulcre And as they wold haue lyfte hit a ryght fair old man appiered to them and sayde wherfore tarye ye See ye not that saynt Martyn is alle redy to helpe yow yf ye sette to youre handes with hym And thenne anone they lifte vp the sepulcre and brought hit to the place where as he is now worshipped And thenne anone this old maÌ„ vanysshed aweye This translacion was made in the monethe of Iuyllet And hit is said that there were thenne two felawes one lame and that other was blynde The lame taught the blynde man the weye And the blynd bare the lame man And thus gate they moche money by truaundyse and they herd saye that many seke men were heled whan the body of saynt Martyn was borne oute of the Chirche on procession And they were aferd leste the body shold be brought to fore their hows and that peraduenture they myght be heled whiche in no wyse they wold not be For yf they were heled they shold not gete so moche money by truaundyse as they dyde And therfor they fledde fro that place and went to another chirche where as they supposed that the body shold not come And as they fled they encountred mette the holy body sodenly vnpourueyed by cause god gyueth many bienfaittes to men not desyred and that wold not haue them they were bothe heled ayenst their wylle and were ryght sory therfore And saynt Ambrose sayth thus of saynt Martyn He destroyed the Temples of the cursyd errour he reysed the baners of pyte he reysed deede men he cast deuylles oute of bodyes in whiche they were And alledged by remedye of helthe them that trauaylled in dyuerse maladyes and sekenesses And he was founded so parfyghte that he cladde Ihesu Cryst in stede of a poure man And the vesture that the poure man hadde taken the lord of alle the world cladde hym with alle That was a good largesse that dyuynyte couerd O glorious vesture inâ—stymable yeft that clothed couerd both the knyÈt and the kynge This was a yefte that no man maye preyse of whiche he deseruyd to clothe the deyte lord thow gauest to hym worthely the reward of thy confession thou puttest vnder hym worthely the cruelte of tharryens And he worthely for the loue of martirdome neuer dredde the tormentes of the persecutours what shalle he receyue for the oblacion of his body that for the quantite of a lytell vesture whiche was but half a mantelle deseruyd to clothe and couere god and also to see hym And gaf so grete medicyne to them that trusted in god that some he helyd by his prayers and other by his commaundements Thenne late vs praye to saynt Martyn et cetera Thus endeth the lyf of saint Martyn Here foloweth the lyf of saint Bryce And first of his name BRyce is said of Breos that is to saye in Greke as mesure and of scio scis that is to knowe And thus thexposicion of this name Brictius or Bryce is as moche to say as knowynge mesure For atte begynnynge of his enfancye whan he was yonge he was full of many sottyes and folyes but he coude well after the mesure of hym self demaunde and counceylle and gouerne wel other and to excuse hym self by mesure ¶ Of saint Bryce BRyce was Archedeken of saynt Martyn and was moche greuous to hym and sayde of hym many thynges vnresonable And on a tyme a poure man cam to Bryce and demaunded of hym where the Bisshop was And how he shold knowe hym And he bad hym goo in to the Chirche hym that â—how shalt there see lokyng vpward to heuen as a madde man or one fro hym self that same is Martyn And the poure man wente and fonde saynt martyn And whanne he hadde receyued that he asked saynt Martyn called saynt Bryce and sayd to hym Bryce semeth it to the that I am a fole or frantyke And he forsoke hit and denyed it for shame And sayd he had not sayd so And saynt Martyn sayd I haue herd it For myn eres were at thy mouthe whanne thou saydest hit to the poure man openly I telle and saye to the forsothe that I haue obteyned haue graunte of god that thow shalte suâ—cede me in this Bisshopryche But knowe thou for certain that thou shalt suffre therynne many aduersytees And whanne Bryce herd hym say so he scorned hym sayenge Sayd I not trewe whanne I sayd he was a fole And after the dethe of saynt Martyn Bryce was elect and made Bisshop of Tours which fro thenne forthon he entended alle to prayer how be it that he had ben prowde yet he was alwaye chaste And in the thyrttyest yere of his bisshopryche a woman which was relygyously clad whiche was his lauender and had wasshen his clothes had conceyued and born a child whiche all the peple saide that the bisshop had goten they assembled at his yates with stones and sayden we haue long suffrid thy lecherye for the loue of saint Martyn and for his pyte But now we wylle no more kysse thy handes whiche ben acursed but he denyed the fait and dede manly And sayd brynge to me the Child And whanne he was broughte he was but thyrtty dayes old And saynt Bryce sayd to hym I coniure the by the sone of god that thow saye to me to fore alle thys peple yf I haue engendryd the And the child sayd thou art not my fader And the peuple yet not contente badde hym to demaunde the Child who was his fader And he saide that apperteyneth not to me to do I haue done that apperteyneth to me for myn excuse And the peple sayde that this was done by the arte of enchauntement and sayde playnly he shold not seignorye ouer vs thus falsely vnder the shadowe
fele the delytes that ben in Ihesu Cryst She lerned thoffice of the crosse of saynt Fraunceis whiche loued her truly And she said it as gladly to her power as he dyd She gyrd to her flesshe a corde wheron were thyrten knottes which were ful of brochettes of smale nedles and theron smale rynges And this dyde she in the remembraunce of the woundes of our lord It happed on a tyme on the holy sherthursdaye whiche is the day whanne oure lord made his maundy or souper where as is remembryd how god louyd vnto th ende his disciples aboute the houre of euyn whanne god beganne the wrastlynge of hys passion Thenne saynt Clare beynge heuy and sorowful enclosed her in the chambre of her celle And hit happed that she prayd god longe and was soroufull vnto the dethe in that sorowe and heuynes she drewe a feruent loue ful of desyre For she remembryd how Ihesus in that hour was taken estrayned haled forth and mocked in so moche that of this remembraunce she was alle dronken and satte in her bedde Al that nyght was she so rauysshyd and on the morne that she wyste not where her body was The eyen of her hede loked stedfastly in one place withoute meuynge or lokynge a syde And the eye of her herte was so fixed in Ihesu Cryst that she felte no thyng One of her doughters more famylyer and secrete with her than other wente ofte to her for to see her and alwey she fonde hyr in one poynte The nyght of the satirday this good deuoute doughter brought a candell brennynge and withoute spekynge maade a sygne to her blessyd moder Clare that she shold remembre the commaundementes of saynt Fraunceis For he hadde commanded that euery day she shold eie somwhat Thenne as she stode before her with a candell brennynge Saynt Clare cam ageyne to her astate And her semed that she was comen from an another world And she sad Fayre doughter what nede is of a candell is it not yet day And she answerd Ryght dere fayr moder the nyght is passed and the day is gone and that other nyght is comen Fayre doughter sayd saynt Clare This slepe that I haue made be blessyd For I haue moch desyred it And god hath gyuen hit to me but beware that thou saye it neuer to creature as longe as I lyue Whanne our lord knewe and apperceyued how wel and how moche this holy Clare louyd hym And the ryghte grete loue that she had to the very crosse for the loue of hym he so enlumyned and pryueleged her in suche manere that she hadde power to make tokenes and myracles by the Crosse For when she made the signe of the very crosse vp on them that were seke anon the maladye fledde awey and so many myracles god shewed for her Of whiche I shalle telle yow somme Fyrst of a frere that was oute of his wytte On a tyme it happed that saynt Fraunceis sente to saynt Clare a frere named steuen and was al madde fro hym self that she shold make vpon hym the signe of the Crosse For he knewe well that she was a woman of grete perfection And he honoured her moche for the vertue that was in her And she that was obeyssaunt and good doughter of obedyence blessid the Frere by the commaundement of saynte Fraunsoys and made hym to slepe a lytelle And after she tooke hym by the hond And he aroos al hoole and wente to saynte Fraunsois clene delyuerd of al his maladye This blessyd saynt Clare was a good maystresse and trewe for tenforme yonge peple that knewe but lytell of relygyon And she was president and vpperyst of the maydens of oure lord and enformed them in good custommes and taughte them ryght well to doo penaunce She nourysshed them by so grete loue that vnnethe ony tongue may expresse she taughte them pryuely to flee ale noyse of the world by cause they shold ioyne to our lord And also she exhorted them that they shold put fro them all carnal affection and flesshely loue of their frendes And that they shold not be ouer tendre ouer them ne loue them ouermoche ne howses ne londe but make them strong to please and serue god She counceylled them and warned that they shold hate to doo the wyll of the body And that the delytes and flesshely desyrs of the flesshe they sholde with all their herte and good reason go ther ageynste she sayde to them the fende of helle lyeth in a wayte and leyeth his hokes and grynnes subtylly for to take and bynde the holy sowles and yet they tempte more the good peple than them of the world She wold that they shold wake and laboure with her propre handes in suche werkes as she had establisshed to them She wold that whanne they had done their bodyly trauaylle they shold goo to prayer For prayer is a thynge that plesyth moche god And she wolde that in prayeng they shold rechauffe their bodyes and that they shold leue and depresse neclygence and al coldenesse of herte and be kyndeled and lyghted in the holy loue of god soo that in stede of coldenes they shold be hote in deuocion In no place ne in no cloystre was scylence better kept ne holden ther was no lauas in their speche ne euylle but they were sobre and soo good that they shewed wel that in their hertes was none euyl but al godenes The good maystresse saynt Clare her self spack so lytil that she restrayned them and thought merueyllously on theyr wordes How be it that in her herte ne in her thought was but al holynes This good lady pourueyed to her doughters the word of god by deuoute prechynges And hadde so moche ioye and gladnes perfoundely in her herte in herynge the wordes of the holy predicacion that al her delyte was in oure lord Ihesu Cryst her espouse For on a tyme as Frere phelyp A dryen prechyd a ryght fayre child was to fore saynt Clare and abode there a grete parte of the sermon and beheld merueylously and graciously saynte Clare wherof hit happed that he that was worthy to knowe and see so hyhe thynges of saynt Clare receyued in that syght and beholdynge soo grete a swetenes in his hert and so grete comfort that it myght not be sayd ne expressyd And how be hit that she was not letâ—â—ed yet herd she more gladly the sermons in latyn thaâ— in her vulgar tongue She knewe wel that with in the shelle was the kernel she herd the sermons ententyuely and assaueured them more swetely She coude moche wel drawe to her that was mooste prouffitable for her sowle And wel knewe she that it was no lesse cunnynge to gadre fayr floures amonge the sharp thornes than to ete the fruyte of a fayre tree that is to saye that she louyd better a rude sermon well edyffyeng than a fayre polysshed lytell prouffytynge On a tyme hit happed that the pope gregory deffended that no frere
delyuerd fro the flesshe And whanne the body abode in the erthe the sowle wente with god whiche was her lyf And blessid ben the holy companye of god that fro the valeye of this world conduyted the hooly sowle of this lady in to the montayne of heuene where the blessyd lyf is Now is the blessyd vyrgyn in the companye of them that ben in the courte of heuen Now hath she chaunged her poure lytel lyf whiche hath broughte her for to sytte at the table where the grete delytes ben Now hath she for the lytyll lyf of humylyte and of sharpnes the blessyd Regne of heuen where as she is cladde and arayed with the robe of perdurable glorye Anon the tydynges were spredde abrode that the blessyd vyrgyn was departed And whâ—n the people of Assyse herd therof they cam to the place bothe men and wymmen by so grete companyes that hit semed that in the cyte abode neither man ne woman And alle cryenge O dere lady and Frende of god and there with they preysed her and wepte moche tendyrly The potestate and the prouost of the Cyte ranne moche hastely thyder And with them many companyes of knyghtes and of people armed whiche alle that daye and alle nyghte kepte the body of the holy vyrgyne moche honourably For they wolde in no wyse that the towne shold not haue by ony auenture dommage or hurte in takyng awey the tresour that laye there On the morn cam the vycayre of Ihesu Cryst and alle the cardynals wyth hym with alle the Cite of Assyse vnto the Chirche of saynt Damyan And whanne it cam ther to that they sholde begynne the masse for the blessyd saynt clare hit happed that he that beganne wolde haue begonne thoffyce of them that were dede And anone the pope sayde that they ought better doo thoffyce of vyrgyns than thoffyce of dede folke So that it semed that he wold canonyse her to fore er she was buryed Thenne answerd the Wyse man the bisshop of hostence and sayde hit was more acustomed to saye of them that ben dede in this caas And thenne they sayd the masse of Requiem and alle the prelates and the Bisshop of Hostense begonnen to preche and toke their matere how all the world is vanyte and begonnen to preyse moche gretely thys swete saynt saynt clare And how she hadde despysed the world and alle that was therin Thenne the cardynals that were there wente fyrst and dyde holyly the seruyse about the holy body and thoffyce lyke as it is acustomed And by cause that them semed neyther righte ne reson that the precious body shold not be ferre fro the cyte they bare it to saynt Georges with so ryght grete feste syngynge preysynge god in ympnes and lawdes and in so grete melodye that ther was honour ynough And in the same place was fyrst buryed the body of saynt Fraunceis And fro this tyme forthou cam moche peple euery day to the tombe of saynt Clare and gyuynge praysynge and lawde to our lord god and verytably this is a ryght very saynte and gloryous vyrgyne regnynge with the companye of Aungels to whome god hath gyuen so moche honour in erthe Ha swete virgyne Praye thow to Ihesu Cryste for vs For thow were the fyrst flour of the holy poure ladyes whiche hast drawen to penaunce without nombre and that that may conduyte vs to the lyf permanable Amen It was not longe after gretely that Agnes suster of saynte Clare was somoned and callyd to weddynge of the veary lambe Ihesu Cryst And also saynt Clare ladde her suster vnto the ioye perdurable full of delyces ther be now the two doughters of syon whiche were susters germayns of grace and of nature and ben now hâ—rytours of the ioye of heuen there where they fele the swetenes of God and enioye with hym Now is Agnes in the ioye and in the consolacion that Clare her suster had promysed to her to fore that she deyde For lyke as Clare brought her oute of the world soo broughte she hir self in the Crosse of penaunce by whiche she is shynyng in heuen Thus wente Agnes after her suster ryght soone oute of this mortall lyf full of wepyng and of sorowe vnto oure lord whiche is lyf of the sowle in heuen whiche regneth with the fader and holy ghoost AMEN Here folowen myracles whiche were shewed after her deth THe tokenes and myracles of sayntes ought to be shewed preysed and honoured And also wytnessyd whanne the werkes in the lyf were holy and full of perfection we fynde not many signes ne myracles that saynt Iohan the baptist dyde Neuertheles he is a moche holy saynte and gretter than suche one as haue be shewed for many myracles And therfore I saye that the ryght holy lyf and the grete perfection of saynte Clare whiche she vsed and demened here in erthe oughte well to suffyse and wytnesse that she is a very saynt yf it were not for the peple which haue the more grete deuocion and more gretter faythe vnto the sayntes whanne they see the signes and myracles that god sheweth for them I knowe well that saynt Clare was in the weye full of merytes And that she was rauysshed in the perfoundnes of the grete clernesse and lyght of heuen Neuertheles though she were resplendysshaunt wel sauerous and ryght ful of grete myracles as is well declared by the cardynallys of Rome Myn othe of trouthe that I haue made and my conscyence constrayneth me that I wryte to my power the lyf truly and the myracles of her how well I passe ouer many fayre thynges Of one that was delyuerd of the fende ¶ There was a chyld named Iaquemyn of Perouse whiche had in his body the deuyll in suche wyse that this Iagnemyn fylle in the fyre as he that couthe not kepe hym Somtyme he hurtled strongly ageynste the ground Somtyme he bote the stones soo that he brake his tâ—eth and otherwhyle brake his hede that alle his body was blody and fowled his mouthe and put oute his tongue And somtyme he laye and wallowed and was round soo that ofte he leyd his thye in his necke And euery day twyes this maladye cam to hym and two persones myght not kepe hym ne holde hym but that he wold despoylle and vnclothe hym maulgre them bothe Ther coude no phisicyen ne wyse man that was in alle the contre fynde ony remedye ne gyue counceyll to ease hym But the fader whiche was named quyndelor whanne he sawe that he coude fynde no counceylle ne remedye for this maladye beganne to crye and calle on saynte clare the holy vyrgyne and sayd to the that arte worthy of all honours I auowe my child whiche is meschaunte and caytyf And pray the ryght swete saynte that thow wylt sende to my child helthe And forthwith wente to her tombe full of byleue to haue his requeste and leyd the chyld vpon the tombe of the vyrgyn and made his
handes that she had beten becam soo sore braken out that she myght not werke and sâ—e that herberowed hyr had the palseye and myght not ryse out of hir bedde and thus was mathidyan constreyned to begge and axe hir lyuyng fro dore to dore of suche as she coude gete she fedde hir self and hir hostesse whan the yere was passed that she was departed with hir chyldren hyr husbond sente messagers to athenes for to knowe how they dyd but them that he sente retorned not and he sente other messagers after Which retorned and sayd that they had founde none and thenne he lefte clemente hys sone vnder the kepyng of certeyn tutours and wente for to seek his wyf and his chyldren and took his shyppyng but he came not ageyn And thus clemente was xx yere orphalyn and neuer had tydynges of fader ne moder ne of his broâ—â—ern and he wente to studye and became a souerayn phylosophre and desyred enquyred dylygently in what maner he myght knowe the Inmortalyte of the sowle and therfore haunted he ofte the scoles of phylosophye and whan he herde that it was concluded in the dysputacyon that the sowle was Inmortal he was glad and ioyous And whan they sayd that it was mortal he wente al heuy and confused and at the laste whan barnabe came to rome prechyng the feythe of IhÌ„u criste the phylosophres mocqued hym as he had been madde or out of his wytte and as somme saye clemente was the fyrst phylosophre that mocqued hym and despysed his predycacion and in scorne put to hym thys questyon sayeng what is the cause that culex whiche is a lytel beest hath vj feet two wynges and an olyphaunte whiche is a grete beest hath but foure feet and noo wynges To whome barnabas sayd Fool I myght lyghtelye answer to thy questyon yf thou demauÌ„dest it to know the trouth but it shold be a rude and a deef thynge to saye to you ony thynge of creatures whan ye knowe not the maker of the creatures and by cause ye knowe not the creatour of al it is ryghte that ye erre in the creatures This worde went moche to the herte of clement the phylosophre in suche wyse that he was enformed of barnabe in the feythe of Ihesu cryste and wente anone in to Iudee to saynt Peter whyche taughte hym the feyth and shewyd to hym clerely thynmortalyte of the sowle alle clerely and in that tyme symon thenchauntour had two dysciples that is to wete aquyle and nycete and whan they vnderstode and knewe his fallaces they forsoke and lefte hym and fledde to Saynt Peter and were his dyscyples Thenne saynt peter demaunded of clemente of what lygnage he was and he tolde to hym al by ordre what was happened to his fader to his moder to his brethern and sayd that he supposed that his moder with his brethern was drowned in the see and that his fader was deed for sorowe or drowned also in the see and whan saynt Peter herde thys he myght not kepe hym from wepyng On a tyme peter cam in to the yle where mathydyan the moder of clemente dwellyd in which yle were pylers of glasse of meruayllous lengthe and as saynt peter behelde thyse pylers he sawe mathydyan beggyng whome he blamed by cause she laboured not wyth hir handes and she answerd sayd syr I haue no thynge but the forme and lykenes of my handes For they ben so febled by my bytynge that I fele them not and me repenteth that I drowned not my self in the see that I shold no lenger haue lyued Tho peter sayd what sayst thou woman knowest thou not that the sowles of them that slee them self been moost greuously punysshed To whome she sayd wold god that I were certeyn that sowles shold lyue after the dethe For thenne wold I slee my self to the ende that I myght but one houre see my swete chyldren and whan peter had demaunded of hyr the cause and â—hat she had tolde to hym al the ordre of the thynges doon Thenne peter sayd there is a yonge maÌ„ wyth vs named clemente which sayth lyke as thou sayest that it so happed to his fader and moder and to his brethern and whan she herde that she was smyton with so grete wonder that she fyl and whan she was comen to hyr self she sayd wepyng to saynt Peter I am certeynlye moder of that yonge man knelyng doun tofore saynt peter she prayed hym that he wold haste lye shewe to hir hir sone peter sayd to hir abyde a whyle tyl we be out of this yle when they were out of the yle Peter toke hir by the hande and brought hir to the shyp where clemente was in and when chement saw peter holdyng the woman by the honde he began to laughe and anone as thys woman was nyghe by clemente she myght absteyne hir no lenger but enbraced hym aboute the necke and kyssed hym and he put hyr a backe lyke as she had ben frantyke was moche angrye ageynst peter And peter sayd to hym what someuer thou doest put thou not aweye thy moder and whan câ—emente herde that anone he began to wepe and aduysed hym and toke vp his moder whyche was fallen doun a swowne began to knowe hir and that thostesse that laye on the palseye was broughte forth by the commaundemente of Peter and he helyd hir anone and thenne the moder demaunded clemente of his fader and he said to hir that he wente to seche hir and that he sythe neuer sawe hym whan she herde that she syghed and comforted hir other sorowes by the grete ioye that she had of hir sone In the mene whyle nycete aquylle came whiche were not there whan she came and whan they sawe thys woman they enquyred what she was Thenne clemente sayd she is my moder whome god hath gyuen to me by my lord Peter Thenne peter tolde to them al by ordre and whan nycete and aquylle herde that they aroos and were al abasshed and sayd lord maker of al thynges is this trewe that we haue herde or is it a dreme Thenne Peter sayd to them yf ye be not out of your mynde thyse thynges been alle trewe Thenne sayd they we ben faustyn and faustynyen whome our moder had supposed had ben perysshed in the see thenne the moder ranne and enbraced them aboute the necke sayd what may this be and peter sayd thyse been thy sones faustyn and faustynyen whome thou supposedest had ben perysshed in the see and whan she herde that she fyl donn a swowne for ioye And whan she was comen ageyn to hir self she sayd to them say ye to me how ye escaped and they sayd whan our shyp was broken we were borne vpon a table and other maronners fonde vs and toke vs in to theyr shyppe and chaunged our names and solde vs to a woman named Iustyne whiche hath holden vs as hir sonnes hath made
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
mekelye our lord of theyr delyueraunce fro this grete perylle but they were in grete heuynesse by cause theyr vytaylles were nyghe spente but by the ordenaunce of our lord there came a byrde and broughte to them a grete braunche of a vygne ful of rede grapes by whiche they loued fourtene dayes and thenne they came to a lytel ylonde wherin were many vygnes ful of grapes and they there londed and thanked god gadred as many grapes as they lyued by xl dayes after alwey sayllyng in the see in many storme tempeste as they thus sayled sodeynly cam fleyng toward them a grete grype which assayled them was lyke to haue destroyed them ¶ Wherfore they deuoutelye prayed for helpe and ayde of our Lord Ihesu cryste And thenne the byrde of the tree of the yle londe where they had holden theyr ester tofore came to the grype and smote out bothe his eyen after slewe hym wherof they thanked our lord and thenne sayled forth contynuelly tyl saynt peters day thenne songen they solempnely their seruyce in thonour of the feste and in that place the water was so clere that they myÈt see al the fysses that were aboute them wherof they were ful sore aghast and the monkes counceylled saynt brandon to synge noo more for al the fysshes laye thenne as they had slepte and thenne saynt brandon sayd drede ye not for ye haue kepte by two esters the feste of the resurrexyon vpon the grete fysshes backe therfore drede ye not of thyse lytel fysshes and thenne saynt brandon made hym redy and wente to masse and bad his monkes to synge the beste wyse they coude thenne anone al the fysshes awoke and came aboute the shyppe so thycke that vnnethes they myght see the water for the fysshes and whan the masse was done al the fysshes departed so as they were nomore seen And seuen dayes they saylled alweye in that clere water And thenne there came a south wynde and droof the shyppe â— northward where as they sawe an ylonde ful derke and ful of stynche and smoke and there they herde grete blowyng and blastyng of belowes but they myght see noo thynge but herde grete thonderyng wherof they were sore aferde and blessyd them ofte and sone after there came one stertyng out al brennyng in fyre and stared ful ghastlye on them with grete staryng eyen of whome the monkes were aghaste and at his departyng fro them he made the horryblest crye that myght be herde and sone ther came a grete nombre of fendes and assayled them with hokes and brennyng yron mallys whiche rannen on the water folowyng their shyppe faste in suche wyse that it semed al the see to be on a fyre but by the plesure of our lord they had no power to hurte ne greue them ne theyr shyppe wherfore the fendes began to rore and crye threwe theyr hookes and malles at them And they thenne were sore aferde and prayed to god for comforre and helpe for they sawe the fendes al aboute the shyppe and them semed thenne al the ylonde and the see to be on a fyre And with a sorowful crye al tho fendes departed fro them and retorned to the place that they came fro and thenne saynt brandon tolde to them that this was a parte of helle and therfore he charged them to be stedfaste in the feythe for they shold yet see many a dredeful place or they came home ageyn and thenne came the south wynde and droof theym ferther in to the northe where they sawe an hylle al of fyre a foule smoke and stynche comyng fro thens and the fyre stood on eche syde of the hylle lyke a walle al brennyng and thenne one of his monkes began to crye and wepe ful sore and sayd that his ende was comen and that he myght abyde no lengyr in the shyppe and anone he lepte out of the shyppe in to the see and thenne he cryed rored ful pyteously cursyng the tyme that he was borne and also fader and moder that bygate hym by cause they saw no better to his correccion in hys yonge age for now I must goo to perpetuel peyne and thenne the sayeng of saynt brandon was verefyed that he sayd to hym whan he entryd Therfore it is good a man to do penaunce and forsake synne For the houre of dethe is incerteyn and thenne anone the wynde torned in to the northe and droof the shyppe in to the southe whiche saylled seuen dayes contynuelly and they came to a grete rocke stondynge in the see theron sat a naked man in ful grete myserye payne for the wawes of the see had so beten hys body that alle the flesshe was gone of and noo thynge lefte but synewes and bare bonys And whan the wawes were goon there was a canuas that hynge ouer hys heed whyche bete hys body ful sore wyth the blowyng of the wynde and also there were two oxe tonges and a grete stone that he satte on whyche dyd hym ful grete ease and thenne Saynt brandon chargyd hym to telle hym what he was And he sayd my name is Iudas that solde our lord Ihesu cryst for xxx pens whiche sytteth here thus wretchydlye how be it I am worthy to be in the grettest payne that is but our lord is so mercyful that he hath rewarded me better thenne I haue deserued For of ryght my place is in the brennyng hell but I am here but certeyn tymes of the yere that is fro crystemasse to twelfth day and fro ester tyl whytsontyde be paste and euery festeful day of our lady and euery satyrday none tyl sonday that euensonge be doon but all other tymes I lye stylle in helle in ful brennyng fyre wyth pylate herode cayphas Therfore acursed be the tyme that euer I knewe hem and thenne Iudas prayed saynt brandon to abyde stylle there al that nyght and that he wold kepe hym there stylle that the fendes shold not fetche hym to helle and he said with goddes helpe thou shalte abyde here alle this nyght and thenne he asked Iudas what cloth that was that henge ouer his heed and he sayd it was a clothe that he gaue to a lepre whiche was boughte wyth the money that he stale fro our lord whan I bare his purs wherfore it dothe to me ful grete peyne now in betyng my face wyth the blowyng of the wynde and these two oxe tonges that hange here aboue me I gafe them somtyme to two prestys to praye for me them I boughte wyth myn owne money and therfore they ease me by cause the fisshes of the see gnawe on them spare me and this stone that I sytte on laye somtyme in a desolate place where it eased no man and I toke it thens leyed it in a fowle waye where it dyd moche ease to them that wente by that waye and therfore it easeth me now for euery good dede shal be rewarded
hys secretes whan ye come ageyn in to the see and our lord wyl that ye lade your shyppe wyth the fruyte of thys londe and hye you hens for ye may no lenger abyde here but thou shalte sayle ageyn in to thyn owne contree and sone after thou comest home thou shalt deye and thys water that thou seest here departeth the world a sondre for on that other syde of thys water may no man come that is in thys lyf and the fruyte that ye see here is alle waye thus rype euery tyme of the yere and alwey it is here lyght as ye now see and he that kepeth our lordes hestys at al tymes shal see thys londe or he passe out of thys world And thenne saynt brandon and his monkes toke of that fruyte as moche as they wolde and also toke with them grete plente of precyous stones and thenne toke theyr loue and wente to shyppe wepyng sore by cause they myght no lenger abyde there and thenne they toke theyr shyppe and came home in to yrelonde in saufete whome theyr brethern receyued wyth grece ioye gyuyng thankynges to our lord whiche had kepte them al that seuen yere fro many a peryl and brouÈt them home in saufete To whome be yeuen honour glorye world without ende amen And sone after this holy man Saynt brandon wexe feble and seek and had but lytel ioye of thys world But euer after his ioye mynde was in the ioyes of heuen and in shorte tyme after he beyng ful of vertues departed out of thys lyf to euerlastyng lyf And was worshypfully buryed in a fayr abbey whiche he hym self founded Where our lord shewyth for thys holy saynt many fayr myracles Wherfore lete vs deuoutely praye to thys holy saynt that he praye for vs to our lord that he haue mercy on vs to whome be gyuen lawde honour and empyre world withouten ende amen Thus endeth the lyf of saynt Brandon And here foloweth the lyf of saint erkenwolde bysshop SAynt erkenwolde was borne of noble lygnage Hys fader was named offa and was kyng of eest englond and he had also a suster named alburgh whiche Erkenwolde and alburgh were of right parfyte lyf and how be it that theyr fader was a paynym yet were thyse two chyldren crysten whan erkenwolde was in parfyte age he wente in to relygyon and was made first abbot of chirchesey where he lyued an holy lyf and after he was made bysshop of london his suster alburgh was his trewe folower in good werkys and was a woman of relygyon and for hir holy lyf she was made abbesse of berkynge Thys holy man by the Informacion of saynt Austyn mellyte was enformed in the feythe in suche wyse that he vtterly forsoke the world ordeyned and buylded ij monasteryes one for hym selfe at chyrcheseye another for hys suster at barkyng whiche after hir baptesme was named ethelburga and saynt erkenwolde counceylled his suster to flee worldely vanytees and so he dyd hym self and gaue hym in to deuyne contemplacyon gaue gladly suche goodes as he had besyde them that he spente in the fondacyon and buyldyng of the sayd monasteryes to poure peple and he chaunged his erthely herytage his worldly dygnyte and hys grete patrymonye in to the herytage and lyuelode of holy chirche for to haue hys herytage in heuen and he dyd al thyse expencis or he was called to be bysshop of london and the holy theodore archebysshop of caunterburye dyd do consecrate hym bysshop of london and hys suster was sette in berkyng with other vyrgynes for to be alweye ocupyd in the seruyce of our lord and it happed on a tyme as thartyfycers that bylded the monasterye at berkynge were ouer seen in takyng the mesure of a pryncipal beme for it was to shorte wolde not accorde to the place that it was ordeyned for wherfore they made moche sorowe Thenne this holy man saynt erkenwolde and his suster seyng thys mysfortune toke the same beme bytwene theyr hondes and drewe it out in suche wyse that it had suffycyente lengthe and accorded vnto the propre place that it was ordeyned to whiche myracle was anone knowen openlye to the people and at that tyme were noo nonnes in englonde wherfore saint erkenwolde sente ouer see for a deuoute relygyous woman named hyldelyth to whome he bytoke his suster for to be enformed in the relygyon as wel in connyng as in good maners and vertuous doctryne in which she prouffyted in suche wyse that she passed all hir felawes in connyng sone after she was made abbesse and chyef of al the monasterye and it happed sone after that the bysshop of london deyed whos name was cedda by consente of the kynge and alle the people thys holy man of god erkenwolde was bysshop of london and what someuer he taughte in worde he fulfylled it in dede for he was parfyte in wysedom softe and dyscrete in worde bysy in prayer chaast of body hooly yeuen to goddes lore and was planted in the rote of charyte and afterward whan he had suffred moche trybulacion wyth many ghoostly bataylles he began to waxe ryght seek and thenne he commaunded to make redy his chare that he myght goo and preche in the cytee the Worde of god wherfore it was kepte in custome longe tyme after of his dyscyples and many other to touche hym and kysse hym and what someuer sekenesse that they had they were anone delyuerd therof and were made parfytelye hool In a day of somer as thys blessyd saynt saynt erkenwolde rode in hys chare for to preche the word of god It fortuned that the one whele of the chare fyl of fro the axtre and that notwythstondyng the chare went forth right wythout fallyng whyche was ageyn nature and reson and a fayre myracle for god guyded the chare it was meruaylle to alle them that sawe it ¶ O mercyable god and meruayllous aboue al thyng to whom alle brute beestys be made meke and wylde thynges been obedyente thou vouchesauf to calle to thy mercy thy blessyd seruaunte to make hym partable of thy excellente ioye thou yeue vs grace by his prayer which knewe by reuelacyon that his sowle shold be losed from the body by temporall dethe to be preserued fro al manere euyl and euerlastyng dethe whan thys blessyd saynt erkenwolde as god wold came to berkyng he fyl in to a grete sekenesse in whiche he ended his temporalle lyf for soo moche as he knewe it before he sente for his seruauntes and suche as were drawyng to hym yaue to them holsom and swete lessons and blessyd them with grete deuocyon emonge them he yelded vp hys spyrite to almyghty god in whos passyng was felte a merueyllous swete odour as the hous had be ful of swete bawme And whan the hyghe channons of Saynt Powles at london herde thys and the monkys of chyrcheseye also anone they came to this holy body for to
arsenye alle the dayes of hys lyf whan he satte at the werke of his handes he had a lynnen clothe in his bosom for to drye wyth the teerys that ranne faste from hys eyen and alle the nyght he wold not slepe and in the mornynge whan he muste slepe for werynesse of nature He wold saye to slepe come wycked seruaunte and thenne wolde take a lytel slepe syttyng and wold aryse anone and sayd It suffyseth to a monke yf he slepe an houre yf he be a fyghter ageynst vyces Whan the fader of saynt arsenye whiche was a grete senatour and a right noble man shold fynysshe hys lyf he lefte to arsenyen by hys testamente moche herytage and one magystryen broughte vnto hym the sayd testament and whan he had receyued it he wold haue broken it Thenne magystryen fyl doun at his feet prayeng hym that he wold not doo soo for his hede theÌ„ne shold he lese for it shold he smyton of To whome arsenyen sayd I was dede tofore hym he therfore that is but now dede how may he make me his heyre and sente ageyn the testamente and wolde noo thynge haue On a tyme there was a voys came to hym and sayd come and I shalle shewe to the the werkys of the men And ladde hym in to a certeyn place and shewyd to hym a man of ethyope that is a blacke man that hewe wode and made a grete fardel so grete that he myght not bere hit and alweye be hewe and put to the fardel and thus he dyd longe and after he shewed to hym a man that drewe water oute of a lake and caste it in to a cesterne perced by whiche the water ranne ageyn in to the lake and he wold fylle the cesterne and myght not And after he shewyd to hym a temple and a man on hors backe which bare a longe tree thwarte and wold entre in to the temple and be myght not by cause the tree laye thwarte Thenne he expawned hym thys thynge and sayd he that bereth the tree is lyke the burthen of Iustyce wyth pryde and wyl not meke hym therfore he abydeth wythoute the royame of heuen And he that heweth the wood is a man that is in synne And putteth none aweye by penaunce but putteth alweye wyckednesse to wyckednesse And he that draweth the water is a man that doeth good werkys here in thys presente worlde but by cause that his euyl werkis ben medlyd with them he loseth hys good werkys whan the euensonge tyme of the satyrday came on the sonday he lefte al his werkys behynde hym and helde vp his handes to heuen tyl the sonne aroos in the mornyng of the sonday tofore his face so abode alle the nyght in prayers and in orisons and hec in vitis patrum Thus endeth of Saint Arsenyen ¶ Here foloweth of the abbotte Agathon AGathon the abbotte bare iij yere a stone in his mowthe tyl that he had lernyd to kepe scylence there was another which entrid in to the congregacion that sayd within hym self thou an asse been of one kynde for lyke as an asse is beten speketh not suffreth wronge without answeryng right so doest thou another broder was put fro the table he answerd nothynge afterwarde he was axyd he said I haue put in my herte that I am lyke to an hounde for whan he is chastysed he goeth hys waye out it was demauÌ„ded of agathon what vertue was more than laboure he answerd I trowe ther be no laboure so grete as to praye to god for the fende laboureth alweye to breke his prayer in other laboures a man hath somme reste he that prayeth hath all weye nede of grete stryf a brother demaunded of agathon how he ought to dwelle with his brethern to whome he said like as the first day take on the no truste but suffraunce for suffraunce is not worse than truste for suffraunce is moder of al passyons theÌ„ne kepe the fro yre for yf the yrons reysed dede men it shold not plese god ne none other for his yre there was abrother that was angry said to hym self yf I were allone I shold not be so sone angry On a tyme as he fylled a potte with water he poured it out ageyn he fylled it the second tyme poured it out alweye thenne he was so moeuyd for angre that he brake the potte thenne he aduysed hym self knewe that he was deceyued of the deuyl of wrath of yre said I am allone yet I am ouercome by wrath therfore I shal retorne to my congregacion for oueral is labour oueral is pacyence nede of the helpe of god two other brethern were contrarye whiche had longe conuersed to gyder myght not be meued to wrath on a tyme that one sad to that other lete vs make contencions to gyder lyke as men of â—he world do that other sayd I wote not how contencyon is made and that other said I shal laye this sacke in the myddel bytwene vs I shal say it is myn thou shalte say it is not soo but it is myn thus shal the stryf be made thenne that one layed the sacke so said it is myn that other sayd nay but it is myn and that other said thenne thyn be it take it and goo thy waye thus they departed and coude not stryue to gyder Thabbot agathon was wyse to vnderstonde not slowe to laboure scarce in mete and clothyng and sayd he had neuer slepte at hys wylle hauyng in my herte ony sorowe ageynst ony other or ony other ageynst me whan agathon shold deye he helde hym thre dayes without moeuyng holdyng alweye his eyen open to heuen And whan hys brethern rored or styred hym He sayd I am tofore the Iugemente of god And they sayd why doubtest thou And he sayd I haue laboured wyth alle the vertue that I myghte to kepe the commaundementes of god But I am a man and I wote not yf my werkys shalle please our Lord And they sayd â—uâ—stest not thou in thy werkys which thou hast doon for god and he sayd I shal not presume tyl I come tofore hym For the Iugementes of god ben other than the Iugementes of men And whan they wolde yet haue axyd hym somme thynge he said shewe to me charyte and speke nomore to me for I am ocupyed and whan he had said this he yelded vp his spirite with ioye and they sawe our lord and his aungellys receyuyng his spirite and salewyng lyke as a man saleweth his frendes alle thys is wryton in vitis patrum Thus endeth of the holy abbot Agathon ¶ Here foloweth of Balaam the Hermyte BAlaam of whome saynt Iohan damascene made the hystorye with grete dyligence In whome deuyne grace so wroughte that he conuerte to the feythe saynt Iosaphat thenne as al ynde was ful of crysten peple
my counceyll and by myn enhortemente shal make the to suffre so many tourmentes that thou thy self shalt renye the crucyfyxe Thenne sayd Iudas to hym He that proprely hath power to reyse deed men put the in the depe bottom of helle in fyre perdurable Saynt Quyryace suffred marterdom as sayd is for the loue of our Lord By whiche he hath goten the glorye perdurable the whyche he graunte to vs that for vs suffryd dethe and passyon AMEN Thus endeth the passyon of Saint Quyriace Here foloweth the lyf of saynt Thomas dalquyne SAint thomas Dalquyne of thordre of the freres prechours was a right souerayn doctour hyghe of noble lygnage whiche was borne in the royame of Sesylle and tofore that he was borne He was shewyd by dyuyne pourueaunce For in tho partyes there was an holy man in werke and in renommee whyche wyth many other her mytes ladde a ryght holy lyf and al the peple had hym in grete reuerence this holy man replenysshed of the holy ghoost came to the lady and moder of this holy chylde not yet borne with grete ioye sayd to hir that she had conceyued a sone and she supposed that she had not conceyued Thenne the holy man sayd to hir lady be thou glad for thou shalte brynge forthe a chylde whiche shal be callyd Thomas and shal haue a grete name and renomee thorugh al the world in scyence and in holy lyf and he shal be of thordre of the frere prechours alle whyche thynges lyke as the holy hermyte had said were accomplysshed in the name of the sauyour of the world and to the glorye of hys gloryous saynt whan the chylde was borne he was called Thomas by his right name He had the world and the vanyte therof in despyte and for to lyue in the more holy and clene lyf he entred in to the ordre of the frere prechours and after he was drawen out therof by hys brethern and was closed vp in a chambre in a toure two yere and by cause that by menaces ne fayr wordes his brethern myght not chaunge his good purpoos ne reuoke it in no maner they put in to his chambre a yonge damoysel to the Innocente childe for to subuerte hys good corage anone he toke a bronde of fyre and droof the damoysel out of the chambre whyche was come for to deceyue hym after that he put hym in humble prayers deuoutely besechyng our lord that by his benygne grace he wolde alweye mayntene his chastyte Anone as he had made his prayers ij aungels in meruayllous habyte appeayd to hym sayeng that his prayer was herde of god they dystreyned hym by the raynes sayeng Thomas we ben sente to the by the commaundemente of god and in his name we gyrde the with the gyrdle of chastyte whyche shal neuer departe fro the ne shal be broken the whiche gyfte was gyuen to hym of specyal grace was in hym so faste and ferme that he neuer after felte prickyng of his flesshe and so kepte hym as longe as he lyued as it apperyth here after in hys lyf whan he surmounted one of hys aduersaryes with his mynystres hys good moder consyderyng and hauyng mynde of that whiche the good man had tolde to hyr and shewyd how he shold be of thordre of the freres prechours and lete hym to be ledde to them pesably not wythstondyng that tofore his brethern wold haue empesshed hym of thentryng in to the ordre and of his studye For whan he was retorned in to the ordre by consente of his good moder he began to studye whiche was as swete to hym as is to the bee to make the hony and lyke as of the bee the hony is multeplyed right so in lyke wyse was by this gloryous doctour the hony of holy scrypture wherof he made meruayllous bookes in theologye logyke phylosophye naturel and moralle vpon the euangelyes in so moche that the holy chirche thorugh out al the world of hys holy scyence is replenysshed And as he thus prouffyted he was sente to parys thenne his brethern herde that he shold departe anone came after hym sayeng that it apperteyned not that a chylde of so grete lignage as he was shold be in thordre of mendycants ne of trewantes al to rente his cote cope wold haue taken hym aweye from his good purpoos whaÌ„ he was restored to thordre to seâ—ue gyue preysyng to our lord he sette al his entente to studye in thynkyng on god whan he was in contemplacion that his thouÈt was replenysshed with grete ioye For many tymes were as he was in a secrete place set al his entente in praâ—â—â— he was seen lyfte vp many tymes wythout ayde of ony thynge corporelle This thenne is wel an holy doctour For thus as he sette not his thoughte in thys world he sette alle his herte and his thoughte towarde god and was enhaunced as he that had not had no flesshe ne bone ne ony weyghte We rede that the blessyd doctour dysputed redde or wrote or argued or dyd somme other vertuous thynge and after whan hys prayer was paste anone he had in his mowthe that whiche he shold dyspute or wryte as yf he had tofore longe estudyed in many bookes alle whiche thynges he shewed secretelye to his felawe named frere raynolde To whome pryuelye he shewed al his other secretes as longe as he lyued and wold that none other shold knowe it to the ende that the vaynglorye of the world shold not surpryse hym For the scyence that he had was not of humayne studye but was of the admynystracion deuyne by the prayers and seruyce that he dyd to our lord This holy man is thenne as Moyses was whyche was gyuen to the doughter of pharao For lyke as he was taken out of the see and saued and rendryd vnto the sayd doughter Ryght soo the sayd blessyd doctour not wythstondyng that he was borne of the grete lignage of the erle of alquyn was by the pourueaunce of god rendryd to his moder holy chyrche and caste out of the flode of thys World and enhaunced and nourysshed by the pappes and mamellys of the scrypture of holy chyrche And lyke as moyses made many meruayllous sygnes tofore the chyldren of Israhel In lyke wyse hath thys blessyd doctour and hys scyence and blessyd doctryne in destroyeng errours hath alle weye prechyd veryte and trouthe And his holy lyf wytnesseth as on a nyght this gloryous doctour was in hys orysons and prayers the blessyd appostles Peter and poule apperyd to hym and endured hym in holy scrypture in especyally of the prophecye of prophetes alle entyerly and hooly Thys thenne is an holy doctour to whome the chauncelyer of heuen and the doctour of deuyne scrypture haue openyd the gate and he that was rauysshed to heuen hath shewyd to hym the secrete of aâ—e the veryte and thus thys blessyd doctour is taken from the worlde and made bourgeys
lord Ihesu crist for certeyn in al thynges apperteynyng to the cure of the peple of our lord Ihesu crist commytted to hym he in al oueral accomplisshed duely right worthely hys mysterye he prouffyted euer gooyng bysyly fro vertues in to vertue and was plesaunte bothe to god to the world in so moche that the folke were ful lothe to departe fro his wordes fro his felawshyp moche abasshed Were they the sawe hym for cause of his frendly manere for wonderful holynesse what meruaylle he was of admyrable or wonderful humylite which he shewed oueral in habite or clothyng in dede in wordes gooyng comyng and beyng in dyners companyes he spake euer to the folke bothe more lesse swetelye ful mekelye lokyng on the erthe his hode before his face that he shold not be preysed of the folke teschewe al vanytres by the space of xv yere before his deth he ne ware but cours clothe russet or whyte suche as poure folke of the contreye ben acustomed to were he helde the eywer also the towel whyle the poure wesshed her handes after with his owne hande admynystred to them the mete that they shold ete and settyng hym self on the grounde ete with them of the said mete that is to wete broun brede somtyme a lytel podage emonge them that ete with hym he had noo prerogatyue but the moost dysfourmed moost myserable he sat nyghe hym he laye al nyght on the grounde had for his beddyng for shetes for couerlet for hangyng onelye a lytel strawe Euer before the celebracion of his masse or he reuestyd hym he knelyd doun before th aulter deuoutelye made his prayer wepyng pyteously syghyng oftymes as he celebred his masse plente of teerys fyl fro his eyen allonge his face the humylite of whom plesed moche vnto out lord as ones it apperid by a colombe or dowue of merueylloê° respleÌ„dour which openlye was seen fleynge within the chirche of Tryguer aboute the aulter where thys holy saynt yues said masse and certeynly ful pacyently he suffred alle Iniuryes and blasphemyes For whan men dyd mocque hym or sayd euyl to hym he answerd noo thynge but hauyng his thought on god sussteyned theyr euyl wordes pacyentelye and wyth grete ioye A man he was of transquylyte for he louyd pees and neuer he was moeuyd to noo stryffe Indygnacion or yre for no thynge that euer was doon to hym He sayd noo wordes tumelous ne contumelious ne other dyshordynate wordes He was deffensour wythout drede of the lybertres of the chyrche wherof it happed that as a sergeauÌ„te of the kynges had taken ledde with hym the bysshoppes hors of triguyer for thencheson of the centysme of the goodes of the forsayd bysshop saynt yues thenne beyng in the offyce of offycyal vertuously toke the sayd hors fro the sayd sergeaunte and ledde hym ageyn vnto the bysshoppes place and how be it that men demed and wende that grete euyl or dommage shold falle therfore as wel to saynt yues as to the chyrche seâ—yng that the sergeaunte was aboute to haue procured it Neuerthelesse no manere of dommage came neuer therof neyther to the Saynt nor to the chyrche Whyche thynge was holden and reputed for a myracle and not wythoute cause attrybued to the merytes of the sayd saynt yues for it is bybeuyd testefyed that he was chaste bothe of flesshe and in thoughte al the tyme of his lyf and also chaste bothe in wordes and of eyen and lyued alweye so honestlye and so chastlye that neuer noo tokens of worldly maners apperidd on hym but certeynlye euer he abhorred and cursyd the synne of lecherye and he accustomed to preche ageynst the sayd synne made many a persone to flee from hit He was neuer founde sloweful ne neglygente but euer redy to oryson or predycacion or ellys he was studyeng in the holy scryptures or doyng werkys of charyte and pyte Euer he ocupyed hym self in wele after the doctryne of the appostles He proufferyd hym to god in al thynges pryuables and wythoute confusyon in his werkys He treated to ryght the worde of vertue and of trouthe and euer eschewyng alle vayne wordes spake but lytel wyth payne saufe the wordes of god and of saluacyon pardurable and he prechyng the worde of god right wel and boldelye brought ofte them that herde hym to compuncyon of herte and euermore vnto teerys and he excercytyng and ocupyeng hym in thys holy operacion or werke there as he myght be herde by the leue of the bysshoppes and dyoceseyns euer goyng on foot prechyd somtyme vpon a day in foure chyrches moche ferre one from another and to the ende that he shold not leue the custome of hys abstynence he after this grete laboure retorned fastyng vnto his hows and wolde neuer accorde wyth no man to dyne wyth hym He had the spyryte of prophecye for he prophetysed that a reâ—luse shold be seen emonge men by the vyce of couetyse The whiche thynge happed not longe after For the myschaunte recluse leuyng the weye of saluacion and of penytence yede out fro his celle and toke a worldlye and dampnable waye Thys holy saynt yues laboured euer to pease alle dyscordaunce and stryf after his power and the folke whiche myght not accorde by his persuasyon and admonestynges callyd soone to concorde after his oryson by hym made to god It may not be recounted ne neuer it was seen in our tyme the grete charyte pyte and myserycorde that he had toward the poure Indygente and suffretous toward the wydowes and to the poure chyldren bothe fader and moderlesse alle the tyme of hys lyf alle that he receyued or myght haue as wel of the chirche as of his patrymonye he gaue to them before sayd wythoute ony dyfference whan he was dwellyng at resues and promoted to thoffyce of offycyal there at the courte of tharchedeaken also or he chaunayd his manere of lyuyng he made vpon the grete and solempne holydayes plente of mete to be dressyd and redâ— for to ete and at dyner tyme he callyd and made to be called the poure folke to dyner and to theym admynystred mete with his owne handes and after he ete wyth two pour chyldren whych for the loue of our lord Ihesu Cryste he susteyned at scole for euer he was right curtoys to helpe chyldren bothe fader and moderlesse and as theyr fader sente them to scole and wyth hys owne susteyned them payed also the sallarye to theyr maysters He reuestyd ryght curtoysly the pour naked of our lord It happed ones that a gowne and an hode bothe of like clothe whiche he had do make for hymself to were and so he takyng gretter cure of the poure naked thenne of hys owne bodye gaue the sayd gowne and hode to a poure man He helde hospytalyte Indyfferently for the poure pylgrymmes in an hows whyche he dyd make for the nones to the whyche he admynystred bothe
merueylle it is how we knowe of none Therfore we shal praye to our lord Ihesu cryste ¶ Thus endeth the lyf of saint Morante ¶ Here folowe the lyf of saint Lowys kynge of Fraunce SAynt Lowes somtyme the noble kyng of fraunce had to his fader a kyng ryght cristen named lowys this lowys fader bataylled foughte ageynst the heretykes and ablygoys and of the contre of tholouse and extyrped their heresye ye and as he retourned in to Fraunce he passyd vnto our Lord Thenne the chylde of holy chyldehode faderlesse abode and dwellyd vnder the kepyng of the quene blaunche his moder somtyme doughter to the kynge of castylle and as she that louyd hym tenderlye betoke hym for to be lernyd and taughte vnder the cure and gouernaunce of a special maister in condycyons and in lettres and he also as the yonge salamon chylde wyse and dysposed to haue a good sowle prouffyted right gretelye in al thynges more than ony childe of his age of whiche good lyf and chyldehode his debonayr moder enioysyng hir self sayd ofte tymes to hym in thys manere Ryghte deresone rather I wold see the deth comyng on the thenne to see the falle in to a dedely synne ageynste thy creatour the whiche worde the deuoute chylde took and shette it soo wythin hys courage that by the grace of god which deffended and kepte hym it is not founde that euer he felte ony aâ—ouchemente â—atche or spotte of mortal crysme In the ende by the pourueaunce of his moder and of the barons of the londe to th ende that so noble a royaulme ne shold not faylle of sucâ—essyon ryalle the holy man took a wyf of the which he receyued and gate on hyr fayr chyldren whyche by souerayn cure le made to be nourysshed endoctrined taught to the loue of god and despyte of the world and to knowe them selfe by holy admonestyng and ensaumples and whan he myght tende secretelye to them vysytyng them and requyryng of theyr prouffyte as the auncyente thobye gaue to them admonestyng of salut techyng them ouer alle thynges to drede god and to kepe absteyne them assyduelly from alle synne Garlondes made of Roses of other floures he forbade and deffended them to were on the fryday for the crowne of thorne that was on suche a day put on the heed of our lord and by cause that he wyste wel and knewe that chastytâ—e in delyces pyte in rychees humnlyte in honour often peryshen betoke and gaue his courage to sobryete and good dyete to humylite and my sericorde kepyng hym self ryght curyously fro the pryckyng sawtes and watche of the world the flesshe and the deuyll chastysed hys body and brought it to seruytude by the ensaumple of the appostles he forced hym self to serue his spyryte by dyuers castygacion or chastysyng he vsed the hayre many tymes nexte hys flesshe whan he lefte it for cause of ouer feblenesse of his body at the Instaunce of hys owne confessour he ordeyned the said confessour to gyue to the poure folke as for recompensacion of euery day that he faylled of hit fourty shyllynges he fastyd alweye the fryday and namelye in tyme of lente and aduentes he absteyned hym in tho dayes from al maner of fysshe and fro fruytes and contynuelly trauayllâ—d and paynyd his body by watchynges orysons and other secretes abstynences and dyscyplynes humylite beaute of all vertues resplendysshed so stronge in hym that the more better he wexyd so as dauyd the more he shewyd hym self meke humble and more foule he reputed hym before god For he was acustomed on euery satyrday to wosshe with his owne handes in a secrete place the feet of somme poure folke and after dryed them wyth a fayre towel and kyssed moche humbly and semblahly theyr handes dystrybuyng or desyng to euery one of them a certeyn of syluer also to seuen score poure men whiche dayly came to his courte he admynystred mete and drynke wyth hys owne handes and were fedde habonndantlye on the vygyles solempne and on somme certeyn dayes in the yere to two hondred poure before that he ete or dranke with his owne handes admynystred and seruyd theym bothe of mete and of drynke He euer had bothe at his dyuer and sowper thre auncyente poure whiche ete nyghe to hym to whome he charytably sente of suche metes as were broughte before hym and somtyme the dysshes and metes that the poure of our Lord had touched wyth theyr handes and specialle the soppes of whiche he fayne ete made theyr remenaunte or relyef to be brought before hym to the ende that he shold ete it and yet ageyn to honour and worshyp the name of our Lord on the poure folke he was not ashamed to ete theyr relyef Also he Wold not vse scarlate ne gownes of ryche clothe ne also furryng of ouer grete pryse and coste and namelye sythe he came fro the partyes of beyonde see the fyrste tyme ageyn he coueytyd by grete desire the growyng vp of the feyth wherfore he as veray louer of the feyth and couetous for to enhaunce it as he yet that of late conâ—allesshed and yssued out of a greuous seeknesse lyeng at pontoyse toke the crosse with grete deuocyon fro the hande of the bysshop of parys ledde with hym thre of hys brethern wyth the grettest lordes and barons in hys royalme and many a knyght other peple with hym applykd on his waye and with ryght grete hoost arryued in to egypte the whyche settyng foot on grounde ocupyed took by force of men of armes that same cytee renommed whiche is called damette and alle the regyon aboute Thenne after the crysten oost esprysed and bete with a moche grete and wonderful sekenesse by the Iuste Iugemente of god many crysten men deyed there in soo moche that of the nombre of two and thyrty thousand fyghtyng men ne was there lefte on lyue but syx thousand men god fader of myserycorde wyllyng hym self shewed wonderful and meruaylable on his saynt gafe betoke the sayd kyng champyon or deffensour of the feythe in to the handes of the euyl paynyms to th ende that he shold appere more meruaylable and as the debonayr kynge myght haue scaped by the nexte shyppe nygh thens alwayes he yelded hym self with his good gree to th ende that he myght delyuer hys peple thorugh the encheson of hym He was put to grete raunsom whiche payed wold yet abyde prysonner for the payemente or raunsom of other hys lordes and barons and thenne after he put and lefte so as Ioseph oute of the chartre or pryson of egypte not as fleeyng or dredeful retorned anone vnto the propre or owne partyes but fyrst abode contynuelly by the space of fyue yere in syrye where he conuertysed many paynyms to the feythe and he beyng there the crysten out of the paynyms handes dyched and fortefyed many townes castellys with stronge walles ¶ He founde thenne aboute sydoyne many dede bodyes
saith an oryson that thus begynneth Placeat tibi sancta trinitas That is as moche for to say Holy trynyte I praye you that ye vouchesauf to take thys holy sacrefyse acceptable for me and also for theym for whome I haue consecrate the body of our lerd Per xpristum dominum nostrum amen and here is the ende of the masse but somme preestys whyle they take fro them the vestementes they say saynt Iohans gospel and somme saye the offyce of our lady Saynt Iohans gospel is sayd for 〈◊〉 mysterye in hit conteynyng for in 〈◊〉 tenour of it saynt Iohan maketh meâ—cyon how our humanyte was ioyneâ— and vnyed to the dyuynyte and how he was sente for to be testymonage or wytnesse of the deuyne lyght of the whiche lyght al creatures was enlumyned after the preest saith his graces lawdyng and thankyng god of all his benefaytes Who someuer wyl knowe and vnderstonde wel and parfytely the noble vertu and noble mysterye that in the exposycnon of the masse is lete hym wel consydere and enprynte right parfytelye wythin hys herte alle tho thynges that here beforne are conteyned and the creature thus doyng shal mowe haue certeyn knowlege of god and shal mowe ordeyne and dresse hys conscyence after that before is sayd and soo we praye god that he gyue to vs grace to doo suche seruyce and soo good prayers that we therwyth may acquyre and gete the holy blysse of paradyse AMEN Here endeth the noble historye of the exposicion of the masse And here foloweth the twelue articles of our feythe THyse ben the twelue artycles of the crystyn feythe that euery crysten man and woman oughte to byleue stedfastlye and fermelye for otherwyse they may not be sauyd sythe they haue wytte and reason and twelue artycles they be after the nombre of the appostles that made hem and stablysshed to be holden and kepte Of whiche the fyrst longeth to the fader the seuen to the sone and the other foure to the holy ghoost For it is the foundemente of the feythe to byleue on the trynyte that is the fader the sone and the holy ghoost one god in thre persones and al thyse artycles are conteyned in the crede The fyrst is thus I beleue on god the fader almyghty creatour of heuen erth thys fyrst artycle layed saynt peter in the crede the second apperteyneth to the sone as to his godhede that is to say in thys that he is god and it is suche I beleue on Ihesu cryst our lord onley sone of god the fader this ouÈt men to vnderstonde and byleue that he is semblable like and egal to the fader in al thynges that are bylongyng to the godhede and he is one selfe and lyke thynge wyth the fader saufe of persone that is not lyke the persone of the fader thys artycle made and layed it in the crede Saynt Iohan the euangelyste The thyrd and fourth artycles that folowen after in the crede apperteynen to the sonâ— after his humanyte that is to say after that man is mortal In whiche thyrd artycle is conteyned that he was conceyued of the holy ghoost and borne of the vyrgyne marye by vertu and werke of the holy ghoost not by mannes werke that the vyrgyne marye abode euer virgyn before and after hys byrthe And thys artycle layed saynt Iames brother to saynt Iohan the euangelyste in the crede The fourth artycle bylongeth to his passyon that is to say that he suffred vnder poncepylate that was paynym and Iuge at that tyme in Iherusalem Instytued by the Romayne vnder the whiche was Ihesu cryst Iuged wrongfully at the requeste of the felon Iewes crucefyed dede and put in the sepulcre this artycle layed saint andrewe the fyfthe artycle is that he descended in to helle after hys deth for to haue oute and delyuer the sowles of the holy faders and of alle them that fro the begynnyng or the world deyed in veray contrycyon and repentaunce in feythe and hope that they shold be sâ—uyd by hym For by cause of the fyrst mannes synne al must descende in to helle there to abyde the good and certeyn hope of Ihesu cryste the sone of god that shold come to delyuer them after that he had promysed by hys prophetes and this reason he wold descende in to helle that is to vnderstonde in to that parte of helle where they that were dampned were not the whyche were dede in theyr synnes thoo same he drewe not oute of helle for they be dampned pardurably and for euer thys artycle layed in the trede saynt phelyppe The vj artycle is of hys resurrexyon that is to Wete that on the thyrd day after his dethe for to consumme and accomplysshe the scryptures he rose from dethe vnto lyf ageyn and apperyd to his dyscyples approued to them his resurrexyon in many maners by the space of fourty dayes this artycle layed saynt thomas The seuenth artycle is thys that on the fourty day after his resurrexyon whan he ete wyth his dyscyples before them al appertelye he ascended aboue al creatures in to heuen vnto the right hande of the fader where he sytteth and this artycle layed saynt bartylmewe in the crede The viij artycle is that he shall come on domes day to Iuge bothe lyuyng and dede the good and euyl and shal rendre or yelde to euery one thys that he shal haue deserued in this world ¶ These ben the artycles that are longyng to the sone and that laste artycle beforesayd layed saynt mathew theuangelyste in the crede The ix and the thre laste artycles belongen to the holy ghoost these artycles here requyren that men byleue the holy ghoost is the yefte and the loue of god the fader and of the sone fro whome come 〈◊〉 vs al wele and grace that he is one same god one same thynge wyth the fader and wyth the sone sauf the persone that is other than the persones of the fader of the sone this artycle layed in the crede saynt Iames the brother of saynt symon and saynt Iude The tenthe artycle is thys I beleue on the holy chyrche general in the communyon of sayntes that is to say the companye of al sayntes of trewe men that ben shal be vnto the consumyng or ende of the world that were fro the begynnyng of the world to gyder with the feyth of Ihesu cryste In this artycle are vnderstonde the vij sacramentes of holy chirche that is to wete baptesme confirmacion the sacramente of the aulter the sacramente of mariage or wedlock penaunce confessyon the last is the holy vnccion this artycle layed saynt symon The xj article is to byleue the remyssyon of synnes that god gyueth by vertue of the sacramentes of holy chirche thys artycle layed saynt Iude that was the brother of saynt symon and not that Iude that betrayed our lord Ihesu cryste The xij artycle is to byleue the general resurrexyon of bothe the sowles bodyes perdurable or euerlastyng that is the glorye of paradyse that god shall gyue to them that shal deserue it by good feyth thorugh good werkys this artycle gyueth also to vnderstonde his contrarye that is deth the peyne perdurable or Without ende that god hath apparaylled for them that shal be dampned this article oughte to be vnderstonde in suche manere that euery one be they good of euyl shal be Iuged on domes day reysed fro dethe to lyf ageyn in his owne propre body he shal receyue his rewarde gwerdon bothe in body in sowle togyder after he shal haue deseruyd beyng in this lyf mortal thefore at that day the good creatures shal be glorefyed bothe in body sowle in lyf that euer shal laste this article layed saynt mathyas appostle frende of god Thus endeth the twelue artycles of our feythe Thus endeth the legende named in latyn legenda aurea that is to saye in englysshe the golden legende For lyke as golde passeth in valewe alle other metalles so thys legende excedeth alle other bookes wherin ben conteyned alle the hygh and grete festys of our lord the festys of our blessyd lady the lyues passyons and myracles of many other sayntes and other hystoryes and actes as al allonge here afore is made mencyon whiche werke I haue accomplisshed at the commaundemente and requeste of the noble and puyssaunte erle and my special good lord Wyllyam erle of arondel haue fynysshed it at westmestre the twenty day of nouembre the yere of our lord M CCCC lxxxiij the fyrst yere of the reygne of Kyng Rychard the thyrd ¶ By me Wyllyam Caxton The lyf of the sayntes tyburce and Ualerian been conteyned in the lyf of Cecyle vyrgyn and marter This feste is the laste feste of the yere for to begynne at the feste of saynt andrewe and herafter shal folowe dyuers feestys whiche been added and sette in this sayd book callyd the golden legende