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
his fote to kysse by grete humylyte And she took it and kyssed it moche swetely and after enclyned her self to the pope moch humbly and requyred hym with a swete chyere that he wold assoille her of alle her synnes To whome he sayde wold god that we hadde nomore nede of absolucion of synnes that we haue done than ye haue And thenne he assoylled her of all her synnes and gaf to her largely his benediction And whanne they were al departed for as moche as she hadde receyued that day by the handes of the mynyster prouynciall the very body of oure lord She lift vp her eyen to oure lord to heuen and ioyned her handes to gyder And sayde thenne Ha my right swete fair doughters our lord Ihesu crist by his debonairte hath done to me soo grete good and gyuen to me so grete a yefte that heuen ne erthe maye not knowe For I haue receyued this day a moche hyhe lord and also haue sene his vycayre The good doughters were aboute the bedde which wepte and abode for the orphalyns Wherof they hadde moche grete sorowe in their hertes For the deth of their moder percyd their hertes lyke as it were a swerd which doughters departed not fro her ne for hongre ne for thurst ne for no slepe ne they thouÈt neyther of bedde ne of table Alle the delytes that they had was for to crye to wepe to make sorowe And amonge alle the other her suster whiche was a moche deuoute vyrgyne wepte many teres sayd to saynt Clare her suster Fayre and ryght swete suster departe not awe ye fro me And leue me not here allone And saynt Clare answerd to her moche swetely Faire swete saster It plesyth to god that I departe fro thys world but wepe no more fayr suster For ye shalle come hastely to oure lord hastely after me And also I say you that oure lord shalle doo to yow grete comforte and consolacion to fore or ye deye After this holy and good Clare drewe fast to her ende And the folke and peple had to her grete deuocion And the prelates and cardynals cam ofte to see her And honoured her as a very saynte But there was a merueylous thynge to here For she was by the space of twelue dayes that neuer entryd in to her body no corporall mete And she was so stronge by the suffraunce and grace of god that she comforted in the seruyse of god alle them that come to fore her And desyred and charged them to doo well And whanne Frere Reynald whiche was debonayr cam for to see her And beheld the grete sekenes that she hadde long tyme suffred he prechyd to her and prayd her moche to haue pacyence And anone she answerd to hym frely and debonayrly Syth that the holy man saynt Fraunceis the seruaunt of Ihesu Cryst hath shewed to me the weye of trouthe And that I haue felte and knowen the wylle and grace of Ihesu cryst by the aduertysement of saynt Fraunceis knowe ye ryght dere broder that no paynes displease me ne no penaunce greueth me ne no sekenesses ben to me hard ne displesen then answerd she to the frere whanne she felte oure lord knocke at her yate for to take her sowle oute of this world And requyred that good folke and spyrytuel shold be with her that she myght here of them the holy wordes of god and specially the wordes of the dethe and passion of Ihesu Cryste And amonge alle other cam a Frere named vynberes whiche was one of the noble prechers that was in erthe and that oftymes spacke and sayd noble and holy wordes ardaunt and good of whos comynge she was moche glad And prayd hym that yf he hadde made redy ony newe thynge that he shold saye it And thenne the frere opened his mouthe and beganne to saye so swete wordes that they were lyke sparklys of fyre and of ardaunt feruour or hete wherof the holy vyrgyne had moche grete consolacion Thenne she tourned her and sayd to her doughters Swete doughters I recommauÌ„de to yow the holy pouerte of our lord And gyue ye to hym thankynges for that he hath done to yow Thenne she blessyd all them that had deuocion to her and to her ordre And gaf largely and wysely her blessynge to alle the poure ladyes of her ordre that were to fore her there The two felawes of saynt Fraunceis that were there of whom that one was named Aungel comforted them that were ful of sorowe And that other Frere kyssed deuoutely and holyly the bedde of her that shold passe to oure lord The hooly ladyes sorowed moche the losse of their moder And as moche more as they cryed and wepte without forth so moche more were they ardauntly greuyd within forth Thenne saynt clare began to speke to her soule al softely Go sayd she go surely For thou hast a good guyde and conduytour in the waye where as thou shalt go whiche shall lede the well the righte way Go sayde she hardyly for he that made the and sanctyfyed the shalle kepe the For he loueth the also tenderly as the moder doth her childe Lord god sayd she blessyd be thou that madest me And thenne one of her susters demanded her to whome she spack I haue sayd she spoken to my blessid sowle And withoute faylle her glorious conduy tour is not fer fro her Thenne she called one of her doughters and seyd to her Fair doughter seest thou the kynge of glory whome I see but the doughter sawe hym not For the wylle of god was that one shold see that an other sawe not For ther was an happy wydowe and comfortable whiche sawe hym with the eyen of her heede among the teres that she wepte And yet neuertheles she was wounded to the herte with a darte full of swetenes and of sorowe Thenne she torned her syght toward the dore of the hows And sawe a grete companye of vyrgyns entre in to the hows alle cladde with whyte clothes And eche of them bare a crowne of gold in her hede And amonge alle other there was one moche more clere and fayrer than the other whiche bare a crowne of gold wyndowed oute wherof yssued a ryght grete clerenes that all the hows was so clerly lyght that it semed the nyght to be clere day And this lady that was soo clere approched to the bedde where as the spouse of her sone laye And she enclyned vpon her and embraced her moche swetely Thenne the vyrgyns brought a mantell of ryght grete beaute And the vyrgyns enforced them to serue and to couer the body of saynt Clare And wel to make redy the hows And on the morne was the fest of saynte Laurence And thenne deyde and departed oute of this mortall lyf the holy lady and frende of our lord And anone the sowle of her was crouned in euerlastynge ioye The spyryte of her was moche benyngnely and ioyously losed and
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
his brethern answerde Shalt thou be our kyng And shal we be subgette obey thy comandement Therfor this cause of dremes of thyse wordes mynystred the more fume of hate and enuye Ioseph sawe another sweuene and told to his fader and brethern Me thought I sawe in my sleep the sonne the mone and xj sterres worshipe me whiche whan his fader and his brothern had herd the fader blamed hym and said what may betokene this dreme that thou sawest Trowest thou that I. thy moder and thy brethern shal worshipe the vpon therthe his brethern had grete enuye here at The fader thought and consydered a thynge secretly in hym self ¶ On a tyme whan hys brethern kepte theyr flockes of sheep in Sichem Israhel said to Ioseph Thy brethern fede their sheep in Sichem Come and I shal sende the to them Whiche answerd I am redy and he saide goo and see yf all thynge be wel and prosperous at thy brethern and beestis and come agayn and telle me what they doo He wente fro the vale of Ebron and cam vnto Sichem there was a man fonde hym erryng in the felde and axed hym what he sought And he answerd I seche my brthern telle me were they fede their flockes The man said to hym They ben departed fro this place I herde them saye late vs goo in to Dothaim whiche thenne whan his brethern sawe hym come fro ferre to fore he approched to them they thoughte to slee hym and spack to gydre sayeng Loo see the dremer cometh Come and lete vs slee hym and put hym in to this olde cisterne And we shal saye that som wilde euyl beest hath deuoured hym And thenne shal appere what his dremes shalle proufyte hym Ruben heeryng this thought for to delyuer hym fro their handes and said Late vs not sle hym ne shâ—de his blood but kepe your hondes vndefowled This he said willyng to kepe hym fro theyr handes and rendre hym agayn to his fader Anon thenne as he cam they toke of his motley cote and sette hym in to an olde cisterne that had no water As they satte for to ete brede they sawe ysmaelites come fro Galaad and theyr camels bryngyng spyces and Reysyus in to egypte Thenne said Iudas to his brethern What shold it prâ—â—ffyte vs yf we 〈◊〉 our brother and shedde his blood 〈◊〉 better that he be sold to 〈◊〉 and our handes be not 〈◊〉 he is our brother and our flessh 〈◊〉 brethern agreed to his wordes And drewe hym out of the cysterne solde hym to the Madyanytes marchantes passyng forth by to Ismalytes for xxx pecis of syluer whiche â—ad hym in to egypte At this tyme whan he was sold Ruben was not there but was in another felde with his beestis And whan he retorned cam vnto the cysterne and fonde not Ioseph he taâ—e his clothes for sorow and cam to his brethern and said the chyld is not yonder whyther shal I goo to seche hym he had supposed his brethern had slayn hym in his absence they told hym what they had don and toke his cote and besprenklid it wyth the blood of a kyd which they slowe and sente it to their fader sayeng See whether this be the cote of thy sone or not this we haue fouÌ„den whiche anon as the fader sawe it saide This is my sones cote an euyl wylde beeste haue deuouryd hym SoÌ„me beste hath eten hym reÌ„te his clothis dyde on hym a sacke cloth bewayllyng sorowyng his sone a long tyme Alle his sones gadred them to gyder for to comforte their fader and aswage his sorowe but he wold take no comforte but saide I shal descende to my sone in to â—elle for to bewaylle hym there ¶ And thus he abydyng in sorow the madianytes caryed Ioseph in to egypte solde hym to putiphar eunuche of pharao maister of his knyghtes thus was Ioseph ledde in to egypte putiphar prynce of the oost of pharao an egypcian bought hym of the handes of Ismaelites Our lord god was alway with Ioseph and he was wyse redy prosperous in alle maner thynges he dwellyd in hys bordes hous plesed so wel his lord that he stode in his grace that he made hym vpperist aboue all other betoke hym the rule gouernauÌ„ce of alle his hows which wel wysely gouerned the houshold alle that he had charge of Our lord blessyd the hows of egypte for Iosephs sake multeplyed as wel in beestis as in feldes all his substauÌ„ce Ioseph was fair of vysage wel fauoured after many dayes the lady his maisters wyf behelde caste her eyen on Ioseph said to Ioseph come slepe with me which anon refused that wold not attende ne listeÌ„ vnto her wordes ne wold not consente to so synful awerke said to her Lo hath not my lord delyueryd to me all that he hath in his hous he knoweth not what he hath ther is nothyng therin but that it is in my power at my coÌ„mandemÌ„t exepte the which art his wyf how may I doo this euyl synne to my lorde suche maner or seÌ„blable wordes he saide dayly to her and the womaÌ„ was the more desirous greuous to the yong maÌ„ he alway forsoke refused the synne hit happed on a day that Ioseph eÌ„tred in to the chaÌ„bre aboute certayn nedes that he had to doo she caught hym by hys mantel helde it faste said to hym come lye with me who anon wold not agree to her but fledde forth out of the doores lefte hys maÌ„tel behynde hym in her haÌ„de and whan the lady sawe that she was refused his mantel in her hande She cryed called the meÌ„ of the hous said to heÌ„ Loo this ebrewe is comen to my chaÌ„bre wold haue enforced haue leyn by me whan I cryed he fledde out of the chaÌ„bre and lefte for hast his mantel that I helde behynde hym in to witnes of trouthe she shewde to her husbond the mantel whan he cam home saide Thy seruauÌ„t hebrew whom thou hast brought in to this hous is entred in to my chaÌ„bre for to haue leyn by me And whan I cryde he lefte his maÌ„tel that I held fledde away whan the lord herde this anon he gaf faith byleuyd hys wyf And beyng sore wroth sette Ioseph in pryson where as the prysoners of the kyng were kept he was ther faste sette in Our lord god was with Ioseph had mercy on hym and made hym in the fauour grace of the chief kepar of the pryson in so moche that he delyueryd to Ioseph the kepyng of all the prysoners what he dyde was doon the chyef gayler was plesid with all Our lord was with hym directed all his werkis After this it fylle so that ij offycers of the kynges trespaced vnto their lord wherfor he was wroth with hem comanded theÌ„
the handes of all the kynges that were your enemyes pursyewed you and ye haue forsaken our lord god that hath only delyuryd you from all your euyll trybulacions haue said Ordeyne vpon vs a kynge wherfor now staÌ„de euerich in his tribe we shal lote who shal be our kyng the lotte fylle on the tribe of beniamyn in that trybe the lotte fylle vpon saul the sone of Cys And they souht hym coude not fynde hym it was told hem that he was hyd in his hous at home the peple ran thyder fette hym sette hym amyddes all the peple And he was heyer than ony of alle the peple fro the sholdre vpward Thenne samuel saide to the peple nowe ye see beholde whoÌ„ our lord hath chosen For ther is none lyke hym of all the peple And thenne all the peple cryed viuat Rex lyue the kynge Samuel wrote the lawe of the Royame to the peple in a book put it to fore our lord Thus was saul made the first kynge in Israhel And anon had moche warre For an all sides mâ—n warrid on the chyldren of Israhel he defended them And saul had dyuerse bataylles had victorye samuel cam on a tyme to saul said god comanded hym to fight agaynst Amalech that he shold slee destroye man woman chyld Oxe cowe camel asse sheep spare nothyng Thenne Saul assemblyd hys peple had ijCM footmen xxM meÌ„ of the tribe of Iuda weÌ„te forth fought ayeÌ„st Amalech and slewe them sauf he sauyd Agag the kynge of Amalech alyue alle other he slewe but he spared the best flockes of sheep of other beestis also good clothis wethers all that was good he spared what someuer was fowle he destroyed And this was shewd to Samuel by our lord sayeng Me forthynketh that I haue ordeyned saul kynge vpon Israhel For he hath forsaken me not fulfylled my comandements Samuel was sory here fore waylled all the nyght On the morn he roos cam to Saul and Saul offrid sacrefise vnto our lord of the pyllage that he had taken And samuel demauÌ„ded of saul what noyse tâ—at was that he herde of sheep beestis And he saide that they were of the beestis that the peple had brouht fro Amalech to offre vnto our lord And the residue were slayn They haue spared the best fattest for to doo sacrefyse with vnto thy lord god Thenne said samuel to saul Remembrest thou not that where thou were leste emong the trybus of Israhel thow were made vpperist and our lord enoynted the and made the kynge And he said to the goo and slee the synners of Amalech and leue none alyue man ne beest why hast thou not obeyed the comandement of our lord And hast ronâ—e to Roberye And don euyl in the sight of god ¶ And thenne said Saul to Samuel I haue taken Agag kynge of Amalech and brought hym wyth me but I haue slayn Amalech the peple haue taken of the sheep and beestis of the beste for to offre vnto our lord god And thenne said Samuel â—rowest thou that our lord wold Rather haue sacrefise and offrynges then not toleye his comandements Better is obedyence than sacrefise and better it is to take â—â—de to doo after thy lord than to offre the fatte kedeneys of the weders For it is a synne to withstande and to repugne ayenst his lord lyke the synne of ydolatrye And by cause thou hast not obeyed our lord and caste awaye his worde Our lord hath caste the away that thou shalt not be kynge TheÌ„ne said saul to samuel I haue synned for I haue not obeyed the word of god thy wordes but haue dredde the peple obeyed to theiâ— request but I pray the to bere my synne trespaas retorne with me that I may worshipe our lord samuel answerd I shal not retorne with the And so sammuel departed yet er he departed he dyde do sle Agag the kyng And Samuel sawe neuer Saul after vnto his deth Thenne our lord bad Samuel to goo and enoynte one of the sones of ysay otherwise called Iesse to be kynge of Israhel And so he cam in to bethleem vnto Iesse and bad hym brynge his sones to fore hym This Iesse had viij sones he brought to fore Samuel vij of them And Samuel said ther was not he that he wold haue Thenne he said that ther was no moo sauf one whiche was yongest and yet a chyld and kept sheep in the felde And Samuel said sende for hym For I shal ete no brede tyl he come And so he was sente for and brought he was rough and fayr of vysage and wel fauoured And samuel aroos and toke an horne with oyle and enoynted hym in the myddle of his brethern And forthwyth the spyryte of our lord caÌ„ directly in hym that same day euer after Thenne Samuel departed cam in to Ramatha the spyryte of our lord weÌ„te away fro saul an euyl spirite ofte vexid hym TheÌ„ne his seruants said to hym Thou aft orte vexid with an euyl spirite it were good to haue one that coude harpe to be with the whaÌ„ the spirite vexeth the thou shalt bere it the lyghter And he said to his seruauÌ„tes prouyde ye to me suche one and theÌ„ne one said I saw one of ysayes sones pleye on a harpe a fayr chyld strong wyse in hys talkyng our lord is with hym TheÌ„ne Saul sente messagers to ysaye for dauid ysaye sente dauid his sone with a presente of brede wyn a kydde to saul and alway whan the euyl spyryte vexid saul dauid harped to fore hym anon he was easyd the euyl spyryte weÌ„te his waye After this the philisteis gadred theÌ„ in to grete hoostes to make warre agaynst Saul the chyldren of Israhel And Saul gadred the children of Israhel to gidre caÌ„ agayn theÌ„ in the vale of therebinthi The philisteis stode vpoÌ„ the hille on the one parte Israhel stode vpoÌ„ the hille on the other parte the valeye was bytwene them And ther caÌ„ out of the hoost of the philisteis a grete geauÌ„t named golye of Geth he was vj cubytes hye a palme a helme of brasse on his heed was cladde in a habergeon The weight of of his habergeon was of vM sicles of weight of metal he had botes of brasse in his cartes his sholdre were couerid with plates of brasse his glayue was as a grete colestaf ther was the roÌ„ vj sicles of yroÌ„ his squyer weÌ„te to for hym cryde ayenst theÌ„ of Israhel and said that they shold chefe a man to fight a synguler batail ayeÌ„st golyas yf he were ouercomeÌ„ the philisteis shold be seruauÌ„tes to Israhel yf he preuaile ouercome his enemye they of Israhel shold serue the phylisteis thus
Rewle it wel And whan dauid had thus counceyllyd and comanded hym to do Iustise and kepe goddes lawe he blessid hym and deyde and was buryed with his fadres This dauid was an holy man and made the holy psawter whiche is an holy booke and is conteyned therin the olde lawe and newe lawe he was a grete prophete for he prophecyed the comyng of cryst his Natyuyte his Passyon and resurrection and also his ascencion and was grete with god yet god wold not suffre hym to bylde a temple for hym For he had shedde mans blood but god said to hym his sone that shold regne after hym shold be a man pesyble and he shold bylde the temple to god And whan Dauid had regned xl yere kynge of Iherusalem ouer Iuda and Israhel he deyed in good mynde and was buryed with his faders in the cyte of dauid Thus endeth the lyf of Dauid seconde kynge of Israhel After Dauid regned Salomon his sone whiche was in the begynnyng a good man and walked in the wayes lawes of god And all the kynges aboute hym made pees with hym And was kynge confermed obeyed and pesible in his possession And acordyng to hys faders comandemeÌ„t dyde Iustice First on Ioab that had ben prynce of his faders hoost by cause he slewe two good men by trayson and gyle that was Abner the sone of Ner and Amasa the sone of gether And Ioab was aferd and dredde Salomon and fledde in to the tabernacle of our lord and helde the ende of the aulter And Salomon sente Banayas and sâ—ewe hym there and after buryed hym in his hows in deserte And after this on a nyght as he laye in his bedde after that he had sacrefyed to our lord in gabaon our lord apperid to hym in his sleepe sayeng to hym Aske and demaunde what thou wilt that I may gyue to the And Salomon saide lord thou hast don to my fader grete mercy by cause he walked in thy wayes in trouthe Iustyce and in a rightful herte thou hast alwaye kepte for hym thy grete mercy And hast gyuen to hym a sone syttyng vpon his trone as it is this daye And now lord thou hast made me thy seruaunt to regne for my fader dauid I am a lytyl chyilde and knowe not my goyng out and entryng in And I thy seruaunt am sette in the myddle of the peple that thou hast chosen whiche ben Infynyte may not be nombred for multytude Therfor lord gyue to me thy seruaunt a herte docyle and taught in wysdom that may Iuge thy peple and dyscerne bytwene good and euyl who may Iuge this peple thy peple that ben here so many Thys requâ—â—t and demande plesyd moche vnto god that Salomon had asked suche a thynge And god said to Salomon By cause thou hast requyred and axed this and hast not axed longe lyf ne Rychesses ne the sowles of thy enemyes but hast askyd sapyence wysâ—oom to discerne dome and Iugement I haue gyuen to the after thy desyre and request Anâ— I haue gyuen to the a â—yse her◠〈◊〉 vnderstandyng in so moche that 〈◊〉 was neuer none such to â—ore ne neuer after shal be And also tho thynges that thou hast not asked I haue gyuen also to the that is to saye rychesse and glorye that noman shal be lyke to the emong alle the kynges that shal be after thy dayes yf thou walke in my wayes and kepe my preceptes and obserue my comaÌ„demeÌ„ts as thy fader walked I shal make thy dayes longe After this Salomon awoke And cam to Iherusalem And stode to fore the Arke of our lord and offred sacryfises and victymes vnto our lord and made a grete feste vnto alle his seruantes and houshold TheÌ„ne cam to fore hym two comyn wymen of whiche that one said I beseche the my lord here me this woman I dwellyd to gydre in one hows and I was delyueryd of a chyld in my cubycle and the thyrde day after she bare a chyld and was also delyueryd and we were to gydre and none other in the hows but we tweyne it was so that this womans sone was deed in the nyght For she slepyng ouerlaye and oppressid hym And she aroos in the derkest of the nyght pryuyly toke my sone for the syde of me thy seruant and layd hym by her her sone that was deed she leyde by me whan I aroos in the mornyng for to gyue mylke to my sone it apperid deed whom I toke beholdyng hym dylygeÌ„tly in the clere lyght vnderstode wel anon that it was not my sone that I had born The other woman answerd and said it was not so as thou saist but my sone lyueth and thyn is deed And contrarye that other said thou lyest my sone lyueth and thyn is deed Thus in this wyse they stroof to fore the kynge TheÌ„ne the kynge said This woman saith my sone lyueth and thyn is deed And this answerth nay but thy sone is deed and myn lyueth thenne the kynge said Brynge to me here a swerd whaÌ„ they had brouht forth a swerd the kynge said dyuyde ye said he the lyuyng chyld in two partyes and gyue that one half to that one and that other half to that other Thenne said the woman that was moder of the lyuyng child to the kynge For all her membris bowellis were meuyd vpon her sone I beseche and praye the my lord kynge gyue to her the chyld a lyue and slee hym not and contrarye said that other woman late it not be gyuen to me ne to the but late it be deuided The kynge theÌ„ne answerd said gyue the lyuyng chylde to this woman and late it not be slayn this is veryly the moder Alle Israhel herd how wysely the kynge had gyuen this sentence and dredde hym seeyng that the wysedom of god was in hym in demyng of rightful domes ¶ After this Salomon sente his messagers to dyuerse kynges for cedre trees and for werkmen for to make bylde a temple vnto our lord salamon was Ryche and gloryous And all the Royames fro the Ryuer of the endes of the phylisteis vnto th ende of egypte were acorded with hym and offryd to hym yeftes to serue hym all the dayes of his lyf Salomon had dayly for the mete of hys houshod xxx mesures named chores of corn and lx of mele x fatte oxen and xx oxen of pasture and hondred wethers without veneson that was taken as hertes ghotes bubals and other fleyng fowles byrdes he obteyned all the regyon that was fro tapsa vnto gazam and had pees with alle the kynges of alle the Royames that were in euery parte rouÌ„de aboute hym In that tyme Israhel Iuda dwellyd wythout fere and drede euerich vnder his vyne and fygge tre fro dan vnto bersabee And Salamon had xlM Rackes for the horses of his cartes chares and curres and xijM for horse to ryde on by whyche prefectes brought necessarye thyngis for the table
with them by the swerd of assyryens And all Israhel shal be put in to ruyne and perdicion and thenne shal be knowen that nabugodonosor is lord of all the erthe And the swerd of my knyghthode shall passe thurgh thy sydes And thou shalt departe hens and goo to them And shal not dye vnto the tyme that I haue them and the And whan I haue slayn them with my swerd thou shalt in lyke wyse be slayn with lyke vengeaunce After this holofernes comanded hys seruauntis to take Achior lede hym to bethulye and to put hym in the handes of them of Israhel And so they toke Achior and ascended the montayns Ayen whom cam out men of warre Thenne the seruantes of holofernes torned aside bonde Achior to a tree hondes and feet with cordes and lefte hym and so retorned to their lord Thenne the sones of Israhel comyng doun fro bethulye loosed and vnbonde hym and brought hym to betulye And he beyng sette amydde the peple was demauÌ„ded what 〈◊〉 was and why he was so sore there bounden And he told to them alle the mater lyke as it is aforsaid and how holofernes had comanded hym to be delyuerd vnto them of Israhel Thenne all the peple fylle doun in to their facess worshypyng god And with grete lamentacion and wepyng wyth one wylle made their prayers vnto our lord god of heuen And that he wold behold the pryde of them and to the mekenes of them of Israhel and take hede to the faces oâ— hys halowes and shewe to them his grace and not forsake theÌ„ And praid god to haue mercy on them defende theÌ„ fro their enemyes And on that other side holofernes comaÌ„ded his hoostis to goo vp and â—assaille bethulye so weÌ„te vp of foot men an C and xxM and xij thousand horsmen byseged the touÌ„ toke their water fro theÌ„ in so moche that they that were in the touÌ„ were in grete penurye of water For in all the toun was not water ynowgh for one daye And suche as they had was gyuen to the peple by mesure TheÌ„ne all the peple yong and old cam to Osias whiche was their prynce with Carmy gothomel all with one voys cryeng God the lord deme bytwene vs the For thou hast don to vs euyl what thou spakest not pesybly wyth thassyryens For now we shal be delyueryd in to the hondes of theÌ„ It is better for vs to lyue in captyuyte vnder holofernes lyue than to dye here for thurst see our wyues chyldren dye byfore our eyen And whan they had made thys pyetous cryeng yollyng they wente all to theyr chyrche ther a longe whyle prayden cryeden vnto god knowlechyng theyr synnes and wyckednes mekely besechyng to shewe hys grace pyte on theÌ„ TheÌ„ne at laste Ozias aroos vp said to the peple late vs abyde yet fyue dayes and yf god sende vs no rescowe ne helpe vs not in that tyme that we may gyue glorye to hys name ellis we shal doo as ye haue said And whan that Iudith herde herof whiche was a wydowe and a blessyd woman And was left wydowe iij yere and vj monethis after that Manasses her husbond deyde Anon she wente in to ouerest parte of her hows in which she made a pryue bedde which she and her seruauÌ„tes closed hauyng on her body an heyr had fasted all the dayes of her lyf sauf sabottis and newe mones the festis of the hows of Israhel She was a fayr womaÌ„ her husbond had left her moche ricâ—â—s wyth plentyfull meyne possessyons of droues of oxen flockes of sheep and she was a famous woman and dredde god gretly And whaÌ„ she had herde that ozias had said that the fyfthe day the cyte shold be gyueÌ„ ouer yf god helped hem not she sente for the prestis of cambre of Carmy said to heÌ„ what is this worde in whiche Ozias hath consented that the cyte shold be delyuerd to thassyryens yf with in fyue dayes ther come no helpe to vs And who be ye that teÌ„pte the lord god Thys worde is not so styre god to mercy but rather to areyse wrath wodenes ye haue seâ—te a tyme of mercy doyng by god And in your dome ye haue ordeyned a daye to hym O god lord how pacyent is be late vs aske hym foryefnes with wepyng teeeris he shal not threten as a man ne enflawme in wrath as a sone of a man Therfore meke we our sowles to hym And in a contryte spyryte and mekyd serue we to hym And saye we wepyng to god that after hys wylle he shewe to vs hys mercy And as our herte is troubled in the pryde of them So also of our humblenes meknes late vs be Ioyful For we haue not folowed the synne of our fadres that forsoken theyr god and worshiped straunge goddes wherfor they were gyuen and bytaken in to hydous and grete vengeance in to swerde ravayne and in to confusyon to theyr enemyes we forsothe knowen none other god but hym Abyde we mekely the comforte of hym And shal kepe vs fro our enemyes ¶ And he shal meke all gentiles that arise ayenst hym And shal make them without worship the lord our god And now ye bâ—ethern ye that ben prestes on whom hongeth the lyf of the peple of god praye ye vnto allmyghty that he make me stedfaste in the purpose that I haue purposed ye shal stande atte gate and I shal goo out with my handmayde And praye ye the lord that he stedfast make my sowle And do ye nothyng tyl I come agayn And thenne Iudith wente in to her oratorye and arayed her with her precious clothyng and Aoâ—â—nements and toke vnto her handmâ—yde certayn vytayllys suche as she myggt lawfully ete And whan she had made her prayers vnto god She departed in her most noble araye toward the gate where as Osias and the prestes abode her And whan they sawe her they meruaylled of her beaute Notwithstandyng they lete hâ—r goo seyeng god of our fadres yeue the grace and strengthe all the counseyl of thyn herte with hys vertue and glorye to Iherusalem ¶ And be thy name in the nombre of seyntâ—s of ryghtwysmen And they all they that were there said Amen and fiat fiat Thenne she praysyng god passed thurgh the yate and her handmayde wyth her And whan she cam doun the hylle aboute the spryngyng of the day anoÌ„ the espyes of thassiryens toke her sayeng whens comest thou or whyther goost thou the whiche answerd I am a doughter of thebrews flee fro theÌ„ knowyng that they shal be taken by you come to holofernes for to telle hym theyr pryuetees I shal shewe hym by what entre he may wynne them in suche wyse as one maÌ„ of his hoost shal not perisshe And the meÌ„ that herd their wordes beheld her vysage wondred of her beaute sayeng to her Thou hast sauyd thy lyf
theder For he lyued there ful holyly in fastyng and grete penaunce doyng And atte last he had the gowte in hys knees whiche he had taken of cold in knelyng vpon the cold stones whan he said hys prayers in suche wyse that hys knee hegan to swelle And the synewys of hys legge were shronke that he myght neyther goo ne stratche out hys legge but euer he toke it ful paciently and sayd whan it plesith our lord it shal passe away And within a whyle after his brethern for to doo hym coÌ„fort bare hym in to the felde And there they mette wyth a knyght whyche sayd late me see and handle thys cuthbertis legge And thenne whan he had felt it wyth hys handes he bad them take the mylk of a cowe of one colour and the Iuse of smal plaÌ„tayn And fair whete flour And seethe them alle to gydre And make therof a playster leye it therto and it wyl make hym hool And assone as they had so doon he was perfightly hool And thenne he thanked our lord ful mekely And after he knewe by reuelacioÌ„ that it was an angele sente by our lord to hele hym of hys grete sekenes and dysease And thabbot of that place sente hym to aselle of theyres to be hosteler for to receyue there ghestes and do them confort And sone after our lord shewd there a fayr myracle for hys seruaunt seynt cuthberd For Angellis come to hym oftymes in liknes of other ghestis whom he receyued and seruyd dylygently wyth mete and drynke and other necessaryes On a tyme ther come ghestis to hym whom he receyued and wente in to the houses of offyce for to serue them And whan he cam agayn they were goon And wente after for to calle and coude not espye them ne knowe the stappes of theyr feet how wel that it was thenne a snowe and whan he retorned he fonde the table leide And theron thre fayr whyte loues of brede all hoot whiche were of meruayllous beaute and swetenes For alle the place smelled of the swete odour of them Thenne he knewe wel that the Angellis of our lord had ben there and rendryd thankynges to our lord that he had sente to hym hys angellys for to conforte hym and euery nyght whaÌ„ his brethern were a bedde he wold goo and stonde in the cold water al naked vp to the chyn tyl it were myd nyght And thenne he wold yssue out Anth whaÌ„ he come to londe he myght not stonde for feblenes and fayntnes but oft fyll doun to the ground And on a tyme as he laye thus ther cam ij otters whyche licked euery place of his body and thenne wente agayn to the water that they cam fro And thenne saynt cuthberd aroos all hool wente to hys celle agayn and wente to matyns wyth hys brethern but hys brethern knewe nothyng of hys stondyng thus euery nyght in the see to the chyn but atte laste one of hys brethern espyed it and knewe his doyng and told hym therof but saynt cuthberd charged hym to kepe it secrete and telle noman therof duryng his lyf And after thys within a whyle the bysshop of durham deyed And saynt cuthberd was electe sacred bysshop in his stede after hym And euer after he lyued full holyly vnto hys deth And by his prechyng ensample gyuyng he brought moche peple to good lyuyng And to fore hys deth he lefte his bysshopriche And wente in to the holy Iland where he lyuyd an holy and solytary lyf vnto that â—e beyng ful of vertues rendryd his soule vnto almyghty god And was buryed at durham And after translated and the body leyd in a fayr and honourable shryne where as yet dayly our lerd sheweth for hys seruaunt there many fair and grete myracles wherfore late vs pray vnto this holy saynt that he pray for vs Here foloweth the fest of the anunciacion or salutacion of thangel gabriel to our lady THe feste of thys day is called thanunciacion of our lady for on thys day thaungel gabriel shewed to the glorious virgyne marye the comyng of the blessyd sone of god That is to wete how he ought to come in to the gloryouse vyrgyne and take in her nature and flesshe humayne for to saue the world It was wel thyng resonable that than gel shold come to the glorious virgyn marye For lyke as Eue by thenhortyng of the deuyl gaf her cousente to doo the synne of Inobedyence to our perdicion Ryght so by the gretyng of thangel gabryel and by exhortyng the glorious virgyne marye gaf her consentyng to hys message by obedyence to our saluacion wherfor lyke as the first woman was cause of our dampnacion So was the blessyd virgyne marye begynnyng of our redempcion whan that thangel gabriel was sente for to shewe thyncarnacyon of our sauyour IhÌ„u crist he fonde her al one enclosed in her chambre lyke as saynt bernard sayth In whyche the maydens virgynes ought to abyde in theyr howses wythout rennyng abroode out openly And they ought also to flee the wordes of men of whyche theyr honour and good renomee myght be lassed or hurte And thangele said to the gloryous vyrgyne marye I salewe the ful of grace the lord is wyth the Ther is not founden in scripture in no ê‘te suche a salewyng And it was brought fro heuen vnto the glorious virgyne marye whyche was the first woman that euer in the world offrid to god first her virgynyte And thaungele said to her after Thou shalt be blessyd aboue alle other Wymen For thou shalt escape the malediction that all other wymen haue in chyldyng in synne and in sorowe and thou shal be moder of god and shal abyde a pure virgyne and clene and our blessyd lady was moche abasshid of thys salutacion and thought in her self the maner therof Thys was a good maner of a vyrgyne that so wysely held her stylle and spack not and shewyng example to virgynes whiche ought not lyghtly to speke ne without aduys ne manere to answere And whan thangele knewe that for thys salutacion she was tymerous and abasshed A none he repeased her sayeng Marye be nothyng aferd For thou hast founden sothly grace atte god For thou art chosen aboue alle wymen for to receyue his blessyd sone and be moder to god and moyen and aduocate for to sette peas bytwene god man for to destroye the deth and bryng the lyf O thou that arte a vyrgyne sayth saynt Ambrose lerne of marye to be manerd and fere ful to all men lerne to be stylle teschewe alle dssolucions Marye was aferd of the salutacion of thangel the whyche sayd Thou shalt conceyue and brynge forth a sone And thou shalt calle hys name Ihesus and he shal be callid the sone of god And marye sayd to the angele In what maner may thys be that thou sayst For I haue purposed in myn herte that I shal neuer know man And yet I neuer
knewe none how thenne shal I haue a chyld agayn the cours of nature and may abyde a vyrgyne Thenne the Angele enformed her and began to saye how her vyrgynyte shold be saued in the conceyuyng of the sone of god answerd to her in thys maner The holy ghoost shal come in to the whyche shal make the to conceyue the maner how thou shalt conceyue thou shalt knowe better than I shal conne saye For that shal be the werke of the holy ghoost which of thy blood and of thy flessh shal forme purely in the the body of the chyld that thou shalt bâ—re other werke to this concepcion shalt thou not doo And the vertue of god souerayne shal shadowe the in suche wyse that thou shalt neuer fele in the ony brennyng ne couetyse carnall and shal purge thyn herte fro all desires temporell and yet shal the holy ghoost shadowe wyth the mantel corporel that the blessyd sone of god shal be hydde in the and of the for to couere the right excellente clarte of hys dyuynyte so that by thys vmbre or shadowe may be knowen and seen hys dygnyte lyke as huge of saynt victor and saynt bernard saye After thangele said And for as moche as thou shalt conceyue of the holy ghoost and not of man the child that shal be born of the shal be called the sone of god yet of thys concepcion whyche is aboue nature the Angele sayd to her thys example Lo elyzabeth thy cosyne whyche is barayne hath conceyued a chyld in her age For ther is nothyng impossyble to god whyche is almyghty Thenne sayd the gloryouse virgyne marye to thangele the answere for whyche he was comen lo thandmayde of god he doo to me that he hath ordeyned after thy wordes She hath gyuen to vs example to be humble whan ê“speryte of hye Rychesse cometh to vs For the first word that she spack or said whan she was made moder of god and quene of heuen that was that she callid her self ancylle or handmayde and not lady moche peple is humble in lowe estate and but fewe in hye estate that is to wete in grete estates and therfore is humylyte more preysed in them that ben grete in estate Assone as she sayd loo here the handmayde of god late it ben doo to me after thy wordes Thomas in compendio In that same tyme that she had thus gyuen her assente to the angele She conceyued in her Ihesu cryst whyche in that same hour was in her parfight man and parfight god in one persone and as wyse as he was in heuen or whan he was xxx yere old Thys blessyd Anunciacion happened the xxv day of the moneth of marche On whyche day happend also as wel to fore as after thyse thynges that here after be named ¶ On that same day Adam the first man was created and fyl in to orygynal synne by inobedience and was put out of paradys terrestre After thangele shewed the concepcion of our lord to the gloryouse virgyne marye ¶ Also that same day of the moneth kaym slewe Abel hys broder Also melchesedech made offryng to god of brede and wyn in the presence of Abraham Also on the same day Abraham offrid ysaac hys sone That same day saynt Iohan baptyst was byheded And saynt peter was that day delyuerd out of pryson And saynt Iames the more that day byheded of herode And our lord Ihesu cryst was on that day crucyfyed wherfore that is a day of grete reuerence Of the salutacion that thangel brought to the gloryouse virgyne ¶ We rede an example of a noble knyght whyche for tameÌ„de hys lyf gaf and rendryd hym self in to an abbaye of cysteauls and for as moche as he was no clerke ther was assygned to hym a maystre for to teche hym and to be with the brethern clerkes but he coude nothyng lerne in long tyme that he was there sauf thyse two wordes Aue maria whyche wordes he had so sore enprynted in his herte that alleway he had them in his mouthe whersomeuer he was Atte last he deyde and was buryed in the chyrcheyerde of the brethern It happed after that vpon the buryels grewe a right fayr flourdelis And in euery flour was wreton in lettres of gold Aue maria of whyche myracle alle the brethern were amerueylled And they dyde open the sepulture and fonde that the rote of thys flour delis cam out of the mouth of the sayd knyght And anon they vnderstode that our lord wold haue hym honoured for the grete deuocion that he had to saye these wordes Aue maria ¶ Another knyght ther was that had a fayr place by side the hye waye where moche peple passed whom he robbed as moche as he myght and so he vsed hys lyf But he had a good custome For euery day he salewed the gloryouse vyrgyne marye in sayeng Aue maria And for no labour he left not to grete our lady as sayd is It happed that an holy man passed by hys hous whom he robbed and dyspoylled But that holy man prayd them that robbed hym that they wold brynge hym to theyr mayster for he had to speke wyth hym in hys hows of a secrete thyng for hys prouffyt and whan the robbers herde that they ladde hym to fore the knyght their lord And anon the holy man prayd hym that he wold doo come all hys meyney to fore hym And whan hys mayne by the comaÌ„dement of the knyght were assembled the holy man said yet ben they not all here ther is one yet to come Thenne one of them apperceyued that the chambreleyn of the lord was not comen And anon the knyght made hym to come And whan the holy man sawe hym come anon he said I coniure the by the vertue of Ihesu cryst our lord that thou saye to vs who thou art and for what cause thou art comen hether Anon the chambyrleyn answerd Alas now muste I saye knowleche my self I am noman but am a deuyl whyche am in the forme of a man and haue take it xiiij yere by whyche space I haue dwellyd with this knyght For my maystre hath sente me hether to th ende that I shold take hede nyght and day that yf this knyght cessed to saye the salutacion Aue maria For thenne I shold strangle hym with myn owen hand and bryng hym to helle by cause of the euyl lyf that he hath ledde and ledeth but by cause he sayeth euery day thys salutacion Aue maria I myght not haue hym and therfor I abode here so longe For ther passeth hym no day but that he saleweth our lady whan the knyght herd thys he was moche aferd And fyl doun to the feet of thys holy man and demaÌ„ded pardon of hys synnes After thys the holy man sayd to the deuyl I comaÌ„de the in the name of our lord that thou departe hens and goo in to another place where thou mayst greue ne annoye noman Thenne late
goo in to deserte wiâ—hout greuyng or doyng ony harme to ony persone anone he departed with out apperyng after forthwith saynt phylip heled al them that were seek reysed the thre that were dede were al baptised preched to them the space of a yere the fayth of Ihesu crist whan he had ordeyned prestes dekens after he departed came in to the cyte of Ierapolym in asye where he destroyed the heresye of the Iheronyques whiche sayd preched that Ihesu crist had not taken veray flessh humayn but onely the semblauÌ„ce of the body humayn In this cite were his ij doughters by whome our lord had conuerted moche peple to the cristen feyth saynt phelip tofore his deth made to come tofore hym al the bisshoppes vij dayes tofore his deth also al the preestes said to them these vij dayes hath our lord gyuen to me respyte for to warne you to do wel he was of the age of lxxxvij yere after this the paynyms toke helde hym fastenyd hym to the crosse like vnto hys mayster so he yelded vp his sowle deyed his body was worshypfully buryed there his ij doughters deyed longe after hym and were also buryed that one on the right syde that other on the lyfte syde of the body of their fader Ysodore writeth in the book of the lyf deth of sayntes saith that philip preched to the frensshmen to men that were in derkenes he enlighted them in the feyth after be was taken in the cite of Iherapolym of the paynyms and of them stoned crucefyed of whome the martiloge of holy chirche speketh not but of another philip which was one of the vij dekens saynt Iherom saith in the martilogye that he was buryed in the cite of cezayr where god shewed many fayre myracles for hym besyde whome iij of his doughters ben buryed and the fourth doughter lyeth at ephesym The fyrst phylyppe differenceth fro this philip For he was apostle this was a dekene thappostle resteth at Iherapolym and the dekene at Cezaire he had two doughters and this foure Though historia ecclesiastico saith that philippe the appostle had iiij doughters prophetesses but it is 〈◊〉 more to byleue saynt Iherome Thenne lete vs praye to the holy appostle saynt phelyppe that he praye for vs to oure lord that we may come to his blysse amen ¶ Thus endeth The lyf of the blessyd appostle saynt philip ¶ And here foloweth of saynt Iames the lasse IAmes is as moche to say as supplantour or supplantyng a feste or makyng redy or Iames is said of Ia of cobar which is as moche to saye as the burthen or weyght of god or Iames may be said of Iaculo a darte cope smytyng which is to say smeten with a darte or smeten with glayues he was said a supplantour of the world for he despysed hit in supplantyng the feste for he supplanted the deuyl he is said makyng redy for alweye he made redy his body to do wel for as gregore of nycene saith we haue in vs thre euyl passyons whiche comen of euyl norisshyng or of right false conuersacion or of euyl custome of the body or of the vyce of ignorauÌ„ce they ben cured by good conuersacion for to haunte studyes of good exersitacion of doctryne So theÌ„ne the blessid Iames is escryed for he was alwey redy in his body to al good he is sayd the burthen or weyghte of good or godly maners that he vsed by exercitacion of vertues he was smeten wyth glayues by marterdom ¶ Of saynt Iames the lasse IAmes the appostle is said the lasse how wel that he was elder of age than was Saynt Iames the more by cause lyke as is in relygyon he that entred fyrst is called ayne and grete he that cometh after shal be called lasse though he be the older and in this wyse was thys saynt Iames called the lasse he was called also the broder of our lord by cause he resembled moche wel our lord in body in vysage and of manere he was called Iames the Iuste for his right grete holynesse Far saint Iherome recordeth that he was so holy that the peple sâ—râ—f how they myght touche the hemme of his robe or mantel he was also called Iames the sone of alphey this Iames was euer holy after that he yssued out of his moders wombe he neuer dranke wyne mede ne sydre ne neuer ete flesshe ne neuer rasour touched his heed ne he neuer baygned he knelyd so ofte in prayers that his knees were as harde as the horne of a camel he sange in Iherusalem the fyrst masse that euer was songe therin he was fyrst bysshop of Iherusalem Ioseph recordeth that he had auowed at the deth of our lord that he wold neuer ete tyl our lord were rysen fro deth to lyf theÌ„ne on ester day our lord apperid to hym said 〈◊〉 the table fayr broder ete for the sone of the virgyn is rysen fro deth to lyfe Thenne toke he the breed and made the benediction and gaue it to hym The seuenth yere after the appostles assembled in Ierusalem on ester day there saynt Iames demaundyng what god had done by them tofore the peple that they shold telle and whan saynt Iames had preched seuen dayes in the temple with the other appostles Cayphas and somme other wold haue ben baptyzed And thenne entryd in a man sodeynly in to the temple and said cryeng O ye syrres what wyl ye doo why suffre ye thus to be dysceyued of thyse enchauntours be ye ware kepe you that they dysceyue you not he moeuyd so moche the people that they wold haue stoned the appostles Thenne thys felowe wente vp to the lectron where as saynt Iames preched and threwe hym doun bacwarde and fro thenne forthon euer after he halted And thys was doon the vij yere after the ascencion of our lord And he was bysshop there by the space of xxx yere And in his xxx yere whan the Iewes sawe that they myght not slee Saynt Poule bycause he had appeled to the Emperour to Rome and was sente forthe to Rome they torned al theyr persecusyon ageynst saynt Iames and sayd to hym the peple is dysceyued for they supposed that your Ihesus were messyas Thenne for as moche as thou arte moche byleuyd we praye the that thou assemble the peple and that thou stonde vp on hye and shewe to them that it is not he For thou arte so iuste that We alle shal byleue in the Thenne saynt Iames wente vp on the fronte of the temple on ester day and alle the peple were assembled bynethe Thenne sayde the Iewes to hym wyth an hye voys Right Iuste trewe man we knowe wel that thou shalt not lye Shewe to vs of Ihesus that was hanged vpon the crosse that whiche thou knowest for al the world is dysceyued Thenne answerd he with
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
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
sanctoruÌ„ wherin thys holy saynt dunston had grete ioye he had a special grace of our lord that suche heuenly ioyes and thynges were shewed to hym in thys wretchyd world for his grete comforte and after this he became alle seek and feâ—le and vpon holy thorsday he sente for al his brethern and asked of them foryeuenesse and also forgaue them alle trespaces â—nd assoyled them of al theyr synnes aâ—d the thyrd day after he passed out of this world to god ful of vertues the yere 〈◊〉 our lord ix hâ—ndred lxxxviij and hys sowle was borne vp to heuen with 〈◊〉 songe of aungels al the peple heryâ—â— that were at his dethe and his â—â—dy lyeth at caunterburye in a worshypâ—â—l shryne where as our lord sheweth 〈◊〉 his seruaunt saynt dunston many 〈◊〉 and grete myracles wherfore our lord be praysed world wythouten ende amen Here endeth the lyf of Sayâ—t dunston Here foloweth the lyf of saynt Aldelme SAynt aldelme the confessour was borne in englond his fader hyght kenton he was broder vnto Iue kyng of this londe and whan kyng Iue was dede kenton was made kynge after hym and thenne this holy chylde aldelme was sette to scole in the hows of malmesburye where afterward he was maad abbot And thenne he dyd there grete ceste in byldyng and dyd doo make there a ful ryal abbey and whan the 〈◊〉 herde of his grete holynesse he sent for hym to come to rome whan he was there the 〈◊〉 welcomed hym was moche glad of his good lyuyng and tâ—ere he abode longe tyme with the pope and gate ful grete pryuyleges and lybertees to the hows of malmesburye in suche wyse that no bysshop in englond shold uysyte ne haue to doo there ne the kynge to lette them of theyr free elâ—â—cion but chese theyr abbot emonge the couent them self and whan he had goten alle this of the pope he was full glad and ioyeful and lyuyd there ful holyly longe tyme And on a day as he said masse in the chirche of saynt Iohan latrans and whan masse was doon there was no man that wold take his chesyble fro hym at the ende of the masse and thenne he sawe the sonne beme shyne thorugh the glasse wyndowe henge his chesybâ— theron wherof al the peple merueyled greteâ—â— of that myracle and the same châ—sâ—â—le is yet at malmesburye the câ—lour therof is purple and within shorte tyme after he came ageyn in to englond brought with hym many preuylegys vnder the 〈◊〉 seal which after kyng 〈◊〉 confermed alle that the pope had gâ—â—unted to the hows of malmesbury Tâ—is was aboute the yere of our lord seuen hondred and vj â— And that tyme thâ—re fyl a grete varyaunce emonge the bysshoppes of this loÌ„de for the holâ—yng of ester day but saynt aldelme mâ—ad a book that alle men shold knoâ—â— for euer whan estern day shall 〈◊〉 the whiche book is yet at malmesburye And that abbay he dyd do make in the worshyp of our blessyd lady And brightwold that was archebysshop of caunterburye herde of aldelmus holy lyuyng and he sente for hym to be his counceyllour and they lyued to gyder ful holyly longe tyme and eche was ful glad and ioyeful of other And on a day as they stood at the sâ—e syde by douer castel they sawe a shyp laden with marchaundyse not ferre fro them and saynt aldelme callyd to them to wyte yf they had ony ornament longyng to holy chirche within theyr shyp to selle but the marchauntes had dysdaygne of hym and thoughte he was not of power to bye suche thynges as they had to selle and departed from the holy man but anone fyl on them soo grete a tempest that they were in paryl for to perysshe and thenne one of hem said we suffre this trouble bycause we had dysdayne of the wordes of yonder holy man and therfore lete vs all mekely desyre hym to praye for vs to our lord Ihesu cryste they dyd so and anone the tempest cesed and theÌ„ne they came to this holy man and brought to hym a ful fayre byble the whiche is yet at malmesbury vnto this day and foure yere before his deth he was maad bysshop of dorset by the archebysshop of caunterburye and by other bysshoppes but within shorte tyme after he deyed and lyeth buryed at malmesburye there as he was abbot And after that saynt egewyn came to offre 〈◊〉 his tombe feteryd with chaynes of yron faste locked fro thens he wente so to rome to the pope alwey weryng tho feteris whiche was to hym grete payne god rewarde hym his mede ¶ And Saynt Aldelme or he deyed cursed alle them that dyd ony wronge in brekyng of the preuyleges of the sayd abbey of malmesburye and them that helpe the hows to mayntene goddes seruyce shall haue goddes blessyng and his And whan he had layen longe in the erthe he was translated and layed in a ful ryche shryne where as our lord sheweth dayly for hys holy seruaunte many fayre myraclâ—s Thenne lete vs praye saynt Aldelme to praye for vs vnto our lord god that we may in thys wretchyd 〈◊〉 of â—his world soo bewayle our synnes and amende our lyuyng that we may come to euerlastyng lyf in heuen amen Thus endeth the lyf of saynt Aldelme Of Saynt austyn that brouÈt crystendom in to englond SAynt austyn was an holy monke and sente in to englond to preche the faythe of our lord Ihesu cryste by saynt gregory thennâ— kyng pope of rome the whyche had a grete zele and loue vnto englond as is reberced alle alonge in his legende hâ—w that he sawe children of englond in the marlet of rome for to be solde whiche we 〈◊〉 fayre of vysage for whiche cause he demaunded lycence and opteyned to goo in to Englond for to conuerte the peple therof to crysten feythe And he beyng on the weye the pope deyed and he was chosen pope was countremaunded came ageyn to rome And after whan he was sacred in to the papacye he remembryd the royame of englond and sente saynt Austyn as heed and chyef other holy monkes preestes with hym to the nombre of xl persones vnto the royame of englond as they came toward englond they came in the prouynce of Andegauence purposyng to haue restyd alle nyght at a place called pounte Say a myle fro the cyte and ryuer of ligerym but the wymmen scorned and were so noyous to them that they droof theym out of the towne and they came vnto a fayre brode elme and purposyd to haue restyd there that nyght but one of the wymmen which was more cruel than the other purposed to dryue them thens came so nyghe them that they myght not reste there that nyght And thenne Saynt Austyn toke hys staffe for to remeue fro that place and sodeynly his staffe sprange out of hys honde with a grete vyolence the space of thre furlonges thens and there styked faste
in the erthe and whan saynt austyn came to his staffe and pulled hit out of the erthe in contynente by the myght of our lord sourded sprange there a fayre welle or fontayn of clere water whiche refresshyd hym wel and al his felawshyp aboute that welle they restyd alle that nyght and they that dwellyd there by sawe alle that nyght ouer that place a grete lyght comyng fro heuen which couerd all that place where these holy men laye And on the morne saynt austyn wrote in therthe with his staffe besyde the welle these wordes folowyng here had austyn the seruaunte of the seruauntes of god hospytalite whome saynt gregory the pope hath sente to conuerte englond On the morne whan the holy men the dwellers of the coostes therby whyche sawe the lyght in the nyÈt tofore came thyder and fonde there a fayre welle of the whiche they merueyled gretely And whan they sawe the scrypture wreton in the erthe thenne they were gretely abasshed by cause of theyr vnkyndenesse and repented them ful sore of that they had mocked them the day before and after they edefyed there a fayre chyrche in the same place in the worshyp of saynt austyn the whyche the bysshop of andegaueuse halowed And to the halowyng therof came soo grete multitude of peple that they trad the corne in the feldes doun al playne lyke vnto a flore clene swepte For there was no sparyng of hit Not wythstondyng at the tyme of repyng that grounde so troden bare more corne better thenne ony other feeldes besyde not troden dyd And the hyghe aulter of that chyrche standeth ouer the place where saynt austyn wrote wyth his staffe by the welle and yet vnto this day may no woman come in to that chyrche but there was a noble woman that sayd that she was not gylty in offendyng saynt Austyn and toke a tapre in hir honde and went for to offre hit in the said chyrche but the sentence of almyghty god may not be reuoked for as soone as she entryd the chyrche hir bowellys and synowes began to shrynke and she fyl doun dede in ensaumple of alle other wymmen Wherby we may vnderstonde that Iniurye doon ageynste a saynt dysploseth gretely almyghty god and fro thens saynt austyn and his felawshyp came in to englond and arryued in the yle of thanet in este kente and kyng athelberte regned that tyme in kente which was a noble man and a myghty To whome saynt austyn sente shewyng the entente of hys comyng from the courte of rome and sayd that he had broughte to hym right ioyeful and plesaunt tydynges And sayd that yf he wold obeye and do after his prechyng that he shold haue euerlastyng ioye in the blysse of heuen shold regne with almyghty god in his kyngdom And thenne kynge adelston heeryng this coÌ„mauÌ„ded that they shold abyde and tarye in the same yle And that al thynges shold be mynystred to them that were necessarye vnto the tyme that he were otherwyse aduysed And sone after the kynge came to them in the same yle and he beyng in the felde saynt austyn with his felowshyp came and spake with hym hauyng tofore them the sygne of the crosse syngyng by the weye the letanye besechyng god deuoutely to strengthe them and helpe and the kyng receyued hym and hys felawshyp in the same place saynt austyn preched a glorious sermone declared there to the kynge the crysten feythe openlye and the grete meryte auayle that shold come therof in tyme comyng and whan he had ended hys sermon the kyng sayd to hym your promyses ben ful fayre that ye brynge but by cause they be newe haue not ben herde here before we may not yet gyue consente therto Neuerthelesse by ceuse ye be come as pylgryms fro ferre contres we wyl not be greuous ne harde to you but we wyl receyue you mekely mynystre to you suche thynges as ben necessarye neyther we wyl forbede you but as many as ye can conuerte to your feythe and relygyon by your prechyng ye shal haue lycence to baptyse them and to accompanye them to your lawe And thenne the kynge gaue to them a mancion in the cyte of dorobernence whiche now is called caunterburye And whan they drewe nye the cyte they came in wyth a crosse of syluer and with processyon syngyng the letanye prayeng almyghty god of socour helpe that he wold take aweye his wrathe fro the cytee and tenflawme the hertes of the peple to receyue hys doctryne And thenne saynt austyn and hys felawshyp began to preche there the word of god aboute there in the prouynce and suche peple as were wel dyspysed anon were conuerted and folowed this holy man and by the holy conuersacion and myracles that they dyd moche pâ—ople were conuerted and grete fame aroos in the contre And whan it came to his ere anone he came to the presence of saint austyn desyred hym to preche ageyn and thenne the word of god soo enflamed hym that Incontynente assone as the sermone was ended the kâ—nge fyl doun to the feet of Saynt austyn and sayd soroufully alas woo is me that I haue erryd so longe and knowe not of hym that thou spekest of Thy promesses ben so delectable that I thynke it alle to longe tyl I be crystened wherfore holy fader I requyre the to mynystre to me the sacramente of baptesme And thenne saynt austyn seyng the grete mekenesse and obedyence of the kynge that he had to be crystened he toke hym vp wiâ—h wepyng teerys and baptysed hym wyh alle his howsholde meyne enforâ—â—d them dyligently in the cristen â—â—ythe with grete ioye and gladnesse and whan alle thys was doon saynt austyn desyryng the helthe of the peple of englond wente forthe on fote to yorke and whan he came nyghe the cyte there mette wyth hym a blynde man which sayd to hym O thou holy austyn helpe me that am ful nedy To whome saynt austyn sayd I haue no syluer but suche as I haue I gyue the In the name of IhÌ„u cryste aryse and be alle hole and with that worde he receyued his syght and bylonyd in our lorde and was baptysed And vpon crystemas day he baptysed in the ryuer named swale x thousand men wythout wymmen and chyldren And there was a grete multitude of peple resortyng to the sayd ryuer whiche was so depe that no man myght passe ouer on foot and yet by myracle of our lord there was neyther man woman ne chylde drowned But they that were seek were maad ho ole bothe in body and in sowle and in the same place they bylded a chyrche in the worshyp of god and saynt austyn And whan Saynt Austyn had preched the feythe to the peple and bad confermed them stedfastly therin he retorned ageyn fro yorke and by the weye he mette a lepre askyng helpe and whan saynt austyn had sayd these wordes to hym
wherto the blessyd maÌ„ albone answerd no worde but mekelye and pacyently suffred alle theyr repreuys and the peple were so grete a multitude that they ocupyed all the place whiche was large and grete And the heet of the sonne was so grete that it brente and scalded theyr feet as they wente and soo they ladde hym tyl they came to a swyfte rennyng ryuer where they myght not lyghtly passe for prees of people for many were shyfte ouer the brydge in to the water and were drowned and many by cause they myght not goo ouer the bridge for prees vnclothed theym for to swymme ouer the ryuer and soÌ„me that coude not swymme presumed to do the same and were wretchydlye drowned wherof was a grete rumoure and noyse pytously emonge the people And whan Saynt albone perceyued this thyynge he waybed and wepte for the harme and deth of his enemyes that so were perisshed And knelyd doun holdyng his hondes vp to god besechyng that the water myght be lassed the flood wythdrawen that the people myght be wyth hym at hys passyon and forthwyth god shewed atte requeste of saynt albone a fayre myracle for the water wythdrewe the ryuer dryed vp in suche wyse that the peple myght saufly goo drye foot ouer the ryuer and also by the prayer of thys holy man they that tofore had be drowned were restored ageyn to lyf and were founden a lyue in the depnes of the ryuer And thenne one of the knyghtes that drewe saynt albone toward his marterdom sawe thyse myracles that god shewyd for hym and anone threwe aweye his swerde and fyl doun at the feet of saynt albone sayeng I knowleche to god myn errour demaunde foryeuenes and wepte sore and sayd O albone seruaunte of god for verayly thy god is almyghty and there is none god but he and therfore I knowleche me to be his seruaunt duryng my lyf for thys ryuer by thy prayers is made drye wherfore I bere wytnes that there is no god but thy god whiche doeth suche myracles And whan he had sayd thus theyr furye and woodnes encreced sayd to hym thou arte false For it is not as thou sayest ne as thou affermest For this ryuer is thus dryed by the benygnyte of our goddes therfore we worshyp Iubyter and appollyn whiche for our ease haue take vp thys water by thys grete hete and by cause thou takest aweye the worshyp of our goddes and rewardest it to other by euyl Interpretacion thou hast deserued the payne which longeth to a blasphemar ¶ And thenne forthwyth they drewe out his tethe of his heed and the holy mowthe that had borne wytnesse of trouthe was greuously beten wyth soo many of them that or they lefte they tare alle the membris of his body and to brake al his bones and alle to rente his body and lefte hym lyeng vpon the sonde But who myght wythout wepyng of teerys expresse how thys holy man albone was drawen and ledde thorugh bryers and thornes and sharpe stones that the blood of his feet coloured the waye as they wente in and the stones were blody Thenne atte laste they came to the hylle where this holy albone shold fynysshe and ende his lyf In whiche place laye a grete multytude of peple nygh dede for hete of the sonne and for thurste whan they sawe albone they grynted wyth theyr tethe on hym for angre sayeng O thou moste wycked man how grete is thy wyckednesse that makest vs to deye wyth thy sorcerye and wytchecrafte in thys grete myserye and hete Thenne albone hauyng pyte on them sorowed by grete affeccion for them sayd lord that madest mannes body of erthe and his sowle vnto thy liknesse suffre not thyse creatures to perisshe for ony cause commysed in me blessyd lord make the ayer attemperate and sende them water to refresshe them And thenne anone the wynde blewe a fresshe cole and also at the feet of thys holy man albone sprange vp a fayr welle wherof al the peple meruayled to see the colde water sprynge vp in the hote sondy grounde and so hygh on the toppe of an hylle whyche water flowyd al aboute in large stremys rennyng doun the hylle And thenne the peple ranne to the water and dranke so that they were well refresshed and thus by the merytes of saynt albone their thurst was clene quenchyd but yet for alle the grete goodnes that was shewyd they thursted strongely the blood of thys holy man his dethe and gaue the praysyng and lawde to theyr goddes and toke this holy mand and bounde hym first to a stake and after hynge hym on a boughe by the heer of hys heed and sought emonge the peple one to smyte of his heed and thenne a cruel man was redy and in an angre toke his swerde and smote of the heed of thys holy man at one stroke that the body fyl to grounde the hede hynge stylle on the boughe the tormentour as he had smyten of his heed bothe his eyen sterte out of his heed the wretche myght in no wyse be restoryd ageyn to his syghte Thenne many of the paynyms sayd that this vengeauÌ„ce came of grete riÈtwysnesse Thenne the knyght whyche was lefte for deed vpon the sonde a lityl before enforced hym self as moche as he myght and crepte vpon his hondes vnto the toppe of the hylle whereas saynt albone was byheded And the Iuge seyng hym began to scorne hym and alle the myracles that had ben shewed by saynt alboue and sayd to hym o thou lame and croked now praye to thyn albone that he restore the to thy fyrst helthe renne and hye the take the heed by whiche thou mayst receyue thyn hele why taryest thou soo longe goo and burye his body and do hym seruyce Thenne this knyght brennyng in charite sayd I beleue fermelye that the blessyd albone by hys merites may gete to me parfyte helthe gete to me of our lord that whiche ye say in scorne and whan he had thus sayd he toke and enbraced the holy heed in his armes and reuerently losed hyt fro the boughe and sette it fayre to the body and by the myracle of our lord he was forthwith restoryd to his firste helthe and forthwyth began to preche the grete power of our lord IhÌ„u cryste and of the merytes of saynt Albone And thenne he was strenger to labour than euer he was tofore wherof he yafe thankynges and lawde to god and to thys holy marter saynt Albone And there in the same place he buryed the holy body and layed a fayre tombe ouer hym and afterward the paynyms toke this knyght and bonde hym to a stake and after smote of his heed that same day and after the Iuge gaue lycence to the people to departe and goo home and the nyght after was seen a clere bâ—me comyng doun fro heuen to the sepulcre of saynt albone by whiche aungels descendyd and assendyd
those contryes seynt kenelm was kyng wynchecombe that tyme was chyef cite of alle thyse shyres and in that tyme were in englond vj kynges And byfore that Oswold had ben kyng of alle englond And after hym it was departed in seynt kenelmes dayes kenulf hys fader was a ful holy man And dornemyld and queÌ„drede were susters of seynt kenelme and kenulf his fader deyde the yere of our lord viij Cxix Thenne was kenelme made kyng whan he was vij yere of age And his suster dornemild louyd hym moche and they lyuyd holyly to gydre to theyr lyues ende but quyndrede that other suster torned hyr to wyckednes and had grete enuye at her brother kenelme by cause he was so riche aboue her and laboured wyth alle her power to destroye hym by cause she wold be quene and regne after hym and lete make a strong poyson and gaf it to hir brother But god kepte hym that it neuer greuyd hym whan she sawe that she coude not preuayle ayenst the kyng in that maner She laboured to Askeberd whiche was chief ruler aboute the kyng and promysed to hym a grete somme of money and also her body at his wylle yf he wold slee this yong kyng her brother And anone they accorded in this treson And iij this while that same tyme this yong holy kyng was a slepe and dremed a meruellous dreme For hym semed that he sawe a tree stonde by hys beddes syde and that the heyght therof touched heuen and it shyned as bright as gold and had fayr braunches ful of blosmes and fruyte And on euery braunche of thys tree were tapers of waxe brennyng and lampes lyght whiche was a glorious sight to beholde and hym thought that he clymed vpon this tree And askeberd his gouernour stode bynethe and hewe doun this tree that he stode on And whan thys tree was fallen doun this holy yong kyng was heuy sorouful hym thought ther cam a fayr byrd whiche flewgh vp to heuen wyth grete Ioye And anon after thys dreme he awoke and was alle abasshid of thys dreme whyche anon after he tolde to his norice named wolwelyne And whan he had tolde to her alle hys dreme She was ful heuy and tolde to hym what hit mente And sayd his suster and the trayter askaberde had falsely conspired his deth For she sayd to hym that he had ê“mysed to quendrede to slee the And that signefyeth that he smyteth doun the tree that stode by thy beddes syde And the byrd that thou sawest flee vp to heuen signefyeth thy soule that angellys shal bere vp to heuen after thy martirdom And anon after thys askaberde desired the kyng that he shold goo disporte hym by the wodes side named Clent and as he walkid the yong kyng was al heuy and leyd hym doun to slepe thenne this fals traytour purposed to haue slayn the kyng and began to make the pyt to bury hym in But anon as god wold the kyng awoke sayd to thys askaberd that he laboured in vayn ffor god wyl not that I dye in thys place But take this smalle rodde and there as thou shalt sette it in the erthe there shal I be martred And thenne they went forth to gydre a good way thens tyl they cam to an hawthorn And there he pyght the rodde in therthe and forthwith incontynent it bare grene leuys and sodenly it wexe to a grete asshe tree the whiche stondeth there yet vnto thys day and is called kenelms asshe and there this askaberd smote of thys holy yong kynges hede And anon his soule was born vp in to heuen in lykenes of a white douue and thenne the wyckid traytour drewe the body in to a grete valey betwene ij hylles and there he made a depe pitte cast the body therin and leyde the hede vpon it And whyles he was aboute to smyte of the hede The holy kyng knelyng on his knees sayd thys holy cantycle Te deum laudamus tyl he cam to this veers Te martirum candi datus And therwyth he yaf vp hys spyryte to our lord Ihesu cryst in lykenes of a douue as afore is sayd TheÌ„ne anon this wicked man askaberd went to quendrede and told to hir alle alonge how he had don wherof she was ful glad And anon after toke on hir to be quene and charged on payn of deth that no man shold speke of kenelme And after that she abandouÌ„ned her body to wretchyd lyuyng of her fflessh in lecherye brought her owen men to wretchyd lyuyng And thys holy body lay long tyme after in that wode called Clent For no man durst fetche hym thens to bury hym in halowed place for fere of the quene quene drede it was so that a poure wydow by whiche had a white Cowe whiche euery day was dryuen in to the wode of clent And anon as she was there she wold departe and goo in to the valeye where kenelme was buryed and there reste alle the day syttyng by the corps wythout mete And euery nyght come home wyth other bestes fatter and gaf more mylke than ony of the other kyen And so contynwed certeyn yeres wherof the peple merueyled that she euer was in so good poynt and ete no mete That valey where as seynt kenelmes body laye is called Coubage After on a tyme as the pope song masse at rome in Seynt Peters chirche Sodenly ther cam a whyte douue and lete falle a scrowe on the aulter wheron the pope sayd hys masse And thyse wordes were wreton therin in lettres of gold In Clent in Coubage kenelme kyng barn lyeth vnder a thorn his hede of shorn And whan the pope had said his masse He shewed the scrowe to alle the peple But there was none that coude telle what it mente tyll atte last there cam an englyssh man And he told it openly tofore all the peple what it ment And thenne the pope wyth alle the peple gaf laude and praysyng to oure lord and kepte that skrowe for a relyque And the fest of seynt kenelme was halowed that day solempnly thorough alle rome And anon after the pope sent hys messagers in to englond to the archebysshop of caunterbury named wylfryde And bad hym wyth hys bysshops goo and seke the place where the holy body lyeth whiche is named Cowbage in the wode of clent And thenne this place was sone knowen by cause of the myracle that was shewd by the white cowe and whan tharchebisshop with other bisshoppis many other peple cam theder and fonde the place anon they lete dygge vp the body and toke it vp wyth grete solemnyte And forth wyth sprang vp in the same place where as the body had leyn a fayre welle whiche is called Seynt kenelmes welle vnto thys day where moche peple haue ben heled of diuers sekenes and maladyes And whan the body was aboue therth ther fyl a stryf bytwene them of
assayled the marters of god and therfor thou art yeuen in to the possessyon of the fende and thenne anon lucrete tremblid and fered And was forthwith rauysshed of the deuyll and was so tormented by iij houres of the deuyl that he deyed at that same dyner whan they that were there sawe that they were conuertid to the fayth and recompted to al men how the passyon of seint beatrice was aduengyd at the same dyner And they suffred deth aboute the yere of our lord CClxxxvij Thus enden the liues of the Seintes Simplicien Faustin and Beatrice And here foloweth the lyf of Saynt Martha SEynt Martha hostesse of our lord Ihesu cryste was born of a ryalle kynrede Her fader was named Syro And her moder euchalia The fader of her was duc of Sirie and marytyme And martha wyth her suster posseded by the herytage of theyr moder thre places that was the castel magdalene and bethanye and a parte of Iherusalem It is nowher redde that martha had euer ony husbond ne felawsshyp of man But she as a noble hostesse mynystred and serued our lord and wold also that her suster shold serue hym and helpe her ffor she thought that alle the world was not suffycyent to serue suche a ghâ—ste After thascencyon of our lord whan the dyscyples were departed she wyth her brother lazare and her suster Marie Also Seynt maxymyne Whiche baptised them and to whom they were commysed of the holy ghoost And many other were put in to a shyppe wythout sayle ores or rother gouernayle of the paynems whyche by the conduyte of our lord they cam alle to marcelle and after cam to the territorye of Aquense or ays And there conuerted the peple to the fayth Martha was ryght facounde of speche and curtoys and gracious to the sight of the peple There was that tyme vpon the Ryuer of rone in a certayn wode bytwene ari late and auynyon a grete dragon half leste and half fysshe gretter than an oxe lenger than an hors hayng tethe sharpe as a swerde and horned on eyther syde hede lyke a lyon tayle lyke a serpent and defended hym wyth two Wynges on eyther syde and coude not be beten wyth cast of stones ne wyth other armour And was as strong as xij lyons or beres whiche dragon lay hydyng and lurkyng in the ryuer and perysshed them that passyd by drowned shippes he cam thyder by see fro galyce and was engendryd of leuiathan whyche is a serpent of the water and is moche woode And of a beest callyd bonacho that is engendryd in galyce And whan he is pursiewed he cast out of his bely behynd hys order the space of an aker bond on them that folowe hym it is bryght as glasse And what it toucheth it brenneth as fyre To Whom martha at the prayer of the peple cam in to the wode And fond hym etyng a man And she cast on hym holy water shewed to hym the crosse whiche anon was ouercomen and stondyng stil as a sheep she bonde hym wyth her owen gyrdle and thenne Was sleyn with speres and glayues of the peple the dragon was called of them that dwellyd in the contre tharasconus wherof in remembraunce of hym that place is called tharasconus whiche tofore was called verlue and the blacke lake by cause there ben wodes shadowous and black and there the blessyd martha by lycence of maxymyne her mayster and of her suster duellyd and abode in the same place after dayly ocupyed in prayers and in fastynges and there after assembled and were gadred to gydre a grete couente of susters and bilded a fayr chirche at thonour of the blessyd marie virgyne where she ledde an harde a sharpe lyf she eschewed flesshe and alle fatte mete egges chese and wyne she ete but ones a day An hondred tymes a day and an hondred tymes a nyght she kneled doun and bowed her knees On a tyme at Auynyon whan she preched bytwene the toun and the Ryuer of roon ther was a yong man on that other syde of the ryuer desyryng to here her wordes and had no bote to passe ouer he began to swymme naked but he was sodenly taken by the strengthe of the water And anon suffocate and drowned whos body vnnethe was founden the nexte day And whan it was taken vp it was presented at the feet of martha for to be reysed to lyf She thenne in maner of a crosse fyll doun to the grouÌ„de and prayed in thys maner O adonay lord IhÌ„u crist whiche reysedest somtyme my wel byloued brother beholde my most dere gheste to the faythe of them that stonde here and reyse thys chylde And she toke hym by the honde and forthwith he aroos lyuyng and receyued the holy bapteme Eusebyus tellith in the v boke of thistorye ecclesiast that a woman named emorissa After that she was heled of our lord she made in her courte an ymage lyke vnto Ihesu cryst with cloth and hâ—me lyke as she sawe hym whan she was heled And worshipped hym moche deuoutly The herbes that grewe vnder thymage to fore that she had touched the hemme were of no vertue but after that she had touched it they were of so moche vertue that many seek peple by them were heled That woman emorissa whom our lord heled ambrose saith that it was martha Seint Iherome sayth and it is had in historia tripertita that Iulianus apostata toke away that ymage that Emorissa made and sette his owne there whyche with the stroke of thondre was al to broken Our lord cam to her a yere tofore her deth and shewd to her that she shold departe out of this worlde and al that yere she was seke and laboured in the febrys viij dayes tofore her deth she herde the heuenly felawships of angellis beryng her susters soule in to heuen and anon dyde do come all the couent of brethern of susters and sayd to them my frendes and moste swete felawes I pray you to reioyse and enioye with me For I see the felawship of angellys bere the soule of my suster marie vnto heuen O most fayr and swete suster thou lyuest now with thy mayster and my ghest in the blessid sete in heuen and theÌ„ne anon Martha sayde to them that were present that her deth was nyghe And had to lyght the tapers aboute her And that they shold wake vnto her deth And aboute mydnyght to fore the day of her deth they that shold watche were heuy of slepe slepte and there cam a grete wynde and extyncte â—nd dyd out the lightes She thenne seyng a grete tourhe of wycked spirites began to praye and sayed My fader hely my dere gheste thise deâ—cyuers ben gadred for to deuour me bryngyng wreton alle the euyl dedes that euer I dyde O blessyd hely be not for withdrawen fro me but entende in to myn helpe and fâ—rthwith she sawe her suster comyng to her holdyng a
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
Where as I am ther shall be my mynysstre yf this sentence be generalle to alle them that haue mynystred Ihesu cryst by fayth and by werke how is ther ony more special than Marye For with oute doute she was admynystresse in alle werke For she bare hym in her bely she childed hym she nourisshed hym and leyd hym in the Crybbe she went with hym in to egypte and kept hym all her lyf vnto the deth of the Crosse and departid not fro hym but folowed hym his dyuynyte myght not be to her incredyble For she knewe wel that she had not conceyued of the seed of man but by dyuyne Inspyracion thenne she hauyng feyth in the puysaunce of her sone as of the vertu of god not chauÌ„geâ—ble said whan the wyn fayled Sone they haue no wyn she wyst that he myghte doo alle thyng And he acomplysshed anone that myracle And thenne seest thou that Marye was admynystresse of Ihesu Cryst by feythe and werke Thenne yf she be not where as Ihesu crist will that his mynystres be where shall she be thenne And yf she be there Is it not by grace pareylle and lyke And yf it be not egall where is the egall mesure of god that rendreth to eueryche after his deserte For by the deserte of Marye is gyuen to man lyâ—yng moche grace Shalle thenne the grace be lassed to her beyng deed Nay nay for yf the dethe of al sayntes be precious Certes I Iuge the dethe of Marye to be right precious whiche is receyued to the Ioyes perdurable by the debonayâ—te of her sone Ihesu Crist more honourably than the other whome he had honoured by grace tofore his other sayntes And I saye that she ought not to be put ne is not set to the comyn humanyte after the deth that is to wete of wormes of rotynnesse and of pouldre she that bare in her bely the sauyour of alle men yf the dyuyne Volente vouchesauf to kepe the vestymentes of the children from hurtyng among the flaÌ„mes of fyre why shold not he thenne in his moder that whiche he kepte in a straunge vesture It plesyd hym to kepe Ionas in the bely of the whale with oute corrupcion shold not he thenne kepe his moder not corrupt he kepte danyell a lyue in the pytte of lyons fro ther disatempered honger ouÈt he not to kepe Mary for so many yeftes of meritees dgnytees we know well that alle these dygnytees that we haue said haue not kepte nature For we doubte not but grace hath kepte more the entyernes of Marye than nature And theÌ„ne oure lord maketh Marye to enioye in her propre sone bothe in soule and in body as she that neuer had tatche ne spot of corrupcion in bryngyng forthe so grete a sone For she is alwey wyth oute corrupcion that was fulle of soo moche grace She is lyuyng entyerly she that childed the lyf of alle And thenne yf I haue sayd as I ought to saye Ihesu Criste approue it thou and thyne And yf I haue not sayd as I ought do saye I praye the to pardone me thou and thyne Thus endeth the history of thassumpcion of oure blessid lady Saynt Marye Here foloweth the lyf of saynt Rocke SAynt Rock was borne in MouÌ„tpeler whiche is a Towne ofgrete name vpon the bordure of Fraunce and was borne of noble progeny His fader was lord of Mountpeler was named Iohan and was comen of the noble hows of fraunce And though he was noble of byrthe â—nd ryche of lordship he was also vertuous in all humanyte he hadde a wyf of noble kynrede and fayr of vysage named libera whiche bothe deuoutely serued our lord Ihesu Crist and lyued in dyuyne loue and hooly werkes And how wel that they thus had lyued longe yet had they no childe ne heyr wherfor they ofte made their prayers And vowed pylgremages And on a daye moost specially the wyf made her prayers to our blessid lady prayeng deuoutely for to haue a child and was in very contemplacion in whiche she hâ—rde the voys of an angel seyeng O Lybera god hath herd thy prayer and thou shalt receyue of hym grace of thy peticion And anone she wente to hâ—r husbonde and tolde hym as she had herd of the Angel And thenne they herof ioyeful accomplysshed thacte of matrymony and she conceyued and at â—yme was delyuerd of a sone whiche in his batpysme was named Rochus or Rocke And this Rocke had inpressid in the sholder on his lyft syde a crosse whiche was a token that he shold be acceptable and byloued of god whiche thyng when his fader and moder saw they blessid god and his moder her self nourysshed and gaf sowke to the child and fedde it And commysed and dyde gladly the other besynes of a nouryce whiche deuoute moder fasted twyes in the weke And the blessid child rocke absteyned hym twyâ—s also whan his moder fasted in the weke And wold sowke his moder but ones that day whiche was to al a grete wonder and that day he was gladder meryer and swetter than the other And after whanne he cam to fyue yere of age he disposed hym to the werkes of penaunce and was moche obedyent to fader and moder And in the twelft yere of his age he fasted many dyuerse fastynges for Crystes loue And the more his membrys grewe the more the crosse that to fore was spoken of appered larger and more apparaunt In that tyme the fader of saynt Rock was seke sawe his last ende approche called to hym his sone rocke sayde O myn only sone Rocke thou seest wel that I shalle shortely fynysshe my lyf alwey the wyll of god be fulfilled foure thynges with my lordship herytage I leue to the coÌ„maÌ„de yâ— tacomplysshe Fyrst lyke as thou hast begonne that thou serue besyly god Socondly that thou remembre poure peple wydowes and Orphanes Thyrdly I coÌ„stytute and ordeyne the gouernour and dyspensatour of al my tresours that thou dispende them in charytable and meke werkes And fourthly that with all dylygence thou haunte and frequeÌ„te the hospytalles of seke and poure men These forsayd thynges Rocke promysed to his fader to fulfylle them to his power And anone after his fader deyde whome Rocke buryed honourably and leyd it in a sepulture And in the xx yere of his age he buryed also his deuoute moder And in fewe dayes he executed the testament of his fader effectuelly And vysyted Relygyous places of poure peple wretches oppressid and seke men he cured by counceylle and werkes wydowes and Orphans he comforted and poure maydens to marye he releued And in these good offices and werkes he dispended his faders goodes And whanne he had fynysshed his faders commaundements he decreed to leue the contre of Mount pâ—ler and to make and seche other dyuerse pylgremages and clad hym with thabyte of a pylgryme and couerd his hede with a bonet a scryppe on his sholder and
a pylgryms staf in his right honde and soo departed and after many desertâ— places he cam to Rome but to fore he cam in to a towne called in latyn Aqua pendens where as was a comyn and hard pestylence whiche whan Rocke knewe of many by the wey he desytously wente vnto the hospytal of that towne called water hangyng and gate with grete prayers and labour of one Vyncente whiche had the rule of thospytal that he myght there day and nyght serue the seke peple Vyncent was aferd and dredde leste Rocke whiche was a yong flouryng man shold be smeton with the pestylence but after that he cam them that were seke he blessid in the name of Cryste And as sone as he had touched the seke men they were al hoole And they sayd and confessed as sone as this holy man Rocke was comen in all they that were vexed and seke And the fyre of pestylence had infected he extynetyd it and delyuerd alle the hospital of that sekenes And after he wente thorugh the Towne And eche hows that was vexyd with pestylence he entryd and with the signe of the Crossâ— and mynde of the passion of Ihesu crist he delyuerd them alle fro the pestylence For whome someuer Rocke touched anone the pestylence leste hym And whan the town of water fallynge was delyuerd fro the contagyon of the pestylence rocke went to the Cyte of Cenes whiche is a grete cyte of ytalye whiche no lasse pestylence vexed And he it in a shorte place delyuerd it fro the pestylence And fro thens he cam to come whiche was thenne so full of pestylence that vnnethe in alle the Towne coude not be founden one hows wyd therof In tho dayes ther was at Rome a cardynal of the tytle of Anglerye which is a prouynce of lombardye and the blessid Rocke cam in to this cardynals place And as he stode to fore hym a lytel sodenly a merueylous comforte and hope entrid in to the courage of the cardynal he vnderstode the yonge man saynt Rock to be right dere wyth god For his chere his maners and his attemperaunce shewed it wherfore he commended hym to Rocke that he shold delyuer hym fro the pestylence conserue hym And thenne Rocke dyd sygne in the cardynals forhede and made with his fyngre a crosse And anone an apparaunt signe and a veray crosse was seen impressid in his forhede And soo the cardynal was preserued fro the pestylence Neuertheles for the nouelte of the thyng he prayd saynt Rocke that the token of the crosse shold be take awey lest therby he shold be to the peple a newe spectacle Thenne Rocke exhorted the cardynal that he shall bere the signe of the crosse of oure redemer in memorye of his passion in his forhede perpetuelly and worshipe it reuerently by whiche sygne he was delyuerd fro the hard pestylence The cardynal thenne brought seynt Rocke to the pope whiche anone sawe that is godly a bryght raye and heueÌ„ly shynyng oute of the forheede of Rocke And after whan his dyuyne vertue was knowen to the pope Rock opteyned of hym full remission of synne Thenne the cardynal bygan tenquyre of Rock of his lygnage and of his Countre but rock affectyng no mortal glorye hyd his lignage and receyued ageyne of the pope his blessynge and departed fro hym And abode at Rome with the same cardynall thre yere contynuelly and laboured in vysytyng and helpyng the poure peple and them that were seke of the pestylence And after thre yere the cardynall beyng old deyd And Rock for soke Rome and cam to the Towne of Armyne a noble Cyte of Ytalye Whiche also he delyuerd fro the sayd pestylence And whan that Towne was delyuerd he wente to the Cyte of Manasem in lombardye whiche was also sore oppressid with seke men of the pestylence whome with all his hert he serued dylygently And by the helpe of god made that town quyte of the pestylence And fro thens wente to placence For he vnderstode that ther was grete pestileÌ„ce ¶ Rocke was euer of grete studye how he myght in the name of Ihesu of his passion delyuer mortal men fro the hurte of pestylence And so an hole yere he vysyted the howses of poure men and they that hadde moost nede to them he dyd moost help And was alwey in tho spytal And whan he had ben long in tho spytall of placence and had heled almoost alle the seke men ther in Aboute mydnyght he herd in his slepe an Angel thus sayeng O Rocke moost deuoute to cryste awake know thou that thou art smeton with the pestylence studye now how thou mayst be cured And anone he felt hym sore taken with the pestylence vnder his bothe armes And he therof gaf thankynges to our lord And he was so sore vexid with the payne that they that were in thospytall were depryued of their slepe and rest of the nyÈt Wherfor saynt rok aroos fro his bedde and wente to the vtterist place of thospytalle and laye doune there abydyng the lyght of the day And whan it was day the people goyng by sawe hym accused the mayster of thospytal of offence that he suffred the pylgrym to lye withoute thospital but he purged hym of that defaut sayeng that the pylgrym was smyten with the pestylence as ye see And vnwetyng to vs he wente oute Thenne the Cytezeyns incontynent put out saynt Rocke fro the Cyte and subarbes lest by hym the Cyte myght be the more enfected Thâ—nne saynt Rocke sore oppressid with feruent payne of the pesstylence suffred pacyently hym self to be eiecte oute of placence And weâ—te in to a certeyne woode a deserte valeye not fer fro placence alweye blyssyng god And there â—s he myght he made hym a lodge of bowes and leues alwey gyuyng thankyng to oure lord sayeng O Ihesu my sauyour I thank the that thou puttest me to afflyction lyke to thyne other seruauntes by this odyous ardour of pestylence and most meke lorde I byseche the to this deserte place gyue the refrygery and comfort of thy grace and his prayer fynysshed anon ther cam a clowde fro heuen by the lodge that saynt Rocke hâ—d made with bowes where as sprange a fayre and a bryght welle whiche is there yet vnto this day whos water saynt Rock draÌ„k beyng sore a thurst and therof had grete refresshyng of the grete hete that he suffred of the pestylence feuer There was nygh vnto that woode a lytell vyllage in whiche somme noble men dwellyd among whome ther was one wel byloued to god named gotard whiche had grete husbondry and had a grete famylye and hâ—usholde Thys Gotard helde many houndes for huntyng among whome hâ— had one moch famylyer whiche boldly wold take brede for the lorde And whanne Rocke lacked brede that hound by the ruâ—ueaunce of god brought fro the lordes lorde brede vnto Rocke whiche thyng whan gotard had aduertysed ofte that he bare soo awey the brede but he wyst not to whome
by cause they go to fore we ben ashamed to folowe them And thenne he ranne in to a gardyn And as he sayth hym self he cast hym self doune vnder a fygge tree wepte right bytterly and gaf oute wepyng vois by cause he hadde taryed soo long fro day to day and fro tyme to tyme And was gretely tormentid soo that he had no maner in hym self for sorow of his long taryeng lyke as he wryteth in the booke of his Confessions sayde Alas lord how thou arte hyghe in hyghe thynges and depe in depenes And departest not ne goost oute of the wey And vnnethe we come to the A lord he sayd calle me moeue me chauÌ„ge me and enlumyne me rauysshe me and make swete and softe al myn enpesshementes and lettynges as hit apperteyneth for I drede them sore I haue loued the ouer late thou beaulte soo olde and soo newe I ouer late haue loued the thow were within and I was withoute and there I sought the And in the beaulte and fayrenes that thou haste I fylle all defourmed and fowle thou were with me but I was not with the Thou hast called and cryed and hast broken my deefnes Thou hast enlumyned clered and haste put awaye my blyndenes Thou haste replenisshed me with fragraunt odours and I haste me to come to the I haue tasted the and am hongry and desyre the Thou hast touched me and I am brent in the voys of leuyng thy pees and as he wept thus bitterly he herde a voys sayeng Take and rede and anone he opened the booke of thappostle and cast his eyen on the first chapytre and redde clothe ye you in our lord Ihesu crist and anone alle the doubtes of derkenes Were extynct in hym and in the mene tyme he began to be so gretely tormented With tooth ache that almoost he saith he was brought to byleue thoppynyon of Cornelys the Philosopher whiche putteth that the souerayne wele of the sowle is in wysdom and the souerayne wele of the body is in suffryng no payne ne sorowe And his payne was soo grete and vehement that he had lost his speche wherfore as he wryteth in the book of his Confessions he wrote in tables of waxe that al men shold praye for hym that oure lord shold aswage his payne And he hym self kneled doune with the other And so denly he felt hym self hoole And thenne he sygnyfyed by lettres to the hooly man saynt Ambrose that he wold sende to hym word whiche of the bookes of hooly wrytte apperteyned best to rede in for to be made moost couenable to the Crysten feythe And he sente to hym answere ysaye the prophete by cause that he was sene to be the shewer and pronouncer of the gospell and of callyng of men And whan Augustyn vnderstode not alle the begynnyng and supposed al the remenaunt to be other wyse than it was to rede he differred to rede them tylle he were more connyng in holy wrytte And whan the day of Eester cam And Austyn was xxx yere old he and hys sone whiche was named a de o datus a childe of noble wytte and vnderstondyng whome he had goten in his youthe whan he was a paynym a philosopher with Alyppe his frende by the merytes of his moder and by prechyng of saynt Ambrose receyued baptysme of saynt Ambrose ¶ And thenne as it is redde saynt Ambrose sayde The deum laudamus And saynt Austyn sayd Te dominum confitemur And soo they two to geder ordeyned made this ympne and songe hit vnto the ende And soo wytnessyth it Honorius in his booke whiche is named the myrrour of the Chirche And in some other old bookes the tytle of this ympne or psalme is intytled the Cantykle of Ambrose and of Augustyn And anone he was merueylously confermed in the faythe Catholyke And forsoke all the hope that he had in the world And renounced the scoles that he rewled And he sheweth in his book of confessions how he was fro thens forthe achauffed in the loue of god sayeng lord thou hast thorugh perâ—ed myn hert with thy charyte And I haue borne thy wordes fixed in myn entraylles And thensamples of thy maners whiche thou hast made of blacke whyte shynyng and of deed lyuyng And of corrupte thoughtes thou makest fayre and hyghe vnderstandyng in heueÌ„ly thynges I mounted vp in to the hylle of wepyng and thou gauest to me syngyng the cantycle of grees shape arowes and cooles wastyng ne I was not in tho dayes fulfylled in thy merueylous swetenes for to considere the heyght of the dyuyne counceylle vp on the helthe of the lygnage humayne How moche haue I wepte in thy ynâ—pnes and cantycles swetely sownynnge And by the vois of thy chirche I haue ben moeued egrely The voyses haue ronnen in myn eres And thy trouthe hath dropped in myn herte and thenne teres haue ronnen doune and I was wel eased with them Thenne these thynges were establysshed to be songen in the chirche of Melan And I cryed With an hyghe crye of myn herte O in pace O in idipsum O thou that sayst I shalle slepe in that same and take rest thou arte the same For thou arte not chauÌ„ged and in the is reste forgetyng all labours I redde al that psalme And I brenned whiche somtyme had ben a barker bytter and blynde ayenst the lettres honyed with the swetenes of heuen and enlumyned with thy lighte And vppon suche scriptures I helde my pees and spack not O Ihesu crist my helper how swete is it sodenly made to me to lacke the swetnesses of iâ—â—ffes and Iapes which Were fer fro me to leue and forsake and now to leue forsake them is to me grete ioye Thou hast cast them oute fro me And thou Whiche arte souerayne swetenes hast entryd in to me for them whiche aâ—te swetter than ony swetnes or delyces more clere than ony syght and more secrete than ony secrete counceylles more hyghe than al honour And ther is none more hyghe than thou And after this he tooke Nebrydyon Euodyon and his moder and retorned ageyne in to Auffryke But whannâ— But whanne they cam to hostyberyn his swete moder deyde And after her deâ—h Austyn retorned vnto his propre herytage there entended wyth them that lode with him in fastinges in prayers He wrote bokes taught them that were not wyse And the fame and renomme of hym spradde ouer all And in alle his bookes and werkes he was holden merueylous he reffused to come to ony Cyte where as was no bisshop leste he shold be lette by that offyce And in that tyme was in yponence a man full of grete vertues whiche sente to Augustyn that yf he wold come to hym that he myghte here the good of his mouthe he wold renounce the world And whanne saint Augustyn knewe it he wente hastely thyder And whanne Valeryen Bisshop of yponence herd his renommee fame he ordeyned hym a preest
and made the sowne And they torned hastely soo that the whele brente the mayster of the werke and kepte Eufemye without hurte syttyng vpon the whele And the pareÌ„tes of thartyllour wepte and putte the fyre vnder the whele and wold haue brent Eufemye with the whele but the whele was brent and Eufemye was vnbounden by the aungel of god and was sene stonde all hoole vnhurte in an hyhe place And thenne Apulyen sayd to the Iuge the vertue of Crysten peuple maye not be ouercomen but by yron therfore I counceylle the to doo smyte of her hede Thenne they sette vp laddres and as one wold haue sette hond on her he was anon smeton with a palasye and was borne thens half dede And another named softnes wente vp on hyhe but anone he was chaunged in his corage and repentyd hym and requyred her humbly pardon And whanne he had his swerd drawen he cryed to the Iuge that he had leuer slee hym self than touche her whome the angels deffended At the last whanne she was taken thens the Iuge sayd to his chauÌ„celler that he shold sende to her alle the yonge men that were Ioly for tenforce and to make her do theyr wylle tyl she shold fayle and deye And thenne he entryd in and sawe with her many fayre vyrgyns prayenge with her And she made hym to be crystend wyth her admonestementes And thenne the Iuge dyde do take the vyrgyne by the heer and henge her therby And she euer abode Constaunt and vnmeuable And thenne he dyd doo shytte her in pryson withoute mete seuen dayes and pressyd her there bytwene foure greete stones as who shold presse olyues but she was euery daye fedde with an Angel And whanne she was bytwene those two hard stones she made her prayers And the stones were conuertid in to ryght softe asshes Thenne the Iuge was ashamed for to be vaynquysshed of a mayde And thenne he made her to be throwen in to a pytte where as cruel bestes were whiche deuoured euery man that cam therin swalowed them in And anone they ranne to this hooly vyrgyne in fawnynge her and ioyned theyr taylles togyder And made of them a chayer for her to sytte on And whanne the Iuge sawe that he was moche confounded soo that almoost he deyde for anguysshe and sorowe Thenne the Boucher cam for tauenge thyniurye of his lord and smote his swerde in to her syde al to hewe her and made her there the martir of Ihesu Cryste oure lord And the Iuge clad hym with clothys of sylke and henge on hym owches brochys of gold But when he shold haue yssued oute of the pytte he was rauysshed of the beestes and all deuoured anon And thenne his peple souÈt hym longe and vnnethe fonde they a lytel of his bones with his clothe of sylke and his ouches of gold And thenne the Iuge ete hym self for madnes and soo was fonde dede wretchydly And Eufemye was buryed in calcedoine and by her merytes alle the Iewes and paynyms of calcedoine byleuyd in Ihesu Cryst And she suffryd deth aboute the yere of our lord ijC lxxx And saynt Ambrose sayth of this vyrgyne thus The hooly vyrgyn tryumphaunt in vyrgynyte reteynyng the mytre deseruyd to be clad with the crowne by whos merytes the wycked enemy is vaynquysshed and Prysais her aduersary and Iuge is ouercomen The vyrgyne is saued fro the fornaye of fyre hard stones ben conuertid in to pouldre whiche beestes ben made meke and tame and enclyne doune theyr ueckes and all maner of paynes and tormentes by her oracions and prayers ben ouercome And at the laste smeton with a swerd she left the cloistre of her flesshe and is ioyned to the celestyall company gladde and ioyous And blessyd lord this blessyd Vyrgyne commaundeth to the thy chirche And good lord lete her praye to the for vs synnars and this vyrgyne withoute corrupcion flourysshyng gete vnto vs that oure desyres maye be graunted of the Thus endeth the lyf of saint Eufemye Here begynneth the lyf of saint Lambert And first of thynterpretacion of his name LAmbert is said of lampos in greke whiche is as moche to saye as brennyng And of thus that is encence That is to saye encence brennynge to god Or he may be sayd of lampas a lampe whiche gyueth lyght in the chirche he was encence brennynge to god by distresse of conscyence and for to kepe obedyence And he was lyght in the chirche by noble predicacion and by ensample of good operacion ¶ Of saint Lambert TAmbert was of a noble lygnage but he was more noble by holynes And was enformed in lettrure in his first age so for his holynesse he was louyd of all the peple in suche wise that after his maister The obarde he deseruyd to be promoted to be bisshop of Trecht whom Chylderik kynge of Fraunce loued moche And had hym alweye dere before other bisshops But whanne the malyce of the Iewes grewe the felons put hym out of his honour withoute cause and sett Ferramund in his chayer And lambert entryd in to a monasterye and was there and conuersyd seuen yere goodly On a nyght whanne he aroos fro prayer he â—â—te wynde goo behynde by ignoraunce And whanne thabbott herd it he sayd he that hath done that late hym go oute to the crosse barefote And anone Lamberte wente oute to the crosse barfote in his haire and was there and wente in the snowe and in the froste whanne the bretheren chauffed them after matynes And the abbot demaunded where Lamberte was And a broder sayde that he was gone to the crosse by his commaundement he dyde doo calle hym And thenne the abbot and his Monkes requyred hym to pardone them but he not only pardonned them but also prechyd to them the vertue of pacyence And after vij yere Ferramond was putt oute And saynt Lambert was brought ageyne by the commaundement of pepyn to his fyrst see And there he shone by worde and by ensample in all vertue Thenne two wicked men adressyd them ageynst hym and beganne to rebuke and blame hym strongly And the frendes of the same bisshop slewe them In that tyme Lambert beganne to blame strongly pypyn for a comyn womaÌ„ that he helde And Dodo a Cosyn of them that had be slayne and brother of the same cemyn woman and offycer of the kynges halle assemblyd a grete felaushippe and assyeged al aboute the bisshops place And wolde auenge the dethe of his Cosyns on saynt Lambert And whanne a child cam to saynt Lambert whiche was in his prayers and told hym therof he trustynge wel in oure lord thought he shold well vaynquysshe them And toke a swerde And whanne he had remembryd hym self he threwe aweys his swerde And Iuged hym self better to vaynquysshe in suffrynge of deth than to leye his hooly hondes in the blood of the felons And this hooly man warned his peple that they sholde confesse theyr synnes and suffre pacyently
and good lyuyng and gafe vnto theym a sone whyche was named alexys whome they dyd to be taughte and enformed in alle scyences and honoures After thys they maryed hym vnto a fayr damoysel whyche was of the lygnage of the emperour of Rome Whan the day of thespowsaylles was comen to euen Alexys beyng in the chambre wyth his wyf allone beganne to enfourme and Induce hyr to drede god and serue hym and were all that nyght to gyder in ryght good doctryne and fynably he gafe to hys wyf hys rynge and the bocle of golde of hys gyrdle bothe bounden in a lytel clothe of purple and sayd to hyr Fayre suster take thys and kepe it as longe as hit shal plese our lord god And it shal be a token betwene vs And he gyue you grace to kepe trewely your vyrgynyte after this he toke of golde and syluer a grete somme and departed allone fro Rome and fonde a shyppe in whyche he saylled in to grece and from thens wente in to surtye and came to a cyte called edyssya and gafe there alle hys money for the loue of god and cladde hym in a cote and demaunded almesse for goddes sake lyke a poure man tofore the chyrche of our lady and what he lefte of the almesses aboue hys necessyte he gaue it vnto other for goddes sake and euery sonday he was howsellyd and receyued the sacramente Suche a lyf he ledde longe Somme of the messegers that his fader had sente to seche hym thorugh alle the partyes of the world came to seche hym in the sayd cytee of edyssya and gaue vnto hym theyr almesse he syttyng tofore the chyrche wyth other poure people but they knewe not hym he knewe wel theym and thanked our lord sayeng I thanke the fayr lord Ihesu cryste that vouchest saufe to calle me and to take almesse in thy name of my seruauntes I praye the to parfourme in me that whyche thou haste begonne Whan the messagers were retourned to Rome and eufemyen his fader sawe that they had not founden his sone He layed hym doun vpon a matras stratchyng on the erthe wayllyng and sayd thus I shalle holde me here abyde tyl that I haue tydynges of my sone And the wyf of hys sone alexis sayd wepyng to eufemyen I shal not departe out of your hows but shal make me semblable and lyke to the turtle whyche after that she hath loste hir felawe wyl take none other but alle hyr lyf after lyueth chaste In lyke wyse I shal refuse alle felawshyp vnto the tyme that I shalle knowe where my ryght swete frende is becomen After that alexys had done his penaunce by ryghte grete pouerte in the sayd cyte and ledde a ryghte holy lyf by the space of seuentene yere there was a voys herde that came fro god vnto the chyrche of our lady and sayd to the porter make the man of god to entre in for he is worthy to haue the kyngdom of heuen and the spyryte of god restyth on hym Whan the clerke coude not fynde ne knowe hym emonge the other poure men He prayed to god to shewe to hym who it was and a voys came fro god and sayd he sytteth wythoute tofore thentre of the chyrche and soo the clerke fonde hym and prayed hym humbly that he wold come in to the chyrche Whan this myrarle came to the knowleche of the people and alexys sawe that men dyd to hym honour and worshyp anone for teschâ—we vaynglorye he departed fro thens and came in to grece where he toke shyppe entryd for to goo in to cecyle But as god wolde there aroos a grete wynde whiche made the shyppe to arryue at the porte of Rome whan alexys sawe thys anone he sayd to hym self by the grace of god I thyl charge noo man of Rome I shal goo to my faders hows in suche wyse as I shal not be beknowen of ony persone and whan he was wythin rome he mette eufemyen his fader whyche came fro the paleye of the emperour with a grete meyne folowyng hym alexys hys sone like a poure man ranne cryeng and sayd Sergeaunte of god haue pyte of me that am a poure pylgryme and receyue me in to thy hows for to haue my sustenaunce of the relyef that shal come from thy borde that god blesse the and haue pyte on thy sone whyche is also a pylgrym ¶ Whan eufemyen herde speke of hys sone anone his herte beganne to melte and sayd to his seruauntes whyche of you wyl haue pyte of thys man take the cure and charge of hym I shal delyuer hym from hys seruage and make hym free and shalle gyue hym of myn herytage And anone he commysed hym vnto one of his seruauntes and commaunded that hys bedde shold be maad in a corner of the halle Where as comers and goers myght see hym And the seruaunte to whome Alexys Was commaunded to kepe maad anone hys ledde vnder the stayer and stappes of the halle And there he laye righte lyke a poure wretche and suffred many vylonyes and despytes of the seruauntes of hys fader whyche oftymes caste and threwe on hym the wasshyng of dysshes and other fylthe and dyd to hym many euyl tornes and mocqued hym but he neuer compleyned but suffred alle pacyentely for the loue of god Fynably whan he had ledde thys ryght holy lyf wythin hys faders hows in fastyng in prayeng and in doyng penaunce by the space of seuentene yere and knewe that he shold sone deye he prayed the seruaunte that kepte hym to gyue hym a pyece of parchemyâ— and ynke and therin he wrote by ordre al his lyf and how he was maryed by the commaundemente of hys fader and what he had sayd to hys wyf and of the tokenes of hys rynge and bocle of hys gyrdle that he had gyuen to hyr at hys departyng and what he had suffred for goddes sake And alle thys dyd he for to make his fader to vnderstonde that he Was hys sone ¶ After thys whan hyt pleasyd to God for to shewe and manyfeste the vyctorye of our Lord Ihesu Cryste in hys seruaunte Alexys ¶ On a tyme on a sonday aâ—ter masse heeryng alle the people in the chyrche there was a voys herde from god cryeng and sayeng as is sayd Mathei vndecimo capitulo Come vnto me ye that laboure and be trauaylled I shal comforte you Of whyche voys all the people were abasshed whiche anone fyl doun vnto the erthe And the voys sayd ageyn Seche ye the seruaunte of god For he prayeth for alle Rome And they soughte hym but he was not founden Alexis in a mornyng on a good fryday gafe hys sowle vnto god and departed oute of thys worlde And that same day alle the people assemblyd at Saynt Peters chyrche And prayed god that he wold shewe to them where the man of god myght be founden that prayed for Rome And a voys was herde that came fro god that sayd ye
shold surmounte them and sende them to marterdom and whan she was broughte tofore the maysters and oratours she sayd to the emperour what Iugement is this to sette fyfty oratours and maysters ageynst one mayde and to promyse to theym grete rewardes for their victorye and compellest me to duspute wyth them wythoute hope of ony rewarde and god IhÌ„u crist which is veray guerdon of them that stryuen for hym shal be onelye wyth me and he shal be my rewarde for he is the hope and crowne of them that fyghte for hym and whan the maysters had sayd that it was Impossyble that god was made man ne that he had suffred deth the vyrgyne shewyd to them that the paynyms had sayd it tofore that he was made For plato sayd god to be alle rounde and to be slayne and Sybylle sayd thus that the ylke god shold be blessyd happy that shold hange on the crosse and whan the vyrgyne had right wysely dysputed wyth the maysters and that she had confounded theyr goddes by open reasons they were abasshed and wyste not what to saye but were al stylle And themperour was replenysshed wyth felonye ageynst theym and began to blame theym by cause they were ouercomen soo fowlly of one mayde and thenne one that was mayster aboue al the other sayd to the emperour knowe thou syr emperour that neuer was there ony that myght stonde ageynst vs but that anone he was ouercomen But thys mayde in whome the spyryte of god speketh hath soo conuerted vs that we can not saye ony thynge ageynste Ihesu cryste ne we may not ne dare not wherfore syr emperour we knowleche that but yf that thou mayste brynge forth a more prouable sentence of them that we haue worshypped hytherto that al we be conuerted to Ihesu cryste and whan the tyrauÌ„te herde this thyng he was esprysed with grete wodenesse and commaunded that they alle shold be brente in the myddes of the cytee And the holy vyrgyne comforted them and maad them constaunte to marterdom and enformed dylygentlye in the feythe and by cause they doubted that they shold deye without baptesme the vyrgyne sayd to theym Doubte ye no thynge for theffusyon of our blood shal be reputed to you for baptesme and garnysshe you with the sygne of the crosse and ye shal be crowned in heuen And whan they were caste in to the flammes of fyre they rendryd theyr sowles vnto god and neyther heer ne clothe of them had none harme ne were hurte by the fyre And whan the crysten men had buryed them the Tyraunte spake vnto the vyrgyne and sayd a ryght noble lady vyrgyne haue pyte of thy yongthe and thou shalte be chyef in my paleys nexte the quene and thyn ymage shal be sette vp in the myddes of the cyte shal be adoured of alle the people as a goddesse To whome the virgyn sayd leue to saye suche thynges For it is euyll to thynke hit I am gyuen and maryed to Ihesu cryste he is my spouse he is my glorye he is my loue and he is my swetnes there may noo fayr wordes ne no tormentes calle me fro hym and thenne he beyng ful of wodenesse commaunded that she shold be despoyled naked and beten wyth scorpyons and so beten to be 〈◊〉 in a derke pryson and there was tormented by hongre by the space of twelue dayes and themperour wente out of the contreye for certeyn causes and the quene was esprysed with grete loue of the virgyne and wente by nyght to the prison with porphyrye the prynce of knyghtes and whan the quene entryd she sawe the pryson shynyng by grete clerenesse and aungellys enoyntyng the woundes of the holy vyrgyne katheryne and thenne Saynt katheryne began to preche to the quene the ioyes of paradys and conuertyd hyr to the feythe and sayd to hir that she shold receyue the crowne of marterdom and thus spake they to gyder tyl mydnyÈt and whan porphyrye had herde al that she had sayd he fyl doun to hyr feet and receyued the feythe of Ihesu cryste wyth two hondred knyghtes and by cause the tyraunte had commaunded that she shold be twelue dayes without mete and drynke Ihesu cryst sente to hir a whyte dowue whiche fedde her with mete celestyal after this Ihesu cryst apperyd to hir with a grete multitude of aungellis and virgynes and sayd to hir doughter knowe thy maker for whome thou haste emprysed this trauayllous bataylle be thou constante for I am with the and whan themperour was retorned he commaunded hir to be brought tofore hym and whan he sawe hir so shynyng whome he supposed to haue ben tormented by grete famyne fastyng and supposed that somme had fedde hir in pryson was fulfylled wyth furour and commaunded to tormente the kepars of the pryson and she sayd to hym veraylye I toke neuer sythe mete of man but Ihesu cryste hath fedde me by hys aungel I praye the sayd themperour sette at thyn herte this that I admoneste the and answer not by doutable wordes we wyl not holde the as a chamberer but thou shalt tryumple as a quene in my royame in beaulte enhaunced To whome the blessyd vyrgyne katheryne sayd vnderstonde I praye the and Iuge trewely whome ought I better to chese of thyse two or the kyng puyssaunt pardurable glorious and fayre or one seek vnstedfast not noble and foule and thenne themperour hauyng dysdayne angrye by felonye of these two chese the one or do sacrefyse lyue or suffre dyuers tormentes perysshe and she sayd tarye not to do what tormentes thou wylt for I desyre to offre to god my blood and my flesshe lyke as he offryd for me he is my god my fader my frende myn onely spouse and thenne a mayster warned and aduysed the kyng beyng wode for angre that he shold make foure wheles of yron enuyronned with sharpe rasours cuttyng soo that she myght be horrybly al detrenched and cutte in that torment so that he myght fere the other crysten peple by ensauÌ„ple of that cruel torment and thenne was ordeyned that two wheles shold torne ageynst the other ij by grete force so that they shold breke al that that shold be betwene the wheles and thenne the blessyd vyrgyne prayed our lord that he wold breke thyse engynes to the praysyng of hys name and for to conuerte the people that were there and anone as thys blessyd vyrgyne was sette in this tormente the aungel of our lord brake tho wheles by soo gret force that it slewe four thousand paynyms And the quene that behelde thyse thynges came from aboue had hyd hir feythe tyl thenne descendyng anone and began to blame the emperour of so grete cruelte and thenne the kyng was replenysshed with woodnes whan he saw that the quene despysed to doo sacrefyse and dyd doo fyrste doo rente of hyr pappes and after smyte of hyr heed and as she was ladde vnto marterdom she prayed katheryne to praye god for
but with a precious oynemente of â—awme and whan the paynyms sawe thys greteâ— myracle many of theym were thereby conuerted to the feythe of Ihesu cryste and the tyraunte sayd that she dyd al this by enchauntemente and dyd do put hir in a depe pryson ix dayes longe wythout mete or drynke but she was that whyle fedde by aungellys food of our lord so that at the ende of ix dayes she was noo thynge appayred Thenne the Iuge sente for hir supposyng that she had ben nyghe deed and feble but whan she came she was fayrer and bryghter to loke on thenne euer she was before wherof all the peple meruaylled gretely Thenne the Iuge said to hir but yf thou wylt worshyppe and do sacrefyse to thydolles thou shalt not escape the tormente of the gylette Thenne she answeryd to the Iuge I worshyp almyghty god that made al thynges and despyse thy goddes that ben fendes and thenne she fyl doun plaâ—te to the erthe and lyfte vp hir eyen to almyghty god besechyng hym that he wold shewe hys power before the peple that he was onely almyghty god and none other Thenne fabrycius the Iuge lette sette vp a pyler on hyghe and theron he sette his god an ydolle and anone there came a multitude of aungels fro heuen and caste doun this ydolle and al to brake it and anone the people herde a grete noyse of fendes cryeng in thayer sayeng O do rathe why doest thou destroye vs and tormentest vs so sore and for this grete myracle many thousandes of paynyms were torned to the feythe of Ihesu cryste and were baptysed and after receyued the crowne of marterdom for the knowlechynge of the name of Ihesu cryste Thenne the Iuge commaunded that thys holy vyrgyne shold be hanged on the gybette hir feet vpward and the heed dounwarde and thenne hir body was al to rente with hookes of yron and beten with roddes and scourges and brente hir brestys wyth hote fyry brondes and as halse deed she was sette ageyn in to pryson after whan she was broughte ageyn she was al hole and stronge without ony dysease or hurte wherof the Iuge had grete meruaylle and sayd to hir O fayre mayde forsake thy god and byleue on our goddes for thou mayst see how mercyful they be vnto the and preserue the therfore haue pyte on thy tender body for thou hast be tormeÌ„ted ynough and thenne the prouoste sente for hyr two susters whiche were named crystyne and calestyne whiche for fere of dethe forsoke the feythe of Ihesu cryste and wente to saynt dorathe counceylled hir to obeye to the prouostes desyre and forsake hir feythe But this holy vyrgyne rebuked hir susters and after enformed them by so fayre and swete langage that she withdrewe them fro theyr blynde errour and establysshed them in the feythe of cryste in suche wyse that whan they were comen to the Iuge they sayd they were crysten and byleuyd on Ihesu Cryste whan fabrycyus herde that he was madde for angre and commaunded that the tormentour shold bynde theyr handes and bynde them bothe to gyde backe to backe and caste them in the fyre so bounden and brente them And thenne he sayd to the vyrgyne do raihe how longe wylte thou trowble vs wyth thy wytchecrafte or do sacrefyse to our goddes or ellys anone thy hede shal be smyton of theÌ„ne said the holy vyrgyne with a glad semblaunâ—e do to me what tormente thou wylte for I am al redy to suffre it for the loue of my spouse Ihesu cryste In whos gardyn ful of delyces I haue gadred roses spyces and apples and whan the tyraunte herde that he trembled for angre And commaunded that hir fayre vysage shold be beten with stones so that there shold appere no beaute in hir vysage but al dysfygured so to be put in pryson tyl the nexte day and on the nexte day she came forthe also hole and sounde as though she had suffred noo dysease and was more fayrer for to loke on thenne euer she was tofore by the grace of hir blessyd spouse Ihesu cryste For whos loue she toke on hyr these grete and sharpe tormentes thenne this cursed Iuge commauÌ„ded to smyte of hir heed and as she was ladde to the place assygned where hit shold be doon a scrybe of the royame named theophylus sayd to hir in scorne I praye the to sende me somme of thy roses and appelis that thou hast gaderyd in the gardyne of thy spouse that thou praysest so moche and she graunted to hym his desyre and thys was in the colde wynter tyme whan there was bothe froste snowe and whan she came to the place where she shold be byheded she knelyd doun on hir knees made hir prayers to our lord Ihesu cryst besechyng hym that â—l they that worshyp hir passyon that they myght be kepte stedfast in the feythe and to take theyr trybulacyon pacyently and specyally to be delyuerd fro al shame grete pouerte and fals dysclaunder and at theyr laste ende to haue veray contrycyon confessyon and remyssyon of al their synnes also wymmen with chylde that calle to hir for helpe to haue good delyueraunce the chyldren to be crystened the moders to be purefyed also she prayed to god that where hir lyf were wryton or redde in ony hows that it shold be kepte fro al perylle of lightenynge thonder fro al perylles of fyre fro perylles of theuys fro sodeyn deth and to receyue the sacramentes of holy chirche at their laste ende for theyr most souerayn deffence ageynst their ghoostly enemye the fende and whan she had ended hir prayer there was a voys herde fro heuen that said come to me my dere spouse trewe vyrgyn for al thy bone is grauÌ„ted to the that thou hast prayed fore also whom thou prayest fore shall be saued whan thou hast receyued the crowne of marterdom thou shalt come to the blysse of heuen wythoute ende for thy laboure this holy virgyn bowed doun hir heed and the cruel tyraunte smote it of but a lytel before this apperyd before hir a fayr chylde barefote clothed in purple with cryspe heerys whos garmente was set ful of brighte sterres beryng in his honde a litel baskette shynyng as golde wyth roses apples To whome the vyrgyn sayd I praye the bere this baskette to theophyilus the scrybe thus she suffred dethe and passed to our lord ful of vertues the vj day of feuerer the yere of our lord CClxxxviij by fabricius prouoste vnder dyoclesyan maxymyan emperours of rome as thys said theophylus stode in the paleys of themperour this chylde came to hym presented to hym the baskette sayeng Thyse ben the roses apples that my suster do rathe hath sente to the fro paradys the gardyn of hir spouse and thenne this chylde vanysshed aweye Thenne he consyderyng the meruayllous werke of god in this holy vyrgyne said anone with a
sterne voys praysyng the god of dorathe for that grete myracle whiche was shewed to hym of roses and apples that tyme that he that sente to me these thynges is of grete power therfore his name be blessyd worlde wythouten ende amen theÌ„ne he was conuerted to the feyth of Ihesu cryste the moste parte of the peple of the cyte whan fabrycyus knewe thys anone with grete malyce tormentyd theophylus the scrybe with many dyuers tormentes atte laste hâ—we hym in to smale pyeces the pyeces were caste to byrdes beestys to be deuoured but he was fyrst baptysed receyued the hoâ—y sacramente folowed the holy virgyne dorothea in to the blysse of heuen Thenne lete vs deuoutelye praye to this blessyd saynt dorathe that she be our special protectryce ageynste al perylles of fyre of lyyhtnyng of thondryng al other perylles and that at our ende may receyue the sacramentes of the chirche that after thys shorte lyf we may come vnto blysse in heuen where as is lyf ioye perdumble world withouten ende amen Thus endeth the lyf of Saint Dorathe ¶ And here foloweth the lyf of Saynt Brandon SAynt Brandon the holy man was a monke borne in yâ—londe there he was abbotte of an hows where in were a thousand monkes there he had a ful strayte and holy lyf in grete penaunce abstynence and he gouerned his monkes ful vertuously thenne within shorte tyme after there came to hym an holy abbot that hyght beryne to vysyte hym and eche of them was ioyeful of other and thenne saynt brandon beganne to telle to thabbot beryn of many wonders that he had seen in dyuers londes and whan beryn herde that of saint brahdon he began to syghe and sore wepte and saynt brandon comforted hym the beste wyse he coude sayeng ye come hyther for to be ioyeful with me therfore for goddes loue leue your mornynge telle me what meruaylles ye haue seen in the grete see occean that compasseth al the world aboute alle other waters comen out of hym whyche renneth in al the partyes of therthe and thenne beryn began to telle to Saynt brandon and to his monkes the meruaylles that he had seen ful sore wepyng said I haue a sone his name is meruoke he was a moÌ„ke of grete fame whiche had grete desyre to seke aboute by shyppe in dyuers contres to fynde a solytarye place wherin he myÈâ— dwelle secretelye out of the besynesse of the world for to serue god quyetly with more deuocion I counceylled hym to sayle in to an ylonde ferre in the see besydes the monteyn of stones whiche is ful wel knowen and thenne he made hym redy saylled thyder wyth his monkes whan he came thyâ—â—â— he lyked that place ful wel where he his monkes seruyd our lord ful deuoutelye thenne beryn sawe in a vysyon that this monke meruok was saylled right ferre eestward in the see more than the dayes sayllyng sodeynlye to his semyng there cam a derke cloude ouercouerd them that a grete parte of the day they sawe no lyght and as our lord wolde the cloude passed awey and they sawe a ful fayr ylonde and thyderward they drewe In that ylonde was ioye and myrthe ynough the erthe of that ylonde shyned as bryghte as the sonne there were the fayrest trees herbes that euer ony man sawe and there were many precyous stones shynyng bryght and euery herke them was ful of flouns euery tree ful of faiyte soo that it was a gloryous syght an heuenly ioye tabyde there and thenne there came to them a fayre yonge man ful curtoysly he welcomed them al called euery monke by his name said that they were moche bounde to preyse the name of our lord Ihesu that wold of his grace shewe to them that gloryous place where is euer day neuer nyght this place is called paradys terrestre but by this ylonde is another ylonde wherin no man may come this yonge man said to theym ye haue ben here halfe a yere wythoute mete drynke or slepe they supposed that they had not ben there the sâ—ace of halfe an houre so mery ioyeful they were there the yonge man tolde them that this is the place that adam eue dwelte in fyrst and euer shold haue dwellyd here yf that they had not broken the commaundemente of god And thenne the yonge man broughte them to theyr shyppe ageyn and sayd they myght no bengyr abyde there and whan they were al shypped sodeynlye this yonge man vanysshed aweye out of theyr syght and thenne wythin shorte tyme after by the purueaunce of our lord Ihesu they came to thabbey where Saynt brandon dwellyd and thenne he with his brethern receyued them godely and demaunded them where they had ben so longe and they said we haue ben in the londe of byheest tofore the yates of paradys where as is euer day and neuer nyght they sayden al that the place is ful delectable for yet al theyr clothes smellyd of that swete and ioyeful place And thenne saynt brandon purposed sone after for to seke that place by goddes belpe and anone beganne to pourueye for a good shyppe and a stronge and vytaylled it for seuen yere and thenne he toke his leue of alle his brethern and took twelue monkes with hym but or they entred in to the shyp they fastyd fourty dayes and lyued deuoutelye and eche of them receyued the sacramente and whan saynt brandon wyth his twelue monkes were entred in to the sâ—yppe there came other two of his monkes prayed hym that they myght sayle with hym and thenne he sayd ye may sayle with me but one of you shal goo to helle or ye come ageyn but not for that they wold goo wyth hym and thenne Saynt brandon bad the shypmen to wynde vp the saylle and forthe they saylled in goddes name so that on the morowe they were out of syght of ony londe fourty dayes and fourty nyghtes after they saylled platte eest and thenne they saw an yle londe ferre fro them and they saylled thyderward as faste as they coude and they sawe a grete rocke of stone appere aboue alle the water and thre dayes they saylled aboute it or they coude gete in to the place but at the laste by the pourueaunce of god they fonde a lytel hauen and there wente a londe euerychone and thenne sodeynlye came a fayre hounde fyl doun at the feet of saynt brandon and made hym good chere in his manere and thenne he bad his brethern be of good chere for our lord hath sente to vs his messager to lede vs in to somme good place and the hounde broughte hem in to a fayr halle where they fonde the tables spredde redy sette ful of good mete and drynke and thenne saynt brandon sayd graces and thenne he and his brethern
and toke saynt brandon by the honde and ledde hym with his monkes in to a fayre halle and set them doun a rewe vpon the benche and the abbotte of the place wysshe alle theyr feet wyth fayre water of the welle that they sawe before and after ladde them in to the fraytour and there sette them emonge his couente and anone there came one by the purueaunce of god whiche seruyd them wel of mete and drynke for euery monke had sette before hym a fayre whyt loof and whyte rootys and herbys Whyche were ryght delycyous but they wyst not what rotes they were and they dranke of the water of the fayr clere welle that they sawe before whan they came fyrst a londe which saynt brandon forbadde them and thenne thabbot came and chered saynt brandon hys monkes and prayed theym ete and drynke for charyte For euery day our lord sendeth a goodelye olde man that coueryth thys table and setteth our mete and drynke tofore vs but we knowe not how it cometh ne we ordeyne neuer no mete ne drynke for vs and yet we haue been lxxx yere here and euer our lord worshypped mote he be fedeth vs we ben xxiiij monkes in nombre and euery feryal day of we weke he sendeth to vs xij loues and euery sonday festeful day xxiiij loues and the brede that we leue at dyner we ete at sowper and now at your comyng our lord hath sente to vs xlviij loues for to make you and vs mery to gyder as brethern alweye twelue of vs goo to dyner whyles other twelue kepe the quere and thus haue we don this lxxx yere for so longe haue we dwellyd here in thys abbey and we came hyther out of thabbey of saint patrikes in yrelonde thus as ye see our lord hath pourueyed for vs but none of vs knoweth how it cometh but god allone to whome be gyuen honour and lawâ—e world withouten ende here in thys londe is euer fayre weder and non of vs hath ben seek sythe we came hyther and whan we goo to masse or to ony other seruyce of our lord in the chirche anone seuen tapres of waxe been sette in the quere and ben lyght at euery tyme wythout mannes honde and so brenne day and nyght at euery houre of seruyce and neuer waste ne mynysshe as longe as we haue been here whiche is lxxx yere and thenne saynt brandon wente to the chirche wyth the abbotte of the place and there they sayd euensonge to gyder ful deuontely and thenne saynt brandon loked vpwarde towarde the crucyfyxe sawe our lord hangyng on the crosse which was made of fyn crystalle and curyously wroughte And in the quere were xxiiij seetys for xxiiij monkes and the seuen tapres brennyng and thabbottes sete was made in the myddes of the quere and thenne Saynt brandon demaunded of the abbotte how longe they had kepte that scilence that none of them spake to other and he sayd thys xxiiij yere we spake neuer one to another thenne saynt brandon wepte for ioye of their holy conuersacion and thenne saint brandon desyred of the abbotte that he and his monkes myght dwelle there stylle with hym to whome thabbot sayd syr that may ye not do in no wyse for our lord hath shewed to you in what maner ye shal be guyded tyl the vij yere be fulfylled after that terme thou sbalt with thy monkes retorne in to yrlonde in saufte but one of the ij monkes that cam last to you shal dwel in the ylonde of ankers and that other shal goo quyck to helle and as Saynt brandon knelyd in the chirche he sawe a bryghte shynyng auÌ„gel come in at the wyndowe and lyghted alle the lyghtes in the chyrche and thenne he flewghe oute ageyn at the wyndowe vnto heuen and thenne saynt brandon meruaylled gretely how the lyght brennyd so fayr and wasted not and thenne the abbotte sayd that it is wryton that moyses saw a busshe al on a fyre and yet it brennyd not and therfore meruaylle not herof For the myght of our lord is now as grete as it euer thas and whan saynt brandon had dwellyd there fro crystemasse euyn tyl the twelfthe day was passed Thenne he toke hys leue of the abbot and couente and retorned wyth hys monkes to hys shyppe and saylled fro thens wyth his monkes toward the abbay of saynt Illaryes but they had grete tempestys in the see fro that tyme tyl palme sonday and thenne they came to the ylonde of sheep and there were receyued of the olde man whyche broughte them to a fayre halle and seruyd them And on sherthursday after souper he wesshe theyr feet and kyssed them lyke as our lord dyd to hys dyscyples and there abode tyl satyrday ester euen and thenne they departed and saylled to the place where the grete fysshe laye and anone they sawe their cawdron vpon the fysshes backe which they had lefte there twelue moneth tofore and there they kepte the seruyce of the resurrexyon on the fysshes backe and fter they saylled that same day by the mornyng to the ylonde where as the tree of byrdes was and thenne the sayd byrde welcomed saynt brandon and alle his felawshyp and wente ageyn to the tree and sange ful meryly and there he and hys monkes dwellyd fro ester tyl trynyte sonday as they dyd the yere before in full grete ioye and myrthe And dayly they herde the mery seruyce of the byrdes syttyng on the tree and thenne the byrde tolde to saynt brandon that he shold retorne ageyn at crystemasse to the abbay of monkes and at ester thyder ageyn and the other dele of the yere laboure in the occean in ful grete perylles and fro yere to yere tyl the seuen yere be accomplysshed And thenne sbal ye come to the ioyeful place of paradys and dwelle there yl dayes in ful grete ioye and myrthe and after ye shal retorne home in to your owne abbey in saufete and there ende your lyf and come to the blysse of heuen to whiche our lord boughte you wyth his precyous blood And thenne the aungel of our lord ordeyned alle thynge that was nedeful to saynt brandon and to hys monkes in vytaylles and al other thynges necessarye and thenne they thanked our lord of his grete goodnes that he had shewed to them ofte in their grete nede and thenne saylled forth in to the grete see occyan abydyng the mercy of our lord in grete trouble and tempestys and sone after came to them an horryble fysshe whyche folowed the shyppe longe tyme castyng soo moche water out of hys mowthe in to the shyppe that they supposed to haue ben drowned wherfore they deuoutelye prayed god to delyuer them of that grete perylle and anone after came another fysshe gretter thenne he out of the west see and faughte wyth hym and atte laste claue hym in to thre pyeces and thenne retorned ageyn thenne they thanked
and euery euyl dede shal be punyssled and the sonday ageynst euen ther came a grete multytude of fendes blastyng and roryng and bad saynt brandon goo thens that they myght haue theyr seruaunte Iudas for we dare not come in the presence of our mayster but yf we brynge hym to helle with vs and thenne sayd saynt brandon I lete not you to do your maysters commaundemente but by the power of our lord Ihesu I charge you to leue hym thys nyght tyl to morowe how darest thou helpe hym that so solde his mayster for thyrty pens to the Iewes and caused hym also to deye the moste shameful dethe vpon the crosse and thenne saynt brandon charged the fendes by his passyon that they shold not noye hym that nyght thenne the fendes wente theyr weye roryng cryeng towarde helle to their mayster the grete deuyll thenne Iudas thanked saunt brandon soo ruthefully thot it was pyte to see on the morne the fendes came wyth an horryble noyse sayeng that they had that nyght suffred grete payn by cause they broughte not Iudas sayden that he shold suffre double payn the vj dayes folowyng and they toke thenne Iudas tremblyng for fere with them to payne and after saynt brandon saylled southward thre dayes and thre nyghtes and on the fryday they sawe an yle londe and thenne Saynt brandon began to syghe and sayd I see the ylonde wherin saynt poule thermyte dwellyth and hath dwellyd there xl yere wythout mete and drynke ordeyned by mannes honde and whan they came to the londe saint poule came and welcomed them humbly he was olde and forgrowen so that no man myght see his body of whome saynt brandon said wepynge now I see a man that lyueth more lyke an aungel thenne a man wherfore we wretches may be ashamed that we lyue not better Thenne Saynt Poule sayd to Saynt brandon thou arte better thenne I for our lord hath shewed to the moo of his preuytes thenne he hath doon to me Wherfore thou oughtest to be more praysed than I To whome saynt brandon sayd we ben monkes and must labour for our mete but god hath prouyded for the suche mete as thou holdest the plesed wherfore thou arte moche better than I To whome Saynt poule sayd somtyme I was a monke of Saynt patrykes abbey in yrelonde and was wardeyn of the place where as men entre in to saynt patrykes purgatorye and on a day there came one to me and I asked hym what he was and he sayd I am your abbot Patryke and charge the that thou departe from hens to morne erly to the see syde and there thou shalt fynde a shyppe in to whiche thou muste entre whiche god hath ordeyned for the whos wylle thou must accomplysshe and so the nexte day I aroos and wente forthe and fonde the shyppe in whiche I entred and by the purueaunce of god w I as brought in to this ylonde the seuenth day after and thenne I lefte the shyppe wente to londe and there I walked vp and doun a good whyle and thenne by the purueaunce of god there came an otter gooyng on his hyndre feet and brought me a flynte stone an yron to smyte fyre wyth in his two fore clawes of his feet and also he had aboute his necke grete plente of fysshe whiche he caste doun before me wente his waye and I smote fyre and made a fyre of styckes and dyd sethe the fysshe by whyche I lyued thre dapes and thenne the ottyr came ageyn and brought to me fisshe for other iij dayes and thus he hath done this lj yere thorugh the grace of god and there was a grete stone out of whiche our lord made to sprynge fayr water clere and swete wherof I drynke dayly thus haue I lyued one and fyfty yere and I was fourty yere olde whan I came hyther and am now an hondred and xj yere olde and abyde tyl it please our lord to sende for me and yf it plesyd hym I wold fayn be dyschargyd of thys wretched lyf and thenne he bad saynt brandon to take of the water of the welle and to carye in to hys shyppe for it is tyme that thou departe for thou hast a grete iourneye to doo for thou shalt sayle to an ylonde whiche is fourty dayes sayllyng hens where thou shalte holde thyn ester lyke as thou hast doon tofore where as the tree of byrdes is and fro thens thou shalte sayle in to the londe of byheest and shalte abyde there fourty dayes and after retorne home in to thy contre in saufete And thenne thyse holy men toke leue eche of other they wepte bothe ful sore and kyssed eche other thenne saynt brandon entryd in to his shyppe and sayled xl dayes euyn southe in ful grete tempeste and on ester euen cam to theyr procuratour whiche maad to them good chere as he had before tyme and from thens they came to the grete fysshe wheron they sayd matyns and masse on ester day and whan the masse was doon the fysshe began to meue and swāme forth faste in to the see wherof the monkes were sore agaste whiche stode vpon hym for it was a grete meruayl to see suche a fysshe as grete as alle a contre for to swymme so faste in the water but by the wylle of our lord this fysshe sette al the monkes a londe in the paradys of byrdes all hole and sounde and thenne retornyd to the place he came fro and thenne Saynt brandon and his monkes thankyd our lord of theyr delyueraunce of the grete fysshe and kepte theyr estertyde tyl trynyte sonday lyke as they had doon before tyme and after this they took theyr shyppe and saylled eest xl dayes and at the fourty dayes ende it began to hayle ryght faste therwyth came a derke myste whiche lasted longe after whyche feryd Saynt brandon and 〈◊〉 monkes prayed to our lord to kepe and helpe them and thenne anone came theyr procuratour and bad them to be of good chere for they were come in to the londe of byheest and sone after that myste passed aweye and anone they sawe the fayrest contre eestward that ony man myght see and was so clere bright that is was an heuenly syght to beholde and al the trees were charged wyth rype fruyte and herbes ful of floures In whyche londe they walked fourty dayes but they coude see none ende of that londe and there was alweye day and neuer nyght and the londe attemperate ne to hote ne to colde and at the laste they came to a fayr ryuer but they durste not goo ouer there came to them a fayre yonge man and welcomed them curtoysly and called eche of them by his name dyd grete reuerence to saynt brandon and sayd to them be ye now ioyeful for thys is the londe that ye haue soughte but our lord wyl that ye departe hens hastelye and he wyl shewe to you more of
sone wold leue his fader for to folowe hym balaam said to hym yf thou wylte doo thus thou shalt be semblable to a yonge man that whan he shold haue weddâ—d a noble wyf he forsoke hyr and fledde aweye and came in to a place where as he sawe a virgyn doughter of an olde poure man that laboured and preysed god with hir mowthe To whome he sayd what is that thou doest doughter that arte so poure alweye thou thankest god like as thou haddest receyued grete thynges of hym To whome she sayd lyke as a lytel medecyne ofte delyuereth a grete langour and payne right so for to gyue to god thankynges alweye of a lytell yefte is made a gyuer of grete yeftes for the thynges that ben withoutforth ben not oures but they that be wythin vs ben oures and therfore I haue receyued grete thynges of god for he hath made me lyke to his ymage He hath gyuen to me vnderstondyng He hath called me to his glorye and hath opened to me the yate of his kyngdom and therfore for thyse yeftes it is syttyng to me to gyue hym praysyng This yonge man seyng hyr prudence axed of hir fader to haue hyr to wyf To whome the fader sayd thou mayst not haue my doughter for thou arte the sone of ryche and noble kynne and I am but a poure man but whan he sore desyred hir the olde man sayd to hym I may not gyue hir to the syth thou wylt lede hir home in to the hows of thy fader for she is myn onelye doughter and haue no moo And he said I shal dwelle wyth the and shal accorde with the in al thynges and thenne he dyd of his precyous vestementes and dyd on hym the habyte of an olde man and soo dwellyng with hym toke hir vnto his wyf and whan the olde man had longe preuyd hym he ladde hym in to hys chambre and shewyd to hym grete plente of rychesses more than he euer had and gaue to hym al thenne Iosaphat sayd to hym thys narracyon toucheth me couenably and I trowe thou hast sayd thys for me Now saye to me fader how many yere arte thou olde and where conuersest thou For fro the I wyl neuer departe To whom balaam sayd I haue dwellyd xlv yere in the deserte of the londe of Sennaar To whome Iosaphat sayd thou semest better to be lxx yere and he sayd yf thou demaundest alle the yeres of my natyuyte thou hast wel estemed them but I accounte not the nombre of my lyf them specyally that I haue dyspended in the vanytee of the world For I was thenne dede toward god and I nombre not the yerys of dethe wyth the yerys of lyf and whan Iosaphat wold haue folowed hym in to deserte balaam sayd to hym yf thou do so I shal not haue thy companye and I shal be thenne thauctor of persecucyon to my brethern but whan thou seest tyme couenable thou shalt come to me and thenne balaam baptysed the kynges sone and enformed hym wel in the feythe and after retorned in to his celle and a lytel whyle after the kynge herde saye that hys sone was crystened wherfore he was moche sorouful and one that was his frende named Arachys recomfortyng hym sayd Syr kynge I knowe right well an olde hermyte that resembleth moche balaam and he is of our secte He shal fayne hym as he were balaam shal deffende fyrste the feyth of crysten men and after shal leue and retorne fro it and thus your sone shal retorne to you and thenne the kynge wente in to deserte as it were to seche balaam and toke thys hermyte and fayned that he had taken balaam and whan the kynges sone herde that balaam was taken he wepte bytterlye but afterwarde he knewe by reuelacyon deuyne that it was not he Thenne the kynge wente to his sone and sayd to hym thou hast put me in grete heuynesse thou hast dyshonoured myn olde age thou hast derked the light of myn eyen sone why hast thou doon so thou hast forsaken the honour of my goddes and he answerd to hym I haue fledde the derkenessys and am comen to the lyght I haue fledde errour knowe trouthe and therfore trauaylle the for nought for thou mayst neuer wythdrawe me fro Ihesu cryste For lyke as it is Impossyble to the to touche the heuen wyth thy honde or for to drye the grete see so is it to the for to chaunge me Thenne the fader sayd who is cause herof but I my self that so gloryously haue do nourysshed the that neuer fader nourisshed more hys sone For whyche cause thyn euyl wyll hath made the wood ageynst me and it is wel ryght For the astronomyens in thy natyuyte sayd that thou sholdest be proude and dyshobedyente to thy parentes but and thou now wylte not obeye me thou shalte nomore be my sone and I shal be thyn enemye for a fader and shal do to the that I neuer dyd to myn enemyes To whome Iosaphat sayd fader wherfore arte thou angry by cause I am made a partyner of good thynges what fader was euer sorouful in the prosperyte of hys sone I shal nomore calle the fader but and yf thou be contrarye to me I shal flee the as a serpente Thenne the kynge departed from hym in grete angre and sayd to arache his frende alle the hardnes of his sone and he counceylled the kynge that he shold gyue hym noo sharpe wordes for a chylde is better reformed by fayr and swete wordes The day folowyng the kynge came to his sone beganne to clyppe enbrace and kysse hym and sayd to hym my ryght swete sone honoure thou myn olde age sone drede thy fader knowest thou not wel that it is good to obeye thy fader make hym glad and for to doo contrarye it is synne and they that angre them synne euyl to whome Iosaphat sayd there is tyme to loue and tyme to hate tyme of pees and tyme of bataylle and we ought in no wyse loue them ne obeye to them that wold put vs aweye fro god be it fader or moder And whan hys fader sawe his stedfastnesse he sayd to hym syche I see thy folye and wylte not obeye to me Come and we shal knowe the trouth For balaam whiche hath deceyued the is bounden in my pryson and lete vs assemble our peple wyth balaam and I shal sende for alle the galylees that they may saufly come wythout drede and dyspute and yf that ye with you balaam ouercome vs we shal byleue and obeye you and yf we ouercome you ye shal consente to vs and thys plesyd wel to we kynge and to Iosaphat and whan they had ordeyned that he that named hym balaam shold fyrste deffende the feythe of cryste And suffre hym after to be ouercomen and soo were all assemblyd Thenne Iosaphat torned hym toward nachor whyche fayned hym to be balaam and sayd balaam
men the sonday whan Machomete was enryched wyth the rychesses of thys wydowe cadygam He mounted in soo grete folye of thought that he thoughte to vsurpe to hym the royame of arabye whan he sawe he myghte not doo it by vyolence and also that he was despysed of his felawes which had been alweye grete wyth hym Thenne he fayned hym to be a prophete them that he myght not drawe to hym by myght he drewe to hym by fayned holynesse thenne he beganne to byleue the counceyl of that Sergyus whyche was a moche subtyl man and enquyred alle that he shold do secretelye reported it to the peple and callyd hym gabryel thus machomete in faynyng hym self to be a prophete helde alle the seygnourye of alle that peuple alle byleueden by theyr gremente or for fere or for doute of swerde that thyng is no more trewe thenne that whyche is sayd of the dowue and is more to be holden and by cause that thys Sergyus was a monke he wold that the sarasyns shold vse the habyte of a monke that is to wete a gowne without an hood and in the gyse of monkes they shold make many knelynges and that they shold adoure ordynatelye And by cause that the Iewys worshyp toward the weste and the crysten men toward the eest therfore he wold that hys peple shold adoure toward the southe And so doo yet the sarazyns and machomete publisshed to them many of the lawes that the sayd Sergyus taughte hym and toke many of moyses lawes for the sarasyns wesshe them ofte and specyally whan they shold praye for thenne wolde they wesshe al theyr membres of the body by cause they shold praye the more clâ—ne and in theyr prayeng they confessyd one onely god to whom is none lyke and they sayd that machomete is his prophete and they faste euery yere an hole moneth and whan they faste they ete no thynge but in the nyght and faste alle the day and as sone as the day cometh as whan they may dyscerne blacke fro whyte they begynne to faste and faste tyl the soÌ„ne be doun and nyght in that whyle none of them dare ete ne drynke ne haue to doo wyth his wyf but they that ben seek be not constrayned to thys It is also commaunded to them that ones a yere they shold come vnto the hows of god for to adoure and in vestementes wythout seme to goo aboute and caste stones bytwene theyr thyes for to stone the deuyl therwyth Whiche hows they say that adam made for alle his chyldren for to praye in and lefte it to habraham and Ismahel and atte laste it was lefte to machomete and to alle hys people They myght ete alle maner of flesshe saufe swynes flesshe and blood and flesshe that had be strangled or founde deed Eche man myght haue foure wyues wedded attones and refuse repudye thre tymes and take them ageyn but not the fourth tyme and he myghte haue nomore than foure wyues lawfully but he myght haue concubynes and suche wymmen as many as he may bye as many as he myght kepe and them he may selle but yf she be wyth chylde and it is graunted to them that they may haue wyues of their owne lygnage that their kynrede may be the strenger emonge them in frend shyp and as to theyr possessyons he that demaundeth must haue wytnesses to preue his demaunde and the defendaunte shal be byleuyd by his othe whan they be founde in aduoultrye they be stoned bothe to gyder whan they doo fornycacion they shal haue four score lasshes machomete said that thaungel gabryel had shewed to hym that it was graunted to hym of our lord that he myght goo to other mennes wyues for to engendre men of vertu and prophetes and one of hys seruauntes had a fayre wyf and he defended and forbadde his wyf that she shold not speke with his lord machomete on a day he fonde hir spekyng wyth hym and thenne anone he put hyr from hym and machomete receyued hyr and sette hyr emonge hys other wyues and thenne he doubted the murmure of the peple and fayned that a wrytyng was sente to hym fro heuen in whiche was wryton yf ony man repudyed his wyf that he that receyued hir shold haue hyr to hys wyf whyche thynge the sarasyns kepe for a lawe vnto thys day A theef that is taken emonge them is beten the first and second tyme The thyrd tyme his hande is cutte of The fourth tyme his foot is smyton of hit is forboden to hem to drynke wyne as they afferme our lord hath promysed paradys to them that kepe thyse lawes and other that is to wyte a gardyn or a place of delyces enuyronned with rennyng water In whiche paradys they shal haue setys pardurable ne they shal haue neyther ouermoche hete ne colde they shal vse ete al maner metes what someuer they desyre they shal anone fynde redy tofore them they shal be clad in clothes of sylke of al colours they shal be conioyned to right fayr virgyns alwey they shal be in delices thauÌ„gels shal come as botyllers with vessels of golde syluer shal gyue in them of golde mylke in them of syluer wyn and they shal saye to them ete drynke in gladnes machomete sayth they shal haue thre flodes or ryuers in Paradyse that one of mylke that other of hony and the thyrd of ryght good wyne wyth ryght precyous espyces And that they shal see there ryght fayre aungellys and so grete that fro that one eye to that other is the space of a day iourneye vnto theym that byleue not to god and machomete as they afferme is ordeyned the payne of helle wythout ende and to them that in what someuer synne haue synned and been bounden therin yf in the honour of theyr dethe they byleue in god and to Machomete in the day of dome whan machomete shal come they shal be sauyd and the sarasyns enuoluped in derkenesse afferme that machomete the false prophete to haue had the espyryte of prophecye aboue alle other prophetes and they saye that he had ten aungellys obeyssaunte to hym whyche kepte hym And they say yet that tofore god created heuen and erthe the name of machomete was tofore god and but yf machomete shold not haue been heuen ne erthe ne paradys had neuer be made Also they lye sayeng that the mone came to hym whome receyuyng in to his bosom he departed in to two partes and after ioyned them ageyn to gyder ¶ And they saye that there was a lambe of flesshe offryd to hym whyche spake vnto hym and sayd be ware that thou ete me not For there is venym wythin me and yet neuer thelesse after certeyn yerys there was venym gyuen by whyche he deyed ¶ But now late vs retorne to the historye of the lombardes for thenne the lombardes were moche contrarye to the chyrche
the feyâ—he the kynge was named stephen whyche was of so grete holynesse that god ennoblisshed hym by many myracles and this henry themperour his wyf kunygundys Were bothe clene virgyns and lyued an holy lyf and restyd after in pees hym succeded conrade a duc of fraunce whiche had wedded the nece of saynt henry In that tyme was seen a beme in heuen ful of fyre brennyng was moche grete was aboue the sonne which was seen fallyng to the erthe Thys emperour put somme of the bysshoppes in pryson brente the subarbes of melane by cause the archebysshop of melane fledde out of pryson on Whytsonday as themperour was crowned in a lytel chirche there was so grete thondre so horrible that somme yssued out of their wytte and other deyed for fere brune the bisshop that sange the masse the secretarye of themperour sayden that they had seen saynt ambrose right in the secrete of the masse whyche menaced and thretenyd themperour In the tyme of this conrade the yere a thousand xxv as it is said in a cronycle that th erle lympolde and his Wyf fledde in to a foreste dredyng the yre of the kynge and there hydde them in a lytel hows and as the emperour wente for to hunte in the same foreste the nyghte came vpon hym and must nede abyde there in that lytel hows al nyght and the lady beyng grete wyth chylde as wel as she myght admynystred suche thynge as was necessarye the beste wyse that she myght and that nyght she was delyuerd af a sone and a voys came to themperour whyche sayd to hym conrade the chylde that is now borne shal he thyn heyre gendre that is sone in lawe whan he aroos in the mornyng he callyd to hym ij of his squyers sayd to them goo ye and take awey this childe fro the moder by force and hewe it in pyeces brynge them to me and anone they wente hastelye toke aweye the chylde fro the moders lappe whan they sawe the chylde of so fayre a forme they had pyte and were moeuyd with mercy and layed hym vpon a tree that he shold not be deuoured of wylde beestys they toke an hare slyt hym toke out his herte brought it to themperour the same day a duc passyd by that forest herde the childe crye dyd it to be broughte to hym and by cause he had no sone he made it to be borne to his wyf made it to be nourysshed and fayned that he had engendred it and named hym henry after whan he was nourisshed he grewe was of right fayr forme wel bespoken gracious curtoys to euery body whan themperour sawe hym that he was soo fayr and wyse he requyred hym of his fader maad hym to dwelle in his courte whan he sawe that this chylde was so gracious and curtoys that he was praysed of euery man he doubted that he shold reygne after hym it were he whome he had commaunded to haue be slayne and wrote letters to his wyf with his owen honde and they conteyned thyse wordes folowyng as moche as thou louest thy lyf as sone as thou haste receyued this letter that thou slee this chylde as he wente he was lodged in a chirche and he beyng wery restyd hym vpon a benche his purs henge doun in whiche hys letters were Thenne there was a preest there which desyred moche to see what was in hys purs and opened it and sawe the letters sealyd wyth the kynges seale and wythout brekyng of the seale he opened them and redyng the felonnye he abhorred it and subtylly he rased it and where as hit sayd thou shalte slee hym he wrote thou shalte gyue our doughter to thys chylde for to be his wyf and whan the quene sawe thyse letters sealyd with the kynges seale and that they were wryton with his owne honde she callyd the prynces and solempnysed the matrymonye gafe hir doughter to hym to be hys wyf and the maryage was doon at acon and whan it was tolde to the emperour that the maryage of hys doughter had been solempnelye maad he was moche abasshed and whan he knewe the trouthe of the two esquyers and of the duc that fonde the chylde and of the preest that had sette in the letter the thynges abouesayd he apperceyued wel that the ordenaunce of god ought not to be contraryed and anone he sente for the chylde reteyned hym as hys sone and establisshed hym for to be his heyre and to reygne after hym and in the place where this chylde was borne he founded a noble monasterye whiche is at thys day named vrsyne This henry put oute of his courte al the iougelers gaue to poure men alle that was wonte to be gyuen to mynstrellys In that tyme was so grete dyscorde in the chyrche that there were thre chosen to be pope and a preest named gracyen gafe to the other moche money and they lefte the see to hym and he was pope and as henry the emperour came to Rome for tappease the stryues Gracion came ageynst hym and offryd to hym a crowne of golde for to be to hym debonayr and he passed forthe by fayned alle thyse thynges and dyd doo holde a sene in whiche he condempnyd gracyen of symonye and sette another in his place how be it it is sayd in another place in a letter that he sente to mathylde the countesse that the sayd preest was moche symple and that he had by money goten to hym the papacye that after he knewe his errour and by the meane of the emperour he deposed hym self and after this henry was Emperour the thyrd henry and in his tyme bruno was chosen to be pope and was called leo and as he wente to Rome for to take the see he herde the voys of aungellys syngyng Our lord sayth I am he that knoweth the thoughtes of pees This pope made the lyf of many sayntes In that tyme the chirche was troubled by berenger whiche affermed the body and blood of our lord not to be verayly in the aulter but fyguratyfly ageynst whom wrote lanfranke pryour of beccense and ancelme came to hym out of bourgoyne for hys doctryne whyche was moche aournyd wyth vertue and wysedom and was there pryour after hym In thys tyme was Iherusalem taken of the sarasyns and after was recouerd by crysten men and the bones of saynt nycholas were brought in to baar therof it is sayd whan there shold be songe a newe hystorye of saynt nycholas in a chyrche whyche was of the holy crosse and was subgette to the chirche of our lady of Tarentyne The brethern prayed moche Instauntelye their pryour that they myght synge thys newe hystorye whyche in noo wyse wolde graunte to them and sayd they ought not chaunge their olde for noo newe and yet the brethern prayed hym more Instauntelye
had been deef and dombe the space of fourty yere by cause he had defowled a woman in his hows whyche woman loued hym not he came and fyl doun tofore the byere sodeynlye and beganne to crye and say A man and seruaunte of god thou arte wel come to poynte for me for thy comyng hath guarysshed me and gyuen to me helthe Thenne he aroos and took one of the staues that bare the byere and anone was al hool and seruyd hym al the dayes of his lyf anone yssued out of the towne alle the peple of antyoche and receyued the body moche solempnelye in syngyng psalmonysyng glorefyeng god and with grete plente of lyghtes brennyng bare the body in to the grete chirche which is callyd the chyrche of penaunce Many other myracles hath our Lord shewyd at his sepulture moo were shewyd after than tofore by his lyf Thenne lete vs praye to this holy saynt Symeon that he praye for vs vnto our lord that he haue mercy on vs amen Thus endeth the lyf of Saint Symeon ¶ Here foloweth the lyf of Saynt Polycarpe marter SAint policarpe was dyscyple of saynt Iohan theuangelyst Saynt Iohan ordeyned hym bysshop of suuere and there were at rome thenne two heretykes that one was called marsyon that other valentyn the whiche had deceyued moche people by theyr fals doctryne Thenne saynt polycarpe wente to Rome on ester day and there by his predycacion he broughte ageyn to the feythe them that they had deceyued He wrote to the phylypenses a moche fayr epystle and moche prouffytable the whiche is yet redde in asye vnto this day Hyt happenyd that in the tyme that marcus anthonyus and lucins aurelyus reygned which was the yere of grace an hondred thre score and two was made the fourth persecucyon on crysten peple after themperour New thorugh al asye Saynt Polycarpe herde how the peple cryed and was moeued he therfore was neuer moeuyd but abode wythout drede and he was gracious and curtoys in maners and playsant in regarde and taryed alweye in the cyte as an hardy champyon of god he was so moche requyred of the peple that he departed fro the cyte wyth theyr famylyer frendes that he wente to the felde nyghe vnto the cyte there he prayed alle the nyght for the pees of alle holy chyrche and therof had he a custome alle the dayes of his lyf It happed that thre dayes before that he was taken as he prayed in a nyght he had a vysyon that hym semed that his heer was brente and whan he awoke he tolde to them that were wyth hym the vysyon and expowned it to them sayeng that for certeyn he shold be brente for the loue of god whan he sawe that they approched hym that wold haue taken hym he wente to mete wyth hem and ryght gladly receyued hem wherof they Were moche abasshed that they were commaunded to take so good a man and anone he layed the table to hys enemyes and made to them as good chere as they had ben his frendes and gafe to them largely wyne and mete and gate of them leue to praye an houre and alle that houre he prayed moche deuoutelye for alle the state of holy chyrche Whan the houre was passed he mounted vpon an asse and was broughte in to the cyte and as they ledde hym Herodys came whyche was prouoste of the contree and his fader with hym and they toke hym ni to a charyotte with them and sayd to hym moche swetelye wherfore do ye not sacrefyse as the other doo what harme is it to calle cezar his lord and to doo sacrefyse to the goddes for to lyue surely and whan they sawe that it auaylled not and that alweye he was ferme and constaunte in the lawe of god They were moche wrothe wyth hym and dyd to hym moche harme in the charyotte and as he approched the cite grete multytude of peple began to murmure ageynst hym anone a voys descenoyd from heuen sayeng vnto hym Polycarpe be stronge and constaunte That voys was herde of many butnone sawe it ¶ Thenne anone hyt was tolde to the prouoste alle openlye that polycarpe had thre tymes confessyd to be crysten whan thyse tydynges were herde al the peple of the cyte of suure paynyms and Iewes beganne to crye in grete yre This is the mayster and doctour of al the crysten people that ben in asye and hath destroyed alle our goddes we requyre that he be brente aâ—le quycke Thenne the peple assemblyd moche wood and broughte hym to a stake and whan they broughte hym to the stake they wold haue bounden hym to the stake and naylyd the bondes wyth grete nayles Thenne he sayd to them lete me allone for he that hath ordeyned me to suffre thys tormente of fyre shal gyue to me vertue of pacyence wythout moeuyng me from thys place for to endure and suffre the flamme of the fyre Thenne the tyrauntes lefte the naylles and bonde hym with cordes to the stake and his handes bounden behynde hym And as in hys passyon he praysed blessyd our lord and the fyre was brennyng and a grete flamme shynyng a moche notable myracle was shewyd righ there to moche peple whyche god shewyd to th ende that it shold be shewyd vnto alle other And the myracle was thys that the flamme departed alle aboute hym in manere of a chambre by vertue of a swete mynde that came from heuen and the body of the marter was not as flesshe brente in the flamme but as fayre as it had he purefyed in a fourneys and they that were aboute hym selfe an odour to swete as it had ben entence or precyous oynemente Whan the tyrauntes sawe tht the fyre myght not consume the body of the gloryous marter they maad the mynystres to approche and dyd hâ—m to smyte hym thorugh the body wyth a spere and thenne yssued out of hys gloryous body soo grete haboundaunce of blood that it quenchyd the fyre and whan the people sawe the myracle they departed hauyng moche meruaylle that they dyd soo moche cruelte to the frendes of god and wyth thys glorious marter were twelue other marters marterd for to gete the ioye of heuen the whiche graunte vs the fader the sone and the holy ghoost amen ¶ Thus endeth the lyf of saint Polycarpe marter Here foloweth the passyon of Saynt quyryace IN the tyme that Iulyan thappostata wente for to fyghte ageynste them of perse he came in to Iherusalem and dyd doo seche saynt quyryache the bysshop whiche of hys frendes was callyd Iudas but the quene Saynt Helayne after he was baptysed dyd doo calle hym quyryace And whan he was broughte tofore Iulyan he promysed to hym many rychesses and honoures so that he wold doo sacrefyse vnto the ydole of Iubyter and by cause quyriace wold not doo it Iulyan commaunded to strayne hym on a bankâ— and wyth a 〈◊〉 of yron he mâ—de to opene his mowthe and put in
wherof holy chyrche syngeth Cuius vita gloriosa lucem dedit seculo The noble lyf of our lady geuyth light to all chyrches For as saith hugo de sancto victore O gloriouse lady For as moche as thou hast engendryd a grace and glorye to all maner of peple vnto the deed lyf to synnars grace and to captyfs pardon may be said as is said Iudith .xv capitulo Tu gloria Iherusalem tu leticia Israhel tu honorificencia cÌ„ Thou art the glorye of Iherusalem Thou art Ioye of Israhel thou art alle the honour of our peple Thou hast kepte Chastete and therfor thou shalt be blessyd permanably Capitulo eodem Confortatum est cortuum eo ê‘ castitatem amaueras et post virum tuum adulterium nescieris ideo et manus dominj confortauit te et ioÌ„ eris benedicta in eternum Iudith viij Ora pro nobis quoniam mulier sancta es Item capitulo xiiij Benedicta es cÌ„ Hit was said to Iudith the wedowe this that we may saye to our lady Praye for vs for ye be an holy womaÌ„ ye be a doughter that is blessyd of the souerayn god aboue alle the wymen that ben on the erthe ¶ Thyrdly She is compared to the sterre For she hath dwellyd all her lyf stedfastly in alle werkes of vertue without doyng ony synne lyke as the sterre holdeth hym on the firmament without descendyng to therthe For as saynt bernard saith yf it were demanded to alle the sayntes that euer haue ben haue ye ben without synne exept the gloriose virgine marye they myght answere this that is wreton IohÌ„is j capitulo Si dix erimus quia peccatum non habemus cÌ„ ¶ Yf we saye that we haue doo no synne we deceyue our self and the trouthe is not in vs Thys gloriouse virgyne was in the wombe of her moder sanctefyed more playnly and more specially than euer was ony other For as saith saynt Thomas dalquino in compendio ther ben thre maners of sanctificacions The first is comune and gyuen by the sacramentis of the holy chyrche lyke as by baptesme and other sacramentis And thyse gyue grace but to take away the Inclynacion to synne dedely and venyally nay And this was don in the virgyne marye For she was halowed and comfermed in all goodnes more than euer was ony creature lyke as saith seynt Austyn She dyde neuer synne mortal ne venyal For she was so moche enlumyned by the holy ghoost whiche descended in her that thurgh the concepcion of her blessid sone Ihesu Cryst whyche restyd in her ix monthis she was so confermed in alle vertues that there abode in her no Inclynacion of synne And therfor the holy chyrche doth more Reuerence and honour in ordonnyng to halowe the feste of her concepcioÌ„ by cause thys feste is comen to the knowleche of holy chyrche by somme myracles lyke as we fynde redyng in thys manere Ancelme Archebysshop of Caunterburye and pastour of Englond sende gretyng and benediction in our lord perpetuel vnto the bysshops that ben vnder me And to alle them that haue remembraunce of the blessyd vyrgyne marye moder of god Right dere brethern how the concepcion of the gloryouse virgyne marye hath be shewde somtyme in England in fraunce and in other contreyes by myracles I shal reherce to you In the tyme that it plesed to god for to correcte the peple of england of theyr euyllys and â—ynnys and to constrayne them by hys seruyseâ— he gaf victorye in bataylle to wylliam the glorious duc of Normandye to wynne and conquere the Royame of Englond ¶ And after that he was kyng of the londe Anone by the helpe of god and of hys prudence reformed thestates and dygnytees of holy chyrche in to better reformacion thaÌ„ it had ben To whyche the deuyl enemy vnto all good werkes had enuye payned tempesshe lette the good werkes as wel by falsenes of his seruanÌ„tes as by encoÌ„bryng of his strauÌ„gers For whan the danes herde saye that englond was thus subgette vnto the normans Anon they made theym redy to withstonde it whan kynge wylliam vnderstode this Anon he sente thabbot of Ramesey which was named helisius in to denmarke for to knowe the trouthe This abbotte after that he had don wel and dyligently the charge of hys coÌ„myssion And that he was retorned a grete parte of the see homward anon aroos a grete tempeste on the see in suche wyse that the cordes and other habyllemens of the shippe bracke And the maystres and gouernours of the shyp and alle they that were therin loste the hope and truste tescape the peryl of thys tempest And alle cryed deuoutely to the gloryouse vyrgyne Marye whyche is confoorte to dysconforted and hope to dispayred and Recomanded them self in the kepyng of god ¶ And anon they sawe comyng to fore the shippe vpoÌ„ the water an honourable persone in habyte of a bysshop whiche called the said Abbot in the shyp and said to hym Wylt thou escape thyse peryls of the see and goo home hole and sauf in to thy contre And the Abbote answerd wepyng that he desyred that aboue all other thyng Thenne said thaungele to hym knowe thou that I am sente hether by our lady for to saye to the that yf thou wylt here me doo ther after thou shalt escape thys peryl of the see The abbote promysyd that gladly he wold obeye to that he shold saye ¶ Thenne said the Angele Make couenant to god and to me that thou shal do halowe the feste of the concepcion of our lady and of her creacion wel and solempnly and that thou shalt goo and preche it ¶ And the Abbote demanded in what tyme thys feste shold be kepte The aungele answerd to hym the viij day of decembre And the abbot demaunded hym what offyce and seruyse he shold take for the seruyse in holy chyrche And the Angel answerd alle the offyce of the Natyuyte of our lady sauf where thou saist Natyuyte thou shalt saye Concepcion And anon after the Angel vanysshed away And the tempest cessed And the Abbote cam home saufly in to hys contrey wyth hys companye And notefyeed to alle them that he myghte that he had herd and seen And right dere sirs yf ye wyl arryue at the port of helth late vs halowe deuoutly the Creacion and the concepcion of the moder of our lord by whom we may resseyue the reward of her sone in the glorye of paradys celestial Hyt is also otherwyse declared In the tyme of Charlemayne kynge of FrauÌ„ce ther was a clerke whiche was broder germayn to the kynge of Hongrye whyche louyd hertely the blessyd vyrgyne marye ¶ And was wonte to saye euery day matyns of her and the houres It happed that by counseyl of hys frendes he toke in maryage a moche fayr damoyseylle And whan he had wedded her and the presâ—e had gyuen the benediction on hem after the masse Anone he
remembryd that that day he had not said hys oures of our lady wherfore he sente home the bryde hys wyf and the peple to hys hous ¶ And he abode in the chyrche besyde an aulter for to saye hys houres ¶ And whan he cam to thys Antheme Pulcra es et decora filia Iherusalem that is to saye thou art fayr and gracious doughter of Iherusalem Anon appered to fore hym the gloryouse vyrgyne marye wyth ij angelis on eyther syde and sayd to hym I am fayre and graciouse wherfor leuest thou me and takest thou Another wyf or where hast thou seen one more fayr than I am And the clerke answerd madame thy beaute surmounteth alle th◠beaute of the world Thou art lyfte vp aboue the heuenes and aboue the Angelis what wylt thou that I doo And she answerd and said yf thou wylt leue thy wyf flesshely Thou shalt haue me thyn espowse in the Royaume of heuen And yf thou wylt halowe the feste of my concepcion the eyght day of decembre And preche it aboute that it may be halowed thou shalt be crowned in the Royame of heuen And anone therwyth our blessyd lady lady vanysshid awaye Late vs thēne pray to that glorious virgyne our lady saynt marye that we after thys short and transitorye lyf may be crowned in heuen in glorye celestial to which god brynge vs Amen He endeth the Concepcion of our blessid lady The lyues of the seyntes gencien fulcien and victorice Saynt Fulcien and saynt vyctorice of whom that solempnyte is halowed camē fro the cyte of rome for to preche the faith of Ih̄u crith in to thise parties were in the cite of terwane preched there the faith And they repayred by amyens and passed by a lytyl vylage named Sayns foūde there a good man that byleued in god but he was not yet baptised was named gēcien And he salewed thē said sires ye be welcome And they said god saue you And after he demanded thē what seche ye and they answered we seche one of our felawes called quyntyne and he said ha faire sires he was but late byheedyd not longe sith and sentence was gyuen that where suche maner people myght be foūden that prechid of god that they shold be slayn but come ye ner ete ye a morsel of breed And as they were there a tyraunt that was callid Rixionayre cam with sergeants said to gencien delyuer to vs theym that ben here in and he said I shal not doo it Thēne he he drewe out his swerde al naked Gencien said they take non hede of you The tyraunt Rixionaire had grete angre sorowe and made to take gencien and smote of hys heed And after he made to be taken seynt fulcyen and saynt victoryece and brought thē to amyens And saide to thē that they shold forsake their god whom they had made dye an euyl deth and they said they wold not Thenne he dyde do take broches of yron and pute them thurgh their eeres thurgh theyr nosethrelles after dide do smyte of their heedes by the wil power of our lord they aroos vp and toke their heedes in their hondes and bare them two myle ferre fro the place where they had ben beheded And alle thre were buried to gydre in that toun whiche is called saynt fulcien a grete rage and madnes toke the tiraūt Rixionaire he cried thurgh the cyte of amyens alle araged Alas Alas Alas Now ben wel the sayntes auenged on me And sith deyed fowle in hys wodenes And thus were the frendes of our lord auenged on the tyraunt And by suche martirdom the glorious sayntes departed out of this lyf vnto the Royame of heuen Theenne praye we vnto the glorious martirs saynt fulcien saynt victorrice And saynt Gencien that they wil praye god for vs that by their merytes we may haue pardon foryeuenes of our synnes Amen Thus enden the lyues of the holy seynttes Gencien Fulcien victorice Here foloweth the lif of the blessid virgyne lucye Lucie is said of light And lyght is beaute in beholdyng after that saynt Ambrose saith the nature of light is suche She is gracious in beholdyng She spredeth ouer all without lyeng doun She passeth in goyng right without crokyng by right longe lygne ¶ And it is without dilacion of taryeng ¶ And therfor it is shewde the blessyd lucye hath beaute of virgynyte without ony corrupcion ¶ Essence of charyte without disordynate loue Rightful goyng and deuocion to god with out squaryng out of the waye Rightlonge lyne by contynuel werke without necglygence of slowful taryeng In lucye is said the waye of lyght SAynt lucye the holy vyrgyne was born in Cecylle and extrayt engendred of a noble lygnage in the cyte of Syracuse whan she herd of the good fame and renomee of seynt Agathe or Agaas whiche was publysshid and sprad al aboute Anone she wente to her sepulcre with her moder whiche was named eutice whiche had a maladye named the blody flux ◠by the space of iiij yere the whiche no maistre in phisike ne in Cyrurgerye coude hele And whan they were ther atte a masse ¶ One redde a gospell whiche made menycion of a woman which was heled of the blody flux by touchyng of the hemme of the cote of Ihesu cryst whan saynt lucye herd this anon she said to her moder Moder yf ye byleue that this whiche is redde be trewe also that seynt Agathe hath now presently with her Ihesu cryst and also that for his name she suffred martirdom And yf ye with this bileue touche her sepulcre withoute doubte ye shal be anon guarysshyd and heelid vpon this they after the messe whan the peple were deparded they tweyne fyl doun on their knees on the sepulcre of saynt Agatha in prayers and wepyng began to praye for her helpe and aid Seynt lucye in makyng her prayers for her moder fylle a slepe and she sawe in her slepe saynt agathe emong thaungeles nobly aourned and arayed with precious stones whiche said thus to her Lucye my swete suster deuoute virgyne to god wher for prayest thou to me for thy moder for suche thyng as thou maist thy self right soone gyue to her For I telle the for trouthe that for thy faith and thy good lyf thy moder is sauf and hooll with thyse wordes saynt lucye awook alle aferde and said to her moder Moder ye be guarisshed and alle hool I praye you for her sake by whoos prayers ye ben heled That ye neuer make mencion to me for to take an husbond ne spouse But alle that good that ye wold gyue me wyth a man I praye you that ye wylle gyue it to me for to doo almesse with alle that I may come to my Sauyour Ih̄u cryst Her moder answerd to her Fayr doughter thy patrymonye whyche I haue receyued thys ix yere syth thy fader deide I haue nothyng