she secid neuer by prayer vnto the tyme they were fully delyuerd out of payne ParaueÌ„t now somme therâ—en that set lityl by this myracle by cause if was inuisybyll but yf they take hede inwardly of the wordes of saynt augustyn and saynt Gregory they shold fynde well that this was more myracle than yf the bodyes hadde ben reysed from deth to lyue For saint gregory sayd thus that in the bodely resurrexcioÌ„ the flesshe is reysed the whiche shal deye eftsones and whan the soule is reysed it shall lyue wythouten ende yet shall I telle you another synguler gyfte of conuersacion of thys hooly mayde wan of god There was one the whiche was called â—abes amonges whom there was one chylde of his that was called James or Jacob he was a synfull lyuer full of pryde and of creuelte soo that yet beyng yonge in age he kyllyd two men ful cruelly that euery man that knewe hym was aferd of hym ne loued hym not But euery day he lyued werse and werse and had a suster that was called Shy nochya the whiche was fully gyuen to vanyte of the world in passyng outrages aray of her body albe it she was a mayde of her bodi Her moder â—abes had therof grete forowe lest they shold be dampned for ther mysbelyuyng she wente to this foly mayde and prayed her that she wolde vochesaf to speke somwhat of soule he le wyth her to her doughter Fracisca and Shynochya but specyally wyth shynochya this holy mayde as she hadde euer to sowles grete compassyon graunted her that she wolde gladly and soo she dyde For what prayer and monycions of our lord Ihesu Cryste was soo grounded in the soule that Shynochya that sodenly she put awaye fro her all the vanyte of the world that she vsed in pompous araye And kyt awaye her heer of her hede wherof she was woute be proude of And tooke vppon her the habyte of Saynt Domynyk and so was made a suster of penaunce And euer afterward she lyued in prayers medytacyons in grete sharpe penaunce Sone after came hir suster Francysca and took vpon hyr the same abyte lyued to gyder ryght deuoutely Of this herde James or Jacob her brother that was not the same tyme in Sene whanne his sustren were torned he came to the Cyte ward wyth a yong brother of hys cursyng thretnyng wyth a grete pryde all tho that excyted hys susters to that abyte Seynge cryeng wyth a bolde spyryte that he wolde tere awaye that abyte fro their back breng theim to hys how 's there he dwelled To whome hys yonger brother the whiche came with hym sayd trewely James yf thou come to Sene thou shalt be torned also and be shryuen of thy synnes with that he cursed hys brother bytterly sayde that he had leuer flee bothe freres prestys thenne he wolde be shryuen to ony of hem all The chylde oftymes rehersed hys ê“phecyes as ofte he cursed So that at the last he entred in to the Cyte as a wood man forthe he wente to hys faders how 's thretnyng that he wold do grete horryble thynges but yf his sustren specyally Ethynoccyam wolde do awaye hyr abyte come home to hym All this was not vnknowen to this holy mayde but she knowe it neuer by creature on erthe but by god In the mene whyle his moder Rabes stylled and peased hym prayng hym that he wolde abyde tyll the morow On the morow she sente to this holy maydes confessour frere Thomas that he wolde wouchesauf come speke with hir sone James And counseyll hym for hys sowle helthe He came wyth hym a felawe frere Bartholomew spake to hym But all their speche as them semed myght not profyte in him All that same tyme this holy mayde Katheryne prayed to our lorde for hys conuersyon whiles frere Bartholomew spak to hym And thenne sodeynly oure lorde touched Jamys herte to contrycyon and he sayde to frere Bartholomew that he was well apayed of hys suster that she sholde serue god But also he prayed hym of confessyon wyth grete contrycyon that he myght be shriueÌ„ of hys synnes and serue god also He was thenne so perfytely shreuen That somme synnes whiche he wold neuer be knowe ne confessyd to noo man he was confessyd to hym Soo that wyth Inne a lytell tyme after of a wolfe he was made a lambe and of a lyon a whelpe That all folk that knewe hym were amerueylled of hys sodeyne tornyng His moder Rabes was a meruaylled and alle hyr meyne and thanked oure lorde for that specyall grace Frere Thomas and frere Bartholomew also ioyed in oure lorde and wente for to tell alle this to this holy mayde the whiche was doune whanne they were come to here how 's they fouÌ„de hyr yet in rauyssheng and hyr felawe was that tyme in hyr chambre wyth hyr As sone as she was cessyd of hyr rauyssheng and restoryd to hyr bodely wyttes hyr felawe came doune out of the chambre from hyr and welcomed hyr confessour Thenne sayde hyr confessour to hyr felawe We ben come for to tell Katheryne that she sholde thanke our lord god For James that is torned trewely to god and is shreuen of alle hys synnes thys morowe tyde to frere Bartholomew To whome sayde hyr felawe ryght nowe Katheryne tolde me the same that ye say And whan they were were come vp to katheryne she sayde to theym wyth grete sadnes in this wyse Faders we been moche bounde to thanke our sauyour that neuer dyspsed the prayer of his seruauntis For the same desyre the whiche he enspyred theym wyth he fulfylled in theym The fende wende he shold haue hadde awaye fro vs our lytill shepe But our fader of mercy hath byreiued away from hym his pray he wende to had away from Cryst Shynochia But he hath lost James that he helde soo stronge in his bondes For so it happeth euer to hym whan he reyseth vp his hede of pryde agaynst Crystis chosen Afterward that mayde Shynochya euer contynued in prayers and holy medytacions to her last daye And wyth a grete ghostely ioye by dyuerse sekenes the whiche our lord gaue her She passeth to our lord out of this worlde Thenne her suster francisca that lyued but lytyl while after folowed her in good lyuing and wyth a mery smylyng there she passed also to god out of this world ¶ Ferdermore the sayd James her broder wythin a lytyll tyme after forsoke perfyghtly the worlde and was made a fryer prechours and lyued deuoutly euer after All thyse thynges were wrought by the holy ghost and by his spouse Katheryne graunted his grace to alle tho that she prayed for ¶ Ouermore I shalle telle you another merueylous thynge that Mayster Reymound bereth recorde of hym self In the same Cyte of Seene there was a greate man the whiche was called Nannes he a wounder wordely wyse man more enclynyng to euyll than to good that man
wyll of god Neuerthelesse though in maner she bowed our lord to hyr prayers yet she myght not enclyne hir moder wyll by hyr exortacyons ¶ Thenne our lord spake to hys spouse Katheryne and sayde Telle thy moder that she hath now no nede to passe out of this worlde but tyme shall come that she shall desyre for to deye and then̄e she shal not haue it and that was sothe ¶ Hyt befyll that she lyued in to a grete age and sawe many aduersytres in hyr dayes as well of persones as of theyr goodys in so moche that she sayde ofte tymes in heryng of many folke suche wordes Whether our lord Ihesu hath put a soule in my body that it shall neuer be delyuered thens So many chyldren and doughters grete and smale yong and olde ben dede and I may not deye ¶ Now I shall cesse of this mater and procede forthe in the fyrst mater that I began Lapa this holy maydes moder was of so harde herte that she wolde in no wyse dye ne by confessyd ne thynke in noo wyse on hyr soule he le ¶ Thenne oure lorde for to appyre more meruayllously in hys spouse Katheryne denyed in maner as it semed hys fyrste graunte And suffred Lapa to drawe fast toward the deth wythout confessyon Whan this holy mayde perceyued that she lyfte vp hyr eyen to heuen wyth wypyng terys sayd to our lord thus A a lord god ben thise thy behestys that thou hast graunted me that none of my faders houshold shold perysshe is this thy mercyable byheste that saydest my moder sholde not passe hens ageynst hyr wyll I see well now that she shall dye wythout sacramentys of holy chyrche Therfore I beseche the by alle thy mercyes that thou suffre me not to be deceyued and that I goo not hens a lyue vnto the tyme thou haste yolde to me my moder reuyued in soule and body ¶ These wordes and these meruayllous cause herde thre wimmen of Sene that were present ¶ Whan hyr moder as it semed by syghte and felyng was dede soo that they were aboute for to go home ageyne to theyr howses leuyng Lapa there for dede yf it had not ben that the holy mayde prayed as she dyd and therfore they abode the lenger Of the maners of these wymmen I shall tell you afterward ¶ Thys holy mayde contynued long in prayers at the last our lord herde hyr prayers gracyously and quyckened the soule and the body ageyne of Lapa that she lyued afterward vnto the tyme she was foure score yere of age and nyne wyth grete torment of herte for many aduersytres that she suffred as it was prophecyed to hyr afore by hyr doughter this holy mayde ¶ Of this myracle were wytnesse one Katheryne and Angelyna sustres of penaunce and also Lysa this holy maydes cosyn they were present whan Lapa was leyde forthe for dede and herden how this holy mayde prayed to oure lorde thus Lorde ben these thy behestys that thou behote me as it is sayd afore Of the remeynaunt of hyr age whan she was restoryd ageyne to lyf bare wyttenes many one Lo ye maydens here may ye knowe of what meryte this holy mayde was wyth our lord Ihesu that delyuered hyr faders soule out of purgatory and reduced hyr moders soule in to hir body ageyne meruayllously ¶ Another meruayllous thyng shall I tell you It happened that ther was a comyn pestylence of bocchys reygnyng in the Cyte of Sene soo that it oppressyd bothe men and wymmen yong and olde to the deth that comynly they dyed wythin two dayes or thre at the ferthest the whiche sekenes feryd many a man ¶ Thenne mayster Reymond wente aboute to vysyte seek folke and comforted them in god no thyng chargyng of the Infeccyon of that pestylence touchyng hys bodely deth soo that he myght wynne soules Whanne he hadde so vysyted them for werynes that he had in goyng aboute he restyd hym in a chyrche of our lady where to he hadde a grete deuocyon and namely for the persone of the same chyrche was a blessyd lyuer and well knowen wyth thys holy mayde Katheryne the whiche persone was called Syr Mathewe ¶ It befyll fewe dayes after that mayster Reymond wente out by the morowe for to vysyte seek folke as he was wonte And as he came by the chyrche of our lady for deuocyon that he hadde to our lady in that place and also for affeccyon that he hadde to the persone syr Mathewe he wente for to loke how he ferde Sodeynly whan he was entred in to the chyrche he sawe syr Mathewe bere vp in to hys chambre semynge as he hadde be dede by vyolence of that pestylence For he hadde lost bothe colour of hys face and strengthe of hys body and also hys speche ¶ Thenne mayster Reymond axed of other aboute what hym eyled They answerde and sayd that the nyght afore aboute one after mydnyght he was vppe for to vysyte a seek body And wyth Inne lytell tyme afterward he was take wyth the pestylence Here of was mayster Rymond ryght sorye folowed hym vp to his chambre as other dyd and then ne satte doun by hym Wythin a whyle after whan he was layde in hys bedde he recouered his spyrytes ageyne and callyd mayster Reymond to hym prayeng hym of confessyon and so was shryuen clene of hys synnes as he was ofte wonte to do After tyme that he was assoylled mayster Reymound axed how it stode wyth hym and he answerd and sayd ageyne that it greued hym so sore in hys grynde or in the flanke that it semed to hym his thygh wolde falle awaye and not onely the thygh but also the hede fareth as though it were departed in foure partyes by payne and ache that he suffred ther Inne Thenne mayster Reymond touchyd tastyd hys poūse and founde well that he hadde a passyng feuer Wherfore he had hys menye that they sholde bere hys water to leches and so they dyd But mayster Reymound folowed soone after to knowe verayly what the leches wolde saye To whome the leche sayde thus Thys man is take wyth the pestylence and therfore I drede me that the how 's of our lady shall wante and lacke a good persone ¶ Thenne axed mayster Reymond whether he myght be holpe by ony maner remedye of medycynes he sayd that he sholde assaye But he hadde no grete trust in noo medycynes by cause the sykenes was ryght greuous Thus mayster Reymond departed from hym wyth grete sorowe euer prayeng by the waye to our lord in hys soule that he wolde wouchesauf to saue hys bodely lyf Yet a whyle for hys example to many ¶ In the mene whyle this holy mayde herde saye that syr Mathewe was seek whome she loued tenderly for hys vertuous lyuyng Anone she wente home to hym and as soone as she sawe hym she cryed to hym and sayd ¶ Aryse vp syr Mathewe aryse vp for shame is it now tyme to lye a bedde Sodeynly thenne atte hyr callyng
wyth me that may sâ—ye vp to the brydge that is by iij degrees the whiche â—en in thre myghtes of the â—owle Also of this worde brydge I made another lykenes by fygure of myn owne body The thyrde for sayde degrees as thou knowest well The fyrst in â—â—e feet wounded the seconde in the syde wounded And the thyrde in the blessyd mouth in the whiche I putte thre states of the soule that is vnperfgiht state the ê‘fight state the most vnperfyght state in the whiche most perfigâ—â— state a soule atteyneth and comyth perfyghtly to the excellent of the vnyte of loue shewynge to the Also in euery forsayd a state what thynge it is that wythdraweth putteth away inperfeccion and by what waye men maye goo therto And also I tolde the of â—â—e preuy deceytes of fendes and of properte of ghosâ—â—ly loue spekynge also to the reprehencions in thyse thre states the whiche my mekenes doth and maketh And the first reprehencion I put that is done to meÌ„ in â—er lyue or the soule go out of the body The second in the deth as for â—â—eym â—â—at deyen in dedely synne wyâ—â—out hope of whom I saide to the that they wente vnder the brydge by a wayâ— of the fende tellyng to the mysery wretchednes of suche dampned soules The reprehencion shall bedone in the generall dome And there I tolde the somwhat off the paynes of dampned soules and off the ioye whiche blyssed soules haue whaÌ„ they shall receyue theâ— owne bodyes Also I promytted to the eftsones I promytte to the that wyth moche sufferaunce I shall reforme myn spouse byddyng you and theym to suffre for her playnyng wyth the of the wickednes of mineuyll seruauntes And sâ—â—wyug to the in what excellens and wourthines I haue sette theym and the reuerence that I requyre wyl that seculers done to them Shewyng also to the how for defaute off theym the reuerence that ought to be done to them shold not be lesned â–ª how suche lesnyng of reuerence is â—ysplesauÌ„t and contrarye to myn wyll And also I spake to the of the vertu of theym that lyueÌ„ vertuously in erâ—â—e as angellis touchinge the also wyth that of the excellens off the reuerend sacrament of the aulter Also by cause I spake of the fosayd iij states of the soule thou woldest wete and knowe also of the estate of teres from whens the 〈◊〉 come I tolde the for to accorde the statis of â—â—ris wyth the states of the soule and sayde that al 〈◊〉 comeÌ„ out of the well of the herte and ordeynatly I assygned to the cause of suche teres the iiij states of â—eres of the firste state of â—â—râ—s that causeth deth also I tolde I answerd also to thyn fourthe petycion in the whiche petycion thou praydest me that I wolde prouyde for euery partyculer cas that might happe and I prouyded and purueyde therfore as thou knowest well Aboue all this I declared to the and told the off myâ— prouydence as well in generall as in speciall begynnynge from the begynnyng of the creacion of mankynde vnto the ende of the worlde how I made alle thynges and make yet wyth hym dyuyne proâ—ydence gyuyng and promytting that what that euer is gyuen to you bee it â—â—ybulacions or ellis temperall comforâ—â—s oâ— spyrytuall comfortes all thynges is done for your good that ye maye bee made holy in me And myn trouthe may be performyd in you My trouthe was is this that I haue made you of nought that ye maye receyue euerlastyng â—yâ—â— The whiche touthe I made open to you by the blode of myn only begoten sone Also at the laste I made a seeth to thyn desyre and the promyssyon that I made to the tellynge to the of the perfection off obedyence And whens it cometh and what it may be that wythdrawe you awaye from your obedyens And I put obedyens for a generall key and so it is And I tolde the also of partyculer obedyens bothe of perfyght folke and of vnperfyght folke as well as wythin â—â—lygion as wythout relygyon spekyng of eche of theym dystynctly And of the â—ees that obedyens yeueth and of the werâ—â— that inobedyens maketh And how moche an inobedyent man disceyuâ—th hym selfe addyng and puttyng to that for the inobedyenâ— of Adam â—â—eth entred in to alle the world Now I souerayne and the gloryous euerlastynge fader of endeles trouthe and veryte conclude the that by obedyens of myn only goâ—â—n sone Ye shall haue euerlastynge lyff And ryght as ye all token deâ—â— of the fyrst olde man of synne soo alle ye that wyllen beâ—â— the keye of obedyens haue take lyf of the newe man the whiche is swete Ihesus â—â—â—st of whom I haue made you a bridge afâ— tyme the waye of heuen was booke that ye mowe goo by this swete ryght waye the whiche is one ryght veryte shynyng wyth the keye of obedyens that ye maye passe the derkenesse of this worlde with outen offence And at the laste wyth the keye of myn obedyent sone ye maye opâ—ne heuen Now I stere the and alle myn seruauntes to wepe for wyth wepyng meke contynuell prayer and prayâ—ng I wyll do mercy to the worlde renued to the worlde by this waye of trouthe And that thou shalt not afterward bee repreuyd wyth lyght steryng for now I shall aske morâ— of the than I haue doo afore sythen it is soo that I haue shewed the myn selfe in myn trouthe And take hede that thou goo not out of the celle of the knowlecâ—â— of thyn self But therin spende and conserue the tresour that I haue gyue to the The whiche tresour is one doctryne of trouthe gronuded vppon a stedfaste and quycke the stone the whiche is Ihesu crysâ—e That doctryne also is clothed wyth â—yght by the whiche derkenesse ben destroyed therfore welbeloued doughter bee arayed wyth this lyght of trouthe Thenne the soule of this holy mayde katheryn after tyme it sawe all this wyth the eye of vnderstondyng and by medyacion of this lyght of faythe it knowe ryght â—oâ—yly the trouthe and the excellens of obedyens and it herd it wyth ryght felynge and tastyng it wyth affection and wyth an vnspecabyll desyre beholdyng it in the dyuyne reuerend mageste And it thanked hym sayeng thus ¶ I thanke the gloryous 〈◊〉 fader almyghty god For thou â—aste not despysed me thyne hondwerke ne thou haste not tourned awaye thyn face â—oo me ne despysed myn desires thou endeleâ— lyghâ— considerest not myn deth ne thou leche despisest not mi grâ—â—oê° sekenes the endeles puryte despysest not me full of fylthe moche wretchednesse thou infynmyte consyderest me that am fynite â–ª Thou wysdom wysdom beholdest me that am foly For thyse and other moo infynyte wretchydnesses and innumerable defautes that ben in me thou hast not despysed me ne thyn wysdom thyn goodnes thy mekenes thyn endeles goodnes hathe not dyspysed me but rather thou hast gyue me lyght in
vp of hyr bedde not wythstondyng that she was seek hir self of the feuers and other dyuers passyons and sayd to hyr felawe Goo we and see we how srere Reymond dothe fare And hyr felawe answerd sayd that it was no nede though it were nede yet was she more seker than he Neuerthelesse yet she come to hym and axyd how he ferd Anone whan he sawe hyr he meruaylled gretety sayd to hyr as feâ—illy as he myght speke Aa lady why come ye hyther ye be agrete dele seker than I am Thanne she began to speke of the goodnesse of our lord as she was wonte to do and of oure vnkyndnesse ayenst hym Wyth that mayster Reymond hir confessour arose vp out of hys bedde gretely comforted by hyr wordes and sate in an other bedde besyde hauyng no mynde yet of the wordes that the holy mayde spake to hym at euen afore All this whyle she contynued in spekyng of the kyndenes of our lord and of oure grete vnkyndenes Sodeynly in tyme of hyr deuoute comunycacyon came to hys mynde a clere consyderacyon of hys synnes that hym thought he stode afore the ryghtwys Jugement to be condempned to the peyne for his wycked lyuyng ryght as a theef that stood before a temporall Juge Hym thought also that he sawe in hys soule the grete benygnyte the mekenes of our lorde that gracyously delyuered hym fro the peyne that he was worthy for to haue not onely that but also he clothed hym wyth hys owne clothes ther he was naked and had hym in hys holy how 's and fedde hym and nourysshed hym and accepted hym to hys seruyce and ther to by the synguler grace of hys ende Loo the goodnesse hys deth vnto lyf hys drede vnto hope hys sorow vnto ioye hys shame vnto worshyp By thyse consyderacioÌ„s clerely knowynges and syghte of hys soule the wyckettes of the wyndowes of his harde herte were broken vp opened and the wellys ryuers of wepyng terys aperyd plenteuouly by cause that the foundament the grounde of hys trespassys were shewed so clerely to hym in so moche that he wayled that he was aferde laste by suche grete plente of sorow hys herte his brest wold haue to barst Whan thys holy mayde saw that she was styll suffred hym a whyle to be fedde wyth hys owne terys for therefore she came Wythin a whyle after he cessyd lytell lytell and bethought him meruayllously of this newe grace thynkyng also of hys petycyon the whiche he axed of this holy mayde the day before wyth that he torned to hyr sayd is thys thy bull that I spak of to you yesterdaye She answerd sayd ye laynge hir hondes vpon hys sholdres seyeng thus haue in mynde fader of the gracyous yeftes of our lord And soo wente home to hyr chambre and he abode stylle wyth hys felawe gretely edyfyed comforted Another tyme the same mayster Reymond had another excellent token of thys holy mayde wyth out ony axyng afore Hit happed on a tyme that thys holy mayde was vysyted by dyuers sekenes laye seek in hyr bedde And sent after hyr confessour desyryng to comen wyth him pryuely of other newe reuelacyons the whyche our lord had shewed her grete sekenesse beganne to speke of the goodnes of our lord and of the reuelacion that he shewed hyr that day He heryng so grete reuelacyonâ— and wonderfull shewed to hyr and to none other that euer he herde of hauyng no mynde of the grace that our lord hadde gyue hym afore by prayers of this holy mayde He bethought hym of somthynges that she rehersed and sayd to himself thus whether it be all trewe that she seyth Whanne he had thought thus he loked sodeynly in hyr face and saw that hyr vysage was transformed in to mannes vysage berded the whyche vysage behelde hym stedfastly and made hym sore aferde Hit was to his syght a semely longe vysage of myddel age not hauynge to long a berde but of a resonable assise coloured after whete shewyng in his syghte a mageste after the mageste of oure lord Jhesu and myght in no wyse for that tyme see none other face but onely that face Of thys syght he had so grete a fere that he lyfte vp his armes and began to crye and sayd Oo who is he that loketh vpon me To whome this holy mayde answerd and sayd He that is seeth and beholdeth you wyth that worde that dredefull face vanysshed awaye and the maydens vysage appyred to him clerely Thys was no feynyng thyng but a trewe as he recordeth bereth wytnes in hys wrytynges He recordeth also for the more confyrmacyon of that myracle that after that sensybly vysyon he hadde soo clere a knowyng wythin hymself im his sowle by ghostly Illumynyng of the mater that the holy mayde spak to hym of the whiche he wyll not pupplyche it openly That hym thought he felt in experyence that thyng the whyche our lorde sayd to hys dyscyples whan he behote them the holy ghoost seyeng to theim thus Et que ventura sunt annunciabit vobis That is whan ye haue receyued the holy ghost he shall shewe thynges that ben to come Loo For the mystrust that he hadde to her wordes oure lorde of his gracyous goodnesse wouchesauf to teche hym clerely by him self he afterward for to bere wyttenes to other that hir reuelacions weren ben trewe pryntyng stedfastly in his mynde the grete graces that he shewed to Saynt Thomas of Inde for he that wolde not be taught enfourmed by open tokenes of gracyous gyfte the whyche he receyued by this holy mayde he was taught and enformed by example of suche a disciple that was mystrowyng as he was For after tyme he had receyued a gracyous token of conpunccyon of our lord a fore by merytes of holy prayers of this holy mayde yet he contynued in mystrust of hyr reuelacyons that they were not trewe Wherefor our lord himself shewed hym self openly to his outeward wyttys that he myght therby knowe by open experyence that he spak in hir so that it may be sayd that he shewed him thenne to mayster Reymond the whiche mystrowed as he dyd som tyme to saynt Thomas of Inde by bodely felyng And ryght as he cryed afterward sayd this worde Deus meus et dominus meus That is my god my lord So may thys mystrowynge renuwed saye after thise two vysyoÌ„s of this holy mayde that she is was the veray spouse and the veray discyple of our lord god All these ben rehersed to you maydens that ye sholde be in no doubte ne despyse the reuelacions and the vysyons the whiche ye shall here by the helpe of god afterward Alle be it that no wytnes may be founde of recorde saue she allone but that ye sholde here hem rede hem vnderstonde hem with reuerence And also that ye may lerne ther by holy examples doctrynes the whiche our lord hath shewed
her to suffre pacyently and gladly the seke wommans rebukynge ¶ And yet ferthermore to this dede off charyte was knytte wythouten ony doughte sekernesse of clere faythe By the whiche faythe she behelde euer her spouse Jhesu in her sowle as ofte as she mynystred to that woman ¶ And yet neuertheles she failed none hope by the whiche she contynued to the laste ende in her holy mynystracyon After alle thyse hooly company of vertues folowed an open myracle in clensyng of that lepre by the dethe of this poure woman the whiche she toke by her mynystracyon This is a gracious myracle and a merueylous yet sholde ye see and here a more merueylous thinge that folowed yf ye lysten here it besely In the same Cyte of Gene there was a susters of penaunce of Saynt Domynyk seke that whiche was called after the maner of speche iÌ„ the couÌ„tre Palmaria the suster Palmaria was so gretely styred to hate by excytacion of the fende agaynst this holy mayde katheryn that as ofte as euer she sawe her or herd herd her speke or herd speke of her she was hyghely troubylyd in her sowle soo ferforth that she shewed alle the tokenes of malyce agaynste her bothe in baâ—bytyng of her pryuyly and openly also in cursyng Assone as the holy maide perceyued this she shewed to her alle maner of myldenes and mekenes for to pees her in that that she coude but alway her seke suster despysed all her mekenesse to the vtterest and sette none pryce bi her Thenne this holy mayde ranne by prayer wyth a feruent deuote herte to our lorde Ihesu her spouse prayeng to hym specyally for her seke suster that he wold vouchesauf to gyue her grace of forgyuenes the prayers were as a brennyng fyre ascendynge vp to our lorde askyng of him bothe mercy dome all bee it that the entent of this holy mayde was nothyng ellys but for to aske mercy for her and no ne dome yet it was lykyng to our lorde for that tyme not for to gyue hys mercy wythout dome there shewed oure lorde hys grete dome but yf byrrayers of this holy mayde He shewed a more gretter mercy he smote mercyably to that suster Palmarya in her body that her soule shol be made hole but what hardynes of obstinacion was in that seke suster And what swetenes of charyte there agaynst was in his spouse katheryne It was clerely shewed afterward by ryghtwysdom euermore he encresyng in this holy mayde katheryn the loue of sowles by shewyng of a wonderfull fayrnes of that susters soule the whiche was fyrst by the ryght wysdome of hym I demed to bee dampned for her obsâ—ynacie but merytes and prayers of this hooly mayde it was afterward saued Whan our lorde hadde smyte that suster palmarya in her body by bodely sekenes to that entent onely that her soule shold be more hole yet wolde she not sece of her malycyous hate that she shewed wythout cause to this holy mayde But rather was more greuoê° to her after her sekenes thenne she was in her he le The more froward she was to the holy mayde the more mekenes she she wed agayn to her and wold ofte tymes full charytably be wyth her and do her seruyce both wyth louyng wordes and dedes ¶ Yet was that seke suster harder thenne ony stone agaynste her that neyther by charytable wordes ne dedes ne seruyces she wolde not be pesed but euer was grutchyng vpon her soo ferforth that she bad her goo out of the hous that she was inne wyth a wood violent spyryt This consyderyd our lord that rightwis iuge he leyde his honde of ryghtwysnes vpon that enmye of charyte and touched her soo Soo sodenly that bothe wythout shryfte and housell she drewe faste to the deth of body and sowle Whan this holy may herd her of Anone she went to her chamber and bysoughte our lord by deuout prayer for that soule lest it sholde peryche by occasyon of her Suche wordes she seyde to oure lorde in her sowle in tyme of her prayer as afterward she was be knowe to her confessour Lord whyder I wretche am I bore to the ende by occasyon of me soules I made lyke to that shold be put to endeles peynel â— wylt thou suffer lord that by occasyon of endeles daÌ„pnacion to myn suster to whom I sholde be an instrument of euerlastynge helthe A myn good lord put awaye suche an orybyll dome sor the multytude of thyn grete mercy It had be better I had neuer be borne than soulis I bought by precyous blod shold for me be dampned O lorde be thyse thyne byhestes the whiche thou behotest me by thy large mercy I sholde be profytable to the sowle he le off myn neyghbours be thyse the fruytes of helthe that I sholde brynge forth for that myn suster sholde be dampned and none douwte mynsynne is cause therof and of her payne For other fruyte brynge I not forth but synne alone But yet shall I not cese to aske mercy vnto the tyme I haue somme comforte of myn susters sauacion in this wyse this hooly mayde prayed more in sowle thenne in worde outward and for that she shold haue the more compassyoÌ„ of her susters sowle our lord shewed her in the mischefs perile that her susters sowle was inne comered and wythinne that syght oure lorde answerd her and sayde that he myght not suffer it of his ryghtwysnes but that suche a malycious hate and an obstynate must nedes be punysshed Thenne the holy maide fell doune a fore oure lord in prayer and sayde Lord I shall go neuer out of this place in to the tyme thou hast shewed methy mercy for my suster punisshe me lorde for her synne for I that am cause of her trespaas shold bee punisshed and not she therfore merciable lord I beseche the for thy grete mercy and thyn endeles godenes that thou suffer not myn susters sowle goo out of her body in to the tyme that she haue receyued that grace thy merci ¶ Loo maydens that prayer was off grete strengthe that her suster soule myghte not passe out of the body vnto the tyme oure lorde shewed his plentuous mercy in her notwythstondynge the seke woman lay adrawyng on thre dayes and thre nyghtes soo that many folke that knewe her merueylled and sorowed for her that she suffred soo longe a peyne yet in all that tyme this holy mayde continued in her deuout prayer neuer cesing vnto the tyme she hadde ouercome in maner of our lord by meke teres Thenâ—e our lorde by her deuout prayers graciously sent his mercy vnto that sowle and gaue her clere knowyng to knowe her trespas and also gaue her suffycient contrycion to helthe of her sowle Assone as this holy mayde perceyued that by reuelacion that she hadde suche a grace she wente to the seke susters chamber for to comforte her And whan the seke suster sawe this hooly mayde she dyde her reuerence wyth grete ioye as
she myght whome she had first in grete repreue and soo she accused her self wyth spekynge and tokens makyng asked her mercy and forgyuenesse of her trespaas as she myght speke and soo she was shryue and hoselyd and passyd out of this worlde wyth grete contrycion Whan she was passed out of this world thenne our lorde shewed to this holy mayde her sowle in soo grete bryghtnesse and fayrnes that as she knowleched afterward to her confessour it myght not be tolde ne spoken wyth mannys tongue Yet was not that the fayrenesse that she sholde haue in blysse endelesly but oonly the fayrenes that she hadde in her first creacion and in receyuyng of her baptysme And thenne sayde our lord to this hooly mayde loo dere doughter by the I haue receyned this soule that was loste is thys not a fayre soule and a semely Loo is he or she that wyll not doo her besines for wynnyng of suche a fayre sowle yf that I am the most souerayn fayrnes of whom cometh alle maner of vertues fayrnesse was so oucome thrugh loue of fairnesse of manÌ„ys soule that I wold come doun froheueÌ„ to erthe shedde my blode for to rauÌ„som it moche ye thenne shold laboure so eyther for other the so fayr a creature be not lost for this cause I haue shewed the this soule that thou may the more her afterward be â—â—erid for to wynne soules to me and also that thou may stere other to the same grace This holy mayde thenne thanked our lord for his blessyd reuelacion prayng hym mekely wyth alle the affeccion of her sowle that he wolde vouchesaf to gyue her that grace euer afterward that she myght see the fayrnesse of euery soule of all tho the whiche been conuersaunt wyth her so the more be steryd for to winne her helthe the whiche grace oure lorde graunted her and sayde by cause thou haste despised for myn sake all maner of flesshely conuersacion and art knytte to me in the spyryte the whiche am the moost souerayn spyryte and also haste prayed soo besely and soo deuotily fore this sowle therfore now I gyue thy soule clere syght by the whiche thou mayste perceyue and beholde bothe the fayrenes and the fylthes of euery soule that is present afore the So that as thy bodely wittes afore this tyme haue perceyued the condycions of bodyes ryght so from this tyme forward thyn ghostely wyttes sholde perceyue and consydere the conditions of the spyrytes not only of tho the whilche ben I presented to the but also of all other for whos helpe thou shalt praye though they neuer be presented to thy bodely syght ¶ The grace of this gyfte was euer after ward soo spedefull in this holy mayde that fro that tyme forward she perceiued more clerly the qualytes and dedes â–ª of the sowles of theym the whiche aperyd afore her than of her bodyes so ferforth that in a tyme Mayster Reymound her confessour complayned to her of somÌ„e that grutched vppon her by cause that she suffred many dyuerse persones to knele afore her wolde not byd theym stonde vp To whom she ausâ—terd in this wyse God knoweth fader that I am occupyed aboute the consyderacion of her sowles that I perceyued nothyng in maner of outward dedes Thenne asked her confessour of her and sayde whederâ—ye see her sowles To whom she answerd thus Fader vnder confessyon I shewe to you that after tyme our sauyour hadde I gyue me suche a grace that I sawe the fayrnesse off myn sufters soule the whiche was ordeyned to be dampned for her trespaas by his right wysdom he delyuerd mercyable by mym prayers shewed me afterward He fayrenes ther apperyd afterwar vnnethe afore me but that I sawe the condycions of theyr sowles and therfore fader I am syker if ye hadde onys seen the fayrenesse of a resonable sowle ye wold suffre an hondred tymes bodely deth if it were possyble for the wynnyge off a soule there is nothyng in wis worlde that maye be lykened to her fayrnesse whaÌ„ here oÌ„fessour herd this he prayed her that she wolde vouchesaf to tell hym all the processe how she come to suche a reuclacion Thenne this holy mayde tolde him al the processe as it is reherced afore all bee it though she tolde it but shortly and me kely of the trespas of her seke suster done agaynst her But her confessour afterward enquyred the sothe of that odyous cryme of her susters the whiche knewe theÌ„ both well ynow Ferthermore to the more coÌ„fyrmacion of thyse thynges that benrehersed a fore maister Reymound her coÌ„fessour recordeth of her that he was ofte tymes a speker bytwene her the pope gregori xj For she was an ytaly coude vnd stonde none latyn the pope Gregorye coude vnderstonde none ytaly therfore Mayster Reymound her confessour that coude bothe was a speker bytwene them Amonges alle other communycacions that this holy mayde communyd wyth pope Gregory she complayned her of the court of Rome And sayde that the that paradyse sholde be of vertu ther she founde stynche of cursed vices thenne the pope asked her by her confessour how longe she hadde be in the courte To whom she answerd sodenly wyth a meke boldenes to the pope in this wyse to the worshyppe of almyghty god I dare well say that I perceyued moche more the stynche of synne the whiche is vsed in the court of Rome at home in myn owne cyte there as I was borne thenne they that hath sinned and synne euery daye Thenne the pope after this answere helde his peas And was merueylously astonyed but her confessour maister Reymound merueylously marked he wordes and wyth what auctoryte they were spoken to suche a wourthy prelate Also ofte tymes it befyll bothe to mayster Reymound her confessour and to other that folowed that holy mayde in to dyuerse countrees where neyther she ne they came afore that ther come to her and to hym many vnknowen persons semely arayed for to comin with theym of vertu semyng as though they hadde be vertuous folke But in trouthe they encombred wyth wretched synnes whos synnes she perceyued anone wherfore she wolde neyther speke to theym netourne her face to theym And whan she sawe that they abode loÌ„ge Thenne she brake out a lytyll her voyce more than she was wonte to doo and sayde to theym suche wordes Fyrst we shold amende our lyf fro synne and goo out of the deuyles seruyce and thenne to speke of our lord WhaÌ„ she had said suche wordes she wente fro theym assone as she myght goodly And afterward her confessour and her felawes founde it sothe that they were e ncombred wyth wretched synnes in the whiche synnes they coÌ„tynued wythouten repentaunce Another tyme also she spake wyth a woman the whiche woman semed an honest womaÌ„ but in soth she was the concubyne of a man of holi chirche and that was grete pyte As they spake togyders the wymmen myght not loke vpon the
chylde other whyle an hote brennyng ouen of fyre And whan the preste receyued that blyssed sacrament it semed to hyr that the fyre entred in to hym But whan she shold be houseled ofte tymes she tastyd so grete an odour of that blyssed sacrament that almost hyr body defaylled Euermore also whether she sawe or receyued the blyssed sacrament She receyued with all a newe ioye in hir soule so that many tymes she sholde daunce in hir body for ioye makyng a noyse that hyr felawes myght here hyr the whiche tolde it afterward to hyr confessour and he enquyred the trouthe whether it were so and founde it trewe and soo wrote it for a perpetuell recorde That sowne and that noyse was not lyke other maner comyn sownes of men but as it hadde be a noyse aboue comyn cours of kynde what meruayll was that though she made a ioyfull noyse aboue kynde Syth it so was that she hadde receyued an herte aboue kynde For after tyme that she hadde receyued that newe herte as it is rehersed afore she semed that she was not the same that she was afore ofte tymes she sayd to hyr confessour See ye not fader that I am not the same that I was afore but rather chauÌ„ged in to another persone O wolde god fader ye knewe that I fele for I trewe veryly yf a creatour knewe that I fele in my sowle he sholde be resolued made ryght esye were he neuer so harde For my sowle is full of melodye and ioye And it is meruayll to me how it may abyde in the body There is also grete hote brennyng of dyuyne loue therin that thys outward materyall fyre semeth me in coÌ„paryson of that fyre rather colde than hote Also of that ghoostly hote is kynde led in my sowle as me semeth soo grete a loue of my neghbours that my thynketh I myght gladdely suffre for them bodely deth wyth grete ioye And ouermore out of that ghoostly hote is come to my soule a renewyng of purytee and mekenes in so moche that me semeth I am brought to the same purytee and mekenes that a chylde of foure or a fyue yere age is Inne All this she tolde to hir confessour preuely and to none other After tyme that thys holy mayde was thus fulfylled in hyr sowle of suche plente of newe gracys that were many notable vysyons shewed to hyr of whom somme I shall reherce by the grace of god ¶ Fyrste our lord Jhesu hys blessyd Moder and Marye magdalene appyred to gydres to hir and comforted hyr in hir holy purpose whome our lord axed and sayd Doughter what desyrest thou She wyth wepyng chere answerd sayd Lorde thou knowest what me nedeth better than I for I haue no wyll but thyne ne none herte but thyn hert Thenne came to hyr mynde how Marye magdalene commytted hyr self fully to our lorde whan she satte wepte at his fete Wyth that she felte the same swetenesse of loue that Marye magdalene felte that tyme whan she wepte Wherfore she behelde Marye magdalene Our lord ê‘ceyued that and for to fulfyll hyr desyre he sayd Loo dere doughter for thy more solace and coÌ„forte I gyue the Marye magdalene to be thy moder To whome thou mayst trustely go to and be comforted for to hir specyally I commytte thy gouernaunce For this grete gyfte this holy mayde thanked our lord wyth gpete mekenes reuerently deuoutly she comended hyr ghoostly gouernaunce to Marye magdalene prayng hyr that she wolde wouchesauf to take hyr vnder gouernaunce Syth our lord had specyally commytted hyr to her Fro that houre euer afterward the holy mayde called Marye magdalene hyr moder the whiche was not doo wythout grete mysterye as me semeth for as Marye magdalene lyued xxxiij yere in a â—oche wythout bodely mete and all that tyme was I occupyed in comtemplacyon Ryght so this holy mayde fro that tyme that she was endowed wyth these newe graces vnto the age of xxxiij yere afterward whiche yere she passyd out of thys worlde She was so occupyed in dyuyne contemplacyon that she hadde neuer nede all the tyme of bodely mete And yet as Marye magdalene was take vp in to the ayre by aungels seuen tymes in the day where she herde the pryuetees of god Ryght so this holy mayde for the more partye all hir yeres she was rauysshed fro hyr bodely wyttes by strengthe of the sowle that was occupyed in contemplacyon of heuenly thynges and so praysed our lord wyth aungels in so moche that often tymes hyr body was lyfte vp in to the ayre of the whiche many men wommen that sawe hyr for that tyme bare recorde Ouermore in that rauyssheng she sawe many meruayllous thynges spake preuely in tyme of hyr rauysshyng many hygh wordes of contemplacion of the whiche som I shall tell you afterward Hyr confessour saw hyr ones in a tyme rauysshed fro hyr bodely wyttes in the same wyse as it is rehersed afore and he herde hyr speke preuely thenne he came nere for to lysten clerely what she sayd and he herde that she sayd formably thyse wordes in latyn Vidi archana dei And that was sayd often tymes other wordes sayde she none but thoo Whanne she was restoryd ageyne to hyr bodely wyttes she cessyd not to reherse these same wordes coÌ„tynuelly and it is nomore for to say but I haue seen the pryuetres of god Thenne hyr confessour desyryng for to knowe why she rehersed tho wordes so ofte axyd hyr in thys maner of wyse Good moder why rehersed ye soo ofte the wordes wyll not tell me what ye mene as ye were wonte to do She answerde I may not say none other wyse Hyr confessour axed hyr why and what is the cause ye were wont to declare me many thinges that our lord hadde shewed to you why wyll ye not do so now theÌ„ne she sayde I sholde haue as grete conscyence therof yf I sholde declare to you that I haue seen wyth my langage that is soo vnperfyte as I sholde haue yf I blasfemed our lord or Inhonoured hym for there is a grete dyffrence bytwene the vnderstondyng or intellecte of the sowle Illumyned of god the expressyng of wordes they seme contrary eche to other therfore as for this tyme I can not tell you what I haue saye for they ben vnspekable For this skylle me thynke that she was well commytted by the dyuyne prouydence of our lord to Marye magdalene that a faster shold be knytte to a faster and a louer to a louer And she that had so hygh contemplacyon to hyr that was soo hyghe in contemplacyon Also hir confessour rehersed of hir that after tyme she saw that vysyon of our lord hys blessyd moâ— and Saynt mary magdalene that for that tymeit semed hyr that hyr herte went Inne by the syde of our lorde in to his herte and was made bothe one so that she felte hyr soule all for melte relented by the strengthe of
onys ony maner of precepte of myn for the virgynyte ofthis body and soule and the grace of hys baptyme he kepte euer to me vndefoylyd ¶ And also ryght as here myn eternall and naturall sone the endeles worlde of my mouthe tolde and spake opeÌ„ly to all the worlde that I badde hym say And therto bare wyttenes of trouthe Ryght soo Domynyke myn sone by adopcyon preche my trouthe openly to the worlde as Welle Amonges heretykes as amonges faythfus peple not onli bi hiÌ„self but also bi other of hiÌ„ not only â–ª whyles he lyued in erthe amonges you But also bi his successours bi whom yet they precheth and shalle preche for ryght as my naturall and eternall sone sente his dyscyples for to preche ryght soo Domynyk myn sone by a dopcion sente his fryers And also ryght as myn naturall sone and eternall is myn word ryght Domynyke myn sone by adopcion is the prechour aboute of myn word wherfore of myn synguler gyfte it is gyue to hym and to his fryers for to vuderstonde the trouthe of min wordes not for to passe therfro Also ryght as myn naturall sone and eternall ordeyned and dysposyd all his lyff and his dedes by doctrynes and ensample to helthe off mannys soule ryght Domynyke myn sone by adopcion put all his besynes to delyuer out soules of the sorowe of errour and of synne And that was his pryncipall entent Whan he began his ordre that is for to say for helthe of soules therfore he may well be lyked to min natural and eternall sone sone Ihesu Criste This was the reuelacioy the whiche she comynyd to fryer Bertylmewe â–ª whan that sodeyn caas of lokyng asyde byfyll to her as it is rehersyd afore Now I shall procede forth of the remenaunt of the lyf of this holy mayde in reuelacions and visyons â–ª but fyrst I wolde ye knewe maydens that for the grete haboundance of greces and open reuelacions and visyons and for the greâ—enes of loue therwyth The whiche this holy maydes soule was fulfylled She was ryght syke in her body and euer encresid in sekenes more and more for loue soo that she rooâ— nomore out of her bedde but laye styll euer newyng the loue of her spose seyng thus Aswete louely lord goddes sone and the sone of a mayden â–ª wyth suche many louyng â–ª wordes she praised oure lorde and her spouse She beleft wythout bodely mete and therto her spouse Jhesu Cryste the whiche gyuen her that fyre of loue by cause it sholde brenÌ„e more stoÌ„gely he apperyd to her ofte tymes Then ne sayd she to hym that was so febyll off the fyre of loue Good louely lord thou sufferest me so longe abyde in this wretched body and wylt not take me to thyn endeles presence I haue none Joye now off this wretchid lyf but only all myn ioye is for to seke the For I loue the Ihesu and none wythout the for what that euer I loue lord it is for the why am I ther for delayed soo longe â–ª fro thyn endeles presence ¶ Ha ha mekest and myldest lorde delyuer myn soule out of this pryson and out of this dedely lif To thise wordes that were sayd soo weylyngly oure lord answerd Dere doughter whan I liued in erthe amonge men I besyed me neuer for to fulfylle myn owne wyll but myn faders and albe it that I desyred to ete the laste paske wyth myn dysciples for to be wyth myn fader as they herd me ofte tymes saye yet I suffred paciently the tyme that was ordeined off myn fader soo must thou doo though thou desyre feruently to be onyd to me perfightely in the blesse of heuen yet thou muste abyde the tyme that I haue ordeyned Theenne she sayd to our lord louely lord sythe it soo is that it is not kynde to me as yet to passe out of this lyff thyn wyl be done Fiat voluntas tua But one thinge I beseche the whyles I lyue in this erthe that sythe I may not yet be onyd to that iÌ„ blysse â–ª grauÌ„te me as longe as I lyue in this lyf to be onyd to the with the bi parte taking of thy blessyd passioÌ„ the whiche was grauÌ„ted to her ¶ For as she asked soo she hadde fro that tyme forward she hadde so moche experiens euery day in her herte iÌ„her body of the passions of our lorde as she tolde afterward preuyly to maister ReymouÌ„d that she neuer felte suche a soor and that was in this wyse Ofte tymes she wolde sytte talke with mayster Reymound and teche hym of the passyon of criste affermyng myghtely that our lorde Jhesu cryste fro the tyme of his gloryous concepcion in to the tyme of the ende of his blyssyd passyon he bare euer the crosse of his deth in hys soule â–ª for the grete passyng desyre that he hadde for the helthe of mannys sowle For whan he was conceyued he was ful of grace and of wysdome and of charyte And it was none nede to hym for to encrece in hym afterward for he was perfyght ynow in theym at the begynnyng Therfore sythe it so was that he loued so perfyghtly god the fader and mankynde in herte seyng and consyderyng god the fader in trinite in maner depryued of his honour And also mankynde depryuyd fâ—o his blessyd ende he was soo tourmeÌ„ted wyth compassyon in hym self vnto the tyme that he myght restore by his passyon the dewe honour to god the fader in Tâ—inyte and endeles helthe to mankynde â–ª Also she sayde the affliction of his holy desyre was none lytyll payne But it was a grete payne And thefore it was that he sayde to hys dyscyples on schherthursday at the soper Desideâ—io desideraui manducare vobiscum hoc pascha ¶ That is I haue desyred wyth a grete desyre longe afore thys tyme to ete with you this paske and the cause was for he gaue theym in that soper an speciall ernest of helthe the whiche he wolde werke er thenne he purposed to ete wyth theym eftsones And therfore she alleggid for her the wordys of our sauyour where he sayth in another place Pater transfer calicem huÌ„c a me That is fader put awaye this passion fro me that I shall now drynke the whiche wordes she expownyd thus and sayde Perfyght folke sholde not vnderstonde thyse wordes as symple folke done that our sauyour asked of his fader to put awaye and remeue hye paynefull passioÌ„ But thus fro the begynnyng of his gloryous concepcton vnto that tyme of his deth he dranke euer of that paynfull passyon by the grete desyre that he had off mannys helthe And thenne the more he drawe nere to the deth â–ª the more gredyly he desyred that drynke â–ª he asked therfore that it shold soone be fulfylled the whiche he hadde soo longe tyme desyred for the helthe of mannys soule that the dryke the whiche he hadde drunke soo longe afore sholde thenne be ended â–ª And thus this was not for to
aske a remeuyng awaye of his deth but rader an hasti ende of his deth the whiche our sauyour declared full openly afterward whan he sayde to Judas Quod facis fac cicius That is frend that thou shalt doo doo it anone ¶ Neuertheles though it soo were that the forsayd paynes full drynke of his desyre were to hym ryght greuous for to drynke yet as ryght an obedyent chylde to the fader he sayde thus Veruntamen non sicut ego volo sed sicut tu Fader I desyre that myn wyll be not fulfilled but thy wyll offeryng hym self redy by thâ—se wordes for to suffre dayly of his payne full desyre as longe as it lyked to hys fader soo that the fyrst wordes where he sayd Transfer hunc calitem c. Fader a voyde this paynfull fro me he vnderstode not for to haue a voyded his passyon that was to come But the passyon of hys desyre afore by suffryng the deth for helthe of mannes sowle for to be endyd Thenne sayd mayster Reymond Moder comynly after exposicion of doctours our lord sayd tho wordes as a veray maÌ„ and hede of all hys chosen bothe fâ—eel and strong whos sensualyte naturelly drede the deth that he myght by example to all bothe to freel folk and to strong folk that they dyspeyre not all be it they felte they re sensualytâ—e kyndely dredyng the deth Here to this holy mayde answerd and sayd that the actes the dedys of our sauiour yf they ben wysely consydered euery creature after hys consyderacyon may fynde in them ghostly felyng as it is spedefull to hys helthe And therfore syth it is soo that feble freall creatures fynden in tho wordes comfort ageynst theyr feblenesse it were ryght necessary thenne that perfyt folk myghty shold fynde also ther Jnne coÌ„fyrmacyon of theyr strengthe the whiche myght not be but by thys exposycyon afore â–ª Therfore it is better that it be expowned in many maners so that al may be comforted ther by theÌ„ne in a maner of wyse for one maner of folk allone Whanne mayster Reymond herde this he helde hys peas meruayllyng of hyr grete wysdom grace that she had for he her de neuer that exposycyon afore ¶ Another exposycyon of the same wordes by the same holy mayde Mayster Reymond founde wryten in a book that hir fyrst confessour wrote they ben these In a tyme whan she was rauysshed she lerned of our lord that the prayer the whiche he made a fore hys passyon whan he â—watt bothe blood water seynge thus Transfer hunc calicem â— That is fader remoue this peynfull passion fro me He prayed thenne for them whome he sawe afore that wolde haue no parte of his passion the whiche was to him peynfull passyon And by cause he loued ryghtwysnesse he put a condycyon and sayd VeruÌ„tamen non mea voluntas That is neuthelesse fader be not my wyll fulfylled but thy wyll and yf he had not putto suche a condycyon it wolde haue folowed ther on she sayd that all folk shold haue be saued After tyme thenne that he had thus prayed he was herde as saynte Poule sayd for hys reuerence Exauditus est ê“pter suam reuerenciaÌ„ In exposycion of this wordes of saynt Poule comynly doctours vnderstonden the same It had be ellys meruaylle but that the same sone of god sholde haue be herde Also she sayd another tyme to mayster Reymond taught hym that the passyons whiche our our lord god Jhesu Cryst ve ray god and man suffred for the helthe of mankynde were so myghty that it were impossyble ony man in erthe for to suffre but that he sholde dye it were possyble many tyme yf that he suffred them For ryght as his loue that he had thenne hath yet to mankynde vnestymable vncomperable Ryght so hys passyon that he suffred by constreynyng of loue allone was vnestymable Who wolde beleue that the thornes of hys crowne sholde perysshe in to the brayne Or that the bones of a quyk man sholde be drawe out of they re ioyntes For the ê“phete sayd of our lordes passyon thus DinumeraueruÌ„t omnia â–ª ossa mea That is they tolde nombred all the bones of my body So thenne it may be proued that the pryncypall cause of hys passyon was loue the whiche he shemed for mankynde And it myght not be shewed more conuenyently than by hys passyon By this it semed that the naylles helde hym not vpon the crosse but hys loue onely Ne the strengthe of man ouercame hym â—ot but loue How were men so stronge for to holde hym that at a worde of hys mouthe they fyll doune to the grounde whan they came for to take hym Suche hyghe wordes conuenyent wordes of our lordes passyon this holy mayde coÌ„myne wyth mayster Reymond And yet she sayd more that she had experyence in hyr body of som maner of passyon that Cryst suffred on the crosse â–ª Of all she wold not say for that was Impossyble to ony erthely creature But specyally by cause of the grete loue that she had to our lord to his passyon the most peyne that she suffred was in hyr herte soo that it semed to hyr other whyle that hyr herte was to braste cutt a sondre fro that one ende to that other And for thys grete peyne of loue she was oftymes dede to all mennys syght Of thys bare wytnes many one the whiche were presente whanne she dyed for the loue of Crystys passyon allone Here of was mayster Reymond in grete doubte But for to put awaye that doubte he thought to comen wyth this holy mayde serche the sothe of hyr whether it were so or no. Whanne he axed hyr this She for grete wepyng coude gyue none answer long tyme to gydre but at the last she sayde Fader wolde ye not haue grete pyte compassyon of a sowle that were delyuered out of a derke pryson to lyght and after tyme it had see so mery a lyght eftesones to be reclused ageyn in the same derke prysone I am that same wretche that thus happed me by the ordynaunce of god for my synnes Then ne mayster Reymond axed hir where hir sowle was fully departed fro the body To whome she answerd sayd thus That the feruent fyre of dyuyne loue of ghoostly desyre was so moche in hyr herte for to lyue with our lord endelesly whom she loued That though hyr herte hadde be of stone or of yren it must nedys to breste Therfore fader vnderstondeth thys for trouthe that myn herte of myn body was thenne vndo opened fro the ouermost partye to the nether onely by the strengthe of pure loue so that me semeth yet I fele the markys of that syssure in myn herte By this ye may knowe that the sowle was fully for that tyme deê‘ted fro the body and sette in the presence of god where I sawe the preuytâ—es of god that is vnâ—efull for
passage by prayers other holy exercyses in commēdyng of hyr sowle to god He came thre freres wyth hym mo to be present att the passyng of this holy mayde But whan she was passyd as it semed One of the freres took so grete sorowe therfore that by vyolence of hys wepyng a veyne of hys brest was all for brosyd where wyth he caught a coghe spatte gebettes of blood Thenne was that another sorowe to them that stode aboute for bothe they wepte for the holy mayde that was so passyd And also for hir brother the whiche was not shappely to lyue long after in that payne Thenne sayde frere Thomas hir fyrst confessour to that seek frere wyth grete feyth and trust Brother I wote well this holy mayde is in grete reputacyon afore god for hyr good lyuyng Therfore take hyr honde and putte in the same place of thy sekenes And I doubte not but that thou shalte be hole And anone forth wyth he dyd so and so he hadde helthe the whiche he tolde afterward to al that wolde here if Ther was also a ghoostly doughter of herys that was present thenne the whiche was called Alyxa passyd out of this worlde sone afterward Moother were that came Inne for to see whether she was passed or not and ther was none that coude suppose otherwyse There were also two other specyall wyttenessys that were aboute for to ordeyne for the body that it sholde be beryed And bothe were susters of penaunce of Saynt Domynyk that one was called Katheryne as she was the whiche was hyr felawe longe tyme afore And that other was hyr cosyn Lysa and thus I make an ende of thys chapytre ¶ Of somme myracles wrought gracyously by thys holy mayde aboute the helthe of sowles Capitulum vij YF I sholde reherce alle the myracles that our lord shewed by this holy mayde I myght rather make a grete book of them than for to comprehende hem in oo chapytre But by cause I wolde put awaye dulnesse of them that sholde rede or here this legende of this holy mayde I am aboute asmoche as I may vnder fewe wordes for to comprehende them in one chapytre that they myghte knowe vnder fewe wordes how grete they ben the whiche I passe ouer lyghtely therfore in as moche as the sowle passeth the body in worthynesse I shall begynne of tho myracles the whiche were shewed of our lord by hyr aboute mennys sowles and after that of the bodyes As touchyng for the fyrst whan that Jamys or Jacob the fader of this holy mayde perceyued that hys doughter Katheryne was alle gyuen to serue and to please our lord as it is rehersed in the fyrste partye of thys legende euer he loued tretyd hyr reuerētly and louyngly for bedyng all folk of hys housholde that none be soo hardy for to lette Katheryne hys doughter in ony maner wyse what that euer she wyll haue done Thys is a grete cause why that the doughter loued the fader And therfore she commended specyally hyr faders helthe oft tymes to oure lord And he had suche a truste in hys doughters prayers that he supposed well she myght haue of god what she wold for hys helthe Sone after the fader sykened laye doune in hys bedde all seek Whan this holy mayde hys doughter perceyued that anone she prayed to oure lorde hyr spouse for the helthe of hyr fader And it was answerd to hyr of our lorde that the ende of hys dayes of this worlde were come and that it were not spedefull for hym for to abyde lenger in this lyf Then ne she wente to hyr fader vysyted hym and examyned hym how he was dysposed in hys sowle and founde redy wylfully to passe out of this worlde hauyng no luste for to abyde lenger wherefor she thanked our lord hyghly But thenne she prayed our lord eftesones that syth it so is that he hadde gyuen hyr fader so grete grace for to passe out of this worlde wythout synne that he wolde wouchesauf to graunte hym also for to flee to heuen wythout payne of purgatory Of this she hadde an answere in this wyse that ryghtwysnesse must nedys be kepte and therfore it were no ryght but Impossyble a sowle to haue the clerenesse of endeles ioye wythout perfyte purgacyon a fore For all be it thy fader hath ben in hys dayes of good lyuyng among alle other wedded folke also do many good thynges that I am well pleased wyth and specyally as touchyng the Yet neuerthelesse it may not be sauyng my ryghtwysnesse But that hys sowle must be purged by the fyre for to brenne out the duste of erthely conuersacyon the whiche is hardened endured in his soule Thenne sayde this holy mayde to our lord thus My dere welbeloued lord what may I suffre that my fads sowle by whom I haue be so tenderly nourysshed haue had so many cōfortes in hys lyf that it be not tormented in suche paynes I praye the lord for the goodnesse that euer thou shewdest to mā kynde suffre not hys sowle to goo out of hys body vnto the tyme it be perfytly purged oo waye or other that it nede not in no wyse the payne of purgatory After suche wordes our lorde shewed hys mercy meruayllously as though he had obeyed to the voyce of hys mayden All be it that the bodely strengthes of hir fader Jamys beganne for to defaylle more more to the deth warde Yet hys soule passed neuer out of his body vnto the tyme that holy dysputacion betwene our lord alledgyng for hym ryghtwysnesse And the holy made axyng grace mercy ▪ And at the laste after long dysputacion the holy mayde sayd to our lord My welbeloued lord yf thys grace may in no wyse be goten or graunted without som maner of ryghtwysnesse suffre that ryghtwysnesse fall on me for I am redy to suffre al maner of peyne what euer thy goodnesse wyll ordeyne for delyueraūce of my fads sowle Thenne our lord graunted hyr grace sayd Loo doughter for the loue that thou hast to me I shall graunte the thyne axyng I shall delyuer thy faders soule fully out of payne But thou shal be suffre a payne for hym as long as thou lyuest the whiche I shall assygne the. This holy mayde thanked our lord and sayde Good blessyd lorde be it to me as thou haste ordeyned After that she wente to hyr fader as he laye a deieng she comforted hym meruayllously of hys endeles helthe that he was ryght ioyefull she went not from hym vnto the tyme he was passyd out of this worlde And whan the sowle was passyd out of the body anone forth wyth this holy mayde was payned wyth a sekenes in the syde the whiche is called Ilica passyo that neuer went from hir in to the tyme she passyd out of this worlde And ther was neuer tyme afterward but she had the payne as she sayde other bare recorde
ofte tymes to mayster Reymond But the vertue of hyr pacyence wythout ony comâ—yson passyd hyr sekenes as I shall declare by the helpe of god afterward in the last chapytre of the thrydde ê‘tye Whan hyr faders soule was delyuered out of the body this holy mayde smyled full manerly sayd now wold god I were as ye ben And all that tyme other wepte she shewed gladnesse of chere for she myght none other wyse do For she sawe hys blessyd sowle whan it passed out of the body how it was receyued in to endelesse blysse wythout ony taryeng of the whiche she was ryght gladde a lytell afore she had exê‘yence of the same ioye as it is rehersed in the chapytre afore this See ye not maydens how wysely the prouydence of our lord was wrought in this maydens fader Our lord myght yf he had wold haue purged his soule in many maner of wyses made hym able Inough to ioyes as he dyd to the thefe that hynge on hys ryght syde but he wold not wythout som payne that this mayde sholde suffre as she axed for hir encrece of hir more ioye the whiche payne was euer afterward swete to hyr as hyr semed not wythout cause for she wyst well that hir swetenesse shold euer encrece aftward hyr by grace in blysse by ioye and therfore she myght in no wyse calle the payne of Ilica passio but a swete peyne This holy mayde tolde puely to mayster Reymond that by long tyme aft hir fads deth his soule appyred oftymes to hir thaÌ„kyng hir for hir grace that he receyued by hir also tolde hir many puy thinges gaue hir warnyng of the assaillyng of hir enemy therto kepte hir from al ghostly euelys Ryght as I haue tolde you maydens of a myracle shewed to a ryghtwysmannys soule So shall I tell you now a myracle shewed to a synfull mannes sowle ¶ There was a man dwellyng in the cyte of Sene the whiche was called Andrewe a full ryche man of oute wordely thynges of the world but full poure off inwardly heuenly thynges he was a vitioê° maÌ„ for he neyther dred ne loued god But an hasarder and a cursed blasphemer or a swerer of god and of his sayntes wythin a while afterward that maÌ„ was take wyth a sykenes and lay done in his bedde soo seke that euery man and leche sayde he was deed That perceyued hys curat and come to hym for to comforte hym that he sholde beshryue and take penaunce and make his testameÌ„t as the maner was in the countre whan he hadde herdde how the preeste counseylled hym he despysed bothe hym and his couÌ„seyll his wyf consydered that hauynge zele and loue to his soule she wente after all maner relygyous folke both men and wymmen for to stere hym to god But yet for all her counseyll they myght not bowe hym to confession and contrycion of his synnes neyther wyth thretinge of endeles paynes ne wyth rewardes of endeles ioyes Thenne eftsones his curate came to hym dredyng lest he sholde haue deyed for defaulte of counseyll and sayde to hym as he sayd fyrste addynge therto many more holsom wordes Yet alwaye that wretched man dispised hym afterward as he dyde afore bothe hym his wordes ¶ At the last he fyll in despeyre and in to the synne of the hooly ghost â–ª and so he drewe faste to the deth This was afterward tolde to Frier thomas this holy maydes fyrst â–ª confessour And he wente to this holy mayde hous pursuyng for to constrayne her by al the vertu of obedyens and of charyte for to praye to our lorde that he wolde vochesaf to socour the wretched soule that it bee not dampned wythouten ende ¶ But whan he came to this holy maides hous he founde her rauysshyd fro her bodly wyttes and as longe as she was so occupyed he durste not occupye her ne durst not long abyde out of his hous by cause that myght drewe fast vpon hym wherfore he charged a felowe of here 's that was that tyme wyth her the whiche was called katheryn as she was for to charge that holy mayde in goddes behalue and his whan she were restorid agayn to her bodely wyttes that she wolde praye for suche a mannys sowle that lyeth in passyng she sayd she wolde so whan the holy mayde herde that she had soo greate compassyon of his soule that she prayed our lord â–ª anone deuoutly besechyng hym entyerly that the soule shold not perysshe whiche he boughte wyth his precious blode To whom our lord answerd sayde thus his wyckednes hathe asserued payne as an horrybly blasphemie For he hath not only blasphemid me and myn sayntes wyth his mouth But also he hath throwen a table in to the fyre for despyte of me in the whiche was paynted the ymage of myn passyon And the ymage of myn blessyd gloryous moder and of other sayntes And therfore it is worthy by ryghtwysnes that he brenne in endeles fyre ¶ Thenne she fyll downe prostrate with wepyng to the feet of our lorde and sayde lord yf thou wylt consydere narowe to the synnes of men who may escape endeles dampnacion wherfore comest thou downe to be born of a gloryous mayde for to suffer tourment of cruell deth only for to wayte after mennys synnes and to punysshe theym horrybly to endeles payne why tellest thou me this and the synnes of a lost man that barest vppon thyn sholders all maner of synnes whether I am come to the now for mercy or for ryghtwysnes haue myn lord blesfulle what thou saydest to me whan thou puttest me forthe for the helthe of many mennys sowles I haue none other refresshinge in this lyf But for to see myn neybours tourned to the And for the alone I suffer paciently thyn absence yf thou gyue me not this ioye what shall I than doo Good meke lord put me not awaye fro the yelde me myn brother graciously that is now obstynat in herte ¶ Thus she prayed contynuelly fro the begynnyng of the nyght vnto the graye mornynge all that tyme wepyng wythout ony slepe dysputyng wyth our lorde alwaye for the helpe of that sowle Oure lord aledgyng ryghtwysnes to gyue to hym vengeaunce for his synnes And the hooly mayde asking mercy at the last our lord of his endeles mercy gaue her an answere and sayde dere doughter I shall shewe hym myn grace for whom thou hast prayed to Andrewe and sayde Dere chylde whi wylt thou not beshreue of the tres pas that thou hast done to me loke thou beshryue for I am redy for to forgyue the thyn synnes Thenne was his harde herte souple by grace that he cryed wyth a grete voyce to his meyny aboute hym sayde sende for the preste for I wyll byshryue For my lord Jhesu crist hath warned me that I shold beshryuen ¶ Whan his meynye perceyued that anone they went for the preste the preste came and he was perfyghtly confessyd to hym and made his testament wyth
greate pestylence contynued in the Cyte of Sene as it is rehersed afore there was an holy recluse in the Cyte of Sene and was called ScuÌ„s that louyd the whiche was touched wyth that same pestylence whan this holy mayde perceyued that she ordeyned that he sholde be brought to the hous of our gloryous lady gloryous vyrgyn mary the whiche was called also the hous of mercy where she her self wyth her felawes vysyted hym and ordeyned for althynge that was nedefull for hym in his sekenes and at the laste she came to him her self and tolde hym preuyly in hys ere and sayde thus Fader drede you not for thou shalt not deye for this sekenesse att this tyme but she wolde telle not thyng of this to Mayster Reymound and to her felawes the whiche prayed her to praye for hym that he sholde lyue For it semed to them that she was in doubte off his lyf as well as they were and therfore she ordeyned for hym medycins for to be heled by wherfore Mayster ReymauÌ„d and alle her felawes were sory by cause all they louyd that holy man for his gode lyuyng Thenne at the laste his sekenes encresed more and more and drewe faste to the deth as it semed wherby al that sawe hym supposed he shold deye and prayed for the good passage of his soule And also the holy man wende he sholde haue deyed right anone In that same poynt of deth this holy mayde came and rouned in his ere saide to him the second tyme fader drede you not for thou shalt not deye at this tyme for this sekenes he vnderstod her wel all be it that his wyttes were in party dystrauÈt alienyd fro hym for the greuousnes of the payne he gaue more credence to her wordes thenne he dyde to his actuall payne of deth so it fyll afterward that the holy maydes wordes oâ—came the dedes of kynde nature Neuertheles he contynued in suche transite passyng the comyn tyme of other mani dayes to gyder but at the last as the spirite was in passyng as it semed The holy mayde came and sayde nowe the thyrde tyme in the seke mannys ere thus I charge the spyryte in the name of oure lorde Thesu Cryst that thou passe not Anon the spyryte resorted quycly agayn to the body And thenne the holy man toke strengthe to hym and ros vp and asked mete soo wythin a lytyll time he was all hole and lyued Afterward that the holy mayde was passyd out off this world many yeres that holy man that was called ScuÌ„s bothe in name and in dede After tyme he was hole he tolde to Maister Reymound and to other more what the holy mayde sayd to hym in tyme of his sekenes preuyly in his ere And he felte the myght of her vertuous wordes wherby the spyryte was called a gayn that was in the poynt of passyng And he afermed it to all folke that it was none naturall cause that restoryd hym agayn to his lyf but only the myght of god I shewed by his spouse katheryn To whom folke gaue credence by cause he lyued in grete vertu of holynesse and was knowen a famous man in the Cyte of Seene by xxxvj yere to gyder wythout ony repreue in hys lyuyng ¶ Ferthermore maydens I shalle telle you of another myracle that this hooly mayde wrought in mayster Reymound After tyme that the grete pestyleÌ„ce was soo breme in the Cyte of Seene as it is rehersed a fore that alle folke fledde by cause that it was soo infectyf Soo that men and wymmen deyed wythout comforte and counseyll and kepyng mayster ReymouÌ„de bythought hym that he was bounde to loue mennis soule castyng none peryll for his one bodely dethe by enfection of that pestylence purposed hym to goo aboute the Cyte and vyseted seke folke and comforted theym and dyde it in dede Neuertheles by cause he was alone in party in so grete a Cyte for to visyte and comforte the seke that vnethes he myght haue tyme or space for to ete to reste He was soo sente after fro one hous to another ¶ Soone after in a nyght it befyll he toke his reste and was wakyng at a certayn hour for to serue god He felte a greuauÌ„ce of a pestilence both in hys grynde or flancke and for fere he durst not aryse but lay styll and by thought hym off the passage out of this worlde he desyred gretely that it hadde be daye that he myght goo and speke wyth this holy mayde katheryne or thenne he were more seke In the mene whyle he hadde a feuer and the hede ache as the maner was off that pestylence sekenes soo that he was gretely payned and tourmentyd But yet he sayde his matyns as he myghte whan it was daye he called to hym hys felawe and wente to gyder as he myght to the holy maydes hous and founde her not at home for she was out to vysyte a seke body ¶ In the mene whyle hym thought she was soo longe and he so seke that he myght no thynge doo but lay doune there in a lytyll bedde prayeng all tho that we ren in the hous that they sholde sende for her assone as they myght She was sent after and came anone and perceyued that he was sore seke she knyled doune afore his bedde and crossed hym on the forhede wyth her honde And thenne she began to praye as she was wont to done in her soule Mayster Reymound behelde how she was rauysshed a fore hym hopynge of somÌ„e synguler grate for the prouffyte of his soule or of his body abode her long as him semed within a half an houre afterward or there aboute he felte all his body sterid to avomite wening that he sholde haue caste But yet was it not soo but hym thought that out of euery â–ª parte of his body was pulled out wyth a maner of vyolence somme maner of corrupcion And so began to wexe better at ese than he was yet or than the holy mayde was fully restoryd agayn to her bodely wyttes he was all hole saue a lytyl fevylnes bylefte in hym After tyme thys holy mayde hadde purchased of our lord that grace of the helthe she seâ—yd of that rauyshyng and badde her felawes shold ordeyne somme mete for hym whan he had receyued mete of her holy hondes she badde hym lye doun and â—este a whyle he dyde soo as she badde hym And whaÌ„ he awoke he was as stronge as though he hadde not be seke ThenÌ„e the holy mayde sayde vnto hym fader gooth and laboureth now for the helthe of sowles thanketh almyghty god that hathe delyuered you fro this parylle he went forthe to his custumably besynes and thanked god that hadde gyue suche vertu to hys blyssyd mayde Suche a lyke myracle our lorde wrought by this holy mayde to Fryer Bertylmewe in time of the same pestylence But yet that myracle was the more bi cause her long time was oppssid in that sekenes than Mayster ReymouÌ„d
vnnethe seâ—ue foure to theyr mete and ther were in nombre of persones xvj Thenne Johan wente to this holy mayde knowleched hyr neglygence all sory shamefast seyeng that ther was no brede but a lytell that vnnethes wolde suffyse to foure eche of them to resteyne a lytell To whome this holy mayde sayd A suster god for gyue it you why haue ye so neglygently brought vs to this last nede myght ye not haue warned me as I bad you well we ll byd goddes seruauÌ„tes go sytte doun Thenne sayde the mynyster that ther was but a lytell brede yet byd them sytte doun sayd this holy mayde to hir and serue them wyth that lytell and bydde them begynne wyth that lytell tyll that god ordeyne more After thyse wordes the holy mayde prayed whyle they etâ— Johan fulfylled hir byddyng deuyded to euery man a lytell and they as hongry folke gredy by long fastyng ete fast wenyng that they sholde nomore mete haue And also the suposed that that lytell brede sholde soone be do But alwaye they hadde ete ynough and yet the brede myght not defaylled And thenne they axed what the holy mayde dyd it was tolde that she prayed Thenne they sayd all by vertue of hyr prayer our lorde fedde them as he fedde fyue thousand men wyth fyue louys and so they thanked god Whan they hadde all ete yet ther was suche plente lefte that poure folke had ynough ¶ Now yette shall I tell you of another myracle that mayster Reymond bereth recorde of the whyche was done after tyme that this holy mayde was passed out of this worlde in to the blysse of heuen In a tyme hit happed mayster Reymond by counseyll of the Pryour of the freres and the couent wolde doo somme solempne reuerence to the hede of Saynt Katheryne this blyssed virgyne after tyme that it was translated out of the Cyte of Rome to the freres that dwelled at Sene. He sette a daye and bad to mete all hyr ghostely chyldren that she had nourysshed in vertue In the whyche day the freres were fully auysed to gyue hyr a solempne reuerence and also to fede that day all hyr ghoostly chyldren Whan the day was comen and the solenpne was done The frere that kepte the botrye of the couent loked what brede he hadde for the Couent and for the gestys and he founde scarsely ynough for half the Couent And thenne were there in Couent fyfty or there aboute and of gestys twenty whan the Pryour herde here of he was sory Neuerthelesse yet he serued the gestyn fyrst wyth that lytell and thenne the Couent wyth a lytell quantyte among them all and yet belefte ynough Soo thenne eueryche of the Couent and of the gestys hadde plenteuously ynough of that vnnethe as them semed that lytell nombre of louys myght hadde suffysed fyfe a fore Whan they had all eten the Pryour and the Couent came thyder ther mayster Reymond satte wyth the ghoostly chyldren of that holy mayde Saynt Katheryne and rehersed a fore them all that myracle Thenne sayde mayster Reymond these wordes Loo frendes this holy mayde Saynt Katheryne in the day of hyr solempnyte wyll not leue vs wythout somme myracle wyth whome she was so famylyer whyles she lyued in erthe Ofte tymes whan she was wyth vs lyuyng in this lyf she shewed this myracle among vs And therfore for to shewe vs that she now accepteth oure obseruaunce this daye done to goddes worshyp and to herys she hadde shewed the same myracle eftesonys after hyr passyng wherfore yelde we thankyng te almyghty god Yet furthermore our lord shewed meruayllous thynges by his spouse Katheryn in vnlyfely thynges as in floures where in she hadde ofte tymes grete delyte by cause she florysshed in vertue hyr self And in other vesselles of houshold that were lost destruyed and of thoo meruayllous thynges I shall tell you ¶ Thys holy mayde was somme tyme in the Cyte of pyse herborowed in a worthy mannes how 's of the same Cyte the whiche man loued well this holy mayde After tyme she was ther a whyle she was gretely feblyd in body by ofte excesse of spyryt in rauyshyng so that as it semed mayster Reymond and other moo that sawe hyr She was brought nye to the deth wherfore mayster Reymond was fore aferde lest she sholde haue dyed he bethought hym what remedye he myght ordeyne for to restore hyr to lenger lyf and he wyst neuer what he myght ordeyne for hyr as for egges and wyne and also other letuaryes he knewe welle that she myght not ete Thenne he came to hyr and prayed hyr that she wolde receyue a lytell suker in hyr water that she drynketh to whome she answerd thus Fader I see well that ye wyll take awaye fro me that lytell lyf the whiche is left in me by suche swete drynkes for I doo you well to wete that all swete thingiâ— to me dedly Thenne mayster Reymond and the souerenys of the how 's bethought hem to gydres what remedye they myght ordeyne ageynst hir feblynes At the last it came to mayster Reymond mynde that he hadde see that ofte tymes feble folke hadde be wesshen somme tyme wyth vernage aboute the temples in the pouses of the body and so were restored of strengthe and gretly comforted Thenne mayster Reymond sayde to the souereyne of the hous thus Syr sethe it is soo that we may not putte noo comfortable remedye wythin hyr body lete vs â–ª vse somme remedye wythout on hyr body Thenne sayde the souerayne of the how 's that he had a lytell besyde hys how 's a neyghboure that hadde a vessell of vernage to whome he sayde he wolde sende to for to haue a botell full therof for he knewe well that he sholde haue it full gladly A messenger was sent to hym and tolde him how this holy mayde was feble wherfore he praied in his maystrys behalf that he wold wouchesauf to sende hyr a botell of vernage To whome the neyghboure answerd thus that he wolde sende hym all redy but certeyn he sayde hys vessell was emptyd and therfore he prayed hym to holde hym excused for I wote well in all my how 's is no drope of wyne and that I am ryght sory fore Neuerthelesse to be seker come and see and thenne bere wytnesse of the trouth to my frende as thou seest Thenne forthwyth he took the messenger wyth him all ageynst the messengers wyll and brought hym to hys wyne seler and shewed hym that same vessell of vernage the whiche vessell semed by outwarde tokenys that it was voyde many day afore yet neuerthelesse the good man dyd more for to see the trouthe that it was voyde he drewe out the spygot that was in the vessell and drewe it out in hys presence that he sholde see that there was noo wyne Inne As soone as he hadde done soo the vernage came out and ranne vpon the grounde plentuously he was sore astonyed and stopped the vessell ageyne and
whan he herde of the myraclis that was wrought by this hooly mayde and vyrgyn This Anthony was enfected soo that he myght not be cured wyth none natural medeâ—in he bethought hiÌ„ of this hooly maide virgin deuoutly he made a vowe to her he had not so sone made his a vowe that he ne felte his body and his lymÌ„es as stronge as euer they were Thenne he came to this holy mayde aud vyrgyn thanked our reuerend lord almighty god and her of his recoueryng ¶ Also ther was a deuoute matrone that was welknowe wyth this hooly mayde and virgyn whan she lyued in erthe for ofte tymes whan she came to her place she and many of her dysciples were herberowed wyth her the whiche matrone she called Paula In the same tyme whaÌ„ this holy mayde vyrgyne passyd out of this world This pauâ—a was seke and hadde lay seke iiij monethes afore vpon a sekenes that is called podagra and vppon another sekenes on her syde that is called Ilycapassio And by cause the remedyes of thoo two sykenesses ben contrary eche to other for the tone sekenesse requyred openenyng and the other closinge therfore this matrone was moche more vexed â–ª soo that other whyles she was nere deed â—han tâ—is matrone herde saie that this holy made virgyn was â—passyd She asked for charyte that she might hauâ— somÌ„e maner of clothe that her swete holi body was coueryd with or touched as she desyred soo she hadde that same nyght at euen she leyde that clothe vpon her as she laye in her bedde all nyghte On the morowe she roos vp all hole and walked on her fete as though she hadde neuer that sekenesse Suche myracâ—es many moo oure reuerend lord almyghty god wrought in that blessyd mayde and holy vyrgyn or than it was buryed Yet oure reuerend â—lorde almyghtyâ— god cecyd not for to worke helthe to seke folke For in werkyng it rather encresyd than dymynused ¶ There was a womaÌ„ that was callyd â—one whiche had a lytyll chylde that myght not stonde ryght vp on his fetene goo This â—one herde how our reuerende lorde almyghty god wrought many fayr my raâ—â—ys by this holy mayde and vyrgyne gloryous saint katheryne she made auowe to our reuerend lord almyghty god to here for the â—elthe of her chylde After tyme she hadde made her a vowe she toke hyr chylde with her and came to the graue where the hooly mayde vyrgyn was buryed And she layde hyr chylde vpon the graue And anone the chylde began to stonde ryght vp and go as though he hadde had neuer sekenesse in his legges ¶ Also there was a man of Tose that was also callyd Johan the whiche had an horryble sekenes in hys eyen so the wormes bredde in his eye this â—ohn made a vowe deuoutly to oure reueâ—â—nde lord almyghty god to this holy mayde vyrgyn gloryous saint Katheryne off Sene anone he was delyuerd of hys sekenes whâ—n he was so delyueryd he came to the sepulcre of that blessid mayde virgin setâ—â— vp a tokeÌ„ of waxe as the maner is in sygne tokeÌ„ of delyuâ—raâ—ce than he tolde to all folke that wolde hâ—re it the merueyle of our reuerend lord almyghty god shewed by this hooly mayde virgyn Also there was a woman pylgryme of duchelond whos name was not wryton bicause it was foryete of neglygence the whiche pylgryme had desuche a sekenesse in both her eyen that she had almost lost her syghte Thâ— pylgrym made a vowe deuoutly to oure reuerende lord almyghty god to this holy mayde and vyrgyn gloryous saynt Katheryn of sene And wythin a lytyll tyme after she had clere â— yght hyr sekenesse was gon whan she was to hyr sepulcre for to thanke our reuerende lord almyghty god and hyr She sawe as clerly as eueâ— she dyde ¶ Also there was a lady of Rome that was called Maryâ— the whiche the whiche hadde in her hede a greuous sekenes that notwithstondyng many sondry medecyns the whiche she vsed she myght neuer be holpe therby but lost her eyen Wherfore for sorowe and shame that she hadde therof she wold neuer passe her hous after ne appere in the syght of men This lady herde speke of the gteate myraclis that our reuerend lord almighty god wrought by that holy mayde and vyrgyn gloryous saynt katherin she made auowe to our reuerend lord almyghty god and to her deuoutly After tyme her vowe was made the next nyght sueing this holy mayde and vyrgyn apperyd to the seruaunt of this lady in her slepe and bad her sey to her lady that she sholde doo nomore medecyns to her sight but euery daye in the morowe she shold goo to chirche here the seruyce of our reuerend lorde almyghty god and theÌ„ne she shall be hole Whan this seruaunt had tolde her lady thus she dede soo and at the laste by lytil lytyll she began to see wyth that blynde eye and was fully restoryd to helthe Loo dere susters by this myracle ye may consydere that this holy mayde and vyrgyn folowed the dedes of our lord almyghty god swete Ihesu Cryst For whan oure reuerend lorde almyghty god swete Jhesu Cryste was sought whiles he was in erthe here for the helthe of body Hym thought it was not ynow for hym to he le only the body but yf he helyd the soule Whan he sayde to one that came to hym for to be helyd in body thus Fili remittuntur tibi peccata That is to saye thyn synnes be forgyuen Ryght soo this holy mayde virgyn there she was asked of helthe She gaue also helthe of soule in that she badde her here her dyuyne seruyce The whiche is helthe and comforte to thesoule ¶ Also there was a yonge man the whiche was called James the sone of a Romane that was called Peers the whiche was in a tyme so seke in body that none leche myght hele hym But alegates he drewe faste to deth Thenne was there a deuote woman that was called Ceccola The whiche woman sawe this yong maÌ„ in poynt of deth and made avowe for hi to this holy mayde and vyrgyn gloryoê° saynt katheryn She hadde not soo soone made her vowe but that the yonge man began to recouere and was fully delyuered from his sekenes ¶ Also there was a woman callyd gallya that was sore seke and myght not be helped by none lechecrafte So that lechee sayde by cours of naturall kynde that she sholde be dede wythin a short tyme thenne this woman Gallya thought vppon saynt gloryous katheryne of Seene and recommended her lyff to her She had not so soone do soo but that she felte comforte and amendement And so lytyll and lytyll she was restoryd to helthe ¶ Also there was a deuoute lady that was called dame Jone the whiche knewe well this holy mayde virgyn gloryous saint katheryn whyles she lyued And she counseyled seke folke whan she spake wyth them to
to speke to ony man on erthe For ther is no speche in erthe that can expresse the preuytees in ony maÌ„nis tongue But this wote I well as ofte as I here of that mater I am tourmented so gretly in my sowle consyderyng where I was thenne where I am now that I can not tell my sorowe but wyth wepynge sobbyng Thenne mayster Reymond prayed hyr to tell him how that all this began in hyr She answerd sayde After tyme that I was fedde and comforted wyth many vysyons reuelacyons by our lordes mercy I fell seek for pure loue laye doun in myn bedde where I prayed our lorde Jhesu that he wolde delyuer me out of this wretchyd worlde and oned me perfytely to him The whiche for that tyme he wolde not graunte me But he grauÌ„ted therfore as long as I lyued in this lyf shold be partyner of his passyon in asmoche as it is possyble a dedly body for to suffre and soo she tolde hym all that that is rehersed afore And more ouer she sayd loo fader by suche experyence of hys passyon I am made so seke by the strengthe of loue that my sowle desyred no thyng ellys but for to be delyuered out of this world And the same fyre so encrecyd in my sowle that my herte often tymes defayled departed a sonder and my soule was vtterly delyuered out of the body Neuerthelesse it was but a lytell tyme that was my sorowe Then ne eftesones mayster Reymond axed hir how long tyme hyr sowle was out of the body She sayd as they that kepte hyr were aboute to haue beryed hyr foure houres or theÌ„ne she reuyued ageyn Yet he axed hyr what she sawe for that tyme why came the soule ageyne to the body she answerd thus Fader that tyme my sowle sawe vnderstode ioye of blessyd sowles and peynes of synners And as myn mynde wold suffre me wordes wolde suffyce to expresse them I shall tell you My sowle sawe the diuyne essen cyall beyng of god and that is the cause why I am soo lothe vnpacyent to lyue in this worlde and had not be the loue of hym the loue of crysten people for whiche my sowle was restoryd to the body ageyne I sholde had defaylled dyed for sorowe The hyghest comfort that I haue is whan I suffre ony dysease for that I haue the perfyte vysyon of god therfore trybulacyons ben not heuysom to me but comfortable as ye may knowe other that ben conuersaunt wyth me I sawe also the peynes of dampned sowles and peynes of sowles that ben in purgatory the whiche I can not expresse perfytely wyth no maner of wordes For yf wretched synners sawe the leste peyne that is there they had leuer chese bodely deth an hondred tymes yf it were possyble theÌ„ne for to suffre o daye the leste peyne that is there But specially I sawe hem ponys shed syngulerly that had synned in matrymony the whiche hadde not kepte hem to gyder honestly as they sholde do but folowed the dylectacions of theyr lustys Of this mayster Reymond hir confes sour axed hyr why that synne in specyall was more greuously punysshed thenne other synnes syth it so is that it is not the most greuous synne She sayd for this skylle For they had not soo grete conscyence of that synne ne so grete contrycy on as they had of other synnes but rather they offended in that synne thenne in ony other That synne the whiche a synner chargeth not for to remoue by penauÌ„ce is a grete synne be it neuer soo lytell Thenne this holy mayde proceded forthe in hyr mater sayd thus also Fader whaÌ„ne I had seen all thyse ioyes and thes peynes wenyng my self that I hadde fully be delyuered out of this body Oure lorde sayde to me seest thou not doughter what ioye they lacke and what peyne they haue that offenden me Torne ageyn therfore to thy body tell to the peple theyr errour and theyr peryll And wyth that worde I was astonyed for to torne ageyne to the body and sore aferde Thenne our lord sayd to me it is profyte to mennys soules that thou torne ageyne and thou shalte not lyue the lyfe that thou hast lyued a fore ne kepe the solytarie allone in chambre but thou shalte goo a brode to wynne sowles I shall euer be wyth the and goo wyth the bothe goyng and comyng Thou shalte bere the worshyp of my name and of ghoostly doctryne afore grete and smale laye people and clerkys and a fore Relygyous folk also I shall gyue the bothe mouth and wytte for to speke that none may wythstande the. I shall also bryng the afore bysshoppys and curates of sowles for to confounde there pryde Whyles our lorde spak thyse wordes sodeynly my soule was restored ageyne to my body And whanne I perceyued that I hadde grete sorowe that I wepte thre dayes and thre hyghtes to gyders wythout cessyng And yet I can in no wyse absteyne ne refreyne me ther fro whanne it cometh to my mynde how sodeynly I was come fro the grete ioye vnto this prysone of the body What wonder is it therfore fader though myn herte to brest euery day consyderyng the grete excellent ioye that tyme that I hadde the whiche now it is ferre fro me but all is done for the sowle he le Therfore ther shall no man meruayle though I loue them passyngly to whome our lord hath bede me warne them of theyr synfull lyuyng for I haue lefte for them a grete ioye for a certeyn tyme I wote not how long Therfore as saynt Poule seyth They ben now my glorye my crowne my ioye All thys I saye to you fader to all other for to putte out of youre hertes the passyon of grutchyng in tyme comyng whan I shall be homely amonges all men Whan mayster Reymond herde all this vnderstode them after the grace that was gyue hym he ê‘ceyued in hys herte that for the incredulytee and blyndnes of men all that she sayde sholde not be publysshed Wherfore he for bade bothe the freres the sustres that all the whyle this holy mayde lyued in erthe they sholde not pupplysshe that matree He perceyued also of somme that folowed fyrst hyr doctryne how they wente backward for they coude not ne myghte not take hyr wordes But leste he sholde offende god yf he hadde hydde it hymself wythout wrytyng he wrote it for a perpetuell recorde after hyr dyssece not whyle she lyued Now maydens for to knowe veraly that al this is sothe I shall tell you wytnes of recorde that were present wyth this holy mayde whan all thyse thynges befyll hyr In that same tyme whan this holy mayde drewe nye to the deth as it semed as it is rehersed afore There drewe aboute hyr wymmen and other ghoostly doughters of herys they sent after hyr fyrst confessour frere Thomas for do be present at hyr