suffred mekely and threspaced neuir for we sholde mekely suffre that moche haue trespaced He was also crucified for we shold chastise our fleshe by penaunce in withstondyng syn he was beried in token that we shold hyde oure gode dedys fro preysynge vaynglorye of the world to haue miÌ„de that erthe is oure heritage by kynde of oure bodily flesshe The v. is Descendit ad inferna tercia die resurrexit a mortuis I byleue that he went downe to hell the thridde day arose from deth to lyue Cryste thus bodily deed laye in the sepulcre withoute the soule tyll the iii. daye that he arose the godhode nat partyd fro the body He wente downe to hell deliuered the holy soules that wer there through vertue of the godhode the thridde day arose fro deth to lyfe in tokenynge that the light of his deth hathe distroyed oure double deth and that we shall aryse fro goostly deth by iii. maner of mediâ—â—â—es contricion confession and satisfaction The vi is Ascendiâ— ad erlos seder ad dexteram dei patris omnipoteÌ„tis I byleue that he styed vp into heuyn and sett him there on his faders righte honde Thus Criste appering to his disciples after his resurrection 〈◊〉 wythe theym in tokenynge that he was very man as he was to fore And so to stye into heuyn and highed mankynd aboue all aungelles openyng heuyn gate to shewe man the way and to pray for mankynde The seuynth is In de ventuâ—us est iudicare viuos et mortuos I beleue that he is to come to deme the quycke and the dede This criste iesu very god and man shall come to the dome and deme all mankynde quycke dede good and euyll after theyr dedes There shall some coÌ„me to the dome nat be demyd as hethen men For they synne withoute lawe And therfore withoute lawe they muste perysshe Somme also shal be demyd and damned as false cristen men that beleue in Iesu criste withoute loue gode werkes There shall subgettes accuse their euyll curates that wolde nat repreue theym of their synnes ne teche them the commaundmentes of god Also chyldreÌ„ vnchastised shal there repreue ther faders and moders that wold nat chastice theym of their wantonesse There shall the pore accuse the riche that wolde nat helpe theym in their myschief AmeÌ„de all this therfore whyles thou art here and haue mynde how sodenly his veÌ„geaunce falleth and as how he findeth the he shall deme the The viii is Credo in spiritum sanctum I byleue in the holy gooste the thrydde persone of the trinyte The holy gooste also withoute begynnynge or endyng and euyn in wytte myght and godenes with the fader and the sonne and al iii be oon god almyghty The lx is Sanctam ecclesiam catholicaÌ„ sanctorum communionem I byleue in holy chirche and in comunyon of sayntes holy churche throghe oute the worlde is holy and one to all cristen men that in in the sacramentes of the church dele and coÌ„moneth to giddre Therfore it is forboden that in the churche ne in the churche yerde be neyther rumoure ne stryf daunsyng drynkynges ne non inhonest myrthes ne occasion of synne shold nat be yeue ther where as forgeuenesse sholde be asked Holy churche is parted in thre One is in this worlde of theym that sholde be sauyd by the mercy of god â–ª and thys is euyr fightynge agaynste these thre ennemyes the worlde the flesshe the deuyll And a nother is in purgatorye of soules that abide there the grete mercy of god The thridde is criste of heueÌ„ hede of all other with his saintes whyche is free fro all maner descensiones These thre shall be one after the daye of dome ioynynge with Iesu their hede in the blysse that neuyr shall haue ende Comonynge sayntes whan eche of these thre parties helpen other They in heuyn helpen the other two with prayer And they in erth helpen them in purgatory with theyr praier and almes And these two helpe hem in heuyn whan their ioye and blysse is encreased And thus eche coÌ„muneth with other The x. is Remissionem peccatorum I byleue forgyuenesse of synnes they that amende their lyf here and doo very penaunce wyllyng to leue their sinnes and ende in charite shall haf forgyuenesse of all their synnes For criste by his deth and passion of his fader gate vs forgyuenes he him selue by his godhede also forgyueth all originall and actuell synne of oure baptym The xi article Carnis resurrectionem I byleue rysynge of bodye All mankynde at the daye of dome shall ryse from dethe to lyf in body and soule to gydder and after that neuyr be departed And thenne they that haue endyd in dedely synne shuld goo in body and soule to the euirlastynge peyne of hell without mercy And they that haue well lyued and endyd in charite and oute of dedely synne shall weÌ„de in body soule to gyddre to blys for euirmore Of thys blysse speketh sainte Mathewe in the laste artycle The xii is Et vitam eternam Amen I byleue in euirlastynge lyf ¶ Thies been the articles of the feythe the whiche but euery man truly sadly byleue may nat be sauyd For withoute feyth it is impossible to plese god Decem precepta domini ¶ The thridde thynge that thou sholde knowe god by be his x. commaundementes whiche he wrote in the ii tables of stoon and tooke theym to moyses to teche his people promysynge to hem that wolde kepe theym his blessynge welthe and welfare And to them that wolde nat his curse grete sorowe and myscheif ¶ A man asked of Criste what he myght do to haue euirlastynge lyf And he aunsweryd and sayde if thou wyll entre euirlastynge lyf kepe the coÌ„maundementes This preuyth if thou kepe his coÌ„maundmentes thou fulfyllest the lawe of god shalte haue euirlastinge lyf ¶ The firste is he coÌ„maundeth that thou haue no god but hâ—m Ne that thou worshyp serue ne yeue thy truste to none other creature ymage ne thynge grauen but only to him In this is forboden â–ª mawmetry false enchauntemeÌ„tes wychecraftes false charmes and dremys â–ª and mysbeleuys that any man or woman hopyth helpe in withoute almyghtye god In this ye synne dedely that for sekenesse or losse of godes put your fayth or byleue that ye sholde haue in youre lorde god by the deuylles mynystres false wytches the whiche bryng many a soull to the deuyll For they byleue more in the wyches wordes thaÌ„ in the wordes of scripture that the preest techyth theym Al suche â–ª haue goddes curse at the leest iiii tymes a yere in the greate sentence And euery day in oure pryme As for ymages ¶ Also ye shall vndyrstonde that as clerkes see in her bokes how they shold lyue and doo soo sholde lewde men lerne by ymages whome they sholde worshyp and folowe in lyuyng to do goddes worshyp to ymages euery man is forboden ¶ Therfore firste whenne thou
and after brengeth forth a whyte floure wythout crafte of man or ony peyryng to the stalke Ryght so our lady conceyued of the holy gooste and after brought her sone our lord Ihesu Cryste wythoute ony wemme of her body That is flour and cheef of alle wymmen Thenne said the iewe whaÌ„ I see a lylye sprynge oute of the dede stalke that standeth in this pot thenne wyl I byleue that thou sayst to be trewe And anon ther wyth sprange a whyte lyly oute of the dede stocke that stode in that same wyne pot And whaÌ„ the iewe sawe that anone he felle doune to the grounde vpon his knees and sayd thus Lady now I see well that thou conceyued wyth the holy gost our lord Ihesu criste goddis sone of heuen And thou were clene mayden both before the birth and so anone he was cristened so after he was a full holy man And this is the cause wherfore that the pot wyth the lily is set betwene our lady the angel For ryght as the iew disputed wyth the Cristen man of the maner of the Concepcion So our lady disputed wyth the angell of the maner how she shold conceyue be both moder mayde or she consented therto Thenne ye that wyl faste the v. euens of our lady in the worship of the v. ioyes that she had of her sone The first whan she conceyued of the holy gooste and knewe that she was moder to goddis sone of heuen The ii was on cristmasse daye whan she was delyuered of her sone wythoute ony peyne of her body For as she conceyued wythout lust of her body also she was deliuered wythout peyne of her body The iii. ioye was on ester daye whan her sone rose from deth to life and come to her kyssed her and made her more ioyefull of his vprysing than she was sory off his deth The iiii ioye whan he styed vp to heuâ—n on holy thursday in the same flesshe and blode that he toke in her body The v. ioye was in her assumpcioÌ„ whaÌ„ she sawe her sone come wyth grete multitude of angelis and saintes to fette her to heuen to crowne her quene of heuen and emperes of helle and lady of the world and so al that ben in heuen shall do her reuerence and worshyp And al that ben in erthe shal doo her seruyce Thyse ben the v. ioyes that our lady had of her sone and ye shall vnderstonde that he that wyl grete our lady with v. Aues shal neuer come in to the peynes of helle ¶ Narracio ¶ we fynde wreten of an holy maydeÌ„ that was denoute in our ladyes seruyce and euery daye greted her wyth v. ioyes Thenne it happed so on a daye that she fell seke felte her selfe well that she shold be dede and for fere she sighed wonder sore and made greate mone for by cause she wyft not wheder she shold goo after her deth Thenne come oure lady to her and said why arte thou so sory that hast made me so glad gretynge me wyth ioyes that I had of my sone therfor be not sory but knowe mell that thou shal go wyth me in to euerlastynge blysse and ioye wyth out ende Amen ¶ Narracio ¶ we fynde of saint Gylberte that on a tyme he was nye dede of the quynâ—â— and whan his throte was so grete and well nye dede that he myght not take breth our lady come to hym and sayd to hym Gylbert my seruaunt it were euyll do that thy throte shold suffre penaunce that hath soo oft tyme gladed me wyth ioyes and anone she toke her fayr pappe and mylked on his throte and wente her waye anone therwith he was hole and thanked our lady euer after De sancto Georgeo martire â—Ood frendes suche a daye ye shal haue saynt Georges daye The holy marter It is wreten in 〈◊〉 â—â—fe that there was an horryble dragon besyde a cyte that was called Câ—â—â—e of the whiche dragon men of the Cite were sore aferde in so moche that by counseyll of the kynge euery daye thei gaue hym a childe and a shepe to ete For fere lest he wolde haue come in to the Cyte Thenne whan all the chyldren and the shepe were nye ete for by cause that the kyng hym self gaue theÌ„ the counseyll they constreyned hym that he had but a doughter to gyue her to the dragon Thenne the kynge for fere of the people wyth wepyng and grete sorowe makynge delyuered hem his childe and sente her forth to the place â—â—ere as they were wont to set her own children and a shepe wyth her to abyde tyll the dragon come But than by the ordynaunce of god saynt George come tydyng that waye And whan he sawe this damoysell in her araye him thought she was a woman of greate byrth and asked her why she stode therre wyth the shepe in suche araye so mornynge Thenne answered she and said gentyll knyght well maye I morne make sorowe for I am a kynges doughter of this Cite and now I am sette here to be deuoured of a dragon that hath ete all the chyldren of this Cite be now dystroyed and nowe he muste haue me For my fader gaf hem counseyll therto and therfore gentyll knyght ryde hense faste and saue thy selfe leest the dragon sle bothe the and me Thenne sayd George damoysell that were grete shame and vylonye to me that am a knyghte well arayed And shold fle and thou a woman and sholdest abyde TheÌ„ne wyth that the dragon put oute his hede at an hole and spytted fyre proferd batayle to george he made a sygne of the crosse before hym and sett the spere in the reste and wyth grete myght bare downe the dragon to the grounde· And thenne he bad the damoysell bynde this dragon wyth her gyrdell about the necke And lede it wyth her in to the Cite and soo the dragon folowed after her as it hadde be a honde maide to bowe paciently· But whan the people of the Cyte sawe the dragon come they fledde for fere awaye Thenne George called the peple ayen and sayde to theym be not aferde For and ye wyll belyue in Criste and take cristeÌ„dom I wyll saue and sle this dragon and delyuer you of your enemye then were they so glad that anone xx thousand men wythoute wymen and children were cristened And the kynge the quene were first of all wyth al his housholde And thenne George slewe the dragon and bad the people tye oxen to hym and drawe it out of the Cite that the fauour of it dyde the peple no harme Thenne George bad the kynge edefye chirches in euery corner of his londe and be lusty to goddis seruyce and to honour and worship all the peple of holy chirche and euer haue coÌ„passyon and be sory for them that be pour or in ony dysease Thenne whan George had done thus and had torned al the londe to crysten feyth he herde of
angelis of sathanas that ye lete that man goo doune that al the peple may see whom thei haue worshyped Thenne symond felle doune all to brast theÌ„ne was themperour wroth and made to lede peter poul forth And dyde peter on a crosse and his hed downwarde and so put hym to dethe poule for he was a gentylman born For the more worshyp they smote off his hede Thenne the peple sawe angellis stondyng on the crosse there as peter henge wyth crownes And whan poules hede was smytte of there come out fayr plente of mylke after blode Thenne in the nyghte after come cristeÌ„ peple and layd her bodyes to gyder in a graue· there they lay tyl cristeÌ„ feyth was more open in rome TheÌ„ne wolde they haue bore eyther body to his chirche but they cowde not knowe eyther bones fro other Thenne come there a vois fro heuen said the more bones be of the precher and the lesse of the fyssher So after whan the cristen feyth come in to this londe kynge ethelbert lete make a grete chirche at westmynstre in worship of Saynt Peter and another in london of saynt poule And soo on a daye whan the chirche of saynt Peter shold be halowed in the nyghte afore was a man fysshyng ¶ in the tamyse vnder westmynâ— And 〈…〉 â—em reuesshed had vp the 〈…〉 grete dred and quakyng and there they fonde a lityll wryting here lyeth and restech Thomas archebysshop of caunterbury Primat of Englonde and the popes legate sleyn for the ryght of holy chirche the fyfthe daye of cristmasse Thenne for grete deuoâ—ion that they had of that syght· all cryed saynt Thomas And thenne they toke the hede to the Archebysshop to kysse and so they kyssed it all And thenne they behelde his woundes and sayd they were vngracious that wounded the thus And soo layd hym in shryne and couered it wyth cloth of golde and sette torches aboute it brennyng and the people to wake it al nyght Thenne on the morowe come all the states of this londe And bare the shryne to the place there as it is nowe wyth all the reuerence and worshippe that they cowde And there it is wyth worshyp Amen De sancta maria magdalena GOod frendes suche a daye ye shall haue the feste of Mary magdaleyn that was so holy that our lord Ihesu crist loued her best of all wymmen nexte his own moder wherfore ye shall come to god and to holy chirche and praye to that holy woman that she wyll praye to oure lord for vs. that we maye haue grace for she was the first in tyme of grace that dyde penaunce for she had loste grace by fleshly luste so she is made a myrrour to all other synners that wyl forsake synne and do penaunce they shal haue grace the whiche was lost by sinne She had a fader that was a grete lorde and nye of the kynges blode and had a grete lordshyp in IherusaleÌ„ the whiche he gaue to lazarus his sonne and he gaue mary the castelle of mawdeleyne wyth al the lordshyp longyng therto of the whiche castell she had her name and was called mary mawdeleyn for she was lady ther of Thenne as many bokes sayen Saynt Iohan euangeliste wedded her And our lord bad hym goo wyth hym and kepâ— his virgynyte and soo he dyde and was clene virgyn And mawdelayne wâ—â—t forth and gaue her all to synne In so moche she lost the name of mawdeleâ—n and was called the synfull woman â–ª But it was often seen that our lord made of the grettest sinner the holâ—â—st afterwardes And so whaÌ„ our lord sawe tyme he gaue this womaÌ„ grace to â—â—owe her self to haue repentaunce for her synnes Thenne whan mary herde the crist was at a mannis house that was called Symon the pharise she toke a boxe wyth oyntement suche as the people vsed the tyme for hete of the sonne went thyder but she durst not for shame go tofore hym herde hym speke thenne she toke a greate sorowe in her herte and wept tenderly and wyth the teres of her eyeÌ„ she wasshed cristis feâ—e And wyth the here 's of her hede she weped hem and wyth all the loue of her herte she â—ysshed hem anoynted hem but no worde she spake that ony man mighte here but softely in her herte she cryed mercy and made a vowe to him that she wolde neuer trespasse more Thenne our lord had pyte on her and cast oute of her vii fendes and forgaue her all her synnes in heryng of all that there were thenne she toke suche a loue to crist that she lefte all her lordshypâ— of mawdeleyn wyth all other goodes and sued hym forth wyth grete loue that in his passion there as his disciples fled from hym she lefte hym neuer tyll she wyth helpe of other had layed hym in his tombe and whan no man durste goo thyder for fere of the knyghtes that kepeth hym she spared not Cum tenebre essent It was derke in the dawynge she toke wyth her swete bawmes to anoynte Crystis body wyth this she shewed loue bothe in wyll and in dede wherfore cryst in his lyfe for her loue heled Martha her suster of the rede flyxe that she had vii yere to fore and payned her full sore ¶ Et resuscitauit Lazarum a mortuis ¶ And reysed Lazar her broder from dethe to lyfe that had lyen iiii dayes stynkynge in his graue and whan our lord rose from deth to lyfe he appered to her and suffred her to touche hym kyssed his fete Thenne whan it was knowen to the iewes that cryst shewed her so many tokenes of loue before all other Thenne whan criste was styed vp to heuen· the iewes toke Mary and Martha her suster lazarus maxencius and many other and put them in a shyp that was old 〈…〉 â—aâ—e drowned them but g◠〈…〉 soo for all thing at his wyll and brought them sauf to a londe â–ª called Marcyle And there they rested vnder a baâ—â—e that was nye the temple Thenne mary sawe moche people comyng toward the temple to do sacryfice to her mawmettes And the lord of the countrey come wyth hem But mawdeleyn was gracious and wyth her gracious wordes tourned hym ayen Thenne this lorde had grete luste to here her speke and sayd thus to her that yf god that thou spekest of be so gracious and so grete of power as thou sayste praye to him that I may haue a chylde by my wyff that is bareyne and thenne wyl I byleue in hym Thenne mary said she wold and wythin short tyme after the lady conceyued and was wyth chyld Thenne this lord anone after ordeyned to goo to Iherusalem to Peter to wyte of hym wheder mawdeleyns prechinge were true or no. and vytayled his ship and made hym redy Thenne come his lady prayenge hym that she myght goo wyth hym Soo wyth grete prayer the lord graunted her
sacryfice in the aulter of the crosse And marke wrote moche of the resurreccion and therfore he is lykened to a lyon For as the bokes saye and tellen whan a lyon hath yonge welpes they shall lye as dede iii. dayes after they ben whelped Thenne cometh the lyon and seeth his whelpes dede Anone he maketh suche a â—â—â—yng and a cryenge that the dede whelpes wake therwyth â–ª and quyken and take lyf Soo whan criste had laye thre dayes in his tombe thenne the fader spake to hym badde hym ryse and soo rered hym from deth to lyf Also Iohn is lykened to the Egle. For by kynde â—e fleeth hyghest in to thayre and nexte to the sonneâ— so Iohn wrote most of the godhede and but lityll of the manhede thyse ben the causes that they be likened to foure deuerse beestes ¶ But now ye shall vnderstonde that luke was lykened to an oxe thâ—e maner of wyse that is in thoughte worde and dede he offred his thoughte to god For there as he was firste besy to gete goodes of the worlde wyth his crafte For as bokes telle he was first a leche and for couetyse of godde he slewe many a man bodely theÌ„ne had he offended god soo greuously that anone he offred his thought in sacrâ—fice For as boâ—es teche god is hyghly pleised wyth thought that is whan a man is sory for his synnes in his herte and thynketh verely to forsake theym and amende him Also he offred his worde to god in sacrifice for as he was wonte to spende his speche in many ydle wordes or he come to the appostle after he tourned his speche to the profyte of all crysten people wherfore he wente to our lady and she taughte hym the gospell that he wrote And for he was a clene mayden oure Lady cherysshed hym the more And so taught hym ful goodly how the angell come to her in message And what he sayd what answere she gaue ayen and soo all thynge that she dyde wyth her sonne And of all her doyng tyll oure lord was styed vp in to heuen And whan Luke had lerned this perfyghtly theÌ„ne he loked what Marke had wreten and mathewe and soo toke at theym ¶ And there as they wrote derkely he wrote openly all thyng Thus in prechyng techynge he offred his wordes to god in sacrefyce For he peyned his body wyth dyuerse penaunce of fastynge and of harde lyuynge in kepyng and praynge Also he wrote all the persecucion that the postles suffred of the iewes in Iherusalem whan they had grete pursute and tourmentes for goddis sake And he wrote all the perscucion of saynt Steuen how he was stoned to deth Thenne wente saynt Luke to saynt poule shewed him how many myscheues and diseases that he had And in grete drede and neuer depâ—rted from hym tyll poule was dede Thenne wente Luâ—â— to a contrey that was called betany and there he preched the worde of god And was there tyll he was lxi wynter of age thenne he deyed full fayre full of the holy gooste For he lyued in holy vertues And after his deth God shewed for hym many fayre myracles and soo ended in criste And wente to euerlastyng blysse To the whiche god brynge vs all ¶ De Simone et Iuda GOod frendis suche a daye ye shall haue the feste of SymoÌ„ Iude. And ye shall faste the euen on the morowe come to chirche and worship god and theis holy appostles ye shall vnderstonde that eyther of thyse hath two names that one was called Symon zelotes and that other Iudas Iacola and Iudas thadeus shewyng by thyse how the name that a man hath in this world deyeth and passeth oute of mynde whan he is dede ¶ wherfore euery Crysten man shold be besy to take hym a name that shold be wreten in the boke of lyff that shold laste euer And therfore thyse two appostles suffred grete penaunce traueyle trybulacion and dysease and at the last peyne of deth for crystis sake wyth hertes meke and clene consience Symon is as moche to say as obedieÌ„ce that maketh a man meke in herte Iudas is as moche to saye as confession that clenseth a mannis concience of all maner off synne And thus before or they deyed thei gaue to euery man ensample how they toke theyr deth mekely for crystis sake and deyed wyth clene concyence And thenne they shall be wreten in the boke of lyfe wyth grete worship in the fraternyte of heuen But they that grutchen in theyr hertes of disease and persecusion and euer pleynyngt they haue nede to praye to god to be heled off that sykenesse that they haue in her spirytis ¶ Narracio ¶ we fynde in the lyf of the appostle how a kynge that was called Abagarus· and was a leper and herde how that our lord Ihesu criste dyd many myracles and heled all that were syke TheÌ„ne he wrote a lettre in this wyse kynge Abagarus greteth Ihesus Sauyour well that precheth in the countre off Iherusalem And I haue herde of thy myracles that thou dost and soo thou helest all maner of sikenesse wythout ony herbes or salues blynde croked the lame And that is more merueyle that thou reysest dede bodyes to lyfe wherfore I thynke in my herte and in my byleue that thou art very goddis sone and come downe from heuen to erthe and lyueste here amonge the people as one of hem wherfore I wryte to the that thou wyll come to me and he le me of my leprehede that greueth me full sore And soo I vnderstande that the iewes haue ordeyned to doo the to deth And I haue a lytyll cyte that is good and honest and plentuous it is suffysaunt ynought for vs bothe to lyue by and there shall we bothe lyue in rest and peas thenne cryste wrote ayen and sayd thou art blyssed that byleueste on me and hast not seen me and for thou woldest that I shold come to the. I saye to the I must dâ—â— that I come fore and thenne 〈…〉 sende some of my disciples to 〈◊〉 that shall hele the of thy leprehede Thenne for this that cryste myghte not come to hym For grete desyre that he had to see hym He sente to hym a paynter that was a mayster of tâ—at crafte to paynte crystis vysage as he cowde but whan this paynter come to criste and loked on his vysage â–ª it 〈◊〉 soo bryght that he myght not loke tâ—â—â— on Thenne he made grete sorowe and mournynge that he was come soo fâ—â—re and myghte not spede of his purpose Thenne criste toke a clothe of the peynter and wyped his face therwyth and thenne was the fourme of his face theron and thenne the peynter bare it to the kynge Thenne was the kynge wonder glad and dyde it grete reuerence wyth all his herte Thenne after cristis ascension Thomas of ynde by the assente of the appostles was sente to this kynge Abagarus And whan he sawe
SAM PEPYS CAR ET IAC ANGL REGIB A SECRETIS ADMIRALIAE Mens cujusque is est Quisque ¶ The helpe and grace of almighty god thrugh the besechinge of his blessed mo 〈…〉 saynt mary be with vs at oure begynnynge help vs and spede vs here in oure lyuynge and bringe vs vnto the blisse that neuir shalle haue endynge Amen Myn owne simple vnderstondinge I fele wele how it fareth by other that been in the same degree and haue charge of soules and holden to teche their parisshyns of all the principal festys that come in the yere shewynge vnto theym what the hooly saintes suffred and dyd for goddes sake and for his loue So that they sholde haue the more deuocion in good saintes with the bettre wyll come vnto the churche â–ª to serue god and pray his holy saintes of their help But for many excuse theÌ„ for defaute of bokes and also by symplenesse of connynge Therfore in help of suche this tretyse is drawen oute of Legenda aurea that he that lyst to studye therin he shal fynd redy therin of all the principall festes of the yere of echone a shorte sermon nedefull for hiÌ„ to teche and for other to serue And for this treatise speketh of all the high festys of the yere I woll and praye that it be called festiuall the whiche begynneth at the firste sonday of the Aduent in worship of god and all his sayntes that ben wretyn therin ¶ Incipit liber qui vocatur festialis GOde men and wemen this day is called the first sonday in aduent wherfore holy church maketh mencion of the coÌ„mynge of criste goddes sone into this world 〈…〉 maÌ„kinde oute of the deuylles bondage â–ª to bringe all well doers into the blisse that euir shall last And also of his other coÌ„mynge that shall be at the daye of dome whan he shall coÌ„me to deme all wacked doers into the peyne of hel for euir But the firste coÌ„mynge of â—huÌ„ Criste into this worlde brought ioye and blisse with him Therfore holy churche vsed songes of myrth as alleluya and other And for the second coÌ„mynge of criste shall be soo cruell that no tonge may tell Therfore holy churche seyth downe songes of melodye as Te deum Gloria in excelsis â–ª and weddinge For after that daye shall 〈◊〉 be weddinge more in to 〈…〉 ynge of veÌ„geaunce that coÌ„meth after Then after the the first coÌ„myng of crist into this worlde sainte Austyn sayth there been there thinges ryf in this worlde that ben 〈◊〉 the trauayll and deth This is the testamente that Adam oure forme fadre made to all his ofsprynge after him that is to be borne in sekenesse and for to lyue in trauayll and for to dye in drede But criste he came to be oure socoure of this testamente and was borne and trauayled and deyed he was borne to bringe men oute of sekenesse into euirlastinge helthe he trauayled to bryng man to euir lastinge reste he deyed to brynge man to euirlastinge lyf This was the cause of the firste coÌ„mynge of criste into this worlde wherfore h 〈…〉 wyll escape the dome that he shall coÌ„me to in the secounde coÌ„myng he must ley downe all maner of pryde of herte and knowe him selue a wreche of erth and holde meknesse in his hert he must trauayle his body in good werkes and gete truly his lyuelode with trauayll of his body and putte awaye all ydelnesse For he that woll nat trauayl his body in good werkes â–ª as sainte beinÌ„ sayth he shall trauayll euir with fendes in hel and for drede of dâ—th he muste make him euir redy to god whan he woll fende for him that is to say shryue 〈◊〉 â—ene of all his synnes and nat 〈…〉 yere to yere but assone as he 〈…〉 ryse vp and mekely tak◠〈…〉 fadre then shall 〈…〉 come haue gret worship 〈…〉 a knight she wyth his woū◠〈…〉 had in batayll in moche 〈…〉 to him Right so the synnes 〈…〉 hath doon and is shreuyn of 〈…〉 his penaunce shal be moche wâ—â—ship to him and grete coÌ„fusion to 〈…〉 And that he hath nat shryu◠〈◊〉 â—halbe shewyd openly to al the worlde in grete shamâ— to him This is sayd for the firste coÌ„mynge of crist in to this worlde Vnde DnÌ„s veniet ad iudicium· The coÌ„mynge of criste is to the dome Tunc videbunt filium hominis venientem in nubibus cum potestate magna et maiestate And these coÌ„mynges shal be so cruell that fyftene daies afore shall coÌ„me tokens of grete drede So that therby the people may knowe that sone after coÌ„myth the dome Secundum IeronimuÌ„ As Ierom sayth The firste day the water shall ryse vpon the see and it shall be higher than any hyll by xl cubytes The secounde day the see shal fal downe so lowe that vnnethe it may be seâ—â— The thridde daye all the fysshe and bestes in the see shall make suche a crye and a rorynge that no tonge may tell it but god him selue The fourthe daye the see and waters shall brenne· The v day all trees â–ª and herbes shall swete blood and al maner of foules shal coÌ„me to gidder and nother ete nor drynk for drede of the dome that is coÌ„mynge The vi day all grete bildinges castel sys toures steples and houses shal fal downe and brenne tyll the sonne ryse ayen The vii day all stones and rockes shall bete to gydre that eche shall breke other with an horrible noyse whiche shal be herde into heuyn The eyghte day the erthe shall quake so that there may no man stonde theron but shall fall downe The ix day the peple shal goo oute of their dennys goo as they were myndlesse and noone speke to other The tenth day hylles and erth shal be euyn and playn The xi day al graues and tombes shall open and the bodies shall stonde vpon them The tuelthe day sterres shall fall from heuyn shotynge oute brennynge bemys a dredefull signe to see The xiii day they shall deye that beren lyf The xiiii day heuyn and erthe shall brenne The xv day heuyn and erthe shal be made new and all people shal aryse in the age af xxx wynter and coÌ„me to the dome Dominus veniet ad iudicium cum multitudine angelorum ¶ Thenne shall come to the dome our lord Ihesu Criste very god and man wyth his angelis And shewe his wouÌ„dis fresshe bledyng as thaâ— daye he deyed on the crosse wyth all the instrumeÌ„tes of his passion ¶ The spere croune scourges nailes hamer pynsones and the garland of thornes to shewe what he suffred in his passion for mankynd Thenne maye they be sory and ferde that haue sworne by his passion or wouÌ„dis or by ony membre of his body that shall be a grete represse to theym But they amende theym in this worlde or they deye Thenne wyll our lorde gretely thanke theym that haue doo mercy in this worlde for his sake to theyr euyn crysten And
wepinge thanne to go to anâ—â—â—se there as is greate reuyll and moche â—yrthe For suche thinges make a man to foâ—yete his god and him selue bothe But there as is a sighte of a corse maketh a man to thynke on his deth That is the speâ—yall thinge to pâ—tte awaye synne and vanite of the worlde For Salamon saythe thus to his sone ¶ Fili memorare nouissima et ineternum non peccabis Sone haue in thy mynd â—â—at thou shal dye and thou shall neuir synne dedely Thus holy churche hauynge greate coÌ„passion of her children ordeyneth thre maner of salues to helpe her châ—ldren That ben to thynke on dethe inwardely â–ª to labour besily and to chastise the body reasonably The firstâ— is to thy 〈◊〉 on dethe inwardly Holy churche 〈◊〉 ensaÌ„ple this day in the office of the mâ—ssâ— wâ—â—che begynneth thus Circumdederunt â—e et cetera The sekenesse of deth hath biclepyd me Thus sayth he â—â—â—hing euery good childe to haue in mynde how hard he is be stadde with deth on eche syde In somoche that he may nat scape no waye but euir deth sueth him with a bowe drawen and an arowe euir therin redye to shote him he wote neuir what tyme. This is a principall salue to euery maÌ„ that taketh it to heâ—e to puâ—t away all maner of vanyte and vayne myrthe But for to vnderstonde this the bettre I shewe this by ensample ¶ Narracio ¶ I rede of a â—ing that euir was in heuy sorowe and he wolde neuir laughe ne make mery but euir was in morninge and in heuynesse Therfore his menye and al other men were greuyd ther with they yede to the kinges broder praynge him to speke to the kinge and said he greuyd all tho that were about him with his heuy â—here and couÌ„seyled him to leue it and make lighte chere in tyme coÌ„mynge Thenne was this kinge wise and thought to chastise his broder by a wyle and wrouthly badde him goo home and doo that he hadde to doo Then was the maner of the countree that whan a man shulde be doon to deth shuld coÌ„me â—â—umpettes and truÌ„pe afore his gate Thenne saide the kinge byddyng theÌ„ goo trumpe afore his broders gate and men go with them to arreste him brinâ—◠〈◊〉 bifore there king and in the me 〈◊〉 while the king called to him seuyn mâ—n that he truste on and badde theym that whan his broder was coÌ„me to drawe their swerdes and sette theim at his breste afore his herte So whan his broder was coÌ„me they dyd as the king badde theym Thenne the king coÌ„maunded all men to daunce and to make reuell all that they coude and so they dyd Thenne sayd the kynge to his broder why arte thou so heuy of chere Heue vp thy hede and be mery for all this myrthe is made for the Thenne aunswered he and saide Howe shulde I be mery of chere and see here seuyn swerdes sett to my herte and wote nat who shal be my deth firste Thenne saide the kinge putt vp your swerdes spake to his broder thus It faâ—â—th by 〈◊〉 the seuyn â—edeâ—â—â— synnes be euir ready to reue me of my soule to the herte and this maketh me that I may neuir be mery and make glade chere but euyr am aferde of dethe for my soule that is the lyf of my body Thenne saide the broder I crye the mercy for I knewe neuir this tyll nowe I shall be the wyser euir after ¶ This I say boldly he that wyll take to herte he shall haue better wyll to loure than to laughe to sigh than to be gladde to wepe thanne to synge so that he shall fynde that mynde of deth the principall salue of all maner of synne Also principally we muste haue in mynde the paynfull deth of oure saue oure that he suffred for vs all Of the which is made mencion in the first chapitre of trenys Attendite et videte si est dolor similis sicut dolor meus That other salue is to laboure besilye in this worlde Of this laboure speketh sainte poule in the epistyll of this daye and sayth thus Sic currite vt comprehendatis Renne ye so that ye maye haue the game By this rennynge ye shall vnderstonde that he that renneth for the game enforcyth him self with all his myghte to renne faste and so muste euery seruaunte of god enforce him to laboure besily in that degre that god haâ—â— set him in and men of holy churche muste laboure in studynge and praynge and to teche the people the lawe of god Lordes and rentyd men muste laboure â—◠¶ kepe holy churche in reste and peceâ— and other comyn people muste labour to gete lyuinge to thise other degrees and for hem self bothe to the soule and body And for no maÌ„ shold excuse hym from this labour Cryste in the gospel yeueth an ensample saing thus ¶ Primo mane conducere â—perarios And husbond men wente in to his gardeyn or vyne yerde at prime and ayen at vndren or myddaye and at euynsoÌ„ge tyme. and he hired people to labour by all the tydes of the daye this is to vnderstond all the grees of the world For as Iob saith a man is borne to labour and traueyle in this worlde as a byrd to flee And saynt bernard saith he that wyll not laboure here in this worlde he shall laboure wyth fendys in helle for that is the testament of Adam that he left to all his ofsprynge labour and traueyle To this laboure he yeueth ensample and reherseth how god made adam and eue to laboure to kepe paradyse and bad them ete of all the frutes that was in paradise except one tree that he kepte for hym self soo as ofte as they sawe the tre they shold thynke on hym that made theym and knowe hym for theyr god ¶ And for they sholde not ete therof in peyne off deth and of dampnacion Thenne the fende sawe theym in soo moche ioye that they were in and hym self in so moche peyn and woo that he had grete enuy to theym and went to Eue and asked why they eâ—e not of the frute off that tree And she said god hath forbede vs that tree in peyn of deth Thenne sayd the fende he wote full well that and ye ete therof ye shold 〈…〉 â—nowyng bothe good and â—â—â—lle ¶ Aâ—â—â— yf ye wyll prâ—â—e that I saye soche Ete therof and assâ—ye Thenne toâ—e eue of the frute and gaf adam and bad hym ete therof and assaye And adam loueâ—â—er well and wolde not wrathe her toke an appell and 〈◊〉 And anon therwyth eyther of them â—awe others shappe and were ashamed And toke leues of a fygge tree and soo â—yuered her membres Than came our lorde to adam and saide Quare fecisti hoc ¶ why hast thou doo so and he saide Mulier quam dedisti nuchâ— The woman bad me thenne said oure lord to eue why dydest thou thus Serpens decepit me The Serpente begyled me Thenne for
a man and told his name that was his seruaunt a lytyll to sore and that woman was and ther knyghtes wif and he haddeley by her husbondes lyf therfore they were bothe put to that penaunce and sayde the horse that I ryde on is the fende that brenneth me a C. fold worse than ony other fyre myghte that is in erthe And that peyne they muste so suffre tyl they had helpe of good preyers masses and almes dedes tolde hym many other thynges Than this knyghte dyde alle thinges that he sayd shold be her helpe and so delyuered hem oute of this peyne to euerlastyng blysse the which god brynge vs all to Amen ¶ Dominica in passione dniÌ„ GOod men and wymmen this daye is called the sondaye In passion weke this daye Oure lord Ihesu Criste began his passion For this 〈◊〉 the iewes had suche an enuye â—oâ— by cause he tolde her defautes and â—â—ces of mysliuyng And soo for this cause they repreued hym Soo this daye they were full assented to do hym to deth and soo they were aboute ofte byfore But they were letted by some thynge and most for fere of the comen people For they helde hym a prophete ¶ But this daye they â—uytte hem togider and fully accorded 〈◊〉 they wolde spaâ—â— for noo thynge but he sholde be dede wherfore as the gospell tellith as criste prechyd in the temple the iewys rebuked him spytously and sayd Nunc cognouimus quia demonium habes Nowe knowe we that thou haste a fende with the And all was to tempte him to haue made him speke som euyl worde by the whiche they mighte haue putt him to some repreefe And for he tolde them that he was goddes sone they were redy to haue stoned him to deth But he knewe well ther malice Iesus autem abscondit se et exiuit de templo Iesus hyd him selue and went oute of the temple ¶ Thus oure lord this day began his passion wherfore holy churche redeth this weke in the booke of Ierom the prophete that firste prophyced of cristes passion and tolde howe and what maner the iewys sholde doo hym to dethe Thenne ye shall vnderstonde wele that in the same wyse that the Iewys pursuyd criste to the deth In the same wyse I fere gretly lest there been moche false people that be cristned that pursuen criste in heuyn nowe ¶ Sainte Austyn sayth that they synne more greuously that pursue him in heuyn that the iewys dyd that pursued him in erth Thenne if ye wol wete whiche be those Take hede how criste marked them and sayd thus Oui ex deo est verba dei audit He that is of god heryth the worde of god For he heryth nat the word of god that sweryth many grete othes ful falsely Thiâ—â— been tho that 〈…〉 in heuyn that been glade in their 〈◊〉 whan they haue a foule dede doon and be grounded in foule cursed lyuynge of synne and wâ—ll nat amende theym for prechinge nor techynge but euir do foull dedes and anone been redy to fyghte and chyde with them that tell hâ—â— their defautes As it is shewyd by crist For the more harme is the condiciones of the people been suche nowe a dayes that he shall haue many enmyes that wyll saye trouthe And that I may preue by ensample ¶ Narracio ¶ There was somtyme a mawmente in a cyte that wold tell where any thinge was that was stole or myssed and who hadde it So it hpped on a tyme that a yonge man hadde stole a thinge and was aferde of this mawmente and anone he went to this mawmeÌ„t and fayde thus well I wote thou mayste deâ—me a grete shame and velonye But by god that I beleue vpon and thou discouer me I wyll breke thy bede And soo went forth his waye Thenne soone after caÌ„me they that missed this gode praynge the mawmente to tell theym who had it And whan they hadde long prayed at the laste the mawment spake and sayd Tymes be chaunged the people been worse than they were who saythe the trouthe his hede shal be broken So he that wyll saye trouthe he shal be shâ—â—e and so the true man shal be dâ—â—â—ted and so plucked that he shall nat wytt to whome he shall speke nor to whâ—â— he may tell his counseyll in truste 〈◊〉 that woll sonest descryue him soÌ„tyme speke mooste fareste ¶ It is wretyn in the boke of kynges haâ— ther were two knyghtes grete enmyes one to the other That one hight Ioab and that other amasa and this ioab saide to amasa as they mette Hayle broder and kyssed him and with his other honde behinde him he slewe him with his knyffe and smote him to the herte Thus it fareth nowe a daies by moche peple they freke full fayre bifore the people And behynde theym they wyl sle them wit a shrewyd knyf that is with the euyl and cursed tongue These been they that pursuyth him into heuyn set nought 〈◊〉 goddes woâ—de For though they here it with their crys it synketh nat in their hertes where god playneth him greuouâ—ly by his prophete Iheremye and saith this ¶ what gyfte fouÌ„de your fadâ—rs 〈◊〉 If I haue trespassed to you in a 〈◊〉 manerthinge tell me Allas for shaâ— of youre obstinat pryde for god is 〈◊〉 the right and so he tretythe with vs. thaâ— ben in the wrong He proferith merâ—â—oâ— we aske it He maketh him mercyfull to theym that displeasyth hym shewyth loue there non is worthy Thê° been their hertes harder than any stoon And thus ben we worse than iewes for we be vnkynde to him that shewyth to vs all kyndenesse And euir he cryeth to vs and sayth I haue lefte on erthe for ye sholde here my scripture Torne ayen to me and I woll resceyue the Lo myn armes ben al redy spredde to clyppe the to me And myn hede is redy bowed to kysse the My syde is all redy opnyd to shewe the myn herte my hondes my fete â—leden to shewe the what I suffryd for the and thou tornest away from me and thou be in parfyt lyf I wyll yeue the treasoure withoute nombre I sal auaunce the withoute comparison yeue the reste withoute ende So that all the faute shal be founde in the and natt in me Thus oure lorde proferith and techyth vs. and there been full fewe that wyll here him but â—et all these wordes passe oute of their hertes And takethe noon hede but all their mynde is in rychesse and in this worldes prosperyte in this presente lyf and take full lytel hede of the lyf that is coÌ„mynge And how oure lorde iesu criste suffryd deth to briÌ„ge vs to euirlastinge blisse ¶ Therfore in cristes passion maketh the prophete a grete lamentacion for the gete vnkyndnesse that he seeth in mankynde and sayth thus Thou man for vanyte thou stynkest for thy rustye synne And therfore I cry and wepe for thou haste on thy hede a garlond of flores and I
chyldren of Israhell whan moyses ladde theym oute of egypte in to the londe of byheft that is Iherusalem and soo they passed sauf and founde And soo vii dayes after they come all vnto the see and thanked god for her passage and in mynde herof holy chirche vseth all the Ester weke to goo a procession to the foâ—â—e that is nowe the rede see to all cristen people that ben crystened in the fonte For the water in the fonte betokenethe the rede see for blode and water is the wounde that were in cristis syde in the which the power of pharao the sede of helle is drowned and al his might lost and cristen peple saued and for the foÌ„te is halowed on Ester euen and on wytson euyn for in the begynnyng al children abode to be cristened vnto thyse two dayes and to be crystened atte the fonte halowynge But now for by cause that many in soo longe abydyng were dede wythout crystendome therfore holy chirche ordeyned nowe to cristen all tymes of the yere saue viii dayes byfore thise euyns the child shal abyde to the fonte halowyng yf it maye for perryll of deth and ellys not ¶ Thus is the pascall halowed by lyghte wyth the newe fyre and of it al other tapres and candellis ben lyghte for all holynesse and good techynge good liuing coÌ„meth of crist teching of holy chirche and lighteth hem in cristâ—s passion wyth brennynge loue and charyte Peces of enfence ben stycked in the pascall in the maner of a crosse those betokeÌ„ the fyue woundes of our lorde As bede sayth that he suffred in his body that shall be fresshe and sweâ—â— as ony ensence tyll the daye of dom to greate repreef to all that shall bee dampned that belyue not in Crystis passion and wyll not aske mercy and foâ—yeuenesse of her synnes In the fonte halowyng the prest casted water in foure partyes of the fonte for Cryste hadde his disciples goyng prechynge techyng in foure parties of cristendom in the name of the fader and the sone the holy goost And after the prest bretheth on the water for the holy gooste in makynge of the worlde was borne vpon waters ¶ For whan god for Adamis synne cursed therthe and the londe he cursed not the water wherfor it is lawfull to a man to ete in lenton that that cometh of the water After he droppeth the wex in to the water off a candell brennynge the whiche betokeneth the manhode of crist that was fullyd in water and putteth oyle and creme in the water For by the vertu of the sacrament those that ben in heuen and in erthe ben Ioyned to gyder and that was preued by crystis baptisme For there the fader of heuen spake and sayde Hic est filius meus dilectus in quo michi bene complacui This is my well beloued sone that wyll pleyse me and the holy ghost was seen Sicut columba As a whyte doue thus was the fonte halowed two tymes in the yere ¶ Att wythsontyde and at Ester whan all the people is broughte oute of thraldom by Crystis passion fro the dangeour of the fende and at wytsontide For thenne is the holy ghoste yeuen in remyssion of all synnes ¶ Thenne from the fonte the people goon to the quere syngyng the letanye prayenge all the sayntes in heuene to praye to god to gyue to all that been Crysten to kepe that sacrament to goddis pleysaunce And the couenaunt that they haue made in her crystenyng thenne the preest goth to masse for Cryste that is hede off all holy chirche is not rysen Kyrieleyson is said for in euery prayer in especyall in the masse it is grete nede to aske helpe and socoure of god to kepe vs from all maner off temptacion that the fende putteth in vs and namely in goddis seruice Gloria in excelsis Is said for the fader of heueÌ„ hath gret ioye to be holde the peple that his sone hath boughte wyth his passion and to see hem in reste peas and charyte echone wyth other The greyle is not sayd For those that ben newe cristened been not yet parfyte to walke in grace of vertues Alleluya is said For it is gre ioye to angellis to see by crystenynge the nombre of hem restored ayen After alleluya a tracte is said hyghe songen for though by crystenynge they be wasshe from synne yet muste they traueyle besely to kepe hem from comberaunce of the fende that they falle not in dedely synne The offertorye is said for the wymmen that comen wyth oynementis to offre to crystis body They fonde hym not in his tombe Agnus dei Is said noo pax is gyuen For cryste that is hede of peas is not rysen The postcomyn is not sayde for those that ben newe crystened shold not be housled this daye but on the morowe for in olde tyme there come to crystenynge peple of grete age Thenne a short euynsonge is done for the children that were not cristned wherof gretly they were noyed wyth seknesse of colde of longe seruyce thenne is ended vnder a shorte colet all the sacramente of cristenyng is ended in the passion of Crist by the whiche all cristen people were restored tor euerlastyng blisse to the whiche god brynge vs all to Amen ¶ In die paraceues GOod frendis this daye is called good frydaye for all that Oure Lord Ihesu cryste suffred this daye tourned vs to grete ioye For this daye he suffred passion vnder pounce pylate for oure sake It is an olde sawe that a foule begnnnynge hathe a fowle endyng Nowe see howe this pylate began cursedly and ended full wretchedly For as saynt austyn saith cursed lyuyng first asketh a cursyd ende after he that forgeteth hym self here in his lyuyng is full lyke to forgete hym selfe in his last ende This pylate was a knyghtes sone that was called Tyrus that he gate hym on a woman that hyghte Pyle And this womannys fader hyghte Atte. So whan this childe was borne they sette the moders name and the grande fader after and soo by bothe names called hym pylat ¶ Thenne after whan he was thre yeres of age his moder brought hym in to the kynges courte thenne hadde the knyghte another sone nygh lyke to pylates age But for this knightes sone was in all his rule more gentyler more manfully more goodly more beloued that this pylate soo for hate and for enuye therof This pylate on a dâ—y slewe this knyghtes sone thenne was the knyghte wonder sory But yet he wolde not slee Pylate and sente hym to Rome to be there in hostage for a trybut that the knyght sholde paye to Themperour ¶ Thenne it happed that the kynge of Fraunce hadde sent his sone theder for the same cause Thenne for by cause ¶ whan Pylate sawe that he was more beloued and chereshed Therfore this pylate slewe hym TheÌ„ne for he was so cursed themperoure by counseyll of the romayns sente pylate in
to a contree that was called pounce where the people of that contrey where so cursed that they slewe ony that come to bee thyr mayster ouer hem Soo whan this pylate come thyder he applied hym to her maners soo what wyth whyles and sotyltye he ouercome hem and had the maystrye gate his name and was called pylate of poâ—â—ceâ— and had grete domynacion and power Thenne the kynge of Iherusalem sent after him and made him lyeuftenaunt vnder hym of the londe of Iury. And for pylate lyked well â—â—office preuely he sente to themperour and had his offyce confermed of hym vnwetynge to the kynge herode Kynge that tyme. wherfore whan kynge herode herde what he hadde done he was soo wrothe that they were enmyes vnto the tyme that oure Lorde Ihesu crist was take and thenne they become frendis ayen and fylle bothe in to one aseÌ„t of Cristis deth Thenne it happed afterward that themperour fylle syke sent after criste for to hele hym For it was tolde hym that cryste heled all tho that euer wolde come to hym of all maner of sykenesse what soo euer sykenesse it had soo bee But thenne had pylate done hym to deth or the messager come Thenne whan themperoure vnderstode that he sent for pylate and made hym come to hym ¶ And whan pylate herde this he was sore aferd take on Cristis cote And soo whan he come to rome to themperour all those that were in preseÌ„ce made pilate good chere all the whyle that he had on cristis â—â—te And themperour swore byfore that he shold be ded Thenne toke of the cote and anone as the cote was off Themperour was sore wrothe wythe Pylate that he putte hym in to a prysoÌ„ tyll he had take counseyll what dethe he shold deye on Thenne as soone as pylate wist and vnderstod that he sholde be dede he toke his owne knyfe and slewe hym self wyth all And whan the Emperour herde therof and vnderstode that he had sleyn hym self And thenne anone he made to bynde a grete stone aboute pylats necke and to caste hym in a water that is called Tyber Thenne whan he was cast therin the fendes made suche a noyse there about that all the Cite of Rome was sore afreyd ¶ Thenne whan Emperour sawe this he made to take hym vp agayn and thenne was he caste in to a water that was betwyx two hie hilles and soo longe tyme after there was in the water many horryble syghtes seen aboute that cursed man Thus Oure Lorde Ihesu Cryste suffred passion and dethe for all mankynde and fyrst whan he was take they dyde buffete hym and stryped hym naked and bete hym wyth scourgis ¶ A vertice capitis vsque ad plantas pedumnon fuit in eo sanitas ¶ That from the hyest place of his hede to the sole of the fete was noo thynge lefte hole on hym but all raw And after made a crowne off thornes and set it on his hede and bete it doune wyth stauis of reede that it perisshed his brayne And whan they had peyned hym soo they lad hym foâ—h all blody Ad montem caluarie To the monte of caluary to th ende off dethe yet wymmen of the Cyte whan they see hym soo fowle fayre wyth all to lougged and all to drawe for very pyte they wepte vpon hym ¶ Thenne sayde our lord to hem Nolite flere super me sed super vos et filios vestros ¶ ye wymmen of Iherusalem wepe ye not for me but vpon you and your children· For there shall dayes come in the whiche ye shall blisse the wombes that were bareyne and the pappes that neuer gaue souke Thus oure Lord preched byfore the vengeaunce that fille after vpon Iherusalem The which prophecye Iheremye the prophete spak of that is redde in holy chirche thyse thre dayes at tenebras the which was soo horryble of many dyuerse myscheues and in especiall off hongre deyde in the stretes Thenne was there a woman was come of grete birthe Tthat for houngre toke her owne chyld that was fedde wyth her pappes and slewe it and parte it in two partyes and than rosted halfe And thother halfe she kepte tyll on the morowe ¶ Thenne as the people come by the strete they had sauour of the roste and anone they come in to haue hadde part therof and whan they sawe the moder roste her owne chylde and sone they were heuy and foule dissmayed and wold not ete therof But wente theyr waye forthe ayen Thenne toke the moder of that child and ete theroff and sayd in this maner wyse This is myn owne sone and myn owne chyld that I bare of my body and fedde it wyth my pappes but I wyll rather ete hit than deye for houngre Therfore I tell you this to shewe you somwhat of the vengeaunce that fyll on Iherusalem after the dethe of oure Lord Ihesu Criste ¶ Thenne they ladde hym to the mouÌ„te of Caluarye And there they streyned hym soo on the Crosse that euery bone of his body myght be knowen one from another And nayled hym honde and fote to the crosse and they lyfte vp the Crosse and the body to gyder And wyth a grete peyce they leâ—e the crosse and the body falle doune to gyder in to the mortesse that all the body dasshed and his bonys craked and his ioyntes brast and veynes and al wouÌ„des brake out of blode Sydes armes legges fete and hondes soo that there was no blode in hym yet they toke a clothe while the blod was hote wouÌ„de it a bout his body tyl the blode was cold theÌ„ne they drew away the cloth pulled away the flesshe fro the bonis this was a grete pyte And soo whan he shold deye he began as IohaÌ„ bellet sayth Deê° meê° respice in me And soo saide al the verses siâ—â—ng tyll he caÌ„me vnto the verse In te dneÌ„ spaui And soo atte this verse ¶ In manus tuas domine coÌ„mando spiritum meum redemisti me domine deê° veritatis· ¶ There he gaue vp the spirite This is a grete ensample that our lorde Ihesu Crist gaue to al cristen that euery maÌ„ shold haue in mynde thise verses And he that can hem say and yf he say hem euery daye he shall not deye no maner myscheuous nor vengeable deth TheÌ„ne after this passion we saye orysons and knelyng at euery oryson saue atte that oryson that is said for the Iewes at that oryson holy chirche kneleth not for by cause iewes in scorne knelynge thre tymes to crist whan they scourged hym Thenne thyse orysons holy chirche prayeth for all maner of people For Iewes sarasyns cysmatiâ—s heretykis But not for crysten people for whyle ony man or woman stondeth a cursed â—he is damned byfore god And dampned shall be at his deth But he repente hym and amende hym whyle he lyueth in this present world ¶ Si scirem pro certo quod pater meus esset iÌ„ inferno
tourne ayen to synne and thenne truste vereyly ye shall haue grace mercy and socour to euerlastyng ioye and blysse wherfor thinke for certeyne though ye make it glosyng wyth wordes for to disceyue your goostly fader and saye that ye be in charyte and bee not ye begyle your self and truste truly ye shall not begyle god that seeth euery corner af your hertes ¶ And therfore dysceyue not yoâ—â—e owne soules for the loue of god And be also besy and redy to make your soules clene to the syghte of god as ye ben to make your houses to the syght of man and as ye wolde araye you in your best clothes that ye haue ayenst the comynge of your best frendis soo sholde ye araye you now to receyue your beste frende that is your maker our Lord Ihesu Criste that this tyme suffred passion and dethe to brynge vs to euerlastiÌ„ge lyf ¶ This daye is called also a passyng daye and in especiall for two causes One is for this daye all cristen people in reuerence of god sholde forgyue all theym that haue trespaced to hem and be in parâ—â—â—e loue and charyte to all 〈…〉 sholde be amendyd with the salâ—â— that â—â—â—eth al soâ—â— that is chaâ—â—e Câ—ritus cooperit multitudineÌ„ peccatorum Charite coueryth the multitude of synnes It is also a passinge day For this day shold al goddes châ—ldren passe out of euyll lyuynge into good lyuynge oute of vyces into vertues oute of pryde into mekenesse oute of couetyse in largenesse out of slouthe into holynes oute of enuye into loue and charite ouâ—e of wrathe into mercy oute of glotony into abstinence oute of lechery in to chastite out of the fendes clawes into goddes armes and of his grete enmye make his dere frende And he that passeth thus is worthy to coÌ„me to a good feste the whiche oure lorde Iesu maketh this daye to all the people It is called also goddes sonday For this day goddys sone rose from deth to lyue and so gladdeth all his seruauntes with hys vp rysinge wherfore all holy churche maketh myrthe and melody this daye and singeth thus Hec est dies quam fecit dominus exultemus et letemur iÌ„ ea This is the daye that oure lorde made ioye we and gladde we in that with al oure bertes for the fadre of heuyn with all his aungellyâ— maketh so grete melody of the vprysynge of his sone that he maâ— to daye a passinge grete fest and byâ—â—â—th all cristen people thertâ— aswell those that ben in heuyn as thâ—se that been in erthe and they shall be full welcome that coÌ„me to this feeste 〈…〉 that is a gâ—de clothynge that is in loue and charite And also euyll shal those be that shal coÌ„me in the fendes leuerye clothed in wrathâ— and enuye For as the gospell telleth these shall be caste in pryson of hell And thenne while other laughe and maâ—e mery they shall wepe and be sory and whâ—le some ete and drynâ— at goddes borde they shall grynne wythe their teeth and saye Ve ve ve quante suÌ„t tenebre wo. wo. wo. many derknesse been here For they shall thynk that they may fele the derknesse it is so derke and the peynes of hell shal be so hard for wormes shall gnawe them for they ete her eyen cristen here in this lif in erth with false baâ—bytynge and sâ—laundrynge ¶ wherfore I charge you in goddes name that noon of you coÌ„me thus to goddes borde but if ye be in parfyte loue and charite and be clene shreuyn and in full purpose to leue your synnes For and I wyst in certayn whiche were oute of charite and in dedely synne I must by the lawe of holy churche with a loude voyce say thus to theym in audience of all the people I gyf the nat thy housyll to thy saluacion bâ—â—â—e to thy dampnacion tyll thou coÌ„me to amendmente And therfore euery cristen man and woman sholde serche wel his conscience and make him able to reâ—â—â—ue his sauyour Iesu criste to the heâ—â—â—e of his soule that she may coÌ„me after this fynall lyf to euirlustinge ioye Amen gOode frendes theâ—e thre daies that is to saye Monday Tuysday and and wenesdaye ye shall faste and go in procession man woman and seruantes for al we be synners and haue nede to pray to god for helpe grace and mercy for they may nat excuse therin fro the procession that may laâ—fully be there Than he that withdraweth him self fro the coÌ„maundment of holy churche wylfully he synneth full greuouslye Firste he synneth in pryde for he is vnbuâ—um Also he synneth in slouthe that knoweth him selue in synne and wyll nat do his diligence to coÌ„me out therof right as he withdrawyth him fro peple that be gadred to serue god Right so wyll god putt him from all the company of heuyn and from all the prayers that be doon in holy churche tyll he come to amendement Therfore all cristen people come only to gidder pray these thre daies to all the sayntes in heuyn to pray to god for vs For we haue synned many tymes in the yere ayeÌ„ste the coÌ„maundment of god And therfore these thre daies we shall faste and pray to god of mercy and remission of oure synnes and put awaye al the power of the fende and kepe vs from al myscheuous peryl and dredys that fal this tyme of the yere more than any other tyme For in this tyme many grete thundres and lightnynge and as Lyncolnyence saith Ther were fendes that fleteryn in the ayr for fere of the blast of thundrynge whan that criste coÌ„me to hell gates whan he dispoyled hell And so yet whanne they here the thunder in the ayre they been so agast therof that they fallen downe and then go they nat vp ayen tyll they haue don some cursed dedes For than they 〈…〉 tempestes in the see and drawe downe shippes and make debate emonge the people and make one to slee a nother and tende fyre and brenne houses and drawe downe steples and trees and cause wymmen to ouirlye their children and make people to hange theym selue and drowne them self in wanhope and in dispayre and do many cursed dedys And for to putte awaye all suche myscheuys the power of the fende Holy church hathe ordeyned that al cristen peple shal faste and goo in processioun these thre daies and pray to god and to oure lady and to all the saintes of heuyn of helpe and socoure ¶ wherfore in these processiones belles be ronge baners be spleyed the crosse coÌ„myth after the people suyth after For right as a kinge whanne he goth to a battayl his troÌ„pettes goon to fore Thenne the baners and thenne coÌ„meth the king and his oft folowynge So in this processioun the bellys been goddes trompettes the baners coÌ„me after Thenne coÌ„meth the croce in cristes lyknesse as kinge of cristen people and all sewe him and with her good prayers chace awaye the fendys that they
and all suche thynges that may come of cursed and wyked tonges Therfore the holy ghoste cometh in the lyckenesse of tonges of brennynge fyre to brenne oute the malyce and enuy and to anoynte hem wyth swetnes off grace loue and charyte And therfore we shall praye to the holy ghoste to yeue vs grace so to tempre our tonges that we maye euermore speke good that our hertes maye be fed wyth mekenesse that we may be able to be fed wyth the holy ghoste as saynt Gregory was whan he expowned the prophecye he toke to hym his deken saynt Peter to wryte as he expowned and made drawe bytwene hem For saynt Peter shold not see how he dyde in his stodyeng Thenne as saynt Gregory satt in his chayer Holdyng vp his hondys and his eyen to heuen warde The holy ghost came lyke a white doue wyth fote and bylle brennyng golde and satte on Gregory ryght sholdre and putte her bylle in Gregoryes mouth And whan he wythdrewe it thenne he bad Peter wryte and soo contynued tyl he had made an ende But he expowned the gospell soo boldly that Peter had merueylle therof and preuely made a hole in the cloth that was bytwene gregory and hym and sawe how the holy ghoste fedde hym And anone the holy gost shewed Gregory how Peter had done thenne Gregory blamed Peter And charged hym that he shold neuer saye noo thynge whyle he lyued But whan gregory was dede an heretyâ—â— wolde haue â—renned his bokys That this holy man 〈◊〉 And thenne Peter wythstode hym and saide nay and tolde all how the holy ghoste had done to hym whyle he expowned the prophecy And soo saued his bokes vnbrenned that he had made by the grace of god and yefte of the holy ghoste the whiche yeue vs grace to be fedde of hym here in our lyuyng that we maye haue the blysse that neuer shall haue ende ameÌ„ ¶ In die sancte trinitatis GOod men and wymmen this daye is an hyghe and a soleÌ„pne feste in holy chirche For it is of the holy trynyte For as holy chirche atte wytsontyde maketh mencion how the holy goost come to crystis dysciples Now at this tyme is made mencion of all thre persones that is for to say Pater filius et spiritus sanctê° Fader sone and holy ghost thre persones and one god wherfore we ben bouÌ„de to doo al the reuerence and worship that we can or maye to this holy trynyte Also ye shall vnderstond why how And what the cause is that this feste was ordeyned This holy fest was worshyped for the trynyte fyrst fyndyng for heretykis confoundyng and for the Trynyte worshypynge Fyrste it was ordeyned for the fourme of the trynyte fyndyng And a greate clerke Iohan belleth telleth that fourme trinite was in the first man adam oure soâ—â— fader that cometh of theâ—â—he one persone and eue of adam the seconde persone of them bothe cometh the thirde persone as her chylde Thus the trynyte was founde in man wherfore man shold haue mynde to doo worshype to the holy trynyte For holy chirche ordeyned that in weddynge of a man and woman to gyder soo that the masse of the Trynyte is songen And atte his dethe one bell shall be ronge in worshyp of the trynyte wherfore all cristeÌ„ people ben bounde gretly to worshyp the holy trynyte The second cause is the feste is ordeyned in confundynge of heretykes and of lollers for to dystroye them and her false opynyons that they had ayenst the holy trynyte For ryght as heretykis in the begynnynge of the feyth wyth her swete wordes and fals opynyons were aboute to distroye the feyth of the holy trynyte In the same wyse lollers nowe a dayes wyth her false spyce of gyle be aboute also to wythdrawe the people from the trewe byleue and feyth of the holy trynyte the byleue feyth of the holy chirche Popes martirs and confessours to the deth Ryght soo now thyse lollers pursuen men of holy chirche ben aboute in all maner wayes that they can and may fynde to distroye and vndo hâ—m soo that they myghte haue theyr purpose And thus they shew openly that they be not goddis seruauntes For they ben oute of charyte and he that is oute of charyte is ferre from god But he that suffreth trybulacyon persecucion and disease for the loue of al myghty god And preyeth for his â—es and mysdoers And wylle doo noo vengeaunce but put all in god almyghty and quyte hem ful well in euerlastynge blysse For oure Lorde sayth thus Michi vindictam et ego retribuam Put all thynge to me and I shal quyte euery man after his deseruynge for though god suffre holy chyrche to bee pursued by suche mysse and proude he uerys at the laste he ordeyneth suche a remedy that holy chirche is holpen and her enmyes confounded and shamed Thus it happed on a tyme wyth themperour of rome that hyght Attylya â–ª he was made by heretikes as Iohan bellet telleth the whiche emperour pursued cristen peple sore and hated hem and holy chirche gretly wherfor he made to brenne all the bokes that myght be founde of crysten feyth But as almyghty god wolde â–ª there was a good holy man and that was a grete clerke and the clerke was called Alpunous that in mayntenynge of the feyth off holy chirche he made the story of the trinyte â–ª and the story all soo of saynt steuen and brought it vnto the pope for to haue hem songen and rede in holy chirche But by counseyll of that greâ— clerke they toke the story of saynt steuen and lefte the story of the holy trynyte tyll the tyme that saynt Gregory was pope thenne for to preue hem and doo hem shame that ben suche mysbyleuyng people and wold not byleue in the trynyte but made after her reason many heretykes and in consyderacion ¶ of hem ¶ Saynt Gregory the pope ordeyned this feste to be halowed and this story to be songe and redde in holy chirche in worship of the Trynite wyth all cristen people The thirde cause is for the hyghe trynyte worshypynge and for all crysten men shold knowe howe in what maner they shold byleue in the trynyte for as holy chirche techeth he that byleueth in the trynyte shall be saued and they that done not shall bee dampned ¶ Thenne it is full expedyent and nedefull to all crysten people to knowe how they shold lyue ye shal vnderstonde that parfyt loue to god is the byleue For he that byleueth parfitly maketh noo questions Fides non habet meritum vbi humana racio pâ—ebet experimentum ¶ Feyth hath noo mede ne meryte where mannys wytte yeueth experience Thenne it is good for all crysten peple to make loue to be medyatoure to the holy ghoste prayng hym to lyghten vs wythin our soules that we may haue grace to come to his parfyte byleue Therfore this daye was set next wytsondaye hopynge that the holy ghoste wyll be redy to all
Crysten people that wyll calle hym And specyally in lernyng of the feyth but yet for mannys wyttes be dulle to lerne theÌ„ne they maye not se nor here â–ª but they be brought in by grete ensample But that people is not most comendable yf we may by ensample come the soner to the byleue in the fader and the sone and the holy ghoste thre persones and all one god take hede of this ensaÌ„ple â–ª Of â–ª yse snowe and water howe yâ— thyse thre ben dyuerse eche in substauÌ„ce and yet is all but water ye may vnderstonde by the water the fader bi the yse the sone and by the snowe the holy ghoste water is an element that hathe grete myght and strenthe as the mayster Alisaunder sayth It is aboue heuen in the maner of yse side a castall and doth worship to heuen and anone it is vnder erthe And therthe is grounded vpon water And dauid saith in the psalter it is al about the worlde and in all thinge for in harde stones and yron somtyme is swete water for this water is soo full of myghte that is to vnderstonde the fader that his power is soo moche that he gouerneth al the worlde and knoweth all thynge all thynge is at his wylle and commaundement By the sone Ihesu crist ye shall vnderstonde yse that is water congeled harde and bretyll that is ihesu cryste very god and man that toke the substance and freilte of mankynd ¶ whan he was conceyued of the holy ghoste in the virgyn Mary and borne of her body god that suffred passion vndre ponce pylate done vpon the crosse deyed and was buryed and the thirde daye rose from deth to lif and after on holy thursday styed vp in to heuen and shall come ayen at the daye off dome and deme the quycke and the dede By the snowe ye shall vnderstonde the holy ghoste for ryght as snowe is but water and yse and lyghte in thayre but how noo man can telle So comyth the holy ghoste from the fader the sone Spiritus sanctus a patre et filio noÌ„ factus nec creatus nec genitus sed procedens But how it is for noo man to study for it excedith all mennys wytt to stody therupon but sadly byleue the fader is full god almyghty and of him come the sone full god and of hem bothe comyth the holy ghoste full god This trynyte was knowen in the fullyng of cryste as the gospell telleth· In baptismo cristi tota trnitas se manifestauit scilicet pater in voce filius in carne spiritus sanctus in coluÌ„ba et totuÌ„ celum apertum erat ¶ Thenne our lorde Ihesu cryste was baptised in the water of flom Iordan And all the people nye of the countree there aboute were baptysed there wyth hym and as they were in her prayers Et aperti sunt celi et spiritus sanctus descendit sicut coluÌ„ba The holy goost come downe in liknesse of a whyte doue And lyghted on crystis hede Et vox de celo dicens Hic est filius meus dilectus in quo michi bene complacui And the fader spake in heueÌ„ and said Thou arte my welbeloued sone that pleaseth me well that was the holy trinyte that spake in his persone and the sone was bodely there in his persone Than Iohan baptist sayd to the peple Ecce agnus dei See the lambe of god And the holy goost was seen in his persone Sicut columbaÌ„ descendenteÌ„ â—s a 〈◊〉 done come downe and thise thre ben but one god in trinite wherfore it were full nedefull to all crysten people to praye besely soo that we maye haue grace to haue the parfight loue to byleue in the fader the sone and holy goost thre persones and one god in Trinyte ¶ Narracio ¶ we fynde that the moder of Saynt Edmunde of pountney as he stodyed of this holy trynyte she appered vnto him and leyed in his honde thre ringes eche with in other And in the first was wryten Pater The fader In the secound Filius The sone In the thirde Spiritus sanctus The holy gooste sayd My dere sone To suche fygures take hede and lerne what thou mayst And take good hede to this ensample For ryght as a rynge is rounde wythoute ony beginnyng and ending right soo ben thre persones in one god But for to stody how it myghte be it is but foly for it excedeth ony mannys wytt to muse ther vpon but sadly byleue ther vpon ¶ Narracio ¶ we rede of a clerke that was gretly lerned in dyuinyte the whiche stodyeth besely to haue broughte this in a boke why god wolde be byleued one god â— thre persones â— soo as he walked on a day stodyeng on this mater by the see sonde he was ware of a faire child sittyng on the see sonde had a lytyl shelle in his honde therwyth he toke water out of the see and cast it in to alâ—tyl pytte fast by Thenne sayd this mayster to this chyld Sone â—â—at doost thou and he sayd Syre I am abowte to haue all this water yâ— is in the see in to this lytyll pytte TheÌ„ne said the mayster that shalt thou neuer doo it passeth ony mannys power Syre sayd he as soone shall I doo this as thou shall doo that thou arte aboute to doo And anone the child vanysshed awaye Thenne this mayster thought it was not goddis wyll lefte his stodyenge in that mater and thanked god hyghely By this ensample ye may see that it is not goddis wil that we shold muse in that mater But stedfastly belyue in the fader the sone and the holy ghoste Veni per fidem trinitatis Come by feyth and loue of this perfyght feyth of the trynite Veni per opera misericordie Come by the werkys of mercy doing Veni per opera iusticie Come to this belyue by doyng of werkis of rightwysnesse and thus ye shal come to this parfyte beleue fader sone holy ghoste Et tunc conoraberis corona glorie eterne ¶ And thenne thou shat be crowned wyth a crowne of euerlastynge Ioye and blisse to the whiche brynge vs to the holy Trinyte ¶ De corpore cristi GOod frendis ye shall vnderstonde that this daye is an hye And a solempne feste in holy chirche the feste of Corpus cristi it is the feste of oure lordis owne body the whiche is offred to the hye faâ—er of heuen atte the auter in remyssion of oure synnes for all Crysten people that lyue here in parfyte lyf and charyte and grete socour and help in releuyng hem that ben in peynes of purgatory there abydyng the mercy of god ¶ ye shall vnderstonde that this feste was found by a pope that was called Vrban the v the whiche had grete grace and deuocion in the sacramente of the aulter consyderyng the grete mede helpe and socour to mannys soule And to the forderynge of lyuyng to all crysten people here in
ben cristen peple be well ware lest ye be disceyued by any false sorcery as by taking couÌ„ seyll of a man a fore a nother In byenge or sellinge or lenynge In the whyche haue some diuerse opyniones And if they be well shreuyn they be worthy for to haue grete penauÌ„ce for their mysbeleue for that coÌ„meth of the fende and nat of god This day is called the circumcision of oure lorde For as holy churche tellith this day he was circumcised and bledde his blode for our sake For whanne the flesshe was cutt he bledde faste and was full sore for he was but yong and tendre and but viii daies olde and therfore he bled the more Thenne ye shall vnderstond that he bledde v tymes for vs. Quinque enim vicibus sanguinem suum ê“ nobis effudit The first tyme that he shedde his blode was as this daye whanne he was circumcised A nother was for fere of his passion For right as a child wepyth for fere whanne he seeth the rodde hathe noo harme Soo the flesshe of our lord swete bloode for drede of astroÌ„ger passion that was coÌ„mynge The thryd tyme was in his flagellacion whanne he was beten with scourges â–ª soo that all his body ranne on rede blode The iiii tyme was whanne he was nayled hoÌ„de and fote on the crose The v. tyme was whanne that longius perryd his herte with a spere the water the blode come oute of his woundes and then they tooke vp the crosse with the bodye and lyfte it vp on hye and sodenly they lete the crosse fall downe in the morter se that all the senouse veynes and io 〈…〉 tes brake and blode and water come oute of euery wounde this he suffred for vs Thenne sithe criste was circumcised and shedde his bloode for vs that was withoute synne and circumcision is for synne remedye help why wold he be circumcysed that dyd no synne Sanctus augustinud dicit ê“pteer quatuor causas Saint Austyn sayth it was for foure causes The firste was for to make a sethe with the iewys For elles they wold and might haue saide that he had natt been of their lawe wherfore they wold nat resceyue him nor consente to his techinge this was to desceyue the fende For right as the fend disceyued Adam and eue so all mankynde was daÌ„pned so it fel to crist to desceyue the fend where through all mankynde mighte be sauyd Than whan the fende sawe that he was circuÌ„cised as an other childe child for yf he had knowe hym verely that he had come to haue boughte man kynde he wold neuer haue tysed the iewes to haue put hym to deth And this was the cause that our lady was wedded to Ioseph for to dysceyue the fende for the fende sholde wene that Ioseph had ben his fader and not conceyued of the holy goost The third cause why he was circumcysed that was in confermynge of the olde lawe in greate comforte to the olde faders that were of the olde testament For and yf he had be cristened and not circumcysed it had be a grete discomforte to al that were before thâ—â—carnaciouÌ„ of our lord Ihesu criste The fourth cause of his circumcysion was for our lorde wyste well that there wolde come heretykes after that wold haue sayd that Criste â—ad a body of the erthly fantasye and not of flesshe and blode as one of vs haue for a body of thayre may not blede And therfore to put awaye all suche errours Crist was circuncysed bled in his cuttynge of his flesshe the whiche flesshe was cut from his membre And an angell after broghte it to kyng Charles for the most precious relyke in the world And for the gretteste worshyp that he coude doo therto broughte it to rome to a chirche that is called Sancta sanctorum For thyse iiii causes Crist was cercuÌ„cysed This daye also it is called the vtas of the natiuyte that is the viii daye of our lordis birthe in grete tokenynge to all vs that be goddis seruauntes to thinke on thise viii dayes that foloweÌ„ the byrth The first day is to thynk inwardely on the sede that we were conceyued of that is fowle and abomynable in it self â–ª that a man or a woman be they neuer soo fayre that and they sawe the mater they wold be ashamed of hem self to thynke that euer he were conceyued of that sowle thynge The second daye is to thinke how greuous he peyneth his moder in his byrth in so moche that it is a grete miracle of god that she may haue her lyf The thirde day is to thynke how feble and how wretched he is borne for all the bestes of kynde some what they caÌ„ helpe them self saue oonly mankynde he nother maye ne can helpe hym self f in noo degree but deye anone But he had not helpe and socour of other The iiii day is to bâ—thynk howe moche parell and drede he lyueth here fore in euery place deth folowth hymand is euer redy to fall on him what tyme ne where noo man knoweth But oonly god hym self Incertus eÌ„ locê° in quo mors te expectat ¶ It is incerteyn the place there as deth abydeth the. ¶ The v daye is for to thynke howe horryble deth is whan he cometh for in shorte space tyme he maketh a man to stynke that all the best frendes that he hath ben auysed to put hym in erth And hyde hym there ¶ The vi daye is to thynke how rew full is the departyng of the body and the soule that may not be departed tyl the herte in the body breke for drede off the syghtes that the saule shal see that for greate fere the herte breketh O mors quam amara est memoria tua O thou deth howe byttre is it to thynke vpon whan thou arte coÌ„mynge to any man The vii is to thynke howe dredefull is the dome that he shall go to anoon and howe streight his iugemente shall be Thenne he that wyll thinke on these vii daies besily on the viii day I hope he shal be circumcised that is he shal be cutt away fro the lust of his flesshe and of synne and soo do depart from this worldis likynge And thus coÌ„meth the viii daye that is the vtas of cryste that is the ioye of blisse that neuir shal haue ende To the whiche god brynge vs all In die Epiphanie GOode frendes this daye is called the xii daye but it is xiii daye of cristes byrth the whiche day holy church calleth it Epiphania domini that is to saye the shewyng of our lord Iesu criste very god and man For this daye he was shewyd very god man by thre offringes by his cristnyng and also by tornynge of the water into wyne The xiii day of his birthe by offringe of the thre kinges that same daye xxx wynter and xiii daies after hys byrthe He was cristned in the water of flome Iordane And that same
an Emperour that hyght Dyoclesian how he dyde many crasteÌ„ men to deth thenne he wente to hym and rebuked hym of his cursed 〈◊〉 Thenne the emperour commaunded to put George anone in to pryson and to laye hym vpryght and to lay a mylstone vpon his breest to presse hym to deth Thenne George prayed to god for helpe and Our lady kepte hym that he hadde noo harme in no parte of his body â–ª and whan the Emperour herde therof he dyde make two wheles and put hem full of hokes and George was sette in the myddes bytwene them And thenne the wheles were tourned and soo to rase his flesshe fro the bones And whan George was in this touâ—ment anone he prayed to god off socour and helpe anone he was holpe And thenne they put hym in to a hote limekylle and closed hym ther in For he shold haue be brente but oure lorde tourned it to colde and there he was iii dayes And thenne they wente to haue founde hym brente and he was sauff fro all maner harmes and was mery Thenne he was brought forth and set byfore the Emperour and George repreâ—ed hym of his fals goddis said to hym they were but fendes wythout myght and power Thenne the Emperour made to bete his mouth wyth stones tyll he was to powned made to bete his bare body wyth drye besomes tyll the flesshe fyll from the bones the people myghte see his guttes yet after they made hym drynke venym that was made strong for the nones for to haue payned hym to deth And whan George had made a signe of the crosse he dranke the poyson wythout greeff In so moche that the man that made the poyson tourned to cristen feyth and anone he was done to deth ¶ Thenne the nyght after as George was in pryson god come to hym and sayd George be of good comforte to morowe thou shalt make an ende and come to euerlastynge ioye and blysse And set a crowne on his hede â–ª and gaff hym his blessynge Thenne on the morowe for he wolde not doo worship to the false goddis The emperour made to smyte of his hede And thenne as the emperour wold haue gone to his â—â—lays there come a fyre lyghtenyng brente hym and all his people ¶ we fynde in a story of Antioche wryten â–ª that besyde â—herusalem a fayre yonge knyghte appered to a prest sayde I â—m saynt George and a leder of Crysâ—en people and commauÌ„ded the prest that he shold bere wyth hym his relykes â–ª come wyth hym to the sege of Iherusalem But whan they come to the walles â–ª the hethen peple therin were so strong that the cristen durste not come to the walles â–ª thenne come saynt george clothed in whyte made a crosse on his breste and went vp the ladder and bad the cristen people come after hym And so wyth the helpe of saint george they gate the cite of Iherusalem And slewe all the hethen people that were founde there And therfore lete vs praye to saynt George to helpe vs ayenst oure gostly enmy now euer Amen ¶ De saÌ„cto marco euaÌ„gelista GOod frendes suche a daye ye shall haue saynt â—arkeâ— daye that was one of the four euangelistis that wrote cristis gospell and preched them to the people TheÌ„ne marke was first an hethen man And after he was crystened of saynt peter he made hym to go preche to the peple goddis worde And thenne for he was soo holy a man the people wold haue had hym to be a preste But he was soo meke in hym selfe that he made one of his thombes to be cut of For he thoughte he was not worthy to be a preste but for god wolde haue it foo Saint peter wyth grete instaunce made him take thordre of presthode vpon hym Thenne was he besy bothe daye and nyghte to preche the worde of god And all that he sayd wyth worde He confermed it with good ensample and wyth doyng of grete myracle Thus by the inspiracion of the holy goost he wente in to the cyte of Alisaunder for to torne the people to the feyth Thenne whaÌ„ he come to the cite vnnethe that he was entred in the Cite his shoo brast and therby he wyft well that he shold be dede Thenne he sawe a man sytte clout shone to poure peple and marke prayed hym to mende his shoo Thenne for this man was pour hym thoughte it was almesse to helpe hym at that tyme. And toke his shoo and began to sewe and anone wyth his nalle he hurte his honde and what for ache and for grete payne he said god helpe and whaÌ„ marke herde that he called to god anone marke prayed to god for hym And thenne marke spytted on the erth and blyssed it and anoynted his hoÌ„de therwyth and sayd In nomine patris Ihesu cristi filii dei viui sanctur manê° tuâ— â–ª In the name of the fader Ihesu cryste the sone of the quycke god thy honde be hol ¶ Vocabatur autem homo ille ananias Forsoth that man was called ananya And whan ananya sawe suche vertu in marke he prayed hym to dwelle styl wyth hym Comoratusque ibidem duobus annis And there he dwelled two yeres cristened hym and al his houshold and afterwarde for grete holynesse that marke sawe in this man he made hym arshebysshop Thenne the people sawe how marke preched in the cite they toke hym teyed a rope aboute his necke And drewe hym amonge stones tyll the flesshe fell to the erthe and sayd drawe we the bugull to the bugull place Soo whan he was drawe nye to the deth thenne they putte hym in to pryson tyll on the morowe Thenne the same nyghte Cryste come to hym in to pryson and sayde Peaâ— be to the marke myn euangelyste be not agast for I am wyth the. Thenne on the morowe they come and fett him oute of pryson And drewe hym tyll he was dede And whan he sholde dye he sayde In manus tuas And soo gaue vp the gooste ¶ And afterwarde they wolde breâ—â—e his body And thenne there came suche an erth quake wyth a lyghtenynge thonderyng that ther durst no man abide Thenne in the nyght crysten people come and toke markis body beryed it Thenne felle it so that euery cristen loÌ„de halowed saint markis day saue one countrey that is called appolonya the whiche countrey was so greued wyth hete and droughte that all the countrei fayled theym of frute so that they were well nye famysshed And there come a voys from heuen and bad theim halowe saynt markis daye and theÌ„ne they shold be comforted and they dede soo and anone god sent hem plente of all maner of frutes ynough ¶ Now it is to wyte why we sholde faste this daye and goo in procession we rede in the cyte of rome on this daye fell suche a qualme and a soden deth that whan a man yaned or gaped or fâ—esed
anone he deyed and there deyed many sodeynly Thenne was there a pope that was called pellagius that comaunded all cristen people that whan he yaned euery man shold make a Crosse ouer his mouthe And whan ony man herd another fâ—ese he shold saye crist helpe the. and soo many were saned and there he made the people goo a procession so prayed to all the sayntes of heuen to praye to god for them and soo they dyde Thenne come after saynt gregori and made them doo the same on saynt markis day to halowe and fast goo in procession and canonysed it to be done for euer more Thenne come there a pope that was called Liberius in his tyme all maner frutes in tyme of the yere of grete tendernesse of it self toke grete harme soo what by thonder lightenyng and vnkynde hetes by stormes myldewes by wormes and by longe taylde flyes for greate vengeaunce that anone after ester daye the people iourned ayen to her olde synne hauyng no rewarde of the sacrament whiche they haue receyued thrfore god sente more vengeaunce this tyme thaÌ„ in ony other tyme of the yere wherfore this holy pope to put awaye all thyse thinges in especyall goddis wreche fro the people he commaunded to all cristen people to halowe and to fast and goo in procession and he that sayd that it is made by a constytucion is acursed tyll he come to amendement And therfore I charge you and counseyll you al that thynke to be saued kepe this daye after the rule of the holy chirche In die Philippi et Iacobi â—Ood frendes suche a daye ye shall haue the fest of Philip and Iacob the whiche were holy appostles ¶ But for this fâ—st cometh wythen the fest of ester ye shall not faste the 〈◊〉 But ye shall come to the chirche and worship god and the holy appostles Thenne ye shall knowe well that philippe was ordeyned by al other appostles to go in to the contrey that was called Sytha to preche to the vnbyleued people But whan he came theder and preched ayenste the maâ—â—mentes that they were fendes and noo goddis and soo they toke hym ladde hym to her temple wold haue coÌ„streyned him to do sacrefyce Thenne as they ¶ were besy to doo hym dysease sodeynly a grete dragon come oute of the erthe and slewe thre of thyse mysbyleued people and venemed the people soo wyth his brethyng that there felle on hem suche a sykenesse that the woo and the sorowe that they had they cryed after helpe TheÌ„ne said philipe to hem yf ye wold be holpen heled of your siknesse and also thyse men rered from deth to lyfe fyrste cast doune the mametes set in theyr stede crosses there as our lord deyed vpon And doo it worship thenne they dyde so for they were glad to be holpen off her sikenesse and assone as they hadde doo soo they were holpen And thenne philyppe prayed to god for thyse thre men to reyse from deth to lyf Tunc precepit philippus dracom vt in locum suum redescenderet ¶ Thenne phylyppe commaunded the dragon to goo downe to his place ayeÌ„ and neuer disease man more Thenne the cursed peple of the cyte sawe that phylyp wolde haue tourned all the people toke hym and dyde hym vpon a crosse And soo on a crosse he deyed wente to euerlastyng blisse ¶ Now shall ye here of Iacob that was called amonge the appostles Iacobus minor The lesse Iames. for to knewe from Iacobus maior Iames the more was saynt Iohan euangelist brother But whan Iacobus or Iames that is all one name This was called cristis owne brother for he was soo moche lyke to crist theÌ„ne whan the iewes wold haue take criste they coâ—de not knowe 〈…〉 nother But as iudas betrayed 〈◊〉 wyth kyssynge of him by the kyssynge Cryste was knowen and taken This Iames was so holy fro the tyme that he was borne that aslonge as he lyued he neuer dranke wyne ale ne syder nor noo maner of drynke that myght make a man dronke ne neuer ete flesshe ne his hede was neuer shauen ne vsed neuer to be baumed wyth oyle as the maner is of the countrey for hete of the sonne Nor he ware neuer lynen clothe And he lay vpon his knees prayeng for the people that his knees were soo thyk that they were bollen oute lyke a camell This was the first man that euer songe masse in vestymentis as prestes do now Thenne it felle soo that tyme in the Cite of Iherusalem by the dede off cristis dethe that it must nedis be distroyed wherfore this holy man Iames was made bysshop of the Cite of Iherusalem and there he was lefte to preche and to tourne the people to better liuynge but for they were soo combred wyth synne that they had none other grace of amendement but nedys for the prophecye of Crist must be fulfylled and the Cyte distroyed wherfore thyse men toke saynt Iames and sett hym to preche the feyth of Cryste For moche of the people were tourned to cryste And he stode vp and preched by good reyson how all that byleued not in criste shold be damned at the day off dome in to helle pytte Thenne the mayster of the 〈…〉 caste hym downe from the 〈…〉 that he stode in and wyth stones they bete hym doune tyll he was dede Then he â—nelyd on his knees prayenge to god to forgyue him his dethe and therwith a cursed man with a staff smote him on the hedâ— that the brayne fyll oute and soo in this wise he gaue vp the gooste Then after for vengeaunce of cristes deth for this holy mannys deth the cite of ierusalem that was that tyme the gretyst cyte of the worlde and neuir lyke for to haue be wonne sone after was distroyed vnto the vttermoost In somoche that the stones of all the walles of the cyte was turned vp side doune as our lord Iesu criste sayd xl wynter bifore that it shulde be soo and it was the iewes were dryuen oute into diuerse contrees In somoche that al the kingdomes were distroyed and yet been vndre othere kynges and euir shal be subgettes no possessioners ¶ yet ye shall here more of the distruction of this cyte of Ierusalem to shewe how vengeable god is to them that be gladde to shedde cristen mennys bloode as they were whanne god wolde haue take vengeance of the cytee It hapnyd so that a man of pylates the whiche dyd crist to deth came fro Ierusalem towarde Rome but the tempest in the see toke him droue him vpon a lande by a temple with gret teÌ„peste and there duelled a grete lorde that was called Vaspasian And for this cause he was called soo for he had a malady in his nose threlles there dropped oute of his nose wormes lyke waspes Then saide vaspasian to this man Fro what countrey coÌ„mest thou he aunswered him and saide fro Ierusalem and wolde
and contryte and synned nomore our lord toke hem in ensample to all other that wyl leue her synne they shal be saued For he that is shreuen and forsaketh his synne mercy foloweth that and doo his penaunce He shall haue meercy grace For as glad as the fader is to see the sonne rise from deth to lyfe also glad is our lord and moche gladder to see a man rise oute of dedely synne and neuer to doo it more and therfore shewyng by ensample Poule bereth a swerde to all cristen people to cut awaye the cheynes of synne wyth his sharpe swerde of confession for dedely synne byndeth a man sore to the fende therfore cut awaye the cheyne Peter is also redy to open the gates of heuen to all cristen people and to take them in that wyll forsake her synne ¶ ye shall vnderstonde the poule was first soo hye soo feerse ayenst al goddis seruauÌ„tes that there durst no precher deale wyth hym but after he lefte grete malice and there as he was ferse after he was gracious And there as he was before hye and proud of herte he was meke and lowly to all goddis seruauÌ„tes Peter also held hym self most perfyte stedfast of all cristis dyscyples wherfore he made bost by a vayn glory that he was redy to goo to dethe wyth cryst and sayd thus It behoueth me to deye wyth the· And whan cryste sey that all his discyples shold forsake hym Peter for the grete bost sayd though all men forsake hym he wold not And yet more ouer whan criste was take Peter drewe oute his swerd and smote of a seruauntes ere that hyghte malcus But soone after whan he sawe that crist was take and shold be put to deth thenne he swered and stared that he neuer knewe hym and forsoke crist But whan he herde the kocke crowe thenne he remembred of that our lord sayd to hym that or the kocke crewe iii. thou shalte forsake me Thenne Peter went forth Et fleuit amare And wept bytterly and hyd hym in a caue durst not come among his bredren for shame tyll oure lord sente to hym by name Thenne was peter euer after ashamed and sory for his trespas and there as he was a boster and vnstable of his wordes afterwarde he was trewe and stable and grounded in stablenesse of parfyght lyuyng In soo moche that crist called hym peter that is a stone in Englisshe For there as thou layest a stone there thou shalt fynde it Soo was peter soo stedfast after that nether for we le nor for woo he neuer flitered But euer stode stedfast in cristis lawe And had euer his synne in mynde and to amende that he had don amysse And was afterwarde of grete abstynence that he ete but brede and oyle wortes and full selden flesshe and wered but a syngyll kertyll with a mantell And euer as often as he herde ony man mynde Ihesus anone he began to wepe ful sore and whan he herde ony kocke crowe anone he wold ryse vp and goo and praye and suffre penaunce And he wepte many tymes so bytterly that the teeres of his eyen brente his face in soo moche that where he was he had a clothe in his bosom alwaye to wype awaye the teeres Thenne soo folowyng he was so holy that where that euer he wente and he myghte shadowe ony syke body anon they were hole ¶ Soo on a tyme he sente two of his disciples in to a ferre countrey to preche And whan they were goone two dayes iourney one of them deyed and that other tourned ayen and tolde Peter Thenne peter toke hym his stafe and bad hym goo and laye the stafe on his felow and bad hym aryse in the name of god and he rose anone and wente forth to gyder and preched Thenne were many wrothe that Peter tourned soo moche people to the ferth And put hym in to pryson and bonde hym fast wyth grete cheynes of yron tyll he was nye dede leste he soold bee stolen awaye wherfore the knyghtes woke it that he shold not escape And thus the comyn people toke Ensample of hem and make fyres in worshippe of saynt Peter and watche Thenne Criste come to peter in prysoÌ„ And thenne come an angell to Peter wyth grete lyghte as our lorde badde And anone the cheynes breke and fyll fro his hondes and fete And soo wente he to Rome was there pope xxxv yeres and tourned moche people to cristis feythe But soone after came the fendes lymme that was called SymoÌ„ magus that cowde moche of the fendes crafte and made moche people lyke in dyuerse sykenesse· Some blynde some lame some deff so that the peple what for fere and for wonder byleued in hym Thenne peter heled all those that Symon magus hadde buried And bad they shold not byleue in hym Thenne was this Symon magus wroth wyth Peter that he myghte not haue his wyll and in especyall he myghte not reyse a dede body to lyfe that Peter reysed Thenne this symon teyed a fende in lykenesse of a grete dogge there as peter sholde come to sle peter but ¶ Peter â—â—sed hym lete this dogge lose and thenne he lepte to symon and pulled hym doune vnder his fete and thenne peter bad leue and do hym noo harme of his body but all to rente his clothes So that symon wente almost naked awaye Thenne symon ordeyned all the wayes that he cowde to haue Peter dede thenne our lord appered to Peter and sayde ¶ Simon et nero contra te cogitant Symonde nero and other haue ordeyned thy deth to morowe I wyll sende to the poule my seruaunt in comforte to the and ye shall suffre marterdom to gyder for my sake and soo come to me to euerlastynge blysse Thenne peter tolde his bretheren his vysion that he had in the nyght and soo toke Clemente by the honde and set hym in his chayer and made hym pope and successour after hym Thenne on the morowe come Poule and preched the people thenne this Symon had so charmed the Emperour in suche a folishnesse that he wende that he had be goddis sone Soo this symonde magus come to the Emperour and sayde There be two men of Galyle come in this cyte that one hyght peter and that other poule that doo me soo moche dysease that I may noo lenger abyde here in erthe ¶ wherfore commaunde suche a daye al maner of people to come to capytole and there in syghte of all the people I wyl flye op to my fader in heuen And whan all the people were come to gyder Symon wente vp in to a towre of the capytoll Thenne come two fendes lyke ii angellis set on his hede a garlonde off laurel bare hym vp in to the ayre lyke as he had flowen Thenne said peter to poule broder loke vp see theÌ„ne said poule It falleth for me to pray the to coÌ„maunde anone peter said I coÌ„maunde you
Katheryne sawe that and blyssed her and wente in to the temple and rebuked themperour boldly and sayd that he dyde soule amysse for to doo that worship to feÌ„des leue the worship of god in heuen that made all thing of nought sent man lyfe wytte hele and preued 〈◊〉 grete reason how cryst was â—oth 〈◊〉 and man And how he bou◠〈…〉 kynde wyth his passion on the crossâ— wyth his deth And taughte how euery man shold honour god and leue false mawmentes Thenne was the Emperour wroth And bad take her to warde tyll he myght be at leyfer Soo in the meane tyme he sente after the grettest maysters and the wyseste clerkes that were in many countreys ferre aboute hym And whan they were comen he bad them goo and dyspute wyth Katheryne and ouercome her they shold haue ryght well for theyr labour Thenne were they wroth to come soo ferre to dyspute wyth a woman And sayd the left scoler in the scole hadde be ynough to ouercome her But whan Katheryne had dysputed wyth theym wyth the helpe of the holy gost she conuerted them euerychone to the feyth off our lord Ihesu criste In so moche that they were redy to suffre deth for cristis sake Thenne anone maxencius commaunded to make a grete fyre brenâ—e them in the fyre But by the helpe of the holy goost the fyre brenned noo partye of theyr bodyes nother the leest clothe of them and yet laye fayre dede as they had be a slepe Thenne the emperour made do Katherine to be naked and to bete her wyth sharpe scourges that she was all blody ful of wouÌ„des And theÌ„ne he put her in to pryson seuen dayes wythout ony maner mete or drynke Thenne had the quene grete lust to speke wyth Katheryne and toke a knyghte wyth her that hyghte porphyriâ—s and wente to katheryne and then they sawe an angell sette a crowne of shynnynge golde on the quenes hede and another on porphiryus hede and bad hem be stedfaste For wythin thre dayes they shold come to heuen by suffrynge of marterdom Thenne sente themperour after Katheryne and wente to haue fouÌ„de her nygh dede but all that tyme god sente her mete from heuen And whan the emperour sawe her a lyue he was wode for wroth and made her to be set betwene ii wheles and tourned one vpward and another downewarde full of hokes swerde poyntes for all to rase Katheryne theÌ„ come an angell as it had be a wynde and all to brake them and slewe four thousand of the tyrauntes Thenne sawe the quene that miracle and come before the kynge her husbonde and rebuked hym that he sawe the myghte of god soo openly and wolde not byleue theron Thenne bad the kynge lede forth the quene and cut of her pappes from the body wyth hokes and thenne to smyte of her hede Thenne for porphpryus beryed her and lxxx of her knyghtes were martered with her and porphyrius be heded also Thenne spake the Emperour to Katheryne and sayde that he wold wedde her and she wold forsake cryst and byleue in his goddis and she sayd she sette noughte by hym nor by his goddis And whan he sawe that he made to smyte of her hede Thenne anone in stede of blode come oute fayr mylke And thenne came an angell and bare the soule in to heuen And thenne angellis come and bare the body in to the ayre and soo to the mounte of Synay and there beryed it wyth worshyp And there god werketh many fayr myracles to this day At the fote of the mounte there is an abbey of monkes that lyuen in grete abstynence and this abbey is strong and hye walled and barred abowte wyth yren for wylde bestes And in that abbey lyeth saynt Katheryne in a fayr tombe of albester for her bones were fetched thyder for the more worshyp aboue the chirche is the busshe ther god stode in whan he spake to moyses and wrote the lawe in two tables of stone and the busshe is as grene and fayre as it was the same day Also in that abbey is a grete merueyle and is this euery monke hathe a lampe wyth oyle brâ—nnyng and whan he shal deye they shall knowe by his lampe For as he draweth to deth soo derketh his lampe And whan the abbot deyeth his brederen shal synge a masse of the holy gost and bery hym solempny whan masse is done they shal fynde a bylle wreten on the auter who shall be abbot so they chose her abbot Also on saynt Katherins nyghte al the birdes in the countree comen thyder and eche off theÌ„ brynge a branche of olyue in her byllys to the place and as pylgrimes sainthe monkes make oyle of the brauÌ„ches to her lampes for al the yere ¶ we fynde rede of a man that serued Katherine and fasted her euen brede water on a tyme he come in felyshyp of recheles people by comforte of theÌ„ he lefte his faste ete wyth hem and so in the nyghte after he sawe a grete coÌ„pany of maydens comyng by hym amonge them there was one passynge all other and eche of hem had a crowne but one had a passynge fair crown that was saint Katheryne So whaÌ„ she come by this man she hyd her face from hym and wold not loke on hym thenne he asked one of them what they were and she sayde we ben virgyns the pryncipall that thou seest is saynte Katheryne that hyd her face from the. by cause thou hast left thy deuoucion fro her euyn of fastynge Thenne this man repented him sore that he had doo this dede and tourned ayen to his deuoucion fasted and after was a holy man and therfore lete vs worship this holy virgin that she may praye for vs all Amen ¶ De dedicacione ecclesie â—Ood freÌ„des suche a daye ye shall haue your dedycacyon daye that is your chirche holy daye ye shal come to chirche and here your deuyne seruyce in the worshyp of god And for iii causes the whiche the chirche is halowed for that is for the chirche clensynge for deuoute praynge for the dede bodyes berynge the first is for the chirche clensyng the chirche is ordeyned for all the people that come thider shold be in parfyte charyte there mete wyth god for god is euer there present and whan all the peple comeÌ„ so to gyder at this assignement it pleyseth god to here hem her good wordes in that place But whan the fende seth ony man besy therto he is full sory seketh all the wayes that he can or maye to let hym from the chirche for they shold not come to the presence of god Thenne whan holy faders knewe the malice of the fende they ordeyned the chirche to be halowed And soo by good preyers the fende is â—reuen oute But yf any cursed lyuer brynge hym in ayen that is oute of charyte or in dedely synne is wyth
herest thy masse god graunteth the nedefull and lawfull thynges that day ydell othis and forgetyn synnes be forgeuen That daye thou shalt not lese thyn eye syght ne deye in sodeyn deth ne the tyme of the masse thou shalt not wexe agyd Euery steppe thyderward and homward an aungell shal rekene Lewd men and women to despute of this sacrament a Ì„t vtterly forâ—â—dden For it is ynough to theym to beleue as holy churche techeth â—m The fyft sacrameÌ„tis anoynting of seke men the which is oyl halowed of a busshop and minystred by prestes to theym that been of laufull age in grete peryll of deth in lightnesse and abatyng of their sekenesse if god wyll that they lyue And in forgeuynge of they re venyall synnes and relesyng of theyr peyne if they shall dye So that this sacrameÌ„t may be yeuen as oft as nedyth to euery man and womaÌ„ that be in point of dethe ¶ The syxte is holy ordres which noo man may take but at their owne wyl This yeueth power to them that taketh it to serue in holy churche after their estate is As to him that taketh the ordre of preesthode for to make the sacrameÌ„t of cristes flesshe and his blode and for to mynistre other sacrameÌ„tes to the people These muste haue their crowne shauen their hede tonsured and theire clothes honestly shapen as falleth to her estate and namely in holy churche They muste also in the quere synge rede with clenes of conscience and grete deuocion of soull nat ouyrhyppyng ne momblynge ne musynge of vanytees nat medlynge with lewde ne shrewyd tydynges ne inhonest coÌ„munycacion ne coÌ„mynge to late to goddes seruyce ne goynge oute bifore the ende withoute a resonable cause nat gronynge ne slumbrynge ne sparyng her voyce but shewynge oute the voice of the holy gooste with sowne and hooll speche And thus sayth saint Bernard They muste also dispose theym self if they may to synge masse therto they be bounde For saint Bernarde sayth in the persone of oure lord to euery maÌ„ thus Haue I nat made the and yeue the power to make me to make my sonne incarnat tofore the fader of saluacion of the worlde if thou haf power to synge and syngest nat saith he Thou benymmest the aungelles of heuyn their ioye thou benymmyst mankynde trauelynge in erthe their helpe and grace and thou benymest the soules that are in grete peynes in purgatorye their reste and their forgyuenes These be heuy wordes and lytell thoughte on with many of vs Saint Austyn sayth how worshypful is the dignyte of preesthode sayth he betwyxte whose handes the sonne of god as in his moders wombe was iÌ„carnate hou blessed be the prâ—ests sayth he if that they prestly lyue How heuynly a mynistre is that sayth he that by the wyckynge of the fader and the sonne and the holy gooste the same god that is in heuyn the same and self is in youre handes â–ª in the sacramente Therfore sayth once lord bee ye holy for I am holy ¶ A rightfull lyf to you is necessary saith saint Austyn Therfore ye muste soo lyue soo that your lyf accord with youre name soo that if your ordre be holy let your conuersacion be the same And if men say well of you sayth he see that your werkes bere wytnesse to the same And this is for vs prestes ¶ The seuynthe sacrament is wedlocke before the whiche the banyâ— must be asked thryes in holy churche This is a lauful knytiyng to gydder of maÌ„ and woman in fourme of holy church by assent of theym bothe for to be to gyddre in the lawe of god and neuyr to be departed whyles their lyf lastith in remission of syn and getyng of grace whanne it is taken to a true entent For though there be no trouthe plighte ne flesshâ—y dede doon if they be of ful age accorde in herte to gydder to fore god they be wyf and husbonde al preuy couenauntes in trouthe plightynge and forward makyng without assent of frendes or knowlege are forboden Al that suche make or been therat ben in grete peryll of soull Also it is forboden that no wedded man ne womaÌ„ one withoute that others assente make vowe of chastite pylgremage ne fastynge For if the wyf avowe the husbonde at the firste weâ—yng may fordo it but if he consent and suffre it wetyngly after the firste knowyng The maÌ„ synneth nat for the wyfe hath no power of her owne body but the husbond And if the man absteyne him fro hys wyf by suche wyfe withoute the wyll of his wyf she gyue him noo leue he is cause of her synne And the wyf is in the same case if she doo the same to her husbonde Septem opera misericordie ¶ The fyft thynge that thou shal knowe god by are the seuyn dedye of mercy whiche euery man is bounde by the byddynge of god to fulfyll and to do to his power That is to saye Fede the hungry â–ª yeue drynk to the thristy cloth the nakyd herborowe the houseles vysite the seke deliuer the prisoners and burye the pore whanne they be dede These been nedefull to vs plesyng to god and helpynge to body soull of all theym that doon them Therfore sayth Criste yeue and it shal be yeuyn to you Almes sayth Austyn is an holy thynge For it euerlasyth the that thou haste Lessith thy synnes It multiplyeth thy yeres and nobleth thy mynde It lengtyth thy termes and clenseth al. thynge It deliuereth the fro dethe And ioyneth the to aungelles and departeth the from deuylles And is a wall inexpugnable aboute thy soull Therfore gyue almes and all thynges shall be clene to you Thre thynges he muste considre that shall gyue almes First who asketh it what he asketh wherfore Firste I say that god asketh it for he loueth so moche pore men that what ye do to them in his name he holdeth it doon to him selfe He asketh his and nat oures Dauid sayth al thynges be thyn lorde and that we haue take of thyn handes we haue gyue the He asketh vs nat for to gyue it him but for to leue it him wherfore he woll yelde an hundreth folde and the blys of heuyn Therfore sayth sainte Gregore pore men shall nat be despyced but prayed as faders And he that yeueth the pore shall nat be pore sayth Salamon And he that stoppeth his ere fro the crye of the poure shall crye and nat be herde Therfore to all that aske these he that asketh vnrightfully yeue it not that he asketh but that that bâ—ttâ—â— iâ— And that is correction Ierom sayth gyue the pore to susteyne their ryches There may no maÌ„ excuse him of almes gyuynge For an halpeny of the pore sum tyme more pleaseth god thanne an huÌ„dreth shyliÌ„ges of the rich If thou may nat gyue him that gyue him wordes of comforte And what thou yeuyst gyue it gladly For the gladde gyuer god louyth ¶ Ther be also seuyn other gostly dedys of mercy The firste is teche
flockys of thy sheep and drouys off thy bestys in thy bernys and in thy celers in thy goyng in â–ª in thy goyng oute and in all thy werkis of thy handys Soo that euery man shall see that the name of god is callyd vpon the. and they shull drede the. I shall gyue rayne in tyme sayth he the erthe shall brynge forth his sede And trees shall bee replete wyth fruyte thou shalt haue peas in thy cuntree and thou shalt slepe And noo man shall fere the. All thyse blyssynges shull take the. yf thou lerne and kepe his commaundementis Therfore haue mynde in the preceptys of god and in his byddynges bee ye moost besy For yf thou kepe them they shull kepe the and brynge the to blysse that neuer shall haue ende which he vs graunte that wyth his blode bought vs Ihesus Cryste Amen ¶ De septem sacramentis THe fourth thynge that thou sholdest knowe god by is the seuen sacramentis of holi chirche whiche be mynystred to the people of persones and prestis that haue power therto of the whiche fyue the first that is baptesme confirmacion shryft howsyll and anoyntyng Are euery man and woman hold to doo in pein of cursyng incerteyn tyme as the lawe yeueth The other two may no man take as ordre and wedlocke but att his own wyll Thyse sacrameÌ„tis toke their begynniÌ„g off the gracious wellâ— of the syde off our lord Ihesu criste in his passyon For ryght as out of adamys syde while he slepte was takyn out a rybbe that eue was made of ryght soo atte the deth of oure lord there ranne oute of his syde bothe blood and water by the vertu of whiche passion the sacramentis of holy chirche toke fyrst theyr strentgh and theyr begynnyng ¶ The fyrst sacrament is baptime in whiche oryginall synne that we be born in all other synnes that we be defowled wyth they be wasshen a waye thorow the passyon of crist and therwyth is be taken vs the feyth and byleue of holy chirche wythout whiche there may no man be saned Therfore it is coÌ„maunded that euery crysten woman that felyth her quyck wyth child to kepe her fro heuyng and shouyng greate traueyle and fallyng and all other mischeuys that sholde myschyeue the chyldys lyff and so be lost body and soule And that eche woman byfor her traueyle of chyld come to chirche and take shryft and housyl for peryll of dethe that myght falle in the byrthe Also the mydwyf tho that be about the chyld yf it be in parel of dethe sholde cristen it on this wyse I crysten the in the name of the fader and the sonne and the holy gooste And thenne sprynge the childe wyth water that thou foryete not thyse wordes I crysten the. and yf it be crystened in the maner at home It shall not be crystened eftsone at chirche For that were a grete peryll as to nayle god eftsones on the rood And yf it lyue after this crystenynge at home brynge it to the chirche and there it shall haue all the hooll seruyse that it lackyth In tyme of peryll of dethe fader and moder maye Crysten theyr own children wythout harmyng of theyr spousehode Godfaders and godmoders ben borowys to fore god for theyr godchildren And therfore they ben bounde to teche hem to loue ryghtwysnes charyte and chastyte to kepe theym from dedely sinne and specyally to teche theym the coÌ„maundementis and belyue A man and his wyff shold not fonge at ones to a child atte the fonte stone ¶ Ne they that fongith it there shall not fonge it atte the confermynge but at nede ¶ Fader ne moder notyse ne none other shold suffre noo yonge chylde by theym a bedde whyles they slepe ne presse theym to faste in cradell ne suffre theym lye slepyng ne wakynge wyth oute a keper ¶ There is goostely kynrede thorowe fongyng of chyldre atte the fountfâ—on on ix wyse ¶ One is betwyne the childe and the godfaders Another betwyxt the chyldren of the godfaders another bâ—wyxt the chyld and the wyff of the godfaders flesshely knowen tofore Another betwyxt the godfader and the fader of hym that is cristened ¶ Another betwyxt 〈…〉 hym pardone 〈…〉 â—re ¶ And wyth this accordâ—th saint gregore where he saith thus â—e saith thou makest neuer satysfacâ—ion for thy synne But yf thou fere of thy synne euery body woll desyre pardon but fewe or none woll do that they shold haue pardon for but through trust and colour of that pardon They doo many a cursed synne and doo sinne vpon trust therof other ony good dede it is a grete synne of pryde For be thou neuer soo full of good vertues vnkyndnes to thy god maye dystroye all tho vertues More vnkyndnes thou mayst not shewe Thenne for to displease god wylfully Therfore fle suche vnkyndenesse And thynke that the more acceptable thou arte to god thorow thy good lyuyng the more culpable thou shalt be yf thou retorne ayen to synne It is aslyder hoope saith saynte Austyn whan a man synneth vpon trust to be saued He that soo dothe he neyther dredeth ne loueth god Soo that it is more proffytable to holde thy self f feble and lowe Thenne to be holde strong and for feblenes falle and be lost Therfore take hede what goodnes god puteth in the. and thanke hym and praye hym of contynaunce And doo noo synnne vpon truste off pardon or of ony other good dedys ¶ The fourth is the holy sacramente of the auter The whiche is cristis own body his flesshe and blode in fourme of brede The same that was born off the virgyn marye and doon on the rode This is made thorow vertu of goddis worde of preestis that haue power whiche 〈◊〉 neyther aungell ne aâ—chaungell hâ—dde But oonly man 〈◊〉 mynde of hym self this sacramente is euery man and woman bounde by the lawe oncâ— a yere as aâ—â—e eâ—ter yâ— he be fourtene yere of age And haue discrecion to receyue it when they be wyth shryfte and penaunce made clene of theyr synnes And ellys to be put out of the chirche and of cristen beryellys But yf it be for sykenesse or for some other resonable cause whiche cause he must certyfye his curate of For he that vnworthely receyueth this sacrament he receiueth his dampnacioÌ„ Also as often as ony man seeth that body at masse or borne aboute to the seke he shall deuoutly knele doun and saye his pater noster or sum other gode prayer in worshyp of his souereyn lorde Also ye shall vnderstonde that the drinke that ye receyue in the chalyce after your howsell is noo sacrament But wyne or water to brynge the sacrament the lyghtlyer in to thy body But in fourme of brede it is hole goddis body in flesshe and in blode Therfore thou shalt take it in as holy as thou mayste left ony parte abyde in thy teeth For in the left parte is hole goddis body that daye thou