seynt paule in the yere of our Lorde .vi. C.lxxxiii electyd hym beynge in the monastery of seynt Petyr and made hym Abbot there And wheÌ„ he was Abbot he was of the same mekenes that he was before so that when he sawe the Bretherne worke he wolde put to his hande as they dyd And he was a man of great strengthe of feyre speche mery and lyberall And he ete of the same mete as the bretherne dyd and laye as they dyd And when he shulde dye he kyssyd all the bretherne in tokyn of peas And instructyd theym with many Blessyd monycyons he wente to oure Lorde of the great Syknes in the Nonas of Marche ¶ De sancto Ethelberto rege confessore SEynt ethelbert was the thyrde kynge of Kent but he was the fyrste that wente to Heuyn And all that seynt Augustyne dyd to the Encreasynge of the faythe may be also attrybutyd to this blessyd kynge for as farre as to man apperyth if he had not holpen seynt Augustyne other werkes in the werke of 〈◊〉 lorde lytyll frute had come to the Londe of Englonde And when he was coÌ„uertyd with great benygnyte he â—â—â—yd other kyngys that were his subgyetty or his felowys to become crysten And those that beleuyd he lâ—uyd as hys bretherne and kynysmen and felawys to the kyngdome of heuyn And in all his realme Chirchys were buâ—â—yd placys of Idollys destroyed or tournyd into Churches By counceyll of seynt Augustyne he made the Churche of seynt saâ—youre in Caunterbury And without the wallys of the Cytle he made a monasterye in the honoure of seynt peter and poule whiche was a place of buryall for Kynges and busshoppes he buyldyd a Church of seynt paule in london and there was theÌ„ made a Busshoppyssee And he made a Churche of seynt Andrewe at Rochester where was also made a noder Busshoppyssee And he was founder of Ely thughe seynt Etheldrede bycause she repayryd it is takyn for foundres his realme stretchyd to humber And yet he shewyd hymselfe poore and meke as thoughe he had had nothynge It was a gloryus thynge to see hym that hadde rule and domynyon in great countreys to serue poore men And to see hym that kynges feryd to drede the preestys of our Lorde as this blessyd kynge dyd And he was a great exalter of vertue a fulfyller of the commaundementys of god of werkys of pyte And he went to our Lorde the syxte Kalendas of marche And when his feest was on a tyme not halowed nor the place where he laye adhournyd with lyghtys as it was wonte to be he apperyd to a preest that of deuocy on lay there all nyght and blamyd them of theyr necly De sancta Ethelburga virgine abbatissa SEynt ethelburgh coÌ„monly callyd seynt Alburgh was borne in the prouynce of lyndesey fro her youthe she abhorryd the bodely pleasurys the flaterynge of the worlde And the auncyent enemy enuyenge her werkys styrryd her owne fader agaynste her so that he was a cruell psecutor of her wherfore she went ofte to a Chapell where she was crystenyd And commyttyd herselfe to our Lord with deuoute prayer aâ—â—lyccyons it is sayd the grasse is alway grene there as she wente to the sayd chapell And after when she shuld haue ben maryed she lefte her Fader Moder with oon mayde went her waye pryuely by the waye the mayde fell in so great a drynes that withoute helpe she was lyke to Dye wherfore seynt Alburghe prayde for helpe to our Lorde And anon a feyre well sprange vppe that is there to this day And when certeyne werke was assygnyd to her by her hostes in Herueste she went to prayer and her werke was don without leyinge any hande to it and her fader by her was conuertyd to the feyth after her broder seynt Erken walde of his patrymonye made for her the Abbey of Barkynge where she was abbesse there she subdued the Body to the spyryte with contynuell Fastyngys vygyllys prayers she pÌ„chyd to the systers perseuerant lye and after was seen an Image bryght shynynge in the Dormytory of the systers bryght shynynge cordys were seen stretchynge into heuyn wherwith the sayd Image was pluckyd vppe And anone after seynt Alburghe deê‘tyd this worlde the .v. Idus of october about the yere of our Lorde .vii. C. .vi. so it apperyth to be for her that the sayd Image was shewyd her monastery hath ben often tymes pÌ„seruyd agaynste paganys by especyall myracle somtymes wylde bestys at the yatysferyd that enemyes so that they durst not come in sometyme the offenders were sodeynly strykyn some with woodnes some with blyndenes and some with Deth And dyuerse Myracles oure Lorde hath shewyd for this gloryous virgyn ¶ De sancta Etheldreda virgine SEynt etheldrede coÌ„menly callyd Seynt Awdry was doughter to anna Kynge of eest EngloÌ„de And agaynste her wyll she was maryed to Tonbert kynge of the south Gyrwyes where is the I le of ely And when she came into the ChauÌ„ber she comyttyd her virgynyte to our Lorde And as her husbonde lokyd in to the ChauÌ„ber it was lyke as if all the chauÌ„ber had ben on fyre And so he bad her fere no more for he wolde not touche her for he sayd our Lorde was hyr defender and shortlye after he dyed she was maryed ageyne by her frendys to Egfryde kynge of northamhuÌ„broruÌ„ .xii. yeyerys she was with hym not as a wyfe but as a Lady for her holynes he worshyppyd her moch promysyd to the Busshope wylfryde great gyftys to make her agree to hym in matrymonye And the Busshope coÌ„trarye wyse exortyd her to kepe virgynyte And at laste by assente of the Kynge she enteryd into Relygyon at Coldyngham vnder Ebba aunte to the kynge And when the kynge repentyd hym wolde haue fet her fro the monasterye she coÌ„myttyd her to our Lorde And with to systers went in to a Hyll there our lorde brought the see about theym preseruyd them there beynge in prayers with oute mete or drynke when the Kynge sawe that he went away repentyd hym of gis presumpcyon and after she went to Ely that was geuyn to her by her husbonde tonbert there she repayryd a Monasterye gaderyd many sustersgence that they had not don as was wonte to be And that doon the preest wakynge sawe hym goo into his toumbe agayne ¶ De sancto Ethelberto rege martire SEynt Ethelbert was Kynge of eest Englonde And when he had in his youthe moche prophytyd in lernynge he gaue not his mynde to voluptuous pleasurys but to Prayers almys dedys other good werkys And when his felowys were at Playe he wolde be at Churche after the deth of his Fader Kynge ethelrede he was made Kynge was profounde in counceyll ryghtwyse and mercyfull in Iudgement sober iÌ„ wordys He wolde spare his subgyettys and resyst prowdemen And after by hoole
Clothis vnhurte And also in the yere of our Lorde a Thousand a hundred and foure his Body was agayne fouÌ„de vncorrupte And he lyeth now at Duresme in the latter ende of seynt Cuthbertys Lyfe is made mencyon of many Kynges in Englond that haue lefte theyr Kyngdomes And some entered into Relygyon some went on Pylgrymage to Rome or otherwyse made a blesyd ende as in the Legende apperyth ¶ De sctaÌ„ Cuthburga regina virgyne SEynt cuthburge was Syster to Ibe kynge of westsaxones And alfryde Kynge of Northamhumber herynge the fame of her beauty vertusent Ambassatoures to her Broder desyrynge to haue her in maryage And when her Broder had shewyd to her the message she Answeryd that if she myght lyue after her owne Appetyte there shulde no Husbonde in all Bretayne please her but she sayde she wolde not be dysobedyent to hym if he otherwyse ordeynyd lest it shulde be a dysobedyens to god puttynge her truste only in our Lorde and so she was maryed And whan her Husbond she came into the ChauÌ„ber she shewyd hym her purpose of kepynge virginyte and exortyd hym therto in such maner with such great charyte mekenes that he was therto coÌ„tentyd And so she lefte all pompe of the worlde and buyldyd a Monasterye in wymburne and there she punysshed her Body with fastyngys and watchyngys and vsyd coÌ„tynuall prayers and was very meke to god and man and in her monasterye she gatheryd many virgyns And whenne she knewe that her tyme drewe nere to go out of this worlde she exortyd her systers to consyder desceytfulnes of the worlde And with all dylygence to kepe theyr hert for of that lyfe procedyth And to loue all that our Lorde which is theyr spouse Louyth and to hate all that he hatyth and to loue eche other and alway to desyre the euerlastynge Lyfe and when she had made theym a longe exortacyon she chauÌ„gyd thys lyfe the day before the kalendas of September ¶ De sancto Cinigaro heremyta SEynt cinigar was sone to the Emperour of CoÌ„stantynople and to the Empryse lucyna And when he shulde haue ben maryed to a great kyngys Doughter he wente a way pryuely in poure apparell And the Emperoure sent messaÌ„gers after hym but our Lorde sauyd hym fro theym And soo he came into Fraunce and so to Englonde and with all his dylygens he entendyd to kepe a solytary Lyfe and beynge in that porpose he came into somerset shyre And by monycyon of an Aungell he came to a place now callyd CuÌ„gresbury he were the heer and dylygently kepte Fastyngys Prayers and euery mornynge he stode in the water tyll he had sayd thre Pater nosters And at .ix. of the cloke he refresshyd hymselfe with harley Breed The kynge Iue gaue hym the terrytorye about Cungresbury And there he made a teÌ„ple of .xii. ChanoÌ„s by reasoÌ„ of his great Myracles there was suche great Resorte to hym that for his more quyetnes he lefte that place and went into Wales And in a place shewyd to hym by an Aungell he made an Oratory and after he went on pylgrymage to Rome so to Iherusalem And at Iherusalem he chauÌ„gyd his Lyfe And as it is sayde his Company brought his Body with theym into Englonge to cungresbury ¶ De sancto Dauyd epÌ„o confessore SEynt dauyd was sone to the Kynge of Nortwales And his moders name was NuÌ„nyta And as seynt Patryke was in the vale of Rosyn where is nowe seynt Dauithis An aungell apperyd to hym and sayd that that place was not ordeynyd for hym but for oon that shulde be Borne .xxx. yerys after And when seynt Patryke was therwith astonyed that he was soo abiectyd for oon not yet borne an Aungell shewyd hym beynge in Wales all the lande of Irlande and tolde hym that in that Countrey he shulde suffre moche for our Lorde And that our Lorde shulde be with hym in all that he dyd And when the Chylde was Borne all the place where he was shone with a great clerenes And a stone at the feet of Nonyta in her traueyle gaue place to her Feet as if it had ben waxe And in the same place a Churche is made And when he was at scole his felawes sawe a Doue with a golden byll fleynge before his face and Techynge hym and he helyd his Mayster that was blynde He made .xii. Monasteryes and came to Glastonbury and made the churche And with his blessynge puryfyed waters at Bath and made them contynually to be hote and holsome to be wasshed in when brede poysonyd was seruyd to hym he Blessyd it and gaue oon parte to a Lytyl dogge which strayghte way dyed a nodre parte he gaue to a Crowe which also Dyed the thyrde ê‘te he ete hym felfe had no hurte an Abbot vpon a Horse that he borowyd of seynt Dauyd and trustynge on his Blessynge rode on hym ouer the See safe on a tyme whenne his dyscyples and he had sufferyd a great wronge He sayd to theym that he that wyll serue oure Lorde shall suffre trybulacyon but he may not be ouerome with euyll but he muste ouercome euyll with goodnes for he sayd if oure Lorde be with vs who shal be agaynste vs he wolde haue all his discyples laboure seyinge with the appostell he that wyll not laboure shall not ete and as they laboured they other prayed or thought some thynge plesaunte to almyghty god and they lyuyd with Breed and Lekys toke Mylke for theyr drynke wheÌ„ laboure was doon they wolde be Prayenge redyng or wrytynge he wolde take no thynge of theym that shulde be resceyuyd amonge theym into Relygyon and after by monycyon of an AuÌ„gell he went to Iherusalem with seynt Thelyans and seynt Patrone And there they prechyd agaynste the Iewes and strengthyd many in the faythe And euery man vnderstode theym in theyr owne tonge and there he was made an Archebusshope the patryarke gaue hym an Aulter a staffe a belle a cote coueryd with Golde wherby great Myracles haue beÌ„ don And wheÌ„ he was come home agayne He was desyryd to Preche agaynste the Heresye of Pelagyen and as he stode amoÌ„ge the people he had a Chylde that he hadde Reysyd by the way fro deth to Lyfe ley his napkyn vnder his feet standynge therupon he began to Preche And as he prechyd the grounde that he stoude on rose with hym lyke a Hyll wheruppon a Churche is buldyd And by his prechynge the people were confermyd And all the Clergye toke there doctryne at hym And he was as a Father to all the people And he knewe the verye Day of his Deth And at his departynge our Lorde apperyd vnto hym with a great company of AuÌ„gellys And he sayde to hym Lorde take me with the And so he wente with oure Lorde in the kalendas of Marche and he was Buryed at Seynt Dauythys and oure Lorde hath shewyd for hym many Myracles bothe in his lyfe and after his
.ix. kalendr of NoueÌ„bre De sancto Malichia ¶ De sancto Malichia Episcopo confessore SEynt Malachie was borne in Irlande amonge barbarous people and as a fysshe is in the salt see and is nat salt so was seynt Malachie good amoÌ„ge euyll people he went to a man that lyued a solytary lyfe seruynge our lorde in fastyngê and prayers and of hym he toke his example of lyuynge and in shorte tyme had many disciples and there he toke the ordre of presthode The bysshop coÌ„mytted to hyÌ„ his auctoryte to pÌ„che vnto the rude people whiche he dyd with great fauoure and what so euer he sawe out of good ordre he spared nat to reproue theym of it He had great loue and zele to the seruyce of god honoure to the Sacramentes of the Chuche and went to a holy bysshop called Malcus that was borne in Irlande brought vp in Englande and that had ben a monke at Wynchester to lerne at hym that he taught nothynge but as the Churche coÌ„mauÌ„ded after he was made bysshop of CoÌ„nereth in Irlande where anone he ê‘ceyued that the people were bestely and rude Cristen men in name and nat in dede they payed no tythes they lyued out of laufull matrymony they made no confessions there was no man to enioyne penauÌ„cene to aske it they made more noyse in the Churche then the precher or they that sange wherfore to refourme thyse people he put hym selfe in Ieopardye as a good Sheperd and admonysshed theym of theyr defautes openly and also secretely he wepte vpon theym tenderly nowe he spake sharpely and anone more easely And whenne henothynge preuayled he humbly watched in prayer for them to our lorde when they wolde nat come to the Churche he wolde go in to theym lokynge who he myght wyn to our lord when euyll wordes were sayde to hym he spake fayre and when he was wronged he toke pacyence and so with goodnesse he ouercame euyll Thus were the people reformed Churches were buylded the lawes of the Churche receyued the Sacramentes duely mynystred the people went to confessyons and toke penaunce after the deth of the Archebysshop Celsus he was made Archebysshop of Archemacan and yet he wolde neuer haue seruaunt ne house of his owne he went in maner a wayes aboute the parysshes prechynge the worde of god and leued of the Gospell Other prelates toke Lordshyp in the Clergye and he made hymselfe seruaunte to all men After he gaue vp the Archebysshopryche and went to his parysshe agayne Thenne he wente to Rome there the Pope toke a Myter fro his owne hedde and set it vpon his hedde and also gaue hym a stole and a phanon Fro thens he went to Clareuall to seynt Bernarde and leuynge with hym foure of his disciples he went in to Scotlande where our Lorde shewyd for hym many myracles and after he went into Irlande and there he helyd a monke of the great fallynge sykenesse Thenne he went agayne to Scotlande and so thorughe Englande to Clareualle to seynt Bernarde And there he dyed the .iiii. Nonas of Nouembre In the yere of our Lorde god a Thousande a hondred and .xlviii. and Seynt Bernarde wrote his lyfe wherin be many notable thynges ¶ De sancta Margareta Regina Scocie SEynt Margaret Quene of Scotlande was doughter of Edwarde outlawe sone to Edmonde Irneside And she by prouysion of god was Maryed to MalcolynÌ„ kynge of Scotlande she delyted more in good werkes thenne in possessions or ryches Ofttymes she called her children afore her and admonysshed theym to loue and drede our lord and dayly she prayed for theym that they myght pleas hym she enduced the kynge to do Iustyce with mercye and to gyue alines in her dayes the kynges seruauntê durst nat take any thynge fro pore men or otherwyse hurte theym She reproued the people of Scotlande in that they begann at Lent so that they myght faste .xl. dayes besyde the sondayes and that theyr prestes sange nat masse after the custome of the Churche and that the people were nat howseled at Ester that they kept nat the sondayes and that they maryed theyr moders in lawe and susters in lawe she reformed theym in thyse poyntê The kynge seynge the holy ghost was with her helped her forewarde in all that she went aboute She serched where she myght fynde pore people to do almes vpon on the nyghtê she sayd Matens of the Trinite of the holy crosse of our ladye the Dirige and the Psalter And thenne she vsed to wasshe .vi. pore men and then she toke rest In the mornynges she refressed .ix. orphanes and serued theym knelynge And afore dyner the kynge and she serued CCC pore people her boke fell into the water and lay there a daye and a nyght without hurte she knewe the deth of her husbonde sone that were slayne in Batayle whiche she toke pacyently she dyed the .iiii. Idus of Iune lyeth in the Churche of the holy trinite that she had buylded in the same place where she was maryed ¶ De sancta Maxencia virgine martyre SEynt Maxence was doughter to Marcolane soÌ„tyme kynge of Scotlande fro her youth she entended to kepe virginite after a prynce called maxencius was a pagan desyred her in maryage wherto he had her fathers assent and she perceyuyng that fledde to a churche and coÌ„mended her virginite to oure Lorde And after with an olde man and a Mayde she fledde secretely and came into Fraunce into a place called Pontis and as it is sayd in the way thyder she went ouer the water of ysara wtout bote and the sayd the prynce made suche serche that he founde where she was and when he coulde by no mean haue her assent in a fury he toke her by the heer and stroke of her hedde after kylled both her seruauntê and she toke vp her hedde and bare it to the place where she now lyeth and ouer her is buyldyd a godly churche where our lorde hath shewyd for her many myracles kyng Charles that reyned in tho dayes loued her churche moche gaue many great thynges to it ¶ De sancto Mellito ArchiepÌ„o confessore SEynt Gregorie was moche dylygent for the conuertynge of the people of Englande to the fayth and also to haue the people well ordered after they were conuerted wherfore he is moche to be honoured by Englysshmen after kynge Ethelbert his people were coÌ„uerted by seynt Augustyne he sent worde therof to seynt Gregorie as in the lyfe of seynt Mellytapperyth and then seynt Gregorie sent Mellite Iuste and Pallyne with dyuerse other into Englande to preche to the people and Mellite in the yere of our lorde .vi. hondred and foure was made bysshop in the prouynce of Eest saxons nyghe to Thamyse where London is metropolys and by hym that prouynce was conuertyd and the Churche of seynt Paule that was made by kynge Ethelbert is the bysshoppes see and after the deth of kyng
Eest saxons to Preche the Feythe there And when he had there conuertyd moche people he resortyd into his contrey And there the Busshope Fynanus made hym Busshope of eest Englonde And then he went agayne and gatheryd a great company of dyscyples and taught them regular discyplyne as theyr rudenesse myght bere And he resortyd ofte iÌ„to his couÌ„trey of Northamhumbrorum And the Kynge there gaue hym a grounde to make a Monasterye whiche he callyd lestyngey and he enfourmyd his dyscyples there after the manner of the Monasterye of Lyndyffernens that he was brought vppe in And before he beganne the foundacyon he Fastyd and Prayed that the Grounde myght be clensyd fro the olde synnes And there he went to oure Lorde and lefte his Broder cedda Abbotte after hym and it is not knowen what daye nor what yere he Dyed ¶ De sancto CeddaepÌ„o confessore SEynt Chadde broder to seynt Cedd was dyscyple to seynt AidaÌ„ And he was sent by Kynge Oswy to CauÌ„terbury to be made Busshope of yorke And bycause the see of Caunterbury was voyde he was coÌ„secrate by wyne Busshope of westsaxons For at that tyme there was no Busshope in all Englonge laufully made Busshope but wyne And anon he gaue grete dylygence to Redynge Prayinge and in humylyte went on Prechynge in his dyocyse on Foot and not on horsbacke And when seynt Theodre tharchebusshope was sent frome sayd he was not duely coÌ„secrate he answeryd mekely that if he thought he was not duely coÌ„secrate he was coÌ„tentyd to resygne And he seynge his humylyte sayde he hought not to leue his Busshopryke but rather to haue his eleccyon confermyd And after he was desyred by wlferus Kynge of Marshlonde to be Busshope there and in Lyndesey and so he was And he had a see in Lychefelde and in a place two myle fro thens he was wonte to be ofte in Prayers And the Kynge gaue hym a certeyne grounde in the Prouynce of Lyndesey where he made a Monastery callyd barwe he was full of the drede of god in soo moche that when he harde any contraryous weder he woldelye prostrate in prayer for hym and for the people for fere of Punysshement for he callyd it a Thretnynge of God and feryd that punysshement shulde ensue And a lytyll before his deê‘tynge oute of this worlde oon of his Dyscyples herde a swete voyce of Aungellys syngynge that cam fro heuyn downe to the house where seynt Chadde was in prayer And they taryed there nyghehalfe an our after they went agayne to Heuyn And the Aungellys shewyd hym that the .vii. Daye folowynge he shulde departe out of this worlde And then he admonysshyd his Bretherne that they shulde kepe Loue and Peace amonge theym and kepe the rulys of theyr Relygyon and in the .vii. Daye whiche was the .vi. nonas of Marche as the Aungell hadde shewyd hym he gaue vppe his soule to our Lord as the AuÌ„gell had shewyd hym ¶ De sctoÌ„ Claro presbytero martyre IN the tyme of the gloryous Kynge Edmonde a man of orchester callyd Edwarde and his wyfe prayed to our Lorde with great deuocyon that they myght haue a Chylde that shulde be obedyeÌ„t to his wyll And so they had a sone whome they callyd clare they instructyd hym in lernynge And when he came to age they porposyd to haue maryed hym wherfore he fled ouer the see into Normandy And there he helyd an Eremyte that was sore woundyd and wente to a Monasterye where seynt odebert was And after he was desyred by the Eremytys to shewe theym howe they myght saue theyr soullys And he bad theym here the wordys of our Lorde that seyed he that wyll folowe me let hym forsake hym selfe take his Crosse folowe me also loue thy Lorde god with all thy Hart Mynde thy Neyghboure as thy selfe And he sayd to loue God aboue all thynge is to withdrawe thy mynde fro all erthely thynges to put all his hooll Entente besyly in oure Lorde after he wente aboute moch ê‘te of FrauÌ„ce and buyldyd a Monasterye at wicassyno and there he lyued only with Rotys of Erbys and after of malyce he was behedyd the .iiii. daye of Nouember And he bere his hed to his Monastery and there he lyeth Buryed where our Lord hath shewyd for hym many myracles ¶ De sctoÌ„ Clytanco Rege martyre SEynt clytanke was Kynge in south walys and kepte Iustyce and peace amonge his subiectys And a virgyn that was Doughter to a myghty man Louyd the yonge Kynge and sayde she wolde neuer be maryed but vnto hym and oon of the Kyngys seruauntys kendlyd with the Fyre of lybydyousnes which carnally louyd the sayde damesell herynge that answere of malyce as the Kynge was by a Waters syde in his prayers and deuocyon abydynge a company of HuÌ„ters kyllyd hym traytorously And when they wolde haue remouyd hym ouer the water his Body was so heuy that it wolde not remoue tyll by goodnes of our Lord it was hadde to a place that our Lord shewyd vnto them And in the nyghte folowynge a Pyller of Fyre was seen asceÌ„dynge fro his TouÌ„be to heuyn where a Church is buyldyd in the honoure of his name ¶ De sancto Colfrydo abbate confessore SEynt Colfryde was made Abbot in the monasterye of seynt Paule by the Ryuer of Tyne And also in the Monastery of Seynt Peter .v. myle â—o thens whiche were fouÌ„dyd by Seynt Benet byscop And he was a man of great wytte and great dyscressyon and feruent iÌ„ Loue of Relygyon And by desyre of the Kynge of Pyctes he wrote an Epystell to hym of the tyme of obseruauÌ„ce of Estre for in tho dayes were dyuerse oppynyons therin And also for the tonsure of Clerkys And whenne the Epystell was redde before the Kynge and his Lordys it was of suche Prophytte Truthe and profounde sentence and soo hoole grundyd in scrypture that the Kynge knelyd downe and thankyd our Lorde that hadde sente hym suche a werke out of the Londe of Englonde And after moche Spyrytuall exercyse in techynge Fastynge and Prayenge in his decrepit age he went towarde Rome And by the way at Lingonas he was buryed He dyed the .vii. kalendas of octobre in the yere of our Lord seuyn hundred and syxtene And in his Iourney dayly he sayd twyse the Psalter besyde his houres canonycalle And euery daye Masse excepte one day whenne he was on the See And thre Dayes before he dyed ¶ De sancto Columba abbate confessore SEynt columbe was borne of noble Blode in Irlande And he came into great Brytteyne into the Northe pyctes to preche to theym the worde of God the yere of oure Lorde fyue Hundred .lxv. And the south pyctys were before that tyme conuertyd by seynt Ninian And whenne he hadde couuertyd theym to the faythe he made a Monasterye in the I le of Hii he was a man of Aungellys aspecte and of great Eloquence he suffred no
in Penaunce that he shuld not were his Crowne of .vii. yere and that he shulde faste twyse euery weke whiche Penaunce the Kynge dyd And after seuyn yere he were his Crowne agayne whiche Penaunce doynge was great Ioye to all the realme And this blessyd man full of good werkys wente to oure Lorde the .xiiii. kalendas of Iune And he was Buryed at CauÌ„terbury and after was translatyd to Glasâ—â—â—buâ—y And he prophycyd that great and longe Punysshement shulde falle vppon the people of Englonde by estrauÌ„ge nacyons and that there in the ende of dayes the mercy of our Lorde shulde fall â—ppon theym De sancta Eauswida virgine abbatissa SEynt eauswyda was doughter to the Kynge son to kynge ethelbert Edbaldus And fro her youthe she forsoke the pompys of the worlde and enducyd her Fader to make her an Oratorye at Folkstan that she myghte in virgynyte serue our Lorde And as the oratory was in buyldynge the kynge of NorthamhumbroruÌ„ which was a paynym desyryd to haue her in maryage and her Father counceylyd her therto and praysyd the Kynge moche And she sayd if he coulde in the name of his goddys make a beame of her Oratorye which was to shorte longe I nough she wolde assente to hym if not she desyryd to be let a lone And the kynge trustynge in his Goddes gladly assentyd And when he hadde longe Prayde all was in vayne that he dyd and soo he went away with shame And thenne the virgyn Prayed in the name of oure Lorde And anone her Prayer was herde and the Bame made longe Inoughe And so the Kynge departyd And by her prayer water came agaynste the Hylle fro a Towne callyd Swecton to her oratory And it came by a noder Ryuer and yet Ioynyd not with it foure Bretherne of great Ryches denyed to geue Dysmes to seynt Eauswyda And after many yerys iii. of theym were compuncte and aduertysyd the .iiii. to goo with them to her sepulcre to doo penaunce and make satysfaccyon and he denyed it And anon the Deuyll enteryd into hym And soo his Bretherne bounde hym And broughte hym to her Aulter And anone he was made Hoolle and Payed his Tythes And she wente fro this present lyfe the day before the kaleÌ„das of september And bycause her church was dystroyed with the see her bodye was brought to Folkstane ¶ De sancto Eata epÌ„o confessore WHen seynt Oswalde had opteynyd the kyngdomes of Deyre Bernysshe had sent for seynt Aidan to instructe his people in the feythe of our Lorde seynt Aidan toke .xii. Englysshe chyldren to Instructe whereof â—ata was oon which anon folowyd the exaumples techynges of his maister And after he enteryd into Relygyon and was made abbot of Mayâ—rose otherwyse callyd menrose And thenne he shewyd to his Bretherne moo tokyns of mekenes and charyte then he dyd before And he made many monasteryes and gaderyd many dyscyples wherof seynt Cuthbert was oon And after he was made Abbot of lyndyffernens that nowe is callyd the holy Ilonde And after he was electyd Busshope of hagustaldeÌ„se with great gladnes of all the people he was busy iÌ„ prayenge dylygeÌ„t in exortynge the people ententyffe to geue Almes And what soeuer he knew by the holy goost was to be don besyly deuotlye he wolde se it to be doon And he endyd this lyfe of a sykenes callyd the Dyssentory by longe and greuous contynuaunce And lyeth at Hagustaldense Thomas archbusshope of yorke wolde haue translatyd hym to yorke And on the nyghte before he wolde haue traÌ„slatyd hym seynt Eata apperyd to hym and tolde hym that he had attemptyd to do that that was not the wyll of our Lorde shulde be doon And so he cessyd that enterpryse ¶ De sancta Ebbavirgyne abbatissa SEyntebba was syster to Kynge Oswy And she forsoke the worlde and all the pleasure therof was made a Nonne of seynt Fynan Busshope of Lyndyffernense and after she was Abbes of the Monastery of Coludy now callyd coldynghm .vi. mylys fro Berwyke And it is enhabytyd with Monkys of Durham And she made a noder Monasterye vppoÌ„ 〈◊〉 callyd Ebbcester which was destroyed by Danes And seynt Etheldred was her dyscyple though seynt Cuthbert fro his youth fledde the company of women as Pestylens yet he wolde speke with this blessyd Woman tary with her to informacyon of her and of her company certeyn tymes And she went to our Lorde .iiii. yere before seynt Cuthbert the. viii kalendas of September and was buryed in her Monasterye And after her Monasterye was destroyed for synne wretchydnes as it was shewyd to her it shuld be And her Relykys were hadde to the Churche of our Lady A yonge man that hadde a Bone in his Throte wasshyd his throte at her well and receyuyd helthe And wiste not where the Bone became she helyd dyuerse that were mute blynde obsessyd of Deuyllys and of dyuerse other diseasys ¶ De sancta Edburga virginâ— martyre SEynt edburgh was doughter to Kynge Ethelbert and she was great grauÌ„tmoder to Seynt Myldrede And after seynt Myldredis deth she toke the rule of the Monastery was made Abbasse and amonge the wauys â—o the worlde she confortyd her selfe with holy scrypture prayers and geuynge of Almys And all the pleasure of this worlde she dyspysyd she reputyd Golde and Syluer but oonly for ornamentys of the Churche and for other thynges for deuyne seruyet as donge And couetyd to be dyssoluyd and to be with our lorde And she endyd this lyfe in the Idus of december And lyeth now at CauÌ„terbury she helyd a Chylde that was mute a these that toke wytnesse of her that he was not gyltye And prayde god if he were that he shulde neuer goo ferther Anon expyryd a wrytynge of hers after her Dethe was vnauysydly throwen into the Fyre with other scrowes an it wolde not burne ¶ De sctaÌ„ Edytha virgine abbatissa SEynt edyth was Doughter to Kynge Edgare And her Moder mulstrudys after she was borne enteryd into Relygyon at wylton where she was made Abbesse And Edyth beynge in kepynge of her moder by assent of the Kynge Edgar her Fader also enteryd into Relygyon vnder her Moder And she was moche mouyd and comfortyd therto by the blessyd lyfe of her Aunte callyd also edyth which in tho dayes lyuyd a blessyd Lyfe in Polles worthe as she dyd at wyltoÌ„ she was full of Pyte and compassyon and the more dyfformyte of sykenes that she saw in any creature the more charytable and helpynge she wolde be vnto hym And vnder her vtter apparell that was sumwhat precyous she were the heer And seynt Ethel wolde sayde vnto her that suche apparell was not the way to please her spouse And then she shewyd hym the trouche what she were inwardly wherfore he was gladde consyderynge that all was oon purpure and sacclothe so that the mynde be clene And after she was made abâ—esse of thre monasteryes Wynton
And his Hed was growen agayne to his bodye And nothynge apperyd of the Cuâ—tynge but a lytell redde serkyll aboute his necke After when swanus kynge of Danes destroyed the Countrey and blasphemyd seynt Edmonde and askyd a great Trybute of the people they feryd moche And a Monke that then was very deuoute to seynt Edmonde went to seynt Edmonde wasshyd his body and kembed his hed as he had ben a Lyue And prayed hym of Helpe And he spake to hym famylyarlye and bad hym goo to swanus And commaunde hym in his name to ceasse when the monke had soo doon and it nothynge auayled but that he had moch a doo to skape with his lyfe the same nyght the Kynge swanus was kyllyd amonge his people with seynt Edmondys swerde no man knew howe Wherfore kunt that was swanus sone fro thensfourthe delt more mekely with seynt Edmonde And made a dyke aboute his grouÌ„de dischargyd it of all trybutys And made a Chyrche ouer his Body and enduyd it with grete possessyons De sancto Edwardo rege confessore SEynt Edwarde was sone to kynge Etheldrede And for fere of the Danys he was sent into Normandye there he wolde be ofte at the Churche in prayers he was Chast of Bodye trewe of dede and of lytell speche He wolde vysyt Monasteryes and accoÌ„pany hymselfe with those Monkys that he sawe moost vertuous And when he sawe howe he was destytute of all worldly helpe his Father ded his Brother kyllyd his Moder maryed to his enemy with deuout prayers he coÌ„myttyd hym hooly to oure Lord And after the Dethe of Kynyte he was sent for and was chosen Kynge enoyntyd with great gladnes of all the people And anone all thynges were broughte in good ordre the Clergye dyd theyr dutye the people dyd theyr duetye and Monasteryes kepte theyr relygyon He was neuer seen enflamyd with pryde or angre nor dyshonestyd with glotonye He was neuer the meryer for gettynge of money nor the soryer if he lost it He sawe oon of his seruauntys stele his Treasure and yet he wolde not dyscouer hym but after thryse coÌ„mynge bad hym beware his stewarde By couÌ„cell of his Lordys he toke to Wyfe the doughter of goodwyn a Blessyd vyrgyne And they Lyuyd chast all theyr Lyues At the tyme of Leuacyon he sawe the Kynge of Denmarke as he was commynge into EngloÌ„de to warre drownyd in the See He repayryd the abbey of westmester newely enduyd it for RedeÌ„pcyoÌ„ of his aduowe to Rome He sawe the Deuyll sytte vppon Money that his couÌ„cell had gaderyd of the coÌ„moÌ„s he causyd it to be repayed at westin our lorde shewyd hym selfe Bodely to hym at masse and with his ryght haÌ„de blessyd hym with the sygne of the Crosse As the Kynge the Erle goodwyn sate at dyner the Erle prayde God that if he were Gyltye of the Dethe of Alerude the Kynges Broder that a pece of Breed whiche he entendyd to Ete shulde neuer goo thrugh hym and the Kynge blessyd it And anone as he wolde haue etyn it he was stranglyd therwith And as they sate at dyner he dyed He sawe the seuyn slepars turne theym on the lefte syde that longe a fore had lyen on the Ryght syde whiche betokenyd great trouble to come in the worlde seynt IohnÌ„ euangelyst sent hym a Rynge by two Pylgrymes whiche he had before that ryme gyuen to seynt IohnÌ„ in Almys in lykenes of a poure man And he sent hym worde that within syx monethes he shuld departe this worlde and so he dyd our Lorde shewyd for hym many Myracles in so moche that the water that he wasshyd in helyd many persones of dyuerse sykenes all his dayes was full peace in Englonde and Immedyatlye after his dayes rose great trouble He dyed the yere of our Lorde god M.lxvi. the Daye before the fyrste nonas of Ianuary And he lyeth at westmester .xxxvi. yere after he was buryed his Body was founde vncorrupte ¶ De sancto Edwardo rege martyre SEynt edwarde Kynge and Martyr was sone to kynge Edgar And after his Faders deth by helpe of seynt Dunstane of seynt Oswalde he was made Kynge as his Fader commaundyd But yet his mother in lawe Alfryth coueytyd to haue her Sone ethelrede Kynge as seynt Edwarde was Goynge to corffe Castell with a smalle company to se his Broder ethel rede came by his moder iÌ„ lawe she offerd hym Drynke causyd hym to be kyllyd traytorously as he was drynkynge the .xv. kalendas of apryll in the yere of grace .ix. C. foure score one And in the nyght folowyng a lyght cam into the ChauÌ„ber where his body lay that helyd a blynde woman that kepte hym And that knowyn the quene Alfrythe hyd his Bodye a yere in vyle placys And by a bryghte beame that shone there as the Budye a laye it was knowen was takyn vppe buryed at warreham by the people of that prouynce And when his myracles were knowyn he was takyn vp agayne was founde vncorrupte was buryed honorably with dyuerse Busshopes at the monastery of Septon His syster Edyth and her Moder wulstrude beynge present as it is sayde the quene Alfryth for her penaunce made the Monasteryes of wharwell Malmesbury And enduyd them with great possessioÌ„s ¶ De sctoÌ„ Edwino rege martire SEynt edwyn was sone to Elle kynge of NorthaÌ„humbre and deire And by Etherfryde that had maryed his suster Acca he was put oute of his Realme And soo he fled to rad wolde Kynge of eest EngloÌ„de And what by threttys promysse of rewardys he was lyke to haue ben delyuerd by Kynge Radwolde to his broders handys And as he was in great Heuynes therfore a man cam to hym tolde hym if he wolde promyse to be cristened he shuld not be delyueryd to his broder but restoryd ageyne to his Kyndome And when he had made promes to be crystenyd the man set his ryght hand vppon his heed and bad hym wheÌ„ that sygne cam to hym not to dyffer to be criâ—tenyd and that doon he vanysshyd away And so the kynge Radwolde chaunged his mynde and after kyllyd Ethelfryde in Batayle and sette Seynt Edwyn in his Kyndome And after the kynge Edwyn maryed Alburghe doughter to kynge Ethelâ—ert vppon condycyon that he shulde nothynge doo to lette her kepe the cristen feythe he assentyd And seynt paulyn was assygnyd to be with her And after the kynge of westsaxons vnder treason sent a messynger to the Kynge edwyn which with a venemyd Knyfe sholde sodeynly haue kyllyd hym And when the kynge was sauyd by meanes of a feythfull seruaunte of his that put hym selfe bytwene the Kynge and the stroke The kynge prepayryd warre agaynste that Kynge that had wrought that treason And promysyd seynt pawlyn if he spede well in that Iourney he wolde be crystenyd a doughter that he had theÌ„ newely borne he comyttyd to our Lord to be in the kepynge of
of helpe of Edryke the traytoure whome the Kynge had put in great auctoryte And bycause the Kynge put his broder to deth for his offencys he went out of the courte and confeterd hymselfe with danes and they besegyd the Cyte of Caunterbury And when they had wonne it they dyd Merueylouse great cruelte to the people wherfore seynt Elphegus offerde hymselfe to them and bad them spare the people and take hym And so he was taken and put in pryson And there he lay tyll the offenders were so punysshed with sykenes by the stroke of god that they toke hym out of prysone cryed hym mercye and he forgaue them and blessyd Brede and gaue it to them And anon they were hoole and when they were hoole the rulers askyd of hym if he wolde haue his lyfe and lyberte thre thousande marke And because he wolde not greue the people to leue the Money he denyed it And soo he was put agayne in cruell pryson and there the Deuylle apperyd to hym lyke an AuÌ„gell of lyght and perswadyd hym to go out of pryson by many exauÌ„ples and soo he folowyd hym and when he had brought hym amonge waters in the derke nyght he lefte hym and then he knewe it was the crafte of the enemye wherfore he lyftyd hys mynde to our Lorde and cryed for helpe And anone a yonge man in bryghte shynynge apparell apperyd to hym and had hym goo agayne to receyue the Crowne of martyrdome and when he came to the pryson and there he was truellye takyn Betyn And foule Stynkynge Donge was caste vppon hym And thenne Seynt Dunstanne aperyd to hym and comfortyd hym And at the laste he was betyn with stones And his owne godson with a hachet stracke hym in the Hed and soo martyryd hym the .xiii. kalendas of Maii the punysshemeÌ„t of god felle vppoÌ„ the offenders so that some kyllyd theymselfe And some went madde many fledde to the see and theyr Shyppys were drownyd about a C. and .lx. Shyppes And after when Kunt came into Englonde and sawe great punyshement fall vppon hym and his pleople he toke counceyle of some Englysshemen that toke his ê‘te they thoughte it was for the wronge don to seynt Elphege And soo by theyr counceyle he promysyd that when he had peace he wolde brynge the body of seynt Elphege to cauÌ„terbury And .xvii. yere after he fouÌ„de his Body vncorrupte And brought it to CauÌ„terbury honorably as he had ê“mysed ¶ De sâ—toÌ„ Erkenwaldo epÌ„o confessore SEynt erkenwalde and his syster Ethelburghe comonly callyd Alburgh were borne in that parte of Englonde callyd Lynsey And seynt Erkenwalde was conuertyd to the feythe when seynt Augustyne came into Englond and was dyscyple to the Busshope Mellyt And his syster folowed the exauÌ„ple of her broder And when she was Cristenyd she was callyd Ethelburghe And seynt Erkenwalde foundyd the Monasterye of Chertesey for hymselfe where he was Abbot and Barkynge for his syster And after he was made busshope of London by seynt Theodre Archebussope of Caunterbury And when a beame that was ordeynyd for the monastery of Berkynge was to shorte he and his syster Ethelburghe drew it in length made it longe ynough And as he was goynge on Prechynge in a chare oon of the whelys went of and yet the chare went vpryghte he shewyd the very day of his deth and vnto his laste ende he comfortyd the people besylye with the worde of god And he Dyed at barkynge And there was at his deth a meruâ—ylous swete Sauoure in all the house And as he shulde be brought to London the water rose at Ilforde and wolde not suffer theym to passe tyll the people fell to prayer And anone the Water deuydyd and soâ— they went thrughe And all the Candellys that were out lyghtyd agayne by themselfe And so he was buryed at seynt Poulys in London And was leyde in leed in a Coffyn of wodde And it was coueryd with a Palle of small pryse many yerys And after in the tyme of Wyllyam Conqueroure the Churche of poulys and great parte of london was Brent And neuerthelesse the sayde palle and sepulcre was not hâ—rte wherfore the people gaue Laudys to our Lorde And thoughe that that punysshemeÌ„t came to theym bycause they had not doon condygne honoure to the sayd blessyd Relyquys And after the Churche of Poulys was newe buyldyd by thre Busshoppys of London oon after a noder And by a hoole Deuocyon of the people his Body was traÌ„slatyd to a more honorable place in the yere of our lorde god a Thousande a hundred xl the .xiii. daye of Nouember And when the place that was newe made was to lyttyll for the Chest of leed wheâ—in his Relykys lay fyrst the people for that neclygence were sory And anon the stone waxyd more holow and gaue place to the blessyd relykys And after at his shryne were doon many great myracles as in the legeÌ„de apperyth at great length which be here omyttyd ¶ De sancta Ermenilda regina SEynt ermenylde was doughter to Ercomberte kynge of kent of seynt sexburghe his wyfe she was dysposyd to all pytye coÌ„passyon and endeuouryd herselfe with a moderly pytye to helpe the necessytes of euery man there was in hyr alway oon stablenesse on Benygnyte on Charyte on desyre to Heuynly thingys She was maryed to wlferus son to penda kynge of Marshyes which after his Faders Deth was crystenyd by her exortacyon good maners she tamyd the wylde people and brought theym to the feythe thruste downe Rebellys myghtyly And she ceassyd not tyll the Idollys worshyppynge of deuyllys with the helpe of the Kynge was clene put a way Chyrchys were buyldyd for Dyuyneseruyce thrughe all the Realme they had a doghter callyd werbuxga And after the deth of the Kynge the quene Erâ—â—enylde her Doughter enteryd into Relygyon at Ely vnder her moder sexburghe so for our lord she forsoke all the pleasurys and loue of the worlde And punysshyd her body with abstynence prayers and lamentyngys and shewyd her selfe moost lowe of all folkys and she endyd her lyfe full of good werkys in the Idâ—â— of February And a man that was bounden with Iâ—â—â—s prayed at her tumbe at masse for helpe and at the gospell the Irons were strykyn fro his arme with such a vyoleÌ„ce that they flewe to the Aâ—ter that all mâ—n myght see De sancto Esterwino Abbate SEynt esterwyn was mynyster to kynge Egfryde And he lefte the Temporall armoure toke Espyrytuall armour enteryd into Relygyon vnder his vnkyll Benet busshope in the Monasterye of seynt peter but for all the kynred he lokyd not to be anythynge the more honowryd But he was anon foo meke that he wolde wynnow and thresshe with the bretherne mylke Kyen shepe And be with theym galdlye in the Bakhouse Kechyn in all other busynes of the Monasterye And after seynt Coolfryde abbot of the monasterye of
of chyualry defeÌ„dyd hys Father myghtely agaynste his enemyes bette downe castellys townys in his moost cruelty he was also mercyfull wolde geue to his enemyes the thyrde parte of that he geet And after he consyderyd that the glorye of the worlde was but as smoke a vapoure of small abydynge wherfore he caste away his Armoure went to repeÌ„don toke orders geuynge hym to monastycall lernynge he wolde drynke nothynge that myght be occasyon of dystemperaunce And after he went to crowlande where then no man durste enhabyte for fere of wyckyd spiritis there he lyuyd a blessyd lyfe sufferyd great temptacyons persecucyons of wyckyd spiritis as in that Legende apperyth at great length he was ofte delyuerd owte of trowbles temptacyons by seynt Bartylmew whom he had in synguler deuocyon on a tyme two Deuyllys in lykenes of men came to hym ê‘swadyd hym to faste not two or thre dayes but by hole wekys put hym iÌ„ mynde of Moyses hely howe they fastyd of the fastyngys of olde fathers of sythye theÌ„ he knewe they were wyckyd spiritis wherfore he made his prayer anon they vanysshed awey then he toke his sustenaunce of Barley brede as he was wonte to do This blessyd man had suche a hoole entent to god that there was neuer in his harte but pyte charyte in his mouth there was nothynge but our lorde Ihesu Peas mercy forgyuynge He was neuer seen angry prowde or heuy but alwayes iÌ„oon sobrenes On a tyme he sawe two deuyllys wepe when he askyd them the cause why they wepte they sayd bycause he pÌ„uaylyd so ofte agaynste theÌ„ so he made the sygne of the crosse anon they vanysshyd away the busshope hedda as he was goinge to seynt guthlake praysid moch the strayghtnes of his lyfe oon of his chapleyns sayd that he had seen many Heremytes some good some euyll if he had ones seen hym he sayd he coulde tell whether he were so good as the fame raÌ„ne vppoÌ„ hym wheÌ„ he cam to seynt guthlake he by spyryt knowynge his wordys askyd of hym howe he sayd by that man that he spake of the day before then he was abasshyd fell downe askynge hym forgyuenes theÌ„ the Busshope made hym preest he had a suster callyd pega whom he wolde not see iÌ„ this lyfe to the enteÌ„t they myght the rather mete in the lyfe to come when his tyme drew nere he shewyd his discyple Bertelyn therof bade hym that he shulde praye his suster to se hym buryed then Bertelyn prayed seynt Guthlake to shewe hym who he was that he had seen euery day syth his fyrste cuÌ„mynge to hym spekynge with hym Mornynge euenynge he sayde that euer syth he came to that wyldernes he had an AuÌ„gell to coÌ„forte hym to helpe hym in his teÌ„ptacions that shewyd hym thynges to come with other great secretys that it was not laufull to speke bade Bertelyn kepe it secrete not to shew it to any ê‘sone but to his suster Pega to a holy Anker callyd Egbert when he had thus spokyn there came a swete smell out of his mouthe as of Rose flowrys or Balme fro mydnyght to the mornynge was a great lyght seen in all the house then he sayd to his dyscyple that his tyme was come lyftynge vp his Ien his haÌ„dys into Heuyn he slepte iÌ„ our Lorde aboute the yere of grace .vii. C. .vi. aboute a yere after his deth his body was remouyd was fouÌ„de vncorrupt with all his clothys a kynge callyd Ethelbalde which was wrongefully put out of his Realme had be moche famylyer with seynt gutlake in his lyfe came to his tumbe prayed deuoutly to hym for helpe he apperyd to hym tolde hym that within two yerys he shuld be restoryd to his kyngdoÌ„ so he was theÌ„ he buylded crowlaÌ„de endewyd it with great loÌ„des many lybertyes as he hadde promysed to seynt Guthlake in his lyfe that he wolde doo De sancta Helena regina Seynt helyn was doughter of cloell kyng of grete brytayn iÌ„ tho dayes the senate of romeseÌ„te coÌ„staÌ„cyus which had subdued to theÌ„ the couÌ„trey of spayne to subdue also to them brytayne now callyd EngloÌ„de And cloell ferynge the great wysdome of coÌ„stancius anon assentyd to pay yâ— olde trybute theruppon constancyus toke the sayd helyn his doughter to wyfe had by her constantyne whiche after the deth of his fader went to rome with great power of brytayne toke his moder with hym put downe maxencyus the tyrauÌ„te was made Emperoure after he was coÌ„uertyd to the feyth also Crystenyd by seynt syluester wherfore his moder praysyd hym that he had lefte the worshyppynge of Idollys but she thought he shuld rather haue receyuyd the feyth of the god of the Iues which she had theÌ„ receyuyd then to receyue the feythe of a man crucyfyed there vppon a tyme was appoyntyd betwyxte them to haue bothe lawes disputyd at which day by the ê“founde argumeÌ„tys of seynt Syluester also by myracles that our lorde shewyd in ê“ue of the feyth seynt Helyn all the docturys of the Iues that she brought with her were coÌ„uertyd to the feyth when she was crystenyd she encouragyd her selfe to enlarge the crysten feythe all that she could went to Iherusalem with a great power where she fouÌ„de the holy crosse with the thre naylys the crybbe that our lorde was leyed on ê‘te of the hey our Ladyes smokke she made monasteryes where our lord sufferyd his deth passyon there as the holy crosse was fouÌ„de at BetheleÌ„ in many other placys After she went to ynde she made many churchys brought with her the Bodyes of the thre kynges of coleyne she broughte with her ê‘te of the holy crosse to constantynople after she went to rome grewe to suche hyghe charyte that she was as a moder to all personys And after when she laye syke she sawe heuyn open our lord standynge with a great multytude of AuÌ„gellys with his Crosse meruaylously shynynge which comfortyd her moche She went to our Lord the .xv. kalendas of septeÌ„ber was honorably buryed by the Pope with great wepynge of all the people as it is sayd her body was traÌ„slatyd to constantynople now it lyeth at venys De sancto Henrico heremita SEynt henry the heremyte was borne in denmarke And on a tyme when all thynge was ordeynyd that he shuld haue ben maryed our lord prohybytyd hym to be maryed bad hym kepe hym selfe clene inmaculate fro this worlde that he shuld goo into the I le of Coket so he came to tynmouth there he had leue of the pryor to go into the I le of Coket And certen yerys he lyuyd with brede
water after he ete but thryfe iÌ„ a weke thre dayes in the weke he kept oâ— cylence On a tyme as he wolde haue goon to duresme but that he hadde no bote to goo ouer the water of were he made his prayer a bote of the ferther syde brake that that it was tyed with came ouer to hym so he went ouer therin His frendys herynge where he was sent to hym mouyd hym to come agayne into his couÌ„trey seyinge there were dyuerse solytary placys in that countrey more apte to lyue a solytary lyfe in then that somwhat for affeccyon to the couÌ„trey He was mouyd therto in the nyght folowynge he made his prayers before the crucyfyx to knowe the wyll of our Lorde with great deuocyon the Crucyfyxe spake vnto hym bad hym perseuer strongly in that he had begon that he shuld not leue that I le to th ende of his lyfe he herynge that laye prostrat besought our lorde that he shuld not haue power to goo though he wolde anon a great swellynge felle into his knee which grewe so greuous that as he sate agaynste the sone wormys came oute of it he wolde take them vppe byd them goo in agayne to that that was theyr InherytauÌ„ce lyue of that that had norysshyd them the more greuouse that the desease grewe the more gladde he was yeldynge euer thaÌ„kyngys to our lord thoughe the sykenes waxyd moche greuous yet he wolde be alone abydynge the werynes of all the longe nyghte without helpe And whan the houre of deth came he toke the bell rope in his hande to rynge the bell so deê‘tyd a monke he rynge the bell rynge ranne thyder fouÌ„de hym deed syttynge vppon a stone with the bell rope in his hande a Candell standynge by hym lyghtyd with a heuenly lyghte when his body was cleÌ„syd fro the fylthe anon it was whyte as snowe nothynge apperynge of the fyrste desease his face shone with such a bryghtnes that he coulde scarsly be knowen He dyed in the yere of our Lorde a thousande a hundred and .xx. the .xvii. kalendas of February lyeth at Tynmouth not farre fro the body of seynt Oswyne ¶ De sctiÌ„s Hewaldo nigro Hewaldo albo mtibus WHen seynt wylly brorde with his felowes had coÌ„uertyd moch people in fryseloÌ„de to the feyth two blessyd men borne in Englonde whiche were both callyd Hewalde that had longe tyme ben in Irlonde went into olde saxonye to pÌ„che there the worde of god for dyuersyte of theyr here the oon was callyd the blacke Hewalde the other the whyte Hewalde when they came into Fryselonde they were Harbored with a husbaÌ„de man of whom they desyred that they myght be coÌ„ueyed to the ruler of that couÌ„trey to do a message to hym he ê“mysyd theÌ„ they shuld so be when they had taryed with hym a certeyn tyme the harbarouse people herynge that they were of a noder relygyon that they vsyd moche prayers dayly dyd sacryfyce for they sayde dayly masse they suspectyd that if they shuld speke with theyr Ruler they shuld coÌ„uerte hym to the crysten feyth so all the ê“uynce lyke to folow leuynge theyr olde lawe wherfore they kyllyd them bothe the .v. nonas of October the whyte hewalde by shorte martyrdome the blacke hewalde by longe cruell tourmentys caste them into the Ryuer of Ryne when the ruler herde therof he was very sore angry that they wolde not let them speke with hym sendynge thyder kyllyd all tho barbarous people that had kyllyd the blessyd martyrs also burnyd the towne the Bodyes of the sayd blessyd men went .xl. myle ageyne the streme to a place there as theyr felowys were And a bryghte shynynge beame was seen euery nyght there as the Bodyes lay so they were takyn vppe buryed honorablye lyke gloryous martyrs and after pipinus the frenshe kynge remouyd theyr Bodyes to Coleyne in tho partyes theyr feest is halowyd with great deuocyon ¶ De sancta Hilda virgine abbatissa SEynt hylda was doughter to hereyce which was neuew to kynge Edwyn when kynge Edwyn was coÌ„uertyd by prechynge of seynt paulyn seynt hylda was also coÌ„uertyd anon she lefte her scler habyte decreed to serue our Lord She went to the kynge of eest Englond to whom she was of kyn desyrynge hym to helpe that she myght go to her suster hereswida into frauÌ„ce that was a NoÌ„ne in the monastery of Cale when she had ben a yere aboute the purpose seynt Aâ—dan brought her agayne into her owne countrey there she was made Abbesse at the Monastery of herthey whiche was fouÌ„dyd by a blessyd Woman callyd bega that was the fyrste NoÌ„ne that euer was in the ê“uynce of NorthamhuÌ„bre After seynt Hylda fouÌ„dyd the Monastery of streneshalch now callyd whytbye And as she had by couÌ„ceyll of holy men orderyd her fyrst Monastery with reguler discyplyne so she orderyd this monastery and taught them prety abstynence and other vertues especyall to haue peas charyte And she was of such great wisdome that not only pore men but also kyngys pryncys wolde aske couÌ„ceyll of her by her prayers a great multytude of serpentys that feryd her susters soo that they durste scarcely come out of theyr sellys were turnyd into stonys her seruauÌ„te by her coÌ„mauÌ„dement bad a grete flocke of gees that destroyed the Corne of her Monasterye to go into a certeyn grounde that was enclosyd without taryenge they went thyder before hym as they were bydden And when she came thyder she bade theym goo where they wolde And oon of the Byrdys that was deed she reysyd to lyfe bad her goo after her felowys and so she dyd And by the wyll of our Lorde she had great contynuell sykenesse .vi. yerys before she dyed in the .vii. yere by great inwarde peyne she lefte this worlde the .xv. kalendas of December And a Nonne in a Monastery callyd Hacanos which seynt Hylda a lytyll before her deth had foundyd that was .xiii. myle fro thens as seynt hylda was sawe her sowle borne into Heuyn with a great company of Aungellys ¶ De sancta Hildelitha virgine abbatissa SEynt hyldelythe was Abbesse of Barkyng next after seynt Alburgh lyuyd vnto great age iÌ„ kepynge of reguler obseruauÌ„cys And by her exortacyons good coÌ„uersacyon she couragyd all men to Heuenly thynges next to seynt Alburgh her feest is solempnysed at Barkynge in great honoure seynt Hyldelythe was not oonly had in honour with seynt DuÌ„stane seynt Ethelwolde seynt elphege but also of many other olde holy Faders her holynesse is coÌ„mendyd it is wryttyn of her that she was full of Charyte a techer of vertue a gyuer of good exauÌ„ples in vygyllys fastyngys benygnyte mercye that she with great dylygens ê“uydyd for all other that they
greatly wherfore he meltyd away lyke waxe and the kynge herynge therof was angry and wolde haue kylled seint Iltute wherfore he flede and hydde hymselfe a yere in a Caue where euery daye he had brought to hym of the prouysyon of our Lorde a barly lofe and a pece of flesshe Theuys that on a nyght stale his hogges in the mornynge came agayne to the gates of the Monasterye when they wolde nat yet beware but stele agayne the nexte nyght they were tourned into stones that be there to this day In the ende of his lyfe he went into lytell Brytayne And there he dyed the .viii. I de of Nouembre and lyeth at Dolence ¶ De sancto Indracto sociis eius martiribus SEynt Indracte martyr was a kynges sone borne in Irlande and he with .ix. Felawes and his suster Domynyke went into Brytayne and there they made an Oratorye and lyued a strayght lyfe in the seruyce of god many yeres he had a water with certayne Fysshes therin and thoughe one were taken dayly the nombre mynysshed nat tyll one of his felawes stale one of theym and then they mynysshed and heseyng that thought it was nat the wyll of god that he shuld tarye any lenger there and so with his .ix. felawes he went to Rome and after retourned to Glastonburye to worshyp seynt Patryke for in tho dayes Irysshe men came moche to Glastonburye for loue of seynt Patryke as he wolde haue retourned into his countre he with his companâ—â—â—â—ere martyred at Shapwyke in theyr beddes by mynysters of â—ue Kynge of Westsaxons that thought that they had hadde moche Riches the kynge as he rose in the nyght thre nyghtes togyder sawe a clere shynynge beame ouer the place were they were hydde in a depe dyke and so they were Founde and conueyed honorably to Glastonbury and they that martyred theim were taken with deuylles so wodely that they ete their owne flesshe a woman that byfore that tyme by no maner of prechynge wolde be conuerted when she sawe the beame that the kynge sawe vpon the blessyd sayntê she was conuertyd foure score ê‘sons were also conuerted by the reporte that she made of that that she had seen ¶ De sancto IoheÌ„ Beuerlaco EpÌ„o confessore SSeynt IohnÌ„ of Beuerley was borne in EnglaÌ„de in his yonge Age he was coÌ„mytted to seynt The oder Archebysshop of Caunterbury to instruct he enformed hym in holy scripture and when he was well instructed he prechyd in the countre in small vyllages to the people and when Cata the bysshop dyed he was made bysshop gaue ordre of presthode to venerable Bede he vsed euery Lent to prouyde some pore impotent persone that he myght do charyte vpon one that was so ê“uyded whiche was mute fro his natiuyte he helyd also with his blessynge he helyd a Nonne that with lettyng of blode in vncoÌ„uenyent tyme was at the poynt of deth after the deth of Bosa Archebysshop of yorke he was electetd thyther and when he came to great age he lefte his Bysshopryche and went to his Monasterye at Beuerley there he lyued a blessyd solytarie lyfe he dyed in the yere of our lord .vii. C. .xxi. in the Nonas of Maii for whom our lorde hath she wyd many great myracles he helyd two blynde children two women that were contracte in the yere of o r lord M.CCC .xii. oyle came out of his tumbe tyll thre of the cloke of the next day that helyd many blynde men kyng EthelstanÌ„ prayed vnto seiÌ„t IohnÌ„ that by his prayer some euydeÌ„t tokeÌ„ myght apê‘e that of right ScotlaÌ„de shuld be subiect to Englande therupon with his swerde he strake vpon a rocke of stone by DuÌ„barre in scotland it waxed holowe with the stroke an Elne depe which coÌ„tyenuyth to this day as he was praying this lyf in yâ— porch of seiÌ„t Michellê of york the holy gost apperid to hyÌ„ iÌ„ lykenes of a Doue more bryght then the sonne beame and when the people in the Churche meruayled at the lyght one of the dekons went to the porche sawe the bysshop there in prayer and with the hete of the holy ghost his face was stryken so that the skyn shranke togyther and then seynt IohnÌ„ handeled his cheke and made it hole and bad hym kepe that vysyon secret ¶ De sancto Ithamar EpÌ„o et confessore SEynt Ithamar was of the countre of Kent was bysshop of Rochester and as Bede wytnessyth he succedyd to seynt Paulyn and was in vertuous lyfe and cuÌ„nynge lyke to his predecessour and after his deê‘tynge out of this world almyghty god shewyd for hym many myracles dyuers that were vexed with the Axes that had sore iyen by his prayers were made hole A childe that with great feblenes was become dombe deffe at the tumbe of seynt Ithamar receyued ê‘fyte helth and he lyeth at Rochester he helyd a bysshop of Rochester of a great desease that he had in his iyen therfore in the fourth Ide of Iune he remouyd his Relykes and put theym in a newe cheste at that day his seruyce is kept in remembrauÌ„ce of that myracle and of other that our lorde shewyd for hym ¶ De sancto Iuone EpÌ„o confessore SEynt yue was a Kynges sone borne in the Cytie of Fryane in ê‘syde and there he was made bysshop after he was made Archebysshop of Asitanda where he was dylygent for the helth of the people to hym coÌ„mytted tyl for the synnes of the people there fell suche a derth that the Father ete the sone the moder the doughter the prelatê theyr subgettes wherfore seynt yue with .xi. felowes relygyous went to Rome and by councell of the Pope they seuered in to dyuerse couÌ„tres seynt Iue with Sythyo his neuewe and Inthyo his kynnesman aboute the yere of our lorde six hondred came into Brytayne now called Englande into a towne called Slepe thre myle fro HuÌ„tyngdonÌ„ there ended his lyfe seruynge almyghty god in fastynge and prayer and other good werkes and lay vnknowen many yeres vnto his tumbe was fouÌ„de by a husbondman with his plough And then he by reuelacion shewyd to a smythe who he was and what was his name wherupon he was translated to Ramsey as he appoynted to be the yere of our lorde a thousande one in the .viii. kalend of Maii and the .iiii. I de of Iune his translacion was coÌ„secrate coÌ„maunded to be halowed out of his tumbe spryngyth fayre water that hath gyuen helth to manâ— people A childe toke of the water to seth mete it wold in no wyse be made hote though it had great plente of fyre o r lord hath shewid for hym many myracles ¶ De sancto ywyo confessore SEynt ywyo was of noble blode of the Brytons was brought vp in the I le of Lyndefernens and was disciple to seynt Cuthbert In his youth he toke orders or his fader or moder were ware and
sone fell to Idolatry And also toke his faders wyfe in lykewyse after sabertus Kynge of eest saxons was deed his thre soÌ„nes fell to Idolatry which was great trouble to the feyth so that mellyte Busshope of London and Iustus Busshope of Rochestre were put oute of theyr Busshoprykes which by assent of seynt Laurence went into Fraunce seynt Laurence thought to haue folowyd but that seynt Peter the same nyghte that he wolde haue departyd as he laye in the Chyrche of seynt Petyr and Paule apperyd vnto hym and bette hym with roddys bycause he wolde forsake the flocke of god which he had takyn the charge of admonescyd hym that for the people of our Lorde he shulde tary vnto the Deth lyke as he dyd And so he went to the Kynge Edbalde and shewyd hym how he was betyn of whom for what cause And so the Kynge receyuyd the feythe And also lefte his aduoultrye And after seynt Laurence conuertyd moch people in ScotlaÌ„de to the Feythe and in the way thyther warde he went ouer the see drye fote And a holy Busshope of Irlande came thyder to hym herynge his Oppynyon of the kepynge of Eester confermyd hym therto and taught his people to folowe the same And after he retournyd into Englonde and reysyd a Chylde where he was lodged fro deth to lyfe And in the yere of our Lord god .vi. hundred and .xix. the thyrde nonas of Februarye he lefte this worlde is buryed by seynt Augustyne ¶ De sancto Lethardo epÌ„o confessore SEynt letharde was assygnyd to come with the Quene Berta when she shuld be maryed to kynge Ethelberte yet beynge a Paynym to be her leder doeter and preseruator in Uertue and to defende her fro the Idolatrye then vsyd in Englonde where he suffred great opprobryes and laughyngys to skorne in doynge the seruyce of god which he vsyd to doo in an olde Chyrche of seynt martyn nygh to CauÌ„terbury in which Chyrche the quene and her seruauntys that were crystenyd vsyd to here dyuyne seruyce At the toumbe of seynt Letharde a blynde mayde receyuyd her syght as a man that with the palsey was lame fro the myddle downe warde was prayinge for helthe at his tumbe he apperyd sayd the people in theyr sykenesse pray with grete deuocyon for helth but when they be hoole they forgette the benefaytys of god And anon be vnkynde and turne ageyn to synne And when the sykeman faythfully promysyd to amende seynt Letharde sayd of the oon legge thou shalt be hoole that thou mayste knowe the goodnes of god the other shal be as it was that thou waxe not vnkynde and so it was doon This blessyd man was the precoursoure of seynt Augustyne and made the waye redye for hym to the bryngynge in of the feythe wherfore he is right moch to be had in honoure by Englysshemen ¶ De sancto Macuto epÌ„o confessore SEynt machute was borne in great Brytayne on Eester euyn in a noble Monastery in the vale of nantcarwan where his moder came to kepe vygyllys And he was baptyzyd by seynt Brendan that was Abbot of the sayd monasterye .xxxiii. men Chyldren were borne the same nyght of womeÌ„ that came to bere his moder coÌ„pany and fro his youth he was vertuous when his felowys were quakynge for colde he swette leyde a wey his Clothys which was of a brennynge Charyte that was in hym On a tyme the see flowyd there as he laye slepte and the grouÌ„de where he laye rose lyke an I le and so he was sauyd Seynt Brendan seynge that the holy gost was with hym aduysyd hym to be preest and he sayde he was not worthy to take that offyce neuerthelesse after he assentyd And when he was made preest a whyte Doue was seen descende vppon his shoulder He saylyd moche with seynt brendane in his Iourneys and in his company with the sygne of the Crosse he droue away a serpent that hadde kyllyd .iii. Chylderne In lytell Brytayne he was made Busshope of alethys And when he shulde be consecrate at turone a whyte doue was seen descende vppon his necke as he helde downe his hedde to bencdyccyon he vsyd gret watchynges fastynges prayers And when he rode by the waye eyther he talkyd of god or prayde there was no tyme but he Prophytyd to other or to hymselfe He vsyd euer a sharpe Heer vppon hym and was a grete precher to the people he went to Rome with seuyn dyscyples and chylderne that he fouÌ„de there to be solde he bought theÌ„ cristenyd theÌ„ In the waye homewarde as he was iÌ„ great perell of the see seynt peter apperyd to hym sauyd hym all his coÌ„pany when he was Cxxxiii yere olde he dyed the .xvii. kalendas of december was honorably buryed at perdma where all his Relykys lye excepte his hed and his ryght hand which lye at alethys He helyd oon that was deffe dome and lame He reysyd a chylde that was drownyd And by his prayers blynde woman recoueryd her syght For the wretchydnes of the people he cursyd them and went into Andygauya was there .vii. yerys durynge whych tyme was great drynes and derth in lytell Brytayne And when he was desyred to come agayne to blesse the people as soone as he came the rayne fell and great plenty folowed in all the countre ¶ De sancto Maglorio EpÌ„o confessore SEynt Maglorye bysshop was borne in great brytayne he was Felowe to seynt Sampson was his successoure by an Aungell he was admonysshed to leue his bysshopryke and to lyue a solytary lyfe and so he dyd he helyd an Erle that was lepre wherfore he gaue hym the one halfe of a Certeyne grounde to the whiche grounde incoÌ„tynent came many byrdes with great plente of fysshes therfore the Erle by counsell of his wyfe toke that grouÌ„de from hym and gaue hym the other half and then the byrdes and fysshes came thyder and left the other And then the Erle perceyuyng that he had done amysse gaue to seynt Maglorye the hole grounde and then the byrdê and fysshes came indifferently to bothe ê‘tes He was a clene virgyne and lyued with barley brede and lekes Euery wednysday and fryday he fasted and punysshe his body with the heer he neuer dranke wyne ne syder somtyme when the bretherne were aslepe he wolde go pryuely to the seesyde there wake in prayers On eester euyn as he watched in the Churche an Anugel appered to hym and shewed hym that his tyme drewe nere to go out of this worlde and heferynge it had ben an Illusion made instauÌ„te prayer and when the Aungell had thryse affermed the same he receyued of the Aungell the blessyd Sacramente and after that tyme if there were nat the greatter lettynge he vsyd euer to saye this verse Unam pecii a dnÌ„o hanc requiraÌ„ vt inhabiteÌ„ in domo dnÌ„i c. And he went to our lorde the
home he vysytyd the Relykys of his Mayster seynt Edmōde And when he came into Englonde he suffred many great rebukys and Iniuryes in great pacyence a longe tyme Tyll after great sute he was restoryd to his possessyons This blessyd man after that he was made Busshope went aboute his dyoces prechynge visytynge and mynystrynge of the sacramentys He was fro thens more feruent in prayer more lyberall in almes gyuynge the more dylygent aboute poore men and his demeanoure was the more meke he made a place that preestys that felle in Pouerte myghte be releuyd in A great man whom he had accursyd for wronge doon to his Churche came to hym he receyuyd hym famylyerly bade hym to dyner sayinge for that tyme he wolde assoyle hym that after that tyme the sentence shulde reuyue onlesse he made amendys in that he had offendyd agaynste the the Churche sayinge also if partyes do varye for any thynge that they clayme ryght in yet they ought to shewe charyte to eche other for if a man clayme that that is his he maye not yet withdrawe fro god that that is his whiche is charyte He sought for poore men as he went in vysytacyon and wolde aswell with his owne presence as with his almes comforte them He herd confessyons he assoylyd penytentys He gaue counceyll to them that axyd for it He strengthed men that were feruent to serue god and multyplyed brede that fedde moche people reysyd a Chylde that was deed borne this blessyd man as he was prechynge by the Popes auctoryte for helpe of the Holy lande dyed at douer the thyrde nonas of apryll and was brought frothens to chychestre where our lord hath shewyd for hym many myracles ¶ De seruo dei Roberto abbate venerabili SEynt robert was borne in the prouynce of yorke he toke order of preesthod had a benefice which he forsoke enteryd into Relygyon at whytby after by lycence of his Abbot he went to fontes where Rycharde pryor of seynt mary of yorke had buyldyd a Monasterye there no man lyuyd Idle but gaue hym to laboure the bretherne went hungry to theyr table and wery to bedde they lyuyd without murmure or Heuynes in great feruoure they laudyd our Lorde after seynt Robert made a newe Monasterye and there he was made abbot He neuer rose fro his table fullysacyate he fasted euery lent Breed and water At an Estre tyme when he had no appetyte to ete he sayde he thought that if he had eten Brede with butter he shulde ete it and whan it was brought consyderynge that he had somwhat assentyd to his concupyscence he wolde not ete it but sent it to the gate to poore men where an Aungell lyke a yonge man with a bryght shynynge face toke the dysshe anon vanysshyd awaye and when the dysshe was askyd for it fell sodeynly vppon the Borde before seynt Robert He sayde dayly besyde his dutye C. .l. psalmes As he went by newe castell he sawe the Deuyll amonge moche yonge people by compulcyon he shewyd seynt Robert that ne had ben his cōmynge he had made the husbonde at a pompyouse Bryde as to haue ben slayne by his enemyes And there vpon shulde haue folowyd great murdre And by his cōmynge he sayd all his purpose was stoppyd On a nyght he thought he sawe the Dedyll amonge his Bretherne that he toke a Nouyce that was not stable pullyd hym into his Basket with his Hoke in the mornynge seynt Robert enquyred for hym and he was ren his weye and accōpanyed hym to the theuys where shortlye after his heed was stryken of he was ghostlye fader to seynt Godryke And when he dyed seynt Godrykesawe thre Aungellys bere his soule to Heuen And seynt Godryke sayd that of the purueyaunce of god a blessyd woman of Hastynges wente with hym in oonsorte oon rewarde into Heuyn He dyed the yere of our Lorde a Thousande a Hundred and .lix. the .vii. I de of Iune for whome oure Lorde hath shewyd many great myracles A dome man that hadde lōge ben at seynt thomas for helpe was bydden by seynt Thomas that he shulde goo to the newe Monesterye to seynt Robert there he shulde be helyd and soo he was a Knyght sawe in vysyon many Deuyllys goo towarde the newe Monastery he thought a Monke in whyght apparell came out of the Monastery and with his crosyer lyfte vppe prohybytyd them that they shuld goo no ferther and he thought that with theyr stryuynge a Crosse that was nygh to hym was throwne downe and so it was asapperyd when he sent thyder in the mornynge De sancto Rumwaldo THe moder of seynt rūwalde was doughter to kynge pēda which was a paynym and she was Crystened was maryed to the kynge of northāhumbre that was a paynym and she prayed hartelye to our Lorde that her body shulde neuer be defoulyd with a man eschaungyd fro his lawe and when she came into the chaumbre she tolde her Husbonde that she wolde neuer accūpany with hym tyll he was crystenyd and by the wyll of our Lorde he assentyd And aftre as he and the quene which was great with Chylde were goynge to her fader She was delyueryd in Tētys in a medowe besyde buckyngham callyd Suttun and anon as the Chylde was borne he cryed I am a cristen man thryse and he sayd he wolde not haue to his godfaders the Ryche prowde men of the worlde but chase to his godfaders two holy Prestis Wyderynus and Edwoldus and he shewyd a Holowe stone that he shulde be crystenyd in and when moch people coulde not remoue the stone he bade wyderinus and Edwoldus in the name of our Lord to brynge it anon they brought it without dyffyculte And so he was crystenyd and was callyd Rumwalde as he appoyntyd And anon he prechyd to the people the hyghe mysteryes of the Trynyte howe they were thre personys and one god of the Artycles of the feythe and of the .x. commaundemētys and specyally of the Loue to almyghty god to our neyghbour exortyd the people to do penaūce for theyr synnys which is to leue theyr euyll Lyfe to make amendys for that they haue offendyd with Fastynges prayers Almesdedys aduertysyd the people to loue honour eche other not to accuse other not to detracte other not to stele ne to be forsworne And when he had made a long sermon approuyd it by grete auctorytes of Scripture He sayd it was not for hym to lyue in this worlde and so aftre thre dayes his spiryt went to heuen the thyrde nonas of Nouembre as he had appoyntyd his bodye lay oon yere there as he was borne two yerys at Brakley and then at Buckyngham where he lyeth at this day theyse Townys at that tyme were not so namyd but after they were callyd accordynge as he had namyd them our lorde hath shewyd for hym many myracles
yet conuerted seynge thyse myracles fell downe to the fete of Bennowe and desyred to be cristened so they were and then she was made a Nonne kept virginite accordynge to her auowe and gadered many virgyns after her mayster went fro her and euery yere she vsed to sende hym a certeyne pÌ„sent and lapped it in a lynnen cloth layde it in the sayd welle as her mayster had appoynted her to do and it was conueyed to hym fyftye myles in the water And yet the cloth was neuer wette and after her maysters deth by the wyll of our lorde she went to a place called Wyltheriacus and the Abbot there by spirit knewe her coÌ„myng and met her and brought her into the company of virgyns and made her the ruler of theym where our lord Ihesu criste appered to her and tolde her that her tyme drewe nere in the fourth nonas of Nouembre she yelded her spiryte to our lorde for whom hath ben shewyd many myracles and now she lyeth at Shrewesburye whether she was translated in the yere of our lorde a thousande a C. and .xxxviii. ¶ De sancta Wereburga virgine THe Quene Ermenylde moder to Seynt Wereburghe came by Lyny all descent fro seynt Ethelbert kynge of Kent that was conuerted by seynt Augustyne a goodly pedegre is therof in the Legende Wulferus was her fader This glorious virgyne despysynge all concupyssence and pleasures of the worlde entered into Relygyon at Ely vnder her Aunte seynt Ethel drede where she shewyd her selfe to be the very meke hand mayde of our lorde And when her fader was deed her broder Ethelredus made her to haue Rule of all the Monasteryes of Nonnes in Englande natwithstandynge she shewyd her selfe rather to be a mynystrice then a maystres enformynge theym that were vnder her rather by good â—â—mple then by coÌ„maundement her body beynge in Erth her mynde was in heuyn when she was in the mansyon of Wedun that is by Hampton certeyne fowles destroyed the corne wherfore she coÌ„maunded that they shuld be brought home and put in holde so they were on fote as though they coulde nat haue flowen in the mornynge when she had lycensyd theym to go away and one of the mynystres had hyde one of them Al the flocke came aboute the house where seynt Wereburgh was wolde nat away tyll she had caused theyr felowe to be delyuered then they went away wtout retournynge of theym or any of that kynde when she knewe that the tyme drewe nere that she shuld dye she wylled the where soeuer she dyed her body shuld be had to the Monastery of Hamburgense after in the .iii. nonas of February she went to our lorde when her body was brought to TrykenhmÌ„ was dylygently kept with the dores shet sodeynly all the coÌ„pany fell aslepe men of Hamburgense came to fet away the body accordyng to her wyll the dores flewe open so that they toke the body wtout resystence buryed it honorably where many myracles were shewyd for her by our lorde .ix. yere after her body clothes were founde vncorrupt so her body lay vncorrupt vnto the coÌ„myng of the Danes that her flesshe was incyuerate by the goodnes of god rather then her body shuld be vngoodly touched by the infydels her bones were after traÌ„slated to Chestre wher they lye at this daye ¶ De sancto Wylfryde EpÌ„o confessore SEynt Wylfryde was borne of noble blode in Englande and in his youthe he gaue nat hym selfe to lyghtnes and wantonnes but ordered hym selfe soberly in all thyngê nat vsyng any chydyng bacbytyng or stryfe and when he came to age of .xiiii. yeres he shewyd the Quene Elflede that his purpose was to leue the world to serue our lorde wherupon the quene sent hym to Lyndefernense where he associated hymself to a College of monkes there a sertayne tyme he seruyd our lorde After he went towarde Rome with seynt Benet Bysshop by the waye the bysshop of Lyons lyked hym so well that he wolde haue gyuen hym great possessions and haue maryed hym to his broders doughter but that he tolde hym that he hadde purposed a nother way of conuersacion And when the bysshop herde that he sent hym to Rome with great gyftê and there in the Churche of seynt Andrewe he prayed hertely for remyssion of his synnes that he myght haue wysedome and eloquence to vnderstande and shewe the worde of god And streyghtway he ê‘ceyued in hymself that a more quyknes of wytte was gyuen to hym then he had before and after he retourned into Englande where kynge Oswy gaue hym the churche of Rypon abiectynge the Scottes that wold nat kepe the right Ester and in tho dayes was great busynes in Englande for the kepynge of Ester and dyuerse coÌ„nynge men and also good men were of contrarie opynyons And somtyme when the kynge kept Estre the Quene kept Palme sonday whiche contrauersy at a great counseyll at Whytby was appesed by seynt Wylfryde with great reasons and Auctorytes in the yere of our lorde god .vi. hondred .lxiiii After he was made bysshop of yorke though he with al his power refused it and therupon by InstygacoÌ„n of the Quene the kynge Egfryde enformyd seynt Theodre archebysshop of Caunterbury so sore agaynst â—eynt Wylfryde that he by that wrongfull informacyon put hym out of his see then the kynge deuyded in it thre sees Lyndeâ—ernense Lagustaldens and Candyda casa whiche that tyme belongyd vnto Englonde wherfore he appelyd to Rome and when he was goynge thyder on the see the wynde droue hym into Frysya where he conuertyd many thousande people to the Feyth and there the grouÌ„de that before his commynge was drye and bareyne was aftre plenteuouse and fruteful And when he came to Rome he shewyd his cause so charytably that he neyther accusyd seynt Theodre ne yet omyttyd his owne Innocencye and when the 〈◊〉 agathone had herde all his aduersaryes he restoryd hym agayne to his see And when he shewyd to the Kynge the 〈◊〉 bullys He set them at nought and by the entysynge of the Quene he was with great derysyon put into pryson which he toke in great pacyence and there he helyd the kepers wyfe and when that keper was lothe to kepe hym ony lenger he was coÌ„myttyd to anoder â—ryson And there the fettoâ—rys wolde not abyde vppon hym And also â— deuyll enteryd into the quene whiche was thought was for the wronge that was doon to seynt wylfryde wherfore he was let goo And then by his prayer the Quene was made hoole After he coÌ„uertyd many of the Lordys and of the people in the countrey of westsaxons to the feythe where the Kynge of that Countrey was before conuertyd and very fewe of his people Also he conuerted the I le of wyght The kynge Egfryde was after slayne in Batayle which seynt Wylfrede sawe in vysyon as he was at Masse then seynt
holy vyrgyne Inmedyatlye alâ—yghty god not suffrynge thyse cruell Tyrauntys to goo all quyte without takynge vengeauÌ„ce of the Blode of his holy virgyns which was shed for his loue sent put into them such a â—eer that with all theyr myght they flâ—dde ran awaye glad to escape with theyr lyuesâ— for as them thought they sawe coÌ„mynge vppon theym to persecute them such a companye so great a multytude of armyd men so terrybly that they thought neuer to haue escaped so they fled iÌ„ all haste that they myghte where thrughe the wofull prysoners all desolute the Cytezyns of Coleyne which had loÌ„ge tymâ— be holden kepte thrall in dyspayre of lyfe seynge theyr enemyes chasyd fled awaye openyd theyr Gates went fourth all Ioyfull glad of theyr sodeyne delyuerauÌ„ce coÌ„syderynge this to be the hande of god thrughe the merytes of thise holy virgyns which they sawe lye in the felde slayne by theyr enemyes full dylygently gatheryd the bodyes of them togeder which were full â—yde caâ—â— sparkelyd in pecys and with great honoure reuerence buryed them vnto this day there dare noon burye any other Bodye within the coÌ„passâ— whâ—tâ— they ben buryed which myracle suffyseth to declare make open howe dere acceptable thyse holye blessyd vgyns were to almyghty god many other myracles appere in the hystory which I omytte for shortness Also seynt Elyzabeth that holy vyrgyn in her reuelâ—cioÌ„s spekyth moch of thyse holy vgyns which for the cause before sayde I leue to speake of after in ê“ces of tyme men beynge forgetfull by dulnes of wytte colde anf drye 〈◊〉 to beleue thyngys which they see not nor canot coÌ„preheÌ„de by theyr blynde Reason by theyr neclygens put thyse holy virgyns vtterly in oblyuyon wherfore our lord not sufferyng his deer belouyd vgyns so to be forgotten to his honoure praysynge pryncipally to the honoure of the sayd gloryous virgyns also for our socoure helpe many yerys after the passyon of them shewyd by reuelacyon the foresayd hystâ—â—ye to hym that was the wryter maker thereof furthermore the sayde blessyd seynt Ursula dyuerse other of the sayde virgyns apperyd vnto hym as he was wrytynge therof affermynge it to be true as apperyth more at large in the sayde legende there was of the same company of Blessyd virgyns one virgyn callyd Cordula the whiche when the other virgyns were in theyr martyrdoms hyd hyrselfe all nyghte in the bottom of a shyppe neuerthelesse in the mornynge she offeryd her selfe frely to deth as the other vgyns dyd receyuyd the Crowne of martyrdome and it is not for any man to thynke that this Blessyd virgyn by that lytyll fear ony thinge hyndred her rewarde or Crowne of martyrdom wheÌ„ neyther Peter denyinge our Lorde nor Thomas doubtynge of the resurreccion were aâ—â—â—â—â— fro the honoure to be Apostyll And parcase thys Blessyd Uyrgyne somewhat hadde presumed by the purpce of her Lyfe and constaunce of her feyth to putte a truste in her selfe to suffre Martyrdome soo that it was expedyent for her to be mâ—ked or to lerne to truste in our Lorde and not in her selfe After many yerys this blessyd virgin Cordula apperyd vnto a holy woman callyd Hellentâ—ude beynge recluse seyinge vnto her I am oon of those blessyd virgyns that suffred martyrdome at Coleyne lyuyd one nyght after them in the mornynge offred my selfe gladly vnto the deth so dyinge in our lorde I neyther lefte the company of my susters ne yet lackyd lyke rewarde as they had of the crowne of martyrdome wherfore I woll that thou shalte in my name commaunde the susters that the nexte daye after that they shall haue seruyd all the hoole companye of the sayde blessyd virgyns that they doo some thynge to my honoure for it is not expedyent for them that I only be lefte vnhonouryd amonge that company And then the â—ecluâ—e askyd of her what was her name she bade hee loke in her forhed what she sawe wrytten there and she lokynge vp sawe wrytten dystructlye Cordula whereupon she made relacyon to the Nounes therof wherfore in the daye folowynge they halowed her feest accordynge to the sayde coÌ„mauÌ„dement a certeyne Abbot desyryd of the abbey of Coleyne the body of one of those virgyns promysynge that he wolde sette her in his Chyrche in a Coffer of syluer And when he had kepte her a hoole yere vppon the Aulter in a Coffer of wood in a nyghte as the abbot and couent were 〈◊〉 matens they sawe the sayde vyrgyn descende vppoÌ„ the Aulter and goynge downe she â—â—wyd her 〈◊〉 to the 〈◊〉 and went thrâ—ghe the quere that all the brethe 〈…〉 we so she departyd wheropâ—n that 〈◊〉 went to the Coffer and fyndynge nothynge therin wente to the Abbesse of Coleyne and shewyd heâ— then ofâ— And thenne they wente to the place fro whens the Bâ—dye was taken and there they fouÌ„de it agayne wherforâ— lawght at it And as he was goynge to dryue a way the hyndes he fell fro his Horse streyghtwaye dyed After full of good werkys good exaumples she went to our Lord and was buryed at dereham After that monastery was destroyed by Danes nowe ther is a parysshe Churche And in the yere of oure Lorde .ix. C.lxxiiii in the tyme of Kynge Edgar her Body was translatyd to Ely whiche was then newely repayryd by seynt Ethelwolde all the wey in the Nyghtys a bryght sterre folowyd the Bodye nyghe all the nyght longe in the yere of our Lorde a. M. and .xxvi. her Bodye was remouyd by Richarde the laste Abbot to the Place where it lyeth nowe And the Bodye also the clothes were fouÌ„de vncorrupte A munke towchyd her Bodye fouÌ„de it flexyble hir chekys rodye as roses lyke as she had ben a lyue ¶ De sancta Ursula et vndecim milibus virginuâ— martiribus THere was in moche Brytayne nowe callyd Englonde a Crysten Kynge whiche hadde a noble and a vertuose Quene to his wyfe and they lyued loÌ„ge togeder without ony chylde wherfore they were ryght heuy at the laste thorough contynuell prayers good werkys they opteynyd of almyghty god to haue a doughter whom they crystenyd namyd vrsula norysshed brought her vp in the feythe of our lorde full vertuosly gracyously with all theyr myght and cunnynge which encreasyd soo meruaylously in all vertue grace and therto was soo feyre that the fame of her was in short tyme spronge ouer all into many CouÌ„treys and Landes so farre that it came to knowlege of a certen Kynge heynge a Paynym but he was veray myghtye of great power and therto veray Harde cruell but the Quene his Wyfe was ryght noble in all her behauyoure Courteys and Gentyll and of euery persone bylouyd This Kynge had a yonge sone callyd Olyfernes Ryght lowly and Courteys and they herynge of this Fayre vertuous yonge Lady vrsula desyryd moch
of my bed to laude and prayse hym that is euer wonte to helpe me to whom the lady sayd who is that The virgyne sayd our lorde Crucyfyed that I sawe of late And from that daye furth hir moder in lawe honoured hir and louyd hir more feruently then she was wont to do As seynt Byrget was playinge with Maydens of lyke age to hyr The deuyll appered vnto hir hauynge a hondreth handes and fete moste fowle lothsome to beholde of which syght she beynge merueylously a ferde went streyght and coÌ„mytted hir to the Crucyfyx wher the deuyll eftsones apperyd sayd I haue no power to do any thynge to the but the crucyfix suffer me to do it and therupon he vanysshed awaye And so our lorde delyuered hir from that daunger when she was .xiii. yeres of age though she entendyd by great feruent desyre to haue lyued all hir lyfe in virginite neuerthelesse aswell by the puruyaunce of almyghty god as by the counceyll of hyr Fader she was maryed tâ— a noble yonge knyght called Ulpho de Ulphasume prynce of Neryce of the age of .xviii. yeres otherwyse called Ulpho Gudhmarson whiche also was a virgyn And by the space of .ii. yeres after they were maryed they lyued togyder clene vgynes And after with deuoute prayers made to almyghty god that in the acte of matrymony he wolde kepe theym without offence and that it wolde please hym to sende theym yssue to his pleasur they had .viii. Childrene that is to say .iiii. sones .iiii. doughters The names of the sones were these Charles Birgerus Benedictus and Gudmarus And the names of the .iiii. doughters be thyse Merita Katerina Iuge burgys and Cecilia Charles the eldest sone of seynt Byrget was a noble knyght and went with his moder in pylgremage towarde Iherusalem redy to haue ieoparde his lyfe for the recouerynge of the holy lande and as he was goynge at â—apuls he dyed the .xii. day of Marche and in the day of the Ascencion of our lorde next folowyng his soule went to heuyn as it was shewyd to seynt Birgette by reuelacion as in the .vii. boke of hir reuelacions the .xiii. and .xiiii. chapter apperyth And this noble knyght hadde a sone also that was called Charles whiche after he had atteyned great coÌ„nynge in Dyuynyte he left studye the purpose that he had begon in and toke a wyfe And on a tyme as he after the deth of seynt Birget was prayinge at hir tumbe she appered vnto hym holdynge as it had ben an Horologe of glasse in hir hande and sayd Charles seest thou howe nyghe this glasse hath renne his course and he sayd ye lady I se it well she sayd ayene so nyghe is the tyme of thy lyfe and there is no more abydynge for the but as thou seest But if thou haddyst ben obedyent to god thou shuldest haue lyued lenger then any other in my progenye and thou shuldest haue ben Bysshop of Lyntopens and a notable pyler in the churche of god Then he prayed hir that she wolde praye for hym sayd he wolde gladly amende in all that he myght And she sayd nay sone nay veryly iugement is gyuen and the tyme is paste and anone after he fell seke and therupon takynge all the sacramentê of the churche he dyed and is buryed in the Monasterye of Watzstenes whiche seynt Birget in hir lyf founded and endowed it suffycyently for .lx. nonnes .xxv. bretherne Byrgerus the secunde sone of seint Birget went with his moder to Ihrt'in and there he was made knyght and came with hir agaynetâ— Rome And when seynt Birget was deed he and his suster Katheryne cuÌ„ueyed the relikes the bones of seynt Birget their moder to the sayd Monastery of Watzstenes in Swethyn And after many great labours and expensys done by the sayd Byrgerus by the coÌ„maundement of our lorde aboute the sayd Monasterye of Watzstenes for his moder the sayd Byrgerus chaunged this lyfe as it is mekely to bylue toke the blessynge of god with his seyntê in heuyn for the generacion of ryghtwysmeÌ„ shal be blessyd Benedict the thirde sone of seynt Birgette was longe seke in the monastery of Albastra wherfore seynt Birget wept tenderly prayed deuoutly for hym thynkynge it had ben for the synÌ„es of his Fader moder Then the deuyll appered vnto hir and sayd woman what menest thou with thy great wepynge so to feble thy syght all thy labour is in vayne trowest thou that thy terys can ascende into heuyn And anone our lorde cryste Ihesu was there present and sayd the sykenes of this childe is nat of the sterres nor for his synnes ne yet for the synÌ„es of his fader moder but it is of that coÌ„dicion of his nature for his morere wardeiÌ„ heuyn where beforetyme he hathe be called Benedict he shal be from hensforth called that sone of weâ—yng of prayers I shall shortly make an ende of his necessyte the .v. day after there was herde betwyx the bed where the childe laye the walle as it had ben the most swete songe of byrdes and then the soule of the childe went from the body Katheryne the seconde doughter of seynt Birget was maryed neuerthelesse she with hir husbande lyued in pure virginite after the deth of hir husbande she was alwayes with hir moderseit Birget lyued in the estate of wydo whod al hir lyfe This blessyd virgyne Katheryne bycause she was feruent in deuocion excellent in grauite of maners fayre of body lyued a blessyd lyfe to gyue other example of good lyuyng the moste honest woman of Rome loued to be in hir company And when she was on a tyme desyred by the moste noble matrones of the Cytie of Rome to walke with them for recreacyon without the walles of the Cytie as they walked here there amoÌ„ge many clusters of grapes They desyred the the sayd blessyd virgyne Katheryn bycause she was of an Eligant stature wold gather them of the sayd grapes as she streched vp hir armes to the grapes it semyd as thoughe hir armes had ben apperelled with shynyng cloth of golde where in dede for very voluÌ„tary pouerte that she had chosyn she had broken patchyd sleuys all that matrons meruayled that so meke a creature deuoute ê‘son wold weer so pÌ„cious apperell as it appered to them that she dyd nat knowyng that it was the mystery myracle of god that they sawe The ryuer of tyber rose with so great power of waâ— that it went ouer the bridge of LateraneÌ„ce the monastery of seynt Iames with many byldynges theraboute Wherfore the Cytezens of Rome dredynge the destruction of the cyte went vnto the house of the sayd blessyd virgyn Katheryn praying hir that she wold go with them to the Ryuer to pray to our lord for the cyte she of mekenes reputyng hir seâ—â— therto vnworthy desyred respyte wheÌ„ the cytezens lawe that by prayers they
ê“fyted nat somwhat with vyolence neuerthelesse reuerently they ledde hir out of hir house vnto the watersyde And loo a meruaylous thyng the olde myracle was reuyued for lyke as in the tyme of Iosue the water of fleme Iordane was stopped ayenst the natural course so at the entryng of the holy virgyn Katherin into the water of Tyber suche vtue yssued out of hir by the power of almyghty god that it restreyned the strength of the water so that it coÌ„pellyd the streme with a great swyftnes to go into the olde course wherof all men ioyed laudyng the great power of o r lord shewyd iÌ„ his blessyd vgyn seynt Katheryn Iugeburgê the iii. dought of seit birget in hir youth was made a noÌ„ne in the Monastery of Rysaburga where in shorte tyme after she yelded hit soule to almyghty god And whenne hir moder knewe that she was deed with great Ioye she sayd O lorde Ihesu criste blessyd be thou that thou haste called hir to the or the worlde had be wrappyd hir with synne and anone after seynt Birget was in hir oratory she fell vpon such great wepynge and sobbynge that all that were nygh to hir harde and sayd loo howe she wepyth for the deth of hir doughter Then our lorde apperyd to hir sayd woman why wepyst thou though I knowe all thynges yet by thy wordes I wyll knowe to whom she sayd O lorde I wepe nat for that my doughter is deed but I am glad therof for if she hadde lyued lenger she shuld haue had before the a gretter accomptê but I wepe for this cause that I haue nat enformed hir after thy coÌ„maundementê bycause I haue gyuen hir examples of pryde And I haue neclygently corrected hir when she hath offendyd To whom our lorde answered and sayd euery moder that wepyth bycause hir doughter hath offen dyd god and enformyth hir after hir beste conscyence she is a very moder of charite and moder of terys and hir doughter is the doughter of god for the moder But that moder that Ioyeth of that that hir doughter can behaue hir after the worlde nat carynge of hir lyuynge so that she may be eraltyd and honoured in the worlde she is no very moder but a stepmoder therfore for thy charyte and good wyll thy doughter by the nyghest waye shall goo vnto the Kyngdome of heuyn and at the Sepulture of the sayd gloryous virgyne Iugeburgê he done many great myracles Cecily the fourth doughter of seynt Birget was the laste childe that euer she had and she is to be had in great honour moste specially for the synguler grace gyuen vnto hir by our blessyd lady before she was borne For when hir moder at hir byrthe was in great parrell in despayre of hir lyfe our blessyd lady was seen in whyte clothynge of sylke goynge to hir and as she stode byfore the bed she towched seynt Birget in dyuers ê‘tyes of hir body so that all the women there beynge present greatly meruayled therof nat knowynge any thynge who it was And as soone as our lady was gone out of the house seynt Birget was delyuered without defyculte and shortly after our lady sayd to seynt Birget when thou was iÌ„ icopardy at thy delyueraune I came vnto the and helpyd the. Therfore thou art vnkynde if thou loue me nat wherfore labour that thy children may also be my children AftseiÌ„t Birget induced hir husbande to lyfe in contyneus many yeres And also they both went on pylgremage to seynt Iames in Gales with great deuocyon after came agayne into their Countre at Swecia and by comen assententendyd bothe to haue entred into Relygyon and in that purpose the sayd Ulpho hir husbande dyed the .xii. daye of Februarii the yere of our lord god a Thousande CCC and .xliiii. and is buryed in the monastery of Albastra After his deth seynt Birget put all hir wyll to the wyll of god and thought she wolde for the loue of god forsake all the worldly pleasure and determyned hir selfe with the assystaunce and grace of our lorde to lyue in chaste wydowhed all hir lyfe and contynuelly made hir prayer to almyghty god to knowe by what way she myght beste please hym And after she gaue all hir landes and goodes to hir children and to pore men so that she myght in pouerte folowe our lorde and reseruyd to hirselfe oonly that that wolde symply and mekely serue hir for mete drynke and clothynge and that to lyue in symple array After by the coÌ„maundement of almyghty god folowynge the example of Abraham she left his owne countrey and hir carnall frendes went in pylgremage to Rome the yere of our lorde god M.CCC.xlvi the .xlii. yere of hir age therto abyde in the lyfe of penaunce to vysyt the lyghtê of seynt Peter and Paule the relykes of other seyntê tyl she had of our lorde other coÌ„mauÌ„dement hauyng euer with hir .ii. olde faders spirituell wherof one was a monke called Peter whiche was pryor of Albastra of the ordre of Cisteux a pure virgyn was a man of great connynge of vertuous lyf and the other was a preest of Swecia whiche also was a vgyn a man of holy lyfe he by the coÌ„maundemeÌ„t of almyghty god taught hir hir doughter Katheryn graÌ„mer to whiche faders spirituall of hir lyfe she obeyed in all vertue as mekely as a very meke monke is wont to obey his pÌ„late in somoche that she came into so ê‘fyte humylyte obedyens mortyfiynge of hir owne wyll that when she went to ê‘dons and holy places amonge the recourse of the people euer accompanyed with the sayd preest hir fader spirituall she durste nat lyft vp hir iyen fro the grouÌ„de tyll she had leue of the the â—ayd fader sperituell And after the deth of hir husbande in the honour of the Trinite she weer nere next hir bare skyn a corde of hempe with many knottes harde bouÌ„den to hir in lykewyse about euery of hir legges vnder hir knees And she neuer vsed any lynen cloth though it weer in tyme of sykenes but oonly vpon hir hed next hir skyn she weer euer rough sharpe wolen cloth hir outwarde appareâ— was nat after the coÌ„dicion of hir ê‘sone but moch meke abiecte she nat oonly kepe the fastyngê or vigylles that holy churche coÌ„mauÌ„deth but she suê‘added therto many other in so moche that beyonde the coÌ„maundement of the churche she fasted .iiii. tymes in the weke aswell in hir husbandes lyfe as after And after hir husbandê deth vnto a lytel byfore hir blessyd passage out of this world after fastyngê prayers other dyuyne labours most comeÌ„ly she reâ—resshed hir self with right short slepe in hir clothes that she was wont to weer lyinge vpon a carpet wtout federbed matres strawe or any otherthing euery fryday in remeÌ„brauÌ„ce of the gloryous passion of our sauyour criste Ihesu she absteyned in brede water oonly bysyde lyke abstyneÌ„ce that she
toke many other dayes in the honour of dyuerse other seyntê wheder she fasted or otherwyse toke hir sustynaunce she rose euer with most great sobernes natfully saciate in the same frydayes she toke war candellys made breÌ„nyng droppes fall vpon hir bare flesshe so that the breÌ„nynge markê of them coÌ„tynuelly remayned gencian whiche is a moch bytter erbe she helde coÌ„tynually in hir mouth And when she was at Rome nat dredyng the vigour of the colde nor the impedymeÌ„t of the great hete rayne or foulnes of the waye ne yet the sharpnes nf the snowe or hayle and thoughe she myght haue ryden neuerthelesse vpon the strengthe of hir lene bodye she wente euery daye the Stacyons ordeyned by the churche And also visyted many other seyntes She vsed so many longe knelyngê that her knees were waxen harde as it had be of a Camel She was of so grete meruaylous mekenes that ofttymes she sat vnknowen with pore pylgrymes at the monastery of seynt Laurence in pamsperna in the cyte of Rome which is of the ordre of seynt Clare there she toke almes with them Ofttymes with hir owne haÌ„des for goddes sake she repayred the clothes of pore men euery day in hir husbandes lyf she fedde .xii. pore men in hir house seruyd mynystred to them hirselfe suche as they neded Of hir owne substauÌ„ce she repayred in hir countre many desolate hospytalles as a busy administratrice mercyful pytuous she visited the nedy syke meÌ„ that were ther haÌ„deled and wasshyd theyr sores without horror or lothsomnes And she was of so meruaylouse great pacyence that the sykenes that she had hir self wronges that were done vnto hir and the deth of hir husbande of hir sone Charles with all other aduersyties she suffred moost pacyently without murmur or gruttynge and in all thyngê with hygh mekenes she blessyd our lorde beynge for suche troubles the more constauÌ„te in the fayth the more redy in hope and the more brennynge in Charyte hyghly she loued Iustyce equyte The mocions of the flesshe vayneglory with a busy cure great truste in our lorde she despysed and ouercame She was of suche hygh wysedome discrecion that fro hir youth vnto his laste houre asmoche as fraylnes myght suffre she neuer sayd good to be euyll nor euyll to be good And euery fryday in hir husbandes lyf she was confessyd and after his deth she was euery day confessyd Euery sonday she hir doughter Katheryne whiche lyued with hir all hir lyfe in penaunce chaste wydowhed with great deuocioÌ„ and humylyte resceyued the holy body of our lord euer lyuyngâ— in secrete penauÌ„ce whiche they dyd nat to the apparaunte syght of the worlde but secretly to almyghty god in symplenes of herte and cleÌ„nes of spyrit On a tyme when the kyng of Swecia wolde haue charged his comons with agreat exacion that he myght therw t haue payed a great suÌ„me of money wherin he was in detted seynt Birget for great compassyon that she had to the people sayd to the kynge Osyr do nat so but take my two sones lay them in plegge to yo credytours tyl ye may pay your money do nat offende god yo subiettê There was a knyght that alway studyed to fynde newe inuencyons amonge the people whiche by his wordê euyll examples brought many to dampnacion this knyght had great enuy to seynt Birget and bycause he durste nat hym selfe speke â—uyll to hir he styred another that shuld fayne hym self dronken then he to speke vnto hir shamefull and coÌ„tumelious wordes to brynge hir out of pacyence whiche cursed man as seynt Birget was syttynge at the table with many honorable ê‘sones sayd in the herynge of theym all O lady thou slepest to lytell â—and thou wakest to moch it were expedyent for the to drynke well and to slepe more hathe god thynkest thou forsaken Relygyous ê‘sons and speketh with proude people of the world It is a vayne thyng to gyue any fayth to thy wordes and as he was so spekyng they that stode by wolde haue put hym away with violence to his rebuke and shame And seynt Birget prohybyted theym and sayd suffre hym to speke almyghty god hath sent hym hyther for I that in all my lyfe haue sought myn owne prayse why shuld I nat here my rightwysnes This maÌ„ sayth to me yÌ„e trouth And when the knyght herde of the great pacyence of seynt Birget he toke great repentaunce and came to Rome and asked forgyuenes of seynt Birget there he made a good and a laudable ende The sayd blessyd woman seynt Birget was so adourned fulfylled with all vertues that oure lorde receyued hir to be his spouse and vysyted hir many tymes with merueylous consolacyons and dyuyne graces shewyd hir many heuynly reuelacyons saynge vnto hir I haue chosen the to my spouse that I maye shewe to the my secretê for it pleasyth me so to do And another tyme he sayd to hir I take the to my spouse and to my proper delyte suche as it is my pleasure to haue with a chaste soule In whiche reuelacyons be conteyned the hyghe secrete my steryes of the moste gloriouse Trinite of the Incarnacyon natyuyte lyfe and passyon of our Sauyour criste Ihesu with the playne and trewe Doctryne to knowe vertue and to folowe it and to eschewe vycesshewynge the rewarde of vertue and the great intollerable payne and dampnacyon that shall fall to synners that dye in deedly synne exortynge also all men to do condigne penauÌ„ce for the synnes that they haue ben shryuen of to eschewe the great and dredefull paynes of purgatorye ordeyned for theyr purgacyon by the strenght equyte of Iustyce whiche terryble paynes our Sauyour shewyd dyuerse tymes to his sayde spouse seynt Birget to thentenâ— she shuld shewe them ouer the people whiche reuelacioÌ„ seynt Birget wrote in hir owne naturall tonge and the sayd Pryour of Albastra hir Fader espuÌ„ell by the coÌ„maundement of almyghty god translated theym into Latyn and deuyded theym into .viii. bokes bysyde a especiall reuelacion that she had of the praysynges and excellencye of our blessyd Lady whiche he appoynted for the Legend of the susters and bysyde many other Reuelacyons that she hadde for the Rule and foundacyon of hir sayd Monasterye of Watzstenes foure goodly chappytours for prayers with certeyn reuelacyons called the extrauagantê And natwithstandynge the great and synguler graces that she hadde as well in the sayde RevelacioÌ„s as otherwyse she was nat therfore any thynge exalted but dayly with many terys humbled hirselfe the more therfore and wolde gladly haue hydde and kept cloâ—â— the especyall gyfte that she had of our lord in the sayd Reuelacions but that our lorde coÌ„maunded hir oft tymes to wryte to speke them boldely to the Pope to the Emperour kyngê prynces and other people that by the reason of theym they myght the soner be conuertyd fro theyr synnes And
tymes she vysytyd many Seyntys in hyr owne countrey and in other countreys therto adioynynge in Fraunce Italye Spayne Napuls many other placys after hyr sayd holy pylgrymagys she lyuyd the resydue of hir lyfe in the cyty of Rome fyue dayes before that seynt Byrgette shulde passe out of this transytory Lyfe our Lorde apperyd vnto hyr before an Aulter that was in hyr Chaumber and with a mery countenaunce sayde vnto hyr I haue not vysytyd the in this tyme with consolacyons for it was the tyme of thy probacyon Therfore nowe thowe arte prouyd procede and make the redy for the tyme is come that that I promysyd that shal be fulfyllyd that is to saye that before myn Aulter thou shalte be clothyd coÌ„secrate a Nunne from hensforthe thou shalte not onely be reputyd to be my espouse but also thou shalte be reputyd to be moder in watzstenys neuertelesse knowe it for a trouth thou shalte leue thy Body here in Rome vnto the tyme it shall come into the place ordeynyd for it knowe thou for certeyne that men shall come when it shall please me that with all swetnes and Ioye shall receyue the wordys of the Heuenly reuelacyons that I haue shemyd to the and all thynges that I haue sayde to the shal be fulfyllyd And though my grace be withdrawen fro many for theyr vnkyndenes Neuerthelesse other shall come that shall ryse in theyr place whiche shall opteyne my Grace And in the mornynge of the fyfte Daye nowe nexte folowynge after thou haste receyuyd the SacrameÌ„tys of the Chyrche calle to the seuerallye the persones that I haue namyd to the nowe and telle theym what they shall doo and then in theyr Handys thou shalte come into my ioye euerlastynge and thy Bodye shall be caryed to watzstenes And on the sayde fyfte Daye she callyd to hyr all hyr housholde and shewyd theym what they shulde doo and at the laste she gaue a great monycyon to hyr son Byrgerus and to hyr doughter Katheryne chargynge theym that aboue all thynges they shulde perseuer in the drede of god and in the Loue of theyr neyghbourys in good Warkys and theropon she made hyr Confessyon with great dylygens and Deuocyon and receyuynge the blessyd Bodye of oure Lorde was a noylyd And as a Masse was sayde afore hyr and she had honouryd the blessyd Bodye of oure Lorde she lyfte vppe hyr eyen to Heuyn and sayde In manus tuas domine commendo spiritum meum whiche is to seye Lorde into thy handys I coÌ„myt my spirite And with tho wordys she yeldyd her soule to our Lorde the .xxiii. daye of Iulii the yere of oure Lorde god a thousande thre hundreth .lxxiii. and the yere of hyr age .lxx. And anon a great fame went thrughe all the Cytye of rome of the deth of this gloryous woman and the people came with great deuocyon to se the holy body gloryfyinge and lawdynge almyghty god and in suche greâ—e recourse of the people the Body was caryed to the monastery of seynt Laurence as it was shewyd by hyr selfe that it shuld be for the great prese of the people it coulde not conuenyently be buryed vnto the seconde daye and before she was buryed a woman callyd Agnes de coÌ„tess a dwellynge in the Cytye of Rome whiche fro hyr byrthe had a great grosse throte moche foule dyfformyd came with other to the Bodye of seynt Byrgette and with hyr owne Gyrdell she towchyd the hande of this gloryous woman seynt Byrgette with great deuocyon and bounde the same gyrdell abowte her necke and anon aftyr her throte swagyd by the myracle of almyghty god was brought in to the due shappe conformyte Also there was a Nonne of the sayde monastery of seynt LaureÌ„ce which for feblenes and great sykenes that she had in her stomake by the space of .ii. yerys kepte hyr bedde well nere all that tyme and she was moch famylyer with seynt Byrgette in hyr lyfe thys Nonne with great peyn rose fro hyr bedde and with helpe came to the Beer lay by it all the nyght and cessyd not to praye almyghty god that by the merytys and Prayers of his gloryouse spouse seynt Byrgette whose Body was there present that she myghte haue soo moche ease of hyr sayde longe sykenes that she myght with hyr Susters be at deuyne seruyce and that she myghte when nede shulde requyre goo aboute the monastery with oute helpe And in the mornynge she hadde more helth of hyr Bodye thenne she prayed fore And the .xxvi. daye of the sayde moneth of Iulii the Bodye of Seynt Birgette was buryed in the sayde Monasterye of seynt Laurence in a cheste of wode enclosyd in a tombe of marbull and in the space of fyue wekys and a halfe the Flesshe by Myracle was clerely consumyd and goon and nothynge lefte but the clere whyte shynynge Bonys and after the sayde Bonys and Relykes of seynt Birgette were translatyd from Rome to the sayde Monasterye of watzstenes in swecia the fourth nonas of Iulii by the sayde Byrgerus and Katheryne and after this blessyd woman seynt Birgette was canonyzed by pope bonyface of that name the nynth the yere of our Lord god a thousande CCC lxxxxi as in the Bull of hyr canonyzacion apperyth A woman of the dyocesse of LyncopeÌ„ce callyd Elseby Snara with great peyne and sorowe was delyuered of a deed Chylde and when she was after her great peyne come to hyr perfyte remembrauÌ„ce with humble prayer she besoughte almyghtye god that by the merytes of his gloryouse espouse seynt Birgette the Chylde myghte be restoryd to Lyfe and made a vowe that if the Chylde came to lyfe that she wolde vysyte the sepulcre of Seynt Birgette And anon the Infaunâ—â— beganne to waxe hote and to take Brethe and afterwarde it was restoryd to full Lyfe wherfore the Moder with great deuocyon and gladnes fulfyllynge hyr auowe vysytyd the Relykes of Seynt Birgette in the Monasterye of watzstenes aboute the Natyuyte of oure Lorde certeyne persons of gothlande toke the See and with a great Tempeste they were dryuen into a place whiche was moche shalowe of Water and there theyr Shyppe was all to Broysyd and they taryed there a se nyght in great Hunger and Colde and Coulde not remoue theyr Shyppe At the wekys ende for asmoche as they were lyke to haue perysshyd for lacke of SustenauÌ„ce they drewe Cuttes amonge theym whiche of theym shulde be kyllyd and made mete for the other And he vppon whome the Lotte felle with great wepynge commyttyd hym to Seynt Birgette and prayde for helpe promysynge that if he escapyd that Daunger he wolde vysyte hyr at hyr Monasterye of watzstenes And anon by Myracle they fouÌ„de a great peace of Flesshe in the See and when they hadde refresshyd theym selfe therwyth there arose anon suche a great calmenes that in a lytell smalle Bote they came by great longe weyes in the See to londe And as he
lyuynge ¶ Of our Lady of our Lorde Ihesu howe a man shall beholde theyr holynes Ca. xv ALso the mynde of our Lady saynt mary aboue all other sayntys for to se with thy ghostlye eye the abundaunce of grace in her holy soule whan she was here lyuynge that our lord gaue her alone passynge all other sayntys for she was fulfyllyd with all vertues withoute wem of synne shewynge full mekenes perfyte charyte and fully with these the fayrnesse of all other vertues soo holly that there myghte no styrynge of Pryde ne Enuy ne wrothe ne flesshlye lykynge ne no manner of Synne entre into her herte ne defoule the soule iÌ„ ony ê‘te of it by the beholdynge of the fayrehed of this blessyd soule myght a mannys herte be styryd into ghostly comforte greatly And moche more thanne aboue this is the beholdynge of the soule of our lorde Ihesu which was fully onyd to the godhed passynge with oute comparyson our Lady and all other creatures For in the persone of Ihesu are two Kynges that is god and man fully onyd togyder By the vtue of this blesfull onynge which may not be tolde ne coÌ„ceyuyd by mannys wytte the soule of Ihesu hathe receyuyd the full hed of wysdome and loue all goodnes as the Apostle saythe ¶ Plenitudo diuinitatis inhabitat in Cristo corporaliter That is the godhed was onyd fully to the manhed in the soule of Ihesu so by the soule dwellynge in the body the mynde of the manhed of our Lord was Illumynyd aboue all other that ben or shal be and vpon this wyse for to beholde the vertues the ouer passynge grace of the soule of Ihesu shall be ryght comfortable to a mannys soule ¶ Of beholdynge of the myghte the wysdom the goodnes and the mercy of god in his creatures â–ª Ca. xvi ALso the mynde of the myght the wysdome goodnes of our lorde in all his creaturys for as moche as we maye not see god fully in hymselfe here lyuynge therfore we shulde beholde loue drede and wonder his myght his wysdome and his goodnes in his werkys in his creatures Also for to thynke on the mercye of oure Lord that he hath shewyd to me and to the to all Synfull captyues that haue ben combryd in Synne and sparyd so longe in the deuyllys prysone howe our Lorde pacyently suffryd vs lyue in our Synne toke no veÌ„geauÌ„ce on vs as he myghte haue doon ryghtwyslye and put vs into Helle if his Loue had not lettyd hym but for Loue he sparyd vs He had pytte on vs sent his grace into oure hertys and callyd vs out of our Synne and by his grace hath tournyd our wyll holly to hym And for to haue hym and for his loue to forsake all manner of Synne The mynde of his mercy and of his goodnes with other cyrcumstauncys moo than I can or maye reherse nowe brynge into a sowle grete truste of our Lord and full hope of saluacyon and kyndelyth the desyre of Loue myghtyly to the Ioyes of Heuen ¶ Howe the mynde of the wretchydnes and of peryllys of this worlde make a soule to desyre to Heuen Ca. xvii ALso for to thynke on the Wretchydnes Myscheues and peryllys Bodyly and ghostly that falle in this Lyfe and after for to thynke on the Ioyes of Heuen howe moch blysse there is and Ioye for there is neyther Synne ne sorowe ne passyon ne peyne hunger ne thyrste sore ne sykenes dowte ne drede shame ne shenshyp ne defaute of myghte lackynge of lyghte ne wantynge of loue but there is souerayne fayrehed lyghtenes streÌ„ghte he le lykynge aye lastynge wysdom loue peas worshyp sykernes rest ioye blysse Inough euer with outen ende the more that thou thynkyste and felyste the wretchydnes of this lyfe the more ferueÌ„tly shalt thou desyre the ioye and the reste of the blysse of Heuyn Many men are couetous of worldly worshyppes and erthly ryches and thynke nowe dremynge now wakynge how by what meanys they myght come therto therfore they forgete the mynde of themselfe the peynys of hell the Ioyes of heuyn southlye they are not wyse they are lyke to Chyldren that renne after butterflyes and for they loke not to theyr feet they fall sometyme sone downe and breke theyr leggys what is all the pompe the worshyp of this worlde iÌ„ ryches or in iolyte but a butterfly southly no thynge ellys and yet moche lesse therfore I praye the be thou coueytous of the Ioyes of Heuyn and thou shalt haue worshyp and rychesse that euer shall laste for at the laste ende whan worldly coueytous men brynge no good in theyr hondys for all theyr worshyppes and all theyr Rychessys are tornyd into noughte saue sorowe peyne than shall worldly men that forsake trewely all vayne worshyppys and rychessys of this worlde or ellys if they haue rychesse and worshyppys they set noughte by them ne they set not theyr Loue ne lykynge in them but lyue euer in drede and in mekenes and in hope and somtyme in sorowe abyde the mercy of god pacyently they shall thanne haue fully that they here coueytyd for they shall be crownyd as kynges and sâ—ye vp with our Lorde Ihesu into the blysse of Heuen Also there be many other medytacyons mo than I can say which that god putteth into a mannys mynde for to styre the affeccyon and the reason of mannys soule to lothe vanytees of this worlde and for to desyre the Ioyes of Heuyn Thyse wordes I say not to the as I had fully shewyd the maner of medytacyons as they are wrought in a mannys soule but I touche them to the a lytell that thou myghteste by this haue more vnderstondynge ¶ How a man shall doo whan he felyth no sauoure ne coÌ„forte in his medytacyons Ca. xviii NEuerthelesse me thynkyth it is good to the yâ— whaÌ„ thou dysposyst the to thynke on god as I haue before sayde or on otherwyse and peraueÌ„ture thou felyst no sauoure ne deuocyon in thy thynkynge but only a nakyd mynde and a weke wyll that thou woldest fayne thynke on god but thou canste not than I hope it is good to the that thou stryue not to moche with thy selfe for thou myghtest so lyghtly falle into more derknes but if thou were more sâ—ye in thy werkynge and therfore I holde it then moost syker vnto the for to saye thy paternoster and thy Aue or ellys thy matens or ellys for to rede vpon thy saulter for that is euermore a syker standarde that wyll not fayle who so maye cleue therto he shall not erre and if thou mayste by thy prayer gete deuocyon loke than if this deuocyon be only in affeccyon that is to saye in great desyre to god with ghostly delyte holde forth than thy saynge and breke not lyghtly of for often it fallyth that prayenge with the mouth getyth and kepyth deuocyon and if a man cease of sayinge deuocyon vanyssheth awaye Neuerthelesse
slepe or ellys thynke not on god but on worldlye thynges yet he hath this desyre ī hert in his soule tyll that he syn dedely but anone as he thynkyth on god or on clennes of lyuynge or of Ioyes of Heuen thanne werkyth his desyre to god as lōge as he kepyth his thought and his entent to please god eyther in Prayers or in medytacion or ī ony other good dede of actyfe lyfe then it is good that all our busynes befor to stere this desyre vse it by dyscrecyon nowe in oon dede nowe in an other after he is dysposyd hath grace therto this desyre is roote of all thy werkynge if it be me defull for wytte thou well what good dede that thou do est for god bodyly or ghostlye it is an vsynge of this desyre whan thou Prayest or thynkest doute not than if thou desyre god therfore whan thou doest a good dede or thynkyst on god dout not thynkynge in thy herte whether thou desyrest or not For thy dede shewyth thy desyry Some are vncunnynge wene that they desyre not god but if they euer be cryenge on god with wordys of of theyr mouthe or ellys ī theyr herte as if they sayd thus Lorde make me safe or ellys such other thyse wordys ar good whether they be sayd with the mothe or fourmyd in the herte for they styre a mannes herte to desyrynge of god But neuerthelesse withoute ony suche wordys a clene thoughte of god or of any ghostlye thynge of vertues or of the manhed of Cryst or of the Ioyes of heuyn or of vnderstondynge of holy wrytte with loue may be bette◠than such wordys for a clene thought of god is southfast desyre to hym and the more ghostly that the thoughte is the more is thy desyre therfore be thou not ī doubte whā thou Prayest or Thynkyste on god or ellys whan thou doest other outwarde good dedys to thy Euencrysten whether thou desyryst hym or not For thy dedys shewe it Neuerthelesse thoughe it be soo that all thy good dedys Bodylye and ghostlye are a shewynge of thy desyre to god yet is there dyuersyte betwyt ghostly dedys bodyly for dedys of contemplaty flyfe are not so outwarde therfore whā thou prayest or thynkyst on god thy desyre to god is more hole more feruente more ghostlye than whan thou doest other dedys to thy euencrysten nowe if thou aske howe thou shalt kepe this desyre and norysshe it a lytell shall I tell the not that thou shalte vse the same forme as I saye but that thou shuldest haue therby if nede be some Warnynge techynge for to rule the in that Occupacyon For I maye not ne I can not tell the fully what is best to the for to vse but I shall say the somwhat as me thynkyth ¶ How thou shalt dyspose the to deuocyon Ca. xii IN nyghtys after thy slepe if thou wylte ryse for to pray serue thy Lord thou shalt fele thy selfe fyrste flesshely heuy somtyme lusty than shalte thou dyspose the for to pray or to thynke som good thought for to quyckyn thy herte to god set all thy busynes for to drawe vp thy thought fro worldly vanytes fro vayne Imagynacyon that fallyth into thy mynde that thou may fele some deuocyon in thy sayenge or ellys if thou wylt thynke on ghostlye thynges that thou be not lettyd with such vayne though t ys of the worlde or of thy flesshe in thynkynge there ar many maner of medytacyons which are beste to the can I not saye But I hope that that thought by the whyche thou felyst moost sauoure and moost rest in for the tyme is beste to the thou mayste if thou wylte sometyme thynke on thy synnes before doon of thy frayltees that thou fallyst in eche daye and aske mercye and forgyuenes for them Also after thys thou mayste thynke on the frayltes the synnys and the wretchydnes of thy euencrysten bodyly ghostly with pyte compassyon of them aske merrye and forgyuenes for them as tenderly as for thy selfe as thou haddyst doon them that is a good thoughte For I tell the forsoth thou mayste make of other mennis Synnys a precyous oyntement for to hele thy owne soule whan thou hast mynde on them with compassyon and sorowe for them this oyntement is precyous thoughe the spycery of it be not clene For it is tryacle made of venym for to destroye venym that is for to saye thy owne Synnes and othermennys Synnys if thou bete theym with sorowe of herte Pyte and Compassyon they turne into tryacle whiche makyth thy soule hole fro pryde and enuye and bryngyth in Loue and Charyte to thy euencrysten this thought is good somtyme for to haue ¶ Howe a man shall haue mynde on crystes manhed of his passyon Ca. xiii ALso thou mayste haue mynde on the manhed of out Lorde in his byrthe in his passyon or in ony of his werkys and fede thy thoughte with ghostly Imagynacyons of it for to stere thy affeccyon more to the Loue of hym This thoutht is good and spedefull namelye whan it cometh freelye of goddys gyfte with deuocyon and feruoure of the spyryte ellys a man maye not lyght lye haue sauoure ne deuocyon in it I holde it not spedefull to a man for to prese than to moche therupon as if he wolde gete it by maystry for he shall mow breke his hed and his bodye to and he shall neuer be the nere therfore me thynkyth vnto the it is good for to haue in mynde his manhed somtyme and if deuocyon come withall and sauoure kepe it and folowe it for a tyme but leue of soon hange not longe therupon Also if deuocyon comme not with mynde of the passyon stryue not ne prese not to moche therafter take easely what wyll come and goo forth to some other thought ¶ Howe a man shall thynke on Uertues and on sayntys Ca. xiiii ALso other thoughtys there are that ben more ghost lye as for to thynke on vertues for to se by lyght of vnderstondynge the Uertue of mekenes what it is howe a man sholde be meke And also what is pacyence clennes ryghtwysnes charyte chastyte sobyrte suche other and howe a man shulde gete all these vertues and by suche thoughtys for to haue great desyre and longynge to these vertues for to haue theym and also for to haue a ghostly syght of the pryncypall vertues as of trouthe hope and charyte By the syght desyre of these vertues a soule shulde mowe se and fele moche grace of our Lorde withouten whiche grace a mannes soule is halfe blynde and withouten sauoure or ghostly swetnes Also for to thynke on sayntys as the apostles martyrs confessourys and holy vyrgyns beholde inwardlye the holy lyuynge the grace and the vertues that oure Lorde gaue theym theyr lyuynge and by the mynde of this styre thy owne herte for to take ensaumple of them vnto better