of heuen there to receyue the ioye whiche is promysed to alle trewe Crysten men put ye awey your wepyng spede forth my iourney with prayers with holy psalmes· and wyth almesse dedes For though myn enemy the feÌ„de may not ouercome me in my faithe yet ther is none founden so parfiÈte but he wyll assaye tempte to lette or to feer hym And thenne he commaunded the quene to her broder in commendynge her vertues vnto his lordes and declared to them their pure chastyte For she was to hym in open places as his wyf and in secrete places as his suster And he commaunded also that her dowayre shold be made sure to her And they that come with hym oute of Normandye shold be put to theyr chois whether they wold abyde stylle in Englond and to be endowed wyth lyuelode after their degree or els to retorne ageyne in to NormaÌ„dy with a suffycyent reward And he chaas his place for his sepulture in the chirche of seynt Peter whiche he had newe bylded And sayde he sholde not longe abyde in this world And whanne he behelde the quene and sawe hir wepe syghe amonge he said to her oftymes My doughter wepe not for I shal not dye but I shall lyue shalle departe fro the lond of deth And byleue to see the goodnes of god in the londe of lyf And thenne he sette his mynde al in god and yaf hym self hooly to the faythe of the Chirche in the hope and promyses of Cryst vnder the sacramentis of the chirche And amonge these wordes of praysynge he yelded vp his spyryte vnto god In the yere of our lord M lxvj whan he hadde regned in this londe xxiij yere and sixe monethes and xxvij dayes the fourthe day of Ianyuer And as his Cosyns and his louers stode aboute this holy body whan the spyryte was passed they sawe a merueylous beaute an heuenly sighte in his face And whan they loked on his naked body they sawe it shyne with a merueylous brightnesse for the clernes of his vyrgynyte And thenne they wrapped the holy body in pallys And beryed it with grete reuerence and worship and largely almesse was gyuen for hym And all the lordes spyrytuell and temporel were present at the beryeng of hym than kynge god of the grete benefaittes that he shewed in this lond duryng the lyf of the hooly saynt and kynge saynt Edward wherfor lawde glorye and honour be gyuen to almyÈty god world withoute ende Amen The eyght day after his beryeng ther cam a crepil to his Tombe to be holpen of his grete dysease whiche many tymes afore had receyued almesse of the kynges honde And he had be wasshen of the kynges honde on cenethursdaye Notwythstondyng the myracle of his curynge was prolonged by the prouysyon of god and not shewed in his lyf tyme by cause that many myracles god shewed for hym In lyke wyse he wold shewe after his deth This Crepyl was called Rauf And was a norman borne and the synewes of his arme were shronken to gyder that his feet were drawe vp to his buttokkis that he myght not goo neyther on his feet ne on his knees but sat on an holowe vessel in maner of a basyn drawyng his body after hym with his hondes And whan he cam to the Tombe he besought almyghty god and saynt Edward deuoutely that he myght be cured and heled of his dysease whiche in his lyf tyme had mooste lyuyd by his almesse And whanne he had contynued a whyle in his prayers other peuple that had compassion of hym praid for hym also And atte last he lyft hym self vp and felte his synewes losed And thenne he arose vp and stode on his feet and felt hym self made parfyghtely hole for to doo what he shold We haue redde of the vertues that saint Edward had in helyng blynde men in his lyuyng whiche our lord hath not withdrawe from hym after his dethe It happed that thyrtty dayes after his beryeng ther cam to his Tombe a man whiche had but one eye ledyng after hym sixe blynde men eche of them helde other by the skyrte And all they deuoutely prayd to god and to saynt Edward that they myght haue their sight and to be delyuerd of the grete myserye that they stode in And moche peple cam thyder for to see what shold befalle of this thyng And whan they sawe how hertely these blynde men prayde thenne alle the peple beynge moeuyd wyth pyte knelyd doune deuoutely and prayd for them to god and to this hooly seynt And anone as they had endyd their prayers Alle they receyued parfyghtely theire sight And thenne eche of them that had ben blynde lokyd fast on eche other And thought it a newe world with them and eche enquyred of other yf they myght see and they said ye And alle knelyd doune thankyng god ful hertely that by the meryces of saynt Edward had restored to them their siÈt parfyghtly And also to theyr leder whiche had but one eye at his comyng And had syght of the blynde eye also And soo alle had their parfyght syght And after they retourned home eche in to his Countrey gyuynge lawde and thankynges to god and this holly kynge After this Harold Arphage kyng of Norwey and Tostyn broder of kynge Harold of Englonde cam with a grete nauye and a grete hoost and arryued in humbre and there made werre entendynge to conquere this londe how be it the peple beganne to resyste them but they were not of power to ouercome them And when Harold vnderstode this he reysed a grete multitude of peple to withstonde them Thenne saynt Edward on a nyght appyered to an holy Monke whiche was Abbot of Rammesey And bad hym go and telle to Harold that he shold ouercome his enemyes the which entended to destroye and consume this Royamme of Englond And saye to hym that he drede not For I shal so conduyte hym and his hoost that he shall haue vyctorye For I maye not see ne suffre this Royamme of Englonde to be destroyed And whan thou hast tolde to hym this he wyâ—le not byleue the wherfor thow shalt proue thy vision in this maner late hym thynke and set his mynde on what thyng he wille And thow shalt telle hym what he thynketh For god shalle shewe that to the And thenne he shalle yeue credence to thy wordes On the morn the abbot of Rammesey named Alexis went to kyng harold and told to hym this visionn And how he shold by the aide of saint Edward ouercome his enemyes And when he herde hit fyrste he supoosed hit had ben a fantasye And when he shewed to hym his preuy thought thenne he gaf faith therto And wente to the bataille how be it he was thenne seke in his grynde of a pestilence botche And slewe Tostyne his brother and Harold Harfage And right fewe or none escaped a lyue fro the bataille Wherfor the Englisshmen thanked god and saynt Edward of their
and esprysed in the loue of the holy goost They be fasted also in Septembre to fore mychelmas And thise be the thirde fastynges by cause that in this tyme the fruytes ben gadred we shold rendre to god the fruytes of good werkes In decembre they ben also And they ben the fourth fastynges and in this tyme the herbes deyen And we ought to be mortefyed to the world The thirde reason is fore tensiewe the Iewes For the Iewes fasted foure tymes in the yere that is to wete to fore ester to fore whitsontyde to fore the set tyng of the tabernacle in the temple in septembre And to fore the dedicacion of the temple in decembre The fourth reason is by cause the man is composed of iiij elementis touchyng the body and of thre vertues or powers in his sowle that is to wete the vnderstondyng the wyll the mynde To this thenne that this fastyng may attempre in vs iiij tymes in the yere at eche tyme we faste thre dayes to th ende that the nombre of foure may be reported to the body and the nombre of thre to the sowle Thise ben the reasons of maister beleth The v reason as saith IohnÌ„ damascenus in marche and in prymtemps the blode groweth and augmenteth in somer colere In septembre melancolye And in wynter flewme thenne we faste in marche for tattempre and depresse the blode of concupiscence disordynate for sanguyne of hys nature is ful of flesshly coÌ„cupiscence In somer we faste by cause that colere shold be lessed and refreyned of whiche cometh wrath And thenne is he ful naturelly of yre In heruest we fast for to refrayne melancolye the melancolyous man naturelly is cold couetous and heuy In wynter we faste for to daunte and to make feble the flewme of lyghtnes and forgetyng For suche is he that is fleumatyke The sixte reason is for the prymtemps is lykened to the ayer the somer to fyre the heruest to therthe and the wynter to water Thenne we faste in marche to th ende that the ayer of pryde be attemperat to vs In somer the fyre of concupiscence of auaryce In septembre the erthe of coldenesse and of the derknes of Ignorance In wynter the water of lightnes and Inconstaunce The vij reson is by cause that marche is reported to Infancye Somer to yongthe Septembre to stedfast age vertuous And wynter to auncyente or olde age We faste thenne in marche that we may be in thynfancye of Innocencye In somer for to be yonge by vertu and constaÌ„ce In heruest that we may be ripe by at teÌ„peraunce in wynter that we may be auncient old by prudence honeste lyf or atte leste that we satysfye to god of that whiche in thise iiij seasons we haue offended hym The viij reson is of maystre guylliam dancerre We fast saith he in thise iiij tymes of the yere to th ende that we make amendes for all that we haue faylled in all thise iiij tymes and they be don in thre dayes eche tyme to th ende that we satisfye in one day that whiche we haue faylled in a moneth that whiche is the fourth day that is wednesday is the day in whiche our lord was betrayed of Iudas the fryday by cause our lord was crucifyed the saterday by cause he lay in the sepulcre thappostles were for of herte and grete sorowe Thus endeth the ymbre dayes THe Passyon of our lord was bytter for the sorowe that he suffred in derysions despituous And of many fylthes fructuous The sorowe was cause of fyue thynges The first by cause it was shamefulle for the place of the mount of caluarye where as malefactours and crymynel persones were put to execucion And he was there put to deth right foull the crosse was the tormente of theues And yf the crosse was thenne of shame and of vylonye she is now of glorye and of honour wherof saith saynt Austyn Crux latronum qui erat supplicium cÌ„ The crosse whiche was the Iustice of theuys is now become the sygne of glorye in the forhedes or frontes of emperours And yf he had suche honour at his tormente what dyde he to hys seruant for the shameful felawshp that he dyde to hym for he was sette with malefactours but the one of them was conuerted whiche was called dysmas lyke as it is said in the gospell of Nychodemus And he was on the ryght syde of our lord And that other on the lyfte sâ—de was dampned whiche was callid gesmas To that one thenne he gaf the royame of heuene and to that other helle wherof saith saynt Ambrose Auctor pietatis in cruce cÌ„ he saith the auctour of pyte hangyng on the crosse deuyded offyces of pâ—te in scculyer erandes that is to saye The persecucion to thapostles peas to his disciples hys body to the Iewes hys spyryte to the fader to the vyrgyne the messages of the weddyng of the souerayn espouse To the theef peradys To synners helle And to the Crysten penytent he comanded the crosse Loo this is the testament that Ihesu cryst made hangyng in the crosse Secondly the sorow was caused Iniustly For none iniquite was founde in hym And pryncypally Iniustly they accused hym of thre thynges The first was they said that he deffended to paye the trewage and for he said that he was a kynge and he said hym to be the sone of god ¶ And ayenst thyse thre accusacions we saye on the good fryday thre excusacions in the persone of Ihesu crist Whan we synge popule meus Where Ihesu crist repreued them of thre benefetes that he dyde and gaf to them that is to wete the delyueraunce of them fro Egypt the sustentacion and the gouernauÌ„ce in deserte And the plantacion of the vigne in a londe propyce lyke as Iesu cryst wold saye thhou accusest me by cause that I deffende to paye thy trewage And thou oughtest more to thaÌ„ke me of that I haue delyuerd the fro the trewage and fro the scruytude of pharao and of Egypte Thou accusest me that I calle my self kynge and thou oughtest better to yelde me thankynges of that whiche I gouerned the in deserte with mete royalle Thou accusest me of this that I saye me to be the sone of god And thou oughtest more to thank me that I haue chosen the to be in my vygne yerde and in a ryght good place I haue planted them The thirde cause is by cause he was despyted forsaken of his frendes whiche semed a thyng more tollerable to be suffred of his enemyes than of them whom he helde to be his freÌ„des And alleway he suffred deth for his frendes and hys neyghbours that is of theÌ„ of whos lignage he was born Thys said he by the mouth of dauid Amici mei proximi cÌ„ My frendes my neyghbours haue approcheed ayenst me and so haue contynued wherof said Iob capitlÌ„o xxx Noti mei quasi aliem
whom the Iewes delyuerd to pylate for enuye comaunded that he shold be crucyfyed Thenne he complayned hym soroufully sayd I am sory by cause he may not accōplyssh that whiche my lord themperour hath charged me To whō veronyce said my lord and my maistre whan he wente prechyng I absente me ofte from hym I dyde do paynte his ymage For to haue alway wyth me his presence by cause that the figure of his ymage shold gyue me somme solace And thus as I bare a lynnen keuerchief in my bosome oure lord mette me and demaūded whyther I wente and whan I had told hym whyther I wente and the cause he demaunded my keuerchief And anone he enprynted his face and fygured it therin And yf thy lord had beholden the fygure of Ihesu Cryst deuoutly he shold be anon guarisshed and heled And volusien axid is ther nether gold ne siluer that this fygure may be bought with She answerd nay but stroonge of corage deuoute and of grete affeccion I shal goo with the and shal bere it to themperour for to see it and after I shal retorne hether agayn Thenne wente volusien with veronike to Rome and said to themperour Ihesus of nazareth whom thou hast longe desired Pylate the Iewes by enuye and with wronge haue put to deth and haue hanged hym on the crosse and a matrone a wydowe is come with me whiche bryngeth thymage of Ihesu the whiche yf thou with good herte and deuoutly wylt beholde haue therin contemplacion thou shalt anon be hole And whan themperour had herd this he dyde anone make redy the waye With clothes of sylke made thymage of Ih̄u to be brought to fore hym And anone as he had seen it worshiped it he was all guarisshed and hoole Thenne he comaūded that pylate shold be taken and brought to Rome And whan themperour herd that pylate was come to Rome he was moche wroth and enflammed ayenst hym And bad that he shold be brought to fore hym Pylate ware alway the garment of our lord which was withoute seem wher with he was clad whā he cam to fore thēperour And assone as themperour saw hym all his wrath was goon ◠the yre out of his herte he coude not saye an euyl word to hym in his absence he was sore cruell toward hym in his presence he was alway swete debonair to hym gaf hym lycence and departed And anon as he was departed he was as angry as sore moeued as he was to fore and more by cause he had not shewd to hym his fureur Thēne he made hym to be called agayn sware he shold be ded And anone as he sawe hym hys cruelte was all goō wherof was grete meruaylle now was ther one by thynspyracion of god or at the persuasion of som crysten man caused themperour to despoylle hym of that cote and anon as he had put it of The emperour had in his herte as grete yre and fureur as he had to fore wherof themperour meruaylled of this cote And it was told to hym that it was the cote of Ih̄u Thēne themperour made pylate to be sette in pryson tyl he had counseylled what he shold doo with hym And sentence was gyuen that he shold dye a vylayns deth And whan pylate herd the sentence he toke a knyf and slewe hym self And whan themperour herde how he was deed he said certaynly he is deed of a right vylaynous deth and fowl For hys owne propre hand hath not spared hym Thenne his body was taken and bounden to a mylle stone was caste in the ryuer of tyber for to be sonken in to the bottom̄ And the yll spyrytes in thayer began to moue grete tēpestes merueyllous wawes in the water horryble thondre and lyghtnyng wherof the peple was sore aferd in grete doubte And therfor the Romayns drewe out the body in derysion sente it to vyane caste it in to the ryuer named Rosne viane is as moche to saye as helle whiche is said Iehenna For thenne it was acursid place and so ther is his body in the place of malediction And the euyl spyrites ben as wel there as in other places And made suche tempestes as they dyd byfore in so moche that they of that place myght not suffre it And therfor they toke the vessel wherin the body was sente it for to berye it in the terroir of the cyte of losane The whiche also were tempested as the other And it was taken thens and throwen in to a depe pytte alle enuyronned with montaynes In whiche place after the relacion of somme ben seen illusions and machynacions of fendes ben seen growe and boylle And hether to is thistorye callyd ypocryfū redde They that haue redde this lete them saye and byleue as it shal plese them Neuertheles in scolastica hystoria is redde that pylate was accused afore themperour Tyberius by cause he dyde put to deth by vyolence thē that were Innocent by his myght And that maulgre the Iewes he sette ymages of paynems in the temple And that the moneye put in corbanam he toke and dyde with all his prouffyt and was preuyd in his vysage that he made in his hows alleyes and conduytes for water to renne in And for thyse thynges he was sente to lyon in exyle for to deye emōg the people of whome he was born And thys may be wel supposed that this Istorye be trewe For to fore was the edicte gyuen that he shold be put in exyle to lyons And that he was exyled er volusien retorned to themperour But whan themperour herd how he made our lord Ihesu to deye he made hym fro hys exyle to come to Rome Eusebe and Bede in theyr cronycles say not that he was enprysoned put in exyle But by cause that he fyll in many myseryes by despayr he slewe hym self wyth his owne hand Thus endeth the Passyon ¶ Here begynneth the 〈◊〉 THe Resurrection of our lord Ihesu cryst was the third day after his deth And of this blessyd resurrectcon seuen thynges ben to be consyderid Fyrst of the tyme that he was in the sepulcre that be thre dayes and thre nyghtes he was in the sepulcre And the thirde day he aroos Secondly wherfore he aroos not anon whan he was deed but abode vnto the thirde day Thirdely how he aroos Fourthly wherfor his resurrection taryed not vntyl the generall resurrection Fyftly wherfore he aroos Sixtly how oftymes he appyered in his resurrection And the seuenth how the holy faders whiche were enclosed in a partye of helle he delyuerd what he dyde c̄ As to the first poynt it ought to be knowen that Ih̄us was in the sepulcre iij dayes iij nyghtes But after saynt austyn the first day is taken by synodoche that is that the last part of the day is taken The secōd day is takē all hool the thirde is taken after the first part of the day
as saynt basylle prayd holdyng the honde of the yong maÌ„ the cedule whiche he had made was brought in thayer in the sight of alle was leyde in the honde of saynt basylle the which receyued it said to the chyld brother knowest thou â—hyse lettres he answerd them I know theÌ„ well For they were wreton with my honde TheÌ„ne saynt basylle brake them ladde the chyld to the chyrche so or deyned disposed hym that he was worthy to receyue the holy sacrament after he beyng enseygned taught delyuerd to hym a Rewle how he shold kepe hym delyuerd hym to hys wyf Also ther was a woman that had coÌ„mysed many synnes the whyche she all wrote And atte ende ther was one more greuous than the other whyche in the wrytyng delyuerd to saynt basylle prayeng hym to praye for her And that by his prayers her synnes myght be foryeuen and theÌ„ne he prayde for her the woman opend the bylle wherin she founde all the synnes deffaced put out exept the greuous synne And she cam to saynt basylle sayd thou holy saynt of god haue mercy on me and gete me foryefnes for thys lyke as thou hast don for the other And saynt basylle sayd to the woman leue goo fro me woman For I am a man synnar as thou art whyche haue nede of pardon as moche as thou And as she that was besy and greuous to hym he said to her goo vnto the holy man that is named effraym and demaunde of hym that he may gete pardon for the And whan she cam to the holy man Effraym and had tolde to hym wherfor she was sente to hym fro saynt basylle he sayd to her goo fro me for I am a synful man but goo agayn to saynt basylle And it is he that may gete the foryefnes for thys synne lyke as he dyde for the other And haste the to th eÌ„de that thou maist fynde hym alyue And whan she cam in to the cyte saynt basylle was born to the chyrche for to be buryed And she bygan to crye sayeng god be Iuge bytwene me and the For thou mayst wel appease god for me And thou hast sente me to an other and anon she threwe the bylle vpon the coueryng of the byere ¶ And anon after she toke it agayn and opend it and founde hyt alle playn and out clene of the bylle ¶ And thenne wyth other she gaf thankynges to god ¶ To fore or saynt basylle deyde he beyng in the maladye that he deyde he dyde do come a Iewe to hym which was moche expert in physyke And he louyd hym by cause he sawe that he shold be conuerted to the fayth And whan he was come he felte hys puls and sawe that he was nyghe hys ende and sayd to hys meyney Make ye redy suche thyng as byhoueth for hys sepulture For he shal deye anon whyche worde saynt basylle herd and sayd to hym thou woste not what thou sayest And the Iewe named Ioseph sayd to hym thys day shalt thou dye whan the sonne shal goo doun in the weste To whom saynt basylle sayd what shal thou saye yf I deye not tâ—ys day to whom Ioseph sayd Syre it is not other wyse possyble thenne sayd saynt basylle yf I lyue vnto the morowe none what shalt thou doo And Ioseph sayde yf thou lyue vntyl the morow that houre I shal deye And saynt basylle sayd thou sayst trouthe thou shal dye that is synne shal dye in the to th eÌ„de that thou lyue in IhÌ„u criste Ioseph said I wote wel what thou saist and yf thou lyue vnto that tyme I shal doo that thou saist TheÌ„ne saynt basille said how wel that by nature he shold haue deyde anon forthwith yet he gate and Impetred of god space that he shold not theÌ„ne deye lyued vnto the morn at none which thyng seyng Ioseph merueylled moche and byleued in Ihesu crist Saynt basille theÌ„ne toke herte ouercam the feblenes of the body aroos out of his bedde wente to the chirche and with his propre handes baptysed the Iewe And after retorned to his bedde anon gaf vp his spirite rendryd his sowle vnto god aboute the yere of our lord iijClxx Thenne latâ— vs praye to hym that he gete vs grace of our lord Ihesu cryst that he wyll foryeue vs all our synnes Thus endeth the lyf of saynt Basille Here foloweth the lyf of saynt Iohan the Almosner SAynt Iohan the Almosner was patriack of IhÌ„rlm he sawe on a tyme in a vision a moche fair mayde which had on her hede a crowne of olyue and whaÌ„ he sawe her he was gretly abasshid demauÌ„ded her what she was this maide answere to hym I am mercy which brought fro heueÌ„ the sone of god yf thou wilt wedde me thou shalt fare the better TheÌ„ne he vnderstandyng that tholyue bitâ—keneth mercy he begaÌ„ that same day to be mercyful in suche wise that he was called almosner or amener and he called alleway the poure peple his lordes TheÌ„ne he called his seruants said to theÌ„ goo thurgh the cite write ye all the names of my lordes and whan he sawe that they vnderstode not his wordes he said to them they ben they that ye calle poure meÌ„diauÌ„tes I calle theÌ„ my lordes and I saye they be my helpers and trust it wel that they mowe helpe gete me the kyngdoÌ„ of heuene And by cause he wold styre the peple to do almesse he said that whan the poure men were ones to gydre wermyng theÌ„ ayenst the sonne they begaÌ„ to telle who were good almesmen theÌ„ wold they â—reyse and blame them that werr euyll emong all other he told this narracion Ther was somtyme a tollar named peter in a cite was a moche riche maÌ„ but he was not pyteous but cruel to poure peple For he wold hunte chace away poure peple beggars froÌ„ his hous with indignacion angre Thus wold no poure man come to hym for almesse TheÌ„ne was there j poure man said to his felaws what wil ye gyue me yf I gete of hym an almesse this day And they made a wager with hym that he shold not which don he wente to this tollars hous stode at the yate demanded almesse And whan this riche man cam and sawe this poure man at his yate he was moche angry and wold haue caste somwhat at his heed but he coude fynde nothyng tyl atte last cam one of his seruants beryng a basket ful of brede of Rye and in a grete angre he toke a rye loof threwe it at his hede as he that myght not here the crye of the poure man and he toke vp the loof ranne to his felaws sayd truly that he had receyued that loof of petres owne hande And theÌ„ne within ij dayes after this riche man was seke lyke for to deye And as he laye he was
thaÌ„ god is not worthy to be with god A man that semed to be her frende sente her word on a tyme that she had grete nede to kepe wel her brayne For by cause of thardeur that she had in vertues she semed to be out of her witte And she answerd In thys world we be reputed as fooles for the loue of Ihesu cryst And our lord said to his appostles the world hateth you For ye be not of the world yf ye were of the world that is to saye of the conuersion of the world the world shold loue you Fayr lord god we mortyfye our self allewaye and we be reputed as sheep that be brought to deth by cauâ—â— that without playnyng we mortefye our bodyes In suche pacience was she vnto the deth and suffred humbly thenuye of them that were euyll She had in her mynde the holy scriptures And she helde her more to the spyrituel vnderstondyng than to thystoryes of the scripture She coude parfyghtly hebrewe greke latyn frensshe and redde coursably the scriptures in thyse foure langages who may recounte wythout wepyng the deeth of this woman She fylle in a maladye mortall and sawe wel that she shold deye For all her body bycam cold And she felte that her spirite helde her in her brest Thenne said she wythout playnyng and with out hauyng ony charge sauf to god Fayr swete lord I haue coueyted the beaute of thy hous for to be in thyn habytacion that is so fayr My sowle hath desired to be in thy Royame And whaÌ„ I demaunded her wherfor she spack nomore And she wold not answere me and I asked yf she suffred grete payne she said to me in grekis tongue that she was wel and in good peas And anone she lefte spekyng te me and closed her eyen in sayeng to god Lord lyke as the herte desireth to come to the fontayne so desireth my sowle to come to the Alas whan shal I come to the fayr lord god And in sayeng thyse wordes she made a crosse vpoÌ„ her mouth There were bysshoppis prestes clerkes chanones and monkes wythout nombre And atte laste whan she herd her spowse Ihesu cryst whyche callid her sayeng Aryse and come to me my swete loue and fayr espowse For the wynter is passed she answerd gladly the flowres ben shewde in our contrey And I byleue that I shal see the goodes in the Royame of heuene of my lord Ihesu cryst And thus she rendred her sowle and passed out of thys world And anone all the congregacioÌ„ of vyrgynes made no crye in wepyng as don the peple of the world but redde deuoutly their psaltier not only vnto the tyme that she was buryed but all the day all the nyght with grete payne coude not EustochiuÌ„ her venerable doughter the virgyne be withdraweÌ„ fro her but she kyssed her and embraced her pyteously in wepyng the deth of her moder And Ihesus wytnesseth that saynt paulyne left not one peny to her doughter she hadde so gyueÌ„ almesse of alle her grete Rychesse many gyue largely for goddes sake but they gyue not somoche but somÌ„e abydeth whan she was passed as said is her lyppes ne her face were not pale but was as reuerent to loke on as she had ben yet alyue She was buryed in a sepulture in bethleem wyth right grete honour bÌ„y the bysshoppis preestis clerkes monkes vyrgyns and all the poure peple of the contrey whyche playned that they had loste their good moder that had nourisshed them She lyued in Rome holyly xxxiij yere And in bethleem xx yere And alle her age was liij yere vij monethes and xx dayes fro the tyme of honoure Emperour of Rome Thenne late vs praye to thys holy woman that she praye for vs Thus endeth the lyf of saynt Pawlyne Here foloweth of saynt Iulien the bysshop And first the interpretacion of hys name IUlien is as moche to saye as Iubilus Syngyng and ana that is an hye And therof Iulyen as goyng to hye thynges in syngyng Or it is said Iulius that is as moche to saye as not wyse and anus that is old For he was old in the seruyce of god and not wyse in reputacion of hym self SAynt Iulyen was bysshop of cenomanence It is said that it was he that was said SymoÌ„ the lepre wham our lord heled of hys meselâ—rye and bad Ihesu cryst to dyner And after thascencion of our lord he was ordeyned of thappostles bysshop of Emaus full of grete vertues he appyered to the world he reysed thre dede meÌ„ and after he ended hys dayes in grete preysyng of god Of thys saynt Iulyen somÌ„e saye that this is he that pylgryms and weyfaryng men calle and requyre for good herberowe by cause our lord was lodged in hys hows but it semeth better that it is he that slewe hys fader and moder ignorauÌ„tly of whom thystorye is here after Ther was another Iulyen born in almayne whyche was of noble lygnage and yet more noble in fayth and in vertue whyche for the grete desire that he had to be martir he offrid hym self to the tyrauntis where he had not forfayted Now it happed that crispmus whyche was one of the gouernours of rome sente to hym one of hys mynystres for to put hym to deth anon as the mynystre cam to hym he yssued out of hys place And cam to fore hym And offred to hym to suffre deth And hys heed was smeten of And they toke the hede and shewde it to saynt Feryel that was hys felowe And sayd they wold so doo of hym yf he sacrefyed not And by cause he wold not obeye to them they slewe hym And toke the heed of saynt Iulyen and the body of saynt Feryoll and buryed them bothe in one pytte And a grete whyle after saynte mamertyne bysshop of vyane fonde the heed of saynt Iulyen bytwene the handes of saynt feryol also hoole as it had be buryed that same day ¶ â—mong the other myracles of saynt Iulyen it is said that a deken toke alle the whyte sheep that were of the chyrche of saynt Iulyen And the shepherdes defended them but he sayd to them that saynt Iulyen ete neuer no motoâ— And anon after a feuer toke hym so grete and hooot that he knowleched that he was of the martir so brente And he dyde water to be caste on hym for to cole hym And anon yssued out of hys body suche a fume and smoke and therwith so grete a stenche that all they that were present were constrayned to flee and anon after he deyde ¶ Another myracle happed of a man of a vyllage that on a sâ—nday wolde ere hys londes and whan he toke the share to make clene hys cultre hyt cleuyd to hys hond and two yere after atte prayer of saynt Iulien in the chyrche he was helâ—d ¶ Ther was another Iulyen whyche was brother to one named Iulie Thyse two brethern wente to themperour Theodose whyche was a very crysten man
whyche I may thenne without shame loke and speke wyth the And whan Zozimas herd hym self named he was gretly esmerueylled And anon he caste to her hys mantell And humbly prayd her that she wold gyue to hym her blessyng And she answerd It apperteyned to the fayr fader to gyue the benediction and nothyng to me For thou hast the dignyte of presthode whan he herd that she knewe his name and hys offyce he had yet more meruaylle and of that she axid so mekely hys blessyng After she sayd Blessyd be god the sauyour of our sowles Thenne she lyft vp her handes vnto heuen in makyng her prayer And Zozimas sawe in prayeng to god her body was lyft vp fro therthe wel hye a foot and an half And began to thynke that it had ben somÌ„e euyl spyryte Thenne Zozimas coniured her by the vertue of god that she shold telle to hym her estate and her condicion And she answerd Fayr fader spare me therof For yf I shold recouÌ„te myn estate ye shold flee away fro me like as fro a venymous serpente And thy holy eeres shold be made fowle of my wordes And the ayer shold be ful fowl of corrupcion and whan she sawe that Zozimas wold not be satisfyed so Thenne she sayd Fayr fader I was born in Egypte and whan I was in the age of xij yere I wente in to Alexandrye And there I gaf my body openly to synne by the space of xvij yere and abandouned it to lecherye and refused noman After it happed that men of that contre weÌ„te for adoure and worshippe the holy crosse in Iherusalem And I prayed to one of the maronners that he wold suffre me to passe wyth the other people the see and whan he me demanded payement for my passage I answerd Fayr syres I haue nothyng to paye you wyth but I abandonne my body to doo wyth alle your playsir for my passage they toke me by that condicion whan I was come in to Iherusalem vnto the entree of the chyrche for to worshyppe the holy crosse with the other I was sodenly Inuysibly put a back many tymes in suche wyse that I myght not entre in to the chirche And theÌ„ne I retorned thoughte in my self that thys cam to me for the grete synnes that I had commysed in tyme past And began to smyte my breste and wepe tenderly and sighe greuously And I behâ—ld there thymage of our lady And I fyl doun and prayd her all wepyng that she wold Impetre and gete me pardon of my synnes of her swete sone wold suffre me to entre in to the chyrche for to worshyppe the holy crosse promysyng to forsake the world And fro than forthon to lyue chaast whan I hadde thus prayd and to our blessyd lady thus faythfully promysid I wente agayn to the dores of the chyrche And wythout ony Impedyment I entred in to the chyrche And whan I had deuoutly worshypped and adoured the holy crosse A man gaf to me iij pens of whyche I bought thre loues of breed And after I herd anon a voys yf thou wylt passe and goo ouer slome Iordan thou shalt be sauf And thenne I passed Iordan and cam in to thys deserte where I neuer saw man by the space of xvij yere Thyse thre loues that I bare wyth me bycam hard by the drought of the tyme as a stone of whyche I toke my sustynaunce and suffysed to me xvij yere And after I ete herbes my clothes ben Roten longe syth And thise xvij first yere I was moche tempted by the brennyng of the sonne moche asprely And many delectacions that I haue had in mete and drynke the good wynes and doyng the desires of my body all thyse cam in my thought Thenne he bewaylled them on the erthe And prayd for helpe to our blessyd lady in whom I hadde sette all my affyaunce And I wepte moche tenderly And anon I sawe comyng aboute me a grete light by the whyche I was all recomforted and loste all the thoughtes whyche ofte and greuously tempted me And sith I haue ben delyuerd of alle temptacions and am nourisshyd of spirituel mete of the word of our lord And thus haue I be alle my lyf as I haue tolde to the And I praye the by thyncarnacion of Ihesu criste that thou praye for me synful creature Thenne the olde fader Zozymas fyl doun vnto grounde and thanked our lord god that had thus saued hys seruaunte And she sayd I praye the fayre fader that thou wylt come ageyn on the next sherethorsday and brynge wyth the the body of our lord for to howsel me For sythe I entred in to thys deserte I was neuer howseled ne receyued the holy sacramente And theÌ„ne I shal come to flomiordan ageynst the Zozymas wente to his abbey and after the yere passed on sherethorsday he came ageyn in to the place lyke as the holy woman had prayed hym And whan he was comen to flomiordan he sawe on that other syde the holy woman which made the sygne of the crosse vpon the water and wente on hit and came ouer to hym Whan Zozymas saw this myracle anone he fyl doun to the feet of the holy woman for to doo to hyr honour and reuerence but she forbad and deffended hym and sayd Thus oughtest thou not to doo For thou art a preest and berest the holy sacramente the whiche she receyued in ryght grete deuocion and sayd in wepyng lord god please hit to the to receyue me in pees For myn eyen hath seen my sauyour how wel that she had alwey wept and shedde teerys so haboundauntly that it semed that she had lost hyr sight And after she sayd to Zozymas I praye the that at the ende of thys yere thou wylt come hyder ageyn to me praye for me synful creature anone after she made the sygne of the crosse vpon the ryuere and passed ouer the water with drye feet as she tofore came And Zozymas wente ageyn to hys abbey But he repented moche that he had not demaunded the name of the woman And after the yere passed he came ageyn to the deserte like as he had promysed to thys holy woman And he founde hyr deed and the body ordynatly leyed as hyt shold be beryed Zozymas began thenne anone tenderly to wepe durst not approche ne touche the body but sayd to hym self I wold gladly berye this holy body yf I knewe that I shold not dysplese hyr And whan he was in thys thought he sawe lyeng by hyr heed a letter that sayd in this manere Zozymas burye right here the body of the poure marye and rendre to the erthe his ryght and praye to god for me At whos commaundemente the second day after I receyued hym he called me fro thys world Thenne zozymas was moche glad that knewe the name of the saynt But he was gretely esmayed how he myght burye the body For he had no thynge for to delue therthe
commende my spyryte and he thus sayeng deyed Thenne the paynyms wold haue brent his body but the eyer began sodeynly to chaunge and to hayle lyghtene and thonder in suche wyse that euery man enforced hym to flee And lefte there the holy body allone Thenne came the crysten men and bare hit aweye buryed hit in the chyrche wyth grete ioye honoure reuerence Thys was in the yere of our lord lvij in the tyme that nero was emperour And it happed in the yere of grace iiij hoÌ„dred lxvj in the tyme of leon the emperour that the venycyens translated the body of saynt marke fro alysaunder to venyse in thys manere there were two marchauntes of venyse dyd soo moche what by prayer and by their yeftes to two preestes that kepte the body of saynt marke that they suffred it to be borne secretelye and pryuelye vnto theyr shyppes And as they toke hyt out of the tombe there was so swete an adoure thorugh out alle the cytee of Alexaunder that al the peple meruayled ne knewe not fro whens hyt came thenne the marchauntes broughte hyt to the shyppe and after hasted the maronners And lete the other shyppes haue knowlege therof Thenne there was one man in another shyppe that Iaped sayd wene ye to carye aweye the body of saynt marke nay ye lede wyth you an egypcien Thenne anone after thys worde the shyppe wherein the holy body was torned lyghtly after hym And soo rudely borded the shyppe of hym that had said that word that he brake one of the sydes of the shyppe and wold neuer leue hit in pees tyl they had confessed that the body of saynt marke was in the shyp That doon she helde hyr stylle thus as they sayled fast they toke none hede and the eyer began to wexe derke and thycke that they wyste not whâ—re they were Thenne apperyd Saynt marke vnto a monke to whome the body of saynt marke was delyuerd to kepe badde hym anone to stryke their sayles for they were nygh londe and he dyd soo and anone they fonde londe in an yle and by al the ryuages where as they passed it was sayd to them that they were wel happy that they ledde so noble a tresoure as the body of Saynt marke and prayed them that they wold lete them worshyp hit yet there was a maroÌ„ner that myght not byleue that it was the body of Saynt Marke but the deuyl entred in to hym and tormented hym soo longe that he coude not be delyuerd tyl he was brought to the holy body and assone as he confessyd that hit was the body of Saynt marke he was delyuerd of the wycked spyryte And euer after he had grete deuocion to saynt marke It happed after that the body of saint marke was closed in a pyler of marble and right fewe people knewe therof by cause it shold be secretely kepte Thenne it happed that they that knewe therof deyed and there was none that knewe where this grete tresour myght be wherfore the clerkes and the laye peple were gretely dyscomforted and wepte for sorowe and doubted moche that it had be stolen awaye Thenne made they solempne processyons and letanyes and the peple began to faste be in prayers And al sodeynly the stones opened shewed to alle the peple the place and stede where the holy body restyd Thenne rendred they thankynges to god of thys that he had releuyd them of theyr sorowe anguysshe And ordeyned that on that day they shal holde feste alleweye for thys deuoute reuelacyon A yonge man on a tyme had a cancre in his breste wormes ete hit whiche were come of rotyng and as he was thus tormented he prayed with good herte to saynt marke and requyred hym of helpe and ayde and after he slepte And that same tyme apperyd to hym saynt marke in fourme of a pylgrym tucked and made redy for to goo hastely ouer see and whan he demaunded hym what he was he answerd that he was saynt marke which went hastely for to socoure a shyppe whyche is in parelle Thenne he stratched and leyde his honde on hym and anone as he awoke he fonde hym self alle hole Anone after this shyppe came vnto the porte of venyse and the maronners tolde the perylle where they hâ—d ben in and how saynt marke had holpe them thenne for that one myracle and for that other the peple rendred thankynges to our lord The marchauntes of venyse wente on a tyme by the see in a shyppe of sarazyns toward Alexaunder And they sawe them in parelle they hewe the cordes of the shyppe anone the shyppe began to breke by the force of the see And all the sarezyns that were therin fyl in the see and deyed that one after that other Thenne one of the sarezyns made his auowe to saynt marke and promysed hym that yf he delyuerd hym fro this pâ—râ—lle he wold be baptysed Anone a man al shynyng apperyd to hym whyche took hym out of the water and remysed hym ageyn in to the shyppe and anone the tempest cesed whan he was comen in to alexandrye he remembryd no thynge saynt marcke whyche had delyuerd hym fro parille he wente not to vysyte hym ne he dyd hym not doo be baptyzed Thenne apperyd to hym saynt marke and sayd to hym that he remembryd euyl the bountee that he did to hym whan he delyuerd hym fro the parelle of the see and anone the sarazyn came ageyn to his conscience and he wente to venyse and was there baptysed and named marke and byleued parfitely in god and ended his lyfe in good werkes ¶ There was a man gone vp in the steple of saint marke at venyse and as he entended for to doo a werke and was troubled in suche wise that he fyl and was lyke to haue be al to broken in his membris neuerthelesse in his fallyng he cryed saynt marke anone he rested vpon a braunche that sprange out wherof he toke none hede And after one raughte and lete hym doun a corde by which he aualed doun and was saued There was a gentyl man of prouynce whiche had seruauÌ„t that wold fayne goo on pylgremage to saynt marke but he coude gete no lycence of his lord Atte laste he doubted not to angre hys lorde but wente thyder moche deuoutely And whan his lord knewe hit he bare hit moche greuously and as sone as he was comen ageyn his lord commauÌ„ded that his eyen shold be put out the other seruauntes that were redy to doo the lordes wylle made redy sharpe brochettes of yron and enforced them with al their power myght not doo hit Thenne commaunded the lord to hewe of hys thyes with axes but anone the yron was as softe as molten leed Thenne commaunded he to breke his tethe wyth yron hamers but the yron therof was so softe that they coude doo hym no harme ¶ Thenne whan the lord sawe the vertue of god so openlye
were becomen Crysten cam with their wyues to Iustyn the preest for to receyue baptysme Claudius the emperour whan Cyryll wold not doo sacryfyse dyde do cutt her throte dyde do byhede the other knyghtes And the bodyes were borne wyth the other in to the feld Verane and there buryed And it is to be noted here expressely that Claudyus succeded decyen whiche martred saynt laurence and saynt ypolyte but he succeded not decyan themperour For after the Cronykes Volusyan succeded decyan and galyen succeded volusian And claudius succeded galyen soo it behoueth that galyen had two names that is to wete galyan and decyan and so said Vyncent in his Cronyke and godeffroy in his booke Galyan called one vnto his helpe that was named decyan whome he made Cezar but not emperour so sayth Rychard in his cronyke Of thys martir sayth Ambrose in his preface The blessid martir Ypolyte considered that Ihesu criste was very duke and he wolde be his knyght and had leuer be his knyght than duke of knyghtes And he pursyewed not saynt laurence whiche was put vnder his kepyng but folowed hym soo that in suffryng martirdome he lefte the lawe of the tyraunt and cam and posseded the tresour of very rychesses which is the glorye of the kyng pardurable and perpetuel Ther was a carter named Peter whiche yoked his oxen in the carte in the feste of marye magdalene and folowed his oxen and beganne to curse them And anone the oxen and the cart were smyten with thonder And that same peter whiche had soo cursed was tormented of cruell tormentes For fire took hym so that he brente the senewes and the flessh fro his thye and the bone appered and that the thye legge fyll of thenne he wente to a chirche of oure lady and hyd his legge in an hoole of the chirche And prayd our lady with teres deuoutely for his delyueraunce And on a nyght the blessyd Vyrgyne with saynt Ypolyte cam to fore hym in a vysyon And she prayd to ypolyte that he wold restablysshe peter in his first helthe And anone saynt ypolyte tooke his legge in the hole and tooke and set it in his place like as on graffyth in a tree And he felte soo moche payne in that vysyon that he awoke and cryed so lowde that he awoke alle the meyne and they aroos and tooke lyght sawe that peter had two legges two thyes but they had supposed that it had be illusion they tasted yet yet efte ageyne and saw that he had veryly his membrys theÌ„ne they awoke hym demanded of hym hou it happed And he wende that they had mocked hym And whan he sawe it he was all abasshed yet neuertheles the newe thye was softer than the olde And myghte not wel susteyne his body therwith And by cause this myracle sholde be publysshed he halted an hoole yere And thenne the blessyd Vyrgyne apperyd to hym and saynt to saynt Ypolyte that he shold perfourme that whiche apperteyned to that cure And theÌ„ne he awoke and felt hym self al hool And thenne he entred in to a recluage To whome the deuylle apperid oftyme in the lykenes of a woman naked and ioyned to hym naked And the more he defended hym the more the deuylle approched ner in temptynge hym shamefully And whan he had ben shamefully trauayled of her he took the stole of a preestes necke and gyrd hym with hit And anon the deuyll departed And lefte lyeng there a stynkyng and roten careyne And so greete stenche yssued that ther was none that sawe it but said that it was the body of somme deed woman whiche the deuylle had taken ¶ Thus endeth the lyf of saynt ypolyte ¶ Here foloweth the assumpcion of the glorious vyrgyne oure lady saynt Marye WE fynde in a book sente to saynt Iohan theuangelyst or elles the book whiche is sayd to be apocriphum is ascrybed to hym In what maner the Assumpcion of the blessid Vyrgyn saynt Marye was made Thappostles were departed and gone in to dyuerse Countrees of the world for cause of prechyng And the blessyd lady and Vyrgyne was in an hows by the mount of Syon And as long as she lyued she vysyted all the places of her sone with grete deuocion that is to say the place of his baptysme Of his fastyng of his passion of his sepulture of his resurection and of his ascencion And after that Epyphanes sayth she lyued four and twenty yere after thascencion of her sone And he sayth also whan our lady had conceyued Ihesu Cryste she was of the age of fourten yere And she was delyuerd in the xv yere And lyued and abode with hym thre and thyrty yere And after his dethe she lyued foure and twenty yere And by this acompt whan she departed oute of this world she was lxxij yere old but hit is more probable that whiche is red in another place that she lyued after the ascencion of hyr sone twelue yere And soo thenne she was lx yere old And on a day whan alle thappostles were sprad thurgh the world in prechyng the gloryous vyrgyne was gretely esprysed and embraced with desyre to be wyth her sone Ihesu Crist And her courage eschaufed was moued And grete habundaunce of teres ranne without forth by cause she had not egally the comfortes of her sone whiche were withdraweÌ„ from her for the tyme And an angell cam to fore her with grete lyght and salewed her honourably as the moder of his lord sayenge Al hayll blessid Mary receyuyng the blyssyng of hym that sente his blessyng to Iacob lo here a bowhe of palme of paradis lady whiche I haue brought to the whiche thou shalt commaunde to be born to fore thy bere For thy sowle shalle be taken fro thy body the thirdde day next folowyng And thy sone abydeth the his honourable moder To whome she answerd yf I haue founde grace to fore thyn eyen I pray the that thou vouchesauf to shewe to me thy name And yet I praye the more hertely that my sones and my bretheren thappostles may be assembled with me soo that to fore I deye I may see them with my bodely eyen And after to be buryed of them And they beyng here I maye yelde vp my ghoost to god And also yet I praye and requyre that my spyryte yssuyng oute of the body see not the horryble ne wycked spyryte ne fende And that no myght of the deuylle come ageynste me And thenne the Aungel sayd lady wherfor desyrest thow to knowe my name whiche is grete and merueylous All thappostles shall assemble this daye to the and shal make to the noble exequyes at thy passyng And in the presence of them thow shlat gyue vp thy spyryâ—â— For he that brought the prophete by an heer fro Iudee to Babylone may withoute doute sodenly in an hour bryng thappostles to the And wherfor doubtest thou to see the wycked spyrytes sythr thou haste broken vtterly his heed And
a Bisshop frendly and admonested hym amyably And he was moche wrothe and wrote to hym a letter sayeng thus at the begynnyng Gretyng to the that haste the spyryte of blasphemye To whome he answerd I suppose not to haue the spyryte of blasphemye ne haue sayd euylle to ony man but only to the prynce the deuyll ¶ An Abbot sente to hym syx honderd marke of syluer for to make a couente but alle the money was robbed by theuys by the wey ¶ And whan saynt Bernard herd therof he sayd none other thyng but blessyd be god that hath spared me fro this charge ¶ Chanon reguler cam to hym and prayd hym moche that he wold receyue hym to be a Monke And he wold not acorde hit to hym but counceyled hym to retorne to his chirche he sayd to hym why haste thou soo moche in thy lokes preysed prefection yf thou wilt not shewe it and delyuer it to hym that coueyteth it If I had thy bookes I wold al to rende them And Bernard sayd to hym thow hast not redde many of them but that thou myghtest be parfyght in thy Cloystre I preyse in al my bookes the correction of maners And not the mutacion of places And the chanon beyng all araged lepte to hym and smote hym on the cheke that it was rede and swollen And they that were by aroos ageynst this cursyd man for to haue smeton this cursyd man but Bernard cam bitwene cryenge and coniuryng by the name of Ihesu Cryst that they shold not touche hym ne do hym none harme He hadde a customme to say to the Nouyces that wold entre in to Relygyon leue there withoute your body that wylle entre in to Relygyon leue the body withoute that ye haue taken fro the world And ioyne yow to them-that ben hew withynne late the spyryte entre only For the flesshe prouffyteth no thyng ¶ Seynt Bernardes fader wente in to the Monastery and dwellyd there a certeyne tyme And after deyde in good age ¶ The suster was maryed in to the world And on a tyme she arayed and apparaylled her in Rychesse and delyces of the world And wente to the monasterye for to vysyte her bretheren in a prowde estate and grete apparaylle And he dradde her as she hadde be the deuylle or his nette for to take sowles ne wold not goo oute for to sâ—e her ¶ And when she sawe that none of her bretheren cam ageynste her One of her bretheren that was portyer sayd to her that she was a fowle ordure stynkyng wrapped in gay array And thenne she malte al in teres and sayde yf I be a synnar god deyd for synnars And by cause I am a synfull womaÌ„ I come to aske counceylle of them that ben good yf my broder despyse my flesshe he that is seruaunt of god he ought not to despyse my sowle late my broder come And what he shalle commaunde me I shalle doo And she helde that promesse And he cam with his bretheren And by cause she myght not departe fro her husbond he taught her to despyse the glory of the world and shewed to her how she shold ensyewe the steppes of her moder And thenne whan she cam home ageyne she was so sore chaunged that in the myddle of the world she lad the lyf of an heremyte And al straunged from the world In th ende she vaynquysshed her husbond by prayers and was assoilled of her vowe and entryd in to a monastery On a tyme saynt Bernard was sore seke soo that hym semed he sholde gyue vp his spirit was at his ende as hym semed in a trauÌ„ce hym thouÈt that he was to fore god in iugemeÌ„t ther was the deuil on the other side whiche put on him many accusacioÌ„s reproches whaÌ„ he had al said bernard said without fere drede or wrathe I confesse me that I am not worthy to haue the kyngdome of heuen by myn owne merytes but our lord whiche holdeth me by double ryght as his herytage and by the merytes of his passion by that one he is content And that other he gyueth to me by whiche gyft I ouÈt not to be confounded but it apperteyneth to me by ryght And thus he was confused and the vysyon fayled and the man of god cam to hym selfe and destrayned his body by soo grete trauaill of fastynges and wakynges that he languysshed in contynuel maladye that he myght not folowe the couent but with payne On a tyme he was soo greuously seke that alle the bretheren pâ—â—yd for hym soo that he felte hym a l 〈…〉 ell alledged and eased of his payne Thenne he dyde do assemble alle his bretheren and sayde wherfore holde ye soo wretchyd a man ye be stronger and haue vaynquysshed I pray yow spare me and late me goo This hooly man was elect of many Cytees for to be a bisshop specyally of the Cyte of Iene and the cyte of Melane And refused hit not folyly ne graunted therto but sayde to them that requyred that he was not his owne but deputed to other And by the counceylle of this hooly man the bretheren so prouyded by the auctorite of the pope that none myght take hym from them whiche was theyr ioye to haue hym On a tyme whan he vysyted the ordre of Chartrehows and whan the bretheren were wel edyffyed by hym one thynge ther was that moeued a lytell the pryour of the place and that was the sadel that saynt Bernard rode on was ouer precious and shewed lytel pouerte of the bretheren and the pryour told hit to one of the bretheren And the broder sayd it to saynt Bernard And he merueyled and axed what sadle it was and sente for hit For he wyste not what sadle hit was how well he had ryden vppon hit fro Clereuaulx to the chartrehows he weÌ„t all a long day by the lake of lozane sawe not the lake ne took hede of hit And at euen as his felawes spak of that lake he demaunded where was that lake And whan they herde that they merueyled strongly For certeynly the humblenes of his herte vaynquysshed in hym the heyght of name For the world couthe neuer enhaunce hym so hyghe but he allone humbled hym selfe the more he was reputed souerayne of alle and he acounted hym self leste and moost lowe And at the last he confessyd that whan he was amonge his souerayne honours and fauours of the peple hym semed that there was another man chaunged in hym or as he had ben in a dreme And there where he was among the mooste symple bretheren he vsyd moost amyable humylyte there he ioyed there fonde he hym self and that he was retourned in to his owne persone he was alwey founden to fore the houres or redyng or wrytyng or in medytacions or in edifyeng his bretheren by word On a tyme as he prechyd to the peple And that they al vnderstode deuoutely his wordes suche a temptacion arose in his hert veryly now prechest
Freres grekes that were in desert hadde leyd their table more curyously than in an other tyme And had made redy the glasses and sette them on the lorde And when saynt Fraunceis sawe that he anone withdrewe hym sat on his hede the hat of a poure maÌ„ whiche was there and bare his staf in his honde and wente oute and abode at the gate And when the freâ—s ete at dyner he cryed at the dore that they sholde gyue for the loue of god an almesse to a poure seke man Thenne the poure man was callid in And entrid and satte doune allone vppon the erth and set his dysshe in the dust whiche whanne the Freres sawe they were abasshed and were sore agast And he sayd to them I see the table arayed and aourned And I knowe well that it is not for poure men that seke their mete fro dore to dore he loued pouerte in hym self and in all other soo that he called alwey pouerte his lady But whanne he sawe one more poure than hym self he had therof enuye and doubted to be ouercome of hym On a day he sawe a poure woman he shewed her to his felawe and sayde the pouertâ— of this woman doth to vs shame and repreueth strongly oure pouerte For for my Rychesses I haue chosen my lady pouerte And she shyneth more in this woman than in me whanne on a tyme a poure man passid to fore hym and the hooly man was meuyd with inward compassion his felawe sayd to hym though this man be poure parauenter ther is not a rycher of his wylle in alle the prouynce Thenne saynt Fraunceis sayd to hym Anone despoylle the of thy cote and gyue it to the poure man and knowleche thy self culpable and knele doun to his feet To whome anone he obeyed and dyd so On a tyme thre wymmen lyke of vysage all thynges of habite entrid met hym salewed in this manere Welcome my lady pouerte and anone they vanysshed awey and were nomore sene On a tyme as he cam to the cyte of Arete and a mortall bataylle was meuyd in the Cyte This holy man sawe vpon the burgh on the ground the deuyls makyng ioye and were glad Thenne he called his felawe named Syluestre and sayde to hym go to the yate of the Cyte And commaunde to these deuyls in goddes name that is almyghty that they go oute of the Cyte· Thenne he wente hastely and ceyed strongly Al ye deuyls departe from hens in the name of god and by the commaundemeÌ„t of Fraunceis onâ—e fader And they wente awey And thenne the Cytezeyns anone bycam to accorde The forsayd Syluester whanne he was yett a seculer preest he sawe in his slepe a golden Crosse yssue oute of the mouth of saynt Fraunceis of the whiche the ouer ende touched heuen and the armes of the Crosse stratched fro that one to that other parte of the world Thenne this preest hadde conpunction and left the world and folowed perfightely this hooly man saynt Fraunceis and on a tyme as this holy man was in prayer the deuyll callid hym thryes by his owne name and whanne the holy man had answerd hym he said none in this world is soo grete a synnar but yf he conuerte hym our lord wold pardone hym But who that sleeth hym self by hard penaunce shall neuer fynde mercy And anone this hooly man knewe by the reuelacion the fallace and deceyte of the fende how he wold haue withdrawen hym for to doo well and whanne the deuyll saw that he myght not preuayle ayenst hym He tempted hym by greuous temptacion of the flesshe and whan this holy seruaunt of god felte that he despoyllid of his clothes and bete hym self right hard with an hard corde sayeng Thus broder Asse it behoueth the to remayne and to be beten and whan the temptacion departed not he wente oute and plonged hym self in the snowe al naked and made seuen grete balles of snowe and purposed to haue taken them in to his body and sayd this grettest is thy wyf and of these foure two ben thy doughters â— and two thy sones and the other tweyne that one thy chaÌ„berer and that othir thy varlet or yemaÌ„ haste the and clothe them For they al deye for cold and yf thy besynes that thow hast aboute them greue the sore Thenne serue our lord parfightely and anon the deuyll departed from them al confused and saynt Fraunceis retournyd ageyne in to his celle gloryfyeng god And as he dwellyd on a tyme with Leon the cardynal of saynt Crosse in a nyght the deuils cam to hym and bete hym right greuously Thenne he callyd his felawe and said to hym these ben deuyls Iaylers of our lord whome he sendeth to punysshe the excesses but I can remembre me of none offencis that I haue done but by the mercy of god I haue wasshed them awey by satisfaction But parauenture he hath sente me them by cause he wylle not suffre me to falle by cause I dwelle in the Courtes of greete lordes whiche thynge perauentur engendreth not good syspection to my right poure bretheren whiche suppose I habounde in delyces And erly in the mornynge he aroos and departed thens On a tyme as he was in his prayers he sawe vpoon the couerynge of the hows assembles and companyes of deuyls whiche ranne hyder and thyder with grete noyse And he wente oute and signed hym with the signe of the Crosse and sayd I saye to yow in the name of almyghty god that ye deuylles do to my body all that is suffrid to yow to doo And I shall suffre hit pacyently For I haue no gretter enmye than my body and ye shal auenge me of myn aduersarye whyles ye take on hit vengeaunce by my lyf thenne they vanysshed awey al confused There was a Frere whiche was felaw of saynt Fraunceis was on a tyme rauysshed and sawe in spyryte the gloryous place in heuen wherin he sawe amonge other seetes a ryght noble seete shynynge of more noble glorye than the other And as he merueyled for whome this noble syege or sete was kepte he herd that it was sayd that this sete longed somtyme to one of the prynces that fylle And is nowe made redy to the meke and humble Fraunceys And when saynt Fraunceys yssued fro his prayers that frere demauÌ„ded hym Fader what wenest thou of thy self And he sayd I wene that I am grettest of alle synners And anone the spyryte cam in to the herte of the frere and sayd beholde what was the vysion that thow sawest Fro humylyte shal lyfte vp the mooste meke man vnto the sete lost by pryde This hooly man saynt Fraunceis sawe in a vysion aboue hym Seraphyn crucyfyed the whicehe emprynted in hym the signes of his crucyfyenge that hym semed that he was crycyfyed and that in his handes his feet and in his syde hym semed were the signe of the wouÌ„des of the crucyfyeng but he dyde hyde these tokenes
cam from without fro their werke and dreyde them and kissed them Seuenthly how Saynte clare kepte pouerte It is redde that for to kepe and to folowe pouerte after the gospell of Ihesu crist saynt Clare put therto all her entente wherfor syth the begynnyng of her holy lyf al that euer that come to her of fader moder she solde and gaf it for goddes sake in so moche that for her ne for her susters she hadde but symple fedynge and clothynge ne wold haue none other And notwithstondynge that she was assoylled of the pope of the vowe of pouerte And thervpon had receyued lettres of the pope moche sodenly wepyng she wrote ageyne sayenge I wylle well be assoylled of my synnes but the vowe of pouerte I shalle kepe vnto the deth The eyght How in necessite Ihesu criste vysyted her It is redde that on a tyme at the hour of dyner in the college of saynte Clare was but one loof of brede nether myÈt no more be had thenne saint Clare tooke this loof of the hand of the dispenser and made thenne her prayer And after of that loof made as many loues and partyes as there were susters And as soone as eueryche had receyued her parte how well hit was but lytel the dyuyne grace multyplyed it so moche that eueryche lefte somme and hadde ynough Item semblably it is redde that god dyde for her whanne in her college the pottes were faylled Nynthly how in straytnes saynt Clare was rulyd This holy lady was contente with one poure cote lyned with a mantelet She vsed neuer pendauntes ne furres of skynnes but dispendyd all her tyme in kepynge her body in seruage of the spyryte And here with thryes in the weke she fasted in this manere that she neuer tasted thynge that was soden Item euery yere she fasted two lentens to brede and water only sauf the sonday she tooke a lytell wyn And shortely she lyued so straytly that she becam so feble that saynt FrauÌ„ceis commaunded her by vertu of obedyence that she shold faylle no daye but that she shold take for her refection an vnce and an half of brede She was neuer withoute heyr nexte her flesshe And for a pelowe she tooke a block or a grete stone She laye alwey on the bare ground Or for to take the better her reste she laye otherwhyle vp on the cuttynge of vynes vnto the tyme that saynt Fraunceis had commauÌ„ded her by cause hit was ouer fowle that she shold vse to lye on a sack ful of strawe Tenthly how she hath despised thynyquyte of the fende our enemy It is redde that in especyall she hadde a custome that from mydday she was in prayers and remembrynge the passion and suffraunce of Ihesu Cryste two houres durynge And after the eueutyde she was alwey a long whyle in orysons And it is redde that oftymes the fende apperyd to her by nyght sayenge yf soo be that ye absteyne yow not fro wakyng and wepyng ye shall for certayne be blynde And she ansuerde he shalle not be blynde that shall see oure lord in his glory And whanne the fende herd this answere anone he departed alle confused ne durste neuer after tempte her ne lette her of her prayers Enleuenthly god of his grace had perced her herte It is redde that saynt Clare for to dispende amerously the tyme that god hadde lente her In especyalle she was determyned that fro the houre of mydday vnto euensong tyme she wold dispende al that tyme in thynkynge and bywepynge the passion of Ihesu Cryst and saye prayers and orysons acordynge therto After vnto the fyue woundes of the precious body of Ihesu Cryste as smeton and persed to the herte with the darte of the loue diuyne It is redde that fro the tyme on a sherthursdaye the houre of the maundye vnto ester euen the satyrday she was remembrynge and thynkyng on the suffraunce of oure lord Ihesus so brennyngly that she was rauysshed as all dronken in the loue of god that she knewe not what was sayd ne done aboute her but as vnmeuable or as all insensible in stondynge she held her eyen fixed in one place Twelftly how in her dysease and payne she was of god comforted It is sayd that she was by the space of eyght and twenty dayes in contynuelle langoure and sekenes Neuertheles was neuer sene in her signe of vnpacyence but alwey swete wordes amyable in preysyng thankyng god of all and in especiall hit is redde that in the sekenes in whiche he passyd toward th ende of her lyf she was seuenten dayes without mete or drynke And neuertheles she was so swetely vysited of god that it semed vnto alle them that sawe her that she hadde no payne ne dysease but yet more euery creature that come to her was comforted in god And in especial it is redde that whanne the houre of deth approched she whiche long tyme had lost her speche· beganne to speke and saye goo oute surely thow hast a good saufconduyte And whanne one of her sustrrs beynge there present herde that she demaunded her to whom she spack And she answerd to my sowle whome I see abasshid to deporte fro my body for he oughte not for to doubte For I see the holy vyrgyne Marye whiche abydeth for me And this sayd Our blessyd lady entrid in to the chambre where saynt Clare laye And she was crowned with a crowne ryght clere shynyng that thobscurite of the nyÈt was chaunged in to clerenes of mydday And she brought with her a ryght grete multitude of other vyrgyns alle nobly crowned amonge whome there was one that bare a ryche mantelle To whome she sayd gyue hyder the maÌ„tell And whanne she hadde swetely embracyd her she cladde her with the mantell And at that same tyme was wepynge aboute her the college of susters And in especiall Agnes the suster of saynt Clare makynge grete mone and sorowe Thenne saynte Clare sayd swetely My susters discomforte yow not For ye shall haue vnto god of me a good and a trewe Aduocate And thou Agnes shalle soone after folowe me in to glorye Now is it well reason and ryght that we saye and shewe of the grete meruaylles that god shewed for saynt Clare by hyr holy prayers For she was verytable trewe and worthy of alle honoure That grete tempest that was in the tyme of Frederyck themperour wherof hooly Chirche had soo moche to suffre that in dyuerse partyes of the world was moche warre so that by the commaundement of themperour were bataylles establysshed of knyghtes And with that soo many Archers of Sarasyns as they hadde be hylles of flyes for to destroye the peple Chastellis Cytees The Sarasyns ranne as woodmen tylle they cam to the yates of Assyse And the felon sarasyns that ben full of alle cruelte and falshede And seke nothynge but for to flee and destroye Crysten mennes blood And they cam vnto the Cloystre of the poure ladyes of
his fote to kysse by grete humylyte And she took it and kyssed it moche swetely and after enclyned her self to the pope moch humbly and requyred hym with a swete chyere that he wold assoille her of alle her synnes To whome he sayde wold god that we hadde nomore nede of absolucion of synnes that we haue done than ye haue And thenne he assoylled her of all her synnes and gaf to her largely his benediction And whanne they were al departed for as moche as she hadde receyued that day by the handes of the mynyster prouynciall the very body of oure lord She lift vp her eyen to oure lord to heuen and ioyned her handes to gyder And sayde thenne Ha my right swete fair doughters our lord Ihesu crist by his debonairte hath done to me soo grete good and gyuen to me so grete a yefte that heuen ne erthe maye not knowe For I haue receyued this day a moche hyhe lord and also haue sene his vycayre The good doughters were aboute the bedde which wepte and abode for the orphalyns Wherof they hadde moche grete sorowe in their hertes For the deth of their moder percyd their hertes lyke as it were a swerd which doughters departed not fro her ne for hongre ne for thurst ne for no slepe ne they thouÈt neyther of bedde ne of table Alle the delytes that they had was for to crye to wepe to make sorowe And amonge alle the other her suster whiche was a moche deuoute vyrgyne wepte many teres sayd to saynt Clare her suster Fayre and ryght swete suster departe not awe ye fro me And leue me not here allone And saynt Clare answerd to her moche swetely Faire swete saster It plesyth to god that I departe fro thys world but wepe no more fayr suster For ye shalle come hastely to oure lord hastely after me And also I say you that oure lord shalle doo to yow grete comforte and consolacion to fore or ye deye After this holy and good Clare drewe fast to her ende And the folke and peple had to her grete deuocion And the prelates and cardynals cam ofte to see her And honoured her as a very saynte But there was a merueylous thynge to here For she was by the space of twelue dayes that neuer entryd in to her body no corporall mete And she was so stronge by the suffraunce and grace of god that she comforted in the seruyse of god alle them that come to fore her And desyred and charged them to doo well And whanne Frere Reynald whiche was debonayr cam for to see her And beheld the grete sekenes that she hadde long tyme suffred he prechyd to her and prayd her moche to haue pacyence And anone she answerd to hym frely and debonayrly Syth that the holy man saynt Fraunceis the seruaunt of Ihesu Cryst hath shewed to me the weye of trouthe And that I haue felte and knowen the wylle and grace of Ihesu cryst by the aduertysement of saynt Fraunceis knowe ye ryght dere broder that no paynes displease me ne no penaunce greueth me ne no sekenesses ben to me hard ne displesen then answerd she to the frere whanne she felte oure lord knocke at her yate for to take her sowle oute of this world And requyred that good folke and spyrytuel shold be with her that she myght here of them the holy wordes of god and specially the wordes of the dethe and passion of Ihesu Cryste And amonge alle other cam a Frere named vynberes whiche was one of the noble prechers that was in erthe and that oftymes spacke and sayd noble and holy wordes ardaunt and good of whos comynge she was moche glad And prayd hym that yf he hadde made redy ony newe thynge that he shold saye it And thenne the frere opened his mouthe and beganne to saye so swete wordes that they were lyke sparklys of fyre and of ardaunt feruour or hete wherof the holy vyrgyne had moche grete consolacion Thenne she tourned her and sayd to her doughters Swete doughters I recommauÌ„de to yow the holy pouerte of our lord And gyue ye to hym thankynges for that he hath done to yow Thenne she blessyd all them that had deuocion to her and to her ordre And gaf largely and wysely her blessynge to alle the poure ladyes of her ordre that were to fore her there The two felawes of saynt Fraunceis that were there of whom that one was named Aungel comforted them that were ful of sorowe And that other Frere kyssed deuoutely and holyly the bedde of her that shold passe to oure lord The hooly ladyes sorowed moche the losse of their moder And as moche more as they cryed and wepte without forth so moche more were they ardauntly greuyd within forth Thenne saynt clare began to speke to her soule al softely Go sayd she go surely For thou hast a good guyde and conduytour in the waye where as thou shalt go whiche shall lede the well the righte way Go sayde she hardyly for he that made the and sanctyfyed the shalle kepe the For he loueth the also tenderly as the moder doth her childe Lord god sayd she blessyd be thou that madest me And thenne one of her susters demanded her to whome she spack I haue sayd she spoken to my blessid sowle And withoute faylle her glorious conduy tour is not fer fro her Thenne she called one of her doughters and seyd to her Fair doughter seest thou the kynge of glory whome I see but the doughter sawe hym not For the wylle of god was that one shold see that an other sawe not For ther was an happy wydowe and comfortable whiche sawe hym with the eyen of her heede among the teres that she wepte And yet neuertheles she was wounded to the herte with a darte full of swetenes and of sorowe Thenne she torned her syght toward the dore of the hows And sawe a grete companye of vyrgyns entre in to the hows alle cladde with whyte clothes And eche of them bare a crowne of gold in her hede And amonge alle other there was one moche more clere and fayrer than the other whiche bare a crowne of gold wyndowed oute wherof yssued a ryght grete clerenes that all the hows was so clerly lyght that it semed the nyght to be clere day And this lady that was soo clere approched to the bedde where as the spouse of her sone laye And she enclyned vpon her and embraced her moche swetely Thenne the vyrgyns brought a mantell of ryght grete beaute And the vyrgyns enforced them to serue and to couer the body of saynt Clare And wel to make redy the hows And on the morne was the fest of saynte Laurence And thenne deyde and departed oute of this mortall lyf the holy lady and frende of our lord And anone the sowle of her was crouned in euerlastynge ioye The spyryte of her was moche benyngnely and ioyously losed and
and he in despyte sayd goo your waye For in no maner shal ye neuer haue lycence of me that this newe songe shal be song and whan the feste of saynt nycholas come The brethern sayd theyr matyns alle in heuynesse and their vygylles whan they were alle in theyr beddes Saynt nycholas apperyd vysybly and moche ferfully to the pryour and drewe hym out by the heer and smote hym doun on the pamente of the dortour began to synge the hystorye O pastor eterne and at euery note he smote hym wyth a rodde that he helde in his honde right greuously on his backe and sange melodyously thys antheme vnto the ende and thenne the pryour cryed so lowde that he awoke al hys brethern and was borne to hys bedde as halfe deed and whan he came to hym self he sayd goo ye and synge the newe hystorye of saynt nycholas from hens forth In that same tyme the abbotte of the couente of molesyne and xxj monkes wyth hym went for to dwelle in deserte for to kepe more straytelye the professyon of theyr pale and there establysshed a newe ordre out of the ordre Hyldebrande pryour of clugny was made pope and was callyd gregory and whan he was in the lasse ordres and was sente as a legate he conuaynquysshed meruayllously at lyons the archebysshop of ebronycence of symonye For thys archebysshop had corrumped alle his accusers soo that he myght not be conuaynquysshed And thenne the legate commaunded hym that he shold saye In nomine patris et filij and he myght not say et spiritus sancti by cause he had synned in the holy ghoost and thenne he confessyd his synne and was deposed name theÌ„ne the holy ghoost with clere voys and thys myracle reherceth bruno in his book that he made to mathewe the emperour and whan thys henry was dede it was wryton on his tombe where as he was buryed wyth other kynges Here lyeth henry the sone of henry the fader henry the belfader henry the olde belfader and after thys henry reygned henry the fyfthe in the yere of our lord a thousand C and one which toke the pope with the cadynallys and lefte hem in the habyte of bysshoppes and of abhottes took the rynge and the staffe pastoralle In that tyme bernarde his brethern â—ook the relygyon of cysteaulx in the paroche of lyege a sowe bare a pygge hauyng the vysage of a man and an henne had a chykyn with foure feet and after thys henry succeded Lothayre in whos tyme a woman in spayne chylded a monstre whyche had double body and that one ioyned to that other by the backes and tofore had the semblaunce of a man hole of body and membrys ordynatelye and behynde was the semblaunce of a woman hole in alle propertees After Lothayr reygned Conrade the yere a thousand an hondred xxxviij That tyme deyed hughe of saynt vyctor whiche was a right excellent doctour in al scyence and deuoute in relygyon of whome it is sayd that whan he was in his laste Infyrmyte that he myght reteyne no mete yet he requyred alweye to haue the body of our lord wyth grete deuocyon thenne his brethern wold please hym and brought to hym a symple hoost vnsacred in manere of the body of our lord and he knewe it wel in spyryte and sayd God forgyue you brethern wherfore wold ye deceyue me Thys is not my lord that ye brynge to me and anone they were abasshed and ranne and fette to hym the body of our lord and thenne he sawe hym whome he myght not receyue lyfte vp his handes to heuen and sayd now I see the sone ascende to the fader and the spyryte to god that maad hym And wyth thyse wordes he gafe vp his spyryte and the body of our lord vanysshed aweye fro them that helde hym Eugene abbotte of saynt anastase was establysshed pope But he was put out of the cyte by cause the senatours had maad another pope And thenne he come in to fraunce and sente saynt bernarde tofore hym whiche prechyd the waye of our lord dyd many myracles And thenne floured Gylbarte the patryarke Frederyke neuewe of conrade was emperour in the yere of our lord a thousand C liij And that tyme flouryd maister pieter lombard byshop of paris Whiche compyled the book of sentences The glose of the sawter and of the epystles of paule moche prouffytably and in that tyme were seen thre mones in heuen and in the myddes of the thre was the sygne of the crosse and it was not longe after that thre sonnes were seen also ¶ And thenne was Alysaunder chosen ryghtfully for to be pope and ageynste hym were chosen octauyan Iohannes cremensis of the tytle of saynt calyxte and Iohannes perscrumetencis successyfly to the papacye were ennoblysshed by the fauour of the emperour to the see this discorde and scysme endured eyghtene yere Within wyich tyme the almayns whiche dwellyd in toscane for themperour assaylled the Romayns whyche were at mountpourt and slewe fro none to euensonge soo moche people that there were neuer so many romayns slayne how be it that in the tyme of Hanybal there were soo many slayne that thre busshellys were fylled with golde rynges that were taken of theyr fyngres which hanyhal dyd do sende to cartage and many of them were buryed at saynt stephens and saynt laurences and it was wryton vpon theyr sepulture that they were ten tyme a thousand and ten thousand x tymes xvj hondred and an halfe and whan the emperour frederyk vysyted the holy londe and wysshe hym in a ryuer and there he perysshed and deyed and as other saye he waterd his hors and hys hors fyl doun in the water and so he deyed Henry was emperour after hym in the yere a thousand an hondred four score ten In that tyme were soo grete raynes thondres lyghtnynges and tempestes that neuer had been soo grete that ony man myght remembre For stones fyl as grete as egges were square whyche were medlyd wyth the rayne destroyed the vygnes trees and the corne and slewe men beestys crowys and other byrdes and somme fowles were seen fleyng by the ayer in that tempeste whyche bare coles brennyng in theyr bylles and beckes and sette fyre on howses thys henry was alweye a tyraunte ageynste the chyrche of Rome and therfore whan he was dede Innocente the pope opposed ageynst phylyp his sone that he shold not be emperour and helde wyth the partye of otto sone of the duc of Saxone made hym to be crowned kyng af Almayne at acone In that tyme many barons of fraunce went ouer the see for the delyueraunce of the holy londe and they took Constantynoble In that tyme began thordre of freres prechours and of the menours Innocent the thyrd sente messagers to phelyp kynge of fraunce for to assayle the londe of albygeoys for to take fro hem the heresyes and
merueylle it is how we knowe of none Therfore we shal praye to our lord Ihesu cryste ¶ Thus endeth the lyf of saint Morante ¶ Here folowe the lyf of saint Lowys kynge of Fraunce SAynt Lowes somtyme the noble kyng of fraunce had to his fader a kyng ryght cristen named lowys this lowys fader bataylled foughte ageynst the heretykes and ablygoys and of the contre of tholouse and extyrped their heresye ye and as he retourned in to Fraunce he passyd vnto our Lord Thenne the chylde of holy chyldehode faderlesse abode and dwellyd vnder the kepyng of the quene blaunche his moder somtyme doughter to the kynge of castylle and as she that louyd hym tenderlye betoke hym for to be lernyd and taughte vnder the cure and gouernaunce of a special maister in condycyons and in lettres and he also as the yonge salamon chylde wyse and dysposed to haue a good sowle prouffyted right gretelye in al thynges more than ony childe of his age of whiche good lyf and chyldehode his debonayr moder enioysyng hir self sayd ofte tymes to hym in thys manere Ryghte deresone rather I wold see the deth comyng on the thenne to see the falle in to a dedely synne ageynste thy creatour the whiche worde the deuoute chylde took and shette it soo wythin hys courage that by the grace of god which deffended and kepte hym it is not founde that euer he felte ony aâ—ouchemente â—atche or spotte of mortal crysme In the ende by the pourueaunce of his moder and of the barons of the londe to th ende that so noble a royaulme ne shold not faylle of sucâ—essyon ryalle the holy man took a wyf of the which he receyued and gate on hyr fayr chyldren whyche by souerayn cure le made to be nourysshed endoctrined taught to the loue of god and despyte of the world and to knowe them selfe by holy admonestyng and ensaumples and whan he myght tende secretelye to them vysytyng them and requyryng of theyr prouffyte as the auncyente thobye gaue to them admonestyng of salut techyng them ouer alle thynges to drede god and to kepe absteyne them assyduelly from alle synne Garlondes made of Roses of other floures he forbade and deffended them to were on the fryday for the crowne of thorne that was on suche a day put on the heed of our lord and by cause that he wyste wel and knewe that chastytâ—e in delyces pyte in rychees humnlyte in honour often peryshen betoke and gaue his courage to sobryete and good dyete to humylite and my sericorde kepyng hym self ryght curyously fro the pryckyng sawtes and watche of the world the flesshe and the deuyll chastysed hys body and brought it to seruytude by the ensaumple of the appostles he forced hym self to serue his spyryte by dyuers castygacion or chastysyng he vsed the hayre many tymes nexte hys flesshe whan he lefte it for cause of ouer feblenesse of his body at the Instaunce of hys owne confessour he ordeyned the said confessour to gyue to the poure folke as for recompensacion of euery day that he faylled of hit fourty shyllynges he fastyd alweye the fryday and namelye in tyme of lente and aduentes he absteyned hym in tho dayes from al maner of fysshe and fro fruytes and contynuelly trauayllâ—d and paynyd his body by watchynges orysons and other secretes abstynences and dyscyplynes humylite beaute of all vertues resplendysshed so stronge in hym that the more better he wexyd so as dauyd the more he shewyd hym self meke humble and more foule he reputed hym before god For he was acustomed on euery satyrday to wosshe with his owne handes in a secrete place the feet of somme poure folke and after dryed them wyth a fayre towel and kyssed moche humbly and semblahly theyr handes dystrybuyng or desyng to euery one of them a certeyn of syluer also to seuen score poure men whiche dayly came to his courte he admynystred mete and drynke wyth hys owne handes and were fedde habonndantlye on the vygyles solempne and on somme certeyn dayes in the yere to two hondred poure before that he ete or dranke with his owne handes admynystred and seruyd theym bothe of mete and of drynke He euer had bothe at his dyuer and sowper thre auncyente poure whiche ete nyghe to hym to whome he charytably sente of suche metes as were broughte before hym and somtyme the dysshes and metes that the poure of our Lord had touched wyth theyr handes and specialle the soppes of whiche he fayne ete made theyr remenaunte or relyef to be brought before hym to the ende that he shold ete it and yet ageyn to honour and worshyp the name of our Lord on the poure folke he was not ashamed to ete theyr relyef Also he Wold not vse scarlate ne gownes of ryche clothe ne also furryng of ouer grete pryse and coste and namelye sythe he came fro the partyes of beyonde see the fyrste tyme ageyn he coueytyd by grete desire the growyng vp of the feyth wherfore he as veray louer of the feyth and couetous for to enhaunce it as he yet that of late conâ—allesshed and yssued out of a greuous seeknesse lyeng at pontoyse toke the crosse with grete deuocyon fro the hande of the bysshop of parys ledde with hym thre of hys brethern wyth the grettest lordes and barons in hys royalme and many a knyght other peple with hym applykd on his waye and with ryght grete hoost arryued in to egypte the whyche settyng foot on grounde ocupyed took by force of men of armes that same cytee renommed whiche is called damette and alle the regyon aboute Thenne after the crysten oost esprysed and bete with a moche grete and wonderful sekenesse by the Iuste Iugemente of god many crysten men deyed there in soo moche that of the nombre of two and thyrty thousand fyghtyng men ne was there lefte on lyue but syx thousand men god fader of myserycorde wyllyng hym self shewed wonderful and meruaylable on his saynt gafe betoke the sayd kyng champyon or deffensour of the feythe in to the handes of the euyl paynyms to th ende that he shold appere more meruaylable and as the debonayr kynge myght haue scaped by the nexte shyppe nygh thens alwayes he yelded hym self with his good gree to th ende that he myght delyuer hys peple thorugh the encheson of hym He was put to grete raunsom whiche payed wold yet abyde prysonner for the payemente or raunsom of other hys lordes and barons and thenne after he put and lefte so as Ioseph oute of the chartre or pryson of egypte not as fleeyng or dredeful retorned anone vnto the propre or owne partyes but fyrst abode contynuelly by the space of fyue yere in syrye where he conuertysed many paynyms to the feythe and he beyng there the crysten out of the paynyms handes dyched and fortefyed many townes castellys with stronge walles ¶ He founde thenne aboute sydoyne many dede bodyes
how be it that he was tendre yonge of eage yet semyd to be aunciente in maners condycions courage whan he was ledde in to catheloygne a prouynce of the royame of arragon with hys two brethern in ostage or pledge for the delyueraunce of the sayd kyng theyr fader he gaue hym self so fermelye to the studye that in seuen yere while he was pledge he prouffyted soo moche in the feuen sciences in holy scripture that the same goddes man resplendysshyng in wytte myght not not onely dispute subtylly in publyke and a parte of the sayd sciences but also durste coude propose the worde of god solempnelye vnto the peple and before clerkes In so moche that men supposed and byleued better that god had sente and enspyred hym wyth suche scyence than hit had be goten by hym humaynlye he confessed hym ofte and dylygentelye and herde the deuyne seruyce deuoutelye and on the solempne and hygh holy dayes with grete preparacion he receyued the body of our lord and whan he was preest he celebred as dayly herkened moche ententyfly the word of god and for the nourysshyng of his sowle he gladly and ofte studyed the holy deuoute scriptures fro the tyme of his chyldehode he loued chastyte so that for the moost sure kepyng of hym self he fled eschewed the companye of al wymmen in so moche that he spake to none sauf onely to his moder and with hys susters yet selde He chastysed his body by abstynence of mete drynke made it lene dyscyplyned it as another saynt paule with chaynes of yron right ofte wyth his owne handes and he puttyng his flesshe vnder the seruytude of the spyryte ware for a shyrte a stamyn or streyner clothe for gyrdel he gyrded hym on his bare flesshe wyth a corde This holy man thenne remembryng his vowe to entre in to thordre of the frere menours by hym maad â—â—yng in ostage as it is sayd in the prouynce of catheloygne purposed to accomplysshe it but he seeyng that for fere of the sayd kynge his fader the freres durst not receyue hym he solempnelye renewed the sayd vowe and by no maner of persuacion admonestyng ne for ony prouysion that pope boneface had made gyuen to hym he wold not assente to forsake it whiche deuocyon consyderyd by thassente of the sayd pope this holy saint bowes toke thabyte of religyon of the said freres menours knelyng made expresse professyon in the prefeÌ„ce of IohÌ„n bisshop of portuence which as thenne was mynyster general of the same ordre Meruayllous moche wonderful thynge it is not acustomed to be seen for the same holy saynt fylled with vertues renounced to the right of the first borne defpyted the pompe or worshyp of the syege rayl for the wyame temporal corruptyble chaunged gate the royame pardurable and ful of al manere delyces He had meeuayllous compassyon on the poure peple to whome largelye he dalte hys almoses Thys holy saynt Loyes as goddes plesure was 〈◊〉 pope bonyface promoted hym to the dygnyte of bysshop and not wythstondyng he neuer chaunged hys habyte but dylygentelye excerced the offyce of bysshop ¶ He celebred deuoutelye the ordres examyned dylygently in lyf in condycyons and in the artycles of the feythe and he louyng feruentelye the feythe wyllyng and euer redy to enhaunce it persuaded admonested ententyfly the Iewes and paynyms to baptesme and at the laste tâ—ys gloryous saynt tendyng to god fonteyn quycke and lyuyng nyghe the terme of hys dayes lyeng on hys bedde seek wyth his laste sekenesse took and deuoutelye receyued the precyous body of our lord and how be it that he was ryght feble he yssued from his bedde ageynst his creatour and anone after he passed right gloryously oute of thys world to the glorye of paradyse wherfore it was wel behoueful and resonable thynge that he in whos lyf duryng god aourned wyth soo many vertues and good condycyons shold be ennobled and honoured of many myracles after hys dethe the whyche myracles are approued and testefyed by the worthy people of the feyth and are declared herafter to the honoure glorye of the sayd Saynt A mayden of two yere of age the whyche was agreuyd with a stronge axes whiche she had suffred by the space of two yere deyed and passyd fro thys world hyr fader besoughte the saynt for hyr lyf and anone by the merytes of the saynt she was reysed and restoryd on lyue A chylde of fyue yere of age by ouer grete force of an axes deyed vowe by hys fader made for hym to the saynt was restoryd ageyn vnto lyf A mayden of seuen yere of eage whiche had suffred an axes contynuel deyed and vowe made vnto the same saynt by hyr parentes recoueryd the spyryte of lyf and lyued longe after A woman conceyuyng two doughters one of the whiche for cause of a falle that hyr moder receyued ageynst hyr bely deyed within the wombe of hyr moder tyme came that the moder shold be delyuerd of hyr bryâ—he this chylde dede and as thenne aâ—â—e roten by helpe and mysterye of mydwyuee was had oute one pyece after another vowe maad by the fader to the saynt The chylde so dysmembryd was restoryd to lyf and lyued after seuen moneâ—hes Another chylde whyche vnder a bedde was founde deed vowe maad to the same Saynt was the chylde restoryd to lyf ¶ A woman which by grete sekenesse was passed out of this world vowe maad for hyr by hy parentes vnto the saynt recouerd the spyryte of lyf and syâ—hen lyued longe wyth thyse myracles and many other wold god hys saynt to be magnefyed and rendred honourable to alle the world Therfore lete vs praye the holy saynt loyes of marcelle that he wyl praye god for vs AMEN Thus endeth the lyf of saint Loyes of marcelle bisshop And here foloweth the lyf of saint audegonde virgyne IN the thyme of dagoberte kynge of Fraunce whiche reygned about the yere syx hondred was borne saynt audegonde of lygnage ryalle Thys holy audegonde was nourysshed in the seruyce of gods and yet I may say that our lord hym self nourysshed hyr in his seruyce and endoctryned hyr as wel hym self presente by noble vysyons and wonderful as by his aungellys men wymmen relygyous and holy as wâ—l by hyr owne holy suster as by other as it apperyth in hir legende none oughte not thenne to be meruaylled yf she lyued holyly that was scoler of suche a scole whan thenne thys holy audegonde was of eage competente her fader and moder wold haue maryed hyr to a noble man ryche myghty but in conclusyon she answeryd that none other she wold take to hyr lord and spouse but our lord Ihesu cryste to whome of bounte beaute noblesse puyssannce rychesse and wytte may none be compared Saynt wantrud of mouns whiche after the decesse of hyr husbonde Saynt vyncente of Songnyes made hir professyon in
ketild hym and wolde haue drawen hym to her entente And at the last whan she felt hym vnmeuable though she were vnshamefast yet she was ashamed all confused aroos and wente her wey Another tyme as he was herbourâ—hed in the hows of a lady she consydered the beaute of this yong man and was gretely achauffed and strongly desyred his company And thenne she ordeyned a bedde oute fro the other And in the nyght she aroos withoute shame And cam secretely to hym And when he felte her he cryed theues theues And she fled and lyght a candel her self sought the theef and none was founden And thenne eche man wente to his bed ageyne but this vnhappy woman rested not but aroos ageyne and went to the bed of Bernard as she dyde to fore And he cryed theues theues And the theef was souÈt but he was not fouÌ„den ne publysshed of hym whiche knewe her wel And yet was she chaced the thyrdde tyme And thenne with grete payne she cessed what for drede and despayr And on the morne as they wente by the wey his felaws repreued hym of that he had so dremed of theues and enquyred of hym what it was And he answerd Veryly I haue suffryd this nyght the assaylynges of a theef For myn hostesse enforced to take awey fro me tresour not recouerable And thenne he bythought hym self that it was not sure thyng to duelle with the serpent And thoughte for to flee it And thenne he ordeyned hym to entre in to the ordre of Cistews And whan his bretheren knewe it they wold haue taken hym from that purpoos and our lord gaf to hym soo grete grace that they myght not torne hym fro his conuersyon but he brought alle his bretheren and many other to religyon Neuertheles Gerard his broder a noble knyÈt supposed alwey that they were vayne wordes and refused alwey his monestementes and techynges And thenne Bernard brennyng in the faythe and in the spyryte of broderly loue of charyte sayde My brother I knowe wel that one sharp trauayll shall gyue vnderstondyng to thyn eres And after that he putte his fyngre on his syde and sayd to hym one daye shalle come and that soone that a spere shalle perce thy syde and shalle make wey to thyn hert for to take the couÌ„scylle that thou now refusest And a shorte tyme after Gerard was taken of his enemyes and was hurte on the syde in the place where his broder had sette his fyngre And was put in prison faste bounden And thenne cam to hym Bernard And they wold not suffre hym to speke to hym And he cryed on hye Gerard broder knowe thou that we shalle goo shortely and entre in to the monastery And that same nyght the boundes of Gerard brake fylle of and the dore opened by hym self and he fledde out and sayd to his broder that he had chaunged his purpoos and wold be a monke And this was in the yere of thyncarnacion of oure lord a M C and xij in the xv yere of the ordre of Cysteaux The seruauÌ„t of god Bernard at the age of xxij yere entryd in to the ordre of Cysteaux with moo than thyrtty felawes And as Bernard yssued with hys bretheren oute of his faders hows Guy that was the oldest sawe Vynard his yonger broder whiche was a lytel child and playd with the children And sayd to hym Vynage broder alle the possession of our herytage shalle apperteyne to the And the child answerd not as a child and sayd ye shalle thenne haue heuen and leue to me only the erthe This parte is not euenly ne right wysly deuyded And after the childe abode a lytel whyle with his fader but afterward he folowed his bretheren whan the seruaunt of god Bernard was entryd in to the ordre he was soo esprysed in alle thyng occupyed in god that he vsed no bodely wyttes He had ben a yere in the celle of Nouyces And yet he wyst not whether ther werâ— ony wyndowes on the hows or no and oftymes he had entryd and gone out of the chirche where as in the hede were thre wyndowes And he supposed ther had ben but one And thabbot of Cystraux sente of his bretheren for to edyfye the hows of Clâ—reuaux And made Bernard there Abbot whiche was there long in grete pouerte whiche ofte made his potage with leues of holme And the seruaunt of god waked ouer mannes power And sayd that he loste no tyme but whan he slepte And sayd that the comparyson of slepe and of deth were lyke semblable so they that slepe ben lyke as deth were with men and lyke as dede men ben sene slepyng to god he was vnnethe drawen to ony mete for delyte of appetyte but only for drede of faylyng And he wente to take his mete lyke as he shold haue gone to a torment And he was alwey acustomed whan he had eten to wete yf he had eten to moche or more than he was acustomed And yf he hadde so done he wold punysshe hym self soo that he refreyned his mouthe that he loste a grete partye of the sauour and tastyng of his mete For somtyme he drank oyle whan it was gyuen hym by errour in stede of drynke He sayd that the water was good allone and refresshyd hym wel And he perceyued not that he drank oylle but whan his lyppes were enoynted somme told hym therof And somtyme and other whyle he ete the fatte of rawe flessh in stede of butter He said that all that he had lerned of hooly scripture he had lerned it in woodes in feldes moost by medytacion and prayenge And confessid that he had none other maistres but Okes and Holme treees this confessid he among his frendes Atte taste he confessyd that somtyme when he was in medytacions or prayeng hym thought that all holy scryptures apperyd to hym expowned On a tyme as he reherseth in canticis that he wold put among the wordes suche as the holy ghoost counceyled hym And whyles he made that traitye he wold thynk of good courage what he shold doo whan that were made And theÌ„ne a voys cam to hym sayeng tylle thou hast acomplysshed this werk thou shalt doo none other he had neuer playser in clothynge he sayd that fylthes were in demonstraunce of neclygence And outrageous clothyng was folye gloryfyeng hym self in commysyng outward vayne glorye he had in his herte alwey this prouerbe and oft sayd it who doth that noman doth all men wondre on hym he ware many yeres the hayre And as long as he myght hyde it he ware it And whan he sawe that it was knowen he lefte hit anone and took hym to comyn vesture He lawghed neuer but yf he made gretter force to laughe than to refrayne him He was wonte to saye that the maner of pacyence was in thre maners of in iuryes of wordes of domage of thynges and of mysdoyng of the body On a tyme he wrote a letter to