tymes she vysytyd many Seyntys in hyr owne countrey and in other countreys therto adioynynge in Fraunce Italye Spayne Napuls many other placys after hyr sayd holy pylgrymagys she lyuyd the resydue of hir lyfe in the cyty of Rome fyue dayes before that seynt Byrgette shulde passe out of this transytory Lyfe our Lorde apperyd vnto hyr before an Aulter that was in hyr Chaumber and with a mery countenaunce sayde vnto hyr I haue not vysytyd the in this tyme with consolacyons for it was the tyme of thy probacyon Therfore nowe thowe arte prouyd procede and make the redy for the tyme is come that that I promysyd that shal be fulfyllyd that is to saye that before myn Aulter thou shalte be clothyd coÌ„secrate a Nunne from hensforthe thou shalte not onely be reputyd to be my espouse but also thou shalte be reputyd to be moder in watzstenys neuertelesse knowe it for a trouth thou shalte leue thy Body here in Rome vnto the tyme it shall come into the place ordeynyd for it knowe thou for certeyne that men shall come when it shall please me that with all swetnes and Ioye shall receyue the wordys of the Heuenly reuelacyons that I haue shemyd to the and all thynges that I haue sayde to the shal be fulfyllyd And though my grace be withdrawen fro many for theyr vnkyndenes Neuerthelesse other shall come that shall ryse in theyr place whiche shall opteyne my Grace And in the mornynge of the fyfte Daye nowe nexte folowynge after thou haste receyuyd the SacrameÌ„tys of the Chyrche calle to the seuerallye the persones that I haue namyd to the nowe and telle theym what they shall doo and then in theyr Handys thou shalte come into my ioye euerlastynge and thy Bodye shall be caryed to watzstenes And on the sayde fyfte Daye she callyd to hyr all hyr housholde and shewyd theym what they shulde doo and at the laste she gaue a great monycyon to hyr son Byrgerus and to hyr doughter Katheryne chargynge theym that aboue all thynges they shulde perseuer in the drede of god and in the Loue of theyr neyghbourys in good Warkys and theropon she made hyr Confessyon with great dylygens and Deuocyon and receyuynge the blessyd Bodye of oure Lorde was a noylyd And as a Masse was sayde afore hyr and she had honouryd the blessyd Bodye of oure Lorde she lyfte vppe hyr eyen to Heuyn and sayde In manus tuas domine commendo spiritum meum whiche is to seye Lorde into thy handys I coÌ„myt my spirite And with tho wordys she yeldyd her soule to our Lorde the .xxiii. daye of Iulii the yere of oure Lorde god a thousande thre hundreth .lxxiii. and the yere of hyr age .lxx. And anon a great fame went thrughe all the Cytye of rome of the deth of this gloryous woman and the people came with great deuocyon to se the holy body gloryfyinge and lawdynge almyghty god and in suche greâ—e recourse of the people the Body was caryed to the monastery of seynt Laurence as it was shewyd by hyr selfe that it shuld be for the great prese of the people it coulde not conuenyently be buryed vnto the seconde daye and before she was buryed a woman callyd Agnes de coÌ„tess a dwellynge in the Cytye of Rome whiche fro hyr byrthe had a great grosse throte moche foule dyfformyd came with other to the Bodye of seynt Byrgette and with hyr owne Gyrdell she towchyd the hande of this gloryous woman seynt Byrgette with great deuocyon and bounde the same gyrdell abowte her necke and anon aftyr her throte swagyd by the myracle of almyghty god was brought in to the due shappe conformyte Also there was a Nonne of the sayde monastery of seynt LaureÌ„ce which for feblenes and great sykenes that she had in her stomake by the space of .ii. yerys kepte hyr bedde well nere all that tyme and she was moch famylyer with seynt Byrgette in hyr lyfe thys Nonne with great peyn rose fro hyr bedde and with helpe came to the Beer lay by it all the nyght and cessyd not to praye almyghty god that by the merytys and Prayers of his gloryouse spouse seynt Byrgette whose Body was there present that she myghte haue soo moche ease of hyr sayde longe sykenes that she myght with hyr Susters be at deuyne seruyce and that she myghte when nede shulde requyre goo aboute the monastery with oute helpe And in the mornynge she hadde more helth of hyr Bodye thenne she prayed fore And the .xxvi. daye of the sayde moneth of Iulii the Bodye of Seynt Birgette was buryed in the sayde Monasterye of seynt Laurence in a cheste of wode enclosyd in a tombe of marbull and in the space of fyue wekys and a halfe the Flesshe by Myracle was clerely consumyd and goon and nothynge lefte but the clere whyte shynynge Bonys and after the sayde Bonys and Relykes of seynt Birgette were translatyd from Rome to the sayde Monasterye of watzstenes in swecia the fourth nonas of Iulii by the sayde Byrgerus and Katheryne and after this blessyd woman seynt Birgette was canonyzed by pope bonyface of that name the nynth the yere of our Lord god a thousande CCC lxxxxi as in the Bull of hyr canonyzacion apperyth A woman of the dyocesse of LyncopeÌ„ce callyd Elseby Snara with great peyne and sorowe was delyuered of a deed Chylde and when she was after her great peyne come to hyr perfyte remembrauÌ„ce with humble prayer she besoughte almyghtye god that by the merytes of his gloryouse espouse seynt Birgette the Chylde myghte be restoryd to Lyfe and made a vowe that if the Chylde came to lyfe that she wolde vysyte the sepulcre of Seynt Birgette And anon the Infaunâ—â— beganne to waxe hote and to take Brethe and afterwarde it was restoryd to full Lyfe wherfore the Moder with great deuocyon and gladnes fulfyllynge hyr auowe vysytyd the Relykes of Seynt Birgette in the Monasterye of watzstenes aboute the Natyuyte of oure Lorde certeyne persons of gothlande toke the See and with a great Tempeste they were dryuen into a place whiche was moche shalowe of Water and there theyr Shyppe was all to Broysyd and they taryed there a se nyght in great Hunger and Colde and Coulde not remoue theyr Shyppe At the wekys ende for asmoche as they were lyke to haue perysshyd for lacke of SustenauÌ„ce they drewe Cuttes amonge theym whiche of theym shulde be kyllyd and made mete for the other And he vppon whome the Lotte felle with great wepynge commyttyd hym to Seynt Birgette and prayde for helpe promysynge that if he escapyd that Daunger he wolde vysyte hyr at hyr Monasterye of watzstenes And anon by Myracle they fouÌ„de a great peace of Flesshe in the See and when they hadde refresshyd theym selfe therwyth there arose anon suche a great calmenes that in a lytell smalle Bote they came by great longe weyes in the See to londe And as he
seynt paule in the yere of our Lorde .vi. C.lxxxiii electyd hym beynge in the monastery of seynt Petyr and made hym Abbot there And wheÌ„ he was Abbot he was of the same mekenes that he was before so that when he sawe the Bretherne worke he wolde put to his hande as they dyd And he was a man of great strengthe of feyre speche mery and lyberall And he ete of the same mete as the bretherne dyd and laye as they dyd And when he shulde dye he kyssyd all the bretherne in tokyn of peas And instructyd theym with many Blessyd monycyons he wente to oure Lorde of the great Syknes in the Nonas of Marche ¶ De sancto Ethelberto rege confessore SEynt ethelbert was the thyrde kynge of Kent but he was the fyrste that wente to Heuyn And all that seynt Augustyne dyd to the Encreasynge of the faythe may be also attrybutyd to this blessyd kynge for as farre as to man apperyth if he had not holpen seynt Augustyne other werkes in the werke of 〈◊〉 lorde lytyll frute had come to the Londe of Englonde And when he was coÌ„uertyd with great benygnyte he â—â—â—yd other kyngys that were his subgyetty or his felowys to become crysten And those that beleuyd he lâ—uyd as hys bretherne and kynysmen and felawys to the kyngdome of heuyn And in all his realme Chirchys were buâ—â—yd placys of Idollys destroyed or tournyd into Churches By counceyll of seynt Augustyne he made the Churche of seynt saâ—youre in Caunterbury And without the wallys of the Cytle he made a monasterye in the honoure of seynt peter and poule whiche was a place of buryall for Kynges and busshoppes he buyldyd a Church of seynt paule in london and there was theÌ„ made a Busshoppyssee And he made a Churche of seynt Andrewe at Rochester where was also made a noder Busshoppyssee And he was founder of Ely thughe seynt Etheldrede bycause she repayryd it is takyn for foundres his realme stretchyd to humber And yet he shewyd hymselfe poore and meke as thoughe he had had nothynge It was a gloryus thynge to see hym that hadde rule and domynyon in great countreys to serue poore men And to see hym that kynges feryd to drede the preestys of our Lorde as this blessyd kynge dyd And he was a great exalter of vertue a fulfyller of the commaundementys of god of werkys of pyte And he went to our Lorde the syxte Kalendas of marche And when his feest was on a tyme not halowed nor the place where he laye adhournyd with lyghtys as it was wonte to be he apperyd to a preest that of deuocy on lay there all nyght and blamyd them of theyr necly De sancta Ethelburga virgine abbatissa SEynt ethelburgh coÌ„monly callyd seynt Alburgh was borne in the prouynce of lyndesey fro her youthe she abhorryd the bodely pleasurys the flaterynge of the worlde And the auncyent enemy enuyenge her werkys styrryd her owne fader agaynste her so that he was a cruell psecutor of her wherfore she went ofte to a Chapell where she was crystenyd And commyttyd herselfe to our Lord with deuoute prayer aâ—â—lyccyons it is sayd the grasse is alway grene there as she wente to the sayd chapell And after when she shuld haue ben maryed she lefte her Fader Moder with oon mayde went her waye pryuely by the waye the mayde fell in so great a drynes that withoute helpe she was lyke to Dye wherfore seynt Alburghe prayde for helpe to our Lorde And anon a feyre well sprange vppe that is there to this day And when certeyne werke was assygnyd to her by her hostes in Herueste she went to prayer and her werke was don without leyinge any hande to it and her fader by her was conuertyd to the feyth after her broder seynt Erken walde of his patrymonye made for her the Abbey of Barkynge where she was abbesse there she subdued the Body to the spyryte with contynuell Fastyngys vygyllys prayers she pÌ„chyd to the systers perseuerant lye and after was seen an Image bryght shynynge in the Dormytory of the systers bryght shynynge cordys were seen stretchynge into heuyn wherwith the sayd Image was pluckyd vppe And anone after seynt Alburghe deê‘tyd this worlde the .v. Idus of october about the yere of our Lorde .vii. C. .vi. so it apperyth to be for her that the sayd Image was shewyd her monastery hath ben often tymes pÌ„seruyd agaynste paganys by especyall myracle somtymes wylde bestys at the yatysferyd that enemyes so that they durst not come in sometyme the offenders were sodeynly strykyn some with woodnes some with blyndenes and some with Deth And dyuerse Myracles oure Lorde hath shewyd for this gloryous virgyn ¶ De sancta Etheldreda virgine SEynt etheldrede coÌ„menly callyd Seynt Awdry was doughter to anna Kynge of eest EngloÌ„de And agaynste her wyll she was maryed to Tonbert kynge of the south Gyrwyes where is the I le of ely And when she came into the ChauÌ„ber she comyttyd her virgynyte to our Lorde And as her husbonde lokyd in to the ChauÌ„ber it was lyke as if all the chauÌ„ber had ben on fyre And so he bad her fere no more for he wolde not touche her for he sayd our Lorde was hyr defender and shortlye after he dyed she was maryed ageyne by her frendys to Egfryde kynge of northamhuÌ„broruÌ„ .xii. yeyerys she was with hym not as a wyfe but as a Lady for her holynes he worshyppyd her moch promysyd to the Busshope wylfryde great gyftys to make her agree to hym in matrymonye And the Busshope coÌ„trarye wyse exortyd her to kepe virgynyte And at laste by assente of the Kynge she enteryd into Relygyon at Coldyngham vnder Ebba aunte to the kynge And when the kynge repentyd hym wolde haue fet her fro the monasterye she coÌ„myttyd her to our Lorde And with to systers went in to a Hyll there our lorde brought the see about theym preseruyd them there beynge in prayers with oute mete or drynke when the Kynge sawe that he went away repentyd hym of gis presumpcyon and after she went to Ely that was geuyn to her by her husbonde tonbert there she repayryd a Monasterye gaderyd many sustersgence that they had not don as was wonte to be And that doon the preest wakynge sawe hym goo into his toumbe agayne ¶ De sancto Ethelberto rege martire SEynt Ethelbert was Kynge of eest Englonde And when he had in his youthe moche prophytyd in lernynge he gaue not his mynde to voluptuous pleasurys but to Prayers almys dedys other good werkys And when his felowys were at Playe he wolde be at Churche after the deth of his Fader Kynge ethelrede he was made Kynge was profounde in counceyll ryghtwyse and mercyfull in Iudgement sober iÌ„ wordys He wolde spare his subgyettys and resyst prowdemen And after by hoole
other ê‘te at seynt Edis after his deth he apperyd dyuers tymes to his broder kyng Alfrede comfortynge hym in his trouble and by his helpe he had great victorye agaynst the Danes ¶ De sancto Niniano EpÌ„o SEynt Ninian in Englysshe called seynt Tronyon was a Kynges sone of great Brytayne anone as he had passed his yerê of childhod he had great deuocion to be in the Church had great loue spirituell to his Felowes he was Sober in diet difcrete of wordes besy in Redynge sadde of maners absteynyng fro pleys and alwayes laboured to subdewe the body to the spyryte He went to Rome on Pylgrymage where he profyted moch in lernynge and was in synguler fauour with the 〈◊〉 and he grewe in all vertue charite after the 〈◊〉 made hym bysshop and sent hym into the weste parte of Englande to preche the worde of god and in the waye homewarde he came by seynt Martyn and seynt Martyn knewe by reuelacion that he shuld profyte to moche people And when he came thyder as he was sent the people receyued hym Ioyously and toke hym as a veray Prophet whereby his prechynges examples and myracles he conuertyd all the people And he buyldyd the firste Churche of stone that euer was buyldyd in Brytayne he conuertyd also the Southe pictes where he dyd many myracles and if a man thynke of the lyues of seynt DunstanÌ„ seynt Cuthbert seynt ModwynÌ„ seynt Goderyke seynt Ninian and suche other he shall thynke it right lytell that is done by the people for the loue of god in thyse dayes a disciple of seynt Tronyon that hadde offendyd feâ—ynge punysshement toke seynt Tronyons staffe and went into the see in a lytell shyppe and anone with a sodeyne tempest he was dryuen so ferre into the see that he wyst nat what to do wherfore he was conpunct and in his herte asked forgyuenes and cryed to seynt Tronyon for helpe sodenly the wynde tourned and brought hym safe to lande And when he came to laÌ„de in testefyinge of the myracle he prayed o r lord that the staffe myght growe when he set it into the grouÌ„de forthwith it grewe had rotê new barke with goodly armes brauÌ„ches at the rote therof spraynge a fayre welle wherof the water is very holsome forsyke men he dyed in the .xvi. Kalend of Octobre lyeth in a Churche that he made of newe in the honour of seynt Martyne A childe that was borne with great deformytes to the great heuynesse of his father moder at the tumbe of seynt Trony an resceyued perfyte helth two lepous wasshyd theym at seynt Tronyons welle and theyr flesshe was made clene lyke the flesshe of a Childe ¶ De sancto Odone Archiepiscopo SEynt Odo was sone of a Paynym of the blode of the danes that came in with Hynguar bycause he vsed moche to speke to his fader such thyngê as he had lethed at sermones of the Cristen fayth his fader corrected hym cruelly And also disheryted hym wherfore he lefte his fader moder came to a Duke a noble man in kynge Edwyns house he receyued hym Ioyously There he was baptyzed lerned both latentunge and greke tunge whiche fro the tyme of seynt Theodre was moch vsed in Englande after he toke ordres was made Dekon so he taryed dyuerse yeres was after made preest By his prayer the Duke was made hole of a great sykenesse as he was goynge towarde Rome And after he was made bysshop of Salisbury and fro thense was electyd to be Archebysshop of Caunterbury whiche he wolde nat take vpon hym tyll he was made monke and so he entred into Relygion and when he was Archebyssop he reproued the kynge of his abhominable aduoutrie and the women that the kynge kepthe toke theym and burned theym in the face with yron abanysshed them the Realme To reforme certeyn clarkê that erred in the sacrament of the Aultre affermynge it to be a fygure of the passyon of our lorde by his prayer as he was at masse at the brekynge of the Hoest very blode ran out therof into the Chales and the clerkes seynge it were conuerted and then the blode went agayne into the nature of wyne By his prayer there felle noo rayne in his Churche all the whyle it was in buyldynge whiche was thre hole yeres He was alway aduersarye inflexible agaynst synne The pleasure or Ioyes of the world ne yet thretes coulde nat fere hym neyther lette hym fro doynge Iustyce he prophesyed that seynt Dunstaâ— shuld be Archebysshop after hym and so he was he dyed the fourth Nonas of Iulii and lyeth at Caunterbury ¶ De sancto Odulpho confessore SEynt Odulphe was borne of noble blode in FrauÌ„ce and he forsoke his frendes and went to the Bysshop of Traiectense where he lyued dyuerse yerê in vigylles fastynge prayeng and holy redynge he coÌ„uerted the Frysonnes by his prechynge He set nought by any Erthly thynge so that after this lyfe he myght haue euerlastynge rewarde in heuyn By his prayer the fyre ceased fro his â—eâ—â— and he dyed of the Axes the daye byfore the Idus of Iune at his deth was a swete sauoure that comforted all that were present his Relykes were after brought to London the tyme of kynge Kinite and fro thens they were conueyed to Enesshm honorably and though he was neuer in Englande whyle he was a lyue yet bycause his Relykes be in Englande he is put into the Legende ¶ De sancta Ositha virgine martire SEynt Osithe was doughter to kynge Frethewalde and she was bytaken iÌ„ her youth to seynt Modwen to Instructe seynt Modwen bytoke her to seynt Edith she on a tyme beynge at Pollesworth sent a boke to Osyth to seynt Modwen on a brygge she was blowen with the wynde into the water and drowned and when she had lyen deed thre dayes by monycion of an AuÌ„gell seynt Modwen went to the brygge nat knowynge wherto where she met with seynt Edith and there by theyr prayers she was Reysed fro dethe to lyfe After she was maryed by her frendes agaynst her wyll to the kyng of Estsaxons and a longe season by certeyne excuses she kept her husbonde fro the Acte of matrymony and when he had fully purposed to receyue no ferther excuses sodeyn tydynges came to hym that a harte was founde nygh to the paleys and in the tyme that the kynge made taryeng dyuerse dayes about his huntynge the virgyne sent for two bysshoppes was made a Nonne And when the kynge retourned and knewe therof though he was greatly moued yet he suffred her and gaue her the towne of Chychensen and in the yere of our lorde godsyx C. .liii. Danes came into the couÌ„tre of Estsaxons bycause seynt Osith wolde nat do sacrifice to their Idollê she was beheded she bare her hedde to the churchedore there fell downe her fader moder buryed her at Aylesbury wher she lay
bysshop was a great man in that countre where there is a cyte called the cyte of Magnil the bysshop to this day Our lorde was with hym in all that he went aboute he was a great confounder of Enchauntours and by his prayers he put awaye snowes derkenes that they had made sodeynly by helpe of the deuyll land one that was moche malycyous to hym was sodeynly lyfted vp into the Eyre and lette fall agayne wherof he dyed myserably an Erthquake sodeynly came fered a kynge that meynteined the sayd EnchauÌ„tour wherby the kynge came to repentaunce He reysed a man to lyfe that hadde ben deed .x. yeres This was his dayly lyfe he sayd euery day the Psaulter with CC. prayers dayly sayd masse he taught disciples pÌ„ched to the people euery houre he marked hymself with a. C. crosses In the begynnynge of the nyght he sayd CC. psalmes and CC. tymes he knelyd and fro the Cokkes crowyng he stode in water tyll he had sayd his prayers Then he toke slepe lyeng vpon a bare stone a nother vnder his hedde Often tymes he sawe heuyn open our lorde Ihesu stondyng with his Aungellys in heuyn wherfore his herte alway brenned in an vncomê‘able fyre of the loue of god He was a Clene irgyne in body and spirite he chaunged this lyfe the .xvi KaleÌ„dr of Apryl And after one oppynion he was buryed in the Cyte of Dimense in Irlande but in the latter ende of the Legende it is sayd that after he had coÌ„uerted IrlaÌ„de he came into the I le of Aualony was ther .xxxix. yerâ— that at this day seynt Patrike seiÌ„t benygne disciple lyeth both iÌ„ one Shryne on the southe syde of the hygh Aulter at Glastonbury ¶ De sancto Paulino EpÌ„e confessore SEynt Paulyn came into Englande with seynt Augustyne and conuerted kynge Edwyn whiche was kynge of NorthmÌ„humbre moche ê‘te of all the countre in the yere of our Lorde .vi. C. and .xxvii. And the people there had such Feruour and desyre to the fayth that .xxxvi. dayes fro mornynge to Euenynge he baptysed the people iÌ„ the water of Gleni whiche is in the kyngdome of Bernyshe for at that tyme there were no fontes He baptised also many in the water of Swala that is in the kyngdome of Deyre also in the prouynce of Lyndesey in LyncolnÌ„ and in the water of Trent six yeres whiche was all the dayes of kyng Edwyn he contynued in prechynge baptisynge the people kyng Edwyn made for hym a bysshoppes see in yorke there began to buylde for hym a Churche of stone iÌ„ honour of seynt Peter byfore it was Fynysshed he was martyred seynt Oswalde that succeded hym buylded the resede wetherof He made dyuerse Churches one in LyncolnÌ„ where longe after that it was decayed yerely were done myracles and when Iustus that was bysshop there was deed seiÌ„t PaulynÌ„ made Honorius bysshop there He was of a longe stature somwhat stowpynge of blacke heere lene faced venerable also terryble of couÌ„tenauÌ„ce after the good kyng Edwyn was martyred seynt PaulynÌ„ left Iame his Deakon at yorke came iÌ„to kent with the quene Ethelburgh that was wyfe to kyng Edwyn brought with hym a goodly Crosse a Chaleys of golde that yet be to shewe in kent He was made bysshop of Rochester by honorius the said Iames lyued to the tyme of venerable Bede in the yere of o r lorde .vi. C. xliiii the .vi. I de of October he chauÌ„ged this lyf lyeth at Rochester where he left his palle A woman that had longe coÌ„tynued in synne on a tyme as she was goynge to offer to hym was stopped at the first gresse dyuers tymes she sawe nothyng wherby she was moche coÌ„puncte prayed the monkê to pray for her was coÌ„fessyd yet neuerthelesse she fel agayne after wher she was syke she was meruaylously sore aferde of the harde IugemeÌ„t of god was confessed to the bysshop sent offrynge to seynt PaulynÌ„ seyinge if seynt Paulyne receyue myne offryng I am forgyuen if nat I shal haue euer lastynge payne And when it was sent thyder he receyued it that had firste refused for he regarded nat the offrynge but there â—entaunce of the woman ¶ De sancto Petroco abbate confessore SEynt Petroke was borne in Cumber and was a kynges sone fro his youth he was a folower of the Appostellys He was sober meke feruent in Charite redy to all merkes of relygyon And when he shuld haue ben made kynge he forsoke the pompe of the world toke with hym .lx. Felowes entered into Relygyon after he went into Irlande was there .xx. yeres where he profited moche in lernynge entendynge to go agayne into his couÌ„tre founde a shyp redy there that he had left without keper And whan he came into Brytayne he founde there men labouryng that spake harde wordes to hym whether it were to tempte his holynes or to restreyne theyr drynesse they bad hym make a welle of swete water in a Rocke that was therby he dyd so then he harde of a holy man called SaÌ„pson that he ledde therby a solytary lyf in great streyghtnes with barley brede iÌ„ fastyngê prayers when he sawe Sampson he prayed our lorde that he shuld nat remoue tyll he had spoken with hym his prayer was herde saÌ„pson therby was bouÌ„den tyll they had saluted eche other nygh to SaÌ„pson he made a Monastery lyued theyr .xxx. yerê iÌ„ great fastiÌ„gê prayers and colde restreynyng glotony and vnlaufully mocyons all which tyme he lyued in suche innocencye that he dyd nothynge that he wolde nat haue done to hym After .xxx. yerê he went to Rome came agayne into Cornewayle wherin a great tempest to coÌ„forte his discyples he sayd the tempest shuld cease the next day And whan it dyd nat so he was heuy aud repented hym self moche of the pÌ„suÌ„pcion that he had sayd otherwyse then as it folowed wherfore the thirde day after he went to Rome agayne so to Ierâ—m and there he toke purpose to go into ynde after had come with great labours to the Est occean there he fouÌ„de a vessell mete oonly for one man wherby he went into an Ilande where he lyued in coÌ„templacion .vii. yeres al that tyme he was fedde with one fysshe and afterwarde by an Aungell he was conueyed in the same vessell into the West parte of brytayne where afore that tyme had ben a Cruell kynge that had gathered many venemous serpentes to punysshe felons men that had offended and when he was deed his sone wolde none of yâ— crueltye so that one of the serpentes for hunger kylled a nother tyl one terryble serpent preuayled that kylled man and beste whom seynt Petroke droue into a wyldernes where he shuld hurte no man by his prayer byfore all the people he reysed a man fro
yet conuerted seynge thyse myracles fell downe to the fete of Bennowe and desyred to be cristened so they were and then she was made a Nonne kept virginite accordynge to her auowe and gadered many virgyns after her mayster went fro her and euery yere she vsed to sende hym a certeyne pÌ„sent and lapped it in a lynnen cloth layde it in the sayd welle as her mayster had appoynted her to do and it was conueyed to hym fyftye myles in the water And yet the cloth was neuer wette and after her maysters deth by the wyll of our lorde she went to a place called Wyltheriacus and the Abbot there by spirit knewe her coÌ„myng and met her and brought her into the company of virgyns and made her the ruler of theym where our lord Ihesu criste appered to her and tolde her that her tyme drewe nere in the fourth nonas of Nouembre she yelded her spiryte to our lorde for whom hath ben shewyd many myracles and now she lyeth at Shrewesburye whether she was translated in the yere of our lorde a thousande a C. and .xxxviii. ¶ De sancta Wereburga virgine THe Quene Ermenylde moder to Seynt Wereburghe came by Lyny all descent fro seynt Ethelbert kynge of Kent that was conuerted by seynt Augustyne a goodly pedegre is therof in the Legende Wulferus was her fader This glorious virgyne despysynge all concupyssence and pleasures of the worlde entered into Relygyon at Ely vnder her Aunte seynt Ethel drede where she shewyd her selfe to be the very meke hand mayde of our lorde And when her fader was deed her broder Ethelredus made her to haue Rule of all the Monasteryes of Nonnes in Englande natwithstandynge she shewyd her selfe rather to be a mynystrice then a maystres enformynge theym that were vnder her rather by good â—â—mple then by coÌ„maundement her body beynge in Erth her mynde was in heuyn when she was in the mansyon of Wedun that is by Hampton certeyne fowles destroyed the corne wherfore she coÌ„maunded that they shuld be brought home and put in holde so they were on fote as though they coulde nat haue flowen in the mornynge when she had lycensyd theym to go away and one of the mynystres had hyde one of them Al the flocke came aboute the house where seynt Wereburgh was wolde nat away tyll she had caused theyr felowe to be delyuered then they went away wtout retournynge of theym or any of that kynde when she knewe that the tyme drewe nere that she shuld dye she wylled the where soeuer she dyed her body shuld be had to the Monastery of Hamburgense after in the .iii. nonas of February she went to our lorde when her body was brought to TrykenhmÌ„ was dylygently kept with the dores shet sodeynly all the coÌ„pany fell aslepe men of Hamburgense came to fet away the body accordyng to her wyll the dores flewe open so that they toke the body wtout resystence buryed it honorably where many myracles were shewyd for her by our lorde .ix. yere after her body clothes were founde vncorrupt so her body lay vncorrupt vnto the coÌ„myng of the Danes that her flesshe was incyuerate by the goodnes of god rather then her body shuld be vngoodly touched by the infydels her bones were after traÌ„slated to Chestre wher they lye at this daye ¶ De sancto Wylfryde EpÌ„o confessore SEynt Wylfryde was borne of noble blode in Englande and in his youthe he gaue nat hym selfe to lyghtnes and wantonnes but ordered hym selfe soberly in all thyngê nat vsyng any chydyng bacbytyng or stryfe and when he came to age of .xiiii. yeres he shewyd the Quene Elflede that his purpose was to leue the world to serue our lorde wherupon the quene sent hym to Lyndefernense where he associated hymself to a College of monkes there a sertayne tyme he seruyd our lorde After he went towarde Rome with seynt Benet Bysshop by the waye the bysshop of Lyons lyked hym so well that he wolde haue gyuen hym great possessions and haue maryed hym to his broders doughter but that he tolde hym that he hadde purposed a nother way of conuersacion And when the bysshop herde that he sent hym to Rome with great gyftê and there in the Churche of seynt Andrewe he prayed hertely for remyssion of his synnes that he myght haue wysedome and eloquence to vnderstande and shewe the worde of god And streyghtway he ê‘ceyued in hymself that a more quyknes of wytte was gyuen to hym then he had before and after he retourned into Englande where kynge Oswy gaue hym the churche of Rypon abiectynge the Scottes that wold nat kepe the right Ester and in tho dayes was great busynes in Englande for the kepynge of Ester and dyuerse coÌ„nynge men and also good men were of contrarie opynyons And somtyme when the kynge kept Estre the Quene kept Palme sonday whiche contrauersy at a great counseyll at Whytby was appesed by seynt Wylfryde with great reasons and Auctorytes in the yere of our lorde god .vi. hondred .lxiiii After he was made bysshop of yorke though he with al his power refused it and therupon by InstygacoÌ„n of the Quene the kynge Egfryde enformyd seynt Theodre archebysshop of Caunterbury so sore agaynst â—eynt Wylfryde that he by that wrongfull informacyon put hym out of his see then the kynge deuyded in it thre sees Lyndeâ—ernense Lagustaldens and Candyda casa whiche that tyme belongyd vnto Englonde wherfore he appelyd to Rome and when he was goynge thyder on the see the wynde droue hym into Frysya where he conuertyd many thousande people to the Feyth and there the grouÌ„de that before his commynge was drye and bareyne was aftre plenteuouse and fruteful And when he came to Rome he shewyd his cause so charytably that he neyther accusyd seynt Theodre ne yet omyttyd his owne Innocencye and when the 〈◊〉 agathone had herde all his aduersaryes he restoryd hym agayne to his see And when he shewyd to the Kynge the 〈◊〉 bullys He set them at nought and by the entysynge of the Quene he was with great derysyon put into pryson which he toke in great pacyence and there he helyd the kepers wyfe and when that keper was lothe to kepe hym ony lenger he was coÌ„myttyd to anoder â—ryson And there the fettoâ—rys wolde not abyde vppon hym And also â— deuyll enteryd into the quene whiche was thought was for the wronge that was doon to seynt wylfryde wherfore he was let goo And then by his prayer the Quene was made hoole After he coÌ„uertyd many of the Lordys and of the people in the countrey of westsaxons to the feythe where the Kynge of that Countrey was before conuertyd and very fewe of his people Also he conuerted the I le of wyght The kynge Egfryde was after slayne in Batayle which seynt Wylfrede sawe in vysyon as he was at Masse then seynt
in a Tree in the Wode with a corde and wente to the Sheryfe for a C. marke the Sheryfe causyd the man to be sworne that he shulde neuer dyscouer it whyle he lyuyd .v. yerys after when he shulde dye Seynt wyllyam apperyd to hym bade hym that he shulde dyscouer hit ferynge nothynge And so he dyd and then a lyghte fro heuyn shewyd vppoÌ„ the place where he laye And after on an Eester euyn his Bodye was founde by a Nonne in the wode lyenge at the Roote of an Oke in his Cote hosed and shodde and his Hedde shauen and there were by hym two Crowes that attemptyd to haue Torne hym and etyn hym But they hadde no power therto and then he was takyn vp with all the people and buryed with great Ioye A man that had ben longe syke was ledde in a vysyon by an Aungell into a goodlye place full of plesaunte Flourys and there he sawe our Lorde syttynge in a Trone and innumerable of Aungellys and Seyntys aboute hym and on his ryght hande in great magestye was the sete of oure blessyd Ladye and at the Feet of our Lorde he sawe a Chylde aboute the age of .xii. yerys syttynge in a sete of golde and a Crowne of Golde vppon his hedde his Face shynynge bryghte as the sonne and Aungellys dyd honour to hym Then he askyd of the Aungell who he was and the Aungell sayde this is he that in derysyon and opprobrye of the passyon of our Lorde the Iues of Norwyche dyd put to deth and by hym he sayde he shulde be made hoole And so he vanysshed a waye and when his spyryte was come agayne to the Bodye he went to Norwyche was made hoole as the Aungell sayde many other myracles our lord hath shewyd for this blessyd Chylde foure that were blynde fyue that were mute two of the drop sye thre bexyd with Deuylls men of the fallynge sykenes dome perysshynge in the see feterd deformyd of dyuerse other sykenesse were helyd delyuered by thys gloryouse martyr De sancto Wilhelmo epÌ„o confessore SEynt wyllyam was sonne to emme suster to kynge Stephan as he was of noble blode he was also noble of maners and for his vertue and good Lyfe he was made tresorer of yorke he thought nothynge gretter Tresure then to helpe them that were in penuâ—ye And after the Deth of the Archebusshope of yorke he was electyd to be Archebusshope But his eleccyon was lette by the Archedeacon that moch desyryd to be Archebusshope when the matter was appelyd to Rome that pope Eugenye which was of the ordre of Cysteux for fauoure to his relygyon made one Henry murdache archebusshope wherupon agaynste all â—uyll wordys bacbytyngys that this blessyd man had in that behalfe he toke paâ—pence for his comforte and went to his vncle Busshope of Wynchester which receyuyd hym gladlye assygnyd all his seruauntys to attende vpon hym that he refusyd and went into a place of the Busshoppys where he dyd great penaunce in hyghescylence quyet maners encreasynge his deuocyon with remeÌ„braunce of the great peynys ordeynyd for synne And of the Ioyes ordeynyd for vertue and what great peyne shall be iÌ„ the latterende to see almyghtye god and to departe fro hym wente neuer oute of his mynde when Geestys or straungers came to hym thoughe he were lothe he wolde shewe hym selfe to theym so honorable merye and full of grace that he was lyke an AuÌ„gell iÌ„ maners not hauyng ony voyde wordes that myght let his mynde from contemplacyon And after the 〈◊〉 Engenye and the Archebusshope murdache Dyed bothe in oon daye And thenne seynt wyllyam was ellectyd agayne by the ChanoÌ„s to be archebusshop And the newe 〈◊〉 confyrmyd the same and as he was commynge to yorke with the great recourse of people the Brydge sanke and he makynge the sygne of the Crosse all came vp safe and in fewe yerys after full of good werkys Almesdedys Fastynges and vygyllys He went to oure Lorde the .vi. I de of Iune by his merytys a mayde blynde fro her Natyuyte receyuyd syght thre that were contracte restoryd to theyr goynge a deffe man had his herynge a man of the dropsyehelyd one of the passey a Lepoure restoryd to heâ—the one reysyd fro deth and vnto this daye in the place where he lyeth myracles contynue ¶ De sancto wilhelmo martire SEynt Wyllyam the Martyr was borne in seynt IohnÌ„s towne in Scotlande and in his youthe he lyuyd a wanton secoler lyfe and after he was sodeynly turnyd into a newe man chastysynge his Bodye subduyd his flesshe to the spyryte He vsyd the crafte of Bakynge and euery tenth Loâ—e he wolde geue for the loue of god to poore men dayly he vsyd to be at the Churche and in a mornynge erlye he fouÌ„de at the Churche dore a enfaunte in poore apparell whom he brought whom norysshyd hym taughte hym his crafte and louyd hym syngulerly aboue eny other of his seruauÌ„tys after he porposyd to goo on pylgrymage to the placys where our lorde suffred his Deth and passyon and toke with hym onlye the sayde yonge man whom he had brought vp as before apperyth and so he came to Rochestre as he was goynge fro thens to Caunterbury the sayde yonge man full of the Deuyll in purpose to kylle hym ledde hym oute of the hyghe wayes tolde hym that he had lernyd that it was the waye when he had broughte hym after his porpose out of all wayes he kyllyd hym with a Hachet there lefte hym in the wood wheropon a madde woman that ranne nakyd into the woddys came by the place where the gloryous martyr laye and when she sawe hym she made hym a garlande of Erbys and put it vpon his hedde and lyke a Woman in that case spake to hym as if he had ben a lyue and on the nexte daye she came agayne sayde she wolde haue her Garlonde agayne and so toke it fro his Hedde and put it ou her Hedde and fourthwith as it touchyd her Hedde she was hoole and had her wyttys restoryd and anon was a shemyd of her nakydnes knewe that she was made hoole by the merytys of the sayd gloryous martyr And he lyeth at Rochester ¶ De sancto winwaloco abbate confessore SEynt wynwaloco was borne in Brytayne And his Fader herynge that ther was a place iÌ„ Armoryca now callyd lytell Brytayne that the great sykenes was not in went thyder nygh by the porte callyd breste And when a great Tempest toke theym on the See so that his Fader feryd moche he bade his fader put his truste in oure Lorde that ruleth bothe See and Londe addynge therto that he shulde loue hym and feer nothynge And that sayde anon came feyre weder when he was at Scole where he prophyted moche in lernynge He helyd one of hys felowys that had brokyn his thyghe And when he harde any poore man anon he
othe that he wolde neuer after ete mete of that kynde after he was made monke at WygornÌ„ where he had dyuerse offyces and at laste was made pryor He vsed moche fastynges vigylles and prayers moste coÌ„monly he toke slepe in the Churche with his boke vnder his hed euery sonday he vsed to preche to the people Wherfore one reproued hym sayinge a monke shulde kepe his Cloyster And in the nyght folowyng that man in his slepe was brought byfore a Iugge and was coÌ„maunded to be beten so he was so sore that the markes apperyd vpon hym whenne he was awake And seynt UulstanÌ„ herynge therof with his blessyng made hyÌ„ hole agayne Thre dayes in the weke he absteyned fro all mete kepynge also scylens the other thre dayes he ete lekes and wortes soden and barley brede Whenne he was chosen to be bysshop he wolde in no wyse assent to take it tyl a holy man blameâ— hym for his obstynacye and then he toke it vpon hym The kyng Wyllyam Conqueroure bycause seynt WlstanÌ„ coulde speke no Frenche and that he thought he was but of small conynge wolde haue deposed hym and whenne seynt Lamfranke then Archebysshoppe of Caunterburye at a counseyll bad hym to sygne his staffe and his synge he sayd he knewe wel he was neuer worthye to haue the roâ—e but he sayd saynt Edwarde by Auctoryte of the 〈◊〉 and by hole assent as well of the clergye as of the people leyde that burden in his necke agaynst his wyl Wherfore he sayd he wolde resygne to hym wherupon he went to seynt Edwardes Shryne there put his staffe vpon the stone that lay vpon seynt Edwarde sayd he resygne vÌ„to hym and the stone receyued the staffe and hede it fast And when the kynge and saynt Lanfranke makynge his prayers attempted to haue pulled out the staffe but it wolde nat remoue And whenne seynt Wulstane toke it it came lyghtly out wherfore seynt Lamfranke he toke the bysshopryke agayne He wold haue all his seruauÌ„tes here masse And when he sent any of his seruauntes in any Iourney he wolde enioyne theym to saye prayers .vii. tymes euery daye as clerkes be bounden to do and he that swere any othe shuld haue a certeyne punysshemeÌ„t He harde daly â— masses and sayd hym selfe the thirde He helyd a woman and also a man that had deuylles in theym and the woman was after a Nonne and lyued a blessyd lyfe A lepur with the water yâ— seynt Wlfstans wasshed in was helyd with his blessynge helyd a Nonne that was kynge Heroldes 〈◊〉 of a sort 〈◊〉 When he rode he wold begyn the Psaulter nat cease tyll he had done one was alway redy to gyue almes In euery of his townes he had a hous wherin he wold be 〈◊〉 tyl one warned hym that it was tyme to go to â—uyce or to go to dyner When he was at Wygorn he wold synge hygh masse he sayd he wold as gladly resygne his bysshopryke as leue that offyce He wolde be at collecion of the bretherne and when Confessyon was done and benediccyon gyuen he wolde departe There was a man that by no Instaunce wolde forgyue the deth of his brother wherfore seynt Wlstane coÌ„mytted that sayd man to hym whose he was and his body to sathan wherupon he was taken with a spyryte and was not hole tyll he had clerely forgyuen the offence He was desyred by Elsyn that somtyme was seynt Edwardes seruauÌ„te to halowe a Churche iÌ„ a place where was a tree that letted the lyght of the Churche whiche the sayde Elsyn bycause he vsed somtyme to ete playe vnder it wolde nat haue cutte downe wherfore seynt Wlstane accursed it wherupon it waxed drye wherfore the lorde cutte it downe sayinge there was nothynge more bytter thenne Wlstanes curse and nothynge more swete then his blessynge In the pene of our lorde a Thousande .lxvii. the .xiiii. kalend of ◠〈◊〉 he went to our lord amd a hondred yere after his body was remoued whiche with his pontyfycall vestymentes was founde vncorrupt Amonge other myracles that our lorde shewyd for this blessyd man A woman that .v. yeres bowed downe to the grounde was made hole A child that had his tunge cutte of restored fyue blynde men had theyr syght fyue obcessed of deuylles delyuered 〈◊〉 deed men reysed to lyfe â—â—â— lepurs clensed â—â— a tyme within the space of thre dayes by merytes of seynt Wlstane .xxxv. were helyd of dyuerse deceases grupynge thankyngê vnto â—â—â—â—â—â—tye god and to seynt Wstane ¶ De sancto Edgaâ—eâ—ege â—t â—â—â—fessore THe lyfe of this blessyd Kynge was founde in the boke that is called Cathologus sanctoruÌ„ when the great Legend was nygh fynysshed and bycause it coulde not be put in after the ordre of the letters it is â—ette laste of all the seyntes and in the Kalendre it shall kepe the ordre as other seyntes do after the letter Seynt Edgâ—rekynge of Englande when he was aboute the age of .xvi. yeres beganne his Raygne in the â—yme of Otho the Emperoure at his byrth seynt Dunstane Archebysshop of Caunterbury haâ—â—e the voyce of an Aungell fro Heuyn sayinge peas be to Englande as lâ—nge as this childe shall Raygne and as longe as our Dunstane shall lyue He raygned .xvi. yeres euery yere he foundyd a new Monastery gouernyd the Realme iâ— hygh peas Iustyce he subdued yâ— kynge of scotlande the kyngê in Wales to the nombre of â—yue and dyuers other he compellyd to come to his court toke a perpetuall â—the that they shuld be 〈◊〉 vnto hym What by by polycye and what with fere he refreyned his people fro great outragyous drynkynge and he was so terryble and streyght of punysshement that there was noo pryâ—â—t theâ—â— in all the Countrey nâ— any great Robâ—er of the people He kylled al yâ— wylde bâ—stes in Englande that weâ—e â—â—uenours and lyued by blode and coÌ„maunded Guydale kyng â—f â—â—â—les that he shuld for his â—ribute yerely brynge vnto hym thre Hundred Wâ—lnes whiche he dyd many yeres tyll he sayde there were no mâ—â— Euery yere afterê Ester he 〈…〉 serche the see to take Pyratys and râ—bbers of the see And in wynter he wolde go 〈◊〉 by euery prouynce to put away theuys and to serche the Demeaner of great mâ—n that they breke nat Iustyce On a sondaye he was dysposyd to goâ— on huntynge and desyred seynt Dunstane to 〈◊〉 of masse tyll he came And whenne the houre drewe nere seynt Dunstane put on his vâ—â—tymentes and lenyd vpon the Aulter and sodeynly fallynge a slepe he was ledde into Heuyn where he harde Aungelles synge Kyrie eleyson .ix. tymes After he awakyd and taryed a whyle and was rapte agayne and harde theym synge with an hyghe voyce Ite miss a est wherto was answeryd Deo gratias Thenne after his clerke came to hym and tolde hym that the kyng was come to whom he answeryd that he had harde Masse that he nedyd nat any
toke many other dayes in the honour of dyuerse other seyntê wheder she fasted or otherwyse toke hir sustynaunce she rose euer with most great sobernes natfully saciate in the same frydayes she toke war candellys made breÌ„nyng droppes fall vpon hir bare flesshe so that the breÌ„nynge markê of them coÌ„tynuelly remayned gencian whiche is a moch bytter erbe she helde coÌ„tynually in hir mouth And when she was at Rome nat dredyng the vigour of the colde nor the impedymeÌ„t of the great hete rayne or foulnes of the waye ne yet the sharpnes nf the snowe or hayle and thoughe she myght haue ryden neuerthelesse vpon the strengthe of hir lene bodye she wente euery daye the Stacyons ordeyned by the churche And also visyted many other seyntes She vsed so many longe knelyngê that her knees were waxen harde as it had be of a Camel She was of so grete meruaylous mekenes that ofttymes she sat vnknowen with pore pylgrymes at the monastery of seynt Laurence in pamsperna in the cyte of Rome which is of the ordre of seynt Clare there she toke almes with them Ofttymes with hir owne haÌ„des for goddes sake she repayred the clothes of pore men euery day in hir husbandes lyf she fedde .xii. pore men in hir house seruyd mynystred to them hirselfe suche as they neded Of hir owne substauÌ„ce she repayred in hir countre many desolate hospytalles as a busy administratrice mercyful pytuous she visited the nedy syke meÌ„ that were ther haÌ„deled and wasshyd theyr sores without horror or lothsomnes And she was of so meruaylouse great pacyence that the sykenes that she had hir self wronges that were done vnto hir and the deth of hir husbande of hir sone Charles with all other aduersyties she suffred moost pacyently without murmur or gruttynge and in all thyngê with hygh mekenes she blessyd our lorde beynge for suche troubles the more constauÌ„te in the fayth the more redy in hope and the more brennynge in Charyte hyghly she loued Iustyce equyte The mocions of the flesshe vayneglory with a busy cure great truste in our lorde she despysed and ouercame She was of suche hygh wysedome discrecion that fro hir youth vnto his laste houre asmoche as fraylnes myght suffre she neuer sayd good to be euyll nor euyll to be good And euery fryday in hir husbandes lyf she was confessyd and after his deth she was euery day confessyd Euery sonday she hir doughter Katheryne whiche lyued with hir all hir lyfe in penaunce chaste wydowhed with great deuocioÌ„ and humylyte resceyued the holy body of our lord euer lyuyngâ— in secrete penauÌ„ce whiche they dyd nat to the apparaunte syght of the worlde but secretly to almyghty god in symplenes of herte and cleÌ„nes of spyrit On a tyme when the kyng of Swecia wolde haue charged his comons with agreat exacion that he myght therw t haue payed a great suÌ„me of money wherin he was in detted seynt Birget for great compassyon that she had to the people sayd to the kynge Osyr do nat so but take my two sones lay them in plegge to yo credytours tyl ye may pay your money do nat offende god yo subiettê There was a knyght that alway studyed to fynde newe inuencyons amonge the people whiche by his wordê euyll examples brought many to dampnacion this knyght had great enuy to seynt Birget and bycause he durste nat hym selfe speke â—uyll to hir he styred another that shuld fayne hym self dronken then he to speke vnto hir shamefull and coÌ„tumelious wordes to brynge hir out of pacyence whiche cursed man as seynt Birget was syttynge at the table with many honorable ê‘sones sayd in the herynge of theym all O lady thou slepest to lytell â—and thou wakest to moch it were expedyent for the to drynke well and to slepe more hathe god thynkest thou forsaken Relygyous ê‘sons and speketh with proude people of the world It is a vayne thyng to gyue any fayth to thy wordes and as he was so spekyng they that stode by wolde haue put hym away with violence to his rebuke and shame And seynt Birget prohybyted theym and sayd suffre hym to speke almyghty god hath sent hym hyther for I that in all my lyfe haue sought myn owne prayse why shuld I nat here my rightwysnes This maÌ„ sayth to me yÌ„e trouth And when the knyght herde of the great pacyence of seynt Birget he toke great repentaunce and came to Rome and asked forgyuenes of seynt Birget there he made a good and a laudable ende The sayd blessyd woman seynt Birget was so adourned fulfylled with all vertues that oure lorde receyued hir to be his spouse and vysyted hir many tymes with merueylous consolacyons and dyuyne graces shewyd hir many heuynly reuelacyons saynge vnto hir I haue chosen the to my spouse that I maye shewe to the my secretê for it pleasyth me so to do And another tyme he sayd to hir I take the to my spouse and to my proper delyte suche as it is my pleasure to haue with a chaste soule In whiche reuelacyons be conteyned the hyghe secrete my steryes of the moste gloriouse Trinite of the Incarnacyon natyuyte lyfe and passyon of our Sauyour criste Ihesu with the playne and trewe Doctryne to knowe vertue and to folowe it and to eschewe vycesshewynge the rewarde of vertue and the great intollerable payne and dampnacyon that shall fall to synners that dye in deedly synne exortynge also all men to do condigne penauÌ„ce for the synnes that they haue ben shryuen of to eschewe the great and dredefull paynes of purgatorye ordeyned for theyr purgacyon by the strenght equyte of Iustyce whiche terryble paynes our Sauyour shewyd dyuerse tymes to his sayde spouse seynt Birget to thentenâ— she shuld shewe them ouer the people whiche reuelacioÌ„ seynt Birget wrote in hir owne naturall tonge and the sayd Pryour of Albastra hir Fader espuÌ„ell by the coÌ„maundement of almyghty god translated theym into Latyn and deuyded theym into .viii. bokes bysyde a especiall reuelacion that she had of the praysynges and excellencye of our blessyd Lady whiche he appoynted for the Legend of the susters and bysyde many other Reuelacyons that she hadde for the Rule and foundacyon of hir sayd Monasterye of Watzstenes foure goodly chappytours for prayers with certeyn reuelacyons called the extrauagantê And natwithstandynge the great and synguler graces that she hadde as well in the sayde RevelacioÌ„s as otherwyse she was nat therfore any thynge exalted but dayly with many terys humbled hirselfe the more therfore and wolde gladly haue hydde and kept cloâ—â— the especyall gyfte that she had of our lord in the sayd Reuelacions but that our lorde coÌ„maunded hir oft tymes to wryte to speke them boldely to the Pope to the Emperour kyngê prynces and other people that by the reason of theym they myght the soner be conuertyd fro theyr synnes And
vpon whome the Lotte felle was goynge towarde watzstenes to fulfyll his a vowe by the waye he was takyn Prysoner and was greuously betyn leyde in Prysone with many Irons vpon hym wherfore estesones he prayde to seynt Birgette for helpe and anon as he hadde so doon all his Irons and Bondys felle fro hym and he toke his Iourney towarde seynt Birgette withoute lette with great deuocion In the Cytie of lyptzyge there was a Peynter callyd HeÌ„ry which for the great loue that he hadde to seynt Birgette was wonte to sey many thynges amonge doctours of hyr Holynes and of the Bookys of hyr Heuenly reuelacyons wherfore on a tyme oon of the Doctours with great Indygnacyon sayd vnto hym but thou leuesayde he to speke of thys newe he â—esye of the Bokys of that olde matrone I shall cause the to be burnyd for thy erroure and so he porposyd to haue don and causyd the Paynter to be cytyd that the daye folowynge he shuld appere before the Iuges wherupon the sayde Peynter wente to a Clerke that had also great denocyon to Seynt Birgette to aske hym couÌ„ceyle and he comfortyd hym ryghte charytably and aduysyd hym to be dylygent in prayer to almyghtye god and to seynt Birgette and bade hym drede nothynge but they wolde helpe hym And more ouer he sayde that he and another preest callyd master IohnÌ„ Torto whiche also had great deuocion to seynt Birgette wolde praye for hym to seynt Birgette and so they dydde In the mornynge the sayde Peynter beynge moch ferefull apperyd before the Iuges where he was strayghtly examynyd and many thynges were leyde to his charge to haue conuyctyd hym of heresye But by the prayers of Seynt Birgette for whom he sufferde that trowble the sayde symple laye man not letterde was so fulfyllyd with the holy goste and speke soo effectuouslye great hyghe mysteryes of almyghtye God that his aduersaryes coulde not resyste the spyryt that speke in hym wherfore he was dyschargyd and his aduersaryes confysyd Not longe after oure Lorde toke vengeaunce of hym that was the Pryncypall causer of that dysturbaunce for as he went on a nyght hoole to his bedde the same nyght he was smytten with the Fallynge sykenes wherof he dyed And anon his Bodye rottyd and corruptyd with suche an horryble stenche that fewe men durste come nyghe it And with handelynge of the Body the Flesche came from the Bonys by great peaces And at the laste when men for his horryble sauoure refusyd to bere hym to his graue certeyne ê‘sonys that were vsyd to clensevyle stynkynge pryuyes where hyryd to bere the wretchyd Bodye to his Graue and whenne they hadde don they sayde that if they hadde knowen before that he had had so horryble a sauoure that they wolde not haue borne hym though they myght haue had the dowble pryce that they hadde Finis A prayer to seynt Byrgette ¶ Nowe lette vs pray vnto this gloryous spouse of our sauyoure Cryste Ihesu seynt Byrgette that she praye for vs vnto our Lorde that by the merytys of hyr prayers after this transytory short lyfe we maye come to the euerlastynge Lyfe in the blysse of Heuyn Amen ¶ A prayer to seynt Byrgette O Birgitta mater bona Dulcis ductrix et patronâ— Nobis fer suffragia Naufragantes in hoc mari Tuo ductusalutari Duc ad vite breuia O preclara tu dignare Delictorum impetrare Nobis christi veniam Ut possimus respirare Et excessus emendare Consecuti gratiam Confer vite sanctitatem Corpori da sanitatem Et quieta tempora Auge veram charitatem Cordium da puritatem Nos languentes robora Uite nostre rege cursum Post hanc vitam transfersursum Animas ad gaudia Ubi deum contemplari Tibi quoque sociari Possimus in gloria Amen Uersus ¶ Ora pro nobis beata Birgitta sponsa christi preelecta Ut ad Celestem patriaÌ„ sit ipse nobis via recta Oremê° DEus qui ecclesiam tuaÌ„ per beatam Birgittam sacris illuminare dignatus es et coÌ„siliis exemplis coÌ„cede propicius eius intercessionevt que pro nostris purgandis excessibus clementer ei reuelasti deuotis mentibus exequamur Per christum â—nÌ„m nostrum Amen ¶ Another prayer to seynt Byrgette O Beata Birgiâ—ta late collandata Principissa suecie in terris vocata Uita verbo stabilis solide fundata Omnibus affabilis humilis monstrata Post sponsi exequias casta approbata Remotas prouincias es peregrinata Cristo sponsa nobilis pie adoptata Nunc manes laudabilis christo copulata Sanctorum reliquias pietate grata Deuotis obsequiis multum venerata In multis misteriis aliis prelata Coruscas miraculis celo sublimata Iustis desideriis assiste perata Regnis et ecclesie pace confirmata Pro nostris miseriis matrona beata Sponsa sponsum dominum flecte aduocata Uersus multe filie regum Congregauerunt diuicias Tu superegressa es vniuersas Oratio DOmine Ihesu criste qui beatam BirgittaÌ„ propter multorum secretorum Inspiracionem et singularem virtutum adornacionem sponsam tuam vocari decreuisti Presta quesumus vt eadem in vite moribus conformemur cum ea de mundi illecebris ad visionem celestium transferamur Qui viuis regnas c. ¶ Thus endyth the Lyfe of Seynt Byrgette Enprynted at LoÌ„don in Flere strete at the sygne of the George by Rycharde Pynson prynter vnto the kynges noble grace the .xx. daye of February In yere of oure Lorde god a. M. CCCCC and .xvi. Hereaftre foloweth a deuoute Boke compylyd by mayster Walter Hylton to a deuoute man in temperall estate howe he shulde rule hym whiche is ryghte expedyent for euery man moste in especyall for theym that lyue in the medylde lyfe it shewyth what medelyd lyfe is he that wyll dylygently loke vpon it may therby the soner come to some of the hyghe vertues and blessyd lyfe that he shall rede of in the begynnynge of this present Boke of the gloryous Seyntys conteynyd in the same ¶ Howe a man that woll be ghostly must fyrste vse moche Bodely exercyse in penaunce and destroyenge of synne Capitulum primum DEre broder iÌ„ cryst two maner of states there are in holy Chyrche by the which crysteÌ„ soulys please god and get theym the blysse of Heuyn the one is bodely and the other is ghostly bodely werkynge longeth pryncypally to worldly men wymen the which lefully vse worldlye goodes and wylfully vse worldlye busynes Also it longeth to all yonge begynnynge men the which comen newe out of worldly synnys to the seruyce of god for to make theym able to ghostly werkynge for to breke downe that vnbuxumnes of the body by dyscrecyon and by suche Bodelye werkynge that it myghte be souple and redy not moche coÌ„traryous to the spyryte in ghostly werkynge for seynt poule sayth as woman was made for man and not man for woman ryght so bodely werkynge was made
knowyng of ghostlye occupacyon for they ne fele sauour ne deuocion by feruoure of loue as other men doo ne they canne no skylle of it and yet neuerthelesse they haue drede of god and of the payne of hell and therfore they flee synne and they haue desyre for to please god and for to come to heuyn and a good wyll haue to ther euēcrysten vnto thyse men it is nedefull spedefull to vse the werkys of actyflyfe as busylye as they maye in the helpe of themselfe of theyr euencrysten for they canne not elles doo ¶ Unto whom belongyth contemplatyfe lyfe Ca. iiii COntemplatyfe lyfe longeth alone to such men and wymen that for the loue of god forsake all open synnes of the worlde and theyr flesshe and all busynes charges gouernaunce of worldly goodes make them selfe poore nakyd to the bare nede of the bodyly kynde flee fro souereynte of all other men to the seruyce of god vnto thyse men it longeth for to traueyle occupye them inwardly for to gete thrughe the grace of our lorde clennes in herte peas in concyens by destroyinge of synne receyuynge of vertues soo for to come to contemplacyon which clennes may not be had without great exarcyse of body and contynuell trauayle of the spirit in deuout prayers feruent desyres ghostly medyracyons ¶ Unto whom belongeth medlyd lyfe Ca. v. THe thyrde lyfe the is the medlyd lyfe lōgeth to men of bodyly chyrche as to prelatys and to other curatys the whiche haue cure soueraynte ouer other men for to teche rule thē bothe theyr bodyes theyr soulys pryncipally in fulfyllynge of the dedys of mercy bodelye ghostly vnto thyse men it longyth somtyme to vse werkys of mercy in actyfe lyfe in helpe sustenaunce of them selfe of theyr subgiettys of other also sōtyme for to leue all maner of busynes outwarde to gyue theym vnto prayers medytacyons as redynge of holy wryt to other ghostly occupacyōs after that they fele them disposyd Also it lōgeth to some tēporall men which haue souereynte with moch fauer of worldlye goodes haue also as it were lordshyp ouer other men for to gouerne susteyne them as a fader hath ouer his chyldren a mayster ouer his seruaūtis a Lorde ouer his tenaūtys the whiche men haue also receyuyd of our Lordes gyfte grace of deuocyon ī party sauoure of ghostly occupacyon Unto these men also lōgeth medlyd lyfe that is both actyfe contemplatyfe For is thyse men stōdynge the charge the bōde that they haue takyn wyll leue vtterly that busynes of the worde the which ought skylfully to be vsyd ī fulfyllynge of her charge holly gyue them to cōtēplatyf lyfe they do not well for they kepe not the ordre of charyte for charyte as thou knowyst well lyeth bothe in Loue of god of thyn euencristen therfore it is that he that hath charyte to vse bothe in werkynke now to that one nowe to that other for he that for the loue of god in cōtemplacyon leuyth the loue of his euencristen doth not to them as he ought whan he is boūde therto he fulfyllyth not charyte also on the contraye wyse who so hath so great regarde to werke of actyfe lyfe to busynes of the worlde that for the loue of his euēcristen he leuyth gostly occupacyō vtterly after that god hath dysposyd hym therto he fulfyllyth not charyte this is the sayinge of seynt gregory for though our lorde for to styre some to vse this medlyd lyfe toke vpon hym selfe the persone of such maner men both of prelatis of holy chyrch of suche other as are disposed therto as I haue sayd gaue them ensaumple by his owne werkynge that they shuld vse this medlyd lyfe as he dyd One tyme he cōmonyd with men medlyd with them she wynge his dedys of mercy for theym taught the vncōnynge vnknowen by his prechynge he vysityd the syke helyd theym of theyr dyseasys he fed the hūgry he cōfortyd that sory neuerthelesse other tymes he lefte the cōuersacyō of all worldly men of this dyscyples went into desert vpon the hyllys cōtynued all nyght in prayers alone as the gospell sayth therfore this medlyd lyfe she wyth our lord in hym selfe to ensaūple of all other men that haue takyn the charge of this medlyd lyfe that they shuld one tyme gyue thē to busynes of worldly thyngys at resonable nede and to the werkys of actyfe lyfe in profyt of theyr euencrysten whiche they haue cure of and an other tyme gyue them holly to deuocyon and contemplacyon in prayers and medytacyons ¶ How holy Busshops vsyd medlyd lyfe Ca. vi THis lyfe ledde holy busshopys which had cure of mennys soules and mynystracyon of temporall goodes for thyse holy men lefte not vtterly the mynystracyon and the lokynge and the dyspendynge of worldly goodes gaue them holly to cōtemplacyon as moch grace of contemplacyon as they hadde but they lefte full ofte theyr owne rest in contemplacyon whan that they had well leuer haue byn stylle for loue of theyr euyncrystē entermetyd them with worldly busynes ī helpynge of ther subgyettys southly that was charyte For wysely and dyscretly they departyd theyr lyuynge in two O tyme they fulfyllyd the lower parte of charyte by werkys of actyfe lyfe for they were bounde therto by takynge of her prelacye And an other tyme they fullfyllyd the hygher partye of charyte in contemplacyon of god of ghostly thynges by prayers medytacyons so they had charyte to god to ther euencrysten both in affeccyon of soule within also in shewynge of bodyly dedys without other men that were oonly contemplatyfe were fre fro all curys prelacye they had full charyte to god to theyr euencrysten but it was oonly in affeccyon of theyr soule not in outwarde shewynge in hap soo moche it was the more full inwarde that they myght not ne it nedyd not ne it fyll not for them to shewe it outwarde but theyse men that were in prelacye other also that were onely temporall men had full charyte in affeccyon within also in werkynge and that is properly this medlyd lyfe bothe of actyfe of cōtemplatyfe lyfe southly for suche a man that is inspyrytuell souereynte as prelatis curatys be or in temporall souereynte as worldly Lordes maysters are I holde this medlyd lyfe best moost behouefull to them as longe as they are bounden therto But to other that are free not bounde to temporall mynystracyon ne to spyrytuall I hope that lyfe contemplatyfe alone if they myght come therto southfastly were best moost spedefull moost medefull moost fayre moost worthy to them for to vse to holde not for to leue it wylfully for any outwarde warkynge of actyfe lyfe but if it were in great nede at great releuynge comfortynge of