lyue and brought hym to her hows and toke charge of hym tyl he was all hool Many crysten men cam to hym whyche counseylled hym to voyde the place but he was comforted and stode vpon a stappe where themperour shold passe by and said to hym the bysshoppis of thydolles deceyue you euyll whyche accuse the crysten men to be contrayre to the comyn prouffyt of the cyte that praye for your estate for the helthe of Rome dyoclesyan said arte not thou sebastyen whom we comanded to be shoten to deth And saynt Sebastian saide therfor our lord hath rendred to me lyf to th ende that I shold telle you that euylle and cruelly ye doo persecucions vnto crysten men Thenne made dyoclesyan hym to be brought in to pryson in to hys palays And to bete hym so sore wyth stones tyl that he deyde And the tyrauntis threwe hys bodye in to a grete pryuee by cause the crysten men shold make no feste to burye hys body ne of hys martredom but saynt sebastian appyerid after to saynt lucyne a glorious wydowe And said to her in suche a pryue shalt thou fynde my body hangyng at an hoke whyche is not defouled with none ordure whan thou hast wasshed it thou shal burye it at Cathacombes by the appostlis And the same nyght she and her seruantes accomplysshyd alle that sebastian had comanded her he was martred the yere of our lord CClxxxvij And seynt gregory telleth in the first boke of hâ—s dyaloges that a woman of tuskane whych was newe wedded was prayd for to goo wyth other wymen to the dedicacion of the chyrche of sebastian and the nyght to fore she was so moeued in her flessh that she myght not absteyne her from her husbond And on the morn she hauyng gretter shame of men than of god wente theder and anon as she was entryd in to the oratorye where the relyques of saynt sebatian were the fende toke her and tormentid here byfore all the people And thenne the preest toke the couerture of the aulter and couerd her And theÌ„ne the deuyl assaylled the preest her frendes lad her to thenchauntours that that they shold enchaunte the fende but assone as they began thenchaunte by the IugemeÌ„t of god a legion of deuylles entryd in to her that is vjMvjClxvj and vexid her more sharply than to fore And an holy man named formatus by hys prayers heled her It is redde in the gestes of the loÌ„bardis that in the tyme of kynge gylberte all ytalye was smeton wyth so greet a pestilence that vnnethe they that were alyue myght burye the dede And this pestylence was most at Rome and pauye Thenne the good Angele was seen vysybly of many and an euyl Angele folowyng beryng a staf whom le bad smyte and slee And as many strokes as he smote an hows so many deede persones were born out of it Thenne at laste it was shewed to one by goddes grace that this pestylence shold not cesse tyl that they had made an aulter to saynt sebastian at pauye whiche thenne was made in the chyrche of saynt peter and anone the pestylence seassed And thyder fro rome relyques of saynt sebastian were brought And saynt Ambrose in his preface saith thus O lord the blood of thy blessyd martir saynt sebastian was shedd for the confession of thy name he hath shewed thy meruaylles that they prouffyte in infirmyte vertue and gyueth to our studyes prouffyt and to them not stedfast to the it gyueth ayde and helpe Thenne late vs praye to this holy martir saynt sebastian that he praye vnto our lord that we may be delyuerd from all pestylence and sodeyn deth and so departe aduysedly hens that we may come to euer lastyng Ioye and glorye in heuen Thus endeth the lyf of saynt Sebastian And next foloweth of saynt Agnes and first thynterpretacion of her name AGnes is said of agna a lambe For she was humble and debonayr as a lambe or of agno in greke whyche is to saye debonayr and pyteous For she was debonayr and mercyful Or agnes of agnoscendo for she knewe the waye of trouthe and after thys saynt Austyn saith trouthe is opposed ayenst vanyte falsenes doublenes For thyse thre thyngis were taken from her for the trouthe that she had ¶ Of saynt Agnes THe blessyd virgyne seynt Agnes was moche wyse and wel taught as saynt Ambrose wytnesseth and wrote her passyon she was fayr of vysage but moche fayrer in the crysten fayth she was yong of age aged in wytte For in the xiij yere of her age she lost the deth that the world gyueth And fonde lyf in Ihesu cryst whyche whan she cam fro scole the sone of the perfecte of Rome for themperour louyd her And whan hys fader and moder knewe it they offred to gyue moche Rychesse wyth hym yf he myght haue her in maryage And offryd to saynt Agnes precyous geÌ„mes and Iewellis whyche she refused to take wherof it happed that the yong man was ardauntly esprysed in the loue of saynt Agnes and came agayn and toke wyth hym more precious Rycher adournementes made wyth all maner of precious stones And as wel by hys parentes as by hym self offred to saynt agnes Ryche yeftes and possessyons and all the delytes and deduytes of the world and all to th ende to haue her in maryage but saynt agnes answerd to hym in thys mater Goo fro me thou fardel of synne norysshyng of euyllys and morsell of deth and departe And knowe thou that I am preuented and am loued of another louer whych hath gyuen to me many better Iewellis whych hath fyanced me by his fayth And is moche more noble of lygnage than thou art of estate he hath clad me wyth precyous stones and wyth Iewellis of golde he hath sette in my vysage a signe that I receyue none other espowse but hym And hath shewde me ouer grete tresours whiche he must gyue me yf I abyde wyth hym I wyl haue none other spowse but hym I wyl seche none other In no maner may I leue hym wyth hym am I ferme and fastned in loue whyche is more noble more puyssant fayrer than ony other whos loue is moche swete and gracious of whom the chambre is now redy for to receyue me where the virgynes syngyn meryly I am now embraced of hym of whome the moder is a vyrgyne And hys fader knewe neuer woman to whom the angelles serue the sonne and the mone merueylle them of hys beaute whos werkes neuer faylle whos Rychesses neuer mynusshe by whos odour dede men reyse agayn to lif by whos touchyng the seke men be conforted whos loue is chastyte To hym I haue gyuen my faith To hym I haue comanded my herte whan I loue hym thenne am I chaste and whan I touche hym theÌ„ne am I pure and clene And whan I take hym thenne am I a virgyne Thys is the loue of my god whan the yong man had
of heuen he beyng yet in the erthe On another tyme as he was in the couente of hys ordre at naples beyng in the chyrche in deuoute prayers he was enhaunced vp and lyfte vp from the grounde the heyghte of two cubytes and more Thenne a frere that sawe hym was moche abasshed and admeruaylled and after was herde a clere voys of the ymage of the crucyfyxe tofore whome the holy man was torned and made his prayer the whiche voys sayd vnto hym O Thomas thou hast wryton of me what rewarde wylte thou haue for thy labour Saynt thomas answeryd to hym lord I wyl none other rewarde but thy self for he hym selfe wrote in his tyme and made the seruyce and offyce of the precyous sacramente of the aulter and for as moche as on a tyme a questyon was moeuyd emonge the scolyers of parys how the accydens myght by ryght be wythout subgette And herof maad they doubte and determyned all hooly vnto that whyche the gloryous doctour shold saye which thynge he clâ—rely shewyd to them and for soo moche as sayd is that the demaunde or questyon was moouyd of our lord it was gyuen to vnderstonde of the ende of his lyf whyche was nyghe and as he was sente fore of the pope gregory the tenthe he wente by champayne in the royame of cezylle he began to be seek in suche wyse that he loste entyerly his appetyte And in passyng by the abbay called Fosse neuue of the ordre of the Cysteaux He was prayed gretelye of the monkes that it wold please hym to come to theyr abbaye Hys sekenesse beganne for to encreace from day to day And yet notwythstondyng hys maladye he cessyd not to sowe and sprede his holy doctryne of deuyne scrypture and sapyence and thenne he was prayed of the monkes for texpowne to them the canticles And that tyme it happed that in that monasterye was seen a sterre thre dayes tofore his dethe in manere of a sonne wherof they were abasshed what it myght sygnefye but certeyn it sygnefyed that the holy man shold departe out of thys world wythin thre dayes and that apperyd wel for whan the holy man was dede the sterre was nomore seen and it was in the yere of our lord a thousand two hondred foure and fyfty and anone brother raynolde his felawe witnessyd in trouthe parte sayeng and openlye prechyng in thys wyse I frere raynolde haue herde many tymes and now the confessyon of thys gloryous doctour and haue alweye founde hym clene and nette as a chylde of fyue yere of eage For he neuer consented ne had wylle in mortall ne dedely synne and it is not to be forgoten what meruayllous tokenes were shewyd whan the blessyd doctour shold departe out of this world and of the entre of the perdurable felycyte whiche was graunted to hym For a frere moche deuoute sawe in the houre of his dethe the holy doctour redyng in the scole saynt Powle entryng in to hym and saynt Thomas demaunded hym yf he had had good and crewe vnderstondyng in his epystles Thenne saynt poule answerd to hym ye as good as ony creature lyuyng myght haue And aboue that saynt poule sayd to hym I wyl that thou come wyth me and I shal lede the to a place where thou shalte haue of alle thynges more clere vndestondyng and it semyd to the frere that saynt powle drewe saynt Thomas out of the scole by hys cope ¶ Thenne thys frere beganne to crye sayeng Helpe brethern for frere Thomas is taken from vs and by the voys of this frere the other freres awook and demaunded that frere what he had Thenne he tolde to them and expowned thys sayd vysyon and the freres made Inquysycyon of the trouthe and fonde that it was so as the frere had sayd for in the same houre that the fâ—ere had soo cryed the holy doctour departed out of thys world and lyke as he had had in deuyne sapyence and scyence a doctour and techar Ryght so in hys passyng he had a ledar vnto the glorye perdurable and longe after that he was put in his sepulture the monkes doubted that the holy corps shold haue ben taken aweye ageynst their wylle for the gloryous doctoure had commaunded that his body shold be borne to naples for as moche as he was of that place wherfore the monkes translated hys body from one place to another wherfore the pryour of the abbay was in the nyght greuously repreuyd in a vysyon of saynt Thomas The pryour whyche doubted the Iugemente and sentence deuyne commaunded that the body of the saynt shold be remysed in the place that they had taken it fro and assone as the sepulture was openyd there yssued so grete and swete an odour that alle the cloystre was replenysshed therwyth and it semyd not that ony body had ben buryed there but it semed that there had been alle manere of spyces whiche body they fonde alle hoole in alle hys membrys The habyte of his ordre his cope hys scapulayre and cote were all wythout ony euyl corupcyon and the odoure of his precyous bedy and hys habyte were swete smellyng by euydent wytnesse seuen yere after that he was translated and the body was translated al hole Our blessyd lord hath honoured his blessyd saynt with many meruayllous sygnes and myracles by his benefetes and merytes he hath reysed somme fro dethe and somme fro wycked spyrytes fro the puyssaunce of the fende And many from dyuers maladyes haue been broughte to helthe by the grace of god the merytes of this gloryous saynt We rede also that there was a frere moche deuoute called brother alberte which on a day was moche deuoutelye in prayers tofore th aulter of the virgyn marye ij reuerend ê‘sones merueyllously shynyng apperyd to hym that one of tho tweyn was in thabyte of a bysshop thother inâ—thabite of frere prechours which had a crowne on his heed rouÌ„de byset wyth precioê° stones aboute his necke two colyers one of syluer thother of golde And on his breste he had a grete stone which of hys bryghtenesse caste oute many rayes of clerenesse and â—nlumyned alle the chyrche his cope that he had on was ful of precyous stones Hys cote and scapulayr were alle shynynge of whytenesse Whan the frere sawe thys syght he meruaylled moche Thenne he that was in the habyte of a bysshop sayd to hym I am austyn that am sente to the to the ende that I shewe the glorye of brother Thomas of alquyne whyche is in heuen in glorye lyke vnto me But he procedeth me in the ordre of vyrgynyte and I hym in dygnytee pontyfycal Many other sygnes and myracles hath our lord shweyd vnto the honoure and glorye of his gloryous saynt Saynt Thomas Whos merytes be vnto vs aydaunte and helpyng AMEN Thus endeth the lyf of Saint Thomas Dalquyne And here foloweth the lyf of Saynt Gayus THat tyme whan dyoclesyan and maxymy
considered hys myserye they tare theyr clothis and caste duste on theyr heedys and satte by hym seuen dayes and seuen nyghtes and noman spake to hym a word seeyng hys sorow Thenne after that Iob and they talked and spoken to gydre of hys sorowe myserye of whyche seynt Gregory hath made a grete book callyd the Morallys of seynt Gregory whiche is a noble book and a grete werk but I passe ouer all tho maters and retorne vnto the ende how god restored Iob agayn to prosperyte It was so that whan thyse thre frendes of Iob had ben longe wyth Iob and had sayd many thynges eche of them to Iob and Iob agayn to hem our lord was wroth with thyse thre men and said to them ye haue not spoken ryghtfully as my seruauÌ„t Iob hath spoken Take ye therfore seuen bulles seuen weders And goo to my seruaunt Iob and offre ye sacrefise for you Iob my seruaunt shal praye for you I shal receyue hys prayer shal take hys vysage They wente forth and dyde as our lord comanded them And our lord beheld the vysage of Iob and sawe hys penaunce whan he prayd for hys frendes And our lord added to Iob double of all that Iob had possessyd Alle hys brethern came to hym and alle hys susters and all they that to fore had knowen hym And ete with hym in hys hows and meuyd theyr heedys vpon hym and conforted hym vpon all the euyl that god had sente to hym And eche of theÌ„ gaf hym a sheep and a golde ryng for hys eere Our lord blessyd more Iob in hys last dayes than he dyde in the begynnyng ¶ And he had thenne after xiiij thousand sheep vj thousand camellys a thousand yok of Ox ij a thousand asses And he had vij sones and thre doughtres And the first doughters name was diem the seconde Cassiam and the thyrde Cornustibu Ther were nowher founden in the world so fair wymeÌ„ as were the doughters of Iob Theyr fader Iob gaf to them herytage emong their brethern thus Iob by his pacience gate so moche loue of god that he was restored double of all his lossis And Iob lyuyd after one hondred and xl yere And sawe hys sones the sones of hys sones vnto the fourth generacion and deyed an old man and ful of dayes Thus endeth the storye of Iob Here foloweth thystorye of tobye whyche is red the thyrde sondaye of Septembre THobye of the tribe of the cyte of Neptalym whiche is in the ouerpartyes of galylee vpon Nasâ—n after after the waye that ledeth men westward hauyng on his lyfte syde the cyte of Sâ—pheth was taken in the dayes of Salmanasar kynge of thassyryens and put in captyuyte yet he forsoke not the waye of trouthe but alle that he had or coude gete he departed dayly with his brethern of hys kynred which were prysoners wyth hym And how be it that he was yongest in alle the trybe of Neptalym yet dyde he nothyng chyldesly Also whan alle other wente vnto the golden Calues that Iheroboas kynge of Israhel had made this thobye only fledde the felowships of them alle and wente to Iherusalem in to the temple of our lord And there he adowred and worshypped the lord god of Israhel offryng truly hys fyrst fruyteâ— and tythes in so moche that in the thyâ—de yere he mynystred vnto proselytys and straungers alle the tythe suche thynges and other lyke to thyse he obseruyd whylis he was a chylde And whan he cam to age and was a man he toke a wyf named Anne of hys trybe and gate on her a sone namyng after hys owne name thobye whom fro hys chyldehode he taught to drede god and absteyne hym fro alle synne TheÌ„ne after whaÌ„ he was brouht by captyuyte wyth hys wyf his sone in to the cyte of nynyue with alle hys trybe And whan alle ete of the metes of the gentyles and paynems Thys thobye kepte hys sowle clene was neuer defowled in the metes of them And by cause he remembryd our lord in all hys herte god gaf hym grace to be in the fauour of Salmanasar the kynge whiche yaf to hym power to goo where he wold hauyng lyberte to doo what he wolde he wente thenne to alle them in captyuyte and gaf to them warnynges of helthe whaÌ„ 〈◊〉 cam on a tyme in Rages cyte of the Iewes he had suche yeftys as he had be honoured wyth of the kynge ten besauntes of syluer And whan he sawe one gabele beyeng nedy whych was of hys trybe he lente hym the sayd weight of syluer vpon hys oblygacion longe tyme after thys whan Salmanasar the kynge was deed Sennacheryb hys sone regned for hym And hated and loued not the chyldren of Israhel And Thobye wente vnto alle hys kynred and conforted them and deuyded to euerich of them as he myght of hys facultees and goodes he fedde the hungry and gaf to the naked clothes And dylygently he buryed the dede men and them that were slayn After this whan sennacheryb retorned fleyng the plaghe fro the Iewery that god hath sente hym for hys blasphemye And he beyng wroth slewe many of the chyldren of Israhel And thobye alwaye beryed the bodyes of them whiche was told to the kynge whyche comanded to slee hym And toke awaye all hys substaunce Thobye thenne with hys wyf and hys sone hyd hym and fledde away all naked For many louyd hym wel After thys xlv dayes the sones of the kynge slewe the kynge ¶ And thenne retorned thobye vnto hys hous and all hys facultees and goodes were restored to hym agayn ¶ After this on an hye festful day of our lord whan that thobye had a good dyneâ— in hys hows he said to hys sone Goo and fetche to vs soÌ„me of our trybe dredyng god that they may come and ete with vs And he wente forth and anon he retorned tellyng to hys fader that one of the chyldren of Israhel was slayn and laye deed in the strete ¶ And anon he lepe out of his hows leuyng hys mete and fastyng cam to the body toke it and bare it in to hys hows pryuely that he myht secretly berye it whan the sonne weÌ„te douÌ„ And whan he had hyd the corps he ete his mete with waillyng and drede remembryng that worde that our lord said by amos the prophete The daye of youre fâ—ste shal be torned in to lamentacion and wayllyng And whaÌ„ the sonne was gon doun he wente and buryed hym Alle hys neyghbours repreuyd and chydde hym sayeng for thys cause thou were comanded to be slayn and vnneth thou escapedest the comandement of deth and yet thou beryest dede men But thobye more dredyng god than the kynge toke vp the bodyes of dede men and hyd them in hys hows and at mydnyht he buryed them hit happed on a day after thys that he was wery of beryeng dede men cam home and leyde hym doun by a walle and slepte And fro a
alle he gaf to theÌ„ to drynke the venym whiche men assone as they had dronken it incontynent deyed Thenne saynt IohÌ„n toke the cuppe with the venym And blessyd it with the signe of the crosse and dranke it of euerydele And had ne felte none hurte ne harme wherfore alle the peple gaf laude and preysyng to god Aristodemus sayde yet haue I a doubte but and yf thou reyse to lyf agayn the dede men that dranke the venym wythout doubte thenne shal I byleue Thenne thappostle delyueryd hym hys cote to whoÌ„ he said why gyuest thou to me thy cote and saynt IohÌ„n said by cause that thou asshamed and confused shalt goo fro and forsake thyn Infydelite To whom he seid Trowest thou that thy cote shal make me byleue and thappostle said goo and leye it vpon the bodyes of the dede men sayeng Thappostle of Crist hath sent me to you that ye aryse in the name of crist whyche whan he had doon anon they aroos fro deth to lyf Thenne thappostle baptysed the bysshop and the proconsul byleuyng in cryst wyth all theyr kynne frendes which anon brake all their symylacres And in the same place edefyed a chyrche in the worshyp of god and of saynt Iohan The holy saynt clement reherceth in the fourth book of historia ecclesiastica that one a tyme saynt IohÌ„n theuangelist conuerted to the fayth a goodly yong man wel fauoured and stronge And comanded hym vnto the kepyng rule and gouernaunce of a bysshop And within a lytyl whyle after thys yong man forsoke the bysshop and fylle in to euyl companye emong theuys And by cam and was made maister and prynce of them Anon after thappostle cam to the bysshop and demanded for thys yong man And the bysshop was sore abasshed whan saynt Iohan sawe hys contenaunce he demanded more besilier after hym And where he had lefte hym For I aske hym of the whom I delyuerid to the and gaf the so grete charge with hym Thenne said the bysshop to hym Fader truly he is deed in hys sowle And is in yonder montayn wyth theuys and is theyr mayster and prynce And whan he herd that for sorowe he rente hys clothis and said to the bysshop thou art a feble kepar for to suffre thy brother to lese hys sowle Anone he made an hors to be made redy for hym and rode faste to the montayn And whan the yong man espyed and knewe hym he was so sore ashamed that he fled from hym Thenne thappostle forgate hys age and prykyd after and cryed after hym that fledde My most swete sone why fleest thou fro thy fader feble and olde Be thou not aferd sone For I shal yelde acountes for the to Ihesu cryst And truly I shal gladly deye for the lyke as Ihesu cryst deyed for vs Torne agayn my sone torne agayn Ihesu cryst hath sente me to the And he herd hym thus speke he abode with an heuy chyer and wepte repentyng hym bytterly and fylle doun to the feet of thappostle and for penauÌ„ce kyst hys hand And thappostle fasted and prayed to god for hym and gate for hym remyssyon of hys synnes and foryeuenes And lyued so vertuously after that saynt IohÌ„n ordeyned hym to be a bysshop ¶ Also it is redde in the same hystorye that saynt IohÌ„n on a tyme entred in to a bath for to wasshe hym and ther he fonde cheryntuÌ„ an heretyke whome assone as he sawe he eschewed and wente out of it sayeng Late vs flee and goo hens leeft the bayne falle vpon vs in whyche cheryntus thenemye of trouthe wassheth hym And assone as he was out the bayne fylle doun Cassiodor saith that a man had gyuen to saynt IohÌ„n a partrych lyuyng And he helde it in hys honde strokyng and playeng with it other whyle for hys recreacion And on a tyme a yong man passyd by wyth hys felawshyp and sawe hym playe wyth hys byrde whyche sayd to hys felaws lawhyng See how the yonder old man playeth wyth a byrd lyke a chyld whyche saynt IohÌ„n knewe anon by tholy ghoost what he had said and callyd the yong man to hym and demanded hym what he held in hys hond and he said a bowe what dost thou with all said saynt IohÌ„n And the yong man said we shote byrdes and bestes therwith to whom thappostle demaunded how and in what maner Thenne the yong man bente hys bowe and helde it in hys honde bente And whan thappostle said no more to hym he vnbente hys bowe agayn Thenne said thappostle to hym why hast thou vnbente thy bowe and he said by cause yf it shold be long bente it shold be the weyker for to shete with it Thenne said thappostle Soo sone it fareth by maÌ„kynde and by freylte in contemplacion yf it shold be alway be bente it shold be to weyke And therfor otherwhyle it is expedient to haue recreacion The eygle is the byrde that fleeth hyest and most clerly beholdeth the sonne And yet by necessyte of nature hym behoueth to descende lowe Ryght soo whan mankynde withdraweth hym a lytil fro contemplacion he after putteth hym self heyer by a renewed strengthe and he brenneth thenne more feruently in heuenly thynges Saynt IohÌ„n wrote his gospellis after the other euangelistes the yere after thascencion of our lord lxvj after this that the venerable bede saith And whaÌ„ he was requyred and prayd of the bysshops of the contre of ephese to write them saynt IohÌ„n prayd also to them that they shold faste praye in their dyosices iij dayes for hym to th ende that he myght truly wryte them Saynt Iherome saith of this glorious appostle saynt IohÌ„n that whan he was so olde so feble and so vnmyghty that hys dysciples susteyned and bare hym in goyng to chirche and as of tymes as he restid he said to his dysciples Fayre chyldren loue ye to gydre and eche of you loue other And thenne hys disciples demanded why and wherfore he said to them so ofte suche werdes he answerd to them and said our lord had so comanded And who someuer accomplisshed wel this comandemeÌ„t it shold suffyse hym for to be saued And fynably after that he had founded many chyrches and had ordeyned bysshops and prestes in them and confermed them by hys predycacion in the crysten fayth the yere lxviij after the resurrection of Iesu cryst For he was xxxj yere old whan our lord was crucyfyed And lyued after lxviij yere and thus was all hys age lxxxxix yere TheÌ„ne cam our lord with hys dyscyples to hym and said Come my frende to me For it is tyme that thâ—u come ete and be fed atte my table with thy bretâ—ern Thenne saynt IohÌ„n aroos vp and said to our lord IhÌ„u cryst that he had desired it longe tyme And began to goo Thenne said our lord to hym On sonday next comyng thou shalt come to me That sonday the peple came alle to the chyrehe whiche was founded in hys name
for to passe And the water of the ryuer aroos and swellyd more and more And the chyld was heuy as leed And alway as he went ferther the water encresed and grewe more And the chyld more and more wexyd heuy in so moche that xpoÌ„fre had grete anguysse and was aferd to be drowned And whan he was escaped with grete payne and passyd the water And sette the chyld a grounde he sayd to the chyld Chylde thou hast put me in grete peryl thou Wayest alle most as I had had alle the world vpon me I myght bere no greter burdon And the childe answerd Crystofre merueyle the nothyng For thou hast not only born alle the world vpon the But thou hast born hym that created made alle the world vpon thy sholdres I am IhÌ„u cryste the kyng to Whom thou seruest in thys werke And bycause that thou knowe that I saye to the trouthe sette thy staf in the erthe by thy hous and thou shalt see to morne that it shalle bere floures and fruyte and anon he vanysshed from his eyen And thenne cristofre sette his staf in therthe and whan he aroos on the morn he fond his staf lyke a palmyer beryng floures leues and dates and thenne Cristofre went in to the cite of lycye and vnderstode not theyr langage Thenne he prayed our lord that he myght vnderstonde them and so he dyd And as he was in this prayer The Iuges supposed that he had be a fool And left hym there And thenne whan cristofre vnderstode the langage He couerd his visage and went to yâ— place Where they marterd crysten men and comforted them in our lord and theÌ„ne the Iuges smote hym in the face and xpoÌ„fer sayd to them If I were not crysten I shold anon auenge myn Iniurye And thenne Cristofre pyiched his rodde in therthe And prayed to our lord that for to conuerte the people it myght bere floures and fruyt and anon it dyd soo And thenne he conuerted viij thousand men and thenne the kyng sent two knyghtes for to fetche hym to the kyng and they fond hym prayeng And durst not telle to hym soo And anon after the kyng sent as many mo And they anon sette them doun for to praye wyth hym And whan xpoÌ„fre aroos he sayde to them What seche ye And whan they sawe hym in the vysage they sayde to hym the kyng hath sent vs that we shold lede the bounden vnto hym And Cristofre sayd to them yf I wold ye shold not lede me to hym bouÌ„den ne vnbounden And they sayd to hym yf thou wylt goo thy waye goo quyt where thou wylt And we shalle say to he kyng that we haue not founde the hit shall not be so sayde he But I shalle goo with you and thenne he conuerted them in the fayth And commaunded them that they shold bynde his hoÌ„des behynd his backe and lede hym so bounden to the kyng and whan the kyng sawe hym he was aferd and fil doun of the siege and his seruauntes lyft hym vp and releuyd hym agayn And thenne the kyng enquyred his name and his contray cristofre said to hym tofore or I was baptised I was named reprobus after I am named xpoÌ„fer tofore baptem a cananee now a cristen man to whom the kyng said thou hast a folissh name that is to wete of crist crucifyed whiche conde not helpe hym self ne may not proffite to the How therfor thou cursid cananyen why wylt thou not do sacrefyse to our goddes to whom cristofre sayd thou art righfully called dagarus for thou art the deth of the world and felaw of the deuyl thy goddes ben made wyth the hondes of men And the kyng sayde to hym thou were norysshed emong wyld bestes therfor thou mayst not say but wyld langage and wordes vnknowen to men And yf thou wylt now doo sacrefyse to the goddes I shalle yeue to the grete yeftes and grete honours and yf not I shalle destroye the and consume by grete paynes and tormentis But for alle thys he wold in no wyse do sacrefyse wherfor he was sent in to pryson And the kyng dyd do behede the other knyghtes that he had sent for hym whom he had conuerted and after thys he sent in to the pryson to Seynt Christofer two fayre wymen of whom that one was named vysena And that other Aquylyne and promysed to them many grete yeftes yf they coude drawe xpoÌ„fer to synne with them And whan xpoÌ„fer sawe that he sette hym doun in prayer And whan he was constrayned by them that enbraced hym to meue he aâ—oos and sayde what seke ye For what cause be ye comen hyther And they whiche were affrayed of his chyere and clerenes of his vysage sayden holy seynt of god haue pite of vs so that we may byleue in that god that thou prechest And whan the kyng herde that He commaunded that they shold be laten out and brought to fore hym to whom he sayde ye be deceyued but I swere to you by my goddes that yf ye doo no sacrefise to my goddes ye shal anon peryssh by euyl deth And they sayde to hym yf thou wylt that we shalle do sacrefyse commaunde that the places may be made clene and that alle the peple may assemble at the temple and whan this was doon they entred in to the temple and toke theyr gyrdles and put them aboute the neckes of theyr goddes And drewe them to therthe and brake them alle in peaces and sayd to them that were there Goo and calle phisiciens and leches for to hele your goddes And thenne by the commaundement of the kyng Aquylyne was honged and a ryght grete and heuy stone was honged at her feet so that her membres were moche despitously broken And whan she was dede and passyd to our lord her suster vicena was cast in to a grete fyre but she yssued out without harme alle hool and thenne he made to smyte of her hede And so suffred deth After this xpoÌ„fer was brought tofore the kyng And the kyng commaunded that he shold be beten with roddes of yron and that there sholde be sette vpon his hode a crosse of yron rede hote and brennyng and thenne after he dyd do make a siege or a stole of yron and made christofer to be bounden theron And after to sette fyre vnder it And caste theryn pytche but the siege or setyl malte like waxe And Christofer yssued out wythout ony harme or hurte And whan the kyng sawe that He commaunded that he shold be bunde to a strong stake and that he shold be thrugh shoten wyth arowes wyth xl knyghtes archers But none of the knyghtes myght attayne hym For the arowes henge in thayer about nyghe hym wythout touchyng Thenne the kyng wende that he had be thrugh shoten wyth the arowes of the knyghtes and adressid hym for to goo to hym And one of the arowes retorned sodenly fro the ayer And smote
the organes makyng melodye she sange in hir herte onelye to god sayeng O lord I beseche the that myn herte and body may be vndefowled so that I be not confounded and euery second and thyrd day she fasted commendyng hir self vnto our lord whome she dredde the nyght cam that she shold goo to bedde wyth hir husbond as the custome is and whan they were bothe in theyr chambre allone she sayd to hym in thys manere O my beste belouyd and swete husbond I haue a counceyll to telle the yf so be that thou wylt kepe it secrete and swere that ye shal bewreye it to no man to whom valeryan sayd that he wold gladly promyse and swere neuer to bewreye it and thenne she sayd to hym I haue an aungel that loueth me which euer kepeth my body whether I slepe or wake and yf he may fynde that ye touche my body by vylonye or foule and pollute loue certeynly he shal anone slee you and so shold ye lese the floure of your yongthe and yf soo be that thou loue me in holy loue and clennesse he shall loue the as he loueth me shal shewe to the his grace Thenne valeryan corrected by the wylle of god hauyng drede sayd to hir yf thou wylte that I beleue that thou sayest to me shewe to me that aungel that thou spekest of and yf I fynde verytable that he be the aungel of god I shal do that thou sayest and yf so be that thou loue another man than me I shal slee bothe hym and the with my swerde Cecylle answerd to hym yf thou wylt byleue baptyse the thou shalt wel now see hym goo thenne forth to via appia whiche is thre myle out of this towne and there thou shalt fynde pope urban with poure folkes and telle hym thyse wordes that I haue sayd and whan he hath purged you fro synne by baptesme thenne whan ye come ageyn ye shal see the aungel and forthe wente valeryan and fonde this holy man vrbane lowtyng emonge the buryellys to whom he reported the wordes that cecylle had said and saynt vrbane for ioye gan holde vp his honde and lete the teerys falle out of his eyen and sayd o almyghty god Ihesu crist sower of chaast counceylle and keper of vs alle Receyue the fruyte of the seed that thou hast sowen in cecyllye For lyke a besy bee she seruyth the For the spouse whome she hath taken whyche was lyke a wode lyon She hath sente hym hyther lyke as a meke lambe and wyth that word apperyd sodeynlye an olde man y cladde in whyte clothes holdyng a book wryten wyth letters of golde Whome Valeryan seyng for fere fyl 〈◊〉 to the grounde as he had been deed Whome the olde man reysed and toke vp and redde in this wyse One god one feythe one baptesme One god and fader of alle abouen alle and in vs alle euery where And whan this olde man had redde this he sayd byleuest thou this or dou test thou it say ye or nay Thenne valeryan cryed sayeng ther is no thynge trewer vnder heuen thenne vanysshed this olde man aweye Thenne valeryan receyued baptesme of saynt vrbane and retorned home to saynt cecyllye whome he fonde wythin hir chambre spekyng wyth an aungel and thys aungel had two crownes of roses and lyles which he helde in his honde of whiche he gafe one to cecylle and that other to valeryen sayeng kepe ye thyse crownes wyth an vndefowled and a clene body for I haue brought them to you fro paradyse and they shal neuer fade ne wydder ne lose theyr sauour ne they may not be seen but of theym to whome chastyte pleasyth thou valeryan by cause thou hast vsed prouffytable counceyl demaunde what thou wylt To whom valeryan sayd There is no thynge in thys world to me leuer thenne my brother whome I wold fayne that he myght knowe this veray trouthe wyth me to whome the aungel sayd thy petycyon pleseth our lord and ye bothe shal come to hym by the palme of marterdom and anone tyburce his brother came and entryd in to thys chambre and anone he felte the swete odour of the roses lylyes and meruaylled fro whens it came Thenne valeryan sayd we haue crownes whyche thyn eyen may not see and lyke as by my prayers hast felte the odour of them so yf thou wylt byleue thou shalt see the crownes of roses and lylyes that we haue Thenne cecyllye and valeryan began to preche to tyburcyen of the ioye of heuen and of the foule creaunce of paynyms the abusyon of ydolles and of the paynys of helle whyche the dampned suffre and also they prechyd to hym of the Incarnacion of our lord and of hys passyon and dyd so moche that Tyburcyen was conuerted and baptysed of saynt vrbane and fro than forthon he had so moche grace of god that euery day he sawe aungellys and alle that euer he requyred of our lord be opteyned After almachyus prouoste of rome which put to deth many crysten men herde say that tyburcyen valeryen buryed cristen men that were marterd gafe al their good to pour peple he called them tofore hym after longe dysputacion he commaunded that they shold goo to the statue or ymage of Iubyter for to doo sacrefyse or ellys they shold be byheded as they were ledde they prechyd the feyth of our lord to one called maxyme that they conuerted hym to the cristen feyth they promysed to hym that yf he had veray repentaūce ferme creaūce that he shold see the glorye of heuen which their sowles shold receyue atte hour of their passyons that he hym self shold haue the same yf he wold byleue Thenne maximus gate leue of the tormentours for to haue them home to his hows the sayd maxymus with al his howsholde and alle the tormentours were torned to the feyth thenne came saynt cecyllye thyder with preestys baptysed them and afterward whan the mornyng came saynt cecylye sayd to them Now ye knyghtes of crist caste aweye fro you the werkes of derknes clothe you with the armes of lyght thēne they were ledde four myle out of the towne brought to fore thymage of Iupyter but in no wyse they wold do sacrefyse ne encence to thydolle but humbly with grete deuocion knelyd doun there were byheded saynt cecylye toke their bodyes buryed them thenne maxymus that saw this thyng said that he sawe in the houre of theyr passyon aūgels clere shynynge her sowles ascende in to heuen whyche the aungels bare vp wherfore many were conuerted to the cristen feythe whan almache herde that maxyme was cristened he dyd do bete hym with plommettes of leed so longe tyl be gaue vp hys spyryte deyed whos body Saynt Cecyllye buryed by valeryan and Tyburcyan after almache commaūded that cecylye shold be brought vnto hys presence for to doo sacrefyse to Iubyter