whom the Iewes delyuerd to pylate for enuye comaunded that he shold be crucyfyed Thenne he complayned hym soroufully sayd I am sory by cause he may not accōplyssh that whiche my lord themperour hath charged me To whō veronyce said my lord and my maistre whan he wente prechyng I absente me ofte from hym I dyde do paynte his ymage For to haue alway wyth me his presence by cause that the figure of his ymage shold gyue me somme solace And thus as I bare a lynnen keuerchief in my bosome oure lord mette me and demaūded whyther I wente and whan I had told hym whyther I wente and the cause he demaunded my keuerchief And anone he enprynted his face and fygured it therin And yf thy lord had beholden the fygure of Ihesu Cryst deuoutly he shold be anon guarisshed and heled And volusien axid is ther nether gold ne siluer that this fygure may be bought with She answerd nay but stroonge of corage deuoute and of grete affeccion I shal goo with the and shal bere it to themperour for to see it and after I shal retorne hether agayn Thenne wente volusien with veronike to Rome and said to themperour Ihesus of nazareth whom thou hast longe desired Pylate the Iewes by enuye and with wronge haue put to deth and haue hanged hym on the crosse and a matrone a wydowe is come with me whiche bryngeth thymage of Ihesu the whiche yf thou with good herte and deuoutly wylt beholde haue therin contemplacion thou shalt anon be hole And whan themperour had herd this he dyde anone make redy the waye With clothes of sylke made thymage of Ih̄u to be brought to fore hym And anone as he had seen it worshiped it he was all guarisshed and hoole Thenne he comaūded that pylate shold be taken and brought to Rome And whan themperour herd that pylate was come to Rome he was moche wroth and enflammed ayenst hym And bad that he shold be brought to fore hym Pylate ware alway the garment of our lord which was withoute seem wher with he was clad whā he cam to fore thēperour And assone as themperour saw hym all his wrath was goon ◠the yre out of his herte he coude not saye an euyl word to hym in his absence he was sore cruell toward hym in his presence he was alway swete debonair to hym gaf hym lycence and departed And anon as he was departed he was as angry as sore moeued as he was to fore and more by cause he had not shewd to hym his fureur Thēne he made hym to be called agayn sware he shold be ded And anone as he sawe hym hys cruelte was all goō wherof was grete meruaylle now was ther one by thynspyracion of god or at the persuasion of som crysten man caused themperour to despoylle hym of that cote and anon as he had put it of The emperour had in his herte as grete yre and fureur as he had to fore wherof themperour meruaylled of this cote And it was told to hym that it was the cote of Ih̄u Thēne themperour made pylate to be sette in pryson tyl he had counseylled what he shold doo with hym And sentence was gyuen that he shold dye a vylayns deth And whan pylate herd the sentence he toke a knyf and slewe hym self And whan themperour herde how he was deed he said certaynly he is deed of a right vylaynous deth and fowl For hys owne propre hand hath not spared hym Thenne his body was taken and bounden to a mylle stone was caste in the ryuer of tyber for to be sonken in to the bottom̄ And the yll spyrytes in thayer began to moue grete tēpestes merueyllous wawes in the water horryble thondre and lyghtnyng wherof the peple was sore aferd in grete doubte And therfor the Romayns drewe out the body in derysion sente it to vyane caste it in to the ryuer named Rosne viane is as moche to saye as helle whiche is said Iehenna For thenne it was acursid place and so ther is his body in the place of malediction And the euyl spyrites ben as wel there as in other places And made suche tempestes as they dyd byfore in so moche that they of that place myght not suffre it And therfor they toke the vessel wherin the body was sente it for to berye it in the terroir of the cyte of losane The whiche also were tempested as the other And it was taken thens and throwen in to a depe pytte alle enuyronned with montaynes In whiche place after the relacion of somme ben seen illusions and machynacions of fendes ben seen growe and boylle And hether to is thistorye callyd ypocryfū redde They that haue redde this lete them saye and byleue as it shal plese them Neuertheles in scolastica hystoria is redde that pylate was accused afore themperour Tyberius by cause he dyde put to deth by vyolence thē that were Innocent by his myght And that maulgre the Iewes he sette ymages of paynems in the temple And that the moneye put in corbanam he toke and dyde with all his prouffyt and was preuyd in his vysage that he made in his hows alleyes and conduytes for water to renne in And for thyse thynges he was sente to lyon in exyle for to deye emōg the people of whome he was born And thys may be wel supposed that this Istorye be trewe For to fore was the edicte gyuen that he shold be put in exyle to lyons And that he was exyled er volusien retorned to themperour But whan themperour herd how he made our lord Ihesu to deye he made hym fro hys exyle to come to Rome Eusebe and Bede in theyr cronycles say not that he was enprysoned put in exyle But by cause that he fyll in many myseryes by despayr he slewe hym self wyth his owne hand Thus endeth the Passyon ¶ Here begynneth the 〈◊〉 THe Resurrection of our lord Ihesu cryst was the third day after his deth And of this blessyd resurrectcon seuen thynges ben to be consyderid Fyrst of the tyme that he was in the sepulcre that be thre dayes and thre nyghtes he was in the sepulcre And the thirde day he aroos Secondly wherfore he aroos not anon whan he was deed but abode vnto the thirde day Thirdely how he aroos Fourthly wherfor his resurrection taryed not vntyl the generall resurrection Fyftly wherfore he aroos Sixtly how oftymes he appyered in his resurrection And the seuenth how the holy faders whiche were enclosed in a partye of helle he delyuerd what he dyde c̄ As to the first poynt it ought to be knowen that Ih̄us was in the sepulcre iij dayes iij nyghtes But after saynt austyn the first day is taken by synodoche that is that the last part of the day is taken The secōd day is takē all hool the thirde is taken after the first part of the day
power largesse apostolyque wages spirituell ê‘don speciall vnto all theÌ„ that shal be personelly in clene lyf atte houres dyurnelle and nocturnel ¶ Of this holy solempnyte to th eÌ„de that euery good chatholyque ê‘sone shold haue the more desire to come to one so grete a solempnyte ouerall where it shal be halowed That is to wyte at matynes an C. dayes of ê‘don atte masse as moche atte first euensong as moche atte second euensong on the day also an C. dayes atte houres of pryme of tierce of sixth of none of coÌ„plyne at euerich of thies houres xl dayes On the other dayes duryng the octaues for euery day to theÌ„ that shal be atte matynes atte masse at tierce at sixthe none eueÌ„ song coÌ„plyn an C· dayes of pardon all thise pardons of the tresour of the chirch by the myserycorde dyuyne he hath gyuen theÌ„ institued tendure perpetuelly This sacramÌ„t fygured our lord Whan he sente MaÌ„na fro heuen vnto the olde fadres in deserte where they were fedde with mete celestiall it is said that the meÌ„ had eten brede of angellis but alleway all they that had eten therof they deyden in deserte But this mete that ye now receyue is the lyuyng brede which desceÌ„ded fro heuene that admynystred the substauÌ„ce of the lyf eternell therfor who someuer receyue this brede here worthyly he shal neuer deye eternelly for this is the propre body of IhÌ„u crist now coÌ„sidere here theÌ„ne which is most excellente most proufytable the brede of thangellis or the propre body of Ihesu crist which is lyf ê‘durable The manna aforsaid caÌ„ fro heuen This precious flessh is aboue the heuene This maÌ„na is celestyalle This flessh here is god the creatour of heuenes the maÌ„na was kept vnto the morn was corrupte this brede may fele no corrupcioÌ„ To them in deserte abouesaid spraÌ„ge water out of a stone to vs is sprongen the blood of thamerous IhÌ„u crist The water refresshith them for an houre but the precious blood of IhÌ„u crist wessheth vs ê‘petuelly The Iewes drank alwaye were a thurst but thou cristen man whaÌ„ thou hast droÌ„ken of this beuurage here thou mayst neuer after haue thurst That other was gyuen to theÌ„ in a shadowe vmbre but this was gyuen in trouthe now ye shal vnderstoÌ„de this that was in the shadow they dranke of the water that yssued out of the stone this stone was IhÌ„u cryst yet they plesed not alway in their werkes to god therfore deyed they in deserte All tho thynges ther were don in figure for to gyue knowleche of thynges more grete and more notable It is moche gretter thyng of the lyght than of the shadow semblably of verite than it is of fygure And also moche gretter of the body of our cratour maker than it is of the manna that cam fro heuen Thou shalt demande ê‘aduenture how thou affermest assurest me that I receyue the body of IhÌ„u crist whah I see another thyng we haue many exaÌ„ples by the wich we may wel preue that it which thou receyuest is not that thyng that nature hath fourmed but it is wel that that the benediction hath consecrated the benedictioÌ„ hath gretter myght than nature for by benenedictioÌ„ oftymes nature hath ben chauÌ„ged Moyses that helde a rodde in his honde whaÌ„ he caste it to the erthe it becaÌ„ a serpente Anone he toke it vp and it torned in to the nature of a rodde Thou seest theÌ„ne how by the grace of the prophete the nature hath be chauÌ„ged twies of the serpeÌ„t of the rodde the ryuers of egypte ranne somtyme their cours naturell but sodaynly by the vaynes of thâ— foÌ„taynes blood begaÌ„ to yssue renne so longe that the peple wist not for to drynke after at the prayer of the prophete the ryuer of blood cessed cam agayn to his nature of water as it was afore the peple of the ebrews was on a tyme all enuyroÌ„ned enclosed of thegipciens bytwene the see them Moyses lyft vp his rodde theÌ„ne the water departed assambled vnto the lyknes of a walle there appiered to them a way for to goo on foot And the flood of Iordan in his propre place ayenst his nature retorned ayenst the hyll The old faders that were in deserte also on a tyme had grete thurst moyses toke his rodde smote a stone out of the which yssued grete habuÌ„dance of water Is not the grace of benedictioÌ„ which hath we ought aboue nature whan the stone gyueth water which he may not by nature ¶ Marach which was a Ryuer right bytter in suchâ—â—yse that the peple that had grete thurst myght not drynke it Moyses put a staf in the water sodaynly by the grace of benediction which there wrought it loste his bitternes becam swete Semblably in the tyme of elysee the propheete one of the sones of the prophetes lete falle the yroÌ„ of his axe in the water the which yroÌ„ after his nature saÌ„ck douÌ„ to the bottom of the water TheÌ„ne he caÌ„ to helysee prayeng hym for his axe helysee put hys bourdon in the water anon the yron begaÌ„ to swymme aboue the water which is a thyng aboue nature for the weiht of the yron is heuyer than the lycour of the watre by all thise thynges by the blessynges of prophetes we see clerrely how grace or benediction hath thus wrouht aboue nature theÌ„ne sith that benedictioÌ„ humayne dyuerse tymes hath thus coÌ„uertid thynges ayenst nature what shal we saye of the consecracion dyuyne where the wordes of god werke For this holy sacrement here that thou receyuest is consecrate of the worde of IhÌ„uÌ„ cryst Thenne yf the worde of helye was of so grete effecte that it made fyre to descende from heuen of mochâ— more valewe and effecte is the worde of Ihesu cryst for to torne the lyknes of elementes ye haue redde of the werkes of the world as god said and coÌ„manded so was it made he comanded and it was made And the worde that made alle thyng of nought may not the same chauÌ„ge the thynges that haue ben made in to other spece and lyknes It is not lasse to hym to create thynges than to chaunge thynges we shewe also the mysterye of thyncarnacion of our maker Ihesu cryst was not that aboue nature that Ihesu cryst was born of the vyrgyne marye yf thou demande of thordenaunce of nature thou knowest that the womaÌ„ hath acustoÌ„me to conceyue by the seed of man But the vyrgyne marie engendryd and conceyued aboue thordenauÌ„ce of nature alleway remayned a vyrgyne And this holy sacrement that we nowe consecrate is the propre body of Ihesu cryst that was born of the vyrgyne Wherfore thenne sechest thou of thordenaunce of the precious nature of Ihesu cryst whan he is aboue all nature He that was born of the vyrgyne is the propre flessh of Ihesu cryst the
wherto the blessyd maÌ„ albone answerd no worde but mekelye and pacyently suffred alle theyr repreuys and the peple were so grete a multitude that they ocupyed all the place whiche was large and grete And the heet of the sonne was so grete that it brente and scalded theyr feet as they wente and soo they ladde hym tyl they came to a swyfte rennyng ryuer where they myght not lyghtly passe for prees of people for many were shyfte ouer the brydge in to the water and were drowned and many by cause they myght not goo ouer the bridge for prees vnclothed theym for to swymme ouer the ryuer and soÌ„me that coude not swymme presumed to do the same and were wretchydlye drowned wherof was a grete rumoure and noyse pytously emonge the people And whan Saynt albone perceyued this thyynge he waybed and wepte for the harme and deth of his enemyes that so were perisshed And knelyd doun holdyng his hondes vp to god besechyng that the water myght be lassed the flood wythdrawen that the people myght be wyth hym at hys passyon and forthwyth god shewed atte requeste of saynt albone a fayre myracle for the water wythdrewe the ryuer dryed vp in suche wyse that the peple myght saufly goo drye foot ouer the ryuer and also by the prayer of thys holy man they that tofore had be drowned were restored ageyn to lyf and were founden a lyue in the depnes of the ryuer And thenne one of the knyghtes that drewe saynt albone toward his marterdom sawe thyse myracles that god shewyd for hym and anone threwe aweye his swerde and fyl doun at the feet of saynt albone sayeng I knowleche to god myn errour demaunde foryeuenes and wepte sore and sayd O albone seruaunte of god for verayly thy god is almyghty and there is none god but he and therfore I knowleche me to be his seruaunt duryng my lyf for thys ryuer by thy prayers is made drye wherfore I bere wytnes that there is no god but thy god whiche doeth suche myracles And whan he had sayd thus theyr furye and woodnes encreced sayd to hym thou arte false For it is not as thou sayest ne as thou affermest For this ryuer is thus dryed by the benygnyte of our goddes therfore we worshyp Iubyter and appollyn whiche for our ease haue take vp thys water by thys grete hete and by cause thou takest aweye the worshyp of our goddes and rewardest it to other by euyl Interpretacion thou hast deserued the payne which longeth to a blasphemar ¶ And thenne forthwyth they drewe out his tethe of his heed and the holy mowthe that had borne wytnesse of trouthe was greuously beten wyth soo many of them that or they lefte they tare alle the membris of his body and to brake al his bones and alle to rente his body and lefte hym lyeng vpon the sonde But who myght wythout wepyng of teerys expresse how thys holy man albone was drawen and ledde thorugh bryers and thornes and sharpe stones that the blood of his feet coloured the waye as they wente in and the stones were blody Thenne atte laste they came to the hylle where this holy albone shold fynysshe and ende his lyf In whiche place laye a grete multytude of peple nygh dede for hete of the sonne and for thurste whan they sawe albone they grynted wyth theyr tethe on hym for angre sayeng O thou moste wycked man how grete is thy wyckednesse that makest vs to deye wyth thy sorcerye and wytchecrafte in thys grete myserye and hete Thenne albone hauyng pyte on them sorowed by grete affeccion for them sayd lord that madest mannes body of erthe and his sowle vnto thy liknesse suffre not thyse creatures to perisshe for ony cause commysed in me blessyd lord make the ayer attemperate and sende them water to refresshe them And thenne anone the wynde blewe a fresshe cole and also at the feet of thys holy man albone sprange vp a fayr welle wherof al the peple meruayled to see the colde water sprynge vp in the hote sondy grounde and so hygh on the toppe of an hylle whyche water flowyd al aboute in large stremys rennyng doun the hylle And thenne the peple ranne to the water and dranke so that they were well refresshed and thus by the merytes of saynt albone their thurst was clene quenchyd but yet for alle the grete goodnes that was shewyd they thursted strongely the blood of thys holy man his dethe and gaue the praysyng and lawde to theyr goddes and toke this holy mand and bounde hym first to a stake and after hynge hym on a boughe by the heer of hys heed and sought emonge the peple one to smyte of his heed and thenne a cruel man was redy and in an angre toke his swerde and smote of the heed of thys holy man at one stroke that the body fyl to grounde the hede hynge stylle on the boughe the tormentour as he had smyten of his heed bothe his eyen sterte out of his heed the wretche myght in no wyse be restoryd ageyn to his syghte Thenne many of the paynyms sayd that this vengeauÌ„ce came of grete riÈtwysnesse Thenne the knyght whyche was lefte for deed vpon the sonde a lityl before enforced hym self as moche as he myght and crepte vpon his hondes vnto the toppe of the hylle whereas saynt albone was byheded And the Iuge seyng hym began to scorne hym and alle the myracles that had ben shewed by saynt alboue and sayd to hym o thou lame and croked now praye to thyn albone that he restore the to thy fyrst helthe renne and hye the take the heed by whiche thou mayst receyue thyn hele why taryest thou soo longe goo and burye his body and do hym seruyce Thenne this knyght brennyng in charite sayd I beleue fermelye that the blessyd albone by hys merites may gete to me parfyte helthe gete to me of our lord that whiche ye say in scorne and whan he had thus sayd he toke and enbraced the holy heed in his armes and reuerently losed hyt fro the boughe and sette it fayre to the body and by the myracle of our lord he was forthwith restoryd to his firste helthe and forthwyth began to preche the grete power of our lord IhÌ„u cryste and of the merytes of saynt Albone And thenne he was strenger to labour than euer he was tofore wherof he yafe thankynges and lawde to god and to thys holy marter saynt Albone And there in the same place he buryed the holy body and layed a fayre tombe ouer hym and afterward the paynyms toke this knyght and bonde hym to a stake and after smote of his heed that same day and after the Iuge gaue lycence to the people to departe and goo home and the nyght after was seen a clere bâ—me comyng doun fro heuen to the sepulcre of saynt albone by whiche aungels descendyd and assendyd
sone first cristen kynge of fraunce and was named lowys in hys baptesme whome saynt remyge cristened And an auÌ„gel of paradyse brought to hym an ample ful of crysme of whiche he was enoyâ—ted aâ—so his successours kynges of fraunce ben enoynted sacred at theyr coronacion after he was of good lyf fouÌ„ded the chirche that is now called saynt geneuefe on the mounte of paas in thonour of saynt peter saynt pouâ—e at the requeste of saynt clote hys wyf of whome the body resteth in the sayd chirche at thyncitacion of saynt geneuefe and saynt remyge dyd halowe dedefye hit the sayd kyng dyd encreâ—e moche the royame of fraunce frauâ—chysed it by his puyssaunce fro the româ—yns He conquerid meleun and the londe lyenge by sayne by loyre tourayn thoulose and al guyan and at his comyng to engoulesme the walles of the cyte fyl doun he made almayne and bourgoyn his trybutayrs he ordeyned and Instytuted parys to be the chyef syege of the royame he reygned xxx yere after he was entered in the sayd chirche the yere of our lord fyue hondred xiiii In the tyme of the sayd kyng lyued the sayd virgyn vnto the tyme of kyng clotayr his sone of which vyrgyn the sowle flâ—we in to heuen the body abâ—de in erthe in the sayd châ—rche in whiche she is yet he ole honourably entered and deuoutelye worshypped â—y the good and deuoute crysten peple In the tyme that the sayd vyrgyn saynt geneuefe was a chylde Saynt germayn of ancerre saynt lâ—w of troyes electe of the prelates of fraunce for to goo quenche an heresye that was in grete brytaygne now called englond came to nauÌ„cerre for to be lodged and herberowed the peple came ageynst theym for to haue theyr beneyson Emonge the people saynt germayn by thenseygnemente of the holy ghoost espyed out the lytel mayde saynt geneuefe and made hyr to come to hym and kyste hyr heed and demaunded hyr name and whos doughter she was and the people aboute hyr sayd that hir name was geneuefe and hyr fader Seuere and hyr moder geronce whyche came vnto hym and the holy man sayd is this chylde youres they answerd ye Blessyd be ye said the holy man whaÌ„ god hath gyuen to you so noble lignage knowe ye for certeyn that the day of hyr natyuyte the aungels sange halowed grete mysterye in heuen with grete ioye and gladnes She shal be of so grete meryte ageynst god of hir good lyf and conuersacion many shal take ensauÌ„ple that they shal leue theyr synne and shal conuerte theym to god and shal lyue religyously by whiche they shal haue pardon and ioye perdurable Thenne he sayd to geneuefe my doughter telle to me and be not asshamed yf ye wyl be sacred lyue in vyrgynyte vnto the dethe as espouse of Ihesu cryste The mayde answerd holy fader ye demaunde that I desyre there lacketh nomore but that by your prayers our lord wyl accomplysshe my deuocyon the holy man sayd haue ferme byleue in god and preue by werkys the good thynges that ye byleue in your herte and saye wyth your mowthe and our lord shal gyue you force and vertue Saynt Germayn helde his honde on hir heed tyl he came vnto the mynstre there he gaue to the peple the beneyson Saynt Germayn said to the fader and moder of the mayde that they shold brynge hir ageyn on the morne to hym whan she was brought ageyn on the morne saynt germayn sawe in hir a sygne celestyal I wote not what and sayd to hyr god the saleweth Geneuefe Doughter remembrest thou what thou promysest to me yesterday of the vyrgynyte of thy body holy fader sayd the mayde I remembre wel that by the helpe of god I desyre and thynke to accomplysshe my purpoos Thenne the holy man loked on the grounde sawe a peny sygned wyth the crosse whyche came by the grace and wylle of god he toke hit vp and gaue hit hyr and sayd fayre doughter take this and bere it in mynde of IhÌ„u cryste your espouse and suffre not aboute you none other arayemente of golde ne syluer ne of precious stones for yf the beaute of thys world surmounte a lytell your thought ye shal lose the goodes of heuen he commounded hir to god and prayed hir that she wold remembre hym in hyr orysons and prayers and recommaunded her to fader and moder The two holy bysshoppes wente from thens in to englond there were heretykes ageynst the feythe whyche sayd that chyldren borne of fader and moder baptysed had no nede to be crystenyd whiche is not trouthe for our lord Ihesu cryst sayth clerely in the gospel that none may entre in to the kyngdom of heuen yf he be not regenerate of water and of the holy ghost That is to say regenerate by the sacramente of baptesme By this scripture and by semblable the holy prelates destroyed theyr false creaunce and byleue and by vertu also and by myracles For in a solempnyte of ester by many that were newe baptysed in syngyng alleluya they chaced and droof aweye theyr enemyes of scotland and straungers of other places that were come for to greue them Hyt happed on a day that Geronce the moder of the holy mayde Geneuefe wente on an holy and festeful day toward the mynstre And hyr doughter wente after sayeng that the feythe that she had promysed to Saynt germayn she shold kepe by the helpe of god and that she wold ofte goo to the mynstre to the ende that she myght deserue to be espouse of Ihesu cryste and that she myght be worthy of his loue the moder was angry smote hyr on the cheke God auengyd the chylde that the moder became blynde and that in xxj monethes she sawe not whan the moder had been longe in thys payne which moche enoyed hyr She remembryd of the goodnes that Saynt germayn had sayd of hyr doughter and callyd hyr and sayd my doughter goo to the pytte and fetche me water the mayde wente hastely whan she was at the pytte she began to wepe by cause hyr moder had loste hyr syghte for hyr sake and toke vp water and bare it to hyr mder The moder stratched hyr handes to heuen and toke the water wyth grete feythe and reuerence And maad hyr doughter to sygne hir with the sygne of the holy crosse and wesshe hyr eyen and anone she began for to see a lytell Whan she had twyes or thrise wesshen hir syght came hole to hir ageyn as it had been tofore after thys it happed that the holy mayde was offred to the bysshop of chartres buylique for to be sacred with two other elder maydens For men offred hem after theyr eage But the holy bysshop knewe by the holy ghoost that geneuefe was the moste worthy and dygne and sayd to hyr that was behynde shold come before For god had tho sanctefyed hyr After the dethe of hir fader
fledde awey by nyght al naked And by cause they doubted shame they fledde in to Egypte And alle his grete possession cam to by rauayne of wycked peple Thenne the kynge and alle the Senatours sorowed moche for the maister of the Chyualrye whiche was so noble by cause they myght here no tydynges of hym And as they wente they approched the see and fonde a shippe and entryd in to hit for to passe And the maistre of the shyp saw the wyf of Eustace was ryght fayre And desyred moche for to haue her And whan they were passed ouer he demaunded his reward for their freyÈt And they had not wherof to paye soo that the mayster of the shyp commaunded that the wyf shold be holden and reteyned for his hyre And wolde haue her with hym And when Eustace herde that he gaynsayd hit longe thenne the mayster of the ship commaunded hys maronners to caste hym in to the See so that he myght haue his wyf And whanne Eustace sawe that he lefte his wyf moche sorowfully and toke his two children and went wepynge and sayde Alas wo ain I for yow for your moder is delyuerd to a strauÌ„ge husbond And thus sorowynge he and his children cam to a ryuer and for the grete habondaunce of water he durste not passe that Ryuer with his bothe sones attones whiche were thenne yonge But at the laste he lefte one of them on the brynke of the Ryuer And bare ouer that other on his sholders And whanne he hadde passed the Ryuer He sette doune on the grounde the childe that he hadde borne ouer And hasted hym for to fetche that other that he hadde leffte on that on that other syde of the Ryuer And whan he was in the myddes of the water ther cam a wulf and took the childe that he hadde borne ouer and fledde with al to the woode And he thenne all despeyred of hym wente for to fetche that other and as he wente there cam a grete lyon and bare awey that other chyld so that he myght not reteyne hym For he was in the myddle of the Ryuer And thenne he beganne to wepe and drawe his heer And wold haue drowned hym self in the water yf the dyuyne purueaunce had not letted hym And the herdmen and plowemen sawe the lyon beryng the child al alyue and they folowed hym wyth their dogges soo that by dyuyne grace the lyon left the child al sauf without hurte And other plowemen cryed and folowed the wulf and with their staues and fauchons delyuerd the child hoole and sound fro his teeth without hurte And soo bothe the herdmen and plowemen were of one vyllage and nourysshed these children among them And Eustace knewe no thyng therof but wepynge and sorowyng sayenge to hym self Alas wo is me For to fore this myshappe I shone in greete welthe lyke a tree but now I am naked of alle thynges Alas I was a customed to be acompanyed with a grete multitude of knyghtes And I am now allone and am not suffred to haue my sones O lord I remembre me that thou saidest to me the behoueth to be tempted as Iob was but I see that in me is more done to than was to Iob For he loste alle his possessions but he had a donghylle to sytte on but to me is no thynge lefte he had frendes whiche had pyte on hym and I haue no ne but wylde beestes whiche haue borne awey my sones To hym was his wyf left and my wyf is taken fro me and delyuerd to another O good lord gyue thou reste to my trybulacions and kepe thow so my mouth that myn herte declyne not in to wordes of malyce and be caste fro thy vysage And thus sayenge and wayllyng in grete wepyng went in to a strete of the toune and there was hyred for to kepe the feldes of the men of that towne and so kept them xv yere his sones were nourysshed in another towne and knewe not that they were bretheren and oure lord kepte the wyf of Eustace so that the strauÌ„ge maÌ„ had not to do wyth her ne touched her but deyde and ended his lyf In that tyme themperour and the peple were moche tormentid of theyr enemyes And thenne they remembryd of placidas how he many tymes had foughten nobly ageynst them for whome themperour was moche sorowfull and sente oute in to dyuerse partyes many knyghtes to seche hym and promysed to them that fonde hym moche rychesses and grete honour And two knyghtes whiche had ben vnder hym in chyualrye cam in to the same strete where he duellyd And anone as placydas sawe them he knewe them And thenne he remembryd his fyrst dignyte and beganne to be heuy and sayde Lord I byseche the to graunte to me that I maye somtyme see my wyf for as for my sones I knowe well that they be deuoured of wylde beestes and thenne a voys cam to hym and sayde Eustace haue thow good affyaunce For anone thow shalt recouer thyn honoure and shalt haue thy wyf and thy Children and anone he mette with these knyghtes and they knewe hym not but demaunded of hym yf he knewe ony straunge man named placidas And had a wyf and two chyldren and he sayd nay yet he had them home to his hostel and he serued them And whan he remembryd of his fyrst estate he myght not holde hym fro wepyng Thenne he wente oute and wesshe his face and retorned for to serue them And they consydered and sayd that one to that other how that this man resembleth moche vnto hym that we seche And that other answerd certaynly he is lyke vnto hym Now late vs see yf he haue a wounde in his hede that he gate in a bataylle Thenne they behelde and sawe the signe of the wounde And thenne they wyst well it was he that they soughte Thenne they arose and kyssed hym and demaunded of his wyf and chyldren And he sayd that his sones were deed and his wyf was taken awey fro hym And thenne the neyghbours ranne for to here thys thynge by cause the knyghtes told recounted his fyrste glory and his vertue And they said to hym the comandement of themperour And clad hym with noble vestymentes Thenne after the iourneye of fyften dayes they brought hym to themperour And whan he herd of his comynge he ranne anone ageynst hym And whan he sawe hym he kyssed hym Thenne Eustace recouÌ„ted to fore them alle by ordre that whiche had hapned to hym And he was restablysshed vnto thoffyce to be ageyn mayster of the chyualrye And was constrayned to doo thoffyce as he dyde to fore And thenne he compted how many knyghtes ther were and sawe that ther were but fewe as to the regard of their enemyes And commanded that alle the yonge men shold be gadred in the cytees and townes and it happed that the countrey where hys sones were nonrysshed shold make and send two men of armes Thenne al the Inhabitants of that
moo than ij thousand peple cristen whiche had been longe there dampned for to hewe the marble in the roches and anone whan they sawe saynt clemente they beganne to wepe and he comforted them and sayd Our lord hath not sente me hyther by my merytes but he hath made me partyner of your crowne And whan he vnderstood of them that they fette water syxe myle thens and bare it vpon theyr sholdres he sayd to them lete vs al praye vnto our lord that he opene to vs his confessours in thys place here the vaynes of a fontayn or of a welle and that he that smote the stone in deserte of Synay and water flowed haboundantlye he gyue to vs rēnyng water soo that we may be enioyed of his benefaytes and whan he had made hys prayer he loked here and there and sawe a lambe stondyng whiche lyfte vp his right foot shewyd a place to the bysshop and he vnderstandyng that it was our lord Ihesu crist whome he onely sawe and wente to the place and sayd In the name of the fader and of the sone of the holy ghooste smyte in thys place whan he sawe that no man wold smyte in the place where the lambe stood he toke a litel pykoys and smote one stroke lightelye in the place vnder the fote of the lambe anone a welle or a fontayn sprange vp and grewe in to a grete flode Thenne vnto al them ioyeng saynt clemente sayd the comyng of the flode gladeth the cyte of god for the fame of thys myracle moche peple came thyder and fyue hondred and moo receyued baptesme of hym in one day and they destroyed the temples of thydolles thorugh alle that prouynce wythin one yere they edefyed lxxv chyrches to the honoure of our lord and thre yere after Traiane the emperour vnder stondyng thys whiche was the yere of our lord lxvj and sente thyder a duc and whan this duc sawe that al they wold gladly deye for goddes loue he lefte the multitude and toke onely clemente and bonde an ancre aboute hys necke and threwe hym in to the see sayd Now they may not worshyp hym for a god and al that grete multitude of the peple wente to the ryuage of the see and behelde the cruelte of the tyraunte and thenne cornelye phebus dysciples of saynt clemente commaunded to alle the other to praye to our lord that he wold shewe to theym the body of his marter and anone the see departed thre myle weye ferre So that all they myght goo drye fote thyder and there they fonde an habytacle in a temple of marble whiche god had made and ordeyned and fonde the body of saynt clemente layed in an arke or a cheste and the ancre therby and it was shewed to his dysciples that they shold not take aweye the body fro thens Euery yere in the tyme of hys passyon the see departed by seuen dayes duryng foure myle ferre whyche gafe drye weye to them that came thyder In one of the solempnytees there was a woman wente thyder wyth a litel chylde and whan the solempnyte of the feste was accomplysshed the chylde slepte and the noyse sowne of the water was herde whyche came and approched faste and the woman was abasshed and forgate hir chylde and fledde vnto the ryuage with the grete multitude of peple afterward she remembrid hir sone and beganne strongely to crye and wepe ranne hyther and thyder brayeng by the ryuage for to knowe yf by aduenture the body of hir sone myght be caste vpon the ryuage and whan she sawe no socour ne no hope she retorned home and was al that yere in wepynge in heuynes and the yere after folowyng whan the see was departed and the weye opene she ranne tofore alle the other came to the place for to know yf by aduenture she myght haue ony knowleche or fynde ony thynge of hyr sone whan she knelyd doun tofore the tombe of saynt clemente and had made hir prayers she aroos vp sawe hir sone in the place where she had lefte hym slepyng Thenne she supposed be had ben deed and wente nerre for to haue taken the body as it had be wythout lyf but whan she saw hym slepyng she awook hym and took hym in hir armes tofore alle the people al hool and saufe and enquyred of hym where he had ben al that yere he sayd that he wyste not but that he had slepte there but one nyght swetely Saynt ambrose sayth in his preface in this wyse whan the moost wycked persecutour was constrayned of the deuyl for to tormente by paynes the blessyd clemente he gafe to hym no payn but vyctorye The marter was caste in the flodde for to be drowned therfore came he to a good rewarde by whiche peter his mayster came in to heuen Cryste approuyng the myndes of them bothe in the flodes he callyd clemente fro the bottom of the see to the palme of vyctorye he releuyd saynt peter in the same element that he shold not be drowned vnto the heuenly royame Lyon the bysshop of hostyence recounteth that in the tyme that mychel the Emperour gouerned the empyre of rome a preest named phylosophre cam to tersone and demaunded of them that dwellyd in the contre of the thynges that ben reherced in the hystorye of saynt clemente and by cause they had not be of that tyme but were straunge they sayd that they knewe no thynge therof For for the synne of them of the contrey that dwelled in that place the water had longe cessyd for to with drawe as it was woned to doo In the tyme of martyn the emperour the chirche had be destroyed of the barbaryns and the arke wyth the body of the marter was wrapped in the flodes of the see for the synne of them that dwellyd there and thenne the preest was al admeruaylled of thyse thynges and came vnto a litel cyte named georgye wente with the bysshop and the clerkes wyth the people for to seche the holy relyques of the yle where as they supposed that the body of the holy marter had been and there they dygged songe ympnes and canticles and thenne by reuelacion deuyne they fonde the body of the holy saynt the ancre by hit whiche was caste in to the see wyth hym thenne they bare it to tersone and after this same preest cam to rome with the body of saynt clement and there shewyd god many myracles for this holy saynt and the body was layed in the chyrche whyche is now callyd saynt clemente it is redde in a cronycle that the see waxed drye in that place and that the blessyd Cyrylle bysshop of moryanne brought the holy body vnto Rome Thenne lete vs deuoutelye praye vnto thys blessyd saynt saynt clemente that by his merytes we may deserue to come to the blysse of heuen AMEN Thus endeth the lyf of Saynt Clemente
and euery euyl dede shal be punyssled and the sonday ageynst euen ther came a grete multytude of fendes blastyng and roryng and bad saynt brandon goo thens that they myght haue theyr seruaunte Iudas for we dare not come in the presence of our mayster but yf we brynge hym to helle with vs and thenne sayd saynt brandon I lete not you to do your maysters commaundemente but by the power of our lord Ihesu I charge you to leue hym thys nyght tyl to morowe how darest thou helpe hym that so solde his mayster for thyrty pens to the Iewes and caused hym also to deye the moste shameful dethe vpon the crosse and thenne saynt brandon charged the fendes by his passyon that they shold not noye hym that nyght thenne the fendes wente theyr weye roryng cryeng towarde helle to their mayster the grete deuyll thenne Iudas thanked saunt brandon soo ruthefully thot it was pyte to see on the morne the fendes came wyth an horryble noyse sayeng that they had that nyght suffred grete payn by cause they broughte not Iudas sayden that he shold suffre double payn the vj dayes folowyng and they toke thenne Iudas tremblyng for fere with them to payne and after saynt brandon saylled southward thre dayes and thre nyghtes and on the fryday they sawe an yle londe and thenne Saynt brandon began to syghe and sayd I see the ylonde wherin saynt poule thermyte dwellyth and hath dwellyd there xl yere wythout mete and drynke ordeyned by mannes honde and whan they came to the londe saint poule came and welcomed them humbly he was olde and forgrowen so that no man myght see his body of whome saynt brandon said wepynge now I see a man that lyueth more lyke an aungel thenne a man wherfore we wretches may be ashamed that we lyue not better Thenne Saynt Poule sayd to Saynt brandon thou arte better thenne I for our lord hath shewed to the moo of his preuytes thenne he hath doon to me Wherfore thou oughtest to be more praysed than I To whome saynt brandon sayd we ben monkes and must labour for our mete but god hath prouyded for the suche mete as thou holdest the plesed wherfore thou arte moche better than I To whome Saynt poule sayd somtyme I was a monke of Saynt patrykes abbey in yrelonde and was wardeyn of the place where as men entre in to saynt patrykes purgatorye and on a day there came one to me and I asked hym what he was and he sayd I am your abbot Patryke and charge the that thou departe from hens to morne erly to the see syde and there thou shalt fynde a shyppe in to whiche thou muste entre whiche god hath ordeyned for the whos wylle thou must accomplysshe and so the nexte day I aroos and wente forthe and fonde the shyppe in whiche I entred and by the purueaunce of god w I as brought in to this ylonde the seuenth day after and thenne I lefte the shyppe wente to londe and there I walked vp and doun a good whyle and thenne by the purueaunce of god there came an otter gooyng on his hyndre feet and brought me a flynte stone an yron to smyte fyre wyth in his two fore clawes of his feet and also he had aboute his necke grete plente of fysshe whiche he caste doun before me wente his waye and I smote fyre and made a fyre of styckes and dyd sethe the fysshe by whyche I lyued thre dapes and thenne the ottyr came ageyn and brought to me fisshe for other iij dayes and thus he hath done this lj yere thorugh the grace of god and there was a grete stone out of whiche our lord made to sprynge fayr water clere and swete wherof I drynke dayly thus haue I lyued one and fyfty yere and I was fourty yere olde whan I came hyther and am now an hondred and xj yere olde and abyde tyl it please our lord to sende for me and yf it plesyd hym I wold fayn be dyschargyd of thys wretched lyf and thenne he bad saynt brandon to take of the water of the welle and to carye in to hys shyppe for it is tyme that thou departe for thou hast a grete iourneye to doo for thou shalt sayle to an ylonde whiche is fourty dayes sayllyng hens where thou shalte holde thyn ester lyke as thou hast doon tofore where as the tree of byrdes is and fro thens thou shalte sayle in to the londe of byheest and shalte abyde there fourty dayes and after retorne home in to thy contre in saufete And thenne thyse holy men toke leue eche of other they wepte bothe ful sore and kyssed eche other thenne saynt brandon entryd in to his shyppe and sayled xl dayes euyn southe in ful grete tempeste and on ester euen cam to theyr procuratour whiche maad to them good chere as he had before tyme and from thens they came to the grete fysshe wheron they sayd matyns and masse on ester day and whan the masse was doon the fysshe began to meue and swāme forth faste in to the see wherof the monkes were sore agaste whiche stode vpon hym for it was a grete meruayl to see suche a fysshe as grete as alle a contre for to swymme so faste in the water but by the wylle of our lord this fysshe sette al the monkes a londe in the paradys of byrdes all hole and sounde and thenne retornyd to the place he came fro and thenne Saynt brandon and his monkes thankyd our lord of theyr delyueraunce of the grete fysshe and kepte theyr estertyde tyl trynyte sonday lyke as they had doon before tyme and after this they took theyr shyppe and saylled eest xl dayes and at the fourty dayes ende it began to hayle ryght faste therwyth came a derke myste whiche lasted longe after whyche feryd Saynt brandon and 〈◊〉 monkes prayed to our lord to kepe and helpe them and thenne anone came theyr procuratour and bad them to be of good chere for they were come in to the londe of byheest and sone after that myste passed aweye and anone they sawe the fayrest contre eestward that ony man myght see and was so clere bright that is was an heuenly syght to beholde and al the trees were charged wyth rype fruyte and herbes ful of floures In whyche londe they walked fourty dayes but they coude see none ende of that londe and there was alweye day and neuer nyght and the londe attemperate ne to hote ne to colde and at the laste they came to a fayr ryuer but they durste not goo ouer there came to them a fayre yonge man and welcomed them curtoysly and called eche of them by his name dyd grete reuerence to saynt brandon and sayd to them be ye now ioyeful for thys is the londe that ye haue soughte but our lord wyl that ye departe hens hastelye and he wyl shewe to you more of
that this day shewed hym to thise kynges And at his baptesme where the voys of the fader was herd the holy ghoost seen And at the feest torned water in to wyn and fedde fyue thousand men besyde wymen and chyldren with v. loues and two fysshes that at the reuerence of this hye and grete feste he forgyue vs oure trespaces and synnes that after this short lyf we may come tohis euerlastyng blysse in heuen Amen Thus endeth the fest of Epyphanye of the thre kynges Here begynneth Septuagesme AT Septuagesme begynneth the tyme of deuiacioÌ„ or goyng out of the way of the world whiche began at Adam and dured vnto moyses And in this tyme is redde the book of genesis The tyme of septuagesme representeth the tyme of deuyacioÌ„ that is of transgression The sexagesme sygnefyeth the tyme of reuocacion The quinquagesme signefieth the tyme of remyssion The quadragesme signefieth of penaunce and satisfaction The septuagesme begynneth whan the chirche syngeth in thoffyce of the masse circuÌ„dederunt me and endureth vnto the saterday after ester day The septuagesme was institued for thre reasons lyke as mastre IohÌ„n beleth putteth in thoffyce of the chirche The first reason was for the redempcion For the holy fadres somtyme ordeyned that for thonour of thascencion of IhÌ„u cryst In the whiche our nature ascended in to heuen And was enhaunsed aboue thangeles that this day shold be halowed solempnly And shold be kepte fro fastyng And at the begynnyng of the chirche also solempne as the sonday And procession was made in representyng the procession of thappostles which they made on that day or of thaÌ„gellis that cam to mete hym and therfor comenly the prouerbe was that the thursday and the sonday were cosyns For thenne that one was as solempne as that other but by cause that the festes of sayntes cam and ben multeplyed whiche were greuous to halowe so many festes therfore the feste of the thursday cessed And for to recompence that ther is a weke of abstynence ordeyned lyke to lente and is called septuagesme That other reeason is for the sygnyficacion of the tyme For by this tyme is signefyed to vs the tyme of deuiacion of goyng out of the way of eyxle and of tribulacion of thumayne lignage fro syth Adam vnto th ende of the world Whiche exile is halowed vpon the reuolucion of vij dayes of vij M. yere vnderstoÌ„deÌ„ by lxx dayes or lxxC yeris For fro the begynnyng of the world vnto thascencion we acounte vj thousand yere and of the rest that we rekene it for the seuenth thousand of whiche god knoweth only the terme Now it is so that Ihesu cryst bought vs out of this exile in the vj age in hope of perpetuel lyf of all them that be reuested with the vesture of Innocence by bapteme we ben regenerate And whan we shal haue passed the tyme of this exyle he shal clothe vs of double vesture that is to wete of body and soule in glorye and in the tyme of deuyacion and of exyle we leue the songe of gladnes that is alleluya but the saterday of ester we synge one alleluya In enioyeng vs thankyng god of the vesture perpetuel whiche by hope we abyde for to recouure in the sixth age And in the masse we sette a tracte In fyguryng the labour that yet we ought to doo and in fulfyllyng the comandemens of god And the double Alleluya that we synge after ester sygnefyeth the double vesture tht we shaal haue in body and in soule The thirde Reson is for representacion For the septuagesme representeth lxx â–ª yere in whiche the chyldren of Israhel were in babilone in seruytude And in suche maner that they caste away and lefte their vsage of songe of gladnesse sayeng Quomodo cantabimus canticum domini cÌ„ ¶ Thus leue we the songe of preysyng and of gladnes After licence was gyuen to them to retorne in the tyme of Sexagesme and begonne thenne to Ioye and so we doo the satirday of ester as in the yere of Sexagesme we synge Alleluya in representyng their Ioye and gladnesse how wel in the retornyng they had payne and sorowe to take their thynges and bere with them therfor we synge anon after the tracte whiche foloweth the alleluya And in the saterday after ester in whiche Sptuagesme is complete we synge double Alleluya in fyguryng the playn gladnesse that they had whan they were retorned in to theyr contree And this tyme thus of the seruytude of the chyldren of Israhel representeth the tyme of our pylgremage of the lyf of this world ¶ For thus as they were delyuerd in the syxtyth so were we in the syxte age And as they had payne in gadryng assemblyng theyr thynges for to bere with them So haue we in fulfyllyng the comandements of god And like as they were in reste whan they cam in to their contre and in gladnes and in Ioye in lyke wyse we synge double alleluya that betokeneth double Ioye that we shal haue as wel in body as in sowle In this tyme theÌ„ne of exile of the chirche full of many tribulacions and as throwen out in to the depenesse of desperacion almost and despayr sigheth for sorowe in sayeng thoffyce of the masse Circundederunt me gemitus mortis cÌ„ And sheweth many demonstracions that she suffreth as well for the myserye that she had deserued by synne As for the double payne that she is ronne in as for the trespas to her neyghbour but all way for as moche as she falle not in despayr is purposed to her in the gospell and epystle thre maner of Remedyes The first is that yf she will yssue of thyse tâ—ybulacions that she laboure in the vygneyerde of her sowle in cuttyng and pullyng out the vyces and the synnes And after in the waye of this present lyf she seche the werkys of penaunce And after that in doyng spyrytuel bataylle she defende her strongly ayenst the temptacions of thenemye And yf she doo thyse iij. thynges she shal haue threfold reward For in labouryng god shal gyue her the peny and in wel rennyng the prys And in well fyghtyng the crowne And by cause that septuagesme sygnefyeth the tyme of our captyuyte the remedye is purposed to vs By the whiche we may be delyuerd in fleyng the myserye by rennyng by vyctorye in fyghtyng and by the peny in vs ayen beyng ¶ Here endeth the mysterye of Septuagesme ¶ Of Sexagesme THe Sexagesme begynneth whan is songe in the chirche at office of the masse Exurge domine And this endeth the wednesday after ester day And was instytued for redempcion for sygnefycacion and for representacion For redempcioÌ„ it was instytued For Melchisedech the 〈◊〉 and syluestre Institued that men shold ete twyes on the saterday to th ende that they that that had fasted the fryday whiche shold all way be fasted were not greued And in rechaet them of the saterdayes of this tyme they adiousted and Ioyned
soule with honeste wherof thappostle saith to the Romayns Clothe you with vestymentes of lyght they enchauffe and enflamme vs in charyte wlerof it is sayd Be not thy vestementes hoote For it auayleth lytil to hym that gooth to the aulter yf he haue souerayn dygnyte and a lyf defamed it shold be an horryble thynge to see hym in an hye sete and a lowe lyf souerayn degre and lowe estate A sad visage and lyght in werkis ful of wordes and nothyng of dede Noble of auctoryte and fleyng corage ¶ Secondly it ought to be seen how the chirche is sacred and halowed And to that apparteynen many thingis For the bisshop gooth all aboute thre tymes And at euery tyme that he cometh to the gate or dore he knocketh wyth his croys sayeng Prynces opene your yates And the chirche is wasshen within and withoute with holy water And a crosse of asshen is made on the pauement and of sonde a trauers the Angle fro thorient vnto that Whiche is ayenst thoccydent And the A. B. C. is wreton within of lettres of greke and of latyn Crosses ben made on the wallis of the chirche and they be enoynted with creme ¶ And it is to wete that the thre first goynges aboute signefye thre goynges aboute that Ihesu cryst made for the halowyng of this chirche The first was whan he cam fro heuen in to the world the seconde was whan he desceÌ„ded fro the world in to helle The thirde was whan he cam agayn fro helle and ascended in to heuen Or the thre gooyngâ—s aboute shewe that the chirche is halowed in thonoure of the trynyte or for to signefye the thre estates of them that ben to be saued of the chirche That ben virgynes continentis and maryed folke whiche be signefyeed in the disposicioÌ„ of the chirche materyall lyke as hugo de sancto victore sheweth For he saith that the sanctuarye signefieth the ordre of virgyns the chore or quyer signefieth the continentes And the body sygnefyeth thordre of them that ben maryed For the sayntuarye is strayter than the chore or quyer and the quyer strayter than the body For thordre of vrgyns is more worthy than the contyneÌ„tes thordre of the contyneÌ„tys is more worthy than they that be maryeed The seconde knockyng atte dore signefieth the treble right that Ihesu cryst hath in the chirche wherfore it ought to be opened to hym ¶ For it is his by creacion and swete by redempcion and by promesse of gloryfyeng And of this thre fold right saith Anselme Certaynly lorde for somoche as thou hast made me I owe my self al to the by cause thou redemyst me I owe my self al to the by cause thou hast promysed to me so grete thyngis I owe my self vn to thy loue by cause thou art gretter than I for whoÌ„ thou gauest thy self and to whom thou promysest thy self I owe to the more thaÌ„ my self And this that the bysshop cryeth thryes opene your yates cÌ„ sygnefyeth the treble power that he hath in heuen in the world and in helle And this that the chirche is thryes wasshen within and withoute sygnefyeth thre causes The fyrst is for to put out the deuyll And therfore is said in the blessyng of the water that it be blessyd to chace away all the power of thenemye the fende with his angellis cursed and shrewd And thou oughtest to knowe that this holy water is made of four thynges that is of water of salt of wyne and of asshes whiche thynges put out the deuyll and chacheth hym away By the water is signefyed theffusion of teeres by the wyn is signefyed spyrituel gladnesse and by the salt is shewd mewre distrecion And by thasshes is parfonde humylyte Secondly it is dedicate for to make her self clene from all erthly thynges whiche were corrupt by synne And therfore by cause it shold be clene from all ordure it is wasshen wyth holy water so that it be clene and pure And this was signefyed in tholde lawe that all shold be clensed by water Thirdly it is halowed for to take away all malediction For therthe atte begynnyng was cursyd with his fruyt by cause man Was deceyued by fruyte and and the water was not cursed And therfore it is said that our lord ete fysshe but it is not fonden that euer he ete ony flesshe by name sauf the pâ—ske lambe And that was in ensample for taccomplysshe the commandement of the lawe And by cause that all malediction and cursynges shold be take awaye is the chirche wasshen wyth holy water Fourthly the A.B.C. is wreton in the pauement in latyn and in greek and thys signefyeth the comunion of that one and of that other people Or it sygnefyeth that one and that other testament or thartycles of our faith For thescripture of the lettres greekes and latyn that were made on the table of the crosse representeth thassemble of the faith made by IhÌ„u crist on the crosse therfore is this crosse leyde made trauers fro thaÌ„gle of thoryent vnto thangle of thoccident for to signefye that it that was first on the right syde was made the lift syde that whiche was atte heede was made atte ende thus to the contrarye And it representeth the scripture of that one and that other testament whiche was accomplisshid by IhÌ„u crist on the crosse For he said whaÌ„ he deyde all is accomplisshid And the crosse is made trauerse by cause that the one was chauÌ„ged in to that other For all the lawe is in a rolle Thirdly the crosses ben paynted in the chirche that is for thre causes The first is to fere the deuyll For whan they see the signe of the crosse there by whiche they haue ben put out they ben aferde dar not entre For they doubte and drede moche the signe of the crosse ¶ And herof saith Crysostome In what place they shal see the signe of the crosse they shal flee For they drede the staf of whiche they haue beÌ„ hurte Thirdly it representeth the artycles oâ— the faith For the pauement of the chirche is the fondement of our faith the lettres that ben within wreton ben tharticles of our faith by the whiche the rude peple and newe ben introduced And they of the one and other peple whiche ought repute them for asshes and for pouldre after this that abraham saith in genesis I shal speke to my lord as that I were asshees and pouldre SecoÌ„dly for to shewe the signe of the victorye of IhÌ„u crist For thise crosses ben signes baners of IhÌ„u crist and of his victorye therfore ben there paynted the crosses for to shewe that the place is dyuyne subgette to god And also it is of custome to emperours to other prynces that Whan a toun or cyte is takeÌ„ or yoldeÌ„ for to sette vp within the baners and thensignemens of the lordes to signefye that it is subgette to them Thyrdly for to represente thappostles it is
hym an helper lyke to hym selfe for to brynge forth children Adam supposed that somme helpar to hym had ben emōg the beestis whiche had ben lyke to hym ¶ Therfore god brought to Adam alle lyuyng beestis of the erthe ayer In whicle ben vnderstande thē of the water also whiche with one comandement alle cam to fore hym they were brought for two causes One was by cause man shold gyue to eche of them a name by whiche they shold knowe that he shold domyne ouer them And the second cause was by cause adā shold knowe that there was none of thē lyke to hym And he named hem in he brews tonge whiche was only the langage and none other atte begynnyng And so none beyng founde lyke vnto hym god sente in Adam a luste to slepe whiche was no dreme but as is supposed in a extasi or in a traunse in whiche was shewd to hym the celestial courte wherfore whan he awoke he prophecyed of the coniunction of crist to his chirche And of the flode that was to come And of the dome and destruction of the world by fyre he knewe whiche afterward he told to his chyldren Whiles that adam slepte god toke 〈◊〉 of his Ribbes both flesshe and bone and made that a woman And sette her to fore Adam whiche thenne saide this is is now a bone of my bones and flessh of my flessh And Adam gaf here a name lyke as her lord and said she shal be called virago whiche is as moche to saye as made of a man And is a name taken of aman And anon the name gyuyng he prophecied sayeng by cause she is taken of the syde of aman therfor a man shall forsake and leue fader and moder and abyde and be adherent vnto his wif and they shal be two in one flesshe And thaugh they be two persone yet in matrymony and wedlok they be but one flesshe and in other thyngis tweyne for why neyther of them hath power of his owne flessle They were bothe naked and were not asshamed they felte nothyng of meuyng of theyr flessh ne to refrayne them as we now doo For they stode bothe in the state of Innocensye Thenne the serpente whiche was hotter than ony beste of therthe naturelly deceyuable for he was ful of the deuyll lucifer whiche was deiecte and caste out of heuen had grete enuye to man that was bodyly in paradys and knewe wel yf he myght make hym to trespace and breke gods commandement that he shold be cast out also yet he was aferd to be taken or espied of the man he wente to the woman not so prudent and more prone to slyde and bowe in the forme of the serpente for thenne the serpente was erecte as a man Bede saith that he chace a serpente hauyng a maydens chere For lyke ofte aplye to lyke and spake by the tonge of the serpente to Eue and said why cōmanded you god that ye shold not ete of alle the trees of paradys this he said to fynde occasyon to saye that he was come fore Thenne the woman answerde and said Ne forte moriamur leste happely we dye whiche she saide doubtyng For lightly she was flexible to euery parte wher vnto anon he answerd Nay in no wyse ye shal dye but god wold not that ye shold be lyke hym in science and knowyng that whan ye ete of this tre ye shal be as goddes knowyng good euyll he as enuyous forbade you And anon the woman elate in pryde willyng be lyke to god accorded therto And byleuyd hym The woman sawe that the tree was fayr to loke on and clene and swete of sauour toke and ete therof And gaf vnto Adam of the same happyly desiryng hym by fayr wordes but Adam anon agreed for whan he sawe the woman not deed he supposed that god hath said that they shold dye to fere hem with And thenne ete of the fruyt forboden ¶ And anon theyr sight was opened that they sawe theyr nakydnes ¶ And thēne anon they vnderstode that they had trespaced For anon their flesshe began to meue and stire to concupiscence for to fore that they had eten of the forboden fruyt tho meuynges were repressed and closed as in yong children And thenne after they had synned they were opend lyke spryngys of water and began to meue and then they were experte and knewe them And lyke as they were inobedyent to theyr superyor ryght soo theyr membres began to meue ayenst theyr superior whiche is reson they felte theyr first meuyng in theyr preuy membres and therof they were asshamed And thus they knewe then that they were naked And they toke figge leuis and sewed them to gyder for to couere theyr membres in maner of brechis And anon after they herde the voys of our lord god walkyng and anon they hyd them Our lord called the man and said Adam where art thou callyng hym in blamyng hym and not as not knowyng where he was but as who said Adam see in what myserye thou art whiche answerd I haue hydde me lorde for I am naked our lord said who tolde the that thou were naked but that thou hast eten of the tree forboden he thenne not mekely confessyng his trespas but leyde the fawte in his wyf and in hym as gyuer of the woman to hym and saide ¶ The woman whom thou gauyst to me as a felawe gaf to me of the tree and I ete therof And thenne our lord soid to the woman why dydyst thou soo Neyther she accused her self but leyd the synne on the serpente and pryuely she leyd the faute in the maker of hym The serpente was not demanded For he dyde it not of hym self but the deuyl by hym And our lord cursyng thē began at the serpente kepyng an ordre congrue nombre of curses The serpente was the first and synned most for he synned in iij thyngis The woman next and synned lesse than he but more than the man for she synned in two thyngis The man synned last and leest for he synned but in one ¶ The serpente had enuye he lyed and deceyued For thyse thre he had thre curses by cause he had enuye at thexcellence of man it was sayd to hym thou shalt goo and crepe on thy breste by cause he lyed he is punysshid in his mouth whan it was said thou shalt ete erthe alle the dayes of thy lyf Also he toke away his voys and put venym in hys mouth And by cause he deceyued it was said I shal put enemyte bytweyne the and woman and thy seed and her seed She shal breke thy heede c̄ In two thyngis the woman synned In pryde and etyng the fruyte by cause she synnyd in pryde he meked her seyeng Thou shalt be vnder the power of man And I shal haue lordship ouer the and I shal put the to affliction ¶ Now is she subiecte to a man by condicion and drede whiche to
contynued in theyr synnne and wickednes Thenne whan the Arcke was parfyghtly maad god bad hym to take in to it of all the beestis of therthe and also of the fowles of thayer of eche two male and female that they may lyue and also of all the metes of therthe that ben comestible that they may serue and fede the and them And Noe dyde all that our lord commaÌ„ded hym Thenne said our lord to Noe entre thou and all thy houshold in to the Arke that is to saye thou and thy wyf and thy thre sones theyr thre wiuys I haue seen that thou art rightful in this generacion Of all beestis that ben clene thou shalt take seuen and of vnclene beestis but only two And of the byrdes seuen and seuen male and female that they may be saued on the face of therthe Yet after vij dayes I shal rayne vpon therthe xl dayes and xl nyghtis and shal destroye all the substance that I made on the erthe And Noe dyde all thyng that our lord comaÌ„ded hym he was vjC yere old whan the flod began on the erthe And thenne Noe entryd in and his sones his wyf and the wyues of his sones all in to the arke teschewe the watres of the flood Of all the beestis and the fowles and of all that meuyd and had lyf on erthe male and female Noe toke in to hym as our lord had boden And seuen dayes after they were entred the water began tencrete The welles of the abysmes were broken And the cataractes of heuen were opened that is to saye the clowdes and it rayned on therthe xl dayes and xl nyghtes And the arke was eleuate and born vpon the watres on height aboue the moÌ„taynes and hylles For the water was growen hyer xv cubites aboue all the moÌ„taynes that it shold purge and wasshe the fylthe of thayer Thenne was consumed all that was on therthe lyuyng maÌ„ woman and beest and byrdes And alle that euer bare lyf so that nothyng abode vpon therthe for the water was xv cubytes oboue the hyest montayne of therthe And whan Noe was entrid he shitte the dore fast without forth and lymed it with glewe And so the watres abode eleuate in highte an Cl dayes fro the daye that Noe entred in And our lord thenne remembred Noe and all theÌ„ that were in the arke with hym and also on the beestis and fowles and cessed the watres And the welles and catharactes were closid And the raynes were prohybyted and forboden to rayne nomore The vij moneth the xxvij day of the moneth the arke rested on the hylles of Armenye ¶ The x moneth the first day of the moneth the toppes of the hylles appiered first After thise xl dayes after the lassyng of the watres Noe opened the wyndowe And desired sore to haue tydynges of cessyng of the flood And sente out a Rauen for to haue tydynges And whan she was goon retorned nomore agayn For parauentushe fonde somme dede carayne of a beest swymmyng on the water and lighted theron to fede her and was lefte there After this he sente out a douue whiche flewhe out And whan she coude fynde no place to reste ne sette her foot on she retorned vnto Noe And he toke hâ—r in yet thenne were not the toppes of the hillis bare And vij dayes after he sente here out agayn whiche at eueÌ„ retorned beryng a braunche of an olyue tree burgyng in her mouth ¶ And after other vij dayes he sente her agayn whiche cam nomore agayne Thenne in the yere of Noe vjC·j the first day of the moneth Noe opened the coueryng of the arke and sawe that the erthe was drye but he durst not goo out but abode the commandement of our lord The second moneth the xxvij day of the moneth our lord said to Noe Goo oute of the arke thou and thy wyf thy sones and the wyues of thy sones he coÌ„manded them to goo coniunctly out whiche disiunctly entred And late goo out with the alle the beestis and fowles lyuyng and all the reptyle euerich after his kynde and gendre to whom our lord saide growe ye and multiplye vpon therthe Thenne Noe yssued out and his wyf his sones with their wyues and all the beestis the same day a yere after they entryd in euerich after his gendre Noe thenne edefyeed an awter to our lord and toke of all the beestis that were clene and offrid sacrefise vnto our lord And our lord smellyd the swetenes of the sacrefise and said to Noe from hens forth I shal not curse the erthe for man for he is prone and redy to fall fro the begynnyng of his yougthe I shal nomore destroye man by suche vengeance And thenne our lord blessid hem and said growe ye and multeplye the erthe And be ye lordes of all the beestis of therthe of the fowles of thayer and of the fisshes I haue gyuen alle thynges to you but ete not flessh with the blood I commande you to slee noman ne to shede nomans blood I haue made man after myn ymage who som euer shedeth his broders blood his blood shal be shedde Go ye forth and growe and multeplye and fylle the erthe this said our lord to Noe and his sones Lo I haue made a couenaunt with yow and with them that shal come after yow that I shal nomore brynge suche a flood to slee alle peple And in token therof I haue sette my rayne bowe in the clowdes of heuen For who that trespaceth I shal doo Iustice otherwyse on hym Noe lyuyd after the flood iijCl yere Fro the tyme of Adam vnto after Noes flood the tyme And season was alle way grene and tempryd And alle that tyme men etâ— no flesshe For therbes and fruytes were thenne of grete strengthe and effecte they were pure and norisshyng But after the flood the erthe was weyker broght not forth so good fruyte wherfore fflesshe â—as ordeyned to be eten And theÌ„ne 〈◊〉 began te laboure for his lyfelode with his sones and began to tyllye therthe destroye breris and thornys And to plante vignes And so on a tyme noe had dronke so moche of the wyne that he was dronke and laye and slepte And his prevy meÌ„bree laye bare and open Cham his myddelest sone espied it and lowhe and stornyd his fader and called his brethern to see whiche cam hackward for to couure her fader and wold not â—â—ke on hit and rebuked cham of his folye and synne whan Noe was couured with the mantel anon he awoke whan he vnderstode how cham his sone had scorned hym he cursid hym And also his sone Canaan And blessyd Sem and Iaphet by cause they couerd hym Alle the dayes of Noe were ixC.l. yere And thenne deyed And after his deth his sones deled alle the world bytwene hem Sem had all asye Cham affryke And Iaphet all Europe Thus was it departed Asye is the best part and is as moche as the
shal not see ne come in to the contrey and londe that I haue promysed to theyr faders But Iosue and caleph my seruantes shal entre in to the londe And theyr seed shal possesse it Moyses told all this vnto the chyldren ¶ And they waylled and sorowed gretly therfor After this the peple remeuyd fro thens and cam in to the deserte of Syn And there Maria suster of moyses and Aaron deyde and was buryed in the same place Thenne the peple lacked water and cam and grutched ayenst Moyses and yet wesshed they had abyden in Egypte Thenne Moyses and Aaron entryd in to the tabernacle and fylle doun to the ground lowe and prayd vnto our lord seyeng lord god here the clamour of thy peple And opene to theÌ„ thy tresour a fontayn of lyuyng water that they may drynke and the murmuracion of them may cesse Our lord said to hym thenne Take the Rodde in thy hande and thou and Aaron thy brother assemble and gadre the peple And speke ye to the stone And it shal gyue out water and whan the water cometh late alle the multytude drynke and theyr beestis Moyses thenne toke the Rodde as our lord badde and gadred all the peple to fore the stone and said to them here ye rebelles and out of byleue Trow ye not that we may gyue you watre out of this stone ¶ And he lefte vp his hand and smote twyes the stone and water cam and flowed out in the most largest wyse in suche wyse that the peple and beestis dronke theyr fylle Thenne said god to Moyses and Aaron by cause ye haue not byleuyd me and sanctefyed my name to fore the chyldren of Israhel and gyuen to me the laude but haue don this in your name ye shal not brynge this peple in to the londe that I shal gyue to them And therfor this water was callyd the water of contradiction where the chyldren grutched agayn god Anon after this by goddes comandemÌ„t Moyses toke Aaron vpon the hylle despoylled of his vesture and clothid therwith his sone Eleazar and made hym vpperist bysshop for his fader Aaron And there Aaron deyde in the toppe of the hylle And moyses desceÌ„ded with Eleazar And whan alle the multytude of peple sawe that AaroÌ„ was deed they wepte waylled on hym xxx dayes in euery trybe famylye after this the peple wente aboute the londe of Edom and begaÌ„ to wexe wery and grutchyd ayenst our lord Moyses and sayd yet why hast thou ledde vs out of the lond of Egypte for to slee vs in this deserte and wildernes Breed failleth vs ther is no water And our sowles abhorre and lothe this light mete For whiche cause god sente emonge them fyry serpentes whiche bote and wounded many of them and slewe also Thenne they that were hurte cam to Moyses and said we haue synned for we haue spoken ayenst our lord and the praye for vs vnto god that he delyuer fro vs thise serpentes Thenne Moyses prayd our lord for the peple And our lord said to hym Make a serpente of brasse and sette it vp for a signe And who someuer be hurte and loketh theron beholdeth it shal lyue and be hole Thenne Moyses made a serpente of brasse and sette it vp for a sygne And whan they that were hurte beheld it were made hole After this whan Moyses had shewid to them all the lawes of our lord and cerymonyes and had gouerned them xl yere And that he was an Cxx. yere old he ascended fro the feldes of Moab vpon the montayn of Nebo in to the toppe of phasga ayenst Ierico and there our lord shewd to hym alle the londe of Galaad vnto dan And all the londe of promyssyoÌ„ fro that one ende to that other And thenne our lord sayd to hym This is the land that I promysed to Abraham Ysaac and Iacob sayeng I shal gyue it to thy seed Now thou hast seen it with thyn eyen And shalt not entre ne come therin And there in that place deyede Moyses seruaunt of our lord as god comanded and was buryed in the vale of the londe of Moab ayenst Phogor And yet neuer man knewe his sepulcre vnto this day Moyses was an honderd and twenty yere old whan he deyde his eyen neuer diÌ„med ne his teeth were neuer meuyd The chyldren of Irahel wepte and morned for hym xxx dayes in the feldes of Moab Iosue the sone of Num was replenessyd with the spyrite of wisdom for moyses sette on hym his handes And the chyldren obeyed hym as our lord had comanded to Moyses And ther was neuer after a prophete in Israhel lyke vnto Moyses whiche knewe and spack to god face to face in alle signes and tokenes that god dyde and shewd by hym in the londe of egypte to pharao and alle hys seruauntes Here endeth the lyf and thystorye of Moyses After Moyses Iosue was duc and ledar of the chyldren of Israhel and brought them in to the londe of beheste And dyde many grete batayllis for whom god shewd many grete meruayllys and in especyal one that was that the sonne stode stylle at his request tyl he had ouercome his enemyes by the space of a day And our lord whan he faught sent doun suche hayl stones that slewe moo of his enemyes wyth tho stones than wyth mannes hond ¶ Iosue was a noble man and gouerned wel Israhel and deuyded the londe vnto the xij trybus by lotte And whan he was Cx. yere old he deyde And dyuerse dukes after hym Iuged and demed Israhel of whom ben noble hystoryes as of Iepte Gedeon and Sampson whiche I passe ouer vnto thystoryes of the kynges whiche is redde in holy chyrche fro the fyrst sonday after trynyte sonday vnto the first sonday of August And in the moneth of August is redde the book of sapience And in the moneth of SepteÌ„bre ben redde thystoryes of Iob â–ª of Thobye and of Iudich And in Octobre the hystorye of the Machabeis And in Nouembre the book of Ezechiel and his visions And in Decembre the hystorye of Aduent and the book of ysaye vnto crystemasse after the fest of Epyphanye vnto Septuagesme ben red thepistles of paule And this is the Rewle of the temporal thurgh the yere cÌ„ The first sonday after Trynyte sonday vnto the first sonday of the moneth of Augustâ—s redde the book of kynges THis hystorye maketh mencion that ther was a man named helcana whiche had two wyues that one was named Anna and the name of the seconde Fenenna Fenenne had chyldren And Anna had none but was bareyn The good man at suche dayes as he was bounden wente to his cyte for to make hys sacrefyse and worshipe god In this tyme Ophny Phynees sones of holy the grete preest were preestes of our lord This Helcana gaf to Fenenna at suche tyme as he offred to her sones and doughters certayn partes and vnto Anna he gaf but one parte Fenenne dyde moche
with them by the swerd of assyryens And all Israhel shal be put in to ruyne and perdicion and thenne shal be knowen that nabugodonosor is lord of all the erthe And the swerd of my knyghthode shall passe thurgh thy sydes And thou shalt departe hens and goo to them And shal not dye vnto the tyme that I haue them and the And whan I haue slayn them with my swerd thou shalt in lyke wyse be slayn with lyke vengeaunce After this holofernes comanded hys seruauntis to take Achior lede hym to bethulye and to put hym in the handes of them of Israhel And so they toke Achior and ascended the montayns Ayen whom cam out men of warre Thenne the seruantes of holofernes torned aside bonde Achior to a tree hondes and feet with cordes and lefte hym and so retorned to their lord Thenne the sones of Israhel comyng doun fro bethulye loosed and vnbonde hym and brought hym to betulye And he beyng sette amydde the peple was demauÌ„ded what 〈◊〉 was and why he was so sore there bounden And he told to them alle the mater lyke as it is aforsaid and how holofernes had comanded hym to be delyuerd vnto them of Israhel Thenne all the peple fylle doun in to their facess worshypyng god And with grete lamentacion and wepyng wyth one wylle made their prayers vnto our lord god of heuen And that he wold behold the pryde of them and to the mekenes of them of Israhel and take hede to the faces oâ— hys halowes and shewe to them his grace and not forsake theÌ„ And praid god to haue mercy on them defende theÌ„ fro their enemyes And on that other side holofernes comaÌ„ded his hoostis to goo vp and â—assaille bethulye so weÌ„te vp of foot men an C and xxM and xij thousand horsmen byseged the touÌ„ toke their water fro theÌ„ in so moche that they that were in the touÌ„ were in grete penurye of water For in all the toun was not water ynowgh for one daye And suche as they had was gyuen to the peple by mesure TheÌ„ne all the peple yong and old cam to Osias whiche was their prynce with Carmy gothomel all with one voys cryeng God the lord deme bytwene vs the For thou hast don to vs euyl what thou spakest not pesybly wyth thassyryens For now we shal be delyueryd in to the hondes of theÌ„ It is better for vs to lyue in captyuyte vnder holofernes lyue than to dye here for thurst see our wyues chyldren dye byfore our eyen And whan they had made thys pyetous cryeng yollyng they wente all to theyr chyrche ther a longe whyle prayden cryeden vnto god knowlechyng theyr synnes and wyckednes mekely besechyng to shewe hys grace pyte on theÌ„ TheÌ„ne at laste Ozias aroos vp said to the peple late vs abyde yet fyue dayes and yf god sende vs no rescowe ne helpe vs not in that tyme that we may gyue glorye to hys name ellis we shal doo as ye haue said And whan that Iudith herde herof whiche was a wydowe and a blessyd woman And was left wydowe iij yere and vj monethis after that Manasses her husbond deyde Anon she wente in to ouerest parte of her hows in which she made a pryue bedde which she and her seruauÌ„tes closed hauyng on her body an heyr had fasted all the dayes of her lyf sauf sabottis and newe mones the festis of the hows of Israhel She was a fayr womaÌ„ her husbond had left her moche ricâ—â—s wyth plentyfull meyne possessyons of droues of oxen flockes of sheep and she was a famous woman and dredde god gretly And whaÌ„ she had herde that ozias had said that the fyfthe day the cyte shold be gyueÌ„ ouer yf god helped hem not she sente for the prestis of cambre of Carmy said to heÌ„ what is this worde in whiche Ozias hath consented that the cyte shold be delyuerd to thassyryens yf with in fyue dayes ther come no helpe to vs And who be ye that teÌ„pte the lord god Thys worde is not so styre god to mercy but rather to areyse wrath wodenes ye haue seâ—te a tyme of mercy doyng by god And in your dome ye haue ordeyned a daye to hym O god lord how pacyent is be late vs aske hym foryefnes with wepyng teeeris he shal not threten as a man ne enflawme in wrath as a sone of a man Therfore meke we our sowles to hym And in a contryte spyryte and mekyd serue we to hym And saye we wepyng to god that after hys wylle he shewe to vs hys mercy And as our herte is troubled in the pryde of them So also of our humblenes meknes late vs be Ioyful For we haue not folowed the synne of our fadres that forsoken theyr god and worshiped straunge goddes wherfor they were gyuen and bytaken in to hydous and grete vengeance in to swerde ravayne and in to confusyon to theyr enemyes we forsothe knowen none other god but hym Abyde we mekely the comforte of hym And shal kepe vs fro our enemyes ¶ And he shal meke all gentiles that arise ayenst hym And shal make them without worship the lord our god And now ye bâ—ethern ye that ben prestes on whom hongeth the lyf of the peple of god praye ye vnto allmyghty that he make me stedfaste in the purpose that I haue purposed ye shal stande atte gate and I shal goo out with my handmayde And praye ye the lord that he stedfast make my sowle And do ye nothyng tyl I come agayn And thenne Iudith wente in to her oratorye and arayed her with her precious clothyng and Aoâ—â—nements and toke vnto her handmâ—yde certayn vytayllys suche as she myggt lawfully ete And whan she had made her prayers vnto god She departed in her most noble araye toward the gate where as Osias and the prestes abode her And whan they sawe her they meruaylled of her beaute Notwithstandyng they lete hâ—r goo seyeng god of our fadres yeue the grace and strengthe all the counseyl of thyn herte with hys vertue and glorye to Iherusalem ¶ And be thy name in the nombre of seyntâ—s of ryghtwysmen And they all they that were there said Amen and fiat fiat Thenne she praysyng god passed thurgh the yate and her handmayde wyth her And whan she cam doun the hylle aboute the spryngyng of the day anoÌ„ the espyes of thassiryens toke her sayeng whens comest thou or whyther goost thou the whiche answerd I am a doughter of thebrews flee fro theÌ„ knowyng that they shal be taken by you come to holofernes for to telle hym theyr pryuetees I shal shewe hym by what entre he may wynne them in suche wyse as one maÌ„ of his hoost shal not perisshe And the meÌ„ that herd their wordes beheld her vysage wondred of her beaute sayeng to her Thou hast sauyd thy lyf
by cause thou hast fouÌ„den suche couÌ„seyl come therfor to our lord For whan thou shal stonde in his sight he shal accepte that And they ladde her to the tabernacle of holofernes And whaÌ„ she caÌ„ byfor hym anon holofernes was caught by hys eyen And his tirauÌ„t knyghtis said to hym who despised the peple of Iewes that haue so fayr wymen that not for hem of right we ought to fight ayenst heÌ„ so Iudith seeyng holofernes syttyng in hys canape that was of purpure of gold smaragdes precious stones within wouen and whan she had seen hys face she honowrid hym fallyng doun her self vnto therthe And the seruantes of holofernes toke her vp he so comaÌ„dyng TheÌ„ne holofernes said to her Be thou not aferd ne drede the not I neuer greuyd ne noyed man that wold serue Nabugodonosor Thy peple sothly yf they had not despised me I had not reysed my peple ne strengâ—he ayenst theÌ„ now telle to me the cause wâ—y thou wentist fro theÌ„ And that it hath plesith the to come to vs And Iudith said Take the wordes of thy handmayde and yf thou folowe theÌ„ a perfight thyng god shal doo with the Forsothe Nabugodosor is the lyuyng kynge of therthe and thou hast hys power for to chastyse alle peple For meÌ„ only serue not hym but also the beestis of the felde obeyen to hym hys myght is knowen ouer all and the chyldryn of Israhel shal be yolden to the For their god is aÌ„gry with theÌ„ for their wickednes they ben enfamyned lacke brede watre They ben coÌ„strayned to ete their horse beestis to take suche holy thynges as ben forboden by theyr lawe as whete wyn oyle All thyse thynges god hath shewd to me And they purpose to wast suche thyngis as they ought not touche and herfor for their synnes they shal be put in the handes of their enemyes our lord hath shewde me thyse thâ—nges to telle the And I thyn handmayde shal worshipe god shal goon out and praye hym come in telle the what he shal seye to me in suche wyse that I shal brynge the thurgh the myddle of Iherusalem and thou shalt haue all the peple of Israhel vnder the as the sheep ben vnder the shepherde in so moche that ther shal not an hound barke ayenst the And by cause thyse thynges ben said to me by the prouydeÌ„ce of god that god is wroth with them I am sente to telle the thyse thynges Forsothe all thyse wordes plesed moche to holofernes to hys peple And they meruaylleden of the wysedoÌ„ of her one said to another Ther is not suche a womaÌ„ vpoÌ„ erthe in sight in fairnesse in witte of wordes And holofernes said to her god hath doo wel that he hath sente the hether for to lete me haue knowleche and yf thy god do to me thise thynges he shal be my god and thou thy name shal be grete in the hows of Nabugodonosor Thenne comanded holofernes her to goo in wher hys tresor laye to abyde there to gyue to her mete fro his feste to whom she said that she myht not ete of hys mete but that she hath brouht mete with her for to ete Thenne holofernes saide whanÌ„ that mete faylleth what shal we gyue to the to ete And Iudith said that she shold not spende alle tyl god shal do in my hondes tho thynges that I haue thought And the seruantes lad her in to hys tabernacle And she desyred that she myght goo oute in the nyght and byfore daye to praye and come in agayn And the lord comanded hys cubyculyers that she shold goo and come at her playâ—yr thre dayes duryng And she wente out in to the valeye of bethulye and baptysed her in the water of the welle And she stratched her hondes vp to the god of Israhel prayeng the good lord that he shold gouerne her waye for to delyuer hys peple And thus she dyde vnto the fourth day Thenne holofernes made a grete feste And sente a man of hys whyche was ghelded named vago for to eÌ„trete Iudith for to lye with his lord and to come ete and drynke wyn wyth hym And Iudyth sayd what 〈◊〉 I that shold gaynsaye my lordes desire I am at hys comandemÌ„t what somÌ„euer he wil that I doo I shal doo plese hym all the dayes of my lyf And she roos aourned her self with her riche precious clothes wente in stode byfore holofernes And holofernes herte was percyd with her beaute breÌ„ned in the lust desyre of her said to her sitte douÌ„ drynk in Ioye for thou hast fouÌ„den grace byfore me Iudith said I shal drynk my lord for my lyf is magnefyeed this day bifore all the dayes of my lyf she ete dronke suche as her handmayde had ordeyned for her And holofernes was mery dranke so moche wyn that he neuer draÌ„ke so moche in one day in all his lyf was dronken and at eueÌ„ whaÌ„ it was nyght olofernes wente vnto his bedde and vago brought Iudith in to his chaÌ„bre closid the dore and whan Iudith was allone in the chaÌ„bre holofernes laye and slepte in ouermoche droÌ„kenesse Iudith said to her handmayde that she shold stonde withoutforth byfore the dore of the preuy chaÌ„bre and wayte aboute and Iudith stode bifore the bedde prayeÌ„g with teeris with meuyng of her lippes secretly sayeng O lord god of Israhel coÌ„ferme me in this houre to the werkes of my hondes that thou reyse vp the cyte of Iherusalem as thou hast promysed And that I may performe this that I haue thought to doo And whan she had thus said she wente to the pyler that was at his beddes heed And toke hys swerd and losed it and whan she had drawen it out she toke hys heer in her hand said Conferme me god of Israhel in this hour smote twyes in the necke cutte of his heed lefte the body lye stylle toke the heed wrapped it in the canape and delyueryd it to her mayde bad her to put it in her scryppe And they two wente oute after their vsage to pray And they passed the tentes goyng aboute the valeye camen to the yate of the cytee And Iudyth said to the kepers of the walles Opene the yates for god is with vs that hath don grete vertue in Israhel And anon whan they herd her calle they called the preestis of the cyte And they comeÌ„ rennyng for they had supposed nomore to haue seeÌ„ her And lyghtyng lightes all wente aboute her She theÌ„ne entrid in stode vp in â—an hye place comaÌ„ded scylence and said prayse ye the lord god that forsaketh not meÌ„ hopyng in hym And in me hys haÌ„d woman hath fulfyllyd hys mercy that he promysed to the hous of Israhel And hath slayn in my hand thenemye of hys peple this nyght And theÌ„ne she
to kysse the crybbe in whyche our lord wepte as a chyld and the vyrgyne chylded here I shal take my reste and my dwellyng For my sauyour chaas thys place in bethleem She made there her habytacion wyth many vyrgynes that serued god And how wel that she was lady of all neuertheles she was the most humble and meke in spekyng in habyte and in goyng in suche wise that she semed seruant of all the other She neuer ete after the deth of her husbond wyth noman how good that he was she vysited as it is sayd to fore all the holy places and the monkes of Egypte emong whome were many of the auncyent fadres and many holy men And her semed that she sawe Isesu cryst emong them And after she founded in bethleem an abbaye in whyche she assembled virgynes as wel of noble estate as of myddle and lowe lygnage And departed them in thre congregacions so that they were departed in werke in mete and drynk but in sayeng theyr psaultier and adouryng were they to gydre atte houres as it apperteyned And she enduced and enformed all the other in prayer in werke by ensample gyuyng She was neuer ydle And alle â—hey were of one habyte And they had no shetes ne lynnen cloth but to drye their handes And they myght haue no lycence to speke to men And them that cam late to the houres she blamed debonayrly or sharply after that they were and suffred not that ony of them shold haue ony thyng saue the lyuyng and clothyng for to put away auaryce fro them She appeased them swetely that stroof And also she brake and mortyfyed emong the yong maydens theyr flesshly desyres by contynuel fastynges For she had leuyr haue them good suffryng sorowe and sekenes than their herte shold be hurte by flesshly wyll And she chastysed them that were nyce and queynte sayeng that suche nycete was fylthe of the sowle and said also that a word sownyng to ony ordure or fylthe shold neuer yssue out of the mouth of a virgyne For by the wordes outward is shewd the countenaunce of the herte within and she that so spack and was rebuked therfor yf she amended it not at the first warnyng ne atte second ne atte the thyrd she shold be dysseueryd fro the other in etyng and in drynkyng by whych she shold be asshamed And thus shold be amended by debonayr correction and yf she wold not she shold be punysshyd by ryght grete moderacioÌ„ She was merueyllous debonayr pyteous to them that were seke and comforted them and serued them ryght besily And gaf to theÌ„ largely to ete suche as they asked but to her self she was hard in her sekenes skarce For she refused to ete flessh how wel she gaf it to other also to drynke wyn She was ofte by them that were seke and leyde the pylowes a ryght in poynt And froted theyr feet and chauffed water to wasshe them And her semed that the lasse she dyde to the seke in seruyse so moche lasse seruyse dyde she to god and deserued lasse meryte And therfor she was to them pyetous and nothyng to her self In her right grete sekenesses she wold haue no softe bede but laye vpon the strâ—we or vpon the ground and toke but lityl reste For the most parte she was in prayers bothe by day and by nyght she wepte so mocâ— that it semed of her eyen a fontayne so 〈◊〉 treâ—â—s ran fro them And whan we sayd to her oftymes that she shold kepe her eyen fro wepyng so moche she sayd the vysage ought to be lyke to be fowl by cause it hath so moche be made fayr and gay ayenst the comandement of god And the body ought to be chastised that hath had so moche solas in thys world the lawhyngis ought to be recompensed by wepyngis And the softe bedde and the shetis ought to be chauÌ„gyd in to the sharpnes of hayer I that was acustomed to pleyse man and the world I desyre now to pleyse Ihesu cryst And what shal I saye of chastete in which she was example vnto all ladyes of tyme passed whan she was yet seculyer For she conuersed in suche wyse that they that were enuyous durst not auyse on her ony euyl fame she was debonayr and curtoys vnto all For she coÌ„forted the poure and warned the ryche to doo wel but in largesse she passed so that nâ— poure man complayned of her And thys dyde she not by the grete habundance that she had of goodes but by her wyse gouernaunce and whan I said to her that she shold haue mesure in doyng almesse after that the appostle sayth that thalmesse that is doon to another be not greuous to hym that doth it But she said that for the loue of our lord she dyde all And that she desyred to deye beggyng in suche wyse that she shold not leue one peny to her doughter after her And that she myght be wrapped in a strange shete whan she shold deye And atte last she sayd yf I shold demande ought I shold fynde ynough that wold gyue to me And thyes beggars yf I gaf to them nought and they so departed and deyde for pouerte Of whom shold god demaunde thys Ofte sayd she seâ— They be happy that ben mercyful And almesse quenchyth syâ—ne as the water quencheth the fyre but for to doo almesse it cometh not alway to perfectioÌ„ For many doo almesses that abyde in theyr carnalytees they seme to be good without forth but within they be mortall paulyne was not suche one she affebled her body right sore in fastyng in labour vnnethe she sette her eyen to her 〈◊〉 without etyng fysshe ne mylke egges or whyte mete in whyche many wene to doo grete abstynence without etyng flessh For our lord gaf to her an aduersarye the stymulacion flesshly by which she held her in humylyte wythout sauouryng ony thyng of pryde for the foyson of her vertues And also that she thought not to be heyer than other wymen She had alleway in her mynde the holy scriptures ayenst the deceyuaunces of the frend And specyally thys that moys saith god assayeth you yf he loue you And this that ysaye sayth the prophete ye that haue be atte solas and Ioyes of the world and now be withdrawen fro them and lefte them loke after none other thyng but to suffre tribulacion vpon trybulacion And knowe ye by tribulacion is had pacience And by pacience is had pouerte It is said Iob primo caplÌ„o whan it was shewd to hym the losse of his patrymonye he answerd I yssued nakyd fro the bely of my moder And I shal reentre nakyd agayn in to therthe lyke as god may be plesyd so be it doon hys name be preysed and blessyd he lerned vs that we shold not loue the world For the world shal fynysshe in her couetyse whan one told her that her chyldren were right seke she sayd who loueth his sone or hys doughter more
thaÌ„ god is not worthy to be with god A man that semed to be her frende sente her word on a tyme that she had grete nede to kepe wel her brayne For by cause of thardeur that she had in vertues she semed to be out of her witte And she answerd In thys world we be reputed as fooles for the loue of Ihesu cryst And our lord said to his appostles the world hateth you For ye be not of the world yf ye were of the world that is to saye of the conuersion of the world the world shold loue you Fayr lord god we mortyfye our self allewaye and we be reputed as sheep that be brought to deth by cauâ—â— that without playnyng we mortefye our bodyes In suche pacience was she vnto the deth and suffred humbly thenuye of them that were euyll She had in her mynde the holy scriptures And she helde her more to the spyrituel vnderstondyng than to thystoryes of the scripture She coude parfyghtly hebrewe greke latyn frensshe and redde coursably the scriptures in thyse foure langages who may recounte wythout wepyng the deeth of this woman She fylle in a maladye mortall and sawe wel that she shold deye For all her body bycam cold And she felte that her spirite helde her in her brest Thenne said she wythout playnyng and with out hauyng ony charge sauf to god Fayr swete lord I haue coueyted the beaute of thy hous for to be in thyn habytacion that is so fayr My sowle hath desired to be in thy Royame And whaÌ„ I demaunded her wherfor she spack nomore And she wold not answere me and I asked yf she suffred grete payne she said to me in grekis tongue that she was wel and in good peas And anone she lefte spekyng te me and closed her eyen in sayeng to god Lord lyke as the herte desireth to come to the fontayne so desireth my sowle to come to the Alas whan shal I come to the fayr lord god And in sayeng thyse wordes she made a crosse vpoÌ„ her mouth There were bysshoppis prestes clerkes chanones and monkes wythout nombre And atte laste whan she herd her spowse Ihesu cryst whyche callid her sayeng Aryse and come to me my swete loue and fayr espowse For the wynter is passed she answerd gladly the flowres ben shewde in our contrey And I byleue that I shal see the goodes in the Royame of heuene of my lord Ihesu cryst And thus she rendred her sowle and passed out of thys world And anone all the congregacioÌ„ of vyrgynes made no crye in wepyng as don the peple of the world but redde deuoutly their psaltier not only vnto the tyme that she was buryed but all the day all the nyght with grete payne coude not EustochiuÌ„ her venerable doughter the virgyne be withdraweÌ„ fro her but she kyssed her and embraced her pyteously in wepyng the deth of her moder And Ihesus wytnesseth that saynt paulyne left not one peny to her doughter she hadde so gyueÌ„ almesse of alle her grete Rychesse many gyue largely for goddes sake but they gyue not somoche but somÌ„e abydeth whan she was passed as said is her lyppes ne her face were not pale but was as reuerent to loke on as she had ben yet alyue She was buryed in a sepulture in bethleem wyth right grete honour bÌ„y the bysshoppis preestis clerkes monkes vyrgyns and all the poure peple of the contrey whyche playned that they had loste their good moder that had nourisshed them She lyued in Rome holyly xxxiij yere And in bethleem xx yere And alle her age was liij yere vij monethes and xx dayes fro the tyme of honoure Emperour of Rome Thenne late vs praye to thys holy woman that she praye for vs Thus endeth the lyf of saynt Pawlyne Here foloweth of saynt Iulien the bysshop And first the interpretacion of hys name IUlien is as moche to saye as Iubilus Syngyng and ana that is an hye And therof Iulyen as goyng to hye thynges in syngyng Or it is said Iulius that is as moche to saye as not wyse and anus that is old For he was old in the seruyce of god and not wyse in reputacion of hym self SAynt Iulyen was bysshop of cenomanence It is said that it was he that was said SymoÌ„ the lepre wham our lord heled of hys meselâ—rye and bad Ihesu cryst to dyner And after thascencion of our lord he was ordeyned of thappostles bysshop of Emaus full of grete vertues he appyered to the world he reysed thre dede meÌ„ and after he ended hys dayes in grete preysyng of god Of thys saynt Iulyen somÌ„e saye that this is he that pylgryms and weyfaryng men calle and requyre for good herberowe by cause our lord was lodged in hys hows but it semeth better that it is he that slewe hys fader and moder ignorauÌ„tly of whom thystorye is here after Ther was another Iulyen born in almayne whyche was of noble lygnage and yet more noble in fayth and in vertue whyche for the grete desire that he had to be martir he offrid hym self to the tyrauntis where he had not forfayted Now it happed that crispmus whyche was one of the gouernours of rome sente to hym one of hys mynystres for to put hym to deth anon as the mynystre cam to hym he yssued out of hys place And cam to fore hym And offred to hym to suffre deth And hys heed was smeten of And they toke the hede and shewde it to saynt Feryel that was hys felowe And sayd they wold so doo of hym yf he sacrefyed not And by cause he wold not obeye to them they slewe hym And toke the heed of saynt Iulyen and the body of saynt Feryoll and buryed them bothe in one pytte And a grete whyle after saynte mamertyne bysshop of vyane fonde the heed of saynt Iulyen bytwene the handes of saynt feryol also hoole as it had be buryed that same day ¶ â—mong the other myracles of saynt Iulyen it is said that a deken toke alle the whyte sheep that were of the chyrche of saynt Iulyen And the shepherdes defended them but he sayd to them that saynt Iulyen ete neuer no motoâ— And anon after a feuer toke hym so grete and hooot that he knowleched that he was of the martir so brente And he dyde water to be caste on hym for to cole hym And anon yssued out of hys body suche a fume and smoke and therwith so grete a stenche that all they that were present were constrayned to flee and anon after he deyde ¶ Another myracle happed of a man of a vyllage that on a sâ—nday wolde ere hys londes and whan he toke the share to make clene hys cultre hyt cleuyd to hys hond and two yere after atte prayer of saynt Iulien in the chyrche he was helâ—d ¶ Ther was another Iulyen whyche was brother to one named Iulie Thyse two brethern wente to themperour Theodose whyche was a very crysten man
For he was moche debonayr humble and mercyful to riche and poure and to grete and smale wel may he apperceyue that redeth his wrytynges how ofte he complayned of thys grete charge that he was charged wyth alle to whyche he sayd he was not worthy therto and also he myght not here that ony shold preyse hym ne in lettres ne in wordes And alleway he was in grete humylite and acounted hym self more meke and lowe after that he was pope than to fore in so moche that he was the first of the popes that wrote seruus seruorum dei that is seruaūt of the seruantis of god he had grete cure and was besy to conuerte synnars he made and compyled many fayr bookes of whyche the chirche is gretly enlumyned he was neuer ydle how wel that he was alleway seke he conuerteth the englisshe peple to the crysten fayth by thre holy men and good clerkys that he sente thyder that is to wyte Augustyn mellitus and Ioh̄n for to preche the fayth And by cause the mortalyte cessyd not he ordeyned a procession in the whyche he dyde do bere an ymage of our lady which as is sayd saynt luke the euangelyste made whyche was a good payntour he had coruen it paynted after the lykenesse of the gloryouse virgyne marye And anon the mortalyte cessed and thayer becam pure and clere And aboute thymage was herd a voys of angellis that songen thys Antheme regina celi letare c̄ And saynt gregory put therto Ora pro nobis deum alleluya At the same tyme saynt gregory sawe an angele vpon a Castelle whyche made clene a swerd alle blody and put it in to the shethe And therby saynt gregory vnderstode that the pestylence of thys mortalite was passed and after that it was called the castell Angell Saynt gregory dyde euery day so grete almesse that many in the contre aboute were nourisshid by hym whom he had by name wreton And also the monkes that dwellyd in the mount Synay had of hym theyr sustenaunce Emonge alle other almesses that he dyde he gouerned thre thousand virgyns to whom he sente euery yere four score pound of gold and also he founded to them an abbeye in Iherusalem ¶ And sente to them that therin were suche thynge as they lacked Euery day had he poure men to dyner On a tyme it happed that he toke the lauour for to gyue water to a pylgrym for to wasshe hys hondes by grete humylite and anon the pylgrym vanysshyd a way wherof saynt gregory had merueylle The nyght after our lord appiered in a vysion and said to hym The other dayes thou hast receyued me in my membres but yesterday thou receyuedest me in my persone Another day saynt gregory comaunded to hys dyspenser that he shold brynge to dyner xij poure men And whan saynt gregory and the poure men were sette atte mete he tolde atte table syttyng xiij poure pylgryms And demaunded of hys dyspenser why he had don aboue hys comandement to brynge in moo than xij persones And anon the dyspenser all abasshyd wente and told the poure men and fonde but xij and sayd to saynt gregory holy fader ther be no moo but xij and so many shal ye fynd and nomoo Thenne considerid saynt gregorye that one of the pylgryms that sette next to hym ofte chaunged hys vysage For ofte he semed yong and after old And after dyner saynt gregory toke hym by the honde and brought hym in to hys chambre and prayd hym that he wold telle hym hys name And he answerd wherfor demādest thou my name which is merueyllous neuertheles knowe thou wel that I am the same poure maronner to whom thou gauest the dyssh◠of siluer in which thy moder was wonte to sente the potage And knowe for certayn that sith that day that thou dydyst to me that almesse god hath destyned the to be pope And sayd more ouer I am thangelle of god and he hath sente me hyther to the to be thy deffendour procurour of that whiche thou woldest demande and Impetre of hym And after this the angele vanysshed away And in that tyme ther was an heremyte an holy man whyche had lefte and forsaken all the goodes of the world for goddes sake and had reteyned nothyng but a catte wyth whyche he playde ofte and helde it in hys lappe delyciously On a day it happed that he prayd god deuoutly that he wold wouch◠sauf to shewe to hym to what saynt he shold be in lyke Ioye in heuen by cause for his loue he had left all the world and renounced vpon thys god shewd hym in a vysion that saynt gregory and he shold haue lyke Ioye in heuene And whan he vnder stode thys he syghed sore and preysid lytyl hys pouerte whyche he had longe suffred and born yf he shold haue lyke meryte whyche habounded so gretly in seculer Rychesse vpon this ther cam a voys to hym whyche said that the possession of richesse maketh not a man in this world riche but the ardour of couetyse Thenne be stille thou darest thou compare thy pouerte to the rychesse of saynt gregory whyche louest more thy catte with whom thou cessest not to stroke and playe than saynt gregory doth all his richesses for he seesseth neuer to gyue almesse for goddes sake Thenne theremyte thanked almyghty god and prayd that he myght haue hys meryte and reward with saynt gregory in the glorye of peradys On a day it happed that saynt gregory sange masse in the chyrche of saynt Marye Maior And whan he had said Pax dominj sit semper vobiscum Anone thangele sayd Et cum spiritu tuo and fro than forthon the pope ordeyned a stacion in that chyrche euery yere on ester day And whan thenne he sayd in hys masse Pax dominj c̄ none shal answere in remembraunce of this myracle In the tyme that Traian themperour regned one as a tyme he wēte toward abatayll out of Rome it happed that in his way as he shold ryde a woman a wydowe cam to hym wepyng and sayd I pray the sire that thou auēge the deth of one my sone whiche Innocently and wythout cause hath be slayn Themperour answerd yf I come agayn fro the bataylle hool and sounde thenne I shal doo Iustyce for the deth of thy sone Thenne said the wydowe Syre and yf thou deye in the bataylle who shal thenne auenge his deth And themperour sayde he that shal come after me And the wydowe sayd is it not better that thou do to me Iustyce and haue the meryte therof of god than another haue it for the Thenne had traian pyte and descended fro hys hors and dyde Iustice in auengyng the deth of her sone On a tyme saynt gregory wente by the market of Rome whyche is called the market of traian And thene he remembred of the Iustice and other good dedes of traian and how he had ben pyteous and debonayr and was moche sorowful
and durst nomore come drawe hym awaye And fro than forthon he abode in prayer contynued therin Of the xij abbeyes that saynt benet had founded thre of them stoode on hye Roches so that they myght haue no water but by grete labour Thenne cam the monkes to hym prayd hym that he wold sette thyse abbeyes in somÌ„e other place by cause they had grete defaute of water Thenne wente saynt benet aboute the montayne made hys orysons prayers moche deuoutly and whan he had longe prayd he sawe thre stones in a place for a signe And on the morn whan the monkes cam for to praye he said to them goo ye to suche a place where ye shal fynde thre stones and there dygge a lityl ye shal fynde water Our lord can wel prouyde for you water And they wente and fonde the montaygne all swetyng where as the thre stones were And there they digged anon they fonde water so grete habundaunce that it suffysed to them and ran doun fro the toppe of the hille vnto bynethe in to the valeye It happed on a tyme that a man hewe buysshes thornes aboute the monasterye And hys axe or instrument of yron that he hewe sprang out of the helue fyll in to a depe water thenne the man cryed and sorowed for hys tool and saynt benet sawe that he was ouer anguysshid therfore toke the helue threwe it after in to the pytte And anon the yron cam vp bygaÌ„ to sâ—ymÌ„e tyl that it entred in to the helue In thabbaye of saynt benet was a chyld named placidus whyche wente to the Ryuer for to drawe water And hys foot slode so that he fyl in to the Ryuer whyche was moche deep and anon the Ryuer bare hym forth more than a bowe shote And whan saynt benet whyche was in hys studye knew it he called to saynt maure and sayd that ther was a chyld whyche was a monke that was aboute to be drowned and bad hym go to helpe hym And anon saynt maure ranne vpon the water lyke as it had ben on drye ground and hys feet drye ¶ And toke vp the chyld by the heer And drewe hym to londe And after whan he cam to saynt benet he sayd that it was not by hys meryte but by the vertue of hys obedyence Ther was a preest named florentyn whyche had enuye on saynt benet and he sente to hym a loof of bred enuenymed After whan saynt benet had thys loof he knewe by the Inspiracion that it was enuenymed he gaf it to a rauen that was wonte to take hys fedyng of saynt benettes hand And comaunded hym to bere it vnto suche a place that nomaÌ„ shold fynde it Thenne the rauen made semblaunt for tobeye to the comandement of saynt benet but he durste not touche it for the venym and fledde aboute it howlyng and cryeng Saynt benet sayd to hym take thys brede hardyly and bere it away Atte laste the rauen bare it awaye in to suche a place that ther was neuer herd tydynges therof after And cam agayn the thyrde day after and toke hys refection of saynt benettes hand as he was wonte to doo to fore whan thys preest Florentyn sawe that he coude not slee saynt benet he enforced hym to slee spyrytuelly the sowles of hys dyscyples he toke seuen maydens all naked sente them in to the gardyn to daunse to carolle for to meue the monkes to temptacion whan saynt benet sawe the malyce of florentyn he had fere of hys dyscyples and sente hem out of that place whan florentyn sawe that saynt benet and hys monkes wente out he demened grete Ioye and made grete feste And anoÌ„ the soler fyl vpon hym and slewe hym sodenly whan saynt maure sawe that florentyn was deed he ranne after saynt benet and called hym sayeng come agayn for florentyn that hath don so moche harme to you is deed whan saynt benet herde thys he was sory for the perryllous deth of florentyn by cause saynt maure was glad for the deth of hys enemye as hym semed he enioyned hym penaunce therfor After thys he wente to mount Cassyn where he had another grete aduesarye For in the place where that appolyn was adoured he made an oratorye of saynt Iohan baptyst and conuerted alle the contre aboute to the crysten fayth wherof the deuyl was so tormented that he appyered to saynt benet alle blacke and ranne vpon hym wyth open mouth and throte And had hys eyen alle enflammed And sayd to hym Benet Benet And saynt Benet answerd not the deuyl sayd Cursid and not blessyd why haue I so moche persecucion ¶ Hyt happed on a tyme that as the monkes shold lyft a stone for a werke of an edefyce they myght not meue it thenne ther assembled a grete multitude of peple and yet they alle myght not lyfte it But anone as saynt Benet had blessyd it they lift it a non Thenne apparceyued they that the deuyl was vpon it and caused it to be so heuy And whan they had a lytyl made the walle hye the deuyll appyerid to saynt Benet and bad hym goo see them that edeffyed thenne saynt Benet sente to hys monkes comanded that they shold kepe them wel For the deuyll wente to destroye them but er the messager cam to them the deuyl had throwen doun a parte of the wall and had therwith slayn a yong monke Thenne they brought the monke alle to brused in a sack to saynt Benet And anon saynt benet made vpon hym the signe of the crosse and blessyd hym and reysed hym to lyf and sente hym to the werke agayn A laye man of honest lyf had acustome ones in the yere to come to saynt benet all fastyng on a tyme as he cam ther was one that bare mete accompayned wyth hym And desired that he wold ete with hym but he refused it After he prayd hym the second tyme and yet he refused it and sayd he wold ete no mete tyl he cam to saynt benet At the third tyme he fonde a fayr fontayne and a moche delytable place And began sore to desire hym to ete wyth hym And atte laste he consented and ete And whan he cam to saynt benet he said to hym where hast thou eten which answerd I haue eten a lytyl O fayr brother the deuyl hath deceyued the but he coude not deceyue the fyrst ne the second tyme but the thyrd tyme he hath surmounted the thenne the good man kneled doun to the feet of saynt benet and confessyd hym of hys trespaas Attila the kyng of gothes wold ones preue yf saynt benet had the sperite of prophecye and sente to hym hys seruaunt and dyde do araye hym with precious robes and delyuerd to hym a grete companye as he had ben the kyng hym self whan saynt benet sawe hym come he sayd to hym fayr sone doo of that thou werest it is not thyn
endowed it And was hym self therin the first abbot and founder And he ladde there a ful holy lyf and moche wel he guyded the monkes in holy and vertuous lyuyng And that tyme was Saynt dunstone bysshop of caunterburye and saynt ethelwold bysshop of wynchester but wythin shorte tyme after saynt ethelwold deyed And thenne saynt Andrewe apperyd to saynt dunston in a nyght and bad hym aryse anone make Alphey abbot of bathe bysshop of wynchester and soo hit was doon with grete solempnytee Lyke as our lord by his holy apostle saynt andrew had commaunded and he was bysshop there xxxij yere in ful holy lyuyng And after that he was made archebysshop of caūterburye after saint dunstone And therto he was chosen by the pope and by alle the clergye of Englond in the yere of our lord a Mvj yere And vj yere he was bysshop of caunterburye And in the vij yere came a wycked tyraunt out of denmarcke in to thys londe of Englond whos name was Edrithe with a grete multytude of danes And they brente and robbed in euery place where they came And slewe many lordes of the londe and many of the comyn people And that tyme was etheldrede kynge of englond saynt edward the marter was his broder And saynt edward the confessour his sone the whiche lyeth at westmestre And in this tyme the danes dyd moche harme in thys londe The chyef prynce of them hyght kyrkyl and his broder erdrythe was leder of thoost they dyd ful grete persecucion For there was none that myght resyste ne wythstond them for kyng etheldrede was a meke man and toke none hede to helpe hys people And Erdrythe wyth the danes wente to caunterburye there he dyd moche wyckednesse to the peple brent and destroyed alle that he myght fynd But at the laste he was slayn by men of caunterburye and whan the prynce kyrkyl wyst that he was slayn He was moche angry And in grete haste he came to caunterburye and byseged the towne and anone he gate it and brente and destroyed all that he myght And thys holy bysshop saynt Alphey came to the prynce of the danes and prayed hym to take his body and spare the poure peple of the towne but for al that he slewe monkes preestes and alle that he myght fynde And he tythed the monkes he slewe ix monkes and saued the tenthe yet he thought there were ouer many on lyue And began to tythe them ageyn and thenne saynt alphey repreuyd them for theyr cursyd doynges thenne anone they toke saint alphey the holy man boūde his hondes behynde hym and they ledde hym with them fro thens vnto the towne of grenewytche besyde london and there they put hym in pryson half a yere more and the fryday in thester weke the deuyl apperyd to this holy man in the pryson in likenesse of an aungel sayde vnto hym that it was our lordes wylle that he shold goo out of pryson folowe hym and this holy man byleuyd hym wente out and folowed the wycked aungel by nyght and he brought this holy man in to a derke valey there he Waded ouer waters dyches myres hedges euer this holy man folowed hym as he myght for werynes tyl atte last he had broughte hym in to a fowle myre that was sette about with grete waters there the deuyl lefte hym vanysshed aweye and thēne this holy man wyste wel that he was deceyued by his enemye the fende And thenne he cryed god mercy and prayed hym of helpe And thenne our lord sente to hym his holy Aungell and ayded hym out of the myre and water and sayd it was the wyll of god that he shold retourne ageyn to pryson that he came fro For to morowe shalt thou suffre marterdom for our lordes sake as he wēt ageyn toward the prison at grenewitche erly by the morowe his kepars that had sought hym al the nyght mette hym anone they cast hym doun to the groūde and there they wounded hym ful pytouslye ¶ And thenne they broughte hym ageyn to pryson and they made therin a grete smolderyng of smoke for to dysease hym and thenne saynt dunstone apperyd to hym and bad hym be of good comforte For our Lord hath ordeyned for the a glorious crowne And as they spake to gyder hys bondes brake al his woundes were made hole ageyn thorugh the mercy of our lord Ihesu And when hys kepars sawe thys they dredde full sore And anone thys myracle was knowen to the peple And they wente thēne faste to see hym the Iuges doubted the grete peple that came thyder And they toke hym out of pryson and ladde hym to that place where he shold be marterd but the poure people made grete lamentacion for hym But anone the wycked tormentours stoned hym to dethe lyke as the Iewes dyd saynt stephen And whan he was almoste dede one there was that was hys godsone whiche wyth an axe smote hym on the heed that he fyl to the grounde thēne rendred vp his spyrite to our lord Ih̄u criste ¶ And thenne these wycked tyrauntes threwe the holy body in to a depe water that good men shold not fynde hyt But by the purueaunce of our lord wythin shorte tyme after he was founde of the trewe crysten men And they repreuyd gretely thyse wycked tyrauntes and they began thēne to scorne the holy body and one of hem toke an olde roten stake or tree and pyghte hit in the erthe sayd yf thys stake bere flowres by to morowe we wyl repente vs and beleue that he is an holy man or ellys we wyl neuer byleue hit And on the morne they fonde the stake grene and bare leuys And whan they sawe thys grete myracle they beleued in god kyssed the feet of this holy saynt and repented them ful sore of theyr wycked dedes and cryed ful mekely god mercy and thys holy saynt Alphey And after he was broughte to london wyth grete worshyp and buryed in the chirche of Saynt Paule with grete reuerence And there hys body laye buryed many yere And afterward hit was taken vp and translated to caunterburye and his bones there leyed in a worshypful fiertre or shryne where our lord sheweth dayly many fayre myracles for his holy marter Saynt Alphey And the tormentours that repentyd them not deyed anone after in grete myserye in dyuerse wyses for to be punysshed as hit plesyd our lord ¶ Thenne lete vs praye to thys blessyd marter and archebysshop saynt alphey that he be moyen vnto our lord Ihesu Cryste that we may come to his euerlastyng blysse in heuen AMEN ¶ Thus endeth the lyf of Saynt Alphey marter ¶ Of saynt George martyr and fyrst of thynterpretacyon of his name GEorge is sayd of Geos whiche is as moche to say as erthe and orge that is tylyeng so george is to say as tylyeng therthe that is his flesshe And saynt
in the erthe and whan saynt austyn came to his staffe and pulled hit out of the erthe in contynente by the myght of our lord sourded sprange there a fayre welle or fontayn of clere water whiche refresshyd hym wel and al his felawshyp aboute that welle they restyd alle that nyght and they that dwellyd there by sawe alle that nyght ouer that place a grete lyght comyng fro heuen which couerd all that place where these holy men laye And on the morne saynt austyn wrote in therthe with his staffe besyde the welle these wordes folowyng here had austyn the seruaunte of the seruauntes of god hospytalite whome saynt gregory the pope hath sente to conuerte englond On the morne whan the holy men the dwellers of the coostes therby whyche sawe the lyght in the nyÈt tofore came thyder and fonde there a fayre welle of the whiche they merueyled gretely And whan they sawe the scrypture wreton in the erthe thenne they were gretely abasshed by cause of theyr vnkyndenesse and repented them ful sore of that they had mocked them the day before and after they edefyed there a fayre chyrche in the same place in the worshyp of saynt austyn the whyche the bysshop of andegaueuse halowed And to the halowyng therof came soo grete multitude of peple that they trad the corne in the feldes doun al playne lyke vnto a flore clene swepte For there was no sparyng of hit Not wythstondyng at the tyme of repyng that grounde so troden bare more corne better thenne ony other feeldes besyde not troden dyd And the hyghe aulter of that chyrche standeth ouer the place where saynt austyn wrote wyth his staffe by the welle and yet vnto this day may no woman come in to that chyrche but there was a noble woman that sayd that she was not gylty in offendyng saynt Austyn and toke a tapre in hir honde and went for to offre hit in the said chyrche but the sentence of almyghty god may not be reuoked for as soone as she entryd the chyrche hir bowellys and synowes began to shrynke and she fyl doun dede in ensaumple of alle other wymmen Wherby we may vnderstonde that Iniurye doon ageynste a saynt dysploseth gretely almyghty god and fro thens saynt austyn and his felawshyp came in to englond and arryued in the yle of thanet in este kente and kyng athelberte regned that tyme in kente which was a noble man and a myghty To whome saynt austyn sente shewyng the entente of hys comyng from the courte of rome and sayd that he had broughte to hym right ioyeful and plesaunt tydynges And sayd that yf he wold obeye and do after his prechyng that he shold haue euerlastyng ioye in the blysse of heuen shold regne with almyghty god in his kyngdom And thenne kynge adelston heeryng this coÌ„mauÌ„ded that they shold abyde and tarye in the same yle And that al thynges shold be mynystred to them that were necessarye vnto the tyme that he were otherwyse aduysed And sone after the kynge came to them in the same yle and he beyng in the felde saynt austyn with his felowshyp came and spake with hym hauyng tofore them the sygne of the crosse syngyng by the weye the letanye besechyng god deuoutely to strengthe them and helpe and the kyng receyued hym and hys felawshyp in the same place saynt austyn preched a glorious sermone declared there to the kynge the crysten feythe openlye and the grete meryte auayle that shold come therof in tyme comyng and whan he had ended hys sermon the kyng sayd to hym your promyses ben ful fayre that ye brynge but by cause they be newe haue not ben herde here before we may not yet gyue consente therto Neuerthelesse by ceuse ye be come as pylgryms fro ferre contres we wyl not be greuous ne harde to you but we wyl receyue you mekely mynystre to you suche thynges as ben necessarye neyther we wyl forbede you but as many as ye can conuerte to your feythe and relygyon by your prechyng ye shal haue lycence to baptyse them and to accompanye them to your lawe And thenne the kynge gaue to them a mancion in the cyte of dorobernence whiche now is called caunterburye And whan they drewe nye the cyte they came in wyth a crosse of syluer and with processyon syngyng the letanye prayeng almyghty god of socour helpe that he wold take aweye his wrathe fro the cytee and tenflawme the hertes of the peple to receyue hys doctryne And thenne saynt austyn and hys felawshyp began to preche there the word of god aboute there in the prouynce and suche peple as were wel dyspysed anon were conuerted and folowed this holy man and by the holy conuersacion and myracles that they dyd moche pâ—ople were conuerted and grete fame aroos in the contre And whan it came to his ere anone he came to the presence of saint austyn desyred hym to preche ageyn and thenne the word of god soo enflamed hym that Incontynente assone as the sermone was ended the kâ—nge fyl doun to the feet of Saynt austyn and sayd soroufully alas woo is me that I haue erryd so longe and knowe not of hym that thou spekest of Thy promesses ben so delectable that I thynke it alle to longe tyl I be crystened wherfore holy fader I requyre the to mynystre to me the sacramente of baptesme And thenne saynt austyn seyng the grete mekenesse and obedyence of the kynge that he had to be crystened he toke hym vp wiâ—h wepyng teerys and baptysed hym wyh alle his howsholde meyne enforâ—â—d them dyligently in the cristen â—â—ythe with grete ioye and gladnesse and whan alle thys was doon saynt austyn desyryng the helthe of the peple of englond wente forthe on fote to yorke and whan he came nyghe the cyte there mette wyth hym a blynde man which sayd to hym O thou holy austyn helpe me that am ful nedy To whome saynt austyn sayd I haue no syluer but suche as I haue I gyue the In the name of IhÌ„u cryste aryse and be alle hole and with that worde he receyued his syght and bylonyd in our lorde and was baptysed And vpon crystemas day he baptysed in the ryuer named swale x thousand men wythout wymmen and chyldren And there was a grete multitude of peple resortyng to the sayd ryuer whiche was so depe that no man myght passe ouer on foot and yet by myracle of our lord there was neyther man woman ne chylde drowned But they that were seek were maad ho ole bothe in body and in sowle and in the same place they bylded a chyrche in the worshyp of god and saynt austyn And whan Saynt Austyn had preched the feythe to the peple and bad confermed them stedfastly therin he retorned ageyn fro yorke and by the weye he mette a lepre askyng helpe and whan saynt austyn had sayd these wordes to hym
Thenne the prouoste commaunded hym to be hanged on a gybet thenne sayd prothase to hym I am not angry with the For I see thyn eyen of thyn herte blynded and I haue grete pyte of the by cause thou seest not what thou doest but doo that thou hast begonne that thys day the benygnyte of our sauyour may brynge me to my broder Thenne the erle commaunded hym that his heed shold be smyton of thus he suffred marterdom for our lord Phelyp a seruaut of Ihesu cryste wyth his sone toke the bodyes and buryed them secretely in his hows in a tombe of stone and layed a book at hyr heedes conteynyng theyr natyuyte theyr lyf and theyr ende And they suffred dethe vnder nero abowte the yere of our lord lvj Thyse bodyes were hyd there many yerys but in the tyme of saynt ambrose they were founden in thys manere Saynt ambrose was in prayer in the chyrche of saynt felyce and saynt nabor in suche wyse that he neyther slepte ne woke hooly there apperyd to hym two yonge men clad in whyt vestementys wyth one cote and mantel and hosed and they apperyd prayeng with hym with theyr hondes holden vp Thenne saynt ambrose prayed that yf it were illusyon that it shold appere nomore And yf it were trouthe that it sholde be shewyd hym ¶ Thenne whan the cocke crewe the yonglynges apperyd to hym adouryng with hym in semblable manere and at the thyrd tyme they apperyd the thyrd nyght whan he had fasted and slepte not ¶ And wyth them apperyd saynt peter the appostle after that he had seen hym in paynture Thenne the yonglynges sayd no thyng but the appostle spake Thyse ben they that desyre none erthely thynge but haue folowed myn admonestementes And thyse been they of whome thou shalte fynde the bodyes in suche a place And there thou shalt fynde an arche of stones couerd with xij feet of erthe and thou shalt fynde at theyr heedes a litel book wherin is conteyned theyr byrthe and theyr ende Thenne saynt ambrose callyd alle hys neyghbours and began fyrst to dygge the erthe and fonde lyke as thappostle had sayd to hym and they had layn in that place wel a thre hondred yere and they were as fresshe as they had ben layed there that same houre and a right swete sauour yssued out of theyr tombe and in contynent a blynde man touched the byer and anone he had his syght ageyn and many other seek people were helyd by the merytes of them and in theyr solempnytees pees was reformed bytwene the lombardes and the emperour of Rome And thenne Saynt gregory the pope establisshed for the Introyte of the masse of them Loquetur dominus pacem and this offyce aperteyned in partye to the sayntes in partye to the grete aduentures that were in that tyme And saynt austyn reherceth in the book of the cyte of god that he was present and the emperour and moche grete companye that a blynde man receyued hys syght at melan at the bodyes of Geruase and prothase but it is not knowen whether hit was the same blynde man or no ¶ Also he telleth in the same book that there was a yonge mā in a towne named victoryan rode hys hors in to a ryuer that laye there by and assone as he was therin the deuyl strangled hym and threwe hym in the water alle deed and whyles they songen euensonge in a chyrche of saynt geruase and prothase whiche was there by he was smyton wyth the voyses of them that songe that he sterte vp a lyue and in a grete haste he entryd in to the chyrche in a grete drede and helde fast the aulter lyke as he had be bounden therto thenne the deuyl menaced hym and sayd yf he wold not come thens he wold breke alle his membrys and a lytel whyle after by the merytes of the holy marters he was playnly helyd and saynt ambrose sayth in hys preface These ben they that by the heuenly baner toke tharmes of the appostles and vaynquysshed haue the vyctorye and ben assoyled fro the snares of the world they destroyed the felawshyp of the fende and folowed frely without ony empesshement our lord Ihesu cryste lyke vnto a debonayr fraternyte that so lerned the holy wordes that no fylthe was medlyd emonge them O how glorious a stryf was thys that causeth them both to be crowned in heuen lyke as they yssued out of one bely Thus enden the lyues of saint Geruase and saynt prothase Here foloweth the lyf of saynt Edward kyng and marter SAynt edward the yonge kynge and marter was the sone of kyng edgare and he was kynge but iij yere and seuen monethes and whan his owne moder was deed his fader the kynge wedded another wyf whiche was ful wycked and by hir he had a sone named ethelrede This quene laboured sore for to destroye thys yonge kyng edward for to make hir owne sone athelrede kynge And litel loued the kynge edwarde For thenne kynge edgar was deed whyche had ben a good Iustyser in chastysyng rebellys and cherysshyng good Well dysposed peple for he had a blessyd an holy man saynt dunstō whiche was chyef of his counceyl and was moche ruled by hym and in that tyme was ioye and myrthe in alle englond And the quene thorugh entysyng of the fende our enemye laboured euer awayted for to destroye thys yonge kynge edward and so it happed that thys sayd yonge kynge Edward rood on huntyng with his knyghtes in the wode of dorset besyde the toune of warham and there in the chaas it happed the kynge to departe aweye from his men and rode forthe allone to see his broder athelrede which was therby with the quene his moder in the castel named corf but whan the quene saw hym there beyng allone she was ioyeful and glad in hir herte hopyng thēne taccomplysshe that whiche she sore had laboured fore wente to the kynge and welcomed hym wyth fayre and blaundysshyng wordes and commaūded to fetche brede wyne to the kyng and whyles the kyng dranke the botelyer toke a knyf and roof the kynge thorugh the body to the herte in suche wyse that the kynge fyl doun deed And anone thenne the quenes seruaūtes buryed the body in a desolate place of the wode to the ende that no man shold knowe where he were becomen And whan saynt dunston knewe that the kynge was so murdred he maad moche grete sorowe and in shorte tyme after yet a parte ageynst his wylle he crowned hir sone ethelrede kynge And thenne he sayd to the kynge for as moche as by manslaughter and wronge thou arte comen to be kynge thou shalt therfore haue grete sorowe and trowble to thy lyues ende And al shal falle for the dethe of thy broder edwarde who that wyl knowe the sorowe that fyl may see it in the lyf of saynt alphey and there he shal see what sorowe there fyl and al
gyue ensaumple of baptesme to al peple and thenne in humylite and pacyence he baptysed our lord and wysshe hym where he had neuer fylthe And al by holy mysterye on whome the holy ghooste dyscendyd vysybly in lykenes of a downe And the voys of the fader was herde sayeng here is my wel belouyd sone in whome I am plesyd Thenne our lord was thyrty yere olde fro hys natyuyte and xiij dayes begynnyng of the xxxj yere On that same day our lord chaunged water in to wyne in chana galylee And thys suffyseth for the natyuyte of saynt Iohan baptest and the resydue of his lyf and of his dethe shall be sayd at the feste of his decolacyon by the grace of god who brynge vs to his blysse Amen ¶ Thus endeth the natiuite of saint Iohan Baptiste ¶ Th lyf of Saint Loey SAynt Loye was borne in the contre of lymoges his fader was named eucherye and his moder terrigia what tyme his moder was conceyued with hym she sawe in hir slepe an egle flee ouer hir bedde and thryes bowed and enclyned to hyr and promysed to hyr somme thynge and with the voys of the egle she awoke and was moche abasshed and began to thynke what hyr dreme myght sygnefye whan the tyme came of chyldyng and that she shold be delyuerd she was in grete parylle and anone she sente for an holy man to come and praye for hyr Whan the good man was come anone he sayd to hyr haue no doubte dame ne drede for thys chylde shal be hâ—ly moche grete in the chyrche and after that he was borne thys chylde grewe in vertue and his fader sette hym to goldsmythes crafte whan he knewe wel the crafte arte of goldsmythrye he came in to frauÌ„ce and dwellyd with a goldsmyth that made werke for the kynge Hit happed that tyme that the kynge sought for one that coude make for hym a sadle of golde and of precious stones Thenne the mayster of saynt loye sayd to the kyng that he had founden a werkman that shold right wel make what someuer he wold The kynge delyueryd to hym a grete masse of golde whiche masse the maister delyuerd to saynt loye wherof he made two right fayre sadels presented that one to the kynge and that other he reteyned hym self whan the kynge sawe thys sadyl soo fayre he alle his peple meruayled moche therof and the kynge rewarded hym moche largely Thenne after this saynt loye presented to the kynge that other sadyll sayeng to hym that of the remenaunte of the golde he had maad the same And thenne was the kyng more esmerueylled than he was tofore and demaunded how he myght make thyse ij sadellys of that weyght that was delyuerd to hym saynt loye sayd wel by the plesure of god thenne grewe the name and fame of hym in the kynges courte Saynt loye louyd wel poure people for alle that he wanne and myght wynne he destrybued it to them in so moche that ofte he was almoste naked The poure people also louyd hym that where he wente they folowed hym and that they that wold speke wyth hym must aske and enquyre of the poure peple where he was On a tyme it happed that as he deled almesse wyth his owne honde there was a poure man that had his hande styffe and lame And put forth the better honde to receyue the almesse Thenne Saynt Loye sayd to hym that he shold put forthe that other honde Whyche as wel as he myght he put forth Saynt Loye toke and handled it and enoynted it wyth a litel oyle and anone it was guarisshe and hool Another tyme whan he had gyuen to the poure peple al the golde and siluer that he had many other poure men came and demaunded of hym almesse and beholdyng hym self that he had nomore to gyue Anone he departed emonge them a marcke of golde that he had borowed of his neyghbour and anone after came moo poure folke to demaunde almesse he put hys hande anone to his purse for he remembryd not that it was voyde by the wylle of god he fonde therin a marcke of gold and whan he had founde that he began gretely to thanke our lord god therof and destribued it and departed it to the pour peple for the loue of god He was of hye stature reed of vysage and angelyk of symple and prudente regarde and chere at the begynnyng he was cladde with precious vestementys of golde aourned wyth gemmys and ouches and ware gylte gyrdellis wyth precious stones but vnder that on his bare flesshe he ware alweye the hayr after thys he gaue al his precyous vesture to the poure people for to socour them in theyr necessytâ—es And fro than forthou he vsed alweye symple and poure clothyng and ofte despoyled hym self for to clothe the poure peple and whan the kyng sawe hym in suche wyse he gaue to hym his owne vestementes and gyrdellys for he louyd hym as his propre sowle And abandoned to hym all his hows and commaunded to al his folke that al that saynt loye wolde haue shold be delyuerd to hym wythout delaye and alle he gaue and destribued to poure folke prysonners and to seek Fro the tyme of Bruneshylde quene vnto the tyme of dagoherte the pestylence of symonye regned stroÌ„gly whiche for to take aweye and destroye saynt loye and saynt Onen laboured sore Thenne was saynt loye chosen bysshop of noyon after achayre bysshop of the sayd cyte and with hym was chosen saynt onen archebysshop of Roen saynt loye was pastour spyrituel of tournay cyte ryal of noyon of gaunte and of alle flaundres and of courtray he had a certeyn place in which by certeyn dayes he callyd to poure and seek men and seruyd them deuoutely And made clene theyr heedes wysshe them and them that were lowsy and ful of vermyne he hym self wold pyke and make them clene and gaue hem mete and drynke and clothyd them and whan they departed anone came other to whome he dyd in lyke wyse whan grete companye came somtyme he made them to sytte doun refresshed them alle but euery day at the leste he had twelue the whiche he made sytte doun and at certeyn houre ete and dranke wyth hem but fyrst he wysshe theyr hondes and serued them On a tyme he Impetred and gate of the kyng that al the bodyes that were dampned to dethe that he coude fynde in townes and citees hanged ratted that he myght take them doun burye them ordeyned men of hys cellegys to doo it It happed on a tyme that in the companye of the kynge in the partyes of arastrye in a towne named strabor he fonde a man that was hanged that same day was theÌ„ne deed and men made the sepulture for to bury hym in ¶ And Saynt Loye approchyd hym and began to take hym doun and apperceyued that the sowle was in the body he wold not appropre the
was come and sawe that she wold not consente to do his wylle anon he made her heed to be smyten of Than the squyer that byheded her herde thangels synge that bare the sowle of the holy vyrgyne in to heuen with moche grete Ioye and sollempnyte anon he retorned vnto his maystre and tolde hym al that he had seen herde sythe fyl doun deed at his feet Thenne the duc and al his companye had moche grete drede and the duc hym self clad hym next his flessh in a sharp heyr hard for grete repentaunce and praid saint marcyal that he wold praye god that hit myght plese hym to reyse his squyer fro deth to lyf and he wold beleue in the fayth of Ihesu criste and be crystyned anone after that saynt marcyal had prayd our lord reysed thesquyer Thenne the duc and wel a xvMl persones in his companye were baptysed In this tyme the same duc by the commandement of the emperour Nero wente in to Italye with a grete companye of men of armes whan he had acomplysshyd the commandement of nero they wente to rome for to see saynt peter whom they fonde prechyng to the peple whiche peple were barefote and had clothed them wyth the heyr lyeng on the grounde tofore saynt peter in demaundyng hym pardon of theyr synnes whan Saynt peter sawe the duc and so moche fayre people in his companye he demaunded them what they were of what contre TheÌ„ne the duc tolde hym by ordre how he and his companye had ben conuerted and baptysed of saynt marcyal After whan they were departed from rome they thoughte that they wolde goo see saynt marcial tofore or they retorned in to theyr contrey Thus theÌ„ne as they were lodged nyghe by a ryuer and the sone of the erle of poytiers bayned hym in the sayd ryuer thenemye the deuyl drowned and smored hym to the dethe whan his fader knewe it he wente wepyng tenderly to Saynt marcyal and prayed hym to reyse his sone fro dethe to lyf Thenne Saynt marcyal wente to the place where he was drowned and commaunded to the fende to brynge the body out of the water and that he shold appere in a lykenes vysyble tofore theym alle Anone yssued out of the water thre fendes lyke ethyopyens more blacke than cooles and had terryble feet and eyen and grete heyr that couerd alle the body and caste out at theyr mowthes and nosethrilles fyre lyke sulphre and cryed lyke rauens whan they had tolde to saynt marcyal the harmes and euylles that they had doon He commaunded them that they shold departe and goo in to places deserte where as they myght neuer noye ne greue persone lyuyng Saynt marcial whiche had pyte and compassyon on them that wepte for the dede chylde reysed hym fro dethe to lyf thenne the chylde tolde tofore them alle that were there how the fende had drowned and smoldred hym and how they wold haue bounden hym with chaynes of yron brennyng but an aungel of heuen delyuerd hym and shewyd hym the fyre of purgatorye and fro thens ledde hym to the yate of paradys and as the fendes requyred to haue hym a voys came fro heuen and commaunded that he shold aryse ageyn that he shold lyue yet xxvj yere whan he had tolde al this he gaue hym self al ouer to saynt marcial and fro than forthon lyued in grete abstynence and holy lyf lyke as thaungel had taught hym Saynt marcyal dyd many myracles and vertues There was in that tyme a woman that had an husbond seke of the palseye to whiche woman saynt marcyal delyuerd hys burdon wyth whiche she touched a lytel hyr husbond and Incontynent he was hool Another tyme the fyre was so grete in the cyte of lourdews that alle was on a flame Saynt marcial helde vp his burdon ageynst the fyre and anone â—it was quenchyd Another tyme as he wold haue halowed a chyrche at lymoges the prynce aforsayd conueyed and sommoned al the peple poure and riche to come to the dedycacion of this chyrche And whan they were al assemblyd saynt marcial admonested and warned them to be in veray chastyte It happed emonge them whyles the masse was on sayeng that there was a knyght whyche he his wyf were sore vexyd troublyd wyth fendes as they were broughte tofore saynt marcyal he demaunded of the fendes why they vexed theym soo and they answerd to hym thou haste commaunded them that the peple shold mayntene chastite and thyse two haue al this nyght exposed them in lecherye and this is the cause that wherfore we ben entryd in to them saynt marcyal at the requeste of the prynce and peple heled them This same yere that is to say the xl yere after the passion of our lord Ihesu cryste the same our lord Ihesu cryste apperyd to hym shewyd how that hastely he shold departe fro thys world and be wyth hys other frendes in the royame of heuen Thenne he dyd doo assemble alle the crysten people that he had conuerted to them made a moche swete sermone in takyng leue of them Sone after he was seek of the feuers and thenne our lord apperyd to hym with a grete quantyte of aungellys whyche wyth moche ioye and gladnes bare the sowle of saynt marcyal in to heuen vbi est honor gloria in secula seculoruÌ„ amen This Saynt marcyal of whome we speke here was the same childe as soÌ„me say on whome our lord layed hys honde vpon his heed whan the contencyon and stryffe was emonge the appostles whiche of them shold be grettest in the royame of heuen and thenne our lord sette the chylde marcyal in the myddle of them layeng his honde vpon his heed as sayd is and said to them yâ— ye be not lytel and humble as this chylde is ye shal not entre in to heuen he that shal be leeste emonge you he shal be grettest in my royame as the gospel maketh more playne mencyon the whiche glorious saynt saynt marcial lete vs praye vnto that he procure vnto our sayd lord Ihesu cryste that all we may haue parte wyth hym in the ioye and glorye perdurable amen ¶ Here endeth the lyf of saynt marcial one of the disciples of our lord Ihesu cryste And foloweth the lyf of saynt Geneuefe THe noble saynt Geneuefe was borne at nauÌ„cerre besyde parys in the tyme of themperours honorius and theodosius the lasse was with hir fader moder vnto the tyme of themperour valentynyen anone after hir natyuyte the holy ghoost shewed vnto saynt germayn of ancerre how she shold serue god holyly virgynely the which thynge he tolde to many after she was sacred of the bysshop of chartres viliques came to dwelle at parys ful of vertues of myracles in the tyme of saynt nychase the marter whom the hongres marterd and after in the tyme of saynt re nyge vnder chyldrik kynge of fraunâ—â— and after vnder cloyus his
that she had brought she departed them and gaue for the loue of god to somme poure wulle and to other hool loues of breed and somtyme she so hasted for pyte that she toke the loues hote out of the ouen secretely and gaue it to the poure The wymmen meruayled why she toke theyr loues but they spake ne sayd no thynge And they moche doubted that they shold not fynde theyr counte ne tale But notwythstondyng that she had so taken by the grace of god they fonde al theyr loues and lacked none by the merytes of the holy saynt hyr hope was no thynge in worldly thynges but in heuenly for she byleuyd in the holy scrypture that saith who so yeueth to the poure leneth for a uayle The rewarde whiche they receyue that gyue to poure peple the holy ghoost had she wyd to hyr longe tofore and therfore she cessyd not to wepe to adoure and to doo werkys of pyte For she knewe wel that she was none other in thys world but a pylgryme passyng There was at meaux a bourgeys that by the space of foure yere he myght not here ne goo he dyd hym be broughte to the holy vyrgyn whiche dwellyd at parys requyred hir that she wolde restore to hym hys helthe and heryng she touched his eerys blessyd hym and anone he was hole and wente herde as he dyd before thankyng our lord On a tyme the holy vyrgyne wente to orlyaunce a woman named fraterne was in grete sorowe for hyr doughter that laye deyeng anone as she wyste the comyng of the holy virgyne she wente to hir to saynt aiguen where she fonde hyr in prayer fraterne fyl doun to hir feet sayeng Dame geneuefe gyue me ageyn clode my doughter Whan geneuefe sawe the good feythe of hyr she sayd dyscomforte the no thynge thy doughter is in helthe the which by the meruayllous puyssaunce of god at the worde of the holy vyrgyne was brought fro the wycket of dethe and came al hool ageynst hir moder and mette wyth hir at the portal of the hows The people thankyd our lord for thys fayre myracle In the sayd cyte there was o seruauÌ„t culpable ageynst his mayster the holy mayde prayed hys mayster that he wold foryeue hym hys trespaas The mayster as felonous and proude daygned not to doo hit at hyr requeste Thenne sayd the holy vyrgyne though ye despyse me our lord wyl not haue me in despyte assone as he was at home he was taken with an hote feare ague whiche vexyd hym in suche wyse that he myÈt not slepe of al the nyght On the morne he came to the holy vyrgyne rennyng wyth open mowth lyke a bere of almayn the tonge hangyng out and fomyng lyke a boor requyryng pardon whiche wold gyue no pardon The saynt had pyte on hym and blessyd hym and the fyeure lefte hym thus made she the mayster hool and the seruaunte excused fro orlyounce the holy woman wente to tours by the water of loyre where she suffryd many perylles whan she areyued at tours grete foyson of demonyaks cam ageynst hir out of the chirche of saynt martyn and the spyrytes cryed by the mowthes of them that were madde vexyd which were brente by the merytes of saint martyn and saint geneuefe and the perylles that the vyrgyn had in the water of loyre they had doon hit by enuye The holy vyrgyn wente vnto the chyrche of saynt martyn where as she helyd mony demonyaks by prayers and by the sygne of the crosse and the demonyaks sayd at the houre of the tormente that the fyngres of the saynt brente aboute them as tapres en flamed wyth fyre of heuen herof herde thre men which kepte their wyues mad they wente to the chyrche and prayed hyr that she wold vysyte theyr wyues The blossyd vyrgyne whyche was debonayr wente and vysyted them and delyuerd them fro thenemye by vnctyon of holy oyle and by prayer Anone after it happed as she was in orysons in a corner in the chyrche of saynt martyn that one of the syngars was soo sore vexyd wyth the enemye that he ete his membris whyche wente out of the chauncel and came strayte to the holy vyrgyn the blessyd virgyn coÌ„mauÌ„ded the spiryte to yssue out he answerd yf he yssued he wold yssue by the eye She commaunded that he shold no lengyr abyde ne dwelle there and thenne he yssued out anone wold he nolde he by the flux of the wombe and lefte foule enseygnes and tokenes and the seek maÌ„ was at hool in good mynde wherof he thanked our lord They of tours honourid moche thys blessyd vyrgyne how wel hyt was ageynst her wylle On a tyme as â—e was at hyr dore she saw a mayde passe by beryng a buyret of oyle she callyd hyr and askyd what she bare She answerd and sayd oyle which she had boughte the holy mayde whyche sawe the enemye sytâ—e on the mowthe of the buyrette blewe on hit the buyrette brake she blessyd the oyle and bad the mayde bere it forth saufly the peple that sawe this had grete meruaylle that thenemye coude not hyde hym but that she perceyued hym and thankyd our lord There was broughte to hyr a chylde by his frendes whyche was dombe blynde and lame the blessyd vyrgyn enoynted hym wyth the holy oyle and the same oure he saw clerely spake and wente and receyued helthe entyerly In the terroyr of meaux the holy mayde dyd do laboure a felde â—â—at she had and a storme tempeste trouâ—â—ed wynde and rayn aroos which 〈◊〉 moche the werkemen She 〈…〉 stretchyng on the erthe in orison 〈◊〉 prayer and our lord shewyd 〈◊〉 a fayr myracle for the rayne fyl 〈◊〉 al the corne in the feldes theraboute and in hyr felde fyl not one drope Another tyme as she was on the sayn there was a grete tempeste and she besoughte god of helpe and anone it cessid in suche wyse that they that were presente sawe wel that our lord at hyr requeste and for hir loue made wynde raâ—ne to cesse alle seek men that she enoynted wyth holy oyle deuoutelye were helyd and made hool hit happed so that on a tyme whan she wold haue enoynted a demonyak she fonde no oyle in hir ampolle whe 〈…〉 was so sory that she wyste not what to doo For there was no bysshop presente for to blesse hâ—t She laye douâ— in orysons and prayer besechyng god that he wold delyuer the man from the enemye Our lord shewyd there two fayre vertues for assone as she aroos hir ample was ful of oyle beyng in hir handes of whiche she enoynted the madde man and anone was delyuerd of the wycked spyrite whyche ample with the oyle sawe the same man that wrote hir lyf xviij yere after hyr decesse Many other myracles without nombre shewyd our lord for the loue of the holy and blessyd saynt saynt Geneuefe the whiche lyued in this world ful of vertues and myracles more than foure score
she sawe hym she went to prayer after aroos and the fende cam to her and toke her by the hond and sayde It suffyseth to the that thou hast don But now cesse as to my persone She caught hym by the hede and threwe hym to the ground and sette her ryght fote on his necke sayeng lye styl thou fende vnder the feet of a woman The deuyll thenne cryed O blessid margarete I am ouercomen yf a yong man had ouercomen me I had not retchyd But alas I am ouercomen of a tendre virgyne wherfor I make the more sorowe For thy fader and moder haue ben my good frendes She thenne constrayned hym to telle why he cam to her And he answerd that he cam to her to counseylle her for to obbeye the desyre and request of the prouoste Thenne she constrayned hym to saye wherfore he tempted so moche and so ofte crysten people To whom he answerd that naturally he hated vertuous men and though we be ofte put abacke from hem yet oure desyre is moche to exclude hem from the felicite that they fil fro for we may neuer obteyne ne recouer our blysse that we haue lost And she thenne demaūded what he was and he answerd I am named veltis one of them whom Salamon closid in a vessel of brasse And after his deth it happed that they of babylon fond thys vessel And supposed to haue founden grete tresour therin and brake the vessel thenne a grete multitude of vs deuellis flewe out fylled ful the ayer alway awaytyng espyeng where we may assayle rightful men And whan he had sayde thus she toke of her fote and sayd to hym flee hens thou wretchid fende and anon therthe opened the fende sanke in Thenne she was sure For whan she had ouercome the mayster She myhht lyghtly ouercom the mynystre Thenne the next day folowyng whan alle the peple was assembled she was presented tofore the Iuge And she not doyng sacrefyse to theyr fals goddes was cast in to the fyre and her body broyled wyth brennyng brondes in suche wyse that the peple merueylled that so tendre a mayde myght suffre so many tormentis And after that they put her in a grete vessel ful of water fast bounden that by chaungyng of the tormentis the sorowe and felyng of the payn shold be the more but sodenly the erthe trembled and the ayer was hydous and the blyssyd virgyne with out ony hurt yssued out of the water sayeng to our lord I beseche the my lord that thys water may be to me the fonte of baptysme in to euer lastyng lyf And anon there was herde grete thondre and a douue descended from heuen and sette a golden crowne on her hede Thenne vM men byleued in our lord and for crystes loue they al wer byheded by the commaundement of the prouost Olybryus that tyme in campolymeth the cyte of Aurelya Thenne Olybryus seyng the fayth of the holy margarete Inmeuable And also feryng that other shold be conuerted to the crysten fayth by her gaf sentence commaunded that she shold be byheded Thenne she prayed to one malcus that shold behede her that she myght haue space to praye And that goten she prayed to our lord seyeng ffader almyghty I yeld to the thankynges that thou hast suffred me to come to this glorye besechyng to pardonne them that pursiewe me And I beseche the good lord that of thy haboundant grace thou wylt graunte vnto all them that write my passyon rede it or here and to them that remēbre me that they may deserue to haue playn remyssyon forgyfnes of alle theyr synnes And also good lord yf ony woman with chylde traueylyng in ony place calle on me that thou wylt kepe her fro peryl and that the chyld may be delyuerd fro her bely wythout ony hurt of hys membrys And when she had fynysshed her prayer ther was a voys herd fro heuen sayeng that her prayers wer herde and graunted And that the yates of heuen were opene and abode for her and bad her come in to the contreye of euer lastyng reste thenne she thankyng our lord aroos vp and badde the hangman accomplysshe the commaundement of the prouost To whom the hangman sayde God forbede that I shold slee the vyrgyn of cryst to whom she sayd yf thou doo it not thou mayst haue no parte wyth me Thenne he beyng aferde and tremblyng smote of her hede he fallyng doun at her fete gaf vp the ghoost Thenne Theofynus toke vp the holy body and bare it in to antyoche and buryed it in the hous of a noble woman and wydowe named sinclecia And thus this blessyd holy virgyne seynt margarete suffred deth receyued the crowne of martirdom the xiij kalendes of auguste as is founden in her storye and it is redde in an other place that it was the iij ydus of Iuyll Of this virgyne wryteth an holy man and sayth The holy and blessyd margarete was ful of the drede of god sad stable and worshipful in religyon arayed with compunctyon laudable in honeste and synguler in pacience and nothyng was founden in her contrarye to crysten relygyon hateful to her fader and by loued or our lord Ih̄u Cryst thenne late vs remembre this holy virgyne that she praye for vs in our nedes c̄ Here endeth the lyf of Seynt Margarete Here foloweth of Seint prayede virgyne SAint prayede was suster of seynt potenciane whiche wer susters of the seyntes Nonati thymothe whiche were enformed in the fayth of thappostles And whan the cruell persecucion was of many crysten men and were martred and sleyne they buryed the bodyes of the holy martirs gaf alle theyr goodes and facultees to poure peple for goddes loue and atte laste they slept in our lord and deyde aboute the yere of our lord Clx vnder Marke Antonye the prouost Here foloweth the lyf of seynt Marye magdalene And first of her name MArie is as moche to saye as bytter or a lyghter or lyghted by thys ben vnderstonden thre thynges that ben thre the best partes that she chaas That is to say parte of penaunce parte of contemplacion wythin forth And parte of heuenly glorye and of thys treble partye is vnderstanden that is sayde by our lord Marye hath chosen the best parte whiche shal not be taken fro her The first parte shalle not be taken from her by cause of th ende whiche is the folownyg of bles sydnes The second by cause of contynuaunce ffor the contynuaunce of her lyf is cōtynued with the contemplacion of her contrary The third by reson of perdurablenes And for as moche as she chafe the best parte of penaunce she is sayde a bitter see ffor therin she had moche bitternes And that appiered in that she wepte so many teres that she weshe therwyth the feet of our lord And for so moche as she chaas the parte of contemplacion
a cedule and leyde it vnder the couerture of the aulter of marie magdalene mekely prayeng her that she shold gete for hym pardonne foryeuenes and a whyle after he toke the cedule agayn and fond alle his synnes effaced and stryken out Another man was holden in pryson for dette of money in yrons And he called vnto his helpe ofte tymes marye magdalene ¶ And on a nyght a fayre woman apperid to hym and brake all his yrons and opened the dore and commaunded hym to go his way and whan he sawe hym self loos he fledde away anon ¶ There was a clerke of fflaundres named Stephen rysen and mounted in so grete and desordonnate felonnye that he haunted alle maner synnes ¶ And suche thyng as aperteyned to hys helth he wold not here Neuertheles he had grete deuocion in the blessyd marye magdalene and fasted her vygyle And honoured her feste And on a tyme as he viseted her tombe He was not alle aslepe nor wel awaked whan Marie magdalene apperyd to hym lyke a moche fayr woman susteyned wyth two angellys one on the ryght syde and a nother on the lyft syde And sayde to hym lokyng on hym despytously Stephen why reputest thou the dedes of my merytes to be vnworthy wher fore mayst not thou atte instaunce of my merytes and prayers be meued to pennaunce For sythe the tyme that thou begannest to haue deuocyon in me I haue alwaye prayed god for the fermly Aryse vp therfore and repent the And I shalle not leue the tyl thou be reconcyled to god And thenne forthwyth he felt so grete grace shedde in hym That he forsoke and renounced the world and entrid in to relygyon And was after of ryght parfyght lyf And atte deth of hym marye Magdalene stondyng besyde the biere wyth angellys whyche bare the soule vp to heuen wyth heuenly song in lykenes of a whyte douue Thenne late vs praye to thys blessyd marye Magdalene that she gete vs grace to don penaunce here for our synnes that after thys lyf we may come to her in euer lastyng blysse in heuen Amen Thus endeth the lyf of Seint marie Magdalene Here foloweth the lyf of seint Appollynare And first the Interpretacion of his name Appollynare is saide of pollens that is shynyng and Ares that is vertue That is to saye shynyng in vertues Or it is sayde of appollo whyche is as moche to saye as merueyllous and naris that is dyscressyon as who sayth he was a man of merueyllous descrecion or he is sayd of A that is wythout and polluo and ares that is to saye vertuous with out pollucion of vices ¶ Of Seynt Appollynare APpollynare was dysciple of seynt Peter thappostle and of hym be was sent to rauenne from rome and there he heled the wyf of the tribune and Iuge of the toun and baptysed her with her husbond and housholde whiche thyng was told shewed to the prouost and anon he dyd do areste apppllynare and ledde hym to the temple of Iubyter for to doo sacrefyse to hym and he sayd to the prestes of thydollys that the gold and siluer that was sette abouteethydollys had ben better to haue be gyuen to pour men than to be yeuen to deuyls And thenne he was a non taken beten sore with staues that he was left half deed but he was taken vp of his dyscyples and brought in to the hous of a wydowe And there was kepte refresshed vij monethes fro thens he cam to the cyte of clacense And there he heled a noble man which was dombe And as he entred in to an hows ther was a mayde whiche had an vnclene spyrite wythin her whyche cryeng sayde goo from hens thou seruaunt of god or I shalle make the to be bounden hondes and feet and to be drawen out of the cite whom anon appollynar rebuked and constrayned the spyrite to goo out and departe fro the mayde Thenne whan he had thus called the name of our lord vpon the dombe man and had so cured hym And delyuerd the mayde of the wycked spyrite moo than vC men byleued in our lord Ihesu cryst The paynems thenne bete hym wyth staues and for bad hym that he shold not nempne the name of Ihesu cryst he thenne lyeng on therthe cryed and sayeng that Ihesus was very god Thenne they made hym to stande bare foot vpon brennyng coles And yet alway he preched constantly the lawe of Crist and thenne they seeng that he wold not cesse droof hym out of the cite That tyme rufus patricius duc of the cite of raueÌ„nâ— had a doughter seek and did do calle appollynare to hele her and assone as appollynare entrid in to the hous his doughter deyde to whom rufus seyde wold god thou haddest not entred in to my hous for the grete goddes ben wroth therfor and wold not hele my doughter what mayst thou do to her to whom Appollynare sayd be thou not aferd but promyse to me that yf the mayde arise thou shalt not forâ—ede her to folowe her maker whiche whan he had promysed he made his prayer anon the mayde aroos and knowleched the name of cryst and was baptysed wyth her moder and a grete multitude of peple and she abode a virgyne and whan Cezar herde herof he wrote to the prouost of the pretoyre that he shold make oppollynare to doo sacrefyse or to put hym in exyle The prouost thenne seyng that he wold doo no sacrefyse commaunded that he shold be beten wyth staues and to be tormented on the galowes where as he allway most constantly preched the name of our lord Thenne he commauÌ„ded to cast hote scaldyng water in his fresshe woundes And he sore bounden wyth grete weyghte of yron shold haue be sent in to exyle That seyng the crysten and so grete felenye don to hym were moeuyd in theyr corage Ranne vpon the paynems and of them slewe more than two hondred And whan the prouost sawe that he hid hym self And commaunded appollynare in to a strayte and hard pryson And after bond hym sore wyth cheynes and sette hym in a shyppe wyth thre clerkes folowyng hym and so sent hym forthe in exyle where only he wyth two clerkes and two knyghtes escaped the peryl of the tempest And tho knyghtes he baptysed After thys he retorned agayne to rauenne And was taken of the Paynems And ladde to the temple of Iubyter Whos symulacre whan he sawe he cursed it And sodenly it fyl doun And whan the bysshoppes sawe that they presented hym to Thauro the Iuge whos sone whyche was blynd Seynt Appollynare made to see And whan the Iuge sawe that He byleued on hym And made hym to dwelle four yere wyth hym in hys hows After thys whan the bysshops had accused hym to vaspasian Vaspasian commaunded who someuer dyd ony wrong to the goddes He shold doo satisfaction Or to be pryued frothe cyte It is not ryghtful sayd he that we shold auenge the goddes But they them self
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
assayled the marters of god and therfor thou art yeuen in to the possessyon of the fende and thenne anon lucrete tremblid and fered And was forthwith rauysshed of the deuyll and was so tormented by iij houres of the deuyl that he deyed at that same dyner whan they that were there sawe that they were conuertid to the fayth and recompted to al men how the passyon of seint beatrice was aduengyd at the same dyner And they suffred deth aboute the yere of our lord CClxxxvij Thus enden the liues of the Seintes Simplicien Faustin and Beatrice And here foloweth the lyf of Saynt Martha SEynt Martha hostesse of our lord Ihesu cryste was born of a ryalle kynrede Her fader was named Syro And her moder euchalia The fader of her was duc of Sirie and marytyme And martha wyth her suster posseded by the herytage of theyr moder thre places that was the castel magdalene and bethanye and a parte of Iherusalem It is nowher redde that martha had euer ony husbond ne felawsshyp of man But she as a noble hostesse mynystred and serued our lord and wold also that her suster shold serue hym and helpe her ffor she thought that alle the world was not suffycyent to serue suche a ghâ—ste After thascencyon of our lord whan the dyscyples were departed she wyth her brother lazare and her suster Marie Also Seynt maxymyne Whiche baptised them and to whom they were commysed of the holy ghoost And many other were put in to a shyppe wythout sayle ores or rother gouernayle of the paynems whyche by the conduyte of our lord they cam alle to marcelle and after cam to the territorye of Aquense or ays And there conuerted the peple to the fayth Martha was ryght facounde of speche and curtoys and gracious to the sight of the peple There was that tyme vpon the Ryuer of rone in a certayn wode bytwene ari late and auynyon a grete dragon half leste and half fysshe gretter than an oxe lenger than an hors hayng tethe sharpe as a swerde and horned on eyther syde hede lyke a lyon tayle lyke a serpent and defended hym wyth two Wynges on eyther syde and coude not be beten wyth cast of stones ne wyth other armour And was as strong as xij lyons or beres whiche dragon lay hydyng and lurkyng in the ryuer and perysshed them that passyd by drowned shippes he cam thyder by see fro galyce and was engendryd of leuiathan whyche is a serpent of the water and is moche woode And of a beest callyd bonacho that is engendryd in galyce And whan he is pursiewed he cast out of his bely behynd hys order the space of an aker bond on them that folowe hym it is bryght as glasse And what it toucheth it brenneth as fyre To Whom martha at the prayer of the peple cam in to the wode And fond hym etyng a man And she cast on hym holy water shewed to hym the crosse whiche anon was ouercomen and stondyng stil as a sheep she bonde hym wyth her owen gyrdle and thenne Was sleyn with speres and glayues of the peple the dragon was called of them that dwellyd in the contre tharasconus wherof in remembraunce of hym that place is called tharasconus whiche tofore was called verlue and the blacke lake by cause there ben wodes shadowous and black and there the blessyd martha by lycence of maxymyne her mayster and of her suster duellyd and abode in the same place after dayly ocupyed in prayers and in fastynges and there after assembled and were gadred to gydre a grete couente of susters and bilded a fayr chirche at thonour of the blessyd marie virgyne where she ledde an harde a sharpe lyf she eschewed flesshe and alle fatte mete egges chese and wyne she ete but ones a day An hondred tymes a day and an hondred tymes a nyght she kneled doun and bowed her knees On a tyme at Auynyon whan she preched bytwene the toun and the Ryuer of roon ther was a yong man on that other syde of the ryuer desyryng to here her wordes and had no bote to passe ouer he began to swymme naked but he was sodenly taken by the strengthe of the water And anon suffocate and drowned whos body vnnethe was founden the nexte day And whan it was taken vp it was presented at the feet of martha for to be reysed to lyf She thenne in maner of a crosse fyll doun to the grouÌ„de and prayed in thys maner O adonay lord IhÌ„u crist whiche reysedest somtyme my wel byloued brother beholde my most dere gheste to the faythe of them that stonde here and reyse thys chylde And she toke hym by the honde and forthwith he aroos lyuyng and receyued the holy bapteme Eusebyus tellith in the v boke of thistorye ecclesiast that a woman named emorissa After that she was heled of our lord she made in her courte an ymage lyke vnto Ihesu cryst with cloth and hâ—me lyke as she sawe hym whan she was heled And worshipped hym moche deuoutly The herbes that grewe vnder thymage to fore that she had touched the hemme were of no vertue but after that she had touched it they were of so moche vertue that many seek peple by them were heled That woman emorissa whom our lord heled ambrose saith that it was martha Seint Iherome sayth and it is had in historia tripertita that Iulianus apostata toke away that ymage that Emorissa made and sette his owne there whyche with the stroke of thondre was al to broken Our lord cam to her a yere tofore her deth and shewd to her that she shold departe out of this worlde and al that yere she was seke and laboured in the febrys viij dayes tofore her deth she herde the heuenly felawships of angellis beryng her susters soule in to heuen and anon dyde do come all the couent of brethern of susters and sayd to them my frendes and moste swete felawes I pray you to reioyse and enioye with me For I see the felawship of angellys bere the soule of my suster marie vnto heuen O most fayr and swete suster thou lyuest now with thy mayster and my ghest in the blessid sete in heuen and theÌ„ne anon Martha sayde to them that were present that her deth was nyghe And had to lyght the tapers aboute her And that they shold wake vnto her deth And aboute mydnyght to fore the day of her deth they that shold watche were heuy of slepe slepte and there cam a grete wynde and extyncte â—nd dyd out the lightes She thenne seyng a grete tourhe of wycked spirites began to praye and sayed My fader hely my dere gheste thise deâ—cyuers ben gadred for to deuour me bryngyng wreton alle the euyl dedes that euer I dyde O blessyd hely be not for withdrawen fro me but entende in to myn helpe and fâ—rthwith she sawe her suster comyng to her holdyng a
ffor he hath deserued it He dranke yesterday in the cite without lycence of the priour and made not the signe of the crosse theron and I entred thenne in signe of a botel to th ende that he shold drynke me With the wyn the sonner Thenne it was founden that he had dronken in the toun And in the mene whyle he made the signe of the crosse and they ronge to matyns and whan the deuyll herd that he sayd I may no lenger abyde here Syth they with the grete hoodes aryse and thus he was constrayned by the prayer of Seynt domynyke to yssue and goo hys waye the frere was delyuerd and hool and was wel ware euer after to doo ayenst the wyl of the pryour And as seynt domynyk on a tyme cam to a ryuer toward the parties of tholouse his bookes Whiche had a custodye fyl in the water and coude not fynde them but must leue them behynd hym And the thyrd day after a fisshar cast his hoke in to the water and supposed to haue teken vp som grete fysshe And drewe vp the bookes of seynt domynyk with out ony wetyng lyke as they had ben kepte dylygently in an almarye and on a tyme Whan he cam to a monasterye And al the brethern were at reste and he Wolde not destrouble ne awake them he put hym to prayer entred in with his felawe the yates beyng shette and closed also in lyke wise in the conflicte of theretikes as he was with a conuerse of the cystews in an euentyde and cam to a certayn chyrche and fonde hit shytte and closed he made his prayers sodenly they were in the chyrche and abode there all that nyght in prayer And whan he had prayed he had alway a custome to staūche his thurst at sōme welle or fontayn lest he shold haue ony desyre to drynke in the hous of his hoost There was a scolier in the hows of the freres at boloyne for to here masse and hit happed that seynt domynyk sang the masse whan it cam to the offryng the scolier Wente and kyssed the honde of Seynt domynyk with grete deuocion whan he had kyssed it he felte come out of his honde so grete swetenes and so swete an odour as he euer had felte to fore in his lyf and fro than forthon the Ardeur and brennyng of lecherye began to wexe colde in hym so that he whiche tofore had ben vayn lecherous was after so contynent that his flesshe shone alle of clerenes and chastite and the flesshe of seynt domynyk shone moche of grete chastyte and purete of whom the odour cured the filthes of the thought ¶ There was a preest which sawe seynt domynyk so ardantly in his predycacion With his felawes and he concluded in hym self that he wold Ioyne hym to them yf he myght haue a book of the newe testament necessarie to hym for to preche and as he thought thys there cam a yong man beryng a book of the newe testament to selle vnder his vestement and anon the preest bought it with grete Ioye But as he doubted yet a lytil he made his prayer to almyghty god made the crosse vpon the book without forth and sythe opened the book and loked within forthwith the first chappytre that he fonde was in the actes of thappostles that Whiche is sayde to Peter cam first to his syght which was this Arise vp descende and goo with them nothyng doubtyng For I haue sent them Thēne he went and Ioyned hym to them On a tyme whan a noble mayster in scyence and in fame was regent in tholouse in theologye On a mornyng tofore the day whyle he purueyed his lessons he was surprised with slepe and enclyned hym on his chayer a lytil and hym semed that seuen sterres stode tofore hym and as he merueylled of the nouuelte of this the said sterres grewe sodenly in to so grete lighte that they enlumyned all the world and whan he awoke he was strongly amerueylled and whan he entred in to the scoles and as he redde seynt Domynyk with vj freres of the same habite entred and cam amyably to hym shewed theyr purpoos and said that they coueyted to haunte his scoles Thenne this mayster remembred hys vision and doubted not but thise were the seuen sterres that he had seen Whan saynt domynyke was on a tyme at Rome Mayster Reynold of saynt Aman deene of Orleaunce which was wyse in the lawe Canon And hadde ben fyue yere doctor was comen with the bisshop of Orleaunce to the see for to passe in Rome And hadde ben long in purpoos for to haue lefte the world and to entende to prechyng but he was not yet auised how he myght accomplisshe it and when he had herd thynstytucion of thordre of the prechours of a cardynal to whome he had told his will he called saynt domynyke and exposed to hym his purpoos And thenne he hadde counseylle to entre in to the ordre But withoute taryenge he was taken with so greuous sekenes that he was in despayr of his helthe And thenne saynt domynyk prayd hertely to oure blessid lady the vyrgyne to whome he had commysed alle the ordre that she wolde gyue to that deen helthe for a lytel tyme And sodenly the quene of mercy cam with thre maydens And Reynold wakyng and abydyng the dethe sawe her come to hym and oure lady sayde to hym be of good chere requyre of me What thow wylt And I shalle gyue it to the And as he thought what he shold requyre one of the maydens saide to hym softely that he shold requyre nothyng but to commytte hym alle to her wille And whan he hadde so done thenne she put forthe her vyrgynal honde and touched his eres his nosethrellis mouth handes feet and raynes and enoynted them with the oynemente of helthe Whiche she had brought with her in sayeng propyrly the forme of the wordes whiche apperteyne to the membres And she sayd to the raynes these raynes be restreyned with the girdel of chastyte And thenne she torned to the feet And sayd I enoynte these feet in preparacion of theuangely of pees And she said I shalle sende to the an Ampulle for to restablysshe the to ful helth And thenne she shewed to hym the habyte of the ordre and sayd to hym This is the habyte of thyne ordre And saynt domynyke beyng in prayer sawe alle this vysyon And on the morn saynt domynyke cam to hym and fond hym all hoole And herde of hym alle the ordynaunce of the vysyon and he toke thabite that the vyrgyne shewed to hym For to fore the freres vsed surplys And the thirdde daye the moder of god was there and enoynted the body of Reynold that she took not only awey the hete of feuers but also extyncted and quenchyd the ardour of luxurye lyke as he confessyd after that one only meuyng of luxurye was not after in
a pylgryms staf in his right honde and soo departed and after many desertâ— places he cam to Rome but to fore he cam in to a towne called in latyn Aqua pendens where as was a comyn and hard pestylence whiche whan Rocke knewe of many by the wey he desytously wente vnto the hospytal of that towne called water hangyng and gate with grete prayers and labour of one Vyncente whiche had the rule of thospytal that he myght there day and nyght serue the seke peple Vyncent was aferd and dredde leste Rocke whiche was a yong flouryng man shold be smeton with the pestylence but after that he cam them that were seke he blessid in the name of Cryste And as sone as he had touched the seke men they were al hoole And they sayd and confessed as sone as this holy man Rocke was comen in all they that were vexed and seke And the fyre of pestylence had infected he extynetyd it and delyuerd alle the hospital of that sekenes And after he wente thorugh the Towne And eche hows that was vexyd with pestylence he entryd and with the signe of the Crossâ— and mynde of the passion of Ihesu crist he delyuerd them alle fro the pestylence For whome someuer Rocke touched anone the pestylence leste hym And whan the town of water fallynge was delyuerd fro the contagyon of the pestylence rocke went to the Cyte of Cenes whiche is a grete cyte of ytalye whiche no lasse pestylence vexed And he it in a shorte place delyuerd it fro the pestylence And fro thens he cam to come whiche was thenne so full of pestylence that vnnethe in alle the Towne coude not be founden one hows wyd therof In tho dayes ther was at Rome a cardynal of the tytle of Anglerye which is a prouynce of lombardye and the blessid Rocke cam in to this cardynals place And as he stode to fore hym a lytel sodenly a merueylous comforte and hope entrid in to the courage of the cardynal he vnderstode the yonge man saynt Rock to be right dere wyth god For his chere his maners and his attemperaunce shewed it wherfore he commended hym to Rocke that he shold delyuer hym fro the pestylence conserue hym And thenne Rocke dyd sygne in the cardynals forhede and made with his fyngre a crosse And anone an apparaunt signe and a veray crosse was seen impressid in his forhede And soo the cardynal was preserued fro the pestylence Neuertheles for the nouelte of the thyng he prayd saynt Rocke that the token of the crosse shold be take awey lest therby he shold be to the peple a newe spectacle Thenne Rocke exhorted the cardynal that he shall bere the signe of the crosse of oure redemer in memorye of his passion in his forhede perpetuelly and worshipe it reuerently by whiche sygne he was delyuerd fro the hard pestylence The cardynal thenne brought seynt Rocke to the pope whiche anone sawe that is godly a bryght raye and heueÌ„ly shynyng oute of the forheede of Rocke And after whan his dyuyne vertue was knowen to the pope Rock opteyned of hym full remission of synne Thenne the cardynal bygan tenquyre of Rock of his lygnage and of his Countre but rock affectyng no mortal glorye hyd his lignage and receyued ageyne of the pope his blessynge and departed fro hym And abode at Rome with the same cardynall thre yere contynuelly and laboured in vysytyng and helpyng the poure peple and them that were seke of the pestylence And after thre yere the cardynall beyng old deyd And Rock for soke Rome and cam to the Towne of Armyne a noble Cyte of Ytalye Whiche also he delyuerd fro the sayd pestylence And whan that Towne was delyuerd he wente to the Cyte of Manasem in lombardye whiche was also sore oppressid with seke men of the pestylence whome with all his hert he serued dylygently And by the helpe of god made that town quyte of the pestylence And fro thens wente to placence For he vnderstode that ther was grete pestileÌ„ce ¶ Rocke was euer of grete studye how he myght in the name of Ihesu of his passion delyuer mortal men fro the hurte of pestylence And so an hole yere he vysyted the howses of poure men and they that hadde moost nede to them he dyd moost help And was alwey in tho spytal And whan he had ben long in tho spytall of placence and had heled almoost alle the seke men ther in Aboute mydnyght he herd in his slepe an Angel thus sayeng O Rocke moost deuoute to cryste awake know thou that thou art smeton with the pestylence studye now how thou mayst be cured And anone he felt hym sore taken with the pestylence vnder his bothe armes And he therof gaf thankynges to our lord And he was so sore vexid with the payne that they that were in thospytall were depryued of their slepe and rest of the nyÈt Wherfor saynt rok aroos fro his bedde and wente to the vtterist place of thospytalle and laye doune there abydyng the lyght of the day And whan it was day the people goyng by sawe hym accused the mayster of thospytal of offence that he suffred the pylgrym to lye withoute thospital but he purged hym of that defaut sayeng that the pylgrym was smyten with the pestylence as ye see And vnwetyng to vs he wente oute Thenne the Cytezeyns incontynent put out saynt Rocke fro the Cyte and subarbes lest by hym the Cyte myght be the more enfected Thâ—nne saynt Rocke sore oppressid with feruent payne of the pesstylence suffred pacyently hym self to be eiecte oute of placence And weâ—te in to a certeyne woode a deserte valeye not fer fro placence alweye blyssyng god And there â—s he myght he made hym a lodge of bowes and leues alwey gyuyng thankyng to oure lord sayeng O Ihesu my sauyour I thank the that thou puttest me to afflyction lyke to thyne other seruauntes by this odyous ardour of pestylence and most meke lorde I byseche the to this deserte place gyue the refrygery and comfort of thy grace and his prayer fynysshed anon ther cam a clowde fro heuen by the lodge that saynt Rocke hâ—d made with bowes where as sprange a fayre and a bryght welle whiche is there yet vnto this day whos water saynt Rock draÌ„k beyng sore a thurst and therof had grete refresshyng of the grete hete that he suffred of the pestylence feuer There was nygh vnto that woode a lytell vyllage in whiche somme noble men dwellyd among whome ther was one wel byloued to god named gotard whiche had grete husbondry and had a grete famylye and hâ—usholde Thys Gotard helde many houndes for huntyng among whome hâ— had one moch famylyer whiche boldly wold take brede for the lorde And whanne Rocke lacked brede that hound by the ruâ—ueaunce of god brought fro the lordes lorde brede vnto Rocke whiche thyng whan gotard had aduertysed ofte that he bare soo awey the brede but he wyst not to whome
nyght with the body he made there a chirche in thonour of hym And thus was brought to pauye with grete ioye And was leid honourably in the chirche of saynt peter whiche is called Cioldoree or heuen of gold in Englysshe Seynt Bernard on a nyÈt as he was at matyns he slombryd a lytel and the lessons of saynt Augustyn were redde And thenne he sawe a ryght fayr yong man stondyng before hym And soo grete habundaunce of water comyng oute of his mouthe that hym semed alle the chirche was full therof And thenne he awoke and wyst wel that it was saynt Augustyn whiche hadde fulfylled that chirche with his doctryne Ther was a man whiche had grete deuocion to saynt augustyn gafe grete good to a Monke that kepte the body of saynt Augustyn for to haue a fynger of the gloryous saynt And this Monke tooke this money and delyuerd to hym the fyngre of another dede man wrapped in sylke and fayned that it was the fyngre of the gloryous saynt Austyn And the good man receyued it moche honourably in grete reuerence and honoured hit euery day deuoutely and touched with all his eyen and his mouthe and oft enbraced it ageynst his brest And god by his mercy that byholdeth alle thyng and the fayth of this man gaf to hym for that fyngre the very propre fyngre of saynt Augustyn And whan he cam in to his countreye ther were many myracles shewed ther by The renomme and fame therof cam to pauye of this fyngre And the MoÌ„ke afore sayd affermed alwey that it was the fyngre of another dede maÌ„ The sepulcre was opened for to know the trouthe and hit was fouÌ„de that ther lacked one of the fyngres of the gloryous saynt And whan thabbotte had knowlege of this thynge he putt oute the Monke of that offyce And tormented and punysshed hym sore Many other myracles hath god shewed by his lyfe and also after his deth whiche were ouer longe to wryte in this booke For they wold I suppose conteyne a book as moche as al this and more but among other correction I wylle sette here in one myracle whiche I haue sene paynted on an aulter of saynt Austyn at the blacke Freres at Andwerpe how be it I fynde hit not in the legende myn exampler neyther in Englysshe Frensshe ne in latyn It was soo that this gloryous Doctor made and compyled many volumes as a fore is sayd among whome he made a book of the Trynyte In whiche he studyed and mused sore in his mynde soo ferforthe that on a tyme as he wente by the see syde in Auffryke studyeng on the Trynyte he fonde by the see syde a lytel childe whiche hadde made a lytel pytte in the sonde and in his honde a lytel spone And wyth the spone he tooke oute water of the large See and poured hit in to the pytte ¶ And whanne saynt Augustyn behelde hym he merueyled and demaunded hym what he dyde ¶ And he answerd and sayde I wylle lade oute and brynge alle this water of this See in to thys pytte what sayd he hit is Impossyble How maye hit be done sythe the See is soo greete and large and thy pytte and spone soo lytylle yes forsothe sayd he I shalle lyghtlyer and sonner drawe alle the water of the See And brynge hit in to this pytte than thow shalt brynge the mysterye of the Trynyte and his dyuynyte in to thy lytel vnderstandynge as to the regard therof For the mysterye of the Trynyte is greter and larger to the comparyson of thy wytte and brayne than is this grete see vnto this lytel pytte And therwyth the childe vanysshed awey Thenne here may euery man take ensample that no man and specially symple lettred men ne vnlerned presume to entermete ne to muse on hyghe thynges of the godhede ferther than we be enfourmed by our faythe For our only feyth shalle suffyse vs Thenne here with I make an ende of the lyf of this gloryous Doctor saynt Austyn to whome late vs deuoutely praye that he be a medyatour and aduocate vnto the blessyd Trynyte that we maye amende oure synful lyfe in this transytorye world that whan we shalle departe we may come to euerlastyng blysse in heuen Amen ¶ Thus endeth the lif of saynt Augustyn doctour Here foloweth the decollacion of saynt Iohan Baptist AT is redde that the decollacion of saynt Iohan baptist was establysshed for four causes lyke as it is fouÌ„dein the book of office First for his decollacion Secondly for the brennyng and gaderynge to geder of his bones Thyrdly for the Inuencion and fyndyng of his heede And fourthly for the translacion of his fyngre and dedycacion of the chirche And after somme peple this feste is named dyuersly that is to saye decollacion Collection Inuencion and dedicacion First this feste is halowed for his decollacion whiche was made in this maner For as hit is had in historia scolastica Herodes Antipa sone of the grete Herode wente to Rome passed by the hows of philip his broder began to loue the wyfe of his broder whiche was named Herodyane wyf of the same philip his broder after that Iosephus sayth she was suster of Herode Agryppa And whan he retourned he refused and repudyed his owne wyf and secretely wedded her to his wyf the whiche thynge his wyf knewe wel that he had wedded his broders Wyfe And this fyrste wyfe of Herode was doughter of Areth kyng of damaske And therfor she abode not the comyng home of her husbond but wente to her fader as sone as she myght And when Herode retorned he took awey the wyf of phelyp his broder and wedded her and left his owne And ther moeued ageynst hym therfore Herode Agryppe And the kyng of Arethe and Phelyp bycam his enemyes And saynt IohÌ„n sayd to hym that he had not done well to doo soo by cause after the lawe hit apperteyned not to hym to haue holde the wyf of his broder lyuyng And Herode sawe that Iohan repreuyd hym of this thyng soo cruelly as Iosephus sayth by cause he repreued hym of blame he assembled grete peple for to please his wyf And dyd do bynde and putte saynt Iohan in pryson but he wold not slee hym for doubte of the peple whiche moche loued Iohan and folowed hym for his predicacion and Herode and Herodyan couetyng occasyon ageynste saynt Iohan how they myght make hym to dye ordeyned bytwene them secretetely that whanne Herode sholde make the Feste of his Natyuyte the doughter of Herodyane shold demaunde a yefte of Herode for daunsyng and spryngyng at the feste to fore the pryncipal prynces of his royamme And he shold swere to her by his othe that he shalle graunte hit her And she shold axe the hede of saynt Iohan and he wold yeue it to her for kepyng of his othe but he shold fayne as he were angry by cause of makynge of the othe And it is redde in thystorye
blessyd Euse be the pope and dwellyd there fyue yere And heled two lame men and two blynde men And thenne the Angel appered to her in her slepe and sayd to her what is this that thow dost that hast lefte thy Rychesses and lyuest here in delyces Aryse and dyne And after goo in to the cyte of Trecane that thow maist fynde there thy brother And thenne she sayd to her chambryere It behoueth vs no lenger to abyte here And she sayd lady whyder wylle ye goâ— Alle the peple here loue yow well And wylle ye go dye in a place where as the peple knowe yow not And she sayd god shalle purueye for vs And thenne she tooke a loof of barly breed and wente vnto the Cyte of Rauenne and entryd in to the hows of a ryche man whos doughter was bewayled as deed And she requyred the mayde of the hows that she myght be lodged there And she sayd how mayst thou be lodged here whan the doughter of hâ—rin is deed and alle be sorowfull And she sayd to her For me she shalle not deye and thenne she entrid in and took the haÌ„d of the mayde and reysed her vp al hole And the moder wold haue reteyned her there but she in no wyse wold agre therto but departed And the doughter lyued and aroos on the morne And whanne Sauyne with her chambryere arryued a myle nyghe vnto trecane she sayd to her Chambryere that she wold there reste a lytel And there cam a noble man fro the Cite named Lyceryen and demaunded them sayeng Of whens be ye To whome Sauyne seyde I am of this Cyte And he sayd Why lyest thow when thy speche sheweth the to be a pylgrym And she sayd Verayly I am a pylgrym and feche Sauyen my broder whome I haue long loste And he sayd to her that man for whome thou demaundest was but late slayne for the name of Ihesu Cryste and is buryed in suche a place And thenne she put hyr in prayeng and sayd lord which hast alwey kept me in chastyte suffre me thenne nomore to trauayle by these hard and wery Iourneyes ne my body to be remâ—ued oute of this place And lord I recommaunde to the my chambryere whiche hath suffred soo moche payne for me and for my broder whome I may not here see I byseche the to make me worthy to se hym in thy regne And whanne she had fynysshed her prayer she passed oute of this world and wente to oure lord whanne her chambryere sawe that her maystresse was deed she beganne to wepe by cause she had nothyng necessary to bury her with The sayd man thenne sente a cryat thorugh the Cyte that all grete and smale shold come see the strauÌ„ge woman that was there deed And incontynent alle the peple ranne and she was buryed honourably And this same day is the feste of saynt Sauyne that was wyf of saynt Valentyn knyght whiche was byheded vnder Adryan themperour by cause he wold not sacryfyse to thydollys Thus enden the liues of saint Samen martir and of Sainne his sustir Here foloweth the lif of seine Lowe And first of thinterpretacion of his name EOwe or Lupe is somme sekenes in the legge whiche behoueth a medycyne For hit is a maladye that regneth and vseth the flesshe And also hit is sayd a maner of fysshe that is on the water and on the londe And it may not drowne by no force of water And thus maye be expowned saynt Lowe For he vsed and strayned his propre flesshe by penaunce For he was lyke the lupe of the water and of the erth For he duellyd in the waters of dâ—lyâ—es of rychesses and of temptacions and myght not drowne among these waters in no wyse ¶ Of saynt Lupe or Lowe SAynt Lupe or Lowe was borne at OrleauÌ„ce And was of the ryal lygnage And by the resplendysshour of his grete and many myracles and vertues He was made Archebisshop of Sense And gaf alle that he hadde to poure peple And on a day whanne all was gyuen It happed that he hadde boden many men to dyne with hym And thenne his mynystres sayd that there was not wyn half ynough for the dyner And he answerd to them he that fedeth the byrdes of heuen shall performe hisâ— haryte of wyne And anone after come a messager to the yate that sayd to them that there were a reyued to fore the yate an honderd Mâ—es of wyne On a tyme they of the Courte sayd euylle of hym by cause that he had with hym a vyrgyn of oure lord whiche was doughter of his predecessour And as they sayd he loued â—eramour and spake moche despytously and ouer dysatemperately And whanne he herd these thynges he tooke the vyrgyne and kyssed her to fore alle the detractours and euylle sayers and sayde that no straunge ne euyll wordes ennoye ne hurte no man whanne his owne conscyence defoylleth hym not And by cause he knewe well that she loued well Ihesu Cryste and purely therfor this hooly man louyd her with a ryght pure thought On a tyme whanne the kyng Clotayre was kyng of Fraunce and entred in to Burgoyne he sente his styward ageynst them of sens for to assyege the Cyte ¶ Thenne Lupe entred in to the chirche and beganne to rynge the clock And whanne thenemyes herd it they had so grete drede that they supposed neuer to haue escaped fro thennes but that they shold haue deyde alle but yf they fledde and at the laste the stywarde of Burgoyne was taken â— And whanne he was taken ther was another styward sente in to Burgoyne cam to Sens And by cause saynt lupe had gyuen to hym no gyftes he had grete despyte And diffamed hym to the kyng so that the kynge sente hym in to exyle And there he shone by myracles and vertues And in the mene whyle they of Sens slewe a Bisshop whiche had taken the place of saynt lupe ¶ And after they impetred of the kyng that saynt Lupe retorned fro exyle And whanne the kyng sawe that he was wrongly doo to he was chauÌ„ged by the grace of god that he knelyd to fore the saynt and requyred pardon And restablysshed hym ageyne in his chirche and gaf to hym many fayr yeftes On a tyme as he cam to parys a grete coÌ„panye of prysoners cam ageynste hym theyr bondes broken And alle the dores of the pryson open On a sonday as he songe masse A precious stone fylle doune fro heuen in to his chalyce the whiche he gaf to the kynge whiche he helde for a noble relyque On a tyme the kyng Clotayre herd saye that the Clockes of saynt Steuâ—n of Sens had a merueylous swetenes in theyr sowne And sente for them and tooke them fro thens and dyde doo brynge them to Parys by cause he wold here the sown of them but it displeased moche to saynt Lupe And as sone as they were oute of the Cyte they lost
was gretely troublyd how she myght do to make eugenne to haue to do with her thenne she fayned her to be seke sent for this broder eugenne to come haue pyte on her whan she was come she tolde to her in what manere she was taken in his loue how she brenned in desyryng hym praid her that she wolde lye by her haue to do carnally embraced her kyssed her exhorted her for to do synne eugenne had grete horrour abhomynacion of her said thou art by ryght called me lancye for hit is an euyl name fulfilled of trayson thou art said black derke douÈter of derkenes frende of the deuyll lyÈt of pollucion nourisshyng of lechery anguisshâ—us douÈter of sempyternal deth when she sawe her deceyued of that she coueited she doubted that eugenne shold discouere her felonnye began fyrst to crye that eugenne wold â—â—er haue enforced her thenne she wente to the prouost phelyp complayned sayeng that a yong man a fals cristen was come to me by cause of me dycyne took me wold haue enforced me by strengthe for to haue synned with hym yf I had not be holpen delyuerd by a chamberere which was in my chaÌ„bre when the prouost herd this he was gretely meuid sent for a multitude of peple made eugene to be brought with the other seruauÌ„tes of Ihesu crist bouÌ„den in yron establisshed a day whan they al shold be delyuerd to beestes for to be deuoured thenne were they called to fore the prouost whiche said to eugene say to me thou ryÈt cursyd wretche yf your god hath taughte yow to do suche werkes as for to corrumpe defowle the wymmen forcibly ayenst theyr wylle thenne Eugenne whiche had the hede enclyned by cause she wold not be knowen sayd that our lorde taught and enseygned chastyte entyerly and promysed to them that kepte hit the lyf perdurable And we maye wel shewe that Melancye is fals and lyeth But hit is better to vs to suffre than she sholde be vaynquysshed and pugnysshed And that the fruyt of our pacyence perysshe not but notwithstondyng lete her chaÌ„berere be brought forth here She is the wytnes of oure felonye so that the lesynges of her may be repreuyd And whan she was come she beynge lerned of her lady opposed ageynst eugeÌ„ne sayd that he wold haue taken her by force And also alle the other of the meyne corrupte by the lady wytnessyd that it was soo And EugeÌ„ne sayd the tyme is passed of scylence and the tyme to speke is now I wylle no lenger suffre that this shameles creature put more blame gyltles on the seruaunt of Ihesu cryste ne that she gloryfye not in her malyce ne in her falsete And by cause that trouthe surmounteth her lesynge and that wysedome surmounteth her malyce I shal shewe the trouthe for none auauntage but for the glorye of our lord And thenne she tooke her cote and rente it vnto her gyrdel aboue and sayd that she was a woman as it apperyd And also sayd to the prouost thou art my fader and Claudyenne is my moder And the tweyne that sytte wyth the Auyce and Serge ben my bretheren And I am Eugenne thy doughter And these tweyne ben Prothus and Iacyncte And whanne the fader herde that he knewe well his doughter And thenne he and her moder embraced her and wepte tendyrly for ioye And thenne they clothed Eugenne with clothes of gold and enhaunced her on hyhe And after this cam a fyre from heuen and brente Melancye alle her meyne Thenne Eugenne conuertid to the faythe her fader moder bretheren and alle the meyne therfore lefte the fader the prouostye And was ordeyned Bisshop of the Crysten peple And as he was in prayer and oryson he was slayne of the myscreauÌ„tes and paynyms Thenne Claudyenne with her sones and Eugenne retorned to Rome and there couertid moche peuple vnto the faythe of Ihesu Cryst Thenne by the commaundemente of the emperour ther was a grete stone bounden to the neck of Eugenne and was throwen in to tyber but the stone brake and she wente withoute harme vppon the water Thenne she was throwen in to a brennynge fornays but the fornays was quenchyd by myracle and bycam cold And thenne she was putte in to a derke pryson but a grete shynynge lyght made it all clere and lyghte And whanne she hadde ben there ten dayes withoute mete our lord Ihesu Cryste apperyd to her and brought to her a ryght whyte loof and sayd to her take this mete of my hande I am thy sauyour whome thou hast loued wyth alle thy thought And on that day that I descended in to therthe I shal receyue the Thenne on the daye of the Natyuyte of oure lord the tormentour was sente to her and he smote of her hede And after that she appered to her moder and sayd to her that she shold folowe her on the sonday after And whanne the sonday cam claudyenne put her self to prayer gaf her spyryte to god thenne Prothus Iacyncte were drawen to the temple for to do sacryfyse they by their prayers al to brake thidolle whan they wold in no wyse do sacryfyse they accoÌ„plysshed their martirdom in suffrynge their hedes to be smytoÌ„ of suffred deth vnder Valeryen galyen about the yere of our lord ijC lvij by whos merytes late vs praye almyghty god to haue mercy on vs brynge vs to his blysse Amen Thus enden the lyues of Prothe and Iacincte Here foloweth the Exaltacion of the holy Crosse TExaltacion of the holy Crosse is sayd by cause that on this daye the hooly crosse faythe were gretely enhauÌ„ced And it is to be vnderstonden that to fore the passion of our lord Ihesu crystel the tree of the crosse was a tree of fylthe For the crosses were made of vyle trees of trees without fruyte For all that was planted on the Mount of caluarye bare no fruyte It was a fowle place for hit was the place of the torment of theuys it was derke for it was in a derke place and without ony beaute It was the tree of deth for men were put there to dethe It was also the tree of stenche for it was planted amonge the caroynes after the passion the Crosse was moche enhaunced For the vylte was transported in to preciousyte Of the whiche the blessyd saynt Andrewe sayth O precious holy Crosse god saue the his bareynes was torned in to fruyte as it is sayd in the Cantyques I shall ascende vp in to palme tree et cetera His ignobylyte or vnworthynes was tourned in to sublymyte and heyght The Crosse that was tormente of theuys is now born in the fronte of themperours his derkenes is torned in to lyght and clerenesse wherof Crysostom sayth the Crosse and the wouÌ„des shall be more shynyng than
dethe And anone the felons cam vppon them and slewe forthwith saynt Lambert whome they fond in oryson and prayer And whanne they were gone somme of his men that escaped bare the body to the cathedralle chirche secretely by water in a bote And buryed hit with grete heuynesse of them of the Cyte in the yere of oure lord four honderd and ten Thus endeth the lyf of saint Lambert Here begynneth the lyf of saint Mathewe And firste of the Interpretacion of his name MAthewe was named by tweyn names that was Mathewe and Leuy Mathewe is expowned an hasty yefte or a gyuer of counceylle Or it is sayd Mathewe of magnus and theos that is god as it were a greete god or of manus that is an honde theos that is god as it were the hond of god he was a yefte of hastynes by hasty conuersion a yeuer of counceylle by holsome predicacion grete to God by perfection of lyf And the honde of god by wrytynge of the gospelle of god Leuy is interpred assumpte or applyed or putte to or sette he was assumpte and taken awey fro gaderyng of tolles he was applyed to the nombre of thappostles he was putte to the company of theuangelystes and set to the Cathaloge of martirs ¶ Of saint Mathewe MAthewe thappostel prechynge in Ethyope in the cyte that is sayd Vadaber Fonde there two enchaunteurs named Zawes and Arphaxat whiche enchaunted the men by theyr Arte soo that whome that they wold shold seme that they were pryued of the helthe and office of theyr members whiche were soo eleuate in pryde that they made them to be honoured as goddes Thenne Mathewe thappostle entrid in to that Cyte and was lodged with the ennuche of candace the quene whom phelyx baptysed Thenne he discouerd the faytes and dedes of thenchaunteurs in this manerâ— that alle that they dyd to men in to hurte that torned mathewe in to helthe Thenne this euâ—uche demaunded of saynt Mathewe how he and vnderstode soo many tonges and thenne Mathewe told hym how the holy ghoost descended and had gyuen to thappostles alle scyence of tongues That lyke as they had emprysed by theyr pryde to make the Toure vnto heuen whiche cessed by confusyon of tongues that were chaunged alle in lyke wyse the appostles made a toure of scyences of tongues and nothynge of stones but of vertues by the which all that byleue shalle mounte vp in to heuen Thenne cam before them a man that sayd that thenchauntours were comen with two dragons whiche caste fyre sulpher by theyr mouthes and nosethrellys and slewe alle the men Thenne the Appostle garnysshed hym with the signe of the Crosse and went out surely to them And anone as these dragons sawe hym anone they cam and slept at his feet Thenne sayd Mathewe to thenchauntours where is your crafte awake ye them if ye maye And yf I wold praye oure lord that whiche ye wold haue commysed in me I shold soone execute on yow And whanne the peuple were assembled he commaunded the dragons that they shold departe withoute hurtynge of ony And they wente anone And thappostle there made a grete sermon of the glorye of paradys terrestre sayeng that it apperyd aboue all the Montayns and was nyghe vnto heuen And that there were neyther thornes ne roches And that the lylyes and Roses flourysshed alwey and waxyd neuer olde but the peple were there alweye yonge And the sowne of angels souned there alweye and the byrdes cam anone as they were callyd And sayd that oute of this paradys was a man caste but he was called to the paradys of heuen by the natyuyte of our lord And as he sayd these wordes to the peuple anone a grete noyse aroos and a grete wepynge was made for the sone of the kynge whiche was deed and whanne these enchaunteurs myght not reyse hym they made the kyng byleue that he was rauysshed in to the company of the goddes And that he shold make to hym a Temple and an ymage And thenne the forsayd Ennuche kepar of the quene of Candace Made thenchaunteurs to be kept and sente for thappostle And whanne the Appostle was comen he made his prayer and reysed the kynges sone anone And thenne the kynge whiche was named Egyppe sente for alle the men in his prouynces sayenge to them Come and see ye god in the lykenes of a man And thenne the peple cam wyth crownes of gold and dyuerse manere of sacryfyses and wold haue sacryfyed to hym And thenne saynt Mathewe behelde them and sayd what do ye men I am not god but I am seruaunt of oure lord And by the commaundemeÌ„t of hym they made a grete chirche of the gold and syluer that they had brouÈt whiche in thyrtty dayes space was edyfyed and achyeued in whiche Chirche the Appostle sat thre and thyrtty yere And conuertyd al Ethyope to the faythe of Cryste And thenne the kynge Egesyppe wyth his wyf and his douÈter and all the peple were baptysed And thenne thappostle haâ—owed to god Ephygene the kynges doughter and made her maystresse and gouernesse of moo than two honderd Vyrgyns And after this Hyrtake succeded to the kynge and coueyted the sayd vyrgyne Ephygene and promysed to the Appostle half his Royamme if he wolde make her consente to be his wyf and thappostle sayd to hym that after the customme of his predecessour he shold come on the sonday to the chirche And Ephygene beynge present with the other virgyns he shold here what he sholde say of the goodnes and laufull maryage And thenne departed with grete ioye and supposed that he wold haue styred Ephygene to his maryage And whanne the vyrgynes and alle the peple were assembled he spack long of good and lawful matrymonye was moche alowed of the kynge whiche supposed that he had sayd for to haue ioyned the vyrgyne to hym for to consente the maryage Thenne scylence was made he made rehersaylle of his sermone sayenge that maryage is good yf it be truly hold by good alyauÌ„ce but ye that â—en here knowe ye well that yf ony seruaunt wolde take the wyf of a kynge wedded he shold not only renne to the offence of the kynge but aboue that he shold deserue dethe and not for to wedde her but for that he in so takyng the spouse of his lord shold corrumpe the maryage ioyned And thus the kynge that knewe that Ephygene is made the spouse of the kynge perdurable and is sacred with the hooly veyle how mayst thow take the wyf of a more puyssaunt kynge couple her to the by maryage And whanne the kynge herde this he began tenrage and departed al wode frantyke And thappostle withoute drede constant confermed alle the other to pacyence And Ephygene lyenge before hym for drede he blessyd and alle the other vyrgyns also And after the solempnytees of the masse the kyng sente a tormentour whiche slewe mathewe with a
of saint Mychel tharchaungel And firste thexposicion of his name Mychel is expowned somtyme as god And oftymes as saynt Gregorye sayth whan a thyng of meruayllous vertu is done Mychel is sente forth soo that he by the dede and the name be gyuen to vnderstonde that none may doo that god may doo And therfore ben attrybued to hym many thynges of merueylous vertu For lyke as Danyel wytnessyth he shalle aryse and adresse in the tyme of Ante cryst ageynst hym And shalle stande as a defendoure and kepar for them that ben chosen He also faught wyth the dragon and his angels and castynge them oute of heuen had a greete vyctorye He also had a grete plee and altercacion with the deuylle for the body of Moyses by cause he wold not shewe hit For the children of Israell shold haue adoured and worshyped it He receyned the sowles of sayntes And brought them in to the paradys of exultacion and ioye He was prynce of the synagoge of the Iewes but now he is establysshed of oure lord prynce of the chirche of Ihesu Cryste and as it is said he made the plaghes of egypte he departed and deuydid the rede see he ladde the peple of Israhel by the deserte and sette them in the lond of promyssyon he is had among the companye of holy Angels as banerer and berynge the signe of oure lord he shalle slee by the commaundement of god right puyssauntly Ante cryst that shalle be in the Mount of olyuete And dede men shall aryse atte voys of this same Archaungel And he shalle shewe at the daye of Iugement the Crosse the spere the nayles and the Crowne of thornes of Ihesu Cryste ¶ Of saint Mychel The hooly solempnyte of saynt Mychel is sayd appyerynge dedycacion vyctorye and memorye The apparicion of this aungel is many fold The fyrste is whan he appyered in the Mount of gargan This Montayne is in Naples whiche is named gargan And is by the Cyte named Syponte And in the yere of our lord thre honderd four score and ten was in the same Cyte of Syponte a man whiche was named Garganus whiche after somme bookes had taken that name of the montayne or els the Montayne toke the name of the man and he was ryght ryche and had a grete multytude of sheep and beestes And as they pastured aboute the sydes of the Montayne It happed that a bulle left the other beestes And wente vpon hyhe on the Mountayne and retorned not home ageyne with the other beestes Thenne this ryche man the owner took a grete multitude of seruauntes and dyde doo seche this bull al aboutes And at the laste he was founden on hyghe on the Montayne by the entree of an hole or a caue And thenne the maystre was wrothe by cause he hadde strayed allone from other beestes and made one of his seruaūtes to shote an arowe at hym And anon the arowe retourned with the wynde and smote hym that had shotte hit wherwith they of the Cyte were troublyd with this thynge and wente to the Bisshop enquyred of hym what was to be done in this thynge that was soo wonderful And thenne be commaun d them to faste thre dayes and to praye vnto god And whan this was done seynt Mychel appered to the Bisshop sayenge knowe ye that thylke man is soo hurte by my wylle I am Mychell the Archaungel whiche wylle that thys place be worshypped in erthe and wyll haue hit surely kepte And therfor I haue prouyd that I am kepar of this place by the demonstraunce and shewynge of this thynge And thenne anone the Bisshop and they of the Cyte wente with processyon vnto that place And durst not entre in to hit but made theyr prayers without forth The second apparicion was in the yere of oure lord seuen honderd and ten in a place whiche was named Tumba by the see syde sixe myle fro the Cyte dauerances Seynt Mychel apperyd to the Bisshop of that Cyte and commaunded hym to doo make a chirche in the forsayd place lyke as it was made in the Mount of gargan And in ā ke wyse shold halowe the memorye of saynt Mychel there And the bisshop doubted in what place it shold be made And saynt Mychael sayd to hym in the place where he shold fynde a bulle hyd of theues and yet he doubted of the largenesse of the place And saynt Mychell appyered to hym sayd that he shold make hit of the brede that he shold fynde that the bulle had troden and traced with his feete there were two roches whiche no maunes power myght remeue Thenne saynt Mychel apperyd to a man and commaūded hym that he shold goo to that same place and take awey the two wekes And whan he cam be remeued the two roches as lyghtely as they had weyed no thynge And whan the chirch was edyffyed there mychel set a pyece of a stone of marble ther vpon whiche he stode and a parte of the palle that he had leyd on the aulter of that other Chirche he brought thyder to this Chirche And by cause they had grete penurye and nede of water they made by the thadmonestement of thanngelle an hoole in a stone of marble anone there flowed oute soo moche water that vnto this day they be susteyned by the benefayt therof And this apparicion is solempnly halowed the xvij kalendes of Nouembre in that place And there happed in the same place a myracle worthy to be putt in remembraunce This Montayne is enuyronned aboute with the see Occean but on saynt Mychels day it auoydeth twyes and gyueth way to the peple And as a grete companye of peple went to the Chirch hit happed that a woman grete with childe neyhe her tyme of delyueraunce was in the company whanne they retorned the wawes and water cam with grete force so that the company for drede fled to the Ryuage And the woman grete wyth child myghte not flee but was take and wrapped in the floodes of the see but saynt Mychel kepte the wyf al hoole and she was delynerd and childed among the wawes in the myddel of the see And she tooke the child bytwene her armes and gaf it sowke and after whan the see was withdrawen she went a lande at hoole with her child The thyrd apparicion happed in the tyme of Gregory the 〈◊〉 For whan the sayd 〈◊〉 hadde establysshed the letanyes for the pestylence that was that tyme and prayd deuoutely for the peple he sawe vpon the castel whiche was sayd somtyme the Memorye of Adryan the angel of god whiche wyped and maade clene a blody swerd and put it in to a shethe And therby he vnderstode that his prayers were herd Thenne he dyde doo make there a Chirche in thonoure of saynt Mychel And that Castell is yet name d the Castel angel And yet anothir apparicion was in the Mount of gargan when he apperyd gaf vyctory to them of Syponte whiche is halowed
seke man tasted and reuyued anone helthe And also dyd many other myracles And when his laste dayes aporochyd And was greuyd by longe infyrmyte thenne he made hym self to be leyd vpon the bare ground And dyd doo calle alle the Freres that were there And whanne they were alle present he blessyd them And lyke as oure lord fedde his disciples at souper in sherthursdaye he gaf to eche of them a morselle of breed And warned them as he was woned to doo to gyue lawde to theyr maker And the very dethe whiche is to alle men horryble and hatefulle he admonested them to preyse it And also he warned and admonested deth to come to hym and sayd Deth my suster welcome be thou And whanne he cam at the laste houre he slepte in our lord Of whome a Frere sawe the soule in maner of a sterre lyke to the mone in quantyte and to the sonne in clerenes There was a Frere named Augustyn whiche was mynystre and seruaunte in the londe of laboure of the erthe And as he was in his last ende and had lost his speche he escryed sodaynly and sayde abyde me Fader abyde I shalle goo with the Thenne the Freres demaunded hym what he sayd And he sayd See ye not oure Fader Fraunceys that goth vnto heuen And anone he slepte in pees and folowed his holy fader ¶ A lady which hadde be deuoute to the blessyd FrauÌ„ceys deyed and the Clerkes prestes were at the byere for to synge thexequyes of her she aroos vp sodenly of the biere and called one of the preestes that were there sayd fader I wold confesse me I was deed and shold haue be put in a cruelle pryson by cause I hadde not shryuen me of a synne that I shalle saye But saynt Fraunceys prayd for me that this confessyd and shewed I shalle haue foryeuenesse And anone as I shalle haue seyd and confessyd hit to the I shalle reste in pees to fore yow alle And thenne she was confessyd and assoylled and rested anone in our lord The Freres of Vyterbe wold haue borowed a carte of a man And he answerd in despyte I had leuer see two of yow flayn with saynt Fraunceys than I shold leue yow my carte but he cam ageyne to hym self and repreuyd hym self and repentyd hym of the blame that he had sayd and doubted the Ire of god And anone hys sone was seke and deyde And whan he sawe his sone deed he slepte on the erthe wepyng and called saynt FrauÌ„ceis and sayd I am he that synned thou sholdest haue beten me gyue ayene to me hooly saynt prayenge dâ—uoutely to the whome thow hast taken away fro me blamynge the and blasphemynge wyckedly And anone his sone reuyued and sayde whanne I was deed seynt Fraunceys ladde me by a longe way and derke And atte laste he brought me vnto a ryght faire grene And after sayd to me Retorne to thy fader I wylle no lenger holde the ¶ There was a poure man whiche ought vnto a certayne Ryche man a quantyte of moneye· And prayd hym for the loue of saynt Fraunceys he wold prolonge the terme of payment To whome he answerd prowdely I shalle sette the in suche a place that neyther Fraunceys ne none other shalle helpe the And anone he took bonde hym and sette hym in a derke pryson And anone after saynt FrauÌ„ceis cam thyder and bracke vp the pryson and losed his bondes and brouÈt the man al saufly to his owne hows Ther was a knyghte whiche detracted the werkes and myracles of saynt fraunceys and on a tyme as he played at the dyes he beynge alle araged and full of woodenes and cruelnes sayd to theym that stoode by hym yf saynt Fraunceis be a saynt late come eyghten on the dyes And anone cam in thre dyes in eche of hem sixe and soo it apperyd nyne tymes at euery tyme thre sixes at eche caste And thenne he adioustyng woodenes to wodenes he sayd ysit be trewe that frauÌ„ceis be a seynt late a swerd ryue me thurgh my body this day And yf he be no saynt that it escape saufly And whan the playenge at dyes was ended by cause he hadde made that prayer in synne he sayd Iniurye to his neuewe And he tooke his swerd and stack it thurgh belye slewe hym anone ¶ There was a man that hade loste his thye that he couthe not moeue hit And cryed to saynt Fraunâ—â—is thus sayenge helpe me saynt fraceis remembre the of the deuocion and of the seruyse that I haue done to the For I caryed the vppon myn asse and kyssed thy feet and thy hondes And now I deye for payne of thys ryght hard tormente Thenne the hooly man appyeryd to hym with a litille staf that he helde whiche hadde the signe of thau and touchyd therwith the place of his payne and the postume bracke and receyued anone ful helthe but the signe of thau abode alwey in the same place with that signe saynt Fraunceys was wonte alwaye to signe his lettres There was a mayde whiche duellyd in the Montaynes of puylle in a castel and her fader moder ne had but only this doughter And she deyde And her moder was moche deuout toward saynt fraunceis But thenne she was full of heuynes And saynt Fraunceys appyeryd to her and sayd wepe nomore for the lyght of thy lanterne is quenchyd And it apperteyneth not that I yelde her ageyne to the by thy prayer But yet the moder had affyaunce and trust in the saynt And wold not suffre to bere awey the body but in callynge saynt Fraunceis she took her doughter that was deed and reysed her vp alyue and hoole Ther was a lytel childe in Rome fallen oute of a wyndowe to the ground and deyde forthwythe And they called to saynt Fraunceys for help and he was anone restored to lyf In a cyte of Swetse hit hapned that an hows fylle and slewe a child And whanne they had putt the corps in a chyste for to berye the moder callyd on saynt Fraunceys with all her deuocion And aboute mydnyght the chyld cowhyd and aroos all hoole And beganne to preyse god Frere Iames of Reaten had passyd a floode in a vesselle with other Freres whiche were sette a lond and he hasted so sore after to goo oute by cause he was laste and the shyppe recuyeled backward in to the water soo that he fylle doune in to the deppest of the flood And thenne alle the Freres prayde saynt Fraunceys for hym And he hym self as he myght with lyke deuocion callid the hooly saynt vnto his ayde and helpe in his herte And that same Frere beganne to goo in the bottom of the water as drye as he had gone on the erthe and caught the bote whyche was drowned and brought hit to the banke and cam vp withoute wetynge of his clothes that he ware Ne nener drope of water touchyd his cote ne wette no thynge on hym Thenne
haue a Childe by her husbond For she hadde ben long bareyne And the kynge promysed her so to doo And thenne she retorned ioyously home to her husbond And sone after conceyued and had a childe wherof she thanked god that she was heled of bothe her dyseases Seynt Powle wryteth that the hooly ghoost yeueth graces dyuersly to some he yeueth wysedome to some connynge And to somme grace to hele and to cure seke peple But this blessyd kynge saynt Edward hadde a special grace aboue other in gyuyng syght to blynd men Ther was a blynd man wel knowen whiche herd a voys in his slepe that yf he myÈt haue of the water that the kynge wesshe his handes in and wasshe his eyen therwith he sholde haue his syght ageyne Thenne the next day after this blynde man wente in to the kynges palais And told his vysyon to the kynges Chamberlayne And the Chamberlayne tolde it to the kynge Thenne the kynge sayd that it myght be well an Illusyon or a dreme whiche is not alwey trewe for it hath not be sene that fowle water of a synners hondes sholde yeue syght to blynd men Thenne said the chamberlayn that many tymes dremes haue ben founden trewe as the dremes of Ioseph Pharao Danyel and many other Thenne the kynge in grete humylyte wente in to the chirche on a solempne day with a basyne of water And commaunded the blynde man to be brought to hym And as the kynge weshe the face of the blynd man his eyen were opened and had his syght and stode all abasshyd lokyng on the peple as he hadde newely comen in to this world And thenne the people wepte for ioye to see the holynes of the kynge And theÌ„ne he was demaunded yf he myght see clerely And he sayd ye forsothe And the kyng knelyd doune before the aulter sayenge this verse with grete drede and mekenes Non nobis domine non nobis sed nomini tuo da gloriam That is to say Not to vs lord not to vs but vnto thy name be yeuen glorye After this the holynes and fame of saint Edward sprange aboute so that a Cytezeyne of Lyncolne whiche had be blynde thre yere cam to the kynges palais to haue of the water that the kynge hadde wasshen his handes in For he bileuyd that it wold hele hym And as he had goten of that water by one of the kynges offycers he weshe his face and his eyen ther with And anone he was restored to his syghte and was parfyghtely made hole and soo ioyefully retorned home magnyfyenge god and saynt Edward that he had his syght ageyne In a tyme ther were gadrid to gydre certayne werkemen to hewe doune tre es to the kynges palais at Bruhamand after their labour they leyd theym doune to slepe in the shadowe And a yong man of that felauship that heyÈts wylwyne whan he shold ryse he opened his eyen myght not see he weshe his face rubbed his eyen but he myght no thynge see wherfore he was full of heuynesse Thenne one of his felawes ladde hym home to his hows and abode soo blynde eyghten yere And at the laste a worshipfulle woman cam to vysyte and comforte hym And whanne she knewe how he was made blynde she badde hym be of good chere and sayd yf he wold vysyte lx chirches with good deuocion and thenne to haue the water that the kynge had wasshe his hondes in and wasshe his eyen with al he shold haue his fyght ageyne Thenne he was gretely comforted and gate hym a gyde and wente and visyted thre score chirches with grete deuocion and cam to the kynges palays and cryed for helpe And they that herd hym· bad hym cease of his cryenge but for all that he cryed more more And when the kynge vnderstode it â—he callyd hym to hym And sayd why shold I not set my hondes to helpe this poure man though I be vnworthy yf it please god to releue hym and to yeue to hym his syghte And by cause he wold not be founden disobedyent to god ne presumptuous he toke water and wesshe his eyen ful mekely And anone he was restored to his sight and sawe as clerely as euer he dyde Also ther was a fayre myracle of thre blynde men And the fourthe had but one eye whiche camen to the kynges palais And thenne cam one of the kynges seruauntes whiche had pyte on them he gate of the water that the kyng had wesshen his hondes in when he hadde heled that other blynde man And he brought this water to the gate and told these poure men how the kynge a lytell hefore had helyd a blynd man with the same water And sayd to them yf they wold wesshen their eyen with good deuocion they myght be heled by goddes grace with the same water And thenne they kneled doune with grete deuocion and praide this man to wesshe theire eyen ther with And thenne he made a crosse with the water vpon eche of theyr eyen besoÈt almyÈty god to open their eyen And they alle there receyued theyre parfyght syght And retorned in gyuynge lawde and praysynge God of their syght yeuen to them by the merytes of saynt Edward As the kynge on a tyme sat at the table with the quene and her fader Erle Goodwyn and sawe how Harold Tostyne the two sones of Goodwyn plaid to fore the kyng but at the last the game torned in to ernest they beganne to fyghte And Harold took his broder by the heer and threwe hym to the erthe And fylle vpon hym in grete angre and wold haue stranglâ—d hym but yf he hadde ben lette Thenne the kynge demaunded Goodwyn yf he vnderstood ony thyng therby And he saide nay forsothe Thenne the kynge sayd ye shalle see when they come to maÌ„nes age that one of them shalle slee that other yf he can And Harold whiche is the strenger shalle put that other oute of his londe Thenne shalle his broder Tostyn come ageyne with the kynge of Norwey and holde a bataylle ageynst Harold his broder in Englond In the whiche bothe the kynge of norwey and Tostyne shalle be slayne al their hooste sauf a fewe that shalle escape And the same Harold shall yeue hym self to penaunce for the deth of his broder and so escape or els he shal be put oute of his kyngdome and deye wretchydly The kynge was many tymes moeued and displesyd with Goodwyn For he mysused the kynges power and attempted the kyng in many thyngis that were vnleefull And in al that he myghte he labouryd to brynge oute of consayte the kynges cosyns and frendes that cam to hym out of Normandye to th entent that he myght haue alle the rewle aboute the kynge as wel secretely as out ward And the kynge vnderstondynge his falsenes sayd but lytell But in a tyme as the kyng sat at his dyner wyth dyuerse lordes and gentils about hym One of
Countre ordeyned these two yong men his sones mooste couenable aboue al other for to go with the maister of the chyualrye And thenne whan the maister sawe these yong men of noble fourme and aourned honestly with good maners they plesyd hym moche And ordeyned that they shold be with the fyrst of his table Thenne he wente thus to the bataylle And whan he had subdued his enemyes to hym he made his hoost to reste thre dayes in a Towne where his wyf dwellyd and kepte a poure hostelery And these two yong men by the purueaunce of god were lodged in thabytacion of their moder withoute knowynge what she was And on a tyme aboute mydday as they spack that one to that other of their enfancye And their moder which was there herkened what they sayd moche ententifly soo that the grettest sayd to the lasse whan I was a chyld I remembre none other thyng sauf that my Fader whiche was maister of the knyghtes and my moder whiche was ryght fair had two sones that is to saye me and another yonger than I and was mothe fayre And they took vs and wente oute of her hows by nyght and entryd in to a ship for to go I wote not whyder And whan we wente oute of the ship oure moder was lefte in the shyppe I wote not in what manere but my fader bare me and my broder and sore wepynge And whanne he cam to a water he passyd ouer with my yonger broder and lefte me on the banke of the water And whan he retorned a wulf cam and bare aweye my broder And er my fader myght come to me a grete lyon yssued oute of the forest and toke me vp and bare we to the wood but the herd men that sawe hym took me fro the mouthe of the lyon and was nourysshed in suche a Towne as ye knowe well ne I couthe neuer knowe what hapned to my broder ner where he is And when the yonger herd this he beganne to wepe and saye Forsothe lyke as I here I am thy broder For they that nourisshed me sayde that they had taken me fro a wulf And thenne they beganne to embrace and kysse eche other and wepe And whan their moder had herd alle this thynge she consydered longe in her self yf they were her two sones by cause they had sayd by ordre what was befalle them And the next daye folowynge she wente to the mayster of the chyualrye And requyred hym sayenge Syre I pray the that thou commaunde that I may be brought ageyn to my Countrey for I am of the countrey of the Romayns And here I am a straunger And in sayeng these Wordes she sawe in hym signes and knewe by them that he was her husbond And thenne she myght no lenger forbere but fylle doune at his feet and seid to hym Syre I pray the to telle of thy fyrst estate For I wene that thou art placidas maistre of the knyghtes whiche otherwyse arte called Eustace whome the saueour of the world hath conuertid ¶ And hast suffrid suche temptacion and suche And I that am thy wyf was taken fro the in the see whiche neuertheles haue be kepte fro all corrupcion and haddest of me two sones Agapyte and theospyte And Eustace herynge this and dylygently considâ—red and behelde her anon knewe that she was his wyf and wepte for ioye and kyssed her and glorifyed moche our lord god whiche comforted the discomforted And thenne sayd his wyf Syre where ben oure sones and he sayd that they were slayne of wylde beestes and recounted to her how he had lost them And she sayd late vs yeue thankynges to god For I suppose that lyke as god hath gyuen to vs grace eche to fynde other so shal he gyue vs grace to recouer our sones And he sayd I haue told the that they be deuoured of wylde beestes And she thenne sayd I sat yesterday in a gardyne and herd two yonglynges thus and thus expownynge their Infancye And I byleue that they be oure sones Demaund them and they shalle telle to the the trouthe Thenne Eustace called them and herd their enfancye and knewe that they were his sones Thenne he embraced them the moder also and kyssed them also Thenne all the hoost enioyed strongly of the fyndynge of his wyf and chyldren and for the vyctorye of the barbaryns And whanne he was retorned Tcaian was thenne dede And Adrian succeded in th empyre which was werst in al felonnyes And as well for the vyctory as for the fyndyng of his wyf Children he receyued them moche honourably and dyde do make a grete dyner and feest And on the next day after he went to the Temple of thydolles for to sacrefyse for the vyctorye of the Bâ—rbaryns And thenne themperourâ— seyng that Eustace wold not doo sacrâ—fyse neyther for the victory ne for that he had founden his wyf and children warned and commaunded hym that he shold doo sacryfyce To whome Eustace saide I adoure and doo sacryfyse to oure lord Ihesu Cryst and only serue hym And thenne themperour replenysshed with yre put hym his wyf his sones in a certeyne place And dide to go to them a ryght cruel lyon the lyon ranne to them and enclyned his hede to them lyke as he hadde worshiped them and departed Thenne the Emperour dyde do make a fyre vnder an oxe of brasse or copper And whan it was fyre hote he commaunded that they shold be put therin al quyck and a lyue And thenne the sayntes prayde and commaunded them vnto our lord And entred in to the oxe And there yelded vp theire spyrytes vnto Ihesu Cryst And the third day after they were drawen oute to fore thempereur and were founden al hoole and not touched of the fyre ne as moche as an heere of them was brente ne none other thynge on them And thenne the Crysten men toke the bodyes of them and leyd them in a ryght noble place honourably and made ouer them an oratory And they suffred deth vnder Adryan themperoure whiche beganne aboute the yere Cxx in the kalendes of Nouembre ¶ Thus endeth the lyf of saint Eustace ¶ Here foloweth the solempnyte of al halowes THe feeste of all the Sayntes was establysshed for foure causes Fyrste for the dedycacion of the Temple secondly for supplement of offences done Thirdly for to take awey neclygence And Fourthly for to gete more lyghtly that thynge whiche we praye fore This feest was establisshed pryncipally for the dedycacion of the Temple For the Romayns sawe that they seygnouryed ouer alle the world And therfor they made a ryght grete Temple And sette theyr ydolle in the myddle And al aboute this ydolle they sette the false ymages of all the prouynces soo that al tho ymages behelde ryght thydolle of Rome And it was ordeyned by arte of the deuylle that whanne a prouynce wold rebelle ageynst the Romayns Thymage of that prouynce shold torne his backe to thydolle of
of leos that is peple and of nardus that is an herbe swete smellynge For by the odour of good fame he drewe the peple to hym by thodour of good renommee Or Leonard may be said as gaderynge hyhe thynges Or hit is said of lyon the lyon hath in hym self four thynges The fyrst is force or strengthe And as Isydre sayth hit is in the brest and in the hede And so the blessyd saynt Leonard had strengthe in his brest by the refraynyng of euyl thoughtes in the heede by contemplacion of souerayne thynges Secondly the lyon hath subtilyte in two thyngis For he hath his eyen open whanne he slepeth And diffaceth his traces when he fleeth And thus Leonard waked by labour of good werke and in wakynge he slepeth by rest of contemplacion And diffaceth in hym self the trace of alle worldly affection Thyrdly the lyon hath myght in his voys For by his voys he reyseth the thirdde daye his whelpe that is dede borne And maketh alle other beestes by hym to be in pees and reste And in lyke wyse Leonard reysed many that were dede in synne and many that lyued bestyally he fixed them in good werkes and prouffitable Fourthly the lyon hath drede in his herte after that ysydore sayth He doubteth two thynges that is the noyse of wheles of chariottes or cartes fyre brennyng In lyke wyse Leonard doubted and in doubtyng he eschewed all the noyse of the world And therfor he fledde in to the deserte And he eschewed the fyre of couetyse and therfor he reffused the tresours that were of fryd to hym ¶ Of saynt Leonard AT is said that leonard was aboute the yere of oure lord vC And he was baptysed in the holy fount of saynt Remyge Archebisshop of Raynes And was Instructe of hym and enduced in holy disciplynes of helthe And the parentes and kynnesmen of saynt Leonard were chyef and hyest in the palays of the kynge of Fraunce This Leonard gate so moche grace of the kynge that alle the prysonners that he vysyted were anone delyuerd And whanne the renommee of his holynes grewe and encreaced the kyng constrayned hym for to dwelle with hym long tyme tyll that he hadde tyme couenable and gaf to hym a Bisshopryche And he reffused it and left al desyrynge to be in deserte And wente to Orleaunce prechynge there with his broder Lieffart And there lyued a lytel whyle in a Couente And thenne Lyeffart had desyre to dwelle allone in a deserte vpon the Ryuer of Loyre And Leonard was warned by tholy ghoost to preche in guyan And thenne they kyssyd to gyder and departed Thenne Leonard prechyd there and dyd many myracles and dwellyd in a forest nyghe to the Cyte of Lymoges In whiche forest the kyng had do made an halle or a lodge whiche was ordeyned for hym whan he shold go hunte And hit happed on a daye that the kyng wente for to hunte in that forest And the quene whiche was gone thyder with hym for her recreacion whiche thenne was grete with child beganne to trauayll of child And the trauayll endured longe and was in poynt to perysshe so that the kynge and al the meyny wepte for the peryl of the quene And thenne Leonard passyd thorugh the forest and herd the vois of them that wepte and was moeued with pyte and wente thyder And the kyng called hym And demaunded hym what he was and he sayd that he was a disciple of saynt Remyge And thenne the kynge had good hope by cause he hadde ben enformed of a good maistre And brought hym to the quene prayd hym that he wold praye for her and for the fruyt that she bare that she myght gete of god double ioye And anone as he hadde made his prayer he gate of god that he requyred Thenne the kynge offryd to hym moche gold and syluer but he reffused al and desyred hym to gyue hit to poure men sayd I haue no nede of no suche thynges It suffyseth me to despyse the Rychesses of the world and to serue god in this wode and that is that I desyre And thenne the kynge wold haue gyuen to hym alle the wode I wylle not haue all but as moche as I maye go aboute with myn asse in a nyght I desyre whiche the kyng gladly graunted to hym And there was made a monastery In whiche he lyued longe in abstynence and two monkes with hym And theire water was a myle fro them wherfore he dyde do make a pytte alle drye the whiche he fylled with water by his prayers And called that place noble by cause he hadde receyued it of a noble kynge And he shone there by soo grete myracles that who that was in pryson and called his name in ayde anon his bondes feters were broken and wente awey withoute ony gaynsayeng frely And cam presentyng to hym their chaines or yrons And many of them that were soo delyuerd dwellyd stylle wyth hym and seruyd there our lord And there were seuen of his noble lygnage whiche folde awey alle their goodes duelleden wyth hym And he delyuerd to eche of them a parte of that woode And by his holy ensample he drewe many to hym And at the laste thys holy man beynge endowed with many vertues the eyghte ydus of Nouembre departed oute of this world slept in oure lord wherafterward for the many myracles that god shewed there it was shewed to the clerkes of the Chirche that by cause that place was ouer lytil for the grete multitude of peple that cam thyder that they shold do make in another place another Chirche And bere therin the body of saynt Leonard honourably And thenne the Clerkes and the peuple weâ—â— alle thre dayes in fastynges and in prayers ¶ And on the third day they sawe alle the countreye couerd with snowe sauf only the place wherin saynt Leonard wold reste whiche was alle voyde And thyder was the body transported And the Chirche made And the grete multitude of yrons of dyuerse maners witnesse well how many myracles oure lord hath shewed for hym And specially to prysoners of whome the feters and yrons hange to fore his tombe The vycounte of lymoges had do make a grete chayne for to fere with alle the malefactours and commaunded that it shold be fastned vnto a tronke in his Toure And who someuer was bounden with this chayne to that tronke ther as it was sette he myght see no lyght And hit was a place ryght derke And who soo deyde there deyde not of one dethe only but more than of a thousand tormentes And it happed that one of the seruauÌ„tes of Seynt Leonard was bounden with this Chayne withoute deseruyng Soo that almost he gaf ouer his spyrit And thenne as he myght in his courage he auowed to Seynt Leonard And prayd hym that sythe he delyuerd other that he wold haue pyte on his seruaunt ¶ And anone saynte Leonard appierid to hym in a whyte
be alweye seek tyll thou haste accomplysshed and fulfylled thyn auowe and anone his Infyrmyte toke hym ageyn and wold not leue hym And afterwarde by the lycence gyuen of his abbot he accomplisshed â—is auow and was made al hool There was a mayde demaunded drynke of a seruaunte of hir faders and she gafe hir drynke and sayd the deuyl mote thou drynke and she dranke hir semed that fyre entryd in to hir body Thenne began she to crye hyr bely to swelle lyke to a barelle so that eche man sawe that she was demonyake she was two yere in that estate and after was broughte to the tombe of saynt elysabeth and was made parfytely hool and delyuerd of the fende There was one herman a man of the dyosyse of coloyn whych was holden in pryson and he callyd wyth grete deuocion saynt elysabeth vnto his helpe and the nyght folowyng she apperyd to hym and comforted hym and on the morne sentence was gyuen ageynst hym that he shold be hanged and the Iuge gaue lycence to his frendes to take hym doun of the galowes and they bare hym aweye al deed began to praye saynt elysabeth for hym and anone he aroos fro deth to lyf tofore them al A chylde of foure yere olde was fallen in to a pytte drowned and a man came for to take water espyed the deed chylde was drawen out and thenne they auowed hym to saynt Elysabeth and he was anone restablysshed to hys fyrst lyf helthe There was one frederyk a maronner which was connyng in swymmyng and on a tyme baygned hym in a water he mocaued a poure man whiche saynt elysabeth had enlumyned and yeuen ageyn to hym hys syght And the poure man sayd This holy lady whiche hath helyd me wyl auenge me on the so that thou shalt neuer come out of the water but deed and anone the swymmer loste al hys strengthe myght not helpe hym self but sanke doun to the bottom lyke a stone and was drowned thenne was drawen out of the water and forthwith soÌ„me of his frendes auowed hym to saynt Elysabeth and she gafe to hym hys lyf ageyn There was a man named dyeryk whyche was greuously vexyd in hys knees and in his thyes so that he myght not goo and he auowed that he shold goo to the tombe of saynt elysabeth and was viij dayes on goyng thyder and abode there a moneth and had no remedye and wente ageyn to hys hows and thenne he sawe in his slepe a woman sprynge water vpon hym and awoke wythal and was angrye and sayd to hyr wherfore hast thou awaked me and caste water on me and thenne she said I haue wette the and thys wetyng shal doo to the prouffyte and ease and thenne anone he aroos al hool and gaue thankynges to god and to saynt elysabeth Thenne lete vs praye to hir that she praye for vs for suche thynges as shal be for the moost prouffyte of our sowles amen Thus endeth the lyf of saynt Elysabeth ¶ Here foloweth the lyf of Saynt edmunde confessour SAynt Edmunde the confessour and bysshop whyche restyth at pounteney in fraunce was borne in englond in the towne of abendon his moder was named mabely the ryche she was ryÈt holy bothe wyf and wydowe and this said saynt edmond hir sone was borne on Saynt edmondes day the kynge and marter and in his byrthe no clothe was fowled by hym and he was borne in the fyrst spryngyng of the day and laye al that day tyl nyght as he had been deed so that the mydwyf wold haue had hym buryed but hys moder said nay and sone after he reuyued and was borne to chyrche and crystenyd named edmond by cause he was borne on saynt edmondes day as he grewe in eage so encreced he in vertues He had a brother named robert and the moder sette theym bothe to scole Also she had two doughters that one was named marye and that other alyce whiche were bothe made nonnes at cattesby in northamton shyre by the labour of theyr broder edmonde And the moder gaue to them gyftes to faste the fryday and drewe them to vertuous and holy lyuyng by yeftes and fayre byhestys so that whan they cam to more parfyte age it greuyd theym not Theyr moder ware harde heyre for our ladyes loue and ladde hyr lyf in grete penaunce and dayly laboured and on a tyme as she put out wulle for to spynne she delyuerd soo moche for the pounde that the spynners myght not lyue therby whiche compleyned therof to hir sone edmond and he toke the yarne that was spoÌ„ne 〈◊〉 pounde and rakyd it in the fyre and a certeyn tyme after he toke hyt out of the fyre and the Iuste pounde was not hurt ne lassed but as moche as was more than a pounde was wasted and brente by the fyre And whan she sawe this she repentyd hyr gretely and dyd so neuer more after After thys she sente hyr two sones to paryâ— to scole and delyuerd to them money for â—â—eyr costes and scolehyre and also two shyrtes of heyre and prayed theym for goddes loue heres that they wold were tho shyrtes ones or twyes in the weke and they shold lacke no thynge nedeful to them and they graunted gladly to do after their moders desyre in so moche that wythin a whyle of custome they ware the heyr euery day laye therin euery nyght This was a blessyd moder that so vertuously broughte forth hyr chyldren and in shorte tyme saynt edmond encreaced so gretely in vertue that euery man had ioye of hym gyuyng lawde to god therof And on a day as his felawes and he wente to playe He lefte their felawshyp and went allone in to a medowe and vnder an hedge he sayd his deuocions and sodeynlye there apperyd tofore hym a fayr chylde in whyte clothynge whiche sayd hayle felawe that goest allone and Saynt edmond beyng abasshed meruaylled fro whens thys chylde came To whom the chylde sayd edmond knowest thou not me and he sayd nay I am thy felawe in the scole and in alle where thou goest I am euer on thy right syde and yet thou knowest me not but leke in my forhede and there thou shalt fynde my name wryton theÌ„ne edmonde loked in his forhede sawe wryton therin with letters of golde Ihesus nazarenus rex Iudeorum and thenne the chylde sayd drede the not edmond for I am Ihesu Cryste thy lord and I shal be thy deffendour here whyle thou lyuest thenne edmond fyl doun mekely thankyng hym of his grete mercy and goodnes And thenne our lord taughte hym to say whan he shal goo to hys bedde or aryse and blysse hym with this prayer Ihesus nazarenus rex Iudeorum fili dei miserere mei in remembrauÌ„ce of my passyon and the deuyl shal neuer haue power to ouercome the thenne anone thys chylde vanysshed aweye and saynt edmond thankyd humbly our lord that it
and toke saynt brandon by the honde and ledde hym with his monkes in to a fayre halle and set them doun a rewe vpon the benche and the abbotte of the place wysshe alle theyr feet wyth fayre water of the welle that they sawe before and after ladde them in to the fraytour and there sette them emonge his couente and anone there came one by the purueaunce of god whiche seruyd them wel of mete and drynke for euery monke had sette before hym a fayre whyt loof and whyte rootys and herbys Whyche were ryght delycyous but they wyst not what rotes they were and they dranke of the water of the fayr clere welle that they sawe before whan they came fyrst a londe which saynt brandon forbadde them and thenne thabbot came and chered saynt brandon hys monkes and prayed theym ete and drynke for charyte For euery day our lord sendeth a goodelye olde man that coueryth thys table and setteth our mete and drynke tofore vs but we knowe not how it cometh ne we ordeyne neuer no mete ne drynke for vs and yet we haue been lxxx yere here and euer our lord worshypped mote he be fedeth vs we ben xxiiij monkes in nombre and euery feryal day of we weke he sendeth to vs xij loues and euery sonday festeful day xxiiij loues and the brede that we leue at dyner we ete at sowper and now at your comyng our lord hath sente to vs xlviij loues for to make you and vs mery to gyder as brethern alweye twelue of vs goo to dyner whyles other twelue kepe the quere and thus haue we don this lxxx yere for so longe haue we dwellyd here in thys abbey and we came hyther out of thabbey of saint patrikes in yrelonde thus as ye see our lord hath pourueyed for vs but none of vs knoweth how it cometh but god allone to whome be gyuen honour and lawâ—e world withouten ende here in thys londe is euer fayre weder and non of vs hath ben seek sythe we came hyther and whan we goo to masse or to ony other seruyce of our lord in the chirche anone seuen tapres of waxe been sette in the quere and ben lyght at euery tyme wythout mannes honde and so brenne day and nyght at euery houre of seruyce and neuer waste ne mynysshe as longe as we haue been here whiche is lxxx yere and thenne saynt brandon wente to the chirche wyth the abbotte of the place and there they sayd euensonge to gyder ful deuontely and thenne saynt brandon loked vpwarde towarde the crucyfyxe sawe our lord hangyng on the crosse which was made of fyn crystalle and curyously wroughte And in the quere were xxiiij seetys for xxiiij monkes and the seuen tapres brennyng and thabbottes sete was made in the myddes of the quere and thenne Saynt brandon demaunded of the abbotte how longe they had kepte that scilence that none of them spake to other and he sayd thys xxiiij yere we spake neuer one to another thenne saynt brandon wepte for ioye of their holy conuersacion and thenne saint brandon desyred of the abbotte that he and his monkes myght dwelle there stylle with hym to whome thabbot sayd syr that may ye not do in no wyse for our lord hath shewed to you in what maner ye shal be guyded tyl the vij yere be fulfylled after that terme thou sbalt with thy monkes retorne in to yrlonde in saufte but one of the ij monkes that cam last to you shal dwel in the ylonde of ankers and that other shal goo quyck to helle and as Saynt brandon knelyd in the chirche he sawe a bryghte shynyng auÌ„gel come in at the wyndowe and lyghted alle the lyghtes in the chyrche and thenne he flewghe oute ageyn at the wyndowe vnto heuen and thenne saynt brandon meruaylled gretely how the lyght brennyd so fayr and wasted not and thenne the abbotte sayd that it is wryton that moyses saw a busshe al on a fyre and yet it brennyd not and therfore meruaylle not herof For the myght of our lord is now as grete as it euer thas and whan saynt brandon had dwellyd there fro crystemasse euyn tyl the twelfthe day was passed Thenne he toke hys leue of the abbot and couente and retorned wyth hys monkes to hys shyppe and saylled fro thens wyth his monkes toward the abbay of saynt Illaryes but they had grete tempestys in the see fro that tyme tyl palme sonday and thenne they came to the ylonde of sheep and there were receyued of the olde man whyche broughte them to a fayre halle and seruyd them And on sherthursday after souper he wesshe theyr feet and kyssed them lyke as our lord dyd to hys dyscyples and there abode tyl satyrday ester euen and thenne they departed and saylled to the place where the grete fysshe laye and anone they sawe their cawdron vpon the fysshes backe which they had lefte there twelue moneth tofore and there they kepte the seruyce of the resurrexyon on the fysshes backe and fter they saylled that same day by the mornyng to the ylonde where as the tree of byrdes was and thenne the sayd byrde welcomed saynt brandon and alle his felawshyp and wente ageyn to the tree and sange ful meryly and there he and hys monkes dwellyd fro ester tyl trynyte sonday as they dyd the yere before in full grete ioye and myrthe And dayly they herde the mery seruyce of the byrdes syttyng on the tree and thenne the byrde tolde to saynt brandon that he shold retorne ageyn at crystemasse to the abbay of monkes and at ester thyder ageyn and the other dele of the yere laboure in the occean in ful grete perylles and fro yere to yere tyl the seuen yere be accomplysshed And thenne sbal ye come to the ioyeful place of paradys and dwelle there yl dayes in ful grete ioye and myrthe and after ye shal retorne home in to your owne abbey in saufete and there ende your lyf and come to the blysse of heuen to whiche our lord boughte you wyth his precyous blood And thenne the aungel of our lord ordeyned alle thynge that was nedeful to saynt brandon and to hys monkes in vytaylles and al other thynges necessarye and thenne they thanked our lord of his grete goodnes that he had shewed to them ofte in their grete nede and thenne saylled forth in to the grete see occyan abydyng the mercy of our lord in grete trouble and tempestys and sone after came to them an horryble fysshe whyche folowed the shyppe longe tyme castyng soo moche water out of hys mowthe in to the shyppe that they supposed to haue ben drowned wherfore they deuoutelye prayed god to delyuer them of that grete perylle and anone after came another fysshe gretter thenne he out of the west see and faughte wyth hym and atte laste claue hym in to thre pyeces and thenne retorned ageyn thenne they thanked
mekelye our lord of theyr delyueraunce fro this grete perylle but they were in grete heuynesse by cause theyr vytaylles were nyghe spente but by the ordenaunce of our lord there came a byrde and broughte to them a grete braunche of a vygne ful of rede grapes by whiche they loued fourtene dayes and thenne they came to a lytel ylonde wherin were many vygnes ful of grapes and they there londed and thanked god gadred as many grapes as they lyued by xl dayes after alwey sayllyng in the see in many storme tempeste as they thus sayled sodeynly cam fleyng toward them a grete grype which assayled them was lyke to haue destroyed them ¶ Wherfore they deuoutelye prayed for helpe and ayde of our Lord Ihesu cryste And thenne the byrde of the tree of the yle londe where they had holden theyr ester tofore came to the grype and smote out bothe his eyen after slewe hym wherof they thanked our lord and thenne sayled forth contynuelly tyl saynt peters day thenne songen they solempnely their seruyce in thonour of the feste and in that place the water was so clere that they myÈt see al the fysses that were aboute them wherof they were ful sore aghast and the monkes counceylled saynt brandon to synge noo more for al the fysshes laye thenne as they had slepte and thenne saynt brandon sayd drede ye not for ye haue kepte by two esters the feste of the resurrexyon vpon the grete fysshes backe therfore drede ye not of thyse lytel fysshes and thenne saynt brandon made hym redy and wente to masse and bad his monkes to synge the beste wyse they coude thenne anone al the fysshes awoke and came aboute the shyppe so thycke that vnnethes they myght see the water for the fysshes and whan the masse was done al the fysshes departed so as they were nomore seen And seuen dayes they saylled alweye in that clere water And thenne there came a south wynde and droof the shyppe â— northward where as they sawe an ylonde ful derke and ful of stynche and smoke and there they herde grete blowyng and blastyng of belowes but they myght see noo thynge but herde grete thonderyng wherof they were sore aferde and blessyd them ofte and sone after there came one stertyng out al brennyng in fyre and stared ful ghastlye on them with grete staryng eyen of whome the monkes were aghaste and at his departyng fro them he made the horryblest crye that myght be herde and sone ther came a grete nombre of fendes and assayled them with hokes and brennyng yron mallys whiche rannen on the water folowyng their shyppe faste in suche wyse that it semed al the see to be on a fyre but by the plesure of our lord they had no power to hurte ne greue them ne theyr shyppe wherfore the fendes began to rore and crye threwe theyr hookes and malles at them And they thenne were sore aferde and prayed to god for comforre and helpe for they sawe the fendes al aboute the shyppe and them semed thenne al the ylonde and the see to be on a fyre And with a sorowful crye al tho fendes departed fro them and retorned to the place that they came fro and thenne saynt brandon tolde to them that this was a parte of helle and therfore he charged them to be stedfaste in the feythe for they shold yet see many a dredeful place or they came home ageyn and thenne came the south wynde and droof theym ferther in to the northe where they sawe an hylle al of fyre a foule smoke and stynche comyng fro thens and the fyre stood on eche syde of the hylle lyke a walle al brennyng and thenne one of his monkes began to crye and wepe ful sore and sayd that his ende was comen and that he myght abyde no lengyr in the shyppe and anone he lepte out of the shyppe in to the see and thenne he cryed rored ful pyteously cursyng the tyme that he was borne and also fader and moder that bygate hym by cause they saw no better to his correccion in hys yonge age for now I must goo to perpetuel peyne and thenne the sayeng of saynt brandon was verefyed that he sayd to hym whan he entryd Therfore it is good a man to do penaunce and forsake synne For the houre of dethe is incerteyn and thenne anone the wynde torned in to the northe and droof the shyppe in to the southe whiche saylled seuen dayes contynuelly and they came to a grete rocke stondynge in the see theron sat a naked man in ful grete myserye payne for the wawes of the see had so beten hys body that alle the flesshe was gone of and noo thynge lefte but synewes and bare bonys And whan the wawes were goon there was a canuas that hynge ouer hys heed whyche bete hys body ful sore wyth the blowyng of the wynde and also there were two oxe tonges and a grete stone that he satte on whyche dyd hym ful grete ease and thenne Saynt brandon chargyd hym to telle hym what he was And he sayd my name is Iudas that solde our lord Ihesu cryst for xxx pens whiche sytteth here thus wretchydlye how be it I am worthy to be in the grettest payne that is but our lord is so mercyful that he hath rewarded me better thenne I haue deserued For of ryght my place is in the brennyng hell but I am here but certeyn tymes of the yere that is fro crystemasse to twelfth day and fro ester tyl whytsontyde be paste and euery festeful day of our lady and euery satyrday none tyl sonday that euensonge be doon but all other tymes I lye stylle in helle in ful brennyng fyre wyth pylate herode cayphas Therfore acursed be the tyme that euer I knewe hem and thenne Iudas prayed saynt brandon to abyde stylle there al that nyght and that he wold kepe hym there stylle that the fendes shold not fetche hym to helle and he said with goddes helpe thou shalte abyde here alle this nyght and thenne he asked Iudas what cloth that was that henge ouer his heed and he sayd it was a clothe that he gaue to a lepre whiche was boughte wyth the money that he stale fro our lord whan I bare his purs wherfore it dothe to me ful grete peyne now in betyng my face wyth the blowyng of the wynde and these two oxe tonges that hange here aboue me I gafe them somtyme to two prestys to praye for me them I boughte wyth myn owne money and therfore they ease me by cause the fisshes of the see gnawe on them spare me and this stone that I sytte on laye somtyme in a desolate place where it eased no man and I toke it thens leyed it in a fowle waye where it dyd moche ease to them that wente by that waye and therfore it easeth me now for euery good dede shal be rewarded
haue it and the nonnes sayd they oughte to haue the body by cause he deyed there also by cause he was her founder and the monkes said they ought rather to haue hym by caust he was bothe theyr abbot and founder Thenne the chappytre of Powles and the people said they stroue in vayne for he shold be broughte to london in to his owne chirche thus ther was grete stryffe and at the laste they of london toke vp the holy body and bare it toward london and as they wente there fyl a grete tempeste and so moche water that they myght not passe but were constrayned to sette doun the corps in al the storme the tapers that were borne aboute the body were alweye bryght brennyng thenne the nōnes sayd that god shewyd wel that they of london ought not to haue hym by cause of the tempeste and atte laste after many wordes there was a clerke whyche had be longyng to saynt erkenwolde and sawe thys stryf and stode vp and commaunded scylence and tolde to the peple a grete commendacyon of the vertuous lyf of this holy saynt and sayd it was not honest ne accordyng to mysentrete the holy body by vyolente hondes but lete vs byseche almyghty god wyth good deuocyon and mekenesse of herte for to shewe to vs somme token by reuelacyon in what place this holy body shal reste and alle the people consented therto and knelyd doun and prayed deuoutelye and whyles they were in prayer they sawe that the water deuyded as it dyd to moyses in the reed see and to the chyldren goyng thorugh in to deserte In lyke wyse god gafe a drye path to the peple of london for to conueye thys holy body thorugh the water to the cytee and anone they toke vp the body with grete honoure and reuerence and by one assente they bare it thorugh the pathe the water stondyng vp on euery syde and the peple not wetyng theyr feet and so they came to stratforde and sette doun the bere in a fayre mede ful of floures and anone after the wedder began to wexe fayre and clere after the tempeste and the tapres were made to brenne wythout puttyng to fyre of ony mannes honde and thus it plesyd our lord for to multeplye myracles to thonour worshyp of this holy saynt wherfore the peple were full of ioye gladnes gaue lawde to almyghty god thenne they toke vp the body brought it to poules and as many seek folkes as touched his bere were made hole anone as they touched the bere of al their sekenesses by the merytes of the holy bisshop saynt Erkenwolde after they leyed buryed the body honourably in saynt Poules chirche where as our lord hath shewed many a fayr myracle as in delyueryng of prysoners out of theyr yrons seke folke to their helth blynde to their syght and lame men to their bodelye strengthe emonge al other he hath ben a special protectour to the sayd chirche ageynst fyre where on a tyme the chirche was brente and his shryne whiche was thenne but tre was sauyd thorugh his holy merytes in so moche that the clothe that laye vpon it was not perisshed Another tyme whan a grete fyre had brente a grete parte of the cyte shold haue entred vpon the chirche saynt erkenwolde was seen on the chirche with a baner fyghtyng ageynst the fyre so saued and kepte his chirche fro brennyng Thenne lete vs praye vnto this holy saynt that he be a special aduocate for vs to almyghty god that we may be preserued from al perylles of fyre water that he so gouerne vs bytwene welth aduersyre in this present lyf that we beyng assoyled from synne vyces may be brought vnto heuenly ioye where laude honour glorye be gyuen to the blessyd trynyte word wythouten ende amen Thus endeth the lyf of saynt Erkenwolde bysshop ¶ Here foloweth of the holy abbot Pastor and first of his name PAstor is said of fedyng by cause that he fedeth his shep and this holy man pastor fedde his sheep spyrytuelly and they were his brethern by spyrytuel wordes of doctryne and of maners of holy relygyon Of the holy abbot Pastor THe abbotte Pastor was many yeris in grete abstynence in deserte and tormēted his flesshe longe tyme and he shyned in grete holynesse of relygyon and hys moder desyred moche to see hym and his brethern and sawe on a day that he and his brethern went to the chirche they sawe hir and anone they fledde fro hir and entryd in to theyr celle shytte the dore ageynste hir and she came to the dore and satte there sore cryeng and wepyng And thenne pastor came to the dore and sayd what cryest thou there thou olde woman thenne she vnderstood the voys of hym and she cryed lowder and sayd I wold see you my sones why sholde I not see you am I not your moder that bare you and yaue you souke now am al hore for age To whome hir sone sayd whethyr wylt thou see vs in thys world or in another and thenne she sayd yf I see you not here shal I see you there and he said to hir yf thou mayst suffre not for to see vs here wythout doubte thou shalt see vs there whiche thenne departed ioyefully sayeng yf I shal see you there I wyl not see you here and thenne the Iuge wold nedes see the abbotte Pastor but he myght not and thenne he toke his susters sone as though he had been a malefactour and put hym in pryson and sayd yf pastor wyl come praye for hym I shal delyuer hym and lete hym goo and thenne the moder of the chylde came wepyng to the dore of pastor and prayed hym to helpe hir sone and whan she coude gete none answer of hym thenne she sayd to hym by grete vyolence yf thyn entraylles ben harde as yron and hast no pyte of nothynge yet at the leste oughtest thou to be moeuyd and haue pyte of thyn owne blood whiche is my sone and thenne pastor sent to hir and sayd that he had engendryd noo chylde And thenne anone she departed for angre and thenne sayd the Iuge atte leste lete hym commaunde by mowthe and I shal lete hym goo and thenne the abbotte pastor sente hym worde that he shold examyne the cause accordyng to the lawe and yf he were worthy to deye lete hym deye and yf not doo as it shal plese the He taughte hys brethern and sayd for to kepe hym self to consydere and to haue dyscrescyon ben werkys of the sowle pouerte trybulacion and dyscrescyon ben werkys of solytarye lyf It is wryton that thyse thre men were so Noe Iob and danyel Noe representeth the persone that possedeth Iob them that been troubled and danyel them that ben dyscrete yf a monke hateth two thynges he may be fre of thys world and one of his brethern asked hym what they
laus honor sit tibi rex xpeÌ„ and the emperour was presente and hit plesyd so mâ—che to themperour that he toke hym out of prison and restablysshed hym in to hys see The messagers of mychel themperour of constantynople brought yeftes to lowys the sone of charles and emonge al other they brouÈt the bookes of saynt denys of the Ierarchye of aungellys translated out of greek in to latyn and he receyued them wyth grete ioye And thenne were there aboute a twenty seek men of dyuers maladyes whiche al were helyd that nyght in the chyrche of saynt denys And whan lowys was dede Lothayr helde th empyre and lowys charles his brethern made a bataylle ageynste hym where there was so grete occysion of one and other that there had neuer tofore ben suche in no tyme in fraunce atte laste it was accorded that charles shold regne in fraunce Lowys in almayne and lothayr in ytalye and in the parte of fraunce whyche is named Lorayne and after that he lefte the empyre to Lowys hys sone whiche was emperour after hym and he took the habyte of a monke And it is sayd in a cronycle that serge was thenne pope whych tofore was named os porcy that is to saye the mowth of aswyn but his name was chaunged and was called Sergyus and fro than forthon it was ordeyned that alle the popes shold chaunge their names by cause our lord chaunged the name of hym that he chaas to be prynce of thappostles For as they be chaunged in name soo shold they be chaunged in perfeccion of lyf and by cause that thys man was chosen in to a noble offyce he shold not be defouled by a dyshoneste name In the tyme of this lowys in the yere of our lord viij hondred and xvj as it is sayd in a cronycle in the paroche of magonce a wycked spyrite smote on the walles of the howses as it had be wyth hamers and spake openlye in sowyng dyscordes and tormented so the peple that in what hows he entrid anone the hows brennyd and whan the preestes sayd the letanyes he caste at them stones and greuyd them cruelly and atte laste he confessyd that whan holy water was caste he hydde hym vnder the cope of a certeyn preest as his famylyar accusyng hym that he had synned wyth the doughter of the procurour In that tyme the kyng of bulgarys was conuerted vnto the feythe was of so grete perfectyon that he made his oldest sone kyng and he hym self toke thabyte of a monke but his sone gouerned hym so yongely the he toke ageyn the ryte and lawe of the paynyms thenne his fader reprised his knyghthode pursyewyd his sone toke hym put hym in prison and thenne he ordeyned his other sone to be kynge reprised his habyte ageyn It was sayd that in ytalye that tyme in the cyte of bryxe it rayned blood thre dayes that same tyme cam in to fraunce brezes or locustes Innumerable whiche had vj wynges syxe longe feet two teeth harder than ony stone fledde by companyes as armed men by the space of a day iourneye stratchyng a four myle or fyue myle brode they deuoured al thyng that was grene in trees and in herbys and came vnto the see of brytaygne but in th ende they were drowned in the see by force of the wynde but the hete of thoccean see threwe them to the ryuage and the ayer was corumped of their rotyng and therof ensewed a grete famyne and grete mortalyte that almoste the thyrd parte of the peple perysshed and deyed And after thys the fyrste otto was emperour in the yere of our lord ixC and xxxviij and as thys otto on an ester day had ordeyned a grete feste to his prynces tofore they were sette a sone of one of the prynces in the maner of a chylde toke one of the messys of mete fro the borde the keruar smote the chylde with his fyste and slewe hym And he that had the chylde in kepyng sawe that and slewe hym anone that had slayne the chylde and whan themperour wold haue dampned hym without audyence he toke themperour and threwe hym to the grounde and wold haue strangled hym and with grete payne he was taken from his handes and after themperour made hym to be kepte and sayd that he hym self was culpable and to blame and for the honour of the feste he lete the man goo frely his waye after thys fyrst otto the second otto succeded whan the ytalyens had ofte tymes broken the pees bytwene them and the romayns he came and made a grete comune feste to al the barons bysshoppes and grete lordes and whan they were al sette at dyner he enuyronned them al wyth men of armes and thenne he made his compleynte and dyd doo name them that were culpable by wrytyng and anone dyd doo smyte of her heedes there And vnto alle the other be made good chere and moche honoured theym And Otto the thyrd came after hym the yere of our Lord ix hondred foure score and ten And he had to surname the meruaylle of the world And as it is sayd in a cronycle he had a wyf whyche wold haue been loue or lemman vnto an erle And he wold not consente to hyr Wherfore she had soo grete malyce vnto hym that she dyffamed hym in suche wyse vnto hyr husbond the Emperour that he commaunded to smyte of hys heed wythout hauyng ony audyence But tofore he was byheded he prayed his good wyf that she sholde shewe hym Innocent not gylty by the preef of hote yren and thenne after came a day that the emperour shold do right to wydowes and to orphanes And thenne thys wydowe came and brought the heed of hir husbond bytwene hyr armes and demaunded of what dethe he ought to haue that had slayne a man wrongefully And he sayd that he ought to haue hys heed smyton of and thenne she sayd thou arte he that hast slayne my husbonde by the false entysemente of thy wyf Innocentlye and that I shal preue that I sawe trouthe by the beryng of thys brennyng yron And whan the emperour sawe that he was al abasshed and gaue hym self to be punysshed in to the handes of the woman Neuerthelesse by the prayer of the bysshoppes and of the barons the emperour took terme of ten dayes and after of viij and after of seuen and after of vj tyl the cause was examyned the trouthe knowen Thenne themperour the cause examyned and the trouthe knowen dyd doo brenne his wyf al quycke gaue to the wydowe foure castellys for hys redempcyon whyche castellys been in the bysshopryche of lymencis and been callyd the termys of the dayes And after this emperour reygned Henry which was duc of lauyer in the yere a M ij and gaue his suster named Geysyle to the kynge of hungarye in maryage that same kyng al hys peple she conuerted to
and he in despyte sayd goo your waye For in no maner shal ye neuer haue lycence of me that this newe songe shal be song and whan the feste of saynt nycholas come The brethern sayd theyr matyns alle in heuynesse and their vygylles whan they were alle in theyr beddes Saynt nycholas apperyd vysybly and moche ferfully to the pryour and drewe hym out by the heer and smote hym doun on the pamente of the dortour began to synge the hystorye O pastor eterne and at euery note he smote hym wyth a rodde that he helde in his honde right greuously on his backe and sange melodyously thys antheme vnto the ende and thenne the pryour cryed so lowde that he awoke al hys brethern and was borne to hys bedde as halfe deed and whan he came to hym self he sayd goo ye and synge the newe hystorye of saynt nycholas from hens forth In that same tyme the abbotte of the couente of molesyne and xxj monkes wyth hym went for to dwelle in deserte for to kepe more straytelye the professyon of theyr pale and there establysshed a newe ordre out of the ordre Hyldebrande pryour of clugny was made pope and was callyd gregory and whan he was in the lasse ordres and was sente as a legate he conuaynquysshed meruayllously at lyons the archebysshop of ebronycence of symonye For thys archebysshop had corrumped alle his accusers soo that he myght not be conuaynquysshed And thenne the legate commaunded hym that he shold saye In nomine patris et filij and he myght not say et spiritus sancti by cause he had synned in the holy ghoost and thenne he confessyd his synne and was deposed name theÌ„ne the holy ghoost with clere voys and thys myracle reherceth bruno in his book that he made to mathewe the emperour and whan thys henry was dede it was wryton on his tombe where as he was buryed wyth other kynges Here lyeth henry the sone of henry the fader henry the belfader henry the olde belfader and after thys henry reygned henry the fyfthe in the yere of our lord a thousand C and one which toke the pope with the cadynallys and lefte hem in the habyte of bysshoppes and of abhottes took the rynge and the staffe pastoralle In that tyme bernarde his brethern â—ook the relygyon of cysteaulx in the paroche of lyege a sowe bare a pygge hauyng the vysage of a man and an henne had a chykyn with foure feet and after thys henry succeded Lothayre in whos tyme a woman in spayne chylded a monstre whyche had double body and that one ioyned to that other by the backes and tofore had the semblaunce of a man hole of body and membrys ordynatelye and behynde was the semblaunce of a woman hole in alle propertees After Lothayr reygned Conrade the yere a thousand an hondred xxxviij That tyme deyed hughe of saynt vyctor whiche was a right excellent doctour in al scyence and deuoute in relygyon of whome it is sayd that whan he was in his laste Infyrmyte that he myght reteyne no mete yet he requyred alweye to haue the body of our lord wyth grete deuocyon thenne his brethern wold please hym and brought to hym a symple hoost vnsacred in manere of the body of our lord and he knewe it wel in spyryte and sayd God forgyue you brethern wherfore wold ye deceyue me Thys is not my lord that ye brynge to me and anone they were abasshed and ranne and fette to hym the body of our lord and thenne he sawe hym whome he myght not receyue lyfte vp his handes to heuen and sayd now I see the sone ascende to the fader and the spyryte to god that maad hym And wyth thyse wordes he gafe vp his spyryte and the body of our lord vanysshed aweye fro them that helde hym Eugene abbotte of saynt anastase was establysshed pope But he was put out of the cyte by cause the senatours had maad another pope And thenne he come in to fraunce and sente saynt bernarde tofore hym whiche prechyd the waye of our lord dyd many myracles And thenne floured Gylbarte the patryarke Frederyke neuewe of conrade was emperour in the yere of our lord a thousand C liij And that tyme flouryd maister pieter lombard byshop of paris Whiche compyled the book of sentences The glose of the sawter and of the epystles of paule moche prouffytably and in that tyme were seen thre mones in heuen and in the myddes of the thre was the sygne of the crosse and it was not longe after that thre sonnes were seen also ¶ And thenne was Alysaunder chosen ryghtfully for to be pope and ageynste hym were chosen octauyan Iohannes cremensis of the tytle of saynt calyxte and Iohannes perscrumetencis successyfly to the papacye were ennoblysshed by the fauour of the emperour to the see this discorde and scysme endured eyghtene yere Within wyich tyme the almayns whiche dwellyd in toscane for themperour assaylled the Romayns whyche were at mountpourt and slewe fro none to euensonge soo moche people that there were neuer so many romayns slayne how be it that in the tyme of Hanybal there were soo many slayne that thre busshellys were fylled with golde rynges that were taken of theyr fyngres which hanyhal dyd do sende to cartage and many of them were buryed at saynt stephens and saynt laurences and it was wryton vpon theyr sepulture that they were ten tyme a thousand and ten thousand x tymes xvj hondred and an halfe and whan the emperour frederyk vysyted the holy londe and wysshe hym in a ryuer and there he perysshed and deyed and as other saye he waterd his hors and hys hors fyl doun in the water and so he deyed Henry was emperour after hym in the yere a thousand an hondred four score ten In that tyme were soo grete raynes thondres lyghtnynges and tempestes that neuer had been soo grete that ony man myght remembre For stones fyl as grete as egges were square whyche were medlyd wyth the rayne destroyed the vygnes trees and the corne and slewe men beestys crowys and other byrdes and somme fowles were seen fleyng by the ayer in that tempeste whyche bare coles brennyng in theyr bylles and beckes and sette fyre on howses thys henry was alweye a tyraunte ageynste the chyrche of Rome and therfore whan he was dede Innocente the pope opposed ageynst phylyp his sone that he shold not be emperour and helde wyth the partye of otto sone of the duc of Saxone made hym to be crowned kyng af Almayne at acone In that tyme many barons of fraunce went ouer the see for the delyueraunce of the holy londe and they took Constantynoble In that tyme began thordre of freres prechours and of the menours Innocent the thyrd sente messagers to phelyp kynge of fraunce for to assayle the londe of albygeoys for to take fro hem the heresyes and
he toke them alle and dyd do brenne them after thys Innocente the thyrd crowned Otto emperour and toke of hym an othe that he shold kepe the ryghte of holy chyrche and anone he dyd ageynste his othe that same day and dyd doo robbe despoyle them that cam to rome on pylgremage wherfore the pope cursyd hym and deposed hym fro the empyre In that tyme was saynt elysabeth doughter of the kyng of hongary whiche was wyf to the lantgraue of thurynge and hessyn which emonge other Innumerable myracles she reysed xvj dede men and gaue syght to one that was borne blynde Out of whos body oylle floweth vnto thys day Whan otto was deposed Frederyke sone of henry was chosen and was crowned of honorye the pope And thys man made ryght noble lawes for the lybertee of the chyrche and ageynst heretykes and this emperour habounded aboue alle other in glorye and in rychesses but he abused them euyll by pryde and was a tyraunte ageynste the chyrche and sette two cardynalles in pryson and suche prelates as pope gregory had do be assemblyd at the counceyl he took them and therfore he was acursed of the same pope And after gregory deyed whiche was oppressyd with many greuous trybulacyons And thenne was Innocente the fourth made pope whyche was of the nacyon of Iene and he assemblyd a counceyl at lyons where he deposed the emperour and thenne was th empyre voyde Thus endeth the storye of the lombardes ¶ Here foloweth of Saynt Symeon SAint Symeon was borne in antyoche was moche vertuous and fro the tyme that he was in his moders bely he was chosen of god and whan he was xij yere olde he kepte his faders shepe on a tyme he behelde the chyrche and anone as he that was replenysshed wyth the holy ghoost lefte hys shepe wente to the chirche and he accompanyed hym wyth a good auncyent man and sayd to hym in thys manere Fayre fader what thynge is that that is here redde I praye you enseygne teche it me for I am symple and ygnoraunte Thenne this good aunciente man began to speke of the vertues of the soule and how this poure presente lyf ought to be despysed and not with stondyng that the vertues ben accomplysshed of many truly and laudably and by the helpe of god in relygyon they ben accomplisshed more lightlye Thenne saynt Symeon fyl to the feet of thys good olde man and said to hym verayly from hens forthon thou shalte be my fader and my moder For thou arte mayster of good werkys after this good counceyl I shal goo in to the chyrche where as good shal ordeyn for me and thenne he expowned to hym the rule and thordre of relygyon and tolde hym how he must haue moche payne and afflictyon and hym behoueth to haue moche pacyence and perseueraunce Thenne anone he toke loue of hym and wente to the chyrche of saynt Tymothe and layed hym tofore the gate and abode there thre dayes thre nyghtes without mete or drynke Thenne the abbot came and lyfte hym vp and demaunded wherfore he was comen thyder Thenne Saynt Symeon answerd to hym and sayd I desyre moche to be seruaunte of our lord I praye the that thou receyue me in to thy monasterye and that thou commauÌ„ce me to serue al thy brethern he was receyued of the abbotte and was there syx monethes obeyeng to the brethern humbly Whan the other fastyd fro morne to euensonge tyme he after vij dayes toke hys refeccion and the other dayes he gaue his prouende to poure peple On a tyme he came to the pytte of the place and fonde there a coâ—â—e whiche he toke and bonde faste aboute his body fro his reynes to hys sholdres he strayned so sore and faste that hys flesshe roted vnder the corde soo moche that the corde wente to the bones and vnnethe myght the corde be seen On a day one of the brethern apperceyued that he gafe his mete vnto the poure peple he and the other tolde it to the abbotte and also they said that so grete stynche yssued out of his body that none myght abyde by hym that the vermyne that came out of it had fylled alle hys bedde The abbotte was moche angrye bad despoyle hym naked whan he sawe the corde he escryed sayeng O man fro whens comest thou me semeth that thou wylte destroye the rule of our relygyon whan thou wylte not serue god by dyscrescion as other doo I praye the departe hens and goo where thou wylte wyth grete payne they toke of the corde wyth whyche he was bounden and helyd hym after he departed fro the place wythout wytyng of ony of hem and entred in to a pytte in deserte wythout water where as wycked spyrytes dwellyd That nyght the abbotte had a reuelacion that a grete multitude of men of armes had enuyronned the abbay and sayd wyth an hyghe voys gyue to vs the man of god or ellys we shal breÌ„ne the and alle the abbay for thou haste dryuen aweye the man Iuste and debonayr Thabbot tolde thys to hys brethern and the nexte nyght came the semblable vysyon he was al abasshed and sente his monkes for to serche and fetche hym and they fonde hym not thenne the abbot wente wyth them and they came to the pytte and there maad theyr prayers and descendyd therin and broughte hym ageyn by force to thabbey The brethern of thabbay knelyd tofore hym and axyd hym foryeuenesse and after he abode an hole yere and after secretelye he departed ageyn and wente vnto a montayne faste by a cloystre of stones and dwellyd so thre yere Thenne his neyghbours cam thyder by deuocion enhannced his celle foure cubytes of heyghte and there he dwellyd seuen yere after and after they made to hym another of twelue cubytes of heyght in which he dwellyd after they made another of twenty cubytes after that another of xxx and there he abode foure yere and by syde hym he dyd do make ij chapellys and many seek men were heled by hys vertue and he conuertyd many sarasyns to the feythe after thys hys thye roted an hole yere and al that yere he helde hym on that other fote but the vermyn fyl to the grounde from hys thye he had a felowe whiche was called anthonye whyche wrote hys lyf and helde hym companye whyche gadred vp the vermyn and delyueryd them to hym and he toke them and layed them vpon his sore sayeng ete ye thys that god hath gyuen you There was a kynge a sarasyn named balyssyke that herde the fame renome of hym and came to hym in veray feythe and whyles the holy man prayed one of the vermyn fyl out of hys thye and the hethen kyng toke it vp and whan he loked on it hit was a precious stone Thenne sayd to hym this holy man O man this is not happed ne made by my meryte but it is made by
en reygned emperours Gayus that was pope of Rome called made to assemble alle the crysten people to gyder and sayd to theym our Lord hath ordeyned two degrees or states to them that byleue on hym that is to wyte confessours and marters And therfore yf somme of you be fereful and in doubte that they shall not mowe suffre marterdom lete theym euer haue trewe and veray confessyon and stedfaste in the feythe and goo must they wyth cromacyen and Tyburcyen for to saue theym selfe And they that are wyllyng for to abyde wyth me wythin thys cytâ—e in the name of god lete them abyde For the seperacyon of the persones in ferre contrees may not separe that the deuyne charyte hath assemblyd Thenne escryed to hym Tyburcyen sayeng holy fader I beseche the that thou leue me not to tourne my bacâ—eferyng the persecutours For to me it shal be grete ioye and comforte to suffre bodylye dethe for to gete and enioye lyf eternall Whan Saynt Gayus sawe the feythe of Tyburcyen and his constaunte courage he began to wepe for ioye There abode â—eyâ—h hym Marcellyen Marke theyr fader Transquylyn Sebastyen Tyburcyen and Saynt Nychostrate with hym hys brother Castore and his wyf Zoe also claudyn and vyctoryn his brother wyth them his sone Symphoryen the bysshop ordeyned vnto deakens Saynt marke and marcellyen and maad preest transquylyn he dyd ordeygne saynt sebastyen deffensour of the chirche and the other he ordeyned and maad subdeakens nyght and day they were contynuelly in grete deuocyon fastyng wepyng and sayeng theyr prayers orysons and deuoutelye prayed our lord that of his benygne grace he wold make them able worthy to be accompanyed with the marters by veray pacyence and there by theyr prayers many one were helyd of their sekenesse many of blynde persone was restoryd of sight many enemyes or deuylles were put out fro many a creature so as tiburcien yede thorugh the towne he saw a man that was fallen from hye vnto lowe in so moche that he was al to bursten broken of al his membris and men wold haue made his graue for to burye hym Soone tyburcien approched began to say pater noster ouer hym fayr softe Incontynente after he was hole rendred hym in to good helthe to his parentes sone after he had hym a syde fro the peple conuertysed baptysed hym So as zoe was deuoutelye in oryson at hir prayers she was taken ledde by the paynyms vnto a statue of marterdom for to haue constraâ—ned hir to sacrefye thydolles She thenne answerd ye wyl constrayn a woman for to sacrefye vnto the statue of mars for to shewe that your mars delyteth and taketh his plesauÌ„ce in wymmen and how be it that he may do his wylle of the shameful venus Neuerthelatter he shal not haue the vyctorye of me For I bâ—re the vyctorye of me at my forhede Thenne she was taken and ledde in to a pryson ryght derke and moche obscure and there she was fyue dayes wythoute syghte of ony lyght without drynke and wythout mete and wythoute the syght and heeryng of ony body but onely of hym that had closed or shytte hyr therin who often sayd to hir by famyne or by fawte lacke of mete thou shalte deye here in tenebres or derkenesse yf thou sacrefye not vnto our myghty goddes The syxte day she was had out of pryson and hangyd she was by hir heerys to an hyghe tree and vnder hir they made a smoke of donge and of ordure or fylthe whyche rendred an horryble stenche by thys tormente of materdom she expyred and rendryd hyr sowle vnto our lord confessyng euer hys ryght holy name After the tirauÌ„tes toke the holy corps and at the necke of hit they henge a grete stone and caste hit wythin the ryuer of tybre to th ende that the cristens shold not take it to make of hyt a goddesse and after that she thus had receyued hir marterdom she apparysshed before saynt sebastyen and recounted to hym how she had suffryd marterdom for the loue of our Lord The whyche thynge as saynt sebastyen reherced hit to his felawes transquylyn escryed and sayd the wymmen proceden vs to the crowne of glorye Why lyue we so longe On the seuenth day after thys transquylyn allone bye and publyke beganne to denounce the name of god and anone he was taken and caste wyth stones and whan he had rendryd his sowle to god he was caste in to the watre of tybre And as nycostrate and claudyn with them castorye vyctoryn and symphoryen were aboute to haue out of the ryuer of tybre the bodyes of the marters they were taken ledde vnto the prefecte or Iuge Fabyen whyche Inuyted them to sacrefye vnto thydolles by the space of ten dayes One tyme by manaces that other tyme by fayr wordes wenyng to haue brought them to thys ydolatrye but euer they were stedfast constaunte in the feyth whiche Fabyen whan he sawe them soo constaunte he yede and tolde it to the emperour and the emperour commaunded that they shold be forthwyth tourmented by dyuers tormentes But whan he sawe their stedfast byleue he commaunded that wythout delaye they shold be caste in to the myddes of the see anone fabyen for to accomplysshe the commaundemente of the emperour made to be hanged at the necke of eche one of them a grete stone and throwen they were vnto the bottom of the see There were consommed or ended theyr marterdoms florysshyng as lylyes before god In sempiterna secula where we al may haue parte amen Thus endeth the lyf of Saint Gayus Here foloweth the lyf of saynt Arnolde SAynt Arnolde was fader of Pepyn grauÌ„t fader of charles the grete as a doctoure recounteth named pyeter Damyen and helde a duchye in lorayne whiche dyd put fro hym alle worldly affeccions as rychesses wyf and chyldren and haunted the desertes for to lede best solytarye lyf On a day so as he passed ouer the ryuer of meuse and that he was aboute the myddes of the brydge where the water was more depper than in ony other place he toke a rynge that he had and caste hit wythin the water Sayeng whan someuer I shal receyuâ— haue ageyn thys rynge thenne shal I beleue that I shal be assoyled of al my synnes and after from thens he departed and wente in to a deserte Where he was longe tyme as deed to the world and lyuyng wyth god ¶ In that tyme deyed the bysshop of mets and happed that saint arnolde was chosen for to be bysshop there So thenne on a tyme as he absteyned hym fro etyng of ony flesshe as he euyr dyd whyle that he was in the deserte or wode was presented vnto hym a fysshe and as hys cook dressyd and slytted it he founde wythin his bely the sayd rynge and yede shewyd it to the holy bysshop wherof he was right ioyeful and glad
ye ought to wyte that fro the place where the holy man had caste the sayd rynge in to the water vnto the place where the said fysshe was presented to hym was four and twenty myle by water And whan the holy man aduysed hym and that wel he knewe for certeyn the sayd rynge he thanked god of hit that he gaue to hym knowlege of the remyssyon of his synnes From thens forthou euer fro better vnto better deuoutelye and by holy perseueraunce he entendyd to serue our Lord and yet as now is the sayd rynge wythin the paleys of mets men may be meruaylled and meruayllyng to magnefye and preyse god How in this present lyf they may not lyue wythout perylles but he is borne in a good houre that acquyreth graces of god and that maketh Iustyce on hys owne flesshe as longe as he is lyuyng in hit I say thys by cause of thys holy man that was at so good an hour borne that so moche of graces he gate and acquyred toward our lord That he was certefyed and ensured of the remyssyon and pardon of al his synnes as tofore ye herde saye Soone whan he was possessyng hys bysshoyryche he dyd dystrybue and departed to the poure so moche and soo largely of his owne goodes that the poure folke came thyder fro ferre countrees and cytees for to be counceyled and helped by almesse He was also besely tendyng to alle good werkys and in specyal to receyue relygyous folkes monkes and poure pylgrymmes He hâ—m selfe wesshed theyr feet he clothed them of newe to them gaue syluer ynough to passe on theyr weye assone as other of newe came he was as redy for to helpe them as he tofore was for the honour and reuerence of god In watchyng in fastynge in deuoute prayers and in orysons he employed euer the tyme none myght not duely reherce ne telle the grete abstynences that he made For whan he had fasted the space of thre dayes he was contente to haue a lytel breed maad of barleye and a lytel water and euer moost secretelye that he coude he ware vnder his clothes the hayre in so moche that by force of abstynence he right gretelye had maad lene hys flesshe On a tyme duryng the thre dayes whiche he fasted he dyd do make a processyon wherat many creatures were whyche moche deuoutelye prayed and soo as the processyon was in doyng there was a woman tourmented sore vexyd by the deuyl that began to crye lowde and hye whan the holy man sawe thys woman he made the sygne of the crosse euer hir and sone after she was delyuerd fro the enemye that so tourmented hir In the tyme of dagoberte kynge of fraunce so as he was wythin his palays a leper came there that beganne to crye after the holy man and demaunded mete and clothyng Sone commaunded the holy man that he shold be ledde home and soo as he mynystred and toolâ— to hym that was nedeful necessarye to hym he dyd demaunde of hym yf he were baptysed for he was of barbarye Thenne answerd the leper to the holy man allas syr nay For I that am a poure creature haue not founde none that hath gyuen to me the precyous gyfte of baptesme and anone the holy man baptysed hym Incontynente after that hys sekenesse lefte hym and departed fro hys body and soo he that before had be a synner and sore seek by the meryte of the holy man was lefte and made hole bothe of body and of fowle On another tyme a man named noddo whyche was dronke full of wyne beganne to mocque and dyspreysed the holy man sayeng that he was not the man of god but that he was ful lusty and redy to al delyces wherfore it happed that so as he hys sone wente to bedde sodaynlye by the wylle of god theyr clothynge were all aboute on a fyre and beganne to brenne Thenne they cryed and called for water but the water dyd nought to hyt so that the fyre took on theyr shertes toward the genytoryes from them they myght not haue of their clothes and Whan they sawe that noo remedye they myght put to it they yede oute of theyr chambre and began to laye them self as swynes doun in to the ordure or fylthe and in to fowle and stynkyng waters but alle thys auayled them nought For fro more in to more theyr genytoryes dyd brenne And so as I beleue at that same houre was verefyed that that our lord sayd by the mowthe of dauyd the prophete sayeng Detrahentem secreto proximo suâ— huuc persequebar That is to say in englysshe thoo that secretelye blamen despreysen theyr neyghbours them I shal persecute that same noddo deyed in thys estate and knowleched his synne and so dyd his sone by the sayd sentence ¶ So as the holy man was perseueryng in vertues for to kepe and eschewe the vaynglorye of thys World he departed fro the cyte and wente vnto a place not ferre fro hit where he dyd do make a litel hows and made hym self to be closed and shytte therin and there he was contynuelly in prayers and orysons lyftyng his handes toward heuen It happed by aduenture that the fyre took the hows of the kynge and soo moche it grewe that the howses there aboute beganne to brenne fast Sodaynlye the peple were moeuyd whan they saw that al the cite was esprysed on a fyre and flamme and they yede forth wyth to the celle of the sayd holy man where he was deuoutelye in his orisons prayers thus as he was acustomed to be Anone one that was called Romancyus toke hym by the hande sayd ryse thou fro hens man of god to the ende that thys fyre consume ne dommage the not wyth the cytee Thenne the holy man answerd I wyl not departe but lede me nygh the fyre and yf god wyl that I shal be brente I am in his handes here as I am Thenne they of the cyte cam with hym hande in hande vnto the fyre after commaunded that eche one of theym shold falle in prayers whan thâ— holy man had made his prayers they rose vp alle and thenne he lyfte vp his handes and made the signe of the crosse thenne anone the fyre ouenchyd and made after noo manere of dommage and after that houre one of his brethern sawe in a vysyon toward heuen the sygne of the veray crosse in a manere as flamme and at thother syde he herde a voys that sayd seest thou thys crosse by that hath the bysshop arnolde delyuerd the cytee fro fyre thys nyght ¶ After thys Saynt arnolde relynquysshed and lefte the world al entyerly and wente in to a deserte emonge the wylde beestys where he maad a lytel hows wyth somme monkes that were dwellyng there where he helde hym euer in holy medytacion and deuyne praysynges and whan ony poure peple came there he frendely receyued and seruyd theym theyr hoosen he dyd pulle of
mete and drynke bedde and fyre for to warme them in wynter In where someuer a place that he wente the suffretous and poure that ranne to hym fro al sydes folowed hym for al that he had was redy to theyr behofe as theyr owne He gave sudaryes for to burye wyth the dede bodyes and wyth his owne handes helpe to burye them a poure man ones came ageynst hym and he hauyng as thenne noo thynge redy to gyue hym took his hode and gafe it to the sayd poure man and yede home bare hede He chastysed hys flesshe moche sharpely for he was so accustomed to be in orysons and in prayers and to studye that the moste parte of the tyme he passyd wythout slepe bothe day and nyght yf he ne were sore trauaylled by â—tudye orysons or goeyng that he as constreyned must slepe and whan he must slepe he slepte on therthe and in stede of a pylowe he layed vnder hys heed somtyme hys book and somtyme a stone he ware euer the hayre vnder his sherte whyles that yet he was in the offyce of the offycyal in the cyte of tryguyer He vsed broune breed and podage suche as comunelye vsen poure labourers and none other mete he ne had and to hys drynk vsed colde water there lyned wyth suche mete drynke by the space of xj yere tyl he came to hys dethe he fasted enleuen lentes and al the aduentes of our lord and fro thascencion vnto pentycoste alle ymbre dayes alle vygyles of our lady and of the appostles and al other dayes stablysshed by holy chyrche for to faste he fastyd wyth breed and water And aboue alle thys duryng the xj yere aforesayd he fasted thre dayes in the weke wyth breed and water that is to wete wensday fryday satyrday and on the other dayes he ete also but ones a day and vsed breed potage suche as foloweth excepte the sondayes Crystemasday esterday whytsonday alhalowen day on whyche dayes he ete twyes his breed was rustyâ—al broun made of barleye or ootes hys podage was of grete cooles or of other herbys of beenys or of raddyssâ—e rote saueryd onelye with salte wythoute ony other lycour sauf that somtyme he put in it a lytel floure and a lytel buttyr and on esterday aboue his customed â—â—â—taunce he ete two egges He 〈◊〉 within the space of fourtene yere before hys dethe tastyd of noo wyne Saufâ— onelye at masse after that he had taken the body and blood of our Lord or ellys somtyme whan he dyued with the bysshoppe for thenne wythin hys water he put a lytel wyne onelye for to chaunge the coloure he fasted ones by the space of seuen dayes wythout ony mete or drynke euer beyng in good helth The forsayd Saynt yues lyued fyfty yere or there aboute and in his laste sekenesse he tessyd not to teche theym that were aboute hym and prechyd vnto them of their salute and he comyng benewrelye vnto his laste dayes took humbly the sacramentes of the body of our Lord and laste vnccion lyeng on his noble bedde beforesayd adiousted alweye to the same with grete Instaunce of hys frendes a lytel strawe thre dayes before his dethe and his hood in stede of couerchyef aboute his heed had on his gowne and refusyng al other thynge he was couerd with a lytel and bâ—dde couerlette sayeng that he was not worthy to haue ony other paremente on hym The pure and clene thenne hauyng the hayr on his flesshe couerd wyth his sherte and yssueng oute of thys world in the yere of grace M thre hondred and thre the xix day of maye that was on the sonday after the assencion of our lord Ihesu cryste wente vp vnto heuen and lyke as he had ben a slepe without ony sygne or token of what someuer dolour he took the righte benewrous reste of dethe And who that coude recounte alle the myracles doon by hym how be it that to none ne is possyble but allonelye to hym whiche can nombre or telle the multytude of sterres and Imposeth to echone theyr names but by cause that to one right grete Inconuenyence and dyshonour were yf by slouthe refrayned hym self fro vtteryng and kepte stylle suche thynges that are apperteynen to the praysyng and laude of our lord and namely there as plente and baboundaunce of his praysyng is or shold be how be it that the sayd myracles are Infynyte or without ende neuerthelesse we shal reherce somme of them Thenne as it is recorded in the book longe sythe made and accomplysshed of his lyf of his vertues that at his Inuocacion by vowes and prayers by somme deuoutelye maad vnto god and to the saynt in dyuers places were fourtene deed reysed reâ—enyd alweye in the sayd nombre ij chyldren lyuyng within their moders wombe dede before theyr baptesmye whyche sythe receyued lyf and at the Inuocacion of the same saynt yues ten demonyakes madde folke or fylled with wycked spirites were delyuerd fro theyr foursenerye or madnesse and fro alle wycked spyrytes xiij contractes or fylled wyth paralysye were by the same restoryd in good helthe thre blynde were by hym enlumyned Dyuers folke in ten places wyth alle theyr goodes were kepte sauyd fro drownyng in the see ¶ One parfytelye ydropycke or fylled with dropsy was entyerly cured another that had the stone grete as an egge the genytoyrs as grete as a mannes heed was restytued vnto helthe One condempned to be hanged fyl thre tymes fro the galowes and al hole was delyuerd and lete goo A woman to whome the mylke wanted wythin hir pappes were fylled ful of hyt Thynges loste by dyuers persones and in dyuers places were founde and recouerd by myracles Two dombe chyldren and dyuers other that had loste the vse of the tongne were restytued of theyr spekyng Thre or foure wymmen with alle their byrthe were delyuerd fro the peryll of dethe The fyre taken and quenchyd in thre dyuer places was put out and bothe men wymmen chyldren good kepte fro brennyng wythoute to be hurted ne in no manere of wyse dommaged A woman sâ—re agreuyd with an axes toke a lytel breed that before had ben wette in water by the handes of the saynt ete it and recoueryd helthe The saynt hym self gyuyng foyson almoses the corne multeplyed in his garette and the breed in hys hande somtyme Many seek folke were heelyd yf dyuers sekenesse dolours onelye for to haue touched hys hood a man dressyng the whole of his water mylle on whome sodaynlye the water came fro hyghe ruysshyng and he besoughte the holy saynt yues and anone he was sauyd fro drownynge On a tyme as the sayd Saynt sayd masse whyle he celebred and helde vp the body of our lord a grete resplendour apperyd aboute it whyche soone after the leuacyon was doon dysapperyd and vanysshed aweye A poste ordeyned to the werkys or makyng of a brydge not couenable to the sayd werke for fawte of halfe
ne bere ony lenger euyl or payne enspyred wyth the holy ghoost passed saylled ageyn ouer the hyghe see vnto the holy lande accompanyed wyth the nobles and moche comynaltee of his royame and whan the shyppes were redy for to saylle saynt lowys beholdyng his thre sones specyally dressyng hys wordes toward theldest said sone consyder thou must how as now I am ferforth in age and that ones I haue passed ouer the see also how the quene thy moder is of grete age procedyng nygh hir laste dayes how now blessyd be god we possessen pesably our royame without ony werre in delyces rechesses and honoures as moche as plesyth to vs or apperteyneth loke thenne that for the loue of Ihesu cryste and his chirche I ne spare myn olde age and haue no pyte of thy dyscomforted wooful moder but I leue bothe delyces honoures expose myn owne selfe to perylle for Ihesu cryste whiche thynges I wyl thou here and knowe to th ende that whan thou comest to the successyon of the royalme thou doo so The shyppes thenne redy saylled on the see so longe that the hoost areyued at the hauen of cartage in auffryke where by force of armes the crysten men took the castel and enioyed the londe there aboute and betwyxte thunes and cartage they dressyd theyr tentes for to dwelle there a lytel tyme and in this meane whyle saynt lowys after so many vertuous werkys after soo many paynes and labours which he had suffred for the feythe of Ihesu cryste god that wold benewrely consume his lyf for to yelde to hym fruyte gloryous for his laboures and benefaytes sente to hym an axes contynuel and thenne the holy enseygnementes or techynges whiche before he had writen in frensshe exposed dylygently to phelyp his eldest sone and commaunded that soon they shold be accomplysshed and thenne he beyng of thought syght and heeryng hoole sayeng his seuen psalmes and callyng alle the sayntes deuoutelye took all the sacramentes of the chyrche and at the last he comyng to the last houre stratchyng his armes in manere of a crosse and profferyng the laste wordes I commende my sowle in to thyn handes deyed and passyd vnto our lord the yere a thousand ij hondred lxx The corps of the glorious saint lowes was transported vnto the sepulcres of his faders and predecessours at saynt denys in frauÌ„ce there to be buryed In whiche place also in dyuers other thys gloryous saynt resplendyssheth of many myracles On that day that saynt lowes was buryed a Woman of the dyocyse of Sees recouerd hir syght whiche she had loste sawe noo thynge by the merytes and prayers of the sayd debonayr and medeful kyng Not longe after a yonge chylde of burgoyne bothe dombe and deef of kynde comyng wyth other to the sepulture or graue of the saynt besechyng hym of helpe knelyng as he sawe that the other dyd and after a lytel whyle that he thus knelyd were his eerys openyd and herde and hys tonge redressyd and spake wel In the same yere a woman blynde was ledde to the sayd sepulture and by the merytes of the saynt recoueryd hyr syghte Also that same yere ij men and fyue Wymmen besechyng saynt loyes of helpe recouerd the vse of gooyng whiche they had loste by dyuers sekenesse and langours In the yere that saynt loyes was put or wryten in the cathologe of the holy confessours many myracles worthy to be prrysed befyl in dyuers partyes of the world at thynuoâ—acyon of hym by his merytes and by hys prayers Another tyme at Eureux a chylde fyl vnder the whele of a water mylle grete multytude of people came thyder and supposyng to haue kepte hym fro drownyng Inuoked god our lady and his sayntes to helpe the sayd chylde but our lord wyllyng hys saynt to be enhaunced emonge so grete multitude of peple was there herde a voys sayeng that the sayd chylde named Iohan shold be vowed vnto Saynt Lowys He thenne taken oute of the water waâ— by his moder borne to the graue of the saynt and after hyr prayer doon to saynt Lowys hyr sone beganne to syghe and was reysed on lyue It befyl the same tyme in the dyocyse of beauuays that ten men were broken wythin a quarrye there as they dyd fetche out grete stones for to byâ—â—e wythal For on them fyl a grete quantytâ—e of erthe in soo moche that they were couerd wyth hit A clerke thenne that passyd there foreby heâ—â—e theyr syghyng and hauyng pyte on theym that were nyghe deed knelyd doun to the erthe and remembryng the newe canonyzacion of the blessyd saint lowys fore wepyng made for the forsayd men his prayer to hym and after hys prayer was doon he sawe folke comyng that waye he called them and forthwyth deluyd wyth suche staues as they had so moche that by the merytes of the Saynt to whome they trusted moche they had oute of the quarrye the forsayd ten men the whyche were founde vnhurted and as hoole as euer they were before how be it that in certeyn they were deed It happed on another tyme that a grete walle fyl on a chylde which was reputed as deed by al the folke hys moder vowed hym to the sayd Saynt maad the stones that couerd hym to be had awaye and founde hyr chylde lawghyng and hole of alle hys membrys A woman agreuyd wyth a sekenesse whiche men calle the fyre of saynt anthony came to poyssy there as saynt lowys was borne and before the founte wherin the sayd Saynt was baptysed she knelyd and sore wepyng made hir prayer there to god to the saynt by the merytes of whome hir body was clene delyuerd fro the forsayd sekenesse Item two dayes after thys a worshypful man whyche of longe tyme had be oppressyd and beten with sekenesse of feet that he coude not goo ne stande wythoute he had two â—â—â—ches or staues vnder hys armes came vnto the sayd founte maad there his prayer leefte his staues there â— hoâ—â— he retourned as hole as euer he Was And yet sythe were there are as now doon many other thorugh the prayers and merytes of saynt loyes at the glorye preysyng of our redemptour ¶ Thus endeth the lyf of saint lowes kyng of fraunce ¶ And here foloweth the lyf of Saint lowes bisshop of marsaylle SAint Lowes of marseylle was borne of ryal lygnage and had to hys fader charles kyng of cecylle and to moder marie quene of cecyle and louyng humylite he refused and forsoke the hyghnesse of regalyte and hys noble lygnage and how be it that al the worthy faytes of his holy lyf with fewe wordes may not al be recouÌ„ted Neuerthelesse somme we shal reherce to the prouffyte and techyng of them that shal rede or here them This glorious saynt thenne as testefyed it is of many dygne of feythe or worthy to be byleuyd beyng of yonge age was with hys brethern holden kepte vnder the cure religyous dyligence of his mayster
thabbay of nonnes at mouÌ„s whiche she had founded and wrote and prayed to hir moder that she myght haue audegonde hir suster wyth hir for hir dysporte comforte and companye in veray loue and charytee audegonde the holy virgyne was sente thyder and was taughte and endoctryned by hir suster in the manere holdyng of relygyon Fewe dayes after hir moder yet supposyng to haue maryed hir wente there where bothe hyr doughters were and to Audegonde gaue a pyete of lynnen clothe suche as prynces weren and commaunded to hyr that therwyth she shold make shertes shetys and kerchyers for hyr paramours The good virgyn wenyng that hir moder had mente hyr spouse Ihesu cryste took the sayd clothe and therof she made crysmes whyche are put on newe borne chyldrens heedes whan they be borne to the fontes there to be baptysed to whome the preest sayth take thou thys whyte clothynge whiche thou shalte bere tofore the syege trybunal of our lord wherfore the sayd holy vyrgyne to the ende that the shyrtes of hir owne shapyng and making shold be borne to hir spouse Ihesu cryste she made crysmes with hir moders clothe and whan she had made them moche fayre and ryche as for kynges sones she wyth a mery countenaunce gaue them to hir moder sayeng that she had doon it in the beste wyse that she coude whan hir moder sawe the crysmes and hir lynnen cloth thus employed she was moche wroth and euyl apayed and fette a rodde for to bete hir doughter wythal But the blessyd saynt fledde vnto the foreste of mauâ—euge that was there nyghe there she made hyr penytence wyth the comforte and helpe of our lord It is sayd that he whyche by thassente and graunte of hir moder shold haue had hir to his wyf came in to the said foreste for to haue rauysshed hir by force but he coude neuer fynde ne see hyr alle wente he nyghe hyr There she abode vnto the tyme that hyr moder was dede and after she wente to moune where she was sacred vnto a nonne by the handes of Saynt obyer of saynt amande and anone after she bylded founded hyr abbay of mauleuge There was once brouhte to thys holy vyrgyne a grete fysshe whiche she put in to a fountayn for to be kepte there It happed as suche grete fysshes ben acustomed to doo that he lepte so hyghe fro the water that he fyl on the grounde and coude not retourne in to the fontayn On hym cam a grete rauen whiche wold haue ete of hit but there came a lambe that kepte the fysshe fro harme and foughte ageynst the rauen so longe that the ladyes nonnes of the place perceyued the bataylle Somme of them cam to the fontayn toke the fysshe brought it wyth them the said lambe euer folowed them vnto tyme the fysshe was before the presence of saint audegoÌ„de neuer wold departe tyl the holy vyrgyn said to hym ye haue do right wel goo to your herde ageyn On a nyÈt as saint audegonde with hir suster togyder spekyng secretely of their spouse our Lord Ihesu Cryste theyr candyl fyl fro the candel stycke and was put out Saynt audegonde took it and as god wold it lyghted by it self ageyn Item as on a tyme they two wente to gyder toward the chirche of saynt Peter aboute the houre of sexte the yates that as thenne were shytte sodaynlye openyd before them at the Instaunce of theyr orysons and prayers Item ones as she had thyrste was water broughte to hyr whyche was tourned in to wyne by the grace of hym that in galylee dyd tourne the water in to wyne Saynt Wandrud sawe in a vysyon fyue dayes before the dethe of the holy audegonde hyr suster the blessyd vyrgyn marye bothe saynt Peter and saynt powle prynces of the appostles accompanyed wyth many sayntes and a grete legyon of aungellys whyche ledde hyr suster audegonde in to paradyse She therfore came to the place where hyr suster laye seek and was presâ—nte whan she rendred hyr sowle to hir spouse our lord Ihesu cryste to whome we shal praye that thorugh the merytes of the blessyd vyrgyne audegonde of whyche the myracles bothe in hyr lyf and after hyr dethe been wythoute nombre we may come there as she is in glorye without ende Amen ¶ Thus endeth the lyf of saint audegonde virgyne And here foloweth the lyf of saint Aulbyne bysshop SAynt aulbyne was borne of noble lygnage in the partyrs of ytalyâ— In his chydehode he loued and seruyd god ententyfly and wyth so grete wylle that he lefte bothe his fader and his moder his parentys and frendes lande and alle worldely rychesse and became a monke in an abbay callyd in latyn Tincillacense monasterium where he nedyd shewe of his noblesse but onelye the good condycyons He was humble and seruysable vnto alle and was euer in contynuel prayers and replenysshed wyth alle vertues redy and apparaylled to flee and eschewe alle vyces Whan saynt aulbyne came to the eage of thyrty yere he was maad abbotte of the sayd abbay whyche he gouerned bothe temporelle and spryrituel by the space of fyue twenty yere so that our lord was at al tymes wel and deuotelye seruyd and al goodes temporalle dayly grewen there The bisshop of angers deyed that tyme and thenne thys holy saynt aulbyne by the grace and wylle of our Lord and by the comune and concordable assente of alle the chappytre was promoted to the dygnyte of bisshop there where as he was afterwarde knowen so parfyte and so charytable that doubtelesse his promocyon Was cause of the saluacyon of many sowles A Woman there was in the cytee of angyers whyche had hir handes as lame and counterfeyted for cause of a sekenesse that men calle the gowte wherwyth she was sore vexyd she made hyr prayer and demaunded helpe of the saynt and soone she was holpen and releuyd from that sekenesse onelye by that he handelyd thre tymes hyr handes on a tyme as saint aulbyn went thorugh a dowue within his dyocyse he sawe the fader moder wepyng ouer theyr chylde dede toke on them pyte made his prayer vnto our lord sodaynlye their chylde was reysed to lyf Item a blynde man demauÌ„ded helpe of saint aulbyn the holy bisshop made the signe of the crosse ouer â—ym anon he was enlumyned ageyn Item as saynt aulbyn dyd passe on a tyme before the pryson hows at angers the prysonners cryed besought hym for helpe the holy bysshop hauyng on them grete compassyon yede vnto the baylye prayed hym for theym but nought auayled there his prayer wherfore he wente to his chyrche and soone after his prayer made to god knelyng before the hygh aulter a grete parte of the pryson walle fylle doun and soo scapyd euery prysonner there A woman vexyd wyth a wycked spiryte was broughte before thys holy bysshop and assone as the enemye perceyued the holy man he put hym selfe in to the
their forn goers haue receyued it And hyderto endure the wordes of the sayd Sermon ¶ Yet of thassumpcion of our blessid lady VEryly Iohan damascene whiche for the tyme was a greke sayth many merueilous thynges of thassuÌ„pcion of the right holy and gloryous vyrgyne marye For he sayth in his sermons that this day the right holy and sumptuous Arke whiche bare within her her maker was brought sette in the temple whiche was not made of hondes On this day the right holy culuer or douue Innocent and symple fled fro the arke that is to say fro the body in whiche god receyued and fonde reste On this day the vyrgyn that conceyued not knowyng the passions erthely but enduced by thenteÌ„dements celestyall shalle nat fayle but shalle be called very heuen sowle dwellyng in the celestyal tabernacles And how be hit that the right holy sowle be separate fro her blessid body And that her body was leyd in sepulcre neuertheles it is not dede ne shal not be corrupte by rotyng That is to wete the body of whome childyng the vyrgynyte remayned withoute ony hurtyng or dissolucion is transported to better more hooly lyf withoute corrupcion of deth for to remayne in the tathrnacles perdurable And lyke as the sonne shynyng clere otherwhyle is hyd and apperyth faylyng a short tyme yet she hath nothyng lost of her lyght but in her self is the fontayne of lyght perdurable And thou arte the fontayne of lyght withoute wastyng the tresour of lyf how be it that by shorte interualle or space of tyme thou shalt be brought to corporell dethe Neuertheles thou gyuest to vs habundantly clerenes of lyght with oute defaute And thyn holy dormycion or shepyng is not called deth but a passyng or departyng or more propyrly a comyng For thou departyng fro the body camst to heuen And Ihesu Cryst Angels and Archangels And al the heuenly company cam to mete the The fowle and dampned spyrytes doubte moche thy noble and excellent comyng And thou blessid and glorious vyrgyn thou wentest not to heuen as dyde Helye and thou mountest not as powle dyde vnto the thyrd heuen only â—ut thou camest and touchedest the syege ryall of thy sone The dethe of other sayntes may wel be sayd deth for that deth maketh them blessid but she hath no place in the For thy deth ne thy traÌ„smygracion or thy perfection or thy departyng maketh the not ne gyueth to the surete to be blessid for thou arte begynnynge myddell and ende of alle weles and goodes whiche excede thought humayne Thy surete thy very perfection and thy concepcion withoute sâ—ed And thy dyuyne habytacion haue made the blessid wherof thou saydest thy self that thou art not made blessid by thy deth but of thy concepcion in all generacions And deth hath not made the blessid but thou hast ennoblysshed the deth in takyng awey the heuynes and sorowe therof conuertyng it in to Ioye For god sayd lest parauenture the first forme of man that is to wete Adam put forth his hande and take of the tree of lyf and lyue perdurably how thenne shalle not she lyue in heuen perdurably that bare this lyf which is perdurable and withoute ende Somtyme god putted oute of paradys the fyrst parentes whiche slepte in the dethe of synne buryed fro the begynnyng of in obedyence and glotony and now she that hath borne lyf to all humayne lignage and was obedyent god the fader and putte awey fro her all ordure of synne how shalle not she be in heuen Wherfor shold not she enioye the yates of heuen Eue stretched her ere to the serpent of whom she tooke the venym mortal And by cause she dyd it for delyte she was subdued to beryng and bryngyng forth children in sorow and payne and was condempned with Adam But this blessid vyrgyne that enclyned her ere to the word of god whom the hooly ghoost replenysshed whiche bare in her wombe the mercy of tâ—e fader whiche conceyued withoute knowlege of man and childed withoute payne and sorowe how durst deth swolow her how myyht ony thyng haue corruâ—cion that bare lyf And yet sayth tâ—e sayd damascene in his sermons Veryly the Apostles were departed thorugh the world in al couÌ„trees enteÌ„ded to preching to men to draw them out of the depe derkenesse by one hooly word broughte them to the table celestyall to the solempne espousaylles of God And thenne the dyuyne commaundement which is a nette or a clowde brought them fro alle the partyes of the world in to Iherusalem in assemblyng them bytwene his wynges And thenne Adam and Eue our fyrst parentes cryed Come to vs ryght hooly and holsome Celyer whiche fulfyllest oure desyre And the company of sayntes whiche was there sayd ageyn Remayne with vs our comfort And leue vs not orphelyns thou art the comforte of oure trauaylles refresshyng of oure swetynges that yf thou lyue hit is to vs a gloryous thyng to lyue with the And yf thou dye it is gloryous to vs to deye with the how sholde we be in thys lyf and shalle be detestable fro the presence of thy lyf And as I suppose suche thynges and semblale sayden thappostles with grete plente of them of the chirche with grete waylynges and syghes in compleynyng them fro the departyng And she retornyng toward her sone sayde Syre I pray the to be very comfortour to my sones whom it plesyd the to calle bretheren whiche ben heuy and sorouful of my departyng And with that I shalle blysse them with my honde gyue to them thy blyssyng vpon my blyssyng And thenne she stretched oute her honde and blessyd alle the college of good Crysten men And thenne sayd after lord I commende my spyryte in to thy handes receyue my sowle thy loue whiche thou hast kepte withoute blame of synne to thy self And I commende my body to the erthe for to kepe it hoole or where it shalle plese the to enhabyte it transporte me to the soo where thou arte theÌ„fantement or fruyte of my wombe that I be duellyng wiâ—h the Alle these wordes herd thappostles Thenne sayd oure lord Aryse vp my beloued and come to me O thou moost fayr among wymmen my loue thou arte fayre and no spotte of fylthe is in the And whan the right blessid Vyrgyn herd that she commended her spyryte in to the handes of her sone Thenne thappostles were bedewed with teres and kyssed the tabernacle And by the blessyng and holynes of the hâ—ly body who someuer touched the bere deuoutely were heled of what someuer sekenes they had deuyls were chaced fro demonyakes The ayer and the heuen Were puryfyed by thassumpcion of the sowle and the erthe by the deâ—â—sicion of the body And the water was sayntyfyed by the wasshyng of the body For the body was wasshen with ryght hooly water and clene And the hooly body was not made clene by the water but the water was halowed of her And after the holy body
was wouÌ„den and wrapped in a clene sudary and was leyd vpon the bed and lampes brente full bryght aboute her Oyggnementes gaf a grete and fragraunt odour the louynges and preysynges of angels resowned And thappostles other that were there songe dyuyne songes And the Arke of oure lorde was borne in to Mount of syon vnto the vale of Iosephat vpon the â— heedes of the Apostles And the Angels wente to fore some And somme folowed the body And other conueyed her And she was accompanyed of alle the plente of the chirche And some of the Iewes herd hit in their euyl malyce descended doune fro the Mount of syon one of them whiche was a membre of the deuylle ranne folyly vnto the holy body And assaylled it for to haue cast it to the erthe drawyng hit with bothe hys handes both his handes cleuyd to the bere were departed fro the body lyke as two staues had ben sawed of soo he was lyke a tronke til that fâ—yth chaÌ„ged his thought And he waylyng soroufully repented hym they tâ—at bare the bere taryed made that Iewe worshipe touche the holy body theÌ„ne cam his handes ageyne in to their fyrst estate theÌ„ne was the body borne vnto the vale of Iosephat ther it was emâ—raced kissed songes songen of holy â—ouynges preysynges ther were wepte many teres theÌ„ne that holy body was leid in the tombe honourably but her sowle was not left in helle ne her flesshe felte neuer corrupcion And they sayden that she was the welle whiche neuer was dygged the felde not â—red The vygne not cut tholyue berynge fruyte whiche shalle not be holden in the bosome of the erthe For hit apperteyneth that the moder be enhaunced with the sone And that she mounte to hym like as he descended in to her And that she that hath kepte her virgynyte in her childyng ought to see no corrupcion And she that bare the creatoure of alle the world in her bely ought to duelle in dyuyne tabernacles And that she whome the fader had taken to espouse were kepte in the chambres celestyalle And tho thynges that longe to the sone ought to be posseded of the moder And alle this sayd Iohan damascene ¶ Yet of thassumpcion of oure lady aftir saynt Austyn SAynt Austyn sheweth autentyckly in a sermon of the right holy assumpcion of oure blessid lady sayenâ— we that haue begoÌ„nâ— to speke of the body of the Vyrgyn perâ—urable of thassumpcion of her blessid sowlâ— We say thus Fyrst that we fynde nothyng of her wreton syth that oure lord hangyng on the Crosse commaunded her to his disciple sauf that Luke recordeth in his wrytynges sayeng that all they were by one courage perseueryng with the Vyrgyne Marye moder of our lorde Ihesu cryste what is thenne to saye of her deth and of her assumpcion Wherof the scripture remeÌ„bryth no thynge It is thenne as me semeth to be enquyred thynge whiche is acordynge to trouthe withoute whichâ— Auctoryte is nothyng we remembre the condicion humayne We doubte not to saye that surely she wente to temporall deth And yf we saye that she is resolued in to comyn putrefaction in wormes and in to asshes or dust It behoueth vs to weye and thynke suche thyng as apperteyneth to soo grete holynesse and to the seygnorye of suche a chambre of god We knowe wel that it was sayd to the fyrst fader thou art poudre and in to poudre thou shalt retorne but the flessâ— of Ihesu Cryst escaped fro this condycion For his flesshe suffred neuer corrupcion Thenne is excepte fro this generall sentence the nature taken of tâ—e Vyrgyne And god sayd to the woman eue I shal multyplye thy dyseases and thou shat bryng forth chyldren with payne and sorowe But marye suffred neuer suche dyseases of whome the swerde of sorowe perced 〈◊〉 sowle But Marye childed withoute sorowe And thenne yf she were ouyte and had no parte of sorowe in childyng thenne ought she not to haue paâ—te of dyseases ne of corrupcion â—ut she is excepte of somme other generalytees by cause that the dignyte gafe to her suche seygnorye And though we saye that she suffred deth yet is she not reteyned with the bondes of dethe yf oâ—re lord wold kepe his moder entyer and hoole and the chastyte of her vyrgynyte Wherfor may he not kepe hâ—r withoute corrupcion of stenche of rotynnesse It apperteyneth thenne vnto the debonayrte of oure lord to kepe thonour of hys moder whiche was not come to breke the lawe but to accomplysshe it And in his lyf had worshiped hâ—r to fore al other by the grace of her conceyuyng And therfor we ought well to byleue that he honoureth her at her dethe wyth synguler saluacion and of special grace And rotynes and wormes ben but reproche of humayne condycyon And whan Ihesu cryst is oute of thâ—t reproche the nature of Marye is excepted the whiche is the nature that he toke of her For the flessh of Ihesu cryste is the flessh of Mary the whiche he bare aboue the sterres in worshypyng man aboue nature and in worshypynge more his moder yf he be sone of the very moder Thenne is it couenable thynge that she be moder of the same sone Not as to the vnyte of the Persone but to the vnyte of bodyly nature yf grace withoute propyrte of especial teÌ„porell nature may make vnyte how moch more theÌ„ne may the grace of corporall and especiall natyuyte make vnyte of grace lyke as the disciples in Ihesu Crist of whome he sayth hym self that they ben one as we be And after he sayth Fader I wylle that where I am they be wyth me And thenne yf he wyll haue with hym them that ben ioyned soo wyth hym in the feythe and that they be Iuges with hym what shalle thenne be iuged of his moder Where is she worthy to be but in the presence of her sone Therfor I vnderstonde and byleue that the sowle of marye be honoured of her sone by a right excellent prerogatyf possedyng her body gloryfyed in Ihesu Crist whome she conceyued And why shold not she possede her body gloryfyed by whiche she conceyued For so grete an halowyng is more worthy to be in heuen than in erthe The sete of god the Chambre of oure lord and the worthy tabernacle of Ihesu Cryste ought and apperteyneth better to be there as he is than els where and soo right precious tresoure is more worthy to be in heuen than in erthe And by ryght no resolucion of rotynnes maye not folowe so grete entyernes of thyng not corumpable And by cause I fele not that the ryght hooly body be not delyuerd in to mete of wormes I doubte to saye it And by cause that the yefte of grace incomparable surmounteth gretely thys estymacion that I fele that the consideracion of many scriptures admoneste me to saye trouthe God sayth somtyme to his mynystres