in to a lytyll house made of Ionkes and bowes Wherin he endured tyll he was twenty yeres olde colde and heete Rayne and snowe and other grete necessytees / And after he dwellyd in a nother lytyll houses· whiche was foure fote brode and fiue fote hyghe / But it was a lytyll lenger thanne his body / ¶ This lytyll hous semed better a sepulcre than an house / ¶ He clipped of his heere 's ones a yere / That is to wyte tofore the solempnytee of Ester / ¶ He laye bare vppon a bedde of Ionkes / and soo contynued to the deth / And neuer was he couered but wyth one sacke / The whyche he neuer wasshed / Sayenge that in an hayer oughte not to be soughte clennesse / ¶ He neuer chaunged Robe ne cote tyll tholde was rotyn / His felycytee was to remembre holy scrypture / ¶ And emonge his orysons he songe deuowte psalmes to god as he hadde be presente / ¶ After that he was .xxi. yeres olde vnto .xxvi. he lyued sobrely / ¶ And in thre yere he ete not but onÌ„ly a syxter of wortes medled in a lytyll colde water / In the other thre yeres he ete but breede salt wyth a lytyll water / ¶ After seuen and twenty yeres tyll fyue and thyrty he ete not but sixe vnces of barly breede And for his potage a lytyll coole wortes without oyle ¶ But whan he sawe his body by straytnesse of lyffe became scabby and ronyous / Alytyll for to recomforte hymself / he putt a lytyll oylle in his potage ¶ And he lyued in this life sobrely vnto thaâ—ge of thre and fourty / without etynge apples ne other frutes / ¶ Whanne he came vnto the aege of thre score foure yere and the deth drawynge nyghe· He ete noo more brede tyll he was foure score yere olde but oonly ete meele and scooles brayed / ¶ Alle that he ete and dranke weyed not all but fyue vncis / ¶ And thus fynysshed he his dayes in suche abstynences / ¶ Alas we that ete some more thaÌ„ thyrty other more than foure score vncis of weyghte fyue or syxe tymes on the daye yet ben not well contente / And he that ete not but oonly whanne att the sonne was gone downe one tyme on the daye / And all his mete drynke weyed not but fyue vnces / Yet he lyued vnto the aege of foure score yeres / ¶ Lete vs thenne be sobre vnto the ende to be chaste by the ensample of the good holy fader Hylaryon whyche in his lyffe wolde suffre and endure soo moche euyll and payne / for the honour of Ihesu Cryste / ¶ He beynge in the aege of .xviij. yeres Theues came to hym wenynge to affraye hym by cause of his yonge aege Or for to robbe some thynge fro hym / ¶ And how well they made grete dylygence to fynde his lytyll house Neuerthelesse they went rounde abowte it an hoole daye and a nyghte cowde not fynde it / And on the morne they fonde it and hym therin / ¶ And they demaunded of hym this questyon / Yf the theues came to the. what sholdest thou do thou lytyll man / He ansuered to theym What maye they demaunde or aske seen that I am all naked and haue none moeuable goodes / ¶ Thenne they sayde to hym / Thou myghtest be slayne / ¶ The chylde ansuered / I maye well be slayne truely / But for that I drede-not / For I am redy for to deye / ¶ The theues were moche admerueylled And recounted to hym how they had soughte him / ¶ And after they amended theyr lynes ¶ He was not yet but two and twenty yeres olde / whanne his fame renommee sprange ouer alle the countree of Palestyne by cause of the holynesse of his lyffe / ¶ And in that tyme was a woman in the towne of Lentâ—opolytane whom her husbonde dispysed and hadde in hate / By cause he cowde not conne haue of her in fyftene yeres ony chylde / ¶ Wherfore she came to saynt Helaryon demaundynge or aryng counseylle of hym how she myghte doo ¶ And by cause that at the fyrste tyme he wolde not speke to her but spytte by cause he wolde not speke / Thenne she fell downe on her knees sayenge to hyÌ„ ¶ Fader Hylaryon lete it playse the to here me / torne not awaye thyne eyen from me / But beholde me not as a woman but as one vnhappy and cursyd ¶ Att laste he spake to her in demaundyng her the cause of her sorowe / The whyche by her recyted and opened / saynt Hilaryon sayd to her that she sholde goo home and haue alwaye stedfaste hope in god / ¶ And after for the pyâ—e that he had in her he prayed god often tymes in grete habundauÌ„ce of teeres soo effectuously that in the ende of the yere she had a childe / and that was his fyrste myracle / ¶ The wyfe of one namyd Elypydius comynge to se saynt Anthonie abode in the towne of Gaza wyth threof her chyldern and her husbonde / In whyche towne deyed the sayd thre chyldren ¶ The moder beynge in the myddle of theym thre soo desolate that she wyste not whom moost to bewaylle / ¶ And aduysed her of saynt Hylaryon whyche was nyghe by / And tooke the waye wyth her Chamberers and lefte alle her astate for to come to the place where he was ¶ To whom she sayd I requyre and adiure the in the name of our lorde Ihesu Cryste / Of his gloryous passyon and of the effusyon of hys precyous blood that it playse the to praye for my thre children that they maye by him be reysed from dethe / To the ende that his name be praysed and magnyfyed in the cyte of Paynems / ¶ And also I adiure the in lyke wyse that for thys cause thou come oute of thyne Hermytage And come in to the cyte of Gaza ¶ Thenne ansuered saynt Hylaryon that he wolde neuer come oute of hys celle / ne also wolde entree in to townes ne citees ¶ She noo thynge content of his ansuere fell down prostrate or flatt to the grounde and beganne to crye / Hylaryon reyse my chyldren by thy prayers / the whyche saynt Anthonye hath soo longe kepte and gouerned in Egipte / To the ende that of the they sholde be kepte in Syrye / ¶ All they that were thenne presente wepte / ¶ And how well he dyfferred his gooynge / neuerthelesse she sayd to hym that she sholde neuer departe / But he shold fyrste promyse to goo vysyte her chyldren wyth her / ¶ And soo he was constrayned by her wordes for to goo thyder / ¶ He beynge comen thyder / And seenge the chyldren all colde as they whyche had noo sygne of lyfe / In the presence of grete multytude of people thyder comen by cause of hym / He made his prayer deuowtly to god / ¶ The whyche made the sayde chyldren caste oute grete habundaunce of water oute of
loue of god / ¶ The relygyouse brethern seyeng her grete pacyence and humylyte / moeued wyth grete pytee and compassyon prayde thabbot that it wold playse hym in preferrynge mercy tofore the rygour of Iustyce to calle agayn brother Maryn / whyche thynge he wolde in no wyse doo / hauynge allwaye ayenst hym merueyllous indygnacyon bycause of the sayd trespaas / ¶ Fynably he beynge vaynquysshyd by contynuel prayers of hys brethern / called hyÌ„ in agayn and sayd to hym / Maryn I haue grete conscience / seen the grauâ—te of thy synne / yet I admytte the neuertheles to come in for to playse my brethern whyche haue humbly prayde me for the many tymes / I suffre that thou and thy myserable chylde whyche hast goten in aduoultrye be lodged her wythyn as straunge persones / ¶ And by cause that thou art not worthy for to felawshyppe and commynyke wyth the brethern but in doynge to them scruple lyke as the caas shall requyre / I ordeyne that thou be allwaye subgette to make clene all the places of here wythin / take here awaye the fylthe and vnclene thynges / And also in lyke wyse to fetche water for to wasshe the pottes disshes and to helpe the nedes of the brethern / ¶ The whyche penaunce she accepted wyth good wyll and good herte / and so longe she contynued that â—he departed out of this world fro lyf to deth / ¶ Thys thynge pronouÌ„ced by the brethern to theyr abbot / Whyche sayd to them / My brethern ye knowe well the enormyte of hys synne of whyche he hath not made condygne penaunce / And therfore it is not decent ne couenable that he be buryed in our monastery But neuertheles seen his obedyence / I am content that ferre in the maner accustomed he buryed by you out of the monastery / The brethern for to doo that whyche was permytted to theym came in to the lytyll chambre where he was deed / ¶ And in dyspoyllynge and takynge of his clothes for to ennoynte hym / They knewe that she was a woman And were merueylously abasshed ¶ And began to waylle bytterly wyth grete abundaunce of teeres / ¶ And Incontynent camen and shewed to the abbot / Who for this thynge was gretely â—oenyd and towchyd of a merueyllous contrycyon and dysplaysure / ¶ And telle there to the grounde Smytynge wyth his hondes agaynst his brest and his heed sayenge / ¶ O gloryous Maryâ—e I byseche the that of the afflyccyâ—â—s whyche I haue gyuen to the / that thou accuse me not tofore god / For by ygnoraunce I haue done it / ¶ Alas yf thou haddest tolde to me the trouth / I had neuer commysed towarde the thys merueyllous fawâ—e / ¶ After that he hadde moche lamented and waylled he dyde doo burye her solempnly wythin the chyrche of the monasterye / ¶ And that same daye came she whiche hadde vntruely accused her of the caas for whyche she hadde done soo grete penaunces / The whyche vexed and tormented of the deuyll confessyd openly her synne / Declarynge the name of hym whyche hadde goten the chylde / ¶ Alle the Relygyouses persones of the monasteryes nyghe by aduertysed of this mysterye / In the honoure of the glorious vyrgyn came to the monastery wyth theyr Crosses and tapres lyghte and brennynge / in syngyng ymâ—â—â—s and psalmes / In praysynge the name of god / To whom they thanked and rendred graces of that whiche had playsed hym for the edifycacyon of the yr soules to shewe to theym this merueyllous fayte ¶ And after in the sayde monasterye were shewed and done many myracles by the prayers of the holy vyrgyne saynt Maryne / ¶ Thus endyth the lyfe of saynt Maryne / ¶ The lyfe of saynt Eufrosyne / begynnyth in latyn ¶ Fuit vir et cetera Caplm .xliiii. IN Alexandrye was a man named Pafunce moche honourable and kepynge the commauÌ„dementes of god / He toke a wyfe whyche was of moche honeste lyfe / As she that was extracte of noble parentes vertuous / ¶ But she was barayn steryle and moche sorowfull by cause she had noo chyldren ne lygnye / ¶ The good PafuÌ„ce was moche soroufull bi cause he had noo chyldren / that myght succede to his possessyons / His wyfe hadd grete solycytude to nourysshe the poore people ¶ She seruyd god daye nyghte Contynuelly she prayed hym that it myghte playse hym to gyue her a chylde by generacyon pryncypally by cause that her husbonde was soo dysplaysaunt that he mighte haue none ¶ And he hymself semblably prayed / and forcyd hyÌ„self to finde some deuowte man that wolde praye god for hym that he myghte obteyne his desyre by the moyen of his prayers And to that ende he enlarged to the poore grete quantite of his goodes temporall / On a tyme he entred in to a monastery where he founde a good fader loued of god after the renomÌ„e of the countree for the contemplacoÌ„n of whom he frequented in the sayd monastery diuers times dooyng there his almesse tofore eâ—he declaryd his wyll desyre to the Abbot ne to the relygyouses ¶ Fynably he sayde to theym that he had all his lyfe desyred to haue generacyon but neuerthelesse he cowde not haue it / ¶ Thabbot the relygyouses desyrynge to helpe in his aduersytee prayed god for hyÌ„ in suche wise that by the will of god he had a moche fayâ— doughter the whiche after that she was .vii. yeres olde was baptysed and callyd Eufrosyne ¶ And whan she was of .iii. yere aege her moder departed out of this worlde· leuyng her husbonde alyue the whyche enfourmyd the sayd doughter aswell in letture as in good maners / And in suche wise prouffyted that not oonly her fader her parentes but also all thynhabitauÌ„tes of the cyte or the moost parte merueylled theym also of her bodyly bewte ¶ Soo it happed that for her grete vertues perfeccions she was of many desyred in maryage but al were forsaken excepte one whyche passed alle other in rychesse and in honours / ¶ In ryght yonge aege she was therto acorded / ¶ Whan she was .xviii. yere olde her fader ladd her to the monastery where he had ben accustomed to praye god And there gaaf grete quantyte of money / sayd to thabbot / ¶ Fader abbot loo here the fruyte of thy prayer / Neuertheles I am constrayned to marye her I require the to praye for her / ¶ Thabbot admonested her to lyue in honeste chastyte pacyeÌ„ce and also soueraynly to drede god / ¶ And she beÌ„ynge in this monasterye where she soiourned wyth her fader by the space of thre dayes began to haue contemplacoÌ„n in the good honeste conuersacyon of the Relygyouses And thoughte in herself that wel happy were thise men relygyouses / whiche in this worlde were semblable to angellis and in the ende of theyr lyfe sholde deserue the glorye eternell / ¶ The thre dayes passed Pafunce requyred
good purpoos / ¶ But in gooynge by the way the one wyth the other / Hopynge this holy man to haue her in to some monastery of relygyouse wymÌ„en / walked togyder so longe that they came to a chyrche at the entree of whyche they fonde a moche fayre chylde that laye on the grouÌ„de / ¶ The whiche this Porphyre moeuyd of pyte compassyon toke bare bytwyx her armes and sith nourisshed hym in the sayde abbots monastery / that whyche soone after made this Porphire a woman of religyon and made her to be callyd Pelage / ¶ Afore that sheâ— was relygyous she beynge yet in the sayd abbots monasteri MarchauÌ„tes came thyder of the cyte of Thyre that well knewe the sayde Pelage / And seenge that she had a chylde sayd to her / ¶ Haa dâ—me ye haue broughte forthe a fayr chylde to the abbot / ¶ Many other dyspytes the sayd to her and to the abbot also / Vi. or vii yere after that the childe was grete the abbot knewe by the wyll of god that in short time he shold deye / for this cause he gaaf to vnderstoÌ„de vnto this Pelage that he must nedes for certain causes go vnto the sayd cyte of Thyr / so coÌ„maunded her to make redy herself thyderwarde wyth hym and that she sholde take her chylde wyth her / ¶ Pelage that wolde not dysobeye hym toke the childe they thre togyder went in to the sayd towne / ¶ And whan they were came thider the abbot laye Incontynent syke in his bed / ¶ ThenÌ„e were tydynges shewed thrugh the cyte how the abbot that hadde ladde awaye Porphyre the â—â—â—yn woman was at poynt of dethe And anone went and vysited hym more than a hundred persones in nombre ¶ In presence of whom and also of Pelage and of the yonge chylde / The abbot callyd after cooles quycke glowyng / ¶ And Incontynent that they were broughte to him / He putt theym vppon his gowne / and sayd this / My bredren byleue that like as god kept somtyme byfore Moyses the busshe brennynge wythout to be apayred nor brente / And as att this presente houre he kepeth my gowne from harme of thise cooles glowynge / ¶ Thus for very certane I tell you that I neuer knewe the synne of this woman· wherof I am accused / Shewynge to theym beynge present the same woman and the chylde / ¶ All they were merueylled and gloryfyed god of the myracle / ¶ And anone after that the holy abbot had taken awaye the false oppynyon that they of Thyr had ouer hym he bytoke his goost in the hondes of our lorde / ¶ For this cause the holy Patryarke for said deffended that folke sholde not gyue noo sentence ouer the yonge man that had broughte the woman of Relygyon oute of her monastery as it is aboue sayde / ¶ More ouer sayd the holy Patryarke that how well men seen ofte the synners perfourme the synne of fornycacyon / Neuerthelesse men ought not to dyspyse theym nor reporte synnars / ¶ For men knowe not what secrete penauÌ„ce they haue done for to decerue the grace / ¶ And in like wise this he sayd of all other synnars / ¶ Suche ben playsauntly clothed and well arayed that who soo sholde take his vesture from his backe dame Penaunce vnder his clothes sholde be fouÌ„de / ¶ Of two Clerkes that made shone begynnyth in latyn ¶ Duobus clericis c· Caplm C.li. DVrynge the tyme that the forsayde holy Patryarke dwellyd in Alexandrie two clerkes were there that made shone for to gete theyr liuyng ¶ Th one had many chyldern to fede / And beside this he nouryshed his fader his moder / ¶ And how be it that he was constrayned to werke contynuelli for cause of the grete charge that he bare / Neuertheles he serued god dayely and herde masse sayenge many prayers and orysons / But that other hadde his thoughte all sette vpon his werke / ¶ And not oonly the dayes that were suffred and assygned to doo lawfully all manere of hondwerke But also he wroughte vpon the sondayes / vppon all other solempne dayes wherin is for boden that noo manere of hondwerke shold be vsyd / And namely thrugh the grete luste that he sett to his werke for lucre of money he slouthed the seruyce of god and herde neuer masse / ¶ But what soeuer payne that he toke he mighte not liue nor mayntene hyÌ„self Where by he fel in enuye agaynst his felow And askyd hym how it myght be that he was richer than he· seenge the grete charge that he had and also that he wrought not soo moche as he dyde / Thys other desyrynge to styre his felowe towarde god and to serue hym sayd vnto hym / That he had founde a tresour in the grounde / wherof he was become ryche / And that yf he wolde kepe hym felyshypp and goo wyth hym he sholde gyue hym parte of that he shold fynde / Where vnto he was agreed / Promysynge to here hym coÌ„panye and to goo wyth hym where some euer he wolde lede hym / ¶ Vnder shadowe of whyche promyse the seruaunt of god sette hym many dayes for goo here masse / And soo moche he vsyd hym therin / that he cowde not leue but that he went euery day to the chyrche for to here masse and serue god / And afterwarde he wexed so ryche that lyÈtly wythout nede he had from that tyme forthon to lyue more honestly wythout comparyson than he dyde afore / ¶ Wherby it apperyth that we ought fyrste to seke the reame of heuen / And god shall socour vs in our dedes / ¶ The holy Patryarke forsayde whan he knewe how this good faythfull hadd conuerted his felowe to serue god / By cause also hym thoughte he was worthi to be a preest for was he â—â—tred ynouÈ of good maners / he ordened hym to the holy order of preesthode / ¶ How the holy Patriarke was called of god for to decesse out of this worlde And begynnyth in latin ¶ Et quidem Caplm C.lii IT happed bi the suffraunce yf god that Alexandrye was subdued of theim of Perse by force of armes / The whiche aduersytee serâ—ge this holy man / and consyderynge the godly counseyle whiche is written in holy scrypture sayenge / ¶ Yf one â—egyoâ— is contrary / Goo to a nother / He made his purpoos to retourne in to Ethyper in the cyte where he was borne / ¶ The whiche thynge knowynge the Patryâ—s Niceta requyred hyÌ„ besyly that he sholde goo to the cheyf cyte of the citees for to exhorte the emperours to lyue vertuously / ¶ The holy Patryarke that neuer refusyd noo thynge that was leyfful good to noo maner of persone / coÌ„sented for to goo wyth the sayd Patryce / The shippes were Incontynent made redy and they toke the see / ¶ It happed by the wyll of god that the shyppe wherin were thise Patryarke Patrice was in
that lyke as the fysshe deyeth incoÌ„tynent that men take out of the water also peryssheth the relygyouse when he is out of his cloystre ¶ A brother asked to the abbot Poemen yf he sholde do bester his saluacyon in kepyng hym selfe all alone in his hermytage or some other solytary place / than to dwell among coÌ„panye ¶ The whiche abbot answered vnto hym / that a man whiche of himselfe wyll be corrected maye well dwelle euery where / but he that by pryde wyll enhaunse hymselfe can not abyde in no place / for it is wryten / he that thynketh hymself to be worth ony thyng where he is nought / he dysceyueth hyÌ„self ¶ In lykewyse who that boosteth hym of some good dede / yf he dooth it / he leseth his mede ¶ A broder of Egypt came ones to the abbot Zenon in Syrye / the whiche accused hyÌ„self of many synÌ„es The sayd abbot heryÌ„g his wordes was sore merueyled sayeng / the egypcyens hyddeÌ„ theyr â—tues shewe the vyces whiche they haue not / but the syryeÌ„s grekes auauÌ„ce them self of vertues that are not in them hyd theyr owne synnes ¶ An olde holy fader sayd / that he that is sore praysed worshyped of the worlde leseth the meryte of his soule / by suche praysyÌ„ges he falleth in vayne glory And he that is scorned of the worlde shall haue grete rewarde of god ¶ Yet sayd he more that lyke as it is Impossyble that the herbe the sede sholde come kyndely bothe attones / also it is Impossyble to haue the glorye of this worlde and the Ioye of heuen togyder ¶ Item al thus as a tresour whiche is knowen mynusheth wexeth lytyll / so dothe the vertu when it is knowen by hym that dothe it ¶ Item as the waxe fleteth afore the fyre / so the soule in this worlde y praysed takyng therat her reioycyng leseth her fayrenesse ¶ Whan the thynkynge of pryde or vayne glorye befyghteth vs by demyng that we be good / we ought to seke in oure conscyences yf we haue kepte all the coÌ„maundementes of god and loued our enemyes ¶ Yf we haue not be gladde when oure aduersaryes haue hadde losse of goodes / whether we haue ben wrote of theyr getynges Thenne shall we see that we dyde neuer noo good ¶ And by the same we shall eschewe this folysshe presumpcyon to trowe to be good ¶ A holy fader after he was come for to see his felowe he sayd vnto hyÌ„ Brother I am all redy deed in the worlde ¶ His felawe answered vnto him My frende trust on thy selfe tyll that tyme that thy soule shall departe out of thy bodye / for yf thou art deed / the deuyll therfore is not so / the whiche hath without noÌ„bre craftes subtyl for to deceyue vs ¶ An other holy fader was that had lyued fyfty yere without brede ete noo thyng but rotys dranke a lytyll water ¶ He sayd ones to his felawes My brethern I thanke god of that he gyueth my grace that I can eschewe fornycacyon / vayne glorye / and auaryce The abbot Abraham herynge these wordes came vnto hym / asked hym yf by auenture he fouÌ„de a woman in his celle whether he myght well kepe hym to thynke that she were there He answered nay / but he sholde neuer consent to haue hyr coÌ„panye ¶ Thenne sayd Abraham / fornycacoÌ„n is not deed yet in the but oonly it is bouÌ„de by the wyll of god for it is possyble that thou myght synne in it ¶ In lykewyse he questyoned hyÌ„ of couetyse / askynge to hym yf he seeyng some golde among some stones sholde mowe kepe hyÌ„ from thynkyng that it were golde / so answerd he nay / but he sholde not haue apetyt to take it Thyrdly he asked hyÌ„ yf two men / of whiche the one hated hyÌ„ / the other loued hyÌ„ / came to his house / whether he sholde receyue them y lyke He answered nay / but he sholde coÌ„strayne his wyll for to do as good chere to the one as to the other ¶ And what by these questyons / as by his answeres / the holy fader Abraham shewed hym clerely / that our passyons be neuer deed / but oonly are bounden For vnto the laste artycle of the dethe we all are in puyssaunce to do synne / wherfore we ought not to prayse oure selfe ¶ An olde hermyte dwelled in a desert wounderfull lowe / with hym hauÌ„ted full ofte a seculer man for to serue him that had a childe whiche in certayn tyme fell syk / that whiche thyng seeyng his fader he prayed the sayd holy man that he wolde go vnto his house for to see his childer to th ende that by his prayers he might be made hole This holy hermyte graunted hyÌ„ his request wente with hyÌ„ / when they came nyghe the sayd house / the fader of the childe coÌ„maunded that men sholde come ayenst the holy man with lampes torches The hermyte seyng the grete honour that men dyde vnto hym / he vnclothed hymselfe all naked began for to wasshe his clothes in a water ¶ Thenne the fader of the childe sayd to them that came ayenst him Tourne ayen home tourne ayen I see well that oure holy man hath loste his entendement After he asked hym the cause why in the presence of soo many folke he had done so grete a folye / saynge that they sholde wene that he were from his wytte and full of the deuyll ¶ Thenne answered the hermyte that none other thyng he wolde not here ¶ A grete lorde that was Iuge of the prouynce where dwelled the abbot Moyses wolde goo see hym When Moyses knewe it / he fledde awaye / as by hap he mette with the sayd lord by the waye whiche asked hym where dwelled the abbot Moyses He answered him / why he sought aboute for to see a fole and a wycked heretyke ¶ The Iuge thenne wente ayen to the chirche sayd to the clerkes how he had mette an hermyte that had sayd vnto hym that the abbot Moyses was but an heretyke Thenne the clerkes asked hym what maner a man it was that he had seen He sayd it was a man grete blacke sore olde and clothed with fowle habytes ¶ Thenne they knewe that it was he wherof the Iuge was sore on angred wente his waye for dyspyte ¶ The abbot Sysoyns dwellynge in the moâ—tayne where saynt Anthonye was buryed / a good man acompanyed with a childe of his wente there for to see hym for to receyue his blessynge ¶ It happed by the wyll of god that his childe deyed by the waye / wherof neuertheles the fader angred not hym selfe / but takyng his Infortune pacyently / he bare his childe deed to the celle or lytyll house of the sayd abbot And as he cam in he fouÌ„de him in his prayers So dyd he sprede afore his fete his sayd childe / he hym selfe kneled
same man in presence of all the assystens began to telle openly / how he was a grete synner hadde hooly gyuen hym selfe in tyme passed vnto many a grete synne foule abhomynable And how entryng in the chirche he had herde the wordes of our lorde / sayeng by the mouthe of Ysaye the prophete ¶ Wasshe your selfe be clene / put awaye the malyces synnes from your soules / for to be present purely clenely before my presence / lerne to do good / seke Iustyce ryghtwysnesse ¶ And yf your synnes be reed enflaÌ„med by the bronde of coÌ„cupyscence / in dooyng this the sayd is / they shall become whyte as snowe ¶ And also yf ye wyll here me do that I saye / ye shall ete of the goodes of the erthe ¶ And morouer sayd the sayd repentauÌ„t synner I am a wretched fornycatour whiche is touched with coÌ„punccoÌ„n thrugh the sayd wordes of thou prophete / entryng within the chirche I haue sayd vnto god in my corage Syre I knowe that thou art he that is come for to saue the synners / wherfore humbly I praye the that now it wyll please the to accomplysshe in me vnworthy synner that that the hast promysed by the mouthe of the holy prophete And fro this tyme I promyse the with all myn herte / that I shall nomore retourne in to my synne And in witstondyng to all wyckednes and Iniustyce I thynke me to serue the with coÌ„scyence pure clene From this daye thenne from this houre wyll thou wouchesaufe to receyue me as veray penytent / worshypyng thy souerayn god hede forsakyng all my synnes / the whiche thyng thou ought not to refuse me seen that I haue in my self stablysshed sworen to kepe all thy Iustyfycacyons ¶ And vnder this promesse the forsayd penytent sayd that he was come out of the sayd chirche ordeynyng in hym selfe neuer to do synne ¶ The whiche thynges heryng that sayd good olde men beyng there / they began to crye to god warde sayeng in this wyse O lord god how grete praysyngly ben thy werkes / that hast done all thynges in wysdom ¶ The abbot Iosephell goynge with some other good olde faders toward the abbot Poemen / one of the frendes of the sayd Poemen brought afore his monasterye a childe of his / that IncoÌ„uenyentes vexacoÌ„ns of the deuyll had the face all dysfygured / the whiche frende syttyng with his sayd childe without the sayd monasterye wept with grete habondauÌ„ce of teeres And one of the sayd good olde faders heryng that weylynge sorowes of the fader of the sayd childe / was gone out of the sayd monasterye for to wyte who moeued hyÌ„ for to wepe so / he axed hym of the cause Wherat he answered / that he was kynnesman vnto the sayd abbot Poemen / was come there to the ende he myght haue thrugh his meane the helth to the sayd childe / whiche neuerthelesse he feered to haue brought within the chirche doubtyng that the sayd abbot Poemen whiche had feere to haue bruyt renoÌ„mee that he sholde make myracles / wolde haue put hym out agayn Sayeng morouer that he seeyng the sayd holy faders come there / he had purposed vnder theyr confydence that he sholde bryng there his sayd childe And after castyng his wordes towarde the abbot Iosephell forsayd / he sayd thus to hyÌ„ ¶ Holy fader haue mercy vpon me my childe make hym to be brought therin with the / to th ende that the holy fader Poemen seeyng hyÌ„ he wyll praye god for hym ¶ The whiche abbot Iosephell beryng the same childe to the celle of the sayd Poemen vsyng with wyse counseyll presented hym not at fyrst metyng vnto the abbot Poemen For he wolde not haue be well contente yf he hadde seen that the sayd Iosephell sholde haue had so grete trust of hym / as for to haue heled hym by myracle / but he presented hym vnto the lower brethern sayd to them ¶ My brethern blesse thy childe praye god for hym / after he requyred the other brothern to do so lykewyse / folowyngly he came to the sayd abbot Poemen to whom he made lyke Requeste But neuertheles he wolde not entromytte hyÌ„ therof And where all theym beyng present requyred hyÌ„ to praye with theym as they dyde / he was content to do so So stode he vp wepyng prayed with that other in this maner O my god thy wyll be for to helpe this childe whiche is thy creature / suffre no lenger that the sende haue ony domynacoÌ„n ouer hym The whiche oryson fynysshed the sayd childe blessyd by hyÌ„ with the sygne of the crosse / he was anone gyuen hole sonde vnto his fader ¶ Somtyme one of the holy faders was axed / yf pouerte was a parfytte good / the whiche answered that it was a grete afflyccyon / but who that susteyneth it wylfully all â—e it he be tormented with it in his flesshe / neuerthelesse in beryng the same he fyndeth the reste of his owne soule ¶ A yonge Relygyouse made suche a questyon to an olde relygyouse / that is to wyte / yf a brother of his ought hyÌ„ a lytyll somme of moneye yf he sholde are it hyÌ„ or no. To the whiche that olde answered that he myght well are it with humylyte ones oonly ¶ And the yong sayd to hym Yf he wyll not paye me thenne / what ought I to do ¶ Thou shalt sayd the other speke nomore of it Ye but sayd the yong monke I shall not haue power to breke my corage but that I shall be to hym hasty or callyng therupon Wherat the olde answered / thou muste be mayster of thy selfe / chyde with thyn owne selfe oonly / to th ende that thou angre not thy brother / for thou ought to kepe the there from as besely as thou canst / seen namely that thou art a Relygyouse ¶ An other yong broder Requyred one the was olde / that he wolde telle hyÌ„ how by what maner he myght gete parfytte mekenesse Wherat he answered that he sholde come to it lyghtly / yf he wolde consyder his owne wyckednesse / not they of other / sayng with this / that the perfeccion of man is humylyte of asmoche as the man abateth hyÌ„selfe lowe by humylyte / so moche more is he enhauÌ„sed by his humylyte / for lyke as the cursed synne of pryde yf hit wyll be areysed vnto heuen / is confounded ouerthrawen vnto the betom of helle All thê° humilyte yf it descendeth vnto the lowest degre / it is then exalted vnto heuen ¶ The holy abbot Macharye walkynge on a tyme by the desertes / fouÌ„de in his waye vpon the erthe the hede of a dede man whiche hede he tourned with his staffe ouer all sydes / thus doyng be herde the hede that sorowed weyled And bycause it sowned no worde that be coude vnderstande
dnÌ„i Et erit tanquaÌ„ lignuÌ„ / The whiche verses by hyÌ„ considred said that they suffysid to bryÌ„ge a man to euerlastyng lyf / After that he had be thre dayes wyth theym he went in to an hermitage whan he was in desert he ete noo thyng but rotes kept right dyligently the vertues whiche the prestes had delyuerd yeue to hyÌ„ not onÌ„ly in wordes· but also by effect operacoÌ„ns / And after this he retourned to theim whiche were moche abasshed how sodenly he was become so vertuoê° in ledyng soo harde strayte a lyf / they constreyned hyÌ„ for to dwell emonge theim / ThenÌ„e he wyllyng not to dysobey soiournod wyth theim a weke· that whiche passed he retorned in to desert / And was there vii· yere in grete abstynence in kepyng holy scrypture / ete no thyng but brede / that on the son daye / Whiche brede was mynystred to hym by grace diuyne / For whan he rose fro prayer he fonde the brede alle redy wythout bryngyng of ony persone / His refeccoÌ„n take he ete nomore tyl the nexte sonday folowyng After longe tyme he retorned fro desert / many were by him coÌ„uerted to penauÌ„ce Emong whoÌ„ a yonge man camÌ„ to hym for to be his dyscyple / ThenÌ„e clad hyÌ„ the holy man with thabyte of hermytes whiche was of the skyuÌ„e of a ghote / after enfourmyd him wyth the rules of heremytes Hrewith he had grete besynesse to bury the dede bodyes yf ony had passed out of this worlde / WhaÌ„ the childe that was his discyple saw his spirytuel fader thê° bury the dede men in clothyng theim honestli ThenÌ„e sayd he I wolde well that my fader shold clothe me thus whan I wer deed And the holy man sayd to him so shal I doo shall yeue to the asmoche as that shal saye it suffyseth / After a lytyll tyme the childe deyed was buried with his fayr fader / And whan he had wrapped him in fayr vestyments he demauÌ„ded him yf it suffised / The chylde that was tho deed answerd tofore al them that were presence there ye / that he had ynouz that his promyse was acoÌ„plysshed / ThenÌ„e all they that were present were moche admerueylled / After that the chylde was buryed the holy fader retorned in to his hermitage / whä he had be long tyme there he came ayen to vysyte his bredern in cominge it was shewed to hyÌ„ that one of hem was in deyeng And by cause it was late he hasted hyÌ„ for to see him at leest or he deyed for he was ferre fro the place where the seke man laye / that dyde he considering that our lord sayth / that we ouÈt to walke whyle we haue light For who that walketh in lyght / that is to say in instyce he offeÌ„dyth not god / therfore by cause the the sonÌ„e decluâ—ed theuynge came on He coÌ„masided to the sonÌ„e in the name of god that he shold cary yeue his lyghte vnto the time that he were comÌ„ vnto the place where the seke man was / And anone the sonÌ„e taried abode vnto the tyme that he was come / ThenÌ„e the bredern were abasshed demauÌ„ded at his comynge frowhens proceded the tarienge of the sonÌ„e / And he answerd ne remeÌ„bre ye not that our loâ—ue sayth / that who someuer hath somoche fayth as the greyne of mustard / of whiche of one grayne come procede infynyte greynes c· Anone the bredern vnderstoden that it was by his merytes that the sonne had be fixed in his syege and trone / And whan he was entred to to the place where as the seke man was / for whom he had so hasted for to come he fonde hym deed / And incontynente the holy man Mucyns kyssed hym in demauÌ„dyng him / Answere to me my broder / Whether haddest thou leuer â—e deed wyth IhuÌ„ Cryst or to come lyue agayn in this worlde / And the bâ—odder answerde / Alas my fader wherfore demaundest thou me this questyon / Thou knowest wel that it is of necessite that I be wyth my god / For. for to be in the worlde nys but myserye / Fader hermyte sayd he thenne to hym / Now goo thy waye thenÌ„e my sone / and praye for me ThenÌ„e the broder layd hym downe agayn in the bedde as he had slepte / Of whyche thynge they that were present were moche abasshed / For they knewe well that he was a man of God of holy lyfe / And this done the holy fader cladde the corps like as he was acustomyd to burye theym that were deed / walked all the nighte in prayers / And after the sayd holy man went to vysite a nother broder that laye on deyenge / And by cause that this broder doubted to be reproued of his lyfe tofore god / Prayed the holy man that he wolde gete of god that his dayes myghte be proloÌ„ged / to th eÌ„de that he myght ameÌ„de his lyfe / the holy fader answerd / What hast that do al thâ— lyf / Hast thou had no space to do penauÌ„ce thou woldest neuer lasse thy synÌ„es but alway haste augmented heÌ„ notwythstoÌ„dyng sayd the holy maÌ„ iâ— thou wylt promyse cameÌ„de thy coÌ„scyence satysfye for thy synÌ„es we shal praye god for ye. they put beÌ„ al to prayer anone after the holy maÌ„ had prayed the lyfe of the broder to be proloÌ„ged thre yere ThenÌ„e the holy man reysed hym out of his bed the frere beyng al hole went wyth him in to deserte / And whaÌ„ the iii. yeres were acoÌ„plysshed he brouÈt hyÌ„ ayen in the place where he had take hyÌ„ ledyng moâ—e the lyfe of an angel than of a man Wherof all the bredern were admerueyled that he was becomÌ„ in so perfyte lyf / After that the freres wer asseÌ„bled he beyng in the myddes amonge hem / the holy man began to preche of the penauÌ„ce coÌ„uersacoÌ„n of the sayd broder al the nyght And in makyÌ„g the sayd sermon lyke as the broder had be a slepe / he rendred gaue vp his spiryte vnto the holy sayntes to heuen his body was buryed / And after the seruyce done the holy man retorned in to deserte / in goynge thyder oftymes he passed the ryuer of Nyle / whyche is a ryuer merueylously grete depe / yet he neuer entred therin depper than to his knees whiche is a thynge moche merueylous / Another tyme the deuyll preseÌ„ted to hym tresours infinyte whyche he said that thei had be loÌ„ging to kyÌ„g Pharao were hyd in therth / The holy man Mucyns answerd to hyÌ„ / the and thi money be in perdicoÌ„n perpetuel / Oftymes he entred in to the hous of the bredern there where al the dores were shytt closed / whaÌ„ he wold in a moment he made a grete way And as saynt copret recouÌ„ted of the holy men tofore sayd one of
of the grace of god whanÌ„e they shall crye to god ¶ Haue we not dryuen awaye the deuylles in thy name / And many other vertues haue ben done in callynge the / and makynge Inuocacyon to god the blessed and very Iudge / ¶ To theym that he knowyth that heryth not hys sygne / He shall ansuere to theym / Certayne I knowe you not / for ye haâ—e neuer myn enseygne / ¶ After god shall say to theim / Goo ye a backe from me for ye haue ben alwaye euyll chyldren of Inyquyte / ¶ Saynt Anthonye sayd afterward / By cause it is harde to knowe the comynge of the good angell or euyll / ¶ We oughte to praye hym that it playse hym to gyue to vs scyence to conne dyscerne / ¶ For after the scrypture we oughte not byleue euery spyryte / ¶ On a tyme the deuylles came to saynt Anthonye / Whyche sayde to hym ¶ Anthonye we come to shewe to the oure lyghte / And Incontynent saynt Anthonye closyd his eyen and wolde not see theym / But putte hymselfe to prayer his even closyd / And anone the lyghte of the deuyllis quenched / ¶ A nother tyme they came and songe tofore hym / And spake togyder of holy scrypture / But that notwythstondyÌ„ge saynt Anthonye stopped his eeres / ¶ A nother tyme they made his monastery to tremble and shake / But he in his thoughte abode vnmoeuable / And prayed to god constauntly / ¶ Ofte tymes they came spryngynge and syflynge tofore hym wyth an hyghe voyce ¶ But Incontynent as he retorned to god theyr noyce and tempest torned into lityll noyce / that vnneth sayde saynt Anthonye myghte here it ¶ On a time camÌ„ one whiche had his body wonderly grete and sayde he had the vertue of god / The whiche demauÌ„ded of saynt Anthonye what he wolde haue of hym / ¶ And whanne he sawe hym soo grete He armyd him Incontynent wyth prayer / And toke the sheelde of fayth / By whyche anone he became as lytyl as half a fote ¶ A notherey me came the deuyll in fourme of a Relygyous man broughte to hym and sayd to hym / It is tyme that thou ete / thou haste ouerlonge fasted / Take corporell refcceyon to th ende that thou be not seke / ¶ Anone after saynt Anthonye byhelde hym and sawe that his face was pale / And putt hymself to prayer / And thenne the deuyll wente his waye by the wyndowe lyke vnto fume or smoke / ¶ A nother tyme he presented hym golde for to dysceyue hym / But he neuer wolde loke on it / ¶ A nother tyme came the deuyll knocked atte the doore of his monastery whan saynt Anthonye went out he sawe hym soo grete that him semed that his heed raughte to heuen ¶ ThenÌ„e saynt Anthonie demaunded hym what he was and what thyng he soughte / And he ansuered that he was callyd Sathanas / And that he came thyder by cause the Relygyouses dyspysed hym / And alle Crysten men cursyd hym / ¶ And saynt Anthonye ansuerd that it is well right and requysyte that all Crysten folke despyse curse hym / ¶ For ofte by his temptacyons he broughte theym in hate / the one agaynste a nother / ¶ Where vpon the deuyll ansuered· that he dyde not But they theymself were angry togider / ¶ And more ouer the deuyll sayde to hym / That the myghte and puyssaunce of the deuylles was faylled by the moyen of the passyon of Ihesu Cryst / And that they had noo more noo cytee ne other place for to enhabyte in / By cause the name of god was reclamed and named in al townes and cytees / And also in desertes whyche ben enhabyted by Relygyouses and heremytes / Thenne saynt Anthonye hauynge the grace of god with him ansuered prudently / ¶ I byleue not that thou weneste to saye trouthe / For thou arte the capitayne of lesyÌ„ge and of fallaces ¶ But thou art constrayned to saye this sentence whyche is true / ¶ Certaynly Ihesu Cryste pryued the of alle thy strengthest and vertues syth the tyme that thou lostest thy beawte of an aungell by the spotte of thy synne / ¶ And Incontynent that saynt Anthonye had achyeuyd his prayer / The sayde deuyll vanysshed awaye ¶ Saynt Anthonie sayde thenne to his relygiouses / My brethern drede not the Illusyons of the deuyll / ¶ For god whyche hathe putt from vs the deuylles / And that aybdyth wyth vs / As longe as we ben in grace / He shall kepe vs from theyr dyuerse temptacyons / ¶ Lete vs sette oure charge to resyste wythstonde theyr tytulacyons and cauyllacyons as moche as we maye / For whanne they knowe that oure thoughtes ben vayne freeyll and Inconstaunt They putte theym in to the bodyes of men / ¶ And as theues houndes wulues enraged they rauysshe body soule / ¶ Iob by his stedfaste fayth ouercame the deuyll / ¶ And Iudas was the contrarye / ¶ The pryncypall thynge and moost necessarye for to vaynquysshe and ouercome the deuyll is to take playsaunce in spyrytuell thynges / and to haue contynuelly his herte to god / ¶ This vertue makith the deuylles to flee as the smoke vanysshyth awaye / ¶ Therfore my brethern sayde saynt Anthonye yf ony vysyon come to vs / it must hardely be demaunded who is he that preseÌ„tyth hym tofore vs / whens he comyth / ¶ And yf it be the aungell of god / The drede that we had shall to urne Incontynent in to Ioye / ¶ But yf it be the deuyll / And yf he be demaunded of a deuoute soule / Incontynent he shall departe / ¶ After that saynt Anthonye had made his exhortacyons / Eeuery one of the brethern was merueyllously enioyed / And after they enforcyd theym to gete vertues / ¶ And they that hadd hadde tofore but lytyll faythe were confermyd· and hadd perfyâ—ghte fayth / ¶ And the other toke awaye all folysshe oppynyons from theyr thoughtes / In suche wyse that after they dradde not ony temptacion of the deuyll / But were more abasshed how saynt Anthonye hadde theym soo highly Instruct or taught theym to knowe dyfference of the good aungell and of the wyckyd and euyll / ¶ In the tyme that Maxymyan persecuted the Crysten people / Saynt Anthonye lefte his monastery sayenge to his brethern / Lete vs goo wyth our brethern martyrs / To th ende that we ben martred wyth theym / Or att leest that we see theim suffre martyrdom / ¶ By the whyche wordes it appyereth many festly that thenne was saynt Anthonye martyr in wyll / ¶ And whanne ony was broughte tofore the Iudge He comforted theym in sayenge / that they sholde not feere the dethe / But sholde be constaunt or stedfaste in the faythe / ¶ The Iudge seeng the constaunce of saynt Anthonye of his felowes was honâ—â—bly an angryd And dyde doo for bede that noo Relygyous sholde abyde in the towne
Notwythstondynge that he hadd dwelled in deserte His fame renommee was soo grete in Yytalye in Spayn and in Fraūce that none was lyke / ¶ And in hym hathe be verefyed the worde of our blessyd Sauyour and Redemer Ihesu Criste / Sayenge that he that mekyth hym shall be exalted / As he hath be thorugh alle the worlde / In whyche in dyuerse partyes and regyons ben yet done myracles withoute nombre to the praysynge and exaltacyon of his gloryous name / As well vpon the bodyes of mankynde / As vppon the brute beestes and vnresonable / In suche wyse that emonge alle the other gloryous sayntes / He is ryghte deuoutly adoured and prayed vnto / ¶ Lete vs thenne praye hym deuowtly that it playse hym to praye to god for vs myserable synnars / to that that his worthy playsure be to gyue vs ferme constaunt wyll and affeccyon to dyspyse by his ensample this present worlde in suche manere / that fynably we may obteyne the reame of heuen / ¶ Thus endyth the lyfe of the blessyd saynt Anthonye And after folowyth the lyfe of saynt Hylaryon Heremyte / And begynnyth in latyn ¶ Hilarion ortus Caplm .xxvii. SAynt Hylaryon was borne in the countree of Palestyne in a towne namyd Thabatha fyue myle fro a cyte called Gasa or ther abowtes / ¶ He was as a Rose flourysshynge emonge the thornes / For his fader was a Paynem and serued thydollis / But Hylaryon serued god ¶ His fader sente hym in to Alexandrye for to lerne the science of Gramaire / In the whyche he was suffysauntly Instructe after his yonge aege / But that more is of valewe he lerned the very scyence of the faythe of Cryste / ¶ For he byleuyd in Ihesu Cryste / ¶ He beynge a scoler fledde all vyces and synnes despysyng generally alle the vanytees of the worlde / And occupyed hymself oonly to serue god and holy chyrche / ¶ Whan̄e he herde the renōmee of saynt Anthonye / whyche was strongely spradde in alle Egypte / He wente to see hym / And he beinge there arryued / chaunged his habyte / And was there .ij. monethes wyth hym in contemplacōn and Ioyeng the grete humylytee of saynt Anthonye / ¶ And as he receyued humaynly the brethern that wolde be Relygyous wyth hym / In lyke wyse as he was hymselfe harde and sharpe to correcte theim soo he was redy to admonest theym ¶ He was sobre in metes / And he was neuer syke for what someuer abstynence he dyde / ¶ Whanne the holy fader Hylaryon had seen his holy conuersacyon / He retorned wyth some Relygyouses in to the house of his fader / Whom he founde and his nyece also deed and departed oute of this worlde / ¶ And in contynent as towched of the holy ghoste· he distrybuted his parte of theyr godes to poore folke / and reserued no thȳge for hymselfe / In consyderynge the scrypture that sayth / That he whyche renoucyth not alle that he possessyth maye not be dyscyple of Ihesu Cryste ¶ And how well that he was not but fyftene yeres olde / ¶ Neuerthelesse he wente alle naked abowte seuen myles ferre from the forsayde cytee of Gaza in to a place full of theues And whan his frendes told hym the peryll / to whiche he wente to / ¶ He ansuered that he that wold eschew the dethe perdurable oughte to dyspyse the dethe naturell / ¶ Alle men merueylled of his life con / syderynge his aege / whyche was yet so tendre / And neuerthelesse endured somothe payne / ¶ His clothynge was oonly of a sacke and a mantell of pellycon whyche saynt Anthonye had gyuen to hym / ¶ The deuyll seenge the lyffe of this childe by cause he myght not calle hym agayne to the worlde / Tormented hym strongly to the ende to ouercome hym and brynge hym vnder his rule / ¶ He bete hym wyth fystes on his breste sayenge to him / ¶ Lytyll Asse I shall well kepe the from gooynge backe / Thou shalte not haue oonly barley breede for to ete / but shalt deye for hūgre and thurste / ¶ In Somer I shall make the to haue colde / And I shal put the in suche astate that thou shalte not remembre but for to ete and drynke wythoute to thynke on god / ¶ The holy chylde ete not in thre or four dayes but a lityll herbes and fygges ¶ Yet for to augmente encreace hys penaunce in fastynge he laboured the erthe / And made fyscellis wouen wyth Rede and Ionkes / In consyderynge that he that takyth noo payne to labour is not worthy to ete / ¶ On a nyghte he herde many dyuerse voyces lyke the voyces of a chylde / the bletynge of shepe / the lowynge of oxen the clamour of wymmen the crye of lions and many other dyuerse voyces / ¶ And all this dyde the deuyll whyche supposed to haue broughte hym out of his wytte by the feere of the herynge / And after by his eyen / ¶ And he anone knelyd downe and markyd his forhede wyth the sygne of the Crosse / And after he lokyd on that one syde that other / wenynge to haue seen the beestes and the other thynges / Wherof he had herde the voys / And Incontynent he sawe theym in a carte whiche horses drewe rennynge as they hadde ben wood / ¶ Thenne he began̄e to crye and calle the name of Ihesu / And anone the erthe opened / ¶ And alle the companye soo cryenge and howlynge sonke downe in to the pytte of helle / ¶ Thenne beganne he to saye thyse wordes wreten in the Cantycle of the cursyd Pharao whyche sayth thus / ¶ The horse the man that was vpon hym / God hathe throwen theym in the see / The deuylles goon in the lykenesse of horse chariottes / But we shall be borne in the name of our lorde / The enmyes of hell enuyous of our Redempcyon present to vs soo many of dyuers and cursyd temptacyons / that wyth grete payne it is possyble to recyte theym / ¶ Often tymes whanne the blessyd chylde Hylary on slepte / The deuyll in lykenesse of a woman all naked shewed hym to him ¶ Whanne he ete he presented to hym the remembraunce of dyuerse metes / ¶ Some tyme whanne he was in prayer he passed byfore hym lyke a wulffe howlynge / A nother tyme lyke a foxe / A nother tyme lyke a bataylle of men armed In suche wyse that one lete him selfe falle tofore hym in demaundyng hym sepulture / ¶ On a tyme as he laye flatte vpon the grounde makynge his prayers to god / came the deuyll behynde hym / Whyche smote hym on the heles and on the backe and on the heede sayeng / Aryse thou Hylaryon / Wherfore slepest thou / ¶ But not for alle that he moeuyd hym noo thynge / He was soo moche rauysshyd in his prayers / ¶ From that tyme as he was syxtene yeres olde he withdrewe hym
therfore it is to be noted that after the deth of her husbonde Toxocius / She dystrybuted and dealed that one halfe of his godes vnto the poore people / Of whyche some were nourisshed and other clothed And other after theyr dethe buryed / ¶ And whanne a poore body was susteyned and holpen of a nother thanne of her / Anone she was sory as though she hadd loste moche good / ¶ Whan she had longe tyme ladde suche holy lyfe / She wolde not endure and suffre the praysynge of the worlde ¶ For by the occasyon of that she was of noble lygnage many lordes came to vysyte her / ¶ Thenne she beganne to dyspyse the honoure temporall / In desyrynge to goo to deserte for to doo penaunce / ¶ In that tyme it happed that the bysshoppis of the Eest and of the Weste came to Rome for the decension and stryfe of some chyrches ¶ Emonge whom saynt Paula sawe a notable a good man namyd Paulyn Bysshop of Anthyoche / ¶ And a nother namyd Epysanus bysshopp of the cytee of Salamonye in Cypres / The whyche cyte now is called Constance ¶ And the sayd Epifanus was lodged in her howse ¶ And for the grete vertues of the same Bysshoppis she was enflammed wyth loue of god more thanne tofore / ¶ And concluded in herselfe to leue her house in suche manere / That for chyldren ne for the noblesse of her howsene for possessyons that she had she myght neuer be wythdrawen from her holy purpoos / ¶ And after that the Wynter was passed The same Bysshopps putt theym to the see for to retorne to their chirches ¶ Thenne she wente wyth theym for to goo to the hermytages of saynt Anthonye and of saynt Paule Heremytes ¶ After that she hadde saylled by the see / She descended atte a Porte namyd Fratre / And there came to her alle her parentes and frendes / ¶ And that was more pietoê° came thider her childer whyles they arryued and came a londe The shyppes beyng thenne redy for to saylle and take the see / her chyldren were atte Ryuage or hauen / ¶ The lytyll Toxocius helde vpp his hondes to hys moder saynt Paula / And her doughter Ruffine whiche was redy to be maried wepte and prayed her that she wolde tarie abyde tyll the weddynge were done / But the good lady garnisshed with ferme constaunce helde vp her hondes and eyen vnto heuen / In hauynge more grete pyte on her soule thanne of her chyldren / ¶ To whom she shewed noo more affeccyon / thanne yf they hadde not ben her chyldren / Ne she theyr moder / ¶ Now oughte it here to be noted that Nature oughte to be strongely moeuyd to pytee and compassyon whanue she sawe her chyldren thus strongely wepe after her ¶ But neuerthelesse she was constaunt and stedfaste and retourned not / ¶ Alas there is noo martyrdom more sharpe than to departe from frendes / ¶ Alas is this not a werke agaynst nature To leue forsake and abandonne thus her children Ye maye well thynke that she hadd grete faythe / and synguler loue to god / ¶ And it maye well be byleuyd that she was soo wyse and prudente that she louyd theym of a feruente loue well ordeyned / ¶ For tofore or she departed she hadde gyuen to theym alle her good / ¶ Alas she was dysheryted in this worlde for to make her ryche in a nother worlde / ¶ The shyppe thenne sessyd not to saylle for ony prayer that her chyldren made / ¶ But by cause she myghte not see theim wythoute some heuynesse she torned her eyen from theym / and from the Rynage or cooste where as they were / ¶ In effecte the shyppe saylled soo scire that after many dayes they airyued and came a londe in thyles of Pounce / ¶ And by cause the wynde was not grete but ouer calme amonge the stony see and many peryllous passages Of whiche that one was namyd Cylla / A nother Carthdis An other Adriaticus whyche ben daungeours in the see for the rockes that ben there / They descended and came a londe And in goinge a londe she felte her membres soo wery and ouermoche trauaylled as she sholde haue deyed ¶ There she toke a lytyll refecedcoÌ„n for to comfort her / ¶ After that she had be in Citharee in Rhodes and in other many yles She came in to the yle of Cypre / In whyche place she soiourned bi the space of ten dayes wyth the sayd Bysshopp Epyfanius / ¶ Thenne whanne she hadde vysited alle the monasteryes there she toke the see and came on londe in Scylence ¶ After she came in to Anthyoche there she was a lytyll tyme wyth the bysshopp Paulyne / ¶ Alas the good lady whyche woned to be borne wyth .x. Emuches had not in walkynge all thyse wayes and other here tofore declared but a poore Asle Vpon whiche she sate ¶ And she vysited not oonly the holy places in the yles tofore declared but also she was in theym of Syrye of Fenyce / ¶ How well that of theym saynt Iherom makyth noo mencyon / ¶ For he hath wreten oonly that whyche hathe be founde in holy hystoryes / ¶ After that she had passed Iherico Romayn and Colugne / She entred in to a lytyll towne namyd Sarepta bytwene Thyrye and Syrye / ¶ And by cause she wente abowte alle that londe it were a longe thynge to recounte what she dyde in that vyage / ¶ Fynably she came in to Iherusalem the whiche cytee hath thre names / That is to wyte Iehus Salem and Iherusalem / Whan she was comen thider / The pryncypall of the cytee / hauynge the offyce of Proconsull made to be arayed for her a lytyll place like an hermitage / ¶ But tofore er she soiourned there she wente to vysite the holy places / and to worshipp the holy Crosse wheron oure lorde was crucyfyed for the Redempcyon of man kynde / ¶ Now thynke we how many teeres she lete there thenne falle whanne she byhelde by a merueyllouse câ—mpunccyon / As yf oure lorde had yet ben there / ¶ In lyke wyse she came to the Sepulture / whyche was not wythout kyssynge and worshyppynge deuououtly / ¶ After in to the mount of Syon / whiche Dauyd reedefied / where she sawe the pyler bysprente wyth the precyous blood of our lorde / To the whyche he hadd be bounden for to be beten byfore Pylate / ¶ There also she sawe in the place in whyche after the prophecye of Ioel. the holy ghoste descended vppon syxe score persones / ¶ After she wente to Betheleem / And on the ryghte syde of the waye she taryed to see the Sepulcre of Rachel in the place where Beniamyn was borne / ¶ After she came in to the place where oure lorde was borne in the stable / Where she beganne to be in contemplacyon / And remembred how the chylde was layed and wrapped in lytyll
atte the abbot that he wolde gyue the benedyecyon to his doughter And they wolde retorne in to the cyte / ¶ And thus sayeng she kneled downe on bothe her knees tofore hym in sayenge / My fader I byseche the that it may playse the to pray for me to the ende that god woll saue my poore soule / ¶ Thise wordes sayde the Abbot layed his honde vppon her ¶ The god that knoweth the creatures tofore they were born blesse the and make the to haue parte in his Reame / ¶ After that tyme as ofte as her fader founde ony Relygyous persone· he lad hym in to his house And prayed hym to praye for her / ¶ The Abbot hadde a custome to make feeste and solempnytee the day that he was Instituted Abbot of his monastery / ¶ That daye comynge he sent to the house of Pafunce for to praye him to come to that solempnytee / ¶ The relygyous that came founde not the say-Pafunce att home / ¶ But it was tolde hym by his seruauntes that he was gone oute / ¶ Eufrosme that seenge called the Relygyous and axyd of hym many thynges / ¶ Fyrste how many bredern were in his monastery / The Relygyous sayde that there were thre hundred two and fyfty / ¶ After she axyd yf there were ony dyffyculte to receyue in to the Relygyon of ony that wolde rendre hyÌ„ Relygyous / ¶ To whom he answered that nay / Sayenge that oure lord god hadde sayd that who soo euer wolde come to hym he wolde not caste hym out from hym / ¶ Thyrdly she demaunded yf they songe the psalmes alle togyder And also how they fasted / He ansuered that eueryche fasted after his power / But they songe alle togyder ¶ And also she asked of alle the rules of the sayde monasterye / And he tolde alle to her ¶ After she sayde to the sayde Relygyous that her wyll was to lede the state and lyfe of Relygyon / But she dradde moche to offende her fader Whyche wolde doo her to be maryed / ¶ The Relygyous sayde to her / My syster delyuere not thy body to a man mortall but to god whyche is Inmortall gyue thy beaulte / And secretely take the habyte of a man / and make thyselfe Relygyouse in some monastery where some euer it be / ¶ Whyche thynge herynge the sayd doughter was greteli comforted and reioyced / ¶ But neuerthelesse she had in herselfe some heuynesse / By cause that she cowde not aduyse her by what moyen she myghte doo and accomplysshe this thynge / For she durste not truste in ony laye man / ¶ The Relygyouse sayde to her / Thy fader shall be thre or four dayes in the Abbaye / ¶ And therfore sende for some deuowte Relygyouse man / Whyche ryght gladly shall pourueye for thy caas / ¶ And thus as they deuysed togyder came her fader / Whyche demaunded of the Relygyous the cause of his comynge thyder / ¶ The whyche sayd to hym that his Abbot prayed hym that it wolde playse hym to come to the solempnytee of his feest / ¶ Pafunce moche Ioyous of his comynge wente in to a shyp wyth the Relygyous and came to the monasterye / ¶ Incontynent that they were departed / Saynt Eufrosyne desyrynge to accomplysshe and fuldoo her purpoos and entencyon sente for to seche a Relygyous of the monastery of the Abbot Theodocyen / The whyche beynge comen to her she anone recyted to hym and tolde her caas and entencyon / ¶ And that whyche she hadde enterprised to doo and accomplysshe / ¶ And thenne he herynge thyse fayre and deuowte wordes sayde to her / ¶ My loue and frende god hathe taughte vs. that who that renouÌ„cyth not fader and moder theyr chyldren and theymselfe by theyr free wyll is not worthy to be dyscyple of our lorde Ihesu Cryste / ¶ And therfore I saye yf thou mayst thou oughtest to renounce thy parents and kinnesfolke for to ensewe and folowe Ihesu Cryste / ¶ Remembre the not· ne take noo thoughte for the herytage of thy fader for there â—en ynow of poore wydowes and of poore monasteries to whom he may dystrybute and deale his goodes / ¶ Saynt Eufrosine ansuerd I truste in god and· in thy wordes / And praye the that thou wolâ—e praye for me / ¶ And that Incontynente thou cutte of and take a waye myn heere 's / ¶ The Relygyouse his oryson made in prayenge sayde / ¶ Oure lorde god whyche hathe delyuered from perill alle his sayntes woll kepe and preserue the from alle euyll / ¶ Anone after he cutte of her heere 's / And that done departed from thens yeuynge praysinge to oure lorde god and consyderynge in herselfe what she had to doo for to entree in to the Relygyon of wymmen ¶ â—nowynge that her fader in sekynge her myghte happely finde her there / ¶ And therfore in leuynge the habite of a woman cladde her with the habyâ—e of a man / ¶ And after departed from the house of her fader and wente in to the monasterye thyther as he was gone ¶ And Incontynent that she knewe that her fader was departed She founde the manere to speke wyth the Abbot / gyuynge hym to vnderstonde that she was a man that gladly wolde be there Relygious and named her selfe Smaradyn / ¶ The Abbot receyued her gladly / and for as moche as she semyd a chylde of yonge aege ¶ She was delyuered to be endoctryned and taughte in the rules of the Relygyon to a nother Relygious man namyd Agapyton / ¶ She beynge there by cause she was moche fayre and pryncypally of vysage / Many of the Relygiouses beganne to murmure in sayenge / That it was a deuyll in lykenesse of a Relygyous / ¶ And that by her beaulte many of them were fall in synne / ¶ Fynably they sayde it to the Abbot / The whyche that knowynge commaunded to Smaradyn that he shold make his prayers alone in his lytyll chambre / And that he sholde noo more come in to the chyrche / ¶ Whyche thynge she dyde gladly and helde her there soo solytaryly that alle the Relygiouses merueylled of the grete constaunce that she hadde in soo yonge aege / ¶ Her fader Pafunce retourned fro the sayd monasterye / And whanne he was comen home he founde nought his sayde doughter And anone was surprysed and taken of a grete and merueyllouse sorowe and heuynesse ¶ And beganne to aske alle his seruauntes and chamberers where she was bycome and whâ—ther she was goon / ¶ To whom they ansuered that in the mornynge she departed oute of the house as they supposyd for syth they hadde not seen her ne knewe not where she was bycome In contynent and wythout taryeng he sente his messagers to alle partyes and fro Relygion to Relygyon as well in Alexandrye as in Egypte But he cowde here noo tydynges wherof he was full of heuynesse and soo ryght sorowful that vnneth it maye not be
sayde He made soo lamentacyon and sorowe that he sayde thyse wordes / ¶ Alas my swete dâ—ughter myne oonly consolacyon and alle the playsaunce of myne eyen Whyche is he that robbed toke the awaye from me / And that hath quenchyd my lyghte and alle myn hope / ¶ Alas now is defoylled the beaute of thy face / ¶ A cursyd be the wulfe that hath borne awaye my shepe / ¶ Alas in what set or in what londe maye she be hydde ¶ O londe hyde not from me my douâ—ghter Eufrosyne But doo soo moche that she maye be rendred to me agayne ¶ Suche wordes and other moche merueyllous and pyteuous sayde Pafunce in wayllynge soo moche· that the assystentes and dwellers of the citee were excyted and styred to make lamentacyon and cryes / ¶ And after he retourned to his holy Abbot To whom in wepyng he declared the cause of his grete sorow and dyscomforte / To the ende that he his Relygyouses sholde praye to god that he myghte haue hasty and shortly tydynges of his doughter / ¶ And that they dysposyd theym to faste and make denowte orysons duâ—ynge an hoole weke / But neuerthelesse they herde of her noo manere tydynges / ¶ Saynt Eufrosyne prayed in lyke wyse to god that neuer her conuersacyon sholde be shewed to man ¶ After came the Abbot to her fader PafuÌ„ce and sayde to hym / My sone reioyce the syth we haue noo reuelacyon of her / ¶ We byleue stedfastly that in what place that euer thy doughter be she is in the honour of god / And hathe noo dystrowblynge ne empeshement / ¶ That herynge Pafunce was a lytyll comforted / And after that he hadde thankyd the bredern he retornyd in to his howse / ¶ Certayne dayes after passed the sayde Pafunce retornyd in to the abbaye / And recommauÌ„ded him to the bredern In requyrynge theym moche humbly that they sholde praye for him and for his doughter And syngulerly to the abbot to him sayenge ¶ Alas good fader my sorowe renewyth from daye to day more and more / ¶ Truely I may noo lenger bere it wythoute dethe / ¶ The Abbot seenge that he was soo moche sorowfull broughte hym in to the chambre where as saynt Eufrosyne was not knowyng that she was his doughter / ¶ And callyd the Relygyouse that hadde the charge of her namyd Agapyton / ¶ Saynt Eufrosyne herynge her fader was moche abasshed / And wepyng wyth grete teeres beganne to comforte her the beste she mighte as she had not be of his knowlege / ¶ Her fader beholdynge that her face was alle couered with her habyte and gretely chaunged for her fastynges and abstynences whiche she continuelly made knew her not ¶ After the lamentacyons and wayllynges / saynt Eufrosyne began to speke to her fader of the excellence of the glorye eternall / ¶ And how by abstynence Charytee almesse Chastyte and also in lyke wyse by the vertue of humylytee myghte begoten the souerayne be atytude or blessydnesse / ¶ After she admonested hym to dyspyse and contempne all worldly thynges In shewynge to hym that a man oughte not soo moche loue his chyldren as god / ¶ But by cause that she sawe her fader in moche grete trybulacyon she wolde comforte hym atte laste and sayd to hym ¶ Knowe my frende for trouthe as I byleue that thou arte bylouyd of god / ¶ And that yf thy doughter were in waye of perdycyon god wolde haue shewed in what estate she were in ¶ I byleue that she hathe chosen the waye of helthe / ¶ For he that forsakyth not alle that he hathe maye haue noo parte in heuen / ¶ Leue thenne thy malencolye and be not cause of thi perdycyon and losse / ¶ Haue pacyence and stedfaste hope / ¶ I haue herde ofte my mayster Agapyton speke of the / ¶ And how thou haste prayed the Relygyouses for to haue tydynges of thy doughter ¶ But I haue ofte prayed to the ende that thou sholdeste haue pacyence And haue desired for to see the for to comforte the. wyth the leest harme that I myghte / ¶ And after the sayde to hym / My lorde and my frende goo thy waye I praye the / ¶ And notwythstondyng that she desyred hym to goo his waye Neuerthelesse she wepte and had compassyon of him / ¶ For nature myghte not lye / ¶ Pafuncyus her fader by her wordes / was moche comforted / And nyghe as moche as he hadde founde his doughter / ¶ After he recommaunded hym to the prayers of the Abbot and Couent / And retorned home to his house / ¶ Saynt Eufrosyne in the habyte of a man lyued eyghte and thyrty yeres ¶ And anone after camÌ„ to her a sykenesse and maladye of whyche she deyed / ¶ And dutynge the sayde maladye her fader came to the abbaye for to vysyte her / Notwythstondynge that he wende alwaye that she hadde ben the Relygyouse Smaradyn / ¶ And entred in to the chambre where she laye syke and founde her almoost deed / ¶ Thenne he beganne to wepe sayeng / Alas and what shall I doo / ¶ Where ben the promyses whyche thou haste made to me Smaradyn / ¶ Where ben the swete consolacyons and the playsaunte wordes By whyche thou promysedest to me that I sholde see my doughter ¶ Alas I haue not oonly loste my doughter But also I shall lese the. the whyche haste gyuen to me soo moche comforte / ¶ Alas who shall comforte my poore olde aege and whyther shall I goo / ¶ Who shall be helpynge to me in my heuynesse / Now am I constrayned to wepe my dowble euyll and harme of the and of my doughter / ¶ It is eyghte and thyrty yere goo syth I loste my doughter / Now I retorne in to lyke sorowe ¶ Alas where shall I now fynde consolacyon and comforte / ¶ I shall descende wepynge in to helle yf god haue not pyte vppon me / ¶ Smaradyn seenge his heuynesse hadde compassyon on hym / ¶ And recomforted hym sayenge / Wherfore tormentest the thou thus / Wolte thou flee thyselfe / ¶ Ne thynkesse not thou that god is almyghty for to comforte the / Make an ende of thy heuynesse / ¶ Thynke how Iacob wepte for hys sone Ioseph as deed / And yet after oure lorde god shewed hym to hym / ¶ I praye the for the honoure of god that thou leue me not bi the space of thre dayes / ¶ Thenne her fader Pafunce supposyd that the noble Relygyous Smaradyn wythoute faulte sholde shewe to him some thynge in some manere that he shall haue knowlege of his doughter / ¶ The thre dayes passed Incontynent came agayne Pafunce to Smaradyn / And sayd thus ¶ My ryght swete frende the thre dayes ben now passed / I haue taryed lyke as thou saydest to me / ¶ Thenne saynt Eufrosyne knowynge that the daye approchyd and drewe nyghe in whyche she sholde deye· sayde to her fader / ¶ My lorde and my frende
faders he shall haue for hys herytage the reame of heuen / ¶ Whanne the chylde herde thyse wordes he knelyd downe tofore him sayenge / ¶ Thou arte my fader and my moder / And wyth this I take the for my Dyrectour of alle my werkes and operacyons / Thou haste this daye sauyd my soule· the whyche was in the waye of perdycyon ¶ Now I shall goo in suche wyse as thou haste taughte me Or god shall conduyte and lede me / ¶ His wyll of me be done / ¶ Yet the good fader enfourmyd hym that he sholde haue pacyence in aduersytee / ¶ And after this the sayde Symeon wente vnto a monasterye of a ryght perfyghte man namyd Thymothee Tofore the yates of whiche monastery he taryed fyue dayes wythoute mete and wythout drynke / ¶ After the sayde fyue dayes the holy Abbot Thymothee came out of the sayde monasterye And founde the chylde Symeon / ¶ And he askyd hym of whens he was / And yf he hadde done ony harme by cause he was fugyâ—yf / ¶ Saynt Symeon answered sayenge Syre I haue not begyled ne trowbled my frendes ne none other persones of the worlde ¶ But I desire to be the seruaunte of god yf it playse hym / ¶ To the ende that I may saue my soule the whiche is loste / ¶ And therfore I praye the / that thou receyue me in to thy monasterye for to serue alle the brethern therin ¶ Thenne the good Abbot tooke hym by the honde as he hadde knowen hys grete deuocyon / And ladde hym in to the monasterye / sayenge to the relygiouses ¶ Alle ye my brethern I delyuer to you this chylde namyd Symeon for to teche and enfourme hym in the Rules of oure monasterye / ¶ And therfore I coÌ„maunde you that eche of you be to him as his fader / For I byleue that he shal be of the nombre of perfyghte men / ¶ The chylde Symeon seruyd the sayde Relygyous by the space of foure monethes / In whyche foure monethes he lerned the Psaulter In lyuynge allone spyrytuelly / ¶ For the refeccoÌ„n that he hadde wyth the Relygyouses he gaaf it secretely to the poore people / ¶ And notwythstondynge that the brethern toke theyr refeccyon alwaye atte euyn saynt Symeon tooke noo thynge but on the seuenth daye / ¶ On a daye amonge the other he tooke the corde of the pytte by whyche they drewe the water / and bounde it on his bare flesshe abowte his raynes and his sholdres / ¶ And soo faste he bounde it abowte that the corde entred wyth in his flesshe vnto the bone / ¶ And for this cause his flesshe roted and was ful of vermyn The whyche fell from hym in suche wise as the good Symeon walked ¶ Now it happed that the bredern knew that he ete not but from one son daye to a nother / And they founde him gyuynge his porcyon to the poore people ¶ And soo they accused hym to the Abbot sayenge That he brake the rules of the abbay / And also that he was alle enfecte And they felte hym moche stynkynge / ¶ The Abbot made hym to come speke to hym In repreuynge hym of his strayte lyfe By cause he ete not euery daye ones lyke as he hymselfe dyde / And there was noo dyscyple aboue his mayster / ¶ And after he made hym to be dyspoylled / And thenne they founde how he was bounde wyth a corde And that it was the cause why he stanke soo / ¶ The Abbot was gretly abasshed and prayed hym that he wolde goo oute of the monasterye But fyrste they tooke it from hym wyth grete payne and smarte / And dyde doo hele hym / ¶ And that done he departed oute of the monasterye secretely / And went vnto a deserte place whyche was not ferre from the sayde monasterye / Where he founde a pytte whyche was not vsyd / And in whyche was noo water / but there were therin euyll spyrytes ¶ The nyghte folowynge was shewed to the Abbot Thymothee that many armyd people came for to assyege the howse for to haue the good seruaunt of god Symeon / ¶ And yf they wold not delyuere hym / That they wolde thretene to brenne theym and all theyr monasterye / ¶ Whanne Thymothee was awakyd consyderyng this reuelacyon / And that he hadde soo blamyd the seruaunte of god was sore aferde and recyted to his brethern the sayde reuelacyon / ¶ And how he was therwyth sore trowblyd / ¶ The nyghte folowynge came abowte the howse moche people that cryed wyth an hyghe voyce / ¶ Thymothee delyuer to vs Symeon ¶ He is better bylouyd wyth god thanne thou / Wherfore haste thou trowbled hym soo hardely / ¶ Alle the heuenly courte is wrothe wyth the / ¶ By cause for hym god shall doo merueyllous thynges / whyche man neuer dyde / ¶ Incontynente Tymothee aroos and went to his brethern commaudynge theim that wyth oure delaye they sholde goo and fynde Symeon / or ellis they were all in way to deye wythin theyr monasterye / ¶ The brethern anone wente oute of their chyrche for to go seche where thei myghte fynde the good Symeon / but they cowde not fynde hym / ¶ Thenne they retorned to the Abbot sayeng that they hadde serched ouer alle sauf in the pytte of the deserte / ¶ The abbot whyche of thise tydynges was moche dysplaysed tooke wyth hym fyne of hys brethern wyth whom he transported hym vnto the sayde pytte wherin the good Symeon was descended / ¶ And tofor â—r they wolde goo downe in that place they made theyr prayers to god to haue grace for to fynde the good relygyous Symeon / And that he wolde kepe theym from Inconuenyent / And that done they descended in to the pytt ¶ The holy man Symeon seenge theym there sayde to theym / O ye seruauntes of god / I praye you suffre ye me to abyde here that I maye yelde my spyryte to god / For I haue but a lytyl whyle to lyue / And my soule is yet alle greuyd of that I haue enfecte your house / ¶ The Abbot ansuerd / Certaynly my frende we shall not leue the here / But thou shalte come with vs in to our monasterye / For we knowe that thou arte louyd of god / ¶ Thyse wordes sayde they broughte hym wolde he or noo into theyr chyrche / In whyche alle they felle downe to his fete and cryed hym mercy of the offence that they had done to hym / ¶ Saynt Symeon wepynge sayde to theym / Helas my brethern ye grieue me to exalte me thus that am a poore synnar / And ye ben soo holy faders / ¶ A yere after dwelled saynt Symeon in the sayde monasterye / And after he departed secretely in to a solytary place Whyche was not ferre from the sayde monasterye / ¶ And there edefyed a lytyll cloysture of stones / And there dwellyd he thre yeres / ¶ In that tyme beganne his fame to
in the monasterye where as her doughter was ¶ The Emperoure hadde tydynges therof / And callyd the Senatoure that hadde promysed to take the yonge doughter Eufraxe / And sayd to hym that she was a Relygyous / ¶ Thenne the Senatour was moche abasshed therof ¶ And dide doo soo moche that at his Requeste and desyre the Emperoure wrote to her that she shold come to Rome for to accomplysshe and fulfyll theyr maryage ¶ The lettres beynge by her radde she ansuered in this manere / ¶ Lorde Emperour I haue receyued thy lettres / and me semyth that seen the loue that in tyme passed thou haste hadd to my fader and moder ¶ Yf I shold of the demaunde and aske counseylle of the thynge of whyche thou haste wryten to me Thou woldeste not counseylle me soo to doo For also it is not lawfull Syth that longe agoon I haue gyuen myselfe to my god Inmortall Ihesu Cryste and desyre to be his spowse Wherof I haue gyuen to hym my faythe ¶ Sholde I gyue hym ouer for to haue a man mortall and Incorruptyble the whiche shall be eten with wormes / ¶ Ne knowest thou not wel that if I be here this daye I shall not soo to morowe God forbede that I shold doo to god and to me suche Innyquyte and wyckednesse / ¶ Wherfore I praye the that thou sende noo more for me / For thou shalte lese thy traueylle and laboure By cause that I knowe to be to me inpossyble to leue my espowse Ihesu Cryste / ¶ Wyth this I praye the that thou haue mynde of my parentes and kynnesfolke / In giuynge for the helthe of theyr soules and for the honoure of god al the goodes temporell whyche they haue left to me / ¶ I knowe wel that my fader alle his lyfe hathe well and truely seruyd the. Wherof he accepted thy loue and benyuolence ¶ Thenne in distrybutynge his goodes thou shalt haue remembraunce of hym In fauour of whom yf it playse the And I praye the also that thou wolt put alle thy bonde men and prysoners in fraunchyse and playne lyberte / ¶ And that the thou wol sende for alle the Receyuours of my fader / And quyte and forgyue theym peasibly alle that they owen of rentes and Reuenues / To the ende that I maye without solicytude or besynesse serue my god and espowse / ¶ The emperour radde thyse lettres many tymes and al mooste alle the nyghte / ¶ And on the morne by tymes he assembled alle the Senatoures And the fader of hym that hadde fyauncyd her ¶ And in the presence of theym alle were the lettres radde / Whereof alle they beganne to wepe for Ioye ¶ And of comyn assente they sayde Verely lorde Emperoure Eufraxe is doughter of Antigonius and of holy Eufraxe her moder / Whyche weren of thy lygnage and generacyon ¶ And now she shewyth it well certaynly For of an holy Rote procedyth and comyth fourth gladly an holy braunche ¶ All they praysyd and gloryfyed god in prayenge for her / ¶ And after the Emperoure dystrybuted alle the godes of the mayden accordynge to that she hadde wryten ¶ And after the Emperoure deyed and was buryed wyth hys parentes and kynnesmen / ¶ Saynt Eufraâ—e thenne ladde a moche strayte life ¶ For at one tyme was that she ete but ones on the daye / And after she constrayned herselfe to ete but ones in two dayes ¶ And after that one 's in thre dayes / ¶ She allone made clene the chambres of the systers / Made theyr beddes And bare water in to the kechyn / ¶ The custome of the same Abbaye was yf ony of the systers were tempted wyth ony temptacyon of the deuyll she tolde it to the Abbesse ¶ The whyche prayed and dyde doo praye god to the ende that the deuyll sholde departe fro her / ¶ On a daye it happed that the goode Eufraxe was tempted of the fende / And for to resyste wythstonde hym She putt asshes on her cowche / ¶ And she laye on them and slepte / The whyche thynge seenge the Abbesse knewe that she was vexed wyth some temptacyon / ¶ And prayed for her in sayenge to god / ¶ O my god whyche haste created and formyd this mayde after thy dyuyne bountee and goodnesse / ¶ I praye the that thou wolt conferme her in thy drede / ¶ After the Abbesse callyd her and sayde to her / Wherfore haste thou not shewed to me thy temptacion giuen to the by the deuyll / ¶ Incontynent she felle downe to her fete And cryed her mercy In sayenge· ¶ Pardonne me madame For I durste not notyfye and shewe it to you / ¶ The Abbesse sayd to her Mi doughter thou haste begonne to fyghte agaynst the deuyll / Be stronge and coÌ„staunte to the ende that thou be crowned wyth Laureoâ— wyth the vyrgynes gloryously ¶ A lytyll whyle after she was agayn tempted / And shewed her temptacyon to out of her systers namyd Iulyan / the whyche counseyllyd her that she shold shewe it to the Abbesse to the ende that she sholde praye for her / ¶ After she said to her / ¶ We alle ben tempted of the deuyll / But whanne we haue good hope we ouercome the deuyll our temptatour / ¶ Eufraxe thankyd her of her gode counseylle that she hadde gyuen to her to the edyfycacyon of her soule and went to the Abbesse And shewed to her her temptacyon ¶ The Abbesse comforted her in sayenge / My doughter fere the noo thynge but enforce put thyself to wythstonde hym / ¶ For it is the deuyll whyche dooth this euyll / ¶ And yf thou wythstoÌ„de hym constantly and stedfastly / thou shalte ouercome hym alwayes / ¶ Knowe thou my doughter that thou shalte haue many other temptacyons / for to resyste and wythstonde To whiche yf thou fele the feble of spyryte It behouyth the to doo more abstynence thanne thou haste done here tofore / And in soo dooynge thou shalte be ryghte well belouyd of thy spowse Ihesu cryste / ¶ A nother tyme the Abbesse asked her how longe it was syth she ete ony mete She ansuered thre dayes / ¶ Thenne sayd the Abbesse to her That she sholde yet abyde a nother daye or that she sholde ete / The whyche she dyde wyth a good wyll in rendrynge herselfe redy and prompte in obedyence / ¶ Whanne she was twenty yeres olde lyke as her yeres grewe so she augmented and encreacyd her penaunce / ¶ She was fayre and curteyes / By her maner she shewed euydently that she was descended of noble folke / But that notwythstondynge she was humble and obeyssaunt ¶ In a place of theyr monastery was a grete multytude of stones / ¶ And the Abbesse for to proue her humylyte commaunded her that she bere theym vnto an euen by the chyrche whyche was ferre from the place where as the sayde stones laye / ¶ Emonge the same stones there were grete
and courage to withstonde the temptacyon of the deuyll whyche soo moche enforcyth hyÌ„ to ouercome me / ¶ Alle the tyme passyd here tofor I haue born but one pott to the water / ¶ But from hensforth in dyspyte of hym I shall bere tweyne soo she dyde / ¶ The deuyll seeng that he cowde not make her to deye by synne / Supposyd ofte to slee her / and make her to deye bodyly / ¶ On a tyme as she hewe wode for the kechyn / The deuyll tooke held her arme in suche a maner that whaÌ„ she supposyd to haue smyten wyth her are vppon the wode she smote her legge and hurted herselfe to grete effusyon and shedynge of bloode / ¶ The gode Eufraxe seenge the bloode rennyng oute of the wounde by merueylous habundaunce and plentee / ¶ Promptely she knelyd downe sayenge / O my goode god I byseche ayde and strength thi poore seruaunte whyche suffreth somothe harme for to serue the / ¶ And anone after she felle to the erthe ¶ Her syster Iulyan sodaynly aduertised and hauynge knowlege of this aduenture beganne to crye soo hyghe that the abbeise and alle her systers came to theym beganne to wepe / ¶ The abbesse spake to her and sayde My doughter reioyce the. and speke to thy systers / ¶ Thenne she tooke her by the honde and lyfted her vppe / ¶ After that she bounde her legge wyth a piece of hayâ—e / ¶ Whyche was of suche lynnen clothe as she was att that tyme clothed with / She was not doon to as is done to vs whanne we ben hurte ¶ For to vs ben gyuen oynementes softe and lynen kyuerchyefs And yet we ben not contente / ¶ The Abbesse wolde haue ladde her to the chirche but the good Eufraxe seenge the wood lyenge there sayde to her systers that she wold not goo to the chyrche tyll she had borne the wood to the kechyn as she hadd be acustomyd / ¶ Her syster Iulyan an â—ucred to her My loue ye maye not soo For ye be ouersore hurte / Neuerthelesse she wolde none otherwyse doo But layd the wodd on her necke / ¶ The deuyll seenge her grete constaunce hurted her more thanne he dyde tofore / For in lyâ—â—ynge vpp she fell vpon the wood And in fallynge entred in to her eye a stycke soo depe that the sisters supposid that she hadde be loste / ¶ Thenne her good frende Iulyan beganne to crye / And sayde to her / Alas my syster I sayde to the wel that thou myghtest not beâ—e the wood / ¶ Eufraxe sayde to her / My syster drawe hardely the stycke oure of myne eye for it is hoole / Thenne Iulian drewe it oute and Incontynente sprange oute grete habuÌ„dance of blood / ¶ The Abbesse came thyder whyche putted oyle vppon the wounde and coÌ„maunded her that she sholde goo lye vppon her hedde / ¶ And commaunded after that the other systers sholde doo that that she was wonned to doo / ¶ But what commaundement that the Abbesse made Eufraxe entremeted alway to serue god contynuelly and alle her systers / ¶ Notwithstondynge that the blode ranne oute of her woundes ¶ A nother tyme she wente vppe in to a Solyer wyth her syster Iulyan / ¶ And in gooynge vp the deuyll threwe her downe from the hyghest grece to the loweste ¶ Her systers hadd supposyd to haue founde her deed / but she aroos and came to theym all hoole / ¶ A nother tyme the deuyl supposed to haue slayne her she beynge in the kechym / ¶ For in holdynge the potte full of wortes made her to falle backewarde / ¶ And after threwe boyllynge water vppon her visage / ¶ Wherof her systers were moche admerueylled / ¶ But she beganne to laughe Sayenge that she felte noo thynge but colde water ¶ The Abbesse seenge thyse thynges assembled and broughte togyders alle the auncyente systers for to gloryfye the name of god / ¶ And thenne they knewe anone right well that she was well bylouyd of her espowse Ihesu Cryste ¶ The custome of the countree was that whanne children were seke of ony maladyes or sykenesses they broughte theym to the sayde monasterye / ¶ And anone by the prayers of the systers they were helyd and guarysshed / ¶ Emonge alle other there came a woman that broughte her chylde / whyche was paralytyke deyf and dombe / ¶ The Portâ—er sawe it / And forthwyth wente and tolde it to the Abbesse / ¶ The whyche sente it to saynt Eufraxe / ¶ Whom seenge the chylde tremblynge and quakynge and soo seke was moâ—uyd with pyte and compassyon ¶ And made her prayers for the chiylde sayenge / ¶ My childe he that hathe made the. yeue the sanacyon and helthe atte thys presente tyme / ¶ Thenne she tooke the chylde beynge alle hoole and bare it in her armes / ¶ And anone the chylde beganne to speke and to crye after his moder ¶ Whanne Eufraxe herde it she was aâ—erde by cause it was tofore dombte and myghte not speke and layed it down on the grounde / And In contynent he wente his waye to his moder / The whyche thynge was shewed to the Abbesse by the Portyere / ¶ The whyche yet not knowynge how the chylde hadde helyd / Came to the moder / sayenge to her angrely that she dyde euyll soo to mocke the Relygyouses / ¶ The mode swaâ—e that her chylde hadde neuer goon spoken ne herde But syth that the gode Eufraxe hadde borne it in her armes / ¶ In the sayde monasterye was a woman whiche hadde be longetourmeÌ„ted wyth a deuyll / ¶ And her sykenesse was soo terryble and merueyllous that contynuelly she scumed or cryed soo terrybly and soo ferfull that none of the systers durste goo to her for to gyue to her mete But from a ferre in a vessell bounde to a corde they delyuered to her and admynystred that whyche she sholde take for her refeccyon / ¶ On a tyme amonge the other / The Abbesse coÌ„maunded to saynt Eufraxe / that she sholde bere to her mete / And soo she dyde / ¶ And in approchynge to the poore pacyente / The fende of helle whyche was wythin her body tourmented not her / And the poore pacyent dyde al that she commaunded / ¶ And yet more there was / ¶ Whanne the other Relygyouses wente thyder / Yf they broughte not wyth theym saynt Eufraxe what some euer they dyde she wolde neyther drynke ne ete ¶ But ofte she casted the vessell atte theyr heedes / ¶ It happed that Germayne whiche alwaye hadde enuye on her / Sayd that she wolde as well bere to her mete as saynt Eufraxe / ¶ Whanne the vnhappy Germayne came nyghe to the paciente / She tooke her and rente alle her vestymentes vnto the bare flesshe / And beganne to ete her membres ¶ ThenÌ„e came some of the good systers and shewed it to saynt Eufraxe / The whyche anone ranne thyther and toke her by the necke hondes
aferde / and knowe thou that bi the wyll of god thou arte comen vnto this place / To the ende to burye me laye my body in the erthe / ¶ Anone my soule shall departe fro my body shall be borne in to the heuenly Reame / ¶ My brother I knowe thy desire and thy wyll / ¶ And therfore whanne thou shalte be retournyd in to Egypte· I praye the that thou remembre me and of my name / ¶ And to the ende that thou and alle thy brethern be desyrynge to haue of me remeÌ„braunce I shall saye to the the prerogatyues and specyall gyftes that I haue obteyned of my lorde and god Rededemer of alle the worlde / ¶ Fyrste euery persone that shall make to hym Immolacyon or sacrefyce be â— in messes or otherwyse in soo dooynge haue mynde of my name He shall be preserued and kepte from alle frawdelous decepcyons and temptacyons dyabolyke and worldly / ¶ And att laste be shall haue partycipacion wyth the aungellis in the reame of heuen / ¶ And yf ony haue noo power to make the sacrefyce / And in gyuynge oonly for the loue of god and of me an asmesse to some poore man Wythout faâ—â—e I shall praye for hym in heuen to then de that god make him worthi to haue part of his excellent glori ¶ yet yf he may not doo neyther that one ne that other In gyuynge a candell or in makynge a lytyll oblacyon As encencynge wyth â—â—ence or other offrynge / Certaynly I shall soo make prayer to god To the â—â—â—e that he haue euerlastynge Ioye / ¶ Paphunce herynge thyse alle thyse â—â—ynges made to hym this demaunde â—â— question Now fader yf some or ony persone haue noo power to doo ony of thyse thre thynges / By what moyen maye he doo for to be in thi recommendacyon and prayer / To the ende that as what trybulacyon he be in / thou make thyne oryson for hym / ¶ The holy man ansuered / My brother and frende yf it happed as thou sayst / That the suppliaunt haue noo facultee ne power to doo ony of the thynges aforsayd Yf he knele downe on his knees In lyftynge his hondes Ioyned to god and sayenge deuowtly thre tymes the Pater noster Aue maria in the honoure of the glorious Trinyte of heuen / and remember my name / Surely I shall doo soo moche anenste the same ryght holy Trinyte that he shall haue parte in the reaâ—e of heuen with all the sayntes that ben there / ¶ Or yf ony be in doubte or hesytacyon of the thynges tofore sayde He maye rede saynt Iherom in his boke whyche he hathe composyd in latyn Intytulyd of the lyfe of faders / Of the whyche hath be made this present traÌ„ssacyon as in other places hathe be sayd And there he shall see alonge this that is sayde here tofore / ¶ In retournynge to purpoos the holy Paphunce was gretely content wyth the wordes of saynt Onuffryen ¶ And for asmoche as he reputed the same place where as they wereÌ„ to be holy / he prayed to the sayd Onuffryen that he wolde gyue him lycence to dwelle there after his dethe / The whyche thynge the good holy fader wold not But commaunded hym that he sholde retorne in to Egypte / And there perseuere in goode werkes / For in the ende he sholde haue felycyte eternall / ¶ Whanne Paphunce hadde herde his ansuere He knelyd doune tofore the holy fader Onuffryen and sayde to hym this that folowyth ¶ Alas my dere fader frende I knowe and byleue that alle that thou shalte demaunde of god For the loue of whom thou haste be lxx yeres in this deserte thou shalte lyghtly obteyne· ¶ Thenne gyue to me now thy blessynge To the ende that I be also perfyghte as thou / ¶ The holy fader ansuered / My brother Paphunce be not angry For thy demaunde shall be obteyned / Be thou stedfaste in the faythe in seruynge god wyth all thyne herte and wyth alle thy thoughte / And by this moyen thou shalte haue eternall lyfe / ¶ I praye to oure lorde that thou be kepte alwaye of his worthy aungellis in alle thy cogytacyons and wylles To the ende that thou be clene and puryfyed tofore the face of Ihesu Cryste ¶ Whanne the holy man hadde sayde alle thyse wordes He knelyd downe to the grounde / And in wepynge sayde ¶ O my god now in to thyne hondes myghte puyssaunce and streyngthe I coÌ„mende my spyryte / And thyse wordes sayde sodaynly came a grete lyghte / whyche enuyronned alle his body / ¶ Thenne after came many aungels to grete multytude / whyche songen songes melodyous Wherof alle the ayre resowned And bare the soule vnto the reame of heuen / ¶ Paphunce whyche herde those aungellis synge / Beganne to wepe and drowne in teeres sayeng / Alas I haue well cause to make lamentacyon whanne wyth soo grete payne I haue founde the holy man Onufryen And hane be soo lytyll whyse wyth hym / ¶ After whanne he hadde longe waylled wepte· He departed his garment in to two partes / And of that one he cladde hymselfe / And in that other he wounde the body of the holy man putte it in a Sepulture of stone whiche was there / ¶ Paphunce seenge that he was there alone wepte more thanne he dyde byfore / ¶ And supposyd to haue entred in to the caue of the holy man / But whanne he was atte the entree a grete parte of the roche fell downe / By whyche he knewe that god wolde not that he sholde vse the resydue of his lyfe in the sayde place / ¶ And soo thenne he came agayne in to his monastery in Egypte / Where as he recounted this bistorye lyke as tofore is wreton / ¶ And the holy man saynt Onuffryen deyed the twellyfth daye of Iuyn the day of saynt Barnabe the appostle / ¶ Here folowyth the lyfe of saynt Abraham the Heremyte And begynnyth in latyn ¶ Cupio et cetera Caplm .li. ¶ Soo it happed that the tyme to halowe the Sacrament of maryage approched and drewe nyghe / But by cause that he wolde not abyde thereby and persyste / His parentes and kynnesmen were angry wyth hym soo gretely that for the greyf that he hadde of theyr heuynesse He concluded in hymself to procede forthe therin / ¶ Thenne the mariage of theym solempnysed / And he beynge in his chambre and layed a bedde wyth his spowse and wyfe / ¶ Sodaynly there came vpon him a feruent wyll for to departe and goo oute of the cyte / ¶ And soo departed from thens that he was well two myle from the cyte / Where he founde a lytyll house Wherin noo man frequented nor vsyd / And entred in and kepte hym there a certayne tyme prayenge and makinge deuoute prayers to god / ¶ Whanne his parentes and kynnesâ—es knewe that he was goon they were moche angry / And for to seche
trauers letted theym soo that they cowde not depart fro the botomÌ„ of the sayd valey / Some forcyd theim to clymÌ„e vp but anone they fell doune ayen to the lowest parte of the valeye / Some other wepte byneth / And some came vpp the whiche gaue thankes to god of the peryll that they were passyd / ¶ And therfore the holy man thought that there shold be some relygiouses blynde / that whiche sholde not knowe theyr astate / The other sholde bere the habyte of relygyon but they sholde not doo the werkes that longe therto· namly they that sholde haue the rule ouer theym sholde not knowe theimself / Wherof shold folowe grete scismes diuysions in the chyrche / ¶ ThenÌ„ saynt Pachomyen full sory in grete heuynesse made his callyng vnto god / saeng O my god almyghty yf thise thinges happe to come soo / Why hast thou grauÌ„ted that soo many torments shold be edefied done / ¶ Alas yf the prelates ben euyll what shall the relygiouses doo that shall be in theyr gouernaunce / Truely whan a blyÌ„de ledith the other they fall in the pitte bothe atones ¶ Alas that I am well vnhappy I haue well laboured in vayn / My god alas remeÌ„bre the of the labours that I haue take in buildyÌ„ge soo many monasteries to thonour reuerence of thy holy faythe / ¶ Thou knowest that syth the tyme that I receyuyd thabite of relygyon I haue meked me afore the· ¶ And sayeng thises wordes he herde a voys that sayd to hym / Pachomyen prayse not thiself for thou hast nede of the grace of god not onely thiself but also al his creatures / Anone he caste hymselfe to the grouÌ„de / and made to god this requeste / ¶ O mi god almyghty I beseche the that thy mede fulnesse come downe now vpon me to th eÌ„de that I liue distourne not away fro me thy medefull face / For thy trouthe mercy hath euer receyued me mekely / I knowe syre that all thynges resen fall but yf they be holde vp with thyn ayde defence / ¶ And in sayeng this oryson descended vpon him a multytude of angels amonge whom was a chylde crowned with thornes / seeng this vysion / The holy man Pachomyen was lyft vp by the sayd angels well hyghe fro the grouÌ„de in to thayre / the sayd to hym / Pachomyen by cause that thou hast axed the medfulnesse of god mekely thou shalt haue it euyn now / Beholde the very redemer Ihesu cryst· that hath be sent in to this world crucifyed for the sauacyon of mankynde / berynge in his heed a crowne of thornes / ¶ ThenÌ„ sayd the holy man o my god haue I not crucyfyed the / And god swetely answerde to him / Naye not thyself but thy parentes Neuertheles comfort thiself / For thy posterytee shall abyde vnto th ende of the worlde / All they that after the shall come soo that they lyue in deuowte abstynence shall be delyuerde of the paynes of helle / And all they that folowe the shall folowe herafter shal shyne in the lyghte euerlastyng / And the sayd our lorde ascended agayn to heuen compassed wyth soo grete a bryghtnesse that noo tonge mighte telle / ¶ An exhortacoÌ„n for to wythstonde the deuyll / Begynnyth in latyn ¶ TuÌ„c pachomius c. Caplm lxxxxvii THe holy fader after this gadred his bredern and made togyder a seruyse well solempne / ¶ And after the endynge of the same they came all abowte hym for to here his holy prechynge / ¶ Soo he exhorted them for to batayle wyth all theyr strengthe vertues ayenst the deuyll soo courageously that they sholde not be ouercome Shewynge to theym that they that duringe theyr lyfe had be slouthfull neclygent sholde neuer haue but wepynge wayllynges / ¶ After he sayd to theym My chyldren lete vs not lese our dayes in vayne but in eschewyng the dangeroê° vice of ydlenesse lete vs labour seke vertues for to saue our soules / I telle you plainly thise wordes / For yf ye knewe the rewardes that ye shall haue in heuen yf ye ouercome the deuill / And to the contrary the grete tormentes that ye shall suffre in helle if ye be ouercome of him ye sholde neuer cease nother daye ne nyghte but forge armours· speres sheeldes / And euer ye sholde be armyd dysposyd to goo to the felde of bataylle ayenst hym / ¶ Torne your dayes thenÌ„e better better meke yourself to th ende that whan your soules shall depart fro the body that thennâ—ye haue noo cause to accuse it / ¶ What profyteth to a maÌ„ to reyse hyÌ„self by vaynglory syth that we ben but asshes / ¶ Alas why are we proude / I wold fayne wyte syth that we be but erthe asshes / fro whens may comÌ„ our pryde / ¶ Wepe we my bredern wepe we our grete synnes durynge the tyme that we haue space tyme to doo soo / ¶ Alas lete vs consydre the short tyme that we haue here to abyde / And kepe ourself besily in wythstondyng the teÌ„ptacoÌ„ns of the deuill in suche wyse that we haue the Ioye whiche is wythout ende / ¶ The deuyll watchyth contynuelly for to take vs by stelth / Watche we theÌ„ne lyke as he dooth / to the ende that he sleeth vs not by treyson / ¶ Lete vs all â—â—ye haue afore our â—yen our last day whiche is the deth we shall neuer do synÌ„e / ¶ For who shall thynke well vpoÌ„ thise thynges he shall haue the hert meke the thought pure clene And soo shall dispyse pryde vaynglory HauyÌ„ge awaye from his thoughte the curyosytee of the erthly thynges that are perysshyng corruptyble / ¶ Chastyse we thenÌ„e our flesshe by fastynges abstynences / And constrayne our sensualyte to obeye in all thynges to reason in restreynynge our inordynat wylles in suche maner that we ben not enclyned ne redy to doo euyll but besy to lyue vertuosly / wythout to trespace one onÌ„ly mynute / but that it be done to the seruyce of god To th ende that after the shorte paynes wretchydnesse of this worlde we maye haue the Ioyes vnspekable / To that whyche for to come lete vs put our eyen to teeres wayllynges in watchyng euer more in good werkes / ¶ For yf we doo otherwyse / certaynly we shall haue paynes wythout noÌ„bre / ¶ But we woll thynke well to it we shall be the teÌ„ple euerlastyng of god in vs shall dwell the holy ghoste wherby the deuyll shall not gyue vs so many assawtes / but that we shall be more stronger than he / For we shall haue good defence that is the kyÌ„ges of kynges the whyche suffreth neuer the Iuste to perysshe / ¶ After that he had coÌ„forted his relygiouses he made a lytyll oryson / prayeng god that he wolde conferme theym in peas kepe theim in his worthi grace / And
as he went toward the chaunge· that he founde a Marynar / the whyche by fortune had be perysshed was lefte as nakyd as he was come out of his moders bely / The whyche knelyd on bothe his knees afore the said Chaunger and askyd his almesse / ¶ The Chaunger seeÌ„g his pouerte toke of his gowne that was the beste that he hadd and gaaf it hym / The pore man that durst not were soo good a gowne went IncoÌ„tynent and solde it to an Vpholster / ¶ Whan the Chaunger goynge forth by knewe his gowne that heng at the Vpholsters dore and all redy was there to selle he was sore wrothe angry / ¶ Soo went he in to his chambre for to wepe sayde alas that I am vnhappi· I was not worthy that the poore man sholde haue be clothed with my vesture / ¶ Fynably he felle a slepe / And whyle he slepte he sawe ouer his heede a fayre a playsaunt childe that bare a crosse the gowne that the sayd Chaunger had gyuen for goodis sake / Whyche sayd to hym / ¶ My frende why wepest thou / The Chaunger answered / Haa my lorde I wepe by cause that of the goodes that thou gyuest vs / Whan somtyme we gyue theym to the pore folke they bystow theym in euyll vsages / ¶ Thenne he shewed hym his gowne sayenge / My frende knowest thou not this gowne / wyth whyche I am clothed / I thanke the / For certaynly I was sore acolde at that tyme thou gaue it to me / ¶ The Chaunger consyderynge the wordes that the chyld sayd vnto him / began to prayse the poore peple in this wise / ¶ Syth that the poore folke represent the persone of our lorde Ihesu Cryste I purpose that from this hour forthon I shall do as the poore peple of god doon / ¶ And thenne he sente hastely his Notary the whyche he had boughte after the custome that men were boughte that tyme / ¶ And whan he was come to hym he delyuered hym x. pounde of golde sayenge that yf he dyde not his coÌ„maundement he sholde selle hym to the straungers Sarrasyns / ¶ The sayd Chaunger coÌ„maunded hym that he sholde brynge hym to Iherusalem and that he sholde selle hym to a Crysten And that he sholde gyue suche moneye as he sholde haue for hym to the poore folke ¶ The whyche thyng the Notary wolde not doo but by cause that the ChauÌ„ger thretnyd hym be feryd hymself to be solde / ¶ Soo broughte he his mayster vnto Iherusalem / And as they were comyn thyder the Notary founde a frende of his that also was a Chaunger To whom he prayed for to biâ— his subget the whiche was a gode a true seruaunt ¶ To whom this Chaunger answered that he had not money ynough redy for to paye him / And the Notary sayd vnto hym / Certaynly I make the sure yf thou take hym that god by hym shall gyue the his blessynge ¶ Thenne the Chaunger bought him for as moche as our lorde was solde / That it to wyte the somme of thyrty pens / ¶ Whan he had solde hym and delyuered hym he wente ayen to Constantynople / And wythout to vtter his sale gaaf for goodis sake the moneye that he had receyued for hym as he dyde promyse hym for to doo / ¶ ThenÌ„e Peter the Chaunger thus solde seruyd the Chaunger his mayster in all thynges to hym possyble / ¶ He wasshed hys clothes· scouryd the dysshes / And dyde all that a good seruaunt oughte to doo And wythin that de made grete abstynences / ¶ The Chaunger seenge his manere of lyuynge also that he was well encreased in goodes syth the sayd Peter was come to hym wolde nomore kepe hym as a seruaunte but as hys brother / ¶ And neuerthelesse by his grete humylyte goodnesse he made hym selfe to be beten and wronged of the other seruauntes of the house / and sayde noo thynge there agaynst / ¶ Wherfore they helde hym for a foole / And as many tymes and ofte as he was trowbled of theym he hadde suche a vysion as the same that he had seen afore in Affryque of the chylde that apperyd to hym wyth his gowne whyche he had gyues for goddes sake / And shewed hym the thyrty pens wherfore he hadd be solde / Sayenge vnto hym / ¶ Peter haue pacyence and endure yet a lytyll awaytinge after the rewarde of thy labours / ¶ That tyme came oute of his countreye many Chaungers to Iherusalem the cyte for to worshypp the holy plâ—â—s / The whiche Chaungers were â—â—tyâ—ed of the sayde Peters mayster for to 〈◊〉 to dyner wyth hym in his house / ¶ And whan they were sette at the table / They sayd the one to the other / beholdyng the sayd Peter / ¶ How wel is the seruaunte like vnto Peter the Chager / Peter dyde hide hys vysage as moche as he cowde / ¶ Thise sayd ChauÌ„gers yet agayne thynkynge euer vpon the sayd Peter sayde to Zoyle the Chaunger that had prayed theym to dyner Certaynly Zoyle a grete thynge is happed vnto the / For yf we erre not thou hast in thy seruyse a grete man / and of a ryche house They were not yet certayn of his very knowlege / By cause his face was soo sore chauÌ„ged / As well for the payne that he tooke in the kechyn / As for the fastynges and abstynences that he made / ¶ And after that they had deuysed longe One of theym sayde / Certaynly it is mayster Peter the Chaunger / I woll / see hym better anone / ¶ The emperour of Constantynople is sore heuy that he knowyth not where he is become / ¶ The gode Peter vnderstode thise wordes / he lete goo the dysshe that he bare and ranÌ„e downe to the gate / ¶ To the whyche gate was a man that of his byrth was bothe deyff and dombte / The whyche man kepte the sayd gate ¶ And whanne the sayd Peter came to him he sayd to him / My frende in the name of god open the gate / ¶ Thenne this man bothe deyff dombte that neuer had herde nor spoken afore· vnderstode Peter Incontynent And to hym spake twyes sayenge / Well mayster / ¶ Thenne he opened the gate / And the sayde Peter fledde awaye / ¶ The whyche thynge seenge this dombte man came to his mayster And vnto him rehercyd the myracle in presence of all they that were at the table / ¶ Wherof they were gretly merueyled and sore abasshyd / ¶ And more ouer sayd to theim / I praye you lete me god after Peter / For surely he is a grete seruaunte of god / ¶ He badde me open the gate in name of our lorde / And thus he ranne awaye / ¶ Oute of hys mouthe came a grete flamme that hathe towchyd myn teres / And Incontynent the heryng and the speche was yeuen vnto me / ¶ They all thenne roos from the table and wente after hym
to me as to a synÌ„ar that by the temptacoÌ„n of the deuyll that arte cruell rude to thy chyldern or seruauntes I praye the ceasse thy wrathe / so that it ne haue no place wythin that / God hath not gyue vnto vs chyldren for to noye theim but for to serue vs. or for to cherysshe nourisshe theym of the godes that he hath lent vs / I put a question vnto the / what whing hast thou in thy body fote honde or soule more than thy seruaunt hath / Is he not lyke vnto the in all thynges / Thou ought to knowe that we ben all formed made at thymage of IhuÌ„ Cryst / Thy seruauÌ„tes thenÌ„e are men as thou art Herke after saynt Poul that sayth / ¶ Ye al that are crystned haue IhuÌ„ Cryste in to youre possessyon / be it Iewe or Crysten free or bonde / We ne are but one in IhuÌ„ Cryst / ThenÌ„e syth we ben egall in IhuÌ„ Cryst that oure Sauyour by his grete humylytee hath take our nature / he techith vs that we sholde flee pryde ayeÌ„st our seruauÌ„tes / There is but one god of heuen that beholdyth onÌ„ly the meke dystroyeth the proude ¶ God hath made the heuens thenâ— the see all that is in it for the man for the woman / And soo hath he also worshypped man in takynge our manly flesshe / ¶ Thou art thenÌ„e well acursed the ceassest not to smyte vpon thy seruauntest / ThauÌ„gels fere man / thou doost dyspyse hym / God hath be crucyfyed for man and that doost noo thynge but tormentest crucyfyest thy seruantes that ben men I aske of the / Woldest that well at euery tyme that thou doost euyll that god sholde take vengauÌ„ce of the / I byleue naye / ¶ Euery day in sayeng thy Pater noster thou prayest god that he pardonÌ„e the thy synÌ„es as the pardonÌ„est to other netheles thou doost the contrary / So oughte â— to dowte the lyke as thou desyrest wyllest take vengauÌ„ce of thy seruaâ—â—â—t or enmye god beholdyng thy prayer toke of the rygorous vengaunce / ¶ Of the chylde Orphenym the whyche was made ryche / And begynnyth in laâ—in ¶ Audiens cetera Caplm C.xxxviii SOmtyme in Alexandrye was an Almoner the whyche had one onÌ„ly sone / The fader seenge his ende to drawe nygh made his sone to be called sayd vnto hym / My chylde by cause that I shall dey I woll make the well to haue knowlege of alle that I am worthe / ¶ Wyte it for trouthe that of all goodes ryches I haue but x.li of golde / And therfore chose whether thou woll be myn heyre or elles that the blessid moder of god be the same / The childe had leuer that the Tresoresse moder of Orphanes shold be his faders heyre than he hymself and suffred that al sholde be yeue for goddis sake / ¶ The fader soo deceased the childe contynuelly nyghte daye kept hyÌ„self in the chyrche of the blessid moder of god makyÌ„g to her deuowte prayers orysons / Of the whyche thynge the holy Patryarke had knowlege / that neuertheles made couÌ„tenance as he had knowen no thynge / ¶ Wythin short tyme after he made to be called a Notary to whom he coÌ„mauÌ„ded to take an olde skynne of parchemyn therin to wryte a Testament for in the name of one namyd The ophente / And that he sholde afferme by the Testament that the fader of the sayd childe the sayd Patryarke were bredern germayn / Chargynge morouer the sayde Notary to shewe the chylde of the same shewynge to hym the sayd Testament for to the entent he shold gyue hym courage boldnesse to aske of the sayde Patryarke ayde socours / The whiche thyng the sayd Notary dyde in contynent but neuerthelesse the chylde durste not goo to hym ¶ Soo sente he twyes for hym / And fynably came towarde hym toke kyssed hym sayeng Thou arte welcome my neuewe And made to be knowen that he was of his kyn / ¶ And whan he was grete he gaue hym an hous and alle thynges that to hym were nedefull / And maryed hym honestly / ¶ Wherby it apperyth that god leuyth neuer those that haue theyr hope in hym / ¶ Of a begyler that borowed thyrty pounde of golde of the holy Patryarke And begynnyth in latyn ¶ Inpretermisse / Caplm C.xxxix TRouthe it is that the forsayde holy Patryarke had this good lawdable custome that men neuer went heuely abasshed from hym ¶ Soo it happed that a begyler Papelarde borowed of hyÌ„ xx.li of golde / This holy man vnware that he was of thylke nyce haskers / begylets licorous false butters the begyle deceyue the worlde lente hym gladly wythout ony spekynge therayenst / ¶ Soo departed this Papelaide from byfore hym mockyÌ„ge sayeng that he had lent hym no thyÌ„ge / The Iustycers prayed the holy Patryarke that he wolde suffre hym to be had in to pryson / ¶ But the sayd holy man sayd to theym / Frendes be mercyfull as god our fader that makyth the sonÌ„e to shyne aswell ouer the badd as ouer the good to rayne asmoche ouer the Iust as ourâ— the vertrue / forbadd them to doo vnto hyÌ„ ony harme / Wherof they angred theymself ayenst the holy man sayenge / Truely it noo right that suche a knawe shal haue thus your money better it were to gyue to the poore / ¶ ThenÌ„e he answerd vnto theym / Ye shal doo two euylles / The fyrst is that ye shal be holden impacyent in our harmes and to other ye shall be ensample of impacyence / And thother euyll shall be that in this doynge ye shall be dysâ— beyeng vnto god that sayth / Yf ony take the money or thy substauÌ„ce fro the / aske it neuer ayen ¶ Of that other parte saynt Poul sayth / Why do we not endure forbere more pacyently wronge dysceyte or wyles / It is a good dede almeses to gyue to theym that aske do And better bestowed it is to theim that aske noo thynge / But it is a souerayn goodnes to gyue our gowne to theim that from vs take awaye our mantell / And who that dooth thus he is of an angelles and of the nature of god / ¶ God commaudeth vs that we soâ—ur euer our euyn crysten of that we truly haue goten / And not of that we haue wonne and goten to the hurte of other wrongfully / ¶ Of the Abbott Vitalyon / And begynÌ„yth in latin ¶ Senex quidem maâ—nua c· Caplm C.xl. AN olde abbot named Vitalion of thage of .lx yere that dwellyd wyth a nother holy abbot / that hyghte Serydon had herde shewed many good propretees of the goode Patryarke IohnÌ„ / of his holy lyf / So wolde be assaye yf he mighte make hyÌ„ to falle in synne and namely yf he were soo constauÌ„t that he neuer condempned ony persone / ¶ Thenne
The fader began to wepe sayenge Alas what is falle to the my doughter What is he that woll take fro me my tresour / What is he that hath defoyled the / What is he that hath put oute the lyghte of myn eyen / I wolde haue maryed the to the souerayne kinge Ihesu Cryst and to hym aâ—owe thy vyrgynytee for to serue hym in deuoute relygyon / My truste was to haue be saued by the And thou art now wered wode and in to ydle loue ybroughte and leuyth the loue of thy Creatoure / Truely but yf thou take Ihesu Cryste to thy spowse thou shalt put myn olde aege in to perpetuell sorowe / ¶ The doughter wolde not agree to the wyll of her fader / but answerd / My fader yf thou graunt me not my desyre I ensure the that thou shalt see me fynysshe my dayes thrugh bytter anguysshe wythin shorte tyme ¶ The fader ferynge her wordes purposed hymselfe to playse her / And sent for her sayd louer for to make the brydale bytwene theym / ¶ And after that he had taken to theym all his goodes He sayd vnto his doughter for his last worde to her / ¶ Goo my vnhappy doughter thou shalt repente the ones of that thou haste thus lefte god for to serue the deuyll / ¶ After that they were maryed they dwelled togider a certain space of time Duryng the whiche the folissh louer thus wedded went neuer to the chyrche And also receyued not his Creatoure / ¶ Wherof some toke hede and shewed it vnto the sayd doughter his wife sayeng that her husbonde was not a Crysten man / ¶ Whan the wretched woman had herde thyse tydynges she layed her selfe downe at the grouÌ„de as coÌ„fortlees and with her nayles scratchyd her tend vysage bete her whyte brestes trowynge to haue slayne herself for sorowe ¶ After she sayd suche wordes / Ha my god neuer that persone shall be sauyd that dysobeyeth his frendes / Who shal sende worde to my fader of my coÌ„fusyon Ha wretchydnesse is wel happed to me In what vnhappe am I comÌ„ whi was I euer borne Alas that I was not after my byrth caught in to heuen / as she was thê° in suche sorow her husbonde came trowynge to haue knowen the causes of her wrath / ¶ And after that he had stylled and peasyd her somwhat / She desyred hym to goo wyth her to the chirche for to receyue togyder their maker / ¶ Thenne the wretchyd man confessyd his synne vnto his wyfe / ¶ The whyche as hauynge force and courage of man ranne vnto saynt Basille and sayd to hym / ¶ Alas thou man of god haue of me pyte poore and vnhappy / I haue yeuen my bodi for to be gouerned by the deuyl / Haue pyte of me horryble Inobedyent that wolde not obeye my fader / ¶ And after that she had reherced shewed all the befalle of her husbonde / Saynt Basylle sente for hym for to wyte of hym yf this thynge was true / Wherat he answerd ye / ¶ ThenÌ„e for to brynge hym to penaunce He askyd hym yf he wolde retorne for to serue Ihesu Cryste / He answerde he myghte not / by cause that he had promysyd to the deuyll that he shold neuer doo to hym seruyce· and had gyuen therof his wrytynge wyth his owne honde to the deuyll / ¶ Saynt Basylle his answere well vnderstonde shewed vnto him the grete mercy of god and how he is euer redy to receyue mekely oure penaunce / ¶ The good doughter knelyd byfore the sayd saynt Basylle sayd to hym O thou seruaunt of god haue mercy of our synne / The holy man enquyred of the sayd husbonde yf he had ony hope to be sauyd Wherat he answerde that ye / ¶ This herynge he brought theym in to a secrete place wythin the chyrche And durynge thre dayes he kepte hym there in contynuell prayers And oft tymes bothe daye and nyghte he came and vysyted hym / And askyd hym how it was wyth hym And he answered alwayes that he had none hope more of lyfe / by cause of the cryenges and callynges that the deuelles made dayly and nyghtly abowte hym / ¶ Whyche shewed vnto hym the wrytynge that he hadde made vppon his promyse to the prynce of helle / Sayenge vnto him ¶ Goo vnhappy man thou arte come vnto vs / And not we to the / What we neste thou for to do / ¶ The holy man comforted hym and moeuyd and styred hym in sayenge to hym / That he sholde euer haue stedfaste faythe and good hope in god ¶ He gaue hym a lytyll mete / And blessyd hym wyth the signe of the Crosse / ¶ And after he made hym to entree in his place where he was byfore / ¶ Whanne he hadde ben there â—i the space of fourty dayes / The holi man came to him / And examyned hym how he dide / ¶ He answered that he was in good suretee / For that nyghte he had seen the sayd saynt Basylle that bataylled for hym agaynst the deuylles / And that he hadde ouercomen theym / ¶ Thenne the holy man broughte hym streyght to his chambre where his slepynge place was / ¶ And the nexte daye by the mornynge he gadred togyder all the Clergye and other folke of deuocyon / To whom saynt Basylle declared and shewed this that folowyth / ¶ My chyldren ye knowe that I am your Pastour / And that I muste yelde acompte of your soules / I hadd lost a shepe / The whyche god hath sente agayne to me / ¶ And by cause that the good Pastour for to quyte his coÌ„scyence oughte to praye contynuelly for his shepe / I enioyne and coÌ„mauÌ„de you that ye bothe day nyght be wyth me for to praye god to th ende that this shepe soo come ayen to me may purchace his saluacoÌ„n / ¶ Soo began they al togider to praye god wyth wepynge syngyng Kyrieleyson After the gode pastour toke the pore man by the honde broughte hym in to the chyrche / ¶ The deuyll vnto whom he had done hoÌ„mage all his company came to the assemble / trowynge to haue take the poore synÌ„ar out of the holy bysshops hondes / soo began he to crye wyth an horryble voyce sayeng / O thou holi man of god helpe me / ¶ ThenÌ„e saynt Basylle torned his wordes vnto the deuill sayd to hyÌ„ What askest thou the deuyll dampned the worste of alle other wicked tendes / It suffyseth the not that thyself all thâ— company be dampned but art abowte full belye thrugh your cursed temptacoÌ„ns for to make the pore creatures of god to false wyth you in hell / The deuyll answerde / Basylle the doost me wâ—â—ge to my grete harme / for I my felowes here well the voyces of theym the synge Kyncleyson / Saynt Basylle answerd / God dooth this to thi harme not I / The deuyll yet agayn sayd to hym /
called togydre for to gader rede palme / amonge whiche there was one that by fyn force of grete abstynences was sore feble syke / and beganne to coughe spue castyng out of his mouthe some fleemes / and thus doynge he happed to spue vnknowyng vpon one of his brethern whiche therfore was moeued in corage to telle hym that he sholde leue his spuynge vpon hym / but neuerthelesse constraynynge hym selfe to withstande ayenst his sodayn wylle he toke with his handes that that the other had spued vpon hym / and ete it and sayd to hym selfe / telle not to thy brother nothyng that maye make him to falle in to heuynesse / but rather ete that wherat thou hast horrour and abhomynacyon ¶ Here foloweth a nother treatyse ayenst fornycacyon THe abbot Anthonye sayd that he supposed the bodye of euery man to haue his naturell moeuyng togydre spred in hym selfe The whiche naturell moeuyng can not werke ayenst the wyll of that herte / but oonly it is sygnyfyed in the bodye of man as a moeuyng Impassyble There is yet an other moeuyng comyng of the fode of the bodye whiche is Refeccyon of metes drynkes / by helpe of whiche that hete of that blood causeth this selfe blood to werke And to this purpose sayd the postle Beware that ye make not yourselfe dronke of wyn that moeueth a man to lechery And our lorde ayen coÌ„mauÌ„dyng to his postles sayd vnto them Kepe you that your hertes be not greuyd / that is to saye I made heuy by synne thrugh glotony dronkenshyp ¶ Morouer the sayd abbot Anthonye sayd / that there is yet do other moeuyng to those that in conuersacoÌ„n fyght ayenst vyces / the whiche moeuyng cometh procedeth of the watchynges of the enuye of the deuyls And thus it is to be noted that we haue .iij. moeuynges corporall One whiche is naturell / that seconde whiche cometh of repleccion of metes / the thyrde of the subgeccion of the deuyls of helle ¶ The abbot Geronces otherwyse called Petrense sayd / that many are teÌ„pted of corporall delectacoÌ„ns / how be it that they synne not bodely in asmoche that they fulfyll not effectuelly suche delectacions / alwayes they synne in thought / as those that kepe by constrayte theyr virgynyte / in theyr corage corrupte the same in soo moche / that yf it were not by some drede seruyll the refrayneth them / they sholde soone be redye for to performe that dysordynate aptyt of theyr corage And therfor sayd the sayd holy fader to his Relygyouses My right welbeloued brethern It is a good thyng profytable to do that the scrypture sayth / that is to wyt / euery one to kepe his herte by curyouse kepyng / in castyng from him selfe by feruent charyte all dysceytes temptacyons of the deuyll ¶ The abbot Cassyan sayd that he had herde the abbot Moyses saye / that it was a thyng good profytable not to hyde or kepe clos his thought / namely that it was necessary to open sâ—ewe them vnto the auncyent holy faders spyrytuell y fylled with wysdom dyscrecoÌ„n / and not oonly to thoo that be called olde for theyr grete age For many one consyderyng the grete age of some faders / not takynge hede yf they were wyse or dyscrete / haue shewed vnto them theyr cogytacyons thoughtes hopynge to haue therof some assuagyng / the whiche haue be deceyued / for why / bycause that these olde faders were not well lerned / the shewers in stede of comforte and consolacyon / are come fynally to the laste dyspeyre ¶ A Relygyouse there was that sette all his cure besynesse to vse lyue holyly And where he was sore tempted of the synne of fornycacyon / he came vnto an olde fader to whom he declared his temptacyons The whiche heryng this Relygyouse / and bycause he was not well experte / was wonderfully moeued ayenst hym / saynge to hym that he was myschaunt wretched / not worthy for to were the habyte of a Relygyouse / in as moche that he receyued in his corage suche thoughtes teptacyons ¶ The poore brother heryng his wordes mystrust hym selfe lefte his celle toke on his waye for to Retourne to lede his lyfe among wordly folke ¶ But it happed by the wyll of god that he was mette of Appollo the abbot whiche seeyng hyÌ„ thus sore troubled sorowfull questyoned hyÌ„ sayng My sone I see well that thou are troubled in thy corage / telle me I praye that what is the cause of thy heuynesse soo grete The Relygyouse acte the fyrst for the grete confusyon that he had taken att his herte answered hym nothyng / but after that he had be prayed ones ayen of the sayd holy abbot for to declare vnto hym his befall He shewed it vnto hym saynge Alas my lord it is trouthe / that I haue founde my selfe sore tempted troubled of the synne of fornycacyon / wherof I haue dyscouered me vnto suche an holy fader / hopynge that he sholde haue gyue me soâ— gooâ— remedye to the easyng of my conscyence / but his wordes haue putte me from all hope of saluacyon / wherfore all dysperate I retourne to dwelle in the worlde amonge the seculer folke ¶ Thenne the good fader Appollo heryng his wordes called hym / as a good goostly fader leche spyrytuall / began to praye hym to desyre hym moche affectuelly saynge vnto hym My childe I praye the here me speke Meruaylle nor dyspere not thy selfe / certaynly it is trouth that in the aege conuersacyon where I am presently I fynde my selfe moche troubled sore traueylled with suche folysshe thoughtes / be not therfore of corage more feble for cause of suche temptacyons / the whiche be not oonly ouercome by the power of mankynde / but pryncypally by the mercy of god And atte this houre I praye the grauÌ„t me one thyng It is that hauyng trust of the mercy of god / thou wyll Retourne ayen in to thyn owne celle / the whiche thyng he dyde full redyly And syn Appollo the abbot departyng from hym / went vnto the celle of the forsayd olde fader to whome the sayd Relygyouse had shewed his thoughtes temptacyons wherof he had brought hym in dysperacyon And he beyng nyght by it / he prayed god humbly in grete habondauÌ„ce of teeres / saynge Lorde god that for the profyte of thy seruauntes / sendest to them nedefull temptacyons I beseche the right humbly that it wyll please the to tourne in this aeged fader the batayll temptacoÌ„n that this yonge brother suffreth / to th ende that in his presente olde aege he lerne by veraye experyence / that whiche he coude not â—erue by longe processe of tyme / that by this meane he may haue compassyon of thoos that he trowbled with suche temptacoÌ„ns The whiche oryson fynysshed by the sayd holy fader Appollo / he sawe a
answered to theym / that he so was after his generacoÌ„n TheÌ„ne they asked hym yf he was not holy as other aged olde men To whom he answerd I haue seen in Sychye a man that myght tarye the sonne as dyde Iesus the sone of Naue / by the whiche answere they knewe that he was of more grete vertue ¶ The abbot Sysoy sayd that he beyng with thabbot Macharye / he sawe in a felde where they dyde repe in haruest / a womaÌ„ gadryng glenyng the strawes of whete / cessed not for to wepe TheÌ„ne asked they of Macharye wherfore she wepte And the mayster of the felde sayd to hym that her husbonde had taken receyued to kepe of a man a certayn some of moneye whiche he had hydde in a place vnknowen / for the more surelyer to kepe it And after he was preuented taken away by deth without declaryng to ony persone the place where the sayd moneye was For the restyâ—ucoÌ„n wherof / they that had delyuered it to kepe / pursyewed rygorously the sayd womaâ— her childern in manacyng thretenyng theyÌ„ to put theyÌ„ in seruytude yf they restored not the sayd moneye Thabbot Macharye moeued with pyte dyde do calle this womaÌ„ to hym / made her to bryng hyÌ„ vpon the sepulture of her husbonde / after sente her to her hous Thenne began he his brethern to praye god for this wedowe / whan the prayer was doon Macharye called the sayd husbonde of the wedowe that was there buryed asked of hyÌ„ where he had seyde the moneye / whiche had be delyuered to hyÌ„ to kepe the whiche anone began to speke sayd It is hyd in my chambre vnder the foot of my bedde TheÌ„ne sayd to hyÌ„ the holy man Macharye Go reste the vnto the daye of Iugement / of whiche thyng his bretheren were gretely admeruaylled adradde / fylle doun all to the feet of the holy man / whiche sayd to theym Helas my brethern this hath not â—e doon for the loue of me / for I am as nothyng / but it hath be doon for to socour this poore womaÌ„ her poore orphanes whiche be faderles And knowe ye veryly / that yf ye lyue holyly ryghtwysly / all that ye shall aske of god / god shall grauÌ„te it to you lyghtly Thus thenne wente they forth in to the hous of the poore wedowe / shewed to her the place where this moneye was And she huÌ„bly thankyng hyÌ„ toke it / rendred delyuered it to hym that asked it And all they that herde knewe of this myracle / praysed gaaf laude to god ¶ Emylius an holy man as he passed by the waye sawe a monke whiche was holden of certayne men / whiche wolde make hym byleue that he was a murderer TheÌ„ne demauÌ„ded the holy man wherfore they helde hym in suche wyse and they wente sayd that he was a murderer And the holy man asked where is he that hath be murdred slayne And anone they shewed hym to hym / and he approuched to the deed bodye / and sayd to the assystentes / praye ye for hym / and wente began to praye in lyftyng vp his hondes And Incontynent the deed man aroos / and after the holy man demaunded hym sayeng who hath slayne the / he answered I was entred within a Temple / and I hadde gyuen to a preest my syluer to kepe / the whiche for myn hauour hath slayne me / and hath throwen me in to the hous and habytacyon of this Relygyous man here And therfore I praye you that he yelde ayen the moneye / that it may be delyuered to my childern / and anon at the coÌ„mauÌ„dement of the holy man the soule departed fro the bodye ¶ A companye of holy people olde camen to thabbot Pastor And as they were with hyÌ„ / cam a man whiche was cosyn to thabbot Pastor / the whiche had a childe / that had his face tourned bacwarde by thoperacoÌ„n of the deuyll / whan he was comen he durst not speke to his cosyn / but wepyng he helde hyÌ„ without / wherfore come one of the holy faders asked hym wherfore he wepte The man sayd My childe hath the vysage tourned bacwarde / for whiche cause I haue brought hyÌ„ to thabbot Pastor my cosyn for to he le hyÌ„ / but I dar not entre in to hyÌ„ For I wote well he loueth me but a lytyll / but yf it please the / lede my childe to hyÌ„ that he hele hym TheÌ„ne the holy man toke the childe And by the prayers of the brethern and of thabbot Pastor / how well that he refused it was this childe guarysshed made all hole rendred to his fader ¶ An holy man named Paulus dwellyng in Egypt nygh vnto Thebayde toke of these addres serpentes / deuyded theym in to pyeces / without that he was in ony wyse hurte / the whiche thyng seeyng the brethern asked hym Fader mayst thou thus breke these serpentes without to hurtâ— the. To whom he sayd My brethern yf a man haue his conscyence pure clene / all thynges be to hym subgette All in lyke wyse as to Adam to fore that he synned / all thynges create were submysed to hym ¶ Iulyan thappostata sente on a tyme a deuyll in to Perse for to do a message / to th ende that he myght sooner haue doon / but in goyng the deuyll cam in to an hermytage / in the whiche he was constrayned by the prayes contynuell orysons of an holy man / to tarye there / as vnmouable by the space of .x. dayes / myght go no ferther For the relygyouses prayden day nyght without cessyng / which thyng consydered / the deuyll cam agayn without doyng ony thyng / sayd to Iulyan apostata I myght not go in to Perse for a monke named Publiê° the whiche by his prayers hath kepte me / theÌ„ne purposed Iulyan thapostate at his retournyng to do slee this monke / but he deyed on the waye / anone his prouost went solde all his goodes / cam rendred hym selfe to be a monke with Publius / was a moche holy man in th ende ¶ A seculer man comyng to the abbot Sysoy in to the montayne of the holy fader Anthonye had a sone whiche deyed on the waye / thenne the fader without troublyng of hyÌ„selfe / but in stedfast fayth hope toke hyÌ„ bare hym to this holy man / prayeng hym that he wolde reyse hym from deth to lyf / leyde hyÌ„ doun atte the feet of the holy man / wente out of his celle Sysoy wenyng that the childe was not deed sayd to hym Aryse vp go thy waye And incontynent he aroos leep gooyng forth That seeyng the fader entred in to his celle / worshypped the holy man / the whiche thyng he wolde not that he sholde doo / therfore the dyscyple
that it was god For it is wryten in the psalmyste God is our refuge / strengthe vertue in trybulacōns whiche persecute vs strongely ¶ A brother asked hym what prouffyten the fastynges and wakynges that men make The holy man answered / that they make the soule humble and meke For it is wryten Lorde god beholde my mekenes my labour / and forgyue me my synnes / yf it pleaseth the. And therfore yf we take on vs payne / god shall haue pyte mercy on vs. ¶ A brother demaunded of an olde fader / what ought a man to doo agayne the temptacōns of the fende To whome he answered / he ought fyrst to wepe to th ende that god helpe hym And yf he praye deuoutly / god shall socoure hym For it is wryten Yf god helpe me I fere noo man ¶ A brother asked yf a bondeman haue trespaced / what shall he saye to his lorde / yf he wyll punysshe hym To this he answered that he sholde saye My lorde I haue trespaced / but yf it please the. I praye the to pardonne me / anone his mayster shall forgyue hȳ Thus we that be boūde and seruaūtes to god / whan we haue synned / and we retorne to hym in confessyng our synnes / he wyll pardonne vs Incontynent The ende of our operacyons is not to Iuge ony persone For whan god slewe all the fyrste begoten in Egypte / ther was not one hous but there was one therin deed Thenne asked a brother what was that that soo saye And he answered to hym / that yf we behelde well our synnes / we sholde thynke noo thyng of the synnes of our neyghboures It is grete folye to a man to forsake his deed corps in his hous / for to go by wepe one in his neyghbours hous he is deed towarde his neyghbour / the whiche thynketh not on the werkes of other / and dooth no harme to ony persone / ne thynketh none euyll in his corage / the whiche also despyseth no man bycause he is a synner / and the whiche is not vnyed to hym that dooth euyll to his neyghbour / ne speketh yll of ony persone / but sayd to hym selfe God knoweth the thought of euery man / I not It behoueth thenne to flee the detractours For it is sayd in the gospell Iuge no man / to th ende that ye be not Iuged of god One ought not also hate ony persone / though he were his enemye Ne despyse a man bycause he chydeth with his neyghbour For otherwyse thou sholdest haue noo reste ne peas in thy conscyence ¶ An other olde fader sayd / thou man lyuyng thynke that thy god is born of the virgyne Marye for the loue of the / he hath be made man and alwaye abydeth god / he hath be made a lytyll childe / he was a redar and prechar whan he toke the boke in the synagoge and sayd The speryte of god is vpon me / by cause he that hath enoynted me / hath sente me to preche the gospell to the poore synners / he had be subdeken / whan he chaced out of the temple theȳ that solde and theym that bought / he was deken whan he weeshe the feet of his appostles / in cōmaūdyng theym to wesshe the feet of theyr brethern / he was made preest whan he abode in the myddell of the temple techynge theym / he was made bysshop in takyng the brede and in delyueryng to his dyscyples / he hath be beten for the loue of the / he hath be crucyfyed / he aroos the thyrde daye And after ascended in to heuen / and all for vs / and all he hath doon for to saue vs. And neuertheles we wyll nothynge endure ne suffre for the loue of hym Late vs thenne be sobre and wake we / praye we deuoutly and kepe we his cōmaūdementes to th ende that we may be saued / was not Ioseph solde in to Egypte in to a straunge londe The thre childern were they not brought prysoners in to Babylon And how well they had no knowlege / god was theyr helpe and were saued in th ende / for as moche as they dradde / who that gyueth hym all to god hath no free wyll / but doth as god cōmaūdeth hym without payne of conscyence And yf thou wylt do after thyn owne wyll without helpe of god / thou shalt haue ouermoche payne in thy conscyence ¶ A brother asked of thabbot Pastor fader what is that to saye / that one ought not to thynke on the next daye folowynge The holy man answered / that is to vnderstonde of a man that is in temptacyon / that is to saye / that he ought to resyste it the same daye / without to thynke to resyste it on the morn ¶ A brother demaūded from whens it cam / that a man how well he be a grete synner / neuerthelesse he is not a shamed to detracte the renōmee and fame of an other To whom the holy man answered by suche a parable / ther was a poore man whiche had a wyfe the whiche sawe an other woman that was moche fayrer than his wyfe with out comparyson / and desyred her and dyde soo moche that he had her in maryage / but she was as poore as that other It happed thenne / that tho two wyues / wente with her husbonde to a market And by cause they were both naked / they put theym selfe in a tonne but that one seeyng that the people were departed / sprang out of the tonne / and founde olde clothes and ragges / couered her in suche wyse / that she myght well goo amonge the people / without to haue ony shame Thenne that other woman hauyng therof enuye sayd to hyr husbonde This folysshe woman is all naked / and neuerthelesse she is not a shamed to goo amonge the people Thenne answered to hyr the husbonde in grete angre / she hath some what couered and hydde hyr pouerte and confusyon / but as for the / thou art all naked / and yet thou mockeste her as moche as thou mayste ¶ Thus sayd the holy fader / is eche man a detractour / the whiche not consyderyng his owne synnes / cesseth not to saye euyll of an other whiche ben better than he ¶ The abbot Iohan sayd to some of his brethern / that there were thre phylosophres the whiche were good frendes to gydre Of whiche one of theym deyeng lefte his childe to that other And whan he was grete / he defoylled the wyfe of his moneytour / wherfore he was put out of the hous And how well that he dyde grete penaunce / neuerthelesse the phylosopher wolde not suffre hym to reentre in to his hous But sayd to hym that he sholde goo amonge theym that were Iuged to the deth for to dygge gadre with them metall within the Ryuer thre yere longe And whan he hadde soo doon and fulfylled that penaunce / he sholde retourne to the phylosophre and than he