as of the flesshe and his moder tofore that he was born sawe in her slepe that she bare a lytell whelpe in her bely whiche bare a brennyg brond in his mouthe and whan he was issued out of her wombe He brent alle the world and also it semed to a woman that was godmoder to hym at font and helde hym that the chyld domynyk had a sterre right clere in hys forhede which enlumyned al the world And as he was yet a chyld and in the kepyng of his nourice he was ofte founde leuyng his bedde and lyeng on the bare grounde And after Whan he was sent to palentyne for to lerne he tasted ne dranke neuer wyne in x yere And whan he sawe that grete famyne was there he sold his bokes and al his substaunce and gaf the prys of them to poure peple whaÌ„ his good renome grewe he was made chanon reguler of the bysshop of oxonyence in hys chyrche And after he was myrrour of lyf vnto the peple and was ordeyned subpryour of the chanonnes and day and nyght he entended to rede in prayeng god cotynuelly that he wold gyue hym grace that he myght estende to the helthe of his neyghbours In the boke of collacoÌ„ns of faders he redde curyously and toke therin grete perfection he went wyth the sayd bysshop to tholous And there he reprehended his hoost of heresye and conuerted hym to the fayth of Ihesu cryste And presented hym to our lord as an handful of the first fruyte of the to comyng haruest It is redde in the gestys of the erle of mounfort that on daye as seint domynyk prechyd ayenst the heresyes that he put in writyng the auctoritres that he purposed And delyuerd the cedule to an heretike for to argue ayenst hys obiections and that nyght the heretikes assembled at the fyre shewed to them that sedule and they bad hym to cast it in the fyre And yf the cedule brenned theyr fayth was not but trecherye And yf it brenned not thenne he prechyd the very fayth of the chirche of Rome And thenne was the cedule cast in the fyre And whan it had be in the fyre a whyle it sprang out al sauf And thenne one of them that was more hard than the other sayd cast it in agayn yet And we shal preue better and more playnly the trouthe Thenne it was throwen in agayn and it yssued out agayn without brennyng Thenne sayde he late it be cast in the thyrde tyme And thenne shal We knowe without doubte the yssue of this thyng and it was caste in agayn And it cam out the third tyme without lesyon or hurte And yet the heretikes abydyng in theyr hardnesse sware emonge them fermlye that none of them shold publisshe this thyng neuertheles a knyght that was there whiche was somwhat accordyng to our fayth disclosed this myracle it is sayd asemblable thyng happed at the mount victorial in the temple Iupiter that a disputacoÌ„n was ordeyned ayenst the heretikes lyke as the maladye of theresye grewe in the Partyes of albegeys that disputacion solempne was at the temple of Iupyter Were ordeyned Iuges on both patyes To Whom thaffyrmacion of the fayth that eueriche shold ensygne shold be wreton in a book And the book of seynt domynyk was chosen and presented emong the other Vpon the Which the Iuges stroof ayenst them how be it It was ordeyned that the bokes of one parte and that other sholde be caste in to the fyre And they that brenned not shold be holden with out doubte for the very fayth and so the bokes were throwen in to a grete fyre brennyng And anon the book of the heresyes Was brent and the book of seynt domynyk only was saued and not brente But sprang out of the fyre without hurtyng and it was cast in the second tyme and it lepe owt wythout brennyng And after thys the other cristen men went home agayn to theyr proper places and the bysshop of oxonyence deyed and seynt Domynyk abode there allone with a fewe crysten men and catholyque ayenst the heretikes And denounced preched the worde of god fermely And thaduersaryes of trouth mocked hym and spitte at hym and threwe at hym filthe of the stretes and other right foule thynges And bond behynd hym wyspes of strawe in grete despyte And whan they thretened menaced hym he answerd Wythout fere or drede I am not worthy to be marterd ne I haue not yet deserued that deth by glorye And therfor he passyd hardyly by the way where they despised hym and song and Went Ioyously And they merueyled sayde to hym hast thou no drede of deth what woldest thou haue doon yf we had taken the I had prayed you said he that ye shold not haue slayne me sodenly But lytil and lytil ye shold haue hewen membre fro membre one after a nother and thenne that ye had shewed tofore myn eyen my membres so detrenched and thenne that ye had left my body so lyeng and foulâ—d in my blood without to haue slayne me at your wyll He fond a man that for the grete pouerte that he suffred was Ioyned to the heretykes and seynt domynyk seeyng this ordeyned hym self to be solde and that the prys of hym shold be gyuen to the pour man to bryng hym out of his pouerte And this dyd he for to bryng hym of the foul errour that he was in And so he wold haue ben sold yf not the deuyne mercy had not otherwyse pourueyed Another tyme a woman cam to complayne to hym that her brother was in the hondes of the sarasyns in grete captyuyte And that she knewe no way how to delyuer hym And he was meuyd of pyte in hys herte And offred hym self to be solde for the redempcyon of that other But god that knewe hym more necessarye for the redempcyon spirituel of many caytyues suffrid it not yet he entended to be his pledge and to lye for hym his charite was so grete In a tyme he was lodged With certayn ladyes whiche by occasion of relygyon they had be desceyued of the heretiques and thenne he fasted and his felawe with hym al the lente with brede and water so that by the shadowe of relygyon he toke fro them that errour and in the nyght he woke sauf whan necessyte was he lay doun vnder a table without other thyng And thus thise wymmen were brought to the knowleche of trouthe and theÌ„ne began he to thynke of thestablisshement of his ordre of what offyce it myght be For to goo and preche thrugh the world and for tenhaunce the crysten fayth ayenst the heretikes And whan he had dwellyd x yere in the parties of tholouse after the deth of the bisshop of oxonyense vnto the tyme that the counseyl shold be solempnysed at latranense Thenne he Went to rome with Faucon bysshop of tholouse to the counseyl generall for to gete of Innocente the pope that the ordre whiche is sayde
word vocabis nomen eius ihesum And here thou shalt Impose to hym this name whiche was gyue to hym by thangele to fore begynnyng of this world whan thēne he sayde thou shalt Impose to hym this name he sheweth the denominacion made by Ioseph And whan he said that of the angelle or of the souerayn it was made he towched the ij other domynaciōs And therfore was this Circumsicion establyssyd in the heed begynnyng of the yere at Rome whiche is chief of the world and ennobled with the first lettre of the chief of the A.b.c. sette in the first place thus fourmed Ihesu Crist the hede of the chirche is this day circūcided the name is gyue to hym and Imposed And the vtas of the natyuyte is halowed The thirde thynge that is considered of this holy day is theffusion or shedyng of the blood of Ihesu Cryst For on this day fyrst he began to shede his bloode the whiche after dyuerse tymes he shedde Fyue tymes he shedde his blood for vs First atte his circumsicion And this tyme was the begynnyng of oure redēpcion Secondly in oryson And in this tyme he shewde the desire that he had of our redempcion Thirdly wan he was bound to the pyler and beten and this was the merite of our redempcion for by his woūdes we were saued Fourthly whā he was crucyfyed And this tyme was the prys of oure redempcion And thēne he payed that whiche he had not taken Fyfthly whan his syde was opened And this tyme was of our redempcion the sacrement For thenne out of his syde yssued blood water whiche signefyeth that we ought to be puryfyed by the water of baptesme the whiche water ought to haue vertue and effect of the precious blood of Ihesu Cryst The sixthe thyng of this holy day is the signacle of the Circumsicion the whiche Ihū Cryst on this day of his benygnyte daygned to take And ye ought to knowe that for many resons he wold be circuncised First for the cause of hym self that he wold shewe that he had takē our uery flessh humayne For he knewe wel that ther shold somme come after that shold saye that he had not taken body real of the virgyne Marie And therfore wold he be circumcised really in flessh humayne for to destroye theyr erroure And to shede his naturel blood For a body fantastyque shal shede no blood Secondly for the cause of vs for to shewe to vs how we shold be circuncised spirituelly After that saynt bernard saith Ther be two maner of circumsicions that we ought to doo that is to wete withoute forth our flessh within our herte The circumsiciō of our body is in thre thynges in habyte that it be not noyeful In operacion that it be not repreuable in worde that it by not despytous The circumsicion of the herte within forth is also in thre thynges in thought that it be holy in affection that it be pure in encencion that it be rightfull Item for the rightful cause of vs to that he wold saue vs in this maner that he was cutte in one mēbre for to saue all the body In lyke wyse wold Ihū Cryst suffre the cuttyng of his circumcision for to saue all the spyrituel body of the chirche They ben the mēbres of the chirche that byleue in hym whiche by the faith of the chirche shall be saued Of whiche circumsicion saith saynt poul ad Colocenses secundo ye haue taken the circumcison not made with the honde to despoylle cutte the flesshe but the spirituel circumsicion of Ihesu Cryst is that all vices be cutte of take away Thirdly he wold be circumcised by cause of the Iewes that they shold haue none excusacion but for to byleue in hym For yf he had not be circumsised they myght saye they ought not to receyue hym by cause he folowed not the fadres of the lawe Fourthly by cause the deuyl shold haue no knowleche of the mystery of thyncarnacion As the circumsicion was gyuen ayenst orygynal synne the deuyl wende that he that receyued it were a synnar had nede of the remedye of circumsicion And for this cause Ihesu Cryste wold that his moder beyng all way a virgyne shold be maryed by cause that by the sacrament of matrymonye his Incarnacion shold be hyd from the feende Fyfthly for to fulfylle parfyght Iustice and parfyght humylyte the whiche is to submytte hym to one lower than hym selfe therfore wold he thus be circumcised for to shewe to vs this humylite as he that is lorde and maistre of the lawe submysed hym selfe to the lawe Sixthly for tapproue and fulfyll the lawe of Moyses the whiche was good holy For he was not comen for to destroye the lawe but for to fulfylle and kepe the lawe Thus saith saynt poul the xv chapytre I saye to you that Ihesu Cryst was mynystre of the circumsicion for the trouth of god to conferme the promesses that he had mad vnto the fadres of tholde lawe And the cause why the circumsicion was made the viij day ther ben assigned many reasons The first is for to vnderstonde the sence of the lettre as it lyeth For lyke as Raby moyses whiche was a right grete philosophre in theologye how wel that he was a Iewe whan a chylde in the state of vij dayes after he is born is also tēdre as he were yet in the wombe of his moder And atte vij day he is fortefyed and affermed Therfor as he saith our lord wold that the lytil children atte viij day shold be circumcised by cause they shold not be hurte by the grete tendrenes that they haue yet And he wold not that they shold abyd aboue the viij day for iij causes that he assigneth The first is fore to eschewe the peryll of deth that he shold not deye within the viij dayes The seconde is for teschewe the payne of the chyldren For in the doyng of the circumsicion is a grete payne And therfore wold our lord god that they were circumcised whylis they had lytyl ymagynacion For whan they haue lytil vnderstōdyng they fele not so moche payne The thirde cause for teschewe the heuynes of the parentes For by the circumsicion many chyldren deyed And yf they had abyden til they had be gretter And thēne deyed the fader and moder shold haue ben more soroufull than they shold be atte age of viij dayes The second cause is vnderstande in spirituel dede that is to wyte that the viij day is taken for the resurrexion whiche is the vtas of our lyf For thenne shal we be circumcised fro alle payne and fro all myserye And thus thies viij dayes shall be vnderstod by the viij ages The first is fro Adam to Noe The secōd fro Noe to abraham The thirde fro abrahā to Moyses The fourthe fro moyses vnto Dauid The fyfte fro Dauid to Ihesu Cryst The vj fro Ihesu Cryst vnto th ēde of the world The vij of the deyeng
toke the only sheep of the poure man and made mete therof to his gheest dauid was wroth said to nathan by the lâ—uyng god the maÌ„ that hath so doo is the childe of deth the man that hath so doo shal yelde therfore iiij double Thenne said NathaÌ„ to Dauid thou art the same maÌ„ that hath don this thynge This said the lord god of Israhel I haue enoynted the kynge vpon Israhel and I haue kept the fro the hande of Saul and I haue gyuen to the an hows to kepe in thy houshold and wyues in thy bosom I haue gyuen to the the hous of Israhel and the hous of Iuda And yf thyse be smale thynges I shal adde and gyue to the moche more and gretter why hast thou therfor despysed the word of god and hast don euyl in the sight of our lord Thou hast slayn vrye with a swerd And his wyf hast thou taken vnto thy wif And thou hast slayn hym with the swerd of the sones of Ammon Therfor the swerd shal not goo fro thy hows world withoute ende For as moche as thou hast despysed and hast taken vryes wyf vnto thy wyf This said our lord I shal reyse euyl ayenst the And shal take thy wyues in thy sight and gyue them to thy neyghbour and shal lye wyth thy wyuys to fore thyn eyen Thou hast don it pryuely but I shal make this to be don and open in the sight of alle Israhel And thenne said dauid to Nathan peccaui I haue synned ayenst our lord Nathan said Our lord hath taken away thy synne thou shalt not dye but for as moche as thou hast made the enemyes to blaspheme the name of god Therfor the sone that is born to the shal dye by deth And nathan retorned home to his hous And for this synne dauid made this psalme Miserere mei deus whiche is a psalme of mercy For Dauid dide grete penauÌ„ce for thyse synnes of aduoultrye and also of homycyde For as I ones was by yonde the see Rydyng in the companye of a noble knyght named Syr IohÌ„n Capons and was also doctour in bothe lawes was born in malyorke and had ben viceroye and gouernour of Aragon and Catelone that tyme CouÌ„ceyllour vnto the duc of bourgonye Charloys It happend we comened of the hystorye of Dauid and this said noble man told me that he had redde that dauid dyde this penauÌ„ce folowyng for thyse said synnes that he dalf hym in the ground standyng nakyd vnto the heed so longe that the wormes began to crepe in his flesshe and made a verse of this psalme Miserere and theÌ„ne cam out and whan he was hole therof he wente in agayn and stode so agayn as longe as afore is said and made the second verse and so as many tymes he was doluen in the erth as ben verse in the said psalme of Miserere mei deus and euery tyme was abydyng therin tyl he felte the wormes crepe in his flesshe This was a grete penaunce and a token of grete repentaunce For ther ben in the psalme xx verses And xx tymes he was dolueÌ„ Thus thys noble man told me rydyng bytwene the toun of Gaunt in Flaundres and the toun of Bruxellis in Braband Therfor god toke away this synne and forgaue it hym but the sone that she brought forth deyed and after this bersabee that had ben vryes wyf conceyuyd and brought forth another sone named SalomoÌ„ whiche was welbyloued of god and after Dauid Salomon was kynge After this Dauid had moche warre and trouble and angre in so moche that on a tyme Ammon oldest sone of Dauid louyd thamar his suster This thamar was Absalons suster by the moder syde and Ammon forced and laye by her and whan he had don his pleasir he hated her and threwe her out of his chambre and she complayned her vnto Absalon Dauid knewe herof and was right sory for it but he wold not rebuke his sone Ammon for it For he louyd hym by cause he was his first begoten sone Absalon hated Ammon euer after And whan Absalon on a tyme dyde do shere his sheep he prayd alle his brethern to come ete with hym And made hem a feste lyke a kynges feste At whiche feste he dyde do slee his brother Ammon And anon it was told to the kynge dauid that Absalon had slayn all the kynges sones wherfor the kynge was in grete heuynes and sorowe But anon after it was told hym that ther was nomo slayn but Ammon And the other sones cam home And Absalon fledd in to gessur and was there thre yere durst not come home And after by the moyen of Ioab he was sente for and cam in to Iherusalem but yet he myght not come in his fader the kynges presence and dwellyd there two yere myght not see the kynge his fader This Absalon was the fayrest man that euer was For fro the sole of his foot vnto his heed ther was not a spotte he had so moche heere on his heed that it greuyd hym to bere wherfore hit was shorn of ones a yere it weyed two hondred cycles of good weight Thenne whan he abode so longe that he myght not come to his faders presence he sente for Ioab to come speke with hym and he wold not come he sente agayn for hym and he cam not Thenne Absalon said to his seruauÌ„tes knowe ye Ioabs felde that lyeth by my felde They said ye Goo ye sayde he And sette fyre in the barle that is ther in and brenne it And Ioabs seruauÌ„tes cam and told to Ioab that AbsaloÌ„ had sette fyre on his corn Thenne Ioab cam to Absalon said why hast thou sette fyre on my corn And he said I haue sente tweys to the prayeng the to come to me that I myght sente the to the kyng and that thou sholdest saye to hym why I cam fro gessur It had be better to me for to haue abyden there I praye the that I may come to his presence and see hys vysage And yf he remembre my wickednes late hym slee me Ioab wente in to the kynge and told to hym all thyse wordes Thenne was Absalon callyd and entred in to the kynge he fylle doun and worshipped the kynge And the kyng kyssyd hym Aftir this absalon dyde doo make for hym self Chares and horsmen and fyfty men to goo byfore hym And walked emong the tribus of Israhel and grette and salued them takyng them by the hond and kyssed hem by whiche he gate to hym the hertes of the peple and said to hys fader that he had auowed to make sacrefise to god in hebron and hys fader gaf hym leue And whan he was there he gadred peple to hym and made hym self kynge And dyde doo crye that all men shold obeye wayte on hym as kynge of Israhel whan Dauid herd this he was sore abasshed and was fayn to flee out of Iherusalem And Absalon cam wyth hys
and fasted alweye his vygyl Now it happed that she offred a candell to th aulter of saynt peter and anone the preest for his couetise quenchyd the candel but anone after the candel was lyhht ageyn by hym self he quenched it ageyn ones or twyes alle weye as sone as he was gone it lighted anone ageyn thenne he lefte that put out another candel which a knyght had offred in thonour of saynt peter whiche knyghte fasted also hys euen and the preest assayed ij tymes yf he myght put it out but he myght not Thenne said the knyght vnto the preest what deuyl seest thou not well the myracle that saynt Peter wyl not that they be quenchyd Thenne was the preest abasshed all the clerkes that were there with hym in so moche that they fledde out of the chirche tolde the myracle oueralle There was a man called roba whyche had lost hys gowne and alle the money that he had whan he came vnto hys hows and sawe hym self in soo grete pouerte he called the deuylles and gaue hym self to them thenne came to hym thre deuyls whiche cast doun roba vpon the solyer after toke hym by the necke it semed that they wold haue estrangled hym in suche wyse that he vnothe myght speke whan they that were in the hows bynethe herde hym crye they went to hym but the deuylles said to them that they shold retorne they had supposed that roba had sayd so retorned and after anone he began to crye ageyn thenne apperceyued they wel that they Were the deuyls fette the preest which coniured in the name of saynt Peter the deuyls that they shold goo their waye Thenne two of them wente awaye and the thyrd abode his frendes brought hym on the morne to the chyrche of the freres Thenne there came afrere named guyllam of versel this frere guyllame demaunded What was hys name the fende answerd I am called buthsephast thenne the frere commauÌ„ded that he shold goo out anone the fende called hym by his name as he had knowen hym said guyllam guyllam I shal not gone out for the for he is oures and hath gyuen hym self to vs thenne he coniured hym in the name of saynt peter the marter thenne anone he went his waye the man was all hoole toke penaunce for his trespace was after a good man Saynt peter whiles he lyued it happed that he dysputed with an heretyke but this heretyke was sharpe aygre soo full of wordes that saynt peter myght haue of hym none audyence whan he sawe that he departed fro the dysputacion wente prayed our lord that he wold gyue to hym place and tyme to susteyne the feythe that the other myght be stylle speke not whan he came ageyn he fonde this heretike in suche caas that he myght not speke Thenne the other heretykes fledde al confused and the good cristen men thanked our lord The day that saynt peter was marterd a nonne that was of the cite of florence sawe in a vysyon our lady that styed vp in to heuen with her two persones one on the ryght syde that other on the lyfte in the habyte of freres whiche weren by hir whan she demaunded who it was A voys said to hyr that it was the sowle of saynt Peter And was founden certeynly that same day he suffred deth therfore thys Nonne whiche was grouously seek prayed to saynt peter for to recouer her helthe and he gate it for hir entyerly There was a scoler that wente fro maloygne vnto monpellyer in lepyng he was broken that he myght not goo Thenne he remembryd of a woman that was helyd of a cancre by a lytel of the erthe of the sepulcre of saynt peter anone he had truste in god and cryed to saynt peter in suche manere as she had doon anone he was hoole In the cyte of compostelle there was a man that had grete leggys swollen lyke a barelle his wombe lyke a woman with chylde and his face foule horryble so that he semed a monstre to loke on and it happed that he wente with a staffe beggyng his breed and in a place where he demaundd on a tyme almesse of a good woman she sawe hym so swollen that she said that it were better for hym to haue a pytte to be buryed in than ony other thynge For he was no better than dede yet neuerthelesse sayd she I counceyl the that thou goo in to the chirche of the frere prechours praye saynt peter that he make the hoole and haue in hym veray faythe I hope he shal make the al hole This seek man wente on the morne to the chyrche but he founde it shette closed Thenne he slepte atte dore he sawe in his slepe that a man in the habyte of a frere broughte hym in to the chyrche And couerd hym wyth his cope whan he awoke he fouÌ„de hym self in the chirche was perfytely hole Wherof moche peple merueyled by cause they had seen so shorte tyme tofore hym like as he shold haue deyed forthwith There be many mo myracles which were ouer grete a laboure to wryte al for they wold ocupye a grete book theÌ„ne lete vs praye to thys holy marter saynt Peter that he praye for vs ¶ Thus endeth the lyf of saynt Peter the marter ¶ Here foloweth of saynt Phelip thappostle fyrst of thynterpretacyon of his name PHelyp is as moche to saye as the mowthe of a lampe or the mouthe of handes or it is sayd of philos that is as moche to saye as loue and of ypus that is to saye souerayn so phelyp is as moche to saye as loue of souâ—rayne thynges thenne is it said mowthe of a lampe for his clere prechyng and mowthe of the handes for hys besy werke loue of thynges souerayn for his celestyal loue and contemplacion Of the lyf of Saynt phylyp SAint phylip whan he had preched in sychye by the space of xx yere he was taken of the Paynyms whiche wold constrayne hym to make sacrefise to ydolles whiche was called mars theyr god anone vnder thydol yssued out a right grete dragon whiche forthwith slewe the bysshoppes sone that apoynted the fyre for to make the sacrefyse the ij prouostes also whos seruauÌ„tes helde saint phylip in yron bondes and the dragon corrupted the peple with his breethe that they al were seek saynt philyp said beleue ye me breke thys ydol sette in his place the crosse of IhÌ„u crist after worshyp ye it they that been here dede shal reuyue al the seek peple shal be made hole they that were seek cryed to saynt philip and said yf thou mâ—y do so moche that we may be guarisshed hole we shal gladly doo hit anone saynt philyp commauÌ„ded the dragon that he shold
Albone And saynt Amphiabel ¶ Here foloweth the natyuyte of Saynt Iohan Baptiste SAynt Iohan baptiste is named in many maners he was named a prophete frende of the spouse lanterne an aungel voys helyas baptist of the saueour messager of the Iuge and foregoar of the kynge by prophete is signefyed prerogatyf of knowleche in the frende of the spouse noblesse of loue In the lanterne brennyng noblesse of holynes in an aungel prerogatyf of vyrgynyte In voys noblesse of mekenes in helye noblesse of brennyng loue In baptiste prerogatyf of meruayllous honour In messager prero gatyf of prechyng and in forgoyng prerogatyf of preparacyon or makyng redy Alle thyse vertuous thynges were in hym ¶ Of saynt Iohan Baptist THe Natyuyte of saynt Iohan baptyste was auÌ„cient shewed by the archaungel gabryel in this manere It is said in thystorye scolastyke that dauyd the kyng wyllyng to encrece make more the seruyse of god Instytued xxiiij bysshoppes or hyghe preestys of whome one was ouerest grettest was named prynce af the preestys and he ordeyned that eche preest shold serue a weke abias was one and had the viij weke of whos kynrede Zacharyas was descendyd fader of Saynt Iohan baptyste This Zacharye had to wyf one of the doughters of the kynrede of aaron whos name was elysabeth doughter of esmeria whyche was suster of saynt anne moder of our lady Thenne thys Elysabeth and our lady were cosyns germayns doughters of two susters Thyse two Zacharye his wyf elizabeth were Iust tofore our lord lyuyng in al the Iustyficacions holdyng al the coÌ„mauÌ„dementes of the lawe without murmure ne compleynt preysyng thankyng our lord god They had no chyldren for the holy woman was bareyn They had grete desyre to haue a sone that myght be byshop of the lawe by successyon of lygnage after Zacharye And herof had they in theyr yongthe prayed moche to our lord but whan it plesyd not vnto our lord they toke it a worthe and thanked god of alle They seruyd the more deuoutely our lord god For they had no charge but onelye to serue and entende vnto hym Many there be that withdrawe them fro the seruyce and loue of our lord for the loue of theyr chyldren They were bothe olde he and his wyf Elysabeth It happed at a solempnyte that the Iewes had after august that the bysshop dyd holy sacrefise in doyng the offyce that apperteyned to hym to his weke he wente for to encence and entryd in to the temple and the peple abode wythout makyng their prayers and awaytyng the comyng ageyn to them of the holy bysshop Thus as he was allone and encencyd the aulter The aungel gabryel apperyd to hym stondyng on the ryght syde of the aulter and whan the holy bysshop sawe hym he was abasshyd and had grete drede The aungel sayd to hym be no thynge aferde Zacharye thy prayers ben herde And hast fouÌ„den grace tofore our lord Elysabeth thy wyf shal conceyue and bere a sone whome thou shalt calle Iohan of whome thou shalt haue grete gladnes And moche people shall make grete feste and ioye of his natyuyte For he shal be grete and of grete meryte tofore our lord He shal not drynke wyne ne syther ne thynge wherof he myght be dronken and in his moders wombe he shal be sayntefyed and fulfylled wyth the holy ghoost he shall conuerte many of the sones of Israhel that is to say of the Iewes to our lord And shal goo tofore hym in the spirite and vertue of helye the prophete for to conuerte fader and sones olde and myscreauntes to the sens of rightwysnesse and to the seruyce of god Whan the aungel had thus sayd to Zacharye he answerd how may I byleue and knowe that this is trouth that thou sayest I am now aâ—olde auncyen and my wyf olde bareyn The aungel answerd and sayd I am gabryel the aungel and seruaunt tofore god whiche in his name am sent to speke to the and to shewe to the thyse thynges aforsayd and by cause thou hast not byleuyd me thou shalte lâ—se thy speche and shalt not speke tyl the day that this whiche I haue sayd shal be accomplisshed eche thyng in his tyme The peple were abydyng awaytyng whan Zacharye the bysshop shold come out and meruayled where he taryed so longe he came out of the temple but he myght not speke but the holy man made to them signes by whyche they thought wel that he had seen somme vysyon of our lord but more knewe they not he abode in the temple alle that weke and after went home to hys hows his wyf conceyued and waxe grete and whan she perceyued it she was shamefaste and kepte hyr in hyr hows wel fyue monethys In the syxthe monethe the same aungel Gabrye was sente from our lord vnto the blessyd vyrgyn marye newly espowsed to Ioseph which shewed the concepcion of Ihesu criste sone of god our lord and the aungel tolde to hyr that she shold conceyue of the holy ghooste wythout knowleche of man for our lord may do al that it pleaseth hym lyke as it apperyth sayd he of Elysabeth thy cosyn the whiche she beyng olde of age and bareyn by nature of hir body hath conceyued by the plesure of our lord and hath now borne abowte vj monethes whan our lady herde that saynt elizabeth hir cosyn was grete she wente to vysyte and accompanye her in the montayns where she dwellyd ryght ferre harde and euyll waye Whan she came thyder she salewyd hyr moche courtoyslye Our lady was thenne grete wyth the blessyd sone of god our lord Ihesu cryste whome she had conceyued whan she sayd to the aungel Ecce ancilla dâ—miny And thenne she was replenysshed wyth the deyte and humanyte of our lord Ihesu Cryste Thenne whan the salutacyon yssued out of the body of our lady the gretyng entryd in to the eerys of the body of Saynt Elyzabeth and in to hir chylde that she had wythin hyr whyche chylde was enoynte of the blessyd holy ghoost and by the presence of our lord sayntefyed in the wombe of hys moder and replenysshed wyth grace wherof he remeuyd hym for ioye in his moders wombe in makyng to our lord reuerence suche as he myght make not of hym self but by the grace that he had receyued of the holy ghoost Of whiche by the merytes and grace doon to the blessyd chylde saynt Elysabeth was replenysshed And anone prophecyed in sayeng and cryeng within hygh voys Thou arte blessyd emonge and aboue alle wymmen and blessyd be the fruyte of thy wombe From whens cometh to me suche grace so grete that the moder of my lord cometh to vysyte me I knowe wel that thou hast conceyued the sone of god For as sone as thy salutacyon entrid in to myn eerys the chylde that is in my bely made ioye and feste remeuyd thou arte wel blessyd and happy that thou hast gyuen feythe and byleuyd
thenne he assembled twelue freres of the Couent of Boloyne And to th ende that he wold not leue them and disheryted and orphanes he made his testament and sayd These ben the thynges that I leue to yow possede by ryghtfull herytage as to my sonnes Fyrst to haue charyte to kepe humylyte to possede voluntary pouerte and exhorted as moche as he myght straytely that there shold be none temporelle possessions in his ordre ¶ And that he that shold presume to touche and fowle the ordre of frere prechours with erthely rychesses he prayd ferdfully that he shold haue the maledictyon and curse of god almyghty and of hym ¶ And the Freres made moche sorowe of his departynge ¶ And he in recomfortyng them swetely sayd My brethern late not my departyng trouble yow and doubte ye nothyng For ye shal haue me more profytable deed than lyuyng And he cam to his last hour in the yere of our lord MCCxxj And so slepte in our lord Ihesu cryste whos departyng out of this world was shewd the same day and the same houre to the frere general thenne priour of the prechours of bryxia And afterward to the bysshop of the same cyte in this manere For as he slepte a lyght slepe the heed enclyned to a walle he sawe the heuen opene and put doun to the erthe two whyte laddres Of which Ihesu cryste his moder helde the ende on hygh And the angels descended ascended by the ladres syngynge In the myddes of the ladders there was a sete sette And vpon the sete satte saynt domynyk with his heed coured lyke a frere ¶ And Ihesu cryste and his moder drewe vp the laddres in to heuen so hye that he that sat was lyfte vp in to heueÌ„ theÌ„ne the opnyng of heuen was shette closed ¶ And thenme the same frere cam to boloyne And fonde that the same day and the same houre saynt domynyk deyed There was a frere named raoul which was that tyme that he deyd at tybur And wente to the aulter to synge messe ¶ And whan he cam to the canon in which is remembred the lyuyng men he thouÈt to pray for the helthe of saynt domynyk And sodenly he was rauysshyd in his mynde and sawe the holy man saint domynyk crowned with a crowne of gold laureate ¶ And goyng oute of boloyne by the waye royall And thenne he marked the day and houre and fonde that saynt domynyk was thenne deed And whan the body of hym had leyen longe vnder erthe And myraclees shewd whythoute seassyng And that his holynesse myght not be hydde Ther yssued and cam out of the place where he laye a right grete odour the same tyme whan his tombe was opned wiche was bonden with yron bondes and instrumentes and semente And the stone take away the body translated to an hyer place And the odour surmounted alle aromatyâ—â— Ne there was none odour lyke to that And that was not only in the bones of the holy body But in the pouldre and cheste and in alle therthe aboute was lyke sauour In suche wyse as the erthe was born in to fer regyons And reteyned longe the same odour And this odour also abode in the handes of the freres that had touched somme thynges of the holy relykes that how wel that they were wasshen and froâ—â—n Yet reteyned they longe and many dayes the swete odour And bare wytnesse of the swete flauour and eyer ¶ In the prouynce of hongrye a noble man His wyf and his sonne wente to visite in a chyrche the relikes of saint domynyk And the sonne was seke and cam to his last ende deyd And the fader leyde the corps of the chylde to fore the aulter of saynt domynyk began to wepe and saye Blessyd domynyk I cam to the alle glad and Ioyeful but alas I goo home soroufully I cam with my sonne but I retorne without hym Yelde to me ageyn my sone Gyue to me agayn the gladnesse of my herte ¶ And aboute mydnyght the childe reuyued wente aboute in the chyrche There was a yong man which was serf and bonde to a yonge lady and wente to fysshe in a water and be fylle therin and was drowned and he was a longe whyle in the water was draweÌ„ out al deed And the lady prayd saynt domynyk for the reysyng of hym and promised that she wold goo barefoot vnto his relikes and yf he were reysed she wold make hym a frere and quyte hym hys bondage and he aroos vp tofore them al and she acomplisshyd her auowe ¶ In that same prouynce of hongrye There was a man that wepte by cause that his sone was deed preyd saynt domynyk for his reysyng to lyf and aboute the cock crownyng the dede body aroos and openyd his eyen sayeng to his fader Whefore fader haue ye your face so weet ¶ And he sayd sone they be the teres of thy fader ¶ For thou were deed And I remayned allone and sorouful ¶ And he sayd fader ye wepte moche but seynt domynyk had pyte of your wepyng and gate by his merytes to rendre me to you all hool A seek man there was whyche had ben xviij yere blynde and desired to vysite the reliques of seint domynyk as prouyng and assayeng aroos out of his bedde And anone he felte so grete vertue in hym self that he began hastely to goo and the more he wente the more he was strenger to goo and the more clerlyer he sawe and whan he cam he receyued perfyght helthe In that prouynce a lady ordeyned to doo synge a masse in thonour of seynt domynyk and she fonde not the preest atte hour due And she wrappyd thre candellys that she had made redy in a toweyll and leyde them in a vessell And thenne she torned her a lytyl after cam agayn and fond her candelles enlumyned and brennyng appertly and eche body ran for to see thys grete meruaylle and abode there so longe tyl the candellys were brent without enpeyryng of the towayll There was a scoler at boloyne whiche was named Nycholas whyche suffred grete payne in his raynes and in his knees so that he had none hope of helthe auowed to seynt domynyk and toke a threde to make a candel of his lengthe and mesured hym in lengthe and brede And whan the threde atteyned to his knees he called at euery mesure the name of IhÌ„u cryst and of seynt domynyk anon he felte allegeauÌ„ce and sayde I am delyuerd and aroos vp and wepte for ioye and cam to the chyrche wythout ony ayde where the body of seynt Domynyk restyd and god shewed for hym myracles wythout nombre in that cyte In Auguste the cite of cecylle was a mayde whyche was seek of the stone and shold haue ben cutte and for this paryll her moder commaunded her to seynt domynyk and the nyghte folowyng seynt domynyk cam to the mayde
honoure in the same place where they now reste yf thow lord sende to me lâ—f helthe oportunyte and space And whan kyng Canute had regned in Englond xx yere hauyng two sones by the said Emme that is to wete Harold hardeknoute he deyde when his fyrst sone had regned four yere he exyled his owne moder and deyde sone after And after hym regned his broder a lytell tyme deyde also as oure lord had ordeyned thenne was Englond delyuerd fro the greuous tribute of thraldom of the danes theÌ„ne the lordes the comyns of Englond remembrid the othe that they maade in the parlement whiche sware that Edward whiche was thenne in his moders wombe shold be their kyng And anone sente in to Normandye for this hooly child Edward And the lordes and the comyns receyued hym with grete gladnes And thenne the archebisshop of Caunterbury and tharchebisshop of yorke with other bisshops dyde consecrate hym enoynted and crowned hym kyng of Englond O good lord what ioye and gladnes was thenne in Englond For whanne the old felycyte of this lond was almost despayred theÌ„ne it was kyndeled ageyn by the comynge of this blessyd kyng saynt Edward TheÌ„ne had the comyns reste pees the lordes gentil men reste honour And thenne holy chirche receyued alle her lybertees ageyne Thenne was the sunne lyfte vp and the mone sette in his ordre that is saye preestes shyned in wysedome in holynes The monasteryes flouryd in deuocion by holy relygyon The Clerkes gaf lyght prosperyd in their offices to the plesure of god The comyn peple were content and were ioyefull in their degree and in this kynges dayes ther was no venym that myght thenne corrupte the erthe with pestylence and in the see none outragyous tempestes the londe plentyuous of all maner of fruytes And in the Clergye nothynge inordynate and amonge the comyng peple was no grutchyng And the renomee and fame of this holy kyng saynt Edward sprange so merueyllously aboute to other nacions in suche wyse that alle Crysten kynges desyred to haue pees with hym The kynge of Fraunce whiche was nyghe of his kyn made with hym a generalle pees soo that it myght be sayd of hym as it was sayd of Salamon Alle the kynges of therthe desyred to see his face and to here his wysedome excepte only denmarke Whiche yet conspyred ageynste this Royamme of englond And what fylle therof it shal be declared here after more openly for this holy kynge Edward was euer full of mekenes and of vertue And neuer lyft vp by vayne glorye but euer he remembryd the wordes of oure lord that sayth I haue sette the prynce of the peple but be not therfore lyfte vp in vayne glorye but be thou amonge them as one of them He was amonge his houshold men egall and famylyer among preestes meke and debonayre to his peple amyable chyerful To wretchis and nedy men ful of compassion and large of almesse yeuynge He was also moche deuoute in the seruyse of god And dylygent to repayre and reedefye Chirches that were destroyed by the danes And in Iugement fulle discrete consideryng no mans persone but only the weyght of his cause as well to the riche as to the poure and he hadde rychesse ynough And his tresour semed comyn to alle poure men his wordes were sad discrete medlyd with myrthe spekyng ofte of Ihesu Cryst the second persone in the Trynyte And of oure blessyd lady his moder And somtyme he spak sharply as he sawe nede correctyng trespassours gentyl swete to good men He was neuer elate ne enhaunced in pryde no dishonest by glotonye He wolde not be compellyd by wrathe ne enclyne for yefte He despysed rychesse and was neuer sory for losse of worldly goodes and rychesses ne the more gladde for wynnynge therof in suche wyse that alle men merueyled of the sadnes of hym And aboute the kyng were dyuerse coueitous men whiche said to the kyng how his tresoure wastyd faste And yf the danes come ageyne he hadde not where with to defende hym wherfor they counceiled hym to reyse an ayde amonge his comyns lyke as kynge Canute hadde done dyuerse tymes An ayde was thenne cleped the dane ghelte And they counceiled to doo in lyke wyse And he said nay And he wold not agree therto Notwithstondynge they dayly cryed vpon hym when he sawe them so importune shewed so grete peryls thenne at the laste he saide to them to preue them late vs see how ye wyll do And whan they herd that of his owen mouthe were ryght gladde sente out commyssiones for to gadre it spared no countrey but made them paye in the largest wyse whan this money was leueyed brought in to the kynges tresorye thenne they brought the kyng thyder for to see it The kyng theÌ„ne standyng a fer fro it sawe the deuyll in lykenes of an ape sittyng vpon the tresour And sayd what haue ye done what money haue ye broughte to me Forsoth there shalle not one peny be spente to myn vse but I charge yow for to delyuer to eche man his money ageyne but therto they were moche lothe saide that they myght spende it in dedes of charyte Thenne the kyng saydâ— god forbede that I shold spende the goodes of other men For what almesse shold I make with the godes of poure comyns lauborers see ye not how the deuyll sytteth vpon the hepe of money maketh grete ioye that he hath taken vs in his snare wherfor I charge you on paine of dethe that ye delyuer this money ageyne there as ye had it euery peny Thenne they obeyed the kyng and repaid it vnto them of whome they had receyued it and durst neuer after moeue the kyng to suche maters ne in none other lyke so that all the dayes of saint Edward was neyther taske ne tayllage leueyed amoÌ„ge his comyns whiche was a grete ioye to the royame In a tyme the kynge was seke lyeng in his bedde And ther stode in his chaÌ„bre a cheste open full of gold syluer And a clerke cam in supposynge the kynge had slepte and took oute of it a certayne somme of money wente his way And soone after he cam agayne wold haue taken more thenne the kyng said Forsothe now thow arte vnwyse to come ageyne For thou haddest suffycyently ynow to fore therfore beware For yf the tresorer come fynde the thou arte lyke to deye therfore wherfor yf thow loue thy lyf flee fast awey with that that thow hast And anone after cam the tresorer and fond hou of the tresour was born aweye a grete parte And sought and enquyred dylygently for the theef that stale hit And the kyng seyng the grete trouble and sorowe of the tresorer demaunded hym the cause of his heuynes And whan he had told to the kyng the kyng sayd to hym sorowe no more therfore For
how be it that he was tendre yonge of eage yet semyd to be aunciente in maners condycions courage whan he was ledde in to catheloygne a prouynce of the royame of arragon with hys two brethern in ostage or pledge for the delyueraunce of the sayd kyng theyr fader he gaue hym self so fermelye to the studye that in seuen yere while he was pledge he prouffyted soo moche in the feuen sciences in holy scripture that the same goddes man resplendysshyng in wytte myght not not onely dispute subtylly in publyke and a parte of the sayd sciences but also durste coude propose the worde of god solempnelye vnto the peple and before clerkes In so moche that men supposed and byleued better that god had sente and enspyred hym wyth suche scyence than hit had be goten by hym humaynlye he confessed hym ofte and dylygentelye and herde the deuyne seruyce deuoutelye and on the solempne and hygh holy dayes with grete preparacion he receyued the body of our lord and whan he was preest he celebred as dayly herkened moche ententyfly the word of god and for the nourysshyng of his sowle he gladly and ofte studyed the holy deuoute scriptures fro the tyme of his chyldehode he loued chastyte so that for the moost sure kepyng of hym self he fled eschewed the companye of al wymmen in so moche that he spake to none sauf onely to his moder and with hys susters yet selde He chastysed his body by abstynence of mete drynke made it lene dyscyplyned it as another saynt paule with chaynes of yron right ofte wyth his owne handes and he puttyng his flesshe vnder the seruytude of the spyryte ware for a shyrte a stamyn or streyner clothe for gyrdel he gyrded hym on his bare flesshe wyth a corde This holy man thenne remembryng his vowe to entre in to thordre of the frere menours by hym maad â—â—yng in ostage as it is sayd in the prouynce of catheloygne purposed to accomplysshe it but he seeyng that for fere of the sayd kynge his fader the freres durst not receyue hym he solempnelye renewed the sayd vowe and by no maner of persuacion admonestyng ne for ony prouysion that pope boneface had made gyuen to hym he wold not assente to forsake it whiche deuocyon consyderyd by thassente of the sayd pope this holy saint bowes toke thabyte of religyon of the said freres menours knelyng made expresse professyon in the prefeÌ„ce of IohÌ„n bisshop of portuence which as thenne was mynyster general of the same ordre Meruayllous moche wonderful thynge it is not acustomed to be seen for the same holy saynt fylled with vertues renounced to the right of the first borne defpyted the pompe or worshyp of the syege rayl for the wyame temporal corruptyble chaunged gate the royame pardurable and ful of al manere delyces He had meeuayllous compassyon on the poure peple to whome largelye he dalte hys almoses Thys holy saynt Loyes as goddes plesure was 〈◊〉 pope bonyface promoted hym to the dygnyte of bysshop and not wythstondyng he neuer chaunged hys habyte but dylygentelye excerced the offyce of bysshop ¶ He celebred deuoutelye the ordres examyned dylygently in lyf in condycyons and in the artycles of the feythe and he louyng feruentelye the feythe wyllyng and euer redy to enhaunce it persuaded admonested ententyfly the Iewes and paynyms to baptesme and at the laste tâ—ys gloryous saynt tendyng to god fonteyn quycke and lyuyng nyghe the terme of hys dayes lyeng on hys bedde seek wyth his laste sekenesse took and deuoutelye receyued the precyous body of our lord and how be it that he was ryght feble he yssued from his bedde ageynst his creatour and anone after he passed right gloryously oute of thys world to the glorye of paradyse wherfore it was wel behoueful and resonable thynge that he in whos lyf duryng god aourned wyth soo many vertues and good condycyons shold be ennobled and honoured of many myracles after hys dethe the whyche myracles are approued and testefyed by the worthy people of the feyth and are declared herafter to the honoure glorye of the sayd Saynt A mayden of two yere of age the whyche was agreuyd with a stronge axes whiche she had suffred by the space of two yere deyed and passyd fro thys world hyr fader besoughte the saynt for hyr lyf and anone by the merytes of the saynt she was reysed and restoryd on lyue A chylde of fyue yere of age by ouer grete force of an axes deyed vowe by hys fader made for hym to the saynt was restoryd ageyn vnto lyf A mayden of seuen yere of eage whiche had suffred an axes contynuel deyed and vowe made vnto the same saynt by hyr parentes recoueryd the spyryte of lyf and lyued longe after A woman conceyuyng two doughters one of the whiche for cause of a falle that hyr moder receyued ageynst hyr bely deyed within the wombe of hyr moder tyme came that the moder shold be delyuerd of hyr bryâ—he this chylde dede and as thenne aâ—â—e roten by helpe and mysterye of mydwyuee was had oute one pyece after another vowe maad by the fader to the saynt The chylde so dysmembryd was restoryd to lyf and lyued after seuen moneâ—hes Another chylde whyche vnder a bedde was founde deed vowe maad to the same Saynt was the chylde restoryd to lyf ¶ A woman which by grete sekenesse was passed out of this world vowe maad for hyr by hy parentes vnto the saynt recouerd the spyryte of lyf and syâ—hen lyued longe wyth thyse myracles and many other wold god hys saynt to be magnefyed and rendred honourable to alle the world Therfore lete vs praye the holy saynt loyes of marcelle that he wyl praye god for vs AMEN Thus endeth the lyf of saint Loyes of marcelle bisshop And here foloweth the lyf of saint audegonde virgyne IN the thyme of dagoberte kynge of Fraunce whiche reygned about the yere syx hondred was borne saynt audegonde of lygnage ryalle Thys holy audegonde was nourysshed in the seruyce of gods and yet I may say that our lord hym self nourysshed hyr in his seruyce and endoctryned hyr as wel hym self presente by noble vysyons and wonderful as by his aungellys men wymmen relygyous and holy as wâ—l by hyr owne holy suster as by other as it apperyth in hir legende none oughte not thenne to be meruaylled yf she lyued holyly that was scoler of suche a scole whan thenne thys holy audegonde was of eage competente her fader and moder wold haue maryed hyr to a noble man ryche myghty but in conclusyon she answeryd that none other she wold take to hyr lord and spouse but our lord Ihesu cryste to whome of bounte beaute noblesse puyssannce rychesse and wytte may none be compared Saynt wantrud of mouns whiche after the decesse of hyr husbonde Saynt vyncente of Songnyes made hir professyon in