sayeng suffre ye hym brethern and late hym curse me loo I haue thys lx yere blasphemed by my werkys Cryst and may not I not bere one blame or vice of thys man And he comanded that a sack of money full shold be brought to fore thys poure man that he shold take as moche as he world On a tyme after that the gospell was redde in the chyrche the peple wente out and talked ydle tales And thys holy patriarke apperceyued them and folowed after and satte doun emong them and said to them Sones there as the sheep been there must the sheepherde be also And therfor eyther ye muste entre with me in to the chyrche or ellys I must abyde wyth you here And thus he dyde tweyes And therby he taught the peple to abyde stande in the chyrche Another tyme ther was a yongman had rauysshed anonne And the clerkys repreued the yong man therof to fore saynt IohÌ„n And said he ought to be cursid therfor by cause he had lost ij sowles his owne and the nonnes Thenne saynt Iohan withstode theyr sentence sayeng not so my sones not so I shal shewe to you that ye coÌ„myse two synnes Fyrst ye doo ayenst the comandement of god whyche saith Iuge ye not and ye shal not be Iuged Secondly ye wyte not for certayn whether they haue synned in to thys day and haue not be penytent and haue repented them It fyll many tymes that saynt IohÌ„n was rauysshyd in hys prayers and was in a traunce And he was herd dyspute with our lord in thyse wordes So good lord Ihesu cryst so I in partyng and thou in mynystryng late vs see who shal ouercome On a tyme whan he was seek vexid wyth the feures and sawe that he approched hys ende he said I yelde to the thankynges For thou hast herd my wretchidnes prayeng thy goodnes that at my deth shold be fouÌ„de wyth me but one besaunt or one pece of money and that yet I comande to be gyuen to the poure And thenne he yelded hys soule vnto all myghty god And his venerable body was put in a sepulcre where the bodyes of ij bysshoppis were buryed And the two bodyes by myracle gaf rome and place to the body of saynt IohÌ„n For they remeued eche fro other and left the mydle voyde for his body A lityl tyme to fore hys deth ther was a woman had coÌ„mysed a grete and horryble synne And durst not be shryuen therof ne â—hewe it to noman saynt IohÌ„n bad here wryte hit and seale it and brynge it to hym And he wold praye for her she assented therto she wrote her synne and dylygently closed and sealed it And delyuerd it to saynt IohÌ„n And anon after saynt IohÌ„n waxe seek and deyde And whan she herd that he was deed she supposed her self confused and shamed For she wende that he hath delyuerd it to somÌ„e other man and she cam to hys tombe and there wepte cryed moche lamentably sayeng Alas Alas I supposed to haue eschewid my coÌ„fusion now I am made confusion vnto all other wepte bytterly prayeng saynt IohÌ„n that he wold shewe to here where he had lefte her wrytyng And sodenly saynt IohÌ„n cam and appiered to her in thabyte of a bysshop on eyther syde of hym a bysshop and said to the woman why troblest thou me so moche and thies sayntes wiâ—h me and suffrest not vs to haue reste loo here our clothes ben alle weet of thy teeris And thenne delyuerd to her her scrowe agayn sealed as it was to fore sayeng to her Se here thy seall opene thy wrytyng and rede it whyche anoÌ„ she opened and all her synne was disfaced and clene out and she fonde therin wreton Alle thy synne is foryeuen and put away by the prayer of IohÌ„n my seruaunt And thenne she rendred thaÌ„kynges to our lord god and to saynt IohÌ„n And thenne saynt IohÌ„n with the two bysshoppis retorned in to theyr sepulture Thys holy man saynt IohÌ„n flowrid in the yere of our lord vjCv in the tyme of foke themperour Thus endeth the lyf of saynt Iohan the Almosner Of the conuersion of saynt paule of the name of conuersion COnuersion is sayd of conuertor I am torned or is as moche as to gydre torned from synnes and euyllis he is not conuerted that shryueth hym to the preest of one synne and hydeth an other It is said conuersion For saynt paule thys day was conuerted to the fayth leuyng hys vices why he is said paule it shal be said afterward ¶ Of the conuersion of saynt Paule THe conuersion of saynt Paule was made the same yere that cryste suffred hys passion and saynt stephen was stoned also not in the yere naturell but appieryng For our lord suffred deth the viij kalendes of apryll And saynt stephen suffred deth the same yere the thyrde day of august And was stoned and saynt paule was conuerted the viij kalendis of feuerer And thre reasons ben assigned wherfor the conuersion of saynt paule is halowed more than of other saynctes Fyrst for thensample by cause that no synnar what someuer he be shold despayre of pardon whan he seeth hym that was in so grete synne to be in so grete Ioye Secondly for the Ioye For lyke as the chyrche had grete soâ—owe in hys persecucion So had she grete Ioye in his conuersion Thyrdly for the myracle that our lord shewde whan of j so cruel a persecutour was made so trewe a prechour The conuersion of hym was merueyllous by reson of hym that made hym and of hym that ordeyned hym and of the pacient that suffred it by reson of hym that made hym to be conuerted that was Ihesu cryst whyche shewde there his merueillous puyssaunce in that he said it is harde to the to stryue ayenst the alle or prycke and in that he chaunged hym so sodaynly For anon as he was chaunged he said lord what wylt thou that I doo vpon thys word sayth saynt Austyn the lambe slayn of the wulues hath made of a wulf a lambe For he was redy for to obeye that to fore was wood for to persecute Secondly he shewd hys merueyllous wysedom hys merueyllous wysedom was in that that he toke fro hym the swellyng of pryde in offryng to hym the inward thynges of humylyte and not the heyghte of mageste For he said I am Ihesus of nazareth And he called not hym self god ne the sone of god but he said to hym take thynfirmytees of humanyte and caste away the squames of pryde Thyrdly he shewde hys pyteous debonayrte and mercy whyche is signefied in that that he that was in dede and in wylle to persecute he conuerted how be it he had euyl wyll as he that desyred alle the menaces and thretenynges had euyll purpoos as he that wente to the prynce of preestis as he that had a Ioye in hys euyl werkis that he ladde the crysten men bounden to Iherusalem And therfor hys Iourneye and
departed she satte on hir knets and was al the nyght in orysons and in teerys in requyryng helpe of god to perfourme this werke and on the morne erlye alle mate and trauaylled of wakyng she wente to genese a good preest and prayed hym that he wold do his payne and laboure that the chyrche myght be edefyed and tolde hym tydynges of the lyme whan genese herde thys he was alle ameruaylled and fyl doun to hyr feet and promysed to hyr that nyght and day he wold doo hys laboure to accomplysshe hyr commaundemente By the helpe of god and of saynt Geneuefe and of the people of parys the sayd chirche was begonne in the honoure of the blessyd marters Saynt denys Saynt Rustyque and saynt Eleuthere which now is callyd saynt denys de lestree There ben yet the holy bodyes where our lord sheweth fayr myracles For as the werkemen entendyd to make the edefyce eche after hys crafte It happed that theyr drynke fayled and was doon And genese the preest sayd to geneuefe whiche knewe not herof that she shold talke with the werkemen so longe that he myght goo to parys fetche drynke whan she herde thys she demaunded for the vessel that they had empted and it was brought to hyr she maad them to departe fro hyr Thenne she knelyd doun on hyr knees prayed god wyth warme teerys to helpe hyr and whan she felte that our lord had herde hyr prayer She aroos vp and maad the sygne of the crosse vpon the said vessel and a meruayllous thynge happed For the vessel was ful the werkmen dranke her bely ful and as ofte as they wolde vnto the tyme that the chirche was parâ—ytely made wherof they thanked our lord The holy vyrgyne had deuocyon to wake the nyght that our lord rose fro deth to lyf after the custome and statutes of auncient faders It happed on a tyme that she put her on the waye tofore day to goo to the sayd chyrche of saynt denye and made to bere a candyl brennyng tofore hyr The nyght was derke the wynde grete and it rayned faste whyche quenched the lyght of the candel The maydens that were in hyr companye were sore troubled She asked after the candell and assone as she had hit in hyr hande hit was lyghted by goddes wylle ageyn and so she bare it brennyng vnto the chyrche Another tyme whan she had endyd hir prayer a candel that she helde light in hyr hande by the grace of god Semblably in hyr celle on a tyme was a candel lyght in hir hande wythout ony fyre of thys world of whiche candel many seek folke by their feyth and reuerence haue ben helyd That tapre is kepte yet at nostre dame de parys A woman whyche by the temptacyon of the deuyl whyche to his power alwey deâ—eyueth the good stale aweye hir shoes but assone as she was at home she loste hyr syght whan she sawe that our lord had auengyd the wronge that she had doon to the vyrgyne She dyd hyr to be ledde to hyr wyth the thefte when she came tofore the holy vyrgyn she fyl doun to hyr feet and requyred hyr of foryeuenes and restoryng of hyr syght Geneuefe that was right debonair toke hyr vp fro the grounde and in smylyng gaue to hyr the syght ageyn of hyr eyen The holy vyrgyn on a tyme wente to laon and the peple of the towne wente out ageynste hyr Emonge whome were the fader and moder of a mayde that had ben ix yere so paralatyke that none myght shewe the ioynture of hyr membrys They besought and reâ—uyred saynt geneuefe that she wold vysyte the seek mayde She wente and sawe hir and sythe made hir prayer as she was acustomed and after handled the membrys of the mayde and commaunded hyr to doo on hir clothes and hosen and shoes Incontynente she aroos in good helthe in suche wyse that she wente vnto the chyrche wyth the peple The folke that sawe thys blessyd our lord that had gyuen suche grace to hys damoysel geneuefe and whan she retorned they conueyed hyr syngyng with grete ioye The kyng of fraunce chyldryke how be it he was a paynym hâ—lde hir in grete reuerence soo dyd also the barons of fraunce for the fayr myracles that she dyd in the name of our lord Ihesu cryste wherof it happed on a tyme that the sayd kynge helde certeyn prysonners Iuged to dethe but by cause geneuefe shold not demaunde them he yssued out of paris and made to shytte the yates after hym the holy virgyn knewe hit anone and wente hastely after hym for to helpe to delyuer theym As sone as she came to the yates they openyd without keye seyng al the peple which thought it a grete wonder She pursewed the kynge and obteyned grace for the prysonners In the partyes of the oryent beyâ—nde Antyoche was a good man named Symeon whiche had despysed this world and was of meruaylus holy lyf whiche demaunded of saynt geneuefe of the marchauntes that wente in to tho patryes And by them he salewyd hyr moche honourably And recommaunded hym vnto hyr prayers hit was a grete meruayle that the holy man which had neuer seen ne herde speke of hir dyd do grete hyr by hir name verayly the frendes of god that knowe his wylle do therafter haue tydynges that one fro that other by admynystracion of the holy ghoost they shal neuer be seperate ne departed as Saynt ambrose beyng at melan knewe of the deth of saynt martyn at tours At meaux was a noble damoysel which was a med by hir propre name celyne which whan she had herde of the grace that god had gyuen to saynt genouefe she requyred hir to chaunge hir habyte a yonge man had fyauÌ„ced trouthed hir which had grete Indygnacion whaÌ„ he herde of those tydynges and came to meaux in a grete Ire where the ij vyrgyns dwellyd whan they knewe of his comyng they fledde vnto the chirche there happed a fayr myracle For as they came to the chirche dore whyche was locked fast shette the dore that was soo locked opened by his gree by hym self thus saynt geneuefe delyuerd saynt celyne fro peryl fro the contagyon of the world the which ê‘seuerid in abstynence in chastyte to hyr ende In this tyme the said celyne offred to saynt geneuefe one hir chamberer whiche had leyen seek ij yere myght not goo the holy vyrgyne handled hyr membrys with hir worthy handes anone she was hool in good poynte Ther were brought to hir xij men that were wood byset with deuyls vnto parys which were ouer harde bystad tormented of thenemye the virgyn had grete pyte went to prayer orisons in requyryng our lord with salte teris that by his grace goodnes he wold delyuer them of this pestylence as she perseuerid in hir prayers they were hanged in the ayer in suche manere as they touched no thynge she aroos fro hir prayer said
dede and that themperour louyd so moche whom whan he was brought he reysed to lyf and sent hym with his felawes to the emperour whom themperour knewe hym for dede whiles he made lamentacyon for hym hit was told to the emperour that patroclus was comen to the yate And whan he herd that patrocle was alyue he moche merueyled and coÌ„maunded that he shold come in To whom nero sayd Patrocle lyuest thou and he sayd ye emperour I lyue and nero sayd who hath made the to lyue agayn and he sayd the lord IhÌ„u Cryst kyng of alle worldes Thenne nero beyng wroth sayd thenne shalle he regne euer and resolue alle the Royames of the world To whom patroclus sayd ye certenly emperour thenne Nero gaf to hym a buffette sayeng therfor thou seruest hym and he sayd ye veryly I serue hym that hath reysed me fro deth to lyf Thenne fyue of the mynystris of nero that assisted hym sayd to hym O emperour whi smitest this yong man truly and wysely answeryng to the Trust verily we serue that same kyng almyghty And whan Nero herd that he put them in prison for strongly to tormente them whom he moche had loued Thenne he made to enquyre and to take alle cristen men And without examynacion made them to be tormented with ouer grete tormeÌ„tys Thenne was paul emong other bounden and brought to fore nero To whom nero sayd O thou man seruaunt of the grete kyng bounden to fore me why withdrawest thou my knyghtes and drawest them to the To whom paul sayd Not only fro thy corner I haue gadred knyghtes But also I gadre fro the vnyuersal world to my lord To whom our kyng yeueth suche yeftes that neuer shalle fayle And graunteth that they shalle be excluded fro alle indygence and nede And yf thou wilt be to hym subgette Thou shalt be sauf For he is of so grete power that he shal come and Iuge alle the world and destroye the figure therof by fyre And whan nero herd that he shold destroye the fygure of the world by fyre coÌ„maunded that al the crysten men shold be brent by fyre paul to be byheded as he that is gilty ayenst his mageste And thenne so grete a multitude of cristen peple wer slayn thenne that the peple of rome brake vp his paleys and cryed and meued sedycion ayenst hym sayeng Cezar ameÌ„de thy maners and attempre thy coÌ„uaundementis For thyse ben our peple that thou destroyest and defende the empire of Rome Themperour thenne dredyng the noyse of the peple Chaunged hys decree and edicte that no man shold touche ne hurte no cristen man tyll the emperour had otherwyse ordeyned wherfore paule was broughte a gayn to fore nero whom assone as nero saw he cryed and sayd take awaye thys wycked man and byhede hym And suffre hym no lenger to lyue vpon the erthe To whom paul sayd Nero I shalle suffre a lytyl while but I shalle lyue eternally with my lord Ihesu crist Nero sayd smyte of hys hede that he may vnderstond me strenger than hys kyng that whan he is ouercomen we may see whether he may lyue after To whom paul sayd to th end that thou knowe me to lyue euer lastyngly whan my hede shal besmyten of I shal appere to the lyuyng And then thou mayst knowe that crist is god of lyf and of deth And whan he had sayd thys he was ledde to the place of his martirdom and as he was ledde the iij knyghtes that ledde hym sayd to hym Telle to vs paul who is he your kyng that ye loue so moche that for hys loue ye had leuer deye thenne lyue what rewarde shal ye haue therfore Thenne paule preched to them of the kyngdom of heuen and of the payne of helle in suche wyse that he conuerted them to the fayth And they prayed 〈◊〉 to goo frely whyther he wold 〈◊〉 forbede brethern sayd he that I shold flee I am not fugytyf But the lauful knyght of cryst I knowe wel that fro this transitorye lyf I shalle goo to euerlastyng lyf Assone as I shalle be byheded trewe men shal take awaye my body Marke ye wel the place and come thyder to morowe and ye shalle fynd by my sepulcre two men luke and titum prayeng to whome whan ye shall telle for what cause I haue sent you to them they shal baptyse yow and make you heyres of the kyngdom of heuen and whiles they thus spaken to geder Nero sent two knyghtes to loke yf he wer slayn and byheded or no And whan thus seynt poul wold haue conuerted them they sayd whan thou art dede And rysest agayn thenne we shalle byleue Now come forth and receyue that thow hast deseruyd And as he was ledde to the place of his passyon in the yate of hostyence a noble woman named plantille a disciplesse of paule who after another name was called lemobia For happely she had ij names mette ther with paul whiche wepyng commendyd her to his prayers To whom paule sayd Fare wel plantilla doughter of euerlastyng helthe lene to me thy veyl or keuerchief wyth whiche thou kouerst thy hede that I may bynde myn eyen therwith and afterward I shall restore it to the agayn And whan she had delyuerd it to hym the bouchers scorned hir sayeng why hast thou delyuerd to this enchauntour so precyous a cloth for to lese it Thenne whan he cam to the place of his passyoÌ„ he tornid hym toward the eest holdyng his hondes vp in to heuen right long with teres prayeng in his owne langage and thankyng our lord And after that bad his brethern fare well and bond his eyen hym self wyth the keuerchyef of plantille and knelyng doun on bothe knees stratched forth his necke and so was byheded And assone as the hede was fro the body hit sayd Ihesus crystus whiche had ben to hym so swete in his lyf It is sayd that he named Iesus or crystus or bothe fyfty tymes Fro his wound sprang out mylke in to the clothes of the knyght and afterward flowed out blood In thayer was a grete shynyng â—â—ght and fro the body cam a moche 〈◊〉 odour Dyonyse in a pystle to â—â—ymothee sayth of the deth of paule â—â—us In that hour ful of heuynes my welbeloued brother the boucher sayeng Paul make redy thy necke Thenne blessyd paul loked vp in to heuen markyng hys forhede and his breste wyth the sygne of the crosse and theÌ„ne said anon my lord Iesu crist in to thi hondes I comende my spirite cÌ„ And thenne without heuynes compulsion he stratched forth his necke and receyued the crowne of martirdom The bocher so smytyng of his hede The blessid martir poul toke the keuerchif and vnbonde his eyen and gadred vp his owen blood and put it therin delyuerd to the woman Thenne the boucher retorned and plantille mette hym and demaunded hym sayeng where hast thou lefte my mayster The knyght
they that vaynquysshyd in bataylle were crowned wyth laurier bowes and braunches shewyng vyctorye and it is alleway couerable verdour of odour agreable vertuous of strengthe and the blessyd laurence is sayd of laurier for he had victorye in his passyon wherof decius confused sayd I wene now that we be vaynquysshed he had verdeur in clennesse of herte and purete For he sayd my voys hath no derkenes he had odour of perpetuel memoire wherof it is sayd he departed alle and gaf to pour peple and therfor remayneth his droyture perdurably whyche he fulfilled wyth holy werke and halowed it by hys gloryous martirdom he had strengthe by his vertuous prechyng by whiche he conuerted lucille the prouost romayn This is that tree of suche vertu that the leef brake the stone heled the deef and doubted no thoucer ¶ And thus laurence brake the hard herde he gaf spyrituel reward And deffended the sentence for the thonder of euyl peple Of saynt laurence the glorious martyr LAurence martir and subdeken was of the lignage of spayne and saynt sixte brouÈt hym thens And as maister Iohan beleth sayth whan the blessed sixte Went in to spayne he fonde there ij yongmen laurence and vyncent his cosyn right ordynat by honeste of maners and noble in all theyr werkes and brought them with hym to rome Of whom that one that was laurence abode with hym And vincent his cosyn retorned in to spayne and there fynysshyd his lyf by glorious martirdom But in this reson maister beleth repugneth the tyme of martyrdom of that one and of that other For it is said that laurence suffred deth vnder decian and vinceÌ„t vnder dyoclesyan and bytwene decian and dyoclesyan were aboute xl yere And ther were vij emperours bytwene them So that the blessyd vyncent myght not be yong the blessyd sixte ordeyned laurence his archedeken and in his tyme Phylip themperour And phylyp his sone receyued the fayth of Ihesu cryste And whan they were crystend they entendyd gretely to enhauÌ„ce the chyrche And this emperour was the first that receyueyd the fayth of ihuÌ„ cryst whom as it is said Origenes coÌ„uerted to the fayth How â—e it that it is redde in other place other wyse And that saynt poâ—cian had don it And he regned the yere a thousaÌ„d fro the byldyng of rome So that the yere a thousand shold rather be yeueÌ„ to crist than to thydolles And that yere was halowed of the romaynes with right grete appareylle of games grete esbatemens And there was a knyght with philip themperour named decian Which was noble moche renomed in armes and in batayles And whan in that tyme frauÌ„ce rebelled ayenst this emperour He sente thyder decien for to take awey the coÌ„tencioÌ„s subdue them torome decius so sent thider made all thynges wel And subdued them all to rome And had vyctorye And whan themperour herd hys comyng And wold honoure hym more hyely And wente ayenst hym vnto verone But for as moche as the euyl peple fele them more honoured so moche more he was swollen in pryde Thenne decien elate in pride begaÌ„ne to coueyte th empyre And on a tyme whan decien knewe that themperour slepte in his pauyllon he entred in secretely and cut the throte of his lord slepyng And theÌ„ne he drewe to hym by yeftes and prayers also by promesses all them of the hoost that themperour had brought And wente anone to the cyte of rome And whan philyp the yoÌ„ger herd this thyng he was sore aferd and doubted stroÌ„gly And as Sicaâ— sayth in his cronyke he delyured all his faders tresour his to to saynt sixte and to saynt laurence to th ende that if hit happed hym to be slayn of decyen that they shold gyue this tresoure to poure peple and to the Chirches And wondre not that the tresours that laurence gaf be not named the tresours of themperour but of the chirche or parauenture they were sayd tresours of the chirche For Phelyp had lefte them to be dispendyd to the chirche And after phelip fledde and hydde hym for fere of decyen And thenne the senate went ayenst decian and confermed hym in th empyre And by cause he was not scene to haue slayne his lord by treson but only for he had renyed thydollys therfor he beganne right cruelly to persecute the chirche and Cristen men and commaunded that they shold be destroyed withoute mercy And many thousand martirs were slayne among whome phelyp was crowned with martirdom And after that decius made a serche of the tresours of his lord Thenne was Sixte brought to hym as he that adoured Ihesu Crist and had the tresours of th empyre And thenne commaunded decian that he shold be putte in pryson so long that by tormentys he shold renye god and telle where the tresours were And the blessid laurence folowed hym and cryed after hym whyther goost thou fader withoute a mynyster what thyng is in me that hath displesyd thy faderhode or what thyng hast thou sene in me hast thou seen me forsake my lygnage or go out of kynde Proue me whether thou hast chosen a couenable mynystre to whome thou hast commysed the dispensacion of the body and blood of oure lord To whome seynt Sixte sayd I shalle not leue the my sone but gretter stryues and bataylles be due to the for the feyth of Ihesu crist we as old men haue taken more lightter bataylle to the as to a yong man shall remayne a more gloryouse batayll of whiche thou shalt tryumphe haue vyctorye of the tyraunt and shalt folowe me within thre dayes Thenne he delyuerd to hym alle the tresours comandyng hym that he shold gyue them to chirches and poure peple And the blessyd man sought the poure peple nyght and day And gaf to eche of them that as was nedefull and cam to the hows of an old woman whiche had hydde in her hows many crysten men wymmen And long she had had the hede ache And saynt Laurence leyd his haÌ„d vppon her hede And anon she was heled of the ache peyne And he wesshe the feete of the poure peple And gafe to eche of them almesse The same nyÈt he wente to the hows of a crysten man and fonde therin a blynd man and gafe to hym his sight by the signe of the crosse And whan the blessid Sixt wolde not consente to decian ne offre to thydollys he commaunded that he sholde be ledde forth and be byheded And the blessid laurence ran after hym and seid Forsake me not holy fader For I haue dispended the tresours that thou delyuerst to me And whan the knyghtes herd speke of the tresours they took laurence and brought hym to the prouost And the prouost delyuerd hym to decian And Decian Cesar said to hym where ben the tresours of the chirche whiche we knowe well that thou hast hyd he answerd not wherfor he delyuerd hym to Valeryan the prouoste to
feythe folio four hondred thre fourty ¶ Another table by letter Aduent folio Primo Ascencyon of our lord xxiij Adam seuen and thyrty Abraham fourty Andrewe foâ—â— score and thre Anastase four sâ—â—re seuentene Anthonye an hoâ—â—red fourtene Agnes an hondred and nyntene Agathe Cxxxv Amande an hondred xxxvii AnuÌ„ciacion of our lady Cl Ambrose Cliij Alphey Clvi Achylleye Clxix Austyn that brought in to englonde crystendom an hondred lxxiij Albone and Amphyabel an hondred lxxxiij â—ppollynare CCxix Abdon two hondred xxxj Assumpcion of our lady CClii Austyn the doctour CClxxij Adryan marter CClxxxvij Alle halowes iiiCxlv Arsenyen four hondred one Agathon abbot four hondred two Arnolde four hondred and twenty Audegonde iiiiCxxxiij Aulbyne iiiiCxxxiiij Artycles of the feythe iiiiCxliij Basylle Cxxij Blase Cxxxiiij Benette Cxlvi Barnabe Clxxviij Brethern seuen CCx Beatryce CCxxix Bernarde CClxiiij Bartylmewe CClxix Bryce CCClix Bede CCClxxxxij Brandon CCClxxxxiij Balaam CCCCiiij Circuncisyon fyue Corpus xpristy xxx Commaundementes ten lx Concepcyon of our lady lxxxxi Conuercyon of saynt poule Cxxvij Cutberd Cxlix Crystyne CCxx Crystofore CCxxiiij Cyryake CCâ—â—â—â— Cornelye cypryan CClxxâ—â—â—â—â— Cosme thre hondred thre Calyxte CCCxxiâ— Crysaunt CCCxxâ—v Cryspyn cryspynyan CCCxxxviij Commemoracion of al sowles folio thre hondred xlviij Crowned martes four thre hondred lv Cecylye thre hondred lxxviij Clemente thre hondred lxxix Dedicacion two thirty Dauyd kyng lxviij Dunston an hondred thre score xj Domynyk two hondred xxxviij Donace two hondred xlv Decolacion of saynt Iohan CClxxvij Damyan thre hondred iij Denyse thre hondred xx Darya thre hondred xxxv Dorathe thre hondred four score xiij Demetryen four hondred and xxiiij Epyphanye folio viij Esau four and fourty Eugene four score and xvij Edward kyng marter Clxxxij Eutrope an hondred four score ten Eusebe two hondred and xxxiij Exaltacion of the crosse CClxxxx Eufemye two hondred lxxxxiiij Edward kyng confessour CCCxxij Eustace thre hondred and xl Elyzabeth thre hondred thre score xj Edmund bisshop thre hondred lxxiiij Edmund kyng thre hondred lxxvij Erkenwolde thre hondred lxxxxix Fulcyen foure score twelue Fyrmyn an hondred and twelue Felyx an hondred and thyrtene Fabyan an hondred and syxtene Felycyan an hondred lxxvij Felix pope two hondred xxix Faustyn two hondred xxix Felyx preest two hondred lxxix Forsyn thre hondred and foure Fraunsoys thre hondred twelue Fyacre four hondred xxiij Gencien folio lxxxxij Gregorye an hondred xlij George an hondred seuen fyfty Gordyan an hondred thre score ix Germayn an hondred thre score xv Gerâ—â—se an hondred four score one Genouefe an hondred lxxxxiiij Germayn two hondred xxxj Gyles two hondred lxxxiij Gorgone two hondred lxxxix Grisogone thre hondred lxxxiij Gaâ—us four hondred twenty Hilayre Cxij Hughe thre hondred lxxvj Iacob folio xliiij Ioseph folio xlviij Iosue thre score and thre Iob folio thre score and fourtene Iudyth folio foure scoâ—e Iohan theuangelist an hondred Innocentes an hondred thre Iohan thamener an hondred xxiiij Iulyen the bysshop Cxxix Ignacyen an hondred xxxâ— Iulyane vyrgyn Cxxxviij Iames the lasse an hondred lxv Inuencyon of the crosse Clxâ—ij Iohan portlatyn an hondred lxviij Iulytte an hondred four score Iohan the baptyst Clxxxvij Iohan Paule two hondred v Iames the more two hondred xxj InueÌ„cion of saynt stephen ijCxxxvij Iacyncte two hondred lxxxix Iohan crisostom CClxxxxij Iustyn thre hondred one Iherome thre hondred ix Iude thre hondred xxxviij Iames the marter CCClxxxxj Iohan thabbot foure hondred Iosaphat four hondred foure Iustyne four hondred fourtene Kenelme CCxiij Katheryne thre hondred lxxxiiij Letanies more lesse xxj Lucye vyrgyne lxxxxiij Longyus an hondred xliiij Loye an hondred four score ix Loen two hondred and one Laurence two hondred fourty vâ— Lowe or lupe two hondred lxxxj Lambert two hondred four score xvj Logyer thre hondred and twelue Luke thre hondred xxxi Leonard thre hondred four fyfty Laudry four hondyed xxvi Lowes kynge of Fraunâ—e folio four hondred and thyrty Lowes bysshop four hondred xxxij Moyses folio liiij Machayre Cxiij Marcel Cxiiij Mathye appostle Cxl Maure Cxlv Marye egypcyen Clij Marke Clix Marcellyn Cxlj Modest Clxix Maryne Clxxxj Marcyal Clxxxxij Maturyn Clxxxxviij Margarete CCxiiij Marye magdalene CCxvj Martha CCxxx Machabees CCxxxiiij Mamertyn CClxxxij Mathewe CClxxxxv Mauryce CClxxxxix Mychel CCCv Margarete alias pelagyen CCCxviij Martyn CCClvj Moyses thabbot CCCCj Mellonyn CCCCxxvj Moraunt CCCCxxix Masse thexposycyon CCCCxxxv Natyuyte of our lord iiij Noe xxxix Nycholas lxxxvij Nychase lxxxxiiij Nereye Clxix Natyuyte of saynt Iohan baptest Clxxxxvij Nazaryen CCxxviij Natyuyte of our lady CClxxxiiij Passion of our lord xiiij Paule the fyrst hermyte Cx Paulyne Cxxviij Purifycacyon of our lady Cxxxij Peter in cathedra Cxxxix Patryk Cxlv Peter of melan Clxij Phelyp thappostle Clxv Pancrace Clxx Pernel Clxxj Peter deken Clxxvij Pryme Clxxvij Prothase Clxxxj Peter thappostle CCij Paule CCv Peter ad vincula CCxxiiij Prothe CClxxxix Pelagyen CCCxvij Pastour thabbot CCCC Pelagyen pope CCCCviij Polycarpe CCCCxvj Quynquagesme xij Quadragesme xij Quyrynn Clxxx Quyntyn CCCxlj Quiriace CCCCxvij Resurrexion of our lord xviij Roboas lxxiiij Remyge Cxj Rocke CClxij Remyge CCCxj Rygobert four hondred xxv Septuagesme xj Sexagesme xj Samuel lxiij Saul folio lxiij Salamon lxxj Stephen prothomarter lxxxxviij Syluester Cviij Sebasteyn Cxvj Seconde an hondred lj Seuen brethern two hondred x Swythyn two hondred xj Seuen slepars two hondred xxvj Symplycyen two hondred xxix Sauien two hondred xxxj Stephen the pope two hondred xxxvj Syxte the pope two hondred xliiij Symphoryen two hondred lxix Sauyen two hondred lxxx Symond thappostle iijCxxxviij Saturnyne thre hondred lxxxx Symeon marter four honred xv Thoby folio lxxv Thomas thappostle lxxxxiiij Thomas of caunterburye Cv Theodora two hondred x Translacion of hym two hondred xij Tymothe two hondred lxviij Thaysys thre hondred xix Theodore thre hondred lv Thomas dalquyne four hondred xviij Turyen four hondred xxij Uytryce lxxxxij Vyncente Cxxj Vedaste Cxxxvij Valentyn Cxxxvij Vytal Clxj Vrban Clxxj Vyte Clxxix Vyctor Clxxxxix Vrsula CCCxxxvj Whytsontyde xxvj Wyllyam Clxxxx Wenefrede CCCliij Ymber dayes folio xiij Ysaac folio xliiij Ypolyte folio CClj Yues folio CCCCxxvij ¶ Explicit THe tyme of thadueÌ„t or comyng of our lord in to this world is halowed in holy chirche the tyme of iiij wekes in betokenyng of iiij dyuerse comynges The j was whan he caÌ„ apierid in humayn nature flessh The ij is in the herte coÌ„scyence The iij is at the deth The iiij is at last IugemeÌ„t The last weke may vnnethe be accoÌ„plissed For the glorye of the sayntes whiche shal be yeuen at the last comyng shal neuer ende ne fynysshe And to this signyfyauÌ„ce the first responce of the first weke of aduent hath iiij verse to rekene Gloria patri filio for one to the reporte of the iiij wekis and how be it that there be iiij comynges of our lord yet the chirche maketh mencioÌ„ in especial but of tweyne that
hym And this is that thappostle saith ad ephesiâ—eâ— iij Our lord hath gyuem hym self in to oblacion and sacrefice for vs in to the odour of swetenesse to god the fader And how he was sacrefyed that was in vs appeasyng god Seynt Austyn in the boke of the Trynyte saith thus what thyng may be more grâ—ciously playsantly receyued than the flesshe of our sacrefyse whiche was maad the precyous body of our preest Therfor iiij thynges ought to be considered in all sacrefise First hym to whom is offred that whiche is offred hym that offreth And hym for whom the offrynge is offred he hym self is the moyen of bothe two that is to saye god and man he was hym self that dyde offre And he was hym self that was offred And the same doctour saith yet of this sacrâ—fyse how we be to god reconcyled IhuÌ„ Cryst is the preest And the sacrefyse he is god and also he is the temple he is the preest by whome we beÌ„ reconcyled God to whom we ben reconcyled And the temple in whom We be recoÌ„cyled The sacrefyse of whom we ben reconcyled saynt Austyn saith consideryng them that despyse this reconciliacion And sette nought therby he saith in the persone of IhuÌ„ Cryst in repreuyng theÌ„ whan thou were enemy to my fader I haue reconcylyd the whan thou were ferre I brought the agayn whan thou were taken I cam for to redeme the whan emonge the montaynes and the forestes thou were out of the waye I sought the to th ende that of the vulues ne of the euyll bestes thou were not eten ne all to tornÌ„ I gadred the And bare the in myn armes and delyuerd the to my fader I laboured I swette I put myn hede ayenst the thornes stratched myn hondes vnto the naylles opened my syde to the spere haue shedde my blood And haue gyue ouer my sowle and lyf for to Ioyne the to me And thou hast departed thy self fro me Secondly Ihesu crist was right couenable and necessarye for to saue vs and to hele and cure vs of our maladye and sekenesse for by cause of the tyme and of the place And of the maner of the tyme as it apperith For Adam was made and synned in the moneth of marche and on the fryday whiche is the vj day of the weke and therfor god in the moneth of marche on the fryday wold suffre deth and at at mydday whiche is the vj hour Secondly For the place of his passyon the whiche myght be considerid in thre maners for one place eyther it is comyn or especyal or singuler The place comyn where he suffred was the londe of promyssyon The place especyall the mouÌ„t of caluarye The place singuler the crosse In the place comyn the first man was there fourmed that was in a feld aboute or nygh damas where it is said in a place specyall he was there beryed For ryght in the place where Ihesu cryst suffred deth it is said that adam was buryed how wel that this is not auteÌ„tyque For saynt Iherome saith that adam was buryed in ebron And also in the book of Iosue is wreton the xiiij chapitre In a place singuler he was deceyued that is to wete in the tre not in this on whiche IhÌ„s suffred deth but in an other tre Thyrdly he was right couenable by cause of the curyng the whiche by manere was semblable to the preuaricacion by lyk and contrarye For thus as saith saynt Austyn in the booke de doctrina cristiana By a woman he was deceyued And by a woman he was born a man And the man delyuerd the men one mortal delyuerd the mortall and the deth by his deth And saynt ambrose saith Adam was of therthe a virgine Ihesu cryst was born of the virgine Adam was made to thymage of god Ihesus was thymage of god by a woman folye was shewde by a woman wysedom was born Adam was naked Ihesu cryst naked The deth cam by the tre the lyf by the crosse Adam in deserte And Ihesus in deserte but by the contrarye ¶ For after saynt gregorye Adam synned by pryde by mobedience and by gloutonye For he coueyted the hyenes of god for the serpent said to theym ye shal be semblable to god he brake the comandement of god and desired and coueyted the swetenes of the fruyt by gloutonnye And by cause the maner of the sauour ought to be by the coÌ„trarye therfore this manere was right couenable by the humyliacion by the fulfyllyng and affliction or of the dyuyne volente And herof sayth thappostle ad philipenses humiliauit sepisum Thirdely Ihesus was right proufitably to drawe to hym thumayn lynage For one of the world his frewil saued myhgt neuer haue drawen mankynd to hys loue And how he draweth vs to his loue saynt bernard saith Aboue alle thyng o good Ihesu gyue me grace to loue the And by this thyng he drewe vs most to his loue That is the chalys good lord that thou hast dronkeÌ„ whiche was the werke of our redempcion This châ—lys is thy passyoÌ„ whiche lightly may appropre our lord to the this is that draweth most playsantly oure deuocion and Iustly reyseth it and sonnest streyneth and most vehemently taketh our affection And where thou lamentest and there as thou despoyllest the of thy rayes naturell there shyneth most thy pyte there is most clere thy charyte And there habundeth most thy grace how also we ought to retorne to the affyaunce of hym saynt poul saith ad romanos viij he spareth not his owen sone but for vs alle he delyuerd hym wherof saynt bernard saith who is he that is not rauysshid to hope of affyauÌ„ce whiche taketh none hede to the disposicion of his body he hath his hede enclyned to be kyssed the armes stratched tembrace vs his hondes perced to gyue to vs The syd open to loue vs The feeet fixed with nayles for to abyde with vs And the body stratched all for to gyue to vs Fourthly he was right wyse and right wel aduysed for to fyght ayenst thenemy of thumayne lygnage Iob xxv His wysedom hath smeton the prowde man ¶ And after may ye not take the fende wyth an hoke Iesu Cryst hath hydd the hoke of hys dyuynyte vnder the mete of our humanyte and the fend wold take the mete of the flesshe and was taken wyth the hooke of the godhede Of this wyse takyng sayth saynt Austyn Oure redemptour is comen and the deceyuer is vaynquysshed And what dyde our redemptour he leyd out his bayte to our deceyuour and aduersayre he hath sette forth his crosse And within he hath sette his mete that is his blood For he wold shede his bloode not as a dettour And therfore he departed fro the dettours And this dette here thappostle calleth Cirographe or oblygacion the which Ihesu Cryst bare and attouchyd it to the crosse Of which saynt Austyn saith Eue toke of the feÌ„de synne by borowyng by vsure and wrote an
londe sawe anon louyd and rauysshed and slepte wyth her oppressyng her by strengthe And was assotted on her in suche wyse as he wente to his fader Emor and said gyue me this damoyselle in maryage that she may be my wyf whiche whan Iacob knewe herde how his doughter was rauyssed his sones thenne beyng absente in occupacion of fedyng of theyr beestis in the felde he helde it secrete til they retorned thenne Emor wente for to speke of this mater to Iacob and that tyme his sones cam fro the felde and herde what was happend and don were passyng wroth and angry by cause he had so defowled theyr suster Thenne said Emor to them Sychem my sone louyth your doughter gyue her to hym in maryage and late vs alye eche wyth other late our doughters be gyuen to you and youris to vs and duelle ye with vs Alle the contre is in your power exercise and occupye it bye and selle and take ye it ¶ Thenne said Sichem to his fader and brethern what someuer ye ordeyne I wyl doo and what ye demande yeftes or dower I shal gladly gyue it so I may haue this damoyselle vnto my wif Thenne answerd the sones of Iacob to sichem and his fader in gyle dissymilyng as they had not knowen the rauysshement of theyr suster we may not doo that ye desyre ne gyue our suster to a man incircumsiced it is a thyng vnlauful and grete synne to vs yf ye wyl be circumsiced in euery man emong you and man child and be lyke as we be we shal take your doughtres ye ouris and shal dwelle to gydre and ben one peple yf ye wyl not be circūsiced we shal take our suster and goo hens This offre plesed to Emor and Sychem his sone and ther was no yong man but anon was agreed to that they asked he loued somoche the damoyselle that anon he wente in to the cyte and told al this to the peple that these men were pesible peple wille dwelle emong vs and that ther was no lette but that we be not circūsiced as they be to whiche they assented and forth with were circumsiced And the thirde day after whā the most payne of the woūdes greued them Thenne tweyne of Iacobs sones Symeon and Leui brethern of Dyna drewe out their swerdis entred in to the cyte hardely and slewe alle the men both Emor and Sychem and toke Dyna theyr suster with them fro Sychems hows and this don the other sones of Iacob fylle on the remenaūt and slewe all that they fond in auengyng the shame and Rauysshement of theyr suster wastyng oxen and sheep asses other beestis And toke theyr wyues chyldren in to captyuyte whiche thyngis thus don Iacob saide to Symeon and Leui ye haue troubled me and haue made me hateful to the cananees phereseis dwellars in this contre we ben but a fewe they shal gadre them to gydre destroye me and my hows They answerd shold we suffre our suster to be holden as a comyn womā After this our lord apperid to Iacob and said Aryse and goo vp to Bethel dwelle there and make there an awter to the lord that apperid to the in the way whan thou fleddest fro thy broder Esau Iacob thenne called alle them of his hows and sayde Caste away fro yow alle your straunge goddes that ben emonge yow and make yow clene and change your clothes Arise and late vs go in to bethel and make we there an awter to our lord that herde me in the day of my tribulacion and was felaw of my Iourney Theenne they gaf to hym alle their straunge goddes and the golde that henge on their eeris And he dalfe a pit behynde the cyte of Sichem and threwe hem therin And whan they departed alle the contrees thrr aboute were aferd durste not pursiewe them Thenne Iacob cam to a place called luza whiche is in the londe of Canaan all the peple with hym whiche otherwise is called bethel he edefyed there an awter to our lord and named that place the hows of god Our lord apperid to hym in that place whan he fledde fro his broder Esau that same tyme deyde delbora the noryce of Rebecca and was buryed at the Rote of Bethel vnder an Oke Our lord apperid agayn to Iacob after that he was retorned fro mesopotamye of Syrye and was come in to Bethel and blessyd hym sayeng Thou shalt nomore be called Iacob but Israhel shal be thy name and called hym Israhel and said to hym I am god almyghty growe and multeplye Folkes and peples of nacion shal come of the Kynges shal come of thy lendes the londe that I gaf to abraham and Isaac I shal gyue to the and thy seed And vanysshed away fro hym he thenne reysed a stone for a remembraūce in the place where god spack to hym and enoynted it with oyle Callyng the name of the place Bethel He wente thens cam in veer tyme vnto the londe that goth to effratam in which place Rachel trauaylled and began for cause of chyldyng to deye the mydwyf said to her be not aferd for thou shalt haue a sonne And the deth drawyng nere she named hym bennom whiche is as moche to saye as the sone of my sorowe The fader called hym Bemamin that is saye the sone of the right hand Ther Rachel deyde and was buryed in the way toward Effratam that is Bethleem Iacob reysid a tytle vpon her tombe this is the tytle of the monumēte of Rachel vnto this present day Iacob wente thens And cam to ysaac his fader in to Mambre cyte of arbee that is ebron In whiche dwellyd Abraham ysaac all the dayes of ysaac were complete whiche were an honderd foure score yere And he consumed deyd in good mynde and Esau and Iacob his sones beryed hym Thus endeth thystorye of ysaac and his two sones Esau and Iacob Hyer begynneth thystorye of Ioseph and his brethern whiche is red the thirde sonday in Lente IOseph whan he was xvj yere old began to kepe and fede the flock with his brethern he beyng yet a child And was accompanyed with the sones of bala and zelpha wyues of his fader Ioseph cōplayned on his brethern and accused them to their fader of the most euylle synne Israhel louyd Ioseph aboue all his sones for as moche as he had goten hym in his old age And made for hym a motley cote his brethern thēne seeyng that he was byloued of his fader more thā they were hated hym myght not speke to hym a pesyble worde It happed on a tyme that Ioseph dremed sawe a sweuene told it to his brethern whiche caused hem to hate hym the more Ioseph saide to his brethern here ye my dreme that I had Me thought that we bonde sheuys in the felde And my sheef stoode vp youres stōdyng roūde aboute worshipe my sheef
beyng teÌ„pted that he shold proue the And now hath our lord sente me for to cure the and Sara the wyf of thy sone I haue delyuerd fro the deuyl I am sothly Raphael the angele one of the seuen whyche stande to fore our lord god whan they herd thys they were 〈◊〉 and tremblyng fyl doun 〈◊〉 on theyr faces vpon the ground 〈◊〉 Aungele said to them pees be to you drede you not Forsothe whan I was with you by the wylle of god hym alleway blesse ye and synge ye to hym I was seen to you to ete and drynke but I vse mete and drynke Inuysyble whyche of men may not be seen It is now therfor tyme that I retorne to hym whiche hath sent me ye alway blesse god and telle ye alle hys meruaylles And whan he had said this he was taken away fro the sight of them and after that they myght nomore see hym Thenne they fyl doun flatte on theyr faces by the space of iij houres and blessyd god And arisyng vp they told all the meruaylles of hym Thenne tholder thobye openyng hys mouthe blessyd our lord sayde Grete art thou lord euermore and thy regne is in to alle worldes For thou scorgest and sauyst thou ledyst to helle and bryngest agayn ¶ And ther is none that may flee thy hand knowleche and confesse you to the lord ye children of Israhel And in the syght of gentylis preyse ye hym therfor he hath desperpled you emong gentyles that knowe hym not that ye telle hys meruaylles and make them to be knowen For ther is none other god almyghty but he he hath chastysed vs for our wyckednesses and he shal saue vs for hys mercy Take heed and see therfor what he hath don to vs And with fere and drede knowleche ye to hym and exalte hym kynge of alle worldys in your werkys I sothly in the londe of my captyuyte shal knowleche to hym for he hath shewd hys mageste in to the synful peple Confesse you therfor synners and do ye Iustyce to for our lord byleuyng that he shal doo to you hys mercy I sothly my sowle shal be glad in hym Alle ye chosen of god blesse ye hym and make ye dayes of gladnes and knowleche ye to hym Iherusalem cyte of god our lord hath chastysed the in the werkys of hys hondys Confesse thou to our lord in hys good thyngys and blesse thou god of worldes that he may reedyfye in the hys tabernacle that he may calle agayn to the alle prysoners and them that ben in captyuyte and that thou Ioye in omnia secula seculorum Thou shalt shyne with a bright lyght And all the endes of the erthe shal worshipe the Nacions shal come to the fro ferre and bryngyng yeftes shal worshype in the our lord and shal haue thy londe in to sanctificacion They shal calle in the a grete name They shal be cursed that shal despyse the And they all shal be condempned that blaspheme the Blessyd be they that edefye the thou shalt be Ioyeful in thy sones For all shal be blessyd and shal be gadred to gydre vnto our lord Blessed be they that loue the that Ioye vpon thy pees my sowle blesse thou our lord for he hath delyueryd Iherusalem hys cyte I shal be blessyd yf ther be lefte of my seed for to see the clerenesse of Iherusalem The yates of Iherusalem shal be edefyed of Saphir and emerawde And all the circuyte of hys walles of precious stone alle the stretes therof shal be paued with whyte stone clene And Alleluya shal be song by the wayes therof Blessyd be the lord that hath exalted it that it may be hys kyngdome in secula seculorum Amen And thus thobye fynysshed thyse wordes ¶ And thobye lyuyd after he had receyuyd his sight xlij xere and sawe the sones of hys neuewis that is the sones of the sones of hys sone yonge thobye And whan he had lyuyd Cij yere he deyde and was honorably buryed in the cyte of nynyue he was lvj yere old whan he lost hys syght whan he was lx yere old he receyuyd hys syght agayn The resydue of hys lyf was in Ioye and with good profyght of the drede of god he departed in pees In the houre of hys deth he called to hym thobye hys sone and vij of hys yonge sones hys neuewes and sayd to hem the destruction of Nynyue is nygh The worde of god shal not passe And our brethern that ben desperpled fro the londe of Israhel shal retorne theder agayn All the londe therof shal be fulfyllid with deserte and the hows that is brente therin shal be reedefyed and theder shal retorne all peple dredyng god And gentylis shal leue theyr ydolles and shal come in Iherusalem and shal dwelle therin And alle the kynges of the erthe shal Ioye in her worshypyng the kynge of Israhel here ye therfor my sones me your fader ¶ Serue ye god in trouthe and seche ye that ye doo that may be plesyng to hym And comande ye to your sones that they doo rightwisnessis and almesses that they may remembre god and blesse hym in all tyme in trouthe and in alle theyr vertue Now therfor my sones here me and dwelle ye no lengre here but whaÌ„ someuer your moder shal deye berye her by me And fro than forthon dresse ye your stappes that ye goo hens I see wel that wyckednesse shal make an ende of it hyt was soo thenne after the deth of hys moder Thobye wente fro Nynyue with hys wyf and hys sones and the sones of hys sones and retorned vnto hys wyues fader and moder whom they fonde in good helthe and good age And toke the cure charge of them And were with them vnto their deth and closyd theyr eyâ—n And thobye receyuyd alle therytage of the hows of Raguel and sawe the sones of hys sones vnto the fyfâ—he generacion And whan he had complesshyd lxxxxix yere he deyde in the drede of god and with Ioye they beryed hym Alle hys cognacion and alle hys generacion abode in good lyf and in holy conuersacion in suche wyse as they were acceptable as wel to god as to men and to alle dwellyng on the erthe Thus endeth the hystorye of Thobye tholder and of hys sone Thobye the yonger Here begynneth thystorye of Iudith whiche is redde the last sonday of Octobre ARphaxat kynge of the medes subdued vnto his eÌ„pire many peoples And edefyed a myghty cite whych he named Egbathams and made hyt with stones squared polysshed them the walles therof were of heyght lxx cubitis and of brede xxx cubitis and the towres therof were an honderd cubytis hye And gloryfyed hym self as he that was myghty in puyssance and in the glorye of hys hoost and of hys chares Nabugodonosor thenâ—e in the xij yere of hys Regne whyche was kynge of thassyryens and regned in the cite of Nynyue fought agayn Arphaxat and toke hym
peas and speke not one worde haue leuer to deye than to dyffame sklaundre my moder so fowly Thus cam he to Iugement and hys moder accused hym sayeng that he wold haue defowled her And it was axed of hym ofte yf it was so as she said And he answerd nothyng TheÌ„ne sayd saynt andrew to her Thou art most cruel of alle wymen whyche for thaccomplysshement of thy lecherye wilt make thy sone to deye Thenne said thys woman to the prouost Syre syth that my sone cam and acompanyed wyth this man he wold haue don hys wylle with me but I withstode hym that he myght not And anon the prouost and Iuge coÌ„manded that the sone shold be put in a sacke enoynted with glewe and throwen in to the Ryuer And saynt Andrewe to be put in pryson tyl he had aduysed hym how he myght tourmente hym But seynt andrew made hys prayer to god And anon cam an horryble thondre whyche fered them alle and made the erthe to tremble strongly And the woman was smeton wyth the thondre vnto the deth And the other prayed the apostle that they myght not perysshe And he prayd for them And the tempest cessed Thus thenne the prouoste beleuyd in god and alle hys mayne ¶ After thys as thappostle was in the cyte of Nypce the cytezeins said to hym that there were seuen deuylles wythout the cyte by the hye waye which slew all them that passed forthby and thappostle comanded them to come to hym whyche cam in the lykenes of dogges And syth he comanded them that they shold goo where as they shold not greue ne doo harme to ony man And anon they vanysshed away And whan the peple sawe this they receyuyd the fayth of Ihesu Cryste And whan thappostle cam to the yate of an other cyte ther was brought a yong man deed Thapostle demanded what was byfallen hym and it was told hym that vij dogges cam strangled hym Thenne thappostle wepte sayd O lord god I knewe wel that thyse were the deuylles that I put out of Nypce And after said to the fader of hym that was deed what wyl thou gyue to me yf I reyse hym And he said I haue nothyng so dere as hym I shal gyue hym to the And anon thappostle made hys prayers vnto almyghty god and reysyd hym from deth to lyf And he wente and folowed hym ¶ On a tyme ther were xl meÌ„ by nombre whyche were comynge by the see sayllyng vnto thappostle for to receyue of hym the doctryne of the fayth and the deuyl reysed and meuyd a grete storme and so horryble a tourment that all they were dâ—owned to gydre And whan theyr bodyes were brought to fore thappostle he reysed them fro deth to lyf anon And ther they sayd alle that was befallen to them And therfor it is redde in an hympne that he rendryd the lyf to yong men drowned in the see And the blessyd seynt andrewe whylys he was in achaye he replenesshyd all the contrey wyth chirches and coÌ„uerted the peple to the faith of Ihesu cryst And enformed the wif of Egeas whyche was prouost and Iuge of the town in the fayth and baptysed her and whan Egeas herde this he cam in to the cyte of patras and constrayned the crysten to sacrefye And seynt Andrew cam vnto hym and said hyt behoueth the whyche hast deseruyd to be a Iuge to knowe thy Iuge which is in heuen and he so knowen that thou worshype hym And so worshypyng withdrawe thy corage fro the false goddes ¶ And Egeas said thou art Andrewe that prechest a false lawe whyche the prynces of Rome haue comanded to be destroyed to whom Andrewe saide The prynces of Rome knewe neuer how the sone of god cam And taught and enformed hem that the ydolles ben deuylles And he that techeth suche thynges angreth god and he so angred departeth fro them that he hereth hem not And therfore ben they caytyuys of the deuyll ben so illused and deceyuyd that they yssue out of the body all naked and bere nothyng with them but synnes And Egeas said to hym Thyse ben the vanytees that your Ihesu prechyd whyche was nayled on the galowes of the crosse To whom Andrewe said he receyuyd with hys agremeÌ„t the gybet of the crosse not for hys culpe and trespaas but for our redempcion And Egeas said whan he was delyueryd of hys dyscyple taken and holden with the Iewes and crucefyed by the knyghtes how saist thou that it was by hys agrement Thenne seynt Andrewe began to shewe by fyue raysons that Ihesu cryste receyued deth by hys owne agrement will For as moche as he cam to fore hys passyon and said to hys dyscyples that it shold be whan he said we shal gon vp to Iherusalem and the sone of the mayde shal be bytrayed And also for that that petre wolde wythdrawe hym he repreuyd hym and said goo after me sathanas And also for that that he shewde that he had power to suffre deth and to ryse agayn whan he said I haue power to put away my sowle and to take it agayn And also for that he knewe to fore hym that betrayd hym whan he gaf hym his souper and shewed hym not And also for that he chese the place where he shold be taken For he knewe wel that the traytre sholde come â— And saynt Andrewe said that he had ben at all thyse thynges And yet he said more that the mysterye of the crosse was grete to whoÌ„ Egeas said it may not be said mysterye but turment and yf thou wilt not graunte to my sayengys truly I shal make the preue thys mysterye And Andrew said to hym yf I doubted the gybet of the crosse I wold not preche the glorye therof I wyl that thou here the mysterye and yf thou knewe byleuydyst on it thou sholdest be saued Thenne he shewde to hym the mystery of the crosse And assygned fyue resons The fyrst is thys For as moche as the fyrst man that deseruyd deth was by cause of the tree in brekynge the comandement of god Thenne is it thynge couenable that the seconde maÌ„ shold put away that deth in suffryng the same on the tree The seconde was that he whiche was made of erthe not corrupted and was breker of the comandement thenne was it thyng couenable that he that shold repelle this defaulte shold be born of a vyrgyne The thyrde for so moche as Adam had stratched hys hand dysordynatly to the fruyt forboden it was thyng couenable that the newe Adam shold stratche hys haÌ„dys in the crosse The fourth for so moche as adam had tasted swetly the fruyt forboden it is therfor rayson that it be put away by thyng coÌ„trarye so that Ihesu cryste was fedde with bytter galle The fyfthe for as moche as Ihesu cryste gaf to vs hys ni mortalyte it is thyng Rasonnable thou he take our mortalyte For yf Ihesu cryst
For by daye and nyght he hath grete labour in getyng and in kepyng of hit and grete drede to lose that whiche he hath so dere and wyth grete payne goten Syxtly anauntyng and praysyng For the Rychesses gyuen occasion to be vayn gloryous and to prayse and gloryfye hym self And by thys it appyereth that presently is loste the wele of humylyte without whyche the grace of god may not be had And thus is goten for the world come to payne and tormente by ouer grete pryde Escripture thenne nature creature fortune besynes and care aaduauntyng and praysyng ought to make vs withdrawe for to loue richesses ¶ Saynt Iohan approuued to thies two men hys doctryne wyth hys myracles to be trewe and ye in the name of hym dyde myracles to fore that ye were sory and repented you of that that ye had gyuen your Rychesses to poure people Now is that grace from you departed And ye ben bycome meschaunt and wretches whiche were in the faith strong and myghty ¶ And to fore the euyl spyrites had fere and drede of you And by your comandement they yssued out of bodyes humayne Now haue ye fere and drede of them and ben bycome theyr seruauntes For who so loueth the Rychessys of thys world he is seruaunt vnto a deuyll named Mammona ¶ And is bonde and serf in kepyng the Rychesse in whyche he setteth hys affyaunce ¶ And herof fayth the holy ghoost by the prophete Dauid In imaginem pertransit homo cÌ„ vaynly is the man distroblyd whyche assembleth tresour in this world and knoweth not for whom it is For whaÌ„ he shal deye he shal here nothyng wyth hym And he wote not who shal despende it For naked we cam vpon therthe and all naked shal we reentre in to it And to a meschauÌ„t maÌ„ it suffiseth not whaÌ„ he hath ynowh but he is besy day and nyght to gete more wythout reste For the Rychesses make hym ferdful to lese that he hath goten and bryngeth to hym many besynesses and euyl reste in makyng worldly delytes And he despourueyd deth cometh whyche taketh all fro hym and bereth nothyng with hym sauf his propre synnes whan saynt IohÌ„n had said all thys ther was brought to fore hym a yong man deed whiche only had be in maryage xxx dayes And hys moder and frendes wepte sore whyche to fore saynt IohÌ„n kneled doun on their knees prayeng hym that he wold reyse hym to lyf Saynt IohÌ„n had grete pyte And whan he had longe wept he bad to lose and vnbynde the body and saide O satheus whyche were blynded with flesshly loue soone thou lost thy sowle And by cause thou knewest not thy maker Ihesu cryst thou art fallen IgnorauÌ„tly in to the laas of the right euyl fendes wherfore I wepe and praye that thou mayst be releuyd fro deth to lyf and shewe thou to thyes tweyne Actio and eugenio what grete glorye they haue lost and what payne they haue deserued Anon Satheus releued hym in yeldyng thankynges to saynt IohÌ„n and blamed moche the two disciples in sayeng I sawe your two angellis wepe and the deuylles demene Ioye of your perdicion Also I sawe the Royame of heuen made redy for you and full of all delyces And ye haue folâ—ly goten for you the places of helle derke tenebrous ful of dragons and of all paynes And therfore it behoueth you to praye to thappostle of god that he remyse and brynge you agayn to your sauacion lyke as he hath reysed me goodly And emong alle other paynes This Satheus recyteth thise that ben coÌ„teyned in two verses folowyng Vermis et vmbre flagellum frigus et ignis Demonis aspectus celerum confusio luctus that is to saye Worme derknes scorges colde hete sight of deuyl confusioÌ„ of synnes and wayllyng Anon thenne thyse two men by right grete repentance prayd saynt IohÌ„n that he wold praye for them To whom saynt IohÌ„n answerd that they shold doo penaÌ„ce xxx dayes longe and praye to god that the Reddes of gold and the precious stones myght retorne to theyr first propre natures ¶ After thyse xxx dayes they cam to saynt IohÌ„n and said to hym fair fader ye haue alwaye prechyd mysericorde and mercy and comanded that one shold pardone another hys trespaas we ben coÌ„tryte and repentaunt of our synnes and wepe with our eyen for thys euyl worldly couetyse the whyche we haue by them receyued And therfore we praye you that ye haue mercy on vs And saynt Iohan answerd our lord god whan he made mencion of the synnar he said I wylle not the deth of the synnar but that he be conuerted and lyue For grete Ioye is in heuen of a synnar repentaunt And therfore knowe ye that he hath receyued your repentaunce Goo ye forth and bere the roddes and stones thyder where ye toke theym For they be retorned to theyr first nature Thus receyued they the grace that they had lost so that after they dyde grete myracles in the name of our lord Ihesu cryst And thenne after this whan the blessyd Appostle seynt IohÌ„n had prechyd thorugh alle Asye and sowen the word of cryste They that worshiped ydolles moeued the peple ayenst saynt IohÌ„n And cam and drowe hym vnto the temple of dyane for to constrayne hym to doo sacrefice vnto that ydolle To whom saynt IohÌ„n saide syth ye byleue that your goddesse dyane haue so grete power calle ye vpon her and requyre her by her power she subuerte and ouerthrowe the chyrche of cryst and yf she so doo I shal doo sacrefyce to her and yf she doo it not thenne late me praye vnto my god Ihesu cryst that he ouerthrowe her temple and yf he soo doo theÌ„ne byleue ye in hym To thys sentence the moost parte of the peple consented and so they prayed and nothyng they coude not doo ne preuayle agayn the chyrche of cryst but saynt IohÌ„n made hys prayers And anon the temple of dyane fyll doun and was ouerthrowen so that the foundement torned vp so doun And thymage of dyane all to dasshed and destroyed And that same day were conuerted to crystes faith xij M men of the gentiles beside wymen and chyldren Thenne Aristodemus bisshop of the ydollis styred and meuyd sedicion emonge the peple in suche wyse that that one partye made them redy to bataylle ayenst that other partye Thenne said thappostle to hym what wylt thou that I doo that thou mayst be pleasid to whom the bysshop said yf thou wilt that I byleue in thy god Ishal gyue to the venym to drynke And yf it hurte not the thenne thy lord is very god thenne said saynt IohÌ„n do as thou hast said thenne said the bysshop I wyl first that thou see other deye therof to fore by cause thou sholdest the more drede it Thenne wente Aristodemus to the proconsul of the cyte and demaunded of hym ij men Iuged to deth for to haue ben beheded And to fore them
and consecrate on that one side of Ephesee And fro mydnyght forth he ceassed not to preche to the people that they shold establysshe them and be stedfast in the crysten faith and obeyssaunt to the comandemens of god And after thys he said the masse and howselyd and comuned the peple and after that the messe was fynysshed he bad and dyde do make a pytte or a sepulture to fore the aulter And after that he had taken hys leue and comanded the peple to god he descended doun in to the pytte or sepulture And helde vp hys handes to heuen and said Swete lord Ihesu cryste I yelde me vnto thy desyre and thanke the that thou hast vouchedsauf to calle me to the yf it plaise the receyue me for to be with my brethern with whom thou hast somoned me Opene to me the yate of the lyf permanable And lede me to the feest of thy wel and best dressed metes thou art Cryst the sone of the lyuyng god whyche by the comandemÌ„t that of fader hast saued the world To the I rendre and yelde grace and thankynges world wythouten ende thou knowest wel that I haue desired the with al my herte After that he had made hys prayer moche amerously and pyteously anon cam vpon hym grete clerenes and light And so grete brightnes that none myght see hym And whan thys lyght and bryghtnes was goon and departed ther was nothyng founde in the pytte or graue but manna whiche cam spryngyng from vnder vpward lyke as fonde in a fontayn or spryngynge welle where moche peple haue ben delyuerd of many diseases sekenesses by the merytes prayers of thys gloryous saynt SomÌ„e saye and afferme that he deyed without payne of deth And that he was in that clerenes born in to heuen body and sowle wherof god knoweth the certaynte And we that ben yet here bynethe in this myserye ought to pray deuoutly to hym that he wold impetre and gete to vs the grace of our lord whiche is blessyd in secula seculorum Amen Ther was a kyng an holy Confessour and virgyne named seynt Edward whiche had a specyal deuocion vnto saynt IohÌ„n euangelist and it happed that thys holy kyng was atte halowyng of a chyrche dedycate in thonour of god and of this holy appostle and it was that saynt IohÌ„n in lyknes of a pylgryme cam to thys kynge and demaunded hys almesse in the name of saynt IohÌ„n And the kyng not hauyng his amoner by hym ne his chamberlayn of whom he myght haue somwhat to gyue hym but toke hys rynge whyche he bare on hys fyngre and gaf it to the pylgryme ¶ After thys many dayes it happened ij pylgryms of englond for to be in the holy londe And saynt IohÌ„n appiered to them And bad them to bere thys Rynge to theyr kynge and to grete hym wel in hys name And to telle hym that he gaf it to saynt IohÌ„n in lykenes of a pylgryme and that he shold make hym redy to departe out of thys world For he shold not longe abyde here but come in to euerlastyng blysse And so vanysshed fro them And anone as he was goon they had grete lust to slepe and leyd them doun and slepte and thys was in the holy land and whan they awoke they loked aboute them and knewe not where they were And they sawe flockes of sheep and shepherdes kepyng them to whom they wente to knowe the waye and to demaunde where that they were and whan they axed them they spack englyssh and said that they were in englond in kente on beram downe And thenne they thanked god and and saynt JohÌ„n for theyr good speed and cam to this holy kynge saynt Edward on Cristemas day and delyuered to hym the rynge and dyde their erand wherof the kynge was abasshyd and thanked god and the holy saynt that he had warnyng for to departe and on the vygyle of thepyphanye next after he deyde and departed holyly out of thys world And is buryed in thabbiye of westmestre by london where as is yet in to thys day the same rynge Ysidore in the book of the lyf and deth of holy sayntes and fadres sayth thys Saynt JohÌ„n theuaÌ„gelist transformed and torned roddes of trees in to fyn gold the stones and grauel of the see in to precious geÌ„mes and owches the smale broken pyeces of gemmes he reformed vnto their first nature he reysed a wydowe fro deth And brought agayn the sowle of a yong man in to hys body he dranke venym without hurte or peryll And them that had ben deed by the same he recouerid in to the state of lyf Here endeth the lyf of saynt Iohan theuangelist Here foloweth Thystorye of Thynnocentes THe Innocentis callyd Innocentis for iij reasons First by cause reason of lyf and by reason of payne and by reason of Innocence By reason of lyf they be sayd Innocentis by cause they had an Innocent lyf They greued no body neyther god by inobedyence ne their neyghbours by vntrouthe ne by conceyuyng of ony synne And therfor it is said in the psaulter Thynnocentes and rightwys haue Ioyned them to me Thynnoâ—â—ntis by theyr lyf rightwys in the faith by raison of payne For they suffred deth Innocently and wrongly wherof Dauid saith they haue shed the blood of Innocentes by reason of Innocencye that they had by cause that In thys martirdom they were haptysed and made clene of thorigynal synne of whiche Innocence is said in the psaulter kepe thou Innocencye of baptesme And see equyte of good werkes HOly chyrche maketh feste of the Innocentis whyche were put to deth by cause of our lord Ihesu cryst For herode Ascalomer for to fynde and pute to deth our lord which was born in bethleem he dyde doo slee alle the chyldren in bethleem and ther aboute fro the age of two yere and vnder vnto one day vnto the somÌ„e of an CxliiijM chyldren For to vnderstonde whyche herode it was that so cruelly dyde do put so many chyldren to deth It is to wyte that ther were thre herodes and all thre were cruel tyrauÌ„tes And were in their tyme of grete fame and moche renoÌ„med for their grete malyce The first was herode Ascolamer he regned in Iherusalem whan our lord was born The seconde was herodes Antipas to whom pylate sente IhÌ„u cryst in the tyme of hys pâ—ssiâ—n And he dyde do smyte of saynt JohÌ„n baptystes heed The thyrde was herodes agrippa whyche dyde do smyte of saynt Iames heed said in galyce sette saynt peter in pryson But now late vs come to thys fyrst herode that dyde do slee the Innocente chyldren hys fader was named Antipater as hystorye scolâ—styke sayth and was kynge of 〈◊〉 and paynem he toke a wif whiche was Niece to the kynge of arabe on whom he had iij sones a doughter of whome that one was named herode Ascalomer Thys herode seruyd so wel to Iulyen theÌ„perour of Rome that he gaf to
that Ioseph was goon wyth our lord in to egypte And was there vij yere vnto the deth of herode And after the prophecye of ysaye atte entryng of our lord in to egypte the ydollis fyllen doun For lyke as at departyng of the chyldren out of egypte in euery hows tholdest sone of thegypciens laye one deed in lyke wyse atte comyng of our lord laye doun the ydollis in the temples Cassiodore sayth in thystorye trypartyte in hermopolyn of Thebaide ther was a tree callyd perfidis whiche is medycinal for alle sekenesses For yf the leef or rynde of that tree ben bouÌ„de to the necke of the seke persone it he lith hym anon And as the blessyd virgyne marye fledde wyth her sone that tree bowed doun and worshypped Ihesu cryste Also macrobius saith in a cronycle that a yong sone of herode was nourisshed at that tyme and he was slayn emon ge the other chyldreÌ„ And thenne was fulfyled the prophecye sayeng The voys is herd in rama of grete wepyng and wayllyng that the sorouful moders wept for the deth of theyr chyldren and myght not be comforted by cause theyr were not alyue Thus endeth the feste of the Innocentis Here foloweth the lyf of seynt Thomas marter of Caunterburye and first thexposicion of hys name THomas is as moche to saye as abysme or double or trenchyd and hewen he was an abysme profounde in humylite as it apperid in the hayer that he waer and in wasshyng of the feet of the poure peple double in prelacion that was in worde and in ensample and hewen and trenchid in his passion SAynt Thomas the martir was sone to gylbert bequet a burgeys of the cyte of london And was born in the place where as now stoÌ„deth the chyrche callyd saynt Thomas of akirs And thys Gilbert was a good deuoute man and toke the crosse vpon hym and wente on pilgremage in to the holy londe and had a seruaunt wyth hym And whan he had accomplysshed hys pylgremage he was taken homeward by the hethen men and brouht in to the pryson of a prynce named Amerant where longe tyme he his felawshyp suffred moche payne and sorowe ¶ And the prynce had grete affection toward thys gylberd and had ofte comynycacion wyth hym of the crysten fayth and of the Royame of englond by whyche conuersacion it fortuned that the doughter of thys prynce had especial loue vnto thys gylberd and was famylyer with hym and on a tyme she disclosed her loue to hym sayeng yf he wold promyse to wedde her she shold forsake frendes heritage and contrey for hys loue and bycome Crysten after longe comynycacioÌ„ bytwene them he promysed to wedde her yf she wold become Crysten And told to her the place of hys dwellyng in englond And after by the purueaunce of god the said gylbert escaped and come home And after thys it fortuned so that thys prynces doughter stale pryuely away and passed many a wyld place and grete aueÌ„ture and by goddes purueance atte laste caÌ„ in to london demandyng and cryeâ—g beket beket For more englyssh coude she not wherfor the peple drewe aboute her what for the strange araye of her as for that they vnderstode her not and many a shrewd boye so longe she wente tyl she came to fore gylbertis dore And as she there stode the seruaunt that had ben with gylbert in pryson whyche was named rychart sawe her and knewe that it was she and weÌ„te in to hys mayster and told hym how thys mayde stode at hys dore and anon he wente out to see her And assone as she sawe hym she fyl in a Swowne for Ioye And gylberd toke her vp comforted her brought her in to hys hows And sith wente to the bysshoppis whiche thenne were vj at powlis and reherched alle the mater and after they crystened her and forthwith weddid vnto gylberd beket And within tyme resonable acustomed was brought forth bytwene them a fayr sone named Thomas And after thys yet the seyd gylberd wente agayn to the holy lond and was thre yere or he come agayn And thys chyld grewe forth til he was sette to scole and lerned wel and becam vertuous And whan he was xxiiij yere old hys moder passed out of this world And after thys he serued a marchaunt of london a whyle in kepyng hys charge and acomptes And fro hym he wente to Stygand Archebysshop of Caunterbury And he was in so grete fauour with hym that he made hym Archedeken and chyef of hys counseyll And wel executed he hys offyce in punysshyng the culpable and cherysshyng the good peple And dyuerse tymes wente to Rome for to supporte and helpe holy chyrche And after thys henry the second that was themperesse sone was made kynge of englond and he ordeyned thys Thomas hys chaunceler and had grete rule and the londe stode in prosperite And saynt Thomas stode so gretly in the kynges fauour that the kynge was content with all that he dyde And whan the kynge wente in to normandye he betoke the gouuernance of hys sone and the Royame in to the Rule of saynt Thomas whych he wysely gouerned til hys retorne agayn And anon after deyde Thybauld tharchebysshop of Caunterbury ¶ And thenne the kynge gaf hys nomynacion to saynt Thomas And by the chapytre was electe in the yere of hys age xliiij and was ful both to take that grete charge on hym And so atte laste hys bullys had he was sacred and stalled and becam an holy man sodenly chaunged in to a newe man doyng grete penaunce as in weryng hayer with knottes a breche of the same doun to the knees And on a tryuyte sonday receyued he hys dygnyte And ther was at that tyme the kynge wyth many a grete lord xvj bisshoppis And fro thens was sent thabbot of euesham to the pope with other clerkis for the palle which he gate brought to hym he ful mekely receyued it And vnder hys habyte he ware thabyte of a monke so was he vnder withinforth a monke outward a clerke dyde grete abstynence makynge hys body lene and hys sowle fatte he vsed to be wel serued at hys table toke but litil refectioÌ„ therof lyuyd holily in gyuyng good ensample After this many tymes the kynge wente ouer in to normandye And in in hys absence alleway saynt Thomas hadde the rule of hys sone of the Royame which was gouerned so wel that the kynge coude hym grete thanke theÌ„ne abode longe in this Royame and whan so was that the kynge dyde ony thyng ayenst the fraunchyses lybertees of holy chyrche Seynt Thomas wold euer wythstonde it to hys power And on a tyme whan the sees of london of wyncestre were vacaÌ„t voyde the kynge kept theÌ„ bothe loÌ„ge in his hoÌ„de for to haue the pruffytes of theÌ„ wherfore saynt Thomas was heuy cam to the kynge desired hym to gyue the ij
pope he ordeyned thurgh out all the contrees vij dekens and to them vij subdekens for to wryte the lyues of martirs Ther was an Emperour in his tyme named phylyppe whyche was moche synful and cam boldly in the vygyle of ester in to the chyrche for to be houselyd and coÌ„myned whom the pope droof away and denyed to hym the comunyon vntyl he had goon and shryuen hym of hys synnes and lete hym stonde emong the seculiers Thys holy pope also ordeyned the crysme in the chyrche ¶ Thenne atte laste whan he had ben pope xiij yere decius themperour comanded to smyte of hys heed And so he was crowned with the crowne of martirdom the yere of our lord CCliij Of saynt Sebastian and first thynterpretacion of hys name SEbastian is sayd of sequens and beatitudo and astin and ana that is to saye folowyng the blessydnes of the heuenly cyte and thys he gace v maner wyses after saynt Austyn that is to saye he gate by pouerte the regne with sorow Ioye with labour reste with trowble glorye with deth lyf Or sebastianus is said of basto For by the helpe of cryst he flourid in the chyrche And had a customÌ„e to comforte the marters in their tormÌ„tis ¶ Of saynt Sebastian SAynt Sebastian was a maÌ„ of grete faith a good crysten man And was born in HerboÌ„ne and after taught endoctryned in the cite of melan was so wel byloued of dyoclesian maximian emperours of Rome that they made hym maistre duc of their mayne power and alleway wold haue hym in theyr presence And he was alleway wyth them in habyte of a knyght was gyrde with a gyrdle of gold aboue lyke as was vsed And all this dide he not for Iolyte ne for cause that he dredde deth or to deye for the loue of Iesu cryst but he dyde it for to comforte the crysteÌ„ men in their bileue whan they were in destresse for to renye the faith for drede of tormeÌ„tis of their body It happed that ij brethern germayns very crysten men and noble of lignage named marcus marcellianus were taken and constrayned by theÌ„perours for to worshipe doo sacrefyse vnto thydolles And ther was gyuen to theÌ„ respite of xxx dayes to be in prison without to receyue deth for their crysteÌ„ faith within whiche tyme they myght couÌ„seyll aduyse them self whether they wold do sacrefise to thydolles or to leue their frendes were suffred in this tyme of respite to come to theÌ„ in prison for tentrete reuoke them fro their faith for to saue their lyues TheÌ„ne cam their parentis frendes to them bygan to saye whens cometh this hardnes of herte that ye despise the old age of your fader and moder whyche ben now olde ye gete vnto theÌ„ new sorowes the grete payne that they had in your byrthe was not so grete as the sorow that they haue now and the sorow that your moder suffreth is not to reherse wherfor right dere frendes we praye you that ye wylle to thyse sorowes put somme remedye And departe you and leue the errour of the crysten men And anon after thyse wordes theyr moder cam and entred in in cryeng and teryng the heeres of her hede in shewyng her pappes and sayd alle wepyng Alas I am meschaunt and vnhappy that lese my two sones that I haue gyuen souke and nourisshyd so swetely Thou fair sone thou were swete debonaire to me And to that other she said thou were lyke and semblest wel thy fader Alas to what meschief and sorowe am I delyuerd for you my fayr sones I lese my sones which by their owen will goon for to deye My most dere chyldren haue ye mercy on your sorouful moder that am in so grete mesease and in so grete Wepyngis for you O pour caytyf that I am what shal I doo that lose my two sones and to the deth I see them goo by theyr fre wyll Alas thys is a newe maner of deth for to desyre the deth to fore it come The moder had vnneth said her complaynt but that theyr fader was brought bytwene ij seruantes whiche at thentre shewde to hys sones dust vpon the pouerte of hys hoore hede And cryed Alas I sorowful caytyf come to the deth of my two sones which by theyr owen agreement wyll deye O my ouerderest sones that were the sustenance and staf of myn olde age swetely nourysshed and taught lerned in science what is thys open folisshnes and rage that is comen on you and causeth you to loue and desire so the deth ther was neuer suche a folye ne rage seen in the world O ye my frendes come forth and helpe me to bywepe my chyldren ye that haue hertes of pyte And ye old and yong wepe ye And I wyl wepe so moche that I see not the deth of my sones In the whyle that the fader thus wepte and said cam the two wyues of thyse ij sones whiche bare in their armes their chyldreen whiche wepyng and cryeng said Saye ye now that ben our dere husbondes In what ward leue ye vs and your chyldren Alas what shal bycome of vs our chyldren and our goodes that for your sake shal be lost Alas caytyues that we be what thyng is to vs happened how haue ye herte of yron in what maner may ye so be harded so out of nature and so cruel that also despyse your fader moder and refuse all your frendes chace a-away your wyues and renye and forsake your chyldren and with your will delyuer your self for to deye shamefully Of thise lamentable wordes to fore wretoÌ„ the ij said sones marcus marcellianus were so abasshed and their hertes mollified that almost were retorned fro the crysten faith wold for the fauour of their pareÌ„tis frendes haue don sacrefyse to thydolles but at thise wordes was saynt sebastian as a knyght whan he sawe theÌ„ thus trauelled so amolisshid anon cam to theÌ„ said O ye right noble knyghtes of IhÌ„u cryst wise hardy which ben comeÌ„ to the victorye now goo abacke for a fewe blaundissyng wordes vayne myserable ye wyll lose the victorye ê‘manable lese ye not the euerlayng lif for the blauÌ„dysshyng wordes of wymen be ye exaÌ„ple to other cristen meÌ„ for to be strong in the faith Addresse ye your hertes aboue the world lose ye not your crowne for the wepynges of your wyues childreÌ„ They that now wepe certes shold this day be glad Ioyous yf that they knewe that ye know They we ne that ther be none other lif but this which they see to fore their eyen which after this shal come to nought yf they knewe what is that other lyf without deth thithoute heuynesse in which is Ioye permanable euerlastyng wythoute doubte they wold haste theÌ„ for to goo with you vnto that lyf and shold repute this lyf as vayne For it
thaÌ„ god is not worthy to be with god A man that semed to be her frende sente her word on a tyme that she had grete nede to kepe wel her brayne For by cause of thardeur that she had in vertues she semed to be out of her witte And she answerd In thys world we be reputed as fooles for the loue of Ihesu cryst And our lord said to his appostles the world hateth you For ye be not of the world yf ye were of the world that is to saye of the conuersion of the world the world shold loue you Fayr lord god we mortyfye our self allewaye and we be reputed as sheep that be brought to deth by cauâ—â— that without playnyng we mortefye our bodyes In suche pacience was she vnto the deth and suffred humbly thenuye of them that were euyll She had in her mynde the holy scriptures And she helde her more to the spyrituel vnderstondyng than to thystoryes of the scripture She coude parfyghtly hebrewe greke latyn frensshe and redde coursably the scriptures in thyse foure langages who may recounte wythout wepyng the deeth of this woman She fylle in a maladye mortall and sawe wel that she shold deye For all her body bycam cold And she felte that her spirite helde her in her brest Thenne said she wythout playnyng and with out hauyng ony charge sauf to god Fayr swete lord I haue coueyted the beaute of thy hous for to be in thyn habytacion that is so fayr My sowle hath desired to be in thy Royame And whaÌ„ I demaunded her wherfor she spack nomore And she wold not answere me and I asked yf she suffred grete payne she said to me in grekis tongue that she was wel and in good peas And anone she lefte spekyng te me and closed her eyen in sayeng to god Lord lyke as the herte desireth to come to the fontayne so desireth my sowle to come to the Alas whan shal I come to the fayr lord god And in sayeng thyse wordes she made a crosse vpoÌ„ her mouth There were bysshoppis prestes clerkes chanones and monkes wythout nombre And atte laste whan she herd her spowse Ihesu cryst whyche callid her sayeng Aryse and come to me my swete loue and fayr espowse For the wynter is passed she answerd gladly the flowres ben shewde in our contrey And I byleue that I shal see the goodes in the Royame of heuene of my lord Ihesu cryst And thus she rendred her sowle and passed out of thys world And anone all the congregacioÌ„ of vyrgynes made no crye in wepyng as don the peple of the world but redde deuoutly their psaltier not only vnto the tyme that she was buryed but all the day all the nyght with grete payne coude not EustochiuÌ„ her venerable doughter the virgyne be withdraweÌ„ fro her but she kyssed her and embraced her pyteously in wepyng the deth of her moder And Ihesus wytnesseth that saynt paulyne left not one peny to her doughter she hadde so gyueÌ„ almesse of alle her grete Rychesse many gyue largely for goddes sake but they gyue not somoche but somÌ„e abydeth whan she was passed as said is her lyppes ne her face were not pale but was as reuerent to loke on as she had ben yet alyue She was buryed in a sepulture in bethleem wyth right grete honour bÌ„y the bysshoppis preestis clerkes monkes vyrgyns and all the poure peple of the contrey whyche playned that they had loste their good moder that had nourisshed them She lyued in Rome holyly xxxiij yere And in bethleem xx yere And alle her age was liij yere vij monethes and xx dayes fro the tyme of honoure Emperour of Rome Thenne late vs praye to thys holy woman that she praye for vs Thus endeth the lyf of saynt Pawlyne Here foloweth of saynt Iulien the bysshop And first the interpretacion of hys name IUlien is as moche to saye as Iubilus Syngyng and ana that is an hye And therof Iulyen as goyng to hye thynges in syngyng Or it is said Iulius that is as moche to saye as not wyse and anus that is old For he was old in the seruyce of god and not wyse in reputacion of hym self SAynt Iulyen was bysshop of cenomanence It is said that it was he that was said SymoÌ„ the lepre wham our lord heled of hys meselâ—rye and bad Ihesu cryst to dyner And after thascencion of our lord he was ordeyned of thappostles bysshop of Emaus full of grete vertues he appyered to the world he reysed thre dede meÌ„ and after he ended hys dayes in grete preysyng of god Of thys saynt Iulyen somÌ„e saye that this is he that pylgryms and weyfaryng men calle and requyre for good herberowe by cause our lord was lodged in hys hows but it semeth better that it is he that slewe hys fader and moder ignorauÌ„tly of whom thystorye is here after Ther was another Iulyen born in almayne whyche was of noble lygnage and yet more noble in fayth and in vertue whyche for the grete desire that he had to be martir he offrid hym self to the tyrauntis where he had not forfayted Now it happed that crispmus whyche was one of the gouernours of rome sente to hym one of hys mynystres for to put hym to deth anon as the mynystre cam to hym he yssued out of hys place And cam to fore hym And offred to hym to suffre deth And hys heed was smeten of And they toke the hede and shewde it to saynt Feryel that was hys felowe And sayd they wold so doo of hym yf he sacrefyed not And by cause he wold not obeye to them they slewe hym And toke the heed of saynt Iulyen and the body of saynt Feryoll and buryed them bothe in one pytte And a grete whyle after saynte mamertyne bysshop of vyane fonde the heed of saynt Iulyen bytwene the handes of saynt feryol also hoole as it had be buryed that same day ¶ â—mong the other myracles of saynt Iulyen it is said that a deken toke alle the whyte sheep that were of the chyrche of saynt Iulyen And the shepherdes defended them but he sayd to them that saynt Iulyen ete neuer no motoâ— And anon after a feuer toke hym so grete and hooot that he knowleched that he was of the martir so brente And he dyde water to be caste on hym for to cole hym And anon yssued out of hys body suche a fume and smoke and therwith so grete a stenche that all they that were present were constrayned to flee and anon after he deyde ¶ Another myracle happed of a man of a vyllage that on a sâ—nday wolde ere hys londes and whan he toke the share to make clene hys cultre hyt cleuyd to hys hond and two yere after atte prayer of saynt Iulien in the chyrche he was helâ—d ¶ Ther was another Iulyen whyche was brother to one named Iulie Thyse two brethern wente to themperour Theodose whyche was a very crysten man
thydolles Saynt Ignace shewd to them clerely that theyr goddes had ben theuys Rybauldes and men of abhomynable euyl lyf And that they were dampned in helle And that they had ben in grete errour in thys that of so cursid men they made theyr goddes and worshypped deuyllys and had forsake god whyche had made and created all the world And hys blessyd sone whyche in humayne nature had redemyd and sauyd the world Fynably after thys that he had be tormented by fyre by betyng pryson Themperour dyde sende for the romayns in a place and there dyde do sette saynt Ignace And dydde doo brynge theder two lyons for to deuoure hym but he had neuer drede for deth ne for other tormentes of whyche he had suffred many but was alleway cōforted for to deye for the loue of Ih̄u crist and he said atte laste I am wheete of Ihesu cryst whyche ought to be groūden bytwene the teeth of thyse bestes by whych I may be pure brede for to be presented to my lord And anon the lyons cā strangled hym wythout treryng of hys flessh or ony thyng hurtyng it wherfor traian had grete merueylle and departed fro the place It is redde that saynt Ignace in alle hys tormentes and alle the paynes of martirdom that he suffred that his tongue neuer ceassed to name the name of Ih̄us And whan they that tormented hym demanded hym wherfor he named this name so ofte he answerd knowe ye for certayn that I haue in my herte thys name wreton◠¶ And therfor I may not leue to name thys name ofte And by cause herof whan he was deed they that herd thyse wordes opened hys body drewe out his herte cut it open And they fonde wyth in the name of Ihesu wreton wyth fayr lettres of gold ¶ For whyche myracle many receyued the fayth of Ihesu cryst ¶ Of thys saynt sayth saynt bernard vpon the psalme Qui habitat Saynt Ignace martir of god gloryous is of grete meryte whyche was mynystre to the dyscyple that Ihesus so moche louyd And in hys epystles the whyche he sente to the gloryous vyrgyne marye he salewed her as moder that had born Ihesu cryst And she resalewed hym agayn in sygne that he was a persone of grete honour of grete dygnyte and of of grete Auctoryte The body of whom was honourably buryed of crysten mē to the worshyppe of Ihesu cryst which is blessyd in secula seculorum Amen Here endeth the lyf of saynt Ignacien And here foloweth the puryficacion of our lady POstquam impleti sunt dies purgacionis marie secundum legem moysi tulerunt Ihesum in Iherusalem luce secundo capitulo Th auncyent lawe had his cours vntil the tyme that god hath suffred deth for vs And whan he deyde on the crosse he sayd Iohannis nono capl̄o Consummatum est That is to saye alle thyng is fynysshed and ended that hath be wreton of me whyche lawe he kepte duryng hys lyf as it is wreton I am not comen for to breke the lawe In whych he gaf vs example of humylyte and of obedience lyke as saynt Poul saith In lyke wyse our lady for tobeye to the lawe bare her swete sone Ihesu Cryst vnto the temple of Iherusalem after the xl daye of hys byrthe for to offre hym to god and for to gyue offryng for hym suche as in the lawe was ordeyned that is to wete a payr turtellis or two douues was thoffryng of poure folke lyke as it is wreton Our lord whyche in alle caas cam to make our sauacion dayned not only to humble hym self and descende fro his royame and becam man mortall semblable to vs Also he dayned to be born of a poure woman And was poure for tenriche vs and drawe vs out of the myserye of thys world to the richesse permanable ¶ And we that ben poure by cause of our synnes and wythout Richesses of good vyrtues ¶ So worthyly shold we come and be atte feste of our lord we shold offre to hym that whyche by the offryng is signefyed The douue whiche is of her nature symple wyhout galle And the turtle naturelly chaste ¶ For whan she hath loste her make she wyl neuer haue other make And wyth that she taketh the wepyng for her songe we ought to offre to our lord in stede of ij douues one symple wyll and a good Intencion wythout reteynyng in our herte ony galle of angre or of hate toward our neyhbour For as our lord sayth yf thyn eye be symple all thy werkes shal be in light ¶ And herof sayth saynt Iohan theuangelist in thapocalipse The cyte nedeth no sonne ne mone to shyne in it For the clerenes of god shal enlumyne it And hys lanterne in lambes The lambe is the lyght by the lambe whyche is symple is signefyed to vs a symple conscience and ryghtwys whyche maketh true Iugement of thyntencion For all werkes ben good or euyl yf they be doon in euyl entencion or by ypocrysye they ben euyl and wythout prouffyt lyke as sayth Ihesu cryst yf thyn eye be euyll Alle thy body shal be derke by the eye is vnderstande thentencion with goodnes symple And debonairte signefieth by the douues we ought also to offre a payre of turtles to our lord that is to saye a chast lyf and a very entenciō to leue our synnes the whiche is signefyed to vs by the chasttete of the turtle ¶ And by her wepyng the contricion As Bede saith Contricion ought to begynne in drede and ende in loue For the sowle faithful whan she remembreth her synnes in her conscience ¶ She wepeth for the drede of the paynes of helle that she hath deseruyd and thus offreth she to god a turtle And whan she hath wepte ther cometh to her an hope to haue mercy and pardon of her synnes And thys hope conceyued of drede in hym a loue of god to serue and to be in hys companye So that that soule that ought to synge wepeth for loue whyche hath delyuerd her so sone fro the paryllis and myseryes of thys world and for to come to the swete companye of our lord And thus offreth she that other turtle in wepyng wyth dauid the prophete the longe pylgremage that she hath made in the myseryes of thys world sayeng Heu me quia incolatus meus prolongatus est For whan she begynneth to thynke after the Ioyous companye of Angellis and of the sowles that ben in heuene And what Ioye and deduyt that they haue in the ouerdesirous syght of our lord Thenne alle the world greueth them and desireth to be delyuerd fro the faytes of the body for to goo in to the companye of thyse holy sowlis And also that saynt Symeon which by reuelacion of the holy ghoost cam in to the temple of Iherusalem in the same houre that the blessyd virgyne brought her dere sone for to offre hym And the holy ghoost had shewd to hym that to fore that he
wryteth his hystorye and lyf of hym the whyche IohÌ„n the dekene afterward moche dylygently compyled and ordeyned SAynt Gregorye was born of the parentele of senatoures of Rome whos fader was named Gordyane and hys moder siluia And whan he had so moche lerned that he was a maystre in phylosophye and also was ryche of patrymonye he thoughte that he wold leue all the rychesses that he had and wold entre in to religyon for to serue god but in thys that he put thys thought in respyte he conseyued another purpoos that was that hym semed he shold better serue god in a seculer habyte in dooyng thoffyce of the pretorye of the prouost of Râ—me ¶ For to gyue to eche man duely reson after the right of hys cause but he fonde in this office so grete seculer besynesse that it began to dysplese hym by cause by thys grete besynesse he wythdrewe hym ouer for fro god In thys mene whyle hys fader and moder deyden in suche wyse that he was ryche of patrymonye and puyssaunt that atte begynnyng he founded and endowed wyth rentes vj abbeyes in zecylle And the seuenth he founded wythin the walles of Rome in thonour of saynt Andrew thappostle in the whyche he becam a monke And the remanaunt of his patrymonye he gaf for goddes sake So that he that to fore wente clothed in clothes of gold and of silke and aourned wyth precious stones in the cyte whan he was monke seruyd in a poure habyte the monkes There was atte begynnyng of hys conuersacion of so parfayt a lyf that it myght be sayd wel that he was all parfayt he made grete abstynences in etyng in drynkyng in wakyng and in prayeng in so moche that he was so trauaylled that vnnethe he myght susteyne hym self he had put out of hys herte alle seculier thynges so that hys conuersacion was in heuen For he had adressid alle hys desyre for to come to the Ioye permanable On a tyme it happed that saynt gregorye in hys selle of the same abbaye where as he was abbote wrote somme thyng And an Angele appered to hym in semblaunce of a maronner whyche semed as he had escaped fro the tempest of the see And prayd hym wepyng to haue pyte on hym Thenne saynt gregorye comanded that ther shold be gyuen to hym vj pens And thenne he departed The same day the angele cam agyan in lyke wyse as he dyde to fore And sayd that he had lost all hys good and prayd hym that he wold yet helpe hym on whoÌ„ saynt gregorye had yet pyte and dyde do be gyuen to hym vj pens more yet atte thyrde tyme he cam and made grete crye and wepte and prayd hym that he wold yet helpe hym to ward hys grete losse so that saynt gregorye comanded hys prouoste that he shold yet gyue to thys poure man an almesse And the prouoste sayd that ther was nomore siluer in all thabbaye but a disshe of siluer in whyche hys moder was wonte to sende hym potage And saynt gregorye comanded anon that that dysshe of siluer shold be gyuen to hym And the angele toke it wyth grete Ioye And lytyl whyle after thys angele appyeryd to saynt gregorye and sayd to hym that god hath sente hym so to hym It happed afterward that as saynt gregory passed thurgh the market of Rome and sawe there two fair chyldren whyt and rody of vysage fayr yelow heer whiche were for to selle And saynt gregory demaunded fro whens they were And the marchauÌ„t answerd of englond After saynt gregory demaunded yf they were crysten and he answerd nay but that they were paynems Thenne sight saynt gregorye and sayd Alas what fayr peple hath the deuyl in hys doctryne and in hys domynacion After he demaunded how thyse peple were called he answerd that they were called englyssh men thenne he said they may well be so called for they haue the vysage of angelles And for that saynt gregory wente to the pope And by grete prayers he Impetred and had grauÌ„te that he was sente in to englond for to conuerte the peple of the same contre but whaÌ„ the Romayns herd saye that gregorye was sent in to englond Anon they wente to the pope and sayd to hym Thou hast angred saynt peter thou hast destroyed al Rome And hurte all holy chyrche in this that thou hast lete gregorye goon out of Rome Of whyche word the pope was angry and moche abasshed And sente anone his messagers after saynt gregory And comanded hym to retorne and come agayn to Rome whyche thenne was goon on hys Iourney thre dayes and for hys noble and good renomee the pope made hym cardynal deken After for the corrupcion of thayer the pope pelagius deyed And thenne saynt gregorye was electe of alle the paple to be pope but he refused it and sayd that to that dygnyte he was not worthy And for the ryght grete mortalyte er that he was sacred pope he made to the peple a sermon and said Ryght dere brethern wel ought we to haue doubte of the scorge of god er that we fele it And yet we ought to fere it to torne and forsake our synnes loo ye may beholde the peple deye er they bywepe theyr synnes Thynk ye thenne in what poynt he cometh in the presence of the Iuge that hath had no tyme to bewaylle hys synnes The howses ben voyde the chyldren deye in the presence of fader and moder sodaynly so that they haue lytyl tyme to deye wher fore euery man amende hys lyf whylis he hath tyme for to repente hym of hys euyl dedes and synnes er that the Iuge calle hym fro the mortal body he sayth by the prophete I wylle not the deth of a synnar but I wyl that he retorne and lyue moche soone the Iuge hereth the synnar whan he conuerteth fro hys synnes and amendeth hys lyf By suche manere admonested he to the peple theyr helthe And he or deyned to make processyon in alle the chyrches moche solempnly for to impetre and gete mercy for thys mortalyte whan the processyon was doon he wold haue goon pryuely out of Rome for thescewe thoffyce of the papalyte but ayenst that the gates were kepte so that he myght not yssue Atte laste he dyde do chaunge hys habyte And so moche dyde wyth the marchaunts that they brought hym out of Rome in a tonne vpon a carte And whan he was ferre out of the toun he yssued out of the tonne and hydde hym in a dyche And whan he had ben therin iij dayes the peple of Rome sought hym all aboute Anone they sawe a pyler shynyng descende fro heuen strayt vpon the dyche in whyche saynt gregorye was And a recluse an holy man sawe that by that pyler angellis descended fro heuen to saynt gregory and after wente vp agayn Anone thenne saynt gregory was taken of the peple and after thordynaunce of holy chyrche he was ordeyned and sacred pope ayenst hys wyll
For he was moche debonayr humble and mercyful to riche and poure and to grete and smale wel may he apperceyue that redeth his wrytynges how ofte he complayned of thys grete charge that he was charged wyth alle to whyche he sayd he was not worthy therto and also he myght not here that ony shold preyse hym ne in lettres ne in wordes And alleway he was in grete humylite and acounted hym self more meke and lowe after that he was pope than to fore in so moche that he was the first of the popes that wrote seruus seruorum dei that is seruaūt of the seruantis of god he had grete cure and was besy to conuerte synnars he made and compyled many fayr bookes of whyche the chirche is gretly enlumyned he was neuer ydle how wel that he was alleway seke he conuerteth the englisshe peple to the crysten fayth by thre holy men and good clerkys that he sente thyder that is to wyte Augustyn mellitus and Ioh̄n for to preche the fayth And by cause the mortalyte cessyd not he ordeyned a procession in the whyche he dyde do bere an ymage of our lady which as is sayd saynt luke the euangelyste made whyche was a good payntour he had coruen it paynted after the lykenesse of the gloryouse virgyne marye And anon the mortalyte cessed and thayer becam pure and clere And aboute thymage was herd a voys of angellis that songen thys Antheme regina celi letare c̄ And saynt gregory put therto Ora pro nobis deum alleluya At the same tyme saynt gregory sawe an angele vpon a Castelle whyche made clene a swerd alle blody and put it in to the shethe And therby saynt gregory vnderstode that the pestylence of thys mortalite was passed and after that it was called the castell Angell Saynt gregory dyde euery day so grete almesse that many in the contre aboute were nourisshid by hym whom he had by name wreton And also the monkes that dwellyd in the mount Synay had of hym theyr sustenaunce Emonge alle other almesses that he dyde he gouerned thre thousand virgyns to whom he sente euery yere four score pound of gold and also he founded to them an abbeye in Iherusalem ¶ And sente to them that therin were suche thynge as they lacked Euery day had he poure men to dyner On a tyme it happed that he toke the lauour for to gyue water to a pylgrym for to wasshe hys hondes by grete humylite and anon the pylgrym vanysshyd a way wherof saynt gregory had merueylle The nyght after our lord appiered in a vysion and said to hym The other dayes thou hast receyued me in my membres but yesterday thou receyuedest me in my persone Another day saynt gregory comaunded to hys dyspenser that he shold brynge to dyner xij poure men And whan saynt gregory and the poure men were sette atte mete he tolde atte table syttyng xiij poure pylgryms And demaunded of hys dyspenser why he had don aboue hys comandement to brynge in moo than xij persones And anon the dyspenser all abasshyd wente and told the poure men and fonde but xij and sayd to saynt gregory holy fader ther be no moo but xij and so many shal ye fynd and nomoo Thenne considerid saynt gregorye that one of the pylgryms that sette next to hym ofte chaunged hys vysage For ofte he semed yong and after old And after dyner saynt gregory toke hym by the honde and brought hym in to hys chambre and prayd hym that he wold telle hym hys name And he answerd wherfor demādest thou my name which is merueyllous neuertheles knowe thou wel that I am the same poure maronner to whom thou gauest the dyssh◠of siluer in which thy moder was wonte to sente the potage And knowe for certayn that sith that day that thou dydyst to me that almesse god hath destyned the to be pope And sayd more ouer I am thangelle of god and he hath sente me hyther to the to be thy deffendour procurour of that whiche thou woldest demande and Impetre of hym And after this the angele vanysshed away And in that tyme ther was an heremyte an holy man whyche had lefte and forsaken all the goodes of the world for goddes sake and had reteyned nothyng but a catte wyth whyche he playde ofte and helde it in hys lappe delyciously On a day it happed that he prayd god deuoutly that he wold wouch◠sauf to shewe to hym to what saynt he shold be in lyke Ioye in heuen by cause for his loue he had left all the world and renounced vpon thys god shewd hym in a vysion that saynt gregory and he shold haue lyke Ioye in heuene And whan he vnder stode thys he syghed sore and preysid lytyl hys pouerte whyche he had longe suffred and born yf he shold haue lyke meryte whyche habounded so gretly in seculer Rychesse vpon this ther cam a voys to hym whyche said that the possession of richesse maketh not a man in this world riche but the ardour of couetyse Thenne be stille thou darest thou compare thy pouerte to the rychesse of saynt gregory whyche louest more thy catte with whom thou cessest not to stroke and playe than saynt gregory doth all his richesses for he seesseth neuer to gyue almesse for goddes sake Thenne theremyte thanked almyghty god and prayd that he myght haue hys meryte and reward with saynt gregory in the glorye of peradys On a day it happed that saynt gregory sange masse in the chyrche of saynt Marye Maior And whan he had said Pax dominj sit semper vobiscum Anone thangele sayd Et cum spiritu tuo and fro than forthon the pope ordeyned a stacion in that chyrche euery yere on ester day And whan thenne he sayd in hys masse Pax dominj c̄ none shal answere in remembraunce of this myracle In the tyme that Traian themperour regned one as a tyme he wēte toward abatayll out of Rome it happed that in his way as he shold ryde a woman a wydowe cam to hym wepyng and sayd I pray the sire that thou auēge the deth of one my sone whiche Innocently and wythout cause hath be slayn Themperour answerd yf I come agayn fro the bataylle hool and sounde thenne I shal doo Iustyce for the deth of thy sone Thenne said the wydowe Syre and yf thou deye in the bataylle who shal thenne auenge his deth And themperour sayde he that shal come after me And the wydowe sayd is it not better that thou do to me Iustyce and haue the meryte therof of god than another haue it for the Thenne had traian pyte and descended fro hys hors and dyde Iustice in auengyng the deth of her sone On a tyme saynt gregory wente by the market of Rome whyche is called the market of traian And thene he remembred of the Iustice and other good dedes of traian and how he had ben pyteous and debonayr and was moche sorowful
that he had ben a paynem And he torned to the chyrche of saynt peter wayllyng for thorrour of the mescreaunce of traian Thenne answerd a voys fro god sayeng I haue now herd thy prayer and haue spared traian fro the payne perpetuell By thys thus as som̄e saye the payne perpetuel due to traian as a mescreaunt was somdele take away but for al that was not he quyte fro the pryson of helle For the sowle may wel be in helle and fele ther no payne by the mercy of god And after it is sayd that the angele in hys answere sayd more to thus by cause thou hast prayd for a payneme god graunteth the to chese of ij thynges that one which thou wylt Or thou shalt be ij dayes in purgatorye in payne or ellis all the dayes of thy lyf thou shalt languysshe in sekenesse Thenne answerd saynt gregory that he had leuer to haue sekenesse all his lyf in this world than to fele by ij dayes the paynes of purgatorye And euer after he had contynuelly the feures or axces or the goute in hys feet And herof hym self maketh mencion in one hys epystle and sayth I am so moche tormented of the gowte in my feet and of other sekenesses that my lif is to me a grete payne euery day me semeth that I ought to deye And alleway I abyde the deth Som̄e tyme my payne is lityl somtyme right grete but it is not so lityl that it departeth fro me ne so grete that it bryngeth me to deth And thus it is that I that am alleway redy to deye am withdrawen fro deth It happed that a wydowe that was wonte euery sonday to brynge hoostes to synge masse wyth shold on a tyme be houselyd cōmuned And whan saynt gregory shold gyue to her the holy sacrament in sayeng Corpus dominj nostrj c̄ that is to saye the body of our lord Ih̄u cryst kepe the in to euerlastyng lyf Anone thys woman began to smyle to fore saynt gregorye And anon he wythdrewe hys honde and remysed the sacrament vpon th aulter And he demaunded her to fore the peple why she smyled And she sayd by cause that the brede that I haue made with my propre handes thou namest it the body of our lord Ihesu cryst Anone saynt gregory put hym self to prayer wyth the peple For to praye to god that herupō he wold shewe hys grace for to conferme our byleue And whan they were rysen fro prayer saynt gregorye sawe the holy sacrament in figure of a pyece of fhessh as grete as the lytil fynger of an honde And anone after by the prayers of saynt gregorye the flesshe of the sacrament torned in to semblaūce of breed as it had be to fore And therwyth he comuned and howseled the woman whiche after was more relygyous and the peple more ferme in the fayth Saynt gregorye made and ordeyned the songe of thoffyce of holy chirche and establysshed at Rome two scoles of songe that one beside the chyrche of saynt peter And that other by the chyrche of saynt Ioh̄n latian where the place is yet where he laye and taughte the scoliers and the rodde wyth whiche he menaced them And the anthyphoner on whyche he lerned them is yet there he put to the canon of the masse thse wordes Diesque nostros in tua pace disponamus atque ab eterna dampnacione nos eripias et in electorum tuorum iubeas grege numerari Atte laste whan saynt gregory had ben pope xiij yere vj monethis and x dayes he beyng ful of good werkes departed out of thys world in the yere of our lord vjCvj yere in the tyme whan foca was Emperour of rome Lete vs thēne praye to saynt gregory that he gete vs grace that we may amende so our self here in thys lif that we may come vnto euerlastyng lyf in heuen Amen Thus endeth the lyf of saynt Gregorye Here begynneth of saynt longius the lyf LOngius whyche was a puyssaūt knyght was wyth other knyghtes by the comandement of pylate on the side of the crosse of our lord and percyd the side of our lord wyth a spere And whan he sawe the myracles how the sonne lost his light and grete erthequauyng of therthe was whan our lord suffred deth and passion in the tre of the crosse Thenne byleued he in Ihesu cryst Som̄e saye that whan he smote our lord wyth the spere in the syde the precious blood aualed by the shafte of the spere vpon hys hondes And of auenture wyth hys hondes he touched hys eyen And anon he that had be to fore blynde sawe anon clerly wherfor he refused all cheualrye and abode wyth thappostles of whom he was taught and crystened and after he abandonned to lede an holy lyf in doyng almesses and in kepyng the lyf of a mōke aboute xxxviij yere in cesaree and in Capadoce And by hys wordes and hys example many men conuerted he to the fayth of cryste And whan thys cam to the knowleche of octouian the prouoste he toke hym and wold haue constrayned hym to do sacrefise to thydollis And saynt longius said Ther may noman serue two lordes whyche ben contrary to other Thyn ydollis ben lordes of thy malices corruptours of all good werkis and enemyes to chastyte humylite and to bounte And frendes to all ordure of luxurye of gloutonnye of ydelnesse of pryde and of Auaryce And my lord is lord of sobrenesse that bryngeth the peple to the euerlastyng lyf Thenne sayd the prouoste it is nought that thou saist Make sacrefice to thydollis And thy god shal forgyue the by cause of the comandement that is made to the longius said yf thou wylt becomē cristen god shal pardonne the thy trespaces Thenne the prouost was angry and made the teeth of saynt longius to be drawen out of hys mouth and dyde do cutte hys mouth open And yet for alle that longius lost not hys speche but toke an axe that he there fonde hewe and brake therwith thydollis and said now may we see yf they be very goddes or not And anon the deuyllis yssued out and entred in to the body of the prouoste amd hys felaws And they brayed lyke beestes and fyll doun to the feet of saynt longius and sayd we knowe wel that thou art seruaunt vnto the souerayn god And saynt longius demaunded of the deuylles why they dwellyd in thyse ydollis and they answerd we haue foūden place in thyse ydolles for vs For ouerall where Ihesu crist is not named ne hys signe is not shewd there dwelle we gladly and by cause whan thyse paynems come to thyse ydolles for to adoure and make sacrefise in the name of vs thenne we come and dwelle in thyes ydolles wherfor we pray the man of god that thou sende vs not in in thabysme of helle And saynt longius said to the peple that there were what saye ye wyll ye haue thyse deuylles for
Austyn sayth in lybro de trinitate that good erthe is in the heyght of the moūtayns in the temperaunce of the valeyes and in the playne of the feldes The fyrst is good for herbys beyng grene The second to vygnes and the thyrd to whete and corne Thus the blessyd George was hygh in despysyng lowe thynges and therfore he had verdour in hym self He was attemperate by dyscressyon and therfore he had wyn of gladnesse wythin he was playne of humylite and therby put he forth whete of good werke Or george may be sayd of gera that is holy and of gyon that is a wrasteler that is as an holy wrasteler For he wrastled with the dragon Or hit is sayd of George that is a pylgrym and geyr that is or detrenchyd out and vs that is a coūceyllour He was a pylgrym in the sight of the World and he was cutte and detrenched by the crowne of martirdom and he was a good counceyllour in prechyng And his legende is nombred emonge other scriptures apocryfate in the counceyl of nycene by cause his marterdom hath no certeyn relacion For in the kalender of bede it is sayd that he suffred marterdom in parsydye in the cyte of dyapolin And in other places hit is redde that he restyth in the cyte of dyspolyn whyche tofore was called lyde whyche is by the cite of Ioppem or Iaph And in another place hit is sayd that he suffred dethe vnder dyoclesian and Maxymyan whyche that tyme were Emperours And in another place vnder Dioclesian Emperour of Perse beyng presente lxx kynges of hys empyre And it is sayd here that he suffred deth vnder dacyen the prouoste Thenne Dioclesyan and Maxymyan beyng emperours ¶ Here foloweth the lyf of saynt George martyr SAynt George was a knyght and borne in capodose On a tyme he came in to the prouynce of Lybye to a cyte whyche is sayd Sylene And by this cyte was a stagne or a ponde lyke a see wherein was a dragon whyche enuenymed alle the contre And on a tyme the peple were assemblid for to slee hym And whan they sawe hym they fledde And whan he came nyghe the cytee he venymed the peple wyth his breeth And therfore the peple of the cytee gaue to hym euery day two sheep for to fede hym by cause he shold doo no harme to the peple And whan the sheep fayled there was taken a man and a sheep Thenne was an ordenaunce made in the towne that there shold be taken the chyldren and yonge peple of them of the towne by lotte And eueryche as it fyl were he gentil or poure shold be delyuerd whan the lotte fyl on hym or hyr So it happed that many of them of the towne were thenne delyuerd In soo moche that the lotte fyl vpon the kynges doughter Wherrof the kyng was sory and sayd vnto the people For the loue of the goddes take golde and syluer and alle that I haue and lete me haue my doughter they sayd how syr ye haue made and ordeyned the lawe and our chyldren been now deed And now ye wold doo the contrarye your doughter shal be gyuen or ellys we shal brenne you your hows whan the kyng saw he myght nomore doo he began to wepe and sayd to his doughter Now shal I neuer see thyn espousayls Thenne retorned he to the peple and demaūded viij dayes respyte And they graunted hit to hym and whan the viij dayes were passed they came to hym and sayd thou seest that the cyte perissheth Thēne dyd the kyng doo araye his doughter lyke as she shold be wedded and enbraced hyr kyssed hir and gaue hir his benedyccion And after ledde hyr to the place where the dragon was whan she was there saynt george passed by And whan he sawe the lady he demaunded the lady what she made there And she sayd goo ye your waye fayre yonge man that ye perysshe not also Thenne sayd he telle to me what haue ye and why ye wepe and doubte ye of no thynge whan she sawe that he wold knowe she sayd to hym how she was delyuerd to the dragon Thenne sayd saynt george Fayre doughter doubte ye no thynge herof For I shall helpe the in the name of Ihesu Cryste She said for goddes sake good knyght goo your waye and abyde not wyth me for ye may not delyuer me Thus as they spake to gyder the dragon apperyd came rennyng to them and saynt George was vpon his hors drewe out his swerde garnysshed hym wyth the signe of the crosse and rode hardely ageynst the dragon which came toward hym and smote hym with his spere and hurte hym sore threwe hym to the grounde And after sayd to the mayde delyuer to me your gyrdel and bynde hit about the necke of the dragon and be not aferde whan she had doon soo the dragon folowed hyr as it had been a make beest and debonayr Thenne she ledde hym in to the cyte the peple fledde by mountayns and valeyes and sayd alas alas we shal be alle deed Thenne saynt George sayd to them ne doubte ye no thynge wythout more byleue ye in god Ihesu cryste and doo you to be baptysed and I shal slee the dragon Thenne the kyng was baptysed and al his peple and saynt george slewe the dragon and smote of his heed And commaunded thathe shold be throwen in the feldes and they took iiij cartes wyth oxen that drewe hym out of the cyte ¶ Thenne were there wel fystene thousand men baptised without wymmen and chyldren And the kyng dyd doo make a chirche there of our lady and of saynt George In the whiche yet sourdeth a founteyn of lyuyng water whiche heleth seek peple that drynke therof After this the kyng offred to Saint george as moche money as there myght be nombred but he refused alle and commaunded that it shold be gyuen to poure peple for goddes sake and enioyned the kynge iiij thynges that is that he shold haue charge of the chyrches and that he shold honoure the preestes and here theyr seruyce dylygently and that he shold haue pyte on the poure peple And after kyssed the kyng and departed Now hit happed that in the tyme of dyoclesyen and maxymyen whyche were Emperours was soo grete persecucion of crysten men that wythin a moneth were marterd wel xxij thousand And therfore they had soo grete drede that somme renyed and forsoke god and dyd sacrefyse to the ydolles whan saynt george sawe thys he lefte thabbyte of a knyght and solde alle that he had and gaue hit to the poure and toke thabbyte of a crysten man went in to the mydel of the paynyms And began to crye al the goddes of the paynyms and gentyls been deuyls My god made the heuens is veray god Thēne said the prouost to hym of what presumpcion cometh thys to the that thou sayest that our goddes ben deuyls and saye to vs what thou arte what
supposed that he shold not gete hit specially by cause the eyre was so clere and no clowde was seen and the crysten men doubted that theyr feythe myght there by come to confusyon but the bysshop the heretyke wold not bynde hym therto Saynt peter had good feythe and truste in god and made his prayer openlye that he wold conueye ouer them a clowde and he made the sygne of the crosse and anone the cloude came and ouâ—rspred them lyke a pauyllyon that there were assembled abode as longe as the sermon endured it scratched no ferther but there There was a lame man whiche had ben so lame v yere myght not goo but was drawen in a whelebarow brought to saynt peter at melane and as saynt peter had blessyd hym wyth the sygne of the crosse and ne he was hoole and aroos yet other myracles god shewed for hym by his lyf It happed that the sone of a gentyl man had suche an horryble dysâ—ase in his throte that he myght nether speke ne drawe his breeth but saynt Peter made on hym the sygne of the crosse layed his cope on the place where the sore was anone he was alle hole The same gentylman had afterward a greuous maladye and supposyd to haue deyed made to brynge to hym the sayd cope whiche wyth grete deuocion leyed hit on his breste anone he caste out a worme with two heedes whiche was roughe and after he was broughte in good helthe and anone al hoole It happed that a yonge man was dombe myght not speke a worde wherfore he came to saynt peter and he put his fyngre in his mowthe and his speche ceme to hym ageyn Now it happed that tyme that an heresye began moche in lombardye that there were moche peple that were fallen in thys errour the 〈◊〉 sente dyuerse Inâ—uysitours thyder of thordre of the frere prechours and bycause that at melane there were many in nombre of grete power engyne he sente thyder saynt peter as a man wyse constaunt and relygyous whiche doubted no thynge and by his vertu he repreuyd them and by his wytte he vnderstood theyr malyce whan he had enterprised thoffice of Inquysicyon thenne began be as a lyon to seche the heretykes ouer alle lefte them not in pees but in al places tyme al the maners that he myghte he ouercame confounded them whan the heretikes sawe that they myght not withstonde the holy ghoost that spake in hym they begaÌ„ to trete how they myght brynge hym to deth thenne it happed on a tyme as he wente fro câ—mes to melane for to seke the heretykes he sayd openly in a predycacion that the money Was delyuerd for to slee hym whaÌ„ he approched nyghe the cite a man of theretykes whiche was hyred therto ranne vpon hym and smote hym with his fauchon in the heed and gafe and made to hym many cruel woundes he that murmured not ne grutched not suffred pacyently the cruelte of the tyrauntes and abandonned or gafe hym self ouer to suffre the marterdom And sayd his credo and in manustuas commendyng his spyrite vnto the handes of our lord And soo the tyraunt lefte hym in the place for deed And thus tolde the tyraunte that slewe hym And frere Domynyke whyche was his felawe was sleyne wyth hym And after whan the tyraunte sawe that he remeuyd yet his lyppes the cursed and cruel tyraunte came ageyn and smote hym wyth hys knyf to the herte and anone his spyryte mounted in to heuen Thenne was hit wel knowen that he was a veray prophete For the prophecye of his dethe that he had pronounced was accomplysshed After he had the crowne of virgynyte For as his confessours wytnesse that in alle his lyf he had neuer doon dedely synne After he had the crowne of a doctour bycause he had ben a god fast ferme prechour and doctour of holy chyrche after he had the crowne of marterdom as it apperid whan he was slayne The renome herof came in to the cyte of melan and the freres the clergye and the peple came with procession with soo grete companye of people that the prees was so grete that they myght not entre in to the towne and therfore they lefte the body in thabley of Saynt symplycien and there it abode all that nyght and so he sayd the day tofore to his felawe the passyon of saynt Peter ensyewed moche lyke the passyon of our lord in many maners For lyke as our lord suffred for the trouthe of the feythe that he prechyd Soo saynt peter suffred for the trouthe of the feyth that he deffended and lyke as cryste suffred of the Iewes So saynt peter suffred of the peple of his owne contre and of the heretykes Cryste suffred in the tyme of ester so dyd saynt Peter Ihesu cryst was solde for xxx pens saynt Peter was solde for xl pounde Ihesu cryste shewed his dethe to his dysciples and saynt peter shewed it in playne predycacion Ihesu cryst sayd at his dethe lord god in to thy hondes I commende my spyrite right so saynt Peter dyd say the same There was a nonne of almayne of the abbey of combat which had a greuous gowte in her knee whiche had holden hir a yere longe more and there was no mayster ne physicyen that myghte make hir hole She had grete deuotion to saynt Peter but she myght not goo thyder by cause of hir obedyence and by cause hyr maladye was so greuous Thenne demaunded she how many dayes iourneye was fro thens to melane and she founde that there were xiiij iourneyes Thenne purposed she to make thyse iourneyes by her herte and good thoughtes she sayd for euery iourneye a hondred pater nosters and alwey as she wente forthe by hyr mynde in hir iourneyes she felte hyr self more eased and whan she come to the laste iourneye in her mynde She fonde hir self al guarisshed Thenne she sayd that day al the sawter And after retorned al the iourneyes lyke as she had gone by her thoughtes in her herte and after that day she felte neuer the gowte There was a man that had a vylanous malady bynethe in suche wyse that he voyded blood vj dayes contynuelly he cryed to saynt peter deuoutely as he had endyd his prayer he felte hym self al hoole and after he fyl a sleep he sawe in his slepe a frere prechour which had a face grete browne hym semed that he had ben felawe to saynt peter And verayly he was of the same fourme This frere gaue to hym a boxe of oynemente sayd to hym haue good hope in saynt Peter whiche late hath shedde his blood for the feyth for he hath helyd the of the blood that ranne fro the And whan he awoke he purposed to vysyte the sepulcre of Saynt Peter There was a countesse of the castel cassyn whiche had special deuocyon to saynt Peter
an hye voys wherfore demaunde ye me of the sone of the vyrgyn I say to you that he is now in heuen and sytteth on the ryght syde of god the fader and shall come deme the lyuyng and the deed whan the crysten men had herde hym they were moche glad But the pharysees and the maysters of the lawe repented them of thys that they had made hym to say and bere this witnesse tofore the people And toke counceyll to gydre for to caste hym doun for to make the people aferde by cause they shold not byleue hym and they cryed O the Iuste man hath erryd at thys tyme and after they threwe hym doun and the peple began to stone hym but he was on his knees and sayd Fayre lord god pardone them for they wote not what they doo Thenne escryed one of the sonnes of the preest named Iacob Syres leue ye this iuste man in pees but there was a man in that companye toke a fullers staffe and smote hym on the heed that his brayne fyl alle abrode And thus by marterdom he fynysshed his lyf and was there buryed nygh vnto the temple And the peple wold haue slayne these malefactours bycause they had sleyne hym but they fledde this was done in the tyme of nero the yere of our lord lvij ¶ Iosephus sayth that for thy grete synne of the deth of saynt Iames Was Ierusalem afterward destroyeed For tofore that the destruccion came god shewed meruayllous signes For there was a sterre right clere and shynyng whiche had the fourme of a swerde that henge ouer Ierusalem but this token ne the tokenes hereafter folowyng cam not onely for the deth of saynt Iames but for the dethe of our lord Ihesu crist pryncypally for he said ther shal not in the be left a stone vpon a stone but bycause our lord wold not the dethe of synnars but that he wold they shold doo penaunce and repente them he abode fourty yere and called them vnto penaunce by his appostles and moste by saynt Iames broder of our lord whiche contynuelly prechyd to them For in thys fourty yere were many signes and prodyges shewed to them as Iosephus reherceth of which the sterre lyke the swerde was one Whiche was seen ouer the cyte an hole yere duryng brennyng with grete bryghte flames The nexte yere after in a feste of Ester there was a clerenesse and lyghte aboute the temple in the nyghte that it was lyke vnto clere day In that same tyme there was a cowe brought forth to be sacrefyed whyche anone calued or brought forth a lambe ageynst kynde After this a litel tyme aboute goyng doun of the sonne there was seen in the eyre cartes waynes and grete companye of men of armes that enuyronned the cytee sodaynly In a feste of whytsontyde whyche is called penthecoste the preestes wente in to the temple by nyght for to doo theyr mysteryes and they herde a voys sayeng lete vs goo hens fro this place iiij yere after tofore that the destruccion came a man whos name was Ihesus the sone of ananye began to crye sodeynlye the voys of thorryent the voys of thoccident the voys of foure wyndes vpon Iherusalem woo on the husbondes woo vpon the wyues and woo vpon alle the people the said man was taken smeten and beten tormented broughte tofore the Iuge and he neuer wepte ne cryed mercy but he euer perseueryd and cryed howlyng the same wordes addyng therto woo woo to Iherusalem al thys sayth Iosephus yet for al these tokenes warnynges prodygis the Iewes were neuer aferde Thēne xl yere after the passyon of our lord Ihesu cryste came titus and vaspasyanus ageynst Iherusalem destroyed hit The cause and by whome it was destroyed is recorded in an hystorye though hit be not autentyke For pylate which doubted the furour angre of themperour Tybere bycause he had wrongfully Iuged and condempned Ihesu cryste thynnocent sente one of his seruauntes for to excuse hym and the seruauntes name was albane In thys tyme vaspasyanus was gouernour of galace for themperour And the messager of pylate whyche wolde haue gone to Rome was constrayned by a contrarye wynde to arryue in galace and was broughte to vaspasyan For the custome of the contree was that who was taken on the see and brought so in ageynst his wylle shold be atte wylle of the lord body goodes And whan vaspasyanus sawe hym he demaunded hym what he was and fro whens he came he sayd that he was of Iherusalem Thenne said vaspasyan A lord god in that contre were wonte to be good maysters and moche good surgyens my frende sayd he canst thou ony thynge of surgerye This sayd he bycause he had in his nose a botche ful of wormes fro his yongthe and neuer myght man be founden that myght hele hym of it the messanger of pylate answerd said that he coude no thynge therof Vaspasyan sayd yf thou hele me not I shal slee the The messanger sayd he that enlumyned the blynde and chaced deuyls out of men And reysed deed men to lyfe in our contree knoweth wel that I can not hele the but he can wel hele the yf he wyl Thenne demaunded vaspasyan what he was he sayd to hym that it was Ihesus of nazareth whome they of Iherusalem had sleyne wrongfully for enuye and yf thou wylt beleue in hym he shal hele the Thenne sayd vaspasyanus I beleue wel that he that reysed deed men may wel hele and make me al hole sayeng thyse wordes the waspys fyll from his nose wyth the botche wythin whyche they were and forthwith he was made parfytely hole wherof he had moche grete ioye And sayd I am certeyn that he that hath thus made me hole was the veray sone of god I shal demaunde lycence of the emperour Tybere and I shal goo destroye the cursyd traytours that haue sleyne thys man And thenne he lete Alban the messager of pylate goo where he wold After thys vaspasyan wente to Rome and gate lycence of themperour for to destroye thys peple and the cyte of Ierusalem And assembled his hoost in the tyme of nero themperour and came sodaynly The Iewes thenne beyng the moste parte in Iherusalem on ester day and byseged the towne For on that day al the Iewes of the contre were comen to the feest so that they were sodaynly enclosed Now was it soo that tofore that vaspasyan came the good men of the cyte were warned by the holy gooste that they shold goo out of the cytee And they wente to a place called pellam bycause that the vengeaunce shold not falle on them but on the wycked peple of the Iewes There was another cyte of the Iurye named Ionaparam In whiche Iosephus was duc whiche vaspasyan first assayled but Iosephus with suche men as he had resysted them manlye but at the laste whan Iosephus sawe the destruccion of it and myght no lenger kepe hit he toke wyth hym
bodyes as were bisâ—ten had tolde their comyng and whan they had been a whyle in englond and had conuaynquysshed the heretykes they retorned in to their contrees and propre places On a tyme it happed that saynt germayn laye seek of a malady in a strete and the strete was taken wyth fyre men counceylled hym to be borne thens for perylle of the fyre and thenne he put hym self ageynst the fyre and the flawme brente al aboute and touched no thynge that germayn laye in Another tyme he retorned in to bretaygne for the heresyes and one of his dysciples folowed hym hastely and fyl seek and laye doun in a towne there deyed and whan saynt germayn retorned therby he demaunded to see the sepulture of his dysciple whiche there was deed and dyd doo opene hys sepulture he callyd hym by his name and demaunded hym what he dyd yf he wold no lenger goo wyth hym and that other answerd and sayd that he was wel and alle thynges were to hym softe and swete wold nomore come here and the holy man graunted it hym that he shold abyde in reste And he remysed hym self in his graue and slepte in our lorde He prechyd on a tyme in the contre of bretaygne in suche wyse that the kyng of bretayne forbad hym his hows and his peple also Thenne it happed that the kynges cowherde wente to the pasture with his kyen and receyued hys porcyon atte kynges paleys and bare it to his lytyl hows Thenne wente saynt germayn and his felawshyp for to see where they myght be lodged And the cowherde brought hem to hys hows and sawe that they had grete hungre but he had not mete for them and hym this cowherde had but one calfe he slewe it and gaue it to them and they toke it debonayrly of the litel good that he had and whan they had sowped and sayd graces saynt germayn dyd do gadre to gydre alle the bones of the calfe and layed them vnder the skyn and after made his prayers to god anone thenne the calfe aroos al alyue hole as he was tofore And the next day after saint germayn demaunded the kynge why he had for bode hym his hows and the kynge was moche abasshed câ—ude not answere Thenne sayd saynt germayn to hym thou shalt nomore regne but thou shalt lâ—ue thy royame to one better than the and as they of saxon shold fyght ageynst the brytons and they sawe that they were but fewe sawe the holy man passe by they called hym And thenne saynt germayn and hys felowes prechyd so longe to them that they came to grace of baptesme And on ester day they caste of theyr armures and by grete desyre of feyth purposed them to fyght and whan the other herde that they purposed to goo ageynst them hardely for they were dysseuerd and saynt germayn hydde hym alwey wyth his peple warned hem whan he cryed alleluya they shold answer wyth one voys and whan the sayntes had cryed alleluya and the oâ—â—er had answerd theyr enemyes had so grete drede that they threwe al theyr harneys and armoures aweye and wende certeynly that al the mounteyns shold falle on them and also heuen so they fledde all afrayed On a tyme as saynt germayn passed by angustynence wente to the tombe of saynt cassyen he enquyred how it stood wyth hym he answerd to hym out of the tombe wherin he laye sayd I am in swete reste and abyde the comyng of the redemour he said to hym reste in pees in the name of our lord and praye for vs deuoutely that we may deserue the holy ioyes of the resurrexyon and whan saint germayn came in rauenne he was receyued moche honourably of Placyde the quene and of valentynyen hir sone and atte sowper she sente to hym a grete vessel of syluer ful of delycyous mete The whiche he receyued and gaue the mete to his seruauntes reteyned the vessel of syluer for to gyue to the poure And in stede of this yefte he sente to the quene a dysshe of wood or of tree a barly loof the whiche she receyued gladly and after dyd doo couer that dysshe with syluer and kepte it longe in grete deuocion On a tyme that the sayd quene had desyred hym to dyne wyth hyr he accorded therto gladly and by cause he was wery of trauayle of fastyng watchyng he came vpon an asse fro his hows vnto the paleys And anone as he was at dyner his asse deyed And whan the quene knewe that his asse was deed she was moche sorowful dyd do presente hym a right fayre and good hors and whan the saynt sawe hym so rychely aourned apparaylled he wold in no wyse take hit but said shewe to me where myn asse is For he that brought me hyder shal brynge me home ageyn and thenne he wente to his asse that laye dede and sayd to hym lete vs retorne home ageyn and anone the asse aroos shoke hym as he had rysen from slepe that he had no harme thenne germayn remounted on his asse and rode home But tofore or he departed fro rauenne he said that he shold not be longe in this worlde and anone after he became seek of the feuers the seuenth day after he passed vnto our lord And his body was born in to fraunce as he had requyred to the quene And he deyed aboute the yere of our lord four hondred xx Saynt Germayn had promysed by hys lyue to saynt eusebe bysshop of versayl that whan he retorned he shold halowe hys chyrche that he had founded whan saynt eusebe bysshop of versayl vnderstode that he was dede he wolde hym self halowe his chyrche and made to lyghte the candellys and tapres but the more they lyght them the more were they extyncte and put out And whan eusebe sawe that he apperceyued that the dedycacyon was made or he wold come and doo hit or ellys of somme other bysshop and whan the body of saynt germayn was broughte to versaylle assone as it was entred in to the chyrche alle the tapres were light deuynely Thenne Saynt eusebe remembryd the promesses of saynt germayn and that whiche he promysed lyuyng he wold doo hit beyng deed but it is not to be vnderstonde of the grete eusebe of versayl that this was doon in his tyme For he deyed vnder valente themperour and fro the deth of hym vnto the dethe of saynt germayn was more than fyfty yere fro that one to that other but thys was another eusebe xnder whome this said thynge was doon Thus endeth the lyf of saynt Germayn Here foloweth the lyf of saynt peter thexorcisce or deken SAynt peter the deken was bounden wyth chaynes of yron in pryson oâ— one archenne whos doughter was vexyd of a fende wherfore he was moche sorouful theÌ„ne sayd Saynt peter to hym that Ihesu cryste shold wel hele hyr yf he wolde byleue in
sorouful for god shal be alweye wyth the lyke as he hath promysed to vs sayeng loo I am alwey and shal be wyth you vnto the consummacion of the world Thus my swete broder he commaunded vs after hys resurrexyon sayeng Goo ye vnto thorugh the vnyuersal world preche the gospel to alle creatures that who shal byleue and shal be baptysed he shal be saued and they that wyl not so do shal be dampned whiche thynges my blessyd broder behoueth vs to kepe and put in effecte to the ende that we forgete not the commaundementes of god anone after thyse blessyd wordes saynt marcial toke leue of saynt peter and broughte with hym the two dysciples aforsayd that is to wete alphynyen and austrudynyen and departed lyke as god had commaunded to saynt peter Thus thenne as they wente and that they were wery and sore traueylled by the waye which was longe and greuous saynt austrudynyen departed out of thys world deyed whan saynt marcial sawe that he was deed he retorned in grete haste to rome and tolde to saynt peter that whiche was byfalle in theyr weye Whan Saynt Peter had herde hym he sayd retorne as hastely as thou mayst and take my burdon in thy honde and thou shalt come where thou hast lefte thy broder touche his body with thys burdon and anone he shal aryse and goo in thy companye as he dyd tofore Whan saynt marcial came ageyn to the corps he touched it wyth the burdon lyke as saynt Peter bad hym And anone he was reysed fro deth to lyf After whan saynt marcial had iourneyed longe by dyuers contreyes in longe prechyng and sowyng the word of god they came in to guyan vnto a castel callyd tulle and there were receyued of a ryche and a myghty man named arnold whiche had a doughter that dayly was tormentyd wyth the enemye Thus as saynt marcyall entryd in to the hows The fende began to crye sayeng I knowe wel now that I must yssue out of the body of thys mayde For the aungels of paradyse that been with the marcyal tormente me right greuously but I praye the by the name of hym that was crucâ—fyed whome thou prechest of that thou sende me not in to thabisme of helle Thenne saynt marcyal sayd to hym I coniure the in the name of Ihesu cryste that was crucefyed for us that thou yssue out of the body of this mayde neuer retorne ageyn but that thou goo vnto a place deserte where byrde ne fowle ne persone dwellyth with this commaundemente the mayde caste out the enemye and she fyl doun as deed Thenne saynt marcyal toke hyr by the hande and reysed hir vp and delyuerd hyr to hyr fader hool and saufe Holynes benygnyte with al humylite shoon in saynt marcial and was alweye in prayers Another myracle also our lord shewed by the prayere of saynt marcial in the same place The prynce of the sayd castel whiche was called nerua and was cosyn to the emperour nero had a doughter whiche was suffocate and murdred by the fende and was dede Thenne the fader and moder of the chylde that were moche sorouful and heuy wyth a grete parte of the people brought the body of the chylde tofore saynt marcial tenderly wepyng and sayeng to hym O man of god helpe vs at thys tyme thou seest how it is wyth vs whan saynt marcyal sawe the lamentacyon and the sorowe that they maad he had pyte on them and sayd wyth an hygh 〈◊〉 I praye you al as wel crysten as paynyms that ye wyl deuoutelye praye god almyghty that by his benygne grace hit please hym to gyue ageyn the lyf to thys chylde The two dysciples of saynt marcial and a fewe of cristen people that were there put theym to prayers and syth saynt marcial hymself made his prayer sayeng Syre I pray the in the name of thy blessyd dere sone and of thy good frende sanyt peter by thordenaunce and commandement of whom I am comen hyther That it please the to reyse thys chyld here to th ende that whan he shal be reysed many may beleue in thyn holy precious name Thenne saynt marcial trustyng in the helpe of god toke the chyld by the hande sayeng to hym In the name of our lord Ihesu cryste That of the Iewes for vs was crucyfyed and the thyrd day rose fro deth to lyf aryse vp and stand right on thy feet Anone the chyld aroos rizt vpon his feet and syth kneled doun to the feet of the holy man sayeng to hym O man of god I requyre the to baptyse me to th ende that I may be saued and marke me wyth the sygne of the holy crosse for other wyse may non be sawed but yf he be baptised anon saynt macial baptysed hym And with hym in the same place were wel crstyned also as wel men as wymen thre thousand and vjC And after this saynt marcyal wente and destroyed the ydolles and brought them to nought For thens wente saynt marcial and his two disciples departed and cam to lymoges where they were benyngly receyued of a matrone that was named susanne In whos presence saynt marcial heled one that was frenatyke whan the good woman susanne sawe the myracle that soo was made in her presence anone she and her meyne were baptysed After this saynt marcyal wente in to the temple where the prestes of the ydoles were The whiche bete hym greuously and syth put hym in pryson On the morn as he made his prayer ther descended a light so grete vpon him that men myght not beholde hym The chaynes of yron to breste and the dores of the pryson opend the kepers and they that were there requyred to be baptysed and the prestes that had so beten hym were smeton to deth by thondre and lyghtnyng Thenne the other that were there cam to saint marcyal in to the pryson and prayd hym that he wolde reyse them that so were smeton to deth by the thondre promisyng to hym that yf he so dyde they al wold be baptysed Thenne our lord by hys prayer reysed them ageyn fro deth to lyf Thenne that same tyme were torned to crysten faith baptysed xijMl creatures as men and wymen ¶ And after thys on a tyme deyde the holy woman susanne and tofore her deth she recomanded to saynt marcyal her doughter that was callyd valeriene whiche had promysed and auowed to our lord chastite as longe as she lyued after whan the holy mayde knewe that ther shold come to lymoges a lord named steuyn whiche was lorde of al the prouynce fro the ryuer of rosne vnto the see She was sore aferd leste he wold do to her ony gryef or noyance ayenst her auowe And gaf away al her richesses to poure folk for the loue of god whan the said steuen was come to limoges he made to do come tofore hym the holy mayde to th ende to haue his wylle of her but whan she
and hyr moder the holy damoysel came dwellyd at parys for to assaye and proue hir there and for to auayle the more she was seek of the palsye so moche that it semyd that hir membris were dysioyned and departed that one fro that other wherof she was so sore tormentyd that duryng thre dayes she was kepte as for deed for there apperyd on hir noo sygne of lyf sauf that hyr Iowes were a lytel reed In thys space and tyme as she confessyd after an aungel ledde hir in spyryte where as the reste was of good folke and where the tormente was of euyl peple afterward she shewyd to many the secretes of theyr consciences as she that was taught and enseygned of the holy ghoost The second tyme saynt germayn retorned fro englond and came to parys The peple almoste al went ageynst hym with grete ioye tofore al other thynges saynt germayn demauÌ„ded how genouefe dyd but the people whiche more is Inclyned to say euyl of good peple thenne wel answerd that of hir was no thynge in blamyng hir whiche was to hyr a praysyng of other mennys preysyng is none the better ne of others blamyng is none the werse therfore the holy man sette nought of theyr ianglyng but assone as he entryd in to the cyte he wente strayte to the hows of the holy vyrgyn whome be salewed in soo grete humylite that al they meruaylled shewyd to them that dyspraysyd hyr the grouÌ„de wete of hir teerys and recyted to them the begynnyng of hir lyf and how he fonde at nancerre that she was chosen of god and recommendyd hir to the peple Tydynges came to parys that aceylle the felon kynge of hougrye had enterprysed to destroye and waste the partyes of fraunce and to subdue them to his domynacion The bourgeyses of parys for grete drede that they had sente theyr goodes in to other cytees more sure Saynt geneuefe warned and admonested the good wymmen of the town that they shold wake in saftynges and in orysons by whiche they myght asswage the yre of our lord and eschewe the tyrannye of their enemyes lyke as dyd somtyme the two holy wymmen Iudyth and bester They obeyed hir were longe many dayes in the chirche in wakynges fastynges in orysons She sayd to the bourgeyses that they shold not remeue theyr goodes ne sende them out of the towne of parys for the other cytees that they supposed shold be more sure shold be destroyed and wasted but by the grace of god parys shold haue none harme and somme had Indygnacion at hir and sayd that a false prophete was rysen and apperyd in theyr tyme and began emonge them to aske and trete whether they shold drowne hyr or stone hyr whyles they were thus tretyng as god wolde came to parys after the decees of saynt germayn tharchedeken of ancerre whan he vnderstood that they tretyd to gyder of hir deth he came to them said fayre syrres for goddes sake do not this myschyef For she of whome ye trete saynt germayn wytnesseth that she was chosen of god in hyr moders bely And loo here been the letters that he hath sente to hyr in which he recoÌ„mendeth hym to hyr prayers Whan the bourgeyses herde thyse wordes recyted by hym of saint germayn and sawe the letters they meruaylled ferâ—d god and lefte theyr euyl counceyl and dyd nomore therto Thus our lord kepte hyr fro harme which kepeth alle weye them that be his deffeÌ„deth after that thappostle saith for hir loue dyd so moche that the tyrauntes approchyd not parys Thanke and glorye to god honoure to the vyrgyne This holy mayde dyd grete penauÌ„ce in tormentyng hyr body al hyr lyf and became bene for to gyue good exaumple For syth she was of the age â—f xv yere vnto fyfty she fastyd euâ—â—y day sauf sonday and thursday In her refection she had no thynge but barly brede and somtyme venes the whiche soden afâ—â—r xiiij dayes or thre wekys she ete for alle delyces alway she was in prayers in wakynges and in penaunces she dranke neuer wyne ne other lycour that myght make hyr dronke in al hyr lyf whan she had lyued and vsyd thys lyf fyfty yere the bysshoppes that were that tyme sawe and behelde that she was ouer feble by abstynence as for age warned hir tencrece a lytel hyr fare ¶ The holy woman durst not gaynsaye them For our lord sayth of the prelates who hereth you hereth me and who despyseth you dyspyseth me and soo she began by obedyence to ete wyth hir brede fysshe and mylke and how wel that she so dyd she behelde the heuen and wepte wherof it is to byleue that she sawe appertly our lord Ihesu cryste after the promesse of the gospel that sayth that blessyd be they that be clene of herte for they shal see god she had hir herte and body pure and clene There ben twelue vertues vyrgynal saith hermes pastour wyth out whiche no vyrgyne may be agreable to god that is to wete feythe abstynence pacyence magnanymyte symplesse Innocence concorde charyte dysciplyne chastyte trouthe and prudence Thise vertues accomplysshed the holy vyrgyne by werke she taughte and enseygned by worde and shewed ofte by ensaumple Ofte and tofore alle other holy places she vysyted the place where as restyd saynt denys and his felawes had grete deuocyon to edefye vpon the said holy bodyes a chyrche but she had not wherof On a tyme came to hyr the preestys as ofte they had doon tofore to whome she sayd reuerente faders in god I praye and requyre that eche of you doo his power and his deuoyr to assemble matere wherof myght be made and edefyed a chyrche in the honoure of the glorious marters saynt Denys and his felawes for the place where they reste ouÈt moche to be worshyppâ—d and doubted whyche first taughte to ouâ—â—â—ncestres the feythe Dame 〈◊〉 the preestys we wold fayne and haue grete wylle therto but we can gete no chalke ne lyme Thenne said the holy vyrgyn with a glad chere in prophecyeng as she that was replenysshed wyth the holy ghoost Goo ye I praye you to parys vpon the grete brydge and brynge that ye shal fynde there they wente thyder abode there a whyle meruaylled and abasshed And anone came by them two swyne herdes spekyng to gyder of which that one sayd as I wente yesterday after one of my sowes I fonde a fourneil of lyme meruelously grete That other answerd and I fonde in the wood vnder the rote of a tre that the wynde had throwen doun a fournel of lyme of whyche I trowe was neuer none taken aweye Whan the preestys herde this they had grete admyracion and blessyd our lord that had gyuen suche grace to geneuefe his handmayde They demauÌ„ded where the fournels were and after retorned and tolde to the vyrgyne what they had founden She began to wepe for ioye and assone as the preestys were gone and
lord opened the eyen of them that were there and wepte so that they saw the angelys wyth crownes of roses of lylyes standyng by peter that was on the crosse with the angelys And thenne Peter receyued a boke of oure lord wherin he lerned the wordes that he sayd Thenne as egesippus saith Peter sayd thus lord I haue desired moche to folowe the but to be crucyfyed vpryght I haue not vsurped Thou art allwey ryghtfull hye and souerayne we ben sones of the first man whiche haue the hede enclined to therth of whoÌ„ the falle signefyeth the forme of the generacoÌ„n humayne Also we be borne that we ben seen enclyned to therthe by effecte And the condicion is chauÌ„ged For the world weneth that suche thyng is good whiche ys euyll badde lord thou art alle thyng to me nothyng is to me but thou only I yelde to the thankynges wyth all the spyrite of whiche I lyue by whiche I vnderstande And by Whom I calle the And whan seint Peter sawe that the good crystyn men sawe his glorye In yeldyng than kynges to god and coÌ„mendyng good peple to hym he rendred vp his spirite Thenne marcel and apuleus his broder that wer his dissciples toke of the body fro the crosse whan he was dede and enoynted hit wyth moche precyous oynement and buryed hym honourably Ysodore sayth in the boke of the natiuyte deth of seyntes thus Peter after that he had gouerned Antioche he fouÌ„ded a chirche vnder claudyus themperour he went to Rome ayensâ—e symon magus there he prechyd the gospell xxv yere and helde the bisshopriche xxxvi yere after the passyon of oure lord he was crucifyed by nero torned the hede dounward for he wold be so crucyfyed hec ysodorus That same daye peter and poul appered to seynt dyonyse as he saith in his forsayd epistle in thyse wordes vnderstond the myracle see the prodyge my broder thymothe of the day of the martirdom of them for I was redy in the tyme of departyng of theym After their deth I sawe them to geder hond in hond entryng the yates of the cyte clad with clothes of light and arayed wyth crownes of clernes light hec dionisius Nero was not vnpunyssyd for their deth and other grete synnes tyrannyes that he commysed for he slewe hym self with his owen hond whiche tirannyes wer ouer long to telle but shortky I shall reherce here somme he slewe his master seneca by cause he was aferd of hym whan he went to scole Also Nero slewe hys moder and slitte hyr bely for to see the place where he lay in The phisiciens maysters blamed hym and sayd the sone shold not slee his moder that had borne hym with sorow and payne then sayde he make ye me with child after to be deliuerd that I may knowe what payne my moder suffred whiche by craft thei gaf to hym a yong frosshe to drynke and grewe in his bely then he said but if ye make me to be deliuerd I shal slee you alle so they gaf hym suche a drynke that he had a vomyte cast out the frosshe And bare hym on honde that bycause that he abode not his tyme it was misshapen whiche yet he made to be kepte Then for his plesyr he set Rome a fyre whiche brennyd vij dayes and vij nyghtes and was in an hye toure enioyed hym to see so grete a flame of fyre song merylye he slewe the senatours of Rome to see what sorowe and lamentacyon theyre wyues wold make he wedded a man for his wif he fisshed wyth nettes of gold threde And the garment that he had worn one day he wold neuer were it ne see it after Thenne the Romaynes seyng his wodnes assayled hym and pursewed hym vnto without the cyte And whan he sawe he myght not escape them he toke a stake sharped hit with his tethe therwith stak hym self through the body so slewe hym self In an other place it is redde that he was deuoured of wolues then the romayns retorned and fonde the frosshe threwe it out of the cite and there brent hit In the tyme of seint Cornelys the pope grekes stale awaye the bodyes of the appostles peter poul but the deuyls that wer in the ydoles were constreyned by the deuyne vertue of god cryed and sayde ye men of rome socour hastely your goddes whiche ben stolen fro you for whiche thyng the good crysten peple vnderstode that they were the bodyes of peter and poul And the paynems had supposed that it had ben theyr goddes thenne assembled grete nombre of cristen men and of paynems also And pursewed so long the grekes that they doubted to haue be slayn threwe the bodyes in a pitte at catacumbas but afterward they wer drawen out by crysten men Seynt gregorye sayth that the grete force of thondre lightnyng that cam fro heuen made them so affrayed that they departed eche fro other and so lefte the bodyes of thappostles at catacombes in a pitte But they doubted whiche bones wer peters and whiche poules wherfor the good cristen men put them to prayers fastynges and it was answered them from heuen that the grete bones longed to the prechour the lass to the fisshar so were departed the bones wer put in the chyrche of hym that it was dedicate of other saye that siluester the pope wold halow the chirches and toke all the bones togyder and departed them by weyghte grete and smale and put that one half in one chirche and that other half in that other And seint gregore recouÌ„teth in his dyalogue that in the chirche of seint peter wher his bones resteÌ„ was a man of grete holynes of mekenes named gencyen And there came a mayde into the chirche whiche was crepel and drewe hir body legges after hir with hir handes And whan she had long requyred prayed sent peter for helth he appered to hir in a vision and sayd to hyr Go to gencyen my seruaunt and he shall restore thy helth Then began she to crepe here and there through the chirche and enquired who was gencyn and sodenly it happed that he cam to hyr that hym sought she sayde to hym the holy appostle seynt Peter sent me to the that thou sholdest make me hole and delyuer me fro my disease and he answerd yf thou be sent to me fro hym Aryse thou anon and goo on thy feet And he toke her by the hand and anon she was alle hole in suche wyse as she felt nothyng of her grief nor maladye And thenne she thanked god and seynt peter and in the same boke seynt gregore sayth whaÌ„ that an holy preest was com to th ende of his lyf he began to crye in grete gladnes ye be welcom my lordes ye be welcome that ye vouchesauf to come to so lytyl poure a seruaunt and he sayd I shal come
thanke you theÌ„ne they that stode by demanded who they were that he spack to And he sayd to them wondryng haue ye not seen the blessed appostles peter and poul and as he cryed agayn his blessyd soule departed fro the flessh Som haue doubte whether peter poul suffred deth in one daye For som saye that it was thesame one day but one a yere after the other And Iherome alle the seyntes that trete of this mater accordeÌ„ that it was on one day one yere And so is hit conteyned in an epystle of Denys and leo the pope sayth the same in a sermon sayeng we suppose but that it was not don without cause that they suffred in one day in one place the sentence of the tyraunt And they suffred deth in one tyme to th ende that they shold goo to geder to IhÌ„u cryst and bothe vnder one persecutour to th ende that egall cruelte shold strayne that one that other The day for theyr meryte the place for theyr glorye And the persecucyon one come by vertue hec leo thaugh theyr suffred bothe deth in one day and in one hour yet it was not in one place but in dyuerce wâ—thin rome And herof sayth a versyfyar in this wyse Ense coronatus paulus cruce petrus eodem Sub duce luce loco dux nero Roma locus That is to saye Paul crouned with the swerd And peter had the crosse reuersed the place was the cyte of rome And how be it that they suffred deth In one day yet seynt gregorye ordeyned that that day specyally shold be the solempnyte of seynt Peter And the nexte day CoÌ„memoracoÌ„n of seynt poul For the chirche of seynt Peter was halowed that same day And also for as moche as he was more in dygnyte first in conuercyon and held the pryncypalite at Rome Thus endeth the lyf of seynt Peter thappostle Here begynneth the lyf of seynt Poul thappostle and doctour POul is as moche to saye as the mouth of a trompe or of sence or merueylously chosen or a myracle of electyon Or paul is sayd of pausa that is reste Or it is sayd litill of latyn And by this ben vnderstonden vj prerogatyues whiche paul had before the other appostles The first is a fruitful tongue For he renepleneshid the gospel fro Ierusalem to Ierico And therfore he is sayd the mouth of a tromp the ij was vertuouse chary te for he sayd who is seke I am not seke therfor he is sayd mouth of sâ—ns or vnderstondyng The thyrd is conuercion moche merueyllous and therfor he is sayd meruelously chosen For he Was meruellously chosen conuerted The fourth is the hand werchyng therfor he is sayd merueyllous of elâ—â—tion For it was a grete myracle whan he chaas to gete his dispences with the labour of his handes and to preche without cessyng The fyfte was contemplacyon delycyous For reste of thought is requyred in contemplacyon For he was rauisshid vnto the third heuen The syxte was humylyte vertuous and therof he is sayd lytyl Of this name paule ben thre opynyons Orygene sayth that he had alleway two names and was called paulus and saulus And Rabanus sayth that he was called saulus and that was after Saul the proude kyng but after his conuercyon he was callid poul as it were lytyl and humble of spyrite And therfor he sayd I am leest of alle the appostles And bede sayd that he was called paule of Sergio paulo proconsul whom he conuerted to the fayth And lynus the pope wryteth his passyâ—n Of Seynt Poul doctour and Appostle SAynt Poul thappostle after his conuersyon suffred many ê‘secucions the which the blissed hyllarye reherseth shortly sayeng Poul thappostle was beten with roddis by philippis he was put in prison and by the feet fast sette in stockes he was stoned in listris In yceyne and thessalonyque he was pursewid of wicked peple In Ephesym he was delyuerd to wyld beestis In damask he was lette by a lepe doun of the wall In Iherusalem he was arested beten bounden and awayted to be slayn In Cezarea he was enclosed and deffamed Saylyng toward ytalye he was in paryl of deth And fro thens he cam to rome and was Iuged vnder nero and there fynysshid his lyf This sayth seynt hyllarye Poul toke vpon hym to be appostle among the gentyles ij lystris was a contracte which he 〈◊〉 and redressid a yong man that fylle out of a wyndow and dyed he reysed to lyf and dyd many other myracles at the Ile of metylene a sarpent lote his hande and hurted hym not and he threwe it in to the fyre It is sayd that alle they that cam of the progenye and lynage of that man that thenne herberowed poule may in no wyse be hurt of no venemous beestis wherfore whan theyr children be born they putte serpentes in thayr cradellis for to ê“ue yf they be veryly theyr children or noo In som place it is sayd that paule ys lasse than peter Otherwhile more and somtyme egalle and lyke For in dygnyte he is lasse In prechyng greter and in holynes they be egal haymond seyth that paule fro the cocke crowe vnto the hour of fyue he laboured with his handes after enteeÌ„ded to preching and that endured almost to nyght the resydue of the tyme was for to ete slepe and for prayer whiche was necessarye He come to rome whan nero was not fully confermed in the empire and nero heryng that there was disputyng questyons made betwene paule and the Iewes he retchyng not moche therof suffred poul to go wher he wold and preche frely Ieronimus saith in his boke De uiris illustribus that the xxxj yere after the passyon of oure lord the second yere of nero seynt poul was sent to rome bounden and ij yere he was in free kepyng and disputed ayenst the Iewes and after he was lete go by nero and prechid the gospel in the west partyes and the xiiij yere of nero the same yere day that peter was crucifyed his hede was smyten of Hec Ierommus The wysdom and relygyon of hym was publisshed ouer alle and was reputed meruellous he gate to hym many frendes in themperours hâ—us and conuerted them to the fayth of cryste and some of hys wrytynges wer recyted and redde tofore the emperour and of al men meruelously commendyd and the senate vnderstode of hym hy thinges of auctorite It happed on a day that poul prechid aboute eueÌ„song tyme in a lofte a yong man named patroclus boteler of nero and with hym welbyloued went for to see the multitude of peple and the better for to here paul he went vp in to a wyndowe and there slepyng fyll doun dyed whiche whan nero herde was moche sory and heuy therfor and anon ordeyned another in his offyce Paul knowyng herof by the holy goost sayd to them stondyng by hym That they shold goo and bryng to hym patroclus whiche was
is leyde in the fyre is made alle fyre Ryght so paule enbraced wyth charyte was made alle charyte And ryght as it had ben a comyn fader of alle the world so he louyd alle men and surmounted alle other faders bodyly and ghoostly by curyosite and pyte And desired and hasted hym to yelde alle men to god to hys kyngdom as though he had engendred them alle This holy paul that was so symple and vsed the craft to make baskettis cam to so grete vertue that in the space of xxx yere he cōuerted to the crysten fayth the persees and parthes them of mede the yndes and the Scites the Ethiopes the Saromates and sarasyns and more ouer al maner men and lyke as fyre put in strawe or in towhe wasteth it ryght so wastyd poule alle the werkis of the fende And whan he was ledde through the grete see he Ioyed hym as gretly as though he had ben ledde to see an empyre And whan he was entred in to Rome It suffyced hym not to abyde there but he went in to spayne And was neuer ydle ne in reste But was alway more brennyng than fyre in the loue to preche the word of god Ne dradde no parrellys ne had no shame of despytes But was euer redy vnto batayle And anon shewde hym selfe pesyble and amyable And whan his discyples sawe hym bounde in cheynes for alle that he sessed not to preche whiles he was in pryson wherfor some of the brethern consyderyng hys techyng toke the more strengthe to them And were more constant ayenst the enemyes of crystes fayth al thys and moche more saith seynt Ioh̄n grisostom which were ouer moche to write here but thys shal suffyse thenne late vs praye vnto almyghty god that by the merites of seynt poul we may haue foryeuenes of our synnes and trespaces in thys present lyf that after the same we may come to euer lastyng Ioye in heuen Thus endeth the commemoracion of Seynt poule thappostle and Doctoure Here folowen the lyues of the vij bretheren THe seuen brethern were sonnes of Seynt felycite whos names be Ianuarie ffelix philippe siluanus alexander vitalis and marcialis Alle thyse wer called by the comaundement of the emperour anthonye to fore publyen the prouoste And thenne the prouoste counseylled the moder that she sholld haue pyte vpon her self and on her sones who answerd and sayde Neyther for thy flateryng ne by thy blaundesshyng wordes thou mayst not drawe me to thy desyre ne wyth thy thretenynges thou mayst not breke me I am assured of the holy ghoost whom I haue that I shalle a lyue ouercome the And better shal vaynquysshe the whan I am dede thenne she torned her to her sones sayde My sones see the heuen and loke vpward my derest children for cryst abydeth you there ffyght ye strongly for cryst and shewe you faithful trewe in the loue of Ih̄u crist whan the prouost herde that he cōmaūded that she shold be smeton and buffeted and as the moder her sones abode most constantly in the fayth the moder seyng comfortyng them they wer sleyn with dyuerse tormentis seynt gregore calleth this blessyd felicite more than a martir ffor she suffred vij tymes deth in her vij sones and the eyght tyme in her propre body and he sayth in his omelye that seynt felicyte in byleuyng was the hādmayde of crist in prechyng was made the martir of crist she dredde to leue after her for to lyue her vij sones in prisō lyke as wordly frendes drede lest they shold deye in prison she childed bare them by the holy ghoost whom she had born to the world of her flesshe them whom she knewe wel wer of her own flessh she myght not see dye without sorowe but it was the force of the loue wythin forth that ouercam the sorowe of the flessh and I haue sayd by right thys woman to be more than a martir that so ofte hath be extynct in her sones in which she hath therin multeplyed martirdom she ouercam the victorye of martirdom whan for the loue of god her only deth suffyced her not And they suffred deth aboute the yere of our lord Cx vnder decius themperour Here endeth the passyon of the vij brethern The lyf of Seynt Theodora THeodora was a noble woman and a fayr in Alysaunder in the tyme of zenone themperour and had a ryche man to her husbond dredyng god The deuyl hauyng enuye to the holynes of theodore entysed a riche man of the toun in to the concupiscence of her which sent to her dyuers messagers and yeftes requyryng that she wold assent to his desyre but she refused theyr message and despised the yeftes he was so besy on her so moche greuous that she coude haue no reste was almost ouercome atte last he sent a witche promysed to her many thynges yf she coude bryng aboute that she shold consent to his desire she went exorted her to doo this sinne wyth y◠man to haue pyte on hym To whom she said that to fore god al thinges wer knowen wherfor she wold in no wyse doo so grete a synne this fals enchaūteresse said what someuer is don in the day tyme god seeth knoweth But what is don after the sonne is doun in the west is derke god knoweth no thyng therof to whom theodora seyd sayst thou trouthe ye veryly I telle you trouthe And so the woman beyng deceyued bad the man shold come at nyggt and she shold accomplyssh his wyl desire and whan thys ylle woman had told thys to the man he was glad Ioyful and kepte hys houre and had his wyll of her and departed theodora retornyng to her self began to wepe most bytterly and smote her vysage and breste sayeng Alas Alas I haue loste my soule And haue destroyed the beaute of my name her husbond cam fro wythout and fond hys wyf so sorowyng and desolate desyred to knowe the cause for to comforte her But she wold receyue no consolacion On the morn erly she went to a monasterye of nonnes and demaunded of the abbesse yf god coude knowe ony synne don and commysed by nyght after the day was passed To whom she sayd Nothyng may be hyd fro god For god seeth and knoweth alle that is don in what hour it be commysed by nyght or day And thenne she wepte bitterly sayeng gyue me the boke of the gospellys that summe lotte may falle to me And she openyng the boke fonde wreton Quod scripsi scripsi Thenne she retorned home to her hows And on a day whan her husbonde was oute she cutte of her heer and clad her wyth the clothes of her husbonde and went to a monasterye of monkes whiche was xviij myle thens And hyed her and there requyred that she myght be receyued wyth the monkes She was demaunded of her name and she sayd that she was
named Theodorus And there she was receyued And mekely dyd alle thoffyces and her seruyce was acceptable to euery body After certeyn yeres thabbot called brother theodorik for to yoke the oxen and commaūded her that she shold goo to the cite and fetche oyle her husbond wepte moche for sorowe dredde lest she were goon away with an other man And the angelle of god appered to hym sayd Aryse erly and stonde in the way of the marters Peter and paule and she that shalle mete the is thy wyf whiche don theodora with her camellis cam and seyng her husbond knewe hym wel And sayd wythin her self alas good husbond how moche labour doo I that I may haue forgeuenes of the synne that I haue don to the And whan she approched hym she salowed hym sayeng Our lord gyue the Ioye my lord He nothyng knewe her And whan he had long abyden he helde hym deceyued And a voys sayd to hym he that yesterday salowed the was thy wyf Theodora was of so grete holynes that she dyd many myracles She saued a man al to torn wyth a wyld beste by her prayers And she cursed that beste and sodenly it dyed and fyl doun The deuyl coude not suffre her holynes apperid to her sayeng Thou strompet aboue alle other and aduoulterer thou hast forsake thy husbond for to come hether and despyse me By my myght power I shal reyse a batayle ayenst the and but I make the renye the crucifyed god saye it am not I She made the signe of the crosse And anon the deuyl vanysshed On a tyme as she retorned fro the cyte And in a certayn place was herberowed a wēche cam to her in the nyght sayeng Slepe with me this nyght whom she refused And thenne this wenche went to a nother that laye in the same hostery when her bely began to swelle she was demaunded of whom she had conceyued And she sayde that monke hath leyn by me whan the child was born they sent it to the Abbotte of the monasteri whiche blamed sore theodorik and he mekely demaunded that it myght be forgyuen hym but he was cast out of the monastery and toke the child vpon his sholder and so she abode out of the monastery vij yere and norisshid the chyld wyth the mylke of the bestes the deuyl hauyng enuy of her moche pacyence in the lyknes of her husbonde he transfygured hym cam and sayd to her come now thou my wif for if thou hast leyn with another man I forgyue it the and she had supposed it had be her husbond and sayde I shalle nomore dwelle with the for the sonne of Iohan the knyght hath leyn by me and I wil do penaunce for that I haue synned agaynst the she made her preyer and anon the deuyl vanisshyd away and knewe that it was the deuyl another tyme the deuyl wold make her afferd for deuylles cam to her in the lykenes of terryble wyld bestes and a certeyn man seyd to hem ete ye this strompet she thenne prayed and anon they vanysshed away Another tyme a multytude of knyghtes cam whome a prynce tofore and the other worshipped hym which knyghtes said to theodore arise worship our prynce whiche answerd I worshippe and adoure my lord god and whan it was told to the prynce He commaunded that she shold be brought to fore hym And to be tormented wyth so many tormentes that she shold be estemed for dede And thenne she made her prayers And alle the multytude vanysshed away Another tyme she sawe there moche gold and she blessed her and commended her to god And it vanysshed away another tyme she sawe a baskette born ful of alle maner of good mete And he that bare it sayd to her The prynce that bete the sayth that thou sholdest take this and ete for he did it vnwittyngly she blessyd her anon he vanysshed away whan the seuen yere wer complete that she had ben out of the monestarye the abbot consyderyng her pacyence toke her in agayn in to the monasterye wyth her chyld And vnnethe two yere after whan she had laudably accomplysshed her obseruaunce she toke the chyld closed it wyth her in her celle And whan the abbot knewe therof he sente certayn of his monkes to take hede what she dyd and sayde And she embrasyng the chyld and kissyng saide My swete sonne the tyme of my deth cometh I leue and commaunde the to god take hym for thy fader and helper And my swete sonne see that thou fast and praye And serue my brethern deuoutly And she thys sayeng yaf vp her spirite and slepte in our lord Aboute the yere of grace four hondred sixti and x which the chyld beholdyng began to wepe bytterly In that same nyght was a visyon shewed to thabbot in thys wyse hym semed that a grete mariage was made and therto cam angellys prophetes marters and alle seyntes And in the myddle of them was a woman besette aboute with grete glorye And they that assysted her worshipped her And a voys was herde sayeng This is theodoryk the monke that was falsely accused of a chylde And seuen tymes ben chaunged on her She is chastysed for she defouled the bedde of her housbond And thenne thabbot awoke And astonyed went wyth his brethern to her celle and fond her theer dede And they entred in and vncouerd her And fonde that she was a woman the abbot sent for the fader of the wenche that sklaundred her and sayd to hym the man that hath leyne by thy doughter is now dede And toke away the cloth And so knewe that she was awoman And alle that herde herof were in grete drede The angel of god spacke to the abbot sayeng Aryse hastely and take thy hors and ryde in to the cyte And hym that thou mete take and bryng hym wyth the And forth he rode And mette wyth a man rennyng Whom thabbot demaunded whyther he ranne And he sayd my wyf is now dede and I goo to see her the abbot toke sette the husbond of theodora on hys hors And cam to gydre wepyng moche sore and wyth grete reuerence and solempnyte buried her The husbond of Theodora entryd in to the celle of hys wyf and abode theryn Tyl that he deyed in our lorde The chyld folowyng hys noryce Theodora floured in alle honeste And whan thabbot of the monestory was dede He was electe wyth one voys of the couent for to be abbot Thenne late vs praye to thys holy seynt Theodora To pray to almyghty god for vs AMEN Thus endeth the lyf of Seynt Theodora Here foloweth the lyf of seint Swithine bisshop SAint Swithyne the holy cōfessour was born besydes wynchester in the tyme of Seynt Egberte kyng he was the vij kyng after kenulf that seynt byryne cristened For seynt austyn cristened not alle englond in seynt athelbertus dayes but seynt byryne cristened the west partye of englond in the dayes
erles barones whiche kyng hym self toke the cheste vpon his sholders and wyth the other prelates lordes brought it wyth grete Ioye and honour in to the place where it is now worshipped and was leyde in a fayre and moche riche shryne At whos holy translacion were shewde by the merites of thys holy martir seynt Thomas many myracles To blynde men was gyuen theyr sight To deef men theyr heryng To domb men theyr speche And to dede men was restored lyf Emong alle other there was a man by cause of grete deuocyon that he had for to be at thys holy translacion and visite the holy martir whyche cam to the bridge at braynforde by london And whan he was in the myddle of the bridge metyng there one was cast in to the water This man not forgetyng hym selfe called seynt Thomas vnto hys helpe and besought hym not to suffre his pilgrym to perisshe ne to be there drowned And fyue tymes he sanke doun to the grounde And fyue tymes aroose aboue the water And thenne he was cast to the drye ground Thenne he affermed that he receyued no water in to hys mouthe ne in to hys eris that dide to hym greuauÌ„ce ne hurte that he felte sauf in hys fallyng he felte in his mouth a lytel salte water And added more therto sayeng that whan he sanke A bisshop helde hym vp that he myght not synke This holy translacoÌ„n was don and accomplisshed the yere of our lord MCCxx In the nonas of Iuyll at thre of the clock the fyfty yere after his passyon For thys gloryous seynt our lord hath shewed many grete myracles as wel by his lyf as after hys deth martirdom For a lytel to fore hys deth a yong man deyed and was reysed agayn by myracle And he sayd that he was ledde to see the holy ordre of sayntes in heueÌ„ And there he sawe a sete voyde And he axed for whom it was and it was answerd to hym that it was kept for the grete bisshop of engloÌ„d seint thomas of cauÌ„terbury there was also a symple preest that dayly song none other masse but of our lady wherof he was put to to seint thomas his ordnary whom accused he apposed foÌ„d hym ful symple of connyng wherfor he suspended hym and inhybited hym his masse wherfor thys preest was ful sorye and prayed humbly to our blessyd lady that he myght be restored agayn to say his masse And thenne our blessid lady apperid to thys preest and bad hym go to seynt Thomas and byd hym by the token that the lady whom thou seruest hath sewed his sherte of here with rede silke whiche he shalle fynde there as he leyde hit that he yeue the leue to syng masse and assoyle the of his suspendyng and thyn Inhybytyng restore the agayn to thy seruyse and whan seynt Thomas herd thys he was gretely abasshid and went fonde lyke as the preest had sayd And thenne assoyled hym and lycensyd hym to say masse as he dyd byfore commaundyng hym to kepe thys thyng secrette as long as he lyuyd There was a lady in englond that desyred gretely to haue graye eyen For she had a conseyt she shold be the more beauteuous in the sight of the people and only for that cause she made a vowe for to vysite seynt Thomas vpon hir bare feet and whan she cam thether and had deuoutly made hir prayers to haue hyr desyre Sodenly she wax start blynde And Thenne she perceyued that she had offendyd and displesid our lord in that requeste And cryed god mercy of that offence And besought hym ful mekely to be reestored of her sight agayn And by the merites of the blessyd seynt Thomas she was restored to hyr sight agayn and was glad to haue her olde eyen And retorned home agayn and lyued holyly to her lyues ende Also ther was a lordes karuer that brought water to hym at his table to whom the lord sayd yf thou euer hast stolen ony thyng of myn I pray god and seynt thomas that thou haue no water in the basyn And sodenly it was al voyde of the water drye And there was he preuyd a theef there was a tame byrd kepte in a cage whiche was lerned to speke And on a tyme he fledde out of the cage and sleygh in to the felde And there cam a sparhawke and wold haue take this byrd and pursewed after And the byrd beyng in grete drede cryed Seynt Thomas helpe lyke as he had herde other speke and the sperhauke fyl doun dede And the byrd escaped harmeles Also ther was a man that seynt thomas loued moche in his dayes and he fyl in a greuous sekenes wherfor he went to the tombe of seynt Thomas to praye for his helthe and anon he had hys desyre and was alle hool and as he torned homeward beyng alle hool thenne he began to drede lest thys helthe shold not be most prouffytable for hys soule Thenne he retorned agayn to the tombe of seynt Thomas And prayed yf his helthe wer not prouffytable to his soule that his olde sekenes myght come agayn to hym And it cam anon agayn to hym and endured vnto hys lyues ende And in lyke wyse there was a deuout blynd man whiche had his sight restored to hym agayn by the merites of seynt thomas but after he repented hym for he coude not be so quyete in his mynde as he was byfore he had thenne so moche lettyng by seyng the vanytees of the world wherfor he prayed to our lord that by the merites of Seint Thomas he myght be blynd agayn to the world as he was byfore anon he had his desire lyuyd after ful holily to his lyues ende who shold telle alle the myracles that our blessid lord hath shewed for thys holy martir it shold ouer moche endure For euer sith his passion vnto this day god hath shewed contynwelly for hym many grete myracles Thenne late vs praye this holy seynt to be a specyal aduocate for vs wretchid synners vnto our lord god who bryng vs unto his euer lastyng blysse in heuen Amen Thus endeth The translacyon of Seynt Thomas martir Here foloweth the lyf of seynt Kenelme kyng and martir â—Aynt kenelme martir was kyng of a parte of engloÌ„d by walys hys fader was kyng to fore hym and was named kenulph founded the abbey of wynchecomb and sette therin monkes and whan he was dede he was buryed in the same abbey And that tyme wynchecombe was the best toun of that contraye In Englond ben iij pryncipaul riuers And they ben tamyse Seuarn and Humbre This kyng kenelme was kyng of wurceter shyre warwik shyre and gloucetre shyre and the bysshop of wurcetre was bisshop of those iij shires and he was kyng also of Derby shyre chesshyre shropppyre staffordshyre her fordchyre notyngham shyre norhamptoÌ„ shyre Bokynghamshyre oxfordshire leycetreshyre and lyncolnshyre Alle this was called the marche of walys and of alle
after as they made redy hys pitte to burie hym in he reuyued agayn and thenne alle they were abasshyd and fledde awaye And he called them agayn and told alle that was byfallen to hym sayeng whan I at the suggestioÌ„ of the deuyl had slayn my self the deuyls toke me and lad me toward rome and anon seynt Iames cam after vs and blamed strongly the deuyllis of theyr fallace And whan they had long stryued to gyder Seynt Iames constrayued them to com in to a medowe where the blessyd virgyne satte spekyng wyth many Seyntes And the blessid seynt Iames complayned for me and thenne she blamed strongly the deuyllis and commaunded that I shold be restored agayn to my lyf and thenne seynt Iames toke me and rendred to me my lyf agayn lyke as ye see and thre dayes after his wouÌ„des were hool there apperid nothyng but the traces where the wouÌ„des were and thenne he reprised agayn his Iourney and fond his felawes recited to them alle thys by ordre And as Caliste the pope reherseth there was a frenche man about the yere of our lord a M and a C wold eschewe the mortalite that was in ffraunce and wold visite seynt Iames and he toke his wyf and children and went thyder And whan they cam to pampelone hys wyf deyde and his hoost toke fro hym al his moneye and his Iument vpon whiche his chyldren were born And this man that thus went all descomforted and bare his chyldren on his sholdres and ledde one after hym was in grete anguysshe and sorowe Thenne cam a man to hym vpon an asse which had pytye on hym and lent to hym hys asse for to bere his chyldren And whan he cam to seynt Iames and had doon what he wold and prayed seynt Iames apperyd to hym and demauÌ„ded yf he knewe hym And he sayd naye And seynt Iames sayd to hym I am Iames thappostle whiche haue lente to the myn asse And yet I shal leue hym to the for to retorne And I late the wete that thyn hoost is fallen fro a soler and is deed and thou shalt haue agayn alle that he hath taken fro the and whan alle thys was don he retorned Ioyous wyth his chyldren to his hows and assone as his chyldren were taken of fro the asse it was not knowen where it becam A marchaunt was deteyned of a tyraunt and alle despoyled was wrong fully put in pryson And he called moche deuoutly seynt Iames in to his helpe And seynt Iames appiered to hym to fore them that kepte hym and they awoke and he brought hym vnto the hyest of the tour and anon the tour bowed doun so lowe that the toppe was euen wyth the ground And he went out without lepyng and vnbounde of his yrons Thenne his kepers folowed after but they had no power to see hym Thre knyghtes of the dyocyse of lyon went to seynt Iames and that one was requyred of a pour woman whiche for the loue of seynt Iames to bere her sacke vpon his hors and he bare it after he fond a man seke and sette hym on hys hors and toke the burdon of the man and the sacke of the sayd woman and folowed his hors a fote but he was broken with the hete of the sonne and wyth labour to goo a foote that whan he cam to seynt Iames in galyce he was strongly seke And his felawes prayed iij dayes for the helthe of his soule whiche iij dayes he lay specheles and his felawes abydyng hys deth the fourth day he syghed gretly and sayd I thank god seynt Iames for I am delyuerd by hys merites Whan I Wolde haue don that Whiche ye Warned and admonested me But the deuyls cam to me and strayned me so sore that I myght doo no thyng that apperteyned to the helthe of my soule and I herd you wel but I myght not answere And theÌ„ne the blessid seynt Iames cam brought in his lyfte hond the sacke of the Woman and in the ryght hond the burdon of the pour pylgrym that I helped by the Waye and held the burdon for a spere And the sacke for a shylde and so assayled the deuyls as alle angry and lyft vp the burdon fered the deuyllis that they fledde awaye thus the blessyd saynt Iames hath delyuerd me by his holy grace And hath rendred to me my speche agayn Calle me the preest for I may not be long in this lyf It is tyme to amende our trespaces toward our lord And thenne he torned hym to one of hys felawis and sayd to hym Frend ride no more With thi lord for certeynly he is dampned and shalle perisshe shortly by euyl deth And therfor leue his companye and thenne he deyed And Whan he Was buryed his ij felawes knyghtes retorned and that other said to his mayster this that he had said to hym and he sette not therby And had despyte to amende hym And anon after he was smyton with a spere in batayle and deyed And as calyste the pope sayth that there was a man of virâ—liac Went to seint Iames And his money fayled hym by the Waye And he had shame for to begge and aske almesse and he leyed hym to rest vnder a tree and dremed that Seynt Iames fedde hym And whan he a woke he fond a loof baken vnder asshen at his hede And With that loof he lyued xv dayes tyl that he cam agayn to his owen place and ete suffysauntly twyes a day of the same loof And alwaye on the morn he fond it hool in his sachet Also the same Caliste reherseth that a bourgeys of the cyte of barselone went to Seynt Iames about the yere of our lord MiC and requyred only that he shold neuer be taken of ony enemyes and as he retorned by Sysyle he was taken in the see of sarasyns and ledde oft tymes to fayres for to be sold but alway the chaynes with whiche he was bounden losed and whan he had be sold xiiij tymes he was bounden wyth double cheynes Thenne he called seynt Iames to his helpe and seynt Iames apperyd to hym and sayd by cause thou were in my chyrche and thou settest nothyng by the helth of thy soule But demaundest only the delyueraunce of thy body therfor thou hast fallen in thys peryl but bycause that our lord is merciful he hath sente me for to bye the and anon his chaynes brake he beryng a parte of the chaynes passed by the contrays castellys of the sarasyns and cam home vnto hys owen countraye in the sight of all men whiche were abasshed of the myracle For whan ony man Wold haue taken hym as sone as they sawe the cheyne they were aferd and fledde And whan the lyons and other bestes wold haue ronne on hym in the desertes where as he went whan they sawe the cheyne they were afferd that they fledde away It happed that in the yere MCCxxx viij In a castel named praat
not answere Thenne he sayd to the kyng goo out and leue thy royame to one better than thou art And thenne seynt germayn ordeyned the cowherd to be gouernour of the royame Thenne as the saxons fought ayenst the brytons and sawe that they were but a fewe men and sawe the holy men passe by them they called hem and the seyntes prechyd so moche to them that they cam to the grace of bapteme â— And on ester day they cast of theyr armour and thrugh brennyng charyte of fayth purposed to fyghte whan that other partye herd that they purposed to goo ayenst them hardely And seynt Germayn hyd hym self aparte with his peple warned them whan he shold crye Alleluya that they shold answer Alleluya And whan the sayde seynt germayn had cryed Alleluya And the other had answerd Theyr enemyes had so grete fere that they cast away alle theyr armours and had wend veryly that alle the montayns had fallen on them and heuen also and so al affrayed fledde awaye On a tyme as seynt germayn passed by augustynence and went to the tombe of seint cassyen and enquyred of hym how it was with hym And he answerd hym out of the tombe and sayd I am in swete reste and abyde the comyng of our redemer and he said agayn reste thou thenne stylle in the name of our lord and pray for vs deuoutly that we may deserue the holy Ioyes of the resurrection And whan Seynt germayn cam in to rauenne he was receyued moche honourably of the quene placida And of valentynyen her sonne and at the houre of souper she sent to hym a right grete vessell of siluer ful of delycious mete the which he reteyned for to gyue to pour men And in stede herof he sent to the quene a dysshe of tree and a barley loof the whiche she receyued gladly and after dyde do couere the dysshe with syluer and kepte it long wyth grete deuocoÌ„n On a tyme whan the lady had boden hym for to dyne wyth her he graunted it debonayrly and bycause he was wery of traueyle and fastynges he rode from hys hostel vnto the paleys vpon an asse and whyles he dyned his asse deyed And whan the quene knewe that his asse was dede She was moche sorouful and dyd do presente to hym a ryght good hors of right grete beaute and grete whan he sawe hym so rychely aourned and arayed he wold not take it but sayd shewe me myn asse For he that brought me hyther shal bryng me home And went to the deed asse and said arise late vs retorne home anon he aroos and awoke as he had slepte and as he had had no harme and thenne Seynt germayne mounted on his asse râ—de to hys lodgyng but er he departed fro rauenne he sayde that he shold not belong in thys world and a while after he fyl seek of the feuers or accesse and the seuen day after passyd out of thys world vnto our lord and hys body was borne in to ffraunce lyke as he had desired of the quene and he deyed aboute the yere of our lord CCCC xxj Seynt germayn had promysed to seynt Eusebye whiche was bysshop of versayle that whan he retorned he wold halowe his chirche that he hed founded And whan seynt eusebe vnderstode that he was deed he wold hym self halowe his chyrche and dyd do lyght the tapres But the ofter they lyght them so ofte they went out and were quenchyd and whan Seynt Eusebe sawe this he apperceyued well that the halowyng was doon or ellys it shold be doon an other tyme or it shold be reserued to an other bysshop and whan the body of seynt germayn was brought to versayl assone as his body was brought in to the chyrche alle the tapers were lyght by them self by goddes grace Thenne seynt eusebe remembred of the promesse of Seynt germayne and that whiche he had promysid lyuyng He accomplisshed iâ— beyng deed But it is not to be vnderstande that this was the grete eusebe bysshop of versayl That this was don in his tyme ffor he deyed vnder valent themperour And fro the deth of hym vnto the deth of seynt germayn was more than fyfty yere But thys was another Eusebe vnder whom this thyng was don Thenne late vs praye vnto thys holy germayn that he praye for vs to god almyghty that after this lyf we may come to euerlastyng blysse in heuen Amen Thus endeth the lyf of Seynt Germayn Here nexte foloweth the lyf of Seynt Eusebe And first of his name EUsebe is sayde of eu whiche is as moche to say as good And sebe that is eloquence or stacoÌ„n Or Eusebe is as moche to saye as worshyp he had bounte in sanctificacion Eloquence in defense of the faith stacion in the stedfastnes of martirdom And good wyrshyppyng in the reuerence of god ¶ Of seynt Eusebe EUsebe was alway a vyrgyne and whyles he was yet yonge in the fayth he receyued bapteme and name of Eusebe the pope In whiche bapteme the handes of angellis were seen that lift hym out of the fonte On a day a certayn lady was esprised of his beaute and wold haue goon to his chambre And thangellis kepte the dore in suche wyse that she myght not entre and on the morn she went to hym and kneled doun at his feet and requyred of mercy and foryeuenes of that she had ben in wyll to haue made hym synned and he pardonned her debonayrly And whan he was ordeyned to be a preest he shone in so grete holynesse that whan he sang the solempnytees of the masses the angellys serued hym After this whan the heresye of the arryans had enfected al Italye and Constantyn themperour fauouryng them Iulyus the pope sacred Eusebe in to bysshop of versaylle the cyte the whiche helde the pryncipate of the other citees in Italye and whan the heretiques herd say that they shitte faste the doores of the chirche whiche was of our blessyd lady and blessyd virgyne seint marie thenne the blessyd saynt knelyd doun and anon the dores opened by his prayer Thenne put he out eugenyen bysshop of melan Whiche was corrumped of this euyll heresye and ordeyned in hys place denys a man right catholyque And thus Eusebe purged alle the chirche of thoccident And anastase purged thoryent of the heresye arryen Arrius was a preest of Alysaunder whyche sayd and affermed that cryste was a pure creature And sayd that he was not god and for vs was made that we by hym as by an Instrument were made of god And therfor constantyn ordeyned a counseyl at nycene where as this errour was condempned And after this arryen deyed of a myserable deth For he voyded alle his entrayles bynethe at this foundement and Constancien sone of constantyne was corrupte with thys heresye For whyche cause this constancien had grete hate ayenst Eusebe And assembled a counseyl of many bysshoppis And callyd denys and sent many
the lawe of my faders And he that lyyth with me is seynt Stephen whiche was stoned of the Iewes and cast out of the cite for to be deuoured of the bestes and byrdes but he kepte hym to whom he kepte his fayth wyth out hurtyng And I wyth grete dylygence toke vp the body With grete reuerence buryed it in my newe tombe And that other that lyeth with me is Nychodemus my neuewe whiche went by nyght to Ih̄u cryst and receyued bapteme of Peter and Ioh̄n therfor the prynces of prestes were āgry wyth hym and wold haue sleyne hym but that they lefte atte reuerence of vs Neuertheles they toke away alle hys substaunce and deposed hym from his pryncypate and bete hym strongly lete hym lye for deed And thenne I ledde hym in to my hous where he lyued after but a fewe dayes and whan he was deed I buryed hym atte feet of seynt stephen And the thirde that is wyth me is abybas my sone whiche in the xx yere of his age receyued bapteme wyth me And Was a clene virgyne and lerned the lawe of god with my disciple poule And Ethea my wyf and selemus my sone whyche wold not receyue the fayth of Ih̄u crist were not Worthy to be in our sepulture thou shalt fynd them buryed in a nother place And shalt fynd theyre tombes voyde and ydle and whan he had sayd all this seynt Gamaliel vanysshed away And thenne lucyan awoke and prayed to god yf this vysyon were trewe that it myght be shewed yet the second tyme and the third tyme and the nexte fryday after folowyng he appered lyke as he dyd tofore and said to hym wherfor hast thou desdayn to do that whiche I haue requyred the and he sayd to hym Syre I haue no desdayne but I haue prayed god yf it be in his name that it apere to me yet onys agayn and Gamaliel said to gym bycause thou hast thought in thy corage that yf thou fynd vs how thou myghtest deuyse the reliques of eche of vs I shalle ensigne the of eueriche by symylitude to knowe the tombes and reliques of eche of vs and thenne he shewed thre panyers of gold and the fourth of siluer of the which that one was ful of rede roses the other tweyne of white roses And the fourth whyche was of siluer was full of saffron and gamalyel sayd to hym thyse panyers ben our tombes these roses ben our reliques and the first ful of rede roses is the tombe of seynt Stephen whiche only of vs alle deserued the crowne of martirdom The other tweyne ful of White roses ben the tombes of me and nychodemus Whiche perseuered with a clene herte in the confessyon of Ih̄u cryste and the fourth of siluer whiche is ful of saffron is of abybas my sonne Whiche shyneth by whytenes of vyrgynyte and yssued out of this world pure nette and this sayd he vanysshed away and the fryday after that weke folowyng he apperyd to hym agayn alle angry and blamed hym greuously of his delayment and necligence And anon lucian went to Iherusalem and recoūted alle by ordre to Ioh̄n the bysshop and called the other bysshops and wente to the place that was shewed to lucien and Whan they had begon to delue meued therthe a ryght swete sauour Was felt And by the merueyllous flauour and swetenesse and by the merites of the sayntes lxx seke men Were heled of their Infirmytees And thus the reliques of thyse seyntes Were transported in to the chirche of syon whiche is in Iherusalem In the whiche seynt stephen vsed thoffice of tharchedeken And there were they ordeyned for right honourably In the same houre descended fro heuen moche rayne and of thys vision and inuencion bede maketh mencion in his cronyke and this Inuencōn saith seynt bede was in the same day that his passyon is halowed and his passyon as it is sayd was the same day also But the festes haue ben chaunged by double reson The first reson is by cause that Ih̄u cryste was borne in erthe that man shold be born in heuen therfor it apperteyneth that the feste of Seynt stephen shold folowe the natyuyte of cryst ffor he was first marterd for criste for to be born in heuen and so it signefyeen that the one folowe that other therfor it is songen in the chirche yesterday cryst was born in erthe that thys day stephen shold be borne in heuen the second reson is that the feste of the Inuencion is more solempnly made than the feste of his passyon that is only for the natyuyte of our lord Ihu cryste Neuertheles our lord hath shewed many myracles in thynuencion of hym And bycause his passyon is more worthy than his Inuencion therfor ought it to be more solenpne and therfor the chyrche hath transported his passyon to the tyme in which it is had in gretter reuerence And as seynt austyn sayth the translacion of hym was in this maner Alexandre senatour of constantynople went with his wif to Iherusalem And made there a fayre oratorye to Seynt stephen the first martir after his deth he dyd hym to he buryed by his body and seuen yere after Iuleane his wyf wold retorne in to her contrey by cause that the prynces did to her wrong And wold carye wyth her the body of her husbond and whan she had made long requeste to the bisshop with many prayers The bysshop shewed to her two tombes of siluer sayde to her I wote not whiche of thise tweyne is thy husbond And she sayd to hym I wote wel and went hastely and enbraced the body of stephen And thus by caase of fortune whan she wend to haue taken the body of her husbond She toke the body of the prothomartir and whan she was within the shippe wyth the body there was herd hymnes and songes of angels and a right swete odour and the deuyls cryed menyd grete tempest sayeng Alas Alas ffor the fyrst martir stephen passyth her by which beteth vs cruelly with fyre and the maronners were in grete doubte cryed on seynt stephen And anon he appered to them and saide I am here doubte ye nothyng and anon grete peas was and fayr weder in the see Thenne were there herd the voys of deuyls cryeng felon prynce brenne thys shyppe For stephen our aduersayre is within it with that the prynce of deuillis sent fyue deuyllis for to brenne the shippe but thangel of our lord plunged them doun in the grounde of the see and whan they came to caladoyne the deuyllis cryed sayeng the seruaūt of god cometh whiche was stoned to deth of the felon Iewes Thenne came they in sauete in to Constantynople the body of seynt stephen was brought with grete reuerence in to a chirche and this sayth seint Austyn the coniuncōn of the body of seynt stephen wyth the body of seint laurence was made by this ordenaunce It happed that
their forn goers haue receyued it And hyderto endure the wordes of the sayd Sermon ¶ Yet of thassumpcion of our blessid lady VEryly Iohan damascene whiche for the tyme was a greke sayth many merueilous thynges of thassuÌ„pcion of the right holy and gloryous vyrgyne marye For he sayth in his sermons that this day the right holy and sumptuous Arke whiche bare within her her maker was brought sette in the temple whiche was not made of hondes On this day the right holy culuer or douue Innocent and symple fled fro the arke that is to say fro the body in whiche god receyued and fonde reste On this day the vyrgyn that conceyued not knowyng the passions erthely but enduced by thenteÌ„dements celestyall shalle nat fayle but shalle be called very heuen sowle dwellyng in the celestyal tabernacles And how be hit that the right holy sowle be separate fro her blessid body And that her body was leyd in sepulcre neuertheles it is not dede ne shal not be corrupte by rotyng That is to wete the body of whome childyng the vyrgynyte remayned withoute ony hurtyng or dissolucion is transported to better more hooly lyf withoute corrupcion of deth for to remayne in the tathrnacles perdurable And lyke as the sonne shynyng clere otherwhyle is hyd and apperyth faylyng a short tyme yet she hath nothyng lost of her lyght but in her self is the fontayne of lyght perdurable And thou arte the fontayne of lyght withoute wastyng the tresour of lyf how be it that by shorte interualle or space of tyme thou shalt be brought to corporell dethe Neuertheles thou gyuest to vs habundantly clerenes of lyght with oute defaute And thyn holy dormycion or shepyng is not called deth but a passyng or departyng or more propyrly a comyng For thou departyng fro the body camst to heuen And Ihesu Cryst Angels and Archangels And al the heuenly company cam to mete the The fowle and dampned spyrytes doubte moche thy noble and excellent comyng And thou blessid and glorious vyrgyn thou wentest not to heuen as dyde Helye and thou mountest not as powle dyde vnto the thyrd heuen only â—ut thou camest and touchedest the syege ryall of thy sone The dethe of other sayntes may wel be sayd deth for that deth maketh them blessid but she hath no place in the For thy deth ne thy traÌ„smygracion or thy perfection or thy departyng maketh the not ne gyueth to the surete to be blessid for thou arte begynnynge myddell and ende of alle weles and goodes whiche excede thought humayne Thy surete thy very perfection and thy concepcion withoute sâ—ed And thy dyuyne habytacion haue made the blessid wherof thou saydest thy self that thou art not made blessid by thy deth but of thy concepcion in all generacions And deth hath not made the blessid but thou hast ennoblysshed the deth in takyng awey the heuynes and sorowe therof conuertyng it in to Ioye For god sayd lest parauenture the first forme of man that is to wete Adam put forth his hande and take of the tree of lyf and lyue perdurably how thenne shalle not she lyue in heuen perdurably that bare this lyf which is perdurable and withoute ende Somtyme god putted oute of paradys the fyrst parentes whiche slepte in the dethe of synne buryed fro the begynnyng of in obedyence and glotony and now she that hath borne lyf to all humayne lignage and was obedyent god the fader and putte awey fro her all ordure of synne how shalle not she be in heuen Wherfor shold not she enioye the yates of heuen Eue stretched her ere to the serpent of whom she tooke the venym mortal And by cause she dyd it for delyte she was subdued to beryng and bryngyng forth children in sorow and payne and was condempned with Adam But this blessid vyrgyne that enclyned her ere to the word of god whom the hooly ghoost replenysshed whiche bare in her wombe the mercy of tâ—e fader whiche conceyued withoute knowlege of man and childed withoute payne and sorowe how durst deth swolow her how myyht ony thyng haue corruâ—cion that bare lyf And yet sayth tâ—e sayd damascene in his sermons Veryly the Apostles were departed thorugh the world in al couÌ„trees enteÌ„ded to preching to men to draw them out of the depe derkenesse by one hooly word broughte them to the table celestyall to the solempne espousaylles of God And thenne the dyuyne commaundement which is a nette or a clowde brought them fro alle the partyes of the world in to Iherusalem in assemblyng them bytwene his wynges And thenne Adam and Eue our fyrst parentes cryed Come to vs ryght hooly and holsome Celyer whiche fulfyllest oure desyre And the company of sayntes whiche was there sayd ageyn Remayne with vs our comfort And leue vs not orphelyns thou art the comforte of oure trauaylles refresshyng of oure swetynges that yf thou lyue hit is to vs a gloryous thyng to lyue with the And yf thou dye it is gloryous to vs to deye with the how sholde we be in thys lyf and shalle be detestable fro the presence of thy lyf And as I suppose suche thynges and semblale sayden thappostles with grete plente of them of the chirche with grete waylynges and syghes in compleynyng them fro the departyng And she retornyng toward her sone sayde Syre I pray the to be very comfortour to my sones whom it plesyd the to calle bretheren whiche ben heuy and sorouful of my departyng And with that I shalle blysse them with my honde gyue to them thy blyssyng vpon my blyssyng And thenne she stretched oute her honde and blessyd alle the college of good Crysten men And thenne sayd after lord I commende my spyryte in to thy handes receyue my sowle thy loue whiche thou hast kepte withoute blame of synne to thy self And I commende my body to the erthe for to kepe it hoole or where it shalle plese the to enhabyte it transporte me to the soo where thou arte theÌ„fantement or fruyte of my wombe that I be duellyng wiâ—h the Alle these wordes herd thappostles Thenne sayd oure lord Aryse vp my beloued and come to me O thou moost fayr among wymmen my loue thou arte fayre and no spotte of fylthe is in the And whan the right blessid Vyrgyn herd that she commended her spyryte in to the handes of her sone Thenne thappostles were bedewed with teres and kyssed the tabernacle And by the blessyng and holynes of the hâ—ly body who someuer touched the bere deuoutely were heled of what someuer sekenes they had deuyls were chaced fro demonyakes The ayer and the heuen Were puryfyed by thassumpcion of the sowle and the erthe by the deâ—â—sicion of the body And the water was sayntyfyed by the wasshyng of the body For the body was wasshen with ryght hooly water and clene And the hooly body was not made clene by the water but the water was halowed of her And after the holy body
ketild hym and wolde haue drawen hym to her entente And at the last whan she felt hym vnmeuable though she were vnshamefast yet she was ashamed all confused aroos and wente her wey Another tyme as he was herbourâ—hed in the hows of a lady she consydered the beaute of this yong man and was gretely achauffed and strongly desyred his company And thenne she ordeyned a bedde oute fro the other And in the nyght she aroos withoute shame And cam secretely to hym And when he felte her he cryed theues theues And she fled and lyght a candel her self sought the theef and none was founden And thenne eche man wente to his bed ageyne but this vnhappy woman rested not but aroos ageyne and went to the bed of Bernard as she dyde to fore And he cryed theues theues And the theef was souÈt but he was not fouÌ„den ne publysshed of hym whiche knewe her wel And yet was she chaced the thyrdde tyme And thenne with grete payne she cessed what for drede and despayr And on the morne as they wente by the wey his felaws repreued hym of that he had so dremed of theues and enquyred of hym what it was And he answerd Veryly I haue suffryd this nyght the assaylynges of a theef For myn hostesse enforced to take awey fro me tresour not recouerable And thenne he bythought hym self that it was not sure thyng to duelle with the serpent And thoughte for to flee it And thenne he ordeyned hym to entre in to the ordre of Cistews And whan his bretheren knewe it they wold haue taken hym from that purpoos and our lord gaf to hym soo grete grace that they myght not torne hym fro his conuersyon but he brought alle his bretheren and many other to religyon Neuertheles Gerard his broder a noble knyÈt supposed alwey that they were vayne wordes and refused alwey his monestementes and techynges And thenne Bernard brennyng in the faythe and in the spyryte of broderly loue of charyte sayde My brother I knowe wel that one sharp trauayll shall gyue vnderstondyng to thyn eres And after that he putte his fyngre on his syde and sayd to hym one daye shalle come and that soone that a spere shalle perce thy syde and shalle make wey to thyn hert for to take the couÌ„scylle that thou now refusest And a shorte tyme after Gerard was taken of his enemyes and was hurte on the syde in the place where his broder had sette his fyngre And was put in prison faste bounden And thenne cam to hym Bernard And they wold not suffre hym to speke to hym And he cryed on hye Gerard broder knowe thou that we shalle goo shortely and entre in to the monastery And that same nyght the boundes of Gerard brake fylle of and the dore opened by hym self and he fledde out and sayd to his broder that he had chaunged his purpoos and wold be a monke And this was in the yere of thyncarnacion of oure lord a M C and xij in the xv yere of the ordre of Cysteaux The seruauÌ„t of god Bernard at the age of xxij yere entryd in to the ordre of Cysteaux with moo than thyrtty felawes And as Bernard yssued with hys bretheren oute of his faders hows Guy that was the oldest sawe Vynard his yonger broder whiche was a lytel child and playd with the children And sayd to hym Vynage broder alle the possession of our herytage shalle apperteyne to the And the child answerd not as a child and sayd ye shalle thenne haue heuen and leue to me only the erthe This parte is not euenly ne right wysly deuyded And after the childe abode a lytel whyle with his fader but afterward he folowed his bretheren whan the seruaunt of god Bernard was entryd in to the ordre he was soo esprysed in alle thyng occupyed in god that he vsed no bodely wyttes He had ben a yere in the celle of Nouyces And yet he wyst not whether ther werâ— ony wyndowes on the hows or no and oftymes he had entryd and gone out of the chirche where as in the hede were thre wyndowes And he supposed ther had ben but one And thabbot of Cystraux sente of his bretheren for to edyfye the hows of Clâ—reuaux And made Bernard there Abbot whiche was there long in grete pouerte whiche ofte made his potage with leues of holme And the seruaunt of god waked ouer mannes power And sayd that he loste no tyme but whan he slepte And sayd that the comparyson of slepe and of deth were lyke semblable so they that slepe ben lyke as deth were with men and lyke as dede men ben sene slepyng to god he was vnnethe drawen to ony mete for delyte of appetyte but only for drede of faylyng And he wente to take his mete lyke as he shold haue gone to a torment And he was alwey acustomed whan he had eten to wete yf he had eten to moche or more than he was acustomed And yf he hadde so done he wold punysshe hym self soo that he refreyned his mouthe that he loste a grete partye of the sauour and tastyng of his mete For somtyme he drank oyle whan it was gyuen hym by errour in stede of drynke He sayd that the water was good allone and refresshyd hym wel And he perceyued not that he drank oylle but whan his lyppes were enoynted somme told hym therof And somtyme and other whyle he ete the fatte of rawe flessh in stede of butter He said that all that he had lerned of hooly scripture he had lerned it in woodes in feldes moost by medytacion and prayenge And confessid that he had none other maistres but Okes and Holme treees this confessid he among his frendes Atte taste he confessyd that somtyme when he was in medytacions or prayeng hym thought that all holy scryptures apperyd to hym expowned On a tyme as he reherseth in canticis that he wold put among the wordes suche as the holy ghoost counceyled hym And whyles he made that traitye he wold thynk of good courage what he shold doo whan that were made And theÌ„ne a voys cam to hym sayeng tylle thou hast acomplysshed this werk thou shalt doo none other he had neuer playser in clothynge he sayd that fylthes were in demonstraunce of neclygence And outrageous clothyng was folye gloryfyeng hym self in commysyng outward vayne glorye he had in his herte alwey this prouerbe and oft sayd it who doth that noman doth all men wondre on hym he ware many yeres the hayre And as long as he myght hyde it he ware it And whan he sawe that it was knowen he lefte hit anone and took hym to comyn vesture He lawghed neuer but yf he made gretter force to laughe than to refrayne him He was wonte to saye that the maner of pacyence was in thre maners of in iuryes of wordes of domage of thynges and of mysdoyng of the body On a tyme he wrote a letter to
and defended that neuer after he shold soo doo to her ne to none other And thus was she all delyuerd of that Illusion And whan on a tyme as this holy man as a legate in to that prouynce for to reconcyle the duke of guyan to the chirche And he refused to be reconciled in al maners The hooly man wente to the aulter for to synge masse And the duke abode withoute the chirche as excommyned And whan he had sayd Pax domini he leyd the body of our lord vppon the patene and bare it withoute the chirch And wente oute with a face flammyng and brennyng and assayled the duke by ferdfull wordes sayeng We haue prayed the and thou hast despysed vs boo here is the sone of the vyrgyne whiche is comen to the whiche is lord of the chirche whome thou persecutest this is thy Iuge in the name of whome al knees bowe in the handes of whome thy sowle shalle come despyse hym not as thou hast his seruauntes resyste hym yf thou mayst TheÌ„ne anon the duke wax all styf and was inpotent in alle his membrys And thenne he fylle doune at his feet And the holy man put his fote at hym and commauÌ„ded hym to aryse and to here the sentence of god he thenne tremblyng aroos and accomplysshed anon that the holy man commaunded On a tyme as this holy man saynt Bernard entryd in to Almayne for tappease a grete discord ther was an Archebisshop that sent an honourable clerke ageynst hym And whan the clerke sayd to hym that he had be sent fro his maystre ageynst hym the hooly man answerd to hym and sayd another lord hath sente the And be merueyled and sayd that he was sent of none other but of his lord tharâ—hâ—bisshop And saynt Bernard sayd sone thou arte deceyued our lord Ihesu Cryste whiche hath sente the is gretter mayster And whan the clerke vnderstode hym he sayd syre wenest thou that I wylle be a Monke nay I thought it neuer ne hit cam neuer in my herte yet after in the same vyage he forsoke the world and receyued thabyte of this hooly man saynt Bernard He took also on a tyme in to the 〈◊〉 a noble knyght And whan he had folowed saynt Bernard a lytel tyme he beganne to be greuously tempted and whan a broder sawe hym so heuy he enâ—uyred hym the cause of his heuynes And he answerd hym I wote well I shalle neuer be glad And the brother tolde it to saynt Bernard he prayd to god moch enteÌ„tifly for hym And anone that broder that was so pensyf and soo heuy semed more ioyous than the other and more gladde than he hadde ben to fore heuy And the broder blamed hym by cause he had sayd that he shold neuer be ioyous And he answerd and sayd I wote wel I sayd I shold neuer be glad but I saye now that I neuer shall be soroufull whan saynt Malachyel bisshop of Irlond of whome he wrote the lyf full of vertues passid oute of this world oute of his monasterye blessydly to our lord Ihesu cryst And saynt Bernard offryd to god for hym sacryfyce of helithe he sawe the glory of hym by reuelacion of our lord and by thyn spyracion of god he chaunged the forme of prayer after the communyon sayeng thus with Ioyous voys God that hast acompanyed saynt Malachyell by his merytes with thy sayntes we praye the to gyue to vs that we that make the feste of his precious deth may folowe the examples of his lyf And whan the chantour herd hym he sayd to hym and shewed that he erred And he sayd I erre not but I know wel what I saye and thenne wente to the body and kyssed his feete And in a tyme that the lente approched he was vysyted of dyuerse knyghtes And he prayd them that at the leste in these holy dayes they shold absteyne them fro theyr vanytees their Iolytees and doyng outrages and they in no wyse wolde agree therto And thenne he bad make redy wyn and sayd to them drynke ye the helthe of your sowles whan they had dronken the wyn they were sodenly chaunged and wente to their howses they that had denyed to doo a lytell tyme they gaf to god after all the tyme of their lyf and ladde a ryght hooly lyf At the last the holy saynt Bernard approchyng to the deth sayd blessydly to his bretheren I requyre and commaunded yow to kepe thre thynges the which I remembre to haue kepte to my power as long as I haue ben in this present lyf I haue not wylled to sclaundre ony persone and yf ony haue fallen I haue hydde hit as moche as I myght I haue euer trusted lasse myn owne wytte than ony others Yf I were hurte I neuer requyred vengeaunce of the hurter I leue to yow charyte humylyte and pacyence and after that he had done many myracles and had made Clxxj monasteryes and had ordeyned many bookes and trayttyes he accomplysshed the dayes of his lyf the lxiij yere of his age in the yere of oure lord a MClvj he slepte in oure lord amonge the handes of his sonnes and his glory shewed his departyng hens to moche peple He appyered to an abbotte in a monasterye and admonested hym that he shold folowe hym and he soo dyde And thenne saynt Bernard sayde we be comen to the Mount of Lybane thou shalt abyde here And I shalle ascende vp an hyhe And he asked hym wherfor he wold gone vp And be sayd for to lerne I wyl go vp And he beyng gretely admerueyled said what wylt thou 〈◊〉 fader to whome we byleue that ther is none to the lyke ne holden soo wyse in scyence as thou arte And he sayd here is no scyence ne here is no knowlege of trouthe but ther aboue is plente of scyence And on hyghe is the veery knowlege of trouthe And with that word he vanysshed aweye And thenne that Abbotte marked that daye and found that saynt Bernard was thenne passed to oure lord whiche shewed for hym many myracles And Innumerable To whome be gyuen laude and preysyng euerlastyng Amen Thus endeth the lyf of the glorious doctor saynt Bernard Of saynt Thimothe and interpretacion of his name THimothe is as mohe to saye as holdynge drede Or of timore that is drede and theos a word of greek whiche is deus in latyn and god in Englysshe as the drede of god Of saynt Thymothe SAynt Thymothe was taken vnder New of the prouoste of Rome and was greuously beten and had quyk lyme put in his throte and vppon his wonndes And he rendryd thankynges to god with al his herte And thenne two Angels cam to hym sayeng lyfte vp thyn hede to heuen And thenne he byheld and sawe the heuen open and Ihesu Cryste whiche helde a double crowne and said to hym thou shalt receyue this of my hand And a man named Appollynare sawe this thyng and dyd hym to be baptysed And therfor the prouost
was gretely troublyd how she myght do to make eugenne to haue to do with her thenne she fayned her to be seke sent for this broder eugenne to come haue pyte on her whan she was come she tolde to her in what manere she was taken in his loue how she brenned in desyryng hym praid her that she wolde lye by her haue to do carnally embraced her kyssed her exhorted her for to do synne eugenne had grete horrour abhomynacion of her said thou art by ryght called me lancye for hit is an euyl name fulfilled of trayson thou art said black derke douÈter of derkenes frende of the deuyll lyÈt of pollucion nourisshyng of lechery anguisshâ—us douÈter of sempyternal deth when she sawe her deceyued of that she coueited she doubted that eugenne shold discouere her felonnye began fyrst to crye that eugenne wold â—â—er haue enforced her thenne she wente to the prouost phelyp complayned sayeng that a yong man a fals cristen was come to me by cause of me dycyne took me wold haue enforced me by strengthe for to haue synned with hym yf I had not be holpen delyuerd by a chamberere which was in my chaÌ„bre when the prouost herd this he was gretely meuid sent for a multitude of peple made eugene to be brought with the other seruauÌ„tes of Ihesu crist bouÌ„den in yron establisshed a day whan they al shold be delyuerd to beestes for to be deuoured thenne were they called to fore the prouost whiche said to eugene say to me thou ryÈt cursyd wretche yf your god hath taughte yow to do suche werkes as for to corrumpe defowle the wymmen forcibly ayenst theyr wylle thenne Eugenne whiche had the hede enclyned by cause she wold not be knowen sayd that our lorde taught and enseygned chastyte entyerly and promysed to them that kepte hit the lyf perdurable And we maye wel shewe that Melancye is fals and lyeth But hit is better to vs to suffre than she sholde be vaynquysshed and pugnysshed And that the fruyt of our pacyence perysshe not but notwithstondyng lete her chaÌ„berere be brought forth here She is the wytnes of oure felonye so that the lesynges of her may be repreuyd And whan she was come she beynge lerned of her lady opposed ageynst eugeÌ„ne sayd that he wold haue taken her by force And also alle the other of the meyne corrupte by the lady wytnessyd that it was soo And EugeÌ„ne sayd the tyme is passed of scylence and the tyme to speke is now I wylle no lenger suffre that this shameles creature put more blame gyltles on the seruaunt of Ihesu cryste ne that she gloryfye not in her malyce ne in her falsete And by cause that trouthe surmounteth her lesynge and that wysedome surmounteth her malyce I shal shewe the trouthe for none auauntage but for the glorye of our lord And thenne she tooke her cote and rente it vnto her gyrdel aboue and sayd that she was a woman as it apperyd And also sayd to the prouost thou art my fader and Claudyenne is my moder And the tweyne that sytte wyth the Auyce and Serge ben my bretheren And I am Eugenne thy doughter And these tweyne ben Prothus and Iacyncte And whanne the fader herde that he knewe well his doughter And thenne he and her moder embraced her and wepte tendyrly for ioye And thenne they clothed Eugenne with clothes of gold and enhaunced her on hyhe And after this cam a fyre from heuen and brente Melancye alle her meyne Thenne Eugenne conuertid to the faythe her fader moder bretheren and alle the meyne therfore lefte the fader the prouostye And was ordeyned Bisshop of the Crysten peple And as he was in prayer and oryson he was slayne of the myscreauÌ„tes and paynyms Thenne Claudyenne with her sones and Eugenne retorned to Rome and there couertid moche peuple vnto the faythe of Ihesu Cryst Thenne by the commaundemente of the emperour ther was a grete stone bounden to the neck of Eugenne and was throwen in to tyber but the stone brake and she wente withoute harme vppon the water Thenne she was throwen in to a brennynge fornays but the fornays was quenchyd by myracle and bycam cold And thenne she was putte in to a derke pryson but a grete shynynge lyght made it all clere and lyghte And whanne she hadde ben there ten dayes withoute mete our lord Ihesu Cryste apperyd to her and brought to her a ryght whyte loof and sayd to her take this mete of my hande I am thy sauyour whome thou hast loued wyth alle thy thought And on that day that I descended in to therthe I shal receyue the Thenne on the daye of the Natyuyte of oure lord the tormentour was sente to her and he smote of her hede And after that she appered to her moder and sayd to her that she shold folowe her on the sonday after And whanne the sonday cam claudyenne put her self to prayer gaf her spyryte to god thenne Prothus Iacyncte were drawen to the temple for to do sacryfyse they by their prayers al to brake thidolle whan they wold in no wyse do sacryfyse they accoÌ„plysshed their martirdom in suffrynge their hedes to be smytoÌ„ of suffred deth vnder Valeryen galyen about the yere of our lord ijC lvij by whos merytes late vs praye almyghty god to haue mercy on vs brynge vs to his blysse Amen Thus enden the lyues of Prothe and Iacincte Here foloweth the Exaltacion of the holy Crosse TExaltacion of the holy Crosse is sayd by cause that on this daye the hooly crosse faythe were gretely enhauÌ„ced And it is to be vnderstonden that to fore the passion of our lord Ihesu crystel the tree of the crosse was a tree of fylthe For the crosses were made of vyle trees of trees without fruyte For all that was planted on the Mount of caluarye bare no fruyte It was a fowle place for hit was the place of the torment of theuys it was derke for it was in a derke place and without ony beaute It was the tree of deth for men were put there to dethe It was also the tree of stenche for it was planted amonge the caroynes after the passion the Crosse was moche enhaunced For the vylte was transported in to preciousyte Of the whiche the blessyd saynt Andrewe sayth O precious holy Crosse god saue the his bareynes was torned in to fruyte as it is sayd in the Cantyques I shall ascende vp in to palme tree et cetera His ignobylyte or vnworthynes was tourned in to sublymyte and heyght The Crosse that was tormente of theuys is now born in the fronte of themperours his derkenes is torned in to lyght and clerenesse wherof Crysostom sayth the Crosse and the wouÌ„des shall be more shynyng than
meruayled of hym For they that demed hym an Heretik were madde he was al in lessons all in bookes he ne rested day ne nyghte but alway redde or wrote Hec Seuerus And lyke as it apperyth by these wordes And also he wytnessyth hym self He suffred many persecutours detractours whiche persecucions he suffred pacyently and goodly as it apperid in an Epystle that he sente to asselle I yeue thankynges to oure lord god that I am worthy that the world hate me And that wycked men and Ianglers holde me for euylle For I knowe wel that men come to heuen by the dyffame of wycked men more than by good renommee And I wold that the companye of myscreauntes shold pursewe and persecute me for the name and ryght of oure lord My wylle is that the repreef of the world aryse more feruently ageynst me soo that I myghte deserue to be preysed of our lord and that I may hope the reward of his promesse Temptacyon is desyrous and agreable whoos merite in resystynge is to be hoped reward of Cryste in heuen Ne the cursynge ne malediction is not greuous whiche is chaunged in to dyuyne laude and praysynge He deyed aboute the yere of our lord CCC lxxx and eyghte ¶ Thus endeth the lyf of saint Iheromme Here foloweth the lyf of seint Remyge And first of his name REmyge is said of Remige that is a boteman or a rower Or hit is sayd of Remys whiche ben Instrumentes by whiche the shippe is rowed and conduyted and of gyon â—hat is to saye wrastlynge He gouerned the Chirche and kepte it fro paryll of wrake and brought it to the porte of heuen And for the chirche he wrastlyd ageynst the assaultes of the deuylle Of saint Remyge SAint Remyge conuertid to the fayth the kynge the peuple of Fraunce The kynge had a wyf named Rotilde whiche was Crysten And she enforced her moche to conuerte her husbond to the Crysten fayth but she myght not And whan she hadde a childe She wold haue Crystened hym But the kynge deffended it to her And she rested not til at the last the kyng grauÌ„ted that it shold be crysten And after that it was cristened it deyde anone Thenne said the kynge Now hit apperith well that Cryst is a vyle god for by cause he may not kepe hym whiche in his faythe shold haue ben enhauÌ„ced in my kyngdome after me And she said to hym Now fele I wel that I am louyd of my god by cause he hath receyued the fyrst fruyte of my wombe he hath enhaunced to a better kyngdom my sone and to regne perpetuelly with outen ende whiche is moche better than thy kyngdome is And sooâ—e after she conceyued ageyne and had a fayr sone whome with grete prayers she baptysed as she dyd the fyrste but anone after he was seke soo that they hadde none hope of his lyf And thenne the kynge sayd to his wyf Certeynly this is a feble god whiche may not coÌ„serue ne kepe none that is baptysed in his name And yf thou haddest a thousand and dydest them to be baptysed al shold perisshe yet neuertheles the child reuyued was hole so that he regned after his fader And the faythful quene enforced her to brynge her husbond to the faythe but he reffused it in alle maners It is sayed in that other feste whiche is after thepyphanye how the kynge was conuertid to the fayth And the forsayd kynge Clouys when he was crystened sayd that he wold gyue to saynt Remige for tendowe his chirche as moche lond as he myght go aboute whyles he slepte at mydday And soo it was done but ther was a man whiche had a mylne within the circuyte whiche saynt Remyge hadde closed And as saynt Remyge wente aboute it the Mylnar putted hym out with indignacion and grete despyte And saynt Remyge sayd to hym frende haue no desdayne and late it not be to harde yf we haue also this Mylne with that other Neuertheles the Mylnar put hym out And anone the whele of the Mylne beganne to torne contrarye And thenne the Mylnar cryed after saynt Remyge and sayde Seruaunt of god come and late vs haue the mylle to gydre And saynt Remyge sayd nay hit shalle neyther be myn ne â—hyn And anone the erthe opened and swolewed in all the mylle And saynt Remyge knewe by the spyrite of prophecye and by the wylle of god that a grete famyne shold come And assembled in a Towne grete plente of whete And the dronken Vylayns of the Towne mocqued and scorned hym of his prouydence And sett the garners a fyre And when he knewe hit he cam thyder And by cause he was cold for age and his last tyme approchyd fast he satte doune by the fyre and warmed hym and sayd with a peasyble herte the fyre is alwey good Neuertheles they that made that fyre and alle the men of theyr lygnage were broken in her membres And the wymmen gowty And this endured in the same Towne vnto the tyme of Charles whiche chaced and maade them goo theyr waye and soo disperplyd them And it is to be knowen that the feste of saynt Remyge that is halowed in Ianyuer is the feste of his blessyd deth and deposicion and thys is the feste of the translacion of hys blessyd body For when after his deth the hooly body shold have be broughte to the chirche of saynt Thymothe and Appollynare with the shryne and cam nyghe vnto the chirche of saynt Cristofre it beganne to weye soo moche that they myght not meue hit fro thens in no manere At the last they prayd our lord that he wold vouchesauf to shewe them yf it were his wylle that the body shold be buryed in that chirche where as no relyques reste And thenne anone they took vp the body lyghtely ynowe and buryed hym there honourably And many myracles were ther shewed soo that they enlarged and made the chirche more ample and large And thenne they made an oratoyre behynde the aulter and wold haue do lâ—â—en for to haue leyd the body in that oratoyre but they couthe not meue hit in no manere Thenne they watched and prayd vnto oure lord and att mydnyght they fylle all a slepe And on the morne they fonde the sepulcre with the body in the place whiche aungels had borne thider whyle they slepte And this was the k lendes of octobre whiche afterward by long tyme on the same daye it was translated in to a feretre or shryne of syluer he flowrid about the yeres of our lord CCCC four score and ten ¶ Thus endeth the translacion of saint Remyge Here foloweth the lyf of seint Logier And first of his name LOgier is said of leos that is to saye peple and of ganos that is to saye angell Logyer was aungel of the peple For an angel is propyrly lyght And is a messagyer for to shewe the peuple good werkes And soo he shewed to the peple to fore the
supposid that they had yet lyuyd and merueyled why he so reherced their names in the canone And they so wondryng ther appyered vppon the Crosse of the aulter thre dounes syttynge whiche hadde the names of the sayntes marked and wreton on their brestes with blood whiche dylygently beholdyng vnderstode well that the sayntes were departed oute of this world And ygnarus Bisshop of Reynes sayth in a pistse whiche he sente to Charles that this denys that was sent in to Fraunce was denyse Ariopagita as afore is sayd And the same sayth Iohannes scotus in a pystle to charles lest by the reason of the countynge of the tyme shold be sayd ageynst as somme wolde obiecte Aboute the yere of our lord eyght honderd xxxij in the tyme of lowys kynge of Fraunce the Messagyers of Mychael emperour of Constantinople amonge other thynges brought to Lâ—wys sone of Charles le graunt the bookes of saynt denys of the gerarchye of the aungels translated oute of greke in to latyn and were receyued with grete ioye And that same nyght were nynten seke men heled in his chirche Aboute the yere of oure lord sixe honderd and thre and fourty lyke as hit is conteyned in a Cronycle Dagobert kynge of Fraunce whiche regned longe to fore pyppyn beganne to haue fro his childehode grete reuerence to saynt Denys For whanne he douted in that tyme the Ire of his fader Clotayre he fledde anone to the Chirch of saynt Denys And whanne thys holy kynge was deed it was shewed in a vysyon vnto an hooly man that the sowle of hym was rauysshed to iugement and that many sayntes accused hym that he hadde despoylled theyr chirches And as the wycked Aungels wold haue had hym to the paynes the blessyd Denys cam thyder by hym he was delyuerd at his comynge and escaped fro the paynes And peraduenture the sowle retorned to the body and dyd penaunce Clouys kynge discouered the body of saynt Denys not dewely and brake the bone of his arme and rauysshed it awey coueytously And anone he becam oute of his mynde Thenne late vs worshipe almyghty god in his seyntes that we by their merytes maye amende our self in this wretchyd lyf that we may after this lyf come vnto his sempyternal blysse in heuen Amen ¶ Thus endeth the lyf of saint Denyse Here foloweth of saint Calixt pope And first of his name CAlixte is said of caleo cales that is to say eschauffe or to make warme For he was hoote and brennynge Fyrst in the loue of god And after he was hoote and brennynge in gâ—tynge and purchacyng sowles and thyrdly he was hoote in destroyeng the false ydolles and also in shewynge the paynes for synne Of saint Calyxte CAlixte the pope was martryd the yere of our lord two honderd and two and twenty vnder Alysander the Emperour And by the werkes of the sayd emperoure the mooste apparaunt partye of Rome was thenne brent by vengeaunce of god And the lyfte arme of thydolle Iupyter whiche was of fyne gold was molten And thenne alle the prestes of thydolles wente to themperour Alysander and requyred hym that the goddes that were angry myght be appeased by sacryfyses And as they sacryfysed on a thursday by the morne the ayer beynge al clere foure of the preestes of thydolles were smeton to deth with one stroke of thondre And the aulter of Iupiter was brente soo that alle the peple fled out of the walles of Rome And whan Palmachyen Consul knewe that Câ—lyxt with his clerkes hydde hym ouer the water of Tybre requyred that the Crysten men by whom this euyll was happed and comen shold be putte oute for to purge and clense the cyte And whanne he hadde receyued power for to doo soo he hasted hym incontynent wyth his knyghtes taccomplysshe hit And anone they were al made blynde And thenne palmachyen was aferd And shewed this vnto Alysandre And thenne themperour commaunded that the wednesday alle the peple shold assemble and sacryfye to Mercurye that they myghte haue answere vpon these thynges And as they sacryfyed a mayde of the temple whiche was named Iulyane was rauysshed of the deuylle and beganne to crye The God of Calyxte is very trewe and lyuyng whiche is wrothe and hath indignacion of our ordures And whanne palmachyen herd that he wente ouer Tybre vnto the Cyte of Rauenne vnto seynt Calixte and was baptysed of him he his wyf and alle his meyny And when themperour herd that he dyd do calle hym and delyuerd hym to Symply cyen Senatour for to warne and treate hym by fayr wordes by cause he was moche prouffitable for the comune And Palmachyen perseueryd in fastynges and in prayers Thenne cam to hym a man whiche promysed to hym that yf he heled his wyf whiche hadde the palseye that he wold bileue in god anone And whan Palmachien had adourid and praid the woman that was seke aroos and was al hole And ran to Palmachyen sayenge Baptise me in the name of Ihesu crist whiche hath taken me by the hand and lifte me vp Thenne cam Calixte and baptised her and her husbond and symplycyen and many other And when themperour herd herof he sente to smyte of the hedes of all them that were baptised And made Calixte to lyue fyue dayes in the prison withoute mete and drynke And after he sawe that calixt was the more comforted and gladde And commaunded that he shold euery daye be beten with staues And after he made a grete stone to be bounden to his neck and to be throwen doun from an hihe out of a wyndowe in to a pitte And Asteryen his preest took vp the body oute of the pytte And after buryed the body in the Cymytorye of Calipodyen Thus endeth the lyf of saint Calixte ¶ Here foloweth the lyf of seint Edward kynge and confessour IN old tyme the Royamme of Englond was gretely troublyd wyth the Danes So that in many kynges dayes there couthe no pees be maade But contynuelly werre And the Danes preuayled ageynste Englond And they brought it vnder their subiection for their cruelte and tyrannye was soo grete that withoute sparynge of ony thyng brent and destroyed But at the last it plesyd almyghty god that this tyrannye shold cease And sente of his grace vnto this Royame of Englond a peasible kyng named Edgar In whos byrth angels songen that pees shal be in his tyme so in his dayes was no werre in englond saynt edward kyng martir his sone regned not long after hym For his stepmoder dyde do slee hym in his yonge age by cause her sone Ethelrede shold regne saynt Dunston baptysed Ethelrede and saide by cause he defowled the fontstone that he shold lyue in grete trouble so he dyde for the danes warryd alle his tyme thys Etheldrede wedded Erle Goodwyns doughter on whome he gate Edmond yronsyde And after the deth of that quene he wedded the doughter of Rychard duke of Normandy which hiÈt Emme by whome
his seruauntes Was almooste ouerthrowen as he smote that one foâ—e with that other And yet the sadder foote sauyd al and kepte hym on his feet whiche thynge gaf occasion to the kynge to talke to his lordes And tho two feet were lykened to two bretheren that yf that one were ouer charged that other shold helpe and socoure hym Thenne sayd the kynge soo myght my broder haue ben an helpe to me and a supporter in tyme of nede yf he had not ben bytraid of goodwyn Thenne goodwyne herynge these wordes of the kynges mouthe was soore aferd sayde Syre ye deme that I shold bytraye your broder I pray god that this Morcelle of brede may choke me yf I consented to his deth Thenne the kyng blessyd the brede and badde hym ete hit And the morsell abode in his throte choked hym soo that his brethe was stopped and so deyde wretchydly Thene the kynge sayd drawe the traytour oute of my presence For now his traysone and falshede appyereth On an eester day whanne he had receyued our lord was sette at his dyner In the myddle of it whanne all was scylence he fylle in to a smylyng and after in to a sadnes wherfore alle that were there merueyled gretely but none durste axe of hym what he mente but after dyner duke harold folowed hym in to his chambre with a bisshop and an Abbot that were of his preuy counceylle and demaunded of hym the cause of that thynge Thenne the kyng sayde whanne I remembryd at my dyner the grete benefetes of worship dignyte of metes of drynkes of seruauntes of arraye and of alle Rychesses and Ryalte that I stoode in at that tyme And I referryd all that worship to almyghty god as my customme is thenne our lord opened myn eyen And I sawe the seuen slepers lyenge in a caue in the Mount Celyon besyde the Cyte of Ephesym in the same fourme and maner as though I hadde ben by them And I smyled whanne I sawe them tourne them fro the ryght syde to the lyft syde But whan I vnderstode what is sygnyfyed by the said tornynge I hadde no cause to lawghe but rather to morne The tornynge sygnefyeth that the prophecye be fulfylled that sayth Surget gens coÌ„tra gentem that is to saye peple shaâ—le aryse ageynste peple and a kyngdome ageynste another they haue leyn many yeres vpon their ryght syde And they shal lye yet on there lyft syde lxx yere In whiche tyme shalle be greete bataylles grete pestylence and greete moreyn grete erth quaues grete hongre and grete derthe thorugh alle the world of whiche sayenge of the kyng they gretely merueyled And anone they sente to the emperour to knowe yf ther were ony suche cyte or hylle in his londe in whiche suche seuen men sholde slepe Thenne the Emperour meruaylynge sente to the same hylle and there fonde the caue and the seuen martirs slepynge as they had ben deed lyenge on the lyft syde euerychone And thenne themperour was gretely abasshyd of that syght and commended gretely the holynes of saynt Edward the kynge of Englond whiche hadde the spyryte of prophecye For after his dethe beganne grete Insurrections thorugh al the world For the paynyms destroyed a grete parte of Syrye and threwe doune bothe monasteryes and chirches And what by pestylence and stroke of swerde stretes feldes and Townes lay ful of dede men the prynce of grece was slayne Themperour of Rome was slayne The kyng of Englond the kyng of Fraunce were slayne and alle the other Royames of the world were gretely troublyd with dyuerse diseases whan the blessyd kynge Edward had lyued many yeres and was falle in to grete age it happed he cam rydynge by a chirche in Essex called Clauerynge whiche was at that tyme in halowynge and shold be dedicate in thonour of our lord and saint Iohan theuangelyst wherfor the kynge for grete deuocion lyght doune and taryed whyle the chirche was in halowynge And in the tyme of procession A fayr old man cam to the kynge demaunded of hym almesse in the worship of god and saynt Iohan euangelyste Thenne the kynge fond nothynge redy to yeue ne his Amener was not presente but toke of the ryng fro his fyngre and yaue it vnto the poure man whome the poure man thaÌ„ked and departed And within certayne yeres after two pylgryms of Englond wente in to the hooly londe for to vysyte hooly places there And as they hadde lost their way and were gone fro their felauship and the nyghte approched and they sorowed gretely as they that wyste notwhyder to goo and dredde sore to be perysshed among wylde beestes ¶ At the last they sawe a fayr company of men arayed in whyte clothynge with two lyghtes borne a fore them And behynde them ther cam a faire auncyent man with white heer for age Thenne these pylgryms thought to folowe the lyÈte and drewe nyhe Thenne the old man axyd them what they were and of what Regyon And they answerd that they were pilgryms of Englond and had lost their felauship and way also Thenne this old man comforted them goodly and broughte them in to a fayre cyte where was a fayr Cenacle honestly arayed with all maner of deyntees And whanne they had well refresshyd them and restyd there alle nyghte On the morne this fayre old man wente with them and broughte them in the ryght weye ageyne And he was gladde to here them talke of the welfare and holynes of their kynge saynt Edward And whanne he shold departe fro them thenne he told them what he was and sayd I am Iohan theuangelyst And saye ye vnto Edward youre kynge that I grete hym wel by the token that he yaf to me this rynge with his owne handes at the halowynge of my chirche whiche ryng ye shalle delyuer to hym agexne And saye ye to hym that he dispose his goodes For within sixe monethes he shal be in the Ioye of heuen with me where he shalle haue his reward for hys chastyte and for his good byuynge And drede ye not for ye shalle spede ryght well in youre Iourney And ye shalle come home in short tyme sauf sounde And whan he hadde delyuerd to them the rynge he departed fro them sodaynly And sone after they cam home and dyd their message to the kynge and delyuerd to hym the ryng sayd that saynt IohÌ„n euangelyst sente it to hym And as soone as he herd that name he was full of ioye and for gladnes lete falle teerys fro his eyen â—euynge lawde and thankynge to almyghty god and to saynt Iohan his auowry that he wold vouchesauf to late hym haue knowlege of his departyng oute of this world Also he had another token of saynt Iohan that was that the two pylgryms shold deye tofore hym whiche thynge was prouyd trewe for they lyuyd not long after And at the feste of Cristemasse the kynge was seke And on the day of
of heuen there to receyue the ioye whiche is promysed to alle trewe Crysten men put ye awey your wepyng spede forth my iourney with prayers with holy psalmes· and wyth almesse dedes For though myn enemy the feÌ„de may not ouercome me in my faithe yet ther is none founden so parfiÈte but he wyll assaye tempte to lette or to feer hym And thenne he commaunded the quene to her broder in commendynge her vertues vnto his lordes and declared to them their pure chastyte For she was to hym in open places as his wyf and in secrete places as his suster And he commaunded also that her dowayre shold be made sure to her And they that come with hym oute of Normandye shold be put to theyr chois whether they wold abyde stylle in Englond and to be endowed wyth lyuelode after their degree or els to retorne ageyne in to NormaÌ„dy with a suffycyent reward And he chaas his place for his sepulture in the chirche of seynt Peter whiche he had newe bylded And sayde he sholde not longe abyde in this world And whanne he behelde the quene and sawe hir wepe syghe amonge he said to her oftymes My doughter wepe not for I shal not dye but I shall lyue shalle departe fro the lond of deth And byleue to see the goodnes of god in the londe of lyf And thenne he sette his mynde al in god and yaf hym self hooly to the faythe of the Chirche in the hope and promyses of Cryst vnder the sacramentis of the chirche And amonge these wordes of praysynge he yelded vp his spyryte vnto god In the yere of our lord M lxvj whan he hadde regned in this londe xxiij yere and sixe monethes and xxvij dayes the fourthe day of Ianyuer And as his Cosyns and his louers stode aboute this holy body whan the spyryte was passed they sawe a merueylous beaute an heuenly sighte in his face And whan they loked on his naked body they sawe it shyne with a merueylous brightnesse for the clernes of his vyrgynyte And thenne they wrapped the holy body in pallys And beryed it with grete reuerence and worship and largely almesse was gyuen for hym And all the lordes spyrytuell and temporel were present at the beryeng of hym than kynge god of the grete benefaittes that he shewed in this lond duryng the lyf of the hooly saynt and kynge saynt Edward wherfor lawde glorye and honour be gyuen to almyÈty god world withoute ende Amen The eyght day after his beryeng ther cam a crepil to his Tombe to be holpen of his grete dysease whiche many tymes afore had receyued almesse of the kynges honde And he had be wasshen of the kynges honde on cenethursdaye Notwythstondyng the myracle of his curynge was prolonged by the prouysyon of god and not shewed in his lyf tyme by cause that many myracles god shewed for hym In lyke wyse he wold shewe after his deth This Crepyl was called Rauf And was a norman borne and the synewes of his arme were shronken to gyder that his feet were drawe vp to his buttokkis that he myght not goo neyther on his feet ne on his knees but sat on an holowe vessel in maner of a basyn drawyng his body after hym with his hondes And whan he cam to the Tombe he besought almyghty god and saynt Edward deuoutely that he myght be cured and heled of his dysease whiche in his lyf tyme had mooste lyuyd by his almesse And whanne he had contynued a whyle in his prayers other peuple that had compassion of hym praid for hym also And atte last he lyft hym self vp and felte his synewes losed And thenne he arose vp and stode on his feet and felt hym self made parfyghtely hole for to doo what he shold We haue redde of the vertues that saint Edward had in helyng blynde men in his lyuyng whiche our lord hath not withdrawe from hym after his dethe It happed that thyrtty dayes after his beryeng ther cam to his Tombe a man whiche had but one eye ledyng after hym sixe blynde men eche of them helde other by the skyrte And all they deuoutely prayd to god and to saynt Edward that they myght haue their sight and to be delyuerd of the grete myserye that they stode in And moche peple cam thyder for to see what shold befalle of this thyng And whan they sawe how hertely these blynde men prayde thenne alle the peple beynge moeuyd wyth pyte knelyd doune deuoutely and prayd for them to god and to this hooly seynt And anone as they had endyd their prayers Alle they receyued parfyghtely theire sight And thenne eche of them that had ben blynde lokyd fast on eche other And thought it a newe world with them and eche enquyred of other yf they myght see and they said ye And alle knelyd doune thankyng god ful hertely that by the meryces of saynt Edward had restored to them their siÈt parfyghtly And also to theyr leder whiche had but one eye at his comyng And had syght of the blynde eye also And soo alle had their parfyght syght And after they retourned home eche in to his Countrey gyuynge lawde and thankynges to god and this holly kynge After this Harold Arphage kyng of Norwey and Tostyn broder of kynge Harold of Englonde cam with a grete nauye and a grete hoost and arryued in humbre and there made werre entendynge to conquere this londe how be it the peple beganne to resyste them but they were not of power to ouercome them And when Harold vnderstode this he reysed a grete multitude of peple to withstonde them Thenne saynt Edward on a nyght appyered to an holy Monke whiche was Abbot of Rammesey And bad hym go and telle to Harold that he shold ouercome his enemyes the which entended to destroye and consume this Royamme of Englond And saye to hym that he drede not For I shal so conduyte hym and his hoost that he shall haue vyctorye For I maye not see ne suffre this Royamme of Englonde to be destroyed And whan thou hast tolde to hym this he wyâ—le not byleue the wherfor thow shalt proue thy vision in this maner late hym thynke and set his mynde on what thyng he wille And thow shalt telle hym what he thynketh For god shalle shewe that to the And thenne he shalle yeue credence to thy wordes On the morn the abbot of Rammesey named Alexis went to kyng harold and told to hym this visionn And how he shold by the aide of saint Edward ouercome his enemyes And when he herde hit fyrste he supoosed hit had ben a fantasye And when he shewed to hym his preuy thought thenne he gaf faith therto And wente to the bataille how be it he was thenne seke in his grynde of a pestilence botche And slewe Tostyne his brother and Harold Harfage And right fewe or none escaped a lyue fro the bataille Wherfor the Englisshmen thanked god and saynt Edward of their
Gerasyne quene of Scycyle whiche hadde made of her husbond that was a cruel tyraunt a meke lambe And was suster of Moryce the Bisshop and of Darye moder of saynt Vrsula To whome the fader of saynt vrsula had sygnefyed by secrete lettres She by thynspyracion of god put her self in the weye with her foure doughters Babylla Iuliana Victorea and aurea and her lytel sone Adryan whiche for loue of his susters wente in the same pylgremage And lefte alle in the hande of his owne sone and cam in to Brytayne And saylled ouer see in to Englond And by the counceyl of thys quene the virgyns wâ—re gadred to gydre fro dyuerse Royammes And she was ledar of them And at the last she suffryd martirdome with them And thenne the condycion made all thynges were made redy Thenne the quene shewed her counceylle to the knyghtes of her companye And made them alle to swere this newe chyualrye And thenne beganne they to make dyuerse playes and games of bataylle as to renne here and there and fayned many maner of playes And for alle that they lefte not their purpoos And somtyme they retourned fro this playe at mydday and somtyme vnnethe at euen songe tyme And the barons and grete lordes assembled them to see the fayre games and disportes And alle had ioye and playsyre in beholdyng them and also meruaylle And at the lasie whan Vrsula hadde conuertid all these Virgyns vnto the faith of Cryst they wente alle to the see And in the space of a daye· they sailled ouer the see hauynge soo good wynde that they arryued at a porte of gaule named Tyelle and fro thens cam to Coboyn where an Angel of our lord appyeryd to vrsula and tolde her that they shold retorne ageyne the hole nombre to that place and there receyue the crowne of martirdom fro thens by the monycyon of the angel they went toward Rome And whanne they cam to Basyle they lefte there theire shippes and wente to Rome a fote At the comynge of whome the pope Ciriacus was moche glad by cause he was borne in Brytayne And hadde many Cosyns amonge them And he with his clerkis receyued them with alle honour And that same nyght it was shewed to the pope that he shold receyue with them the Crowne of martirdome whiche thyng he hydde in hym self and baptifid many of them that were not thenne baptised And when he sawe tyme couenable when he had gouerned the chirch one yere and enleuen wekes and was the xix 〈◊〉 after Peter he purposed to fore alle the peple and shewed to them his purpoos and resigned his offyce and his dygnyte but alle men gaynsayd it and specially the cardynallys whiche supposed that he trespaced leuynge the glorye of the papacye And wold goo after this folysshe vyrgyns but he wold not agree tabyde but ordeyned an holy man to occupye in his place whiche was named Ametus And by cause he left the syege apostolyque ayenst the wylle of the clergye the clerkes put oute his name of the Cathologue of popes and alle the grace that he had goten in his tyme This holy companye of wymmen made hym for to leue hit And thenne two felon prynces of the Chyualrye of Rome Maxymyen and Affrycan sawe these grete companye of vyrgyns and that many men and wymmen assemblyd to them doubted that Crysten relygyon shold moche be encreaced by them wherfor they requyred dylygently of their vyage And thenne sente they messagers to Iulyan theire Cosyn prynce of the lygnage of the Hunes that he shold brynge his hoost ageynst them And shold assemble at Coleyne And there byhede them by cause they were Crysten And the blessyd Cyryake yssued oute of the Cyte of rome with this blessyd company of vyrgyns And Vyncent preest Cardynal and Iaques that was come fro Brytayne in to Antyoche and had holde there seuen yere the dignyte of the Bisshop whiche thenne hadde vysyted the pope and was gone oute of his Cyte And held company with these virgyns whan he herd of their comyng and suffrid martirdome with them And mauryce Bisshop of Leuytane the Cyte vncle of babylle and Iulyan And Folarius Bisshop of lucence with supplyce bisshop of Rauenne whiche thenne were come to Rome put them in the companye of these virgyns Ethereus the husbond of Vrsula abydyng in britayne was warned of our lord by a vysyon of an Angel that he shold exhorte his moder to be Crysten For his fader deyde the fyrste yere that he was Crystned And Ethereus his sene succeded after hym in his regne And thenne whan these holy vyrgyns retorned fro Rome with the bisshops Ethereus was warned of oure lord that he shold anone aryse and goo to mete his wyf at Coleyne and there receyue with her the Crowne of martirdome the whiche anone obeyed to admonestements dyuyne And dyd do baptyse his moder and cam with her and his lytel suster Florence thenne also baptysed and with the bisshop Clement metynge the holy virgyns and accompanyed them vnto martirdome Marculus bisshop of grece and his nece Constaunce doughter of Dorothe kynge of Constantynople which was maryed to the sone of a kynge but he deyde to fore the weddyng And she auowed to our lord her vyrgynyte they were also warned by a vysyon cam to Rome and ioyned them to these vyrgyns vnto the martirdome And thenne alle these vyrgyns cam with the bisshops to Coleyne And fonde that it was besyeged with the Hunes And whan the Hunes sawe them they beganne to renne vpon them with a grete crye and araged lyke wolues on shepe and slewe alle this grete multitude And whanne they were al byheded they cam to the blessyd Vrsule the prynce of them seyng her beaute soo merueylous was abasshed and began to comforte her vpon the dethe of the vyrgyns and promysed to her to take her to his wyf And whan she hadde refused hym and despysed hym at all he shote at her an arow and perced her thorugh the body And so accomplysshed her martirdome And one of the vyrgyns whiche was named Cordula was sore aferd and hydde her self alle that nyght in a ship but on the morn she suffrid deth by her free wylle and toke the crowne of martirdome And by cause her feest was not holde with the other vyrgynes she appierid longe after to a recluse and commaunded hym that the next daye folowynge the feste of the virgyns her feest shold shold be remembryd They suffrid dethe the yere of our lord CCxxxviij But somme holde oppynyon that the the reason of the tyme sheweth that they suffred not dethe in that tyme For Cecylle ne Constantynople were thenne no Royammes but it is supposed that they suffryd deth longe tyme after whanne Constaunt was Emperour And that the hunes and gothes enforced them ageynste Crysten men in the tyme of themperour Marcyen that regned in the yere of oure lord four Clix Hit is
of theyr kynnesmen that the penaunce done for them by their Frendes is vaillable to them hit is shewed by a solempne Doctour whiche reherceth that there was a woman whiche hadde her husbond dede And she was in grete despair for pouerte And the deuyll appierid to her and sayd that he wold make her ryche yf she wold do as he wold saye to her And she promysed to do hit And he enioyned her that the men of the chirche that she shold receyue in to her hous that she shold make them doo fornycacion Secondly that she sholde take in to her hows by daye tyme poure men And in the nyght dryue them oute voide and hauynge no thyng Thirdly that she shold in the Chirche lette prayers by her Ianglyng And that she shold not confesse her of none of alle these thynges And at the laste as she approched toward her deth her sone warned her to be confessid And she discouered to hym what she had promysed And saide that she myght not be shryuen And that her confession shold auaylle her no thyng But her sone hasted her and saide he wold do penaunce for her she repentid her and sente for to fetche the preest But to fore er the preest cam the deuyls ronnen to her and she deyde by thoorryblenes of hem Thenne the sone confessid the synne of the moder And dyd for her seuen yere penaunce And that accomplysshed he sawe hys moder And she thanked hym of her delyueraunce And in lyke wyse auaille the Indulgences of the chirche It happed that a legate of the pope praid a noble knyght that he wold make warre in the seruyse of the chirche and ryde to Albigoiâ— And he wold therfore gyue pardon to his fader whiche was deed And the knyght â—ode forth and abode there an hole lente And that done his fader appiered to hym more clere than the day and thanked hym of his delyueraunce And as to the third that is to say for whom the suffrages ben don ther ben iiij thynges to be considere Fyrst who ben they to whome it may prouffyte Secondly Wherfor hit ought to prouffyte them Thyrdly hit muste be knowen yf hit prouffyte to alle egally Fourthly how they may knowe the suffrages that ben done for them As to the fyrst who ben they to whome the suffrages may prouffite It is to be knowen as saynt Austyn sayth that alle they that departe out of this world or they ben right good or ryght euylle or bytwene both Thenne the suffrages that ben done for the good ben for to yelde thankynges for them And they that ben done for the euyl ben somme comforte to them that lyue And they that ben done for them that ben myddle and bytwene bothe they ben clensynges to them And they that ben ryght good ben they that anone flee to heuen And ben quyte of the fyre of purgatory and of helle also And there ben thre manere of this peple that ben children baptysed Martirs and parfyght men These ben they that parfyghtely mayntenyd the loue of god the loue of his neyghbour and good werkes And thoughte neuer to plese the world but to god only And yf they had done ony venyal synne Hit was anone putte awey by the loue of charyte lyke as a drope of water in a fornays And therfor they bere no thyng with them that oughte to be brent And who that prayeth for ony of these thre maner peuple or doth ony suffrages for them he doth to them wrong For saynt Augustyn sayth he doth wrong that prayeth for a martir But yf one praye for one that is rizt good of whome he doubteth that he be in heuen thenne of his orysons ben yeuen thankynges And they come to the prouffite of hym that prayeth lyke as Dauyd sayth My prayer shal be tornyd in to my bosome And to these maners of peple is the heuen anon open whan they departe ne they fele no fyre of purgatory And this is signyfyed to vs by the thre to whome the heuen was opened It was fyrst opened to Ihesu Cryst whan he was baptysed prayeng by whiche is signefyed that the heuen is open to them that ben baptitised be they yong or aged yf they deye anone they flee in to heuen For baptysme is clensyng of all orygenall synne and mortalle by the vertu of the passion of Ihesu Cryst Secondly hit was opened to saynt Stephen whan he was stoned wherof it is said in thactes of thappostles I see the Heuens open And in this is sygnefyed that hit is open to alle martirs And they flee anone to heuen as soone as they departe Thyrdly hit was opened to saint Iohan theuaÌ„gelist whiche was ryght parfyght wherof is sayd in thapocalipse I behelde and loo the dore was open in heuen by whiche it appiereth that it is opened to parfyght men that haue alle accomplysshed their penaunce And haue in them no venyal synnes or yf ony happen to be commysed anone it is consumed extyncte by the ardour of charyte And thus heuen is open to these thre maner of peple whiche entre lyghtly in for to regne perpetuelly The ryght euyll and wycked men ben they that anon ben plunged in to the fyre of helle For whome yf their dampnacion be knowen there ought no suffrages be done for them after that saint Augustyn sayth yf I knewe my fader to he in helle I wold no more praye for hym than for the deuyll but yf ony suffrages were done for a dampned man Of whome were doubte that he so were neuertheles they shold not prouffite hxm to his delyueraunce ne that is to say fro the paynes ne do the mytygacion of them ne lassyng of it ne shortynge of tyme For as Iob sayth In helle is no redempcion They that ben myddle good ben they that haue with them some thyng to be brent and purged that is to say wode heye and stupple or els they that ben surprysed with dethe before they myght haue accomplysshed their penace in their lyf Ner they be not so good but that they nede haue suffrages of their frendes ne they be not so euylle but that suffrages myght prouffyte ease them And the suffrages that ben done for them ben clensynges for them And these ben they to whom suffrages only may prouffyte And in doynge suche maner suffrages the chirche is acustomed to obserue thre maner dayes that is the seuenth day the thyrttyest day And thannyuersarye And the reson of these thre dayes is assigned in the book of offyce The seuenth daye is kepte and obseruyd that the soules shold come to the sabate of euerlastynge reste or by cause that all the synnes that they haue commysed in their lyf be foryeuen whiche they haue done by seuen dayes or that all the synnes that they haue commysed in theyr bodye whiche is made of four complexions and in their sowle â—in whiche ben thre poures may be forgyuen The trentalle
she so prechyd to them that came for hyr that she conuerted them to the fryth which wepte sore that so fayr a mayde so noble shold be put to deth thenne she said to them o ye good yonge men it is noo thynge to lese the yongthe but to chaunge hit that is to gyue claye and take therfore golde To gyue a foule habytacle and take a precyous To gyue a lytel corner and to take a ryght grete place God rewardeth for one symple an hondred folde byleue ye thys that I haue said And they sayd we beleue cryste to be veray god whiche hath suche a seruaunte thenne saynt vrbane was callyd and four hondred and moo were baptysed Thenne almachyus callyng tofore hym saynt cecylye sayd to hir of what condycyon arte thou she sayd that she was of a noble kynrede To whome almachyus sayd I demaunde the of what relygyon arte thou thenne cecyle sayd thenne begannest thou thy demaunde folyly that woldest haue two answers in one demaunde To whome almachâ— sayd Fro whens cometh thy rude answer she sayd of good conscience and feyth not fayned To whome almachyus sayd knowest thou not of what power I am and she sayd thy power is lytel to drede for it is like a bladder ful of wynde whiche wyth the pryckkyng of a nedle is anone goon aweye and come to nought To whome almache sayd in wronge beganst thou and in wronge thou perseueryst knowest thou not how our prynces haue gyuen me power to gyue lyf and to slee she sayd now shal I proue the a lyar ageynst the veray trouthe Thou mayst wel take the lyf fro them that lyue but to them that been deed thou mayst gyue no lyf Therfore thou arte a mynystre not of lyf but of dethe To whome almachyus sayd now laye a parte thy madnes and do sacrefyse to the goddes To whome cecyllye sayd I wote neuer where thou hast loste thy syght for them that thou sayest hen goddes we see them stones put thyn hande and by touchyng thou shalt lerne that whiche thou mayste not see wyth thyn eyen ¶ Thenne almachyus was wrothe and commauÌ„ded hyr to be ladde in to hyr hows there to be brente in a brennyng bayne which hir semed was a place colde wel attemperyd thenne almachyus heryng that commmaunded that she shold be byheded in the same bath Thenne the tormentour smote at hyr thre strokes and coude not smyte of hyr heed the fourth stroke he myght not by the lawe smyte and so lefte hir there lyeng halfe a lyue and halfe dede and she lyued thre dayes after in that manere and gaue al that she had to poure peple and contynuelly prechyd the faythe al that whyle alle them that she conuerted she sente to vrbane for to be baptysed and sayd I haue axed respyte thre dayes that I myght commende to you thyse sowles And that ye shold halowe of myn hows a chyrche and thenne at the ende of thre dayes she slepte in our lord and saynt vrbane wyth his dekenes buryed hir body emonge the bysshoppes and halowed hir hows into a chyrche In whyche vnto this day is sayd the seruyce vnto our lord She suffred hir passyon aboute the yere of our lord two hondred and xxiij in the tyme of alexaunder themperour and it is redde in another place that she suffred in the tyme of marcij aurelij whyche reygned aboute the yere of our lord two hondred and twenty Thenne lete vs deuoutelye praye vnto our lord that by the merytes of thys holy vyrgyne and marter saynt cecyly we may come to his euerlastyng blisse in heuen amen Thus endeth the lyf of Saynt Cecillye virgyne marter Here foloweth the lyf of saynt clemente Pope and marter first of his name CLemente is said of cleos that is glorye and mens that is mynde as it were a glorious mynde he had a glorious mynde purged fro al fylihe ornate wyth all vertue and decorate wyth al felycyte or he is sayd of clemence whiche is mercyful It is sayd in the glosarye that clemente is sayd rightwys swete rype and meke rightwys in dede swete in speche rype in conuersacyon and meke in Intencion hys lyf he hym self sette in his book named Itynerarye specyally vnto that place whyche he succeded to saynt peter in the papacye The remenaunte of his actes that comynly been had been taken in dyuers places ¶ Of saynt clemente Pope CLement the bysshop was borne of the lignage of the romayns and his fader was named faustyn and his moder matydyan he had two brethern of whom that one was named faustyn that other faustynyen and mathydyane was of meruayllous beaute hyr husbondes brother brennyd in the loue of hir by the dysordynate concupyscence of luxurye and dayly he vexyd hir in desyryng hir to accorde to his foule luste but she in no wyse wold consente to hym and she doubted to shewe it to hir husbond by cause there shold noo debate ne enemyte falle betwene the brethern Thenne she thought to absente hyr by somme mene fro hym soo longe that he shold forgete this dysordynate loue for the syght of hir presence sette hym a fyre and by cause she myght haue lycence of hir husbond she fayned a dreme subtylly whyche she tolde to hir husbond in thys wyse sayeng There is a vysyon comen to me thys nyght by whiche I am commaunded to departe out of thys cytee of rome wyth my two sones faustyn faustynyen and that I shold abyde out so longe tyl I were commaunded to retorne and yf I dyd not I shold deye and my chyldren also and whan hir husbond herde this he was sore abassled and aferde sente his wyf and his two sones to athenes wyth moche other meyne and that she shold abyde there seâ—te hir sones to scole the fader helde clemente at home with hym whiche was the lefte was but v yere olde for his solas as the moder sayled on the see with hir sones there roos a grete tempeste brought the shyppe to wracke was alle to broken the moder was throwen by the wawâ—s of the see vpon a roche escaped wenyng that hir two sones had be perisshed for sorowe dyscomforte wold haue drowned hir self in the see yf she had not had hope to fynde hir sones whaÌ„ she sawe that she coude not fynde them alyue ne dede she cryed brayed strongely bote hir handes wold not be comforted of no body thenne cam to hir many wymmen which tolde to hyr the fortunes that they had had but she was comforted by none emonge thother ther came one that said that she had loste hir husbond a yonge man in the see that she wold neuer after be maryed for the loue of hym she comforted hir how it was dwellid with hir gate dayly their lyuyng wyth theyr handes but anone after hyr
molten leed brennyng For to brenne hys entraylles quyryache suffred it moche pacyently wythout makyng of ony crye lokyng alweye vp toward heuen and aboute two houres after whan they that were there supposed he had ben dede he lyfte vp his voys sayeng Ihesus fader eternall resplendaunte lyght whiche neuer may be extyncte I blesse the for thou hast made me worthy to haue partycypacyon wyth thy frendes Therfore I requyre the that the pryde and elacion of thys euyl tyraunte may not ouercome me but that thy puyssaunce alweye conferme me in stedfast constaunce of feythe whan he had accomplysshed his oryson Iulyan sayd to hym Quyryace loo how I lete the Iangle I haue herde ofte suche wordes Doo sacrefyse to our Lord Iubyter and thenne thou shalte do wysely ¶ Thenne Quyryace answerd to hym I byleue haue byleued hym that is veray god that shal destroye the and the pryde Thenne Iulyan dyd do brynge a crabat of copper and dyd do laye and stratche out the body theron and put vnder it brennyng coles and dyd doo strawe salte on the body and aboue that dyd do bete hym with roddes to th ende that his bely entraylles shold haue the more payne trauaylle and after they torned his bely toward the fyre bete his backe with roddes and thenne he with an hyghe wys beganne to praye in hebrewe The tyraunte Was moche admeruaylled of the grete pacyence that he had and dyd do shytte hym in a litel hows vnto the tyme that he had deuysed of what deth he myght make hym to deye and aboute two yere after saynt anne the moder of saynt quyryace came to hym and exorted hym to suffre pacyently for the loue of god Anone the mynystres of the deuyll wente and tolde to the tyraunte the whyche commaunded that she shold be brought to hym and whan he sawe that she wold in no wyse do sacrefyse to thydolles he commaunded that she shold be hanged by the hereys and as she henge he made to tere of alle hir nayles or vngles and in this torment she was four houres without spekyng Thenne Iulyen sayd to hir what is thys that they doo to thyn vngles thenne she answerd to hym O hounde out of thy wytte werkar of al Iâ—yquyte yf thou haue ony gretrer tormentes gyue them to me for I am al redy to fyghte ageynst thy fader the deuyl ouer whome I haue hope to haue vyctorye moyenaunt on hym the name of Ihesu cryst ¶ Thenne the tyraunte commaunded to take grete laumpes brennyng and settyng to hyr sydes The holy woman cryed vnto god makyng hir prayers she rendred vp hyr spyryte vnto our Lord The crysten peple that were there buryed hyr after this Iulyan commaunded that Quyryace shold be broughte tofore hym and sayd to hym quyriace say to me of what enchauntementes what euyl crafte hast thou vsed by whiche it semeth that thou felest no tormente and therfore thou wylte not sacrefyse to the ydolles ¶ Thenne Quyriace answerd to hym o cursyd foole and Indygne hounde that peruertest the myght of god to enchauntementes and euyl werkys Wherfore thou shalte be bete by wounde celestyal Thenne commaunded Iulyan to make a grete pytte and by enchauntours dyd doo assemble alle maner of serpentes and venemous beestys and dyd doo put them in to the pytte And after he made to caste the holy man in the myddes of them and as they threwe hym therin he beganne to saye right swete Ihesus I yelde to the graces and thankynges for not onely in the woldest thou verefye and applye the prophecye of dauyd but in vs that been thy lytel creatures whyche thou hast created hast wylled to haue thy grace for loo here it pleaseth the that we goo vpon the serpentes that we marche and trede on the lyon and on the dragon and as he sayd so Iulyan commaunded to brenne alle the beestys ¶ Thenne a knyght callyd Amon sayd to the Emperour Iulyan O kynge out of thy wytte and wood how hast thou the wylle to put thys man to dethe thyn enchauntours and thy goddes whyche ben deceyuable may not make the mernaylles that he dothe and in trouthe now forth on I am certeyn that the god of crysten men is moche myghty For whyche wordes Iulyan commaunded to smyte of his heed and as he was ledde vnto the place for to be byheded he beganne to saye Ihesu cryst whiche arte the god of quyryace receyue my sowle in pees and so sayeng he stratched forthe hys necke and was byheded and thus fynysshed hys marterdom Iulyan callyd quyryace and prayed hym and exhorted that he shold renye the crucyfyxe Thenne quyryace answerd hym O herte peruertyd euyll and wythout pyte that seest no thynge that woldest that I shold leue my god whyche gyueth to me and to other creatures soo many goodes and that I shold become myschaunte and semblable to the ¶ Thenne Iulyan was moche angrye and commaunded to hange a grete cawdron of oyle vpon the fyre whyche oyle was soo hote that they that were there aboute vnnethe myght endure the fume that yssued And he commaunded to sette Saynt quyryace therin whiche entred therin in makyng the sygne of the crosse and sayd lord Ihesu cryste which hast sayntefyed the flome iordan and hast gyuen to me the holy sacramente of baptesme by water See now where I shal be yet baptysed in oylle Yet haue I the thyrd marterdom to do by the Wesshyng of effusyon of blood whyche I haue longe taryed fore Thenne the tyraunte replenysshed of wrathe and of yre more than tofore commaunded that he shold be smyton wyth a sharpe darte in to the breste and as he was soo smyton he prayed god that he myght departe out of the world and thenne gafe vp his soule vnto our lord whiche was the fourth nonas of maye ¶ Thys saynt quyryace of whom we speke was the same Iudas proprely by whome saynt Helayne fonde the veray holy crosse And after that he was baptysed saynt helayne recommaunded hym vnto the bysshop of Iherusalem whyche was at that tyme whan the sayd bysshop was dede Helayne that thenne was in Iherusalem wente to Rome to the Pope Eusebyus whiche ordeyned Iudas to be bysshop of Iherusalem in chaungyng his name and callyd hym quyryace To whome god gafe soo moche grace that he enchaced awey the fendes by his prayer Saynt helayne delyuerd to hym many fayre yeftes for to dystrybute and departe to the poure and at the prayer and requeste also of hyr was made a fayre feste of the Inuencyon of the holy crosse And ye ought to knowe that Whan the veray crosse was founden and by vertue therof a dede man was reysyd The deuyl whiche is of alle good enuyous was herde cryeng in the ayer O Iudas by the I am chaced oute and dymynysshed but I knowe wel that I shal be aduengyd ageynst the I shal reyse another kyng that shal renye the crucyfyxe the whiche by
hir playne helthe On another tyme another woman of Latynynak put one of hir feet wythin the said chapel or chyrche but hir foot swellyd by suche manere that alle the legge knee and thye of hit was greuyd with sekenesse many other myracles hath ben therof shewed wherfore the wymmen shal ne ought not entre in to it The good holy saint fyacre in his lyf tyme resplendysshed by myracles vertues and after rendryd right gloryously his soule vnto our lord sythe after his temporal dethe at his owne graue by hys merytes prayers our lord shewyd and as yet now sheweth many myraches as to restore in good helthe the pour seek folke languysshyng of their membris of what someuer sekenesse or langoure that it be who with good contryted herte cometh to the chyrche where the said graue or tombe is and deuoutelye besecheth prayeth god and the good holy saynt fyacre the which by hys gloryous merites may be vnto vs good frende toward our sayd Lord and god amen Thus endeth the lyf of Saint Fyacre Here foloweth the lyf of saynt Iustyn SAint Iustyn was born in the cite of naples and his fader was called cryspobachye and was a ryghte grete phylosophre whyche laboured strongelye for the cristen relygyon in soo moche that he composed many fayre bookes moche prouffytable as recounteth saynt Ierome hugo He betoke to themperour anthonyn a book which he composed of the crysten relygyon so moche he laboured toward the sayd emperour that he had pyte compassyyn of the cristen peple not onelye the emperour hym self but also al his chyldren and al the senatours of rome the sayd emperour made sythe a commaundemente that no paynym shold not be so hardy to haue in despyte the sygne of the veray crosse ¶ Item pompee the troyen which was of the spaynysshe nacyon composed in to xliiij bookes al thystoryes that were thorugh al the world from the tyme regne of mynym that Was kyng of assyrye vnto the tyme regne of themperour cesar and Wrote them in latyn the which hystorye saint Iustyn abreuyed or shorted also composed many other bookes whiche were to longe to reherce to hym was deuynely reueled or tolde that moche he shold suffre before his dethe for to mayntene trouthe as it apperith by a writte or letter whiche he sente to themperour anthonyn where he saith thus I shal haue ynough of persecucyons of staues of yron by them ageynste whom I bataylle or fyght for to mayntene the estate of trouthe but whan that shal be I theÌ„ne shal haue knowlege that they be not phylosophres that is to Wete louyng arte scyence but that they be louers of all vanytees for he is not worthy to be called a phylosophre which publyklye affermeth testefyeth that whyche he knoweth not that saith that the cristen are without a god putten in gretter errour tho that al redy are in errour al the whiche thynge was thus accomplisshed soo as saynt Iherome recounteth euschyus also for whan the said emperour was passed to god from this world after hym regned ij other emperours the which were named anthonyn aurelyen that were grete persecutours of cristen peple so as Iustyn perseuerd in holy lyuyng in holy doctryne he composed the second book for to deffende with the religyon cristen It happed so that many other phylosophres were that grete enuye had at iustyn as moche for his holy lyf honeste condycions wherof he was fylled as for his grete science accused hym to the emperour sayeng he was cristen that he wold destroye theyr lawe thenne was Iustyn taken and made hym to suffre many tourmentes dyuers paynes in whiche by cause that he constauntelye reclamed euer the name of god they spryncled and shadde hys blood by suche maner that he rendred yaue his sowle to our lord Ihesu crist with whom he restyth in pees shal reste wythoute ende In seculorum secula amen ¶ Thus endeth the lyf of saint Iustyn Here folowtth the lyf of saynt demetryen WHile that themperour maxymyen had the lordshyp of thessalony cense he made al the audytours of the cristen feyth to be put to deth emonge whiche was demetryen that made hym self to be manyfestyd knowen of al without ony fere or drede for sith the tyme of his yongthe he had euer ben stedfast constaunte in good operacions or werkys euer endoctryned taughte thother how the deuyne sapyence was descended in therthe who by his owne blood had quyckened or reysed fro deth the man whiche by hys synne was put to deth as he preched somme of the mynystres sergeauntes of themperour that were commytted ordeyned for to take the crysten men toke saynt demetryen wold haue presented hym vnto themperour maxymyen but it happed so that themperour was goon to see a batayll that shold be doon for moche he delâ—ted hym to see shedyng of blood humayn in the same bataylle was a man named lyneus whiche by cause of the victoryes that he in his dayes had had was moche loued of themperour but as fortune chaungeth ofte it happed that this lyneus was there wounded to deth whan the emperour was retorned in to his paleys sorouful angry of the deth of the said lyneus mencion of demetryon was made vnto hym thenne was themperour sore moeuyd ageynst hym in so moche that in the same prison where he was sore fetheryd harde holden he made hym to be stycked thorugh and thorugh his body with sharpe sperys the whiche saynt demetryen thus euer wytnessyng the name of Ihesu consumed there his marterdom Many myracles were made by his merytes by his good vertues on al them that with good feyth deuoutely reclamed hym a man that was called lemycyus who hertelye loued serued god gafe moche of his goodes to the hows where the holy corps of Saynt demetryen was buryed maad the place more gretter than it was tofore bylded there an oratorye or chappell in thonour of the said marter saynt demetrien One of the prefectes or Iuges of thessalonytence that named was manam was moche agreable to god to the world on which thenemye had grete enuye for his good werkyâ— began to tempte hym sore stronge first he tempted hym of the seuen dedely synnes but god wold that he neuer shold ouercome hym whan the deuyll sawe that he myght not deceyue hym he toke from hym al his temporal goodes fynally smote hym with suche a sekenesse that he had no membre wherwyth he myght helpe hym saufe onelye his tuâ—ge with the whyche he praysed thanked euer our lord after this the enemye apprryd to one of his seruauntes in lykenesse of a man shewyd to hym a cedule sayeng thus to hym yf thy maister dyd put ones this cedule or scrowe on hym he shold be anone al hole of his
merueylle it is how we knowe of none Therfore we shal praye to our lord Ihesu cryste ¶ Thus endeth the lyf of saint Morante ¶ Here folowe the lyf of saint Lowys kynge of Fraunce SAynt Lowes somtyme the noble kyng of fraunce had to his fader a kyng ryght cristen named lowys this lowys fader bataylled foughte ageynst the heretykes and ablygoys and of the contre of tholouse and extyrped their heresye ye and as he retourned in to Fraunce he passyd vnto our Lord Thenne the chylde of holy chyldehode faderlesse abode and dwellyd vnder the kepyng of the quene blaunche his moder somtyme doughter to the kynge of castylle and as she that louyd hym tenderlye betoke hym for to be lernyd and taughte vnder the cure and gouernaunce of a special maister in condycyons and in lettres and he also as the yonge salamon chylde wyse and dysposed to haue a good sowle prouffyted right gretelye in al thynges more than ony childe of his age of whiche good lyf and chyldehode his debonayr moder enioysyng hir self sayd ofte tymes to hym in thys manere Ryghte deresone rather I wold see the deth comyng on the thenne to see the falle in to a dedely synne ageynste thy creatour the whiche worde the deuoute chylde took and shette it soo wythin hys courage that by the grace of god which deffended and kepte hym it is not founde that euer he felte ony aâ—ouchemente â—atche or spotte of mortal crysme In the ende by the pourueaunce of his moder and of the barons of the londe to th ende that so noble a royaulme ne shold not faylle of sucâ—essyon ryalle the holy man took a wyf of the which he receyued and gate on hyr fayr chyldren whyche by souerayn cure le made to be nourysshed endoctrined taught to the loue of god and despyte of the world and to knowe them selfe by holy admonestyng and ensaumples and whan he myght tende secretelye to them vysytyng them and requyryng of theyr prouffyte as the auncyente thobye gaue to them admonestyng of salut techyng them ouer alle thynges to drede god and to kepe absteyne them assyduelly from alle synne Garlondes made of Roses of other floures he forbade and deffended them to were on the fryday for the crowne of thorne that was on suche a day put on the heed of our lord and by cause that he wyste wel and knewe that chastytâ—e in delyces pyte in rychees humnlyte in honour often peryshen betoke and gaue his courage to sobryete and good dyete to humylite and my sericorde kepyng hym self ryght curyously fro the pryckyng sawtes and watche of the world the flesshe and the deuyll chastysed hys body and brought it to seruytude by the ensaumple of the appostles he forced hym self to serue his spyryte by dyuers castygacion or chastysyng he vsed the hayre many tymes nexte hys flesshe whan he lefte it for cause of ouer feblenesse of his body at the Instaunce of hys owne confessour he ordeyned the said confessour to gyue to the poure folke as for recompensacion of euery day that he faylled of hit fourty shyllynges he fastyd alweye the fryday and namelye in tyme of lente and aduentes he absteyned hym in tho dayes from al maner of fysshe and fro fruytes and contynuelly trauayllâ—d and paynyd his body by watchynges orysons and other secretes abstynences and dyscyplynes humylite beaute of all vertues resplendysshed so stronge in hym that the more better he wexyd so as dauyd the more he shewyd hym self meke humble and more foule he reputed hym before god For he was acustomed on euery satyrday to wosshe with his owne handes in a secrete place the feet of somme poure folke and after dryed them wyth a fayre towel and kyssed moche humbly and semblahly theyr handes dystrybuyng or desyng to euery one of them a certeyn of syluer also to seuen score poure men whiche dayly came to his courte he admynystred mete and drynke wyth hys owne handes and were fedde habonndantlye on the vygyles solempne and on somme certeyn dayes in the yere to two hondred poure before that he ete or dranke with his owne handes admynystred and seruyd theym bothe of mete and of drynke He euer had bothe at his dyuer and sowper thre auncyente poure whiche ete nyghe to hym to whome he charytably sente of suche metes as were broughte before hym and somtyme the dysshes and metes that the poure of our Lord had touched wyth theyr handes and specialle the soppes of whiche he fayne ete made theyr remenaunte or relyef to be brought before hym to the ende that he shold ete it and yet ageyn to honour and worshyp the name of our Lord on the poure folke he was not ashamed to ete theyr relyef Also he Wold not vse scarlate ne gownes of ryche clothe ne also furryng of ouer grete pryse and coste and namelye sythe he came fro the partyes of beyonde see the fyrste tyme ageyn he coueytyd by grete desire the growyng vp of the feyth wherfore he as veray louer of the feyth and couetous for to enhaunce it as he yet that of late conâ—allesshed and yssued out of a greuous seeknesse lyeng at pontoyse toke the crosse with grete deuocyon fro the hande of the bysshop of parys ledde with hym thre of hys brethern wyth the grettest lordes and barons in hys royalme and many a knyght other peple with hym applykd on his waye and with ryght grete hoost arryued in to egypte the whyche settyng foot on grounde ocupyed took by force of men of armes that same cytee renommed whiche is called damette and alle the regyon aboute Thenne after the crysten oost esprysed and bete with a moche grete and wonderful sekenesse by the Iuste Iugemente of god many crysten men deyed there in soo moche that of the nombre of two and thyrty thousand fyghtyng men ne was there lefte on lyue but syx thousand men god fader of myserycorde wyllyng hym self shewed wonderful and meruaylable on his saynt gafe betoke the sayd kyng champyon or deffensour of the feythe in to the handes of the euyl paynyms to th ende that he shold appere more meruaylable and as the debonayr kynge myght haue scaped by the nexte shyppe nygh thens alwayes he yelded hym self with his good gree to th ende that he myght delyuer hys peple thorugh the encheson of hym He was put to grete raunsom whiche payed wold yet abyde prysonner for the payemente or raunsom of other hys lordes and barons and thenne after he put and lefte so as Ioseph oute of the chartre or pryson of egypte not as fleeyng or dredeful retorned anone vnto the propre or owne partyes but fyrst abode contynuelly by the space of fyue yere in syrye where he conuertysed many paynyms to the feythe and he beyng there the crysten out of the paynyms handes dyched and fortefyed many townes castellys with stronge walles ¶ He founde thenne aboute sydoyne many dede bodyes
saith an oryson that thus begynneth Placeat tibi sancta trinitas That is as moche for to say Holy trynyte I praye you that ye vouchesauf to take thys holy sacrefyse acceptable for me and also for theym for whome I haue consecrate the body of our lerd Per xpristum dominum nostrum amen and here is the ende of the masse but somme preestys whyle they take fro them the vestementes they say saynt Iohans gospel and somme saye the offyce of our lady Saynt Iohans gospel is sayd for 〈◊〉 mysterye in hit conteynyng for in 〈◊〉 tenour of it saynt Iohan maketh meâ—cyon how our humanyte was ioyneâ— and vnyed to the dyuynyte and how he was sente for to be testymonage or wytnesse of the deuyne lyght of the whiche lyght al creatures was enlumyned after the preest saith his graces lawdyng and thankyng god of all his benefaytes Who someuer wyl knowe and vnderstonde wel and parfytely the noble vertu and noble mysterye that in the exposycnon of the masse is lete hym wel consydere and enprynte right parfytelye wythin hys herte alle tho thynges that here beforne are conteyned and the creature thus doyng shal mowe haue certeyn knowlege of god and shal mowe ordeyne and dresse hys conscyence after that before is sayd and soo we praye god that he gyue to vs grace to doo suche seruyce and soo good prayers that we therwyth may acquyre and gete the holy blysse of paradyse AMEN Here endeth the noble historye of the exposicion of the masse And here foloweth the twelue articles of our feythe THyse ben the twelue artycles of the crystyn feythe that euery crysten man and woman oughte to byleue stedfastlye and fermelye for otherwyse they may not be sauyd sythe they haue wytte and reason and twelue artycles they be after the nombre of the appostles that made hem and stablysshed to be holden and kepte Of whiche the fyrst longeth to the fader the seuen to the sone and the other foure to the holy ghoost For it is the foundemente of the feythe to byleue on the trynyte that is the fader the sone and the holy ghoost one god in thre persones and al thyse artycles are conteyned in the crede The fyrst is thus I beleue on god the fader almyghty creatour of heuen erth thys fyrst artycle layed saynt peter in the crede the second apperteyneth to the sone as to his godhede that is to say in thys that he is god and it is suche I beleue on Ihesu cryst our lord onley sone of god the fader this ouÈt men to vnderstonde and byleue that he is semblable like and egal to the fader in al thynges that are bylongyng to the godhede and he is one selfe and lyke thynge wyth the fader saufe of persone that is not lyke the persone of the fader thys artycle made and layed it in the crede Saynt Iohan the euangelyste The thyrd and fourth artycles that folowen after in the crede apperteynen to the sonâ— after his humanyte that is to say after that man is mortal In whiche thyrd artycle is conteyned that he was conceyued of the holy ghoost and borne of the vyrgyne marye by vertu and werke of the holy ghoost not by mannes werke that the vyrgyne marye abode euer virgyn before and after hys byrthe And thys artycle layed saynt Iames brother to saynt Iohan the euangelyste in the crede The fourth artycle bylongeth to his passyon that is to say that he suffred vnder poncepylate that was paynym and Iuge at that tyme in Iherusalem Instytued by the Romayne vnder the whiche was Ihesu cryst Iuged wrongfully at the requeste of the felon Iewes crucefyed dede and put in the sepulcre this artycle layed saint andrewe the fyfthe artycle is that he descended in to helle after hys deth for to haue oute and delyuer the sowles of the holy faders and of alle them that fro the begynnyng or the world deyed in veray contrycyon and repentaunce in feythe and hope that they shold be sâ—uyd by hym For by cause of the fyrst mannes synne al must descende in to helle there to abyde the good and certeyn hope of Ihesu cryste the sone of god that shold come to delyuer them after that he had promysed by hys prophetes and this reason he wold descende in to helle that is to vnderstonde in to that parte of helle where they that were dampned were not the whyche were dede in theyr synnes thoo same he drewe not oute of helle for they be dampned pardurably and for euer thys artycle layed in the trede saynt phelyppe The vj artycle is of hys resurrexyon that is to Wete that on the thyrd day after his dethe for to consumme and accomplysshe the scryptures he rose from dethe vnto lyf ageyn and apperyd to his dyscyples approued to them his resurrexyon in many maners by the space of fourty dayes this artycle layed saynt thomas The seuenth artycle is thys that on the fourty day after his resurrexyon whan he ete wyth his dyscyples before them al appertelye he ascended aboue al creatures in to heuen vnto the right hande of the fader where he sytteth and this artycle layed saynt bartylmewe in the crede The viij artycle is that he shall come on domes day to Iuge bothe lyuyng and dede the good and euyl and shal rendre or yelde to euery one thys that he shal haue deserued in this world ¶ These ben the artycles that are longyng to the sone and that laste artycle beforesayd layed saynt mathew theuangelyste in the crede The ix and the thre laste artycles belongen to the holy ghoost these artycles here requyren that men byleue the holy ghoost is the yefte and the loue of god the fader and of the sone fro whome come 〈◊〉 vs al wele and grace that he is one same god one same thynge wyth the fader and wyth the sone sauf the persone that is other than the persones of the fader of the sone this artycle layed in the crede saynt Iames the brother of saynt symon and saynt Iude The tenthe artycle is thys I beleue on the holy chyrche general in the communyon of sayntes that is to say the companye of al sayntes of trewe men that ben shal be vnto the consumyng or ende of the world that were fro the begynnyng of the world to gyder with the feyth of Ihesu cryste In this artycle are vnderstonde the vij sacramentes of holy chirche that is to wete baptesme confirmacion the sacramente of the aulter the sacramente of mariage or wedlock penaunce confessyon the last is the holy vnccion this artycle layed saynt symon The xj article is to byleue the remyssyon of synnes that god gyueth by vertue of the sacramentes of holy chirche thys artycle layed saynt Iude that was the brother of saynt symon and not that Iude that betrayed our lord Ihesu cryste The xij artycle is to byleue the general resurrexyon of bothe the sowles bodyes perdurable or euerlastyng that is the glorye of paradyse that god shall gyue to them that shal deserue it by good feyth thorugh good werkys this artycle gyueth also to vnderstonde his contrarye that is deth the peyne perdurable or Without ende that god hath apparaylled for them that shal be dampned this article oughte to be vnderstonde in suche manere that euery one be they good of euyl shal be Iuged on domes day reysed fro dethe to lyf ageyn in his owne propre body he shal receyue his rewarde gwerdon bothe in body in sowle togyder after he shal haue deseruyd beyng in this lyf mortal thefore at that day the good creatures shal be glorefyed bothe in body sowle in lyf that euer shal laste this article layed saynt mathyas appostle frende of god Thus endeth the twelue artycles of our feythe Thus endeth the legende named in latyn legenda aurea that is to saye in englysshe the golden legende For lyke as golde passeth in valewe alle other metalles so thys legende excedeth alle other bookes wherin ben conteyned alle the hygh and grete festys of our lord the festys of our blessyd lady the lyues passyons and myracles of many other sayntes and other hystoryes and actes as al allonge here afore is made mencyon whiche werke I haue accomplisshed at the commaundemente and requeste of the noble and puyssaunte erle and my special good lord Wyllyam erle of arondel haue fynysshed it at westmestre the twenty day of nouembre the yere of our lord M CCCC lxxxiij the fyrst yere of the reygne of Kyng Rychard the thyrd ¶ By me Wyllyam Caxton The lyf of the sayntes tyburce and Ualerian been conteyned in the lyf of Cecyle vyrgyn and marter This feste is the laste feste of the yere for to begynne at the feste of saynt andrewe and herafter shal folowe dyuers feestys whiche been added and sette in this sayd book callyd the golden legende