and after brengeth forth a whyte floure wythout crafte of man or ony peyryng to the stalke Ryght so our lady conceyued of the holy gooste and after brought her sone our lord Ihesu Cryste wythoute ony wemme of her body That is flour and cheef of alle wymmen Thenne said the iewe whaÌ„ I see a lylye sprynge oute of the dede stalke that standeth in this pot thenne wyl I byleue that thou sayst to be trewe And anon ther wyth sprange a whyte lyly oute of the dede stocke that stode in that same wyne pot And whaÌ„ the iewe sawe that anone he felle doune to the grounde vpon his knees and sayd thus Lady now I see well that thou conceyued wyth the holy gost our lord Ihesu criste goddis sone of heuen And thou were clene mayden both before the birth and so anone he was cristened so after he was a full holy man And this is the cause wherfore that the pot wyth the lily is set betwene our lady the angel For ryght as the iew disputed wyth the Cristen man of the maner of the Concepcion So our lady disputed wyth the angell of the maner how she shold conceyue be both moder mayde or she consented therto Thenne ye that wyl faste the v. euens of our lady in the worship of the v. ioyes that she had of her sone The first whan she conceyued of the holy gooste and knewe that she was moder to goddis sone of heuen The ii was on cristmasse daye whan she was delyuered of her sone wythoute ony peyne of her body For as she conceyued wythout lust of her body also she was deliuered wythout peyne of her body The iii. ioye was on ester daye whan her sone rose from deth to life and come to her kyssed her and made her more ioyefull of his vprysing than she was sory off his deth The iiii ioye whan he styed vp to heuâ—n on holy thursday in the same flesshe and blode that he toke in her body The v. ioye was in her assumpcioÌ„ whaÌ„ she sawe her sone come wyth grete multitude of angelis and saintes to fette her to heuen to crowne her quene of heuen and emperes of helle and lady of the world and so al that ben in heuen shall do her reuerence and worshyp And al that ben in erthe shal doo her seruyce Thyse ben the v. ioyes that our lady had of her sone and ye shall vnderstonde that he that wyl grete our lady with v. Aues shal neuer come in to the peynes of helle ¶ Narracio ¶ we fynde wreten of an holy maydeÌ„ that was denoute in our ladyes seruyce and euery daye greted her wyth v. ioyes Thenne it happed so on a daye that she fell seke felte her selfe well that she shold be dede and for fere she sighed wonder sore and made greate mone for by cause she wyft not wheder she shold goo after her deth Thenne come oure lady to her and said why arte thou so sory that hast made me so glad gretynge me wyth ioyes that I had of my sone therfor be not sory but knowe mell that thou shal go wyth me in to euerlastynge blysse and ioye wyth out ende Amen ¶ Narracio ¶ we fynde of saint Gylberte that on a tyme he was nye dede of the quynâ—â— and whan his throte was so grete and well nye dede that he myght not take breth our lady come to hym and sayd to hym Gylbert my seruaunt it were euyll do that thy throte shold suffre penaunce that hath soo oft tyme gladed me wyth ioyes and anone she toke her fayr pappe and mylked on his throte and wente her waye anone therwith he was hole and thanked our lady euer after De sancto Georgeo martire â—Ood frendes suche a daye ye shal haue saynt Georges daye The holy marter It is wreten in 〈◊〉 â—â—fe that there was an horryble dragon besyde a cyte that was called Câ—â—â—e of the whiche dragon men of the Cite were sore aferde in so moche that by counseyll of the kynge euery daye thei gaue hym a childe and a shepe to ete For fere lest he wolde haue come in to the Cyte Thenne whan all the chyldren and the shepe were nye ete for by cause that the kyng hym self gaue theÌ„ the counseyll they constreyned hym that he had but a doughter to gyue her to the dragon Thenne the kynge for fere of the people wyth wepyng and grete sorowe makynge delyuered hem his childe and sente her forth to the place â—â—ere as they were wont to set her own children and a shepe wyth her to abyde tyll the dragon come But than by the ordynaunce of god saynt George come tydyng that waye And whan he sawe this damoysell in her araye him thought she was a woman of greate byrth and asked her why she stode therre wyth the shepe in suche araye so mornynge Thenne answered she and said gentyll knyght well maye I morne make sorowe for I am a kynges doughter of this Cite and now I am sette here to be deuoured of a dragon that hath ete all the chyldren of this Cite be now dystroyed and nowe he muste haue me For my fader gaf hem counseyll therto and therfore gentyll knyght ryde hense faste and saue thy selfe leest the dragon sle bothe the and me Thenne sayd George damoysell that were grete shame and vylonye to me that am a knyghte well arayed And shold fle and thou a woman and sholdest abyde TheÌ„ne wyth that the dragon put oute his hede at an hole and spytted fyre proferd batayle to george he made a sygne of the crosse before hym and sett the spere in the reste and wyth grete myght bare downe the dragon to the grounde· And thenne he bad the damoysell bynde this dragon wyth her gyrdell about the necke And lede it wyth her in to the Cite and soo the dragon folowed after her as it hadde be a honde maide to bowe paciently· But whan the people of the Cyte sawe the dragon come they fledde for fere awaye Thenne George called the peple ayen and sayde to theym be not aferde For and ye wyll belyue in Criste and take cristeÌ„dom I wyll saue and sle this dragon and delyuer you of your enemye then were they so glad that anone xx thousand men wythoute wymen and children were cristened And the kynge the quene were first of all wyth al his housholde And thenne George slewe the dragon and bad the people tye oxen to hym and drawe it out of the Cite that the fauour of it dyde the peple no harme Thenne George bad the kynge edefye chirches in euery corner of his londe and be lusty to goddis seruyce and to honour and worship all the peple of holy chirche and euer haue coÌ„passyon and be sory for them that be pour or in ony dysease Thenne whan George had done thus and had torned al the londe to crysten feyth he herde of
Crysten people that wyll calle hym And specyally in lernyng of the feyth but yet for mannys wyttes be dulle to lerne theÌ„ne they maye not se nor here â–ª but they be brought in by grete ensample But that people is not most comendable yf we may by ensample come the soner to the byleue in the fader and the sone and the holy ghoste thre persones and all one god take hede of this ensaÌ„ple â–ª Of â–ª yse snowe and water howe yâ— thyse thre ben dyuerse eche in substauÌ„ce and yet is all but water ye may vnderstonde by the water the fader bi the yse the sone and by the snowe the holy ghoste water is an element that hathe grete myght and strenthe as the mayster Alisaunder sayth It is aboue heuen in the maner of yse side a castall and doth worship to heuen and anone it is vnder erthe And therthe is grounded vpon water And dauid saith in the psalter it is al about the worlde and in all thinge for in harde stones and yron somtyme is swete water for this water is soo full of myghte that is to vnderstonde the fader that his power is soo moche that he gouerneth al the worlde and knoweth all thynge all thynge is at his wylle and commaundement By the sone Ihesu crist ye shall vnderstonde yse that is water congeled harde and bretyll that is ihesu cryste very god and man that toke the substance and freilte of mankynd ¶ whan he was conceyued of the holy ghoste in the virgyn Mary and borne of her body god that suffred passion vndre ponce pylate done vpon the crosse deyed and was buryed and the thirde daye rose from deth to lif and after on holy thursday styed vp in to heuen and shall come ayen at the daye off dome and deme the quycke and the dede By the snowe ye shall vnderstonde the holy ghoste for ryght as snowe is but water and yse and lyghte in thayre but how noo man can telle So comyth the holy ghoste from the fader the sone Spiritus sanctus a patre et filio noÌ„ factus nec creatus nec genitus sed procedens But how it is for noo man to study for it excedith all mennys wytt to stody therupon but sadly byleue the fader is full god almyghty and of him come the sone full god and of hem bothe comyth the holy ghoste full god This trynyte was knowen in the fullyng of cryste as the gospell telleth· In baptismo cristi tota trnitas se manifestauit scilicet pater in voce filius in carne spiritus sanctus in coluÌ„ba et totuÌ„ celum apertum erat ¶ Thenne our lorde Ihesu cryste was baptised in the water of flom Iordan And all the people nye of the countree there aboute were baptysed there wyth hym and as they were in her prayers Et aperti sunt celi et spiritus sanctus descendit sicut coluÌ„ba The holy goost come downe in liknesse of a whyte doue And lyghted on crystis hede Et vox de celo dicens Hic est filius meus dilectus in quo michi bene complacui And the fader spake in heueÌ„ and said Thou arte my welbeloued sone that pleaseth me well that was the holy trinyte that spake in his persone and the sone was bodely there in his persone Than Iohan baptist sayd to the peple Ecce agnus dei See the lambe of god And the holy goost was seen in his persone Sicut columbaÌ„ descendenteÌ„ â—s a 〈◊〉 done come downe and thise thre ben but one god in trinite wherfore it were full nedefull to all crysten people to praye besely soo that we maye haue grace to haue the parfight loue to byleue in the fader the sone and holy goost thre persones and one god in Trinyte ¶ Narracio ¶ we fynde that the moder of Saynt Edmunde of pountney as he stodyed of this holy trynyte she appered vnto him and leyed in his honde thre ringes eche with in other And in the first was wryten Pater The fader In the secound Filius The sone In the thirde Spiritus sanctus The holy gooste sayd My dere sone To suche fygures take hede and lerne what thou mayst And take good hede to this ensample For ryght as a rynge is rounde wythoute ony beginnyng and ending right soo ben thre persones in one god But for to stody how it myghte be it is but foly for it excedeth ony mannys wytt to muse ther vpon but sadly byleue ther vpon ¶ Narracio ¶ we rede of a clerke that was gretly lerned in dyuinyte the whiche stodyeth besely to haue broughte this in a boke why god wolde be byleued one god â— thre persones â— soo as he walked on a day stodyeng on this mater by the see sonde he was ware of a faire child sittyng on the see sonde had a lytyl shelle in his honde therwyth he toke water out of the see and cast it in to alâ—tyl pytte fast by Thenne sayd this mayster to this chyld Sone â—â—at doost thou and he sayd Syre I am abowte to haue all this water yâ— is in the see in to this lytyll pytte TheÌ„ne said the mayster that shalt thou neuer doo it passeth ony mannys power Syre sayd he as soone shall I doo this as thou shall doo that thou arte aboute to doo And anone the child vanysshed awaye Thenne this mayster thought it was not goddis wyll lefte his stodyenge in that mater and thanked god hyghely By this ensample ye may see that it is not goddis wil that we shold muse in that mater But stedfastly belyue in the fader the sone and the holy ghoste Veni per fidem trinitatis Come by feyth and loue of this perfyght feyth of the trynite Veni per opera misericordie Come by the werkys of mercy doing Veni per opera iusticie Come to this belyue by doyng of werkis of rightwysnesse and thus ye shal come to this parfyte beleue fader sone holy ghoste Et tunc conoraberis corona glorie eterne ¶ And thenne thou shat be crowned wyth a crowne of euerlastynge Ioye and blisse to the whiche brynge vs to the holy Trinyte ¶ De corpore cristi GOod frendis ye shall vnderstonde that this daye is an hye And a solempne feste in holy chirche the feste of Corpus cristi it is the feste of oure lordis owne body the whiche is offred to the hye faâ—er of heuen atte the auter in remyssion of oure synnes for all Crysten people that lyue here in parfyte lyf and charyte and grete socour and help in releuyng hem that ben in peynes of purgatory there abydyng the mercy of god ¶ ye shall vnderstonde that this feste was found by a pope that was called Vrban the v the whiche had grete grace and deuocion in the sacramente of the aulter consyderyng the grete mede helpe and socour to mannys soule And to the forderynge of lyuyng to all crysten people here in
synne but for to make the sacrament that shoâ—â—â— wasshe them toâ—â— crystenynge in his name fro all synnes Thenne was Iohan â—aptist redy and moche people wyth hym that come to the cristnynge Thenne sayd Iohan to oure lord all quakyng and tremblynge blessed lord thou art goddis lambe wythoute synne thou hast no nede to be cristened of me But that I am a man goten and bourne in synne haue nede to come and be cristened of the in remissyon of synnes Thenne said our lord Ihesu Iohan suffre at this tyme. For thus we muste fulfyll all rightwysnesse and Iohan cristened our lord 〈◊〉 Criste and as it is credyble our Lady was cristened after wyth other of cristis diciples and all the people that were come thyder Thenne whan all were cristened our lord wente oute of the water And as he went out of the brinke of the water and all the people with hym Aperti sunt celi HeueÌ„ opened a grete lyght â—â—â—lipped hym in syght of al the peple The holy goost come doune in liknesse of a whyte doue lighted on cristis hede And the fader spake and sayd thuâ— in herynge of all the people Hic est filius meus dilectus in quo michi bene complacui This is my welbeloued sone the which pleyseth me This was to teche al cristen people the feyth of the byleue of holy chirche for al cristen people be bounde to byleue stedfastli in the fader and the sone and the holy gooste In baptismo cristi tota trinitas se maiÌ„festauit scilicz pater in voce filiê° in carne spiritê° saÌ„ctus in columba et totum celuÌ„ apertum est In crystis baptisme al the holy trinite was shewed for the fader spak in voyce whan â—e sayd Hic est filius meus dilectus This is my welbeloued sone was there bodely whan Iohan baptist said Ecce agnus dei And the holy goost was seen Sicut columba As a whyte doue Thyse ben iii. persones in one godhede For the fader spake aboue and the sone was ther bodely and the holy gooste in liknesse of a doue ye shal byleue that thyse thre persones be but one god in trinyte This byleue ye shal know on the water brinke that is in your crystenyng at the foÌ„te wherfore he that byleueth thus and doth werkis of byleue shal be saued Qui crediderit et baptisatê° fuerit saluus erit He that byleueth is cristened shall be saued foloweth the werkis of byleue Qui vero non crediderit condempnabitur And he that byleueth not nor doth not the werkes of byleue shal be dampned The werkes of byleue ben mekenesse and charite for wyth out thyse ii shall noo man be saued And he that hath thyse ii he is wreteÌ„ in the genâ—logye of our lord Ihesu crist the whiche iâ— red in cristmasse that begynneth aboue wyth abraham and soo cometh dounwardes to Ioseph and to our lady In shewyng that he that is mooste mekest in herte is moost next oure lord Ihesu cryst and suche he auaunseth in euerlastynge blysse And therfore the genelogye this nyght begynneth atte Ihesu cryst and goth vpwardes to abraham and soo to god Also he was shewed very god in trynite whan he tourned water into wine at the wedding It happed soo the people lacked wyne atte the mete Thenne bad our lord that they shold take vi stenes or pottes that were empty and bad fylle them wyth water and they dyde soo Thenne our lord blessed them and bad that they shold bere them to hiÌ„ that begaÌ„ the table lete hym begyn and thenne he began and said it was the best wyne that euer he dranke Thus oure lorde shewed hym self both god and man God that he tourned water in to wyne and man in that he ete and dranke wyth theym ¶ This miracle he shewed at the weddyng in tokenynge that he blessed all weddyngis that be done after the law of holy chirche and therfore kepe your wedloke and be in full feythe and byleue of holy chirche as holy chirche techeth And soo ye shall come to euerlastyng blisse Amen ¶ De conuercoÌ„e sciÌ„ Pauli â—â—tte a mayâ—e 〈…〉 sone 〈…〉 the mayâ—e anoon by kynde he wyll â—all downe and laye his heâ—â— in her lappe and thenne all his mighte and strenghte is gone And thenne they come and take him Thus he sayth sainte poule was firste so fers in hym self that they durste nat preche there as he was ne speke to hiÌ„ for drede â–ª whan oure lorde iesu criste shewyd him swetenesse of his grace and this faire maiden that is the lawe of holy churche a none Poule fell downe to the ground and was subgett to all cristen people Herfore holy churche was glad of his defendynge He is sette also in high ensample of high mendinge for oure lord is so gracious that all cristen proplee may be sauyd that wyll forsake his mysse lyuynge and he conuerted Multo magis gaudiuz erit in celo de vno peccatore penitenciam agente quam de nonaginta nouem qui non indigent penitencia et cetera There is more ioye in heuyn vpon one synner doynge penaunce thenne vpon xcix that dyd neuir synne and therfore oure lorde wolde that all were conâ—â—â—ted and saued wherfore in high ensample and comforte to all synfull peple he sâ—tte sainte poule to loke vpon For though a man hadde do neuir soo moche synne and he wolde forsake his synne and synne no more Thenne all the company of heuyn maketh myrthe and melodye of his conuersion as we do here in erthe of the coÌ„uersion of sainte Poule But ther is moche peple that loâ—e more synne with luste and 〈◊〉 in this worlde than they doo god For there be many that wyll neuir leue syn nother for loue of god nor for the desyre of the blesse of heuyn nor for fere of the fende nor for deede of the peynes of hell But some saye that god wyll neuer lese that he hath boughte soo dere with his passion But they that say so ben nat wise god wyll that noon were loste but be ware thou lese nat thy selue For all the while thou louest more synne than god and haddest leuyâ— to serue the fende than god thou art cause of thyn owne dampnacion For whyle thou haste more wyll to serue the feÌ„de and be his childe than goddes childe thou lesest â—hy self and god hath ordeyned fendes to turment them in euirlastinge peyne But sainte Gregory saith they that shal be dampned begynne her penaunce here in this worlde in partye and after their deth contynueth for euir more wherfore I tel you this ensaÌ„ple ¶ Narracio ¶ There was a man that was an officer with a lorde and stoode a cursed And on a tyme as he rode towardes a maner of his lordes he fell oute of his mynde and vnbridâ—led his horse and ledde him in to a maner of his lordes and thenne anoon the bailyf perceyued how it was
that he sawe our lady was wyth elysabeth vnto the tyme that Iohan was borne and was mydwyf to elysabeth toke saynt iohan from the erthe and whan neyghbours herde that elysabeth had a sone they were full glad and come thyder as the maner was that tyme. to gyue the chyld a name called it zacary after the fader But elysabeth bad calle hym Iohn But for there was none of the kynne of that name they asked zacary by synes what the chyld shold hyght Thenne he wrote to them and bad calle hym Iohan. And therwyth god losed zacaryas tonge spake redely thanked god hyghly Thus was IohaÌ„ holy or he was borne And for he wold gyue euery man syghte of grace and of good liuing he gaue hem ensample for assone as he was of couenable age he wente in to deserte was there tyll our lord come to be cristened of hym Iohannes habuit vestimenta de pilis camelorum Iohan had his cloth made of the here of the camel and a gyrdel aboute him of the same skynne Esca autem eius erat locusta et mel siluestre Forsothe his mete was leues honysocles that hath a whyte floure that growethe in trees he ete al maner of wormes that were noryshed in that deserte amonge herbes and the wormes be as grete as a mannis fynger and sucked hony off floures that be called hanysocles thaâ— poure people gadren and fry heâ— oyle to her mete Also Iohan ete 〈◊〉 rounde leues that growen in trees in that deserte And whan they be broâ—en bytwene a manniâ— hondis thei be swete as hony and he dranke water of the welle that was in the deserte there was Iohnes life in that deserte tyl that our lord was xxx wynter of age And thenne our lord and Iohan met at the water of flain Iordan And thenne iohan tolde the people of crist and said Ecce agnus dei See the lambe of god that I haue tolde you of that shall fulfyll you in the holy gost TheÌ„ne went Iohn in to the water there he baptysed crist and whan he was baptysed Ecce aperti sunt celi Heuen opened Et vidit spiritum dei descenteÌ„ sicut columba And he sawe the holy goost come downe as a doue Et vox de celo dicens And a voys from heuen spake thus Ecce filius meus dilectus in quo michi bene complacui This is my welbeloued sone that pleseth me Here lerned iohan first to knowe thre persones in trynyte all this betokeneth two fyres The thirde fyre of bones betokeneth Iohnes marterdoÌ„ for his bones were brent and how ye shall here ¶ we rede the kyng herode had a broder that highte Phylippe and he had a fair woman to his wyf and herode louyd her 〈◊〉 And helde her vndre his wyf where Ihon repreuyd him and sayd Non licet tibi habere vxorem fratris tui It is nat laufull to the to haue thy broders wyf And therfore he putt hym in pryson and ordeyned bitwene him his wyf how Iohn might be dede with oute troublyng of the people for the comen people loued Iohn well Thenne herode ordeyned to make a grete feste to all the states of the countre for they shulde holde with him if the peple had rysen And so whan the daye was com that the feste shulde be holde and al the people were seruyd at the mete herodes wyf as couenaunt was bitwene theim tho sent her doughter into the hall for to daunce and to tomble afore the gestes And that pleased her fader so well that he swore a grete othe and saide Pete a me quod vis dabo tibi Ask of me what thou wylt and I shal gyue it the. Thenne as her modre bad her saye she saide Caput Iohannis baptiste The hede of Iohn Baptyst Then herode fayned him wrothe and sory that he hadde made suche an othe But he was glad in his hert thenne seÌ„t into pryson to smyte of Iohnes hede withoute any other dome and was brought to the damoysell Then the modre lete bury it in a pryuy place ferre from the body ¶ Thenne the next night after Iohnes disciples came and toke his body buryed it And there it laye tyll Iulyan the appostita the emperour come that waye Then he made take vp Iohnes bones to brenne them to wyndow theym in the wynde hopynge that he shuld neuer ryse ayen to lyf ¶ Thus ye may vnderstonde how holy that this man was Thenne an aungell come fro heuyn and tolde zacary of his conceyuig and was halowed in his moders woÌ„be and oure lady toke him from therth in his byrthe and an aungell brought his name fro heuyn and after he criste nyd oure lorde iesu criste this was an holy man ¶ ye shall vnderstonde thaâ— sainte Iohn the euangelyst dyed the same daye but holy churche maketh noo mencion therof For his day is holde in cristmas weke Then for these ii Iohns beholden the worthiest saintes in heuyn Thenne there were two scolars of dyuynite the one louyd Iohn Baptyst the other Iohn euaÌ„gelyst And on a day they purposed to dispute in this mater and the day was assigned but thenne the night bifore either Iohnes appered to their louers and bad theym leue ther disputacion for they were well accorded in heuyn and made no stryf And thenne on the morow bifore al the people either tolde his vision that were come to here theym dispute ¶ And thenne all the people thanked god almyghty and bothe saint Iohns of this faire miracle ¶ Alsoo there were two meselles that louyd wele thies two Iohnes And so as they were in coÌ„mynge they spake of these two saintes whiche were the gretest in heueÌ„ And soo that one saide that the one was greter thanne that other and so they begannne to fyghte Thenne there come a voys fro heuen and sayd we fyghte not in heuen and therfore fighte not ye in erthe for vs. for we ben in peas and so be ye And therwyth they were bothe hole of their sykenesse and thanked god and bothe saynt Iohannis and afterwarde they were holy men ¶ And therfore lete vs worshyppe thyse holy sayntes· that they maye praye for vs that we may come to euerlastynge blisse ¶ SctoÌ„rum Petri Pauli GOod frendes suche a daye ye shall haue the feste of saynt Peter and Poule and ye shall faste the euyn and on the morowe come vnto the chirche And worshyp god and praye to thyse two saintes that were holy appostles to praye for vs. Oure lord hath peter on the one syde poule on the other syde And he hath his woundes open and fresshe bledyng shewing to all maner of cristen people that he suffred those woundes for vs. that bee the v. welles of mercy that he suffred for vs. ¶ ye shall vnderstonde that thyse two appostles were first grete synners But for they left her synne and were sory
the vncōnynge that he sauoure rightfully A nother is gyue counceyl to hym that asketh it that he werke and do truly The thridde chastice him that trespassith that is to saye repreue or bete or do other due correction The fourthe comforte the sory as with gyftes wordes of comforte or suche other Thr v. forgyue theym that trespase to the For if thou forgeue hem nat god wyll nat forgyue the the rancor the offence thou muste nedes forgyue The accion and the amendes be at thy owne wyll The vi that thou suffre mekely whanne men trespasse to the that they be nat the more prompte to synne but that they be the more feruent to do penaunce gode werkes and be more redy to suffre disease than to doo it If any man chyde the. blame the. repreue the or do the wronge kepe sylence sette bifore a sharpe worde the chyld of sufferaunce and thynke that oure lord Iesu was bobbyd and buffetyd spy◠vpon and scorned and euirmore he helde his peas Therfore what disease fall to the beleue it cōmyth the for thy synne and so thou shalt suffre it the lightlyer if thou take hede wherfore it cometh The seuynth is pray that is to saye for thyn ennemye and all tho that ben synfull And if thou mayst help theim with noon of these seuyn a fore praye to god to helpe theym Criste sayth loue your ennemyes and doo well to theym that hate you And pray for theim that do you persecucion that ye may be the children of heuyn And thus may ye fulfyll the dedys of mercy bothe bodily and gostly Sequntur septem virtutes ¶ The sixth thynge that thou sholdest knowe god by be the seuyn principal vertues that euery man and woman ▪ shulde vse The firste is faythe whiche is grounde and begynnyng of our saluacion And it stondeth in thre thynges In the vnite of the godhede in thre persones In the manhode of Crist and in the sacramentes of the churche This vertue is nedefull to all cristen folke For it is the begynnyng of all good werkes So that feyth withoute good werkes Ne gode werkes withoute true faith may no man please god almighty The secounde is hope this is a truste by the mercy of god to be sauyd ¶ And it stōdeth in the grace of god and good werkes Nat only to hope in oure good dedys but in hem bothe to gyddre For we shall nat hope so lytell that is called wanhope that we shull hope to haue blysse if we wel done nat so moche truste in the mercy of god for to hope to be sauyd withoute good dedes The thrid is charite that is the ende and perfection of all the commādementes of god And vnderstonde in this that thou loue god aboue al thing And thy neyghboure as thy selue So that that one may nat be louyd withoute that other And thus sayth saynte Iohn That he that loueth god he louyth his brother he that loueth natt his brother which he may se how shold he loue god whiche he may nat see The fourthe vertue is rightwisnesse This is nat elles but a payng of duitye to eche thynge that it duely longith to as to god preysynge and than kynge for the godes of kynde fortune and grace that he hath yeuen the lent the. and therof to gyue him his parte And many other benefettes as in preseruynge the fro many myscheuys vengeaunce that thou haddest fall in and alday seest many one fall in and sholdest happely thy self haue fall in hadde nat his gracious kepynge haue been To thy neyghboure also thou muste yelde loue and charite that is to saye that thou doo right and reson to him in all thyng as thou woldest he dyd to the. if thou wolde he sholde be true to the and pay his dettes and begyle the nat with subteltyes and sleyghte◠in byenge and sellynge do the same thy selue to him If thou woldest also he were nat proude enuyous wrathfull couetous glotonous slouthfull ne lycherous be thou the same And thus in all other tynges as thou woldest thy neyghboure do to the do thou to him And thenne thou kepyst rightwysnesse to thy self Also thou muste nedes haue besynesse to lerne and fulfylle the cōmaundmētes of god and to withstonde synne shrewyd lyuynge ¶ The fyfte vertue is wysdome This vertue departeth good from euyll techyth vs to be ware of sleyghtes of the worlde of the flesshe and of the deuyll And to dyspys◠all that we may and of ii good to chese the better But saint Austyn sayth as many one dothe that thou muste despyse the worlde and hate thy flesshe for me where be the louers of the worlde that lytell whyle a goo were here with vs. There is nothynge lefte of theym butt powder and wormes take hede what they be nowe And what they were thā they were men as thou art sayth he they ete they dranke they laughed and ledde their lyf in erthe in myrth and io lyte and in a poynte they descended in to hell what prouffyteth theym nowe their vaynglory their shorte ioye pompe of the worlde luste of the flessh fals riches greate menye and euyll couetyse where is their laughter their playe their pryde their booste after all this luste howe greate payne and sorowe All that fyll to theym may fal to the sayth he For thou art a man of erth as they were and of the erthe thou lyuest And to the erthe thou shalt turne ayen These been the wordes of that holy doctoure saint Austyn This remēbrance shall make you wyse and hardy to dispise your ennemyes the world the flesshe and the deuyll Saint ysoder sayth that there is no thing bettre thanne wysedome ne noo thing thynge swetter ne lustier thenne knowlege no thynge werse thanne lewdnes Therfore knowe thou what thou shal flee and whyther thou shalt goo loue wysdome and it shall be shewyd to the and it shal come to the. Be besy ther aboute and it shall lerne the ¶ The syxte vertue is strengith This maketh a man myghtye and hardy to withstonde many grete myscheues for the loue of god For it standeth in suffrynge paciently aduersite and mekely to take prosperyte to suffre euynly bothe well and woo that oure herte be nat to high for no welfare ne to moche vndre for no euyll fare butt to be stronge agaynst oure foon both of body and soull that no temptacion make vs fall ne fayll in our fayth ayēst god almyghty ¶ The seuenth vertue is measure whiche is a meane bitwene to moche and to lytell and it stondyth in taking sufficiently that nedeth and refusyng vtterly that is to moche or to lytell Septem peccata mortalia ¶ The seuynthe thynge and the laste that thou shuldest knowe god by is the seuyn dedely synnes that all men shuld refuse for eche of hem is an euyn way to hell Therfore saythe the wyse man as fro the face of the adder fōde
saued Soo noe was in the shyp al a yere And thenne he put out a rauen for to bryng worde to knowe yf the reyne water seaced or no. he come not ayen Thenne he sent oute a douue and she come ayen and brought a braunche of olyue in her bylle And therby noe knewe well that the water was seaced in some place Thenne as god bad noe went oute toke the vnclene bestis from the clene and brente the vnclene bestis in sacryfice to god and that plysed god soo well that he gaaff hem and all that come of hem after leue to ete flesshe of all clene bestes and for to drynke wyne there as before the flode the peple ete and dranke nothing but water for therthe was soo fertyll in it selfe to fore that the people neded none other fode but suche as come of the erthe Thus may ye see and vnderstonde how grete vengeaunce god toke on all the world for synne nowe there is asmoche synne as euere there was in thoo dayes and moche more in many degres where I drede lest god wyll take vengeaunce on vs. and wolde or this tyme were not the prayers of holy chirche and good sayntes â–ª and in especyall by the prayers of oure Lady and that ye shall here by ensample of saynt domynyk as he was in his prayers he sawe our lord Ihesu Crist holdynge thre speres in his honde redy to shote hem in to this worlde for vengeaunce and all for synne Thenne com our lady knelyng before our lord and said my dere sone what wyll ye doo he said my dere moder the worlde is so full of synne of pryde couetyse lechery and other synnes that I wyll shote thyse iii. speres of vengeaunce on the people Thenne said our lady my dere sone hauer mercy on hem and abyde a whyle for I haue some true seruauÌ„tes the whiche shal preche and teche the peple to tourne hem from synne thus by prayer of our lady god spared to take vengeaunce But now the world is so full of synne and cursed liuyng of false extorcion oppression of the poure peple that they cry to god for socoure and helpe wherfore it is full lyke that we shall be smytten full soone wyth some greuous vengeaunce other wyth derth· other wyth dethe of pestilence wherfore it is nedefull for vs to praye besely to our lady that she maye praye for vs to her dere sone Oure lord Ihesu Criste to spare vs in our dayes that we mow haue grace and mercy now euer Anen Do◠〈…〉 GOod men wymen â—â—â—daye is cal◠〈…〉 in quiquagesme This worde quinquagesme 〈◊〉 a nombre of â— whiche nombre betokeneth remission and ioye â–ª For in the olde lawe euery .l. wynter oâ— maner of people that were ouirsette with seruyce of bondage whan they come to the age they were made free in grete ioye and myrthe to them wherfore this nombre begiÌ„neth this daye and endeth on Esterday shewynge that all cristen peple that be oppressed with any tribulacion or dysease here in this woâ—â—de shal be made fre and haue remission at the day of dome and be heires in the kingdome of heuyn And yet in confortynge of al cristen people euery â— wynter the pope of Rome graunteth full remission of all sinnes to all cristen people that coÌ„meth to Rome that yere And for all that may nat come thydre to haue this pardon The pope of heuyn iesu crist of his specyall grace graunteth to all cristen people full pardon of all sinnes in their laste ende So that they wyll â—epe thre thynges here in this worlde Confession contricion and satisfaction Holy shrifâ— of mouthe with contricion of hert and satisfaction in dede doyng Also he muste haue charite withoute faynynge stable feyth withoute flaterynge And withoute these thermay no man haue parâ—â—â—â—e at Rome nor elles where And therfore he that wyll be assoiled of the pope of heuin and haue clene remission ne muste be contriâ—e sorye for his synnes and shryue him clene be in purpose neuir to sinne more And they that 〈…〉 all the peyneâ— that 〈◊〉 were ordeyned â–ª for for him Take an ensample by pâ—â—ye that forsoâ—â— criste 〈…〉 grete othes but he was after 〈◊〉 and sory Et 〈…〉 And wept ful bâ—tterly and god that is ful of mercy for yaue him his trespas and made better there to him after than he dyd to fore For he sholde be in no dispayr deede ¶ Narracio ¶ we finde of a grete riche man that was so wycked in his lyf that moche people demyd him dampned to hell Soo he fell seke and felyd him selue that he shulde be dede and he â—â—thoughte him how wycked he hadde be in his leuyng and toke suche a contricion to hym and soo grete sorowe that he wept nyght â— day euir whan his synne came to his mynd And so ley vii daies and vâ— nyghâ—â—â— and shroue him clene and toke grete repentaunce to him and euir cryed god mercy So that all the peple hadde grete pyte on him and than deyed â–ª Thenne it hapned that ther was a monâ—e â—â— an abbey that dyed the same tyme. waâ— made by his abbot to come â—yen to tel him how he faryd â–ª and so he dyd and sayd to the abbot whan he was coÌ„me Sir I am come to kepe my promyse I praye you gyue me leue to go ayen for I goo to ioye Thenne saide the abboâ— was there any moo that dyed whanne thou dydyst that went to ioye but thou And he sayd ye forsoth one no mo◠〈…〉 was 〈◊〉 soâ—leâ— of suche a man 〈…〉 name Thenne saide thabbot â–ª Nowe I knowe well thou art nat my monke but soâ—â—e send is coÌ„me to teÌ„pte me For we knowe wele if any soule be in peyne he is one of tho Thenne sayd the monke full vnworthy is any man for to knowe the preuyte of goddes dome For that man hadde so grete contricion and repentaunce and wepte so bytterly for his synnes that the water of his eyen percyd through all his clothes to the grouÌ„de wherfore go thydre to morowe and whan thou fyndest it true that I say than byleue me For I goo nowe to euirlastinge ioye and blisse Then went thabbot thyder fouÌ„de as it was true as the monke had saide and there knelyd thabbot downe thankyd god and bad all the peple to be gladde that god is so mercifull and that he had the knowlege Here ye may se that the grete contricioun that this man hadde quenchyd the grete payne that was ordeyned for him Thus ye may se hou grete help it is to a mannys soule to be contrite and sory for his synnes and to drawe a man to the more contricioun â–ª those L. daies the psalme in the psaulter Miserere mei deus is more rehercid these daies than any other tyme of the yere the whiche is thus moche to saye God for thy grete mercy haue mercye on me
chyldren of Israhell whan moyses ladde theym oute of egypte in to the londe of byheft that is Iherusalem and soo they passed sauf and founde And soo vii dayes after they come all vnto the see and thanked god for her passage and in mynde herof holy chirche vseth all the Ester weke to goo a procession to the foâ—â—e that is nowe the rede see to all cristen people that ben crystened in the fonte For the water in the fonte betokenethe the rede see for blode and water is the wounde that were in cristis syde in the which the power of pharao the sede of helle is drowned and al his might lost and cristen peple saued and for the foÌ„te is halowed on Ester euen and on wytson euyn for in the begynnyng al children abode to be cristened vnto thyse two dayes and to be crystened atte the fonte halowynge But now for by cause that many in soo longe abydyng were dede wythout crystendome therfore holy chirche ordeyned nowe to cristen all tymes of the yere saue viii dayes byfore thise euyns the child shal abyde to the fonte halowyng yf it maye for perryll of deth and ellys not ¶ Thus is the pascall halowed by lyghte wyth the newe fyre and of it al other tapres and candellis ben lyghte for all holynesse and good techynge good liuing coÌ„meth of crist teching of holy chirche and lighteth hem in cristâ—s passion wyth brennynge loue and charyte Peces of enfence ben stycked in the pascall in the maner of a crosse those betokeÌ„ the fyue woundes of our lorde As bede sayth that he suffred in his body that shall be fresshe and sweâ—â— as ony ensence tyll the daye of dom to greate repreef to all that shall bee dampned that belyue not in Crystis passion and wyll not aske mercy and foâ—yeuenesse of her synnes In the fonte halowyng the prest casted water in foure partyes of the fonte for Cryste hadde his disciples goyng prechynge techyng in foure parties of cristendom in the name of the fader and the sone the holy goost And after the prest bretheth on the water for the holy gooste in makynge of the worlde was borne vpon waters ¶ For whan god for Adamis synne cursed therthe and the londe he cursed not the water wherfor it is lawfull to a man to ete in lenton that that cometh of the water After he droppeth the wex in to the water off a candell brennynge the whiche betokeneth the manhode of crist that was fullyd in water and putteth oyle and creme in the water For by the vertu of the sacrament those that ben in heuen and in erthe ben Ioyned to gyder and that was preued by crystis baptisme For there the fader of heuen spake and sayde Hic est filius meus dilectus in quo michi bene complacui This is my well beloued sone that wyll pleyse me and the holy ghost was seen Sicut columba As a whyte doue thus was the fonte halowed two tymes in the yere ¶ Att wythsontyde and at Ester whan all the people is broughte oute of thraldom by Crystis passion fro the dangeour of the fende and at wytsontide For thenne is the holy ghoste yeuen in remyssion of all synnes ¶ Thenne from the fonte the people goon to the quere syngyng the letanye prayenge all the sayntes in heuene to praye to god to gyue to all that been Crysten to kepe that sacrament to goddis pleysaunce And the couenaunt that they haue made in her crystenyng thenne the preest goth to masse for Cryste that is hede off all holy chirche is not rysen Kyrieleyson is said for in euery prayer in especyall in the masse it is grete nede to aske helpe and socoure of god to kepe vs from all maner off temptacion that the fende putteth in vs and namely in goddis seruice Gloria in excelsis Is said for the fader of heueÌ„ hath gret ioye to be holde the peple that his sone hath boughte wyth his passion and to see hem in reste peas and charyte echone wyth other The greyle is not sayd For those that ben newe cristened been not yet parfyte to walke in grace of vertues Alleluya is said For it is gre ioye to angellis to see by crystenynge the nombre of hem restored ayen After alleluya a tracte is said hyghe songen for though by crystenynge they be wasshe from synne yet muste they traueyle besely to kepe hem from comberaunce of the fende that they falle not in dedely synne The offertorye is said for the wymmen that comen wyth oynementis to offre to crystis body They fonde hym not in his tombe Agnus dei Is said noo pax is gyuen For cryste that is hede of peas is not rysen The postcomyn is not sayde for those that ben newe crystened shold not be housled this daye but on the morowe for in olde tyme there come to crystenynge peple of grete age Thenne a short euynsonge is done for the children that were not cristned wherof gretly they were noyed wyth seknesse of colde of longe seruyce thenne is ended vnder a shorte colet all the sacramente of cristenyng is ended in the passion of Crist by the whiche all cristen people were restored tor euerlastyng blisse to the whiche god brynge vs all to Amen ¶ In die paraceues GOod frendis this daye is called good frydaye for all that Oure Lord Ihesu cryste suffred this daye tourned vs to grete ioye For this daye he suffred passion vnder pounce pylate for oure sake It is an olde sawe that a foule begnnnynge hathe a fowle endyng Nowe see howe this pylate began cursedly and ended full wretchedly For as saynt austyn saith cursed lyuyng first asketh a cursyd ende after he that forgeteth hym self here in his lyuyng is full lyke to forgete hym selfe in his last ende This pylate was a knyghtes sone that was called Tyrus that he gate hym on a woman that hyghte Pyle And this womannys fader hyghte Atte. So whan this childe was borne they sette the moders name and the grande fader after and soo by bothe names called hym pylat ¶ Thenne after whan he was thre yeres of age his moder brought hym in to the kynges courte thenne hadde the knyghte another sone nygh lyke to pylates age But for this knightes sone was in all his rule more gentyler more manfully more goodly more beloued that this pylate soo for hate and for enuye therof This pylate on a dâ—y slewe this knyghtes sone thenne was the knyghte wonder sory But yet he wolde not slee Pylate and sente hym to Rome to be there in hostage for a trybut that the knyght sholde paye to Themperour ¶ Thenne it happed that the kynge of Fraunce hadde sent his sone theder for the same cause Thenne for by cause ¶ whan Pylate sawe that he was more beloued and chereshed Therfore this pylate slewe hym TheÌ„ne for he was so cursed themperoure by counseyll of the romayns sente pylate in
haue noo power And lyke a cursed tyraunt wyll be sore aferd and a dradde whan he herd the trompettes of a kynge that were his enmy and sawe his baners splayde in the felde with his oste coÌ„mynge toward him In the same wyse the fende the tyrant of hell is aferd and dredith him sore For whaÌ„ne the bellys rynge and the baners ben bore and the crosse with all the people come praynge Thenne he fleeth and dare not abyde and 〈…〉 power that processâ—â—◠¶ Narracio ¶ we rede at the cytee of Constantyne as the people wente in procession for a disease that the people had as they songe Letany Sodenly a childe was plucked vp into the ayre and borne into heuyn and the aungellys taughte him to synge this songe â–ª Sancte dâ— sancte fortis sancte et â—moâ—â— miserere nobis And anoon he was lete downe agayn to the erthe And thenne he song that same songe and anoon they were delyuered of their diseases This is to say in englysshe Holy god holy stronge god holy and neuir shall dye haue mercye on vs God that is holy and neuir shal dye haue mercy on vs God wylleth and wyll that we be stronge for to fyghte with the fende with the worlde with the flesshe And thanne wyll he haue mercy on vs. and brynge vs to the place then there as aungellys synge Sancte deus sancte fortis Holy god holy stronge god haue mercy on vs and bringe vs to his blisse ¶ Ascensio domini gOod frendes suche a daye ye shall haue an hygh and a solempne feste in holy churche that is called thascension of oure lorde Iesu cryste For that day as the feyth and byleue techyth howe god is very god and man and flyed vp in to heuyn ¶ wherfore in â—oknyng of this the paschall that is the cheif light in holy â—hâ—rche that hath stonde openly in the quiâ—e from Ester vnto this daye Now it is remeuyd awaye in tokenynge that cryste is cheif lighte in holy churche And so oure lordâ— diuerse tymes openly appieryd to his disciples and taught theÌ„ the feyth and the beleue and this daye be styed vp into heuyn and there wyl abyde tyll the daye of dome But now ye shall here the maner of that ascension from Ester daye tyll this daye he was nat with his disciples alway but diuerse tymes apperyd vnto theym And he apperyd to them as they faâ—â—e at ther mete and ete with them to shew them that he was very god and man in flesshe and blood as they were For some of them were in doute left he had be a spirit that hadde nother flesshe â—e blood And therfore to preue the trouth he ete with them in their sight and bad theym goo to the hyll of olyuete â— there in sight of all his disciples be blessed theym and flyed vp into heuyn And lefte the steppes of his feet thâ—eft downe into the harde marbyll stone for a token of his ascension Thenne ye shal vnderstonde that the hyll of Olyuete betokneth mercy wherfore cryste â—â—yed vp at the hyll of olyuet shewâ—nge wele that he is hede of mercy And he is euir redy to shewe mercy to all that aske mercy with meke herte Thenne in his vp flyenge as we call ascension angellys made so moche melody that no tonge may tell it so fayne they wer of his coÌ„mynge ¶ Ascendit velociter she styed vp swyftly For as it werâ— a mommente he was from erth to heuen A grete clerke a philosopher that is called Rabymoyses he sayth that it is as ferre fro heuyn to erth as a holy man myghte lyue a thousand yere and euery daye go a thousand myle But hee that mette this way knoweth best And this waye shal be mette of a rightfull and a good man Thenne in his asceÌ„sion he had a greate multitude of soulâ—s the whiche he sette oute of hell fro the fendes bondes He sâ—yed also wyth his woundes rede fresshe and blody And as bede sayth for fyue causes Firste for to verifye the feythe of his resurrection For he rose in very flesshe blode that dyed on the crosse for all mankynde The secounde to shewe his wouÌ„dâ—s to his fader in greate helpe and socoure to all mankynde The thridde is to shewe how rightfull they be dampned that wyll nat beleue in his passion and in his resurrection The fourth to shewe how mercifull he is to theym that wyll beleue and aske mercy The fyfte is that he bare with him a signe of victory For a sikernesse of all mankynde For lyke as a lorde is syker that hath a true aduocate bifore a Iuge to aunswere for him So in lyke wyse to all mankynde we fynde him oure aduocate euirmore redy to aunswere for vs at nede that the fende oure goostlye enmy maketh ayeÌ„st vs. wherfore saith the holy scriptur A sykerer attournay may no man be thanne god Vbi mater osteÌ„dit filio pectus et vbera wherfore the modre shewyth the soone 〈…〉 and her papes Filâ—â—s patri latus et vulnera The sone shewith to the fader his sides all to beten and his woundes bleding Howe shulde any thinge be putt awaye or denyed there as such tokenes of loue be shewyd He may nat fare amysse that hath suche ii frendes in the countrey of heuyn Also by the styenge vp into heuyn of oure lord iesu Cryst man hath goten a grete dignyte For a man to se his owne kynde and his owne flesshe and his bloâ—â—â—tting on the right syde of the fadâ—â—euyn in his trone ¶ wherfore aunâ—â—â—lys considerynge the dignyte of man they wolde nat suffre noo man to doo theym worshyp as they dyd bifore the incarnacion of crist But they worshyp man for god him selue hathe take mankynd on hym and is nowe in heuyn bodily Hereby may ye see how moche biholde is he to his god what we that were bouÌ„â—â— bifore and thrall to the fende of hel and no â—we ben made free of al that and oure lorde iesu criste haue yeue to man a fredome aboue any aungellys and therfore we be bounde vnto hym to do him seruyce reuerence worshhip And there as aungellys kept somtyme the gates of paradise with brennynge swerdes that no soule myght coÌ„me in Nowe by feyth oure lorde Iesu criste to mankynde he hath cast vp the gates and warneth no man to â—rin that is of stedefaste byleue 〈◊〉 â—aint austyn saythe Aperuisti credentibus regna celorum· Thou haste opnyd the gates of heuyn to theym that byleue Also ye shall byleue right as a king of this world hath officers of diuerse degrees some 〈◊〉 and some lower And some more â—â—â—uâ—er than some So oure lorde â—g vp at this tyme the lawer angellys for grete wounder that they had in cristes ascension whan they sawe him in flesshe and blood styenge vp to heuen wythe so grete multitude of soules with him And also for the grete woundre that they hadde whan they
diebus ¶ If I hadde eten asmoche as thou haste eten I sholde nat be a hungred as I trowe in thre daies And then said the cristen man to the iewe Vere nichil comedi Forsothe saide the cristen man to the iewe I ete no maner mete this daye TheÌ„ne saide the iewe Ego vidi te comedere puerum pulcerimum qualem sacerdos eleuauit ad altare I sawe the ete a child the which the preste helde vp at the aulter Et tunc venit pulcerimus homo habeÌ„s multos pueros iÌ„ gremio suo Thenne caÌ„me there a faire man that had many children in his lappe Et dedit vnicuique vestruÌ„ vnnÌ„ puerum taleÌ„ qualem sacerdos comedit And he gaue eche cristen man a childe suche as the preest ete yet to sharp youre bileue the more to this hooly sacrament I shewe you this ensample ¶ we rede in sainte Gregoryes tyme. There was a woman that hight Lacyna and she made brede for the pope other prestes to singe with for to housell with the peple Also the pope caÌ„me to this woman with her housel sayd take here goddes body Thenne this woman smyled and laughed Thenne the pope withdrewe his honde and laid the oste vpon the Aulter and turned to this woman Lacyua and sayd to her why smylest thou whan thou sholdest resceiue cristes body And she sayd why callest thou that cristes body that I made with myn owne hondes Thenne was gregory the pope sory for her misbeleue bad all the people pray to god to shewe some myracle for this womannys helpe And whanne they hadde prayed longe Gregory went to the autre ayen and founde thoste turnyd into rede flesshe and bloode bledynge and he shewyd it to this woman Thenne she cryed and sayd Nowe lorde I crye the mercy I byleue that thou art very god and man and goddes sone of heuyn in fourme of brede Thenne badde Gregory the people to pray agayn that it sholde turne ayen to bredes lykenesse and it dyd and with the same ofte he housled this woman Lacyua ¶ And therfore lete vs doo all the worshyp that we may to the sacrameÌ„te be nat in mysbeleue ¶ Also we fynde that in Deuonshyre beside exbridge was a woman ley seke and was nygh dede and sente after a holy persone aboute mydnyght to haue her rightes Thenne this man in all haste that he myght arose and went to the churche and toke goddes body in a boxe of yuery and put it into his bosome and went forth toward this womaÌ„ And as he went through a foreste in a fayre mede that was his next way It happed that his boxe fell oute of his bosome to the grounde And he wente forth and wyst it nat and caÌ„me to this woman and herde her confession And then he asked her if she wold be housted she said ye syre theÌ„ne he put his hoÌ„de in his bosom sought the boxe whaÌ„ he founde it not he was full sory and sadde and sayd dame I wyl goo after goddis body and come anone ayen to you and soo went forth sore wepynge for his symplenesse and soo as he com to a welow tree he made ther of a rode stryped hym self naked bete hym self that the blode ranne doune by his sydes and said thus to hym self O thou symple man why hast thou loste thy lord god thy maker thy saucour creature And whan he had thus beten him self he dyd on his clothes and wente forth And thenne he was ware of a pyâ—ar of fyre that lasted from erthe to â—â—uen and he was all astonyed therof yâ—â—he blessed hym and wente therto there lay the sacrament fallen oute off the boxe to the grasse and the pylour shone as bryght as ony sonne and lasted from goddis body to heuen And all the â—estis of the foreste were come aboute goddis body and stode in compasse rounde aboute it and all kneled on iiii knees saue on blacke horse that kneled but on that one knee thenne saide he yf thou be ony best that may speke I charge the in goddis name here present in fourme of brede tel me why thou knelest but on thy one knee Thenne said he I am a fende of helle and wyll not knele and I myghte but I am made ayenst my wyll For it is writon that euery knelyng of heuen of erthe shall be to the worshyp to the lord god why art thou lyke an horse he said to make the people to stele me at suche a towne was on haÌ„ged for me at suche a toune a nother Thenne sayd this holy person I commaunde the by goddis flesshe and his blode that thou goo in to wyldernesse and be there as thou shalt neuer dysease crysten people more And anone he wente his waye he myght noo lenger abyde And theÌ„ne this man went forth to this woman and dyde her ryghtes By the whiche she was saued and went to euerlastyng saluacion To the whiche brynge vs to he that for vs shed his blode vpon the rode tree Amen De festo sciÌ„ Andree appostoli GOod men wymmen suche a daye ye shall haue saynt andrewis daye and ye shall fast the euen and come to god and to al holy chirche and worship this holy saynt that daye for iii specyall vertues One is for his greate holynesse in his doynge The seconde for his good lyuyng The thirde for his greate passyon suffryng ¶ He was a man of holy lyuyng for whan he vnderstode and herde of saynt Iohan the Baptist that he was preching in deserte Anone he lefte all his worldly occupacion and wente to hym and was his diciple and soo after on a daye as cryst come walkynge by the way saint iohaÌ„ baptist sawe hym walking he said to his disciyples Ecce agnus dei qui tollit peccata mundi ¶ See the lambe of god that shal do awaye the synne of al the worlde And whan Saynt Andrewe herde that anone he leete saynt Iohan baptiste and sewed Criste And whanne he herde criste preche It pleased him so well that anon he weÌ„t and fett Petyr his broder to here cryste preche Thenne they caste grete loue to god and sone after as they wer in the see of galile fisshinge criste caÌ„me and called them and anon they left fysshiÌ„ge shyppe nette and all that they had and sued crist euir after were wyth him tyll he styed vp to heuyn ¶ Narracio ¶ Thenne after that saint Andrewe prechyd amonge the people then on a day as he prechyd It happed soo there was a man emong the peple that was called nycoll that hadde lyued many wynters in lechery but yet by the grace of god he thoughte to amende his lyue And whanne he herde that the word of god was of so grete vertue that it sholde putte awaye all temptaciones of synne he lete write a gospell and bare with him whersoeuir he weÌ„t with the vertue therof he
ghoste And thenne whan Egeas sawe and knewe this that he was dede he wente homward Thenne after that dede he wexed wode and deyed amonge al the people And whan maximilia his wif herde herof anone she toke andrewe 〈◊〉 body beryed it in a tombe and oute of the tombe welleth manna and oyle to gyder and by that people of the coâ—â—tre knowe whan it sholde be dere and whan grete plente For whan it shall be plente it welleth plentyfully whaÌ„ it shall be derth sâ—arsly ¶ Narracio It felle so there was a bisshop yâ— loued wel saint andrew for the fende myght in no wyse bryng hym oute of 〈◊〉 purpose he come to the bisshop in lykenesse of a fayr woman praynge hym that she myght speke wyth hym in counseyl of confessioÌ„ he grauÌ„ted her therto sire she said I am a knyghtes doughter haue be moche cherisshed norisshed in gret tendernes for I se it is world is but a vanyte to truste vpon I haue auowed chasâ—â—e now my fader wold mary me to a worthy prynce I wold not breke my vow I am come preuely away in pour aray thus I herde of your grete holynesse â–ª am â—oâ—he to haue your couÌ„seyl socour and helpe of you â–ª wherfore I pray you ordeyne for me that the fende haue noo power to lete me of my purpose ¶ Thenne the bysshop comforted her and bad that she shold thanke god that had sette her in suche purpose And that he wold sende her grace therwyth to contynue and sayd to her Esto secura filia â–ª Be thou seker doughter this daye thou shalt dyne wyth me thenne we shall by good aduyse whan we haue dyned ordeyne soo for you that ye shall doo ryght well Nay syre sayd she lest the people wolde haue ony susspection off bad rule ye sayd the bysshop ther off noo charge Plurima erimus et non soli For ther shall be soo many in companye that there shall be noo susspectioÌ„ Thenne she thanked hym fayre and she was sette to fore the Bysshop in a chayre at mete And euer whan the bysshop loked on her he semed her so fayre that he was gretly tempted on her so that he had almost forgete hym self And thenne anone there come a pylgryme to the gate And bete fast on the gate that al that were wyth in the hall were sore astoned of the noyse â–ª soo he cryed lete in lete in Thenne sayd the bysshop shall this man come in thenne said she lete hym answere to some questyon first whether he be worthy or none to come soo nyghe in your presence Thenne said the bysshop I praye you make the question for I am not aduysed at this tyme Thenne said she to the messenger Interroga quod est magis miraculum quod deus vnquam iÌ„ parua re fecit ¶ Aske hym what was the gretest myracle that euer god made in a fote brode of erthe Thenne whan the pilgrym was asked this he answered and said a manny◠〈◊〉 the whiche is but a fot but a mannis own face For though all the men and wymmen yâ— oure were borne stode afor me yet shold I knowe one from another by some degre whan he gaue this answer He was gretly commended therfore Thenne sayd she I see that he is wyse byd him gyue another answer to another question Aske hym wheder erth is higer thaÌ„ heuen Thenne he answerd and sayd thus There as Cristis body is there is erth for cristis body is of oure kynde and our kynde is erth therfore there is cristis body is erth Is hygher than heuen whan he hadde gyuen that answer he was well alowed was byd come in Nay sayd she lete hym a soyle the thyrde question Aske hym how ferre it is from heuen to helle Thenne whan he was opposed of this he answerde the messenger Go ageyn to her that sytteth in the chayer before the bysshop and byd her gyue this answer For she can better telle it than I. QuaÌ„do de celo iÌ„ abissuÌ„ cecidit For she is a fende that hath moten it soo dyde I neuer she fyll doune wyth lucyfer And whan the messenger herde this he was all heuy But he gaue this answere that all myghte here Thenne this fende vanysshed awaye wyth an horryble stynke Thenne the bysshop bethoughte hym off this temtacion and was sory in his herte And anone he made to sende after this pylgryme But or that the messenger come ayen to the gate he was gone· ¶ Thenne the bysshop made all men to praye to god 〈…〉 wyttyng what the pylgrim was that so goodly halpe hym at his nede Thenne come a voyce to hym and sayd it was Saynt andrewe that come to socour hym for 〈…〉 and seruyce that he dyde to hym And bad hym preche this myracle to the people to see and knowe how graciously he helpeth all that wyll praye hym and therfore lete vs worship and to pray hym to be our socour and oure helpe ayenst the fende nowe euer Festum sancti Nicolai GOod men and wymen suche a daye ye shall haue saynt nycolas day the which is preysed in holy chirche and specyally for thre causes The first for his meke lyuynge The seconde for his heuenly techynge The thirde for his greate compassyon hauyng First he was made lowly Pater eius epiphanê° mater eius iohanna dicta est ¶ It is said that his fader hyght Epyphanus and his moder iohanne the whiche in her yough gote saynt Nycolas And whan he was borne they made her vowes bothe to kepe and to lyue in chastyte and nomore come to gyder but holde hem plesed of this one chylde that god had sent hem the whiche they made hym crysten and called hym Nycolas that is a mannis name But he kepeth the name of the chyld For he chose to kepe vertues mekenesse and symplenesse and wythout malyce ¶ Also we rede whyle he laye in his cradell he fasted wenesday and friday Thyse dayes he wold sâ—e but 〈◊〉 of the daye and therwyth he helde him pleysed thus he lyued al his lyf in vertues wyth this childes name ¶ And therfore children done hym worshyp bifore all other sayntes for he was euer meke wythout ony malyce so that all the people preysed hym for his meke lyuynge here ¶ Also he was made bysshop of the Cyte of Myrre by a voys whiche come from heuen For whan the bysshop was dede all the bysshops of the countrey come to gyder to châ—se another thenne come a voys to one off them and bad hym ryse erly on the morowe and goo to the chirche dore and make hym bysshop that ye fynde there that is called Nycolas And so on the morow he come to the chirche dore and there he fonde Nycolas and thenne he sayd thus to hym Quale nomen habes tu ¶ what is thy name and lowtynge wyth his hede answerde mekely
all the reame aboute And thus it was alowed in all holy chirche ¶ Narracio Also we fynde that there was a seculer chanon that on a tyme wente ouer a water to haue doo avowtry wyth a woman And as he was aboute to begynne to saye oure lady maâ—yns and as he was at the Inuytatory that is Aue maria Ther wyth the fende caste hym downe and drowned hym wolde haue had hym to helle Thenne come our lady and sayd why hast thou take this man the fende sayde for we fynde hym in our seruyce goyng to do avowtry Thenne sayd our lady he was in my seruice and anone restored hym to lyf ayen And bad hym do no more synne and bad hym halow her concepcion soo he dyde was a good man euer after all his lyf ¶ Narracio ¶ Also there was a clerke that euery day vsed to say the seruice of our lady Then it hapned by counseyll of hys frendes he sholde haue a wyf whan he shulde ben weddyd he bethoughte him that he hadde nat saide oure lady seruyce Thenne he made all the peple to go oute of the churche while he sayd his seruyce And theÌ„ne he knelyd a doune and saide his seruyce tyll he caÌ„me to an antem of oure lady Quam pulcra es amica mea Thenne oure lady apperyd vnto hym and saide why sayste thou that I am faire and honest why wyll thou than leue me and take a nother Thenne saide he vnto oure lady what wylte thou that I shall doo Thenne saide our lady If thou wylt leue thy flesshly wyf and serue my sone and me I shall be thy spouse and thou shalte haue with me a crowne of euirlastinge lyf in the kingdome of heuyn the whiche god his blessed modre sainte mary and all holy saintes of heuyn brynge vs al the dre nowe and euir Amen Sequitur sermo breuis de sancto thoma gOode men and wymen suche a daye ye shall haue saint thomas day he was cristes appostel and ye shall faste the euyn and do him worshippe specially for thre causes The firste is for the preuynge of oure byleue and for grete woundres in his waye and grete miracles in his day This holy appostyll preuyd so oure faythe that he lefte no trouble For whan the discyples saide that our lord was rysen fro dethe to lyue And they haue seen him and spoke with him Thomas said he wolde nat byleue it tyll he hadde pull his honde into his side into the wound that the spere hadde made Thenne viii daies after whan all the disciples were to giddre and thomas with them theÌ„ne oure lorde iesu criste come bodily to theym and saide Pay vobis Peas be with you and thanne oure lorde sayde to thomas of ynde Mitte manuÌ„ tuaÌ„ in latus menÌ„ Putte thy honde into my syde in to the wounde that was made with the spere that smote me to the herte Et noli esse meredulus And be no lengre out of beleue but be stedfaste in the fayth TheÌ„ne whan Thomas hadde doon so anone he cryed and sayd for grete wondre Dominus meus et deus meus My lorde and my god I beleue that thou arte very god and man Then our lorde saide to him thus BtiÌ„ qui credideruÌ„t noÌ„ videruÌ„t Blessed be they that beleue and se nat For thou that haste seen thou byleueste But yet the taryenge of thomas brought vs to fadder beleue and to the blessinge of oure iesu criste Of this speketh sainte Gregory and sayth Thomas of ynde thou haste holpe more to the fayth that woldest nat beleue tyll thou haddest felyd his woundes thenne mary mawdeleyn that dyd beleue at the firste sighte Minus est enim in maria magdalena que cicius credidit quaÌ„ thomas qui diu dubitauit Thus Thomas preuyd oure feyth beleue that we nede neuir to varye ne to be in doubte ¶ Also thomas dyd from deth to lyf tolde to the kynge yâ— he had seen his palâ—yse in paradyse many merueylles and grete wondres that were in his dayes ¶ Narracio Hit happed that a kynge of ynde sende his messenger Abbanê° indie requireÌ„s artificeÌ„ To seke some crafty men in to the contrey of cesar to seke a carpeÌ„ter that coude make hym a palays to his plesaunce Thenne our lorde IhuÌ„ criste met wyth this Abbanus sente wyth hym thomas in to ynde Also whan thomas abbanus were passed the see they com to a cyte there as the kyngis doughter was wedded the same daye wherfore all maner of peple were commaunded to mete So amonge al other people thomas abbanus come in And were set to mete But thomas ete not for his thoughte was euere off god had no luste to ete Thenne come a boteler to thomas smote thomas on the cheke and badde hym ete thenne sayd thomas to hym Non hunc surgam donec manus que me percussit a canibê° aufertur I shall not ryse from this place tyll the honde that smote me be brought wyth a dogge Thenne anone after the boteler went after water and a lion met with hym and slew hym dranke his blode and ete of his body and thenne come a blacke dogge caught that honde that smote thomas and brought it in to the hall in the syghte of all the people layd it downe byfore thomas Thenne was there a woman that vnderstode thomas wordes anone â—neled dowâ—ne to thomas and cryed and said thoâ— arte god or elles one of his disciples For ryght as thou wylt soo it is TheÌ„ne the kynge prayed to thomas to blesse his doughter and her husbande theÌ„ne thomas was glad therof ¶ Cepit ergo predicare beatus Thomas Therfore the blessed thomas began to preche and tolde them of our lord ihesu crist that he tourned the man that was wedded the same daye from his wyff a none and made hym bisshop of the same Cite his wyff anon and they were martirs after for crystis sake TheÌ„ne wente thomas forth in to ynde to the kynge to make hym a paleys to his plesaunce Soo whan Thomas was come to the kynge he was gladde ¶ And delyuered thomas a grete soÌ„me of gold to make a palays wyth Thenne rode the king forth in the meane tyme. And whan thomas sholde haue made this paleyse hym thought it was better to make a paleyse in heuen than in erthe and deled his golde amoÌ„ge poure peple and conuerted them to the feyth Thenne come the kynge home and went that his paleyse had be redy And whan he herde how Thomas and abbanus had done he wold haue put them to deth But it happed that his owne brother was dede the same time ¶ And therfore he putte theym bothe in to pryson in to the tyme that he had buryed his brother ¶ Thenne as god wold whan his brother had laye longe dede he rose
that Thomas had made for hym and prayed the kynge that he myghte haue it and he wolde gyue hym as moche gold as he toke thomas TheÌ„ne the kinge toke his couÌ„seyl and said nay I wil haue it my self Lete hym make the another for his broder had seen the paleyce in paradyse made wyth gold and arayed wyth precyous stones and clothe of golde ¶ Thenne the kynge toke crystendome and many a thousande wyth hym and whan the bysshop saw that the kynge and soo moche other peple forsoke her lawes and tourned to Cristendome they were sore wrothe wyth thomas the one of theym sayde he wolde venge his god and wyth a spere smote thomas thorugh the body and slewe hym Thenne Cristen peple buryed hym in a tombe of Crystall And there god wrought many myracles for hym For the honde that was in Crystis syde wold neuer come in to the tombe but euer laye wythout Also in his prechyng and techyng he taught Duodecim gradus virtutum assignare Primus est vt in deum crederent qui est vnus in essencia et trinus in personis Dedit eis triplex exemplum sensibile quomodo sint in diuidenci a vna tres persone Primum eÌ„ quia vnum est in homine sapiencia et de vna procedit intellectus Memoria et in genium memoria est vt non obliuiscaris intellectum vt intelligas que ostendi possunt veldoceri ingenium eÌ„ vt quod didiceris inuenias Secundum est quia in vna vinea tria sunt lignum folium et fructus Et hec omnia tria sunt vinea Tercium eÌ„ quia capud nostrum eâ— quatuor sensibus constat In vno autem capite sunt Visus auditus Adoratus et gustus Et hec plura sunt et tamen vnum capud Secundus gradus est vt baptismum suscipiat Tercius gradus est vt a fornicatione abstineat Quartus vt se ab auaricia teÌ„peret Quintus vt gulaÌ„ distringeret Sextus vt penitenciaÌ„ teneret Septiê° vt in hiis perseuerareÌ„t Octauus vt hospitalitatem a marent Nonus vt voluntateÌ„ dei requirant Decimus est vt facienda quererent Vndecimê° vt caritatem amicis et mimicis impenderent Duodecimê° est vt custodiant â—iis vigilem curam exhiberent Item appostolus Omnes qui oderant deuÌ„ de tribê° breuiter instruxit scilicet vt ecclesiaÌ„ diligerent Sacerdotes honorareÌ„t Er assidue ad verbuÌ„ dei coÌ„uenirent Also there ben many merueyles woÌ„derful thinges done on this day for on that day al the countrey cometh theder to take pardonoff that hond that lyeth ¶ oute of the Tombe in theyr vse â–ª the bisshop of the cite that goth to masse And whan he hath said Confiteor thenne he taketh a braunce of vyne putteth it in to thomas honde that is oute of the tombe and thenne he gooth forth to masse and the brenche burgeneth out grapes and by that tyme that the gospell be sayd the grapes ben rype thenne the bysshop taketh the grapes and wryngeth the wyne in the chalyâ—e and so singeth wyth the same wyne and houseleth the people And whaÌ„ ony man or womaÌ„ cometh that is not worthy to receyue this housell anone the honde closeth to gyder and wyl not open tyll he be shryuen and thenne it wyll open Also yf ony people be in debate they shall be brought to thomas tombe and there the cause shall be rehersed thenne wyll the honde torne to hym that is in the right and so they be made at one Thus thomas preueth oure byleue and dyde many woÌ„dres in his dayes ¶ Also Iohan grisâ—stomus saith that Thomas come in to the countrey there as the thre kynges of coleyn were and thomas cristened them For they had worship god in his byrthe And therfore Thomas come to theym And taught theym the feyth the byleue of criste to that byleue that we maye be saued god brynge vs all ¶ De Natiuitate dnÌ„i nostri Ihesu cristi GOod men and wymmen as ye here and see all holy chirche maketh mynde and mencioÌ„ of the greate myrthe and melodye of the blessed birth of our lorde Ihesu criste very god and man that was this day borne of his moder mary in socour off all mankynde but in especyall form causes First to gyue peas to man off good wyll and to lyghte hem that were derke in synne And for to drawe vâ— wyth loue to hym Thenne as to the first cause he was borne to gyue men peas of good wyll I maye well preue this for whan he was borne angelles songe thus Gloria in excelsis deo Ioye be to god in heuen peas in erthe to mankynde of good wyl At mydnyghte our lord was borne for by kynde al thynge was in peas and rest in shewyng that he was and is Princeps pacis Prynce of peas come to make peas bytwyx god and man and bytwene the angell and maÌ„ and betwyx man and man And for to be trewe medyatour bytwyx god and man He toke nature and kynde of bothe And was bothe very god and man by his mediacion he knytte the loue of god to man Soo sadly that the fader of heuen spared not hym that is his owne sone But sende hym in to this worlde to bye mankinde wyth his precyous blode thrugh his gret mekenesse to ioye of paradyse that man had lost by couetyse of vnbuxsumnesse Thus he made peas bytwyx god and man and man and man For whan angellâ—s saw her mayster wrothe with man for his vnbuxsumnesse For it is a sinne that angellis haten gretly Therfore they kepte the gates of paradyse and wolde lete noo soule come in tyll they sawe her lord borne of mankynde ¶ Thenne anone for loue of oure lord thangellis dyde mankynde worshyp spake goodly to mankynde as to the shepherdes that kepten her shepe in the countre by They badde hem go to the cite of Bethlem and there they shold fynde a child borne and layd in a â—ratche bad hem do hym worshyp and so they dyden and euer syn angellis haue ben frendely to man and lowly haue done reuerence to mankynde for thyncarnacion of our lord Ihesu crist Thus he made peas bitwene angellis and man Also he made peas betwene man and man for ayenst the time that our lord wolde be borne he made soo grete peas that in all the world there as kyngdomes and countrees were in debate and werred eche wyth other Vnto the tyme of oure lordis byrth Thenne there was so grete peas that a man that was called Octauian Emperour of Rome and he had the gouernaunce of the world For all the worlde was subget to Rome and it dured xxx yere in soo moche that ther was a maundement sent oute from Rome in to all the world commaundynge that all maner of people shold goo to the Cite that he drew lygnage of and lay a peny vpon his hede and soo
water And as constantyne laye in his bedde sore aferde of maxencius for he was moche byger of people thanne he was thenne came to him an aungell with a signe of the crosse shynynge as golde sayd to him To morow whan thou goest to the batayll Take this â—yne in thyn honde and by the vertue thâ—â— of thou shalt haue victory Then was constantyne wounder gladde and anone lete make a crosse of tree to bere it to fore him to the batayll But whanne maxencius sawe him nygh the brydge he was so fyers of him selue that he had forgete the trappe the whiche he had made him selue and so came on the bridge and fyll downe to the water by the trape and was drowned Thenne was al his aste wondre fayne to yelde theim to Constantyne with good wyll Then for constantyne was nat yet crystned And also he was helyd of a Leperhode that he hadde Thenne anoon by couÌ„seyll of the pope he sent his modre quene Elene that was quene of IerusaleÌ„ and prayed her to go and seke the crose that criste dyed on This Elene was a kinges doughter of Englonde and the emperour of Rome wedded her for her beautie and soo she was made empresse of Rome But after her husbondes dethe she hadde the kingdome of Ierusalem to dowry where she made gadre all the iewes that might be found and saide But if they wolde shewe her the crosse they shulde all be brent TheÌ„ was there one of theym that hight Iudas and all saide that he knewe beste where the croce was Thenne said Elene to him Si vis viuere osteÌ„de michi lignum crucis If thou wylt lyue shewe me the crosse that god dyed vpon or els thou shalte be brente and so putte him to grete distresse Thenne he sawe he muste nedes tell or dye and saide to theym I biseche you lede me to the mounte of Caluary there as I shall bydde you and I shall shew you the crosse of Criste for he was blynde and myght nat se And soo whanne he was brought to the moÌ„te of Caluary he knelyd downe and prayed longe and whanne he had prayed the place where the crosse was meuyd and the erthe quoke and there came a swete sauoure fro that place that the crosse laye that was as swete as any spycery in the worlde and then they dygged there longe and at the last they founde thre crosses But then wyst thei nat whiche was cristes crosse fro the other â—weyn And then toke they a dede body and layd nowe on that one crose and then on that other And whan it come to cristes crosse anone the body rose to lyf and thanâ—ed god Thynne saide Iudas thou arte criste truly and sauyoure of the worlde and after that Iudas was cristned was an holy man after Thenne tooke Elyne a parte of that crosse and sent it to her sone Constantyne And the Remenaunte therof she made to shryne it in syluer and golde and lefte it in Ierusalem with all the worshippe that she coude ¶ Thus holy churche maketh mencion this day that the holy crosse was founde Thenne as we rede we fynde in a citee that was called Birectus A cristen man hyred a house of a Iewe to dwel in Thenne hadde this man a rode whiche Nicodemus hadde made in mynde of criste Thenne tooke he this rode and sette it in a preuy place of his house for sighte of the Iewes and dyd it worship after his coÌ„mynge Then after it fell so that this man went into a nother house and hapnyd to leue this rode behind him vnwetynge Thenne come a iewe and duelt in the house there this cristen man hadde been in Then for to make him good chere his neyghboures come on a nyght and souped with hym And as they sat at souper and spake of this cristen man that duelled there bifore this iewe loked beside him and in a corner he sawe this rode And whan he sawe that anon he began to grynde with his teeth and to chide with this other iewe his neyghboure and saide thou art turned to cristen feyth haste a rode dooste it worshippe pryuely Then this other iewe swore nay as depe as he coude that it was nat so ne neuir saw it bifore that thyme yet nat withstandyng that other iewe went tolde his neyghboures and saide that this man was a preuy cristen man and hadde a rode priuely in his house Then anon come all his neyghboures wode for wrath al to bete this man and drewe him tugged him in the worste maner that they coude and so at the laste they saide all this is the ymage that thou beleuest vpon And they toke the ymage and bete it and scourged it and crowned it wyth thornes and at the laste they made the strengest of theym to take a spere and with all his myghte he smote it to the herte And anoon therwith blode water ran oute by the sides Then wer theâ—fore aferd therof and saide Take we pottes and fyll them with this blode and let vs bere it into the temple there as the seke people is of diuerse maladies anoynte them therwith if they be hole with the blode than cry we god mercy and anon let vs be cristned maÌ„ and woman Then they anoyntyd the seke people with this blode and anoon they were hole Then went these iewes to the busshop of the cyte and tolde him all the caas anon he knelyd downe on his knees thanked god of this fair myracle And whan he cristned the Iewes he toke vyolles of glasse cristall ambre put of this blood in them seÌ„t about in diuerse churches of this blode as many men vnderstonde come to the blode of hayles ¶ Mylites tellith in his Crouyeles that many yeres after that Ierusalem was dâ—stroyed the iewes wolde haue bylded it ayeÌ„ Then as they went thiderwardes erly in a mornynge they founde many croces by the way â—they were aferd therof and turned homwarde ayen yet on the morowe they went agayn then were the crosses full of blode and thenne they fledde homwardes agayn echone yet wolde they nat leue therby but went ayen the thridde day then fyre rose oute of the erthe and brent them euirechone to asshes De scoÌ„ ioheÌ„ ante portam lati gOode frendes suche a daye ye shall haue saint Iohns daye at the porte latyn why is it called soo It hapned as this daye this holy saint prechyd the worde of god in a cyte that was called Ephesie â–ª the iustice of the cyte sawe that he turned moche people to the byleue of Criste and wolde haue hadde him to doo sacrifice to false goddes and for he wolde nat but rather lese his lyf Then the iustice lete take him and coÌ„maunded him to be sette in persone while he sent to the Emperoure of Rome to knowe what he shulde do wâ— the him And so â—reÌ„s came to themâ—eroure
criste a greate fest nat in delicate metes and drynkes But in fedynge criste and all his company for he fedde all that wolde come for crystes sake for moche people sued Criste wher soeuir he wente Secute sunt cuÌ„turbe multe For dyuers causes manye folowed him Some to be heled of her sores and of diuerse sekenes And some to see myracles that criste dyd shewe Some to ete and to drynke with hym and some that were his ennemyes that were lerned in the lawe if they might haue taken him with any worde wherby they might haue accused him and some to be reformed in vertues to here his doctryne and techynge as the appostylles many other Vnde vâ—â—â—â—s Morbus signa cibus blasphemia doctrina fuere Cause cur dominum turba secuta fuit ¶ And wahnne mathewe had fedde criste thus all that come wyth him criste made him oone of his descyciples and gaue him knowlegynge to preche the bileue and goddes worde so boldly euir after that he spared nother for loue ne for drede So this mathew thappostell come on a tyme into 〈◊〉 and prechyd that was called â—â—dabar and there he founde moche people taughte by the fendes crafte in â—â—gramaÌ„â—y and taughte so many thynges so merueylous that it was grete wondre to here many mennys wyttes and all for the people sholde byleue in hem and do worshyp to theym Thenne mathewe delyuered their nygramanâ—y so that all the people knewe openly that it was the fendes crafte wherfore these people that byleuyd on this nygramancy made dragones by the fendes crafte to spytte fyre oute of their mouthes and brenne soo that the stynche of theym slewe moche people And they brought this dragon to haue deuoured saynte mathew And whanne mathew herde herof he made a crosse bifore hem and went ayenste theym and anon the dragones fell downe dede bifore hym Thenne saide mathew to the people If ye haue any might rayse them agayn to lyf but they hadde no power ¶ Thennne sayd mathewe if I were nat goddes seruaunte I wolde make were there two roches of stone on eyther syde that the werke myghte not vp Thenne saynt mychael apered to a man that hyght Haymo and badde hym goo and put awaye the roche and drede noo thyng Soo this man went thyder and set to his sholders and bad the roche goo vtter in the name of god and saint Mychaell and soo the hyllis wente vtter as moche as nedeth to the werke ¶ Narracio ¶ we rede also in the lyf of saynt Gregory how there was a grete multytude of people in rome And they sawe arrowes of fyre come 〈◊〉 of the ayre and slewe moche people Thenne saint Gregory prayed to god to â—ease that pestylence Thenne he sawe an angell stondynge vpon a castell walle wypyng his blody swerde But that angell he sayd was saint mychaell that was sente thyder to punysshe the people for synne thus mychaell was meruelous in myracles werkyng Also he was vyctoryous in fyghtyng For whan the cytezens of sepotine were oppressed wyth paynymes shold gyue hem batayle they prayed ofte to saint Mychaell of helpe Thenne the nyghte before as the batayle shold be mychaell appered to the bysshop and sayd to hym haue noo drede but goo to the batayle boldly and he wold helpe hym soo on the morowe whan the batayle shold be the hyl of garganê° was ouer couered wyth a grete myste and arrowes come oute of the myst fleenge off fyre and boltes of thonder And hâ—treâ— moche people of the paynyme in soo moche that they slewe that nyght many And soo many were sleyne and they that were a lyue sawe the greate myracle of god and were crystened Saynte Iohn the euangeliste seyth in his apocalyps how mychaell and his angellis foughte wyth lucyfer in heuen that is called the dragon and his angellis and wyth helpe of god mychaell had the better and droue out the dragon and all his felisship in to the ayre betwene heuen and erthe and soo they be there yet as thicke as motes in the sonne And for cryst come to heuen in a blast of thonder And therfore yet whan they here thonder they fall downe to the erthe for fere and thenne they goo not vp ayen tyl they haue done soÌ„me harme For thenne they make â—ates stryues and manslaughter and make grete wyndes bothe in londe and in water and doo moche harme and yet they wolde doo moche more than they doo nere saynt mychaell For al theyr sorowe is to see soules angellis in heuen in the place there they were in to fore Also there were other spyrites that stode not stedfaste towardes god But flaterynge the whiche saint mychaell droue out of heuen all in to an yle off of the see as ye shall here As saynte Brandon seyled in the see he come to an yle and sawe a tree that was right grete both in heyght and in brede that was wonder to telle on the which tree satte many byrdes thycker than the bowes And were as whyte as snowe Thenne he prayed to god to knowe what they were Thenne come one off them and satte on the shâ—ppis â—â—â—de batered wyth his wynges â–ª and made a sowne lyke an organ â—â—â—me sayd braÌ„don â–ª yf thou become lyke a messenger speke and telle what ye been Thenne he sayde we were angellis that stode not stedfast in the byleue as mychael was and therfore we were dreuen oute whan mychaell droue oute lucyfer his angellis But yet we haue euery day a remedy to worshyp god thenne was mychaell wonderful in appering merueylous in myracles doyng wherfore lete vs worshyp this holy angell that he may be our sheelde in fighting ayenst our goostly enemy the fende so that we may haue the victory of hym nowe and euer Amen ¶ De festo sancti Luce. â—Ood frendes suche a daye ye shall haue saynte Lukes daye the euangelyst· ye shall vnderstonde the cryste had four euangelistis that is marke mathew luke and Iohn-thyse wrote the gospell the gospell is noo more to saye but goddis worde Thise holy euangelistis wrote not oonly that god spake but also what he dyde what he suffred for mankynde for it shold be knowen to all mankynde for euer more to thynke on goddis worde and to doo therafter Thise foure be lykened to foure dyuerse beestes and soo they ben portured in foure partyes off the crosse on euery syde of cryste For marke a lyon for mathew a man for Luke an oxe and for Iohn an Egle. But lete noman suppose that they were suche beestes but lykened to suche beestes for dyuerse causes For by cause that Mathew wrote moste of cristis maÌ„ hede therfore he is likened to a maÌ„ and luke wrote moost of crystis sacrefyce and his deth â—herfore he is lykened to an oxe for an oxe was offred in sacrifice of the old law in tokeniÌ„g that cryste shold be offred for synne of the peple in
sacryfice in the aulter of the crosse And marke wrote moche of the resurreccion and therfore he is lykened to a lyon For as the bokes saye and tellen whan a lyon hath yonge welpes they shall lye as dede iii. dayes after they ben whelped Thenne cometh the lyon and seeth his whelpes dede Anone he maketh suche a â—â—â—yng and a cryenge that the dede whelpes wake therwyth â–ª and quyken and take lyf Soo whan criste had laye thre dayes in his tombe thenne the fader spake to hym badde hym ryse and soo rered hym from deth to lyf Also Iohn is lykened to the Egle. For by kynde â—e fleeth hyghest in to thayre and nexte to the sonneâ— so Iohn wrote most of the godhede and but lityll of the manhede thyse ben the causes that they be likened to foure deuerse beestes ¶ But now ye shall vnderstonde that luke was lykened to an oxe thâ—e maner of wyse that is in thoughte worde and dede he offred his thoughte to god For there as he was firste besy to gete goodes of the worlde wyth his crafte For as bokes telle he was first a leche and for couetyse of godde he slewe many a man bodely theÌ„ne had he offended god soo greuously that anone he offred his thought in sacrâ—fice For as boâ—es teche god is hyghly pleised wyth thought that is whan a man is sory for his synnes in his herte and thynketh verely to forsake theym and amende him Also he offred his worde to god in sacrifice for as he was wonte to spende his speche in many ydle wordes or he come to the appostle after he tourned his speche to the profyte of all crysten people wherfore he wente to our lady and she taughte hym the gospell that he wrote And for he was a clene mayden oure Lady cherysshed hym the more And so taught hym ful goodly how the angell come to her in message And what he sayd what answere she gaue ayen and soo all thynge that she dyde wyth her sonne And of all her doyng tyll oure lord was styed vp in to heuen And whan Luke had lerned this perfyghtly theÌ„ne he loked what Marke had wreten and mathewe and soo toke at theym ¶ And there as they wrote derkely he wrote openly all thyng Thus in prechyng techynge he offred his wordes to god in sacrefyce For he peyned his body wyth dyuerse penaunce of fastynge and of harde lyuynge in kepyng and praynge Also he wrote all the persecucion that the postles suffred of the iewes in Iherusalem whan they had grete pursute and tourmentes for goddis sake And he wrote all the perscucion of saynt Steuen how he was stoned to deth Thenne wente saynt Luke to saynt poule shewed him how many myscheues and diseases that he had And in grete drede and neuer depâ—rted from hym tyll poule was dede Thenne wente Luâ—â— to a contrey that was called betany and there he preched the worde of god And was there tyll he was lxi wynter of age thenne he deyed full fayre full of the holy gooste For he lyued in holy vertues And after his deth God shewed for hym many fayre myracles and soo ended in criste And wente to euerlastyng blysse To the whiche god brynge vs all ¶ De Simone et Iuda GOod frendis suche a daye ye shall haue the feste of SymoÌ„ Iude. And ye shall faste the euen on the morowe come to chirche and worship god and theis holy appostles ye shall vnderstonde that eyther of thyse hath two names that one was called Symon zelotes and that other Iudas Iacola and Iudas thadeus shewyng by thyse how the name that a man hath in this world deyeth and passeth oute of mynde whan he is dede ¶ wherfore euery Crysten man shold be besy to take hym a name that shold be wreten in the boke of lyff that shold laste euer And therfore thyse two appostles suffred grete penaunce traueyle trybulacion and dysease and at the last peyne of deth for crystis sake wyth hertes meke and clene consience Symon is as moche to say as obedieÌ„ce that maketh a man meke in herte Iudas is as moche to saye as confession that clenseth a mannis concience of all maner off synne And thus before or they deyed thei gaue to euery man ensample how they toke theyr deth mekely for crystis sake and deyed wyth clene concyence And thenne they shall be wreten in the boke of lyfe wyth grete worship in the fraternyte of heuen But they that grutchen in theyr hertes of disease and persecusion and euer pleynyngt they haue nede to praye to god to be heled off that sykenesse that they haue in her spirytis ¶ Narracio ¶ we fynde in the lyf of the appostle how a kynge that was called Abagarus· and was a leper and herde how that our lord Ihesu criste dyd many myracles and heled all that were syke TheÌ„ne he wrote a lettre in this wyse kynge Abagarus greteth Ihesus Sauyour well that precheth in the countre off Iherusalem And I haue herde of thy myracles that thou dost and soo thou helest all maner of sikenesse wythout ony herbes or salues blynde croked the lame And that is more merueyle that thou reysest dede bodyes to lyfe wherfore I thynke in my herte and in my byleue that thou art very goddis sone and come downe from heuen to erthe and lyueste here amonge the people as one of hem wherfore I wryte to the that thou wyll come to me and he le me of my leprehede that greueth me full sore And soo I vnderstande that the iewes haue ordeyned to doo the to deth And I haue a lytyll cyte that is good and honest and plentuous it is suffysaunt ynought for vs bothe to lyue by and there shall we bothe lyue in rest and peas thenne cryste wrote ayen and sayd thou art blyssed that byleueste on me and hast not seen me and for thou woldest that I shold come to the. I saye to the I must dâ—â— that I come fore and thenne 〈…〉 sende some of my disciples to 〈◊〉 that shall hele the of thy leprehede Thenne for this that cryste myghte not come to hym For grete desyre that he had to see hym He sente to hym a paynter that was a mayster of tâ—at crafte to paynte crystis vysage as he cowde but whan this paynter come to criste and loked on his vysage â–ª it 〈◊〉 soo bryght that he myght not loke tâ—â—â— on Thenne he made grete sorowe and mournynge that he was come soo fâ—â—re and myghte not spede of his purpose Thenne criste toke a clothe of the peynter and wyped his face therwyth and thenne was the fourme of his face theron and thenne the peynter bare it to the kynge Thenne was the kynge wonder glad and dyde it grete reuerence wyth all his herte Thenne after cristis ascension Thomas of ynde by the assente of the appostles was sente to this kynge Abagarus And whan he sawe
coÌ„myst to the churche beholde goddes body vndre forme of brede in the auter And thanke him that he vouchesauf euery day to come fro the holy heuyn aboue for the helth of thy soule Loke thou on the crosse therby haue mynde in the passion that he theron suffred for the. thenne the ymages of the holy saintes nat beleuynge on them but that by the sight of hem thou may haue mynde of theym that been in heuyn anâ— soo to folowe their lyfe asmoche as thou mayst If thou thus worshyppe loue and serue god thenne shall all thynge worshyp loue serue the and so thou shalt fulfyll the firste and mooste coÌ„maundement ¶ The secounde is that thou take nat in vayn the holy names of god Thou takest the name of god in vayn whanne thou turnest agayn to thy syn after thy baptym Thou takeste it in veyne also whanne thou sweryst and foâ—sweryst the and reckeste nat how Afore all thynge sayth saint Iame swere ye nat left ye fall vndre the come of god It is only reseruyd to god saith saint Iohn that thou swere by hym and his trouthe and his rightwysnesse Therfore or thou swere see that thou be compellyd by dome and that it be right nat for enuye loue ne drede but only for rightwysnes in declaring of trouthe And if any man of these fayl it is periury Beware therfore ye that vse questes or consistorye and here what perell ye stonde in that wyttyngly be forswore on the booke The booke betokeneth all holy scripture and the suffrage of the churche the whiche there thou forsakest when thou forsweryst the All the goode werkes that euir thou dydeste the whiche thou forsakest whanne thou withdrawest it Thou forsakest also god almyghty oure lady saynt mary and all the saintes of heuyn and the merytes of the holy sacramentes and hooly betakest thy selue to the deuyll of hell but if thou amende the or thou go hen◠¶ If they then shall thus be punysshed for swerynge how shall they be that blaspheme and dismembre him swerynge by his herte nayles woundes and suche other Some whanne they be repreuyd herof say it is gode to haue god in miÌ„de and with suche leudnes they kepe styll their othes And if thy seruaunte dyd agaynst thy byddynge sayng that he dyd it to haue the in mynde woldest thou nat be wrathe with him Moche more must god thenne with the whanne thou dooste agaynste his byddynge And some saye I may well swere for I swere soothe This is a false excusacion For and if thou sholdest alwaye swere whanne thou sayst sothe Thenne wolde nat criste haue forbeden sweryng But in moche swerynge is ofte forsweryng Therfore he sayth that he that mooche sweryth shall be replete with wyckydnesse and sorowe ne vengeaunce shall nat departe from his house Some say also that no man wyll beleue theym but if they swere This is a subtell excusacion For therby a false man may swere aswell as a true maÌ„ and so sholde he be aswell beleuyd as the true man For the falser that he is the more he swereth and forswerythe and so begyleth Therfore if thou wilt be beleuyd without swerynge be true of thy worde and left it be ye ye nay nay In token that thou sayst with thy mouthe thou sholdest say it with thyn herte and nat say one and â—ynâ—e a nother ¶ The thridde is haue in mynde to halowe thyn holydaies that is to saye Sondayes and other that ben comaunded Almyghty god in vi daies made heuyn erthe and see and all that in theym is And the vii day he restyd Therfore he blessyd it and made it holy But in stede therof we cristen men halowe the sonday whiche was the firste daye of the worlde wherin god made light and that day god gaue to moyses the lawe That day he arose from dethe to lyue That day the holy gooste gaue wysdome to the appostellys to preche the trouthe of cristes lawe And that daye as clerkes say shall also be domes daye ¶ Therfore shall euery man in that day besy him to here goddes seruyce lerne his lawe and fle synne and fleshely lustes tauernes and suche chafferynges that lettith theym to rest in our lorde ¶ yet many there be that such daies be more besy in wordely werkes and synnes thanne al the weke after and neuir woll reste for no techynge ne louene drede of god These be mooste lyke to theym in hell that neuyr reste but euyr laboure in peyne They breke also their holy day they spende theyr tyme in ydelnes and in vayne playes ydell spekynge bacbytynge of their euyn crysten why sayth oure lorde haue mynde to halowe thyn holy day But for thou sholdest putte oute of thyne herte all worldly thoughtes and occupye it with heuynly desires As to thynke what god hathe doon for the 〈◊〉 he made the of noughte and lyke to hym in soull Howe he 〈◊〉 soâ—ed the oute of the pytte of hell withe hys owne precious blood Howe also of his goodnesse he kepyth the nyght and daye in thy right wyttes and fro all bodily myscheuys that many one aldaye falleth in And howe agaynste all this thou yeuest him a drynke of gall of byttre synne and brekest his coÌ„maundementes bothe in word thought and dede ¶ Thus to haue mynde in all this He asked reste of body and soull â–ª on the holy day and thus reste signifyeth the reste in blys that we shall haue after this if we reste in hym On the holye day here goddes seuyre and fle synne ¶ The iiii commaundmnet is worshippe thy fader and moder Thre maner of faders there be that thou muste worshyp The firste is thy fader of heuyn that made the of noughte and norissheth thy body with erthly fode Conforteth thy soull with heuynly desyre Defendeth it fro the deuyll and maketh it heyr of the blys of uyn Thus may noon doo but he oure fader oure lorde and oure god The seconde fader is he that gate the and thy modre that bare the. to whome thou shall be subget and seruysable For they be the secounde cause of thy beynge in this present lyf Thenne thou shalt also worshyp them and yeue theym of thy godes freely if they haue nede and if thou haue more thenne they Comforte counseyl and teche theym after thy connynge folowen vsurye when thou lenest money to hem that haue nede for a certein wynnyg al the tymes ende And for the loone outher thou takyst seruyce presentis or yeftis ¶ Another whan thou lenest it for the half wynnyng he to paye the hooll that thou lenest it to though all be lost ¶ Another whan thou byest a thynge for moche lesse thenne it is worth ¶ Another whan thou sellest thy chaffare the derer for the lone ¶ Another whan thou hast a thyng to fore the tyme. as corn or it be rype ¶ Another whan thou takest the beeste of a poure man wyth this condicion that yf it deye