began to beholde by the wyndowe / sawe the holy abbot whiche was all in a flaÌ„me withoutforth after he knocked atte the dore And anone the holy fader sprange vp / demaundyng hym yf he hadde be longe there at his dore / yf he had seen ony thyng The broder answered that nay and so they spacke to gydre / and after departed ¶ ThexposycoÌ„n of this ensample wyll saye / that they that be contemplatyfe ben all brennyng of charyte whiche maketh theym to breÌ„ne spyrytuelly ¶ Thabbot Arsenye sayd / that one of the holy faders of Sychye / bycause that he was symple fyll in errour / how well that he had lyued Iustely after his power And the sayd poore man sayd that in the sacrament of the aulter was not conteyned the very body of Ihesu criste but oonly the lykenesse representacoÌ„n of hym And this errour cam to the knoweleche of two other olde men / the whiche knowyng that he lyued right holyly And that he sayd this folye by symplenesse / camen to hym and sayden in this maner Fader we haue herde saye of an Infydele and vntrewe crysten man / that the veray bodye of Ihesu Cryste is not conteyned in the sacrament of the aulter / but oonly ther is his lykenesse semblauÌ„ce To whom the sayd fader answered / it is I that haue soo sayd ¶ Thenne one of theym replyed to hym sayeng / helas fader byleue not soo But byleue that whiche the holy chirche byleueth and as we byleue For in the sacramente of the aulter is the very bodye and blood of our sauyour Ihesu Cryste / and not oonly his semblaunce or lykenesse Thenne answered the fader I byleue not that but I see it by experyence TheÌ„ne they sayd to hym Now thenne fader syth that thou wylt byleue thus / it behoueth the to praye to god And also we shall praye / that he wyll take fro the this errour And I byleue that he shall shewe some thyng These wordes so sayd this forsayd fader wente moche Ioyously in to his celle / bygan to praye to god in this maner / lord god almyghty whiche knowest that myn opynyon is not malycyous I praye the that it may plese the / to shewe to me she trouth And in lyke wyse the two other aeged men prayed in sayeng Lord god thou knowest that this holy man lyueth Iustely and straytly / wherfore we beseche the / that thou wylt declare to hym / that whiche he knoweth not / touchyng the sacramente of the aulter / to the ende that he lese not the rewarde of his labour whiche is so grete And the weke folowyng they came to the chirche all thre And in syngyng the masse / ther appered to theym a lytyll childe in the stede of the host ye vpon the aulter / whiche the preest helde And whan the preest wolde deuyde the hostye / cam an angell that helde a knyf / and sacrefyed the same childe to god the fader / and receyued the blood within the chalyce And whan the preest had broken the hostye in to smale pyeces After that the holy man cam for to receyue the bodye of our lorde / as the preest sholde delyuere to hym the hostye / it semed to hym that it was a pyece of flesshe full of blood Thenne he began to crye I byleue fermely as this hour that thy very bodye is in this sacrameÌ„te / and thy very blood And anone the hostye cam agayne in his fyrst fygure thenne he receyued it deuoutly And after the holy faders sayd to hym Fayr fader our lorde knowyng that nature humayne hath horrour to ete mannes flesshe / hath not wylled that his bodye sholde appere to men in suche lykenes but that it sholde be hydde vnder the lykenes of the whytenesse of brede the redenes of wyne These thynges thus sayd they gaaf laude thankynges to god / of that it pleased hym to brynge this man out of his errour And soo they wente in to theyr celles Ioyously ¶ Here ought to be noted that it is peryll to symple folke to speke or dyspute of suche maters / whiche apperteyneth not but to wyse men and lettred Therfore whan wytte fayleth / oonly fayth suffyseth Thenne it behoueth to byleue / as the chirche byleueth / without to enquyre ony ferther ¶ Thabbot Danyell sayd that an holy man moche ryghtfull that dwelled in Egypt fylle in an errour / in sayeng that Melchysedech was the sone of god the whiche thyng heryng Cyryllus archebysshop of alexandrye sent to hym Fader I haue conceyued in my thought that Melchysedech was the sone of god but after I haue byleued contrarye I praye the thenne that thou wylt praye to god for me / sende to me that I may knowe the trouthe Thenne the holy man prayed god / at th ende of thre dayes he sende worde to the bysshop / that Melchysedech was a man mortall / not the sone of god / sayeng that he hath had very knowleche / by that whiche god had shewed hym by an other all the patryarkes that haue ben syth Adam vnto the sayd Melchysedech And that the same angell among the other had shewed the sayd Melchysedech in namyng hym by his name / wherfore he was certayne that he had ben a man mortall / also that he was not the sone of god And by this moyen he was out of the errour / in whiche he had ben in to fore ¶ A yong childe named Effrem sawe in his slepe a vyne with so grete habuÌ„dauÌ„ce charge replenysshed with fruyt that all the byrdes of heuen eten therof / wenyng to mynysshe the fruyt / but the more they ete / the more cam agayne That is to saye that in tyme to come he shall teche all the erthe in good and vertuous operacoÌ„ns by prechyng holsom doctryne ¶ An other good holy man sawe in his slepe a legyon of angellys / descendyng from heuen whiche brought a boke wryten within without / the whiche myght not be opened as they sayd / but by the childe Effrem And hym semed that they delyuered to hym the boke afore sayd / he opened it On the morn Effrem began to teche all the worlde by predycacoÌ„n And by this vysyon the holy man knewe that it was by the vertue of the holy ghoost ¶ An holy fader named Iohan sawe thre monkes vpon the ryuage of the see / to whom was sayd Take wynges flee in to that partye And anone the two flewhe without payne / but the thyrde vnnethe myght flee / but he wette hym selfe ofte ¶ Ryght so is it in this worlde For some flee without payne lyghtly And ther ben ryche men and myghty whiche flee by vayne glorye amonge the worldely people hauynge therin all theyr desyres pleasaunces Other flewh in trybulacoÌ„ns paynes they were wete ofte by the water of hâ—â—ynes Alwaye in th ende they passed the see
holy sacramente of the awter / But the holy man seenge that it was the deuyll sayde to hym / ¶ O cursyd deuyll why cessest thou not to trowble the deuoute soules / How arte thou soo hardy to play Iape with the holy sacrament of thawter / The deuyll answerd that he supposyd to haue dysceyued hym as he hadd done a nother / The whyche after that he had obeyed to hym he became folysshe and oute of wytte / In suche wyse that with payne and vnethe many holy men myght by prayers and orysons reduce hym agayn vnto his place to his former helth / And whan the deuyll had sayd soo he vanisshed away fro the holy man ¶ Of whom it is radd that by ouer longe beynge in prayer his poor fete whyche were contynuelly in reste were broken roten / And after that he had done this penaunce by the space of thre yeere thangell apperyd to hym said / God hath receyued thi orysons prayers / And sendyth to the worde that all thy soores shall be heelyd guarysshed / Thenne the angell towched hym by the mouth by the teeth· and IncoÌ„tyuent he was all hoole guarysshyd / of al his soores and replenysshed wyth scyence wyth all graces in suche wyse that he neuer after hadde hungre ne thurste / ¶ Thangell coÌ„maunded hym after that he shold goo to other places visytynge his bredern for to comfort theym and tenseyne teche to them holy doctryne ¶ And on a tyme it happed that a man crokebacked came to him to the ende that he myghte recouere helthe / wolde mount vpon a mare for to ryde thyder / the whyche was gyrde wyth one cengle whyche the holy man had made / For gladly euery daye in the weke â—auf the Sandaye he made cengles / coueryÌ„ges of leues of palme wouen after the custome of the countree / And so as the sayd crokebacked was mouÌ„ted on the mare he was forthwyth all hoole / by cause his fete had towched the sayd cengle ¶ The holy man was of so grete meryte vertue / that whan he sente to ony seke people of the brede whyche he had blessed wyth his honde / Yf they ete therof / they were heelyd of all maladyes and sykenesses ¶ He had also this grace that he knewe all the thoughtes of his bredern / And Incontynent wrote to ther faders and abbottes how there some ruled theym in synnes vncleÌ„nesse / And other prouffyted in scyence and vertues / Some were inpacyente sette noughte by theyr bredern / The other were constaunt and in charyte / ¶ He preched to vs to torne our eyen fro thynges transytory and to fyxe theym in goodes in fallyble eternall / ¶ Also sayd the holy fader that is of necessite to a man to haue courage manly or vyrile in leuynge the maners condycyons of euyll chyldren whyche of theyr nature ben vicyous variable and in constaunt / ¶ Of saynt Paphunce / and begynÌ„yth in latyn ¶ Vidimus et alium monasterium / Caplm xvi SAynt Iherom writith of a monastery after where in was an holy heremyte named PaphuÌ„ce strongly renoÌ„med emonge thermites of the desertes / He had dwellyd in thut terest or last desertes of Heracleos a cyte renoÌ„med in Thebayde / of whom saynt Iherom sayth That on a tyme he prayed god that he wolde shew to whom of the sayntes of heuen he sholde be lyke or semblable / Thangell of god answerde to hym that he sholde be lyke to a player vpon a symphonye the whiche by the stretes sought his lyuynge in syÌ„gynge / ThenÌ„e he was moche abasshed of thanswere went forth IncontyneÌ„t for to seche hym where he myght fynde hym / Whan he had fonde hym / he asked by of his lyf of his workes / And he recounted to hyÌ„ how he had alwaye lyued symply in coÌ„misynge many theftes other synnes / Paphunce yet asked hym more feâ—der yf in doynge those theftes he had euer done ony operacyon or werke vertuoê° / The sayd man answerde that he knewe in hym noo good saue on a tyme his felowes whiche were theues as he was hadd take by force a virgyn whiche was sacred to god and whan he sawe / that they wolde haue defoylled her / He thrested emonge theym preseruyd her fro corruptynge / ¶ After this he sayde· that on a nother tyme that he fonde a woman maryed walkynge wythin desertes the whyche was all desolate was nye deed for huÌ„gre by cause she had not ete in thre dayes TheÌ„ne he demauÌ„ded her for what cause she went soo alone in the wodes to whom she answerd that her husbond was prysoner thre of his children by his euyl gouernaunce / And for to eschewe that she sholde not be take she soo fledde not wythstondynge that she gaaf ouer herselfe to the sayd theyf yet neuerthelesse he dyde to her noo dyshonour But gaue to her .iii. C. shilinges of whiche she boughte her husbond the thre chyldern out of pryson / And the theyf sayd that he had done none other good thanne this whiche he had sayd / Thenne the good fader Paphunce answerd / that he hymselfe neuer had done suche werkes of charyte· Sayeng to hym more ouer that god had shewed to hym that he shold haue asmoche Ioye in heuen as he / And therfore he couÌ„seyled hym that he sholde leue his euyll lyfe / and conuerte hym to doo well And Incontynent he caste awaye his â—oytes his symphonie tourned alle his arte of musyke in to spyrytuell songes In suche wyse that he was thre yere in thermytage wyth the sayd holy fader in fastynges merueylous abstyneÌ„ce / And at laste rendred gaaf his spyryte wyth thangels in to heuen· ¶ And after the sayd saynt Paphunce put hyÌ„self to doo more penauÌ„ce gretter thaÌ„ he dyde tofore / And yet ayen he demaunded of god / to what man in erthe he was semblable the voys of heuen answered to hym that he was semblable vnto the lord of a Brugh nye to his hermytage The whiche thyng herde / he went Incontinent for to knowe of the gouernaunce of the sayd lorde / came in to hys hous / Anone as the lorde had receyued him benygnely / The holy fader demaunded of hym of his merytes and vertues / The whyche lorde wyllyng to he â—le and hyde his bountee answered to hym humbly that he neuer had done any gode dede The holy fader suffred it well sayenge that he had reuelacyon that he was semblable lyke in vertues to the holy heremytes dwellynge in deserte / The lorde knowynge the ReuelacoÌ„n made of his lyfe began tex pose the manere of his lyuynge / the whyche was gretly to be merueyled / ¶ Fyrste he sayd how wel that his wyte sythe the tyme of theyr waryage was excellently fayr of yonge aege / Neuerthelesse for the grete loanges that he hadd other tyme recyted of the
louable vertu of chastyte / He had to the same desyred and persuaded her therto syth and after that she hadd hadd by hym thre chyldren / That by the space of xxx yere· durynge the whyche they had contynuelly ben playsauntly in maryage that one wyth that other / Yet had they neuer towched flesshely that one wyth the other / ¶ But at suche tyme as they were prycked desyred tacomplysshe theyr flesshly delectacoÌ„ns / they haue myghtly wythstode and resysted theym duryng the tyme aforsayd / as they yet done / ¶ Secondly he sayd that all his lyfe he had not cessed to lodge pylgryms And that he hymself went fyrste to receyue theym in / He had neuer dyspysed the poore peple but had benygnly mynystred to theym theyr necessytees / In doynge Iustice he spared noo more his chyldren than the estrangers / The godes of other he neuer retayned / Yf ony dyscorde hadd be moeuyd emonge his men / he neuer cessed tyll he hadd made theym acorded / Neuer man founde his seruauntes doynge ony euyll to other his beestes had neuer done ony doÌ„mage to the graynes or corne of his neygboure ¶ Who some euer wolde sowe ony corne on his loÌ„de he wolde neuer for bydde it hym ne also to gadre take the prouffyte / ¶ And more ouer he wolde neuer suffre the riche to offende ne hurte ne greue the poore / But had alway studyed to doo playsure to other / And also of all theym that had pleeted tofore hym he neuer condempned one / but had constreyned theym tacorde theymself / ¶ And this seenge the fader heremyte bowynge his heed / gaaf to hym his blessynge / The blessynge of god of Syon be yeue graunted to the. to the ende that thou mayste eternally see the goodes of Iherusalem all thy lyfe / ¶ And for asmoche said saynt PaphuÌ„ce that thou haste acomplysshed thy dayes in vertues werkes good maners / There abydeth one thynge whiche is necessary / That is that the leue alle thy mouable goodes herytages / And renounce theim in folowyng thy lorde Instructour Ihesu cryste / And incontynent withoute to dyspose his godes the sayd lord with the sayd holi fader wente soo ferre that they came to a ryuer where neuer ony persone had passed wythout boote / The holy fader constreyned hym to entre therin / And notwythstondynge the water was moche depe Neuerthelesse they passed it lyghtly wythout to entree more depe than theyr sydes / ¶ After they went so longe that they came to the deserte / Where saynt Paphunce delyuerd to hym a lytyll celle a lytyll hous nyghe vnto his monasterye / In exposynge to hym the Rules of holy conuersacyon and the excersyte of perfyghtnesse / ¶ And after that he duely and suffysauntly Instruct / The sayde holy fader Paphunce wente hys waye and constreyned hymself to lede a more straytter lyfe than he had done byfore / And also to doo make greter abstynences / And the payne that he had to for suffred and the penaunce that he had borne suffred· he reputed ouer lytyll Seeng that they that were in the worlde dyde thynges of soo grete vertue / Lyke as dyde they two aforsayd / ¶ After that the lord of whom is tofore spoken had lyued the space of longe tyme in the hermytage in augmentynge multeplyenge his perfeccyon / The sayd Paphunce beynge there in his celle or lytill house sawe the soule of the sayd lorde borne by angelles in to heuen sayenge / Blessyd is he whom thou hast chosen / For he shall dwelle wyth the / And by that knewe the holy fader that the sayd lorde was sauyd / ¶ Wherfore the sayd holy fader constreyned himself to doo yet more grete abstinences than he dyde tofore / And in lyke wyse prayed he yet god agayne that he wolde shew to hym to whom he was semblable amonge the men / To whyche request a voys answerde / Thou shalt be semblable to a marchauÌ„t whyche anone shall come hyder for to vysite the / Wherfore aryse and goo to mete hym / ¶ Anone the holy fader aroos and wente downe for to mete the sayd marchaunt that whyche came fro Alexandrye and brought fro Theybayde many marchaundyses the whyche he had in thre shyppes whiche was worth of theyr money .iii. thou sande shyllynges or there abowte And by cause he was a good man louyd well relygyon· be broughte to the sayde holy fader ten sackes full of pesen and benes for to make wyth potage / And whan Paphunce sawe hym he sayd to hym / What doost thou man of god / What lyfe ledest thou in erthe or what consolacoÌ„n hast thou wyth theym that ben celestyall / Leue vnto erthly worldly peple the goodes of the world And doo somoche that thou be marchaunte solicytour of the reame of heuen and folowe thy sauyour / The whiche shall calle the in shorte tyme ¶ The whyche thynge soo happed / For the marchaunt folowynge the good admonycyons of saynt Paphunce made to be gyue dealed his goodes to poore men / seruauntes of god / And ledde a lyfe solytarye / And soone after he passed fro this corruptyble worlde / in to the glory of heuen / ¶ And in lyke wyse after deyed the holy fader Paphunce / But yet the angell shewed to hym his dethe sayenge / ¶ Come thou holy man blessyd of god Loo here the prophetes whiche hen with me for to receyue the. The whyche grace I haue not shewed to the byfore / to the ende that thou sholdest not be proude / ¶ The holy man lyued one day after and recounted this that sayde is to some preestes whiche were come thider for to vysyte hym ¶ And after he gaue to theym many techinges / ¶ Amonge all other he shewed to theym / that they sholde neuer despyse other of what estate or what vocacion he was though he were vycyous / ¶ For in euery ordâ—e of mannes lyfe there ben two soules pley saunt to god by doynge some thynges secretly and vnknowen / ¶ And thus may be concluded / that the habyte makyth not the man pleysaunt ne agreable to god / but oonly the clennesse of lyf ¶ After that the sayde holy fader Papounce hadd gyue to his brethern enseygnements and many other techynges And that he had take leue of theym in grete humylyte / he rendred his soule to god / Whyche the holy angelles bare in to heuen in the presence of the assystences In syngyng songes and dyctees celestyall / ¶ Of the monastery of saynt Ysodore begynnynge in latyn ¶ Vidimus apud thehaidam / Caplm xvii IN Thebayde was a monastery and couent of saynt Ysodote playsaunte and gretly renoÌ„med / ¶ The relygyouses that were there wythin hadde moche grete and large howses / ¶ There were many pondes gardynes and trees berynge frute / Wyth this there were all thinges necessary for the bodyly lyfe In suche wise
voyces sayeÌ„ge to saynt Anthonie / Wherefor puttest thiselfe in our habytacles Goo out of our bouÌ„des / For thou shalt not mow suffre our temptacyons / And they had supposed that it had ben men that hadd entred by ladders / Wherfore they loked wythin the caue thrugh the câ—euyces / And by cause they saw no persone they estemed that theâ— were deuilles that soo spake to hym / ¶ Thenne they were aferde in suche wyse that they cryed for helpe to saynt Anthonye and thenÌ„e he came nyght to theym wyth his worde be comforted them in sayenge / ¶ Blesse ye you and be assured Lete the deuylles deceyue themself / ¶ Saynt Anthonye alwaye lyued in encreacyng his vertue prudence / ¶ On a tyme came some persones to hym of whiche some supposed to haue fouÌ„de hym deed but by hymself he sayd syngynge To my wyll god enhaunsyth hymself And all his enmyes ben destroyed / and al they that hate hym fleetofore his face like as smoke is consumyd soone so sone faylle they / And lyke as ware melâ—yth ayenst the fyre soo perysshe they that ben synnars tofore god / And more ouer he sayd / All folke haue assaylled me in the name of our lorde and I haue vainquysshed theym / And thus in that wyldernesse he was bi the space of twenty yere / ¶ And by cause that many desyred to see hym for to folowe his maners his doctryne came some in to his hous and brake it by force / But whan they sawe hym they were amerueylled how he was soo hoole of his membres / For he was not swollen by his longe abydynge enclosed ne by his fastynges ne by tormentes of the deuyllis / And his vysage was not pale ne chaunged but he was as a yoÌ„ge persone also clene of all his membres as he neuer hadd ony harme / He neuer laughed / And wyth al his myght he kepte hym fro synne / He neuer for ony praysyng of the peple was the more prowde / ¶ Many by his prayers were delyuered fro deuyllis theyr power His wordes were alwaye vertuouse· He comforted the desolate He taughte alway the symple Innocentes he appeasyd alway they that were angry To all he shewed that no persone sholde loue ony thynge more than his creatour or maker / ¶ To good peple he shewed the glorye eternall and the mekenesse of god / And how god the fader had noo feere to sende his sone to take oure nature to the ende for to redeme vs frothe paynes of helle / ¶ Also he counseyled euery man not to leue teÌ„porell thynges / ¶ On a tyme in the conntree of Aâ—senoytayns as he wolde goo and vysyte his brethern and his felowes / he passed the ryuer of Nyle / wythoute hauynge ony harme of the cokadrylles and other beestes that were there / ¶ In that place he confermed in vertue grete nombre of his brethern In suche wyse that many monasteryes were reedyfyed / ¶ On a daye he beynge wyth his brethern / They requyred hym to gyue to theym some Rules for to gouerne theym in vertue / Whyche he gaaf to theym many / ¶ Fyrst that they solde comforte eche other / And that whyche they hadde goten by science they sholde shewe eche to other / ¶ Also that they sholde neuer haue wyll to leue theyr estate of Heremyte But to kepe it in encreasynge of vertues / ¶ For mannes lyffe was but an InstauÌ„t / as to the regarde of the lyfe eternall ¶ After that he had proposed this / He made by a manere of taryenge a lytyll scylence / ¶ And after in merueyllynge of the bounte and largesse of god he beganne to saye agayn thyse wordes / ¶ O my brethern consyder ye that in this mortall life marchaundyses and rewardes ben egall / For the seller receyueth for his marchaundise but thynge Iuste of the byar / Ne in lyke wyse the seruaunt but his Iuste deseruynge of his lorde / ¶ But the glorye of the euerlastynge life maye for vyle and lytyll pryce be boughte / ¶ It is not wreton that oure dayes excede not thre score and ten yeres or foure score yeres / And yf we lyue lenger It is but labour and sorowe and myserye ¶ For in that aege a man retorneth to the state of Innocencye / ¶ But in that other worlde we shall liue perpetuelly / TheÌ„ne we shall not enhabyte the erthe but the heuen / And the body that we shall leue corruptyble we shall take agayne Incorruptyble / Therfore my brethern be noo thynge greuyd ne anoyed / For the shorte passyons of this worlde ben not condygne ne worthy to the perpetuelly of heuen / ¶ Yf ye haue lefte ony lityll londe or possessyons / Be not dysplaysaunt ne sory therfor / For god shal yelde to you for it an hundred fold more / ¶ They that shall haue left the godes of this worde for to serue god shall haue an hundred folde more in that other worlde / ¶ Also oughte they to consydre that woll sette theyr herte in ouer moche louynge the rychesse of this worlde / That in th ende they shall lede theym in to helle / ¶ We oughte noo thynge to loue but that oonly whyche we maye here wyth vs after oure dethe / ¶ Oughte we not thenne to loue that thynge that shall cause vs to goo to heuen / That is to wyt Sapyence Chastyte Iustyce Fastynge Prayer â—esynesse on the poore Ferme faythe Pacyence ayenst yre / And generally to loue god and our neyghbour as ourselfe / ¶ Consydre that we ben the seruauntes of god / and that we owe to hym seruyce as to hym whiche hath created vs ¶ Lete vs not reioyce vs of our lyf for yf we ben in helthe in the mornynge / Yet we be not sure to liue to euyn / And yf in this manere we ben besye for our helthe we shall neuer synne / ¶ We oughte also to flee hate and euyll wyll agayn all persones / And aboue all thynges loue of wymmen / ¶ We ought promptly and benygnely to forgyue and pardonne eche other / ¶ Tofore oure eyen we oughte to sette two thynges / that is to wyte the laste daye of oure lyfe whyche is the dethe / And the nyghe Iugement of god / ¶ And yf for the loue of god we woll kepe vs from synne / Or att leest for drede of thyse two thynges we oughte to absteyne vs / ¶ Ferdermore sayd saynt Anthonye I praye you my brethern loke neuer behynde you / But goo alwayes right fourth the good wayes / that ye haue begonne / ¶ For he that puttyth hys honde to the plough / And lokyth behynde hym / He is not worthy to haue the Reame of heuen / ¶ Leue the Grekes whyche gone in to straunge londes / and passen ouer the see for to gete the scyence cunnynge of vayne thynges / ¶ We haue noo thynge to doo to goo hytherne thyder / ¶ For the Reame and
hym how he had passed wythout to be wete / Saynt Anthonye seenge that saynt Theodore constrayned hym and made him to swere that he sholde neuer shewe to none byfore his dethe / ¶ Thenne he sayd to hym that by the grace of god he had be soo sette ouer the ryuer myraculously / ¶ A nother man namyd Archelaus a knyghte requyred hym to praye god for one namyd Polycrasse doughter of Publius a deuowte vyrgyne the whyche had a passyon in the stomacke and in the raynes comen to her by ouer moche fastynges longe orysons Saynt Anthonye prayed god for her and Incontynent she was guarysshed hole / ¶ A nother tyme he was prayed to goo in a shyppe with his brethern In the whiche he alone felte a fowle stinkyng stenche / All the relygiouses sayd that the infeccyon proceded of fysshe and â—oten fygges that were in the shippe / But saynt Anthonye sayde that it was a nother thynge / ¶ And thus as they spake beganne a chylde to crye whyche was bydde wythin the shyppe / hauynge a deuyll within his dody ¶ Anone in the name of god bi sayÌ„t Anthonye he was chacyd oute of his body / ¶ Thenne knewe alle the relygyouses that it was the deuyll that he felte soo stynkynge / ¶ A nother was bronghte to hym soo seke that he ete his superflue digestyon And â—e wyste not whether he was tofore saynt Anthonye or not / ¶ Saynt Anthonye made theym to goo to prayer that had brought hym / And he hymselfe also prayed alle the nyghte vnto god for the helthe of the poore pacyent The whyche seke man at the begyÌ„nyng of the daye for the grete payne that he felte / Smote and bete fowle saynt Anthonye whyche alle the nyghte hadde had compassyon nyghe by hym in prayer / ¶ The Relygyouses beynge therof moche angry repreuyd sharpely theym that had broughte hym / ¶ But saynt Anthonye swetely and mekely ansuered / that the yoÌ„ge man whyche was lyke hadde not done it / ¶ But the deuyll whyche by the coÌ„mauÌ„dement was soo constrayned to departe from hym / had so smeton hym / ¶ Anone after the seke persone was alle hoole and guarysshed / And came and enbracyd kyssed saynt Anthonye / ¶ A myracle ¶ On a tyme saynt Anthonye beynge in prayer lyke as he was alwaye acustomed to doo tofore that he toke his refracoÌ„n was rauysshed of angels / was born more hye than the regyon of thayre / The deuyllis folowyng after stroue by cause he was born hyer than the sayde regyon / And the angellis seenge the sayd contradyccoÌ„n asked of the deuyllis wherfore they enforcyd to lette him seen that in him was noo sporte of syÌ„ne / ¶ Thenne the deuyllis began to recounte the synnes that saynt Anthonie hadd done in the tyme of his yonge aege / Incontynent the angellis made theym to be stylle in sayenge that they shold noo thynge speke of the synnes of hys yongthe but yf he hadd done ony syth that tyme that he was relyygyous and professyd consacred to god that they shold saye theim and none other / The deuylles accusyd hym of many fals accusacyons and lyes / ¶ And the angellis seenge that the deuyllis accusid him oonely of fallaces bare vpp saynt Anthonye more hyghe thanÌ„e the deuyllis were / ¶ And anone after they broughte hym agayne to the place where they had taken hym / ¶ Thenne saynt Anthonye consyderynge the multytude of enmyes that we haue in this worlde soo many in the ayre as in the erthe / The whyche alwaye a wayte to hurte vs. beganne to waylle and wepe / And soo contynued all the nyghte wythout to ete or drynke / ¶ And to this purpose sayth saynt Poule thappostle / We haue not oonly bataylle agaynst the flesshe onely / But also agaynst the deuylles dwellynge in the Regyons of the ayre ¶ Lete vs thenÌ„e take the armes of god To the ende that we maye resyste and wythstonde oure enmye whan he shall assaylle vs / That is for to saye / That we lyue wythoute synne / And soo the deuyll shall not mowe accuse vs afore god / ¶ The nyghte after folowynge saynt Anthonye herde a voyce the whyche cryed Anthonye Anthonye come oute / and see what that I woll shewe to the / Incontynent he aroos / ¶ And whanne he was oute of his Celle lyfte vpp his eyen to heuen / ¶ And soo doynge he sawe in the ayre a Monstre soo horryble grete / that his heed semyd stretchyng vp to the clowdes / ¶ He sawe also some hauyng wynges the whiche wolde flee vpwarde on highe / But the grete Monstre smote theym downe with his hondes threwe theym to the erthe of whom some he brake all in peces / And other ayenst his wyll flew vp in to heuen / ¶ And anone as he had seen this the voys sayd to hym that he sholde considre wel what this vision sygnefyed / ¶ Anone he knewe well that it was the deuyll whyche made theym to falle that had sinned in this worlde / ¶ The other were gode soules whiche styed vp in to heuen whom the deuyll myghte not greue / ¶ Saynt Anthonye seenge the sayde vysyon and many other moo encreacyd and augmented alwaye hys lyfe from good to beteer / ¶ And how be it that he shewed thyse ReuelacoÌ„ns to some ryght good persones / He dyde it not by noo vayne glorye / neyther for auauntrye / But was soo meke That in exhortynge the clerkes the Deakens and the preestes to praye god / ¶ He desyred to lerne of theym / And to that entent ofte tymes he demaunded or axed of theym counseylle / ¶ To alle Bysshops and preestes / in bowynge his hede by humylytee he demauÌ„ded theyr be nedyccyon / ¶ And lyke as it is comynly sayde / From a Ioyeouse herte procedeth a Ioyeouse vysage / He had a playsaunte vysage and aggreable to euery man / In suche wyse that amonge an hundred Relygyouse persones by his honeste maners he sholde lyghtly haue be knowen / Though a man hadd neuer seen hym / ¶ His face was alwaye in one astate as well in prosperytee as in aduersytee / ¶ Aboue all other thynges he hated the conuersacyon of Manychyens / Heretykes scysmatikes / and Arâ—yens / As to theym that were enmyes and aduersaryes of the fayth of god ¶ And yf of theyr seâ—te came in to the mountayne / He made theym to be chacyd thens sayeng / That they were werse thanne the serpentes of the deserte / ¶ Also the companye of lyghte / that is to saye of Crysten men / ought not to be accompanyed wyth derkenesse that is to wyte wyth Heretykes and Infydelis / ¶ A woman came on a tyme to hym / Requyrynge hym that he wolde praye to god for her doughter / whyche was traueylled wyth a deuyll / And In contynent that he had made to god his prayer / the deuyll lefte her doughter
¶ Thenne we toke her and wente to a gate soo noble and soo fayre that I can not declare / ¶ And after that the sayde gate was opened to vs. We entred in to a palays wherin were made solempnysed weddynge merueyllously honourable / And ferther we myghte not entree / ¶ But Eufraxe was taken and presented afore the lorde Imperyall of the sayde palays / And whanne she was tofore hym / She knelyd downe humbly to the grounde and kyssed the fete of the sayd lorde / ¶ And in the same place I sawe ten thousand aungellis wyth Innumerable multytude of sayntes the whyche there were awaytynge / ¶ After came the moder of the sayde lorde The whyche made redy a moche fayre crowne in the chambre of maryage / ¶ In whyche chambre the sayd moder soo fayre / soo playsaunt and soo amyable made her to entree And saye to her in delyuerynge to her the sayd crowne / ¶ Eufraxe my loue / Holde Loo here thy rewarde whiche thou shalte haue by cause thou hast vaynquysshed alle thyne enmyes / ¶ Now goo thi waye And after ten dayes thou shalte come agayne in to the glory and selycytee of heuen / ¶ And yet sayd more after the Abbesse Alas this daye is the nynthe daye / ¶ And therfore I byleue that â—omorne Eufraxe shall mouÌ„te in to heuen ¶ Iulyan whyche herkenyd all thys purpoos beganne merueyllously to wepe and waylle That she bywepte alle her body wyth teeres / ¶ And thus wepynge she came ayen to the ouen / where as Eufraxe was knedinge the brede ¶ Whanne Eufraxe sawe her she aduiâ—ed her sayenge / ¶ I commauÌ„de the in the name of god that thou saye me the cause wherfore thou wepest / ThenÌ„ Iulyan râ—counted the â—aas lyke as the hadd vnderstonden / ¶ And whanne the holy lady hadde heâ—de the narracyon / She fell downe to the erthe alle full of anguysshe and of heuynesse / ¶ Iulian laâ—e by her wepynge strongely ¶ And Eufraxe sayd to her / My syster gyue to me thyne honde lyft me vp fro heirs And brynge me where the fagottes or brusshes heâ— and leue me there ¶ Take also the brede whyche is in the ouen And heâ—e it to the systers / ¶ Iulyan dâ—de lyke as Eufraxe hadde sayde to her And tolde noo thynge therof to the Abbesse / ¶ Eufraxe beynge layde on the pament And adressynge her wordes to god sayde to hym ¶ My god my maker Why haste thou me now in abhomynacyon / Or wherfore dyspysesâ—e thou me / whiche am a pore pylgrym Orpheline ¶ Alas now is the tyme in whyche I ouhte to fyghte agaynst the deuyll myne enmye ¶ I praye the moche affectuously as moche as I maye that thou be to me pyteuouse And lete me lyue yet by the space of a yere / To the ende that I maye by waylle and lamente my synnes / For yet neuer in my lyfe haue I done suffysaunt penaunce / ¶ Alas they that ben in helle may not prayse the. But oonly they that ben lyuynge / ¶ One of the sisters herde Eufraxe wepe And wente Incontynent to the Abbesse for to shewe to her what she hadd herde / ¶ The Abbesse blamyd the systers Bi cause she hadde deffended that none sholde telle her therof / ¶ And coÌ„maunded that Eufraxe sholde be broughte to her / The whiche thynge so done / The Abbesse demaunded her / My doughter what eylest thou that wepest thus / ¶ Madame I wepe bi cause that thou knowest my dethe And neuerthelesse thou haste tolde to me noo thynge therof / Yf I hadde knowen it / I wolde haue by wepte the grete synnes of whyche I am maculate and defoylled ¶ Alas madame haue pyte on me and praye to god wyth me that he gyue to me yet a yere of respyte to doo penaunce / ¶ Thenne the Abbesse ansueryd to her / Certaynly my doughter god oure Redemptour rewardeth well in heuen / But I praye the that thou wolt praye for me To the ende that by thy merytes and prayes I maye haue wyth the partyeypacyon in the heuenly glorye / ¶ Anone after the stronge feuer tooke the good lady Eufraxe / ¶ And that seenge the systers bare her in to the Oratorye / And there kepte her tyll euen / ¶ The euyn comen / the Abbesse commaunded to her Religyouses that they sholde goo and take theyr Refeccyon / alle sauf Iulyan / whyche abode wyth the Abbesse ¶ And they two shytte the doore to theym and abode wythe Eufraxe ¶ Thynke ye that here this hystorye what lamentacoÌ„ns they made togyder / ¶ Iulyan sayde / My lady my syster my frende and my dere felowe / I praye the remembre me / And lyke as I haue alwaye holden to the faythful coÌ„panye here in erthe that I maye accompanye the in heuen / And praye to god that I maye deye wyth the / ¶ Alas I haue soo moche louyd the bodyly spyrytuelly and now thou leuest me / ¶ The morne comen / the Abbesse sent for alle the relygyouse systers· To th ende that they sholde come and take leue of saynt Eufraxe / ¶ Incontynent as they were comen they sayde to her / O oure good syster haue in heuen mynde of thy systers ¶ And after came the other whom she hadde guarysshed and helyd by her prayers and Intercessyons soo moche desolate and tormented that vnneth she myghte speke / ¶ She kyssyd the hondes of saynt Eufraxe whyche hadd chaced and put oute the deuyl of her body / ¶ And by cause that Eufraxe ansuered not to the wordes that she sayde to her / The Abbesse sayde to her / ¶ My doughter my loue thou spekest not to thy syster whyche is soo moche sorowfull and desolate / ¶ Thenne she sayde / Wherfore syster wepest thou Lete me alone for I deye Praye to god wyth alle thyne herte and he shall saue the. Also praye for me / For atte this hour suffryth my soule a grete bataylle / ¶ Thenne the Abbesse and alle the systers put theim in deuowte prayers Durynge the whiche the good Eufraxe beynge in the aege of thyrty yeres rended to god her benygne spyryte / ¶ And after was buryed by the deuowte systers in the tombe of her moder / In louynge the name of god of that they hadde an espowse soo holy and soo agreable to god / ¶ The good Iulyan whyche hadde he mastresse· and after felow of saynt Eufraxe was thre dayes longe vppon the tombe wepynge there grete habundance of teeres wythoute thynkynge to ete or drynke / ¶ The fourthe daye she came to the Abbesse and sayd to her Madame praye for me / For oure lorde Ihesu Cryste by the Intercessyon of his â—izte holy spouse Eufraxe hathe somoned me to his weddynge / ¶ And the fyfthe daye she deyed And was buryed by saynt Eufraxe / ¶ In lyke wyse twenty dayes after the dethe of saynt Eufraxe The Abbesse was bi the prayers of the sayde Eufraxe
of Infenyte nombre of people / Symphonysynge more swetter thanne ony other Instrumentes / ¶ After they felte an odoure more swete thanne bame and also thanne ony other spyces aromatyke in al the worlde / ¶ And by the vertue of those armonyes and swete sauours they slepte / Anone after they awoke ¶ And in beholdynge byfore theym / They sawe a chirche decorate and ornate aboue alle puyssaunce humayne / For it semyd alle to be made of crystall / ¶ In that chyrche was an awter moche well arayed / By whyche and by a fountayne there beynge sourded and sprange a water whyte as mylke / Abowte whyche fountayne weren people whyche songen songes of Cherubyn / ¶ Now for to dyscryue the fourme of the sayde chyrche / The partye wythout for the on the syde of the South was of the colour semblable or lyke to a precyous stone namyd Prasym The partye towarde the North was redde as blodde / And towarde the Eest white as mylke ¶ There was also vpon the same chirche many sterres more shynynge thanÌ„e they that shyne in this worlde / ¶ The sonne shone and was more hoter seuen tymes thanne in oure londe / The mountaynes and the trees were wythoute comparyson more hygher thanne they of this Regyon / And the fruytes of the sayde trees were moche fayrer and also moche swetter / ¶ The songe of the byrdes that flewe there resowned vppe to heuen ¶ The erthe of that place had two colource / Of whom that one was whyte and that other reed / ¶ Thyse relygyouses thenne alle abasshed salewed the enhabitauntes of that place and wente forthe theyr waye / ¶ And they wente an hundred dayes wythoute mete But of water they dranke ynough / ¶ And sodaynly they sawe comÌ„ towarde theym a multytude of men wyâ—â—men whiche were but a cubite bye whyche made theym sore aferde / But they sette theyr lyues in the honde of god wente agaynste theym / ¶ And Incontynent by the vertue of god they fledde ¶ Thenne the sayde Relygyouses toke their refeccoÌ„n of herbes whiche they founde in that place And rendred than kynges to god whyche hadde delyuerde theym from soo many perylles / ¶ And after by the wyll of god they founde a fayr waye to walke in / by whyche they wente many Iourneyes / And in walkynge they founde a caue playsaunte ynoughe / and clenly wythin / In to whyche they entred / ¶ After that they were wythin they marked theym wyth the sygne of the Crosse But thei founde there noo persone ¶ And by cause they founde the place soo clene they ymagyned that some man dwellyd there / And soo abode there tyll euen for to knowe yf he that dwellyd there wolde come / They beynge there wythin slepten / ¶ And after that they were a waked they went oute of the caue And Incontynent they saw a man hauyng hys heere 's as whyte as snowe / The whyche couered alle his body / ¶ Whanne the sayde man sawe theym he fell downe to the grounde / ¶ And after he aroos sayde to theym Yf ye ben on goddis halfe / Marke ye wyth the sygne of the Crosse Or ellis goo ye youre waye oute from me in the name of god / whyche sayden to hym that he sholde noo thynge be aferde / And that they were the seruauntes of god as he was / This seenge that good man was longe in his prayers ¶ And notwythstondyng that he had be longe in that place Yet was his face as shynynge as the vysage of an aungell / ¶ His browes couered hys eyen bi force of olde aege The vngles or nayles of his fete and hondes weren merueyllously longe His berde and his heere 's couered also alle his body / And his skynne was as harde as the shelle of a lymace / ¶ The sayde holy man also wepynge demaunded of the thre Relygyouses pylgryms of whens they were / And wherfore they weren thyder come / and of the estate of mankynde And yf the Sarrazyns and Ethnycyens persecuted more the faythe / ¶ The sayde pylgrymes recounted to hym all theyr aduersytees / And how they soughte to fynde the place where as heuen and erthe Ioyned togyder / ¶ The holy man sayde thenne to theym that fro the place where as they were it was no ferre waye to paradyce terrestre / But noo man myghte goo thyther But yf the aungellis bare hym lyke as a voyce hadde sayde to him whanne he hym selfe wolde haue goon thyther / ¶ He tolde to them also as the aungell had tolde to hym that it was but twenty myles to the place where as Adam was created and fourmed and to the sayd paradice terrestre Where as the erthe Ioynyth to heuen / ¶ The sayde pylgrymes herynge thyse wordes were moche enioyed / And entred in to the caue wyth the sayde holy man / ¶ Whanne the euen was comen he prayed theym and sayde That they sholde not holde theym wythin the sayde caue / By cause that there were wyth in a lytyll space therby two lyons whyche camen euery nyghte to lye wyth hyÌ„ ¶ And he fered theym sore leest they sholde doo to theym ony harme or dysplaysure / ¶ Anone after they sawe the sayde two lyons come But the good holy man wente and mette wyth theym / And deffended and forbadde the sayd lyons to doo theym ony greyf / The whyche deffence made they soiourned there surely / ¶ On the morne they asked of the holy man of his estate and conuersacyon / and also of his name / And of what place he was / ¶ To whom he ansuered / Fyrste that he was namyd Machaire / And was borne atte Rome sone of a noble Romayne flourysshynge in good renomme and fame thorugh oute alle the empyre / ¶ After he recounted to theym of his lyfe and conuersacyon and the cause wherfore he was departed from Rome ¶ And beganne to recyte shewe to theym / That he beynge yonge / his fader wolde haue maryed hym and in dede was fyaunced and trouth plyghted and a daye accepted to be wedded ¶ Atte whyche daye after that al thynges necessary for the weddyÌ„ge were made redy / And the lordes Romayns boden for to goo to the celebracoÌ„n and so lempnytee of the sayde weddynge / ¶ The holy man seenge the same preparacyons and ordynaunces / And that the houre approchyd and drewe nyghe Secretely he departed from the house / of his fader And hydde hym in the â—ous of a woman a widowe wyth whom he was famylyer / ¶ In her house he was seuen dayes hydde wythoute to be seen of ony persone of the cyte of Rome / ¶ That same wydowe wente euery daye in to the hous of his fader And knewe alle the was sayde of hym syth he came to her house And shewed alle to the sayde holy man ¶ His fader seenge that he mighte not fynde him was moche angry and also his moder wyth alle
god thyse ben thy creatures they ben the werke of thyn hondes Suffre theim not to be loste / ¶ Thyse thynges thus sayde byholdynge that he myghte not haue theym by prompte predycacyon ¶ He sente to his famylyer frende that he shold selle alle his patrymonye / whyche was of grete reuenue and that he shold send hym the moneye therof Whiche he soo dyde / ¶ And wyth the moneye that he receyued / dyde doo make a fayre chyrche Honestely arayed and made fayre the beste wyse that he myghte ¶ Durynge the tyme that the chyrche was in makinge From daye to day he walked by the temples of thydolles of the sayde towne· Makynge in his herte prayer to god and noo thynge to ydollis / ¶ And after that the sayde chirche was achyeued and made He made in the same his orison sayenge / ¶ O my god whyche haste by thy presence and predycacyon dystroyed alle ydolatrye of the worlde Whanne atte thy natyuyte the ydollis of the temples felle downe thou seest the peple of this towne ferre from thy very faythe Settynge theyr hertes and thoughtes to serue the deuyll in makynge to hym hoÌ„mage / ¶ Vouchesauf thou now my god in suche wise to ensumyne theym that they maye leue theyr symylacres and ydolatryes To the ende that they maye knowe the one oonli god of heuen and of the erth / ¶ IncoÌ„tynent his oryson achyeued and ended as he had hadde an hundred thousande men wyth hym he entred in the temple of the Paynems ydolatrers and brake and dyde to falle downe theyr aulters and ydolles / ¶ And they seeng his manere of doinge as houndes enraged bete and hurte hym in suche wyse that he was all full of woundes and of hurtes And soo came agayne in to his chirche ¶ And how well he was hurte and tormented / He thoughte noo thynge on his woundes But all the nyghte wyth all his herte prayed to god deuoutly for the conuersyon of the poore Infydelis and ydolatrers / The morne comen thiwente in to his chyrche Where they founde hym in oryson and prayer But they cowde not doo to hym ony harme ne dysplaysure / ¶ And beholdynge the ornamentes and decoracyon of the sayde chyrche Sodaynly they tooke playsure to see and beholde theym .. In suche wyse that thoue the other came chyder euery daye in maner of passe tyme / By cause the sayd chirche semyd to theym moche honeste and playsaunt / ¶ On a daye amonge the other he prayed theym and admonested to leue theyr ydollis And that they sholde knowe theyr maker Whyche myghte saue theym and dampne theym In makynge to theym many fayre exhortacyons for to endure theym in the saythe But in herynge that thee were more enraged thanne tofore / ¶ And bete hym somoche that they supposyd to haue slayne hym And after they bounde him wyth iâ— corde And drew hym oute of theyr â—â—te and lefte hym in the felde where he abode soo bounden vnto mydnyghte ¶ Thenne he retorned towarde god to whom in wayllynge and wepynge he sayde / O my god why haste thou forsaken thy poore seruaunte Alas my Sauyour Now behold thou wyth pyte thy poore dyscyple / And gyue to me streng the to fyghte agaynst thise Infydeles / ¶ Wyth this my god I praye the. that it may playse the to gyue to theym a lytyll of thy grace / To the ende that thei knowe the as theyr god ¶ His prayer achyeued he retourned to his chyrche sayde his psalmes and orysons accustomyd / ¶ The Paynems in lyke wise as they hadde ben accustomed retorned in to his chyrche ¶ But whan they sawe that he was retourned wythoute mercy they bete hym more thanne tofore and drewe hym agayne oute of the cyte / ¶ The holy mas was by the spaâ—e of thre yere suffrynge all suche paynes as the sayde Infydelis dyde to hym / But alle theyr tormentes and huÌ„gre thurste he bare pacyentely wythoute trowblynge hymselfe / ¶ And soo moche as they martred him Soo moche more be louyd theym / ¶ And alwaye he admonessed the moost auncyent of theym as his faders How be it they were agaynste hym moche furyous And the yonge men as his brethern / and the adolocentes as his chyldren / ¶ And notwythstondynge alle this They alle mockyd hym / ¶ Now it happed vpon a daye that by the grace of god alle they of the towne assembled for some of theyr affayres besynesses / ¶ And after that they had delybered and concluded They beganÌ„e to speke of the holy man Abraham in woundrynge how pacyentely he endured wythoute murmure alle theyr repreues and Iniuries that they dide to him ¶ And ferthermore they sayde that he was necessary for to endure for the honoure of his god Whom he prechyd to be onely lorde of heuen and of erthe ¶ They thoughte also how he hymselfe alone hadde broken and distroyed al theyr ydollis Withoute that theyr goddis hadde done to hym ony greyf or lettynge / ¶ And fynably concluded that his fayth was true / And that they oughte to byleue alle that he sayde / For he was the very seruaunte of god / ¶ And this conclusyon thus made· alle togider vnto the nombre of a thousande or there abowte came in to his chyrche / And wyth one voys beganne to saye Glory rybe to god of heuen / whyche hathe sente to vs his seruaunte for to delyuere vs from oure erroure / The holy man thys seenge was replenysshed all wyth gladnesse / ¶ And adressynge to theym his wordes sayd to theym ¶ O my faders my brethern and mi children drawe ye nyghe to me / And giue glory and honour to god oure maker / Whyche by hys grace hath Illumyned you in suche manere as ye maye lyghtely knowe hym / ¶ And to the ende that ye ben clene for alle the spottes of Ydolatrye I praye you to byleue in hym / ¶ And loue hym wyth alle youre herte and alle your thoughte As him whiche that is very god And oonly lorde of alle the worlde whiche is withoute ende and begynnynge / Inestymable Inenarrable Incomprehensible Almyghty Giuer of light Louer of men Terrible to synnars And swete to Iuste and rightwys men / ¶ Byleue also on the sone whiche is the sapyence and wysdom of the fader and of the goly gooste / Whiche quycke nyth all thynges / To the ende that ye that are poore Whyche ben noo thynge ellis but erthe maye be purified and enhauncyd to the reame of heuen ¶ Alle they ansueryd that they byleued lyke as he hadde sayde / ¶ And Incontynent he baptysed theym all in the name of the fader and of the sone and of the holy gooste / ¶ After that they were baptysed euery daye he taughte and endoctrined them in the gode holy scriptures In spekynge of the Ioyes of heuen and of the paynes of helle / ¶ After he excyted theym to gete the vertues of Faythe Hope
wytte / And fynably came in to a cyte namyd Panos / And there as enraged threwe hymselfe in to a depe caue full of hote water In whiche sodainly he deyed / ¶ How Pachomyen went thorugh the desertes And begynnith in latyn ¶ Igitur pachomius / Caplm .lxii PAchomyen after wente bare fote thorugh the deserte and bi mountaynes Endurynge pacyently the pryckynges and hurtes of thornes whereof his feet were swollen and moche soâ—e / ¶ And he enioyed in hymselfe reducynge to remembraunce how our lorde hadde in his feet and his hondes holes perâ—yd by foâ—e of grete naylles recourbled blout / Whyche were more greuous than yf they hadde ben sharpe pryckynge ¶ Alle his herte and desire was for so dwelle in place solytarye for to praye god by grete desyre / To the ende be and alle the worlde myghte be preseruyd and kepte from the trawdes decepcyons and temptacyons of oure enâ—â—ye the sende of helle / ¶ How a voâ—â— from heuen spake to Pachomyen And begynnyth in latyn ¶ Quodam vero tempore et cetera / Caplm .lxiii. IT happed on a tyme that saynt Pachomyen entrynge in a towne namyd Thebayde ferre ynough from his hermytage / In whiche towne whan he entred dwelled noo persone ¶ He putt hymselfe in prayer / and was there longe / ¶ Soo herde he a voys from heuen whyche sayd to hyÌ„ Pachomyen abyde in this place where thou arte And edefyâ— here a monastery Many shall come to the. desirynge to prouffyte by thy Instytucyons ¶ And thou shalte gyue to theym the rule whiche I shall desyner to the / ¶ After that appyered the aungell whyche broughte to hym a table in whiche was wryten the rule whiche be sholde teâ—he all theym that sholde come to the sayde place for to be relygyous vnder hym / ¶ The whyche rule yet kepen the Tabenesiens ¶ Saynt Pachomyen ryght affectuously alle that whyche thangell had broughte to hym / ¶ And after came agayne to the holy fader Palemon / To whom he recyted alle that whiche was happed to hym In prayenge hym that he wolde goo with him to the place where the aungel had spoken to hym as sayd is / ¶ Palemon whiche was humble wolde not trowble his dyscyple / went in to the towne wyth hyÌ„ / And there ariued Incontynent after the coÌ„maundement of god made a lytyll hous / In the whyche longe tyme they prayed to god deuowtely / Bysechynge hym that they myghte perfourme the chirche lyke as the angell had warned Pachomien ¶ Longe tyme after Palemon sayd to Pachomyen Now I knowe that the grace of god is descended vpon the. that thou arte dysposyd for to dwelle in this place where thou arte / Wherfore I praye thou that we make this paccyon couenanÌ„t togyder That durynge all the tyme of oure lyfe we be not separate in courage ne deuyded / But by vysitacyon fraternall we gyue consolacyon eche to other The whyche paccyon they made and entrehelden / For after ofte tymes they vysited eche other / ¶ Of the deth of saynt Palemon And begynnyth in latyn ¶ Inter heâ— venerabilis c / Caplm .lxiiii. A Lytyll tyme After Palemon strongly enfebled of nature by the extreme abstinences that he made felle in a grete maladye / by cause of the whyche well ofte he ete wythoute drynke And somtyme he ete not / But his refeccyon was eyther to ete or to drynke oonly / ¶ Some brethern came thither for to vysite him / And prayyed hym to enforce to take refeccoÌ„n suffisauntly for to susteyne his body / But the holy man herynge theyr requeste toke oonly mete for to comforte his membres Whiche were moche enfeblysshed by his sayd abstynences But neuertheles that auayled noo thynge / ¶ For his maladye was to hyÌ„ more greuous whaÌ„ he ete more thanne he was accustomye ¶ And therfore he wolde not ete but after his appetyte and suffred pacyently his maladye Consyderyng that many marters had ben despieced in to pyeces ¶ Some hadd theyr heedes smyten of The other haue ben brent in fire And alwaye they perseuered vnto th ende for the loue of Ihesu Cryste / ¶ And the holy man sayd he had by theyr examples farye ample matere of pacyence And that he ought not for a lytyll maladye corrumpe by gormandyse his lytyll penaunces and fastynges acustomyd / ¶ He sayd ferther that they had gyuen hym more payne by the metes that he had eten in his maladye thanne the abstynences that he made And soo retourned to his fyrste penaunce / ¶ And a moneth after in perseuerynge in fastynges he deyed rendred his soule to god ¶ But tofore his dethe came to hyÌ„ saynt Pachomyen whiche behelde hyÌ„ as his fader in kyssynge enbracynge hyÌ„ As he had sayd to hym fare well And after he buryed his body in the erthe / his soule was enhauÌ„ced gloryously with changellis in to the Ioye glory of heuen / The whiche graunt to vs the fader the sone the holy ghost / Amen / ¶ How the sayde saynt Pachomyen one his brother namyd Iohn conuerseden togyder And begynnyth in latyn ¶ Quo peâ—â—o / Caplm .lxv. AFter the saynt Palemon was bi saynt Pachomyen buryed the same saynt Pachomyen came agayne in to his monastery where god hadde Instytuted to hym / ¶ And after came to hyÌ„ his broder germayn named IohnÌ„ whiche longe tyme hadde sought hym / ¶ The holy man seenge his brother was moche Ioyous for sith he had be Crysten he had seen none of his freÌ„des ¶ The gode IohnÌ„ dwellyd with his brother / yf they were bredern carnally yet were they moche more bredern spyrytuelly / They two had but one will one selfe desyre Nyghte daye they thoughte on the faythe of oure lorde renouncynge all worldly rychesses ¶ They wanÌ„e theyr lyuynge onÌ„ly wyth makynge of celles / yf they had ony thyng superflue of theyr labour / Incontynent it was dystrybuted vnto poore for thono in of god / ¶ All theyr clothyng was of one vesture made of lynÌ„en clothe / As the Relygiouses were then robes / ¶ But the holy man Pachomien ware thayre for to kepe his body in seruytude / whanÌ„e soÌ„tyme be slepte by nyghte He laye not on the erthe but lenynge / Ferynge that yf he laye downe that he sholde reste ouer moche atte his case therby he myght falle in some â—yÌ„ne or euyll teÌ„ptacoÌ„n / ¶ Of the grete repentaunce and dysplaysaunce that had the sayde Pachomyen for IndygnacoÌ„n and angre that he hadde agaynst his brother / And begynnyth in latyn ¶ Inter hec et cetera Caplm .lxvi. Saynt Pachomyen bi the grace of god dyde encreace the place where he IohnÌ„ his broder dwellyd to the ende that they that shold comÌ„ to dwell in the sayde place lyke as thangell had shewed sholde fynde place for to dwell in / ¶ IohnÌ„ whiche was thelder was wrothe with hyÌ„ by
C.xlv FOr to styre his peple to mekenes· openly gaaf the holy Patryarke thise exortacoÌ„ns / My chyldern lete vs consyder put in our hertes the grete godenes of god his grete merci And certaynly we shal not desire to be put in grete honours that ben so dangeroous / But playnly we shall desyre to lyue in symple astate and pouertee / ¶ Alas what pouertee cowde we haue for to be also poore as hath be the lord our Sauyour and Redemer Ihesu Criste that kyng was bothe of heuen of erthe / ¶ Lete vs thynke vpon his mede fulnesse grete goodnesse that hath be shewed to vs / Where as we neuer shold haue ben yf he bi his grace had not formed Adam / The whyche by Inobedyence caused vs subget vnto euerlasting dethe / ¶ And alwayes thrugh his grece mercy paynfull passyon so moche benygnely he hath boughte vs ayen ¶ We also shall consydre that at all times that we fall in dedely synÌ„e the deuyll maye slee vs. brynge in to helle / And in dede he sholde doo it ne were the perfyghte loue that our lord hath to vs ¶ For coÌ„tynuelly by his doughter that is the chyrche· he prayeth vs to retorne to penaunce to th ende we maye haue hys grace / ¶ O moost swetnes whan he that may both daÌ„pne saue vs at his wyll And that alle thynges maye wythoute vs / And wythout hym we maye no thyÌ„ge / Neuerthelesse he prayeth vs that we woll loue him / ¶ How many theues euyll dooers are in the worde that god punysshyth not but coueryth theyr synnes / How many ben in the see that god preseruyth that they ben not robbed of the Pyrates / or drowned in to the deppest botomes But coÌ„maundeth the see that it suffreth theym to come to porte sauf / in abydynge the amendement of theyr lyfe / ¶ How many receyue the body of our lorde in dedely synne whiche he punysshyth not forth with / How many brybers theues are kepte from the wylde bestes / ¶ How many synÌ„ars ben preseruyd the anone after theyr synÌ„e thei ben not take of the deuyll of hell How many lurdens lye bi harlottes aduoutrers dronkelew glosâ—ets and other to all vyces ben wrapped / neuerthelesse god abydeth theym to gyue vnto them his mercy yf they woll aske it ¶ The bee fleeth in Somer in hylles valâ—es for to make hony swete for oure monthes that haue vttred sayd soo many fowle wordes and shamful / The floures shewe theim for to reioyce our â—yen whiche enforce theym for to loke on comyn wymmen / Or dysceyue a manÌ„es wyfe / ¶ We thenne that done suche dedes / And haue soo many rewardes of god / What drede oughte we for to haue whan oonly we consydre the last hour of oure dethe / ¶ Dyuerse ensamples of dethe gaaf the holy Patryarke to the ende that they that were prowde folysshe louers sholde mekely and lowely obeye theymself for to haue contrycyon / takynge sorowe for theyr synnes ¶ This holy man sayde It suffysyth me for to be sauyd to haue a coÌ„tynuell mynde of dethe / For at the selfe hour none shal acoÌ„pany wyth vs / but onÌ„ly our gode bad dedes ¶ Alas lete vs thyÌ„ke how our gode angel shal be wroth whaÌ„ aft our deth he shall finde noo gode dedes done bi vs wherby he miÈte kepe defeÌ„de vs ayeÌ„st thacusyÌ„g of our enmie the deuyll of hell / Alas thenÌ„e shall we pray god the he wol yeue vs space to liue yet a lytyl while to doo penauÌ„ce but to vs shal be answerd / Pore creature that haste euyl speÌ„ded the time that thou hast lyuen thou shalt neuer haue no respite sayd of hyÌ„self / Alas pore IohnÌ„ how shal thou passe the way for to goo in paradys / whaÌ„ afore the thou shal see somany enmies of horrible accusars byfore the rightwys Iuge / ¶ Alas IohnÌ„ what fere and drede shalt thou thenne haue whan Incontyâ—â—â—e after thy dethe thou shalt be presentes afore the Iugement of god ¶ This holy man had euer in his remembrauÌ„ce the good Symeon that had be so iusce And that whiche whan the hour of his dethe was come / that his soule ascended to paradys / mette wyth a grete coÌ„pany of deuilles in dyuers orders / Fyrst mette the soule of the sayd Symeon the order of proude deuylles And there she was questioned yf she had not be proude After he mette with the deuylles princes of sklaundrynge / and in lyke wyse she was there askyd yf she had not reported euyl of other / After this she met wyth other deuylles prynces of fornycacoÌ„n the whiche wolde accuse hym of flesshely dedes and flesshely desyres / And whan the soule is styed vnto heâ—uen and that she muste nedes yelde acounte afore god / the angels gyue her nomore socours / and hath thenne noo comfort ne helpe but of suche good dedes as he hath done in this worlde / As to this tyme the good Patryarke consydered how the soule hath noo comforte but onÌ„ly of her good dedes / ¶ And for to moue the more his spyryte / he broughte vnto his mynde the dethe of saynte Hâ—larion the whyche at the laste houre of his deth sayd vnto his soule / O my soule goo hardly out of my body Lxxx. yere thou hast serued god / Why ferest thou now thy departynge / ¶ O wonderfull a thyng / o moost drede o charyte vnable to be colde The good Hilarion the was ·lxxx yere al his lyfe had seruyd god in doynge grete penauÌ„ce neuer had synÌ„ed dedely but al his dayes was Ioyned to the goodnesse of god as he had hadde in erthe the perfeccyon of an angel / This notwythstondyng that he lyued an heuenly lyfe in makyng wonderfull miracles yet he feryd the dethe namely the sayd holy Patryarke that sayd ¶ What shall thou my soule answere to the horryble accusars that somoche ben subtyll / I fere me full sore that we shall be taken at our answers whaÌ„ the deuyls shall gyue vnto vs somany accusacoÌ„ns As of leesynges of couetise of myssayeng of vnpyte of euyll mynde· of hate and of all other synÌ„es / TheÌ„ne shall we well nede to haue gode aduocates that shall speke for vs / ¶ For the grete fere that we shall thenne haue shall kepe vs that we shall not answere noo thyng / And therfore we must pray god that we maye haue good angels for to lede vs in all our dedes whan that we oonly goo fro one cyte to a nother we take our guides / to th ende that they lede vs the streight waye / ¶ ThenÌ„e muste we well praye whan we shall depart from the erthe to heuen / that we be not ladde from our streyght waye but ledd guyded by good conduytours / Thys holy patryarke layed suche medyacoÌ„ns afore his eyen for to meke hyÌ„self / And who that
that thou art gone all redy ferre from thy celle / but come folowe me And the holy fader dyde so / sodeynly he founde hym self before his lytell house where he was parted fro ¶ Thenne sayd the childe to the holy man that he sholde entre his celle for to praye god therin And after these wordes sayd / the good hermyte entred in to his celle / the childe vanysshed awaye ¶ The abbot Danyell sayd of saynt Arsenye that euery satyrdaye / he was so contynuall in his orysons that he cessed not to praye tyll that he sawe the sonne tourned behynde his backe / yet abode therat / heuyng vp his handes to heuen tyll that the mornyg was come ayen and that the sonne rysyng smote his ey syght with his beames And yet he passed the other nyght wakyng / but towarde the mornyng / when for to satysfye the freeltee of his kynde / he was constrayned for to slepe a lytyll / he called vpon slepe sayd / comhether euyll seruaunt And thus shettyng his eyen / he toke all syttyng a lytyll rest / anone after he rose ayen ¶ The abbot Lucius beynge within a grete pytte depe / where he helde him selfe contemplatyuely / came there ones vnto hym certayne hermytes or Relygyouses that made themselfe to be called the bedemans To whome by the sayd holy fader Lucius was axed to what hande werkes they where wonte for to occupye them selfe Wherat they answered / that they dyde no maner of temporall werke But folowynge the doctryne of saynt Paule without Intermyssyon or lettyng they prayed god Thenne he asked them ayen yf they ete not And they answered yes Yet he asked them / yf they slept not / lykewyse they sayd ye And I aske you thenne sayd the holy fader abbot / when ye ete / or slepe / who prayeth god for you To that whiche questyon they wyst not what they sholde answere Thenne he sayd to them My brethern pardonne me I see well by your answeres / that ye doo not as ye tell me / saynge that ye praye goâ— without lettynge / but I wyll shewe vnto you / that in labouryng werkynge with myn handes I praye god contynuelly / when by the ayde of god I wyll take me to werke I do sette me donne / by me I do ley a quantyte of small palmes of the whiche I pare of the pylles therof I make mattes / whyle I am besy about the same I praye saynge to god in this wyse Syre haue mercy of me after thy grete mercy and after the multytude of thy grete mercyes forgyue myn wyckednesse I aske you / yf this to be sayd / is prayer or no. And they answered that it was a true prayer And syth ayen the holy fader Lucius sayd vnto them / when I labour thus thrughe out the daye / in labouryng I praye god I gete with my labour .xij. or .xv. small penys / somtyme more / another tyme lesse / wherof I putte atte dore of my celle two penys for some poore bodye that happeth to come forby fyrst / with the remenauÌ„t I do bye this that is vnto me nedefull for my lyuyng And my trust is / that he that taketh my sayd almose prayeth god for me when I ete or also when I slepe / or atte leste by so moche space of tyme as I putte in my repast takynge or in slepyng / by all thus the grace of god helpyng I trust god I do that whiche holy scrypture exhorteth saynge Praye without ceassynge ¶ The abbot Macharye vpon a tyme among other beryng maundes of his makyng to a mart for to be solde / fouÌ„de hym selfe so sore wery because of the longe waye / that he was constrayned to sytte donne vpon the erthe for to rest hym selfe saynge / my god thou knoweste that I maye no more go And incontynent he fouÌ„de hymselfe by a ryuer whiche he must passe ouer / whiche was yet sore ferre from that place where he had sette hyÌ„ selfe donne afore when he made his complaynte ¶ The abbot Ammon departynge from his celle for to go fette water att a welle / he founde in his waye a grete serpente basylyque / seeyng that he coude not eschewe / but that the saye serpent sholde bryng hym to dethe / yf he were not keped there from of the grace of god / dyde sette hym selfe donne afore the serpente forsayd saynge to our lord in this wyse My god I knowe that I must deye or ellys this beste And these wordes sayd / this basylyke by that myght of god deyed sodeynly all tered in peces ¶ The abbot Besaryon and a dyscyple of his owne walkynge togydre alonge the shores of the see / the sayd dyscyple was sore greued with grete thurste bycause of the grete heâ—e that was that daye there Soo was he constrayned to telle vnto his fader in god Besaryon that his grete thurst tormented hym right sore The whiche thyng heryng the holy fader / his oryson vnto god Redely y made / coÌ„maunded hym to take of the water of the see for his drynke And where he had dronken of it / he founde it veray swete and good so fylled he with it a boteyll that he bare with hym ¶ The holy fader Besaryon seeyng this sayd vnto hyÌ„ / why haste thou fylled thy boteylle with the same water The dyscyple feryng the holy fader answered Helas fader I requyre the of pardon I haue be soo sore payned with thurst / that I feere me to falle therat yet agayne ¶ To whom the sayd holy fader sayd My sone god pardonne the the same / thou ought to wyte that god is euery where / and he maye gyue graunte the water good and swete in what soeuer place that he wyll / soo that thou haue a veray loue and affeccyon towarde hym toward thyn euen crysten with veray fayth and good hope in kepynge his coÌ„maundementes ¶ An olde fader reherced of a yong man the whiche hauyng a wylle for to be a man of Relygyon / was of his moder sore letted therfrom / but neuerthelesse she coude not do somoche there ayenste that she myght tourne hym from his good purpos sayng that he wolde saue his soule / wherby fynably she coÌ„sented therunto ¶ And after that he was receyued in Relygyon / he passed therin a parte of his yongthe in grete neâ—lygence of his soule It happed thenne that his moder deyed / and anone after her dyscease he fell syke with a gryuouse sykenesse / duryng the whiche his goost was rauysshed and borne out of his bodye for to be presented afore the Iugemente of god / there to receyue the punysshemente of his mysdedes / but in this rauysshyng / he sawe his moder that was in grete sorowe and tourmentes with those that were there coÌ„dempned She seeyng there hyr son was wonderfully abasshed / and sayd vnto hym Ha my sone and
awaye / also repleccyon of bely glotony chasseth putteth aback the drede of god from the soule ¶ The abbot Peter otherwyse called Payen / he beyng takeÌ„ with som syknesse / wolde neuer drynk no wyn / but for all substauÌ„ce he dranke luke water Many brothern beyng vpon a daye in the montayn where the abbot Anthony helde hyÌ„ self / after that the masses were songe / they fouÌ„de a vessell full of wyn One of the elders toke theÌ„ne a lytyll chalyce / presented twyes of the sayd wyn for to drynke vnto the abbot Sysoy / whiche toke it at the .iij. tyme he sayd to hyÌ„ the preseÌ„ted it to hyÌ„ / broder rest thyself / thou knowest not yf the deuyll be in it or no. ¶ A broder axed of the sayd Sysoy couÌ„seyll bycause the ofteÌ„ when he went to the chirch his bredereÌ„ by charyte withhelde hyÌ„ for to ete with them / wherat he answered that it was a thyng ouermoche dauÌ„gerouse peryllouse for the soule Abraham whiche dyscyple was to the sayd Sysoy / axed hyÌ„ yf he drank wyn thre tymes vpon the sondaye / whether that was to moche or noo / he answered nay / yf that synne folowed not therby ¶ The abbot Syluayn and Zachary his dyscyple walkyng on a daye came to a monastery there they toke theyr repast / and after toke theyr waye ayen Zachary by the waye was a thurst and wold drynk water / his abbot sayd vnto hyÌ„ My son it is fastyng day what wyl thou do The dyscyple answered Fader we haue ete The abbot sayd Ha my childe / that was a refeccyon of charyte with our brethern / but neuerthelesse we must kepe our fast ¶ Saynt Syncletyce sayd / that he is not parfytly chaste that laugheth and beheldeth dysordynatly notwithstandyng that he dooth not actuelly or in dede the synne of the flesshe ¶ Item he sayd that as the oynementes chassen awaye the bestes venymouses the venym / in lykewyse fastyng oryson chassen fro man fowle and wycked thoughtes ¶ Item he sayd that Ryche folke ought not for theyr rychesses to take cure nehede to ete dyuerse metes dressed with dyuerse sawses For they sholde be cause to make them falle in to many synnes / but must passe therouer as he that roweth ouer the water ¶ The abbot Syson sayd / syth that we be pylgrymes in this worlaâ— / lete vs kepe our mouth from many wordes ¶ Ypericius sayd that the monke ought to be as rebelle ayenst the temptacoÌ„ns / as the lyon ayenst the asses ¶ Item fastyng is to a monke the brydell ayenst synne / for he that fasteth not / but pleaseth his desyres as an horse brydelesse / is lyghtly and for lytyll thyng taken with a dysordynate loue of wymmen ¶ Item fastyng rendreth the bodye of a Relygyouse lene drye / and arayseth his soule on hyghe / bryngeth to noughte his vayne thoughtes delectacyons ¶ Item a man chast here in erth shall be of god worshypped crowned in heuen ¶ Item he that can not kepe his tonge in tyme of wrathe / may not be mayster ouer his passyoÌ„s of his body ayenst the temptour ¶ Item the mouthe ought neuer to speke fowle or euyll worde / bycause that the vyne bereth noo thornes ¶ Agayne he sayd that better it is to a monke for to ete flesshe and drynke wyne / than to ete his brother by bakbytyng ¶ Somtyme in Sychye was a fest made where some wyne was brought vnto an holy fader whiche sayd to hym that brought it Brother take awaye that deth from afore me / as he wolde haue sayd / that wyne excessyuely taken is deth to a man ¶ A Relygyouse preest in Sychye wente ones to speke with the bysshop of Alexandrye / and when he was comen ayen his brethern axed hym what it was of the Cyte / wherat he answered / that feryng to see there ony thyng that sholde moeue hym to synne / he had soo refrayned the syght of his eyen / that he had not seen there none other man but the bysshop / and after the other brother atte his exemple kept theyr eyen from lokyng a hyghe ¶ A relygyouse went ones to see a broder of his Relygyon whiche at his comyÌ„g made his dyscyple make redy a fewe herbes for to feste the broder that was come / hauyng the tyme that theyr refeccoÌ„n was a makyng redy / they went togyder in to the oratory / there they were vnto the morowe at the houre of sexte deuysyng of spyrytuell thynges / thenne cam sayd ayen to his dyscyple that he sholde make redy theyr repast / the whiche dyscyple sayd vnto hym that it was made all redy syt the daye byfore ¶ Two other brethern beyng togydre waytyng after theyr wortes were made redy for theyr mete / the one sayd to the other / that they sholde sette them to praye god afore that they sholde take theyr repast / soo toke the one of them vpon hym for to rede the psalter / and that other two bokes of the prophecyes the next daye they had no mynde at all to theyr mete / but had forgete that they sholde ete / so wente they awaye from eche other ¶ A brother hauyng honger from that houre that he rose out of his bed fouÌ„de hym selfe constrayned for to ete / but he ayenst his wyll constrayned hyÌ„ self to faste vnto the houre of tyerce / fro tyerce tyll seâ—te Thenne he sette hym for to ete / incontynent stode vp ayen sayd that he sholde fast vnto none / atte whiche houre he made his prayer vnto god / coÌ„tynuyng the same he sawe the deuyll that went a waye from hyÌ„ lyke a smoke wherby he knewe that by the same deuyll he hadde be tempted for to ete ¶ A holy fader beyng syke so that he coude not ete was coÌ„strayned by his dyscyple for to ete a lytyll mâ—â—cion made of oyle honny meele And in the dressyng of it he poored in it sayd oyle all stynkyng wenyng to hyÌ„ to haue poored in some honny / be gaaf to his mayster therof for to ete / whiche holy fader knowyng that his dyscyple had not done it by malyce ete of it thre dayes for to gyue to his body more payne sharpnesse ¶ An other holy fader bycause he desyred to moche affectuelly for to haue eten of a concombre for to correcte punysshe his dysordynat aptyt / he dyde hage one in his celle / to th ende that lokyng vpon it and not etyng of it he sholde bere penauÌ„ce vpon hym of the lust and desyre that he had taken therupon ¶ An other Relygyouse hauyng a syster in a relygyon / was shewed that she was sore syke So came he to her monasterye to th entent that he sholde vysyte see her / but she that was constante in fayth right holy / and that syn she was betaken to Relygyon was
the sayd brother was renommed thrugh all the Relygyon / lyke as was the holy Patryarke Abraham / whan he vnto our lorde wolde haue sacrefyed his sone Ysaac ¶ It was demaunded and asked of an holy man / that whiche hadde more meryte / of hym that dwelled with the Relygyouses / and is obedyente in all thynges to theym / or he that dwelleth in an hermytage there lyuyng solytaryly without ony companye ¶ The holy man sayd that he that is with the Relygyouses / and to theym is obedyent in all thynges For he dothe noo thynge after his owen wyll / but all that he dooth is atte the wyll of other But he that is in the hermytage / how well that he be moche solytarye / yet alwaye he vseth his owne wyll / and is not subget to ony persone ¶ An holy man sayd that in heuen was shewed to hym four ordres maners of people ¶ The fyrst ordre was of seke men / whiche hadde in pacyence theyr maladyes and sekenesses / and gloryfyed god and his sayntes ¶ The seconde was of theym that hadde gladdly receyued pylgryms for the worshyp of god / and they were called hostelers ¶ The thyrde ordre was of theym that dwelled in desertes / and sawe not the worlde / and lyued in the sayde desertes in straytnes of penauÌ„ce ¶ The fourth ordre was of theym that for the honour of god submytted theym to theyr faders spyrytuell / and were in all thynges to theym obedyent But amonge the four ordres / they that had be obedyent were adorned and arrayde with fayr colours of precyous stones / and crowned with crownes of golde / and hadde more Ioye than the other thre ordres ¶ Yet the same holy man sayd furthermore / that he had asked and demauÌ„ded of hym that had shewed to hym these ordres / how it myght be that the sayd ordre of obedyence hadde moost glorye / seen that it was amonge the other lasse For it semeth the vertue of obedyence to be a lytyll vertue ¶ To whom it was answered That not without cause they that were obedyent hadde the moost grettest glorye For they that receyue the pylgrymes doo that charyte after theyr owne wyll And the hermytes that goon in to theyr hermytage / and renounce the worlde / doo it of theyr free wyll But they that be obedyent / haue noo propre wylle For for the honour of god they haue submysed alle theyr wyll to the wyll of theyr soueraynes / wherfore they haue in heuen grettest glorye And therfore it is openly knowen that the vertue of obedyence is for to be recoÌ„mended amonge all other vertues And therfore euery persone ought tenforce hym to his power to folowe it ¶ It is founde that for fyue reasons obedyence ought more to be chosen / than the other vertuers ¶ The fyrste for it is cause of the helthe of the very true crysten men / kepeth the vertues ¶ The seconde for it is that techeth to the Royame of heuen ¶ The thyrde for it openeth the yate of heuen It also enhauÌ„ceth the men fro the erthe / that is to sa yt from thynges erthely worldly vnto heuenly thynges ¶ The fourth reason for it abydeth in heuen with the blessyd angellys / whiche alwaye be obedyent to god ¶ The fyfth reason / for it is all the desyre of the sayntes of heuen For by veray obedyence many comen vnto the heuenly glorye ¶ Here foloweth an other lytyll treatyse encytyng the people vnto the ryght necessarye vertue of humylyte and mekenesse And begynneth in latyn Abbas Anthonius AFter that in the chapytre precedent hath be made mencoÌ„n of the vertue of obedyence / foloweth now couenably of the vertue of humylyte In the whiche consysteth the perfeccyon of euery vertue / vpon whiche it ought fyrst to be noted / that in this lytyll treatyse be comprysed some prouffytable dyctes and prouerbes of holy faders By the consyderacyon of whiche euery persone of what someuer astate or condycyon that he be may lerne lyghtly the very waye of humylyte ¶ And fyrste here is conteyned one of the causes / by the whiche saynt Anthonye kepte hym from ouermoche enquyryng of the secrete Iugemens of god / in humblynge hym selfe as indygne and vnworthy to knowe the lest of the dyuyne secretes celestyall For he beynge in a profounde medytacyon / as meruayllynge hym selfe of the dyuyne Iugemens made suche a requeste vnto god That is to wyte / that he wolde shewe to hym yf it pleased hym / wherfore it was soo that some lyued soo lyâ—â— a whyle / and some other aboue naturell aege From whens procedeth and / that some for ony labour that he taketh / may noo thynge haue ne gete And other without labour and to haue payne / haue alle the goodes of the worlde And pryncypally they that be Iniuste haue all the erthe in possessyon And the good and vertuous haue noo thynge but maledyccyon / mendycyte / and pouerte ¶ Thenne the sayd Anthonye herde a voys that sayd to hym Anthonye thynke on thy selfe / syght not for the dedes of an other / for the pleasyr of god is that / of whiche thou waâ— â—â—â—tolyest thy selfe to be soo doon / knowe the that his Iugemens be as a grete a depe abysme The secretes of god whiche he wyll hyde / a man ought not tenquyre ¶ The sayd holy fader Anthonye sayde to thabbot Pastor It is a grete werke in a man / that without to Iustefye hym selfe / he accuse hym to fore god of his synnes And with that he be stronge and constauÌ„t to withstaÌ„de all temptacyon / as stedfastly concluded neuer to defoyle the lawe of god / that vnto the last ende of his deth ¶ Also yet sayd the holy fader Anthonye / that he hadde seen all the grynnes of the deuyll stratched and leyde ouer all the erthe And in seeyng began to wept in grete teres sayeng Ha ha my god who shall be he / the whiche shall eschewe to be taken in one of these grynnes ¶ Thenne he herde a voys that sayd to hym Anthonye that shall be he that shall be garnysshed with one fyght humylyte / the whiche is the / without the whiche no vertue is paâ—◠〈◊〉 ¶ Some auncyent faders among 〈◊〉 whiche was the abbot named Ioseph vysyâ—â—den the sayd Saynt Anthonye And they beyng comen to hym he asked theym / and fyrste the yongeste in makyng vnto theym some proposycyons of holy scrypture The same yong brethern / wenynge to haue doon well / answered to hym in expownynge his questyon To whom togyder he answered sayeng to theym / yet haue ye not fouÌ„de that whiche ye ought to knowe After he tourned hym towarde the abbot Ioseph / in lyke wyse he demauÌ„ded hym a questyon of the holy scrypture / the whiche abbot answered to hyÌ„ sayeng hyÌ„ selfe vnworthy to expowne the 〈◊〉 proposycoÌ„n of the holy scrypture / that he knewe not what it was to
wonderfull obseruacyon of the commaundementes of god / by the whiche I am constrayned to departe out of the bodye of the whiche I haue ben soo longe tyme possessour Anone forthwith the deuyll departed and vanysshed awaye / and the sayd doughter was guarysshed and made hole The other relygyous brethern whan they knewe that this myracle hadde ben suche doon / in gloryfyeng alle the name of our lorde god sayeng / that by the humble obseruacyon of the commaundementes of Ihesu cryste and by very humylyte / the pryde of the deuyll was putte done For certaynely alle they that be veraye meke and humble / the deuyll of helle shall neuer haue power for to possesse theym And therfore sayd the abbot Euagrius that the cōmaundement of helthe is mekenesse to repreue in hym selfe / in correctyng his vyces wyckednesses ¶ The abbot Serapyon in praysyng the vertue of humylyte in the persone of one his dyscyple named Zacharye sayd I haue made many abstynences bodely / more without cōparyson than my sone Zacharye And yet myght I neuer come to his humylyte / nother to his obseruacyon of scylence By the whiche wordes he gaue to vnderstande and to knowe / that he estemed the vertue of humylyte to be more gretter than all the other vertues ¶ Thabbot Moyses demaunded and asked counseyll of this brother Zacharye / how he myght lyue for to gete the Royame of heuen ¶ The sayd Zacharye heryng this demaunde / anone by grete humylyte fylle doun to the fete of the sayd abbot Moyses in sayeng Alas my fader askest thou counseyll of me / as who sholde saye / that he was more vertuous and more prudent than he without comparyson ¶ The sayd Moyses thenne answered to hym My brother I knowe that the grace of the holy ghoste haboūdeth in the. And therfore I am constrayned for to demaunde and aske of the counseyll for myn helth ¶ Thenne the good broder Zacharye toke of his frocke from his hede / and lyed doun at his feet sayeng My fader yf a man be not in this maner humbled he is not worthy to be a monke ¶ And to this purpose sayd the abbot Pastor / that the holy abbot Moyses beyng in the artycle of the deth demaūded and asked of the brother Zacharye what thyng was to a Relygyous man moost necessarye ¶ And he answered / that it was to be stylle / and kepe scylence ¶ To whom the sayd Moyses answered My sone it is trewe The man that is stylle and speketh not is to fewe people noyous / and whan it cam to the poynt that he sholde gyue vp his ghoost / thabbot Ysydore whiche thēne was present beholdyng the heuen sayd Reioyce thy selfe my sone Zacharye / for the yates of the kyngdom of heuen be opened to the. ¶ Theophyle bysshop of Alexandrye a man of grete renommee / in passyng by the mount of Nytrye recountred an holy fader whiche dyde there his penaunce To whom he made suche a questyon Fayr fader I demaunde of the / what operacōn is moost fructuous to gete sauacyon in lyuyng suche a lyfe as thou ledest in deserte ¶ The whiche answered to hym / that it was to blame hym selfe incessauntly And by humylyte to repute hym selfe vnwordy euer to haue doon ony werke merytorye ¶ And the sayd Theophyle answered / that ther was none way more helthfull than that whiche he hadde sayd / for he that humbleth and meketh hym selfe / he shall be of god enhaunceth And he that enhaunceth hym selfe / shall be made meke and humble ¶ To this purpose the abbot in etynge with his brethern in grete scylence and reuerence toke the vessellys to drynke / but after the custome he sayd not to one ne to an other in takyng theym brother dysplease you not That consyderynge the sayd abbot Theodore / sayd to theym My brethern haue loste theyr noblesse / for they haue not grete reuerence one to an other in drynkyng and in etyng ¶ The auncyent aeged faders wytnessen of the abbot Theodore / that after that he was made deken in thermytage named Sychye / he wold not receyue the ordre of preesthode And fledde now in one place / and now in to a nother But that notwithstandyng the brethern brought hym agayne alwaye sayeng to hym ¶ Abbot Theodore leue not the dygnyte that thou haste begonne to receyue Thenne he prayed theym to gyue to hym space to praye to god / to th ende that his pleasyr were to shewe to hym / yf he were worthy to come to suche an offyce And thus as he was in suche prayers / ther cam a pyler of fyre touchyng the erthe the heuen by his gretenesse After he herde a voys sayeng Theodore yf thou myghtest be as this pyler / goo without varyeng and receyue the offyce / that thy brethern wyll gyue the. ¶ By the pyler enflammed myght be vnderstande charyte / that is to saye very loue and dyleccyon / that one ought to haue to god / and to his neyghbour ¶ By that that it toucheth the erthe / is sygnefyed veray humylyte And by that / that the sayd pyler touched heuen / we may note the herte brennynge lyfte vp to god by contemplacyon vnto heuen / whan he hadde seen this vysyon / he protested neuer to receyue the sayd dygnyte / whiche they wolde haue made hym to take ¶ After he retourned to the chirche with the Relygyouses / the whiche as to fore hadde prayed hym atte leste to accepte the offyce and charge to admynystre to theym the holy sacramentes / and that it wolde please hym to holde the chalyce The whiche thyng he refused to doo / as reputynge hym selfe vnworthy of that dygnyte / in protestynge / yf they departed not fro hym to make suche requestes / that he wolde neuer after abyde ne dwelle with theym ¶ Whan they hadde herde his answere / they spacke nomore to hym / by cause he sholde not departe from theym ayenst his wyll ¶ To this purpose of humylyte sayd the abbot Iohan the lytyll / that the yate by the whiche entreth in to vs our bodyes / is humylyte And by many shames and blames that the auncyent faders haue mekely and Ioyously suffred / the Royame of heuen is to theym gyuen ¶ Yet agayne he sayd that humylyte whiche is the rote of all goodes / and drede of god is the begynnynge of alle good scyence / excedynge alle other vertues And therfore sayd the abbot Iohan Thebeyen / that Relygyouse persone to fore all other thynges oughte to haue humylyte For it is the fyrst cōmaundement of our sauyour Ihesu Cryste / whiche sayth in spekynge to alle crysten men My chyldern lerne of me / for I am meke / and humble in herte ¶ And he hym selfe sayth in an other place Blessyd be the meke in speryte / for the kyngdom of heuen is to theym ¶ Alle the holy faders of the deserte of Sychye on a tyme beyng togyder in a
his taste so enfecte that he may not sauour ony thynge that is dyuyne or godly ¶ A man of moche holy lyfe sayd that he that rendred hyÌ„selfe relygyoê° by good deuocoÌ„n / in takyng thabyte of ê“fessyon receyued as moche grace as dooth he that is baptysed / how be it the at bapteme is gyuen plenytude of grace / in lykewyse he sayth that in professyon of holy relygyon is gyuen plenytude of grace ¶ God gaaf on a tyme to an holy olde man the power to see all that the other dyde made / so he sawe on a tyme a broder whiche was in medytacoÌ„n thought on god / the deuyll beyng without / whiche myght not entre duryng the medytacoÌ„n / but anon as he cessed to thynke on god / the deuyll entred in to his celle / that is to wyte / yf we thynke on god / the deuyl shal not entre in to the celle of our soule / but yf we thynke on worldly thynges / anone he shall entre slee vs by synnes ¶ An holy man prayed to god that he myght see the fendes To whom was answered / thou hast none nede to see thyn aduersaryes / but he prayed alwaye to god that he wolde shewe theym to hyÌ„ And anone by reuelacyon dyuyne he sawe a grete legyon of fendes assembled on a montayne lyke as bees whiche flee about men on all sydes / but the angels of god were by that chaced awaye the fendes put theym abacke ¶ An holy olde man had two neyghbourâ— / of whom the one was a strauÌ„ger the other of the Royame The strauÌ„ger was slouthfull / the other was moche dylygent It happed that the strauÌ„ger deyed / anone the holy man that was his neyghbour sawe by reuelacoÌ„n the angelles ledyng his soule in to Ioye And as he supposed to haue entred in to heuen was made questyon of hyÌ„ / that is to wyte yf he ought to entre Thenne he herde a voys from on hygh whiche sayd it is certayn that this strauÌ„ger hath be a lytyll neclygent / but for as moche that he is a strauger that he hath do penauÌ„ce opene the yate to hyÌ„ Some after cam to the artycle of deth the dylygent whiche was of the coÌ„â—re / anone his frendes cam to see hyÌ„ / but he deyed And also the holy man knowyng that he was deed / loked yf he myght see changellys come / lyke as he sawe theyÌ„ come to the soule of the strauÌ„ger / but he sawe none appere Thenne all heuy admerualled be done flatte to the erthe sayd / alas the strauÌ„ger that was moche slouth is in heuen / this man that was moche dylygent may haue none entre TheÌ„ne was sayd to hyÌ„ that he that was dylygent had atte hour of his deth sorowed for his teÌ„porel goodes for his freÌ„des which wept for hyÌ„ / but that strauÌ„had none freÌ„des at his deth / by this appereth the none ought to present to hyÌ„ that deyeth his childern or his wyfe / to the ende that his helth sholde not be lette ¶ An other holy man sayd that ther was an hermyte in the hermytage of the cyte of Nyle / to whom a good seculer man mynystred to hyÌ„ all his necessytees / in this cyte was a man moche ryche right euyll whiche deyed / was born with grete honour by the bysshop pryncypalles of the toun / with grete noÌ„bre of torches vnto his sepulture This good seculer man that had seen this grete soleÌ„pnyte / went soone after to thermyte / for to delyuere to hyÌ„ that was necessarye / but whan he cam to thermytage / he fouÌ„de that this holy man had be eten of wylde bestes / theÌ„ne he fylle his face to the grouÌ„de flatte / coÌ„cludyng that he wold not aryse tyll he knewe fro whens this thyng ê“ceded / that is to wyte / that the ryche man whiche was so peruerse had had so grete honour in his deth And the holy hermyte that serued daye nyght god was alone dede pyteously / bycause he was herfore in deuoute oryson / ther cam an angell to hyÌ„ the sayd / that the ryche man had had these goodes worldly honours / for to rewarde hyÌ„ for some smale good dedes whiche he had doon in his lyfe / but not withstaÌ„dyng he was in waye of daÌ„ynacoÌ„n for his synnes that he had coÌ„mysed But the solytary hermyte / bycause he had be somwhat defoyled of syÌ„ne where of he had contrycoÌ„n / he had suffred this euyll / bycause he was clene tofore god / fynably haue reste perdurable / so he was coÌ„forted retorned praysyng god ¶ An holy man sayd that he had seen a moche aged womaÌ„ a virgyne / of whom he asked wherfor she had choseÌ„ the astate of virgynyte To whom she answered syghynly / alas holy fader whaÌ„ I was yong I had my fader well attempred softe Iuste vertuous in coÌ„uersacoÌ„n / the whiche was feble ofte seke was so secrete in his dedes / that somtyme his neyghbours in long tyme sawe hyÌ„ not / occupyed his tyme to labour his londe And yf by aduenture he fouÌ„de hyÌ„selfe well dysposed / thenne bare he the fruyt of his labour in to his hous But the moost grete parte of the tyme he was seke in his bedde / spack so lytyll that they that had not knowen hyÌ„ / wolde haue sayd that he had be dombe ¶ But all contrary I had my moder / she was fayr without attemperauÌ„ce more dyshonest in coÌ„uersacoÌ„n than all the wyÌ„men of this regyon / she was replenysshed with all vyces / as of euyll wordes / engendryng noyses dyssencoÌ„ns bytwene frendes / she was dronklew lecherous / wasted all our goodes / for she had the charge of all the hous bycause that my fader was seke And how be it that she was cause of the synne of Infenyte noÌ„bre of people by her euyll maners Neuertheles she was neuer seke / but was hole of her bodye vnto the deth Amonge these thynges it happed that my fader by the vyolence of his grete sekenesses becam fro lyfe to deth And Incontynent the ayer began to meue / to rayne thondre so moche that his bodye myght not be buryed vnto the thyrde daye / bycause of the grete habundauÌ„ce of rayne That seeyng the neyghbours meruaylled sayeng that it was to doubte that this man was deed in dedely synne / that he had so euyl lyued / that the ayer in sygne of repreef myght not suffre that he sholde be buryed Neuertheles to th ende that the body sholde not infecte the hous / duryng the rayne tempest we bare hyÌ„ to therthe After my mode whiche vsed euyll her bodye made an open bordell of our house dyspended all that we had And fynably she cam at her last daye deyed In the deth of whom it semed to eueryche
other thyng / but that he be ledde to hangyng / and demaundeth ofte / where is the Iuge in wayllyng and wepynge his laste daye So thenne ought we in this maner to wepe and wayle oure grete synnes in awaytyng the right grete and souerayn Iuge our sauyour Ihesu cryste And yf we doo thus / we shall mowe be saued / and we shall haue very and ferme contrycoÌ„n and repentauÌ„ce And thus for to do / it is to vs nedefull necessarye to thynke on the paynes tourmentes of helle where as the worme of the remorse of conscyence shal neuer deye / the fyre shall not be quenched / the wepyng shall neuer ceasse / ne the payne shall neuer haue ende Of the qualyte of conpuccoÌ„n Caplm .ix. IT byhoueth not after wepyng and wayllyng to retorne to synne for whiche hath be wepte waylled For euery man that after his penaunce retourneth to his synne / resembleth to an hounde that retourneth to his vomyte Ther ben many that oftymes wepe for theyr synnes And neuertheles they ceasse not ony thynge for to synne offende god theyr maker The ê“phete Ysaye exhorteth vs sayeng wasshe you and be clene in herte And vpon this / is to be noted that he that wepeth his synne / is not clene / whan he begynneth agayne to synne / but he is wasshen and abydeth clene / whiche by wepeth his offenses / and retourneth not agayne therto ¶ Of the maner to praye to god our maker Caplm .x. SYth that I haue gyuen to the to knowe vnderstande what conpuncâ—yon is / there resteth now oonly that thou knowe the maner to praye god / and to make supplycacyon to our lorde Ihesu Cryste / the whiche he shewed to his dyscyples whaÌ„ he sayd to theym in this maner / be not proliâ—e ne longe in your prayers and supplycacyons / but praye ye in sayeng thus Our fader that art in heuen c. as it is conteyned in the Pater noster In the whiche appyereth that the orayson ought to be short / but yf it be prolonged of an ardaunt affeccoÌ„n desyre towarde our maker and redemer It is sayd that Arsenius abode from the sonne gooyng doun vnto the sonne vp agayn in prayer I wyll not saye that thou soo oughtest to doo / but atte the leste haue the desyre also ardaunt in deuocyon whan thou prayest god a lytyll tyme / as be hadde in prayeng to god all the nyght One of thauncyent faders sayd that orayson contynuel correcteth the thought ¶ An other sayd that lyke as it is Impossyble to see his vysage in thycke troubled water All in lyke wyse the soule yf it be not purged of his euyll thoughtes cogytacoÌ„ns may not haue contemplacyon towarde god our maker ¶ Pambo the holy relygyous man hauyng vnder his charge fyfty relygyous persones dyde nothynge but the whiche was to hyÌ„ necessarye to the spyrytuell lyfe / toke none hede but to prayers / euery daye he made thre hondred prayers to god / to th ende that he wolde not leue one / he toke thre hondred stones / at euery prayer / he toke out one stone oonly / after whan he fouÌ„de no moo stones / he knewe well that he had all sayd Therfor we ought vs gretely to meke our selfe / whiche ben ferre dyfferent fro the lyfe of holy faders And we be not prompte and redy to make prayer lyke as they dyde ¶ Orayson Ioyned with contrycoÌ„n compunccoÌ„n is a grete vertue And therfor I wyll that thou vnderstonde / that our sauyour wyllyng to praye / wente vp in to the montayne / to sygnefye to vs whan we praye we ought to go vp in to the montayne of heuen by good deuoute coÌ„templacoÌ„n / but all they that pray / go not vp For he that demaundeth in his prayer the deth of his enemye / or coueyteth temporell goodes / to th ende that he praysed amonge worldly people / gooth not vp in to the montayne And in the contrarye he that in humylyte prayeth for the helthe of his soule / for his neyghbour / gooth vp in to the same montayne Now thynke thenne to rede his admonycoÌ„ns to th ende that thou mayst come fro mortyfycacoÌ„n to conpuccoÌ„n / fro conpunccyon to the maner of prayer to requyre god thy maker ¶ Of the bataylle of vyces ayenst the vertues Caplm .xi. FOr as moche as thou art suffysauntly Instructe to knowe the excellence of the vertues / there resteth now for to knowe the contrauersyes ayenst the sayd vertues So shalt thou thenne mowe surmounte all vyces in alledyng the vertues ayenst theym The whiche opposycyon / or alledyng ayenst theyÌ„ oftymes prouffyteth For a man by the same is lyfte vp to deuocyon And the vyces ben retrayned in dooyng the vertue contrarye to euery vyce For ayenst lecherye / it byhoueth to be chaste Ayenst wrath and Ire / it byhoueth to haue pacyence Ayenst drede confydence Ayenst heuynes spyrytuell Ioye Ayenst ferdfulnes of corage / strength and constaunce Ayenst auaryce largesse ayenst pryde humylyte Ayenst hate charyte Saynt Poull spekynge of this batayll sayth The flesshe coueyteth ayenst the spyryte / and the spyryte ayenst the flesshe These tweyne here ben in suche wyse contrarye / that somtyme is not doon that / whiche wolde be well doon And therfore my ryght dere frende be allewaye dylygent to rede / and to doo the thynges tofore sayd / yf thou be tempted to slepe ouermoche / enforce the to ouercome the temptacyon by wakyng / yf thou art tempted to take the eases of thy bodye haue remeÌ„brauÌ„ce of saynt Iames cosyn of our sauyour / the whiche neuer ete no flesshe / ne neuer ware lynnen / ne neuer ennoynted his hede / how well that in his contree the custome was to do so Yf thou be tempted with worldly delyces / remembre the of saynt Iohan baptyst / the whiche was saynctefyed in his moders bely / of whom god sayth / that among the childern of Adam that were born of wyÌ„men / ther was none fouÌ„de that was so grete It is fouÌ„de in scrypture / that he ne ete but wylde hony / herbes / yf thou canst not forgyue to hyÌ„ that hath offended the / remembre our redemer / the whiche pardoÌ„ned theyÌ„ that crucefyed hym / suffred dyuerse paynes for the. For for the loue of the / he was made man passyble mortall / whiche was Inmortall Impassyble / he toke for vs in the wombe of the holy virgyn Marye flesshe humayne to th ende that he shold deye for to redeme the / he was beten smeten with buffetes suffletes / all byspette in his precyous vysage / crowned with thornes And at the laste crucefyed in the crosse / all for to saue the / and whan he was in the crosse he sayd My fader pardonne theym that crucefyen me / for they knowe not what they doo Thus he that was crucefyed without cause