Ben sothfastly lyke as ye shall here Truste me ryght well on god in trinite Ioyned in one by perfyte vnite Beleue this iustly and your wyttes dresse For lyfe or deth this article to confesse This is my fayth and I beleue thus Quod blessed Albon with all humylyte There is no god but my lorde Iesus whiche that come downe from his fathers see Mekely to take our humanyte For our helth and our saluation Lyst of his mercy to suffre passyon He with the father the holy goste these thre Amphibalus rehersyng vnto Albon They be all one god by ê‘fyte vnite And other god in all the worlde is none And this belefe loke ye not forgone This worde ofte rehersed in sentence Albon fell downe with deuoute reuerence Toforne the crosse and with great repentance And sayde O lorde Iesu on my mysdede O Iesu mercy receyue my penaunce whiche on the crosse lyst for my sake to blede And on his knees fast he gan hym spede with contryte herte great to god a lofte with wepyng teares the crosse he kyssed ofte with all his membres hath hym applyed As on the crosse Christ had be present And he with hym whan he was crucyfyed So of hole herte Albon was dilygent His face his eien with teares all be sprent This penitent his langour for to lysse was euer busye Christis fote to kysse His bytter teares from his eyen tweyne Lyke a christall well encreasyng at a floode Albon ay busy to make the water reyne To myngle his wepyng with Christis owne blode I mene the wounde grauen in the roode Vpon the crosse that was to hym shewed Of drery sobbyng the carectes all be dewed By grace enspired this Albon gan hym drawe To take the order of religion Of Christis fayth and bynde hym to that lawe with wyll and herte and hole affection And secretely made his professyon To Christe Iesu tyme and houre deuysed By Amphibalus whan he was baptysed with humble herte this was the langage Of holy Albon quod he I here forsake The pompe of Sathan and all his baronage And all the power of the vggely fendes blake My soule and body to Iesus I betake whiche for mankynde dyed it is no nay Thus I beleue and rose the thyrde day Quod Amphibalus with a glad visage Be stronge of fayth our lorde is holde with the He wyll not fayle to confyrme your corage By tokens shewed of his beningnyte In especiall reporteth this of me To other aforne you as I reherse can That they were taught they lerned it of man But your langage excellyng in vertue Experience hath yeue you knowlegyng By reuelation of our lorde Iesu whiche to you hath declared euery thyng His byrth his passyon his vprysyng Of all this thyng lyke as ye had in syght To call you to hym to be his chosen knyght whiche me semeth ought ynough suffice with the surplus of your auision To you expouned the maner and the gyse Of Christis fayth with full instruction Mekely of herte with supportation At my request your highnes not ye greue For to departe goodly to yeue me leue I am meued of veray conscience Other contrees to preache Christis lawe I hope to you it shall do none offence For a season though I me withdrawe It is a by worde and a full olde sawe whiche hath be sayd fyth gone many a yere Frendes alway may not ben in fere Frendes quod Albon neuer depart asonder Ioyned in vertue and knyt by grace Though one be here and a nother yonder Theyr hertes ben one euery houre and space In god combined ther parteth them no place Of one wyllaye in that they haue to done Of whiche I praye departeth not so sone To abyde a weke ye may do me great ease By your doctryne to haue instruction My lorde Iesu howe shall I hym please with ryght hole herte and true affection To serue hym duely lyke my profession And in his fayth wherin I moste delyte with your teachyng that I may be perfyte Amphibalus knowyng his entent Lyst in no wyse denye his askyng The longe nyght they to gether spent Only in prayer and deuoute praysyng For out of syght they chose theyr abydyng From noyse of folke they gan them selfe withdraw And all that whyle they spake of Christis law Of Christis fayth and of his religion was theyr fayth and theyr dalyance Amonge to god they mayde theyr orison Them to detende from fendes accombrance In this whyle god yafe them sory chaunce A cursed paynym of malyce and enuie where they met the place he dyd espie To auoyde them of comforte and refuge This paynym aforsayd of malyce lyst not spate For to accuse them bothe vnto the iudge Of theyr metyng the maner to declare And moreouer yuell mote he fare Of malycyous frowarde cursednes The iuge he set a fyre with wodenes with enuious sturdy violence Through the citie they serched were sought And coÌ„maunded to appere in the presence Toforne the iuge both two to be brought The towne serched but they founde them nought Blessed Albon meued of corage To kepe his maister saue hym from damage Vpon a nyght before the dawnyng This blessed Albon his maister gan conueye with heuy chere most pituously wepyng Out of the citie brought hym on the waye At the departyng fared as they wolde dye So were theyr hertes ioyned in one cheyne Not lyke to twynne tyl deth deê‘te them in twayne O faythfull loue standyng in suche a state By resemblaunce in comparyson As whylome dyd Dauyd and Ionathas Maugre kyng Saules persecution Faynyng was none nor dissimulation Lyke to endure playnly to termyne Tyll Antropos theyr lyues tryed atwyne Theyr loue more sad stable and vertous In comparyson than the poetes made Of Pyrothe or of Thedeus Of Norestes outher of Pylade Fresshe for a season that wolde sone fade As whylome dyd the loue of Achylles And Patroclus slayne amyd the prees whan that Ector the Troyan champyon Slowe Patroclus for his frowardnes Maugre Achylles for all his high renown To exemplifie there is no stablenes In worldly loue but chaunge and doublenes Be it of blode kynne or alye without vertue all standeth in ieoperdye Of these tweyne the loue was a nother By enterchaungyng betwene them set a lawe Albon to abyde and to dye for his brother Amphibalus his presens to withdrawe In theyr hertes the feruence dyd adawe Of perfyte loue to endure longe As Salamon writeth that loue as deth is stronge In all suche case the loue maketh hertes bolde And by ensample that loue auoydeth drede Albon for loue toke his cloth of golde And lyke a prince lyst to chaunge his wede Of entier herte he gan it for to sprede Ouer the shulders of Amphibali anone The houre whan they atwynne shulde gone From all his fone he iustly was assured who that euer had on this clothe of golde Tyll he the place fully haue recured To stande atlarge aforne as I haue tolde
whiche of antiquitie was in Britaine a great famous citie Verbi autores OF this place here nowe I am aduerted Of this matter for to stynte a whyle And to procede howe Albon was conuerted To christen fayth the processe to compyle The holy martyr directe shall my style To whose worshyp first I vndertoke The translation of this lyttell boke At the request and vertuous byddyng Of my father thabbot of that place A clerke noble perfyte of lyuyng Hauyng in custome euery houre and space To auoyde slouth and vertue to purchace Lyke any Ampte all seasons of the yere To gader grayne and stuffen his garner By whose notable compylations Illumyned is not only his gaye library By also full diligent occupations Agaynst ydlenes to all vertue contrary Hat set in order in his famous grauery A boke compyled rycher than golde in coffers Lyues of poetes and prudent philosophers Of his name the Ethymologie Is sayd of am Home or stede of whete Of god prouyded doth clerely signifie whete gleues of the mouthe of tholde poete Greyne frute and floure with rhetoriques swete Of philosophers callyng to memory Of his labour the laureat reportory And as I sayde by his cōmaundement I toke vpon me this translation First to compyle it in all my best entent His famous knyghthode and renowne And nowe to tell of his conuersation To Christis lawe I cast me for to wryte Folowynge the storye his passyon to endite To procede lyke as I am bounde For to accomplysshe brefly in substance This lyttell boke and call it the seconde Of his martyrdome and meke suffraunce And put aforne clerely in remembraunce Howe Amphiball as the cronycle sayth Tourned Albon vnto Christis fayth Eche of them by recorde of writynge was plainely without others remembraunce For Albon had lost the knowlegynge Of Amphabell and all olde acqueintaunce But by the meane of goddes ordynaunce I wyll declare as I am bounde of det In Verolamy to tell how they met Plainly procede as I vndertoke The residue to accomplysshe for his sake Make here an ende of the first boke But now forsothe my penne I fele quake Voide of all colour saue of letters blake In this processe my dulnesse to acquite The martirdome of Albon to endite Finis ¶ Here endeth the first boke whiche treateth of the lyfe of Albon before he was conuerted to the faythe ¶ Here begynneth the prologue of the secunde boke treatynge of the conuersion of the blessed prothomaptyr of Englande called Sainct Albon SO as Aurora parteth the derke night Towarde the tyme of Phebus vprisynge And Lucifer with agreable light Bryngeth kalendes of a glad mornynge So by ensample the true lyuynge Of olde tyme in saint Albon vsed Caused the lorde whiche guerdoneth euery thynge That the merites of hym were nat refused Euery thynge draweth to his nature Like as kynde gyueth heuenly influence For to disposen euery creature Some to profite some to do offence Some to encreace by perfite prouidence where vertue hath the dominacion Of god ordeined by intere diligence That sensualitie be bridled with reason Amonge painems Iues haue be saine That vertue hath many of them gouerned Taught by nature wrought nothynge in vaine But as kynde and reason hath vs lerned Good graine from chaf was discerned Thus hath he proued in many a sondry place Good from yuell by them truely conserned Recorde vpon Cornelly and on saynt Eustace who taughte Troyan whylom to done ryghte whan the wydowe complayned her greuaunce To her grefe themperour cast his sighte Reason taught hym for all his great puissaunce To her request to holde the balaunce Of ryghtwysenes to se though he were stronge In her pouerte to perswade her perturbance By egall dome he to redresse her wronge The storye of olde it put in memorye For ryghtwysenes in especiall Howe that Troyan by prayers of Gregorye was preserued from the paynes eternall From dampnation and cloyster infernall To exemplifie howe god taketh hede Of his greattest power moste imperiall Of ryght and mercy acquiteth eche good dede And to the purpose of my mattiere Durynge his lyfe of great power and myght This blessed Albon who so lyste to here Though lyke a prince his power yafe great lyght Fostred trouthe dyd wronge to no wyght For whiche the lorde his hande hath nat w tdrawe To call and clepe hym his owne chosen knyght To be conuerted and turned to his lawe His trouthe his vertue his natife gentylnes Of custome stable grounded in many wyse Caused god of his mercifull goodnes To the this prince into his seruice All fals y dols manly to despise This choson chapyon borne of the breton tyne This newe Tytan whose beames dyd auise Out of orient to lorde to enlemyne Nowe hensforth shall be my processe with gods helpe my penne to apply Howe in his tyme he keped ryghtwysenes And lyke a prince howe he dyd hym gye To set his citie vpon eche partie In gouernaunce from ryght they not twynne Vnder the reignes of prudent polycye whiche to reherse thus I wyll begynne ¶ Here endeth the prologe of the seconde boke ¶ Here begynneth the seconde boke of the glorious Prothomartyr saynt Albon howe he was made gouernour of the citie of Verolamye VNder the Romaynes chefe and principall with great auise it lyked them to ordayne By commyssyon and titell imperiall Prince and stewarde thorughout all Bretayne To chefe Albon whiche dyd first his payne Lyke a prince not slowe nor recheles To auoyde all trouble and rule the people in peas By polecy he hath so prouyded Set statutes so myghtye and so stronge And his lawes so vertuously deuyded For cōmon profyte to endure longe That no man shulde do other wronge And where he sawe innocentes oppressed Set a payne inhaste to be redressed The ryche he made lyue to theyr estate without extorcion do to the portayle Repressed ryot suffered no debate Idell people constrayned to trauayle Aforne prouyded for plente of vitayle Lyke his office with vertuous diligence By suffisaunce there were none indigence Beloued and drad with hygh and lowe degre For frende nor soo declyued not fro trouth The good hym loued for his benignite The ryche drad hym on the pore he had reuth wronges to redresse there was in hym no slouth In his domes stedfast as a wall Not singuler founde nor yet parciall Nature taught hym all vices for to flee Lyke the lawes to whiche he was bounde A chastiser of all dishoneste Gafe neuer dome tyll trouthe were out founde Nother to heuy nother to iocounde But as tyme and mater gaue hym occasyon So was demened his disposition He had also of his acqueyntance Foure vertues called Cardynall The reine of his brydell led temperance Ryghtwysenes with mercy ruled all Trouthe to defende and manhod marcyall By force also through hygh prowes Spared not to chastise all falsenes He coulde appese folke that lyste debate Refourme all rancour where he coude it espye Lyke a prince knyghtly he dyd hate Suche as coulde
Thus with sobbyng and wepyng manyfolde God suffered them a sondry to deuyde Forsoke them not but was theyr bothes gyde A symple sclauenne fortorne and threde bare Of Amphabals a full olde garment This noble prince Albon lyst not spare To cast vpon hym though it were all to rent So hole to Christe was set all his entent And in his pouert to shewe that he was playne To his Tygurry returned home agayne Amphibalus northwarde to his passage There of herte god to be his gyde For a tyme to eschewe the cruell rage Of paynyms as fortune lyst prouyde But holy Albon dyd the bront abyde To lyue and dye as goddis champyon Christ bare his standerd the crosse was his penon His sodayn chaunce he helde it was no losse Forsoke ryches toke hym to pouerte His treasure was to knele aforne the crosse His hertie ioye and his felicite And for a whyle thus I let hym be In his prayers and tel I wyll in dede Howe his enemyes agaynst hym procede There was a statute proclaymed in the towne who that wolde not do no reuerence Vnto theyr goddes nor mekely knele downe In to theyr fyre for to cast ensence He shulde anone by cruell violence Be take and layde vpon an aulter bounde Toforne theyr goddes slayne w t many a wounde Of his body to make sacrifice Superstitious was this oblation whiche of newe paynyms gan practise Agayne the doctryne and predication By Amphybalus brought into the towne By the iudge set in ordynaunce On hym and Albon fyrst to do vengeance So to punysshe one and one by rowe without mercy or longe auisement To blessed Albon this statute was well knowe Bothe of theyr dome and cruell iugement And ay this prince stable in his entent Made stronge in god for lyfe or deth tendure The lordes hande and his auenture whan somer floures blowed whyte and redde And were in theyr highest lusty fresshe season And fyry Phebus from the crabbes hedde Toke his passage towarde the lyon At Verolamy in that royall towne The same tyme paynyms haue auerted To Christis fayth howe Albon was conuerted For whiche agaynst hym so obstynate they stode Lyke wylde boores or tygyrs in theyr rage Vengeable of herte furyous and wode Malancoly and pale of theyr visage And all the nyght with cursed fell langage Gan to manace lyke wolfes rauenous This blessed Albon and Amphibalus The darke tydes of the cloudy nyght withdrough theyr shadowes and their skyes blake And Lucyfer gan shewe his beames bryght And Aurora hath the bedde forsake Of fyry Titan and her leue take And Phebus Chariot draweth vp w t flegoute And gan illumyne all the Orisoute The holsome bawme gan in meddowes flete Amonge the flowres and holsome leues grene The syluer dewe gan the soile to wete Lyke perles rounde as any christall shene whan nature of worldly thynges the quene Ordeyned a day of fresshenes plentous whan Albon was beseged in his hous The paynyms gan make theyr selfe stronge This noble prince Albon to pursewe Vpon that houre whan the larkes songe In theyr leden and gan the day salewe Theyr purpose was specially to sewe Amphibalus but that he was gon In stede of hym they fyll vpon Albon Aforne the crosse they founde hym knelyng In his prayer and they vpon hym went He rose vp and made no taryeng And the great multytude that the iuge sent Fell vpon hym and lyke wolfes hym rent In theyr furyous mortall fell deluge They hym present anon afore the iuge Meke as a lambe of porte and chere benynge To done his batayle lyke Christis owne knyght His banner was his standerde and his signe The crosse of Iesu whiche he bare vpryght Magre paynyms in theyr alder syght Lyke a champyon agayn them to warrye Vnder that penon cast hym to lyue and dye God was with hym to susteyn his partie Stedfast of herte hardy as a lyon Put his lyfe for Christ in ieopertye Of body naked trouthe was his habergon His shelde was fayth his sworde and his burdon His spere his pollax surer than stele to endure was only hope the victorie to recure His sabbatons set on grounde of trouthe And his greues forged with stabilnes And his polayns plyant without flouthe And his quisshews borne vp with high prowesse A payre of curesse closed with ryghtwysenesse And his vauntbrace was truste that went beforne Rerebrace of charyte which myght not be forlorne Gloues of plate to beare of and defende was true affection medled with the dede A large pauice greatly to commende Of trewe meanyng to auoyde away all drede And thus in trouthe who so lyst take hede All in vertues enarmed for defence with a cote armour aboue of pacience Charyte was chefe of his counsayle Taught hym the maner agayn his cruell sone Howe that he shulde do to his great auayle Enter in to the felde and knyghly to gone All that it so were that he was but alone His banner splayed full erly on the morowe Grace was his guyde with saynt Iohn̄ to borowe Fyrst he was led by mortall violence Drawe and torne in moste cruell wyse The holy crosse vp borne for his defence And brought he was to do sacrifice Vnto theyr ydols but he them dyd dispise Asclypiodot the iuge there present And all the citie gathered of entent This goddes knyght holdyng the crosse in honde Inuisible by vertue of that signe And paynyms that aboute hym stonde Cruell and cursed agayn hym gan malygne Though they were there borne of one lyne The iuge troubled whan that he toke hede Of Christis crosse had in maner drede Albon alway this prince full notable Stode ay vpryght with loke moste coragious Euer of one herte as any centre stable The crosse afforne banner most gloryous Moste agreable and moste victorious And fyrste of all the story doth vs lere Of his maister the iudge of hym dyd enquere And asked of hym to what partie he was gone By his sleyght and his vncouth wyle whiche dispysed theyr goddes euery chone Come of nowe theyr citie to begyle At whose wordes Albon stynt a whyle And sayde at last with sobre countenaunce He was departed by goddes ordynaunce Quod the iuge where euer that he be Either embesyled orels set a syde Touchyng the fayth that he hath taughte to the And therin ben thy maister and thy guyde And is nowe fledde and durst not abyde By his doctryne a reason full notable His preachyng is nought or he is not stable I trowe he wolde haue come to presence If in his fayth had be no varyance Other some remors of his conscience Hath cast his herte in newe repentance If he had had in his fayth constance Lyke a maister he shulde nat haue gone And his disciple in myschefe leaue alone In this doctryne as to myne entent There is disceyte vnder some falsenes Or in his teachyng he is fraudolent whiche the brought in so great wodenes To forsake thy treasure and ryches Of all our
goddes in so frowarde wyse Of wylfulnes and malyce them to dispise Thou standist nowe in a full perlous poynt The clerke hath brought the in so great a snare And set thy reason so farre out of ioynt And made thy wyt so naked and so bare That thou arte pleynly to declare In Christis cause and so from our fayth to erre Agayne all our goddes to begyn mortall warre whiche thynge consydered as it is skylle ryght And egally paysed in balaunce wronge to do them by any maner wyght Nother by fauour frendshyp nor suffraunce May not passe without great vengeaunce Vpon blasphemy the lawe doth ordeyne Agayn the goddes deth to be theyr peyne Vnto a foole thou gafe hasty credence And by his foly he hath the begyled Fyrst to the goddes thou dost no reuerence Of despite wylte not be reconsyled Thou farest as a man whiche is vnabyled Stondyng as nowe from grace desolate Vyle and abiecte out of thyne olde estate In suche case eche man may be disceyued By suche false foren information But nowe thyne errour is clery apê‘ceyued So by counsell for thy saluation Or thou incurre the indignation And or iugement by rygour the manare Forsake that seete fall downe and axe grace To thyne estate thou mayst thus be restored with humble herte do them sacrifyce And thy treasure thy ryches shalbe mored And encreased in many a sondry wyse To great worshyp and sodeynly aryse Of townes castels lorde we shall the make So thou wylte the fayth of Christe forsake Of herte and thought very indiuisybel Albone stode hole and kept his grounde place The iuges promysse flateryng and fallybel Boystous threatnynges w t whiche he gan manace Voyde of drede of one chere and one face This manly prince this hardy knyght Albon Stode betwene bothe stable as any stone To the iuge sayde as ye shall here Thy manaces nor promys of pleasance In frowarde speche nor thy frownyng chere Shall me not meue on poynt from my constaunce In Christ Iesu is hole my suffisance For me lyst not here longe processe to deuise Thy golde thy treasure thy goddes I despise And where thou hast my maister eke accused Of inconstance and duplicite Be ryght well sure god hath hym excused That he dyd the counsell come of me He fled not god wote for feare of the I was assented to kepe hym absence And elles he had come to audience From the trouthe me lyst not to declyne All thy wordes be sayde but in vayne Of my maister I confesse the doctryne For lyfe nor deth neuer to turne agayne From Christis fayth whiche standeth in certeyne For it causeth folkes lame to go vpryght And folkes blynde to recure theyr syght This fayth so hole infyxed is in my mynde Vnto me more precious and more dere Than all the stones that comen out of Inde Or all the ryches that thou rehersyst here Golde or treasure rekened all in feare worldly worshyps pompe or veynglorye To fayth compared be thynges transytorye This faythe in god maketh me so ryche and stroÌ„ge All worldely good for it I do despise what shulde lenger drawe the alonge To false goddes in no maner of wyse I wyll not do worshyp nor sacrifise Echon ben false and haue nother wit nor wynde ye that serue them be very mad or blynde Most deceyuable whan a man hath nede Ben your goddes with all your mawmetrye It hath ben proued aforne in my kynred And many other borne of myn allye All suche rascayle of purpose I defye False and faylyng of olde tyme and newe To all theyr seruauntes of custome most vntrewe I cast neuer with them to haue a do Nor make fyre vpon theyr aulteris This is myn answere take good hede therto Nor none ensence cast in theyr senseres Nor knele aforne them this C.M. yeres This is in somme for one worde and all My last wyll and answere fynall with this answere ther rose vp a sodeyn crye Noyse of the people clamour and wepyng Aboute the martyr they wente busylye Lyke wodemen vpon hym gauryng He herde all theyr speche spake agayn nothyng The iuges manace the peoples violence He suffred all and kept his pacience The people agayne hym vengeable and cruell Vnto theyr temples brought hym anone ryght By violence they gan hym to compell To theyr goddes to offre and to set vp lyght Blessed Albon as goddes owne knyght Stable of herte and hole in his entent To sacrifice wolde neuer assent The people then in theyr furyous hete By the iewes cruell commaundement They strypte hym fyrst and with scourges bete Tyll his body and skynne was all to rent But he with glad chere sufferde his torment His eien vplyfte to god began abrayde And to the lorde deuoutly thus he sayde Lorde god quod he kepe myn inwarde thought Graunt of thy grace in my greuous payne Pacience that I ne grudge nought Of thy mercy O Iesu not disdeyne My freyle flesshe from murmour to restreyne Syth that my wyll stant hole without stryfe To the to offre my soule and eke my lyfe Remembre the lorde on thy seruant Albone For nother flody stormes wynde nor reyne May hurte that house bylte on stable stone And semblably it is full selde seyne who byldeth in Christe byldeth not in veyne Syth my byldyng stant holy in thy grace Suffre not my wyll remeue from this place My voyce my tonge my wyll fully record All of assent without excepcion For lyfe for dethe they neuer shall discord But thou Iesu madest our redemption Nowe by the vertue of thy passyon O blessed lorde graunt me constance Amonge the paynes hole wyll and meke suffrance whyles the martyr was scourged and bete This was his voyce on Christ Iesu to cry To call his helpe wolde neuer lete Nother for smerte nor paynfull tormentrye Vnto paynyms lawe he wolde neuer applye Nother for manace rebuke nor rygour For fayre speche for promysse nor fauour Lyke a dyamande he wolde not be broke Nor restreyned from his olde constance From Christis fayth they myght not reuoke with all theyr fayned wordes of pleasance Than was he put vnder gouernance Of the iuge as a lambe amonge houndes Full syxe wekes not to passe his boundes Duryng this tyme the boke maketh mention He streytly kept of moo than one or twayne Lyke a martyr holde in streyte pryson Myght not reche further than his cheyne The elementes his wronges gan to compleyne In theyr maner agaynst natures lawe Theyr benefytes of kynde to withdrawe Vpon the erthe on herbe grasse nor floure On all these thre was no dewe sene The grounde to cherysshe come nother rayne nor shoure For no moisture fell vpon the grene Flora slepte that is the floures quene Eolus the smothe wyndes softe All this whyle enspired not alofte The erthe scaldeth with the feruence of the sonne Hete on nyghtes was intollerable There grewe no frute the skyes were so donne Greynes come none vplande was not erable Thus by a
confirmed to that place For loue of saint Albon with many especial grace By auctoritie as ye haue hard deuysed He had his askynge by power spirituall And for his part to be more auctorised He hath annexed his power in especyall with all liberties and fraunchies full ryall Perpetually bound yt in brede and in lenght In honour of saint Albō to stonde in his strenght O Verolamy as I haue tolde beforne O Famous olde citie amonge all nations whiche in thy boundes hadst suche a prince borne Notable in knyghthode with all conditions Of hygh prowes by manyfold reasons wordy by vertu and by ryall lyen To be in degre aboue all the worthies nyen He that whylom was busy to compyle This noble historie trewly of entent In latyn tonge to directe his style Ryght as he sawe so was he diligent It to conuey bicause he was present yet lyst he not I suppose of mekenes Tell what he was nor his name expresse To hym selfe he gaue none other name After the story as I reherse can Excepte he wrote of drede and of honest shame He wolde be called as he wrote than Of all wretches the symplest man Of other name as by his wrytyng To vs he lefte no maner knowlegyng Saue he of trust and good confydence whiche that abode in his opinion There shulde come in great reuerence Tyme commyng folke of religion Specially to Verolamy towne whiche that shulde do theyr busy payne The fayth of Christe for to preache in Britayne Than shall the trouthe be openly knawe whan the errour is loused and vnbounde Of paynyms and Christis worde be sawe Thorowe all the londe false ydols to confounde Than to theyr hartes gladnes shall rebounde That vseth our fayth whan Iesu lyst by grace Of his infinite mercy a tyme to purchase This same man of full trewe intent whiche busy was this story to endue Vnto the see of Rome with the boke he went By great aduise his purpose to acquite And fynally lyke as he doth playnly wryte All false goddes and ydols to forsake Baptisme to receyue and Christis fayth to take And as I haue tolde this boke w t hym he brought To be sene ouer with meke and lowe subiection To all that courte and humbly he besought Our lorde Christe Iesu with deuoute intention After theyr dewe and full examynation Called to recorde this story made of newe Lyke as he wrote that euery worde was trewe This boke accomplysshed notable and famous Of hym that was in Brutis Albion Called prothomartyr most vertuous That for Christ suffered passion That yere accompted of his translation Fro Christis byrthe and his natiuite Fully seuen hundreth nynty yere and thre Nowe perfyte reders that dyuers stories hath sene Marke well the tymes of this here expressed whan that saynt Albon by the paynyms kene For Christis fayth from this lyfe was suppressed The cōmyng of saynt Germayn for errours to be After all these the tyme of his inuention Done by kynge Offa w t his holy translation CC. lxxxx.iii yeres of our lorde Christ Iesu The reigne of Dioclesyon the .xix. yere Christis holy fayth to reuyue and renewe Suffred saynt Albon the story doth appere Maximiane Asclipiodot both his iuges were It was in the seconde yere of the pope Gaius That holy saynt Albon was martyred thus Than one hundreth one yere after his passion Began fyrst theresies of false pelagyane which was CCCC iiii yeres by iust computation After that Christ had take our nature humayne The .xiiii. yere of the Brittisshe kynge Graciane In the .iii. yere of the fyrst Anastacious And the .xvi. yere of themperour Theodosius Foure hundred and forty of our lorde .ix. yeres mo And in the fyrst yere of Vortigern the kynge And the fyfte yere of the fyrst pope Leo Theodose the seconde emperour than beinge In his .xxi. yere after iust rekenynge Saynt Germayn come fyrst and lupus also To distroye theresies that were begon tho C.xliii yeres by iuste computation After his passion thus come saynt Germayn And forty and two yere without variation After the fyrst tyme of the falce pelagian yet within fyue yeres saynt Germayn come agayn As is shewed before with holy Seuerus All former heresies by grace to discus CCC.xliii yeres after saynt Germayne whiche was seuen hundreth lxxx .xiii. yere Of our lorde Iesu as stories doth determyne That thangell at Bath to kyng Offa dyd appere To translate saynt Albon w t all heuenly chere The fyrst Adrian pope the .vi. Constantine thēperour whā this translation was done w t all honour Perceyue nowe good reders gyue true iugemēt Betwene the monkes of Colen of blessed Albon The Coloners wryteth after theyr entent To cause the pylgryms to w tdrawe theyr deuotion From Verolamy to folowe theyr affection Sayinge that they haue the very body To theyr shame and rebuke detendyng suche foly And to proue theyr intent playnely they say That these heresyes of false pelagiane Began in the reigne of noble kynke Offa And also in the tyme of pope Adrian Affyrmyng that than shuld come in Germayne And with hym Lupus a clerke of great substance And all theresyes were brought than to vttrance And so by Germayn were brought vnto Rauenus The body of saynt Albon and there themperour Valentiniane he was nobly receyued than And also the body with all godly honour where Germayn sore vexed w t a mortall dolour Departed this lyfe and vale of all misery To theternall lyfe in the celestiall glory After whose deth themperours mother Placida by name as Coloners doth say To Rome brought this body she with many other with all dewe reuerence there abode many a day Tyll Otto themperour w t his mother Theophana Brought it to Colen to tharchebysshop Brunon In to the monastery of holy Panthaleon Also at the tyme of this translation in dede Adrian was pope and that they confesse And whan Valentiniane to thempyre dyd procede Liberious was pope in his .xii. yere doutlesse As diuerse Historiographers playnly do expresse So that of the sees spirituall nor temporall Agreeth w t theyr accomptes after theyr memoriall They say also the body is yet incorrupt From the thyes vpwarde they haue in possession whiche saiynge me semeth of trouthe be interrupte Onles they wyll graunt any vnsemyng diuision Of a corporall body to be cut in perticion yet I can not knowe what parte they shulde haue For kynge Offa founde nothyng but the bones in his graue They say also that kyng Offa saynt Germayne was bothe at one tyme at this translation whan therisies was destroyde of false pelagian In whose tymes is a great alteration who lust accompt by iust compotation Shall fynde CCC yeres .xliiii. also That kynge Offa came after saynt Germayn was go They say also that themperour Valentiniane Shulde mete s Germain whā he came to Rauene whiche can not be trewe but all spoken in vayne For CCC.lxvi was the yeres of our lorde than whan Valentiniane