good counsell theyr soul is to lere All blynde halte and lame to her were full dere Whome with her handes she fed with a spone After gaue them drinke with Christes bene sone Women full of lepre and vile corrupcion In armes she wolde embrace and kysse swetely And gaue to them clothing and refeccion That many of them were healed therby Wherfore it was sayd O thou swete lady Who shall the kysse or aproche the nere Which kysses suche lepurs most vile in fere ¶ Of the great perfeccion and penaunce that lady Radegunde vsed in the tyme of lent THis noble Radegunde venerable abbasse All the tyme of lent after her profession Whan she solitary in her cell set was She absteyned from breed costly refectioÌ„ Using herbis potage made of malous alone Without oyle and salt except vpon the sonday She toke brede alon a lytell for that day She absteyned so sore from drinkyng of water The .xl. dayes of lent with suche great penury That she myght nat sing nor say with voyce clere The seruice of god nor orison priuatly She vsed the rough heer next her tender body Watchyng all the nyght vsyng meditacion Her bed was dry asshes and an heer layed vpon Her clothyng was so poore symple and small She had nat a sleue vpon her armes to do But of her hoses she made twayne at all To couer her from colde from frost and wynters wo Thus she dyd punysshe her propre body so That she assembled a seruaunt for to be Rather than an abbasse of great auctorite Also whan her systers all in bed were layed This lady Radegunde wolde euery nyght Wype clene theyr showes lyke a poore mayde And with soft oyntment anoyent them full right Make all thynge redy agayne the day light Of all vile labours that among them there was She wolde fyrst serue moost subget in the place Wherfore as her cours came wekely about She swepped all places of the monastery All great vile burthens she bare them out From stretes and corners fulsom for to se Secret purgacions horible to the eye She nothyng disdayned nor was dismayde On her childers to cary in story as is sayd She humbled her selfe as lest in degre Bearyng wod to the fyre in her armes twayne Seruyng her systers vexyd with infirmyte Preparyng sustentacion meate and drynke certayne Wasshyng theyr fysnamy and fedyng them playne Sundry tymes kyssyng them with great humilyte Therby recoueryng dyuers from penalite Unto all people she shewed good lyberalyte Truly fulfyllyng her holy professyon Theyr fete and handes wasshyng at the fyrst entre Of straungers to the place desyryng them of pardon Where was no offence but all thyng well don Example gyueng of mekenesse and charyte Unto all ladyes within christente ¶ Of the great affliccion hard punysshement that y e lady Radegunde vsed aboue the cours of nature in the sayd tyme of lent THis noble princesse mayden Radegunde A comly quene a moniall an abbasse A floure of vertue a rose moost rubicunde Of our lorde was elect circumfulsed with grace To be ruler and lady of a religyous place Whose strayte herd penaunce fame and holynesse We can nat discrybe nor them expresse This blessyd abbasse all the tyme of lenton Suffred bytter penaunce maruelous punysshment Usyng certayne bandes of yren in custome Fast knyt to her necke and armes in chastment Also .iii. yren chenes about her body went Full straytely bounde the holy fast enduryng To punysshe more pytiously her flesshe freatyng That whan fortie dayes of lent were past And the mayde mynded to take them away The sayd bandes and chenes remayned so fast Persyng her body that she ne myght verray Without great violence remoue them that day That blode yssued downe fro the necke to the fete In dyuerse parties of her body full wete She caused to be wrought for greatter penalty A plate of coper the sygne of the crosse hauyng Whiche layed in the fyre in her cell solitary She toke the sayd plate as it was hote brennyng And layde to her flesshe as a martyr sufferyng Punysshyng her corps to bryng it in subiection Obedient to the soule by payne and deuocion This abbasse addyd newe payne vpon payne In punysshyng her person more greuously For why all the lent sayth the story playne Natwithstandyng her vigils and abstinence openly She exercysed newe penaunce and paynes secretly The heer set with brystels and yet she vsed more A chafyngdisshe of coles to be set her afore Thus whan she was set solitary in her cell Her body quakyng and her membres all Dredyng greuous paynes maruelous to tell Her soule was armed to suffre payne temporall She broyled her body with the sayd fyre materiall To anymat and refresshe the soule in reason To stand as a martyr where was no persecucion Hoote brennyng brasse she layde to her sydes Her tender flesshe tremblyng y e skynne was coÌ„sumed The body was coÌ„bust with many greuous wondes The flesshe from the bones in sundre partê deuyded The blode semydecot to the erthe distylled Shewyng the verite of the passyon certayne Where scilence was kept for all the greuous payne Thus a fragill femynyn for the loue of Ihesu Paciently suffred greuous punysshment Usyng contynually deuocyon and vertue Prayer almisdedes and charitable feruent Thorowe which by grace there folowed incontinent Myracles for why all vayne pleasures transitory Radegunde refused myndyng moost our messy ¶ How this holy abbasse vsyng meditacyon refourmed her syster neglygent with a lytell exortacion folowyng THis lady neuer spake agayne good conscience She neuer defamed nor vsed detraccion Agayne verite she neuer bare euidence She neuer dissymuled nor vsed adulacion Hastynes ne yre debate nor derysyon She prayed for her enemyes to amende by grace Mouyng her susters to the same in the place Great grauite goodnesse and humilyte True loue to god in her hert was feruent Pacience in aduersyte faythe hoope and charyte Iustyce attemperaunce fortitude were lent With prudence benygnite euer resplendent Gostely example with good exortacion Had resydence in Radegunde and holy religyon Her example was better than a commaundement Unto her subgettes within the monastery Her doctryne was profytable and expedyent By her fact and dede she gaue examplary Unto her subgettes and all the famyle Her precepte and dede agreed bothe in one As Christ gaue example for our saluacyon Also afore mydnyght moost commenly she sayd All Dauid psaulter long before mattence After whan her systers in bedde were layed She styll contynued prayeng in presence Of the blessyd sacrementes departyd nat thence Tyll the day lyght knelyng in deuocion With wepyng teares and meke medytacyon That vnder lycence and reformacyon Of all them that this lytell werke shall se We purpose to reherse with deuyne proteccyon Parte of her myracles folowyng the story Requiryng all reders of theyr pure charite To excuse my ignoraunt boldnesse also And acccept myne entent symple tho it be Quia bona voluntas reputetur pro facto This gracyous
fresshe fayre and vernant This princesse was clad in clothes of golde In sylkesse veluettes and tyssues fyne A coronall was ordeyned richely to be holde And crowned therwith as christall dyd shyne Set with ryall stones the sapher celestyne The diamont the diadeke the ruby the topas The carbuncle the emerall the perle theyr was Lordes of the lande were redy present Dukes erles barons and knyghtes doughty The coÌ„mons assembled euer delygent To gyue attendaunce as was theyr duety The day was apoynted of the matrimony The chapell enowrned with mycle rychesse The clergy attending at an houre expresse ¶ Kyng Lothary passed from his ryall palace With many myghty peres and lordes of his lande Radegunde hym folowed a princesse full of grace With ladies many one the fearest coude befounde They came to the chapell as we vnderstande All thynge was prepared to that solempnite Ornamentes and vestures of great ryaltie The bysshop was redy with his ministers all To execute his office of the sayd matrimony The obseruauntes was done with honour ryall The masse was songe with mycle melody With belles and orgons and solempne minstrelsy The sacrament of spousage was celebrat that day With reuerence and worsship in theyr best aray From thens they departed to the kynges palace The sayd kyng and quene the lordes and clergy All thinges well ordered as afore sayd was To attende in the hall marshalles were redy Of meates and drinkes theyr was great plentie Ueneson Wildfoule mycle aboundaunce The condites of wyne ranne with great pleasaunce But for all this ryaltie and wordly pleasure Whiche was prepared at this solempnite The quene Radegunde passâ—ng course of nature Moste dredfull in hert was for her virginite Desyred our sauyour of his endlesse charite As he for vs all suffred better passion To preserue her body from all corrupcion ¶ Of the vertuous lyuing of saynt Radegund vndre spousage and howe she contynued a pure virgyne WHan the day declyned come was the nyght And all people passyd echone to his lodgynge The hert of Radegunde was litell of myght yet priuatly she went to her chamber wepyng Made great lamentacion dolefully sighing Required our lorde to helpe of his pytie To whome she had offred afore her virginite Alas what tong can playnly expresse Or hert may thynke the dredfull Ieopardy This lady Radegunde feared doutlesse Whan her lorde was laid her swete body by Her soule was rapt her mynde in an extasy Plonged in heuenes wo and penalite More leuer to be deed than lose her chastite But as scripture sayth our blessed sauiour Is euer redy in extreme necessite To helpe his seruauntes both day and houre Whan they do call with pure humilite He saued saynt Agnes saynt Lucie saynt Cecilie With many other mo from all corrupcion Ryght so he preserued Radegunde that season For whan Lotharias desired to supplie Naturall pleasure and voluptious entention By diuyne power and by myracle sothlie His feruent desyre with carnall affeccion Were clerly extincted for aboue reason Suche frayle concupiscence of loue entyre Soone seased as water quencheth the fyre Other sondry seasons whan the sayd kyng Was moued at wyll to haue his desiderye The quene founde remedy at her owne likyng Somtyme feynyng sickenesse and infirmite Somtyme nat disposed to suche fragilite Somtyme occupied in labours diligent Other tyme obiectyng the tyme nat conuenient Thus by the grace of her spouse Iesu She euer preserued her true chastite Geuyng her selfe to prayer and to vertue Lowyng our lorde of his benignite And his mother Mary floure of virginite Whiche of his mercy and infinite goodnesse Hath her preserued in all distresse And though she was maryed to kyng Lothary A wordly prince sekyng for honoure She clerely refused suche pompe and vayne glory And serued her spouse our sauyoure Transitory pleasurs worship and decoure Were truly abiected and all suche felicite More humble in wyll than parmitted dignite In wordly vanites she had no pleasure To gyue good example was her hole entent Sermons to here was all her great cure Loue and charite in hert were ay feruent Her landes and tentes geuen by assigment Were truly tithed Where was necessite To captiue prisoners and people in pouerte All rentes and richesse that she myght com to Were distribute to monasteris in deuocion Besekyng the couent to pray for her also And for her lorde and all the region Unto suche places as she myght nat come By personall presence for distaunce of place Thyder she sende almys in short tyme and space This noble quene had a principall mynde Upon the poore people in great penalite Shewyng werkes of mercy acordyng to kynde Helpyng all wofull wretchesse in miserie Thynkyng all myspend that they had nat truly Beleuyng that Christ in euery poore creature Lay secret and priue vnder theyr figure Whan she was richely serued at her table With costly dayentes and delicacy with myghty wyndes strong and comfortable Conuenient for her estate and regalie With suche metes she nolde content her body But dyd absteyne and toke refeccion With small potage of her owne decoccion To punysshe her person more strayte sharply Reuiuyng her sprite to meditacion She ware the herd here next to her body With precious clothes reclothed ther vpon Discrete abstinence agaynst rebellion Wysely oppressed by the helpe of Iesu Her corps makyng apte to prayre and vertue As Radegunde lay with her prince of right She askyd lycence of a comyn custome To depart and rise from bed euery nyght For naturall necessite acordyng to reason From whome whan she was departed and gone She went to prayer all nyght folowyng Platte vpon an heer on her knes knelyng So with continuaunce all the nyght season Feruent in soule to please god almyghty Tyll her vitall sprite by true deuocion Were almost confused and put in Ieopardy Thorowe colnesse frost and all her body From sensuall felyng of her wittes fyue Clerely were expulsed by mynde contemplatiue Wherfore it was sayd of her lorde and kyng Of his true subgettes and the comons all That his noble lady by gostly lyueng Was nat as quene but rather a moniall The kyng her blamed in termys rurall Reprouyng her customes with great confusion Whom she humble suffred without contradiccion ¶ Of the great deuocion she vsed namely in tyme of lenton and of the great pitie she had to all captiue prisoners WHan the tyme of lenton approched nere To speke of her penaunce is a strayte thyng For at the same tyme with conscience clere She send to a religious woman in lyueng Nominat Pia her fully mynde sheweng To whome this moniall knowyng her entent Send Radegunde an heer sealed full diligent Whiche heer this lady as rehersed is With reuerence receyued and put next her body Trustyng in the vesture great comfort and blis Pleasaunt to our lorde to her soule remedy And yet she wolde were clothes richely Upon the sayd heer in the tyme of lenton Expellyng fame and wordly commendacion Upon solempne dayes
went To tell whan and whyther and whiche way y t she is Auoydyng great displeasure shewyng nat amys Worshipfull maisters the husbande than can say Suche a fayre lady we se this way gone Rennyng fast and spedely the same selfe day That we cast this corne in the erth alone Sweryng to them depely for more affirmacion The courteours beleued this honest man certayne And heuely retourned to the kyng agayne ¶ How Radegund was made relygious after elect abbasse of Pictauis howe by grace she was preserued from daunger of her husbande y e kyng WHan nyght aproched this forsayd fayre lady Priuely departyd to the place of Pictauens Thankyng our lorde and his mother Mary Of her expedicion with micle reuerence The abbasse of the place gladed of her presence So dyd the couent and the company all Of this noble quene to be conuentuall Mekely she made singuler peticion To be religious vsyng lyfe monasticall Thabbasse graunted and the couent echone Receyued her gladly and made her a moniall Where fyrst she layde a syde her purpull and pall All riche vestures of golde and tissewes fyne Her crowne and coronall set with stones celestyne She was reclothed with religious vesture The mantell of mekenesse the vaile of blacke colour The wympull of wayling of humble gesture With other many vestures of vertue that same hour Thus for the loue of our sauyour All wordly pleasures vayne and transitore She hath refusyd obedient to be Whan the yere passed of her probacion She truly professyd the essencials thre Made a solempne vowe afore the congregacyon Obedience to kepe also pure chastite Enduryng her lyfe with wilfull pouerte She receyued the ryng of heuenly spousage Was maryed to Iesu enduryng this pylgrymage And as myne auctour playnly doth expresse The venerable Antoninus in his historie This lady Radegund of her great goodnesse Bylded afore tyme the sayd monastery By the helpe of her husbande kyng Lothary Where after she was elect lady and abbasse By helpe of saynt Medarde a man of great grace Whan she was abbasse she toke to her company A nomber of virgyns in hye perfeccion To whome she gaue the example dayly Of pure humilyte and perfyt deuocyon Of vertuous lyueng and contemplacion Perfourmyng in her persone for goostly mede All thyng commaunded to her systers in dede But the mortall enemy of all mankynde Consideryng in her suche grace and vertue By malyce and enuy forcast in his mynde By some subtylte this mayd to subdue He tempted her husbande a prince full of vertue By power and slouth to take his wyfe agayne Out of religion the more pyte certayne This sayd kyng Lothary in conscience blynde Came with his company to the citie of Turon Under craft and polesy prepensyd in mynde With the notable prince Sygibert her son Dyssemblyng pylgrymage and goostly entencion Approchyng Pectauis the rather that he myght Take from religyon his wyfe that same nyght Whan Radegunde hard tell his subtell polysy Howe he was paruerted as man without grace She wept and wayled in soule tenderly For sorowe of her husbande whiche somtyme was In her hert no confort was founde nor solace For drede of deceyte and ymagined treason Prayeng to our lorde for helpe that same season She made secret letters and send her entent Closed and sealed vnto saynt Garmayne Bysshop of Parise whiche than was present With kyng Lothary makyng her complaynt Wofully lamenting expressed in dede playne Desiryng the bysshop with humble supplycacion To conuert the kyng from his wrong opynion Whan saynt Germayne these letters had reed He prostrat hym selfe to the fete of the kyng Afore saynt Martyns tombe prayeng hym in dede By the order of charite many salt teares wepyng And for the loue of god to conferme his askyng That he no further wolde procede in way Nor come to Pectauis for drede of deth that day The kyng consideryng in soule his great trespace With bytternesse of hert remembryng his peticion Shulde come of Radegund by singuler grace With contrit hert and mynde made playne confession Excusing his defaute by euyll suggestion Prostrat his person vnto saynt Germaynes fete Desiryng indulgence with salt teares and wete Reputyng his presence symple and vnworthy For to call agayne his wyfe from religion Whiche is the spouse of our lorde almighty And vnder his licence entred professyon Required the bysshop spedely to gone To lady Radegunde absolued for to be Lest punysshement fell on hym soone and hastele Whiche thynge the bysshop was glad for to do Came to Pectauis vnto her oratorie And kneled at her fete desiryng her also To forgyue the kyng his entent and miserie Whiche thyng she dyd in hert and worde gladly Thankyng our lorde that she was at lyberte To serue hym day nyght delyuered from captiuite ¶ Of the feruent deuocyon of saynt Radegunde and of the great penaunce and charitable warkes she vsed in religion WHat hert may thynke or tong is sufficient To expresse the vertuous of this moniall In deuout orison in vigils conuenient In discret abstinence in vestures small Example gyueng vnto her systers all To the common people howe they in great vertu Shulde dayly encrease pleasyng our lorde Ihesu This abbasse vsed silde to eate whyte brede But of rye or berly kept secretly That no man perceyued howe that she fedde Her drinke was water or litell better dayly From her profession by saynt Medarde truly Her repast was potage and herbis for to eate Nother fysshe flesshe egges frutes ne mylke meate Also after the vsage and rite of saynt Germayne She had a litell mylne in her secret cell alon In whiche all the lenton she laboured certayne As wolde well suffyce for .iiii. dayes refeccion A maruell howe she dyd satysfy euery person Where nothyng wanted that was necessary The more that was gyuen euer the more plenty Whan obsruaūtes were done eche saturday at nyght She toke a lynen cloth cloused about her body And wasshed the heedes of all poore folkes aright Rubbyng all theyr soris sekenesse and malady She ayded and succoured and dyd them remedy After combyd them or they passed the place Nothyng abhorring suche mekenes in her was To all poore creatures the prouince round about She euer ministred the warkes of pytie Gyuing to them clothyng of almes without dout Bothe lynen and wollyn sytting for theyr degre Whan they were greued with any infyrmyte She toke theyr vestures and wasshed them echone With her owne handes after dyd them vpon She send for poore folke in her hall to dyne Afore the ryche estates for all theyr clothyng ryall She serued the sayd poore after Christis doctryne Fyrst water to theyr handes with a towell to them all To persons impotent she ministred speciall Wasshyng theyr mouthes theyr handes louingly Suche was her custome she was so full of pitie Whan all the seruyce on the table was set She wolde stande fastyng to make them good chere And deuyde theyr vitayls as she myght get Shewyng them
Shewyng howe for thy vertu and mekenesse Thy vigils fastynges and deuocion Thy wepynges waylinges and tendernesse Thy bytter penaunce and sharpe affliction Thou shalt haue merite and glorificacion And in my diadem thou shalt sure be A precious geÌ„me resplendent with beaute Swete virgyn to the I playnly expresse To Iesu thy spouse thou shalt come hastely From wordly vexacion payne and besenesse To abyde and endure in ioy perpetually Whiche singuler comfort and visyon gostly Secretly she shewed vnto systers twayne Uertuous in lyuyng suche grace to optayne Sone after this sayd gostly reuelacion Sickenes approched her and infirmite The messanger of deth and wordly seperacion Dayly increasyd with wo and penalyte Her body was brought to suche debilyte That she sore dred her lyfe euery day The panges and passions doubled alway As she endured suche langore and sickenes She send for her systers and all the couent Exortyng them to vertu and goodnesse Principally to kepe our lordes commaundment With gostly perfection and be euer pacient Use mekenesse in hert and true charite With loue vnto god from the hert fre She sayd dere systers I pray you euerychone Dayly to obserue the essencials thre Of saynt Benettes rule your holy religion Parfyt obedience and wylfull pouerte With the floure of clennesse and pure chastite Kepe your doctrines and customes sperituall With gostly obseruauntes and cerimonies all Honour and loue our lorde aboue all thyng Occupy the tyme in meditacion In deuout prayer and discrete fastyng In vigils penaunce and contemplacion Call vnto mynde your strayte profession Obserue the order ye be professyd vnto Remembre this lesson what so euer ye do Also my counsell is that ye shal be content With the visitacion of god all myghty Whether he send you pleasure or punysshement Quietnes vexacion helth or infirmite For this ye knowe by his auctorite The childe whome the father loueth most dere He doth most punysshe tenderly in fere ¶ With what pacience and deuocion lady Radegund receyued y e blessyd sacrament extreme vnction afore her departure AFterward she askyd the holy communion With mycle reuerence and humilite To comfort the soule agayne temptacion At the sharpe passage of this mortalyte Where preistes and clarkes were all redy Theyr offyce to supple right conuenient And brought with them the blessyd sacrament At whose commyng this reuerent Radegunde With gostly comfort humbled her body Sayeng to the sacrament with hert iocunde Welcome my maker god sonne almighty Welcom my redemer and kyng of glory Welcom my ioy comfort and solace My trust my treasure in euery place As the church techith I beleue stydfastly That thou descendyd from blis eternall And was incarnat in mayden Mary Suffred passyon and deth moost thrall Man soule to redeme from payne infernall And that thou institute thy blessed body In furme of bredde to vs sacramentally Thus with great wepyng and feruent deuocion In true fayth hope and charite Radegunde receyued the holy communion To preserue the soule from ieopardy With all obseruaunce and suffrage gostly After all this she askyd extreme vnction For spirituall comfort and saluacyon And as she lay in suche extremite Sufferyng great payne abyding the houre She be toke her soule vnto the custodie Of Ihesu her spouse our blessyd sauyour Also to visyt her they came with great honoure Many sad citesyns wyddowes virgyns pure Lamentyng and wepyng for her departure They held vp theyr handes towarde heuen on hye Pyteously cryeng made great lamentacion Sayeng O blessyd lorde god almyghty Why suffers thou this mayde departe from vs alon Fatherles childerne without consolacion Good lorde if it be thy wyll and pleasure Permyt her to abyde with vs and endure O blessyd abbasse thou art our succoure Our singuler comfort both day and nyght Our helpe and refuge agayne all langoure Our speciall defence vnder god almyght Alas swete maistres and lady bryght Why wyll you departe from vs so hastely But agayne deth may be no remedy ¶ Of the departure of this holy abbasse and howe she apperyd y e same houre to a noble prefect curyng hym from sickenesse of his throte THis venerable virgyn exspired sothely The .xiii. day of August to blis eternall Angels were present with mycle melody To receyue the soule from the lyfe temperall For euer to reigne in the see celestiall To haue her merite and glorificacion For her great vertue and contemplacion And at the same houre of her departyng Quareours laboryng in the mounte therby Herd swete armony of angels singyng One sayd howe the voyce of a sad company Ascendeth to the eares of god almyghty Suffre her no lenger to endure distres Take her to ioy and eterne quietnes Whan the angels sayeng thus endyd was They receyued the soule of this fayre lady And brought it syngyng to the celestiall palace As afore is sayd to reigne eternally Unto whiche place of endles glory Pray for vs abbasse and holy moniall That we may thyder come both one and all Manyfolde merites and myracles memoratyue Magnifien this mayde with great magnificence Enduryng the tyme of this present lyfe And at her departure knowen by experience For she apperyd gostly in presence The same houre she passyd from this lyfe dolorous To a great gouernoure called Demolemus This sayd Demolemus was paynfully cruciat In his brest and throte by host and swellyng His breth restrayned with passyons tortuat Ryght like to exspire at euery hours endyng Radegunde bad hym straytely commaundyng To lose .vii. presoners within his Iayle and holde And he shulde haue helth and pleasure manyfolde Whiche visyon past he waked sodenly Callyng to mynde her wyll and commaundement Knewe well by the visyon that this noble lady Than was departed from this lyfe present Prouyng the trueth by messangers diligent Afterwarde he sende his seruaunt to the prison Deliuerd all captyue from payne and affliction Incontynently by merit and grace of this abbasse Demolemus mended of sickenes and infyrmite His throte and his heed whiche wofull was Were sone delyuered from all penalyte His breth restored at his owne lyberte This forsayd ruler and the prisoners all Praysed this virgyn with mynde speciall Whiche sayd myracles notyfied playne Thorowe the countrey and all the region Many poore prisoners sufferyng great payne Made dayly prayers and humble supplicacion Unto this lady promisyng an oblacion Desiryng her suffrage with humylite Were saued from deth and put at lyberte ¶ How saynt Radegund cured one of her seruauntes from the plage of fier sittyng in her chayer without auctorite and right SOone after the departure of this pure virgin A woman of Uiuoberga one of her famylye Of hye ambicion willyng to domyn Sat in her chaâ—er right presumptuously Commendyng her selfe that place moost worthy So whan she had done this offence greuous The punysshement of god fell on her dolorous Her body brenned as doth a hote furnace The finde ascended to the ayre on hye The payne continued and neuer ceassed was Thre dayes and .iii.